Redemption: Logan's Temptation Read online

  Praise for the writing of Liz Andrews & Lena Matthews

  Redemption: Logan’s Temptation

  Suppressed longings and explosive emotions abound in this powerful story about first love and second chances. Brimming with intriguing characters, sexy delights and a fun, small-town atmosphere, Logan's Temptation is a contemporary treat for the senses.

  -- Lacey Savage, author of Take on Me (Loose Id)

  Ms. Matthews and Ms. Andrews have written a tale of where a man from the wrong side of the tracks seeks reconciliation with his past, and small-town intrigue gets personal. Logan Crane also gets personal with the town librarian, Evie Gray, for proof that good girls have fantasies too! The ending left me wanting to know more, so I can't wait for the next in this gripping series.

  -- Lena Austin, author of Sex World 1: Assassin (Loose Id)

  Lurking behind the doors of this quiet town is intrigue … and sex … hot, sizzling sex. Just when you reached what appears to be a happily ever after ending, you're zapped with a surprise. The story isn't over ... Lena Matthews and Liz Andrews’ deceptively demure librarian and the prodigal bad boy are combustible in this tightly written novella. Looking forward to opening up some more doors.

  -- Jeanne Barrack, author of Amber Inferno (coming soon from Loose Id)

  If you like sexy alpha males, you'll love Logan's Temptation. This book is sizzling. Liz Andrews and Lena Matthews have a hit on there hands. I'm already anxiously awaiting the next book. This romantic suspense will keep you spellbound til the end and wanting more.

  -- Jeigh Lynn, author of Adventures of the Soul (coming soon from Loose Id)

  REDEMPTION:

  LOGAN’S TEMPTATION

  Liz Andrews & Lena Matthews

  www.loose-id.com

  Warning

  This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

  * * * * *

  This book is rated:

  For explicit sexual content and graphic language.

  Redemption: Logan’s Temptation

  Liz Andrews & Lena Matthews

  This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Published by

  Loose Id LLC

  1802 N Carson Street, Suite 212-29

  Carson City NV 89701-1215

  www.loose-id.com

  Copyright © April 2005 by Liz Andrews & Lena Matthews

  Excerpt of Jack’s Back copyright February 2005 by Cynnara Tregarth

  All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing, photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.

  ISBN 1-59632-109-1

  Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader

  Printed in the United States of America

  Editor: Ansley Velarde & Karen W. Williams

  Cover Artist: Scott Carpenter

  Dedication

  To Jacque -- without you this book wouldn't exist. Thanks for all your suggestions, your friendship, and your support.

  Also, we’d like to thank our editor Ansley, for taking two voices and turning them into one. Without your hard work and dedication, none of this would be possible.

  Prologue

  Logan Crane stood in the doorway, looking out the battered screen door, watching the gray sedan drive up the dusty road. His family had the only house down this dirt road, so whoever was coming, he knew was coming to see them.

  Hearing footsteps behind him on the worn wooden floor, he tensed up, flinching when he felt his mother’s hand on his back. His body was always in defense mode, ready for any type of attack, be it physical or verbal. But he had nothing to fear from her; she loved him despite what he did. It was the other person in the house he had to be wary of ‑‑ Mike, his stepfather.

  His mom and Mike had been married for fourteen years, but after all this time, Mike still never let him forget that he wasn’t Logan’s real father. His real father, according to Mike, was a deadbeat ‑‑ not like him, the great stand-up guy that he was. He was such a great guy that he had moved them to the outskirts of town because he wanted to get away from all the bad elements in River Bend, which was code for he wanted to keep his wife and girlfriend in two separate spots. It really was the stupidest of excuses, seeing as how the population barely hit two thousand, and that’s only if you counted the animals.

  Mike thought he was being slick about it, but Logan knew more than he let on, and he sometimes wondered if his mother did, too. Things had been really tense around the house lately between him and Mike, and it didn’t help that his mother kept standing up for that bastard. She acts like he shits gold, for Christ’s sake, he thought disgustedly.

  And, of course, his stepfather was out of work, again. Which was bad news for Logan because that meant Mike was home to pick and prod at him all fucking day.

  His mother tried to get him to just stay out of Mike’s way, but that was kind of impossible, seeing as how the bastard was just lying on the couch. If Logan so much as looked in his direction, Mike would get pissed off and start in on him, and that would upset his mom and his little brother, Steve.

  Lily, his ten-year-old younger sister, elbowed him in his side before squeezing past him to run outside. Reaching out, he tugged jokingly on her long blonde ponytail, causing her to laugh as she dashed into the front yard, followed closely by their collie, Precious. Smiling, Logan didn’t even notice when his mom moved around to stand nearer him. She was a petite woman, barely reaching his shoulder, with ash-blonde hair. Hard living had etched lines of disappointment and sadness around her mouth and eyes, making her look older than a woman of thirty-five should. Stepping around him, his mother peered through the dust screen. “Who is it, honey?”

  “Don’t know.” Pushing open the door, he stepped onto the rotting porch and shielded his blue eyes with his hand. There were two people in the car, both females from the looks of them. They were facing each other, talking with their heads slightly bent. The smaller one looked over toward him and said something to the driver, who motioned for her to get out of the car.

  As the driver opened the door, the passenger looked up at him, and Logan immediately recognized who they were. Muttering an expletive under his breath, he watched as his history teacher, Mrs. Gray, stepped out of her car, followed slowly by her daughter Evelyn.

  Walking out to meet them, Logan tried to head them off before they reached the porch. Mrs. Gray, as usual, was wearing a long floral skirt and long-sleeved white blouse. Her dress code never changed, not even in winter. She looked and played the part of the prim teacher that she was. With her chestnut hair pulled up in a bun and glasses perched regally on her pert nose, she looked as if she never got dirty. He often wondered if she had been like that as a child, neat and orderly. If so, she was surely passing on her traits of neatness to Evelyn, who stood as still as a frightened rabbit behind her mother.

  “What are you doing here, Mrs. Gray?” At seventeen, he was already over six feet tall, taller than a few of the teachers and most of the kids in his school. Slouching, he shoved his hands in his ratty je
ans pockets to lower his pants down some, so it wouldn’t be so obvious that they were years too small.

  “I guess I can ask the same of you, Logan.” She peered up at him from over her glasses. “Is there a reason why you haven’t been in school all week? I was coming out here expecting to pay my respects to your mother for your untimely demise.”

  “I’ve been busy,” he grumbled.

  “And, pray tell, what’s more important than your education?” She folded her hands primly in front of her. “You know this is the time you need to be hitting the books. You have SATs, and you can’t afford to have your GPA drop off right now.”

  Looking down at the ground, Logan prayed for it to open up and swallow him whole. Peeking up, he caught a glimpse of Evelyn, who looked like he felt. Uncomfortable. He could tell that she didn’t want to be here any more than he wanted her here.

  She was a lot like her mother, with glasses and brown hair, except hers was really curly and pulled back at her nape. She was a pretty little thing, although you couldn’t rightfully call her little. She was a tall, gangly girl, reaching to about his chin and just beginning to fill out. Many of the guys at school were interested in her, but those unafraid of her mother were put off by her shyness. Evelyn flashed him a nervous smile before looking away quickly.

  Wanting to keep this short to avoid rousing Mike’s attention, he muttered under his breath, “Look, my stepdad was laid off, and we don’t have any money for gas. It’s too far to walk, and I don’t have a bike.”

  “That’s why a good education is very important, Logan, so you don’t end up working at the mill,” Mrs. Gray said, adding hastily, “Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but you have real potential.”

  “Well, you’re the only one who thinks so.” Looking up, scowling, Logan’s blue eyes were filled with a mixture of pain and anger.

  “Now, that’s not true.”

  “Is everything all right?” His mother walked down the porch with worry in her eyes.

  Mrs. Gray turned to look at her. “Hello, Helen, how are you doing?”

  “Fine, Sally, and yourself?” His mother smoothed her hair nervously behind her ear, self-consciously trying to straighten up her appearance.

  “I was just talking to Logan about his attendance at school.”

  “Well, why don’t you both come in?” Helen smiled over Sally’s shoulder at Evelyn. “I have some iced tea in the fridge.”

  “That would be lovely,” Sally returned her smile politely.

  Evelyn trailed behind her mother meekly, pausing to smile at an irritated Logan as she walked past him.

  Entering the house behind the ladies, Logan glanced around his living room self-consciously. He seriously doubted that either Mrs. Gray or Evelyn had ever been in anything so meager or small before, and if they turned up their nose or slighted his mother in any way, he would make them regret it. But to his surprise, as Mrs. Gray sat down, she complimented his mother on the house. Evelyn even played quietly with Precious, who had followed them, interested in the new strangers.

  “I know that Logan’s been missing a lot of school, but we’ve had an unforeseen problem.”

  “I heard, and I’m sorry. But Logan, as I’m sure you know, is at the top of his class, and I would hate to see him get behind.” Accepting the glass of tea, she took a dainty sip, and then set the glass on the coaster in front of her. “And since transportation is the problem, I think I have the solution.”

  Logan couldn’t help himself from perking up. He wanted to appear like he didn’t care, but he liked school, and anything that got him out of the house was a great thing, in his mind. Helen paused slightly before sitting down in her chair. “Like what?”

  “Well, I’m more than willing to swing by and pick him up in the morning on my way to school. He’d have to be there a little early, but it wouldn’t be a bother.”

  “No, I couldn’t ask that of you.”

  Logan’s heart sank. It’s not like he wanted to ride to school with Mrs. Gray, but at least he would be able to get there.

  “Really, Helen, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

  “She said no,” a deep voice boomed from behind them.

  Logan tensed, fist clenching in his lap. Why did Mike have to show up now? He could have talked to his mom, gotten her to agree, but now that Mike said no, his mother wouldn’t dare contradict him.

  “Michael.” Helen nodded her head once in acknowledgement; the only sign of her anger was the tightening around her lips.

  Snorting, he walked over to the recliner and dropped down in the chair. Dressed in his blue jean overalls and white T-shirt, he looked every inch the poor slob he was. Two days’ worth of stubble covered his jaw, which was slack from years of drinking. His dusty red hair stood on end as if he’d just rolled out of bed. “I don’t know what he’s been whining about, but we don’t need any charity from the likes of you.”

  “Well, from whom would you accept it? Because I would be more than willing to go to them so they can offer Logan a ride to school.”

  Mike scowled at her. Pointing an unsteady finger at her, he bellowed, “I’m not going to be talked down to in my own home. If he wants to go to school so bad, he can get his butt up and walk.”

  “It’s over twenty miles,” Logan muttered under his breath.

  “It’ll do your smart ass some good. You think you got it so bad here, why don’t you get out? See what life is like out there in the real world, without your mommy wiping your ass.”

  “Better than her wiping my vomit.”

  Sitting up straight in his chair, Mike’s eyes narrowed to slits, anger radiating off him in waves. “If you don’t like it, leave. Nobody’s stopping you.”

  “Maybe I will.” Standing up, Logan noticed his mother wringing her hands from the corner of his eyes. Precious began to whine when the voices rose, pulling away from Evelyn. Lily, who had walked into the living room soon after her father, sat down next to their mother, leaning on her for comfort ‑‑ comfort Logan hadn’t felt in years.

  “Yeah, where you think you’re going to go? Nobody’s going to take in a snot-nosed punk like you.”

  “I will,” Sally interrupted Mike’s rant. “Logan is more than welcome to come with us.”

  All eyes immediately turned to Sally, who rose and walked over to Logan. “I’m sure a break will do everyone good. This way Logan can attend school, and you’ll be free from any added responsibility that you’re unable to handle right now.”

  Placing her hand on Logan’s shoulder, Sally offered him silent support. Turning away from Mike, he looked at his mother. Staring into her tear-filled blue eyes, Logan saw the despair and uncertainty in her eyes, and part of him died. No matter how wrong Mike was, she wouldn’t do anything about it. And there was no way he was going to hang around and be Mike’s whipping boy.

  “Maybe it’s for the best.” Lowering her gaze, Helen clutched at Lily as if afraid she’d be taken away, as well.

  A shout of laughter burst from Mike, who sat back in his chair and shook his head in mirth. “Hell, you’re welcome to him. You think you can do a better job, Sally? Knock yourself out, but don’t come looking for me when you don’t want him anymore.”

  Hatred filled Logan as he looked at Mike, laughing in his chair. Sally held onto Logan, tightening her grip as he tensed up, preparing to lunge at his stepfather. Squeezing her nails into his arm, she held him back. “Logan, why don’t you get your things? I’m sure you’ll want to leave some things here for weekend visits, but get the majority of your clothes and books.”

  Patting him lightly on his arm, Mrs. Gray released him, giving him her teacher-stare that brooked no arguments. Logan gave a short nod and walked out of the living room, passing his brother in the hall on the way to their room.

  “Where you going?” Steven leaned against the dresser, watching Logan pack. Steven was only thirteen, but he was a good kid. He looked up to Logan and followed him around everywhere he went. Logan would miss him, but ther
e was no way he was staying in that house any longer.

  “I’m going to be staying in town.” Logan grabbed the duffel bag from beneath his bed and shoved the few pieces of clothing he owned in it, not pausing long enough to go through the dirty hamper.

  “Are you coming back?”

  “Not if I can help it, kid.” Taking his most prized possession, his Buckeyes hat, off the dresser, Logan placed it on his brother’s head and pushed it down teasingly. “Take care of it for me, squirt.”

  Steven big blue eyes lit up as he playfully swatted at Logan with one hand while holding the hat to his head with the other. “I will,” he promised.

  Walking back into the living room, Logan was surprised to see Mrs. Gray and Evelyn still seated on the couch, drinking their tea as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

  “I’m ready.” Logan refused to look at his mother and Mike.

  “Wonderful.” Standing, Sally offered her hand to Helen as she sat holding onto a teary-eyed Lily’s hand. “You have my number in case you need to contact him. And just to let you know, whenever you want him to come out here, I’ll be glad to bring him.”

  While sadly shaking Sally’s hand, Helen looked over at Logan, who turned away and walked out of the house. Stalking down the porch steps, he waited at the car until they joined him. Getting in the backseat, he sat quietly on the drive over as Mrs. Gray and Evelyn chatted in the front seat. Pulling down the visor, Evelyn looked at him through the mirror, then glanced down when he caught her staring.

  The drive to town seemed to take awhile as he sat staring out the window. Pulling onto a street paved but not cluttered with houses, they turned into a farmhouse sitting back on several acres of lush green farmland.