Snow swirled, the flakes settling on Logan’s head and shoulders. The white flecks were bright on his hair, darkening the strands and glinting under the streetlamps.
I hugged his arm as we headed toward my condo, thinking about the past hours.
It had been a perfect day. The long walks, laughing over coffee, sharing plates in diners and cafes he liked to frequent. Learning about him and his life. Listening to his rich voice as he spoke, his hands expressive as they moved through the air, highlighting a statement or making a point. He was like the music he played, fluid and poignant.
He never ceased moving, even when sitting. His legs would move, his toes tapping out a silent rhythm. His fingers kept a beat to a song only he could hear.
And he touched me—constantly. Grazed my cheek with his knuckles, or mouth. Stroked my hand as we drank coffee. Entwined our fingers while we strolled, slipping both our hands into his large mitt. Tucked me into his side often. Touched my lips with his whenever he had a chance, leaving me wanting more.
I had never realized how much I missed physical contact until Logan.
Or maybe I had been missing him all my life.
He glanced down at me as we approached my building. “Did you have a good day, Lottie?”
I squeezed his arm in response. “Yes.”
“Worth the trouble playing hooky today will cause? The extra work you have to catch up on?”
I had turned off my phone after the call from my father. A day with Logan was worth whatever I had to face when I returned on Monday.
“Yes.”
He pressed a kiss to my head. “Good.”
At the steps of my building, he faltered, looking unsure for the first time all day. He shoved his hands into his pockets, looking desolate.
“This is where I leave you.”
The words were out before I could stop them. “Do you have to?”
His brow furrowed, and he looked past my shoulder, inhaling deeply. He let out the breath, the icy fog hanging around us. “I think I do.”
“You don’t want to come up and have coffee? Get warm before you go home?”
He pulled his hands from his pockets and stepped close. He cupped my cheeks, his hands a heated cradle against my cold skin. His thumbs rubbed soft circles on my face.
“I don’t know if I can come upstairs with you. Coffee isn’t what I want. I don’t think it’s what you want either.”
He was right.
“If I come up…I don’t know if I’ll have the strength to leave you.”
I covered his hands with mine. I could feel the gentle power in his hold, the slight tremor to his grip.
“Maybe you shouldn’t, then.”
He lowered his head, and I rose to meet him. Our lips melded. His were soft, cold, and pressing. I felt mine tremble. He wrapped one arm around my waist, pulling me closer. His tongue traced my bottom lip, and I opened for him. With a low groan, he shifted, yanking me tight. Our tongues met, sliding and skimming. Tasting and taking. His hold tightened, his leg sliding between mine, and I whimpered. He fisted my hair, holding my face close to his and devouring my mouth. Our breath mingled, our skin warming as he deepened the kiss. I had never felt possessed by another person, until Logan. He explored me, teased and licked. His taste exploded in my mouth, and I moaned, needing more of it. More of him. He dragged his lips over my cheek, sucking the lobe of my ear into his mouth.
“If I come upstairs, Lottie, I’ll have you naked. I’ll take you in so many ways, you’ll never want another man again. I want to play you like my guitar. I want to pull the most beautiful notes from your body I’ve ever heard. My own private symphony. You’ll sing just for me.” He bit down on the skin below my ear, making me gasp. “I want to possess every inch of you. I have since the first time I saw you.”
He crashed his mouth to mine again. I was lost in a vortex of feelings. Want, desire, and sheer need raged within me, need for this man overriding any common sense. I had never wanted anyone the way I wanted him.
“Come upstairs with me,” I gasped, feeling his hand grip the back of my neck, holding me close.
His voice was so low, he was almost growling. “I need you to understand something. If I come upstairs, it changes everything. I don’t do casual. I won’t be the guy who sings to you in the subway. You won’t be the girl I watch over anymore and leave alone. You’ll be mine. Do you understand? Mine.”
“And you’ll be mine.”
He tugged me closer, his warm breath drifting over my cold skin. “I’m going to claim you. Every inch of you.”