Logan came up behind me, his hand touching my hip as he molded himself to my back. He folded his arms around me. I could only shake my head, my throat clogging up with emotion. So much emotion.
I saw champagne. I saw tacos. I saw flowers everywhere.
“Is it our anniversary, and I forgot?”
He laughed, his breath caressing my ear. “No. I just wanted to do something for you.”
I looked up, meeting his gaze. “Are you dying? Is someone dying?”
He grinned again, shaking his head. “No.” His eyes turned dark, smoldering, and his mouth moved down. His lips found mine, a gentle and tender kiss. “I don’t have to be anything with you.”
I turned so my front was pressed to his. His hands slid down, grasping my ass. He held me there, holding me in place, still looking down at me. “I don’t have to be funny. I don’t have to be sarcastic. I don’t have to fight. You let me be just me, and I don’t think I fully express how much I am thankful for that.”
I reached up, cupping his face.
A tear slipped free from his right eye, and I brushed it away with my thumb. “I’m not sure what brought this on, but I am seriously loving it.” I pulled him down, his forehead to mine, and I closed my eyes. “I am fully aware of all the roles you play with your friends and family at your job.” I linked our left hands together, bringing them to my mouth. “You are their protector, but I’m your protector. You’re their shield, but I’m your shield. I will always unconditionally love you. I always have.”
I opened my eyes, looked up, and saw more unshed wetness brimming in his eyes.
I had no clue what was going on, what brought on this trip, but I flattened my other hand against Logan’s chest and felt his heart pounding hard. Whatever it was, it was important to him.
I lifted on my toes, my arms going around his neck, and as one unit because we’d done this so much, he reached to catch me as I lifted. My legs wound around his waist. He held me there, dropping his head to brush against my cheek, and he whispered, “Taylor?”
“Hmmm?” I loved how his fingers were moving over my ass, caressing me. I tightened my legs.
He groaned but added, still a hoarse whisper, “Will you marry me?”
I answered him as I kissed him that night.
As he carried me to the bedroom.
As he placed me down on the bed, taking my clothes off.
As I did the same, kissing him as I removed each piece of clothing.
I answered him in the way that we made love that night.
Tender and sensual caresses.
It was slow when he slid in me, looking into my eyes, never looking away as he began moving inside of me. I gasped, my head fell back when he touched my mouth, running his hand down my throat, and circling the back of my head, still moving in me.
I never stopped watching him.
He continued thrusting, his hands holding my face, his forehead touching mine, and my legs wrapped tightly around his waist, my hips rolling with him.
He kept going, deeper and deeper.
A sheen of sweat broke out over both of our bodies.
We breathed each other in.
He never stopped looking into me until we both finally crested, our bodies shaking together, coming apart, and then we rested.
He didn’t slide out of me.
He waited, still inside of me, still holding my face, his forehead on mine. He ran his thumb over the side of my face, both sides, both dipping into my mouth as he lifted his head, moving until his mouth covered mine.
I closed my eyes for the first time as he kissed me.
This was a literal showing of love between us.
I never unwound my legs from him.
I moved, my hands wrapping around his as he held me, and after a bit, the kiss grew more demanding, more urgent, more commanding. I felt him hardening inside of me, and even then, he waited. We kept kissing. He ran his hand down my side, over my arm, across my stomach, and circling one of my breasts. He moved his thumb over my nipple and then pulled away, his mouth leaving mine. He arched over me, his mouth finding my nipple instead. He moved his hand down, pressing over my clit. Rubbing. Teasing.
He kept sucking on my breast, his tongue caressing me.
I moaned, my head falling back to the pillow as I felt all the pleasure he was giving me.
Then he pulled out, flipped me over, and all those sensual and slow touches were gone. I felt him fully hard and demanding behind me. He positioned me on my knees, angled down, and ran a hand up my back, going to my ass. He moved in behind me, lining up.
“I’m going to fuck you hard.”
Another moan left me. “Yesss.”
As his thumb went in my ass, he sheathed his cock inside of me.
I was a writhing mess.
Yes. Yes. Just yes.
7
Still Earlier
We had an entire vacation in Hawaii.
Logan showed me the ring the following day. It was a petite twist, 14k rose gold round diamond. I swooned, and I wasn’t a swooner, but this ring—I was swooning so much.
And blinking back tears because I never thought this would happen.
Logan slipped it onto my finger as he got back in bed, and I asked him, my voice raspy, “Are you sure?”
He paused, staring at me, and a whole different look came over him. A look of wonder, tenderness, and gentleness came over him. If he’d had any stress that morning, all of it had melted as he pulled me back into his arms. He pressed his lips to my forehead, pulling me to his chest. “Yes. God, yes. I’m sure. I don’t deserve you. Of that, I’m sure.”
Well, okay then.
We didn’t leave the bed, not until our stomachs were growling.
We ordered salads, giving the tacos a brief break.
8
Present
So there was a whole shindig with James Kade.
Logan and Mason both needed to fly to Fallen Crest.
Logan told me what was going on, but I was in this whole zen mood here. I listened, and I was there for him for whatever he needed. Encouragement. Cheering. If he needed me to kick him in the ass, whatever he needed, I gave it, but also, I’m still trying to stay in the Zen mode.
No drama.
James Kade was only drama, but Logan and Mason had it under control. They always did what was necessary whenever they needed to get something under control.
Samantha brought the kids over. We didn’t live far, so it wasn’t hard to get everyone in the car. Maddie helped a ton, and we had an entire toy room for the twins when they got here. I liked having them here because it was my way of trying to do something nice for Samantha.
I made dinner. Samantha had some wine. I had non-alcoholic wine. She didn’t notice.
We laughed. She asked me about work. I asked how her training was going because she’d decided to try for one last run for the Olympics.
During the visit, Heather called, and I left her alone to talk with her best friend.
I went and played hide-and-go-seek with the twins while getting the 411 from Maddie. There was a boy—ick, hiss—who liked her. I asked if she liked him back, and she thought about it, then shrugged and said, “I don’t know, but if he doesn’t stop messaging me about how nice my hair is, I’m going to punch him.” She paused and added, “I’ll do it after school so I don’t embarrass him in front of his friends.” She finished, giving me a long and dramatic nod while sharing a look as if to say, ‘You feel me, sister?’