Simply Scandalous (Simply Series Book 2) by Carly Phillips (non fiction books to read .TXT) 📗

“Where are we headed, exactly?” she asked.

“A small cottage on the beach. Another couple of minutes tops.”

“Small cottage?” She laughed aloud. “I can’t wait to see it.” Catherine eased back in her seat, anticipation warring with apprehension. As much as she couldn’t help but look forward to the few more hours they’d share, she knew one glimpse at his small cottage would cement the truth in her mind. They didn’t stand a chance.

They made the rest of the trip in silence. Catherine didn’t want to risk another near-accident by distracting Logan, and he seemed engrossed in his driving. He pulled onto a private driveway that ran parallel to the beach. At the far end stood a true beachfront home.

A Cape-styled cottage, it boasted typical New England charm with a single peak and ample windows but was smaller than Catherine had imagined. Much smaller, especially when compared with the Montgomery Estate.

He slowed the car to a stop and shut the ignition. Without the sound of the engine, the rain pelted loud and clear against the windshield.

“It’s humble but it’s home.”

A traditional Cape home right on the ocean, it was cozy and comforting, tempting and alluring. Like the man himself. She barely knew him, but she sensed she was in deep. She let out a long breath. Catherine Ann, you are probably in big trouble.

“Like it?” he asked.

“It’s incredible,” she murmured.

Logan glanced up toward the black sky and torrential sheets of rain. “I hope you mean it…” His potent gaze strayed to hers. “Because if the rain keeps up at this pace, we could be stranded. Beach roads flood pretty quickly around here.”

“I could think of worse things,” she said, her voice unusually thick. She bit down on her lower lip. Temptation to turn the radio back on warred with the desire to close off the outside world for as long as she could. Even if she did hear the weather report again, nothing would change whether they’d be stranded together or not.

Fate had just handed over her heart’s secret desire. A night alone with Logan Montgomery—if she was brave enough to take it. She shut her eyes and listened to the heavy sound of the rain beating against the windshield in cadence to the rapid pounding of her heart. In time to the building crescendo of need inside her.

A crash of thunder startled her, and she jumped in her seat. From their parked position far from the house, Catherine had a good view of the ocean and the waves crashing fast and furious against the shore. Having grown up in the city and with little time for trips to the beach, the notion of the undertow had always both frightened and intrigued her.

The angry waves rolled forward onto the sand, then retreated without warning. Sort of like the ebb and flow of desire between a man and a woman, she thought, and a violent tremor shook her body.

He placed a warm hand on her shoulder. “You okay?” he asked.

He obviously meant to reassure, but his touch had the opposite effect and sent her senses soaring. She needed to get out of this car and make a grab for sanity. “Can you pull a little closer?” she asked.

“I wish.” He slung one arm over the back of her seat. “Here, we’re on paved road. Beyond us is mud.”

She followed his gaze and stared out the window. Although visibility was awful, she realized he was right. “Okay. I’m a good sport. They say rainwater’s good for the skin and fresh air is even better for the soul. And besides, I’m wearing sneakers.”

He grinned. “That’s the spirit. I’d offer to race you, but the terrain can get pretty slippery when wet.” He got out of the car and came around her side to help her out. She held onto his hand. “Ready?” he asked.

Another crash of thunder broke the monotony of the rain and was followed by an unexpected flash of lightning. Her heart leaped in her chest. “I’m ready.”

The run for the house wasn’t easy. She sloshed through puddles, slipped on mud, and held onto Logan’s hand, nearly taking him down more than once. The rain poured on them hard and left them soaked. But by the time they reached the house, Catherine wasn’t miserable—she was laughing.

Just before Logan put the key into the lock, he paused and met her gaze. An unexpected, electrical connection sizzled between them, and in that moment, Catherine knew.

Trouble waited just inside the door.

Chapter Four

The storm raging outside was nothing compared to the one wreaking havoc inside of Catherine. She stepped inside the house and found both a haven from the rain and a look into Logan’s soul.

“Hang on a second. I’ll be right back.” He left Catherine standing in a warm and cozy den.

The room, like the house, offered a reflection of the man. The scarred, wood-paneled walls were as masculine as Logan, as welcoming as his personality. A beat-up brown leather sofa and old wood furniture lent a comfortable charm to the rustic interior of the house.

Although she lived in a one-bedroom apartment, she and Logan obviously shared a deep longing for hearth and home because the warm brown tones and coziness in many ways matched her personal taste and style. In fact, any one of her animal-print area rugs, throw blankets, or pillows would add spice and a bit of life to the already near-perfect atmosphere.

No formal entryways, marble floors, or crystal chandeliers in this home. And judging from the relaxed atmosphere, that’s what it was—a home, lacking in the luxury known and loved by the rest of the Montgomery clan. What kind of statement did Logan think he was making living in a place like this? Was he being deliberately contrary toward his family, or did he genuinely love the smell of the ocean and the cabin’s earthy appeal?

She couldn’t help but wonder what his family thought of his place of residence. She’d bet