Irreplaceable (25 page)
“Harder! Damn it, Jax, Harder!”
“Like that, baby?” a needy growl answered, its voice
forceful, freezing me in place as my gaze hit upon Jax pistoning his hips into
the lean body of a redhead bent over Logan’s granite countertop.
“Oh my God!” I jumped back, whirling around, and slapped
my hand over my eyes.
“Hey, Cassie!” he panted. “Logan said you had the
instructions for me.”
He was not serious! Time to leave.
I threw the envelope down on the counter, and caught it
slide to the floor from the corner of my eye.
Crap. Logan said it was important.
Assuming Jax had the decency to cover himself, or at
least cease and desist, I ran forward and snatched it up from the floor,
holding my hands over the side of my face, blocking my eyes when I heard the
mystery girl cry out.
“Yes! Like that! Don’t stop!”
Oh, for the love of God.
“Here, take it!” I demanded, holding my hand out in front
of me, my mouth pursed, with my other hand still shielding my closed eyes as
backup.
I heard Jax chuckle, and then felt the envelope being
removed from my grasp.
“You’re a pig, Jax. And you, miss, should have a little
more respect for yourself!” I yelled as I stomped out of the room.
“I thought you said she was coming to watch,” the hussy
said.
“Guess not.” Jax chuckled louder.
The woman must not have minded my judging, based on the
breathless moan that followed.
I slammed the front door shut behind me as I heard Jax yell,
“Come on, Cassie! Don’t be mad! It was just a joke!”
Mad did not even begin to describe my emotions. I was
furious and embarrassed for the girl who, from the glance I had of her, looked
no older than eighteen.
My phone fumbled through my fingers as I pulled it out
and hit Logan’s number.
“Cassandra, what a surprise. Are you calling about the
loan? Because it’s—”
“No, I’m calling to let you know the next time you need a
favor, ask someone else!”
“What happened? Did Jax say something to you?” His voice
was ice.
“No, but that was because he was too busy screwing some
bimbo! And by the way, don’t ever expect me to eat anything served off your
kitchen countertop!” I hung up and tore open my front door, storming inside.
It was past five so I called Hilary, hoping she was home
from school and not out with Caleb already. I needed someone to vent to about
what I’d just witnessed. I shouldn’t have been surprised when the girl couldn’t
stop laughing about Jax’s little rendezvous. Other than asking if I’d seen anything
noteworthy, which I hadn’t, she thought I was overreacting.
The more time I had to cool down and think about it,
maybe I was, but Jax could’ve at least stopped his thrusts for a moment. The
girl, whoever she was, had no shame. I had no idea where the West men found
their sluts, but I hated to think they all came from Harmony.
“He’s young and just trying to get a rise out of you,”
Hilary said through her laughter.
“Well, it worked.”
“So, enough about the younger neighbor. I’m still waiting
to hear how the date went with the older one—you know, the guy you spent all
yesterday getting ready to blow away with the night of his life. Was it as good
as you hoped?”
“Things didn’t exactly go as planned,” I answered,
sinking further into my couch.
“What? Why?”
“Because he figured out my vagina was waxed raw. Not
really the night I had planned.”
“Didn’t she give you some balm? Shit, I totally forgot
about that.”
“Yes, I had the damn balm. It doesn’t matter, I’m over it
and don’t really want to talk about it at the moment.”
“All right, later. And hey,” she said, her voice rising,
“Tell Jax I said hi next time.” She laughed. “He’s cute.”
“I’ll be sure to let Caleb know you think so.”
“Oh shush, Caleb’s perfect and all mine. He has nothing
to worry about, but I have to say, Jax has created quite a stir with some of
the younger teachers at school. They look forward to the days he picks Oliver
up from school. The guy’s as charming as his big brother, from what I hear.”
“Lovely.” I rolled my eyes. “Bye.”
She chuckled. “Bye.”
I settled into the couch, my legs stretched over the
cushions, with Scout on my lap I closed my eyes and let the day’s events clear
away.
The doorbell awoke me what felt like minutes later, but
the sun setting through the window told a different story. Annoyed my time home
was resulting in far too many naps, I sighed, setting Scout on the floor as I
stood.
After a refreshing yawn and wakening stretch, I strolled
to the door, unsure whom to expect. Logan had said he’d be over in the morning.
Surprised, I was met with a red-faced Jax.
“Hey, Cassie. I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I
knew you were stopping by and should have made sure I was finished fucking her
by th—ahhh, SHIT!”
My eyes widened at his pain-laden scream as Logan stepped
out from the side, grabbing Jax’s arm and twisting it around his back.
Jax hissed in agony and muttered, “I’m sorry, okay?
Really sorry, and it won’t happen again, ever. I was just screwing around.”
“And?” Logan hissed in his ear.
“And the countertop is being sterilized by professionals
first thing in the morning.” Jax let out a heaving breath when Logan released
him.
“Damn, dude, you got it bad for her,” Jax grumbled,
shaking out his arm.
“It’s fine, Jax. I’m over it,” I said, hiding my smile.
“See? I knew she was a cool chick.” Jax chuckled to
Logan, than turned back to me. “It really was a douchebag move, but what can I
say?” His shoulders rose. “You’re fucking hot, and the idea of you watching
turned me on.”
Logan reached out, but Jax was already halfway down the
driveway. I’d never seen anyone move so fast.
“Let him go,” I laughed, watching Jax turn back and wink.
“I’m over it. Besides, I think he only did it to get under your skin.”
“Well, it worked. You shouldn’t have had to witness
him…with some girl.” His hand reached up, kneading the back of his neck, his
jaw set tight.
It was sweet seeing him so upset, defending my honor. I
opened the door for him to enter and headed into the kitchen.
“I should expect it by now when I go over there. How many
times did I interrupt you?”
His jaw clenched impossibly tighter, lips set in a firm
line. “That was unfortunate, but a long time ago.” He stood beside me as I slid
into a chair.
“Only a few months back.”
“Cassandra, it feels like another lifetime, and one I’d
rather not bring up again.”
“Whatever. I thought you were going to bring the papers
in the morning,” I said, motioning to the folder in his hands.
“I changed my mind.”
“All right. I don’t see why I had to deliver something to
him if you were going to see him anyway.”
Logan took a breath, his expression suddenly bordering on
irritated. “I needed him to do me a favor this afternoon—one that he has
assured me went off without a hitch, but we shall see.”
“Okay.” I replied.
Elusive, much?
“So the loan was
approved with no issues?”
“Of course.” He smiled with an authoritative confidence
only he could pull off so effortlessly. “You need to sign next to every X.” He
pulled the documents out of the envelope, setting them on the table and handing
me a pen.
“Oliver wasn’t home, I hope,” I said after a few minutes,
eyeing the contract. I couldn’t imagine Jax being that irresponsible.
“No, he was still out, thankfully, or Jax would have
gotten it a lot worse from me.” He pulled up a chair and sat beside me. “Here,”
he said, pointing to the first X awaiting my signature.
“I need to finish reading it first,” I replied, pushing
his hand away.
“You don’t trust me?” His soft eyes drew me in when I
glanced up, but the smile on his lips brought out a need to lean over and kiss
him. He was so sexy when he was playful.
“For all I know, these are papers signing my soul over to
you.”
“I tried, but it turns out the bank isn’t into selling
souls.” He chuckled and smoothed back my hair that had fallen, creating a
curtain between us.
I read through the first document and shot my head up
when I saw the amount of the loan.
“I said ten thousand!”
“And I felt it wasn’t enough.”
“Logan, I’m not signing this!” I pushed the papers back
to him and set the pen down.
“It’s only five thousand more than you requested. Now
sign.” He pushed the papers back at me.
“What if I can’t afford the monthly payment due to that
extra five grand?” I was not giving in this time.
“Then I’ll pay it for you.”
“No,” I sighed, reading down further. To my surprise, the
payment wasn’t bad at all, and I wasn’t about to ask how he got it so low.
“What’s this?” I tapped my finger on the line below it.
“Part of the arrangement as cosigner.”
I read it again, making sure I was understanding it
clearly, then looked up to meet his firm gaze. “If I don’t pay it by the first
of every month, it will be drawn from your account and paid in full?”
“Yes,” he said, as though it was nothing.
“I’m not going to win this, am I?”
“No. Now sign.” His lip curled up.
Beautiful, infuriating ass!
“Fine,” I grumbled, signing my name. “But if you pay this
off, I am still paying you back, with interest, just like I plan to do for
those medical bills.”
“I would expect nothing less.”
A grin grew over my lips as I looked up at him, extending
the pen back to him. “Good.”
I stood and handed him the papers. “Thank you for your
help—not that I needed it—but to be honest,” I said, looking down awkwardly, “I
was terrified of using this house to secure the loan. I mean, I know I could
have made the payments, but…”
“But things happen, and it’s how good people lose what
they’ve worked their lives for. This is your home. I’ll never let you lose it.”
He cradled my chin and lifted my face to meet his eyes. I
didn’t fight him when he leaned in and placed his lips on mine. It felt good,
comforting, short and sweet—just enough to leave me craving more.
“You should go,” I murmured before stepping back as I
cleared my throat, searching for my voice. “Or stay—”
“Soon, Cassandra.”
With that, he walked out, leaving me reeling. I couldn’t
go much longer without him. All I could do now was head in for my second cold
shower of the day.
Cupid
I smiled, peeling myself from the
couch when a knock sounded at the front door. Luke was right on time, which was
great, because I was starving. He promised to bring pizza and wine while I took
care of the movies. The plan to spend Valentine’s at home, without romance, was
exactly what I needed.
When I opened the door, I was instead met with a bouquet
of red roses and a cocky smile that did not belong to Luke. My face fell,
confused.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Logan said, placing the flowers
in my hands and leaning in for a quick kiss to my surprised cheek. He was
dressed in light faded jeans, and his wool coat was open, revealing a casual
black V-neck T-shirt.
“Um…happy Valentine’s Day to you too, but why are you
here?” My face had to have shown how surprised I was to see him. “I told you I
already have plans tonight…with Luke.”
“Yes, I remember, but I thought I’d stop by on the off
chance that he canceled.”
I snorted.
Canceled?
“Yeah, didn’t happen, but
thanks for the flowers, they’re beautiful.”
He looked pleased, standing there watching me as I
struggled with telling him goodbye. If Logan wanted to spend time together, he
should’ve asked. I did eat lunch alone a few hours earlier, and wouldn’t have
shot him down had he asked to join.
“Luke will be here any minute, so if you don’t mind, I’ll
see you around,” I said with a soft smile.
As I began to close the door, Logan’s hand flew up,
holding it open.
“Wait, can’t I at least come in until he arrives?”
My plans for a romance-free evening were not starting off
very well.
“Logan,” I sighed, dropping my head, staring down at the
bouquet in my hand. “I’m sorry, but if you wanted to—”
My phone ringing from the coffee table cut me off. I
looked back to the table where it sat, and then to Logan.
“You can get that,” he said, smiling a little too
brightly.
I eyed him carefully and walked over, snatching it up to
see it was Luke.
“Hey Luke, you on your way over?” I asked, grinning
cheekily at Logan, who was bent down petting Scout wearing a smug smile he
didn’t even attempt to hide.
“Actually, something came up. I need to take a rain
check.”
Was he kidding? I turned away from staring at the
gorgeous man looming in my doorway and dropped my voice to a whisper. “Why?”
“I’m sorry, it’s just that…I was driving over when I saw
a car on the side of the road about a mile from your house. I stopped to help,
and it was Julia West.”
I sighed. What were the chances? A quick glimpse over my
shoulder told me it wasn’t a coincidence, by the raise of Logan’s brow.
Damn
it.
“Long story short, her car just needed a jump, but she
insisted on taking me to dinner as a thank you for helping her out.”
“You don’t say.”
“I hate to cancel, but it turns out she and Mark broke
up, so I figured why not?”
“Broke up?” That was news. I’d just talked to her
yesterday, and she didn’t say a thing. Not that we were BFFs.
“Yeah, she didn’t say much aside from that she hated
being single on Valentine’s, so I took that to mean they weren’t together
anymore. Listen, I got to go, she’s coming back from the restroom. Sorry, I’ll
make it up to you. Bye.”
Luke hung up and I did the same slowly before turning
back reluctantly to face Logan, who was now strolling into the house with a
paper bag in his hands that he must’ve had sitting on the porch. He shut the
door behind him.
“Hope you’re hungry, sweetheart. I plan on making you a meal
you’ll never forget.”
“If Julia’s playing with him, I swear to God, Logan, I
will hurt you both!”
“Calm down. She and that scumbag Mark broke up last week.
She won’t say why, but I did happen to catch the way your little friend looked
at my sister when we ran into him and Caleb the other day.” He walked toward
me, his breath warm over my cheek as his voice lowered to a husky murmur. “Hate
to break it you, sweetheart, but it’s not how he looks at you.”
With a ragged breath and raging hormones, I shoved past
him, annoyed at how he easily my body responded to his and that he knew it. I
shook off the butterflies flittering through me.
“I told you—Luke and I are just friends.”
“And I believe that. It’s obvious he’s interested in my
sister, and everything I’ve heard about him from Caleb tells me he’s not so
bad. I figured why not help the kid out?”
I followed him to the kitchen, where he removed his coat
and began emptying the bag of food onto the counter. He had no issue making
himself at home.
“So, then, you admit to putting your sister out in the
cold on the side of a backcountry road with a dead car?” I stared at him
crudely, waiting for his answer.
“No, that was all Julia.” He gave a cunning smile. “She
was more than eager to help me out tonight. I merely suggested distracting your
date.”
With a shake of my head, I opened my small pantry in
search of a vase for the flowers he’d brought.
“You’re both horrible, and that better be one delicious
meal, or—”
I stopped, cut off as I stared at the rows of vases Hilary
had brought home from the hospital. I knew she’d cleaned them up and put them
in there, but what I hadn’t noticed was the largest vase closest to the door
still had the unopened card perched on top.
It’d taken everything in me not to open it at the hospital.
That damn thing had called out to me from my bed every minute of every day
since it’d been delivered with the first round of beautiful flowers Logan had
sent. I spent countless hours telling myself that whatever Logan had to say, it
didn’t matter. Staring at it now, I couldn’t find that reason, and my curiosity
was piqued.
I grabbed the vase and popped the small card into the
pocket of my worn jeans before walking back to the table to set the vase next
to the flowers.
Logan already had pots removed from cabinets and the
stove fired up as I brushed past him in the tight space by the sink, where he
was rinsing a bowl of the largest shrimp I’d ever seen. My mouth watered at the
sight of them, and when I glanced up, he was staring across at me with the sweetest
lighthearted smile.
“Sorry, I just need to fill the vase,” I explained.
He turned the faucet to reach me and I held the vase as
still as I could in my hands that were unsteady as his gaze bore into me.
It was going to be a long night.
“Thanks,” I said after it was filled, and headed back to
the table.
Carefully, I unwrapped the bundle of classic red roses.
With a pair of shears from my junk drawer, I began cutting the ends off each
one and arranging them in a perfect bouquet.
“So, where’s Oliver tonight?”
“At my mother’s with his cousin, Charlie. Jax will bring
him home in the morning before school.”
“And Natasha? How did you escape her?”
“Thanks to your help with giving Jax the information,
Natasha is halfway to Aspen right now,” he said, looking positively pleased
with the thought.
“Why, exactly?”
“Because she believes that I was heading to my home there
to stay a few days to think over my feelings. Jax tried to convince her she was
wrong after a performance where he
accidentally
informed her of my plans
the afternoon she got back from the movies with Oliver. As I expected, she
purchased a ticket and left this morning in the hopes, I presume, of surprising
me there.”
“But you’re not going?” I asked, unsure what to think and
still not clear what the envelope I gave Jax contained. From the weight of it,
I’d assumed cash.
“Does it look like I am?”
I turned to focus on the flowers and he stood at the
stove, our backs to each other.
“Do you know what Caleb has planned for Hilary tonight?”
I asked, breaking the silence hanging around us.
“I do.”
“Care to tell me?” I prompted, a smile on my lips.
“I’ve been sworn to secrecy,” he replied, still busy at
the stove.
“Well, what time was he going to surprise her?”
“About now.”
“Then she’s probably already enjoying the surprise, so
there’s no reason not to share now, right?”
“Possibly.”
I turned and chucked a piece of stem at the back of his
neck.
“Still not telling you,” he said, and I couldn’t stop the
laugh I released at his nonchalance.
Focused back on snipping another end from a beautiful
rose, I felt his breath tickling my neck. I didn’t move, my entire body still
as his fingertips caressed a trail back and forth under my shirt, over the bare
skin at the small of my back. A chill raced up my spine, and a heated shudder
wracked my body.
“I love how you react to me.”
“I sometimes hate it,” I replied quietly.
“Understandable, with our history, but never again. I
want you to love it as much as I do.”
His moist lips drew over the back of my neck, my head
tilting to the side to give him better access as his tongue peeked out and ran
up to the tender flesh behind my ear. Before I knew it, a sensual moan was
pouring from my open mouth, my legs trembling with desire.
“Grab some plates. It will only be another minute before
dinner,” he murmured. And then he was gone, back working at the stove as though
he hadn’t just worked me up and left me famished.
I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, then let it
out, my legs clenching tight to quell the heat pooling.
Yeah, it was definitely going to be a long night.
The flowers were set in the center of the table, with two
plates on each side of the vase. However, when I looked over to Logan, he was
shaking his head.
“What were you and Luke planning on doing tonight?” he
asked.
My brow cocked up as a provocative grin played on my
lips, teasing him with what could’ve been with Luke.
“Funny, sweetheart, but you can’t fool me. Let me guess:
dinner and a movie on the sofa?”
I allowed a pout to play on my lips before answering.
“Maybe. Why?”
“Because if that was your plan, then that’s what we’ll
do.”
Did I hear him correctly?
“You want to sit and
watch a movie with me while we eat this amazing meal you just cooked?”
“Yes, it not like we never did so last fall.”
I couldn’t disagree—we had watched a few movies together
before the crash, but it was at his house, with Oliver, in an enormous theatre
hidden in his basement. This was different—friends territory, for sure—but then
again, how long could I deny that we were already there again?
Grabbing the plates, I took them over to the stove. He
filled them both full of shrimp linguini, and I carried them out to the living
room. Logan came in while I was debating which movie to watch between the two I
rented, and set a glass of wine in front of my plate on the coffee table.
“All right, we got
Scary Movie 3
or the new
Texas
Chainsaw Massacre
. That one was Luke’s request.”
He raised his brows. “Was there a theme you guys had
planned tonight?” he all but laughed, sitting down on the couch with his glass
of wine.
“Yes, anti-romance. Clichéd but timeless, and these
movies definitely have no love story to tell. I don’t think, anyway.”
“All right, put in whichever you’d like.”
“Hmmm, let’s start with scary and end the night on a
comedy. I hate going to bed after watching a horror flick. I need something
nice in my head or else I’ll have a chainsaw freak chasing me through my
dreams.”
“I could always spend the night and help with distracting
your nightmares.” He brow rose suggestively but the gleam in his eye was all
humor.
“No, but thanks,” I scoffed.
“Anytime, Sweetheart.” He shot me a boyish smile that
made my knees wobble just the slightest.
Turning away, I glanced out the window at the setting sun
casting an orange-ish hue of light through the window. It was going to be a
long night.
After loading the DVD in, I flicked off the lights and
plopped down on the opposite end of the couch from Logan, watching as he
slipped Scout—who was at his feet—a piece of shrimp.
I shook my head. “You’re gonna regret that. He’ll never
let you eat in peace again,” I said, lifting my plate to my lap.
“Is that your way of saying I’ll be enjoying many more
meals here in the future?”
“Let’s not get carried away with the
many
s.” I
shot him a teasing smile.
The first bite of the shrimp and pasta with a creamy
sauce he’d prepared from scratch was heaven, as was the closeness of Logan’s
body as he set his wine glass down, lifted his plate, and moved over just the
slightest bit. I fought back my smile, focusing on the dark screen as the
previews began.
An hour or so later, my plate was empty, as was my second
glass of wine, and I had a terrified death grip on Logan’s shirt. I was scrunched
up in a ball with my head buried in his chest, peeking out occasionally when
the chainsaw stopped roaring.
“Did he get her?” I asked, my voice trembling.
The rumble of laughter in Logan’s chest shook through me,
yet my tight grip never faltered. I was going to have it out with Luke for
telling me to pick up this movie. No comedy was going to remove it from my
mind, ever.
“Not yet, she’s hiding,” Logan said, his hand stroking my
back.
I peeked out just as the chainsaw rumbled back to life on
screen, followed by a blood-curdling scream from the girl who shouldn’t have
been having sex in a horror movie. I shoved my head back into Logan’s chest, my
feet on the couch pushing me into him as close as I could crawl until the
horrible sound was gone. The room quieted.
I glanced up to see Logan had switched off the
television. I sat up with a cool shrug. “You could finish it, I don’t mind.”
