by Author TR
He relaxed in spite of the pleasure her hand was giving him. If Libby could wait, so could he. They both knew how it was going to end. She was forced to let go of his cock when she lathered the puff up with the same bar of soap he’d used. Like him she began with his throat. Because she was so small she had to reach up on her tiptoes, which brought her breast into delicious contact against his chest. As she moved the puff over his flesh her breasts ground against him. He growled, his cock jumping wildly.
“Feel good?” she inquired, smiling.
She obviously misinterpreted why he’d groaned. “You have no idea.”
She continued over his shoulders and down his arms, moving the puff over his chest and belly. Logan held his breath, waiting to see if she’d bathe his private parts, a little disappointed when she indicated he should turn around. Next he felt the puff against his back, moving down to his waist and hips. He didn’t realize Libby fell to her knees until he felt her kiss against the cheek of his buttocks.
“Turn around and I’ll do your front.”
Grinning, Logan complied without comment. He glanced down at Libby, meeting the amusement in her eyes. They didn’t break eye contact as she ran the puff along his legs and thighs, stopping within inches of his jutting erection. Logan tried to swallow but his tongue had swollen to twice its size. The look in her eyes said more than words, reflecting her desire, her wants. Then her gaze fell and he didn’t know what was worse, having her eyes eat him up or the little puffs of air that rushed from her mouth against his aching flesh. Spellbound, he waited to see what she was going to do next, nearly having heart failure when she leaned forward and licked at his erection with all the enthusiasm of someone eating that long awaited ice cream cone.
Realizing their shower was over; Logan reached blindly for the taps and turned off the water. When Libby took him in her mouth he leaned back against the wall in a moment of weakness, groaning low in his throat. He closed his eyes for a second, welcoming the explosion of pleasure flooding his body. In no time a river of fire flowed through his veins, and he was nearing the end of his control. Reaching down, he grabbed Libby by the arms and hauled her to her feet.
“The next time we make love it’s going to be in a bed.”
Chapter 14
Libby didn’t complain as Logan led her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. She didn’t care where they made love. All she knew was that she couldn’t seem to get enough of him. And the more they made love the more she craved him. Her gaze fell down his backside to his taut buttocks and muscled thighs as he pulled her toward the bed. He was in superb condition. The scars from his recent accident were healing nicely and didn’t take away from his virile attractiveness. In fact, they emphasized his masculinity. Battle scars revealing that what he did for a living wasn’t time spent behind a desk somewhere.
They reached her bed and Logan’s arm encircled her waist. He fell backwards on the bed, pulling her with him, the unexpected action causing Libby to catch her breath. His hands smoothed down her backside, cupping her buttocks before continuing down the backs of her thighs. She strained into his caress, grinding the lower half of her body into his. “Damn, you feel good,” he growled, arching his hips. Libby’s palms flattened against his chest.
A soft laugh escaped her. Her breasts were smashed against his chest, her nipples tingling. In fact, her whole body was tingling everywhere it touched Logan’s hard flesh. “You don’t feel too bad yourself.” She kissed him on the neck. “But I’m afraid we have a little dilemma.” Instinct guided her eyes to the clock on the dresser.
“What’s that, honey?”
His unexpected endearment caused her heart to swell with joy. “It’s later than we thought.” She kissed his chin when he turned to look at the clock. “Gram said nine but she’s habitually early in everything she does. Nine o’clock to her will be closer to eight thirty.” It was eight fifteen.
“You think I can’t perform in fifteen minutes?” Logan thrust against Libby, letting her know that he was hard as steel and ready for action.
“Not fair,” she groaned, shivering.
His expression suddenly turned serious. “Fair? What’s fair about a little red-headed witch that has a man’s insides so twisted in knots that he can’t think straight?”
“I do that?” Libby started showering kisses down his scarred chest, relishing in the shudder that racked his body. “What else do I do?”
Logan moved and in the blink of an eye Libby found herself beneath him. “Let me show you.” She barely caught her breath when he thrust forward, entering her in one smooth plunge.
“Oh!”
“Oh,” he mimicked then covered her lips with his. Libby wasn’t sure if the sound that erupted around them was from her or Logan. She reacted wildly, arching hungrily to his thrusts, the pleasure so intense she rapidly climbed toward the pinnacle of release. Logan reacted like a male in his prime, claiming his mate. Leaving no doubt that he could accomplish whatever he wanted in fifteen minutes, or less if he had to. He knew just how to control his thrusts to give Libby the ultimate pleasure. His fast and steady movements were designed to make her peak quickly.
She opened her mouth, welcoming his tongue as eagerly as she welcomed him into her body. Her hands roamed over Logan wherever she could reach him. Exploring a body she was fast beginning to know as well as her own. Her caresses lingered in spots she instinctively knew would pleasure him and test his control, as it tested her own.
His tongue began to mimic the movements of his body. She felt his hands at her hips, pulling her to him each time he plunged forward. His technique intensified the pleasure of being satisfied by him. She cried out, overwhelmed by a kaleidoscope of sensations exploding through her senses. The telltale feeling flowing through her body told her she was about to come. Caught up in the moment she ran her nails down Logan’s back, igniting his own passions to uncontrollable proportions.
He pulled back, his eyes blazing down at Libby as he continued to pound into her again and again.
“God help me, Libby. This isn’t how I meant it to be!” he panted. “But you’ve bewitched me!”
In spite of not being able to catch her breath, in spite of the exquisite feeling gripping her body and holding it captive, Libby managed a little smile. “Your fifteen minutes are almost up.” The next time he entered her she purposely clenched her muscles around his shaft and squeezed, at the same time leaning forward to tongue his nipple.
“Oh, hell!” Logan groaned, slamming into Libby one last time before erupting strongly inside her. “Damn…”
In spite of her own tremors Libby held him to her, absorbing the aftershocks of his forceful release, relishing in her ability to push him over the edge. For a time their heartbeats pounded as one. She felt Logan’s warm breath against her neck as he panted heavily. Their slick sweaty bodies were flush, leaving no secrets between them. Gradually his hands relaxed against her hips. Her heart swelled with emotions she could no longer hold back.
“I love you.” Oh God, had she said that out loud? Libby froze, immediately aware of her mistake. How could she have been so careless as to utter something like that…at a time like now? The last thing a man wanted to hear a woman say while still in the throes of a climax was that she loved him. Especially when it’s not what he wanted from her. Maybe Logan hadn’t heard her.
But who was she fooling? He stilled, the subtle movement alerting her that he’d heard every little word. The silence that followed was crushing, and painfully telling. Well, what did she expect that he’d reciprocate? Libby bit down on her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. But nothing stopped the burning sting from gathering behind her eyes.
“Logan, I…forget I said that. It just slipped out. I…” She could barely look him in the eyes when he pulled back to glance down at her. “You know, the heat of the moment and all that.” She prayed he believed her. Only how could she expect that when she didn’t believe it herself? “Surely you’ve ah, uttered a few things you
didn’t ah, exactly mean….” God, her explanation sounded weak.
Slowly, Libby raised her eyes until they met his. His expression was unreadable, the look in his liquid silver eyes just as undecipherable. Why didn’t he say something? Anything would be better than the god-awful quiet surrounding them.
“What’s wrong?” Could it be any more awkward? The part of Logan still joined to her slowly slipped out, causing her to catch her breath. “It was a slip of the tongue…”
“Don’t worry. I think you’ve made that abundantly clear.” His tone was flat. An emotion flickered in his eyes that she couldn’t identify. Concern, relief? Was he worried she’d get all weepy or clingy, now?
“I meant to say lust.” She was painfully aware that she was trying to turn the whole incident into something insignificant.
“I think my fifteen minutes is up.”
Under normal circumstances Libby would have taken his comment as a joke. Only the look on his face hadn’t changed. The next thing she knew he was pushing off her and getting to his feet. Libby felt vulnerable, exposed, as he stood staring down at her. Pride kept her from reaching for the spread beneath her and bringing it over her. Besides, his eyes never left hers. After a few seconds he turned and reached for something on the floor.
“Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.” Libby watched him slip into his jeans. Please, she added to herself. “It was a slip of the tongue…”
“Was it?” His hands made quick work out of zipping and snapping his jeans.
“It meant nothing.” She forced a laugh. “I mean, love? We’re just having a good time, Logan. Great sex…” Libby halted. His expression turned hard, his eyes crystallized.
The hands at his belt buckle hesitated. Her effort to make things better seemed to be having the opposite effect on him. He actually looked mad. “Maybe I should just shut up.”
Just the tiniest glimmer in his eyes revealed her comment amused him. “Good idea.” After finishing with his belt he reached for his shirt. “I’ll meet you in the living room.”
Libby watched him leave the room, confused. It didn’t take long for the tears to fall and for a moment she just lay there, letting emotion rule her actions. She wondered why she just didn’t tell Logan the truth. She couldn’t help that she’d fallen in love with him. Maybe he didn’t return those feelings because he didn’t feel them, or he couldn’t. But if he was going to run then it might as well be over the facts, right? She sighed heavily, brushing at her cheeks. He was going to think she was crazy if she went into the living room with a different story now.
A glance at the clock showed her it was just after eight thirty. She jumped from the bed and headed to the closet, reaching for a pair of bright green boxers on the top shelf and an oversized tee-shirt she sometimes wore to bed. It didn’t take her long to slip into them as she made her way to the dresser.
She reached for a brush, running it through her damp hair and catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her eyes seemed over bright, lingering proof she’d been crying. To make it worse her nose was a little red too. Damn!
Libby tossed the brush down with self-disgust, angry that she’d broken the rules and let her heart get involved. She had no one to blame but herself if Logan walked away and never came back. Hadn’t he warned her from the beginning what he wanted from her? Well, she’d certainly given him a lot of that.
As she turned to leave her eyes fell to the floor, landing on her discarded body suit. Oh no! Had Logan seen it? Maybe he had but didn’t recognize it for what it was. For the first time Libby realized he hadn’t once asked about Reba. Hadn’t he been curious as to where she’d disappeared to after coming inside?
Maybe his thoughts had been preoccupied with something else, because surely he hadn’t discovered her secret! She refused to even think it.
Halfway down the hallway to the living room she heard the low sound of the TV. She found Logan sitting on the edge of a chair, his linked hands dangling between his spread knees, staring at the tube. But she could tell by his blank expression that he wasn’t really watching the old rerun of Friends. He seemed deep in thought. After a while he acknowledged her presence by turning his head and meeting her eyes. She wasn’t expecting to see the forlorn look in them.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly.
He ignored her comment. “You’ve been crying.”
“I have nothing to cry about. It must be the lighting.” Libby shrugged, trying for nonchalance. “Would you like something to drink?” She didn’t know what else to say.
A grin softened his mouth. “Yeah, only I doubt you have what I have in mind.”
“You might be surprised.” She turned toward the kitchen and opened the cupboard door over the stove. “We have cooking sherry, white wine?” She glanced at Logan long enough to get his response, which was a negative shake of his head. She closed the door and opened the refrigerator. “We have ice tea, milk,” Grinning, she met his eyes. “Prune juice?”
He was still shaking his head, a slight quirk on his hard mouth that didn’t quite reach the seriousness of his eyes. “What about a beer?”
Libby’s eyes grew round. “I actually think we have some, buried in the back.” She stuck her head in, shifting things around when she saw a couple cans behind the leftover chicken. “Gram keeps it around, says it’s good for her hair.” Grabbing a can, she straightened and closed the door. “Oh!” She was surprised to find Logan standing there. “I didn’t hear you move.” She held the can out to him.
He took it, almost reluctantly. “I think I should leave.”
Their eyes met and held. Libby inhaled deeply. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell Logan the truth, no matter what the consequences. “You don’t think we should talk?”
He popped the top and took a swig, shrugging. “What about? You made it clear that you don’t love me, so I have nothing to worry about, right?”
There was something in his tone that Libby couldn’t identify. She felt a twist of pain in her heart that he didn’t love her back. Tell him! Tell him! Her heart demanded it, in spite of knowing the pain it would cost her. “Logan…” Damn! She was going to cry again, she could feel the sting behind her eyes. Was she strong enough to see him walk away? Or, was she going to be unfair to both of them and continue the lie just to keep him coming back?
Libby realized Logan was watching her with interest, his eyes delving into her very soul. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear he did feel something for her. “Logan…I’m sorry, but…”
A muscle twitched in his lean jaw. “Don’t!” he snapped, shocking Libby into silence. He further surprised her by curling his hand around the back of her neck and pulling her to him for a kiss that sent a sharp tingle down her spine and a flutter in her belly. Moaning, Libby gave herself up to Logan’s heated kiss. Almost immediately he pulled away and released her, leaving her hungry, and unsatisfied.
“Damn you!” he uttered with deep emotion, his eyes flashing like silver lightning. “Goodnight, Libby.”
Just like that, after what they’d just shared? Before she could stop him Logan pivoted toward the front door and pushed it open. A sob escaped her before she could prevent it. Stepping up to the screen door, she watched him practically run down the steps. He didn’t glance back as his rapid strides took him home. Sniffling, she wiped furiously at the tears building in her eyes. What was she going to do?
Just as she was about to turn away Vincent’s car came around the corner and pulled into the drive. She did turn away then and headed for her room. Her grandmother couldn’t see her like this! She’d ask questions and Libby didn’t want to lie to her. She’d grab another shower to wash away the heartbreak in her eyes and pray by the time she got out her grandmother would already be asleep in her chair in front of the TV.
* * * *
Logan finished his beer in one long swig and then crumbled the can in his hand, tossing it angrily toward the can he spied behind the counter. It hit the floor with a clang t
hat was barely heard over the jukebox blaring in the corner. The bartender snorted, reached for something beneath the counter and set another can down in front of Logan.
“Looks like you can use something stronger than beer tonight, friend.”
Logan glared at him, but the man’s grin only widened. “I’ll stick with beer, thanks.”
He wondered how much he’d have to drink to forget the last time he saw Libby. How ironic, that he should be the one to forget the rules he’d laid down. She made falling in love with her easy. But she’d made it painfully clear she didn’t love him, which is what he wanted, wasn’t it? It would certainly make his life a lot easier. Especially when he returned to California. No ties. Only now he’d be taking home memories of a hot little redhead he couldn’t get enough of.
He thought about his doctor’s visit that afternoon. Finally he’d been cleared to return to work. And Logan decided he was going back to California as soon as possible. He was only torturing himself by remaining there. Wanting Libby day and night. The sooner he distanced himself from her the sooner he could get her out of his system.
Realizing he was sitting there daydreaming, with a can of beer warming in his hand, he popped the top and put it to his lips. Part of Logan knew he couldn’t drink away his troubles, but it didn’t stop him from downing the contents of that can, and another. When it dawned on him he was well on his way to getting a buzz he began to nibble on the pretzels in front of him.
His gaze shot to the TV above the bartender’s head, which was muted. The news was on but all he heard was the jukebox playing in the background. That and the noise of conversation and laughter around him. The door to the bar opened. Nothing unusual about that except that this time something drew Logan’s attention to it. He stopped breathing when Libby and her friends walked into the dimly lit room. They were laughing and dressed to kill. Three women on the prowl for a good time. He couldn’t explain the anger that surfaced, only knowing that it was fiercely blinding.
