Next to Me (7 page)

“I work for a securities company,” he says.

“Like, installing security systems?” I inquire between crunches.

“No, more like protection. For example, a company might be bought or sold and dismantled into several smaller companies. There’s always information that can’t be leaked to the new facets of the agency, so I work with the CEOs to protect them and the information their company values,” he explains.

“Sounds boring,” I tease with a straight face.

“Oh really? What would be more interesting to you to talk about?” he

asks, laughing with me as I break my poker face. The last guy I teased about having a boring job took it very personally and developed a sudden headache, thus ending our date before either of us had finished our dinner. It’s nice to see that Landon doesn’t take himself too seriously.

“I want to hear about your dancing!” I tell him.

“Great! I knew that was going to come back and bite me in the ass!”

“It’s too late now, Fred Astaire! I want to hear about your ballroom dancing days,” I declare with a huge smile.

“I am not going to
tell
you anything. I’m going to
show
you.” Landon stands and holds out his hand to me. “Dance with me.”

I don’t hesitate for a second and immediately take my shoes off and stand up, taking Landon’s hand. He leads me to a more open area of the pier near where we’ve been sitting. People are looking at us, but I don’t care. There’s something about being with Landon that makes me want to embrace all the things I’ve been holding at arm’s length.

“Waltz?” he says, wrapping his hand around to my back above my waist and holding our extended hands together. His touch is amazing.

“Tango.” I counter with a smirk of my own.

“You’re killing me here, you know that.” He tosses his head back and laughs. “What the hell! You ready?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing?” I raise my eyebrows and realize that I am officially flirting. I position my hand on his shoulder and we bow our arms, putting ourselves into proper dancing posture.

Landon starts counting and we start to move. He stops counting after a few sets as we both realize that we’re moving together perfectly, both hearing the music in our heads. A few more passes like this, and with our eyes locked on each other’s, Landon lets go of my hand and puts his arm around my waist. I move my arm to his waist and we spin, Landon still holding onto my eyes with his.

I’ve danced this dance a hundred times with Marco and other

experienced dancers at the studio and it never felt this way. I’ve heard professional dancers say that dancing with a partner should be almost as emotional as having sex. You have to connect with your dance partner so that the emotions and message of the dance come across to your audience. If this isn’t a connection, I don’t know what is.

This connection seems apparent to the onlookers around us on the pier because as we stop and I don’t remove my eyes from Landon’s, whistles and clapping erupt. I’m trying to catch my breath when Landon’s mouth is suddenly on mine. I part my lips to receive his kiss, but hold back, unsure of myself. I feel our bodies move in line with each other, his arms wrapping around me.

“I don’t usually do that on a first date,” he says, now catching his breath.

“Tango?” I smile.

“I
definitely
don’t Tango on a first date. Then again, I’ve never had such a worthy partner.” Landon’s face is still so close to mine. I can feel his breath against my mouth and all I want to do is kiss him again.

“Well, you
did
refer to our meeting yesterday morning as the best coffee and croissant date you’d ever had. So, technically, this would be our second date,” I reply softly.

“Well played, Jenna, well played.” Landon kisses me again and this time I don’t hold back. I part my lips again, letting us explore each other in a kiss that’s a show in and of itself for the onlookers. He grabs the back of my head and a fistful of my hair with it and a noise escapes from the back of my throat. I have never, ever, been kissed like this.

More clapping and whistling brings us back to reality and we both

chuckle with just a bit of embarrassment.

“I really hadn’t planned on that, Jenna. I just want you to know that…considering our earlier conversation. It was a bonus, though,” he says. I think he’s sincere. I look into his eyes and think he’s just one of those passionate guys, and when he wants something, he dives right in.

“I believe you. It’s been a while since…well…it was nice,” I tell him.

We pack up our leftovers and walk back down the pier to the circle where there are a dozen cabs waiting. Landon suggests we take a cab back to my place since he’s thinking neither of us is up for walking 21 blocks back. I agree and scoot into the cab first.

“This night was way more than I expected, Jenna. I hope you had just as great a time as I did.” Landon takes my hand and threads his fingers through mine and a shiver runs across my body.

This is insane. How could I possibly have this kind of reaction to someone I just met? This has never happened before. I’m giddy and excited and totally acting like a 16-year old girl on the inside.

“I did. I had a really great time, Landon. Thank you,” I tell him honestly. I like being open to more than just a date or two. I like the hopeful feeling that comes with being willing to look at the potential in a relationship. Regardless of what happens with Landon, it feels good to be here in this emotional place.

“I want to see you again, as soon as possible,” he says sitting up as if this is an epiphany.

I smile at his enthusiasm. “I’d like to see you again, too.”

“Tomorrow,” he declares. “Are you working tomorrow night?” He looks at me with anticipation of my answer and I feel myself fill with as much anticipation for when I’ll get to see him again, too.

“I’m not working tomorrow,” I tell him, still smiling. “Oh, but wait. I can’t.”

“Why not?” Disappointment coats these two little words.

“Um…I have a date.”  I watch for his reaction, not sure what he’ll say or do. He doesn’t say anything, but sits back against the seat. “It’s one of the doctors at the hospital. I agreed to the date the other night, before I saw you at the coffee shop. He’s kind of been asking me out for a while, so I’ll feel bad if I back out.”
Why did you tell him that?

“I understand, Jenna.” He takes a deep breath and lets out a rush of air. “This is just our first, uh, second date. I don’t have any expectations.”

I cock my head to the side, questioning his statement. I don’t believe him. I think he felt the connection between us as much as I did. That kiss he planted on me said as much.

“Ok,” he says, giving in to my questioning look. “I have an expectation, well…more of a hope. I didn’t want to say anything after our whole conversation about what I did to meet you. I don’t want to scare you off, Jenna.”

“I don’t think you’re going to scare me off,” I say quietly. I want to tell him about the connection I felt so he knows the lengths he went to get to know me weren’t in vain. That right now I really wish I wasn’t going out with Adam Fisher tomorrow night. That, in fact, I wish tonight would never end so I didn’t have to eventually say goodnight to Landon. But it’s too soon and saying any of those things will only paint me as some desperate chick that doesn’t have a clue what she’s doing.

“I like you, Jenna…a lot.” Landon caresses the back of my hand with his fingers. That same shiver I got earlier returns and makes me smile.

“That’s $15.70,” the cabbie says as he stops in front of my building. Landon gives him a twenty and tells him to keep the change.

We make our way upstairs to my apartment and stop outside the door, standing silently. I examine his face and notice a small scar above his right eye and make a mental note to ask him about it sometime because something in me wants to know everything about him. I suddenly become very aware of just how unfair that would be since he’ll never get close enough to know everything about me. No one ever will. But at least I’m finally willing to let someone into the world of Jenna Rockwell.

“Do you want to come in…maybe continue this conversation?” I ask with a hint of coyness.

“I would love to come in,” he says, running his fingers down my arm

again.

I turn and unlock the door, trying to be as quiet as possible. It’s after midnight and Spring is going to be in bed already. We enter the living room and I reach to turn on the table lamp so it won’t be too bright.

“Can I get you something to drink? A glass of wine maybe?” I set my purse on the kitchen table and turn around face Landon.

“I’m good,” he says with the sexiest smile.

“Ok…” I move to the couch and sit sideways, tucking my leg under the other one. I take my heels off and set them next to the end table. Within seconds, Landon is facing me, mirroring my posture. He rests his arm across the back of the couch and plays with a lock of my hair while we sit close.

“Earlier you said that it had been a while. What did you mean?” Landon takes my hand and moves it to his leg while holding it. I lose concentration for a moment with a brief vision of all the places my hand could travel within seconds.

“Oh, that…it’s nothing. It’s a little embarrassing,” I begin. Landon lowers his chin and looks at me over his nose. “Fine. It’s been a really long time since I’ve been kissed like that.”

“I’m sure your idea of
a really long time
really isn’t that long at all.”

“Oh, Landon, you don’t want to know…” I start, but Landon gives me that look again, convincing me to divulge my pathetic dating history. “Truth be known…I’ve never been kissed like that. Not that I’ve really given anyone the chance in the last several years,” I admit.

“
That
is a tragedy,” he says, perfectly serious.

“I sound totally pathetic, don’t I?” I close my eyes and shake my head,

disbelieving that I’m actually having this conversation.

“Not at all. It’s a shame someone hasn’t felt strongly enough about you to kiss you the way you deserve to be kissed. And, I’d be lying if I said my ego didn’t just get a huge boost.” He smiles and runs his thumb along my jawline.”

“Your ego could have taken a boost earlier if you hadn’t disappeared on me at the dance studio that day,
or
at Duke’s,” I tease.

“Alright, alright! I get it! I was slow…but not anymore.” Landon takes the hand that’s been playing with my hair and reaches behind my head, pulling me into him. He kisses me and I feel a surge of nervous excitement rush through me. Landon is still holding one of my hands, so I reach up and touch his face and then run my fingers through his hair with the other. He moans and I think I’m going to jump out of my skin. It is by far the sexiest sound I have ever heard.

Landon lets go of my hand and runs his fingers up my leg to my waist. Another rush of electricity runs through me and I shift my body, pushing Landon against the back of the couch and straddling him. He takes my face in his hands and kisses me even more deeply than he already was. His hands brush the sides of my breasts as he skims my body, causing me to moan. He starts to unbutton my shirt when something clicks and he stops abruptly.

“Jenna,” he says my name breathlessly and I want to crush my lips to his. “I, um, we…I should go.” Embarrassed, I move my body off of him, not sure what else I should do, or what I should say.

“I’m sorry, Landon. I didn’t mean…” I stutter.

“No. It’s nothing you did, Jenna. I just…I have a work thing tomorrow and…” he stammers.

“Of course.” We stand and I walk him to the door.

“I had an incredible time with you tonight,” he says, brushing my cheek.

“I did, too.”
Obviously
.

“I
do
want to see you again. I’ll call you. Have fun with the doctor.” Landon opens the door, kisses me on the cheek, and is gone.

I close the door behind him, mortified I acted the way I did. I practically attacked him on the couch on our
first date
! Add the fact that I told him I had a date tomorrow and I batted a thousand tonight!
Way to go, Jenna.

I am never hearing from Landon Scott again.

Chapter 5

I pour my coffee mindlessly, rehashing the last 30 minutes of my date with Landon last night. I didn’t sleep well and I now I’m trying to convince myself that I didn’t totally blow it with him.

“Hey! How did your date go?” Spring asks in her usual chipper morning voice. Even on my best morning, I am nowhere near this cheerful.

“It went,” I say, sarcasm oozing from me.

“Oh, my God, what happened?” Spring grabs a cup from the cabinet and quickly fills it with coffee and a ridiculous amount of creamer and sweetener. She plops down on a bar stool at the counter and holds her cup with two hands at her mouth, waiting for me to spill the beans. “Please don’t tell me he picks his nose or smells like feet when you get up close!”

“No! He doesn’t pick his nose and he smells as amazing as Ryan Reynolds looks. It was an incredible date…until I unleashed six years of sexual frustration on him.” I lean on the counter, putting my face in my hands.

“What did you do?” Springs eyes are wide.

“Ok…so, we were going to walk to the restaurant, but we just kept talking and walking and before we knew it we were in front of Navy Pier. Then we got burgers and sat on a bench and talked.
Then
…he danced with me on Navy Pier. I mean,
really
danced…like,
the Tango
danced. It was the most incredible dance I’d ever danced. He moves like, oh, my God…then he kissed me, and I mean
really
kissed me.” I decide not to tell Spring about the lengths Landon went to meet me. I’ve already chosen sweet and charming over creepy and I don’t want to have to convince her otherwise if she chooses creepy.