The Mighty Quinns: Logan (11 page)

She spun away from him and trudged through the water, cursing angrily. Logan knew the feeling, being trapped in a life she couldn’t seem to escape. But he certainly wasn’t going to encourage her any further. He’d been running away from poverty and uncertainty. She was running away from a comfortable life, a life she wouldn’t find with him.

“What do you want, Sunny?”

She turned to face him. “I just want to be happy. I want to wake up in the morning and know that I’m going to spend the day doing something I love.”

“Isn’t that riding?”

Their gazes met and locked for a long moment, then she shook her head and started down the beach, dragging her feet through the shallow water. Logan watched her retreat and wondered if he ought to go after her.

The thought of her living with him at the ranch was like a dream come true. Every day, waking up beside her. Every night, making love until they fell asleep from exhaustion. Having her with him would make his life complete. But it would only fracture hers. And he couldn’t do that to her.

Maybe it was best to let her sort this all out on her own. She knew what she needed to do. She was just angry with her father and looking for a way to punish him.

Logan walked back to the villa and climbed the steps to the terrace. The doors were thrown open, the salty evening breeze thick in the air. He glanced around the interior, taking in the luxurious surroundings. This was the life, Logan mused. Comfortable, relaxed, not a care in the world. Why would anyone give it up voluntarily?

Maybe he should take the easy way out and just leave. It would make Sunny’s decision much easier. And they had a long stretch of road ahead of them—the desolate Eyre Highway, a seemingly endless road that connected Southern Australia and Western Australia.

But Logan was too selfish. He wanted her company for this final part of the trip. He needed her there when he finally had to give up Tally to her new owner. He wasn’t willing to relinquish a single day of their time together.

He grabbed a beer from the fridge and walked back out on the terrace. The sun was beginning to sink toward the horizon, and he wondered how long she’d be. Logan tried to still the impulse to go find her. He imagined all sorts of trouble she might find along the beach. But his instinct to protect her was tempered with the knowledge that sometimes Sunny just needed to be alone.

He walked back inside the villa and ran his hands through his damp hair. A shower would keep his mind off things, at least until she got back home. He took another sip of his beer and walked into the bedroom, kicking off his shorts along the way.

The shower was just as luxurious as the rest of the villa, lined with pale green glass tile. It was large enough for two, with double showerheads hanging from the ceiling. Logan adjusted the water temperature and stepped inside, his beer still clutched in his hand.

The rush of warm water felt good on his salt-caked skin. Running his hand through his hair, Logan turned his face up to the spray. Unlike the shower at his ranch, this one didn’t run out of hot water after five minutes

When he felt arms slip around his waist, he realized that he’d been indulging in the luxury far longer than normal. She pressed her lips to the center of his back, and he slowly turned to face her, capturing her lips in a deep, delicious kiss.

No matter what was said between them, however harsh it might be, they could always come back to this—this sweet and powerful attraction. A kiss, a touch, a simple sigh was all it took to communicate more than an entire conversation.

Logan set the beer on the marble bench in the shower, then smoothed his hands over her naked body. He’d become so familiar with every curve, every perfect feature. There wasn’t a spot on her body that his lips hadn’t grazed or his fingers hadn’t explored. She’d taken her own time learning his body, as well.

Now, when she wrapped her fingers around his hard shaft, Logan knew her touch would set every nerve in his body on fire. She sensed when to caress softly and slowly and when to be more aggressive. And when he reached between her legs and ran his fingers along her damp slit, he knew exactly what would make her writhe and gasp.

There would come a time, in the near future, when he wouldn’t have her close, when her kisses and her touch would only be a memory. As she brought him closer to completion, Logan tried to enjoy every sensation, knowing he’d want to recall it all later.

“I love the way you touch me,” he whispered, the warm water still falling down over them.

Logan slipped a finger inside her and Sunny moaned as he increased the pressure. Her forehead was pressed against his chest, her hair hiding her face. But as she came closer, she looked up at him, their gazes meeting through the rush of the shower.

She whispered his name once and then dissolved into a series of powerful spasms, her body crumpling against his. Watching her surrender was all he needed to tumble over the edge, and he followed her, her hand growing slick with his seed.

When it was over, Logan pressed her back against the wall of the shower and kissed her, his tongue teasing at her lips, nipping and sucking. “I have to get a shower like this,” Logan said. “It never runs out of hot water.”

“Oh, I thought it was the naked girl in the shower that you liked.”

“Well, I can find one of those anywhere,” Logan teased.

She tightened her grip on his shaft. “Really.”

“No,” he said in a high-pitched voice.

“Good. Because you may find me in your shower occasionally.”

“I can live with that,” Logan murmured, kissing her again.

So she hadn’t changed her mind about moving in with him. He wanted to talk about her plans, to understand why she’d make such a rash decision. They hadn’t made any kind of commitment to each other. They’d talked about the future only in very vague terms. But it seemed, for now, that they actually had a future together.

* * *

L
OGAN
PULLED
THE
campervan up in front of the Adelaide headquarters for Grant Energies. It was still early in the morning but the street parking had all been taken. Sunny knew her father was inside, probably waiting impatiently for a daughter he never seemed to have time for in the first place. “I’ll find a spot,” Logan said. “Maybe you better go in. You don’t want to keep your father waiting.”

Sunny turned to Logan, trying to calm her nerves. “Promise you’ll wait for me,” she said, ignoring a flutter in her stomach.

“I will. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Ten minutes. That’s all it will take. I just want to explain to him what I’m doing and try to smooth things out.”

Logan nodded. “And if you don’t come out?”

“I’ll be back,” she said. “I promise. Ten minutes. Don’t leave.” She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss, pressing her palm to his cheek. “Wish me luck.”

“Luck,” he said.

Sunny forced a smile. “All right. This is going to go well.” She reached for the door, then thought better of it and gave him another kiss, this one longer and more intimate. The contact seemed to give her strength. A moment later, she hopped out of the passenger door and hurried to the entrance of the building. She glanced back over her shoulder and gave Logan a wave, then walked inside.

She stopped at the security desk and announced herself, but the guard recognized her from two nights before. As she strode through the spacious lobby, Sunny carefully went through all she planned to say.

The receptionist was waiting behind the desk as she had been that first day, and Sunny wondered whether she ever left—or if she ever stopped smiling.

“Good morning, Miss Grant. Your father is waiting for you in his office. Jennifer is coming up to take you there.”

Sunny sat down in one of the chairs, twisting her fingers together in an attempt to still her nerves. A minute ticked by and then another before Jennifer appeared in the lobby. Though she didn’t know much about her father’s business, it was clear that he enjoyed surrounding himself with attractive employees. His mistress had started off her “career” as his assistant.

“Follow me, Miss Grant. Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee, juice?”

“A large bottle of vodka would be good,” Sunny murmured.

“I’m sorry?”

“Never mind. Just a little gallows humor.” Sunny pasted a smile on her face. “Thank you for making the arrangements for the villa. I appreciate everything you did.”

“Not a problem,” she said. “We were happy to host you.” Reaching for the knob on a huge wooden door, she opened it and then stepped aside. “It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Grant.”

Sunny slowly walked into the office. Her father was sitting at a sleek, modern desk, his gaze fixed on his laptop computer. “Sit,” he said.

“I’ll stand. I’m not staying long.”

Simon Grant glanced up. “I’ve called a driver. He’ll take you to the airport.” Her father retrieved an envelope from his pocket and pushed it across his desk. “There’s a ticket inside. And some spending money. I’m glad you’ve seen the error of your ways.”

Sunny approached his desk. “What error, Daddy? I had the wonderful luck to find a kind and understanding man. He hasn’t had a lot of breaks in his life, but he’s hardworking and honest. And I decided I wanted to spend more time with him. And now, I think I’m falling in love with him. I can’t, for the life of me, see how that could possibly be an error.”

“What do you even know about this man?”

“I know enough. When you decided to cut me off, he told me I could stay with him. He cares about me, without any conditions or expectations.” She drew a ragged breath. “We make each other happy.”

“You can be so naive, Sunny,” her father said, shaking his head.

“I’m not naive, Daddy. I’m optimistic. You taught me to dream big and that’s what I’m doing. I believe that I can find a man who’ll make me happy for the rest of my life. And I believe we could be deliriously happy. Do you know how amazing that feels? I’ve watched you and Mom tear each other apart, and yet, I still believe in love. Somewhere, deep inside my heart, that hope didn’t really die.”

“You’re going home,” he ordered.

“I’m not. I’m going with Logan. And after that, we’re going to drive back to the farm and we’re going to pick up my things and Padma and I’m going to live with him.”

“You’re just going to give it all up? I don’t think you will.” He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a leather-bound book. When he opened it, Sunny knew what was coming next.
Money.
Whenever her father couldn’t bend her into submission, he always dangled money in front of her. Well, this time it wasn’t going to work.

“How much?” he asked.

“You can’t buy me off.”

“You wanted that horse. The one he’s selling. How much will it take to get it?”

Sunny stifled a gasp. Was he really offering her a chance to buy Tally? Emotion welled up inside her at the thought that she might be able to save Tally for Logan, to save the filly for both of them.

It seemed as if their entire relationship was tied up around Tally, and the moment they let her go, what they shared together might suddenly dissolve.

“Well? What will it take?”

“I—I don’t know.” Sunny held her breath. If she took the money, she’d have the horse. But would she be expected to give up Logan in return? Or was there a way to have them both? “I’d have to talk to the owner.” She drew a deep breath. “Would she be mine then?”

“As long as you give up this Logan person and rededicate yourself to your riding, you can do whatever you want with the horse.” Her father signed the check and handed it to her. “It’s blank. Fill in whatever you need. I’ll expect you back home by the end of the week and ready to focus. If I don’t find you there, I’ll stop payment on the check or I’ll sell the horse. Do we have an understanding?”

“We do,” she murmured. Sunny met his gaze. “Are you happy now?”

“You need to get your life back on track, Sunny. World championships are in two years and Rio is in four. Equestrians can ride for years. You still have a chance to make your dream come true.”

“I do,” she said. It wasn’t a lie. The only problem was, the dream her father spoke of wasn’t her dream anymore. At least, not the one that occupied all her thoughts and desires. “Is there anything else?”

He tapped his finger to his temple. “Back on track,” he said. “Think like a winner.”

“Back on track,” she replied.

Sunny glanced over at the clock, then realized she’d been in the office nearly ten minutes. Logan would be waiting downstairs, wondering if she was ever coming back. “I have to go. I’ll see you at home.”

“We’ll go riding,” he offered.

Sunny nodded. “Goodbye, Daddy. And thank you. For the money. You won’t be disappointed.” She walked calmly out the door, tucking the check into her jeans pocket. It took forever to get back to the lobby, weaving through a maze of cubicles and hallways. When she finally reached the receptionist, she was running.

“I’m late,” Sunny called, racing out of the office. She was breathless by the time she got to the street and gazed around, looking frantically for the campervan.

“Logan?” She ran up the block, but there was no sight of him. She should have known he’d leave. He wasn’t willing to stand between her and her father and he’d taken the only way out. Sunny stopped and ran her fingers through her hair, tears pushing at the corners of her eyes.

It felt like every bit of energy had just been sapped from her body. Her knees were weak and all she wanted to do was sit down on the sidewalk and have a good cry.

“Sunny?”

The sound of his voice startled her and she spun around to see him walking toward her. With a tiny cry, she ran to him and threw herself into his arms. “I thought you’d gone.”

“I couldn’t find a place to park. The campervan takes two spots. The last time we were here it was after work hours.”

He drew back to look down into her face. “Why are you crying?” With his thumb, he wiped away a tear from her cheek. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Let’s go get our horse and get on the road.” She drew a ragged breath. “I’m done with this city. We seem to have a better time of it when we’re headed somewhere.”