Chapter 16
Thanksgiving dinner at High Water had been loud and lovely, but Jinx was nervous enough that in spite of all her favourite foods being served, she’d only picked at her plate.
No one had noticed. Between all the people at the table talking constantly, Jeffrey singing to baby Jaden, and Grandpa Zach discussing a new invention that involved highspeed somethings to adapt ATVs into self-driving units, Jinx was happy to fade into the background.
Her anxiousness was for a good reason, and one that was easily solved. As long as she kept her courage up.
Sneaking away was simpler than expected in the chaos of the after-dinner cleanup.
“Come with me.” She nabbed Logan by the hand and tugged him toward the door while everyone was easing into recliners or setting up for cards at the now clear table.
They slipped on shoes and eased out the door, poor Dixie looking mournful as Jinx ordered her to stay.
Jinx kept hold of Logan’s hand, barely relaxing her grip when he raised a brow.
“Just keeping you moving,” she quipped.
“No problem. Any place in particular we’re headed?” he asked.
The answer was one that she’d thought about in far too much obsessive detail for weeks. “Loft.”
“Ah.” Logan grinned. “Talk time.”
Jinx kept them moving.
Over the past six weeks they’d gone on a number of dates and had done a good job of following the advice they’d been given. They’d shared stories from their past. They’d talked about what was important to them, even inching into dreams and ideas for the future.
Talk time had also involved kissing and cuddling, and Jinx was ready to go out of her mind.
Time for some real chatting to go down.
She all but bullied Logan forward until they were in the highest loft, the one only reachable by a ladder.
She closed the trapdoor behind them.
Logan waited but raised a brow.
Jinx took a big breath then headed to the corner where she’d spread a thick picnic blanket. She’d also brought in a couple of pillows and, on impulse, a couple of the flameless candles she had in her room.
The kicker was the one real candle she’d placed on the seat of the broken chair doubling as a table.
She settled on the blanket. Logan eased down beside her, his expression wary.
It was time. It was past time.
Jinx squared her shoulders, sitting crossed-legged as she allowed her gaze to fall to her hands.
She rolled the lighter in her fingers over and over.
“When we talked a while ago, I told you that the last foster home I was in, no one touched me sexually. Like, I wasn’t raped.
I wasn’t molested.” Her throat tightened, and when Logan laid a soft hand on her arm, she pushed forward.
“I was emotionally abused and physically hurt under their roof, but it was their son who caused that to happen. He was the one who broke bottles and put them where I’d step on them when I tried to run away. ”
Logan went so still and quiet, she already knew where his brain was going.
She met his gaze and pointed a finger straight into his face.
“You are not allowed to track him down and beat him up or whatever else is playing out in your mind. I already told my caseworker the specifics of what happened, and Danielle has dealt with it. He’ll never torment another girl in foster care. ”
“He’s still a threat to society at large.
Assholes like that don’t change,” Logan said.
“But leaving him aside for a minute, what do you need? Why are you telling me this now?” He tucked his fingers under her chin in that way that sent goosebumps flying over her skin.
“You can tell me anything, even the stuff that makes you sad. But you’re not sad right now. ”
“I’m not.” Jinx clenched her fists, squeezed her eyes tight and let out a savage growl. It helped give her the impetus to finish her truth. “I’m pissed beyond belief.”
She opened her eyes. Logan had a furrow between his brows, and he blinked rapidly. “At me?”
“No, of course not. At him. And at all the things that did happen that I don’t want to relive. In therapy, Kevin said sometimes leaving things in the past is the best way to get over them.”
Logan nodded slowly. “Talking about some stuff brings it up sharp and painful all over again. Not remembering allows it to fade.”
“Yes.” That was exactly it. Jinx grabbed the candle and thrust it at Logan. “Here. I found this and it’s true. It means looking forward and not back.”
Logan caught the glass jar with its simple white label and black print before it could fall to the ground. He twisted it toward himself to read it, but she already knew exactly what he saw.
I Want to Hold Your Hand (and touch everything else).
His lips twitched then he outright smiled. His eyes bright with happiness. “There’s a nice change of topic.”
“I want more.” Jinx took the candle from his fingers and lit it, mostly so she didn’t have to look at him as she placed it on the stool. “We’ve kissed lots and touched a little but it’s not enough anymore.”
Silence fell for a brief moment before he spoke, firm yet quiet. “Jinx.”
She took a deep breath then lifted her gaze to his.
“I want that too.”
Logan plucked the lighter from her fingers and placed it carefully beside the candle. Then he turned and flowed over her, forcing her to the blanket until they lay stretched out, side by side. She lay on her back, and he leaned up on an elbow, watching her intently.
This couldn’t all be on him, Jinx knew. As embarrassing as it was to vocalize, she had to be clear.
“I want kisses. I want your hands on my body. Everywhere.” She stared up at him, so still and yet so rigid, as if he were holding himself back to keep from overwhelming her.
“Not sex, but I’m good to try everything else. ”
“No agenda,” he suggested. “Just what feels good.”
“More than kisses, though,” she insisted.
He raised a brow. “You might like my kisses.”
“I already know I do.” She curled a hand around his neck and tugged until he leaned in close enough their lips connected.
This part they had figured out. Especially when she was on her back like this, with less nose bumping awkwardness and more electric-shock-through-the-system enjoyment.
Bodies close enough the heat of him wrapped around her as they teased tongues together. Jinx trailed her fingers over his shoulder and down his arm, the muscles beneath the fabric firm and tempting.
She slid her hand onto his chest, pushing gently.
He eased back instantly.
“Shirt off,” she demanded even as she undid his top button.
Logan sat, jerked his shirt over his head, and tossed it away. He was all lean muscles and smooth skin, but before she could touch him again, his grin turned wicked.
“You, too.” His gaze slid over her. “Take off your top and your jeans, so we don’t need to slow down later.”
Oh God. Jinx swallowed hard, but she shrugged out of her sweater and pants. This was exactly what she’d asked for, wasn’t it?
Down to her underwear, her face as hot as if it were midsummer, Jinx glanced over at him. Her heart was going to pound its way out of her chest at the rate it was going.
Logan laid a hand on her shoulder then turned his fingers over and dragged his knuckles down her arm. An innocent touch that sent a shiver over her skin.
He leaned in close. “So soft.”
His lips brushed her shoulder. Moved to her neck.
Jinx arched, the pulse in her veins ragged. Her breathing unsteady.
He kissed the spot under her ear that made her shudder.
“Logan.”
“Just kisses. We’re good with kisses.”
He whispered the words against her skin as he leaned over her again, and she half retreated-half collapsed to the quilt.
Another kiss, this time to the top of her breast over her bra. Another, to the spot where her nipple lifted the fabric.
Jinx closed her eyes.
He’d touched her over her clothes in the past weeks, but this— So much more intimate. So much more exactly what she wanted. What she needed.
The ache between her legs grew.
She might be innocent, but she wasn’t completely inexperienced. She’d given herself orgasms, watched some porn, and wasn’t shy about touching that made herself feel good.
Someone else—Logan—touching her was so much different.
He eased her bra strap off her right shoulder, kissing the newly exposed top of her breast. A gentle stroke over the skin followed, tugging the fabric aside until her nipple popped into view.
“Sweet Jinx.” Logan kissed the taut peak.
Why had she left her bra on at all? It was completely in the way.
“More,” she demanded. Her hands had a mind of their own, curving around his shoulders, fingers running through his hair.
The entire time, he pressed kisses to her body, his lips the only point of contact with her skin.
Until teeth came into play. Oh My God, he used his teeth on her nipple, and she just about levitated off the blanket. He nipped once then nibbled, soft sweeps of his tongue following.
“That’s so good,” she whispered.
Logan smiled his wicked smile, only visible for an instant because he was kissing her again. Lower, over her belly and to the edge of her panties. Lower still, until the heat of his breath lit her core an instant before he pressed a kiss directly over her clit.
She quivered from head to toe.
He hooked a finger into the fabric and tugged it down as far as it could go. Pressed a kiss lower. Lower still, but over the protective layer of the fabric.
To hell with it. Jinx shot upright, caught her underwear, and stripped them off then faced him as boldly as she could.
Their gazes met. Hell, the heat in his eyes—if she weren’t already on fire she would have ignited from that alone.
She dropped back on the quilt. It was too late to be shy. One hand stroking over a breast, she eased the other between her legs. “Don't stop,” she begged.
Logan dropped between her thighs, mouth hovering over her fingers as she glided them in soft circles over her clit. “That feel good?”
“Uh-huh.” Bold moves seemed the way to go. She bent her knees and spread them wider, giving him more room. “I like circles around more than right on top.”
“Got it.” His gaze locked on her, his lips curled. “Tell me if you like A or B more.”
She laughed. “This is a test?”
“Best way to learn.” As she slipped her fingers up slightly, he pressed a kiss to her mound. “Use your fingers to hold yourself open for me.”
Oh God. Jinx slid her hand back down and, feeling all sorts of sexy yet out of her depth, did as he asked.
The next kiss he gave her landed on her swollen clit, and she moaned softly. “I like that.”
Heat and moisture came next. His tongue, teasing in a slow circle around her clit, the same way she’d used her fingers to masturbate.
“That’s good, too. Oh, wow. So good.”
He covered her clit completely and sucked, and the fire in her core flared even higher. A steady pulse followed, small flicks of his tongue sending her higher far quicker than she’d ever managed on her own. “That—that. More.”
He caught her free hand in his even as the pressure continued to drive her higher. Pleasure teased, the edge of her orgasm right… there… just… about…
“Logan.”
She swept over the edge. Her orgasm sent her arching against his mouth, fingers squeezing his. The wave rolled from her sex outward, heat flushing every inch of her skin.
A few panting breaths escaped before she sighed, collapsing back to the quilt. Contentment surrounded her, and a sense of rightness and connection. She lowered her gaze to his.
Logan grinned from ear to ear as he moved to stretch out beside her. “You liked option B.”
“Who knew tongues were different than fingers?” Jinx stroked her fingers over his chest. “Your turn.”
He kissed her, the taste of her pleasure still in his mouth. As she wrapped her arms around him, her stomach roared to life.
Literally. The growl from her stomach was so loud they both stopped.
Logan smiled against her lips. “I think we have a different agenda right now.”
“But you didn’t—”
He pressed a finger to her lips. “I had so much fun. And we’ll do more again soon.”
Her stomach refused to get the message that this was a tender, sweet moment, and another sound worthy of a wild animal rolled on the air.
Logan outright laughed. “Want to raid the fridge?”
“Yes.” Jinx pressed a hand to her growling belly. “That’s so embarrassing.”
“Never.” Logan’s expression grew serious. “If it’s something you need, never be embarrassed to ask for it. Food, sex, talking, cuddles. Truth always, right?”
“Right.” She caught him in the instant after he pulled on his shirt and hugged him tightly. “That was fun.”
“For me, too. Honestly.” He held her against him, and they sat there embracing in the quiet for a moment.
“Next time, we do more. Though you were right.” She grinned. Current contentment and future plans for sexy mischief tangled in her head. “You are a good kisser.”