She had no chance.
“I heard that people don’t stutter when they sing, is that true?” Chelsea flushed a little as she asked.
“I can’t sing.”
“No?” Chelsea grinned at her.
“It would be worse than bad karaoke.”
Chelsea narrowed her eyes. “What about lip syncing?”
“You’ll be suggesting a f-f-flash mob next.”
“Why the hell not?” Chelsea laughed.
“Comfort zone. Other planet.”
“This is out of your comfort zone anyway, right? Your worst nightmare. Why not take it to another level altogether. It’d be ironic. It would be amazeballs.”
“It would be screwballs. And it wouldn’t work.”
“Don’t you just want to wow them?”
Of course she did. “Cinderella is a fairytale.”
Chelsea sat back and wrinkled her nose as she thought. “So what are you going to do? You want the worst to happen? Or are you going to swing this thing in a whole other direction? You know you sound just like Marilyn Monroe sometimes, right? Sing the way she did.” Chelsea shrugged. “Act out a part, that’s what I do sometimes. It can be fun.”
She had to admit she was tempted. Just to see the look on Logan’s face more than anything.
“Do the last thing people would expect.”
“I’m not good at shocking people,” Min said. “That’s Logan’s strength.”
“Well, I don’t know. Have you talked to him about it?” Chelsea picked up her smoothie, a gleam suddenly lighting her eyes. “He’ll do anything for those he loves.”
“Who’ll do anything?”
He was right behind her?
Min sent Chelsea a suspicious look. She’d seen him coming.
“You will,” Chelsea said briskly. “Min’s anxious about the party. She doesn’t want to have to speak in public.” Chelsea stood and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m off to start the beautification process. Dani,” she called. “We’re due at the spa.” She turned back to Min. “See you there in ten.”
“Okay.”
Logan turned a wicked smile on Min as Chelsea and Dani left the pool via the over-sized double doors leading to the spa. “You’re really worried about it?”
Well duh.
“Tell you what.” He sat on the end of her lounger. “Every time you get anxious, I’ll drag you off to a corner and kiss you ‘til your knees buckle. Every time. Understand?”
“Your solution for my stutter is sex?”
He nodded like it was the best idea ever. “Orgasms. I’ll make you so relaxed you don’t give a damn about anyone or anything.”
“Not even you?”
He chuckled. “You’d never care about me, would you Min?”
“But of course I would, you’re my fiancée. I care very much for your well-being.” She smiled sarcastically. “I’m really getting to grips with this p-part.”
“I wish you’d get to grips with me.” He grimaced and leaned closer. “Go on, ask me.”
“Ask me first.”
Oh no. Definitely, not.
He waited, watching her face.
“Is sex your solution for everything?”
“Pretty much.” He straightened with a long suffering sigh. “Are you sure you’ve got something to wear later?”
“Absolutely.” And she’d just cleared the code with Dani and Chelsea. “I d-d-don’t need a Cinderella moment. You’re too hairy to be a fairy Godmother.” And orgasms were not the way to get her through this nightmare party.
“I can’t be your Prince?”
“No.”
“I’ve always thought of you as more of a Rapunzel anyway.”
“Because of this?” She waggled her long braid at him.
“Because you’re shut away.”
“I’m not.”
“Yes you are. Locked in your little apartment. You never see anyone. You never take risks. Do you have any friends?”
“Lots,” she lied loftily. “It so happens I’m quite friendly with a number of my c-clients.”
“As friendly as you are with me?”
“More.”
His lips curved. “You can try to deny it, but I think you’re lonely.”
“You’re only saying that because you know how easily you c-can get a physical response out of me. You think I’m sex-starved.”
“You are sex-starved. So am I. It’s a terrible situation. Fortunately there’s something we can do about it.” He sent her sly look. “All you have to do is ask me nicely.”
“I thought you wanted me to beg.”
“That would be asking nicely.”
She shook her head. “I couldn’t possibly pander to your ego. The women of the world would c-c-crucify me for it. I can’t let the team d-down.”
“You think this is some kind of battle of the sexes? Because I hate to burst your bubble sweetheart, but several of your sisterhood have already capitulated.”
“More than several,” she said with a venomous look. “You don’t need to throw your c-conquests in my face.”
He laughed and took her hand, pulling her up from the lounger. “Come on then, princess, your army of fairy godmothers awaits.”
Chapter Nineteen
#BadToWorse
Logan was desperate for Min to get back to him. He’d had the most boring couple hours waiting for her. He’d walked, gone for a swim, played on his iPad, tried to read a book. But was too restless. Finally the door opened.
He looked up. Then leapt from the bed.
“You look... There are no words.”
In her jeans and cute low-cut tee, her blonde hair swinging in a shining swathe, her skin seemed to glow. And her mouth? Glistening.
She was beautiful. And it wasn’t because of the make-up. It was the way her eyes lit up when she saw him.
But she put her hands out in front of her to ward him off. “You are not touching. You’re not ruining this look.”
“You just love setting challenges, don’t you?” He reached for her waist.
“You’re not making me sweaty. It’s not happening.”
“I’ll get the beautician in for touch-ups later,” he promised.
She laughed as he pulled her to him. “You’re
wicked.”
“Never said I wasn’t.”
He kissed his way across her collarbones. Felt her soften and lean against him. Felt her hands over his back. Such a small touch, and it nearly felled him.
“Beg for me, Min,” he all but begged her to. He hurt with wanting so much.
“Poor Logan,” she said softly, all sultry whisper again. “You don’t have to suffer, you know.” She dropped to her knees and looked up at him. She pulled her tee-shirt off over her head, so her bra was exposed—and the creamy curve of her breasts. “You want me to...?” She reached up towards his zipper.
For a heart-stopping second he was blinded by the vision of her glossy hair cascading over him. Of her mouth parted wide, of her sucking on him.
“I’m not giving you that satisfaction.” He crouched to meet her eyes. “You thought you could win so easily? Honey, this is war now. You got that? I’m playing dirty. I’m playing hard.”
He could take a shower and ease his frustration—and pain—manually. It’d take only two strokes and he’d come. But that felt like cheating. He just had to get her to beg. He needed to wear her down—a constant, relentless pursuit would do it, right? If she were as frustrated and as much in pain as he—
Oh he was a fool.
He’d been way too easy on her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her all the way to the floor, smiling as she turned so easily into his arms and spread her legs in warm open welcome.
He slid his hand down the front of her jeans and beneath her panties. She instantly arched into his hand the way he loved. He drummed his fingers lightly directly over her clit and watched her spasm.
She’d missed him too? Been thinking about him? Yeah. It felt like it. She was hot, halfway there already.
Trouble was, it was such pleasure watching her come. He didn’t want to deny himself that as well. But he was going to have to. And when she finally broke? She wouldn’t know what had hit her.
But for now he toyed, circling his fingers in her folds, massaging over her lower belly, rousing her until her breathing quickened and her skin flushed. Until she was wet and moving instinctively.
Almost unstoppable.