Satin Sheets and Strawberries (14 page)

He was lost. He took one look at the expression on her face and felt the love for this woman engulf him. He tenderly brushed back a tendril of golden hair and sighed. "Ummm?"

"Shut up and make love to me."

Logan chuckled and swept her up in his arms. "Your wish is my command." He switched off the lamp and headed for the stairs.

He felt Kelli snuggled deep against his chest as he climbed the steps. He hesitated outside her door. "Does this mean you don’t want me to talk while I make love to you?"

She tightened her hold on his neck and forced his mouth closer. "While we make love, you may say anything you please." A wicked pout curved her mouth. "But I did have plans for those lips." Logan captured her pout in a heated kiss as he opened her door and carried her over the threshold . . .

#

Three cats sat in a flower box with their noses pressed against the living room windowpane. As the door closed behind the couple, they turned to each other as if to say, "Not bad for a night’s work." With what appeared to be a sense of camaraderie they jumped down and headed for the woods.

#

Kelli blinked when Logan found the light switch. She slowly slipped from his arms and backed up a step. She was nervous. Her feelings were stronger than they had ever been before, exciting, and utterly irresistible.

He read the apprehension in her eyes and reassured her with a smile. One step brought him within touching distance. He gently rubbed his finger across her lips. "We’ll take it slow and easy." Moist lips opened and her breath fanned his finger. Her small pink tongue darted out between even white teeth and teased his heated skin.

Kelli watched his expression as she ran her tongue down the length of his finger. With the confidence of a woman in love she gently threaded her fingers through the fine dusting of hair covering his chest. The rapid beat of his heart spurred her on as she ran her hands down the silky mass and encountered the denim barrier.

With a growl Logan picked her up, stepped over Tinkerbell, and fell onto the bed. His mouth was demanding as he plunged his tongue deeply into her mouth. Her sweet gentle tongue answered his and he turned the commanding kiss into a tender merging. Hunger surged through him as she pressed closer and ran heated hands up his back.

A warm moisture settled between her legs as the length of his hardness rhythmically pressed against her outer thigh. With the instinct born to Eve she opened her thighs and nestled him through the barricade of clothes.

He groaned and pulled the nightshirt over her head without breaking their lower body contact. A scrap of black silk and a metal zipper was all that was separating them. He had promised her slow and easy and protection. A ragged sigh escaped him as he slowly stood up.

Kelli blinked in confusion for a moment. Her bewilderment cleared as he slowly lowered his zipper and peeled his jeans and shorts away. This was a man in his full magnificence who proudly stood in front of her and waited her response. Appreciation and love gleamed in her eyes as she pushed down the covers and patted the sheet next to her.

He released the breath he’d been holding and lay down. His voice was husky. "You’re beautiful," he whispered. With tenderness he took her mouth in a kiss that promised more than words ever could.

Kelli wrapped her arms around his neck and answered every one of those promises.

The kiss deepened as Logan gently ran his hand up her stomach to cup her breast. A flick of his thumb brought the hardened peak to sharp attention. He felt the sweet moan Kelli uttered as he broke the kiss.

Heat scorched her skin from Logan’s gaze as he worshiped her breasts with his eyes. "They’re perfect." With a gentle caress he held one globe in the palm of his hand. "See, they were made for me."Kelli looked down at his tanned hand. "Yes, perfect," she agreed. Fascination held her still as Logan bent his head and pulled the nipple deep into his mouth.

He heard her cry of passion as he bathed the nub with his tongue. Her petite fingers dug into his hair and her hips gently jerked. Turning his head he gave the other breast the same tantalizing treatment. He ran a quivering hand over the satiny smoothness of her hip snagging the delicate black panties.

Kelli didn’t feel him relieve her of the last barrier. Warm, skilled fingers drew small circles up her thigh and drew closer to the aching heat. When they were on the verge of reaching their goal, Logan stopped and started to torment the other thigh. Her voice carried a mixture of frustration and desire as she sighed, "Logan."

He released the moist nub from his lips and raised his head. A sexy grin lit up his face. With maddening calmness he asked, "Yes?"

Kelli read a wealth of knowledge in that grin and decided the game worked both ways. Her hand lightly fluttered over his lean hip to rest on his hard thigh. Her small delicate fingers softly brushed the fine curling hair dusting his thighs. She heard his breath catch as her fingers teased the dark thatch that surrounded his maleness.

A hoarse plea reached her ears. "Kelli?"

With tender strength she wrapped her fingers around his silken arousal. She felt the grip on her wrist as he dislodged himself from her hold.

His breath was ragged. Logan kissed the palm of her hand and placed it on his shoulder. A seductive smile broke across his mouth as he bent to kiss away her pout.

Flames erupted as he deepened the kiss and softly caressed the golden curls that guarded her womanhood. A moan escaped her as his tongue entered her mouth the same instant his seeking finger found the moist center of her being. He released her mouth and kissed the twin peaks brushing his chest.

The sucking motion of his lips matched the sweet thrusting of his finger. Need built within her as she raised her hips to meet his thrusts. "Logan, please!"

In one fluid movement he rolled over and retrieved a foil packet from his jeans. He quickly prepared himself and knelt between her thighs. She gave him a smile of appreciation. With deliberate slowness he entered the moist haven. When he was completely sheathed he closed his eyes and waited for Kelli to adjust.

She felt the satin length of him inside and sighed. Completeness washed over her as she wrapped her thighs around his hips and felt him move. Her hands clung to his shoulders as she met his every stroke. As the rhythm increased she strained against him and murmured his name. "Logan."

He kissed his name from her lips and replaced it with hers. "Kelli, open your eyes."

She tossed her head from side to side and fought for breath. It was there in front of her, she could feel it, almost touch it. With certainty she knew Logan could take her there. She opened her eyes and looked up into his blazing eyes. "Logan, I . . . " There it was. "I . . ." She could touch it. "I . . . " She held it. "I love you." In that moment of blind bliss she locked eyes with him and knew he felt it too.

#

Logan held the sleeping woman in his arms and gently brushed her hair back. A tender smile touched his mouth as he lovingly kissed her forehead. Oh, Kelli, what have we done? There wasn’t supposed to be any promises. How could he make any decision about his life with Kelli in his arms? Simple, you idiot, he told himself, they will include her. What if she doesn’t want to be included? She loves you, doesn’t she? Yes, but that doesn’t mean shell be willing to follow in his footsteps.

There was no sense beating his head against a wall, until he knew what he was facing. The only one who could tell him that was sleeping in his arms.

Interest sparked in his eyes as he stared around her room. Could the unorthodox place hold the secret to her heart? When he had entered the room hours ago, he knew it was different. He just hadn’t paid attention to it. Now lying in her bed he stared in wonder at the scenes greeting him. On the front half of the room where the ceiling slanted, she had painted two huge skylights. One was a night scene with twinkling stars, while the other portrayed a bright rising sun.

The room was furnished with only a double bed done completely in white, desk, nightstand, and a bureau. A pale green carpet was on the floor and white ruffled curtains hung at the only window. Amusement gleamed in his eyes as he studied the door to her closet. She had painted a door opening into another room with another door opening into another room. Logan counted five doors painted within her one, and smiled. Unusual, yet showing a great deal of talent. He was turning his head to another scene when something struck him. All five painted doors, and the real one had different doorknobs. He wondered if it meant anything? He’d have to ask.

Then he grinned at the whimsical mural across the full wall. Kelli had drawn a closet, this time with the door open. Red dresses hung haphazardly from the bending bar inside. Hats, boxes, and an array of female clutter crammed the shelf above the bar. Shoes, socks, boots, and umbrellas littered the floor. On the back of the door crookedly hung was a black evening dress.

A white rattan chair was painted next to a potted palm. There was even an open book as though someone had thoughtlessly left it behind. The rest of the mural depicted bookshelves. From floor to ceiling they were crammed with books, knickknacks, and other paraphernalia.

Logan smiled as he reached over and turned off the lamp. Kelli was extremely talented. The quality of her work was amazing, so real, but so fanciful. The details were so lifelike that he’d swear every one of the books painted on those shelves had titles. He gently cradled Kelli deeper into his embrace and wondered why she would paint a closet, when she already had a real one. Something about that question bothered him as he drifted into sleep.

#

Kelli awoke when a gentle kiss landed on her navel. She slowly opened her eyes and stared at the light brown mop of hair nudging her stomach. Her nipples were hardening as Logan ran his hand up the back of her knees. She wondered how she could be so comfortable with Logan? Last night after their first explosive joining she had held him tight and savored the afterglow. When she had felt a movement deep inside she had raised questioning eyes. His sexy grin had been answer enough as they tenderly and slowly made love again.

Her voice held the huskiness of sleep and desire as she asked, "Enjoying yourself?"

Logan chuckled against the satiny smoothness of her stomach. "No. I was hoping you were an early riser."

She glanced at her clock. "It’s four-thirty."

"Really." He placed a swift kiss on the end of her pouting nipples. "Do you want to go back to sleep?"She laughed and pulled the white sheets over their heads. "No, but I want to know why you didn’t wake me earlier?"

A sigh of ecstasy left her lips as Logan’s reply was mumbled against her thigh.

Forty minutes later she felt Logan slip from beneath the wrinkled sheets. "Where are you going?"

"Someone has to clean the living room before Ruth gets here."

Kelli yawned, and said, "I’ll help you."

Logan looked at the delectable picture Kelli made and smiled. Her golden hair was tousled and spread out across the pillow. Her lips were swollen and reddened from his kisses and a flush tinted her cheeks. An eyelet-trimmed white sheet was discreetly pulled up over her breasts, but left one of her creamy thighs bare.

With a disgusted chuckle he felt desire rekindle. He knew this was going to happen, he even told her. How could he possibly leave this woman when she wore the expression of having just been thoroughly loved?

He saw the fatigue in her large gray eyes and quickly leaned over and placed a light kiss on the end of her nose. "No. You stay here and catch some sleep. I’ll clean up the mess."

"Sure?"

He pulled on his jeans. "Positive."

Kelly heard the door close behind him and mumbled something as she drifted to sleep.

#

Logan stood at the side of her bed and gazed down at the inviting picture she made. Her creamy arms held the pillow he had used and one dusky nipple peeked out over the sheet. Soft dew-kissed lips were slightly parted in sleep and dark lashes lay against her cheeks. Lord, she was beautiful.

Forcing down the desire burning in his stomach, he gently shook her shoulder. "Kelli." The only response was a disgruntled mutter, so he shook her harder. "Kelli."

"Hmmm . . . ."

"We have a problem."

She nestled deeper into the pillow and asked, "What?"

Logan gingerly sat down on the bed next to her. "Are you awake?"

Kelli groaned into the pillow. She felt the soft object being taken away and forced her eyes open. "Now I am."

"Good. I just went downstairs to straighten up, and guess what?"

"Lord, Logan,"—there was exasperation in her voice—"don’t play guessing games with me at five o’clock in the morning."

"The room wasn’t messed up."

Kelli blinked. "Huh?"

In a voice reserved for parents lecturing naughty children, he said, "The room is spotless. No broken cup, no books scattered around." He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and raised his voice. "Even the plant is perfect."

"So?"

"So!" He leaped from the bed and gawked at the woman lying there. "How can you say ‘so’? Someone has to have cleaned up that mess."

She yanked up the quilt to bury her head. "Ruth or Henry must have come in and cleaned it." "Kelli, it’s five-thirty in the morning. They aren’t even up yet."

"Neither was I, until you came in here ranting about nothing."

Incredulous, he roared, "Nothing?"

She lowered the edge of the quilt and glared at the towering hunk next to her bed. "Listen, you are putting a damper on the morning after. I didn’t clean the room. You didn’t clean the room. That means either Ruth or Henry cleaned it."

Logan knew she made sense, but couldn’t help asking, "Are you sure?"

With total exasperation she raised her arms. "No, Logan, thousands of pixie-faced fairies came in and cleaned it." She watched as his mouth fell open, and she shook her head. "They also pay the mortgage, repair the car, and spin straw into gold." With a frustrated groan she pulled the covers back over her head and wiggled deeper into the mattress.