Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed novel Chapter 57

Going back through their old messages, Zinnia had always been the one making conversation—chatty, almost as if she were trying to fill every silence. Landon, on the other hand, rarely bothered to reply at all. And when he did, it was always something curt: “Yeah.” “Noted.” “Busy right now.”

But suddenly, the tables had turned.

He even found himself thinking, a little self-mockingly, that if he hadn’t used Xander as an excuse, Zinnia probably wouldn’t have agreed to have dinner with him at all.

He had no idea how he’d ended up treading so carefully around her, as if afraid a single misstep would ruin everything.

A humorless smile tugged at his lips.

Well, he thought, he had left her alone in Norway for two weeks—even if he had his reasons, it was a bit much.

If she needed to be coaxed, then so be it.

Zinnia was easygoing; surely she’d be easy to appease, too.

Meanwhile, Zinnia had spent the better part of an hour scouring rental sites online, but found nothing suitable. Giving up for now, she rubbed her tired eyes, closed her laptop, and left her room.

Just as she stepped out, the electronic lock on the door beeped.

She glanced up. Landon was pushing the door open, letting himself in.

Their eyes met.

Zinnia had shed her hospital clothes—a crisp shirt and slacks—in favor of a soft beige knit set. Her hair, still slightly damp from her shower, was gathered loosely at the nape of her neck and held in place with a simple clip. A few wisps had escaped to frame her face, lending her a casual elegance and a quiet, intellectual charm.

Seeing her hesitation, a flicker of emotion crossed his face. His lips pressed together, but after a moment he said, “No driver tonight. I’ll drive.”

Zinnia nodded again, feeling slightly awkward for almost treating him like her chauffeur. She walked around and slid into the passenger seat.

Once the doors were closed and Landon was behind the wheel, Zinnia found herself sneaking a glance his way.

He really was striking—every feature, whether viewed head-on or in profile, was impossibly flawless. Even a single glance was enough to make one’s heart skip.

His forearms were strong, the muscles defined, hands resting on the wheel with the effortless grace of a pianist—long, elegant fingers that looked almost too beautiful to be real.

Funny, she thought. They’d been married nearly three years, and yet, this was the first time she’d ever sat in the passenger seat beside Landon. The first time she’d seen him—really seen him—from this angle.