House of Belonging

by Andrea Thome

  Laina: Could you drop something off at

  Logan’s for me in a little while?

  Van: (this is me, still sleeping)

  Laina: sorry! Nvm

  Van: it’s fine. I have to get up anyway. When does he need it by?

  Laina: I’ll leave it in a bag on the front seat of my car in the driveway. As long as you could get it there before 9? TY! I owe you one . . .

  Van: You owe me three by my count, but it’s too early to be splitting hairs.

  A little before nine, Logan was finishing his morning to-do list when he heard tires on the gravel drive. He glanced out the front of the barn to see Van striding toward him, dark Ray-Bans covering his eyes. He looked like he belonged in a music video, and Logan marveled again at how this guy had remained single for so long.

  “What’s up, man? You lost?” Logan smiled as his new friend approached.

  Van kept a straight face. “Very funny, lad. I don’t get out of bed on my day off for many people, but Laina asked me to deliver this to you.” He handed Logan a small backpack. “She said not to open it until she gets here. So that’s a fun game for me to get to play on a Monday morning.”

  Van sized Logan up, lowering his glasses to get a better view while he did so. “I say, someone has the look of love. Laina said California went well. I’m glad.” He studied Logan for a moment. “She told me about Jeremy showing up and how you handled the situation. I’m glad you were there. That guy is a total prick. I’ve been uneasy with Laina being around him since day one. Do you think he got the message?”

  Logan considered the question. “It’s hard for me to say. He wasn’t very chatty. He tore out of there pretty quickly, but please know this: I wasn’t Mr. Congeniality myself, so I don’t think there’s much of a chance that he’ll mistake kindness for weakness.”

  Van nodded. “Good. He’d do well not to cross my path ever again, and despite the fact that we both know you’ve never been in an honest-to-goodness fistfight in your life, he doesn’t have to know that. Let that punk believe there is a reason to be intimidated.”

  Logan choked back a laugh. “How do you know I’ve never . . . ? Actually, I’m not even going to dignify that comment with a response.” He motioned over his shoulder. “You want to come in for a coffee real quick? I’ve got something for you anyway.” He walked into his office, grabbing the small gift he’d picked up for Van off his desk.

  Van called after him. “I can’t. Laina will be here any minute, and I have a few things I need to accomplish this morning anyway.” He waited for Logan to reappear, which he did, handing him a black baseball hat that said “Rip Curl” on the front.

  Van shook his head. “Now I feel bad I didn’t bring you something. Cool hat, thanks, man.”

  Logan laughed. “It’s from a little surf and skate shop by Laina’s parents’ house. Just a small thank-you for letting me date your best friend and the coolest girl in the universe.”

  Van broke a little at that, the corner of his mouth twitching with the threat of a smile. “She is that, isn’t she?”

  As if on cue, Logan’s attention was diverted to something over Van’s shoulder. Turning to see what had distracted Logan, Van followed his gaze and watched as Laina ran up the driveway toward them, drenched in sweat and wearing a huge smile on her face.

  She pinched Van on the arm as she slowed in front of them. “I knew I should have asked you to drop that bag by eight thirty.” Turning to Logan, she smiled broadly, reaching for the backpack he’d slung over his arm and forgotten about. “I’ll take that. It’s my change of clothes. I decided I’d run over this morning. Check it off my list. You don’t mind if I use your shower, do you?”

  The air between them crackled with electricity, and Van stepped back as if struck by it.

  “OK. On that note, I’ll take my leave. You kids have fun today. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He pulled the black ball cap Logan had given him onto his head and nodded goodbye to them, heading for his car. “I’ll call you tomorrow, see if we can’t set up a night to catch a Rockies game. I was thinking maybe this weekend? We could leave for Denver Saturday morning and come back either that night or Sunday morning, depending on how we feel. Think it over and shoot me a text.”

  Logan nodded. “Sure, sounds good. I’ll call you.” He hadn’t taken his eyes off Laina, who was still smiling and blushing now.

  Van pulled away, and Laina giggled, resisting Logan gently when he tried to kiss her. “Wow. I was feeling pretty grungy until you gave me that look. I’m so sweaty, though. Let me have a shower first. Then you’ll have to beat me away with a riding crop.”

  Logan raised his eyebrows. “Not exactly what I had in mind, but I’m open-minded, I guess.”

  Laina swatted his arm playfully. “Come on. Show me which bathroom you want me to use. I’m excited to check out your bachelor pad.” She studied the front of Logan’s home, which was constructed from a warm brown barn wood and accented with a beefy stone chimney. He had two red swings suspended from the porch on either side of the front door. Laina loved how they complemented the hulking red barn that sat opposite the driveway at the foot of an expansive pasture.

  They walked together up the front steps. “I haven’t done too much to the house since I bought it, so it really is basic inside. Maybe you could give me some suggestions.”

  He held the door for her, letting Laina walk in ahead of him. She was surprised by how much light the space was getting. The entire rear of the house was covered in windows, letting in the dappled sunlight that filtered down through the grove of aspen trees in his backyard. Laina could see the kitchen off to the right, so she walked over to check out his setup.

  “Wow, these appliances are actually pretty great. You’ve got a gas stove too, which is good. That could have been a deal breaker if it had been electric.” She turned to smile at him. “Do you cook much?”

  Logan shook his head. “I can make breakfast, and I grill out a decent amount. But that’s about it. I did promise you a cup of coffee, though. Why don’t I show you the bathroom, then I’ll make us a pot while I wait for you?”

  Laina followed him down the hall toward the end of the house, passing two bedrooms on the way. He had finished the rooms with the basics: beds, dressers, and lamps. But there was very little on any of the walls. Laina made a mental note to buy Logan a nice piece of art to start making his house feel more like a home. It had a ton of potential, and she was already charmed by the cozy layout.

  They arrived at what she assumed was the master bedroom, a generous space with nothing but a giant king sleigh bed and two nightstands facing another wall of windows, these covered with blackout shades that were pulled closed.

  Logan flipped the light switch in his bathroom and took a moment to put a few things away that he’d left out on the vanity. He reached under the cupboard to get Laina a towel and took a peek to make sure he’d left the shower in decent condition.

  “OK. Holler if you need anything.” He winked at her. “Anything at all.” He was about to shut the door when Laina stopped him.

  “Leave the door cracked in case you want to set my coffee in here on the counter. Now that you mention it, I’m craving a cup.”

  Logan gave her the thumbs-up and was headed into the kitchen when he realized he’d forgotten to ask her if it was OK that he didn’t have almond milk. He walked back into the bedroom, surprised to see that the bathroom door was now open wide. He could hear the water running, and he was about to ask Laina if black coffee was OK when he was rendered mute.

  From where Logan stood, he could see her clearly. He watched as she peeled her small black tank top up over her head, revealing her bare back to him as she dropped it to the floor. She ran her hands through her hair, smoothing it again before she reached for the waistband of her shorts, slipping them down over her hips, letting them fall around her feet before stepping clear of them.

  She was incredible-looking, and Logan reached instinctively to adjust himself. There
was a magnetic pull toward her that was hard to ignore, and he stood still for only a moment before deciding to say the hell with the coffee.

  “Laina.”

  She didn’t seem surprised to hear his voice at all, glancing slowly over her shoulder as she opened the shower door to step inside. “What took you so long?” She gave him a pointed look before disappearing into the steam, closing the door behind her.

  Yeah. The fucking coffee would have to wait.

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-THREE

  Logan had never moved so fast in his natural born life. He stripped off his shirt and stepped out of his boots at the same time, almost falling over in the process. Leaving his clothes behind in a heap, he had the presence of mind to grab a second towel from under the sink to hang on top of Laina’s towel that she’d dangled from the hook outside the shower. He’d been about to join her when he had another idea. Opening the top drawer, he pulled out a book of matches and lit the candle he kept on his counter before reaching over to flick off the bathroom light. The candlelight quivered, sending ripples of warmth dancing across the bathroom walls. Logan grabbed the handle of the shower door and stepped inside, closing it behind him.

  Laina was standing under the water, her head back and eyes closed, a trail of suds sliding down her body toward the drain and the smell of Logan’s bar soap hanging in the air. Logan moved toward her, unable and unwilling to wait a moment longer. Cupping the back of her head with his hands, he captured her mouth with his, taking what he wanted. The steam enveloped them as their bodies crushed together, and Laina’s hands snaked around to grasp Logan’s back before sliding lower to thrust him against her impatiently.

  She tasted his moan in their kiss, and it emboldened her. Laina leaned back to look at him as her hand reached out for the cake of soap she’d rested on the shower ledge. Turning it over and over in her hands, she created a lather and set about enveloping his body with it. Logan closed his eyes in ecstasy, responding to the feeling of her slippery hands washing his arms, chest, back, and his other needier parts with a thoroughness that both impressed and disarmed him. She had him jelly-legged in no time.

  “My turn.”

  Logan took the soap from her hands and set it back on the ledge, trading it for the shampoo. Turning Laina around, he stepped close behind her, squirting the product into his hands and working it into her hair slowly, methodically. He massaged her scalp, pausing only to kiss her neck and shoulders, provoking a gasp from her lips, before finally spinning her around and tilting her head back to rinse the soap out. With her head thrown back, Logan could pay closer attention to her breasts. She was exquisite, and for the thousandth time, he couldn’t believe that she was his. Laina gasped when his lips found her nipples, one and then the other, and she put her hands out to brace herself against the walls as he teased her gently with his teeth.

  “Logan. Oh God.”

  It was all he needed to hear. He reached back to shut the water off, stepping nearer to kiss her again but with a greater urgency. Logan pushed open the shower door, the towels that hung outside completely forgotten. He reached down and scooped Laina up into his arms and carried her toward his bedroom.

  Laina wasn’t sure if she’d shivered in response to the cool air in the room sweeping across her bare, wet skin, or because of the look in Logan’s eye as he prepared to crawl toward where he’d deposited her on his bed. Likely it was a little bit of both, but in any case, the sensation was explosive. Logan’s hand had barely grazed the top of her thigh when she threw her head back, overcome with desire.

  Logan growled in response, unable to slow his pace. His own body was practically pulsing with desire as he poised himself above her, afraid to delay any longer. As he hovered at her entrance, he stopped and waited for her to look at him. Her eyes were shimmering when he spoke.

  “I’m in this for the long haul, Laina. I have a craving too. For you. To be inside of you. Inside of and surrounded completely by the woman I love.”

  Laina was speechless, so she leaned up to kiss him, guiding him into her so that they could once again rise and fall together. She said his name and whispered things that lovers say, and before long they’d fused again, arriving at that place where they’d stopped being two halves and instead became a whole.

  It was almost noon before they finally got dressed and headed into the kitchen to make coffee. Laina sat at the counter, watching Logan as he poured her a steaming cup.

  “I could get used to this. Having my morning—or afternoon—coffee with you, I mean. This house feels so empty sometimes. I’ve spent more than a few nights wondering if I’d have been better off letting Walland House use this as a guest house and getting a smaller place in town for myself. I don’t need all of this.” He looked at Laina. “Do you ever get lonely out on your end of town?”

  Laina sipped her coffee and considered the question. “I think I needed to be alone this last year, so it’s hard to say. I adore my home. It’s the most ‘me’ of any place I’ve ever lived. I love that it’s close to town, but also remote, so that if I want to garden in my pj’s, I don’t have to worry about neighbors catching me.” She leaned over to give Logan a slow kiss. “I could get used to this too, for the record.”

  Logan sighed, reluctant to spoil the perfect morning they’d been having with the thoughts that weighed heavy on his mind. He couldn’t avoid it, though. “So, I told you yesterday that my day had been interesting. That was an understatement.” He paced the kitchen, trying to find the right words.

  Laina frowned. “What’s wrong?” She flinched slightly, startled by Logan’s cell phone ringing.

  Logan debated letting it go to voice mail but decided to pick up when he saw who was calling him.

  “Hi, Logan! Hope I’m catching you at an OK time?”

  Logan covered the receiver with his hand and whispered to Laina, “It’s Sienna.” Turning his attention to the phone call, he assured her it was a good time to talk.

  “Well, Viv and I had the procedure on Friday, and we just wanted to tell you that everything went beautifully. Thank you again for holding up your end of the bargain. There is no guarantee, but if we’re extremely fortunate, this will be a one and done. Keep your fingers crossed.”

  Logan blew out his breath. “Whoa. No pressure. Swim, boys. Swim!”

  Sienna laughed on the other end of the line. Logan mouthed to Laina, asking if she was free Monday early afternoon. She nodded her head yes. He turned his attention back to the phone call.

  “I was going to get in touch with you today anyway. I think Van and I are heading to Denver on Saturday for a Rockies game, but let’s hang out Monday afternoon, have lunch. And would it be OK if I brought Laina with me?”

  “Of course! Bring Laina. And yes, Monday sounds great. How about noon? That’s sort of the sweet spot between when I finish teaching my yoga classes and when Viv heads back into the office for the afternoon.”

  They chatted for a few more minutes before saying goodbye. Logan hung up and set his phone back down on the counter. “We’re on for Monday at noon. I hope you’re OK with coming with me? I feel like I should find out a little more about their expectations of me. And I want you to be a part of these conversations. This all feels very real all of a sudden.”

  Laina reached across the counter and took his hand. “Of course I’ll be there for you. How are you feeling? Any regrets?”

  Logan hesitated before shaking his head. “I wouldn’t say that. I really hope we get good news in a couple of weeks, for their sake. I know how much they want this baby.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m a little worried that I can’t be what they need. Why did I promise what I did? I have no clue what it means to do ‘dad stuff.’ I didn’t exactly have a prototype.”

  Laina smiled. “You’re incredible, Logan Matthews. I have a feeling you’ll be just right. But it couldn’t hurt to share your feelings with them so everyone is on the same page.” She stood, reaching up to kiss him. “Now, what were you about to tell me be
fore Sienna called?”

  Logan studied her for a moment. “You know what? Let’s go for a ride. I’ll tell you all about it on the trail.”

  Thirty minutes later, they’d finished saddling up two horses and were preparing to head out when they heard a commotion outside the barn. Buck was returning with a small group of riders, and he had just dismounted when he spotted Laina and Logan leading their horses out toward him.

  Laina nodded hello at the handsome rancher, who was studying the couple with a quiet smile as they approached. “Hey, Buck. How was the ride?”

  Buck looked past Laina toward his young friend. Logan shook his head almost imperceptibly, indicating he hadn’t told Laina about Janice yet. Buck took the hint.

  “Pretty day for a ride, that’s for sure. You kids have a good time. Which direction are you headed?”

  Logan cinched their saddles one final time to ensure that they were secure. “Thought we might head up toward Viv and Sienna’s place. Maybe take a dip in the lake if we have time.”

  Laina turned to stare at him. She thought she saw his jaw twitch as he fought a smile.

  Buck was pleased to see Logan happy. He’d watched him keep other women at arm’s length in his persistent pursuit of Laina over the past year. It was satisfying to see that Logan’s instincts had been spot-on. The spirited girl had obviously been worth the wait, if the current twinkle in his young friend’s eye was any indication.

  They said goodbye, and Logan and Laina headed up the hill toward the trailhead. They rode together in comfortable silence for the first few minutes, enjoying the peace and tranquility of the forest. The day was warm, but the lush canopy of trees provided a welcome relief from the beating hot sun. Laina loved the sharp, dusky smell of the aspen trees, mixed with the earthy aroma of the sagebrush underfoot. The sound of hooves beating against the dirt and the gentle way her horse carried her up the forest trail relaxed Laina, and she settled into the beast’s rhythm as she followed Logan’s lead. After a while, they came into a clearing and Logan motioned for her to ride alongside him. Laina did so, waiting for him to tell her about whatever was so clearly weighing on his mind.