His Appointed Wife

5. Mansions, hot guys and almost kisses

5. Mansions, hot guys and almost kisses

"Sometimes, I see you puttering around my kitchen and sometimes, you are sitting in my chair with a book on your hands, and I feel like you belong right here, in my home." - Logan.

(Alexandra)

Oh, his house was big. Like mansion big. It stood majestically, proud and unashamed, just like its owner, surrounded by thick trees and neatly trimmed bushes.

Flowers bloomed in the bushes, adding their scent to the night air. She could hear the sound of water from somewhere as she stepped out of his car, and the sound was so calming in the night.

"Where is that sound coming from?"

He stepped out from the car and came to stand beside her. "From the pool house."

"Whoa. You have a pool house. Okay, I am warning you now, if you can't find me in the house, you should know that I will be right there." She said as she walked to the pool house.

The pool house was big, too. Green grass carpeted the lawn before it lead to a massive pool with aqua blue water. It glinted in the moonlight and Alex was mesmerized by the sliver of moon reflected in the cool water.

A marble statue of a tall woman stood in the side, gently offering water to the pool from a big bowl in her hands.

"God, this is like the most amazing pool house I have ever seen."

"You have seen your share of pool houses, didn't you?" He asked as he leaned against wall. In the shadows, he looked tall and dangerous.

She stiffened before she turned back to him.

He sighed. "You are not telling me anything, yet. And you know everything about me."

She silently toed her shoes off and sat down outside the pool, dipping her toes inside the cool water and instantly felt her body relax.

What a day! And it was just a day.

It was like a rollercoaster ride and her head was spinning, but as she sat there, she felt pleasantly thrilled.

She could hear him walking towards the pool. He sat down next to her and looked at her with his eyebrows pinched together. "It was that bad." It was not meant to be answered.

She shrugged.

"This is beautiful. It feels like I can finally relax here."

"I always love this place at night. Kind of away from the hustle and bustle of the life. Alone. Secluded. And private. Mine."

"Now I am here to intrude. Do you mind?"

"Strangely, no." He smiled. "I mean, I should mind, but I don't know why I didn't. This is nice. Wait." He stood up and when he was back, he had a glass of lemonade in his hand.

"Lemonade? Really?"

"Just close your eyes and take a sip and you will know why."

She did as he said and she moaned. It was cool on her tongue, it was yummy. Sweet and tangy, the perfect mix. She took another sip and smiled. "Who made this? It is the perfect portion of everything."

"I did."

"You have to teach me how to make that sometimes."

"Not going to happen. A guy can't divulge all his secrets, now can he?"

"I see what you did right there, Logan Forte. I see that."

"Good." He chuckled and the sound was like warm honey pouring through her bones. It warmed her and soothed her.

She looked up to see his grey eyes shining in the dark and they were like a siren song. It was calling to something deep inside her.

Night air gently embraced her with its soft fingers and she could smell the lilies that was planted in the boxes along with Logan. Her hair played to the tune of the wind and she felt liquid.

She felt hot and cold.

He pushed one unruly lock of hair behind her ears and she shuddered from his touch.

She wanted more. But somewhere deep inside, she knew wanting him was only a recipe for disaster.

He didn't believe in anything she did. Love. Romance. Soul mate. Partner. His view about everything was so mechanical. It was all plans and goals and checklists for him.

Though she had been hurt and jaded by the people around her, she still believed in all that. She still believed in magic and true love and hold on to it, for that was the only thing she had to hope and wait for in this cruel, cunning world.

They were closer now, but they were worlds apart. They could never exist in the same star. They were too wild and too different to make it work. They would just explode.

He leaned closer and she could smell a whiff of his Cologne. And it was such a heady scent. All male, all Logan.

And all wrong for her.

She jerked upright and moved away from him as if he was fire.

He cleared his thought and she twitched her cardigan with nervous fingers.

They sat in the silence for another minute, before she stood up.

"It is late." She forced a yawn.

He stood up, too, and he avoided her eyes. He looked at his watch. "Yeah, I have a meeting early in the morning."

"Let's go." She said and he nodded and they walked to the main house, together.

Oh hell, Alexandra Annie Steele, what were you thinking? Did you lost your effing brain?

But the thing was... She wasn't thinking. Whenever he was near, she couldn't think properly.

This is such a big, big mistake. No, I want to run away before I can not run at all.

But she was here. She promised him and she was stuck.

***

(Logan)

His body was still buzzing. Her scent, he could still smell it, as if it was inscribed over his skin. It was such an addictive smell. Such a singular one, as if the perfume was mixed with her essence. Her scent. Just hers.

Logan scratched his neck. This was a dangerous territory and he almost crossed it, all because he couldn't control his need.

That wouldn't do.

They had to spend an year together and he couldn't make it awkward or strange.

He liked to think they were becoming friends and he could not mess that up.

His relationship with women was always messy and bothersome. He couldn't do that to her. Him. Them.

"Hey, you want a tour of my home?" He asked as he opened the door. It was an olive branch and he prayed she took it. He couldn't bear the stress of this weird energy between them. Oh, yes, he was very much attracted to her, but more than that, he was attracted to her mind. And he didn't want to spoil this, this start of a beautiful friendship, by being impulsive.

She did take it. And her body visibly relaxed from its previously stiff posture. And he was glad he decided to try repair it. He was never the one who raised olive branches willingly, if anything, he was the one who could bear the silences like a pro, but with her it was all so difficult and impossible.

"Would love it." She said and then stopped.

"Oh I know this." She waved her hands around. "You handed it over to some prissy, stuffy interior decorator, didn't you?" Her voice was full of frustration. "Why would you do that?"

"Because it is easier?" He said and raised his hands. "God, don't kill me with your eyes." He said when he noticed she was glaring at him.

"Everything is so clean, clinical and there is no life in it."

"They are furnitures and light fixtures and... They are lifeless, FYI." He said as he looked at her. Her cheeks were red, and her hair was sticking up in all direction, but she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"FYI... " She mimicked him with a scowl. "They are lifeless only because your decorator made them so."

"You really hate my interior decorator?" He was amused. She looked angry and animated.

"I do. It is a she, isn't it?"

"Yes. And she is hot." He said with a grin. Melissa Meyers. She really was hot, but she was also the most boring woman he had ever met. She talked about patterns almost obsessively on every one of their conversations.

Alex glared and threw a towel at his face. He picked it up with a chuckle.

"Her imagination, not so much." She said.

"Oh, go on." He spread his hands. "Tell me how you will do this?" He was curious to find out how her mind worked.

"That table. Gone. The big, gaudy chandelier, gone. That couch, it can stay. It has some character."

"Daniel's housewarming gift." Logan said.

"That is why it has character. Your woman has no character. For her, it is all about money. Everything here is so expensive but so, so bland."

"Yeah? But how do you know about all this?"

"I know it because... I studied it for three years of my life."

"Oh." He was surprised. He didn't expect it.

His mouth hung open as he stared at her in surprise and she bristled. Her cheeks flushed.

"What, what is that look?" She pointed to his eyes, almost so close to him as if she wished she could poke right inside his eyes and he took a step back.

"Don't poke my eyes out." He said in alarm.

"You looked like you were shocked? Why was it so shocking? Did I look like a high school drop out to you?" She gritted her teeth.

"Hey, I am sorry okay." And then he was irritated. "You... You are making me say too much of that." It was true. He never said so many Sorry in a single day, before he met her.

"What?" She looked confused.

"Sorry. I try not to tell it too often. It will become meaningless."

"Oh, you hate to tell it because it will make you look so wrong. You hate being wrong."

She was right, as well.

"Such a brat." He said with a teasing grin. "Know it all."

She poked her tongue out.

"Childish." He added.

"And what is with that table? Like really? This isn't a Royal banquet hall. That looks so out of place."

"Gone." He ticked with his hand, imitating her earlier actions with a smile and she slapped his finger away with a moody scowl.

"Don't try to be so funny. And your walls, they are so grey. Bleh and so boring."

He laughed. "I am boring." He was. He knew that. He had become boring somewhere along the line of trying to reach the top and managing to fit in with those people who were already at the top.

"Good. You are honest unlike some men I have known, at least. You can still be saved."

"How many men have you known?"What was that in his voice? Jealousy? Logan wanted to redo the sentence, but it was already said and she looked at him with searching eyes. He looked away from them.

They were his damnation. They read too much of his thoughts with just a look.

"Umm. Don't know."

"Countless?" Logan snapped.

"Are you jealous, Logan Forte?"

"What, don't be stupid? Why would I be?" He chuckled and scratched his chin. Uh-oh. Was he? No. No.

"That is a bold faced lie, but I am not calling you out on it." She grinned at him like a cheshire cat as she walked into the kitchen.

"Very kind of you." He grunted as he stared at her back. He didn't know why, but yes, he was jealous. Only a little bit. A very tiny bit.

"Now, this, this is much like it. So much better. What changed miss. Hot's mind?" She pointed the kitchen with granite counters and a big oven and a hot top. Homely yet clean.

"Umm, this is my mom's idea."

"Hah, that is what changed. Your mom is much better. You should have hired her, instead."

"I will tell my mom." He said as he picked a bottled water from the refrigerator and stared at her with wonder. She was amazing. Her mind was amazing.

"I have something else you might like."

"Tell me you have a massive library. Tell me."

"I have a massive library."

She cheered. "Oh God this was fantastic." She said as he opened the door to one of his favorite places in this house.

It was fixed with rows and rows of mahogany shelves, carrying rows and rows of books. So much books. The whole room smelled of wood and paper. Old and new paper. The recliner in the side had a small side table which Logan used to place his saucer of tea.

It also had a huge sofa, beige, big and cushy. There was also a throw and Afghan over a large mattress on one side. That was his sisters' idea. They loved to read lying down. And they only ever read romance novels and fictions. Other books were too much for them, they would tell him.

"This is heaven." She spun around, arms wide open. "Or at least close." She closed her eyes and inhaled. "Oh, i love that smell. The smell of stories and beautiful new world. The smell of people brewing potions at Hogwarts. The smell of blood being sucked by a vampire." She sighed. "You can feel it, in your every bone and cell. And if you hear enough, you can listen them saying, get to know me."

"You have a weird way of making everything feel otherworldly." He said with a small smile. She nodded.

"Don't you have any complaints about this?"

"I know this wasn't Ms. Hot the moment I walked in. This was yours with some accommodation done for maybe someone who came here to your house often. Maybe sister. Or your mom."

"That was impressive. Color me so impressed." He looked at this amazing woman. Where did he find her?

In the streets. Oh yes!

"So, if you are done picking my house apart, want me to show your room?"

"I didn't just pick your house apart. I also appreciated the way you made the library looked beat yet comfortable." She said. "And I have a room?"

"Mm, it is actually the guest room. But I will ask Esther to get the other room ready tomorrow."

"It is okay. I can stay in the guest room?"

"For a year?"

"Oh, a year. Ok."

And then he opened the guest room, put her bags down and stepped back when she squealed.

***

(Alexandra)

"Is that a foam mattress with springs? Say yes. God, say yes."

He looked at her as if she had gone insane, but she didn't care.

God, how she missed this. More than anything.

The cot in the motel was something closer to a rock. Her spine ached every morning when she woke up.

"It is. You look so happy."

"I am. I am."

"I am glad."

"I could kiss you right now. " She said and stopped on her tracks.

Her heart hammered as she turned to look at him. He was frozen. His eyes were wide with hunger. For her?!

For her.

"Umm, off you go. Get going. My bed awaits me." She tried to push him off. He didn't budge.

"Don't stand there like rock, Logan. Move." She chuckled nervously as his eyes froze on her lips. She bit her lips.

He backed out. "Don't do that." He said in a hoarse voice.

"What?" Her voice was a meek whisper.

But he wasn't there. He left. She closed the door and slid down to the floor. It felt like her legs couldn't bear the wait of her feelings.

She pressed a hand against her chest and could feel it still thundering.

"God. I am feeling so hot. And I can not." She murmured to the empty room. "Alexandra, please get it together. From tomorrow, your heart is going on a vacation."

From tomorrow, she was only going to use her brain.

"Oh yes, Logan Forte, don't think you can mess with me with your hot face and brooding eyes. No way. I can not fall for you. I will not. You are not my type."

Yes, he is not your type, but you want him, don't you? A pesky voice asked.

No. I don't. It was just adrenaline and I was so tired before and being here was like being home and it made me warm and stupid.

Yes. Yes. Keep lying. And when you catch up with your lies, it will be too late. The voice added.

She ignored it, crawled to her bed, pulled the cover up her face and slept.

And she dreamed about kissing him and she kissed her pillow, instead.



~~~