Irreplaceable

He caught the amusement in my eyes. “I came out just as you mentioned Luke’s name.”

Thank God he didn’t hear the bet I placed.

“So what do you have planned for tomorrow? Maybe finding a waitress to seduce?”

His smile grew, eyes twinkling. “No, I have other ideas.”

Other ideas? I didn’t want to think about what they were, and the longer I sat there with him staring down at me, waiting for me to respond, the harder it was to ignore the throbbing between my legs that had nothing to do with the waxing. He’d been there, and my body was begging him to return.

“I have to go shower. I have an appointment at noon.” Setting the mug on the small table beside me, I stood. A shower was exactly what I needed—a cold one.

“Can I ask a favor?”

“I guess.” My heart raced faster as he stepped closer.

“Jax is supposed to be over in the next couple hours to watch Oliver for the afternoon. Can you see to it that this gets to him when you return from your appointment?” He pulled a white envelope from inside his coat.

“Can’t you just leave it on your counter for him or something?”

He shook his head once. “No. It needs to go in his hands today. It’s extremely important that he gets it, and I can’t risk anyone—meaning you-know-who—getting ahold of it.”

Natasha? “Um… ok.”

He trusted me. I saw it clearly in the deep-blue pool of his eyes. My heart skipped a beat as his hand placed the envelope in mine, then he kissed my knuckles before releasing.

“Thank you,” he murmured, hooking me in with his minty warm breath and intoxicating scent of clean, soapy perfection.

We were so close, standing face to face, our eyes interlocked together, searching.

“Logan,” I breathed. What was happening? Why couldn’t I move away—step back and go inside? I was locked in place, inhaling his virility.

“Yes?” he crooned, his breath caressing my lips.

I closed my eyes. What was I trying to tell him?

“Please.” It was said in a breath, and I had no idea what I wanted.

“Please what?”

My eyes fluttered, unable to hold his gaze much longer. On cue, his tongue poked out, moistening his flawless lips, pulling my eyes straight to the movement. It answered the question.

“Kiss me,” I panted, barely above a whisper.

My eyes were still on his lips when they pulled up in a charming smile.

“Gladly.”

Instantly, I was in his arms, his lips claiming mine, our tongues dancing together. My hands encircled his neck as I fell into the moment, with no questions or insecurities. I just went with what felt natural—what felt right.

It was Logan who pulled away first, looking undeniably pleased when he placed one more soft kiss on my lips and then my hands after he slid them down from his neck.

“Cassie!” Oliver yelled, running around the corner with a cheerful grin covering his face. He raced straight toward me and didn’t stop until his tiny arms were hugging my waist.

“Hey, how have you been?” I asked, hugging him tightly. Logan watched, a relaxed smile on his lips.

“I’m gonna see a big movie!” Oliver buzzed with excitement as he stepped back. “You can come too.”

“She sure can,” Julia chimed in, walking over with Natasha.

I shot her a tight, contrived smile, keeping my eyes off Natasha.

“I would, but I have an appointment today. Maybe another time,” I replied, my smile turning up into a genuine one when I looked down to Oliver.

Natasha walked closer and took Oliver’s hand. “We don’t want to be late, baby. Let’s go so we can get you a giant popcorn before the movie starts.”

“I love popcorn. So does Cassie.” He snickered, and I knew what he was remembering. How could I forget that night? I still felt bad for the housekeeper who was faced with cleaning the theatre room the next day.

The bittersweet laugh that caught in my throat couldn’t be helped as I glanced at Logan, his expression pained, staring down at his son.

“I sure do,” I replied. “You have fun today, and I’ll come see you soon.”

“’kay, bye.”

“Logan, can you walk us to the car?” Natasha asked, her eyes on him.

He nodded once. “I’ll be right there,” he answered to Oliver, not her. I watched them walk away, leaving Logan and me alone.

“You’re so good with him,” Logan said, stepping closer to me.

“He’s a great kid.”

His smile grew. “I wish I could stay. I could spend all day just standing here with you, but I have back-to-back meetings that can’t wait and you, sweetheart, are not ready for what I want. I want all of you.”

He was right—I wasn’t—but I couldn’t continue to push him away, either.

He leaned in and gave me one last kiss.

“Have a good day, Logan.”

“I will now,” he replied, earning him a soft, blushing smile. “Good luck with your appointment, sweetheart. And thank you again for seeing to it that Jax gets that envelope.”

I nodded, holding the thick mystery packet in my hand as I watched him disappear back the way he came.

Chapter Twenty-One

Interest

My appointment at the bank had my nerves on the fritz the entire drive there, and the longer I waited past the hour for a so-called Mr. Jefferson to call me back into his office, the more my thoughts drifted to Logan, as always. I wondered if he was still thinking about the kiss we shared only an hour or so earlier. Could he still feel the tingle over his lips as I could over mine?

Blinking twice to shove the memory back in its secret box to pop out later in my dreams, I shifted in the uncomfortable blue upholstered chair surrounded by three other men, all waiting impatiently as well. A row of customers in line for tellers stood off to the side, and I smiled, watching a young girl snatch a lollipop from the same fishbowl I had done so from growing up.

I couldn’t help but wonder what Logan would have to say about me coming down here, pleading with the bank for a loan, when he had more than enough money to help me himself. I didn’t want to know, and was going to make sure he never found out. I didn’t tell anyone other than Hilary, and I trusted her with my life to keep the secret.

A woman in a grey suit with bluish grey hair walked by with a stack of papers and smiled. I smiled back, but it was bittersweet. The old woman reminded me of my grandma, and just like that, my guilt trip began. What would my grandma think of me being down here, using her home to pay my bills and buy a car? She was a strong woman, and I’d like to believe she’d understand. “You got to do what’s best for yourself,” she’d once told me.

“Miss Clarke?”

With a deep inhale through my nostrils, I plastered on my sweetest smile. Here goes nothing.

I looked up in the direction my name was called to see a silver-haired man walking toward me, glancing down at his watch. I stood, grabbing my purse, and approached him.

“Hi, Mr. Jefferson?”

“Yes, sorry to keep you waiting.” He shook my hand with a firm grip. “A board meeting ran late. Please, follow me.”

He led me to his office, a room with a giant glass wall that overlooked the front of the bank, complete with a massive desk and two upholstered chairs matching the one in the makeshift waiting room, facing it.