Shades of Shame (Semper Fi)

by Cooper, Laura

  “I really wish you’d come.”

  “Your Mom and Dad put you up to this? Logan, I don’t need a pity date.”

  She could hear the laughter in his voice. “I don’t have any doubts about that, Leila. Okay, my Mom may have mentioned that she wished we’d hang out, but I really would love it.

  “I don’t know Logan…”

  She heard his uncomfortable pose on the line, “It’s just friendly dinner Leila.”

  She smiled to herself. Leila had perfected the science of making men squirm but with Logan it just didn’t hold the same appeal. He was so damn innocent! How in the hell had he gotten to be this secluded in his life… looking like he does? One thing was for sure, he kept her on her toes. One minute he was a shy puppy dog, the next she was swooning under his fierce gaze.

  “I’ll send a car for you at seven. See you then!” he said, hanging up before she could confirm.

  Once again Leila was ready long before seven; she sipped a strong vodka tonic while she waited on Ronald. The last three days she’d turned and twisted this idea around in her head, and while the thought of Logan as a sex toy was great, she knew he was not her future. No, she needed a more mature man than that; a man with a drive as strong as hers. Let’s face it, she wouldn’t throw Logan out of bed, but she wouldn’t count on him to provide a future. A friendship with Logan may not prove fruitful politically but it would always be entertaining.

  Leila found it amusing that sending a car and driver might have impressed most women, but she was not most women. She was sure most women would leave their morals at home for an opportunity to rub elbows with Logan. For Leila, it was an opportunity to get on his father’s radar. She hadn’t been successful in getting the Senator’s attention at the office, but in his own home he wouldn’t fail to notice her. At the very least she was hoping for an opportunity to spy around a bit, perhaps find a way into the Senator’s personal interests.

  Ronald tapped on the storm door a moment later; Leila pushed it open and saw the dark skinned man’s face flash a disapproving glance at her apparel. “Ma’am, Logan’s Sail Club is a great deal less formal. I’m thinking you’d be more comfortable in jeans.”

  Leila shot him a look of irritation then glanced down at her black dress and heels. “Give me just a few minutes, Ronald!” She ran up the stairs and flung the dress across her bed. It didn’t surprise her that Logan and his friends were much more casual. She yanked on her favorite jeans and a pink polo shirt. Her leather flip flops had seen better days but she slid them on her feet anyways. After one last inspection in the full length mirror in her room, she climbed back downstairs and posed at the bottom of the steps for Ronald. “Is this better?”

  The man laughed, “Perfect!”

  Logan met her at the front door of his family’s Georgetown townhouse. “I didn’t expect you to be late! Is everything okay? You don’t strike me as someone who fancies tardiness.”

  Leila couldn’t hide her irritation; she reached out and punched him in the stomach as hard as she could. “I wouldn’t have been late if I hadn’t had to change!”

  “Ouch! Why are you always injuring me, woman? Okay, I guess I should have told you casual. I thought we’d just grab some wine and head over to the boat, if that’s okay with you. Gracie has already prepared a picnic basket for us. Does that sound okay?”

  “Sure. That’d be fine, but I thought we were going to your Sail Club?” she questioned.

  “Oh we are, but it’s more like a cook out. Beer, hamburgers, that kind of thing. I didn’t want to share you with all of those crusty sailors, so I asked Gracie to make us something a bit more tasteful. There will be fireworks later though and there is no better place to watch fireworks than from the water!”

  “Whoa Logan! I um…don’t really do boats.”

  He towered over her; his sheer size was enough to intimidate weaker women. It was actually the first time she thought about it, really thought about it. Logan naked, on a bed. Leila flushed with her thoughts, he wasn’t her type but she was willing to try him on. She couldn’t believe she was sitting there contemplating having sex with him.

  “Hey!” Logan perked, “no one’s here. We could just stay here if you want?”

  “Where is everyone?” Now he had her attention; she would like an evening to explore the McNarry house at her leisure.

  “Well, Gracie only came in to fix our dinner today, with Mom in Boston with your Mom for the weekend, and Dad…well he’s wherever he goes when Mom isn’t watching... Ronald is sitting in the kitchen waiting to drive us to the Sail Club. My guess is that it wouldn’t break his heart to go home instead. The Cubs are playing tonight…”

  “What do you mean wherever your dad goes when your mom isn’t watching?” Leila asked with sudden interest.

  “You work in his office. You’d probably know better than I would.” Logan shrugged; it was obvious to Leila that she would get little information from him. Either he didn’t care, or was too humiliated by his father’s indiscretions to mention them.

  So that left them all alone. Interesting, she thought. She didn’t mind using Logan to get closer to his dad; she just needed to play her cards carefully. She had to keep him guessing, keep him intrigued. “So, we’re all alone then?”

  “Yeah. Is that okay?”

  Leila smiled, recognizing the game for what it was. At least that’s what her cynical and suspicious mind kept tell her. He genuinely looked like he didn’t realize they’d be alone. Charming. “Then you’ll need to be on your best behavior, Mister McNarry,” she said with a provocative tease. “Perhaps a drink in the den would be nice,” Leila said.

  “Certainly. Head on in and make yourself comfortable. What’s your poison? Beer? Wine?”

  “Vodka tonic!” Leila laughed flirtingly.

  “A woman after my own heart!” Logan smiled and headed for the bar in the family room.

  She wandered into the Senator’s den, admiring all the family photos lined up on the mantle. Mostly pictures of the Senator on various hunting trips with other powerful men. The manly look of the room left little comfort for women, but that was perfectly fine for Leila. She appreciated the leather couch and chair, the massive fireplace, the strong thick furniture that screamed testosterone. This room was built for rugged men. She heard Logan behind her. She didn’t turn her head, but she knew he was watching her.

  “Do you mind if I get comfortable?” she asked, kicking her flip flops off and sinking her feet into the thick carpet.

  “Not at all. Ice?”

  “Yes please.” Leila crawled up on the couch and pulled her feet up, grabbing a huge pillow off the end and wrapping her arms around it. She took the drink from Logan and watched him walk across the room. Yes, he was certainly worth looking at.

  They chatted for the better part of two hours, imbibing drink after drink while nibbling their way through Gracie’s picnic basket. Leila periodically shifted her legs, just to see if he was interested and may perhaps make some sort of move. The distance between them on the couch had all but disappeared, and Leila felt comfortable next to him like this. During her college years she’d watched her roommate enjoy time with her boyfriend. At the time, she hadn’t understood why anyone would lounge around on the sofa doing absolutely nothing for an entire evening. The old adage, don’t knock it until you try it, flashed into her mind. She was truly enjoying her time ‘doing nothing’ with Logan. Her own epiphany made her smile.

  She tried to consider Logan as nothing more than a childhood friend, but no matter how she tried to see him in that light she couldn’t get the image of his perfectly shaped chest out of her head. And Logan had been the perfect gentleman through it all. Frustrating, she thought. She realized she would have to take this bull by the horn, so to speak.

  “Do you mind if I ask you a personal question, Logan?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Do you find me attractive?”

  She knew the answer, but his inability to act on any of her hints
and innuendos was beginning to make her wonder if he were gay or straight. The last thing she wanted to do was have to go home to her battery operated boyfriend when such a delicious man sat right in front of her, especially if he was available and willing. The only reason she could think of was that he was gay.

  “Uh… of course I do!” Logan said, his eyes getting bigger by the moment.

  “Then kiss me, fool,” Leila said, leaning into him.

  Without hesitation Logan wrapped his arms around her. At the first penetration of his tongue Leila had her answer, he was far, far, far from gay; he was just way inexperienced. His tongue prodded her throat as though there was something he was trying to prove. He pulled her to him so abruptly that she thought he was going to break her in half. Most women would have pushed him away, he was too clumsy! But not Leila, the harder he kissed her, the harder she kissed back. His hands ran up and down her back, squeezing and kneading her flesh through her dress. She even grabbed his hand and pulled it to her breast, which was heaving heavily into him with every breath. She made effort to display her lust, and he enjoyed every second of it like a teenager. His hands slid under the hem of her shirt, then made an attempt to push her jeans down at the waist. Silly boy, Leila thought as she reached down and unbuttoned her jeans. For God’s sake, has he ever been with a woman? His rough and inexperienced fingers sought out her sex. Their embrace had gotten bolder as he kissed and sucked his way down to her chest. The thought of that awkward Bobby Whetzell popped into her head; maybe she should have let Logan watch after all! It was about time she took over… this was getting embarrassing.

  Her hands scrambled for the growing bulge that pressed against her side. She wanted to feel it in her hands, to caress it, show him what a woman’s hands felt like on his body. Now her own excitement grew the bulge she felt was unusually large. As a matter of fact, large wasn’t the word she was searching for… it was huge! All of a sudden he pulled back. “Wait! I’ve got to get something.”

  Logan jumped from the couch and ran upstairs. Leila lay back, pulling her jeans off her legs before settling back down on the couch. He wanted her now, of that there was no doubt. But she would make him work for it from here on out. She waited patiently on the end of the couch, crossing her legs and staring at her perfectly painted toenails as she heard him coming down the stairs. Leila was posed to impress when she heard Logan speak in the hallway, “Dad?”

  Shit, she thought. She scrambled to her feet, trying to pull her shirt down before the Senator walked in. Her red lace panties were on the sofa beside her, the pink polo shirt only came to the very edge of her thin line of pubic hair. It was unlike Leila to try to hide her naked body, but at the moment she felt unsure of herself.

  “Good evening,” David said as he crossed the room and poured himself a drink. “Making ourselves comfortable, Miss…?”

  “Johnson, sir.” He knew who she was, and she knew he knew it. The mere fact that he pretended he didn’t infuriated her.

  “I know who you are Miss Johnson. I just didn’t recognize you without… your clothes,” he said with a smile. Making people uncomfortable was easy for a man like him, and he enjoyed it. “Just giving you a hard time, Leila.”

  It was a crappy way to break the ice, Leila thought. Still, his powerful presence and stare pushed the very thought of Logan clear from her mind.

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt you two, just fixing a drink before bedtime. Carry on,” he said nonchalantly as he began walking out of the room.

  “You’re not interrupting, I was just leaving,” she said as she snatched her panties from his leather sofa and followed him into the hall. There was Logan, standing barefoot by the door, his hands stuffed in his pockets as if he’d just been caught red handed stealing candy. “Logan, can you get Ronald to take me home?”

  Logan scrambled to put his shoes on and grabbed his keys. “I’ll take you, Leila.”

  The silence in his car was deafening. Leila was furious and he knew it. “Leila I swear I didn’t know he was home. He’s never here when Mom isn’t home! I’m so sorry this happened!”

  She turned her head to stare at him; finally she let out a long breath. “You know what Logan, I’m not mad. It was an accident, that’s all.” Rightfully, in her mind it had been the best possible scenario, David McNarry had seen her nearly naked!

  “Guess I kind of blew the moment,” as he pulled his car to a stop in front of her mother’s townhouse.

  She studied him. His eyes were impossibly green. “Ugh! You are so frustrating Logan! Okay I admit being walked in on half naked by your Dad was a tad bit uncomfortable, especially since I work for him, but I guess it isn’t the end of the world. Besides you’re pretty cute when you’re caught red handed with your hand in the cookie jar so to speak!”

  Logan pressed his hand to his chest, “Oh thank God! I thought it was just me who felt like a teenager. Damn that was awkward! My Dad’s such a prick; he had to know I wasn’t alone.” Suddenly his expression seemed to change, as though their common ground had somehow put them on the same level. Whatever intimidation he held for her was whisked away. His eyes sparkled with new found confidence as he stared at her with fresh longing.

  The urge to press her lips against his was uncanny, Logan shivered slightly under her gaze. She was used to making men shiver, if he were one of her regular conquests she would relish watching him quake. Logan was nothing like her normal men though. She wanted him; she was sure about that, despite his awkward juvenile ways. But he wasn’t like any other man she’d met, he wasn’t afraid of his inexperience, just the contrary he seemed anxious to conquer all things new. Her skin prickled as he leaned towards her.

  “Leila? Would you mind if I kissed you?” he asked in a smoky voice.

  She shook her head slightly as he closed in on her. This time his passion had subsided, he was more in control. His kiss was a feather touch, for such a massive man he was incredibly sensitive. Leila had never felt anything remotely like his kiss; it wasn’t the same awkward kiss he’d given before. His lips against hers weren’t the least bit brutal or forceful; instead they were languishing and sensual. She felt her nipples purse beneath her shirt. Sex she understood: hard nipples, wetness between her thighs… all of that was a normal reaction for her. What she didn’t understand was the strong pull of her heart as his tongue probed her mouth tenderly.

  Logan wanted her, there was no doubt about that, but Leila Johnson wasn’t just another sorority girl at a frat party. He needed to be patient and gentle with her. He wanted to be patient and gentle with her. He suspected she had never made love in her life. She wasn’t a virgin, of that he was fairly sure, but something about her made him want to take his time, relish her.

  Opening the door and helping her out of the car was certainly sweet, and not something she was used to. He walked her up the short pathway to her front door. “Why don’t you come inside Logan? My mother isn’t home, I’m positive!”

  Logan lumbered over the threshold behind her, his size intrigued her. There was a powerful urge and very unfamiliar feeling moving over Leila. She couldn’t explain it; she had never really felt this before, a mixture of sexual desire and vulnerability at the same time. The horniness she understood. The vulnerability, however, that was something all together different. Most of the time, Leila sized up her potential lovers and felt sorry for what she was going to put them through. She would dominate them without mercy until they begged her to stop with their ridiculous safe words. Leila had little patience or tolerance for wimps. Even with his lack of experience Leila knew that Logan McNarry was no wimpy man.

  Wow, she thought. I’m way over thinking this…”

  Logan was taking his time, forcing her to consider and measure her attraction towards him. He was sweet, attentive, and sexy. She could definitely see herself pushing him down and riding him like a cowgirl. She found herself dragging him into the den and onto her mother’s overstuffed leather couch. He chuckled slightly as their eyes met, and Leila beg
an to giggle once again. She couldn’t help it; before she knew it they were laughing so hard tears were rolling down their faces. The scenario at his father’s house had been too funny to ignore any longer. She was comfortable with him, more comfortable than she’d ever been with any man. His heavy warm arm was around her neck, but now she wanted more from him. She wiped her eyes. He wiped her face, and there they were: frozen. Seconds later, their lips met once again.

  This time he was a little more forceful, but still a long way away from the type of lover she’d become accustomed to. She pressed her lips into him, harder as his tongue ran across hers. His hand moved tenderly to her breast, and she grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand down her stomach and between her legs. Logan took her message and expanded on it, his fingers unbuttoned her jeans with talent this time. But he only slid his hands inside her jeans and gently ran his giant forefinger in circles around the beginning of her sex. His touch was luxurious. Leila’s head went back against the sofa as she enjoyed his fingers. Then she remembered the enormity of his manhood, she wanted to see it! Quickly she slid away from his grasp, he moaned with disagreement but she smiled cloyingly and slid to her knees between his thick thighs.

  Shivers scrambled down her spine the second her fingertips touched his skin, and she pushed his shirt even further upwards as her palm slid across his chest. Enormous, she thought as she bent down to kiss his skin. Her lips were on fire, matched only by her lust as she took a deep breath and inhaled him. I could get lost in this. His hands pulled his shirt over his head as she kissed his stomach sensually.

  He kissed the top of her head, nuzzling his nose into her hair. She ran her hands down his stomach and into his crotch. The pure heat rising gave way to pounding of his manhood. Her hands ran down the length of it above his shorts and she marveled at its sheer size. She fumbled with the lone button that held his shorts together, anxiously trying to free her prize.