Chapter Fifteen

 

 

“Jamie lent you his truck?” Taylor said in surprise as Logan walked with her into the underground parking garage the next morning.

“He did. Because he trusts me like a brother.” That’s the way things were in a unit like theirs. Even if he was the new guy. Logan opened the passenger door for her.

She tugged the brim of her ball cap lower over her forehead before climbing into the cab, her hair tucked up into the hat. “He must. According to Charlie, this truck is his baby.”

“I’ll take good care of it.” He’d take good care of her. “An agent is going to tail us just past the city limits to make sure no one’s following us.” Neither of them were carrying anything that could track them, and he and Jamie had swept the truck just to be cautious.

“Good.”

He slid in behind the wheel and cranked the engine. Strains of Back in Black blasted out of the stereo where he’d left his phone connected and he shot out a hand to turn it down.

“AC/DC?” she asked, raising one eyebrow.

“Yep. You like them?”

“They’re okay.”

“Just okay?” He shot her a horrified look. “They’re the best band ever.”

Her lips twitched. “If you say so.”

“I do say so. But if you hate it, I’ll turn on something else. What do you like?”

“No, leave it, it’s fine. I like rock music.”

“Yeah? Huh. Guess we’ve got something in common after all.”

A little smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she faced forward. “So where are we going, anyway?”

“It’s a surprise.” When he’d asked Charlie about this last night, it had surprised him that she’d never invited Taylor home for a visit, given that they were so close. But Charlie had been all for his idea.

“Am I dressed okay? You were kind of vague about what I should wear.”

He eyed her snug black yoga pants and form-fitting athletic jacket. “It’s perfect.” And it didn’t hurt that the outfit showed off the shape of her sexy body perfectly. “I’m looking forward to this.” It had been a long time since he’d had something to look forward to.

“That grin looks a little evil to me. What exactly do you have planned?” she asked, sounding a little worried.

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” He turned onto the street, immediately spotting the plain-clothes DEA agent who would follow them, parked at the curb across the street from the front entrance. Logan nodded at him and the dark sedan pulled out behind them to follow. He didn’t notice anyone else behind it. “We’ve got a long drive until we get there, so kick back and make yourself comfy.”

“Okay.” Her lips tipped up at the corners, her eyes hidden by her sunglasses. The sky was a clear, bright blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds. “I feel like such a rebel right now, skipping work like this.”

“You deserve a break.”

Since she’d gotten the most pressing work done yesterday and because Logan had assured her boss that he’d keep a watchful eye out for Taylor’s safety, Chris had been more than happy to give her the day off. And they were going far enough out of the city that any threats from Dillon and the cartel were minimal. Logan would still be vigilant though. His job for today was making sure Taylor was safe, happy and relaxed.

He headed for the highway, relieved that no one else besides the agent seemed to be following them. At the edge of the city the agent called him to announce their tail was clear, and that he was going back to watch the building. “Roger,” Logan said. “Appreciate it.”

“So tell me about your family,” Taylor said, sinking back in her seat. “I’ve been curious.”

“About what?”

She shrugged. “Your parents, siblings. What they do, what they’re like, whether you’re close or not.”

Wow, she sure knew how to hit on all his sore spots. “My mom and dad are still married. They met in college and now they run a residential construction business.”

“Does your dad do any of the building?”

“He used to, along with me and my brother when we were younger.”

She aimed a thoughtful smile at him. “You used to swing a hammer?”

“I did, on my summer vacations while I was in high school and throughout college.” He shot her a smug look. “It’s why I’m so good with my hands.”

She laughed softly at his not-so-subtle innuendo. “I’ll just bet you are. So you have a brother. Are you guys close?”

“Not as close as some brothers are. I’m four years older, and we’re just really different. We butted heads a lot growing up, and then I went into undercover work and that didn’t exactly bring me any closer to my family. I’m tightest with my mom. Try to call her every couple weeks or so, and I make a point of going home for big holidays if I can. My line of work doesn’t make that easy though. They’ve learned to live their lives without me, for the most part.”

“Oh.”

“I’m not proud of that,” he admitted. But after learning what Taylor had gone through, he appreciated his family a whole hell of a lot more. “I’m going to make an effort to keep in touch more often from now on, though.”

“I’m glad.”

That was it. No pity, no recriminations or admonishments. Just one more thing he liked about her, and the list was adding up fast. His parents would like her, maybe his brother too. If things progressed between them, maybe he’d ask her to go home to Maine with him for a quick visit. His mom would love that.

He and Taylor chatted for a bit longer, then fell into a comfortable silence as he cleared the city limits and headed west toward the mountains. Logan let himself relax, but remained watchful. “Ever been to the Shenandoah Valley?” he asked her a few minutes later.

“No. Is that where we’re going?”

He nodded. “It’s gorgeous. You’ll love it.” The spot he had in mind was quiet, tranquil, and would give them the perfect opportunity to relax and unwind together. He was looking forward to spending time with her, even if the circumstances sucked.

Two hours later they reached the sign welcoming them to Sugar Hollow. He turned onto Main Street, a quaint road lined with old shade trees and Victorian-style shops and B&Bs.

“It’s so cute,” Taylor said, staring out her window.

“Yeah, it is.” Like something from a postcard.

He followed Charlie’s directions and headed west once he was through town. The area turned into farmland almost immediately, with the Blue Ridge Mountains forming a smoky backdrop in the distance. A few miles out of town, he reached the mailbox at the end of the long driveway that read Colebrook.

Taylor leaned forward in her seat, excitement in her voice. “Is this Charlie’s farm?”

“Yes.” And Easton’s. Well, it actually belonged to their father, but all four Colebrook siblings still came home to visit whenever they could, to spend time with their dad.

She looked over at him, the sunglasses still hiding her eyes. “What are we doing here?”

“Just picking up a few things.”

The pale yellow farmhouse stood at the end of the driveway on a slight rise amid a carpet of green lawn. Beyond it, horses grazed in the pastures behind the barn.

Before he’d even put the truck into park in front of the detached garage, the back door to the house opened and Colebrook Senior came out with his cane, and an old basset hound waddling along at his heels.

Logan got out and walked toward him. “Hi.”

“You Granger?”

“Yessir. Logan.” He held out a hand. “Good to meet you.”

Colebrook Senior shook it, his sharp hazel eyes scrutinizing Logan. “So you’re the FNG Easton and Jamie told me about.” His speech was slightly slurred, another side-effect of the stroke he’d suffered.

Oh. “Uh, yes sir.”

Senior slapped him on the side of the shoulder and cracked a crooked grin, one side of his face unmoving. “Just giving you a hard time, son.” He waved toward the garage. “Go on and help yourself to whatever you need. I want to meet your lady.”

She’s not my lady. Yet. But he hoped to change that today.

Taylor was already out of the truck and heading for them.

“And you must be Taylor,” Senior said, his entire demeanor softening as he shuffled toward her, the dog at his side.

Taylor smiled back and took off her sunglasses. “Yes. Hi, Mr. Colebrook.” She shook his hand warmly. “Charlie’s told me so much about you, I feel like I know you already.”

“Gray. Call me Gray, sweetheart. And I feel like I already know you too. Charlie loves you to pieces, and that’s all I need to know about you.” The dog was sniffing at her legs and wagging its tail. “This lazy, fleabitten thing is Sarge.”

“Fleabitten, my butt. Charlie told me how you spoil him.” She knelt down and ruffled the dog’s long, droopy ears. “Hi, Sarge. I’ve heard lots about you too, and your friend Grits.” Taylor’s eyes twinkled as she looked up at Charlie’s old man. “But I think my favorite story of all is the one when you took Jamie into your office for a little ‘chat’ when they were here last, before they moved in together.”

Senior let out a gruff chuckle. “Yeah, that was a good one. Been planning that for a long time, ever since she started dating.”

Taylor pushed to her feet and grinned at him. “Did you really clean your rifle the whole time?”

Logan grinned. Ah, yeah. Classic. Jamie had told the entire team about it a couple weeks back, about how he’d had to face down his girlfriend’s scary-as-fuck former Marine Corps gunny sergeant father, and break the news that he and Charlie were planning to shack up together.

“I did,” Senior said, his voice full of pleasure.

She laughed, and it sounded so carefree it made Logan smile. “It’s just too awesome.”

Senior’s hard mouth quirked and his eyes glinted with pride. “It’s a father’s job to look out for his little girl, and I take that seriously. Jamie still treating her right?”

“Oh, yes. He loves her to death, treats her like a princess. Well, not a princess exactly, since Charlie would hate that, but you know what I mean.”

“Good. You let me know if that ever changes, hmm?”

“I will. But you don’t have to worry. If he ever hurt her, Charlie would be the first one to kick his ass.”

Senior barked out a laugh. “Isn’t that the truth. Means I raised her right, I guess.”

Logan watched the interaction with amazement. Taylor was more relaxed than Logan had ever seen her, and with a man she’d just met.

The twinge of jealousy caught him off guard, but it was there nonetheless. He wanted Taylor to be that at ease with him. He turned around and headed for the garage to grab the equipment, listening to the rest of their conversation going on behind him.

“And what about Logan there? He treating you right?”

“Oh. He is, but we’re just friends.”

More than friends. But not as much as he wanted them to be.

Taylor looked over at him as he carried the tandem sea kayak out of the garage. Her eyes widened. “Wait. We’re going kayaking?”

“Yeah. This thing’s built for two. You’ll love it, trust me. And this way you won’t have to work as hard because I’ll do most of the paddling. Plus it’s wider than a regular kayak, so you don’t have to worry about us tipping over.”

She relaxed visibly at that. “Okay. Good. And heck yeah, you’ll be doing most of the paddling.”

“Ready to go?”

“I guess.” She didn’t sound too sure.

They both said their goodbyes to Senior, who stood there at the top of the drive, waving as they climbed into the truck and drove away.

“He’s exactly as I pictured him,” Taylor said, a thoughtful smile on her face. “Charlie’s told me so much about her family, about all the ways her brothers and dad used to drive her nuts. But she doesn’t realize how lucky she is to have them.”

Logan heard the wistfulness in her voice and reached across the console for her hand. Lacing their fingers together, he squeezed. “Probably not.”

Fifteen minutes later he found the spot Charlie had recommended, a quiet curve in the Shenandoah River, and parked. “This is our stop.” He figured they’d spend a couple hours tops paddling on the river, then drop the kayak back at the Colebrook’s and head into town for lunch before he drove her back to the city.

Taylor put her life jacket on and stood watching uncertainly as he readied the two-man kayak.

Holding the bow steady, he looked up at her, hiding a grin. “You ready to do this?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” She came toward him, her expression dubious.

Logan made sure she was settled in front before handing her a paddle and climbing in behind her. “This is gonna be fun and relaxing, I promise.”

She didn’t answer, just stared straight ahead as he pushed them away from shore. The current pulled them toward the middle of the river. He guided her through the paddling technique.

She caught on fast, and within minutes he could tell she was enjoying herself. They talked a little, but mostly she was quiet, taking in the sights and sounds. There wasn’t a soul around, the only sound the dip and splash of their paddles and the sounds of the birds singing along the banks.

“It’s so peaceful out here,” she said a few minutes later, tipping her head back and taking a deep breath.

Logan could practically feel her unwinding, letting all the stress that had been smothering her melt away, even if it was just temporary.

“It really is.” He sped up his paddling, taking them around a bend in the river. “Hey, I think I see some rapids up ahead. Wanna give ‘em a whirl?”

“What? No!”

He chuckled, enjoying the hell out of teasing her. She turned at the waist to nail him with a mock glare and flicked the tip of her paddle at him, splashing him with cold water.

Grinning, he wiped a hand over his face and beard. “Sure you wanna go there? Because two can play at that game, and I’m a lot bigger than you.”

“Don’t you dare,” she warned, but she was smiling as she turned back around again.

The sun was still high overhead when he turned them around and headed back to where he’d left the truck. “You’re gonna have to work a lot harder now, because we’re going against the current,” he told her, holding his paddle across his lap and watching her struggle to move them forward. “Come on, harder.”

She grunted in frustration and paddled faster. “I’m doing it as hard as I can. My arms are about to fall off.”

Smothering a chuckle, he finally dipped his paddle in the water and helped her. By the time they reached shore where the truck was parked she was breathing hard and a fine sheen of sweat covered her face. “Whew, made it!” she said triumphantly.

“Yeah, look at that.” He jumped out and dragged the kayak onto the shore, then gripped the side of it and leaned over her to take her sunglasses off.

She peered up at him with those big hazel eyes, and blinked. “You can’t seriously be thinking about kissing me right now. I’m all sweaty and gross.”

God, she was so adorable. And clueless about how guys thought. “Sweetheart, you’re the furthest thing from gross, trust me,” he murmured.

Her expression softened, and he couldn’t help but lean down to cover her lips with his. One of her hands crept up to wrap around the back of his neck and she opened for him.

No, she melted for him.

Let her body sink into his as their tongues danced, her muscles pliant and a hum of pleasure coming from her throat. Her hands slid over his shoulders and chest, and the way she explored him sent all the blood rushing to his groin.

He went hard as a rock in his shorts, every nerve ending pulsing with the need to take, to claim. The throaty moan she gave when he cupped her breast in his hand and rubbed his thumb across the hard point of her nipple pressing against her shirt damn near made him shudder. He was dying to peel those form-fitting clothes off her so he could touch and taste every inch of her. Make her his in the most elemental way possible.

But not out here in the open. When he finally got her naked, it would be somewhere private where she could relax, so he could take his time learning every part of her, what she enjoyed the most before he slid inside her and gave her all the pleasure he could. God, she tested his control so effortlessly.

With difficulty, he pulled away, still cradling her head in his hands. Her eyes were half-closed, her expression dreamy and hungry at the same time.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” she murmured, stroking her fingers over his nape in a way that made pleasurable shivers race across his skin. God, he wanted her.

“You’re welcome.” Planting one last lingering kiss on her soft lips because he couldn’t help himself, he pushed to his feet, wincing as his sore knee protested.

“Are we going back now?” she asked, holding his hand as she stepped out of the kayak. She didn’t sound excited about it, and he couldn’t blame her. But they still had time to keep reality at bay a little longer.

“Not yet.” After they dropped the kayak off, they had one more stop to make in town before heading back to the city.