Chloe
“So what have you got in store for us today? Just a run?” I asked Logan as I walked up the path, praying that I looked and sounded normal when I felt like everything I did screamed I want you.
He was outside the house, stretching on the lawn. I bet the female neighbours had their blinds pulled back. He looked so painfully perfect I wanted to slap myself or gouge my eyes out.
Since he came into the pub yesterday I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him, not that I’d thought of much else recently, and I knew that I had to ignore what I was feeling so we could have our friendship back the way it was.
Looking up, he smiled. My heart beat that little bit faster.
Not good.
“Hey, Chlo. Run, push ups, run.”
The first and last sounded okay. Push ups I hated, but Logan was the personal trainer so I trusted that he knew what he was doing.
“Don’t make that face, I won’t get you to do many,” he said, smiling.
“Our definitions of not many differ greatly, Logan.”
With a devilish smile, he replied, “You’re right, you’re going to hate me after today. Bingo wings’ll be gone, though.”
My mouth hit the floor. Did I have flabby arms?
Unable to keep a straight face any longer, he laughed and shook his head. “I’m kidding! There is no excess fat on you anywhere, sweetheart.”
“I’m still going to kill you.”
Rolling his eyes, he nodded to the front door. “Cass made me promise to send you in before we left, she said she wants to say hi but I’m assuming that’s girl code for I need to talk to you but don’t want the ones with penises to know.”
“Nicely put,” I muttered as I walked past him.
Of course, he couldn’t have waited until I was inside to start stretching, he raised his arms up over his head. His t-shirt lifted and I caught a glimpse of the toned muscle of the top of his arse and over the hips. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay behind him and not run round the front for a look at that V.
Lord, help me!
It took literally every ounce of self-control to get myself inside the house but I managed it.
“Cass,” I called.
“Kitchen!”
She was sitting at the table with her hands around a mug of tea. I sat opposite her. “What’s up?”
An envelope was pushed towards me. This didn’t look good. She didn’t look at me as I opened it. Divorce papers. “I’m sorry, Cass.”
“I knew it was coming so I don’t know why I feel like this.”
“It’s the legal end of your marriage, you’re allowed to feel however you feel.” I shoved the papers back in and put it down. “This isn’t just the end of one chapter in your life, Cass, it’s the start of another. This new chapter will be better.”
She sighed. “Well, it couldn’t get much worse.”
“Stop it. Cassie, you’re only twenty-five, you’re still a baby. Rick is the biggest idiot on the planet but that’s over. You have a chance to start again and build a new life. You’re not past it just yet. When you’re ready we’ll have a night out and celebrate your single status.”
“Okay, and get me good and laid!”
“Oh God!” Logan groaned in disgust behind me. “I was checking if your arse is ready yet but I’ll give you two a couple more minutes while I go shove my head in the oven.”
Cassie laughed. “A little dramatic, Logan. You’re on though, Chloe. I could do with a night out and a man in.”
Groaning louder, Logan swivelled around and left the room, throwing his hands up in the air and letting out a string of swear words.
“Now we know what we have to do to get rid of him,” I said, standing up. “I’ve gotta go run a lot but I’ll talk to you later, okay.”
“Thank you,” she replied, pushing the mug away.
“Anytime,” I called over my shoulder as I went in search of the grossed out one. “You ready?” I asked, finding him leaning against his car, shuddering.
“I need warnings for shit like that,” he said, waving his hand in the direction of the kitchen where I’d left Cass.
“Hey, we thought you were outside. That’s what you get for walking in on a private conversation.”
“Very private in the middle of the kitchen. I don’t wanna think about my sister sleeping with some random guy she met in a bar.”
“Then don’t think about it. Which route? Left or right?”
“Right,” he replied. “I’m coming when you go out.”
“Sorry. It’ll be a girls’ night.”
We started off on a light jog. “You two are out to score and fuck knows what sleazy fuckers are around.” Could he fit anymore swears into that sentence?
“We’ll be careful.”
“Chloe, how many times have you and my sister been out on the pull?”
I didn’t want to answer because we both knew that was a big fat zero. “We’re adults, Logan.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
I glared at him as we turned the corner, picking up the pace. “Fine. None.”
“Exactly. If she goes home with someone how do you know he’s not a murderer? How do you get home?”
“Well, she’ll just have to do him in the bathroom then.” He flinched, turning his nose up. “Lighten up. She’s older than you for Christ sake!”
“I don’t want to know anything.”
“Do you think she wanted to see and hear the women that passed through your revolving door?”
He stopped and frowned, eyes darkening. Shit.
I cringed. I hadn’t meant to say that and make him feel worse, I knew he regretted the way he was after Jace died. “Logan, I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be. You’re right. I literally have no idea how many women I’ve slept with, not even ballpark. I’d barely remember them if I bumped into them in the street I was so wasted.” He’d probably bumped into many of them. “Almost two and a half years of my life is a blur of alcohol. That’s it. That’s all I have to show for that time – one long hangover.”
“I know.” Ugh, why did I have to bring it up?
Gulping, he ran his hands over his face. “I’d give anything to go back and change those first couple years.”
“Yeah, me too.” I was worse than pathetic, barely leaving the house or taking care of myself.
“We’re a bundle of fun today,” he said.
“No more past talk.” I held my hand out and he laughed, gripping it in his own. I thought he’d shake but he yanked me to his chest and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.
With my chest pressed firmly against his, my heart rate trebled. I hugged him back, feeling his taught, muscular back. This was a bad, bad position. Not only was there no space between us but I suddenly realised how well he fit around me, how well I fit tucked into his body. And I could smell him. There wasn’t even anything I could compare the smell to, it was uniquely Logan, and it was the most comforting smell in the world.
He pulled back far too soon and let me go. I wanted him to hold me again. I wanted so bad to feel that complete and content as I did just seconds ago.
Although Logan had let me go he didn’t let me go far. I was just inches away, not close enough to be touching but too close for a normal, considerate of personal space distance.
His eyes, now deeper, brighter and bluer than I’d ever seen captured me. I knew I should look away and continue the run but I couldn’t move. The horrible, selfish part of me wanted him to kiss me. I wanted to physically feel the connection between us.
My lips parted and I took in a small, shaky breath. He was it. He was the one I could see myself with. He was the worst person I could be with but he was the one I wanted.
Logan broke the moment first. His back straightened and nodded ahead. “We should get going if you want to be back at a reasonable time to get ready to pimp my sister out,” he said. There was a joke in there but he couldn’t quite make himself smile.
I stepped back, half turning. “Yeah, we should. Push ups at the park?”
With a quick nod, he started the run again.