House of Belonging

by Andrea Thome

  Laina and Logan listened hand in hand as her parents gave their remarks, welcoming people to the Karina Wellness Center and encouraging their community to take advantage of all the unique services they offered. The dinner crowd was full of luminaries and people who were special to Bo and Serena Ming, having played a part in their spiritual journey in both large ways and small. The crowd applauded warmly when they’d finished speaking and started heading back to their table to join their friends.

  Sara turned to Laina. “So, have you guys been together for a long time?”

  Logan leaned forward to answer for her. “Well, I’ve been after her for about a year, but she’s just recently stopped trying to escape my clutches.” He smiled sweetly at Laina. “If you can’t lick ’em, join ’em, right?”

  Laina laughed. The wine she’d been drinking made her feel exceptionally relaxed. She reached under the table and let her hand rest on Logan’s knee, squeezing gently. “He’s a cutup, isn’t he? Don’t encourage him.”

  Sara smiled at them both. “I thought it must be pretty new. It’s fun to see the looks the two of you have been exchanging.” She glanced at Cole with a mock pout. “Five years of marriage and two babies under the age of four can change things in a hurry, huh, babe?”

  Cole leaned over to kiss his wife before extending his hand to her. “In need of some romance, are you? How about a dance, lovely?”

  The orchestra had transitioned over from the dinner music and added a male and a female singer. They’d just started to play “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum, prompting people to leave their tables and pack the dance floor. Sara and Cole excused themselves to join the crowd. Logan was about to suggest he and Laina follow suit, when he felt her hand leave his knee and travel up his thigh, gently trailing her fingers back and forth there. He stiffened, his tuxedo having instantly become much too formfitting. Logan looked over at her in surprise, but she stared straight ahead at the dance floor with just the hint of a smile on her face. She knew exactly what she was doing to him.

  Logan tried to steady his breath, but every fiber of his body shifted into primal mode. His voice had taken on a new gruff tone when he spoke to her. “Don’t start something we’ll have to wait to finish. If you ever want me to be able to stand up from this table again, I’m warning you. Show mercy.”

  Laina could see the muscles in his jaw twitching, and she knew just how he felt. She’d been unable to concentrate on anything else for most of the evening either, and she’d been aware of the current between them since that afternoon. It was white-hot.

  “Come with me.”

  Laina stood and took Logan’s hand, leading him away from the party. They didn’t speak as they headed around toward a pathway that snaked along the other side of the property. When they’d reached the gate of one of the guest cottages, Laina slipped a key from her purse, unlocking it and stepping inside to a private patio area tucked under a thick canopy of trees.

  Logan reached back to pull the gate closed behind them before turning and pressing Laina against the stone exterior of the cottage, his hand behind her head, their lips meeting impatiently. Laina reached down again, taking hold of him, stroking while they kissed. Logan groaned when she hiked her leg up around his hip, and he reached down with the palm of his free hand to cup her rear end, bringing her closer. He was trying to imagine a gentlemanly way out of the situation when Laina showed him that there was only one viable solution, and they both knew it. She unbuckled Logan’s belt, a blush washing over her face at the boldness of her own behavior. It was the point of no return, and Logan pulled back to stare at her. Laina smiled shyly, but her dark eyes were flashing when she nodded.

  There was zero hesitation. Logan slid Laina’s dress up over her hips, reaching down to make sure she was as primed and ready as he was before he entered her. After he’d removed all shadow of a doubt with his deft fingers, Laina helped Logan guide himself into her, their eyes locked on each other the entire time. Laina inhaled sharply at his first plunge, and then they were immediately lost in the rhythm of the universe. The music floated up over the treetops, and they matched the pace of it, unable to control themselves any longer. They peaked together, and somehow managed not to collapse into a heap on the blue stone patio beneath their feet. Their sweat mingled as they caught their breath, unwilling to part so soon.

  Logan murmured her name. “Laina. My God, what have you done to me?” He kissed her, slowly this time. “I’m not sorry. I wanted you so bad. I couldn’t help myself, and when you nodded . . .”

  Laina placed a finger over his lips, which he kissed while she talked. “I wanted you just as much, Logan. I have to tell you, I’ve never done anything quite like this in my life. I want you to know that I’m not some animal. You just . . . I don’t know. I feel like you’re my undoing.”

  Logan stared at her unflinchingly. “Well, then. I’m glad we got this out of the way. Because when we get back to the guest house, we’re going to light some candles, play the music I spent all afternoon queuing up, and I’m going take my time giving proper attention to every single inch of you.” His lips tipped into a half grin. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  They reluctantly made their way back down to the party a short time later. The crowd had thinned, and her parents were surrounded by friends when her mother looked up and saw them approaching. She and Bo excused themselves to join Laina and Logan.

  “Here you are. Did you have a chance to check out the grounds? We’re so thrilled with how everything turned out. Wait until you see the cottages. They’re all so different, but each one incredible. The two of you will have to come back sometime and stay here, so you can really get a feel for the place.”

  Logan beamed at Serena. “Oh, I’ve got a great feeling about it already, Mrs. Ming. I’ll never forget this special evening with Laina, and with the two of you.”

  Laina’s nails were digging into his palm as he spoke, and Logan had to fight hard to avoid wincing in pain.

  Laina smiled sweetly at her mother. “It was a beautiful event.” She hugged her parents. “Would you guys be terribly disappointed if we called a car to go back to the house? Logan was up early today, and I think all the travel and surfing is catching up to him. He’s fading fast.”

  Laina glanced at him just in time to see Logan’s jaw twitch again. Touché.

  Bo had a better idea. “We completely forgot to tell you. Your mother and I packed an overnight bag so that we could be the first people to stay up here tonight before the resort opens to the public tomorrow. We’ll be back home around eleven tomorrow morning, though.” He looked pointedly at Laina. “Your mother has an errand she’d like you to run with her, so I thought I might take Logan down to surf one last time before you leave Sunday morning.” He turned to Logan for approval.

  “Sounds great, Mr. Ming. I’ll be ready to go at eleven. Thanks for putting up with me.”

  Laina’s mom looked relieved. “Why don’t we keep the car here with us? Sara and Cole are headed down the mountain on the way to their hotel, so they’ve already offered to swing by and drop you off at the house. We were just about to come and find you when you showed up.” Serena motioned to where Sara and Cole stood saying their own goodbyes. Sara caught her eye and gave Serena the thumbs-up, mouthing for Laina and Logan to meet the couple at the valet.

  The ride home was short, with sparse traffic on the road at that time of the evening. It was only ten thirty when they arrived back at her parents’ house and said good night to Cole and Sara, who had booked a room at a nearby hotel.

  It was chilly, and the ocean breeze had intensified, so Laina draped Logan’s tuxedo jacket around her shoulders as they walked down her parents’ driveway, unlatching a gate on one side of the house that led to the backyard and their guest house. As soon as the gate clicked shut, Laina slipped her shoes off, breaking into a run. Logan was caught off guard, but he did his best to follow her down the unlit pathway.

  “You can run, but you can’t hide.” He
stopped short when he got to the backyard. Laina was jumping on an in-ground trampoline that he hadn’t noticed earlier.

  She’d shrugged out of his jacket and was holding the bottom of her dress up over her arm, and she had a huge grin on her face. “Come on. We’ve got the place to ourselves tonight. Let’s make the most of it. We can play a little first.” She reached out her free hand to him, still bouncing around like a little girl.

  Logan laughed, slipping off his shoes and bending down to peel his socks off. “I’m not rolling my pants up into some kind of ‘manpri’ look, though, so don’t ask.”

  They jumped around together for a few minutes and enjoyed feeling like rebels in her parents’ yard. Laina giggled. “This is the kind of stuff I should have been doing in high school but never did. I was too much of a good girl.”

  Logan slowed down when Laina did, the two of them coming to a stop just a foot apart.

  Laina reached up to stroke his face, gazing at him wordlessly. “You ready to go inside?” Laina knew he was, but she wanted him to tell her. His answer was a surprise.

  “Wait here.” Logan leapt off the trampoline, walking toward the guest house. He disappeared inside for a moment, returning with the blanket from the pullout sofa over his arm. “You didn’t seriously think for one minute I’d be sleeping on that sofa bed, did you?”

  He stepped back onto the trampoline, spreading the blanket down in the middle of it. “Come on, lay with me and look at the stars for a few minutes. Like you said. We don’t have to rush. We’ve got the whole night. I plan to use every precious minute of it.” He sat, pulling Laina down gently beside him. They reclined, side by side, and Logan took her hand. He felt Laina shiver, so he carefully wrapped the sides of the blanket around them, creating a cocoon from which to study the night sky.

  Logan squeezed her hand. “OK. Three questions. We each get three questions, and the other person has to be totally honest with their answers, no matter what.” He turned to look at her. “Deal?”

  Laina thought for a moment and then agreed. “OK. But I go first.” She decided to tread lightly.

  “Favorite flavor of ice cream?”

  Logan feigned agony. “Oh man, start out with a killer, why don’t you. And I can only pick one?”

  “Yep.”

  “Hmm. Well, I guess I’d have to say Black Cherry.”

  Laina studied him. “Really? Huh. An unconventional choice, but OK.”

  “Oh really? Well, what’s yours?”

  Laina smiled sweetly. “Is that one of your questions?”

  Logan guffawed. “Oh, come on. And no, it’s not.”

  Laina sighed. “Well, since you’re new at this, I’ll let it slide. Double Chocolate. All day long. The chocolatey-er the better.”

  “Noted. OK. My turn to ask a question.” He propped up on one elbow to face her. “This is very important. How you answer this will tell me a lot about you, and it might determine whether or not things end right here on this trampoline.” He took a deep breath. “What was your first car?”

  Laina burst out laughing. “Wow, no pressure. Well, Logan, I’m not ashamed to tell you that it was a 1982 Camaro. And yes, to answer your follow-up, it was black.”

  Logan fell back on the trampoline, staring up at the sky. “You’re definitely still in the running with that answer. I might need a cigarette after that sexy piece of information.”

  Laina rolled her eyes. “Well, what was yours? And no, it doesn’t count as a question.”

  “I’m still driving my first car. I’ve had that Bronco since I graduated from high school. It sat on blocks for a while during my Ranger training, and it’s had a face-lift or two in the last dozen years, but I’ve got no desire to get rid of the old girl. She gets me where I need to go.”

  Laina was impressed. “OK. Moving on. Where would your dream vacation be?”

  Logan didn’t hesitate. “Patagonia. I’ve heard such amazing things about the hiking and terrain down in South America. I had a group of Ranger buddies that went, but at that time, I couldn’t afford it. Someday, though.” He waited a beat. “You?”

  Laina had her answer ready too. “I’ve always wanted to go to Nepal. Not to search for my mother but to see where I met my parents for the first time. That would be a dream come true for me.”

  “Alright, my turn. I’d better make this good.” Logan rubbed his chin thoughtfully while he pondered. “OK. I’m going there. Where is the most erotic place you’ve ever had sex?” He watched her take in the question.

  Laina sat up and looked at him solemnly. “Honestly? Up against a stone wall at my parents’ wellness retreat. You?”

  Logan sat up too, resting his arm on his bent knee. “Same. Nothing will ever compare.”

  Laina had one final question for him. “Are you ready to go inside with me, Logan?”

  Logan held out his hand, helping Laina up while he answered. “That one’s easy. I’ve never been more ready for anything.”

  CHAPTER

  NINETEEN

  Laina quivered at the touch of his hand against the small of her back as she unlocked the door. Every single one of her nerves was on high alert. She started to turn the lamps on but thought better of it.

  “Why don’t you light candles, and pour us some wine. Do you mind if I take a quick shower? I think I might have actually broken a little sweat out there on the trampoline.”

  Logan laughed. “Oh, thank God. We’ll all be happier if I can wash up too. I’ll use the outside shower. When I’m done, I’ll take care of the candles and wine. Don’t rush. But full disclosure: you’re about to be breaking a sweat again up in here.” His face was dead serious. Laina shivered in anticipation.

  She showered and washed her hair, taking time to apply coconut oil to her damp skin once she’d finished. She used the back of her hand to clear a spot on the foggy mirror and studied her reflection for a moment. Was she brave enough to wear what she’d brought for him? It wasn’t something she’d have normally picked out, but she’d planned on surprising him. Laina didn’t want Logan to think she had an aversion to color. Taking a deep breath, she decided to go for it.

  Logan had rushed through his own shower, mostly because the cool evening air wasn’t doing him any favors. He threw on a pair of black boxer briefs but left his chest bare. He hustled into the living room and switched on the Bose speaker, syncing it to his favorite Pandora station. First up: John Mayer’s “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room.” He’d figured Laina liked Mayer’s music because he’d noticed several of the singer’s songs playing in her restaurant during the Walland House event. Slow and sexy was the order of the evening.

  Logan figured out how to start the gas fireplace and spent a few minutes lighting the candles scattered around the room. He’d just poured their wine when he heard Laina clear her throat behind him in order to get his attention, so he turned to face her.

  Sweet mother of all things holy.

  She was standing in the open bedroom doorway, her hands resting on either side of the threshold. She was wearing a one-piece lilac corset-and-pantie combo and nothing else. She smiled at his obvious interest.

  “I thought I’d surprise you with a little color. You know, keep you on your toes. I don’t want to be too predictable.”

  Logan blew out a breath. “If there is one thing you aren’t, it’s predictable.” He set his wine back down on the counter. “Get over here. Let me have a closer look at you.”

  Laina blushed and pushed away from the doorway to move toward him.

  Logan knew about her love of running and yoga, but seeing her like that, with the evidence of her hard work all over her exceptionally toned body, Logan could feel his erection giving him away.

  As she got closer, Laina swiveled her body to the music, a sexy little maneuver that caused Logan’s heartbeat to pound in his own ears. He would have to work extremely hard to take things slow with her. All he wanted to do was take her again right then, just for the pleasure of hearing her voice her satisfacti
on over and over. They’d had to be quiet back at the party. This time, he wanted to hear her.

  Laina stopped in front of Logan, reaching her hands out to touch his chest. “You’re so beautiful, Logan. Inside and out. I’ve fantasized about this night.”

  She brought her lips to his chest, kissing him just underneath his collarbone. Logan reached out and took her into his arms, spinning her around to sweep the hair off her neck so that he could bite and kiss her there, eliciting some very positive feedback.

  “Logan.” His name tumbled from her lips in a tortured voice.

  It’s all he’d waited for. He reached down to scoop her up, carrying her urgently into the bedroom. He’d lit candles there too, and the firelight flickered orange against the white canopy of the bed. Logan set her down gently and watched as she scooted back into the stack of pillows at the headboard.

  Laina could feel the desire emanating from his pores. “Should I be afraid?” She smiled weakly, only half kidding.

  Logan shook his head. “You never have to be afraid with me. Ever.” He leaned over to tenderly kiss one of her ankles, then the other, before putting one of his knees on the end of the bed and beginning to crawl toward her. “You just lay back and get comfortable. This might take a while.”

  Laina closed her eyes, overcome by the feel of his mouth as he worked his way up her legs, one at a time. The top of her thighs got a little extra attention. Finally, he reached up to unsnap her bodysuit, and she gasped at the feeling of it as it sprang open, exposing her.

  Logan had arrived at the fork in the road, so he took it.

  Laina was gone. She’d never experienced anything like the attention he thoroughly and completely showed her most sacred places, and Logan marveled at the fact that he could send her over the edge so many times. Finally, Logan couldn’t resist her any longer. He sat up, slid out of his underwear, and climbed over her so that they were face-to-face in the candlelit room.

  “You’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, Laina. Being with you is so much more than I’d even imagined.” He shivered as her hands found him, his pulsing heat overdue for her. They locked eyes as he entered her, slowly and deliberately this time, until her impatience took over and she rose her hips up to usher him inside. They moved together, the heat building in intensity. The room disappeared around them, and they were suddenly just two people clinging to each other in order to survive the storm.