Swing (Landry Family 2)

“Don’t lie to me, Landry.”

“I’m not. I—”

My fingertip presses against the center of his smooth lips. “Don’t lie,” I whisper. “It was you.”

“How would you possibly know that?” he asks, his mouth moving against my finger. It sounds garbled and silly and, as I laugh, he nips it with his teeth.

“Because I know you,” I whisper.

The sun sets behind him, dropping below the tall evergreens. It makes the angles of his face that much more severe. I shiver, not just because the sun’s warmth is missing, but because of the way his gaze intensifies in the fading light.

“You do know me,” he says, trailing the back of his hand from my temple, down the side of my face, before dropping to my waist. “And if you think you don’t know something, I want

you to ask me.”

This conversation is picking up pace. Lincoln’s determination to get to wherever he’s going is evident. I just try not to pass out.

A million thoughts swirl in my head. Am I ready for this? Do I go with my brain and breathe, thinking of logic and risk assessment? Or do I follow my heart and just go for it?

He smirks and one thing is certain: I can’t follow my vagina.

“Do you think you know me, Dani?”

I nod. Or I think I do. I’m not sure. I’m lost in his gaze and a chorus of crickets chirping around us.

“The last time I said this, you tried to break up with me,” he laughs. It’s not real though. It’s a choked version, broken up by a set of nerves I don’t see often in him. “But I want to say it again. And I want you to consider it.”

He steps towards me, closing the distance between us. Without a thought, my arms reach up and dangle off his shoulders as his own find my waist and pull me up against him.

“That’s why you brought me out here, isn’t it?” I tease. “You brought me into the forest where I can’t run away.”

“Damn right,” he laughs, kissing me gently. “I didn’t bring you here to convince you that I’m the guy for you. I really want you to enjoy the holiday and relax and have fun with this bunch I call family. But I’d really, really, like it if you’d think about maybe . . .”

“Maybe what, Landry?”

His face blushes. “You’re going to make me work for this, aren’t you?”

“Totally.”

Blowing out a breath, he looks at everywhere but me. When his eyes finally find mine, I’m smiling. There’s no way not to.

“I would like it if you’d think about taking this thing between us to the major leagues,” he says. His shoulders go back, like he’s proud of his little proposition. The entire thing makes me giggle. “You’re laughing at me?”

“The majors? Really, Landry?”

“Yeah,” he scoffs. “We’re in the minors now. We’re practicing, getting our timing down. But, sweetheart, our timing is impeccable. If it gets any fucking better, I’m just not letting you out of my bed.”

“Don’t tempt me with a good time,” I wink.

“I want to move us up to the majors. Charge the mound whenever I want.”

“Oh my God,” I laugh.

“Have some day games, maybe a double header or two. And I’ll slide in head first whenever you want me to, baby.”

“You aren’t talking about baseball, are you?” I say, feeling my thighs clench together.

“Nope.”