Indestructible

He didn’t say a word as he scooped me up into his arms, his scent calming me with every step he took. I buried my head in his neck, welcoming his warmth. When he stopped and flicked on a light, I peered over his shoulder just enough to see we were in the bathroom.

Ever so gently, he sat on the edge of the tub with me resting on his lap and reached down to plug the drain. Never wanting to leave his hold, I didn’t move a muscle when he leaned back to turn the faucet on. After finding the perfect temperature, he placed a warming kiss to the top of my head, then slid his hands up and tugged at the belt of my robe.

My eyes held his as he slipped the robe over my shoulders and let it fall around me. I lifted myself slightly and allowed him to pull the fluffy material away and drop it to the floor, leaving me in the pink cotton panties I’d pulled on in a rush earlier. The ones I’d been wearing during the attack had been mutilated.

We sat silently as the tub filled; words were unnecessary. His fingers trailed up and down my back as I rested there, watching the ripples of water filling the tub. Once the water level neared the top, Logan arched back and turned off the valve. I climbed off his lap and stood before him, wordlessly giving him the permission his eyes sought.

With a smoldering look reserved strictly for me, he hooked his fingers into my panties and slid them down my legs. I placed my hands on his shoulders and stepped out when they reached my ankles. He held them in his hand a moment before balling them up and tossing them into the hamper across the room.

I stood unabashedly. His eyes that once held nothing more than lust now spoke volumes of the love there. A smile pulled at my lips as he stood and, without warning, his easiness fell away and a pained frown stretched over his expression. Unsure why, I followed his gaze, pivoting just enough to catch the reflection of an enormous bruise forming between my shoulder blades. Another mark—this time courtesy of Kurt’s elbow.

“I’m so sorry.” His voice was hard. “This never should have happened.”

“Stop.” My hands reached out and cupped his cheeks, pulling his focus back to me. “A bruise is nothing compared to what could have happened had you not arrived when you did. You saved me, Logan. Don’t apologize.”

His finger outlined the bandages on my cheek. His jaw clenched.

“He’s going to pay for this,” he whispered.

“Shhh, please. I don’t want to talk about it. Not now.” I lifted his head, running my hands through his hair to calm him. The crease on his brow smoothed.

“I love you, Cassandra. Do you hear me?” I smiled, listening to him continue. “Never in my life have I felt this, and I swear I won’t let anyone ever hurt you again.”

Believing every word he spoke, I caressed the scruff of his cheeks with my thumbs. “You can’t promise that, but I know you mean it. I love you too.” I balanced up on my tiptoes, brushed my lips over his, and murmured, “Join me in the bath.”

He smiled into the kiss. “It’s a small tub.”

“All the better.”

Logan’s tongue darted out, moistening his lips before he pressed them against mine in a soft-yet-demanding kiss. His arms snaked up my back, taking hold at the base of my neck.

“You’re still hot.”

It was a statement and not a question, which meant he must’ve felt sweat lingering there. Yuck. But instead of pulling away from embarrassment, I kissed him again, harder—deeper.

When I finally stepped out of his reach, my lips were tingling. “You tell me.” I fought for confidence, denial fueling me to erase the events of the day with a distraction. “Am I still hot?”

His eyes raked down my nude body, never once halting at the redness on my stomach. He made me feel beautiful with that tender look in his eyes. A repressed growl rumbled in his chest.

“I’m trying to be a gentleman here…get my beauty cleaned up and help her relax. So you best put away that look right now.”

My bottom lip tugged out from my teeth that had been holding it as I stalked back to him.

“Help me relax? I like the sound of that.”

Logan stepped forward, closing the gap between us, and I wasted no time pulling his tie free and tossing it to the floor. His head tilted slightly, eyes watching me as I unbuttoned his shirt, pulled it off, and let it meet the same fate as his tie. He didn’t say a word, but when I tugged on the waist of his trousers, opening his belt and popping the button of his fly, his body tensed and eyes slammed shut.

I watched the fabric of his pants tighten around his growing erection. I sucked in my lips, holding back a grin. I loved how his body reacted so easily to me.

I took a moment to fully appreciate the man in front of me. Logan was by far the epitome of a flawless, virile male, with narrow hips highlighted by tight abs and a powerful chest. With a glint in his eye that told me he enjoyed my unashamed stare, he smirked. It was nice to see after the day we’d had.

With a teasing slowness, I lowered his zipper and pulled down his pants. He stepped out of them and I reached for his black boxer briefs, but his hand encircled my wrist to stop me.

“I’d say that’s enough teasing for tonight. Let’s get you in the tub.”

He made quick work of removing his briefs and socks, allowing me more time to study him in the process. Logan was, without a doubt, the most beautiful man I’d ever laid eyes on, and he loved me—wanted me.

He stepped into the tub with his hands on the edges. I watched his biceps flex as he lowered himself, then held out his hand. Smiling softly, I took it and stepped between his legs, snuggling down with my back to his front. My head found the perfect pillow against the peaceful thumping of his heart and rise and fall of his chest.

After submerging a washcloth in the water, he rubbed it down my arms and slid it over the lesions on my stomach. His gentle hand against my skin left a trail of goose bumps in its wake. His other hand took mine, entwining our fingers and resting our hands under my breasts.

“I was serious about you staying with me,” he said after a few minutes of soothing silence.

“I know you were.” I smiled to myself, my eyes closed. The washcloth made its way over my thighs, sending a quiver up from my toes. “You’re always serious,” I added.

“Stay at least a week.” His voice rang through my ear, tickling my insides. Feathery strokes caressed my inner thighs that spread for him as though his hands spoke the only language my body knew.

“What about Oliver? I don’t want to confuse him,” I reasoned.

His fingers didn’t skip a beat, sliding the washcloth up and down my skin, further awakening the desires I was surprised to feel so soon. I closed my eyes.

“There’s nothing to confuse him about. We’ll tell him you’re staying while your house is being repaired. It’s not a lie—you’ll need a new back door and work done on your bedroom.”

“Yeah,” I whispered to myself, mentally falling away from where I was with Logan and back to reality.

“Cassandra, listen to me.” Logan’s hand took my chin, tipping my head back to meet his stare. “I’ll take care of everything. Don’t worry about all that. But please, I want…” His brows creased. “I need you with me right now. For a few days, at least. I won’t be able to sleep knowing you’re here alone.”