Page 39 of The Playbook

“Cool,” Ryan said, following me to the kitchen, everyone in tow.

When we got there, Grace was sitting at the island. Her beautiful eyes widened as everyone entered the room.

“Wow. Hey, Grace,” Ryan greeted her in clear surprise. “I didn’t realize Logan had company. We didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Um,” Grace gaped at everyone like a deer caught in the headlights. “Yeah, uh, you’re not interrupting. I was just leaving anyway.” She slid off her stool and shuffled forward, but I was quick to intervene.

“Don’t go,” I murmured, eyeing her worriedly. “Stay. We have a few more hours before you’re supposed to be home—”

“It’s fine, Logan. Really. I don’t mind going home so you can hang out with your real friends. Looks like they even brought a pretty girl for you. I don't really have a reason to be here anyway,” she mumbled, her cheeks reddening.

“I already have a pretty girl here,” I said sincerely, making her cheeks flush further.

Everyone else headed out the patio door to the backyard.

“I can call my mom or walk home. It’s not that far—”

“No,” I growled at her. “You’re not fucking walking.”

“Then I’ll call my mom,” she said, pulling her phone out and unlocking the screen.

I snatched it out of her hands quickly amid her protests and held it high over her head.

“This is a great opportunity for you to meet new people,” I started.

“Seriously, Logan. I’ve known Ryan since second grade and Dax since sixth. They aren’tnewto me.”

She grunted as she stretched her small frame against me, trying to reach her phone. She looked so damn adorable doing it. So much so that I held it just a bit higher, enjoying the dark storm crowd her pretty features.

“It'll be fun. I promise,” I whispered.

“They obviously brought one of the girls for you. That makes me a fucking third wheel or seventh,” she hissed.

She jumped and crashed into me. We both stumbled, my hands caught her as we tumbled to the floor, her phone sliding away from us in the collision. She landed on top of me with a grunt, her long dark hair cascading around us.

She’d never looked so beautiful. I was in so much fucking trouble.

CHAPTER21

Grace

Logan’s hands were planted firmly on my waist as I lay on top of him. I was too shocked by our fall to gather my senses. Or maybe it was the look in his blue eyes that had me frozen.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, his eyes raking over my face. “So fucking beautiful.”

My lips parted with a shaky breath. There was no way I’d heard him right.Who in real life said that stuff to someone like me?

My heart stumbled in my chest as he shifted beneath me, turning us so he was on top of me, peering down.

“Even better,” he murmured.

This was not happening.I must have cracked my head hard on the floor. Logan Walker wasnotspouting sweet nothings to me on his kitchen floor, making my heart race and making me feel things I never thought I’d feel with him.

“Stay, Gracie,” he continued softly, his thumb making gentle circles on my jaw as he cradled my face. “Please? If you hate it I’ll take you home. I swear.”

“Why?” I swallowed hard as I gazed up him.

“Because you’re special to me,” he answered. “I want you to feel special.”

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