Enemy's Secret - Ashlee Price Page 0,27

say. "See you." I hang up.

After all, it's just grocery shopping. How hard can it be to keep my cool there?

I put on my coat before my mind can answer that question.

**

Landon's waiting for me inside the door of Myers, with an apologetic expression and two macadamia nut cookies. "Got here early. But figured I'd wait to enjoy mine until you got here."

I laugh, bite into it. It's damn good. "Thanks."

"I told them it was for my kid sister," he says.

"You are shameless."

Shrug. "It's for a good cause." A look swings my way. "You."

Two minutes in and I'm already thinking this is a poor, very poor, idea.

I give myself a little shake.

Cool it - just get the cart, look at your list, get the bread-veggies-meat-fruit-cookies-whatever. This is very, very doable.

How can his admiring gaze give me goose bumps in the middle of a freaking grocery store?

I get the cart and get shopping. Landon checks my list and comes back with almost half the items before I can even roll over to one.

"You know this place?" I ask.

"It's the one I go to," he says. "Decent prices, but still not too far."

"Well, thanks for your help," I say.

By the looks of it, we're nearly through the list. Which means I better have another excuse ready right about... now.

We make it through the checkout line with just some easy chitchat, though. Maybe this is enough for Landon. Maybe after this we'll go our separate ways and... I don't know. I'll have a nice night with Johnny.

That's not what you want, a nagging voice in my head butts in.

Shut up, I tell it.

As I go to pay, I joke to Landon, "No card war this time?"

He gets out his wallet. "Shit - if you want me to - "

"Stop." I tap my card. "I'm a big girl. I can buy my own groceries."

"Of course," he says.

Cute, how he actually looks sad he couldn't buy my groceries for me.

Once we're outside and I have my grocery bags on my arms, I smile at Landon. "Well, thanks."

There's a look in his eyes, one that I know from experience is dangerous. "Here's an idea," he says.

"I don't know," I say.

A frown. "I haven't said anything."

"Sorry."

He gestures to the store next door, Victoria's Secret. "It's Harley's - Greyson's wife's - birthday this weekend. Weird, but apparently, all she wants are PJs, so if you could help..."

"And you want my help because?"

"You're female."

We crack up. I roll my eyes. "Fine. But let me put this in my car first."

Inside the store, it's actually fun, going through the PJ sets: the ugly plaid ones and the cute plaid ones, the silly animal ones, the holy-hell sexy ones, until we come to ones that are way cute - pink penguins - without being wildly inappropriate - no lacey thong included.

"What is it?" Landon asks as we walk out of there.

I touch my face gingerly, realizing I've been grinning like mad.

"Nothing," I say.

"Right."

Although I'm full of shit and we both know it. I just don't want to say it, tell the truth:

That it felt like the good old days, when things between Landon and I were easy and uncomplicated and fun. When even standing in insanely long lines in the pouring rain was enjoyable - because he was there.

"That was fun," I admit, as he drops the stuff off in his car.

"Let me make it up to you," he says.

"You already did. Fair is fair. You went grocery shopping with me. I went girl PJ shopping with you."

"Kyra," he says softly.

"Can't we just leave it like this?" I ask, knowing that that's the last thing I want. That, even in a plain white tee and blue jeans, Landon looks fucking gorgeous. That all he has to do is ask me one more time and I'll cave. "A nice evening together?"

"I know a place," Landon says. "Let me take you there?"

A bit more of my self-control falls away with the look in his eyes. "Where?"

"The Baccarat Hotel."

"No."

"Restaurant first - see if we enjoy ourselves. Then, if we do, go from there."

Go from there... to the bedroom, the bed, the whole night... no.

I have to say it. I have to tell those hopeful eyes 'no', the lips already pouted for a kiss. I have to say it. Mean it.

"Landon," I say.

"Kyra," he says.

When I open my mouth, it's anyone's guess what's going to come out.

Chapter 11

Landon

"Fine," she says. "Just the restaurant, though."

I could kiss her now. But I know if I did I