Chapter 9
The humidity was already thick even though it was six in the morning. The sun was shining, and the lure of the lake was too much for me to resist. The workmen had finished with my dock repairs, and I’d been itching to get out and swim. It was a passion of mine for as long as I could remember. I’d spent the majority of the evening wading in the water, learning rock placement, committing it to memory. Landry had given me odd looks from his back porch. I’d waved and kept going, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt as I’d done it.
The warm-up suit I was currently in was pull-away and buttoned up the sides. Under it, I wore a one-piece swimsuit that was sporty as well, designed for competition swimming. I’d been on my university women’s swim team and we’d been fierce competitors.
I began warming up, stretching and taking my time to ensure I was good and ready. When I was all set, I ripped my pants off and tossed them behind me on the dock. I bent and dove into the cool water. The swim to the Macy mansion and back to my dock wasn’t exactly short, yet I still did it six times, focusing on my strokes and my breathing. When I was done, I made my way to the dock and climbed up the ladder. Water streamed off me and I bent, retrieving my towel, using it on my hair first and foremost.
The feel of someone’s stare pulled my attention upward. I looked toward the houses and found Landry staring at me from his back porch. He held two cups of coffee in his hands.
I grabbed my pants and carried them as I headed back with the intent to go into my place. Landry stepped off his back porch and lifted a mug in my direction. “Want one?”
Smiling, I tossed my pants onto my porch and took the towel and wrapped it around my waist. I eased the mug from him. “Thanks. I thought you’d be at the diner already.”
“And miss out on seeing you in a swimsuit, uh, no way.” He sipped his coffee and his eyes crinkled with mirth.
“Enjoy the show I wasn’t aware I was giving?”
His chocolate gaze raked down me slowly. “Very much.”
Taken aback by his blatant flirting, I eyed him closely. “Is someone going to jump out of the bushes and tell me I’m on a hidden camera show?”
“No,” Landry said. “Why?”
“No reason.” I took a drink of my coffee and moaned. “Oh God, this is good. You mean to tell me you make coffee this good in your house too? I’m really glad I’m your neighbor. I will so be showing up for a morning cup of Joe daily. You’re going to spot me coming and lock your house up tight.”
He continued to watch me with a strange look on his face. “Or I could bring you coffee in bed.”
That did it. I took a step back and looked around. “Seriously, is this a joke or something?”
“Is what a joke?”
“The you making comments that would normally leave you chanting how you’ve sworn off women?”
Landry took a deep breath. “I wasn’t aware I was doing that.”
I just stared at him.
He lifted his mug a little in the direction of the side of my house. “I’m going to regret confessing this to you, but your curtains don’t exactly block people from being able to see straight into your upstairs windows when you have the lights on at night.”
It took me a moment to register what he was saying. “By people, you mean you, and I take it this information is coming my way because…”
He blushed. “Because I might have been looking out my bedroom window at the same moment you got into the shower last night.”
“The shower in my master bathroom? The one with the see-through curtain?” I already knew the answer.
Landry nodded, gripping his mug tight.
My lips twitched before breaking into a full-on smile. “Aha, so this even flirtier you is a direct result of me giving you a full-frontal peep show last night?”
He grunted. “Uh, yeah. Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. You could have never told me and I’d have kept on doing it, not realizing you could see in.”
He swallowed hard, looking hopeful. “I know.”
“Yet you told me, so, see, nice guy. Nothing to be sorry for. Though…” I moved in closer to him. “You’ve sworn off women, right?”
“Yes,” he said, bending his head, his lips close to mine. “I did.”
I wanted to kiss the man in ways I’d not wanted to kiss anyone in a long time. I remained in place, forcing him to make the next move, desperately hoping he would. He eased his head down more and brought his free hand up, his finger slipping over my lips. Landry’s eyes fluttered closed momentarily. “Mer.”
“Yes?” I skimmed my lips over his forefinger.
He clenched his fist and pulled his hand away from my mouth before taking a step back. “I-I should head into the diner.”
“Because you’ve sworn off women.”
“Right,” he said, his voice barely there.
A laugh escaped me. “Maybe you shouldn’t come out of your house bearing coffee, sexual innuendos, and news that you watched me showering if you’ve sworn off all women. Doesn’t really make me all warm and fuzzy inside constantly being reminded.”
He stared at me for the longest time. “Meredith.”
“Yes?”
“Are you going to put up thicker curtains?”
Hurt, I snorted. “Yes, Landry. I’ll go out today and get them hung right away. I’d hate to subject you to me any more than needed. Sorry to put you on the spot with it all. I’ll try to be more careful with my nudity from now on.” I pivoted with the intention of storming away.
“Mer.”
“What?” I said, harsher than I intended.
He was suddenly behind me, his body pressing against mine. “I didn’t tell you so you’d put up thicker ones.”
“Then why did you tell me?”
His lips moved close to my ear. “So you’d know I was watching you.” With that, he turned and walked away, leaving my jaw dropping wide open.
I hurried inside and set the coffee mug on the counter, my heart racing fast. I needed to shower again to get the smell of the lake off me, but I wasn’t sure I could, knowing he was watching me. As sexy as it sounded, it was slightly out of my league in the way of enticing men.
It took me a while to gather the nerve, but when I did, I did so with a tiny spring in my step. Landry was obviously interested in me if he was watching me, right? As much as I never thought coming home would mean I’d find a man who sparked my curiosity, and interest as well, Landry did just that.
He also made me nervous. My brother had been correct. Landry was a man I could end up falling for, and I didn’t want to be hurt again. Once in a lifetime was more than enough for me.
I rushed to the bathroom in my bedroom but kept the lights off, thankful it was sunny out. As much as I wanted to put on an erotic show for just him, I wasn’t totally up for it nerve-wise just yet. I took a speedy shower and dressed for the day. As I turned, I spotted Landry standing in his bedroom window, holding his cup of coffee, watching me.
He arched a brow and I gasped, rushing to the window and opening it. He opened his as well, and I stuck my head out. “Are you telling me you can see in even when the lights in here aren’t on?”
I was answered with a wicked, sexy smile.
Jerking, I hit the back of my head on the window and yelped before looking over at him. “Gee, thanks for letting me know. The least you could do is return the favor. Come on, buddy, strip.”
I was joking and expected him to laugh it off.
Instead, he set his coffee down and pulled his shirt over his head. My breath caught at the sight of his sculpted body. He surprised me even more when he took hold of the top of his pajama bottoms, put his back to me, and pushed them down.
Commando. Hot damn!
His ass was rock hard and as tan as he was.
My eyes widened as he glanced over his shoulder at me. Pursing my lips, I motioned with my finger for him to turn around. “Seems only fair,” I said loudly.
I figured he’d refuse.
As he turned, I froze. The man was breathtaking and impressive in ways men shouldn’t be. His cock lay nestled in a thatch of black hair and was actually a couple of shades darker than the rest of him. I wasn’t even close and the size intimidated me. Somehow, I managed not to pant or fall out of my window.
“Not bad,” I said calmly.
Landry tossed his head back and laughed as he walked away from the window and headed for his bathroom. Sadly, there was no peep show happening there because it was out of my line of sight. I could still see into his room a fair amount, though. I watched as he opened his closet door, revealing a full-length mirror on the back of it. He adjusted it just right, gave a slight nod before walking into his bathroom. The mirror afforded me the chance to see everything.
Unable to tear my gaze away, I watched as he climbed into his shower, shut the glass door and began to lather himself up. When his hands moved to his cock, he lifted his head, looking directly through the glass door and into the mirror, stroking himself slowly.
A squeak escaped me as I spun around, putting my back to him.
“Chicken!” he yelled loud enough for me to hear.
I cowered away from the window, my breathing off the charts. My entire body tingled with thoughts of Landry stroking his cock, knowing I was watching him. Another ten minutes passed before I could get my legs to actually move. I was still in a state of shock. Never had I imagined I’d wake to find Landry wanting to do what we’d just done.