Master of the Inn(23)
“For what?”
“Giving me that experience.”
“It was okay?” She pressed his fingers to her lips and gently kissed each one.
“It was more than okay.” He pulled her into a tight embrace. “It has never been like that for me, Elyse. I’m good at demanding what I want, but I’m not so great with expressing my feelings.”
“That’s okay.” She snuggled deeper into his hold. “I can feel it, Logan. I know.”
“I just want you to know tonight was one of the best nights of my life.” He kissed her hair.
“Mine too.”
Chapter Nine
Logan tried to keep up with Elyse as she breezed down the aisles of the market. Why he had agreed to go with her was beyond him. He watched her wiggle her cute, little ass as she made her way to the produce section.
Now he remembered why he went with her. He couldn’t stay away from her.
He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing the back of her neck.
“Logan.” She swatted at him. “What are you doing?”
“Touching what’s mine.”
“Not here.” She ducked out of his hold. “People are staring at us.” She glanced at the old woman who couldn’t take her eyes off them.
“I apologize,” Logan said to the woman. “I can’t keep my hands off of her.”
The woman smiled her amusement then went back to choosing her oranges.
“See.” Logan reached for Elyse’s arm. “No problems.”
“You get the spinach.” She pointed to the case in front of them. “I’ll grab some potatoes. Then we’re out of here.”
“I don’t like spinach.” He stared at the offensive, green leafy stuff. He’d had an aversion to spinach his whole life.
“Funny.” She grinned. “You never mentioned that.”
“Whenever would it have come up?” He rolled his eyes thinking back to that first night they were together. Of all the words to pick as a safeword, she chose the one vegetable he despised.
“I’m making a wonderful Italian egg drop soup. You’ll love it. I promise.”
“I don’t think so.” He crinkled his nose. “Can’t you put something else in it?”
“Um, no, the recipe calls for spinach.” She picked a bundle of the vegetable. “We need it.”
He shook his head. “I’m not eating it.”
“Hey, my kitchen, my rules.” She pushed the spinach into his hand. “Now put that in the cart.”
“Are you telling me what to do?”
“Yes,” she defiantly told him. “What are you going to do about it?”
She wants to play. Ever since that night on the couch, the sex had been different between them. It had become more sensual. They were learning one another. Making love with Elyse had been a defining moment in their relationship and while sex might have been tamer than what Logan was used to, it was still pretty hot. But, maybe his little chef missed the kink.
When he tossed the spinach in the cart, he caught Cora watching them. He wondered how long she’d been standing there. She nodded at him before disappearing down another aisle. Elyse picked out her potatoes, never acknowledging Cora’s presence.
Logan came up from behind her and whispered into her ear. “To answer your question, I have a riding crop with your name on it.” He nipped her earlobe. “I’m going to use it tonight, my feisty girl.”
My bedroom, my rules.
She looked over her shoulder, staring up at him with wide eyes.
“No turning back now, cupcake. You started this game.”
***
Elyse soaked in the large tub in Logan’s bathroom. He insisted on cleaning up the dinner dishes so she could take some time to relax. His affectionate side made her smile. He always found new and thoughtful ways to surprise her. Yesterday morning, he’d left an old book on the kitchen counter. The book contained recipes from his aunt’s side of the family. Elyse remembered some of the muffins and pies from when she visited the inn as a child. One of the things she recalled was the scent of those fresh baked goods filling the entire downstairs. She wanted to recreate that bit of nostalgia and have Logan’s guests leave with such vivid memories of their stay. She felt honored Logan would share them with her.
Indulging in the hot, bubbly water longer than she anticipated, her fingers shriveled. She drained the water as she toweled off. She wondered what Logan had planned for her tonight. Two nights ago, they sat on the front porch drinking hot apple cider and making plans for the grand opening. He had impressed her with his marketing and advertising ideas. After the first of the year, he wanted to implement his business plan. There was no doubt in her mind that Logan would be a success. He had a charismatic personality, he proved to be more than handy, and he possessed a strong business sense. Pleasure Inn could be the talk of the area by this time next year. Elyse looked forward to seeing the place thrive. But even more so, she wanted to stay here with Logan and build a future with him.