“It’s not like you think,” Logan returned.
I wished everyone would simply stop talking like this was something that even warranted a conversation. I was an adult. For that matter, so was Logan. What we did and didn’t do together was no one’s business.
Who are you kidding? You don’t want people talking about it because Logan doesn’t fit into your idea of who you are . . . or rather who you should be.
The cold hard truth was that I was embarrassed.
“Georgia isn’t some fling. It’s different with her.”
At that declaration, my heart tightened in my chest with equal parts thrill and terror. Logan looked at me then, his gaze steady and deep.
Reece snorted and my gaze swung to him and Pepper, reading the doubt on their faces . . . the incredulity.
“Oh, please.” Annie laughed. “Like we’re supposed to believe you two are in love?”
“I don’t care what you believe. Why are you even here?” Logan demanded.
She sniffed, but remained firmly in place.
“Georgia?” Pepper’s soft voice drew my gaze. Her amber eyes searched my face, asking without words if he was telling the truth. Was there something between Logan and me? Something besides the physical display they had just interrupted? It was an uncomfortable moment and for some reason I was reminded of my mother as Pepper stared at me, her expression one of confusion because I had not lived up to her expectations of me. I shook my head. Pepper was not my mother.
I felt Logan’s gaze and turned to face him. He stared at me, waiting, and I knew this was the moment. I either owned that I felt something deeper for him than mind-numbing attraction and saw it through or I shut this wild ride down now. Whatever I said would determine whether I would be his “girl” or not. The temptation to explore this thing between us was strong.
But fear was stronger.
I shook my head at him and almost immediately a shutter fell over his gaze, snuffing out the light that had been there. The light that had been there for me.
“No,” I whispered. “This can’t go anywhere between us, Logan. We’re not right . . .”
Logan nodded once, turning to face his brother. He shrugged, looking so damnably unaffected that I wanted to cry. Which only made me a contrary idiot. Like always. “Guess I was wrong.”
Something inside me crumpled as he stepped past me and left the four of us staring at one another in the stairwell. I wanted to be alone so badly right then to lick my wounds that I ached. But I wouldn’t look exactly dignified running upstairs.
Annie whistled between her teeth. “I think you actually just stomped all over his heart.” She grunted in satisfaction. “Who knew he even had one?”
Pepper whirled on her, her hair whipping around her shoulders. “Shut. Up.”
“Fine.” With a shrug, Annie turned and left. “You guys are a buzzkill, anyway.”
Pepper looked back at me, her expression uncertain, her deep amber eyes so damned pitying I wanted to scream. “Georgia . . . are you okay?”
I forced a smile that felt brittle as fractured glass. “Sure. That was a little awkward.” I motioned to the stairs where we had been caught making out. “But I’m okay.” I inhaled, filling my lungs.
Pepper bit her lips and looked between her boyfriend and me. “He looked kind of . . . crushed.”
“Pepper,” Reece cut in. “Leave it alone.”