The Billionaire's Kiss (Scandal, Inc) (19 page)

“No,” Callie said, “I still think you’re plenty bad.”
 

“Do you really mean that?” Logan asked with a mock sweetness.
 

Callie leaned over and planted a kiss on Logan’s cheek. The warmth of her wet lips undid him, and he turned to kiss her back, tumbling into her and giving in to his desire for her. He ran his hands over her hips and held her as he gave her kiss after dizzy kiss.
 

 
If only this could last forever, he thought, but he knew it couldn’t. He knew he was a fool for even thinking it could. Logan pulled back from the kiss and turned the key in the ignition. Nothing. The car was dead.

Callie watched him with an amused grin on her lips. “So the verdict is in,” she said.
 

“How’s that?”

“You are bad. It just happens to be that you’re bad with cars.”

“I can be even badder with you if you give me the chance.”

“I don’t know,” Callie said. “We’re half an hour from the nearest town, and who knows how far the nearest tow truck is. This might be the best chance you get.”

That sounded good to him.

Thirteen

After a long, cramped ride to Portsmouth in a tow truck, Callie and Logan had differing views on how they should spend the night. She and Logan should have been winding down back roads back to Newport with the warm summer air blowing through their hair and the moon rising somewhere behind them. Instead, they were standing on a sidewalk outside a garage somewhere in Portsmouth. The smell of salt water and motor oil hung in the air. At least it wasn’t raining. While Callie started looking for rental cars to get back to Rhode Island, Logan got on his phone and made a few calls.
 

“It’s all set,” he said.
 

“How?” Callie asked. “Every car place I’ve tried is closed for the night.”

“Who said anything about renting a car? I got us a hotel room,” Logan said. He flashed her that quick smile that let her know his intentions were less than noble.

“We should really head back. We’re only a few hours away, and we can have the car towed back. I don’t even have anything to sleep in,” Callie said.

“You say that like it’s a negative,” Logan said with a laugh. “Come on; the car died as we kissed. If that isn’t a sign, what is?”
 

“It sounds like a sign that I shouldn’t kiss you anymore.” The more Callie thought about that one, the truer it seemed.

“Maybe it means we should spend the night here and not worry so much about heading back. You’re on vacation. Go with the flow for once. My car gave her life so that we could enjoy one night here. I think we owe her that much.”

“First of all, your car is going to be fine, and second, when did you car become a she?”

“How could a car as sexy as that be anything but a she? If she were a guy, it would give a whole new meaning to drag race.”

Callie laughed in spite of herself and shook her head. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Yes,” Logan said, “that was a joke. Let’s spend the night. We’ll head back in the morning. It will be nice. Here you won’t be a guest of the family. You won’t have any other obligations, and I won’t be tending to a dozen other things at once. One night, you and me and maybe some wine.”

“I thought you were a beer guy,” Callie said.

“I’m willing to make an exception,” Logan said.

“And what happens if I say no?” Callie asked.

“You’re free to find your own way back, I guess. If you say yes, I’d love to bring you out to dinner and see where the night leads us.”

“How about I bring you out for dinner as a thank you for helping out today? You were really great. I don’t know why you’re so hard on yourself all the time. Sure, you have a reputation, but it doesn’t seem to fit you.”

“Look, I’m trying to do things right this time around. I’m trying to keep out of the tabloids and gossip blogs. It would be nice to be something other than a fuck-up for a change. Sometimes I really hate being Hank Harris’s son. Let’s leave it at that.”
 

Callie placed her hands on her hips and shook her head. “You know that’s not true. You’ve turned your life around. Look at you. You’re everything a woman could want. You’re handsome and funny and smart and successful. Who cares if you come from money?”

“Everyone does. Family, friends, every woman I’ve ever met. Do you want me to go on?”
 

“Well, I don’t care. You could be a bartender or a mechanic. You’d still be you, and I’d still like you.”
 

“It would be nice not to be Logan Harris for a night. It would be nice to forget about all of the expectations and mistakes and all of it.”

“Yeah?” Callie asked. “What do you say to leaving it all for a night? Just one night: you and me. We’re already stuck here. Why don’t we take this opportunity to forget about the yacht and the mansion and the family fortune? You can be you, and I’ll be me with none of the other stuff to get in the way. Of course, we’ll have to find a place to stay first.”

“You know, a friend of mine owns a hotel on the water. Have you ever heard of the Federal House?”
 

“You’re not even two minutes into trying to be a normal guy, and you’re already calling your hotel-owning friend for a favor? How about I call and book a room for the two of us. Something modest.”

“I’ve only ever stayed in the Harbor Suite. You should see the views.”
 

“How about a regular room. How does that sound?”

“As long as you’ll be there, it sounds great. It’s exciting.”
 

“Yeah it is. I can’t wait to see how you do without the restaurant and yacht and all of your toys.”
 

“Depends on which toys you’re talking about,” Logan said a little too eagerly.
 

“Careful,” Callie said. “Remember what you said about doing things right? I’ll make the reservation.”

“Well, a hotel room, a beautiful woman, and nothing but my wits and a bottle of wine. It sounds like everything is exactly right.”

The walk to the hotel barely took more than five minutes. Callie was surprised at how nice the quaint brick building was inside. After she gave her name at the desk, the clerk said, “Enjoy your stay, Mr. and Mrs. Haven.”
 

Callie had to hold back her laughter until she and Logan were in the elevator. “Logan Haven. You know it has a nice ring to it. If you ever decide you want to settle down, I think we should both take my name.”

“Oh is that right?” Logan asked. He stepped up to Callie sliding his hands over her hips and leaning her back against the wall of the elevator. The doors to the elevator opened before he even had a chance to kiss her. “I’m used to longer elevator rides.”

“A longer ride to the penthouse than to the second floor?” Callie asked.

“We could always step back in and press hold. I’m sure we can keep the elevator in place long enough.”
 

Callie shook her head. “Come on, let’s check out the room.”

The room was clean, with an old fashioned arm chair and a dark, antique desk on one side and a four-poster bed on the other. Though it was on the small side, the room did have an water view, and Callie opened the window to let the night breeze float in.

“So what do regular people do for dinner?” Logan asked. “Do you just eat less caviar or are there other foods that are acceptable?”

Callie laughed. “You own a brewery, Logan, not a Michelin rated restaurant.”
 

“Point taken,” Logan said.
 

Callie pulled out her phone to find a place to eat, but Logan grabbed it out of her hand. “Work is done for the day.”
 

“Hardly fair that I’m the one without a phone,” Callie said. “Besides, I was just looking for a restaurant.”

Logan turned his phone off and tossed it onto a chair with hers. “Now we’re even. You are on vacation, and now I am on vacation. We’re on equal footing.”
 

“We’re staying in a hotel owned by a friend of yours. How is that equal footing?” Callie asked.

“Like you don’t have any powerful friends or colleagues who could help you out in a moment of need? Please, we’re both here,” Logan said. “That’s good enough for me.”

Callie shot him a look of fake displeasure. “Oh, so now I’m just good enough?”
 

“If you spend the rest of the night arguing with me? Maybe. How about we get some dinner and enjoy the night air?”

“That’s what I was trying to do. Unless you know a place, I’ll need my phone back.”

“I might have something in mind,” Logan said.

“Will I need a ball gown, or will a simple black dress do?”

“Neither,” Logan said. He gave her a wicked grin as he looked her over.

“If you think you’re getting me naked, you’ll have to try harder than that,” Callie said.

“I wasn’t trying to get you naked, Callie. When I want you naked, you’ll know.”

“Good to know that the cocky Logan is still in there somewhere. I thought you had gone soft on me.”

Logan gave a low laugh. “I think you’ll find that that isn’t a problem.”

Callie felt a growl in her stomach. “We need to eat.”

“I know just the place,” Logan said, “And you can wear whatever you want.”

***

Callie stood in front of the large, backlit menu and gave Logan a second look. “This is the place?” she asked. She was wearing a dress and high heels. Apparently Logan hadn’t been kidding about there not being a dress code. This place was in-between the water and a parking lot.

“Best seafood on the eastern seaboard. I can’t believe there isn’t a line,” he said.

“It’s a shack… with a neon sign.” Callie said. She gave Logan a long look. She squinted her eyes and studied his face to see if he was playing some kind of practical joke, but he seemed completely serious.

“Yup, and almost everything is deep fried. Is that a problem?” he asked.

“For my appetite, no. For my figure? We’ll see.”
 

“Hang out here,” Logan pointed to a set of plastic outdoor table and chair sets next to the sign. The chairs were strewn about like someone had left in a hurry, and the tables were still covered in crumbs from previous diners. Callie decided to go with the flow and sat down. She could hear the sizzle of the deep frier from inside the shack.
 
Logan laughed at Callie’s lack of enthusiasm. “I’ll order a plate for two,” he said.

“How romantic,” Callie said flatly.
 

“It will be like that scene in Lady and the Tramp, except with clam strips instead of spaghetti,” Logan offered.

“We’re already more or less in an alleyway,” Callie joked, she couldn’t help but laugh at the truth of her statement.

“Come on, we’re right on the water. We just saved a relationship from destruction, and we’re alone on a beautiful night. What’s could be more romantic than that?”

“Go order,” Callie said.
A roof, a floor? Basic sanitary facilities? What exactly are the prerequisites for a romantic dinner?
She watched Logan place the order and admitted to herself that there was a certain charm to eating outside with plastic forks and knives.

A few minutes later, Logan returned with a tray overflowing with every kind of seafood Callie could imagine. There were clams and muscles, lobster rolls, fish and chips, even calamari and scallops. “I thought you said this was for two. I think you could feed a family for a week with all this food.”

“Don’t forget the drink,” Logan said. He pointed to the massive soda that anchored one corner of the tray. “I’m counting on you to eat most of this anyway.”
 

“Ha,” Callie exclaimed, but then she took her first bite.
Heaven
. She was in heaven. Their car must have run off the road and now she was in heaven, because this was the best seafood she had ever had. The fish was flaky and tender. The clam strips were delicious and the batter had just the right amount of crunch and salt, and who cared if it was all deep fried? It was blissfully good. Each bite seemed better than the next. Then there was the lobster roll. Light and sweet, it melted in her mouth. It was all perfect. She could have eaten a dozen of
 
them in one sitting. By the time Callie looked up, half the food was already gone, and Logan was smiling at her.

“You know, this might be the first time I’ve seen you eat,” he said.

“That’s not true. We had dinner on your boat, or have you already forgotten?”

“That was different. You picked at that. This you devoured. I like women who eat in front of men. God, if I have to watch another woman eat half a salad and declare herself full.”
 

Callie looked down at all the fried food. She’d probably be eating nothing but salads for the next week to make up for the meal, so she might as well make it worth her while. “Watch out, you might get what you ask for: a bunch of women with big appetites and bigger hips.”

“I like your hips the way they are, and, if eating like this is the key to your figure, please keep it up.”

The truth was, Callie could barely eat another bite. Ok, maybe she could find room for a few more clam strips. After another several minutes, she took a long sip of coke and declared herself full. “I feel like we’re in high school,” she said. “Eating fast food and drinking soda. It’s nice.”

“Yeah, the high schooler we visited today knocked up his teacher,” Logan said as he took the tray from Callie and popped a fried clam into his mouth and looked Callie over as he chewed. “If you want to pretend to be my teacher, I won’t protest. I’ve always had a thing for women in positions of power.”

“Let me guess, most of those positions are on top of you?” Callie said with a laugh.

“Look at you,” Logan said,
 
“only a few weeks under my wing and you’re already worse than I am.”
 

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Callie said, taking a napkin and wiping her mouth.

Logan finished off the last of the clams and tossed the rest of the tray into the trash. “Come on, it’s a beautiful night. Let’s walk.” He stood up and offered his arm to Callie, and they headed down the street together. Callie rested her head against Logan’s shoulder as they strolled in the moonlight. “Thanks for letting me tag along,” he added.