Naughty, Naughty Prince Charming (Charming 1)

Logan reached out and trailed a finger down her cheek. God, she was beautiful. Over and over he told himself to let tonight end things. In the end, he’d come for her. Needing what they shared. Not willing to let it go.

And now he wanted to take her home, not to the hotel.

There didn’t seem to be the right words to express what he’d felt tonight. Nor was he certain either of them was ready to face the implications of their relationship. “Let’s just get out of here.”

Lucy nodded. In silence, they adjusted their clothes and then hand-in-hand, left the office. The silence between them felt natural. Comfortable. Without expectations. And unlike anything Logan had ever experienced with a woman.

Long minutes later, Logan pulled his car to a stop at a light and glanced at Lucy. “What are you smiling at?” Logan asked her, playfully tugging at a lock of her hair.

“Oh,” she said, as if snapped out of a reverie. “I know this will be hard to believe but…sex.”

His brow inched up. “With me, I hope.”

“Of course,” she said, smiling.

“What exactly were you thinking?” he prodded, eager to find out just what was going on in that pretty little head of hers.

She slanted him a shy look. “How good it is with you.” Her voice was low. Soft. As if she wasn’t sure she should admit her thoughts out loud.

Everything about this woman captivated Logan. He stared at her. Looking into her eyes and wishing the obstacles between them would fade. A car honked signaling the green light. “You’re making it hard to drive,” he said teasing her as he put the car in gear and took the next right.

“This isn’t the way to the hotel,” Lucy said.

He didn’t look at her. “I’m taking you to my place.”

“Oh.”

Lucy didn’t know how she felt about going to Logan’s apartment. Part of her wanted to scream with joy. It made her feel closer to him. Made their relationship feel more alive and real. On the other hand, it came with a dose of reality. Not fantasy.

Continuing to see Logan meant keeping their relationship in perspective. Clenching her fists, she fought a range of emotions.

“Lucy?”

Logan’s voice, deep and sexy, called to her beyond the simple word he spoke. She didn’t know what to do or how to act. She wanted to run away and she wanted to stay. How had life gotten so complicated?

“What’s wrong?” His voice was low. Cautious.

“Nothing.” But they both knew different.

“I checked out of the hotel when you didn’t show up.”

She absorbed that bit of information with mixed emotions. Maybe she was reading too much into him taking her to his apartment. It wasn’t as if she’d never been there before. Perhaps he was simply dealing with the absence of a hotel room. Tension began to ease from her body, and she sunk into the leather seat.

She swallowed and drew a deep breath, calming breath. After Greg’s comments, there really was little comfort to be found in any of this. Still, being at a hotel made things feel more temporary. More secret. More something. Safe maybe. Suddenly, Logan’s hand closed around hers. With it came a strength and warmth beyond words.

Why did he make her forget logic?

Somehow, she had to walk away. Tonight had to be their last night together. His grip tightened on her hand as if he read her thoughts and rejected them. She looked up at him. “It’ll work out, Lucy,” he said softly.

If only that were true.

If only.

* * * * *

Logan quite literally pulled Lucy into his apartment.

This wasn’t how he had planned things. He wanted her to want to be here. In all his years as a bachelor, he had never felt alone. The thought of Lucy rejecting him made him that and more.

He didn’t like it.

Helping her shrug out of her coat, he kissed her neck and breathed in her soft, feminine scent. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said, trying to wear down the barrier so clearly present between them.

Turning to look at him, Lucy fixed him in a probing stare. “Why am I here, Logan? And don’t say it’s because the hotel room was booked. You could have gotten it back.”

Her directness shouldn’t have surprised him, but it did. He touched her cheek, just the lightest of touches. “Because I want you here.”

He didn’t give her time to respond, taking her purse from her hand and moving to the closet. Giving her a minute to absorb his words. A strategy that didn’t seem to work in his favor. When he turned back to her, Lucy’s only movement had been to hug herself. The closed body language said the world to him.

He eased up behind her, pulling her against his chest, and wrapping his arms around her waist. Slowly, she relaxed against him. He nuzzled her ear and then kissed her neck. “Are you hungry?”