“Come on, hurry up, slowpoke,” she said, walking backward down the hall. “My stomach’s growling. I swear there’s a gremlin living in there.”
Her face glowed and something warm unfurled in his belly. Logan sucked in a sharp breath. Stop. Don’t go there.
In a matter of minutes, he dropped down beside her on a pillow as she began digging out the containers.
“Is that? A real chili dog! Burgers and fries and BLTs, oh my!” She giggled.
Logan joined in, enjoying her delight. She was open and excited and her enthusiasm swept over him. “It’s the little things that make you happy.”
“Simple things—get it right! Let me design and create and throw me some good food every once in a while and I’m a happy girl.”
That was his Red to a T. She wasn’t difficult or complicated. Two things he’d missed terribly. He dug out the desserts, lining them up. “Warm brownie with ice cream and chocolate syrup on the side. Apple pie—how American can you get?— with more vanilla ice cream.”
“Fried chicken!” She nearly groaned, pulling another one out of a bag. “Steak and a baked potato? Seriously, Logan?”
“That one’s mine, but I’ll share.”
“Of course. And you’ve got to help me eat the rest—well, some of it. A club sandwich! Cheesesteak!”
“They don’t have egg rolls downstairs, so I’ll take you to lunch tomorrow and we can get some.”
“Deal.”
In the end, they skipped the plates and ate out of the containers, practically devouring the first few bites.
“Sample everything first,” she said, holding up the burger for him to take a bite from.
Leaning over, he sunk his teeth in it.
“Hey, fingers, remember?” She giggled and then took a bite for herself. Rach moaned softly as she chewed.
“Fries,” he reminded her, grabbing one and feeding it to her.
“This is so good. I didn’t know how much I missed it until I came back home. You ever feel that way, Logan?”
He scanned her briefly. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” He wasn’t talking about food or a place. He was talking about her. “Missed you, Rach. It’s not the same.”
A delicate frown played between her brows as she dug into the chicken. “I had to go. You even wanted me to. I think that’s the only way Grammy agreed to it.”
“You wanted it so badly.” He shrugged. “It was time to find out what you were made of. It looks like you did.”
“I loved it there. The land, the people. Beautiful. The things I learned about working with leather were invaluable.”
“The time from under your grandmother’s thumb…”
“There is that.” She chuckled. “I never realized how much influence she had over me. Or rather, how many decisions I let her make for me.”
“She likes to micromanage, even you.” Logan held up his fork with a piece of tender steak and fed her.
“Hmmm…” Once she finished, she said, “You kept warning me. But did I listen?”
“A couple times, maybe.” He shot her a grin and she jabbed him with her elbow.
“Anyway, my sketchbook is filled with ideas and designs. It’s like my mind opened up and dove right in. Now that I’m back, I can’t wait to get started here.”
“That’s why I arranged the temporary studio at King’s for you. You need a place to create. What better space then among other designers?”
“It sounds too good to be true.” She slid a glance his way and it did strange things to him. “You’re not trying to manage me, are you? Grammy style?”
Logan swallowed hard. If she only knew. “I could never be as good as she is.”
She sucked in a shaky breath. “But you’re hip-deep in her business. What’s up with that?”
The old Rach never would have asked. The new one, braver and more direct, just had. “Darling Enterprises needed me,” he improvised.
“And you drop everything to come back to Dallas on a request?” Shifting the food containers around, she pulled the brownie closer, taking a hunk of it. “Oh, that’s so good. You have to try some.” Again, she fed him, but slower this time and more deliberate.
Electric currents ran through him at her newfound sensuality and barely there robe. Her eyes, blue and hypnotic, held his. He clamped his mouth around the fork and she eased it out. Warm chocolate blasted on his tongue, melting there. “Delicious.” But Logan wasn’t talking about the food anymore.
“What’s going on?” Her serious look and questioning gaze told him she was asking about the business and about them.
“In spite of how capable she looks, the Dame needed help with a fresh pair of eyes.” He’d edited it down to the bare minimum.
“And you’ve seen things…”
“Plenty.” But he couldn’t tell her that. “It’s shifted. I’m trying to get it back in balance.” He partially lied again and it killed him to do that to her.
Rach wrapped her robe a little tighter around herself. “There’s more.”
Logan Wolfe captured her stare, getting lost in her eyes. How had things changed so drastically in such a short amount of time? She’d grown into a beautiful woman. He had a choice to make at this moment. He could dodge, elude, or flat out tell her.
“What are you hiding, Logan?”
My feelings. Reaching out, he brushed his fingers along the curve of her jaw. So incredibly soft. Thankfully, she didn’t flinch or pull away. Slowly, he leaned toward her, inch by inch. Still she didn’t move, even when he cupped the back of her head in his palm, her silky dark hair sliding over him like a caress.
“Are…you sure about this?” Her voice trembled.
“Hell, no,” he whispered, a hairsbreadth away from her mouth. “But how long are we going to deny it?” With painstaking restraint, Logan settled his lips on hers.
They gasped in unison.
***
Warmth rushed through Rach at the touch of his firm lips. It was better than she’d imagined. More than she dared to have with her longtime friend.
But it didn’t stop there.
He sought out more. “Kiss me,” he demanded hoarsely.
A quiver wracked her and she increased the pressure, sliding her lips over his, in a sensual dance.
His moan rumbled and sent nerves scattering.
Reaching out, she touched his warm, bare chest. He shivered. Pressing her hand against him, she felt the rapid beat of his heart. That brought her back to the moment with a crash.
Rach ended the kiss, slowly withdrawing from him physically and then pulling away from him entirely. Would they ruin everything between them?
“Logan.” She licked her lips, tasting him there. His heated gaze sent tingles down her spine. “Is this what you really want?” She’d die if either one of them weren’t serious about this. Why start something if they weren’t going to follow through?
“Yes. No. That’s the best answer I can give you.” He tamed the desire flashing in his eyes as he eased away, pressed his back against the couch, and leaned his head back. He blew out a breath and then another one.
“I think I know what you mean.” For months now, she’d immersed herself in her Italian lifestyle: working, eating, even dating once in a while, and getting to know the lovely villagers where she stayed. She soaked it all up and occasionally— all right, more than that—thought about Logan. More so, when Grammy called. While her mind had soaked up knowledge, so had her heart in wisdom as she grew to see the giving, loving nature of more than one longtime older couple in the small village.
She wanted that for herself.
But Logan and she had agreed a long time ago that loving someone meant having temporary insanity. They’d seen it with their parents. Rash and impetuous, the middle generation couples dreamed up a second honeymoon at the last minute and off they went…and never returned.
Looking at him, his eyes closed and head back against the cushion, she knew she wanted him. But could he live up to be
the man she longed for?
With anxiety gnawing at her, she moved in measured degrees, getting closer. Kneeling, she eased a leg over him and then straddled him.
He jerked his eyes open and clamped his hands around her upper arms. “What the hell, Rach?”
Fear raced through her. Wrong move!
“One kiss and you think you can get to home base with me?” A muscle in his jaw jumped as he tried to smile. “What kind of guy do you think I am anyway?”
She laughed—well, at least she tried. It came out on a puff of anxiety. “And here I thought you liked me.” It was half joke, half serious. She waited for his response, her breath hitching.
“Doubts? About me?” He ran his hands down her arms.
“Friends, no question.” The rest of it hung in the air.
“What? I thought you wanted friends with benefits.” His smile tugged up at the corner, making him look devilish.
With her legs cradling his hips and now his hands clamped on hers, she didn’t have any concerns about his, er, growing attraction for her. “Could we?” What made her even ask that question?
“And the Grans—what would they say about it? Because they’d eventually find out.”
She winced. “I forgot the Grans.” At least someone had some sense around here. It certainly wasn’t her. Regret pulsed in her. Her one chance and it was gone. Rach shoved against his hard, warm chest to get up.
Logan tugged her tighter, refusing to let her leave. “One more kiss. I like playing with fire.”
A tiny thrill sliced through her. Moving her hands along his wide, smooth chest and to his broad shoulders, she leaned down. Her hair fanned out, touching him. He shivered as she drew closer.
“Tease,” he whispered.
“I’m sure you could teach me a thing or two in that regard,” she said, intentionally shifting her target from his intoxicating mouth to his neck. She brushed her lips at the spot where his pulse throbbed.
He sucked in a sharp breath. His fingers gripped her through the robe.
Her chuckle, low and husky, escaped of its own free will. Trailing her kisses along his skin, she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Stuffed between the white leather cushion, black fabric poked out. She stilled. “What’s this?”
“Never mind. We can look later. Let’s get back to what you were doing.”
Rach reached out, plucking up the lacy material and holding it up. “Ew! Seriously, Logan? You had a girl in here? A thong?”
Jerking around, he saw the offending article. “That’s not mine.”
“Glad to know.” Crashing back to earth, Rach tossed the panties, or what passed for panties, aside and shoved away from him. He let her go. Her shaky legs held her up and she quickly began to clean up the mess.
“I don’t know whose those are, either.”
“Too many to count?” Why had she forgotten his playboy ways? He liked the ladies. His idea was to love ’em and leave ’em. Oh, they knew all right, and went along with it. Only she’d conveniently let it slip her mind for the last ten minutes or so while sucking face with him. God, how could she be so dumb?
“I haven’t dated in months. Nor anything else.” He’d gotten to his feet and helped her with the containers and bags.
She stilled. “That’s…funny.” But the air stayed trapped in her throat. He always had a date lurking in the background, ready to comply. Money and power were great attractions. Hey, his gorgeous looks didn’t hurt, either.
“It’s true.” His words rang with conviction.
Face-to-face with him now, her arms loaded with the remnants from dinner, she stared at him wide-eyed. “You’re not lying.” It wasn’t a question.
“I don’t even spend time in this room, Rach. I’m usually working in the office when I’m here.”
A whole host of reasons popped up. “No one you’re interested in?” This was the first time since, ah, grade school.
“Taking a much-needed break, all right?”
Her chest clutched. “Broken heart?”
“Hardly.”
Why did she want to jump for joy right now?
“Burnt out. Tired of games. That good enough for you?”
She bit her lip. “Yeah.” Glancing over at the scrap of fabric, she said, “Let’s get rid of that.” Rach shoved the armful of bags at him and he grabbed them up. “I’ll be right back.”
“I’m not going anywhere. But what are you up to?”
Marching into the kitchen, she opened and slammed drawers and doors until she found what she was looking for. “Got you, my pretty,” she said, charging back with a big plastic baggie. She stuck her hand in the bottom seam and turned it inside out. “Disposal method, coming right up.”
A smile flashed across his lips that sucked the breath right out of her.
Gingerly, she reached out and seized the thong, pulled the baggie around it, and then yanked her hand back. “And we have extraction nearly completed,” she announced, holding it out in front of her as she strode back in the kitchen. Rach jammed her foot down on the lever and the stainless-steel trash bin yawned open. Dropping the panty-filled bag in the trash, she murmured, “Good riddance.” She brushed her hands together.
Bachelor pad be gone!
Somehow she wished she could rewind the night just as easily. He was highly sought-after and experienced. His dating days weren’t over, just on hold. It was just a matter of time before there was someone else.
Why had she tried to fool herself? That kiss. His lips. “Yeah, that could delude me,” she muttered.
They’d pushed and moved that friendship line.
She groaned.
What would happen to them now?
Chapter 7
Logan peeked over at Rach sleeping soundly in the armchair. A small smile played around her mouth. He wondered if it were the memory of her delousing the sofa where he now rested with his arms behind his head, watching her, that caused it.
That kiss! Tingles darted through his body, sparking to life. Or was it the sight of her lying there, robe parted, with her bare leg up to her creamy white thigh showing? He’d loved to touch her there right now.
Why had he thought her staying with him would be the best solution? It had created questions he didn’t want to answer.
And she’d been the one to instigate the intimacy. If he could have read her thoughts, he’d have figured out where she was going. Gone was the girl he’d known and in her place was a woman: lush, ripe, and willing. He bit down on the ache that swept through him at the knowledge.
Could he stop her? Did he want to?
There were consequences.
For both of them.
Did he dare go there with her?
***
Rach stirred awake. Disoriented, she frowned. Why was there a long, glass window with twinkling lights outside it in her tiny Italian bedroom? And why was it so quiet? Where were Gino and Maria and their three noisy grandkids?
She blinked. It was still there.
Slowly, she skimmed her thoughts and then reality settled in. The last twenty-four hours rushed back with a vengeance.
Logan!
Biting back on a groan, she recalled what she’d done. Throw yourself at him, why don’t you?
Easing to a sitting position, Rach became aware of Logan. He slept soundly on the sofa. She sucked in a sharp breath as a sliver of light played along his body.
Touching him came to mind. However, she held back and took him in. Tall, lean with muscles to squirm over, he laid spread out, half dressed. His jeans rode low on his hips and she remembered being there, sitting there. Her cheeks warmed.
How daring she’d been! How delicious he’d tasted, and not just from the brownie she fed him.
Two things caught her attention. The empty liquor glass on the coffee table and his wallet beside it. He’d had a drink after she conked out. To soothe his rattled nerves?
A plan began to form. Rach gingerly got up from her chair. He didn’t even flinch
. Backing out of the room, she kept her eye on him. Nada. He was out for the count.
In the guest room, she found her clothes hanging in the closet and grabbed for the essentials. Jeans. Blouse. Leather coat. Boots to match. In a nearby drawer, she found her undergarments, remembering the lacy nothing she’d discovered last night.
Logan had confessed to being single for months. How was that possible? He claimed burnout. Work? Women? She should have adopted the friend mode and asked.
With all sorts of recriminations bouncing around in her head, she escaped to the bathroom. However, her thoughts dogged her as the warm spray washed away the drugging sleep. She scrubbed and shampooed in record time, even faster than when she only had cold water in the little home in Italy.
In less than twenty minutes, she was dried off, dressed, and now standing near Logan again. She tugged out three twenties from his wallet and replaced it with some euro she had.
Must go to the bank and exchange money.
First, she wanted to get to the bottom of everything and act out her plan. She hoped Logan didn’t figure it out before she completed it.
***
Her keys jangled as she opened Darling Enterprises’s office. Thankfully, the guard had agreed to let her upstairs. He’d barely been hired before she’d left for Italy, but he recalled her.
Those eyes, he’d said.
Yeah, she’d heard that before. Hey, it worked, so she was good.
The eerie quiet sucked her in the moment she entered. Turning around, she locked the doors behind her.
Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness; the lighting remained dim through the long night for the guards to peek in and check on the premises.
Rach stood for a second, taking in the reception area. Nothing had changed, yet everything had.
With that bizarre feeling pulsing in her, she focused on getting to her grandmother’s quarters.
The lush carpeting ate up the sound of her boots as she walked toward the large area in the back, the door yawning wide open.
once upon a romance 09 - hoodwinked by a wolfe Page 4