Diamonds & Desire: The Priceless Collection (17 page)

After washing her face and combing out the massive knots in her hair, she climbed between the cool sheets. His smell was all over the bed, and it made her ache for him to be there with her. There would be no lounging around on a lazy weekend with Logan unless he’d penciled it in.

The peculiar feeling something had changed between them refused to dissipate. Where this emotion stemmed from, she didn’t know, only hoping her instincts were wrong.

A flutter in her stomach made her squeeze her eyes.

The last time she prayed her instincts were wrong, they were right.

***

Several hours passed, and Logan had expected Jordana to come downstairs pouting for his attention. Whenever he pulled himself away from a woman’s arms in the name of work that inevitably happened.

Not this time.

Even though he’d been acting like a brooding bastard since last night, she didn’t ask any questions, didn’t complain. Really, she was too good for him, he thought sullenly.

Disliking how hard and fast he was falling for her, and knowing how easily others saw it, he made a determination to distance himself from Jordana and slow these rapidly growing emotions so he could control them. At least until he got his head out of the clouds and stopped looking like some infatuated sap.

The ring of his cell phone caught his attention and he was surprised to see his father on the screen. He put him on speakerphone. “Top of the morning, Dad.”

“I knew you’d be up.”

Logan’s mouth half-lifted. “You haven’t called me this early in a long time. Everything all right?”

“Well, it was, until twenty minutes ago. Can you tell me why your mother is calling me about your love life?”

Logan paused in his movements. “Say again?”

“She called me at the crack of dawn asking about this Jordana girl you’re seeing. She wanted to know if I, out of all people, knew who, what, where, and why. I asked her what made her think my grown son would tell me a word about who he’s dating, and she went off about us being two of a kind, blah blah blah. She’s afraid this, er, relationship is serious. Thought since you apparently have been keeping her such a mystery, you’d talk to me about it.”

“I haven’t been keeping Jordana a mystery. Mom is exaggerating. I can’t believe she called you.” As far as Logan knew, his mom hated speaking to her ex-husband unless it was unavoidable.

“Fair warning, Logan, you’re driving your mother nuts with your obtuseness. She mentioned something about Vegas and you almost eloping too. Now that got my attention. Who is this girl that’s got your mom all wound up?”

Logan rose, picked up his iPad to check one of his financial accounts. “Just someone new in my life, Dad. The trip to Vegas was completely misconstrued, thanks to Libby. It was a crazy couple weeks putting out that fire.”

His dad made a disgusted noise. “I don’t even want to hear it. One of the perks of living five hours away is not having to deal with your mother’s meddling friends. Speaking of being down here, it’s been a minute since you’ve made a visit. Too busy for your old man?”

Yes, as you were too busy for me when you were my age. “Maybe I’ll make it down there next month.”

“You and Jordana should meet us in Miami for New Year’s. Now that’d be fun.”

Oh, he could just imagine. “I’ll think about it and let you know,” he replied in a non-committal tone.

“All right, son. How smooth are things running with Gerard Hamilton?”

“As smooth as gravel,” he drawled in a distracted tone as he paced the office.

Eli bellowed a laugh. “I knew as much. If you want my advice—”

“I have everything under control. Enjoy your weekend. We’ll catch up later.”

He chuckled. “Right, right. Bye.”

What the hell was his mother up to? Trying to ferret out information from his father was odd. Guess he shouldn’t have dashed from the party last night without introducing her and Jordana after all. He had no doubt his mom would call him soon, since Rachel obviously said something to her about him being taken after all.

Damn, he was tired.

With everything else on his plate, things were moving fast, and for once, he was behind, instead of ahead.

He cursed under his breath.

Looking up the stairs, knowing Jordana was waiting for him, he wondered if he should ease up where she was concerned, until he could handle whatever they had going on in small, manageable pieces.

No more gossip. No more observations of love in his eyes. No more nosy questions.

Time to rein it in.

Chapter Fifteen

“Finally, I get to place a face with a name.” Ashtyn stood to shake Jordana’s hand.

“So good to finally meet you,” Jordana greeted.

It had been quite the obstacle course to even get access to Logan’s offices. She had to sign in at the security desk, wait for a visitor’s badge, and then her arrival had to be announced to reception on the executive offices, with a final approval from Ashtyn Turner. Had Logan been expecting her, it probably wouldn’t have been that difficult.

With pretty light blue eyes, a shiny blond bun atop her head, stylish glasses, and wearing a well-designed pencil dress, Ashtyn represented the chic and polished executive assistant.

“Mr. Savant is in a meeting, but he should be out any second. Here, I want to show you something.” Ashytn pulled out a notebook. Holding it open to Jordana, she carelessly brushed her manicured fingers to flip through pages and pages of notes. “See the proof of my hard work? It’s all about finding the elusive Jordana Shaw,” she teased.

“Oh my.” Jordana admired the meticulous notes. Doctor’s names, receptionist names, when she called, whom she spoke to. A red X meant Jordana didn’t work there, a blue question mark indicated no answer, and a yellow said the doctor was no longer in business or had moved. “I’m impressed! That’s a serious investigation.”

“I took it seriously because Mr. Savant marked it high priority. Every time he asked me if I’d found you, and I had to say no, I really felt like I was letting him down,” she laughed. “Anyway, I’m so glad you agreed to be his plus-one for all those events. At times, it’s an exercise to motivate him to attend those things.” She gave a kind, soft smile, cocking her head. “Now he has you.”

Jordana grinned, taking a seat on the plush leather loveseat. “We had lovely time at the Unchained benefit. Logan said you were supposed to come. Why didn’t you?”

Ashtyn’s gaze clouded and shifted away, and she closed the notebook and put it away. “My husband had something more important come up. Maybe next year.”

Sensing heavy disappointment, Jordana was about to ask Ashtyn if she’d like to meet for coffee sometime, but when she heard Logan’s smooth, deep voice from a nearby conference room, her stomach did a hot, fast flip.

She hadn’t seen him since the morning after the Marguerite Grey party, and his phone calls and texts were getting less frequent. She assumed he was busy with work, and she tried very hard not to take it personally. But, she missed him like crazy, and couldn’t wait until the weekend to see him, hence the surprise visit to his office.

As he rounded a corner, he was engrossed in a conversation with an older woman in a navy blue suit.

Ashtyn caught his attention with a soft clearing of her throat. “Jordana Shaw is here to see you.”

Logan’s head jerked, but other than that, he conveyed no emotion. “Miss Shaw. What a surprise,” he said as she rose from her seat.

Oh. So no kiss hello then. A little puzzled at his formal greeting, she held her clutch with both hands. What did she expect? He was at work. She smiled with a shrug. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I would stop by. Doctor Palecki took the afternoon off so I did, too.”

The smile he gave her seemed tight and she had the distinct impression her surprise was unwelcomed.

“It’s good to see you...uh…” he drew out. “Pardon me. Katherine, may I introduce you to Jordana Shaw. Jordana, this is Katherine Wilcox, our company’s CFO.”

The woman extended her hand and a polite smile. “Are you Mitch Shaw’s daughter?”

“No relation,” Logan answered for her. “She’s a friend of mine.”

Her heart dropped to her feet.

A friend?

“Oh, how nice,” Katherine said, neither she nor Logan aware the blood had drained from Jordana’s face. “I won’t keep you, Logan. I should get those reports back from you before I go.”

“They’re in my office.” He cast his gaze on Jordana, face expressionless. “I’m a little busy, but I can spare a few minutes. Wait here while I wrap things up?”

Flushed, heart pounding, she didn’t know what else to do, so she nodded as Logan and Katherine went to his office.

She almost missed the seat behind her as she sat down on the edge, brows furrowing.

He called her his friend, hadn’t even hesitated.

Once again, the questions of where they stood came rushing to the forefront of her thoughts, and she wished that, instead of brushing it aside, she would’ve brought up the subject. Now, however, it seemed she had her answer.

She wasn’t sure how much time went by, but the longer she sat, the more uncomfortable she became. Ashtyn, who flicked concerned glances her way in between taking calls, asked if she could get her a bottled water or a cup of coffee, but Jordana politely declined. Then the assistant walked off to deliver something and Jordana’s discomfort magnified.

She should go.

Approaching the cracked open door of his office, she was about to knock and tell Logan she’d see him later, when she heard Katherine say, “We’ve been friends longer than we’ve been working together, Logan. Tell me, what’s with Miss Dove Eyes out there?”

“Hm? Jordana? I met her at the children’s benefit last month. Nice girl.”

Nice girl. Jordana swallowed hard. She shouldn’t listen to this conversation. A foreboding feeling came over her, yet her feet refused to move.

“Lovely. Is it serious?”

“You know me. Serious only about one thing: the company. I just saw her a few days ago at the gala. I don’t know why she showed up. Surprises are not my thing.”

Jordana pivoted on her heel, the hurt stabbing at her heart, but still couldn’t bring herself to walk away. Almost trembling, she leaned in instead. A sincere eavesdrop.

“You heard her,” Katherine remarked. “She was in the neighborhood and just had to stop by. Pardon my frankness, but she’s…how do I put it? She doesn’t look like your style. Trying to date outside the box?”

Jordana closed her eyes.

“That’s an interesting way to phrase it,” Logan said.

“Wait. Jordana’s her name? Is she the woman everyone thought you eloped with?”

Eloped! What on earth?

“Don’t stir that pot again. I finally shut that idiotic rumor down. For anyone to think for a second I would marry a woman I hardly know is beyond my comprehension.”

“There were some rumors going around about you seeing someone new. Maybe because this girl might be more than a good time gal?”

Another short pause. “She’s not.”

Another blow.

“Come on, Logan, you can tell me. You were gone at least two times a week with some nameless client. It’s her isn’t it?”

“Keeping tabs on me isn’t part of your job description, Katherine.”

“Touchy, touchy. Don’t be so sensitive, Savant, your Jordana seems as sweet as southern tea. Bringing her to the Mallory Christmas party?”

“Christmas? That’s more than a month away,” he fairly scoffed. “I…doubt we’ll make it that far.”

Tears stung Jordana’s eyes, but she sucked in a breath, forcing them back.

“I see. Well, just let her go in the classy Savant way.”

“Thanks for the advice,” he said sardonically.

He asked Katherine a couple more questions concerning the current legalities of the ever developing Hamilton situation as Jordana attempted to gather her dignity under the crushing weight of unexpected pain.

What a blind fool she’d been, scammed by the most handsome, the most charming of con mans. Logan had had his fun with her and now she was just...a nice girl. A good time gal. How gullible to think she meant anything more after what they shared. Shared? No, she had done the sharing, all he’d done was give and take. There was no sharing.

When Katherine rose to leave, Jordana stepped back as the woman opened the door. Katherine sent her a curious look with a twist of her wrinkled lips as she walked past. She knew Jordana had snooped.

Logan was close behind her. He gave Jordana a sexy smile and her knees wobbled like gelatin. She wanted to beg him to take back what he said, fool for him that she was.

He gestured to his office. “Thanks for waiting. Come on in.”

“Actually,” she said haltingly as she took a few steps inside his grand office, impressed by its clean and simplistic décor. “I just realized I have so many things to do. It was very rude of me to show up unannounced.”

His dark brows slanted, and he gently tried to pull her closer to him. “I was just about to ask Ashtyn to clear the next hour. We can order some takeout.” He moved in close, brushing his lips over her ear, lowering his tone. “Eat fast, because afterward, I’ll have my way with you on my desk. That’s a promise.”

And how many women had he done that to? She bit her tongue from asking. A cold shiver trickled down her spine. Letting him bring her in his arms had been a giant mistake; she was reminded of his kiss, their lovemaking, the laughter and affection.

In his eyes was the smoldering desire she recognized, and for a second, she considered forgetting what she’d heard. With enough determination, she could shirk the crushed feelings, have lunch with him, and move on, but something inside had cracked. Everything he said repeated in her mind, and her stomach rolled in renewed shame. She’d already been humiliated by a man she loved. No need to let history repeat itself.

“Logan,” she began, wondering if she should continue. His sharp words—coupled with how withdrawn he’d been lately, her fear to trust someone with her heart who so obviously should not be trusted—and her pride demanded she cut this off here and now. By ending things now, civilly, she could salvage her pride and give him an easy way out at the same time. “Actually, I think I’ve taken up enough of your time. You’re busy, I’m busy, and I just realized—” Searching his puzzled blue eyes, she faltered on her words. Best not to look in them or else she’d back down.

“What did you just realize?” His voice was tinged with tender concern.

“That I…” I don’t want to end it like this. But she couldn’t stand the thought of him breaking things off, because eventually, he would, in the “classy Savant way.” Raising her chin, and her courage, she told him, “I heard what you said to Katherine. I wished I hadn’t, but I’m glad I did.” She caught the knowing guilt in his eyes. “For once, eavesdropping is saving me from making a big mistake.”

“Jordana—”

“And what about the rumor you and I eloped?”

With a deep inhale and exhale, he explained, “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to tell you. It was crazy. I ran into a family friend of my mother’s that night at the Stone and McAvoy party. Her husband works for the company that helped with the merge. She heard us being introduced as a married couple and instead of asking me what that was all about, she ran home and told my mother and anyone who would listen that I became a husband over the weekend.”

Jordana’s eyes widened. “Wow. And everyone knows I would be the last woman you would ever considering settling for.”

“That’s not what—”

“Logan, pardon the interruption,” Ashtyn’s voice came on the speaker with a regrettable tone. “Mr. Hamilton is on the line. He says it’s urgent.”

Logan flicked an annoyed glance at the speaker. “Send him through, Ashtyn.” He rested a regretful gaze back on her, softening his tone. “Please wait. I’ll just be a moment.”

But it’s already too late. Tears welled when he turned his back.

Mr. Hamilton’s gruff voice boomed through. “Savant! Got a question for you, and your VP can’t give me an intelligent answer. Hopefully you can!”

“I’m here, Hamilton.” While Logan rounded to his desk, Jordana walked out. As she strode past a bewildered Ashtyn, feeling Logan’s eyes on her back, hearing him call her name, she hoped he wouldn’t come after her. Once inside the sanctity of the elevator, relief washed over her when he didn’t.

She made it to her car before she finally let her breath go. That’s when the tears streamed from her eyes. No sobbing followed, just hot, strong tears. Though he’d hurt her by what he said, Logan couldn’t be faulted or blamed, not for being honest. Not for essentially being true to himself.

A man like him was meant to be enjoyed for the present and she certainly did that. She wished, however, it hadn’t been such a momentary present with an abrupt, unsettling end.

No regrets; she had known getting involved with him was risky, and despite the disappointment, she wouldn’t change any decision.

But to fall in love with someone who didn’t feel the same supplied a new type of devastation. New tears gathered as she gripped the steering wheel.

The sound of her cell phone ringing startled her, and she saw Logan’s name on the screen. Silencing it, she tucked her phone in her purse and drove home.

That night, she soaked in a hot bath, and afterward, opened her closet, running her hand down the dress she’d worn in Vegas. Then she opened the jewelry box containing the necklace. Even in the dimness of her bedroom, its sparkling array dazzled before her eyes as she touched the stones. Why hadn’t she ever given this back? Coming out of her haze, she snapped it closed, and replaced it in her safe.

One day she’d think about her time with Logan and only remember the deliciously fun parts, and the part where her heart broke wouldn’t feel so bad. She’d survived worse.

When her cell phone vibrated as she was climbing into bed, she was not all that surprised to see it was Logan, for the fourth time. Well, whatever he had to say, she still didn’t want to hear it. A minute later, her notification went off that she had a voicemail. He hadn’t left one until now.

Though she considered ignoring it, deleting it without listening, her weakness got the best of her. She played the message on her speakerphone. As soon as his smooth, deep voice came on, her stomach twisted hot and she bit back a despairing cry.

“Jordana, it’s Logan. It’s so late.” A heavy sigh. “I can’t stop thinking about you. About this afternoon. I’m so—I need to explain, please allow me to and call me back. I’ll be waiting for your call all night. All week. As long as it takes.”

He hung up, and the automatic voice asked if she wanted to delete, save, or replay the message. Despite herself, she hit repeat. “Jordana, it’s Logan. It’s so late…”