Part 5 (1/2)

”Well, I can point out some of the constellations for you, if you want to know.”

Her face brightened again, and she smiled. It took his breath away.

”Please.” She poked her finger up into the air, indicating a pattern she saw. ”Is that something?”

”Yes. Here, see. You'll know this one.” He pulled her over in front of him, snuggling her close and grasping her extended arm by the wrist, helping her make a connection from one star to another until she inhaled sharply.

”The Big Dipper?”

Logan smiled, loving the soft warmth of her up against him and the surprised pleasure in her voice. His head was clearing from the beer, but his blood was still buzzing.

”Right. I knew you would know that one. Everyone has to have heard of it, if not seen it.”

”Show me another one.”

He lifted her hand again, and drew her arm down, then across, in the shape of a cross.

”The Southern Cross?” she guessed hesitantly, and he dissented.

”The Southern Cross can't be seen from here. This one is Cygnus, the Swan. But it is also known as the Northern Cross.”

”It looks like a cross, not a swan.”

He chuckled, inhaling the scent of her hair, the clean scent of her shampoo mixing headily with the ocean breeze.

”True. But see, the bird is in flight...this star is Deneb, Arabic for tail, as in the tail feathers of the bird. He's diving through the sky...”

She stared, silent, and he risked the moment to bend his face into her neck, losing himself in the softness he found there. Her voice hitched a little, though she didn't move away or discourage him.

”I guess I can see that.”

Logan lost all interest in the sky as he turned her to face him and made it clear he didn't want to discuss stars any further as his lips found hers. They were alone on the beach, and it was dark all around them. Private.

There was no preliminary kissing, no get-to-know-you nibble, just hot, carnal plundering of each other's mouths, and he felt his knees shake and his body go rock-hard all over. She was softer than he'd imagined, and she moved against him in an invitation he wanted to accept, that his body insisted he accept. Unable to stop kissing her, he slid his hand up under her tank top, ma.s.saging her b.r.e.a.s.t.s through the thin cotton bra she wore, and swallowed her deep moan.

He moved his hands down, tugging her shorts lower and then pulling them down to her feet as he sank to his knees, running his hands over her, memorizing her shape and scent as he released her feet from her garments and nudged her thighs apart with kisses.

”More...let me in...”

She accommodated, though he sensed her hesitation, and he cupped her gently between her legs, investigating, rea.s.suring. Her breath came quickly and she moved slightly against him. He looked up; her head had lolled to the side, her eyes closed, fists clenched. He smiled, dragging his tongue along the crease of hip and thigh where her skin had not been touched by the bug spray and felt her shudder, parting even farther for him.

She tasted like honey and salt, flowers and s.e.x, and he groaned against her, wanting more. Widening her, he darted his tongue inward and was rewarded to feel her muscles jerk in a sharp response. He slid his tongue deeper, finding the sensitive nub of flesh he sought, a hot pearl hidden in between silky folds, and drew it between his lips, softly tugging.

”Oh...G.o.d....”

He pulled away just for a second. Her eyes were still closed, her face a study in mindless pleasure.

”Say my name, sweetheart, Sarah. Say my name when I make you come....”

His mouth was back on her, nibbling, nipping, sucking until her head spun, and she managed to whisper his name, wanting what he was giving her, needing it on a profound level that she could barely understand. She buried her hands in his hair and pulled him closer, focusing on the pleasure he was giving her as the shadows crowded around her.

She struggled. The usual demons danced around the edge of her pleasure-saturated brain, disappearing for a moment when she felt him slide one finger deep inside her, then two.... She could do it, she could enjoy him making love to her, set her thoughts aside and just feel what he was doing....

But her conscious mind rea.s.serted itself and she opened her eyes, looked down...she tried to concentrate only on the pleasure as he knelt before her, but the deadening chill started in her chest, worked its way out as images flooded her brain, and what she saw invaded what she felt.

”Stop...Logan, ah, please...stop....”

He did, immediately, looking up in concern. He stood, his breath ragged, and she could feel the heat from his body emanating toward hers. This was so unfair. For both of them. She shouldn't have let this happen.

”Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” He reached to touch her, but stopped, unsure.

”No, no...” G.o.d, how could she explain this without seeming to be the worst kind of tease? She didn't want to tell him the truth, and grasped at some kind of rational explanation. ”I just...couldn't.”

She couldn't see his expression clearly enough to know what he was thinking, but she felt relief course though her when he backed off, bending to grab her clothes from the sand, shaking out her shorts and handing them to her. She slipped them on quickly, feeling awkward and miserable.

”I'm sorry, I-”

He tipped her chin toward him, and she made out a smile. ”No apologies, honey. This can only be good if it's good for both of us, and there's time.”

Sarah sagged, feeling both relieved and saddened. He didn't understand that there might never be a good time for this. Not for her. Her mind was poisoned against it, even as her body pleaded for his touch.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her down on the sand beside him.

”C'mon, sit down.”

”I'd better get going.”

He paused, clearly unsure what to make of her response.

”Just sit for a moment.”

She did, and he blew out a breath, looking out over the darkness of the Bay. ”Can you tell me what happened?”

She searched for words, and didn't really find any.

”I just lost it, you know, it happens, maybe too much beer-”

Logan wasn't buying such a half-a.s.sed explanation, and it was his nature to talk about things plainly. ”I'm not an expert, but I know enough to know you were close to coming, and something happened to pull you back. If not me, not something I did, then what?” His tone was rich with patience and warmth. She felt like an idiot. ”You can tell me, Sarah. I wish you would, in fact. I don't like thinking I did something to chill you like that.”

”Really, it wasn't you. Promise. I-I...it's nothing. Just a thing. I see a lot of...bad things, in my work. It gets to the point where I can't get them out of my head. This isn't the first time it's interfered with me having a satisfying s.e.x life, so believe me, it's not you.” She looked away-it was all he was going to get from her. It was all she was prepared to give.

He was gazing at her too intently, and she needed to get away. She turned to get up, felt his hand on her shoulder.

”Listen, I'm sorry to push. You don't have to talk about it. I had a good time tonight. You want to get together and do something tomorrow?”

His request took her by surprise, and she blinked. Was he asking her on a date?