Redemption Hills: The Complete Collection

21. Aster

TWENTY-ONE

ASTER

If it had been chaotic back at Logan’s apartment earlier, it was madness inside Eden and Trent’s home.

A home filled with smiling faces, warm welcomes, and genuine embraces.

People were crammed into the small space, although no one seemed to mind the close quarters.

The entry room was a tiny square with a couch and a loveseat in the middle facing a TV against one wall. Bookshelves filled with pictures and trinkets and at least a gazillion pieces of artwork that clearly had come from Gage’s precious little hands were proudly displayed on every other flat surface.

An archway on the left opened to a kitchen with a breakfast nook where a ton of people were hanging out, and there was a hall on the opposite far side of the room that I assumed led to the bedrooms.

It was simple and modest and felt like falling into my favorite dream. A dream I’d cached away, where I’d buried it beneath my family name and my father’s expectations. A dream I craved to slip into but was terrified to take the first step.

Logan did it for me.

He grabbed my hand again and, with a gentle tug, he pulled me deeper into the fray.

Juni and Gage came streaking through the crowd. “You’re here! You’re here! You’re here!”

Gage got there first, and Logan picked him up the way he had earlier, his smile so free as he hugged the child to his chest. He scooped up Juni in his other arm. His joy became profound, all the rigid hardness that seeped from his pores giving way to an easiness I’d almost forgotten existed.

Close to how it was that first night at the recital.

But different.

Not so reserved. The man turning over the top as he tussled with Gage and Juni, swinging them around like rag dolls.

“Now who’s your strongest uncle?” he demanded to know, his tone playful.

“Uncle Jud!” Gage cackled when he said it, clearly knowing he’d given the wrong answer, and Juni giggled adorably when she shouted, “Uncle Trent!” at the same time.

Logan feigned the biggest gasp.

“What? How dare you? And it’s my birthday? What is this madness? You know I’m the strongest of the Lawson brothers. Trent and Jud just look big. But your uncle Logan is pure muscle.”

He squeezed them tighter as if to prove it.

In it was care. Every movement done with caution so neither of them would be hurt.

“You’d better watch it, or Uncle Jud is gonna take you down!” Gage shouted as he scrambled around, trying to get his little arms around Logan.

From where Jud was leaned against the back of the couch next to his wife halfway across the room, the giant man lifted a beer in the air and shouted over the din of voices and the music that played at a low volume. “That’s right, Gage in the Cage. You pin him for me, then I’ll be over to take care of the rest.”

“Wow. Just wow. Why do you always gotta be so violent?” Logan taunted just as Gage was climbing over his shoulder and jumping onto his back.

Jud cracked a grin and tucked Salem closer. “Someone has to take care of punks like you.”

Horrified offense took over every line of Logan’s face, clearly faked, all while he was being climbed like he was a jungle gym in the middle of a playground.

“I’m wounded.”

Jud scoffed with a smile. “I’ll show you wounded.”

I tried to hold a laugh, not to get too comfortable, but it was really hard to do when it felt as if I’d stumbled into a safe space. Where it was joy and light and life. Different than anything I’d ever experienced. Better than anything I’d ever imagined.

Logan tossed a soft smile my way and slowly set the kids onto their feet. “All right, all right, everyone off, Uncle Logan needs to make the rounds.”

“I’ll destroy you later.” Gage giggled the words as Logan flipped him around onto his feet.

“I’m sure you will.” Logan laughed, ruffling his fingers through the child’s hair before he turned to me and stretched out his hand. “Come on. Let me introduce you to everyone.”

Uneasiness climbed through my consciousness, that reminder that I didn’t belong, that I shouldn’t get too comfortable, that this was absolutely reckless, coming here like this. But it felt too good to let Logan slip his fingers through mine, to act as if I were his and he were mine.

Casually, he led me to Jud who stood and gave me a bear hug the second we approached.

Welcome.

Salem, whose blue eyes twinkled and danced with this mischief that was still somehow kind, pushed up from where she had been leaned against the couch. She reached for my hand and squeezed. She was different than Eden, a little harder around the edges, I guessed, as if she’d been through more than any one person should be expected to.

Her hair was black and pin-straight where it brushed around her shoulders, and she gave off a naturally sexy vibe that somehow came off sweet.

“So, you’re still hanging out with this guy, huh?” It was a tease of affection.

Logan gave her a giant hug. “Yeah, yeah, you know you love me the most. Just keep pretending.”

Stepping back, he pointed at her belly. “Tell me I’m getting another niece because the last thing we need around here is another Lawson boy to bust my balls.”

“Hey, I bust your balls, Uncle Logan.” Juni was clearly offended.

Her mom covered her ears, but not nearly in time. Laughing under her breath and shooting daggers at Logan, she glanced at her daughter. “Don’t listen to anything that comes out of your uncle Logan’s mouth, Juni Bee. He’s a terrible influence.”

Logan stretched out his arms. “What are you talking about? I’m a great influence.”

“Hardly,” Jud grunted before he took a swig from his bottle of beer.

Chuckling, Logan reached over and ran his hand over the back of Juniper’s head. “Fine. That was a bad word, Juni, I’m sorry. You probably shouldn’t say it again even though it was completely valid.”

The last he tossed out with a grin at Salem.

She scowled at him, though I was pretty sure it was riddled with affection.

“It’s okay. You’re forgiven. But you still gotta put some dollars in the swears jar. My mimi already gots it half full.” Juni’s tone was pure disappointment.

Logan dug into his wallet and pulled out a five-dollar bill. “How about you do it for me the next time you go to your mimi’s?”

Juni snatched it. “Or I might keep it. Payback.”

Logan’s mouth dropped open. “For what?”

“For your birthday.” She gave him a look that said, obviously .

“I have to pay you for my birthday?”

“It was a lot of hards work, Uncle.”

Amusement pressed at my chest.

Logan laughed. “Little swindler.”

“Seems she learned from the best.” Jud winked at me when he said it.

Redness flashed.

Clearly, they’d heard how Logan and I had run into each other.

Logan slipped his arm around my waist, his heat so sweet, his mouth so tempting. “Come on.”

“It was nice to see you both again,” I murmured, overcome, swept away, unable to keep the smile from taking to my face.

A real one.

Not forced or faked.

Because I wanted this. To celebrate Logan’s birthday with him. With his friends and his family. To experience what it would have been like if life weren’t so cruel.

If it didn’t steal our hearts and souls.

Crush every part of us that was good.

If it didn’t make us choose .

Logan introduced me to a few people around the room. His office manager. A couple friends he golfed with. A mechanic named Brock from the custom bike shop, Iron Ride, that Jud owned.

He led me to three intimidating men drinking beers in the corner. They had their massive, tattooed arms crossed over their chests and gave off the vibe any one of them could be currently standing outside guarding Jarek’s house.

Logan fist bumped each of them. “I can’t believe you’re here and my brother actually thought to give you the night off. It’s a Christmas miracle.”

“Birthday miracle,” the first one said. A gleam lit in his eyes when he looked at me. “Guess there are a ton of birthday miracles going around considering you walked in with a woman that looks like this. I’m Sage, beautiful.”

A blush hit my cheeks. “Aster.”

Logan curled his arm around me, and I thought he was going to pop off a razzing insult, but he tucked me close and muttered, “You’re right, Sage, it’s a fucking miracle.”

My heart thrashed.

Then he gestured at Sage with a smile. “Sage is Absolution’s general manager, the poor bastard who is tasked with keeping Trent in line.”

“You know it.” The man was all easy grins. “Place would go down if I wasn’t there to make sure that shit didn’t go sideways.”

“And these two monsters are Kult and Milo.” Logan tilted his chin at the other two men. “Head bouncers at the club.”

“I could have guessed that,” I said with a soft smile as I shook their hands. “Nice to meet you all.”

I startled when a little hand threaded into mine, interrupting the introductions. I looked down to Juni bouncing at my side. “Oh my gosh, I almost forgot the most important thing, Miss Aster, I gotta do the introducing to my mimi.”

She jerked at my hand. I glanced at Logan. He smiled.

Smiled this smile that sailed through me with the force of a knife. Impaling me deep.

Tenderness.

So much of it I didn’t know how to stand.

“You’d better go then,” he said.

Flustered, I fumbled away from him, somehow feeling attached, like a band was stretched taut between us and it only tightened with each step I took. It wasn’t as if it was all that far because Juni hauled me around to the other side of the couch.

Gretchen sat on the right with a giant margarita in her hand. She’d ridden over with Eden to help her get set up and to give her an extra hand with the kids.

Next to her was an older woman, close to her 80s, I would say, her aged face filled with mischief and warmth.

Juni hopped the rest of the way over to her.

“Well, who do we have here?” the woman asked.

“Mimi, this is Uncle Logan’s old favorite friend but not his favorite anymore, and her name is Miss Aster, but she had to come because we likes her so very much and she helped us get the party ready.”

“Huh,” was what the woman said as she eyed me up and down. Then her smile turned sly. “Sure looks like you’re Logan’s favorite friend to me.”

Gretchen smacked her knee. “Oh, Maria, you should see it, this one has that boy wrapped around her little finger. I keep having to tiptoe around the apartment before I come across something I don’t want to see.”

She actually waggled her brows all while tipping half of her margarita out onto her lap. “Ooops.”

She giggled.

“Don’t want to get a look?” Mimi was aghast. “Now that is one hiney I wouldn’t mind getting my peepers on.”

She knocked her shoulder into Gretchen’s, giggling, too.

My lips pressed together.

These two were drunk.

“Well, now there’s our double trouble.” Logan’s voice came over me from behind.

I swore Mimi blushed while a shiver raced down my spine. “There you are, you sly dog.”

Logan chuckled low, then he bent over and kissed her cheek. “Good to see you, Mimi.”

“That’s Maria, to you.” She winked at him as she patted his cheek.

Oh my god.

I felt the giggle threaten at the base of my throat. I tried to cover it with my hand.

Logan peeked back at me. My brows lifted. He grinned.

Mimi’s expression turned soft. “Happy birthday, Logan.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, I think it’s gonna be good, alright.” Gretchen lifted her margarita. It sloshed over the side and onto her hand.

“Sheesh, for someone who doesn’t like the messes, you sure is makin’ plenty of ’em, Nonie G.” Juni shook her head.

I laughed.

Logan stood, pushing to his full, towering height.

The man took the one step it required to erase the space between us, then he was slipping his arm around my waist, tugging me right to his chest. He leaned down so close I was almost scared and really excited that he was swooping down to kiss me, but he came up short, his breath mine. “Oh, it’s definitely going to be good.”

Stepping back, I tried to straighten myself out. To thwart this new energy that buzzed between us.

Logan introduced me to more guests, always calling me, His Aster .

He leaned down and kissed me on the temple.

I tried to keep it together.

To remember.

But tonight, I couldn’t seem to stop myself from slipping into his fantasy.

From tripping his direction.

Thirty days.

Thirty days.

I tried to chant it.

Claim it.

I needed to remember it because I was setting myself up to get ripped apart.

This was so much more dangerous than any deal I had made that fateful morning when I’d come crawling back to Logan’s office.

This?

This was real.

“Oh my god, you’re here!” A screech came from somewhere within the kitchen as Logan stepped through the archway.

A red head bobbed through the crowd, the woman literally jumping so she could see over the heads. She came winding through, wielding a bottle of champagne.

Logan leaned toward my ear. “You’re in trouble now.”

Oh, I was already there, but I felt it coming like a hurricane when the woman I remembered as a snowflake from the recital was suddenly throwing her arms around me like I was her oldest friend.

She squeezed me and shook me around. “I’m so happy you’re here! I wasn’t sure if you’d be since this guy over here usually has his big head shoved so far up his ass he doesn’t know up from down. I mean, I’ve seen his horrible decisions, but for once, I can see he has his head on straight.”

“Um…” I stammered.

Logan gave her a light punch on the shoulder. “It is my birthday, Tessa. Think you could cut a guy a break?”

“Nope, she’s bustin’ your balls, too.” Juni blazed by as she shouted it.

My hand pressed to my mouth.

Chaos, I tell you.

Logan blinked. “Wow. Some party this is. Even my adorable niece has turned against me. And here I am, the smartest, best looking, richest guy around.”

I cringed at the last.

Tessa cocked her head. “Well, if you actually tacked nice and humble onto that list, you might be worthy of the celebration.”

“Ouch.” Logan touched his chest.

“I’ll ouch you.”

“But I just want you to love me.” Logan stuck out his bottom lip.

Amusement pulled through the atmosphere.

Giggling, she sidled up to him and slid her arm around his side, hugging him tight as she looked back at me. “Okay, fine. This one right here is pretty amazing, and he’s smokin’ hot if I do say so myself. Like catch the house on fire hot, if you know what I mean.”

She puffed that out of the side of her mouth toward me like it was a secret.

“Now we’re talking.” Logan bobbed his head in encouragement.

“I’ve heard it’s all due to the fact he has a really big…” She paused, her blue eyes wide and emphatic. “Ego. A really big ego.”

She cracked up like it was hysterical.

He kissed the top of her head, though he growled like I couldn’t hear, “Keep it up, Tessa, and I’m putting you in the shower under cold water. I’m trying to impress the prettiest girl here, can’t you see?”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she gasped. “She is really pretty, though. I think we should keep her.”

Rattled, I shifted my feet.

She lifted that bottle. “Champagne?”

“Oh, most definitely,” I said.

She moved in, wrapped her arm around my waist, and led me deeper into the kitchen. “Don’t worry, Aster, we’re going to be the best of friends. I know these things.” She knocked her hip into mine. “Mad love. Mad, mad love. Just wait and see.”

So it turned out Tessa was kind of insane. Crazy and fun and impossible not to like.

Because it was all genuine. The care she showed for everyone around her. Even if she didn’t know someone, she made them feel like she did.

Especially me.

I sipped at my flute of champagne while she danced in the kitchen with Eden in some kind of horrible ballet/break dancing routine to the beat of “SexyBack”.

Nothing like a little JT.

Tessa scattered the crowd crushed in the space and did the worm across the floor.

I didn’t think I’d ever laughed so hard in my life.

Didn’t think I’d ever felt so perfectly right when she popped back up and took my hand and spun me around.

Didn’t think I’d ever felt so free than when she slung her arm around my shoulders like we were a pair, the woman talking to Salem who’d joined us on the other side, Eden in front of us, this whole thing so casual, no pretenses.

As if I could be a part of them.

Jud, Salem, and Juni were ushered into the middle of the mayhem and were presented with a bouquet of black helium balloons.

Jud helped Juni pop one.

Blue confetti fluttered out.

“A boy! We get a boy!” Juni shouted, and she threw herself around her mom’s neck, hugging her tight. Jud wrapped himself around both of them. He leaned down and kissed his wife, and I saw Salem’s eyes were filled with tears.

He kissed them away, murmured something none of us could hear.

So tender.

So sweet.

I had to look away.

My eyes tangled with Logan’s where he leaned against the counter three feet away next to Trent.

Malachite.

Stony green that sparked with flecks of gold.

His hands were in his pockets, and he had an ankle crossed over the other. This sexy casualness rolled from him in waves that tied my stomach in a needy knot.

Hot and blinding.

But it was his expression that did me in.

The soft affection that played and danced, the tiniest tweak of a warm smile kissing the edge of his mouth all mixed with old understanding.

My spirit lit.

Caught in his energy.

In this gravity.

All while my brain kept warning I was being a fool.

Heedless.

I could feel the tendrils of my spirit weaving into the fabric of these people, and when I pulled them loose, they were going to snap.

Break.

Still, I mouthed, Happy birthday , as he gazed over at me.

That time he did smile. This slow satisfaction taking over the gorgeous, defined angles of his face when he mouthed back, The best.

I jolted when Eden was suddenly in front of me, her voice a little panicked. “Can you hold her for a second?”

I didn’t have time to refuse before she set Baby Kate in my arms.

I froze, and my heart rose to my throat. The knot was so huge it clotted off air.

I tried not to look, not to turn my attention down on the precious little face that stared up at me. Her eyes were so dark they were nearly black, her cheeks pink and her nose tiny, her mouth curled in the sweetest, crooked smile.

My chest clutched, and my arms shook, and I held her to me probably a little too tightly, scared that I would hurt her. That I would harm her.

Emotion burned, a flashfire through my veins, and I knew I was messed up.

Scarred with no hope of recovery.

I couldn’t even hold an infant without having a panic attack. Without wanting to hold on tighter while simultaneously wanting to jerk my arms away.

Eden returned, laughing under her breath. “Sorry about that, I needed to refill the ranch dip.”

She took her daughter back without the knowledge that in the one minute I’d been holding the child, I’d been scourged.

Because being here? In this town? In this place with this man?

It ripped off the scab of everything I’d fought for years to suppress.

It’d been the only way I could survive.

To refuse and forget.

But there was no forgetting when I stood under the force of Logan’s eyes.

Tessa suddenly grabbed me by the hand, yanking me out of the void of despair I was sinking into. “Come dance with me!”

A smile forced its way to my mouth when she shimmied in front of me like she was seducing me onto the makeshift dance floor.

She twirled me around and around until I felt dizzy.

I laughed. Awkward at first, but then hard and free. My breaths were harsh, but they finally filled my aching lungs.

Tessa leaned in closer. “There, that’s better.”

A frown pulled to my brow. “What?”

“That smile. That’s the one I was looking for.” Her response was soft, knowing, and I wondered how it was possible that these people I’d known a handful of hours knew me better than anyone knew me back home.

That they saw through the barriers.

The veil.

“Mad love.” She shouted that above the music as she twirled me again. Another roll of laughter erupted.

Logan was suddenly there, big and towering, his jaw hard and his eyes soft. He glanced at Tessa. “I think it’s time I cut in.”

She pouted and gathered me in an overbearing hug. “What? No way. I just got to meet my new BFF and I’m keeping her forever.”

“Tessa.” He gruffed it with a slough of affection.

She pouted harder, pushing out her lips in a ridiculous way, then she laughed and pushed me in his direction. “Okay, fine, since it’s your birthday. But I love her and she’s mine, and if you screw this up, I will kick your ass.”

Logan grunted.

I tried not to laugh.

Tried not to cry.

Tried not to get crushed by the care of this family.

Everyone had taken me under their wing. They’d shown me their love and protection as if I were one of them. The problem was they had no idea even if I wanted to stay, even if Logan wanted me to, I couldn’t.

Thirty days.

Thirty days.

On top of that, I didn’t understand Logan. What he’d done, the choices he’d made, up against the fierce look in his eyes when the man took me by the hand.

Our hatred, our hurt, at odds with this twining of want there was no chance of escaping.

I felt it build as the man walked backward facing me as he pulled me out of the kitchen and into the living room where it was even more crammed with people.

The mood had gotten a little rowdy.

Voices raised and laughter flowing.

The music had been turned up a notch, enough that it covered the conversations and lifted everything to an elevated hum.

In the middle of the throng, Logan pulled me into his arms and crushed me against the hard, rippling planes of his body.

He had one arm banded around my waist. His other palm was splayed wide, gliding up my spine until he was slipping it under the fall of my hair. He took hold of the mass of it in a fist.

A surprised squeak whispered through my lips.

Strength vibrated through his body.

Chills skated across mine.

“Logan.” I didn’t mean to plead his name the way I did, but it was getting harder and harder not to beg for what every part of me wanted.

He grunted and somehow tucked me even closer. His voice was a rough scrape against my ear. “I’ve been waiting hours to get you alone like this.”

“Are you jealous?” There was no stopping the tease because the sulking woven in his voice was ridiculous.

Adorable and ridiculous.

This rigid, intimidating man who could be so goofy and sweet.

“Tessa was hogging you.”

“Hogging me?”

“Yes. Hogging.”

I glanced behind me then back to him. “Well, she is really pretty.”

“Aster.” His voice deepened to a growl. “Don’t make me punish you.”

His hand tightened in my hair, giving it a little yank to tug my face back to meet the warning in his gaze.

I giggled.

Clearly, I was losing it, letting go, getting caught up in the swell of giddiness that swept through my being.

“Are you laughing at me?” Logan grumbled.

“Maybe.”

Another giggle, only that one morphed into a needy moan when he pressed his face to the edge of my jaw. He ran his nose along the sensitive flesh, slipping up to my ear and back down to my chin.

Twice he did it, whispering, “You’re mine,” as he went.

It was a mind-altering caress.

One that made me forget what I was supposed to be fighting for. One that made me forget the danger and the risk and what was at stake.

One that made me sigh and press my face into his chest when he began to lead me in a gentle, slow sway.

We danced at half the beat of the music that played.

Like the song belonged to us.

This moment in time carved out for what might have been.

“Aster.” Logan muttered it like praise at the side of my head where he had his nose buried in my hair. “Never in a million years would I have thought two weeks ago that on my birthday I’d be given a gift such as this. Never thought I’d get to hold you again. Never thought I’d get to touch you again.”

“It’s not a gift, Logan, it’s a burden.”

He edged back to gaze down at me. “No, Little Star. Don’t you get it? You are worth fighting for.”

My heart banged.

The energy crackled.

The people around us began to blur as Logan and I sank into each other.

The world faded, and the only thing I was aware of was the thunder of his heart and the erratic pound of mine. The feel of our bodies pressed tightly together.

His lips gently brushed my cheek, hit the edge of my eye, and ran up to my temple.

My fingers curled into his shirt.

“Aster.”

It was a call.

A claim.

We’d drifted, slowly moving across the room. The sounds of the party quieted the barest fraction, the same as the lights.

I almost had to blink to orient myself to the fact that Logan had pulled me into a hall that ran off to the far side of the living room.

I hadn’t even noticed he’d lifted me off my feet until I realized my toes were barely grazing the floor where he had pulled me into the darkness.

It was in the darkness where my love for him endured.

Words I would never say.

But the truth of it screamed through my veins.

He pressed my weight to the wall.

His big body towered, eclipsing reason, sight and judgement and prudent thought.

There, it was only the feel of his hands that slipped down my arms and the harsh pants that jutted from his lungs.

“You’re going to ruin me.” Logan raked it like a curse, and he suddenly pinned my arms above my head.

I didn’t care.

I just felt.

Whimpering, my hips bucked toward him.

He was pressed so tightly against me that the movement had me rubbing against his massive erection that strained the fabric of his pants.

Lightheadedness swept the fears from my mind, and a dreamy daze took me over.

A bluster of desire so intense I wanted to weep.

I’d almost forgotten. I’d almost forgotten.

I sagged in his hold.

Surrendering.

“Fuck,” Logan grunted, then I was off my feet again. He whipped me around and pulled me into a dark room. He shut the door and pinned me to the wall beside it.

The party echoed from the other room. It felt as if we’d been elevated. Lifted above reality. Above circumstance. To the place where only Logan and I existed.

The barest light seeped through a window, only enough to illuminate the carved lines of his immaculate face.

In the wisps of shadows, he looked like a demon, an avenger, my sweet destination.

His hand spread farther out over my cheek, and he tightened his hold on my jaw. Malachite eyes flashed in the bare rays of light.

“Say it,” he demanded.

“I’m yours.” There was no hesitation. No holding it back. The confession was out without thought of consequence.

The second I said it, Logan dove in. His hands were on both sides of my face when his mouth covered mine.

His lips were soft but the kiss was rough.

Heat flashed, racing my flesh, dumping into my stomach to boil in my belly.

A whimper broke free, and he kissed me deeper, his tongue stroking into my mouth in a bid of possession.

It wasn’t sweet.

It was a plundering.

A claiming.

A raid.

A vengeful man who wouldn’t stop seeking retribution until everything that had been stolen was returned to him.

I kissed him back.

Frantically.

Desperately.

My hands in his hair. On his face. Digging into his shirt.

I wanted to touch him everywhere.

He groaned when I made it under the fabric, and I raked my nails down his chest.

He kissed me harder for a second before he slowed, his lips plucking over mine in a gentle push and pull.

Logan whispered over the swollen, lust-bitten flesh. “Do you remember me, Aster? Do you remember me?”

I choked over the pain that threatened to rise. “I wanted to forget.”

Big hands gripped me by the hips, and he lifted me from the floor. On instinct, my legs wrapped around his waist.

He rocked against me, his cock huge and hard and scorching hot.

A searing.

A burn.

A tattoo forever imprinted on me.

“Do you?” he pressed, his fingers digging into my flesh as if he could uncover the truth in me.

“I remember. I remember.”

He was rocking harder then, friction and fire, and I was so spun up, so lost, that I was gasping.

Pleasure rose like an eruption.

Like dammed water springing from dry, dead earth.

So much. Too much. Not nearly enough.

I clawed at his shoulders. “Please.”

“What do you need?” he rumbled as he kissed a path up my neck.

“You.”

The door banged open, and the light flipped on.

I choked.

Logan froze where he was dry humping me against the wall where my legs were still locked around his waist.

Horrified, I whipped my attention to the doorway.

Mimi slapped her hand over Gage’s gaping eyes before she shuffled him around and told him to go to the kitchen.

She turned back to us with a grin on her face.

“You sly dog.”

Gretchen peered over Maria’s shoulder. “Oh, lord a’mercy…he was about to take it out, Mare.”

With both hands, I covered my face. I didn’t need to worry about my knees being weak from embarrassment since Logan still had me pinned.

Awesome.

“You could shut the door,” Logan said, his hands planted on either side of my head as he glared their way.

“Now what would be the fun in that?” This from Mimi.

“We were kind of in the middle of something.” Logan raised his brow.

“Not anymore…this old girl needs to get home. My dogs are a barkin’, and it’s way past my bedtime. You promised to give me a ride, doncha remember?” Gretchen slurred.

“Call an Uber.” Exasperation filled his tone.

“I can’t find my phone.” She hiccupped.

Logan shook his head. “You’re fired, Gretchen. Totally, completely fired.”

“Fired? Not even close, young man. Just a smidgeon tipsy, is what I am.” She pinched her fingers together.

I pressed against his chest. “We should take her home.”

The bubble had burst.

My lips burned and my spirit singed.

In the glaring light, it was very, very apparent this was a horrible idea.

I’d let myself get lost. Allowed myself to forget.

And that was the most dangerous place I could be.

Logan sighed in their direction. “Cock blockers.”

He helped me to my feet.

I swayed to the side, and Logan steadied me. “Are you okay?”

So definitely not okay.

I gave him a shaky nod.

He led me back into the main room, and he kept his fingers threaded through mine as we told everyone goodnight.

Eden, Salem, and Tessa hugged me forever. They told me how great it was that I was there. How we were all going to have so much fun together.

I fought the welling of emotion that burned at the back of my eyes.

This was what happened when you got careless. When you touched upon things you couldn’t have.

Window shopping for what you could never afford only made you long for the unattainable.

The whole time, I tried not to stumble through the lust that still smoldered between Logan and me. The way his fingers twitched, and I could feel the desire vibrating beneath his skin.

When we stepped outside, snow was flitting from the sky.

I lifted my face, welcomed the cold, and hoped it could put out this fire.

Logan helped a stumbling Gretchen across the street. She cracked up about every three steps.

I tried to climb into the backseat, and she pushed me away. “Pssh, get your cute butt in that front seat next to your man where you belong.”

She flung herself into the back and let out a huge sigh as if it’d been the longest day of her life.

Warily, I climbed into the front as Logan did the same.

We both shut our doors, and he started the deep, rumbling engine.

Nope.

There was no dousing this fire. There were only flames.

The tension was so thick, I couldn’t breathe as he drove through the sleeping city streets.

There was no oxygen in the silence. No relief in the miles we traveled.

It only compounded with each second that passed.

He peeked at me, stroked his tongue over his lips.

I wiggled in the seat.

Logan whipped into his parking spot in the basement garage.

He jumped out, and I did the same.

He moved around to the back of the car so he could help Gretchen to the elevator, and we rode it up.

That dense, deep silence followed us.

I tried to inhale.

To stop the shaking.

To pretend as if I hadn’t just crossed a line that I never should have crossed.

The first night in my bed? That had felt like a dream. As if it hadn’t happened. Tonight? It felt all too real. As if I were touching the same boy I’d fallen for all those years ago.

Logan let us into the muted light of his apartment.

Gretchen started for the hall. “Whew, I thought I was gonna blow in that car with y’all. Barely made it out alive.” She lumbered away. “I’ll be in my room. There’s a good chance I might need a little privacy, so whatever you do, do not come a knockin’.”

In exasperation, Logan rubbed at his forehead. “We’re going to have to find her a boyfriend.”

I would have laughed except I could only focus on my next breath.

On not being consumed.

I shuffled my feet. “Well…goodnight,” I finally managed, and I ducked my head and started in the same direction Gretchen had gone.

“Not so fast.” Logan’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

I peeked back at him. He was so gorgeous it was unfair.

So powerful in his suit, every inch of him hard, rippling with sinewy strength.

I waited.

Spellbound.

“I think we have some unfinished business.”

Then he turned and walked into his bedroom.

And I was the fool who followed.