A Sweet Mess - Jayci Lee Page 0,33

there, she prodded his side with her toes. When he didn’t budge, she knelt beside him and searched for his buried face. Faster than she could screech, he pinned her under him.

“Sleep well?” he growled.

“Umm.” She cleared her throat, her heart pitter-pattering. “It got a little colder than I’d expected. Were you okay?”

“Yeah. Sure. The only part of my body I can feel are my jaws, thanks to my chattering teeth, but otherwise, I’m swell.”

“I told you we shouldn’t camp without proper gear.” She reached out and put her hand on his cheek. His eyes widened, but she was too distracted to feel self-conscious. “Okay. Let’s thaw you out.”

Aubrey climbed over him and burrowed into the blankets. Landon stiffened, which was impressive for a block of ice. Without allowing herself to ponder his reaction, she pressed herself against his broad back and wrapped her arms around his waist. He was much too tall for her to spoon properly, but it would do. She buried her nose in the crook of his neck and tucked her hands inside his parka, flattening them across his chest.

“What are you doing, Aubrey?” His husky question rumbled against her palms.

Getting revenge? He’d succeeded in getting her hot and bothered the night before. He deserved a generous sample of sexual frustration. Aubrey grinned with devious delight. But no. She’d hardly planned this—for revenge or otherwise. He was freezing, and she wanted to share her warmth. Like a Saint Bernard but without the mini-keg of whiskey.

After a while, the tension ebbed out of his back. She breathed him in and sighed into his neck. He smelled delicious—all man, wood, and fire. Landon dug his hands into his jacket, clasping them over hers. Aubrey squeaked at the cold touch, but he tightened his grip and pulled her closer.

He thawed in her arms, and she melted against him. Aubrey refused to analyze the warmth and security the moment wrought. Happy was too simplistic a word to describe what she felt, but maybe happiness was meant to be this overwhelming.

Her smile slipped when Landon shifted and she found herself blinking into his eyes. Before she could figure out what was happening, he grasped the back of her knee and drew her leg over his hip. His hard length pressed against her stomach, and her breath caught in her throat.

He stared at her with undisguised desire, and her insides tightened in response. But when he lowered his face toward hers, her mind filled with a fog of confusion. Aubrey startled and placed her hands on his chest, but couldn’t quiet summon the will to push him away.

“Don’t,” she whispered, sounding as unsure as she felt.

Landon stopped with his lips only an inch from hers. Reckless desire gripped his features, but he slackened his hold, giving her the choice to break contact. Seconds ticked by in slow motion, and she teetered on the edge of giving in. He lay absolutely still as her eyes darted across his face, her indecision pushing toward panic.

Releasing a shuddering sigh, he kissed the top of her head and gently set her away from him. Then he pushed himself off the ground and walked out of the tent without a backward glance.

* * *

The lighthearted mood they’d shared the night before evaporated in the morning sun. They packed up early and left for their journey to Bosque Verde. The silence in the car smothered Landon like a thick blanket, heavy and suffocating. Time dragged as if it were wading through thick batter. The three-hour drive would feel like a decade if they kept this up.

Aubrey had been polite but quiet all morning, and he played along with the make-believe that nothing had happened in the tent. It was technically true. Nothing irreversible had happened. Keep telling yourself that, and maybe you can convince yourself that you’re not screwed.

Landon pretended to give the highway his undivided attention. He lounged in his seat, pushed far back to accommodate his height, and rested one hand lightly on the steering wheel. He was the picture of relaxation except for the muscle in his jaw that had been ticking nonstop for the last forty miles.

He stole a sideways glance at Aubrey, who was busy wringing her hands and worrying her lips raw. His efforts to appear nonchalant were overkill. She was lost in her thoughts and wasn’t even aware of his existence. He wanted to hold her hands still and swipe his thumb across her bruised lips. Landon doubted she’d appreciate his