by Kate Aster
She looks up. “Oh, wow. I can. How is it that I haven’t seen this before?”
“If you’re any closer into a city, you don’t stand a chance of seeing it. But out here, if the air isn’t humid and there’s no moon, you have a chance on some nights.” I grin at the look of wonder on her face, seeing that her first lesson in spontaneity was a success.
“It’s pretty amazing.”
“When I was on missions or in training, a lot of the time we’d be in the middle of nowhere and the Milky Way would be stretched across the sky so boldly there was no missing it. A lot sharper than it is out here. I don’t know how anyone could look at that and not be blown away by the sight of it.” I glance over at the feel of her eyes on me. “What?”
Her eyes dance in the low light. “You better watch talk like that. You don’t sound that jaded to me.”
Swallowing a laugh, I turn my face back to the stars, feeling sleep tug at me beneath the warm blanket she stretched over me.
24, I remind myself. 24.
Chapter 11
~ ALLIE ~
I should be exhausted, and my back should ache. I hadn’t intended to actually fall asleep on the hammock with him last night, but the warmth of his body next to mine and the stars above us drew me into a deep slumber.
Waking up alone, I discover a note saying he went to pick up donuts and coffee at Pop’s.
I’m in lust. A man who can lure me under the stars and listen—actually listen to me—and then pick up donuts and coffee the morning after is like a dream come true.
Struggling to lift myself out of the low-hanging hammock, I plant my two feet on the ground, and gaze out at the brook in my view. This section of Newton’s Creek really is beautiful, and I feel lucky every day I walk my dogs along its cool, clear water.
If a few mountains popped up along the horizon to replace the struggling farms, I’d picture this creek slicing its way through Montana or someplace else far west. The water tumbles over the rocks, and small boulders create an unintentional pathway across. I wonder what’s on the other side of the creek, and am sorely tempted to try to balance my way across it.
Logan looks as out of place here in Newton’s Creek as this brook does. Sure, there are jokes that men grow tall as the corn out here, and the farmers and others who make their living off the land do get broad-shouldered and tan. But there is an essence to Logan that sets him apart—an air of command that my heart seems to lap up like a tasty, cherry-flavored aphrodisiac.
He’s not meant to be here though, landlocked in Ohio. I can see the pull of the sea keeping his heart firmly anchored somewhere like San Diego.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out, seeing my mother’s picture pop up on my display. I tap it and hold it to my ear. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, honey,” she answers. “I’m so glad you picked up. Is everything okay?”
“Of course. Why?”
“Well, I left a message last night and you didn’t call me back after you were done with your party.”
I swallow a laugh. I swear my mom thinks these sex toy parties are orgies or something. I can’t seem to convince her it’s just a bunch of soccer moms drinking cheap Chardonnay and telling tales.
“Sorry, Mom. I was going to call you when I got home, but—” I cut myself off, thinking it wouldn’t be a good idea to tell her that I spent the night squished up against a hot former Navy SEAL under the stars. “—I was just so tired.”
“That’s all right. I’m a little worried about you right now, though. Living in that townhome rent-free. If you need money for a place—”
“I’m fine, Mom,” I interrupt. “Really. Logan is a great guy.”
I stand, arching my back to stretch, and head in to let my dogs out while I spend the next five minutes convincing my mother that I’m perfectly safe.
I jump in the shower, deciding to skip washing my hair today. It’s kind of liberating, knowing Logan’s not interested in me. At least I don’t have to bother with makeup anymore before I walk the dogs.
I check my phone again for new emails and texts, still hoping I might have missed some word from my real estate agent. I can’t resist.
Setting down my phone on my dresser I spot the four slips of paper tossed carelessly alongside my jewelry box. A smile creeps up my face as I lift them, grazing the paper across my chin as I think.
I wonder…
***
“What are you doing today?” I ask Logan.
A tempting bag of donuts is in his grasp and one hand is raised to knock on my door. But I had opened it before he even had the chance.
His eyes widen at my direct tone. “Umm, eating donuts with you.”
“Great. We’re going to Buckeye Land.”
“Excuse me?”
“We’re going to Buckeye Land.” Okay, I wasn’t expecting much of a response. It’s not like he’s a five-year-old fairy princess fan. I guess a little convincing is necessary. “You’re teaching me to be more spontaneous, right? Well, I’m teaching you to be less jaded. And what better place than Buckeye Land to do it? Come on. My friend Cass works there and she got me a family-four-pack for free. We can invite your niece and brother.”
The mention of Hannah does the trick and he is on his phone within seconds calling his brother. We make arrangements to meet them there in an hour, just long enough for me to down my coffee and a donut while he takes a shower next door. The thought of Logan in the shower nearly sends me into a second shower myself—a cold one—and I go against my earlier resolve by putting on make-up and squeezing into my cutest shorts—the ones Cass says make my legs look muscular.
A few minutes later, I gawk at the sight of him walking Kosmo along the stream. Kosmo is thriving in his new home. Logan said the vet has made arrangements for surgery next week and it’s all I can do to not offer to go with him, even though he has to drive three hours to a specialized vet hospital in Akron to get it done.
After Kosmo has worn out, which doesn’t take long in his present condition, Logan returns to his home and I meet him out on the front walkway. “I can drive,” I offer.
Glancing over at my car briefly, he only says, “No. I like driving.” I can’t blame him. My car isn’t a sight to behold and it smells even worse than it looks.
He walks past his truck and opens the passenger side door of his BMW convertible. I slide in, loving the feel of the leather against my thighs.
“Is this new?” I ask. I’ve seen it parked out here, but haven’t actually seen him drive it yet.
“Not very. I bought it when I got back from my last mission a couple years ago. The truck’s new. I kind of needed that when I started renovating. This one’s pretty useless on a trip home from Home Depot.”
I love the way he turns the car on by just pressing a button, and marvel at the rear and side view cameras as he backs out of his driveway. I don’t know much about cars. But I know what I like.
I like this.
Given my calling in life rescuing dogs, I don’t imagine a leather-seated BMW convertible is in my future any time soon, so I soak in the luxury while I can as we talk during the drive north.
“I can’t believe I’m going to Buckeye Land,” he mutters.
“I know. Roller coasters. Cotton candy. Tilt-a-Whirl. And if you’re lucky and stand in line long enough, you’ll get to meet the beautiful Buckeye Princess. Aren’t you a lucky boy?” I counter sarcastically, and give him a playful pat on the thigh.
He shoots me a look and I know there’s no way he would have agreed to go to Buckeye Land if he didn’t have a niece he adores. Truth is, I’m actually excited to go. The rollercoasters are more geared toward the elementary school set than for adults, but I love any rides.
In my stomach, I feel a little flutter from the thrill of being spontaneous.
I could get used to this feeling.
- LOGAN -
“She’s cute, Logan.” My brother’s eyes follow Allie and Hannah as they filter into the line to meet th
e Buckeye Princess. “I like her. So, you’re dating her now, I take it?”
“No,” I respond quickly. Almost too quickly. “I told you. Too young.”
“Great. I’ll ask her out then.”
“Like hell you will.” Hadn’t we settled this already?
“Why can’t I? If you’re not interested in her.”
“If she’s too young for me, why the hell isn’t she too young for you?”
“Because some of us don’t live by your absurd rules, Logan. I look at her and I see a smart, fun, capable woman who’s cute as hell and really good with my daughter. I’d be a damn fool to not chase after her.”
I see the same thing he does, but I don’t jump to the same conclusion. And I hate that he’s right. There’s nothing wrong about the age difference when it’s my brother. He hasn’t seen what I’ve seen, done what I’ve done. He’s worked hard at JLS Heartland, but there’s no mistaking that he comes from a life of privilege. She’d be good for him and Hannah. But I’m not about to tell him that.
“I don’t want Allie to get her heart broken by you. She’s been through a lot. And your track record hasn’t been that great with women.”
“Only because the women I date never take a shine to Hannah. If they don’t see her for the jewel she is, to hell with them.”
I tend to agree, and I’ve heard it from him plenty. Hannah is sweet as pie, but can be a little hard to handle sometimes—impulsive, dramatic, and headstrong.
I can’t imagine where the headstrong part of her comes from.
A lot of people don’t really “get” Hannah like Allie seems to. I watch them from a distance in the crowd as they play Rock, Paper, Scissors in line. Allie tosses her head back, laughing when she either wins or loses; I can’t tell. They’re both smiling broad enough that it warms my heart even from this distance.
No wonder my brother wants her.
But so do I. I just don’t want to admit it because it breaks every vow I made to myself after my last relationship.
“You can date anyone you like,” I finally say, pulling my eyes from the sight of them. “Just not Allie.”
“Hell with that. If you’re not going to date her, then I am. What the hell’s with you these days?”
“What the hell is with you, Ryan? You’re the acting CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. You think you can’t find someone else to date?”
“I need someone right. I need someone now.” His words seem weighty and he bites back a curse.
I can tell there’s more to his statement than him just wanting to get laid. I take a slow sip of my drink and set it down in front of me. “What’s the sudden rush?”
He shakes his head and reaches for his drink, looking like he’s wishing for something a lot stronger. “Adriana is getting married.”
I suppress a scowl at the sound of his ex-wife’s name. At first, I can’t imagine why he cares. But then I start wondering about the man she’s suddenly bringing into my precious niece’s life. “Who’s the lucky guy?” I ask, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
“Some orthodontist. I’ve never met him.”
“Are you going to?”
“Probably not. She says it’s not my business.”
“It is too your business if he’s going to be allowed around Hannah.”
Inhaling deeply, his shoulders rise and fall as his gaze drifts off in the direction of his daughter. “He won’t be around her much. She wants me to take Hannah.”
A feeling of elation creeps up in me, and I try to hammer it down because obviously there’s more to this than he’s telling me. “That’s great. I mean, isn’t it?”
“Maybe. Could be. Adriana says she wants to start fresh. Have a family with this guy. She feels like Hannah would be in the way.”
“Are you sh—” I stop myself, remembering we’re in a family environment. “Are you kidding me?” I shake my head. “She didn’t tell Hannah that, did she?”
“No. And I’m pissed off that I actually had to specify to her not to. She says she’s tired of dealing with the schools, the doctors, all the complaints from the teachers. Told me it’s my turn to try to figure my daughter out.”
I know Hannah’s been in and out of the doctor a lot trying to find the right medicine for her ADHD. They all seem to cause her some pretty bad side effects. The pills might work wonders for some kids, but they definitely weren’t doing the trick for Hannah.
My eyes narrow. “So she pops out one kid, decides she’s not perfect enough, and decides to get rid of her and try again? Bitch,” I utter the last word quietly, even though I doubt anyone can hear us. “When are you going to tell Hannah?”
“Not until the legal paperwork is done. I keep thinking Adriana will change her mind.”
“I hope not. I’d sleep a lot better with Hannah at your place than at Adriana’s with some new guy playing ‘Dad.’ It’s not like Adriana has the best judgment when it comes to men. No offense.”
He nods, unoffended. “It’s not that easy, though. I’m taking over so much work for Dad at the company. My hours are crap. I can’t remember the last time I made it home before 9:00. Plus, all the traveling. And if dealing with the schools and the doctors takes as much time as Adriana says, I really don’t know how I’m going to do it.”
I feel the pinch of guilt for not helping him at JLS. “You have family to support you,” I offer, knowing I’d much rather be picking up Hannah every day from school than trapped behind a desk at JLS.
“Yeah, well, what I need is a wife.”
I scoff. “That’s the last thing you need. Look what’s happening with your last wife. What you need is a nanny.”
“Maybe.” He presses his lips together, his gaze following Allie and Hannah as their line curves and they disappear. His eyes narrow suddenly and meet mine. “I’ll give you a month to figure it out with Allie, Logan. After that, I’m asking her out. If she says no, then fine. But you’ve can’t stop me from asking.”
I bite my tongue. I don’t have a damn thing to use against him for ammunition. If I’m not interested in Allie, then maybe she would be good for him.
But the thing is, I’m damn interested.
Standing, I scrunch my empty cup in my fist and toss it into the recycle bin. “Looks like they’re getting close to the front of the line. Maybe we should get their hot dogs.” I step away from him without looking back. I don’t want him to see how defeated I feel.
***
“Do you have a party tonight?” I reach for Allie’s hand as I help her out of my car. She seems flustered by the gesture, a blush touching her cheeks as my fingers wrap around hers.
“Nope,” she answers, her eyes barely able to meet mine. Her hair is tousled, probably from riding the Buckeye Brawler one too many times, and I fight the urge to pull it out of the ponytail and watch it fall around her shoulders. What is this woman doing to me?
“How about we let the dogs out for a bit and then grab dinner?”
Her eyes widen. “You mean go out?”
“Unless you’d rather eat in.”
“Umm, I’m kind of on a budget right now. How about we make dinner instead?”
I try to keep myself from rolling my eyes. What kind of a guy does she think I am? “I’m buying, Allie. I wouldn’t have asked if I weren’t.”
Shaking her head, she reaches into her purse for her key. “Oh, no, that’s not right. It’s enough you’re letting me live here rent-free.”
As she digs in her purse, her eyes glance upwards to me. Most of her makeup washed away during the day after getting drenched on the log ride, and I’m stunned by how gorgeous her eyes are without any of that paint to muck up the sight of them.
If she looks at me like that any longer, I’ll be offering to do a lot more than just buy her dinner.
“Of course it’s right,” I finally respond, pulling my eyes from hers as she opens her door. “You got us in for free, remember? Least I can do.” I see the hesitation. “Come on. Let’s go to that new place
on Anders Street.”
“Francesca’s? The one with the Zagat rating?” She seems intrigued.
“Yeah. I haven’t had a chance to try it. How about it?”
“Okay,” she finally says. “Just give me a few minutes to change.”
When she shuts the door behind herself, I can’t help but appreciate the fact that she can get ready for dinner in a few minutes. Most women I’ve dated tend to take forever to get ready. For me, the only thing that needs to get ready to eat is my mouth.
That said, I probably should change too, I decide as I look down at my t-shirt and shorts. Francesca’s seems like a pretty casual place despite the great reviews, but my mother would scold me if I took a woman out to dinner wearing a shirt that has a chocolate ice cream smear on it.
I’m greeted by Kosmo at the door and it always makes me smile. “How you doing, boy?” I ask, giving him a good petting before I lead him to the backyard. While he hangs out there, I charge upstairs to change into a polo shirt and some khakis.
I brush my teeth at the feel of cotton candy and frozen cheesecake on a stick coating the inside of my mouth. It has nothing to do with the prospect of kissing Allie again. Nothing.
Really.
But as I swish the mouthwash in my mouth, I’m wondering if I’m feeding myself a load of crap.
Kissing Allie again is all I’ve been able to think about today. Every time I see her lush lips curve upward in a smile, I can remember what it felt like to have her mouth against mine. Then when Ryan dared to say he was interested in her? Well, I just about went territorial alpha wolf on him.
For a guy who swore she was too young for me, I’m having a damn hard time remembering that. As I pull my polo shirt over my head, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I glance at the display and see a text from Maeve come in.
“Where’s your RSVP saying you’ll come to the wedding?” she wrote.
I frown, typing, “I sent it last week. Didn’t you get it?”
“I got one from you saying you can’t come. I’m still waiting for the one that says you can.”
