Page 28 of Logan

She had attempted to compartmentalize her feelings toward Logan, relegating him to the role of colleague only—someone necessary for the shared mission, like one of her lab partners. But she’d never counted on his rugged handsomeness or the way his stone-like features melted when he smiled—not that he smiled often. But then, that might be why the smiles he did offer were so breathtaking. And his eyes…my God, his eyes!Gray-green-blue… ever-changing. Granted, mostly they appeared stormy but mesmerizing, nonetheless.

Her hand slipped inside her panties, finding her folds slick with need. She shoved the thoughts of Logan as her boss into the box of not-to-be-touched and slammed the lid. Instead, he filled her mind as she imagined it was his fingers tempting, taunting, and teasing her body until she pressed her mouth against the pillow to stifle her groans.

The coil tightened inside, and when her release finally came, it was all she could do not to cry out his name. Riding her fingers until the tremors subsided, she inhaled a shaky breath, uncertain her lungs could take in enough oxygen. Certainly not enough to clear her mind of forbidden thoughts of him.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she attempted to recall the last time she had felt a genuine attraction toward someone. Her recent dating escapades had all ended in disappointment. Blind dates, dating sites, someone from work…yep, all disasters.Cursing her luck, she knew the one man who had held her interest for more than a day was off-limits, even while supposedly being her husband.And when the job was over with, he would go back to wherever he came from, and she would head back to California.What a ridiculous mess.

16

NEXT DOOR

“Come away from the window,” Akram ordered, his dark eyes on Farrah.

She dropped the curtain and turned toward him, saying nothing. He stepped forward, his eyes sweeping the tiny bedroom.

“You seem taken with the new neighbors,” he said.

She wondered if she heard an accusation in his voice. “Just curious,” she replied. “The house has been empty as long as we’ve been here, so I find it strange to see people over there.”

Nodding, he said, “I should have rented that place when I had the chance. That would have given us more privacy.”

Akram turned and walked toward her, noting with pleasure how her gaze dropped as he approached. Without speaking, he moved toward the bed, shedding his clothes, knowing she would follow. And she did.

Later, as Akram snored in his sleep, Farrah lay awake, her body still aching from his rough treatment. When recruited by ISIS at the university, she had been promised a future where she would hold a valued place of honor. But so far, Akram had been demanding and coarse.

Rolling to her side, she faced the window and wondered about the couple next door. The woman appeared happy, and as she greeted her husband with enthusiasm, he seemed to be just as pleased to see his wife. Sighing, she closed her eyes, willing sleep to come. It certainly could not hurt the cause to speak with the simple woman who was now her neighbor.

17

The following day, Logan headed to work as Vivian watched him from the front door and waved goodbye. Her eyes jumped to the neighbor’s house, only to see all was quiet. One car was in the driveway, and she wondered if Farrah drove. Shutting the door, she fixed a second cup of coffee before settling on the sofa to read. She’d placed his laptop on the sofa next to her so that she would read while watching next door without having to awkwardly turn to face the window.

Turning to Sakari, she said, “Ready to keep me company?”

The cat replied by jumping onto the sofa and turning around in circles until she found just the right place to curl up. Vivian smiled, her heart warm at the remembrance of Logan scooping up the little stray cat with such gentleness.

Growing bored didn’t take long, but remaining vigilant was necessary. After another half hour, she heard a vehicle’s tires crunching over the gravel road. Moving out of sight, she trained her binoculars on the sedan as it pulled to a stop outside the neighbor’s house. Jotting the license plate number onto a small pad of paper she had handy, she observed two men alighting from the car. Using the telephoto lens on the roof camera, she zoomed in, wishing they would turn her way. The driveranswered her wish as he looked toward the passenger, a smile on his face as he reacted to something said. Unfortunately, the passenger continued toward the house, only giving her his back.

She pulled up her laptop and quickly made a spreadsheet with the time, car make and model, and attached a few of the photos.

Sitting back on the sofa, she waited another hour, but no more activity was seen. Pondering the idea of using the ancient grill outside the rental house, she sent a message to Logan.Going to grocery.

He responded with a thumbs-up, so she grabbed her keys and headed to her car.

Three miles down the road, she pulled into the parking lot of the small grocery store. Entering, she smiled at the same cashier who had greeted her the day she had arrived in town.

“Back so soon?” the woman called out.

“I wanted to have a cookout but realized I need charcoal and steaks. Oh, and cat food!”

Nodding, the clerk jerked her head toward the back. “Charcoal is against the far wall, and the steaks are in the back. Got beef, elk, and some venison. Cat food is in aisle four.”

“Thanks!” Vivian pushed her cart toward the back. A few minutes later, she stood at the register and placed her few items on the counter.

“I see you got some wine this time,” the woman commented, lifting an eyebrow as she held up the bottle.

Laughing, Vivian said, “I’m definitely not a wine connoisseur. I love the lighter wines with everything. ”

“Hey, no judgment here!” the cashier replied, joining in laughter. “By the way, I’m Betty, part owner and full-time worker here at the best grocery store in Ester. Of course, we’re the only grocery store in Ester.”

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