Walk With Me (Small Town Bachelor Romance Book 4)

by Abby Knox

  Chapter 17

  Ever

  “Let me get this straight.” Ever’s sister, Drea, was staring at her baby sister incredulously. “You broke up with Brody, went on this ridiculous masochistic so-called vacation by yourself, lost your phone, hooked up with a park ranger, got stuck on a cactus, lost three of your toenails and then got this man fired and then, then he carried you out of the canyon with his bare hands?”

  Logan and Ever, sitting in the gazebo in downtown Middleburg, were sharing an ice-cream cone and breaking all kinds of news to Ever’s big sister. “Kinda. Not exactly.”

  Ever explained further.

  “We sent my pack up with the mule caravan and then Logan and I headed out. My toes were tore up pretty badly so I had to walk in my flip flops. I was supposed to camp half way up at the spring one more night, but because Logan was fired for hitting Brody in the face, he had to leave immediately. And there was no way he was going to leave me alone…”

  The pair of them exchanged a look. Logan again gazed at her possessively with the dead seriousness that had started this whole mess in the first place. She blushed, but her confidence grew. She knew Drea would want to throttle her for this whole crazy series of choices but she didn’t care. She continued:

  “And then my flip flops blew out. It was very Margaritaville. Except there were no palm trees or Jimmy Buffet. Anyway, so I couldn’t walk because my boots were all the way at the livery station by that time. So I was gonna walk the rest of the way in my socks but Logan would not have that. Before I could even try to keep walking, he swept me up and carried me piggy back style. Can you believe it?”

  Drea looked skeptically at this man and his obvious bounty of of upper body strength. “I believe it in theory. It sounds pretty risky and wholly cockamamie. Which I should have come to expect from my crazy baby sister. Continue.”

  Ever rolled her eyes. “Anyway. He carried me the rest of the way out, just like that. Like it was nothing.”

  Logan handed her the ice cream cone and took over telling the story. “I didn’t have a choice in the matter. I’m at her service. She’s got me over a barrel and I want you to know I’ll do anything and everything in my power to take care of your little sister for the rest of my life.”

  Drea crossed her arms, in the same way that Ever had a habit of doing when she was mad. “Well, that was last week. Where have you two been since then?”

  Again, Logan and Ever looked at each other. Ever replied, “We had to go and see someone else first.”

  Chapter 18

  Logan

  “What next?”

  Back at the rim of the canyon, Logan had turned in his badge and gotten Ever’s things back from the livery. They sat in a small cafe eating just about everything there was to eat on the menu.

  Ever answered him. “Well, tomorrow we go to see your dad.”

  Logan swallowed. “Yeah. My dad. Old Phillip McBee is gonna be angry. I haven’t spoken to him since he blasted me for refusing to apply to law school.”

  Ever squeezed Logan’s hand. “He reached out to you, remember? Things are different now. There’s always hope.”

  Logan swallowed. This female of his was breaking him open and touching all his scars. He reached out and pulled her chair as close to his as possible, the screeching across the floor of the cafe drawing attention from the other diners.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, reaching back for her plate of apple pie and ice cream. Then he had her in his arms and on his lap. She laughed in surprise, and met his eyes with a flirty smile that utterly did him in every time. When he closed his eyes, the depth of her soul-stirring kiss about wrecked him. Did she know she had bewitched him beyond repair? He was ready to do anything for her. Even speak to his father.

  The address in downtown Des Moines didn’t seem like the place a person goes when they are dying.

  When Logan and Ever arrived at the location his father’s nurse had texted to him, Phillip wasn’t even in a hospital bed like Logan had expected.

  Instead, the old man was sitting in a lounge chair, an IV pole with a drip tube attached to his chest. He was wearing a golf shirt — all the way unbuttoned for the port that attached to his chest — khakis and golf cap.

  “Hey dad,” Logan said, “going to hit the links later?”

  Phillip looked up from his Golf Digest magazine and for a moment, it seemed like he barely recognized the young man speaking to him.

  “While I can still walk,” Phillip said.

  Logan stepped forward and shook his father’s hand. It felt smaller than the last time he’d had physical contact with the man.

  “You said on the phone you’re dying. Why are you putting up with all this treatment?”

  Phillip stuck out his chin in defiance. “I don’t know, maybe because I want to stretch this out for as long as I can just to get on everybody’s nerves.”

  “I see you haven’t changed a bit,” Logan said, attempting awkward small talk. God, did he hate small talk.

  “I see the federal government didn’t make you get a shave and a haircut,” Phillip replied.

  Logan bristled. “It’s the park service, not the military.”

  Phillip laughed. “Or a sense of humor. Yeah, well, you’d have made a terrible soldier, with your authority issues. You’re probably best left alone to talk to the lizards and the beetles.”

  Logan took this as a sign to change the subject before delving any further into this discussion of his career, or lack thereof. He put his arm gently around Ever and instantly felt himself relax. “Dad, let me introduce you. This is Ever.”

  “Ever what?”

  Ever, bless her, smiled genuinely and wrapped the old man up in a giant hug, careful not to bump his port.

  “Just Ever, that’s my name. It’s wonderful to finally meet the man who made Logan.”

  She seated herself in a chair and pulled it up right next to Phillip. Logan could not be sure but it looked like there was a hint of a smile on the old man’s face.

  “I had little to do with it. Logan is the way he is because I was smart enough to marry a good woman. You remind me of her. So tell me, young lady. Is he gonna put a ring on it?”

  Ever put her hand over her mouth and laughed. “Logan said you and he didn’t get along but you know what? I like you.”

  Logan was relieved he didn’t have to think of something to say at the moment, but was also so taken aback he would not have been able to think of words anyway. Was this happening? Had he brought home the female that could crack not only his shell, but that of the old man? He could hardly believe what he was witnessing.

  Then, Logan knew what he had to ask.

  Chapter 19

  Ever

  Drea was sympathetic about the story of Logan’s dad, but unimpressed with the plan that Ever and Logan had come up with.

  “And where exactly are you going to live while you’re swooning over my baby sister and slinging animal feed? I don’t suppose you think you’re going to live with me?”

  Ever and Logan, after leaving Phillip, had discussed their plans on the drive to Middleburg. Logan decided he could not pick up and travel with Ever while his father was dying. It could wait. Ever decided she could not go back to the newspaper. It was making her unhealthy and anxious and in severe lack of Vitamin D. All she knew, and all Logan knew, was they wanted to stick together and help take care of old Phillip while they still could. Ever had already spoken to the owner of Hawk’s Diner, which seemed to perpetually have a “help wanted” sign in the window. Logan had already applied for work at the feed store. They would work and save enough money to get married and eventually move away, if they both wanted to.

  “He’s going to stay with me.” Ever reached over and squeezed Logan’s hand.

  Drea scoffed. “I’m not a prude, but, Ever, you hardly know this man. No offense, Logan. But you could be a straight up serial killer. And if you harm one hair on her head, I will see to it you end up in my courtroom and I will c
ut your balls off. Conflict of interest be damned.”

  Logan nodded and could not help a smirk.

  “The sass runs in the family,” Ever said, shrugging.

  Then Ever dropped the biggest bomb of all, while Logan, bless him, held on tight to her hand. “And there’s more. Brody was right about one thing. I work too much. I wasn’t happy at the newspaper. In fact, I hated it. So much. So I quit. I don’t know what I want to do, but I’m taking a job at Hawk’s Diner until I figure it out. We’re hoping to save up some money to travel… somewhere… once Phillip is, well, you know.”

  Drea scoffed and sputtered but ultimately put her hands up when she saw the way that Ever and Logan looked at each other. “Well, what can I say? I think all of this is a huge mistake, but whatever. You’re young, you’ll figure it out.”

  Ever leaped up, then winced, remembering the ache in her toes, and hugged her sister. “Thanks for understanding.”

  Drea whispered, “He’s a massive hottie. Go for it, sis.”

  Chapter 20

  Logan

  “Well, what now?”

  Logan and Ever had let Drea get back to her job at the county courthouse while they talked and finished up their ice cream.

  “Let’s go home, there’s something I haven’t yet had the chance to do.”

  “What is it?” Ever asked as they headed back to her car.

  They held hands and walked down the prim sidewalks of Middleburg, past the well-tended beds of red, white and purple pansies decorating perhaps the most wholesome little town in one of the most wholesome states in the Union. But Logan had only one thing to say.

  “As soon as we get home, I’m going to wreck your pussy until words finally fail you.”

  “Logan!” Ever may have feigned shock, but a pink flush began to creep up her chest, neck, and all the way up to her ears.

  “Oh my god, Logan.”

  Logan was massaging Ever’s sore feet and ankles as she lay on the bed, working his way up her legs with his caresses until he reached the hem of her skirt.

  “From the first time I laid eyes on you, I knew I was going to have you all to myself.”

  Ever sighed. “I spotted you first. I saw you on the trail head that morning and I made sure you never got too far away from me.”

  Logan pushed up her skirt and lined the inside of her thigh with kisses. “Stalker.”

  She giggled and encouraged him along by spreading open for him. “Not a stalker. I just wanted to make sure we met. I knew you would keep me out of danger.”

  “Wicked woman.” Logan deftly tugged loose Ever’s underwear.

  Before he tossed her undies to the floor, he held them to his nose and let her watch him inhale her scent.

  “Oh, my sweet, dirty Logan.” She blushed deeply.

  “I have been dying to taste you until had time to rest and heal, and now I’m making up for lost time. I’m gonna cover myself in you. You think I’m your protector, but you make me a better one. You make me a better man, and I want your scent on me to remind of that fact every day, all day.”

  “Logan, I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say you love me. Because I love you and I can’t stand the idea of you being with anyone else. From the first time I saw you on the trail, I knew you were it for me. I was taking you home, one way or another.”

  “I love you, Logan. And I want you to get me pregnant tonight.”

  “Count on it.”

  He ran his hands over her soft belly and thought about the swell he would put there, hopefully sooner rather than later. He would have her all to himself, in body and soul. He never knew what he wanted with his life until he met her, and now he wanted everything. All he wanted was to get deep inside her both physically and emotionally, as she had done to him. And leave his mark so deep inside her that she would never dream of being with anybody again who didn't appreciate her astonishing beauty, wit, kindness, and all-around radiance.

  Logan once again held and kissed both of her feet, and then her legs, and caused her to moan as he worked over the curves of her thighs.

  He found himself hovering over her and continued to massage her between her legs.

  She spread herself open, and Logan ran his hands over her trim little bush. He kissed those lower lips of hers and she cried out in pleasure and surprise.

  “Do you want me to stop, my love?”

  “No. Just…nobody’s ever done this to me before and I had no idea it would feel this good, that anything would feel this good.”

  On one hand, it was shameful no one had ever given her this experience before. On the other hand…he was happy. There would be only him and nobody else to worship at her sweetest holy of holies.

  Logan took his time on her, exploring every spot with his mouth, getting more and more aroused with every moan and sigh she released.

  “Oh, Logan.” Every time she said his name his heart lifted. There was nothing like hearing his name while giving her this extreme pleasure. He loved giving it to her; she tasted even better than he had imagined by her scent.

  Her arousal was so heightened she could barely contain her cries when his tongue reached her clit. He backed off and instead traced kisses over her soft belly and up her rib cage. He tugged off her top and unfastened her bra, flinging it to the floor.

  He filled his hands with her breasts, teasing her nipples with his thumbs until they hardened under his touch.

  She cried out. “Yes, holy shit, Logan!”

  His hands let go of her breasts and ran up her sides, gently pushing her arms up above her head as she lay against the pillows. He smoothed her hair and ate her up with his eyes, smiling as he realized her nipples did in fact match the color of her lips. And her other lips.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “Everything. You’re my everything.”

  “Finish me, Logan. I can hardly stand another minute without you between my legs.”

  Logan growled and bit back the instinct to simply fuck her like an animal. He knew he should not torment this goddess in front of him. But he did anyway. “Just breathe, Ever. Breathe and enjoy every moment of what you’re feeling right now.”

  “I feel like a spoiled princess,” she sighed.

  Slowly and precisely, he returned to worship at the temple between her thighs, communing and filling himself with her essence.

  Her sweet wine was intoxicating and made Logan want to lose total control of himself.

  “I’m so close, baby,” she said.

  He filled his hands with her ass as he held her close to his face, ramping up the intensity of his devotion to her clit, every inch of her folds. He left no part of her canyon untouched and unexplored.

  When he felt her begin to shudder, he backed off.

  “Oh my god, please…” she said, daring to reach down with her hands to finish on her own.

  “Arms up, now, there will be none of that,” Logan teased, firmly holding her forearms still by pressing them into the pillow above her head. “And keep them here.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He finished her, devouring her folds with his mouth, drinking her in, sucking and nipping at her clit until she screamed out with spasms, nearly levitating off the bed into his arms. She cried out breathlessly until she finished.

  And yet, Logan was not finished.

  He had no time to waste. He speedily turned Ever over so she lay on her tummy, and spread her legs wide. She gasped in surprise as Logan lifted her hips up off the mattress, and she felt him sink into her from behind.

  With each commanding thrust he found her G-spot. Her sultry moaning ramped up again as her walls clamped down hard around him. “You’re not a spoiled princess,” he breathed into her hair. He punctuated each thrust with a correction. “You. Are. A. Fucking. Goddess.”

  Epilogue

  Nine months later

  Logan looked proudly at Ever. Today, he saw much more than the stunning, curvy girl who captured his soul in the canyon. Today, she was swolle
n with his child.

  The moment was bittersweet, as they were also getting closer to saying goodbye to Phillip McBee.

  Under encouragement from Ever, Logan had reconnected with Phillip. Phillip had fallen for Ever in a fatherly way, almost as fast as Logan had taken a liking to her.

  Phillip McBee was a different person than he had been when Logan was a child. Logan didn’t know if it was the brain tumor, the fact that Philip was dying and had turned over a new leaf, or if they had both matured. Probably a combination of all three.

  Over the last several months, Logan had watched in amazement as Ever opened up to Phillip about her family history and humble beginnings. She trusted Logan’s father to know things about her that Logan’s father had no right to know.

  Logan’s instincts had been to protect her. Logan wanted her to stop talking. Here was a man who had spent his life building a career in dismantling and uprooting the lives of vulnerable people.

  And then something amazing happened.

  On their final hospice visit with Phillip, a strange look came over the old man’s face.

  “Young lady,” Phillip said, his shallow breathing causing his speech to come out in short bursts. “I have to tell you something. I think you were brought here for a reason. When Logan was 14 years old, I wronged my son. I had to attend to a farm foreclosure in Middleburg. I had to miss the championship game, and Logan acted out and refused to play. It was a big mess. I ended up firing his nanny, which I should not have done.

  “The farm I went to that day, there was a woman with a little girl. At the time, I thought she had been a single mother. But I learned later they were sisters. A little girl about 10, wild curly hair. An older sister with no means to keep up her daddy’s farm.