Page 87 of Sin Bin

“I was,” he admitted grimly.

“Damn, jefe,” she teased. “Heads were about to roll!”

“Hell yeah. I don’t play that.” He gave her a wryly amused look. “I don’t remember you being such a prankster.”

She grinned. “People can change.”

“Is that right?” His eyes took on a cunning gleam. “Well, just remember one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Payback’s a bitch.”

She let out a peal of laughter.

Logan stared at her, looking a little mesmerized.

When she saw the expression on his face, she sobered almost at once and bit her lip self-consciously.

“God, I love to hear you laugh,” he said in a husky voice. “I wish life had given you more reasons to share that amazing sound with the world.”

Her heart got all melty at his words.

“You should know that it was your passion for astronomy that inspired the Odyssey Ranch,” he confessed.

She stared at him in surprise. “Really?”

He nodded. “The memory of you stargazing has always stayed with me. When I decided to build the ranch, I knew it had to have a planetarium. The first time I walked through the doors, I imagined other young Jupiters gazing up at those planets and stars with the same awestruck wonder I used to see on your face. And it made me smile.”

“Oh my goodness,” Meadow whispered as tears sprang to her eyes. “Logan…”

He shook his head slowly at her. “Don’t ever doubt the impact you made on my life. Even at ten years old.”

The tears tumbled out of her eyes, unleashed by his poignantly beautiful words. As her chest swelled with emotion, she choked out a watery laugh. “Look at me. You’ve turned me into a weepy mess. I guess you already got your payback, didn’t you?”

He gave her a quiet smile.

She took off her glasses and wiped her streaming eyes with the back of her hand. Then she lowered her gaze to the granite counter and began drawing circles with her finger.

When she spoke again, her voice was scratchy with tears. “I’m not going to tell you how I learned that you founded the Odyssey Ranch. It doesn’t matter. What matters is what you’ve done for all those precious children. You’ve given them a safe place to lay their head at night. You’ve given them a loving and nurturing environment that they can call home, a place where they can hope and dream.” She looked up at him. “I know you don’t want recognition, Logan. But on behalf of every foster child whose life you’ve changed with your incredible generosity, I just have to say…thank you.”

Logan stared at her. His eyes glowed with a fierce tenderness that squeezed her heart.

She could fall in love with him so easily. So deeply and completely. It scared the living daylights out of her.

She stood motionless as he slowly rounded the island to stand before her. She gazed up at him, her eyes locking with his. She couldn’t speak. Couldn’t swallow. Couldn’t breathe.

He bracketed her face between his hands, tenderly brushing her tears away with his thumbs. Her heart thumped double time and warm shivers trekked down her spine, spreading to her limbs.

Slowly he lowered his head toward hers.

Her lips parted, her pulse quickening with anticipation as—

The doorbell rang.

Chapter Fourteen

MEADOW

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