Page 101 of Sin Bin

“Goodness, where are my manners?” Giddy and flushed, she grinned at Meadow and introduced herself as Helen, the astronomical society’s treasurer. “You must be one of our new members. Welcome, welcome! It’s a pleasure to have you join us tonight!”

“Thank you.” Meadow smiled warmly. “I was hoping to see the famous telescope.”

“I know,” Helen said with an apologetic sigh. “Unfortunately, it’s cloudy tonight so you won’t be able to look through the telescope. But you can still view it in all its glory. One of our volunteers has been taking people up to the dome. Just flag him down whenever you’re ready.” She grinned teasingly at Logan. “I’ll get your autograph later, so don’t try to sneak off.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he told her with a wink.

She tittered and blushed like a schoolgirl.

Meadow shook her head at Logan as they walked away together. “Have you no shame?”

“None whatsoever.” Grinning, he put his hand on the small of her back and steered her into the rotunda.

About eighty guests milled around, mingling in small groups and eating canapés. Several people glanced in their direction and did a double take when they saw Logan.

Meadow shot him an exasperated I told you so look.

He ducked his head, his grin turning sheepish.

“I’ll be damned,” a man’s voice cut through the music and the chattering crowd. “Is that who I think it is? Is that actually Logan Brassard?”

An excited buzz swept across the room as a bespectacled man came bounding up to them like a Labrador, beaming as he enthusiastically pumped Logan’s hand. “Great to meet you, Logan. I’m a huge fan.”

“Thanks, man. Appreciate that.”

“I definitely wasn’t expecting to see you here tonight.” The man pointed to his face. “Hey, when did you start wearing glasses? Is that gonna interfere with your playing?”

“Uh, no. They’re just for reading.” Logan turned to Meadow at his side, making her blush when he introduced her as his “beautiful, enchanting date.”

She and the man exchanged friendly handshakes.

“Meadow let me tag along with her tonight,” Logan said, smiling down at her. “She’s a big astronomy buff. She knows everything there is to know about the planets and stars.”

“Awesome. I’m a bit of a hobbyist myself.” The guy grinned at her. “Thanks for bringing Bruiser tonight. When word gets out that he was here, our membership is gonna explode.”

As if to illustrate his point, more people made their way over. Before Meadow knew it, they were surrounded by a small crowd. The press of bodies made her feel suffocated as she stood beside Logan with a social smile, listening to the incessant babble of voices.

When she couldn’t take any more, she started easing her way out of the crowd.

Logan reached out and caught her wrist, bending to murmur in her ear, “Where are you going?”

“I’m just getting some refreshments.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. Stay and mingle.”

He searched her eyes. “Don’t go look at the telescope without me.”

“I won’t. I’ll wait for you.”

He nodded, then reluctantly released her wrist and went back to answering questions while she headed across the rotunda.

The refreshment table was laden with an assortment of finger foods and vegetable trays. She made herself a small plate and accepted a glass of champagne from a smiling server.

Nibbling her canapés, she wandered around studying the framed photographs that lined the walls of the rotunda.

While she was admiring a photo of old Denver, she was joined by an elegant older couple who struck up a friendly conversation about the city’s historic districts and landmarks.

Their stories were fascinating, but she found her gaze constantly straying back to Logan. Women were orbiting around him like planets orbiting the sun, sucked into the gravitational pull of his hotness. They asked him questions and giggled at his responses, batting their lashes and finding excuses to touch his arm. They were utterly shameless, no better than puck bunnies. Their fawning attention set Meadow’s teeth on edge and made her unreasonably grouchy.

At one point he was deep in conversation with three academic-looking types when a simpering redhead interrupted, whispering something in his ear and slipping him a business card. He hesitated before taking it, smiling as he pocketed the card.

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