Satin Sheets and Strawberries (15 page)

The bed shifted as Logan stood up and turned out the light. A cool breeze caressed her leg as Logan placed a moist kiss on her ankle. "Logan?"

"Hmmm."

When his lips tickled the back of her knee she asked, "What are you doing?"

"Making your morning after something to remember." Kelli purred as his lips glided up her thigh and gave her something she’d remember for the rest of her life.

Kelli bit into her tuna-fish sandwich and scowled at the empty chair across from her. "Ruth, where you did you say Logan was?"

"All he said was to tell you he’d be back by lunch."

A glance at the clock proved he was wrong. It was two minutes after twelve and she missed him. She had awakened reaching for him, only to come up empty-handed. While she had showered the gentle ache of sore muscles brought a smile to her face. The man was thorough, there wasn’t one inch of her body that had escaped his attention. And what gorgeous attention it was! She had hurriedly dressed and headed downstairs to find that Logan had left an hour earlier. Where she didn’t know. Where could he have gone at eight in the morning?

The sound of an approaching truck brought Kelli out of her daze. She placed her uneaten sandwich back on her plate, grabbed a handful of chips, and headed out the back door with Ruth and Henry on her heels.

Logan climbed out of his car and gestured to the truck driver. Kelli watched with astonishment as a huge stake-body truck, from the local lawn-care dealership, parked and two men got out. Without breaking their stride they lowered a ramp and drove a brand-new lawn tractor off the truck bed. A heavy-duty utility cart and a double-bag grass catcher followed.

"What is that?" Her voice cracked.

"It’s a tractor," Logan said.

With eyes wide with horror she shrieked, "Whose?"

This was going to be as tough as he thought. He ran an exasperated hand over the back of his neck and smiled pleasantly at the two delivery-men. He grabbed hold of her arm. "Excuse us for a moment," he told the men as he dragged Kelli back into the house.

The instant the door closed she found herself pressed against Logan’s body. His lips captured the sound of the protest she was about to utter.

Melting heat curled in her abdomen as his tongue slipped into her mouth and mated with hers. Her arms encircled his neck while her breasts flattened against his chest. Moisture gathered at the junction of her thighs and a purr sounded at the back of her throat.

A light nip to her swollen lower lip ended the kiss and Logan whispered, "Good morning." Dissatisfied at the abrupt ending she muttered, "It’s afternoon."

A glance at his watch caused a smile to break across his face. "So it is." He softly caressed her flushed cheek. "I missed you. It’s been five hours since I held you."

"Five hours and twenty-two minutes." She could have told him the seconds, but why get technical. "I missed you too."

His mouth was closing in for another kiss when she asked, "Whose tractor is it?"

Logan sighed. "Yours." Before she could voice any objections, he said, "Don’t go jumping to conclusions. What happened last night has absolutely nothing to do with the tractor. If I thought for one minute you’d be pigheaded enough to believe that, I would drive the stupid thing into the pond and let it sink."

Kelli said the most intelligent thing she could think of. "Oh!" "Face it, Kelli, Snippy isn’t as young as she used to be. She’s not equipped to handle the kind of work that has to be done to keep Fairyland running." Seeing the hurt expression darken her eyes, he said, "You don’t have to haul her to the dump, just be more selective in her chores. I bought everything I need to get her running again."

"I can’t afford—"

"I know." Logan pulled two slips of paper from his shirt pocket and showed them to her. "Here’s the receipt for the tractor. It’s paid in full and in your name." Feeling her distress, he continued, "It seems like a lot at first glance, but consider it’s the top of the line and warranted for three years. Plus they threw in the grass catcher and cart free."

"I still can’t afford it, Logan."

"Yes you can." He showed her the other piece of paper that had scribbles across it. "See, I figured it out. You could pay me back a small amount every month during the tourist season. In a few years the tractor will be paid for."

Kelli glanced at the final monthly payment and raised an eyebrow. "That’s it?" He nodded. "How many years?"

"Five," he mumbled.

She sighed. Five years of payments. A brand-new tractor with a cart. No more using the wheelbarrow for transporting wood. It was so tempting. "What about interest?"

Logan hid his smile. He knew she’d be hell to convince. "Since the money was sitting in an ordinary savings account, I only charged you five and a half percent." There was no way he’d allow her to make payments for the next five years, but first he had to get her to accept the tractor. He’d figure out a way to stop the payments later.

She sank her teeth into her lower lip and studied the paper clutched in her hand. It was a godsend, but since she hadn’t received many of those in her life she hesitated. The payments seemed ridiculously small, but even small payments have a way of looking monstrous when the checkbook reads zero. She reread the amounts and knew she’d never get a better deal. She already planned on going out to work immediately after Fairyland closed for the season. With Ruth and Henry, expenses had skyrocketed and the meager income Fairyland provided couldn’t support all three of them. Kelli calculated that if she worked for those five months every year, they would manage just fine. A smile curved her mouth; she could even meet the payments on her new tractor.

"I’d do it, on a couple of conditions. Number one, don’t you ever again buy anything else for me or Fairyland without my approval."

"Agreed to the Fairyland stipulation, but I’ll buy you whatever I want. I just won’t buy you anything pertaining to business."

Kelli smiled at her first victory. "I also want the payment schedule drawn up legally, so I can sign it."

Logan smiled as he ran his thumb over her lower lip. "Agreed to, Counselor. Are you sure you never wanted to be a lawyer?" Her "Positive" was muffled against his lips. When the kiss threatened to engulf them, he slowly concluded it with a series of light nips. "That was to seal the bargain."

"I thought that had nothing to do with us?"

He leaned forward and kissed the corner of her mouth. "It doesn’t, but you have irresistible lips." With a subtle movement of his lower body he said, "You have quite a few things that are irresistible. If we didn’t have a crowd of people standing outside this door, I’d show you what every one of them was."

A teasing light gleamed in her eyes as she opened the door and whispered, "Promises, promises."

#

Kelli and Logan spent a busy afternoon hauling debris. The new tractor, which Kelli lovingly christened Patton after Ben’s hero, ran like a champ. After dinner they played a game of checkers for the benefit of Ruth and Henry, who enjoyed their lighthearted banter. When the elderly couple retired for the evening, Kelli and Logan made quick work of any chores that needed to be done. He had shooed her into the bathroom with a kiss.

When the shower started Logan made a quick trip to the car and then headed for Kelli’s room. The water was still running when he entered the bathroom and joined her.

Kelli felt the draft of cold air as the shower curtain moved to allow him to step into the tub. Her arms were raised, working conditioner into her hair. Without opening her eyes she said, "Logan?"

His voice held a husky chuckle. "Whom else were you expecting?"

"I wasn’t expecting anyone," she murmured as she stepped under the spray.

His heart pounded and the breath caught in his throat as the water cascaded over her body. She looks like a water nymph. I wonder if they’re members of the fairy family? Her breasts were high and firm as she ran her fingers through her hair. A slim waist and a womanly flare of hips tapered off into luscious thighs, shapely calves, and dainty toes complete with red toenail polish. His gaze was drawn to the mass of wet golden curls at the junction of her thighs. Desire flared in his abdomen and his body stirred into arousal. He picked up a bar of soap and lathered her back.

After her initial surprise she relaxed into his massaging hands. Warmth spread through her limbs as the exotic combination of soap, water, and Logan filled her senses. When Logan had first stepped into the tub she had felt self-conscious and nervous. I’m standing under bright lights, completely naked, with a stringy mass of soaking wet hair. That’s it, girl, entice the socks right off him. Be alluring, sexy, and soggy. It drives men into rages of passion. A small smile tilted up the corner of her mouth as she looked over her shoulder at the man who was spending an extremely long time on one little back.

The heat of his gaze caused the level of steam to rise as she took the bar of soap from his hand. With gentle small circles she worked a lather into his chest, over his shoulders, and down bulging biceps.

He closed his eyes as delicate fingers worked their way up hardened thighs. When the tips of her fingers gently stroked his rigid manhood, he groaned and pulled her into his arms. "Enough!" He hauled her under the water with him and sputtered, "Lord, woman, you’re dangerous." As the last of the suds sailed down the drain he turned off the water and stepped out of the tub with her in his arms.

He carefully stood her on her feet and wrapped her in a fluffy green bath towel. Reaching for the other towel he started to tenderly dry her hair. "Where’s your hair dryer?"

"Under the sink." As he retrieved the dryer, she got another towel from the closet and patted his back dry. The blast of hot air whipped her hair around as she continued to blot him dry.

Logan bit his lip and silently groaned as Kelli patted an extremely sensitive area. "Enjoying yourself?"

Kelli dried the responsive spot for the fifth time and murmured, "A woman’s work is never done." Dry golden hair cascaded down her back as he picked her up, turned off the light, and carried her into the bedroom. She was snuggling his neck when the perfumed scent of roses enveloped her. Raising her head she stared in awe at the dozen long-stemmed red roses sitting in a crystal vase on her dresser. "Oh, my!"

Logan grinned at the look of joy on her face. "Yep, all yours."

She was about to thank him properly when a flash of silver caught her attention. Next to the bed sat an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne sticking out of a mound of ice. Two delicate-looking glasses sat near the bucket. With a raised eyebrow she asked, "Are you trying to seduce me?"

In a devilish voice he said, "Yes, is it working?" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Slowly breaking the heated kiss, she whispered, "Yes."

Logan felt the only barrier between them slip down her breasts. With one quick tug he dispensed with the towel and placed an adoring kiss on each of the pouting nipples. He walked the two paces to the bed and lowered her to the turned-down sheets.

Kelli let loose a shriek when the icy coldness of the sheets connected with the heated skin of her back. "Dammit, Logan."

He studied the woman, who had flown back into his arms, as she pointed down at the bed. What the hell? Nothing was there except brand-new shimmering white satin sheets that still held the crease marks from the packaging. "What’s wrong?"

"What are they?"

A frown pulled at his brows as he asked, "You don’t like satin sheets?"

Kelli hid her smile against his chest. "I wouldn’t know. I’ve never slept on any."

"Then what’s the problem?"

"Where did you have them, in the freezer?"

"No, the car." With dawning horror he reached down and felt the sheet. "Yep, they’re still nippy around the edges. Sorry about that."

He is a romantic. Roses, champagne, and satin sheets, what could be next? With an indignant sniff, she said, "Sure you are, it wasn’t your bottom hitting the iceberg."

Logan let out an Indian war cry and flopped down on the bed, still cradling her in his arms. Kelli heard his sudden intake of breath and giggled. She squirmed about until she was positioned perfectly on top of him. Placing her elbows on his chest, she raised her head and smiled down at him. "Gee, Logan, these sheets are great."

Gritting his teeth, he muttered, "Be quiet, and stop moving around."

She grinned and wiggled her hips at a persistent bulge that was nudging the inside of her thigh. "I think I feel the tip of the iceberg?"

Logan groaned and pulled her mouth down for a heated kiss. As the kiss intensified, he quickly prepared himself and settled her seeking hips over him.

Kelli slowly lowered herself and sighed. "Nine tenths was below the surface."

#

Logan replaced the empty bottle in the bucket of melted ice and hugged the woman at his side closer. "I told you the sheets would warm up."

She couldn’t decide if she preferred the rich sinfulness of the cool sheets or the rough, warm strength of Logan. A secret smile curved her lips as she snuggled closer to him. No contest. "Warm up? I was wondering if they were flame retardant."

A chuckle vibrated deep in his chest as he shifted his weight and pulled her deeper under the quilt. "Flames, hmmm . . . you say the sweetest things."

"It’s the champagne talking."He nipped at her lower lip and murmured, "You’re sure you never had champagne before?"

"Positive. I would have remembered the bubbles." She sighed as his lips trailed down her neck. "I’ve also never received red roses. Thank you, Logan."

He forced his mind off the luscious body beneath him and concentrated on the woman. She’d never had roses, champagne, or satin sheets. Lord, where are the men around here? Didn’t anyone ever notice the woman beneath the fairy costumes?

With a gentle brush of his finger, he pushed a stray piece of hair off her flushed cheek. He gazed down into her smiling gray eyes and said, "I love you, Kelli SantaFe."