Page 4 of Because of Logan

“Nope! That’s me, Officer.”

River leans into me again, not heeding my plea to stay quiet. Half of her body is on top of mine. Thank God for the seatbelt or she might have face-planted into my lap.

And then the giggles start.

Oh, please, no. Not the giggles. River giggles a lot when she’s drunk. The fact I know this is evidence of how often I’ve seen her in this state in the last few months. I try to push her back, but she weighs about a ton right now. What is it about alcohol? Add a few ounces to a one-hundred-twenty-pound girl and suddenly, it feels like she has the body mass of a football player.

I manage to guide her back, and River flops to her seat and squirms, trying to tuck her long legs under her.

He moves impatiently outside my window, his attention now on River. Maybe he’ll go easy on us, if what they say about cops and pretty girls is true.

“Is she okay?” he asks me, but he’s looking at her.

“Yes, she’ll sleep it off and be fine in the morning.”

He studies my sister for a long moment, and whatever he’s looking for must satisfy him because he looks back at me.

His eyes do a quick once-over of my face again, lingering on my lips for a second and back to my eyes.Is that . . . interest?No. There’s no way this gorgeous guy is checking me out. I’m out of my mind for even thinking it. Plus, hello? This is not the place nor time to even think such a thing. Damn hormones!

He clears his throat. “That’s twice I’ve asked you to step out of the car. Don’t make me ask you again.” His tone is half command and half plea.

He taps the door and opens it for me.

I remove my seatbelt, step out, and stand to the side.

In pajamas.

And bunny slippers.

He leans into the car through the open door and looks at River, studying her again.

For a fraction of a second, I think maybe, just maybe, I’ve found a guy who’s immune to River’s appeal. Maybe he’s my unicorn.

Stupid.

Stupid.

Stupid me.

Of all the things I should be worrying about right now—my getting a ticket, River being drunk and underage, although he doesn’t know it, what I’m wearing, River saying or doing something River-like, and my having to call our parents to bail us out—my out of place unrequited insta-lust is not one of them.

Like I said. Stupid.

Chapter Two

I openthe door for the driver and out steps a wisp of a girl. Her eyes meet mine and slowly drift away as if she, too, is having a hard time not staring back at me. I have to make a conscious effort to drag my eyes away from hers. There’s something about this girl that has me acting like an idiot. And it’s not just the crazy outfit she’s wearing and all the skin she’s showing. There’s a softness about her I’m drawn to.

I check inside the car once more, evaluating the passenger. I’m looking for any red flags, any signs she’s in distress or needs medical help. She’s drunk but coherent, and her demeanor is calm and compliant. My gut and training tell me neither of them is a threat to me or themselves, and the intoxicated girl is safe with the driver. Even under the influence, she’s absolutely stunning. She smirks at me like she knows something I don’t. But she’s not driving nor disrupting the peace, and smirking is not illegal in the state of Vermont. She’s just another college kid having fun.

I close the door and turn my attention to the little blond pixie in front of me. I need to shake off this attraction. This has never happened before, not like this. I’m at a loss. I like to take my time to think things through, but time is a luxury I don’t have right now. Training kicks in.

“I want you to walk a straight line. Use the markings on the ground.”

I point at the white line that marks the division between parking spots.

“One foot in front of the other. When you get to the end, turn around and walk back to me.”

She’s shivering in the next to nothing outfit she has on. It takes tremendous effort to keep my eyes from wandering all over her petite body. The bare legs, the little boy shorts PJs that barely cover her small but round and firm ass, the tight tank top that does absolutely nothing to hide the fact she’s braless, and it's freezing cold tonight. Her nipples are so hard they might rip a hole through that top any moment now. I have to hold off a laugh when I notice her pink bunny slippers. This is a nice change of pace on an otherwise boring night in this small college town. Other than the occasional streaker running down Main Street, noise complaint calls, and a few drunk frat kids here and there, the town of Riggins, home of Riggins University, my alma mater, is quiet and safe.

---