Less-than-Innocent Invitation (7 page)

Logan couldn't lie to her. “That I'd get the ranch if I married before Bart did? Yes. But what did that have to do with us?”

Melissa dragged in a breath. Until now, she'd held out the tiniest hope she'd been wrong. Her chest ached
at his betrayal. “Everything, Logan. I ran into a friend who had been dating Bart. Right before they stopped seeing each other, he'd told her everything, that you even bragged about beating him to the altar.”

“That's not true, Melissa. Bart and I thought it worked out great, you and I getting married. I never bragged about anything to him.”

“Really?” she said with sarcasm. “Tell me it's not true that you ask me to marry you to keep the ranch.”

“I'll admit that learning about the stipulation changed my thinking, but only about the timetable of our relationship. I wouldn't have asked you to marry me if I hadn't loved you.”

“Oh, Logan, I'm not that young, naive girl anymore.”

“It's the truth,” he persisted, hurt that she doubted him now as well as then. “You left me because you thought I'd marry you to keep the ranch?”

“You said as much to me the night you proposed,” she reminded him.

Confused, he shook his head. “What did I say?”

“You said, ‘I'll have everything I ever wanted, you and the Wild Spur.' I didn't know what you meant until I heard about the will.”

Logan reached out to touch her, then stopped himself when he realized she didn't seem receptive to his gesture. “I don't even remember saying that, Melissa. I just know that I loved you. I did. It was hell when you left me.”

Had she misinterpreted the meaning of his words? Melissa wanted to believe him, but her distrust was hard to overcome.

“You loved me so much that you married another woman?” she challenged.

Logan's breath exploded in his lungs. “You know about Cara?” Hell, this was getting worse.

Her eyes speared his. “Cara?” For a moment she couldn't speak as she processed his words, then her heart sank with their meaning. “Cara Young?” When he nodded, she hunched forward and placed her hands over her face, dragging in deep breaths, wishing she was anywhere but there. Why had he been so adamant about dredging up the past when the result was that she'd be hurt even more?

“Melissa?”

Suddenly he felt like scum. Logan had never felt more helpless than at that moment. He wanted to hold her, comfort her, but he held himself back.

Melissa lifted her face and looked at him, her cheeks flushed. “You married Cara Young?”

“Yes, but—”

“Damn you.” Her eyes glittered with tears as she stood. “Were you seeing her while we were dating?”

“No!” Logan said. “I swear I wasn't. I didn't even meet her until after you left.”

“How could you not have known her? She was dating your brother.”

Logan's expression changed to confusion. “She never dated Bart. He knew her, sure. He was the one who introduced us. After a few months of seeing each other, she kept saying that she loved me, that she wanted to get married.” He shrugged. “So…we did.”

“Let me get this straight, Logan. You loved me. But
after I left, you met Cara, and after a few months when she kept saying how much she loved you, you married her?”

“It sounds bad, I know. I was miserable after you left. On the rebound from you, I married her. It was a stupid thing to do. Our marriage lasted less than a year. I'm sure that she never dated Bart. They were just friends.”

Melissa shook her head, confused. Something wasn't right here. “Logan, she dated Bart.”

“That's not possible.”

“Apparently it was.” She released a slow breath. “It was Cara Young who told me about your father's will.”

L
ogan's eyes glittered with anger. “What?”

“Cara dated Bart. They'd been seeing each other for a while before they broke up.”

“That can't be true,” he said, his words hot with denial. He had no idea where she'd heard such a thing, but she was mistaken.

“The day I ran into her, Bart had already told her about the will and had broken up with her,” Melissa said, her throat dry. “Cara had been so angry at your brother. She said she'd wanted to marry Bart so he'd get the ranch. Then they could sell it and live off the money. But Bart had said he wasn't interested in getting married and he was leaving town as soon as he got his money.”

“It's true that Bart wanted only the money, not the ranch.” Logan cursed beneath his breath. Everything was
beginning to make sense. “If what you're saying is true, she must have told you about the will to get back at Bart. If we broke up, he wouldn't have gotten anything.”

Melissa swallowed hard. “I'm telling you the truth, Logan. Cara was really upset that day. She wanted to marry Bart.”

“Did she? From the way she came on to me, it seems like she wanted the money even more,” he answered soberly. He felt like a fool. Cara had used him.

“Maybe she did. But that doesn't explain why your own brother would have set you up by introducing her to you.”

“Yes, it does,” he said, aching at the cold actions of his brother. “That's how much he wanted to leave Royal. The only way for him to get the money was to get married, or to make sure I did.”

Rising, he paced the room. “When you and I were engaged, he must have figured it wouldn't be long before he got his cash. Knowing he'd be leaving and with Cara pressuring him to propose, he must have ended things with her.” Logan should have seen through Cara, but during that time, he'd been blinded by the pain of Melissa leaving.

Melissa looked at Logan. “And when I broke up with you, it messed up Bart's plans.”

“Yeah.” He gave a bitter laugh. “He wanted his money bad enough to conspire with his ex-girlfriend to get it.” Bart always had been selfish, and after he'd left Royal, they rarely had seen each other. As brothers they'd never been close, had never been friends. Now, they never would be.

She stood and walked over to him. “How could he have done that?”

“After my mother died, my father doted on Bart, gave him anything he wanted. Bart was used to having his way. I guess he figured that applied to the money as well.”

She touched his arm. “They why didn't your father just leave the ranch to Bart? Why put the stipulation in the will about one of you getting married?”

“Honestly, I'm not sure,” Logan answered, baffled. “My father was a difficult man to understand. He didn't talk much, kept a lot inside. I think he knew how much I wanted the ranch, but he loved Bart more. Maybe my father thought it would make Brad grow up and settle down.”

“Oh, Logan, I'm so sorry,” Melissa said on a soft whisper. Despite what had happened between them, how much it had stung when she'd found out Logan had married another woman, she felt deep sorrow for him. It must have been hard being raised in the shadow of his brother.

“I'm the one who's sorry. Bart ruined what we had together.” God, he couldn't believe it. All these years he'd blamed Melissa. Bart had stolen their past together. Anger boiled inside him. If he ever saw his brother again, there wouldn't be enough left of him to think about.

“And Cara Young.” She turned toward him. “Leaving you broke my heart. I loved you so much then.”

“So you didn't leave for a career?” he asked, his eyes questioning.

She bit her lip, then a moment later said, “No. I just said that to save face. I didn't want you to know how much you'd hurt me.”

“I hope you can believe now that I loved you, too.”

She shrugged. “I want to.” It wasn't easy to give him her trust. Or to let the past go. But the attraction between them…oh, that was something else altogether.

Logan draped his arm around her and pulled her close to him. Giving in to the need to be held by him, she rested her head against his chest with a sigh.

“But you're not sure?” He understood. No matter what she said, it still hurt him that she'd left him.

Looking up at him, she said, “It's hard to believe that you married Cara.”

He swallowed past the knot in his throat. “I made a terrible mistake.”

“I don't think what happened between us is something we can easily get past. But I want you know one thing.” Her heart pounded wildly inside her. “I'm still attracted to you,” she said candidly. “Does that count for anything?”

He sighed and the tension left his body. “Oh, yeah, sweetheart. I'm attracted to you, too.”

“Let's enjoy what time we have now, Logan.” She wasn't staying. They led different lives in different cities. More importantly, she refused to lead her heart into such danger again. But she wanted this moment with him, wanted a chance to rediscover what they'd had together, to learn about the man he'd become.

Though she hadn't said the words, Logan knew what she meant. “I like the way you think,” he whispered huskily, then covered her mouth with his.

Melissa sank into his kiss. The feelings she'd kept locked inside were threatening to break loose. Could she stop them? Did she have a choice? Despite the promise
she'd made to herself before she came back, she wanted to be with Logan again. Could she indulge in an affair with him and leave with her heart intact?

If she couldn't, was she ready to face the consequences of sleeping with him, then walking away again?

He groaned as she kissed him back and pressed his erection against her. “You always did have that power over me,” he whispered. He cupped her breast with his hand, massaged it gently.

Melissa's knees went weak. She licked her lips, tasting him, wanting more than ever to feel his powerful body inside hers.

Logan ran his tongue along her lips, then past her teeth to explore her mouth. Heat exploded through him. Sweet. Tender. Exotic. She sucked on his tongue and he moved his hips in response.

“Should we be doing this here?” she asked quietly when he shifted his attention to her throat. Even as she'd asked the question, her mouth sought his in a heady, explosive kiss that left them both breathing hard.

Logan continued to touch his lips to hers with a nibbling, seductive motion that teased and tempted. “Want to go to my room?”

“Yes,” she answered in a desperate sigh. Gliding her hands around his neck, she dragged his mouth down to hers. He nipped her lips with his teeth.

“I've never forgotten your taste,” he told her huskily. “Never.” He'd tried. Hell, all these years he'd been haunted by it. But Melissa was in his soul. There was a connection between them that separation hadn't erased. “After all this time, I want you in my bed.”

All night. And he suspected making love to her all night long wouldn't be enough to atone for years of wanting her.

She took his hand in hers and he led the way through the house to the room across the hall from her own. Once inside, she glanced around. His bedroom was large and masculine, decorated in burgundy and brown with an inviting king-size bed. “This is nice,” she said. With a sexy smile, she added, “I really like the bed.”

Logan's eyes flashed with desire. “Then come share it with me.” He drew her to it, sat and pulled her toward him. She stood before him, her hands on his shoulders as he began unfastening the buttons of her blouse. It fell in a heap to the floor.

Melissa leaned down and kissed him as his hands covered her breasts, moaning softly as he caressed them through her bra. She unfastened his shirt and pushed it off him, then explored his hard-muscled shoulders, his corded neck.

It had been a long time since she'd been with him, but suddenly it felt as though it was only yesterday. There was no pretense, no awkwardness, no hesitancy to give herself to him. Her body was attuned to his and he was an expert at igniting her passion. Continuing to kiss her, he found the catch of her bra. With little effort he released it and she freed her arms. His tongue continued doing wonderful things to her mouth as his hands again found her breasts, his fingers pleasuring her.

“Logan.” She held her breath as his mouth moved lower, pressing hot kisses to her throat, her shoulder. Lower and lower until his hot mouth closed over her
tight, rigid nipple. A fever began simmering deep inside her as she moaned. Her hands held his neck, pressing him to her.

“You are so beautiful,” Logan murmured, then he divided his attention between her nipples, kissing one then the other, laving them with his tongue.

His words, whispered in passion, fueled her desire. “I want you,” she told him. Her body was no longer hers. It belonged to him and only he knew how to soothe the delicious ache building inside her.

Lifting his head, he leveled his gaze on her. “I've wanted you ever since I saw you at the ball,” he confessed. He lay back on the bed, taking her with him, then he rolled her to her back and stretched out beside her. He unfastened her slacks and skimmed his hand along her warm, velvet skin. His fingers grazed the tuft of hair between her legs. Cupping her, he slipped them between the yielding folds.

Hot. Soft. Wet.

For him.

“You're driving me wild,” she whispered. “Come inside me.” The words were boldly spoken, a challenge that let him know she was ready for him.

“Woman, you really know how to turn me on.”

Her gaze drifted over him, pausing on the bulge in his jeans. Her eyes met his again. “Show me.”

Logan left the bed. He hooked his fingers in the waistband of her pants and drew them down over her thighs, removing them along with her heels. As he shed his jeans, he made love to her mouth. She rewarded him with a groan of satisfaction and longing. Her hips
rocked back and forth as he caressed between her legs, stroking her slowly, making her ready for him.

It took every ounce of strength for Logan to stop touching her, but he moved his hand up her body to her breast, then whispered, “I'll be right back.”

Melissa dragged her eyes open. “Where are you going?”

“I need to protect you.”

“Right.”

He opened the drawer to the nightstand beside his bed, then returned with a foil packet in his hand. His gaze locked with hers, he stood before her, naked. All of him. All six-foot-three of rugged, muscled man.

All hers.

At least for the moment.

She banished that thought from her mind as he sheathed himself. Melissa's throat went dry, her desire for him intensifying as he moved over her and spread her legs apart, positioning himself.

Wanting to enjoy every single moment of loving Melissa, Logan took it slow, joining their bodies, then withdrawing. Inch by aching inch he filled her, her body stretching to accommodate him. She opened her legs wider, and as he pushed himself fully inside her, he kissed her again and again, building their ecstasy, bringing her to the brink of the ultimate pleasure. Her hips began writhing against his own, and still he made love to her in slow, rhythmic strokes.

“Oh, Logan.” Melissa whispered his name, half plea, half demand. He seemed to know intuitively what she wanted, moving faster, plunging deeper into her over
and over. Her arms went around him, holding him to her, wanting the rush of heat to last forever.

But it didn't and her release came swiftly. She closed her eyes and gave herself to him completely. Shifting against him, she chased the gratification he promised with each movement of his body inside hers. And then she was falling over the edge of bliss as sensations exploded through her.

She tightened her arms as he pushed even deeper, seeking his own release. When it came, he groaned and his hands gripped her, claiming her as his.

After a few moments, when she could breathe again, Melissa ran her hand along Logan's back. His body was hard, lean, his skin so hot. It felt wonderfully delicious to have the freedom to touch him so intimately.

Logan shifted his weight from Melissa, then held her as he tried to catch his breath. She sighed and moved closer to him, ran her hand along his belly. His muscles clenched at her touch. He'd gone into this with his eyes wide open. He had told himself that he could handle his attraction to her, that he could handle what was happening between them, and come out unscathed.

Now he wasn't so sure—one taste of her and he wanted more.

He forced himself to face facts. Melissa had walked away from him before and she was going to again, this time for another reason. The difference now was that he knew it.

His pulse began to slow and he couldn't stop himself from asking, “Why didn't you talk to me, Melissa?” He
had to know in order to put what had happened totally behind him.

She raised her eyelids and looked at him, regretting that she hadn't given him the benefit of the doubt. “I thought I knew the truth after what Cara had said. It pretty much confirmed what you'd said the night you proposed. I was hurt. I was so young, Logan, and you were so…” she smiled “…so male. You knew exactly what you wanted. It was a little overwhelming for me. I should have talked to you. I know that now.” She gave a soft shrug. Realizing she'd played a part in their breakup staggered her.

Cara.
His gut twisted. How could he wonder why Melissa had listened to Cara's lies? Like a fool, he'd trusted Cara, too. And his brother. “Hell, sweetheart, we both believed her.”

She ran her hand along his shoulder, then touched his face. “I thought if you loved me, you'd come after me.”

“I did love you.” Logan raised himself above her.

She stared into his eyes. “Why didn't you try to find me?”

He swallowed hard. “At first I thought you wanted a career as a reporter and I didn't want to stand in your way.”