‘On the bike?’ I asked, as I felt my face light up.
‘Yes,’ he chuckled. ‘Now drink and eat, I’ve put fresh clothes for you at the bottom of the bed and a case with all your toiletries and makeup in.’
‘That croissant smells amazing, incredible as you are I think I’ll go for food, getting ready and the road trip. One more orgasm may kill me, Logan.’
‘Understood,’ he nodded. ‘I’ll give you some space to get ready.’
‘Thanks. For everything,’ I smiled. He gave me that sexy as hell wink and stood up. He’d changed too, into dark blue jeans and a crisp white shirt with a pair of leather brogues. I sipped my coffee as I grinned to myself. He may be able to ride a bike with the speed and apparent skill of Ricky Carmichael, but Logan Steele wasn’t a hardened bad boy biker. In fact if I took him home, I think even father would approve. Hot as Logan was though, and he was scorching, I was already smitten with my own bad boy and even if Logan wouldn’t admit it, it seemed he was just as taken with a certain up and coming actress.
‘You’re welcome, I’d better go and check your car’s ready,’ he replied with another wink over his shoulder, as he jogged down the stairs. I laughed and tucked into an amazing buttery croissant, I was going to have to get this bakery to give our cook some tips.
I found Logan on his phone when I headed down and he quickly hung up and smiled at me.
‘Ready?’
‘I’d say yes, but I’m not sure what I’m agreeing to.’
‘Road trip, then a proper breakfast.’
‘I had a proper breakfast,’ I reminded him.
‘That was a snack, an unhealthy but delicious snack. After all that physical exertion last night, you need some proper sustenance.’
‘I think you were the one doing all the exerting,’ I laughed.
‘Trust me, you’ll be happy with my choice,’ he added, with a mysterious smile as he handed me the leather jacket and motorbike helmet.
‘Your driver’s meeting me here,’ I reminded him.
‘David? I cancelled him.’
‘I need to be in Chelsea at nine, I promised my bodyguard Kane I’d meet him at Mimosa, an upmarket Sunday breakfast hangout.’
‘I know it, don’t worry, Kane will find you there on time.’
‘Are we coming back here?’
‘No and don’t worry about your clothes and stuff, my driver will bring them in a bag to you there, before nine.’
Logan really was organised, I’d have to pass on his details to Tiffany, he was worth every single penny. I’d never forget last night, as long as I lived. He sped down the street, taking charge of the bike with all the skill of a seasoned champion racer. I idly wondered if there was anything Logan couldn’t do, as he headed towards the city centre, surprising me. I wondered where he was taking me? We chatted about his love of Harleys as we zipped along and watched the city coming to life with dustbin men and street sweepers cleaning up, shop keepers laying out boxes of fresh fruit and veg ready for opening time. I lay my head on Logan’s shoulder and closed my eyes as I tightened my grip around his waist, warming my hands with the heat from his body. I felt so tired, I knew exactly what I’d be doing this afternoon, having a well-deserved forty winks.
‘We’re here,’ came the voice through my headset and I opened my eyes to find Logan had parked up in one of the small squares in Chelsea.
‘Chelsea? Why are we here, did I fall asleep and it’s already nine?’
‘No,’ he laughed. ‘We’re having breakfast at Mimosa’s, then I have a surprise for you.’
‘O my God, that was delish,’ I sighed, as I cleared my plate of eggs Benedict with extra spinach.
‘Hmmm, I needed that,’ Logan nodded, as he drained his second coffee. I was amazed at how much the man ate, then again he did work up one hell of an appetite. He’d had eggs Benedict too, with a “side” of eggs Florentine and smoked salmon, a tropical fruit salad and two rounds of wholemeal toast with organic peanut butter to finish off. ‘What?’ he exclaimed, as I grinned.
‘You have one crazy appetite. So, it’s still only seven-twenty. Do you have any topics of conversation to fill the next hour and forty minutes, before Kane arrives and I get an earful?’
‘No, I’ve already settled up, so I’ll be leaving you here.’
‘On my own?’ I looked at him surprised, as he stood up and bent over to plant a kiss on my cheek.
‘I enjoyed meeting you, Eve. Here’s your phone that you weren’t supposed to bring with you,’ he advised as he handed it back to me. Damn it, I’d forgotten about it and hadn’t even noticed it was missing.
‘Sorry, but Kane would have gone out of his mind if I’d been stupid enough to lose him and not have some way of contacting him if I was in danger.’
‘I get that. You may want to consider putting a passcode on it though, anyone could access your contacts list and send a text message without your consent,’ he winked. ‘Your surprise will be here shortly.’
‘What did you do?’ I hissed. He just grinned and saluted me as he headed for the door. ‘What did you do?’ I called, but he ignored me and strode off. ‘Damn it,’ I muttered. If he’d text my parents to tell them what I’d just been up to with him, I’d make sure he’d regret it. I quickly turned it back on and rapped my foot impatiently as it powered up, then checked my last message and swallowed hard. While I was sleeping, “I’d” managed to have a text conversation with Dale. ‘O shit, Logan,’ I sighed as I scrolled down to read the first one.
Dale, it’s Eve. I’m so sorry that I turned you down all those times you asked me out. I’m ashamed to admit that I was worried about what my parents would think if it came out that we were dating. You see I’m not just Eve Myers, I’m Lady Eve Myers and my family have certain expectations when it comes to a boyfriend for me, but I’ve decided screw them. I don’t want the sort of guy they deem suitable, I want you, I’ve wanted you since the moment I first set eyes on you. I can’t stop thinking about you, fantasising about you and I don’t care whether my family approves or not. I’d be honoured if you’d forgive me for my short sightedness and meet me at seven-thirty at Mimosa’s in Chelsea to talk. If at the end of it you feel inclined to ask me out again, be assured that this time I’ll say yes. Eve x
I’ll be honest too then. After we met one of Nevada 6 told me who you were, but that’s not why I asked you out, Eve. I wanted you as soon as I saw you too. If I come you’d better be there and not have changed your mind again. Dale
You’ve no idea how happy you’ve just made me. I’ll be here, I promise, on Jax Teller’s life, pre-season seven that is, and you must know that’s a serious promise for a Sons of Anarchy biker loving girl like me ;-)
Damn, if you’re swearing on Jax’s life, pre-dramatic death, you really are serious! Seven-thirty then, looking forward to it Lady Myers. Your dirty bit of rough on the side ;-) x
O Dale, you have no idea how dirty and rough I love it! Can’t wait to see you x
Wow, I so struck lucky grinding against your backside that night. Some lady you are! See you then love x
See you then hot stuff! x
‘Logan bloody Steele,’ I laughed as I shook my head. Part of me wanted to be mad at him, part of me was thankful that he’d taken the step that I desperately wanted to, but was too scared to.
‘Who’s Logan bloody Steele?’ came a strong cockney accent. I took a quick intake of air as my heart started beating wildly.
‘No one you ever have to worry about,’ I smiled, as I looked up into the chocolate brown eyes of my very own gorgeous biker, one I hadn’t had to pay for.
‘So, we doing this or what?’ he demanded, as he shoved a hand through his unruly blond hair.
‘Talking? Sure,’ I nodded, feeling oddly nervous.
‘I meant the kissing thing, I have some seriously good memories of kissing you and right now my memory tank’s running empty and needs topping up.’ He grabbed my hand, sparks of energy flowing up my arm as he yanked me up
out of the booth, against his hard body. He grasped my face and kissed me properly, tongue and all. I flung my arms around his neck as I kissed him back just as forcefully, not caring that we were in an upper class eatery, I’d waited too long to do this to care. We laughed as there was a round of applause as we finally broke apart panting. Dale nudged me back into the leather booth and sat next to me.
‘Wow,’ I sighed. ‘Tell me you’re free this morning?’
‘For you I’m free all day, and night,’ he added with a wink, making me laugh. ‘What do you have in mind, love? Rough and dirty?’
‘Actually rough may well be the theme of the morning, if you’re feeling brave?’
‘I wouldn’t have contacted you after that first night if I wasn’t. So?’
‘My bodyguard Kane will be meeting me here at nine o’clock and I’d like you to come with us to meet my parents.’
‘Holy shit,’ he muttered. ‘Already? They’ll freak won’t they?’
‘Yes, but I don’t want to see you in secret, if we’re doing this it’s upfront and above board and if they don’t like it, well … tough,’ I nodded, shaking internally. I had a feeling Dale and I would work out just fine, but Logan was right, it was time to break the mould, to show them who I really was and if I didn’t do it now, I was liable to lose my nerve.
‘Kane’s the guy who hauled me off you by the scruff of my neck?’ he asked with a frown.
‘Yes,’ I grimaced. ‘Too much?’
‘Please, for a bad boy like me? Doesn’t every Princess need to have a Prince ready to fight a dragon to win her over?’
‘Hardly a Princess,’ I laughed, as a warm feeling spread through my body to know he was in. ‘But you don’t need to win me over, you already have,’ I advised, as I pulled him to me by his battered leather jacket collar and kissed him again, thanking God for the incredible Logan Steele.
Client Evaluation
Logan
I smiled as an email came in from Eve, while I waited for James with my bags outside Ray’s garage. He’d done a run to drop her belongings to her, while I headed back here on the bike and tidied up.
I could have killed you when I read those messages, but now I just want to thank you, sincerely. He came. We’re going to try this and you’ll be proud of me, I’m taking him back to meet my parents, may as well go flat out and try and drag my parents out of their cave and into the 21st century eh? Thanks again for an amazing fantasy, I have a feeling you may have just set me up with an even better reality. You’re one amazing man Logan. I hope she realises that and you get your HEA too. With fondest regards and thanks. Eve
Wow, I hoped they’d date, I hadn’t expected her to have the balls to take it one step further, good on her for following her heart. Though was I that transparent when Summer was mentioned last night? I sighed again at the thought of her, but was distracted as the Merc’s tyres rumbled along the cobbles towards me. James pulled up, then jumped out to take my bag.
‘Did you have a pleasant evening, Sir?’ he asked as we drove off.
‘I’ve had better, but I’ve most definitely had worse,’ I confirmed, as I thought about Summer’s virgin for the night booking and then Yasmin Taylor’s filthy for the night one. Both at complete and opposite ends of the spectrum. I couldn’t wait to get home and shower again, to get the smell of Eve off me. There was nothing wrong with her at all, she wasn’t a vile creature like Camilla Domville, or fake and vapid like Yasmin Taylor, she was your usual run of the mill nice girl with too much money to burn who, due to her upbringing, believed she’d never be able to fulfil her biker fantasy in real life, until I pushed her in the right direction. But she wasn’t Summer. I had sex with Eve twice, and even though I’d faked coming both times, because she wasn’t my angel, I felt like I’d cheated on her, which was ridiculous. It seemed we were nothing, so why did I feel so disgusted with myself?
Eve was somewhere in the middle of the bliss and the horror range, she was a client that I wouldn’t block and delete, though I wouldn’t necessarily look forward to my appointments with her, not like I had with Ava Renshaw, my ménage for the night client. I guessed I had some morals, I liked women who came to me out of necessity, due to inexperience or neglect. I much preferred them than the women who just wanted sex for the sake of it, especially when they were already getting it elsewhere, or at least had the means to. I pulled my phone out of my pocket again and stared at Eve’s file, amazed at the guilt that washed over me again. Summer and I weren’t anything. She hadn’t called me, I was free to do what I wanted. Except I wasn’t sure sleeping with women for money was what I wanted, not if I was going to feel so dirty every damn time. With the exception of Ava and Summer, I could honestly say that in the last two years I hadn’t enjoyed myself fully with any client.
‘James, did Summer say anything that morning you drove her home?’
‘She was … rather distressed, Sir. Very tearful, so I gave her some privacy. Other than thanking me and trying to give me some money for helping with her bags and flowers at the hotel, she didn’t say anything until I dropped her home.’
‘She kept her flowers?’ I thought I understood women, clearly not as well as I’d thought, if she wanted nothing to do with me, why keep them? When women were pissed off they normally binned flowers in a fit of temper.
‘She insisted on carrying them herself, to ensure that they weren’t damaged. I caught her smelling them and smiling. She did ask me an interesting question as I dropped her at her parents’ door.’
‘She did?’ I sat up a little straighter, as I tilted my head to hear him better over the purr of the engine.
‘She asked if I truly believed that you were a good man, that you could be taken at your word,’ he nodded. I raised my eyebrows as I waited for him to add his response.
‘And?’ I prompted when it wasn’t forthcoming.
‘Well I didn’t think my response to her needed stating, Sir.’
‘Consider it does need stating, James.’
‘I assured her that with the exception of Mr. Davenport, no one I knew rivalled you for your decency, and if you had implied that she was more to you than just a client, then you were being genuine and heartfelt. I told her that she could trust in both you and your feelings for her, without reservation, because regardless of your rather … colourful choice in career, if my youngest daughter were to bring home a man like you, I would be more than happy to give my blessing for her to continue dating you. Should I not have said anything? Have I crossed a line?’
‘No, James, as ever you always know the right thing to say and I can’t begin to thank you for your faith in me.’
‘I’ve grown very fond of you, Sir.’
‘As have I, of you.’
‘You’ve no idea what that means to me, Sir.’
‘Nor to me, James, you’re a very special man. I’m a little concerned that we’re starting to sound rather gay though.’
‘We are rather,’ James chuckled. I waited a while, not sure if I wanted to hear the answer to the next question in my mind.
‘Did she say anything in return to you?’ I asked eventually.
‘Just that it was nice to have her feelings reaffirmed by someone who knew you better than she did. She seemed a lot brighter as she said goodbye and closed the door.’
‘Thanks,’ I replied, as I rubbed my hands over my eyes. I just didn’t get it. All the signs said that she was upset that we’d decided not to take our sexual relationship further, that she really did feel something for me, something more than friendship, that she believed what I was telling her, that she was more to me than one of my clients. So why hadn’t she contacted me? Even if she’d lost my number, she had my email address. I’d been prepared to cancel all bookings for her, even if we were only going to be friends, for however long it would have taken for her to finally trust me, which for a sexual guy like me was one hell of a big deal. The minute I thought I’d lost her, I’d tried to revert back to being emotionally detached, going b
ack to my life as it was before I met her, but Summer had opened the sluice gates and now my emotions were flowing freely, I couldn’t seem to turn them off. I punched the back of the passenger seat in frustration, forgetting I’d already fucked up my knuckles yesterday and grimaced at the sting of the leather sticking to my still raw flesh. James said nothing, just kept his eyes on the road ahead. He knew when he could push me for answers and he knew now wasn’t the time.
I leaned back in the seat, tipping my head back onto the headrest as I closed my eyes. I was screwed. I wasn’t going to get over Summer quickly, I knew that, but if sleeping with clients and faking coming was going to make me feel like this, it seemed fucking her out of my system wasn’t going to work either. I may have lost her, but maybe she was my wake up call. She’d been sent as a reminder of what life could be like, how being with someone I really cared for could feel. I’d been young and impressionable when I got into this business, I was only twenty-four at the time and the lifestyle and money spun my head, at the time it was more important than settling down and going steady.
I really believe if I hadn’t met Summer I’d have happily carried on for years, oblivious that maybe I’d want something more, but I had. I had to accept that she’d changed me, she’d made me focus on what was important in life. Maybe taking a break from this gig would do me good. Trey could look after my client bank, I trusted him. The deal we’d agreed when I transferred over some of my excess clients, when applied to all my current ones, would ensure my savings were substantially topped up for the foreseeable future. I had my personal training business I ran from my basement, which gave me an above average income. I had no debts of any kind, my apartment, a sexy sports car, my motorbike and all the clothes and watches I’d ever need. I also knew that I could go and work at Davenport Technologies if ever I was really struggling, he’d nagged me often enough and said the door was always open. I let out a large sigh.
For the Night - Complete Box Set Page 39
