“I won’t argue there.” He turned on his side to face her and she curled around to look him in the eyes. “You cold?” he asked.
“A little bit.”
He slid his hand up and down along the curve of her hip, and each inch of naked skin warmed under his touch. “We should probably get out of here. Someone might walk in.”
Sophia’s eyes rounded. She hadn’t thought of that. She’d lost all sense of time and place when Logan had seduced her. “We probably should.”
Logan gave her a reluctant look, and then rose first. In the dark, he found her clothes strewn across the floor and handed them to her. She sat up to put them on and watched him in the shadows, a sense of pride swelling in her heart. How could she feel this way about a man who had injured her so often?
Once they were dressed—Sophia had a dickens of a time securing her blouse without the buttons, so Logan gave her his shirt to put on—they walked quietly out of the room and through the barn. Horses whinnied and snickered as they strode by, but they didn’t take the time to give them attention. When they reached the wide double doors, Logan peered out, looking right, then left.
“Do you think someone’s out there?” she asked, not worried about her would-be stalker so much as an employee wandering the grounds and catching them half dressed.
“Don’t know.”
“Should we walk out separately?”
Logan grinned and shook his head. “Honey, you moved into my house three days ago. You think any man on my ranch is thinking we’re baking cookies inside?”
Sophia’s brows lifted. “But that’s not true! We weren’t doing anything.”
His grin slipped into a small smile. He gazed out the barn door again. “Not up until about an hour ago. Doesn’t matter now. You want to make a run for it?” He put out his hand and stared at her.
Sophia saw the adventure in that. They had to travel the length of half a football field to make it to the house. She tucked her hand in his and they made a mad dash across the yard.
Sophia’s soft laughter bubbled over. She hadn’t felt this carefree in years. She ran a step behind Logan, who tugged her along, and she could have sworn she heard the beautiful sound of his laughter, too.
* * *
Tonight, Logan wanted dessert. And he wanted Sophia. The two went hand in hand in his mind. Both would satisfy his craving. “Let’s have some ice cream,” he said as they came to a halt inside his house.
Sophia’s topaz eyes brilliant and her breaths labored, she smiled at him as if he were a child. “Let me guess. You want strawberry?”
He blinked. “How did you know?”
“It’s your favorite. I remember from birthday parties here. I like vanilla, Luke likes chocolate and you love strawberry.”
“Observant. Add that to the list of things I like about Sophia Montrose. Come on,” he said, stifling his frustration. He wouldn’t let the fact that Sophia always had Luke’s name on her lips bother him tonight. His brother was a part of their equation and he always had been. Luke and Sophia were friends, and he would make sure that’s all they ever would be.
Luke had a weak spot when it came to Sophia.
Logan wouldn’t be so naive.
He hadn’t meant to bed Sophia but now that he had, he wasn’t fool enough to let her go until he was good and ready. No man in his right mind would let a luscious beauty like Sophia slip through his fingers. But he still didn’t trust her motives. He knew enough to be wary of her, even as he held her hand in his as he led her to the kitchen. “C’mon. I’m sure we can scrounge up some vanilla ice cream for you.”
Dressed in his shirt that was three sizes too big for her, her hair wild about her face, Sophia followed him into the kitchen. Moonlight streamed in through a window and the wide, double-paneled back door. Logan decided to keep the lights off. He liked seeing Sophia by the light of the moon. “Have a seat while I dish it up.” He pulled out a stool for her behind the rectangular island countertop and she sat down.
“Logan Slade serving me?” She leaned forward, bracing her elbows on the granite with her fists under her chin. “Hell
must
have frozen over.”
He grinned. “It’s a night for firsts. The fat lady sang
and
pigs flew in the barn a few minutes ago.”
Immediate color rushed to her face, painting her olive skin rosy. “Maybe there is such a thing as miracles.”
Logan opened the freezer door with a big smile on his face. Sparring with Sophia kept him on his toes. “It was sorta like an out-of-body experience, honey.”
“Yes. Who would have believed?”
“Not me and sure as anything, not you, I’d venture to guess.”
“I wanted a ride.”
Logan brought out two half gallons of ice cream and set them on the counter in front of her. Wiggling his eyebrows, he said, “Be careful what you wish for.”
“I’ll try to remember that.”
He came up with a scoop and began dishing vanilla and strawberry ice cream into two bowls. He slid one over to her.
“Are we going to eat this in the dark?” she asked.
“You mind?”
She thought about it a moment and then shook her head. “Not at all, but why?”
“Things taste better in the dark.”
“Really?”
“Think about it...what do you do when you really want to savor something?”
Sophia’s lips curved up. “You close your eyes.”
“Exactly.”
She nodded. “I never thought about it, but it makes sense.”
Logan plopped down on the stool next to her and dove into his ice cream, taking a big bite. Then he closed his eyes. Strawberry ice cream and Sophia all in one night
was
something to savor. He didn’t know what compelled him to divulge the truth, but before he could hold it back, he blurted, “Until a second ago, I didn’t know that, either. The honest truth is that you look dazzling in moonlight and I couldn’t see spoiling the mood with artificial lighting. The other stuff I said is a load of horse manure.”
Sophia put her head down, her eyes downcast. She stared at her ice cream then began shaking her head. Logan wasn’t sure what to make of it—he’d never admitted to feeding baloney to anyone before.
When Sophia finally lifted her head, amusement lit her eyes and she laughed right in his face, giggling so hard she put her spoon down to contain the laughter with a hand to the stomach.
“What? I pay you a compliment and you laugh.” Logan’s ears rang from the contagious sound of her sweet giggles. He spooned another chunk of ice cream into his mouth and swallowed, unable to keep from grinning along with her.
“Oh, Logan,” she said between chuckles, “you always amaze me.”
It seemed to be a night of amazements. He jammed another spoonful of ice cream into his mouth and then pointed to her bowl scooped high with vanilla ice cream. “Eat up, darlin’. You’re lagging.”
She dipped her spoon in and gave it a taste. Her dark-lashed eyes slowly closed as she swallowed. A lump formed in Logan’s throat. Watching Sophia relish anything was like watching an artist apply the first strokes of paint to a fresh canvas.
And tonight, Sophia had been hard to resist. Besides her beautiful face and knockout body, she made him smile. They’d had incredible sex less than an hour ago. Why shouldn’t he laugh along with her and allow himself a night of indulgence?
“Here,” he said after watching Sophia take two more delicate bites of her ice cream. “Let me help.”
He took the spoon from her hand and scooped up a good-sized amount of vanilla ice cream from the bowl. Sophia’s lips eagerly parted for him with a sensual curve upward as he inserted the spoon into her mouth. This wasn’t like feeding a baby, Logan mused. It was erotic as hell. Her mouth moved up and down and her eyelids closed as she tasted the dessert he fed her. He leaned closer, whispering, “I want more, Sophia.”
Her eyes snapped open and without hesitation, she replied softly, “So do I.”
Logan brought his mouth to hers, brushing a gentle kiss over her chilled lips. He tasted the sweet vanilla cream that lingered there. “I’m not talking about ice cream.”
She nodded and whispered, “I’m not hungry for ice cream, either.”
Logan’s heart hammered in his chest. The woman was a temptation that could destroy a weaker man. Logan pushed his seat out and stood, taking Sophia by her arms and lifting her up against him. She wrapped both arms around his neck and he bent his head to take her in a fiery kiss that got all of his juices flowing. He pulled her closer, melding their bodies, fitting her against him like a tailor-made suit. He curved his hands on the slope of her buttocks and rocked her against the erection straining his jeans.
Sophia moaned at the deliberate contact, giving him a little cry of anticipation that matched his own desperate desire.
He swept her up and carried her out of the kitchen and down the long hallway. Her eyes gleaming, her body nearly weightless in his arms, he kissed her several times as he strode into his master bedroom. When he reached his large bed, he turned down his bedspread and then lowered Sophia onto silky sheets. Her luxurious hair fanned out against the pillow and he stripped her bare within seconds, needing to see her naked on his bed.
His fantasies, the secret ones he’d kept hidden from the world, came to fruition, seeing her here now, waiting for him with lust in her eyes. He’d bedded her once tonight, quickly, on a worn-out sofa in the barn, but this was where Sophia needed to be. Cast in moonlight, her body accommodated on a luxurious bed—his bed—and now Logan would take his time with her. He would savor her like she was a sweet bowl of strawberry ice cream. And he would lick every last creamy inch of her, until they were both satisfied.
“As much as I like you in my shirt, taking it off is definitely an improvement.”
Sophia wasn’t coy or timid; she was bold as she lay there allowing him to study her. She was a rare find, a woman who could easily grace the cover of the
Sports Illustrated
swimsuit issue. She was perfect in her naked form.
“I’m a little lonely in this big bed,” she whispered, rolling to her side and patting the area next to her.
“I told you I’d take care of your loneliness.”
He unhooked his belt, kicked off his boots and then lowered himself down onto the bed. He reached for her, just as she came up over him to straddle his thighs. He’d kept his jeans on, and now he wished he hadn’t.
“You’re lonely, too, Logan,” she said softly. “You simply don’t realize it.”
There was truth to that, he admitted to himself, but now was not the time for that conversation. “Then keep me company for a while.”
“I intend to,” she whispered.
Her breasts were round and full, overflowing in his hands. A man could die happy like this. He brought one rosy-tipped peak into his mouth and Sophia uttered a little cry of pleasure. Logan paid proper attention to both of her breasts, cupping and weighing them, kissing and suckling. Sophia was lost, writhing with uncontrolled passion.
She was beautiful atop him. Her hands flat on his chest, her body fluid and primed for sex, Logan’s control was ready to snap. It was too much and not enough. He wanted to own her, to take possession and never let go. It was strange to feel that way about any woman, but with Sophia it felt right.
He made love to every ounce of her with heated kisses and strokes of his tongue until he could barely breathe from the fire building in his system. His hands wove through her long thick hair and he bruised her lips with hot crushing kisses. He made sure Sophia was well loved in every way. It pleased him to please her.
His mind briefly went to his father and how he’d lusted after Louisa Montrose. The only difference being that Logan wasn’t married to another woman. He hadn’t spoken vows or pledged his love to one woman and then bedded another. He would never fall in love with a Montrose. Sophia wouldn’t break him. Not in that way.
He wanted her in his bed.
He’d never fall into the same trap his father had.
Nothing had changed in that regard.
Sophia’s soft, labored moans were frantic. She unzipped his jeans, and all thoughts of his father went out the window. The gorgeous woman slipped her hand around his swollen member and he’d barely had time to put a condom on before she sought an end to their mutual torment.
He guided her down and with one slow, earth-shattering thrust they were joined.
Sophia tossed her head back, taking him inside her. The arch of her back, the sheet of dark hair tossing from side to side as she slid her sweet body over his, were a thing of beauty.
Logan seared those images into his memory as they rode the waves of glory together.
* * *
I love you, Logan,
Sophia thought as she glanced at him. Though he was normally well-groomed, this morning, short, thick strands of his hair stuck out in several directions and a day-old beard darkened his handsome features.
Sophia wasn’t going to cry. She wasn’t going to make a scene. She would be strong. Like her mother. She wouldn’t let Logan know how much she loved him. Not now. She couldn’t trust him with those feelings. She couldn’t tell him truths that he wasn’t ready to hear. She knew it would take time, but Sophia had never been in love before. She’d never felt the full force of the emotion and the power it wielded might cause her great injury. She knew she would have to step carefully to avoid the land mines of her own making.
Sophia lay there with a lump in her throat. Logan had made love to her thoroughly last night. She still ached in private places from his ruthless pursuit of satisfying her. He had made his mark on her. She would never forget her first night with Logan Slade. She hoped there were many more to come. She would not give up on her love.
Was she being a fool?
Her mother’s words rang out clearly in Sophia’s mind. She had never forgotten them. “Loving Randall Slade was a waste of love.”
Because it had ended in heartache. Sophia wouldn’t allow that to happen with Logan. Her love would not be wasted. It couldn’t be. She’d given everything she’d had to give to him. Would he be so cruel as to throw it all away?
Dawn peeked out on the horizon, the first glimmering rays of light sneaking into the room. Sophia gave Logan one last glance, and then rose from the bed. Her feet landed quietly on the floor and she tiptoed away hoping not to wake him.