I shout a bunch of garbled words – maybe not exactly to his script, but something close - and my fingers squeeze his neck as the pleasure explodes from my core and rolls over me in endless waves.
“So sweet. So beautiful,” he murmurs as he nuzzles his way up my trembling thighs. When I manage to reclaim my senses, I realize I’m plastered on the counter, and Logan’s eyes glow with satisfaction as he looks down at me, spread out and quivering. “Damn, but I want to see you like this every day.”
I’m not about to argue, but the crunch of car tires on gravel makes me lurch up and scramble for my clothes. When I glance at the clock next to the oven, I yelp, because Marion, my farm manager, is right on time for our weekly management meeting.
“I’m not done here,” Logan says in a throaty growl as I quickly drag my jeans over my tender bits.
“I noticed.” I look pointedly at his groin, the denim straining so hard I’m surprised his zipper hasn’t exploded. “And so will Marion if you don’t slip out the back way.”
He grins as he adjusts himself, then pulls his ballcap from his back pocket and shoves it on his head. He hustles to the door,but when he gets there, he tips the brim so I’m staring into his midnight eyes. “I mean it, Lily. First and forever.”
CHAPTER TWO – LILY
The next morning, I drag myself out of Logan-scented dreams and stumble into the shower, wishing I had time to replay some of the steamier scenes in my head. But I have to settle for a quick wash with the shower gel he bought me for Christmas before I hop out and change into a pair of newish jeans and a polo shirt with the Rosie’s Blooms logo on the pocket. I secure my damp curls under a bandana with watering cans printed on it, and once I’ve slathered on sunscreen and Chapstick, I’m ready to greet the day.
When I get down to the kitchen, I’m surprised to find Leo already sitting at the breakfast table, a bowl of cereal and fresh berries in front of him. Ever since Logan told him that Rosie’s homemade granola was the reason he got so pumped, Leo has insisted on eating it every morning. I don’t have the heart to tell him that Logan’s impressive frame has more to do with good genes and a ruthless workout routine than his diet, especially since it beats the pop tart Leo used to grab on the way to school.
“Hey, bud,” I greet him as I’m drawn to the coffee machinelike a bee to the first flower of spring. “Did you feed the chickens?”
“Uh-huh.” He simultaneously nods at the egg basket on the counter and shovels an overloaded spoon into his mouth. I have to resist the urge to hand him a napkin, since Leo insists he’s well past what he calls his baby fussing days. “I’m nine now.”
While I wait for my coffee, I grab a muffin from the leftovers Kaysie boxed up after our breakfast yesterday. “And does that mean you’re better or worse at collecting eggs than the average eight-year-old?”
He rolls his bright green eyes at me. “It means I’m old enough to go to Camp Eagle for summer training. You said I could go when I turned nine, remember?”
I pause mid-chew and wonder how I’m going to swallow around the sudden lump in my throat. “I said we’dtalkabout it, Leo. Nine is the minimum age at the camp. And I’m not sure being around a bunch of older boys is going to be as much fun as you think it is.”
“I’m not going forfun,” he scowls, spitting out the word like it’s a sour berry. “Besides, I’m big for my age. You always complain that I’m growing faster than a duckweed.”
I reach over to ruffle his dark curls. “A sunflower, maybe.”
A very pretty sunflower, with green eyes and hair so soft and dark it’s like he’s some changeling prince I stole from the faerie realm.
My very human nine-year-old leans into my caress for a moment, then ducks away with another scowl. “Besides, Logan had a look at their website, and he thinks it would be a good pathway to ROTC.”
Somehow, I’ve managed to swallow, but the muffin settles in my stomach like a stone.When exactly did Logan have time to endorse my son’s desire to run off and play soldier?“Does he now?”
Leo glances my way and starts to bristle at whatever he reads on my face. “He gets a say, right? I mean, he’s a Marine. He knows a lot more about the military stuff than you do.”
I know my share. Like how hard it is to be in love with a career soldier, who barely makes it back from one tour before he’s being deployed on another. I also know about sleepless nights where worry eats your stomach lining, news bulletins that can make you break out into a cold sweat, and how your sense of pride and duty can be at constant war with your own selfish needs and desires.
“Yes, we should talk to Logan about the camp. But together, okay?”
Even though Logan’s name is on Leo’s birth certificate, last year we both sat him down and told him the truth. His biological father was a man I met on vacation, but Logan will always be there for him in any way he needs. I was worried it was too much to lay on him so young, but Leo just stared Logan dead in the eye and asked if he was going to be better than the other guy – the vacation dad. Since I’d never told Logan the full details of my first heat, it was hard for him to make a comparison, but he just clapped Leo on the shoulder and promised to do his best, every single day.
First and forever.
“Besides,” I say as I finish my breakfast and carry the dishes over to the sink, “I thought you wanted to go on that camping trip with Logan this summer.”
Leo inspects his spoon for a moment before dropping it in his mostly empty bowl. “He’ll probably have to cancel. He’ll get a call saying they need him for another mission. That’s what soldiers do.”
I study his bowed head. “But he’s discharged now. We told you he’s home with us for good.”
Leo swivels in his chair to blink at me, hope and distrust warring on his face. “Really? And he’s not gonna change his mind?”
His skepticism hurts my heart, but I can’t really blame him. Growing up, Logan was gone more often than he was here, even though he spent a chunk of his leave with us both. “Yep,” I reply, plastering a cheerful smile on my face. “He’s even bought the gym in town. That’s where he’s going to work now, so you’ll see him every day.”
I’m not sure that’s entirely true, since taking over a business is a time-consuming process, but Leo’s face lights up like a firecracker. “Seriously? Do you think he’ll let me join? Randy’s brother learned how to box there, and he’s gonna be an MMA fighter in Vegas.”
