Page 25 of Playing with Fire

She nodded. “Yeah.”

Rustling from the couch made our heads swivel that way. Logan sat up and glanced over at us before running a hand over his face. He stood and headed toward us. “What time is it?”

“A little after five.”

“Shit.”

“Dad,” Alice scolded.

“Sorry. Shoot.” His gaze found mine. “Why didn't you wake me?”

“Figured you were tired and needed to rest.” I shrugged. “Alice and I made chicken noodle soup.”

He looked from the pot on the stove back to me, before his gaze ran over Alice and finally landed on Nikki. He repeated the motion I did a few minutes before, checking to see if she felt warm.

“Throat still hurting?”

“A little,” she replied.

“I hope it's not strep again.” He glanced up at me. “She's had it twice already this year.”

I flinched. That sucked.

“Thank you.” His sincere gaze trained on me made me squirm.

I couldn't explain it. Maybe it was because he was so much more serious than guys I'd been around, but when he looked at me with so much intensity and appreciation, I had no clue what to say.

“No problem.” I smiled, still feeling a bit awkward as he stared at me. “Well, I'd better get going. Soup is probably done.”

“Wait.” Alice's big blue eyes zeroed in on me. “You have to try some soup with us. You helped make it.”

I chuckled. But before I could respond, Logan's deep voice reverberated around the kitchen. “You should stay.”

I whipped my head up, my skin warming from his gaze. Jesus. What was wrong with me?

“Unless you have plans again.” His voice sounded gruff now. Like he was forcing the words out. His lips started to form a scowl.

“No. No plans.” I shook my head. I didn't understand my need to please him. To want him to look at me with appreciation. No one ever needed me, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying the way his gaze was begging me to say yes. “I can stay for a bit.”

My breath caught, and my knees literally felt weak as a smile lifted his lips. Maybe staying wasn't the best idea. The last thing I needed was to be crushing on my boss. I wanted him to like me, and not look at me with annoyance anymore, but vying for his attention had bad idea written all over it.

I turned away from him, needing a moment to shake him off, and started to pull bowls down from the cabinet. But I froze mid-reach when I felt him step up behind me. With a deep breath in, I lowered my hands and spun slowly to face him.

“Here, let me help,” he said, taking the bowls from my hands.

Our fingers brushed, sending tiny pricks of sensation coursing through me. Damn my body for reacting to this man. A man I could never have. He set the bowls down on the counter next to him and grabbed the top one, holding it out for me to scoop soup into. I grabbed a ladle out of the drawer and filled the first bowl. He handed each girl a bowl and then carried the last two over to the table.

I took the seat across the table from Logan, next to Alice, and Nikki sat next to her dad. She slowly started looking and sounding much better while we ate. The girls talked nonstop, and I couldn't help but smile at the way they finished each other's sentences. I tried to ignore the times I felt Logan's eyes on me. It did neither of us any good to read into his actions.

I was his nanny. His teammate's little sister. There was nothing more to it. If I repeated it enough, maybe my body would take the hint.

Chapter Fifteen

LOGAN

I huggedboth girls one last time and then waved as they made their way up the sidewalk to the front entrance of Maggie's condo. Nikki was much better today. No fever and not complaining about a sore throat. Which was good, because if she kept getting strep, eventually they might suggest we get her tonsils removed.

Maggie held up one finger, signaling me to wait as she ushered our kids inside. She headed down the sidewalk with one of her looks that told me I was about to get an earful.

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