Southern Charm Read online

  Shelby and Logan were so deep into their own thoughts they did not realize that Cassidy was off the phone and watching them.

  “Well, you could cut the sexual tension in here with a chainsaw,” Cassidy laughed smiling. “Why don’t you two get going? Have a great night.”

  “Oh, I am so sorry. Yes, are you ready to go?” Logan asked snapping out of his trance long enough to get close to her and extend his elbow for her to loop her arm; which she did.

  “Good night Cassidy. Thank you so much for all your help today.”

  Cassidy leaned in and kissed her on the cheek and waived her thanks off. “Oh, please, darling, you know I love you more than an 80-year old glass of cognac. Besides check out the look on his face right now,” Cassidy said laughing. As Logan and Shelby stepped out into the evening air, Shelby noticed Lance’s car parked in front of her brownstone. “Oh my gosh, you got Lance to leave you the keys to his baby?” Shelby said stopping and looking at Logan. “What did he have to promise you to get you to go out with me?”

  “Nothing, he left me the car because we have to sell it and that I am Lance and that we are intimately involved.” As Logan was talking he put his hand on the small of her back and was sliding his hand over her ass.

  Jumping back with her eyes wide, she squealed, “What are you doing?”

  “Now see, that is not going to work,” he said but staying close to her, “if we are involved, you would be very used to me touching your body wherever I wanted,” he whispered.

  “Oh, you’re right!” Shelby said nervously looking into his eyes. Logan had a rugged sexiness about him. Lance had always been very uniformed and tailored, but Logan had a style all his own. Tonight he was wearing a pair of black slacks with a light grey blazer and a white button down shirt and a grey 8-quarted cap. He always kept his mustache, beard and goatee closely groomed and he smelled like heaven.

  Clearing her throat, Shelby said, “So, what do we do now?”

  Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her close. “Well, I was thinking,” he said squeezing harder. “What we should do tonight is act like we are real; spending a romantic evening together tonight getting to know each other. That way we can be comfortable and just talk.” As he was saying the words, he was leaning in closer to Shelby. His mouth was now so close to hers that she could not tell if she smelled his mouthwash or hers. She was stiff as a board, standing there in his arms. Logan started with her face; kissing her brow, peppering from one side to the next, just using light kisses. Then he moved to her eyebrows, eyes, nose, cheeks and chin. He kept eye contact with her so that he could see her reactions. Next he kissed the side of her neck; nibbling along the cord; placing some behind her ears. He then stuck out his tongue and licked the inside of her ear lightly, chewing gently on her earlobe. Then he whispered, “Do you like that?” not waiting for a response because he didn’t think she could talk if she wanted to. He gently raised her hair away from the back of her neck and kissed her with some playful and some firm kisses. Breathing in, he caught a whiff of her scent. He was concentrating on her mouth now. Instead of rushing in to part her lips and stick his tongue down her throat, he took the time to consider her lips; to see their shape and marvel at them. He lightly traced the outline of her top and then bottom lip with the tip of his index finger. Then he followed the path with the tip of his tongue. Next, he picked a corner of her lip and indulged in gently nibbling, tugging, licking and sucking on her lip. He used their full wetness without being sloppy. He continued into the inner part of her mouth by touching, tasting, licking and making love to her mouth. As Logan slowly separated their mouths and stepped away, Shelby moaned at the loss of his lips on hers. “Mmm,” She said swallowing hard. Slowly opening her eyes she looked into his and said, “Ok, what do we do now?” Shelby realized that she was struggling to take a deep breath.

  Sliding his hand down her arms, he said, “I get to take a beautiful sexy lady to dinner and get to know her better.” He turned and walked her to the car and as he opened the door for her, they both heard a voice like it was coming from the heavens say, “Jesus that was so hot. Now, I need to go a watch some porn and spend some lady-time with my bedroom Khandi.”

  Shelby and Logan looked at each other and laughed.

  CHAPTER 4

  Logan and Shelby pulled up to Chez Onreí. It was the most expensive restaurant in Georgia. Shelby’s parents ate there all the time when they were not at the Country Club and Shelby hated it.

  “Um, Logan, what are we doing here?” Shelby said looking at him in the dark of the car.

  “Well, I figured I am taking a princess to dinner tonight. I have to take her where she deserves to eat,” Logan said to her snidely. He really liked Shelby and damn, She looked sexy tonight but he knew she was not going to forget that she was the princess and he was the pauper, no matter how much he could act like his brother.

  “Logan, have I said something to offend you?” Shelby said turning toward him.

  “What makes you say that? I would have thought you would be happy to be here being that you are so high in the cotton,” Logan said. Just then the valet came and opened her door, sticking his hand into the car to help her out. She was feeling like this was going to be a long night. As Logan came around the car he took her hand to walk inside the restaurant with her. Chez Onreí was the perfect setting to host a memorable event. Enclosed in etched glass accented by wooden coffered ceilings, the room reflects the understated luxury of the main dining room. Floor to ceiling windows grace the salon with ample natural light during the day and soft lighting in the evening and the use of warm natural colors adds to the ambiance of a truly exciting place. The salon can host from two up to ninety guests seated and can be subdivided to accommodate different configurations and seating plans for various party sizes and needs. Menu options carefully created by the chef and his team can be perfectly complimented with wine selections, together with a dedicated private dining team. Walking in the door they were greeted by the host. “Good evening, Shelby!” he said kissing her on the cheek. “You look amazing, darling.” He was looking at her like she was a glass of water and he had been in the desert for four days. She was not used to that look. “Your parents are already here. I will take you right...” Before he could finish Logan cut him off.

  “No, she is here with me. The reservation is under Lo… Lance Chandler,” Logan had almost given his real name. He had worked at Chez Onreí when he was a kid and the owners and the host had always treated him like crap. It would be so satisfying to see their faces, knowing that he was paying to have dinner here tonight and was with none other than a Beasley. Logan put his hand on the small of Shelby’s back as the host spoke to the waitress about where she should seat them. As they walked through the dining room, Shelby and Logan all of a sudden heard,

  “My Lord! Shelby, is that you?” The table they were passing was her parent’s regular table. Both of her parents were looking at her like she had grown a third head.

  “Good Evening, Momma! How are you?” Shelby said to her mother.

  “Well, what happened to you? You look like you located taste this afternoon!” Her mother said looking her up and down.

  “Sarah!” Her father said “You will not speak to our daughter like that in mixed company!” Of all her family members, Shelby was closest to her father. Although he always looked at her with what Shelby thought was shame, he loved her and would stop her mother and sister if he heard them go too far. Which was why they always acted differently in front of him. But her mother had so much disgust for Shelby sometimes she would slip up in front of her father.

  “Shelby, darling, you look lovely this evening,” Jackson Beasley said to her standing to embrace her. “Your dress is…. well a little much for this old man but you look very nice,” he finished holding her arms out so that he could get a good look at her.

  “Jackson, Shelby knows that I am just teasing her," Shelby’s mother said to him nervously.

  “Thank you, D
addy,” Shelby said smiling at him. “Daddy, this is Lance Chandler, my boyfriend. Lance, this is my Momma and Daddy, Mr. and Mrs. Beasley.” Sticking his hand out and looking them in the eye Logan shook both her parents’ hand.

  “Oh STOP IT Shelby!” Her mother said waiving off her introduction. “We know Lance. We have known him for years,” her mother said.

  “Yes, it’s good to see you, Lance. If I did not know better, I would have sworn that you were your brother, Logan,” her father said staring at him. “But you are way too well put together for that.”

  “Well…” before Logan could say anything else, Shelby cut him off.

  “Daddy, that is not fair. Logan is a good man. He has made mistakes; who hasn’t. But he is starting his own business now. He deserves the benefit of the doubt,” Shelby said.

  “I don’t doubt he would steal my purse,” her mother said taking a sip her martini.

  “Honestly, Sarah! I swear you have gotten too big for your britches,” her father said to his wife. “Shelby, you are right, I should not judge someone I do not know. Lance, you and your brother are definitely twins.”

  “It is an honor to see you again, Mr. Beasley,” Logan said in a tone laced with disgust. Things had indeed gone downhill.

  “Lance, I think our table is ready,” Shelby said taking his hand. “Daddy, I will talk to you tomorrow. Momma, enjoy your evening.” She finished grabbing Logan’s hand and pulling him toward the table. It did not get missed by anyone that her goodbye to her mother was not only brief, it was frosty.

  “Why do you allow her to treat you that way?” Logan said to her as they were seated. Logan had held out Shelby’s chair for her, which was a surprise to her. It was really starting to feel like a date.

  “Momma and I have a complicated relationship,” Shelby said in a quiet sad tone.

  “I am listening,” Logan said. Shelby looked around the restaurant at all of the Who’s-Who of Georgia, which Shelby saw at her parents’ home all the time. She could see them all staring at Logan even though they probably thought he was Lance. He was not one of them. Taking a deep breath Shelby turned to Logan.

  “Isn’t there anywhere else you would like to go for dinner?” She asked him not wanting to be here for another snooty dinner.

  Looking around, Logan said, “What’s wrong, little rich girl. Embarrassed to be seen with me?” while looking at his menu as if she was not even there. Taking in a sharp breath, Shelby pulled his arm forcing him to look at her.

  “That is the second remark like that tonight! What is your problem with me, Logan?” she whispered to him angrily. Leaning in to Shelby, he whispered, “I have a problem with people like you who think they are so much better than the rest of the world that they cannot even be seen with them. Yet, your own family treats you like shit,” he finished snatching his arm out of her hand.

  “You know what I have a problem with? People like you that think from looking at a person you can tell anything about them. You look down on those that you think are judging you when, really, you are doing all the judging. Let me explain something to you. I do not want to be here because I hate these places; with their pretentious food and people sitting around trying to one up each other from seeing each other this afternoon at the Country Club. I prefer a place like Jerry’s where I can have a beer, a good cheeseburger and play some pool. As to my relationship with my mother, I am a product of my father’s infidelity. My birth mother died giving birth to me. My parents raised me as their child. They think that I do not know, but I found out when I was ten,” Shelby said with tears in her eyes. She looked away from Logan for a minute, trying to pull herself together. Logan never knew any of that about Shelby. He knew that she had been treated as the odd man out but not the depths of her family secrets. “I....” he started to say.

  “You know, I can understand her having to raise another woman’s child and treating that child as if she was her own would make her indifferent towards me. But she is the only mother I have ever known. I wish she could see past how I came to be,” She said, standing up finally not able to control her tears. “Excuse me, I need to powder my nose,” Shelby said getting up to go to the ladies room. Once she walked away, Logan looked around at the restaurant patrons and realized she was right; everyone there was looking at each other competing without words. He looked down at the menu and saw that a Caesar salad was $60.00 and realized that it was probably a saucer-sized portion. Why had he assumed this is where Shelby would want to come to eat? Because she was like all the rest of the rich people in this town, wasn’t she? Logan sat down his menu and just then saw Shelby walking back toward their table. Her face looked so sad. The way her hips swayed made him want to pick her up and carry her home and protect her from all the sadness he could see on her face. As she arrived at the table, he stood up and put a $50 bill on the table and took her hand. “Come on, let’s go,” he said nonchalantly. Not shocked that he wanted to leave, Shelby walked as quickly as she could behind him in 6-inch stilettos. When they got outside the restaurant, Logan gave the valet his ticket, Shelby looked at Logan out of the corner of her eye.

  “Does this mean the date is over?” She said so low that Logan had almost not heard it. Turning to her, Logan placed his hand on both her cheeks and pulled her to him. Their lips met, their tongues passionately exploring each other's mouths. Slowly ending the kiss as the valet pulled the car up, Logan whispered into her mouth. “No, the date is not over. Not even close,” he said looking her in the eye. Taking her hand, he opened the passenger door for her to get in and went to the driver’s side.

  “Where are we going?” Shelby said to him. Logan put the car in gear and looked over at her. “To have some fun,” he said smiling as the screeched away from the restaurant.

  *******

  When Logan pulled into the parking lot of O’Flannigan’s, Shelby was relieved and all of a sudden felt very relaxed. Sitting in the dimly lit parking lot in such tight quarters, Shelby was all of a sudden very aware of how deep the V was on her dress and how her breasts sat so prominently in the center without having a bra on. Clearing her throat she started to say something to break the silence when Logan says,

  “Is this better?” smiling at her.

  “Much,” she said smiling. “I love their corned beef and cabbage here.”

  Chuckling to himself, Logan says, “I still can’t believe you know where places like this and Jerry’s are; let alone having actually been here.” He said looking out the window as some patrons came out of the pub.

  “How did you get such a negative opinion of me?” Shelby said turning toward him. “I mean you barely acknowledge my existence in school and when you came to visit Lance when we were in college, you made it very clear you didn’t like me…” Shelby was finishing when Logan cut her off.

  “What? When?” Logan said now turning toward her. “What are you talking about?” he said.

  Taking a deep breath, Shelby decided to be brave looking out the window. “I remember when you came for your last visit, we played a drinking game. Now, I do not clearly remember what happened once I got drunk but I do remember you telling me you hated me and all rich people and I better not hurt your brother,” she said looking down at her hand as she picked at her nails.

  “First of all, that is not how that visit went, and secondly have you thought I hated you all this time?” Logan said leaning his head to force her to look him in the eye.

  “What do you mean ‘that is not how that visit went’? I was there, remember?” Shelby said. Logan’s strong smell of sandalwood and orange cologne was enveloping Shelby, making it hard for her to think.

  “Shelby, I came to that campus that trip to see you. I had liked you for years and I thought it was time for you to know. But I was terrified myself so I suggested we drink. We had been drinking for a while when I finally tried to kiss you. Do you remember any of this?” Logan said looking at her in the dark with one yellow dim light shining behind him on the brick wall behind the car. Star
ting to get a fuzzy memory of what happened that night, Logan had kissed her, pretty passionately. Now she remembered and when he had cupped her breast, it had frightened her and she had pushed him and said, “No! How dare you?” Putting her hand over her mouth, Shelby snickered a little.

  “So you remembered?” Logan said looking at her seriously not thinking this was funny. Reaching out, Shelby touched Logan’s arm, realizing that he was very upset and thought she was laughing at him. “Logan, I am not laughing at you! I am laughing at how long this has gone on. I was a virgin!” she said to him smiling. “I had the biggest crush on you but was drunk and scared to death that you would feel all my fat. When you touched my breast, I freaked out. I was not saying you were not worthy. I do not even think that way.”

  “Wait, so you pushed me away because you liked me and were a virgin?” Logan said looking at her in shock.

  Shaking her head Shelby said, “Yes, I was so turned on by you and I was not used to that feeling. When you kissed me, I got a tingling in my lady parts that I never had before.” She started to laugh hysterically. They both laughed.

  “Lady part, huh?” Logan said looking at her.

  “Well a lady never says...” she stopped and looked around and whispered to him “pussy”! Logan roared with laughter joining in the amusement with Shelby.

  “Come on, Southern Bell, let’s get you some food.” Logan got out of the car and came around and opened her door. As Shelby was stepping out of the car, she lost her balance on her high heels and fell into Logan.