Logan's Woman

by Avery Duncan

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  Claire held onto her pillows tightly, breathing in as she quickly got more confused.

  They smelled like home. She’d made sure to bring pillowcases that she’d used when she had been backing because she had known she would get homesick. They reminded her of her room, and the moments when her and her father would have talks and when she had been little, he’d tuck her in and read her a story.

  Tears gathered in her eyes again.

  “Logan?” she asked, not lifting her head from the pillows. At first, she thought he hadn’t heard her because her voice had been muffled, but then she heard him.

  “Yes?”

  “Where are we going? I think you passed the park, it only takes a minute or two to get there...”

  “I did pass the park.”

  “Oh. Well, turn around?”

  “No.”

  She turned and looked at him, her face screwed up. “Where are you taking me, then?”

  “To my ranch.”

  She mulled this over silently, still clutching her pillow. A ranch, even with Logan there, was a lot better than sleeping at a park where Gerry could still find her. She shivered, nodding her head to him and hoping he’d seen it. Claire could try to talk, but she would fail miserably. Even now, tears were gathering in her throat and her hands were turning numb at the pain that was coursing through her.

  The ride was silent, giving her time to think and calm her nerves.

  She’d left the store right after the weird talk with the pharmacist, and the second she’d gotten outside, something had felt wrong. It had been like someone was watching her, staring at her and willing her to look back. She’d known it hadn’t been Logan. His stare was hot, scorching. It took her breath away and made her body flame.

  The stare she’d felt hadn’t given her tingles of desire. No, it had been tingles of fear.

  She clutched the pillow tighter, shuddering at the memory. She felt Logan look at her, concerned, and bit her lip against it’s quiver. Claire had never felt so vulnerable and weak in her life. She was used to handling situations with a cool, graceful reserve, but then again, she’d never been through this before.

  The men she was around were respectful and politically correct. To hit on a Senators daughter would be a scandal and no one wanted that on their records.

  Claire forced herself to calm. Logan wouldn’t let Gerry near her, she told herself. He might not like her and have an obligation to protect her because she was a woman, but Gerry would surely stay away from her from now on. The image of Logan standing over Gerry flashed through her mind and she shuddered, struggling between fear and desire. He’d been so dark and dangerous, like nothing she’d ever seen before. Even in her terrified state, Claire was woman enough to take notice of him.

  Up until he got rough. She’d had to turn away. Claire didn’t want to think of him near killing someone. No matter how alluring he’d been, she had a strike of conscious of witnessing violence, and plus a large dose of fear.

  Claire hadn’t realized how long the ride had been until she looked at the clock when they turned onto a gravel road. She thought it wouldn’t take long for a house to show up, but it was a surprisingly long time. There were fields and miles of rolling hills. She was just about to ask how long it would be when she suddenly saw a roof. It was dark out, but the falling sun and rising moon cast shadows and illuminated the house.

  It almost took her breath away.

  It was huge and white, with a long circle driveway and a peaceful patio. She bit her lip to keep from making a comment, even though she wanted to compliment him on his house so badly. Claire knew it wasn’t what normal people would do, but she was used to giving compliments and showing people that she appreciated their welcome. It was only proper.

  Her eyes sought out more of the house, utterly entranced. Claire was used to mansions, but not any like this.

  “My mother first sketched the house when she was six. When she met my father, they built it together.”

  Claire was so distracted by the beauty of it that she said, “It’s so big... How many children did they have?”

  “Me and two other brothers.”

  “Oh,” she whispered, peering out of the window even more raptly as they got closer. She could feel his eyes on her but she chose to ignore them. “Are your brother’s here as well?”

  “Ah, no,” he said, almost awkwardly. “One of them is overseas and the other is working on a project in Socorro. I haven’t heard from him in a bit so I’m assuming he’s doing fine.”

  “Wouldn’t you be worried if you hadn’t heard from him?” she asked, confused, loosening her grip on the pillow.

  “With Chase, the less contact you have with him means the less trouble he’s in. When he calls me, I’m going to assume he’s locked up in jail.”

  She turned to him with wide eyes. “Oh, my. Maybe you should check up on him,”

  Logan looked at her like she was crazy. “Why would I do that?”

  “Well,” she frowned, thinking of her own family, “if my family were prone to getting into trouble, I would want to make sure they are okay...”

  He was silent for a second, and then he did something that shocked her.

  He laughed, right at her face. It was a deep rich sound, and she could tell he didn’t laugh much. It made her smile.

  “My family doesn’t work like that. And I just hope that while you’re here, they don’t show up. You’d run screaming for the hills,” he said, chuckling.

  “Would I?” she asked, distracted by the now-closer house. She clutched her pillow.

  She didn’t pay attention to his answer. Instead, she struggled to wait patiently when he parked the car and came around to her side. She didn’t want to show him how excited she was to be there, or how much she wanted to run around screaming like a kid , playing in the flowers that were amazingly still in bloom. He didn’t notice her excitement.

  The first thing he did was made her promise she would sit in the truck and then he took her things into the house. He left her with her pillow and she took that time to gaze around her in awe. There were millions of little flower beds spread around the house. Even along the driveway there were bushes lined up and rock gardens. In the front lawn, there was one huge tree with a small rock garden placed to the front right of it. It was such a lovely site that it almost had her bouncing in her seat to see more

  Logan came out a second later and helped her from the truck. He held onto her waist the whole time and when they got to the stairs, he only let go of her for a second to hold open the door. It was a nice gesture, coming from him, but his worry was making her antsy. She was still shaken because of Gerry, but the house and the soothing aura it gave her were enough to calm her nerves enough that it wasn’t on the forefront of her mind.

  “Do you want anything to eat? Drink?” he asked. His voice was unsure, as if he didn’t know what to do.

  She nodded. “Water sounds really good.”

  “Alright. I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping after.”

  He went through a door on the right and she followed, wishing he had given her a chance to say thank you.

  Claire could hear her aunt’s voice in her head. Lessens upon lessons of etiquette and how to stay safe all colliding with each other.

  The moments in the kitchen were awkward. He couldn’t stop watching her and she couldn’t stop avoiding him. He asked her if there was anything else she needed. All she really wanted was to sleep and then wake up and explore his ranch. She hadn’t seen any stables so she assumed they were behind the house. Would he let her see horses, if he had any?

  She looked at him, setting down the cup.

  “Logan?”

  He took her cup and put it in the sink. “Yeah.”

  “Do you have horses?”

  His chuckle rang through the airy kitchen. “I live on a ranch. Of course I have some.”

  Feeling slightly stupid over the questio
n, she nodded silently and didn’t look at him.

  It was silent for a second.

  “Do you want to see them?”

  She looked at him and nodded her head vigorously.

  Logan smiled slightly. “Tomorrow, bright and early, I’ll take you to see them.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded. “But I’m beat and I’m pretty sure you are. Your room is just across the hall from mine if you need anything.” Logan started to lead her to where she assumed she was going to be sleeping for the night. Claire followed him, and at the door to her room, had to force herself not to stare at him.

  “Night,” he said. She looked up at the sudden reserve in his voice.

  He opened the door for her then walked across the hall, not sparing her a second glance before entering his room and then closing it off.

  Claire stared at the door for a long time before she finally went into her own room, sighing softly.

  Chapter 4

  Logan was awake long before Claire was. At five, he showered and dressed, then went to the kitchen to start on breakfast. He normally had his cook, Glenda, prepare his meals for him but it was a weekend and she was off. He always let her have off days for her family and didn’t mind that she took so many. Her daughter, at twenty-three, had a rare form of breast cancer and they could barely afford the treatment. While Glenda took off time to care for her daughter, Logan gave her a paid vacation. He wouldn’t miss the money and knew that they needed it more than he did.

  He thought that maybe the sweet scent of bacon and eggs would wake up Claire so that he didn’t have to, but it was almost a half hour later and she still hadn’t come downstairs. Sighing and frowning, he went upstairs and pounded on her door.

  It was silent.

  His frown worsened, and he pounded on it again.

  Still silent.

  “Claire,” he started warningly, opening the door. “It’s time to get up, I have --”

  He paused mid-sentence. The window was open, blowing soft air through he curtains and sifting through the room. Rays of light shot through the room, emphasizing the pale walls and blue bedspread.

  It wasn’t the open window that caused him to pause though.

  No, it was so much worse.

  Claire had one leg out from under the blanket, her body was stretched out across the bed and the comforter was falling halfway off. She was laying on her stomach, arm over her head, long blonde hair spread around her in a golden halo. His body hardened as he realized that she was really naked.

  “Holy...” She moved, making a soft mew, turning onto her back partially. Her breast was full and big enough to fit his hand. “Fuck.”

  He turned away sharply, backing out and closing the door. He leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. He’d had women before, and all of them had had amazing bodies. But that one small glimpse that he’d gotten of hers was enough to make him realize that just a night with her wouldn’t be enough and that she was, quite possibly, the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.

  It took him a while to calm himself. When he did, though, he braced himself and opened the door, quickly grabbing the blanket and covering her fully, trying to give her some modesty. Logan quickly shook her awake, desperate for her to open her eyes. He didn’t want to take his hands from her - her shoulder was soft and warm and...

  Her pale blue eyes squeezed, and then she yawned and stretched. He took his hands away from her body quickly, almost hating himself.

  “What?” she asked, her voice rough yet sweetly sleep-influenced. “What is it?” Her eyes got impossibly wide and then alarmed. Then, just as quickly, her face flamed pink and she grabbed the covers in a death-grip and pulled it over her body completely.

  He stared at her, forgetting how to move. He swore he forgot how to breathe.

  “Get out!” she squeaked, shoving herself under the covers.

  Logan would have. He really, honestly would have, if she hadn’t been panicking so much that the covers slipped and revealed a tan, plush breast. “God,” he whispered, eyes locked on her.

  She stopped moving abruptly.

  Their eyes locked on each other and he slowly moved to sit on the bed, his brain screaming at him to leave while his body told him to stay and touch her, kiss her, take her breast into his mouth and taste how sweet he knew should be.

  She didn’t cover her breast again, and heat entered her eyes. It was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen.

  Her eyes darkened to a near ocean blue and a flush came over her body. Her nipple, the one not covered by the bedding, hardened.

  His control snapped.

  Logan leaned down and kissed her neck roughly, relief that she didn’t fight him but even leaned her head back coursing through him. Her hands grabbed at his shoulders and in less than a second, he had her breast in his hand and her lips parting under his. He dominated, pushing her into the bed and kissing her with rough desire. His hand kneaded her breast and he could hear her moaning under his lips. His mouth left her lips, trailing down to her throat, and her hot breath caressed his skin. He nuzzled her neck, kissing lightly. His hand trailed from her breast to her stomach, his mouth moving to replace it. She made a high, precious keening sound and his body raged with desire.

  “God, you’re beautiful –“ he stopped talking when his lips came in contact with her breast. She gasped, arching under him, and his hand slid to her thigh, tracing her, teasing her. He swirled his tongue around her nipple and listened to her pleasured whimpers.

  He cupped her at her core. Then froze.

  She was smooth, slick, burning his hand because she was so hot.

  Claire’s head turned on the pillows, her hips moving while she tried to make him touch her more. He growled and slid one finger into her, into her wetness, and bit her breast gently.

  She cried out softly, her hands grasping his hair and pulling, her movements frantic, almost desperate –

  “Marshal?”

  Her hips cradled his, even as another finger slid into her, adding to the other. God, she was hot. Silken and pure liquid heat and –

  “Marshal!”

  Logan froze.

  Claire gasped, her body starting to convulse. He didn’t want to stop. Who the fuck… Claire bit his neck lightly, urging him to continue. Logan groaned and moved his hand against her, pushing his fingers deep and –

  He jerked back like something had burned him.

  “You’re a virg—“

  “Logan, where the hell are you!”

  Claire’s eyes were wide and shocked, a look of displacement in them. And then, as if she suddenly remembered everything, she pulled back and then, with sudden clarity, shame and embarrassment entered her eyes and her face flamed red. “Get out,” she said, her voice nothing but a squeak. He sat there, hearing her but not listening. He was too horrified at what he had done to her and what he had just learned.

  “Claire…you’re a fucking virg –“

  “Goddamnit, Logan, I’m not playing around here! Come the fuck out, Ricky got ‘imself hurt and you need to get ‘im.”

  Claire heared the voice. Logan didn’t know how it was possible but she managed to look even more terrified. “Get out,” she hissed, shoving him off of the bed. She pulled the covers over her and ran like hell was on her heels to the adjourning bathroom.

  Right then, his man Frank walked in and glared at him. “What are you doin’ in here? You heard me screaming for you! Come on, get up and go out there. Dog got ‘imself kicked by Bucky and he won’t let no one else touch ‘im.”

  Logan barely heard him. He was too shocked. Too disgusted. To…everything. He got to his feet numbly, fisting his hands. “I’ll be right out.”

  Frank gave him a dubious look but nodded. “We’ll be waitin’ for you. Poor pup is whimperin’ like the world is endin’.” He left the room and Logan would have followed after him, but he couldn’t. His feet wouldn’t let him leave the room. Claire was still in the bathroom…

  Walking o
ver to it, he rapped on the door softly. He didn’t hear anything in response.

  “Claire, I’ll be back in a little bit. If you want to explore, you can. Just stay out of the way if someone is doing something. If any of the guys say something to you, tell Frank. He’s kind old and missing a finger on his left hand. He’s also wearing a blue cap.”

  He waited for her to say something.

  All he heard was silence.

  Grinding his teeth, he tried one more time.

  “Claire.”

  It wasn’t a question, but a demand that she answer him.

  At first, he thought she wouldn’t answer him. But then he heard a shuffle and then the door peaked open. He swallowed.

  Her head popped out of the bathroom and her eyes latched onto his. There was a vulnerability to them that made him feel terrible. Remorse rode him hard. “Did you hear me?” he asked, forcing himself not to seek out the lush curves of her body hidden behind the door.

  “Yes, I did.” She lowered her eyes, looking away from him.

  Logan backed away from the door, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I’ll have someone bring up your suitcase so don’t worry about carrying it around. Ah… Later, after lunch, I can take you to see the horses – Wait. Ah, what do you have planned for --” He paused, feeling like his tongue had stopped it’s normal routine of talking and producing sound. “Lunch. At noon?” Her eyes flipped to him.

  “What?”

  Logan could have kicked himself. First he practically rapes her, and then asks to have lunch with her. He couldn’t think of any other reason that she’d say yes besides obligation, and even then she probably wouldn’t –

  “I will. Should I wear something nice?” There was a small blush to her face, as if she found asking the question ridiculous.

  Logan was stunned that she’d said yes, but still nodded. “Wear jeans, though. I’ll be back at twelve; it’s seven right now.”

  She nodded, face turning even pinker. A strand of hair fell past her ear, curling around her cheek. It took everything in him to not push it back as tenderly as he could. He would make up for what had happened this morning and then figure out what to do from there. He wanted her – shit, he needed her, but he couldn’t take her like a rutting dog. She didn’t deserve that.