Chapter 13
Gage
Saturday morning dawned and I contemplated ambushing Logan at work, just so I could see him and report my good news to him. I didn’t want to tell him over the phone—I wanted to see his face when I told him what I’d done.
Saturdays were busy for him. Maybe I shouldn’t?
I kind of bummed around the house, not sure what I would do with myself today. The house was clean, and while I did have yard projects, I didn’t wanna. I wanted to go somewhere today. Maybe hit up a bookstore, or go hiking, or something. Someplace that wasn’t work or home.
My phone rang in my pocket and I fished it out. Oh, it was Logan! I answered quickly. “Hi, handsome, I was just thinking of you.”
“What a happy coincidence,” he purred. “I’m thinking of you. It’s a gorgeous day out, wanna go for a ride?”
Now that sparked joy for sure. “I’m already reaching for shoes. Come get me.”
He cackled. “Be there in twenty.”
I blew him kisses before hanging up. I had no idea why he was going out riding with me instead of working, but hey, he was the boss. If he wanted to ditch work, that was his prerogative.
Logan pulled into my driveway after exactly twenty minutes. I loved how punctual he was. It took so much stress off me.
I skipped right up to the bike and leaned in to kiss him.
I was foiled by the helmet, which he took off while laughing, and then I actually got my kiss.
I intended the kiss to be sweet, but instead it got hungry fast. I had to break it up before I gave in to my deeper impulses to strip him of pants and go down on him right here.
A lecherous curve tilted up Logan’s mouth. “You seem to like me on this bike.”
“You are sexy as hell on it, which you know.”
“I didn’t, actually, until I looked at you. Your eyes told the story.”
It was hard to even explain why. Something about him sitting on his bike, sunlight glinting off his hair, the confidence he oozed, as if the world was at his feet—all of that combined did it for me. I so wanted to pounce on him right there.
Behave.
Behave, me.
GODDAMMIT BEHAVE.
Was dating supposed to mean exercising this much control?
The restraint had me almost jittery, my entire body wanting nothing more than skinship with this man.
My libido buzzed, irritated I was ignoring it.
Or trying to ignore it. This was definitely a first for me.
I was determined to get through at least ten dates before tumbling into bed, but fuck, Logan made it hard. No pun intended.
Maybe a little intended.
I tried to distract myself. “So, um, no work today?”
“It was too nice a day, and I couldn’t fathom staying indoors. My manager’s got it until the evening shift. I figured I’d take you for a ride, maybe get lunch somewhere, then show up later this afternoon.”
So he was taking part of the day off. Got it. I’d take having his company for several hours, no question.
I belatedly remembered I had something important to tell him. “I’m really glad to see you. I wanted to tell you this in person. I went low contact with my family this week.”
Logan’s jaw dropped, his surprise obvious, then he seized my hips and tugged me right onto the bike. I landed a little awkwardly, half on his thighs, but laughed and went along with it, throwing my arms around his shoulders for balance.
Logan hugged me tight, burying his face against my shoulder. “You did the right thing.”
“I know I did.”
“How do you feel?”
“Like I should have done this sooner.” I turned my face, cuddling in a little more, because despite the fact I stood at an awkward angle with my right foot holding most of my weight, I just didn’t want to move.
I loved being in his arms. “No regrets. I feel freer than I have in a long time. It’s so nice to not have to worry about them and what shit they’re going to pull me into. I can finally live.”
His arms tightened around me. “I’m so proud of you for putting your foot down. I know it’s hard.”
“It was, but it wasn’t?”
“Yeah, I get that.” He lifted his head and kissed me, soft and slow.
I hummed into the kiss, enjoying the attention very much. When he moved his head back, a noise of protest almost slipped out. Get back here! I was enjoying that!
“I think you should get a reward for putting down boundaries. How about a long ride and a restaurant of your choice?”
“I’m craving La Bistecca,” I admitted.
“Oh, the Italian place? Rock on, I love their food.”
“But I do want that ride.”
“So let’s ride. We can hop on the road, get some sun and wind in, then come back around for lunch before I head to work.”
“Sounds like a plan, let’s do it. Helmet?”
“I have one for you.”
The back of Logan’s bike had a small compartment with an extra helmet, which I promptly put on, and then I slung a leg over the bike to snug up against his back.
And I did mean snug up against his back.
My hips might have slipped free of my control for a minute, and I ground against his ass for a second.
Logan turned his head and growled out, “Do that again and we’re not making it to the road.”
A zing raced up my spine. Damn, I liked him dominant and growly. It was a turn-on. The brat in me was tempted to do it again. Like, very tempted. I toyed with giving in to the lust that had been building in my system since I met this man.
Control, control, BEHAVE, control, control.
If I weren’t petrified of going too fast and screwing us up, I’d have been off the bike in a heartbeat, dragging him inside. Or at least inside the garage with him still on the bike so I could live out the fantasy in my head.
“I can behave.” I hoped to god I could and that I hadn’t just lied.
Logan chuckled, more felt than heard as his back jerked. “Uh-huh.”
He didn’t believe me either, which was fair. I almost didn’t believe me.
“Keep your arms tight around me,” he instructed.
I wrapped both arms around his waist, happy to comply. He felt warm and smelled like wind and sun already, just from his ride here. In a word, he smelled delicious.
I needed to schedule more dates, get to that tenth one sooner rather than later. I genuinely didn’t know how much longer I could hold out. I had a feeling this bike ride would tap into fantasies and cut my willpower down to bare bones.