Page 55 of Breathless

Logan turns around to see what she’s doing, and she waves sweetly with Rambo in her arms like she wasn’t just insinuating we were sneaking off to do somethingdirty.

I glance up at him. Are we sneaking away to do somethingdirty?

My nipples tighten at the thought, and Ishiver.

“Cold?” He tosses his arm over my shoulder, and I slide mine behind his back, loving the feeling of his solid body againstme.

“I shouldn’t be cold. It’s warm and sunny.” I’m only wearing a bikini top and cutoffs over my bottoms, but this is standard beachwear.

He pauses to look me over, his eyebrows pulling tight. “Yeah, but sometimes you can get too much sun.” One big palm lands gently on my forehead. “You drinking enoughwater?”

I nod, secretly eating up how much attention he’s givingme.

Is this pathetic? Am I totally swooning over a guy? Probably yes on both accounts, but I’ve waited too long for Logan to see me as more than his friend tocare.

After a quick peck to my lips, we’re back in motion. When we reach his truck at the back of the parking lot, he grabs my hips from behind to help me jumpin.

But when we end up at the gas station, I’ll admit I’m disappointed. Which is silly.What? Did you expect him to pull over behind the sand dunes for aquickie?

As we walk through the narrow aisles, pausing to grab chips and ice and lighter fluid, I wonder why we’re not running off to do something crazy. Logan is renowned for crazy. He mooned the minister of our small town when he was in high school, for Pete’s sake. Then he slept with the guy’sdaughter.

Ugh, I know too much about his sex life. So much more than I want toknow.

“I’m gonna grab a Big Red. Want anything?” I point toward the cooler with my favoritesoda.

“Nah. I’m good. Meet me at the register.” With a wink, he’s strolling to the front of thestore.

Judging by my erratic heartbeat, I’m pretty sure that wink will be the death ofme.

Smiling to myself, I grab a couple sodas and am headed toward the register when a girly squeal makes mestop.

“Logan Carter! Well, I’ll be damned. It’s so good to see you, handsome!” A brunette in a teeny-tiny bikini goes bounding up to him and throws her arms around hisneck.

I stop, mid-stride, towatch.

Two blondes join her andfawn.

Blah, blah, blah. I’ve missed you! Blah freakingblah.

Hard. Eye.Roll.

I wish I could say they’re trolls, but the three women are gorgeous. Big smiles and bigger boobs. Flashing shiny jewelry and batting their salon-enhancedlashes.

They’re all aflutter. Hands on his arms. Cooing and flitting about like he’s better thanchocolate.

You should see my new cutter. He’s such a beaut. Maybe you could take a look at another one I’m thinking about buying. He’s great in the saddle, but I’d love to get youropinion.

She rattles off the horse’s pedigree, and my heartsinks.

It’s worse that they’re into horses and talk Logan’slanguage.

The brunette twirls her hair with one finger while she gushes, “I haven’t seen you since Dallas. When are you gonna let me lope your horse again,sugar?”

I snort, and Logan turns to me like he just remembered I’m standinghere.

I avert my eyes. I can’t look at him. Because I don’t want to see what’s there. Lust over these girls? Regret he’s with me this weekend instead of partying it up? Disappointment that I don’t fawn over him like his fanclub?

He holds out his hand and says my name, but I ignore him and move toward the register. “I’ll meet you at the truck.” My stupid voice is quiet, barely a squeak. So different than the confidence his fangirlsooze.

---