Kairos (6 page)

I walk up to the SUV and suddenly remember the condoms in my hand but not before he notices them as well. A beaming grin spreads across his face, and I freeze where I’m standing as my mouth forms a wide O of astonishment. Holy shit! I swear if I didn’t have crap for luck I wouldn’t have any at all. I mentally kick myself for my stupidity. I can feel the heat rising up my throat and over my face as humiliation sets in.

He shakes his head and chuckles and then grabs me by my waist and pulls me to his chest. His mouth is on mine before I’m even aware of his intent. Although my brain has quit functioning at the sight of him, my body has other plans. My empty hand curls around the nape of his neck, and I notice immediately that something is missing. I pull back and look at him.

“You noticed already?” He flashes a lopsided smile at me and turns around. I gasp audibly.

“Your hair! What have you done with your hair?” I run my fingers through his shorn locks, and I feel as if I could weep from the loss. His long, flowing mane has been cut to just above his collar. It’s still beautiful but so short. Well, not really—it still reaches the top of his collar.

He turns back around to face me, and his carefree smile has vanished and been replaced with an expression that couldn’t be mistaken for anything but disappointment. Oh no, Macgregor, you’ve done it now.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so disapproving. It was just the shock of it. That’s all.” I try for a reassuring smile, but he’s still reluctant to believe me.

He needs more convincing, so I tuck a loose strand behind his ear and break out the smitten teenager smile. He bursts out laughing and pulls me back into his warm embrace for another heart-stopping kiss.

His tongue tastes like fine wine, and I drink him in as if I’m dying of thirst. I don’t care who is watching or if it’s a little forward for the second date. I want this man, and I’m going to have him. I don’t know how long he’ll be here, so I’m treating every day as if it’s the last. No regrets, Macgregor!

I suck his tongue into my mouth and swirl my tongue around his until he moans in delight. His fingers tighten on the small of my back, and I know I’ve got him right where I want him. As he pulls his tongue back, I bite his bottom lip and nibble a trail across its pouty fullness. Then for good measure I give him one last quick peck on the lips and step back to gauge his expression.

His green eyes are simmering with desire. The look he gives me is purely carnal, and it heats the juncture between my thighs until I feel moisture dampen my panties. I am so ready for this man to take me. My body is throwing signals in every direction in the hopes he’ll catch at least one.

“You’re so eager, Sulwen. And believe me when I tell you I’m only too eager to accommodate you, but not yet, and certainly not here.” I love the way he pronounces my name. He says it the way it was meant to be pronounced. Not the masculine “Sul-win” as Americans pronounce it, but the way my dad used to say it: “
Sil
-wen.” It sounds feminine when he says it, and for some reason that simple little effort warms my heart.

He pecks me on the lips and escorts me to the passenger side and into my seat. I quickly shove the condoms into my purse and fasten my seat belt. I’m still recovering from my hormonal breakdown on the sidewalk. I’m surprised I didn’t dry hump his leg.
For Christ’s sake, Sulwen, what the hell is wrong with you?
For the first time in my life, I’m going to be a sure thing. No need for flowers or fine dining. This girl is ready for the horizontal mamba.

He climbs into the driver’s seat and buckles up. I have no idea where we’re going, so my hands work the leather strap to my purse nervously. I’m trying to keep my cool and look composed, but I’m failing miserably. Something about him completely disarms me to the point of ignorance.

The car is silent as we move out of the city and onto the interstate. The radio is playing in the background, and I think I hear some Nickelback. Oh, good…at least it’s not country music. I hate country music. For some reason when I listen to country I fall into a melancholy mood for days on end. It’s so damn depressing to listen to people sing about breaking up, cheating husbands, and slutty wives. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure country has great artists, just none that work for me and my taste in music.

My mind drifts off into the land of ADD while we continue our peaceful commute. I honestly can’t hold a single train of thought for more than a couple of minutes today. My mind is all over the place, and Logan seems content with letting me drift.

We’re traveling down the interstate, and since my directional abilities were skipped in my genetic makeup, I’m already at a loss as to where we are or where we’re headed. So I chance looking at my sexy driver and ask, “Where are we going?”

He glances at me and smiles a sneaky smile. He’s up to something, and I’m afraid I’m going to love it.

“You’ll see. You don’t have to work this weekend, do you?” He reaches over the console and takes my hand in his.

“Um…no. I turned in my notice today, and my boss pulled me off the schedule. He was a little pissed to say the least. It’s not like I could have turned down an internship with Tonya’s dad to work at the convenience store all summer. The money is triple what I was making, and the job is in a nice air-conditioned office, writing all day. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!” I giggle at my father’s favorite saying, and it warms my soul.

Logan looks over at me and smiles a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. It’s a sympathetic smile, and I’ve seen so many of those since Dad passed away that I involuntarily scowl. He flinches and quickly turns his eyes back to the road.

Damn it. I’m doing it again. I’m wearing my emotions on my face, and he’s reading my thoughts as if I were an electronic billboard.

He sighs and shakes his head a little, as if trying to work through a serious jigsaw puzzle. “Is it safe to say I have you to myself all weekend?” His eyes are still on the long stretch of road ahead, but I can see his lips tense and his shoulders still. He’s nervous. I’ve made the sex god nervous, and I have no idea how. I mentally high-five myself.

“I guess. If we’re staying somewhere, you should have given me notice. I don’t have an overnight bag.” I’m trying to play it cool, but inside I’m screaming with joy. He glances over at me.

“No need, I have that covered.” His eyes turn back to the road.

“What do you mean, have that covered?”

“Don’t worry about anything. Just sit back, and enjoy the ride.”

“Okay, let’s play a game. It’s called I wanna know.” I look over to see if he seems interested.

He glances over at me and smiles. “What do you want to know?”

“Well, you seem to know more about me than I do you, so I have a few questions if you don’t mind.” I pause to see if he objects, but his hand squeezes mine, and I’m guessing that’s a go-ahead cue. “Where did you come from that night at the store and what was that bright light? How did you know my name? And how in the world did you and your friend accidentally bump into my roommate? I’m not stupid, and something else seems afoot here. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not complaining about the company. Just curious.” He squeezes my hand again and then releases it to turn off the radio and places both hands on the steering wheel.

My hand feels cold without his, and I’m taken aback at the empty feeling. I’m becoming so damn clingy it isn’t funny. I have to have some answers before I allow myself to fall into the abyss known as Logan Thatcher.

He takes a deep breath and releases it slowly. Never taking his eyes from the road, he begins to answer my questions. “I was walking to your store from the bus station down the road. I needed to use a phone to call Thad for a pickup. As for the bright light, I don’t know. I didn’t see it. Could have been a shooting star or something. As for your name, your payroll check was lying on the counter, and I saw it when you went for the phone. And your final question is the simplest of them all. Thad and I went for coffee. He spotted a nice-looking woman, and decided to talk to her. One thing led to another, and the next thing I know I’m dancing with you in a nightclub. No complaints here. And as for something else afoot, I have no idea what you mean. I’m simply attracted to you.”

He glances at me to read my expression. I’m running through his answers, and everything seems to be in order. My check was on the counter, and he could have been getting coffee that day. I mean, Johnson City isn’t that big. But everything seems too easily answered. It’s almost as if he’s prepared for questions and has answers ready to pacify me. I smile at him briefly, and his eyes turn back to the road.

Something in my gut is telling me to be suspicious, but I decide to let it go for now.

“Okay. So where are we going?” I resume my earlier cheerful self, and he seems to relax a little. His shoulders loosen up, and his white-knuckled fingers let go of the steering wheel and resume holding my hand. The instant relief I get from the simple gesture is overwhelming. I tighten my fingers around his; he turns and grins at me and then winks. I snort and reach to turn the radio back on.

“I told you it’s a surprise. And yes, we’ll be staying overnight. Don’t worry about clothes or necessities. I’ll buy you whatever you need when we get there.”

Well, that answers the clothes question. He gently squeezes my hand and offers me a small smile.

“The point of this trip is to have fun. I get the feeling that you’ve been overwhelmed recently. Your friend told Thad that you’ve had a rough go of it lately. So I thought that maybe I could give you a small break. Plus, this place is amazing, and you’re guaranteed to enjoy yourself.”

He turns and looks me in the eye, and my breath catches. He’s so gloriously sexy, and when he turns the charm on, it’s raised to the tenth power. His eyes are sparkling, and his expression is relaxed but otherwise unreadable. I nibble my lip and nod.

His eyes zoom in on my lip, and his tongue sweeps out over his. Then his eyes are back on the road, and I’m left feeling hot all over. My palms start to sweat, and I pull my hand from his to search through my purse for my lip gloss. I need a distraction from this man. His presence is so powerful that I find myself getting swallowed up. I’m beginning to realize that whatever power I thought I had over him was a brief illusion.

Control has always been important to me, but I find myself relinquishing it to this man sitting next to me. I really don’t know him that well, but I’ve placed my safety, and frankly my peace of mind, in his seemingly capable hands.

Game on! I’m ready for this. I need this!

We pull up to a small country bed and breakfast at roughly one in the morning. It’s been a rather long drive, but we made several stops for food and bathroom breaks. We talked about school, jobs, and what my future plans are. He seemed fascinated about my writing, and I told him about my dream to become a romance author. He didn’t laugh or tease; he just listened. It was refreshing to not be taunted over my choice of genre. Most people brush you off when you mention romance novels and authors, but he seemed pleased with my ambition to write.

I find myself drawn to him on more than just a physical level. Sure, he is the hottest piece of eye candy I have ever laid eyes on. But I’m finding there is a lot more to Logan than I ever thought possible.

When I talk he hears what I am truly saying. He doesn’t nod and agree but listens and responds. He’s quick-witted and funny as hell. His laugh is as infectious as Tonya’s, and that is a rare quality to find in a man. A six-and-a-half-hour drive has taught me who Logan is as a professional and as the man himself. He doesn’t take himself too seriously, and he’s very aware that women see him first as the hunk he is and second as an academic…if they ever get past his bulging pecs.

He’s very intelligent, and as we pull into the drive, he’s explaining the historic relevance of the bed and breakfast we’ll be staying in.

The place is in Williamsburg, Virginia. It’s a very nice country estate, and even though it’s dark, the drive is lined with old-fashioned gaslights, and the house has landscaping lights surrounding it, so I can see everything pretty clearly.

A huge white historical mansion stands out tall and regal in this country setting. Large white balusters frame the massive front porch that stretches around both sides of the house. The porch is covered and features swings, rocking chairs, and several padded benches. From the front view are two balconies that appear to be coming out of two separate upper-level rooms. Ivy curls up the side of the house, weaving in and out of a rose trellis that’s weighed down with heavy blooms. As I step out of the car and look around, I am awestruck at the beauty. Everything from the landscaping to the furniture has a stately vintage quality.

A middle-aged woman answers the door and checks us in. She’s polite, but her eyes keep surveying Logan. He smiles but never flirts or acts the least bit interested. I can’t prevent the scowl that crosses my face when she finally notices me standing next to him. At least she has the decency to blush and appear slightly embarrassed by her blatant ogling.

For some reason I’m finding myself increasingly possessive of Logan. I place my hand in his; he looks down at me with humor shining in his eyes and a bright smile showcasing his Hollywood teeth. I blush and look down to the floor at my twitching feet, but then his hand cups my chin and draws my eyes to his. He’s still smiling but lacking all humor. His smile is lascivious, and my heart picks up speed. I can feel the heat surging in my face, and I know I’m glowing a brilliant shade of crimson, but at the moment I couldn’t care less. I have the undivided attention of Logan Thatcher at my beck and call, and I’m suddenly struck stupid with glee.