North Country(98)

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to.” His hands cup my cheeks. “But I won’t let you suffer because of me. I know how important your career is and I don’t want to cause problems for you.”

“What problems? It’s just you and me here, remember?”

His lips find mine again and then it becomes a mad dash to remove the rest of our clothes, Logan yanking his T-shirt over his head and track pants down off his hips while I stand long enough to peel off my leggings.

Before he can get off the couch, I climb back on him, collecting his hard length in my hand, reveling in the velvety soft skin as I line him up against my slick core.

His head falls back against the couch, a deep, guttural groan escaping him before he remembers. “Wait, what about a condom?”

“We don’t need it today. The timing’s good,” I promise, my voice breathless as I sink down onto him.

Logan curses, his eyes burning with heat as he watches my body take him in. “I’ve never done this before. No condom, I mean.”

“That means I finally have one of your firsts,” I tease, rolling my pelvis as he slides deeper into me, his hips moving with mine.

He seizes the back of my head and pulls my mouth down to his, kissing me fervently as his fingers tangle within my hair. “I’m sure I can still find a few more for you.” His other hand lands on the small of my back, and he guides our tempo faster with quick, shallow thrusts that have my body responding with eagerness. But that pace quickly changes as Logan seems to lose control, seizing my hips and delivering hard, penetrating thrusts that pull cries from my lips and send pressure traveling down my spine, igniting in my core.

I come apart with little warning, my body shuddering as pleasure rips through me in wave after wave.

With a deep guttural groan, Logan follows, his hips jerking as he releases deep inside me.

We end in a chorus of breathless pants, our bare skin glistening with sweat.

“Fuck. What was that?” I whisper, studying his handsome face between kisses as he comes down off his high, his eyes now hooded.

“That”—he collects my hand in his, pressing it against his chest so I can feel his heart pounding—“was the happiest moment of my whole goddamn life.”

I laugh. “So, I guess it’s all downhill from here then, huh?”

“No.” He punctuates it with a headshake. “Not a chance.”

“You sure?”

A sly grin curves his lips. “Let me prove it to you.”

I squeal as he flips me over.





Chapter 31





Logan




Emery’s back is burrowed against my chest, her arm tucking mine under hers like a security blanket she refuses to release as she draws slow, shallow breaths. It’s rare to feel her peaceful. Her mind is too busy constantly moving when she’s conscious and carrying the weight of everyone’s problems, including her own.

Duke is asleep on the rug. Only embers remain in the woodstove, and the air inside the apartment is cool, the electric baseboards a poor substitute for a real fire.

Emery mumbles incoherently as I gently slide my arm from her grip.

“Shhh …,” I whisper, my face buried in her hair, the fresh, floral scent of her shampoo still clinging to it.

“What time is it?”

“Seven. I’m gonna feed the fire and head to the barn to get Biscuit out of there before he kicks a hole in the wall, but I’ll be back soon. Stay here.” I lean over to press a kiss against her neck, her jawline, before whispering an urgent “Please” in her ear.

I dress quietly and then, tucking a fresh log into the stove, I coax Duke to come with me for my morning chores.

She can’t leave now. I have her dog.





My heart swells as I step back inside my place to find Emery in my kitchen, wearing my T-shirt and nothing else.

“It gets hot quick in here.” She stoops to scratch Duke’s head. “There you are.”

I shuck my coat and boots. “I know. I have to watch how many logs I stuff in there or I end up sweating.” I should have put two more in before I left. Maybe Emery’d still be naked.

“Coffee?” She holds a second mug. “I made a pot.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” I ease in to wash my hands as she pours, afraid to come on too strong. If I’ve learned anything about this older, cautious version of Emery, it’s that her inhibitions return with the sunrise.

“I was thinking, maybe there’s something in Jay’s stuff to do with this stash Hank is looking for. You know, in all the boxes your mom packed downstairs.” She turns to face me, her back now against the counter, and holds up my mug for me. “I don’t know how you like it.”

I meet her steady gaze. “I like it exactly like this.” Everything—the black coffee, Emery in my space and my clothes, inches away from me.

Her chest lifts with a sharp inhale.

I collect the mug and take a sip before setting it on the counter, freeing my hands. “You think whatever Hank’s after is packed up downstairs?”

“No. Annie would have found it and said something to my father. I’m sure of that. But maybe there’s a clue in there about what he was up to? I think we should go through everything. See what we can find.”