Her jaw tensed. “You know why.”
“No,” he said. “Tell me.” If she was going to push the issues he wanted them spoken out loud. They needed all the cards on the table.
“You’re my boss.” She paused. “And you already knew that was my answer. I don’t know why you wanted me to say it. This is getting out of control.”
“Pretend I’m not.”
“My boss?” she asked as if he was crazed.
He nodded.
“I can’t anymore.” She drew a breath. “Being here with you makes this…very real.”
“This?” he asked wanting to know what she had almost said but didn’t. “What is ‘this’?”
“Stop Logan.” Her hand went to his chest and she pushed, trying to distance herself. “Why are you pressing me?”
Logan held her close, not willing to let her run. “We don’t need a hotel for fantasy, Lucy.”
Frustration etched her tone. “Yes, we do. Or did. We can’t keep doing this.”
“That’s my point.” He reached for her hand and enclosed it in his. “We’re here. Alone. Let’s enjoy the time and stop putting limitations on what our time involves.”
Leaning forward he nuzzled her neck. “Just forget everything for now.” Her hand went to his cheek and he covered it with his own. Logan looked into her eyes. “Just be with me.” And then he kissed her, pulling her down with him as he lay on the couch.
Prepared to use whatever means necessary to convince her to stay. For the weekend. And maybe for a lifetime.
Chapter Twenty-Two
It was official. Lucy was losing her mind. Not only had she agreed to spend the weekend with Logan, she had allowed him to accompany her on a trip to her apartment. Of course, he’d insisted. She’d never met a man so difficult to say no to. He could go back and forth about a subject for endless lengths. His question had changed with each delivery but held the basic, same concept. Why did she care what he thought of her apartment? What did it matter if he saw her apartment? Why did she want to go alone when he could drive her?
Somehow, taking him with her had seemed easier than answering directly.
But now, walking up the concrete stair on the outside of her apartment building, her gut twisted with anxiety. The differences in their worlds were night and day. Her lobby consisted of a two-foot walkway and mailboxes. No doorman. No fancy tile or elevators. The only positive she could find in this little visit was that it might just open his eyes to the craziness of their relationship. It wasn’t just their work scenario that made them a poor fit. They were as different as black and white. Hot and cold.
Not that she kidded herself into thinking Logan wanted anything permanent with her. She frowned at the thought and turned to face him. “Why is this so important to you?”
He rolled his eyes. “We’ve been through this. Don’t you ever stop asking questions?”
“What?” His reply was absurd. “You’re the one—” Logan kissed her.
“That’s not fair play.”
He patted her ass. “Let’s go inside.”
“Don’t do that. My mom lives here.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, but he wasn’t. The twinkle in his too-blue eyes said he was amused.
With one last reprimanding look, she turned back to the building. Moments later, she unlocked her apartment door but she couldn’t bring herself to open it. Facing Logan, she guarded the entrance with her body. “I really don’t want to let you in.”
His eyes locked with hers, his expression unreadable. Then slowly, he leaned forward and rested one palm on the door beside her head. “Why?”
She bit her bottom lip. He’d asked this so many times and she’d avoided the answer. “Please just wait here.”
“No.”
Lucy let her head drop against the door. “In case you didn’t notice, I don’t exactly live in your neighborhood.”
“Which means what?” His tone was soft, not intimidating or angry. For that she was thankful.
She sighed heavily and looked at him. “You know ‘fantasy’ only works with no reality mixed in. We are crossing lines here left and right.”
His other hand settled beside her head, and he stepped so close they were almost touching. “The best fantasies are real.” A short pause. “We aren’t living in a fantasy world anymore. We’re creating one. Our own.”
She didn’t know how to respond. It was such an amazing thing for him to say. He touched her cheek with his fingertips and goosebumps pebbled on her skin. “Material things mean nothing. My adopted parents just happened to have money. “
Lucy swallowed and nodded. She knew he was right but there were so many reasons to stop this here and now. Work and…work. That was reason enough.
“Invite me in, Lucy.”
Emotion made her heart swell. She wanted to open up to Logan yet she knew she shouldn’t. Still, his acceptance, his willingness to take her for what she was, felt good. Warm and secure. She pushed up onto her tiptoes and slid her hands to frame his face. “Thank you,” she whispered before brushing her lips across his.