Page 5 of Fighting Happily Ever After

“Fun?”

“Of course.” He put down the chair he was moving, rested his hands on the back of it, and looked at her. “It’s going to be a ton of fun to be madly in love with you for the rest of the summer.”

Her stomach clenched and she had to look away lest her face betray whatever it was that was going on inside her. Because for the life of her, Faith could not figure out why she was having such strong reactions to Logan. Reactions that got stronger and stronger every time they were together. He’d always been able to get under her skin. Ever since they were teenagers, he could rile her up. But this was different. Thesefeelingswere different. These involved full-body reactions that made her want to—well, they made her want to do a lot of things that were probably a very bad idea.

“It’s only for a few weeks,” Faith said. “Stephanie’s wedding will be…well…whenever it is… and then…and then we can stage some sort ofbreakupand forget this ever happened.”

Logan pretended to be hurt. His hand fluttered to his chest and his mouth fell open, miming shock. “Faith Turner, you don’t mean that.”

She crossed her arms and nodded. “You know I do.” She glared at him until he turned and walked away to get more chairs. As soon as his back was turned, she dropped her head to her chest and let out a long breath. It was going to be a very long month if every time he looked at her, it caused her stomach to do a summersault as if she were some giggly pre-teen with a crush. She took a deep breath and then another.

Get a hold of yourself. You’re stronger than this.

And she was. She had self-declared from a very young age that she wanted nothing to do with a relationship. Ever. She’d spent her entire adult life perfecting the art of getting close enough to have a good time, but not too close to actually feel anything. And it had worked, too. There’d been a few close calls when she’d maybe started to care a little too much, but she’d always been able to stop her feelings before they went too far.

This was different, though.

Logan was different.

Her feelings—or whatever they were—were different. In the last few months since she’d been back in Glacier Falls, planning and executing the weddings at Ever After, with Logan helping every step of the way—mostly as a favor to her sister and his cousin—she’d started to experience what could only be described as a change of heart. Watching some of her closest and oldest friends fall in love, or recognize the love they’d always had and had been hiding from, changed a person. Even a person as dead set against the wholelovething as Faith was. She’d actually started considering the fact that she’d been wrong for all those years and maybe shehadbeen missing out after all.

And maybe…just maybe…Logan had a little something to do with that.

Faith sighed.

Or, more likely, Logan was just doing what Logan did best and working her up because he could. He’d always made it his special mission to piss her off, push her buttons, and get a reaction out of her. This situation was no different.

She shook her head clear. They had work to do. “Logan,” she called out as she turned around. “Can you grab me three more—”

Her words dissolved on her tongue, as Logan’s strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her in hard against his chest. Taller than her, he looked down into her eyes, and tipped her chin up with a finger and a thumb before kissing the question right off her lips. To her horror, her knees buckled a little and electricity buzzed through her, lighting up even the darkest parts of her. It didn’t last long, but it didn’t have to. When he pulled away, her fingers moved to her lips and she shook her head slightly.

“What the hell, Logan?”

He shrugged. “I thought I heard a vehicle pull up. I thought maybe if it was Stephanie, that would really sell it. But…” He shrugged again. “I guess I was wrong.”

Faith didn’t miss the twinkle in his eye, and a steel resolve replaced the warmth he’d just infused her body with. He was definitely taking the piss because he thought he could get away with it.

“Logan!”

He turned around again, a small smile on his lips. No doubt he thought her anger was amusing.

“That’s not okay,” she continued, trying to control her voice. “You can’t just—”

Once more his lips were on hers. His hand was behind her head, holding her to him as his mouth worked against hers. Her body betrayed her as she instinctively kissed him back and pressed into it.

Behind her somewhere she vaguely registered the creak of the barn door and the unmistakable sound of boots on the hardwood. Maybe he hadn’t been taking the piss; maybe he was simply putting on a show for Stephanie.

“Oh. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

But it wasn’t their new celebrity client. But a recognizable voice nonetheless.

Faith pulled back from Logan, pushing him in the chest a little as she stepped away and turned to greet Brody Morris, their friend who also happened to own Birchwood, the best restaurant in town, as well as Ever After Ranch’s exclusive caterer. “You weren’t interrupting,” she said while trying to wipe her lips as discreetly as she could. “Logan was just…”

“Trying to show me how it was done again?” Brody laughed and Logan joined in.

If she hadn’t been so startled by everything, Faith might have joined in as well, especially because it was Brody and his new fiancée Sarah whom Logan had beendemonstratingthe kiss for in the photo shoot that had changed everything and brought them their biggest client yet.

“You know it, buddy.” Logan smacked Brody on the back as they laughed together while Faith rolled her eyes.

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