Switch (Landry Family 3)

“Like you are right now,” I breathe. “Like I’m pretty or interesting.”

“I do that because you are.”

“But you look at me like that, you let me know what you want to do to me, then you refuse to follow through. You play with me.”

“I didn’t toy with you,” he growls, coming around the desk. He stands in front of me, leaning back against his desk. Looking down, his face dances with early evening shadows.

“You did, but no more than I did you,” I admit. “I’m no victim, Graham. But you don’t play fair.”

I’m acutely aware of the rise and fall of my chest. His gaze is so determined, so heavy, that it nearly stings. I want to stand, to even this power field a little, but I can’t move. He makes it impossible.

“That’s why you wore this today, to get to me,” he maintains. “To drive me fucking nuts all day while you parade around, flaunting that body in my face.”

I look him right in the eye. “You thought this was for you?”

He’s caught off guard, which only spurs me on.

“I hate to break the news to you, Graham, but I have a date tonight.”

I watch that bit of news settle over his features. He forces a swallow. Uncrosses his arms. Narrows his eyes as his lips form a thin line.

“So, if you don’t mind . . .” I say, standing and facing him. “He’s probably waiting.”

“Who is he?” he demands.

“Does it matter?”

“I wouldn’t have asked if it didn’t.”

“Fine. He’s a friend of Camilla’s.”

“Camilla did this?” he almost booms. “You’re dating a friend of my sister’s?”

“I’m going on a date with a friend of your sister’s,” I correct him, like he’s crazy. “I’m not dating anyone.”

“Where’s he taking you?” he demands.

“So many questions . . .”

“For heaven’s sake, Mallory,” he says, throwing his hands up in the air, “Is he even taking you to a place that uses a damn fork? Does he have enough fucking sense to pay for your meal?”

Technically, you don’t need a fork for pizza. I giggle, my way of releasing some of the anxiety that’s rocketing through me from the way he’s looking at me. “It doesn’t matter to me where he takes me, Graham. It’s the fact that he wants to take me at all.”

“It does matter, especially when you’re dressed like you want to fuck. Damn it, Mallory!”

I look him right in the eye, my heart pounding. “Maybe I do, Graham.”

I turn to leave, and he grabs my arm and spins me around. I catch myself on one of the chairs and gasp as he steps into my personal space.

His cologne surrounds me, but this time, it’s mixed with something else. Something muskier. Something edgier. Something purely male that I’ve never experienced before but know I’ll never forget.

“You were making a point today.” Graham takes the final step to close the distance between us, our chests nearly touching. “Point. Made.”

I gasp a quick breath.

“Now it’s my turn to make a fucking point.” With that, his lips cover mine and I melt into his arms.

Mallory