“I can’t believe he just told me he was seriously dating someone. This is Logan McCoy, the most eligible bachelor I know. I wonder how some girl trapped him. Do you think she got pregnant? That has to be it. He wouldn’t just settle down for no reason.”
Sam laughed to herself, hoping no one was paying attention to how ridiculous she looked. The girl seemed rather perplexed, and she had to admit she was more than a little happy about the fact that Logan had blown her off.
It almost made up for the disappointment she felt the day before. Almost.
Sam felt good throughout her entire workout. She went to the Cardio Theater and used the elliptical machine while The Bourne Ultimatum played on the large screen. Sam would have normally drooled over Matt Damon – sex God - but at the moment, Logan made him look like a little boy. And that was saying something because she loved Matt Damon.
After an hour and a half on the machine, she decided she would go home and shower. She didn’t have any plans for the day, but maybe she could come up with something to do. Anything to keep her mind off of sneaking over to Logan’s house to surprise him. After all, he was supposed to be courting her, not the other way around.
Sam took a shower, put on her makeup and dried her hair, but she hadn’t been able to get dressed when her cell phone rang. She went to the dresser in her bedroom and picked it up, hoping it would be Logan.
Nope, not Logan.
“Hey, Mom. How are you?” Sam greeted her mother.
“Samantha, it’s so good to hear your voice. I thought maybe you disappeared off the face of the earth. You don’t return my calls.”
“That isn’t true, and you know it. I was busy yesterday, or I would’ve called you back. It was late before I got back home.”
“You know, they call it a mobile phone for a reason. You could always answer it when I call and then you wouldn’t have to call me back.” Her mother nagged.
“I did answer it, Mom. Remember, I’m on the phone now.” Sam smiled.
She loved her mom dearly, even if they did have this exact same conversation every time they talked.
“So, how are things going up there in Dallas?”
“So far so good. I finally got my apartment the way I want it, and I have settled in at work.”
“That’s so good to hear. Have you heard anything more about a permanent position?”
“There is talk. I’ve even contemplated buying a house.”
“A house? Really? That’s a big step for you, honey.” The concern in her mother’s voice gave her pause. If anyone knew her, it was her mother. “Are you sure you want to tie yourself down like that? That’s so unlike you.”
Her mom was right; she didn’t buy a house anywhere because she didn’t want to be tied down. Maybe that was why she hadn’t found a relationship either. She liked her freedom. She could still have her freedom and own her own home, couldn’t she?
“I know, but I think I might be evolving.”
“Since you moved to Dallas?”
“Maybe.” She knew it had more to do with Logan than Dallas, but her mom didn’t need to know that. “So, what’s the reason for the call, Mom?”
“Can’t I just call to talk?”
“Sure, you could, but you don’t.”
“Ok, fine. I just wanted to call to let you know your dad and I plan to come up to Dallas in a couple of weeks to see you. Maybe you can take me out to see the sights.”
“Sure. Just let me know before you come, and I’ll make sure the guest room is ready. I haven’t put much time into that room, but I will.”
“We’ll be sure to call you the week before we come. Your dad has a fishing trip planned next weekend, but maybe the week after that.”
“Sounds terrific, Mom. I better get off the phone. I need to run to the grocery store.”
“Ok, dear. I’ll call you later in the week.”
“Bye Mom. Love you.” Sam tossed the phone on the bed and walked into her closet. She was glancing through her shirts when she thought she heard a knock on the front door. She came out of the closet and stood for a moment, waiting to see if she heard it again.
After a few seconds of silence, she figured she was hearing things so she went back into the closet. She heard it again. This time she went to the front door.
She put her robe on, but she didn’t have anything on underneath it and wasn’t about to answer the door. She glanced through the security hole but didn’t see anyone. She decided to open the door to see if someone was there. Maybe it was Logan, and he didn’t think she was home.
When Sam pulled the door open, she noticed three dozen or so red roses sitting in front of her door with a card and a balloon tied to them. She glanced around but didn’t see anyone so she took the vase and brought it into the apartment, sitting them on the bar.
She pulled the card from its clear plastic stick holder and opened it.
Event: First Date
Day: Today
Time: 15 minutes
What you should wear: Something casual (shorts, t-shirt, bathing suit)
The butterflies were back, and it required tremendous restraint for Sam not to jump up and down like a kid on Christmas. Instead, she smiled.
Fifteen minutes.
Without a second thought, she ran to her closet, pulled out her black string bikini and a pair of short jean shorts and a black t-shirt. She used up every bit of the 15 minutes making sure she looked and smelled nice. It might’ve been a vain thing to do, but this was her first official date with Logan.
Standing in front of the full length mirror on her bathroom door, Sam criticized her appearance. She could do casual – she even pulled her hair back into a ponytail. This would have to do.
As soon as she made it to the living room there was a knock on the door. She anticipated Logan, but when she opened the door she almost jumped out of her skin.
It wasn’t Logan.
“Samantha Kielty? My name is Darien. I’m Mr. McCoy’s driver this afternoon. He asked that I come up and get you. Are you ready?”
Ready? No way in hell was she ready to see Logan again. Well, maybe she was. Regardless, she was going to go anyway.
“I believe I am.” She smiled, wondering what Logan was up to. He sent his driver up to get her. Interesting. She grabbed her purse from the bar, tossed her cell phone inside and then locked the door behind her.
When she got to the sleek, black limousine out front, she fully expected Logan to be inside. To her dismay he was not. When Darien opened the door for her, she noticed a single red rose sitting on the seat with a note attached.
Looking forward to today. Just sit back and relax for the next twenty minutes.
~Logan
Sam couldn’t hold back her surprise when the limo pulled into the marina in just under the amount of time Logan referenced. The lake. Holy crap. Not a good idea, but how in the world would Logan know how deathly afraid of water she was.
Hmmm.
How could she break this to him? Maybe the hyperventilating would be a dead giveaway.
Sam tried to control her breathing as she remained seated in the limo. A moment later the back door opened, and Darien took a step back so she could exit.
“Your destination, Ms. Kielty. I hope you enjoy your day.”
“Thank you, Darien.” Grabbing a couple of dollars out of her wallet, she went to hand them to Darien for a tip.
“Thank you, ma’am.” Darien said kindly but didn’t reach for the money. “Not necessary. Mr. McCoy has generously taken care of the tip. Have a wonderful time.”
Staring blankly at the handsome driver, Sam tucked the money back in her purse and smiled. If she could manage to make it to the boat, she might consider the day a success.
A quick look around the line of docked boats and Sam spotted Logan standing on one of the piers. With constant encouragement from herself, she started his way, but when she came to where the sidewalk ended, and the pier began, she stopped cold. No amount of encouragement was go
ing to help her now. She wasn’t going any further. She couldn’t. Her brain was already malfunctioning just at the nearness of the water.
“Hey, beautiful. You ready?” She heard Logan’s deep voice as he came closer. He must have noticed she was no longer walking although she had seen him.
“I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t? We’re going out on the lake. To do that, it’ll be easier in the boat.” Logan attempted humor, though his voice held a touch of concern.
Sam could feel his eyes as they roamed over her. He was probably trying to see if there was something physically wrong with her. He wouldn’t find anything, but if he looked close enough, he’d see she was trembling.
“I just can’t.” Sam knew the words were no more than a harsh whisper, but it was the best she could do just to speak.
She took the chance and looked from the water, up into the greenish brown of his eyes. She knew what he’d see when he looked at her. Cold, breath-stealing fear.
“Are you scared?”
“To death.”
“Of the water? Or the boat?”
“Both.” After all, the boat was on the water, wasn’t it?
~*~*~
Logan was torn between pulling Sam into his arms, greeting her appropriately, and trying to help her overcome her apparent fear of the water. The conversation wasn’t moving particularly fast, and he feared the trek to the boat would likely take twice as long. He decided not to rush her. They had all day, and he needed Sam to trust him.
Instead of urging her toward him, he took the few steps that would close the gap between them. He took her hand in his and pulled it against him, being careful to remain on the sidewalk where she had stopped, raising her chin so she had to look at him.
“You’re safe with me, you know that right?”
When she looked up at him, she wasn’t smiling, and her eyes were bright with fear.
“I just can’t go out on the water.”
“You don’t even want to try? I promise you won’t have to get in the water, nor will you come in contact with it at all.” He couldn’t resist the urge to kiss her so he planted his lips gently on hers and felt the jolt to his system. Hell, they didn’t need the boat, he was content just standing there holding her.
“Did something happen to make you afraid of the water?”
“Fortunately, no. I’ve just always been scared of water. If it isn’t in a concrete bowl in someone’s backyard that I can see clearly to the bottom, I have never been able to go near it.”
Contemplating her words, Logan wanted to urge her past her fears. He wanted her to trust that he would take care of her, so he told her so. “Come on, baby. Trust me, please.”
A full minute passed before she said a word, and Logan half expected her to back out altogether. Instead, her next words filled him with pride.
“I trust you.” She laced her fingers with his and took a step away, looking up at him for direction. “Please be careful.”
He nodded his understanding and then led her the few steps that would take them onto the pier. When she hesitated once more, he reassured her.
“Come on, baby. Focus on me. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Logan stated as he stopped, turning around to face her again.
“Maybe if you took your shirt off, I could focus on you and not the water.”
Logan laughed at her attempt for humor.
“I’ll do it.” Logan smiled back as he took the hem of his shirt in one hand and started to raise, giving her a slight glimpse of his abs.
Her sexy laugh broke some of the tension and Logan took another step forward.
“I’ll take you up on that when we’re on the boat.”
After she managed to take several steps on the wooden planks, Logan suspected it became easier for her, or she just wanted to get to the boat as fast as she could. A minute later they were settled on the deck, and Logan was putting a lifejacket around her.
Logan untied the boat from the dock, started the engine and took another long look at the woman beside him. Clad in short denim shorts and a tiny black halter top, she made his mouth water. He could see the black straps of her bathing suit tied behind her neck and he wondered what type of suit it was. The mental image of her clad only in a small, black bikini had him wondering if they’d make it out of the dock.
Tearing his mind out of the gutter, Logan went through the motions of getting the boat out of the marina. He took it slow and made small talk as he went along. He answered her questions about the boat, giving her some basic details when she asked. She seemed enthralled with the sundeck and even asked about the hydraulic swim platform, though Logan knew she wouldn’t go anywhere near it.
He wondered what she would think when he gave her a full tour of the cabin.
In an attempt to alleviate more of her tension, Logan opted to pull his t-shirt off, hoping the diversion would make her feel better. Her eyes went wide when he did so, and a smile creased her lips. He thought he heard her laugh, but it was hard to tell over the hum of the engine.
After Logan had the boat out far enough, he turned to look at her. She watched the water and other boats as they passed and he found he couldn’t help but smile. She had trusted him even though he could tell the fear had nearly strangled her when she arrived.
“Come here.” He said as he slowed the boat and stepped back from the steering wheel. Her head turned toward him, but he couldn’t see her eyes due to the dark sunglasses she wore, but he knew she was paying attention. “I want you to steer the boat. Feel the power beneath your hands. It’ll be ok. I won’t leave you for a minute.”
He held his hand out so she only had to take a few steps before she could grab on to him. Once she was close enough, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him, her back to his front, the steering wheel directly in front of her.
“I’m going to take this off for a minute.” He said, referring to her life vest which was wedged between them. He unhooked the clasps and pulled it off of her arms and then laid it on the counter beside them. “I’ve got you. You’ll be fine.”
Her breaths were a little erratic, and her hands shook as he placed them on the wheel. Once she took hold, he knew it would take some work to break her death grip, but he smiled anyway. He placed his hands over hers, felt the slight tremble and the feel of her small hands beneath his. Then he turned the wheel, steering the boat in the direction they wanted to go.
“How’s that?” He asked as he moved in closer behind her, trying to shield her between his arms and his body, giving her more stability as the boat rocked over the small waves.
She didn’t answer, but she did lean further into him, offering him her silent trust and making his heart swell in his chest. He could get used to this. Taking care of this woman. Protecting her. She felt perfect in his arms, and Logan was content for the first time in a long time.
“We’re going to a small cove I found last time I was out here. It’s secluded and shaded. A nice place to relax.”
“How long will it take to get there?”
“About thirty minutes, but it’s well worth the drive.” He would drive the boat for hours if she would stand in front of him allowing his body to press against hers.
He breathed in her scent. It was soft, flowery, and all Samantha. He wasn’t overpowered by the department store perfumes like some women wore, but instead he could take in the sweet scent of her hair and the fresh smell of her skin. She made him hard. Painfully. But more than that, there was a possessive, protective feeling that filled him. As if it was his responsibility to protect her, and shelter her from anything and everything.
Guiding the watercraft through the short, choppy waves, they talked about the surroundings and the boat. She asked about Bear, his brother’s German shepherd, apparently their introduction had left an impression on her. Logan was introduced to Bear about four years ago when his team visited a local animal shelter as part of a volunteer event XTX was in full support of.
He’d seen the scraggly puppy, looking emaciated and just a little sad and decided he had to find him a home. Logan wasn’t able to dedicate enough time to the animal, so he’d convinced his brother to take him. Since that day, Logan and Bear had become best friends even if he wasn’t Logan’s dog. He made a mental note to have his brother bring Bear over one of these days.
Chapter Thirteen
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~
When they reached the cove, Logan shifted to move away and felt Sam’s body tense. She didn’t move, but she didn’t look happy either.
“Just for a moment. I have to secure the boat so we don’t continue to drift. You stand here, and I’ll be right back.”
Logan hurried through the process, returning to Sam only to find her still gripping the steering wheel, her knuckles white and a bead of sweat on her forehead. He had to admit she looked so damn cute standing there.
Seeing the confident woman who walked through the XTX offices turning heads and making others stop talking just to hear what she had to say, standing on his boat, battling an apparent debilitating phobia had his heart wrenching.
He approached slowly, then leaned down and kissed the side of her neck, breathing in her scent once more. He took one of her hands in his and pulled her toward him as he sat on the long padded bench directly behind the wheel. He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her, and when she settled against him, he let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
He still couldn’t believe the overwhelming desire he had to protect her and keep her safe. There were strange feelings stirring up inside of him when she was around. Not just sexual, although the chemistry between them was explosive.
“So, what do you think so far?”
“I think I wouldn’t have done this if it weren’t for you.” She smiled at him, her eyes hidden by her sunglasses. “Do you do this often?”
“I try to. I don’t have a lot of down time, but when I do, I usually come out here if the weather is agreeable and the lake is open.”
“What do you normally do when you’re out here?”
Club Destiny 1 Conviction Page 11
