me, though...” He grabbed her chin gently,
forcing her to look at him. “I promise I can -- and will -- protect
you.”
Chapter 9
Claire knew he was telling the
truth.
She knew he would protect her.
Knew she trust him.
But something told her to leave anyways. If she
stayed, she would only put him in danger. It didn’t matter that he
could protect himself, it was the fact that she was going to be the
reason he had to anyways.
Her chest constricted so tightly it was hard
for her to breathe.
She swallowed, wiping at her tears again.
Logan’s eyes were on her, staring into her. Feeling like a trapped
animal, she stared right back at him. She let him see all of her
vulnerability, all of her fears, all of her worries.
“It’s asking too much...”
His dark head shook. “It isn’t,” he promised,
holding onto her hand still. His thumb was sending hot sensations
up her arm.
Her thoughts and her emotions warred with her.
She wanted to feel safe, but not as his expense. She didn’t want to
leave, didn’t want to run anymore, but being with him.... If
anything happened to anyone here because of her, he would hate her.
And she’d already been through him hating her once -- she didn’t
want to go through it again.
“How about this,” he started, making her look
at him. There was an evil yet teasing light in his eye. “We’ll make
a deal.”
She backed away from him -- well, as much as
she could sitting in a chair. He didn’t let go of her hand when she
pulled on it.
“I don’t...know...”
“It won’t be bad. You don’t have to sell your
soul to me,” he chuckled, bringing her hand to his mouth and
lightly brushing his lips over her knuckles.
“I want something from you. Have since I first
saw you outside Drake’s Pharmacy.”
Claire had no clue what that could have been.
“Money?” she asked, unsure. Her father had often warned her about
guys pretending to like her because of the money and title she had.
But she also knew that Logan didn’t have any use for more
money.
“No,” he said sternly. “What I want from you is
much more...permanent.”
“I have no clue what that could be,” she said,
at a loss.
-----------------------------------------------
Logan knew what he was about to ask was
ridiculous. Irrational. Maybe it could even be considered as taking
advantage of her. But either way, it was a step closer to getting
what he wanted and he had nothing to lose. He’d been with a bad
wife before, but Claire was nothing like Christina.
She was beautiful, real, down-to-earth, she had
depth and brains and she was so innocent she could have scared the
devil away with a smile. He knew there was a big chance she would
say no, that even if she did say yes she would resent him later,
maybe even leave him.
But it was the best way to save her -- and have
her for himself.
And, as he thought about the future, he didn’t
think it would be so bad. She would stay with him at the ranch, no
one in the town could say anything bad about her, and it was time
that he started having heirs. He couldn’t imagine anyone else
replacing Claire, and he knew this was a once in a lifetime
chance.
Determined, Logan took her hand and brought her
to her feet.
He got down on one knee.
“I might as do this semi-right,” he said
lightly, before kissing her knuckles.
“Logan...what are you doing?” Her voice was
full of fear. She even tried to tug her hand out of his, but he
didn’t let her. Holding tightly, he smiled up at her.
“Claire Campbell,” he started, making sure to
use her real name. “Will you --”
“Oh, god,” she groaned, covering her face with
her other hand.
“--marry me?”
Chapter 10
“Logan, you don’t know what you’re
asking...”
He stayed on his knee, his hand holding tightly
yet gently onto hers.
Claire stared down at her.
When she thought of being proposed to, she
pictured someone she loved and someone that loved her. A ring.
Flowers. Candle-lit
forcing her to look at him. “I promise I can -- and will -- protect
you.”
Chapter 9
Claire knew he was telling the
truth.
She knew he would protect her.
Knew she trust him.
But something told her to leave anyways. If she
stayed, she would only put him in danger. It didn’t matter that he
could protect himself, it was the fact that she was going to be the
reason he had to anyways.
Her chest constricted so tightly it was hard
for her to breathe.
She swallowed, wiping at her tears again.
Logan’s eyes were on her, staring into her. Feeling like a trapped
animal, she stared right back at him. She let him see all of her
vulnerability, all of her fears, all of her worries.
“It’s asking too much...”
His dark head shook. “It isn’t,” he promised,
holding onto her hand still. His thumb was sending hot sensations
up her arm.
Her thoughts and her emotions warred with her.
She wanted to feel safe, but not as his expense. She didn’t want to
leave, didn’t want to run anymore, but being with him.... If
anything happened to anyone here because of her, he would hate her.
And she’d already been through him hating her once -- she didn’t
want to go through it again.
“How about this,” he started, making her look
at him. There was an evil yet teasing light in his eye. “We’ll make
a deal.”
She backed away from him -- well, as much as
she could sitting in a chair. He didn’t let go of her hand when she
pulled on it.
“I don’t...know...”
“It won’t be bad. You don’t have to sell your
soul to me,” he chuckled, bringing her hand to his mouth and
lightly brushing his lips over her knuckles.
“I want something from you. Have since I first
saw you outside Drake’s Pharmacy.”
Claire had no clue what that could have been.
“Money?” she asked, unsure. Her father had often warned her about
guys pretending to like her because of the money and title she had.
But she also knew that Logan didn’t have any use for more
money.
“No,” he said sternly. “What I want from you is
much more...permanent.”
“I have no clue what that could be,” she said,
at a loss.
-----------------------------------------------
Logan knew what he was about to ask was
ridiculous. Irrational. Maybe it could even be considered as taking
advantage of her. But either way, it was a step closer to getting
what he wanted and he had nothing to lose. He’d been with a bad
wife before, but Claire was nothing like Christina.
She was beautiful, real, down-to-earth, she had
depth and brains and she was so innocent she could have scared the
devil away with a smile. He knew there was a big chance she would
say no, that even if she did say yes she would resent him later,
maybe even leave him.
But it was the best way to save her -- and have
her for himself.
And, as he thought about the future, he didn’t
think it would be so bad. She would stay with him at the ranch, no
one in the town could say anything bad about her, and it was time
that he started having heirs. He couldn’t imagine anyone else
replacing Claire, and he knew this was a once in a lifetime
chance.
Determined, Logan took her hand and brought her
to her feet.
He got down on one knee.
“I might as do this semi-right,” he said
lightly, before kissing her knuckles.
“Logan...what are you doing?” Her voice was
full of fear. She even tried to tug her hand out of his, but he
didn’t let her. Holding tightly, he smiled up at her.
“Claire Campbell,” he started, making sure to
use her real name. “Will you --”
“Oh, god,” she groaned, covering her face with
her other hand.
“--marry me?”
Chapter 10
“Logan, you don’t know what you’re
asking...”
He stayed on his knee, his hand holding tightly
yet gently onto hers.
Claire stared down at her.
When she thought of being proposed to, she
pictured someone she loved and someone that loved her. A ring.
Flowers. Candle-lit
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