Page 78 of Just Say Yes

My eyes lifted to meet his. Logan had maintained a respectful distance, but I could tell he was itching to move forward. He was holding himself back because he wasn’t sure what I wanted.

“Yes, he was wrong, but I let it eat me alive. I couldn’t get over the sting of rejection. I let it fester and rot. Would you believe that I haven’t been able to have sex since? The truth is, I’m broken.” A sob escaped me as the painful truth came out. I buried my face into my hands.

Warm arms gathered me in a bundle, and I melted against him. My hot tears flowed as he stood in the kitchen, silently letting me fall apart.

For the first time, I didn’t feel judged or dismissed. Logan didn’t try to fix me or brush off my pain. He just held me, steady and unyielding, as if he could absorb the pieces of me that were breaking apart.

His soothingshhvibrated through me and I cried only harder.

Why couldn’t it have been him?

TWENTY-ONE

LOGAN

Holdingher as she cried shredded me. Every sob was a sharp edge, cutting through my chest and leaving behind something raw and unfixable. I wanted to fix it for her, to take away every ounce of pain, but all I could do was hold on and hope it was enough.

I held her until her gut-wrenching sobs morphed into soft sniffles.

“Hey.” I leaned back, holding her face in my hands and using my thumbs to wipe away her tears. “Listen to me. You are not broken.”

Her chin wobbled, but she didn’t argue with me.

“I know just what you need.” When I stepped back, MJ’s brow crinkled. “Give me two minutes. Stay here.”

I scurried around the island, disappearing into the primary bedroom. The four-poster bed loomed in the center of the room, but I skirted around it and went straight to the bathroom. Tapping the lights, I fucked with them until only a soft glow from around the mirror shone in the room.

I plugged the soaking tub and scanned the small bottles of shampoo and lotion until I landed on bubbles and a small round bath bomb. In a pinch, it would have to work. I dumped the entire contents of the bubble bath under the spray of the tub and unwrapped the bath bomb before dropping it in with a thunk.

I looked around.No candles.

Steam rose from the bath, and I checked the temperature and set out two towels for her. It was simple, but hopefully it would do. I listened for her but couldn’t hear anything over the roar of the faucet. Satisfied that I’d done my best to make the lighting soft and the experience cozy, I turned off the faucet and went in search of her.

MJ was standing barefoot near the tall windows of the living room. Her curvy frame was so small against the massive blackness.

A protective urge danced through me.

Not wanting to startle her, I cleared my throat. “Hey, I think it’s ready.”

She turned, a small wry smile twitching at her lips. “What is it?”

“A hot bath.” I raised my hands. “Solo. Just something to help make you feel better.”

Her chin wobbled again and my mind raced.How had I fucked this up even more?

“Why are you so sweet?” she asked.

My smile cracked. “I have my moments.” I held out my hand. “Come on.”

MJ stepped forward, slipping her tiny hand into mine. I squeezed once and led her to the en suite bathroom.

She stepped into the dimly lit room and inhaled. “It’s so fancy.”

“I did my best.” My fingertips brushed the hem of her sweater. “May I?”

She looked at me over her shoulder and nodded. As I lifted her sweater, she raised her arms. My eyes flickered over the back of her cream-colored bra, but I pinned my gaze ahead. This wasn’t about me or my dick.

It was about her.

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