Counting Stars (A Donnelley Brother's Novel) (24 page)

Wrapping my legs around
his waist, I moan into his shoulder as he pounds mercilessly inside
me. I feel him shudder and I know he’s come, which is good, because
I’m right there with him. Breathily, Logan lifts himself with the
palm of his hands planted on either side of my head. His brow is
lined with sweat and his lips are swollen and red from our
never-ending kissing. His dark eyes are glimmering with
satisfaction and emotions I know are intense, but thankfully he
hasn’t spoken them aloud—I’m not quite ready for that, and I think
he knows it.

“You’re amazing.” He
sounds as though he’s in awe. “We’re going to run out of condoms if
we keep going at it this way.”

I giggled, “Oh, we
wouldn’t want that!”

“No.” He shook his head
and the look on his face was troubled. “We wouldn’t.”

Lifting myself, I
pressed my lips to his chin. “Why the worried look?”

He shifts inside me and
I give a little moan at the feel of him, still swollen, deep inside
my body. “I don’t know if I can handle not being with you, Reese. I
don’t know what it is, but I can’t get enough of your body.”

I frowned. He was
getting serious. “Well, how many more condoms do we have?”

“
I only brought a box of twelve.” He chuckled. “I
honestly didn’t even think I was going to need
them.
”

I laughed, feeling my
cheeks redden. “Then why did you bring them?”

“I’m a man, city girl.”
He said gruffly. “I was hoping to hell that I’d need them.”

I shook my head, gazing
up at him through loving eyes. “So, how many are left?”

“Two.”

I raised my brows.
“Two!” I seriously did not think we’d used that many! “We still
have a week and a half left here!”

He smiled. “I think
you’re just as terrified of not being with me as I am of not being
with you.”

I nodded soberly. “I
like being with you, Logan. It feels right.”

He dipped his head,
pressing his lips against mine as he rocked his hips gently against
mine. “It does feel right, city girl.”

“Mmmm,” I sighed against
his lips. “What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know,
baby.”

I couldn’t help but
entertain the thought of continuing without condoms and I had a
feeling that Logan was thinking the same thing. However, as much as
I wanted to be with Logan, I couldn’t take the risk that I might
become pregnant. We’d already foolishly been together without a
condom twice. Anything more was just asking for trouble.

I sighed. “We can’t
continue without protection, Logan.”

He nodded with his
forehead against mine. “I know, baby.”

“I’m sorry.”

He looked up into my
eyes. “Never be sorry, Reese.” His ebony eyes shone with a wicked
gleam. “I can think of a few ways to make you come without fucking
you.”

I raised my brows in
challenge. “Oh really?”

He grinned.
“Really.”

“You’re bad.” I kissed
him. “But I really like it.”

A few minutes passed
before Logan pulled out of me, dispensing of the condom into the
small bag we’d brought to keep our trash. I watched his naked
backside walk away from me and couldn’t help but lick my lips.
Damn, I really was a lucky woman.

Turning around, Logan
caught me watching him. “Like what you see?”

“Absolutely.” I replied
without shame. Sitting up, I tucked the small fleece blanket under
my arms to cover my breasts.

Logan smirked. “You
ready for some coffee?”

I nodded. “Oh yes!”

“Good.” He ran a hand
over the stubble shadowing his chin. “I’m dying for a cup.”

“Want me to get it
ready?”

“No,” he shook his head.
“Stay right where you are.”

I watched him through
curious eyes as he went about assembling the makeshift grill over
the fire before placing the pot of water over the grill. When the
water started to boil, he added the grounds and cinnamon (his
signature coffee) before handing me a mug.

I sipped my coffee as he
settled onto the sleeping bag behind me. With his legs stretched on
either side of mine, I leaned back into his hard chest and he
wrapped his free hand around my belly, holding me to him.

Mornings with Logan were
amazing. Simply perfect.

He nuzzled the side of
my face and I shivered at the feel of his coarse facial hair. When
he spoke, his voice was deep. “How long do you think you’ll spend
at the Ranch?”

My heart beat a little
faster at the thought of my time with Logan coming to a close. I
didn’t want it to ever end. “I don’t know.” I replied hesitantly.
“Why?”

“Would you consider
staying with me?”

“At your house?” I could
barely breathe at the thought.

“Yeah,”

For a moment, I tried to
encourage my heart to slow. “I think that would be nice. For how
long?”

“For however long you’ll
consider staying for.” He spoke without hesitation and I felt my
heart race all over again.

“What are you saying,
Logan?”

“I’m saying I don’t want
to lose you.” He spoke confidently and I wondered how he could be
so confident in what he wants after only two and a half weeks with
me. He barely knew me and he was already asking me to move in with
him—I think that was what he was asking, anyway.

“Are you asking me to
move in with you?”

“I’m asking you to stay
with me for a while and see if we could make something work between
the two of us.” He chuckled nervously and I smiled. “I guess I am
asking you to move in with me.”

“I don’t know.” I
whispered.

“It can be temporary,
Reese. You don’t have to commit or sign anything.” He tightened his
hand around my belly and I had a feeling the action was
subconscious. The man really didn’t want to lose me. “I’m only
asking that we try it out and see where it takes us.”

“We barely know each
other.”

“You know that’s not
true, Reese.” His tone was dark and heavy. “I know more about you
than you’ve allowed most others to see.”

He was right. “But I
mean, you don’t know what I like to do with my spare time. You
don’t know my favorite food or dessert or movie. And I don’t know
these things about you.” To keep from rambling, I took a sip of my
coffee.

“Then tell me all of
this—and you do know my favorite food.” He shrugged and I giggled
at the memory of his reply. Logan continued. “Your answers aren’t
going to change the fact that I want you to stay with me.”

“Logan,” I breathed his
name.

“What do you like to do
in your spare time?”

“I don’t know.” I
sighed.

“I’m trying here,
Reese.” He reminded me. “Talk to me.”

“I like to read, or
watch movies, or go see a play.” I shrugged. “I pretty much love
anything with a story.”

“What kind of
story.”

I scoffed.
“Romance.”

“I suppose that was a
given.” He laughed.

“What do you like to
do?”

He sipped his coffee. “I
like to be outside—you knew that too.”

“We don’t have much in
common.” I whispered.

“Opposites attract.”
Logan countered immediately. His reply was so quick, it was almost
as though he’d been reciting the argument in his mind. “And I like
movies too. I’ll admit that I don’t read or watch plays, but I like
movies.”

“What kind?”

“Action.” He shrugged.
“Now, don’t go saying we have nothing in common because I don’t get
all warm and fuzzy over romance movies. I am a guy, city girl.”

I laughed. “Fair
enough.”

“What’s your favorite
meal?” He asked.

I blushed. “I love
nachos. The loaded kind with cheese, olives, green onions, peppers,
jalapenos, and chicken.” I gave a little shiver. “Yummy.”

He laughed. “I didn’t
peg you for a nacho kind of girl, but I can’t say I’m
disappointed.”

I laughed, teasing. “At
least my response wasn’t Christmas.”

“Hey,” he shook his
head. “Christmas is a valid answer.”

“Umhum.” I laughed.

Logan’s body shook
behind mine and I knew he was laughing with me. “How did you live
with your neighbors so close?”

I stiffened. “Well, that
was an abrupt change in conversation.”

“I’ve been wondering for
a while.” He shrugged.

I sighed. “Honestly,
it’s not bad at all. You get used to it, I suppose.”

“I don’t think I could
get used to having someone so close to my house all the time. I’d
feel like I had no privacy.”

“To tell you the truth,
knowing there were people so close was what I found comforting.
When Derek was gone for the night—it didn’t happen often, but it
did happen sometimes—I slept easier knowing there were others
around.”

“But seriously, the
houses in the city are built so close you can practically reach out
your window and touch your neighbors house.”

“Not quite.” I shook my
head. “Who lives closest to you?”

“Kyle.”

“How far away does he
live?”

“About an eight minute
walk.” He explained. “All I can see from my house is trees. That’s
the way I like it.”

“You’re never
afraid?”

“Of what?”

“I don’t know,” I looped
my finger through the handle of my mug. “Crazy people?”

“Where I live?” He
chuckled. “No.”

“There are crazy people
everywhere and your ranch has cabins that people stay in. What
happens if someone crazy targets you?”

“I have a gun.” Logan
stated simply. “If they want to come out to my house and threaten
me, then I’ll threaten them.”

I dropped my head back
against his shoulder. “I give up.”

He laughed. “I thought
you would.”

“Are you and Kyle
close?” I asked, ignoring his statement.

“I suppose you could say
that.” He nodded. “Why?”

“I’m just trying to get
to know the man who thinks I should stay with him in his house.” I
answered simply and he chuckled again.

“Alright,” he tightened
his arm around my belly again and I lifted my knees to rest my mug
against my kneecaps. “Kyle and I are the closest in age, so I guess
you could say we’re close. We live the closest to each other, but
Kyle’s difficult to get to know.”

“Like you?”

“I’m not difficult to
get to know, Reese.” Logan stated matter of fact. “I’m blunt and I
don’t care about the effect my words will have on someone so long
as they’re true.”

“And Kyle?”

“Kyle’s just quiet. He’s
one of those people who sees everything, but rarely ever comments.”
He gave a small shrug. “I suppose that’s why we’re close. I love
all my brothers, don’t get me wrong, but Collin is a flirty little
bastard and Luke will talk your ear off if you give him the chance.
Kyle is more like me. He’s a bit quieter, comfortable with the
silence. I think that’s why he rock climbs. You don’t need to be a
chatterbox to teach rock climbing.”

I pondered over his
words, enjoying listening to him talk about his brothers. It was
obvious they were close—all of them. And I could totally see his
descriptions of his brothers being bang-on. Collin really was a
flirty man and although Luke didn’t talk much with me, his eyes had
shown interest. And he was definitely right about Kyle. The man was
quiet—almost shy.

“I’m happy you’re
close.”

“Me too.” He agreed. “I
can’t imagine not having my brothers around.”

“I don’t have any
siblings, but I have a best friend who is pretty much like a sister
to me, so I think I know what you mean.” I sighed. “I love her to
bits.”

“What’s her name?”

“Kat.”

“Is she the friend you
were talking to on the phone when I first saw you?”

I nodded. “You mean when
you first banged on my window, scaring the life right outta me?” I
smirked. “Yeah, that was Kat.”

“What’s she like?”

“Pretty much the
opposite of me.”

“How so?”

“She’s crazy and weird
and fun-loving.” I tilted my head against his shoulder, pressing my
forehead into his throat. “I miss her.”

“Did she live close to
you?”

I nodded. “She did. She
was my next door neighbor, actually.”

“Really?” He sounded
surprised. “Is that how you met?”

“No.” I shook my head.
“We actually planned to be next door neighbors when we bought the
houses. Derek and Kat’s husband, Mason, were best friends. It was
awesome—to live beside them.”

“And yet you sold your
house. Why?”

“I just couldn’t live
there anymore.”

“Is Kat enough to make
you go back?”

Closing my eyes against
the sudden flood of emotion, I spoke through shaky tones. “I don’t
know. It’s just too hard to stay there. I will visit her as much as
possible, but I don’t think I can live there again.”

He nodded. “I see.”

“She has a little girl
named Macie.” I whispered. “She’s a sweetheart.”

“Were you and Derek
thinking of kids?”

Feeling tense at his
question, I nodded. “Yeah.”

When Logan spoke again,
I sensed discomfort in his voice. “You would be an amazing mother,
Reese. You’re soft like that.”

“What do you mean,
soft?”

“Your heart,” he replied
gently. “It’s soft and loving. Any child that got you for a mother
would be so blessed.”

I didn’t reply.

There were simply no
words.