A Sweet Mess - Jayci Lee Page 0,82

breathed. “This is lovely.”

He tugged on his collar as heat washed over his skin. Grateful for the dim lighting, he gestured toward the table. “Should I pour us some wine?”

“Uh, you go ahead,” Aubrey said. “I’m still a bit groggy. I don’t want to doze off on you before I can enjoy this moonlight picnic.”

They sat quietly on the deck, enjoying their dinner, but Landon felt his nerves fraying. They hadn’t talked about what happened after Bosque Verde. Neither of them was ready for this to end, but how could they continue seeing each other in secret once they left the villa? He had to figure out a plan.

“Since you’re done with your portion of the filming, are you planning to head right back to Weldon?”

She stared down at her feet for what felt like hours, and then she finally lifted her head. “I think it’s time to get back to the real world.”

Get back to the real world? Something about her tone made his gut clench.

“How about you? Do you have to stay here until they’re done with filming?”

“No, there isn’t much left for me to do. The production team and the crew are working well together, and everything’s running smoothly.” He glanced sideways at her, forcing his face into a smile. “It’s best for me to get out of their hair for the time being.”

“So you could leave anytime?”

“In a few more days.”

“I see,” Aubrey said, worrying her bottom lip.

Unlike the comfortable silence they’d shared a moment ago, a blanket of unease settled on them. Aubrey seemed to be miles away, and he wanted to join her wherever she’d gone.

“If you don’t mind staying for two more days, I’ll drive you back to Weldon.”

Landon forced the words out even though they cut him like shards of glass. He didn’t think he could stand being apart from her. Except there was no other choice. He would make it his top priority to find them a secluded place where they could meet as often as they liked without risk of discovery.

“I know you need to get back to oversee the expansion and relocation, but don’t expect me to stay away for long.”

“Landon?” Her voice was so soft he wasn’t sure she’d spoken.

“Yes?” He cocked his head to the side.

Aubrey cleared her throat and then met his gaze with a grin closely resembling a grimace. “Oh, nothing.”

“What is it?” His mouth suddenly went dry, and his heart pummeled his rib cage.

“Nothing, really.” Her eyes were wide and vulnerable, and she spoke with a tremor in her voice. “I just wanted you to know that being with you makes me happy.”

The tension flowed out of him, and he smiled at her with all the joy exploding inside him. “I’m happy when I’m with you, too.”

19

Early the next morning, Aubrey drove Landon’s Alfa Romeo into town. He wanted her to use it for the day since he could have someone drop him off at the villa after the shooting. She didn’t need much convincing. It was nice to be on her own for a while.

Landon had made love to her with undiminished passion last night … and this morning. He made her happy. Their shyly spoken declaration on the moonlit deck shrouded her in warmth, and she was glad she hadn’t mentioned the conversation she’d overheard. She trusted him, and that was that.

She is nothing to me.

But she couldn’t get his words out of her mind. Aubrey took a shuddering breath and fought to ease the constriction in her chest. She understood they had to keep their relationship a secret to protect their reputations, but they couldn’t sneak around much longer. Especially if she was pregnant. The more she’d thought back through the last three months, the more certain she became she was going to have a baby. Landon’s baby.

Aubrey was done with hiding. She loved him and wanted forever with him. Even if he didn’t return her love yet, he cared deeply about her and wanted more than a fling. She wanted to proclaim to the world that she was his and he was hers. There might be an initial uproar, but they could tell the public what really happened the day she’d created Frankencake. They had the truth on their side.

She wandered listlessly through downtown Bosque Verde until her feet throbbed. It was time to face the pink elephant that had doggedly followed her all morning. Maybe she was getting worked up for nothing. It wasn’t like they hadn’t been careful.