Page 74 of Switching Places

She pushed against his chest. He was like an immovable wall. Her hand registered the warmth of his muscles long before her brain could think. Heartbeats pounded against her palm. Heat enveloped her. Swallowing, she bravely met his gaze.

Licking dry lips, she cleared her throat.

“I wanted to see you again before I left,” she said. “I wanted to see you once more.”

She slowly moved her hand until her fingertips rested on his arm, rubbing against the taut muscle, the warm sleek skin.

“I know you didn’t want to see me again,” she said, looking into his green eyes. “You said goodbye the other night at the beach. I thought it was final. You sounded final. But then you came over last night. And for a minute, just a minute, mind you, I thought maybe you had something else to say to me. Then Dadcame and the moment was gone. So I thought I’d come over and give us that moment. Only if you don’t have a moment for me, then I guess I’ll leave.”

He rested his forehead against hers.

“You’re driving me out of my mind, do you know that, cupcake?”

“Logan, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you right away who I was, but please understand why I didn’t. Don’t condemn us both to endless, lonely lives because of one screw up. Forgive me and get to know me and see if you can come to care for me as Emma Carter. I truly love you, Logan Beckett.”

“I wanted to push you out of my thoughts. I am furious at being played for a fool. But for the past eleven days, you were all I thought about. I didn’t know where you were or what you were doing. There was no way to contact you. So instead, I was forced to remember every moment we spent together. I wanted to see you again. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to wring your neck or kiss you silly, but I wanted to see you again. And I already know what Emma Carter is like. I spent days with her. Maybe I do need to take some of the blame. I knew you were different from Lily. She and I have been neighbors for years, I knew something was different, but I didn’t want to push it.”

She shook her head slowly, rubbing her forehead against his.

“Lily tried so hard to make my vacation a success. And all I could do was wonder what you’d think about the wine or the shows at the casinos. I don’t think I’ll ever get over you. Can I do anything to make it right between us, Logan?”

He sighed and closed his eyes.

“I feel so strongly about lies because of the hell Crystal put me through. Then I met you and the walls I’d built began to crumble. Maybe I liked that. Maybe I wanted something to change my life. How can I judge it when I’m guilty of a lie, too.”

“The coffee?” she asked, hope beginning to blossom.

“The coffee—oh, blast it. That makes two.”

“Two lies? From you? I don’t believe it.”

The blossom opened just a bit.

“When you apologized for hurting me, I said I wasn’t hurt, just mad. But I found that once the initial anger abated, what lingered was hurt—aching and painful. I was falling in love with you, Emma. I trusted you and wanted you. I thought we were building something wonderful.”

“We were. We can. I promise I’ll never lie to you again. Oh, Logan, please.” Her hands gripped his arms, as her heart began to pound. “I was falling in love, too And I knew it. You were so different from David. One look at you and I was gone for the count.”

He stared into her eyes. Emma held her breath. The most important decision of her life was out of her hands. He had to believe her. Had to trust in their feelings enough to give her a chance. He just had to.

“So the first vow we make will be no lies between us?” he said slowly, tentatively.

“I promise. No more lies.”

“And no more masquerades.”

“Never again,” she said, still afraid to believe things might be all right. Would one wrong word have him sending her away forever?

His lips covered hers and he dropped his hands from the wall to pull her into his arms. Surging against him, Emma’s love for Logan blossomed. Her heart expanded while joy pulsed through her veins.

He pulled back. “I want you. I have wanted you since I saw you in that terry-cloth robe.”

She groaned. “I hate that robe, I’m getting rid of it.”

“Never. I like it. I like your bathing suit and that sexy blue-green dress you wore to dinner.”

“Oh, Logan, I love you so much. I’ll spend my whole life loving you.”

“I knew there was something different when I met you. I never felt anything for your sister, and I can’t stop my feelings for you. I love you, cupcake,” he said.

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