Conviction (Club Destiny 1)

~*~*~

Sam didn’t try to pull away, even though that was her first instinct. He was asking for her trust? Trust was a risky thing. She didn’t trust anyone. Well, not entirely true. She trusted her parents, her brother, to love her unconditionally, but they had proven that already.

She trusted she would get up and go to work each day. She trusted she would give in to Logan with little effort. Hell, since she was thinking about it, she realized even after how badly she had been hurt, she did trust him.

“I trust you.” She looked into his eyes and could see the concern reflecting in his. “But, next time, I walk away. No looking back.”

She’d held on to her anger for so many years ensuring no one would break her heart again, but for some reason, her heart was willing her forward, or was that her hormones? Probably a little of both.

If she didn’t let go, she would never be hurt again. Worse than that, she would never be loved again either. She had two choices… Take a chance that she would never know love again, or that she got her heart broken. A double edged sword. Either way she would lose.

When Logan pressed his lips against hers, this time he was gentle, tender. Sam wanted to hold on for dear life, pray he wouldn’t hurt her. Instead, she let her lips linger on his until he pulled back.

“There won’t be a next time, Sam. Get some rest. You’re going to need it.” He whispered, letting her hands go as he cupped her face in his palms. He pressed his lips to hers once more, lingering for just a minute longer than the last time, and then lowered her from the counter until her feet once again touched the floor.

Sam stood in shock from the sweetness of his gesture, watching as he turned and walked toward the door. She smiled back at him when he turned to her and gave her his crooked, sexy smile. She wanted to chase after him, but she managed to maintain her control. Not this time. There would hopefully be plenty of time for that later.

Chapter Twelve

Logan went to the gym early on Sunday. He had plans for the day and thanks to his rigid routine, he needed to get in his workout. He hoped to go early enough he wouldn’t run into Sam. Not because he didn’t want to, because he did.

More so because he wanted their afternoon to be a surprise.

He was proficient at following rules, and she had set forth hers. He couldn’t keep his mind off of her or the kiss they shared last night. He would definitely oblige.

When he finished his workout, he started toward the front door but was stopped within feet of his exit by Brittany. Cardio Barbie? That was what Sam called her, and he couldn’t fight the grin. He took in the sight of her in her skin tight spandex and her over processed skin, proof of hours spent in a tanning bed.

“Hey, Logan. Got any plans for tonight? I could keep you company.” She said in her fake, sweet voice.

“Actually, I do. I’ve got a date.”

Screw it. He needed to take a risk, and the biggest risk of all would be to fall for Sam, but that was where he was headed. He didn’t need Brittany as a backup. She wasn’t even in the same hemisphere as Sam.

“Well, maybe next time then.”

Doubtful.

“I think this one is pretty serious, Brittany.” He said as he continued toward the door. “Later.”

~*~*~

Sam pulled into the parking lot of the gym just in time to see Barbie Brittany approaching Logan. She was shocked that he didn’t even stop. He wouldn’t have recognized her car because he hadn’t seen it yet.

She sat hidden by the tinted windows until he made his way across the lot to his truck. How many vehicles did one man need? But just like the Cadillac, he looked good in a truck. Hell, he looked good no matter what.

She got out of her new car and walked into the gym. As she passed the front counter, she heard Brittany talking to one of the girls who worked there.

“I can’t believe he just told me he was seriously dating someone. This is Logan McCoy, the most eligible bachelor I know. I wonder how some girl trapped him. Do you think she got pregnant? That has to be it. He wouldn’t just settle down for no reason.”

Sam laughed to herself, hoping no one was paying attention to how ridiculous she looked. The girl seemed rather perplexed, and she had to admit she was more than a little happy about the fact that Logan had blown her off.

It almost made up for the disappointment she felt the day before. Almost.

Sam felt good throughout her entire workout. She went to the Cardio Theater and used the elliptical machine while The Bourne Ultimatum played on the large screen. Sam would have normally drooled over Matt Damon – sex God - but at the moment, Logan made him look like a little boy. And that was saying something because she loved Matt Damon.