by E. Walsh
He stopped too soon, but long enough that everyone in the restaurant was either hooting or astounded.
Logan stood straight letting her go through his hands. “Danielle. We need to talk.”
She nodded mutely. She stood and turned. Before she lost her mind completely, she glanced at Sam. Logan’s eyes followed. His gaze narrowed when he saw Sam not kneeling, but crouching.
Logan said, “You’re not on one knee…”
Sam seemed to understand what Logan was implying. He shook his head as he got to his feet. “She doesn’t want me,” he said sadly. “It would seem she has feelings for someone else. I was just saying goodbye.”
“Sam, I…”
“No need,” Sam said, holding up a hand to her. As he was passing Logan on his way to the door he nodded at their unfinished dessert. “You can pay for our dinner.”
* * *
Chapter Eleven
Logan held out his hand and Danielle took it and they exited the restaurant to a wave of applause and laughter.
When she tumbled out the doorway and onto the sidewalk, she finally tugged him to a halt. “Logan! What are you doing?”
He started to laugh. She stared at him as he was a madman. He stopped long enough to say, “I thought he was proposing.”
“Yeah, so did I,” she muttered. “Wait, why is that hilarious? Is it so farfetched that someone would propose to me?
“It’s not farfetched at all,” he said, very seriously. He turned to face her and held her hands in his. “I have to ask you something.”
She gave him a little smile. “Are you about to propose?”
“What?”
“Kidding, idiot,” she said, tugging him closer. “What is it?”
“Did you mean what you said?” He held his breath, preparing for her answer.
She looked confused. “Said what?”
“I heard you that day in the parking garage. You were on the phone with someone. You said you avoided the question about being my girlfriend, and that you didn’t think you had the same connection with me that I seemed to have with you. Did you mean that?”
“I never said that!” She stated emphatically. “What are you talking about?”
“I heard you,” he said, his voice rising. “Right before you said that you were having dinner with Sam here.”
Instant recognition flashed across her face. Then she started to laugh. Logan watched in amazement. Apparently they’d both lost their minds. When he tugged her closer to him, she stopped suddenly. He looked questioningly at her and waited for her to explain.
“Logan, you idiot, I was talking to my sister about Sam, not about you!”
He turned ten shades of red. He said, “So-o-o, you do feel the connection between us?”
She pursed her lips at him. “I would hazard a guess that I feel the same connection you do.”
“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he said, breathlessly.
“Then, we definitely feel the same way,” she admitted.
“I want you.”
“I want you, too.”
“Not just for sex,” he said, staring into her eyes. “The minute I saw Sam go to his knees I knew that I wanted more. And all I could think about was stopping him. I knew he wouldn’t make you happy. Hell, I don’t even know if I can make you happy. All I know is that I will do whatever it takes to make it that way.” His arm stole around her waist, tugging her even closer.
Her smile dazzled him. She brushed the unruly lock of his hair out of his eyes. “Logan, you make me want to kiss you, punch you, and fire you…but at the end of the day, I don’t want you to go anywhere. So, I’m not sure where that leaves us, but I don’t want to see you with anyone else. And I definitely don’t want to be with anyone else.”
“I think I have a word for that, Dr. Sheridan.”
“Oh you do, do you? Well, doctor, what is it?”
He took a deep breath. It was now or never. “I think I might be in love with you. How’s that for scary and emotional?”
She didn’t give him time to change his mind. She pulled him down to her height, stood on her tiptoes and whispered, “I love you too, Logan.”
He threw up a fist and twirled her around with one arm. Passersby on the street frowned and gave them a wide berth. He put a hand on each cheek and kissed her soundly, until she was dizzy and could no longer doubt his feelings.
* * *
Chapter Twelve
Eight months later…
“Abby, have you seen my wife?”
Logan couldn’t seem to use that word enough. They had been married just over a month and every day was like Christmas. Sure, they fought, but they were closer than he’d ever been with anyone.
Danielle listened to him, understood him, and heck…the sex was amazing. He got a silly grin on his face just thinking about it.
“I think she’s in 4C,” the nurse said with a knowing smile. “She had an appointment with Dr. Grayson.”
“Grayson?”
“Oh, I have to run!” Abby hurried away and Logan was left with his own thoughts. Dr. Grayson was the head OBGYN at the hospital.
Logan knew that Danielle had been having some discomfort lately due to her IUD. He assumed she would have to go back to regular birth control, or maybe even the shots, if that wasn’t working.
A sneaky part of him hoped that she would forego it entirely. He was ready to start a family with her. They hadn’t talked about it, but she’d make a great mom.
He loped down the hallways, and two stairwells, to get to 4C. He rapped at the door, and only waited a second before entering. He heard Danielle’s voice inside and at least knew he had the right place.
“Logan!” she said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”
Grayson shot Logan a disapproving look, then patted Danielle on the shoulder and let himself out.
“What’s wrong,” Logan asked, alarmed. Please don’t let it be something serious, he prayed to anyone who would listen. Thoughts of his mother flashed through his mind.
“Nothing’s wrong. Relax.”
“Then why are you seeing Grayson?”
“Logan, it’s just… I know that you want kids, but…”
“Danielle, if you can’t have kids, we’ll just adopt. Or we won’t have kids at all. I would rather have a life with you, than a life without you. I promise.” He kissed her hand and patted her gown-covered knee.
“Oh, umm,” she stuttered. “It’s actually… oh hell. I was going to tell you over a romantic dinner, but I can tell you’re gonna worry yourself to death.” She smiled at him. “Logan, I’m pregnant.”
He mouth literally fell open. He swallowed hard as tears filled his eyes. He asked, “Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack,” she said. “You’re gonna be a daddy.”
He let out a loud whoop and slung his arm around her neck in a bear hug. Her whole body went stiff with shock, and then relaxed. She laughed at his antics. He jolted away, opened the door and shouted down the hallway, “I’m going to be a dad!”
When he turned back he saw that she was crying. He rushed to her side and took her hands. “I’m sorry, are you in pain?”
She laughed, brushing away the drops. “No, I’m just so happy. I had no idea that you’d want to have kids this early.”
“Danielle, I love you. I love everything about you. And I will love this little guy or girl as much as I possibly can while still being full of love for you.” He brushed away the last tear drop. “You’re my everything, don’t you know?”
She received his kiss with the same intensity she had grown to expect from her husband. She had no doubt of what he said. And she would love him back, just as hard, just as long.
He was her everything.
The End
36. Secret Crush
By: Judy Wright
Secret Crush
© Judy Wright, 2016 – All rights reserved
Published by Steamy Reads4U
No part of this b
ook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events are purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return it to the seller and purchase a copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Warning
This book contains graphic content intended for readers 18+ years old.
If you are under 18 years old, or are not comfortable with adult content, please close this book now.
* * *
Chapter One
Alice Webber could feel her heart pounding in her temples as she pulled up to the extravagant party that her sister Maureen was throwing on her husband’s yacht. Alice hadn’t even gotten out of the car and already she felt out of place.
Alice’s parents wouldn’t even come to her sister’s parties. The only reason she came was because it had been three months since she’d spoken in person to her older sister, the successful doctor’s wife.
Her sister Maureen had basically shamed her into coming. Though she’d rather be anywhere other than at one of her sister’s snobby parties, Alice was too nice to decline, despite the many differences that she and her sister shared.
She parked her ten year old Prius in the farthest spot she could find, noting how very inadequate it was compared to all the expensive luxury cars parked along the dock. There was no way she was made to be in a place like this.
She had done her best to dress to impress, yet she wasn’t decked out in expensive brands or wearing a designer scent.
Her hair was thrown up into a neat bun, small strands of her brunette locks framing her face tastefully.
Her makeup was simple, yet flattering, and her color palette of choice made her brown eyes pop.
She had never been as thin and lithe as Maureen, but in her cocktail dress, her curves were a definite asset.
She walked through the party unescorted, and immediately felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of attendees standing about.
Conversations seemed stale and rehearsed, and no one seemed to notice her at all. The other guests all seemed to be bathed in money, just like Maureen and her husband.
Finally, she skirted through into the sea of people enough to find her sister and husband talking casually to another couple.
Alice didn’t want to be rude, so she stood off to the side somewhat and waited to be noticed.
Maureen looked over casually, and blinked as she did a double take. “Why, Alice, darling! Why on earth did you not say something?” she asked, astonished as she excused herself from the group.
She embraced her sister in a half-hearted hug, and then proceeded to kiss her on each cheek.
This gesture was a bit lost on Alice, but she went along nonetheless and smiled.
“It’s good to see you again Maureen,” she said politely. It was almost like she was talking to a stranger, rather than the sister she had grown up with.
“Of course! So much has happened since you’ve been in the big city,” Maureen said with a giggle that Alice thought sounded completely insincere. “Why don’t you come with me? I’ll introduce you around. I have some people you might be interested in meeting.”
They walked on towards a small table where three well-dressed women sat talking idly and eating the hors d’oeuvres sparingly. Maureen cleared her throat, and all of them looked up at her as if on cue.
“Ladies, I’d like for you to meet my sister, Alice.”
The women smiled at her, and for some reason Alice felt like they were being condescending without saying a word.
It was like how an adult would smile at a child who had done something wrong, but because of their innocence, was not scolded.
By default, being a working woman was her downfall anyway.
“Well let me say it is a pleasure to meet you, Alice,” a soft-spoken red headed woman said with a perfect smile. “I’m Darlene, and my husband is the strapping young man you see over there. He manages hedge funds for a living.”
When Alice looked over, she was greeted with the exact opposite of what Darlene had described.
The “young man” she referred to looked to be at least thirty years older than her, and was wearing a toupee that looked like a squirrel that had crawled on his head to die.
When he caught his wife looking, he held up his drink and blew her a kiss.
“We’ve been married for 30 years now,” Darlene said proudly. “My, how time does fly.”
A second woman at the table gave Alice a smile. She said, “I’m Vanessa. Maureen and I go way back. Our husbands work together.”
She was darker skinned than the others, with thick, but luminous jet black hair that was pulled back into a sleek and well tamed ponytail. Alice figured her to be Columbian from her accent. She talked like the sexy woman on that TV show Modern Family.
The last one to greet her only offered her a smile and nodded, “I’m Candice. I’m recently divorced, but my play thing is back home…” she said winking. The women giggled at that comment, as if they shared a secret.
Candice was similar to Maureen in appearance, though she had a freckled face and had to be wearing contacts because her eyes were aqua.
All the women were drop dead gorgeous. Singularly, and as a group, they made Alice aware of every flaw she had, even those too small to see.
“Have a seat? We’ve wanted to hear so much about you! Maureen always speaks so highly of you,” Candice said as she pulled out a chair for her.
Alice nodded and sat down next to Maureen at the table.
“So, how is work?” Maureen asked.
“It’s going fine.” Alice answered simply as she reached for a cocktail prawn from a platter at the center of the table. “Things are busy as usual, and the firm is expanding soon so we might be getting a bit of a raise.”
Maureen gave her arm a pat. “That’s wonderful, dear.” She addressed the group. “Alice is a staff accountant at a large firm in the city.” She turned back to Alice. “How big of a raise will it be?”
“Well, as far as I know, um…” Alice trailed off. She didn’t want to say the exact amount.
To her it wasn’t meager, but to Maureen and her troop of high society friends, it would be nothing.
She sighed, “It’s about a hundred dollars more a week.” She said in a somewhat defeated manner.
The women made a few faces, and quietly sipped their drinks or fiddled with the food on their plates, obviously embarrassed for the poor girl.
“Oh...” Maureen said looking off. “Well, I’m sure it will be put to good use.” She quickly shifted gears. “So, how’s your love life? I know there are a ton of gorgeous men running around Manhattan. Have you started seeing anyone yet?”
Alice shook her head. “No, ’m not really interested in seeing anybody.”
She was lying, of course, but she wouldn’t give Maureen the satisfaction of knowing her sister couldn’t get laid in a Russian whore house.
“Alice, you’re nearly thirty years old now. There’s no reason for this nonsense,” Maureen said, sounding like their mother. “At some point, you have to start thinking about settling down.”
The other women at the table quickly agreed. Their heads bobbed like a table full of bobble heads.
Bailey chimed in. “She’s right, dear. The old biological clock’s ticking.”
“My biological clock is just fine,” Alice challenged, feeling a bit insulted.
“I’ve told her this several times that she’s really waited for too long,” Maureen said with a sigh. “Honestly, I don’t know how someone with such good looks isn’t already with someone. For Pete sake, Alice, you’re not gay are you?”
It was probably meant as a joke, but maybe not. The women all laughed while Alice sat fuming. “Why would you think that, Maureen?”
Maureen blinked at her with a half smile. “Well, isn’t it obvious? Any woman who isn’t at least thinking about marriage at this point is probably, well… Into something other than men. She has to be interested in women.”
Darlene smiled. “Sorry honey, but she’s right. I don’t know of a single woman who waits this long when they’re interested in men like that.”
She said with a smirk and an unspoken accusation.
Alice knew they were right, of course, but she bit her lip and hid behind her drink. She’d been with her boyfriend Jack on and off for the last three years.
They had just recently moved in together, sharing a small flat that was barely big enough for the two of them, but they made due. Neither of them led glamorous lives, and frankly there wasn’t a chance that they would.
Though she wasn’t sure what the future held for their relationship, Alice was happy right now with Jack and didn’t plan to change that.
Creeping feelings worried her that it might be a one-sided sentiment, though, given the amount of time Jack was spending with his female boss at work, but Alice tried her best to ignore the signs that anything was going on.
Despite her emotions however, being taunted by her sister and her obnoxious friends was the last thing that she needed to put up with.
Alice calmly set her drink on the table and let her eyes go around the group.
“What I do in my personal time, or who I spend it with, is frankly none of your fucking business.” She turned her ire toward her sister. “Who I chose to be with shouldn’t even be a real concern of yours, Maureen. To hear mom tell it, you have enough problems of your own.”