Hot Neighbor: An Instalove Possessive Age Gap Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 199) Read online

  I have to make her mine.

  Elena

  The second I saw his girlfriend show up, I closed the blinds and told myself I was through with Landon. All his flirting now seemed like he was cheating. Maybe he wasn’t as trustworthy as I thought. Maybe I was foolish to believe that something could come of the way we were talking to one another.

  So why do I feel so betrayed? This is ridiculous, I barely know the man. After one conversation, did I really believe he’s the one for me?

  The sad thing is, yes, I did. I still do. There was a spark between us, I just know it. Even if he does have another woman, even he wouldn’t be able to deny to himself that there was something going on between us. It was magic.

  I don’t know him very well, but I like what I’ve seen so far. Except for the fact that he never mentioned his beautiful girlfriend, of course. How could I be so dumb? Of course, a gorgeous man like him has a woman.

  But I’m not sure I can stand the torture of knowing he will never be mine. I don’t think I’ll ever open my window again if it means I run the risk of seeing the pair of them together in bed. All I wanted was for him to be available to me, to be mine. I wanted it to feel as natural and flirty and funny as our first conversation. Now, I know that it can never be. Now I know that he’s going to forget me easily and go back to his beautiful woman without a second thought.

  I pace my room. I want to open the window and get a glimpse of him. I want to ask him why he led me on like this. But I should have some pride. I should hold back, even just out of respect to his girlfriend. Maybe I should even tell her the way he flirted with me, if I was her, I’d want to know.

  Before I can stop myself, I head to the window and open the blinds. The moon is high in the sky now. I’ve been thinking about him literally all night. But when my blinds open and I see him lying shirtless in bed, I realize he’s alone.

  I shake my head in confusion. I definitely saw him with that woman. They hugged pretty tightly and then he invited her inside. Surely she must be his significant other? But if she is his girlfriend, or fiancé, or wife, then why doesn’t she sleep beside him?

  I can think of a hundred excuses. Maybe she’s an insomniac and she’s off doing her own thing. Maybe she snores badly and sleeps alone. Maybe she found out about the chemistry between Landon and me…

  Or maybe she’s not who I think she is.

  I want to believe he’s single, but I’m scared to get my hopes up. I watch him sleep for a minute. The moonlight gently illuminates his beautifully toned body and I want nothing more than to climb through his window and be the one to lie next to him. But I still have things I need to unravel. I still need to know what his deal is with the woman in his house. I need to restrain myself so that nobody gets hurt, particularly me.

  I shut the blinds and get back into bed, but I know I won’t sleep. There’s too much on my mind. I know I shouldn’t be chasing Landon down. Even if he is single, even if the woman in his house is nothing to him, there are still so many issues to face. There’s the age gap...maybe I’m not mature enough for him...and then there’s the fact that my dad would never approve. I’ve always imagined falling for someone that my dad would love. I respect his opinion so much and I crave his approval more than anything.

  But I’m never going to get it in this case. I know damn well that he’s already made his mind up to hate our new neighbor. I rub my forehead as a headache begins to form behind my eyes. When did my life get so damn complicated?

  One thing is for sure. I’ll never know unless I ask Landon about what’s really going through his head. I have so many questions for him. Does he want my body or my heart? Or does he want both? Is he willing to take risks for me the way I am for him? Is he willing to give up someone else to be with me?

  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to be a home wrecker. But if he’s not happy with his life right now, and if his woman is part of the reason, then... He needs to be with someone who can give him everything he wants and needs.

  Someone like me.

  I’d do anything for the man. That’s a scary thought. One conversation with him and he’s got me going crazy. But I know what I want. I’ve always been decisive and this is no exception. I want him to be mine forever. I want to belong to him. I want to make love to him every single night. I want to feel him deep inside me, our bodies moving in synchronization. I want to fuck him above the duvet all summer and make love under the covers all winter. Now that I’ve seen him, I’ve got my heart set on having him forever.

  I try to sleep, but thoughts of him are racing through my mind. My center is wet and I’m desperate to know what it would be like for him to pleasure me. I almost slip my hands inside my panties to ride out the fantasy, but I know nothing can compare to having him for real. Maybe all I need to do is be patient. Maybe I need to find out more before I put my heart on the line for him. But as the hour’s tick by and I lie restless and awake, I know I won’t rest for real until he’s mine. Forever.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Landon

  I need to see Elena. I can’t deal with the tension of not seeing her for much longer. Knowing she’s just in the house next door, and I can’t reach out and touch her is too much for me to handle.

  That’s why I need a plan. I need to find a way to get her father to trust me enough to let me invite her over without suspicion. As much as I’d love to happily climb in through her window and have animalistic sex with her right there, I need somewhere private where I can take her. Even if it’s only next door, where I can ensure that we’ll never be disturbed.

  But for the plan to work, I first need to get John on my side. And to do that, I need to seem like the kind of guy he can trust. That means inviting him and his family over for dinner.

  “You’re playing with fire here,” Jenny says when I tell her the idea. “Don’t you think you should play it a little safer?”

  “Playing safe won’t win me the prize,” I growl. Jenny tsk’s.

  “You really want her, don’t you? What’s so special about her anyway?”

  Everything, I want to say to her. I love the curve of her hips. I love her playful smile and pouty lips. I love the way she’s sexy without even having to try. She’s just perfect for me. She’s smart, playful, funny, and talented. What more could a guy want?

  I don’t want any trouble with her family. But the thing is, I don’t think I can stand by and accept that she won’t be mine. I will put up a fight if anyone stands in my way, even if it is her father. The second I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the one for me, and I’ve not waited all this time only to be shot down by her family. Now that I’ve found the woman I want, I can’t let her go for anyone or anything.

  I take Jenny with me for help. She threads her arm through mine as we head over next door. I knock loudly, squaring up my shoulders in preparation. When John opens the door, I offer him a smile, though I’m gritting my teeth secretly.

  “Hey, we met yesterday? I’m your new neighbor,” I say. “And this is Jenny.”

  She sticks out her hand for John to shake, still gripping my arm with her other hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

  John’s face flickers with confusion for a moment, and then he smiles. He looked like he’s being a lot more genuine than yesterday, as well. Like he’s actually pleased to see us. He shakes her hand.

  “Well, welcome to the neighborhood, both of you. If there’s anything you need to help get settled in, just let me know.”

  He’s definitely more friendly than he was yesterday. He couldn’t get away from me fast enough yesterday. Now, he’s acting like a perfectly charming neighbor. I wonder if maybe it’s something to do with Jenny. People tend to take to her right away.

  “Well, actually there is something you can do for us,” I say. “We want to have you guys over for dinner tonight. We move around quite a lot, but we always love getting to know the neighbors. Plus, we want to make sure we fit in around here, we want to stick to the rules.”

  I al
most snort at my own comment. When it comes to Elena, there’s no way I’m going to be following the rules, even if it makes me stick out like a sore thumb in this neighborhood. If anyone catches on to Elena and me we will probably be alienated, but it doesn’t bother me. Our age gap isn’t half as controversial as they’ll pretend it is. We want one another, end of story.

  “Well, we’d love to come over for dinner!” John says, smiling brightly. It’s almost creepy how friendly he’s being now. “What time should we come?”

  “Seven o’clock!” Jenny says cheerily. “And don’t worry we brought some great wine with us. No need to bring anything, but yourselves!”

  “Alright, great! My wife won’t be able to make it, she’s working a night shift, but my daughter, Elena, will come with me.” John glances at me quickly and I can tell he’s looking to see if I’ll react. I keep my face straight. I might be obsessing over his daughter, but I’m not going to let him know that. I’ll have to be more careful than that, although I have to admit, this whole thing was easier than I expected after the way he behaved yesterday. Maybe he’s more clueless than I thought.

  “We look forward to it,” I say. Then we turn away and head back to the house, my heart thudding hard against my chest. A smile forms on my face. I’m going to get to see Elena tonight.

  And in no time, I’m going to make her mine.

  Elena

  I’m staring out of my window, waiting for Landon to appear in his window when my father comes upstairs into my room. Once again, he doesn’t bother to knock which irritates me.

  “We’re going out tonight,” he says cheerfully. I turn around to face him, frowning.

  “Where to?”

  “Next door. Landon and his wife have invited us over for dinner.”

  My heart sinks in my chest. So she is his wife. I feel like I got my hopes up over nothing. I sigh.

  “Dad, I’m not feeling great. Maybe I’ll skip it.”

  He crosses his arms over his chest. “Now come on, Elena, we only get one chance to make a good impression. It would be rude not to go after they’ve gone to the effort to invite us. Besides, you were the one that wanted to be friendly with the neighbors.”

  I feel my stomach twist in anger. I can’t believe how much he’s enjoying this. He must have been able to tell that I was interested in Landon. And now he’s rubbing it in that I can’t have him. I’ve never known my dad to be malicious like this, but this stings. I can’t believe he would ever want me to feel so hurt. Maybe it’s because he’s never felt the way I do for Landon, maybe not even mom. If he knew how I felt, he wouldn’t be laughing in my face.

  “Fine,” I say through gritted teeth. Dad smiles as he leaves my room, leaving the door open. It’s all I can do to stop myself from getting up and slamming the door.

  I should be studying now, but I can’t concentrate. I barely slept at all last night either, and now I have to go and face up to the fact that the man I’m falling for is married. Maybe it’s good that I found out this way before I got too invested. So why does it still feel like my heart has been shattered into a million pieces?

  I just have to push through this. It’s just one dinner, one night, then can I pretend like our neighbors don’t exist. Sure, I’ll have to make sure I never look out of my window for fear of seeing the man I want with another woman. And I’ll have to be pleasant when I pass him in the street and pretend that I’m not obsessing over spending the rest of my life without him. I may never feel this way again, but plenty of people go through heartbreak right? Maybe I should just pull myself together and stop being ridiculous.

  I spend the day mentally trying to prepare for the evening ahead. But by the time we’re heading over, my heart is racing and I feel nauseous. This is the last thing on Earth I want to be doing. I’m already counting down the minutes until I can excuse myself and go home for a long cry.

  Landon looks amazing when he opens the door. He’s wearing a striped button-down that clings to his muscled chest. He’s holding a bottle of wine in his hands and he smiles at us.

  “I was just about to pop the cork on this,” he says, waving the bottle at us. “Why don’t you head inside to the dining room? Jenny is in there.”

  Jenny, the last person I want to see. I don’t want to be reminded of how beautiful she is, how superior she is to me. I’ve always been a confident girl and that hasn’t exactly changed, but she’s somehow made me feel unworthy. She’s like a goddess, which makes sense when she’s married to a man as good looking as Landon.

  I force myself to step inside and follow my father through the house. Jenny is standing in the dining room, her tiny waist sporting an apron. I hate her already.

  “Hi!” she says with a smile that looks both flirtatious and friendly at once. “Nice to see you again John.” She turns to me. “You must be Elena, I’m Jenny. Landon’s sister.”

  My whole world explodes.

  I can’t believe what I’m hearing. She’s his sister?

  It suddenly makes sense. They do look alike, that explains their otherworldly looks. They’re family so of course, it’s not unusual for them to live together, and that’s why she wasn’t sleeping in Landon’s bed last night.

  I’m trying not to smile right now. Jenny has just gone from my biggest competition to my favorite person in the room. There’s a long silence, only broken by the sound of Landon popping the cork of the wine.

  “Sorry. I zoned out for a second,” I say, reaching out to shake Jenny’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m looking forward to having some new people in the neighborhood.”

  “Sister?” my dad says blankly. I can tell he’s upset and confused. He must’ve just assumed the same way I did that they were a couple. I feel like an idiot right now, but not half as much as my dad must. And now, suddenly, the ball is back in my court. The odds are in my favor. Because I know there was a spark between Landon and me. I know now that he’s not cheating and I know that it’s real.

  Now we can take this a step further over dinner.

  “Please, sit down!” Jenny says as Landon returns with the wine. She looks up at him with a grin. “John thought that you and I were married, Landon! Isn’t that funny!”

  A flicker of something comes over Landon’s face. I guess he must’ve been confused about why my dad was being so nice to him. Now it’s making sense to him. His smile drops. I think he’s realized that he’s not going to be treated so nicely now that he’s not on his good side.

  “Very funny,” he growls. There’s an uncomfortable silence. Jenny smirks as she looks over at me. I think she’s enjoying stirring up a little trouble.

  “We made pasta, I hope that’s okay,” she says. “Sit down, make yourselves comfortable.”

  My dad looks anything but comfortable as we sit at their kitchen table. Landon clears his throat and begins to pour me a glass of wine.

  “No,” my dad hisses. “Not for Elena.”

  “She’s twenty-one, she can make her own decisions,” Landon growls in return. I blush. As much as I like him sticking up for me, he’s going to anger my father even more.

  “It’s alright, I don’t really want any. I have to study tomorrow,” I say quietly. I can’t stand the tension. I wish it was just me and Landon. I suspect he organized this dinner to get on my father’s good side, and yet it’s not working and all it’s doing is keeping me and Landon from getting to know one another.

  “Alright,” Landon says, handing the glass to my father instead. “No problem.”

  There’s another long silence as he pours the wine. Meanwhile, Jenny serves up the food with an amused smile.

  “Well, you’re not as chatty as I expected, come on, let’s get this party started, huh?” Jenny smiles at me. “I can already tell it’s going to be super fun living next door to you guys.”

  I can’t decide if I love her or hate her. She’s clearly loving all this tension between us all, but she’s also the one person in the room who’s acting like she doesn’t care about
what happens next. I can tell she’s not going to be judgmental of me and her brother’s interest in one another. Maybe she just wants to see him happy, no matter what. Why can’t my dad be that way? Why can’t he understand that he’s trying to stand in the way of something that could be amazing?

  One thing is for sure, this night is going to be long if it keeps going this way.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Landon

  Dinner is so uncomfortable that I keep wishing for it to be over. This was a mistake. It hasn’t achieved anything. All it’s done is make me want Elena even more. I keep glancing at her across the table, my body responding to her involuntarily, my cock aches to be deep inside her tight pussy. I want nothing more than to be with her right now. I want to grab her and make her mine right here and now.

  But if I do, then I’ll never have her. Her father is always going to try and stand in our way. He keeps glaring at me, knowing now that I’m the biggest threat he’s ever faced. He knows she wants me as much as I want her, and he can’t handle it.

  But she’s mine. She might be his daughter, but she’s so much more to me. I feel this connection between us like we’re just meant to be together. It’s like I’ve come alive for the first time. She’s woken something inside me that makes me need her like I need to breathe.

  And nothing is going to stand in my way.

  As I’m clearing up the dinner plates in uncomfortable silence, Elena stands and starts helping out.

  “Let me help,” she says. Her father’s lips tighten.

  “You’re the guest, Elena. Sit down,” he says.

  “I want to help. They made dinner, I should at least help to wash up,” she says firmly, following me to the sink. We’re only a few feet away from her father and still in his eye line, but when she drops her voice to a whisper, I know he won’t overhear us.

  “I want to see you,” she whispers. “Tonight.”

  I have to keep myself from growling in anticipation. She knows exactly how to get me going clearly. And now that I know she’s as into this as I am, there will be no stopping me.