The Long Road Home Read Online Free Page A

Oh, yeah. How could she forget those muscles, that flat stomach, the gentle power in his hands as he held her for each dance? She hadn't, in all honesty. Just tucked the memory away until they crossed paths again.
    "How on earth did you get a job as a condom tester? And what, pray tell, does that involve." The corner of his mouth hitched up.
    "I read a listing of local jobs, applied, and to my amazement, they hired me."
    "Uh huh."
    "They liked my biochemistry degree. You have to have an understanding of the compounds and components in order to discover why tests fail. Besides, someone has to come up with new ideas on colors, flavors, thicknesses. All that involves some basic chemistry and understanding of how molecules bond and react in certain environments." She grabbed her glass and took a long drink. "It's pretty interesting, truth be told. The company is good, my boss is easy to work for. No complaints from me."
    "You're the reason condoms don't break and glow in the dark ones are sold at every novelty sex store?"
    Gwen's face heated. "Not me, per se. But, yeah."
    He smiled wide enough to show teeth. "Glad you're on the job. Condom breakage is bad, and glow in the dark condoms are a riot."
    She rolled her eyes and continued with her meal. Logan always had a wicked sense of humor; she recalled that particular trait from her weeks as his dance partner. He had flirted outrageously at times, teased, and poked his nose into her social life, what little there was at the time. Quickly, she'd picked up that all the outgoingness and flippant playboy attributes were simply part of his personality. He was inquisitive, quick-witted with a dirty mind, and a natural philanderer. Something she didn't realize she missed in her mundane life until now.
    "How much do condoms stretch anyway?" he asked while shoveling in a hefty spoonful of mashed potatoes.
    "You'd be surprised." She grinned at him and dug into her vegetables.

Chapter 7
     
    Gwen sighed and tossed the dirty dishrag back into a sink full of soapy water. "We did it. Holiday meal eaten and put away, and we still have power." By the chime of four am, they had finished eating, picked up the mess, put the dishwasher to going, and set the kitchen to sparkling. She considered the task not only accomplished but a flying success.
    Ice pellets pattered against the window, reminding her of the storm's fury outside, their electricity held in a fragile balance of power line strength versus weight of the building frozen precipitation. From all accounts, Mother Nature would win. It was just a matter of time.
    Logan walked over, dug around in his duffel bag, then returned with an item in his hand. Opening his palm, he presented her with a small candy cane. "Merry Christmas, Gwen." He grinned at her, full of boyish charm.
    "Thank you." Gracefully, she accepted the traditional treat, shooting him a genuine smile while racking her brain as what she could give him on such short notice. "Oh, I have something for you." Scurrying over to her purse, she frantically dug through, searching for something, anything to reciprocate Logan's thoughtfulness. Her fingers brushed against foil. Without thought, she plucked the items out, walked over, and held out her hand. "Merry Christmas."
    He glanced down at her outstretched palms, a slow grin appearing on his face as his lips twitched. "Condoms?"
    Heat blasted across her cheeks. "Special holiday condoms. Candy cane striped."
    Reaching out, he picked up one package, turning it this way and that.
    "Extra-large, too."
    His gaze lifted and locked on hers. She squirmed. "Not that I checked out your… package, but, well, it just seems reasonable that a big man like yourself would have big endowments."
    His eyebrow shot up as a full-blown smile covered his face. "You learned this in biochemistry class?"
    "No. A human sexuality class taken over the summer." Gwen shifted her weight from foot to foot.
    Logan stared at her with twinkling blue eyes. "What else did you