Reckless Together: A Contemporary New Adult College Romance (The Reckless Series) (7 page)

Logan frowned, looking thoughtful. "El, secrets are dangerous."
 

I sighed. "You're right. I'm just worried she'll ruin his life. And mine."

"He's an adult. He can handle it."

Logan's confidence worried me. He underestimated Mom, too. The thing was, even if Jason could handle Mom—and I had huge doubts—could Lyssa? I loved my new family—Jason, Lyssa, Mia, and the baby Lyssa was expecting. I was determined to protect all of them.
 

"Let's think about something else. Something much more pleasant." I wrapped my arms around Logan's neck to distract him, smiled into his eyes, and kissed him like we were the only two in the place, melting into the returning, urgent pressure on my lips.

When he pulled away, his eyes were bright and his pupils large, even in the sunlight streaming through the windows. "I hope you aren't going to just tease me." His voice was ragged and lusty.

I gave him an innocent look.
 

He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the booth into his arms.

"Where are we going?" I whispered like a conspirator.

"Where do you think? My place."

I leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Is sex all you have on your mind?"

"Yeah. Disappointed?"

I grinned back at him.

At his apartment, Logan let us in and dragged me by the hand to his bedroom, right past Zave, who was sprawled on the couch watching TV.
 

Zave popped up to acknowledge us over the back of the couch. "Logan. Ellie, back so soon? You haven't had enough of this douchebag yet? Logan's conquests don't usually come back for seconds."

"Can it, Zave."

Zave shrugged and laughed. "Just keep it down in there, will you? I'm trying to watch TV out here with a pounding hangover. My head can't take any more thumping and screaming."

Logan tossed a pillow at Zave and pulled me into his room, shutting the door behind us before Zave could retaliate. I wore a short cotton skirt, ballet flats, and a light cotton top. Logan dropped his backpack on the floor and stripped his shirt off.
 

Logan had the perfect male triangle build—broad shoulders, toned arms, hard chest, narrow waist. If I had my way, he'd never wear a shirt at all and I'd just stare at him all day. I barely had time to enjoy a split second of the view before he was next to me with his hot, talented hands working their way beneath my top. With his fingers clasping my waist, stroking my abs, and playing with my bellybutton ring, I couldn't think at all.

"I've been wanting you again since the minute you left." He put his hot lips on my neck as he unbuttoned my blouse and slid it off my shoulders. He sucked my neck. Hard. With so much urgency, I gasped as the heat of his mouth on my neck radiated out, coursing through my body. I didn't care if he branded me as his. I wanted him to. I wanted
him
.
 

As I arched my neck, he unfastened my bra like he knew sleight of hand. One minute it was there. The next it fell away, disappearing onto the floor.

When he caught my tightly budded breast in his mouth, I sighed. The heat between my legs flamed. And I was lost. I laced my fingers around his head and held his hot, hungry mouth to my breast. His window was open a crack. A spring breeze blew in, rustling the mini-blinds and flowing over my skin like one of Logan's caresses.
 

"I need to feel you against me, El. Naked against me." His words brushed against my skin. He tugged my skirt off, then my lace thong panties, and stood back to stare at me. "You're so fucking gorgeous, I could almost come right now just looking at you."

When he slid his jean and briefs off he was erect and ready and totally unselfconscious as I stared blatantly at him. He grinned. "Like what you see?"

I smiled back at him. "Put that thing where it belongs."

The returning look in his eyes was a challenge. His eyes were dark and his nipples erect. He bent at the knees to even our heights. Then he pulled me against him and slid between my legs, not entering me, but teasing from the outside, stroking me until I was wetter than I'd ever been and trembling with desire.

"Logan," I whispered, and teased him by pulling on his nipples until he moaned.

His lips came down on mine and he kissed me with such fervor that I lost myself as he gyrated his hips, grinding into me, stroking me with his dick until I moaned, too.

He hovered at my opening, pushing into me like he was going to enter me. His dick was hot and hard and thrilling against me. And the feel of his skin so much more erotic and enticing than condom rubber. If I let him, he'd plunge in without one.
 

I wanted him to. But I was afraid. "Logan."

"Yeah. I know." He grabbed my butt and kept me pressed tightly against him, still between my legs as he walked us toward the bed and pulled a condom from somewhere. He slid it on and fell on top of me on the bed.

I opened my legs for him and stared up into his eyes. "What are you waiting for?"

"You to be ready." He reached between my legs to stroke me.

I pulled his hand away and guided his dick in. "I'm ready now." I arched up into him.

No longer a scared virgin, I was wet for him. He slid in as I gasped again and wrapped my legs around his waist and rocked into his rhythm again and again.

"Harder," I whispered in his ear, and ran my tongue around the rim and thrust it in his ear.

"Fuck, El. You make me lose all control."

"That's the point. Lose it, Logan. Lose it with me." I clasped him to me.

He thrust harder and deeper. Deeper and deeper until I lost track of everything but the heat of his body and the pleasure building between my legs. Just when I was so tightly wound I thought I would snap, someone gasped and moaned. I realized it was me. Wave after wave of pleasure radiated through me. "Oh, oh,
oh
.
Logan
!"

He clutched me to him. "
El
!"

I lay beneath him, totally content. We were both breathing hard when we pulled apart and he rolled off of me. I lay on my back with my breasts budding and pointing at the ceiling, my arms outstretched.
 

Next to me, Logan leaned on one elbow, his free hand tracing the valley between my breasts as he studied me. "That was amazing."

"Amazing." I smiled. "Do you think we added to Zave's hangover headache?"

"I damn well hope so. He's probably in his room jacking off now."

"Shut up."

"Sorry. That was crude. Who wouldn't get turned on hearing my name on your lips and the way you cried out?"

I studied him. "Like, anyone else but you. You're terrible."

He laughed and bent to kiss my breasts. "El, you know what I want more than anything in the world?"

"Hmmmm, let me think. To win the world's largest lottery?"

"Close, but no." He leaned in and whispered in my ear. "I want to slide into you someday, just me. No condom."

My heart raced with both fear and desire. I pushed the fear aside. "You have simple wants."

"Does that mean you'll think about it?"

"Maybe." I smiled coyly.

"Okay. I won't push. But, you know, graduation is coming up…"

There was a thump in the living room that startled us both and saved me from having to reply. I laughed and cuddled into Logan like he should protect me from anything. The noise was followed by Zave cursing.

Zave's voice brought back something he'd said. About all the girls Logan had brought back to the apartment, but only once. I knew about Logan's past and how he'd fallen apart after being raped and went on a sort of girl binge, sleeping with just about everyone.

I should have bitten my tongue, but I didn't. "Logan? How many?"

His brow furrowed like he didn't understand. "How many what?"

"Girls." My heart threatened to pound out of my chest. I traced my fingers over his abs, refusing to look him directly in the eyes.

He frowned. "I don't know. I lost count. Shit, that sounds harsh. It's not like it mattered, and I was drunk or high most of the time. I'm not the kind of guy who puts notches on his belt or his bedpost or whatever the hell."
 

He tipped my face so I couldn't avoid looking him in the eyes. "I'm clean, El, if that's what you're worried about. I was tested. No STDs. Nothing. But I'll get tested again if that's what you want."

I didn't answer right away. That wasn't what I was worried about. Not really. I was terrified of running into more of them. Of an unintended consequence down the road. Something like me.

"Me too. I'm clean. You're the only one."

The way he smiled at me nearly broke my heart. "Let's keep it that way. I love you, El." He kissed me lightly. "So you
are
the kind of girl who keeps count."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't worry. I don't mind. I'll even carve the notch on your bedpost for you."

Chapter Six

Logan

El was so beautiful, especially after sex. All Logan wanted to do was El, again and again. She was naked and entwined with him, totally unselfconscious as her breasts budded and rubbed against his chest. He couldn't keep his hands off her. And it was like his dick had a mind of its own.
 

She was the first girl since the incident he'd been able to open up to. There was something about El that turned him on and made him want only her. He didn't want to analyze it too hard or think about it too much. He didn't want to lose her, either.

He nuzzled her neck, thinking how awesome it would be to slide back into her, when her words stopped him cold.

"Why didn't you tell me you're thinking of going to grad school?" El's tone wasn't accusing. It was not like it or the question should have set him off. But she sounded way too optimistic. And it was clear what she wanted even without looking into her eyes.

He tried to keep his heart from racing. He didn't want her to feel his fear. "When would I have told you? We just got back together last night?" He laughed like it was a joke to deflect her attention to something else.

She shrugged in his arms and her breasts rubbed against him erotically. She was trying to kill him.
 

"Falcon never mentioned it. Never even
hinted
. You could have said something as him and then I'd know now. I ran into Collin and Zave a couple of times while we were apart. They never breathed a word. It's like they were sworn to secrecy on penalty of a slow, tortured death. There's no other way they could keep a secret." She stroked his arm, running her fingers so softly over the hairs she brought goose bumps up.

He shrugged now, too, trying to seem casual when his heart pounded an uneven cadence. "I didn't saying anything to them and they didn't ask."

"Guys! Don't you ever talk?"

"No." He laughed. "Should we?"

She gently slapped his arm. "You haven't answered the question—were you trying to keep it a secret?"

"No. Like I told Jason, it's no big deal. I haven't made up my mind what I'm going to do."

"But you never said a word before, either," she said. "When did you decide to apply?"

"Last fall. Before…everything."

"Oh." She bit her lip. She looked so cute when she did that. "You could at least interview. Keep your options open." She pushed up to lean back on her elbows and stare at him and implore him without stating it.

He knew what she wanted, but he wasn't sure he could give it to her.

"It's not that simple, El." He swallowed hard, not wanting to think about it, not wanting to spell it out, but she deserved an answer. "I'm not sure I can stay here for another year or more…after the trial."

Her eyes went wide and round with fear and sympathy. He hated sympathy. He was fucking tired of sympathy.

"
Logan
." His name sounded sad on her lips now, breaking the spell from earlier.

He took a deep breath to fight back the anger burbling up inside. That old familiar, terrifying rage. He hated all this shit and how the rape had changed his life. Before, no one had pitied him. He'd been the envy of everyone—athletic, from a rich family, destined to be a pro baseball player. The injury that ended his baseball career and the rape that followed had taken away more than his dreams and aspirations. They'd robbed him of his pride. Nearly three years later, he still didn't deal well with all this shit.