Page 39 of Logan

“We need to know what they’re working on. If they’re creating something deadly, I can’t just go in and steal some random Petri dishes, test tubes, or whatever the shit they’re using. I’ll need you to let me know what to get. What to take so that you’ll be able to transport and test it safely. As boring as this is, I need you to watch them—monitor them. It doesn’t have to be all the time, just enough to know what we’re up against.”

“And no more cookouts, right?” Her nose scrunched as she battled back a smile.

Dropping his chin, he chuckled. “Yeah. We’ll ease back on the neighborly thing.” As their mirth slowed, he lifted his head and held her gaze. “Look, I know this is fucked. You didn’t sign on for any of this. Donald just sent you to do testing. Granted, he at least told you what you’d possibly be facing, but none of this other shit?—”

“It’s okay.” She interrupted, her chocolate eyes piercing his. Offering a small shrug, she added, “I haven’t had this much excitement in a long time.”

He twisted his head around, finding her temptingly close. Clearing his throat, he said, “We need to get your lab set up in the shed with the other things I picked up today.”

On this trip, the dense woods once again enveloped them in shadows as the sun slithered through the leaves. Vivian walked behind Logan along the path to the shed. Her arms were filled with a large box, and Logan carried two boxes. When inside, they set his boxes on one of the tables. He pulled out the two lanterns, and soon, a bright glow filled the space.

Looking at the supplies packed inside the two larger boxes, Vivian slipped on latex gloves and handed a pair to him. Once gloved, she pulled out sheets of plastic and unfolded them.

“I don’t need a perfectly sterile environment, but we’ll do our best,” she said. “A staple gun should be in one of the boxes to attach the plastic sheets to the walls and ceiling.”

He nodded, and following her directions, they worked in tandem. The shed was only about ten square feet, so it didn’t take long for Logan, with his height, to cover the whole thing. She then had him staple plastic sheets to the ceiling, including covering the skylight. She also draped the table in plastic before pulling out a few items and placing them on the table.

Finally, they draped plastic sheets on the floor, backing out as they went. “I’ll take my boots off when I’m in here,” she explained. “I have a new pair of sneakers and the plastic booties that go over shoes, along with my hazmat suit. That should be enough.”

“Whatever you need, Viv,” he promised.

He fitted a lock onto the door as they backed out of the prepped shed. Turning, he found her waiting for him, her smile beaming in his direction. He reached out, and she quickly linked her fingers with his. Holding hands as they returned to the house felt strange and strangely natural. Having someone he cared about while on an assignment had never happened before. But having her hand in his made him want to slay any dragons coming her way. He just hoped he would see the dragons before they got to her.

Once inside the house again, she fed the cat while he sat at the laptop to see what was happening next door. “They’re back,” he called out when the Zamans’ vehicle returned. Vivian walked over and sat beside him, her gaze riveted to the screen. But nothing was happening besides Farrah fixing a meal while Akram sat at his computer.

After looking at the screen, Logan turned and realized they had leaned so that their lips were so close that it only took the barest movement in each other’s direction for their mouths to seal together.

Vivian raised her hand to cup his strong jaw, her fingers trailing along the stubble of his beard. He erased the distance. The kiss was slow and sensual, the barest touch of flesh on flesh.

A soft moan escaped from her lips as he pulled back, resting his forehead on hers. Sucking in a ragged breath, she whispered, “What are we doing? I’ve never been a fling kind of girl… but with you, I’m willing to throw caution to the wind and give in to whatever this is between us.”

“I know, Viv. Me too.”

His large hands cupped her face, calloused thumbs gently smoothing over her skin. Peaceful silence moved between them, their eyes never wavering.

“I don’t want to do anything to hurt you. What started as just pretending now feels like it’s something more. But…”

“I know, Logan. I feel it, too. But we come from different places. It’s scary to think of when this is over.”

Pulling her forward, Logan kissed her again, first on her lips and then on her forehead, resting there for a moment. Swallowing, he dug deeply into all his training and pulled back. “Let’s take it slow. Keep working the mission. And this… whatever’s between us…let’s give it time to see what it is.”

She nodded as she let out a long, ragged breath. “You’re right. If this is something real, we can take it slow.”

“Slow is good,” he said, his eyes capturing hers as his chest heaved as though out of breath from a long run.

“Yeah, slow is the right thing to do.”

Time stood still. Nothing existed but the two of them in the room, gazes never wavering, hands still cupping each other’sfaces. The only sound was the old clock on the wall, ticking off the seconds.

“Oh, fuck going slow,” Vivian cried as she crashed into him, erasing the space between them. Not just lips, but she shifted her body, crawling onto his lap, her arms moving from his face to around his neck.

Logan’s arms encircled her waist as he pulled her tighter to his body, heedless of the chairs they knocked over as he stood with her in his arms. Noses bumped as they twisted, each angling for the closest position. His tongue thrust inside her warmth, tangling with hers as he searched every crevice, determined to memorize the taste and feel of her. With one hand under her ass, he stalked toward the back of the house, his lips still pressed against hers, mumbling, “Thank fuck. No more slow.”

23

Logan managed to maneuver them into the bedroom, bumping Vivian’s legs twice and only missing her head on the doorframe because he placed his hand on the back of it to protect it. When they finally stumbled into the room and fell sideways together on the twin-sized bed, their mouths separated just long enough for her to say, “Ow,” as she grinned against his lips.

“Shut it.” He chuckled, grabbing her by the waist and rolling, pulling her on top of him before sealing her lips with his again.

---