Page 34 of Sin Bin

“Thanks for walking me to the door,” Meadow blurted out, stepping into the house so abruptly that her aunt stumbled backward. She turned to face Logan, blocking the doorway as best she could. “It’s late and I know you have to get up early for practice, so I won’t keep you.”

A slow, knowing grin curved his mouth. He must think she was a complete loser for making up an imaginary boyfriend. She fully expected him to make some smartass remark, ratcheting up her embarrassment another level.

But all he said was, “You’re right. I’ve got an early morning.” Dark eyes twinkling with laughter, he looked over her head at her aunt. “It was good meeting you, Ms. Ryan.”

“You too, Logan,” she cooed. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“Just try to get rid of me.” The words were directed at Meadow. So was the devilish grin that followed. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Um, sure. Goodnight.” Meadow closed the door and locked it behind him, then dropped her forehead against the warm wood and let out a muffled groan.

Her aunt laughed. “Why did you tell him you have a boyfriend?”

Meadow groaned some more. “Couldn’t you just play along?”

“I’m sorry, baby. He caught me off guard. And I couldn’t fathom why you would tell such a gorgeous man that you’re already taken. I mean, did you see him? Do you need a new prescription for your glasses?”

“My prescription’s fine,” Meadow muttered, turning from the door to meet her aunt’s twinkling gaze. “You didn’t have to wait up for me.”

“I wanted to hear about your job interview. How’d it go?”

“It went well.” She smiled. “Really well.”

“Wonderful. I’m dying to hear all about it. But first answer my question. Why did you tell Logan you have a boyfriend?”

“I don’t know.” Meadow sighed, pushing off the door to remove her jacket. “I guess I didn’t want him getting any ideas about us. Not that he was or anything. I mean, he can have any woman he wants, and I’m obviously not his type—”

“Obviously?” Her aunt raised a dubious eyebrow. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that. He looked pretty relieved when he found out that Benjamin wasn’t real.”

“He wasn’t relieved. He was amused.” Meadow grimaced. “He probably thinks I’m a pathetic dork who has to fabricate boyfriends to make myself seem less of a loser.”

“When have you ever been a loser?” her aunt said indignantly. “Any man would be lucky to have you, including Logan.”

“I don’t want him to have me,” Meadow insisted. “That’s why I told him I have a boyfriend. I don’t want him to think I’m available, just in case he’s looking to put another notch on his bedpost. I’m not interested.”

Even as the words left her mouth, she was already reliving the embrace she and Logan had shared that evening. She remembered the way her body had responded, heat licking under her skin like living flames. She’d nearly combusted from a simple hug.

She might not want a relationship with Logan Brassard, but her hormones clearly had other ideas.

Chapter Six

LOGAN

He woke up thinking about her.

He still couldn’t believe she was back in his life. It didn’t seem real. And maybe it wasn’t. Maybe he’d taken one too many shots to the head during last night’s game, causing him to conjure up the whole scenario with Jupiter.

He could almost accept this possibility...except the details were too vivid to be a product of his imagination.

As he lay in bed staring at the ceiling, images of her rolled through his mind. Skin the color of dark cinnamon. Huge amber eyes he could drown in. A cute nose that turned up slightly at the end. A lush, pouty mouth that would give the most unforgettable blowjob.

Fuck.

He felt dirty thinking about Jupiter that way. But it wasn’t his fault she’d blossomed into a gorgeous woman with more curves than a Grand Prix racetrack. Her sexy librarian glasses only added to her appeal. Every time she’d peered at him over the black rims, he’d pictured her tying him up and spanking him with a book. Just the thought of it got him hard.

But it wasn’t just her angelic beauty and sexy little body that turned him on. Her intelligence was a serious aphrodisiac. It was also refreshing as hell. The women he hooked up with weren’t exactly brain surgeons. They were puck bunnies and party girls—beautiful, shallow types who were only interested in sleeping with hockey players so they could brag on social media and potentially snag a rich husband.

Jupiter was nothing like that. She had depth and substance. She challenged him and made him think. She seemed to get him in a way no one else did. And then there was the whole tactile superpower she possessed. Years of physical abuse had left him with a serious aversion to being touched. But when Jupiter hugged him…God, he didn’t want to let go.

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