Mr. CEO(43)

I nod a yes and say, “You can stay at my place tonight.”

So much for keeping things separate.





Chapter 23





Charlotte





What the hell am I doing? I ask myself.

I’m sitting at the bar in Logan’s kitchen, engaged in thought, while he readies the dinner table. Our hot lovemaking session worked up a hunger and Logan ordered Chinese takeout on our way over. Yet with how my anxiety is growing, I’m not sure I’ll be able to eat by the time it arrives.

I feel like I’m losing control. This whole thing with Logan is supposed to be mutually beneficial, friends with benefits, but I’m starting to think that it’s more than that. At least to me. I can see it growing to that already. And that scares me. It terrifies me that I think I’m falling for him. Especially when I feel like this is still a game to him.

I wrap my arms around my torso, squeezing myself tightly, feeling a range of emotions. I’m not sure agreeing to stay at his place for the night is a good idea. Not when I can’t trust my feelings. I should tell Logan that this is starting to be a problem, but I feel anxious about how he might take it.

He says this is just sex, just for our enjoyment and nothing else. And God, am I enjoying it. But I’m starting to feel that it’s more than that. Much more. And I’m afraid if I tell Logan, I might drive him away. As much as I feel like a relationship with him is a bad idea, I don’t think I’m ready to lose what we have. I don’t want to lose him.

And maybe I’ll never be ready.

“What are you thinking, Rose?” Logan asks me as he finishes setting the table.

I snap out of my pensive thoughts, focusing my eyes on his gorgeous face. He’s studying me with a look that’s intense and at the same time brooding.

“I was just thinking about how absolutely gorgeous your kitchen is,” I lie. Though I’m trying to hide my emotion, I do have to admit it does look like a grandmaster chef’s paradise with gleaming quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and tons of space to whip up gourmet meals.

I give him a weak smile and add, “I get the sense that you don’t cook very often, though.” I’m choosing to just ignore everything that happened in the office about Ian. I think it’s better this way. It actually brought out a side of Logan that makes me feel comfortable and secure. But that’s what’s causing this new insecurity. I’m just moving from one problem to the other. For a moment I feel pathetic. But then I look up at Logan. It’s because of these men.

Logan shakes his head. It takes me a moment to realize he’s answering my question about cooking.

Of course he doesn’t cook, I say to myself. The man could hire a score of personal chefs to cook for him. Why would he go through all the trouble?

“Seems crazy to order takeout when you have all,” I gesture expansively at the grand kitchen, “this.”

Logan, walks over to me and I feel the beginnings of desire stir, along with a dull ache from where I’m sore. He’s just so irresistibly sexy. I never stood a chance. “Would you rather cook for me then?” He nods back at his huge, state of the art, stainless steel refrigerator. The damn thing even comes equipped with a touchscreen and WiFi. “I’m sure there’s something in there to make...”

“Me?” I snort. “Sure... if you want to end up dead on your kitchen floor.”

Logan lets out a dry chuckle. “I bet you’re being too hard on yourself.” He leans against the island's granite top. “Your cooking can’t be all that bad.”

“Trust me, one taste of my cooking and you’d be changing your mind in a heartbeat.”

Logan laughs again and the rough sound combined with the sight of him so at ease and happy stirs an emotion in my chest. I suddenly feel a wave of apprehension as the feelings I’ve been struggling with threaten to overwhelm me. I try to push it all away, but it stays with me.

I tap my fingers on the counter and try to ignore them. The soft click, click, click of my nails aren’t soothing though. For the past few hours, things have been better that way, with me ignoring the constant insecurities and red flags going off in my head. Yet I feel like if I don’t get what I’m feeling off my chest, things are only going to get worse.

Just tell him, if he gets spooked by how I feel, then this wasn’t meant to be.

The notion that he’d cut me off as soon as I tell him that I might be feeling more for him than the sex fills me with dread. But I’m burning with the need to put this out there. I want to get a feel of where we’re at. And it’s not going to happen if I keep pretending like this is all just hot sex.