Sunshine Over Snow (Summer Lake Seasons Book 3)

by SJ McCoy

  Roxy followed Logan’s gaze as he jerked his chin to where Amber and Jade were making their way through the bar to join them. She smiled to herself. She had a feeling Austin might not take too long at all to get over his breakup with Nadia. They’d all suspected that he had a thing for Amber ever since the sisters had arrived in town. Now that he was single, there was nothing stopping him from asking her out—and Roxy had a feeling that she’d say yes.

  Her smile faded when she spotted Courtney a few steps behind Amber and Jade. It looked like she was coming this way, too.

  Logan must have spotted her at the same moment; he edged closer to Roxy and slung his arm around her shoulders, sending a thrill racing through her. She knew he was only doing it for appearance’s sake, but she leaned closer into him—there was no reason not to make the most of it.

  Amber and Jade reached the group a few steps ahead of Courtney, and Jade raised an eyebrow at Logan.

  “Is there something we don’t know about going on here, or do you have a death wish?”

  Roxy chuckled. It was a well-known part of the dynamics of their group that Logan flirted with all the girls and, mostly, they humored him. She was the only one who consistently put him in his place.

  Logan drew her closer into his side. “I’m on a suicide mission,” he told Jade with a grin. “She’s blocked my advances for so long that I’ve grown desperate. I’m going all in on a last-ditch attempt to make her mine. Do or die.”

  Even as Roxy laughed, she wished it was true.

  “Hi, Roxy. I thought you were coming over to see us.”

  All heads turned to Courtney as she joined the group of them standing there, and Roxy didn’t miss the fact that both Austin and Colt’s eyes lingered on her longer than was necessary.

  “I was on my way, but this guy waylaid me.” She was grateful that Logan tightened his arm around her. It felt so good—in a purely physical way, and even more than that, it felt good to have his emotional support. He didn’t know the whole story, but he had some idea of how Courtney had made her feel, and he was letting her know he was there for her—he had her back, and that meant a lot.

  “Yeah, sorry,” said Logan. “I don’t know when I can let you have her back.”

  Roxy shuddered at the way Courtney smiled at him. “No worries. I’m sure it won’t be too long before you’re done with her.”

  Ouch. Roxy was absolutely certain that she meant that to sound as harsh as it did. It appeared some of the others picked up on it, too.

  Maria turned to Courtney with a smile that Roxy knew held trouble. “You’re one of the friends from college, aren’t you?”

  “I am. I’m Courtney.”

  To Roxy’s dismay, Colt stepped forward to shake hands with her. “Any friend of Roxy’s is welcome here,” he said with a smile.

  Courtney shook with him and turned on the charm. “That’s so sweet of you. You should come over and meet her other friends, too. And you,” she added, nodding at Austin.

  Roxy watched as she led the only two obviously single guys away toward the table where the rest of the girls were sitting.

  “I guess that’s the last we’ll see of them tonight,” said Amber.

  “Don’t worry,” said Logan. “They’ll be back.”

  “I wasn’t worried,” Amber replied a little too quickly, making Roxy suspect that all her protests about not being interested in Austin weren’t true. Amber would never have admitted that she liked him while he had a girlfriend … but now he didn’t.

  “Never mind them. What’s going on with you two?” Luke looked at Roxy and Logan, whose arm still rested around her shoulders.

  “Nothing,” said Roxy with a smile. “He’s just being a gentleman and helping me out.”

  Luke grinned. “A gentleman?”

  “It looks to me more like he wants to help himself out,” said Jade.

  Logan laughed. “I’m not always a predator. I’m looking out for my friend here. Those girls are bitchy.”

  Maria nodded at his side. “You know, normally I’d agree with you, Jade. Our Logan is usually out for what he can get with the ladies, but this time he’s being a hero.”

  Roxy looked up at him. “Did you hear that? You’re a hero.”

  “How?” asked Jade. “I don’t get it.”

  “At college, I was the frumpy one,” Roxy explained. “They were the pretty, popular girls. I didn’t want them to see me like that now. So, Maria dressed me up, and Logan is pretending that he’s interested in me.” She gave a self-conscious laugh. “I know it probably sounds stupid—because I admit, it is stupid. I just didn’t want to feel the way I used to feel around them. I wanted them to think that I’m better than that.”

  “It’s not stupid,” said Jade. “I get it. I think at some point, we’ve all wished that we could show people from our past how great we’re doing now.” She raised an eyebrow at Logan. “I’d just watch this one. Don’t let him keep up the act when there’s no one around to see it.”

  Roxy laughed. “Don’t worry. He’s hardly likely to do that; it’s just for show.” She was surprised at the looks some of the others gave her. Luke, in particular, looked skeptical.

  ~ ~ ~

  It was a great evening. He often missed out on hanging out with everyone on nights like this because he was busy chatting to girls. Tonight was reminding him just what a great group this was. As the night drew on, he resolved to spend more time with them and less time chasing women. He cocked an eyebrow at Roxy as they watched Maria and Zack follow Angel and Luke out on to the dance floor. It was getting late, and the band usually finished their set with a few slow ballads to let the couples dance.

  Roxy gave him a puzzled look. “Something up?”

  He had to hide a smile. “May I have the honor of this dance?”

  She looked at the couples already swaying to the music then back at him. “Are you serious?”

  He nodded solemnly. “Never been more so.” He got to his feet and held his hand out to her, hoping that would be enough to persuade her that he was, indeed, serious.

  She got up and let him lead her onto the floor. She looked up at him as he slid an arm around her waist and drew her toward him. She only hesitated a moment before she looped her arms up around his neck.

  He had to bite the inside of his cheek when he dared tighten his arms around her and hold her close to his chest. She felt so damned good! He closed his eyes briefly, but that didn’t help—he saw images of them in bed together when he did that. When he opened them again, she was looking up into them.

  “Are you okay?”

  He nodded and made himself grin at her. He needed to keep up his usual banter. He couldn’t afford to get caught up in the moment. He picked up his pace and whirled her around to the music, making her laugh, and to his relief, putting a couple of inches of air between their bodies, giving himself a chance to calm back down.

  When the song came to an end, she made to leave, but he held her closer as the band started to sing an old love song. It was one his grandma used to play when he was a kid. “Stay?”

  She searched his face for a moment before she nodded and rested her head against his shoulder.

  Logan closed his eyes and let himself get lost in the feel of her soft body pressed against his, the fresh scent of her hair in his nostrils, and the warm, happy nostalgia that the song filled his heart with. He held her close as they swayed together. He was no stranger to these slow dances at the end of an evening. Usually, they were the first chance to get closer to the body he was holding. He opened his eyes, and his heart started to race when the thought occurred to him that this was his first chance to get closer to the woman he was holding.

  She sensed the change in him and looked up into his eyes. “Are you okay?”

  He cupped the back of her head with his hand. He didn’t want to let her see what he was thinking, and he was afraid it must be written all over his face. For a crazy moment, he lowered his lips toward hers, but instead of moving in fo
r a kiss, he cradled her head back against his shoulder. “I’m great, Rox,” he murmured. “Just great.”

  When the music finally ended, she stepped away from him. “Thanks.”

  “What for?”

  She smiled. “I know you always dance these dances, but I only ever get to sit and watch. I know this is only pretend, but it felt good to get to be one of the girls up here for once.”

  He slid his arm around her shoulders as they walked off the dancefloor. “I always feel bad for the girls up here dancing at the end.”

  “Bad for them? Why?”

  He laughed. “Well, you know most guys think of these slow ballads as the erection section, right? Pretty much every girl up here dancing is letting the world know that she’ll be getting laid later.”

  Roxy sputtered. It looked like half laugh, half indignation. “The erection section? Seriously? That’s what you call it?”

  He gave her a sheepish grin. “Just don’t ever let on that I told you that. It’s kind of like bro-code, you know?”

  She laughed. “I had no idea. No. And you seriously see it that all the girls dancing to the slowies at the end are going to … you know, later?”

  He held his hands out and shrugged. “Look around you.”

  He followed her gaze as she took in Angel and Luke, Maria and Zack, and several other couples. He hadn’t noticed Nate until now, but he was out there with his fiancée, Lily. There were quite a few tourists, some looked like they were couples—others as though they were about to embark on vacation flings.

  Roxy looked back at him. “You’re right!”

  He laughed. “I always am. You should know that by now.”

  She slapped his arm. “And full of yourself, too.”

  “Nah, I’m not full of myself tonight.”

  “Why not?”

  He cocked his head to one side. “Because I’m not still out there.”

  He was trying to let her know that he wished he were, but she took it the wrong way.

  Her smile disappeared. “I’m sorry. I totally forgot that I was cramping your style.” She looked around quickly. “You’re a quick worker. I’ll bet there’s a bunch of girls here who’d jump up and dance with you right now—and fall in with your theory of what that means.”

  She continued to scan the room as if seeking him out a partner. He put his hand on her shoulder and waited until she looked back at him. “That’s not what I mean, Rox. I meant I wish we were still out there.”

  “Oh.” She held his gaze for a long moment before she eventually smiled. “I do, too.”

  His heart leapt in his chest. “You do?”

  “Of course, I do. You must know that.”

  “I had no idea.”

  She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, does it? We’re friends. I could never go there because I like you too much as a friend. I’d hate to lose that. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it.”

  He could feel the blood pounding in his temples—and in the front of his pants—at the thought that she’d even considered … But she was right. You didn’t do that with friends. But, damn, right now, he wanted to.

  ~ ~ ~

  Roxy ran her wrists under the faucet in the bathroom, hoping that it would cool her off. Dancing with Logan like that—and then their conversation afterward—had left her a little over-heated. She turned when the door opened and was relieved to see Maria come in.

  “There you are. I wondered where you’d disappeared to.”

  “I just needed a minute.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I think I’m going to head home.”

  “I hope you’re going to let Logan take you.”

  In her attempt to hold back a laugh, Roxy snorted. “I’d love to! In every sense of the term. But I don’t think it’s a good idea either way.”

  Maria smiled. “I do. I told you he’s a good guy, and I think he’s proved it tonight, don’t you?”

  “Yeah.” Roxy smiled, remembering the way she’d felt when he’d pulled her into his side, and when she’d heard him tell Courtney that she was worth so much more than her. “He’s been great. He’s a much better friend than I gave him credit for.”

  Maria gave her a stern look. “That’s not what I mean, and you know it. He likes you. It’s obvious. You should give him a chance—see where it leads.”

  “That’s the trouble, though. I know exactly where it would lead, and so do you. It’d lead straight to bed, mine or his, or the back of his truck on the way there. And I’m sure it’d be amazing. But I’m not like that, Maria. I couldn’t just sleep with him and then pretend everything was normal—that nothing had changed. It’d be too weird to just be another of his conquests.”

  “I don’t think you would be. I think it could be more than that.”

  “No. That’s who he is. It’s what he does. I’m not going to go fooling myself that he’d give all that up for me.” She blew out a sigh. “I’m stupid, and I know it, but I don’t believe in just sleeping with people for fun. I need it to be part of something bigger. Logan doesn’t work that way. It’s only fun to him. It wouldn’t be right.”

  Maria shrugged. “I know that’s what his track record has been, but I think you should give him a chance.”

  Roxy laughed. “I’d love to. But I’m not interested in being just another name on his list, and he wouldn’t be interested in the only kind of chance I’d give him.”

  “You don’t think he would be—but you don’t know. All I’m saying is don’t just assume. Stay open to possibilities.”

  Roxy dried her hands and nodded. “Okay. But I’m going back out there, and I’m saying goodnight. It’s time for me to go home.”

  “I’ll be out in a minute. Don’t leave before I get there.”

  Roxy looked around for the girls as she made her way back to the table where the gang were sitting. Courtney was standing by a pillar talking to a guy—a guy she was relieved to see was neither Austin nor Colt. Lucy and Jana were picking up their purses, looking as though they were ready to leave, and the others were already on their feet. Roxy started to change course to go and say goodnight to them, but she thought better of it. If they wanted to see her, they could come to her. She’d done enough running after them, and she finally understood that she didn’t need to.

  When she reached the table, Amber and Jade were getting ready to leave. Amber gave her a hug, and Jade grinned at her. “We’ll see you soon, and don’t forget—watch yourself with him.” She jerked her head at Logan.

  Logan grinned and came to join them. “Did I hear my name?”

  Jade made a face at him. “Yeah. You behave yourself. Roxy’s a good girl, and don’t you forget it.”

  Roxy dropped her gaze. Jade could be outspoken, and sometimes it was fun, but this was a little too much.

  Logan came and stood beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. “How could I forget it? She’s way too good for me.”

  Jade laughed. “As long as you know that.”

  She and her sister said goodbye to everyone and left. Roxy looked up at Logan. “Thanks for tonight. I’m going to head off now, too. I’ll see you around.”

  His smile faded. “You’ll see me around? Is that it? I thought we were going to show those mean girls? If you leave here alone, it won’t work. Let me walk you home?”

  Her heart caught in her throat. For a moment, she wished he was asking her for real—that he wanted to walk her home and that maybe they’d kiss, maybe she’d invite him in and … but she came back to her senses. That was the whole point. She couldn’t invite him and everything that came after that, because it wouldn’t mean anything to him. At least, not anything more than another Friday night filled by another willing body underneath him. The way her tummy flipped when he stroked his fingertips over her shoulder reminded her just how willing her body would be.

  “You should go now,” said Maria, who had apparently returned from the bathroom and appeared out of nowhere.

&
nbsp; “Why?” asked Roxy.

  Maria gave her a hard stare. “Just go.”

  Logan grinned and steered her out of the bar.

  “What was that all about?” asked Roxy.

  “I don’t know, I’m just taking advantage of it.” They reached the door, and he held it open for her to go ahead of him.

  Once they were outside, she looked up at him. “Why do you even want to walk me home?”

  He held her gaze for a long moment, then shrugged. “Because I like you, Rox. I enjoy your company. Isn’t that enough?”

  She relaxed at that. “Of course, it is. I’m sorry. I think I’m just weirded out by everything. With the girls showing up and you being so nice … so … out of character.”

  He laughed. “Thanks. So, you think me being nice is out of character?”

  “Oh, God, no! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I meant you not doing your thing, you hanging out with me instead of chasing a woman tonight.”

  He slung his arm around her shoulders as they walked and looked down into her eyes. “Who says I’m not chasing a woman?”

  Chapter Five

  Logan had to ask himself what he was playing at. He was walking away from the Boathouse on a Friday with his arm around a beautiful woman—nothing unusual about that. What was unusual was that he knew full well that there was no way he was going to spend the night with her. Worse than that was that he knew she wouldn’t sleep with him even if he tried. He didn’t know what he was doing, but he did know that something had changed.

  When he’d woken up this morning, it was just a regular Friday. He’d known what lay ahead of him—a day of work, an evening of fun, and a night-time in some woman’s bed. Now it wasn’t a regular Friday anymore. It felt like it was the day that had changed everything. The day that he’d realized that the woman walking beside him was a woman he wanted to spend more time with—he’d always known she was a woman he wanted to sleep with. He sighed and tightened his arm around her shoulders.

  “You don’t need to go all the way with me, you know.”

  He couldn’t help but chuckle. “But, Rox, there’s nothing I want more than to go all the way with you.”