From the first time she'd met him, she'd thought Logan Carter was a seriously striking man. Incredibly big and tall-tall enough for her to think him tall-broad and muscled, with shaggy blond hair and pale green eyes, he was ruggedly handsome, a quietly powerful presence. He reminded her of a Viking; picturing him in that garb with a heavy sword in his hand wasn't too far a stretch.
But his beard, a shade darker than his hair, was neatly kept. His gorgeous eyes twinkled with geniality, not bloodlust. His large hands were calloused from hard work, and his cheeks were often ruddy from working outdoors. Standing in her elegant foyer in his worn jeans and work boots, navy hoodie under a royal-blue ski jacket, he looked a little out of place, but his presence was both commanding and reassuring. She'd always liked him, and yes, liked looking at him too.
But his powerful stance and chiseled good looks weren't the only reason she found him striking. It was the way he carried himself. This strong, very physical man was quiet, somber, and intelligent, which to her made him only more potent. He was attentive to details, clever, and was a born leader-he radiated natural command. Quick to grin, but not to talk; unlike most handsome men she'd met, this guy wasn't in love with himself or the sound of his own voice. He thought before he spoke; she loved those pauses because they held weight. She loved to coax big smiles from him, because she sensed he didn't do it often enough. A gentle giant. She'd wondered more than once how a man like him had gotten into the house-managing business. There was a story there, she was sure of it.
"The place looks great," she said brightly. "Didn't realize how much I'd missed it until just now. Thank you so much for being willing to get it ready for me on such short notice."
"Like I said before, not a problem." His deep voice was resonant, utterly masculine. "I'm glad I was able to do it."
She'd called him early the day before, the morning after Christmas, to ask him to have the house ready for her arrival in twenty-four hours. He hadn't given her an ounce of attitude. "Well, I really appreciate it." She pulled off her parka and set it on one of the three rust-colored couches in the living room. "Today, you're my knight in shining armor."
He snorted out a dismissive laugh and stuffed his hands in his coat pockets. "Nah. A woman like you doesn't need a knight." But his green eyes sparkled as he smiled.
His pleased smile made her feel like she'd earned a gold star. "Can I get you something to drink?" she asked.
"No, thanks, I'm fine." He glanced toward the back of the house when the dog barked, then looked back to Tess. "I'm going to my mom's place for lunch when I leave here, so don't you worry, I'll be overfed."
Remembering, Tess's smile faded some. "How is your mother doing? Hopefully better?"
His grin faded too. "Uh . . . no, actually. Last rounds of chemo and radiation have made her weaker, but haven't beaten the cancer. So, well . . ." He shrugged. "It is what it is. But she had a nice Christmas, so that's something. It's, uh . . . well. Yeah."
"I'm so sorry," Tess murmured. She didn't know much about Logan's personal life. He was a private man, and she had never pried for details that weren't her business. But she remembered their chat last year when she'd made him a travel mug of tea on a particularly cold day, and he'd revealed a few personal details. How he'd grown up about half an hour outside Aspen, and when he'd moved back to start work in his cousin's house-managing business, his mom had sold his childhood home and bought a condo in Aspen to be closer to him.
He'd told Tess that a few years ago things had changed, and he was also helping her-she was a widow battling breast cancer on her own. After a double mastectomy, she'd gone into remission for a year or so, but apparently . . . damn.
Tess sighed and said gently, "I hate to hear that. I really do wish her well. If there's ever anything I can do, for you or for her, please ask."
His pale eyes fixed on her, rounded a bit. "That's very kind of you. Thank you."
Bubbles barked and came running in, sliding a bit on the polished floor. Tess crouched down to scoop her up into her arms. "Silly girl, you're going to slide right into a wall if you don't slow down!"
Logan chuckled. "I put the poinsettias high so she couldn't eat them," he said, his voice stronger now, not husky as it'd been a minute before. "I know they're not poisonous to dogs-that's a myth-but it can make 'em sick if they eat 'em. So I just figured better safe than sorry."
"You did that?" Tess glanced at him in surprise, then her eyes darted around to the bright red plants, then back to him. "How thoughtful of you. Thank you! The color is so fabulous. Red's my favorite color, you know."
"I didn't know that." He eyed the parka she'd removed. "But come to think of it, I guess you do wear a lot of it."
"Yes, I do. Because I love it." She grinned and walked across the living room to the glass wall. One of her favorite features of the house, the entire back wall was made of glass, from the foundation to the roof. The views it afforded of the mountains and the landscape beyond were absolutely breathtaking. Pristine snow covered the peaks, both close and in the distance, and the clear blue sky seemed endless. "Have to hit that mountain soon," she said. "I haven't been skiing in a long time; I'm likely rusty."
"If you want me to set up a time on the mountain for you," Logan volunteered, "I can do that."
She turned back to him with a smile, stroking her dog's soft fur as she walked back to him. "Oh, I can do that, but thanks. I don't know when I'll go just yet." She paused. "Is the Lotus Yoga Center on Blake Street still open?"
"Oh sure. Business is booming, actually-they expanded the studio over the summer. Added another three rooms." Logan ran a hand over his dark blond beard, an absentminded gesture that made something in Tess's belly ping low. His beard looked like it was soft. She was suddenly seized with an urge to touch it and find out. "Their spa expanded too. My cousin Rick's wife, Sami-Jo, is the manager now. Anytime you wanna set something up, ask for her. Tell her I sent you."
"I will. Good to have connections in town," Tess said with a conspiratorial air.
"Ah, I just know folks, that's all." He reached out to pet Bubbles's head, then said, "You have any questions, need anything, don't hesitate to call me, okay?"
"Thank you, Logan. I absolutely will." She grinned as Bubbles licked his hand.
"I'll be by the day after tomorrow to take out the trash for you, restock the wood if you need, the usual." He zipped up his jacket all the way. "So, uh . . . staying by yourself for two or so months, huh? Charles and Dane, not coming at all?"
"I needed some time to myself," she said, lowering Bubbles to the floor again. When she straightened, she looked him in the eye as she said, "I've got some things I need to do. On my own. But . . . I'll admit, I feel better knowing you're around. Someone to call if I need to."
"Of course you can," he said. "For anything, anytime. Promise me."
She nodded and said, "I promise."
He glanced around the living room, a distracted sweep of his eyes. "I don't mean to sound like this'll sound," he said with a bit of hesitation. "But knowing you're up here by yourself... I'll be checking on you sometimes. Just to make sure you're all right." His eyes glittered with a hint of protectiveness. "If that's okay with you, of course. I don't mean to insinuate you're not a grown woman who can take care of herself. I'm just . . ." He ran a hand through his golden hair, tousling it. It was long enough that the ends settled past his square jawline. "You're up here by yourself... I'm kind of old-fashioned that way."
Her stomach did a slow flip, surprising her. "Your mother raised you right," Tess said softly. "There aren't many gentlemen left in the world these days. It's okay with me to be checked on occasionally." She smiled and added, "Thank you in advance."
His chin bobbed in something like a tiny bow, and the chivalrous gesture made her stomach wobble again. "All right then. Good. Well, I'd better get going." He looked at her for a moment longer, then headed for the door. "Your SUV's in the garage. I took it out yesterday for a quick spin to gas it up; it's running fine."