“You just met the man—he hasn’t proposed marriage. Who is he anyway?”
“His name is Logan Montgomery.”
Ashton went silent. Allison could feel his disgust. She pressed her eyes shut and turned around to look at him. Instead of repulsion Ashton was grinning at her.
“What?”
“Well, my lovely Ally is pulling a Demi Moore.”
Frustrated, Allison walked and sat down on the bed beside him. “He’s younger isn’t he? I knew it. I mean he’s sexy as sin and his body is hard but I could see it. I sure know how to pick ‘em, don’t I? He won’t want an old woman.”
“He’s twenty nine,” Ashton explained.
“You know him?”
“Yeah.” Ashton nodded. “He was in the Marines with Paul’s brother. Jason is still over there, but Logan got hurt and was honorably discharged.”
Allison trembled. “Oh man you know how I feel about military men.”
Ashton grinned. “Look, he works down by—”
“The recreation center, I know. I have to go see him tomorrow.”
Ashton arched a brow.
“I was walking into Black Magic when he was walking out. As usual I wasn’t looking where I was going and crashed into him. One of my black pearl earrings fell off on him and he wants to return it. I had fully made up my mind to stop thinking about him and just move on, but damn—”
“He is sexy. If he swung my way I probably would have gone for him—even though I am so much older than he is. Look, you asked when is a good time after a divorce to start dating again and you know something, I am so proud of you that you’re thinking about it. But the truth is there isn’t any good time. Especially since your marriage ended the way it did. You start dating as soon as you feel you’re ready. But I have to tell you this―don’t date this man because you think it will help you get over William. Logan is a good man and doesn’t deserve to be a rebound guy. Besides, a few good months. William is a piece of crap not fit enough to stick to the bottom of your shoe. That offer to ruin him still stands.”
She said nothing.
“Well, at least you’re not saying no.”
Allison took a deep breath. She rested against Ashton’s chest with her ear over his heart while he stroked her hair. “You want some food? I know you don’t eat when you’re down by the station.”
“Can I give you some advice?”
Allison nodded.
“If you feel you would like to get to know this man better not hesitate. There’s nothing wrong with dating. Explain to him you just got out of one hot mess of a marriage and you want to go slow. You don’t have to feel guilty about dating now. But tell him out the gate. Give him a chance to run if he wants. You understand?”
Once more Allison nodded. “I’ll think about it. Since we’ve crashed into each other he’s all I’ve been thinking about. I thought about William and how absolutely angry I am at him, but Logan—he is a man.”
Chapter Three
The day was spent in the music studio at his house laying down the track for his demo. He spent that night tossing and turning in bed, thinking of the woman he crashed into. He had not right thinking about a married woman. At one point when he rolled over to face the wall the idea came to him and he darted from the room, still naked, into the basement. Like a man possessed, he worked away on the project and by the time morning rolled around, he had the rough sound down and ready for cuts and edits. Logan took a break to take a shower, grab a cup of coffee and headed back to the basement. He worked diligently while marvelling how something so simple could give him an idea.
He finished in time to throw a shirt on and get ready than he normally would. He rubbed some aftershave against his neck, though he hadn’t bothered shaving. He slipped into a black dress shirt to match his black pair of jeans, grabbed his wallet and cell phone and was out the door. His mind and heart were racing, as though going on his first date. The thought of being with a woman like that and allowing her to love him was enough to make him giddy. So much so he completely forgot the earring. Palming his forehead, he dashed into the house once more and picked it up from where it lay on a soft piece of paper. He slipped it into his breast pocket and hurried out the door again.
He cranked the car stereo with old school hip hop. He needed something to sooth his nerves. He sped down the hill into the center of the town where the Stony Creek Recreation Center was located. He didn’t take time to admire the scenery of the old bridge over the water like he always did. He always told himself one day he would take a picture of that old bridge―hopefully before they tore it down. When he was deployed he was sure he had lost his chance. After returning, he found out it was declared a historical landmark and couldn’t be touched. That did his heart well.
Making the left at Mr. Coodles Candy shop, he waved at a few kids who began calling his name and running after the truck. They knew him from teaching their older brothers and sisters. Soon he was pulling up in the parking lot with his heart hammering inside his chest.
“Cool it, Lo,” he whispered to himself with his eyes closed. “This woman is way outta your league. Just hand over the earring and let her go.”
He hadn’t fully walked in the door yet when Samuel was by his side. The two bumped fists in greetings. “Well your class is ready,” Samuel explained. “Though Brady needs some serious help in Spanish.”
Logan made a face. Brady Jackson always needed help in Spanish. The kid could tell you every number in pie―the long version―but still couldn’t say my name is Brady Jackson in Spanish. Logan sighed and nodded his head. “I’ll get Genny back in here to tutor him. But his other marks are up to par?”
“Beyond up to par,” Samuel replied. “The kid is frigging brilliant. I don’t know. I guess some people just can’t grasp a second language you know?”
“Doesn’t Brady speak French and Latin already?”
Samuel nodded. “Yeah. Maybe three languages is enough, eh?”
Logan didn’t reply, but entered the gym where he taught his hip hop class. The students immediately turned to face him and he smiled. Seeing them every day did his heart well. He felt that even though he hadn’t found that right woman to have his own children, these kids more than made up for the emptiness he felt.
* * * *
Allison walked into the Stony Creek Recreation Center and removed her designer shades. She had her camera strapped around her neck. That was a good thing because everywhere she looked the lobby alone was a photo op. It was breath-taking. She grinned and walked up to the front desk.
“Welcome to the SCRC.” The stunning teenager girl grinned. “Can I help you?”
“Yes, I mean, I hope so. I’m looking for Logan Montgomery.”
“Oh yes, Lo’s in a class at the moment.”
“A class?”
“Yeah, he teaches hip hop. Right through there.” The girl pointed and Allison thanked her. She walked slowly around a group of park-like benches in the center and stood at the door the girl with the name tag “Gwen” had pointed. What she saw took her breath away. There, in the midst of dancing teenagers was the man she had crashed into. He was doing the same dance moves his students were. Each move was clean, precise, elegant. His body moved like poetry in motion. His arms and legs popped, locked, twitched, glided―it was beautiful. She lost all control of her body and mind at that moment. All she could do was absentmindedly lifted the camera to her eyes.
When he stopped dancing her heart broke. She moaned in disappointment.
“Alright, guys. I will see you all tomorrow—and Brady, Genny is coming to see you, a’ight?”
“Sure thing, Lo.” The kid grinned.
Allison stepped out of the way as they darted by her screaming. “Evenin’!”
“Hi,” she managed. Soon she was alone with Logan. He was using a towel to wipe his face and arms. She could see herself running down to the center in the evenings and him scooping her into those strong arms.
“Evenin’.” Logan no
w stood in front of her.
When had he moved?
“Hello,” Allison managed.
“Can I treat you to a drink from the pop machine?”
Allison chuckled. “If you’re buying.”
“I always buy for a beautiful lady.”
She felt her cheeks go hot and knew she was blushing. Grinning she bowed her head and nodded. “You can buy me a drink.”
She watched him carefully. The way he walked away from her and stopped before the machine said a lot about him. Each stride spoke of power and certainty. The way he rested one hand against the machine spoke of control. She walked slowly toward the bleacher seats and sat down.
“Here you are.” He handed her a can of soda.
“Thanks.”
“I take it you’d like your earring now?”
Allison stared at him for a bit—perhaps for too long because he was now hunched down before her staring into her eyes with concern. His eyes were brown―deep, beautiful, brown.
“I’m alright—I didn’t know you taught dance.”
“If you did I would swear you were stalking me,” he replied.
“Sorry—looking for small talk here.”
“I see.” Logan sat down beside her.
The two sat silently. The quiet was only broken when he opened the can he held in his hands, but other than that nothing moved. Allison turned her head to watch his throat dance rhythmically as he drank from the soda. She licked her lips aching to run her tongue over his neck to where his shirt was unbuttoned. She wanted to drag her nails over his wide shoulders while tasting from his cheekbones. Then ever so gently, Allison wanted to take his lips—to see if he would moan for her or growl at her.
Gasping, Allison tore her gaze away from him.
“What’s wrong?” His voice was husky and low.
“You’re too young,” she whispered, before she could stop herself.
“And you’re married.”
Allison was shocked. Had he seen her staring? Could he read the yearning in her face?
“I—I think I’ll take that earring now,” Allison stammered.
She prayed he wouldn’t say anything. She wanted to get out of there or the ground to swallow her up—either one was fine. When he handed over the earring without speaking, she took it and ran from the room. She hurried to her car and climbed in slamming the door. She took that moment to press her face to the steering wheel just as the tears streamed down her face. He was so handsome—so absolutely handsome. She could tell his beauty wasn’t only on the outside. The way he flirted had class. The smile he gave her, his concern when he thought something was wrong with her, everything about him spoke of a good man like Ashton had said. But falling for a man so soon after William was a bad idea―falling for any man…ever was a bad idea.
There was a knock on the window that caused her to jerk around. Logan was standing there. Feeling like a fool, she shyly rolled down the window and stared at him.
“Was it something I said?” he asked.
“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “And for the record―I’m not married...not anymore.”
“Mind if I asked what happened?”
“He found a younger, blonder woman in Fresno and served me with divorced papers. Well technically we’re not divorced yet, but I signed the papers and they were filed. I’m old, Logan. Not even a man my age wants me.”
“Is that what you think I see when I look at you?”
“What else do you see?”
* * * *
Logan reached out and pulled her door open. He held her by the hips and turned her so her legs were hanging out of the car. He then hunched down to ensure he had her full attention. “I’m not like your husband, Allison. I’m going to be straight up and tell you that. I know a good thing when I see it. And for the record, when I look at you I don’t see old. I see a woman—a real woman. I see the kind of woman that knows what she wants and how to get it. Do you understand me?”
She looked away from him and frustration pulsated through Logan’s veins. He used his thumb to bring her back to face him. “Do you think you’re sexy, Allison?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I think after having a daughter and raising her, I’ve just lost that.”
Logan smiled at her. “You don’t have to take my word for it―since you just met me and all. But I think you’re sexy. As a matter of fact—I think you’re so sexy that it is hell just standing here and not kissing you.”
She gasped and he watched her pink tongue flow over her lips. Logan smiled. He could no longer help himself. Slowly he leaned in and took her lips beneath his. He felt her lips quiver and he wanted to pull back but his heart and body wouldn’t let him. He used his tongue to bathe her lower lips; licking them, nipping at them and teasing them. When she shyly spread her lips he plunged his tongue in and moaned. Kissing her was unlike kissing any other woman. He dug his fingers into her hair and deepened the kiss. His knees threatened to give out. His body trembled and his arousal pushed against his pants begging for release.
With a groan he pulled back, licking his lips. “You have your earring, Allison. Go home—” He stood up and staggered slightly away from her car.
“You changed your mind about me being sexy. I wasn’t satisfactory.”
“No, that’s not it,” he told her. “You need to leave now because if you don’t I may end up going further in this parking lot.” Logan gave her a smile even as his member throbbed for her touch. “Go home—” He handed her a card. “Call me tonight?”
She looked down at the card. Logan wondered what she was thinking but didn’t ask. He saw tears danced in her eyes when she looked up at him again and he felt horrible. Perhaps kissing her so soon after a break-up wasn’t the right thing to do. He mentally kicked himself.
“Allison, wait.” He rushed back to her just as she closed the door. He stuck his head in the window.
“If kissing you so soon after your husband was a bad idea, you would have told me—right?”
She went silent and started the ignition. Logan stepped back thinking perhaps she wouldn’t answer his question or that she may have taken offense to it.
“Right,” was her simple reply before driving away.
Chapter Four
Allison sat in front of her laptop and had spent the greater part of the evening running errands fiddling with her website. Her stops on her way home consisted of developing and enlarging the pictures she had taken at the center since her dark room had been turned into a storage room after Emily was born. She bought groceries though she didn’t feel like cooking. After those were put away in the kitchen she sat down and stared at the website. It was an ugly blue and black color.
“God I fucking hate that color.”
She felt like a giant hypocrite—selling lingerie to people when she didn’t feel sexy. The Black Widow lingerie line was huge. Especially since it was only two months since she had added a new set of designs to the line. People couldn’t order the new teddies fast enough. The thong sets were disappearing fast too. That was good. By the time it began getting dark out, she had the website completely over-hauled, a contest set up and a fresh set of pictures loaded.
With that finished, Allison finally worked up the courage to look at the pictures she had taken of Logan. She entered the kitchen with the large envelop in one shaking hand and flipped on the light. She climbed onto a stool and emptied the pictures onto the counter. Her gaze trailed over them and her mouth watered. She remembered his kiss just by staring at him in the picture. He tasted delicious. His sexy lips had taken her on a wild ride—a ride William had never taken her on with just a kiss or ever. It dawned on her then that she loved the way he kissed her. She adored the way his fingers knotted in her hair and he ravished her mouth.
She had to talk to Emily.
Dropping the pictures she hurried into the living room and grabbed the phone. She dialed her daughter’s number and waited.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Em, it’s Mom.”
“Mom!”
“Hi, sweetie.”
“Are you alright?”
Allison laughed. “I’m fine. I just wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Is it about Dad? Because I swear if he’s been bothering you—”
“No—what do you think of me dating someone that’s younger than me?”
“How much younger?”
“Eleven years?”
“Well,” Emily spoke slowly. “That is pretty young, but at least he’s not nineteen. Mom, look, if he treats you right who cares how old he is? He’s twenty nine which means he’s probably turning thirty this year, right? So it’s not bad… Wait a minute. Did you meet someone?”
Allison giggled. “Sorta. His name is Logan Montgomery.”
Emily gasped then giggled as well. “As in ex Marine, singer, Logan Montgomery?”
“Singer? I don’t know if he sings, but he dances and he is an ex marine... you know him?”
“Of course I know him!” Emily cheered. “Everyone in Stony Creek knows him. He is cute and has money... way to go Mom! He was a marine. He sings. He dances—score to you!”
“It doesn’t bother you that he’s—well not like me?”
“You mean that he’s black?”
“Well—yes.”
“Mom, it doesn’t matter if he’s purple. If he can make you happy and not pull the same stunt Dad did then I say go for it.”
Allison was still not sure. She spent a little bit longer talking to Emily about how school was going and before hanging up. She had a strange craving for spaghetti. While the sauce simmered she grabbed the phone and rummaged through her pocket. She found Logan’s card and dialed his number. Her hands shook nervously.
* * * *
Logan had just pressed play once more for his demo when the telephone started ringing. He meant to ignore it, but remembered he asked Allison to call. It never really dawned on him she would have called, but he hoped she would. She had taken off from the parking lot as though he had just given her an indecent proposal. Turning the music off, he picked up the phone, “Hello.”
Comforts of a Man (The Panty Droppers Series) Page 3
