21

Oh shit, had I gotten it wrong?

Since I came down the stairs to meet him in the hall, Logan hadn't budged. Only a few seconds had passed, but the way he was staring made it feel like an eternity instead. When he'd told me we were going on a date to a fancy restaurant, I'd tried talking him into choosing somewhere less public. The last thing I wanted to do was embarrass him in front of others, but he'd insisted.

Had I already screwed up by not dressing the part?

How could he look even better dressed up stuffier than usual in a dark blue-and-black tailored suit? Nothing like my outfit, which I'd been proud of a moment ago. The cheap thrift shop find—a sheer black lace top with ruffles at the end of the sleeves—and my only pair of decent black pants seemed woefully inadequate.

Oh shit. Logan was wealthy. His house, his car, his expensive clothes—everything about him screamed he had money. How had I never noticed?

A lump formed in my throat as the old insecurities resurfaced. What was he doing with someone like me? He had his whole life together while I couldn't find my marbles. Crowe had money. I was sure of it, and if I asked, he wouldn't hesitate to buy me a new wardrobe, but Crowe's money was his, not mine.

"Do you want me to change?"

Run away.

You're not good enough.

This date will expose how wrong you are for him.

You? Date a doctor?

A hollow laugh echoed in my head. That voice. It sounded like hers…my mother's when she taunted me. Somehow the bruises at my father's hand had hurt less than her cruel jabs.

"Bloom?"

I blew out a deep breath and brought Logan's face into focus. "Yeah?"

"I said you look beautiful. Why would you change?"

"You…like it?"

"I do." He bridged the gap between us and touched the ruffles that made up the high turtle neck. His hand didn't linger longer but fluttered over my torso as though in awe, touching my body wherever fabric met skin. "The truth is you'd look good in anything, but this suits you remarkably well. This top reminds me of you—delicate, feminine, and so goddamn pretty you take my breath away."

A second passed, then another. I waited for the familiar anger to rise at the thought of someone calling me those words I never associated with myself. I was a tough, hardened criminal. The scars and calluses proved it. But an unexpected warmth spread through me and more so when I looked up in his eyes.

Logan meant it. He meant every word.

I laced my arms around his neck and pressed my body against his. "You're the only one who uses those words to describe me, and I don't think they make me sound weak or less than."

Logan slipped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer, and rested his chin on top of my head. "You've got to be the strongest person I know for all you've been through."

Dammit, I finally understood what that twin meant about seemingly offensive words having a different meaning when said by someone who genuinely cared about you. Had any of the bikers called me delicate, I would have punched them in the mouth. But Logan made me feel strong without losing my bite.

"Bloom." Logan held me away from him. "I know you're nervous about me taking you out on a fancy date, but look at you." He tugged me over to a mirror in the hall. "Can you blame me for wanting to show off the most stunning guy I've ever been with? I'll never want to keep you hidden away."

Logan placed a gentle kiss on the back of my neck. He thought I looked good, but all I could stare at was our reflection in the mirror and how amazing I looked against him. He stroked my stomach absentmindedly, and I blew out an aroused breath. I reached back and stroked his fly. "I don't mind staying home."

Chuckling, he removed my hand from his crotch. "Haven't you had enough yet?"

I spun around. "Never." How could I? This man was the fire burning inside me. He sustained the breaths coming out of my lungs. He was the reason for my living. Without him, how could I be?

He rubbed the back of my cheek with his hand. "Oh, I almost forgot."

He opened his jacket and took out a rectangular velvet box, which he handed to me. "Don't bother asking what's in it when you can look."

I grinned. He'd taken the words right out of my mouth. I opened the box. A bracelet? I took it out and held it closer for inspection. The green and pale yellow gems didn't match my usual style, but the alternating leaves of gold and gemstones were interesting. "When did you buy this?"

"When I told you I had to run an errand and you were pouting because I wouldn't let you come."

"Well, you did make me come."

He took the bracelet from me with a smile. I hadn't understood why he wanted to go out so soon again after coming home from grocery shopping and had refused to let him go, so he'd done that thing with his tongue, working my body into a puddle, then left. My body had hummed for hours, and when he'd returned, I lay in the same spot on the couch with my pants still around my ankles.

"I know it's not your style." Logan slipped the bracelet on. "But I thought it was fitting for you when the jeweler explained the significance behind the design."

"It's just a bracelet."

"True, yet it's more than that. You see, the leaves symbolize the growth you've gone through. It's to remind you that when it seems as if you still have a long way to go, to look back and see how far you've come. The prehnite has protective capabilities. I'll always be here to protect you, and I hope you remember that, even when I'm not physically with you. You don't have to be alone and take on the world on your own anymore. You've got me now." He touched another stone lightly. "This one is a smoky topaz, which is to ground you and instill balance whenever you feel yourself losing control."

A lump formed in my throat. He'd chosen something so deliberate and meaningful that all I could do was stare at him in awe. How was this the same man who'd rejected me?

He kissed the back of my hand. "If you don't like it, I can get you something more in line with your style, but when I saw this, it reminded me of you."

"No. I love it. I'll wear it all the time. Thank you." I hated that the long sleeve covered it, but at least I knew it was there.

Logan and I drove to the restaurant in his car. I didn't even put up a fight when he told me I couldn't ride my bike. I kept touching the bracelet, and whenever I did, I smiled for no reason other than knowing Logan cared about me.

He opened the car door for me. I got out but tugged on his hand when he moved. "Logan."

"Hmm?"

"Before, when I thought maybe you gave in to me because you wanted my body, I was okay with that. I didn't care if I needed to give it to you several times a day to make you happy. But it's not just the sex, is it?"

He rubbed a thumb over my bottom lip. "If it was just the sex, I wouldn't have touched you. I can get sex easily, but someone like you doesn't come along very often."

We entered the restaurant hand in hand. Maybe I gawked. I had never been inside such a beautiful place. Diners, bars, and drive-thrus were pretty much what I was used to, but nothing like this, with pristine, white linen tablecloths and a grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

Soft, romantic music played in the background, blending with the low hum of conversations. A hostess, a beautiful older woman close to Logan's age, greeted us with a smile that made me worry for a second, but Logan didn't let his eyes linger on her and kept glancing at me as if checking I was okay.

"Mr. Collier. This way, please." We followed her through a maze of tables. Heads turned in our direction. I was out of my element. When I faltered, Logan steadied me with a soft smile, bolstering my confidence.

The hostess brought us to a table by the window overlooking the city—the nice part of the city—with its amazing skyline dotted with skyscrapers. Everything was incredibly beautiful, and a shiver of excitement coursed through me. I'd wanted to be with Logan, but I'd never imagined us going on a date. Who would take a wild, rabid monster like me to someplace so elegant?

Logan pulled out my chair and gently guided me into my seat. He sat across the table, his dark eyes never leaving mine, as if nobody else mattered except for us two.

"A waiter will be with you shortly," the hostess said. "Enjoy your evening."

"Thank you," Logan replied.

"She's very beautiful."

"I didn't notice." Logan reached across the table and took my hand. Sparks shot up my arm. "What do you think?"

"This place is out of my league. I don't want to embarrass you."

"Hey, don't go getting nervous on me. What's the worst you can do?"

"Use the wrong knife and fork, which I'll probably do anyway."

"It all takes the food to the same place, doesn't it? Relax. We're here to have a decent meal and talk. Isn't this nice? Just the two of us?"

I knew exactly what he meant. The restaurant was almost at full capacity, but it felt like we were the only ones here. Relaxing, I allowed him to order for me. I learned he was a vegetarian, something I should have already known.

The meal was delicious. I took Logan"s cue for what fork to use. As someone who never cared for my vegetables, I was surprised when I found the grilled asparagus, roasted bell peppers, and portobello mushrooms quite tasty. I wouldn't eat it every day, but it wasn't as horrible as the names sounded.

Throughout dinner, we talked a lot. He had a way of making me feel relaxed until I forgot where we were and that we weren't alone. I didn't mind getting out of my comfort zone when I was with him. I shared some tidbits about the club, but mostly he regaled me with stories about his work and his vacations in Europe. His trips sounded great.

"I have my next vacation in a couple of months," he said. "I'll take you with me to Greece."

I'd never thought about Greece, but Logan had been there, and he made it sound exciting.

"I can't go."

"Why not? It doesn't have to be Greece. We can go somewhere else."

"I can't go anywhere. Logan, on paper, I don't exist."

"Dammit, that's right. I'm sure there's something we can do. You can't spend the rest of your life without an identity. That's just wrong."

I shrugged. I didn't have the faintest clue how to go about any of that. "It sounds like going through a lot of trouble."

"But you're worth it. I'll look into it."

"But Crowe—"

"Bloom, I know you hold Crowe in high regard, but this isn't about him or the biker club. This is about proper identification of who you are. Everyone deserves an identity regardless of the situation of their birth, and no one should deprive you of that. I get why Crowe did it, but I can't approve. There are always ways to get around the red tape. Let me worry about it."

When dinner ended, I loathed leaving the restaurant. I loved spending time with Logan and talking to him. It was nice doing something normal, something everyone else seemed to do on a regular basis but I didn't.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Logan asked as we waited for the server to return with his credit card. The price of the meal was way too high, but Logan hadn't batted an eye, so I didn't mention it.

"I did." The urge to get up and sit in his lap was strong, but I didn't want to ruin the night with my neediness, so I clutched my hands in my lap. "I like this—going on a date with you."

"Then how about we make date night a regular thing? I may not have much time because of work, but when I get off, I'd like to spend it with you. Will you stay over on those days?"

"I was planning to anyway."

"Of course you were." Logan leaned forward, and I met him halfway, elated he didn"t mind kissing me in public. His hand was gentle against my cheek, and his lips were insistent on mine. I wasn't ready for the night to end.