LOGINI didn't realize Nevada was such a long hours away from Chicago, I would've rethought my options, or taken two flights instead of a straight passage.
I must've dozed off a couple of times, allowing myself a treat from the snacks and beverages by the porter. I was lucky enough to have the seat next to me empty and the cabin quiet. It wasn't first class but it was definitely comfortable throughout the entire ride. We arrived at Nevada in the early hours of the day, it was still dusk and the sun was yet to rise. I grabbed my bag and asked for the nearest motel to lodge. Thankfully, two other passengers, couples from the way they kept touching each other, were going the way so the three of us boarded a bus to the motel. When we got there, I gave the place a suspicious look. It had the aura of those haunted motels in movies and I wasn't sure I liked it. "Easy, princess," the guy passenger said with a laugh, "you look like you just developed a hernia." His girlfriend smacked his chest. "Stop it, Todd," she gave me an apologetic look. "Don't listen to him, it's a lovely place." I heavily doubted that. "You come here often?" I asked as we walked through the front doors and she nodded. "Yep, I'm a native so this is kind of my childhood." "Oh," I said with a smile and she winked. We got our respective rooms, and unfortunately, we weren't close to each other at all. It was sad because I would have to leave the moment the sun was out. "Jess," I called before they would head for their rooms and she gave me an open look, "Is there a diner nearby?" She smiled softly, "The motel has one, just go down the hall and take the first turn by your right. You'll find it." "Thank you," she nodded and waved goodbye before walking off with Todd. As I stared after them, I briefly thought of my parents and how they would soon realize that I was gone. I smiled, but it wasn't out of guilt but out of a thrill I hadn't felt in years. I followed Jess' directions and found the diner, the smell of eggs and bacon thick in the air. "Good morning," I greeted the waitress behind the counter. "Can I get a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee?" The redhead bobbed her head with a bright smile. "Sure, darling," she had that southern drawl and it was kind of comforting. I gave her a polite smile and was about to turn away when I felt a presence beside me. My breath caught when I looked up to see the dazzling male standing by my side. He had a head of shaggy dark blonde hair and towered over me by several inches. I sucked in a breath, inhaling his fresh pinewood and mint scent. It was intoxicating and sent a chill down my spine. He didn't even give me a look, and I could barely hear what he was saying. My eyes were too fixated on the thickness of his neck and the bulge in his arms. He was too delicious looking for a man and I couldn't tear my eyes away. "Sorry," the waitress's voice popped in my ear. "the last cinnamon roll just went to the lady " He turned, ever so slowly, locking eyes with me and I whimpered. "You stole my breakfast." Damn it. Why did he have to have such a seductive voice too? It wasn't fair! I quickly caught myself, clearing my throat. "Technically, I ordered it first. First come, first served " He laughed, the deep timbre running down my spine. I liked the way it sounded on him. I didn't know who led who but somehow we found ourselves in a table, conversing over cups of coffee and a shared cinnamon roll. "Do you always flirt this hard over pastries?" I teased, sipping from my cup. He shrugged, leaning back and giving me a generous view of his defined face. "Only when the thief is this cute." The corners of my lips tugged upwards and he chuckled, his deep blue pools twinkling with mirth. I didn't know if it was just his face or his charm, but there was something different about him. Something I hadn't seen in a long time. "So would you give me the honour of knowing your name?" I cocked a brow and he laughed. "What? We can share a cinnamon roll but not give names." I laughed softly and stretched a hand. "Tara." "Tara," my name rolled out of his tongue smoothly and I nearly moaned in response. "I'm Jason." He took my hand and electricity shot up my arm and I exhaled. It was loud enough for him to hear because his plump lips curled wickedly. "Do you believe in fate, Tara?" I frowned, "What?" He pulled me closer, and I grabbed the edge of the table to keep me grounded. Our noses were nearly touching and his breath fanned my face. "Because I think we were meant to meet each other, Tara." Oh, damn. I loved the way he called my name. It made me feel so dirty and my mind spurred with ideas. "Oh, really?" He leaned forward, his hot breath close to my ear. "Come with me, let me show you what else fate has in store for us." Was he actually- I leaned back, staring at his face and my eyes widened. He really wanted us to do it. I had to admit, I'd never done this before. One night stands wasn't really my thing but that was old Tara and this was the new me. The new Tara who wasn't afraid of challenges and wouldn't back down from one. "Okay then, cowboy," I whispered into his ear, running my fingers through his arm. "Show me what you got." He grabbed my wrist and tugged me up, his eyes blazing with a passionate fire and I enjoyed it. We stumbled out of the diner like drunken teens, giggling and kissing all the way. My hands roamed everywhere, touching and grabbing as much as I could. He didn't refrain from doing the same either, and when we arrived in front of his door, we had to step apart so he could open it. The moment the door was open, our mouths found each other again, and I mewled into his mouth when he grabbed my ass, squeezing tightly. He pushed me back and I landed on the bed with a gasp. I watched dazed and panting as he took off his shirt, the smoothness of his chest and stomach stole my breath. "Jason," I whispered, when he leaned forward to capture my mouth in his, his hand palming my sensitive breast. He groaned when I rubbed my thigh against the hardness in his jeans. "Fuck, Tara!" He groaned, biting into my neck and I screamed. A mix of pleasure and pain exploding inside me. "Can you see it?" He asked, panting as he hurriedly took off his jeans while I tore away my clothes. "Can you fucking feel it, Tara?" He growled into my ear, rubbing his length against my wetness. "Can you feel what fate has in store for us?" My mouth dropped open but no words came out. What in the hell was this? I've had sex before but it was nothing like this. Never like this. Pools of tears gathered in my eyes, my chest tightening with increasing pressure. Jason grabbed fistfuls of my hair and tugged, releasing the pent up moan from my mouth. "Say my name, Tara!" He sunk into me with tenacity and I cried out, my fingers gathering the blankets in a fist. "Jason!!!"The rhythmic sound of labor filled the air while I stood at the trailer entrance, watching the crew move timber, everyone working together. Jeremiah stood at the center of it all, directing them with a commanding presence.Jensen appeared beside me, "Fall's coming."I glanced at him, confused by the emotion in his eyes. "You seem excited." I pointed out. "It's the company's anniversary soon." A small smile played at his lips. "How long have you been working here?" I asked. There was something about the way he watched everything with a dedication that went beyond a simple paycheck. "You seem very committed to be here." His expression softened. "I've been here since Jeremiah's father ran things. I was his right hand man when he was still alive."The past tense hit me. "Was? He's... dead?"Jensen nodded, his gaze was distant. "Him and his wife. A terrible accident claimed their lives." My eyes found Jeremiah across the yard, watching as he lifted a log with ease. Suddenly all I coul
The arcade light faded behind us Chuck and I stepped back onto the sidewalk, his pockets jingling with tickets he'd won. His entire face was glowing with a happiness that made the past hour completely worth it. "Can we come back next week?" He asked, practically bouncing with each step. "I'm so close to getting enough tickets for that Lego set. Did you see how I almost beat the high score on that racing game? Next time I'm totally going to-""We can definitely come back, buddy." Jason smiled, running his hands through Chuck's auburn hair. Both of them had bonded pretty quickly over the games in the arcade, and at this point, I was more or less a bystander to their budding friendship. "What about you, Tara?" Chuck turned to me. "What games did you play?"Jason's blue eyes bore into mine and I shifted on my feet. I couldn't tell them I'd slipped into the bathroom to hide while they were immersed in their games. "Well, I... uh... actually, I played a few-""Chuck!" Tracy's voice ran
The ice cream parlor was busy with afternoon customers, but Chuck's excitement was contagious as he pressed his face close to the display case, pointing at every flavor with glee. "Can I get the cookie dough? And maybe the chocolate chip? Oh, wait...they have the choco mint!"I smiled at his enthusiasm. "Pick two, okay?" When our turn came, I placed our orders and reached for my wallet. My fingers counted the bills once, twice, and my stomach sank. It wasn't enough. I was short by several dollars. "Do you... do you have a credit system?" I asked hopefully, already knowing the answer from the attendant's unamused expression. "Cash or card only."Heat flooded my face as I scrambled through my purse, desperately searching for spare change that wasn't there. "I'll cover it." I looked up sharply. Jeremiah stood beside me, already pulling out his wallet. "No, I can't possibly-" I started,but he was already handing cash to the attendant. "It's fine." Chuck beamed up at him. "Thank
I couldn't stop thinking about that moment in the hole. The way Jeremiah's hands had steadied me, how close we'd been on that ladder, his breath warm against my skin as he guided me up. Something had shifted between us down there in that dark hole, but I had no idea what it was. "Tara? You here with us?"Kennedy's voice jolted me back to the present. "Yes! Yes, I'm here." He rolled his eyes, turning back to the whiteboard covered in scribbled plans. "Like I was saying, Tracy says she doesn't want anything big, but we still need to make it special." Sandy threw a piece of popcorn at his head. "Then respect the lady's wishes, Ken." "Oh, because you're suddenly the expert on what women want?" Kennedy shot back. "Better than you, apparently-""Can we focus for five minutes without you two bickering like an old married couple?" Gerald groaned in a bored tone, and I agreed with him. They'd been at it since Kennedy called this emergency meeting. Tracy and Lolita had left hours ago t
The three of us left in Jeremiah's truck, I sat comfortably in the backseat, Jensen was at the passenger's side and Jeremiah was in charge of driving.It felt weird having our boss drive us but Jensen didn't seem to be moved by it.I assumed we were going to spend the ride in silence, but Jensen surprised me by launching into the town's history. "The town hall's been standing since 1892," he said, his hand gesturing animatedly. "Survived two fire, a tornado in '67, but time finally caught up with her. The foundation was crumbling, roof caved in last winter. Shame, really. It was a beautiful building."I listened, fascinated. I'd never heard Jensen string more than five words together at the construction site, and here he was giving me a full historical lecture."They tore her down last month," he continued. "Now the town's looking for someone to rebuild. A more modern structure, but keeping the original footprint."Jeremiah remained silent, his eyes were firmly fixed on the road. I
Sleep has been impossible. Every time I closed my eyes, I was back in his arms and the warmth of his chest against my cheek.I slapped both hands over my face and screamed into my palms, kicking my legs in the air like a child. The shame burned through my face. He was my boss, for crying out loud. Professional boundaries didn't get much clearer than 'don't sob hysterically on your employer.'"Just face him," I muttered, dragging myself to the bathroom. "Act normal. Pretend it never happened." But as I brushed my teeth, my traitorous mind conjured up the memory of his scent. The way his voice had dropped when he'd murmured,"You're a real stubborn one, aren't you?" It sent shivers down my spine all over again. I screamed and threw my toothbrush at the mirror, where it bounced off. "I've officially lost my mind," I announced to my reflection. The shower was rushed, I raced through my routine even as the image of last night played in my mind. When I'd returned to the party, Jason







