Page 81 of Whenever You Call

No judgment.

No anger.

No shame.

He let me be, the way he always did.

“Screw him, Logan,” I whispered, my voice barely recognizable as I looked up at a different kind of man. One who I could never imagine letting anybody down. “Screw him for turning me into this.”

My heart pounded wildly as he dropped his arms and pads down by his side, his chest rising and falling as heavy as mine now. His wild eyes searched my even wilder ones as though he was seeing them for the very first time. Really seeing them. The way no one ever had dared to look for them before. Vulnerable and cold. Hardened yet fragile. A clusterfuck of emotions that continued to contradict one another over and over again.

“Why couldn’t he be like you, huh?” I whispered, my brows creasing together.

“Hannah, don’t—”

“You’re everything he’s not and more.”

I took a step closer to him, not afraid of anything now and somehow feeling freer than I had in months as my body bled without bleeding.

At that moment, I saw Logan clearly, too.

I saw a selfless man in front of me that any woman would be lucky to have in her life.

Somehow, I’d become one of the lucky ones. He was here… with me. My savior. My friend.

Closing the distance between us, I pressed my fists against his chest, able to feel the pounding of his heart even through the thickness of the gloves as I rose to my toes, watching as Logan’s attention fell to my lips.

That clean, fresh, intoxicating smell of his mixed with his masculine sweat made my head dizzy, and his warm breaths falling over my face made my stomach tighten.

I stared up at him, waiting for his eyes to meet mine again, not caring if this was okay, only knowing that finally taking what I’d denied myself for a while somehow felt right now.

Another tear fell down my cheek, a remnant of anger leaking out without my permission, catching Logan’s gaze.

“What are you doing?” he whispered.

“I haven’t decided yet,” I panted “But itismy choice, isn’t it?”

A heartbeat passed us by before he said, “It’s always your choice, Hannah,” and the sound of my name on his lips became my undoing.

“That’s what I thought.” Pushing up to close the distance, I closed my eyes, pressed my mouth against his, and I kissed him.

I kissed Logan.

The man I’d come to rely on to get me through each day, and the man who now released a low moan in the back of his throat that made my nipples tighten in want and send a jolt of desire straight between my legs.

I’d missed that feeling, and I wanted more.

He couldn’t touch me with the pads still on his hands, so I led the kiss, my tongue meeting his as though it was always meant to, the gentle sweep of them together making my body melt until I couldn’t stand the thought of pulling away and never kissing him again.

He didn’t stop me. He didn’t push me away, and my heart fluttered with contentment at just howrightthis felt, the two of us coming together as one this way.

Fuck, he could kiss.

The pads on his hands came up to brush against my thighs, pulling me closer, and his hips pressed to my body while I only pressed into his chest even more.

More… I wanted more.

I wanted to climb inside him and drown in his affection. I didn’t care about anything outside of this room. It didn’t feel like I would again.