He grinned. “That’s your first question? I like it. And no. I don’t have a girlfriend or any romantic attachment outside the Lark Cove town limits.”
The answer was barely past his lips before I attacked him. I stood on my tiptoes and flung my arms around his neck, capturing his mouth with mine.
Logan’s mouth split into a grin before he tilted his head and took over. His tongue swept into my mouth, stroking against my own as his lips moved over mine.
This kiss. Oh my god, this kiss. I hadn’t been kissed in so long, and Logan knew how to do it right. I clung to his shoulders, pulling myself closer.
His body pressed hard against mine, his hands running up and down in a frenzy. He came at me with the same intensity I threw at him, pushing me backward until I was against the door.
With something to keep me steady, I lifted even higher on my toes, practically climbing him. The pulsing in my core echoed through my body.
“Logan,” I moaned into his mouth.
He answered by grinding his hard cock into my stomach, making the ache even worse.
I tugged on the sides of his cotton dress shirt, yanking the green hem from his jeans. As soon as it was free, my fingers dove for his belt buckle, fumbling before setting it free.
While I scrambled to undress him, Logan did the same to me. He twisted and turned the button on my jean shorts, ripping the zipper open so they hung on my hips. Then one hand dove right into my lace panties, and his middle finger immediately found my swollen clit.
I cried out into his mouth as my body went slack. It had been so long since a man had touched me, but then again, no man had ever touched me the way Logan did. I tipped my hips, wanting more friction from his circling finger, but he slid his hand free.
I whimpered, making him smile against my lips. His hands gripped the sides of my gray T-shirt and yanked it over my head.
“Clothes off,” he panted as his lips broke away from mine and traveled down my neck. His hands came to my breasts, cupping and kneading them through my bra.
My hands went back to his jeans, tugging until I had the button free. Then I slid down the zipper that strained against his cock.
He wasn’t wearing underwear.
My sex clenched, spasming to a near orgasm as I took him in my palm. I stroked his silken flesh, squeezing it tight in my small fist as Logan’s hands left my breasts and shoved my shorts and panties down my legs.
In a split second, my bra was gone. Then Logan’s mouth covered a nipple, sucking it into his mouth as he rolled it with his tongue.
My head lulled back, banging against the door, and my eyelids squeezed shut. My fingers threaded into his hair, pulling him closer as the heat pooled between my legs.
I’m going to come. Just from his mouth on me alone, I was seconds away from melting.
“Not yet,” Logan murmured as my wet nipple popped from his mouth.
My eyes flew open when I realized I’d said that out loud.
He smirked at me before reaching for the buttons on his shirt. It was off in a flash, leaving his chiseled chest bare in front of my mouth.
Logan’s body hadn’t changed in all these years. If anything, it had just gotten better. I stared at his muscles, nearly drooling, as I took him in. He had a dusting of hair across his chest that trailed down his muscular abs. My palms went to his pecs, digging into his skin as my thumbs tweaked his nipples.
He hissed, closing his eyes for a moment as he collected himself. The cords of his arms flexed and his hands fisted before he relaxed his fingers and went for the wallet in his back pocket. After yanking out a condom, the rest was tossed to the floor.
His eyes locked with mine, capturing me completely, as he brought the foil packet up to my mouth. He placed it between my teeth and I bit down, holding it tight as he used my teeth to rip it open.
That was new.
I loved it.
He rolled the condom onto his hard cock, never once breaking my stare, even as he toed off his shoes and kicked his jeans loose.
In one swift movement, he had me pinned against the door, my thighs around his hips, his hands under my knees and his cock buried deep.
“Logan,” I gasped as my back arched against the door. One thrust and I completely unraveled, clenching around him as my orgasm racked my body in jerks.
“Thea,” he groaned, dropping his head into my neck. His lips sucked against my collarbone as his hips began to move.
He pounded into me, rattling the door with every thrust. The safety chain’s clang mixed with the sound of his grunts, my moans and the slapping of our skin. My only warning that Logan was coming was the shudder that ran over his shoulders. He planted himself to the root, then roared, loud and long into my neck as his cock pulsed inside me.
My arms wrapped tighter around his neck when he stopped moving. I collapsed forward, giving him the weight of my boneless body. He spun us away from the door, staying inside me, as he walked over to the bed. With one arm holding me, the other whipped off the blanket.
Then he slowly pulled me off of him before setting me down on the white sheets. “Don’t move.”
Move? I couldn’t even see straight. “Right.” I collapsed back on the bed, my chest still heaving.
Logan disappeared into the bathroom to take care of the condom. When he returned, he fell onto the mattress at my side. “Fuck,” he told the ceiling. “That went fast.”
“Yeah,” I panted, swiping stray hairs off my forehead. Fast, but incredible.
“Give me five minutes and we’re going again.”
I just nodded, still not able to really breathe.
I hadn’t been with a man since Logan, but what a way to end my dry spell. Not only had he given me my only non-self-induced orgasm in the last six years, but he’d flipped a switch. My body, something that hadn’t craved sex in years, was on fire and desperate for more.
I didn’t know if I could wait five minutes.
I didn’t have to.
Logan rolled off his back, covering my naked chest with his, and grinned as one of his legs pushed mine apart.
Logan
“I have more questions,” Thea declared against my chest. She was draped over my side, our legs tangled underneath the sheet. I was twirling a lock of her soft hair around my finger.
I chuckled. “I’m all ears.”
“Why didn’t you come to the house when you got to town?”
“You were upset, so I decided to just wait until morning.”
Up until an hour ago when Thea had burst into my room, I’d had an awful day. I hadn’t wanted to bring my shitty mood to her doorstep.
This morning, I’d arranged for a Saturday brunch with my parents in order to tell them about Charlie. It had gone as I’d expected. My parents’ greatest concern had been Thea’s motives. Mom and Dad had grilled me about Thea’s background, immediately assuming a defensive stance. Their first assumption was that Thea was out to scheme a sliver of the family fortune. After they’d asked questions about her financial status, education and family history, most of which I hadn’t been able to answer, my father had excused himself from the table to call the attorneys.
From there, the day had gotten worse. There’d been an accident on the way to the airport, so I’d left two hours late. I’d had to take a conference call for the foundation from the jet, which had run an hour long, like I’d told Thea.
I’d hoped to make it to Montana in time to surprise Charlie and give her a face-to-face good night. But by the time I’d landed, I’d missed her bedtime call and Thea had been so pissed, she’d hung up on me.
The thirty-minute drive from Kalispell to Lark Cove had gone fast. I’d fumed the whole way, angry that Thea hadn’t had any faith that I’d keep my promise. When I’d finally pulled into Lark Cove, I’d been exhausted and all too ready for the day to end.
But now, with Thea in my arms, I’d actually go to sleep with a smile on my face.
I yawned. “Is Hazel with Charlie?”
&nbs
p; “Yeah. I texted her while you were in the bathroom and told her where I was and that I’d explain everything in the morning.”
I pulled the sheet up higher, covering her bare back.
“I’m sorry, Logan.” Her arm slid farther across my stomach. “You said on the phone you had a change of plans, and I assumed that meant you weren’t coming here. I shouldn’t have cut you off.”
“Next time, I won’t try and surprise you.”
She closed her eyes and sighed. “How long can you stay?”
“A week. I’ll have to work during the day, but I should be able to free up my evenings.”
The last two weeks had been brutal. With the new client I’d taken on at the firm along with everything else, I couldn’t spend my days here chasing Charlie around and playing outdoors. This hotel room would serve as my office during the day, and I’d be Dad after five. The only thing working in my favor was the time difference. I was hoping that if I was up and working at four each morning, by the time quitting time rolled around on the East Coast, I’d at least have my evenings free.
Tomorrow would be the exception. Because for the first time, I was spending the day with my daughter to celebrate her birthday.
“I’m going to look at a house tomorrow morning,” I told Thea. “I’d like to bring Charlie.”
“That’s fine. Her party isn’t until three.”
Just then, my phone buzzed. “Sorry.” I reached to the end table and muted the incoming call.
“It’s fine. You’d better get it. Someone has been trying to reach you for a while now.” Thea tried to roll away, but I pinned her close.
“I’ll call them back in a minute.” I wasn’t sure who had been calling for the last hour, but my phone had gone off a handful of times. It hadn’t been hard to ignore with Thea in my bed. “I—”
My phone rang again. I rolled to mute it but saw it was the firm. At almost midnight in New York, something had to be wrong. “It’s work. I’d better call them back.”
“Okay.” Thea took a long breath, holding it for a second before letting it out across my skin, then pulling away. “I should go.”
I frowned and held her close. “I thought you had questions. Stay the night and you can ask them all. Just let me call them back.”
“I can’t.” She pushed harder, rolling away and tossing her legs over the side of the bed.
“You mean won’t.”
She didn’t respond, scooping up clothes and rushing into the bathroom.
“Damn it,” I grumbled, running both hands over my face. The day wasn’t going to end as well as I’d hoped.
I grabbed my phone and listened to one of five voicemails with an urgent question from an associate on my team. Apparently, some new tax regulation was coming down the pike and one of our larger clients was worried about the legal ramifications for a contract to be signed on Monday. I quickly shot him a text, letting him know I’d call him back in thirty minutes. Then I whipped the sheet off my legs and climbed out of bed to pull on my jeans. I was buttoning my shirt when Thea came out of the bathroom.
She kept her eyes on the carpet as she crossed the room to slide on her flip-flops. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“What’s the hurry? Slow down for just a second.”
She shook her head, going for the door. “Tomorrow is a big day. I need to go home and get some rest.”
Bullshit. Something had happened to put her off. But what? Was it the phone calls? It wouldn’t take me more than fifteen minutes to deal with them and then she’d have my undivided attention.
My palm pressed against the door before she could open it and I trapped her right in my space. “Thea, talk to me.”
“I just . . . I don’t know if this was smart. You and me.”
My jaw clenched. “I disagree.”
Being with Thea had felt nothing but brilliant and I sure as hell didn’t have regrets. The way the two of us connected was unlike anything I’d ever felt. She touched me and I came alive. With my lips on hers, everything made sense. When our bodies were linked, the stars aligned.
I wasn’t going to let her regret tonight either.
“Look at me and tell me you didn’t feel the same thing I felt.”
She turned up her chin, ready to lie, but when her eyes met mine, the fight disappeared. “I can’t,” she whispered.
“Then why are you running away? Stay the night.”
“I shouldn’t. I don’t want Charlie to wake up in the morning and me not be home.”
“I have an alarm.” I pointed to the end table. “It’s that little black box, right over there.”
She shook her head. “It’s not just Charlie. This happened so fast, I just need some time away to think. Okay?”
“Fine,” I muttered. “I’m willing to let that be your excuse to run away, but just this once. In the future, you can do your thinking in my bed.”
The last time a woman had told me she’d needed some time away to think, she’d moved to Montana and found a husband. There was no way I was going to lose Thea like I’d lost Emmeline.
She might need a night to think things through, but I didn’t. Nothing about us together had been a mistake. I’d thought about her constantly while I’d been in New York. I’d missed her and Charlie like crazy. And all it had done was confirm something I’d known the day I’d left Lark Cove weeks ago.
Thea and I could be amazing together.
“Good night.” She pulled on the door hard. My hand was still by the peephole, holding the door closed, so I let up and opened it for her.
“What are you doing?” she asked over her shoulder as I followed her outside.
“Walking you home.”
“You don’t need to. I’ll be fine.”
“Yes, you will because I’m walking you home.” It was dark, and I didn’t care if we were in Lark Cove. She shouldn’t be walking around alone at night.
She quirked an eyebrow. “You don’t think I can make it five blocks?”
This beautiful woman was testing my patience. If she wasn’t going to stay, then I wanted to get her home safely. Except that eyebrow quirk made my cock jerk in my jeans, and if I wasn’t out of condoms, I’d pull her right back inside and fuck her until she was so tired, she’d collapse in my bed.
“Thea, you can either let me walk you home or you can stay here with me. We’re out of condoms, but I’m sure I could find another way to wear you out. What’s it going to be?”
“I, um,” her cheeks flushed, “should go home.”
I grinned and placed my hand on her hip, pressing my fingertips into the small of her back. “Then lead the way.”
We walked in silence the distance to her house, past the bar and across the highway. As we turned down the side street closest to the lake, she picked up her pace. Either she was cold or she didn’t want me close enough for a good-night kiss.
Too bad. She had long legs but they couldn’t outrun my stride.
“Thanks.” She waved over her shoulder, turning up the sidewalk in front of the house. “I’ll see you—”
Before she could escape, I reached out and snagged one of her wrists. Then I spun her around and slammed my mouth down on hers. Her lips were open, so I slid my tongue inside, kissing her hard and fast before tearing myself away.
I grinned at the flush I’d left on her face. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She nodded, then turned and jogged up to the house.
Tomorrow.
Thea would be mine again tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that. She’d be mine all week long.
I’d spend these seven days breaking down her barriers, proving she could trust me. And when I left, she’d be coming too. Because there was no way I was going to leave Thea and Charlie behind again.
Which meant, starting tomorrow, I was going to find a way to get them to move to New York.
The next morning, I was back in the same place I’d left Thea last night, bent and ready to catch the little girl racing my
way.
“Logan!” Charlie shouted as she flew down the sidewalk and into my arms.
“Happy Birthday, peanut.” I wrapped her up and spun her around. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” She leaned back and her smile melted my heart. “You’re back.”
“Of course I’m back. I made you a promise. Besides, I had to deliver your present. The mailman said it was too big.”
Her eyes sparkled. “What is it?”
“I guess you’d better go look in the back of the car.” I tipped my chin toward the black Suburban parked on the street. My assistant had arranged for the SUV to be at the airport last night, ready and loaded with Charlie’s gift.
She squirmed out of my arms and ran to the back, pushing the button to open the hatch. I followed, standing behind her with a stupid smile as the box came into view. It wasn’t wrapped, so she could see the pictures on the cardboard.
“A Jeep!” she yelled. Her voice was louder than I’d ever heard.
“Your very own Jeep.” Her excitement was contagious. I couldn’t wait to get the toy set up and see her driving it around the yard.
The Jeep I’d picked out was red with black trim. It had an open top, seats for two kids and a row of spotlights on the roll bar. It was top-of-the-line, the best toy vehicle on the market. I hadn’t even thought about asking Thea if the gift was too expensive. I’d missed five birthdays already, so if I wanted to spoil my daughter on her sixth, no one, not even her mother, was going to tell me no.
The door to the cottage opened and Thea and Hazel came down the sidewalk, joining us by the car.
“Mommy! Gran!” Charlie frantically waved them over. “Look what Logan got me.”
“A Jeep.” Thea smiled as she took in the box. “This is awesome! Did you say ‘thanks’?”
Charlie stopped admiring the box to wrap her arms around my hips. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Happy Birthday.” I bent and kissed the top of her hair. “Come on. Let’s get this thing unloaded and then I want to take you somewhere.”
“Where?” She and Thea stepped back, joining Hazel on the curb.
Since Thea was doing her best to avoid eye contact, Hazel and I shared a smirk. Whether Thea liked it or not, we would be talking about last night soon.
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