Chapter 0217
Chapter 0217
-25 BONUS
A piercing alarm cut through Logan's dream. Odd. That didn't sound like the alarm he recognized. He popped his eyes opened, then reached blindly for the nightstand to stop the blare. Strangely, he didn't feel his usual bedside clock. And where was the lamp? "Sorry... That's my phone."
That was Hazel's voice.
Logan's eyes popped open. Hazel was in the bed beside him. She had her phone in her hands, fiddling with the screen. Soon, the alarm turned off.
"That's my first alarm," she said. "I always set it extra early so I can ignore it." She blushed a little. There was a hickey on her neck. "Sorry."
"Don't apologize," Logan said, enamored of the sight of her and her bedhead and smudged makeup. What time is it?"
"Five.
"Time enough for me to stop at home, then." He looked down at himself, at the suit pants he wore and the wrinkled button-up shirt. Memories of last night flashed through his mind one after the next. Searching hands... Desperate kisses... Moans and whimpers...
And then darkness.
Of all the times to fall asleep!
"I'm the one who should be apologizing," Logan said. "Tcan't remember the last time I actually went home
to sleep. The minute my head touched the pillow, I was lost..."
"I noticed," Hazel said, giggling. She hid her mouth with her hand, but it was too late. Logan saw her smile, and he could hear her still laughing. "For the record, your little snores are kind of adorable." Logan pulled his brow together. "I don't snore."
Hazel laughed harder.
Logan narrowed his eyes, which only seemed to make her laugh harder,
This meant war, then!
Logan pounced and pulled her down onto the bed. "You like laughing?" he asked as he tickled her sides. Her laughter grew louder.
"Mercy!" she said after a moment, laughing hard.
Logan stilled his hands, keeping them at her sides. She looked up at him through hooded eyes. God, she was gorgeous. He wanted to kiss her again, to peel off her clothes and see about doing things correctly this time.
But, even if he was ready to stand against his grandfather, he probably shouldn't be late because he couldn't keep his hands to himself.
Chapter 0217
#25 BONUS
"Soon," he said. "We do this again, but without the sleeping or the having to go back to work parts."
Logan rolled off of her and stood, not trusting myself. If he stayed near her and the bed, he'd likely try to get her naked again. God, he really wanted to see her naked. Focus, Logan.
"I'm sorry I don't have any clothes for you to change into," Hazel said.
Logan shrugged. "It's fine. I'll stop by home on the way to the office. It's so early, I doubt I'll see anyone. Walk me to the door?"
Hazel nodded.
Grabbing his suit coat off the floor, he slid it on and adjusted his pants on the way to the door. There, he kicked on his shoes. Then he turned back to Hazel and opened his arms.
She filled them at once. As soon as she pressed against him, he felt so right, like something shifted inside of himself, clicking into place after too long of sitting askew.
Logan knew without doubt, right there in that moment, that he would fight for this. With Hazel at his side, he would stand against his grandfather and try to set the company right again. Employees were important. Hazel was an employee. He wouldn't forget again.
"A kiss?" he asked.
Hazel tilted her head back at once and closed her eyes.
Logan could have laughed. If only she was this obedient all the time.
But he hadn't been lying last night. That she challenged him was one of the reasons he liked her so much.
Slowly, he lowered his lips to hers for a soft, good morning kiss. He was very aware of his morning breath. The last thing he wanted to do was give Hazel a bad impression. He prided himself on his kisses and kissing ability.
Hazel still smiled, still satisfied.
Logan was also pleased.
"I don't want you to leave," Hazel confessed, which sent a strange feeling fluttering in Logan's chest. "But I know we have to for work." She turned her gaze toward her apartment. "Oh, the flowers! I'll go put those in water. Leave while I'm distracted." It was a silly game that made Logan chuckled. "You'll see me at work."
"But I won't be able to hold you then," Hazel said, slinking away from his arms. "Here, where no one can see, the temptation is too strong!" She laughed on her way to the couch. "Go now! Before it's too late!"
"You are ridiculous," Logan said, though he adored that about her.
Turning his back, he opened the door and quickly stepped out into the hallway. As soon as he closed the door behind him, a voice spoke up.
Chapter 0217
+25 BONUS
"Mr. Hatfield?"
Dread immediately imploded in Logan's stomach. He turned on his heel, facing the hallway, and found himself looking into the curious and smug expression of Cameron from work.
Dawn's friend.
When Dawn disappeared, Logan always wondered how much Cameron knew. He'd thought they might disappear together, splitting the obscene amount of money Logan had given Dawn for her silence.
But Cameron remained. Whether because of fallout with Dawn or for some other purpose, Logan was never able to surmise.
What the hell was she doing here? Hazel never mentioned that Cameron lived in her building. Unless Hazel just didn't know. The ignorance was possible. Hazel had just moved in all that long ago, and with so many hours at the office, how often was she really home? "What are you doing here?" Logan asked, getting straight to the point. If Cameron was stalking Logan or the latter, he would damn well know about it.
"I live here," Cameron said. She motioned down the hallway. "But what are you doing here? They wouldn't put a CEO in a small time building like this..."
Cameron tilted her head, glancing at the closed door behind Logan.
"That's Hazel's apartment, isn't it?" she asked. The edge of her lip curled like the cat who'd caught the
canary.
Just like that, Logan imagined the second hit to his bank account. How many checks would it take this time? How many zeros was he going to have to add to keep Cameron from exposing him?
No. Keep cool, Logan. There could be a logical explanation for this. Just because Cameron saw him coming out of Hazel's apartment didn't mean that anything had been going on.
"Hazel and I decided to start working early," Logan lied through his teeth. "Those new production standards have been tough on everyone, us included."
"Is that so?" Cameron said, smirking.
She didn't believe him.
"I came for breakfast, so that we could review some of our client documents before several important meetings today," Logan said.
see," Cameron said, her expression unchanged. "I imagine you will want to go home to change before those important meetings."
"Yes." Logan ran his hand down his wrinkled shirt. "Too many early hours, you know. This morning, I grabbed a shirt that hadn't been properly ironed." "It's clean though, is it?"
That was an intrusive question. "Of course," Logan said, confused.
"Oh?" Cameron's eyes flashed devilishly. "Then why is there lipstick on your collar?"
Chapter 0217
+25 BONUS
"Mr. Hatfield?"
Dread immediately imploded in Logan's stomach. He turned on his heel, facing the hallway, and found himself looking into the curious and smug expression of Cameron from work. Dawn's friend.
When Dawn disappeared, Logan always wondered how much Cameron knew. He'd thought they might disappear together, splitting the obscene amount of money Logan had given Dawn for her silence.
But Cameron remained. Whether because of fallout with Dawn or for some other purpose, Logan was never able to surmise.
What the hell was she doing here? Hazel never mentioned that Cameron lived in her building. Unless Hazel just didn't know. The ignorance was possible. Hazel had just moved in all that long ago, and with so many hours at the office, how often was she really home? "What are you doing here?" Logan asked, getting straight to the point. If Cameron was stalking Logan or the latter, he would damn well know about it.
"I live here," Cameron said. She motioned down the hallway. "But what are you doing here? They wouldn't put a CEO in a small time building like this..." Cameron tilted her head, glancing at the closed door behind Logan.
“That's Hazel's apartment, isn't it?" she asked. The edge of her lip curled like the cat who'd caught the canary.
Just like that, Logan imagined the second hit to his bank account. How many checks would it take this time? How many zeros was he going to have to add to keep Cameron from exposing him?
No. Keep cool, Logan. There could be a logical explanation for this. Just because Cameron saw him coming out of Hazel's apartment didn't mean that anything had been going on.
"Hazel and I decided to start working early," Logan lied through his teeth. "Those new production standards have been tough on everyone, us included."
"Is that so?" Cameron said, smirking.
She didn't believe him.
"I came for breakfast, so that we could review some of our client documents before several important meetings today," Logan said.
"I see," Cameron said, her expression unchanged. "I imagine you will want to go home to change before those important meetings."
"Yes" Logan ran his hand down his wrinkled shirt. "Too many early hours, you know. This morning. I grabbed a shirt that hadn't been properly ironed." "It's clean though, is it?"
That was an intrusive question. "Of course," Logan said, confused.
"Oh?" Cameron's eyes flashed devilishly. Then why is there lipstick on your collar?"
Chapter 0218