Second Chances - Jayelle Drewry

Second Chances is the second story I wrote. I submitted it a month after Waking Annabel.

The following excerpt is unedited and in rough form.

Amber jumped when she heard the car door slam. Some how, if it was possible, it had a resolute sound to it. As if the slammer was determined in his case. Quickly she gathered all of Loralee’s things and placed them by the door. Then she picked up Loralee. It was cheating, but she knew Logan would be on his best behavior with Loralee between them. Not that she was afraid of him physically, she wasn’t. But it was hard for a man to turn on the sexual charm when his baby was watching.

She was weakening. Logan had pursued her all week. Charming, sweet-talking, oh so tempting. Had she experienced this onslaught two weeks ago, she would have fallen for him hard. Hard! Amber snorted. Who was she kidding? She had fallen for him. Hard! Like a ton of bricks. Terri gave her strength. Now Terri was gone home. Before she could formulate a plan, the door opened and there he was. Filling the room with his presence, his scent. Amber squeezed Loralee to her. The little girl protested the tight hug, and squirmed to get down. Sighing, Amber set her on her feet. There went that defense.

Logan squatted down and scooped up Loralee. “Hey baby.” He kissed the fat little cheek, and inhaled her sweet baby scent. “Did you have a good day today?” Loralee nodded and hugged his neck.

“Can you go play for daddy? Daddy needs to talk to Amber. Grown up talk.” Blond curls bounced as the toddler agreed with a violent nod. Then she was squiggling to get out of his arms. After setting her down, Logan straightened and met Amber’s eyes across the room. His were narrowed with intent; hers widened with apprehension.

“Scared little girl?” Logan’s voice was predatory.

Amber stiffened her spine. “Of you? No.” Boy was that a lie. She’d been running scared for a week. Afraid to give him another chance. If the one night they did spend together was anything to go off of, she was not prepared to have a relationship with this man. He was too intense. A couple of kisses and she had her pants around her knees.

“You should be.” He stalked her, like a predator intent upon his prey.

Amber backed up. Then realizing it, she stopped and planted her hands on her hips. Bring it on big boy.

“Yeah? What have I got to be scared of?” Amber could’ve kicked herself. Everyone knows not to poke a hungry lion. By the look on his face, Logan was very hungry.

“This.” Logan pulled her to him, and planted his mouth firmly over hers.

Protest? Was she going to protest? When his lips claimed hers, all thoughts of protest fled. It felt so good, his lips on hers. His taste, she had missed his taste. Amber might have pulled back for one second. Maybe. But then she was participating wholeheartedly. Things quickly escalated from there. Amber wrapped her arms around his neck. She was holding on for dear life. His kiss had her head spinning like a tornado. If she let go Amber had no doubt she would fall. With his mouth on hers, Amber was having a hard time doing anything but responding to Logan.

Pleased with the response he was getting, Logan had no problem pressing his advantage. Cupping her butt in his hands, that is exactly what he did. He ground his erection against the juncture of her thighs. He curled his tongue around hers, and suckled it. Amber squirmed in appreciation. Never one to give up the high ground, Logan walked her across the room until he had her pinned to the wall.

It was the thump of her back hitting the wall that brought Amber to her senses. She began pushing at Logan’s chest. He didn’t budge an inch; instead he rested his full weight against her, trapping her between him and the wall. But, he did pull up and look down into her face. He smirked in satisfaction while Amber scowled.

“Get off me. I can’t breath.” Amber shoved at his chest again. Meeting with no success she dropped her hands. “This doesn’t prove anything.” She added defensively.

“Mmmm…” The sound rumbled up deep from is chest. His satisfaction was apparent. “I think it does.” He planted his hands on each side of her head.

Amber arched a brow, full of false bravado. “Yeah what? That you’re good at kissing?”

Logan chuckled, “Yeah, I’m good at kissing. But I’m also good at turning you on, making you forget everything but me.” Confidence oozed from every pore.

Amber’s temper ignited with his cockiness. “I think I’m the one who called things to a halt buster. You didn’t make me forget jack.” “Want me to prove it?” Logan was more than willing to apply himself to the effort. His bad mood expelled by Amber’s reaction to him.

Trapped, unable to escape, Amber did the only thing she could. “Your daughter’s in the room.”

Logan straightened and cast a look over his shoulder. Loralee was playing with building blocks, unaware of the tension surrounding her. Shrugging, Logan straightened away from the wall. Amber used that action to escape from his arms. Logan let her go. He was feeling generous; his faith in her attraction to him restored. Amber retreated across the room. From that distance her confidence returned.

“Logan,” Her voice cracked. Flushing, Amber cleared her throat and continued, “I think it’s time you left.”

Logan crossed his arms and propped his back against the wall. “Really? Well, I don’t think so. We have something to settle. You need to quit avoiding it.”

Maybe it was the tone of his voice; maybe it was the arrogant look on his face, or his confident slouch. Maybe it was a combination of all three. But Amber had had enough.

Facing him squarely, hands planted on hips, she let him have it. “Listen buster, and listen well. This was settled last week. You” she pointed a teacher finger at him, “you were the one who did the running. Not me. You were the one who zipped his pants, said good night and disappeared. ‘I’ll call you’ my ass. I didn’t hear from you for a week, and the coward that you are you sent your mother-in-law to collect Loralee. So what, you got your nerve up again.” Her eyes swept down to his crotch. His dick was straining against his zipper. She sniffed before looking into his face again. “Or whatever it is you might have up. Don’t think you can come waltzing back in here and I’m going to give you another wham bam. I didn’t even get a thank you ma’am last time.”

Amber finished her tirade flushed and a lot closer to Logan. Her pointer finger was jabbed into his chest. She jerked back in surprise. In her outrage she had marched over to stand in front of him.

Logan had straightened his posture. His face blank with surprise. He had never seen this side of Amber. Until this week he would had describe her as one of the most placid women he knew. But boy was he discovering things about her now. Placid was not an accurate description; it did not do her justice. The predatory side of his nature stirred, roused by the challenge she was issuing. The challenge she was becoming. A plan. He needed a plan of attack. But he couldn’t let her have the last word. Reaching out, Logan pulled her to him.

“Be thankful Loralee is in this room. If we were alone I would be more than happy to show you what I have up. And whether you want to admit it or not you’d let me. Don’t lay everything off on me, you little shrew. It wasn’t rape, you got yours baby. My scalp tingled for days from those claws of yours.” Amber tried to jerk away, but Logan held her firmly to him.

“I’m not finished. If anyone’s running it’s you. Bad idea. Since the beginning of time man has preferred to hunt his prey. Nobody wants easy pickings. So be alerted, run all you want. I’m going to catch you.” His voice was implacable.

Resolute blue eyes bore into wide startled green ones. Logan smiled, showing his teeth. Grasping her chin in one large hand, he planted a kiss, her lips gaped open in stunned amazement. Using that to his advantage, Logan swept his tongue into her mouth. Then just as suddenly, he pulled back and let her go.

Lips tingling, Amber stood as if froze. The clicking of the door alerted her to the fact that Logan and Loralee were gone. Logan’s words scared her, thrilled her. It was a threat and it was a promise. She knew she wouldn’t be able to hold out long. Amber had fallen in love with the man months ago. This week had been about her pride, about showing him he couldn’t take her for granted. Amber heard the echo of her mother’s voice giving her the rare piece of marital advice. “Start out like you can hold out.” That was exactly what she was doing. Amber Johnson wasn’t going to be a convenient lay for any man. If Logan wanted her, then he had better respect her. Deep down, Amber admitted to herself that she had been willing, more than willing. But that wasn’t the point. The point was he had not contacted her for a week. He had actively avoided her. Treated her like a one nighter. That was the kicker. She had wanted him for months, but the man had never seemed to notice her. Then within of one day he had her spread and penetrated, just to disappear again.

This hot and cold game he was playing was unnerving. If it had been just herself, Amber might have found the nerve to jump in blindly. But she wasn’t alone. She had a son to raise. No matter what, she would not let Jamie be hurt. That Saturday in the park had meant a lot to Jamie. He still talked about it. If just a couple hours with Logan left that strong of an impression on her son, what would prolonged contact do? She had to be sure. She could live with a broken heart, but she couldn’t live with someone hurting her son.