At Odds with the Heiress(62)
“Where are you staying?”
“With them. They’re going to drop me off at the terminal after breakfast tomorrow so I can catch the bus back to Las Vegas.”
“We could come get you. Fly you back to Las Vegas with us.”
“Why don’t you and Logan hang out in L.A. for a few days? I’ll be fine.”
And Scarlett knew she would be. “We’ll catch up tomorrow and let you know our plans. Have fun.” She didn’t bother to add “be safe.”
After disconnecting the call, Scarlett said, “I’m guessing her parents are not going to be happy she got into UCLA.”
“To hell with them,” Logan growled. “They’re getting what they want. She’s going to college. The least they can do is let her attend the school of her choice.”
Nothing could have demonstrated what a tough month it had been for Logan better than those words. Scarlett kissed her fingertips and pressed them against his cheek.
“You’re going to make a fabulous father someday,” she declared, grinning broadly. “As much as you grumble and complain about her, you’ve been behind her all along. She might not tell you so, but I know she appreciates that you haven’t dictated to her like her parents did and that you were willing to support her choice of whatever college she went to. She’s lucky to have you.”
“Thanks.” Logan captured her hand and pressed a sizzling kiss into her palm. “Now that we’ve accomplished our mission, where should go to celebrate?”
“Why don’t we head up to Malibu? I have a house on the beach.”
“You keep a house here?”
“It was the first thing I bought when I turned eighteen. I know it doesn’t make sense to keep a three-million-dollar piece of property sitting around empty, but I love it too much to sell.”
If he’d found out about this a week ago he would have been utterly convinced that Scarlett perceived her stay in Vegas as a temporary one, but he was coming to accept that L.A. would always be a part of who she was.
“I can understand that. I have a place in Aspen that I don’t get to often enough anymore, but I can’t bear the thought of giving up the skiing.”
“Oh, hot tubbing after a day on the slopes. Sounds heavenly.”
“We’ll have to go there this winter.”
“I’d like that,” she began, her voice sounding peculiar. “But...”
He shot her a glance and was surprised at how concerned she looked. “Time to talk?”
She directed him onto Interstate 10 before answering, “Let’s wait until we get to my house.”
* * *
Little more passed between them until they reached the Pacific Coast Highway. Scarlett could tell Logan had a lot on his mind, but for once she wasn’t interested in knowing what it was. As they drew closer to her house, she warned him so he wouldn’t miss her driveway.
“I hope you like it,” she said, unlocking the front door and leading the way into a spacious white living room with tiled floors, a turquoise-blue couch and panoramic views of the Pacific. “I called ahead and had the property management company stock the fridge. I thought we could have dinner and take a walk on the beach.”
“That sounds nice,” he said, regarding her intently. “Where do you want me to put the bags?”
The question hung in the air between them.
“It would be easy to tell you the master bedroom,” she responded. “So many things are wrong between us, but sexual chemistry isn’t one of them.”
Scarlett threw open the sliding glass doors that opened onto the oceanside terrace and let in the breeze.
“Yesterday you said you needed someone who had faith in you,” Logan said, coming up behind her.
Even though he didn’t touch her, Scarlett felt his presence like a caress, and it was hard not to lean back against him. “And I gave you ample opportunity to say you did.”
Logan put his hand on her upper arm and spun her to face him. “I’ve given you no reason to grant me another chance, but I wish you would.”
Scarlett couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “I don’t know why you’re asking. No matter how hard I try not to irritate you, I’m eventually going to do something and you’re going to get mad.”
“Would you believe me if I told you that I like being upset by you?”
“No.” But her eyes sparkled with amusement.
“How about if I told you that you’ve made me happier than I’ve ever been?”
She grew somber. “Then I consider my work here finished.”
“You can’t mean that.”
“I don’t, but the way things are between us, I can’t see our future being anything but one long argument.”