Club Destiny 1 Conviction

by Nicole Edwards

  “Sure.” She said as she followed him to the door. “Talk to you tomorrow then.”

  ~*~*~

  Logan walked down the steps, toward the parking lot. He wasn’t sure what the hell just happened, but something certainly had. He must be tired. It had been a long weekend, followed by one hellacious day. He hadn’t wanted to leave tonight, but he could tell she was tired and needed to get a full night’s sleep. If he stayed, they wouldn’t have done much sleeping.

  It was the strangest sensation – Logan wanted to spend more time with her, and he felt as though she wanted to be away from him.

  Damn.

  This couldn’t be good.

  Chapter Nineteen

  ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~

  The next few days were a blur for Sam. There was a problem with one of the software programs they were trying to code and it caused her and her team to work late nights. She had spoken to Logan once on the phone but not at all since Wednesday. She had seen him in the office, and they shared some pleasantries, but not a whole lot more than that. This unrelenting fear was one of the reasons Sam didn’t have relationships. If you could call it that.

  For hours, Sam had picked apart every detail of their time together, finally concluding that what they had shared was just great sex. No. Not great sex. Amazing, mind blowing sex. Nonetheless, it was still just sex.

  The night at his house had been on instant replay in her mind, reminding her she had been the sole focus of not one, but two men that night; two men whose sole intent was to pleasure her. The memories gave her chills.

  She spoke to her mother on Thursday night when she was finally leaving the office at nine o’clock, and had been informed they would definitely be coming down the following weekend. Sam knew she had to get the guest bedroom fixed up, or they wouldn’t have a place to sleep.

  Was it wrong of her to want them to hold off? Right now just wasn’t a convenient time for her. She was still in a funk, and she couldn’t seem to get past it. And now, it was Friday night and the only thing she wanted to do was to crawl into bed and sleep for days.

  Sam pulled into her apartment complex and parked her car. As she got out, she noticed Logan’s Corvette parked in the space beside hers. Ok, now that was a pleasant surprise. His unexpected appearance immediately lightened her excessively dark mood.

  “Hey.” Logan greeted as he climbed out of the sexy black car. “Do you have plans for tonight?”

  I hope to now. “Nope. No plans. How about you?” She asked as she grabbed her backpack from the back seat and went to shut the car door. As she did, Logan took her backpack from her arm and hoisted it onto his shoulder as he turned to follow her.

  “I do now.” He smiled and all of Sam’s doubts and worries disappeared.

  ~*~*~

  Logan followed Sam up to her apartment, realizing how much he had missed her the last few days. There seemed to have been some mutual avoidance going on during the week, but he hadn’t known exactly why.

  Admittedly, he’d been nervous about where they were headed, especially after the last time he was here. Knowing he wanted something more out of this relationship, and fearing she wasn’t ready to give him that, Logan tried to give her some space.

  Standing here with her now, he realized just how fully vested in this relationship he was. Regardless of whether she returned the feelings or not.

  “What might those be?” Sam asked as she pushed open the front door to her apartment.

  Logan shook off his thoughts and tried to remember what he had said. Oh, right. Plans. “Well, they involve you and me. Naked.” Shutting the door behind him, Logan turned the lock, ensuring they would be uninterrupted. She might have thought he was kidding, but he wasn’t.

  Sitting her backpack on one of the bar stools, Logan watched as she placed her purse and keys on the bar and turned to look at him.

  “Ok, so you, me, naked, then what?” She stood there, just staring at him.

  He could think of plenty of things. But he wasn’t in the mood to talk. He pursued her, following as she backed herself up against the leather couch. He wanted to touch her. No, he needed to touch her.

  When she flopped onto the couch, staring up at him, Logan saw the heat burning in her eyes, the same heat he’d been consumed with for days.

  It took his breath away to know that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He didn’t sit beside her; instead, he leaned over her, forcing her onto her back until he was propped on his hands and knees above her. The passion that generated between them was hot enough to spark a flame, and if he didn’t kiss her right then, they might just simultaneously combust.

  Her soft, cool fingers traced his jaw, then over his bottom lip. He turned his head and sucked her finger into his mouth, watching her eyes widen, her lips part.

  “Damn I missed you.” He whispered, leaning his head toward hers, their lips almost touching. “Too damn much.”

  And then he kissed her. Not just any kiss; it was an electrical storm of passion that erupted when their lips touched. Sam shifted her head slightly, allowing him to delve deeper. Their tongues battled, but their hands didn’t move. Sam kept her fingers gently on his face, while Logan’s hands remained planted on the couch on each side of her head. As she tried to get closer to him by pressing her body into his, he finally moved.

  One hand.

  He moved his left hand and made his way underneath the t-shirt she wore. His fingers grazed her stomach and then her breast, her soft skin beckoning him. When he fondled her nipple through the silky fabric of her bra, she squirmed beneath him, pushing against him, trying to increase the friction. With each move she made, he backed up a little more just to tease her.

  “I didn’t come over here just for this.” He managed to breathe when he broke the kiss and stared into her eyes. And he hadn’t. Sure, the thought of her naked, willing body beneath him filled his mind while he was awake and asleep, but just seeing her was almost enough. Being this close to her was a temptation he couldn’t resist.

  “Who said it had to be just this?” She smiled back at him as she let her hands slide down his neck, tangling in his hair.

  “I wanted to take you to dinner. You know the whole courting thing.” He whispered as he kissed her cheek, her nose, and back to her lips.

  “Oh, right. I completely forgot about that.”

  “I wonder why?” He could barely concentrate while her fingernails gently trailed down his neck and into his shirt. She hadn’t made a move to start unbuttoning his shirt, but he knew it would be coming and he prayed he would be able to muster up the will power to take her to dinner first. His cock was hard as it pressed against her thigh. He wanted to rip her clothes from her body and thrust into her hard and fast. But, that had to wait.

  “So, what are you hungry for? Wait, let me rephrase that.” He saw the glimmer in her eye and the smile that crept across her face. He knew what she was thinking. “I meant to ask you what you would like for dinner, as in food.”

  “Oh, right. Food.”

  Had she already forgotten her conditions? Logan smiled at the possible reason for that. Apparently some well-timed orgasms could do that to a person. He admitted he hadn’t given much thought to anything except getting her naked again. Then she smiled, bright as the sun, and Logan forgot what they were talking about.

  “I’m glad to see you smiling again. Last time I was here it was as though I had wiped the smile right off of your face.” Logan said as he moved off of her, getting to his feet so he could help her up.

  Just as quickly, her smile was gone. “About that. I’m sorry. My mind wasn’t in the right place, but you’ll be glad to know that I’ve managed to get back on track and things are looking better.”

  Her eyes slid down his body, making him throb and ache with a hunger that had nothing to do with dinner. “Glad to hear that.” Seriously glad. “So, where to? Dinner and a movie tonight. Maybe we can even make out in the theater.”

  ~*~*~

  Holy hell. She
knew what this man’s idea of making out was, and she knew that if there weren’t a lot of people she might just end up naked. She still smiled.

  “Ok, dinner and a movie then. What are we having? I was thinking maybe Japanese?”

  “Japanese it is.” Logan replied, extending his hand.

  Sam placed her palm in his and let him pull her from the couch. In a moment of weakness, she threw her arms around his waist, feeling his heat against her, the strength in his arms, as he held her. He kissed the top of her head, and the tenderness in that gesture had her sighing.

  She hadn’t known how much she missed him until that moment. Hanging on for a little longer than she intended, Sam didn’t say a word. There wasn’t anything that needed to be said. There was something infinitely right about the two of them together. Something powerful that connected them.

  Sam looked up at him and smiled. She was content. This was the exact place she wanted to be at that moment. In his arms.

  “Let’s eat.”

  Ok maybe not the exact place.

  As they were leaving the restaurant, Logan’s cell phone rang. He helped Sam into the car and shut her door behind her. He was still on the phone when he came around to get in.

  “I totally understand, Xavier. I’ll be on the next flight out.” Logan replied and then hit the button to end the call.

  “I’m guessing that was work.”

  “Yep. I have to go to California. There seems to be an issue with the vendor we chose for your project. They want to meet with me to discuss the contract. Xavier didn’t go into much detail, but I didn’t expect he would. I need to call Deanna.”

  Sam sat quietly as Logan talked to his admin, giving her the information she needed to book his flight and hotel. Apparently Deanna was online taking care of it as they spoke because Logan sat quietly with the phone held to his ear as he drove back toward her apartment.

  When they pulled into the complex parking lot, Sam climbed out of the car and walked around to the front, waiting patiently for him to finish his call. She felt the disappointment bubble up inside of her, but she understood he needed to go. She wouldn’t expect him to try to stop her if the tables were turned, so she knew she wouldn’t say a word to him about how she wished the night wouldn’t end.

  “I’m sorry, baby.” Logan said as he walked toward her.

  “Don’t be sorry. I wouldn’t be if I had to go. It’s just the way things are. I’ll be here when you get back so go and take care of business. After all, this is apparently important to me, as well. It is my project.”

  Logan watched her, his expression showing his acceptance of her statement. She was right, it was her project. “Go with me.”

  “What?” Sam couldn’t hide the shock.

  “Go with me. You might be able to convince them there is no room for negotiation on this deal.”

  “I don’t think you need me to convince them. You didn’t make it this far without the ability to diffuse these types of situations.”

  “I’m quite confident in my ability to change their minds, but I would love to sit back and watch you work them over. Go with me, baby.”

  Sam really wanted to take him up on his offer, but she didn’t want to put him in a position like that. If she were anyone else, he wouldn’t be asking her to go along. He didn’t need her there, and she had a lot of things that would need to be taken care of in the office on Monday anyway.

  “Not this time. It isn’t something you would normally do, and I don’t want to give Xavier a reason to question our relationship. Remember, I’m still new here. I’m not ready to make any waves just yet.”

  ~*~*~

  Logan knew she was right. He didn’t doubt she could get the vendor to back down from their attempt at negotiations now that they knew how critical the project actually was, but that wasn’t the reason he wanted her there. He wanted her there so he would have more time with her.

  “You know I’m right, Logan. You need to go, take care of business, and we’ll pick up where we left off when you get back. Maybe if you’re really good I’ll make an exception and have a sleepover on a school night.” Sam grinned up at him.

  Logan had to laugh at that. At the most, he would probably be gone for three or four days. Then, they would definitely pick up where they left off.

  “Ok. I’m going to hold you to it. Let me walk you to your door and then I need to run by the house and grab some clothes. My flight leaves in two hours.”

  ~*~*~

  Sam let him walk her up to her door, and she kissed him goodnight, sending him on his way before they let the heat between them turn into an inferno. After she closed the door, she leaned up against it for a minute. The only thing she couldn’t wrap her mind around was why he needed to fly out to California to diffuse a situation with a software vendor that they had already signed a contract with… on a weekend.

  Chapter Twenty

  ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~

  Sam didn’t hear from Logan throughout the entire weekend. She managed to keep herself busy working at home. She had some things that needed to get done, and she actually enjoyed being able to sit on her couch, laptop perched on her lap with the television producing background noise.

  It was different from the constant movement at the office. Although she worked for three solid hours straight, she found herself thinking about Logan constantly.

  Unable to take any more, Sam shut the computer, tossed it onto the cushion beside her and stood. Out of habit she picked up her cell phone from the coffee table and checked to make sure she hadn’t missed any calls. The blasted thing never rang, so it was pure wishful thinking that had her glancing at it in the first place. With disappointment, she tossed it on the couch as she made her way into the kitchen.

  Dinner or a drink? It was a tough decision.

  The refrigerator offered little solace, so Sam settled on the drink. She pulled a can of diet 7-Up from the top shelf along with a glass from the cabinet. Adding some vodka, she attempted to encourage herself to relax by sipping on the drink as she paced the floor.

  She couldn’t figure out why she hadn’t heard from Logan, but maybe he was busy. After all, he did go to California on business. It had crossed her mind that she might have made a mistake in declining to join him. But, it was too late to change the outcome so she had to do something to pass the time.

  After wearing the carpet a little thinner than it already was, she settled on a relaxing bubble bath to calm her frazzled nerves. It was apparent she had too much time to think which would ultimately result in her picking apart her relationship. Again.

  The song playing softly in the background didn’t help. She listened closely while Trapt soothed out one of her favorite songs on her iPod. “Ready When You Are” was probably not the best choice in her current mood, but it defined her current state of mind. The relationship she and Logan shared was complicated at best.

  They both seemed to share the same feelings for one another, but Sam was acutely aware of her trepidations. Her desire for Logan was a living, breathing thing, but her fear of pain would ultimately win out if she let it.

  What had she done before Logan walked into her life? Although it had only been a few months since they met, the time seemed as though it had sped by. Rather than mere months, it felt as though she had known him for years. Was her heart that vested? Did she dare admit she might actually love Logan McCoy?

  Sam heaved out a sigh and took a long drink of the vodka sitting on the tubs edge. One day at a time… that’s all she could manage at this point in her life. If she had, in fact, fallen for Logan, it was probably best not to tell him. It still amazed her the way her body hummed when she thought about the event that occurred at his house.

  Two men.

  Never in her wildest dreams did she expect she would be pleasured by two men. Never had she even given it any thought. Sure, it wasn’t a new concept. Late night television and the romance section of the bookstore were overwhelmed with such fantasies, but it wasn’t some
thing that Sam had ever imagined she would partake in. It had been the most erotic night of her life and deep down inside, she secretly hoped it would happen again.

  The water sloshed over the side of the tub as she forced herself up and out, trying desperately to push the graphic images from her mind. Now was not the time to think about the events of that night. She was already sexually frustrated, and with Logan so far away, she knew satisfaction wouldn’t come anytime soon. It was time for bed, and she only hoped her dreams would not be overcome with the eroticism that plagued her mind.

  ~*~*~

  Logan stared intently at the cell phone laying on the table in front of him as he waited for his dinner companions. The meeting had fortunately been scheduled for Sunday evening, although he had almost been forced to wait until Monday.

  Being in the business of negotiations, Logan spent Saturday visiting with another vendor in order to establish a backup plan. Price negotiations, after the contract was signed, didn’t normally happen, so he needed to be ready for anything. And the first rule was to never walk in without a backup plan.

  After convincing At Last, Inc. that he would not wait until Monday to meet, he accepted their dinner offer for Sunday evening. He had to admit he was only a little surprised by the insistence of his presence in California over the weekend. Couldn’t business wait until Monday? Of course it couldn’t.

  Those people who genuinely believed that work only occurred between 8am and 5pm Monday through Friday had some serious blinders on. In his world, when it came to strategically managing one of the largest corporations in North Texas, business occurred at any time… day or night.

  Unfortunately, this mini crisis had taken him away from a weekend he could have spent with Sam. Being in a different time zone as well as having spent the better part of Saturday wining and dining the other vendor, Logan had missed the opportunity to call her.

  He had wanted to hear her voice, but he had put it off in hopes of catching a last minute flight on Sunday and arriving to surprise her. That didn’t look like it was going to happen. Especially since it was already 9pm in Dallas.