"I appreciate that, Angelina, and I'm not afraid of Logan. I feel him inside me, as if he's already a part of me. I have to see it through, no matter the outcome."

She knew it wasn't going to be easy. In fact, she wondered if it wasn't impossible.

But she wouldn't give up on him until she'd tried her best. Yes, her heart was involved, but also the fear that her visions might come true and put his family in danger.

Somehow, whatever the mysterious danger, it revolved around Logan.

She had to make him see what she saw, had to make sure he understood the danger.

He might want to drive her away, but Sophie wasn't a quitter.

64

Winter Ice

Chapter Eight

Conscious of Sophie's gaze on him as he drove her home, Logan did his best to ignore her.

Dinner had been a disaster. They all treated her as if she were part of the family.

Despite his voiced reservations about Sophie, they accepted her. He'd never known his family to be so accommodating to a stranger that he'd warned them about. Couldn't they see through her smiling, friendly exterior into the devious liar she was underneath?

Ph.D., his ass. He'd check on that right away. No fucking way could someone with that level of education be wasting her life practicing voodoo magic.

Did she take him for an idiot?

Yet his family had fallen for her lies. And they were no fools.

He shook his head, more confused than ever, the truth blurring in front of him like the hard rain falling on his windshield. He flipped on the wipers.

"The weather is going to get really bad tonight, Logan."

"It's just rain."

"Are you sure?"

Hell if he knew. To be certain, he'd have to allow his powers to sweep through him.

And he'd never let that happen. It weakened him, made him vulnerable, made him appear less than...

...normal.

"It's just rain," he said again.

Sophie pulled her light jacket around her. "It's getting colder. The rain may turn to ice."

65

Jaci Burton

He laughed. "Not in New Orleans, cher. We don't get ice storms here."

"Never say never, Logan. It does happen."

"Rarely."

By the time he pulled into the gravel driveway in front of her trailer, the rain had turned to sleet. He thought about just letting her get out and see her own way in, but somehow he knew his mother wouldn't approve of less than gentlemanly behavior.

Turning off the ignition, he went around to her side and opened the door, then held on to her arm as he led her to the steps. The temperature outside was plummeting rapidly, colder than he could ever remember for winter in New Orleans.

Ducking his head down against the relentless ice pellets, he waited while she unlocked the door.

A goddamned ice storm. Just like she'd said. Shit.

When she had the door open, he started to thank her for coming to dinner so he could make a hasty exit.

But Sophie spoke first. "Logan, please come in with me."

He should have said no. But he didn't. Instead, like a man under some kind of spell he followed her inside, shaking the water from his hair and damning himself for not turning around and walking out right then.

"I'll get you a towel," she said, eagerly shrugging out of her wet jacket and heading into her bedroom. She returned with a towel and a hairbrush, motioning him to sit on the tiny, threadbare sofa.

"I'm fine here. I really don't need to dry off."

"Yes, you do. You're soaked. And the sleet is coming down harder now. So you might as well wait it out. I'll fix us some hot tea."

Grudgingly, he picked up the towel and dried himself off, allowing a bit of his magic out to dry his wet clothes. Sophie put water on to boil, then returned to the living room, dragging the brush through her long hair.

66

Winter Ice

Watching her brush her hair was fascinating, though he couldn't pinpoint why.

There was something so incredibly sensual about a woman touching her own hair, especially hers. She ran her fingers down each section, her slender hands smoothing the tendrils into waves. His cock reacted with a sudden twitch. Hell, he wanted her to touch him that same way!

Her hair hung almost to her waist. He could imagine the feel of the silky strands wrapped around his shaft as she bent over him, taking his cock between her full, tempting lips and sucking him deeply.

Now his cock roared to life, hard and pulsing. Despite his vehement mental objections, the damn thing wouldn't lie down and play dead like he wanted it to. His senses filled with her as she walked back and forth, her beautiful ass hugged by the worn jeans, her breasts caressing her sweater. Finally, she brought two cups of tea and sat on the couch next to him.

Her damp skin smelled so much like cinnamon and patchouli, those scents forever a part of his senses now. As her hair began to dry, curls formed from the ends upward.

A sudden desire to take the brush from her hands and finish the job himself had him nearly leaping off the couch. Anything to put distance between his barely leashed passions and the woman creating such havoc to his senses.

She put the brush down and reached for her cup, curling her legs underneath her as she settled in. When she turned to him, her violet eyes questioned, invited him. She licked the flavored tea off her lips. He wanted to follow with his own mouth on hers.

No. Abso-fucking-lutely no way. He had to get away from her, and now.

As nonchalantly as possible, he stood and walked to the small window to look outside. Icicles formed on the bare trees, pellets of ice hitting the roof of his car. Shit, sure as hell was one hell of an ice storm coming down.

"I should go before the weather gets worse."

"The roads are already icy and dangerous." She was silent for a few seconds, then said, "I think you should stay here tonight."

67

Jaci Burton

His throat went dry at the thoughts conjured up by her suggestion. "I don't think so. I'll be fine driving home."

"But I won't be. I'll worry about you."

He didn't want her worrying about him. He shook his head, refusing to turn around and look at her. "I hardly need anyone worrying about me, Sophie. I know how to drive."

In fact, he should already be on the road. A few steps and he'd be out the door and away from temptation.

Away from her. Her scent, her mouth, her long, silken hair, her full breasts.

Fuck. He had to go. Now.

He heard her shift and stand, smelled her as she approached him. Still, he wouldn't turn around. He wasn't sure he could trust himself if he looked at her.

Instead of touching him or speaking, she stopped inches behind him and inhaled, then sighed.

Christ, how much was he supposed to endure?

"I know you're aware of me, Logan," she whispered, her husky voice like a caress, torturing his already frayed nerve endings.

"Yes, I know you're there."

"Why won't you look at me?"

How was he supposed to answer that? He could imagine what she would say if he told her he was afraid to.

"It's enough that I feel your presence, Sophie."

"Why do you fight so hard against this?"

"I'm not fighting. I'm choosing."

"I think you've already chosen. You're just delaying the inevitable."

68

Winter Ice

Now he did turn around, his pulse racing as he looked at her. Sophie possessed a beguiling innocence that tore his resolve to shreds. He'd never had to fight desire as hard as he was right now. "I get to choose who I fuck."

"I'm aware of that. As do I. But I'm drawn to you, Logan, in ways that I can't change. And you can't either."

"I don't believe in fate."

"I do. And I know you feel our connection."

"It's sexual chemistry, and nothing more."

She nodded and offered a half smile. "True enough. Biology plays a large part in any relationship. But what we share is much more than physical. Tell me, Logan, do you feel me, even when I'm not around?"

"No," he lied.

"Yes, you do. I know you do." She stepped an inch closer. He resisted the urge to back away. "Logan, please be honest with me, just once."

He should lie to her, but what was the point? In the end, the choice was his to make.

And he wasn't going to do what his body screamed at him to do. "I've felt you from the first moment I saw you in the alley."

"And I've felt you. You're in my thoughts, in my dreams at night, and I can't get you out of my mind."

That revelation didn't help one bit. It only made his cock fully hard and strain against his jeans. A visual that wasn't lost on her as her gaze traveled down to his crotch, then back up again to meet his eyes. Heat dwelled within them, blatant desire that only made the situation worse.

Tags: Jaci Burton Storm for All Seasons Erotic
Source: readsnovelonline.net