Blow - Kim Karr Page 0,41

garage already called to notify me that the window of the Mercedes had been broken and it wasn’t noted at pickup. I was obviously confused, but it was quickly cleared up when they told me about the flat tire. Why didn’t you call me last night?”

“The window?” I questioned.

Logan was stretching, his washboard abs peeking between the hem of his shirt and the waistband of his pants. When he heard the shock in my voice, he immediately stood and walked over. “What?” he whispered, his warm breath ghosting across my neck.

My mouth shut, my mind clouded, and my body felt aflame. God, everything about him was molten lava, hot to touch and ready to erupt.

When I didn’t answer, he repositioned that long, lean body of his so that he could hear. Closer, and closer still until his hand covered mine, and he was obviously satisfied.

That didn’t help at all.

Now our bodies were so close that I not only became very aware of just how little clothing I was wearing, but just how much I wanted him.

Michael was still talking. “The driver’s side, evidently. The garage wants me to stop by and verify that there is no interior damage from the rain before they begin the repairs.”

Shaking the fuzziness from my brain, I realized how stupid I had been. “I’m sorry. I had the garage tow it because there was no spare. It must have occurred in the process.”

“Are you okay?” Michael asked again with concern.

I didn’t want to discuss what had happened last night over the phone. “Yes, I’m fine. But can I come over after I close the boutique? There are some things I’d like to talk to you about.”

“Yeah, sure, of course. Listen, do you want me to pick you up and take you to work?”

Muscles rippled beside me with Logan’s slight movement. “No, I can walk but thanks for asking.”

“You sure?”

My eyes were on the impressive muscle tone beside me. “Yes, I could use the exercise. I’ll be inside all day.”

“Okay then, since Clementine is already awake, I’ll head over to the garage as soon as I get her fed and changed to sign off on the estimate for the damage. They said they could still deliver the vehicle today, but it would be a bit later with the additional repairs that are needed. I told them that was fine since you were working until six anyway.”

The sea of white still encompassed me. “Thanks, Michael.”

“Elle,” he said in a low tone.

“Yes.”

“You should have called me.”

Logan’s body stiffened at that and he moved away from me.

“We’ll talk later,” was my only response. After all, he was right. I should have.

Logan was rinsing out the coffeepot, and as soon as I hung up he said, “I’ll drop you off at the boutique. What time do you have to be there?”

I looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. I really had wanted to walk but time wouldn’t allow for that. “About five minutes ago.”

With a rumble from deep in his throat, he turned around and his hazel gaze raked my length. “You’d better hurry then.”

I felt the heat in his glance and the warmth chased my chill away. “Yeah, I will.”

Logan bobbed his head toward the stairs. “I’ll be here waiting.”

I gave him a slight smile. “Thank you . . . for everything.”

Our eyes connected, but eventually he turned around and busied himself scooping coffee into the filter.

Not quite a full minute later, I managed to unglue my gaze from him and make my way up the stairs to hop in the shower. Standing naked as the warm water flowed over me, I couldn’t help but think of Logan. The way he moved. The way he spoke. The way he watched me. The way his body had been wrapped around mine so protectively. I remembered waking from a bad dream and him trying to console me. How I’d ended up in his arms, I didn’t recall, but it didn’t really matter.

No matter what he said, I knew the truth—we were on opposite sides.

And that meant there was no way we could be together.

Logan had never showed anything but concern for me. Yet, he’d come with his father to give Michael a warning. What came after the warning was what concerned me. And would Logan be involved with that?

I had no reason to believe he would. I didn’t want to. But I had to push the intoxicating man from my mind and face reality. My first step toward that