Chapter 63

I shook my head as my eyebrows pulled together in concern. "What are you talking about?"
Logan bit his lower lip, as if trying to find the right words. "He told me that Craig paid him to kiss you. He also said that Craig knew I was there."
My heart slammed against my ribcage as if it had just hit a concrete wall. "He what?" It was just too much to take. "He's my manager, for heaven's sake!"
Logan cocked his head. "That's what he said. Is it true?"
I immediately rose to my feet. "How the hell am I supposed to know?!"
"Shush!" Logan said, looking around. "Everyone's looking "
"What cares?" I said, yelling at the top of my lungs. "I haven't seen you in months, and when I do, you accuse my manager of doing something to to "
"Get rid of me?" Logan supplied calmly. "Let's go somewhere and talk this out "
"Oh no!" I said as traitor tears streamed down my face again, but I wiped them away abruptly. "Logan, just leave me alone!" I turned to walk away.
"Alyssa, wait," he said, and then grabbed my arm again.
I wheeled around and slapped him hard across the face. "Go to hell, Logan! Just leave me alone! You didn't believe me then. What makes me think that you will believe me now?" Unable to take any more, I stormed off as tears coursed openly down my face once again. People I passed by looked on with concern, but I was beyond caring.
"Alyssa, wait " Logan yelled behind me again.
I broke into a run, crying uncontrollably as I ran through the automatic sliding glass doors. But I couldn't run far enough or fast enough. The pain was quicker.
"Allie " Logan grabbed my arm, turned me around, and then pulled me to his chest.
"How dare you!" I yelled as I pounded my fists on his chest, but he held me tighter.
"Allie, I'm so sorry "
"No!" I said, pushing away from him. "Don't you dare say that! You were so jealous that you wouldn't even hear me out! You wouldn't even let me explain "
"Allie," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "Imagine it from my perspective."
"What?" I asked, not giving an inch.
He let out a deep breath as he ran his hand through his hair. "I walked in and you were lip locking with some guy, Allie! What was I supposed to think?"
I glared at him as fresh tears coursed down my cheeks. "Well, do you remember the night we shared before?" I asked at the top of my lungs, not caring who heard. "You hoped I was pregnant! And you proposed to me!" I shook my head as I walked away, looking at the sky, and then turned back to him. "Your jealousy got the best of you, and you wouldn't even listen to me! After what we meant to each other what you meant to me you owed me that much!"
He bit his bottom lip as he placed his hands on his hips, waiting.
"What do you want, Logan?"
"You, damn it!" he said as he took a step toward me. "I want you."
I laughed without humor. "What? Do you think that you can snap your fingers and I'll come running back to you? And then when another misunderstanding happens, you'll turn your back on me again?" I shook my head. "No, thank you. I can't have my heart broken like that again, Logan. I wouldn't survive it."
"Allie, I love you " He took a step toward me with his arms extended, but I took a step back.
"You don't know the meaning of the word."
I turned to walk away, but he caught my arm and wheeled me around. He hesitated for a split second, and then his lips descended upon mine. I pushed away and beat on his chest, but his lips kept moving over mine in familiar ways, not letting up. Tears coursed down my cheeks as I finally gave in, growing limp and melting into his arms as my lips answered every question his asked.
His lips were suddenly filled with so much passion and love that I thought my heart would burst, receiving it all. The pieces of my shattered heart fell away onto the sidewalk until there was nothing left.
"Don't ever do that to me again," I said when I pulled back. "If you truly love me, then next time, give me the chance to explain."
He raised an eyebrow as a mischievous smile spread across his lips. "Next time?"
I pushed his chest playfully, but my eyes turned serious. "I won't take you back if this happens again. My heart just couldn't take it."
He nodded as he reached up and slid his thumb under my eye, wiping away my tears. "Allie. My dear, sweet Allie. I'll never leave you again."
As he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close, adrenaline coursed through my body. His lips descended upon mine as an electrical current overwhelmed me, awakening my dormant heart. I parted my lips for him and his tongue danced with mine.
"Hey. You want a taxi, or are you going to stand there and make out all day?"
I pulled back, smiling, and looked up. An impatient New York cabbie was standing beside his cab with the door open.
"That's her!" someone yelled behind me. I looked over and a young girl said to her friend, but was looking right at me. "That's Alyssa Case and the guy from Westward, Logan Ambrose!" Then, she started running toward us.
"Come on!" Logan said as he pulled me into the cab. "Step on it, Mac!"
"Where to?" he asked. Outside the window, three young girls were jumping up and down, looking through the taxi cab window.
"Anywhere!" Logan yelled as he threw a bill over the seat. "Just drive!"
The man picked up the bill. "Yes, sir!" Then, he sped away from the curb. "For this, I'd take you to the moon!"
I looked at Logan, puzzled. "How much did you give him?"
"Never mind," he said as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to his chest as his lips descended upon mine, and my body reacted as if we had never been apart. My body wanted him, only him. No other man had ever affected me this way and probably never would. "So, you're staying at The Plaza Hotel?"
I nodded. "Why? Where are you staying?"
A slow smile spread across his face. "The Pierre."
"No way," I replied. "Aren't you staying with your parents?"
He shook his head. "They don't even know that I'm here yet."
My eyebrows pulled together in concern. "Why not?"
He shook his head. "They would put pressure on me to give up the music, and I don't want to do that."
I nodded, understanding.
He looked at me through his eyelashes as he pulled me to his chest. "Come here and kiss me."
I smiled against his lips. "Your place, or mine?"
He laughed. "Mine. Definitely mine."
He touched my face tenderly at first as he looked into my eyes, as if memorizing my face, and then his lips descended upon mine, causing my stomach to flutter. His tongue darted past my lips, kissing me as the car sped through the city streets, filling me with so much passion that I wasn't sure if we were going to make it to the hotel.