Chapter 12 #3
Logan didn't want to move for fear of interrupting or breaking this moment, but it had to be said. “I swear I would never push you to do anything you don't want to—”
“I know that.” She abandoned the pretense of their task, turning to face him with her hands held rigidly by her sides.
“I trust you, and maybe that's why in some ways this has been harder for us than it would have been otherwise.
That's what Sydney said. I'm hesitant to ask for what I want, and you don't want to upset me, so we're both in limbo.
We're friends—I know we are—but I think I want to be more.”
Logan gave her his full attention. He let her see his smile because first and foremost, the whole thing was a touch amusing. “Declan and Petra and Sydney, eh? Aiden told me that he respected me and trusted me to do right by you, if that's somewhere my head was going.”
Jinx's eyes widened.
“Jake pulled me aside about a week ago and told me that in a relationship, it was vital to talk about the things important to me because that would make it easier for you to talk about the things that are important to you.”
Jinx took the brush from his fingers and put them both on the shelf. Then she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the stall, abandoning poor Deli only half groomed.
She led him to the first haybale in the walkway and tugged him down beside her. A smile curved her lips, and amusement danced in her eyes.
“And Tansy? Did she have advice for you as well?” Jinx asked. “Because she told me secrets were hard to share, but sometimes they were the foundation of something delicious. And you couldn't get the rest of the recipe to work out properly unless things were said that needed to be out in the open.”
Laughter stirred deep and strong. “Well, if I add in what Kevin Robb told me, that means pretty much all of High Water has been keeping an eye on us and is invested in what happens next.”
“Edison give me advice as well,” Jinx admitted. “And Jeffrey thinks you’re a superhero.”
“There we go. Other than your baby brother, the entire ranch is on our side.” Logan linked their fingers together again.
Jinx's breathing picked up a notch. “In light of all this excellent advice we've been given, let's talk. You said you want us to be more than friends. What does that look like to you?”
“I don't exactly know.” She made a rude noise.
“That's not true. I think I know what I want, and some of it scares me, but in a good way.” He stroked his thumb over her knuckles and when she lifted her gaze to his, her chest rose and fell rapid rhythm.
“I want to spend time with you. Talking, and playing games, and hanging out, and a lot of the things we do already. But I also really want to kiss you. I want to touch you, I think.” She shook her head.
“No, I know I want to touch you, but I'm scared that I'll get…scared?”
He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles softly.
“I definitely want to touch you, and I want you to touch me. That's where the talking and the trust comes in.” He met her gaze steadily. “We’ll talk, and we’ll go on dates.
And if we are ever doing anything where you need us to stop, you say that. ”
“For you, too,” Jinx uttered softly. Heartfelt and so sweet Logan’s throat tightened. “I have bad things in my past, but you do too. And I need you to tell me if I ever do something that hurts you so I can stop.”
Logan nodded. Maybe right now he couldn't think of a single reason why he would need to follow through, but she was right. That was part of respecting and caring for each other. “I can do that.”
A pulse fluttered at the base of her throat. “I'd really like to kiss you right now.”
“We can do that.”
Logan leaned in, and Jinx copied him.
With their butts firmly planted on the haybale, hands linked together to the side, nothing but lips made contact. A soft, sweet kiss that sent endorphins rushing through his system.
Jinx's tongue made tentative contact with his lips, and a low groan escaped him. His body hardened, but he worked hard to keep the clasp of his fingers light . To keep the press of their lips together less of an assault and more joyous pleasure.
Thankfully, the kiss went on and on, and when they finally separated, they were both breathing heavily.
Jinx raised a hand to her lips, brushing her fingertips over them gently. “Oh boy.”
Logan chuckled. He leaned their foreheads together, grinning at her. “I’d enjoy doing that a whole lot more,” he confessed, “but I think we'd better finish Deli's rubdown.”
She nodded, pulling back far enough to stare at his lips. “And we have weeds to pull.”
“Sounds like a good time to maybe tell each other some stories. Some good stories, some not so nice. Just whatever feels right,” he suggested.
Jinx nodded. “That sounds like a really good plan.”
Before he could rise, though, she slid her fingers behind his neck and held him in place, gaze dancing over his face earnestly. “One more kiss before we get back to work?”
Hell, yeah. He leaned in again, just as eagerly.
Kisses and talking. Weeding and words. It was exactly where they needed to be, here and now.