Landon's Obsession: An Endless Series: Book 3 (Series 3) (59 page)

     Maya came up next to me. Her hand settled on my lower
back. “Are you okay?”

     I’d expected her to give me hell but instead she was concerned
for me. My chest constricted at how amazing she was. Setting down my plate I
seized her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I should have sat down with both my parent’s
before having them over. My dad had sounded so eager to meet Nola, and
he
was, but I think we both discounted on how deeply this has been affecting my
mother. Is Nola alright…are you alright?”

     Her face softened in sorrow and placation as she leaned
forward and wrapped me in an embrace. “She’s fine. I’m fine. I’m more worried
about you at the moment.” Her hands smoothed up and down my back.

     Fuck, she killed me. I’d promised her that I’d try to
make meeting my parents as drama free as possible but I’d sure as hell failed
that. She should be chewing my ass out instead of comforting me. Shit, I should
be comforting her.

     Returning her embrace I kissed the top of her forehead.
“I’m fine.”

     She sighed. “It seems both our parents have a problem
with us getting back together.”

     My arms tightened around her as I remembered RaKesha’s
reaction to finding out that I’d spent the night in Maya’s bed last night…via
Nola. She’d looked appalled, but at least she’d handled it better than my
mother. I’d seen her and Maya having a heated discussion after church let out,
and she’d given me a narrowed-eyed, tight-lipped scowl, but she’d held any
animosity to herself and put on a pleasant facade.   

     “Your mom’s unhappy that we’re together?” I asked. It
bothered me that she might be, because I didn’t want to cause strife between
Maya and her mom, but it wouldn’t change my mind about anything.

     “She’s…cautious.” Maya answered hesitantly. “She’s
wondering if things are moving too fast between us. I told her that’s between
you and me and no one else. But I did tell her that we love each other and that
we’d been separated four years ago by outside forces and we weren’t going to
let outside forces interfere again.”

     She’d gone to bat for us, and her response to her mom
had been a home run…yeah, it was a baseball analogy but it fit perfectly. Maya’s
and my relationship was no ones business but our own, and she was of the same
mind as me that nobody was going to separate us.  

     I squeezed her and she laid her head on my chest,
squeezing me back. “I love you, Landon.”

     My throat nearly closed up. She loved me…after everything…Kris…my
family…me…she still loved me. I didn’t deserve her, but there was no fucking way
I was letting her go.

     Clutching her close I murmured. “I love you too, Maya.”
 

Chapter Sixteen

MAYA

     I set the basket of clothes I just pulled from the
dryer on the couch and began folding them, and then grinned at the first item I
drew out…a pair of Landon’s boxers. It was Tuesday and he’d spent every night
here—ten days—since we’d become physical. He’d basically moved in. He woke up
here, ate breakfast with us, stopped back in between his classes, came straight
here after practice, we had dinner together, he did his school work, the three
of us spent the time together before bed doing whatever, and then jointly we
put Nola to bed. Immediately after that we went to bed and spent quite a few
hours trying to be quiet as we did things…

     I blew out a breath getting hot just thinking about it.

     Afterwards we would talk. Those times were nice; just
the two of us, alone, intimately talking and touching.

     My gaze switched from the clothes to Landon and Nola
lying on the floor. Nola was playing with her toys while Landon, lying on his
stomach, completed his course work next to her. Actually, it looked like he
couldn’t decide whether to do his work or draw.

     During our talks he’d revealed he hadn’t sketched a
great deal in the last four years unless it was for classes. He said his
passion for it had been missing. We’d been in bed during this discussion and
he’d kissed me deeply after divulging this…his way of telling me he’d gotten it
back.  

     He was drawing a lot lately, every chance he could;
sketches for Nola, and many others as well. I’d made more shirts from the
sketches he’d given her and I could see he loved seeing them on her. Nola loved
them as well. Nic and Carrie had come over to have dinner with us tonight,
after the guy’s lacrosse practice, and Nic had shown a marked interest in them.
I’d gathered the others to show them off proud of Landon’s ability, but I’d
always thought he was an exceptional artist. 

     And I’d always thought he should pursue that future
rather than his families business, which I knew deep down he didn’t want to go into
to, but I also knew it was his choice to make. Landon was a strong minded
individual, but his responsibility toward his family was powerful. 

     It was one of the reasons why he was still trying to
include his parents in Nola’s life. Landon’s father was supposed to come by
tomorrow afternoon, alone, while Landon was between classes. I was scheduled to
show a house during that time, but I trusted Landon unequivocally with Nola, and
I figured my absence would be less stressful for all of them. Landon had told
me I didn’t need to do that, but it was a brief first meeting so I was allowing
it.

     “You seem awfully introspective over here folding
clothes?”

     I started faintly as Landon’s voice whispered softly in
my ear. Arms enfolded around me and I leaned back into his body. “Just
thinking.”

     “Are you worried about my father?”

     “No, I trust you, so I know you will look out for Nola.”

     “And you.” He added, nipping my ear.

     I shivered. “And me.”      

     “I want to buy you a new car.”

     His out-of-the-blue announcement froze me for a moment.
“What?”

     His hand caressed my quivering stomach. “You are
driving the same damn car you had when we first met. I want to get you a newer
one. A safer one.”

     Agitation sparked inside me. “My car is perfectly safe
and it runs fine.”

     “It’s old.” He growled.

     “So, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad car.” I retorted.

     “It would make me feel better.”

     “I didn’t know I was put here to make you feel better.”
 

     He chuckled. “I don’t know about that. You do an
exceptionally awesome job at it.”

     And he did a remarkably good job at diminishing my
irritation.

     “I was thinking about quitting lacrosse.”

     His change of subject declaration froze me all over
again. I turned in his arms. “What? Why?”

     He stared down at me pensively. “It takes up a lot of
my time. Almost thirteen hours during the week, and every weekend a game. It’s
too much time away from both of you.”

     My heart expanded in my chest at his readiness to quit
something that he loved and that had been a part of his life for years.
“Landon, I don’t want you to quit lacrosse. You love it.”

     His arms tightened, his eyes darkening. “I love you and
Nola more.”

     My throat tightened. “Landon, a great deal has changed
in your life because of Nola. I don’t want to take any more from you.”

     He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

     I took a deep breath. “I feel like I’ve ruined your
relationship with your parents…and not just your parent’s.” I wasn’t going to
mention his brother specifically. “You’ve taken on this unexpected
responsibility of a daughter…it’s altered your life drastically. You bought
Nola and me a house. You’ve curtailed time with your friend’s significantly. I
don’t want to take more.”

     He scowled. “Don’t even go there. If anyone’s life was
upended it was yours. You are not to blame for what is happening with my
parents…” His jaw twitched. “With my family. Nola is mine and I gladly take her
as my daughter. Yes, my life has changed, but I don’t regret it. I would
sacrifice my right arm for her and you with no hesitation. My friends are still
in my life, and hell, they have their own lives with their own women. I’m the
happiest I’ve ever been and that’s why I want to quit lacrosse, so I can spend
more time with my woman, and my daughter.”

     His words reassured many of my deepest insecurities. He
had reiterated many times that he was happy with his circumstance, but so much
had been dumped on him at once.

     “Your other friends aren’t quitting for their girlfriends.”
I countered.

     “They don’t have a child. I missed out on a lot of
Nola’s life. I don’t want miss any more. I want to be there for her as much as
I can.”

     While his words pleased me I was still hesitant to
agree. “You have years with her ahead of you. You have what…three more months
of lacrosse?”

     “About that.” He concurred.

     “I’m not going to tell you what to do because it’s your
decision. But I have to put my two cents in…”

     “I consider your view more than two cents.” He
interrupted with a brow lift.

     I gave him a half smile for that bit of flattery. “You
have only a few more months of lacrosse. These last two weekends watching you
play, it was awesome to see you out there. I don’t want to miss out on a piece
of your life that was so much a part of you life.”

     His eyes lit up. “Awesome huh?”

     I smirked, scraping my nails up his back. His muscles
contracted. “Well, I’ve only seen two games, and I don’t know that much about
it, but you seemed to do pretty well.”  

     “Ouch…I went from awesome to pretty well.” He hands
splayed over my butt and he stared at me thoughtfully for a moment. “If I
continue will you let me buy you a car?”

     My eyes narrowed at his manipulation. “I said it would
be your choice, you have nothing to bribe me with.”

     He sighed. “Damn, you’re hard headed.” He was looser
with his language because Nola was too far away to hear him…it was also the
reason I didn’t correct him.  

     “You know, I have a real job, and I sold that house a
week ago so I’m not hurting for money. If in the future my car breaks down, or
I want to upgrade, I can do it all by myself.”

     A frown took up his face again. Sitting us down on the
couch he set me partially in his lap. “That was another thing I wanted to talk
to you about. I was going to ask if you wanted take some college courses. Maybe
revisit those plans you had for yourself four years ago.”

     I drew in a breath. “You’re just throwing all kinds of
things at me today.”

     “I want you to have the opportunity to do what you
really want to do.”

     “Why, you’re not doing what you really want to do.” My
eyes widened as those words flew from my lips without thought. He hated when I
brought that up, and always diverted the conversation, but it was the truth.

     Stiffening, his lips tightened telling me I’d hit that
always sensitive nerve. “Maya…” He growled.

     Since I’d already opened my big mouth. “What? It’s
true. I know you don’t really want to take over your fathers businesses. You
feel you have to so you don’t disappoint your dad.”

     He went quite, staring over my shoulder.

     “I’m not trying to be a bitch, but you can’t give me
advice on how to live my life when you can’t follow the same advice.” I stroked
the top of his hands to offset my hard words.

     “My situations different than yours.” He argued.

     “Everybody’s situation is different, but we each have
to live our lives with the choices we make. How happy are you going to be
living someone else’s dream for you?” If he stayed in our lives how happy were
we going to be? I didn’t say that because it sounded too audacious, and it had
only been an afterthought. My first thought was for Landon’s happiness.  

     “My fathers’ businesses are his legacy, my birthright
and inheritance; it’s not something I can just turn away from.” His tone was
firm but the tight restraint on his face and in his voice said he wasn’t
impervious to my words.

     And now I had a little more insight into how difficult
his circumstances were, and I could see that the weight of his duty laid heavy
on him.

     Leaning into him I kissed his neck. “I’m sorry for
pushing. I just want you to be happy. I know you love to draw, and you are a
tremendous artist. I wish there was a way you could do your duty as well as do
something with your art.”

     He exhaled, rubbing my back. “I love you, and I want
you to love what you’re doing too. My futures mapped out, but yours isn’t. You
can go to college and achieve what you wanted years ago. I don’t want you to
settle.”

     Like he was…but I didn’t say that.

     He continued. “You said you were thinking about taking
college courses if time and money became available. I want to make those
available to you.”

     I didn’t like the idea of letting him pay for my
education. And why would he want to do that anyway. He wanted to spend all this
money on me; the house, a new car, college. He had somehow gotten my checking
account number and deposited a butt load of cash in there. Yeah, he was rich
and had money to burn, and sure we were dating again, or something along those
lines…Shit, what were we doing?

     Too unsure of our situation to ask at the moment I
swallowed that question. I’d revisit it at later time.

     “I’ll think about it.” It was all I could give him at
the moment.

     “Thank you for that at least.” He sighed.

     “Thank you for caring.” I rejoined.

     “I more than care.” He growled attacking my neck with
his lips and my sides with his fingers.

     I shrieked in laughter, wiggling in his lap. “Oh my,
God! Stop…stop!”

     “Me too…me too, daddy.” The next instant Nola jumped on
the couch with us.

     Landon turned his evil grin and fingers on her, making
her shriek this time. The three of us wrestled around on the couch and Nola and
I got Landon under us tickling him. He was exaggerating the control we had over
him, but Nola loved it.

     A few minutes later I called a halt to the fun because
Nola needed her bath before bed. Landon scooped her up and told me he’d take
care of it while I finished up the laundry. I was able to complete that as well
as getting the dishes from dinner put away. By the time I made it upstairs
Landon was just pulling Nola from the bath. We got her pajama’s on, in bed,
read two books to her, and tucked in within thirty minutes.

     Stepping from Nola’s room Landon’s arms went
immediately around my waist. “I love Nola, but finally.” He breathed against my
neck.

     I shivered and my body nearly burst into flames. The
next second we were in my room…our room?...and he had us both naked on the bed
ten seconds later.

     “Shit, you’re fucking beautiful.” Straddling me his
gaze raked over my naked breasts.

     My eyes couldn’t help fixating on his huge erection
lying hot and heavy on my abdomen. I wiggled under him involuntarily. My body
was burning and weeping already prepared to take him. I wanted him all the
time.

     “I’m ready, Landon. Please!” I begged.

     “No, I want to play.” He growled trailing a finger down
between my breasts.

     Oh god. He was going to kill me. The man showed a
penchant for extended foreplay…something he’d revealed he had never bothered
with anyone else.