When Love Breaks (15 page)

ELORA

“H
ello there, Cinderella. Back from the ball so soon?” Daniel says with an eye roll. “I thought for sure you’d be out much later than this.”

I smile and place my handbag on the table.

“I would’ve been, but Logan’s brother had a bit too much to drink, which cut our evening short.”

“No booty-call then?”

“Daniel!” I shout, while throwing my shoe in his direction. He’s barely able to duck out of the line of fire, and I smile because I’m just in a good mood. “It was never going to be a booty-call. You’re an ass.”

“Maybe,
you
didn’t think so, but if he’s a typical male, you can bet he was hopeful.” He snorts, so I throw the other shoe at him. “So, I take it you had a good time?”

“Yes. It was very nice,” I say with a cheesy grin. “I’m probably going to go over again tomorrow.”

His eyebrows shoot up.

“Really. Is it an official visit, or are you helping him with his middle leg?”

“What has gotten into you? Is sex all you can think about?”

He cocks his head to the side and raises one eye brow as if to remind me that
all
men think this way.

“Hey, it’s not often I can tease my sister about her boyfriend—I’m assuming that’s the decision you’ve come to.”

“He’s not my boyfriend; he’s just a friend…who happened to kiss me again.” I turn to walk into my room, but Daniel wraps his hand around my arm, halting me mid-step.

“Oh, no you don’t. You’re not going to drop that bombshell and expect me not to react. What happened?” he says, as he guides me to the couch, insisting I sit. He stands before me with his arms crossed at his chest and sways a bit, making me aware he’s been drinking…again. “He kissed you again. Am I going to have to kick his ass?” I smile and bite my bottom lip in an attempt to reign in my excitement.

“No, relax. If you don’t want to know anymore, I won’t say another word.”

He rolls his eyes at my aloofness.

“I don’t particularly like hearing about my sister’s sexcapades, but it looks as though you’d like to talk about it. So, go ahead. If you say you’re just friends, what were the circumstances leading up to it?” He rolls his eyes again, clearly a little uncomfortable with the subject.

I think back to just a few hours ago and frown. Since Logan and I had our talk, I’d temporarily forgotten about how our second kiss happened, and that Bethany might have been the reason behind it.

“Um…” I look down at my dress, smoothing the skirt.

“You look sad. Was it a bad kiss?” His eyes close, and his face twists as though he’s only asking for my benefit.

“No, not at all. It’s just that it came after the two of us had a run in with his ex—who, incidentally, wants him back.”

He sits down.

“Oh. That doesn’t sound good. So, you don’t think his kiss was genuine? Like, maybe, he was doing it to show her he’s not interested in her anymore?”

“Exactly,” I say. “Or…”

“Or?”

“Or, maybe, he was trying to prove to himself that he’s done with her.”

“Huh?”

I realize I’m coming down, quite hard, from my high, and I slump into the back of the couch.

“I’m not sure what to think. He kissed me, then looked right at her and said ‘
That should send her a message.
’ He admitted it wasn’t as romantic as he’d have liked, which makes me wonder even more if maybe, he still loves her…or whatever. Maybe, he was testing his feelings for her.”

“
What?
Have you talked to him about it?”

I shake my head.

“No. I wasn’t in the mood for a conversation like that. Then, his brother came home drunk and sick, so I helped Logan get him into bed. After that, I left.” I turn to him. “What could he be thinking? You’re a guy. Tell me what it could mean.”

I see a few different emotions cross his face, concern being one of them. I think he knows it’s possible that I’m right about this.

“Elora, I have no idea what he could’ve been thinking. Maybe, it was just a spur of the moment kind of kiss that simply meant he wanted to kiss you. I’d say, talk to him about it the first chance you get. I wouldn’t let this fester longer than it has to.”

“Okay,” I agree. “Maybe, you’re right. I’m going to sleep on it.” I rise from the couch and hug Daniel. “Thanks.”

His brotherly arms engulf me.

“Anytime,” he says, then pulls back to look at me. “Be careful, okay?” I nod. “This could very easily get ugly.” I nod again and he sighs. “Get some rest. It might be clearer in the morning.”

“I know. Goodnight.”

“Night.”

And I stalk off in the direction of my bedroom.

13

ELORA

H
e walks me backward, until I feel the wall behind me. His lips are on my neck, as he wraps his arms around my waist. Pulling me tightly into him, his pelvis grinds into mine, and I can feel his warm, shallow breaths against my skin. It sends shivers down my spine. My fingers dig at the wall, trying desperately to latch onto something…anything. Then, his teeth graze my earlobe. It takes me by surprise, so I moan and turn my head away, giving him more access.

“Shh,” he whispers. “She’ll hear you.” His hand travels down, reaching for the button of my jeans.

Who will hear?

I open my eyes and look to my left, suddenly spotting Logan and Bethany. He’s no longer kissing my neck, but hers. I look in front of me, and he’s gone. They both look over and grin devilishly at me.

“Shh,” he whispers to her. “She’ll hear you.”

My eyes fly open, and I sit straight up in bed. I’m covered in sweat and panting. Wiping my brow, I look around, half expecting to find them both in my room, but reality sets in, and I realize it was only a dream. My heart races as I recall the events that just played out before me. The unanswered questions even plague me in my sleep.

“Good morn—,” Daniel stops abruptly and raises his eyebrows. “What the hell happened to you? You don’t look like you got much sleep last night.”

I smooth my hair down and gaze at my reflection in the microwave door. Dark circles have taken up residency on my sleep deprived face.

“I didn’t. Is there coffee?” He pours a cup then pushes it at me, as if I’m a wild animal he’d rather not get bit by. “Thanks,” I say, taking the cup from him.

“So—”

“Shh,” I interrupt him. “Not before I’ve had a least a couple sips.” He nods and waits. I walk over and sit at our kitchen table, warming my hands on the cup and nursing it quietly. “I tossed and turned all night. My mind conjured up one doozie of a dream.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“No. I really don’t.”

“Was it Logan Turner related?”

“Of course.”

He sits down adjacent from me. His expression drips with concern.

“I’m guessing that means that you’ll be going over there again to talk to him about it.” I nod my head and he looks vaguely disappointed. “Well, if nothing else, it might just get you a better night’s rest.”

“Yeah. I think I might surprise him this morning with donuts from Carlisle’s Bakery.”

“You know, you’re putting a lot of effort into whatever this relationship is. I hope he’s doing the same. He really doesn’t deserve you.”

“Thank you, and I promise you, he is. Now, I have to go,” I say as I kiss the top of his head, like I used to do when we were kids.

I sneak in quietly, as I don’t know how well Michael is after a night of binge drinking. The scent of the freshly baked doughnuts I bought permeates the air, and I giggle as I wonder if the aroma alone could cause him to wake up. I peek around at the kitchen table, but Logan isn’t there. He must’ve slept in. I set the bag on the counter and walk toward his room. But, before I get halfway there, I hear a horrible sound.

“No!” he shouts. “Stop! Don’t leave!”

I sprint over to his door, and this time, I don’t hesitate before opening it. He’s in bed, in the middle of a nightmare, no doubt, and he’s thrashing around, screaming in agony. I rush to his side, and I’m about to wake him when he shouts again.

“Where are you going? Why are you leaving?”

I retract my hand, as self-doubt crashes in all around me—large and loud. Who is he talking about? And, I wonder…is it Bethany? Has the fact that he saw her yesterday triggered his feelings for her and brought them to the surface? Is he dreaming of when she left him, and he’s calling out to her, begging her to stay?

I cover my mouth, suddenly feeling like a voyeur. I shouldn’t have come here unannounced. This is private, and I’m sure I shouldn’t have heard him. I back away, but feel tears welling up in my eyes. My worst fears are being realized. Even in his sleep, the truth comes out. I have to go. I need to get out of here before he wakes up and sees me. I turn and head for the door, when I hear him again. His voice is calmer this time, and his body no longer fights against a sleep induced enemy.

“I love you,” he whispers.

I slowly turn back around, a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Who is he talking to? My negative side whole heartedly believes he’s talking to her, but what if he’s not? I take a deep breath, swallow my fears, and step closer to him. Not wanting to, but unable to stop myself, I bravely lean in.

“Who? Who do you love, Logan?” I whisper, then I close my eyes tightly awaiting his answer.

“You,” he says quietly. “I love
you
, Elora.”

I gulp in a breath and hold it in, afraid to make a sound.

Did I hear him right?

Am I sure he said
my
name?

My mind quickly compares the sound of my name to hers, just to make sure they sound nothing alike.

Elora.

Beth.

Bethany.

Nope. They’re not even close.

My heart melts and panics at the same time. He loves me? Is he sure? Can I believe this nocturnal confession? Now, I really need to leave. If he wakes up and finds out I’ve been listening, I’ll—

“Elora?” Logan’s groggy voice says. I smile awkwardly because, well, I’m incapable of doing anything else. “What are you doing here?” He rubs his eyes as if he’s seeing a mirage. I laugh guiltily.

“Hi,” I squeak out.

Well, that didn’t sound suspicious at all.

Confusion washes over him but leaves just as quickly. He smiles and begins to sit up, as he realizes I’m not a hallucination.

“Hey. What’s going on? Why are you here so early?”

“Um, you said you’d hoped to see me today.” I toss my hands into the air. “So, here I am.” I smile again, but I’m sure it looks more like I’ve just stepped on a stray Lego.

“I’m thrilled that you’re here. I just thought you’d call first.” He swings his body to the edge of the bed and reaches for his prosthetics.

“Well, I did, but you didn’t answer, so I figured I’d surprise you. I brought you some doughnuts.” I gesture over my shoulder with my thumb.

“Great. As soon as I’m done with this, I’ll make some coffee,” he says, rolling the first liner onto his leg.

“No need. Take your time. I’ll go make a pot.”

I exit the room with my head practically spinning. Whew! That was close. I’m so relieved to get out of there. I thought for sure he’d see right through me. I’m better than I thought when I’m under pressure.

Just as I’m done setting up the coffee maker, he comes walking out. His hair, which was the definition of bedhead, has been tamed, and he’s wearing only pajama bottoms, which hang from his hips in a way that makes me wish for a little bit stronger gravitational pull.

Damn. He’s hot.

I shake my head to ward off any wayward thoughts. I came here for a reason, and I’ll need to keep a clear head.

“I wasn’t sure what kind of doughnuts you like, so I just got a variety.”

He inspects the contents of the bag.

“It’s perfect. Thank you,” he says with a lazy smile, while brushing his fingers against my arm. “So, you’re up early, and I hope you don’t mind me saying this but, you look tired. Didn’t you sleep well?”

“Not really. I tossed and turned most of the night. You’re not the only one who had nightmares last night.”

His expression turns to curiosity.

“How’d you know I had a nightmare last night?”

Oh, shit
.

“Um…well, I sort of…heard you when I came in.” My eyes dart around the room, hoping to land on my next sentence.

“Did I say anything?”

I shrug.

“Not really. You were moving around a bit though,” I add. “Do you remember what you were dreaming about?”

He tenses, then relaxes, and walks over to the cabinet to retrieve two coffee mugs.

“No. I rarely remember my dreams.” I breathe a sigh of relief. “But, you must’ve had a bad one too.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because you just told me. You said that I wasn’t the only who had a nightmare last night. So, what was yours about?”

“I don’t remember either,” I lie.

He pours the coffee into our cups and hands me one.

“Well, here’s to not having to relive our bad dreams in the daytime.” We lift our mugs and clink them together. “So, what do you want to do today?”

I shrug noncommittally.

“I don’t know. How about if we do something where we can talk?”

“Like?” I shrug again. “Okay, I think I have an idea. Let’s finish our breakfast, then we’ll go downtown. There’s an arts festival going on, and I think today’s the last day for it.”

“I heard about that. I haven’t been there since I was a kid. That sounds like fun,” I say.

“Great. It’s a date.”

As I cruise down the busy city street, I’m reminded of several trips I’d taken here as a child with my mom. The culture downtown is so different from that of its suburbs to the south, and I can’t help but feel as though I’m in a whole different world. The rolling fields of Medina County have turned to skyscraping, office towers here. The high-end restaurants are mixed in with mom and pop shops, and graffiti is mixed with modern art. I feel a bit out of my element, but I’m fascinated just the same.

I pull into a parking space and turn off the engine. When I look at Logan, he’s already staring at me.

“What?” I say, grinning at him.

“Nothing.”

“You can’t look at me like that and say
nothing
.”

“I don’t want to freak you out.”

My face falls.

“Is there a spider in my hair?” I begin to panic, but I keep still because I have no idea where it could be. He laughs, loudly.

“No. It’s nothing like that, although it’s cute that you’re afraid of something that’s a million times smaller than you.”

He chuckles.

I frown.

“Then, what?”

“I just think you look pretty today. That’s all.”

“Oh.” I relax, and smile timidly. “Thank you. That’s very sweet of you to say, but why would I freak out about that?”

“I just don’t want to screw this up.”

I lay my hand on top of his.

“Stop worrying so much. Let’s just have fun.”

He nods, and we exit the car.

Shutting the door, my widened eyes scan the area, and I take in a deep breath as I drink it all in. The air around us comes to life with the sights and sounds of local vendors which line the streets as far as the eye can see. Everywhere I look is a kaleidoscope of colors, and I’m convinced that every artist within a fifty-mile radius has gathered here to show their wares.

Logan takes my hand and smiles at me, and I mirror his expression. He gently squeezes my hand, but says nothing, as he unhurriedly pulls me along. He must realize how spellbound I am right now.

As we walk, tent after tent stands erect beside us while a barrage of customers flock to them. We move through the crowds at a leisurely pace, soaking up the warm rays of the sun and enjoying the cool, spring breezes. Suddenly, I spot a booth filled with colorful sculptures. I look up at him and raise my eyebrows, silently asking if we can stop by. He smiles and nods, and I drag him inside.