Page 52

Did I trust them?

Also no.

I fidgeted with the tight black dress I was wearing before I realized what I was doing, and I plastered my hands to my sides, trying to look unaffected. Even though I felt like flames were licking at my insides as we stared at each other.

“So…should we do this?” I asked stiffly, everything I’d ever learned about seduction going out the window. I didn’t do this with clients…talk to them. But for some reason it felt completely wrong to just lead Logan to the bed and go from there.

Even though he was the first client I could ever remember actuallywanting.

It was the flowers…and the words…and the whole finger-in-the-mouth thing. And the fact that he had the face and the body of a god.

He was messing everything up.

Logan prowled toward me again, his hand loosely gripping my neck as his thumb stroked along my pulse point.

“I’m going to take you on a date, Sloane,” he said in a rasping, sexy voice that slid right down my spine.

“Why bother?” I whispered.

“I meant what I said…the fact that money is involved is only to make sure that no one else touches you while I make you fall in love with me.”

He let my neck go before taking my hand and leading me toward the door like he’d simply complimented my dress.

I pulled on his hand, and we came to a stop at the door as he looked back at me questioningly.

“You’re not actually serious about all this, right? This can’t go on forever…and there will be other clients.”

He didn’t blink. “If another man touches you, I’ll kill him.”

The words slipped out like a fact, like it was the most normal thing in the world to say. Like he meant every single one of them.

I stared at him for a second and then burst out laughing, because this was ridiculous. “You’re intense, I’ll give you that. I can’t tell if you’re being dramatic or just trying to mess with me.”

Abruptly, I was against his chest, his lips melding to mine, his tongue sliding in my mouth, licking and taking and sucking…like he really did own me.

I was breathless and shaking when our lips finally parted, but he only pulled a breath away.

“I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life, sweetheart,” he murmured, and then he was whisking me out the door, to where I had no idea.

I only knew one thing as we walked down the hall, my hand clasped firmly in his.

Logan could ruin everything.

And I might be all right with that.

CHAPTER13

SLOANE

The hotel valet barely had time to hand Logan the keys before he stepped in behind me, crowding the guy out so he had to step away. Logan’s truck—a massive, red behemoth that looked like it ate smaller cars for breakfast—idled at the curb. Logan opened the passenger door and motioned for me to get in.

“I’ve got it, thanks,” Logan said to the valet, who was still hovering close by, his eyes on my ass.

I hesitated, my hand brushing the edge of the seat as Logan’s hand appeared, firm but careful on my lower back, steadying me as I climbed in. It was unnecessary, but…nice. Too nice. It made my skin prickle.

“Is your leg okay?” I asked, realizing all this walking around might be hurting him.

“I’m good,” he said with a sunny grin.