Down and Dirty (Hot Jocks #5)(57)

Too late now. Here goes everything.

Approaching his door, I lift one shaky hand to knock. But to my surprise, before my knuckles can make contact, the door swings open on a totally unsuspecting Landon, who just barely catches himself from walking straight into me. He blinks at me with wide, startled eyes, frozen in the doorway with keys in hand, one arm already shrugging on his favorite leather jacket.

“Aubree.” My name falls off his lips like a soft, desperate prayer, sending goose bumps scampering down my limbs. “What are you doing here?”

I draw in a shaky breath, my throat threatening to close up. What am I doing here? Groveling? I don’t want to admit that. Instead, I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.

“I saw that you’re being transferred to Vancouver.”

His brows push together with skepticism. “You were watching the sports channel? You know they don’t play Annie on there, right?”

I purse my lips, holding back an unexpected laugh. Leave it to Landon to make me laugh when I feel so awful. But the fact that he’s joking with me is a good sign. I was half expecting him to breeze past me, ignoring me in person just like he did over text.

“Were you on your way to sign with the Rebels?” I nod toward the keys in his hand, and he looks down at them too, spinning the key ring around in his nimble fingers.

For a moment, I’m worried he’s going to turn around and lock me out. But instead, he looks up at me, the slightest hint of a smile threatening the corners of his lips.

“Actually, I was on my way to you.”

I blink up at him in disbelief. “Really?”

“Really.” His brilliant blue eyes flicker with something familiar. Hope, I think. Or maybe it’s fear. “I’ve felt like shit since you left yesterday.”

My heart swells as he reaches out to grab my trembling hand, running his thumb along the band of my wedding ring.

“That’s why I’m here too. We need to talk,” I say.

He nods. “We do. Are you okay?”

Emotion rising in my throat, I shake my head.

“Come here,” he says softly, opening his arms.

I step into them, pressing my face into the front of his shirt and inhale. The distinct scent of musk and male and Landon arrests me. How in the world did I think I could live without this smell? Without this man? And for what? A promotion? A job? No way. I’m his. I never planned to be, but there’s no denying it now.

Lifting my face toward his, I smile weakly. “Thanks. I needed that.”

He shifts, putting some distance between us yet again. “I was wifeless for less than twenty-four hours,” he says, his voice as serious as I’ve ever heard it, “and it was fucking awful. But it took losing you for me to realize a few really important things.”

I lift a brow. “Like what?”

“Like I never want to let you go again. And . . .” His Adam’s apple bobs as his gaze drops to his feet momentarily, then back up to meet with mine. “I guess I should let you say what you came here to say.” He takes a step back, and a cloud of worry crosses his features.

After a quiet moment, I work up enough courage to respond, my tone a little shaky. “I’m sorry for everything. I just . . . I didn’t think I could actually do this. Didn’t think I could rely on another person when it could all go up in smoke.”

He touches my cheek with his thumb. “I know. But I’m going to be there. Today. Tomorrow. When shit goes south. During the good times, the bad, and everything in between.”

My throat tightens, and I inhale slowly. “It killed me that I hurt you yesterday. I went home and sobbed like I haven’t since my dog, Lucy, died when I was thirteen. It felt like the death of something real, you know? Something life changing and so important to me was poof. Gone. It killed me.” I take a shuddering inhale and continue. “And me and you . . . it’s crazy how it all started, but what we have is real. I see that now, and I believe in it. In us.”

He nods, still watching me with a tender expression.

“What we have isn’t something I’m just going to give up on,” I say, gathering courage. “Our relationship is bigger than where we live, or what job we have, or who’s getting transferred where.”

Landon’s eyes darken as they lock onto mine, his expression filled with so much emotion, I could burst. “I love you, Aubree. I love you, and I never want to be apart again.”

My breath catches, and I have to hold tight to his hand to keep the shock of the moment from knocking me over. That look in his eyes—it wasn’t hope or fear. It was something way better.

It was love.

I squeeze his hand extra tight. “I love you too, Landon.” The words sound so natural, but they leave my lips tingling because they’re the absolute truth. “More than I’ve loved anyone before.”

When his hand finds the small of my back, tugging me in for a soft, delicate kiss, the tingling spreads to every inch of my body. And, God, it feels like heaven. I find my grip on his shoulders as I press up to my tiptoes, deepening our kiss. When he finally pulls back, I’m able to take in my first full breath since yesterday.

That realization is followed by a huge sense of relief.

I haven’t broken everything. Landon loves me.

“So, Vancouver, huh?” I ask, steadying myself against him.