Page 23 of Sin Bin

Surprise lifted his eyebrows when he got a good look at Meadow. She knew she didn’t look like the women Logan was normally seen with. She had on too much clothes, for starters. And she wasn’t gorgeous enough to grace magazine covers.

Not that you care, she told herself.

Logan murmured something to the host, who nodded and grinned before escorting them across the glass-covered rooftop patio. There were low leather couches surrounding cozy fire pits. Couples lounged around nursing drinks, talking in low voices and laughing quietly.

Heads turned at the sight of Logan. As an excited buzz of recognition went through the crowd, Meadow glanced self-consciously at Logan.

He winked at her, his hand at the small of her back as he guided her forward. She lowered her head, but not before she saw several camera flashes. She fervently prayed that her picture wouldn’t end up on some gossip blog.

The host escorted them to a private area tucked in the back of the patio. Meadow took a seat on the couch that faced away from the watching crowd. She expected Logan to sit on the opposite couch. When he sat down beside her, she raised an eyebrow at him.

He raised his eyebrow right back.

The host handed them cocktail menus with a conspiratorial grin. “You kids enjoy.”

As soon as he left, Meadow scooted away to put some distance between herself and Logan.

His eyes glinted with amusement. “Was I invading your personal space?”

“Like you didn’t do it on purpose,” she muttered.

He let out a deep rumble of masculine laughter.

She hated that her toes curled. Crossing her legs, she ducked her head to study the menu. “I don’t know what to order. Like I said, I’m not much of a drinker, and I already had a martini at the party.” She looked up. “Can I just have a club soda or something?”

Logan gave her an indulgent smile. “You can have whatever you want, Jupiter.”

She blushed for no discernible reason.

The waitress came to take their order. A leggy blonde in a short black skirt, she ignored Meadow and flirted with Logan, twirling her hair around her finger and batting her fake eyelashes at him.

When Meadow ordered a club soda with lime, the waitress smirked condescendingly.

“I’ll have the same,” Logan told her.

The blonde’s face tightened. She forced a stiff smile, took their menus and walked off.

Meadow grinned ruefully at Logan. “You didn’t have to do that. I’m sure you wanted something stronger than club soda.”

“It’s all good,” he said with a sexy chuckle. “I don’t need to be drinking this late, anyway. I have practice in the morning.”

Meadow nodded, hypnotized by his long-lashed dark eyes.

He stared back at her until she pried her gaze away and looked up at the starry night sky. The view was absolutely spectacular.

“My birth parents used to take me stargazing,” she murmured after a few moments. “They were middle school science teachers, so they wanted me to share their love of all things science. They taught me everything about solar and lunar eclipses, about the constellations and how to locate them in the sky. Vegas winter nights were pretty clear, perfect for stargazing.”

Logan smiled, watching her face as she talked. “That’s why you fell in love with astronomy. Because of your parents.”

She nodded, her throat tight.

After a long beat of silence, Logan said, “There’s supposed to be meteor showers next week.”

“Really?” She smiled at him, grateful that he’d redirected the conversation before melancholy consumed her. “I love watching meteor showers.”

“I remember that.” His expression was soft and warm. “If you weren’t leaving town, maybe we could have gone somewhere to watch them.”

Before she could respond, the waitress returned with their drinks. She still seemed a bit miffed that they’d ordered club soda.

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