Crazy for Her(4)

She laughed. “As usual, straight and to the point. I’m relieved to know you haven’t changed. I’m fine, thank you, and you?” she said, more to tease him than to remind him of social niceties.

Her reward was a slight twitch of his lips. “Forgive me. How are you, Dani?”

“I’ve been better. Come inside. Have you had lunch?”

“Yeah, I didn’t want to inconvenience you.”

Inconvenience her? She’d waited for him to get in touch with her after Evan’s death. One lousy phone call, was that asking too much? “Hi, Dani, you doing okay?” or “Hi, Dani, I miss my friend and I knew you’d understand.” But nothing. No call, no visit, no hint he cared.

“Bloody hell, Logan. If you’re gonna treat me like a stranger, then you can get back on your bike and go find someone else to annoy.”

“Bloody hell? Still writing those bodice rippers, are you?”

“They’re Regency romances. And no, I’m writing children’s books now.”

“I hope you’ve resisted inserting a ‘bloody hell’ here and there.”

Dani punched him on the arm, and he poked her back, his eyes turning soft as he looked down at her. Her resentment faded as fast as it had arrived because . . . because? She gave a little shake of her head. There’d been something in his expression—sadness, maybe?—but it’d disappeared before she could be sure.

“Come inside.” She climbed the steps ahead of him.

“What’s this?” He grabbed the gun resting at the small of her back.

She tossed him a look of mock astonishment. “Why, Logan, I would have thought you of all people would know that’s a gun.”

“Smart-ass woman.” He held it up for inspection. “Why’s a snub-nose special tucked into your waistband?”

“The answer to that is the reason I asked you here.” She opened the screen door and when he was inside, closed the heavy wood door, sliding both deadbolts into place. When she caught his eyes following her actions, she shrugged. “You’ll understand soon enough.”

Going to the kitchen, she turned on the burner under the teakettle. Logan followed her and propped his shoulder against the doorway. It was both comforting and strange having him in her home. “Still a coffee drinker?”

“I am.”

Having already put coffee beans in the grinder, she pushed the ON button and then took two mugs out of the cabinet. “Where’d you spend the night?”

“I rode straight through.”

“Seriously? That’s what, ten hours from Pensacola to here?” Her butt constricted at the thought of tolerating ten straight hours on a motorcycle seat.

“About that. I got in this morning around seven and checked into a motel room so I could shower and grab a few hours of sleep.”

“You’re made of sterner stuff than me.”

“Why am I here, Dani?”

She picked up the coffeepot, poured him a cup, and dropped a green tea bag into hers. Handing him the mug, she squeezed by him, resisting the impulse to rest her head on his broad shoulder, where she was certain she would feel safe.

“Come into the living room. I have something to show you.”



 Logan tensed when she brushed past him. She smelled like spring—like lavender, maybe—and he wanted to bury his face against the soft skin of her neck and inhale her fresh scent. She was more beautiful than ever, but her eyes didn’t sparkle like they used to and the skin underneath them was shadowed. He growled his displeasure at the mug in his hand and then followed her to the other room.

Curled up on the sofa with her bare feet tucked under her, she appeared vulnerable and alone. The thought that often came to him in the darkest part of the night slammed into his gut. Why had he lived and Evan died when he had a wife and a child on the way? Guilt was a parasite with nasty teeth, slowly devouring his ability to find any kind of peace.

Taking a seat in a comfortable, oversized leather chair, Logan let his gaze wander over the room, settling on the large stone fireplace. “This is a nice place.”

She chuckled softly, drawing his attention back to her. “You should’ve seen it when Evan and I bought it. It was going to be our home after he got out of the navy.” Her voice trailed off and she blinked against the tears pooling in her eyes. Her gaze lifted to his. “Sorry, didn’t mean to get weepy.” She fanned her face with a hand. “Anyway, the cabin was a wreck, but remodeling kept my mind from dwelling on everything while I waited for Regan to be born.”

The parasite saw her sorrow and its bite grew sharper. “I’m sorry, Dani. I wish it had been me instead.”