Page 41 of Logan

“Good morning, babe,” he said through his smile.

Lifting her eyes over the rim as she sipped, her mouth opened as though to speak, then snapped shut. She shook her head slightly before taking another sip. “Wow,” she mumbled.

Logan’s eyebrows arched as he leaned forward and tilted his head to the side. “Wow?”

She twirled her finger around in a circle, directing it toward him. “T-shirt clinging to your toned chest, showing off your muscles. Finger-combed hair, still damp from a shower. Gray-green eyes that look like the ocean on an overcast day.” Her gaze dropped to his forearms resting on the counter. “Even your arms are… they’re just… wow. How’s a girl supposed to compete with that this early in the morning? I was lucky to find some clothes to throw on just to hide the mess.”

His head tilted back as laughter rumbled from his chest, a deep, resonant sound that filled the room. “Viv, you’re no mess. You’re gorgeous.”

A blush moved across her face as she took another sip. “I…uh…I’m sorry about last night.”

His brows drew down sharply. “Sorry?”

Bobbing her chin in a jerk, she added, “Uh…about going to sleep. I should have gone back to my room. You could have woken me and…uh…you know…told me to leave.”

His face relaxed as he watched her stumble over her words. “Why would I want you to leave?”

Her breath left her lungs in a huff as she scrunched her nose. “Look, I know what last night was. Fun…right?”

“Yeah, it was fun,” he agreed. “Was that all it was to you, Viv?”

She blinked, then shook her head. “No.”

“You told me you weren’t a fling kind of girl. I already knew that. So do you think I’m the kind of man who would enter a fling with someone who wasn’t on board?”

Shaking her head slowly, she said, “No. I think you’re the best kind of man.” She shrugged, then took another sip. “But we had agreed to just work the job. No complications. And then, boom! We were kinda out of control. So I figured…”

“Well, if you figured I was just into having a good time with the most available girl, you figured wrong.”

Setting her cup down on the counter, she reached forward, placing her hands over his. He turned his upward and linked fingers with her. “I’m sorry, Logan. I seem to be making a mess of things.”

“Why don’t you tell me what’s really on your mind instead of what you think you should say,” he ordered gently.

Clearing her throat, she nodded. “I…I loved last night. I wanted last night. Wanted you. But when I woke this morning and you were gone, I realized I’d fallen asleep in your tiny bed, probably making you uncomfortable. And I guess I was embarrassed. I slept like the dead, and you probably didn’t sleep at all.” Snorting, she continued, “I’ve heard friends talk about the walk of shame when a guy kicked them out of bed. Or friendswho complained about someone who wouldn’t leave when it was over.”

His shoulders relaxed, and he gripped her fingers tighter, giving them a little squeeze. “That’s better. I’ve grown used to not having to guess what’s on your mind.”

She cocked her head to the side, unasked questions in her eyes.

“Yeah, we were stuck with a tiny-ass bed, but I wasn’t uncomfortable last night. I got up this morning so I could shower and make coffee so zombie Viv would have the bathroom when she was ready and some caffeine in her.” As her mouth quirked, he continued, “I made it clear that I wanted us, but I guess what I fucked up on was not making it clear what I wanted after the sex.”

He watched as she sucked in her lips, holding her breath. Leaning forward, he gave her hands a little pull, bringing her closer. “I wanted you. In my bed. In my arms. All night long.”

Her eyes widened as he neared, her lips now only a breath away from his.

“And I want that for as long as we both want it.” Closing the tiny distance, he latched onto her lips, suckling and tasting, swallowing her moans and his own rumbling from his chest. Pulling back reluctantly, he sighed. “I hate to stop, but?—”

“You’ve got to show up for your job, and I have to start watching our neighbors.”

Nodding, he kissed her again before rounding the corner. He stalked straight to her, pulling her into his embrace. His arms wrapped tightly around her much slimmer body while hers rounded his waist. She rested her cheek against his heartbeat, and he couldn’t deny it felt right.

“I’m working on a small plane that came in today, but I’m only a phone call away. If you need me, give me a call.” When he felt her head nod against his chest, he added, “Viv, babe. Do notdo anything on your own. I don’t care if they come knocking on the door. You stay inside. Got it?”

“Got it, boss man.”

Laughing, he kissed her hard and fast, then headed out for the day.

Pulling her shower-wet hair up into a sloppy bun, Viv focused on the camera angle that gave her the best view of what was in the Zamans’ room used for their makeshift lab. Scribbling on the pad of paper by the laptop, she wrote down as many of the chemicals she could now identify. With her laptop opened to the side of Logan’s, she could simultaneously search the properties of each. She also made notes of other substances in labeled boxes and bottles.

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