Several days and a fair number of driving lessons from Logan later, Sky parked in front of his house. Arnie came scrambling to greet her. “Hi, sweetie. What are you doing out here, rabbit hunting?” Arnie barked, wiggling his tail as she petted him. “Where’s Logan?” The dog broke into a run toward the greenhouse, stopping to bark at her when he realized she wasn’t following fast enough. Sky laughed. “Coming. Coming.”

She paused in the doorway and took a sniff. Logan had given her a small tube of the cream he used, but she didn’t reach for it. The air didn’t smell foul. It was musky and earthy. Mushroomy. They must have been short on diaper deliveries today.

Arnie was running circles around Logan, whose back was to her. She waved hello to the interns at the lab bench. Logan was wearing earbuds and cutting mushrooms from the plastic bags, throwing them into a container nearby.

She’d planned to observe him, but as if he’d sensed her, he turned around, offering a bright smile that gave her goose bumps. Man, what the guy could do without even touching her.

He kissed her, long and sweet. “You home already?”

She nodded. Home. That sounded so nice. “What are you doing?”

“Harvesting. You want to try?” he offered, handing her a knife.

“Why are there different mushrooms?” she asked, glancing at the tables.

“We started with Pleurotus ostreatus, the oyster mushroom, but we’re experimenting with more appealing varieties.”

She took the knife. “More appealing to humans, you mean?” Because as far as she was concerned, the dirty diaper part of the equation ruined any possible appeal.

“Seriously, what do you think they use as fertilizer for grocery-store mushrooms?”

“I prefer not to know.”

“I rest my case. We’re also looking into species of fungi considered biological control agents, as an alternative to chemical-based products for crop disease management.”

She didn’t understand half of what he’d said, but she nodded and began cutting mushrooms. “This is relaxing. Like trimming bonsai trees. Very Zen.”

Logan laughed, grabbing a pair of scissors and going to town on another batch.

“What do you do with what’s left?” she asked when she was done with the mushrooms on her bag.

He gestured to the lab. “We treat the residue. We’ve managed to transform the nonbiodegradable ingredients into a compound that helps the substrate—” He seemed to realize this was a nonstarter, because he smiled. “Long story short, we do a bit of agricultural engineering. Then we ship out the results.”

No wonder the constant stream of trucks. She straightened her back. “You need a stool in here. Or a couple.”

“Let’s call it a day.” Logan grabbed her hand, walking them out of the greenhouse and into the backyard.

“Where are we going?”

“It’s great weather for the hammock.”

“We have one of those?”

“Yep.” Sure enough, there was a hammock strung between two trees near the bunkhouse. He lay on it and patted the spot by his side. “Jump in.”

She chucked off her stilettos and lay on top of him. He didn’t complain. On the contrary—he encircled her in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

Arnie could be heard whimpering below them. “Okay, you too,” Logan said grudgingly. Right away, a huge weight swung the hammock. Arnie lay down beside them. “You comfy?”

Arnie barked.

“I didn’t mean you, Cerberus.”

“I’m comfy too,” Sky answered, laughing. She had with her the two most important males in her life. She was in heaven.

Living with Logan felt so good. So… natural.

She lay there, listening to his heart. Such a strong, steady beat. It grounded her. She loved it.

“How did your day go?” he asked after a while.

Sky took a deep breath. “Very busy.”

“Everything okay with the classes?”

“The classes are great.” She was all but finished putting together her teaching portfolio. “It’s the crazy preppers,” she muttered against his chest.

“I told you the quid pro quo list would grow exponentially.”

Yes, he’d warned her, but she’d thought he was exaggerating. Not so much. She’d gone to Duluth with Emily, Monroe’s wife, to supervise a new wardrobe. It had been such a success, two of her friends had already asked when Sky was going back.

“What about Agatha’s gift? Did Emily like it?”

That had been her second mistake. Emily wanted to give her niece Agatha a pair of shoes. Sky had told her bling was in, but they hadn’t been able to find anything cool within budget. So they bought plain stilettos, and Sky had customized them to look like one of Gaultier’s designs from New York Fashion Week in February, with crystals on the heel.

“Too much,” she confessed. “I’ve got three more pairs to do.”

Logan laughed. “Told you so.”

“And that’s not all. Apparently, on May first, they open the summer season at the Wet Ducks, by the lake. Monroe told the owner I was helping with Agatha’s party, so they figured I could help with the summer opener too.”

“Okay, so in exchange for the use of a car full of bullet holes for a few weeks, you have to be the town’s personal shopper. Glue crystals on four pairs of stilettos. Organize two parties. And assist in God knows how many auctions. So far.”

“Basically. Oh, and Astrid from the raining restaurant has asked for help planting aloe vera, Adam has asked me to pick up some old bread from Paris and deliver it to him, and a couple of ladies from the pandemic squad asked for cloud soap.” All on Monroe’s tab, they claimed with innocent smiles.

“Cloud soap?” Logan asked, sounding baffled.

“You noticed that thing in our bathroom, on the sink?”

“That’s soap? I thought it was some kind of figurine.”

Sky looked at him skeptically. “And how did you explain the fact that it’s shrinking?”

“Actually, I was hoping it was a mirage and I wasn’t going nuts.”

She rolled her eyes. Men. “You place a bar of Ivory soap in the microwave for ninety seconds and voilà, fancy cloud soap.”

“How do the ladies of the pandemic squad know about cloud soap?”

Sky sighed. “I prepared a small vanity kit for Agatha with piña colada lip balm, cloud soap, glitter mascara, and other stuff. I guess Emily showed the kit around, because I have five soap bars in the trunk of the car that the ladies of the pandemic squad have given me to transform into clouds.” And several requests for vanity kits.

“Do you want me to speak with them? I can ask them to back off.”

The way he looked at her, as if she were the most precious thing on earth, had her heartbeat trip-hammering and the butterflies in her belly careening. She caressed his face and kissed him. “Nah, I can handle them.” Besides, she kind of liked this. Walking down Main Street, knowing everyone and everyone knowing her. It was helping with her spring blues. The townspeople were very nosy and intrusive, which surprised her, because she’d always thought that preppers were crazy loners. Not these preppers. Even if Logan hadn’t taken it upon himself to kick Sky into gear every morning, it would have been impossible to stay under the sheets, sleeping her life away, because people started coming by at the crack of dawn, bringing diapers and asking for stuff. And God forbid Carol or any other Doris Day of Doom saw her in bed. The whole pandemic squad would have leaped into action in minutes, running tests on her and cordoning off the house.

“You done working for today, Alchemist?”

“Yep. Why?”

“Just wondering what the plan is for the evening. What do you feel like doing?”

“Whatever you want,” he said, never breaking eye contact. “Sky’s the limit.”

“Really? Sky’s the limit?” At his nod, she kissed him softly on the lips. “Let’s get you an ear piercing. Ever heard of gauging? It’s stretching the hole in the earlobe to fit a round plug. It’s the classical hipster earring.”

His glower was priceless. “Scratch what I said, Butterfly. A stretchable hole in my earlobe is the limit.”

She burst into giggles while he hugged her tighter. “Spoilsport. By the way, do they normally organize a kickoff for the summer season at the lake?”

“Not really. Bastian from the Wet Ducks opens his bar, they put up a couple decorations and some lights, someone turns on the radio, and that’s about it. Summer season inaugurated.”

That would account for the meager budget.

Then it came to her. “You know what? I’m going to kill two birds with one stone. We’ll celebrate both parties at the same time, Agatha’s birthday and the season opener.” Two meager budgets would go a long way for one event. “I’m going to get everyone to pitch in using the quid pro quo thingy.”

“Cloud soap and lip balm in exchange for labor and streamers?”

“You betcha.”

* * *

Logan blinked twice to ensure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. If he hadn’t known better, he would have said there was some sort of mega drill going on at the pier.

Sky had mistaken her vocation as a retail buyer. She should have been a party planner.

The whole place was illuminated, streamers and balloons all over. The same went for the Wet Ducks, its outdoor seating decorated with flowers and candles. There was even a stage with a band playing on it.

Was that the Enrique Iglesias wannabe singing? Yep. Logan’s interns were there too. Dancing and eating cake.

He made it to the counter, where Bastian was serving beers. “You sure it will hold?” Logan asked, tapping on the wooden floor. The Wet Ducks had been built beside the shaky pier a long time ago, the ancient boards serving as an outdoor bar, restaurant, and dance floor for as long as the locals could remember. And Logan had never seen the bar so full.

“I hope so,” Bastian said, chuckling. “Your woman is crack. I’m hiring her. One season with her in charge and I can retire forever. I think there’s people here from outside the county.”

That would explain the crowd. Logan glanced around and spotted her right away. He could find her anywhere, as if he had a beacon trained on her. That bright red hair. That classy dress. That beast standing by her side.

She was talking with a couple of ladies from the pandemic squad. Jesus Christ, she was so damn beautiful. Brazilian ass or no Brazilian ass, makeup or no makeup, it didn’t matter a lick. Fresh out of bed, her hair a mess, she could smile at him and knock him out.

“You should’ve been here a couple hours ago,” Bastian said, following Logan’s gaze. “A woman like that, alone, in a place full of testosterone and booze? She’s been turning down guys all evening.”

He bet. Half the men present were prowling around her. Salivating.

“That dog has kept them at bay. You probably can’t hear his growls over the music, but all it takes is one look at him and guys stand clear.”

Good boy.

At that moment Sky turned around and noticed Logan. Offering him one of those smiles that clenched his heart like a fist and made his cock so hard he could barely think, she walked toward him, hips swaying, hair cascading over her shoulders, bouncing with every step. Cerberus trailed after her.

Logan reached for her and kissed her, long and sweet. “You’re late,” she whispered, hugging him.

“Sorry.” Logan had had to drive to Paris for work, so he’d agreed with Sky he would meet her at the party. “How did you get this place looking like this?”

She wiggled her eyebrows. “Quid pro quo, my friend.”

“You look gorgeous, Butterfly.”

She rolled her eyes. “That would mean so much more if the other guests hadn’t shown up in flip-flops and shorts. You want cake? I saved you a piece. Come on. It’s on the table where Megan and Alec are sitting.”

“What made you think this bunch would enjoy reggaetón?” he asked as they navigated through the dancing crowd.

“Agatha is twenty-one and from LA. It was an educated guess. Well, that and the fact that she left her MP3 player in Emily’s car, and I snooped around when we went to buy her present. Besides, Elias and his band play covers too. So far it’s been a very interesting potpourri. Everyone is loving it.”

Sure they were loving it. Too much. Even with Logan behind her, several guys stopped to talk to Sky.

“Finally,” Megan said when they reached the table. “Where were you?”

“I had some things to arrange before our trip,” Logan replied.

“That’s right. Next weekend you’ll be in New York. Excited?” Megan asked Sky.

Sky nodded, her smile so big it must be hurting her face. “Can’t wait to show him where I worked, and my neighborhood. He’s never been in Brooklyn.”

Megan glanced at him. He was probably wincing, because she laughed. “My brother doesn’t like crowds.”

Sky pursed her lips. “That’s why you seem angry?”

“I think his shitty mood has more to do with all the guys trying to flirt with you,” Megan offered.

“You both know I’m here, right?” He turned to Alec. “You see me?” Alec chuckled, but the girls kept ignoring him.

“You’re exaggerating, Meg,” Sky said, sitting on Logan’s lap. “They ask me for stuff because they know I organized this. Plenty of women have been talking to me too.”

The town had taken Sky in stride, and it looked like Sky was very much at ease there too. Long gone was her time of quarantine, although the nickname Patient Zero had stuck.

“What are you going to do with Arnie when you go to the award gala next week?” Megan asked, gesturing toward the dog standing guard by Sky’s side. “Who’s taking care of him?”

“We were thinking you could,” Logan answered.

Sky glanced at her beloved dog. “The hotel is pet friendly, but he hates flying, and I don’t want to leave him alone while we’re at the dinner.”

As if understanding what they were talking about, Arnie lay on the floor, huffing.

“Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of him.” Megan moved to touch him, but Arnie alerted, growling, and she stopped. “Alec, tap his head.”

“Right,” he grunted.

“Don’t be afraid. He’s a sweetie.” Sky reached for the growling beast with both hands, kissed his muzzle, and pulled at his ears. “Aren’t you, baby? You’re a sweetie. Yes, a sweetie.”

Wiggling the stump he had for tail, Arnie stood and jumped on top of her. That is, on top of Logan too.

“Cerberus thinks he’s a Chihuahua,” he muttered, trying to accommodate the uninvited guest. Sky didn’t complain, just laughed and hugged her dog.

Logan was thrilled Sky was doing better. It had been a few weeks since she moved in with him, and even though he still had to drag her out of bed every day, she wasn’t so down anymore. Hopefully the worst of the spring blues was over.

Shayna and her friends came to fetch Sky. “Stay,” she ordered Arnie. Logan could have sworn the pooch was pouting, but Arnie grudgingly obeyed, his front paws still on Logan’s lap.

“I remember how much you hated it when Vivienne carried Fu-Fu around and kept him on her lap,” Megan said, a knowing look on her face.

“That dog was an ass. And his name was Coco.”

“Coco, Fu-Fu, whatever. I don’t think the problem was the dog.”

No, he didn’t think so either.

“Not too thrilled about going to New York, are you? Is it the gala?”

He sighed. “Among other things.”

“Are you afraid Sky’s going to remember all that she’s left behind and refuse to come back here?”

The thought had crossed his mind, but he wasn’t ready to contemplate it. “I’m not going to hold back anyone who doesn’t want to be here.” Never mind how much he wanted to. And he wanted her to stay so fucking badly. He wasn’t ready to verbalize that either. Just thinking about it made his gut churn, because he knew he was setting himself up to fail. He was falling in love with someone who, in a couple more weeks, would return to a life far away from him.

“You could always ask her to stay,” Megan suggested.

“What’s with everyone giving me the same advice? You, Ty…” Even Carol had smiled at him the other morning and told him to hold on to this one for dear life.

“Maybe because we all care about you and want you to be happy? Haven’t seen you this happy since… Not sure when, actually.”

“Megan,” Shayna called from the crowd. “Come dance.”

Thank God.

“This conversation is not finished; it’s just postponed,” his sister warned. Then she kissed Alec and went out on the dance floor.

Logan glanced at his future brother-in-law. “You gonna lecture me too?”

“Nope.”

That piqued his curiosity. “Why not?”

“I don’t have to tell you they’re right. You already know it.”

“Do I?”

“Yep. You have that look on your face. A mixture of love, dread, and resignation. You’re toast, man. It’s just a matter of how stubbornly male you’re going to be about it.”

Jeez, he almost preferred being grilled by Megan. Alec was too insightful.

“I don’t know if I ever thanked you for what you’ve done for my sister. Thank you. Megan is very lucky to have you.”

The music changed to a slow song, and Alec stood up. “Nothing to thank me for. I’m the lucky one.” He clapped Logan on the back and went to Megan.

Some other guy from the band was singing, because Enrique Iglesias had come down from the stage and was heading toward Sky with two cold beers in his hands. Logan watched as Sky refused the drink, then eventually caved in with a smile. By the looks of it, she was congratulating the kid.

Sky was the kind of woman who could work anyone without the poor devil realizing he was being played. He’d seen Vivienne do something similar, climb the social ladder so gracefully that no one fathomed she was manipulating them to get her way. The light touches. The insincere flattery. The fake interest. That wasn’t Sky, though. Her body language was genuine. There was no manipulation. He loved that about her. He actually loved everything about her.

“Let’s go get our girl?” Logan asked Arnie, who barked in assent.

He embraced Sky from behind, kissing her on her neck. “Yo, papi, you mind if I take her to dance?”

Whatever Elias was going to say, he couldn’t, because Arnie slipped in front of Sky and growled at him.

“Uh, sure,” the faux Iglesias said. “I need to get back to the band.”

“The birthday girl wants to talk to you!” Sky called after him as Logan pulled at her. Then she whispered into Logan’s ear, “Papi?”

“Forgot his name.”

“Right. You and Arnie are turning out to be quite an unbeatable team.”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” he said, taking her in his arms. “What did you promise him in exchange for this gig?”

“Are you jealous?”

“Me, jealous? Of course not. But if he tries to dance with you, I will rip his head off.”

Her laughter was throaty and so damn sexy. “You are jealous.”

“Yes. Very.” A first for him. In all his years married, through all the fancy parties he’d attended with Vivienne, he’d never felt like stashing her away so no one else could touch her. Now? Now he was ready to face off with a punk kid for so much as looking at Sky.

“You have nothing to worry about. I’m extremely satisfied with you. Not searching for your replacement—at the moment.”

“At the moment?” He laughed. “Good to know. I’ll start stocking up on Viagra for when my faculties diminish.”

She rolled her eyes, hugging him tight. “What do you say we sleep late tomorrow?”

“No sleeping late for you. You want to stay in bed, it will be with me deep inside you. No sleeping, I guarantee.”

“That’s no deterrent.”

“Good. Afterward we could head for Mrs. Rantala’s. Pick up the last of your things.” She hadn’t spent a single night there since he insisted she stay with him, but she’d kept the unit.

“I’d rather not. I like having my own place. Just in case.”

He hated that “just in case.” Just in case of what? She got tired of him?

They danced for several songs until there was a pause in the music. “Attention, everyone.” It was Bastian, the owner of Wet Ducks. “It’s midnight. May first has arrived. The summer season is officially inaugurated.”

As happened every year, people yeehawed and started jumping into the lake.

Gaping, Sky watched. “What’s—”

“Tradition, babe.” Before Sky could react, he lifted her and heaved them both into the lake. After them jumped Cerberus, clearly confused but willing.

Sky resurfaced, sputtering. “Freezing!”

He laughed, shaking water off his head. “It’s Minnesota. Warm enough.”

She splashed him, but when he reached for her, she went to him of her own volition, wrapping herself around him. “You failed to mention this tradition.”

Smirking, he kissed her. “Oops.”

“Now I understand why everyone from town showed up in flip-flops,” she muttered. “You should have warned me.”

And pass on seeing her looking like million bucks? No thank you. “You angry because your outfit got ruined?”

“It’s nothing a dry cleaner can’t repair.” Then she whispered in his ear, “And thank God for the Brazilian ass. It’s keeping me afloat.”

* * *

Minnesotans might think summer had kicked in, but from the way Sky was trembling, she obviously disagreed. After wrapping her in a towel, Logan drove her home.

Once in the bedroom, he got rid of his damp clothes and watched as she fought to get out of her wet dress. He approached and nuzzled her neck. “Need some help?”

She looked at him and lowered her gaze to the hard-on poking at her. “I know where your help leads to, Alchemist.”

He undressed her, taking his time. Stroking her. Relishing her soft moans and the way she reacted to his touch, her body slowly coming to life and vibrating with desire. When he had her completely naked, he gathered her close and kissed her, exploring every inch of her mouth, pouring into his caresses all that he didn’t dare convey in words. How precious she was to him. How much he loved her. How fucking scared he was.

“You okay?” she whispered as he released her, obviously catching the tension.

He nodded and summoned up a smile. He had to tone his feelings down, bring them back to terrain he could navigate before he lost it and end up a babbling mess on the floor. “Turn around, Butterfly. I want to fuck you against this table from behind.”

“That might not work for me. I can’t touch you or see you.” She grabbed his cock. Squeezed. “I like touching you.”

“I’ll make it work for you, I swear.” He moved them a bit to the right and motioned to a big mirror. “And you’ll be able to see me.”

She stared at their images, her eyes getting bigger. She liked the idea. She turned her back to him and lifted one knee on the table.

Jesus fucking Christ, the view. He went to his knees and licked her quivering pussy.

“Oh God.” She flung her head back, bowing her spine, granting him better access.

He would have loved to make her come in his mouth, but there was no way in hell he could pull that off without spilling himself. When she was wet enough to take him, he stood and slid in in one long thrust. Then stopped.

She lifted her head. “Logan?”

“Fuck yourself against my cock,” he growled, breathing through his need while her pussy flexed around him.

“You’re power-tripping.”

“I am. And you like it too.”

She looked mischievously at him in the mirror and obliged him.

He did his best to remain still and let her lead, but she felt so damn good wrapped around his cock, changing the rhythm, that soon he was out of his mind. And so was she.

“Need more,” she whimpered, rocking against him, her sweet tits bouncing while she tried to get him deeper

He grabbed her hips and began pounding into her, working her pussy ruthlessly, watching, mesmerized, as his cock impaled her and then slid out, all wet and shiny from her juices. Again and again.

Fuck. He needed her to see. Holding her firmly against him so as not to dislodge her, he sat on a chair facing the mirror.

“Logan, what—”

“I want you to watch as you take my cock.”

“More power-tripping?” she asked, her lips pursed. Nevertheless, she braced her feet along the slats that connected the chair legs and sinuously lifted and then lowered her body.

“Watch, babe,” he ordered, gripping her waist for support. “Look at how well we fit. How your pussy parts for me and sucks me in to the hilt. So hot.”

She shuddered, tightening around him.

“Don’t come yet,” he said, staring at the gorgeous woman riding him—how she moaned and trembled, her sweet nails digging into his thighs. “Fuck my cock slowly. Enjoy me.”

She rested her head on the crook of his neck, her breathing ragged. “My body is on fire, Logan. I don’t think I can slow down. Especially if I watch us.”

“Yes, you can,” he whispered, trailing kisses along her throat. “Look into the mirror. Tell me what you see.”

She straightened. “My nipples are swollen and aching. My pussy too. It’s red and puffy from making love. I can feel every inch of you, even the engorged veins running along your cock. You throb inside me.” She slowly pulled up, his glistening dick appearing between her stretched folds until only his crown was wedged in her. “Amazing that you can fit inside of me.” Just as slowly, she lowered herself onto his cock, her pussy lips clinging to him, so wet and tight, until she’d swallowed all of him. Then she squeezed her inner muscles. Hard. “I can feel your cock pulsing. You need to come. Watch my clit. It’s pulsing too. Touch it.”

She’d turned this on him. Now he was the one out of his mind.

He couldn’t deny her anything. He reached for her clit and rubbed it in circles as she increased the tempo of her thrusts, his gaze locked with hers in the mirror. Fuck, too much. He wasn’t going to be able to hold out.

Luckily, he wasn’t on that boat alone. Sky tensed and, arching her back, started coming, her pussy spasming around him, taking him with her on the spot.

“Love how you fuck me,” she whispered, staring into the mirror after they regained their breaths. “Absolutely love it.”

Unable to withstand her scrutiny, he closed his eyes. He leaned his forehead against her shoulder, tightening his embrace. He could play games all he wanted, but at the end of the day, she was the one with all the power. The one fucking his heart into mush.