by Riley Storm
Heather stared at him. “Are you serious?”
“Very.”
“You told me to, Logan. I was doing what you told me to do,” she said with an angry wave of her hand in his general direction. “Last night, you told me that we couldn’t do what we almost did. That the House needed me to be with Leonen more than I could be with you. So, I was with Leonen.”
Logan stiffened. “I…I didn’t see it from your point of view,” he said at last.
“There’s a surprise,” Heather muttered sarcastically. “Nothing new there.”
Now he finally entered the room, closing the distance to her halfway before stopping again, visibly forcing himself to come to a halt. “I don’t like it,” he growled. “I hate it as much as you do. Seeing you on his arm…” he shook his head, not saying anything more.
“What would you have me do?” she asked, half in exasperation, half pleading for a way out of her situation. “You know what I’m up against here. You understand.”
“I do,” he agreed. “I do. I wish it were different.” His eyes blazed with desire as he looked right at her. I, Logan Canis, wish it were different. I wish you had never left three years ago.”
She bit back her immediate reply, which was to say that she hadn’t left, but that she’d left him because he couldn’t figure out his ass from his mouth. That was an argument for another time. It would be moot if she were to mate Leonen anyway, so what did it really matter bringing up the past right now?
“But as King of House Canis,” Logan continued, taking another step toward her. “I have to do what’s best for the House. I have to do my duty.”
“Your duty,” she said.
“Yes,” he replied, his eyes pleading with her. “Can’t you understand that? Can’t you see?”
“I see,” she said. “I understand. I don’t like it. I hate that you’re willing to endorse this sham of a mating. But I get that you’re doing what you think is best for the House.”
“I don’t like it either,” Logan snarled, coming a step closer to the foot of her bed where she sat. “Don’t you wish I could say to hell with your mother and with Leonen? Toss them both outside the gates, pick you up and take you back to my quarters? Do you think there’s any part of me that doesn’t wish that? But what would you have me do? Claiming you for myself would cause another civil war. I can’t do that, Heather. I can’t.”
“I don’t know what to do either,” she admitted unhappily, standing up, arms crossed. “I don’t know.”
Something occurred to her in the silence that followed. “Speaking of doing your duty. How are you here and not at the ball?”
Logan snorted. “I used a fake intelligence report that Lucien just so happened to have prepared for me.” He pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket and gave it to her. “This is the important update he thought I needed.”
She read it and despite everything, she too smiled. “I guess we’re not doing as great a job of hiding this as we thought.”
“I guess,” Logan agreed.
“So, you totally made something up and used it just to come talk to me?”
“Yes,” he answered without hesitation. “I couldn’t bear to see you upset.”
Heather choked back a sob. “Well you’d better get used to it,” she said. “I’m going to be pretty upset being forced to mate with Leonen.”
Logan started to come closer to hug her, but she held him at arm’s length.
“I’m okay,” she said.
“No, you’re not,” Logan countered. “Neither of us is. I can’t stand seeing how upset he makes you. Or hearing the things he says about you.”
“You mean how I’m impure,” she spat.
“Yes,” Logan growled deeply, looking like he was ready to go find Leonen and hurt him.
“It’s not like I can help it,” she said. “I was born with the virus inside me. You’d think a man who supposedly wants to mate with me would show some sort of care.”
“You would,” Logan agreed, taking a step closer to her. “Because it’s what you deserve, Heather. You deserve someone who will care for you, who will treat you the way you deserve to be treated. Not acting as if it were some sort of joke.”
Heather nodded.
“I can’t imagine how heavily it must be weighing upon you,” he said softly.
“You have no idea,” she replied. “Nobody does.” Lifting her head, she stared into his eyes, able to see far more detail this close up. She watched the gold flakes in his iris, noting the patterns like constellations of stars. “I wake up most nights in a cold sweat, or I’m told I was screaming in my sleep, trapped in a nightmare of my own making.”
“I’m so sorry,” Logan said. “I really am. You don’t deserve this.”
“Me too.” She didn’t know what else to say.
“I…You, that is, you need a mate that cares for you. Deeply.”
Heather shrugged. “Yeah, well. That would be nice.” But I don’t. She didn’t have to add the words, but they both knew they were there.
Silence reigned between them for several long moments. Heather stared at the floor, willing herself not to cry in front of Logan. She’d exposed herself, her fears, in a raw, blunt way that she’d not really told anyone before, admitting how much it terrified her.
Yet here he was, standing a foot away from her, not judging, only sad that he couldn’t do more to shoulder a burden he in no way was required to take on.
Then it happened. He lifted an arm, extending his hand toward her shoulder. She trembled at his touch, unable to feel his skin through the fabric of her dress, but knowing it was there, nonetheless.
“Truly,” he said. “I am sorry.”
Heather lifted her gaze once more, and her eyes caught his.
Oh shit.
21
Logan stiffened in alarm, knowing he’d just crossed a line.
Uh oh.
Neither of them spoke, time frozen for an instant.
This was his chance. To pull back, to break the spell developing between them. It was his duty as King. Obligation required him not to do it. His House demanded it. His own words prohibited it.
“Fuck it,” he snarled, grabbing the back of her head and pulling her to him in a blistering kiss made all the hotter because of how wrong it was. How much he was not supposed to be doing this with her.
“Logan,” she moaned as he kissed down her neck, tugging on her hair to move her head to the side. “Logan, we shouldn’t be doing this.”
“I know,” he growled and sank his teeth into the exposed flesh, eliciting another moan, her body melting into his. “But I am.”
Heather’s fingers dug deep into his shoulders as he found her collarbone, his mouth taking free rein over every inch of exposed skin it could find, kissing, sucking, biting.
“So am I,” she gasped as he grabbed one of her breasts, realizing that she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath.
His growl of delight filled the air around them. Using two fingers, he gently rolled the hardened tip between them, listening for her reaction, desperately needing to hear her.
“This is wrong,” Heather moaned.
Logan shrugged it off. Until she tried to stop him, he wasn’t going to cease. This, this was what he wanted. Her. Heather. For once, he was going to take what he wanted unless she said no.
Judging by the way her hands were roaming freely over his body, slowly making their way down to his belt and below, he didn’t foresee that happening anytime soon. They wanted each other, years of untapped desire burgeoning over in the privacy of her quarters.
“You’ll have to be quiet,” he said, covering her mouth with his as he slipped a hand over her stomach and between her legs, easily finding her clit through the flimsy underwear she had on.
“Not my specialty,” she moaned through his kiss. “Especially when you touch me like that,” she gasped halfway through the word as he pressed slightly harder.
“Try,” he growled. “Unless you w
ant to get caught.”
“No,” Heather protested in a whisper. “We can’t do that. This is so bad. So bad,” she repeated, the words trailing off into a quiet moan that went on and on as he circled her clit with his index finger, teasing her, building her pleasure as slowly as he could, without being too cruel.
“You’re so hard,” Heather observed playfully as her hands finally crossed below his belt, grabbing the shaft of his cock through his pants, gently tugging it back and forth before she slipped her palm along its length.
“Gee, I wonder why,” he murmured into her neck as his fingers found the clasp of her zipper, undoing it.
Heather spilled out of the dress and Logan leaned back to watch as she shimmied out of it, exposing her breasts to more than just his fingers as he gazed upon her hungrily. Then he delved in to explore all her curves. He’d missed them dearly.
She gasped and shuddered, letting go of his cock to grab his head with both hands, pulling him in tight to her chest. Heather’s nipples were extremely sensitive, he’d learned early on, and she loved to have him suck them. It drove her wild, like he was doing just then.
That was his aim—to give Heather everything she wanted. Right then, it was a sexual pleasure she apparently hadn’t had since the last time they’d been together. Logan hadn’t expected her to stay celibate like he had, but it was a pleasant surprise, that was for certain. It showed a depth to her caring that he hadn’t known existed.
Given the way they had parted, it surprised him to find out it was still there.
“Logan,” she said in a slightly different tone as he kissed her lower, exploring her ample curves and lush lines, his thumbs hooking under the sides of her underwear. Though she hadn’t stopped him yet, this was the closest she’d gotten.
“Yes?” he asked, purposefully pulling the underwear away from her body, exhaling hot air down between her legs.
She shivered and for a moment, her eyes unfocused. He had her then, he knew. They could deal with the consequences after, but for the moment, he intended to pleasure her until she could take it no more.
“Yes?” he repeated when she didn’t answer, pulling her underwear down, exposing her smooth skin to his mouth. She’d just shaved, and he luxuriated in that while his hands first stripped her of the last article of clothing, then reached up to push her back onto the bed, giving him better access.
“Shiiiiit,” she moaned as he gently lapped at her clit, using strokes so light she’d be hard pressed to even feel them, yet couldn’t not feel them, given how sensitive she had to be. “That’s not very nice,” she gasped after a bit. “Go harder.”
Logan grinned and went harder. Barely.
“I said harder,” Heather growled, grabbing the back of his head and pulling him in tight against her clit.
Logan went from hard to solid steel in a nanosecond. He loved hearing a woman demand what sort of pleasure she wanted in bed. He was in charge, he would give it to her, but just hearing her say she wanted it, wanted him, was the sexiest thing he could experience.
So, he gave it to her. Long, slow movements of his tongue, but with hard, firm pressure. In no time at all, Heather was a writhing, fidgety mass, held in place only by the strong grip he had on her waist.
“Just like that,” she moaned. “Don’t stop.”
He didn’t, his ears aching to hear the words he desired most, knowing they wouldn’t be far off.
“I’m going to come.”
Logan’s blood boiled with lust at that. He fought not to change his rhythm, pace, anything. Now was the time it was most critical he gave her what she was enjoying. It was a struggle as always, but it paid off as she bit down on her arm in an effort to keep silent, hips thrashing in her grip as her body convulsed.
He almost slowed down, but something about the eager, powerful nature of her cries kept him going, speeding up, lightening his touch, but never stopping. Heather’s moans turned to gasps, first of protest, but several seconds later, morphing into frenzied need.
“Oh, my God. Oh, my God,” she repeated, music to his ears. Her elbows propped her body up so she could watch as he pleasured her, their eyes locking every so often until she lost control a second time, falling back into the covers, holding onto fistfuls of comforter as she experienced a second climax.
This time, he did come to a stop, slowing and lightening his touch until he pulled away, biting his lip as he admired her body. The heaving of her chest, redness of her face and glazed look in her eyes was the biggest aphrodisiac he could ever be fed.
A primal part of him wanted to beat his chest in victory. He was the one to pleasure her! He didn’t, of course, but mainly because something warm and soft closed over his cock as he stood up.
“You had better fuck me now,” Heather ordered, pushing back onto the bed, exhibiting more energy than he’d expected from her so soon.
Never one to turn down such an order, however, Logan got onto the bed, pushing his way between her thighs before leaning down to kiss her some more.
“You’re really good at that by the way,” she whispered through their lips as they locked and unlocked. “Like, really good.”
“I’m glad,” he rumbled, balancing on his knees and one elbow, free hand grabbing the base of his shaft, placing the tip against her opening, rubbing it back and forth to coat it in her wetness. “Do you want it?” he asked, speaking into her ear, teasing her with just a hint of pressure against her opening.
“Yes,” she said. “I want it. I want you. Fuck me, Logan. Please, fuck me.”
How the hell could any man resist such a response? Logan was merely mortal and did not have the willpower necessary to say no. He should have. He should have said no a long time ago, but by this point, it was too late. If he’d gone this far, it was only right he did a thorough job at least.
Right? Right, he thought, convincing himself. To hell with the consequences, that was a problem for future Logan. Current Logan had a much more pressing issue to handle.
A half-cry, half-gasp filled his ear as he pushed past her opening, his tip slipping inside her. He paused there, rocking back and forth against her, teasing.
“That’s not very nice,” she moaned in protest. “Please just fuck me. I need it so bad.”
Logan chuckled, taking his time, kissing her neck, her earlobe, her lips, drawing her attention away from between her legs as best he could. When he saw her eyes open and focus on him, that was when he finally pushed most of his length inside her.
There was nothing better than watching the face of the woman you cared for the first time you entered her during sex. Something about that moment was special. It was powerful to him, and he basked in it for several long seconds, before he withdrew.
Heather didn’t even have time to make a whimpered protest before he thrust back in, this time burying himself completely, feeling her walls stretch around him. She cried out and her entire body shook as she worked to adjust to his size.
“God, that feels so good,” she moaned, rocking her hips against him.
Logan had to agree. Her warmth, wetness, and the lustful desire written all over his body had him on the verge of exploding and he’d only just begun. Keeping his composure was going to be difficult, but he had to.
This may very well be the last time he was ever able to be with her, and he needed to make it special.
They lay like that for some time, his hips moving back and forth while they kissed and caressed, re-learning the lay of each other’s body, remembering all the little spots that brought pleasure or laughter. It was like a reawakening for Logan, and an unknown amount of time passed before he realized he was ready to go harder.
Heather picked up on this, eagerly flipping over, sticking her rear out toward him. Growling possessively, Logan took her hips, guiding them, pulling them back until he slid deep inside her once more.
This time, he didn’t take it easy. Two strokes in, he sped up his pace, using his powerful grip to pull her back against him, making her bod
y shake each time.
“Oh, God. Oh fuck. Oh fuck.” The sounds of Heather enjoying his work filled the air, spurring Logan on.
I shouldn’t be doing this.
But he was, and it was too late to stop now. He thrust into her, watching her ass shake with every stroke, and loving it. His hand came down to spank her, and all she did was beg for more, driving him wild.
At some point, Logan leaned over top of Heather, reaching between her legs and fingering her to another orgasm while still inside her, something they both thoroughly enjoyed.
He could feel his own orgasm rising though and knew it wouldn’t be long before he came.
“Heather,” he rumbled in her ear, pushing her entire body down into the bed from behind, taking control of her.
“Don’t stop,” she begged, her hair a chocolate mess tangled about her face as she tried to control her breathing. “Just don’t. Do it. I want it.”
Logan snarled and started pulling her back into him harder, thrusting faster. Heather’s cries rose to another level as he simply used her body, taking control. She got back to all fours, but that was as far as she went.
Without warning or buildup, her walls suddenly clamped tight around him. Heather was climaxing again. He couldn’t hold back, and they came together, Logan still slamming into her from behind as he spilled his seed, her name falling from his lips as he did.
“Holy shit,” he gasped as they fell forward and onto their sides into a spooning position, his dick still deep inside her.
“Wow,” Heather agreed, face flushed with exertion and pleasure, turning her upper body back to face him.
Their eyes met, and in the sudden post-orgasm clarity that always ensued, they realized what they had just done.
“Oh fuck,” he cursed, hand still on her hip, dick still inside her.
Heather stared for a moment longer. “Shiiiitttt.”
Their bodies took that moment to relax a bit, and some of his seed spilled out onto her leg. He felt it happen, and saw it happen on her face as they both realized what that meant.
