THE BENNETTS' CHRISTMAS (The Bennett Family and the Masters Family #6) - Brenda Jackson Page 0,116

me.”

“I have no problem being alone with you,” he said bluntly.

At that moment he signaled for the waitress. “Yes?”

“Charge both meals to my room,” he told her.

“That’s kind of you, Landon, but I can pay for my own breakfast.”

He looked genuinely bothered that she had even suggested such a thing. “I’m sure you can. But I’m paying for it.”

The last thing she wanted to do was ruffle any more of his feathers, so she ducked her head and said, “Thank you.”

Landon walked beside Monica, wondering if he needed his head examined. Why the hell had he agreed to go back to her hotel room? He could have easily asked the concierge if there was a small meeting room they could use. So why hadn’t he?

It was too late now, he thought, as the two of them stepped onto the elevator.

There were others inside, so he and Monica didn’t say anything until they reached her floor. He wasn’t surprised it was the same floor as his room. He wondered if she knew that. In fact, when she came to a stop in front of her room, he saw that it was right next door to his. Is that why he’d gone to bed thinking he was inhaling her scent? Could such a thing penetrate walls?

He followed her inside and immediately noticed her suite was identical to his. Landon suddenly recalled overhearing one of the hotel attendants say the hotel was booked solid this week. He glanced over at Monica. “When did you decide to come to Vegas?”

She looked at him over her shoulder as she dropped her purse on the coffee table. “Yesterday.”

He lifted a brow. “How did you get a room? The hotel is booked solid.”

She eased down on the sofa. “Duan Jeffries made all the arrangements. When I told him that I needed to talk to you, he said there was no way I’d get a room this close to the holidays, but he said he could manage it for me. I was on standby for eight hours in St. Paul and didn’t arrive here until close to midnight. I called your room a couple of times when I got here but you were out.”

Landon nodded. There was no need to tell her he’d been out walking the strip until close to three this morning, trying to get her off his mind. He eased down on the love seat across from her. Whatever she’d told Duan must have sounded pretty damn convincing for his best friend to have not only told her his whereabouts, but also to make sure she had a place to stay when she got here.

“So, what did you want to tell me?”

He tried to push the thought from his mind that he honestly hadn’t realized just how much he’d missed her until now. Being alone in this suite with her reminded him of the way it had been between them on the cruise. Sitting across from him wearing only jeans and a pullover sweater, she radiated so much sexiness that he could actually feel the air being snatched from his lungs.

“I want to apologize for how things ended between us on the cruise.”

Landon frowned. “Why? You only told me how you felt, just like I told you how I felt. Unfortunately, we weren’t on the same page. I wanted forever and you wanted a bed partner to make up for all those orgasms you’ve never had. I got it.”

He stood. “I don’t accept your apology, Monica, since there’s no need for you to make one. You followed your heart. Unfortunately, doing so took you away from me. Goodbye.”

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

WHEN LANDON TURNED TO walk out the door, Monica knew she had lost him, truly lost him. The raw emotion in his voice sent a wave of sorrow rushing through to her soul because she knew his pain. She’d felt it. But his pain was pain she’d caused.

Although she wanted to fight for him, to hold on to his love, she didn’t really know how. No man had ever told her he loved her the way he had, not just in words but in deeds.

Still, she had to do something to win him back. She believed he still loved her, but evidently, he thought she didn’t love him back. She had to get through to him. She had to.

“I do love you, Landon.”

Her words stopped him. It took a moment, but he slowly turned around. The angry look on his face surprised her. “I don’t think you