Infinite (3 page)

“He’s really here…ours,” she said to no one in particular.

“Yeah, buttercup, he really is.” Caleb sank onto his haunches in front of his new family, and my heart leapt at the sight.

I felt Logan’s firm bulk at my back, looking on with me. “We should go.”

I nodded my head, entwining my hand with his when he stepped forward. There was no goodbye as we snuck out of the room. And for the first time in my life, I felt more than a little twinge of desire for my own perfect family.

Chapter 4

I was slow to wake the next morning, my head heavy from the lingering anxiety of the last twenty-four hours. I snuggled closer against Logan’s warm chest, finding a solace only he could provide there.

I never would’ve budged if not for the familiar ring of my cell.

“It’s Hilary,” Logan’s yawning voice explained as he held the phone out to me.

In an instant I was wide awake and leaning against the headboard, fear driving my movements. “Hil, you okay?” I asked apprehensively, doing my best to quell the alarm in my voice.

“No!” Her panic was clear, ceasing my next breaths. “Can you come down here? I need reinforcements ASAP.”

“On my way,” I clipped out, ending the call and springing from the bed. I didn’t ask why or what; she needed me. I was there, whatever the reason.

“What’s wrong?” Logan was up right behind me at the closet, where I already stood.

“I don’t know, but Hilary sounded really upset. I’ve got to get to the hospital,” I said, bouncing from one foot to the other, wrestling into my jeans. “Need to hurry.”

Silence stretched between us as I dug out a simple T-shirt from the dresser and tugged it over my head. I found Logan standing directly in front of me when I looked back up, his beautiful bare chest unable to distract me from the worry and dread in my racing thoughts.

With the gentlest expression of love and tenderness, he placed his palms to my cheeks, cupping them and lifting my head to force my eyes to his. “We’ll get to her, but first you need to breathe, sweetheart. If it was anything serious, Caleb would’ve called me.”

He pressed his lips to my forehead, and my eyes slid shut with a long exhale I did truly need. When he pulled back a moment later, his hint of a smile lightened the tension, if only slightly. “You wash up. I’ll meet you in the car in fifteen.”

I nodded, returning a smile of my own that I hoped said, ‘I’m cool, calm, and all that other stuff I wasn’t anywhere close to feeling before,’ then waited for him to step out of the room before making a mad dash to the bathroom.

Time was of the essence. What if something was wrong with Quinn? Hilary needed me, and there was no time for prettying myself up. I brushed my teeth quickly, skipped the floss, and went straight for a warm splash of water to my face.
That’ll do it.

I was out the door in under five minutes with my running shoes in hand. Plenty of time to lace them up during the drive.

Not even half an hour later, I found myself speeding to the elevator, my entire body on edge; Logan was parking the car, so I had a head start. I had to use all my self-control to not full-on sprint up to her.

When I finally reached the maternity ward, my patience was running thin, and waiting to be buzzed in wasn’t helping. My pulse throbbed through my veins, beating out a loud whooshing rhythm in my ears and causing my body to ping in discomfort. I tapped my foot, pressing the button again and again until the doors finally opened.

Once on the floor it’d seemed I’d never reach, I strived for nonchalance, keeping my steps at appropriate strides. As in a hurry as I’d been, I stopped short a few feet from Hilary’s room as the sound of yelling completely startled me. I stepped toward the noise more slowly, unable to make out exact words—only angry, elevated voices that sent a fissure of dread up my spine.

The baby! Something must be wrong with the baby!

“Do I not get a say here?” I heard Hilary shout. “We’re supposed to be in this together!”

I moved even closer to stand just outside the door, ashamed to be eavesdropping but too curious to stop myself from listening.

“We are,” Caleb replied, his tone lower and calmer but just as frustrated as Hilary’s if not more so. “I’m done discussing it, babe. He’s my son. This is my family, and we’re doing it my way.”

“Don’t you mean
our
family?” Hilary snapped back.

“Not nice to eavesdrop.”

I whirled around, terrified, only to find Logan’s smirking face.

I swatted his arm, feigning an aghast frown. “I would never!”

“Of course not.” He chuckled, taking my hand and weaving his fingers through mine. “How about we see if we can help instead?”

“That’s exactly what I was about to do,” I said, standing my ground—albeit with the air of a child who just got caught red-handed sneaking a cookie.

Logan didn’t bother to respond. His grin said enough. Hesitantly, I followed him into the room.

Caleb’s low grumble fell into silence as we entered, and what we found was the last thing I’d expected, Hilary and Caleb, standing nose-to-nose at the end of the bed in a literal stare-off.

Hilary broke first, shooting an angry sneer our way that quickly disappeared from her face and reemerged as relief.

“Cassandra, thank God!” she exclaimed. “Will you please talk some sense into this
Neanderthal
?” She looked back at Caleb, regaining her evil eye, but spoke to me.

My palms began to sweat and Logan must have noticed, because he gave my hand a squeeze. “Um, I…what are we talking about, exactly?” I asked, my entire face scrunched in confusion.

Caleb closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then pivoted in our direction. “This is my woman, and Quinn is
my
son
,” Caleb growled in a low, threatening timbre. “We’re not signing a goddamned birth certificate or leaving this fucking hospital room until they
both
have my last name.”

Not the most romantic way to put it, but not the worst either. I raised my brows in question at Hilary, waiting to hear her objections—which she was more than happy to outline for us, loudly, ticking off the items on her fingers.

“We’ll lose all our deposits. Weeks of planning will go down the drain, along with any semblance of my dream wedding! A justice of the peace in a hospital, really? You get married one time, Caleb—
one
time!” One of the fingers she’d been using was now inches from Caleb’s face, ready to poke at will. “I want my day—
our
day. Is that too much to ask?”

He waited until she lowered her hand to speak, his jaw locked tightly. “What did I say the first five times you asked that exact same question? We can still do the big show, but I want my wife and child coming home
as
my wife and child. Is
that
too much to ask?”

I looked at Logan and my eyes darted to the door, a silent request for him to lead me through our subtle escape. We didn’t need to intrude on this discussion any longer than we already had.

Logan didn’t seem to notice, though, standing there in what appeared to be deep thought.

“I love you, buttercup.” Caleb placed his hands on Hilary’s hips. “And I love our son. Please understand…it’s important to me, as a man, that we leave here a
real
family
—my
family. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. I’ll marry you again in front of everyone you’ve ever met. Please, just give me this.”

There was no aggression left in his voice—just a heartfelt plea from a man to the woman he loved. I could feel it from across the room, and saw the exact moment Hilary did too as her expression softened.

“Okay,” she whispered before leaning forward to kiss him.

It was a simple, chaste kiss that wasn’t enough for Caleb. His arms wrapped gently but firmly around her waist, lifting her off her feet as he kissed her harder and longer than appropriate in most company. But I was anything but uncomfortable. It was beautiful to witness. Inspiring. The give and take of true, unselfish love.

Logan kissed my knuckles then released my hand quickly, walking over to clap Caleb on the shoulder once he’d freed Hilary from his embrace. “Congrats. And don’t hold it against him, Hil. I would’ve demanded the same thing.”

Hilary laughed, still off-kilter from the passion in her man’s onslaught. “I don’t doubt that. And baby,” she said, holding out her hand for Caleb to take, “we don’t have to do it again. But once Quinn and I are ready, I’m expecting a hell of a wedding reception! And I mean top-of-the-line catering, a band, and a spa retreat to pamper me and my girls the day before. Because
that
…is important to me.”

I somehow managed to catch the snort of laughter before it left my mouth. I looked away, pretending to cough.

Caleb didn’t seem to notice as he pulled Hilary in again, his face splitting into a giant grin. “I’d expect nothing less. And I’ll make sure it’s the most memorable party this town’s ever seen.”

“I know you will…because you’ll have me to answer to.” She giggled when he nuzzled her neck, speaking quietly in a private conversation.

When he suddenly peered up, with his eyes on Logan, Caleb said, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure nothing goes to waste.” His brows raised in what looked suspiciously like a challenge.

“What do you mean?” Hilary asked, her gaze mimicking mine as it bounced between the two men.

The devious grin Caleb wore was unsettling. What was he up to?

“Somebody else in this room would be more than happy to capitalize on our wedding package for next weekend.” He cocked a brow. “Am I wrong?”

Logan shook his head slowly. “You won’t hear any argument from me.”

Wait, what are they saying? Do they mean…

“Um, Logan?” I muttered. “Can I see you in the hall?”

“Lead the way, sweetheart.”

Chapter 5

It was as though Logan knew what I was about to say, considering he took his sweet time following me out into the hall and even stopped to exchange a few quiet words with Caleb first. But honestly, they could’ve been shouting and I wouldn’t have heard them over the manic thoughts plaguing my mind.

“Caleb has a good point,” Logan said when he finally emerged from the room, shutting the door behind him. If his goal in doing so was privacy, the act was pointless since we were standing in a bustling hallway.

“And you think so because…?” I waited, biting down on my lip.

“Sweetheart.” He moved toward me slowly—no doubt gauging my emotions, as his voice had dropped to a seductive octave. “We’ve been engaged for months now and I’ve let you take things slow, but this is the perfect opportunity for us.”

“I thought you liked us going slow.” I stepped back, needing room to think rationally, and if he touched me that’d be impossible. I’d cave too quickly, and I knew it. I had few weaknesses, but Logan West was at the top of that list.

“I’ve liked seeing you happy and relaxed,” he continued as he moved closer, forcing me to further my retreat. “I’ve liked that the drama is over, and that it’s been just me, you, and Oliver.”

My back hit the wall and his arms went up, hands braced on either side of my head. He dipped his face close to mine and added, “I’ve liked seeing my ring on your finger. But what I’d
love
is to call you my wife.”

Logan’s lips brushed across my cheek and up to my ear, where he whispered, “I’d love to fuck you, knowing that you officially belong to me—that you
chose
me to be your man.” His tongue skimmed my earlobe. “Forever.”

My knees went weak, wobbly legs struggling to hold me up. I had no choice but to reach out and steady myself against his shoulders. His head dipped lower, going for my mouth—at least I thought so, until he pulled away, leaving me breathless and confused. He had to have known he was winning, so why not go for the kill and kiss me until I surrendered? We both knew I would’ve.

He watched me for a long moment before stepping out of my reach and leaning against the opposite wall of the hallway, crossing one ankle over the other and jamming his hands into his pockets.

“I want you to want this as much as I do,” he explained. “If not…then we’ll hold off. Because as hard as it is, I’ll wait till my last breath if I have to. Anything you want, sweetheart.”

Every reason to wait suddenly floated through my mind, but none really made sense. I’d been waiting, but for what—Logan to get bored of me? Break my heart? Or because I wanted the time to be perfect?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, clearing away the doubts that were never legitimate. When I opened them again, I pushed off from the wall and sauntered toward him. I placed my hands on his chest and rose up on my tiptoes, kissing the side of his mouth before whispering, “I love you.”

“I know,” he replied, nipping at my mouth. “But it’s time to really prove it.”

“
Seriously
?”

We both turned to see Julia standing a few feet away, Luke at her side. “You do realize this is a maternity ward, not a brothel?” she added, but her smile matched the playfulness in her voice. “Respect, much?”