“I want you here,” he stated confidently. His eyes never wavered from mine. “I want you here for as long as you think you can stand me. My place isn’t all that; a lot of work needs to be done still but?—“
“I love your home,” I cut in and meant it. I loved the space and everything he’d done.
“I want it to be our home.” If I had been standing, my knees would have given out under me.He wants his home to be our home.My mouth went dry. Time felt like it’d slowed down.
“How do you know that after a day?” I rasped. Everything felt too good to be true.
“I just do.” He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. Like he wasn’t handing me everything I had been too afraid to even dream for. His hands gently stroked the tops of my thighs. “I know this is a lot. I’m not stupid or arrogant. And if you don’t want to sleep together, it’s okay, too. I’ll move into the guest room; you stay here. We can go at whatever speed you want as long as you give me a chance.”
“A chance,” I repeated. He nodded.
Logan pressed his forehead against mine, and my eyes fluttered shut. My body simply relaxed with his. Following the way he breathed. Inhale. Exhale. Slowly, calming down. It was silly. Right or wrong, I knew down to my soul what I was going to do.
“I want that, too,” I whispered, letting my heart take the reins for the first time in a very long time. “But…” I opened my eyes and pulled away to get a better look at him. If we were goingto do this, I needed to be as honest with him as he had been with me. “I don’t want to slow down,” I whispered honestly. Squirming slightly on his lap, I licked my lips. “I liked kissing you last night.”
“Baby—“
“I’m just not sure why you haven’t kissed me again. Was I that bad at it or?—“
“You’re hurting,” he shared, his expression torn.
“I’m not,” I lied. He shot me a look that told me I was a terrible liar. “Okay, well, maybe l am.”
“You’re hurting, and I wanted to be a gentleman. I want you to know you can trust me. Not with just your well being but with your body and your heart.” Somehow, I already knew that. It was crazy. It was like my soul recognized his. Like we were destined to be.
I might have been in the wrong place yesterday at that stop sign when that post fell on my car, but I couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, it had all happened for a reason. Like it was time for us to meet.
“I trust you,” I whispered, sharing honestly, letting myself be vulnerable for the first time in a very long time. “This is crazy.” A giggle bubbled up and out of me, making me cover my lips with my hand. His eyes softened.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. Not ever again. You’re mine, Vi. I protect what’s mine,” he vowed with a slight feral edge to his voice. I wanted that. I wanted to be that for him and vice versa.
Life was a series of choices. I knew right then and there, right or wrong, heartache or not, I was going to take a chance on Logan.
On us.
Something came over me. Feeling bold and beautiful in the moment, I leaned closer.
“Violeta.” My name rumbled perfectly past his lips.
“Shh,” I hushed him now, and before I could talk myself out of it, I kissed him.
Logan’s big hands stilled on top of my thighs the moment our lips touched. Mine dragged against his slowly and maybe a little clumsily. Not that he seemed to mind when a breath later, his hands gripped my thighs.
“Vi, princess,” he groaned, giving me access to his mouth. Access I took advantage of as my tongue plunged between his lips. That was all it took before his self-control snapped. He took over the kiss and dominated it. Almost punishingly. Every cell in my body felt warm while wet heat pooled between my thighs. I wanted him so badly. Fast or slow, it didn’t matter. All I knew was that I needed him right then and there.
I didn’t need to wait.
Not when I had been waiting for what felt like my entire life to find him.
EIGHT
LOGAN
The roadto hell was paved with good intentions. I wanted to take things slow. Make her feel safe and not spook her off. But it had been too damn hard not to get her settled in my place.
I liked where I lived, but it didn’t feel like home until she crossed the threshold of the front door last night. Putting her things next to mine, giving them a home, was important to me. I wasn’t sure why, but there was no way I was going to let her be in my house living out of fucking bins.
Those days were over, even if she didn’t know it yet.
