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LOGAN WATCHED RACHEL’S beautiful smile crumple. She looked down at the coffee cup in her hand, her shoulders drooping. Immediately, cold regret washed over him. She was only trying to help. He shouldn’t have been so quick to react.
Only five minutes ago, he’d been praying for a little respite from the whole opening business and thinking about hopping in his jet and flying to the furthest ski resort to disappear indefinitely. This wasn’t like opening one of his pizza joints. So much was riding on this success, he felt like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. His nerves had been frayed to bits and he was about to lose his mind.
It was safe to say he wasn’t acting like his usual self.
He needed to slow down and think. From a business point of view, Rachel’s decision had been very astute. It was like free marketing. There was no way he could turn it down. Especially, when the idea belonged to the gorgeous, intelligent woman standing in front of him.
“Rachel, I’m sorry.” He placed a
hand on each of her shoulders and sighed. “I shouldn’t have reacted that way.”
She continued to stare hard at the cup in her hand, her chest rising and falling in halted breaths. “I shouldn’t have jumped the gun. It’s my fault. I know you’re stressed and I’ve been doing my best to take the load off your shoulders, but this was too far. I’m the one who should be sorry. I forgot my place.”
“No,” he replied a little too harshly.
She really had been picking up the slack around here. Her efforts hadn’t gone unnoticed these last two weeks. He wasn’t sure what he would’ve done without her. Michael really had turned out to be a fabulous matchmaker. For business, at least.
Placing a finger below her chin, he gently lifted her head until she looked him in the eyes. Regret lanced across her oval face, darkening her eyes, and making his heart hurt.
“Don’t be sorry,” he said softly. “It was a brilliant idea. You’re right, this could really help get the word out about Madison Park. Don’t apologize. You did your job and you did it well. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Rachel.”
Something inside of him ached to comfort her. He just couldn’t help himself. She inhaled sharply as his fingertips traced the outline of her jaw and came to rest against her neck. Her skin was as soft as his favorite worn-in leather baseball glove. He could smell the floral scent of her perfume, delicate and feminine. His eyes flickered between her sensual gaze and her slightly parted lips. Temptation willed him forward as he imagined what it would be like to pull her body tightly against his and taste the mouth he’d been dreaming about these last few weeks.
He could do it. All it required was to cross the last few inches between them. But as he searched her longing eyes for permission, he was suddenly reminded of an identical pair of brown eyes. Eyes that belonged to his best friend.
Michael would have him shipped on the next rocket to Mars if he found out what Logan was planning. Logan had promised to take care of his little sister. No distractions. No guys. And he was breaking both of those promises at this very moment.
Some friend he turned out to be.
“Do me a favor and talk to chef on your way back to the office. Give him a heads up,” Logan said suddenly, dropping his hand from her face and turning away. The act hurt more than he could’ve imagined. His heart ached in protest. “We’ll need all hands on deck for this event if we want to impress anyone. I’ll need you to take lead on this project.”
There was a long moment of silence behind him and Logan wondered if Rachel had silently slipped away without him noticing. But then, he heard her take in a large breath of air and swallow.
“Of course,” she said, her voice shaky. “Whatever you say.”
Logan winced at the sound. Had he crossed a line with her? Did Rachel even want him the way he wanted her?
Inwardly, he kicked himself. She’d just left one job because her boss wouldn’t stop hitting on her and here he was, behaving just the same. He was no better than that greasy manager from her old job.
He really needed to get a grip.
“I’ll let you get back to work,” she said, the sound of her heels slowly moving away. The noise paused and he heard her take another deep breath. “I really enjoy working with you, Logan. I just thought I should tell you that.”
And then she was gone.
Chapter Seven
“We’re finally alone.”
Rachel looked up from her desk to see Logan standing in the doorway to the office, his athletic body leaning against the door frame. The left corner of his mouth curved into a devious grin and his eyes sparkled with humor. She felt her breath catch in her lungs from the sight.
It had been only days ago that she thought he was going to kiss her in this very restaurant. His hand had lovingly cradled her face and she thought she could feel sparks flying between them. But he’d broken that connection very suddenly, avoiding all physical contact with her since then, as if he couldn’t stand to be nearer than two feet to her.
No matter how many times she repeated to herself that Logan Madison was not interested, that didn’t stop her heart from wanting to reach out to him. Clutching the pen in her hand with white knuckles, she willed herself to come to grips with reality.
He didn’t want her.
Logan plopped himself on the desk next to Rachel and shook his blond head with an exhausted sigh. In his hands, he held two dainty white plates with generous slices of lemon cream cake.
