Page 24 of Shiver For Me

“Last night, Kate, was everything to me. I know we’ll talk later, but I wanted you to know before you ran off out the door and started second guessing and overthinking.”

I stand up on tip toe and peck his lips. “No second thoughts. It was amazing.”

He smiles back unabashedly and returns the peck while opening the door for me. “I’ll see you later.”

??

Later in the day, I’m at the library restocking this morning’s returns and thinking about Landon. Last night...whew. It was so unexpected. I absentmindedly run my fingers over my lips. They are still tender from his kisses. I get a mental image of those lips all over my body and softly moan. Damn it was good. No, it was phenomenal. There was no uncomfortable weirdness. We just worked. Yes, I was nervous at first, but I think everyone gets that way the first time you’re with someone.

I put my wireless earbuds in and hit the first song on the playlist he made for me. I smirk at Justin Timberlake’sMy Love.Dang, he jumped right in for the kill. I let all the words of the song soak in, and I know that this song and the next ones will now take on a whole new meaning in my life. Next up is DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber withLet Me Love You.I jam and dance a smidge as I put away books. Nothing enough to call a ton of attention to me, but enough to just enjoy and do my job.

When Ed Sheeran’sShiverswashes over my ears, I literally get goosebumps. This one is my favorite. It’s justsoLandon. I listen to a few more, like Brett Young’sIn Case You Didn’t Know,and I am just blown away by his selection. Songs of longing, adoration, want, need. Everything I’ve ever imagined an epic love would feel like. I notice a few from the night at the bar that we danced to, and by the time I finish the mixwith Russell Dickerson’sYours,I’m teetering between being completely turned on and reduced to tears for the beauty of the feelings he conveyed for me. I can tell that he sat down and took a good long time choosing each and every one of these and how they should flow.

How long has he had feelings for me? There’s no way this started only a couple months ago. His words from yesterday on the countertop come back to me... “Always have and always will...” Always? As in, from the beginning? I swallow hard and pull out my phone to check the time. It’s twenty after five. Ten more minutes. I text Landon.

Me: Meet me at home ;)