She watched the muscles flex in his arms as he ran his hands through his thick hair, clearly ill at ease. Maybe he was feeling the same way she was about being there. He had no business flaunting his muscular body in that clinging tee-shirt. What was he trying to do, give the women at his table a heart attack?
“What are you grinning at?” Margaret asked, following the direction of Libby’s interest.
Libby shrugged. “I think you like Vincent,” she began, desperate to put the object of her curiosity on him and off Logan.
Margaret snorted. “That shows what you know, young’un. I…”
“Gram!” Libby leaned in close. “Be careful or you’ll give me away.” Her eyes touched on the people sitting closest to them, thankful to see everyone was intent on setting up for the next round and could care less what was happening around them.
Her grandmother made a sound, waving Libby off in a gesture that said she was worried over nothing. Libby’s gaze shot toward Logan again. It struck her funny bone that Vincent had managed to coerce him into playing bingo. She couldn’t help wondering what his story was. Libby knew he was there recuperating from an accident. But her instincts told her there was more to Logan’s reasons for hiding out at his grandfather’s. His reaction to her that afternoon had her convinced it was woman problems. His strong suggestion that she stay away from him couldn’t have been clearer. He’d practically uttered the same exact warning she’d screamed at Scott just before she stormed out the door of their apartment not to return.
Trouble with the opposite sex caused her ex-fiancé’s face to swim before her bifocal eyes. What a rat he’d turned out to be! And her parents liked him. If they knew half the things he’d done to her before she smartened up and sent him on his way, they’d be appalled. Her breakup with Scott had been a long time in coming. The signs he’d been cheating on her had been there for a long time, only she’d brushed them aside. Then he’d gone too far, and her days of making excuses for his actions were over.
The night in question came to mind, like it had happened yesterday. Scott had just returned home from a business trip that had gone from one night to a whole weekend. Libby would never forget the look on his face when she opened his suitcase to unpack, only to discover it filled with women’s clothing. She could grin now, thinking about it and the long silence that had followed as he stood there, staring with disbelief at the sexy undergarments tossed haphazardly on top. He’d mistakenly grabbed his girlfriend’s suitcase instead of his own. After that Libby had packed a bag and left.
And he’d been trying to get her back ever since. She couldn’t understand why. Cheating on her was obvious proof there was something lacking in their relationship, and that she hadn’t made him happy.
“Bingo!”
Libby started, realizing she hadn’t even been playing. “I’m going for a drink, want one, Margaret?”
“Break’s not for another ten minutes,” was all she said, not looking up as she prepared the twelve bingo cards in front of her.
Libby didn’t know how she did it when she could barely keep up with two. With a shrug she left the table, weaving her way around the various chairs of people in her way. She was going to have to walk right past Logan, and was about to swerve in another direction when Vincent glanced up and caught her eye. “Evening, Reba,” he said with a big smile.
She couldn’t very well ignore him now. “Hi, Vincent, I saw you win earlier, congratulations.” Libby tried her hardest not to glance at Logan but she was very much aware of his silent scrutiny. Swallowing, she decided she’d better look at him or he might get suspicious. “And how are you doing tonight, young man?” She pushed her glasses up her nose so Logan couldn’t get a clear view of her eyes.
His friendly smile took her breath away. It also sent a flash of unexpected desire through her body. “Fine, ma’am. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had so much excitement,” he joked good-naturedly.
“Logan’s a good grandson,” Vincent piped in, visually ruffling Logan’s blonde hair. “Not every grandson would spend his evening keeping his old grandfather company at bingo.”
“Yes, well…” Libby tried to smile but it was hard when it suddenly felt like a furnace burned inside her body. It had to be the lack of air conditioning. They never turned on the air, or if they did kept it on low. And she was dressed to cover anything the body suit didn’t disguise. “We should all be so lucky.” She grabbed the collar to her long-sleeved blouse and began to fan herself.
“Are you all right, Reba?” There was real concern in Vincent’s cracked voice. “You look danged flushed all of a sudden. Maybe you should sit down.”
“Hot flashes,” Libby answered quickly, forgetting that most women her supposed age were well past that stage. She pushed her glasses back up when they proceeded to slip down her nose. Lord, she was melting right before their eyes. “I was just going for a drink.”
“Why don’t you go with her, Logan, just in case she feels faint or something,” Vincent advised. “You’re not playing bingo anyway.”
“No need, really. I’m fine.” Libby didn’t care if her sharp voice gave cause for raised brows. She turned and walked as fast as she could to the concession stand, resisting the urge to look over her shoulder because she knew Logan was there. She smiled at the man selling drinks and snacks. “Can I please have a glass of water?”
He handed her a glass. “That will be a nickel for the glass and ice. The water fountain is around the corner.”
A nickel? Libby didn’t have a penny on her. “Oh damn…” she swore beneath her breath, forgetting about Logan.
“Here, let me,” he said, his breath stirring the hair at the back of Libby’s neck.
She reached up to stop it from tickling her, turning at the same time. She made the mistake of glancing down just in time to catch Logan with his hand in his jean pocket. The action caused the material over his zipper to stretch to the max, outlining what she already knew was a very sizeable body part.
Oh Lord! Libby turned hotter, not realizing her mouth had fallen open as she waited for Logan to produce the nickel he was digging for. Didn’t the blasted man ever wear anything other than skintight jeans? She began to fan herself in earnest, unaware that in doing so a couple buttons came undone at her throat. Logan’s eyes narrowed on her. Misunderstanding the frown that followed
Libby quickly commented, “Goodness, it’s warm in here.”
“Maybe you’d better sit down, ma’am, your face looks hot. I’ll get you that water.”
Libby didn’t bother protesting, glad for the break when Logan disappeared around the corner with her glass of ice. Maybe now was a good time to escape. But he wasn’t gone long enough. She took the water from him, careful not to touch his fingers, and drank it down greedily. She wouldn’t be surprised if steam rolled off her body.
“Are you wearing anything under that blouse?”
What? Libby’s eyes widened with shock. Yeah, she was wearing something beneath her blouse, but she doubted he was talking about a lacy bra. “Excuse me? I-ah…what?” She realized she was stammering but surely she hadn’t heard him correctly.
“You look overheated,” he explained, concern in his expression. “It’s the middle of summer and if you’ll pardon my observations, ma’am, you’re a little overdressed. If you take off that warm blouse...”
“Young man!” Libby gasped, within an inch of tossing her darn glasses away as she pushed them up her nose for the hundredth time. She was sweating like a pig, positive her glasses weren’t going to be the only thing slipping off her face before long. She tried to get up but Logan was standing too close and she lost her balance, landing back in her seat with an undignified grunt. “Oh!”
“Let me help you,” Logan insisted, taking her by the arm before she could find her voice.
“I don’t need your help!” Libby said sharply, feeling the sweat roll down her brow. “I’m perfectly capable of undressing myself!” What was she saying? The shocked look
spreading across Logan’s expression gave Libby a quick dose of reality. She unwillingly met the curious stares of the people sitting at the table nearest them. “I mean I’m not wearing anything under this!”
Oh Lord, she hadn’t meant to say that either. Libby just wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. If there was anything worse than an oversexed teenager making a play for an older woman, it was an old woman who had the hots for a man young enough to be her grandson. She couldn’t see any way out of the hole she’d dug. For a moment she stared up at Logan, forgetting all about her disguise. Another wave of heat enveloped her body when she allowed her eyes to touch on that chiseled mouth, wondering what it would taste like. Would it soften with a kiss? Would her toes curl? Would he mind if she nibbled on that sexy bottom lip just a little bit?
“Ma’am?”
It was obvious by the concern in Logan’s tone that he didn’t have a clue what was going through Libby’s mind. And why should he? “I need to go to the bathroom,” Libby managed to get out, jumping to her feet. “By myself!” The action caught Logan by surprise and he jumped back, having no choice but to let her step around him.
“Bingo!”
Libby recognized her grandmother’s ecstatic voice, glancing up in time to see her raising her arms in victory, but she didn’t let it keep her from continuing to the bathroom. Just as she was about to close the door she heard the announcement that there would be a ten-minute break. Once inside she leaned against the door, wondering if there was a back way out of there. Maybe she could crawl out the window, only there wasn’t one. Almost immediately someone began pushing the door from the other side and Libby had no choice but to let them in. It didn’t take long for the tiny bathroom to fill up and she slipped back outside, thanking God when she didn’t see any sign of Logan. Everyone was up and moving around, stretching their legs and visiting with friends at different tables. Some were lined up at the concession counter for something to drink, or a snack.
“Li—Reba, dear, are you okay?”
Libby swung around at the sound of her grandmother’s concerned voice. “Actually no, I’m afraid I have a terrible headache coming on. I think I’ll skip the next round of bingo and head home.”
“Yes, maybe that would be best. I’ll see you later.”
The headache wasn’t a total lie. There was a dull pounding behind her eyes that indicated she was in for a doozy if she didn’t find a way to wind down, and cool off. She couldn’t wait to get out of her disguise, practically running home. One thing was certain—she was going to have to learn to ignore her run-ins with Logan or she was going to be a basket case by the end of summer. She wondered how long Logan planned on staying. Surely his recuperation was almost over. He certainly didn’t appear to have any physical impairment that would keep him from doing anything he wanted.
She was half-naked by the time she reached her bedroom, ripping off things as she went along. Yanking the curly wig off her head, she shook her hair free, running her fingers through the silky strands and massaging her sore scalp. Maybe a swim at the community pool would help relieve the stress. It would certainly cool her down.
Libby’s gaze shot to the clock on her dresser when it dawned on her that the pool had closed an hour ago. Well, she needed to cool down and at least she would have the pool to herself. She quickly changed into her swimsuit, grabbed a towel and wrote her grandmother a note. Reba was gone and Libby was going for a swim.
Chapter 4
Something was bothering Logan only he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. His instincts were usually good but lately they’d failed him when he needed them most. Maybe he’d been at Cypress Glen too long. The sort of stimulation offered for the elderly was a little too tame for him. Even if his grandfather’s social life was a lot more active than his was at the moment, he needed something more electrifying than a night of bingo, which was exactly where he’d left his grandfather a short time ago.
Logan didn’t know why the thought of something exciting caused him to think about a little redhead in a tank top and cutoffs. Libby was trouble. He didn’t need instincts to know that. And he’d do well to stay the hell away from her. At least that might not be too difficult, unless she made a habit of visiting Margaret often.
The moonlight guided Logan directly to the gate leading to the pool. He turned the handle, swearing beneath his breath when he found it locked. Why the heck would they think it necessary to lock the pool when the whole darn place was surrounded by a high-tech security gate system? It didn’t make sense. He stared at the shimmering water, seeing the moon reflected upon the quiet surface. It was hot and he’d been counting on that swim. He wondered how much trouble he could get into disregarding the rules and going over the top. It wasn’t all that high. Tossing his towel to a nearby chair he grabbed the top of the gate, heaved himself over and landed spryly on his feet.
He went straight to the deep end and dove in without hesitation, taking several vigorous laps from one end of the pool to the other, before stopping in the shallows by the stairs to catch his breath. Swimming had been about the only exercise he’d been allowed since his accident. And being in the cool water felt damn well against his healing body. But lately Logan had been working out at the small gym on the property. Sooner or later he was going to be cleared to go back to work and he wanted to be ready. He was ready now. Mentally if not physically, though some of his doctors might argue that point with him. Being pinned beneath a burning tree could make some firefighters toss in their hats and walk away for good.
Logan was thinking about how close he’d come to making that decision when a small sound penetrated his silent musings. He was resting against the edge of the pool, water lapping around his neck. He turned his head enough to see someone doing the very thing he’d done a few minutes earlier, only with a little more grace. Damn, all he’d wanted was a nice quiet swim alone. Maybe with a little luck they’d never notice he was there in the shadows. He remained quiet.
It was too dark to see who it was but once they stepped into the moonlight and dropped their towel Logan got a clear view of a slim form and jutting breasts. As the woman continued to the deep end he sucked in his breath, his heart literally ceased beating. Without hesitation she reached behind her to undo her bikini top, letting it float to the pool deck before shimmying out of her bottoms with enough hip action to make a belly dancer jealous. She stepped up onto the diving board, and for a moment she was suspended in a slim ray of moonlight.
He released a low whistle between his teeth, realizing at that moment the seductive nymph he was ogling was none other than Margaret’s granddaughter, Libby. He tried to swallow, almost choking on his tongue. Her form was willowy slim yet had all the right curves to tempt a man into losing his mind. Her long hair hid her breasts from his view, stopping just short of her belly button. The lower half of her body was hidden in the shadows. The fact he couldn’t see her clearly didn’t stop his cock from swelling.
His body didn’t have any trouble recalling what her luscious bottom felt like against it. What her breasts had felt like smashed against his chest. His mouth ached to taste hers. Then suddenly she raised her arms and flipped that fiery mane behind her shoulders before diving gracefully into the cool water. It was the sound of her hitting the water that broke the spell Logan was in, and for the first time in what seemed a lifetime he sucked in air.
Damn! His hand moved down his body to adjust his boxer style swimsuit, but the wet material wouldn’t cooperate. It clung to his tingling shaft like a glove. He couldn’t remember getting a full-blown hard-on so fast. His gaze remained fixed on the water in front of him, wondering where Libby would appear. She surfaced about halfway in the middle, running her hands over her face to brush the hair out of her eyes.
Logan was mildly surprised she hadn’t spotted him yet. Maybe she had a lot on her mind. He watched her wade to the other side of the pool, where a large tree grew close to the deck. For a moment she disappeared in the dark shadows it cast upon
the water. His eyes narrowed, adjusting against the darkness until he could make her out again. He watched as she hoisted herself out of the water and headed back to the diving board.
This time when Libby stepped into the moonbeam Logan clearly saw everything the lady had to offer. Her hair was wet and slick, sticking to her body. He took in her lissome figure again, her shapely breasts and slim waist, the graceful curve of her hips and long, lithe legs. His eyes finally narrowed on the tuff of hair covering her mound. His shaft responded by throbbing painfully, hungry to slip inside her warm body. He had no doubt she’d sheathe him in tight, wet heat.
Hot.
As she dove a second time, Logan slowly waded forward until he knew he was in the moonlight when she surfaced. He sensed Libby’s awareness of him long before he heard her soft gasp of surprise.
“Oh my God!” She exclaimed. “I thought I was alone!”
Logan could make out the slightest movement of her arms as she fought to keep her head above water. “You could have warned me you were here,” she accused spiritedly.
“And miss the show?”
There was a brief pause. “I hope I didn’t disappoint you,” she said with mild sarcasm.
“There’s nothing indecent about the naked body,” he defended himself, wading slowly closer. It was as though he was being guided by his rock-hard shaft as it strained toward the source of its hunger. “Are you ashamed of it?”
“No, I’m just not in the habit of parading around naked in front of strangers I haven’t slept with...yet.”
Her words enflamed Logan, which he was sure were her intentions. His breath turned heavy. “Strangers? We’re hardly that, or have you forgotten I’ve already held you in my arms?”
“Don’t remind me,” Libby said. “If you were any kind of gentleman you’d leave.”
Out of Control Page 4