so naive.
He hadn’t meant to bed Sophia but now that he had, he wasn’t fool enough to let her go until he was good and ready. No man in his right mind would let a luscious beauty like Sophia slip through his fingers. But he still didn’t trust her motives. He knew enough to be wary of her, even as he held her hand in his as he led her to the kitchen. “C’mon. I’m sure we can scrounge up some vanilla ice cream for you.”
Dressed in his shirt that was three sizes too big for her, her hair wild about her face, Sophia followed him into the kitchen. Moonlight streamed in through a window and the wide, double-paneled back door. Logan decided to keep the lights off. He liked seeing Sophia by the light of the moon. “Have a seat while I dish it up.” He pulled out a stool for her behind the rectangular island countertop and she sat down.
“Logan Slade serving me?” She leaned forward, bracing her elbows on the granite with her fists under her chin. “Hell must have frozen over.”
He grinned. “It’s a night for firsts. The fat lady sang and pigs flew in the barn a few minutes ago.”
Immediate color rushed to her face, painting her olive skin rosy. “Maybe there is such a thing as miracles.”
Logan opened the freezer door with a big smile on his face. Sparring with Sophia kept him on his toes. “It was sorta like an out-of-body experience, honey.”
“Yes. Who would have believed?”
“Not me and sure as anything, not you, I’d venture to guess.”
“I wanted a ride.”
Logan brought out two half gallons of ice cream and set them on the counter in front of her. Wiggling his eyebrows, he said, “Be careful what you wish for.”
“I’ll try to remember that.”
He came up with a scoop and began dishing vanilla and strawberry ice cream into two bowls. He slid one over to her.
“Are we going to eat this in the dark?” she asked.
“You mind?”
She thought about it a moment and then shook her head. “Not at all, but why?”
“Things taste better in the dark.”
“Really?”
“Think about it … what do you do when you really want to savor something?”
Sophia’s lips curved up. “You close your eyes.”
“Exactly.”
She nodded. “I never thought about it, but it makes sense.”
Logan plopped down on the stool next to her and dove into his ice cream, taking a big bite. Then he closed his eyes. Strawberry ice cream and Sophia all in one night was something to savor. He didn’t know what compelled him to divulge the truth, but before he could hold it back, he blurted, “Until a second ago, I didn’t know that, either. The honest truth is that you look dazzling in moonlight and I couldn’t see spoiling the mood with artificial lighting. The other stuff I said is a load of horse manure.”
Sophia put her head down, her eyes downcast. She stared at her ice cream then began shaking her head. Logan wasn’t sure what to make of it—he’d never admitted to feeding baloney to anyone before.
When Sophia finally lifted her head, amusement lit her eyes and she laughed right in his face, giggling so hard she put her spoon down to contain the laughter with a hand to the stomach.
“What? I pay you a compliment and you laugh.” Logan’s ears rang from the contagious sound of her sweet giggles. He spooned another chunk of ice cream into his mouth and swallowed, unable to keep from grinning along with her.
“Oh, Logan,” she said between chuckles, “you always amaze me.”
It seemed to be a night of amazements. He jammed another spoonful of ice cream into his mouth and then pointed to her bowl scooped high with vanilla ice cream. “Eat up, darlin’. You’re lagging.”
She dipped her spoon in and gave it a taste. Her dark-lashed eyes slowly closed as she swallowed. A lump formed in Logan’s throat. Watching Sophia relish anything was like watching an artist apply the first strokes of paint to a fresh canvas.
And tonight, Sophia had been hard to resist. Besides her beautiful face and knockout body, she made him smile. They’d had incredible sex less than an hour ago. Why shouldn’t he laugh along with her and allow himself a night of indulgence?
“Here,” he said after watching Sophia take two more delicate bites of her ice cream. “Let me help.”
He took the spoon from her hand and scooped up a good-sized amount of vanilla ice cream from the bowl. Sophia’s lips eagerly parted for him with a sensual curve upward as he inserted the spoon into her mouth. This wasn’t like feeding a baby, Logan mused. It was erotic as hell. Her mouth moved up and down and her eyelids closed as she tasted the dessert he fed her. He leaned closer, whispering, “I want more, Sophia.”
Her eyes snapped open and without hesitation, she replied softly, “So do I.”
Logan brought his mouth to hers, brushing a gentle kiss over her chilled lips. He tasted the sweet vanilla cream that lingered there. “I’m not talking about ice cream.”
She nodded and whispered, “I’m not hungry for ice cream, either.”
Logan’s heart hammered in his chest. The woman was a temptation that could destroy a weaker man. Logan pushed his seat out and stood, taking Sophia by her arms and lifting her up against him. She wrapped both arms around his neck and he bent his head to take her in a fiery kiss that got all of his juices flowing. He pulled her closer, melding their bodies, fitting her against him like a tailor-made suit. He curved his hands on the slope of her buttocks and rocked her against the erection straining his jeans.
Sophia moaned at the deliberate contact, giving him a little cry of anticipation that matched his own desperate desire.
He swept her up and carried her out of the kitchen and down the long hallway. Her eyes gleaming, her body nearly weightless in his arms, he kissed her several times as he strode into his master bedroom. When he reached his large bed, he turned down his bedspread and then lowered Sophia onto silky sheets. Her luxurious hair fanned out against the pillow and he stripped her bare within seconds, needing to see her naked on his bed.
His fantasies, the secret ones he’d kept hidden from the world, came to fruition, seeing her here now, waiting for him with lust in her eyes. He’d bedded her once tonight, quickly, on a worn-out sofa in the barn, but this was where Sophia needed to be. Cast in moonlight, her body accommodated on a luxurious bed—his bed—and now Logan would take his time with her. He would savor her like she was a sweet bowl of strawberry ice cream. And he would lick every last creamy inch of her, until they were both satisfied.
“As much as I like you in my shirt, taking it off is definitely an improvement.”
Sophia wasn’t coy or timid; she was bold as she lay there allowing him to study her. She was a rare find, a woman who could easily grace the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. She was perfect in her naked form.
“I’m
