Maybe I’ll surprise him. What the hell am I going to tell my parents?

  I don’t have time for that now. I need to get a travel Visa and find my passport. I’ll worry about everything else on the way to the airport.

  Chapter 21

  Logan

  Mine

  “Fuck.” I close my laptop harder than necessary. “You were supposed to be prepared. Your team had the entire holiday to get their shit together.”

  Lina’s eyes slide to the right, and she addresses the new Chief Executive Officer here in Sydney who will take over when we’re done with the reorg. “Ian, can you excuse us for a few moments?”

  Ian is more than happy to leave. He barely nods and grabs his shit, the door practically biting his heels when he slams it shut.

  I get up and stalk to the windows.

  Lina’s tone is even and calm as always. “It’s Wednesday, Logan.”

  “I know what day it is,” I snap. I know all too well. All I’ve done since I got back was stare at the clock and calendar—that is, if I’m not staring at my phone. The fucking device I’ve never allowed to have a hold on me, but now that motherfucker is like a noose. I have every damn notification on and still check it every five minutes.

  I haven’t heard from Demi in approximately thirty-two hours and—

  How long did that meeting last before I lost my shit? I turn to grab my phone off my desk.

  Yep. Thirty-two hours and forty-three minutes.

  And she still hasn’t called or texted. I even opened the damn Force of Nature app in case she decided to switch back to that.

  I’ve been ghosted by my hacker.

  I don’t even recognize myself.

  “I thought you might need a reminder that before we left for Christmas, the team decided to come back and collaborate tomorrow. Which means you biting someone’s head off today is too early. To be fair, that needs to wait one more day.”

  I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. “I hate last-minute shit.”

  “Yes, but not everyone dedicates their time off to work, like you.”

  I turn to glare at the woman who puts up with more of my shit than anyone should have to. “Are you rubbing it in that I don’t have a life?”

  I actually catch her off guard. She tips her head and softens her tone, reminding me of my mother, who I apparently made cry at Christmas. “No. I would never. I’m saying you choose work every waking minute. Not everyone does.”

  I didn’t choose work over the holiday, and it was really fucking perfect. I stuff my hands in my pockets, because making my mom cry is bad enough. I’ve never seen Lina cry and I need to keep it that way. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. We both know I have no life.”

  She stands and takes a couple of steps to my desk. “You’ve been off ever since you got back from the States. I think when we get back there, you need to take some time off.”

  If I’m obsessing over Demi now, I can’t imagine what it would be like if I didn’t have a job to focus on. That sounds like hell. What I can’t tell Lina is that while I was at Demi’s, I secretly put out some feelers and am already getting offers. But even so, in the last thirty-two hours, I haven’t answered any of them. “I’ll be fine.”

  Lina looks at me as if she knows something she shouldn’t. Finally, she shakes her head. “Go home. Go for a run, hit the gym, do whatever you do to unwind. I’ve seen it, Logan. You’ll burn out too young. I think it’s time for some serious self-reflection.”

  I look up and smirk. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  She picks up her stuff and turns for the door. “And don’t worry, I’ll apologize to Ian for you. I’m a pro at making you look good.”

  I look down and check my damn phone again. Two minutes have passed and not a single notification. Where are they when you want them? “I know you are. It’s one of your many superpowers.”

  “I don’t know what you’d do without me,” she sing-songs as she walks out of my office. She’s not wrong.

  Lina probably knows me better than anyone. I should leave and hit the gym, go for a run, or do something I haven’t taken the time to do since I’ve been here—escape to the beach. I should do anything other than obsess over Demi. Right now, I’m jealous of her hacking skills, because I’d really like to know what she’s doing right now.

  I should call her dad. Have him check on her.

  Shit.

  I can’t believe it hasn’t crossed my mind until now. What if that guy came back? What if he got to her?

  The thought grips me, and I pick up my phone to pull up her dad’s number. He wasn’t happy to see me at her house, but I don’t give a shit. I need to know she’s okay.

  He answers immediately and knows who’s calling. “Are you still wearing my daughter’s clothes, Carpino?”

  I’ll never live that down and choose to ignore his comment. “Sheriff, I was wondering if you’ve heard from Demi. She hasn’t answered my calls or texts. I’m concerned, especially given the fact that guy has a sick fixation on her.”

  I hear a car door slam in the background. “You haven’t heard from Demi?”

  I stand and move back to the windows. The last of the day’s glow is reflecting off the Harbour and lights are dotting the buildings all around. “No. Did something else happen with VanDervleté?”

  “My girl isn’t going to have to worry about that cocksucker anymore. He’s been slapped with a restraining order and assured me he’s moving on. Turns out, he wasn’t an engineer after all—lied on that godforsaken app. He was bussing tables at a dive in the next town over and preys on tourists. I’ve tied him to three separate complaints in neighboring counties. As soon as he got wind of that, he skipped town. In fact, he was out of here before the blizzard hit. My Demi doesn’t have to worry about him anymore.”

  I drag a hand through my hair. “That’s good news. I can’t tell you how relieved I am.”

  “I’m glad you are, but I’m not. My only daughter seems to enjoy meeting strange men on dating apps, and I’ve gotta tell you, I’m not too pleased with your profile.”

  My eyes pop open. “No, that was a mistake.”

  “A mistake,” he echoes.

  “Yeah. See, my brother and brother-in-law like to be assholes. They created that profile as a joke.”

  “Settle down there, Capital P. Demi told me. And, I talked to your mom.”

  I freeze. “You talked to my mom? What the hell?”

  “Why do you think? Demi is coming down from Sambal the asshole and then attracts you, who ends up being an overnight guest who likes to wear her clothes.”

  “Whoa,” I warn. “I did not enjoy wearing her clothes. I lost my suitcase and there was no electricity. For God’s sake, we were stuck in a blizzard. It’s not like I could make a trip to the mall.”

  “Your mom assured me wearing women’s clothing is not common for you.”

  “No, it’s not.” I’m fucking sick of this. “Can we get back to Demi? Where is she?”

  “Son, if you don’t know where my daughter is, that’s your own problem.”

  “Logan.”

  As if on cue, her voice comes out of nowhere, and I spin on my heel.

  Her hair is a mess on top of her head, her clothes are wrinkled, and she looks exhausted. But she’s here.

  She’s here.

  My online-dating-nightmare-turned everything is standing in my office with the biggest suitcase I’ve ever seen.

  Here, in Sydney.

  “What are you doing here?” As soon as the words pop out of my mouth, I want to punch myself in the junk.

  “Dammit, Carpino. She said you bought her a ticket!” her dad bellows in my ear.

  A small smile settles on her beautiful lips. Her lips that I missed like they were my own severed limb. “You did buy me an open-ended ticket.”

  I shake my head. “I meant to say, you’re here.”

  She nods as Sheriff Benjamin keeps berating me. “You’d better not turn out to be an asshole. Your mama and Demi assured me you’re not, but that doesn’t mean I like my daughter being halfway around the world with a stranger.”

  I don’t take my eyes off her, and there’s nothing I want more than to end this fucking phone call so I can welcome his daughter properly to the southern hemisphere. “I’ll take care of her. I’d lay my life down for her.”

  Demi’s smile grows, and her dad drawls, “That’s what she said.”

  “I’ll talk to you soon, Sheriff. Thanks for the update on VanDervleté.”

  I don’t wait for him to say goodbye and disconnect. I’ll have to fix that later, but I can’t wait another second to touch her.

  Tossing my cell to the sofa, reality sinks in when my hands touch her face and pull her lips to mine. I plunge my tongue in her mouth. She tastes like mint and coffee and french fries, a cocktail that my dick enjoys, because it instantly comes to life after the last depressing few days I’ve endured. She drops her bag and purse to the floor, and I kick my office door shut behind her.

  I pull my lips away and look down at her. “You haven’t answered, and I’ve been going fucking crazy. But you’re here. I can’t believe you’re here. ”

  “I stink and need to brush my teeth. That flight is no joke. But thanks for the first-class seat.”

  I reach around her and flip the lock. “I wouldn’t care if you crawled through the desert for a week.”

  I rip the button and zipper on her jeans and start to push them down. “Logan, we can’t do this here.”

  “We can. The door’s locked and no one wants in here anyway. Everyone but my assistant hates me, especially since I got back.”

  She smiles and kicks off her shoes. “They just don’t know you.”

  I hike a brow as I wrestle with her jeans. How the hell do women have any type of circulation wearing shit like this? “Yeah? And you know me?”

  I untangle one foot and give up on the other. I pick her up and she wraps her legs around my waist. When we’re eye to eye, she dips her fingers in my hair and holds tight. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

  I grip her bare ass with both hands and squeeze. “Finally. I should put you face down over my desk and spank you for not calling and driving me mad.”

  Her blue eyes flare. We did a lot of shit while stranded in the blizzard, but I never pushed it to anything like that. I’m about to take it back when the end of her lips tip. “Don’t make empty threats, Logan.”

  I narrow my eyes and contemplate moving to my desk. I might if my dick weren’t begging for her. I reach under her ass and free myself. “I had no idea you’d be into that. We’ll explore that thought later, though. Not sure I can wait another minute for you.”

  My cock springs free, and her wet pussy teases its tip. A minute ago, I was wondering if she ditched me for good, and now there’s nothing in my way from making her mine.

  I sink two fingers inside her, and Demi’s head falls to the wall with a thunk. “I missed you. I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner. I’m sorry I didn’t leave with you when you asked.”

  I pump her with my fingers, give her clit a circle, and taste the skin below her ear. “You’re here. That’s all that matters.”

  “Please, Logan. I want you.” She pulls her knees up as she tries to get more leverage on my hand and lifts her head. Her eyes are at half-mast and mirror the need coursing through me. “Don’t make me wait.”

  “You first.” I focus on her clit, and she arches her back. “There you go. How much did you miss me, hacker?”

  “From the moment you walked out my door.” Her breaths come quicker and more shallow. “I couldn’t sleep, work, or eat. No one has ever affected me like this. You left, and I was lost.”

  “Fuck, baby. You’re soaked.” I circle her swollen clit faster and she moves as best she can from where I have her pinned to the wall. Her breath catches, and her pussy starts to spasm. “There you go.”

  My cock replaces my hand. I groan.

  Wet.

  Tight.

  Mine.

  I pull out and push back in, feeling her pussy milk me, grip me, and take every inch as if I’m hers. She continues to come, and I don’t hold back. Not having her for days has made me desperate in a way I’ve never felt.

  Her nails bite into the skin at my nape, and her jaw goes slack. Neither of us can form words. My grip under her thighs tightens as I take her—over and over and over. My balls feel like they’re going to explode right before I come.

  I surge into her one last time and give her all my weight, pressing her to the wall to steady us both. Resting the side of my face to hers, our breaths mingle as she holds on with unsteady limbs.

  After a few moments, her whisper brushes my lips. “Thank you for the Aussie welcome.”

  I look into her eyes. “Thanks for not ghosting me.”

  “I don’t think that’s possible. Not now.” Her fingers grip my hair, and I take her mouth for a deep kiss.

  “Let’s get out of here. The jetlag is going to set in soon. How did you find my office?”

  She hikes a brow. “How do you think? I hacked your phone.”

  I shake my head, and she proves I chose wisely when I decided she was the one. “You might be drop-dead gorgeous, Demetria Benjamin, but it’s your brain that made me go crazy for you.”

  Chapter 22

  Demi

  Happy Scale

  Three weeks later

  Wategos Beach, Australia

  Comfort zones are a scary thing.

  I’ve thought more and more about my comfort zone in the past month. I’ve been fine in my zone for years. I can’t complain. I have my family, a couple of friends, a business I’ve worked hard building, and hobbies right out my back door that have always brought me joy.

  Have I been happy?

  I guess.

  I mean, yes. On the scale of happy, I was on it.

  But a month ago, I didn’t know there was a scale.

  All I can say as I lounge on a beach in the southern hemisphere with my personal Force of Nature, is there’s definitely a scale, and I’m currently sitting pretty at the top of it.

  “You can suck my cock at any time. Just say the word, hacker. No need to stare.”

  I push up from where I’m lounging on my stomach and rest my head in my hand. “I was just thinking how sweet you turned out to be and not an asshole at all, then you go and make a comment like that.”

  “I’m just being honest.” He flips his sunglasses off, closes his laptop, and adjusts his now thick cock in his swim trunks. “And hopeful. You can’t hate a guy for trying.”

  “Maybe later.” I lick my lips and drag my gaze up his body that’s now a darker color of olive than it was when I got here. Apparently Logan Carpino didn’t understand the notion of down time from work. I get it. I usually work fifty-to-sixty hours a week myself.

  But since I got here, I’ve cut back and made Logan do the same. It’s crazy how the same shit gets done when you have other things to focus on.

  Like each other.

  He reaches over and palms the bare globe of my ass and squeezes. “I’m going to miss this when we get back to the mountains.”

  “I don’t plan to forget my ass in Australia. It’s coming with me.”

  He shakes his head, his dark eyes following the movement of his finger as it dips below the thin fabric of my thong. Like every time he touches me, my insides come alive and my heart flutters … for him.

  When he drags his middle finger between my cheeks and circles the very sensitive area he very much enjoys playing with, he keeps talking. “No, but the last time I checked, we’ll be returning to snow that’s still knee-deep. I’m not going to see you laying around in this for a while.”

  I clench around his finger, and he smiles, pulling it lower between my legs. “What are you doing?”

  He gives his head a small shake. “No one’s around. I paid a pretty penny to make sure of it.”

  My eyes widen. “So you could do this?”

  “So I could do a lot of things. This,” he makes easy work of pulling the minuscule piece of material to the side, “is just one of them. Open up, baby.”

  I bite my lip and rest my cheek back down on my towel. He’s right, there’s no one around. We’ve got the house and private beach that spans a mile for the next three days. Logan does not mess around when it comes to accommodations.

  So I do as he says. I open, and he takes full advantage.

  He swings his legs over his lounger and his feet land in the sand between us. I might as well be naked. His big hand is cupping everything. His fingers move between my sex and clit and my ass. Slow, methodical, and not at all in a hurry even though we’re outside. He brushes my hair from my face as his other hand works between my legs.

  “I want to ask you something,” he starts.

  My eyes fly open, and I fight for a breath. “Now?”

  His touch goes from soft to firm as he cups me to lift my hips for better access. “Yes, now.”

  I start to close my eyes, but his touch startles me. With his other hand, he traces my lips with his thumb, cupping my chin softly. “I want to talk about the future.”

  Another swipe of my clit. My bikini thong is stretched to the max and I wonder if it will be trashed when he’s done. It’s one of my favorites, but I just don’t care at the moment.

  “The future,” I mutter against his thumb, and when I do, he presses in. When I look up, there’s nothing but lust and pure Italian-American sexual desire rolling off him in waves. I bite down on his thumb.

  His lips tip, but he only pushes his thumb in farther at the same time he pumps me with two thick fingers.

  Holy hotness. He’s everywhere.

  “Suck,” he demands.

  I close my eyes and remember last night when I walked into the McMansion on the beach at sunset. I was wound tight with nervous energy not knowing where we were going, since Logan insisted on keeping it a surprise. I dropped to my knees and took him in my mouth. He was as surprised as I was.