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Why can’t the man take a hint? I don’t want to spend any more time in his company tonight. But I don’t even get my next snarky comment out before he is telling us his dad wants him to step in as the dinner with a bachelor silent auction prize.
Laughter bursts from my lips, that’s karma. You do bad things and bad things happen to you. Honestly, I can’t believe women would even want to pay exorbitant amounts of money for a date with some stranger, no matter how hot or rich they are. But I guess they do. First it was Hunter, then Blake. It makes sense that it’s Logan’s turn.
Logan’s darkened eyes, not covered by glasses tonight, dart between Katie and me.
“You have to bid on me, Kitty Kat,” he begs, drawing on all of his persuasive techniques by using his childhood name for her.
“I can’t bid on you; you’re my brother. But Allie can.” Katie’s words kill my laughter instantly.
No way am I putting my name down as a bid. I hold up my hands to stop them. “Why on earth would I want to pay for a date with him?” I croak out, feeling like my last sip of champagne contained sand.
“Allie, be nice,” Katie warns. “Logan will pay you back, and you don’t actually have to go on the date.”
Nice. I have no nice left for Logan. He sucked my sunshine from me when he went behind my back asking Todd to find my mother. He destroyed my trust in that one thoughtless, deceptive act. I thought he understood how horribly I was treated by my mother when I needed her most. I guess he didn’t get that at all.
“Please, Allie. Just this one thing is all I need,” he begs. Damn him and his deep-brown eyes that remind me of the night just over a week ago when his cock was hitting the back of my throat and he was pleading for release. Vulnerability is a look on Logan I’m powerless to resist. Maybe there is a little nice left.
Folding my arms across my chest, I admit defeat. “Fine, I’ll do it. But you owe me.” Logan nods, knowing how true those words are, and minutes later, he drags me over to the silent auction tables, leaving Katie to deal with Drew alone.
He leans in close to my ear and whispers, “Thank you.” His nearness sends a shiver tripping over my skin. It’s going to take a long time to forget what it was like to be held in his arms.
Logan ignores the side-eye I give him. “Let’s just call it a gesture of appreciation for how you helped me before ...” I leave the sentence unfinished. He can fill the rest in for himself.
I’m grateful for everything he did to make me feel safe when I was scared, for giving me a shoulder to cry on, and for listening to my truth. There’s even a part of me that understands why he asked Todd to find my mother. What hurts is that he didn’t talk to me first.
His eyes fix on mine, and in their depths, I see hope. “I’ll always be here for you,” he murmurs in a low voice so no one else can hear.
My anger toward him is waning. “Don’t take this as forgiveness for you going behind my back. I’m just saying I’m grateful for the support you gave me before that.”
“I really enjoyed supporting you,” he says with a wink.
I slap him lightly on the lapel of his jacket. “Quit it with the innuendo. Now what ridiculous sum of money are you willing to throw away to win dinner with yourself in this silent auction.”
He whispers an exorbitant amount of money into my ear. “What? You want me to put my name down beside that enormous bid. That’s humiliating, I’ll look desperate.”
He’s unnaturally serious when he says, “I want to make sure you win. And I have a very clear memory of how desperate you were to have me, only a week ago.”
“Have I mentioned lately that you’re an asshole?” I spin on my heel and stride away. I know he’s watching me and if I add an extra sway of my hips for his benefit, then I don’t care. He was just as desperate for me as I was for him.
I put my name down on the piece of paper along with his very generous bid, adding an extra ten thousand for good measure. He can afford it and it’s a good cause.
I return to him. “Done.”
But Logan isn’t paying attention, he’s looking at Katie talking to Drew and Hunter. Damn the way Hunter is standing protectively beside her, that is not going to go well.
Logan tosses his head in their direction. “Is that the Scottish guy Katie was talking about?”
“Certainly is,” I confirm, and without another word, he storms off in their direction. Those Carlson boys definitely take the protection of their little stepsister very seriously. I turn in the opposite direction toward Dana and Jason who are standing near the bar. I don’t need to get involved in all that Carlson men testosterone. Besides, Katie can handle her brothers better than anyone I know.
Nearly an hour later, I’m searching the crowded room for Katie. I can’t find her anywhere and my texts are going unanswered. Interestingly, I can’t see Drew anywhere either. I send another message and this time, she replies telling me she needs to leave. It sounds urgent.
My best friend needs me and even though Logan is coming my way, I go to her rescue. Soon after we are both safely in the back seat of a town car and on our way home, without bumping into any of her family. I relax back into the soft leather seat and text Logan to let him know we’re okay and on our way home. I may not have forgiven him but still, I don’t want him to worry.
His response to my text is quick and brief.
Logan: Lucky you. See you tomorrow.
Katie lifts her head up from her own cell. “Oh, I missed the silent auction. Did you win Logan?”
