I met his empathetic gaze.
“They don’t understand me.”
“They don’t know you,” he replied. “They only know the person you think they want to see. And by hiding, you’re killing yourself, Lottie. Slowly but surely. The same way my dad did.”
I had no response to that.
“You need to do something you love.” He indicated the plate of cookies. “Bake. Create.”
“I can’t simply walk away.”
“You can’t, or you won’t?”
I rubbed a weary hand over my face. “I don’t want to argue with you, Logan. I’ve argued enough today.”
His face softened. “I know. I’m sorry. And I’m repeating myself, but I will say this again. You don’t owe your father your life, Lottie. You owe it to yourself to be happy. You only get one chance at this.” He took my hand. “I only know what you told me about Josh, but I think he would want that for you too. I think he would hate that you’re trapped in a job you dislike.” He sucked in a long breath. “He would hate that you think you failed. Because you didn’t. You were brave and strong. The disease won.”
My breath caught.
He stroked my cheek. “It’s awful and tragic, but it happens sometimes. The disease can be too big to fight. And that time, it won.” He grimaced. “What I hate is that it robbed you of your parents too. Of a normal childhood.”
“They refused to talk about him—they still do. I missed him so much, and I had no one to talk to about him.” My voice cracked.
“You have me now, Lottie. I’ll listen. You can tell me all about him. As much as you want.”
And suddenly, I was in his arms. He held me tight as I cried, somehow pushing together the little fragmented bits of my heart and fusing them together. I felt safe in his embrace. As if I had found my home.
I knew that was ridiculous. I barely knew him.
And yet—it was true.Chapter 10LottieLogan lifted me into his arms and carried me down the hall to my bed. He tugged off my shirt and jeans, then tucked me under the blankets, his hands gentle, his touch soothing. He disrobed and slid in behind me, pulling me to his chest. His heat soaked into my skin, the warmth of him spreading deliciously along my body, easing the tension. He wrapped his arm around me, holding me tight.
“I’m right here, Lottie,” he murmured.
I sighed, my body relaxing into his embrace, feeling emotionally exhausted. “Thank you.”
“Sleep, baby.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Tell me what you do want.”
“I don’t want to think.” I ran my hand over his forearm, feeling shy. “Would you-would you sing to me?”
He pressed his lips to my head. “Anytime.”
He began to hum, the sound rumbling in his chest. I shut my eyes as he started to sing, his deep, sexy tenor a low rasp in my ear. He sang a soft lullaby, the words soothing. He kept time with his fingers, a slow, steady rhythm he tapped out on my skin. My weariness hit me and I drifted, yet even in my light slumber, I could hear his voice. As always, it filled me with peace, his rich tone easing my tension and filling me up.
When he paused, I lifted my head, turning to meet his beautiful, unusual, whiskey-colored eyes. “Thank you,” I said again.
“I will always sing for you, my Snow Queen.” He slid his fingers under my chin and kissed me. His lips were gentle on mine, his tongue sliding sensuously along my bottom lip. I opened for him, and he deepened the kiss, still gentle and sweet, yet filled with passion.
I shifted, turning into him, and he gathered me close, his lips never ceasing their possession. He cupped my ass, bringing me tight to him, and I felt his erection growing between us. I slipped my hand down, cupping him, and he groaned low and rough. My nipples hardened against his chest, the coarse hair causing a delicious friction on my skin. His nipple ring was warm and stroked against me smoothly. He dragged his mouth across my cheek to my ear. “I want you.”
“Yes,” I replied. “I need you, Logan. Take it away. Take it all away.”
His answer was to roll me onto my back and hover over me. He loomed above me, his expression intense yet tender. “Slowly this time, Lottie. I want you to feel how much you mean to me.”
Then his lips were back on mine, tasting and caressing. He touched me everywhere, his hands stroking and light. He kissed his way up and down my body, not leaving any spot undiscovered by his mouth. My underwear disappeared in one fast flick of his wrist, the lace and silk torn from me easily. I had no idea how he took his off, but they were gone, and as he pinned me down with his body, the evidence of his desire was hot and heavy on my skin. I pleaded and begged as he dragged his lips across my collarbone, his tongue swirling around the mark he had left yesterday.