Chapter 23

Logan

After the shit with Paige and bringing her to the hospital for suicide watch, I went back home with Lincoln and needed to chill. We were about to watch the fight when his phone went off. Eden asked him to come get them since they were both drunk.

I gently set her down on her bed, and before I can leave, she sits up on her bed and pulls the covers over her body.

“So I guess you’re back with Paige.”

The question stops me from moving. From breathing. I slowly turn and sit down on the edge of her bed. “I’m not with Paige. There’s nothing between us.”

“Oh.”

“Why would you ask that?”

“Because,” she sighs. “You weren’t thinking about sex with me tonight.”

“You’re right.” I pause and wait for her to say something or tell me to leave, but she doesn’t so I lean in closer so she can clearly hear me. “I don’t like to fuck when my girl’s drunk. I need her to remember me. Feel me. Beg me for more.”

“Your girl?”

I nod. “My girl.”

She throws her arm over my body and holds me tight. “Logan,” she murmurs, “please stay with me.”

I look down at the beautiful woman holding me tight, asking me to stay, and I don’t want to leave her again. I want to be here. I want to stay and cradle her in my arms all night. I don't want to disappear before she wakes up. I want that with her.

With Hannah.

She’s holding onto me as if I’m the only person that matters to her. It feels good being wanted and needed. It hits me, the reason why we keep finding ourselves together, the reason why she continues to be there for me, I need her the way she needs me.

“I need to change.”

I watch her get up from her bed and walk toward her dresser. She grabs clothes and leaves her bedroom only to come back after a few minutes. I’m looking at her as she climbs back into bed. Her hair’s tied in a bun, she’s makeup free, and wearing a long tee that hits her knees.

“You don’t have to sleep in your clothes,” she tells me.

I move off her bed and strip out into my boxers. Her eyes are on me, staring, and taking me in. When I get back onto her bed, under the covers, we’re facing one another and I notice the light freckles on her cheeks and nose. The softness of her features as the moonlight shimmers in her room, dancing around her face, fuck, it’s beyond beautiful. Her blonde hair is soft to the touch. I twirl strands in between my fingers and listen to her breathe in and out. It’s the most peaceful sound I hear. Before I’m able to close my eyes and find sleep, I hear her whisper my name. She moves closer to me and rests her head on my chest.

“Logan, don’t leave, okay?”

“I won’t leave you,” I quickly answer her.

“Okay, good.”

“Sleep, beautiful.”

Soon, I hear soft snores and I smile. For the first time in a while I’m able to peacefully close my eyes and fall into a deep sleep.

Morning comes and I’m still in bed with her. Lincoln came to check on us and said Eden’s still sleeping, so he’s out getting breakfast for us. I let my father know we’ll be late getting into the office today. I’m not sure if Hannah will make it in. Since she’s my assistant now since he’s in California, we’ll most likely work from home and not worry about going into the office.

“Logan.” I hear her calling for me, and it brings me out of my thoughts.

“I’m right here.”

“Can we figure this out between us?”

Her question hits me in the gut and I realize I owe it to her. We should talk about what’s going on between us since neither can deny the pull and the connection.

“Whatever you want this to be.”

“I want us to be friends and then see where it goes.”

“What if I told you I realized I don’t wanna be your friend?”

Hannah slowly gets up and rubs her eyes, then, from the horrified look on her face at the smears on her fingers, she realizes she’s wiping off her makeup. “Hold that thought.”

She rushes out of bed and leaves the room to go to the bathroom, I’m assuming. I look around her room and notice everything’s clean and in its place. There are pictures all over the walls of her family and friends. She’s happy in every picture.

The bedroom door closes and I turn to see that Hannah’s now wearing cotton shorts and a loose shirt. I watch her climb back into bed and go under the covers, her knees pressed against her chest as she watches me walk back to her bed and sit down.

“So you don’t wanna be friends now?”

“I want more. With you.”

“You keep going back and forth. I don’t know what you want anymore. That’s why I think we should be friends and then see where it takes us.” She moves closer to me and brushes her fingers down my cheek. “You’re beautifully broken.”

“I am.”

“Don’t shut yourself out from the world. The Logan I met at the bar, that’s the Logan I want to see more of.”

“I’m a work in progress.” When those words leave my lips, her fingers are back on my face, tracing imaginary lines from my temple down to my lips. “What are you doing?” I barely let out.

“Memorizing your beautifully broken face so I can keep it with me.”

“You should stop touching me,” I carefully say, keeping my eyes on hers. “The broken pieces will cut you.”

“Maybe I want someone with jagged edges who isn’t perfect.” She presses her fingers to my lips and moves her body so she’s resting on her legs and leaning toward me. “I’m kinda digging the brooding look, anyways.”

My lip twitches at her touch. I’m stuck. The perfect words for her are trapped in my throat. There’s a blockage, a thick lump preventing me from talking.

“I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Her eyes go wide. My doe green eyed, beautiful Hannah freezes from my confession. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or not. Am I being too honest? Is this too much for her?

I look at her. For a moment, while sitting on her bed in her room, we’re trapped in the sights of one another. Neither of us moves. Neither of us looks away. She sucks in her bottom lip beneath her teeth and bites down. Fuck, I want to do that to her. I want to taste her and explore her body with my hands and mouth.

“That’s good to know because I think about you all the time, wishing you’ll cherish my body again.”

“Is that what you want?”

She moans and brings her lips to mine, pressing ever so gently, and moving back to look at me. “It is. Tell me what you think about when I cross your mind.”

“When you look at me, you’re not afraid. I push you away and you push back. I make fucked up decisions. I’m cold and selfish, but you…” I pause and lift my fingers to pull her lip from under her teeth. I trace my fingers along her bottom lip and watch as her chest rises and falls. “You’re whole. You’re the light to the darkness I have in my heart. Maybe I need you more than I’m letting on. Maybe I want you to push your lightness onto me and open my shattered heart.”

She purses her lips and rubs her palms against the top of her thighs. “Can you tell me more about Shannon and Paige?”

“Little by little,” I tell her. “I’ll slowly open and let you know. Will you be okay with that?”

“Yes. Of course. I told you whatever you need I’m here for you.”

“It’s not easy for me to open up. I have layers of walls that have been up for a while.

“I’m a fighter.” She winks.

She stares at me, her eyes full of determination, telling me she’s not going anywhere and she’s not giving up. I suddenly feel naked beneath her gaze and I shift a little, moving my eyes from hers, and down her body, where I notice our hands are entangled.

Luckily my phone beeps and I quickly grab it to see it’s an email notification from my father letting me know there’s an important phone conference in an hour.

“Come on.” I show her my phone so she can read the email. “Let’s work at my place today.”

“Okay, boss man. You lead the way.”