A Sweet Mess - Jayci Lee Page 0,6

away. The floor seemed to grow solid and strong, and his body settled heavily into his seat like he’d dropped anchor across from her—as though she had a gravitational pull all her own and he was helpless against it.

He’d led a nomadic life for a decade. He didn’t know how to stay still for long. The smart thing to do would be to run the hell away from this woman, whose mere proximity made it unimaginable to even leave the table.

But smart wasn’t part of his vocabulary at the moment. Greedy, feral, and desperate passion overwhelmed all else. He stood abruptly from his seat, and Aubrey’s mouth parted in surprise. Then he grasped her hand and raised her to her feet.

“Do you want to get out of here?” His eyes bored into hers, his desire and urgency displayed for her to see.

“Yes.”

2

Aubrey woke with a start.

She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. Landon had been sexy, demanding, and irresistible, and they’d thoroughly worn each other out. But even now, his parted lips beckoned her to taste him, and her center ached with renewed desire.

They’d walked to his room in silence with their hands entwined—awareness and anticipation sizzling between them. As soon as the door closed behind them, they had torn off their clothes and made love with raging-hot hunger, too far gone to savor and taste each other. Landon reached for her again just as the sweat on her skin began to cool. With the edge of their desire placated, he traced and kissed every dip and curve of her body with curiosity and fascination, and held himself in check while she explored him with greedy fingers. Gasps of surprise and moans of pleasure had filled his room until exhaustion led them off to sleep.

Fortunately, Aubrey woke up before Landon. When it came to relationships, short, lighthearted flings were her modus operandi, but one-night stands were rare. She usually needed a few dates to trust and respect someone enough to share her body with him. But with Landon, she’d somehow known he would be a considerate lover and would treat her body with respect. More than that, she knew he would make her feel good.

And her instincts had proven spot-on.

All work and no fun had made Aubrey cranky and exhausted. She hadn’t taken a vacation since Comfort Zone opened its doors. Running a bakery was a full-time job and then some, and all the money she’d earned in the first couple years went straight back into the business. She chose to open her bakery in Weldon for its affordability but also for its awe-inspiring surroundings. Unfortunately, the majestic mountains were a mere backdrop to her life, beautiful but untouchable.

The day before had been a wake-up call that she was hanging on by a thread. It was a tough day, no doubt, but she had been way too close to losing her shit. That wasn’t like her. She’d built Comfort Zone and gained her independence with her focus, determination, and cool-under-pressure disposition. She’d needed a release. Badly.

Hopefully, last night had done the job. Landon was not only a considerate lover but a skilled and creative one. She would be sore and achy in some places later, but if he wanted to go for a fourth round, she’d jump him. Which was precisely why Aubrey had to get out of there.

What if he was annoyed to find her in bed the next morning? What if he sneaked out on her? The best-case scenario would be a nice-meeting-you and an awkward handshake-or-hug dance. She could imagine herself closing in for a hug and being impaled by his outstretched hand. Death by mortification.

Aubrey prayed for strength and tore her gaze from his mouth only to be ensnared by his lush eyelashes. What business does he have with lashes like those? She tried glaring at the beautiful man lying next to her, but she only succeeded in ogling him.

A tiny yip escaped her when those ridiculous lashes fluttered as though preparing to unveil the deep, dark eyes beneath. She’d be lost if she looked into them again. Bracing herself on her elbows, Aubrey inched toward the edge of the bed. His arm slid across her bare back as she extracted herself from his embrace, and the innocuous caress set her skin alight. Even after last night, her fiery reaction to his touch flustered her.

By the time she’d crawled down the bed with awkwardly placed limbs, a thin veil of sweat filmed her upper lip. She spotted