Irreplaceable (24 page)

“You were eavesdropping? How shady is that!?” I said,
clearly offended and overly appalled.

He caught the amusement in my eyes. “I came out just as
you mentioned Luke’s name.”

Thank God he didn’t hear the bet I placed.

“So what do you have planned for tomorrow? Maybe finding
a waitress to seduce?”

His smile grew, eyes twinkling. “No, I have other ideas.”

Other ideas?
I didn’t want to think about what
they were, and the longer I sat there with him staring down at me, waiting for
me to respond, the harder it was to ignore the throbbing between my legs that
had nothing to do with the waxing. He’d been there, and my body was begging him
to return.

“I have to go shower. I have an appointment at noon.”
Setting the mug on the small table beside me, I stood. A shower was exactly
what I needed—a cold one.

“Can I ask a favor?”

“I guess.” My heart raced faster as he stepped closer.

“Jax is supposed to be over in the next couple hours to
watch Oliver for the afternoon. Can you see to it that this gets to him when
you return from your appointment?” He pulled a white envelope from inside his
coat.

“Can’t you just leave it on your counter for him or
something?”

He shook his head once. “No. It needs to go in his hands
today. It’s extremely important that he gets it, and I can’t risk
anyone—meaning you-know-who—getting ahold of it.”

Natasha?
“Um… ok.”

He trusted me. I saw it clearly in the deep-blue pool of
his eyes. My heart skipped a beat as his hand placed the envelope in mine, then
he kissed my knuckles before releasing.

“Thank you,” he murmured, hooking me in with his minty
warm breath and intoxicating scent of clean, soapy perfection.

We were so close, standing face to face, our eyes
interlocked together, searching.

“Logan,” I breathed. What was happening? Why couldn’t I
move away—step back and go inside? I was locked in place, inhaling his
virility.

“Yes?” he crooned, his breath caressing my lips.

I closed my eyes. What was I trying to tell him?

“Please.” It was said in a breath, and I had no idea what
I wanted.

“Please what?”

My eyes fluttered, unable to hold his gaze much longer.
On cue, his tongue poked out, moistening his flawless lips, pulling my eyes
straight to the movement. It answered the question.

“Kiss me,” I panted, barely above a whisper.

My eyes were still on his lips when they pulled up in a
charming smile.

“Gladly.”

Instantly, I was in his arms, his lips claiming mine, our
tongues dancing together. My hands encircled his neck as I fell into the
moment, with no questions or insecurities. I just went with what felt
natural—what felt right.

It was Logan who pulled away first, looking undeniably
pleased when he placed one more soft kiss on my lips and then my hands after he
slid them down from his neck.

“Cassie!” Oliver yelled, running around the corner with a
cheerful grin covering his face. He raced straight toward me and didn’t stop
until his tiny arms were hugging my waist.

“Hey, how have you been?” I asked, hugging him tightly.
Logan watched, a relaxed smile on his lips.

“I’m gonna see a big movie!” Oliver buzzed with
excitement as he stepped back. “You can come too.”

“She sure can,” Julia chimed in, walking over with
Natasha.

I shot her a tight, contrived smile, keeping my eyes off
Natasha.

“I would, but I have an appointment today. Maybe another
time,” I replied, my smile turning up into a genuine one when I looked down to
Oliver.

Natasha walked closer and took Oliver’s hand. “We don’t
want to be late, baby. Let’s go so we can get you a giant popcorn before the
movie starts.”

“I love popcorn. So does Cassie.” He snickered, and I
knew what he was remembering. How could I forget that night? I still felt bad
for the housekeeper who was faced with cleaning the theatre room the next day.

The bittersweet laugh that caught in my throat couldn’t
be helped as I glanced at Logan, his expression pained, staring down at his
son.

“I sure do,” I replied. “You have fun today, and I’ll
come see you soon.”

“’kay, bye.”

“Logan, can you walk us to the car?” Natasha asked, her
eyes on him.

He nodded once. “I’ll be right there,” he answered to
Oliver, not her. I watched them walk away, leaving Logan and me alone.

“You’re so good with him,” Logan said, stepping closer to
me.

“He’s a great kid.”

His smile grew. “I wish I could stay. I could spend all
day just standing here with you, but I have back-to-back meetings that can’t
wait and you, sweetheart, are not ready for what I want. I want all of you.”

He was right—I wasn’t—but I couldn’t continue to push him
away, either.

He leaned in and gave me one last kiss.

“Have a good day, Logan.”

“I will now,” he replied, earning him a soft, blushing
smile. “Good luck with your appointment, sweetheart. And thank you again for
seeing to it that Jax gets that envelope.”

I nodded, holding the thick mystery packet in my hand as
I watched him disappear back the way he came.

Chapter Twenty-One

Interest

My appointment at the bank had my
nerves on the fritz the entire drive there, and the longer I waited past the
hour for a so-called Mr. Jefferson to call me back into his office, the more my
thoughts drifted to Logan, as always. I wondered if he was still thinking about
the kiss we shared only an hour or so earlier. Could he still feel the tingle
over his lips as I could over mine?

Blinking twice to shove the memory back in its secret box
to pop out later in my dreams, I shifted in the uncomfortable blue upholstered
chair surrounded by three other men, all waiting impatiently as well. A row of
customers in line for tellers stood off to the side, and I smiled, watching a
young girl snatch a lollipop from the same fishbowl I had done so from growing
up.

I couldn’t help but wonder what Logan would have to say
about me coming down here, pleading with the bank for a loan, when he had more
than enough money to help me himself. I didn’t want to know, and was going to
make sure he never found out. I didn’t tell anyone other than Hilary, and I
trusted her with my life to keep the secret.

A woman in a grey suit with bluish grey hair walked by
with a stack of papers and smiled. I smiled back, but it was bittersweet. The
old woman reminded me of my grandma, and just like that, my guilt trip began.
What would my grandma think of me being down here, using her home to pay my
bills and buy a car? She was a strong woman, and I’d like to believe she’d
understand. “You got to do what’s best for yourself,” she’d once told me.

“Miss Clarke?”

With a deep inhale through my nostrils, I plastered on my
sweetest smile.
Here goes nothing.

I looked up in the direction my name was called to see a
silver-haired man walking toward me, glancing down at his watch. I stood,
grabbing my purse, and approached him.

“Hi, Mr. Jefferson?”

“Yes, sorry to keep you waiting.” He shook my hand with a
firm grip. “A board meeting ran late. Please, follow me.”

He led me to his office, a room with a giant glass wall
that overlooked the front of the bank, complete with a massive desk and two
upholstered chairs matching the one in the makeshift waiting room, facing it.

“Please, have a seat.” He held out his hand, gesturing to
one of the chairs, then walked around his desk and sat, typing something into
his computer. “So you’re here for a loan. Can I ask what it’s for?”

My pulse quickened at remembering the night that started
it all, but none of that mattered. It wasn’t about the why—only the outcome.

“I was involved in a car accident last month and am
unable to return to work for a few more weeks. I need to purchase a car, and
just need a little help putting things back together.”

He glanced up from the monitor. “I’m sorry to hear that.
Well, we can definitely see what we can do to help. It says here you own your
home.”

“Yes, I inherited it from my grandparents.”

“Do you have any other collateral?”

“No, just the house.” I swallowed, sweat beading over the
back of my neck. Could I really do this—risk losing the home my grandfather had
built with his own two hands?

“That should be more than enough,” he said, offering a
warm smile. “We’ll need some information, and I—”He looked past me, his brows
knitting together. “I’m sorry, would you excuse me a moment?”

“Of course, take your time,” I said, wiping my hand over
my forehead subtly. The room was getting hotter, my breathing harsher as my
throat began to close up.

It felt wrong being there, sitting there. If only my
grandparents could see me now. They’d understand I had no choice, right?

Fidgeting in the chair, struggling to get comfortable, I
heard Mr. Jefferson reenter the room.

Okay, I just need to stay focused and get this over
with. They left me the house to look after me. I need to calm down.

Pulling my smile back into place, I looked back, my lips
melting into a confused frown when I saw it wasn’t Mr. Jefferson. The man
standing behind me wore a dark scowl, with anger radiating off of serious,
tense shoulders.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, standing up, stunned
to see Logan.

“I told you I had meetings today, one of which was here
at the bank.” His voice was hard, with a menacing edge I didn’t recognize.
“Now, let me make this very clear, Cassandra: you are not getting a loan.”

“What? How did you…”

I backed up as he stepped closer, the backs of my legs
smacking against the chair I’d been sitting in.

“And you sure as hell are not putting your house up for
collateral.” The darkness in his eyes brought a tremble to my knees.

Why was he so pissed? It wasn’t his business. My chin
jutted out, ready to take on the beautiful man staring me down.

“Mr. Jefferson told you? That is completely unprofessional.
I should report him—”

“Mr. Jefferson knows his place, and you, sweetheart, need
to see that you have a man willing to help you in every way possible. If you
need money, tell me—don’t run off to the bank behind my back.”

“Screw you, Logan! You don’t get to tell me what to do!
You’re not my boyfriend, so back off!”

It felt wrong yelling at him after our memorable exchange
earlier, but he was out of line getting involved in my personal affairs.

Frown lines etched over his forehead as he did just
that—he backed off, running his hands through his hair, a soft growl rumbling
in his throat.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked a moment later. His
voice was barely above a whisper, eyes soft and rueful. “It’s my fault you’re
here. Let me take care of this for you.”

My anger melted at his kindness, and my shoulders relaxed
with a heavy sigh. “I need the loan, Logan. Don’t make this any more difficult
for me than it already is, please. You think I want to be here? You don’t think
I feel horrible using my grandparents’ home?” I sucked in a sniffle and urged
the tears beckoning to stay at bay. “I need to buy a car and pay to keep my
house heated. I’m down to my last twenty dollars. I barely had the gas to drive
here.”

“You don’t need a fucking bank for that!”

“Yes, I do!” I yelled back.

He stood there in silence, his jaw clicking. “Twenty
dollars? Tell me you did not just say twenty dollars!” he all but roared. “Why
the hell didn’t you tell me sooner? Huh?”

He stared at me, waiting for me to respond, but his
strong voice had silenced me. He walked over to the office door and slammed it
shut, giving us privacy, but through the glass window, I could see most of the
people in the bank were staring. With a flick of his wrist, he yanked the
blinds down, ending the free show for the gawkers.

I watched his back rise and fall with each deep breath
before he turned back to face me. In an eerily calm voice, he asked, “How much
did you spend on that new outfit for last night? The fancy lingerie? The lovely
wax job that only ended the evening early?” Slowly, he walked back toward me.

“What about your hair and makeup—did you pay for that, as
well? Spend money to impress a man you already have enchanted? You didn’t need
that shit, Cassandra. You’re gorgeous without it, and I’d have preferred you in
something you already owned. Or, if you were truly looking to seduce me, you
could have opened the door nude rather than draining the remainder of your bank
account.”

He stopped directly in front of me, staring down into my
eyes that were filled with humiliation at how irresponsibly I’d acted with the
last of my money.

“Answer me. Is that why you’re down to twenty dollars?”
he hissed.

Embarrassment consumed me. My head fell forward and I was
unable to even look at him any longer, but from the corner of my eyes that were
cast on his expensive black shoes, I caught him moving his hand to his suit
jacket. I glanced up to see him pull his wallet from the inside pocket and grab
a handful of cash.

“I don’t want your money. Don’t you understand?” I told him
in a weak, defeated breath.

“You think I don’t know that?” With a frustrated groan,
he grabbed my hand, stuffing the cash into it, pleading with me. “Please,
Cassandra, see my side of this.”

“You need to see mine. I need the money from the bank,
and borrowing it from you is… complicated. And we have enough complications.”

I set the money on Mr. Jefferson’s desk when Logan
refused to take it back.

“That we do. If you won’t take the cash, fine.”

A triumphant smile began to crack over my tight lips
until he shoved the cash back into his wallet and added, “But I’m not allowing
you to risk a loan. Go home. The money you need will be deposited into your
account by the time you get there.”

“No!” I wanted to stomp my foot. This was going nowhere.
I stormed past him and threw open the door. “Mr. Jefferson!” I called for the
man staring dumbly at the grey carpet, waiting outside his own office.

He didn’t make a move or even respond, but instead stared
past me to Logan. I slammed the door shut again and turned back, glaring at the
man in front of me who was working my last nerve. Why couldn’t he let me do
this one thing?

“If you are determined to take out a loan, then we’ll
compromise: let me cosign for you instead of using your house for collateral.”

Was he serious?

I huffed out a laugh. “Cosign? I’m not an unemployed
teenager looking to buy her first car, Logan. I’m a grown woman.”

He leaned in and whispered, “Believe me, sweetheart,
that’s no secret to me.” He pulled back, a deviant smirk tempting his lips.
“Either I cosign, or I’ll inform Mr. Jefferson’s superiors that if they proceed
with your loan, I’ll be forced to end all business with this bank.”

“You’re kidding!” My jaw fell open, completely appalled
at the length he’d go to.

“I never joke about finances. Now what will it be?” He
knew he left me with no choice, and the twinkle in his eye rubbed it in.

I wanted nothing more than to escape that room and find
another bank for help, but it wasn’t worth all the trouble. “Fine, cosign the
damn loan.”

“Fantastic. Now go home, and I’ll have Mr. Jefferson draw
up the papers for me to bring by later for you to sign.” His hand landed on the
small of my back to lead me to the door.

“What? No, I’m staying. I haven’t told him how much money
I need.”

“How much?”

“I was hoping for five or ten.”

“That’s all, ten thousand dollars?” He let out an
arrogant snort, and I wanted to reach out and slap the smug grin off his face.

“Yes, to most people who aren’t egotistical asses, that’s
a lot of money.” I planted my hands on my hips, narrowing my eyes.

“Forgive me. It’s just frustrating that most women I’ve
met would be asking for that amount for a new handbag and would eagerly accept
cash from me at their first chance. You astonish me, sweetheart.” His fingers
swiped the tendril of hair that at some point had fallen over my eyes.

I flushed. He must’ve dated a lot of gold diggers. I
shouldn’t have been surprised.

“Material items won’t make me happy, so your money has
never mattered to me.”

“Yes, which is one of the many reasons why I love you.”

“Logan, don’t.” I whispered my plea. I couldn’t hear
that, and he knew it.

He tugged my stiff arms from my hips and held them
against him.

“Shhh, go home. I’ll have the loan drawn up and bring it
by in the morning.”

“All right,” I relented in a ghostly whisper. There was
no winning this.

He leaned in and placed a kiss to my cheek. “Don’t forget
the package for Jax. Remember: in his hands. The last thing I need is for
Natasha to get ahold of it. He knows you’re coming. I messaged him earlier.”

I nodded and walked out, giving Mr. Jefferson a pitiful
goodbye in the process.

A text chirped my phone to life
the minute I pulled into my driveway, and I couldn’t help but smile as I read
it.

You are a stubborn and enigmatic woman, Miss Clarke!

I smiled to myself again, rereading Logan’s words.

Not as stubborn as you, Mr. West!

I dumped the phone in my bag and stepped out of my car to
find Jax’s flashy convertible parked in Logan’s driveway. The envelope was
hidden at the bottom of my purse. I didn’t know what was in it, but felt it was
safer to keep it on me.

Buttoning my coat, I trudged across my yard through the
melting snow and cut through the bushes to Logan’s yard. When I reached the
front door, I rang the doorbell.

“Come in!”

It sounded like Jax, and Logan had said he was expecting
me, so I opened the unlocked door and strolled right in. I didn’t see Oliver
anywhere, so I assumed he was still out with Julia and Natasha. I figured Jax
was probably playing video games, or whatever else nineteen-year-old boys did.

“Hey, Logan asked me to give this to you,” I called out,
following the muffled voices to the kitchen.