Crazy for Her(9)

“We.”

Logan gave her his most intimidating glare. “Don’t even think it. Your job is to stay safe, mine is to keep you that way.”

She burst into laughter. Definitely not the reaction he expected. He crossed his arms over his chest and tried to stare her down. She laughed harder, plopping down on the bed and waving a hand in the air.

“Stop staring at me like that,” she gasped. “I bet that fierce look sent your men ducking for cover.”

It had. He bit down on his cheek to keep from smiling. “Doesn’t seem to work on you though, does it?”

“I’m sorry. It’s been a strange two weeks, and I think it’s nerves more than anything.”

“Understandable.” He tucked his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching out to comfort her.

She glanced at the small bag he’d dropped on the bed. “You travel light.”

The T-shirt, socks, and underwear he’d worn last night were in his tote along with several knives, another gun, a cell phone charger, and his toiletries. “Can’t carry much on the V-Rod. I overnighted a trunk that should arrive any time.” Along with clothes, it contained more weapons and a few of his favorite high-tech toys. As if on cue, the doorbell rang.

She started to stand, and he held out a hand to stop her. “I’ll go to the door.”

After signing the delivery form, he scanned the road and area in front of the house before closing and locking the door. Logan hefted the trunk and carried it back to his room.

Dani eyed it with obvious interest. “What kind of goodies do you have in there?”

“What makes you think there’s more than just clothes?”

She snorted. “I was a SEAL’s wife, remember?”

“I remember.” As if he could forget. He set the case on the bed, wishing she would go away. He needed a few minutes alone to drill the reasons why she was off-limits back into his brain and lower regions.



 Dani noted the change in his mood and wondered at it. She stood and walked past him, stopping at the door. “Why don’t you get settled in while I start dinner? You can show me your toys later.”

Evan had been a meat-and-potatoes man, but like Dani, Logan loved to experience all kinds of food. When the three of them had hung out together, she and Logan often teased Evan about his refusal to try a new dish. “I already know what I like, so why should I order something I’ll probably hate?” was his standard reply. It was rare that they could even tempt him to taste one of their meals.

Cooking was her hobby, something she did whenever she came up against a wall when she wrote. Puttering around in the kitchen helped her think. Usually, by the time dinner was ready, she’d solved whatever plot issues were bedeviling her and had twice benefited—a great meal and the next scene for her story bubbling in her head.

Long used to enjoying her creations alone, she was excited to have someone to share them with. Tonight, she’d decided on steak Diane, loaded twice-baked potatoes, and spinach salad. Not that she wanted to impress Logan—it was one of her favorite meals.

Right, Dani, you went to all this work just for yourself.

Okay, so she wanted to show off a little. All the prep work had been finished before Logan arrived, so all she had to do was flambé the steaks, microwave the potatoes, and heat the dressing for the salad.

The dining room seemed too formal, so she set the table in the kitchen and debated whether to light any candles. Afraid it would send the wrong signal, she instead slightly dimmed the lights. Surveying the effect, she gave a little nod of satisfaction. Perfect. Not too dim to make it seem romantic but enough to take the brightness away.

Hearing Logan’s approach, she poured a glass of wine and handed it to him when he entered the kitchen. “I think you’ll like this. It’s a Cabernet called Antler Hill from the Biltmore Estate here in Asheville.”

He swirled the wine, sniffed it, and then took a sip and deemed it excellent. Evan had once told her that as a child, Logan had grown up dirt poor and neglected. Surprised at how knowledgeable he was of wines and fine foods, she’d found herself observing him whenever he hung out with them.

Though he was a warrior through and through, there was also something of a Renaissance man in him. His contradictions had so fascinated her, she’d used him as the model for the hero in one of her books. Evan had been amused when she’d told him, but she would die if Logan ever learned of it.

Dani made herself a soda water with lime, her favorite nonalcoholic drink aside from her hot green teas. After turning on the gas burner, she leaned back against the counter to wait for the pan to get hot.