Landon's Obsession: An Endless Series: Book 3 (Series 3) (36 page)

     Nola bounced in her seat enthusiastically. “Yes, yes,
really, really high.”

     I stared at the two of them in a frozen stupor. Watching
the two of them meet, interact, connect, it was hitting me in the chest like
a…a…oh God, I hope she was his.

     My throat was closing up and my eyes welled, but I WAS
NOT GOING TO CRY! Blinking furiously I focused on wiping up the last of the
juice. The floor was going to be sticky if I didn’t mop it with water though so
I wet a wash cloth. Landon stepped in front of me taking the wet rag from my
hand.

     “I can finish the floor if you want to go up and change?”

     My body immediately tensed at his nearness, but what
really disturbed me was the tidal wave of heat that swept over me. I hadn’t had
felt these sensations for years, no other person had been able to elicit them in
me, not like Landon did, and now he was back in my life drawing them from me
again.

     Stepping away from him hastily I took deep shuddery
breath; I couldn’t let him effect me like this…not again.

     I looked between him and Nola. Was I comfortable leaving
him alone with Nola just yet? I didn’t think he was going to walk off with her
or anything, but…Then I noticed that Nola had some purple splatters on her
pants. This gave me an excuse for whatever the hesitancy was for.

     “I need to change Nola’s pants too. Have you had lunch
yet?”

     He shook his head his gaze intent on me.  

     “Hot dogs are going on the stove and the water for the mac-n-cheese
is about ready.”

     The corner of his mouth curled up. “My favorite. You
guys go up and change and I’ll finish that.”

     “Wow. Cleaning my floor and boiling water. You could
become indispensible.” I teased.

     His eyes twinkled for the first time since he’d come
back into my life. “Just pray I don’t burn the water.”

     I shook my head at his humor. “Come on, Nola. Let’s go
change our clothes.”

     It took Nola and me about seven minutes to change. I
exchanged my jeans and sweater for another pair of jeans and sweater, light
pink this time. I had to give myself a sponge bath because the juice had seeped
through making my skin sticky. My hair was up in a ponytail and that probably
saved it from getting juiced like the rest of me. Filling the sink with soapy
water I soaked both Nola’s and my clothes because that purple juice was going
to be hell to get out.   

     I carried Nola back downstairs. She was still so tiny
but all too soon she would be at that stage where I couldn’t carry her and I so
loved holding her. I walked back into the kitchen to see Landon at the stove
dumping the mac-n-cheese noodles into a strainer over the sink.

     “Water still okay?” I asked with a raised brow.

     He stirred the noodles with a grin. “There’s still some
in there, so all good.”

     My wayward eyes traveled Landon’s frame as I situated
Nola back in her booster seat. He was wearing dark blue dress slacks that
showed off his thick thighs and butt in a way that had my breath catching, and the
patterned button-up shirt clung to his muscular back, shoulders, and arms
making that caught breath puff out irregularly.

     I don’t know why Landon seemed to be the only one to
raise this response in me. Greg was just as attractive, and I admired other
men’s looks and liked spending time with them, but that’s all it was…appreciation
and easygoing enjoyment. None of them sparked those special places inside of me
like he did. It was maddening.

     I made myself look past all that magnificence to the
actuality of Landon being all domestic, hoping it would cut down on his magnetism.
It didn’t.

     “Landon, would you like some ice tea or water or…”

     “Ice tea sounds good.” He broke in. “Thank you.”

     I poured him the ice tea, myself water, and Nola
another glass of grape juice…with a top on it this time.

     “Mommy, I’m hungry.” Nola whined.

     “The hot dogs are done, and the mac-n-cheese will only
be ten more seconds.” Landon’s tone had an edge like he was afraid Nola was
going to starve in the next two seconds.

     I smirked, pulling some strawberries from the
refrigerator. “Fruit will hold her over until the rest is done.” I also pulled
some carrots.

     A minute later everything was on the table and we were
all eating…together. I shook my head inwardly at how bizarre this was.

     “These hot dogs look weird?” Landon frowned down at his
plate.

     “They don’t look weird.” I corrected him throwing a
glance Nola’s way. The last thing I needed was Nola thinking her food was
weird, and then refusing to eat it. “They’re turkey hot dogs.”

     He looked at me like I’d said they were made from human
flesh. “Turkey hot dogs?”

     I tried holding back my grin at his disgust. “Yep.”

     He looked over at Nola who was gobbling hers up like
they were dipped in sugar. Loading his hot dog with ketchup and mustard he took
a bite and chewed cautiously, and I couldn’t hold back the grin any longer as I
watched him try to hold back a look of distaste.

     “Good, isn’t it?” I goaded.

     He swallowed and forced a smile. “Delicious.”

     I chuckled. “Turkey dogs are better for you, and Nola
loves them.”

     “If they’re better for her than I’m all in.” He stated
taking another bite.

     Smirking, I took my own bite. I had to prod Nola to eat
her carrots, like I always did, and she eventually got them all down. Landon
watched both of us silently, keenly. It was slightly awkward, but I understood
why he did it. This was new to him.    

     When I saw that Nola was mostly finished I took a deep
breath. It was time to move ahead with the decision I’d made. “Nola, Landon
brought you a present for a reason.”

     Landon’s gaze sharpened and I could almost feel him
stiffen from across the table. Nola picked up a cheesy noodle and stuck it in
her mouth while staring at me curiously.

     I scooted my chair sideways facing her. “You know how
Andrea and Christy have daddy’s? How Grandpa Brian is Uncle Greg’s daddy?”

     Nola grabbed another noodle. “Uncle Lon and Mr. John is
Andree’s and Christy’s daddy’s.” She stated. 

     I smiled. “Yes, they are.” I pointed at Landon who
continued to watch both of us fixedly. “Landon is your daddy; just like Andrea
has daddy Lon, and Christy has daddy John, you now have a daddy.”      

     Her hazel eyes lit with interest and she turned to look
at Landon. He smiled at her looking all sorts of hopeful and Nola abruptly went
shy. She reached both arms out for me wanting to be held, and as soon as I drew
her into my lap she stuffed her face into my chest, but a second later she was
peaking out at Landon.

     His gaze and smile remained locked on her.

     Nola tilted her head up at me. “He’s really
my
own daddy?”

     I nodded. “He is.”

     Again, she twisted to face him, half her face mashed
into my chest. “And you’re still my mommy?”

     I almost frowned at that question. “Of course. No
matter what I will always be your mommy. Now you just have a mommy
and
a
daddy.” I hugged her reassuringly.

     “Will he take me to the park and McDonod’s like Uncle
Lon does for Andree?” She asked, eyes flickering back and forth between me and
Landon.

     I had no idea how to answer Nola question and suddenly
realized that we should have discussed things in more depth. Landon said he
wanted to be her father, but what effort was he going to make in her life. I’d
been so overcome by his offer, and the opportunity of severing Kris’s hold on
Nola, that I’d hadn’t thought things through further than that.

     I was going to have to distract her until Landon and I
talked.

     Suddenly, Landon leaned forward smiling at Nola with
both his eyes and mouth. “I would love to take you to the park, and McDonald’s.
I would also like to play Lego’s with you, watch movies, go swimming, and lots
of other things.”

     Nola straightened looking extremely interested. “Do you
like dollies and reading? Mommy reads to me.”

     “I love dollies and reading.” Landon answered
earnestly.

     Nola leaned toward him. “But we is goin to have to wait
to go swimming. It’s way to cold.” She announced somberly.  

     An expression of amused tenderness lifted Landon’s
face. “Not if we go swimming inside.” He stated like it was a hushed secret.

     Nola almost rolled her eyes. “Mommy says bafs are like
swimming inside…it’s not the same.”

     Landon’s brows rose at the indignation in Nola’s voice
and he looked up at me in astonishment. I could only stare at him in incredulity,
locked in a stupor again at their interaction.

     Did he truly want to do all those things with Nola?

     A frown flickered over Landon’s face before he switched
his attention back to Nola. “I wasn’t talking about swimming in your bath. I
know a couple places that have inside pools we could go swimming in.”

     “Wow! A whole pool inside a house.” Nola twisted toward
me. “Did you know they had pools inside houses, mommy?”

     I gave myself a shake because I appeared to be back in
the conversation. “Uhm…yes I did know that some people had those.”

     “Can we get one, mommy?” She asked excitedly.

     “We don’t have anywhere to put an inside pool, baby
girl. Pools take up a lot of space.” I stated, trying to sound realistic.

     “There’s lots of space in the living room.” Nola
declared, rational reasoning going right over her head.

     “But I like the living room just the way it is, and
inside pools cost a lot of money that we don’t have. Remember, we can’t have
everything we want.” Nola may only be three, but she needed to know she
couldn’t have everything she wanted.

     She pouted but I knew she accepted my answer. Turning
back to Landon Nola switched over to her signature ‘twist you around my finger’
smile. “I like swimming.” She said with puckered lips.

     I knew what she was doing. I’d taught Nola not to ask
people she didn’t know for things, and since she didn’t really know Landon she
was attempting to coax him into inviting her. The girl was scary shrewd.

     Landon’s expression contorted with agonized
affection…she’d hooked his heart string. “I will talk to your mommy and maybe
we can see about taking you swimming soon?” He proposed keenly.

     Nola clapped her hands and bounced in my lap, happy
that she’d got her way, and Landon’s face bloomed with delight at having made
her happy. Both contentment and anxiety rose inside me at their interaction. I
wanted them to get along, wanted them to have a connection, but I wanted it to
be a real one, not one built off materialistic things. And while Landon
offering to take her swimming wasn’t necessarily money-oriented I knew it was
something he could fall into. He had gobs of money that he could end up
throwing at Nola in the place of spending time with her.

     I was starting to think I should have thought this
through more. Was I giving Nola a loving father that would be there for her or
an affectionate absentee father?

     I came back to awareness to see Landon watching me with
speculate intensity.

     “Mommy, I’m full. Can I go play with my new Lego’s?”
Nola asked wiggling to get down.

     I set her down. “Yes. Why don’t you bring them all down
to the living room and we will come play with you in a little while.”

     We both watched her run out of the room, and then
turned to silently look at each other.

     Landon set both of his arms on the table and leaned
forward. “Something serious is going through that head of yours. What is it?”

     I sighed, studying his features. “I just realized that
maybe we should have talked further about what kind of role you planned to have
in Nola’s life. When you said you wanted to claim her I was so thrilled at
severing the connection to your brother that I jumped at it without taking
other things into consideration.”

     Landon rose and moved to the seat next to me, taking my
hands. “Maya, when I made the claim on Nola I meant it wholeheartedly. I want
to be there for her. I want to do things with her. I didn’t just say it so she
could have a name on a birth certificate. I admit that I was somewhat anxious
that I would have to work at building feelings for Nola…” Landon snorted, “But
that anxiety went right out the window after the first minute. She’s
fuc…freaking adorable.” He shook his head with a sad smile. “She looks so much
like you, she’s beautiful.”

     “She has your eyes, and her hair is closer to your
color.” I said softly, his words moving me.

     His hazel eyes churned. “Yeah, my eyes…” I knew his
thoughts were on his brother, and how Kris had the same eyes.

     I squeezed his hands to bring him back to the moment.
“So, you do want to be in her daily life. You’re not just going to drop by a
couple times a month with gifts offering her scraps of affection?” I had to
know exactly what he was offering, for Nola’s sake. “Because I don’t know if
that will be any better for her than having no father.”

     His gaze was steadfast. “I’m going to be here for her,
Maya. I don’t know the usual time it takes for a father to feel that connection
for his child, but I feel it.” He shook his head, appearing dazed. “I mean, I
looked at her and my heart nearly swelled from my chest, and something
just…clicked.”

     My throat was too closed up to swallow, and my eyes
stung with potential tears. I blinked them back. “I’m so glad.” I whispered.

     He nodded, but his gaze seemed troubled.

     “What’s wrong?” I asked.

     “Do you think…do you think Nola felt any kind of
connection with me?”