Her Cruise Ship Surprise | ✔

Chapter Twelve

"Put me down," she cried, pounding on his back as tears filled her eyes. He didn't listen, of course. Instead, he lugged her through the boat and down the stairs, right to the door of their room. Without putting her down, he slid his card through the reader and opened the door.

Once inside, he tossed her on the bed. "Can't we just have a good evening without you losing your temper," he grumbled.

"So sue me for still being mad that you left me behind."

"What was I supposed to do? I wasn't in a good place, Mara. Why can't you understand that?" He was glad that he didn't blurt out the truth about what was keeping Anna busy. If he broke the news too early, he risked her hightailing it back home, never wanting to see him again.

"So you were in a horrible place for 11 years? I find that hard to believe." Tamara shook her head, waving him off with her hand. "Sorry. Never mind, it doesn't matter."

Sighing, Logan sat down beside her. "If it bothers you, it matters, hun. Do you know how many times I thought about you over the years?"

She shook her head again. Staying away from her was the hardest thing he did, but he knew that until he had found himself, he was worthless to her. Until he found a way out of the darkness that had become his life, he couldn't drag her into it. He had to tell himself that she'd found someone who was better for her than he was.

"Every minute of every day. Knowing that you were living your life, and that you were happy, is what kept me going," he said.

That's what he told himself anyway. Truth of the matter was that the longer he stayed away, the harder it was to return. He'd become afraid of getting rejected and he'd forced himself to move forward or at least tried to.

But nothing worked, no woman, no job could ever fill that spot in his heart. It took him 11 years to reach that point, be man enough to own up to his mistakes. And his work taught him to fight and that a life without purpose is not a life at all. And she was his purpose. He couldn't deny it any longer.

"I wasn't happy though. I was as lost as you were. Why couldn't you have let us figure it all out together?"

"Because I'm stupid," he said with a wry smile.

"That's the first right thing you've said all night," she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Oh, is that so?

"You know it!" she replied smartly.

"You know something else?" He rose up over her, pressing her down onto the bed.

Tamara went willingly. "What?"

"I'm ready to handcuff you again."

Her eyes filled with awareness and stubborn determination. "It's my turn this time."

"Fight you for them."

Tamara grabbed his crotch through his shorts, tightening her grip on his balls just a little. "You were saying?"

His member was already rising to the occasion to greet her hand. "You're a nasty lady," he grunted in a slightly high-pitched manner. But, in the end, he nodded willingly or, at least, he thought it was willingly. It was hard to tell with her squeezing his sack, making all the blood in his body rush to her hand.

Trading places, he was soon on the bed with her straddling him. She released his balls and reached for the cuffs on the bedside table. Getting up, she held a handcuff in each hand. "Strip for me," she ordered.

"Why don't we both strip each other down," he offered, sitting back up.

"I'm giving the orders here now, Mr. surfer boy."