Page 31 of Trick or Trouble
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LOGAN COULD SEE THEinsecurity wash across Darcy’s face.He’d left her too abruptly—she thought he might be done with her.He should have realized that could be her reaction.“I was waiting onyou,” he replied gently.“You said you would call when you needed me—you didn’t call.”
“I didn’t have a case,” she muttered, avoiding his direct gaze.
Logan, never one to overcomplicate, stood her up and began sliding her figure-hugging jeans down over her curves.“I’m sorry I didn’t call you, sweetheart.It’s going to take some time for us to get used to each other, but we’ll both get better at interpreting each other's motives.”
Darcy's hands flew down to grip denim and lace like a virgin defending her honor.“Wait—What are you doing?”
“You earned a reward for not bailing out of your car, remember?”He waited, prepared to be patient.He could practically hear her mental scales tipping back and forth betweenI want thisandoh no, busted.Smart girl.Even she expected a consequence for not telling him about the camera.
She bit her lip, looking adorably conflicted.His body was responding to that response more than he cared to admit.But the sight tugged at him in ways that went deeper than desire.She reminded him of a little girl caught in mischief—hesitant, hopeful, insecure—all the while longing for reassurance that she was still cherished.She was still raw, still shaken from Conrad’s manipulation.Trust wouldn’t come easily for her, and he’d have to prove himself over and over until she finally believed he wasn’t going anywhere.But in the meantime, she did look pretty cute trying to make up her mind.He swallowed down the grin teasing his lips.Instead, he brushed a strand of hair from her face, keeping his tone even, warm.“What’s it going to be, Darcy?”
Her eyes flicked up, wide and vulnerable, but she released her clothing into his hands with a dry swallow.“Are you mad about the camera?”
He helped her down across his lap and laid his hand on her perky buttocks.“Should I be?”
“Of course not,” she replied, glancing back at him as she settled in.
Logan ran his palm across the silky surface.“You’ve made it clear that you don’t trust me, Darcy...not yet.I can understand how you feel, given the circumstances, so I accept your excuse for not telling.But are you sure you’re being completely honest with yourself?”
“What do you mean?”She darted a guilty look his way.
“This is how I see it,” he returned smoothly, continuing to caress her lower back.Part of the reason could be that you didn’t trust me enough to share that information.But could it also be because if you told me, I might not want to accompany you on your cases after all?Is it possible that you like me a little more than you want to admit?”
He grinned at the little huff of air she blew out.“Maybe,” she admitted reluctantly with a backward glare.
“Good girl,” he purred in satisfaction.“I was hoping that was the case.”Then he lifted his hand and landed a sharp spank on her backside.So sharp that she reacted like a doll punched in the stomach, and its arms and legs shot straight out at the influx of air into its plastic appendages.
***
DARCY SQUEALED IN ALARMand clawed at the arm of the recliner, trying to get off his lap.“What the hell was that?”she snarled.It was clear she’d underestimated him.Note to self—never go over Logan’s lap without being clear about what is to occur.
That alpha steel was slicing into his low voice again.“An example,” he warned, rubbing her buttocks.“I won’t tolerate lying to me, sweetheart.There will be plenty of those kinds of spanks if you make a deliberate decision to do so.And Iwillfind out about it, trust me.”
“You could have warned me,” she huffed, hearing the authority in his tones.Darned man meant every word.The sting was significantly receding now to a gentle burn, thanks to his caressing palm.
“Poor baby,” he crooned.“You can’t always have everything your way.I’ll do my best to accommodate and protect you, but there will be consequences for certain things.”
Darcy couldn’t help the shudder that ran through her body.Oh.My.His hands should be on the list of weapons that should be registered, along with his megawatt smile and sexy eyes—the things he was doing to her.
“Logan,” she gasped, wiggling salaciously on his lap.It was as if he were playing her body like an orchestra, the master conductor.Swatting her butt cheeks like snapping a timpani drum, rubbing her tortured nates to a warm and throbbing bass fiddle, and then plying her with agile fingers like a sweet, lilting flute, making her body sing to the tune he played.When sweet surrender occurred at the crescendo of his orchestra, she screamed her pleasure like an opera singer, then moaned and floated to the ground like a ballerina sinking gracefully to the floor.There were just no words to describe the whole concert that left her wilted and spent on his lap, her body shuddering in the aftermath of beautiful music.
He lifted her in his arms and cradled her against his shoulder.“There you go, little witch,” he purred with pure male satisfaction dripping through his words.If she had a jar, she could have canned it.
Darcy sighed with pleasure.“That was...amazing.”Then she reached up and turned his head towards her, seeking his kiss.“I think I might like you more than I thought,” she whispered against his mouth.
He smiled knowingly and kissed her.Then he lifted his head.“I hope so,” he murmured, his finger slowly tracing her lips.“I also believe you are the winner of our food competition.”
She sat up then.“No, I think you won that fair and square.In fact, I think we both won—let's call it even.”She fidgeted, twisting her fingers without realizing it.Her thoughts flew to her bedroom close by.Pamela was gone for the night.What should she do?At this point, or after whatever foreplay was involved, the men she’d dated always wanted to end the evening in that particular room doing things she didn’t always want to do.The few she’d allowed in hadn’t been her wisest choices, Doug, case in point.
A distraction was needed.Suddenly, she blurted out, “Am I ever going to see your house?All I’ve seen so far is Holly’s place.”She peeped up at him, hoping he wasn’t expecting to go to her bedroom.Loganwasdifferent.She did like him—maybe she was even falling in love with him.He’d used the L word.But it had been in a casual context, not like...I love you...in no uncertain terms.
His eyebrows shot up.“You want to see my house?Right now?”
She flushed and shot a sideways glance at the hallway.What happened to her snark?Logan saw right through it; that was what happened.She flicked her gaze back at him—he was studying her again.It was as if the man could read her mind just by staring at her long enough.She looked away so he couldn’t peek through her eyes, then felt even sillier.“We don’t have to—not if you don’t want to,” she stammered, unsure of herself.
He lifted her chin and held it where he could see her eyes.“Relax, sweetheart.You don’t owe me anything.”
