Page 69 of Two Sticky Nuts

Now comes the difficult question. “Do you have plans to move on?”

“I did,” he growls.

What I really want to know is if he’s giving up on whatever his plans were. “I’m sorry I ruined the oil deal, though I still don’t understand it.”

“I planned to open a restaurant—perhaps even a chain—dedicated solely to sensual, aphrodisiac cuisine.”

“So the oils weren’t going to be for sex?” I ask.

“No. Chef Jean was helping me develop gourmet flavor profiles like white truffle and passion fruit. His name was going to be on the label, and we were going to sell the line in my flagship restaurant featuring romantic, sensual cuisine. The oils would be offered on a special tasting menu with the bread, similar to what olive oil shops do. Eventually, I planned to create an entire line of sensual food products to sell to gourmet shops around the world.”

“Wow. An empire dedicated to pleasure foods.” I think about his plan. It’s actually kind of brilliant. I could see wanting to dine at a place like that with my boyfriend—dimmed lighting, silky, sumptuous finger foods, lots of kissing between courses. “I really love it, Logan.”

“Well, I lost my celebrity chef, and I doubt I’ll be able to convince anyone else to go into business with me because everyone thinks I’m a…what was it you called me in the exposé? Oh, that’s right. A swindling, manwhoring loser.”

I cringe. “Those weren’t my words.”

“Weren’t they?”

“Okay, yes, I called you something pretty close to that, but I was talking about Carter. Not you. Not exactly.” I take a deep breath. “Logan, I’m sorry for everything. I really am. But you’re just going to have to forgive me.”

“Why?”

“Well, I might die on a coconut farm tonight.”

“Then you won’t care if I forgave you or not because you’ll be dead, and so will I.”

“Wrong,” I say. “I just decided you’re not coming with me. You can drop me off and leave.”

“Why the hell would I do that?” he asks.

“You have your mother to think of. She needs you.”

“And youdon’thave a mother?” he pushes back.

“She has my dad, and they’re not, you know, in critical condition like your mom.”

“I wouldn’t be able to face my mother again if I didn’t try to help Carter. Also, it’s my idiot brother who took the loan and got mixed up with these assholes.”

So he isn’t blaming me for this. It’s a relief.

I sigh. “You’re a good man, Logan.”

“But?”

“But nothing.”But everything.

“Why won’t you talk about what happened on the plane?” he asks.

I don’t want to tell him. Maybe because it wasn’t just about the dream. “We fucked. End of story,” I lie.

“You know, just like I do, it was more than a fuck. It was a test.”

“A test?” I say.

“To see if the attraction we feel is enough to become something more. It’s why you demanded I kiss you back at my studio.”

He’s actually right, though I didn’t see it that way at the time. I saw it as sating a deep, burning desire for Logan, knowing we can’t really work out.

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