Page 66 of Breathless

Oh, my heart. Dang. He’sgood.

I kneel in front of Mila and talk to her as honestly as possible. “I haven’t figured out how to stay yet, but I’m working on it,okay?”

She nods solemnly, and I hug hertightly.

I’ve been putting off that conversation with my cousin. Dawn let me stay with her when I was flat broke and helped me get on my feet. Her family was there for me when Gran passed. It would be so crappy to bow out on her. I made a commitment. My dad and brother might bail at the drop of a hat, but I don’t. Never mind that my money is wrapped up in her salon. Honestly, though, nothing pains me as much as the idea of letting down someone who’s stood by myside.

The back door slams, and Logan strolls in, flushed from the heat and sweaty, and looking so edible, I want to gobble himup.

A thick knot rises in my throat at the thought of going back to Florida. How can I give up Logan? After being in love with him for so long and we finally get achance…

Now that we’re back from the coast and the reality of leaving after the wedding starts to sink in, my heart feels like it mightdisintegrate.

Two fingers lift my chin, and I look up until I’m staring into Logan’s babyblues.

“Whatcha thinking so hard about, Bitsy?” He kisses my forehead, and tears well in myeyes.

“Just… How I’m supposed to leave nextweek.”

His brows pull tight, and then he’s tugging me against his chest. He smells like leather, clean sweat, and sweet hay. I don’t even care that his skin’s damp and now mine is too. I wrap my arms aroundhim.

His voice rumbles in my ear. “Don’t want you to go. There’s still time to figure out something,Jojo.”

I nod against him and blink back the heat in myeyes.

That’s when I notice the kitchen has gottenquiet.

Turning slowly, I laugh nervously when I see everyone staring atus.

Tori’s mom motions between me and Logan. “Are you two dating?” She glances at Tori. “I thought they were, what did you say,BFFs?”

Tori winks at me and whispers something to her mother, who nods and points at us again. “This is new,yes?”

I chuckle. “Yes,ma’am.”

Logan tucks me under his arm. “Only ’cause I was too stupid to get a cluesooner.”

Everyone laughs, and my heart swells ten times bigger. I’m so gone for this guy, it’sridiculous.

My eyes meet Bev’s. She’s grinning from ear to ear, and I blush. I’ve never told her how I feel about Logan, but she’s a smart lady. I’m sure I must’ve looked like a sad puppy following her son all over town when we wereyoung.

One of the kids burps, and suddenly everyone’s attention is off of us, thankgoodness.

Logan’s fingers thread through mine. “When you’re done doing wedding stuff with Tori, wanna go for a ride? I thought you might like to take Cinnamon Pie for a spin. Maybe this evening when it’s not so hot. We could have a picnic down by thecreek.”

Emotion rises in my chest again, and I swallow. “I’d lovethat.”

In this moment, it starts to sink in how differently he views me from the other women he’s been with. A picnic down by the creek? Call me crazy, but that sounds like a date, which I’ve never known Logan todo.

My stomach flutters when I think about having a legit relationship with Logan and what that could mean. It’s a familiar daydream. Him working on the ranch and me meeting him for lunch after I take a couple of clients. Long nights watching Netflix and making love and laughing. Hanging out at the Carter farm and taking turns with Tori to watch all of ourkids.

Ourkids.

They’d have Logan’s eyes and his determined attitude. Maybe with light blond hair when they were little that would get darker as they got older. They’d love the farm and the horses and running wild in thefields.

I sigh deeply, wishing my emotions didn’t always get the best of me. I’m pretty sure these aren’t the things a girl’s supposed to be dreaming about five seconds into arelationship.

Logan studies my face like he’s trying to commit little details about me to memory. “We’ll figure it out, Jo,” he whispers, wrapping me in his strong arms again, “but let’s have fun this week. Let’s make some new memories. We’ll get back to real life after thewedding.”

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