by Faith Starr
We gathered around a large table, the guys ordering a pitcher of beer as soon as the waitress greeted us. Layla’s fiancé, Eddie, joined us as well. From the brief conversations we’d had in the van, he seemed decent enough, attentive, doting all over her, kind of the way I behaved toward Drew.
Out of nowhere, Drew clapped her hands, rose from her chair, and dragged me out of mine.
“What the hell?” I followed her lead to the dance floor.
“Dance with me. I love this song.”
Fuck me. She actually had me dancing to a country tune, a first and last for me.
At least the paparazzi weren’t around to witness this atrocity. The positive was the tune had a slow tempo beat, which meant I could hold her body snugly against mine. The thought alone kicked my breathing and adrenaline up a level.
18
Drew
Logan wrapped his arms around my waist, our bodies merged without an inch of space between them, on the dance floor.
His cologne intoxicated me. By this point I wouldn’t doubt if I had alcohol poisoning, my body so drunk on lust for him, way past the point of being publicly acceptable.
Admiring his stunning face, I clasped my hands behind his neck. His gaze went to mine, the intensity in his eyes so thick I almost couldn’t breathe. It baffled me how he sucked all the oxygen out of my lungs with a simple glance.
He leaned forward, planting a delicate kiss on my lips, his hand going to the back of my head, encouraging me to deepen the connection between us. He opened his mouth, his tongue finding mine, the two of them intermingling.
My fingers clawed at his hair, underneath, where I gripped a handful.
His lips closed, gently brushing over mine, only to open again, allowing his tongue to glide over my lower lip then inside my mouth.
My area of longing, which became my entire body, clenched in need as I got lost in the kiss, his loving touch, his masculine scent, his warm breath.
“Mmm…” I moaned into his mouth.
He tilted his head in the other direction, his tongue getting more forceful with mine.
Heat emanated from my pelvis area, spreading from my core to my limbs, my fingers, my toes. I felt flushed, high, even though I hadn’t sipped any alcohol yet.
My fingers brushed over the five-o’clock shadow on his chin and I rested my palm on his cheek, our tongues wild in their dance to the slow cadence of the ballad playing in the background.
He jabbed his erection into me.
“Logan.” His name was whispered into his mouth, my breath somewhat panted.
“I want you so bad.” He nibbled on my ear, my neck. It’s as if nobody else existed except the two of us with Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood singing in the background.
My hips gyrated against his hardness, the part of my brain that controlled my libido on overdrive. The more time I spent with this man, the more difficult it became to not cave in to my body’s wishes. I couldn’t allow myself to have sex with him yet because once I did, he would have me completely: mind, body, and soul. I didn’t feel ready to take that leap of faith. I didn’t know if I ever would. I had too much to lose. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t deriving pleasure from all the other fun we engaged in.
Unbeknownst to me, the song had changed to a faster beat. Logan and I remained joined at the hip, our lips matched up perfectly, our tongues becoming more ferocious in their endeavor.
My heart raced. I wanted more. So much more.
Fuck! I winced in pain, bending over to rub the back of my calf. I glared at the couple next to us, wasted off their asses, dancing like wild chickens. The idiot girl didn’t realize she’d just kicked me.
“Are you okay?” Logan spoke with concern.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I inspected the back of my leg to make sure. The girl had on spiked heels too. Damn, that had hurt.
“Why don’t we take a break? I could use a drink.” Logan’s hand possessively held mine.
“Yeah. I could too. For dancing to such a slow song, I sure am overheated.” I flirted, giving him a look-see through my lashes, my eyes catching his shining down on me.
He chuckled. “You’re killing me.” He placed his hand over his heart, patting it. I placed mine over his, clasping his fingers underneath mine. He kissed the back of my hand and winked at me.
I melted a bit more. I could’ve too. My body so hot it felt as though I had spiked a temperature. Screw the beer. How about a cup of ice instead? Better yet, an ice bath.
He guided me back to the table where all eyes went to us. I focused elsewhere, somewhat embarrassed the group had seen me and Logan’s outward display on the dance floor.
“Hey, you guys started without us.” Logan pointed to the empty pitcher of beer, getting the attention off us in a jiffy. I squeezed his hand in thanks.
He pulled my chair out for me and waited for me to sit before doing so himself in the chair next to mine.
“You owe me a game, bro.” Brian pointed at Logan from across the table.
“You’re right. I do. Let’s do it.” He took a swig of his untouched beer. “I’ll be back in a few. You better watch yourself with these assholes.” Logan kissed my cheek.
“Just for that, I’m going to ask Drew to dance with me during the next slow song,” one of the guys joked.
“The fuck you will, Kyle. I know where those hands of yours have been. Keep them to yourself and off her.” The lightheartedness from a second ago was gone from Logan’s voice.
“Yeah, well, I don’t want to know where those suckers of yours have been. On second thought, maybe I do.” The guy named Kyle chuckled and drank more of his beer.
Logan shot Kyle a bird over his shoulder as he and Brian left for the pool tables.
Here I sat, alone with the rest of the staff. I felt somewhat awkward.
Layla flashed me a warm smile. “Ignore them.”
The men at the table moved on to a different topic, saving me from my discomfort. I listened to them share stories about guests past and present, comical tales too. They had some doozies too. I found it difficult to imagine some of the crazy stuff they spoke about taking place at the calm and serene ranch. I couldn’t breathe I laughed so hard, delighting in the break. Logan had my emotions all over the place. It felt nice to experience one feeling, something I hadn’t been able to accomplish since arriving at the ranch.
“Wait, I have a good one for Drew since Logan and Brian are out of earshot.” Layla’s eyes brightened with amusement. “Let’s tell her the story about when the two of them played a practical joke on me.”
“I remember that!” the guy sitting at the end of the table cheered, tapping his hands on the hardwood table. I still didn’t know his name yet. Could that be because I had pretty much ditched most of the hosted activities, other than the past two days?
“We had this whacko guest who had a thing for Layla. Don’t worry, Eddie, this was long before you came into the picture.” The yet-to-be named guy took over storytelling duties from Layla.
“Anyway, the guy acted like a leech, following her around everywhere she went.” He aimed his attention primarily at me. By this point the others had broken out into hysterics because they obviously knew how the story ended.
“Layla tried trading off with the other counselors so the guy wouldn’t be in any of her groups, but somehow, he managed to show up to every single activity she hosted. Well, later that night, all of us here were hanging out in the dining hall. The guests had already gone to sleep for the night. So Logan and Brian came inside, pretending to be all worried and concerned, telling her the guy was outside, peering in the window, freaking the crap out of her.”
Layla nodded in agreement with how the guy narrated the story so far, her closed-mouth smile now a permanent fixture on her face.
“Logan and Brian hammed it up, making her a nervous wreck. She got so worked up, she asked Brian if she could sleep in his cabin. Do you remember that, Layla?” He tipped his chin in her direction.
&nbs
p; “Like it was yesterday.” She spoke with playful sarcasm.
“The following day they told her they saw the guy hiding behind bushes, watching her from afar. Later that night, they put a sticky note on the mirror in her bathroom, scribbling something on it. I don’t remember the exact words, ‘I want to watch you naked in the shower,’ or something like that.”
“To be precise, it said, ‘I can’t stop thinking about how you would look naked in the shower.’ I still have the note hidden for insurance purposes.” Layla winked at me.
The yet-to-be named guy telling the story belly laughed, as did the rest of the group.
“Go on and finish the story.” Layla put her hand out as if passing the mic back to the speaker.
“Right. So Layla became so panicked she went to her parents. They were about to confront the guy when Brian and Logan fessed up.” He began to choke, coughing, still cracking up. “Susanna and Jack were so pissed at those two knuckleheads. Needless to say, the guy was harmless, leaving a few days later with his family, never to be seen or heard from again.”
“The jerks.” Layla smirked. “I got them back, though.” She spoke mostly to me. “I snuck inside Logan’s cabin and borrowed his guitar. I’m sure you’re aware he loves that darn thing more than life itself. Boy, did he become a wreck over it too, questioning and interrogating everyone at the ranch about its whereabouts. Oh, he lost his cool very quickly.” Her grin got wider.
“I played stupid. I told Logan that Brian had mentioned something to me about hiding it from him as a joke. I also told him not to confront Brian, to wait until the following morning. I agreed to help him get back at my brother for playing such a cruel joke on him. Being a typical guy, Logan believed me, thinking I’d really help him after what he had done to me, buying into my ploy at revenge.”
She moved animatedly in her chair, a wicked grin on her face. I sat on the edge of mine, dying to hear the outcome.
“Let’s see.” She stared out into space and reminisced. “Brian was hosting a marshmallow roasting or something, so Logan and I snuck into my brother’s cabin. We started with his dresser, rearranging the clothes in them. We took one shoe from each pair in his closet and hid them underneath his bed, where he wouldn’t think to look for them. In the bathroom, things got fun.” She bounced up and down. “We glued the caps to his shampoo bottles so they wouldn’t open. I also painted his soap with clear nail polish. Oh my, so much fun.”
My stomach ached from laughing so hard.
“The following morning, Brian knew exactly who to blame. I’ll give you a hint, it wasn’t me. Logan went to his cabin, demanding that Brian give back his guitar. Brian argued he had no clue where it was. I just happened to be in the background, laughing hysterically at the two goofballs. That’s when they realized I had screwed with both of them. They deserved it.”
I continued to laugh. I hadn’t let loose so freely in forever. These guys were a riot, the entire lot of ‘em. And they all got along so well. Now I understood why Logan loved sneaking off with the staff. He got to see a side of the ranch the guests didn’t, plus enjoy all the perks it had to offer.
“What’s so funny?” Brian studied us, he and Logan now standing next to the table, the group still bursting at the seams with hilarity.
Logan kissed the top of my head and sat next to me, the gesture making my heart flutter.
“I told Drew about the disappearing guitar prank.” Layla slowed her laughter.
“What a riot. I remember it well.” Brian grimaced.
“It was.” Logan began chuckling along with the rest of the group. “Fuck, you were so pissed.” He focused his attention on Brian. “You came to the dining hall wearing one shoe because you said all the left ones had disappeared from your closet.” His over-the-top energy and spirit spilled out on to everyone else at the table. “I still remember your hazed and confused expression and how your parents and everyone else in the dining hall thought you had lost your mind. What a great memory.”
Brian caved, joining the merriment at the table. “We sure did have some good times together, huh?”
“That we did.” Logan eyes were on me when he responded. “Still do.” He spoke in a more serious tone. He winked at me, the warmth in his eyes and touch indicating the meaningfulness of our chance at a do-over.
I squeezed his hand, a warm and giddy sensation filling me. I had to concentrate on my breath to slow it down.
We carried on at the table for another hour. It got late so we decided to call it a night. All of us piled into the van and it was back to the ranch.
During the ride, I rested my head on Logan’s shoulder, the gentle bumping of the road beneath us causing my eyes to close. The last thing I remembered before falling asleep—Logan kissing the top of my head.
19
Logan
Drew passed out cold during the drive back to the ranch, with the slight sleep twitches to prove it. I hated to wake her, but I had to get her out of the van. I gently shook her.
"Come on, baby. We’re back.”
She struggled to open her eyes, lifting her head off my shoulder. She glanced around to take in her surroundings.
“Oh, I was in such a deep sleep.” She sat upright, a big yawn engulfing her. She sluggishly climbed out of the van with me behind her.
“Have a good night, guys. Thanks for taking us along. We’ll see you tomorrow.” I gave Brian and the others a wave.
Drew and I strode along the dark path to the cabins. I used the flashlight on my phone to light the rocky road in front of us.
“Do you want to stay with me tonight?” I didn’t want to make assumptions, since she had shot down my request every other night. But I bit the bullet and asked anyway, tonight being a last-ditch effort.
“I’d like that.”
Say what?
I almost did a double take but reeled in my enthusiasm so I wouldn’t freak her out.
“Me too.”
My heart picked up the pace at the mere thought of waking up next to her.
“I need to get some things from my cabin first, though.”
I’d agree to anything she asked as long as she didn’t change her mind about sleeping with me tonight. Not literally, of course. Unless… Now my heart pounded at double speed at the possibility.
We took the short hike to her cabin so she could collect some of her toiletries. I told her not to bother to bring pajamas, informing her sleep attire wasn’t necessary. She flashed me a closed-lipped smile and grabbed a pair anyway.
Hey, you couldn’t blame a man for trying.
It was good I had left the light on in the small family room of my cabin. It provided enough light for the two of us to see where we were going so we could make it up the stairs to the front door.
Once inside, she surveyed the space. “Hmm, it’s the same as mine, but the decor is different.”
“Susanna put special touches in each cabin. She decorated all of them.”
“Yours is nicer than mine.” She studied the art and small odds and ends scattered around the room that made it feel homey.
“I think so too, now with you here in it.”
She snickered. “Are you always such a charmer?”
“That all depends. Are my charms working on you?” I took a step closer to her.
“Do you really have to ask?”
I tucked some loose hair behind her ear. She leaned her head into my hand, yawning again.
“Come on, sleepyhead. Let me get you to bed. You’re tired.”
“That I am.”
She followed me to the bathroom, where she set her toiletry bag on the counter. She got busy brushing her teeth. I did the same. We also took a quick shower, which she demanded, stating she wanted to wash off the sweat from the bar. Finally, we made it to the bedroom.
Talk about self-control. She sported short hip-hugging boxers with red hearts all over them and a loose-fitted white T-shirt hanging off her shoulder. Sexy as fuck. Too bad I had to keep my dick tucked
away. Not that it mattered. Drew could hardly keep her eyes open. As disappointed as I felt, I let her rest. I prayed we’d have more opportunities for sexual recreation at a later date.
She stood next to the bed, hesitating, watching me get underneath the plush down comforter and fluff my pillows, leaving ample space for her to do the same.
“What’s wrong?”
She bit her bottom lip, a behavior she did often when concerned about something. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”
And there went the wheels spinning in her head.
“Get in the bed, Drew. You know I’d never disrespect you. I promise the only thing these hands are going to do right now is hold you. I can’t speak for how they’ll behave in the morning when we wake up, though.”
She giggled. And with that, climbed underneath the blanket and sheets, kicking them around to loosen their grip, since they were tucked so securely under the mattress.
She scooted closer to me, resting her head on my chest with her arm draped over it. I stroked her damp hair, my shirt already sporting a wet spot from it.
Before I knew it, she was dead asleep, while I, on the other hand, had trouble getting settled. I think it was the first time we’d gone to sleep together in the same bed. In high school, for obvious reasons, her parents forbid close contact like this, both in public and private. Mine didn’t give a shit one way or the other. They knew exactly what Drew and I were up to in my bedroom with the door closed.
Believe it or not, we rarely did much of anything except talk and listen to music. She never wanted my parents to view her in a bad light. And on the few occasions when she did sleep over, she would sleep in the guest room. Of course I would sneak into bed with her in the middle of the night, only to end up back in mine early the following morning so my folks wouldn’t catch me. Not that they cared, but Drew did, and I respected her wishes. Always had. Always would.
It felt damn good to have her in my arms, her warm breath blowing gently against me with each exhalation, her body relaxed against mine.