Page 14

FOURTEEN

MJ

The butterflies in my stomach jumped when his fist landed hard against the thick oak door. I stifled a yelp and shook out my hands. I should have let him knock himself out and walk away. But the sound of his voice, the force behind it, had every nerve in my body sparking like a live wire.

I wanted to tell him to leave. I wanted him to stay. Hell, I didn’t know what I wanted, except maybe him.

“Julep.” His voice was frustrated. Raw, it danced over my skin, making the need in my stomach coil.

I was annoyed with him. Frustrated with the universe over the fact that he was completely off-limits thanks to my scumbag ex. Hurt by the reality that his interest stemmed from a superstitious need to win at rugby.

Logan Brown was temptation personified—a walking contradiction to everything I thought I wanted. He was trouble, wrapped in a charming, dimpled grin and a body that could make even the most composed woman forget herself. And yet here I was, teetering on the edge of giving in, knowing I could get hurt all over again.

All of the pent-up frustrations simmered beneath my skin and bubbled to the surface.

I could yell at him or lose myself beneath him. For the first time in years, the idea of being touched—really touched—didn’t send me spiraling into anxiety. With Logan, it wasn’t just about lust—it was about control. I wanted him, yes, but I also wanted to own that moment, to claim it for myself.

The shocking, primal image of him hovering over me, pressing himself between my thighs, had my temperature skyrocketing. Something about Logan made me feel powerful.

Alive.

Protected.

His knuckles pounded on the door again.

Bracing myself, I yanked open the door and set my jaw, ready to fight.

The sight of him took the air from my lungs. His jaw was tight, his chest rising and falling like he’d run a marathon, and his eyes— god, those eyes —pinned me in place. For a second, neither of us moved, the space between us electric, a thousand unsaid words hovering in the air.

He stared at me like no man had ever stared before. His hair was wild, like he’d run his fingers through it too many times. His eyes were intense, hard green orbs that bore into mine.

Based on his tone, I thought I would see frustration, jealousy, or irritation. Instead, staring back at me was something I’d never seen before. Logan looked like a man who was about to snap, if only I spoke the word.

Yes.

His dark brows were heavy and straight. His chest rose and fell with the same shallow breaths as my own. His broad shoulders were firm and set. One arm propped on the doorway, exposing the long, bulky muscles in his biceps and forearm.

His body was a fine-tuned, athletic machine, and all I could think about was how he could use it ... on me.

If I let my feelings get involved, Logan Brown would ruin me, especially if I gave in to the clawing need growing inside me. Long seconds stretched between us as we stared, both unwilling to cross some invisible divide between us.

His eyes were dark in the dim lighting, and his face was unreadable. I was confused and horny, and entirely pissed off about it.

Hell, he was the one who’d come pounding on my front door.

I lifted my chin, praying my voice didn’t betray me. “Are you done here?”

“No, we are not done here. I’m not going to let you walk away just because you’re scared.”

His words rang too close to the truth, and I steeled my expression.

“Do I think you bring me luck? Yes, I do. But that isn’t why I came here. I watched you on a date all night.” He paused, his jaw tightening as if the words were harder to admit than he wanted to let on. “I didn’t like it. Watching him touch you, even just being near you ... you’re not his to have.”

He had watched me.

A sick thrill danced up my spine.

“I came here to make sure you were okay,” he continued. “I came here to see with my own eyes that you walked inside that house alone .” Logan jabbed a finger at the house behind me.

Intensity rolled off him, and heat flooded my cheeks.

“Thank you for your concern.” I swallowed hard, unsure what would come next. “I’m home and I’m fine.”

Logan stepped forward, crowding my space until I could feel the heat pumping off him. “Tell me to leave.” His voice was a low growl that sent the butterflies fluttering in my chest. “Tell me to get in my car and drive away.”

Tension was obvious in his neck and jaw. I stared up at him, his frame towering over me. He made no move to reach for me, but when his eyes dropped to my mouth, all thoughts of wanting to be friends with Logan Brown evaporated.

Maybe I really could do this—enjoy him while he’s here. No expectations, no heartbreak.

“I think I have a better idea.” I stepped forward as his eyes held mine. My heart was racing, my skin burning, but it wasn’t fear. It was something exciting and unfamiliar, a need so powerful it eclipsed my doubts. For once, I wanted to stop thinking and just feel.

I didn’t want to hold back or weigh the pros and cons of every decision. For once, I just wanted to feel—raw, unfiltered, and completely present. And Logan? He was the perfect storm I wanted to lose myself in.

“I want to try something.” I gripped the collar of his shirt in my fist and pulled him forward.

His breath hitched as I pulled him to me, and for a heartbeat we just hovered there—so close I could feel the heat of his skin, the brush of his breath against my lips. Then his mouth crashed into mine, and every coherent thought evaporated in a wave of need as I arched into him.

Logan paused for half a second before his arm banded around my waist, lifting me from the ground and pressing my back hard against the doorjamb. His kiss was rough and demanding. I melted against him.

I moaned into his mouth as his tongue swept forward, sliding over mine. He tasted like mint and desire and mine .

He kissed like he knew what he was doing. Confident and sensual. I was certain he fucked like that too. There was no way a man like Logan didn’t know how to please a woman. There’d be no fumbling. No uncertainty.

My leg hitched over his hip, silently begging for more. His hips ground into me, and fire burned low in my belly. The sheer clarity in my head was refreshing. The only thing I could think about was the fact that one hand was gripping my ass and the other was sliding up my neck.

With a rumble in his throat, Logan broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to mine. “Tell me to stop.”

I shook my head, unable to speak through the fire burning through me. I kissed his neck, just beside his Adam’s apple, and I felt it bob. I kissed again, letting my tongue taste his hot skin and feel his stubble.

“ Fuck , if you keep doing that, I’m not going to be able to stop,” he warned.

A low, dark giggle formed in the back of my throat. Part fear, part anticipation, a war waged inside me. He was too close. He felt too good.

For the first time in as long as I could remember, I wanted more.

I looked up at him. All I had to do was give in and he would push past my barriers. I could finally— finally— break past them.

His hand kneaded my ass while his brow furrowed. “Tell me. What’s going on inside that pretty little head of yours?”

I shook my head, embarrassment clawing at my throat. My fingers tangled in his hair as I tried to deflect. “It’s nothing. Don’t stop touching me.”

His hot breath fanned against my cheek as he set me on my feet. He lowered his gaze to look me in the eye. “I won’t stop if you don’t want me to, but you need to tell me how to make you feel okay with this. You set the pace.”

His eyes searched mine, not with impatience but with a quiet intensity that melted some of my fear. His words wrapped around me like a warm blanket, grounding me in a way I hadn’t expected.

My heart skittered. Without me having to express it, Logan understood something was a bit off.

“Kiss me,” I said, licking my lips and begging him to keep touching me.

“Yes, ma’am.” With a smirk, Logan lowered his mouth to mine. Softer and slower this time, he tasted and teased.

I moaned into him, pulling him deeper into the entryway and letting the door close behind us. The house was empty and dark. The warm wood beneath my bare feet grounded me in the moment, reminded me that I was standing in the foyer, making out with a man.

But not just any man. The man I’d lost sleep over. The man I’d fantasized about since we’d met. The man who could break my heart and shatter my trust all over again if I let my feelings get involved.

A man like him could get attention from any woman he wanted, and I had had sex only once in my life.

But stopping now would be pure torture.

“Hey,” he said, moving his hands over my face. “Where’d you go?”

I swallowed hard. “In my head, I think.”

“Stay with me.” His voice was low and smooth. “Just keep talking. Tell me what you need.”

What I need? A stiff drink and your stiff cock oughta do it.

His dick was hard against my stomach, and a fresh sizzle of electricity throbbed between my legs.

“Come with me.” I turned, guiding him through the house toward my bedroom.

My aunt had gone away with friends on a fall foliage driving tour up to Traverse City, so I knew we’d be alone in the house.

Still, I sought the comfort of a closed door. A sanctuary where my mind couldn’t get the best of me. Logan quietly followed behind, never breaking contact. His fingers tangled with mine, and his other hand stayed firmly planted at my hip. His lips brushed the top of my hair.

When we reached my bedroom, I turned on a small lamp at the bedside and sat at the edge of my bed. He stood, his thighs between my legs as I stared up at him.

“Tell me,” he commanded.

I swallowed hard. How the hell was I supposed to articulate what I wanted when the hard edge to his voice scrambled my insides?

I leaned back, spreading my knees wider.

“Tell me,” he said again as his hand moved up my thigh toward my waist.

Gathering my courage, my voice was soft. “I want you ... whatever this is. But I need to go slow.”

My eyes bounced between his, unsure if going slow would disappoint him or make him realize I wasn’t worth the effort.

Instead, the corner of his mouth hooked up. “I like slow,” he drawled.

“You do?” I asked, a bit wary and unsure.

Logan nodded. “Oh yeah. Slow is good.”

My chest swelled, my tender, bruised heart about to burst. My hands shook as I unbuttoned my cardigan, but it wasn’t from fear. It was something new, something thrilling. For the first time in years, I felt bold. I felt powerful. I wasn’t just letting him see me—I was showing him who I was.

I allowed the fabric to gape open and expose the lacy purple bra beneath it.

His eyes latched onto my breasts. “You are full of surprises, Julep.”

Julep . Somehow Logan insisting on calling me by my name felt special.

Intimate.

A hot blush crept over my cheeks. “It’s new.”

He hovered over me and nipped at my lower lip. “I hope you weren’t thinking of showing it off to anyone else,” he teased.

My head shook, and a sly smile took over my face. “You said you liked purple, remember?”

Logan gave me a wicked grin, and his dimple flashed, causing my pussy to clench desperately around nothing.

His body moved over me as he cupped my breast, his thumb stroking my taut nipple. “I like purple on you .”

His fingers moved to the button of my leather pants, but stopped. His eyes met mine, waiting.

“Yes,” I answered.

Logan undid the button and slowly pulled down the zipper.

Every touch, every kiss, was a revelation. For the first time, I didn’t feel small or unsure. I felt bold, desired, and utterly in control. Logan wasn’t just taking from me—he was giving, building me up with every whispered word.

I shimmied as he removed the pants and discarded them on the floor. His attention landed on the space between my legs, where my matching lacy underwear had been wedged between my pussy lips.

A tiny part of me wanted to shy away, but his gaze was intense. Comforting.

There was something powerful about being on display for him. Logan liked what he saw.

My knees opened farther.

His fingertips brushed over one breast, down my stomach, and across my pussy. His fingers brushed my skin like fire, sending sparks dancing across every nerve ending. The room felt hotter, the air thicker, and every thought I’d clung to dissolved under the weight of his touch. My hips moved on their own, begging for more pressure.

“I want to taste you.” Logan licked his lips as he adjusted himself. His hands gripped my hips, kneading the flesh as he waited for my answer. “Do you want that?”

My brain scrambled. Nerves tickled my belly. “I—you don’t have to. I know guys don’t like that.”

“Julep, I don’t know what kind of loser boys you’ve been with, but men ? We love it. I love it. Let me show you.”

My teeth pressed into my lip as I watched Logan lower to his knees.

“I’ve never ... done that before.” God, it was so embarrassing to admit that out loud.

His eyes met mine as his strong hands gripped my hips and pulled me to the edge of the bed. Hooking his fingertips into the band of my underwear, he slid the lace down my thighs.

I sat, propped on my hands, watching him as he pulled off my underwear. His hands ran back up my thighs, and he brushed his fingertips across my bare pussy.

“If you let me, I’m going to enjoy every second of this.” His fingers slid between my lips, testing and teasing. “I promise I’ll take good care of you.”

Desire took over and I fell to my back, opening for him.

“Goddamn, you’re wet for me. Do you like when I play with you?” His thumb circled my clit, and I nearly rose off the bed.

“Yes. Please. ” He’d barely touched me, and I was already begging.

“Do you want more?” he asked, not going any further until I answered him.

“Yes. Oh my god, yes.”

With a rumbling chuckle, Logan slipped one finger inside me. Pressure built, low and fast. It had been ages since I’d fooled around with anyone—so long that I forgot how different it felt to be touched by something other than my vibrator.

His fingers were thick and stretched me as he stroked in and out.

“More,” I begged. My voice was quiet and raw.

Logan’s breath was warm on my skin. He lowered his mouth, dragging the flat of his tongue against my pussy as he fingered me.

I squeezed my eyes closed as my hips moved against his mouth. His hand braced on my thighs, pushing my legs apart as he dropped his head between my legs. His tongue found and exploited every inch of sensitive skin, my body galloping closer to orgasm.

My thighs trembled, my belly hollowed.

When his tongue curled around my clit, I nearly dissolved on the spot.

“Logan,” I whispered.

“Yes, baby. Tell me.”

I wanted to tell him to fuck me. Flip me over and give me all of himself, but, damn it , his mouth and hands felt too good.

“I’m close.” It was the only two words my scrambled brain could pull together.

“Good,” he answered. “When you come, I’m going to taste it—” He worked his mouth on me between words. “I want every fucking drop.”

His words were lewd, and something feral and feminine blossomed inside me.

I was drunk on the power he gave me.

I wasn’t afraid. I was protected. Safe.

The world narrowed to the points of contact between us—his lips, his fingers, his voice coaxing me higher and higher. I wasn’t afraid anymore. I was flying, shattering, and when I finally broke apart, it wasn’t just pleasure that coursed through me—it was freedom.

His voice rumbled across my skin. “Tell me what you want, Julep.” His lips brushed against my ear. “All of it. Tell me you want to come.”