Less-than-Innocent Invitation

by Shirley Rogers

  What had happened between the two brothers since she’d left? Had Bart followed through with his plans to leave Royal for good when he got his share of his inheritance?

  Following Rick to the back of his truck, she retrieved her bag, which held little more than her makeup and one change of clothing. Having tailed them from the celebration, Daniel parked his car behind Rick’s truck in the wide driveway. Melissa waited as he got out and joined them.

  When she’d agreed to this assignment, it had been with Daniel’s assurance that they’d only be in Royal for an overnight stay. No longer.

  And surely not as long as it would take to do a series of feature stories on Royal.

  Disgruntled at the turn of events, she debated letting someone else approach Logan’s door, then decided if she acted as though something was bothering her, it would make her coworkers more curious about her relationship with him. And after the way she and Logan had disappeared from the ball, the last thing she wanted to do was to give either Daniel or Rick anything additional to talk about.

  As she started toward the house, the door opened and Logan walked out. He was followed by a short, stout woman with rosy cheeks and a smile big enough to win over Snow White’s dwarf, Grumpy.

  “I see you made it,” Logan commented, centering his gaze on Melissa as he greeted the group. “This is Norah Campbell. Officially, she’s the housekeeper, but she’s really the boss. She keeps the place running smoothly.”

  Norah gave Logan a fond look, then smiled widely at them. “Welcome to the Wild Spur. We’re pleased to have you stay with us. We want you to feel right at home, so if there’s anything you need, please let me know.”

  Melissa extended her hand and shook Norah’s. “Hi, I’m Melissa Mason. This is Daniel Graves and Rick Johnson. We appreciate having a place to stay at the last minute and hope we haven’t put you to too much work.”

  “Not at all. It’s nice to meet you. I have your accommodations ready.” She nodded to Logan. “Why don’t you take the men to their quarters, and I’ll show Miss Mason to her room.”

  “Melissa, please.”

  “And I’m Norah. Let’s go inside. I’m sure you’re tired.”

  As she started to follow Norah inside the house, Melissa heard the groan of a car door opening. Turning back, she saw Rick and Logan get in Rick’s truck and Daniel climb in his car. Her heart began to pound as they started their automobiles, then backed out of the driveway. Turning to Norah, she asked, “Where are they going?”

  “Logan’s taking them to one of the guest cottages. You passed them on the way in. Come, let me show you to your room.”

  Melissa watched the vehicles drive away, then pull in several hundred yards from the main house.

  Why would Logan locate the men in one of the cottages, separating them from her? Did he want her in the main house to corner her? She knew he wanted to talk about why she’d left years ago, but she had no plans to let him have his way. No good could come from revisiting that emotional nightmare.

  “Logan thought they’d be more at ease in one of the cottages,” Norah added as they went inside. “We talked about having you stay in one as well.”

  “Why didn’t you?” Melissa asked as she took in the breathtaking foyer. Polished wood floors reflected light from a delicate chandelier hanging overhead and an antique grandfather clock stood watch in the corner.

  “He thought you’d be more comfortable here in the house.”

  Melissa didn’t believe that for a minute. Logan had always been as tenacious as a pit bull when it came to getting his way. Apparently that was one thing about him that hadn’t changed.

  As she followed the housekeeper, Melissa found the rest of Logan’s house as extraordinary as the foyer. All on one level, it was spread out, easily more than five thousand square feet. When they neared the living room, Norah stopped and Melissa stared in awe at its richness. Wide framed windows, a large flagstone fireplace and soft leather furniture gave it a comfortable, yet luxurious feel.

  “This is beautiful. Everything looks so different.”

  “So you’ve been here before?” Norah asked.

  Melissa realized her blunder and forced a smile. “It was a long time ago. How long have you worked for Logan?”

  Norah led them down another hallway. “I moved here about eight years ago. My husband passed away and my sister lives nearby and wanted me close to her. I was happy to get a job here. Logan was in need of help and I needed something to do.”

  “So you enjoy working for him?” Melissa asked.

  The housekeeper smiled. “Oh, I do. I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.”

  “He’s fortunate to have you,” Melissa commented.

  Norah shook her head. “I’m the lucky one. I never had children so I think of Logan as my son.”

  Curious to learn a little more about him, Melissa asked, “Is he difficult to work for?”

  “Oh, quite the opposite.”

  “Really?” She couldn’t stop herself from pumping the housekeeper for more information.

  “He’s awfully quiet sometimes and doesn’t go out much. I worry that he’s never going to find the right woman and settle down.”

  Melissa followed Norah into a bedroom and put her bag on the floor. Did Norah’s comment mean that Logan had never brought a woman here? She couldn’t help being curious about his past. She walked over to the bed and ran her finger along one of the fluffy pillows.

  “How lovely.” The cherry furniture was simple, yet elegant, the queen-size bed covered in a beautiful comforter of burgundy, teal and gold that matched the long drapes at the windows. Iron wall sconces with candles burned a delicate scent of vanilla throughout the room. She looked at the older woman. “Did you decorate it?”

  Norah shook her head. “Heavens, no.”

  “The room definitely has a woman’s touch,” she commented.

  “Logan hired a decorator to redo the entire house. He didn’t want anything here to remind him of his ex-wife.”

  Melissa’s gaze snapped to Norah’s. “His ex-wife? Logan was married?” she asked, breathless.

  “Only for about a year from what I’ve heard. He doesn’t mention her very often, well, truthfully, pretty much never.”

  “When was he married?”

  “I believe he got divorced about ten years ago.”

  Logan had married someone else.

  Pain sliced through her. That meant he’d met and married someone shortly after she’d left Royal. Or worse, was he seeing someone else when he was dating her?

  Oh, God.

  Balling her hands into fists, Melissa fought back waves of heartache. He hadn’t loved her after all. He’d wanted this ranch desperately enough to ask her to marry him. When she’d left, he hadn’t wasted time finding another woman to take her place.

  She’d always thought that she’d been right about Logan’s motives for proposing, but over the years doubts had plagued her. Having her beliefs confirmed shouldn’t have hurt her, but it did.

  The bastard!

  Who was the woman he’d married? Where had he met her? And more importantly, when?

  “I hope you’ll be comfortable here. The bathroom is through there. It’s completely furnished with toiletries, but if you need anything at all, please press this button.” She pointed to an elaborate intercom system on the wall.

  “Thank you.” Numb, Melissa watched Norah leave. All Melissa wanted was this night to be over. And to sleep. Tomorrow would be a long, difficult day. She’d need her wits about her when she saw Logan again.

  If he continued to pressure her, she had a few questions for him—ones she was sure he wouldn’t want to answer.

  She wasn’t too sure she wanted to hear what he had to say, either.

  Setting her bag on the bed, she searched through it for the clothes she’d worn during the day—a pair of black slacks and a blue silk blouse. She’d need to wear those tomorrow. Perhaps the first order of business in the morning would be shopping
for some clothes and shoes.

  Spotting her nightgown, she pulled it out and tossed it across a pillow. Restless, she paced across the room and glanced out the window. Her room was situated at the front of the house and she could clearly see the nearby cottages. Why had he chosen to install her in his home?

  To embarrass her? To make her feel uncomfortable? Well, he’d accomplished both.

  Feeling edgy, Melissa walked over to the bed. At this rate she wasn’t going to get an ounce of sleep. She needed a book or a newspaper, something to take her mind off seeing Logan again, sleeping in his house. Then she remembered seeing some magazines in his living room when she’d passed it earlier. Hoping she could find the way, she went in search of it.

  A few minutes after leaving her room, she’d gotten turned around and wasn’t even sure where the living room was, but she passed by what looked to be Logan’s study and noticed a few magazines on a table. Stepping inside, she picked one up and thumbed through it. She was turning to leave when she was startled by Logan’s voice.

  “I didn’t expect to see you again until morning.”

  Melissa dropped the magazine to the floor. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were in here.” He must have been sitting in his chair with his back to her. Darn!

  Logan watched her pick up the magazine and straighten. “Somehow I figured out on my own that you hadn’t come looking for me.”

  “I couldn’t sleep, no thanks to you.”

  Logan stood. “You’re annoyed.”

  Fire flashed through her eyes. Annoyed? No, she was angry that he’d professed to love her, only to marry another woman shortly after she’d left. “I don’t like being manipulated.”

  “All I did was offer you and your coworkers a place to stay.” Despite Melissa’s terse tone, Logan couldn’t take his eyes off her. Even mad at him, she was beautiful. He’d dreamed of seeing her again, but he’d never allowed himself to believe she might one day be in his house. To have her here brought a wealth of emotions to the surface. Frustration. Hurt. Anger.

  And desire.

  She clutched the magazine to her. “Don’t, Logan.”

  “Don’t what, sweetheart?” he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

  “Make light of what you’ve done.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Using our situation of being without a hotel room to install me in your house. Or should we start where you approached me at the ball? Take your pick,” she told him, still angry with him.

  Logan walked over to her. “I thought I was doing you a favor.”

  She held up her hand. “It won’t work. You’re not going to make me feel guilty about leaving.”

  He stepped closer until only inches separated them. “You’re the one who brought it up this time, Melissa. Maybe you do feel guilty. Care to talk about it?”

  “No.” At his nearness, Melissa swallowed hard. He was too near. Too dangerous. Too tempting. She stepped back. “I think I better leave.”

  “Really?” he murmured, his voice hoarse. Logan closed the distance between them and slipped his hand behind her neck, his fingers inching into her hair. He wondered how, after she’d left him, he could feel anything more than pain. But he couldn’t deny that he wanted to kiss her.

  Melissa pressed her hands against his chest. “Yes.” She lifted her face to his, stared into his eyes, refused to back down.

  “Did you ever think about me, about what we had together?”

  Sensations of awareness coiled through her as he watched her, his gaze intense. “No.”

  “You’re lying.” Logan ran his thumb over her bottom lip, wanting more than ever to taste her. But he’d be foolish to get involved with her again. She’d proven to him once that she couldn’t be trusted with his heart. “When the time is right, you’ll admit it. I can promise you that.” With every ounce of willpower he had, he let her go and went to the door.

  “Logan.” Melissa waited for him to look at her. When he did, her knees went weak even as her confidence returned. “Don’t push me,” she said boldly. “You might not like what you hear.”

  Without answering, he walked out, leaving her wondering what would have happened if he’d kissed her. Would kissing him have proven that she was over him? Or, God forbid, would it have reawakened feelings for him she’d buried deep inside?

  She began to pace. How was she going to stay in his house and be able to keep her emotions under lock and key? Every time he came near her, every time he touched her, she wanted to know what it would be like to taste him again. The longer she stayed, the more difficult it would be to keep him at arm’s length.

  And that’s what she wanted, no needed, to do.

  As Melissa returned to her room and put on her nightgown, she decided that tomorrow she’d focus on gathering information for her story. Once she covered all aspects of it, she’d leave Royal, and Logan, behind.

  This time forever.

  In his bedroom, Logan stripped off his clothes and took a cold shower. It did little to take his mind off the woman sleeping across the hall. Having Melissa walk back into his life had disrupted his otherwise placid life.

  He was the one who had orchestrated getting her here to his home so if he lost a night’s sleep obsessing about her, he had only himself to blame. What had he been thinking? Their past relationship and subsequent breakup should have warned him to stay away from her.

  When she’d broken up with him and left town, he’d been hurt and disappointed and disheartened. She’d never given him the chance to talk to her. Why? He’d been foolish enough to believe she loved him. But a better opportunity clearly had come her way and she’d grabbed it without even thinking about him.

  He’d been in a well of pain, given to feeling sorry for himself until eventually, feeding on the need to survive without her, he’d pulled himself together enough to think about the ranch.

  Then he’d met Cara through his brother, Bart. Attractive and provocative, she’d stroked his ego. Before he knew what hit him, he was knee-deep involved with her. When she began talking about getting married, Logan hadn’t taken her seriously because they hadn’t been dating very long. But then, he’d thought, he hadn’t known Melissa long, either, and he’d wanted to marry her.

  But Cara had kept talking about marriage and he warmed to the idea. He cared for her, and they’d enjoyed being with each other.

  Though he could honestly say he’d tried, his relationship with Cara hadn’t worked out. She hadn’t been any happier on the ranch than Bart had been. While Logan and Cara had gotten along well when dating, they’d argued often during their marriage. Finally, Logan hadn’t been able to take it any longer. When he’d asked her for a divorce, she hadn’t fought him. It was only after she’d left that he’d faced the truth—he hadn’t loved her.

  Not like Melissa.

  Half aroused from thinking about her sleeping across the hall, he threw his damp towel on the bathroom vanity, went into his bedroom and climbed into bed. As he lay down, he interlaced his hands under his head and stared at the ceiling.

  Was he a fool to have brought Melissa here? He’d thought he’d been smart by keeping her in town to confront her.

  And to give himself peace of mind.

  So far, at every turn, instead of putting his past with Melissa to rest, she’d stirred up feelings of frustration, anger and awareness.

  And lust.

  The sex between them had always run hot, the reason he’d become so deeply involved with her. The first time he made love to her, he’d known that what he felt for her was different than for any other woman he’d been with. She’d gotten under his skin.

  Now things were different. When she’d left him before, she’d severed any emotional attachment he’d had for her.

  Lust he could handle.

  His goal in getting Melissa to stay in Royal wasn’t about getting her in bed.

  As long as he remembered that, his heart was safe.

  Four

  The next morning,
Logan walked in the back door after meeting with his foreman about a new roof for one of the barns. The aroma of bacon and eggs filled the air as he headed to the dining room for breakfast.

  He hadn’t seen Melissa yet this morning, and after their encounter in his study last night, he half expected her to avoid him.

  As he stepped into the kitchen, Norah approached him, the phone pressed to her apron.

  “Gavin is on the telephone. He said it was important and he couldn’t reach you on your cell.”

  Logan checked his belt where he usually clipped his cell and realized he’d left it in his room. “Thanks, Norah,” he said, accepting the phone, “I’ll take it in the study.”

  Recently elected to the position of sheriff, Gavin O’Neal was well-respected throughout the community. As a member of the TCC, his experience in law enforcement was invaluable. With their property lines next to each other, Gavin and Logan were neighbors as well as friends.

  So why was he calling so early?

  Dropping into his chair behind his desk, Logan picked up the telephone. “Hey, Gavin.”

  Gavin’s voice drawled across the line, “Morning, Logan.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Can you meet at the club this morning?”

  At the seriousness of his friend’s tone, Logan sat straighter in his chair. “What’s going on?”

  “I want to discuss the autopsy findings on Jonathan Devlin. As you know, I’m down a few deputies and I may be needing your help with the investigation.”

  The recent murder of Jonathan Devlin, the town’s main historian, had everyone concerned. After falling into a coma, he’d been hospitalized. In the days prior to his death, he’d begun showing signs of improvement and the doctors cautiously had believed he would recover.

  Instead, he’d died of a sudden heart attack.

  An ornery man, Jonathan hadn’t been especially liked by the community. The circumstances of his death were peculiar, so an autopsy had been performed.

  “I’ve already talked to Jake, Thomas and Connor,” Gavin said. “I’ll call Mark as soon as I hang up with you.”