A Barker Family Christmas by Juliana Stone Read Free Book Online Page B

less time than it took him to drive across town to his shop. Dressed in dark navy slacks, a cream button down shirt underneath an indigo V-neck, he looked suitable for the gorgeous woman waiting for him. His good leather dress jacket hung by the door and he slipped into it, smiling at the look of pleasure in her eyes as she came from the kitchen.
    “Will this do?” Logan asked.
    “Totally,” she replied, slipping her hand into his. “Let’s go.”
    “Where exactly are we going?”
    “Twisted Lemon.”
    “Twisted Lemon,” he repeated slowly.
    Billie halted just outside of his truck, for the first time a bit unsure. “We love the Twisted Lemon.”
    “We do,” he said sliding into the truck. “But it’s in the city and the storm hit them worse than us.”
    “Whatever, Forest. I don’t want to hear any negativity. This is our night.” Billie slid in beside him. “Besides, the storm’s been over for nearly twelve hours. I’m sure the roads are good.”
    Except the roads weren’t at all good, and a bad accident had the interstate down to one lane for well over half of the distance it took to get to the city. By the time Logan parked his truck at the Twisted Lemon, they were over an hour late for their reservation. Billie had called ahead, but even so they had to wait for nearly half an hour longer until a table could be readied.
    “Hey,” he said softly, bending low to Billie’s ear. He knew she was tense and more than a little upset that things hadn’t gone smoothly. “Let’s just go with it. No worries. It’s you and me, all right?”
    With his hand at the small of her back, the two of them followed the host to a private table tucked away in the corner. Logan’s hand lingered on the back of Billie’s neck as he pushed in her chair and when he sat across from her, he knew by the look in her eyes, she was remembering another night. A night when his whole world had changed.
    “Our first official date was here,” she said slowly, taking a sip of wine. “Remember?”
    Logan nodded. “Billie, everything about that night is burned into my brain. I can still remember how sweet you smelled. How hot you looked.” Her eyes smoldered, and he had to take a moment. She really was the most beautiful, intoxicating, and funny woman that he’d ever met. Sure, she could be opinionated and stubborn and argumentative as all hell, but it was the fire inside of her that he respected. It was the fire that he craved and when she brought it into the bedroom, well…
    “I really liked the way the night ended,” he said with a grin.
    She snorted. “Uh huh. If I remember correctly I passed out on your bed because I drank too much wine.”
    “You did. But the morning after was pretty damn hot, so I didn’t mind so much.”
    She giggled and Logan Forest knew that if he lived to be a hundred years old, he’d never get tired of hearing that sound.
    “Was it now,” she said throatily. “Maybe we should ask Weird what he thought.”
    “I could. That damn cat has watched us have sex more times than I’d like to admit.”
    A throat cleared and they glanced up, Billie blushing, Logan grinning at the expression on the server’s face.
    “Our cat’s a pervert,” he said.
    The server, Beth, according to her nametag, arched an eyebrow. “And its name is Weird?”
    “If you saw the cat, you’d understand.”
    “Okay,” Beth said with a laugh. “What can I get you two?”
    Logan glanced at the menu and they ordered an appetizer—Billie had a weakness for deep fried pickles—and the steak and lobster special. Christmas carols piped through the full restaurant, the decorations were spot on, and as he watched the woman across from him, Logan settled back, thinking ahead to all of the things he was going to do to her in—he glanced at his watch, it was just after nine—under three hours.
    “So, Billie.”
    She smiled. “So Logan.”
    “I plan on keeping to our schedule.”
    Her eyebrow shot up. “Schedule?”
    He