“Look at that sunset.” Only a shimmer of sun remained over the horizon, but it left behind a colorful display that made even warehouses and factories look good. “Amazing, isn’t it?”
She closed her eyes, uncaring about the beauty of nature when duty to her brother weighed so heavily on her delicate shoulders. “Yes, very pretty.”
Logan badly wanted to soothe her, to hold her close and promise her it would be all right. But he’d lied to her enough already. “You feeling all right?”
Her eyes snapped open, and she stared at him, flushed—maybe with guilt.
But…maybe not.
Speculative, Logan surveyed her expression. He’d seen it before, that heat in her beautiful eyes, in her cheeks. “Sue?”
“I’m…I’m fine.”
Turning, he leaned back on the railing, now watching her instead of the sunset. “You know how you look?”
She shook her head.
“A little turned on.” And maybe that’d work to his advantage. Would her physical desire help ease her past her hurt feelings once he took her brother into custody?
She let out a breath, didn’t deny it and smoothed her hand over the soft cotton of his T-shirt.
Logan felt the touch everywhere. Emotions clashed.
She had set the boundaries of no sex, but now she wanted to lure him.
For her goddamned brother.
Covering her hand with his, Logan pulled her around beside him. Much more of that, and he’d forget himself. At least her touch hadn’t been against his bare skin.
But with Pepper, no amount of clothes would be enough deterrent.
He’d thought on it long and hard, and while he still didn’t know what it was about her specifically that pushed his buttons, it was a reality all the same.
He wanted her. All the f**king time. More so every damned day. Hoping he hid it, Logan smiled at her. “Relax, honey.”
She didn’t. If anything, she tensed up more. “Are you…punishing me, Logan?” She kept her head down, her gaze avoiding his.
What was this about? Punishment? “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do. I put you off, and now you’re paying me back in kind.”
His determination softened. “That’s what you think?” Yes, it burned his ass that she’d bow to her brother’s instructions, but he couldn’t bear seeing that particular look on her face.
To hell with it. He didn’t give a shit if Reese, Rowdy, or both were watching.
“No.” Logan lifted her chin. “Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t.” He kissed her with pent-up frustration, tilting his head, sinking his tongue in to play with hers, consuming her—and pushing himself dangerously close to the point of no return.
She pulled back, but not far. In a broken whisper, she said, “Now can we go inside? Please?”
He had to remember that this was a game, her brother’s game. She was only a player.
Keeping her close, Logan looped his arms around her. She was tall, but so slender. Soft and warm. “Tell me what you want first.”
“You.”
Damn, but that fired his blood. He stared at her mouth, then down over her body. “That’s a mighty quick turnaround.”
“Quick?” She stared at him. “It’s been days.”
True enough. Knowing she still had to hide from him, Logan whispered, “All right. Tell me how you want me.”
Beneath the cotton material of her blouse, her chest expanded with a deep breath. A pulse raced in her pale throat. Her eyelashes fluttered.
So turned on and so damned appealing.
She glanced around the area, at his empty balcony, the sparse traffic, the few disinterested pedestrians across the street. Sounding scandalized, she whispered, “Out here?”
“No one’s listening to us.” At least, he didn’t think anyone could hear them. But it was feasible her brother had set up an audio device, same as Logan had done. There were gadgets that amplified sound across space; Rowdy could be in a building across the street and still hear them.
That possibility disturbed him. “There’s only you and me, Sue.” Logan watched her. “Right?”
“Yes, but…” Stepping away from him, she smoothed a nervous hand over the material of her skirt. “You know I like…the dark.”
“So that I can’t see you, I know.” And sooner or later, he’d find out why. He leaned on the railing, pretending an ease he didn’t feel. “But you can still talk to me. You can still give me that.”
The way she lifted her chin surprised him. “Okay.” She licked her bottom lip. “I want to pull your jeans down to your knees, then sit on your lap.”
The visual nearly leveled Logan. He could so easily picture how it’d be. Straightening from the railing, he said, “Facing me?”
“Yes.”
He fingered a fold in her skirt. “With this bunched up around your hips?”
Her breathing deepened. “Yes.”
“Your thighs wide open around me. No panties.” He’d finally be able to see her legs, maybe stroke her thighs, her hips. He felt the start of wood and didn’t care. Stepping closer, he whispered, “And me deep inside you?”
A soft sound of excitement parted her lips, and she nodded. “Yes.”
He kissed her again. Gentler this time, with apology—although she wouldn’t know that.
Hugging her close, her head to his shoulder, he wrapped his arms around her. “I would never want to punish you for doing what you thought best, Sue.”