Out of Control

by Tory Richards

  Without glancing back she darted across the yard, her head bent against the weather, holding tightly to the shirt as the wind threatened to tear it from her fingers. Margaret opened the door for her as she approached.

  “Goodness, child, get in here. I was getting worried when you didn’t return with Rufus, until I saw you with Logan.”

  “I’m sorry if you were worried, Gram.” The screen door slammed behind her. As Margaret turned to head into the living room Libby glanced back at the shed, surprised to see Logan standing in the threshold, watching her.

  Lord, he looked so sexy! No shirt, his jeans hanging low on his lean hips and the snap undone. A rush of heat enveloped her as a tiny explosion of awareness caught her by surprise her. It hadn’t been that long since they’d made love. Maybe she was becoming a sex maniac! But who wouldn’t with a hunk like Logan living next door? A chuckle escaped her at the silly thought and she shot him a wave, and then turned to follow Margaret.

  * * * *

  “Where the heck have you been, boy? I was worried when I woke to find you gone. Especially once I glanced out the door to see your bike in the drive.”

  Logan grabbed a dishtowel from the kitchen drawer and began wiping the raindrops from his hair. Vincent was standing next to the coffeepot, a steaming cup of what looked like tar in his hand. “I heard a noise and went to investigate.”

  “Find anything interesting?”

  Logan’s eyes narrowed on him as he moved the towel over his shoulders and down his chest. Did he know something? It suddenly occurred to him that he could have probably glanced out the only window in the house without a hurricane shutter, the bathroom, and seen him and Libby in the shed. Deciding to play it cool, he headed for the coffeepot.

  “A large chunk of metal flying around in the back hit the shed.” He reached for a cup hanging on the mug tree.

  Vincent walked to the front door to peer out. “I see a lot of things flying around out there,” he agreed. He took a sip of his coffee. “Saw Rufus fly out of the shed heading for home like the devil was after him.” He took another drink. “Then I saw Libby…”

  Why did he feel like he was about to get his ears boxed?

  “Gramps, you’re beating around the bush. Why don’t you just get to the point,” Logan breathed deeply, taking a cautious sip of coffee. He made a face at the strong, bitter flavor but swallowed it anyway.

  Vincent glanced his way, a twinkle dancing in his eyes. “You got something to say?”

  Logan shook his head; he wasn’t about to tell his grandfather that it was none of his business. And he sure as hell wasn’t about to tell him he’d just got done making love to Libby on the old sofa.

  “I just don’t want to see the girl hurt. I like her. And what’s more, I like that cantankerous old grandmother of hers.”

  “I thought it was Reba you were after,” Logan admitted with some surprise.

  Vincent chuckled. “Naw, I just show Reba a little attention to make Margaret jealous. She’s not my type. And don’t change the subject.”

  Logan forced himself to take another swallow of coffee to stall for time, trying to think of a half decent answer. How could he tell his grandfather that he wouldn’t hurt Libby, when his gut told him he’d be lying? That he’d already hurt her. Yes, he’d told her all she’d get from him was sex, but hell, he couldn’t fool himself into believing that’s all it was between them.

  “Well?” Vincent said impatiently, a frown between his brows. “Have you come up with a good story yet?”

  Logan almost spit out a mouthful of coffee, a chuckle of amusement escaping him before he could stop it. Damn, was he that easy to read? First Libby, now his grandfather. No wonder he’d never been very good a poker. “What happens between Libby and me is our business, Gramps. I wouldn’t hurt her intentionally.”

  “Then I’ll come right out and ask, what are your intentions toward her?” he demanded, a spark in his eyes that warned Logan he was getting fired up. “I’ve seen the way you look at her.”

  Like a hungry wolf that couldn’t get enough, Logan imagined. “Meaning?”

  He shrugged, his thin shoulders barely moving beneath his lightweight shirt. “If you want her, go after her. But don’t play with her emotions. Do I have to remind you about Anne? Did it feel good when she left you?”

  Logan felt the heat of anger crawl up his neck, knowing exactly what his grandfather was talking about. He was probably the only one who could get away with even mentioning Anne’s name. Her pretty face flashed before his eyes, like a bad dream that wouldn’t go away. Only, when was the last time he’d dreamed of her?

  There’d been a time when he’d thought Anne was the only one for him. He’d barely gotten out of the hospital when she’d decided to break off their two-year engagement. And nothing would ever convince Logan it didn’t have anything to do with his accident. The look of revulsion in her blue eyes whenever they’d touched upon his scars was testament to that. She could barely bring herself to touch him. However, he didn’t blame her.

  Libby, on the other hand, didn’t have any aversions to his imperfect body. In fact, her eyes had eaten him up like a kid eyeing an ice cream cone on a hot day. And when she caressed him with those skillful hands of hers, it was with a tender knowledge that soothed the pain from his body, and his heart.

  Damn…his heart? Where the heck had that thought come from? He gave his head a brisk shake, reluctantly meeting his grandfather’s eyes, knowing he wouldn’t get by without a response of some kind. “Don’t worry about Libby, Gramps, she’s a big girl. Besides, I doubt we’ll be bumping into each other that much before I head back to California.”

  Vincent’s brows rose with surprise, as he looked at Logan over the rim of his cup while taking a sip. “Sounds like you think that’s going to be soon,” he commented, sounding a little sad.

  Logan drained his coffee and placed the cup in the sink. “It will be if I have anything to say about it. Looks like the rain has stopped. Let me get a shirt on and we’ll go out and assess the damage.”

  Without waiting for his grandfather’s reply he left the room for his bedroom. Hoping that when he returned the subject of Libby was behind him. He was uncomfortable talking about her. Maybe because he knew that making love with her had been a mistake. One Logan knew he’d repeat as often as the situation presented itself.

  Chapter 12

  “Goodness child, why are you wearing that garb today of all days? There’s a lot of clean up to be done around the house and it’s gonna get hot and muggy.”

  Libby couldn’t agree with her grandmother more, dreading the thought of spending hours out in the wet heat to clean up the damage the storm had caused. “I know, Gram, but it’s occurred to me that I’ve been seen a lot more than Reba has, and we don’t want to make anyone suspicious.”

  “Bah…no one pays any attention to anything around here.”

  “Are you willing to take that chance? Mom and Dad are just waiting for an excuse to pack you off to an assisted living home. If I can’t stay here with you they won’t hesitate.”

  “Well, you can’t live with me forever, dear. It’s not fair for you to give up your life.”

  The optimism in her voice revealed she thought she was going to live forever and Libby wasn’t going to refute her. For a woman on the verge of turning eighty she was incredibly healthy and spry, but one little accident and her parents forgot all that.

  “Don’t fret about it, Gram; let me worry about my life.”

  Thinking about Logan, Libby couldn’t help the little smile that crossed her face. She couldn’t complain about her life. Who would have thought she’d find someone like him in a place like this? And that he’d make all her fantasies come to life when she was in his arms?

  “Come on then, old lady.” Margaret gave Libby a wink. “I see them moving about out there like zombies in an old sci-fi movie. Let’s go see the damage.”

  Libby’s grin grew when they walked through the doorway into the
wet morning. Her grandmother was right, they were moving about! She counted a dozen or so neighbors circling their homes slowly. Some were picking up bits and pieces of debris that was littering their lawns and driveways. Several people were in the street.

  “This belongs to you, Eloise?” Libby heard someone call out. All eyes turned toward the voice to see Mr. Johnson holding someone’s wind turbine that had blown off a roof.

  “Hey, I think this is yours, Hank,” another neighbor stated, picking up a plastic garbage can that had been rolling in the street.

  Libby bent to pick up a trash can lid that was the same color as Hank’s trash can. A wolf whistle split the air and she straightened quickly with embarrassment, looking over at Vincent’s house to see him coming out the door. Smiling, she responded to his wave, trying not to notice Logan was right behind him.

  She lost the battle. His presence commanded attention; he was too virile a man to ignore. She grinned, noticing that other eyes strayed his way too. The Lemon sisters, who lived directly across the street, were standing in their driveway acting like silly teenagers, giggling and mumbling to each other as they followed Logan with their old eyes.

  “Dirty old man!” Margaret hollered out. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own age?”

  “Gram!” Libby whispered fiercely. She looked around them to see who might be paying attention. “Watch what you’re saying!”

  “I was whistling at you, sugar,” Vincent called out.

  Margaret gave a huff and waved him off. Libby breathed a sigh of relief until she noticed Vincent and Logan start in their direction. Oh Lord, she wasn’t in the mood to face Logan again so soon after their hot episode in the shed. Even disguised as Reba she wasn’t that good an actress. One look into those sexy eyes and she knew she would give herself away. She was about to turn and walk away when a silver Corvette rounded the corner and Logan stopped dead in his tracks. Vincent continued toward them, but Logan seemed frozen in place.

  Curiosity, and Logan’s reaction, kept Libby where she was. The Corvette slowed and turned into Vincent’s drive, parking next to Logan’s bike. The door opened and the most beautiful woman Libby had ever seen emerged. In a glance she took in her short, platinum hair, sleeveless white blouse and purple flowing skirt. She was tall, just a couple inches shorter than Logan. Libby knew that because he’d finally made his way to her.

  Her heart twisted with pain when she saw the woman greet Logan with loud enthusiasm, throwing her arms around him and kissing him full on the lips. The fact he wasn’t hugging her back didn’t matter; he wasn’t pushing her away either. She fought the urge to rush over there and tear them apart, jealousy and the pain of seeing another woman kissing him overwhelming her senses.

  “That’s Anne, Logan’s ex-fiancée,” Vincent offered without anyone asking. “Only met her one other time, had more hair then.”

  “What’s she doing here?” Bless Margaret for asking because Libby couldn’t seem to find her tongue.

  She felt a small measure of relief when Logan finally put his hands around Anne’s arms and pushed her away. He stepped back and leaned against her car, crossing his arms and ankles at the same time. He looked nonchalant, but from where she stood, Libby could see every tense muscle as he listened to what Anne was saying.

  “Don’t know. They broke up months ago. Maybe she’s come to her senses.”

  “She broke up with him?” Libby realized she hadn’t disguised her voice but it was too late to undo it. Her gaze met Vincent’s.

  “Right after his accident. Tore him up too, but not near as much as losing his two best friends in that fire. Blames himself for that.”

  Libby saw her chance and grabbed it. “What happened?”

  Vincent took a deep breath, his eyes shooting back to Logan. “Don’t really know, he won’t talk about it. And I don’t pry. He just called and asked if he could recoup here for a few months and I told him stay as long as he wants. Had to get permission from the association and…”

  Libby stopped listening, her eyes returning to Logan and Anne. She wondered what they were saying. Anne appeared to be doing most of the talking, her hands moving in a way that suggested she was pleading her case. It looked like Logan had turned to granite until Anne moved too close. He straightened and put his hands out as though to stop her from touching him. Is she there to get him back? Emotion nearly choked Libby as she thought of that possibility. Does Logan still love Anne? No…his actions weren’t those of a man happy to see the woman he loved. At least that’s what Libby wanted to believe.

  Finally Logan said something. Libby’s heart fell to her feet when they turned and headed inside the house. When her gaze returned to Margaret’s she was surprised to see that her grandmother was watching her with a keen look in her eyes. Libby took a breath. She didn’t want to think about the question she saw in those wise eyes.

  “I think I’ll take a look around the house.” As soon as she turned the corner and knew she was out of sight she leaned against the house. Her gaze went to Vincent’s home, wondering what Logan and Anne were doing. He’d obviously taken her inside so they would have privacy from nosy neighbors, but was there reason for more than just talking?

  The thought of Logan kissing or touching Anne… Libby didn’t want to think about it and forced the unwelcome thoughts from her mind. She couldn’t spend the day sulking. And keeping busy would keep her from agonizing over a situation she couldn’t control.

  * * * *

  Logan stood for a moment at the end of the drive, watching Anne’s car disappear around the corner. He shook his head in amazement. She’d met someone and was getting married. On her way to visit her grandparents in Largo for a few days, she’d stopped by to tell him because she didn’t want him to hear it from anyone else. A month ago that news would have sent him off the deep end, only now he was happy for her.

  Seeing her again had reinforced his thoughts that he was over her and had been for a long time. Probably long before their actual breakup. Thinking back on it they’d been more like good friends for years, not two people in love who wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. It had been a comfortable, non demanding relationship for both of them. He’d been away most of the time fighting fires. She’d been busy jet-setting around the world on buying sprees for her exclusive Beverly Hills boutique.

  Anne had been replaced with a red-haired, green-eyed vixen who made Logan realize what he’d truly been missing all these years. Everything about Libby captivated him. She fired his blood quicker than any woman ever had, but it was more than that. Her quick wit and sparkling eyes, the seductive woman in her, had him dreaming about her day and night. He was half in love with her, and admitting that scared the hell out of him.

  Because what was he going to do about her?

  The thought of Libby drew his gaze toward Margaret’s house. First his eyes lit on her parked car, then on his grandfather and Margaret further down the street talking to some neighbors. The sound of someone releasing a loud huff of air drew his eyes to Reba. She was struggling with a heavy planter, dragging it out of the shed and making an attempt to pick it up. When he saw her stumble his sense of duty kicked in and he sprinted over there.

  “Here, let me get that for you, Reba.”

  “Oh!” She hadn’t heard his approach and nearly dropped the plant, but Logan caught it just as it was about to it hit the ground.

  “Sorry if I startled you,” he said, holding it with one hand.

  She straightened a little too quickly. “You shouldn’t sneak up on old ladies!” Logan watched her push up the glasses, his brow furrowing with a thought that just wouldn’t take shape. “It’s not good for the old ticker.”

  Since Reba turned and walked away Logan had no choice but to follow her. “I’m sorry,” he offered, holding back a smile. “Is Libby around?”

  “Libby?” She stopped and gave him a hard look. “She’s not here.”

  Logan frowned and shot a significant look at Libby’s car in
the driveway, before pinning his gaze back on Reba. She glanced away immediately. Was it his imagination or did she suddenly seem nervous? What was it about her…his gaze ran over her.

  She looked just like she always did, but…

  “What I mean is, ah, she’s not there in the shed.” She bent and scooped up the bird feeder that was on the step leading into the house without missing a step. In her haste to escape she slipped on the wet grass but quickly righted herself before going down. “Come along now and I’ll show you where that plant goes,” she ordered, taking it for granted he’d do her bidding.

  However, that’s not why Logan stood there quietly for a moment. Taken aback by her familiar fragrance he watched her walk away, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. It took a moment before he realized her spine was straight as an arrow, her shoulders back. Her hips swayed gracefully beneath the flowered skirt as she hurriedly made her way toward the end of the house, with just a little more pep in her step than a woman her age should have.

  Just as she reached the corner she was caught up in the sunlight for a second, giving him a clear view of surprisingly shapely legs through the thin fabric of her dress. He squinted for a moment as his brain tried to make sense out of what he was seeing. As dawning registered shock quickly followed, his eyes shot up to her head just as he lost sight of her turning the corner.

  Was that a tuff of red sticking out from beneath her silver wig? He’d known from the beginning that she was wearing a wig, a lot of elderly women with thinning hair did, or so several had informed him. Then it hit him like a freight train. It was Libby, and she was masquerading as Reba! Why hadn’t he seen it before? It was obvious to him now. He stood there for a moment in numbed awe, shaking his head as though to clear it.

  This explained why something always nagged at him where she was concerned. Other pieces of the puzzle fell neatly into place too, certain incidences he’d found strange at the time but hadn’t taken the time to thoroughly analyze. He didn’t have to question her reasons behind the deception. It was clear her disguise was done in order to allow her to live with her grandmother without breaking the established rules of the fifty- five plus community. The fact that she’d gone to such levels to pass herself off as a senior citizen told him it wasn’t going to be a temporary arrangement.