I recognized Logan’s voice and paused. It’s not like he’d said my name or anything, but I got the distinct impression this conversation was hushed for a reason. And not a good one.
“I can’t. It wouldn’t make any sense,” he furthered, sounding eternally frustrated with the person on the other line. “I have to build trust first. That shit takes time.”
The hairs on the back of my neck rose as I wondered if he was talking about me. I didn’t want to sound self-centered, but it certainly felt that way.
“No, it’s like you said. She’s busy and well pro-,” he paused suddenly, but didn’t turn around. “I’ve got to go. Something just came up.”
My heart dropped into my feet as I tried to decide what to do next. Had he sensed me? Heard me? Smelled me? If so, what should I do now?
Not wanting to look like I was a snoop, I pushed myself to walk down the stairs with a little extra weight to my steps to appear nonchalant and unconcerned with the noise. When I reached the bottom, Logan arose from his place in front of the fire and stood directly in my path.
Feeling a bit awkward, I smiled and stammered, “Sorry to bother you, I just needed a glass of OJ in the worst way, and I simply couldn’t wait until morning.”
The imposing ware didn’t respond or smile, only making my sense of discomfort grow. The fact the powerfully built man was in his boxer briefs and his hungry gaze was traveling up and down the length of my vulnerable body, clad only in Ethan’s t-shirt sans panties because my mate had pulled them off with his teeth before bed, made things even more awkward with each passing second.
“It’ll only take me a minute and then I’ll be out of your hair,” I promised, shuffling past his hulking frame as I scurried into the kitchen to retrieve the drink I was no longer craving. Hell, I’d much prefer to run back upstairs and drink from the faucet than be subjected to this odd encounter.
With shaking hands, I reached for a juice glass from the top shelf. Because I was so flustered, it slipped from my trembling fingers and hurtled toward the floor. But it never had a chance to hit the tile and smash. To my surprise, Logan was behind me, crouched low with the glass in his hand. His grey gaze was focused just below my belly.
This close, I could smell him. Like all wares, he had a familiar aroma that marked him as one of “us”, something I’d only noticed after being around Ethan and his brothers. And though he smelled good, like all male wares did to me, he couldn’t hold a candle to my mate, who’s very presence caused my insides to quiver and my pussy to weep with need each time he was near.
Since Ethan had thoroughly debauched me before bed tonight, I colored scarlet with embarrassment. If I could smell Logan, I knew he could smell me. Hell, he was a full adult ware. That’s why his attention was so focused on my apex now. I was still damp between my legs after Ethan had made me come over and over before I’d finally fallen into an exhausted sleep. That tell-tale scent was wafting into Logan’s nostrils, telling him exactly what I’d been doing with his brother. And it was thoroughly exciting him.
Even crouched, I could see that the front of Logan’s stretchy boxer-briefs was tented in the front, confirming my darkest suspicions.
Slowly, the big ware stood and towered above me. This close, I could see how much he resembled his brother. The two men shared a powerful jawline, muscular frames, and an intense grey-blue gaze that cut right through you. But there were also many differences as well. For starters, Logan was a touch taller, his skin was a bit darker in color, and his overall demeanor was simply colder and more detached than his brother’s warm, kind presence that I’d come to love.
Logan handed me the fallen juice glass, but he didn’t step back. Instead, he observed me like a predator does potential prey, not bothered in the least by his raging hard-on nearly poking into me.
Swallowing hard, I began to shake as my mind spun in ten different directions wondering what to do next. Sounding absolutely ridiculous, my high-pitched voice squeaked out, “Thanks for catching that. It would have been a real bitch to clean up and would have awoken the whole house.”
If he didn’t back off soon, I was going to huck the glass across the kitchen so that it would shatter and do exactly that. I hoped Logan understood that I was subtly warning him that was exactly what I’d do if he continued to invade my privacy.
The comment worked and Logan stepped to the side, releasing me from my caged position against the counter.
Clearing my throat, I nervously posed, “Would you like me to pour you a glass of juice as well?”
“I’m more of a late-night whiskey drinker,” Logan quipped, as I’d already discerned by the rich aroma of the spirit coming off his breath.
“Makes sense,” I nervously returned.
Maneuvering around him, I scurried over to the fridge where I opened the door with a bit too much force, banging it loudly against the cabinetry behind it. Snagging the juice from the top shelf, I carried it over to the table and poured myself a full glass. With a thirst all his own, Logan watched as the tangy, sweet fluid worked down my throat. Somehow still parched, I refilled my glass before quickly returning the juice to the fridge.
“Well, I better head back to bed,” I offered inanely, as I reached out for my glass. “Have a good night.”
Before I could grasp it, Logan dragged it beyond my reach. “Don’t leave yet, Millie. Please, stay. I want to get to know you better. After all, we’re family now.”
I didn’t want to stay, but I wasn’t sure how to tactfully refuse Logan’s request. There was already enough tension in this house. Any more would make it unbearable. Plus, Ethan already had too many things to worry about with me as his mate. The last thing I wanted to do was add to his overwhelming burdens by alienating his brother, when he himself had only just started to reconnect with him.
Glancing at the digital clock on the kitchen stove, I noted that it was just after one. I had to get up at six the next morning to get to work on time and I was already exhausted from the stress of all that was going on.
Landing on a legitimate excuse to beg off of this conversation, at least for the time being, I said, “I’d love to get to know you better, Logan, but I’m tired and have to work in a few hours.”
“Are you afraid of me, omega?” Logan asked outright, not concerning himself in the least with the added tension that had suddenly sucked the air out of the room.
Biting my lower lip, I quickly shook my head. “No, I just don’t know you well enough to be comfortable with you yet,” I answered truthfully. “You might be my mate’s brother, but being a ware is all so new to me. It’s a lot to deal with, you know?”
Logan considered my words. “I’d like to get to know you better, Millie. If you’re important to Ethan, you’re important to me.”
