Chapter Twenty #3
“You’re driving me out of my mind, do you know that, cupcake?”
“Logan, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you right away who I was, but please understand why I didn’t. Don’t condemn us both to endless, lonely lives because of one screw up. Forgive me and get to know me and see if you can come to care for me as Emma Carter. I truly love you, Logan Beckett.”
“I wanted to push you out of my thoughts. I am furious at being played for a fool. But for the past eleven days, you were all I thought about. I didn’t know where you were or what you were doing.
There was no way to contact you. So instead, I was forced to remember every moment we spent together.
I wanted to see you again. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to wring your neck or kiss you silly, but I wanted to see you again.
And I already know what Emma Carter is like.
I spent days with her. Maybe I do need to take some of the blame.
I knew you were different from Lily. She and I have been neighbors for years, I knew something was different, but I didn’t want to push it. ”
She shook her head slowly, rubbing her forehead against his.
“Lily tried so hard to make my vacation a success. And all I could do was wonder what you’d think about the wine or the shows at the casinos. I don’t think I’ll ever get over you. Can I do anything to make it right between us, Logan?”
He sighed and closed his eyes.
“I feel so strongly about lies because of the hell Crystal put me through. Then I met you and the walls I’d built began to crumble. Maybe I liked that. Maybe I wanted something to change my life. How can I judge it when I’m guilty of a lie, too.”
“The coffee?” she asked, hope beginning to blossom.
“The coffee—oh, blast it. That makes two.”
“Two lies? From you? I don’t believe it.”
The blossom opened just a bit.
“When you apologized for hurting me, I said I wasn’t hurt, just mad. But I found that once the initial anger abated, what lingered was hurt—aching and painful. I was falling in love with you, Emma. I trusted you and wanted you. I thought we were building something wonderful.”
“We were. We can. I promise I’ll never lie to you again. Oh, Logan, please.” Her hands gripped his arms, as her heart began to pound. “I was falling in love, too And I knew it. You were so different from David. One look at you and I was gone for the count.”
He stared into her eyes. Emma held her breath. The most important decision of her life was out of her hands. He had to believe her. Had to trust in their feelings enough to give her a chance. He just had to.
“So the first vow we make will be no lies between us?” he said slowly, tentatively.
“I promise. No more lies.”
“And no more masquerades.”
“Never again,” she said, still afraid to believe things might be all right. Would one wrong word have him sending her away forever?
His lips covered hers and he dropped his hands from the wall to pull her into his arms. Surging against him, Emma’s love for Logan blossomed. Her heart expanded while joy pulsed through her veins.
He pulled back. “I want you. I have wanted you since I saw you in that terry-cloth robe.”
She groaned. “I hate that robe, I’m getting rid of it.”
“Never. I like it. I like your bathing suit and that sexy blue-green dress you wore to dinner.”
“Oh, Logan, I love you so much. I’ll spend my whole life loving you.”
“I knew there was something different when I met you. I never felt anything for your sister, and I can’t stop my feelings for you. I love you, cupcake,” he said.
His warmth captivated her, his strength supplemented hers. Emma felt safe, strong and loved.
“I love you, too. I’m not sure I believe this. It feels like magic fantasy after the past two weeks. I was so afraid it had vanished. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving my love, I promise.”
“You’re mine.” he declared hugging her.
“For as long as you want,” she agreed.
“I want forever, Emma Carter. I want you to stay here in California. To marry me, to live with me and share your life with mine. No lies, no pretenses, just honest love. From me to you and from you to me.” His green eyes shone into hers, his voice solemn.
She felt the threat of tears and blinked hard to drive them away. “There’s nothing I’d like more. I love you, Logan. I have from that first day.”
“Then clear up who this David is.”
“David isn’t important to us. He was a friend of mine who asked me to marry him before I left Virginia. But I couldn’t say yes. Once I met you, I knew why. There has to be more to life than what David and I shared, and I discovered all of it with you.”
The last word was muffled as his mouth covered hers Her fingers traced patterns across his skin as flames raced through her veins. The heat of the day paled compared to the heat between them. Kisses and caresses, love words and love play mingled.
Emma felt as if she floated on clouds. The soft murmur of the ocean, the call of the gulls, soothed her.
“You are so special to me,” she said.
“And you are to me, cupcake.”
“That’s the other thing,” she said.
“What?”
“You rarely called me Lily. Sometimes I’d almost forget that I was playing a part. I was myself, except when going out places. I’m not use to parties and wild living. I always felt special when you called me cupcake.”
He gazed into her eyes.
“You didn’t seem like Lily. At least the neighbor I’d known for two years.
You looked like her, wore her clothes, but something was different from that first morning.
I thought of you as different, so maybe that’s why I liked the nickname.
Maybe we should forget Lily and Emma and stick with cupcake. ”
She smiled and reached up to kiss him. “Suits me. I love you, Logan Beckett.”
“And I love you, cupcake.” He kissed her hard on her mouth. “Shall we head for Vegas and tie the knot?”
“Are you crazy? My mother would have a fit if I didn’t have a traditional wedding with all the trimmings. We’ll have to go home to Virginia and have all the trappings. My family’s from the South, you know. There are traditions and customs that must be observed.”
“What have I gotten myself into?”
“Love?”
“Love.” he concurred. “So be it. Call her today and set a date soon. And please plan to stay here until we go back for the wedding. These past eleven days have been empty. I don’t want you to leave again.”
Emma thought wistfully of the quiet life she had led in Virginia, the differences between then and now. Nothing would ever be the same with Logan. Gratitude and love filled her heart.
She’d live on the edge of the world with the only man who rang her every chime. Life was perfect.
If you liked Unanticipated Reunion,
you’ll love Letters to Caroline from my Bayou Nights series.
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