Pheromonal: One Night With the Alpha-Chapter 76: Startled Awake

For once, I’m not dragged down to the station to give my statement.

Officer Lloyd writes everything on her notepad, assures me they’ll keep in touch, and heads off, leaving my apartment in peace once again.

Logan closes the door behind them all before wrapping his arms around me, nuzzling his face into my hair. "You okay, sweetheart?"

I nod, my body melting into Logan’s embrace. His arms feel like a sanctuary, shielding me from the chaos that’s become my life. The warmth of his chest seeps through my clothes.

But reality creeps back in, and I can’t help but wonder why he’s here. I tilt my head up, meeting his gaze. "Not that I’m complaining, but what brings you by at this hour?"

Logan’s fingers trace lazy circles on my back. "Spent all night with Marcus, going over the defense strategy."

He’s not answering the question, but I’m too tired to bother pointing it out. "That must have been exhausting."

"It was." He sighs, his breath ruffling my hair. "But honestly? I just wanted to see you."

My heart skips a beat at his words, then a nagging suspicion tugs at the back of my mind. I pull back slightly, eyeing him. "Logan... were you planning on sleeping here?"

His lips curve into that disarming smile he’d be able to trademark. "Is that a problem?"

I bite my lip, torn between desire and caution. "I don’t know. Is it?"

Logan’s hand cups my cheek, his thumb brushing across my skin. "Nicole, I’m not here to pressure you into anything. Being with you is my peace. After the night I’ve had, I could use a little of that."

That feeling of finding an oasis in the middle of a storm is exactly how Logan is for me. When my brain isn’t settled on more primal desires, anyway.

"Okay," I whisper, surprising myself with how easily the word slips out. "You can stay."

A soft kiss against my forehead. "Thank you."

Suddenly, I’m hyper-aware of every little thing out of place. A discarded shirt here, a stack of books there. It feels strangely intimate, letting him into this private space. And I didn’t clean for the occasion.

Logan doesn’t seem to notice or care about the clutter. He shrugs off his jacket, draping it over a chair. "Mind if I use your bathroom?"

I gesture in the direction of the toilet. "Go ahead."

While he does whatever he needs to do, I crawl into bed. No point in making it a big deal. He’s here, he’s staying the night. I’m tired. He can meet me under the covers.

I rub my face against the pillow, sighing in comfort as my body melts into the bed. The soft cotton caresses my cheek, and the tension in my muscles finally lets go.

My eyelids grow heavy.

Just as I’m drifting off, the mattress dips. Logan slides in beside me, his warmth radiating through the sheets.

"Nicole?" His voice is a low rumble in the darkness.

"Mm?" I manage, not quite ready to form words.

His hand finds mine under the covers, fingers intertwining. The touch sends a small jolt through me, momentarily chasing away the fog of sleep. "Thank you for letting me stay."

I squeeze his hand in response, too tired for anything more elaborate. He shifts, getting comfortable, and I feel the brush of his leg against mine. It’s innocent enough, but my body reacts, a warmth spreading through me that has nothing to do with the blankets.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he murmurs, his breath tickling my forehead.

I want to respond, to say goodnight, to acknowledge this moment. But exhaustion wins out, and I feel myself slipping under, Logan’s steady breathing a lullaby in the quiet room.

* * *

Something warm and soft brushes against my calf, pulling me from the depths of sleep. My brain, still foggy with exhaustion, struggles to make sense of the sensation. It travels higher, tickling my knee.

"Logan, stop," I mumble into my pillow. "Too early for that."

The warmth persists, inching up my thigh, tracing patterns on my skin.

"Seriously, knock it off." I groan, burrowing deeper into the blankets. "I’m tired."

The sensation creeps higher still, reaching my inner thigh. Irritation flares, chasing away the last vestiges of sleep.

"I said stop!" I snap, kicking out my leg and sitting bolt upright. "What part of ’I’m tired’ don’t you under—"

The words die in my throat as I blink, taking in the empty space beside me. Logan isn’t there. The sheets are rumpled, but cold.

"What the hell?"

Something tickles my inner thigh again, and I yelp, throwing off the blanket. A tiny ball of white fur tumbles onto the mattress, letting out an indignant mew.

I stare, dumbfounded, at the kitten now padding across my lap. Its impossibly blue eyes peer up at me as it lets out a purr that seems far too loud for such a small creature.

"How..." I trail off, my brain short-circuiting as it tries to process this new reality. Two very important questions war for dominance in my mind:

How did I not realize this wasn’t Logan’s hand? The difference between human fingers and tiny kitten paws seems pretty damn significant.

How the fuck did a fuzzy wuzzy baby cat of impossible cuteness get into my bed?

The kitten, oblivious to my internal crisis, headbutts my hand and purrs even louder. Despite my confusion, I can’t help but smile at its audacity.

"Well, aren’t you forward?" I mutter, scratching behind its ears. "At least buy me dinner first."

A chuckle from the doorway startles me. I look up to see Logan leaning against the frame, a steaming mug in each hand and an amused smirk on his face.

"Should I be jealous?" He asks, eyebrow raised. "Seems like you’ve found a new bedmate."

I narrow my eyes at him, even as the kitten climbs onto my chest, demanding more attention. "Care to explain why there’s suddenly a cat in my apartment?"

Logan’s smirk softens into something almost sheepish. He crosses the room, setting the mugs on my nightstand before perching on the edge of the bed. The mattress dips under his weight, and the kitten lets out a startled mew before burrowing into the crook of my arm.

"I went for a run this morning and found it, huddled in a wet cardboard box. So..."

I look down at the now-dry ball of fluff purring contentedly against my skin. "So you brought it here? Without asking?"

Logan has the grace to look slightly abashed. "You were sleeping so peacefully, and I figured..." He trails off, shrugging. "I don’t know. I guess I thought you might like the company."

"The company," I repeat, my tone flat. "You thought I’d like waking up to strange paws crawling up my leg?" But despite my annoyance, I snuggle the ball of fluff into my chest protectively.

"When you put it that way, it does sound a bit questionable," Logan concedes. He reaches for one of the mugs, offering it to me. "Peace offering?"

The rich aroma of coffee wafts towards me, and I grudgingly accept the mug, even as I shoot him a displeased stare.