Logan's Redemption (25 page)

The pungent aroma of pine perfumed the room. The hot chocolate tasted richer and smoother than usual. Being with Logan enhanced everything around her.    

 “Tree’s cool,” Josh said.

“I can’t believe you actually got that thing in the house.” Doriana shook her head.

Logan locked gazes with her. “A person can do anything he sets his mind to. And have anything he wants.”

The room and tree receded into the sensual tension that sparked between her and Logan like short-circuited Christmas lights.     

“Mom and I never had a real tree,” Josh said.

His words diffused the spell Logan cast. Doriana took a quick sip of hot chocolate, burning her tongue. The slight pain mocked her foolish imagination. Setting the mug aside, she  turned to Josh with a wry smile. “You poor deprived kid.”

Instead of the laugh she expected, Josh’s face twisted with hurt. His unspoken words hung in the air between them. Josh had had all the creature comforts growing up, but he’d never had a father.

“When should we decorate this beauty?” Logan asked.

Doriana shifted her attention to Logan, wondering if he’d noticed the interplay between her and Josh. But Logan’s eyes were unreadable.

“Maybe we can decorate Christmas Eve,” Josh said.

Doriana shook her head. “Josh, you know Grandmom and Grandpop have their party every Christmas Eve.”

He shrugged. “I forgot.” He turned to Logan. “Can we do it tomorrow?”

“Sure.” Logan nodded at Doriana. “If it’s okay with your mother.”

“I have some Christmas shopping to do.” Doriana scanned the tree. “This is going to take a lot of ornaments. I don’t have nearly enough.”

“Not a problem,” Logan said.

“No problem,” Josh echoed. “We guys can trim this baby. And we’ll buy new decorations. Right, Logan?”

The hope in Josh’s voice made Doriana’s heart thud. Her son had missed a father more than she’d guessed.

“Fine with me,” she said.    

“It’s a deal,” Logan said, smiling. “Josh and I decorate while you’re shopping.”

“Cool.” Josh let out a loud yawn.

Logan glanced at his watch, then back to Josh. “It’s late, son. Why don’t you get to bed.”

Doriana’s head snapped up. Josh stared wide-eyed at Logan.

Logan’s face held no expression.
Son
. A meaningless slip, or something much deeper?

Josh stood slowly, his gaze riveted on Logan. Josh’s eyes held a sheen, as if he fought tears. His mouth twitched in a small smile. Without a word, he set his mug on the table and slouched out of the room.  

Words dried in Doriana’s mouth. She turned to Logan.

A challenge stirred in the depths of his gold-flecked eyes. A challenge that said she might have raised Josh but he belonged to Logan too.   

Not ready to deal with the implications of this night, Doriana jumped from her seat and began gathering the empty mugs. Needing to keep busy, she headed for the kitchen.   

She stood at the sink rinsing cups when she heard Logan’s footsteps behind her. She stilled, her senses on alert. Logan stood so close. The warmth of his body reached out to her. Her breath hitched.

He wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her against him. She dropped the cup she held. It clattered onto the counter. But she didn’t care. Not with Logan’s body pressed so close.

With his free hand, he pushed aside her hair, exposing her nape to him. His warm breath caressed her skin and his lips brushed against the back of her neck. He smelled like pine and outdoors. The searing heat of desire spiked through her.     

“Tonight was nice,” he said. He nibbled on her earlobe.

“Um-mm,” she said. “Very nice.”

He slipped his hands under her sweater and massaged her ribcage. Sighing softly, she melted into him. He trailed long, slender fingers up her ribcage to unhook her bra. She gasped when his hands closed around her breasts, swollen and aching for him.   

“I never knew buying a tree could be so sexy,” he said in a husky whisper. He pulled her tight until she felt his hard arousal. He caressed her breasts slowly, gently. She thought she would die from the exquisite torture.

“Very sexy.” She molded her body to his and rubbed against him. She felt weightless, floating in a sensual bubble where only she and Logan existed.

“Do you know how much I want you?” he whispered. “Do you know how difficult it is working with you every day? Sleeping down the hall from you every night?”

Joy and bittersweet sadness twined around her heart. He wanted her. No argument there. But he never said he loved her.

“That morning after Thanksgiving,” she said. “You refused.” Humiliation stung her at the memory.

Logan drew a deep breath. “I wanted you badly then. But you were scared. And reaching out for security. Reaching out for the past. We’re not kids anymore. We can’t go back.”

She turned in his arms and cupped his face between her hands. “I know that. I don’t want the past.”

He grasped her wrists. “What do you want?”

“I’m not sure,” she whispered.

His eyes darkened. “I want your body, Dorie. But I want something else. Something you never gave me before.”

She swallowed. “What’s that?”

He took her chin between his fingers and tilted her face toward his. “Your trust.”

She jerked free of him and scooted to the other end of the counter, putting distance between them. She hooked her bra and smoothed her sweater, her gaze never leaving his. “The past won’t go away, will it? You talk about trust. Tell me why you left me.”

He stiffened. “I had my reasons. Don’t ask. Not now.”

Hurt settled around her heart, closing out the heat and the love. “You don’t trust me enough to tell me, but you demand my trust.”

He was beside her in two strides. He gripped her shoulders. “I can’t talk about it. Give me time. Trust me.”

A tear slipped down her face. “You ask too much.”

Their gazes locked. She wanted to tell him she loved him, but she couldn’t give him that weapon. “Will you leave again?”

His haunted eyes and his silence spoke louder than words.

She turned away, hiding her hurt.

“Doriana.” He grabbed her arm, turning her to face him. “Do you want me to stay?”

His penetrating gaze demanded the truth. She wanted to shout, “Yes, yes.” But she couldn’t. He had to want her enough to stay. He had to love her.

“You have to decide,” she said.

The pain that flashed in his eyes made her want to throw herself in his arms and beg him to stay. She held herself rigid. Outside a dog barked and a horn blared. But inside, the house itself seemed to hold its breath, waiting.

A loud crash came from the living room. They jumped.

“What the hell.” Logan dashed for the other room, Doriana close behind. She heard Josh’s heavy footsteps on the stairs.

Logan stopped suddenly when he reached the living room. Doriana collided into his back.

“What a mess,” Logan said.

They gaped at the large fir lying across the coffee table and sofa. The top of the tree pressed against the wall. The crystal bowl that had rested on the table lay shattered.

A downed tree. A metaphor for her life. Get too happy and everything comes crashing down. Was the tenuous connection she and Logan made tonight as fragile as the shattered bowl?

Logan rubbed a hand over his face. “How the hell did this happen?”

Josh stood on the other side of the fallen tree. His features were tight with worry. “Maybe I didn’t secure it enough to the stand.” Doriana wanted to console him, but the tree blocked her way.

Logan inspected the bottom of the tree trunk. “It’s not your fault, Josh. I didn’t cut it evenly. I usually do a better job. Hand me the saw.”

At Josh’s look of relief, Doriana wanted to hug Logan in gratitude.

Josh fetched the saw and handed it to Logan.

Once Logan sawed a perfect cut, Doriana and Josh helped him to right the tree and held it while he attached it to the stand. Doriana’s arms shook from the effort and her hands were sticky with sap.      

A phone chirped somewhere and she started. The tree swayed and she held on tighter.

“Damn it all to hell,” Logan said.

“Is that your phone?”  Doriana nodded to Logan.

“Yes,” he rasped. “It’s in my pocket and I can’t do anything about it. Wish the damn thing would shut up.” The chirping stopped and they secured the tree. Logan backed away to stare up at it. “I think it’ll stay this time.”

“You think?” Doriana said. “You don’t know?”

“It’s okay, Dorie. Trust me.”

His words brought their earlier conversation rushing back to her. “Another thing to trust you on?” she said softly.

“Yes.”

“I’m going to bed,” Josh said.

They both looked at him. Doriana had forgotten he was there. Her face warmed. A tired-looking Josh walked out of the room.

“I’d better get to bed too.” Doriana headed for the stairs.

Logan grabbed her arm. His fingers stuck to her sweater. “Damn sap.”

“Told you about that sap,” Doriana said.

He pulled his arm free. “We need to talk. Soon.”

She bit down on her lip. “I know.”

Doriana felt Logan’s hot gaze on her as she walked away. She knew he wanted her. His searing looks and hard arousal told her how much. She wanted him too. But for what? One night? Or a future together? She couldn’t ask him to stay. He had to want to stay for her.  Heart heavy and steps slow, she headed up the stairs.        

~~~~

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Logan paced the kitchen, nervous energy making sleep impossible. He’d returned the call from his second in command, Jo, but she wasn’t in and he’d had to leave a message. He plopped his cell phone on the center counter, pulled out one of the high stools and sat down. Unable to remain still, he jumped up and resumed pacing.

Jo must have found something important. And leave it to the tough little redhead to call at the worst time. She sure as hell would have gotten a good chuckle if she could have seen him hoisting a huge fir tree with sap all over his hands. And seeing him shop for a Christmas tree would have sent her into an uncontrollable laughing fit.

Christmas trees. Doriana and Josh. His family? He leaned against the hard edge of the counter, letting the evening play out in his mind. Tonight had opened his eyes to the life he could have had. He’d fathered Josh but he wasn’t a dad. The thought twisted his gut with regret. He’d always vowed to be a better father than the one he’d been saddled with, but he’d never gotten a chance with Josh.

It wasn’t too late, he thought, rubbing his eyes. He would be a good father. But Doriana was part of the package. And he wanted the whole package. He needed Doriana’s acceptance as much as he needed her love. Love? Where had that come from? His phone chirped and he grabbed it, glad of the distraction from his crazy thoughts.

“Talk,” he said into the phone.

“That’s a nice hello.” Jo gave a throaty laugh.

“It’s been a long day. What have you got?”

“How are things working out with Doriana?”    

Damn redhead could read his mind. He could almost see Jo’s teasing grin. “You didn’t call to talk about Doriana. Tell me what you have, Josephine.”

“Oh, ho,” she said with a laugh. “I hit a nerve with that one. You only call me Josephine when you’re trying to hide something. Doriana’s different. I can tell by your voice whenever you say her name.”

“Cut it out or I’ll demote you.” He wasn’t in a teasing mood when it came to Doriana.

“You couldn’t run this company without me,” she said. “But let’s get back to business.” Her voice turned serious.

“I’m listening.”

“I overnighted a package,” she said. “You should have it on your desk Monday morning.”

Adrenaline rushed through Logan and he gripped the phone. “What’s in the package?”

“We found that guy, the son of Callahan’s former partner.” A note of triumph tinged her words.

“And....” Logan said.

“He goes by the last name of Grove instead of Rove, which made him harder to find, but our crack team smoked him out.”

“Where is he?”

“Philadelphia, we think. The police lost him.”

Logan stiffened. “What do you mean, the police lost him?”

Jo sighed. “He’s got a sheet, Logan. He’s bad news. He was released from prison about nine months ago. Six months ago he stopped meeting with his parole officer. They’ve been trying to find him ever since.”

“What was he in for?” Logan asked.

“Brutal assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, dealing drugs. I could go on.”

“I get the picture.” Logan walked to the kitchen window and peered out to the pitch-blackness. Black like the anger that covered his soul. Was this Grove guy the bastard who threatened Doriana? He had to stop the son of a bitch. And he knew just where to start.