Winter Ice (Storm for All Seasons 3)

"Sophie's a con artist. She'll rip everyone off. All she's after is money."

"If that's the case, how come she returned your wallet? And shouldn't you look inside to make sure all your money's there?"

He already knew it was, which was why he hadn't checked. "I have another meeting. I don't have time for this. I don't want Sophie at the ball."

Before Aidan could respond, Logan turned on his heel and stormed down the street, feeling more than a little ridiculous for causing this ruckus.

Jamming his fingers through his hair, he focused his gaze on the Rising Storm and quickened his step, muttering to himself along the way.

"Voodoo priestess, my ass. What a bunch of crap. Why the hell did I have to follow her? I need a goddamn vacation."

25

Jaci Burton

This entire debacle was Sophie's fault. He wished he'd never met her that night in the alley. And he sure as hell shouldn't have kissed her inside the shop.

Her taste still lingered on his lips. Both sweet and spicy, like the woman he couldn't seem to get out of his mind, no matter how hard he tried.

*

Sophie grinned and waved Lissa and Aidan off. After they left, she turned to find two sets of very curious eyes staring at her.

"What?"

Samantha grinned. "Nothing. Just...well, nothing." Sam turned away and headed into the storeroom, leaving her to deal with Josh. And she could already guess how that was going to go.

"Don't start with me, Joshua."

Josh shook his head, his dark brown hair slipping down over his forehead. "You're way out of your league, Soph."

She approached him and reached out, brushing his hair away from his face. Josh was like family. They'd known each other...forever. Since they were kids. He used to spend all his afternoons with Sophie and her aunt, making fun of their spells and magic.

She loved Josh. Always had. Just not in the way he wanted her to. That she couldn't help.

"I appreciate you looking out for me, mon ami. But I know what I'm doing."

"Famous last words," he said, shrugging. "I don't know why you always think there's something better out there for you. Why can't you..."

His words trailed off, but she knew what they were. "Josh. You know why."

His brown eyes turned nearly black, frustration evident in the way he clenched his fists at his side. He'd always held his anger in check around her, no matter what she 26

Winter Ice

said to him. But she felt it, simmering just near the surface of his emotions, ready to boil over.

Why couldn't he find a love of his own? Josh was so handsome. Tall, muscular and fit, with dark eyes that spoke of sensual depths that most women would swoon over.

But Sophie wasn't one of those women. She'd tried with Josh, but he had always felt like family to her. Or something. It just hadn't felt right, and she'd told him that as honestly and gently as she could. Josh had accepted it, reluctantly, but had continued to be her friend.

"I love you, Sophie."

"I know." She always hated this part of their conversations. They'd had the same one for years, and she always gave him the same answer. "I love you, too."

He arched a brow. "But."

Nodding, she grinned. "But not in that way. We're not destined, Josh."

"Destiny is bullshit. You make your own," he mumbled, moving off to open a new box of inventory.

Someday, maybe Josh would find his destiny with the right woman. But that woman could never be her. With a heavy sigh, Sophie stepped into the small room where she had told Logan's future.

Or at least part of his future. She inhaled and closed her eyes, feeling his presence, his unique scent, bits and pieces of his aura still clinging to the room.

Clinging to her.

He was part of her, whether he liked it or not.

It was only a matter of time until he saw what she saw, until he knew his destiny.

Even she didn't know all of it, just shadows and partial visions. Enough to know they were meant to be together.

Soon enough he'd figure that out.

27

Jaci Burton

Chapter Four

If the stars were aligned and today was Logan's lucky day, Sophie wouldn't show up at the ball tonight.

He paced his suite, stopping for the fifth time in front of the mirror to adjust his bowtie.

He hated tuxes. Hated dressing up, hated this part of his job.

But it was a necessity for goodwill and good business.

The door to his suite slipped open and Aidan walked in, dressed in the same type of monkey suit.

"I hate fucking tuxes," Aidan mumbled, jamming his hands into his pockets.

Logan grinned. "My thoughts exactly. Where's everyone else?"

"Lissa, Shannon and Kaitlyn are in the ballroom already, squealing over their respective dresses."

Logan rolled his eyes. Females and their idiosyncrasies were so foreign to him. He never tried to understand how their minds worked. And having two sisters hadn't helped one bit over the years. If anything, they only confused him more. "Where's Max?"

"Doing a little PR work in the office. He said he'd be late."

Max Devlin, Shannon's fiance, was as much a workaholic as Logan. Except when Shannon crooked her finger. Then he dropped everything and went after her like a dog scenting a bitch in heat.

Logan smirked. Not too far off the mark, actually, considering that Max was a werewolf.

28

Winter Ice

His future brother-in-law a werewolf. And he thought his family was unusual.

Would they ever have a normal life? Then again, the fact that Max was lupine didn't seem to bother Max at all. He was strong, capable, enjoyed his life and didn't let his unusual abilities affect the way he lived.

Why couldn't he do that, too? Why was it so fucking hard to accept who he was?

"Sophie's here."

Logan cast a sharp glare at Aidan. "I thought I made my wishes clear on that."

Aidan grinned. "We ignored you. Rather, the girls ignored you. Once Lissa told Shannon and Kaitlyn about her meeting with Sophie, there was no changing their minds. It's a done deal."

Figured they'd ignore him. After all, Logan was only the CEO. No one needed to listen to his directives, right?

"Might as well get down there, then." At least he could keep an eye on her, make sure she didn't slip her slender hand into a number of New Orleans' richest pockets, all of whom would be in attendance tonight.

The ballroom was packed. This was one of Mardi Gras' biggest parties, part of the grand celebrations of Carnival.

Logan spent a few minutes greeting the guests, then wandered around to find his sisters.

Kaitlyn was, as usual, fretting over minute details of decor and food. She hugged him when he came up to her.

"Have you tried the hors d'oeuvres yet? I'm not sure I selected the right ones."

He shook his head as he watched her wring her hands. "Would you relax?

Everything is perfect."

"Marcel is an idiot."

29

Jaci Burton

He laughed. She was always fighting with the head chef. They had never seen eye to eye on menu selection and preparation. If Kaitlyn had her way, she'd cook every meal for every guest at the hotel herself. "Yes, he's an idiot. What did he do this time?"

"Substituted one of my recipes and decided to change the main course. I swear if I had another chef, I'd fire his ass on the spot."

Logan kissed Kaitlyn on the forehead. "That's your area, cher. You do whatever you think is right. But you're not going into the kitchens yourself."

She pursed her lips into a pout. "I'll figure something out." Shaking off whatever bugged her, she grinned. "You look very handsome tonight. And Sophie is a charm, Logan. Wherever did you find her?"

His smile died at the mention of Sophie's name. "I didn't find her. I don't even want her here."

"For heaven's sake, why not?"

Shannon sidled next to Kaitlyn. "Sophie's delightful. I don't understand."

It was a conspiracy of estrogen. He couldn't win. "Never mind. How's everything going?"

The light shimmered against Shannon's red, sparkling gown. "Great, of course. The casino's filled to capacity, we sold out of tickets for the ball, and Sophie is already dealing with a long line of patrons wanting their fortunes told. She's going to make us a ton of money for the charity. And she's still refusing to let us pay her for her time tonight. Which means everything we make from her fortune-telling will go to the charity."

She probably had an ulterior motive for giving up her fee. "I'm going to go talk to the mayor. I'll catch you later." He turned away, irritated that every conversation lately seemed to include Sophie.

She was set up alongside the wall in a booth decorated in vibrant silk drapes of purple, green and gold, a canopy and curtains to keep it private and intimate.

30

Winter Ice

Sophie was the center of attention, dressed in a shimmering top of gold that draped off her shoulders, revealing cleavage that any man would want to slip his hand inside.

Her full skirt matched the colors of carnival and glimmered against the soft lights of the ballroom. Long hoop earrings brushed against her jawline, and bracelets with bells jingled at her wrists.

The dark tinge of her skin highlighted her vivid violet eyes. Her full lips were made to suck a man's cock. Logan's dick took notice of that instantly, twitching to life at a most inopportune moment.