Shh!

by Stacey Nash

  I’m in class, Mum.

  Logan chose that moment to appear, and even though he’d said he’d come, seeing him was still a surprise. It had only been three days since he was delirious with fever. I really didn’t expect him to follow through. Hopefully this wasn’t too much too soon.

  Despite slightly sunken cheeks, he looked so much better. There was colour in his face and his hair had its golden sheen. Even his eyes had that damn sexy twinkle, the one full of secrets I wished he would share. He frowned. “What’s up?”

  As if to punctuate his concern, my phone buzzed again.

  I switched it off and moaned. “Parents. It seems even half a state away I can’t escape them.”

  “Ain’t that the truth.” Logan sighed.

  Our professor started speaking, and once again I had trouble with concentration. But it wasn’t the fine specimen of a guy beside me who had my mind wandering. It was my horrible grades. A fail incomplete was disastrous, and the thought of breaking that news to my mother after class had my tummy twisting in all kinds of knots.

  The blank screen of my tablet started moving with the nudge of Logan’s fingertips. What in the world was he doing? I was trying to pay attention, for heaven’s sake. When it was balanced on the far corner of my desk, Logan tore a sheet of paper from his notebook and slid it onto my table, then poised a pen over it and wrote. When he was finished, he dropped the pen and removed his hand.

  Stop stressing. Nothing’s that bad.

  I took the pen and wrote, A fail incomplete in Torts is pretty bad.

  His expression said it all. Even Logan thought that was horrendous. He simply wrote, Ouch.

  I raised my eyebrows and shot him a pointed look. Not that bad, hey? He tapped the pen against his bottom lip then dragged his teeth across the plump surface. The fluttering in my tummy totally chased away the twisty feeling. I drew in a ragged breath.

  He smiled at me, that darn twinkle even brighter, as if he knew exactly what he’d just done to my insides. Then wrote, It’s only one class. You can take it again next year.

  It will bring down my GPA.

  This the cause of your parental problem?

  A lump tugged at my throat. I tried to close it.

  I haven’t told them. Avoidance is key.

  Logan’s gaze met mine, and he didn’t need to write his next words; they were written in his eyes. He thought I was a failure, that I should have told them, that I shouldn’t have failed that class. And he was right; I shouldn’t. I should be pushing up my grade point average and concentrating on building my CV, not tearing it down. Sometimes the pressure was just too much, and that was exactly how it felt. I just wanted to be one of those kids that cruised through classes, partied like an animal, and still managed to come out the other end intact and holding a degree. Yet here I was with a weird sleeping disorder, a social outcast, and failing my classes, even though I studied my butt off. I took up the pen and wrote exactly what I was feeling.

  It’s hard to be perfect.

  Logan’s hand slid over mine, his palm flush against the back of my hand. He curled his fingers around it.

  My heart felt like it stopped then started again, beating way too fast. A burn grew low in my tummy and my thighs tingled. What in the world was Logan doing to me? A desire stronger than any I’d ever felt before stole over me and I wasn’t sure that I could suppress my feelings for him any longer. I couldn’t even remember why I wanted to. He flipped our hands over so mine was palm up, cradled in his. I think my hand trembled. A part of me just wanted to launch myself across the armrest that separated us.

  Logan’s gaze moved to my eyes and held them as he brought the pen to my palm. He didn’t smile, but his eyes spoke volumes. In that instant, I knew he wasn’t holding back anymore; desire blazed in his gaze. The pen began moving on my hand and his eyes dropped to watch what he was doing. When he slid his hands away, words were scrawled across my palm.

  To me you’re perfect.

  Something inside of me melted, causing my eyes to leak tears I hadn’t even realised were building. With those four tiny words, he’d made me feel whole, made me feel good, and I didn’t doubt them because when my gaze met his, the blue of his eyes was clear as a summer’s day. My hands flew to either side of his rough jaw and pulled our mouths together. Our lips meshed as I kissed him over and over again.

  Logan froze under my touch, completely non-responsive.

  My heart froze too.

  Good lord, what had I done? Kissing your best friend was a stupid move. And kissing him in the middle of a lecture was even stupider.

  I started to pull back, but he looked shocked as all heck. Like he’d only just woken from the daze his hands slid up into my hair and he forced my mouth back to his, holding me in place as he kissed me back in a way I’d never been kissed before. I felt as if I were falling, whether it was falling in love or falling away from the fear I wasn’t sure. As if every part of me dove from the top of that rollercoaster I’d been balanced on for so long. Logan’s kiss stole my breath, my thoughts, my senses, and I kissed him back with equal zeal.

  The hoots and hollers around us sent me crashing back to the reality of being in the middle of class. I’d stopped paying attention to the lecture long ago, but now I remembered exactly where we were and what we were doing. My cheeks burned and someone yelled, “Get a room.”

  Our lecturer cleared his throat, clearly not for the first time. “I suggest you take your extracurricular activities out of my classroom, Mr Hays. Miss Dean.”

  He didn’t have to tell us twice. Logan grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my seat. Together, we moved down the aisle and right out of the door. A giggle bubbled in my throat. This was totally insane … who ran out in the middle of class? Not Olivia Dean, that’s for sure.

  Out in the corridor he turned to me with a dark gaze. I took a step back, my laughter dying on my lips as he took a step forward. His gaze fell to my mouth, which was suddenly dry. My tongue darted across my bottom lip, trying to add some moisture. It was a futile action.

  “I’ve wanted this for so long.” Logan’s voice was deep, husky as he took another step forward, his nose almost touching my cheek. There was only a slither of space between our lips but he moved fast, slamming our mouths together again so fast that my back hit the wall and holy bejeebers, this was sure some way to be kissed.

  Logan’s hand trailed down my side to rest at my waist and I grabbed his jacket with both hands, pulling him flush against me because I couldn’t bear for there to be any air between us. His other hand crashed into the wall above my head, steadying his stance, and the way Logan kissed me was like the world was about to end and we only had this moment to show each other how we felt.

  It was magic.

  It was intense.

  Logan’s tongue slid against mine as he devoured my mouth and I kissed him back for all I was worth, trying to tell him in this most extreme kiss of all kisses that I was his, I always had been.

  Every part of him pressed against every part of me and a fiery burn sat on my waist right where his hand rested. Logan’s fingers spread, their tips slipping under the hem of my blouse, and I inhaled a sharp breath as my hand slid to his nape, my fingers tangling in his hair to hold him against me and never let him go. Regardless of my death grip, his lips moved from my mouth, trailing kisses along my jaw and down my neck. He concentrated his efforts on the hollow above my shoulder. I moaned and Logan purred in response, his mouth moving more feverishly.

  “Have to stop,” he said between kisses. “Have to …”

  He dragged himself away and planted his palms on the wall either side of my head as he dropped his forehead to mine. His breathing was laboured, each breath dragged in over a rocky path.

  “If I don’t stop now, I won’t be able to.”

  I groaned and Logan chuckled. I didn’t want this to end any more than he did, but he was right. The arts building was not the place. Instead he pushed off the wall and took my hand, bringing it
to his lips, and placed a tender kiss on my knuckles. Somehow the hallway had filled around us, and people moseyed on to wherever they were headed next.

  My heart continued its erratic beat as Logan walked me all the way across campus to my next class, not letting my hand go until I was sitting in the lecture theatre.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Logan waited for me outside my last class of the day, looking hotter than ever with his back against the wall and one leg bent up. His blond mess of hair was shaggier than ever, and that smile—it could melt me.

  I had no idea how he’d figured out where I’d be—it was like he just instinctively knew. A quip about him being a stalker sat on the tip of my tongue, but I thought better of it and smiled instead. He was a welcome sight, and I didn’t want him to think otherwise. He lifted the strap on my bag and slung it over his own shoulder.

  “I tried to call, but it went right to voicemail.”

  I sighed just thinking about the influx of messages from my mother that would be waiting. “I haven’t turned it back on.”

  “You’re going to have to talk to them eventually, and when you do, just remember that this is your life.”

  Maybe he was right. I sure felt like I could defeat the entire world. Like nothing mattered other than me and him. Us. Holy hotcakes, was there an us?

  “What are you up to tonight?” Logan asked as he slipped his arm around my waist, steering me out of the Law building and toward his Corolla parked on the street.

  Spending the evening with Logan was a welcome thought. My tummy flipped at the memory of the scorching kiss we’d shared earlier. I hadn’t been able to think of anything else all day, and even though he’d said he’d wanted to do it for a long time, I wondered where we were now.

  Now that I’d shoved all that other stuff aside and finally ’fessed up to my feelings, I wanted more. I wanted to kiss him again, but I didn’t. Instead I walked along by his side, playing my own little mind game of will he or won’t he.

  “Nothing … I mean … I have study, but I’m not going out, and I’m not doing anything important.” Good lord, that was terrible. I sounded like I was desperately waiting for him to give me a better offer, which I totally was, but I didn’t want him to think that.

  I climbed into the front seat before he could answer and busied myself with straightening my hair with my fingers. He hopped in the car and to ease over my desperate declaration, I blurted out, “How’s Jordan?”

  Logan started the engine. “Not as sick as he thinks he is. I packed him off to school this morning. He should be home again by now.”

  Logan drove me back to Oxley, and although the trip was only two minutes, and we’d sat in comfortable silence for much longer than that many times before, I filled the silence with trivial conversation. Everything felt far less than comfortable. In fact, sitting still and not fidgeting with my hair, my nails, or my bag was near impossible.

  The Corolla hummed as Logan pulled it into the car park. “I was thinking we should grab some dinner tonight.”

  My heart jumped like a baby cheerleader on steroids. What happened this morning, it meant something to him too.

  Like he could read my thoughts, Logan reached across the seats and cupped my face in his hand. His eyes searched mine, looking for what I wasn’t sure, but his thumb brushed back and forth over my cheek and Logan leaned in.

  He kissed me with such tenderness that it was almost like kissing someone else. The intensity from this morning had switched to a slow burn that had the exact same effect on my senses. It sent them reeling into a spiral of desire and a need to pull him in even closer. I tried to do just that, but the gear stick jammed into my thigh. Logan pulled back, and his eyes were heavily hooded, and their usual vibrant blue was much darker. He dropped his hand and I let out a tiny whimper at the loss of his touch.

  Logan’s mouth started turning and a slow smile built. “Let’s get you upstairs.”

  Unable to talk in proper sentences, I settled for a simple nod. He grabbed my bag from the backseat and together, we walked into Oxley. We managed to make it all the way to my block before we ran into another soul. I almost groaned when I saw a flash of deep cherry hair and skinny jeans; Ella coming down the same stairs we were walking up.

  “Ella.” I gave a quick nod in greeting.

  Her eyes narrowed on Logan. I cleared my throat and said, “You caused us to fail that group assignment.”

  She flicked her gaze back to me. “I did not.”

  The smirk that stole across her face made anger pound through my temples. “I got a credit in Torts because of the assignment only being a pass.”

  Ella tossed her hair over her shoulder. “A pass isn’t a fail. Don’t blame your shitty grades on me.”

  I knew it wasn’t entirely her fault but she’d made me cranky, and the way she stood there looking all proud of the fact I’d almost failed made me hate her in a way I hadn’t since we were kids and she’d called me Golly Olly – like snot.

  I felt Logan’s hand on my back and it had a calming effect. “Come on, Liv. It’s not worth it.”

  With a scowl at Ella, I said, “You’re right. It’s not.”

  I heard a soft chuckle as I passed her and continued up the stairs.

  ****

  You ready for dinner?

  I’ll meet you in the car park.

  I pulled my cupboard all the way open so as to get a full body mirror view. Black tights hugged the curves of my legs and my knit dress was just long enough to cover my thighs. My DKNY boots gave me extra height, which should make me a little closer to Logan’s six feet. I ran my hands through my hair, letting it fall back around my face. Why did I feel so nervous? We’d hung out plenty of times before, yet my stomach felt so empty it was nauseous. Like a swarm of bees were trying to form a whirlpool inside me.

  I gave a shaky exhale and popped my lips to even out the gloss. This was an actual date. With Logan. My Logan. My heart fluttered as the bees took over my whole body, as if my blood itself had sprouted a million tiny wings. An eeeee passed my lips and I jumped up and down then kissed my reflection.

  Dinner.

  With Logan.

  Okay. Best not keep him waiting. I bit down on my smile and snatched my purse from the bed. I’d had to visit Savvy and ask for it back, since it was black suede and matched my shoes perfectly. Pity I’d barged in on what looked like an argument between her and Dane.

  I locked up my room and headed downstairs. It was only five p.m., but already the courtyard was a highway of people going to the dining hall. I slipped out to the parking lot without seeing anyone worth talking to.

  The Corolla idled in the spot closest to the footpath I strode along. Not that it was easy to stride in heels, but the second I saw Logan’s little red car my feet took control. He reached across the passenger side and pushed the door open, not bothering to right himself in his seat. As I slid into the car, Logan’s stubbled cheek brushed against my ear.

  “Hell—”

  He caught my lips in his. My bottom lip rested gently between them and those darn bees stirred low in my belly. Really low. He sucked the sensitive skin into his mouth, running his warm tongue along the plump flesh. My eyes slid closed. Logan smiled against my mouth, releasing his hold on my lip and I sighed as he pulled away, opening my eyes. Tossing his arm over the back of my seat, he looked behind us and backed out of the car space.

  “Hi.” My voice was entirely too breathy.

  “Hi.” Logan smiled.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi.” Logan’s voice dropped an octave, heavy with innuendo.

  I looked across and the smirk on his face made me grin.

  We drove all the way into town before either of us spoke again. Every time I snuck a glance his way, Logan smiled at me. His hair looked shinier, his scruff scruffier, his eyes bluer. Even his arms looked bigger. Not that I could see them under the vintage blazer. Brown leather, it looked well worn, yet I’d never seen him wear it before. The leather was
taut around his upper arms, the muscles beneath stretching the fabric. Gosh, he looked hot tonight. Forget dinner, maybe we could just find somewhere to park and I could touch his arms. Or maybe his legs … he did have those jeans on. I sucked in a deep breath that did nothing to cool the heat that had suddenly washed over me. Boy, it was hot in here.

  My tongue ran over my parched lips, and when I peeked at Logan he winked.

  Good heavens, he knew exactly how I felt.

  The car suddenly stopped. I was glad he’d paid more attention to where we were going than I had. We could have still been in Oxley’s parking lot for all the notice I’d given our short ride.

  Logan climbed out of the car. If I didn’t get a grip this dinner would be a waste of money, because I wouldn’t be able to eat a blessed thing.

  My door opened while I was still composing myself. Logan extended his gorgeous hand, and taking it, I stepped out of the car. He pressed a chaste kiss to my cheek. “It’s nothing fancy, but the food here is great.”

  We stood in front of Mozzarella Pizzas.

  “Family discount, huh?”

  Logan smiled. “I might be cheap, but I’m not that cheap.”

  With our hands still twisted together, we entered the shop to the sound of the bell overhead. In my two years living in this town, I’d never been inside Mozerella’s. Not owning a car made home delivery more convenient. Surprisngly, it was a tiny shop, with no tables and chairs.

  A middle-aged man stood behind the counter, his round belly hung over his black pants. “Logan.” He smiled. “Order’s up.”

  “Thank, Carlos.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. Penny made it. She’s still learning the ropes. Much like young Jordan.”

  Carlos disappeared, only to return less than a minute later with a pizza box in hand. Logan released my fingers to extract a wallet from his back pocket. He paid Carlos, who in turn passed off the box of pizza. The olive-skinned man shot me a wide smile. “You kids have a great night.”