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“Sure he did. We were wild as renegade wolves back then. He was only protecting you.”
“Then why didn’t he break Carl’s nose?”
“I got to him first. In reality, I probably kept him from really getting hurt.”
The knock on the door meant food had arrived. Logan signed the bill while Elle spread their feast across the coffee table.
“I didn’t realize I was hungry.” Elle picked up her sandwich and took a bite.
Logan grabbed his burger, and for the next few minutes, except for the occasional moan—one he decided had a different sound than the one she made during sex—silence ruled.
His cell buzzed just as he popped a french fry into his mouth. One glance at the caller ID and he shook his head. “Eric. The guy must be psychic.”
Logan put the call on speaker. “I was about to contact you. Got something to write with?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“The Internet service up here is for shit. It’s slow as you on the basketball court.”
“If that’s a challenge, I accept. What do you need?” Eric asked.
“A background check on Cheyenne Forrester.” Logan spelled the name as he walked to Elle’s laptop and read off the rest of the pertinent information. “There are two addresses listed, one in Fort Worth and the other in the Grand Caymans. I need everything you can dig up on her.”
“And why do you need this intel?” Eric’s voice lowered an octave.
Logan glanced at Elle. She rolled her eyes. Both of them recognized Eric’s suspicious tone. Logan held a finger to his lips. She joined him at the bar but didn’t speak.
“Brandon Ethridge has a woman with him,” Logan explained. “He’s presenting her as his daughter, but that’s crap. I think Nicki Ethridge and Cheyenne Forrester may be the same person. So while you’re at it, check out Nicki too.”
“Damn it. Elle sucked you in—” Eric’s voice roared through the speaker.
“That’s enough,” Logan snapped. Defending Elle felt right. The smile on her face confirmed it. “I think she’s onto something, and I’m going to follow it through.”
“I only wanted you to keep her out of trouble.” The anger had faded from Eric’s tone, replaced by concern. “Now I’m asking you to keep her safe.”
“I’ll do my best.” Logan seized on a thought. “You’d have other things to worry about if you’d get off your ass and marry that girlfriend of yours.”
Eric coughed. “That may be a thing of the past.”
“Sorry to hear that.
I thought this one had you. Email me everything you can find on both women.” Logan ended the call before Eric could respond.
Elle’s smile had spread wide. “Thank you.”
“Not necessary.” Logan turned his attention back to her laptop. “I hope we have enough download speed to operate the ghostwriter when I target one of the bigger files.”
“Please, God.”
“Let’s try this one.” Logan selected the file identified as Projects and clicked. “This will take a while.”
Elle moved their dishes to the counter behind the bar. She disappeared into the bedroom and returned a minute later with her book. “I might as well get comfortable. If I don’t give my brain something to do, I’ll go crazy.”
She tucked her feet under her and snuggled down on the couch. Logan smiled as she settled back on the pillows. The book seemed to hold her attention, but he couldn’t sit still. He paced the floor, stared out the window at the snow-covered landscape, and then walked back to check on the program’s progress. Elle lifted her gaze to meet his on one of his trips by the couch but quickly returned to the story, leaving him time to think.
His friendship with Eric was important. They’d been through a lot together not only as kids but also as adults. Hell, they were closer than some brothers were. How upset was he going to get when he learned his best friend was in love with his sister?
Logan stopped midstride. No, not love. Lust. Granted, this thing with Elle was different from his experiences with other women. He’d tried and failed to sustain a long-term relationship more than once. None of them had made him want permanence in his life, not like Elle did.
