FEELING DARING AND HOT and far too needy, Pepper held her breath as Logan hesitated, his expression both confused and concerned. She knew he wanted her.

Already he was semierect, dark eyes glittering, cheekbones flushed.

"Go on." She stepped away from the door-and peeled off her own shirt to bare her breasts. She dropped it on the wooden floor and turned to him.

He looked at her body in minute detail, then back to her face. He'd grown so rigid, he looked ready to break. In contrast, he kept his tone gentle. "What are we doing here, honey?"

"Not your honey," she reminded him again-and she opened the snap on her jeans. "But I like having sex with you, so why should I do without? Now that we're both out in the open, well, no more need for restraint, right?" Teasing him, she eased down the zipper.

Logan's breathing deepened, but still, he didn't lose the shorts.

Pepper considered him, then gave a shrug. "Feeling shy?" She knew that wasn't his problem. "I can go first.

Modesty isn't one of my virtues."

And with that, she pushed the jeans down her hips, stepped out, and dropped them with the shirt. She wore only tiny panties.

"Pepper..." His sharpened gaze moved over her body.

"What? You're sorry that you hurt me? You don't want to hurt me anymore?"

"Yes."

"Then give me what I need." She sat on the bed, scooted back until she could recline in the middle, and smiled at him.

"I need to shake off some tension. That means I need you."

Seeking self-discipline, he worked his jaw, finally got his attention on her face and came to sit on the side of the bed.

"I'm not sure-"

She sat up. "You want me to go to Reese or Dash, instead? Is that it? I don't know if either of them would be interested, but, hey, if you're not willing -"

"No." With anger overshadowing other emotions, he turned to her and caught her shoulders. "You're not going to any other man."

She trailed her fingertips over his chest. "No, I won't." Enunciating carefully, she said, "Not if you. Get.

Naked."

While he struggled to figure her out, he contracted his fingers on her shoulders, caressing her. "You want...

sex?"

"Oh, yeah." Done waiting, she pushed him to his back-and he let her. God, he looked good. Even while almost hating him, she wanted him.

So damn much.

She opened the fastening to his shorts.

"What we did before, Logan? That was pleasant, you know? Discreet. Naughty."

She pulled his shorts down, taking his boxers off at the same time. "It satisfied me."

He lifted his hips to help her. "It was special to me."

"Baloney." Not wanting to hear his explanations, to maybe be fooled again, she wrapped her fingers around his erection, stopping him in midprotest. He made a halfhearted effort to stop her, but when his hand covered hers, it was to squeeze. "Like it firm, huh? I can do that."

Sensation closed his eyes, stiffened his shoulders. He growled her name.

"Shh. No talking, okay?" If he tried to reason with her, to do more lame apologizing, she'd get off track. "Let me enjoy you."

He hesitated, but in the end, they both knew he would agree. "You think I used you, so using me will make you feel better?"

"You did use me." She stood in a rush and finished stripping off his shorts, then looked at his body while removing her panties. He had powerful thighs, hairy calves and big feet. "No reason to overanalyze it."

"No, I won't." He relaxed back on the bed, offering himself to her, for whatever she wanted.

And she wanted a lot.

He wasn't an overmuscled brute like Reese, and while tall, he didn't have the extraordinary height of Rowdy or Dash.

But he was so incredibly sexy, the perfect combination of muscle, bone and body hair. She couldn't imagine a man being more masculine, or more...

perfect.

Shaking off that thought, she crawled up over his thighs and stared down at his cock.

Logan watched her through heavy eyes, breathing deep, expression severe with expectation. Slowly, he cupped her breast.

Ah, God, that was so wonderful. His hands were big and hot and strong... For only a moment, Pepper tipped back her head and closed her eyes.

That must've encouraged him, because he cupped both breasts, stroked her, brought his thumbs into play over her now tight nipples.

"I don't know the rules here, honey, but I'd love to kiss you."

She didn't have any rules, not for this.

"Yeah." She got herself under control.

"I'd enjoy that, too." Sprawling out over him, her legs open over his hips, she took his mouth.

In her mind, she'd wanted to stay in charge, to show him her strength.

To prove that he hadn't hurt her.

But now that she had him naked and in bed, now with his mouth on hers... He so easily took over, leading while she followed, and she didn't care.

It shocked her, how devastating a kiss could be. Wet and deep and somehow so right that she knew she'd been starved for him. How had she not known the potency of his kiss?

Had he been holding back before this?

Or was it that she now felt free?

Keeping her involved with the play of his tongue, he moved his hands over her back, down to her bottom, then to the backs of her thighs.

He urged her legs open more, spreading them until she lay flat against him. His arms came around her, keeping her that close.

Right where she wanted to be.

Pepper lifted her head and breathed urgently, "Do you have a rubber?"

"Just one." More kisses, each hotter than the one before. "In my wallet."

"Tomorrow," she murmured, "get more."

As if that pushed him over the edge, he turned and pinned her under him. His mouth was at her neck, and she just knew he would mark her.

That turned her on, too, so she wrapped her legs around him.

He sucked and licked his way to the upper swells of her breasts-and then down to her left nipple. He sucked her in, his rough tongue laving, his mouth hot.

"Logan." Holding his head to her, she arched up.

He groaned. "You are so sweet."

No, sweet was not a word that applied to her. "I need you, Logan. Right now."

"Not yet." He kissed his way to her other breast, drew on that nipple, too.

"Logan." Voice high and thin, she said, "It's too much."

"Let me help." He insinuated his hand between their bodies, cupped over her mound with his fingers softly playing, searching. He parted her swollen lips, then paused. "You're already wet."

"I need you inside me."

He worked two fingers deep.

"Better?" he asked while kissing the corner of her mouth, her jaw, her throat.

"Yes, but not good enough." She caught his face to end his teasing. "I need this, Logan. Right now. No seduction. No reservations. Definitely no apologies."

His fingers still deep inside her, his chest hair tickling her nipples, his weight a warm comfort, he said, "God, I need you, too, Pepper. But-"

"Shh." She kissed his mouth. "I've thought about this ever since you first moved in next door to me. So, please.

Put on the condom and let's both take what we need."

After a searching look, he kissed her long and hard-and rolled away. In seconds, he had the condom out of his wallet and rolled on.

Throbbing with need, Pepper reached out to him. He settled back between her legs, kissed her again and kept on kissing her while opening her with his fingers, pressing in a little.

She freed her mouth to groan.

He captured it again-and thrust deep.

Ah, now this was what she wanted.

His taste, his warmth, the press of his body over hers, his breath on her face, his scent all around her.

He tangled one hand in her long hair, and with the other he held her breast, a little rough, a lot amazing.

The bed bounced against the wall, but neither of them made a move to readjust.

She didn't care, and she wasn't sure Logan even noticed. In minutes, pleasure began to coil, growing tighter and tighter. Her groans turned into throaty moans. Her heels pressed into his back.

Her fingers dug into his shoulders.

She strained against him, reaching for release, needing the oblivion so badly...

Logan put his head back, his jaw tight, his teeth locked. She knew he fought off his own release to wait for her-and that did it.

Pleasure rolled over her, a giant, pulsing tide of sensation. She arched hard, crying out, holding tight to Logan until she heard his vibrating groans fading.

Slowly, he settled his weight back down over her, then rolled to his back while keeping her close. It was dangerous, but she allowed herself a single minute of luxuriating in what they'd shared. Her heart continued to pound-and Logan continued to idly stroke her.

There were no words. What could she say? You owed me that? Well done?

Thanks? Hell, no.

Not only didn't he deserve that from her, but...it would cheapen it all. Even hurt and angry, she couldn't do that.

But she could get herself together and protect her heart from further damage.

She stroked his damp chest, touched his whisker-rough jaw and sat up.

His hand trailed from her shoulder down to her wrist to catch her fingers.

When she looked at his face, she found his gaze wary but relaxed, possessive and yet watchful.

Don't do it, don't do it, don't- she leaned down and kissed him, a complete wimp when it came to resisting him.

Thankfully, she summoned the wit to keep it light. "Sleep well."

She stood and reached for her shirt.

Logan came up to one elbow. No longer so mellow, he asked sharply, "What are you doing?"

No way would she look at him again.