by Kristi Gold
When he touched her breasts, she moaned against his mouth and pressed against his pelvis. His body’s reaction was almost volatile and he went for the button on her fly, needing to know if she was as hot as he was. He had her zipper down in a flash and his hand was parting the placket, until a return of good sense—with a little help of voices from somewhere in the vicinity—forced him to reconsider.
He wasn’t sure who was more winded, him or Jenna, when he stepped back and quickly readjusted her clothes.
Her disappointment was undeniable when she muttered, “And you thought Tahiti was crowded this time of year.”
He had two choices—continue the fishing excursion, or take her back to the tent, away from prying eyes. He should go with fishing for two solid reasons, the first being that unless the condom fairy had left him a few underneath his pillow, he had no way to see this through completely. The second involved the friendship clause that he was in danger of severing if he didn’t get his brain out of his jeans.
Jenna tightened her ponytail and picked up the rod, making the decision for him. “Maybe if we’re lucky, the fish will still be biting.”
Logan grabbed up his own rig and picked a place a few feet away from her. Without further instruction, she began casting like a pro.
“You’re a quick study,” he told her, in awe that even without her sight, she appeared to master anything she tackled.
“I’ve fished before, Logan,” she said. “Several years ago, my dad and I took a couple of sport fishing trips to Mexico. I actually caught a Marlin once.”
Anger set in. Anger that he couldn’t quite explain. “You should’ve told me that before I went into instruction mode.”
She continued to cast without missing a beat. “What, and miss all the fun of the post-instruction making out?”
“I’m serious, Jenna. You need to remember one important thing about me. I require total honesty.”
She reeled in the line with a vengeance. “That’s rich, Logan. You’re asking me to be honest with you when you can’t be honest with yourself.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do, even if you can’t own up to it.”
She was still speaking in riddles. “Care to explain?”
After propping the rod against the rock that also housed her cane, she faced him. “You’re hiding behind this whole friendship thing because the truth is, you’re afraid of getting too close to a woman. And whether you admit it or not, Helena hurt you badly.”
He didn’t want to hear this. “She lied to me, Jenna. Sorry if that pisses me off.”
She exhaled a slow breath. “I’m not her, Logan. I’m not going to fault you for your imperfections, because God knows I have plenty of my own. And I didn’t come here to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
Without hesitation, and without any help from her cane, she walked toward him, stumbling slightly before she strode right up to him. “You might not understand this, but for years I’ve operated on the assumption that everyone knew what was best for me. Both David and my father treated me like a china doll incapable of functioning in the real world without complete dependency. I fought against it in the beginning, but I gave up to keep the peace.”
She circled her arms around his waist. “But you’re not like them. You’ve given me the chance to simply be me. To finally feel like a normal person and a desirable woman.”
“You are a desirable woman, Jenna.” And she didn’t have a clue how much he wanted to fully uncover that side of her.
“That’s why I’m going to keep reminding you that this chemistry between us is too powerful to ignore,” she said. “My question is, when are you going to stop ignoring it?”
He rested his forehead against hers. “I don’t want to hurt you in any way, Jenna.”
“You don’t want to be hurt again, and I don’t want that, either. As long as we know going in that we’re here to enjoy each other during the time we have left together, then neither of us will suffer for the decision.” She smiled. “I don’t want to leave here regretting that I didn’t take full advantage of all the opportunities.”
Logan found it uncanny how clearly she saw things. How clearly she saw through him, exposing facets of himself that he hadn’t wanted to concede.
She’d been right on several counts, including the fact that the raw chemistry between them was too potent to disregard. And this time, he was going to prove that he could be both a lover and a friend. The friendship was already in place.
He kissed her quickly and said, “Pack up your things and let’s get out of here.” Disappointment turned her smile into a frown. “You’ve decided to cut the weekend short.”
His decision entailed giving her the best experience of her life. Maybe even his own life. “We’re not going home, Jenna. We’re going down the hill and we’re going to find a cabin with a shower.”
Her expression brightened. “Now, Logan, where’s your sense of adventure?”
“You’ll find that out when we’re in bed.”
Chapter Nine
After a four-hour trek back to the main campground, Jenna found herself sitting on the edge of a bed in a dark, musty and minimally cool cabin, alone. Logan had left with the directive for her to stay put until he returned in a few minutes. Although she wasn’t certain of the time, or where he’d gone, she did know that more than a few minutes had passed. And she didn’t want to wait to make good use of the shower.
She located the bag at her feet and withdrew essential toiletries, opting to forgo clothes. If Logan hadn’t changed his mind, she wouldn’t need them. She prayed he hadn’t changed his mind. But if he didn’t return soon, she might start believing that he’d left the state without her.
Jenna used her cane to guide her to the bathroom, not a difficult feat because the cabin—according to Logan—consisted of one area that housed the bedroom, a galley kitchen and a small living room.
Finding the walk-in shower wasn’t difficult, either, considering it took up half of the tiny bathroom. She set her cane aside and felt along the wall to discover a towel draped on a rack mounted to the wall. Satisfied she had everything she needed, Jenna yanked back the narrow plastic curtain and felt for the metal handles. When she turned on the water, the scent of rust permeated the area and she hoped that her bath didn’t result in orange-colored skin. But after she stripped and stepped under the spray, shampoo and shower gel in hand, the metallic smell disappeared and she only experienced the cool tile beneath her feet and blessedly warm, soothing water. Yet she only allowed herself a few minutes to relax before she soaped and shampooed away the grunge; she wanted to be waiting for Logan in bed when he finally came back to her.
After she rinsed and squeezed out her hair, she stepped onto the bath mat, reached for the towel and contacted only a barren metal bar.
“Are you looking for this?”
Jenna felt the slide of terry against her arm before she snatched the towel from Logan’s grasp and began drying off—very slowly. “I didn’t realize you were back.”
“And I didn’t realize you didn’t understand my instructions.” His voice sounded remarkably strained.
“I understood them.” She wrapped up in the towel and tucked it between her breasts. “I just didn’t see any reason to sit around and do nothing while you were gone. Which reminds me, where did you go?”
“I put the gear back in the Hummer, then I made a trip to the camp store.”
“Did you get some things for dinner?”
“Yeah, and a few things for after dinner.”
She suspected she knew the identity of those after-dinner “things.”
“I’m surprised they stock condoms at the camp store.”
“They do, but they were out, which leads me to believe the Falstaffs are a wild bunch. I had to drive ten miles to the nearest convenience store.”
At least that explained his lengthy absence. “.Are you sure you didn’t run into Liza Fal
staff and have a quickie?”
“Not a chance. And since you didn’t wait until we could shower together, it’s my turn. I’m feeling me pretty dirty right now.”
Jenna admittedly felt a little dirty, too, and she was squeaky clean, at least physically. “If you want me to leave while you shower, I will. But if it’s okay, I’d rather stay. I promise I won’t peek.” Oh, that she wished she could.
“You can stay and join me.”
Not at all a terrible idea, but she wanted to build the anticipation for a bit longer. “Tell you what. Since the shower is barely big enough for one, much less two people, I’ll stay and keep you company.”
He tilted her chin up and kissed her gently. “There’s plenty of room if you improvise. However. I wouldn’t get much bathing done with you in there with me.”
Jenna was highly encouraged by his comment. In a matter of minutes, she might finally experience what she’d wanted from him all along. “We’ll save the improvising for later. In the meantime, I’ll stand by while you wash away. Just leave the curtain open a little so we can talk.”
“Not a problem, but I might get the floor wet.”
“It’s tile and I’m sure it’s been wet before.”
“Just stay right where you are so you don’t slip and fall.” He slid his fingertip down the cleft of her breasts. “You know, I can think of certain circumstances when wet is good.”
Jenna backed up and reclined against the wall, needing its full support. “So can I. Now, hum’ up.”
“Yes. ma’am.”
Since Logan appeared as an indistinguishable figure standing before her, she would have to rely on her imagination to form a cerebral portrait. She could also rely on him. “What are you doing right now?”
“Taking off my shirt.”
She developed a mental picture compiled from her previous explorations of his chest, but she highly doubted it did justice to the real thing. When she heard the rasp of a zipper and the rustle of denim, she realized she didn’t have a good frame of reference for how he might look at the moment. But she would soon, if she had any say in the matter.
After she heard the curtain sliding back, followed by the sound of water, she asked. “.Are you washing’?”
“Yeah, my hair.”
“With my shampoo or yours’?”
“Kline. Lavender smells a lot better on you than it does on me. .And I have my own soap, too. A bar of soap, not gel.”
She allowed him a few moments to finish that task before asking, “What are you doing now’?”
“Bathing.”
“I know that. What part of you are you bathing?” And that had to be the nosiest question she’d ever asked anyone.
“I’m scrubbing my face.”
“Where will you go from there’?”
“What do you mean?”
“Most people have a routine. For instance, face first, chest, legs and so on.”
“I leave the ‘so on’ for last. Do you want to help me with that phase?”
She was assaulted by both heat and goose bumps simultaneously. “I trust you can handle that yourself.”
“Much more fun if you’ll handle it.”
She resisted the urge to take him up on his offer. “I’ll put that on my to do list.”
“I’ll remind you. just in case.”
Closing her eyes, Jenna tipped her head back against the wall and let her fantasies take flight. She could picture him moving the soap over his body, across his broad chest, over his flat belly, down his solid thighs, then on to his perfect bottom. .And after that… She wished she could be that bar of soap.
Jenna shifted her weight against the onslaught of damp heat and the rush of excitement. She had never wanted someone so much, specifically her former husband. During the early years together, their lovemaking had been satisfying for the most part, but never so hot that she’d felt as if she would crawl out of her skin if she didn’t have him immediately. Right now, her skin was threatening to take a hiatus just thinking about Logan.
The desire he’d unearthed in her was almost frightening in its intensity. Perhaps that intensity resulted from the absence of intimacy in her life or the expectation of a memorable experience. Or maybe it was simply the man himself. A man who had taken time out of his busy schedule to escape with her for a few days, and she could only assume that the best of him was yet to come.
When the water stopped, Jenna’s heart accelerated and her respiration sounded strangely labored. And when Logan touched her face, a low, needy sound filtered out of her parted lips.
“Are you okay, Jenna?” She inhaled deeply. “I don’t know. I feel—”
“Aroused?”
“Yes.” He nuzzled his face in the bend of her neck. “Tell me what you need.”
His velvet-smooth voice was as effective as a powerful potion, one that left her pleasurably weak. “I need you take me to bed.” Before her limbs no longer held her up.
The words had barely left Jenna’s mouth before Logan gathered her into his arms and carried her away in every sense of the word. He moved so quickly, she had little time to prepare before he’d deposited her onto the creaky bed. The mattress bent beside her and following a tug, the towel fell open, allowing a cool draft of air to flow over her bare skin. When Logan rolled her onto her side and into his arms, she absorbed the sensory details all at once—the clean smell of him. the welcome feel of him. the taste of him as his mouth covered hers.
His kiss was surprisingly restrained and brief before he pulled back and grazed his lips along her jaw, her neck and finally her ear. “I only have one question to ask you before we go any further.”
His tone was so somber, Jenna almost feared that question. “All right.”
“What’s your favorite color’?”
She laughed from relief and utter joy. “Every color in the rainbow.”
“I’ll remember that,” he said as he nudged her onto her back.
The conversation ceased with Logan’s next kiss, a thorough yet incredibly gentle kiss. His fingertips skimmed her flesh, light and soothing as he raked them down her throat and over her collarbone. She almost issued a protest when he broke the kiss, but reconsidered when she experienced the warmth of his mouth closing over her breast. The soft workings of his tongue around her nipple urged a soft moan from her lips and his palm gliding down her belly prompted a slight shiver that ran the length of her body.
He turned his attention to her legs, brushing his knuckles back and forth on the tops of her thighs, coming closer and closer to the apex with each pass. She was on sensory overload, not quite knowing where to focus her concentration at the moment—on Logan’s skilled mouth or his equally skilled hand.
Definitely his hand, she decided when he divided her thighs with his leg and centered his touch on the source of the ache that had plagued her for days.
“You’re hot,” he whispered.
She answered with a breathy, “Thanks to you.”
“Tell me what else you want, Jenna.”
“I want to touch you, too.”
He lifted her hand and guided it to his erection. “Touch away.”
And she did—with curiosity, with fine strokes as he did with her. She focused on Logan’s reaction to her exploration and knew she was pleasing him simply by listening for the catch of his breath when she got a little bolder, yet worried she’d done something wrong when he tugged her hand away. “No more or I’m going to lose it,” he said.
Jenna could very well say the same thing to him, if she had the presence of mind to speak, which she didn’t since Logan hadn’t halted his steady caress. The pressure began to build and build until she could do nothing more than surrender to the sensations. Yet Logan picked that exact moment to stop, eliciting a mild protest from Jenna.
“Not yet.” he said.
She heard the sound of tearing paper, keenly aware that soon the wait would be over.
When he came back to her, Logan covered her body with his
and said, “Now,” as he lifted her hips and pushed inside her.
The climax hit her immediately with overwhelming authority, a release that completely consumed her and went on much longer than she’d expected. Only after the effects began to fade did she focus on the powerful thrust of Logan’s body as she slid her hands down his back to his buttocks, delighting in the play of muscle against her palm. How much she’d missed this. How very, very much. More important, she was sorely reminded of her lack of vision and what that meant to their lovemaking.
“I wish I could see you,” she said, and with all her heart, she did.
He stilled, raised her hands and kissed both palms before bringing them to his face, providing the means for her to observe his current state as best she could. “You feel so damn good,” he said.
Even those few words seemed to cause him a great deal of effort, yet they moved Jenna more than she could express. .And so did the heartfelt kiss he gave her immediately before he again gave in to his body’s demands. As he drove deeper, harder, she continued to touch his face, wanting so badly to see the concentration in his expression, to witness the instant he was stripped of control. Instead, she relied on the rapid beat of his heart against her breasts and the tension in his frame that let her know the moment was close at hand. He climaxed with a hard thrust, shuddered and collapsed against her.
As Jenna nibbed his back and listened as his breathing slowed to a normal rhythm, she felt as if she had entered a place of peace that she never wanted to leave. A place where she could stay for a long, long time.
“What are you thinking?” she asked when Logan failed to move or speak. “That was too rushed.”
“That was pretty incredible.”
“It could be better.”
Any better and she might not have lived to tell the tale. “I don’t agree, and it was definitely worth the wait.” When he shifted slightly, she tightened her hold. “Don’t go yet.”
