Chapter 19
CHAPTER 19
LOGAN
I walk behind Piper, my hands over her eyes, my manhood throbbing with our bodies pressed so close together. During the flight, we discussed ideas for Forever Love, bantering and laughing, both of us making a conscious effort to put the darkness behind us.
I wanted to share my childhood with her, but I didn’t want it to define this evening. Outside the city, it’s like we can outpace our guilt. For now.
“This better not be a barn…”
I laugh at her Grapes of Wrath reference. “Not quite…”
Leading her into the empty restaurant, I take a moment to look around at the red mood lighting, the rose petals scattered everywhere, the table sitting in the center with a bottle of champagne on ice. A tall window gives a view of the ocean. Warmth emanates from the kitchen as the staff prepares a meal for us.
When I lower my hands, she gasps beautifully. She clutches her hands to her chest, then turns to me with gorgeous, wide eyes. “This is amazing,” she says. “When did you have time to prepare this?”
“For you, I’ll always make the time.”
“Keep throwing words like ‘always’ around, and you could give a girl ideas…”
I slip my arms around her hips, pull her close, and let her feel my aching, burningly hot heat. She moans when I lean down and kiss her. My hands move to the round, curvy globes of her ass. But then I have to stop. Otherwise, I’ll tear her clothes off right here and…
She bites her lip, staring up at me. “Why do I get the impression you’re thinking a whole bunch of bad stuff?”
“There’s nothing bad about what I’m thinking,” I growl.
“But what about…” She closes her eyes and takes a breath. “No.”
“I’m sorry?” I ask, confused.
“No, I won’t let anxiety ruin this. I won’t let doubt ruin it.”
She takes my hands. “Let’s have the best meal ever.”
“You’re an inspiration to me,” I tell her, leaning down for another kiss. When she tries to laugh it off, I keep my lips hovering over hers and say, “I’m not joking. I mean it. You’re magic, Piper. You never stop pushing, never stop striving. You were going to talk about the consequences just then, weren’t you?”
She nods, biting her lip. “But I don’t want to think about that. I just want to think about us. Does that make me selfish?” She whispers.
“I’ve got the mob breathing down my neck, a company to manage, a best friend I should consider, and a dozen other responsibilities. But being here with you, I don’t. Give. A. Fuck .”
I press my lips against hers, trying to keep it merely romantic, trying not to let the hunger consume me. But I can’t do much about my searing, hot length or my head swirling with steamy ideas.
She pushes both hands against my chest. “If you don’t stop, I won’t be able to.”
I let out a breath through clenched teeth. “Your first time deserves to be somewhere more comfortable than a table in a restaurant.”
“Plus, we might spill the champagne…”
I lead her to the table, pulling her chair out. After shuffling her in, I pop the cork, grinning when she laughs and claps her hands together. I pour us two glasses, then sit opposite her, raising my glass.
“To us,” I say.
She raises her glass. “To the future—to leaving the past behind…”
We clink glasses, then take a sip.
“What would you like for a starter?” I ask, gesturing at the menu. “I’ve hired the place out just for us. I don’t want anybody else looking at you.”
“Like they would, Logan.”
“Hey,” I growl, reaching over and taking her hand. “Don’t say things like that. You’re the sexiest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. You better start believing it.”
Her smile is captivating. “Maybe some garlic bread?”
“Is that a question or a choice?”
“I want to flip you the bird, but it feels ruder in real life.”
“Easier to send an emoji, is it?”
She grins. “Something like that.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got thick skin.”
“I’m not sure I believe that. I think you’re more sensitive than you realize. I keep telling you, Hardcover suits you more than me…”
“It suits us both,” I say. “Wait here. I’ll let the staff know. I thought we could do without waiters. More privacy.”
After a quick visit to the kitchen, noting that they are already preparing several starters, so we don’t have to wait – I return to my woman.
“Elliot mentioned you haven’t hired security for yourself,” she mutters when I sit.
I shrug. “I’m not scared of those assholes.”
“But they threatened you. They vandalized The Clam. You threatened him . Won’t he want revenge?”
“I don’t give a damn what he wants,” I tell her.
“Logan…”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m not scared of him. I’m not scared of anybody.”
She sighs, looking down at the table.
“Angel,” I mutter, taking her hand. “Let’s not argue about this. I want to talk about you.”
“What about me?”
“Anything, everything. What was studying English literature like?”
“Better than business,” she says.
She doesn’t look pleased to leave the topic of security behind. Is it pride stopping me? Am I being too damn cocky? I just hate the idea of that little worm Sal thinking I’m scared of him. But if he attacks me, I might never see Piper again…
Dammit, when I get home, I’ll have to bite the bullet.
“I’ll get a security team for myself,” I mutter.
Her eyebrows shoot up. “You will?”
I sigh, nodding. “Yeah, sure, but I’m not happy about it.”
“This is why you need a lady, Logan. To do your thinking for you.”
I chuckle. “You might have a point there… So, English was better than business?”
“Yeah, I loved it. But the whole time we were getting into these intricate theories and reading approaches, I couldn’t stop thinking about doing something. I wanted to live.”
“I know the feeling,” I say, then my phone buzzes. “Our starter is ready.”
“Already?”
“They were already working on some dishes. They’re going to eat whatever we don’t order. I wouldn’t want to keep my angel waiting.”
“You said we haven’t got a server,” she says with a daring glint in her eye. “But I think you’re the waiter.”
“You’re making me think of that emoji now…”
She giggles. I go into the kitchen, grab the plate, and then return, bowing before I lay it on the table.
“You’re such a doofus.”
“So – living,” I say, taking a piece of garlic bread as I sit down.
“Did you add cheese?”
“What’s garlic bread without some extra cheese?” I say. “It’d be criminal not to.”
“I love cheesy garlic bread,” she says, taking a piece of her own. “And yeah, I think I felt restless. I wanted to get my life moving. I wanted to feel like I was progressing toward something. I know that might sound silly. A degree is something.”
“It’s not silly. You wanted to have a real-world impact.”
“Exactly,” she says passionately.
“After your childhood?—”
“I had a decent childhood, Logan,” she murmurs. “Elliot made sure of that.”
“But you struggled. It wasn’t perfect. Money was tight.”
She nods. “Yeah, and you’re right. I think that was part of the reason I wanted to start life so badly. It wasn’t all dramatic stuff. Some of it was just down to me being a nerdy, quiet kid. I had one friend, Ruby. I had my books.”
“You got tired of living in imaginary worlds. You wanted the real thing.”
She nods. “Yes, that’s it, Logan. That’s exactly it. Jeez. I swear you’re better at putting my feelings into words than I am.”
“It’s only because I feel the same,” I tell her.
We delve into the garlic bread. She makes pleasure-filled noises as she chews. “Am I being a pig?”
“Don’t say that. Don’t even think it.”
“About the childhood stuff, anyway, I feel bad even… you know, feeling bad . Compared to you?—”
“We’ve got the same desire, Piper. We both want to live. And sure, some of mine is because I had a shitty start. But some of it is down to everyday life stuff, too. I worked a lot of jobs before you gave me the idea for Do It All.”
“I did not give you the idea.”
“Yes,” I say seriously. “You did. After we kissed, when you told me you wished you could do it all, that was when it came to me.”
“Does that mean I get some shares, huh?”
“Yes,” I say, still serious. “If you wanted some, they’re yours.”
She picks up the menu. “Slow down, Logan.”
“I don’t think I can with you.”
She arches her eyebrow magnetically. “I was talking about this conversation. What are you thinking for a main?”
“Steak, rare, like the animal I am. What about you?”
“Would you judge me if I messily ate a double burger in front of you?”
“Now you’ve said that I’ll judge you if you don’t.”
“Steak and burger it is, then,” she says with a smile. “But let’s enjoy this first.”
I take a large piece of garlic bread, tearing a chunk loose with my teeth. When she laughs, I tear another piece.
“Stop,” she says, giggling. “You’re going to make yourself sick.”
I wash it down with champagne, then say, “I’m already sick. Lovesick with you.”
She rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling, her cheeks a tempting shade of pink. “How do you say stuff like that in person? I can text things like that, but saying it is so difficult.”
“Maybe it would be if I didn’t want you so badly,” I tell her. “But it’s the truth.”
“If you’d told me you loved me when I was in high school, I would’ve—” She suddenly stops, realizing what she’s saying. “Anyway.”
“When you were in high school?”
She shakes her head. “It’s nothing.”
I touch her hand. “Clearly, it’s something…”
She stares down at the table, her cheeks growing even redder.