Why do I keep saying no?
Instead of calling me out on my bullshit, Autumn gave me a warm smile. “Well, I think you should let me throw you a fake engagement party along with Hailey’s real engagement party. A co-engagement party if you will. It’s a good excuse to get the family all together.”
Was she really going to drop it? I had just admitted that Landon and I were dating. For real.
“You don’t have to do that, Autumn. And I don’t want to take anything away from Hailey. I already am stealing her thunder with this fake wedding. I feel awful about it, and I hope Hail doesn’t hate me for it.”
Autumn brushed off my worry with a flick of her wrist. “I already spoke to Hailey about her engagement party. I asked to throw her one, and it was her idea to toss your party in with hers. So, I doubt she’s upset with you.”
I pulled my head back in shock. “Hailey suggested a joint party?”
Nodding, Autumn replied, “She sure did. She said something about how it would look great for your Insta.”
She put more stress on the word Insta, most likely because she really had no clue what Instagram was.
“Well, if Hailey doesn’t mind, then sure. I would love to help you plan the engagement party, though. I mean it is really for Hailey.”
Autumn stood. “I’ll take you up on that offer. Now, I need to get back to the ranch. I’m sure Malcolm has Jack doing something that involves horse shit or something dangerous.”
Laughing, I shook my head and walked with her back toward my door. “Do you think he’ll ever forgive Uncle Jack for leaving you that one time?”
“I don’t think so.” She paused. “I take that back. I think he’s forgiven him, he just can’t forget.”
“That sounds like my father.”
We both laughed. I went to open the door, but then jumped when I saw Landon standing there. He held a bouquet of flowers and smiled even wider when he saw Autumn.
“Aunt Autumn! What are you doing here?” he asked as he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
“I came rushing back to Texas when I heard both of my nieces were getting married.”
Landon’s smile faltered for a moment before he recovered. “Yeah, about that…”
She waved off his worry. “No worries; all has been explained. And hopefully I’ll see you before the engagement party! Bye, kids.”
She started to walk off but then turned. “By the way, Landon, those are beautiful flowers.”
He looked at the bouquet and then back at Autumn. “I thought so.”
With a smile and a wink, she started walking again.
I motioned for Landon to come in and took the flowers from him. “Thank you, they’re beautiful.”
The second I shut the door, we both said at the same time, “She knows.”
Laughing, Landon leaned down and kissed me.
“I never could hide anything from Autumn. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell her anything. And I know she won’t say anything to my folks.”
“How’s Sophie doing?” Landon asked as he followed me into the kitchen.
Grabbing a vase, I filled it with lukewarm water and then started to trim the bottoms of the flowers Landon had brought me. “She’s good. Autumn and I didn’t talk for very long. I think she wanted to come over and see for herself what was going on. It didn’t take her long to trick me into saying something. I tried to cover it, and bless her heart, she didn’t call me out on it.”
Landon leaned against the counter and watched as I adjusted the flowers in the vase.
Once I got the last flower where I wanted it, I said, “You’re early.”
“I missed you.”
My stomach became a fluttery mess as I took a step closer to him. “Is that so?”
He nodded. “Are you busy with work?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t matter.”
He smiled, and Lord how it made my chest instantly warm. “It matters to me, Emme. I don’t want to bug you if you’re busy.”
I moved closer to him and placed my hand on my chest. “Do you know what I really want, Landon?”
Slowly, he shook his head and said, “Tell me.”
I ran my tongue over my suddenly dry lips and looked down at his mouth and then back up at those eyes that reminded me of crystal-clear blue ocean water. “You. I want you, Landon.”
He pressed his mouth to mine, and before I knew it, I was sitting on the counter and we were making out like teenagers. I worked at getting every article of clothing off of him that I could reach, and he did the same. Soon we were both naked from the waist up, and when Landon bent and put my nipple into his mouth, I let out a cry of pleasure.
“More,” I panted. “Please.”
He lifted me off the counter, allowing me to wrap my legs around him as he practically sprinted to my bedroom. When he gently laid me on the bed, I prayed nothing or no one would interrupt us this time. I was going to combust if I didn’t have him inside of me soon.