Winter Ice (Storm for All Seasons 3)

And his tunnel vision had extended to Sophie, who had never done anything wrong. She'd offered him kindness, magic and love, and he'd tossed them back at her as if her gifts meant nothing.

Fuck! What the hell was wrong with him? He was thirty-five years old and hadn't learned a goddamned thing his entire life. The truth had been there, staring at him, since he was a kid, but he'd stubbornly refused to see it.

His mother was right. It was time to grow up and face his responsibilities.

Time to open his mind and his heart to the possibilities around him, before he lost everything he loved.

He went in search of his mother. She'd reentered the reception and was busily playing hostess, making sure all the guests had been warmly greeted.

"Mother, may I have a moment?" he asked.

She looked at him warily, but nodded, allowing him to lead her to the corner of the room.

151

Jaci Burton

He could have spent an hour apologizing for being an asshole for thirty-five years, but he knew they'd have more time to talk later. Instead, he did the one thing he knew would convince her of his sincerity.

Letting the magic surround him, he created a tiny ice sculpture and placed it in her hands. Two lovers were intertwined in a loving embrace on a crystal rock. They looked a lot like him and Sophie. "You were right."

Smiling at her stunned expression, he kissed her on the cheek and went in search of the other woman he loved.

152

Winter Ice

Chapter Seventeen

Sophie warily watched Logan's determined approach across the room. She maneuvered herself a bit behind Kaitlyn so he wouldn't spot her.

"He already knows exactly where you are," Kaitlyn said, moving away so that Sophie was once again in Logan's line of sight.

"I don't want to talk to him."

"Yes, you do. And that's what scares you."

She turned to Kaitlyn and shrugged. "What else is there to say? Is he going to apologize? That's not what I want. He might even tell me to stay the hell out of his family's life."

Kaitlyn took her hand. "He's not going to say any such thing. And if he did it wouldn't matter. You're family to us, Sophie. Whether Logan pulls his head out of his ass long enough to realize that or not doesn't matter. You'll still be a part of our lives."

Her soul warmed at the acceptance she'd received from the Storm family. She'd miss them, but there was no way she could continue to be around them if Logan wasn't in her life.

And no way was Logan going to be in her life. He'd made that abundantly clear to her.

"I'll bet you that he does want you."

"You're on. No way could he ignore me like this unless he wanted me out of his life."

Kaitlyn waved her hand. "Logan doesn't know what he wants unless you bash him upside the head with a two-by-four."

153

Jaci Burton

Sophie laughed. "I'm not the bashing type. I tried and failed, and I'm not going to ask for his heart again."

"You won't have to."

She whirled around, heating in embarrassment as she found Logan standing in front of her. Obviously, he'd heard what she said.

Idiot. When would she learn to keep her thoughts to herself?

"Excuse us, Kait," he said, taking Sophie by the hand and pulling her onto the dance floor.

A slow, seductive jazz song began to play. Logan wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. Unless she was determined to cause a scene, Sophie had no choice but to dance with him. Her heart began to pound when he rested his palm on her lower back.

He smelled so good, looked so fine, this just wasn't fair! How would she ever get Logan out of her mind, her heart, her very soul?

"You look beautiful."

Comments like that didn't help at all. "Stop playing with me, Logan. Please."

He frowned. "I'm not playing with you, Sophie. You do look beautiful."

"You can't turn on the heat and charm one minute, then freeze me out the next. I'm sorry, I just can't deal with this any longer."

She pushed firmly at his chest, disentangling herself from his embrace. With as much dignity as she could muster, she hurried from the ballroom and ran toward the elevators, mindful of people watching her.

But she had to escape. She couldn't deal with this any longer. Pain stabbed at her, regret filled her, and the sense of loss nearly sent her to her knees.

Logan caught up with her just as the doors were closing. He slipped inside the elevator and pushed the button to his suite.

"Go away," she said, refusing to let him see her with tears in her eyes.

154

Winter Ice

"No. I'm not going away. Not until you listen to me."

When the doors opened to her floor, Logan moved in front of them, blocking her exit.

"Let me go."

"No. Come up to my suite with me."

She crossed her arms and shook her head. "No."

"Yes."

She pushed past him, but a wall of ice appeared in the doorway. Turning her head to glare at him, she said, "Remove it."

"No. You won't cooperate, so I'm kidnapping you."

The doors closed behind him, and Sophie figured she'd just let him get out at the penthouse, then she'd ride back down to her floor.

She wasn't going to continue this charade with him. After completely ignoring her, now he wanted her attention? And they said women were difficult to understand.

When the doors opened at the penthouse floor, he took her hand. She pulled it back.

He reached for her again, but she pushed at his chest. "I'm not going with you, Logan."

"Yes, Sophie. You are. We have unfinished business, and by God we're going to finish it tonight."

Before she could object he'd tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

"Put me down, Logan!"

He didn't answer, just moved to his suite and slid the key in the lock.

He didn't put her down when he walked inside and shut the door, either. Instead, he moved into the bedroom and placed her on the bed.

"What? You want one last fuck before you tell me to get lost? I'm not that easy, Logan."

"No, in fact you're one of the most difficult women I've ever known."

155

Jaci Burton

Ha! He thought her difficult? He should have been looking in the mirror when he said that. "This is ridiculous. Why prolong this? It's over. You've made that more than clear enough that even a fool like me can see it."

She started to scramble off the bed, but his words stopped her.

"I was afraid."

"What?"

"I was afraid. Afraid of myself, my capabilities. Afraid of your magic, too. Mostly I was afraid of how you made me feel."

Instead of bolting, she sat. "Go on."

"I was also so afraid of losing you that I walked away." He ran his fingers through his thick, dark hair. "I've screwed up my whole life, Sophie. I've been afraid to use my magic, afraid what would happen if I found a woman to love. And when I found her, I hurt her, badly."

Sophie's throat went dry. "I'm not sure I understand what you're saying, Logan."

"Of course you don't understand, because I'm not very good at this."

"You're not very good at what?"

"At telling a woman that I love her. I've never done it before."

Her entire world turned upside down. Her chest tightened. How could sweet words of love hurt so damn bad? "You...you love me?"

Logan kneeled beside the bed and took Sophie's hand, cradling it between his palms. "Yes, Sophie Breaux. I love you. I have never loved another woman before, so this is unfamiliar territory for me."

She knew the feeling. "Logan, I--"

"Wait. Let me finish first. When I met you, you stunned me. Your sexuality, your free spirit, your acceptance of who and what you were. All of those things were polar opposites of me. I purposely kept myself removed from romance, from love, because I 156

Winter Ice

was afraid of falling in love with someone, then bringing children into the world who would inherit my powers."

"Your powers are magical gifts, Logan."

He nodded. "I finally understand that. But I didn't before. And there was no way I would allow someone into my heart. Then I met you."

The way he looked at her melted her from the inside out. Heat, passion, those things she loved so much about him, but also something new in his eyes that she hadn't seen before.