Page 161 of Sin Bin

She stared back, her heart beating so hard she thought it would tumble out of her chest.

Neither of them spoke for a full minute.

She swallowed hard. “I guess we should, um, head downstairs. Unless…” Unless you want to carry me to bed and make crazy-hot love to me?

Logan shifted closer. “Unless what?”

Her courage fled. “Unless you want Jenna to come looking for you.”

His eyes glinted as if he knew she’d had something else on her mind. “No, I definitely don’t want that. She can be scary at times.” He held out his arm to Meadow. “Ready?”

She searched his eyes. “Only if you are.”

He gave her a small smile. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

She smiled softly and tucked her arm through his.

They left the suite and boarded the elevator, standing close together. On the way down, Logan reached over and traced her collarbone with his finger.

The electric shock of his touch resounded through her limbs. Her breath quickened, lips parting as she stared up at him.

He stared back, his eyes glittering darkly into hers. “I want to shove my hands through your hair and muss it up real good while I kiss the hell out of your mouth.” He licked his bottom lip. “Would that piss you off?”

“No,” she said with a breathless laugh. “But Bianca and Scarlett might not appreciate you messing up all their hard work.”

The elevator stopped and another couple got on, dressed for a night on the town. Logan and Meadow stepped back to make room for them, never looking away from each other.

When the elevator arrived on the lobby floor, the couple stepped off and glanced back at Logan with smiles of recognition. But he didn’t notice. He was still staring at Meadow as if the sight of her anchored him. As if he feared she would vanish if he took his eyes off her even for a second.

Placing a warm hand on the small of her back, he steered her out of the elevator. Then he took her hand, swinging it gently between them as they headed toward the ballroom.

Jazz music wafted down the corridor leading up to the entrance. When they stepped through the doors, every head turned toward them and an invisible wave of silence swept over the packed crowd. Even the music quieted.

All the blood rushed to Meadow’s cheeks. Logan’s hand tightened around hers, agony etched into his face.

Seeing his reaction, she quickly swallowed her own discomfort and gave him a reassuring smile.

Out of the crowd’s nervous silence, a busty blonde squealed, “Happy Birthday, Logan!”

Everyone shushed her.

Her red lips formed a confused pout. “But it’s his birthday.”

“He doesn’t celebrate it,” her friend hissed.

“It’s all right.” Logan lifted a hand, smiling faintly at the bewildered blonde. “Thank you for the birthday wishes.”

With those words, the crowd exhaled collectively and surged forward to greet him with enthusiastic handshakes and backslapping hugs. Women kissed his cheeks, purred in his ear and seductively pressed their bodies against his while Meadow dug her nails into her palm and smiled through her teeth.

Mr. Tavárez, Hunter, Reid, Viggo and Sergei welcomed Logan warmly, clapping him on the back and telling him they were glad to see him.

From the other side of the ballroom, Dmitri Fedorov called out raucously, “Does this mean we can start calling this what it is—Brassard’s twenty-fifth birthday party?”

Hearty laughter swept through the crowd.

A sheepish-looking Jenna came forward in a shimmering silver gown with enormous diamonds dangling from her earlobes. She gave Logan a long hug, whispering something in his ear that made him nod and murmur gruffly, “It’s okay. We’re still cool.”

The gorgeous blonde released him, blinking back tears and smiling as she used her cocktail napkin to wipe all the lipstick marks off his face. “Meadow doesn’t wanna be looking at those all night,” she joked.

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