He’d never asked that of her before. Then again, he’d never met Samantha McCoy until recently.
Elijah didn’t fear that he would fall in love with a woman who would make him forget Beth. That wasn’t possible. However, until Samantha, Elijah hadn’t expected to meet a woman who would captivate him in ways only Beth had been able to do.
But tonight at dinner, he’d found himself completely enraptured by Samantha. The way she spoke, the way she moved… Especially the way she looked at him.
She made him feel as though he weren’t just a third wheel. She made him believe that she wanted something more than just a roll in the sheets. Not to mention, he got a good vibe from Logan. The man wasn’t just interested in watching some random man fuck his wife. No, this was… strange to say, but it seemed serious for the two of them.
That was refreshing. And profoundly different from what he had originally expected.
And he got the distinct impression that Logan knew it too.
But, the man hadn’t bugged off. He hadn’t tried to disengage or change the subject. In fact, he’d pretty much left him and Sam alone at dinner, offering them a chance to get to know one another on a more personal level.
That might’ve been the biggest mistake of all because Elijah felt a connection to Samantha. It scared the shit out of him, but it settled something inside of him that hadn’t been at peace since the day Beth took her last breath.
He wasn’t waiting for Beth to answer him. He knew that wasn’t going to happen, but he did trust his gut. If he weren't supposed to be there, he would know it.
For whatever reason, Logan had entrusted Samantha to him. And now it was time to see where this was going to go.
Maybe it would be just one night, regardless of what they’d all stated up front. Maybe it would turn into a night full of incredible sex and mind blowing experiences. And then in a few hours, or hell, even tomorrow morning, he would walk out of their house and move on with his life. They would as well.
Or, this could be a pivotal point in which Elijah found that missing piece that could very well keep him together for what was left of his natural life.
Shit. When the hell had he gotten so damned sentimental?
When it became clear you were going to spend the rest of your life alone, you idiot.
Quieting the internal monologue, he forced open the car door and planted his feet firmly on the ground before pushing himself out of the car. He stood there for a moment, glancing up at the stars as though the answer might be written right there somewhere between the Big Dipper and the North Star.
No. There weren’t any answers, but again, he went with his gut.
He was supposed to be there.
A minute later, Elijah was knocking gently on the front door. He didn’t have to wait long before Logan was there, opening the door and stepping back so he could come inside.
“Sam’s waiting for you,” Logan said, not a hint of unease in his tone.
“For me?”
“Well, technically for us. But, I can assure you, she’s anticipating your arrival.”
As the door closed behind him, Elijah turned to face Logan, searching the other man’s face for signs that this wasn’t what he wanted.
What he saw positively wasn’t uncertainty etched into the hard angles of Logan’s face.
“She’s nervous,” Logan told him. “But it’s the good kind.”
Elijah laughed. “I didn’t know there was a good kind.”
“With her there is.”
Elijah nodded and then fell into step behind Logan as he was led through the house.
“Drink?”
“Sure,” Elijah answered. “I’ll have what you’re having.”
Elijah noticed a bottle of Hpnotiq sitting on the counter near the stainless steel refrigerator. “Very nice,” he told Logan.
“This happens to be one of Sam’s favorites. I introduced her to it in Vegas a couple of years ago.”
“Good to know.”
Elijah watched as Logan prepared the drinks and then handed him one before motioning with his raised glass toward a set of double doors at the back of the room. “She’s waiting outside for us.”
Not wanting to lead the way, Elijah took a step back and then followed Logan. When they walked out onto the veranda, the first thing Elijah noticed was the exquisite woman sitting on a lounge chair, completely and gloriously naked. Well, almost completely. Samantha wore a narrow strip of black fabric over her eyes.
His heart skipped a beat. Literally.
Logan didn’t speak, just nodded toward Elijah and words weren’t necessary. As he continued to look at Sam, Elijah wasn’t sure he’d be able to make his tongue work, so he welcomed the silence.