“What’s up, sis?” Lexi says in her usual cheerful tone.
“Hey, Lexi.” My voice comes out all weird and she immediately picks up on that.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I inhale deeply and then launch into the tale of how I started looking for our father. Lexi is quiet as I speak.
I glance at Logan, and he gives me an encouraging smile. He moves to the playpen and picks Ivy up and starts swinging her as he walks up and down the room.
“I wish you’d told me,” Lexi says. “But only so that you didn’t have to do it alone.”
“I wasn’t alone. I had Logan with me,” I tell her. “Anyway, I have the folder here and I haven’t read it. Do you want to do it with me?”
“Yes,” Lexi shouts. “Don’t touch it, I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
I laugh at her enthusiasm. That’s the Lexi I know and love. Nothing is too daunting for my big sister. She’s the strong one between the two of us and I can’t count the number of times that she’s been there for me.
“Make it half an hour. I have to feed Ivy and give her a bath,” I tell her.
When we say goodbye, the tension I was feeling has dissipated. Doing this with Lexi makes it less frightening.
“It’s a good idea to have Lexi here with you,” Logan says.
“Yeah, my sister has always been the strong one,” I say.
Logan stares at me. “You’re pretty awesome too, Lexi and for the record, I think you’re just as strong as your sister.”
“Thank you.” We lock gazes for a moment before I stand up and move toward the kitchen. “Hold her for a sec while I warm her food, will you?”
“Sure, no probs,” Logan says.
I warm Ivy’s food and as I feed her, Logan goes to the bathroom to prepare the bath for her. It makes me smile when I remember how terrified he used to look when he first met Ivy.
He keeps me company while we go through our morning routine. Half an hour later, Ivy is tucked into bed, and Logan and I tiptoe out of her room, not that anything can wake her up at this point.
Logan takes my hand as we return to the living room. “I’ll be in the house if you need me. Just give me a call.”
I look up at him and smile. “I will. Thanks for everything, Logan.”
“You’re welcome.” He tugs at me gently and slips his hands around my waist. “You’re so beautiful, Vanessa Allen. I’m lucky to have you and Ivy in my life.”
When I look into his blue eyes, I believe him. He likes having us in his life just as we like having him in ours. It’s difficult to foretell what the next weeks or months hold, but at this moment, I decide to not overthink it. I’ll just enjoy however long this thing with Logan lasts and not worry about the future. I wrap my hands around Logan’s neck and pull him down for a kiss. He brushes his lips over mine and then traces the outline of my lips with his tongue.
I part my lips inviting him to deepen the kiss and he slips his tongue into my mouth. My body tingles as his hands drop to cup my ass over my joggers, pulling me harder against his erection.
Arousal comes over me, making my legs tingle. It feels so good to be in Logan’s arms and hear his groans growing louder. His hands move up to caress my back and he pulls away, breaking the kiss.
“Look what you’ve done to me,” Logan says, his voice strained with desire. He takes my hand and guides it to his tented pants.
I moan as I stroke his rock-hard cock and it jerks as if begging to be released. “I want this so much.”
“You’ll have it tonight,” Logan promises and then steps away. “If I stay a minute longer, I’ll have you bent over the couch, naked.”
“Mmmm, promise?” I ask him, my body aching to be touched. His words cut a vision that raises my desire up another notch.
“You’re a dangerous woman, Vanessa,” Logan says as he opens the front door. “I’ll see you later and don’t forget to call if you need me.”
“I will.”
As I’m neatening the cottage, the sound of a car alerts me to Lexi’s arrival. I glance at the folder on the table and then go to the front door to open it. Lexi appears a minute later. We fall into each other’s arms and then I usher her in.
She immediately spots the folder and picks it up. “This is it, huh?”
“Yep.” I sink into the couch next to her.
“Do you want to open it or should I?” Lexi asks.
“You open it.”
She places the folder on her lap and flips it open. The first page has a picture of the man I assume is our father as well as his name. Edward Campbell. I see a resemblance instantly.