by Carly Carson
He'd weighed love, and found it wanting. Too much pain. Not enough gain. So he'd cut it out of his life. She understood perfectly now why he paid women for sex. If he put his relationships all on a financial footing, there would be no need for emotion to play a part. He would never have to be drawn into love again, nor into the hurt that love could produce.
"I've thought about it often," he murmured. "How I took that one chance with you, not using a rubber, when I never had before. Was that my body's way of insisting that I get on with life? Or am I making too much of a basic sexual urge?"
"You thought I was on the pill."
"That's never been enough for me not to take other precautions."
"I found out that the pill doesn't always work when you're on antibiotics," Amanda admitted. "I should have known."
"I'm sorry I blamed you." He laid a hand on her bed. "I should have been less judgmental. I knew you well enough to know you wouldn't trap anyone like that."
A nurse walked into the room, pushing Laura in a plastic cart on wheels. "All set," she announced cheerfully. "Does anyone want to hold her?"
The eagerness in Logan's face made Amanda want to cry again. He wanted someone to love so badly.
"Let her dad hold her," she said softly. "I've had her for almost nine months."
Logan took the baby carefully. His big hands curved gently around his daughter.
"She's so tiny," he said, his voice low. "So vulnerable."
"She's your future."
He raised his eyes to hers. "What if I can't protect her?"
"There are no guarantees. You're not God."
Logan leaned close enough to wrap an arm around Amanda. He lifted Laura in his other arm. "Look at the miracle we made. It's impossible to feel any regret now."
A few tears leaked from Amanda's eyes. "Do you mean that, Logan?"
"Of course I do."
"I want you to be in Laura's life." She turned her head to look into his eyes. "But I could never expose her to you if you didn't love her. If you believe you can't, please let us go. We'll be fine."
"I'm terrified of loving her," he admitted. "I swore I would never allow myself that emotion again."
"I know that now." Amanda wanted to cry in earnest, but she wouldn't do it. No wonder he'd always tried to push her away. She understood now, even if she didn't like it. He'd learned that love could carry a huge emotional price.
"But I've learned a lot since you got pregnant," he said quietly. "Mostly I've learned how I feel about you."
He looked into her eyes with the strong, steady gaze she adored. "I love you," he said. "Can you give me another chance?"
She clutched the sheets, trying to ground herself against the hope rising in her heart. "A chance for what, Logan?"
"For all of it." His half smile touched his lips. "Love, marriage and the baby carriage."
Amanda gasped. "Marriage?" she squeaked. Where had that come from?
Logan looked surprised. "What did you think I wanted?"
"Sex?" The word emerged without conscious thought from her.
He grinned. "That would definitely be part of it. Hell, the second I laid eyes on you, I wanted to bend you over my desk and fuck you. That hasn't changed."
Amanda stared at him. "You did? You sure hid it well."
"I don't wear my heart on my sleeve." He pulled her tighter. "I don't think I ever will. But I hope you know, every beat of my heart is for you."
Epilogue
One month after Laura's birth, Amanda, Logan, and the baby made the move back to Manhattan on a beautiful fall day. They stopped once on the trip from Cape Cod so that Amanda could nurse Laura. Logan and Felipe went into the rest area and returned with snacks and hot coffee. Amanda enjoyed the cozy pleasure of holding Laura, smelling her sweet baby scent, and listening to Logan's deep voice as he talked quietly on his phone. When Amanda was finished, Logan turned off his cell and held Laura, while Amanda buttoned up her shirt. Logan's gaze on her was hot.
"It's a good thing I love that baby," he said. "Or I'd be jealous of her."
Amanda giggled. "You're good for my ego."
"Your new boobs are good for my imagination." He settled the baby in her car seat and then sat next to Amanda, wrapping a strong arm around her and pulling her close. "I have a surprise for you." He signaled Felipe that they were ready to go.
Amanda snuggled against him with a sigh of happiness. "Another one?" He'd already surprised her with a small wedding on the Cape one week after Laura's birth. Her mom and Julie had made it home just in time. "Is it something to do with my new job?" she asked. "Have I thanked you for that?" She'd been so busy with everything – the new baby, visiting with her mom and sister, packing up to return to the city.
"No need for thanks." Logan squeezed her shoulder. "I couldn't find anyone better than you to run Rosie's new venture."
Amanda sighed. "I still feel badly about what happened with Daily Eats. The Molloys will never think kindly of me."
"The Molloys love us," he said. "I found another buyer for them."
"You did?" She straightened up to stare at him. "Who?"
"I asked around over the summer and someone introduced me to a company that makes specialty foods. They were looking to extend their brand to kids' stuff." He grinned. "I pocketed a finder's fee, and everyone was happy."
She shook her head. "You were a busy boy this summer."
"I was a lonely boy." He pulled her back down to nestle against him. "Come here," he said. "I have a lot of cuddling to make up for."
"And you do it so well." Amanda pushed her nose into his hard chest, inhaling that all-male scent she'd never get tired of.
"Anyway," Logan continued, "don't worry about the Molloys. I had Phoebe write them a letter of apology."
"What?" Amanda's head jerked up again in surprise. "I was going to go after Phoebe when I got back to New York."
"You think I didn't know that? I decided to get it done for you."
"How'd you track her down?" Red and gold-leafed trees rushed by as they sped down Route 95. Amanda thought sometimes her life was rushing by at the same pace. It seemed a long time ago that Phoebe's treachery had caused her so much trouble. She hadn't forgotten about it, but she'd had to put aside her determination to make Phoebe confess. Her pregnancy had been more important and now, as Amanda gazed at her baby sleeping peacefully in her car seat, she knew she'd made the right choice.
She picked up Logan's hand. "Thank you for doing that. I guess you had Phoebe's address from the company's files."
"It only took a phone call." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You remember my friend David, from the wedding?"
She nodded. "David and June. I liked them."
"He's an assistant district attorney. I had him call Phoebe."
"You didn't! Is that even legal?"
"He didn't threaten her. Of course, he didn't have to. I believe he mentioned the illegal escort business and then he mentioned a mysterious forged email that needed to be accounted for."
"That email wasn't exactly illegal, was it?"
"Who knows?" Logan shrugged. "I needed relief from the discrimination lawsuit more than I needed to sue her for the escort business. I offered Phoebe a deal through David and she cut her losses. You and the Molloys got the apology you deserved."
"They dropped the discrimination lawsuit?"
"Of course. They got a good offer for their company, and that's what they wanted."
"That was nice of David to intervene for you."
"Yeah," Logan said absently. He used the hand that was resting on her shoulder to lift the top of her shirt and take a peek. "We have an invitation from June somewhere at the house."
"The house? We left it on the Cape?" She thought she'd been careful to pack up everything, but it was too late now. The beautiful fall scenery had given way to the hard edges of a crowded urban landscape. They'd reached the city.
"No." Logan glanced out the window as the limo glided to a stop. "Thi
s house."
Amanda bolted upright, wondering where they were. She hadn't really been paying attention, but now she could see they were on one of the narrow side streets of the upper East side.
She grabbed Logan's thigh. "Where are you bringing us? Why aren't we at the condo?"
"I bought a home for us." Logan waved to a beautiful brownstone tucked in among a row of equally well-maintained homes. "This is my surprise."
"What? When?" She didn't even know what to ask. "Where did you get the money?"
"In all the excitement, I didn't get to tell you that I was able to have the public offering for part of my company. It was very successful."
"In all the excitement?" What was he talking about?
Logan lifted Laura gently from her car seat. "The offering took place on the same day Laura was born."
"While you were at the hospital with me?" Amanda's brain didn't seem to be functioning properly. "You left New York and came to the Cape when the public offering was taking place?"
"Are you kidding?" Logan frowned, looking genuinely confused. "Nothing on earth could have kept me from your side once Mrs. MacDonald called me."
He exited the car with Laura and held out a hand to Amanda. "I gave the condo to your mother."
Amanda halted with one foot on the concrete sidewalk and the other still in the limo. "My mother accepted your condo?" Her mother had always been fiercely independent.
"She was a tough sell." Logan grabbed Amanda's hand and pulled her to her feet. "I finally managed to convince her that a family was more important to me than more money in the bank."
"But—but—" Tears sprang into Amanda's eyes. She didn't know what to say. A cool breeze lifted her hair, and she heard the muted sounds of city traffic from the busy avenue that crossed the end of the block. She was happy to be back in Manhattan, and even happier to learn that her family would be so near.
Logan pressed Laura to his shoulder and wrapped his free arm around Amanda. "Honey, nothing I can ever give you can compare with the gift you've given me."
He gestured toward the top of the steps, where people were emerging from the house. Her mom, beaming with joy. Julie, sparkling and energetic, now that she could breathe easily. Julie twirled on the top step. "Look what Rosie made me!" Her hot pink dress had skinny gold zippers zigzagging all over it.
"Are there any zippers left in Manhattan?" Amanda called back. Now was not the time to be teary-eyed, even if they were tears of joy.
Rosie grinned. "That dress is sold out, I'll have you know."
Mrs. MacDonald waved cheerfully.
Logan leaned his head down to speak into Amanda's ear. "Our home. Our family. Let's go greet them."
###
Note from Carly Carson: Thank you so much for reading this story! I hope you enjoyed it.
Other Books from Carly Carson
Other books by Carly Carson:
Baby, It's Cold Outside (Novella): Amazon: http://amzn.com/B006FD0LZK
Don't hoax a man if you're going to be trapped with him in a blizzard. Especially if he's too hot to resist. A blizzard is brewing outside, but it's nothing compared to the storm heating up inside the apartment.
Excerpt here: http://www.carlycarson.com/mynewblogwp/bookshelf-2/baby-its-cold-outside-2/
Short Stories by Carly Carson in the Love Charm Series:
Love Charm for Ashley: http://amzn.com/B009RZ8YXY
A lonely teacher casts her homemade love charm into the cold waters of Boston Harbor. She wants desperately to believe in her unique magic ingredient to win her a "forever after" love. The hot Special Forces soldier who appears is desperate for her. But the world is his stomping ground, and nothing lasts for more than a night.
Does the love charm have enough power to create the magic of true love?
Excerpt here: http://www.carlycarson.com/mynewblogwp/bookshelf-2/bookshelf/
Love Charm for Brenna: http://amzn.com/B00A72G096
Brenna casts her love charm at a ritzy Venetian masquerade ball. She knows exactly which guy she wants to win. But two intriguing men appear at the ball. Can she see beneath the disguises to her own true love, even if he's the unexpected one?
Excerpt here:http://www.carlycarson.com/mynewblogwp/bookshelf-2/love-charm-for-brenna/
Love Charm for Carlotta: http://amzn.com/B00AHJN4ZW
Carlotta doesn't believe in love charms. Especially not when the bad boy hockey player from her past suddenly re-appears in her life. But the small town island atmosphere of Martha's Vineyard conspires against her when she tries to escape him. Do people change, or will she be courting heartbreak again if she succumbs to her high school sweetheart?
Excerpt here: http://www.carlycarson.com/mynewblogwp/bookshelf-2/love-charm-for-carlotta/
Copyright Notice for Love Charm for Ashley: Copyright 2012 by Carly Carson. All rights reserved.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
http://carlycarsonauthormyblog.wordpress.com/link-directory-for-carly-carson/
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Epilogue
Other Books from Carly Carson