Crazy for Her (A K2 Team Novel)

by Owens, Sandra

  Christ, it was his damn phone. Lifting his head, he looked at her, taking in the dilated eyes, and the mouth, pink and moist from his kisses. He could have Evan’s wife this minute on her sofa. Disgusted with his breach of honor and his disrespect to his best friend and SEAL brother’s wife, Logan untangled his hand from her hair and mumbled an apology.

  He pulled his phone out of his back pocket, looked at the caller ID, and punched TALK. “Hello, sweetheart.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Sweetheart?

  Dani left the room, allowing him to talk to the buxom Maria in private. Seeing the woman’s name on his phone reminded her there was a prior claim on Logan. “Hello, sweetheart,” she mimicked as she slapped a package of shaved Black Forest ham down on the counter. What incredible timing. The lady must be clairvoyant.

  To make matters worse, he had apologized for the kiss. Again. So, why was he kissing her if there was another woman in his life?

  After putting a layer of baby Swiss cheese on top of the ham, she turned on the broiler. She sliced a kosher dill pickle and put the slivers on their plates. God, he was a good kisser. Somehow she needed to learn what his relationship with this Maria was. If it was serious and a commitment existed between them, then there would be no more kissing. Or fondling. Or the other stuff that followed fondling.

  On the other hand . . .

  The Georgia peach slices added the perfect finishing touch. Envisioning how the plates would look with the toasted ham and cheese hoagies added to them, she smiled with satisfaction. Not able to resist a fat, ripe peach, she picked up a slice and popped it into her mouth, the juice running down her chin. She turned to get a paper towel and shrieked.

  How long had Logan been watching her? He looked so manly leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. Smoldering chocolate-colored eyes followed the juice sliding down her chin. She stuck out her tongue and licked at the peach juice. His nostrils flared as he lifted his eyes to hers.

  Heaven help her. The man was a living, breathing, walking advertisement for “Why I Want to Have Sex.” She shivered and hoped he didn’t notice.

  His gaze slid over her body. “Are you cold, Dani?”

  The words rumbled over and through her. Good God, even his voice dripped sex, and jeez, the way her name slid over his tongue sent heat spiraling through her. Her favorite Regency word came to mind. Wanton. Yes siree, she was one of those.

  “Uh . . . no. I’m fine. Really. Are you hungry? I’ve made lunch. Well, almost. Just have to stick this under the broiler.” She shoved the cookie sheet with the hoagies into the oven and slammed the door shut.

  “Didn’t mean to do that,” she muttered. Amusement shimmered in his eyes. She might slap his face yet. “Beer?”

  “Sure.”

  “Grab one from the fridge.” Opening a drawer, she picked up a bottle opener, but before she could give it to him, he’d twisted the cap off. Evan used to do the same thing. She stood like an idiot as tears welled in her eyes. God, what was wrong with her?

  He set the beer on the counter, took the opener from her hand, and put it back in the drawer. “Dani?” His hand came to rest on her shoulder. “Are you upset because I kissed you? I shouldn’t—”

  Damn him. “Do. Not. Apologize.” Turning her back on him, she slid a mitt onto her hand and removed the hoagies from the oven. “Please don’t say you’re sorry. Obviously, we’re attracted to each other, and I’m okay with that.” She glanced over her shoulder. “But you’re not for whatever reason, so no more kissing.”

  He focused on her in that direct way of his. “It’s a matter of honor.” Picking up his plate and beer, he sat down at the table.

  They ate in silence, her mind churning with questions. Did he mean Evan, that he felt it was wrong to kiss his fallen comrade’s wife? With Logan’s strong sense of loyalty, that was a good possibility. Or was he thinking of Maria? If he meant he couldn’t kiss her because he was already involved with someone, she could respect that.

  It was unfortunate he was involved with someone, because he was the first man since Evan to whom she was attracted. She also believed Evan would applaud her choice, had even teased her that Logan had a crush on her. More than anything, though, Evan had wanted her to find a way to be happy if something happened to him.

  “I want you to promise me something, sugar,” he’d said on his last night before deployment.

  “Anything,” she’d said, inhaling his scent and missing him before he’d even left.

  “If I don’t come back, you have to promise me you’ll find a way to be happy again.”

  She’d pressed herself against him, hating talk of the danger that loomed over him as long as he was a SEAL. “Please always come back to me, Evan.”

  “I’m going to do my best, sugar, but this has to be said. If anything ever happens to me, Logan will always be there for you if you’re ever in need. You’ll have to ask him to come to you, though. He won’t willingly trespass onto my property.”

  She giggled and punched him. “I’m not a piece of property.”

  “No, you’re my heart.” He kissed her like there was no tomorrow.

  “Sugar,” she murmured.

  “Pardon?”

  Dani slid a pickle across her plate, transfixed on the wet trail it made. It seemed to upset Logan whenever she mentioned Evan, but damn it, she wanted them to be able to speak of her husband and his friend.

  “I was just remembering how Evan liked to call me sugar. I think it was a Texas thing.”

  His eyes shuttered and he stood, taking his plate to the sink. Had Evan been right? Had Logan harbored secret feelings for her, and did he still? No, he might have once, but he had the delectable Maria now and was obviously over any attraction there might’ve been for her. Didn’t explain why he had kissed her twice, though.

  She sighed and carried her plate to the sink. Logan took it from her and busied himself washing the dishes while she dried and put them away.

  “Is there anywhere you would like to go?” she asked after they finished.

  He leaned back against the counter and shrugged. “I’d like to go by—”

  He pulled his phone out of his back pocket, but she was at an angle where she couldn’t see the caller ID. Jeez, was she calling again, already?

  “Hello, Suzanne,” he said, and walked out the back door, shutting it behind him.

  Suzanne? Well, he had been in the Navy and maybe practiced the old adage of a girl in every port. His tone of voice had been different with this one, however. With Maria, he sounded soft and sweet, but with Suzanne, clipped and distant. Dani pictured a slim, blue-eyed woman with sleek, streaked blond hair and a cool, sophisticated demeanor.

  If he had the black-haired Maria and the bleached-blond Suzanne, it seemed to her that she could round out the colors with her red hair. Now there was a stupid thought. She had no intention of joining a harem.

  “You Had Me from Hello” by Bon Jovi chimed from the wall speakers. Dani went to the door and peered into the peephole. Smiling, she unbolted the locks. “Hey, Jared. Come in. Where’s Scott?”

  One of the best-looking men on the planet walked in and grabbed her in a bear hug. She pushed her hands into his rakishly long golden hair and smacked him on the lips.

  “Scott dropped me off. He had to run to the post office, but he’ll be back shortly.” He handed her a plastic container.

  Dani opened the lid and inhaled the tantalizing scent of warm zucchini bread. “Yummy,” she said, pulling off a chunk and popping it into her mouth. “Oh, wow. This one is the best yet.”

  He laughed. “You say that every time.”

  “Because it’s true every time.” She turned to go back into the kitchen, and he followed her, as at home in her house as she was in his.

  Jared shared her love of cooking, and they often made meals together, much to
Scott’s enjoyment. Anyone looking at Jared would not be surprised he was a personal trainer. He was big, muscled from head to toe.

  The surprise would be his culinary skills. As more of a hobby than a job, he worked part time as a private chef. For some pretty big bucks, he would go to a client’s home and create a night of culinary magic. Whenever he had a booking scheduled, he would practice his menu on her and Scott.

  Jared and Scott had been her salvation after Evan’s death. One or the other had stayed with her and held her while she cried. Jared had encouraged her interest in cooking, while Scott critiqued her books. Both had paced the waiting room when she gave birth. She couldn’t ask for better godparents to her daughter. They were the brothers she’d never had, and she loved the hell out of them.

  Setting the zucchini bread on the counter, she peeked out the window to see Logan still talking on the phone. From the expression on his face, he didn’t seem to be enjoying the conversation. That pleased her to no end.

  The phone rang and Dani froze.

  “Dani?”

  Jared’s concerned voice penetrated the haze. She answered the phone, pushing the speaker button. “Hello.”

  “I’m disappointed in you, Danielle.”

  She glanced at Jared, saw the questioning look in his eyes, and put a finger to her mouth to hush him. “I can’t imagine what I’ve done to disappoint you. Will you tell me your name?”

  “The Bible says a wife should cleave unto her husband. Why is there a strange man in your house, Danielle? I very nicely asked you to send him away, yet he’s still there. The Bible says a wife should love, honor, and obey her husband. If you can’t manage such a simple thing as obey, Danielle, then how can I trust you to love and honor me? The Bible says thou shalt not kill, but Papa Herb—oops, almost spilled the beans,” he said, and giggled.

  A chill slithered down Dani’s spine. Whoever this was, he was crazy. “Papa who?” she asked, only to hear a dial tone. “Crap,” she said, and hung up the phone. “I could use a hug, Jared.”

  He wrapped his big body around her. “Dani, love, what’s this about?”

  Logan pushed the phone into his pocket and glared at the sky. When would the blasted woman give up? He had said it was over nine ways to Sunday even though in his mind there hadn’t been anything between them in the first place. Four dinner dates spread out over two months did not constitute a relationship.

  Just as he turned to enter the house, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. The bad guy was watching him. Logan slid his hand behind him and touched the gun, reassuring himself it was there. Knowing that if he headed for the woods, the man would disappear, he walked back into the kitchen.

  “Dani, love, what’s this about?”

  Logan stilled in the doorway and speared the man daring to call Dani his love with a look that would have sent his team members scurrying. The man pushed Dani behind him and magically grew bigger. Logan knew that trick and performed his own body expansion. They exchanged hard stares, sizing each other up. The dude was obviously trying to appear menacing, but he sported gym muscles, nothing more.

  Who the hell was he? “Dani, introduce your friend.”

  She peeked around the man’s massive arm. “Logan, meet my neighbor, Jared Cooper. Jared, this is my friend, Logan Kincaid. He was Evan’s SEAL commander.”

  A smile appeared on Jared’s face and he stuck out his hand. “Heard a lot about you, Kincaid. Good to finally meet you.”

  She had talked about him? Over an exchange of handshakes, Logan couldn’t resist saying, “Haven’t heard a thing about you, Cooper, but good to meet you anyway.”

  Jared’s eyes narrowed before crinkling up at the corners, his smile turning to a wide grin. “Dani, my girl, your boyfriend’s jealous.” He draped an arm around her. “The joke’s on him, my love.”

  The two of them looked at each other and burst out laughing. Irritated, Logan scowled. What was he missing? Exactly what joke was on him? And why the hell was she cozied up to this dude? Without thinking, Logan deftly hooked an arm around her, pulled her to him, and tucked her up under his arm where she belonged.

  Music flowed out of ceiling speakers. Jared smiled. “That’s Scott.”

  Logan tightened his hold on Dani. If another iron-pumping jock walked into the room and called Dani his love, he was going to hurt someone.

  Jared disappeared, returning with his arm around the shoulder of a slim man who reminded Logan of Clark Kent. For the first time since he’d walked in and found Dani in another man’s arms, Logan relaxed. Not that it was any of his business to whom she gave her affection. He just didn’t want to be around when it happened. The black-haired newcomer looked at them with interest. Realizing he still had her tucked into his side, Logan stepped away.

  “Logan, this is Scott Parker. Scott, meet my friend, Logan Kincaid.”

  An hour later, Logan stood at the door with Dani as Jared and Scott took their leave. He held a crying Regan in his arms. She had made it clear she didn’t want them to go.

  “Don’t cry, pumpkin,” Logan said, bouncing her in his arms. “You’re going to see them tomorrow.”

  “Here, give her to me. She played hard. She’s tired and hungry.”

  He handed the baby over. “I like your friends.”

  “Especially since they agreed to babysit tomorrow so you can take me for a ride on your motorcycle. I can’t believe I let you talk me into it.”

  “I promise, you’re gonna love it.” He followed her into the kitchen. “After you feed her, we need to go to the Harley dealership and buy you a helmet.”

  Dani held on to Logan for dear life. For the first ten minutes, she had kept her eyes squeezed shut. He’d elected to ride south on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Pisgah Inn for lunch. Once on the parkway with its gentle curves and slow speed limit, she ventured to open her eyes and, surprisingly, began to enjoy the ride. She didn’t loosen her grip on Logan’s waist, however, but stayed pressed against his back so tightly their helmets kept bumping.

  Even during the summer, it was chilly on a motorcycle at that altitude, and she was thankful for the jacket he had insisted on buying her along with the helmet. She also thought the black leather looked badass cool on her.

  They rode past a lookout, and although she’d driven on the parkway before, she had to agree it was different on a bike. It was better. It was beautiful with the blue-tinged mountains rising above her—no car roof to block the view—and the many shades of green on the valley floor thousands of feet below. Taking in a deep breath, she inhaled the spicy scent of the spruce pines. As they came out of a curve, a waterfall appeared and she grinned in delight, craning her head to look at it until it disappeared from sight.

  Heaven on earth, she decided.

  She braved letting go of Logan with one arm and lifted the visor on her helmet so she could feel the cool wind on her face. For the first time since her stalker appeared, she felt free, even if it was only for a few hours. Laughter bubbled up and escaped.

  Logan reached back and squeezed her knee. “Having fun?” he yelled over the roar of the bike and wind.

  Yes. Yes, she was having fun. She nodded, bumped his helmet with hers, and realized he couldn’t see her. “Yes!”

  He gave her knee one more squeeze, then put his hand back on the handlebar. At the next curve, she leaned with him, growing more confident and no longer resisting by trying to keep her body upright.

  “There you go, you got it now,” he said.

  Dani grinned big and wide. She was a certified biker chick.

  Logan slowed the bike and pointed. A mother deer and her spotted fawn stood at the edge of the tree line staring back at them. Could this day get any better?

  Her happiness with the day had been stolen. The pan-fried trout Dani had thought delicious an hour ago now set heavy in her stomach. After lunch, they’d sat in the ro
cking chairs on the deck behind the Pisgah Inn, at five-thousand-feet elevation, sipping coffee and marveling over the view of the vista spread before them. From the moment she’d thrown a leg over the bike and wrapped her arms around Logan’s waist, the day had been perfect.

  Now it wasn’t.

  Logan stared at the motorcycle, his hands fisted at his sides. Dani looked away from the two slashed tires and surveyed the parking lot. Her stalker was there, or had been. He must have followed them, must have watched them go into the restaurant. She wrapped her arms around her waist, a shiver passing through her.

  Logan pulled her next to him. “He’s gone now.”

  She willingly went. “How can you be sure?”

  “He wouldn’t stay after doing this, wouldn’t risk getting caught.” Logan did his own survey of the area, and her gaze followed his.

  No menacing black trucks in sight, but what if he had a different truck or car? Something they weren’t aware of? She glanced at Logan. His eyes had the cold, deadly look of one aching to get his hands on the man who dared to do this to his bike.

  “So, what now?” she asked.

  “I’ll call the Harley shop and arrange for my bike to get picked up. Call your friends and see if they can come get us.” He unzipped his jacket and pulled out his cell phone.

  She caught a glimpse of the handle of his gun, a grim reminder of his reason for being here and something she’d wanted to put aside for a few hours. Not a wise thing to do for many reasons. As soon as this was over, he would go back to his life. A pain arrowed its way through her heart. She would miss him. Better to stop this deepening affection before it grew into something unmanageable.

  Unzipping one of the leather jacket’s pockets, she removed her cell and punched in Jared’s number. Scott answered, and after she finished talking to him, she waited for Logan to finish his conversation.

  “Why do you think he slashed your tires?” she asked after he ended his call.