Pistol Whipped (Love on Target Book 3)

by Ashley Bostock

  “Mmmm-hmmm. Keep going, I’m almost there.”

  “You keep going. Tell me more. You are so fucking beautiful. I wish you could see what I’m seeing right now.”

  She turned her head as much as she was able to, seeing his hard cock and the dark gleam in his eyes nearly brought her to orgasm. One more rub from him and she would fall into the depths of surrender. His erection bobbed against her butt, his hands fluttered around her backside, her stomach, the slickness between her legs. She was getting ticked off again and she wasn’t sure why. Why was he doing this? Why was he bringing all of this out of her?

  It was hard to think. Her body moved against his hand with each thrust of his fingers. He was fucking her with his fingers. Full on thrusting and hitting just the right spot. She was so close to coming.

  “I fucking love you so much it hurts, Logan and I can’t fucking have you. Is that what you want to hear?”

  He rubbed her clit once more, creating fireworks of painfully good pleasure that soared through her body. Her toes curled, her nipples ached, and she felt her knees begin to buckle as she rode his fingers and came harder than she ever had before.

  Chapter Thirty

  Was she fucking crying? You’ve got to be kidding me. How can a woman cry out in ecstasy from an orgasm one minute and the next be crying…in pain? The water was no longer hot, and it was obviously time to get out. He shut the water off and pulled her towels off the rack. He gently began to pat her dry. Starting with her legs, he worked his way up her body, passed her luscious sex that was pink and red from his heavy assault, and up to her shoulders where he wrapped it around her, securing her arms inside. “Why are you crying?”

  “Why did you make me tell you that?” she pushed her finger into his chest. Ouch. “I didn’t want to tell you that. It changes nothing, do you hear me?”

  Damn, yeah, loud and clear. But screw this, he was tired of being Mr. Nice Guy and he wasn’t letting her off the hook. “Stop running away from everything, Gabriella. You are not shutting me out of your life like you did your parents. It’s not happening.”

  “Me? You live in New York, Logan! I have to shut you out, don’t you get it? If I don’t, all that will happen will be me sitting here pining over you, praying for something to happen between us and it’s not happening.” She threw her arms up at him and walked off.

  Fuck, she pushed his buttons. He stormed after her, wanting to put this argument to rest. “It could.”

  “No, it couldn’t. I’m not giving up Lolita. She has been my dream. I can’t do it. And I’m not asking you to give up yours.”

  “You don’t have to ask. We don’t have to give up our careers in order to be together, Gabbie.”

  She looked so beautiful sitting on the edge of her bed, it tortured his heart. Is this what love felt like? Anger and passion, tenderness and longing? And so many more emotions he didn’t even know how to categorize them. This is why he’d never been in love before because of this messy emotion shit. Well…and because he’d never met anyone like Gabriella. Who was sweet and classy, calm—mostly, except for right now, and who would spare her feelings so he could have New York.

  “Well, it’s not like I could move to New York and open up Lolita. Think of the competition.”

  “Look, I’ve had enough of this arguing with you back and forth. This is what’s going to happen, whether you like it or not. I’m moving back here.”

  “What?” God, was she even madder? “You can’t do that. Not for me.”

  “I know. But it’s my decision. Here’s the thing, okay? I’m not going back. Not just because of you but because my heart isn’t there. That’s not where I want to be. It’s a great place, I enjoy visiting and spending time with my dad, but New York isn’t me. My dad knows it isn’t me. But when I come out here and see the mountains and the stars, Colorado is me. You’re me. And I’m not letting you go…if you’ll have me?”

  Tears started to fall down her face yet again and he knelt onto the ground in front of her. “Don’t cry, Gabriella. You are the only woman I’ve ever loved and the only woman I will ever love. You’re my best friend. You know me. I know you. We are great together. Please, tell me, you’ll be with me?”

  Silence.

  “Come on, I’m desperate. Say something,” he demanded.

  “But you want kids and I don’t.”

  Fuck. There was that, but he wasn’t entirely certain she could follow through with that conviction even though she claimed she could.

  “I do want kids. A whole bundle of them. But I want you more. I want you more than anything and if that means no kids, I can live with that.” Was it a good time to tell her he thought she would want some someday? Screw it, as long as they were pouring their hearts out. “Besides, I think down the road you might change your mind. You would be a great mom. A mom who would be nothing like Tammy Crawford.”

  She sniffled. “You would’ve been so proud of me, the Kingston kids came to Lolita’s a week or so ago and I let them paint in the back shop. Dakota spilled the paint and I didn’t even hyperventilate.”

  “See? This will all take time, but you and I are meant to be together and after these hellish few weeks without you, nothing is making me let go of you. You are mine, Gabriella. Only mine.”

  The next two days, because Lolita was closed, Logan and she never left her condo. They stayed together the entire time, making love and catching up—doing all of the things they did as best friends and now all of the things they would do as a couple. They had just finished watching some action-adventure movie and were still nestled into the couch. Logan behind her with his arms wrapped around her torso and she with her legs threaded through his.

  Life was good.

  This was good. She felt whole again. Complete with him here.

  “Why didn’t you tell me right away you were coming back? Why’d you wait so long to say something? That may have saved our entire argument.”

  “I wanted to know that you wanted me.”

  She turned and looked him in the eye.

  “Don’t look at me like you don’t know what I’m talking about. It’s easy. If you didn’t reciprocate my feelings, I would have gone back to New York. But you did. Of course, I had to force it out of you…”

  “Bending me over in the shower, teasing me until I would admit my feelings?...Yeah, that was pretty forceful. Pretty sneaky.”

  She instantly felt his erection against her thigh. “I am sneaky. Can I ask you something?”

  It made her nervous when he got serious. “Sure. You can ask me anything.”

  “Good,” he let out a deep breath. “Will you marry me?”

  She was getting ready to laugh his comment off but then something inside her clicked and she realized he was dead serious.

  “Like, right now? Today?”

  “How about tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow?” she squeaked out.

  “Okay, soon. Very, very soon. I want you to be mine, in every single way possible. Will you marry me, Gabriella Crawford? Will you become Gabriella Reeves?”

  He was her knight. He was her best friend and he was all hers. “Yes!” she threw her head back onto his arm. “Yes, I will marry you! And yes, soon! This week.”

  “Really?” he smiled. “You don’t want a big fancy wedding like Blake and Marilyn had?”

  “Oh God, no. It’s not like I would invite my parents anyway.” She rolled her eyes. “I just want you. I want us to be there. It’s not the wedding part that matters most to me anyway, it’s after that. It’s you and me, being together, being us against the world.”

  He kissed her hard, his erection pressing into her thigh. “You know, Gabriella, I couldn’t agree more.” He reached for his phone then.

  “Who are you calling?”

  “Everyone. Gage, Blake, Donna, my dad—I have to tell them all because this is too great of news not to share.”

  The next day Logan helped her install security cameras at the front and back entrance of Lolita�
�s, although he fiercely instructed her that she never, under any circumstances, go there at night by herself again.

  She opened up, doing her morning routine as usual when she was bombarded by the most amazing girls she knew. Marilyn, Amber and Brandi took over Lolita’s like having them all together was another normal day. She loved these girls. She could go a few days or a few weeks without talking but the minute they saw each other, they could pick up right where they left off as if there were no time lost.

  “Where’s Logan? Let me see the ring,” Brandi demanded. “I would just like to reaffirm that I knew, I knew, this was bound to happen all along.”

  Amber rolled her eyes. “No, you didn’t. She doesn’t have a ring. Why don’t you have a ring? Where is it?”

  Gabbie started to speak but Marilyn cut her off. “Oh no, something didn’t happen with the two of you already did it? I swear to all that’s holy, I told Blake he better not hurt you or I would kill him.”

  “Guys, chill!” Gabbie exclaimed. She looked pointedly at Marilyn. “At ease soldier, nothing has happened between us. We are happily in love,” she sung. Then she looked at Amber. “I don’t have a ring. Logan went out today to do a few things and I’m assuming that means he’s going to find a ring. I can’t wait! And you, Ginger,” she looked at her red-headed friend and held up her thumb and forefinger. “You might have been a little bit right about us hooking up or being meant for each other. Or whatever you said. Gosh, it was so quiet in here before you all showed up!”

  “Ahh, but you still love us.”

  “That is true, I still love you guys. And again, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the break-in sooner. It’s been a little hectic since Logan’s gotten back to town.”

  Amber rolled her eyes, fingering a pair of lace stockings. “Oh, I bet. Has he seen Possessive yet?”

  Gabbie blushed, bending her head down. “He got a peek this morning. It’s his favorite line so far.”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  “But in all seriousness, the break-in wasn’t too big of a deal. I got here just in time and I just hit him over the head with my gun. It was obviously in the right spot because it knocked him out cold. It was a scary moment but nothing terrible. Anyway, this morning Logan helped me install security cameras so I’m good there.”

  “And you guys are getting married!” Marilyn exclaimed. She hugged Gabbie, her protruding belly bump in the way.

  “And I can’t believe one of us is going to be a mom!”

  “I know. Blake and I are so blessed. We really are.”

  “Yeah well, he’s clearly not the fucked-up brother. Blaze is much moodier than Blake has ever been,” Brandi said.

  “Yeah, I sense he has deeper issues. What’s his sign? I’ll look him up.” Amber pulled her phone out, ready to search Blaze’s horoscope.

  Marilyn started to answer but Brandi hushed her up. “No. Don’t look it up. I don’t want to know. I don’t even care. He’s an egotistical….pompous…pretty fucking hot guy.”

  They all laughed.

  “Okay, back to Logan and Gabriella. When’s the wedding?”

  “So, that’s actually something I wanted to talk to you guys about. Logan and I aren’t having a wedding.”

  For once since they’d walked into Lolita’s, all three girls went silent.

  Finally, Brandi spoke. “What do you mean you guys aren’t having a wedding?”

  “We don’t want to wait you guys. We are getting married at the courthouse. Like in two days. And I need some kind of dress. But nothing fancy, just something Logan will like.”

  “I can help with that,” Amber said. “I know a place for pretty dresses.”

  “Not a full-blown wedding dress, Amber.”

  “You have to have something white and pretty though.”

  “Okay. And I need old, new, borrowed, blue. That is a tradition I cannot skip.”

  “You can wear the blue sapphire necklace Amber got me for my wedding. That will be the blue.”

  “Will that be the borrowed, too?”

  “No,” the girls all said in unison. “Not worth taking any chances.”

  “Okay. Now what else? I need new, old and borrowed.”

  “Here is the new.” Brandi held up some lingerie from the Possessive line.

  Gabbie laughed. “I like it.”

  “Okay, old and borrowed.”

  “You can borrow my hair piece. I wore it for this masquerade function Gage and I went to a few months ago. Mother Nature knows we aren’t getting married anytime soon!”

  “Okay, that just leaves something old for me to figure out.”

  Just then Logan walked through the doors and interrupted their moment together. Gabbie’s heart skipped a beat as he made his way straight to her. “Sorry to intrude, ladies, but I need to speak with my fiancée.”

  The ladies packed up, hugging each other, saying their goodbyes and congratulating Logan on the way out.

  “That was a nice visit,” she told Logan.

  He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her mouth and her cheek before pulling back. “I have something that will make you happy…I hope, anyway”

  “What is it?”

  He sank to his knees and held open his hand. “I didn’t ask you properly before, but Gabriella, will you be my wife?” In the palm of his hand, was a ring.

  “You went and bought a ring?”

  “No, I didn’t. This ring belonged to my great-grandmother, Mary Sinclair. My mom’s mother’s mother. I hope you like it.”

  She sank to her knees, reaching for the ring but Logan snapped his hand together. “Is that a yes?”

  “Fuck yes.”

  “Please allow me to put it on. Do you like it?”

  “Oh gosh, Logan, I love it. It’s beautiful.” She held out her shaking hand. “Will it fit?”

  “Let’s find out.” Not taking his eyes off her, he slid the ring onto her finger. “How’s that?

  She moved it around with her thumb. “A little loose but overall not bad. So how old is this ring? Do you know?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe a hundred years old. I know it’s a little antiquated but…”

  “No, it’s perfect. I had no idea they made jewelry that looked like this that long ago. It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.” The diamonds sparkled up at her and she was taken aback by Logan’s kindness and thoughtfulness at giving her a ring that had been in his family for generations.

  “You love it?”

  “I love it and I love you. Thank you.”

  He kissed her again, pulling her so she half-crawled to him, their bodies flush with one another. His erection pressed into her pants and it felt too good. Wetness pooled between her legs. “I have to work. You have to go.”

  “Nooo,” he groaned, trying to hold onto her.

  “Yes. You have clients you need to visit.”

  “But I want to visit with you. I have something in my pants that wants to visit you.”

  She laughed at his lame joke. “That was bad, even for you. He’s going to have to wait until Lolita closes.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Gabriella drove to the courthouse alone, not wanting Logan to see her. He hadn’t spent the night with her last night; she’d made him stay at his mom’s. His house had already been rented out so going there was out of the question. He didn’t appreciate the fact that she had kicked him out their last night together as an unmarried couple.

  She’d worn her dress Amber helped her pick out. They’d gone to the place Amber wanted, only to end up at Brenda’s Bridal Boutique where Gabbie insisted she wasn’t looking for a wedding gown. It wasn’t a bridal dress, so to speak. It was a toned-down satin white gown. No frills, nothing fancy—she’d insisted, much to Amber and Brenda’s, who owned the store, dismay.

  The gown hugged her curves in the places she knew Logan loved. It had a deep V-neck and straps that hooked over her shoulders crossing in the back. It was simple and gorgeous.


  She parked and made her way into the courthouse. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Logan. He was wearing a black suit with a black shirt and a white tie and the look in his eyes took her breath away. He sauntered toward her as she made her way down the short hall. He handed her a small bouquet of flowers. Lilies! They smelled heavenly.

  “My mom insisted you needed these.”

  “They smell wonderful, thank you. You look amazing.”

  “You look so beautiful, you take my breath away, Gabriella. My very own Cinderella.”

  “Let’s go get married.”

  Logan and Gabriella walked down the short hall and spoke to the lady behind the counter. Just as they were being ushered in, footsteps pounded against the floor behind them.

  “Wait, wait, wait. Wait for us. Please.”

  Gabriella and Logan turned to find their friends, Marilyn and Blake, even Blaze had come. Gage, Amber and Brandi trailed close behind the trio. Even Donna was in the crowd.

  “What are you guys doing here?” Gabbie cried.

  “You didn’t think we’d let you do this alone, did you?”

  She hugged Donna, just as the Justice of the Peace arrived and asked them to join him in the small room.

  Gabbie hugged Donna and thanked her again for Mary’s ring. She hugged her girls and they all had to ask once again, about her old, new, borrowed and blue pieces.

  “Yes. I’ve got the ring. The ring is my old and my sexy bridal panties are new. The necklace,” she tugged on with her free hand, “and my hair piece.” She touched her hair carefully, not wanting any piece to slip out of the barrette.

  “I’m good, let’s do this.”

  “Please, let’s do this,” Logan groaned.

  They all went to sit as Logan and Gabbie walked up to the front of the room. It was a small room, with pew seating of eight rows on either side. There was wood paneling everywhere: along the walls, along the floor and of course at the front where judges and witnesses took the stand.

  “No guys, don’t sit. I want you all up here with us. Come on.” She ushered the group to the front. The women stood on her side and the men stood on Logan’s side, each lining across from their significant other. Except for Brandi and Blaze, everyone was happy. Blaze rolled his eyes at Brandi and she rolled her eyes right back. Those two were so immature.