More, Please (11 page)

“It’s pretty amazing.”

“When I was on missions or in training, a
lot of the time we’d be in the middle of nowhere and the Milky Way would be
stretched across the sky so boldly there was no missing it. A lot sharper than
it is out here. I don’t know how anyone could look at that and not be blown
away by the sight of it.” I glance over at the feel of her eyes on me. “What?”

Her eyes dance in the low light. “You
better watch talk like that. You don’t sound that jaded to me.”

Swallowing a laugh, I turn my face back
to the stars, feeling sleep tug at me beneath the warm blanket she stretched
over me.

24
, I remind myself.
24
.

~ ALLIE ~

I should be exhausted, and my back should
ache. I hadn’t intended to actually fall asleep on the hammock with him last
night, but the warmth of his body next to mine and the stars above us drew me
into a deep slumber.

Waking up alone, I discover a note saying
he went to pick up donuts and coffee at Pop’s.

I’m in lust. A man who can lure me under
the stars and listen—actually
listen
to me—and then pick up
donuts and coffee the morning after is like a dream come true.

Struggling to lift myself out of the
low-hanging hammock, I plant my two feet on the ground, and gaze out at the
brook in my view. This section of Newton’s Creek really is beautiful, and I
feel lucky every day I walk my dogs along its cool, clear water.

If a few mountains popped up along the
horizon to replace the struggling farms, I’d picture this creek slicing its way
through Montana or someplace else far west. The water tumbles over the rocks,
and small boulders create an unintentional pathway across. I wonder what’s on
the other side of the creek, and am sorely tempted to try to balance my way
across it.

Logan looks as out of place here in Newton’s
Creek as this brook does. Sure, there are jokes that men grow tall as the corn
out here, and the farmers and others who make their living off the land do get
broad-shouldered and tan. But there is an essence to Logan that sets him apart—an
air of command that my heart seems to lap up like a tasty, cherry-flavored
aphrodisiac.

He’s not meant to be here though,
landlocked in Ohio. I can see the pull of the sea keeping his heart firmly
anchored somewhere like San Diego.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull
it out, seeing my mother’s picture pop up on my display. I tap it and hold it
to my ear. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, honey,” she answers. “I’m so glad
you picked up. Is everything okay?”

“Of course. Why?”

“Well, I left a message last night and
you didn’t call me back after you were done with your party.”

I swallow a laugh. I swear my mom thinks
these sex toy parties are orgies or something. I can’t seem to convince her
it’s just a bunch of soccer moms drinking cheap Chardonnay and telling tales.

“Sorry, Mom. I was going to call you when
I got home, but—” I cut myself off, thinking it wouldn’t be a good idea
to tell her that I spent the night squished up against a hot former Navy SEAL
under the stars. “—I was just so tired.”

“That’s all right. I’m a little worried
about you right now, though. Living in that townhome rent-free. If you need
money for a place—”

“I’m fine, Mom,” I interrupt. “Really. Logan
is a great guy.”

I stand, arching my back to stretch, and
head in to let my dogs out while I spend the next five minutes convincing my
mother that I’m perfectly safe.

I jump in the shower, deciding to skip
washing my hair today. It’s kind of liberating, knowing Logan’s not interested
in me. At least I don’t have to bother with makeup anymore before I walk the
dogs.

I check my phone again for new emails and
texts, still hoping I might have missed some word from my real estate agent. I
can’t resist.

Setting down my phone on my dresser I
spot the four slips of paper tossed carelessly alongside my jewelry box. A
smile creeps up my face as I lift them, grazing the paper across my chin as I
think.

I wonder…

***

“What are you doing today?” I ask Logan.

A tempting bag of donuts is in his grasp
and one hand is raised to knock on my door. But I had opened it before he even
had the chance.

His eyes widen at my direct tone. “Umm,
eating donuts with you.”

“Great. We’re going to Buckeye Land.”

“Excuse me?”

“We’re going to Buckeye Land.” Okay, I
wasn’t expecting much of a response. It’s not like he’s a five-year-old fairy
princess fan. I guess a little convincing is necessary. “You’re teaching me to
be more spontaneous, right? Well, I’m teaching you to be less jaded. And what
better place than Buckeye Land to do it? Come on. My friend Cass works there
and she got me a family-four-pack for free. We can invite your niece and
brother.”

The mention of Hannah does the trick and
he is on his phone within seconds calling his brother. We make arrangements to
meet them there in an hour, just long enough for me to down my coffee and a
donut while he takes a shower next door. The thought of Logan in the shower
nearly sends me into a second shower myself—a cold one—and I go against
my earlier resolve by putting on make-up and squeezing into my cutest shorts—the
ones Cass says make my legs look muscular.

A few minutes later, I gawk at the sight
of him walking Kosmo along the stream. Kosmo is thriving in his new home. Logan
said the vet has made arrangements for surgery next week and it’s all I can do
to not offer to go with him, even though he has to drive three hours to a
specialized vet hospital in Akron to get it done.

After Kosmo has worn out, which doesn’t
take long in his present condition, Logan returns to his home and I meet him
out on the front walkway. “I can drive,” I offer.

Glancing over at my car briefly, he only
says, “No. I like driving.” I can’t blame him. My car isn’t a sight to behold
and it smells even worse than it looks.

He walks past his truck and opens the
passenger side door of his BMW convertible. I slide in, loving the feel of the
leather against my thighs.

“Is this new?” I ask. I’ve seen it parked
out here, but haven’t actually seen him drive it yet.

“Not very. I bought it when I got back
from my last mission a couple years ago. The truck’s new. I kind of needed that
when I started renovating. This one’s pretty useless on a trip home from Home
Depot.”

I love the way he turns the car on by
just pressing a button, and marvel at the rear and side view cameras as he
backs out of his driveway. I don’t know much about cars. But I know what I
like.

I like this.

Given my calling in life rescuing dogs, I
don’t imagine a leather-seated BMW convertible is in my future any time soon,
so I soak in the luxury while I can as we talk during the drive north.

“I can’t believe I’m going to Buckeye
Land,” he mutters.

“I know. Roller coasters. Cotton candy.
Tilt-a-Whirl. And if you’re lucky and stand in line long enough, you’ll get to
meet the beautiful Buckeye Princess. Aren’t you a lucky boy?” I counter
sarcastically, and give him a playful pat on the thigh.

He shoots me a look and I know there’s no
way he would have agreed to go to Buckeye Land if he didn’t have a niece he
adores. Truth is, I’m actually excited to go. The rollercoasters are more
geared toward the elementary school set than for adults, but I love any rides.

In my stomach, I feel a little flutter
from the thrill of being spontaneous.

I could get used to this feeling.

- LOGAN
-

“She’s cute, Logan.” My brother’s eyes
follow Allie and Hannah as they filter into the line to meet the Buckeye
Princess. “I like her. So, you’re dating her now, I take it?”

“No,” I respond quickly. Almost too
quickly. “I told you. Too young.”

“Great. I’ll ask her out then.”

“Like hell you will.” Hadn’t we settled
this already?

“Why can’t I? If you’re not interested in
her.”

“If she’s too young for me, why the hell
isn’t she too young for you?”

“Because some of us don’t live by your
absurd rules, Logan. I look at her and I see a smart, fun, capable woman who’s
cute as hell and really good with my daughter. I’d be a damn fool to not chase
after her.”

I see the same thing he does, but I don’t
jump to the same conclusion. And I hate that he’s right. There’s nothing wrong
about the age difference when it’s my brother. He hasn’t seen what I’ve seen,
done what I’ve done. He’s worked hard at JLS Heartland, but there’s no
mistaking that he comes from a life of privilege. She’d be good for him and
Hannah. But I’m not about to tell him that.

“I don’t want Allie to get her heart
broken by you. She’s been through a lot. And your track record hasn’t been that
great with women.”

“Only because the women I date never take
a shine to Hannah. If they don’t see her for the jewel she is, to hell with
them.”

I tend to agree, and I’ve heard it from
him plenty. Hannah is sweet as pie, but can be a little hard to handle
sometimes—impulsive, dramatic, and headstrong.

I can’t imagine where the headstrong part
of her comes from.

A lot of people don’t really “get” Hannah
like Allie seems to. I watch them from a distance in the crowd as they play
Rock,
Paper, Scissors
in line. Allie tosses her head back, laughing when she
either wins or loses; I can’t tell. They’re both smiling broad enough that it
warms my heart even from this distance.

No wonder my brother wants her.

But so do I. I just don’t want to admit
it because it breaks every vow I made to myself after my last relationship.

“You can date anyone you like,” I finally
say, pulling my eyes from the sight of them. “Just not Allie.”

“Hell with that. If you’re not going to
date her, then I am. What the hell’s
with
you these days?”

“What the hell is with you, Ryan? You’re
the acting CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. You think you can’t find
someone else to date?”

“I need someone
right
. I need
someone
now
.” His words seem weighty and he bites back a curse.

I can tell there’s more to his statement
than him just wanting to get laid. I take a slow sip of my drink and set it
down in front of me. “What’s the sudden rush?”

He shakes his head and reaches for his drink,
looking like he’s wishing for something a lot stronger. “Adriana is getting
married.”

I suppress a scowl at the sound of his
ex-wife’s name. At first, I can’t imagine why he cares. But then I start
wondering about the man she’s suddenly bringing into my precious niece’s life.
“Who’s the lucky guy?” I ask, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Some orthodontist. I’ve never met him.”

“Are you going to?”

“Probably not. She says it’s not my business.”

“It is too your business if he’s going to
be allowed around Hannah.”

Inhaling deeply, his shoulders rise and
fall as his gaze drifts off in the direction of his daughter. “He won’t be
around her much. She wants me to take Hannah.”

A feeling of elation creeps up in me, and
I try to hammer it down because obviously there’s more to this than he’s
telling me. “That’s great. I mean, isn’t it?”

“Maybe. Could be. Adriana says she wants
to start fresh. Have a family with this guy. She feels like Hannah would be in
the way.”

“Are you sh—” I stop myself,
remembering we’re in a family environment. “Are you kidding me?” I shake my
head. “She didn’t tell Hannah that, did she?”

“No. And I’m pissed off that I actually
had to specify to her not to. She says she’s tired of dealing with the schools,
the doctors, all the complaints from the teachers. Told me it’s my turn to try
to figure my daughter out.”

I know Hannah’s been in and out of the
doctor a lot trying to find the right medicine for her ADHD. They all seem to
cause her some pretty bad side effects. The pills might work wonders for some
kids, but they definitely weren’t doing the trick for Hannah.

My eyes narrow. “So she pops out one kid,
decides she’s not perfect enough, and decides to get rid of her and try again? Bitch,”
I utter the last word quietly, even though I doubt anyone can hear us. “When
are you going to tell Hannah?”

“Not until the legal paperwork is done. I
keep thinking Adriana will change her mind.”

“I hope not. I’d sleep a lot better with
Hannah at your place than at Adriana’s with some new guy playing ‘Dad.’ It’s
not like Adriana has the best judgment when it comes to men. No offense.”

He nods, unoffended. “It’s not that easy,
though. I’m taking over so much work for Dad at the company. My hours are crap.
I can’t remember the last time I made it home before 9:00. Plus, all the
traveling. And if dealing with the schools and the doctors takes as much time
as Adriana says, I really don’t know how I’m going to do it.”

I feel the pinch of guilt for not helping
him at JLS. “You have family to support you,” I offer, knowing I’d much rather
be picking up Hannah every day from school than trapped behind a desk at JLS.

“Yeah, well, what I need is a wife.”

I scoff. “That’s the last thing you need.
Look what’s happening with your last wife. What you need is a nanny.”

“Maybe.” He presses his lips together,
his gaze following Allie and Hannah as their line curves and they disappear.
His eyes narrow suddenly and meet mine. “I’ll give you a month to figure it out
with Allie, Logan. After that, I’m asking her out. If she says no, then fine. But
you’ve can’t stop me from asking.”

I bite my tongue. I don’t have a damn
thing to use against him for ammunition. If I’m not interested in Allie, then
maybe she would be good for him.

But the thing is, I’m damn interested.

Standing, I scrunch my empty cup in my
fist and toss it into the recycle bin. “Looks like they’re getting close to the
front of the line. Maybe we should get their hot dogs.” I step away from him
without looking back. I don’t want him to see how defeated I feel.

***

“Do you have a party tonight?” I reach
for Allie’s hand as I help her out of my car. She seems flustered by the
gesture, a blush touching her cheeks as my fingers wrap around hers.

“Nope,” she answers, her eyes barely able
to meet mine. Her hair is tousled, probably from riding the Buckeye Brawler one
too many times, and I fight the urge to pull it out of the ponytail and watch
it fall around her shoulders. What is this woman doing to me?

“How about we let the dogs out for a bit
and then grab dinner?”

Her eyes widen. “You mean go out?”

“Unless you’d rather eat in.”

“Umm, I’m kind of on a budget right now. How
about we make dinner instead?”

I try to keep myself from rolling my
eyes. What kind of a guy does she think I am? “I’m buying, Allie. I wouldn’t
have asked if I weren’t.”

Shaking her head, she reaches into her
purse for her key. “Oh, no, that’s not right. It’s enough you’re letting me
live here rent-free.”

As she digs in her purse, her eyes glance
upwards to me. Most of her makeup washed away during the day after getting
drenched on the log ride, and I’m stunned by how gorgeous her eyes are without any
of that paint to muck up the sight of them.

If she looks at me like that any longer,
I’ll be offering to do a lot more than just buy her dinner.

“Of course it’s right,” I finally
respond, pulling my eyes from hers as she opens her door. “You got us in for
free, remember? Least I can do.” I see the hesitation. “Come on. Let’s go to
that new place on Anders Street.”

“Francesca’s? The one with the Zagat
rating?” She seems intrigued.

“Yeah. I haven’t had a chance to try it. How
about it?”

“Okay,” she finally says. “Just give me a
few minutes to change.”

When she shuts the door behind herself, I
can’t help but appreciate the fact that she can get ready for dinner in a few
minutes. Most women I’ve dated tend to take forever to get ready. For me, the
only thing that needs to get ready to eat is my mouth.

That said, I probably should change too,
I decide as I look down at my t-shirt and shorts. Francesca’s seems like a
pretty casual place despite the great reviews, but my mother would scold me if
I took a woman out to dinner wearing a shirt that has a chocolate ice cream
smear on it.

I’m greeted by Kosmo at the door and it
always makes me smile. “How you doing, boy?” I ask, giving him a good petting
before I lead him to the backyard. While he hangs out there, I charge upstairs
to change into a polo shirt and some khakis.

I brush my teeth at the feel of cotton
candy and frozen cheesecake on a stick coating the inside of my mouth. It has
nothing to do with the prospect of kissing Allie again. Nothing.

Really
.

But as I swish the mouthwash in my mouth,
I’m wondering if I’m feeding myself a load of crap.

Kissing Allie again is all I’ve been able
to think about today. Every time I see her lush lips curve upward in a smile, I
can remember what it felt like to have her mouth against mine. Then when Ryan
dared to say he was interested in her? Well, I just about went territorial
alpha wolf on him.

For a guy who swore she was too young for
me, I’m having a damn hard time remembering that. As I pull my polo shirt over
my head, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I glance at the display and see a text
from Maeve come in.

“Where’s your RSVP saying you’ll come to
the wedding?”
she wrote.

I frown, typing,
“I sent it last week.
Didn’t you get it?”

“I got one from you saying you can’t
come. I’m still waiting for the one that says you can.”

I expel a breath. There is no saying “no”
to Maeve.

Another text comes in.
“Come on. Bess
really needs more peeps. And there will be lots of single women there. LOL”

“All the more reason to not go,”
I text back.

“Sigh,”
she writes,
“Just think about it more, K? You can’t tell
me you wouldn’t like a weekend back on the coast. Check us out.”
She
attaches a photo of her and Jack in the tandem kayak I gave them last year
rowing somewhere alongside a sandy beach, probably near Little Creek, where
Jack is stationed now.

I feel a tug at my heart at the sight of
blue water stretching out to the horizon.

“I’ll think about it,”
I write and turn off my phone before I
can see her reply.

I knock on Allie’s door about fifteen
minutes later and my breath catches at the sight of her in a tank dress,
tight-fitting at the bodice and flaring out just above her knees in a way that
catches the breeze even as she steps out onto the small stoop outside her
doorway.

“You look great,” I say, unable to
resist.

She glances over her shoulder as she
locks her door, completely unaware how seductive her stance is right now.
“Thanks. So do you.”

Opening the car door for her, I’m met
with an eyeful of leg as she slides into the passenger seat. God, she’s got
incredible legs. Not long, but curvy and strong from all those walks she takes
with her dogs.

24, I remind myself as I get in the car.

I have to remind myself because she’s
just not 24 like Vanessa was. In fact, it suddenly seems insulting to Allie to
even compare her to my ex-girlfriend. Vanessa had made it to her 24
^th
year unscathed by life, completely oblivious that sometimes there might be some
bumps in the road, and that some people, even though they look strong and
invulnerable, might actually have a few chinks in their armor.

Allie’s not like that, I’m realizing. She
doesn’t seem like the type of woman to scare away at the first sign of
imperfection in a man.

Holding the door open for her, I smell a
hint of cherry as she walks by me. She always smells like something sweet.
Chocolate, cherry, vanilla, honey. Always something mouth-watering.

Conversation flows easily on the way to
Anders Street, as it always does when I’m around her. When we arrive, we settle
into a window seat and watch the light foot traffic in downtown Newton’s Creek.
It’s a sleepy town by comparison to any others I’ve lived in. But it does have
its own brand of charm.