Diamonds & Desire: The Priceless Collection (12 page)

She bit her bottom lip, gazing up at him with desire clouding her blue-green eyes, “Not at all.”

Coming closer to her mouth, he lowered his lashes, stared at her lips, almost shaking from the need to taste them again. It had been hours. “What do you want to do? Gamble? Get a late night meal? We can do anything you want...Mrs. Savant,” he added with a slanting smile.

She chuckled as she slipped her arms around his neck, their lips grazing. It took everything he had not to devour her mouth like a madman.

“I want you to make love to me,” she breathed against his mouth. “Like it’s our first time.”

Matching her grin, Logan cupped the back of her neck and kissed her. At first with soft intention, but when he heard the small sound she made, he pressed harder, his torrid hunger scrambling to the surface to break free and breathe. She trembled against him, drawing back for a moment of air before meeting his mouth again.

The party hazed to a hum, and he felt nothing but her heat against his body, heard nothing but the thunder of his pulse. Desperate for more, he vaguely wondered if it would feel like this every time he kissed her, because so far, it never failed to.

She broke off. “We should—”

“Go upstairs,” he rasped.

She softly laughed. “Yes, I agree.”

He pulled her away from the dance floor, his vision narrow to the exit. They barely said goodbye to the Oliver and Marlena before Logan pulled her away mid-sentence.

Mr. Redgrave gave an amused look as he waved farewell.

***

In Logan’s bedroom, Jordana stood by the door, waiting. From the corner of her eye, she watched him toss his jacket on a chair and turn off his cell phone before stalking in. Somewhere in the suite, soft, seductive music was playing, though she could barely hear it over her pounding heart.

Nothing would disturb them now.

Heaven help her, he was so sexy in his half-buttoned dress shirt, hands at his sides, as he came toward her. Downstairs, they’d been in such a hurry, feverish for one another, but up here, something had changed, the energy between them had shifted to a breathless suspense.

Or maybe it was just her.

She was falling for him, and now she could physically express her feelings. As he studied her, his blue eyes darker in the dimness of the room, but no less intense, she quivered.

“Undress for me?” he asked, his tone tender.

As long as he looked at her like that, she’d do anything. Reaching for the side zipper, she pulled it down. The dress loosened, and she maneuvered out of it, tugging it down to let it fall to the floor.

His jaw clenched as he stared at her naked breasts.

She swallowed, self-conscious as his gaze traveled over her body, as though memorizing every inch, taking his time. She was no willow supermodel, did not have the body women envied. Despite her self-criticism, Logan’s deep breaths and hot gaze made her feel as though she had no flaws.

When he started forward, Jordana swore her knees would fail once he laid his hands on her. As Logan’s fingers grazed underneath her jaw, a fire struck inside, and she tilted her head, running her palms up his chest.

“You’re a very special woman, Jordana,” he whispered. “You know that, don’t you?”

She blinked up at him, drawing in an unsteady breath.

He grazed the pads of his thumbs on the edge of her jaw. “You’re shaking,” he remarked.

That she was. Not exactly a sultry siren, am I? No doubt he was accustomed to women who were confident in their seductive allure. Provocative. Come-hither. “I’m…I’m a little nervous,” she confessed.

His mouth lifted in one corner as he took her hand in his and placed it over his chest. His heart pounded like a drum. “You’re not the only one,” he admitted. The gentleness in his voice, and the fact he cared to share his own nervousness, touched her deeply.

He stepped back and unbuttoned his shirt. She marveled at his fine physique, the wide chest and sculpted shoulders, the flat abdomen. The man was beautiful. But she’d never say such a thing to him out loud. Men like him didn’t associate themselves with such descriptions, but it was utterly true. The lyrics to a song came to mind…how the beautiful ones, they hurt you every time…

Before the hurt however, there was the pleasure.

She linked her arms around his neck and feathered her lips over his, opening her mouth to receive his warm tongue. A taste so unique, she fairly thought she could become addicted to it. Strong arms wrapped around her, locking her tight against him.

While he grazed his fingertips from her shoulders, down her waist, goosebumps raised on her skin. He continued over her butt, toying with the edges of her panties. Her whole being seemed to be vibrating with waiting as he took his time exploring her body.

“Logan.”

“Hmm?”

“Kiss me.”

He smiled, dipping head and complying with her command, before sweeping her up in his arms.

He set her down on the bed, looking over her seductively. She pushed the sheets away, a sense of frenetic urgency coming over her.

Between her legs, he eased down and captured her mouth with another soul-stealing kiss. Gently cupping her breast, he moved his lips down her face, her jaw. She whimpered, clenching her fingers in his hair as he drew her nipple in his mouth. As he ventured lower, he began to pull her panties off.

Spreading her open, he dipped his mouth on her, slowly licking her pussy. She gasped, eyes wide. Holy… She gripped the sheets and bowed her back, digging her heels in the mattress while he moved his lips on her sensitive clit. Biting her lip to keep from screaming out, the delicious throb became too much, and she was unable to stop a cry of ecstasy.

“Yes, Jordana. Come for me,” he whispered.

The man knew what he was doing, flicking his tongue and teasing her center, inserting his finger inside her in a rhythm that made her wild. Clawing at the sheets, she panted and panted as the heat and pressure began to build. Electric pulses shot through her as an orgasm stole the oxygen from the room.

Reaching for the condom she’d put next to the bed, she tore it open and gave it to him. He rolled the condom on, and climbed back to hover over her, meeting her gaze. Oh those eyes. He radiated a vitality, a sexuality like no other, and she wanted to get lost in it. Wrapping her palm around his cock, she rubbed the head of him on her wet center. A moan came from his throat before he kissed her, slowly pushing inside her.

Oh god, he was big. And she hadn’t had sex in a long time, tight and untouched. Squeezing her eyes shut, she bit her bottom lip, getting accustomed to him.

Logan was patient, taking his time, pressing soft kisses, whispering his desire. And then, with slow, erotic thrusts, he worshipped her body, bringing her higher and higher. Close to his ear, she parted her lips in breathless awe, meeting his thrusts while waves of passion ebbed through her. Panting, she tried to hold herself there, on the edge of a stunning and unequalled precipice, savoring the suspension before the plunge.

Logan’s hold tightened as he drove faster with his hips. A nameless power surged her to meet his thrusts. More. Much more. She dug her fingers into the hard slopes of his shoulders, feeling the motion of his back muscles as he rocked inside her.

The way he moved with her, every ragged breath and deep moan of him, fired fresh desire in her limbs, her mind. Such consuming passion took her to a void, but in the sweetest way, because she was not alone. Logan was with her.

He drew back, and their gazes locked. As they thrust, slowing, she grasped the back of his damp, corded neck, spellbound. While her breath mingled with his, she knew nothing could compare to these few unreal moments. Brushing her parted lips over his, she whimpered, needing to taste him again, coaxing him to capture her mouth. A low groan from his throat, but no kiss. Using her tongue, she made a brief sensual play on his lips, tracing his mouth.

It worked.

With a moan, he swooped down and stole her breath, her lips prisoner in his. As he slid his delicious tongue inside, she opened her mouth wider, and their kiss deepened with visceral hunger. He rolled, never breaking from her, banding his forearms around her back.

He gripped her skull, forcing her lift her mouth from his.

“Let me see you,” he rasped.

Jordana granted his request, biting her lip as she sat up. From this vantage, she could see every expression on his face, admire and explore the wide chest under her hands. He held her hips as she rode him languidly, another orgasm teasing her pussy.

“Yes,” she heard Logan groan. “Again.”

She pumped faster, slick, heat burning between her legs. “Yes, yes…”

Logan moaned her name and pushed up to a sitting position, locking his hands on her shoulders as he hungrily took to her breast. As he suckled, she held his head to her chest, and hooked her ankles behind him. Between him tonguing her tender nipple, lightly scraping with his teeth, then suckling, she rode him even faster, reaching another unbelievable orgasm.

Steadily, she climbed the cliff of ecstasy once again, unsure if she could survive another without losing her mind. Logan laved his wet tongue up her breast, and slid a strong hand to her neck. He sucked on her skin, licking it, with little bites and growls in between as if he couldn’t taste her enough. He seemed desperate to consume her whole.

Not a bad way to go.

Intoxicated with her newfound power, she closed her eyes as they made love. She rolled her head to her other shoulder and his mouth traced from one side of her neck to the other.

When he gripped her butt, and pumped harder, she groaned with every thrust, every hard penetration of his cock. So caught in the rapture he’d created, she was blindsided when her heart thundered, the storm within her raged, wild and untamed. She cried out, clinging to his hard shoulders, arching her back. Jutting her chin to the sky, she let go—truly let go—and sang out her climax as her passion crashed.

Okay, okay. No more, she nearly begged. Breathless, boneless, she could hardly hold onto him as he swung her to her back. The cool sheets soothed her heated, sweaty skin. Before she could intake another breath, he seized her mouth and withdrew what was left from her lungs. She could feel his heart pound on her breast as he plundered harder, drew back, and thrust again. Never had her body been taken with such carnal abduction.

“Jordana.” At his soft call of her name, she opened her eyes. Logan buried his face in her throat, spoke her name again, as he drove inside her. Every muscle of his body went taut, and he groaned deep and long.

She shuddered, her breaths uneven.

Heart to rapidly beating heart, she hoped to remember every second of it.

When he pressed his palms to the bed and half lifted from her body, she felt shy to meet his gaze. However, the draw, the pull of them never failed to tempt her attention. When she lifted her lashes, she swallowed, struck by his gorgeous eyes, as they reminded her of scattered lightning in a stormy sky, riveting and fascinating to watch. When his mouth curved enough for her to see him smile, her heart leapt to her throat and she sighed inwardly, holding on to this perfect moment between them.

Then he did something so unexpected, so sweet. He pressed a tender kiss to his forehead, lingering, then touched his sweaty brow to hers.

When he moved from her, she almost shivered from the absence of his heat. She moved to her side as the physical elation ebbed away. The bed shifted in weight and she assumed he was removing the condom to throw it away.

Should she stay in here? Go quietly to her room? Seemed strange to get up, pick up her dress, and walk out after what they’d just done.

She gasped, touching her neck. She forgot to take off the necklace and Logan hadn’t removed it. Funny how the first time she made love with him had been with this particular piece on.

A strawberry came round to her lips. “Hungry?” he asked, his mouth tickling her ear.

She grinned, the sweet smell of the fruit enticing her, and his intimate gesture pushing away all insecurity. She bit off the delicious offering as he took hold of her hand and brought her over to face him, tossing the stem away. He kissed her softly, then again. And she couldn’t resist fingering his hair, stroking down his face, tracing over his lower lip.

A slow smile spread across his mouth, and contagious as it always was, she smiled back. He reached for the controller, pressed a button, and the automatic curtains drew together, encasing the room in lovely darkness.

Chapter Ten

Jordana gasped awake.

Vegas.

Wedding.

Lucee!

Scrambling out of Logan’s hold, she saw the bright rays of sun attempting to pierce through the blackout curtains that had been doing their job all too well. Logan moaned as she scooted to her side of the bed and grabbed the clock. Lucee’s wedding ceremony was starting in twenty-five minutes.

“Logan!” Jordana’s heart pounded as she rushed around the room and gathered her dress. She couldn’t believe she had slept in and nearly forgotten about the reason she was here in the first place.

Logan sat up, scratching his handsome head of disheveled hair. “What’s wrong?”

She halted from bolting from his room to give him a quick, harried reminder. “Lucee’s wedding! It starts in less than thirty minutes!”

His head whipped to the clock, and then sprung off the bed with a haste that endeared him to her even more. “We can make it. Get dressed and I’ll call down for the car. Which chapel did she say they were having the ceremony?”

“Um…” Her brain was still too clouded as she racked her memories to her brief conversation with Lucee. “The...The Red…uh, The Red Carpet Chapel!”

He yanked on a pair of slacks. “Okay. Go, go, go!”

Jordana had to narrow down her routine to brushing her teeth, washing her face, and twisting her hair up in a quick ponytail. She threw on her light blue dress and forced on a pair of flats; there was no way she could run in heels. She buried a frustrated scream when she realized her cell phone battery was dead, had forgotten to plug it in when they came back last night.

Minutes later, they were downstairs and inside the limo, with ten minutes to get there.

He squeezed her knee with reassurance as he pocketed his phone. “The concierge said the chapel is six miles or so away on the south end near downtown. We’ll make it.” She did her best to smile, and found it easy to do as she met his eyes. The shadow of his dark beard gave him a rugged appearance in contrast to his sharp charcoal-colored dress slacks and light gray shirt. His hair looked run-through, but still sickeningly stylish. He glanced over with a slight upturn of his mouth and she jerked her gaze away.

Traffic was surprisingly light along the boulevard due to the early hour on a Saturday morning, but her anxiety increased with every red light. Jordana figured most tourists were enjoying the dark and quiet of their hotel rooms. She’d been doing the same with Logan, and regretted how she had to spoil their slumberous morning with panic. Oh, how she wished her sister could have waited a few months to give Jordana time for all of this! However, if Lucee hadn’t had the gumption to elope, Jordana would’ve never come to Vegas with Logan. For that, she silently thanked her sister.

Logan brought her hand up and kissed it. “Don’t worry, Jordana.”

His soothing words quelled the fire burning her stomach, and it was then she realized how easily she could fall in love him, if she hadn’t already.

The driver made a turn and came to a stop. “The Red Carpet Chapel, Mr. Savant.”

Jordana didn’t wait for Logan or the chauffeur to open her door before she climbed out and rushed to the entrance. A woman in her fifties with frizzy red hair and a yellow suit greeted her from behind the counter. “Good morning, sweetheart. I’m Mage. How can I help you?”

The ordinary clock behind her told Jordana she had three minutes to spare. “I’m here for the Wardell-Shaw wedding.”

Impatience raced through Jordana when the woman gave her a puzzled look.

“Wardell-Shaw?” Mage twisted her lips and opened the large, worn appointment book sitting in front of her. “Hmm…” She flipped through several pages as Jordana waited, fidgeting with her hands. Mage shook her head regretfully. “Are you sure you have the right place, honey? I don’t even see Wardell-Shaw ceremony in the book for today.”

“Are you sure?” Jordana said exchanging looks with Logan as he sauntered up beside her.

“Yup,” the woman answered.

“Maybe they slept in too,” Logan said with a teasing smile.

“You know,” Marge interjected, “people are always confusing us with The Red Velvet Chapel down on Fourth Street. It happens all the time.”

Jordana froze. Oh, no. She grabbed Logan’s arm and closed her eyes. “Red Velvet. That’s it.”

“Thank you for your help,” Logan said to the woman before they rushed outside to the limo. He told the driver the new destination.

It was several minutes after ten by the time they were halfway there. The stoplights cooperated kindly this time as they cruised through green light after green light and when they pulled in, she had to commend the driver for getting them there so quickly under the legal limits. As she stepped out of the limo, she caught a red Mustang convertible in the parking lot and knew it had to be the car Lucee and Adam rented for the weekend.

Logan beat her to the door this time and opened it for her.

“Jordana!” Lucee had been standing just a few feet away from the front door. Adam was on his cell phone near the Elvis Presley statue. Relief flooded Jordana as her sister hugged her, looking pretty in her vintage, ballet-neckline, fitted white dress. “You’re late for the first time in your life on my wedding day?”

Jordana grasped her sister’s arms in relief. “I’m so sorry. I got the name confused and we went to the wrong chapel. And my cell phone’s dead.”

“Bad memory? Dead cell phone?” Lucee asked with smiling incredulity. “What sorta wild night in Vegas did you have?”

Jordana drew back. “I thought for sure we missed it. Its quarter after ten already.”

Lucee gave a look of total shock. “You know I couldn’t get married without you! It all works out because the couple after us rescheduled, so they’re letting us take that slot instead. The wedding lady is so nice! She even threw in free show tickets and... Wait, why do you keep saying ‘we’?” She flicked a glance behind Jordana.

Guess she would have to explain there really were no “girls” as Lucee had assumed from the start. Jordana half-turned and reached to slip her hand in Logan’s arm, bringing him forward with a small smile. “Lucee, this is Logan Savant.”

Her sister’s mouth dropped open in blatant reaction as Logan grinned and shook her hand. “Lucee Shaw,” he drew out, “it’s about time we met. Jordana speaks of little else than her sister.”

Lucee’s smile grew. “She talks about you a lot, too. I can’t even tell you how excited she is when it’s Lunch-with-Logan day. How sweet of you to be my sister’s date for my wedding!” She paused, whipping a wide gaze to Jordana. “Hold the phone. You came to Vegas with him?”

Jordana’s face flamed, unprepared to explain everything to her sister on the spot. “Yes, well—”

“You told me it was a girls’ weekend!”

“No, you assumed it was. I’ve barely gotten a word over the phone since you told me you were eloping!”

“You sneaky little thing!” Lucee cried.

Just then, Adam came over, ever the trend-following actor in his designer slacks, dress shirt, and sport coat. “Hey, future sister-in-law. Lucee wouldn’t say the vows without you. The chapel people were worried they’d have two cancellations to deal with, but I knew you’d show! I love you for it.” He came in for a quick, hard hug. “Ready to be family? I know I’m pumped.”

Logan introduced himself to Adam and they shook hands. “Why don’t we give the girls some privacy before...?” He looked at Jordana meaningfully, as if he wasn’t sure whether or not there would be a ceremony, then slapped a hand to Adam’s back, leading him away. “Before this goes down.”

Lucee watched, then reeled to face Jordana, clasping her hands together. “Oh. My. God. You have some serious explaining to do, sis. He’s so hot, I can’t even deal. Those eyes! That voice. He even smells rich. I can only imagine the rest of him so tell me everything.”

“I will later. Is there somewhere I can go and freshen up?”

The wedding coordinator, happy to see Jordana’s arrival, showed them to a small room designated for brides just off the lobby. Lucee commanded Jordana to sit down on the wicker chair while she reached in her bag for her cosmetic case, insisting Jordana put on some blush and mascara for pictures. Jordana sat still, eyes closed while her sister tended to her lashes, as she gathered the courage to finally have the talk she’d been waiting two days to have.

“I envy your cheekbones, did you know that?” Lucee stated as she swept blusher up the contours of Jordana’s face. “One of these days, you have to let me give you a makeover. I know you think it’s a waste of time, but it’d be fun. All you really need is some blush and eyeliner and you could be ready, every day, in no time at all—”

“Lucee.” She set her hand on her sister’s forearm, bringing her arm down to halt her blushing.

“What’s wrong?” Lucee asked, searching Jordana’s gaze.

Ever since Lucee had told her she was getting married, Jordana had a speech ready to give at the right moment. For some reason, right now, she didn’t remember a word of it. Something about marriage being a big deal...taking more time...making sure Adam was the one. Now, suddenly, all of those arguments didn’t want to come out.

Her sister had every right to expect total support from her, not judgment. Their parents would have done the same, regardless of their reservations. Jordana could hear her mother now, telling her she didn’t have to take on her role. Like it or not, Lucee was old enough to make her own decisions, and deserved whatever happiness she could find in this world, with whomever she chose.

She didn’t have to ask Lucee if she really loved Adam. She’d seen it.

She didn’t have to ask her if she was ready to be someone’s wife. If Lucee was willing to take on the responsibilities marriage demanded, that was her and Adam’s business.

She didn’t have to run after her sister anymore, making sure she was okay. She had a feeling she would be.

There was always going to be a time when Jordana had to stop acting like a parent, and more like a sister, a friend. Now Lucee would have someone to take care of her, instead of Jordana always coming to the rescue. She just hoped Adam was ready for the task of a lifetime.

Rising, Jordana pulled her bewildered little sister into a long hug. Her eyes filling and voice catching, she choked, “I’m so happy for you. And proud. Very proud.”

Her sister’s arms came around, squeezing tight.

A rap on the door startled them both. “You have two minutes.”

“Thank you!” Lucee pulled back. “I’m so glad you’re here, Jordy. I’m a little nervous and scared. I think I might have rushed into this.”

Jordana smiled ruefully. “Yes, well, you’ve never been the planning type.”

Lucee moved away to the mirror, retouching her makeup. “I know. I think if I had been engaged for more than seventy-two hours, I wouldn’t be getting married at all.” She laughed. “Okay, here’s your bouquet. And here’s Adam’s wedding band.” She thrust the white gold ring and a bouquet of plastic white roses in Jordana’s hands, then grabbed her own, tossing her hair back. “How do I look?”

“Beautiful. I wish Dad was here to walk you down the aisle.”

“Me too. Although, if Mom and Dad were here,” she added over her shoulder as they walked out, “they’d probably talk me out of it!”

***

After the ceremony, Logan made a quick decision to arrange something special for Jordana’s sister and new brother-in-law. He called ahead for reservations to give the newlyweds a proper reception before their honeymoon and he was happy to do it. More so to please Jordana than anything. Within a matter of an hour, the four of them were celebrating Mr. and Mrs. Wardell’s vows at an acclaimed, celebrity-owned restaurant.

The servers endowed their group with special attention, a rare vintage wine, and tastes from the chef’s specialty menu.

Though he had suspected all along Jordana wouldn’t talk her sister out of getting married, he didn’t know what to expect while he and the actor waited in the chapel. He had stereotyped the young man as an Abercrombie-type Hollywood hopeful who was marrying for looks and out of foolishness. However, as he listened to Adam talk about not having any family of his own, but would now gain not one but two a “wicked awesome” women in his life that actually cared about him, Logan’s opinion shifted.

Jordana had loaned Adam rent money a couple times because his hours were cut at the restaurant where he served, and he’d often traded good shifts for unfavorable ones for auditions. Lucee pushed him to pursue his dream even though he didn’t make much money doing it and Adam wryly admitted most of the girls in theater behaved artificially, never really caring or paying attention to him as a person. But Lucee was different and he loved her desperately for it. Adam was a lucky guy in more ways than one. Not only would he be married to Lucee, he’d get the instant fierce loyalty from being Jordana’s brother-in-law. Now her sister wouldn’t be her only relative, he thought with a private smile.

When Jordana had walked down the aisle, he couldn’t rationalize the way his heart hammered in his chest, how his palms dampened, and the consuming need that roared to life. An occurrence that happened every single time their eyes met...something he had yet to get used to.

For a moment, he’d wanted to sweep her up and kiss her like it was the last thing he was ever going to do.

But of course, self-restraint and courtesy for the couple that was getting married prevailed. What was it about her that conjured up these irrational impulses?

He watched her laugh, reminisce, and talk animatedly with Adam and Lucee. The newlywed’s enthusiasm would’ve been annoying, but today he found the gushing, the giggling, even the long kisses between sips of wine endearing. They were madly in love and wanted everyone to know it. His usually cynical attitude about marriage had no place here, and he was more than willing to shut the lid on it for the day.

He excused himself to check his messages, of which he was expecting in abundance since he had switched his phone off last night. They were in such a hurry in the morning, he had yet to go through his emails, missed calls, and texts.

Emerging from the restaurant to a private corner, he frowned when he saw he had a lot of work to catch up on. He wasn’t even allowed twenty-fours of freedom without having to answer for it.