‘What?’ I stare at him, stunned.
He sighs. ‘I’ve been wanting to speak to you ever since thatnight you stayed over at mine. It... ended badly, all thanksto me. And I’ve been trying to work out how to make it up to you ever since.’
‘You have?’ I wince, remembering my embarrassment. ‘Well,I’ve been wanting to apologise ever since. For... well,leaping on top of you like that. I’m so sorry. I’ve never done anything likethat before in my whole life!’
‘Martha, you havenothingto apologise for.’ His lipstwist sheepishly. ‘You just got in ahead of me, that’s all.’ He shrugs. ‘I’dbeen wanting things to... progress between us...for a while. But you took me by surprise, that’s all. I wasn’t ready.’ Hegroans. ‘I made a total arse of myself. For which I can’t apologise enough.’
‘It’s okay,’ I mumble, wondering what’s happened to my legs.They suddenly feel like they’re made of cottonwool.
He shakes his head. ‘The thing is, when you didn’t show upthat time at the clock tower, I was knocked for six. Quite devastated,actually. My luck with women, as you know, has never been great.’ He smiles sheepishly.‘The last time I felt that down was when Rangers lost to Hibs in the CupFinal.’ He shrugs and I grasp onto the railing as astonishment floods throughme.
Logan wasdevastatedwhen I didn’t show?
He takes in a breath and blows it out. ‘I thought you’dchanged your mind about me and I spent the following weeks doing a good job ofconvincing myself I didn’t care that you’d stood me up.’ He snorts. ‘I reallythought I’d succeeded. But then I heard the news that a Martha Munro hadstarted work here and I found myself living a nightmare.’
‘But you were so cool towards me. I was desperate for you tounderstand the real reason why I couldn’t make it that day, but...’
He sighs. ‘I wouldn’t give you a proper hearing, I know. Iguess I was so hurt when you didn’t show, I had to pretend I couldn’t care lessabout the reason. My pride was bruised. I couldn’t allow myself to admit Ireally liked you. And most of all, I didn’t want to get hurt all over again.’
‘I should have phoned you.’ My heart is beating so fast. ‘Itwas allmyfault –’
‘No, no, no, you wereill, Martha, You were laid upin hospital with a serious head injury.’
‘No, but I could have phoned you later to explain. I don’tknow why I didn’t, except I was feeling so bad and the accident had wiped outall my self-confidence.’ I swallow. ‘I... hated the thoughtof you seeing me like that. I felt like I was just a shadow of the person youfirst met.’
He studies me, his face softening. Folding his arms, heleans back against the railing so that our arms are touching. Then he turns hishead with a wry expression. ‘Och, we’ve really done our level best to messthings up, haven’t we?’
‘I guess we have.’ I smile up at him. The contact between usis making me feel quite breathless. Little pulses of desire are shootingthrough my whole body at his nearness. I swallow hard. ‘But maybe we can...um...un-messthem?’ I stare at him, unable to keepthe naked hope from my face. ‘What do you think?’
‘We can,’ he agrees softly.
My heart thunders against my ribs as he turns his whole bodyto face me. ‘And if you don’t mind, Martha, I’d like to start the un-messingprocess now, by kissingyouthis time.’ He searches my face, still ahint of uncertainty in his eyes. ‘Would that be okay?’
I smile up at him, tears pricking my eyes. ‘I think thatwould beveryokay,’ I whisper.
And as the space between us vanishes and his mouth comesdown on mine, I close my eyes and give myself up to the longest and mostpassionate kiss I’ve ever experienced.
Fireworks are exploding overhead, matching the sizzling hotfeeling inside me, and my fingers are tangled in the hair at the nape of hissmooth neck. I can’t get enough of his lips, and he’s holding me so firmlyagainst him, I’m left in no doubt at all about the strength and the power ofhis desire for me. Happily, it seems to match mine exactly, and my head isspinning with the ecstasy of being able to release such long-pent-up feelingsat last.
Finally, breathlessly, we pull apart. His hands still firmlyaround my waist, we smile at one another.
‘You know, I was terrified you’d stand me up again if Iinvited you here myself,’ he admits ruefully.
‘You were?’ I laugh. ‘As if.’
‘I thought the only way to make sure you came was to plotwith Katrina. She was the one who came up with the idea of a journalist wantingto interview you.’
I stare at him in astonishment. ‘Wait till I speak to her!’Smiling, I nestle against him again, nuzzling the base of his neck andbreathing in his tantalising scent. ‘I’ll be asking her why she didn’t come upwith a plan like this much sooner.’
He laughs softly and the rich sounds reverberates through mybody, making me tip my face up to his for another kiss...even deeper this time. Then we stand together, our arms around each other,gazing up at the stars twinkling in the inky blue velvet sky.
‘The chef knows we’re up here,’ Logan murmurs. ‘Themanager’s asked him to try out some new dishes on us tonight.’
‘Just the two of us?’
‘Yup. Dishes from the fancy new menu they’ll serve here onceit’s open.’
‘Wow. How romantic.’
