Chapter Eight
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Logan watched the emotions play across Sam’s beautiful face. She seemed distracted and confused all at the same time. Maybe she was thinking the same thing he was. What would it feel like to pull her in his arms and put his mouth on hers? Her soft, sweet lips seemed to beg for his kiss, and he knew they would taste as good as they looked.
But none of that mattered because Samantha Kielty was off limits. Off limits. Like a crime scene – stay back; do not cross the yellow tape – off limits.
They both stood motionless for a moment, mere inches separating them. While he stared down at her, she stared back at him just as intensely. Without heels, Sam’s chin came to the middle of his chest, and he couldn’t help to think how nicely their bodies aligned. Everything about her seemed right for him felt right even though it was completely wrong.
The moment was broken when Bear let out a gentle bark, trying to get Sam’s attention again, and Logan took the opportunity to break the silence. “The party’s out back. I just came in to check on things in here.” Breaking eye contact, Logan looked at Bear, then back at Sam. “Looks like you might have a companion for the evening.”
When her eyes widened, Logan wondered what she thought he meant. Then he wondered what she would say next.
What if he was offering to be her companion for the evening? Would she be ok with that? He was her boss. She was new to the Dallas office, and rumors would spread quickly, especially since Logan knew there was one particular project manager who didn’t seem too keen on the idea of having Sam as her boss.
Suddenly, and with very little thought, Logan reached up, gently tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear, lingering for a second more on her soft cheek. She didn’t move and neither did he.
The confines of the long, narrow hallway offered a small measure of privacy, but not nearly enough. When she pressed her face against his palm, Logan knew he was a goner.
Stepping back quickly, nearly tripping over Bear, Logan realized he’d crossed a line. “I’m sorry.” He whispered.
“Don’t be.” Sam’s voice was low, her eyes hooded as she stared at his mouth.
She was killing him.
“I mean…” Obviously she had a moment of sanity because she took a step back as well, putting a respectable two feet between them. “Let’s just pretend this didn’t happen.”
She looked incredibly nervous, and Logan wanted to touch her again. Rather than backing off like he should, he took a step closer and lowered his voice. “I’ll do my best, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
There. He’d said it. Now, at least she knew where he was coming from. Though this was likely the biggest mistake he’d ever made when it came to his career, something about Sam made it impossible for Logan to back off. So, now they could either walk away, pretend the earth didn’t stop spinning when they were close, or she could make the next move. Either way, he’d have to make do with her decision.
He fought the urge to touch her again. Instead, he glanced behind him, then back at her. Her face was flush, and she still looked nervous, but then a flirtatious smile curved her lips and his heartbeat ratcheted up a notch.
“I think I should go where the party is.” Sam suggested, her voice a little breathless and shaky.
For some reason, that turned him on more.
“Party. Yes.” Logan knew they better get back before someone noticed he was missing and came looking for him. Or, before he kissed her. “After you.” He said as he stepped aside so she could pass him.
“Sam, I’m so glad you could make it.” A female voice called from the hallway behind them. Deanna.
The timing couldn’t have been better. Logan smiled at his admin as she seemed to be unaware of the heat that still lingered in the hallway after the brief interlude between him and the sexiest woman he’d ever met.
“Oh, hey, Logan.” Deanna smiled, turning her attention back to Sam. “Come on back, we’re all sitting by the pool. What would you like to drink?”
“Something strong.”
Logan almost laughed at the insistence in Sam’s voice. So she had been just as affected by their encounter as he had. Except one thing. He needed a moment alone to figure out a way to diminish the evidence of how affected he was. He watched as Sam walked away from him, not looking back once. He admired her long, tan legs, and the way her short, white denim shorts encased her beautiful ass.
This was going to be a long damn party.
Several hours later, Sam stood as she went to say her goodbyes to the few people still lingering.
For most of the afternoon, she’d managed to get lost in the conversations of those around her, never once paying attention to the time. She’d shared some laughs with several of the managers who now reported to her, and she’d talked at length with Deanna. She liked that they were becoming fast friends, and she was getting to know her on a more personal level.
Then there was Bear, Sam’s new four legged best friend. Most of the party goers were amused with how much Bear had taken a liking to her. According to them, Bear rarely left Logan’s side when he was over at the house, but today Bear hung around everywhere she went.
The party was dwindling down, and couples were heading home with excuses about kids and laundry and other family things that needed to be taken care of. She knew she better make her way out before she ended up being the only guest left, and that would be uncomfortable for both her and Logan. Especially after what had transpired between them earlier in the hallway.
Sam didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye to Logan, although it would just be easier to sneak out than it would be to face the man again. She had made a grave mistake earlier when she’d allowed herself to get lost in his touch for even that brief moment. And then, when he’d mentioned he wasn’t going to be able to forget what happened, she knew she wouldn’t either.
The fact that he had actually come onto her was weighing heavily on her conscious. Never, in as long as she could remember, had she felt such a strong sexual pull toward a man.
But with Logan, Sam felt like an entirely different woman. She wanted things she’d never wanted before. Her body ached for him, her skin tingled with wanting his touch, and she didn’t seem to care when or where, just as long as she could have him.
Shaking off the thought, Sam looked around, finally locating Logan leaning against the railing surrounding the veranda, talking to a couple of guys she didn’t recognize. Again, their eyes met when she turned toward him, and she felt as though the world was spinning faster, throwing her off balance again. She shook off the feeling, tried to compose herself and was just about to head in his direction when Alex walked up.
“Hey. Leaving so soon?” Alex asked as he moved to stand directly in her path.
“I had thought about it. Seems to be dying down and I have things to do tonight.” Sam lied. She had nothing to do except escape to the confines of her small apartment and think about what had happened between her and Logan in his hallway. That was too pathetic to admit to anyone.
Alex was smiling at her, and she recognized the mischief in his grin. Although she wasn’t personally attracted to Alex McDermott, she could certainly see his sex appeal. The man was immensely attractive, nearly as tall as and possibly a little broader than Logan, but he didn’t have that air of confidence that Sam found so damn appealing.
“So, did you enjoy yourself?” Alex asked, but Sam noticed he kept glancing over in Logan’s direction.
Sam turned to see what he was looking at, and she was met with a glare from Logan. “I did.” She admitted, turning her attention back to Alex. “I was hesitant about coming, but I’m glad I did. How about you? Do you normally come to these parties?”
“Logan and I have known each other for a while. I try to stop by whenever I can.” Alex responded moving a bit closer. “So, what are the plans for tonight? Going out?”
Sam watched Alex closely, picking up on the fact that he seemed to be trying to antagonize someone. And that someone appeared to be Logan.
“Just going home to get some work done. The days are long, but there never seems to be enough time to get everything done.”
“I know what you mean.” He said, smiling unusually.
“What are you smiling about?” Sam asked as she glanced behind her again, noticing Logan was still staring back in their direction. She could see the heat in his gaze from across the patio.
“Who me? Just smiling. Is that ok?”
“It would be if you didn’t have this mischievous look on your face and if you weren’t trying to get Logan’s attention.” Sam declared with a little reprimand in her tone. There wasn’t much space between them so she had to look up to see his eyes, and she was sure from Logan’s place on the patio that their positioning looked intimate.
“But it’s fun. It’s so easy to get a rise out of him. Even more so when I know I was right.”
“Right about what?” Sam asked, getting irritated with the game Alex was playing.
“Seems my friend Logan has a thing for you. If you look over there right now, you’ll see he’s trying to kill me with a glare. He’s probably just a little jealous of me talking to you.” He laughed as he stepped aside so Sam had a direct view of Logan.
Sam noticed Logan didn’t look happy, but when she smiled at him, he quickly smiled back, raising his glass in her direction. Unhappy or not, the man looked like he could hold his own. It didn’t take her long to figure out what Alex was doing.
“Ahh. So you thought you’d try to add fuel to the fire?” As if Sam and Logan needed any fuel added to the fire that ignited when they were together.
“You could say that.” He admitted, then smiled down at her again. “I guess my job here is done, so I should be heading out. Got a hot date tonight and it seems as though someone wants to talk to you.” Alex stated as he glanced back at Logan, making the other man tense.
“Well, it was nice of you to try to play match maker, but it won’t do you any good. Logan and I work together. He’s my boss. There isn’t anything going on between us.”
“I wouldn’t say that too loud.” Alex whispered as he leaned closer, smiling again. “He might hear you and I don’t think he has the same opinion as you do in this matter.
“For what it’s worth, he’s a good man. Once he sets his sights on something he wants, he goes after it with everything he’s got. So, if you’re trying to convince yourself there isn’t anything between the two of you, that’s one thing. Convincing him will be an entirely different story. It was terrific seeing you again, Sam.” Alex gently touched her shoulder, then turned and sauntered off.
Sam watched as he walked away, feeling like she’d just been given encouragement she didn’t need or want. “It was good to see you, too.”
Deciding she better take the opportunity to make her escape while she still could, Sam went to face the music. She needed to say goodbye to her host. She had just mustered up the courage to approach him when Deanna walked her way.
“Hey, Sam, I’m going to get out of here. I need to get home to my kiddos. Thank you so much for coming out. Let’s go to lunch next week. I know this fantastic new restaurant that just opened up across the street that I’ve been dying to try.”
“That sounds like a great idea.” Sam responded and then hesitantly accepted the hug Deanna offered. “I’ll see you at the office on Monday.”
“Make that Tuesday. Monday is a holiday, remember? Wouldn’t want you to show up when no one was there.” Deanna laughed as she turned and grabbed her husband’s arm, steering him toward the house.
"Good idea. Nice to meet you, Tommy.” Sam smiled shyly. She had forgotten that it was a holiday weekend.
Just what she needed. More alone time.
Rather than hesitate any longer, Sam headed toward the veranda where Logan was standing, still talking to the others. “I think I’m going to get out of here. Looks like the party is winding down and I’m sure you’re ready for a break. Is there anything I can do before I go?”
“Actually, there is. Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me for a minute.” Logan backed away from the group of men, gently guiding Sam to the house with his hand at her back.
She felt the warmth of his touch like a flame kissing her skin. Along with the heat came that odd sense of safety, coupled with a large dose of fear.
“Do you need help cleaning up? I’ll be glad to help.” She offered when they made it away from the others.
“Actually, no.” Logan gestured to the two women who were moving quickly around his kitchen, apparently hired to clean up the mess. “I would like to ask you to stay though. I’ll get rid of everyone else, and then we can talk. I haven’t seen much of you over the last couple of months, and I’d like to see how things are going.”
Sam’s first thought was to say yes, she’d stay. For as long as he wanted her to. But, the part of her brain that housed her common sense managed to speak up louder than the part that was led by her hormones. “We can catch up on Tuesday.”
When Logan’s gaze turned hot, Sam knew he didn’t just want to talk about work. And there lay the problem.
“I’m not past begging, Sam. I’d like the opportunity to talk to you away from the office.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Logan.” She whispered, but he quickly interrupted.
“Good idea or not, I’m past that point. Please stay.” He lowered his voice, taking her hands in his.
Her body reacted with a flood of desire, making it almost impossible to deny him anything just from the roughness caressing her fingers. She ached to have his hands on her body, and that thought caused her to jerk her hands away from him. Maybe they could compromise. She’d stay so they could talk, but he couldn’t touch her.
“Ok. To talk. That’s all.”
“That’s all.” He confirmed, that damned sexy, crooked smile gracing his lips. “I’ll have everyone gone in ten minutes.”
Sam nodded her head, though her brain was screaming at her to turn and run. Agreeing to stay was going to be the worst decision she’d made in a long time.
She wasn’t naive enough to believe they would only talk when the two of them were alone and away from prying eyes. Given half a chance, talking would quickly lead to something entirely different and as much as she wanted to deny it, Sam wanted Logan more than her next breath. When it came to him, she had zero self-control.