Toxic: Logan's Story (Torn #4)(47)

“I think you’re right,” he murmured. “I spent almost all my teenage years chasing after her. I’d wanted her for so long that I didn’t even stop to think about how things felt once we were together. At that point, I didn’t care. Did you know I lost my virginity trying to make her jealous?”

I propped my head up with my arm. “Do tell.”

He frowned. “I was dating this chick, Angie, my sophomore year of high school. She asked me out, and I said yes because I was tired of waiting for Chloe to notice me. Angie was the kind of girl who would screw anything that moved. We were together for, like, a week, and then she started trying to convince me to have sex with her. I was sixteen and a guy, so naturally, she didn’t have to try very hard. I told Chloe what happened, hoping that she’d get jealous, but instead, she was excited for me. That stung my pride like a bitch.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at him. “Oh, Logan, you’re so f*cking cute.”

He looked at me like I was nuts. “I tell you a story like that, and you think I’m cute? You might want to get your head checked out.”

“I’m trying to picture a sixteen-year-old you. I bet you were even sweeter then than you are now.”

He frowned. “I’m not perfect, Jade. I know how you see me. I’m the nice guy, the guy who would do anything for anyone. I’m f*cked-up, too, though. I hope you realize that.”

It was my turn to frown. “I know that, Logan. We’re all f*cked-up one way or another. We’re human. I never said I thought you were perfect. I don’t want perfect. All I want is you.”

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. “Same here. I’m not sure how I ended up with you, but I’m not complaining.”

I fell back as he continued to kiss me senseless. The feel of his lips on mine made me forget the rest of the world. Apartment hunting could wait.



“Well, this one is definitely better than the last two. The door actually locks,” Logan said as he inspected the door in front of us.

Once we’d finally managed to crawl out of bed, we’d started our search for a new place to stay. Since we would only need it for a month or two, our choices were limited. Most places required us to sign a lease for at least six months. While I had the money to pay for it, I didn’t really feel like just throwing it away. I guessed spending years living on almost nothing could do that to a girl.

“So far, it’s a lot cleaner than the other two,” I said as I looked around.

We were standing in a tiny living room. The carpet was a dark brown, not a color I would choose, but it looked clean enough. A worn-out brown leather couch sat against the far wall. Besides a small flat-screen television and a dark brown table sitting in front of the couch, the room was empty.

I turned to the left and walked into a postage stamp–sized kitchen. A few cabinets, an electric stove, a refrigerator, a microwave, and a cheap-looking table and chairs were in the room. Unfortunately, the room was so small that it could barely fit even those things inside it comfortably.

I walked back into the living room and made a left toward two doors. I opened the first one to see a small bathroom. The next door was the one and only bedroom. The queen-sized bed made me like this place a little more. A dresser was sitting in the far corner next to a window. Two nightstands sat on either side of the bed.

Overall, the place was tiny and a little outdated, but it was clean.

“I kind of like it,” I told Logan as I watched him walk out of the kitchen.

“It’s a hell of a lot better than the others,” Logan said as he stopped beside me.

“I don’t think we’re going to find anything better than this. I say we take it.”

Logan fake-sniffled. “It’s our first home together. I think I’m going to cry.”

I elbowed him in the ribs, trying not to laugh. Then, what he’d just said hit me.

Our first home together.

He’d said it like there would be more after this one, like he planned on us being together for a long time. My stomach fluttered in excitement, but I forced myself not to get ahead of myself. I had no idea where Logan and I were going, and I didn’t want to think about it. If I did, I would remember that I had to leave him in two months…unless he would want to go to L.A. with me.

“I’ll go find the guy and sign the paperwork,” I said as I headed for the door.

I closed it softly behind me and walked back down the stairs.

The apartment was in a two-story building across town from where my sister was staying. Crossville really didn’t have a bad part of town, but it did have portions that had mostly lower-income families. The apartment was smack dab in the middle of the low-income side.

I reached the main floor and walked to where I’d talked to the owner of the building, Joe, earlier. I knocked on the open door before stepping inside.

He glanced up and smiled at me. “Did you like it?”

“It’s perfect and fits what I’m looking for. I wanted to sign for two months.” I sat down in the chair across from him.

Joe seemed like a nice enough guy. He was older, probably in his mid-sixties, with a big build. His skin had that leathered look someone gets from being out in the sun for years. His hair was snow white, and his eyes were a pale blue. For some reason, I didn’t think he was the type to try to rip me off. He reminded me of someone’s nice grandpa. Maybe if I were really nice, he’d give me cookies or some shit like that.