Page 240 of Sin Bin

Logan’s jaw clenched. “What did he say? Did he insult you?”

“It doesn’t matter.” She wasn’t about to repeat Ephraim’s angry warnings. Especially not when a small part of her feared that he was right.

“He’d better not call you again,” Logan grumbled.

“He won’t.”

“How do you know?”

Meadow sighed. “Logan—”

“You should get your number changed.”

“That’s really not nec—”

“Now that you’re living in Denver, it makes sense for you to have a number with the local area code.”

She gave him a longsuffering look. “He’s not going to call again, Logan. If he does, I’ll just ask him to stop. Or I’ll block his number. All right?”

Logan focused on his glass, tracing the rim with his thumb. He looked unhappy.

She sighed and shook her head at him. “I don’t understand why this is bothering you so much. You and I are together now. Ephraim is a nonfactor. Why are you so threatened by him?”

“Because he’s your type,” Logan said flatly.

She stared at him, unsure what to say to that.

He lifted stormy eyes to hers. “Let’s not pretend he isn’t the type of guy you prefer. You even said that marrying him would be the next best thing to being an astronomer yourself. Remember that?”

She felt her face heat up. “I was angry. I didn’t mean—”

“No. You did mean it.” Logan tightened his jaw, fiddling with his empty glass. “We both know you’re more compatible with Ephraim. He has a fucking doctorate in astrophysics whereas I’m just now taking my first college course this fall, and God only knows how long it’s gonna take me to finish my degree—”

“You’re a professional athlete,” Meadow sputtered. “You’ve been playing in the NHL—and earning millions—since you were eighteen years old! How many of your peers are even thinking about going back to school? And while you’re over here comparing yourself to Ephraim’s academic bona fides, he probably wishes he had just an ounce of your insane athletic talent!”

Logan sat brooding into his glass. “I guess I’m afraid you’re gonna wake up one day and regret choosing me over him. Like maybe we’ll be out stargazing one night and I won’t know the difference between a comet and an asteroid. Then you’ll look at me and think to yourself ‘What the hell am I doing with this idiot?’”

Meadow felt a giggle bubble up in her throat.

He glared at her. “You think this is funny?”

“No way!”

“Then why are you trying not to laugh?”

“I’m not!”

As he scowled and splashed more wine into their glasses, she shook her head, amazed that a guy who looked like him could ever doubt his ability to keep a woman. His abandonment issues ran deep. So deep she wondered if he could ever be truly healed.

She reached across the table and put her hand on his. “I’m not going to regret choosing you, Logan. You’re the only one for me.”

He stared down at her hand, the candlelight casting shadows over his beautiful face. “The professor’s a perfect match for you.”

“Except he’s not,” she said softly. “He’s a brilliant scholar, and I have tremendous respect for him. But he’s not the man I love. I’m in love with the man who used to defend me against bullies, who always saved me the last slice of pizza whether I wanted it or not. I’m in love with the man who overcame devastating obstacles to reach the top of his sport. I’m in love with the man who mentors troubled boys to help them make the right choices and avoid the same pitfalls he experienced. I’m hopelessly in love with the man who opened his heart and his wallet and built a dream home for hundreds of children in need.” She squeezed his hand, her voice growing quietly earnest. “No one has ever made me feel the way you do, Logan. I love you with all my heart, and there’s no one I’d rather go stargazing with than you.”

She could see the ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. He turned his palm up to thread his fingers through hers, setting off flutters in her stomach. Her pulse tripped as he brought her hand to the warmth of his mouth, his eyes meeting hers across the table.

“Eres el amor de mi vida,” he said in a low, husky voice. “You are the love of my life.”

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