Page 26 of Switching Places

“Don’t you fall asleep. If I start to doze, I need you to jerk me awake,” Logan said as he slid behind the wheel.

“I’m not asleep, just relishing the silence. That place is noisy.”

He looked at her.

“I thought you like plenty of action, lights and activity.”

Snapping her eyes open, Emma stared at him. Another near miss.

“I do. But only so much. This is nice, too,” she said.

“You know, Lily, you’re a fraud,” Logan said.

Emma blinked, her stomach sinking.He’d found out.

“What?”

“A fraud. You know—someone who pretends she’s one way, but isn’t.”

“How did you guess?” she asked quietly.

He laughed. “It was a no-brainer. You flaunt yourself around like you’re one hard babe, wanting parties and fast living. But look at you tonight, when it’s one-on-one, you become almost tongue-tied. I suspect you are an old-fashioned girl at heart.”

“Oh.” Her heart pounded.

“Once your friends showed up, you were the old Lily, laughing, talking, flirting. But when it’s just you and me, you’re almost like a different woman.”

“Sorry.”

“No, don’t take it wrong. I like it when it was you and me. But the change was something else.” He frowned. “I can’t remember that other time we went to dinner. Were you as quiet?”

“Probably. Tonight I’m tired from being on the beach all day. Sunshine can wipe me out. I like having friends around. If you didn’t want them to join us, you shouldn’t have invited them.”

“I’m glad they joined us. Come in for coffee when we reach home and we can talk for a little while. I’ll try to stay awake,” Logan invited as he approached their street.

“Just for a few minutes.”

She knew he was almost dead on his feet. The sooner he got to bed, the sooner she could escape. Her magical day was drawing to a close. Did Cinderella want the clock to slow down so she could savor every moment of the ball?

Logan’s house was totally different from Lily’s. The old rambling Spanish style appeared more eclectic than Lily’s modern look. The heavy dark furniture looked solid and substantial and carried with it the feel of permanence. He’d placed the sofa in front of a large picture window. She couldn’t see out in the dark, but it faced the side away from Lily’s house. Did he have a garden, or was the view of the sea?

“Have a seat, I’ll bring coffee in a minute.”

“Oh, Logan, don’t drink any now, it’ll keep you awake. I—”

“Maybe for two or three more minutes. I’m so tired nothing could keep me awake for long.”

Emma frowned. “I shouldn’t have come. You look exhausted.”

Walking back to the front door, she stopped when he leaned his hand against it.

Looking up, she found him close.

Very close.

Too close.

Taking a breath, she smelled aftershave and beer and the hint of masculine heat she’d felt on the beach. Fascinated, she watched as his green eyes studied every aspect of her face, as a painter might study a model. His left hand held the door closed, slowly his right hand came up and brushed against the edge of her jaw.

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