Refusing to be intimated I broke her gaze and smiled at Oliver.

“Thanks again for your help.”

“No problem. Maybe next time we’ll catch a snake.” He grinned and for the first time I saw his father.

It was almost the exact grin Logan threw me more than once that morning.

“Oliver.” Julia warned.

“I’m going.” He pouted. “Bye Cassandra.” He waved as he walked away leaving me face-to-face with his strangely terrifying aunt.

She stood my height, barely five six, and weighed no more than I did. I felt fairly confident I could take her if need be. I was more athletic in stature than she was. Problem was, I still had no clue what the reason for needing to take her down was.

“Stay away from Logan,” she hissed once the door slammed shut behind Oliver. “He needs to focus on his son, not you.”

“I’m not—”

“Logan’s not known for self-control. If you show interest in him, he’ll waste no time luring you into his bed and, if you’re lucky, possibly keep you around for a day or two. But that’s all you’ll get.” Her tight expression and cold tone slowly began to soften and I had a feeling it was due to my stunned expression.

I was well aware exactly how unlucky I was in life so I nodded dumbly, stunned at her harshness. “All right.”

“I’m sure you think I’m a bitch. I don’t mean to come off like some crazed sister from hell but you have to understand, my only concern is for Oliver. I saw the way Oliver looked at you, he likes you, and he just met you. Oliver’s not normally one to speak to strangers, let alone makes friends with them.” She dropped her arms from her chest and sighed. “Look, Logan plans on living here for at least two years so the last thing Oliver needs is to have you pissed off at his father when he plays with your emotions and then drops you like last week’s garbage.”

“No offense, but you’re really good at making your brother sound like a jerk. You do know that, right?” A nervous laugh cracked out, but I was completely serious.

“He’s really not.” She laughed softly walking back to the house. I followed, listening intently to every word.

“Logan’s an amazing brother and father. He’s paying my tuition at school and all my expenses and spends nearly every Sunday with our mother. The whole reason he moved here was because he wanted Oliver to be close to me while I went to school. I start this fall at the college in town. Logan just…doesn’t let anyone besides family get…close.”

Just as we stopped at Logan’s back door, the realization hit me—if Julia was not Oliver’s mother than where was she?

“She broke his heart,” Julia said, reading my mind. “Oliver’s mother was everything to Logan. She left shortly before Oliver’s first birthday and hasn’t come around since.”

My heart broke not only for Logan, but also for his innocent son. The sadness in his eyes now made even more sense and I wished I could take it away for him. I knew all too well what it was like to have a parent disappear out of your life never to be heard from again.

“I like Oliver. He seems like a sweet kid. I don’t mind keeping an eye on him when I’m around. As far as his father goes, I’m actually known to have impeccable self-control.” I laughed, lighting the somber mood we’d fallen into.

“It was nice meeting you, Cassandra.” Julia smiled sincerely. “Once school starts up next week I won’t be around much, I’m staying at the dorms, so I’m glad you’ll be right next door.”

“I have to ask. Why would you move here to go to school? Harmony has the smallest college in the state. I graduated from there last month and I have to admit it’s nothing special.”

“One guess,” she said, smiling ear-to-ear.

I knew that look. It’s the same one Hilary got every time Caleb was brought up.

“Ahh,” I chuckled. “The things we do for men.”

I walked away after one more—‘nice to meet you,’ ‘we should get together sometime’—and found myself whistling on the short walk to my own back porch.

Julia was lovely. Just the type of girl I would want to have living next door to me. Although she would be living in a dorm, she planned to be around and I looked forward to getting to know her better.

Grabbing the warm glass covered condensation from the heat, I felt a strange tingle flutter through my stomach. I looked up across the yard, and there standing beside the house, feet away from where Julia and I had just been talking was Logan.

I swallowed loudly, my eyes locked with his. I couldn’t smile or look away. I was frozen, unsure if he heard any of our conversation.

He blinked, looked down at the ground, and then slowly back up at me. His expression was heavy in thought and I knew he had heard us.

A deep breath helped soothe away some of my nerves and I was finally able to pull my lips up into a kind smile.

He continued staring, his brows pulled in and slowly that sexy smirk appeared and he was back to the man I met earlier.

I laughed to myself and shook my head as I walked inside; ignoring the growing attraction and flurry of emotions, I knew I could never act upon, growing inside me.

Chapter Four

The Muffin Man

The next day I awoke early and watched out my kitchen window, waiting for Logan to appear for his morning jog. By seven thirty, he walked out his front door, shirtless and gorgeous, and stared over at my house.

I dropped the curtain in my front room, startled. I didn’t want him to see me gawking. I really wasn’t. Maybe a little.

He seemed to be waiting, taking his time to stretch. I peeked out again as subtle as possible and caught his occasional glance back at my house. Every time he bent down to stretch another part of his toned body, I felt the image etch itself into my brain. Damn him.

Finally, after what felt like forever considering I was flushed with lust, he took off down the road.

I planned on becoming a night runner but waking up this morning I needed my morning jog more than my mother needed her coffee.

Grabbing the small duffle I stuffed with clean clothes for later, I snuck out, and hopped into my car.

If I couldn’t run here I’d find somewhere else. There were lots of great trails in the area. My biggest concern was getting out of the house after Logan left. Not only because I didn’t want to get talked into jogging with him but because I knew if he challenged me I’d have went with him. I sometimes hated my competitive side.

Also, because I wanted to see his face when I did…HONK!

Logan abruptly stopped, turning slightly to face my car, but if the horn startled him, he didn’t show it in his expression. Damn!

I still drove past smirking. That’s right chicks can smirk too.

By the time I finished jogging around the riverbed, which was located just inside city limits and less than two miles from my house, I felt not only satisfied but also proud.

Instead of driving back to my house and running the risk of seeing Logan again this early, I headed to Hilary’s apartment.

“Thanks for letting me shower here,” I said, sauntering out of the bathroom, hair wrapped up in towel on the top of my head.

“Anytime, but I still don’t understand what the big deal is?” She handed me a glass of orange juice and sat down with her coffee. “Maybe his sister was exaggerating?”