Rosalie laughed. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you!”
They squealed and hugged, then broke apart and shared an ecstatic grin.
“What did he say?” Meadow demanded.
“He’s in town on business, and he wanted to know if I was free for dinner. I couldn’t say yes fast enough!”
They laughed and squealed some more.
“I’m so nervous and excited,” Rosalie confessed breathlessly. “I haven’t seen Barrett in eight years. I was still living in Vegas when he came home that weekend. He and Harris went out drinking to celebrate his divorce. I remember wishing I was brave enough to tell him how I felt about him. But I was afraid of being rejected, and I knew the timing sucked.”
Meadow smiled softly. “Barrett has always been my favorite of all Dad’s friends. He was so nice to me, he never forgot my birthday and he always brought me souvenirs from his travels.”
“I know,” Rosalie said with a dreamy smile. “He’s amazing.”
Meadow giggled. “You’ve still got it bad.”
“Tell me about it.” Rosalie sighed.
“Does Dad know Barrett’s in Denver?”
“No. And you’d better not say a word.”
Meadow pretended to zip her lips. “My lips are sealed.”
“Good girl.” Her aunt jumped up from the couch and did a little shimmy, as giddy as an adolescent with her first crush. “Let’s hit the mall while we’re out. I need to find something to wear for dinner.”
Meadow grinned. “You have a wardrobe full of designer clothes.”
“True, but I want to wear something new. Something new for a possible new beginning.”
Meadow’s grin softened into a smile. “I like the sound of that.”
“You and me both.” Rosalie beamed and pirouetted out of the room, turning Meadow’s smile into warm laughter.
* * *
She returned to logan’s penthouse shortly after five.
She was wearing a short-skirted, low-cut tangerine dress with strappy black high heels. She’d bought the outfit during her shopping excursion with her aunt. It wasn’t the kind of dress she would have picked out on her own, but she loved the way she looked and felt in it. Saucy, feminine and ultra sexy.
She parked in the secure garage and took the elevator up to Logan’s floor. When she reached his penthouse, she keyed in the access code. Before she could turn the doorknob, Logan yanked the door open and devoured her with a single scorching look that turned her bones to cinders.
“Fuck, you look amazing,” he growled.
“Why, thank you.” She gave him a coy smile and a deliberate once-over. “You don’t look half bad yourself.”
He was wearing a black button-down shirt that looked soft and expensive. His black slacks were tailored to hug his thick, powerful thighs. The black clothes strikingly accentuated his black hair and olive skin.
She gave him an appreciative whistle. “Not bad at all.”
“Get in here.” He plucked her off her feet, swung her around and kicked the door shut behind them.
Laughing breathlessly, she tossed her black purse on the foyer table, then wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips. He kissed her senseless, sucking the cotton candy gloss right off her lips. She kissed him back just as ravenously, losing herself in the taste and feel of him.
“Cariño,” he whispered between long, clinging kisses that tugged between her thighs. “I missed you.”
“I’ve only been gone a few hours,” she whispered back.
“Seven,” he corrected. “You’ve been gone seven hours. That’s more than a few.”
She sucked the tip of his tongue. “You were counting?”
“Always.” He lightly bit her lip. “You were gone way too long.”
“I’m sorry. We had more errands to run than we thought.” She smiled into his eyes, lacing her fingers behind his neck. “How are you gonna handle us being apart when you’re on the road?”
“Hell if I know. I’m trying not to think about it.” He ran his hands under the flouncy hem of her dress, palmed her bare cheeks and groaned. “You’re wearing a thong?”
“I am,” she purred.
“Fuck, woman.” He squeezed her ass. “Dinner might have to wait.”
She laughed. “But I’m hungry.”
“So am I.” He rubbed his erection against her crotch. “Can’t you tell?”
“Oh my. Yes indeed.” Her clit throbbed as she licked at the seam of his lips. “Feed me first. Then fuck me.”
He groaned, his cock jumping. “I love it when you talk dirty.”
She grinned, nibbling his bottom lip. “You’ve been a corrupting influence on me. Even my aunt noticed that I swear more than I used to.”
“Damn. I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.” She smiled teasingly as she kissed him, feeling the rush of heat from his lips. “Logan?”
“What, baby?”
“Why are you carrying me to your bedroom?”
He laughed softly. “Damn. I was hoping you wouldn’t notice.”
“Uh-huh. You tried it.”
He sighed and reversed direction, smiling between kisses as he carried her into the living room.
There was no trace of Tuesday’s violent maelstrom. Two days ago, his interior designer had showed up with a team to replace everything he’d destroyed, and a contractor had repaired the damaged drywall. If only it were as easy to mend Logan’s emotional scars.
“Let me get back in the kitchen.” He set her down, his hands resting on her waist as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “The sooner I feed you, the sooner I can eat.”
His dirty words caused a full body shiver, which made him laugh wickedly before he released her and headed toward the kitchen.
She smiled after him, admiring the way his ass looked in his black slacks. “Do you need any help?”
“Nah. Everything’s ready. I just need to do a couple more things.”
She sniffed the air appreciatively. “Whatever you made smells absolutely delicious.”
“Hope you like it.” She thought she detected a hint of nervousness in his voice. “Want some wine?”
“Mmm. I think I’ll wait until dinner.” She wandered from the living room, the click of her heels echoing in the enormous space. “I can’t get over your penthouse, Logan. Did you ever in your wildest dreams imagine that you’d be living in a place like this?”
His low chuckle drifted from the kitchen. “Can’t say I did.”
She smiled, passing a well-stocked wine cellar and a richly furnished library before reaching the entertainment wing. On the left was a state-of-the-art home theater. She went right, entering the spacious game room. There was a humongous flatscreen television, wet bar, gaming consoles, air hockey table, poker table and a pool table as the centerpiece. Thiago Cervantes’s autographed boxing gloves were enshrined in a glass case, illuminated by a spotlight.
Smile warming, Meadow wandered across the room for a closer look. Displayed beneath the gloves were two framed pictures that had been taken at the Bellagio last Saturday. One photo was of Logan and Thiago, their arms slung around each other’s shoulders. The other picture included Meadow, standing between the two men with a beaming smile.
“Who gave you permission to enter my man cave?”
She looked over her shoulder, her stomach automatically fluttering when she saw Logan standing in the doorway. He was watching her with a stern expression, arms folded across his big chest. But there was a glimmer of a smile in his eyes.
“I didn’t realize I needed permission to enter your man cave.” She turned slowly and gave him a challenging stare. “Now that I’m here, what’re you gonna do about it?”
His eyes roamed provocatively up and down her body. “I have a few ideas.”
“Mmm. I bet you do.” She slowly circled the pool table, running her finger along the green felt surface. “The thing is…ideas are just ideas.”
He prowl
ed toward her with lustful purpose in his gaze. “Meaning?”
“Talk is cheap.” She bent over the table, letting her cleavage spill over the low neckline of her dress.
Logan groaned appreciatively.
Reveling in his reaction, she smiled suggestively and bent lower, pretending to aim a cue stick at the neatly racked balls. Logan came up behind her, trapping her between the table and his hard-muscled body.
“Watch me sink the eight ball in the corner pocket,” she purred kittenishly.
He gave an amused snort. “You need to be holding an actual stick to sink any balls.”
She laughed coyly and flipped her hair to one side to expose her neck, knowing he wouldn’t be able to resist. Sure enough, he leaned down and licked her nape. She shivered and arched back against him, arousal tightening in her belly and curling her toes.
“Why are you teasing me?” he growled low in her ear. “Didn’t you say I should feed you before I fuck you?”
“Y-Yes,” she whispered breathlessly.
“Then why are you trying to seduce me?” He sank his teeth into her neck, making her cry out with pleasure. “Do you have any idea how much I want to rip this sexy little dress off your body, bend you over this table and bury myself balls-deep against your ass?”
She whimpered, little shudders racing down her spine with every word out of his mouth, every lash of his warm breath against her skin.
“Why so quiet?” he taunted, rubbing his nose against her nape. “Cat got your tongue?”
“No,” she said in a breathy voice. “I was just wondering…”
“Wondering what?”
“Can you teach me how to play pool?”
“Oh, now you want to learn? Santino tried to teach you fifteen years ago. You weren’t interested, remember?”
She grinned. “That was then. This is now.”
“Uh-huh.” He nuzzled the spot where her neck met her shoulder, turning her body into a trembling mass of sensation.
She peeked over her shoulder at him. “So what do you say? Will you teach me?”
“Um-hmm. I’ll teach you.” He took her earlobe between his teeth, sucking it. “I’ll teach you anything you want.”
Arousal thickened inside her, dampening her lacy thong. She bit her twitching lip. “Um, I’m good on everything else—”
He swatted her ass, making her laugh.
“Such a damn tease.” His voice was a sexy grumble at her ear. “I can’t wait to fuck you on this table. Oh, baby, we just might break it before we’re good and done.”
Her thighs trembled so hard she had to lock her knees just to keep standing.
“I…um—” Her voice stuttered out as he slid his hand under her dress, caressing her leg before moving slowly to the inside of her thighs. Hot shivers of electricity shot through her sex as he began rubbing his thumb over the damp crotch of her thong.
She closed her eyes, trying to recapture her train of thought. “We should probably—”
“What?” He brushed the scanty fabric aside and slicked his thumb over her pulsing clit. She sucked in a breath and arched her back, her fingers curling into the edge of the pool table. Pressing his mouth to the hollow below her ear, he whispered tauntingly, “We should what?”
“Eat,” she whimpered as more shudders quaked through her. “We should go eat before the food gets cold.”
He laughed devilishly and kissed the side of her neck. “Don’t start something you can’t finish.”
She grinned helplessly as he nudged her thong back in place and smoothed her dress down. Then he took her hand and led her from the room, teasing her some more as he guided her down the hall and up the sweeping staircase to the private rooftop skydeck.
It wasn’t her first time up there so she’d already been blown away by the outdoor kitchen, hot tub and wet bar surrounded by breathtaking panoramic views.
She was in for another big surprise when she stepped outside and saw what was waiting for her.
There was a cozy table for two in front of the fireplace. It was covered with a white tablecloth and lit by flickering candles. Silver warming dishes were arranged on a linen-draped side table. White paper lanterns were scattered around the deck. Their soft flames added to the enchanting glow of the moon and the firelight.
It was such an incredibly beautiful, romantic setting that Meadow could only whisper in awe, “Ohh…Logan. I…I’m speechless.”
He gave her a twinkling smile. “I hope that won’t last through dinner.”
“It might,” she laughed, gazing around in delighted amazement. “I’m feeling pretty awestruck.”
Chuckling, he leaned down and kissed her temple. “Come on, gorgeous. Your table awaits.”
Soft music played in the background as he escorted her to the table and pulled out a chair for her, winking as she sat down.
He pushed her chair in, unfolded a linen napkin and placed it in her lap with an elegant flourish. Then he leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, his eyes twinkling as he whisper-crooned against her mouth, “Someday, when I’m awfully low…When the world is cold...I will feel a glow just thinking of you…and the way you look tonight.”
“Oh my.” She melted into a shivery puddle, feeling thoroughly romanced. “You’re very good at this wining and dining.”
“Only for you, cariño. Only for you.” He smiled and uncorked a bottle of wine that looked expensive. He poured them each a glass, then sat down across from her.
She felt a little hot and breathless just looking at him.
He raised his glass to her, his dark eyes gleaming in the firelight. “To you and me. Long may we love.”
She smiled softly and raised her glass. “Long may we love.”
They clinked glasses across the table, their gazes clinging as they drank.
“Mmm,” Meadow murmured appreciatively. “This wine is amazing. What is it?”
“Catena Zapata Estiba Reservada. It’s a Bordeaux blend from Nicolás Catena, who pretty much invented Argentina’s premium wine industry.”
“Really?” Impressed, Meadow took another sip, savoring the rich flavor before swallowing. “So delicious.”
“Glad you like it.” Logan retrieved a platter from the side table and set it down between them. “Let’s start with an appetizer.”
“Ooh! Are those empanadas?”
“Sí, señorita.” Logan used fancy silver tongs to add two empanadas to her plate as he explained, “Empanadas Mendocinas are traditional Argentinian empanadas filled with beef, onions, paprika, hot pepper, cumin, oregano, hard-boiled egg and olives.”
“Mmm. Sounds delish.” Meadow picked up an empanada and admired the decorative crimped edge. Then she bit into the flaky pastry, humming in appreciation. “That is scrumptious. Wow.”
Logan looked pleased. “You like it?”
“Are you kidding? It’s incredible.” She took another bite, giving him an awed look. “Did you make these yourself?”
“I did.” His eyes glinted at her. “Are you impressed?”
“Beyond impressed.” She ate the last bit of empanada, delicately licked the juices off her fingers and made a satisfied sound. “You are truly a man of many talents, Logan Brassard.”
He gave her a sexy wink. “Isn’t that what I’ve been telling you?”
She laughed. “I guess I should start listening.”
They finished the platter of empanadas between lazy sips of wine, never taking their eyes off each other as the romantic music serenaded them in the background.
The appetizer was followed by a traditional Argentinian salad that combined hearts of palm, avocado and tomato with a fresh lime-cilantro dressing. Meadow was in culinary heaven.
“And now the main course.” Logan set a steaming plate in front of her.
“Yummm.” Her mouth watered as she stared down at the aromatic food. “What’s this?”
“Milanesa. The unofficial national dish in Argentina.”
“Really?” Meadow grinned. �
�I must say, I’m totally loving the theme of tonight’s dinner.”
He winked. “I aim to please.”
“Oh, you have. Very much.”
He grinned and motioned to her plate. “Milanesa is basically a thin steak or veal cutlet that’s breaded and fried. I wanted to fancy it up so I topped it with tomato sauce, ham and cheese—Milanesa Napolitana.” He paused, suddenly seeming nervous. “Try it.”
“With pleasure.” Meadow picked up her knife and fork, cut into the tender beef and took a bite. The explosion of flavor almost made her swoon.
“Well?” Logan watched her anxiously. “What do you think?”
“I think,” she said slowly, “it’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.”
His face broke into a boyish grin that tugged at her heartstrings. “You really like it?”
“I love it, Logan,” she gushed. “It’s divine.”
His grin broadened with satisfaction and relief. And her heart melted some more.
She ate another forkful and let out a rapturous sigh. “So freaking good.”
Logan watched her eat, taking pleasure in her enjoyment of his food. “This was the first meal I had with Santino, Roxanne and Cynara.”
Meadow stared at him. “Really?”
He nodded, tracing the rim of his glass with one finger. “It was my first night in their home after being adopted. Even though Santino and Roxanne had been nothing but kind and welcoming, I still felt out of place, like I didn’t belong there. None of it seemed real. I mean, I had my very own room in a nice house filled with nice things. I had a closet full of new clothes and shoes, and the kitchen was stocked with more food than I’d ever seen in my life. I kept waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under me. I kept expecting my social worker to show up and tell me the adoption had fallen through. But that’s not what happened,” he said with a reminiscent smile. “To commemorate my first night with them, Santino and Roxanne decided to prepare a special dinner for me. They wanted to celebrate my Argentinian heritage and show me that I was very much part of their family.” He looked down at his plate, his expression softening with gratitude. “This is what they made for me. From the first bite to the last, I thought it was the most amazing thing I’d ever eaten.”
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