Her Soldier Protector (14 page)

“So now that you’re here, are you going to be my barefoot housewife, cooking me three meals a day and tending to my every need?” Logan joked.

Candace laughed. “You wish, soldier. You wish.”

Ranger came over and poked his head between them, looking for some affection, and Candace stopped touching Logan and ran her hand across the dog’s fur instead. She couldn’t believe that after a lifetime of being scared of large dogs, she’d warmed to Logan’s big canine so quickly.

“Poor boy was traumatized by your cats last night,” Logan told her.

“Sorry, Ranger,” she cooed. “Those mean old cats might try to take over, but you stand firm, okay?”

They sat in silence for a long while, Candace stroking Ranger’s head and Logan running his fingers gently through her curls.

“I don’t want to ruin the moment, but have you really thought about what it’ll be like living here, when you’re so used to such a, well, a glamorous lifestyle?” Logan asked. “And just because I’ve started to get help doesn’t mean we aren’t going to hit a few road bumps along the way.” He paused. “I did dream last night, Candace, but it wasn’t as bad and I was able to deal with it. To pull myself out of it somehow and use you to push the memories away and fall back asleep.”

Candace’s heart started to beat faster.

“So have you really thought this through?” he asked again.

Yes, it was
all
she’d thought about when she was trying to figure out whether moving was a good idea or not, but at the end of the day, she knew that having a partner in life was way more important than anything else. Her success as a recording artist wasn’t going to keep her warm in bed at night, or give her someone to confide in and travel with, to start a family with. And the fact that Logan had actually done something about his terrors? That just made her decision seem all the more
right.

“Logan, I’ve been performing for eight years now, and even though I love it, I don’t think it’s enough anymore.”

“And you’re sure this is what you want, though?” he asked. “Don’t get me wrong, I want you here, but I don’t want you to look back in a few months, or even a few years, and wish you’d thought it through more.”

“I want you,” she said, taking her hand off Ranger and pressing it to his cheek, looking up into his eyes. “It might mean a change of pace, but I’m okay with that. I’m
ready
for that. Because I honestly believe that this is where I’m supposed to be.”

Logan’s eyes crinkled ever so slightly at the corners, his smile making her entire body tingle.

“Why do I feel like you have this all planned out?” he asked.

She laughed. “Well, it just so happens that I’ve had a lot of time to think this through.”

Logan groaned but she kissed him to stop it. He ran his fingers down her back and hoisted her up on top of him, letting her sit on top but taking charge of her mouth.

“Don’t you want me to tell you all my great ideas?” she asked, pulling back.

Logan leaned up, cupping the back of her head and forcing her back down, kissing her again.

“No,” he mumbled when she fought against him again, laughing. “Just let me enjoy being with you for a while before you map my whole life out for me. Unless, of course, you’ve written a song about me?”

“Yeah. I called it ‘Bodyguard’,” she joked.

“Oh, really?”

“Logan!” she protested when he tried to flip her beneath him.

He stopped, rolling to his side and dragging her with him. “Fine, go on then. I can see we’re not going to have any fun until you tell me all your plans.”

Candace laughed, but he was right—she did have everything all planned out, because planning had been the only way she’d been able to convince herself to take a risk, follow her instincts, and move halfway across the world.

“I figured we could keep a place in town, so we’re only a short flight away from the city when we want to head in, but we’d obviously spend most of our downtime here.”

“When you say downtime?” he asked.

“I have a tour next year that I can’t cancel, so I was thinking that you could be my bodyguard,” she said. “You
and
Ranger.”

“Oh, you were, were you?” Logan muttered.

“It’ll be busy at times, and I’ll have to go back to L.A. to record another album at some stage, because I’ve already signed for one more, but after that we can decide on what works for us both, together. What do you think?”

*

Logan was trying hard not to laugh. As Candace talked excitedly, she reminded him of a little bright-colored parrot chirping a million miles an hour. It was impossible not to smile just watching her talk so animatedly, but his gaze was constantly drawn to her mouth, those pillowy lips of hers his weakness.

“Logan?”

He switched his gaze back to her eyes. “What was the question?” Logan had no idea what she’d even been talking about at the end there, but whatever she’d said he was inclined to just agree.

“I said does all that sound okay with you? I don’t want to sound like I’m trying to organize your life, but it’s going to take a bit of juggling at the start.”

Logan smiled at the worried expression on her face, trying to reassure her. “Sweetheart, so long as I have you by my side and I get to spend a decent chunk of the year here at home, I’m happy. Everything else we can figure out as we go.”

He’d never been more pleased to have his life organized for him, especially now that he was confident he could deal with his past, that he’d received the help he needed. And help was only a phone call away now, so he didn’t have to burden Candace with everything when he needed to talk through his night terrors some more.

“You’re sure?” she asked, bottom lip caught between her teeth.

“I spent the past couple of weeks in a foul mood even though I promised you I’d think about you and smile,” he told her honestly. “I couldn’t believe that I’d finally met someone I could actually be with, who I wanted to be with, and I only got such a short time with her. Or that I’d acted like such a jerk when I should have been taking care of her.”

Candace seemed to melt into him, her entire body relaxing at hearing his words.

“Really?”

“Really.” Logan pushed her up a little and hooked a finger under her chin, tilting her face up so he could look into her eyes. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, Candace, and I will do whatever it takes to make this work.”

“Me, too,” she sighed.

Logan was about to kiss her, but he hovered for a moment. “You do realize that Ranger has to come everywhere with us, though, right? I promised him a retirement by my side, and after what he did for me on the tours we went on, I can’t go back on my word.”

“Okay, so you
and
your goofy dog.”

Logan broke their kiss as soon as he’d started it. “Who you calling goofy? Ranger has...”

“I know how awesome your dog is,” Candace said with a laugh. “So just shut up and kiss me, would you?”

Logan didn’t need to be asked twice. He kissed Candace slowly, groaning when she raked her fingernails through his hair, forcing himself to take things slowly. Because there was no rush now—they had all day together, and the day after that.
The month after that.

He might have lost a lot, seen things that he’d never forget and that would haunt him for the rest of his life, but now he had Candace. And for all the darkness of his past, he now had her like a shiny bright light beaming into his future. There was no way he was ever going to let her walk away again, not if he could help it.

“I love you,” he whispered as she pulled back, looking up at him.

Candace had tears swimming in her eyes, but her smile told him they were happy tears.

“I love, too, Logan,” she whispered back.

Logan shook his head as he pulled her in for another kiss. How he’d managed to end up with Candace Evans in his life, in his heart, he’d never know. But he sure wasn’t complaining.

EPILOGUE

“H
AVE
I
THANKED
you for being my bridesmaid?”

Jamie laughed, and Candace watched as she filled two spiraled glasses high with champagne.

“If you tell me one more time...”

“Sorry,” Candace apologized, taking her glass and taking a nervous sip. “I just still can’t believe that it’s just the four of us here, that I’m about to get married.”

“Stop,” Jamie ordered, her hand closing over Candace’s forearm. Her grip was light, but her intention was clear. “I don’t want to see that panicked look in your eyes again, because I have no desire to chase you down the street if you go all runaway bride on me.”

Candace took a deep breath, staring at her slightly shaking hand. “I just find it hard to believe that after so long, after everything, I’m standing here.”

“Well, believe it,” Jamie said, holding her glass high so they could touch them together. “I never believed that I would ever be with anyone ever again after my first husband died, but sometimes we just have to accept that things happen for a reason. Those men out there waiting for us?”

Candace nudged aside the blinds, searching for Logan. She saw his big silhouette almost immediately, sitting on the beach in just a pair of shorts. His skin was golden, his dark hair damp, off his face like he’d just run his fingers through it. She hoped he wasn’t having any last minutes nerves, wasn’t trying to devise a plan with Brett to make a run for it.

She pushed those thoughts away. It had been a year since she’d moved to Australia, and not once had Logan given her the impression that he was unhappy. It had been the best twelve months of her life.

“We’re pretty lucky, huh?”

Candace blinked away the tears that had filled her eyes, wishing she didn’t keep getting so emotional. Everything seemed to set her off these days—just the thought of standing in front of Logan and saying “I do” was enough to make her want to burst out crying.

“I was so lost when I met Logan, and he just took me under his wing like I was a broken bird in need of tender loving care. He healed me, Jamie,” Candace said, tears now falling slowly down her cheeks. “I never thought anyone ever could, but he did it like it was the easiest thing in the world.”

Jamie plucked a tissue and crossed the room to gently wipe her cheeks. “You know you saved Logan, too, don’t you?”

Candace took the tissue and dabbed closer to her eyes and then her nose. “Logan was fine just the way he was. I was the fragile one.”

She knew more than anyone else ever would that Logan had been suffering, that he’d been in so much pain from his past, but she also knew how strong he was. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he’d have found a way to pull through and find happiness.

“No.” Jamie shook her head, taking her own look out the window. “Logan has always been so good at hiding how he feels, making us all think he’s okay, but the truth is that he’s been hurting and alone for a long time. He didn’t cope well when Brett and I told him we were together, and I’m not sure he’s ever gotten over Sam’s death, or what happened to his parents. Add his last tour to the Middle East into the mix?” Jamie sighed, before turning back around and reaching for her champagne flute. “We were worried about him. Until he met you.”

Candace blinked away the last of her tears and sipped her drink to take her mind off everything. Deep down she knew that Jamie was right, but she was just so grateful for what Logan had done for her that it was hard to believe she could have done the same for him.

“I think we need to get dressed,” she announced, putting her glass down and walking over to the wardrobe.

She opened the door and couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face when she saw her dress. It was white, covered in the tiniest white jewels that caught the light like diamonds. Candace had already placed the same jewels in her hair, just a handful of them so they looked like raindrops against her blond curls, which were loose and tumbling around her shoulders.

“I still can’t believe that you didn’t even bring a makeup artist here,” Jamie said with a laugh. “You’re used to a whole entourage, and instead you’ve just got me.”

“Well, believe it,” Candace said, untying her robe and letting it fall to the floor so she was just standing in her underwear, before stepping into her dress. “The best thing we ever did was decide to come here, just the four of us. Although I’m sure we’ll find out that there was a rogue long lens taking snaps of us when we get back.”

“I don’t care who takes a photo of me, I’m just in shock still that we’re here,” Jamie replied, zipping up the dress without having to be asked. “I still can’t believe we have a butler just for our villa.”

“It’s Hayman Island, baby,” Candace said with a drawl, imitating Logan when they’d first arrived. “Get used to living in the lap of luxury.”

“And I will never stop thanking you for as long as I live. Seriously, I know you’re used to the rich and famous lifestyle, but for us regular people, this is beyond incredible. It’s the vacation of a lifetime for me.”

Candace wriggled, getting her dress right, before spinning to look in the full-length mirror.

“Don’t mention it. You deserved an amazing vacation, and for the record, I will never get used to coming to places like this. I still have to pinch myself.” She sighed. “Besides, what fun would Logan and I have without you two? I foresee plenty of trips in the near future.”

“Yes to that!”

Jamie took off her robe and slipped her dress on, and Candace turned her back slightly to give her privacy until she felt her friend’s hand on her arm.

“I think I also owe you thanks for letting me wear something beautiful. Last time I was bridesmaid I think the bride intentionally wanted to make us look terrible in case we stole the show!”

“Well, you do look beautiful,” Candace told her, touching up her lip gloss before picking up the single, long-stemmed white tulip that had been resting on the bed.

They linked arms, took one final sip of champagne each, and stared at one another.

“Do you think they’ll even be off the beach yet?”

Jamie laughed. “Sweetheart, those boys have spent all their adult lives in the military. There’s not even a chance they’ll be late to this.”

Candace knew it was silly, and they only had to walk out the door and down the beach a little, but part of her was worried that Logan wasn’t going to be there, that she’d just dreamed the past few months and reality was going to come crashing down.

“There he is.”

Jamie’s whispered words made Candace stop walking, clutching her friend’s hand tight. She was right; he was there. Standing on the beach, barefoot, linen pants rolled up, wearing a half-buttoned loose white shirt and a smile that made her want to run into his arms.

“Oh, my gosh,” she muttered, but the words just came out as one garbled sentence.

“Take a deep breath and just start walking.”

Candace did as she was told, eyes locked on Logan’s as they walked, even from this distance. She was aware that Brett was standing close to him, that there was a celebrant there, too, but all she could really see was the man she was about to marry. Tears welled in her eyes again, but she forced them back, wanting to bask in the happiness of being on an almost secluded beach, with the three people who’d grown to mean so much to her in only a year.

“I hope he knows how much I love him,” she whispered to Jamie, still fighting the urge to run to him in case it
was
all a dream that she was about to wake up from.

“He does,” she whispered back, “but tell him again anyway.”

*

Logan took his eyes off Candace for a split second to glance at Brett.

“Do you think she’s going to regret this? I mean, look at her.”

“Sorry, mate. I only have eyes for the woman walking beside her,” Brett said with a laugh. “But yeah, she probably will. I mean, you’re just some commoner, right?”

Logan knew he should have waited, that he was supposed to stand with Brett until the girls reached them, but seeing Candace walk toward him was too much. He wanted her by his side, in his arms, and he wanted her now.

Thank God he was her bodyguard and had an excuse to be at her side all the time, because even seeing her walk alone made his protective instincts go into overdrive. He was so used to taking care of her when she was working that he couldn’t stand to see her walking on her own.

“Where are you going?” Brett muttered as he left him.

Logan didn’t bother answering, he just stared at Candace as he closed the distance between them, only stopping when he had his arms around her and his lips pressed to hers. Today was about telling the world she was his, that he was ready to be with her forever, and he was more than ready to stake his claim.

“Logan!” she exclaimed when he broke their kiss.

“What? I was impatient waiting down there.”

He gave her a wink and took her hand, laughing at the eye roll Jamie gave him. Not that she could get away with teasing him after the way she behaved with Brett.

“You look absolutely beautiful, Candace,” he told her, raising their hands to drop a kiss to hers. “And you, too, Jamie.”

Jamie made a noise in her throat and joined Brett, and Logan kept hold of Candace’s hand until they joined them. When they did, he took her other hand in his, so they were facing one another.

“Have I told you how much I love you?” Candace whispered, standing on tiptoe as she spoke into his ear.

“You can tell me those words as often as you like, because I will never tire of hearing them.”

“Well, I do, and I’m so glad we decided to come here.”

A noise made them both look up, and Logan gave the celebrant an apologetic smile.

“Can we just skip to the part where we say I do and I get to kiss the bride?” Logan joked. “No need to waste your time doing the entire ceremony.”

Everyone laughed along with him, and he dipped his head for a sneaky kiss before their informal ceremony started. For a man who thought he’d never find happiness, would always be alone, life hadn’t turned out half-bad.
In the end.

*

“That,” Logan said, kissing her mouth, “was,” another kiss, “perfect.”

Candace laughed, stretching out on the sun lounger before Logan held down her arms and lay down on top of her.

“Are you referring to our wedding or the amazing food?”

“Neither. I was talking about you and me being naked in the shower.”

“Logan!”

“Honey, there’s a reason we checked into a private villa. No one’s going to tell me off for talking dirty with my wife, especially not at the per night price we’re paying.”

Candace swatted at him halfheartedly, at the same time as she stretched her neck out so he could kiss her. She groaned as his tongue darted out to trail across her skin, making every part of her tingle and think about exactly what they’d been doing in the shower only a short time ago.

“What you’re doing to me right now definitely needs to stay private,” she said with a laugh.

His hand skimmed her body, caressing her hip and running down her thigh.

“Logan!”

He raised his head, locking eyes with her. The stare he was giving her sent a shiver down her spine, a lick of pleasure that made her push Logan back up a little so she could run her hands down his bare chest. The physical reaction she had to her husband made it hard to concentrate on anything else when he was this close, and this bare, to her. But she wanted to tell him something that she’d been waiting all afternoon to share with him.

“Logan, there’s something I want to give you.”

He dropped a kiss to her lips before pushing up and moving back to lie on the lounger beside hers. The sun had almost completely faded now, but lying outside their villa was just as magical in the half-light as it was during the middle of the day.

“You do remember that we agreed on no gifts, right? This vacation is more than enough, for both of us.”

Candace reached beneath the lounger, her hand connecting with a small box. She pulled it out and sat up.

“I promise that it cost less than twenty dollars, so you can’t complain.”

Logan’s eyebrows pulled together, like he was trying to figure out what she could possibly have in the box. Her heart was racing, beating a million times a minute, her eyes never leaving Logan’s. She still couldn’t believe what she was about to tell him.

“Well, I would have guessed a snorkel or something for our Great Barrier dive tomorrow, but that small? Hmm.”

Candace passed the little box to him, wondering if she’d gone a little overboard by putting a bow around it. Maybe she should have just told him.

“Just promise me that you won’t freak out,” she mumbled.

Logan squeezed her hand, looking worried, as he reached for it. She looked at how tiny the little box was in his hand as he undid the bow and slipped the lid off.

“What...?”

She held her breath, barely able to even keep her eyes open as his face froze, recognition dawning.

“Is this what I think it is?” he asked.

Candace moved to sit beside her husband as he took the white plastic stick from the box as carefully as he would hold a broken bird, his eyes never leaving it. The pink word
pregnant
was bold, not something he could miss, although she got why he might not believe it straightaway.

“Logan?” she whispered.

He finally turned, the stick still in his hand. “We’re having a baby?”

Logan’s voice was deep, the emotion in his voice impossible to miss as he stared at her.

“It’s very early still, but yeah,” she replied. “We’re having a baby.”

He carefully put the test back in the box and put the lid back on, before slowly turning around and holding his arms out, pulling her against him.

“We’re having a baby,” he whispered, his lips against the top of her head, kissing into her hair. “We’re actually going to have a baby.”

“Is that okay?” she whispered back, crushed against him.

“Hell, yes, that’s okay!” he exclaimed, hands on her upper arms as he pushed her back, held her at arms’ length. “Honey, aside from marrying you, this is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Honestly.”