Page 7 of If You're Reading This
The next instant, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
Her lips pressed into his.
Something began to explode inside him—a cascade of sensations that started where their lips met and radiated outward like northern lights across a winter sky.
The warmth of her mouth against his sent electricity down his spine, awakening every nerve ending that had been dormant for so long. His body responded before his mind could catch up, one hand instinctively finding the small of her back while the other cradled the nape of her neck, his fingers threading through the silk of her hair.
The scent of her enveloped him—a hint of lavender mixed with something uniquely Morgan, like fresh snow and cedar. She tasted faintly of champagne from the award ceremony, sweet with a hint of tartness that made him want more.
Her body pressed against his, soft curves fitting perfectly against the hard planes of his chest, and he could feel her heartbeat racing in time with his own frantic pulse.
Time seemed to slow around them, the distant sounds of the award gala fading until all he could hear was the soft catch in Morgan’s breath as she deepened the kiss. The night air chilledhis skin but couldn’t touch the heat building between them—a fire he’d been trying to ignore for years now suddenly roaring to life, consuming every rational thought.
Five years of restraint, of keeping Morgan at arm’s length out of guilt and obligation, melted away beneath the insistent pressure of her lips. The wall he’d built between them crumbled with each passing second, and for one glorious moment, Logan allowed himself to forget why he’d built it in the first place.
Her fingers traced the line of his jaw, leaving trails of fire on his skin. Then they twisted the fabric of his shirt collar, pulling him impossibly closer.
Was this really happening? Or was this just a dream?
A wonderful, wonderful dream?
In all his fantasies about this moment—and there had been many—Logan had never imagined Morgan would be the one to break their stalemate. But now it made perfect sense.
She’d always been the braver of the two of them, unafraid to chase what she wanted, to capture beauty others missed. While Logan had been paralyzed by the past, she’d been reaching for the future.
As they reluctantly broke apart, just enough to catch their breath but not enough to separate their bodies, Logan saw the same dazzled wonder in her eyes that he felt coursing through his veins. Her lips curved into a smile that radiated such pure joy it made his chest ache.
For one perfect moment, everything felt right in Logan’s world. Tomorrow, the guilt would return. Tomorrow, he’d remember all the reasons why he didn’t deserve her.
But tonight, under the vast Alaskan sky with Morgan’s warmth against him, even a man as broken as Logan could believe in second chances.
The kiss was even more fantastic than Morgan had imagined.
She’d dreamed about kissing Logan Gibson for so long. Foryears. She’d patiently waited for him to make the first move, to acknowledge the chemistry between them.
Yet he always kept her slightly at arm’s length.
However, she’d seen the attraction in his gaze. She knew he was interested.
She had no idea what ghosts haunted him. It wasn’t as if Logan lacked courage.
The man faced down armed suspects without flinching and navigated wilderness rescues with quiet confidence.
He was the type who moved through life with unwavering purpose, claiming what he wanted with a certainty most men never found. Yet with her, something ancient and unspoken held him back—a burden he carried beneath those tattooed reminders of a past he never discussed.
Whatever debt or secret anchored him seemed to outweigh even the gravity between them, leaving Morgan to wonder what pain could possibly be strong enough to keep a man like Logan from pursuing what his eyes so clearly wanted.
That was when she’d decided to make the first move.
Why wait around for Logan to initiate something? It might not ever happen if she did.
Now she never wanted this moment to end.
Even though their lips had pulled apart, neither moved away.
She leaned back just enough to see his gaze. His beautiful eyes.
He possessed a commanding presence with sharp, defined features and intense blue eyes that seemed to look straightthrough a person. His strong jawline and high cheekbones gave him a striking profile, complemented by dark brown hair cut short.
