Page 31 of Isolated (Harper Security Ops #21)

I dropped the apple in the basket, and we continued our stroll through the orchard. “I’m not like you.”

My feet ground to a halt. I turned my body completely to face him. “What does that mean?”

His eyes were bright, shining in a way I’d never seen before. “You are the most fearless woman I’ve ever met. You’re so unbelievably confident; I’m convinced there isn’t anything you’d be afraid to try.”

My stomach fluttered. I loved that he saw me that way. “That’s really nice of you to say, but I’m not sure I understand what it has to do with you becoming a private investigator instead of a bodybuilder.”

Landen urged me to fall into step beside him.

We strolled along for a few paces before he shared, “I like the way I feel when I take the time to lift weights. I enjoy moving my body and the physical benefits I get from exercising and eating a mostly healthy diet. But I’m not a performer.

The more I researched, the more I learned about the career.

I’m not someone who would ever feel comfortable getting up on a stage in what is barely the equivalent of underwear just to pose and show off my physique. ”

A smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I peeked over my shoulder at him. “I would love to see that.”

He shook his head. “I hate to disappoint you, but it’s not going to happen.”

I stopped and pulled another apple off the closest tree. Holding it up to my nose again, I arched a brow. “Not even just for me?”

Landen smiled at me and seemed to stand a little taller, his chest puffing up with pride. “Is that your way of asking to see me naked?”

Smiling as I tucked my chin toward my chest, I dropped the apple into the basket and shrugged before moving off the path and between the trees, releasing Landen’s hand in the process.

As confident as I was, maybe I didn’t need to tell him everything.

I thought it might be fun to leave a bit of mystery between us .

I took a few steps deeper into the orchard, out of view of others, but I could feel Landen’s presence just a couple of steps behind me. It wasn’t until I felt a pair of hands on my hips that I realized what my teasing had done and that he’d set our basket of apples down.

Suddenly, he spun me around and hauled me up against his body.

Driving one hand into my hair, the other one slid around my back and held me firmly.

He tugged on my hair, urging me to expose my throat to him.

A heartbeat later, with my own pulse pounding, I felt him glide the side of his nose along my throat as he inhaled.

His teeth nipped at the skin there, my nails digging into his shoulders.

My lips were parted, my lungs barely functioning.

Hidden in the dense grove, the hand Landen had at my waist drifted down over the curve of my ass, squeezing.

His lips made their way to my ear as his hand that had been in my hair made its journey down along the side of my neck.

“Do you know,” he started, those fingertips moving lightly over my collarbone, “what you do to me, Iris?” His fingers were barely a whisper on my skin as they dipped down to the exposed skin between my breasts.

“What you’ve been doing to me for months? ”

A shiver ran along my spine.

His hand squeezed my ass again before he took my earlobe between his teeth.

The fingers between my breasts continued to stroke lightly over my skin.

Goosebumps broke out along my flesh, my nipples pebbling beneath my clothes.

“If it’s any consolation, sunshine, I’ve wanted to see you naked for a long time. ”

Sunshine.

Landen just called me sunshine and admitted he’d wanted to see me naked for a long time. Maybe I wasn’t totally upset that he wanted to kick his own ass for waiting to do something about his attraction to me.

And perhaps we didn’t need to wait to take that step. We could do that and still get to know one another. I saw no reason we couldn’t do both.

My voice was husky, revealing just how much he affected me when I countered, “So why aren’t you taking me home to make that happen?”

Sliding his head back a touch, he pressed a soft kiss to my cheek. Then he pulled back completely to look me in the eyes. His hands moved back to my hips, and I wondered if he could see the heat and desire swirling in my stare.

“I think that would happen if I wasn’t thoroughly enjoying this buildup.” He reached behind me and plucked an apple off the tree. Holding it in front of his face, he inhaled before taking a bite. “I’m okay with a little delayed gratification. It’s proven to be quite rewarding so far.”

If he continued to tease me like he was, I didn’t know if I’d last.

As though sensing my dismay, Landen chuckled.

“It’ll happen soon enough, sunshine. And when it does, I’ll make sure it’s worth the wait.

Everything else has been so far, there’s not a chance that won’t be as well.

I’m going to devour every inch of your gorgeous body, and I’m not going to stop until you’re so sated, so exhausted, that the intense workout from a few weeks ago will feel like a walk in the park. ”

My body was aching. I was throbbing between my legs, my breasts felt heavy, and there was a tingling flutter in my chest right where his fingers had been touching me moments before .

Such promise in those words. Such determination.

“I thought you said you weren’t a performer.”

“Not for an audience. But for you…” He grinned mischievously and arched a neatly groomed brow before he took another bite of the apple. He held it up to my mouth and offered it to me. I took a bite, keeping my eyes on his and noting how they never left my lips as I chewed.

We stood there, sharing the remainder of the apple, nothing but lingering stares and knowing smiles passing between us.

Then Landen bent to pick up our basket, so we could continue filling it. And when we’d finally made our way through the rest of the orchard, our basket overflowing with apples, Landen paid for them, adding in a few extra dollars for the one we had while hidden between the trees.

I never imagined an apple picking date could have ever been so erotic.