Why is everything so different with her? Every touch, every look, it’s all more amplified. It’s like my body is charged with a current from hers. As we stand here in the pool, her legs wrapped around my waist and my face buried in her neck, I’m worried this is too much, too fast. I need to back up a little and show her that this is more. I want more than for her to be back in my bed. I told Gavin she was it, and I meant it.
There is no one like Logan.
Lifting my head, but keeping my arms locked around her, I capture her gaze. “Tell me about you, Logan. Tell me about your family.”
She seems surprised by my request. I want it all; I want to know everything about her.
“Um, okay. My parents live in Cincinnati with my younger brother, Jase. He just graduated from high school and is going to Ohio State in the fall on a full-ride football scholarship.”
“OSU is a great school, good football program. Your parents must be proud, both of their kids are successful,” I say.
This causes a slight blush to cover her cheeks. “Yeah, they’ve always been really supportive of us. What about you? Siblings?”
“No, just me and my parents. I must have been a hellion and scared them away from having more.” I laugh. This is a long running joke with my dad and me. “They’ve been married for thirty years. Mom had some issues, not sure what, and I was it for them.”
“Yeah, my parents have been married for twenty-five years last month, which was nice. I got to see them right before when they came in for graduation. As you know, Hawaii was my graduation present,” she reminds me.
Her family is only five hours away, but still that could be an issue for her. Her earlier phone call flashes through my mind. “What made you decide to stay in Tennessee?”
“I love it here, and Stacy’s here. She and I have become really close. We’ve been roommates since our freshman year. I applied for jobs at home and here. Mr. Jones just happened to call first.”
I don’t like the sound of that. Like working for me was her only option . . . until now apparently. “You think you’ll ever move back to Ohio?”
She shrugs and averts her gaze over my shoulder. Fuck! “I don’t know. I’ve not really given it too much thought.”
Adjusting my grip, pulling her closer to my chest, I stare into her eyes. “What if there was something here worth staying for?” I ask.
“Anything is possible,” she answers vaguely. “What about you? Born and raised here, right? Why not move to LA or New York?”
“I hate being followed everywhere I go, the hustle and bustle. I love living outside of Nashville, the peace and quiet. I like being able to walk down the street and not be mobbed by paparazzi. I get noticed here, not as much, but the fans here are just different, more down-to-earth. It’s hard to explain.”
“Would you ever consider moving?” she asks.
Would I? “Yes, for the right reasons.” I would, for example, if she had to move back to Ohio to be near her family; I would follow her.
If the guys could hear me now.
“What is this, Kacen? What are we doing?”
There it is, the question I’ve been waiting all day for her to ask me. “I want you, Logan. I want us. You’re all I think about. I can’t fight it anymore. Hell, I don’t want to. I know you work for me, but we can make this happen. I can hire someone else so we can be together, but, honestly, I don’t want to. You kick ass at keeping us in line and there is no rule book that says we cannot be together, even though you also work for me, for the band.” I lay it all out for her.
“What does that mean? You want me?”
I smile. “That, sweetheart, means I want you to be my girl. I want to touch you and kiss you anytime I want. I want you in my bed at night, even if it’s just to sleep. I want there to be an us, you and me. I’m all in.”
Her breath hitches at my admission. I lean in and softly place my lips against hers. “Say you want this. Tell me you feel this connection between us.”
“Kacen, yes, of course I feel it. It’s there pulsing, reminding me every day how my body responds to you, but that doesn’t mean it’s right. I work for you.”
“Don’t care.” I kiss her cheek. “We can do this. We can have it all.” I kiss her other cheek.
“What happens when you decide you’re done with me? What then? I’m left without you and without a job. I can’t do that. I’m sorry.” She removes her legs from around my waist and her hands from around my neck. I don’t stop her. I want to. Fuck, do I want to. I want to grab her and kiss the hell out of her until she admits we can do this. I don’t. It’s too much, too soon. I’ve come to terms with this. She needs time. I’ll be here, waiting for her to catch up. She’s worth the wait.
Logan climbs out of the pool and starts to get dried off. Knowing she needs a little time, I swim a few laps, trying to give my cock time to deflate. Holding her like that has me hard as steel.
I finish my laps and climb out. Logan is sitting on her lounge chair, sunglasses on, reading her Kindle. I run the towel through my hair, but don’t bother with my body. Instead, I lay the towel down on the lounger and opt to let the sun dry me.
We sit in silence for so long I eventually drift off to sleep. I wake up to Logan standing over me, shaking my shoulder, trying to wake me up. “We’ve been out here for a while now, and it looks like rain. Let’s go inside. I’ll make us some lunch.”
Because I would follow her anywhere, I stand, grab her hand and hold tight as we walk back to the house. I thought she would try to pull away, but she doesn’t. I know she’s fighting her feelings, so I will continue to show her she’s what I want.
Instead of letting her make us lunch, I help her. I make us both a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato while Logan cuts up some watermelon. She takes a seat at the island and I slide in next to her. “So it’s supposed to start raining. What do you say we spend the rest of the day watching movies?” I suggest.
Glancing at me, she raises her eyebrow. “What kind of movies?” she asks.
“I’m up for anything, you choose.”
“Really, you’re just going to let me pick? What if I pick a chick flick?” she questions.
“I’ll watch every minute of it. I just want to spend time with you.”
“Kacen—”
“Stop, I heard what you said earlier. I just don’t agree. I think we owe it to ourselves to see where this could go. I know you need time to think about it. I’ll give you all the time you need. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
“So what, you’re just going to hold out for me? Not dating other people?” she asks.
My hand caresses her cheek. “Baby, you’re all I see. There has been no one since you, and there will be no one after.”
“You’re awful confident.”
“Yes. I know how I feel, what I want. I fight for what I want. Waiting is not really my thing, but I can wait for you. I will wait for you to catch up to where I am.”