Aphrodite

CHAPTER 6

Day 9 

It was still dark when I woke. My head was nestled on Logan's chest,and his arm was around me, fingers slowly caressing up and down my back.I knew he was awake; I could hear his breathing, and it wasn't slow, longbreaths, but ... awake breaths. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to speak, butthere was something in Logan that changed when we lay together like this.So I took the chance, and I shifted my head up, my cheek sliding over thesmooth, hard muscles of his chest.He was watching me, and when I met his eyes my breath seized. I wascaught in the trap of his desire that was swimming in the dark depths.Controlling my reaction was ... well, it was impossible. He still could turnme on with one look, and all the sweet flooded back to me like being hit bya tidal wave."Logan." I stiffened after I said it.He sighed and then closed his eyes. When he opened them again, I sawwhat looked like haunted turmoil.I wanted to kiss him, touch him, feel him. Crush him to me and takeaway all the fear and just ... I just wanted to feel protected and loved by himagain.My lips were close to his chest, and I couldn't stop myself as I kissedhim. It felt as if it was a goodbye to everything we'd lost and sadness filledme. Especially when I realized that he hadn't lost anything, he'd gained. Asingle tear escaped to land on his skin.I started to pull away and he groaned then his arm tightened around me.When I looked at him again, there was no anger, no aloofness, just Logan.

The Logan I knew and ... yes, loved."Eme," he whispered.The scorching flame between my legs was lit with hope, desire, andneed. I craved this man; I loved him, and I wanted him back, but I wasscared too. I was afraid of what these feelings would do to me when heturned around and became the man I feared.I fought the desire, and I failed. He hadn't moved toward me, and I wasuncertain why, considering Logan was always the dominant one. I knewhe'd never love me or care about me like I'd once thought he had, but Iwanted comfort. I craved it, and if he gave it to me physically than I'd takeit.I trailed kisses up his chest to his neck, and his fingers curled in my hair.He closed his eyes and groaned. Slow and hesitant, I moved up and onto hisbody, instantly feeling the heat of his skin sink into me. I'd only done thisonce and had hoped he'd take the lead."Eme." He tone was gentle, and a heated rush of goose bumps sprinkledacross my skin. "Jesus, what you do to me."My mind was all fucked up as it fought against the comfort I needed. I'dbeen beaten, threatened and starved, witnessed horrific abuse and I livedeach moment in terror. I yearned for some kind of comfort—even if it wasfrom the monster who had lied to me about everything. I had tried so hardto stop feeling anything for this man who shattered my heart and now ...now I wanted him to make love to me. It was sick. I was sick.I lowered my lips to his, and at first he didn't reciprocate as I kissedhim, slipping my tongue inside his mouth, and then ... then he broke, andhis hands grabbed me on either side of my head, and he kissed me back.Logan. He was my Logan.I moaned as he rolled me over without our lips disconnecting. I wrappedmy legs around his waist, and he was on his knees between mine."Oh God," I whispered breathlessly.He pulled back, and I grabbed for him, but he'd become the one incontrol again, and he kissed his way down my body until he was hoveringover my pussy. I pulsated. I panted. I needed him, and yet he stopped. Hewasn't moving."Please, Logan.""Tell me. Tell me what you want.""You."

"You have me. What else?"His mouth was inches away from me, and if I arched upward I could ..."Tell me," he ordered."Kiss me.""Where?"Oh God. Why was he making me do this? I was so frustrated that Ithrew my arms back and gripped the headboard. "My pussy. I want you totaste me, Logan."He didn't hesitate any longer, and within minutes I was writhing andscreaming with uncontainable desire. He did that to me. Everything in himright now was the man I knew and loved. There was no fighting that fact.Logan drove me to begging, and then I crested and came hard,screaming his name. He slid up my body and kissed me again with fiercepossession.We lay silent, him spooning me, and his fingers drawing slow circlesover my abdomen. It was sweet, and I loved the feel of his hardenedfingertips which I suspected came from playing the guitar. I never thoughtfor a second that I'd fall into this man's arms again, and I knew when thesun's rays shone in the morning I'd hate myself, but for right now I wasgoing to take what he'd given me—comfort.After a while, when I couldn't fall back asleep, I asked, "What aboutyour band? You ... I thought you were going on tour." It was a long shot thathe'd tell me anything, but I hoped we could talk like we used to. Maybe Icould learn why he was doing this. What had changed so drastically?He kept drawing on me while he spoke. "We'll get there.""When you leave here?""Yeah, Emily."Okay, so that meant he didn't plan on staying forever. Or keeping me?Oh God, would he leave me here? Was he going to sell me? My throattightened as I said, "When?""We can't be having this conversation."I had to talk to try to stop the panic from taking control. I had topretend, at least in the dark, that we were somewhere else. That if he left,he'd take me with him. "How did the band get together?"Logan chuckled, and the sound made me jump then stiffen, uncertainwhy he'd laugh. My panicked mind thought maybe I'd pushed him with thequestions and he was laughing because now he was going to punish me.