Ulterior Designs (House of Evans Book 1) (7 page)

“I'll see you tomorrow, Chloe.”

And with that, Logan walked away, leaving her needy and longing for his touch once more.

L
ogan climbed into his car, displeased with himself both for not having thought of the solution to his decorating dilemma sooner
and
having had it bluntly pointed out to him. He was so blinded by his attraction to Chloe that he hadn’t seen the obvious answer staring him right in the face.

What a jackass.

As if fate was deliberately trying to guide Chloe his way, she continued to pop up at the unlikeliest places. He wasn't the kind of man who necessarily believed in miracles, but it seemed that in the case of Chloe Stephens, the stars had aligned for his pleasure. And hopefully hers, as well.

He drove away thinking about her resolve and openness. It was a devastating combination that stirred something within him when he recalled the look she wore as he held her close. He had seen
that look
before. He knew all-too-well what it meant too, and guilt began to creep into his mind for his wicked thoughts, especially considering he wasn't willing to commit to anything more than something physical with her. If it even went that far.

Why was he even thinking about that? Hell, all he could hope for at this point was that his campaign to become
acquainted
with her wouldn’t backfire like before, and that he would be granted the chance to at least get to know her a little, despite his ulterior motives. He wasn’t sure exactly what it was about her, other than her obvious beauty, that kept him intrigued. Never being one to back down from a challenge, he was willing to
go there
and find out if it was more than a mere physical attraction. So long as she understood that
long-term
wasn't on his agenda.

Jesus, he really was getting ahead of himself.

He still had to take into consideration that sharing his sexual preferences with someone outside his circle might be dangerous for his reputation. Not that he much cared about it. Not to a great extent, anyway. The few girlfriends he'd had were into the same kinks he was, so he never had to worry about that before. Not that his sexual proclivities were all that unusual—simply eclectic and experimental.

It had been so long since he had actually seduced a woman the old-fashioned way that he wondered if he still had the skills to do it. All it usually took was a flash of his devilish grin or a lick of his lips followed by a softly spoken command to get his way.

Again, he was getting ahead of himself. First and foremost, he was hiring Chloe to decorate his house. If that led to something more, great, but he knew not to count his condoms before they broke.

Mentally, he began taking notes on what he wanted to take place the following day. It seemed he had more homework to do, and his excitement was coming to a head.

Head.

Damn it, man. There truly was no hope of him ever pulling his mind out of the gutter.

****

When Logan awoke the following morning, he was struck with a feeling of déjà vu. Nina Simone playing in the background, too much caffeine, the uncontrollable urge to piss, his best hairdo and attire in hopes of enticing his decorator … yes, he had definitely been there before and not that long ago.

Like a wild animal that had been caged for too long, he began to pace back and forth in front of the bank of cathedral windows. Once again, his nerves were getting the best of him, though for a different set of reasons this time around. It seemed that no matter what he told himself to focus on, his mind kept going back to each of the rooms and all the things, decorative and sexual, that he had planned for them. His home was by no means enormous, but he had made sure to design it in a way that made every bit of square footage into fuckable space. At least, it would be fuckable space once it was truly complete.

As his eyes fixed on the small vineyard within walking distance, he took in a deep, calming breath and mentally patted himself on the back for having accomplished so much by the age of thirty.

It seemed everything had fallen into place as if it was meant to be. It probably was, seeing as he didn’t believe in coincidences or accidents. Fate and/or destiny were more likely to have had a hand in the way things had turned out. At least that seemed to be the case in most, if not all, of his experiences in life. If it wasn't, it sure as hell felt like it. They weren't always pretty experiences, in fact, some of them had been extremely painful, but they were the kinds of things that had made him into the man he was—for better or worse.

He moved to the center of the large, open living area and took it all in, a feeling of accomplishment surging through him. He had worked his ass off for years, sacrificing his personal life in the process, and it seemed karma had finally smiled down on him. Closing on several major lucrative projects and a string of large bonuses had also left him sitting in a very financially comfortable position. So comfortable, that with the right investments, his funds could sustain him and his mother well into old age and then some, as well as his heirs if he were ever to take the leap and expand his gene pool. Acquisition of not only the church, but the property on which his home now resided was another reason to feel pleased with his life.

And now, Chloe Stephens.

Again, Logan had everything he needed neatly presented on the dining room table for his meeting with the lovely part-time barista and soon-to-be rising star interior decorator. The only difference this time was that he had printouts of the various pieces of kinky equipment he wanted to adorn his home. He had already alluded to the
adult
nature of his design plan once before; now it was time to get everything out in the open, so to speak.

Right on time, there was a knock on the door.

Like before, he opened the door to a vision of pure grace, only this time, with style to boot. Dressed impeccably in a white floral printed pencil skirt with hints of amethyst, black stockings, Mary-Jane pumps, and a black silk, ruffled sleeveless top, Chloe looked the part of a professional. And damn if her scent didn't catch him right in the chest again.

When he realized that he was practically drooling like a dog in heat, he quickly shut his mouth and ushered her in.

*

“I appreciate your promptness. By the way, you look spectacular,” Logan commented with a smile.

Standing a little straighter, Chloe grinned.
She’d better look spectacular.
In an effort to put her best foot forward, she had spent the very last of her meager savings on the damned over-priced ensemble. If she didn't meet the Inscrutable Mr. Evans' expectations, she’d be going without electricity and warm meals until her next paycheck.

Chloe uneasily smoothed her skirt over her thighs and cleared her throat. “Thank you.”

“Ms. Stephens,” he stated calmly, placing his hand on her elbow, "shall we begin with a tour?"

She had half a mind to remind him that she’d already had the tour, but his persuasive touch was more than she could resist.

He quickly corrected himself. "Let me rephrase: an in-depth tour."

She kept her gaze fixed on his fuchsia paisley tie and didn’t dare look into his captivating eyes for fear of what she might be persuaded to do if the
in-depth tour
led to his bedroom.

Taking her bag from her, he placed it on a small table near the entrance and walked her through the living room and kitchen to a side door that led out to the backyard. On her way out, she noticed that his furniture had been moved. Apparently, he had attempted to do a little decorating himself, but had given up by the looks of it.

A twinge of regret filled her heart. Though Dimitry could be an ass, and it was time someone had put him in his place, she felt bad that Logan’s home wasn’t being given the attention it deserved and that he was living in disorganization.

Once outside, Chloe felt the full impact of her surroundings. The smell of the vineyard, the warm breeze on her skin, the heat of the sun on her brow, the view of the hills in the distance … she suddenly felt the urge to kick off her heels to feel the cool grass under her feet. She hadn't even realized she had done that very thing until she heard Logan's soft chuckle beside her. Bending down in front of her, he picked up her shoes and took her hand into his as he led her around the property.

No words were spoken, but none were needed.

As they circled around the house, a small Craftsman bungalow came into view.

"My realtor told me it would be a good source of extra income as a rental, but I intend on using it as a guesthouse for my mother when she comes to visit. Perhaps it can even become her permanent residence as she grows older."

Chloe's eyes darted to Logan. He looked serene when he spoke of his mother. She liked that. Though there was love between her mother and herself, their relationship often times felt strained. Maybe it was because they were so much alike. She didn't know exactly why she couldn't seem to have a conversation with her mom without it ending in an argument, but she hoped they could eventually work through their personality differences to share the kind of closeness that a mother and daughter should.

"The vineyard is leased," she heard his voice over the soft breeze and sound of
Feeling Good
coming from the house. He waggled his eyebrows at her. "But, I get free wine any time I want."

As he led her down a path lined by vines, he snatched several grapes from one of the branches and pressed one to her lips. Opening her mouth, she accepted his gift. The soft fruit seemed to melt in her mouth to release an explosion of sweet and bitter flavors. Closing her eyes, she savored the taste.

With gentle pressure on the small of her back, he brought her out of her grape-induced trance and guided her to the edge of the vineyard that faced the west. When her vision came into focus, she noted a creek visible in the distance.

With the sun in her eyes, the earthy scent blooming in her nostrils and bitterness lingering on her tongue, Chloe felt as if she was home. This was the kind of life she wanted to live. And she would someday. With Logan as her mentor, hard work and determination, she could have this kind of life, too.

*

Back in the dining room, Chloe seated herself at the table where Logan handed her the same paperwork he had originally presented to Dimitry.

"These ideas are for my home, or as I like to call it, the House of Evans." He smiled and reached for another stack of documents. "And these are the extras, or as I referred to them before,
collectibles.
" He placed his hand over the top of the documents to shield their contents before he continued. “If you’re easily offended by things of an unusual sexual nature, then I suggest you leave now before we go any farther with this venture. I have very specific tastes for which I make no apologies.”

Seated on the corner of the table with his hand hovering over the stack of papers, he waited for her response.

“I’m far from virginal, Mr. Evans, and I assure you, I’m not easily deterred by things of a sexual nature,” she replied with alluring determination.

He was glad to hear that she wasn’t innocent, but he had serious misgivings that she had any idea of what she was about to be faced with. Or, maybe she did, though something in her eyes told him she wasn't as mature as she tried to appear.

“
Unusual
sexual nature,” he reiterated.

She clasped her hands together in her lap as she tried to maintain her curtness. “Yes, fine, I understand.
Unusual.
I’m a grown woman and I’m positive I can handle whatever it is you have in mind."

He doubted that very much, but he waved aside his hesitation and removed his hand. He kept a close eye on her reaction, half expecting to see her fly out his front door thoroughly flustered and offended. However, when she scanned the first page, her eyes only widened for a split second before she cleared her throat.

He duly noted her obvious curiosity and …
arousal
? Her cheeks flushed, her breathing changed, and the subtle way she adjust her position in her chair suggested she was squeezing her thighs together, but other than that, she put on a strong front.

As she continued to flip through the papers, he couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking. He stood, walked to the other side of the table and seated himself across from her in order to get a better look at her expression. With his elbows on the table, he laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them as he stared at her.

She really was stunning, in a studious, needed-to be-fucked-hard kind of way. If she was amenable and it progressed that far, he would be more than happy to oblige her.

After looking over the last page, her eyes darted up to his.

“Well? Can you or can’t you?” he asked.

Her eyes lit up. “I can.”

*

Chloe was completely spellbound by the ravenous look in Logan’s eyes. His mouth transformed into a devious grin and she felt a strange sense of pride for being the one who had put it there.