She arched her eyebrows at the perfect opening. “Or the kind that has little old ladies carrying your condoms?”
His face turned beet red as he climbed down out of the cab. “Frickin’ Grant, couldn’t keep his mouth shut.”
“Not Grant. I heard it from Tara, who heard it from her boss’ cousin’s son.”
He shook his head as a rueful grin tugged the corners of his mouth. “The kid at the register.”
“Yep.”
His gaze met hers before he headed for the back of the tractor to unhook the full wagon. “I can explain.”
“No need. I heard Edna was there.” She went to unhook the empty from the truck, then faced him. “Though I can’t believe you actually asked her what kind I liked.”
His head jerked up. “I was talking about the chips!”
“Chips?”
“Yes! If you saw the other stuff in my truck, then I know you saw the bags of chips, too. Clearly, that part of the story got left out. After I asked what kind you liked, I clarified, the ones with ridges, or sour cream and onion.”
Joy threw her head back with a laugh. “Okay, that was genius. I would’ve paid to see that.”
“Not to brag, but yeah, it was good. And it sure shut her up.”
They shared a grin; her imagining, him remembering.
She met his gaze and teased, “You can ask me, you know.”
“What?”
“What kind I like.”
In a heartbeat, his eyes went from laughing to smoldering. “The last couple days have been weird. I thought maybe you were second-guessing things.”
She shook her head. “I thought you were.”
“No.”
He stepped over the hitch for the wagon and started toward her. Anticipation spiked her pulse, but then the sound of a horn from across the field claimed her attention.
She recognized Wes’ gray truck, and when it stopped, he and Tara, and Grant and Jenny got out. “Heard you could use some help here.”
Though Logan didn’t jump on the offer, Joy set aside the notion of spending the day with only him and didn’t look a gift-horse in the mouth. The sooner the hay was done, the more time she’d have for fun. The heat in his eyes a moment ago confirmed it wouldn’t take much to convince him to join in.
“You guys didn’t have to come out here,” she said to the rest of them. “But since you did, I have no problem putting you to work.”
“You’ve got us until one o’clock,” Tara advised.
“Great. We’ll all go unload this wagon while Logan bales the next one.”
The morning flew by as they put up three full wagonloads, and Logan baled the fourth to clear the first two fields. The temperature had climbed above eighty, and every single one of them were sweating in the sweltering September sunshine.
Between the second and third load, Joy ordered a delivery of half a dozen foot long sub sandwiches from a local shop, and they took a break for lunch out on the porch.
While everyone else settled in the patio chairs to divide the sandwiches, she grabbed a couple bags of potato chips from the pantry and set them on the table. With a sassy grin for Logan, she turned to head back into the kitchen for drinks.
As the screen closed behind her, she heard Grant say, “The ones with ridges. Good choice.”
Logan’s choked laugh followed, joined by her friends at the table.
The sound of a dull thwack preceded Grant’s, “Ow. Come on. It’s funny.”
She assumed her friend had backhanded him on the arm.
Thanks, Jenny.
Now she knew why Logan had grumbled about the guy keeping his mouth shut—Grant must’ve been there. And he knew the meaning of her choosing those specific kind of chips. She covered her face with both hands, mortified at the thought of going back out to face them.
Conversation resumed outside as she worked up the nerve.
“Hey, Dolinski,” Tara called. “Your workers are thirsty!”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m”—she quickly modified her reply—“on my way.”
Her face burned as she approached the screen with the tray of glasses, lemonade, and assorted cans of soda. Logan rose to open the door for her, and she avoided his gaze, as well as Grant’s. It was one thing to tease him when it was their own private joke, but with everyone else so obviously in on it, she wasn’t so brazen.
Thankfully, neither of the guys said a word, and her tension eased as they all chatted through lunch.
The fourth load was up in the loft shortly before one p.m., so she and Logan said thanks and goodbyes to all their helpers before heading back out by themselves. Because the barn was stuffed to the gills, this last load would have to be fed over the next month straight off the wagon. They used the larger one without sides, and she drove while Logan caught the bales as they popped from the baler so he could pack them neat and tight.
Once the last bale was stacked a little after four, she steered over to where they’d parked the truck near the pond. The glimmer of the clear water beckoned, the purification fountain on the far side promising refreshing rejuvenation.
Joy shut off the engine and opened the tractor cab door to jump to the ground. She walked toward the truck, plucking the damp material of her T-shirt from her hot skin. Logan climbed down from the very top of the wagon, his shirt and hair soaked from the back-breaking labor of handling all the bales in the heat.
“You going to drive the truck back?” he asked.
“Not just yet.”
She caught his frown from the corner of her eye while she opened the passenger side door and grabbed the blanket to wrap around the box of Ultra Ribbed. After a glance at Logan as she closed the door again, she walked down to the shoreline to drop the blanket in the grass near the short dock.
Another peek revealed he’d come around to lean against the back of the truck. He silently watched her every move as he stood there, thumbs hooked in the front pockets of his jeans. She spread out the blanket, set the box of condoms on one corner, then took a deep breath and dragged her shirt over her head.
Chapter 15
‡
Watching Joy strip bare was the most erotic thing Logan had ever seen. He was hard by the time she kicked her underwear to the side with one pointed, painted toe. A goddess bathed by the afternoon sun, she glided down the length of the dock and dove into the water. The tiny splash made his pulse jump, and his erection strained against his zipper.
Her head broke the surface a moment later, and her hands rose up to wipe her face and smooth her hair back. Her lips stretched into a hesitant smile. “You coming in?”
The question startled him, and he realized he hadn’t even moved yet.
Hell yes, he was coming in.
Halfway to the blanket, his shirt hit the ground. He nearly tripped while trying to shuck his jeans, and her laugh echoed across the surface of the water when they bunched near his ankles.
Frickin’ boots.
He sat down to remove both his boots and pants, then stood and stripped off his boxer briefs.
Joy wasn’t laughing now.
She watched as he waded in from the shore and dove under from waist deep. The clear water sluiced over his skin, washing away the day’s grime while cooling his heated body and renewing his energy. Breaking the surface, he scrubbed the dust and sweat from his face, then raked his hair back and searched for the red-headed nymph who’d lured him in.
She treaded water about ten feet way.
Logan swam closer, not taking his gaze off hers for a second. The green in her eyes had given way for a warm, murky brown that was absolutely gorgeous framed by those wet, spiked lashes. He recognized the aroused color from the previous times they’d kissed, and his pulse leapt in anticipation. Thank God all his worries about her second guessing this thing between them were for nothing.
When he was about three feet from her, she grinned, then ducked under the surface and swam away. He dove after her, only to come up empty handed. She wasn’t where he
expected, either, and he whirled around to find her behind him.
She laughed at his narrowed gaze. The musical, carefree sound reached in to wrap around his heart, squeezing until his breath hitched.
Logan advanced again. Dove and missed. Surfaced to find her off to his right when she should’ve been on his left.
The next time, he pretended to lunge, then pulled up short to tread water and watch her evasion. Nymph was an understatement. Her body sliced beneath the surface, a pale figure of temptation as she swam away and rose up far out of reach. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear she was a mermaid.
“You swim like a fish.”
She grinned. “Only because I swim a lot. It’s relaxing, and the water feels good, doesn’t it?”
“After how hot it was today, it feels great,” he agreed, easing closer once more. “It was nice of everyone to come help, but I’m glad they’re gone.”
“Me, too.” Her gaze met his. They’d gone green during their play, but now deepened back toward brown.
“Any word from your grandparents?”
She nodded, the movement increasing the size of the ripples emanating from the water line at her chin. “Gram’s appointment was pushed back to tomorrow. They were planning to stay at her sister’s in New Berlin anyway, and should be home tomorrow night.”
Which gave them all night alone.
No second guessing.
No interruptions.
No stopping.
Excitement shortened his breath, and despite the cool water, his skin burned hot. “Everything going okay, though?”
“I think so. She was excited to go.”
“That’s good.” He shifted his gaze over her shoulder. “Watch it.”
When she spun in the water to see what he’d warned about, Logan made his move. As if realizing the trick, she turned again and tried to lunge backward at the last minute. He grabbed her by the ankle and yanked her back. She shrieked as she went under, then came up coughing.
He caught her close as guilt rushed in. “Sorry. Are you okay?”
She nodded, still coughing, but laughing at the same time. “I deserved that.”
He became aware of her bare limbs sliding against his beneath the water. Back and forth her legs swished. Smooth. Slippery. Erotic. Hot.
Desire surged, and he swiped a wayward strand of wet hair from her cheek while wrapping his other arm around her waist. “You deserve this.”
He bent his head and captured her lips with his. She opened her mouth beneath his as she wound her arms around his neck. Since neither of them could touch bottom, her weight sent him under, and it was his turn to come up sputtering.
“Shore,” he ordered.
“Yep.”
They swam together, and the instant Logan felt sand beneath his feet, he reached to haul her back into his arms for another kiss. The feel of the water between them was too sensual to pass up, especially as he skimmed his fingers down along her spine, past the dimples at the small of her back, to the sexy curves below.
Her hand gripped the back of his neck, while the other clutched at his shoulder. A moment later, her legs rose to wrap around his waist, and he groaned when the tip of his shaft nudged against her entrance. Her breath caught, but she didn’t move away.
“Geezus,” he breathed between kisses. “You’re going to kill me right here.”
“That wouldn’t be good.”
“No. Especially if we don’t get to the good stuff.”
She started to unlock her legs, but he grasped her thighs, adjusted to avoid penetration despite every cell in his body screaming in protest, and held her in place as he strode through the water toward shore.
“It’s all been good so far,” she said, her voice husky as she spoke against his lips.
“It’s going to get even better,” he promised. “Hang on.”
She wound her arms around his neck as he carried her to the blanket and laid her down. Her skin glistened in the sunshine, begging him to lick every delectable inch of her body. Kneeling beside her with a hand braced on either side of her head, he flicked his gaze toward the box of condoms on the corner of the blanket.
“Ultra Ribbed, huh?”
A blush stole over her freckled cheeks as she quipped, “I do like the ones with ridges.”
He laughed. “Good choice.”
She groaned and covered her face. “God, that was embarrassing. If I’d realized Grant had been in the pharmacy, I wouldn’t have done that.”
“Well…now that everyone knows what you like in a…potato chip…I want to find out what you like when it comes to other things.”
He shifted to lay on his side while skimming a hand down to rub his open palm over the erect tip of her breast.
Her lips parted. “That. Oh, I like that.”
He increased pressure and repeated the circular motion. Her moan of approval made his erection surge against her outer thigh. He couldn’t wait to be inside her, but forced himself to take things slow. He kissed her long and deep while playing with her breasts, then trailed his lips down her neck, over her collar bone, to one of the nipples he’d teased into a rigid little nub.
Her fingers clenched in his hair when he sucked it into his mouth. He flicked it with his tongue, toying with her as he slid his hand down the damp, silky skin of her quivering stomach to search in the curls down below. Her hips bucked against his hand when he found the sweet spot and rubbed in little circles.
“Yes,” she breathed. “God, yes, I like that, too.”
So did he. Liked how wet she was for him, how responsive to his touch, how uninhibited in her passion as he took her to the brink of orgasm and then right over the edge.
Chapter 16
‡
Joy lifted her lashes to find Logan propped on one elbow watching her. Surprised she wasn’t the least bit self-conscious lying naked in broad daylight with him, she reached up to palm his stubble-darkened jaw, then drew him down for a kiss.
“I really liked that,” she whispered against his lips.
“So did I. You have no idea how much.”
“I think I’d like to find out for myself.”
She took her turn exploring his body. Sunshine warmed her back as she learned every hard¸ lean muscle with the tips of her fingers and the brush of her lips. He tasted faintly of salt when every so often she ran the tip of her tongue across his skin. The defined ridges of his stomach were a sight to behold, but she only lingered for a brief moment before moving lower.
When she parted her lips over the tip of his shaft, he groaned as if in pain. His fingers wove into her wet hair and clenched. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough for her to know he struggled not to thrust deep into her mouth.
A second moan made her lift her head with mock concern. “But you do like it, right?”
He choked out a gravelly, “Yeah. I do. I just—” He sucked in a breath as she took as much of him into her mouth as she could. “Shit. I’m not going to last long if you keep that up.”
Can’t have that.
She slowly withdrew, swirled her tongue around the base of the tip, then released him. His groan could’ve been protest or relief.
Heavy lidded, brown eyes watched her every move as she reached for the box of condoms, opened one, and took her time rolling it down his thick length. The second she was done, he moved fast enough to make her squeal in surprise when he flipped her flat on her back.
He took her lips in a deep kiss as he settled his body between her legs. She lifted her knees when he eased his length inside, and gloried in the sensation of him filling her completely.
“Geezus, you’re tight.” His warm breath skimmed her ear. “You good?”
“Way better than good, Logan.”
He smiled against her neck and went in for another kiss as he moved his hips. She had no doubt it would’ve felt great with a regular condom, but the ribbing stimulated all her nerve endings and shot her pleasure straight into the O-zone so fast her head spun.
He collapsed on top of her, breath as ragged as hers, yet considerate enough not to crush her with his full weight. Eyes closed, she ran her hands up and down his back, hugging his body to hers as she relaxed in the aftermath of their…union.
She didn’t dare call it lovemaking. Her already frantic heart would read way too much into the word.
Joy slid her hand up to run her fingers through his hair, still damp from their fun in the water. He lifted his head from the crook of her neck, and she opened her eyes. The emotion in his steady gaze made her pulse stutter, and when he smiled that killer, natural smile of his, her heart nearly stopped.
He drew in a breath as he shifted onto his side. “That was…”
Amazing. Perfect. Something I want to do with you for the rest of our lives.
Out loud she said, “Better than the Ferris wheel?”
“Yes.” He paused, then added an emphatic, “Hell yes. It was like the Tilt-a-Whirl and Zipper all in one.”
Joy’s breathless laugh had nothing to do with their recent physical activity. She fingered the ring on her left hand with her thumb, and refused to let herself go down the rabbit hole. “Wow, I’m a two-fer.”
His gaze caught hers as he grinned. “You’re the whole carnival, baby.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
The grin disappeared. “Not so bad?”
“Well, I’m going to need a second ride to compare.” She shrugged. “Otherwise, how do I know it wasn’t just the ridges?” Logan’s mouth dropped open, and she burst out laughing. When he loomed over her, she held up her hands in surrender. “Kidding. Just kidding.”
“Kidding or not, you’ll get that second ride as soon as I recover.”
“Promise?”
*
He kept his promise after going to the truck for a different kind of protection. Joy started the ride astride; Logan finished on top. Afterward, she readily admitted he didn’t need ridges to drive her crazy multiple times.
Say You'll Marry Me (Welcome to Redemption #10) Page 13