Author Note: Thank you all for reading/following/favoriting/reviewing and all of the above! Getting close to the end. :) 3 chapters left after this one! Enjoy!

Chapter 7: 24/Seven

It's been four days since James kissed me and I felt like my whole world has changed. It was one kiss. One small kiss, yet it meant the world to me. He didn't even bother trying to conceal his enjoyment of it, though he didn't make any moves afterward either. Instead we degraded ourselves into acting like little school kids crushing on each other, where we both know, yet neither of us is brave enough to make the first move.

Every time we accidentally bump hands, the both of us turn into matching red tomatoes. We have turn to avoiding each others eyes yet couldn't help but look at one another every chance we got.

I all of a sudden found myself taking twice as much time in the bathroom every morning, making sure every hair was in place and that I smelled delicious before I met him for breakfast. I found myself pampering him every chance I got. I even stooped as low as offering a foot massage one night while we were watching a movie.

Sure there's never been any doubt in my mind that I've always felt this way about him, but now that I knew there was a chance, I couldn't help but take the extra leap to put myself out there for him.

He on the other hand seemed as if he were seeing me as more than a friend for the first time. He acted so different around me. All of a sudden he was showing this shy side of him that I haven't seen since the day I brought him home to meet my family all those years ago. He even taken to apologizing for every one of his imperfections, such as burping and leaving his clothes all over the bedroom. Didn't he know those little imperfections are what makes we want him even more?

He was also nothing but smiles around me. I don't think I've ever seen him smile that much and of course when I see him smile, I can't help but smile as well. It's contagious.

That's when I found myself, four days after the kiss, watching him instead of the comedy he had chosen. We were both lying together on the couch. His head was in my lap as I gently ran my fingers through his soft auburn locks. Every once and in a while he would tear his eyes away from the television to look up at me and smile. It was about halfway through the movie when he did this for about the tenth time, that I found the courage inside me to lean down and kiss him.

It was a spur of the moment thought. My eyes widened when I realized what I had done. I went to pull away, but his soft hand caressed my cheek and pulled me back to him. I couldn't help but smile into the kiss. It was beautiful. Soft. Sweet. Gentle. Everything I ever imagined it to be.

He pulled away first and I turned my head and bit my bottom lip, trying to avoid his eyes. With his hand still resting on my cheek, he pulled my face down to meet his hazel eyes and he smiled at me.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered before connecting our lips once more.

This kiss was longer and I could feel myself loosing the last bit of self control I had left as I felt his tongue run along the outside of my bottom lip. I granted him access instantly, sucking on the wet muscle as it wrapped around my own. Feeling this surge of hunger and need, I soon found myself straddling him. He looked up at me surprised, but smiled before wrapping his hand around my neck and pulling me towards him.

This time it was heated and lustful with the clashing of tongue and teeth. I didn't know what came over me, but my hands made their way under his shirt. I ran them across his smooth abs that I've longed to touch for so long. He moaned into the kiss as I continued up his chest, brushing past his right nipple. The sound filled my ears and I longed for more. It was so beautiful and different from any other time I heard him moan during his many one-night stands in college.

Breaking from the kiss, I moved from his lips and attached myself to his chest. Kissing, licking and biting every bit of skin I could get at. It didn't take long for his hands to find my hair. The feel of his finger tips lightly massaging my fluffy locks forced out my own set of mews which turned to full blown moans as he began to tug when my tongue encircled his hardening buds.

Needing more of him, I made my way down his body, kissing his skin gently as I followed the thick course hairs that encircled his bellybutton before disappearing beneath his waistband. As I reached the top of his jeans, I reached for the button and was taken by surprised when he stopped me.

"No, Logie," he whispered in a low husky voice, his hands grabbing a hold of my shirt and pulling me up towards his lips once more.

"I was just-"

"I know, Baby. It's too soon. I can't do that-"

"What about all the whores you've brought home and fucked when you thought I was sleeping?"

"This is different, Logie. I don't want you to be like them."

I found myself speechless. Was it because I was me? I wasn't as beautiful as the women he usually brought home? The fact that I wasn't a women at all? Or was it going to come down to the lame excuse that he didn't want to ruin our friendship by being with me?

It was probably all of those. All- this- this was just him unable to control his hormones any longer. He never went this long with out getting some. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did. The only reason this was even happening was because I'm here and he has no other choice!

I could feel the tears flooding my eyes, threatening to fall. Not wanting him to see, I got up and ran.

"What's going on?" Kendall asked as he walked into the County Station's conference room, Camille right behind him, to find Sherriff Bitters standing at the head of one of the tables pointing to what appeared to be a blue print of a house.

"Good, Kendall, you're here. If you take a seat, we can begin," Bitters pointed towards the table which was already occupied by an arrangement of officers, both County and local.

Kendall took a seat in the empty chair beside Carlos, while Camille sat on the other side of him.

"What's going on?" Kendall whispered to his secret boyfriend who nearly shrugged his shoulders, not sure as well.

The county sheriff cleared his throat. He waited until all eyes were on him before he began, "I called you all here because of a break we made in the case. Earlier this morning, I received a call from a local law office in which our main suspect, James Diamond, had been affiliated with."

"We've already talked to his lawyer who hasn't seen him or talked to him since the incident of the school's vandalism his junior year," Kendall interrupted.

"I'm aware of that, Sheriff, but this lawyer doesn't deal with petty juvenile delinquent cases. It was an Estates Lawyer."

"James didn't own anything."

"Sheriff! Are you going to be interrupting me every time I speak?" Bitters shot back, annoyed by the out bursts. Kendall glared but shook his head. Leaning back in his chair, he bit his lip to remain quiet. "He was in contact with this attorney because he had come to the age in which he was to inherit his Mother's estate."

Kendall scratched his head at this. James never said anything about his mother having money or any property. He was just shipped off to his Aunt and Uncle trailer with a backpack full of clothes.

"They faxed us over a copy of the Will, which I've read over myself, and it turns out Mr. Diamond has inherited some real-estate," the county sheriff held up a picture of a beautiful farm house that sat on the edge of a lake, "Recognize it?"

"That's the run down shack on the outskirts of town," Camille pointed out. "It was the last place they were seen heading towards, yet when we got there, there was no sign of them or the car."

"Did you enter the house?" Bitters asked raising his eyebrow.

"It was all boarded up. There was no entry that we know of, and we would of needed a search warrant to enter it since it was private property and we had no plausible cause to obtain one," Kendall explained.

"Well here's your plausible cause," Bitters held up a file. "Turns out Mr. Diamond was making arrangements for the house. He had the heat and electricity scheduled to be turned on the day after he disappeared and according to his credit card statement, yes Kendall, he had a credit card, he made more than one stop to Home Depot to buy supplies which were needed to fix up the place."

Kendall's face heat up as he listened on. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all.

"He had a motive, he had a hideout and he had an accomplice," the county sheriff continued, "This was no act of self defense or even in the moment, it was in fact a well thought out example of pre-meditated cold blooded murder."

Kendall was sweating by now. The sheriff had come out with everything that was running through his mind. Everything he would go by if this was any other suspect, but this was James. His brother's best friend. He was more than a friend. He was family and now Logan's status had been changed from kidnapped to accomplice. This was beyond bad. There would be no way to save him now. Not legally at least. It wasn't looking good.

"This is a blue print I've attained from the clerk's office. It shows not only the shack, but the landscape surrounding it. In the files before you, you will find your assignments. As this is still considered a hostage situation, we can't just rush in there and start shooting up the place. You will all be going under cover.

"We will be staking out the house around the clock until we get absolute confirmation that they are in fact inside the house. Diamond is to be considered armed and dangerous, so take all necessary precautions. Mitchell's status has yet to be decided as to whether he was an accomplice or a hostage so until we know for sure, he will not be harmed in any way. Is that clear?

"When confirmation is establish, we will surround the house and give them time to give themselves up. If they choose not to do so, only then will we use force. You're schedules are listed in your folders. I want every bit of movement that takes place in or surrounding the house to be reported back to me immediately, and no one is to enter that house until I say. You are dismissed!"

It didn't take long for him to find me. I didn't make it very far before my tears overcame me and my vision was blurred. I made it as far as the porch where I sat curled up, crying into my knees.

He was quiet, but I knew he was there. Without hesitation, he sat down beside me, one hand on my back while the other rested on my knees and he began to speak softly.

"I'm sorry. Logan. I didn't mean to-"

"Just go away," I cried out, though I didn't bother to push him away nor turn away from him.

"Logan, please let me explain."

"Explain what, James? That you never wanted me in the first place? I'm just an experiment to pass the time while we're stuck here! Save it, James! I've had enough heartbreak for one day."

He was silent, though I could feel his tears falling onto my shoulder. When he spoke, his voice was shaky and- hurt?

"Is that what you think, Logan? That I'm using you? Do you really think I would hurt you like that?"

"Then why are you doing this to me, James? Why don't you want me?"

"I do want you, Logie!" James shouted back trying to get through to me. "I want you more than anything."

"Then why did you-?"

"'Cuz I've never felt this way about anyone before! It scares me, Logan! Do you realize what you do to me when you smile? How I get this electricity that runs through me when our hands just graze each other? How many nights I lay awake watching you sleep?"

"But those girls-"

"Were just a distraction! I never thought you would be interested in guys let alone me. You are all I can ever think about, Logan. I want to be around you twenty-four seven! I want to hold you in my arms and never let you go. I love you, Logan! I would kill for you!" My eyes widened at his last two statements and his mouth dropped as if he regretted what he had said.

"You love me?" I asked making sure I heard right. I needed to hear him say again. I needed to know he meant it.

"Yea, Logan. I do. I love you more than life itself. I always have."

The tears were falling again. This time I couldn't care less that he saw me. I wrapped my arms around him and started to kiss him like there was tomorrow.

"I-I- love you too, James!" I managed to get out before my lips found his. We stayed that way for a while until he pulled away.

"I'm sorry I pushed you away earlier, Logan. It's not that I don't want you. It's that, I don't want you to be like those girls. I don't want this to be a one-night stand. I want more than that. I want something-"

"Real?" I cut him off and he nodded. "This is real, James. You can have me and I'll still be around the next morning wanting more of you. I'm not going anywhere."

"You do realize you're in love with a criminal who's on the run from your own brother, right?" James chuckled.

I couldn't help but laugh with him, "Yea, I know," I said before grabbing his hand and leading him back into the house.

Author Note: yay it's Jagan! but the police are catching up... and it doesn't look too good for James. :(