Page 72 of Wilde Secrets

He groaned.

Logan hated being the center of attention. And his absolute worst nightmare was karaoke. His brothers had always given him shit about why he could play on a football field with thousands of people watching but not want to speak in public.

They didn’t understand. When he put that helmet on, the world disappeared. He was just another strong body in the uniform, working together with his team. He didn’t have an issue talking in front of the kids at the high school where he helped coach. But that was football.

This was nothing like football.

He wasn’t an entertainer. He was an athlete. Or he had been an athlete.

Logan gripped the steering wheel in white-knuckled hands. He hadn’t thought about what could have been for years. What would his life have been like if he’d stayed away?

It wasn’t worth thinking about. He’d been needed in Cape Wilde. Had a life here. Loved the place, had just finished renovating his home.

Was he actually thinking he could leave with Harper?

The object of his thoughts broke the silence. “What if I said it would help me if you sang?”

Logan groaned again and shot her a look that had her suppressing a grin. “You’ve got me all figured out, haven’t you princess?”

She let the smile break across her face. “Oh no.” She shook her head.

The insincerity had Logan snorting.

She laughed and looked away. “Your secret is safe with me.”

Logan’s chest swelled at her words. He knew she meant them. Her confidences were kept close. It showed in just how much the one time she had let something slip had impacted her.

It didn’t take them long to get to Wilde Brews’n’Blues. Logan parked the truck and turned off the engine, neither of them opening the doors to get out.

“It’s going to be fine.” He reached across and took Harper’s hand in his, smoothing his work-roughened thumb over her soft skin. He looked down at her hand, so small in his. He wished he could take the hurt away.

“It doesn’t feel like it.” She gripped his fingers tightly and turned on the seat to face him. “Kiss me for good luck?”

“How could I ever refuse a lady?” Logan slid his hand into the hair at the nape of her neck and tugged her toward him, his lips settling over hers in a soft caress that brought a moan from her lips.

Why hadn’t they stayed at home again?

Logan pulled back, his forehead resting on hers.

A knock at the window had Harper jerking away and releasing a small scream.

Logan scowled at Rowan who stepped back from the truck and lifted his hands palms up, an apologetic grimace on his face.

Harper watched him walk away and then turned to face Logan. “See? They’re all expecting me. What if there’s someone here who films me? And then they find out where I am and… and...” Her breathing came fast, and she clutched at her chest, her face pale and stricken.

“Hey, hey,” Logan’s voice soothed. “Just breathe with me, Harper.”

She nodded, dots of pink appearing on her cheeks as Logan held her hands and breathed slowly in and out. He could have sat there for hours just staring into her eyes, but eventually she swallowed and took a deep breath.

“I’m ok.” She looked down. “A little embarrassed, but ok.” She forced a laugh and looked out of the windshield of the truck.

“Mason gets panic attacks,” Logan said.

Her head whipped back to him. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. He didn’t want to talk about it at first, but there’s a guy at the rehab center that does counseling. He convinced Mason.” He paused and looked out the windshield of the truck. “You ever think about talking to someone?”

“I did after my mom died.”

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