by Maggie Ryan
"Logan, I need you," she began, shaking her head as he again grinned and reached for her.
"I'm here, babe, ready and—"
"No." Seeing the single word cause the cloud to appear in his eyes again, Elizabeth grasped both of his hands. "Please, listen to me. Logan, I love you so much but—God, I'm so afraid."
"Afraid?" Logan's voice was barely audible as his heart thundered. At that moment he wished like hell that he could get his hands on the bastard who had caused the love of his life to live in fear. "Liz, Greg is…"
"No!" Elizabeth's voice rose as she realized she was botching this. "It's not that—hell, I don't give a shit about Greg…"
"Shh, babe, we don't have to—"
"God damn it, Logan, for someone who claims to want clarity, talking to you is like trying to communicate with a fucking brick wall. Please, shut up and just listen to me!"
If a brick wall had collapsed on top of him, it would have been less shocking than hearing her words. Logan stood, stunned to his core, not even aware of her hands releasing his as she stepped away. He was at a total loss, every instance of failing her playing again in his mind, the sight of her turning from him tearing his heart to shreds. Logan felt his knees almost buckle as if the weight of his failure had finally broken him physically, after already devastating him emotionally.
It was this sight that returned Elizabeth to his arms. After shouting at him, she had to turn away to gather her courage anew. Turning back, seeing that her words were killing the man she adored, she rushed to him, her arms encircling his chest, her small frame bracing his as his entire body began to shake.
"God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that, please…"
"Don't," Logan said, his mind warring with his heart. There was no mistaking that she had meant her words. She had never once spoken to him in that tone or in such a way. It took the grace of God to allow Logan to push away his shock and look down into her face. The tears swimming in her eyes gave him enough strength to lift her and carry her to the large armchair. He collapsed into it, his arms holding her tightly. "Talk to me. I'll shut up, I swear. I'll listen… just, God, tell me what you are you afraid of."
Elizabeth reached up and cupped his cheek with her palm. "Hold me, Logan, hold me so I can tell you."
Despite the fact that he was holding her, crushing her to him, he understood. He removed one arm from his hold and lifted it until his hand covered hers. Taking her hand, turning it carefully, he slowly linked their fingers together. Bringing their clasped hands to his lips, he kissed her knuckles one by one and something released inside him. Tension he didn't realize he had been holding in seeped from him at the soft sigh and smile she gave him, as she bent forward and kissed his fingers.
"I need you back," she began. "I need us back. I don't think I can bear living if we can't find 'us' again. That's what I'm so afraid of." She paused, her eyes closing briefly as the true weight of her fear consumed her. "God, Logan, you are my life and my very soul. I've told you, I was never really afraid of Greg that night." Feeling him tense beneath her, she opened her eyes and met his. "I know you feel you failed me, but you have never failed me, and I pray you won't now. I knew you'd come for me—God, I know you'd die for me, but, Logan, if-if you can't come back to me and give me all of you—including the pain I know you are hiding, then I'm terrified that we will fail each other. I don't need you to treat me as if I'm some fragile piece of china, I don't need to be watched over and have you on edge every time I'm out of your sight. I don't need you to protect me from what you are feeling. I wasn't hurt, but even if I had been, I knew that you would be there to heal me, and, Logan, I need you to let me heal you as well. Can you understand anything I'm trying to say?"
"I felt so lost," he said slowly. "Losing you, hearing you scream, made part of me die. Seeing his hands on you, knowing what could have happened, God, I was supposed to protect you and I, I…"
"You did, Logan. You have always protected me. From the very moment you first held me, I have felt safe. Life is a game, Logan, it has many different rules, and people will make moves no one can predict. All you can do is prepare, and you have done that. Tastsinn's is the safest club in the state, and all of that is due to your need to offer that protection. Just as you told me to let go of my fear and to find my voice, I need you to do the same. Release your guilt, Logan, for there is no guilt to be claimed. Make me yours again. Tonight is more than a test of this room—it is a test to see if we can truly move forward together. Be my partner, my lover, my fiancé, and, Sir, be the Dom who sings with me so that I'm never afraid again."
She watched as the pain disappeared from his eyes. She watched as the gleam she had been praying to see, returned to shine with the promise that he had listened and understood her words and her need. She felt her entire body quiver as her love came back to her, the man who made her whole fusing with the shell of the man who had passed for Logan for several weeks.
"Careful what you ask for, Schatzlein," he murmured, his breath against her lips. "I promise, you will sing until the very demons in hell join in the notes of your pleas. You will sing until the angels in heaven lift up their own voices to join the chorus of your joy." His mouth took hers, the kiss promising that his words were true.
Every molecule in her body prepared itself to give him every melody he wished to hear. Hearing him call her his treasure for the first time since that night told her that she would sing like never before. When he released her only to lift her to stand before him, his fingers working to slowly undress her, she prayed that Ryan's work was foolproof, for she knew the echoes of her cries would be sounding for a very long time.
Chapter 11
Logan was a renewed man as he climbed from the bed hours later. He couldn't seem to keep from smiling, every note of Elizabeth's song replaying again and again in his head. God, he was so thankful that the sweet melody had replaced the nagging doubt of his failure. He looked down at his fiancée, her hair spread across the pillows, a single strand trailing down her cheek. She was a stunning woman, but more importantly, she was beautiful inside. Instead of allowing him to continue to fade away, she'd had the strength to stand up and draw him back. He would never forget the absolute trust she had in him to protect her. He had finally realized that, even if he couldn't keep bad things from happening to the woman he would give his life for, he could and would forever be there to help her get through them.
In the bathroom, Logan turned on the taps of the tub, pouring a generous amount of the bubble bath they had been given into the stream from the faucet. As the bubbles began to build, a soft, very pleasant scent filled the room. Knowing that Elizabeth and Nancy had thought of every detail to make each room as romantic as possible, he opened cabinets to find candles, setting them around the room, lighting them and getting out thick towels. Turning off the tap, he left the room, flipping off the light.
Walking back to the bed, he bent down, taking the strand of hair between his fingers and lifting it to his lips before releasing it. He stroked his finger down her cheek, smiling as she turned towards him.
"Hi," she said softly, opening her eyes to find his, peaceful at last, the last glimmer of doubt driven away. "What time is it?"
"Time for another test—if you are up for it." He watched her grin and bent to pick her up, cradling her in his arms as he reentered the bathroom.
The tranquil scene drew a gasp from Elizabeth. "It's beautiful, thank you."
"You're welcome, Schatzlein." Logan pulled her long hair into a ponytail, gently turning the long tail into a bun as he inserted a single clip to hold it off her shoulders. He set her into the tub and climbed in behind her. Elizabeth leaned against him as he slipped his arms around her. They remained still and silent for long minutes, relaxing in the warmth of the tub and the scent of the candles. Bending to kiss her neck, Logan felt her instant response as she began to turn towards him. "No, let me," he said. Breathing deeply, Elizabeth nodded, expecting him to begin to make love to her again. Instead, his ar
m reached for the loofah and body wash he had set by the tub.
His hands had made her beg, moan, gasp, and scream as he had expertly used the flogger until her ass was crimson, and then made love to her earlier. Those same hands now made her purr as he slowly washed every inch of her body. Logan turned her to face him, cupping her face with his hands, kissing her softly before washing her neck and her shoulders. Her nipples were puckered when his fingers found them before running the loofah over her breasts. He grinned when she arched towards him when his hand slowly moved down her stomach. Without him saying a word, she opened her legs as far as the tub would allow, allowing his hand to first cup her sex before he gently washed it as well.
Elizabeth was both relaxed and quivering by the time Logan stood, pulling her up to stand before him. She moaned as his hands sluiced the bubbles from her skin. When he stepped from the tub and helped her out, she sighed as he wrapped one of the huge bath sheets around her body. After drying every inch of her, he dried himself, and then she watched as he flipped the lever to drain the tub and blow out each of the candles.
"We didn't make much noise," she said quietly.
"Ah, Liebchen, not all tests are for the soundproofing." He grinned as he led her back into the bedroom. "As conscientious owners of Haven, we can check off several items from just our bath." He paused and slid the blue nightgown over her head, his hands guiding it down her body, moving to cup her breasts, his thumbs running over the taut peaks of her nipples. "We learned that the tubs are definitely big enough for two and the towels are perfect—both to wrap a wet little sub in, as well as let a Dom know his won't fall off every time he moves."
Elizabeth giggled as she remembered that had been one of his Haven Notes as they began planning the hotel. "What else did you learn?" she asked, wondering why he was pulling on his jeans.
"I learned that you are incredibly sexy with candlelight falling onto your wet skin. I learned that bubble baths are just as wonderful for me, as long as I can share them with you." He pulled the duvet from the bed and walked to the door.
"Um, I thought we had all night," she said, looking back at the bed and then to him.
"Schatzlein, we have a lifetime," Logan said, as he opened the door and held out his hand.
Elizabeth had no idea what he was planning but trusted him implicitly. Taking his hand, she padded down the hall beside him. When he led her up the stairs, she began to smile. They both used their free hands to open the double doors and then stood in awe.
There was no need of candles, as moonlight poured through the plate glass window, the lake nothing but a shadow, the branches of the trees swaying. Stars sparkled like diamonds in the sky.
Logan spread the duvet out on the dais. Elizabeth shivered as he looked at her and again reached for her hand. Pulling her close, he bent and kissed her until she was breathless, her hand moving behind his head to press his mouth harder against her own, her moan of need seeping into the room. When his hand moved to release the clip, allowing her hair to flow down her body, she was again reminded of the first night they had made love. Logan set her away, only to slowly push the spaghetti straps of the gown off her shoulders to press his mouth against her skin. She trembled as his hands slowly guided the gown down, baring her inch by inch, until it slipped from her body to pool on the duvet. He stepped back and removed his jeans.
Linking the fingers of their hands together, they knelt, their mouths fusing again. Nothing was rushed as lips and tongues explored the other. Guiding her onto her back, Logan moved between her legs, his cock aching to bury itself into her. Their hands linked again as he pulled her arms over her head, his lips taking hers as he pushed inside. Every movement was slow and exquisite. As they made love, it was exactly as Ariel had predicted. They felt like they were making love amidst the stars of heaven, and when they fell over the pinnacle together, they could swear they heard the chorus of angels sharing the cries of their ecstasy.
*****
They performed the final test the next morning. Logan checked the temperature of the water before guiding Elizabeth to stand beneath the rain head fixture. Her moan of pleasure had his cock stiffening as the water cascaded over her body, her head tilted back to allow it to sluice through her hair and down her face. Logan stood outside the stall, his eyes following the stream as it ran across her breasts to fall from her nipples, which were peaked into hard pebbles despite the warmth of the water. Lowering his eyes past the flat plane of her stomach, he saw the neatly trimmed triangle of her pubic hair glistening with the droplets, his heart rate picking up at the knowledge of what lay just out of sight. He forced his eyes to continue down to see the rivulets running down her legs to finally disappear into the drain.
"Turn around," he said, his voice barely audible above the sounds of the rain shower. He watched as she gathered the wet strands of her hair and pulled them over her shoulder, before she slowly turned. Though the view had changed, it remained as captivating as the first. With her head slightly bowed, her slim neck was revealed, and his first thought was that of the collar he would soon place around her throat. The pale skin of her back was presented, the water flowing over her shoulder blades and down her spine in a straight line until it began to curve over the rounded hillocks of her buttocks. Logan stepped in to join her, barely aware of the water striking his own body as he wrapped his arms around her.
Elizabeth shuddered at his touch as he pressed himself against her back. His mouth descended on her exposed neck, his lips kissing the sensitive area behind her ear. She could feel his cock against her back and her sex began to bloom, adding its own liquid to the flow. He didn't speak as his hands moved to cup her breasts, thumbing her nipples as she pressed her ass against him. Though they had made love until they were both completely sated the evening before, it was as if they were joining after weeks of being apart.
With one hand on the side of her head, he turned her face until he could capture her mouth with his own. The temperature seemed to increase as he kissed her, her lips opening to accept his tongue. By the time he lifted his lips from hers, she was shaking, her body craving more than the caress of the water falling on them both. Holding her securely, Logan moved the few steps to where the long bench ran across one wall. Splaying a hand against her lower back, he silently instructed her to bend over.
Elizabeth obeyed, her hands braced against the seat, her eyes closed, her legs spreading as her body quickened in expectation of his taking her. The first sensation she felt had her breath catching as her mind attempted to adjust to the unexpected. The second touch had her no longer confused as she moaned, her eyes flying open, her head turning to see Logan lifting the bath brush for the next stroke. When it landed, she found her breath and moaned, her ass lifting to receive it. Each swat disturbed the stream of water, sending droplets flying in all directions as Logan methodically continued to cover every inch of her bottom with the back of the long brush. Every splat was accompanied by Elizabeth's soft moans, her song changing as her ass reddened.
"Elbows down, ass up, legs spread wider."
Elizabeth moaned, going down onto her forearms, spreading her legs further apart, finding her balance and lifting her ass as high as she could, pushing it out to her Dom.
Logan's cock jerked as her pussy was fully exposed, the water sliding along the lips of her sex to mix with her own juices. He ached to sink into her folds, but she had not yet given the notes he wished to hear. Flipping the brush over, he slowly ran it between her legs, the soft bristles stroking her core, the sound of her surprise at the sensation causing his lips to curve into a smile. He ran the brush along her inner thighs, watching as they began to tremble, her ass to lift even higher as if begging for the brush to return. Return it did, but with a quick swat as he snapped his wrist upwards.
"Oh, God," Elizabeth squealed as she began to rise, the pulsing of her clit increased tenfold by the single stroke.
"Down!" Logan snapped, placing one hand at the small of her back, letting her know he was
not yet done. Once she was back in position, he renewed her spanking, the back of the brush connecting with the tightened skin where her buttocks met her thighs, stroking until the skin began to glow and her cries were echoing off the tiles of the shower. He alternated the last dozen strokes between her pink buttocks until the color soon matched that of her sit spot, and her ass was churning from side to side. A final stroke was delivered across the center of her bottom before Logan dropped the brush to the bench and stepped between her legs.
Elizabeth shrieked as he drove into her, filling her with that first thrust as she came, her contractions so strong she would have fallen if Logan's hands had not been not holding her securely as he rammed into her again and again. She felt his hands slide up her torso to come to rest as he cupped a breast in each palm, gently squeezing and stroking as she felt her body begin to spiral again. His fingers caught her nipples, tightening around each one, pulling and twisting until she was dancing beneath him, pulling away from his hold before pressing down again to offer her breasts to the man who played her body so beautifully.
Logan continued to stroke in and out of her, his hips slapping against the bottom he had colored with the brush, the heat of her cheeks providing an additional element of warmth as the heat of the walls of her pussy warmed his cock. His thrusts became harder as he drove deeper, his fingers playing with her pebbled nipples, his lips capturing water droplets as he bent to kiss along her spine before settling on her throat.