Less-than-Innocent Invitation Page 14

  “When do you have to leave?” he forced himself to ask, breaking the tense silence between them.

  Melissa looked at Logan and shuddered. His hands were nearly white as he gripped the steering wheel, and he hadn’t even looked at her when he’d spoken. She turned her head and stared out the window. He was so handsome, so strong, so confident and in control.

  She wished she felt the same way.

  But she didn’t. When Logan had walked up to her at the anniversary ball, her entire existence had changed. She’d never stood a chance.

  Leaving him years ago had broken her heart. Over time, she’d picked up the pieces and vowed never again to allow herself to be hurt. But the pain she’d endured then was nothing compared to the pain ravaging her soul at this moment.

  “In about an hour.” It cost her dearly to say the words. Though Daniel had said to be in Houston by tomorrow, Logan didn’t know that. With everything between them, there was no way she could postpone her departure until the morning. She needed a clean break. It was the only chance she had of leaving Royal in one piece. “I’ll pack my things as soon as we get back.”

  “I see.” Logan could barely squeeze the words past the knot in his throat. What they’d shared the past few weeks came down to one final hour together. He didn’t want to spend the time at odds with her. Pulling into his driveway, he parked his truck and turned off the key. “Is there anything you need help with?” he asked in an effort to diffuse the strain between them.

  Melissa shook her head. “No, I don’t have that much to do.” Opening her door, she got out. They walked inside together. As they stepped into the house, she turned and said, “Logan, I’m really sorry about your truck. I’ll pay for the damages.”

  A frown creased his brow. “You think I’m upset about the damn truck?” he growled. He embraced her. “Ah, sweetheart, come here. Melissa, I’m not angry at you.”

  She looked up at him, her eyes searching his. “You’re not?”

  “I’m just having a hard time accepting that your job puts you in danger.” A harder time believing that it didn’t bother her.

  Melissa caught her breath, realizing she’d pulled off her ruse quite well. He’d believed her when she’d said it was her job sometimes to walk on the edge of danger. “Oh.”

  His arms tightened around her. “And I guess I always knew the time would come when you’d leave.” His chest rumbled with quiet laughter. “Being with you for the past couple of weeks was worth the worry you put me through.”

  Pulling away, Melissa looked up at him, her fingers playing with the button on his shirt. “Thanks, I think.” She smiled, then pressed her lips together to maintain her composure. “It’s been wonderful, Logan. I’ll never forget you.”

  His gaze met hers. “I want you to know I respect what you do, and I’m proud of you.” She was an amazing reporter. He couldn’t resent that she loved her work.

  “You’ll never know how much that means to me.” Unsteady, she stepped out of his arms before she broke down and made a fool of herself. “I’d better start packing,”

  He nodded and she walked away, step by fragile step. Her vision blurred. By sheer will, she reached her room and shut the door. Leaning against the solid, cold wood, she cried.

  This time when she left, it would be permanent. She’d never hold Logan again. As she dried her eyes, she told herself how fortunate she’d been to have the chance to be with him once more. It had been wonderful—more thrilling than she could ever have dreamed.

  Numb, she called Rick, discussed Daniel’s call and his request that they return to Houston, then told him she’d be ready in an hour. She stored her phone in her purse, and gathered her clothes. What didn’t fit in the one bag she’d brought with her, she stuffed in the shopping bags she’d kept. Finished, she glanced around the room to be sure she wasn’t leaving anything behind.

  But she was.

  Logan.

  Every single fiber of her revolted at the thought of never seeing him again.

  And then she could no longer hold it inside. Tears flowed hot and fast as she sobbed with soul-deep agony. She buried her face into the bed covers to muffle the sounds of her pain and cried until there was nothing left inside her.

  Until she lay exhausted and emotionally spent.

  A tap on her door had her sitting up and wiping her eyes.

  “You ready?”

  “One minute,” she replied to Rick, surprised at how calm she sounded when her life was falling apart. At least it wasn’t Logan. She doubted she could have handled him now.

  With what little life was left in her, she went into the bathroom, washed her face, then repaired her makeup. Anyone looking at her would attribute her paleness to the shooting, not her heart breaking.

  Now, all she had left to do was to face Logan and say goodbye.

  Resolving to leave with her dignity intact, without dropping to her knees and pleading for his love, Melissa picked up her things and left the room. As she came out the front door, Logan was talking to Rick in the courtyard. Melissa focused her attention on her videographer. “I’m ready,” she said, joining them.

  “I’ll take your bags.” Rick left to put her belongings in his truck.

  Pain stabbed Melissa as she turned to Logan. “Well, I guess this is goodbye.” Despite her attempt to keep her emotions under control, tears welled in her eyes.

  Logan’s gaze swept her as regret and sadness stole through him. A hundred men couldn’t have stopped him from touching her. He stepped close, stroked her cheek with his knuckles, then cupped her neck with his hand and drew her to him. “I guess,” he answered on a rough sigh. Aligning their bodies, he embraced her, then lifted her mouth to his. From somewhere deep inside him he managed a brief smile. “It’s okay, sweetheart. As you said, we both knew this wasn’t going to last.”

  Melissa choked back a sob. “I know.”

  “Be careful out there.”

  “I will.” With her whispered promise between them, she raised up on her toes intent on giving him a brief kiss. But the second her lips touched his, her control shattered. She gave herself to him, body, heart and mind.

  Their kiss shifted, deepened until all that remained was sensation.

  Hot.

  Demanding.

  Touching her to her very soul.

  Logan devoured Melissa’s essence. He wanted to make sure she remembered what they had shared, to show her with this kiss that he loved her. Words he had no right to say. He made love to her mouth, pouring himself into the only way he could to show how much she meant to him.

  And then he found the strength to let her go.

  He stepped away. “Take care of yourself, sweetheart,” he whispered on a harsh breath.

  Aching to stay, Melissa nodded. She walked away, unable to look back. She got into Rick’s truck and shut the door. As he started the engine, she caught a glimpse of Logan in the side mirror. He stood still in the courtyard, his hands on his hips, his head facing the ground.

  A man alone.

  A man she loved desperately.

  Rick touched her shoulder and a sob escaped her lips. Melissa held her hand up to stave off any conversation. He gave her a gentle squeeze, then put the truck in gear. They traveled down the long drive, each second taking her farther away from the happiest she’d been in her life.

  Memories of leaving long ago haunted her. She fisted her hands and fought off another wave of emotion as she looked out over the rolling hills and the cattle grazing in the distance.

  Was she doing the right thing? Years ago she’d been a naive girl. Because she’d believed a vindictive woman, she’d doubted Logan’s love. Truthfully, she’d never given him a chance.

  Melissa thought about Jessamine Golden, the map and the rose petals from her purse. A woman whom legend told lived outside the law…a woman with secrets and a soft heart. A strong woman who had the courage to stand up for herself.

  In every other facet of her life, Melissa faced challenges with
strength and perseverance. Why not now? To leave without telling Logan she loved him would be reliving her past mistake all over again.

  Logan hadn’t said he loved her, but then, she hadn’t confessed her love for him, either. So afraid of getting hurt by him again, she’d waited and hoped and dreamed. She hadn’t given him any reason to admit his feelings for her.

  She frowned. Why would he?

  Ever since she’d arrived, she’d put up a front by talking about her job. Keeping a shield between them by mentioning her promotion. Though she loved her work, becoming an anchor would mean nothing without Logan in her life.

  Sitting up, she wiped the dampness from her cheeks. She refused to leave without ever knowing what could have been. If there was the slightest chance that Logan loved her, it was a risk she was willing to take.

  The truck cleared the cattle guard. Melissa grabbed Rick’s arm. “Stop the truck!”

  “What?”

  They drove under the Wild Spur sign. “I said stop the truck!”

  Rick slammed on the brakes and the truck skidded to a stop. A plume of dust churned past them, sweeping across the road that led to the highway a short distance away. His head whipped in her direction. “Melissa, are you all right?”

  “Yes,” she cried, struggling to get her breathing under control. “I’ve never been more all right in my life.”

  Rick shoved the truck into park, his expression wrought with concern. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  She grabbed the handle and pushed open the door. “I can’t leave.” Climbing out of the truck, she looked at Rick. “Go to Houston without me. I’m going back to Logan.”

  Rick’s eyes widened, then he grinned. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” And she was. She’d never been more sure of anything in her life.

  Pride filled Rick’s face. “Well, get in and I’ll take you up to the house.”

  She shook her head and stepped back. “No, I’ll walk. I need the time to gather my thoughts. Just put my stuff on the side of the road,” she told him, then shut the door and started walking.

  “Good luck, honey,” he called as he unloaded her bags.

  Melissa looked back, waved, then smiled. “I’ll call you later.” The engine revved behind her then faded as he drove away.

  “I love you, Logan,” she whispered as she continued up the driveway.

  She felt a sense of homecoming. Fear of being hurt had stopped her from admitting her feelings for the past few weeks, but she wasn’t afraid anymore. Melissa had never dreamed that she would see Logan again, or that they would have a second chance. She thought she’d made peace with that. Now she knew that she hadn’t really been living.

  Yes, she loved working, but there was more to life than chasing stories and reporting the news. There was loving deeply—as she loved Logan. There were friends, not just coworkers. There were birthday and anniversary celebrations and holiday dinners—the kind that left you with a feeling of warmth and togetherness.

  As she walked, she thought of a million things she wanted to say to Logan—all of the things she’d kept locked inside for years.

  Once, a long time ago, he had asked her to marry him. That day was still vivid in her mind, one of the happiest moments in her life. She wanted to put the past behind them, give them new and special memories to share.

  As she neared the house, her pulse quickened as her gaze swept first the corral, then the driveway, then finally the courtyard.

  Her heart ached when she saw Logan. He hadn’t moved from the spot where he’d been standing when she left.

  Oh, Logan, I do love you.

  Her eyes began filling with a fresh wave of tears. He must have heard her footsteps, or the whispers of her heart, because he slowly raised his head and their eyes met. Shock flashed across his handsome face. Her footsteps faltered momentarily, then she recovered and continued walking until she was only a few feet away. All the time he watched her, his eyes intense and questioning.

  “What happened? Was there an accident?” Logan searched Melissa’s expression as she stopped in front of him. Her eyes were red and swollen.

  Melissa’s auburn hair swayed as she shook her head. “No.”

  “What are you doing here? Did you and Rick have a fight?” What had taken place between her and Rick that she’d had to walk back to the ranch? She didn’t look as if she’d been hurt, but there was a trace of wariness in her eyes.

  “No, Rick is…in his truck. I came back because I needed to ask you something,” she said softly.

  At the raw emotion in her voice, he tensed. Did she have any idea of what she was doing to him? It had been hell letting her go. Though he’d known it was the right thing to do for her, the pain of watching her leave had crushed him. “Do you need a ride or something?” He steeled himself against doing something foolish, such as reaching out for her. If he did, this time he wouldn’t be able to let her go.

  A small smiled formed on her lips, warming her eyes. “No. At least I don’t think so.”

  Confused, Logan’s brows dipped. “What then?”

  She stepped closer to him, and took a deep breath as she stared into his eyes. “Logan, a long time ago you asked me to marry you. At the time, I loved you so much. But I made a terrible mistake when I didn’t trust you. I’m not going to make that mistake again.” She released the breath on an unsteady sigh.

  “Being with you these past weeks has been wonderful. No, more than wonderful. It’s been amazing. Logan…I’m so in love with you that I hurt here.” She placed her hand over her heart. When he started to speak, she touched her finger to his lips. “Let me finish,” she said, letting her hand fall.

  “Logan, will you marry me?”

  Logan’s breath got trapped in his lungs. “What?”

  Melissa smiled. “That’s not the answer I was expecting. A simple yes was what I was hoping for, unless—”

  “Yes,” he growled, then hauled her against him. His mouth crashed down on hers in a long, drugging kiss. Fire consumed him as their mouths mated in a heat-induced frenzy. Keeping her in his embrace, he lifted his lips and gazed into her eyes. “God, I’ve missed you.”

  She chuckled. “I’ve only been gone fifteen minutes.”

  “It’s been fifteen minutes of pure hell,” he confessed, holding her in his arms. “I love you, Melissa. You’d better be damned sure you love me because I’m never going to let you go. You’re part of me.”

  “That’s a relief because, for a moment, you had me worried.” She wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “I had you worried? When I saw you, my heart was in my throat.” He stroked her hair. “I can’t believe you’re here. I love you so much, sweetheart. I wanted you to stay, prayed that you would.”

  She touched his face. “Really?”

  “More than you’ll ever know. I don’t think I ever stopped loving you,” he said. “When I saw you at the anniversary ball, I couldn’t believe it. I knew then that I couldn’t let you leave without touching you.”

  “You were so angry. When you offered us a place to stay, I didn’t know what to think,” she admitted.

  “It was the only way I could keep you here.”

  “I was upset with you at the time, but that was because I didn’t want you to know that I still loved you.” At the time she hadn’t admitted as much to herself. “I’m glad you were so persistent. I’m sorry that we lost so many years, but we have forever to make up for it.” She kissed him.

  “You’re right.” His eyes darkened.

  “What matters now is we’re together.”

  “Forever.” His fingers wrapped around her neck. “It hurt so much to let you go.” He had survived her leaving him years ago, but this time he’d known he would never recover.

  “Why did you?” Melissa asked, gazing into his eyes. Though convinced he loved her, she needed to hear his reason.

  “Watching you these past few weeks, I realized how talented you are. I know how much your career means to you.
I didn’t want to take that away from you.”

  “Logan—”

  He kissed away her words, preventing her from finishing. “No, listen,” he insisted, his lips hovering above hers. “We both know we can’t go back all those years. You’ve worked hard to build your career. I told you how proud I am of you and everything you’ve accomplished. I meant it. Together we’ll find a way to make this work.”

  Melissa didn’t think it was possible to admire Logan more than she did at that moment. “I enjoy what I do, but it doesn’t define who I am. I’m not taking the promotion.”

  He shook his head. “The promotion in Houston is what you’ve worked for. I can’t let you give that up.”

  “I don’t want to live in Houston, Logan. I want to live here on the Wild Spur, with you.”

  “Melissa—”

  “I think Joe Fisher may have an opening at WRYL. He gave me his card and asked me to call him if I was interested in working here.”

  His face burst into a smile. “Really? You’d want to work here?”

  Her eyes softened as she nodded. “I want to be an anchor and I can be that wherever you are. I know how much you love this ranch. I’d never ask you to give it up. I want a chance for us to enjoy each other, to discover all the wonderful things in life that we were never able to. Until now.” She pressed her hand to his chest, felt the beat of his heart. “I want to take pleasure in the freedom of touching you. I want to make love whenever we feel like it. And if you’re willing, I want to have your children and raise them right here.”

  “You want to have children?” The thought of her carrying his child made his knees weak.

  “Yes, please,” she whispered, loving him. “I love you, Logan. I always will.”

  Logan swept her up in his arms and started for the house. He’d never dreamed that when he’d seen Melissa at the Royal anniversary celebration, he’d be lucky enough to win her love again. With their past behind them, he intended to spend the rest of his life making her happy.