Maya
I’m not going to say I wasn’t scared when we walked into the suite after the dinner event where I moved the food around on my plate and concentrated more on the champagne. Not too much so I couldn’t function, but enough to make my head tingle. Other parts of me seemed to delight in a bit of a tingle when I looked at Logan. He was the saving grace of my evening. Instead of him being a reminder that I was in danger, he made me feel safe as long as he was near.
I surely wouldn’t mess with an over six-foot, musclebound guy with his stature. Especially when he rarely smiled when we were out at an event. He stood tall and steady with a look on his face that said “don’t fuck with me” and it seemed to work.
No one approached me in a threatening way.
Whoever was wanting to bring me harm did it cowardly or smartly, depending on how you looked at the things that had been done to me. Lunch had been upsetting, but dead wingless birds thrown into my suite living room had been downright disturbing.
He was really sick. Each time I saw or even thought about those poor birds, it made me feel ill. I had a pit in my stomach even as we sat in the hotel’s bar acting like we hadn’t witnessed goriness. If not for Logan, I would’ve been a crying mess in my room or maybe I would’ve already been hiring a car to drive me back home.
Was home safe? I did have an alarm system and a newly installed fence and gate around the perimeter of my single-story hacienda style house in Laurel Canyon. But I had to ask myself if it was enough to keep the sicko out.
If I had Logan at my side… Would Logan be willing to stay on as my security detail? Did he even have time? Was it such a good idea? I had to admit that I wanted him for more than my protection.
“Maybe I should head back to LA tonight after we get my luggage,” I said quietly, leaning into Logan so only he could hear me. The idea could work like ripping a bandage off quickly to avoid the pain.
“Not tonight.” His voice was low and sexy. It had me thinking “maybe he’s right” and that maybe I need to sleep on it…next to him.
My thoughts continued to wander down several paths as we playfully chatted and were joined by another couple who suggested sharing a hired car to a nightclub. I wasn’t certain but I was pretty sure they were part of the decoy. And sure enough after we headed down the road several blocks and made sure no one was following us, other directions were given to the driver.
About the time that we were pulling into a very dark parking lot, my phone began to ring. “Shit! It’s my assistant.”
Logan’s hand covered mine. “Don’t answer it. Tell her you’re in a nightclub and can’t hear. Don’t mention the suite.”
Doing as he said, I typed her a message and she quickly responded reminding me of check-out time. Logan was looking over my shoulder and instructing me what to type back. “No need to panic her. We’ve already kept her out of the loop. The less people that know the better.”
I nodded my head and continued to text until she stopped telling me what to do since I told her to head home the following day and that I would contact her when I was home. Done with that task, Logan helped me out of the car and across the parking lot to a truck that looked a lot like his as the car with his people drove off.
Alone in his truck—as I had thought—we headed toward an area not far from where we had hiked around. Not much longer we pulled up to a security gate which opened after he reached above his visor.
“This looks like the complex I liked when we were running.”
“Same developer, different location. This one has a better view of the mountains and it’s close to hiking trails.”
“This is your place?”
He let me know it was and I don’t know why, but chills ran down the length of my body thinking about being in his home.
Pulling right into a garage after he clicked another button, we entered a door straight into the townhouse. I was surprised to see it so perfectly decorated. A big chocolate brown sectional, wood and black metal accent tables with pops of turquoise, lime green and lemony yellow pops of color in pillows, vases, an area rug and artwork. I felt my body deflate a bit realizing there was probably a woman in his life who added the decorative elements.
“I bought everything they had in the model from the designer.” That made perfect sense and I went back to smiling as I explored the kitchen, dining area and the outside space that was coming to life with an in-the-ground spa and landscape lighting. It was a real showplace with varying shades of blue outdoors.
“Do you want to soak in the spa? Release some tension.”
I nodded and stepped out the sliding doors he was opening. Maybe I should’ve asked if my luggage had arrived and searched for a bikini, but I kicked off my shoes and untied the top of my dress and shimmied it down my otherwise naked body. Then I walked forward to the large square spa with a rectangular entrance with steps to submerge my body in what looked more like a mini pool. Completely covered by warm water, I moved through the water to a ledge bench, turned and sat down, resting my arms out along the edge. I hoped he understood what I was offering.
Thank God he didn’t make me feel like a fool. He dropped his own clothes on the ground and joined me. Right in front of me he moved and dropped low enough that his face was level with mine. “I want you… More than you know—”
“I’m yours,” I said, spreading my thighs to allow him to come much closer.