Forever (Always & Forever 2)

“Of course, you can,” he said calmly, maybe too reasonably with the fire that sparked in Landon’s gaze. “Do you want to go home?”

“You mean to your home?” Landon gave an exaggerated eye roll before turning and heading toward the trash can. He tossed the partially eaten sausage toward the can when he was still several feet from the container. It easily flew inside before Landon flipped back around again. He seemed surprised at the distance between them and stomped straight toward Robert. “Doc, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me…”

“Don’t call me that.” Robert steeled his spine as his own anger surfaced. God, it was such a foreign feeling, harboring all this possession inside him.

“That’s what you are.”

Robert’s heart drummed in his chest as he entered a standoff with Landon. His guy was determined to argue. So be it. Robert would accommodate him, just not out here for the world to see.

“That’s right. That’s what I am, but that’s not who I am, at least not to you. Not anymore.” Robert took the phone from his pocket, pulled up the Uber app and searched for the closest vehicle to them. As much as he wanted to pretend he was an everyday kind of guy, he couldn’t do this—have an argument—for the whole world to see. “Can we talk at—” He stopped himself from saying ‘home’ and bit out, “In private?”

“I’ll get the Uber,” Landon said, pulling out his cell phone.

“It’s already done.” Without saying anything more, Robert started for the blue Acura as shown on the app. He was at the car with verification and addresses exchanged and pulling open the back door before he ever looked over his shoulder. Landon hadn’t moved a muscle except to stand there glaring at him with his hands on his waist. Robert ignored him as he lowered himself down into the seat, but left the door open for Landon. He glanced toward the driver. “We may argue in front of you.”

“Nothing new. It happens about every third trip,” the driver said, unfazed.

“Really?”

The driver stayed quiet as Landon entered the vehicle, making Robert scramble to the other side of the seat. In all his cavalier attitude, he hadn’t actually been entirely sure if Landon would follow. He breathed a small sigh of relief even as Landon stayed hugging the door. It had to mean this quarrel wasn’t going to end in a deal-breaker. Right?

Robert stared down at the phone in his hand, thinking about the possibility of a breakup. His natural defense mechanisms kicked in. If this was some sort of breakup, he had to be ready to fight against that end. His always steady hands trembled, and he glanced over at Landon again. His guy sat there, fuming, with his leg bouncing. How had such a simple act of paying for a heart-disease-on-a-stick caused this much tension between them?

Luckily, the ride home didn’t take long, and Landon had waited to say whatever he planned. Before Robert could finish the transaction and give his thanks, Landon slammed the car door shut. Robert was slower to leave the vehicle, fighting off the dread building inside as he trailed behind his sergeant. This time, watching Landon’s ass swing didn’t hold quite the same draw. Landon opened the front door and walked over the threshold before pivoting around and standing in the entry. Those strong hands curled in fists at his waist. He took a step or two backward as Robert entered the doorway.

“What’s happened? I thought we had a nice evening.” Maybe playing dumb wasn’t Robert’s strong suit with the way Landon gave one of his expertly executed exaggerated eye rolls and threw his hands in the air.

“I’m so fucking unsure with you. I’m going with it. I swear to God I am, but damn, you’re so much.” Okay, those words were completely unexpected. Robert moved around Landon standing in the entry, for nothing more than to close the front door and get them out of the entryway.

Since he wasn’t entirely sure whether those words were meant as a compliment or not, Robert decided he was now navigating potential landmines that might blow up in his face. Honesty was the best course of action. “In the best possible way, that’s the way I feel about you, and I’m trying my best to go with it as well. I’m treading new territory, but I like us and what we’re doing.”

“And what are we doing?” Again, the aggressive tone confused him with the simple question asked. When he didn’t readily answer, Landon sighed and threw his hands in the air again, pivoting around toward the stairs. Robert watched him go, filled with a desperation he couldn’t quite understand. The deep draw connecting them pulled him forward to chase after Landon.

“Please don’t walk away. I’m not sure what happened tonight,” Robert said, forcing himself to stop at the base of the stairs. Landon climbed up them only to retreat back down in his direction again.