Page 16 of An Heir For Her Enemy

“Delaney.” He nodded at her. Delaney made a show of looking around.

“Hold on, where’s your latest conquest?”

“There isn’t one.” Logan looked annoyed. “Look, I’m sorry that I told you I didn’t want a serious relationship. I thought you felt the same way.”

“I did, but that doesn’t mean I wanted you to walk out without a backwards glance or any indication that the night we spent together meant something to you, like it did to me. But I guess I didn’t matter, huh?”

In her tiredness, Delaney was more forthright than she’d intended. Unable to bear hearing Logan’s reply, she pushed past him before he had a chance to reply and hurried across the lobby to the stairs. She waited in the stairwell for a long time, until she was sure Logan would have gone to his room, before she went to her own room.

How humiliating. Not only had she confessed to Logan how much his actions had hurt her, she’d also made their very awkward business trip even more awkward. Delaney had no idea how she was going to face him tomorrow for the appraisal.

The only saving grace was that she was too exhausted to worry. She changed into pajamas, climbed into the four-poster bed, closed the curtains, and pulled the fluffy comforter over herself.Her last thought before drifting into unconsciousness was that the bed really was as soft as it looked.

CHAPTER 8

LOGAN

Logan felt like the worst person on earth. Again.

He’d already felt guilty for how he left things with Delaney, but her words the night before about how he hadn’t given any indication that the night they’d spent together meant anything had really struck him. Of course the night they’d spent together had meant something to him. It had meant everything. Holding Delaney, kissing her, making her moan — it had been a truly magical night that Logan would never forget. Nor did hewantto forget it.

But it was true that he hadn’t told Delaney that. He hadn’t given her any indication that their night together had been special to him. No wonder she was so upset. At the time, Logan had thought it was best to leave right away, before either of them started to look for something more than a one-night stand. In retrospect, though, he’d made a mistake.

It was even worse when, the next morning, Delaney texted that she wasn’t feeling well and wouldn’t be able to come to breakfast. Clearly, she was avoiding him. Logan ate alone.Perhaps he’d get a chance to talk to her today, after they looked atThe Cherished Infant.

Perhaps not.

He’d wanted to talk about a strategy for the authentication meeting over breakfast, but that didn’t seem as important next to Delaney’s clear hurt.

Delaney appeared in the lobby just in time to leave. She was dressed professionally but simply in a pair of slacks and a cream-colored sweater that perfectly accentuated her feminine form. Her hair was pulled back in a French twist and she wore a pair of simple earrings and light makeup that brought out the blue of her eyes.

“Good morning. Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, thank you.” She avoided his eyes. “Should we go?”

“A car is waiting for us outside.”

They drove across the city in silence. Delaney looked out the window and didn’t speak. Logan considered trying to talk to her, either to tell her that he wished he’d done things differently when they’d first met or just to break the uncomfortable silence, but he decided against it. They both needed to focus on the painting right now.

Marco Vassallo’s home was a lavish estate on a hill outside of town. The car wound its way up a steep road lined with trees before crunching to a stop on a gravel pull-through in front of a sweeping mansion. Logan and Delaney got out and stood in complete silence for a long moment, just looking at the house. This man had money, even in Logan’s world.

“So, do we just… go in?” Delaney asked hesitantly.

“Mr. Vassallo is expecting us. Or at least his assistant is.” Logan led the way across the pull-through and up to the broad door. There was a large metal knocker, but Delaney pointed out a high-tech intercom system that looked much more likely. Logan pressed the button, and a moment later a crackly voice came over the line, speaking in quick Italian. Logan understood a bit of Italian, but this was too quick even for him.

“Apologies.” Logan cleared his throat. “I’m Logan Banks and I’m here with my associate, Delaney Cohen. We have a meeting with Mr. Vassallo.”

“Mr. Banks?” The voice on the other end sounded confused now. “You’re here about the painting?”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t you receive my message? Mr. Vassallo is ill and has asked to postpone by a few days.”

“A message?” Logan took out his phone, but there was nothing. “I didn’t receive anything.” But just then, he noticed an email in his personal account. He’d kept up with work emails, but had somehow missed this one. “Apologies, I do see the email you’re referring to.”

“Will you be able to come back on the ninth?”

Logan didn’t look at Delaney. “Yes, that’s fine. I’m sorry I missed your message.”

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