Page 15 of Holiday Hook-Up
“I’m starving.” He brushed against me as we walked out the glass lobby doors and his deep voice sent a shiver down my torso. “I skipped dinner last night and went straight to dessert.”
Oh, God. Warmth flooded my cheeks and ears but I cleared my throat, not missing a beat. Two could play this game.
“And did you enjoy your dessert, Sir?”
He stumbled on his next step, grabbing onto the bellhop’s podium, but his gaze didn’t leave my face. “Sweetest dessert I’ve ever had.”
And now I was wet. Again. After five minutes in his presence.
Logan’s driver pulled up in a black Mercedes sedan. He got out of the driver’s seat and jogged around to open the back door. For what he was charging, I’m surprised he wasn’t rolling out a red carpet too, but realistically I didn’t blame him. It was Christmas Eve and he was stuck driving a random dude through town.
“Did you decide what you’d like to eat? I can follow you in my car.” I took a few steps toward the parking lot before Logan touched my shoulder.
“I don’t think so.” He gestured toward the open door. “Get in, it’s freezing out here.”
“But I—“
“Emerald,” he said in a deep, calm voice. “Get in.”
The driver bounced his gaze between both of us as he stood there waiting to close the car door. I shivered as a frigid breeze ruffled my hair into my eyes. Logan reached out and lightly tucked the piece behind my ear. I closed my eyes for a moment reveling in the warmth of his touch.
“Fine.”
I scooted in and sank back against the heated seat with an exhale. The scent of leather and new car filled my senses, at least until Logan slid in beside me close enough that his expensive spicy aftershave was all I could smell. I wanted to lay my shoulder in the crook of his neck and inhale.
I moved toward the door before I abandoned all impulse control and went for it. Tucking my cold hands under my thighs, I peered out the window at nothing in particular.
“Where to, boss?” the driver asked, peeking at us in his rearview mirror.
Logan turned to me. “Where would you like to go?”
“Well… with it being Christmas Eve, not much will be open in Greyridge. Nothing upscale.” In reality there were two upscale restaurants in town and both only served dinner.
Logan pinned me with his gaze. “Emerald, I’m not a snob. We can eat wherever.”
“Okay. There’s Craggy Cravings.” I felt like a fool even speaking the name of the town’s twenty-four hour diner. Logan’s suit probably cost more than the entire menu.
“Witty. I like it.” He chuckled.
Hopefully he had an appreciation for fried food and didn’t suffer from a weak stomach.
On the way over we passed the town square. A few families mingled near the beautifully decorated evergreen that stood front and center. They looked so happy with children laughing and arms slung around each other. A deep pang resonated in my chest. I’d never had that kind of love and the holidays accentuated the loss.
“I’d forgotten how charming Greyridge was.” Logan pointed out the window at Lucy’s. “Is that a bakery?”
“Yes, Lucy runs it. She makes the best cakes I’ve ever had. The best everything, really.”
“Too bad it looks closed. We could have stopped in.” He smiled and watched the rest of the main part of town go by through the window.
“What’s your favorite sweet treat?” I asked to make conversation. The way he was admiring the surroundings through the window as we passed was adorable. It was almost like he’d never been to a small town before.
I watched his face morph into a smirk, realizing where his dirty mind was bringing the question. I shook my head and playfully smacked his arm.
“Come on, you set me up perfectly.”
“Here I was just trying to make polite conversation, and you bring it to a dirty place,” I teased.
“Nothing dirty about it, Emerald.” His smirk would be the death of me.
