Page 30 of Whiskey and Wildfire

Logan chuckled. “Yeah, I can imagine. Your mom seems like quite a character.”

“You have no idea,” I muttered, taking a long swig of root beer.

We lapsed back into silence, the movie playing in the background. I could feel Logan’s eyes on me, and it was making me increasingly nervous. I fidgeted with the label on my bottle, peeling at the corners.

“Look,” Logan said suddenly, turning to face me fully. “I know this whole thing is a setup. Lucas isn’t exactly subtle.”

I snorted. “That’s an understatement. Neither is my mother, but I’m sure you noticed.”

Logan’s lips quirked up in a small smile. “Yeah, well, I just wanted you to know that I didn’t put him up to this. But...” he paused, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not exactly upset about it either.”

My heart skipped a beat. I looked at Logan, trying to read his expression. His green eyes were sincere, a hint of vulnerability in them that I hadn’t seen before.

“What do you mean?” I asked cautiously. I knew what he meant of course, there was no doubting it. But I needed to hear him say it even though I knew I shouldn’t.

Logan took a deep breath. “I mean... I like you. I’ve admired you from afar for a while until the cattle drive. But I wasn’t sure how to approach you about it. You always seemed so... guarded.”

I felt my cheeks flush. Was I that obvious? I thought I’d done a good job of hiding my attraction to him.

“I... I know,” I stammered, suddenly very aware of how close we were sitting. “But I don’t think we should?—”

“I know you’re scared,” he said, cutting me off. “And I get it. My daddy is your boss, this ranch is your home, and you don’t want to lose all that. Not to mention, I know I’m a bit of a mess right now. My life is all upside down and backwards and I’m trying to figure it all out.” He leaned close, the scent of hiscologne enveloping me. “But if there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s that I like you, Dakota.”

My eyes went wide as I stared at him. I glanced down at his full lips, the sharp edge of his jaw, and the way his dark stubble was coming through on his chin. When I found myself nearly unable to think, I only uttered a single word.

“Why?”

Logan’s eyebrow popped up and he smiled warmly, sending a shiver down my spine. “For lots of reasons,” he said softly. “You’re kind, strong, and you put up with me.” He reached out, gently caressing my cheek. “And handsome,” he said, his voice low and velvety. “My god, are you handsome.”

I froze at Logan’s touch, my heart pounding in my chest. His hand was warm against my skin, and I found myself leaning into it almost involuntarily. For a moment, I let myself get lost in those green eyes, imagining what it would be like to give in to this attraction.

But reality came crashing back, and I pulled away abruptly. “Logan, we can’t,” I said, my voice hoarse. “It’s not that simple.”

“Why not?” he asked, his hand dropping to his lap. “I know you feel it too, Dakota. I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I’m not paying attention.”

I stood up, needing to put some distance between us. “Because it’s complicated. Your family owns this ranch. I work here. What happens if things go wrong? I can’t risk losing my job, my home.”

Logan rose to his feet, closing the distance between us once again. “Dakota, I would never let that happen. My family respects you - they know how valuable you are to this ranch. This doesn’t have to change anything professionally.”

I shook my head, backing away slightly. “It’s not just that. I’ve... I’ve been hurt before. I don’t know if I can open myself up like that again. Last time I did… I lost everything.”

Logan’s eyes softened with understanding. “I get it. Believe me, I do. But sometimes you have to take a risk to find something real.” He reached out, gently taking my hand in his. “I’m not asking for forever right now. Just a chance.”

My resolve was crumbling rapidly. The warmth of his hand, the sincerity in his eyes - it was all becoming too much to resist. “Logan, I… I can’t.”

To his credit, he didn’t push. Instead, he let go of my hand. “Alright,” he said, his eyes unable to meet mine. “I won’t force you into something you don’t want.” He turned, heading for the door. “Have a good night, Dakota.”

Before I could stop myself, my hand was on his shoulder. I spun him around, his green eyes meeting mine. They were so full of disappointment, and it nearly broke my heart. Without hesitation, I reached out, wrapping my hand around the back of his neck.

“What are you?—”

I pulled Logan close, crushing my lips against his. He let out a surprised gasp before melting into the kiss, his arms wrapping around my waist. The taste of root beer lingered on his lips as they moved against mine, soft yet insistent.

My fingers tangled in his hair as the kiss deepened, months of pent-up desire pouring out. Logan’s hands roamed over my back, pulling me flush against him. I could feel the heat of his body through our clothes, igniting a fire low in my belly.

When we finally broke apart, both of us were breathing heavily. Logan’s eyes were dark with want as he gazed at me, a small smile playing on his lips.

“I thought you said we couldn’t do this,” he murmured, his thumb tracing my jawline.

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