A date. They were on a date.
Logan bent close to her ear. “That skirt you’re wearing is distracting the hell out of me.”
Her skin tingled. “That was the plan, cowboy.”
“You’re lucky I didn’t ravish you in my truck.”
“Hmm, not sure I would have objected.”
Logan tugged her into his body, his eyes growing serious. “Bad as I want you, when I make you come, it’ll be in private.”
Spinners was huge. Her gaze caught on the big mechanical bull surrounded by mats to the left of the door. It was currently roped off, a huge dude wearing chaps and a menacing expression deterring anyone who tried to breech the barrier. She took in the rustic wood beamed ceilings, plank floors, and a gleaming bar on the right. For a Sunday night, the place was pretty full.
“Logan!” A voice boomed through the room. A large man strode up to them.
“Mac.” Logan did the hand shake, half hug thing. “How you been?”
“Can’t complain. Now who is this beauty?” His dark eyes landed on her.
“This is Becky, my wife.”
Mac’s craggy face blanked for a second. “You son of a gun, you’re married? To this lovely woman?”
“Yep.”
Becky held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Mac.”
“Huh.” The older man ignored her hand and engulfed her in a bear hug. Setting her down, he grinned. “How’d Logan lasso a pretty little thing like you?”
She laid her hand on the man’s arm. “Actually, I lassoed him. He never saw it coming.”
Mac threw his head back and laughed. Wiping his eyes, he slapped Logan’s shoulder. “You’ve done good. Come on, let’s get you two some drinks.”
Mac waved off the bartenders as Becky slipped onto a barstool. Logan stood by her, his arm draped across the back of her stool. “Mac, Logan tells me that you own the bar. It’s nice.”
“Sure do. Bought it after I stopped bull riding.” He set a glass of white wine in front of Becky and handed Logan a beer.
She sipped her wine, enjoying the chance to let loose a little since Pam was giving Sophie a bottle tonight. “So that mechanical bull over there in the corner? Is that just for show?”
The older man grinned. “You want to ride it?”
In this skirt? Becky didn’t think so. “Another time. But Logan’s been bragging to me that he can stay on it.”
Logan’s head snapped around. “Are you doubting me, sugar?”
“Just saying that I think a man ought to be able to back up his words. Am I right, Mac?”
Mac’s booming laughter filled the bar. “Son, you got yourself a whole heap of trouble in this one.”
Logan’s eyes gleamed “Why don’t you warm up that bull.” He took Becky’s hand. “I’m going to see if I can wear my wife out a little on the dance floor.”
“Ha.” One sip of wine and Becky was feeling feisty. “What do you suppose my talent was in pageants?”
“Looking hot?”
She rolled her eyes. “Dance. I took years of dance classes. I was good enough that I almost won a trip to see the San Francisco Ballet in one of my pageants. I planned to take my mom, but, unfortunately, Ava beat me that day and I came in second.” A poignant memory washed over her. “Mom and I talked about saving up and going when she got well. We spent hours dreaming about it, looking at websites and planning…” Trailing off, she realized Logan had stopped halfway to the dance floor.
His eyes softened. “You can go in memory of your mom. You’ll have the money.”
She didn’t want to talk about the money, the contract, or her mom. Not now when she was on a date. Tonight she wanted to dance, laugh, and make Logan want her. Crave her as much as she craved him. Shrugging off the memory, she raised her eyebrows. “Are you trying to get out of dancing with me? Afraid you can’t keep up?”
Heat leapt into his gaze. “Let’s see your moves, pageant girl. Maybe you can win first place with me.”
“Maybe?” Recalling the first time they kissed after she’d done her beauty pageant walk, she flash him her winning smile. “You don’t have a prayer, cowboy.” She tossed her hair and rolled her hips as she headed to the dance floor with his gaze searing her back.
Logan caught up to her, pulling her into his arms. “Swear to God, you walk like that again in that short skirt, and I’m going to drag you into Mac’s office, lock the door, bend you over a table and rip your panties off. Again.” He sucked in a breath. “Christ, I’m rock hard for you.”
She’d made men want her before, but with Logan, it was different. He wanted her to sleep in his arms like she was special enough to be held and cherished. “Then what will you do? You know, once you rip my panties off?”
He narrowed his eyes, and his hand tightened on her lower back. Leaning to her ear, he growled, “First I’ll slide my cock into you, slowly, letting you adjust. Letting you feel how hot and hard I am. Then you’ll do that sexy little whimper and I’ll know you want more.”
She squeezed her thighs together. She’d meant to taunt him, but he was torturing her.
He groaned. “Don’t lick your lips like that.”
She hadn’t even realized she’d done it. “What next?”
He stroked his hands to the curve of her hips. “I’ll hold you like this from behind, and slam into you deep and fast until you come so hard, no other man will ever be enough for you. Only me.”
Streaks of hot pleasure ripped through her. “Crap.”
“What?”
“My panties are wet.”
His eyes blazed with possessive heat. “Exactly how I like them.”
…
For a week after her date night with Logan, Becky had tiny clues that he was up to something, but she’d never in a million years have guessed she’d find herself in a stunningly beautiful suite at the Fairmont Heritage Place in San Francisco. Peeling her gaze from the view of the bay, she said, “I can’t believe you did this.”
“There’s more.” Logan took her hand and led her past the sitting room to the bay view bedroom and retrieved the dress from the closet. “Pam said it would fit you.”
Gasping, she fingered the beaded champagne colored cocktail dress. “Logan!” She’d been sewing pageant dresses since her teens and recognized quality, probably the creation of a high-end designer. She was too scared to look at the tags hanging from it. “It’s exquisite.” Snatching her hand back, she looked up into the proud glint in his light green eyes. “You did all this? The private plane, bringing me to San Francisco? The dress?” Everything had happened so quickly today, she still hadn’t caught her breath.
“Pam and Pricilla helped me with all the arrangements, including getting the tickets.”
Her heart stuttered. Anticipation and hope wound in her stomach. Pam had descended on her this morning, helping her and Sophie pack while refusing to tell her why. Her sister-in-law just kept insisting it was her job as the nanny. Then the limo, the plane ride, another limo….and now she was thrown another surprise. “What tickets?”
Returning the dress to the closet, Logan pulled her against him. Cupping her face, he said, “The ballet. It’s Cinderella. I don’t know shit about ballet, but that’s seems fitting. For this weekend, I want to be your prince. I can’t bring your mom back, but I can take you to the ballet the two of you dreamed of attending.” He lifted her left hand and touched her mom’s rings. “Tonight when we watch that ballet together, she’ll be with you.”
Her stomach bottomed out as her heart went into free fall—right into love with her husband, the man who surprised her with this extravagant trip just so she could feel close to her mom again. “Logan, thank you.”
He smiled. “We’ll have tonight together. After the ballet, a chef is cooking us dinner, and we’ll eat on the balcony overlooking the bay.”
It sounded perfect.
“In the morning, we’ll take Sophie and the nanny—”
Laughter bubbled around the lump of pure happ
iness in her throat. “Quit calling your sister that.” It touched her how much Pam was doing for her. She and Sophie had their own room and Pam seemed delighted to get so much time with the baby. Which reminded her. “Thank you for bringing Sophie.” It made her feel better, being near her daughter and able to feed or comfort her.
Fierceness weighed down his brows. “We’re not leaving your daughter behind. She’s a baby and needs you. Besides there’s no way you’d have gotten on that plane without her. If we were staying close by, then maybe we could have snuck away for a night and left her in Pricilla and Pam’s care.”
Her heart just kept going in that free fall. It didn’t even phase him to include Sophie. He held her more and more now, or laid on the floor, playing with her and Jiggy. But what really got her was that her baby’s welfare was important to him.
“Anyway,” he went on. “Tomorrow we’ll take Sophie out to see the city before we fly home.”
A riot of emotions erupted in her chest. Throwing her arms around his neck, she went up on her toes. “You’re the best husband ever. I think you should win a prize.”
His grin turned wicked. “Oh I will, sugar. I’m taking the prettiest woman out on the town, bringing her back here to feed her, and then I’m going to claim my prize.” He slid his hand around her hip, his fingers clamping possessively. “Slowly, with careful attention to every bit of skin I reveal as I peel that dress off you.”
Looking up into his light green eyes, Becky really did feel like Cinderella. For the moment, she had it all, everything she ever wanted.
Becky had a home and a family. She belonged.
But what would happen when the clock struck midnight or, in their case, the three months were up?
Chapter Fourteen
Becky couldn’t tear her eyes from Pam as she raced her horse around the barrels. Sophie was so excited, Mac laughed. “Damn, girl, that baby loves the rodeo.”
She didn’t answer. Her heart was in her throat as Pam took her horse around another barrel at an angle that made Becky’s lungs seize. Becky leaned as if she were on the horse, not her sister-in-law. “Go Pam!”
All of them were as close as they could get to watch Pam in her timed event. Brian, Pricilla, Abby, Logan’s lawyer-friend Brody, and Mac all watched. More people came and went, many angling to get a chance to meet Becky.
Kendra hung out there, too.
Pam cleared the last barrel and road full bore to the finish line.
They all turned to the clock.
“First place!” Logan roared and turned. “Did you see that, Sophie? Your aunt took first place.”
Sophie craned her head, trying to see Pam as she rode out of the ring. The baby’s face crumpled and she protested when Pam was out of her sight.
“I’ll be damned. She really did recognize her,” Mac said.
Becky hugged her daughter, rocking and soothing her. “You can see Aunt Pammy soon.” Her daughter adored Pam even more after their San Francisco trip.
“I got some great shots. Look at these, Logan.” Kendra shoved her camera into his face.
Sophie sucked her fist, getting more agitated. “I’d better go feed her.”
Logan looked over. “I’ll walk with you.”
“Hurry back, I have more shots I want to show you.” Kendra patted Logan’s arm.
Becky gritted her teeth and started walking, willing herself not to overreact. The last couple weeks with Logan had been amazing, and they spent each night wrapped in each other’s arms. Today they were surrounded by family and friends enjoying the rodeo. But Kendra bugged Becky with her possessive tone around Logan and his family. And Logan…
We just fell into bed a couple times. Now it’s over, it was nothing. His words haunted her—what if that’s how Logan would feel about her at the end of three months?
He caught up to her. “Something bothering you?”
What did she say? She didn’t own Logan, not really. Basically they had a three-month agreement. Yeah, things were going good, but Logan had said no promises.
“Talk to me, Becky.”
“Kendra. She’s always around.” The thought of him touching Kendra, kissing her… Becky closed her eyes, struggling to swallow the vile emotion churning in her. She’d fallen deeply in love with her husband, but not knowing if he felt anything real for her brought out her vulnerabilities and jealousy.
“I’ve known her since I was eight. She’s just a family friend.”
“Who you had sex with.” She winced, hearing her snappish tone. She didn’t want to be that clinging, desperate girl who’d do anything for affection from a man.
“Are you jealous?” He tugged her to a stop and tucked a loose strand of hair back behind her ear. “I told you it was over. I don’t hound you about men you had sex with.” His eyes darkened. “I don’t want to think about another man touching you.”
“I haven’t slept with anyone here, so you aren’t running into them, imagining—”
“Shit, yeah that would piss me off.” He put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her and Sophie into his side and resumed walking. “I get it, but I don’t want to rock the boat too much. You saw the piece on you, me, and Sophie. She’s showing us as a committed family, and that’s good for both our goals.”
“True. Even the social worker has seen it.” They’d had a surprise visit from Molly Grover this week. She’d conducted their first interview for the court-ordered home study.
“Kendra knows we’re over. I slept with her twice. I’d come home, she’d broken up with a boyfriend, and we used each other. That was it. I didn’t feel anything for her, not like I feel for you.”
Everything in her cried out for a commitment. Something more than let’s take two months and find out. And, no promises, no pressure. They reached the area where the Knights had parked their trailer. “I’m fine. I’ll feed Sophie and if she sleeps, I’ll rest in here, too. Go on, go hang out with Brody and Mac.”
“But not Kendra. You’re the woman I want.” He kissed her then strode off.
Becky went into the front half of the trailer that was as nice as any motor home. The back portion housed the horses and tack. She quickly changed Sophie and settled her into breastfeeding. They had both dozed off when she heard a commotion.
“Let me go.”
She snapped awake, recognizing Pam’s voice. After quickly fixing her shirt, she laid Sophie in the travel crib.
“Cade, stop it. I’m not in the mood.”
“Well I am.”
Chills went down her spine at the man’s ugly tone. Becky opened the door, went out, and looked around.
“No.” Pam’s upset voice came from the horse trailer.
Becky strode around to the opened back end. Inside, the man had Pam pinned to the wall. “You couldn’t get your mouth on my dick fast enough last time. You want it, all whores want it.” He shoved his mouth on Pam’s while his hand went to his belt buckle.
Whore. That word exploded in Becky’s head. She stormed into the trailer and grabbed a broom from the wall mount. “Let her go!” She wacked the broom against the bastard’s back.
Cade yelped and spun around. He was about even with Becky in height, but he had more meat on him and his face turned purple with fury.
Pam ran past Becky.
“Bitch, you’ll pay for that. You want to play with a broom?” He advanced on her.
Shit. Sophie was alone in the other part of the trailer. She turned to tell Pam to get the baby away from here, but the girl was gone.
A wall of pissed off male slammed into her. Becky hit the floor of the trailer. She felt a shock of hot pain in her left forearm. Dang, that hurt. She tried to roll off her arm, but she was trapped by the heavy weight. “Get off.”
Becky fought, her muscles straining but he had her pinned. Sick fear spread through her.
A roar sounded, and Becky lifted her head as Logan exploded into the trailer. He picked up the man as if he weighed nothing and threw him clean out of the trailer.
Logan leaped out after him.
“Becky, oh God.” Pam knelt by her, crying. A blur of people filled the trailer.
My baby is alone in the trailer. Have to make sure she’s safe.
Worry for her baby drove out any thoughts of pain. Rolling over, she blurted out, “Sophie’s in the living quarters.”
Pricilla whipped off her jacket and wrapped Becky’s arm. “I’ll go get her, but honey, don’t move for a few minutes. Your arm’s bleeding, and we need to make sure you’re okay. ” She got up and said, “Abby, take a look at Becky, see if we need the EMTs.”
Becky couldn’t lay there on the trailer floor, so she carefully sat up. Heat prickles broke out on her body, black spots danced in front of her eyes for a few seconds.
“Breathe, Becky,” Abby knelt next to her and Pam. “Did you hit your head?” She unwrapped her arm, examining it.
“No. Just my knees and arm.” Taking a couple breaths, the pain in her arm eased and everything slid into focus. It was just shock, she wasn’t really hurt. Outside the trailer, Cade was crumpled and moaning on the ground. Logan stood over him, every muscles and tendon bulging.
“What the hell happened?” Brian bellowed.
“It’s my fault,” Pam burst out, her eyes wet with tears.
Her father turned on her. “What did you do?”
Pam gestured to Cade writhing on the ground. “He attacked me. I went home with him the other night—”
Brian’s face turned purple. “When you act like a whore this is what happens! First you got thrown out of college and now this.”
“Brian!” Priscilla stopped at the edge of the trailer, her lips white. “What is wrong with you? That’s our daughter and she’s just been attacked.” The woman was so angry, her voice shook. Charging into the trailer, she handed Sophie to Becky and hugged Pam.
Her aunt’s sobs caused the baby to wail in distress.
Becky held her daughter to her chest, and tried to keep from crying, too. How could this happen? Pam had been attacked and now Brian was calling his daughter something so awful.
…
Logan leaned against the trailer that housed the first aid station for the rodeo. He still couldn’t believe Becky hit Cade with a broom to protect Pam. She should have come to him, or called him on his cell. That guy could have killed her. When he’d run up and saw Cade on top of Becky, heard her cry out, he’d gone right into kill mode. It’d taken Brody and Mac to pull him off the man.
Her Temporary Hero (a Once a Marine Series book) (Entangled Indulgence) Page 14