Page 87 of Logan

I shake my head to dismiss the unwelcome thought, then regret it when the movement sets off a fresh wave of vertigo. I grit my teeth and force myself to sit up, ignoring the way the room seems to tilt and spin around me.

“No one can do this job as well as I can,” I rasp out. “Now, what was it you wanted to show me?”

Chapter Twenty-Four

SLOANE

Iburst into Emery’s office, making a beeline for the plate of cookies perched on the edge of her cluttered desk. Without asking permission, I stuff two of the chocolate chip treats into my mouth, barely pausing to chew before swallowing.

“Hey!” Emery protests, her eyes narrowing. “Those are my cookies, you little thief.”

But we both know she doesn’t mean it. She always leaves a fresh batch of homemade cookies on her desk, and I always help myself to them whenever I need a pick-me-up. Which, lately, seems to be far too often.

I plop down in the worn chair across from her, sending a stack of papers sliding to the floor in the process. Emery just rolls her eyes and bends to gather them up.

“Alright, out with it.” Emery props her elbows on the deskand leans forward, her chin resting on her interlaced fingers. “Who’s got your panties in a twist this time?”

“Logan Fucking Valeur, that’s who,” I grumble, reaching for another cookie.

Emery’s perfectly sculpted eyebrow arches in surprise. “I thought you said nothing happened between you two on that trip. That you’re not even in contact anymore.”

I shift in my seat, suddenly finding the abstract pattern of the carpet utterly fascinating. “Right. Yeah. I mean, just like I told you, we barely saw each other the whole time. He was always working, and he’s every bit as annoying and infuriating as everyone says.”

The words taste like ash on my tongue, but I force them out anyway. I made a promise to Logan, and I intend to keep it, no matter how much it kills me inside.

No one can ever know what really happened between us in London. It’s better this way. I already suffered through one humiliating scandal at my last job. I don’t think I could survive another. I love working at Valeur, and I refuse to leave in disgrace like I did before.

Besides, it’s not a total lie. Logan Valeur really is the most irritating man I’ve ever met.

“Okay, so why are you so worked up?”

I huff out a breath, blowing a strand of hair out of my eyes. “Because the sadistic bastard just dropped a bombshell on me. He wants me to give a presentation to the entire executive board tomorrow morning. A presentation I haven’t even started preparing yet, because he literally just told me about it five minutes ago!”

“What the hell?” Emery’s eyes widen in disbelief. “Why would he do that? What’s the presentation even about?”

“Project Genius Gene.” I grab another cookie and take a vicious bite, imagining it’s Logan’s smug face I’m sinking my teeth into. “And as for why... Who the fuck knows? Probably just because he can. Because he gets off on throwing his weight around and watching his underlings scramble to please him.”

Emery snorts. “Ugh. What a power-tripping maniac. I bet he jizzes in his designer pants every time he makes someone cry. Probably has a secret tally going. ‘Oh yeah, that’s three resignations this week! I’m about to come!’” She makes a crude jerking-off gesture, her face scrunched up in an exaggerated grimace.

I force a laugh, but it rings hollow even to my own ears. If she only knew...

The truth is, I’m intimately acquainted with exactly how Logan Valeur looks and sounds when he comes. I know the hot, pulsing feel of him emptying himself inside me, the salty musk of him heavy on my tongue.

I know the way his sculpted abs tense and release under my greedy hands, the guttural moan that escapes him when he’s too far gone to hold back.

There’s nothing funny about that man. Nothing at all.

Just the fleeting memory is enough to send a rush of molten heat flooding my veins, pooling hot and insistent between my thighs. I clench them together, mentally cursing my traitorous body.

I cannot still be this affected by him, not after the way things ended. Not when he made it crystal clear that I was nothing more than a convenient, warm body to him.

“Well, I guess I’d better get back to my office and start working on that damn presentation.” I stand, smoothing myrumpled skirt. “Just needed to vent a little before I spontaneously combust from sheer frustration.”

Emery waves a dismissive hand. “Oh, please. As if that man would ever fire you. You’re, like, the star employee around here. He knows how lucky he is to have you.”

I manage a weak smile. “Thanks, Em. I needed that.” I grab one last cookie for the road and head for the door, my mind already whirling with potential topics for the presentation from hell.

I dash into the brightly lit pharmacy across the street from the office, my heels clicking on the scuffed linoleum floor. It’s been a grueling day, spent hunched over my computer, eyes straining as I poured all my energy into finishing that godforsaken presentation.