by J. Woods
“Shit,” he breathed. “I’m sorry.”
“Shh, don’t apologize, it’s okay - I’m protected,” she murmured running her fingers through his hair.
“Fuck, no it’s not... it’s just that,” he trailed off not wanting to give voice to what he was feeling. Zoe understood, he’d bared his soul to her only moments before, she’d let him off the hook this time.
“Shh, I know. It’s okay, I promise.” He let out a defeated breath until it evened out, soft and heavy. She smiled down at him, his head resting on her chest this time where she was able to murmur the words she knew he would refute if he were awake. Pressing her lips to the top of his head she whispered, “I’ll protect you.” She closed her eyes, feeling the tear escape into her hair. His pain was so palpable she felt it down to her soul. If she could take some of his pain as her own, she would. She needed to get him to forgive himself for something that wasn’t his fault. Just listening to him tell the story, it was clear he hadn’t told many people, if any at all. He was still grieving for the boy who he tried to save but couldn’t. She needed to bring the smile back to his face, to his life. She asked herself why it was so important to her but the question was moot because the answer was glaring at her it was almost blinding. She was falling in love with him. She had nothing to compare it to, she’d never loved another man but she knew, without a doubt she was falling. Oh boy, she was in trouble. And just when she was starting to push it away Logan rolled over pulling her with him when even in his sleep he kissed her hair and she swore every time his lips touched her she was branded, the warmth travelling straight through the walls surrounding her heart.
Zoe yawned, stretching her arms above her head she refused to open her eyes to the streams of sunlight filtering in through the window. Blindly she felt beside her, frowning when she realized she was alone. The faint smells of breakfast were wafting into the bedroom teasing her senses. Climbing out of bed she pulled on a t-shirt from Logan’s drawer. Opening the door, she quietly padded down the hallway toward the kitchen. She was stopped short, staring at Logan, shirtless, whisking pancakes, his loose grey sweatpants hanging off his hips in a way that made Zoe’s mouth water. He was the ultimate in male perfection. The suits she normally went out with were always fit, but lanky. And lanky was not a word that could be used to describe Logan. Strong, muscled, chiselled; he was a fantasy. And he was hers. Even for just a little while. She watched as the muscles in his back strained and flexed with every one of his movements and even though she knew he could hear her walk up behind him, she still attempted to tiptoe silently. Running her hands over every hard angle she could touch, he glanced over his shoulder with a smirk, “Good morning.”
“Morning,” she murmured nipping his shoulder blade. She reached over to turn off the burner waiting to be filled with pancake mix.
“What are you doing?” he asked with genuine confusion.
“Having breakfast.” Sliding her hands inside of his waist band she pushed the grey cotton down his legs as her fingers found the most perfect male ass she’d ever seen.
“God damn, you are so fucking perfect,” he growled with a grin that had her giggling as he lifted her up placing her bare ass on the cold granite of the island. She had never been so constantly turned on in her life. Just a look and she was ready for him. How could she get so hot with arousal by just a lift of her onto the counter; he carried her like she weighed nothing, like he could toss her around a little bit and he wouldn’t even break a sweat and it was something she had never even thought of before but just thinking about it now sent a wave of longing through her. Her hand found him ready for her as she slowly moved it up and down his length; damn but she wanted him. She’d never been shy with exploring her sexuality but he made her want things she didn’t think would ever take precedence over her own needs; things like tasting him as he stood naked in front of her in the middle of his kitchen. She pushed him to step back and as her hands gripped his hips she bent over and licked up the length of him before taking him fully in her mouth. She moaned around the taste of him; his hands tangled in her hair, his pleasure evident in the uncontrollable thrusts of his hips. Tasting his excitement on her tongue she was quickly pulled back, her t-shirt ripped from her body as his lips slammed down on hers. Laying her gently back on the counter, his hands softly caressing her naked skin, touching everywhere except for where she needed it most. He trailed hot sensual kisses across every inch he could touch, and as Zoe’s head felt back she knew in that moment what it felt like to be worshipped.
“Logan.”
“Not yet baby.”
“Please, I ache.”
“Where do you hurt, Zoe?”
“Everywhere, please.” She wasn’t opposed to begging, if that’s what it took to pull her from this torturous haze of pleasure she was floating in. She cried out in relief as his tongue found her; kissing, licking and sucking she was taken so high stars started to dance in front of her eyes. “Oh God, Logan,” she gasped. She felt the start of her climax and before her next breath she found herself screaming as he filled her in one hard thrust. He pulled her closer toward him, her ass almost hanging off the edge as he continued to pound into her, hitting her at an angle that spurned another peak, or maybe he was just dragging out her first one. She felt the sheen of sweat cover her and Logan’s hands wrap around her back as he lifted her, still fully connected he sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers tangling and pulling at his hair while his softly roamed her back down to her ass. What had started off as needy, hot sex had turned into soft, sensual love making and looking into his eyes as she moved up and down on top of him she knew she was in too deep, the waves of the ocean of desire consuming her.
“Give me one more Zoe,” he murmured against her collarbone, his fingers gripping her ass as he started to move her faster.
“Logan, I’m so close.”
“I’m right here with you.” She threw her head back as he crushed her to him, her rapture and his rolling together to become one. She rested her damp forehead against his shoulder trying to drag oxygen into her lungs. Trailing pecking kisses up his neck and to his lips she grinned causing her to receive an amused raised eyebrow.
“You can feed me now,” she mumbled, playfully nipping his lower lip.
“Oh can I?”
“Mmhmm,” she smiled, nodding her head.
“Trouble,” he growled, his hands never stopping their roaming of her skin, down her back, up her thighs as if he didn’t want to stop touching her.
“What are we doing today?” she asked, brushing out her hair after he had effectively tangled it with his rough fingers she couldn’t get enough of. She stopped her movement as she stared at him pulling on a pair of jeans in the mirror.
“What did you want to do?” He lifted his knowing eyes and stalked toward her, pressing his lips to the top of her shoulder before laying sucking, biting touches across her skin and up her neck. She let her head fall to the side giving him better access to her pleasure points he already knew so well. “Hmm?” he prompted when his lips reached the soft skin behind her ear. She forgot what her original question was against his sensual assault. Instead of answering she lifted her arms above her head in an invitation. Biting down on her earlobe, he gripped the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it slowly off of her. Lifting her up, she squealed as he effectively tossed her onto the mattress with a bounce, predatorily crawling toward her. The look in his eyes sent an excited flutter deep in her belly, her thighs clenching against her core. “I wanted to explore,” she whispered as he loomed over her.
“What?”
“I wanted to explore today,” she explained, threading her fingers through his hair and pulling his lips down to hers.
“I wanted to explore too,” he told her with an arrogant grin that was dangerously sexy. His mouth travelled down the length of her body; she felt her back arch and her eyes roll back, her sigh of pleasure echoing throughout the heavy cloud of desire th
at hung over them.
***
Logan answered the vibrating phone in his pocket; he contemplated answering when he saw the caller ID. “Hey, Ma.” He looked over to see Zoe smirking at his reluctance.
“Hi, honey. How are you?”
“Good, you?”
“I’m great sweetheart. Listen, I won’t keep you long, I know you’re busy but I just wanted to make sure that you were coming for dinner tomorrow.”
“Oh, Mom, I don’t know. I’m still on the case. I’m not going to leave Zoe.” He turned his head noticing Zoe shaking her head. “One sec, Ma.”
“Logan, just go. Isn’t there someone that could stay with me while you go? Or I’ll just stay here, I’ll be fine,” she whispered. Logan was shaking his head no bringing the phone back up to his ear as his mother started talking again.
“No, you’ll be bringing her.” He heard the demand in his mom’s voice and Logan knew not to argue with his mother but he also didn’t know how he felt about removing Zoe from the safety of his house. He didn’t know what Alex Sullivan was capable of and with him MIA, Logan wanted to lock her away until he was caught and sitting in a jail cell. A beep came over the line indicating another call coming in. Ashbrook. “Listen Ma, I’ll have to call you back, I have another call coming in.”
“Okay sweetheart, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He shook his head with a grunt.
“Ashbrook.”
“Sullivan’s vehicle was spotted leaving Vancouver a couple of hours ago. I have a team of officers on the hunt. Still a big gap in his history although no records of mental illness. I need to come over this afternoon and speak with Zoe.”
“We’ll be at the Barn.”
“See you in an hour.” Logan hung up the phone feeling unease. He hated that Alex’s history had so many holes, too many for any sense of comfort. They had no idea why he targeted Zoe. The fact that he wasn’t in the same city gave him some sense of comfort but not much. He wanted her safe and while Alex Sullivan wasn’t accounted for he wasn’t leaving her side.
“Hey.” Zoe’s soft voice broke through his dark thoughts about what he wanted to do to Alex. “Where’d you go just now?”
“Nowhere,” he assured her with a small shake of his head. “Sullivan was spotted leaving town. Ashbrook needs to talk to you. He’ll be meeting us at the Barn in an hour.”
“Okay. We’ll I guess that’s good. That Alex isn’t in town anymore, makes me feel a bit more comfortable.”
Logan frowned. “Zoe. I’m not going to let him get to you. I will never let him hurt you.”
She smiled up at him, curling her legs underneath her as she sat on the couch. “I know. Now about dinner at your Mom’s.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
“No, Logan don’t be silly. I don’t want to keep you from that. You should go.”
“I am.”
“Oh. Okay good,” she nodded.
“And so are you.”
“What?” He wanted to smile at the shock on her face.
“You and I will be going for Sunday dinner at Mom’s house. With the entire family.”
“Logan... I don’t know about that.”
“See, here’s the thing,” he leaned down giving her a chaste kiss. “I’m not giving you a choice. Come on, let’s head over to the Barn so we can meet the detective.” He pulled her up, and taking her hand he whistled for Axel while they stepped outside into the warm afternoon sun.
As he started for the field she tugged on his hand, “We’re walking?”
“The Barn is on my property.”
“It is? How big is your property?”
“Big,” he smirked. “Come on.”
After entering the code he pushed the door open and wasn’t surprised to find the Barn empty. It had been that way for the past few weeks, his brothers out doing recon for their next mission. It was one of the biggest they had ever accepted and they knew it could only be executed with perfection. Logan ushered her up to his office, she’d been oddly quiet on the walk over. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“I don’t know,” she sighed.
“Tell me.” He watched her flop down in the chair in front of his desk, huffing out a sigh.
“I just... I don’t know. Like I can’t, cannot believe that Alex is doing this. I don’t understand what I did.”
“Zoe, you didn’t do anything.”
“And he was in my house. In my bedroom. Just... In my space.” She ran her fingers through her hair in a move born of stress. He wanted to comfort her, to pull her into his arms and make promises but he also knew he was getting too close. Playing house with Zoe for the past few days had been... indescribable. But when this mission was over he knew they would be too. He wouldn’t need to protect her anymore and she would move onto the next suit. He ground his teeth against the idea of Zoe with another man. He needed to pull back; he just didn’t know how he was going to do that when she was so alluring. “I don’t know...” she continued, completely ignorant to his inner monologue. “...it’s just a lot to take in, I guess.” He remained silent knowing she wasn’t expecting him to answer. That was one of the things he loved most about Zoe Alcott, she wasn’t one of those women who needed coddling or cuddling. Her spine was made of steel and she said what thought not expecting sympathy or pity. The alarm sounded on his computer alerting him to someone coming down the driveway. Noticing the detective’s familiar car he watched on the monitor as he climbed out in his poorly pressed suit and entered a code into the panel allowing him access inside.
“Good afternoon. Hello, Zoe.” He held out his hand for her to take.
“Good afternoon, Detective. How are you?”
“Oh I’m alright. How are you? I understand you had quite an adventurous night last night.”
“That is certainly one word for it.”
“Yes. I have a few questions for you if you’re up to answering them.”
“Sure, although truthfully I’m not too sure what else I can tell you.”
“Of course. If you would prefer to do this privately,”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Logan said cutting him off. Ashbrook quickly turned his head, narrowing his eyes at his intrusion. He didn’t care; he wasn’t leaving Zoe alone with anyone, she was his responsibility and although he had worked with the detective many times in the past, at this point he didn’t trust anyone with her. Stuck in a staring contest he could see Zoe place her hand on Ashbrook’s forearm. “It’s okay, Detective. Logan can stay.”
“Alright. When was the first time you met Mr. Sullivan?”
“In high school. He was a new student in our final year.”
“And were you two close?”
“Not close. I mean we were in some of the same classes and study groups, but I wouldn’t call him outside of school.” Logan sat back in his chair listening as Zoe recounted her high school years.
“Okay, and I understand you went to prom together?”
“Yes, he asked me to go with him and I partly said yes because I wanted to but I partly said yes because I felt a little sorry for him. He wasn’t necessarily a nerd but he didn’t have a lot of friends and some of the football guys used to make fun of him. I just wanted to give him a good night to remember from high school. I wanted him to be able to throw it in their faces.”
Ashbrook nodded as he scribbled in the notebook in his hand. “Okay, and were you two ever intimate?”
Logan swallowed the growl in his throat but he couldn’t stop the quick jerk of his chair. Zoe turned to him noticing the hard glint in his eye. “Behave,” she mouthed. He narrowed his eyes while she raised a challenging eyebrow. He felt the twitch in his lips to form a smile but he kept it in check as the detective cleared his throat. Looking between the two of them he could see questions in his eyes; Logan ignored them. “No Detective, I was never intimate with him. He took me to prom. We had a great time, danced and had fun. I know he wanted something to happen because he wanted to go to the lake at th
e end of the night but I refused. He took me home and I don’t think I saw him after that. I don’t remember him being at graduation. So no, there weren’t even any hot make-out sessions, not even a kiss on the cheek.”
“Okay, and did he ever give you any gifts?”
“No gifts, no. At prom he did give me a red rose.” Her eyes widened looking to Logan as she connected the dots - he’d given her a rose at prom, he’d sent roses to her office and her bedroom was covered in cut up roses.
He nodded his head once before he mouthed the word, “Breathe.” She did as he demanded and took in a deep, calming breath.
“A red rose?”
“Yes.”
“And red roses are what he’s been sending you, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And have you had any contact with him from high school until now?”
“No, not since he came in for the first meeting. He did ask me out that day but I turned him down.” Logan’s eyebrows shot up; this was news to him. She shot him down? But he’d heard her say she was going to go for drinks with him - that was of course, before he turned out to be a stalker.
“And what happened last night, at the ball?”
“Um, well Logan and I were dancing and Alex came up to ask if he could cut in. So he and I danced for, maybe only one song, possibly two.”
“And what did you two talk about while you danced?”
“Oh well, he was complimenting me, trying to pour on the charm but with Alex it just doesn’t come naturally so I felt a bit awkward. He was fishing around to see if I would go out for a drink with him and when I laughed it off I realized he was guiding me toward the doors to go outside. I got a feeling like, I definitely don’t want to go outside with him, and when I started to put the brakes on, that’s when Logan came and interrupted. I didn’t see him after that.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Logan glared. He couldn’t believe she’d felt uncomfortable and not told him. He would have done something; given that asshole what he deserved.