I could see that strength in his parents too. After the trauma they went through and having to leave their old life behind, they remained positive, upbeat, and caring. If I didn't know, I'd have no idea they were anything but a normal, middle-class family as we got up for breakfast the next morning and prepared for our camping trip.
"Sleep well, dears?" his mother asked with a smile.
"Like babies," I replied, returning her smile.
Logan's dad grumbled a good morning as he helped his wife peel potatoes for hash browns. I got the sense that he felt he didn't do enough to protect her when the attackers came, as the patriarch of the family. It must have been a blow to his pride but thank God Logan was there.
"How far is the peak?" I asked.
"A few hours' hike," Logan replied after swallowing a mouthful of eggs. "We'll get there with plenty of daylight to set up camp and enjoy the views."
His hand snaking under the table to grab a handful of my hip told me he wasn't talking about the views of the mountains.
I playfully swatted him away but an excited shiver raced across my skin. I've never had sex outdoors, or even in a tent. The thought of doing more brand new things with Logan made it all the more exciting.
"Do you know where you're going?" I asked as we set off after breakfast, a backpack on my shoulders and a walking stick in my hand, following Logan's lead into a seemingly random direction into the dense forest.
"I used to run up to Westbrook Peak every day as a kid," he answered, keeping his pace slow enough for me to walk alongside him. "On the opposite side of the mountain from here is the small town of Quiet Creek. That's where I grew up."
"Small town boy, huh?"
"Only 700 residents last I checked. By the time I got to college, I was desperate to get out. Never thought I'd crave the big open sky and smell of pine trees again."
"That does sound peaceful. Is there a shortage of breweries out here?" I asked half-jokingly but immediately wished I bit my tongue. While Logan and I seemed to be getting closer and more serious, I didn't want to make any presumptions about moving out here with him.
But he just smiled as he glanced over at me. "There's a shortage of everything here besides big sky and pine trees."
We continued on as the sun rose higher. Though still well shaded from the trees, I made sure to apply sunscreen every couple of hours. Lesson learned after twenty-three years of having Irish skin.
Logan was more than happy to help me apply it, sneaking kisses and gropes while he was at it.
Thankfully the hike wasn't too strenuous and we stopped frequently to snack, drink water, and make out while applying sunscreen.
"Oh my gosh, deer!" I shrieked and pointed which promptly caused the gorgeous doe and two adorable fawns to bound weightlessly away through the brush. They were so beautiful and appeared so suddenly, I couldn't help but make noise and they were gone in a flash.
Logan laughed at my exclamation. "Have you never seen deer in the city?"
"No! I mean, grazing along the highway but I've never seen a family just living peacefully out here. It was beautiful."
"The babies are pretty cute," Logan admitted as we continued our hike up the peak. "They're pretty shy around people but this is the best time of year to see them."
"A shame they're so delicious," I joked, recalling the delicious venison from last night.
"We never hunt the females," Logan said with a smile. "They're the precious givers of life."
"Damn right."
Logan stopped so suddenly, I nearly crashed into his backpack.
"We're here," he said.
I stepped around him to look and gazed in awe at the beauty that surrounded us.
We came to the edge of a cliff with a rushing river several feet below. Across the ravine stood a huge, majestic mountain that could have been on a postcard. The sun was just beginning to set over the opposite side, lighting up the landscape in a warm, golden glow.
And directly in front of us, a clearing right at the edge of the cliff with stones arranged in a circle. In the center of the circle sat a pile of grey ash.
"This is my secret camping spot," Logan said, setting down his backpack. "I built this fire pit myself as a teenager and must've lit hundreds of fires here."
"It's absolutely beautiful," I breathed. All the colors, sounds and textures of nature felt so brilliant and vivid like I was standing in the middle of a painting.
"Want to set up the tent?" Logan asked me with a kiss. "I'll chop wood for a fire."
I'd never set up a tent in my life but I got the hang of it pretty quickly. Logan proved to be an excellent distraction with his wood chopping, though. Before long, his shirt came off and I openly gawked at his display of raw masculinity.
The long shadows cast by the setting sun illustrated the valleys and ridges of muscles in his back and arms. His skin shimmered with the light coat of sweat that resulted from his effort.
Up and down his arms swung, unleashing his coiled-up strength and power. I could have watched him forever if he wasn't mine to touch and enjoy that body all I wanted.
He's mine. He really is.
The thought bubbled joyfully in me as I finished the tent and arranged our blankets and sleeping bags around the fire pit.
"I don't think you could have been any hotter if you were in a strip club," I said, handing him a beer as he sat down.
He guzzled his drink down thirstily and smiled. "I may have planned to do that."
"Show off."
I leaned over to kiss him, not minding the salty taste of his sweat but enjoying it. And to think just a few days ago, I was so afraid to even attempt kissing him. Now it felt as natural and comforting as my own breath.
Logan showed me how to set up the logs for a campfire just as the sun began to dip below the horizon. Once dusk arrived, our fire roared with light and life.
Wrapped up in a blanket with Logan as the crickets began to chirp and the forest melted into darkness, I could not imagine being any happier or cozier.
And still, Andy's threats scratched at the back of my mind.
I could never truly relax until that situation was somehow settled. Even if nothing could be done, Logan deserved to know about it.
I sat between his crossed legs, facing our beautiful fire with my back against his chest and his strong arms that provided our fire wrapped around me. When I looked up at him he gazed peacefully at the fire, the reflecting flames dancing in his eyes before he looked down at me.
"You're so fucking beautiful, Aubrey."
His mouth claimed mine before I could respond. I closed my eyes to savor his kiss, as I had to for every single one of them. He tasted like a sweet mixture of dark beer and the s'mores we just ate.
God, why would I ruin this moment, this whole beautiful trip, by bringing up Andy? He doesn't deserve a single thought. But this man deserves all I can give and more.
"Look at the sky," Logan commanded when his lips broke from mine.
I turned my gaze skyward and the beauty of it nearly brought tears to my eyes.
I never saw so many stars in a single sky. It looked covered in glitter from being so brilliantly illuminated by all those celestial bodies millions of light-years away. In my peripheral vision ,I saw a shooting star as well.
"I want you under the stars."
Logan's breath warmed my ear and traveled down the side of my neck. Shivers danced over my skin but my core roared with a hungry heat that rivaled our campfire.
I turned in his lap to face him and kissed him with a needy thirst, with every feeling and emotion I felt for him up to that point.
As our clothes peeled off layer by layer, I never felt the cold from the wild, open air around us. Our passion ignited like a bomb and connected us as though we were a single body.
Logan's hands and mouth never disconnected from my skin and they never expressed anything but vigor and need. They unfolded me, kneaded me and laid me bare under the stars.
He supported
me as I rode his thickness, just as I knew he would support me come hell or high water. I drove myself deeper down on his cock, never getting enough of how he penetrated not just my pussy but through me.
"Make yourself come," he commanded.
I rode him until my legs collapsed in exhaustion and the waves of pleasure clenched around his thick rod inside me. My eyes rolled upward as I climaxed and the beautiful night sky filled my vision again. It was absolutely surreal.
Logan laid me flat on my back, cradling my head gently in his hands as his mouth devoured me and his cock found new depths within me.
As we made love under the vast Montana sky, I swore it was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. We were not only one with each other but with the universe and nature as well. We connected in the one ultimate way to survive and create life.
Logan's long, sculpted torso pressed against me as he delivered his final deep thrust, and sealed his orgasm with a passionate, hungry kiss to my lips.
"I love you, Aubrey."
He whispered it against my mouth while still inside me, the two of us connected and one.
"You're the rarest gem and the most perfect person for me. I never want to let you go."
"I love you so much, Logan." It poured out of me like it had been sitting on the tip of my tongue for days, because it had.
We stayed wrapped up in each other's arms, relished in our love until the fire died down to embers. Before we moved into the tent for the night, I gave one final look up to the magical night sky that witnessed our love and passion.
Please don't take away this happiness I feel, I silently asked the celestial bodies above. Don't drag me down to hell again. Just let me keep this feeling.
CHAPTER 24
LOGAN
Me, in love.
I could hardly believe it myself. But every time I looked at Aubrey, I saw the truth for what it was.
She was the type of woman that men wrote poetry about and started wars over.
And she was mine. All mine.
She looked absolutely angelic as she napped on the plane ride back to California. Her sweet lips parted gently as she breathed deeply and evenly. Wisps of red hair spilled out over her pillow like the flames of our campfire.
What could be more intimate than making love out in the wilderness, under the stars and next to a fire? Every time I thought about how the light and shadows danced along her naked curves, I wanted to wake her up and bury my cock inside her again.
But we'd have all the time in the world for that. The rest of our lives, in fact.
Or so I hoped.
While she slept, I took the opportunity to browse engagement rings on my phone. Even though she deserved a golf ball sized rock, she probably wouldn't want one. My girl was pragmatic to a fault and it could get in the way while she was brewing.
As I scrolled through artisanal jewelers pages, immersed in a sea of glittering diamond and platinum bands, my phone kept pinging with frantic texts from Christian, urging me to call him. Truth be told, he'd been trying to get a hold of me the entire time we were in Montana. But Charlie was the last person I wanted to think about, especially after spilling my darkest secret to Aubrey.
I had to face the music at some point, though. So with a sigh, I called him up as I walked down the aisle to the minibar at the back of the plane so as to not disturb Aubrey.
"Wow, nice of you to pick up the phone," he said as a greeting, sounding thoroughly peeved. "I thought you dropped off the face of the earth."
"I was in Montana."
"Again? Weren't you just there?"
"I took Aubrey back to meet my folks."
"Oh...kay." He paused for a moment as his analytical lawyer brain connected the dots. "So much for not sticking your pen in company ink, eh?"
"This is different," I said as I mixed myself a martini and lowered my voice. "It's serious. I was just looking at rings before calling you."
"We-ell, never thought I'd see Mr. Big Bad Boss settling down."
"Me neither but hey, life throws you curve balls. So what's so urgent anyway?"
"Charlie's not agreeing to anything unless he gets a face-to-face meeting with you."
I nearly dropped my drink.
"The fuck?"
"That's what I said. I've been trying to negotiate with his attorney for a week and this is their only condition."
"He's not in a position to make any kind of fucking conditions! He's using my fucking business name!"
"I know, man. But doesn't it make you wonder why Charlie the Coward suddenly has balls of steel and wants to see you himself?"
I paused. He had a point. That in itself was curious. Especially considering Charlie must've known I'd break his jaw if he ever tried to personally fuck with me again.
"He thinks he's at my level," I said bitterly. "He thinks he's done something that's worth rubbing my face in."
"If you agree to this, I should definitely go with you," Christian urged. "Who knows what the hell he has up his sleeve."
"I have a feeling he and I are going to end up alone at some point. Whatever it is, we'll settle it man-to-man."
Christian sighed through the phone and I knew he was rubbing his temples.
"You know it's a pain in my ass when you get hot-headed but I'll back you up no matter what."
"Thanks, man. Good thing you're a great fucking lawyer."
"I hope Aubrey cools your ass down a little. I can only bail you out for beating ass so many times."
I laughed as I turned to look at my little spitfire, still asleep and stretched out in the luxurious leather armchair. I needed to wake that gorgeous ass up with my cock as soon as I got off the phone.
"Not a chance. She's just as hot-headed as me, if not more." I licked my lips as I watched her turn over in her sleep. "And anyway, you know it's only Charlie I have beef with."
"Well, hopefully this is the meeting to end all meetings."
"No shit. Go ahead and set it up. Let's just get it over with."
"Alright. I'll be in touch."
I ended the call before Christian even finished his sentence. My dick had been raging to sink into Aubrey's sweet wetness for too long already. I needed to give it a release.
I pulled apart my belt buckle as I made my way back down the aisle toward her, admiring the shape of her body as she slept.
"Goddamnit."
I muttered the curse as I felt my phone buzz in my pocket again and yanked it out to see what the hell Christian wanted this time.
The message wasn't a text, but an email to my business address from a nonsensical name that I didn't recognize.
I would have marked it as spam immediately if the subject line didn't say, "Aubrey's Wild Side". I opened it and wished I hadn't.
There was no text in the body of the email. Only several picture attachments.
Each photo made me feel sicker and angrier than the last, but I couldn't stop myself from looking.
And for the first time in my life, I felt what could only be heartbreak.
CHAPTER 25
AUBREY
My eyes fluttered open slowly as the plane gently touched down onto solid ground.
I yawned and stretched lazily without a care in the world, smiling to myself at how content and cozy I felt.
I didn't mean to sleep on the plane but Logan left me absolutely exhausted. We fucked like mad the next morning of our camping trip, once more on the hike back to his parents' house, then nearly every second we were alone until getting back on the plane.
I was absolutely ravaged, spent, satisfied, and utterly in love. It was a wonderful feeling.
He wasn't in the main cabin when I sat up from my nap, so I figured he was back at the minibar or in the cockpit with his pilot.
I felt renewed and refreshed like nothing could stop me. Nothing could bring me down. The familiar California landscape looked brighter and more invigorating than it had before. Maybe the magic of Montana still filled my eyes as I viewed the world.<
br />
The plane came to a complete stop with still no sign of Logan. Slightly perturbed, I gathered my things and prepared to disembark, figuring I'd wait for him outside.
Only as I was about to step off did he emerge from the minibar, swaying slightly and with a hard scowl on his face.
"Hey, there you are," I said, moving in close and standing on tiptoe to kiss him. He stood like a statue and did not respond to my lips at all.
I stared at him, confused. His jaw was clenched and tense, his eyes narrowed and cold. Gone was the warmth, love, and affection I saw in them over the past few days. Something was clearly wrong.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"I called a second car with a driver to take you home," was his icy reply.
I blinked and raised my eyebrows, taken aback. I didn't mind going straight home but if he wanted space, he didn't need to be so callous about it.
"Okay. Do you have work to do today?"
"Don't fuck with me, Aubrey."
His voice came out bitter and harsh as he spat the words out. I didn't recognize the angry, sullen man standing before me and my head spun with confusion.
"What the fuck, Logan?" I demanded. "What's up with your attitude?"
His fist clenched at his side and I wondered briefly if he would swing at the wall, or even me. But instead, he pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to me.
"Is that you?"
I knew what it was before I even looked. My heart felt like it went through a cheese grater as my eyes fell on the screen.
Andy was even more of a slimeball that I could have possibly imagined.
Not only did he send them directly to Logan's email address, he doctored the images to include a realistic-looking timestamp. He dated it the day before Logan and I left for Montana. The day he originally sent them to me as part of his blackmail plan.
But the kicker? He Photoshopped barrels into the background, making it look like he took those disgusting pictures of me in the brewery.
"Tell me that isn't you."
Logan's voice was pleading, tinged with hurt and hope.
Big Bad Boss: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance Page 12
