Chapter Nine
It had been a little over six months since he found Ari—or rather, since she found him.
Logan could tell she was really blossoming. Her work ethic had earned her great praise and respect from everyone, and her fleeting smile was completely gone, nourished under the influence of the people and work at Westbrooke Ranch. Her demeanor had taken a turn from paranoid to enthusiastic and she carried herself with more confidence. She had a smile for everyone now and Logan was almost jealous whenever any of the guys smiled right back at her.
“Your rose is flourishing,” Everett had said one afternoon when Ari brought them lunch.
“That she is,” he had replied, not even bothering to remark on Everett’s choice of words. He’d watched the gentle sway of her hips as she walked away from them. She then waved at a teenage cowhand and smiled at Faye whom she met at the door. As far as Logan was concerned, Ari was nothing short of beautiful, like a rose and he wanted to make her his.
Nothing ever held his attention like Ari did and he certainly hadn’t felt this protective towards anyone.
Firmly, Logan pulled an iron door over the thought and concentrated on stealing glances at Ari as they all ate at the dinner table. It was another monthly dinner and this time, they had Lyle and Andy join them. The table was lively. Andy and Faye were speaking in hushed tones while Amber brought Val up to date about the development of her unborn baby and her husband listened on their conversation with a proud smile on his face. Lyle and Everett seemed to be enjoying a conversation about the coming harvest. Logan on his part did not bother to join any of the conversation. He was happy simply looking at Ari whenever he thought she wouldn’t notice.
He was beside her at the dinner table and every now and then, their thighs or shoulders would touch. Well, sometimes he intentionally initiated the touch and he was glad at the results he got. She didn’t flinch or look distressed. She was now used to him, his touch.
It was a good start.
In fact, Ari had developed greatly from the flighty little woman he met at the stream. He even imagined she had a bit more flesh on her. The little imp in her was truly out and everyone simply adored her. Even now at the dinner table, she was up to her neck in mischief. Heads bent together, she and Khloe were speaking in rapid, hushed tones. They looked like school girls who were up to no good.
He felt proud of her. She had won the loyalty and friendship of everyone in the family all on her own.
Not even the weight of her pending divorce had succeeded in weighing her down. Of course, she’d asked to be kept informed about her husband’s reaction to the divorce conditions and the lawyer had called to inform her that Dan Jackson was being stubborn, but he was handling it. Ari hadn’t bothered to ask how the lawyer was handling it. She simply seemed glad to let the lawyer do his work, so she could focus on her new life.
She was also taking on her new life with enthusiasm and energy which was good for her.
For him.
She was a natural at getting things done on the ranch and Val had begun to defer more tasks to her. These days, she’d started to go to town for supplies. Sometimes, Logan took her in the Volvo and other times, she went with one of the girls. A few times, she’d gone alone. The first time she went, he’d been skeptical about her going to town alone. He was worried that her husband could still find her.
“I’m not going to live my life in hiding,” she had told him stubbornly. “If Dan has anything to say to me, he can now say it to my lawyer. I’m done with him!”
He couldn’t protest anymore so he’d grudgingly let her go and she had gone and done a fine job on her own. In fact, she kept getting better by the day. His respect for her kept soaring up to the sky.
What’s left is for her to see him.
With her past experience, he knew that trust and love wouldn’t come easy, but he was willing to follow Everett’s advice and wait. Plus, he could see his patience paying off in every unhindered smile she gave him. She had all but forgotten about their kissing episode and it was good for them both. For now, he was simply satisfied with the fact that she acted freer with him now, asking him questions, involving him in conversations and all. He was willing to let her decide.
As if she somehow knew he was thinking about her, Ari suddenly looked at him and with a smile, said, “Logan, Khloe and I’ve been arguing and I think I may need your opinion on this,” she said in a loud voice that carried round the table.
“Oh? What’s that?” he asked, sensing mischief in the air.
“You see, I’m of the opinion that men who are unable to declare their feelings to a woman are cowards, but Khloe seems to think otherwise. She says there might be a reason for this. What reason could that be? Since I’m not a man, I decided to ask you!”
The table fell silent. Somehow, Logan knew the statement was well planned and rehearsed by both ladies, but it didn’t make the impact of Ari’s words less for it. All eyes on the table were on him now; the men especially. They seemed interested in knowing how he would answer this one. Logan could see his friend, Everett, shift uneasily in his chair. Logan himself felt like scratching on his jaw, too. Ari was looking at him expectantly, so he had to give a reply.
To do that, he had to clear his throat several times.
“I’d say you’re both right,” he said slowly. Thinking things up under what seemed like a thousand pair of eyes but really was only nine wasn’t as easy as one might have thought. “On one hand, some men are really cowards when it comes to matters of the heart. I mean, they feel so inferior and shy away from the responsibility of another person. In the end, a better deserving man rides in to steal the lady right from under their noses while they come up with one excuse after another. By the time they realize they’d lost a diamond while collecting stones, she is long gone.”
Logan tried not to glance at Everett while he said this. There was a time that he had teased Everett that some man might to come riding into the ranch one day and steal Khloe away. Of course, they both knew that Khloe had her heart bent on marrying Everett but Logan could bet that Everett remembered the conversation clearly. Especially, since he could feel him glaring all the way from across the table right now.
“I told you so!” Ari started to say to Khloe but the Westbrooke middle daughter’s eyes were now openly fixed on Everett. Her eyes were misty and there was an accusation in them.
Logan winced as the sound of chair scrapping against the tiled floor suddenly filled the air. Without a word, Everett walked out.
Khloe shared a dismayed look with Ari before fleeing after him.
“Way to go, stud,” Lyle told Logan and the old man stood up to go too.
Andy did the same and Faye followed.
“Oh, look at the time!” Amber exclaimed in an unnecessarily high voice. “Darling, we should head home now.”
And just like that, Amber and Graham disappeared too.
Logan could only be grateful that everyone already had their fill of the meal, else he wouldn’t forgive himself for opening his big mouth and wasting good food. As it was, he felt guilty enough for disbanding the party in such manner. He wondered if Everett would ever forgive him. He wondered if he hadn’t irreparably disrupted things between Khloe and his friend now.
“You sure know how to put things succinctly, don’t you?”
Logan looked up at Val from beneath his eyes.
She was smiling.
He wondered what it was she found to smile about. “She asked,” Logan replied, casting an accusing glance at Ari.
To his amazement, the little trouble-maker was smiling, too.
Logan shook his head. Had he missed something? “Why are you both smiling?” he asked.
Val stood and began to clear the table. Ari stood to join her but the older woman shook her head. “You can pack the rest later. For now, you might want to answer his question,” she told Ari and then turned to him. “And you might want to tell her of the other side to your answer. I wish those dumb love birds stayed to hear it, but as it is, you can still tell Ari. It should be useful one way or the other.” And with that, Val left them at the table.
Logan watched until she disappeared into the kitchen. He didn’t understand a whit of what she just said. He turned to stare at Ari.
Her smile widened. “Can’t you just get it? You have just helped Everett and Khloe along the way,” she said. When he continued to look bemused, she sighed, “Like Val just said; you put things succinctly. I couldn’t have thought of a better answer myself. And your answer hit Everett at the right point enough for him to stalk out of the room.”
“And that helps them, how?” Logan was still confused.
“This is how it goes. Khloe wanted to be sure that Everett feels something for her. She has been beating herself over it the whole week. She said if she could only know that, she’d let him take all the time in the world. Well, I wanted to help her find out. You see, I say your answer opened Everett’s eyes to what could become the reality. It shows that Everett really does care. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be so affected by your innocent answer, would he? And that’s all the evidence that Khloe needed.”
Twisted logic though it seemed, Logan couldn’t help but agree with Ari. Obviously, Val was in the same lane with her too. “But Khloe looked damn sad before running after Everett just now,” he observed.
“That’s because she loves him and worries that he’s upset. That’s why I like the way it turned out really. Their real emotion should come through, especially Everett’s, I hope. You get my point now?”
Logan nodded. He fell back in his chair and watched the woman before him. While he was unaware, Ari Jackson had become an astute, insightful woman full of wisdom and goodwill for her friends. Or had she always been this way, but it was all suppressed due to her previous life with her husband? Logan admired and respected Ari’s intelligence and he couldn’t help but fall in love more.
“So tell me the other side to it,” she urged.
Logan had to shake his head to clear off the drooling expression he was sure was plastered on his face. “What?” he asked.
“You did say we were both right,” she quipped.
“Oh, that’s right,” Logan said. It was now him and Ari at the table. In the beginning, he had wanted to answer Ari’s question in the most detached way possible. Then now since it was both of them only, he decided to bring this answer a little closer to home. “On the other hand,” he began, leaning over a little bit so he could stare directly into her eyes. He noticed her pulse quickened in her throat and he felt an insane desire to lap up at it with his tongue. “Really, some men are the strongest even when they don’t tell their women they love them.”
Ari raised quiet brows at him but didn’t say a word.
He took that as a good sign. “Yes, indeed. Sometimes, the timing just isn’t right and should the man say a word, he wouldn’t be received well at all. At other times, there isn’t enough evidence on the part of the lady involved to assure him that his love isn’t one-sided. In any case, he might be biding his time, waiting for her, waiting for the slightest sign that his love could be returned.”
With bated breath, Logan watched different emotions play across Ari’s face. Understanding warred with desire. Logan couldn’t blame her; she was still fresh from her ordeal. It was too soon. He was willing to wait, however; he was only trying out his luck at the moment. He wasn’t looking for instant results.
“Well, there is that,” she allowed slowly. “I guess its different strokes for different folks, huh?”
“Exactly,” he said.
They were now staring into each other.
Logan could continue to stare into those eyes of hers forever. Her lips were lush and the light from the chandelier above made her look like an angel. If he leaned just a little bit further, he could just touch her lips with his. He would take her in his arms and tell her that like Khloe, he was willing to wait for her.
As if she could read his mind, she flew out of her seat as if some insect got her bum. “I should…um…clear the table,” she said.
“And I should help you do the dishes,” he said, standing up too.
She grabbed the nearest dishes closest to her. The abrupt movement caused her hair to loosen and fall across her face, forming a curtain over her head. He reached over to pack some plates too, but at the same time, she raised her head to flip her hair backwards, her head collided with his jaw.
“Ouch!” he let out at the unexpected invasion.
“Oh, I am sorry!” she cried, dropping the dishes on the table and grabbing his jaw.
“It’s not really painful,” he tried to reassure her. “I was more surprised than hurt.”
“Still, you should probably get some ice on it.”
She whipped around to go into the kitchen but he held her hand to his jaw. “I’m fine Ari, really.” Her fingers were soothing to his skin and he didn’t want to lose the touch just yet.
She searched his eyes as if to confirm that he was okay. Their gaze held. Her hands moved across his jaw slowly, tracing its line and he knew it was without conscious thought. He closed his eyes briefly, savoring the pleasure of her warm fingers on his skin. His lips tingled and she dragged in a ragged breath. He sighed heavily, wondering if it would be so bad if he just dipped his head to take a sip of those luscious lips of hers. Just a sip and he could die a happy man right now.
“I should go now,” he heard himself say. His eyes were still closed and her fingers were still against his jaw.
“Oh, yeah, you should,” she said in a faraway voice.
He opened his eyes and saw the struggle in hers. She looked like she didn’t know what to do with him. He decided to make this easy for her. He took a step back.
“I’ll just see you off to the bunkhouse,” she said, smiling wanly as if she still had no idea what she was saying. Her hands slowly left him.
Logan missed her touch immediately. He nodded and together, they walked outside. They didn’t find anybody outside of the house.
“I hope Khloe and Everett are okay,” Ari said quietly.
“They will be. Everett is a gentleman at all times,” Logan said just as quietly. “It is Faye I’m worried about. She behaves rashly sometimes. Andy is younger and still very much attached to Lyle. I don’t think it will work out.”
Ari’s laughter rang through the night air. “Exactly her mom’s opinion, but good luck telling her that.”
Logan felt glad the cheerfulness was back in her voice. What happened in the house would go down the drain of one of those forgotten moments with them.
Logan sighed. “It’s fast becoming a love triangle at Westbrooke Ranch.”
“It is, isn’t it?” she agreed. “I think everyone thinks all the ladies on the ranch should just hook up with the available men and get it over and done with. I’m beginning to think someone is going to suggest Val get in the shack with Lyle, too!”
The mere thought sent Logan into laughter. He just couldn’t imagine Val with old school Lyle. The bossy owner of Westbrooke Ranch would drive him nuts in a day. “Now, that would be a sight to see.”
They were now in front of the bunkhouse. There were no lights on and he guessed Everett wasn’t back yet. He and Khloe must have gone someplace else. He turned to Ari with a smile. His breath caught in his throat because of the picture he saw. The moonlight had done wonders for her and she practically glowed beneath it. She seemed like a Nubian fairy and he remembered thinking she could only be a mermaid when he first saw her.
“You’re a beautiful woman, you know?” he murmured. Without thought, his fingers curled around a loose tendril of her hair and began to play with it.
“Why thanks,” she said somewhat shakily.
“And hardworking and intelligent; any man would be lucky to have you.”
She laughed a little. “It’s a pity Dan didn’t think so.”
“Dan is a fool,” he said feelingly.
“I agree and I can’t wait for the divorce to be final.”
“What are your plans for when it does?” he asked. “Plan on leaving? Finding a home for yourself?”
She shook her head at him. “Home is on Westbrooke Ranch, at the moment, Logan. Everyone I care about is here. I am staying…at least until Val says she doesn’t want me around anymore.”
Logan liked to think he was a crucial part of ‘everyone she loves’. He smiled and tugged at her hair. “Val isn’t going to send you off; you’re becoming indispensable to her.”
“Then, I’m going to be around for a long time.”
She was smiling up at him and that smile did wonders for his senses. Smiling back, he whispered, “I am glad.”
“Me too.”
He had no idea who moved first but he was willing to gamble it was him who did. Suddenly, their lips were touching, clinging to one another. Her lips were soft and pliant beneath his and she made a little sound of relief that weakened him at the knees. She was so small that he had to lean all the way down for the kiss but he didn’t mind. It was pure heaven.
A hand came up to rest on his chest and he captured it with one of his, content to leave it there. But she wanted to explore. She began to move the hand, passing it over his chest slowly. Her movement was unsure, as if she were performing an experiment. Logan let her do what she wanted. He continued to kiss her while she explored the vastness of his chest. When she grazed a nipple, he gasped but didn’t stop kissing her. Sensing he liked it, she placed her palm over his nipple and pressed down. He almost died on the spot. His tongue went deeper into her mouth and she moaned. Again, her hand grabbed a chunk of his chest and squeezed hard. He bucked against her.
She was going to kill him!
“Ari.”
Logan tried to cling to some semblance of control. He was leaning away, ready to apologize for misbehaving once more, but Ari was having none of that.
Her hand dug beneath the buttons of his shirt and came in contact with his skin. His protest died on his tongue; he couldn’t even remember what he had been about to say. Her hand was smooth against his chest hairs and when she began to move the hand, the trail she left tingled with burning sensation. His groin hurt. The inside of his mouth felt cold, he felt parched and her mouth was the only well from which he could drink to quench his thirst. Slowly, as if yet unsure of herself, her hand smoothed over his broad chest until it found a nipple.
He hissed.
“Ari,” he started again.
She tweaked the nipple, hard.
He was almost mindless with desire for her now but Logan tried to keep cool, to let her decide and Ari seemed to be enjoying the power he gave to her.
“Please,” he heard himself say mindlessly.
She tweaked again, harder still. The little firecracker must know how much power she had over him. He could feel her smile into his mouth.
“You like it?” she whispered.
“Please.” It was all he could manage. Damn it! No woman had ever affected him like this.
She pressed her body against him and he could feel all her curves and her breasts! Oh, those breasts of hers against his chest were divine. He ground into her and she did the same to him, those breasts coming closer still. “Hot damn!” he swore just before he grabbed her closer and feasted on her lips once more.
Ari rubbed herself against him like a kitten, making soft mewling sounds that drove him over the edge. One hand was still playing with his nipple, driving him wild while the other hand grabbed his own hands and placed them on her butt. It was all the permission he needed.
Their movement became hurried as they touched each other everywhere.
Pent up desire and months spent skirting around each other burst forth in the kiss they shared. Her hands were wild all over him as his were on her body. He glided his hands along the smoothness of her curves and was gratified to feel her tremble beneath his hands. His hands smoothed slowly along all the way to her breastbone. Her breath fell out in a whoosh into his mouth.
His fingers found a nipple through her gown and he hissed. She hadn’t been wearing a bra under the simple plaid dress she wore to dinner. He felt grateful that he hadn’t known the entire time he sat close to her. If he did, he would be stark raving mad by now. He couldn’t stop kissing her. He knew he should, but he’d waited for so long, longed for her for what seemed like eternity, he couldn’t muster enough will to stop himself in his tracks. He grabbed and tweaked one nipple with two fingers and she moaned into his mouth. The sound was heavenly. It made his blood boil.
Suddenly, Logan wasn’t satisfied with just kissing her. He needed to taste her all over. He needed her like he needed no other person. He yearned to place his stamp on her, ask her to hold on to him and never let go. He stopped kissing her lips, but only long enough to trace a kiss along her throat. Her dress was low cut, stopping just at her cleavage. It was decent enough but right now, he wanted to tear it off her. He dipped a tongue into her cleavage and she bucked in his hands. She clung to him like her life depended on him.
He took a step back and she cried in protest. He took one look at her plump lips and high, curved cheekbones, her glazed eyes and pulled her right back into his arms.
She kissed him eagerly, her body seeking his. “I want you,” she told him.
“I want you,” he repeated.
Her groin grounded into his in reply. Her hand found his and brought them against her breasts again.
“I’m going to take you inside,” he said into her mouth.
She continued to kiss him.
He leaned down and lifted her into his arms. She didn’t stop kissing him as he carried her into the house. He took her straight to his bed. He felt sorry that he couldn’t provide something more decent for her; she was a princess and deserved to be treated like royalty.
However, Ari wouldn’t permit him to dwell on the thought. As soon as he set her on the bed, she dragged him into it with her.
He tried to resist one more time. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, breathing heavily.
Her gaze clashed with his. “I have never been surer about anything in my entire life!” she declared fervently.
Logan felt his spirits soar. With a victorious groan, his lips swooped down to claim hers. He positioned himself between her thighs and claimed her mouth over and over again.
She matched each thrust of his tongue with a powerful one of hers.
Now wild with desire, he went back to her breasts and she leaned forward so he could have better access. With a hand, he dragged down the dress so her breasts were even more visible. The gown clung to her skin; he couldn’t get it to go any lower than her cleavage so he settled instead for taking a nipple into his mouth through the gown.
She hissed, nibbled and sucked on his ear. Her fingers dug into his hair but all he felt was euphoria, no pain.
Ari had ample breasts compared to the size of her body and he loved it just so. She was all womanly curves and smooth skin and he couldn’t wait to touch her skin with his. His hands pushed up against her breasts and he lapped at the mounds, trying to find her nipple with his tongue. Suddenly, she sidled out of his hands. He felt bereft for an instant but was relieved hear the sound of a zipper coming down.
Perfect.
His hands found her skin but Ari wanted more. She grabbed the tail of his shirt and pulled. He took over from her and he was soon shirtless. Her hands found the zipper on his pants next.
Covering her hands with his, he proceeded to rid himself of the pants. His cock sprang directly into her hands. He convulsed at the touch, his mind further falling into a dark abyss where she was the only light.
He moved to claim her mouth, to find a nipple but she held a hand to his chest.
“Get the light,” she said softly.
“”What?” he asked, his mind was numb with need.
“Switch on the light, I want to see you,” she said.
Logan moved quickly to obey.
The light came on and his gaze unerringly found her. He stood fixed to the spot, staring at her. She was glorious. Her skin was smooth. There was a huge, dark mole on her left breast and he licked his lips as he imagined tugging at the mole with his tongue and lips. Her hair had fallen out of the band she used to hold them and they formed a halo around her face. She looked absolutely delectable.
Her eyes shone with desire for him and he wanted to roar his pride to the ceiling. Her gaze remained fixed on his erection which had stood at attention for her. She smacked her lips together.
His blood churned.
As if on an invincible pull, he went back to her and fell on his knees before her. “You are beautiful,” he said reverently.
“As you are,” she whispered.
They stared into each other’s eyes for the longest time. Her eyes did not waver from his and in them, he could see no hesitation, only the willingness to be with him. In a distant part of Logan’s brain, he recognized that tonight, she might be willing to do away with all her clothes but what would happen tomorrow?
“Let her set the pace. Let her decide if she wants to be with you, go to bed with you and every other single damn thing.”
Logan waited for her to take the lead.
She did.
Her gaze fell slowly to his cock, the damned thing stretched even more as if it would run to her. With steady hands, she grabbed its head and squeezed. He threw back his head and groaned loudly. She squeezed again, this time grabbing his balls and squeezing too. He bucked repeatedly into her hands. He almost came then, and he might have if her soft, warm, moist mouth hadn’t come down on him. Pleasant surprise brought his head down to gaze at her but all he saw was her head as she pleasured him with her mouth. He went wild at the invasion. He grabbed a few strands of her hair and pulled but the little vixen would not stop. Her body seemed to know what to do with him even when he still hesitated to touch her.
She used both her lips and teeth on him. She sucked and bit him alternatively, fondling his balls until he thought he couldn’t take it anymore.
“Ari, if you don’t stop, I’ll come,” he warned.
“Come,” she said simply and continued to drive him to heaven and back with her little mouth.
He tried to hold on but in the last minute, he roughly pulled out of her mouth and yelled as he released. Her mouth hung deliciously open as she watched him. Her eyes were wicked as she reached to grab him again as soon as he was spent. His cock sprang alive again, the shameless thing.
“Oh no!” he grabbed her waist instead. “It’s my turn to pleasure you.”
She laughed as he threw her on the bed and stood in between her legs. He worshiped her with his eyes for a moment before leaning down to trail kisses on her face. From there, he went down to her jaw, her neck, her chest and just when he would have touched a breast with his kiss, he went down to her stomach.
“Oh,” she protested.
He ignored her. He peppered her stomach with kisses, played with her navel and went lower still. She rose on the bed, writhing mindlessly now. He kissed her inner thigh, breathing softly around her core. She grabbed his head and sank fingers into his neck.
“Logan,” she grated out his name.
He smiled. He wasn’t nearly started yet. Instead of stopping at her mound between her thighs, he went down to kiss her knees, all the way down to her toes.
“Logan!” she said with frustration in her voice. She tried to get up, to take things in her hands, but he pressed down with his weight. He began to go all the way up again and she stilled expectantly. Suddenly, he delved a tongue into her folds and she bucked in relief. He was out within a second.
“Ohhh,” she moaned. “Please.”
Before she knew what he was about, her nipple was between his teeth. He bit down softly against the succulent flesh. Her breath came out rushed. From there on, they went wild.
His fingers slipped into her wet core while he pulled on one nipple after the other with his lips and teeth. He made love to her with his fingers, his tongue and his lips while she kept him alive with her fingers too. The bed shook with their motions and sweat clung to their bodies, but neither of them noticed as they tried to keep up with one another.
“I—need—you—now,” Ari cried all of a sudden.
He went to her mouth and roughly kissed her, ignoring her demand. In reply, she grabbed his hard length and tried to put him into her. He pulled away and she hissed in annoyance. Suddenly, she pushed him away from her. He was surprised by her strength as she jumped into his hands and pushed him unto the bed. He was given only a moment to prepare before he felt her glide over him.
Their meeting was so complete, so divine as if he was made for her and she for him. He closed his eyes as she held on for a second, feeling around inside herself until she found the perfect position. Then, she began to move. He rose against the headboard and dug his elbows into the bed to accommodate her movements. Then, he began to move with her, their rhythm set as if by an agreement. Her breasts bounced with each thrust and he grabbed them with his mouth, sucking and pulling relentlessly. The sounds she made above him joined with his and together, they sang a love song that was beautiful to his ears. She drove him endlessly; she drove him like the wind.
And he let her.
They came together. Their release was the sweetest thing that Logan had ever experienced in his life. As she fell onto his chest, he grabbed her, holding her close and promising never to let go.
Ever.
She’s mine.
*****
“I had sex with Logan last night.”
The words hit the air like a well aimed soccer ball. Khloe stopped in the middle of bringing out vegetables to cut and froze. Faye left the tap running and swirled around to face her with wide eyes and mouth hanging open. Val was just coming in and the woman simply stopped at the door to stare at Ari.
Ari sighed. She’d been up before everybody else and came down to the kitchen. Singlehandedly, she had cleaned the house and was just finishing up with washing the dishes when the girls came in together.
She knew it was selfish of her, but Ari knew if she didn’t say it outright like she did, Khloe would just start talking about her night with Everett and Ari would lose her nerve and she would just die from everything that was bottled up inside of her.
“What?!” Khloe yelled at last, finding her voice.
“You did not!” Faye echoed her sister’s tone.
“We did,” Ari said in a quiet voice.
She searched one girl’s eyes after another, waiting for the revulsion and condemnation. She had come into their ranch, eaten their food and slept under their roof and now, she was sleeping with one of their cowhands. But there was no condemnation in their faces. What she found instead was worry for her; worry and curiosity. Her eyes moved to Val last.
The mother of the two girls walked into the kitchen and came to stand in front of her. “Well, it was time you gave that poor lad a chance,” the woman drawled and drew Ari into a hug.
Ari sucked in a breath. She hadn’t expected to be held by this woman and she certainly hadn’t expected the smile of approval on Val’s face. She could see Khloe and Faye smiling, too.
“Don’t you understand?” Ari was sniffing now as tears threatened. “I—I—umm…I behaved…” then she rushed on, before she completely lost her nerve. “I’m a disgrace to your hospitality. You’ve taken me in, treated me like one of your own and I still behaved like a—like a—harlot. Plus, I barely even know Logan other than he works here and I all but jumped into his bed. And my divorce isn’t even final yet. And—”
“Wait right there, young lady,” Val didn’t allow her to finish.
“What are you talking about?” Khloe asked in confusion.
“Nonsense, if you ask me,” Faye said loudly. She was staring at Ari as if she was the dumbest person on earth.
“Behave, Faye, or leave this instant.” Her mother glared at her.
“She really is talking gibberish,” Faye muttered.
“Faye!” Khloe scolded her sister.
The girl kept mute but only looked defiant like she’d said her piece and anybody could arrest her for all she cared.
“Come, have a seat,” Val told Ari. The woman grabbed Ari’s hand and pulled her into the dining room just outside of the kitchen.
The girls followed.
“I’ll take your concerns one after the other,” Val started. “But first, I’ll like to say that I’m glad you finally opened up this way. It’s good for you,” she said with a rueful twist to her lips.
Ari thought she heard Faye say, “I’m sure she wouldn’t be if I did the same with Andy,” but nobody paid her any attention.
Val continued, “First, you did not behave wantonly. Sex is the result of a mutual attraction between a man and a woman and in your case and Logan’s, I would say the attraction was glaring from the moment he brought you to my doorstep.”
“It was?” Ari asked, dazed.
“Only you couldn’t see it, sister,” Faye quipped. As usual, she was ignored.
Khloe nodded at Ari sympathetically. “We all knew he was attracted to you and you to him.”
“But I wasn’t,” Ari started to say.
“Oh, you were, my dear, you were,” Val interrupted. “You were only too blinded by your situation to see it.”
Ari fell silent. Her mind was still jumbled up with everything that had happened with Logan. She couldn’t think straight.
“And you are concerned that you have disgraced us,” Val went on. “You could never do that, Ari. You see, I’ve been watching you since you came here and I have to say I admire your strength, your resilience and your good-heartedness. You are now one of my daughters and I have to say that I am disappointed that you still count yourself as an outsider. Having sex with someone you like and who likes you isn’t going to make me kick you out of the house, nor is it in any way disgraceful to me. What I’d like to know is when the wedding will be!”
“Wedding?” Ari asked, dumbstruck.
“Surely, you and Logan have discussed something more…permanent. I am sure he would like to have you to himself!”
Ari stared down at her hands stupidly. “Actually, I ran out of the bunkhouse before he woke up. I didn’t know how to face him after what we’d done.”
“Ari…” Khloe groaned out in frustration. “If it were Everett and me, I would be the first to wake him with a kiss and then ask him to marry me!”
Faye smirked at her sister but said nothing.
“You should have stayed back. I’m sure Logan is already drawing up wedding plans.” Val smiled gently. “As a matter of fact, I’m sure the only reason he isn’t here right now is because he knows we are going to be doing this right now. Or because he is willing to give you time to think things through. He is an astute man, Logan is.”
“I can’t get married!” Ari wailed. “I like him and all and I agree he is a good man, but I can’t get married.”
“And why not?” Khloe asked in obvious confusion.
“I seriously cannot understand you!” Faye yelled at her.
Val glared at her younger daughter. “If you cannot express yourself with decorum, you might want to leave now.”
Faye glared mulishly at Ari, but she seemed to understand that her mother meant business this time around.
“So, Ari, why don’t you want to get married?” Val asked her.
“You all know about my husband. Soon-to-be ex-husband… the divorce…” Ari flung her hands in the air in frustration.
“Oh spare us, please!” Val rolled her eyes. “That husband of yours should be arrested and thrown in jail right after you divorce his sorry ass. You are a wonderful woman and it is not your fault your marriage didn’t work. In fact, I’m sure you made all efforts to keep things together even when he hit you.” Ari nodded numbly and Val sighed. “Forget him, darling. The divorce is going to happen. I know because I keep tabs on Green myself. He says he’s threatening to sue your husband.”
Ari gasped in surprise and started to shake her head.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head none,” Val told her. “Green has everything under control. The last time I asked him—and he is a fine man by the way—he said your worthless husband is caving in. So you see, you will soon be free.”
Ari could scarcely believe her ears. She looked at each lady seated before her and they smiled at her. Even Faye had an encouraging smile on her lips.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at mother and daughters. Finding the family was the best luck she’d ever had. They kept holding on tight to her so she wouldn’t fall. She didn’t know what she did to deserve such support from them. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“You don’t need that, you are family. That’s what family does for each other,” Val said firmly.
“As soon as the divorce is over, you can marry Logan,” Khloe said her voice just as firm as her mother’s.
Ari was shaking her head.
“Yes, you did say you barely know him, didn’t you?” Val asked.
“Well,” Khloe said slowly. “You have a point there but we didn’t know where he came from also and we’re doing just fine with him.”
“And when did knowing a person’s past become as relevant as his present and being a part of his future?” Faye asked derisively. “We all know Logan is a good man. I am sure he can make it outside of here, but he chose to stay. He is going to make you a happy woman, Ari, and really, that is all you should care about.”
Val smiled at her younger daughter. “And those are the wisest words I have heard Faye say in the longest time.”
Faye shrugged.
“Anyway,” Val continued, “it is true. A man’s past is not as important as his future. Imagine if I hadn’t hired you on account of your past, eh?”
Ari realized that the women were right.
“But then, in case you still doubt Logan, I have a little story to tell you,” Val continued. “Logan Cartwright is much more than you know. He came at a time when the entire family was in distress. I had just lost my husband and I had to retire from work. I was a police officer you see.”
Ari gasped. She hadn’t known that.
The girls nodded with smiles on their faces.
“Indeed.” Val nodded too. “I wasn’t always home and my girls grew more attached to their father than to me, but we still had a happy family. In any case, Ben fell ill and all our money went into his medical bills.” She sighed. “But my Ben still died. We were all devastated. A little after, I discovered that the ranch was steeped in debt. I retired to take care of things here and my girls but the debts were huge. The bank wanted to take this ranch from us.”
“Ma, you didn’t tell us all of this!” Khloe cried.
Faye’s eyes were wide as she stared at her mother. For the first time, the young girl had nothing to say.
Val only held out a hand and continued, “Then came in Logan looking for work. I knew at once that he wasn’t the sort to work as a mere ranch hand. I had him looked up by one of my colleagues and his story broke my heart. He comes from a rich background, Logan Cartwright. That man is the only son of Lilith and Potter Cartwright, the oil mogul, known across all of South America. The thing is they indulged their only son a little too much and Logan ended up living a reckless life. He would take off for long months to do god knows what. According to my friend who found out from a close friend of the family, the parents tried to curb him too late but Logan already was out of control. At times, they called him to come home but he refused. But he had to go back when his parents were killed by a drunken driver. The young man was bitter. He blamed himself for not coming home when they called. In his state of mourning, he donated most if not all his property to charity and then simply disappeared off the radar of prying eyes. The news caught up with him working on an oil rig after three years. Then he disappeared again. Then, he ended up on my ranch.”
All three girls stared at Val, their mouth agape.
Ari especially was blown away by what Val was telling her. Never could she have imagined Logan to be what she said he was!
But Val wasn’t through, “In any case, I confronted him about it and he admitted it all to me. He was a man chased around by his guilt. I couldn’t send him away. And it was a good thing I didn’t! He settled our debts.” She smiled ruefully. “How he did it?” Val shrugged her shoulders. “I cannot tell, up to this day.”
“Ma!” Khloe squealed.
Both girls had tears in their eyes now.
Ari couldn’t even breathe. It was all shocking news to her.
“Yes, he saved us, girls. Logan saved us. He even insisted I continued to own and manage the farm and treat him like a ranch hand, the idiot.” Val dabbed at a corner of her eyes. “I am sorry for not telling you, but Logan made me promise. I’m only saying this now because I think Ari needs to know. He loves her and I know he would do anything to keep her with him.”
The girls got out of their seats and ran to hug their mother. Together, the three women cried, holding on to one another.
Ari sat rooted to her seat as she stared off stupidly into space. And she had thought Logan was a just a simple guy, almost a nobody; she had even thought he hadn’t gone to college until he corrected her of the notion himself. She’d been quite the little snob, hadn’t she?
“That is another story for another day. Remind me to tell you when we find another time out like this again.”
Ari felt the tears slip down her face. She’d seen the shadows beneath his eyes the day he told her about himself and known he had his own demons. But he had set his demons aside to help her deal with hers.
“He loves you and I know he would do anything to keep you with him.”
Val’s words only just hit her and she gasped. Without a doubt, Ari knew that they were true. Logan truly did love her. The signs were all there, but she had been too bent on maintaining a platonic relationship with him to see it. Even last night when they had made love, she hadn’t been thinking of his emotions. She had only been thinking of gratifying her own sexual urges without thinking of him.
She shot up from her seat suddenly. She saw the keys to the Volvo on the table and grabbed it.
All three women stared at her wide-eyed.
“Where are you going?” Val asked calmly.
“I am just going to go into town,” Ari answered, already backing out of the door. “I need to think, to see…”
“But—” Khloe began.
“You need to see Logan!” Faye argued.
“Girls,” Val chided softly, cutting them off. “Go,” she said to Ari, understanding in her eyes.
Ari ran out of the house.
What have I done?