But he loved to touch her, to watch her, to tease her. Until she came.
Yet even now, in the early hours of the morning, when there was no one else awake to hear, no one to see, she was silent.
Because she had the corner of the pillow between her teeth. Suppressing any sound.
A finger of frustration drove into him. He wanted to hear her scream. He wanted to hear her cry out his name. To hear her beg for him. He ached for her to beg.
He ached for her. Period.
Finally, when her breathing had settled, she opened her eyes.
“Oh,” she blinked at him. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?” She rolled onto her back and stretched out, her body moving sinuously on the big mattress.
“You know damn well I didn’t.” He stared at her exposed breasts. So close to losing it. To just grabbing her hard and fucking her in two seconds flat.
He was hanging on by a bare thread.
“No I don’t.” She sent him a cheeky grin. “I slept like a log.”
Vixen. But he liked it—her—so much.
“What are you doing?” He raised up onto his elbows, frowning, as she slid from the bed with too much energy
“Getting dressed.” She bent to her bag and scooped out some clothes.
“Why?”
“If you thought you were b-b-bringing me here just so you could spend all your time feeling me up in your room, you’re mistaken. I want to get out. You said last n-night you were taking me on a tour. I want you to show me around.”
He flopped back onto the bed with a groan as she sashayed into the bathroom. Demanding woman. But she was right. They’d get outside, he’d take her round the town. Show her the spa. Avoid everyone.
But it was almost an hour before they left the bedroom—Min worked for a while as he’d showered and dressed and tried to think Zen. Was it possible to meditate a permanent erection away?
“Come on,” he said, leaning over to take the iPad from her hands. “You need food.”
He led her down to the dining room, knowing one of the staff would be on hand to make whatever they wanted. But as he walked into the room, his appetite was killed.
His parents sat at the large dining table, looking for all the world like a happily married couple. Which they weren’t. This anniversary party was a total sham.
“Good morning Min, Logan.” His mother looked up from her contemplation of the newspaper. “What would you like for breakfast?”
A waitress appeared almost instantly, from the door leading to the kitchen, but Logan was getting them out of there.
“Oh, don’t worry we’ll—”
“Have breakfast with us,” Connor interrupted him from directly behind, thumping his big hand on Logan’s shoulder. “You’ll have the full Summerhill fry-up, won’t you. And you Min?”
Logan met Connor’s eyes. A family reconciliation over eggs so wasn’t gonna happen. But he’d said he’d be here. Said he’d be good. “Sure thing. Min?” He glanced at her.
She nodded. “Thanks.”
Logan sat beside Min, placing her as far from his parents as he could, and putting himself in as buffer. Connor took the seat opposite. Logan grinned wryly. Was that so his kid brother could send him warning looks if he spoke in a way he shouldn’t?
“This engagement is going to last?” His father glared at him. “I’m sick of the sleaze surrounding you. It upsets your mother.”
Yeah. The real bad guy in all this had never been Logan, it was Rex.
Logan figured his mother was probably more upset by her husband’s countless affairs. At least Logan only had one woman at a time. Nearly. But at the very least he was honest about his escapades. He was open, upfront and able to admit when he’d made a mistake. The models had been a mistake. So had his part in that cheating scandal years ago.
But witnessing the worst marriage in the world left him uninterested in following the same path. He’d tried so damn hard to please for so long, skiing his heart out even when he’d hated it. Finally he’d woken up to the fact that his father, the person he’d thought was so important—actually wasn’t that interested. Certainly wasn’t interested in anything less than total success. Success by any means.
How his mother had put up with the bastard for so long he didn’t know. Why did she? For the money? The supposed status?
How Connor coped he didn’t know either. The man was a saint. As for his sister Danielle, she’d long been rebelling against the restraints and conditions and expectations. She’d run from her boarding school countless times, even now at college he’d heard she wasn’t happy. Another accident waiting to happen.
If it weren’t for Connor he’d happily walk away and leave the place to burn. But it was Connor’s livelihood. Connor’s hard work. And damned if Logan was going to sit back and let their father’s old mistakes ruin it all. Not at this late stage. If he could help in any way, he would. Even down to the dreaded keeping up of appearances.
With true Summerhill luxury, their meals were delivered within minutes. No waiting, always the best. The freshest. But Logan wasn’t remotely hungry now. He picked at food. Noticed Min wasn’t exactly wolfing it either.
“Seeing it’s such a happy occasion, we thought we’d make it a double celebration.” His mom broke the awkward silence.
“Oh?” A sense of foreboding filled him.
“Our wedding anniversary and your engagement,” she said grandly, looking at them expectantly like it was the best idea ever.
The toast turned to dust in Logan’s mouth.
“I’ve already had some of the decorations altered,” she said. “It’s the perfect opportunity for you to meet all our loved ones.” She smiled at Min. “You’ll get up and say something during the formal part of the evening, won’t you Logan? And you too, of course, Min. Everyone will want to hear from you.”
Shit.
Logan glanced at Min. She’d paled.
An engagement party? Double celebration? Oh the hideous irony. Neither of the relationships being celebrated were anything like what they were meant to be. The opposite in fact. And he hated the idea of his relationship with Min being in any way associated with his parents’ marriage. Tainted by it.
“Isn’t the double part of the celebration really your retirement, Dad?” he shot a look at his father.
His father’s jaw tightened. Yeah, the old man hadn’t liked being quietly ousted by his own son. And he’d never admitted that he’d done anything wrong.
But keeping his dealings only just this side of the law didn’t make them right. He was morally reprehensible.
“We’ll be mentioning it, Logan.” Connor shot Logan an equally loaded look. “Doing a little look-back on Dad’s achievements.”
The recent rapid growth and success of the Summerhill brand hadn’t been their father’s work. It was all Connor’s. Connor was the only reason he was here. Right now was Logan’s time to step up and be there for his brother.
“Well that sounds perfect. An anniversary and engagement celebration will be a lot of fun,” Logan said coolly. “Of course we’ll speak.”
He watched Min reach for her glass of water with a shaking hand. Under the table he reached out and put his hand on her knee. She flinched.
Damn.
She didn’t speak to him the entire walk through the lodge. Not even when he took her through the not-so-secret family-only tunnel that some tourists paid extra to get to see.
“Min?”
“I-can’t-do-this-Logan.” Her words tumbled out on top of each other. She expelled a harsh breath between her teeth. The speaking thing had totally thrown her.
“I’ll tell them you’re shy,” he said, hating the guilt stabbing his heart.
“You told them I work in PR.”
“Well, you do. You write for people. I’ll clarify.”
She didn’t look any happier.
“I’ll take care of it,” he said, feeling bad for her. Wanting to fix it, but not enough to let her out of it. �
�I need you with me for this.” He pulled her against him. “That’s all. You don’t have to say anything, just be there.”
She looked up at him, her green eyes serious. “Why?”
“Because...” I need you. He needed the grounding she somehow gave him. For all the battle between them, he felt secure with her. He could be himself. She didn’t suck up to him. Determinedly not interested. It was a weird relief.
“You can see for yourself what it’s like,” he said.
“If you haven’t spoken to him properly in years, why are they running around re-organizing the party of the decade to celebrate your engagement?”
“You don’t think anyone outside of the family is aware of the tensions, do you?” Logan laughed bitterly. “We’re the Hughes family. A little eccentric, but basically perfect. Nothing tarnishes us. Not even my sordid sex clip. It’s all a fairytale. This is to prove that very point.”
“So its not the welcome return of the black sheep?”
Never, just as he’d warned Connor. His father was no longer interested now Logan had turned his back on the path that had been prepared for him. “You can see there’s no forgiveness there. There’s nothing there.”
Just emptiness.
She stepped away but took his hand. Standing by his side. “You’d better show me round then.”
So much had changed Logan felt like a tourist himself. But he’d left this place sooner than the others. While Xander and Connor had been carving up the slopes as ski guides, he’d been in training camps. Going to New Zealand during the North American summer so he had the winter there, working it on their slopes. A life lived in winter. In the end he’d gotten sick of being cold. Sick of trying to realize someone else’s impossible ambition.
But Summerhill resort had gone from strength to strength. The Hughes owned not just the hotel, but also controlled the tourist activity companies, half the shops, and half the restaurants.
“Where did you hang out?” she asked, looking around the picturesque ‘village’ center.
“On the slopes.” He waved a hand at the peaks surrounding them.
“Where did you go to school?”
“Locally. I dropped out when my training took off and I was travelling.”
She nodded.
They wandered slowly through the town, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drew her close. He couldn’t get her close enough. But he would. For now he enjoyed the feel of having her tucked into his side, took every opportunity to touch her more. Brushing back the wisps of hair that loosened from her braid, taking her hand in his.
He checked in on the home branch of his active-wear store. They lunched at a one of the small back street cafes favored by the few snowboarders there on a budget. He told her a few tales, some of the fun he’d had with Connor and Rocco and Xander when he’d been back on one of his few breaks. She laughed and listened, her eyes bright and interested and, at times, skeptical. He liked that she didn’t take him too seriously. That she called him out on his crap.
“You know we’re being watched,” she said as he pulled her close again as they walked back towards the resort. “B-b-being photographed.”
“That’s not why I’m holding your hand.”
There were people looking. Maybe he was using her as a barrier to keep them at a distance. Using the intimacy between them to prevent people from interrupting.
But that wasn’t the main reason he kept touching her. The real reason was because he couldn’t stop himself.
He was wired on the challenge of her.
Finally they went to the hotel itself, going through the changes Connor had implemented. He stood back, amused, as Min stared with her eyes like saucers as they went into the spa and facility.
“I’m coming here before the p-p-party,” she said, moving quickly to check out the indoor pool. “You can pull strings, right?”
“Absolutely.” He laughed. First time he’d felt like laughing all day. “I can ensure we have the pool to ourselves, if you’d like?” She could come.
“You’re never seeing me have a spa treatment.”
“No?”
“Some things should always be p-p-private,” she said with dignity.
He chuckled again. She could keep her precious dignity a little while longer. Soon enough he’d have her on her knees and flushed and panting and willing him to touch her anywhere, anyway, anyhow.
“We should go back and get changed for dinner.” He glanced at her and saw her expression tighten. “Don’t worry, my parents won’t be there. We’re going to a place in town. Connor will be there. A couple other friends.”
He knew she wasn’t looking forward to it, but the guys would be good to her. Chelsea was a sweetheart who was friendly to everyone. And anyway, he’d thought of a few ways he could distract her on the quiet. Teasing, erotic ways.
But when she emerged from the bathroom, ready to head out, he suddenly thought staying in for the night wasn’t such a bad idea. She was smokin’. She wore that long, black skirt again, but this time there was no faded vintage tee. It was a black, cling-film kinda top that accentuated her heaven-sent shape. And she’d left her hair loose. It cascaded down her back in a long swathe of golden blonde silk.
Oh yeah. He wanted to run his hands though it, wanted to muss it up as he kissed her beautiful, plump mouth. Then he’d bury his face in her breasts, work his way lower, pull her hair around them like a covering. He couldn’t wait.
But he had to.
“I thought we weren’t going to do in-your-face sexy.” He choked. “I thought we were going with discretion.”
“Oh,” she turned wide eyes on him. “This isn’t discreet?” She looked down at the top that showed her gorgeous cleavage. “I thought it was.”
“Don’t play with me, unless you’re willing to be beaten.” He was stiffer than a steel pipe.
Her chin lifted. “I’m not up for spanking.”
“I’m not talking that kind of punishment,” he said.
“What are you talking then?”
He decided it was his turn to play the silent card. To his delight, her cheeks flushed and her eyes widened.
What was she thinking? It couldn’t be as wicked as what he was thinking. But she still came back at him with that sultry whisper.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have a kaftan in my bag, you’re just going to have to cope.”
He was barely coping as it was. But he was so looking forward to payback.
Chapter Sixteen
#Busted
Min’s heart thundered. What punishment did Logan have in mind—and why was her body tightening in anticipation like it was desperate to find out?
He winked at her so evilly, she had to laugh.
“We’d better leave. You’d better go first,” he said. “You’d better go now.”
She caught the look in his eye and turned on the spot, her pulse pounding with excitement.
“Don’t think that you’re gonna get away with it,” Logan muttered behind her as she walked down the corridor. “You’re going to feel it.”
Feel what, exactly?
Min swallowed, barely stopping herself from stumbling down the stairs. Logan took her arm in a fierce grip and shot her a burning look.
“In my own time, in my own way,” he added.
A threat?
He smiled. “Come on babe, you look like you’ve forgotten how to breathe.”
That’s because she had. Anticipation? He nailed it.
A short drive later, Logan led the way into a crowded restaurant that nestled at the foot of the glorious mountain.
“Gang’s all here.” Logan said as he looked over at a large table set up along the window. “All except Rocco.” He shot a look across the room at the maitre d’. “That’s Bill. Rocco’s stepfather, we don’t like him.”
“We don’t?” Min took her cue with a smile. “So why are we here?”
“Because Rocco’s mom owns the place. And we’re checking it out on the sly f
or him.”
“He wouldn’t check it out himself?”
Logan shook his head. “Now come let everyone harass you.”
Looking at them, she took a moment to get them sorted in her mind. There was all-American-boy Xander, Logan’s cousin, and his pretty girlfriend Chelsea. The hard-headed Conner, the even harder-looking Hunter. And Danielle, the baby sister who looked like a walking ad for brunette beauty.
Glittering glasses filled with champagne sat on the table, but the smiles on the faces of his friends? Too teasing.
“So, Min, we haven’t heard much about you.” Xander didn’t wait for the menus to arrive before starting in.
“Don’t—”
“I insisted we k-keep things under wraps until I was certain.” Min interrupted Logan’s reply with her whisper.
They all leaned in closer and she grinned as Logan pinched her thigh under the table.
“Until you were certain?” Xander looked astonished.
“Well, Logan was very insistent. And persistent,” she whisper-talked. “He’s been pestering me for weeks to make it official. I just couldn’t d-d-deny him any longer.”
Even the unreadable Hunter had an amazed expression on now. Or maybe it was just disbelieving. Min picked up her glass of champagne and decided she didn’t really care. She was aware only of Logan’s eyes on her, Worse than lasers, they sent pure fire sizzling through her skin and melting her bones. Denying him? She was denying him too much at the moment and they both knew it.
Denying herself as much as him.
But he hadn’t expected that, had he? That she could tease too? Even in public.
She hadn’t known she could manage it.
“Wow,” Xander sat back. “Logan buddy, she gave you a hard time?”
“Extremely.” Beneath the table Logan pressed his leg against hers.
Min gulped back a laugh.
“Tell me more,” Hunter piped up. “You know I like tales of torture.”
Min wasn’t sure the guy was kidding.
“I think you should leave Min alone,” Chelsea interrupted. “You don’t want to scare her off.”
“Speaking of being scared off,” Hunter leaned across the table and fixed his hard stare on Chelsea. “You know where I can find my favorite barista?”
Beg for Me Page 18
