Page 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

Logan led AJ out of the house. He couldn’t quite comprehend how most of Bree’s things had been saved from the raging fire. If he hadn’t kept that door closed … For once his difficulty facing his grief had been of some benefit.

Once out front, they found the arson investigator with police detectives Doug Ramirez and Wyatt Remington. They exchanged greetings.

Leroy said, “I’ve been over it several times. This was not at all like those trash-can fires. Those were made with paper and lighter fluid. This was entirely different. I’ve found evidence of a canister of camping fuel at the point of origin.”

Logan crossed his arms. “I don’t own any of that. These teenagers are stepping up their game. That’s not good.”

Doug shook his head. “I’m not so sure about that. We’ve been monitoring the hashtag and have yet to see your house lit up. Doesn’t mean it won’t show or the kids were scared enough to not post, but this feels different.”

“The point of origin is the kitchen sink.” Leroy lifted his finger in the air. “But I can say one thing for certain, this fire was no accident. It wasn’t because you neglected to clean your dryer vent or because a dog lit the pizza box with the gas stove. This was deliberate—whether a teenage prank or something more sinister. Someone intentionally burned your house. This was arson.”

Logan’s heart ramped up. Whoever did this needed to pay.

AJ’s hand wrapped around Logan’s elbow, bringing him down a notch. He wanted to explore the thought of why in twenty-four hours he’d gone from so angry at her to settled by her presence, but that would have to wait.

“I don’t understand why anyone would target me. I haven’t arrested any arsonists.”

With a soft voice barely loud enough for Logan to hear, AJ said, “As if dealing with me having a stalker wasn’t enough.”

He rested his hand on hers, which still held his arm.

The three investigators promised to do all they could to find the culprit or culprits and left.

Logan went to the window and picked up the fireproof box.

AJ followed him. “I don’t understand who would have done this.”

“How much do you think Daryl is your stalker?”

“Fifty-fifty. I mean, plenty of things point to him, but too many give me pause. Do you think he would do this?”

“I don’t know. I guess I was going to ask you that.”

She shrugged. “Maybe it was a teenager who took it too far.”

“It shouldn’t be ruled out yet. But let’s let the detectives do their job. For now. We should take this somewhere and make sure we have the most important items.”

She nodded. “We can go back to the apartment.”

Will and Zara already had plans with his family for dinner. They had suggested canceling, but Logan told Will it would be good to have some alone time with AJ. Like she said, spending time together was the most important step for them to take after five years of being estranged.

Logan put the box in the trunk of AJ’s car. He sat in the front seat and stared at the house. Disbelief still ruled his emotions when looking at the remnants. What would they do now? He could live with Will for a while, but he and Zara were getting married, and then Logan would need to move out.

Would he and AJ eventually live with one another again? He’d been the barrier from them being together this entire time. He didn’t need to guess as to what she desired. She’d made it clear. But how did he feel about it?

They were married. But how long would it take to rebuild their relationship? As long as it took to rebuild their house?

“Logan? You okay?”

He nodded. “Should we rebuild it?”

“I don’t know. I assume you’re talking about the house itself?” A slight smirk quirked her lips.

“Yes. I know the answer about our marriage. Even if I don’t know how to rebuild it, we will.”

A breath audibly caught in her throat.

It was his turn to smile. He was no longer assaulted by what she had done every time he looked at her. It wasn’t like he had forgotten, but did forgiveness really make that big a difference that fast?

Trust would take longer to build, but for the first time in five years, he actually thought maybe one day he could learn to trust her again.

“It’s getting close to dinner time. Should we get some takeout?”

“I’d like that.” One step at a time. One meal at a time.

Curled up on the couch, AJ stuffed a load of chow mein from the carton into her mouth and listened to Logan tell her a cop story from earlier in the year. She loved it when he told stories from work. The dumb-criminal ones were always the best, but this one was about how he’d saved a raccoon from a chimney.

She swallowed. “Sounds a lot like a firefighter’s job.”

He laughed. “Hey, I can save animals too.” He leaned over and took a chopstick full of chow mein from the carton she held.

While he was close, she nabbed some of his fried rice. It was like they hadn’t lost the last five years.

They continued to chat and finished eating. Then they went to the kitchen table and opened the fireproof box.

Logan said, “I put a few other important things in here too.” He pulled out a Ziplock bag with a clipping of blond curls.

AJ took the baggie and fingered the curls through the plastic. Her baby girl’s first and only haircut.

Next he produced a folder of papers. Bree’s drawings, or at least the best ones. The girl loved to draw and color, so they had made a point to keep their favorites and her favorites, but not all of them because that could have filled an entire room. And she was only five.

“Oh, Logan, thank you.”

“I have these in here too.” He removed a jewelry box and opened it.

Three white-gold rings. The day he had kicked AJ out he had made her give him her rings.

“I took all three and put them in here. I assumed they would stay there until the day I died, but here we are. I don’t know if we’re ready for them, but I’m glad they are safe.”

She ran her finger along the bands and diamond. “If you didn’t think we’d ever pull them out again, why didn’t you sell them or get rid of them in one way or another?”

“Because I wanted them on our fingers.”

She stepped closer to him, putting herself fully into his personal space. How did she voice her deepest question without offending him?

His eyes narrowed.

The seriousness of her thought must have written itself in her expression.

“I promise to not blow up.”

She bit her lip and searched for the right words. “We wasted so much time.”

“And for that I’m sorry.” He raked his hand into her hair and leaned closer.

“Me too.” She spun out of his touch but made a full rotation and met his eyes again.

Confusion toyed with his eyebrows, but he took a confident step toward her and took her hand. He twirled her around, but she danced away.

She was teasing him, but he appeared to fancy the flirting.

“Playing hard to get has never been your game.”

She stopped shy of the wall and said, “True.” Desire for her husband ignited in her. She had missed this man with more intensity than dynamite.

Grabbing his arm she tugged him toward her. And he came willingly.

“Now that’s the girl I remember.”

She giggled as he slid one hand around her waist and the other along her jaw to the back of her head.

His face came close. She ran her hands up his chest to his jaw.

“Logan.” She loved saying his name. “I’ve missed you so much.”

He nodded and moisture filled his eyes.

She ran her thumb along his jawline.

His lips lingered so close to hers. Should she wait for him to come to her? Should she make the final move? No, let him .

Eyes searching hers, he waited. For what she didn’t know, but she’d led him here; it was his turn.

He pressed his lips to hers, tugged her body closer, and then stepped her back against the wall. Passion surged.

When the Bible talked of two becoming one flesh, it wasn’t exaggerating. With this kiss, AJ felt like half of her had returned. This was the man she’d given herself to so long ago. They weren’t ready to go there now, but every fiber of her being felt alive.

His tender lips danced with hers, leading her, loving her.

She never wanted to leave this moment, but she knew them. If they didn’t step out of the kiss now, they’d be running to her bedroom … her bedroom. Not theirs.

With reluctance she drew out of the kiss. His warm heavy breaths told her he was hungry for more, as was she.

Even if he wasn’t pressing her against the wall, she wouldn’t be able to move away from him. She didn’t want to.

Words finally came from him. “We need to wait.”

She nodded.

“It’s always been easy for us to fall into the physical relationship, but I want more than that.”

“So do I.”

“We aren’t ready to …”

She put her finger on his lips.

He leaned his forehead against hers.

This time she closed the micro-chasm. Wrapping her arms around his neck, they met lip to lip with a gentle, controlled passion.

Her phone dinged across the room.

Logan broke the kiss. “You should check that.”

“Pretty sure there is no one in this world who should separate me from you.”

He tapped her on the nose. “Touché. But still.” He stepped away, giving her space to go to her phone.

She picked it up and checked the text message. Maybe it was Zara checking for clearance to enter.

It wasn’t.

It was him .

STOP. STOP. STOP. What is happening here? He didn’t want you. I want you. You’re supposed to be with me.

AJ dropped her phone on the table. How did her stalker know about Logan?