Beg for Me

by Natalie Anderson

  Pulling on a tee, he watched her walk away. So beautiful. So proud. So honest.

  In the doorway she paused, then turned.

  “Why did you do this, really?” she asked. “We could have retracted that tweet. You could have b-b-blamed me.”

  He was quiet for a moment, but he knew he owed her equal honesty. “Firstly, it was an impulse. Then I got to thinking. I didn’t want you to lose your business. I didn’t want to come here alone. And I guess I wanted to prove to the world that I could stick at a personal relationship for more than two days.”

  “But it’s not a real relationship.”

  That kinda got him in the chest. “Isn’t it? We’re friends now, aren’t we?”

  “Friends don’t tend to coerce people into staying with them, or offer to pay for their c-c-company.”

  “I already explained it was from a basis of care that I made that offer.” And, he realized, it was. Now, he truly did care.

  Shit.

  “Okay.” She watched him so closely, her expression serious, and whispered. “We’re friends.”

  He had to pull it back to playful. “But still competitors in one arena.”

  She stepped into the bathroom and shut the door.

  To Min’s relief, Logan’s parents weren’t at breakfast. But Dani was just finishing. She looked up with a grin as soon as Logan and Min walked in.

  “Weather’s looking good,” she said brightly. “All remaining guests should be able to land no problem. Storm’s not gonna hit ‘til later according to the forecast.”

  “Good,” Logan answered absently. “Did you organize—”

  “Yes,” Dani turned to Min as she stood up from the table. “You, Chelsea and I are all booked for the full spa treatment, then hair, make-up, the works.”

  Min shot Logan a teasing look and whispered to him. “You think we need the works?”

  “Of course not,” he answered promptly. “You’re all naturally stunning. But I thought you might like the pampering. You’ve had such a hard week and all...”

  Oh she had. And this would be the perfect filler before the dreaded party. “What are you going to do?”

  “Oh I’m having a spa treatment too,” he winked.

  She laughed.

  “You seen the news about your boutique brewery, Logan?” Connor walked in and went straight to the coffee jug.

  “No.” Logan looked up. “What’s happened?”

  “Their new ale won that industry gold medal last night.” Connor poured himself a cup and swallowed a hit. “Just like you said it would.”

  “You have a b-brewery?” Min stopped eating her French toast and stared at Logan. Seriously?

  He laughed at her expression. “No. I’m just an investor.”

  Connor frowned at Min as he headed back to the door he’d come through. “You know Logan likes funding projects that he thinks have potential.”

  Actually she didn’t know.

  “It’s not the projects,” Logan interrupted, flicking his fingers at Connor as he walked out of the room. “I like finding people with passion.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  Why wasn’t she surprised that he’d make a joke out of it? “What other projects have you invested in?”

  “All sorts.” He reached out and grabbed piece of toast. “A few tech. Some weird inventions. A coffee company... I have to do something with my idle time and my pots of money, right?” He winked. “I’m thinking maybe an ice-cream venture next. Gourmet, artisan creators of some caramel and cashew combo.”

  “So you help people reach for their dreams?” She asked, placing a mock impressed hand over her heart.

  Except she was totally impressed.

  “I know what it’s like to fight to realize your own goals.” He batted his lashes at her, teasing.

  But there was a spark of truth in every joke. And her fallen angel was a real angel after all. An angel investor.

  “I bet they love having you on board,” she murmured, swirling her toast in maple syrup.

  He shook his head. “I prefer they don’t know. I don’t use my name. Or the Summerhill brand.”

  “You’re the silent benefactor?”

  “Uh huh,” He sent her a wicked look across the table. “You like me more now?”

  She shook her head. “You invest in other people’s passion, but where’s your own?”

  “You know exactly where.” He grinned wolfishly. “Now come walk off that breakfast.”

  She sent him a deliberately sultry look as she took his hand.

  “You’re so not gonna win.” He laughed.

  No, she probably wasn’t. But she was damn well going to try.

  The pool was unbelievable. Surrounded by natural stone, it looked like it was some ancient thermal beauty spot, except the huge room was encased in glass, and beyond that glass was ice and snow and massive mountains. It was pure magic. Pure decadence.

  “You can leave me now, it’s not long ‘til my appointment. I’m going to take a swim.” She’d grabbed a bathing suit from the resort store. A Summerhill original. Nice it was too.

  Chelsea and Dani were already seated on loungers at one end of the pool, a selection of snacks and drinks laid out on a small table between them.

  She leaned in close to Logan, teasing before she left him. “You worried I’m going to give the game away?”

  He shook his head. “Call me crazy, but I trust you.”

  Min turned and walked away from him before she dropped to her knees and begged. The more she got to know him? The more he opened up?

  The more she fell.

  But her pace slowed as she neared the two women. Her skin burned as she remembered her quick departure from the restaurant last night. She didn’t know which of the guys had walked in on her and Logan practically rutting, but she was certain Chelsea knew about it.

  “Are you knitting?” Chelsea was staring at Dani who was clad in a cute bikini and had just pulled a giant ball of wool onto her lap.

  Dani nodded and started clacking her needles. “Don’t laugh.”

  “Wasn’t gonna.” Chelsea reached forward and grabbed a green grape from the bunch beside her. “Come and sit down, Min. Let’s relax and have a swim before we get plucked and preened.”

  “Thanks.” Min perched on the edge of one of the loungers.

  “What are you going to have done?” Chelsea asked Dani. “Gonna go for a neon green streak to freak your parents?”

  Dani chuckled. “Oh I so should.”

  “No you shouldn’t. Forget I ever said it.”

  Min was struck by a hideous thought. “Your mom isn’t going to be at the spa, is she?”

  “My mom would never go there,” Dani glanced up from her knitting with a baffled look on her face. “The beauticians go to her. She has a tribe up in her room now.”

  “Oh.” Right. Of course.

  Min caught Chelsea’s eye and they both laughed.

  “I’m looking forward to tonight,” Dani put her knitting needles down.

  “You are?” Min didn’t think any of the Hughes clan were actually looking forward to it.

  Dani nodded. “I have a new dress. I’m nearly twenty...”

  “And is there some guy you want to see you in that dress?” Chelsea asked, her eyes sparkling.”

  “No.” Dani answered too quickly and a second later her cheeks turned bright pink. She stood up. “I’m going to swim before I’m due at the hairdresser.”

  “How formal is your dress?” Min asked.

  “Long,” Dani answered just before diving in smoothly and swimming the length of the pool.

  “Mine too,” Chelsea said as she watched Dani go. “To the floor. You’ve got something?”

  Min nodded, relieved over one thing on her panic-list.

  “But you’re worried?” Chelsea asked shrewdly.

  “I’m embarrassed,” Min whispered. “I’m sorry not to have said goodbye to everyone properly last night.”

  Chelsea laughed. “Don’t wor
ry, I know what it’s like when you just can’t help...” Her shoulders lifted and she giggled. She looked at Min and suddenly leaned forward. “Early on in our relationship, Xander and I had wild sex by the rooftop pool of our apartment building. It wasn’t ‘til after that I remembered the whole area is covered by security cameras. Every angle.” She shivered and pulled a face. “I still have no idea where that footage is.”

  “At least it isn’t all over the internet.” Min smiled.

  “Well, that’s right. Poor Logan.” Chelsea shot her a look. “But you’re okay with it?”

  Min hesitated, wary of opening up, but there was something about Chelsea’s honesty—the woman was nice. “I’m okay with the sex clip, it’s this thing tonight that’s my worst night m-m-mare,” she whispered. “I l-l-loathe public speaking. And I have no idea what to say.”

  “It’s a party. It won’t be that serious.”

  Min gave her a skeptical look. “But I’m the fiancée. They’re all going to be staring. I have to perform.”

  “Yeah.” Chelsea nodded. “I get it.” She angled her head. “You know you’re cute-as-hell, right? Amazing hair, eyes…”

  Min rolled them. “I don’t want to look like an ornament. Everyone would know he’d be bored within a week.”

  Chelsea’s eyes lit up. “You get that about him?” She suddenly smiled. “Why don’t you give them something they don’t expect?” She leaned forward and adjusted her towel. “I know what it’s like to have a weakness. You work with it. Get through it. Do the thing they least expect you to do.”

  “It’s not possible for me,” Min whispered. It wouldn’t work. She could control it so much of the time, but in front of a large crowd when she was nervous?

  She had no chance.

  “I heard that people don’t stutter when they sing, is that true?” Chelsea flushed a little as she asked.

  “I can’t sing.”

  “No?” Chelsea grinned at her.

  “It would be worse than bad karaoke.”

  Chelsea narrowed her eyes. “What about lip syncing?”

  “You’ll be suggesting a f-f-flash mob next.”

  “Why the hell not?” Chelsea laughed.

  “Comfort zone. Other planet.”

  “This is out of your comfort zone anyway, right? Your worst nightmare. Why not take it to another level altogether. It’d be ironic. It would be amazeballs.”

  “It would be screwballs. And it wouldn’t work.”

  “Don’t you just want to wow them?”

  Of course she did. “Cinderella is a fairytale.”

  Chelsea sat back and wrinkled her nose as she thought. “So what are you going to do? You want the worst to happen? Or are you going to swing this thing in a whole other direction? You know you sound just like Marilyn Monroe sometimes, right? Sing the way she did.” Chelsea shrugged. “Act out a part, that’s what I do sometimes. It can be fun.”

  She had to admit she was tempted. Just to see the look on Logan’s face more than anything.

  “Do the last thing people would expect.”

  “I’m not good at shocking people,” Min said. “That’s Logan’s strength.”

  “Well, I don’t know. Have you talked to him about it?” Chelsea picked up her smoothie, a gleam suddenly lighting her eyes. “He’ll do anything for those he loves.”

  “Who’ll do anything?”

  He was right behind her?

  Min sent Chelsea a suspicious look. She’d seen him coming.

  “You will,” Chelsea said briskly. “Min’s anxious about the party. She doesn’t want to have to speak in public.” Chelsea stood and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m off to start the beautification process. Dani,” she called. “We’re due at the spa.” She turned back to Min. “See you there in ten.”

  “Okay.”

  Logan turned a wicked smile on Min as Chelsea and Dani left the pool via the over-sized double doors leading to the spa. “You’re really worried about it?”

  Well duh.

  “Tell you what.” He sat on the end of her lounger. “Every time you get anxious, I’ll drag you off to a corner and kiss you ‘til your knees buckle. Every time. Understand?”

  “Your solution for my stutter is sex?”

  He nodded like it was the best idea ever. “Orgasms. I’ll make you so relaxed you don’t give a damn about anyone or anything.”

  “Not even you?”

  He chuckled. “You’d never care about me, would you Min?”

  “But of course I would, you’re my fiancée. I care very much for your well-being.” She smiled sarcastically. “I’m really getting to grips with this p-part.”

  “I wish you’d get to grips with me.” He grimaced and leaned closer. “Go on, ask me.”

  “Ask me first.”

  Oh no. Definitely, not.

  He waited, watching her face.

  “Is sex your solution for everything?”

  “Pretty much.” He straightened with a long suffering sigh. “Are you sure you’ve got something to wear later?”

  “Absolutely.” And she’d just cleared the code with Dani and Chelsea. “I d-d-don’t need a Cinderella moment. You’re too hairy to be a fairy Godmother.” And orgasms were not the way to get her through this nightmare party.

  “I can’t be your Prince?”

  “No.”

  “I’ve always thought of you as more of a Rapunzel anyway.”

  “Because of this?” She waggled her long braid at him.

  “Because you’re shut away.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Yes you are. Locked in your little apartment. You never see anyone. You never take risks. Do you have any friends?”

  “Lots,” she lied loftily. “It so happens I’m quite friendly with a number of my c-clients.”

  “As friendly as you are with me?”

  “More.”

  His lips curved. “You can try to deny it, but I think you’re lonely.”

  “You’re only saying that because you know how easily you c-can get a physical response out of me. You think I’m sex-starved.”

  “You are sex-starved. So am I. It’s a terrible situation. Fortunately there’s something we can do about it.” He sent her sly look. “All you have to do is ask me nicely.”

  “I thought you wanted me to beg.”

  “That would be asking nicely.”

  She shook her head. “I couldn’t possibly pander to your ego. The women of the world would c-c-crucify me for it. I can’t let the team d-down.”

  “You think this is some kind of battle of the sexes? Because I hate to burst your bubble sweetheart, but several of your sisterhood have already capitulated.”

  “More than several,” she said with a venomous look. “You don’t need to throw your c-conquests in my face.”

  He laughed and took her hand, pulling her up from the lounger. “Come on then, princess, your army of fairy godmothers awaits.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  #BadToWorse

  Logan was desperate for Min to get back to him. He’d had the most boring couple hours waiting for her. He’d walked, gone for a swim, played on his iPad, tried to read a book. But was too restless. Finally the door opened.

  He looked up. Then leapt from the bed.

  “You look... There are no words.”

  In her jeans and cute low-cut tee, her blonde hair swinging in a shining swathe, her skin seemed to glow. And her mouth? Glistening.

  She was beautiful. And it wasn’t because of the make-up. It was the way her eyes lit up when she saw him.

  But she put her hands out in front of her to ward him off. “You are not touching. You’re not ruining this look.”

  “You just love setting challenges, don’t you?” He reached for her waist.

  “You’re not making me sweaty. It’s not happening.”

  “I’ll get the beautician in for touch-ups later,” he promised.

  She laughed as he pulled her to him. “You’re
wicked.”

  “Never said I wasn’t.”

  He kissed his way across her collarbones. Felt her soften and lean against him. Felt her hands over his back. Such a small touch, and it nearly felled him.

  “Beg for me, Min,” he all but begged her to. He hurt with wanting so much.

  “Poor Logan,” she said softly, all sultry whisper again. “You don’t have to suffer, you know.” She dropped to her knees and looked up at him. She pulled her tee-shirt off over her head, so her bra was exposed—and the creamy curve of her breasts. “You want me to...?” She reached up towards his zipper.

  For a heart-stopping second he was blinded by the vision of her glossy hair cascading over him. Of her mouth parted wide, of her sucking on him.

  “I’m not giving you that satisfaction.” He crouched to meet her eyes. “You thought you could win so easily? Honey, this is war now. You got that? I’m playing dirty. I’m playing hard.”

  He could take a shower and ease his frustration—and pain—manually. It’d take only two strokes and he’d come. But that felt like cheating. He just had to get her to beg. He needed to wear her down—a constant, relentless pursuit would do it, right? If she were as frustrated and as much in pain as he—

  Oh he was a fool.

  He’d been way too easy on her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her all the way to the floor, smiling as she turned so easily into his arms and spread her legs in warm open welcome.

  He slid his hand down the front of her jeans and beneath her panties. She instantly arched into his hand the way he loved. He drummed his fingers lightly directly over her clit and watched her spasm.

  She’d missed him too? Been thinking about him? Yeah. It felt like it. She was hot, halfway there already.

  Trouble was, it was such pleasure watching her come. He didn’t want to deny himself that as well. But he was going to have to. And when she finally broke? She wouldn’t know what had hit her.

  But for now he toyed, circling his fingers in her folds, massaging over her lower belly, rousing her until her breathing quickened and her skin flushed. Until she was wet and moving instinctively.

  Almost unstoppable.