“You want to go out with Cassandra and me tonight? We haven’t been dancing for too long.”

“I hate you,” I said under my breath, attempting to keep my lips still and in a seamless line.

“Sure, that sounds fun, thanks!” Natasha answered, looking surprised but thrilled at the offer.

“Fabulous!” Hilary called out, then turned back and continued walking down the hill. I followed, but my steps were anything but light. A night out with Natasha? ‘Fabulous’ was the last word I’d use to describe it.

Chapter Seventeen

Power

The drive home was awkward, to say the least—especially with Oliver lying in the backseat, awake but too exhausted to distract us from our own thoughts. Logan was clearly on edge from Josh’s unexpected arrival, and I was biding my time until Oliver was out of earshot so I could start the interrogation.

Deep down, I knew he couldn’t be jealous of Josh, but still…there was that little nagging voice that kept reminding me they had a lot of history, including but not limited to the adorable little boy in the backseat.

We pulled into Logan’s driveway right around noon. As I moved to open the passenger door, Logan’s hand covered my knee.

“Wait.”

“Huh?” I glanced his way.

Oliver’s back door opened suddenly, and Julia was there helping him out.

“Five minutes, got it?” she said quickly. “I have plans.” She shut the door.

“What’s going on?” I asked, my expression tight.

“I just wanted to talk to you alone for a moment.” Logan’s hand was molded around the gearshift, his eyes forward.

My nerves sparked at his seriousness “Okay. Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you—”

“Stay away from Josh and Natasha.” His harsh demand cut through me.

I narrowed my eyes. “Wait, what?”

He turned his head to face me, his expression dark. “You heard me. She’s up to something. There’s no possible way she’d freely date someone like him.”

“Someone like him?” My tone was mocking, but not amused. “What the hell does that mean—she’s too good for the locals?”

He shook his head, scowling. “He’s nothing but an idiot, and will use anyone he can to hurt Caleb and me. In case Josh is there tonight, you’re not going out.”

“Excuse me? Since when do you dictate who I hang out with or where I go?”

His eyes cut to mine. “Josh has every reason not to like me, and I won’t let you get dragged into something—”

“Why?” I interrupted harshly. “Because you and Caleb stole the diner from him?”

His entire body stiffened, eyes blazing. “Josh bet it, and Caleb won. That’s all that matters. Josh is clearly bitter at the success of Haven, since it was a shithole when he ran it.”

There had to be something more. As Logan lowered the heat blasting through the vents, Josh’s words slammed into me. “What did he mean about you having your way with his friend?”

Logan’s head tilted, his lips parting slowly as his anger swam away. “Doesn’t matter.” It was almost a whisper.

“It does to me. If he has an issue with you, there must be a reason—and not just Haven.”

“You know about my past, Cassandra. There’s no need to rehash it.” He sighed, then turned away.

“You screwed around with someone he cared about.” I didn’t need to ask it—it was obvious in the way he shut me out. The one thing from his past he didn’t like to discuss was liaisons.

When he didn’t deny my accusation, I continued, my stomach churning. “And outside his place? Both you and Caleb?” It was too much to process, but I couldn’t stop one final question from coming out as the realization beat against me. “You shared women?”

“Sweetheart...” Quickly, he turned back and reached for my hand. I pulled away, unable to ignore the disgust crawling over me. I couldn’t even look at him. “Before you, I was a different man. You know this. Please, just look at me.”

“I should go.” My voice was flat; numb. “I need a shower, and maybe some rest before tonight.”

“Listen to me: No one else has ever meant anything to me. Caleb and I…” He exhaled deeply, running his hands through his hair. “We were bored most of the time.”

“I’m sure,” I murmured.

Logan lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his rueful gaze. “I love you, Cassandra. I can’t stand you looking at me like this. Tell me you love me. Tell me my past doesn’t matter. ’Cause if that fucks up what you and I have…I can’t bear it.”

“I do love you—more than anything. But you have to admit, that’s a lot to take in—at least, for me it is. You’re right, though…it’s in the past.”

He stroked my cheek and drew me closer, his mouth skimming mine.

“Stay with me tonight.” His words brushed across my lips.

I pushed off from his chest. “No, I’m going out.”

“You can’t honestly tell me you want to spend time with my ex.”

Hearing those words—‘my ex’—cause something to snap within me: a reminder of what I’d been waiting to talk to him about.

“Just because you’re jealous she’s obviously moving on doesn’t mean you can make demands on me! Understand?”

“Jealous?” His laughter was raucous. “That’s what you think?”

“Don’t you dare laugh at me!”

Logan held up his hand as though he was trying to contain the chuckle, but his grin only grew wider as his chest continued to rumble. He cupped my cheeks, and was twisting me to face him when I grabbed the door handle.

“Christ, woman, what the hell would make you think I’d be jealous of someone I don’t even care about?”

“Then why were you so upset about her and Josh being together? You nearly took his head off. If it was a simple case of you and him not getting along, you wouldn’t have been that upset. It was that they were together that got to you.”

“Not because of Natasha.” His thumb traced my lip and, like a masochist, I closed my eyes and relished his touch. Damn it. “I don’t want anyone I don’t trust around those I love. I wasn’t trying to protect Natasha—I was trying to protect you and Oliver.”

Oh. “Right. Look, I’m sorry for thinking—”

“Don’t. I understand why you did. But please, Cassandra, what do I have to do to prove that it’s only you?”

I leaned across the center console and slid my leg over his, maneuvering slowly to straddle him. He clicked a button, and the seat went back.

“Just kiss me,” I said, enjoying making my own demands.

“My pleasure.”

“I can’t believe you talked me into this!” I groaned, walking into Haven with Hilary at my side.

Logan was right: I should’ve stayed in and cuddled with him. It was Saturday night and barely five degrees out, and the place was packed. Only for Hilary would I be out.

“Oh, come on, it’ll be fun. We can dance, and you can drink real liquor while I nurse a virgin. You got me to DD, so let loose a little. And all the while, we can pick that cow’s brain.”