Irreplaceable

“Dance with me,” he said.

I couldn’t resist. With an easy smile, I gave him my hand and allowed him to pull me into his arms. He held me close, one hand on my lower back, the other wrapped in mine but tucked between us.

Ed Sheeran began singing “Give Me Love”, the lyrics hitting deeper than ever before. It was beautiful and easy, and by the time the song finished, I was lost in Logan. I smiled up at him as “Echo” by Jason Walker began playing. Memories of the many Christmases I’d watched my grandparents dance in that very room as music played through an old record player flashed through my mind.

A sweet smile and tightened grasp around my waist was Logan’s response. By the time the song finished, I had tears in my eyes that were soaking through the shoulder of his T-shirt.

“I hate this feeling,” I mumbled, more to myself than him, before angling my head a little to catch his gaze. “I just want it to be the way it was before things got—”

“Real?” he chimed in, our bodies still swaying as one as a new song began to play.

“I was going to say heated.” I let myself smile, relaxing further into his arms.

“I’d never start over, even if I had the chance, but I wish you could trust me again. Give a fresh start to your confidence in me.”

I wiped my eyes and then placed my hands on his shoulders, stretching back just enough to look into his own eyes.

“Logan, we tried the fresh start before. You only get so many do-overs.”

His smile faltered, not quite reaching his eyes as he processed my words, but it was only a brief second before a sinfully sexy smile broke out. “If I screw it up again, then I won’t ask for another.”

I raised my brows, unconvinced. “Really? So if you mess things up, you’ll walk away and never ask to start over again?”

“Oh, no.” He grinned wider, shaking his head once and running his hand up my spine. “I’m never walking away, sweetheart. I just won’t ask to start over. There are so many enjoyable ways I am sure I can think up to earn your forgiveness.”

I released a breath of laughter. “Why not just try harder to begin with?”

His brow shot up. “Hmmm, very interesting. Do tell me more about that plan.” He leaned in, bringing me closer, and chuckled softly.

We continued to dance, no more words needed as we fell comfortably in sync with the music through another song until he dipped me down in a graceful move.

Where my next words came from, I didn’t know—perhaps it was the sincerity in his eyes and tenderness of his hold on me as he raised me back up into an embrace that I truly believed wouldn’t ever let me go.

“You don’t to have ask,” I breathed.

He held me firmly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips right before he leaned in and claimed mine.

For song after song, we danced in the center of my living room, his lips only straying from mine to slide down over my jaw, throat, and back up to my cheek—anywhere they could reach while we danced.

I don’t know if it was the music, the holiday atmosphere, or just good timing, but my hands were suddenly moving on their own, tugging at his shirt, pulling it over his head and going to work on the buckle of his belt.

It was frantic, as though a ticking bomb was suddenly set and about to detonate within me if I didn’t bring him as close as possible, touch him as I only had in my dreams. I wanted him more than anything, and it wasn’t something I could deny any longer. I didn’t want to.

“Cassandra.” His voice was a deep, strained breath against my neck as his belt fell open, and my fingers slid back and forth over his waistband.

“Don’t stop this, please,” I begged, my lips running over his broad, rippled chest. My tongue darted out in hunger as I brushed over his nipple.

“Tell me first,” he demanded, his finger under my chin, drawing my head back up.

I looked up under my lashes, his eyes and dark and hooded.

“Tell me you’re mine. Tell me you trust me again and that you’ll still be in my arms when the sun comes up. No regrets, Cassandra. I won’t take you until you’re mine.”

His? Didn’t he already see it? Or was I that good at hiding how I felt?

“I’ve been yours for longer than I’ve been able to admit.”

Logan’s smile stretched so wide I couldn’t help but grin back.

I didn’t see it coming and wasn’t prepared when Logan leaned in and, instead of kissing me again as I’d anticipated, yanked me into his arms.

I sucked in a deep gasp of air as I was expectantly lifted in the air—one hand on my ass, the other in my hair, tugging out my hair tie. My unruly waves cascaded down around us as my legs locked around his back.

Logan’s lips were on mine, soft and slow as he carried me out of the room and, a moment later, placed me gently down on my bed.

Hovering over me, his hands gave a tight squeeze to my ass before releasing it, earning him a muffled giggle from my busy lips. Our tongues danced together, taking our sweet time stroking and nipping. He tasted of mint and sweet wine—a taste I would never forget, and could only dream to experience again.

Logan pulled back after a few minutes, drawing me up with him, never once breaking our kiss until he dragged my shirt over my head. Slowly, he reached around me, and with one flick of his wrist, my bra fell forward and he was pulling it away.

“Gorgeous,” he murmured.

Out of nowhere, I was hit with a moment of shyness. The way he looked at me, stared as though he’d never seen anything like me, took my breath away.

His hands cupped my cheeks, pulling my gaze back to his. “You’re stunning. You should know that and never forget it.”

Smiling, I placed a kiss to his scruffy jaw, snaked my arms around his neck, and brought him back down with me as I fell back onto the pillows.

Logan’s hands were everywhere, caressing me, hauling me closer around my back, and then wandering down between us. I wasted no time raising my hips for him, spelling out what I wanted, my jeans aching to disappear.

“Not yet.” He kissed my chin and smirked with a mischievous glint in his dark-blue eyes as he sat up on his knees.

My breath was heavy, my body surging to life and anxious for more when Logan dipped down and sucked my nipple into his mouth.

My head fell back, eyes slamming shut with my wild moan. The pads of his fingers worked over me delicately, memorizing every curve of my breast. I gripped his shoulders as he sucked harder, my legs moving closer to wrap around his waist, locking my ankles to hold him in place.

With a flick of his tongue, a loud, foreign moan escaped from my mouth, and I caught the pleased smile on his perfect swollen lips as he ran his tongue across my chest and over to my other breast. Back and forth, he showered his kisses and adoration down over me.

My legs locked tighter around him, begging for friction between my legs as I ground my hips into him at the feeling of his growing erection. Kneading my breasts together, he buried his face between them, inhaling so deeply my cheeks flushed.

“So sweet, mmm,” he growled. My insides tightened at the sound, the fire in my center burning stronger than ever.

Logan’s thumb and pointer finger flicked and tugged on my nipples as he brought his lips back to mine, kissing me from one corner to the other with slow, soft pecks before claiming my mouth in one quick movement.