Better than Sexy (The Sexy 3)

“Of course not. I’m just … I’m fucking scared.” He dropped his hands and lowered himself to the nearest bench.

Joining him, Landon sat down beside his friend. “You’ve got this. You know that, right? I mean, if you want to get into the ring and pound something, go ahead, but before you do, I have a question. What did you do when Scarlett told you?”

He swallowed hard. “Said I was excited. Kissed her.”

“And ran for the gym?” Jason asked from where he leaned against the ropes.

Tanner ducked his head.

“Okay, you’re going home to talk to your fiancée, so gloves off.” Reaching over, Landon yanked at the laces, releasing the tight hold. “Scarlett knows you, so I’m sure she’s okay, but you two need to deal with this together.”

Jason nodded in agreement. “I also suggest you think about setting a wedding date. I know Scarlett is a workaholic and you indulge her but–”

“I already planned to do that,” Tanner said. “After I released my panic in here. But you’re right. I need to be better for Scarlett.” He held a hand out for Landon to pull off his first glove, after which he jerked off the second one. “I’m going home.”

Landon grinned, glad his good deed was done for the day. He wanted to get back to the club and catch Vivi after her rehearsal.

“But before we go, is everything okay with you?” Tanner asked as he repacked his gym bag.

He’d been hoping to avoid this conversation, but he might as well lay it out there. “I took Vivi swimming at my folks’. They were supposed to be away for the weekend but they came home early.”

“Shit,” Jason muttered, rocking back on his heels. “Did you introduce them for real?”

“I wanted to. Hell, I was about to when she jumped in with an explanation about working at our club. She did not want be outed as Vic’s sister. And when we got into the car, she broke down. Totally fell apart because of what telling my parents would do to them and remind them of.”

It’d killed him to see her like that … and though thinking about Levi was always like a knife in his heart, he’d learned to live with the emptiness and pain. How to explain to Vivi that she was starting to help him heal in a way he never had before? He’d never believed he’d be able to live a full life without his twin, but she’d given him back music, warmth, and love.

Love? He mentally reared back. He couldn’t possibly be there just yet with her … could he?

Tanner pulled out a sport drink bottle from his bag and took a long sip. “Shit. I really misjudged her. I’m sorry, man.”

Landon tipped his head. “I know it’s hard to wrap your head around my feelings for her.” He was struggling with understanding how he could fall so hard so fast himself. “But she’s empathetic and understanding. And this whole situation is eating away at her. She doesn’t want to get involved with me because of it,” he muttered, frustrated.

“So what’s your plan?” Jason asked. “Because you always have a plan.”

With a grin, Landon glanced at his friends. “I’m going to pull her into my life despite her fears. First up, I plan to talk to my parents, give them time to come to terms, and then let them get to know her. If she’s leaving at the end of the summer, I want all the time I can get with her before she goes.”

He saw the way his friends looked at each other. Heard the words they didn’t say because he was thinking them himself. Why was he investing so much time and effort into an affair that had a built-in end date?

Because he didn’t want it to end.

Long-distance relationships could work, couldn’t they?

After leaving, the guys went their separate ways and Landon headed to the club. As he thought, he’d missed rehearsal, having been busy this morning meeting with a supplier, then the trip to the gym, so he headed up the elevator and knocked on Vivi’s door.

He thought he heard sounds inside but after the knock, silence. Frowning, he banged harder, wondering if she’d really ignore him or if she’d gone out.

“Vivi!” He knocked harder.

When she didn’t answer, he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt that she wasn’t home. Not that he really believed it.

But he wasn’t giving up.

* * *

“You’re an idiot.” Ellie popped a piece of popcorn into her mouth and followed it up with a sip of water. “That man obviously cares about you and you ignored him. Explain.”

Narrowing her gaze, Vivi put the television back on because she’d shut it off when Landon began knocking. “I already explained this to you. The sight of me can only cause him and the people around him pain.”