The Billionaire's Kiss(33)

"I'm not sure I should leave you out of my sight."

"To the bedroom it is."

"Don't get any ideas."

"Who, me? Lucky for you, there's not a thought in this head of mine."

"No?" Callie asked coyly. "Well, I kind of figured you do your thinking somewhere else."

Logan laughed. "I've been accused of that in the past. Then again, you say it like it's a bad thing."

"No, not at all. Cleaning up after men like you pays my bills."

"Come on, haven't I already told you that there are no other men like me?"

"That's what all men like you say. It's what allows you to keep screwing things up. You think you're the exception to the rule."

"Well, haven't you ever at least wanted to be the one making the mess instead of running around trying to fix everything? Sometimes things should stay broken."

"I like what I do. Sure, some parts of the job suck, but others are fun. I like the challenge of it, the rush. I'm sure it's similar to how you feel whenever you're starting a new venture, except you don't have any time to think or plan and all you get to do is react and hope everything turns out alright."

Logan smiled. "But do you love it?" He watched Callie pause and look at him. He was still trying to be playful, but he could tell he had touched on something deeper. "Forget I asked that. I don't want to get in trouble with the Haven clan. Next thing I know you'll have that aunt of yours on me like you did at your sister's wedding."

"You know, Vi still talks about you."

"Only woman I've ever met who I couldn't keep up with."

"Is that true?"

"Closer to true than I'd like to admit. She is a wonderful dancer, though."

"I'll make sure to tell her you said that."

"Why don't we keep that between us? Come on. I'll find something dry for you to wear." Logan led Callie up a back staircase to his bedroom. His clothes had soaked through as well, and his pants clung to his body as he started taking off his shirt. "Luckily I have most of my wardrobe here at the house. There's only so much that can go on the boat. He flicked on a light and tossed his wet shirt into a corner. "Let me see if I have anything that might work for you."

Logan stepped into his closet and looked down a row of shirts. There had to be something that Callie could wear until her clothes dried. He turned around to ask her what she'd prefer when he caught a glimpse of her through the half closed door. She had pulled her shirt off and he could see the slight lines of her ribs and the curve of her bra. Logan's pulse jumped as he continued to look at her. His mind went blank as he watched her movements. He looked up and noted the graceful lines of her body, and he knew he should look away, but he just couldn't. He felt like he was rooted in place. Finally, Callie met his gaze, and Logan tried to say something, anything to break the silence. "Maybe you can pick one?"

"Sure," Callie said, her eyes narrowing. "Maybe you could give me a little privacy first.”

"Ha, yeah, of course," Logan said, regaining his composure. He had seen so many women in so many states of undress over the years, but none of them had made him feel like that. For a moment, he asked himself how he was letting Callie get to him like that, but he already knew the answer. He was letting himself fall for her. Logan wondered if he should stop himself, if he should really let this happen. He knew if he waited another moment, he'd set a chain of events in motion that he just might not be able to undo. There'd be no way to go back to simply being flirty friends or acquaintances or whatever he and Callie were. The only question was whether she really wanted him or if she'd regret it as soon as it was over.

The whole thing played out in his head. She'd be too reserved to reach out and take what she wanted. Instead, he'd look down for a moment and look back up just soon enough to catch her looking back. He'd half smile and bite his lip. She'd do the same and start to blush a little, and then they'd continue on their way, making excuses to make contact, a light push here or there, a hand on the back at the end of a joke, and then, after a while, one of them would make a move. It didn't matter who. It just mattered that they would go for each other, that they would push everything else away and collapse into each other.

Then the heat would rise. He'd feel her skin still wet against his. He'd feel her desire, her need. He'd hear her hurried breaths as she locked her lips against his, as she became more and more aroused. He'd rip the buttons off of her shirt and kiss her chest, his own arousal taking over. The two of them would tumble onto the floor and start tearing their clothes off as they ached to feel the rush, and then he'd slide inside her. The lines between them would blur as they rocked their bodies against each other. As he imagined all of this, Logan became aware of his breathing deepening. His cheeks were flush with excitement, and he realized Callie hadn't looked away for a moment. Instead she walked straight across the room, planted her lips against his and kissed him.