Inevitable

He stalked toward me, a grin slowly covering his lips. I held up my hands when he was a mere foot away. Stepping back slowly, I turned, taking off to run but his strong arms locked around my waist.

“No!” I yelled, giggling. “No, no, no!”

His hand flew down the front of my sweater, hay scratching between my breasts, but the electricity of his touch as his hand slid down to my navel and back up overwhelmed any other sensation. I stumbled forward out of his grasp, pulling on my sweater to let it fall through and noticed Oliver doubled over, laughing hysterically.

Really!” I puffed out a deep breath. Oliver turned and ran off to another barn, Jax and Marissa beside him snickering. Logan was still there staring at me while I pulled out more and more of the hay saturated in water and mud. Through my frustration, his hearty laughter was music to my ears. How could I be mad when he looked so stress-free and cheerful?

“Like some help, sweetheart?” His laughter died to a soft chuckle as he drew closer. He stopped in front of me, his chuckle now completely gone, his gaze intense as he took his hand and picked out a piece of straw that had somehow found its way into my hair.

Heat flooded my body, awakening the dozens of butterflies in my stomach. They fluttered wildly as his hand slowly slid from my hair down to my cheek. His touch was soft, and unbearably gentle. I knew it was wrong, yet I leaned into it. His warm palm cradled me, creating a need I never felt before. My body stood rigid, on full alert, attempting to put out the burning fire building inside me.

Logan’s eyes flickered down to my lips and then slowly back up. I knew what he wanted, and for once, I couldn’t find the reasoning in my brain to stop it. His other hand gently reached up caressing my other cheek, holding me attentively in place.

Just one small taste. It was all I wanted as his lips grew closer. I wasn’t sure who was moving but I could see it coming. I closed my eyes, inhaling his breath—only a whisper above my lips. It was sweet, warm, and minty. Exactly as I imagined it would be.

Bravely, I placed my weak hands on his forearms and he closed the distance between us ghosting his soft lips against mine. His kiss was demanding, his lips parting mine and almost immediately, his tongue darted out looking for access. My head began pounding, my fingers gripping his coat, wanting to continue on this roller coaster of emotions and foreign touches. His hands moved from my cheeks back into my hair, one gripping the back of my head while the other continued down around to my backside. The moment he squeezed my ass, pulling me flush against him, I pushed away, gasping for air. I stepped back, needing to put more distance between us. My eyes wandered around the ground, looking anywhere but up at him.

“Logan, we can’t,” I breathed, pulling myself back to reality.

Every part of me wanted to kiss him back with the same passion that radiated off him, but I knew that he couldn’t give me what I needed. I wanted a real relationship with a shot at a real future. Logan was sweet and gorgeous and said all the right things, but I couldn’t let myself forget, he was also a notorious playboy. I was nothing more than a small-town teacher, searching for my epic love, not just hot sex with a friend. Fact was, even if I had gone home with Kurt before I learned he was psychotic, nothing would have happened. I just wasn’t that type of girl.

With a deep breath, I looked up, knowing Logan would only grow bored of me within days if I ever gave into him, and it would ruin everything. I’d rather have him as my friend than endure awkward encounters after a few passionate nights together.

“Take a chance, Cassandra,” he murmured. With a smile, he slowly ran his tongue across his lips and took a step closer. I stood there, wanting so badly to say yes, please, take me now, but I couldn’t. His hands ran over my shoulder, blazing a trail up my neck. I closed my eyes for only a second trying to contain the vibrations humming through me.

Logan leaned in to my ear, placing a gentle kiss on my lobe. “Let me show you what you’ve been a missing. A night you’ll never forget.”

I sighed, and looked away. We were not anywhere near being on the same page in life or with love.

I smiled softly and met his gaze. “Exactly. The word there is night. What happens after that, huh?”

“You know I consider you a friend. Why does that have to change? We get along, I enjoy your company and would very much like to take you to my bed. Does that need to have a label?”

“That’s not what I’m looking for, Logan.”

He ran his hands through his disheveled hair. Tiny pieces of straw still caught in his locks. “I am not the relationship type of guy, sweetheart. You know this, already.” His voice was gruff and unsteady. I could see what he wanted clear in his eyes, but it wasn’t enough.

“I know, but I’m the relationship type of girl.” With a soft squeeze to his hand, I pulled away, to catch up with of Oliver.

Chapter Nineteen

Revealing

After spending another hour walking from barn to barn, showing Oliver the many different animals, we were ready to find our pumpkins. Jax carried Oliver up the small wooden stepladder into a large wagon filled to the brim with hay. It was a short ride out to the pumpkin patch, located at the back of the farm. Logan was behind us on his phone, a business call he explained before answering it, but the look on his face made me wonder otherwise.

Mark stood beside the wagon helping Julia up then held out his hand for me. With a don’t touch me glare, I slowly stepped up, balancing myself and climbed over the ledge, taking a seat next to Marisa. Oliver sat between Jax and Julia in the very back, eager for the tractor to start moving.

“Sorry about that,” Logan said, sitting beside me, legs stretched out, crossed at the ankles.

“Everything all right?” I asked, squinting at the sun when I looked over at him.

“Mh-hmm.” He nodded looking past me to Oliver.

The rigid straw poked at my ankles, digging at my jeans and irritating my skin but memories of my childhood, riding in this very wagon, left me smiling despite it. Oliver let out a loud cheerful wail when the tractor began pulling us along the dirt trail.

Logan sat quietly—looking out into the field—his eyebrows low and forehead marred with worry lines. He caught me staring and his expression softened into a sweet smile. I returned it and rested back against the rickety rails.

His tantalizing scent of nature and fresh soap was enticing, especially when combined with the taste of his lips, which still lingered on mine. Without thinking, I ran my tongue slowly across my lips, savoring the final trace of him.

As tormenting as it was to refuse him—and my body’s desires—I was proud of finding the self-control to end things. Looking back, I had no clue how I managed to pull away. The memory of his hand in my hair, while the other traced down my back and cupped my ass, still felt amazing. I hadn’t been touched like that in so long. I smiled to myself knowing later that night, Logan would be there in my dreams ready to show me exactly what could have been.

My body flinched, jerking me from my lustful thoughts, when something pulled at a strand of my hair. With the tilt of my head, brows furrowed, I caught Logan holding up a piece of straw.

“Just trying to help.” He smirked.

I smiled, narrowing my eyes at his flirty expression. I was relieved my rejection didn’t offend him, and we seemed to being falling right back into where we were before the kiss, friends.