Something Real

by Ariadne Wayne

  “What on earth are you doing?” I laughed.

  Logan pulled at my jeans, sliding them down my legs. His hands on either thigh, he leaned in to kiss the patch of fabric between us.

  “Oh baby, Daddy’s missed you,” he said, looking straight at my panties.

  I shook my head. “You are crazy.”

  “Is it time to come out and play?” He looked up at me hopefully.

  I screwed up my face. “I’m sure the doctor said six weeks. Maybe it was six months.”

  He leaned in, rubbing his nose against the delicate fabric. “You’re not playing fair, Olivia.”

  “Neither are you with your nose right near my happy place.”

  His lips brushed against my thigh. I was sure I could hear the blood rushing in my ears trying to get to him.

  “Okay, you win.”

  His face lit up, as if he’d just gotten the best Christmas present ever. He buried his nose between my legs, taking a deep breath as I shook with laughter.

  “Logan.”

  He slid a finger inside my panties, pulling them to one side. “I think we need to go get in to bed and get to know each other again.” His brown eyes twinkled with mischief, and I stroked his head as he wiggled his finger inside me.

  “Sounds good to me,” I whispered and he stood, taking my hand in his and leading me to the bed.

  “Are you sure you’re ready?” he asked.

  “I’m fine. I want to be with you.”

  He tugged at my shirt, pulling it over my head, and I reached for the button on his jeans, unzipping them.

  “I love you,” I whispered, watching him slip his shirt off. He was beautiful, his tanned skin the colour of bronze, his muscles flexing with the movement. Perfection. Then I saw the bandage wrapped around his right bicep.

  “What happened?” I asked, resting my hand below it, concerned he had hurt himself while working. At least it wasn’t covered in dirty oil.

  “Can I tell you after I’ve had my way?” he asked, pulling me into his arms for another kiss. He was hard against me and growing by the second.

  I wasn’t about to be distracted. “No. I want to know about this.”

  “Did you know you have a one-track mind? We have other priorities.”

  He let go, running his fingers through his hair, exasperated by my questioning.

  “I’m not the only one,” I said, reaching for the bulge in his underwear I had yet to remove.

  “You don’t make this easy, Olivia.”

  I shook my head.

  He sighed. “I got another tattoo this afternoon. I managed to get ahead on the bike, so I took a couple of hours off to get some more ink. Nothing too big, and you can see it soon.”

  Picking at the bandage, I wriggled against him. “So, what is it?”

  “Can we look at this later? You are seriously busting my balls, woman. In fact, I think they might literally explode from lack of use.”

  I laughed, kissing his chest. “Fine. You can show me later.”

  “Finally.” He rolled his eyes, and bent, scooping me up and into his arms as I squealed with delight. “Now I’ve got you.”

  “You always did,” I whispered. His lips crashed into mine as he claimed my mouth, carrying me the rest of the way to the bed and placing me down gently, unhooking my bra as he stood.

  “Multi-talented, huh?” I asked, laughing.

  “You’d better believe it.” He grinned, leaping onto the bed and nearly landing on top of me.

  “Gentle, baby,” I murmured.

  “Always,” he said, stroking my breast, his thumb grazing my nipple.

  “You be careful with those. You might get a surprise if you squeeze too hard.”

  Logan laughed, leaning over to gently tongue the nipple. “I won’t squeeze at all.”

  His hand landed on my panties, and he slid them down my legs slowly, growling at the sight of me naked.

  “Logan,” I whispered.

  “Do you remember, Olivia?” I had no idea what he was talking about, but I shivered at the sound of my name. It rolled off his tongue like an aphrodisiac, making my body tingle in anticipation.

  “Remember what?” I managed to find the words.

  “Remember that day in your kitchen? When you asked me what I do when I go down on a woman?”

  Oh dear God, the words alone nearly undid me, the ache I felt for him growing as I met his eyes. He looked at me with an intensity I hadn’t seen since our first time together, and I guess it was like that all over again. A month without sex seemed like an eternity, given the constant need we both had to be together.

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  Satisfied, he leaned over me, kissing my thighs, slowly, tenderly, taking his time while every part of me throbbed, needing his touch.

  “I’ve missed you so much, baby,” he said, and ran his tongue up towards my clit. I pushed forwards, willing him to lick me, play with me with his tongue, but he chuckled, shaking his head as he propped himself up.

  “Aren’t you impatient?”

  “I thought you were too.” I was gasping, begging my body to find the air it needed. The anticipation cramped within me, straining to break out. I remembered his words about his balls exploding and laughed out loud, feeling the same need within me.

  “Are you okay?” His forehead wrinkled in concern.

  “More than okay. I just need to be with you.”

  He said nothing more as he bent his head again, attacking my clit with his tongue in a frenzy. There was no way he was going to play fair tonight.

  I exploded, crying out his name, stroking his hair as he slowed down. And then I did one of the worst possible thing when the love of your life is making love to you for the first time in a long time. I started crying.

  “Liv? Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

  I shook my head as he moved beside me, pulling me into his arms. Tears rolled down my cheeks and he kissed them away, stroking my face with his thumb.

  “I just love being with you,” I whispered. “I’m so hormonal and stupid right now.”

  “Never stupid,” he said. I looked into his eyes and all I could see was concern.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You never have to say you’re sorry for feeling. Hell, the day you don’t feel anything, then I’ll be worried. You just had a baby, and you finally feel settled, and you settled me, Liv, more than I ever thought possible. What keeps me going during the day is the thought of coming home to you at night. And I plan on doing that for the rest of my life.”

  I tried to find the air to fill my lungs, and struggled as the tears flowed. His embrace tightened around me and I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply as his scent overwhelmed me. I felt safe—loved.

  “Here, take a look.” He sat up, unwrapping the bandage that covered his bicep. I saw my name first, and then my children’s names listed on his arm, one under another. Olivia, Jack, Thomas, Chloe. “This. This is what you mean to me. You’ve been under my skin since I met you, and I wanted to show the world. Nothing else matters but you and our children. I know I’m not the boys’ father, but I might as well be, for all the attention he pays to them. I don’t consider them to be any different than Chloe in that regard.”

  I traced around the tattoo with my finger, still fighting the tears that just kept coming. “I never really loved until I found you, and I never felt loved until I found you,” I said.

  “That’s because your ex is a fucking idiot. He threw away the warmest, most gentle, sexy woman I know. I know you went through a lot of heartache before me, but I’m kind of glad that you did. It gave me the chance to find you, and to love you.”

  “Logan …”

  He kissed me with a hunger that I recognised. I felt it too—the desperate need to have him, to be one with him. I wanted him deep inside me, connected to me in a way no one else ever would be. He was it.

  “We’re forever, baby.”

  Trailing kisses across my face, down my cheek, until he gently sucked
on my neck, he moved over me, thrusting against me so I could feel how hard he was, pressing against me when all I wanted was him inside.

  “Now,” I whispered.

  “Anything my beautiful girl wants.” He grinned, sliding his underpants down his legs, and repositioning himself to push into me.

  I closed my eyes, him filling me, his groan in my ear telling me he felt the same way I did. We were one again, and nothing had ever felt sweeter.

  “Better?” he asked. He ran his tongue from my shoulder up my neck as I nodded, closing my eyes, my heart racing at the joy I felt at being his again.

  “I love you, Olivia.”

  I opened my eyes to see him looking at me, running his gaze across my features, taking all of me in.

  “I love you too,” I whispered. He bent his head, brushing my lips with his. His pace slowed, and we gazed at each other, lost in the moment.

  Running my finger around his tattoo, I smiled. We were so important to him that this was his offering to show how much he loved all of us.

  “My heart,” he whispered.

  He tensed, and his eyes glazed over as the moment overtook him. He groaned, thrusting hard one last time, and I lifted my hand to his face, tracing down his cheek and round to his chin.

  Kissing my nose, he grinned, rolling onto his side and pulling me in to his arms. I closed my eyes, settling in his embrace.

  “Tired?” he asked.

  “Always.” I laughed. “But, I’ll always have time for this.”

  “What were you doing when I came in? Standing in front of the mirror with your pants open like that?”

  “I was trying to do them up, but I’m still too fat.”

  He sighed. “You had a baby four weeks ago. The last thing you should be thinking about is your weight. Besides, you’re beautiful just the way you are.”

  Logan ran his hand down my body until it rested on my belly. “This was where my child grew. I don’t care if you can’t get back into your jeans yet, or if you ever do. You’re beautiful, Liv.”

  “How did I ever find someone so perfect?” I asked.

  “I ask myself that question every single day,” he said, leaning in to kiss me, his soft lips telling a story he didn’t need words for.

  I turned, hugging him tight. “I love how you make me feel.”

  “How do I make you feel?”

  “Like I’m the most special woman in the world.”

  Gently, he pushed me away, lifting my chin with his index finger. “Because you are.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  The last person I ever expected to see on my doorstep was Evan. I’d started the divorce proceedings a while ago, so that Logan and I could get on with our lives, but I guess in typical Evan fashion, he'd just gotten around to doing something.

  I let him in to the living room to talk and he sat on the couch, looking around.

  “Nice place you have here.”

  “Better than the shitty little apartment we’d been living in.”

  He nodded. “You look good, Olivia. Put on a bit of weight, but otherwise you look good.”

  I couldn't say the same for him. The dark marks under his eyes showed lack of sleep, and his shirt was baggier than he used to wear them, hiding the beginnings of a paunch at a guess.

  “Uh thanks. You haven’t really changed.”

  “How are things?”

  I shook my head. “Seriously? What are you actually here for, Evan?”

  “I want to see my kids.”

  “The ones you walked out on?”

  The silence was awkward as we looked at each other, before a gurgle came through the baby monitor, followed by a loud squawk.

  “Excuse me, Evan. There’s the reason why I’ve put on a bit of weight,” I said, putting on a fake smile to show my annoyance.

  I carried Chloe back to the living room, clucking at her as I went. She calmed in my arms and I sat down, not sure if I felt comfortable feeding her in front of Evan. Then I realised I didn’t care; this was my house.

  She fed hungrily, and I rocked her as the door opened. Logan came in, rubbing his eyes, clad in shorts and a singlet. His muscular arms looked huge when he dressed like that, and the tattoos down them were enough to intimidate most people.

  “Morning, babe. This little one up already?”

  “Did she wake you?”

  He leaned over, tickling Chloe under the chin.

  “I was lying there wondering when you were coming back to bed.” He grinned, and noticed Evan sitting on the couch. “Aren’t you …”

  “Logan, you remember Evan?”

  “Oh.” He just stood, looking at Evan. Jack and Thomas came running in from the yard. Logan had been out there most of the day before building them a playhouse. They were in the midst of setting it up, having raided the linen closet and stripping all the spare pillows from the beds.

  “Logan! Are you coming out to see the house? We made it awesome,” Jack said, grabbing at his hand.

  “Not just yet, mate. I just got out of bed. I’ve got to have coffee and wake up first.”

  “Awww,” said Thomas.

  “Is this Thomas?” Evan asked. “Thomas, do you remember me?”

  Thomas just looked at him blankly. As far as he was concerned, Logan was his dad.

  “Jack?” Evan smiled at him.

  Jack looked at Logan. “Can you come out?”

  “In a little while, bud. Want to say hi to your dad?” Logan asked.

  Jack looked back at Evan before turning away and running out the back door.

  “Jack,” I called. Thomas followed behind.

  “Should have expected that, I guess.” Evan said, the forlorn look in his eyes telling me just how much that had pained him.

  “If you want to go out the back and try again, you’re more than welcome,” said Logan. I looked at him, surprised he was being so pleasant. “I mean, you are their dad.”

  Evan shook his head. “Maybe another day. I don’t want to push them.”

  “To be honest, I’m surprised that you’re even here,” I said.

  He shrugged. “I got the divorce papers, then got kicked out of the house when I didn’t want to sign them straight away. Donna thought I was clinging onto the past, but I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  "What if I wasn't?" The words hung in the air as he looked between Logan and I.

  "I don't know to be honest." He laughed nervously. "I just felt like I should check on you."

  I stared at him. “When did you get a conscience as far as I was concerned?”

  “Olivia, don’t make this any worse, please. It made me think of you and the boys and I had to see for myself.” He looked up at Logan. “I can see you’re well looked after, and with the little one … I’ll go back home and sign the papers.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “We appreciate it,” said Logan, sitting on the couch beside me. He placed his hand on my knee and I smiled at him. We were showing a united front against the man who had deserted me.

  Evan didn’t stay long, just long enough to see we were okay, apparently. I wondered how bad his relationship with Donna was if he’d taken the time to seek me out. But then again, I didn’t really care. He’d made his choice.

  “I’ll walk you out,” I said as he made a move to go. I just wanted to see him leave, but Logan reached over, taking Chloe into his arms and smiling at me reassuringly.

  I trailed behind him. A beat up old Toyota sat in the driveway, and he walked to it, turning as he reached the door.

  “It was good to see you again. I know we made a lot of mistakes, but I’m glad to see you happy.”

  We made mistakes? I was not about to pick a fight with him if he was about to sign the divorce papers.

  “I think you’ll be fine, Liv. That Logan really loves all of you.”

  I smiled. “Very much so.”

  “I saw what he had tattooed on his arm. A man doesn’t just tattoo people’s names on himself if he doesn’t c
are. He had everyone. You, Jack, Thomas, the little one …”

  I nodded, and watched as he got in the car, backing down the driveway and waving before driving away.

  I knew who got the better deal.

  * * *

  “Pfft.” Carly ran across the backyard, her arms stretched out as she pretended to be a plane. Thomas was right behind her, a bigger plane, but making just as much noise.

  I loved how he doted on the two-year-old, and just knew he’d be the same with his sister as she grew older. Andrew and Maddy were over for dinner, and despite the age difference between our children, they all got along famously.

  Logan and Andrew struggled to put up a tent for the kids to play in, and I idly wondered if they’d ever notice what they’d done wrong.

  “Think we should tell them?” Maddy nudged my arm.

  I turned, grinning at her. “You noticed it too?”

  “Yeah. They might have more luck if they turn it up the other way.”

  We giggled, and Logan looked back at me, one eyebrow raised.

  “Should I go and put them out of their misery?” Maddy asked.

  “Go on. We’ll be here all night otherwise. I’ll check on dinner.”

  I walked back into the house and opened the oven door. Taking a deep breath, I smiled at the sight of the roast beef, browned to perfection, and the potatoes roasted in beef fat nearly done. It was nice to be able to take the time to feed my family, not rush as I used to do.

  Standing, I looked back out the window. The tent was already up and Andrew was talking to Maddy, with no sign of Logan. She had her hands on her hips as if telling him off, and I couldn’t help but smile at the look on his face. The adoration he had for his wife was clear from his grin.

  Warm hands landed on my waist, and I tilted my head while Logan nuzzled my neck.

  “I bet you knew that tent part was upside-down.”

  I laughed. “Might have done.”

  “You and Maddy could have saved us about half an hour putting the damn thing up.”

  He wrapped his arms tight around me, pressing his body against mine. “I know it’s the kids that want to play in the tent, but do you want to play in it with me later?"

  I leaned back against him, chuckling. “Maybe.”