Page 56 of Rescued By Midnight

Landon doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. He’s always like that, trying to make noble declarations, always wanting to “do the right thing.”

I guess that used to be me, too, but I got over it after doing the right thing got us nothing but heartache. We lost Nessa to a hit-and-run. Then we lost Alice to Brayden, and then we lost her again to a fucking kidnapper.

Now she’s back in our lives, and as sexy as ever. But Landon thinks…what did he say? She’s “special.” And he wants “something that lasts.” And I “don’t know what that looks like.”

Well, fuck him. I do know what that looks like, and I don’t want it. That kind of shit only leads to broken hearts, and I’ve had enough of that, thanks.

However, he also said she’s traumatized. And that’s where I might have fucked up last night.

No, I didn’t “make” her do anything. But I know how to seduce a woman, and I used that knowledge to my advantage—and hers, I thought at the time. Maybe it wasn’t to her advantage, though. Maybe it was too soon.

Even if Landon is only half right, it gets under my skin. His self-righteous attitude pisses me off.

I carry the clean clothes toward my bedroom so I can fold everything. Landon’s bedroom door is open, which is weird. I peer in and see none other than Alice lying in his bed.

Landon’s nowhere in sight, so I take a single step into the room. The bathroom door is cracked. A person-shaped shadow of Landon’s height stands in the gap, shoulder moving rhythmically.

I back out before he can see me.

So much for him being a self-righteous crusader for Alice’s dignity. Motherfucker’s masturbating while watching her from behind a door. How much fucking creepier could he get?

Grinning to myself, I set down the laundry and go back to the kitchen to bake some muffins. Landon and I usually eat at the office, but now that Alice is here, it might be nice to have homemade breakfasts in the morning. It wasn’t my idea—she started it with yesterday’s french toast.

I’ve finished my chores and I’m just taking the muffins out of the oven when Landon walks into the kitchen, freshly showered.

He reaches for a muffin.

“Hey,” I say sharply, “did you wash that hand?”

“What? Yeah, Wells, I just took a shower.”

I nod, holding back a smile. “Excellent. I want to make sure we have healthy hygiene.”

He can tell I have an angle, he just doesn’t know what it is yet. He pours himself some orange juice and sits down at the counter. “Alice is sleeping in my bed.”

“Really?” I try to sound surprised. “I thought you wanted us to keep our hands off her.”

“I did. She’s only sleeping in there. She wanted to talk.”

“Maybe I should go peek in at her.” I busy myself with the coffee machine. “Nothing turns me on more than watching a woman sleep.”

Landon frowns a little, but takes a bite of his muffin. He spits it into his hand almost immediately. “Too hot, fuck. And—what the fuck, Cody? Raisins? I thought we were friends.”

“Gotta be careful,” I say, struggling not to laugh. “Danger could be anywhere—hiding in muffins, hiding in shadows, hiding behind bathroom doors...”

He sets down his muffin. “Okay, cumstain, you must have seen me. I get it. But what I did was much better than?—”

“Hey.” Alice steps into the kitchen. She’s wearing a sweatshirt and sleep shorts. A pillow crease stretches across her cheek, and her hair is frizzy.

I don’t think she’s ever looked prettier.

“Hey,” I say.

She blushes.

“Landon said something about going back to the foothills,” I say. “Have you guys made plans? I’ll come, too.”

“Oh, I’m not sure?” Alice stares down at the floor. “I’d rather not, I guess? Also, I have therapy.”