by J. L. Perry
Logan
I was still struggling to believe that actually just happened. Never had anyone made me feel the things I feel with Brooke. Sex had never been that good before. Ever! It just felt so right, and this strange connection with her was so intense. As I looked down at her beautiful face, I couldn’t help but smile. My feelings overwhelmed me. Brooke may not know this yet, but she was mine and I was never going to let her go.
Being inside her was heaven and I wanted to stay there forever, but I knew I couldn’t. I gently slipped out of her, pulled off the condom and tied it, threw it in the garbage next to the bed stand, then lay beside her and pulled her back into my arms. She snuggled into me as I kissed the top of her head. She looked up at me and smiled before yawning sweetly. I planted a kiss on her cute little nose.
“Sleep well, my angel,” I whispered as she put her head back on my chest.
“Good night, hot stuff,” she replied, snuggling even closer to me. I couldn’t see her face, but I knew she was smiling. I was smiling, too. How could I not be? It didn’t take me long to fall asleep because she had just made me the happiest man alive.
When I woke, I looked at the clock. 7:00 a.m. Brooke was still in my arms, just where she belonged, and I smiled when I remembered what had happened last night. I was cursing my early meeting now because I didn’t want to leave her. Unfortunately, it was important and I couldn’t miss it.
I was meeting with a private detective at 8:00 a.m. Mike. He was one of the best in the country and had done a lot of work for me in the past. Before starting his own company, he worked as a detective in the police force for over twenty years.
I called him last night when Brooke was in the bath because I needed him to help find Jake. The police hadn’t confirmed it was him yet but, in my heart, I knew it was.
I had kept Brooke’s old phone, the one she had smashed when she dropped it. Last night when she was in the bath, I checked the phone and there was a message.
I am going to ruin your life like you ruined mine, BITCH!
That confirmed it for me. Jake was definitely behind everything that had been happening. My plan was to give the phone to Mike and see if he could track where the texts were coming from. I didn’t like keeping secrets from Brooke, but she had been through a lot and I thought it best not to worry her just yet. As long as I could keep her with me, I knew she would be safe.
I begrudgingly slid out of bed, trying not to wake her. She needed her sleep. I took a quick shower and shaved before getting dressed. When I walked back into the room to grab my tie and suit jacket off the chair, Brooke was lying in bed, watching me.
“Good morning, hot stuff,” she said. “Come back to bed. I miss you.” She had a cute little pout on her face. I loved this playful side of her.
“Good morning, beautiful,” I replied as I put my tie on. “How did you sleep?”
“Like a baby,” she said with a smile before crooking her finger at me, motioning for me to come to her.
“Oh, baby,” I said with a sigh. “I would like nothing more than to come back to bed with you but, unfortunately, that’s just not possible. I have an early meeting that I just can’t miss.” She looked at me with her big, brown puppy dog eyes and sad little face. Christ, she is so adorable!
I walked over towards the bed. Even though I knew it was a bad idea, I did it anyway because I needed to kiss those beautiful lips of hers. “What are you doing?” she asked as I leaned down over her.
“Giving you a kiss.”
“Hold that thought,” she said, as she put her hand over her mouth. “I have morning breath. Just let me go brush my teeth.”
I didn’t care about her breath, but I let her get up and go to the bathroom. She wasn’t wearing any clothes and my cock twitched as I watched her walk across the room. Her arse was just like her legs…to die for. Actually, her whole body was amazing!
How could I possibly resist her? I knew I would be late, but only a fool would turn down someone like Brooke. I quickly got undressed and got back into bed, while she was still brushing her teeth. She looked at me with a smirk on her face when she came out of the bathroom.
“I only have about twenty minutes so we will have to be quick,” I explained. I pulled back the sheets and smiled at her. “Get that sexy body of yours back in bed.” She quickly walked back to the bed and climbed on top of me. I couldn’t get enough of this woman.
Needless to say, I was late for my meeting. I didn’t even have time for breakfast because I found it incredibly hard to leave her. Unfortunately, though, if I was going to keep Brooke safe, I needed this meeting to happen. I thought about her all the way to the office and was already looking forward to coming home tonight to see her.
I obviously had a huge smile on my face because I noticed Chris watching me in the mirror as we drove along. “You look awfully happy today,” he said sarcastically. I pressed the button to put the privacy screen up so he couldn’t see me. I heard him chuckle.
Bastard!
My meeting went well. If anyone could find Jake, it was definitely Mike. He told me he would call me as soon as he found out anything, and took Brooke’s old phone with him when he left.
Later that morning, I got a call from one of the detectives that had come to Brooke’s house the night before.
“Mr. Cavanagh,” he said, “I have some good news for you. The fingerprints we got last night from Mrs. Johnston’s house definitely belong to Jake Johnston.”
“That’s great news,” I replied. At least now we know with whom we are dealing. Now all we need to do is find the bastard. I was relieved we finally knew who it was, but I was also a little apprehensive because he’d already tried to kill her once.
The detective assured me that they were doing everything in their power to find him. I let him know that I had also hired a private detective to track him down. He told me that if we got any leads to let him know, and that they were going to make an application to the court, on Brooke’s behalf, to get an AVO (Apprehended Violence Order) against him. That meant that, at least on paper, he wasn’t allowed within two hundred metres of her. I thanked him and ended the call.
When the detective called Brooke “Mrs. Johnston”, I didn’t like it. I was going to talk to her tonight about filing for a divorce, and possibly changing her last name back to her maiden name.
The thought of Brooke changing her last name to mine was very appealing, but it was way too early to be thinking like that. Hopefully one day, she would become my wife. I surprised myself for even thinking that, but Brooke had me hook, line, and sinker.
The laws clearly stated that you had to be separated from your spouse for a minimum of twelve months before you could apply for a divorce. Lucky, in my profession, I had friends in high places so I knew that wouldn’t be a problem.
It was way too soon to be thinking about marrying Brooke but, in my heart, I knew I had found my soul mate. I’d found the one woman I knew, without a doubt, with whom I could spend the rest of my life. My mission was to make Brooke see that we were meant be to together.
I also needed to tell her that Jake was behind everything that had been happening, but I didn’t want to do it over the phone. Tonight, I would gently break the news to her. I’m sure she had her suspicions, but finding out it really was him would surely upset her.
CHAPTER TEN
Brooke
After Logan left for work, I got out of bed and showered, then got dressed. Going for a run was definitely out of the question. As much as I wanted to go, I knew I couldn’t. Until they found whomever was doing these things, it wasn’t safe to walk the streets.
Jill made me some breakfast. I hated her waiting on me, but she assured me it was her job and she liked doing it. Even though all these bad things were happening to me, I felt happy inside. I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt this good¸ and it was all because of Logan. He was a great person to be around.
My plan was to stay here and enjoy his company until they caught the per
son who was behind all this. I still hadn’t changed my mind about having a relationship with a lawyer. Even though I knew he was different, that didn’t change anything.
All I could do was pray that I didn’t get too attached to him before I left; otherwise, I was at risk of having my heart broken. I didn’t want to hurt him, either, but when it was time to leave, I was going to end this thing between us. Since I’d met him, I had brought nothing but drama to his life. I was certain he would soon get sick of me anyway. He would probably be glad to see me gone.
After breakfast, I went back to the bedroom to grab my mobile phone. I wanted to text Logan and make sure I hadn’t made him too late for his meeting this morning. When I picked up my phone, there was a message from Ellen, the owner of the dance school I had been teaching at. She was reminding me of the extra rehearsals that I had today.
With everything that has been going on, it totally slipped my mind. I needed to go because my students had a big concert in three weeks and they were relying on me. I decided to call Logan instead of texting him. He wasn’t going to be happy about me leaving the house but, frankly, I didn’t care. I had already decided that I was going to do this, whether he liked it or not.
I dialled his number, hoping I wasn’t going to disturb him. He answered on the second ring. “Good morning, beautiful,” he said, breathlessly.
I was glad he couldn’t see my blush over the phone. The effect he had on me was still surprising. “Hi, hot stuff. Listen, I got a call today from the owner of the dance studio. My students are relying on me so I need to go in. It’s not up for negotiation, either.”
Logan didn’t argue, which surprised me. “No problem. I’ll organise for Chris to take you and wait around until you finish.” I wasn’t happy about that, but it was the sensible thing to do, so I agreed. Before he hung up, he said, “I miss you. Be careful.”
Even though I was missing him, too, I didn’t say it. Saying it made me feel like I was leading him on and giving him false hope. But I suppose, after practically throwing myself at him last night, it was a bit late for that. “Thanks. I will.” Then I hung up.
That afternoon, I put my black dancing tights and Lycra singlet on, with my sheer black wrap-around skirt. I grabbed my jazz, tap, and ballet shoes out of my suitcase and put them in my dancing bag. Once I was ready, I went back downstairs and waited for Chris to come up and get me. When the elevator doors opened, I was shocked to see Logan standing there.
“What are you doing here?” I asked with a smile. I was happy to see him.
“I am coming, too,” he replied as he smiled back at me. “Four eyes are better than two.”
“Don’t you have work to do?”
“Nothing is more important than keeping my girl safe,” he replied with a wink. He took my bag out of my hand and planted a soft kiss on my lips. He was just so goddamn sweet. I was touched that he would take time away from his busy company to watch over me. Even though I liked it, the fact that he called me his girl also worried me.
On the way to the studio, Logan informed me that the detective had called to confirm it was Jake who had trashed my place. I think, deep in my heart, I knew it was him, but I was still shocked. It also upset me because I didn’t deserve this kind of treatment from him. Sure, I left him, but with good reason.
Logan also explained that he’d called the Bar Association earlier in the afternoon, and they informed him that Jake had his licence to practice law revoked over a month ago due to the criminal record he now had. Practicing law had meant a lot to Jake and I couldn’t help but feel sad for him.
We arrived at the studio and Logan instructed Chris to park out front, near the door. He asked him to stay in the car and keep watch on the people entering the building. Logan grabbed my dance bag off the seat, then helped me out of the car.
“You’re coming in?” I asked curiously.
“Yes. Is there a problem with that?”
“No, not at all,” I laughed. Logan slapped me on the backside as he followed me in.
Once we were inside the studio, I introduced him to Ellen and let her know that Logan was going to wait for me. She was practically drooling when I introduced her, and I noticed most of the mothers in the waiting room were staring with their mouths open.
I suppose it was to be expected because he really was a hunk. Judging by the big smile on Logan’s face, I think he was enjoying all the attention, too. I rolled my eyes. “Have a seat, Logan. I won’t be long.” He gave me a soft kiss on the lips.
“Okay, beautiful,” he replied mischievously. “I’ll be right here if you need me.” I rolled my eyes at him again and he laughed as I walked away.
The studio had two-way mirrors all along the front wall that divided the waiting room from the class. Ellen had set it up like this so the parents could sit and watch their children dance. It was also fitted with speakers so they could hear the music and whatever the teachers were saying. The set up was a great idea because it stopped the parents from interrupting the class and distracting the students, but also gave them a chance to see how their children were doing.
Most of my first class was waiting for me when I got into the room. I put my bag down in the corner and got out the CD that had all my songs on it. My first class today was ballet. While I put my ballet shoes on, I asked the girls to do some warm up exercises.
When the girls were ready, I instructed them to get into their positions. I pressed play on the stereo. As I waited for the music to start, I walked to the front of the class so the girls could follow my lead.
Logan
When Brooke stood at the front of the class facing the waiting room, I thought she was looking at me so I gave her a small wave. One of the mothers sitting next to me started to laugh. I turned and looked at her. “What’s so funny?”
“It’s a two-way mirror,” she replied with a giggle. “We can see in, but they can’t see out.” I put my head down and looked at the floor. I felt like a fool.
Dancing wasn’t really my thing, but I was looking forward to watching Brooke. The only dances I’ve actually watched in the past were ones with half-naked women dancing around a pole, and that was over ten years ago.
I wondered if Brooke could dance as well as she played the piano. When the music started, I wasn’t disappointed. She danced like an angel. She was so graceful, and watching her took my breath away. She was also extremely flexible and I wouldn’t be a man if I didn’t say that it kind of turned me on. We could definitely try out some of those positions in the bedroom.
Ellen came over and sat next to me. “Brooke’s fantastic, isn’t she?” she asked. “My classes have doubled since she started teaching here. I am so lucky to have someone with so much talent working for me. When she leaves, I will be lost without her.”
“Is she leaving?” I asked curiously. Ellen explained that when Brooke applied for the job, she had told her it would only be for a few years. She was only working until she could save enough money to open her own studio.
“She is one of the most talented dancers I have ever met. She could have such a promising career dancing if that’s what she wanted, but her dream is to teach others,” she added.
The more I got to know Brooke, the more I loved everything about her. She was so selfless. Teaching to help others, instead of putting her dancing career first, was very honourable. I thought it was amazing.
I had never met a woman that hasn’t put herself first. There was plenty out there, I’m sure. I just hadn’t met one yet. Well, there was my mother, but that was totally different. Most mothers were selfless when it came to their children.
If Brooke’s dream was to open her own studio, I was going to help make that happen. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to see her happy.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her as I watched her dance. She was great. After she finished ballet, her next class was jazz. I only knew this because Ellen informed me.
Her last class was tap, but nobody had to tell me that. I could tell by t
he shoes. When the girls were halfway through their routine, I noticed one of them was having trouble with one part of the dance. She was getting really frustrated, so Brooke stopped the song and went over that part again. When she still couldn’t get it right, she started to cry.
Brooke made her way over to the girl and put her arms around her. “Ask your mother if you could stay back for ten minutes after class,” she said. “We will go over the steps together.”
I was so proud of her because she was so good with her students. Brooke showed a lot of patience and I could tell they loved her. Some of the mums were talking amongst themselves about how much their daughters have improved since Brooke had been teaching. I smiled as I listened to them.
After all the other students left, Brooke went over the steps with the girl who’d been struggling. She was still finding it difficult to master them.
“You’re overthinking it. Stop listening with your head and listen with your heart,” she said. “I know you can do this. You know, when I first learned to dance, if there was a step I found hard or one I couldn’t do, I would close my eyes and let the music lead me. So let’s try it. Close your eyes and clear your mind.” She turned the music back on. I was surprised that Brooke’s advice actually worked because, this time, she managed to do the move perfectly.
“See, I knew you could do it. Wait there,” Brooke said, as she went over to her bag. She grabbed another CD and a pen and wrote something on it.
“Here is the music we are dancing to. Go home and practice,” she encouraged. “Remember, whenever you get to that part, close your eyes and let the music lead you. With practice, it will eventually become second-nature to you. I’ve also put my number on there so call me if you are still having trouble.”