One Night With You (5 page)

Third.

Hell. He hit the floor and was still drunk enough to find it funny as he lay there, drunk out of his mind and snickering. He had to get up. Find Bo. Yeah. ‘Cause it still all made perfect sense. Kidnap Bo and she couldn’t marry David.

Perfect sense. The ceiling spun around overhead and he closed his eyes. All those circles were making him dizzy. He wanted to sleep. But Bo…

Then he sighed and stopped fighting it. Bo would be there in the morning and the plan would still make sense in the morning. He’d fix it then, because she couldn’t marry David. Logan couldn’t bear to see that sad look in her eyes get any worse.

Chapter Three

Morning came and with it, the hangover from hell.

Clarity also came but it wasn’t the kind of clarity he might have expected. Because the idea still made sense. Bo wasn’t in love with David. If she was, she wouldn’t have looked so miserable.

But she was stubborn and if she’d made up her mind to marry Logan’s cousin, it would take a cataclysmic event to change her mind. Or maybe an illegal event with somewhat questionable motives. Logan had no problem admitting that, for purely selfish reasons, he didn’t want her marrying David. But he also knew that if he’d looked at Bo and seen happiness in her eyes, had known that she loved David and wanted to marry him, he would have let go.

At least, he was pretty sure of that. Logan would have been miserable and he would have thought about beating David into a pulp. On a regular basis. He might have even moved away, just so he wouldn’t have to see his cousin, his
friend
, with the woman Logan loved. But she wasn’t happy and she didn’t love David.

Logan knew he was leaving a vital part out of his reasoning. David. He didn’t want to think about David too much and he wouldn’t let himself look too closely at his reasons for avoiding it either. But one thing he was certain of, David wasn’t going to be happy married to Bo, either. Even if David was in love with her, he wouldn’t be happy because Bo wouldn’t happy.

When he added it all up—Bo’s stubbornness, her unhappiness, the unhappiness that would result between Bo and David if they went through with the wedding and the fact that Logan had been in love with her his entire life—he figured he could do one of two things. He could do the wrong thing and let Bo marry somebody who’d make her miserable. Or he could do another wrong thing by kidnapping her. Give himself a few days to convince Bo that he was the only one who could make her happy.

In the long run, it wasn’t a hard choice. Granted, his libido was all for the one that involved getting up close and personal with Bo. He was all for that. He wouldn’t deny feeling a little bit of guilt over what he was doing to his cousin. David might never forgive him. But Logan knew he couldn’t forgive himself if he let Bo make a mistake that made her miserable.

So his guilt over David might make him lose some sleep but it wasn’t going to stop him.

It would take planning. A couple of little white lies. He didn’t want anybody worrying about Bo. Not her dad, not her friends—not even her fiancé. That word left a bitter taste in his mouth. He couldn’t even think it without sneering.

Still, as much as he wanted to pound on David’s face a little, he didn’t want his cousin thinking that something bad had happened to Bo. It was his weekend on call but he had a few favors to call in. Arranging everything was child’s play and oddly, sort of exhilarating.

He cruised through Friday and considered it a good sign when Bo’s father came by the house where Logan lived with his brother. “You and Dusty going to be around this weekend?”

“I won’t be,” Logan answered. “Dustin isn’t going anywhere though.” Dustin never went anywhere. His brother lived and breathed the small horse farm. “You need something?”

Will shrugged. “Just a hand. I…” his voice trailed off and unless Logan was mistaken, the old guy was blushing a little. “Thinking about going up to that new casino in French Lick. A…friend invited me.”

With a wide grin, Logan tucked his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. Well, this was going to be even easier than he’d thought. “A friend. Do I know this friend?”

Will gave him that glowering, irritated glare.

Logan stopped smiling. He thought he managed to keep the pleased smirk on his face. Or mostly. Twenty minutes later, he watched as Will mounted the old gelding and headed back to his home.

“You’re up to something.”

Logan looked up to find Dustin watching him with knowing eyes. “Up to what?”

Dustin shrugged. “Beats the hell out of me but you’re up to something. How come I’m going to be helping Bo out by my lonesome?”

“He’s got stable hands. They’ll be helping.” He didn’t say anything about Bo not being around. Dusty was a smart guy. He’d put two and two together soon enough.

A small, satisfied smile curled Dusty’s lips. Dusty’s summery blue eyes darkened when he was mad or thinking. He wasn’t pissed off right now so that dark blue could signify a problem. “Saw you talking to Bo yesterday. Finally. What did you two talk about?”

In a level voice, he replied, “Nothing you need to worry about.”

The smirk on his younger brother’s face just got wider. “Really. So, is she ready for her wedding?”

“You’d have to ask her,” Logan replied easily.

“Hmmm. Maybe I’ll do that when I see her tomorrow.”

Logan smiled. “Yeah. You do that.”

* * * * *

Sleep didn’t come easy for Bo. Her dad had left in the middle of the day, leaving a note on the counter while she was in town stocking up on film, books and chocolate. Extra on the chocolate. She needed the fortification right now. Chocolate didn’t solve the problems but it kept her from biting her nails down to the quick while she worried.

Of course, if she wasn’t careful, she wouldn’t fit into her wedding dress. Lying in her bed, she stared up into the darkness and grinned.
I
’
m sorry
,
David
.
I can
’
t marry you
.
I ate myself out of a dress
.
No hard feelings
?

But as quick as the lighthearted thought came, it passed. Was she really having that many doubts? The razor-winged butterflies jumping in her belly certainly seemed to think so. With all these doubts, was she really doing the right thing or just the convenient thing, going through with this wedding?

She tried to picture herself with David in another year. Ten. But none of the images ever came into focus. Even the thought of their upcoming honeymoon in Spain just wouldn’t come. If she couldn’t even imagine her wedding night, all of two weeks from now, there was no way she could picture a year or five years from now.

Bo closed her eyes and imagined herself in her dress. It was a fairy tale princess of a dress—silk and tulle and lace. She could see herself wearing it. But what she couldn’t see was herself walking down the aisle to stand in front of two hundred people while she said her vows to David.

When she tried to make herself see the groom, his face just wouldn’t come to her. She knew what he looked like—dark hair, dark eyes, one of those sweet, boy-next-door smiles that drove women nuts. Bo adored his smile.

But his face just wasn’t clear. The only face she could see clearly was Logan’s. Bo groaned and buried her face in her hands. “What am I doing?”

But Bo had absolutely no clue. David’s marriage proposal had been spur of the moment, said almost jokingly. Bo’s response had been given in the same tone.
Sure
,
I
’
ll marry you
.
You
’
re easy to be around
.

He was. She didn’t feel as on guard with him, though she suspected part of that was because he just couldn’t get in close enough to hurt. She hadn’t really been that serious but then he showed up the next day with a ring. His dark brown eyes had been gentle and full of understanding as he said, “I know we were mostly joking…but…” his voice trailed off and he pulled the ring out of his pocket. “I want to marry you, Bo.”

Bo had said
yes
. At the time, she’d meant it.

Now? Now she just didn’t know. She didn’t know what she was doing. She didn’t know what she wanted. She didn’t know who she wanted.

Liar
.

Who she wanted? His face was as clear to her as her own. More. Those pale brown eyes, that hard mouth that felt so good against her own.

Logan.

Bo wanted Logan. She’d always wanted him. Had daydreamed about him for as long as she’d known him. He’d been her first crush. He’d been her first love. He’d also been the first man she’d ever run from. Okay, the only man she’d ever run from but that man could get inside her skin, inside her head. Logan would get close to her. He was already in her heart but if she let him, he’d get under her skin, inside her soul and she’d never get him out.

Somebody getting that close was dangerous. And losing somebody who got to her like that?

“You’re not ever going to sleep if you keep this up,” she mumbled. Sleep seemed even farther away than before. Thinking about Logan definitely didn’t instill calm, soothing thoughts. She had a deep, throbbing ache between her thighs—she felt too hot, too itchy and too restless. The smooth, silken sheets felt rough and scratchy against her skin and the loose T-shirt she wore felt too tight.

Frustrated, she kicked her way free of the sheets and covered her eyes with her forearm. The cooler air helped just a little but that aching deep inside just got worse. It was a feeling she was familiar with. She’d been dealing with frustrated arousal for the past four years. Experience told her that nothing would help.

Well, one thing might. But that wasn’t an option. As tempting as it might be to throw on some clothes and go find Logan, it just wasn’t an option.

“Go to sleep,” she mumbled to herself. She flopped onto her belly and pressed her face against the pillowcase. It felt cool against her skin. It took a concentrated effort to pull her thoughts away from Logan and think of something else. Not her wedding, though. That was almost as bad.

Instead, she daydreamed. Thought about Mist. Thought about the assignments she had coming up. Slowly, the tension in her muscles dissolved and the exhaustion started to weigh on her. Half asleep, she rolled onto her back. Half-formed dream images danced through her mind and when Logan’s face appeared in the darkness, she smiled. “You don’t ever leave me alone, do you?”

* * * * *

At first, he thought she was awake.

It wouldn’t change his plans even if she was awake but it would be easier if she slept. But when she looked at him in the shadows, her eyes were cloudy with sleep and unfocused. She sighed a little and he watched the shallow movements of her chest. Her nipples pressed against the T-shirt she wore, hard and erect. His mouth watered a little and he had to stop himself from bending over and taking one nipple and then the other into his mouth.

Not here. Wasn’t going to do it here.

He held still until her eyes fluttered closed again and her breathing slowed again. Once he knew she was really asleep, he reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a cloth.

She was going to kick his ass for this. Hell, if he knew anything about Bo’s temper, he wouldn’t be surprised if she called the cops on him and had his ass thrown in jail for a day or two, make him sweat.

Logan was fully aware how risky this was. It was completely wrong and if he got caught, he could lose his job.

But none of that stopped him. Because if he didn’t, he was going to lose Bo and that just wasn’t acceptable. Logan was desperate, he didn’t see too many options open to him so he was going to do this and damn the consequences. As long as Bo realized what an awful mistake it would be to marry David, he didn’t care what she did.

Her body tensed a little when he slid an arm under her shoulders. He murmured into her ear and she cuddled into him, pressing her cheek against his shoulder. Guilt tore into him when he covered her mouth and nose and when she bucked and struggled, he almost—
almost
—gave up. Too close now, though. He pressed his lips to her brow and muttered, “I’m sorry,” over and over until the chloroform knocked her out.

“It’s for the best, Bo, I swear.” Quickly, he grabbed a few of her things and tossed them into the bag he’d brought. Then he wrapped the sheet and one of her blankets around her. He lifted her in his arms and five minutes later, he had her tucked inside the front seat of his car. He’d parked just before the bend in her drive, out of view, and he’d been waiting three hours now for her to settle down and go to sleep.

It was late, nearly one a.m. and he had a good three-hour drive ahead of him. The coffee in the thermos tucked under his seat was still piping hot and strong enough to keep him awake for the next twenty-four hours, had he been inclined to sleep.

Sleep wasn’t an issue, though, not right now. He’d had the pleasure of committing a major felony with his eyes wide open and his mind completely clear. He kept waiting for some voice of reason to speak up. Like the voice that piped about the illegality of this whole damn idea. But if that voice had much of anything to say, it was drowned out by the louder, adamant demand that he not let another day go by with her wearing David’s ring on her hand.

It was a cool, clear night. Stars shone bright in the moonless sky and the air drifting in through his partially open window smelled of honeysuckle and hayfields.

All in all, Logan figured it was a great night for kidnapping.

By the time he exited the highway, the sky in the east was just a little bit fainter. Four a.m. and hardly a car in sight. He got to the turn-off in record time. Gravel crunched under the tires and next to him, Bo moaned softly. She squirmed around a little. The faint light coming off the dash was just enough for him to see her make a face and then her features smoothed out and she sighed, settling back into sleep.

Don
’
t wake up
, he mouthed. He’d driven this road a hundred times but usually not before dawn. The road sloped off to the right and some twenty feet down lay Lake Cumberland, stretching on for miles and miles. The twists and turns in the road required attention and he figured it would be hard to pay attention to the road if she woke up and started pounding on his head with her fists.