When he came back inside he tossed his phone on the counter and came right for me. He sat on the bar stool, grabbed either side of my stool, and pulled me in close so my legs were between his. Then he rested his hands on either side of my outer thighs.
“You and me, we need time together. I’m trying to get that time.” He rubbed his hands up and down my thighs and a quiver shot through me. “But—”
“You’re giving me a but?” I raised my brows and tilted my head.
He huffed. “Smart ass.”
I grinned. The first time we talked about buts, he took my virginity.
Logan leaned in close and cupped my chin. “But I love smart ass Emily. She’s cute, and I want to spend the next sixty years listening to her.”
“Hmm, okay.” I leaned forward and went into him, my mouth coming down on his as I took what I’d gone without for far too long.
“I have to meet Deck this morning. We have that party in a week, and we need to run over a few things.”
“The party. Right.” Logan had mentioned something about a party a while ago.
“We’ve had one almost every year at Matt’s bar since the band started, but this year we’re having it here. Manager has organized a few producers to come hear us play.”
Oh. This was big for the band. “That’s great, Logan. Really great.”
He nodded.
“Maybe I’ll come with you and go hang with Georgie at the coffee shop while you talk to Deck.”
His face grew dark, and his hand tightened. “No.”
“Why not? I don’t have any horses coming today or clients, and I can ride Havoc later when it’s cooler. What else am I going to do without you here?”
“Lie by the pool. Go back to bed. Watch a movie. Just promise you won’t leave the farm. And no trail rides. I want you close by.”
“Logan?” Something wasn’t right. Why didn’t he want me going on a trail ride? Why close by? “What’s happening?”
“Nothing, Eme. I just worry when I’m not with you.”
I knew the second that he said the words that he was avoiding telling me something when his index finger tapped against my hip. “Don’t you trust me?”
“Jesus, it’s not that at all.
“Then tell me what’s going on.”
It felt like minutes before he spoke and I could see him contemplate ignoring me, by the way he avoided looking at me. Then he did and I wished he hadn’t because I knew what he was going to tell me wasn’t good. “Deck has been looking for Alfonzo. He was seen at the auction Raven was at. That’s how we found out he’s alive.”
I felt sick to my stomach. I’d assumed Alfonzo had died, if not when Logan had beaten him to a bloody pulp then when the compound was taken down.
Logan cupped my cheek. “Alfonzo has no clue about the farm. Deck’s men have made certain none of us have been followed here for weeks.”
“You’ve know about this for weeks?” Of course he had. That explained why he’d warned me to be careful, why Deck came to get them at the bar. Why Logan came with me to Rob’s farm to work with the racehorse. Or that could’ve been just as he said—to be with me.
“Weeks, yes. But Alfonzo wasn’t a threat to you. He was in New York up until yesterday. But, Deck’s man lost him.” Logan kissed me and it was long and slow, lingering. “I tried to cancel the party, but it’s not just me here. It’s the guys. They need this. Deck’s doing security and is confident that the farm is still safe. That might change though.”
I nodded. I was scared and nervous, but for some reason not as much as I thought I would be. I was more focused on the fact that Logan had trusted me to be able to handle this. Because I knew Logan and the reason he hadn’t told me up until now was because he didn’t want me feeling scared, or nervous.
“I guess I can stay inside and play with my vibrator.”
Logan’s brows lowered, and his eyes got that dark intensity. He was so sexy when he heard something he didn’t like. “That pussy doesn’t get fucked, touched, or played with without me. You need it, I’m happy to give it to you. But you, lying in bed playing by yourself—no.”
I wanted to laugh; instead, I hid my smile, because I thought laughing might be bad considering he looked genuinely angry. I liked that he wanted to be the one to look after my needs. It was hot, and I felt wanted, treasured. “Okay, honey.”
“I love it when you call me that. Cute and sweet.” He got up and walked over to the sink and started putting dishes into the dishwasher. “What are you going to do while I’m gone?”
“Guess I’ll ride your horse then lounge by the pool.”
He stopped what he was doing and was quiet for a second. “They’ve never been mine, Emily. Any horse here has always been yours. The bike is my horse. I’m not getting on anything that can kick, bite, and toss me on my ass.”
“A bike can toss you on your ass.”
“Yeah, but it’s not coming back to bite me afterward.”
“Logan, the horses aren’t going to bite you.”
“They can stand up on their hind legs and dump me on my ass then come down on my head with big feet that cost a fortune every few weeks to get manicures.”
I laughed. “You mean rearing up, and horses don’t like to step on people. Actually, they avoid it at all costs, and their feet are called hooves which need trimming every six weeks or you’ll have crabby horses walking around on overgrown turned up toes. For your information, Sculpt.” He growled low, and then set the fork he had in his hand on the counter and started stalking toward me. I moved to my feet, but not in time to avoid his dive for me. He snagged my arm and, in one swoop, lifted me up and over his shoulder.