Free Kairos by K.J. Coakley

go for now.
    “Okay. So where are we going?” I resume my earlier cheerful self, and he seems to relax a little. His shoulders loosen up, and his white-knuckled fingers let go of the steering wheel and resume holding my hand. The instant relief I get from the simple gesture is overwhelming. I tighten my fingers around his; he turns and grins at me and then winks. I snort and reach to turn the radio back on.
    “I told you it’s a surprise. And yes, we’ll be staying overnight. Don’t worry about clothes or necessities. I’ll buy you whatever you need when we get there.”
    Well, that answers the clothes question. He gently squeezes my hand and offers me a small smile.
    “The point of this trip is to have fun. I get the feeling that you’ve been overwhelmed recently. Your friend told Thad that you’ve had a rough go of it lately. So I thought that maybe I could give you a small break. Plus, this place is amazing, and you’re guaranteed to enjoy yourself.”
    He turns and looks me in the eye, and my breath catches. He’s so gloriously sexy, and when he turns the charm on, it’s raised to the tenth power. His eyes are sparkling, and his expression is relaxed but otherwise unreadable. I nibble my lip and nod.
    His eyes zoom in on my lip, and his tongue sweeps out over his. Then his eyes are back on the road, and I’m left feeling hot all over. My palms start to sweat, and I pull my hand from his to search through my purse for my lip gloss. I need a distraction from this man. His presence is so powerful that I find myself getting swallowed up. I’m beginning to realize that whatever power I thought I had over him was a brief illusion.
    Control has always been important to me, but I find myself relinquishing it to this man sitting next to me. I really don’t know him that well, but I’ve placed my safety, and frankly my peace of mind, in his seemingly capable hands.
    Game on! I’m ready for this. I need this!

    We pull up to a small country bed and breakfast at roughly one in the morning. It’s been a rather long drive, but we made several stops for food and bathroom breaks. We talked about school, jobs, and what my future plans are. He seemed fascinated about my writing, and I told him about my dream to become a romance author. He didn’t laugh or tease; he just listened. It was refreshing to not be taunted over my choice of genre. Most people brush you off when you mention romance novels and authors, but he seemed pleased with my ambition to write.
    I find myself drawn to him on more than just a physical level. Sure, he is the hottest piece of eye candy I have ever laid eyes on. But I’m finding there is a lot more to Logan than I ever thought possible.
    When I talk he hears what I am truly saying. He doesn’t nod and agree but listens and responds. He’s quick-witted and funny as hell. His laugh is as infectious as Tonya’s, and that is a rare quality to find in a man. A six-and-a-half-hour drive has taught me who Logan is as a professional and as the man himself. He doesn’t take himself too seriously, and he’s very aware that women see him first as the hunk he is and second as an academic…if they ever get past his bulging pecs.
    He’s very intelligent, and as we pull into the drive, he’s explaining the historic relevance of the bed and breakfast we’ll be staying in.
    The place is in Williamsburg, Virginia. It’s a very nice country estate, and even though it’s dark, the drive is lined with old-fashioned gaslights, and the house has landscaping lights surrounding it, so I can see everything pretty clearly.
    A huge white historical mansion stands out tall and regal in this country setting. Large white balusters frame the massive front porch that stretches around both sides of the house. The porch is covered and features swings, rocking chairs, and several padded benches. From the front view are two balconies that appear to be coming out of two separate upper-level rooms. Ivy curls up the side