by J. Woods
They sat smiling at each other in curious silence before Logan looked at his watch. “You should probably go to bed. I’m sure you didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Oh, yeah. Okay, well thanks for staying here with me. Makes me feel better honestly.”
“Of course.”
“Goodnight, Logan.”
“Night, Zoe.”
Zoe crawled under her sheets and laid awake staring at her ceiling in the darkness. She didn’t know what to make of Logan’s dismissal, go to bed, right! She pursed her lips letting out a confused sigh. Even though her eyes burned with the lack of sleep from the night before, she knew it was so out of reach tonight she couldn’t even hear it. What she could hear was Logan Savage moving around her guest bedroom. She was making herself crazy; rather he was making her crazy. It took all it had in her to stay in her bed and not move to the one he was about to sleep in. She didn’t think she had ever felt the need to just be with someone like this before. Her mind was determined to stay on the track it was currently travelling down, repelling against her lonely womanhood’s wily attempts to derail it. All she could picture was Logan pulling his cotton t-shirt over his head revealing the muscles she knew he was hiding underneath. His shirt was tight around his masculine arms, arms that only yesterday were wrapped around her. And she had to admit to herself that she wanted more. She heard him climb into bed, every movement enhanced as she lay as still as possible in the silent night. She could picture him lying against her sheets as he fell asleep, probably naked. God she hoped it was naked. She turned to face the window staring out into the night sky as she huffed out a breath. She reached out her hand toward the empty side of the bed realizing how big it actually was. Grabbing a pillow, she pulled it over her head, stifling a frustrated moan. Usually she would have been out at a wine bar tonight, on a date with a guy whose name she probably wouldn’t remember a month from now, they would go back to his place for a night of mediocre sex before she pulled her clothes back on and went home. She never stayed the night, never had the urge to lay with him and cuddle afterwards; the thought of waking up beside him wasn’t even a registered thought in her mind. But instead of walking through her door a little disheveled like she should have been, she was lying awake in her bed, yearning for some guy she couldn’t have. Was she really yearning? She let out a disgusted sound into the fabric that was suffocating her. Something inside her changed tonight, she felt a tightening around her heart followed by a tug in her lower belly after Logan had opened up to her about his family and his work. She loved it when he wasn’t in too-serious protector mode. When he wasn’t a robot just there to do his job. And when he laughed tonight, she felt almost breathless. She wanted him to laugh, to smile more, because when he did… she almost had to excuse herself to change her panties. He was incredibly sexy; rugged, mysterious, dark, but she doubted he realized how he affected women. She had no doubt that he knew he was attractive, every woman he walked past probably groveled at his feet. Zoe definitely wouldn’t grovel, she wasn’t one of those girls and never would be - again with the disgusting sound mocking her - but she did wonder about him. He peaked her interest like no one had before. And he was here to protect her, she scolded herself. Protect her from some scumbag who was threatening her life. And she had no idea why. She had racked her brain too many times to count in the last couple of days trying to figure out who she may have pissed off enough in the past to make someone want to ‘make her theirs’. Every guy she went out with, she made sure before anything happened they knew what the deal was. It was the same in her professional life. Zoe always put everything out on the table, there were no secrets or shady business, she was always straightforward never wanting to mislead anyone. She felt her temple start to pulse as she pulled the pillow off her head and ripped the sheets from her body. She stepped into the slippers at the foot of her bed and pulled on a long oversized cardigan and sweatpants over her short pajamas. She needed a drink. She wanted something stiff tonight, and her first choice was currently barricaded in his room so she would have to settle for a scotch.
Chapter Seven
Logan lay awake staring at the white ceiling above him. Earlier he could hear Zoe moving about her bedroom but now all was quiet. He couldn’t stop his mind from wandering, wondering what she wore to bed, if she slept naked like him or wore one of those lacy nighties other women had worn for him to bed. Just thinking about Zoe, Logan’s not too far away erection sprang to life, straining against his black cotton boxer briefs. He groaned willing it to settle down but his body seemed to have other ideas. He’d had to consciously stay on his side of the couch when they were talking tonight; the urge to grab her and pull her into his arms as he took her lips under his was almost overwhelming. He wanted to rip off her shirt and run his tongue along every inch of her body. He’d never wanted to taste a woman as bad as he’d wanted Zoe. He realized the person who he thought she was, wasn’t true at all. He’d learned tonight she was a mean cook, she loved her friends with a loyalty that ran just as deep as he had for his family and that everything she had, she had earned and she’d done it all on her own. To say he was impressed was an understatement. He didn’t understand the desire that was running through him, just being around her was like fire in his veins. He rolled over, accidently inhaling the scent lingering on the pillow, and even though it was fresh linen, he could smell her - she seemed to surround him and he couldn’t get away from it. What troubled him more was the fact that he didn’t want to. Never once when he went to bed with a woman did he want to get to know them the way he did with Zoe. Her first name and what colour lace her panties were was enough knowledge for him. He couldn’t even remember the last woman’s name he was with, Kristie or Kelly, or Kelsey - something with a K he was sure. He’d gone to the bar because he didn’t want to be alone. He’d needed to lose himself in a warm willing woman and he’d found one. She was a cute blonde and more bubbly than he wanted and after spending half the night with her the last thing he wanted to do was stay and talk. But with Zoe it was different; he didn’t want to stop talking. He wanted to hear more about her life, her family and whatever else she wanted to say. But he knew he had a thin hold on his control; he could see the surprise on her face when he suggested she go to bed. Hell, his cock was about to surge through the zipper of his jeans in retaliation as he sat there picturing her over top of him and underneath him - he knew if he didn’t get her out of there he would do something he was going to regret. And he sure as hell couldn’t get up first - his arousal completely evident to embarrass him. As it was still, he didn’t think he’d ever been harder in his life and knowing sleep was far off in the distance he closed his eyes giving in to the luscious curves and sensual lips that lay just a room over from him.
Logan opened his eyes to the quiet sound of a door closing. Silently escaping from his bed, he quickly pulled on the pair of sweatpants he had left draped over the chair grabbing his gun at the same time. Slipping out of his bedroom door he looked to see Zoe’s still shut. He wondered where Axel was. Padding down the hall and into the living room he found his dog where he had left him, lying near the fireplace. Logan frowned knowing Axel would be alerting him if something were wrong but instead, he lay his head back down on his paws before closing his eyes. Searching through the darkness and the dim rays of the moon shining in through Zoe’s private terrace, that’s when he saw her. He placed his gun into his pants at the small of his back as he walked slowly toward her. She was sitting on the ground against the glass wall, sipping a dark liquid in a tumbler. The night air blew around her shoulders. Her hair was tied up on the top of her head as she leaned it back to rest against the wall. Logan opened the door but she remained staring into the night sky at the stars that fell like a blanket among the black. He sat down beside her, his bare back shuddering against the cool pane behind him. “You shouldn’t be out here,” he told her quietly. When she finally turned her face toward him he felt all the breath leave his lungs. She had removed all her makeup, her hair was a mess of
a bun on the top of her head and when he took in what she was wearing, sweatpants and a sweater, he didn’t think he had ever seen a sexier woman in his life. He swallowed the grunt of pain that was starting to radiate from his groin. The small widening of her eyes when she realized he was shirtless let him know she wasn’t immune to him. He clenched his jaw to stop the words that wanted to spill off his tongue - god she was beautiful. She gave him a small smile and handed him the glass in her hand. He brought it up to his nose identifying the potent potion as a really good scotch. He tipped it to his lips before handing it back to her, allowing the warmth to burn down his throat.
“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked her.
“Nope,” she sighed. “You?”
“No. But we need to get back inside Zoe. It’s not safe to be out here, especially by yourself.”
“It’s a private terrace,” she argued.
“Please.” As she let out a defeated breath Logan took the small victory pushing himself from the ground before holding out a hand for her. She placed her much smaller fingers in his and the spark that shot straight to his cock had him resisting the urge to pull away. Her skin was just as he imagined it would be, no, it was better. Warm and smooth as silk, he almost cringed when he had to let her go as she got to her feet. He allowed her to go inside ahead of him as he turned around, surveying the roofs above them. She was lightly rubbing her hand over Axel’s head, “I’m not going to be able to sleep. I’m going to put on a movie if you want to join me.” He knew he should say no; he should walk back to his room and close the door creating another barrier between them, he should tell her to do the same because whatever he was feeling was something he didn’t know if he could keep leashed much longer.
“I’ll just go grab a shirt.” He cursed under his breath as he walked into his room; this was trouble, she was trouble. But how could he resist the pleading in her eyes, how was anyone supposed to resist the irresistible Zoe Alcott? He grabbed a shirt from the drawer pulling it over his head when what he really wanted to do was strip himself of his clothes altogether, rather he wanted Zoe to strip him of his clothes. Walking back out into the living room he could smell popcorn as he noticed a movie on the ottoman. As Zoe walked back out he had just finished putting it in and settling himself on the couch across from the TV. His fingers automatically clenched when she sat next to him, her hips almost touching his. She curled her legs underneath her causing her to lean closer to him. Offering him some popcorn he took it just to keep his hands busy. They sat in silence watching the movie and he could say, at least on his end, if someone had asked him the storyline - he wouldn’t have a damn clue.
***
The feeling of being overly warm woke Zoe. She opened an eye to find the dim rays of the wakening sun. Still in the haze between sleep and awake she recognized she wasn’t in her own bed; an arm tightened around her middle and for a moment she relished in the feeling of how right the hard body behind her felt. Warm and masculine, his scent wrapped around her and for a moment she didn’t want to ever move from where they were. Both eyes suddenly opened when reality crashed into her fantasy - she never slept through the night with men, never woke up with their arms around her and never made her feel things she thought she never would. Confused, she slowly she looked down realizing she was still fully dressed. And on her couch. The night before came crashing down on her. She hadn’t been able to sleep so she had gotten up to make herself a drink. Logan had found her sitting outside on her terrace. She hadn’t wanted to stay inside. Already she had felt too boxed in, too limited with this psycho out to get her; she had just wanted some air. But apparently she wasn’t even allowed to do that. What had scared her more than the fact that a possible killer could have been waiting for her on the roof was her reaction to a shirtless Logan Savage. My god, he was impeccable with his bulging biceps, his chiseled chest and six pack abs. She’d had the sudden urge to climb on top of him and detail every one of his hard muscles with her tongue. He was absolutely the definition to a woman’s fantasy and she knew he would be the star of hers for a long time, possibly forever. His physique was impeccable; he wasn’t gym perfect, no, his body was from hard work out in the field. She could see scars marring his naturally tanned skin but it was the one that looked like a starburst above his heart that caught her attention. She knew there was a story behind it but she also knew better than to ask. Logan had his dark secrets, every once in a while when his guard was down she could almost glimpse them, but he always pushed them back to a place she was far away to reach. The way his sweatpants had hung around his hips showcasing his chiseled stomach that led further down to a place she so badly wanted to discover. She knew she shouldn’t have offered to watch a movie, but it was true when she told him she wasn’t going to be able to sleep. What she left out was the fact that it was due to him sleeping so close to her, not because she was afraid someone was trying was sending her demented love notes. She also couldn’t seem to crush the need to sit next to him on the couch when she could have just as easily sat across from him - but they needed to share the popcorn. She held back the eye roll, that excuse was even lamer this morning than it was last night. Zoe remembered pulling up the large ottoman to the couch effectively creating a makeshift bed. It wasn’t supposed to be an invitation; it was just how she preferred to watch movies. They must have fallen asleep. Even asleep she was drawn to him, and he to her apparently. She suppressed a moan when he tightened his arm around her again as he leaned in to inhale the scent of her hair. She didn’t want him to wake up. She was enjoying his uninhibited sensual side, even if he was still mostly asleep and didn’t realize it was her. He probably thought he was still in his bed after taking a woman home. The thought made her cringe, she didn’t want to picture Logan with another woman - it stirred a violence within her she didn’t think herself capable of. Where did this streak of possessiveness come from? He didn’t even want her, and if he did she knew Logan was the kind of guy who would never act on it. She was his client, he saw her as a victim and it wouldn’t go farther than that. The thought was depressing, which was why she allowed the moment to continue, with his strong arms wrapped tightly around her as if she wasn’t close enough, couldn’t get enough. Suddenly Zoe’s phone started screaming, effectively bringing Logan out of his sleep as he stole away her perfect moment.
“Oh shit,” he mumbled sleepily. “I’m sorry.”
“No, please don’t apologize,” Zoe started as she pushed up and off of the couch to find her cell. “We obviously fell asleep.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Logan followed Zoe’s actions, pushing himself up as he watched her movements.
She answered when she saw Rachel’s name displayed on the screen. “Hello?”
“Hey, where are you?”
“At home, why? What’s going on?”
“You have a meeting in half an hour.”
“Oh shit! I’ll be there soon.” She didn’t wait to hear what Rachel finished saying as she hung up and started at a run for the shower.
“What’s going on?” she heard Logan call after her.
“I have a meeting!” She heard his chuckle, no doubt at her frantic behavior but she found herself smiling as she shut her door just at the sound that carried down the hallway.
Zoe rushed through the doors of her office with Logan and Rachel quick on her heels. Rachel handed her a coffee and a sheet of notes while Logan took the seat across from her desk. Rachel took the seat beside him. “Do you remember who you’re meeting with?”
“Yes, but run everything past me again Rach.”
“Mr. Sullivan - opening a business here in Vancouver, something to do with corporate business, although I don’t know what, and looking to create and execute a huge, in his words, portion of his marketing budget with Harbor Press. Asked for a meeting specifically with you.”
“Is that normal?” Logan asked.
“It’s not, not normal for a client to ask for a meeting with me.”
Logan nodded his head and sh
e could almost hear his next question before he voiced it. “I think I should stay with you.”
“Absolutely not. No, Logan.”
“Why?”
“Because it would look unprofessional, why would I have the need for my bodyguard to sit in on a meeting with me? That represents distrust off the bat. No. Second, I don’t need you distracting me.” She raised an eyebrow, mimicking his expression. Thankfully he didn’t argue, pulling out his vibrating phone.
“When will he be here?”
“In about five minutes,” Rachel let her know.
“Okay. Logan, you gotta go.” Zoe stood up as did Rachel while they watched him take his time removing himself, arrogantly, from the chair.
He and Rachel walked out together and Zoe could hear him ask, “Is she always this bossy?”
“Always,” Rachel laughed.
Five minutes later, her friend escorted in her potential new client, and a familiar face. “Mr. Sullivan is here to see you Ms. Alcott.” Zoe hated when Rachel referred to her as that. She held back the roll of her eyes at Rachel’s knowing smirk.
“Thank you Rachel.” Watching the door close she turned to a face from her past.
“Alex?”
“Hi Zoe,” he smiled.
“I didn’t realize it was you? I had heard you moved to Toronto.”
“I did, now I’m back.”
“Wow, that’s great! Come have a seat, please. So how are you? What’s it been, like ten years?”
“Yes. And I’m great. It seems you’re doing very well for yourself,” he remarked as he gestured around her office.
She frowned at the vein of disdain she thought she heard in his voice. “Yes. So what can I help you with today Alex?” She maintained his stare resisting the urge to look away. He had changed in the last ten years. What used to be a mop of shaggy blond hair was now a cropped polished cut. He’d gained fine lines around his blue eyes that now seemed harder, as if the last decade hadn’t always been bright and sunny for him. His pinstripe suit was nicely fitted giving the image of a well put together man - Zoe wasn’t so sure. Something about his demeanor, the way he spoke to her made her question the impression he was attempting to portray.