The Billionaire's Kiss(32)

"I meant the mansion. Did my father ever tell you the story behind it?"

Callie shook her head. Other than instructions for how to keep his son in line, Hank hadn't told her much of anything.

"Come with me and I'll show you then. It's more fun to tour the house when it’s raining anyway."

"Why's that?" Callie asked.

"Because it feels like it's its own world when it's raining. That, and it's haunted."

"You're kidding, right?"

Logan smirked at her and declined to answer. "Why do you think I choose to sleep on a boat when I have a perfectly good mansion at my disposal?"

"I thought you didn't want to live in your father's house," Callie said.

"Either that or I'm afraid to spend the night there. I'll let you decide which version you believe once I've given you the tour, but I can assure you that the past few decades have been the quietest in the history of the home. Before that, this house was infamous."

"Infamous?" Callie asked. This whole trip, she had been hoping to keep Logan away from anything even remotely 'infamous.'

"Come on, I'll tell you the story while we walk."

"It's pouring out, Logan."

"There's nothing wrong with getting a little wet. Come on. It's a short walk. I promise, you'll survive."

"Don't you have an umbrella or something?"

"Of course. I have several. They're all up in the mansion. I promise the walk back down here will be bone dry."

"It's not the walk back I'm worried about," Callie said.





***

Logan took Callie's hand and led her out onto the lawn. The ground was soft underfoot, and he felt each and every raindrop as it hit his skin, fat drops of water that hit with weight and speed. They'd be lucky to make it to the house without getting caught in a downpour. The rain had picked up in the few minutes since he had stepped inside the guesthouse, and with each passing moment, it grew heavier. He kept his fingers entwined in hers as he walked. Her warm palm made him feel grounded as gust after gust of wind rose up from over the ocean and blew the rain against their backs.

Within the first few steps, Callie's hair was already soaked. The wind blew it into her face, and the stray strands stuck to her cheek and her forehead. Logan reached over and brushed back her hair, taking a moment to admire her eyes. There was something about her that was even more beautiful when she wasn't trying, a natural grace in the way she walked and in the gentle curves of each of her features.

Logan wanted to stop right there in the middle of the wide lawn and just marvel at her. He wanted to stare into her eyes and press his lips against hers again. He wanted to feel that warmth and excitement. He wanted to feel it over and over again. He tightened his grip on her palm as they approached the house. For the first time in a long time, there was no place he'd rather be, and no one he'd rather be with. Of course, explaining that feeling to Callie was out of the question.

The way she smiled drove him wild. It tied his stomach in knots and made him say stupid things. He moved closer to her as they stepped up onto the mansion's wide patio and slid his arm around her. Her shirt was soaked through, clinging to her every curve. Lucky shirt, he thought. "Did I tell you the walk came with a complimentary outdoor shower?"

"Funny," Callie said. "I thought you said that it wasn't raining hard."

"I can assure you that inside the house it is not raining."

"I'd be concerned if that weren't the case."

"Well, it's probably large enough inside to have its own weather." Logan pushed open one of the back doors and stepped into a parlor. "You're soaked," he said. "Change of plans. I'm going to find something dry for you to wear."

"Let me guess: all I have to do is take off my wet clothes."

"Callie, come on, do you really think I'd be that rude of a host?" Logan asked. He grinned as he waited for a response. "I'll take them off for you."

Callie gave Logan a playful tap on the arm and smirked. "Well, if you keep this up, I'll definitely win our bet. You know I have a perfectly dry wardrobe down at the guesthouse." As she finished her sentence, a gust of wind blew the door shut behind them.

"That would mean going back out in the storm. Let's take the door slamming as a sign that we're supposed to stay here for a while. Follow me, and I'll get you something comfortable to wear. Or you could just wear nothing."

"Wouldn't you like that?" Callie said flatly. Her tone grew harsh and she crossed her arms. "I think I might take my chances with the storm."#p#分页标题#e#

"Easy there," Logan said, "I was just kidding. You can come with me, and I'll get you something to wear, or you can wait here and I'll come back with something."