Irreplaceable (26 page)

His head fell back from his boom of laughter, and I took
that as my cue to crawl back to my side of the couch, slightly embarrassed at
my inability to sit through the movie without having an aneurysm. However,
Logan held me close—one hand around my back, the other sliding over my warm
cheek, not letting me get away.

“How about we stay away from scary movies?” he offered.

“I guess. They really don’t bother me that much,” I lied,
smiling.

He laughed again and then stood, holding me close to
stand with him. The room was dark. The only light now shining in was from the
bright full moon outside.

“I don’t like seeing you so scared, but I do love being
the one you cling to.”

My teeth caught my bottom lip to hide my embarrassment
and control the spread of my smile.

“Wait here.” Logan released his arms and walked to the
kitchen, coming back a second later with something in his hand that he set on
my bookshelf. He pressed buttons, and music began.

He turned back and walked over, his dark eyes glittering
in the dark.

“Dance with me,” he said.

I couldn’t resist. With an easy smile, I gave him my hand
and allowed him to pull me into his arms. He held me close, one hand on my
lower back, the other wrapped in mine but tucked between us.

Ed Sheeran began singing “Give Me Love”, the lyrics
hitting deeper than ever before. It was beautiful and easy, and by the time the
song finished, I was lost in Logan. I smiled up at him as “Echo” by Jason
Walker began playing. Memories of the many Christmases I’d watched my
grandparents dance in that very room as music played through an old record
player flashed through my mind.

A sweet smile and tightened grasp around my waist was
Logan’s response. By the time the song finished, I had tears in my eyes that
were soaking through the shoulder of his T-shirt.

“I hate this feeling,” I mumbled, more to myself than
him, before angling my head a little to catch his gaze. “I just want it to be
the way it was before things got—”

“Real?” he chimed in, our bodies still swaying as one as
a new song began to play.

“I was going to say heated.” I let myself smile, relaxing
further into his arms.

“I’d never start over, even if I had the chance, but I
wish you could trust me again. Give a fresh start to your confidence in me.”

I wiped my eyes and then placed my hands on his
shoulders, stretching back just enough to look into his own eyes.

“Logan, we tried the fresh start before. You only get so
many do-overs.”

His smile faltered, not quite reaching his eyes as he
processed my words, but it was only a brief second before a sinfully sexy smile
broke out. “If I screw it up again, then I won’t ask for another.”

I raised my brows, unconvinced. “Really? So if you mess
things up, you’ll walk away and never ask to start over again?”

“Oh, no.” He grinned wider, shaking his head once and
running his hand up my spine. “I’m never walking away, sweetheart. I just won’t
ask to start over. There are so many enjoyable ways I am sure I can think up to
earn your forgiveness.”

I released a breath of laughter. “Why not just try harder
to begin with?”

His brow shot up. “Hmmm, very interesting. Do tell me
more about that plan.” He leaned in, bringing me closer, and chuckled softly.

We continued to dance, no more words needed as we fell
comfortably in sync with the music through another song until he dipped me down
in a graceful move.

Where my next words came from, I didn’t know—perhaps it
was the sincerity in his eyes and tenderness of his hold on me as he raised me
back up into an embrace that I truly believed wouldn’t ever let me go.

“You don’t to have ask,” I breathed.

He held me firmly, a smile tugging at the corners of his
lips right before he leaned in and claimed mine.

For song after song, we danced in the center of my living
room, his lips only straying from mine to slide down over my jaw, throat, and
back up to my cheek—anywhere they could reach while we danced.

I don’t know if it was the music, the holiday atmosphere,
or just good timing, but my hands were suddenly moving on their own, tugging at
his shirt, pulling it over his head and going to work on the buckle of his
belt.

It was frantic, as though a ticking bomb was suddenly set
and about to detonate within me if I didn’t bring him as close as possible,
touch him as I only had in my dreams. I wanted him more than anything, and it
wasn’t something I could deny any longer. I didn’t want to.

“Cassandra.” His voice was a deep, strained breath
against my neck as his belt fell open, and my fingers slid back and forth over
his waistband.

“Don’t stop this, please,” I begged, my lips running over
his broad, rippled chest. My tongue darted out in hunger as I brushed over his
nipple.

“Tell me first,” he demanded, his finger under my chin,
drawing my head back up.

I looked up under my lashes, his eyes and dark and
hooded.

“Tell me you’re mine. Tell me you trust me again and that
you’ll still be in my arms when the sun comes up. No regrets, Cassandra. I
won’t take you until you’re mine.”

His? Didn’t he already see it? Or was I that good at
hiding how I felt?

“I’ve been yours for longer than I’ve been able to
admit.”

Logan’s smile stretched so wide I couldn’t help but grin
back.

I didn’t see it coming and wasn’t prepared when Logan
leaned in and, instead of kissing me again as I’d anticipated, yanked me into
his arms.

I sucked in a deep gasp of air as I was expectantly
lifted in the air—one hand on my ass, the other in my hair, tugging out my hair
tie. My unruly waves cascaded down around us as my legs locked around his back.

Logan’s lips were on mine, soft and slow as he carried me
out of the room and, a moment later, placed me gently down on my bed.

Hovering over me, his hands gave a tight squeeze to my
ass before releasing it, earning him a muffled giggle from my busy lips. Our
tongues danced together, taking our sweet time stroking and nipping. He tasted
of mint and sweet wine—a taste I would never forget, and could only dream to
experience again.

Logan pulled back after a few minutes, drawing me up with
him, never once breaking our kiss until he dragged my shirt over my head.
Slowly, he reached around me, and with one flick of his wrist, my bra fell
forward and he was pulling it away.

“Gorgeous,” he murmured.

Out of nowhere, I was hit with a moment of shyness. The
way he looked at me, stared as though he’d never seen anything like me, took my
breath away.

His hands cupped my cheeks, pulling my gaze back to his.
“You’re stunning. You should know that and never forget it.”

Smiling, I placed a kiss to his scruffy jaw, snaked my
arms around his neck, and brought him back down with me as I fell back onto the
pillows.

Logan’s hands were everywhere, caressing me, hauling me
closer around my back, and then wandering down between us. I wasted no time
raising my hips for him, spelling out what I wanted, my jeans aching to
disappear.

“Not yet.” He kissed my chin and smirked with a
mischievous glint in his dark-blue eyes as he sat up on his knees.

My breath was heavy, my body surging to life and anxious
for more when Logan dipped down and sucked my nipple into his mouth.

My head fell back, eyes slamming shut with my wild moan.
The pads of his fingers worked over me delicately, memorizing every curve of my
breast. I gripped his shoulders as he sucked harder, my legs moving closer to
wrap around his waist, locking my ankles to hold him in place.

With a flick of his tongue, a loud, foreign moan escaped
from my mouth, and I caught the pleased smile on his perfect swollen lips as he
ran his tongue across my chest and over to my other breast. Back and forth, he
showered his kisses and adoration down over me.

My legs locked tighter around him, begging for friction
between my legs as I ground my hips into him at the feeling of his growing
erection. Kneading my breasts together, he buried his face between them,
inhaling so deeply my cheeks flushed.

“So sweet, mmm,” he growled. My insides tightened at the
sound, the fire in my center burning stronger than ever.

Logan’s thumb and pointer finger flicked and tugged on my
nipples as he brought his lips back to mine, kissing me from one corner to the
other with slow, soft pecks before claiming my mouth in one quick movement.

My hands were clammy on his back, caressing, running my
nails over the powerful strength he possessed in his perfect body. The groan
that escaped him pushed me to continue, knowing he was enjoying my exploration
of his body.

Slowly, I trailed my hands down his side and up and down
over the muscles in his solid forearms. I couldn’t control myself—my body
wanted him in every way, grinding against him to the point that my legs were
painfully tight from the feeling of his erection pressed into me.

“Soon, sweetheart,” he whispered against my neck, reading
my mind.

Before I knew it, he was unraveling himself from my hold
and sitting up, smiling down at me.

“Don’t move,” Logan said as he stood from the bed and
walked around to the end, where he spread my legs apart and settled between
them. Slowly, he leaned down while my hands covered my stomach, unsure what to
expect when he unsnapped the button on my jeans and drew down the zipper.

“Lift your hands over your head. I want to see all of
you,” he instructed, and I did so immediately.

His eyes darkened as I lay there stretched out, my hands
twisted above my head. I clutched the bottom of the headboard with a tight
grip, needing something to hold onto as my body waited in anticipation.

“There, yes, just like that.”

Undeniably aroused and not afraid to express it, I ran my
tongue over my parched lips as Logan placed his hands on my hips, digging his
fingers into the hem of my jeans, his thumbs circling and teasing my searing
flesh.

His head dipped down and placed a slow kiss across my
stomach as his hands ran down my legs until they were holding my ankles. I felt
his fingers grip the fabric of my jeans there and slowly begin pulling them
down my clammy legs, my body stretching out with each tug. The rush of the last
rapid movement before my jeans were tossed on the floor was exhilarating, leaving
my body pulsing in waves on the bed as it settled back down.

“Oh, sweetheart.” He looked pained, his voice stressed as
he stared down at me.

Realizing I was there in nothing but panties I’d thrown
on the morning after my shower, my cheeks warmed and my head shot up to do a
quick peek to see what panties I was wearing. To my relief and his obvious
approval, I relaxed back down after seeing the white lace.

Logan took me in, inch by inch, his tongue wetting his
lips. In the darkness, with only the light of the moon filtering in through the
curtains, he stood tall, a broad chest of rippled muscles and beautiful dark
features regarding me as no man had before.

“You have no idea what you do to me—how long I’ve wanted
you, ached for you in ways I never imagined.” He shook his head, his eyes
closing as he continued. "So many incredible fantasies have overwhelmed my
thoughts, my dreams, night after night for months now.” He opened his bright
eyes. His lips were straight—serious. “Yet none of them can compare to seeing
your beautiful body stretched out over this bed now, waiting for me. Only you,
Cassandra—you’re the only woman that has made me feel like this.”

Logan’s eyes halted their appraisal as they focused on my
thigh. Without a word, he traced his finger over my wound, now practically
healed but still slightly tender. I winced not from the sting, but from the
impact of his gentle touch there.

His eyes shot up, searching mine. We’d come so far, and I
wouldn’t let past events dictate our future together. Offering him a soft,
reassuring smile, I watched as he bent forward and placed a lingering kiss over
the scar I’d carry forever.

Caught in the moment of his loving act, I gasped when his
fingers slid over and hooked inside my panties, then slowly peeled them away.
The thin fabric hung around my ankles for a moment, and then it was gone.

“Let go,” he said. I released my hold and brought my arms
back down beside me.

The longer I lay there, the harder it was to control my
eagerness to feel him against me as he stared down at my naked sex, his hands
roaming up and down my thighs.

“I won’t be able to stop this time,” he said, eyes moving
slowly up to mine.

There was no chance to reply. As I processed the weight
of his admission, he dropped to his knees on the floor, grasping the backs of
my thighs and tugging me down until my legs were propped over his shoulders. I
could only see the outline of his frame, but it didn’t matter.

My back arched up, hands fisting the sheets as he ran his
tongue over me, exploring me as no one else had before. I could feel the spring
tightening in my gut, the uncontrollable need growing and growing until he
removed his mouth.

I jerked back, ready to complain, but I didn’t have to.
He knew what I wanted, what I needed, and was set on giving it to me. My entire
body stiffened as I felt his finger slide inside, and then his lips were back
where I needed them.

“Logan! Please!”

My body jerked up to a sitting position as he slid his
finger around, my hands flying up into his hair, fisting it as my release grew
closer and closer until I was screaming his name and my body was falling back,
bucking wildly until I was left soaking wet and ready for more.

I lay there, my head swimming with absolute bliss when I
felt him release my legs from his shoulders and climb over me. He pulled me
into his arms, bringing me farther up the bed until my head was resting on my
pillow.