Chapter 15

I stared at him for a few moments before opening my mouth. “Attention? What do you mean by that?”

He sobered up, holding my gaze again. I waited for a few beats in hopes that he would answer my question but when the reply never came, I shifted on my seat uncomfortably. “Logan?”

He still held my gaze, staring at me like I was an object of deep study he’d been trying to figure out but failing considerably, his pink tongue darting out to lick his lower lip. The action did something to my lower belly and I clenched my thighs at the unwelcome rush of excitement that flowed through me.

“It’s nothing, Hale. Forget it,” he finally said after a long while and I couldn’t have guessed the disappointment that hit me if I’d seen it coming from miles away.

“It’s not nothing,” I countered, refusing to let it go like that. He’d just casually mentioned that he wanted my attention like he’d ordered lunch a few hours ago and he wanted me to forget it? “What did you mean? I want to know.”

There was something about the intense manner with which he stared at me, like he was seeing me for the first time. I wasn’t sure if I liked it, but I was certain I didn’t hate it.

“Logan...”

“Why haven’t you said anything about the kiss?” he blurted out then, blinking as though he hadn’t expected himself to ask the question.

I didn’t answer immediately because I was taken aback. What was I supposed to say to that? That I had been hoping it had been a mistake because it would complicate the hate-hate relationship I had with him and I had become way too comfortable with it to let it go? Or that I was hoping that if I didn’t say anything about it, then it would prompt him to…I didn’t know…maybe try again?

“I don’t know, Logan,” I settled for confusion. “Why haven’t you?”

“Because I wasn’t sure you wanted me to.”

The intensity of his gaze finally did me in as I looked away and out the window. It was already getting dark and we had been at the same spot for over three hours. I wondered if he noticed with all the staring he was doing. Thankfully, it was a Friday night so I could afford to be out a little while longer.

“Look at me, Lexi.” The words sounded more like an order than anything else and every other day, I would’ve handed him a spicy comeback but at that moment, it was all I could do to not disobey him.

I met his green eyes, for the first time since I’ve known him, confused about my feelings. “I don’t know what to say,” I murmured, aware that he’d pulled forward from his seat and was leaning towards me. “Logan,” I murmured weakly, not making any move to stop him. So, maybe a part of me wanted that kiss. So what? It wasn’t wrong, was it? It was a perfect reaction to a heated moment. He was an attractive man and I was a girl who liked attractive men—

Wait a minute. What was I saying? I didn’t like Logan. In fact, I detested him. When on earth did I start thinking about him as ‘attractive’? It felt so wrong.

Instantly coming to my senses, I put both hands on his rock-hard chest and held him back. “What are you doing?”

He paused for a second, then rolled his eyes. “What do you think I’m doing, genius?”

My eyes widened at his confirmation and I shook my head. “You can’t kiss me. We’re enemies.”

He let out a weak scoff, pushing himself back into his seat. “You’re full of shit, Hale.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Logan pinched the bridge of his nose, an action I noticed he seemed to like doing, his head turned away from me and out the window. He was quiet and I got the sense that the gravity of the past few hours just hit him.

“Answer me, Logan.”

His neck snapped to face me. “What are you so afraid of? What is it that scares you so much? You say you hate me but then you almost let me kiss you. Then you say you don’t understand it, but you almost let me kiss you again. What is wrong with you?”

His outburst shocked me, so much that I could only sit and stare at the angry veins popping out of his neck. I could understand his frustration, as it did seem like I was terribly indecisive about the entire thing. But in my defense, hating Logan was all I’d ever known in all the years I’ve known him. I didn’t know how to… feel anything else.

But he was wrong. “I’m not afraid of anything.”

He huffed, “Could’ve fooled me.” His hand went to the keys sitting in the ignition and he twisted his wrist as the engine came to life. “Forget it. Let’s just go.”

I acted instinctively, my hand shooting out to still his movements. “Logan.”

“What?” his voice was stern, angry but still underneath that hard exterior, I thought I heard something akin to affection.

I must be going mad.

‘Don’t… be like that.” I knew I should’ve let him go, should’ve just sat there and kept my mouth shut but obviously the socket connecting my brain to my mouth seemed to have blown. “I…” Without thinking about it, I leaned in, grabbed a cheek in one hand and pulled his lips to mine.

The moment our lips met, euphoria hit me like a hot brick in the cold. Logan froze beneath my touch and honestly, I couldn’t blame him; I was stunned myself. This was the last thing I expected to do in my entire life.

Logan’s surprised lasted for about a millisecond after which he immediately took charge of the kiss. I shut my eyes to his ministrations. His warm tongue licked my lower lip in what I figured was a plea for permission and I opened my mouth in response, sighing when his tongue slipped in. Tiny bubbles of pleasure erupted behind my eye and I clenched my thighs as tightly as I could when one of his strong hands rested behind my neck and the other settled against my waist.

His hand against my skin felt hot, so hot I imagined it burning my skin. His tongue explored the deepest parts of my mouth and I couldn’t remember a time when a kiss had felt this delicious. It wasn’t my first kiss but it was certainly the best.

After a few amazing seconds, Logan pulled away, resting his forehead against mine. I kept my eyes closed, liking the way his hot breath fanned my face and filled my senses. I licked my lips to savor the taste and when he groaned like he was in pain, my eyes snapped open.

“Don’t do that,” he groaned. “Don’t lick your lips like that or I’ll kiss you again.”

It was probably the best threat I’d ever received and so I did it again. Logan responded by making good on his threat, taking me under with his hot kisses and fierce touch so many times I thought I would cave.

By the time I got home that night, I couldn’t stop the smile that threatened to tear my face in half. I didn’t want to think about what this spelt for us in the future, only wanted to bask in the way he’d held me, the way he’d made me feel so wanted.

I went to bed feeling better than I had in a long, long time.