Page 15 of Wilde Secrets

Oh.

“There’s nowhere I can stay?”

Harper twisted the wet blanket in her hands, pulling it back and forth. She stopped when she realized what she was doing. One day at a time.

If only she believed it. If every day was as bad as this one, she was in for a rough ride.

“Well, not quite,” Logan said. “You can stay here.”

He slowed the truck, navigating down a narrow track.

Harper swallowed hard. She was alone with a man she had just met—a very strong, intimidating man—and now he was taking her…where, exactly?

But he had been nothing but kind and courteous, even when he’d been protective of his brother, and he could get her to Mason when he returned to town. Whenever that was.

She took a deep breath.

She was just going to have to trust Logan. She had no other choice.

ChapterSeven

Logan

Logan slowed the truck to take the final bend that led to his home. The track opened into a clearing on a small peninsula that jutted out into a sheltered bay. Right now the water was hidden from view by the rain, but on clear nights Logan often sat on the small jetty, enjoying the quiet.

“So, this is my place,” he said. “You can stay tonight. In the morning we’ll head into town and see what can be done about your car. Might even get lucky with a cancellation at the hotel.”

He pulled up next to the house and switched off the engine.

“Thank you,” she said with a small smile.

He shrugged. “Nothing that anyone else wouldn’t do.”

Logan ignored the little voice that reminded him he’d never invited someone to stay overnight in his home before. But what was he meant to do? Leave her in the rain? Not going to happen. And there was no point in heading into town this late. The reception at the hotel shut hours ago, and it was peak season. It was rare to find anywhere to stay at short notice in the summer.

They may as well sort it out in the morning.

He opened the car door and stepped into the downpour, only pausing to grab Harper’s bags from the back seat. He headed to the covered porch at the side of the house. She quickly followed, pulling the blanket over her head to shield herself from the rain.

“I’ve probably made a mess of your truck.” She glanced at her sneakers, now so caked with mud that he couldn’t tell what color they had been.

“It’ll clean.” Logan wasn’t worried about a little mud and water. He bought that model truck on purpose for how easy it was to clean the interior. Working in construction tended to involve a fair bit of dirt at times, even if he was the boss.

He unlocked the door and stepped inside, turning on the light and placing her bags on the tiled floor of the mudroom. Holding the door open for Harper, he waited as she hesitated before stepping inside.

“Thank you for this,” she said, still standing in the open doorway.

“You already thanked me.” Logan bent down to undo the laces of his boots.

“But—”

“It’s really nothing,” he looked up at her. “Anyway, it’s just for tonight.”

It had to be just for tonight. He had too much work to do, finishing the house and preparing for the job that started in a week. This week was the only free time he’d have for months, and if he didn’t use it now, who knew when he’d get the chance?

Besides, Logan had been looking forward to spending time alone. There was nothing quite like doing what you wanted, when you wanted—exactly the opposite of growing up in a crowded house with too many kids and not enough bedrooms.

And a twin brother who snored.

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