by Lulu Pratt
Chapter 12
Logan
After finishing dinner, the sun has set, and the streets are much darker than when we first arrived. Standing from the table, I look down the street to gauge the situation. My instinct is to call Rodrick, not willing to risk Ava’s safety. Reaching into my pocket, I feel her hand on my chest.
“No, don’t call him,” she says.
“What are you talking about?” I pretend not to know what she’s referencing.
“You were going to call Rodrick, but I want you to walk me home,” her eyes are low, laced with lust and her words are a challenge I’m not willing to back down from.
“You want me to take you home?” I smirk, saying anything to prolong this embrace, my blood racing just from feeling her hand on me.
“Yes,” she smiles.
Finally. She’s let her guard down and admitted how she feels about me. It’s a relief to know I wasn’t the only one filled with desire. She is ripe for the taking, and my body is reacting rapidly to her temptations.
“Come on,” I drape my arm over her shoulder, pulling her close to my side as we make our way up the cobblestone alley.
Taksim Square is even more lively, with street performers and vendors selling roasted hazelnuts, oysters and doners. Ava’s eyes roam from one point of attraction to another, gleaming with excitement. She really does love this city, and it means a lot because it’s one of my favorites in the world.
“Ooh, I want one of these!” She cries, leaving my side to race through the crowd to a woman selling circular flower arrangements.
Following her as closely as possible, I hand the woman a bill, and assure her I don’t need the change when she begins ruffling through her pouch. She smiles graciously, offering that Ava take two, which she does.
Setting one on top of her head, I realize they’re headbands, it crowning her long auburn waves. She is stunningly beautiful, and it’s completely effortless. Her smile makes me feel like the most accomplished man in the world, and I know I’ll do anything just to keep her happy.
It’s strange, because unlike every previous interaction I’ve had with a woman, Ava seems more impressed and appreciative of what we do and see together, as opposed to what I give her.
Most women would have been perfectly happy to spend their days shopping while I went off to meetings, but she didn’t like the allowance I gave her. For a second, I thought she was angry about it over dinner, but luckily, she seemed to let me off the hook.
As we make it back to the hotel, I’m pleased that I’ve maneuvered the city alone, something I’ve never actually done, depending on Rodrick or a driver instead. Of course, I don’t tell her this, but I’m happy she pushed me out of my comfort zone for the night.
The elevator ride seems longer than normal with just us two in the car. Moving slowly, Ava steps in front of me, her hand roaming down my chest, as she looks up to me with the sexiest stare I’ve ever seen. My cock is rock hard in seconds as she swallows slowly before lifting on her toes to offer me her mouth.
Leaning down, I kiss her, first softly, and then she runs the tip of her tongue across the length of my lips, and I can resist no longer.
Gripping the nape of her neck, I pull her to me, sliding my tongue past her soft lips to taste her. The raki is on her tongue as she stumbles backwards, her breasts pressed flush against me as she lifts her leg against my waist.
Sliding my hand along her thigh, a soft moan escapes her, and I swallow it, kissing her urgently with all the built-up desire I’ve been struggling to hold back.
“I want you,” she whispers, pulling away from our embrace.
The elevator doors ding open, and we rush to our presidential suite, Ava leading the way to her bedroom as she roughly pulls me along. I chuckle softly at how drastically the tables have turned, but I can’t ignore the impact of the alcohol.
“Stay the night with me,” she asks, her hands wrapped around my neck as she pulls my lips to hers, kissing me so seductively I almost give in.
“No, baby,” I pull away, burning up every ounce of willpower left in my body.
“I like when you call me that,” she whispers, sprinkling kisses on my neck, ignoring my rejection at first. She blinks and then says, “You don’t want me?”
“Are you crazy? I’ve wanted you since I first saw you,” I say, gripping her hip with one hand, and cradling the nape of her neck with the other.
“Then why aren’t you kissing me?”
“I can’t have you like this,” I begin, leaning down to kiss her nose before continuing. “We’ve been drinking too much.”
“Logan, don’t tease me like this.”
With my head nestled in her neck, and my hands dropping to her waist, I whisper in her ear, “I want you to remember every bite,” before tugging at her earlobe.
“You really are a tease,” she pulls away, her tone so disappointed I can’t stop the chuckle.
“Let me tuck you in,” I offer, and she nods, kicking off her sandals before climbing into bed.
Pulling the covers up to her chest, I lean down and kiss her forehead.
“Sleep tight,” I whisper, and she smiles as her eyes slowly close.
After watching her for a moment, I turn to leave and her hand reaches out for me. My mind races, hoping she won’t try again, because I don’t think I can turn her down twice in one night.
“Thank you, Logan,” she whispers.
“You’re welcome,” I whisper back, and she smiles so innocently, squirming beneath the covers before the muscles in her face relax as she drifts off.
On my way back to my room, I stop to have a drink at the bar, needing to kick the edge off in one way or another.
I’ve never felt so giddy in my life. What I thought would be a sightseeing tour was an actual date, and now that it’s over it makes me question if I’ve ever been on one before.
That was a night nothing like anything I’ve ever experienced. It was fun, seductive, adventurous and intimate. More intimate than sex, actually.
I can’t believe how satisfied I am without ending the night how every other one of my dates has concluded. Although I want her so bad it hurts, I know I made the right decision. The last thing I want is for Ava to regret giving herself to me, so I chug my drink with pride before leaving the hotel room.
After three knocks, Rodrick answers.
“Hey, boss. Did you need something?”
“Yeah, show me the pictures from earlier,” I instruct, and he leads me back to the dining room, which is still set up exactly how it was earlier.
His team has worked to identify every person at the party who wasn’t on the guest list, and created a list of more people than they anticipated. My events are always exclusive, but of course we allow for plus ones and late additions who don’t make the security list.
Since that strategy produced too many results, he decided to pick some of the most suspicious individuals, particularly those with criminal records. Rodrick used to be a Navy SEAL, and his second-in-command was a police officer with the NYPD for twenty years, so together they have access to a lot of information people think is private.
“So, all these people were in the east wing of the house?” I ask, looking over the pictures.
“Yes, sir. And from our research, it seems to be an inside job, a revenge theft or both. So, we were hoping you would recognize one of these guys,” he explains, pointing to the array of men scattered on the table.
“Maybe an ex-employee, or even a rival,” he adds when I study the photos in silence.
“No, they don’t look familiar.”
“Well, we’re moving to the women now. There are a lot more than the men, so we thought we’d run through these in case we could crack the case early,” he shrugs, gathering the photos into a pile.
“Scorned women? That will be a long list,” I sigh, knowing my track record is anything but favorable.
That was a fear of mine when Ava first began rejecting me. I assumed she must have
heard of my checkered past and decided I wasn’t worth the trouble. I wouldn’t be able to blame her, and to be honest, when I first met her, I had no plan on treating her any different.
Her playing hard to get has changed everything, and now I’m sure there is no way we can be a quick fling like my previous rendezvouses. I want Ava, and I want all of her, to myself.
“Anything else?” Rodrick asks, disrupting my thoughts.
“Uh, yeah,” I run my fingers through my hair, struggling to form my thoughts into words.
“What is it, sir?”
“Ava. I want to take her out tomorrow. I need it to be perfect, and I know you can handle that.” Rodrick has a reputation for being the romantic of his squad. He’s been married for over a decade, and it seems he and his wife are the happiest couple I’ve ever met.
“Don’t worry, boss. I’ve got it covered.”
Chapter 13
Ava
Sunlight from the large window teases my eyes until I finally awake, glancing around in confusion as I struggle to remember where I am.
Sitting up in bed, I take a deep breath, looking out the window at the exceptional view of the city, remembering my love affair with Istanbul until my stomach drops.
The memories of the previous night begin to rush back and I cover my face in horror, trying to convince myself it must have been a dream. There’s no way I could have come so close to sleeping with Logan, but my mind keeps replaying our night, and I’m certain it all must have happened.
With my face buried in my hands, I brainstorm possible ways that Logan would forget all that happened, but eventually decide I’ll have to face the music.
Tiptoeing into the dining room, I find Logan sitting at the head of the table, reading the New York Times, with a spread of food filling the table like a Thanksgiving feast.
“Good morning,” I whisper.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Logan says after peeking over his newspaper to see me.
He’s wearing casual clothes, unlike most mornings when he’s already dressed in suits for his business meetings.
“I didn’t know what you like, so I ordered pancakes and waffles, and there’s eggs, bacon, oatmeal, fruit, pastries and yogurt,” he announces pointing to all the covered white dishes.
“Wow,” I remark, looking over all the options while my stomach churns and my head begins to throb.
“And there’s tea and coffee, but first you should drink this,” he suggests, standing as he holds a large glass filled with what looks to be a thick, green liquid.
“That looks gross.”
“It’s not half bad,” he says, leaning down to kiss my forehead before returning to his seat.
Butterflies flutter in my stomach from his affectionate gesture, but I know I should tell him how we can’t do what we did last night ever again. My mind is scowling at my emotions, trying to instill some discipline, but my mouth remains mum, not saying a word.
Maybe it’s because I enjoyed his kiss, or maybe it’s because he is the one who stopped us from going all the way last night, when I all but begged him. Maybe I’m the one who needs to be talked to about ethics, as opposed to Logan.
Pinching my nose, I drink the green concoction in six gulps. A lime aftertaste prompts me to pour a large glass of orange juice to wash away the flavor.
“You’ll be better in no time,” Logan smiles without glancing up from his paper.
“Did I dream that we were going to Greece?” I ask, settling into a seat as I place one waffle and one pancake on my plate.
“Going for both?” Logan raises one eyebrow, impressed, and I smile while taking a bite of bacon.
“Yes, we are going to Greece, but I had to delay it one day so that I could have my own day in Istanbul,” he says cryptically.
“You like to explore on your own?” I wonder aloud.
“No, not exactly,” he grins, folding the newspaper before setting it on the table in front of him. “Last night you got to show me Istanbul through your eyes. Today, we’re traveling my way, and you must do everything I want to.”
“I didn’t bring a gown,” I tease, knowing of his luxury living.
“Don’t worry. I brought my wallet.”
After breakfast, I shower and dress for the day, excited to see what Logan has in store. Deciding on a royal blue strapless pants romper, I curl my hair in big beach waves, that fall to my barely noticeable cleavage.
Adding a little mascara to my long lashes, and bronzer to my cheeks, I step back to take in my full package and nod my approval before slipping on my gold sandals and grabbing my matching clutch purse.
Logan is speaking to Rodrick when I enter the living room, but the words die on his lips once he lays eyes on me. I feel like the most beautiful woman in the world under his gaze, and can feel my face redden as Rodrick looks over before complimenting me.
“You look very nice, Ms. Batcher,” he greets me before whispering to Logan and excusing himself from the room.
“Hi,” I say to Logan after closing the distance between us.
“You look amazing,” he takes a step back to look at me once more.
“Thank you. I knew I had to step it up for a day with you,” I joke, looking over his black chino pants and white polo shirt.
“I feel underdressed now,” he bites his bottom lip, and I look away to control my pelvic muscles from tensing too much.
“Ready to get started?” He pulls me to him with a hand on my hip, and my heart rate increases from the feel of his touch.
“Yes,” I breathe the word, my hormones raging in complete hysteria.
The day begins with a long car ride, as Logan snuggles me into his side, pointing out landmarks as the city passes us by. His knowledge of Istanbul is remarkable, he knows so much, explaining how there is an old city and a new city.
Our hotel is in the new city, but today we’re traveling to the old city, where most of the ancient landmarks and historic sites are located.
“So, Logan, you learned all of this from your visits here?”
“Well, that part I learned this morning on Wikipedia, but everything from last night, yes, from my visits,” he bashfully admits. I laugh so loud the driver is startled, but I can’t help myself. Logan’s ability to make fun of himself is hilarious and attractive all at once.
“So, you studied for your travel day?”
“I’ve been up since five this morning researching things to show you,” he chuckles, but it makes my stomach drop like I’ve leaped from an airplane.
The idea that he would spend so much time preparing for me is so sweet, and nothing like the man I worried he would become with time.
In fact, Logan is nothing like the person Petra so vehemently described when I first told her about our meeting. I’ll have to ask where she heard such awful things about him, because the more I get to know him, the more I’m sure that whoever said it must not know him well.
Within a few minutes, we arrive at what looks to be an ancient building, with Rodrick and one other man leading to the top before leaving us to enjoy the most incredible view I’ve ever seen.
The entire city is beneath us, filled with bright colors, and Logan stands behind me, smiling at my awe of a reaction. It’s so beautiful, I can barely contain myself.
“Okay, see that building right there?” He points to a huge structure, consisting of several dome ceilings, painted in a soft peach color.
“That’s beautiful! What is it?”
“That’s Hagia Sophia. That’s where we’re going after lunch. It was the Roman Empire’s first Catholic cathedral, then it was a mosque and now it’s a museum,” he explains confidently.
“We can go inside?”
“Of course, babe,” he chuckles, and I feel myself melt.
There’s something about his terms of endearment that just turn me to complete mush.
“Are you ready for your lunch?” A man arrives, smiling as he greets us.
“Yes,” Logan answers for the both of
us, prying me away from the view as we sit at the only table on the balcony, leading me to believe he’s set up this private lunch for us to enjoy the view alone.
“We have specially prepared a spread of traditional Turkish dishes for you to try, and we do hope that you enjoy,” the man says before disappearing.
For the rest of our lunch, we are only interrupted when two women bring dish after dish of delicious food, giving a quick explanation before scurrying off into the restaurant.
It’s the most private and intimate lunch, with just the two of us, as I pray I’m not looking as googly eyed as I feel. With every glance, I feel myself losing control, no longer wanting to fight him or the way I feel.
“Did you get enough?” Logan asks after the women take away the last of our plates.
“I’m stuffed.” I answer, accepting his hand as he helps me to my feet.
“Okay, we’ll walk it off,” he leans down gently kissing my forehead before helping me down the steps.
“Ready, sir?” Rodrick asks when we reach the bottom of the steps.
“Yes, we’ll head to Hagia Sophia from here,” he informs him and with a head nod, Rodrick whispers into his wrist before nodding to Logan, who in turn interlocks our fingers before walking down the sidewalk.
“Wait. We’re literally walking?” I ask, surprised.
“I thought you would want to. Do you want to drive?” He looks back to Rodrick.
“No! Of course, I want to walk, I just didn’t think you would want to,” I explain quickly.
The look of relief on his face is endearing. To know that he was stressed about pleasing me makes me both happy and flattered. This is shaping up to be a great day.
“Ava, you only have to tell or show me that you like something once. Then, I’ll never stop trying to give it to you over and over.”
“Is that chivalry or gluttony?” I tease.
“I guess a bit of both. I’m definitely a glutton for that smile,” he says, squeezing my hand as we walk through the old city with one security guard a few paces in front of us, and Rodrick just behind.
Hagia Sophia is the most incredible architectural feat I’ve ever seen. The ceiling is so remarkable that I fear getting a crick in my neck from staring so long. The people are nice and welcoming, and of course Logan hired a private guide to give us a tour throughout the museum, and then onto the old city of Istanbul, which is so rich in history.