Only Lucas had ever known how Landon really felt about Naomi. The rest of his family had thought she was a close friend. They hadn’t known he loved her, because he hadn’t wanted anyone to know that.
“That little girl is indeed an angel,” Amanda declared, but Landon noted that she looked sadder than he’d ever seen her and wondered why.
“You won’t hear us say otherwise,” Lucas said as he took Dani’s hand and encouraged her to snuggle up to him.
Dani moved carefully into Lucas’s one-armed embrace, as if she was still afraid of hurting him.
“We should go,” Landon said. “Lucas needs to get some rest.” And Landon wanted to be alone with Amanda, to talk some more, to try to fix the impression this evening had left her with.
“That’s not what Lucas needs,” Lucas said suggestively.
Dani put her hand over his mouth. “Be quiet.”
“Don’t want to be quiet,” Lucas said, his words muffled by her hand.
“That’s our cue,” Landon said to Amanda as he stood, helped her up and held her coat for her to put on.
“How’s the ankle?” Lucas asked her.
“Better but still sore. I can walk on my toes, thank goodness. The crutches are worse than the injury.”
“I can attest to that the few times I’ve been on them,” Lucas said. “They suck.” He pulled himself off the sofa to see them out.
Landon noted how slowly his brother moved. “You’re sure you’re doing better?”
“Positive. Don’t worry.”
“Will you be at Mom’s on Sunday?” Landon asked.
“That’s the plan.”
“Okay, see you then. Call me if you need anything.”
“We will.” Lucas patted Landon on the back. When he had Landon’s attention, Lucas tipped his chin toward Amanda, who was hugging Dani. Man up. Lucas mouthed the words so the women wouldn’t hear them.
Landon nodded. “Take it easy.”
“You, too.”
“Oh, hey, thanks for taking care of the horses for me,” Lucas said.
“No problem. Happy to do it.”
“I’ll be back at it soon.”
“No worries. Take your time.”
They stepped out of the apartment, and Landon said, “Hop aboard my magical mystery ride.”
Amanda smiled and held on to him as he lifted her into his arms. “Don’t drop me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“What’s this about horses?” she asked.
“We have two of them at the farm that we use for the sleigh rides during the season. Usually, Luc tends to them because he lives there, but I’ve been doing it since he got hurt.”
“That’s good of you.”
“It’s no big deal.”
“I’m sure it is to him.”
Landon settled her into the passenger seat of his truck.
“Thanks for the lift.”
“Any time.” He wanted to kiss her, but he wasn’t sure he’d still be welcome. There’d be time to revisit that impulse when they got home. Or so he hoped.
Chapter Eight
“No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.”
—Alan Watts
“Are you ready for bed?” Dani asked Lucas after she shut off the outside lights and locked up.
“Only if you are.”
“I could make myself ready.” As he headed for the bedroom, she said, “Go slow.”
“I’m sick of going slow. I want to get back to normal.”
“And you will, but it’s going to take time. If I have to actually sit on you to keep you from doing too much too soon, I will.”
He raised a brow and gave her his best sultry look. “Is that supposed to be a threat of some kind? Because having you sit on me hardly equates to punishment.”
She rolled her eyes. “Is everything about sex with you?”
“Not everything, but I’m more than ready to pick up where we left off before the fire.”
“That’s not happening any time soon.”
He gave her ass a grab. “Yes, it is.”
She dodged him. “No, it isn’t. Now brush your teeth and take a leak and be a good boy.”
“Being good is boring. I want to be very, very bad.”
“Brush your teeth.”
“I love when you use your stern mom voice on me.”
“I’m practicing on you for when I’ll need it for Savannah.”
When he finished in the bathroom, she took her turn while he painfully got himself situated in bed, closing his eyes to breathe through the pain that riddled his entire body any time he moved. The doctors had told him it would take a while to get back to full steam. Lucas hadn’t wanted to hear that. He wanted to hold his fiancée and make love to her and play with his little girl.
Dani got into bed, and even the subtle movement of the mattress had him wincing.
“Sorry,” she said.
“Don’t be. Get over here and