Master of the Inn(29)
“It’s called being in a relationship and doing for each other. She’s everything to me.”
She laughed.
“You need to move on. You and I were over before I even met Elyse.”
“I gave you your space. I thought if you had time to think about us and be alone you’d see how right we are for one another. You weren’t supposed to fall for the first slut who knocked on your door.”
“I’ve told you before and I’ll say it again, I’m not interested in you.”
“That’s not true. I know you remember all the things we did.” She glanced at the bed. “Just give me a chance to show you I can be everything you need. I’ll be submissive for you.”
“That’s not what I want anymore.”
“It’s who you are, Logan. It’s who you’ll always be.” She unzipped her dress and stepped out of it. She stood before him in nothing but her panties and those boots. A few months ago the sight of her would have been all he needed. But things had changed and there would only ever be one woman now.
“Stop this,” he said. “You’re embarrassing yourself.” He wasn’t in the mood for her games.
He bent down to pick up her dress, but when he tried to hand it to her, she caught him off balance and pushed him onto the bed, quickly hopping on top of him and straddling him. It all happened so fast. He gripped her forearms, and just as he was about to push her off, the bedroom door opened.
His head snapped in the direction of the door, but he already knew who it would be. He also knew what the scene in front of her looked like.
“Logan?”
He sat up and pushed Cora aside, shoving her dress against her chest.
“Elyse.” He got up and headed toward her. She looked over his shoulder and stared Cora down.
“Cora, get out of here!” he screamed, causing Elyse to jump back.
“You promised,” Elyse said, but wouldn’t look at Logan. “You said you would never…”
“This isn’t what you think.” He reached for her. “I swear.”
“No!” she yelled. “Don’t touch me.”
“Cora, tell Elyse what happened.”
“Why would I believe anything she has to say?” Elyse screamed. “You’re both disgusting.”
Cora got off the bed and slipped her dress back on. “I tried to warn you.” She smiled. “He’s a player. He wants what he wants when he wants it. Stop trying to figure him out.”
“She’s insane,” Logan said. “I wouldn’t touch her.”
“I can see with my own eyes. Do you think I’m stupid?” Elyse asked.
“She showed up here uninvited. I was in the shower.” He pleaded for her to listen. “I told her to leave.”
“Screw you both!” Elyse turned and ran down the hall.
“You stupid bitch!” Logan said to Cora as he grabbed a shirt from his desk chair and threw it on. When she smiled at him, his rage increased. He rummaged through his closet for a pair of jeans.
“Let her go back to New York where she belongs.”
“Get out of my house.” He stepped toward her. “If you ever come near me or Elyse again, I’ll make your life a living hell.”
“What could you possibly do to me?”
“I don’t want you.” He’d tried to spare her the truth before, but now she left him no other choice. “I never wanted you.”
“That’s not true.”
“Think about it. You came to my bed after that whole scandal with the councilman and his wife. You were a convenient way to forget what I had done. How I had humiliated my family.”
“I was there for you.”
“You came here every night looking to get off. It was a beneficial arrangement until you started talking about marriage and kids. There was never a time I was sober when we fucked.”
“That’s not true.”
He saw the hurt in her eyes, but polite wasn’t going to work anymore. Cora might very well have ruined his chance at happiness.
“I could be everything you need.”
“You can’t. Do you want to know how I know that?”
“I’m sure you’ll enlighten me.” She rolled her eyes.
“You’re not Elyse.”
“I love you.”
“Cora.” He looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry but I’ll never feel that way about you. I tried to make you understand. Now please, don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”
“You love her?”
“With everything I am.”
“You’re making the wrong choice. I can make you happy. Why can’t you let me?”