When She Falls (13 page)

“Okay.”

She lit the candle and placed it on the table in front of them. It was small and did little to light more than the immediate area. “Better than nothing.”

They ate
without talking for a long time, the sound of thunder, lightning, and hard rain the only noise. Logan tried to think of the perfect thing to say, something to make her fall in love with him, a sentence profound and moving. Nothing came to him except the pounding of his heart.

“You’re only the second person I’ve let in my house, heck even talked to, in
forever.” Candice said.

“Why is that? You’re afraid to go outside?”

“Ever since the shooting. I’m sure you heard about that.” She said and Logan nodded. “I’ve fallen to pieces. Right now, I feel like I’m making progress, but it’s hard.” She gave a short laugh to cover her embarrassment.

Logan started to reach out and pull her close, but when he lifted his arm toward her, he changed his mind and let it fall to his side. “I’m sure it is. The world can be an awful place, but there are great things out there you’re missing.”

“Like what?”

“Traveling, campfires, stars in the sky, and shopping. You’re a girl. You have to love to shop, right?” He asked.

“Wow, could you stereotype me more?” She asked, but with a good natured smile. “Shopping….” Her eyes rolled quickly.

“It was
a bad joke, I guess.” He returned the smile.

“No, it was true.” She laughed, but it turned into a squeal when a loud crack of thunder made her jump.

“You can come closer. I promise I won’t try anything.” Logan offered.

“Sawyer… what was it like when you died? I read it in the paper.” Candice asked, scooting a bit closer.

He leaned forward, putting his plate on the table. “Peaceful. I had this vision of a beautiful girl in my mind. Like you, telling me it was okay. When I woke up, now
that
was painful.”

“Was there a light? Why didn’t you go?”

“I overdosed, you know? I guess it wasn’t my time. There was a light, yes.” He answered truthfully.

“If I tell you something crazy, will you promise not to freak out?” She was full of questions.

“I promise.”

“You remind me of my fiancé.” She leaned
in and inhaled Sawyer’s scent. “You don’t smell like him. Although, you do smell good. I can’t pinpoint it and it’s driving me nuts.”

Logan had to bite his tongue to keep from telling her the truth, or try to any
way. “Maybe it’s a similar attraction. Pheromones, is that what they’re called?”

“
Yeah. Maybe. Can you hold me for a while? God, that sounds pathetic.” Candice covered her face with both hands.

He reached out and gently tugged her hands away. “Hey, I know what it’s like to be alone in the world. Trust me.”

Trust him?
She wanted to, wanted him. “I’m afraid. I don’t want to cheat on my fiancé. I know he’s dead and he’s not coming back, but I feel terrible. I don’t even know you.”

“You do know me. Some people know each other when they first meet.” He placed his hand over his chest and patted where his heart was. “In here.”

Silent tears streamed down Candice’s cheeks and she had to look away. Logan’s hand went up to her cheek and he wiped one away with his thumb. “I don’t know.” She repeated over and over.

“It is okay, Candice. There’s nothing you have to do. We can sit here and listen to the rain. Alright?” He said.

Now, she was shaking her head. “Kiss me. Just one. I… need to know.”

Logan leaned forward. Her lips were trembling as he carefully pressed his against hers. She’d said only one, but he found himself unable to stop caressing
her soft lips with his own. It was a moment he’d been waiting months and months for. Even the storm seemed to stop for a moment and the only sound was the steady rain.

“Do you know now?” He asked, not entirely sure what she’d meant.

“Yeah. I know.” She whispered. “Did I taste like pizza?”

He looked directly into her eyes before answering. “Tasted like love.”

The confused, but loving expression on Candice’s face made Logan’s heart leap. Did she really know? Had
he made a mistake by not playing the role of ex-addict Sawyer Verin more convincingly? He couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t. She needed to know he’d come back for her. That he always would.

Candice’s hands went out and
rested on either side of his head as she peered deeply into his eyes. She was exploring his face as if to find evidence of who she thought he was. Logan didn’t move, but closed his eyes when she ran her hands through his hair.

“Are you really in there, Logan? Is this you?” Her questions were low, but the intensity of her voice held a hint of mania. “This is where I lose my mind completely. Or maybe this is a dream.” She pinched herself hard and winced. “Ouch!”

“It’s me. Nothing could keep me away. Not even death.” He was afraid she would really lose her mind after the revelation. What if she kicked him out of the house and never spoke to him again?

She wrapped her arms around his neck and burst into tears. “I am so mad at you for leaving me.”

One hand went up to the back of her head, cradling it softly against his chest as the other stroked her back. “I’m sorry you went through this. I have suffered waiting to come home. They made me go to rehab because the guy’s body I needed was an addict. It was the only way back to you.”

“Never leave me again.”

“No matter what happens, in the end we will find each other. It may not be in this world, but somehow, we will always be together.” He sighed deeply in relief, his own tears falling. “I didn’t think you would believe me.”

“My heart recognized you. Kiss me again.” She said, still in a hushed voice, as if their supernatural reunion was
forbidden. Her lips brushed across his neck, his cheek, then pressed against his mouth once more.

Logan wanted to wrap her in his arms, embrace her deeply, and never let go. “We should make sure this is what you want to do. I don’t want you to decide I’m lying in the morning. You would hate me, or worse, yourself.”

“When have we ever been successful at being prudent around each other?” She grabbed him by the pants and unbuttoned them. “You’re home. We love each other. That’s all I need to know.” Every short sentence came between kisses. “Convince me this is real.”

“You’re right.” He helped her strip out of her pajamas and dropped them to the side of the sofa in a small pile. It had been a long time since he’d touched her soft flesh, tasted her skin, or seen her expression while lost in ecstasy. He covered her body with his, taking his time to lick and kiss her sweet spots. Every inch he knew by heart. She was writhing beneath him before
they’d even joined. “I love you.”

Her body arched beneath him. Logan could hold back no longer. He’d been lucky to focus solely on her pleasure
for as long as he had. As they were making love, he knew he was home where he belonged. When they released together, he bent down and kissed her lips for a long time. He refused to move away and the way she was clinging to him told him that she didn’t want to let go.

Jay Kershaw ran several scenarios through his mind as he looked at Candice’s house and Sawyer Verin’s car in the driveway. One, he could plant drugs in the vehicle and arrest the asshole. Two, he could beat the shit out of him and be charged for assault. Three, he could be the bigger man, congratulate Sawyer, and move on. None of the options appealed to him in the slightest. Most likely, they would all result in Candice’s furthered unhappiness.

It was early in the morning, so Kershaw knew that Sawyer had spent the night. Jay had been out
until dawn helping victims of the flash floods. He was cranky, tired, and had a fracture in his heart. Not a broken heart, at least, only a minor crack.

He hadn’t expected to see Sawyer’s car parked outside. His intention was to check on Candice and leave. Now he didn’t know what in the hell he was doing. His fist gave a few quick raps on the door. Sawyer opened
it. He was shirtless, but had the decency to jerk on a pair of jeans. That surprised Jay.

“Can I help you?”
Sawyer asked. His tone had bordered on being smug.

“Where’s Candice?”

“Sleeping on the couch. I didn’t hurt her. I appreciate you helping her through a hard time, but that doesn’t mean I have to like you.” The large muscular frame he’d inherited when he’d become Sawyer Verin blocked the doorway. He crossed his arms.

“Let me see that she’s alright and I’ll leave.” Jay stood up straighter, trying to match the intimidation exerted by
Sawyer.

Surprising
ly, he stepped aside and, with a gesture of his arm, invited the policeman inside. “Don’t wake her. I’m guessing it’s one of the first peaceful rests she has had in a while.”

Jay Kershaw walked silently across the room and looked down on the sleeping girl. Sawyer was ri
ght. She was resting comfortably. Candice didn’t look harmed or abused, only her hair was a tousled mess. Jay glanced over his shoulder, but Sawyer had courteously stepped outside. His eyes returned to the sleeping woman wrapped snugly in a blanket. He thought she was tragically beautiful.

“Goodbye, Candice.” He turned away, composed himself with a deep breath, and walked outside where Sawyer was waiting on the deck.

“Told you she was fine. I can take care of her.”

“People… they can’t help who they fall for and I accept that.” Officer Kershaw stepped closer to Sawyer and threatened him. “I will keep an eye out and if you do anything to hurt her, I will bury you.” With that, Jay turned his back on the man who’d upset his chance with the woman he wanted
to love.

Candice sat up slowly, hugging the blanket closely over her bare breasts. The shutting of the front door had awakened her when Logan had come inside. Was it Logan? Was it Sawyer? She wasn’t even sure how to address him.

“So… that wasn’t
only a really sexy dream?” She said with an awkward smile. “Crazy how you always turn me into such a slut.”

“
I wish my dreams felt that good.” Logan headed into the kitchen. “You’re not a slut, either. I’m making you breakfast. You’re even skinnier than when I first met you at the food court. I didn’t leave you all that money for you to starve.”

A small laugh escaped her lips, but it was abruptly interrupted when he called her skinny. She lifted the blanket to give herself a once over. He was right. Months of barely eating had made her look borderline anorexic. “I’m actually hungry today. Do I call you Logan or Sawyer?”

He smiled at her from the kitchen, glancing over the counter that separated it from the living room. “Whatever you want, but if you don’t want to seem crazy, it might be best not to call me Logan in public.”

“I doubt I’ll be going out in public, even if you are back.” She shook her head. “I still can’t believe it.”

“Believe it. It’s not that far-fetched.” He cracked a couple of eggs into a skillet. “I didn’t take the option to move on, met a ghost who was waiting to pass on with his wife, he told me how to get a body, and I came back to life to be with you. Simple.”

“You were a real life ghost?” She asked in awe, tossing away the blanket and slipping into her pajamas that were still in a pile where Logan had left them.

“Yep. Walked through walls and everything.” He casually said as he poured her glass of orange juice. “You have plenty of food, yet you never eat it. I’m surprised you didn’t starve to death before I found my way home.”

Candice walked into the kitchen and climbed onto a barstool. “Do you have like a time limit you’re allowed to stay
or something?” She asked, ignoring his comments about her not eating.

Logan took a drink of her juice before handing it to her. “Not that I know of. I’m yours until I get shot again.” He smirked.

“That is so not funny.”

“Sorry, your comedic nature has
rubbed off on me.” He kissed her cheek before returning to the pan. Breakfast was finished and placed in front of her. “You are served, my lady.”

She wasted little time eating, watching her fiancé curiously. “We
’re still engaged, right? Or do we have to start over?”

“You’re full of questions!” He laughed. “If you want to be we are, but my first proposal was pretty great. I’m not sure I can top it.”

“No, no. I don’t need another one.” She smiled. “It’s weird talking to you. It feels like I’m talking to you, but you don’t look like you at all.”

“You like it, though, right? I could only be so choosey picking a body.”

“Oh, I definitely like it. You’re like all macho and hardcore.” Her arms lifted and she flexed. “So long as you’re you, I wouldn’t care if you were ugly. Well, I might care a little. This body was a good pick.” It was the strangest conversation she’d ever had so she started laughing again.

“Good to know. So, I was thinking we can stay in today and I’ll make love to you all over the house. Tomorrow, we need to get you over this phobia of going
outside.” He gave her a pointed look. One she knew she wouldn’t be able to argue.