High-Sided: An Armed & Dangerous Novel Read online

  My heart broke even more. “I wish you would’ve. When I heard you got better, I thought I’d see you around campus. I kept hoping I would, but you never showed up.” I faced him again. “Why did you transfer?”

  I could see the pain in his eyes. “I didn’t want to hurt you. Plus, you’re younger than me. You needed a chance at life without being attached. As much as it killed me, I had to let you go, so you could find out who you were on your own.”

  “I could’ve done that with you, Logan. Yes, I had some growing up to do, but my heart was yours; it always has been.”

  He brushed his thumb across my lips, his blue gaze heated and raw. “That’s why I won’t make the same mistake twice.” Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulled me into his lap and I straddled him. “I love you, Kassie. You have no idea how long I’ve waited to say that.”

  I kissed him hard, my tears falling on his face. Grabbing his hand, I held it to my cheek and closed my eyes. “And I love you.”

  “Say it again,” he commanded. “Only this time, look at me.”

  My pulse sped rapidly as I opened my eyes. “I love you, Logan. I never stopped.” My whole body trembled as he stared back at me, his breaths deep and fast.

  He pressed his lips to mine, groaning as he pushed his tongue inside. Picking me up in his arms, he carried me down the hall to my room, gently laying me on the bed. My heart pounded so hard, I was sure he could hear it.

  His fingers brushed the hem of my shirt and he slowly lifted it over my head, keeping his gaze on mine as he unclasped my bra. Gently, he cupped my breasts and kneaded them with his warm, strong hands. Bending down, he flicked his tongue over a pert nipple, sending a shot of electricity straight to my core. Lifting his shirt over his head, he then worked on lowering his shorts. I helped him out and ripped mine off as well. The sooner I felt him against me, and inside me, the better.

  Covering me with his body, he kissed his way up to my lips. “I want to make love to you, Kassie.”

  My heart pounded. He pressed against my opening, but I licked my hand and reached down, taking hold of his length, gliding up and down before he could enter me. My thumb rubbed over the tip and a bead of moisture spread across my finger. I loved how easily I turned him on.

  “It feels so good when you touch me.” His head was down, watching me play with him. His beautiful ass flexed as he pushed into my hand. Having had enough, he placed his hand on mine and moved it above my head, clasping his fingers through mine. The other he used to position himself at my entrance, easing himself inside. Moaning, I gripped his hand and held it tight. With slow, gentle strokes he pushed in and pulled out, over and over. It wasn’t hard and fast, like when we’d had sex all those times before. He was truly making love to me.

  When his lips found mine, I couldn’t keep my eyes from blurring. Logan saw the first drop fall and his brows furrowed. “What’s wrong, baby?” he asked gently.

  I shook my head and squeezed his hand. “Nothing. Everything is right for once. Don’t stop.”

  Picking up the pace, he held himself above me on his elbows and wiped away my tears. Lips trembling, more tears fell, but he kissed them away, licking them off his lips. My heart soared. He loved me. Bringing my knees up to give him a deeper angle, he lifted up and grabbed hold of my legs, pushing them to either side of me on the bed. From this position, both of us could watch him enter me as his thrusts got harder, sounds of our skin slapping filled the air.

  When my orgasm hit, his grunts of satisfaction and completion only made it that much more enjoyable. It was the most passionate and fulfilling level of intimacy I’d ever experienced.

  Logan lowered himself over me and brushed the hair from my face, as we laid there connected. His blue gaze bore into mine when he leaned down and placed his lips to mine. “I’m so in love with you it hurts.”

  I laughed through my tears and held his face in my hands. “I know the feeling.”

  Kassidy

  Logan left early so he could run home and get ready for the day. By the time I got to the shop, he and Sean had already left for the track to practice. Since there wasn’t much to do, I decided to work on my budget plan for Bennett Racing’s expansion. We had the money to do it, but there was a lot of work that needed to be done. Plus, I had to run it by my dad and Sean.

  “Knock, knock,” Angela called, opening the door. She was still sweaty from her afternoon run, but looked good in her black capris and tank top. The woman was sixty years old and in peak shape. My mother had been, until cancer got a grip on her.

  I shut my notebook and smiled. “Hey.”

  She walked in and reached for a stack of receipts to file away. “Maddie’s in town. I thought maybe we could have some girl time and get our nails done Saturday morning.”

  I nodded. “Sure. I’m in desperate need of a pedicure.”

  “It’s a date then.” Turning on her heel, she was about to leave, but then stopped and shut the door. She cleared her throat and faced me. “Richard told me about you and Logan.”

  “Yeah, we’re back together,” I said, clearly confused with her tone.

  “Are you sure that’s what you want? I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  I waved her off. “I won’t, I promise. Dad told you the story, right?”

  She nodded. “He did, but I still can’t help but worry. And I know Sean’s not too happy about it.”

  I hadn’t really spoken to him since I’d told him we were back together. “I know, but I’m hoping to change that,” I answered with a smile.

  Her brows furrowed. “How?”

  “I’m setting him up with a friend of mine. She’s an elementary school teacher. I think they’ll get along great.”

  Releasing a heavy sigh, she tried her best to smile. “Let’s hope so. The last thing I want is for you and Sean to be on the outs, not when you’re about to take over the company.”

  “We’ll be fine,” I assured her. Or at least I hoped we’d be. I’d find out soon enough. Once she left my office, I opened my notebook back up.

  “Somebody sure is glowing this afternoon. Could it be that it’s almost time to get off work, or is it something else?”

  Laughing, I looked up to find Madison standing in my doorway. “You’re here,” I exclaimed, running over to hug her.

  She squeezed me tight and let go. “I couldn’t wait another day to see my little sister.” Stepping back, she inspected me. “You’re looking good. I take it you and Logan made up.”

  “Am I that transparent?” I laughed.

  She bit her lip. “Kind of. I don’t think I’ve seen you like this in a long time.”

  “What about you? You’re looking a little different yourself as well. You’re not back with Dallas are you?”

  “Definitely not,” she snarled. “I actually met someone else last night when I went out with a couple of my friends.”

  “That’s great. Does he know who you are?”

  She shrugged. “Not sure. I’m going to see him again tonight.”

  “What about me? I haven’t spent any time with you.” Placing my hands on my hips, I glared at her like our mother would do. I knew it would wear her down. Madison was a busy woman, constantly on the go, sporting event after sporting event. She didn’t know how to slow down and take it easy. I guess that was because she was in high demand with her job. She had the looks and the personality.

  She smiled and it was exactly like our mother’s. “We have all weekend. I’m going to eat dinner with Dad this evening, then I’ll come over and see you before I go out. Is that good?”

  “Perfect,” I replied triumphantly. Our dad waved at me from across the shop and pointed at Madison. “I think Dad’s ready for you.”

  She glanced at her phone. “Yikes. He wanted to leave fifteen minutes ago. I’ll see you in a bit.” She hurried out of the door and they left. It was time for me to leave for the day as well. I packed up my notebook and when I walked out to my car, Sean was just getting out of his, his shir
t covered in sweat. He didn’t look angry, which was good.

  I waved at him. “Hey. We’re meeting Janie in an hour. You gonna be ready?”

  He wiped the sweat off his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt. “Yep. Do you want me to come get you?”

  If I was going to sneak away, there was no way I could do that if I rode with him. “Nah, I’ll just meet you at the restaurant. I thought we could go to Café REL.” It was one of the best places in town, besides my favorite Italian restaurant. I never left there without a piece of chocolate cake.

  He glanced quickly at his watch. “All right, I’ll see you both there.”

  Once he disappeared inside, I hurried home to change out of my shorts and into a skirt and tank top. I got back in my car and texted Logan.

  Me: Leaving for dinner. You know what to do.

  Logan: I’ll be ready.

  When I got to the restaurant, Janie got out of her car. Her long, blonde hair hung down her back in waves and she had on a pretty, yellow sundress. Sean would be stupid not to notice how perfect she was for him. Not only was she beautiful, but she had the personality to match. Her eyes lit up when she saw me.

  “Hey,” she called, waving her hand in the air. “Do I look okay?”

  I hugged her and laughed. “Of course you do. Sean will be here soon. I saw him at the shop before I left.”

  Sighing, she let me go. “He won’t stand us up, will he?”

  “No,” I exclaimed. “He’s not the type.” About that time, he pulled into the parking lot and parked beside her silver Toyota Camry. I was nervous he’d be in a bad mood, but he looked at Janie and smiled.

  “Good evening, ladies.”

  Janie’s cheeks turned red and I couldn’t help but smile. “Hi, Sean,” she greeted.

  He rubbed the back of his neck, his nervousness slipping through. I was glad he wasn’t oblivious to her charm.

  “Ready to go inside?” I asked.

  Janie nodded and they followed me into the restaurant. The hostess led us to a table and I sat on one side, while Janie and Sean sat on the other. “Would you like something to drink?” the hostess asked.

  We ordered our drinks and Janie glanced around the restaurant. “It’s been so long since I ate here. I missed it when I was away at college.”

  “Me too,” I agreed. “When I was still in school, Sean would visit me and bring me a piece of their chocolate cake. It’s to die for.”

  Her grin widened. “That’s so sweet. I wish someone would’ve done that for me.”

  “Now you don’t have to worry about it,” I laughed. “You can come here anytime you want.” My phone vibrated and I pulled it out of my purse, pressing the end button as planned; it was Logan. When my phone rang again, both Janie and Sean looked at me, then down at my phone.

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  I shrugged and got to my feet. “It’s Madison. I’ll be right back.” With a smile on my face, I rushed outside. “Hey,” I answered.

  “Hey, baby. Did I call at the right time?”

  “Yes, you did. I’ll be at my house in a few minutes. Want to meet me there? Madison’s coming over and I know she wants to see you.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll be waiting on you.”

  We hung up and I hurried back inside, pretending to be in a rush. Sean’s brows furrowed and he stood. “What’s wrong?”

  I shook my head. “Madison and my dad are stuck on the side of the road. They need me to come get them.”

  He pulled out his phone. “I’ll just get my mom to pick them up.”

  “No,” I said, holding out my hand. “I got it. You two enjoy your dinner. Call me tonight and let me know what I missed.” His gaze narrowed, but I didn’t give him the chance to call me on my bullshit. I was out of the door before he could stop me. I felt bad for lying, but there was no way he could get to know Janie with me being the third wheel.

  By the time I got home, Logan was on my front porch, sitting on the swing. He was freshly showered and I could smell his cologne the closer I got. “I guess you got away okay?” he asked.

  I sat down beside him. My whole body tingled where it came into contact with his. “Barely. Sean totally knew what I was doing.”

  Chuckling, he put his arm around me. “He’ll get over it.”

  I surely hoped so. “How did it go working with him today? You two getting along better?”

  He nodded. “Somewhat. We’ve been working with the guys on their techniques. They’re looking so much better. Miller’s an amazing rider though. He could seriously take my place and win. I hate having to compete against him.”

  I hated it too, but more because I was afraid he’d get hurt. I wouldn’t be able to go through that again. “I thought winning the big race was what you wanted?” I murmured.

  Logan glanced off at the mountains and sighed. “It is, but things are different now. I have a new purpose in life. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to have a second chance, but I think I enjoy helping others more. I see myself in Miller, just like I did with Levi.”

  I leaned into him. “You have no idea how grateful I am that you’re here. You’ve been the best thing that ever happened to Bennett Racing.”

  Tilting my chin up with his fingers, he kissed me, his tongue slowly caressing my own. “And you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.” He placed his lips on my neck and gently nipped me, making chills fan out across my skin. “Maybe I’ll show you how much you mean to me tonight when your sister leaves?”

  I bit my lip and moaned. “Deal. It’s a good thing she has a date.”

  Logan and I were sitting on the front porch eating pizza, when Madison pulled up. She bolted out of her car and jumped in his arms. It was all smiles and hugs, until they got inside and pulled out the deck of cards.

  “I so won that game,” Madison demanded.

  Grinning from ear to ear, I poured myself a glass of wine. Even though Logan had been gone for eight years, they still fought like brother and sister. I loved it when Logan beat her at card games, because for the life of me, I never could. She was the oldest and always the best at everything.

  Logan sat back in his chair and held out his arms. “Still a sore loser, huh?”

  Madison crossed her arms over her chest. “Keep talking, Chandler. You forget, I’m the one who told Kass to give you another chance. I’m starting to believe I made a mistake.”

  Taking a huge gulp of my wine, I sat down at the table. “All right, you two. Play nice.”

  They both laughed and Madison dealt up another hand of speed, while I sat and watched. It was like nothing had ever changed. We did the exact same thing many years ago, only now we were missing Levi. He’d always had a crush on Madison, but she refused to date anyone younger than her. It didn’t dissuade him though. He still tried to get her to date him.

  The game moved pretty fast, and of course, Logan won again. “So what are we going to do this weekend?” Madison asked.

  Logan lifted his brows at me. “We could take her riding through Deals Gap?” He turned and smirked to my sister. “Last I heard, you were afraid to do it.”

  She glared at me. “You told him?”

  I shrugged. “Hey, I can’t help it you’re scared. At least there’s one thing I can do that you can’t.” She didn’t like not having control. Riding on the back with someone else made her give that up. Even our own father didn’t know she had a fear of motorcycles. He just thought she wanted to pursue a different path in life.

  Her lips pursed and she jutted out her chin. “Fine, I’ll do it. Maybe then you’ll stop giving me grief.”

  Madison was never scared of anything, except riding on motorcycles. That was why she didn’t want to help take over Bennett Racing. My father was a little disappointed, but there was nothing he could do. His dream was to have a son take over the business—he got me instead. But I was just as savvy as a man, if not better.

  “Will I be riding with you?” she asked, looking at me. “I know you’re not w
ild on the bike.”

  I burst out laughing and so did Logan. “You obviously haven’t been around much,” Logan said. “I chased her down the other day. It was hard enough for me to keep up.”

  She huffed. “Great. Then I guess I’ll be riding with you?”

  Logan winked. “I won’t let anything happen to you. If you just get over your fear, you might actually like riding.”

  “I doubt it,” she said, rubbing her stomach. “All this talk about motorcycles is making my stomach hurt. I’ll be right back.” She disappeared down the hall.

  “I tried getting her to learn how to ride with me, but she refused,” I whispered. “My mother wasn’t fond of motorcycles either.”

  Logan nodded, his gaze sad. “I remember. My parents were pissed when I decided to ride again. They thought the accident would be a wake-up call.”

  I leaned over and kissed him. “It’s in your blood, just like it’s in mine. There was a time you didn’t want me on them, if I remember correctly.”

  He looked down at my hands and reached for them. “I didn’t want you to get hurt. At least riding with me, I knew you were safe.”

  His warm hands closed over mine and I squeezed them tight. “And I felt safe with you, just like I do now.”

  “Good. Because whatever’s going on with your dad, you know I’ll protect you.”

  “Have you found anything else out?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

  He moved closer and glanced quickly over his shoulder at the hallway. Madison was still in the bathroom. “My partner’s going to be at the Hendrix party this weekend. They’re supposed to talk one on one. He’ll be wired, so we’ll get to listen to the entire conversation.”

  I gasped. “I can listen too?”

  “As long as you don’t mind spending the night at my place. I don’t know what time they plan on meeting.” He bit his lip and my whole body trembled.

  “I think I can manage that.”

  He kissed me again and I heard Madison groan. “All right you two. We don’t have time for that. I have to win at least one game before I leave.” She sat down at the table and Logan dealt out the cards. They were about to start playing when a car door slammed out front.