Page 26 of Until You Found Me

“That’s good news,” he replies. “Usually takes forever for government money to come through. Carl must’ve pulled some strings.”

“I’m grateful if he did. It makes me feel less—” Someone bumps into her from the side, jolting her hard enough that she trips into Logan’s arms to keep from crashing to the ground.

It’s a man exiting a shop, not paying attention to where he’s going, but she apologizes on reflex even though it wasn’t her fault.

“Hey! Watch it!” Logan scowls at the other man, who’s paused to stare at her.

His face pales and his mouth drops open, but the shock is gone in a split second and she questions if she saw anything at all. He stares at Logan for a beat as if calculating his odds in a challenge.

Logan bristles, taking a step forward, a hint of growl in his tone. “You got a problem I can help you with?”

He is so easygoing, even shy at times, that this new behavior catches her off guard. He is ready to fight this stranger and she has no doubt he would win. The sheer bulk of him, something she’s mostly ignored until now, is on full display. The tension in his broad shoulders and twitch in his jaw only highlights his irritation.

“It’s fine,” she whispers to Logan, curling a hand around his bicep.

He calms at her touch, but his stare doesn’t leave his opponent.

“My apologies,” the other man blurts out, backing away with his hands up.

The words rake like sandpaper across her skin, prompting goosebumps.

Then he rushes off like he’d seen a ghost.

“Are you gonna knock the next guy’s teeth out?” she jokes.

“If I have to. It takes two seconds not to be a jerk if you slam into someone and he just stood there like he was waiting for you to say sorry.” Logan pauses as they head back to the truck, eyeing her with a hint of regret. “Did I make you uncomfortable?”

“No. Not at all. Makes me feel safe.”

“You are. I promise.”

Promises like that are difficult to keep but she believes him.

“People have no manners anymore,” Logan says. “You good?”

“I’m fine. That felt weird, though. Did you see how he kept staring at me?”

He shakes his head. “Not really. Was preoccupied with wanting to punt him across the street. Does he look familiar?”

“No. It’s nothing.” She shakes her head. “The ice cream’smelting. Let’s go home.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.”

* * *

“Best cookies I’ve ever eaten.” Logan grins around a mouthful of chocolate chips.

“They’re pretty good if I do say so myself. The ice cream takes it to the next level.”

Turns out, she remembers exactly how to make these forbidden treats, and Logan was right when he said that eating them now might feel victorious. She’s almost giddy with a sugar high, six cookies deep, cross-legged on a fluffy rug when she catches his eyes in the glow of firelight.

“You got more ice cream on you than in your mouth,” he laughs.

She fakes ignorance, wiping everywhere except where she knows a tiny dollop of melted ice cream collected on her collarbone.

It’s half to tease him and half to see if he might do exactly what he does next, sighing with put-upon fluster and reaching out to brush his thumb at the dip just below her neck. Her breath hitches at the slow, deliberate contact removing the ice cream from the valley of her collarbone.

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