by Coleen Kwan
She waved a hand, unsettled by her reaction. “No, it’s okay. You just took me by surprise, that’s all.” She hesitated, then added, “He lives in Pine Falls, so I can’t help bumping into him now and again, but I don’t have anything to do with him. My dad is not my favorite person, you understand.”
Logan nodded, his expression sympathetic. He didn’t pity her, she felt, and he wasn’t filled with idle curiosity, but he was listening to her. She realized that she had never spoken openly about her father, and that for some reason, she wanted to now.
“He used my mom, and he’s never paid her any child support. Never bothered with me, either. The only time he ever turned up was when he was having trouble with his wife. But the thing that always aggravated me the most was how my mom would let him back into her life time after time, even though she must’ve known he’d never divorce his wife for her.”
Amber picked a splinter off the table and began to scrape it along the scars in the woodwork. “She would tell me he was so sweet and she loved him and that this time it would be different. This time he’d stay for good, and we’d be one happy family. But of course, he never stayed. Sooner or later he’d slink back to his wife, who must have been as deluded as my mom.”
But the worst of it was that as soon as her mom had been diagnosed with cancer, he had vanished and not even bothered to call and ask how she was. That was something Amber would never forgive.
She made a wry face. “Sorry, I don’t mean to sound so bitter.”
“You have every right.”
She dug the splinter deeper into the gouged fissure. Now that she had started, it seemed she couldn’t stop. “You remember how I got teased in school about him because he worked in the sanitation department cleaning up roadkill? Girls would walk past me pinching their noses, saying they could smell dead skunk. It was a surefire way of getting me in trouble because I’d always react, usually over the top.”
Logan frowned. “School kids can be cruel.”
“Once, someone left a dead squirrel in my locker. It was so gross I almost puked.”
Logan sat up and shifted from side to side. “That was you? Shit, I didn’t realize…”
“What do you mean? You knew who did that?”
His face contorted, and then he exhaled heavily. “Yeah, a couple of guys I played football with. This is…” He scratched his ear, looking like he was sitting on a bed of nails. “I heard them laughing about the prank, but I never pressed them for details. I should have.”
“Were they your friends?”
“Not really. We played football together and went to the same parties, but that’s about it. They were lunkheads, and their pranks were always pathetic, which was why I never hung out with them.”
“Then I don’t think you need to beat yourself up about it. They sound like jerks, but no worse than others.”
He looked at her, his eyes heavy and troubled. “I never realized how much crap you had to take in high school. I always saw you as this tough, cool warrior girl who could handle whatever life threw at her.”
“Well, good, because that’s exactly the impression I wanted to give.”
“But you weren’t that tough, were you.”
“I survived high school, didn’t I? That’s what matters.”
His gaze lingered on her. “Sometimes I wish—” Breaking off, he glanced away, drank another gulp of beer.
What? What did he wish? She longed to know, but no way was she going to ask him. The atmosphere between them was heavy with unsaid words. Hell, she wasn’t going to cave in and give Logan another chance to hurt her. Time to lighten the mood.
She thunked down her beer. “Hey, this is getting way too heavy. I came here to kick back and relax, not to get all gloomy.”
She did the first thing that came to mind. She sprang to her feet and went over to the jukebox. In typical TJ fashion when he’d taken over the bar, he hadn’t bothered to upgrade anything, so the old jukebox still had CDs from way back. She fed in some coins and selected a few songs at random. Seconds later, Elvis Presley’s “Burning Love” began to belt out through the speakers. Hmm, maybe this wasn’t the most appropriate song. But it was too late now. Logan was looking at her with a small smile tilting his lips. He leaned back in his chair, cradling his beer. Okay. Clearly he was not a dancing man.
The devil in her started her feet tapping, her hips swaying. If he didn’t want to dance, then there was no reason why she couldn’t. And dancing meant less talking about how she’d survived high school. She threw herself into the song, glad to let go of her inhibitions and lose herself in the music. She hadn’t danced in months, not since her mom had fallen ill, and it felt good to wriggle the stress knots out of her back. She sashayed around the table, allowing her fingers to brush over the top of Logan’s black hair as she passed. Others in the bar were looking at her, and one man whistled in appreciation, but she only had eyes for Logan. He leaned back with a nonchalant smile. Maybe he was used to women dancing around his table, goddammit.
Closing her eyes, she turned her back to him, wondering if she was making a fool of herself but not caring. Then, warm, hard hands gripped her hips, and she knew without looking who was holding her. He spun her around. Her knees trembled. She felt like a ragdoll, limp with desire.
Elvis continued to belt out the lyrics. Her skin tingled as Logan’s hands settled on her waist, his heat seeping through the thin cotton of her T-shirt.
“Didn’t realize you were an Elvis fan,” he murmured, his breath warming her.
She found herself fascinated by his lips, just inches away from hers. “I just chose something at random.”
He walked her backward until her heels hit the jukebox. She arched her back, wanting to feel his chest pressing against her. But he held off, teasing her.
“‘Burning Love?’” The corner of his lips lifted. “Trying to send me a message or something?”
She swallowed. His mouth and that dimple in his chin were driving her crazy. Tilting her head up, she looked him straight in the eye. “If anyone’s experiencing burning love, I’d say they should probably see their doctor.”
His eyes sparkled with laughter. “That’s so romantic.” Through her thin T-shirt she felt his thumbs rotating against her waist, making her dizzy. And then finally he lowered his mouth to hers, and she heard herself making a tiny strangled noise of startled pleasure. The kiss went on, and she lost herself in it, delight and desire spiraling like twined vines. She moved her lips against his, eager for more. His tongue parted her lips, exploring her mouth. The hint of beer gave way to something much darker and earthier, and she followed it eagerly.
She roamed his torso with eager hands, following the firm contours of his chest, the satisfying solidness of his shoulders. Finding the tear in his T-shirt, she slipped her fingers inside and hummed as she stroked his pectorals. As she’d yearned for, he pressed her against the jukebox, his body betraying his urgency, though his kisses remained restrained. He wanted her, his caresses told her, but he was still in control, still calling the shots. She wasn’t used to this. Usually, she was the one in the driver’s seat, but now she was helpless.
The song ended. Logan drew back slightly. His eyes, she was pleased to note, were dazed, his pupils dilated. She probably looked just as dazzled, maybe more. Another song clicked on. The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction.”
Someone tapped Logan’s shoulder. They both turned to see a mountain of a man towering over them. His wife-beater singlet strained at his beer gut, revealing thickset arms covered in tattoos.
“Yo, mind if I cut in?” the hulk said in a rasping voice.
Logan’s hand wrapped around her wrist. “Sorry,” he said to the giant. “The lady and I have a prior engagement.” Not waiting for a reply, he jerked Amber in front of him and hustled her forward in the direction of the exit.
TJ was already walking toward them, a slightly anxious look creasing his brow. Logan exchanged a nod with him as he whisked Amber past him.
>
“Hey!” The hulk lumbered after them. “What’s the rush?”
“Calm down, Peewee,” TJ said. “Do you really want me to call the cops again?”
The man shuffled to a halt. “I just wanted a dance,” he grumbled. “Ain’t never seen such a fine-looking behind in this joint before.”
Amber didn’t hear the rest of the conversation, because they were already out of the bar and Logan was herding her toward her truck. When she pulled the keys from her pocket, he plucked them from her fingers before she could protest.
“I think I’ll drive,” he said, practically throwing her into the cab.
When she’d managed to get her seatbelt sorted, they were already zooming off. She shot him a stern look. “You can drop the caveman act now. One Neanderthal is more than enough.”
He raked his fingers through his hair before giving her a wry grin. “Sorry if I hustled you out of there in a hurry, but I didn’t really want to fight Peewee over you.”
“How do you know he was after me? All he said was that he’d never seen such a fine-looking behind in the joint before, so he could’ve been talking about you.”
Logan gave her a startled glance before breaking into a chuckle. “Amber, are you saying my butt is fine?”
Flustered, Amber pushed the hair out of her eyes. “I’m pleading the fifth on that one.”
He tipped back his head and let out a deep laugh. “Don’t want to incriminate yourself, huh?” His green eyes sparkled with merriment. “It’s okay, Amber. I won’t hold it against you if you admire my body. I mean, while you were dancing, I could hardly tear my eyes away from your fine-looking derriere, so the feeling’s mutual.”
The slow honey of his voice was irresistible, but she fought against it. What was it about Logan that trampled her defenses and made her so needy? No other man had this power over her. It was annoying and disturbing at the same time.
“I’m not admitting anything.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder. “What happens in TJ’s, stays in TJ’s.”
He fell silent then, concentrating on the road ahead, the heel of his hand resting lazily on the steering wheel. The sun was sinking in the west, casting a glow across the wide, tree-lined street. They neared the town center. Logan turned the corner onto Colfax Road and pulled the truck to a halt outside her hardware store just behind his own vehicle.
“Well, that’s a pity,” he said, speaking as if the conversation had never stalled. “Because I can’t forget what happened in TJ’s. And I want to pick up from when we were so rudely interrupted.”
“What? No, that’s impossible.” She gripped her hands in her lap, surprised by the sudden galloping of her heart. “I mean, it was just a kiss. It—it didn’t mean anything.”
He reached over and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. His hand lingered on her cheek. “If it didn’t mean anything, then why are you acting so spooked?”
“I’m not spooked.” She frowned, distracted by his fingers.
“Well, good.” He leaned across the length of the cab and brushed his lips against hers in a brief kiss that tantalized and inflamed her. “We’ll continue this at a more convenient time and place, okay?” Without waiting for a reply, he slid out of the truck, leaving her breathless.
Stunned, she stared after him as he sauntered back to his truck. Damn, the man had a nerve. And a fine-looking behind, too, she had to admit.
Chapter Seven
Logan was daydreaming at his desk—unheard of for him—when his PA buzzed him on the intercom.
“I’ve got Ms. Amber Miller on the line for you,” Pablo said. “Are you available?”
Jack-knifing upright from his slouched position, Logan pulled the phone toward him. “Of course. Put her through.”
Anticipation prickled along his nerves. He’d just been thinking about Amber, dwelling on that incredible kiss they’d shared yesterday instead of focusing on his work, and now she was calling him.
“Hi, Amber,” he said, carefully disguising his enthusiasm. “This is a surprise. Why didn’t you call me on my cell?”
“Well, I thought you might not want to be disturbed while you were working, so I went through Pablo.”
He glanced down at the doodles that he’d drawn on his spreadsheet while daydreaming and cleared his throat. “I’m not too busy. What’s up?”
“I just got a call from Carol, the manager of the daycare center where we were working yesterday. Apparently there’re a few minor changes she wants to the playhouse, so I thought I’d go over there and take care of them myself.”
“Hey, this is supposed to be a joint effort, remember? I’ll join you.”
“Are you sure? You must be super busy with other stuff.”
“And you’re not?” His mind was already made up. “I’ll meet you at the daycare center in fifteen minutes.”
“I’m sure I can take care of this myself.”
“I’m sure you can, but it’ll be quicker with two of us. See you in fifteen.” He ended the call before she could protest further. Striding to the door of his office, he glanced at his smart business pants and pristine shirt. Not exactly working gear, but he didn’t have time to go home and change. “Pablo, I’m going out for a couple of hours,” he said to his personal assistant in the lobby as he wrestled off his silk tie and tossed it to the young man.
Gaping, Pablo caught the tie. “You’re going to see Ms. Miller?”
He could see what was running through the guy’s mind. Amber calls, and the next minute he’s racing out of here, practically tearing off his clothes as if he couldn’t wait to jump between the sheets with her. Yeah, if only that was the reason.
“We’ll be at the daycare center. Doing repairs.” He gave his young assistant a reproving stare. “I’ll be back for my afternoon meetings.”
He hurried out of the building and leaped into his Lexus. He drove to the daycare center, aware that he was behaving irrationally. As Amber had pointed out, she was quite capable of making minor adjustments by herself. She didn’t need him. But he couldn’t get her sexy dancing and that sultry kiss out of his mind, and any excuse to see her would do.
At the daycare center, he found her in the playhouse. Appearing deep in thought, she hadn’t heard him approaching and stood with her back to him, wearing a sleeveless tank top and her ubiquitous ripped jeans. He stopped in his tracks, mesmerized by the sight of her but quickly yanked his gaze upward when she turned around.
“You got here fast.” She looked him over, her expression growing skeptical. “You can’t work in those clothes. It’s better if I do the repairs.”
“Not a chance. I don’t want you telling the mayor I didn’t pull my weight.”
“I would never do that,” she said.
“Stop worrying about my clothes and tell me what needs fixing.”
After a moment’s hesitation, she shrugged and pointed at the floor. “Well, Carol’s worried about the joins between the carpet and the vinyl. She thinks the cover strips are too thick and might trip up the kids, so I’m replacing them with low-profile ones. Also, see that shelf on the wall? She wants it higher up.”
“Okay. Want me to do the floor?”
Her eyes drifted to his fine woolen pants. “You’ll have to get on all fours. You’ll ruin those fancy pants of yours.”
“For you I’m always happy to get on all fours as long as you return the favor.”
Her mouth fell open, her eyes sparked. “Is that how you talk to women?”
“No. Just you.” He let his gaze drift over her. Damn, the way she filled a tank top got his heart racing. “I haven’t forgotten about yesterday.”
“Oh, yeah? I didn’t realize. I’m sure my uncle can get you Peewee’s number.”
He laughed. “You can deny it all you want, but I know you haven’t forgotten, either.”
A sweet blush started in her cleavage and blossomed out. He allowed himself to stare. Yup, she definitely hadn’t forgotten.
“Over-inflated egos ar
e a big turn off,” she said.
“Yeah? So tell me what does turn you on.”
She shook her head. “I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”
“It’s called chemistry, babe.”
“Chemistry’s not my thing.”
“No? We could conduct some interesting experiments together.”
She let out a harrumph, part frustration, part amusement. “Are you ever going to let me have the last word?”
“Why stop when we’re having so much fun?”
“We’re here to work, not fool around.” As soon as she spoke, she held up a hand. “No, I’m warning you, do not go there.” She waved at the wall. “You just get on with the shelf, and I’ll fix the floor.”
Grinning, he let her have the last word. “Sure, boss.”
He peeled off his business shirt and tossed it over the windowsill. Amber gulped as she took in his white sleeveless undershirt. He paused, enjoying the way her eyes ate him up, anticipation unfurling in his stomach. She bit her lip and crouched down with a cordless drill to work on the floor. Too bad she had so much self-control. Picking up a second drill, he went over to the shelf.
For a while they toiled in silence with only the faint sound of kids in the background. It was another scorcher, and after a few minutes, Logan could feel the sweat dripping off him. His dress shoes were covered in dust, and his pants felt stuffy. He unscrewed the shelf and shifted it up to the required height.
Wiping his damp brow, he took another look at Amber. Hell, she looked fine. He’d never imagined a woman wielding a drill could look so drop-dead sexy, but—no pun intended—she nailed it. Her purple tank top, thin and damp with perspiration, clung enticingly to her curves. From his angle, with her kneeling down, he had a prime view. Was that a scrap of bra showing? He craned his neck farther. Red lace… Was Amber the type to wear matching underwear—
The shelf slipped from his grasp and fell toward the ground. Acting instinctively, he made a grab for it. The shelf slammed into his hand then bounced off. Excruciating pain lanced through his right hand.
“Yeeeowww!” The blinding white fog cleared from his head, allowing him to see a large splinter of wood embedded between the knuckles of his first and second fingers.