Good luck little lady. That ain’t going to happen.
Swaying back and forth with a chick’s ass pressed up against him is more Logan’s style. But suddenly a slow song begins to blare from the speakers and Logan finds himself inching toward Avery.
“May I cut in?” he asks, gesturing with a full bow and hand extension.
He hears her laugh and sees her look up as she steps away from “Carl” and takes Logan’s hand.
Continuing to laugh she divulges, “About time you joined me.”
“Mmhmm, maybe you like them older,” he says jokingly as he pulls her closer to him, not an inch between them.
“Maybe,” she grins saucily. “Guess we’ll never know.”
Smiling back at her, Logan does his best to pull her even closer. She wraps one arm tighter around his neck, the other resting on his chest holding his hand, and leans her head on his shoulder. Logan inhales her sweet scent – spring and vanilla.
They continue to sway, even as the song changes to another fast-tempo beat. Lost in their own little world, they both jump apart when Austin and Nikki rock into them. A dark flush covers Avery’s petite face and Logan has to work to hold back his laughter.
They all exit the dance hall and head back toward their vehicles, where it takes an immense amount of Logan’s willpower to not walk Avery back to Nikki’s car and kiss her goodbye. Instead, he opts for holding her hand and offering a quick, but tight, hug as they all move in different directions. He could have held her in his arms all night.
And that thought alone, as much as it should, doesn’t terrify him.
***
TAKING A DEEP BREATH as she slides into Nikki’s car, Avery can’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed. Her response to Logan isn’t something she has ever felt before. He ignites something in her - literally kick-starting her heart. The pounding in her chest only intensifies when he brushes up against her or holds her close. She can’t even describe the feeling of his lips against hers, it’s – otherworldly.
Avery can feel Nikki’s smug look burning into her from the driver’s seat. She doesn’t think she has seen a face so haughty since she watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas when she was ten.
“What?” Avery inquires innocently.
Nikki arches one of her perfect eyebrows at her as if Avery should know why she is staring at her in that manner.
“Seriously, why are you looking at me like that?”
In a perfect sing-songy voice she replies, “You like Logan. You like Logan.”
What? Are we in second grade?
“Stop, Nikki.”
“Nope, you haven’t stopped smiling since we got here.”
That much is true, except for her moment in line at the Ferris wheel, but Nikki wasn’t there to witness that course of events.
Intent on not sharing her feelings, Avery turns away from Nikki and stares out the window while saying, “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Put out, Nikki huffs and starts the car before heading back home toward the apartment.
They both enter the residence, lost in their own thoughts, as they make their way to their prospective bedrooms.
The next morning Avery wakes early after a fitful night of sleep. Dreams of Logan plagued her throughout the night and she couldn’t fight off the nightmares. Sitting up in bed Avery thinks back to the visions. They would start off the same; Logan and she would be in bed, him kissing and caressing every inch of her body, leaving no spot untouched. Then the moment before she would reach her pinnacle, the dream would shade to darkness and switch to another vision, one that just thinking about while awake sends shivers down her spine. Logan was lying on the medical building’s floors, clutching at a knife wedged deep in his chest, but every time he would touch the cold steel, the knife sank further into his skin.
So messed up!
Avery shakes her head, trying to rid herself of the gruesome and somber thoughts. Before bed, she had considered giving things a go with Logan, but now she was seriously considering removing him from her life completely. Not after remembering the things that happen to the people she loves. She can’t risk his life like that.
Making her way to the kitchen in some serious need of coffee, Avery practically drops her mug when an urgent knock on the door distracts her. She checks the clock on the wall first, 6:00 am, and notices Nikki’s door is still shut.
She checks the peephole first and flings the door open wide when she finds a frantic Logan waiting on the other side.