His hand cupped the back of her head, drawing her closer until their breath mingled warmly and then their lips touched. She shivered at the connection, the promise of things to come.
Logan stared into her eyes as he brushed his mouth over hers in a slow, unhurried kiss that had heat balling in her tummy and little darts of fire licking along her skin.
She traced the tip of her tongue across the seam of his lips. He groaned softly and tightened his fingers in her hair, pulling her even closer. She trembled as he angled his head to deepen the kiss, sweeping his silky tongue inside her mouth. The erotic caress left her damp and throbbing between her legs.
She sucked on his tongue, the delicious taste of him exploding in her mouth. He shivered and sucked her tongue right back. And then they were holding each other tight and kissing with a sort of desperate frenzy, unable to tear their mouths apart.
With a rough sound, Logan pulled her up to straddle him. She gasped at the feel of her bottom pressed against his hard thighs and even harder cock. She wiggled her hips, instinctively rubbing her mound over him.
“Dios,” he rasped against her lips.
Straddling him, knees digging into the cushion, she ran her hands up his stubble-rough jaw and plunged them into his short silky hair. She felt him shudder before he made a sweetly anguished sound that reverberated through her body and touched off a firestorm in her blood.
With uncharacteristic recklessness, she chucked common sense out the window and surrendered her inhibitions as Logan kissed her deeper, his tongue stroking hers, his big hands sliding down her back to cup her ass and press her against his massive erection. She moaned with pleasure and pushed her breasts against his chest, increasing the contact between them.
Gasping, he broke the kiss to drag his mouth along her jaw and down to the hollow of her throat, where he nibbled and sucked the rapidly beating pulse there. Sensations rippled through her, nearly robbing her of breath.
She gripped his hair as her hips started moving, grinding on his cock.
He groaned against her neck, the sound so raw and primitive that she shivered. She was swollen and wet and needy, her clitoris throbbing and her blood pounding wildly in her veins. She’d never craved any man as much as she craved the one beneath her.
His fingers dug into her bottom, holding her tightly against him as she rocked her hips into his hardness, cursing the barrier of clothing that separated them.
As if he’d read her mind, he tugged her shirt up and over her head, tossing it to the floor. She snatched off her glasses and flung them somewhere, not really caring where they landed.
Logan swallowed hard as he stared at her breasts swelling over the cups of her black bra, which was patterned with little pink flowers.
“Fuck, you’re gorgeous,” he whispered roughly.
Her nipples were so hard she thought they would poke holes through the cotton material. Pulse racing out of control, she reached behind her back to unclasp her bra, watching Logan’s dark eyes glitter as she peeled the scrap of fabric away.
Her breasts spilled out into his ready hands. She released a shivery moan as he slowly caressed the aching mounds of flesh. The friction of his callused fingers caused a delicious tightening deep within her womb.
He stared at her breasts with hungry fascination while gently tracing the outline of her dark areolas, using his thumbs to tease the puckered nipples. “So beautiful.” His voice was reverent, his gaze worshipful. “So exquisitely perfect.”
Leaning forward, he drew the whole tip of her left breast into his mouth.
Gasping, she let her head fall back as pleasure sizzled through her like an electric jolt, shooting down through her stomach and plucking at her clit.
He stroked her nipple with his tongue, sucking it to an even stiffer peak before biting into the sensitive flesh.
“Oh God,” she groaned, arching backward with her arms twisted around his neck. She wanted him to pull off her leggings and soaked panties. She wanted to feel the hot stroke of his tongue between her thighs, on the throbbing nub of her clit.
His mouth moved to her other breast, tormenting her nipple and making it ache with a need she’d never known before.
She was on the verge of begging him to screw her when he popped her nipple out of his mouth, then toppled her onto her back and sprawled heavily on top of her. Her breasts were flattened beneath his chest, his thick erection throbbing against her stomach. She slid a leg up around his waist, groaning when he grabbed a handful of her ass and squeezed.
She writhed beneath him as their mouths met and parted feverishly, tongues stroking and swirling. She wrapped her other leg and both her arms around him, locking him in place as he ground his hips into that most needy part of her.
She was aching for him. Aching so bad she thought she would go insane if she couldn’t feel the heated length of his erection thrusting into her, riding her to orgasm.
He lifted his head, breath ragged, eyes burning fiercely. “Let’s find a bed and do this properly.”
The growled words had her womb spasming.
“Yes,” she agreed without hesitation. “Take me upstairs.”
He reared up from the couch, lifting her with him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tightened her legs around his waist, her hips rocking against his heavy erection.
He groaned, maneuvering around a recliner as he carried her across the room.
Just as they reached the stairs, they heard the loud crash of glass shattering on the floor above them.
Meadow gasped as Logan stopped in his tracks and stared down at her, his lids heavy, chest heaving.
She licked her lips and tentatively called up the stairs, “Aunt Rosalie?”
“Sorry,” her aunt called back in a slightly slurred voice. “I was just getting some wine and the glass slipped out of my hand. Didn’t mean to disturb you.”
Meadow and Logan stared at each other, the fog slowly clearing from their lust-saturated brains.
“You should probably go.” Meadow could hear the regret in her voice and see it in his eyes as he reluctantly nodded.
She trembled as he put her down, letting her slide down the length of his body until she found her feet. But he didn’t immediately let her go.
“Wanna come back to my place so we can finish this?” he said in a smoky murmur.
Everything inside her screamed Hell yes!
But common sense prevailed. “I’d better not,” she whispered, crossing her arms over her naked breasts.
His eyes gleamed wickedly and his lips quirked. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
“No, I suppose not.” Trying to ignore the gnawing ache festering inside her, she crossed the room to grab her T-shirt off the floor and put it back on. She tucked her bra into the waistband of her leggings, found her glasses and fumbled them onto her face.
“Can you get my phone?” Logan drawled.
She grabbed his phone off the coffee table and walked back over to give it to him. Then she glanced up the stairs, listening for any sounds. Hearing none, she assumed her aunt had gone back to her room.
“I think the coast is clear,” she told Logan.
“Lead the way.” He followed her up the stairs and down the hall to the front door.
Before she could unlock it, he hugged her close and murmured against her hair, “In case I haven’t already said it, I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me, too,” she whispered into his chest.
She’d never meant anything more in her life.
Chapter Fifteen
MEADOW
* * *
When meadow walked into the kitchen later that morning, her aunt was standing at the French doors cradling a mug of coffee as she stared out across the backyard.
“Good morning,” Meadow greeted her.
Aunt Rosalie glanced over her shoulder and gave her a tired smile. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Like a rock.” Meadow poured herself a cup of coffee and joined he
r aunt at the French doors. “How was the charity gala?”
“It was lovely. Practically all of Denver’s movers and shakers were there, including Hunter Duchene.”
“Really? Hunter was there?”
“Yes, but that’s not surprising. I’ve seen him at other charity galas. He’s involved in a number of philanthropic projects, and he serves on various leadership councils here and back in Canada.”
“Wow,” Meadow said warmly. “I’m impressed.”
“Oh, he’s very impressive. But so are many of his teammates—particularly Logan, Reid Holden and Viggo Sandström. They’re all very active in the community, and during the offseason they run a youth hockey camp that I’m planning to enroll Cam in next year when he turns six.” Rosalie smiled. “Of the four of them, I think Hunter’s the only one who feels totally in his element at these high-society galas. He’s very polished and sophisticated. When you talk to him, you forget that he’s a professional athlete. I’m not suggesting that athletes are dumb, but few can carry on an intellectual conversation the way Hunter can.” Her lips twitched. “If I were fifteen years younger, he’d be in trouble.”
“I doubt it,” Meadow said with a chuckle. “You’ve always had a thing for older men. The gray hair at the temples makes you weak in the knees.”
“Every single time.” Her aunt sighed. “It stems from my teenage crush on my brother’s best friend. If he’d ever given me the time of day, I would have run off with him in a heartbeat.”
Meadow laughed and sipped from her steaming cup. Aunt Rosalie wasn’t the best cook, but she made a mean pot of coffee.
She watched as her aunt rubbed her temples and winced. “What’s wrong?”
“I had a bit too much to drink last night. Don’t tell your father,” she added wryly.
Meadow grinned. “Your secret’s safe with me. Do you want me to pick up Cam from Jaxon’s house?”
“No, that’s okay. We can go together and take him to get ice cream since it’s supposed to be pretty warm today.”
“Oh, he’ll like that.” Meadow smiled and sipped more coffee, studying her aunt’s troubled profile. “Is something else bothering you? Besides the hangover?”
Rosalie’s fingers tightened around her coffee mug. “Cam’s father called me before the gala last night.”
Meadow instinctively tensed. Rosalie’s conversations with her ex-husband rarely ended well. “What did he say?”
“He wanted to tell me that he enjoyed having Cam last week. So much so that he’s thinking of suing me for full custody.”
“What?” Meadow exclaimed in disbelief. “He can’t do that!”
“He can, unfortunately.”
“But he shouldn’t!”
“Since when has that ever stopped him?” Rosalie said with bitter cynicism. “We’re talking about the same man who was caught in bed with another woman. Even after getting caught bare-assed, he had the audacity to demand the house as part of the divorce settlement because his mistress wanted to live there.” She snorted harshly. “Gibson has never had any qualms about doing things he damn well shouldn’t.”
Meadow frowned, her chest tightening with renewed fury. “I’m glad he didn’t get the house.”
“So am I. Of course,” her aunt said sardonically, “I only wanted the house so I could burn it to the ground. I probably would have done just that if Trish hadn’t talked me out of it. She told me to sell the house, take the money and start over in a new home where Cam and I could create new memories.”
Meadow smiled. “I’m glad you listened to her. I love this house. It’s so warm and cozy, and it feels more like a home than that McMansion you and Gibson had.” She brought her cup to her mouth and paused. “I’m also relieved you took her advice because you would have gone to prison for arson, and seeing you in an orange jumpsuit would have been super depressing. You know orange is not your color.”
They both laughed, enjoying the moment of levity.
Drinking her coffee, Meadow stared out the window at the elaborate tree house built into a big old spruce tree. Boasting two stories, a rooftop deck and a rope swing, the tree house was the perfect hideout for a young boy and his boundless imagination.
“What makes Gibson think he deserves full custody of Cam?” she groused.
Her aunt scowled. “He says he can give him a more stable home life. He pointed out that I get home late every night because I do the ten o’clock news, so Cam has to stay with a sitter until I get off work.”
“But I’m here now,” Meadow protested. “So you don’t have to pay a sitter to watch Cam anymore.”
“That’s what I told him. It didn’t make a difference. He insists that Cam would be better off with him and his floozy of a wife.” Rosalie’s lips twisted bitterly. “The son of a bitch barely waited for the ink to dry on our divorce papers before he married her.”
Meadow gnashed her teeth together. Gibson Harlow was a rotten, despicable bastard. It was bad enough that he’d been caught cheating. Now he wanted to take Cameron away from his mother?
“Cam belongs here with you,” Meadow said unequivocally. “And there’s absolutely nothing ‘unstable’ about the life you’ve made for him. He attends an excellent private school, he has a ton of friends, he’s enrolled in all sorts of extracurricular activities.” She gestured out the window. “He even has a tree house, for Pete’s sake!”
Rosalie shook her head, fighting back tears. “Gibson says my busy career makes it easy for me to neglect Cameron—”
“He can’t be serious!” Meadow was so outraged she could feel steam pouring out of her ears. “I was a CPS caseworker. I know what neglected children look like. The words ‘Cameron’ and ‘neglected’ don’t even belong in the same breath! Your son is a very healthy, happy, well-adjusted boy. And you are an amazing mother, so don’t let that bastard tell you any different!”
Rosalie sniffled and smiled at her with teary eyes. “You don’t know how much it means to me to have you here.”
Meadow smiled tenderly and gave her a tight hug, careful not to spill their coffee.
When they pulled apart, Rosalie dabbed at her wet eyes and gave her an endearing smile. “Thanks for the listening ear.”
“Anytime.” Meadow grinned lopsidedly. “It’s the least I can do since you refuse to let me pay rent.”
Rosalie waved her off. “I don’t need your money. One of the benefits of being the wronged party in a divorce is receiving a generous alimony and child support. I took that cheating bastard to the cleaners so Cam and I would never want for anything.” She tweaked Meadow’s nose and smiled. “Save your money and start building a nest egg for your future.”
Meadow nodded, finishing her coffee. “I’ll start looking for my own place once I’m more settled.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” Rosalie objected, clucking her tongue in motherly disapproval. “This is your home, and I want you to stay here as long as you like. In fact, the only acceptable reason for you to leave is if you’re moving in with your husband.”
Meadow’s face grew inexplicably warm before she turned away and walked to the sink to rinse out her empty mug.
Her aunt joined her. “I’m keeping my sitter. We have a good arrangement, and she’s a college student so she really needs the money. As much as I love and appreciate having you here, you didn’t move to Denver to become my nanny.”
“But—”
“But nothing. You and Cam can spend as much time together as you want, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your social life.” Rosalie affectionately bumped her shoulder against Meadow’s. “You’re young, beautiful and childless. Live it up while you can. Capisci?”
Meadow sighed in resignation. “I guess you’re not giving me a choice.”
“Nope. For your own good.” Rosalie grinned, giving her a hip bump this time. “I promised to take Cam to the movies tonight. You’re more than welcome to join us if you don’t have any special plans.”
Meadow sighed. “I would
have loved to go, but I’m attending a cocktail reception hosted by the local astronomical society.” She paused. “Logan’s going with me.”
“Is he, now?” A broad grin spread across her aunt’s face. “That sounds an awful lot like a date.”
“It’s not. We were supposed to be having dinner to celebrate my new job. But the cocktail reception came up, so we’re going to that instead.” Meadow shrugged, her cheeks heating again. “It’s no big deal.”
“Uh-huh.” Rosalie smiled, a knowing twinkle in her eyes. “I saw you guys cuddled up together on the couch last night.”
Meadow stared at her. “You did?”
“I sure did. While I was getting ready for the gala, the zipper on the back of my dress got stuck. So I went down to the basement to ask for your help. Imagine my surprise when I saw you and Logan fast asleep in each other’s arms. You looked so peaceful together. So warm and cozy and blissfully content.” Rosalie sighed. “I didn’t have the heart to wake you up.”
Meadow bit her lip and swallowed hard.
Rosalie wagged her eyebrows suggestively. “If you end up at Logan’s place after your date, I certainly wouldn’t blame you.”
“I’m not going to his place,” Meadow mumbled. “And it’s not a date.”
Her aunt laughed. “Whatever you say.”
* * *
After deliberating far too long, Meadow chose a black cocktail dress with spaghetti straps and a flirty hem that swished around her thighs. The clingy bodice was studded with tiny crystals that reminded her of the night sky. She paired the little dress with strappy black peep-toe heels and pulled her hair into a topknot.
As she surveyed her reflection in the mirror, she remembered what Wendi had told her about playing up her assets. Ignoring the advice, she applied minimal makeup and left her glasses on.
This is not a date, she reminded herself for the umpteenth time as she transferred a few items from her handbag to a small black satin clutch. Logan and I are just friends. Just because we’re insanely attracted to each other and we almost had sex on my first day back in town doesn’t change the fact that we’re just friends, and that’s all we’ll ever be.
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