Swear (Landry Family 4)

“Your grip is a little weak.” I slip out of his grasp and clear my throat. “I need to get back to work.”

Instead of giving me some space or pretending to heed anything about what I just said, he leans closer. “I think you need something else.”

His lips curl in a suppressed smirk, the lines around his eyes deepening.

“I need a lot of things, none of which you can supply,” I toss back.

“Maybe you’ve forgotten how versatile I am,” he teases, bending even closer. “I can supply tons of different things. You name it and I’ll make it happen, sweetheart.”

“You are entirely too self-interested to give me what I need,” I say as assuredly as I can.

“That’s not nice.” His lips get closer to my cheek, nearly brushing against it. I wouldn’t even have to fully turn my head to capture his mouth with mine. Just a small, slight movement would be all it takes . . . Would it be that bad?

Sucking in a breath, I feel him move towards my mouth. I hold it, wait for it, only to have him pull away just before contact is made.

The breath comes out in a loud, frustrated huff. As sense and sensibility come barreling back to my brain, I realize I’ve been toyed with.

The self-righteous asshole grins.

“You are such a selfish bastard,” I say, springing to my feet.

“Oh, did you . . .” he begins casually as he stands. “Did you think I was going to kiss you?”

“Be glad you didn’t if you didn’t want punched in the junk.” We both know what just happened, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to admit it.

“My junk would’ve been happy with any contact,” he chuckles.

“I’m sure you can find someone willing. That can’t be hard for you.”

“So, is this your way of saying you wanted me to kiss you?” he asks, feigning surprise.

“Hardly.” Lifting a box, I move it along the back wall. I’m faintly annoyed when he follows suit.

It’s a struggle not to watch his body move, not to wait for his shirt to slip when he bends over and reveals the snippet of skin at the small of his back. I fight to get his cologne, now stronger because of his activity, out of my senses. Focusing on the task at hand and not on the man beside me is a nightmare.

We move the rest of them without saying a word. By the time the last one is in place, I’ve managed to get myself together.

“Thank you,” I tell him. “I actually have a lunch meeting in a few with Heath.”

“Who’s Heath?”

It’s my turn to smirk. “A friend that’s helping me with a few things around here.”

His eyes narrow. “I just told you I’m helpful.”

“I just told you I need to get back to work.”

He nods, running a hand through his short blond hair. “I do too, actually. I have an appointment I took on Barrett’s behalf in a little bit.”

“I’ll let Violet know you were here,” I offer.

He heads towards the door, but turns around with his hand on the knob. “Dinner? Tonight?”

“I have plans.”

“Tomorrow night?”

“No, Ford.”