Page 76 of Logan

“Living with you… laughing with you… hell, just being with you was more than I ever expected. And came to be all I wanted.” He let out a shaky breath. “But when it came right down to it, I was afraid. I hated to think of you knowing what I had to do. I hated to think of how you would look at me. And so, I took the chickenshit way out. I pushed you away instead of telling you the truth and then letting you figure out if you could still care for me.”

Vivian faced him fully now, her purse dropping to the floor as she wrapped her arms protectively around her middle. “I was scared. Never scared of you, but I admit, knowing what you had to do unnerved me. I didn’t stop loving you,” she admitted. “But I wish we’d had time to talk about us. Everything went to hell so quickly, and I didn’t know how to cope.”

Shaking his head sadly, he said, “Me neither. I pushed you away to protect you, but all I did was make you feel rejected. I’m sorry, Viv. So fuckin’ sorry.”

Her chin dropped, and she stared at her boots for a moment, then lifted her head, her eyes full of determination. “So what now?”

“Do you still love me?” The question slipped out, and once the words were spoken, his gut clenched once more in fear of her response.

Her mouth opened and closed several times.

Steeling his spine, he prodded, “Simple question, Viv. Do you still love me?”

She nodded, slowly at first. “Yes. I never stopped loving you.”

“Then why are you on the other side of the room?”

“Wondering about you,” she said, her words barely above a whisper.

“I never stopped loving you either,” he said. He opened his arms wide, and she darted forward, jumping into his embrace. The feel of her body pressed against his and his arms wrapped around her was achingly familiar and unconditionally needed.

As she leaned back, their gazes met just an instant before their lips. The kiss was filled with promises made and the certainty they’d be kept.

Separating, he said, “I have some people downstairs I’d like you to meet… tomorrow.”

42

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Logan stood on the porch, his smile wide as he watched Vivian drive up, her eyes bright when they landed on him. He’d anxiously waited for her to return, his surprise burning a hole in his pocket. As she walked to the steps, he rushed down, picking her up, swinging her around, his lips on hers.

Finally setting her down, he grabbed her laptop bag from her shoulder and carried it toward the front door before taking her hand and leading her to the porch swing. He had gladly added it to the porch when she moved to Montana so she could enjoy the sunrises from their bedroom and the sunsets from their porch. Sitting down, he settled her next to him, tucking her in closely.

“Have a good day?”

Smiling, she replied, “Got the exams graded, and all semester grades are in. So I’m a free bird until next fall.”

Taking a job with a university less than two hours away, she made the drive three days a week, teaching biology classes and working with the Public Administration degree program as a Homeland Security Adviser.

“How was your day?”

“Two security system jobs came in, and the governor is requesting a security specialist to travel with his daughter on a scholarly trip.”

She looked around, her brow furrowing. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Most headed to the bar in Cut Bank. It’s Friday night, and no one is away on an assignment right now, so I gave them all the evening off.” He leaned over, unable to stay away from her lips a second longer. He mumbled against her soft skin, “You’re officially on vacation?”

“Mmm,” she muttered in reply, her eyes closing.

He leaned back, chuckling at her pout when the kiss ended. “Sorry, babe, but I have something to do, and I can’t really do it justice when my lips are on yours.”

He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a ring… a beautiful solitaire, simple and elegant. She gasped, her eyes filling with tears as he slipped the ring on her finger.

“I want you to be my wife, Vivian. I promise to always be by your side and never want to skate on thin ice by myself again.”

The tears sliding down her cheeks were gently wiped away, and she smiled. “Absolutely yes!”

Her arms encircled his neck as he pulled her close, his lips finding hers once more.

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