“You didn’t have to come along, you know,” Cassie muttered, and he wondered if she was wishing they could be alone too.
“Oh, yes I did.” Delaney nodded her head sagely. “Otherwise I’d end up spending the night back in my hotel room, alone, watching bad British TV and snorfing stroopwafles.” She paused and poked Bonnie in the side. “I’d be snorfing shortbread but someone ate my entire supply.”
“Now hold on,” Theo objected.
“Don’t bother defending her.” Delaney waved a finger at Theo and then pointed it back at Bonnie. “I watched her commit the crime.”
“My objection is with the other half of your statement,” Theo said, stalwartly ignoring Bonnie’s burning blue gaze. “I happen to think the BBC offers some quality programming.”
“Of course you do,” Delaney quipped. “You’re British.”
Cassie laughed, a low chuckle that made Logan go warm all over. She lifted her chin and met his gaze, amusement lighting the dark depths of her eyes, sparking like bright shards of amber.
When Theo had come to Logan’s room and told him, “Change of plans, old chap, you’re joining the caravan,” Logan had been all kinds of frustrated. But the day had proven more enjoyable than he ever could have predicted.
Cassie was so happy, so at ease, laughing and teasing with her friends. This was her last day of holiday, it was only right she spend it with her friends. He didn’t begrudge the hours shared today, as long as he had her all to himself tonight.
The lass was fortunate to have such a close-knit group of friends. In this, Logan realized, he was fortunate as well. He looked across the aisle of the train car to where his best mate sat, arguing with Bonnie about the merits of a couple of long-dead poets. Logan could tell Theo was growing fonder of the redhead despite himself.
A twinge of guilt passed through him. Maybe it hadn’t been such a good idea to invite Theo along for the day. Though Theo and Bonnie had bickered endlessly, as Sadie had said yesterday, their arguing seemed more like some kind of perverse foreplay, the sexual tension between them tangible.
Or—Logan shifted on his seat—maybe that was just him. After all, he had spent most of the day fantasizing about what he would do with Cassie once they were finally alone again. The train rumbled to a stop, interrupting his dangerous line of thought. As they stepped off the Tube and onto the platform, Logan clasped Cassie’s hand. She twined her fingers in his, and he savored the skin-on-skin contact.
After ordering their meal and a round of drinks, Logan chugged his pint, hoping the alcohol would take the edge off and dull the sharp ache of need pulsing through him. Christ, he couldn’t wait for supper to be over so they could be on their way back to the hotel. Hungry as he was, he was hungrier still for Cassie.
“Logan, you mentioned this restaurant was one of your favorite spots in London,” Cassie said. Over the rim of her wineglass, she sent him a naughty side-eyed glance that made every part of him rise to attention.
“Aye?”
“Well, I was wondering if you wanted to give me a tour of the place. You know, while we waited for the food to arrive.” She set her glass down but kept those hot eyes on him.
“Uh, aye. I could do that.” He cleared his throat and rose from the table, trying to think of what he could show her. The restaurant was fairly small, and aside from the view of the Thames, which was clear from their table, there wasn’t much to see. He took her hand as she rose, and when she squeezed his fingers, understanding finally clicked in his lust-addled brain.
Trying not to appear too eager, Logan pushed Cassie’s chair in and shrugged an apology to Theo, who rolled his eyes as only a blue-blooded aristocrat could do, before turning his attention back to Bonnie, who was still fervently defending the poetry of Shelley … or maybe she had moved on to Byron now, Logan wasn’t sure.
“Don’t be gone too long,” Sadie warned.
“Yeah,” Ana chimed in, “it would be a shame if your meat got cold.”
The girls snickered. Cassie’s mouth twitched, but she only shook her head. Logan wrapped an arm around her waist and walked with her to the wide spread of windows. Late as it was, the summer moon was high in the night sky, painting the city in a palette of shadow and light, transforming the river into a swath of glittering dark magic.
Cassie let out a sigh of pleasure, and Logan was instantly glad he’d thought to bring her here. Morgan’s wasn’t located in one of the posher areas of London, but it was open ’til the wee hours and had a quiet vibrancy to it, a familiar atmosphere that reminded him of the pubs back home. She laid her head on his shoulder, her chestnut hair soft against his cheek. He bent his head toward her. “This is pretty much all there is to see … unless … you want to have a look belowstairs.”
She lifted her chin and considered him. “What’s down there?”
“Och, not much really. The kitchens, and a wee bar.”
“Sure, let’s go check it out.”
He steered her toward the stairs. While the dining room on the second floor of the restaurant was full of light from the wall of windows and the bright candles dotting the cluster of tables, downstairs was dark, the air hazy. The small pub area was crammed with second shift blokes sharing a pint and a smoke after work. Logan maneuvered Cassie past the crowd of men, who barely cast a glance their way, too focused on their beer and the grimy telly in the corner where a Manchester United match was playing.
The breezeway to the kitchen was redolent with the smell of grilled meat and fried potatoes. Logan’s stomach rumbled loudly.
Cassie laughed. “Somebody’s hungry.” She tugged his arm. “Come on, let’s go back up. I don’t know what I was thinking, dragging you away from the table.”
“Och, I know what you were thinking, lass.” Logan held fast to her hand, pulling her past the kitchen. “And you didn’t drag me, I came willingly, aye?” He glanced around, looking for a quiet corner to give her a quick kiss. Spotting a curtained alcove at the end of the hallway, he tugged her toward it.
They slipped into the makeshift storage closet. A waist-high pile of wooden pallets lined one wall, and propped against the other wall was a rickety shelf holding stacks of menus. He maneuvered amongst the clutter and turned to face Cassie. In the faint light seeping in from beyond the burlap curtain, he could just make out her features. She took a step forward, bumping against him in the narrow space.
Not the most romantic of locations, but it was dark and quiet, and they were finally, blessedly, alone. Unwilling to wait another second, Logan wrapped his arms around her and brought his mouth down on hers. She responded instantly, leaning into him, tongue thrusting against his.
His hands skimmed beneath her shirt, seeking her soft, heated skin. Slick, smooth silk brushed his fingers, and he shivered at the delicious contact. “Christ, lass, what have you got on?”
Cassie giggled against his lips, tickling and teasing him at the same time. She shifted, breaking the kiss to yank her shirt over her head. She tossed it onto the shelf and stepped into his arms again. “Do you like it?”
“I canna really see it, but if looks even half as good as it feels,” he murmured, sliding his hands up her back, “then I love it.” Logan traced the dainty straps over her shoulders and down, encountering a row of tiny satiny buttons fastened between her breasts. He splayed his fingers wide and felt her nipples pucker into tight buds beneath his touch. Then he dipped his head and licked her through the fabric, letting his tongue swirl around the taut peak.
She sucked in a deep breath, the movement causing her chest to rise, filling his mouth with more of her sweet, soft flesh. He scraped his teeth across the tips of both silk-covered tits, savoring the shudder that ran through her.
Returning his mouth to hers, he kissed her, tongue plunging deep as his hands reached around to palm her ass, loving the feel of her lush bottom encased in tight denim. Logan cupped a cheek in each hand and lifted her until she straddled him, the vee of her thighs pressed snug against the swollen ridge
of his cock. She groaned and swiveled her hips, rubbing against him, nails digging into his shoulders.
Close, but not close enough. Logan shifted his grip and set her back on the floor, needing to get the layers of clothing separating them out of the way.
Cassie must have agreed, because while he worked at her fly, she undid the buttons of his shirt. He shrugged out of his shirt and peeled her jeans open. His fingers slipped beneath the fragile wisp of satin she wore underneath, and he willed himself to be gentle.
She wiggled restlessly, urging him on. The limited space in the alcove hampered his movements. With a grunt of frustration, he stepped back and grasped her waist, twisting her around so she faced away from him. Logan looped his fingers through her panties and jeans and shoved them both over her hips and down to her knees in one swift motion. She gasped as he pressed into her from behind while making short work of his own fly.
His body tensed and teased against hers, and she bent forward over the stack of pallets, spreading her legs to give him better access. He pressed closer, the head of his cock nudging, skimming. She was so hot and so fucking wet, and he was so very, very close to being inside her.
He wanted to be inside her. Right now.
Logan held himself in check and leaned over her, his bare chest against her back. The silky texture of the lingerie she wore rubbed across his pecs and torso, making his skin tingle. He threaded his fingers through hers and stretched their arms out overhead, pressing both their palms flat against the wood.
She brought her legs together, clamping down, trapping him between her thighs. A rush of air hissed through his teeth. He arched his back and pulled away slowly, pressing his face into Cassie’s hair and biting his lip at the delicious friction. Unable to resist, he shifted forward again, coming just to the brink of entering her before sliding back.
He did it again, and again, the pressure building. With each slide of his cock between the tight grip of her thighs, she grew hotter, slicker. Their breath quickened, matching the pounding of his heart. The sound was a rush in his ears, so loud he barely heard her cry his name as she suddenly tilted her hips, pushing up and back. Her move met him midthrust. Caught off guard, his body acted before his brain could think. He surged forward, and they both gasped as he slid inside her.
Logan could feel her pulse around him. Hot. Wet. Exquisite. Need, raw and brutal, laced every muscle in his body with tension. The tendons of his hips flexed as he fought the urge to move. His body’s desire to push deeper was so intense he thought he was going to die if he didn’t.
Beneath him, Cassie moaned and twitched her ass.
“Don’t,” he growled. Christ, he barely recognized his own voice. “Be still, lass,” he begged, pressing his chest down hard against her back. If she moved again, Logan wasn’t sure he could stop himself, and that scared the shit out of him. They held motionless for an extended moment, inhaling and exhaling together, the sound of their breathing filling the small, dark space.
A muffled chorus of cheers from the bar down the hall broke the spell. What the hell was wrong with him? Here he was, jeans around his ankles, only a thin burlap curtain and a short hallway separating his bare arse from a restaurant full of people.
And Cassie. Bloody hell, he’d been on the verge of fucking her in a supply closet without an ounce of protection. And she’d been about to let him.
Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Janet was right—he had to stop thinking with his knob.
The thought of his sister brought everything tumbling back into place. Logan’s brain kicked on, taking control of things again, reality a very effective boner-killer. He pulled back, ignoring the protests of his body as it withdrew from hers.
Cassie shifted, looking over her shoulder at him. “Logan?”
Beneath brows raised in confusion, her eyes glinted, dark pools of desire. Logan swallowed hard. Even in the dim light he could see the rosy flush of her skin, and … mother of God, her fine backside, gloriously naked. Before he changed his mind and did something they would both regret, Logan bent and hauled her jeans and panties up. Then he grabbed his shirt from the floor and turned away to adjust his own clothing.
As he did up his buttons, he could hear her shuffling around behind him. At the sound of her jeans zipping, he took her blouse off the shelf and handed it back to her. She tugged the shirt over her head. The loose fabric floated down, swishing around her hips, completely hiding the sexy thing she had on underneath. But he knew it was there. Despite himself, that little secret made Logan smile.
Cassie returned the smile tentatively, almost shyly.
He pulled her close and smoothed her mussed hair back from her face. “I’m sorry, lass. I let things get out of control.”
She snorted and pushed his hand away, any momentary sense of shyness gone. “It’s not like you did it alone. I was there too, bud. We both got carried away.” With deft fingers, she put her hair to rights. “After being out all day, I just wanted a few minutes alone with you…” She paused and looked around the tiny room. “Good thing they didn’t run out of menus.”
Logan laughed. “Aye. Good thing.” Not able to stop himself from touching her, he brushed a finger down her cheek. “I wanted the same. It’s been torture, being near you all day and yet … not. I only meant to kiss you.”
“Is that all?” she pressed, the teasing lilt to her voice making him smile.
“Well, until you started to strip for me,” he admitted. “And now that I ken what kind of knickers you’re hiding under there”—he quirked an eyebrow at her, pointedly staring her up and down—“supper is going to be torture for sure.”
“Well, come on, then,” Cassie said as she peeked around the curtain. “Let’s hurry. The sooner we eat the sooner you can eat me.”
She stepped into the hall and Logan followed, not quite sure he had heard her correctly, but praying to all that was holy he had.
CHAPTER 16
“YOU SURE YOU don’t want to hang out downstairs with the others for a few drinks?” Cassie asked Bonnie as she followed her into their hotel room.
“Not a chance.” Bonnie unzipped her boots and kicked them off.
“But it’s the last night of our trip!”
“Exactly,” Bonnie said, shrugging out of her jacket, “and for the first time in more than a month, I’m going to have a room all to myself.”
Cassie watched as Bonnie unwound the plaid scarf around her neck. The movement reminded her of the conversation they’d had this morning, when Bonnie had been putting that same scarf on. Cassie knew exactly why her best friend wanted to spend her last evening alone … It was easier than spending any more time in the company of a very dashing Brit.
“The best way to resist temptation is to avoid it, hmm?” Cassie asked, and ducked when Bonnie whipped the scarf at her.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Bonnie groused.
Cassie laughed. “In a minute.” She headed for the bedroom to gather up a few things for her “sleepover.”
After she and Logan had rejoined their friends at the table, dinner had been a fun, if slightly awkward, affair. Sadie and Ana kept the conversation flowing with detailed descriptions of the spoils of war from their shopping spree. Cassie was sure everybody knew exactly what she and Logan had been off doing together, but was surprised to discover how little the knowledge embarrassed her.
No, what made her squirm in her seat, aside from the residual pulsing ache of a repressed orgasm, was the fact she had been about to have an orgasm in the first place—in the storage closet of a pub.
Ever since Cassie first met Logan, he had fulfilled one fantasy after another. But this … this unbridled passion, this need to have him went beyond reason, beyond logic. Despite whatever secret desires she’d held inside her, Cassie had never, ever expected to experience such feelings outside the pages of a book. It was thrilling … and also terrifying.
Thank God Logan had kept his wits about him long enough for her to relocat
e hers hiding beneath the layers of lust clouding her brain.
Which reminded Cassie. She grabbed the remains of the condom box and tucked it in to the backpack she used as her carry-on bag, along with a change of clothes and her toothbrush. The bedroom was still in shambles from this morning’s frantic lingerie hunt, but she didn’t care. She’d come back here tomorrow and cram all her stuff into her suitcase. There’d be plenty of time to sort through it when she got home.
There were only a few precious hours left for her to be with Logan. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand, it was almost midnight. All too soon she’d be boarding a plane away from her Scot. She picked up her bag and hurried to the parlor, a warm glow spreading through her as she recalled what he’d said to her in the elevator on the way up.
“I’ll wait for you in my room, lass, but don’t take too long, aye?” He’d leaned closer, whispering low and quiet in her ear so Bonnie wouldn’t hear, “We don’t have much time left, and I intend to be inside you for as much of it as possible. You ken?”
Oh, she kenned all right. She absolutely kenned. Cassie waved goodbye to Bonnie, who had taken up residence on the couch, a BBC miniseries on the hotel’s wide flat-screen television.
“Austen?” Cassie asked.
Bonnie nodded. “Pride and Prejudice.” She plucked a Cadbury chocolate bar from the pile on her lap.
“Did you get those from the minibar?”
“I got this from the minibar.” Bonnie held up a tiny bottle of peppermint schnapps and downed a shot. Then she started to unwrap the candy. “I got this out of Delaney’s purse.”
Cassie shook her head and grinned. Austen, booze, and chocolate—her friend would be fine tonight. She blew Bonnie a kiss and headed for the door.
“Hold on,” Bonnie called around a mouth full of chocolate. She pulled something off the back of the couch, and Cassie realized it was Logan’s jacket, still here from last night.
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