“I want to know what comes next.” He held her gaze, sincerity in his eyes. “I’m not talking about me. For you. For the baby. What do you want for your future?”
This was one of the things she lo—liked about spending time with Logan. When he wasn’tpushing her away, as he put it, he had a knack for homing in on what she wanted. What she needed to hear.
His question further soothed her doubts. Maybe he was only asking to be polite, but the look on his face and the kind tone of his voice said he meant it.
“Overall, my goal is still the same, but with a new addition. I’m still pursuing the internship. My master’s. A career in transplant research. But more important, making sure this child,” she patted her stomach, “has whatever they need to grow up happy, healthy, and educated.”
“I wouldn’t anticipate any less.”
The conversation shifted from there, hopping from how he could help with childcare, her plans for finishing school, and a rainbow of topics about her future. She hesitated to answer a few times, worried she was boring him, but Logan pushed for answers, and she didn’t doubt he was listening.
And then she reached the end of what she had to share. “If you’re staying—you are staying, right?—I was about to watch a movie.”
He grabbed the remote. “What are we watching?”
She appreciated the easy change from the serious topic to more casual. If she was going to head into a relationship with him, she wanted it to be an extension of the good things they already shared. Not a façade put in place, pretending they were something they weren’t. “I hadn’t decided yet.”
“Massive guns and has-been action stars or really fast cars?”
She smiled and leaned into him. Part of her wanted to analyze every detail, but that wasn’t going to work for her, either. This felt right. “The fast cars.”
“You sure? Those has-beens can still kick ass.”
“But the racecar drivers are sexier.” She glanced up, to find him watching her with raised brows. “Jealous?” she asked.
He flipped the TV on and pulled up aFast and Furiousmovie. “I suppose the ultra-cocky answer would beof course not, but yeah. Though, as long as none of them come knocking in the next few days or weeks, I have time to seal my place in your heart.”
“Damn.” She couldn’t keep the teasing from her voice. “And I was going to have Vin Diesel over for dinner tomorrow. He’ll be so disappointed.”
Logan placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head up. “He should be.” His voice held a gravelly undercurrent. “I can’t think of a better way to spend an evening.”
The words and the sincerity in his eyes drilled deep. How could a simple statement feel more intimate than his hands roaming her body? The question summoned a wave of memories—his tongue tracing her skin, his fingers dancing along her flesh… Not that she’d trade those for sweet words. She wanted both. But not tonight.
“Fast cars it is.” She grabbed the remote from Logan and hitPlay. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he slid his hand under hers, to intertwine their fingers. Alittlephysical would be all right.
Chapter Ten
Logan lay on the couch with Jodie, her back pressed to his chest and his arm draped over her waist, their fingers tangled together. Last night they fell asleep watching movies. He wouldn’t mind waking up like this most mornings. The thought felt more comfortable than he expected. Then again, once he finally let himself admit how he felt about her, it all felt right.
The only thing he would do differently about this moment, if he had a chance to repeat it tomorrow, was to wake up in bed instead of on the sofa.
And maybe have a solution to subdue his erection. With Jodie snuggled up to him, his hard-on dug into her ass. There was no way she could miss it. Her heat sank into his skin, taunting him, and each time she shifted, tiny frissons of pleasure sped over his skin.
He meant what he said last night, both about loving her and not expecting her to return the sentiment until she was ready. It made sense she’d want to take a step back and grow their romance more organically. But fuck—knowing that didn’t relieve his arousal. He couldn’t stop thinking about sliding inside her. How wet she got. How tight she was, wrapped around his cock.
She wiggled her ass against him. “Is that a kielbasa in your pocket, or are you happy to see me?” she teased.
“When you do that, you make it hard to want to behave.” He spoke through clenched teeth.
“Hardis the point. And who said you had to behave?” She slid their joined hands under the waistband of her pants.
“Fuck. You know how to torture a guy. I don’t want to push you into anything.”
She twisted her head, to look at him. “I’ll take the time to think about how I feel and make sure I’m comfortable with it. But I’m not giving up sex in the meantime. That is… Is one time enough to make me an addict, when it comes to you?” She faded off as she finished her question, so he had to strain to hear the last words.
“If so, it goes both ways.” He kissed along the back of her neck, inhaling her intoxicating scent.
She sighed and molded her body more tightly against his.