Page 88 of Nanny for the Athletes

“Sorry if I came on strong,” Logan said. “Taking you to a game, then bringing you home for dinner, and… more.”

“I wouldn’t consider that strong. How do you usually ask someone out?”

Logan shrugged his massive shoulders. “I don’t know. I usually don’t.”

“What about your ex? How’d you ask her out?”

“I didn’t. She asked me out. And Braden, and Christian.”

“Oh.” I pushed up until I was looking down at his face, my hair hanging down and drifting across his skin. “I’m glad you asked me out tonight. And I’m glad you dumped Claire on me last week.”

He frowned. “You are?”

I kissed him on the lips then relaxed again, laying my head back on his chest. “She’s a sweet kid. I’m glad to know her. She’s always welcome at my kennel. Though she’s welcome to hang out without doing any chores. I don’t want people to think I’m running a dog boarding sweatshop.”

Logan’s chest vibrated with laughter. “I’ll keep that in mind. But she likes to help.” He paused. “She’s like her mother.”

“Do you want to talk about her?” I asked.

“Not much to say. She was my first love, back before I knew what love truly was. I was infatuated with her for a month or two at college, and then she dropped out without warning. I never spoke to her again.”

“Do you wonder what your life would’ve been like if she stuck around?”

“Sometimes. But it wouldn’t have worked out with Caroline.”

“Why not?”

“Because I was in love with theideaof her,” he replied. “It took me years to accept that. Caroline stayed perfect in my mind because I never got toreallyget to know her.”

“And you’re sure that you wouldn’t be in love with her if you two had grown older together?”

“I’m pretty fucking sure,” he said softly. “She joined a spiritual cult. She moved into the wilderness and lived in a shack without running water. I probably would’ve hated her. It’s better this way. She’ll stay perfect in my head.”

The next question was harder, but I made myself ask it anyway. “Are you worried you’ll dislike me the more you learn?”

He grabbed a handful of my hair and tilted my face up to look at him. “Easy there, Beth. It’s too early to worry about that sort of thing.”

“You’re right. Sorry.”

“But no,” he said. “I’m not worried about that at all.”

I smiled and snuggled closer to him.

My phone buzzed somewhere on the floor, and the message appeared on my watch. I twisted my wrist to look at it, and gave a start when I saw who it was from.

Trip: You posted that photo just to piss me off, didn’t you? You really are a selfish bitch.

I sighed. “Way to ruin a perfect moment.”

Logan tensed underneath me. “The fuck?”

“My stupid ex.” I chuckled. “The photo of me sitting in the front row had the desired effect. I wonder how I should respond…”

I trailed off as Logan slid out from underneath me and exited the bed. With hurried movements, he found his pants and pulled them on one leg at a time, then threw a belt on. His face was like a storm cloud, dark and full of thunder.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to teach that cunt a lesson,” he growled while retrieving a shirt.

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