by Kaylee Ryan
I can see the worry in his eyes. He doesn’t know who I am. He sees my ink and views me as a thug. What did Logan ever see in this chino wearing pansy-ass?
He looks around me to get a view of Logan. She must sense the movement because she steps up beside me. I immediately wrap my arm around her waist and pull her into my chest. “Last chance, Logan. When you come to your senses and drop this loser, I won’t be waiting for you.”
“It’s over, Daniel,” Logan repeats.
“Whatever, bitch—” He doesn’t get a chance to finish whatever he was going to say. I grab him by the collar of his shirt and push him up against the wall.
“What did I tell you about talking to her like that?” I pull my arm back ready to blow when I feel her hands pulling it back.
“Kacen, please. He’s not worth it.” Her eyes are pleading. There is a double meaning. If the press were to get ahold of the fact that I assaulted him, without him throwing the first punch, they would have a field day. Who am I kidding? They will twist it and have a field day regardless.
I release him. “Get the hell out of here. Forget her name, forget her number, forget her address. Forget her.”
He rubs at his neck, giving us each one last hard look, before turning and walking away. I watch him until I can no longer see him.
“Well, that was fun,” I say, turning to face Logan.
“I’m sorry you had to see that. Thank you for stepping in. You didn’t have to do that.” Her voice is soft.
In one long stride, I’m standing toe to toe with her. I place my index finger under her chin and tilt her face up to me. Big brown eyes filled with hurt and shame stare back at me. “He’s a fucking idiot. If you were mine, I would never let you go.”
Knowing that it’s supposed to be wrong, I just don’t give a fuck. I lean down and place a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth. She releases a soft gasp of surprise, but doesn’t pull away. I kiss a trail to her ear. “You deserve better,” I whisper.
It takes extreme effort, but I stand to my full height and take a small step back.
“I’ll . . . um . . . I’ll just get my purse.” Her voice is whisper soft as she turns and walks into her apartment.
Chapter 19
Logan
What just happened? This morning has been a roller coaster of emotions. Disappointment: my car acting up and being late for work is frustrating as hell. Anger: Daniel showing up thinking we could just rewind, that is, until he needs another break. Desire: from the second Kacen placed his hand on my hip to open the door, desire coursed through my veins. Factor in the kisses to my temple and the way he defended me, calling me his.
I wish I was.
Then there was the kiss, just a whisper of a touch on the corner of my mouth, my cheek. His words. Everything from that night in Hawaii comes crashing back into me. The way he touched me, held me. Sometimes there are moments like today and I think he remembers too and he wants me. Other times, I feel like I’m just Logan, his personal assistant. When I see what looks like fire in his eyes for me, my mind begins to race. If I were to find another job, then he would no longer be my boss.
I find Kacen leaning against the hood of my car, feet and arms crossed. I can see the corded muscles in his arms, his ink catching my attention like it always does. The memory of those powerful arms holding himself above me as he pushed inside . . . GAH!
Kacen holds his hand out and I drop the keys into them. I stand back and watch him unlock the door and then try to start the car. He tries a few times and this time, there is no sound. Nothing happens at all. He pulls his cell phone out of his pocket, taps the screen a few times, and puts it to his ear. I can hear the low rumble of his voice, but I cannot make out what he’s saying.
“Okay,” he says, climbing out of the car. “I called a friend of mine who owns a garage. He’s going to come and tow it to his shop and see if he can diagnose it. I’m not a mechanic, but it could be as simple as your battery.”
“Thank you, you didn’t have to do that.”
He nods. “Let’s swing by and pick up some breakfast. I’m sure the guys are wondering where we are.”
“I can make something.”
“No. This morning has sucked ass for you. Just take a break, Logan. For the last month, you have made us three meals a day. One day of greasy breakfast sandwiches is not going to kill us.” He winks.
I don’t argue with him. Instead, I slide into the passenger seat of his truck and fasten the seat belt.
Kacen pulls into the McDonald’s drive thru and orders so much food that they lady behind the speaker sounded hesitant, as if he was pranking her. After reading it back to him for the second time, he assures her the order is correct and pulls to the first window. She looks surprised and relieved when he hands her his credit card.
When we make it back to his place, the rest of the guys are sprawled out across the living room, still half asleep.
“Oh, thank God!” Tristan says as we walk into the living room. “I’m starving.”
I can’t help but laugh at his theatrics. I empty the four large bags on the coffee table and leave them to it.
“Logan, eat.”
Kacen always insists I eat with them. “I will. I’m just going to put on a pot of coffee and grab a few bottles of water.”
“We can do it.” He goes to stand, but I hold my hand up to stop him.
“It’s fine. I don’t have much of an appetite anyway. It will only take me a few minutes,” I assure him.
I set the coffee pot up to brew and grab five bottles of water out of the fridge. When I turn around, Kacen is there. He reaches for the bottles of water and sets them on the island. I let out a little yelp of surprise when his hands find my hips and he lifts me to sit on the island as well.
His palms are flat against the island on either side of my hips. His forehead is resting on my shoulder. I’m too stunned to say anything. My palms are sweaty, so I rest them flat against my lap. My heart is thundering in my chest; I know he can hear it. I try to focus on taking deep even breaths.
Finally, he slowly lifts his head. His face is close to mine, so close that I can see the swirl of blues in his eyes, just like the ocean. “Logan,” his voice is gruff, “I—”
“What are you two doing in there? Kace, I thought you were bringing drinks?” Cole yells out.
Surprising me further, he presses his lips against my forehead and backs away. His hands are still flat against the counter, caging me in. Gently, he grips my hips and lifts me, bringing my feet back to the floor.
“Kace!” Gavin calls out. “You get lost, man?”
Kacen takes a deep breath and releases his hold on me. I watch him as he picks up four bottles, leaving one for me, and leaves the room.
What the hell was that? I want to rewind three minutes and hit replay. I want Cole to have not yelled out and interrupted us. What was he about to say?
“Logan! Get your fine ass out here before we eat it all!” Tristan yells for me.
I can’t help but smile. Grabbing my bottle of water, I make my way to the living room to have breakfast with the boys of Soul Serenade.
Kacen’s eyes find mine as soon as I enter the room. He looks at the empty spot next to him on the love seat. I take that as I’m supposed to sit beside him. I grab a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel and take my offered seat.
“So, is that hot roommate of yours seeing anyone?” Cole inquires.
“Not that I’m aware of. I’ve not talked to her much, and she left last night to go to Florida with her parents for two weeks.”
“Didn’t she just start a new job too?” Kacen inquires.
“Yes, but she’s known about the trip for a while. She made sure to tell them during her interview.”
“So you’re staying alone all week?” Kacen questions.
I nod. “Yeah, it’s quiet when she’s gone.”
“Is your place safe?” Tristan asks.
“As safe as it can be, I guess. We have a deadbolt on the
door and we’re on the second floor.”
None of them say anything else, but I can tell they want to. Honestly, not one of them has a leg to stand on. I’m their employee, or Kacen’s really. It’s an odd situation.
Chapter 20
Kacen
I hate the thought of her staying in her apartment alone. Yes, she’s a grown woman, but what if the douchebag comes back? I don’t really expect him to. I saw the fear in his eyes, but you just never know about people. I want to demand that she stay here. There are more than enough bedrooms. Hell, she can sleep in mine.
Fuck! I cannot let my mind go there. I’ve had a hard time keeping my hands off her today. What started out as a means to get the guy to leave her alone, turned into me yearning for more. In the kitchen, I just couldn’t help myself. I wanted to tell her I don’t care that I’m her boss, that what we do is no one’s business but our own. We’re adults. Luckily, Cole interrupted us before the words left my mouth. They were on the tip of my tongue.
It’s not that I don’t want her, I do. I ache deep inside from wanting her, but I know from hearing her talk and conversations we’ve had that she no longer believes in the promise of love. That fucker messed with her head, strung her along, and made her feel like she wasn’t enough.
It’s taking extreme effort for me not to demand she stay here. I shove another bite of my sandwich in my mouth. Logan’s cell rings and she pulls it out of her pocket. I continue to eat, but listen intently. Yeah, it’s rude, but I don’t care.
“What?” she says, shocked. “How long?” She seems troubled by whatever the person on the other end of the line is telling her. “Are we allowed in at all?” she asks. My attention is now piqued even further. “Right, okay. So we need to just wait to hear from you?” She waits for an answer. “Thanks for calling,” she says as she taps the screen and lets her hand that was holding her phone fall between us on the love seat.
“What’s wrong?” I rush to ask her. I can tell that whatever she just learned has upset her.
She’s staring off into space and chewing on her bottom lip. I’m jealous. “Logan,” I say her name again, trying to get her attention. Resting my hand on her arm, I gently run my fingers back and forth, hoping it will help calm her. “Logan, babe, you’re scaring me. What happened?” My voice is gentle, yet firm. I’m ready to flip the fuck out!
Snapping out of it, she turns to face me. “That was the management company for my apartment. Apparently, the unit above mine sprung a leak in their kitchen. It leaked into ours. Our kitchen was the only room affected.”
That’s not so bad. “Okay,” I say, because that doesn’t sound like it’s too bad.
“They’re going to fix it, but we can’t stay there while they are. Stacy and I will need to find a new place to stay until it’s finished.” Finally she turns to face me. “Can I, I hate to ask this, but I need to go find a hotel room I can rent for an undetermined amount of time.”
Fuck no! “Stay here.” The words fly from my mouth.
“I can’t stay here.”
“Why the hell not?” I bark at her.
She flinches at my words. I know they sounded harsh, but, damn it, I don’t want her staying alone in her apartment, and I’m putting my fucking foot down now. She’s not going to stay in some cheap hotel.
“Yeah, why the hell not?” Cole asks her.
Thank you, Cole! “Logan, listen to me. I have the space. There is no reason for you not to stay here. You’re here every day anyway. It’ll give you time to get your car fixed.” I stop there before I start pleading with her.
“At least stay until Stacy comes home. You don’t need to be staying in a hotel by yourself,” Gavin chimes in.
My boys got my back. “I’ll drive you to your apartment and we’ll get whatever you’ll need for the next week or so,” I offer.
“They said it could be two weeks, possibly more.”
“Okay.” This is not something that is going to change my mind. I want her here.
“Yeah, you can hang out with us, join us in a few writing sessions. Besides, who doesn’t like a sleepover?” Tristan winks at her.
Fucker! He’s doing it to rile me up, and if it were not for the fact that he’s trying to convince her to stay, I would punch his ass.
Gently squeezing her arm, I ask, “What do you say, Logan?”
“Really, I should get a hotel. When Stacy comes home, she’ll need a place to stay as well.”
“Done. She can stay here too. It’s a nonissue.”
Those big brown eyes take me in. She’s looking for a sign that this isn’t really what I want. She won’t find it.
“Fine. Yes, I’ll stay. Thank you so much for offering,” she says softly.
She has no idea. “Let’s head to your place, check out the damage, and pick up whatever you need.”
“If you don’t mind, I can borrow a vehicle and go myself. I know you have things to do.”
“I’m actually still tired, heading back to bed. You all good with writing a little later?” Tristan asks.
He just redeemed himself.
“You don’t need to be packing all that shit by yourself.” I realize my words sound harsh. “Logan, let me help you. I want to. Trust me, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t offer.”
“Thank you,” she says, a slight blush crossing her cheeks. I want to grab her face in my hands and kiss the hell out of her. Instead, I just nod and stand to get rid of the trash.
I want her here, but now I have to worry about how I’m going to keep my damn hands off her while she is.
Chapter 21
Logan
I cannot believe I agreed to this. Just as he said, Kacen drove me to my apartment so we could survey the damage and pack up what I would need for the next week or so. Our kitchen ceiling is pretty much on the floor. I just left it as it was. There were a few picture frames on the counters that I didn’t want to get ruined, everything else was either already ruined or could be replaced.
So here I am, in my room at Kacen’s. I followed him up the steps as he led me to the room across from his. “Make yourself at home, Logan. If there’s anything you need, let me know,” he says as he sets my luggage on the bed. “I’ll leave you to unpack.”
He was out the door before I even had a chance to thank him. There seems to be some tension between us today. Then again, maybe it’s just me. I can still feel his arms around me.
I unpack my two suitcases and decide to call Stacy to let her know what’s going on. Her cell goes to voicemail so I leave her a message. “Hey, Stace! There was a leak in the apartment above ours. Our kitchen is pretty much destroyed. I’m staying at Kacen’s until it’s repaired. He said you are welcome here as well. When you get home, call me. We can pick up what you need from the house. Call me.”
There’s a knock on the door. “Come in,” I call out.
Cole opens the door and sticks his head in. “Hey, we’re going down to the basement to start writing. You want to come sit with us?” he asks.
“I don’t want to be in the way.”
“Trust me, you will not be in the way. Besides, my boy seems a little distracted, not sure he’ll be worth a shit knowing you’re upstairs,” he admits.
“I’m always upstairs when you’re writing,” I remind him.
He nods. “Yeah, you are, but that’s during the day. Now you’re here sleeping in his house.”
“I’m not sure how that makes a difference. I can go to a hotel if that will help.” Panic starts to rise. I thought they wanted me here.
“Fuck no! You are not going to a hotel. Listen, he wants you here; we all do. It would be nice for you to come downstairs and join us.”
I nod that I heard him. He taps twice on the door before softly closing it behind him. I think about what he said. Why would Kacen not be able to concentrate? Is he worried about me being here in his house? Why did he offer for me to stay if that’s the case? Gah! I’m such an idiot. Why did I agree to stay here? He’s my boss, nothing more.
But he’s sexy and sometimes when he looks at me, I can’t think clearly.
Damn hormones!
I pull up hotels on my phone and call to make a reservation for the night. I’ll figure out which one I can stay at long-term tomorrow. Right now, I just want to get out of here. I quickly re-pack everything I just finished unpacking, grab my purse and my phone, and open the bedroom door. Kacen is there with his arm raised as if he was getting ready to knock.
He smiles as he looks down at me. I can tell the minute he sees my suitcases. “What the fuck, Logan? Where are you going?” he demands.
I square my shoulders and lock my eyes on his. “To a hotel.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing, I just don’t want to be in the way here. I’m your employee. I should not be staying here.”
Kacen places his hand on my shoulder and gently guides me back into the room, shutting the door behind him. He keeps walking until the back of my legs hit the bed, gently pushing me to sit down on the edge. With his index finger, he raises my chin to meet his eyes. “Logan, we both know you are more than just my employee. We don’t talk about it, but it’s there.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I feel it just as strongly as I did then, standing on the beach the first time I laid eyes on you.”
I nod. He’s right. There is something more, and neither one of us has acted on it.
“I want you here. Hell, you’re practically a part of the band.” His blue irises study me. “What changed your mind?” he asks softly. Almost as if he’s afraid to hear the answer.
“Cole asked me to come down while you all write tonight.” He nods and smiles.
“Yeah, you should.”
“He also said you would be too distracted if I was up here while you all were trying to work.”
“Hmmm. He’s right, you know. I would be distracted.”
My chest is tight from his admission. I try to stand, and his hands come to my shoulders and push so that I continue to sit on the edge of the bed.