Page 10 of Billionaire Bachelor
“Who are you texting, Pip?”
Flustered, I shove my phone back into my pocket with more force than necessary. “Just checking in with Sylvie while I have reception.” God, I hope my voice doesn't betray the sudden spike in my pulse.
“Figured.” Logan’s smirk widens. “She’s always had a way with words. And GIF selection, apparently.”
Now, Iknowhe read at least part of the conversation. Fuck my life.
Logan shuts the back hatch. “Do you want to stop anywhere else while we’re in town? It looks like there’s definitely a storm rolling in, so this might be our last chance.”
I glance around, noting the fresh blanket of snow that has accumulated while we were in the store. In just thirty minutes, at least a couple more inches have piled up, turning the parking lot into a glistening sea of white.
“Wow. It’s really coming down now. I’m good to go back if you are.”
He walks over to the passenger side and opens my door, actinglike it’s no big deal he just caught me talking about possibly banging him. Well, fine. If he can pretend, so can I. “I’m good, too.”
After I’m tucked inside, he rounds the hood and climbs behind the wheel. As Logan starts the engine, the warmth from the heater washes over me, melting away the chill. I snuggle deeper into my seat, pulling the edges of my coat closer. My phone vibrates quietly in my pocket, no doubt a string of innuendos and GIFs from my cousin, but I don’t dare check it right now.
Logan’s presence is both comforting and unsettling. Glancing over at him, I notice the focused way he navigates the snowy road, his hands steady on the wheel. A slice of sunlight cuts through the gray sky, highlighting the rugged contours of his face and his closely cropped beard. In this quiet moment, with Logan beside me, it’s too easy to imagine what Sylvie suggested. Too easy to want it. I tear my gaze away, but it does nothing to derail my train of thought.
Could I have a no-strings-attached fling, just this once, to get him out of my system? Here, away from the real world, could Logan and I share something temporary that wouldn’t make things awkward between us afterward? I could swear he’s feeling the same sparks, the same curious tension that’s been tugging at me since I arrived. The flirty banter, the way he’s been looking at me, those fleeting glances laden with desire—am I imagining them? Would he be open to a weekend of being more than just my brother’s best friend?
These thoughts run through my mind as Logan pulls into the cabin’s driveway. He kills the engine, and the sudden silence feels heavy with potential.
“You okay?” he asks, his voice soft in the car’s quiet.
“Yeah, just thinking about how much snow we’ll need to shovel tomorrow.” I offer him an airy grin that hopefully masks my inner musings.
Logan chuckles, reaching over to squeeze my hand briefly. “We’ll manage.”
We head inside, and as I put the groceries away, Logan starts a fire in the hearth with skillful hands, the glow of the flames dancingacross his chiseled jawline. I can’t help but admire his toned back and broad shoulders as they strain against his sweater. My heart races when he pulls that sweater over his head, setting it aside. The white T-shirt he has on underneath clings to his torso, showcasing the beautiful ink wrapped around each one of his arms. I imagine those strong limbs banding around me as I writhe in pleasure. His fingertips brushing over my skin, teasing me relentlessly until I’m begging him to put them inside of me.
“See something you like, Pip?” His voice is casual, but the heat in Logan’s gaze tells me he’s reading me like a book right now.
“Still on your fishing expedition, Edwards?” I sass, trying to throw him off the scent of my internal-quandary-slash-X-rated-daydream.
“Always,” he replies with a wink.
When I catch myself practically drooling over a fantasy of the man sitting right in front of me, a sudden resolve settles in. I need to know if there’s a chance for something real between us, even if it’s temporary. I know Logan’s no stranger to casual sex, but I’m not naïve. Nothing between us could ever bejustcasual. Logan’s an undeniable part of my inner circle, a constant presence during the holidays and family barbecues.
I try to imagine Logan smiling across from me at our annual Fourth of July celebration, as if nothing had happened. Would we still joke and tease, or would the memory of us tangled in the sheets hang between us, forever changing the way we interact with one another? Or worse, what if I was the only one who couldn’t stop thinking about it? My chest tightens at the possibility of him treating me like just another one of his fleeting hookups. I don’t think that would happen, but it is something to consider.
I’m not sure if I’m ready for this, but the thought of never knowing kills me. For once, I want to stop holding back and see what happens. I nearly married a man who never made my heart race, not even close to the way Logan does with a single glance. There’s just something about him that makes me feelalivelike no one else everhas. Thirty years from now, I don’t want to look back on this moment, constantly wondering what could’ve been. The risk of crossing this line with him is enormous, but as I continue watching Logan move about the cabin with an ease that feels like home, I realize that the bigger risk might be never knowing at all.
4
LOGAN
Pip’s been actingweird since dinner, but I can’t quite figure out why. I know she was impressed with my culinary skills because she wolfed down her bowl of chili like she hadn’t eaten in days. She hadthreeservings of my homemade cornbread, moaning with each bite she took. I love it when a woman has a healthy relationship with food, but listening to her making sex noises as she ate became painful. Literally. I don’t think I’ve ever been so hard in my life, and denim isn’t exactly an erection-friendly material.
“You want a refill?” I ask, placing a tab in the dishwasher and pressing start.
Rosie stretches her arm across the counter, holding out her wineglass. “Yes, please.”
I grab the bottle of Pinot Noir and pour the last few ounces into the glass. “Damn, we finished this whole thing already. Want to open another?”
“Sure.” Rosie nods, then tilts her head. “Total subject change, but did you happen to fill the hot tub and switch on the heat before I got here?”
I nod. “I did. It’s nice and toasty with a perfectly balanced pH. Why?”
