Page 15 of Defensive Desire

A bright light shines directly into my eyes, momentarily blinding me. I blink rapidly, trying to adjust while fumbling with the coffee sachet in my hands.

My fingers suddenly feel clumsy, and I'm way too aware of Logan's shoulder nearly touching mine as we stand before the camera.

The director's "be natural" instruction echoes in my head, which of course guarantees I'll be anything but.

Natural for me is hiding behind my counter at Chapter & Grind, not being filmed for promotional content with Iron Ridge's most intimidating defenseman.

It doesn't help that Logan has seemingly transformed into a human mannequin beside me. The waves of anxiety rolling off him are so intense, I could probably surf them all the way to Hawaii.

His sudden discomfort only grows as the cameras start rolling.

"Action!"

Logan stares at the camera like it's personally offended him.

"Uh… Th-this is... Love on I-Ice," he mutters flatly, holding up the blend with all the enthusiasm of someone announcing a funeral.

The director sighs. "Cut. Let's try again, but... with feeling? Alright, big guy?"

I can't help the giggle that escapes me. The look Logan shoots me could freeze hellfire.

"You think this is funny?" he growls.

Instead of being intimidated, I find myself stepping closer, blocking out the world and making it like it's just me and him.

"Just... pretend you're telling me about it," I suggest, lowering my voice so only he can hear. "Forget the cameras. It's just me and you now."

Suddenly, those ocean-blue eyes darken as they fix on my face without blinking. It's the same look he gets right before a big game. Focused, uncompromising, and a little dangerous.

The cameras and crew around us seem to fade into nothing as Logan's full attention lands on me with the weight of an avalanche.

We reset, and the director calls "Action!".

Logan's gaze never leaves mine as he holds up the sample. "This blend is rich, smooth..." his voice drops an octave, turning the words into a caress against my ears, "…with just a little kick at the end."

The timbre of his voice slides over me like silk, igniting every nerve ending in my body.

Oh my god.

I force myself to focus, talking about the flavor notes and brewing process, but all I can think about is the way he just made coffee sound like the most erotic substance on earth.

What the hell is happening?

My mind starts spinning as Logan's deep voice continues, each rehearsed word dripping like honey. The cameras fade away, and suddenly I'm hearing something entirely different in that low, gravelly tone:

"Rich and smooth... just like the way you taste when I kiss you. A little kick at the end... like the way you'll gasp when I touch you."

Heat floods my cheeks.

I grip my sample bag tighter, trying to focus on describing the roasting process, but his voice keeps wrapping around me like a physical caress.

"Bold. Intense. Unforgettable... just like what I want to do to you against these walls."

My hands shake as I demonstrate the pour-over technique. Logan's still talking about the coffee's "full body" and "complex finish," but in my head, those words paint a very different picture:

"Full-bodied... like how perfectly you'd fit against me. Complex... like all the ways I want to make you come."

I nearly drop the coffee filter when his fingers brush mine.