Page 21 of Stay With Me

Landen tries his next. “Mm. I like it.”

“I knew you’d like the cinnamon. It’s my fav?—”

“Cinnamon? I’m allergic!” Landen starts coughing and a wave of panic rises up my throat.

I rush out of the trailer and toward him, panicking at his struggle to breathe.

“Why…why’re you tryin’ to kill me?” Landen gasps as if he can’t suck in enough air.

“I didn’t know!”

Landen hands his cup to Tripp, who just stands there, unfazed. Why isn’t he doing something?

“What do I do?” I shout as Landen’s face turns red. “Oh my God.”

Landen points to his lips. “Mouth to mouth…” he manages to spit out.

Tripp snorts, grabbing my attention, and that’s when I realize Landen’s a lying sack of shit.

No wonder Tripp isn’t reacting.

I shove his chest with all the strength I have, but he only moves back an inch. “Mouth to mouth, huh? How aboutknee to balls?”

Landen squirms back, out of my reach, and covers his junk. “Damn, okay. Don’t be threatenin’ the jewels. I wanna have kids someday.”

Stomping closer, I smack his arm. “You made me think I killed you!”

He grabs my wrists, holding me tight to his body, and leans down until his mouth is near my ear. “I was tryin’ to help you out. Figured Tripp would lose his shit if he saw you kiss me.”

I pull back slightly and catch his devious smirk.

Ever since I told him I liked Tripp, he’s found ways to try tomake him jealous by openly flirting with me. But apparently, he thought we needed to take it to the next level.

“At this rate, I don’t think it’s gonna happen,” I say quietly so Tripp can’t overhear.

“It will once he gets his head outta his ass.” He gives me a look that hints at what he’s talking about. Between losing his best friend seven years ago and dealing with internal guilt, Tripp’s primary focus has been work. He dated in between the times I was with Travis, but he’s never had a long-term girlfriend. It’s like he refuses to allow himself happiness no matter how much he deserves it.

“Can you two make up later so we can get back to work?” Tripp’s annoyed tone has me taking a step back.

I arch a brow at Landen. “See?”

He gives his head a little shake, then grabs his cup from Tripp.

“See ya later, Mags,” Landen calls out as they walk toward his truck.

Tripp stays silent, but a few moments later, I catch him glancing at me over his shoulder.

Nothing reminds me of how single I am more than watching my best friend plan her dream wedding.

I’m happy as shit for her and Fisher, but goddamn, some of us are ready to be God’s chosen one for once.

Dear Lord, would it kill you to send me a six-foot-three-tall cowboy with dark hair, brooding eyes, and a free use kink? I’m not askin’ for much here…

“Can you go with my brothers to their suit fitting? My dad has a meetin’ that day, and I need someone to keeptheir asses in line.” Noah gives me a pleading look through the mirror, brushing her wet, long, golden blond hair.

“And where will you be?” I tease, lying on her bed and flipping through one of her bridal magazines.

She tosses me her planner, and as soon as I read through it, I regret asking. The monthly spreadsheet is covered in ink. Not that I’m surprised because Noah’s a professional horse trainer and doesn’t know how to take a damn day off—except when she fractured her ankle and broke some ribs, then she was forced to. But she hated every minute of it. Hell, I wouldn’t be shocked if she worked the morning of her wedding just to get a few hours in before the ceremony.