Anything He Desires (11 page)

“Would you have dinner with me?” he asked Kristen at the office.

“I would love to. Where do you want to go?”

“I’m having dinner prepared at home. I have something I need to talk to you about,” he said, purposely being vague.

“Now you’ve made me curious.”

“My lips are sealed. You will just have to wait.”

“At least give me a hint.”

“No. You have to wait.” But he did give her a hint through a kiss.

*

             
Kristen was full of anticipation for the rest of the day. She knew it was something big because he was so secretive and they were eating at home. Shanna had overheard them.  She teased Kristen all afternoon.

“You are going to be calling in sick tomorrow. I already know I’m going to be all by myself here tomorrow.”

“I’ll not stay out of work tomorrow, Shanna. I’ll beat you here tomorrow.”

             
They continued to banter all day. Kristen loved the relationship she had with Shanna. It was easy to be her friend. Kristen felt bad she hadn’t talked to Kimberly much about Logan but there were things Kimberly wouldn’t understand. In reality, there were things Kristen wouldn’t want to tell her. She had to figure things out on her own before dragging her friend into their relationship. Shanna, on the other hand, had no judgments and the woman could clearly see the reason Kristen was over the moon for Logan.

*

             
Logan went home first to make sure things were perfect and then he had the car sent back for Kristen. He had flowers and champagne in the limo. She smiled when she saw it all. What was he up to with all of this?

             
When she pulled up, he greeted her at the car and opened the door for her.

“Did you like the champagne?” he asked.

“It was very nice. Are you trying to get me drunk so you can break up with me?” she said with a smile, half-frightened out of her wits of his answer.

“No. You will just have to find out for yourself. Have a little patience.” He escorted her in. The house was also decorated with flowers and he had a candlelit dinner waiting for them. The tablecloth was white linen; the candles flickered off the crystal, casting the room in tiny rainbows. The food was served on silver platters and it smelled delicious. He pulled out a chair for her and poured her some of the delicious champagne he had in the car.

             
Her stomach was doing flip flops because he had never done anything like this before with her and she suspected he had never done anything like this for anyone else. At least, she hoped he hadn’t. She frowned a little and he noticed.

“What’s wrong?”

“I was just thinking about something else, there’s nothing wrong, this is all so perfect.” She noticed a box sitting beside her salad plate. When she looked at it and then looked back at him, he smiled.

“You will have to wait for after dinner for that.” He sat down across from her.

             
She enjoyed dinner, talking and teasing each other. She hoped he felt the same way. It was hard to tell with him because he gave so little away.

“Dinner was delicious, thank you.” She was surprised she had eaten any of it because her stomach had been unsteady with nerves all evening.

“I suspect you are wondering what this is all about?”

“Yes! I’m dying to know but you already know that and I think you are enjoying torturing me with it a little bit,” she scolded and he smiled.

“I admit I’m enjoying it a little bit but I want this night and this moment to be perfect.”He took a deep breath.

“Kristen, I’m not sure how to do this… or how to say this to you. It’s I’ve never said before, not to anyone. I realize I want you to be the one and only woman I say it to.”

Kristen waited patiently for him to continue, hardly daring to hope. But she would not be disappointed, whatever it turned out to be. She wanted him to know he could tell her anything.

“I love you,” he said simply, and he kissed her.

She kissed him back and she felt the tears running down her cheeks. She never thought she would hear those words from him and he hadn’t only said them but had taken the time to make the moment special. For all his claiming about not knowing what to say or do, he’d always spoken and done perfectly.

He reached for the box and handed it to her. When she opened it, she saw the most beautiful locket inside. Inside the locket was a picture of Logan and a small boy…his brother.

“This locket has been with me for as long as I can remember. It was my Grandmother’s locket. She gave it to me before she passed away and my brother and I were placed in foster care. She was the only woman I ever felt love for and from and I swore I would never give the locket to a woman unless I truly loved her. I never thought I’d be able to give it away and then I met you and you stole my heart. I want you to have this locket just like you have my cardiac muscle.” They both grinned at each other before Logan continued. “I’m not sure what the future holds. I’m twisted and I think it would probably be kinder of me to let you go because I’m difficult, but I love you, Kristen, and if you’ll stay with me, I won’t leave you.”

“I love you, too, Logan. I’ll cherish this locket as I cherish your—your cardiac muscle. I think I loved you from the beginning. I said as much, didn’t I? I just didn’t know what to do with it all. Like you, I don’t know where this is going, but I know I want to be with you and I can’t walk away even if you pushed me away. I’d stay.”

He pulled her into his arms.

“Are you sure you want to do this with me?” he asked.“I’m not an easy man to live with and I have odd tastes that could push you away. I just want you to be sure.”

“I have never been surer of anything in my life.”

             
He placed the locket around her neck and he brushed away her tears.

“I hope these are tears of happiness,” he said with a smile.

“Yes. This is what I wanted. I never thought you would love me and now that you do I feel like I’m going to burst.”

“I like you bursting,” he whispered in her ear. “I have more surprises for you in the bedroom. Do you want to see?”

“Yes,” she said with a mischievous smile.

             
He led her to the bedroom decorated in rose petals. There were also candles everywhere and more flowers on every surface. He had taken the time to make this perfect for her. She couldn’t believe he had been so sensitive and caring on her behalf. He must really love her to be this romantic.

             
He started running the tub and he put in bath salts and bubbles. She watched him make sure the water was perfect before he turned on the jets. He started undressing her slowly and sensually. Tonight was different. He would seduce her slowly and she liked the idea of his seduction. He picked her up and placed her in the tub. He took off his own clothes and got into the bath with her.

He took a sponge and began washing her. His hands felt so good on her body. She wanted to return the favor but he refused.

“Tonight it is all about you.”

             
She smiled and enjoyed his touch and his lips on her. After bathing her, she massaged her shoulders and back. It felt so wonderful for him to touch her this way, giving instead of taking. Her body felt like it had turned to jelly in his arms. She was his to do with as he wanted.

He helped her out of the tub and dried her off with a towel. It felt delicious to have someone perform this simple task for her. He then carried her to the bed and began his assault on her body. He kissed and licked every inch of her. He spent extra time on certain areas and she had already had two orgasms by the time he entered her. He made love to her in a way he never had before. As they climaxed, he whispered in her ear, “I love you.”

Chapter Nine

The thin line between Love and Hate

             
Kristen woke with a light heart. Logan loved her and it was all she could think about. He brought her breakfast in bed. She could get accustomed to the pampering. He had to leave early because he had some work to do at his business early.

“I have to go check on a few things at the office and then I’ll be at the center.” He was already dressed and ready for work, making her feel lazy and spoiled to still be in the bed.

He leaned down and threaded his fingers into hers above the blankets. “Be careful. I have a friend watching the center so I feel like you will be safe but please stay there. I don’t trust George right now and I think his plots are escalating. Okay?”

“I’ll be careful, I promise. Now kiss me.”

             
After Logan left—leaving her even lazier and more languorous than when she started because of his goodbye kiss—she pulled herself up and dressed for work.

Sara had made her lunch at Logan’s request because he didn’t want her going out.

When she arrived at work, she was the only one there. She listened to the messages. Shanna was going to be late because her cat was sick and she had to take her to the vet.

Kristen meandered around the office aimlessly, still in cloud nine over her splendid evening with Logan. When the phone rang, it startled her. It was a frantic kid on the line. She remembered him from the neighborhood. He wanted her to meet him out back for a minute.

“What do you need, Aidan?” she asked.

“I just need to talk to you and I don’t want people to see me. The gang bangers wouldn’t like it if I talked to you.” He sounded so upset she didn’t pause to think about it, she told him she would come right out. She didn’t lock up because she planned to get Aidan inside where it was safer and they could go to her office.

She opened the back door and found Aidan lying on the ground. She rushed to him with a cry of surprise. Almost instantly, she was grabbed from behind.

She knew it was George and she felt so stupid for falling for his plan.

“Hello beautiful. Did Logan tell you about his dear old dad? The things I can do to you?”

She struggled against him but he was so much stronger. He had his hand clamped on her mouth so she couldn’t scream. She saw the needle and she knew she was in trouble. Almost as soon as she felt it prick her skin, and everything went black. Her last thought before she went out was what rotten timing everything always had. Look at her, getting kidnapped and killed just when Logan had said he loved her.

*

             
Logan got to the center around ten. He was surprised to see the door open and Kristen wasn’t around. Shanna wasn’t there either and that was odd. She had been there every day and had been very dedicated.

When he looked around, he found the back door unlocked. He found Aidan outside on the pavement. The kid still had a pulse but had been knocked out. Logan tried to wake him but wasn’t successful. He dialed 911 and then he called, Eric, the friend he had watching the center. While talking to Eric and waiting for the paramedics, he saw something on the pavement.

It was the locket he had given Kristen. His heart dropped. He knew George had her.

He had to find her. When the police and paramedics arrived, he told them briefly what had happened, or at least the little he knew. Eric was also canvassing the neighborhood looking for clues. Just as Logan was finishing with the police, Eric came over to him.

“I talked to Shanna and she was at the vet because someone poisoned her cat. I think we can safely assume it was George. He planned it all out. I also believe he had Aidan call Kristen because she wouldn’t have opened the back door for anyone but a child,” Eric said gravely.

Logan could barely string two thoughts together except for the mantra that he was going to kill George. He nodded at Eric absently and murmured, “I just have to think about where he would take her. I know it’s me he wants. He will wait to kill her until I’m there. I just can’t imagine what is happening to her now.”

“Just focus on places he knows you know,” Eric said bracingly. “He is trying to bait you and then he will have you both. The thing he isn’t counting on is me, and the police seem to be on your side as well. He thinks because he trapped you once he can do it again. He is getting sloppy and he isn’t thinking clearly. That’s our advantage. We’ll get him, Logan. ”

“There was this shed he always locked us in when we were kids. Do you think he would be so stupid to take her there?” Logan asked.

“Yes. I think that’s exactly what he will do.”

“He will expect me to come alone. He does not know about you and he isn’t counting on any other assistance. Let me go in first and then you follow in ten minutes. Just make sure you call the police before you come in so we will have back up on the way.”

Eric nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

             
The police allowed Logan to leave and told him they would keep him posted on Aidan. He probably just had a concussion from the knock he received on his head. They would put out alerts for Kristen. Logan didn’t tell them he would find her himself. He couldn’t rely on anyone else to find her.