Page 14 of 21 Week Hiatus

Yeesh, maybe that wasn’t the smartest move, but at least now thecatis out of the bag.

The car is filled with the sound of the engine and the faint hum of the radio, but other than that, there is an eerie silence between us. Not a word has been spoken since we left the restaurant, and I can't stand the silence. “Are you okay?” I ask, giving Logan a side long look on our car journey back to his place. Logan's eyes remain focused on the road ahead, his brow furrowed, and his jaw clenched. His posture is tense and rigid, and his usually smooth features are hardened into a serious expression like he’s thinking hard about something. I can practically taste the tension exuding off of him.

I know it couldn’t have been easy meeting my parents like that, especially with their discourteous reaction to our relationship. Them showing up like that blindsided the both of us.

I wish I could read your mind right now.

Logan doesn’t even spare me a glance and responds with an impassive ‘mhm’. When I reach over to affectionately rub the nape of his neck—something he usually loves—I feel him stiffen and his grip on the steering wheel tightens so much his knuckles turn white. I immediately recoil and place my hand in my lap.

I understand why he's angry, and I'm equally furious. My parents were completely out of line in the way they treated him. Logan didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of such a disrespectful reaction. To say I am deeply ashamed by their actions is an understatement.Shifting in my seat I turn to face him and lower my gaze to my hands resting in my lap.

“I’m sorry for the way my parents treated you. They were completely out of line with the things they said.” I say and peek up at him through my lashes. Logan keeps his eyes fixed to the road, only the corners thinning slightly as he shakes his head.

“Were they?” He utters indifferently and finally turns his stormy gaze to look at me. “Did you honestly expect them to react differently, Savannah? They're your parents, it’s natural for them to respond negatively to their daughter dating someone twice her age. If I were in their position and my daughter introduced me to a boyfriend who was twenty years older, I would have reacted the same way, so their reaction is completely justified.”

I feel my brows knit at his response, “No, it absolutely is not, Logan. Their behavior was completely out of line and disrespectful. Even if I did catch them off guard, there are more appropriate ways to handle and respond to the situation without being so rude and discourteous right to someone's face. I’m so fucking ashamed on their behalf.”

“Savannah, it’s fine.” Logan sighs, shifting his gaze to the road again. The dejection I detect laced in his tone breaks my heart, so I reach over to take his hand that is resting on his thigh and lace it with mine before I lift it and press my lips to his knuckles.

“Stop saying that, it’s notfine.” Logan glances at me briefly and shakes his head again. “I don’t care if they approve of us or not. I’ve wasted so much of my life trying to please them and everyone else and I’m done with it. I’m ready to live my life on my terms and I want to live it with you, Logan.” Logan’s fingers close around mine and I can see a gleam of the love peeking through all the annoyance in his eyes. Even though he doesn’t say anything back, it’s enough for now.

Twenty-five minutes after leaving the restaurant, we arrive at Logan's house. I can sense his annoyance as he opens the door for me, but he still maintains his gentlemanly demeanor. As we enter the house, I lean against the closed door and watch him. With a heavy sigh, Loganremoves his tweed jacket and unbuttons the top three buttons of his shirt. He notices that I haven't followed him and turns back to look at me with furrowed brows, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt to his elbows.

Am I crazy for finding that action so insanely attractive? Because, hot damn, all I want right now is to walk over, kneel before him, and plead for him to fuck my mouth.

Not the time, Savi.

“What did you want to talk to me about?” I blurt out instead, trying to distract myself from my inappropriate musings. The question has been nagging at me since our interrupted conversation at the restaurant. What was so important that Logan wanted to discuss with me?

A look of confusion crosses Logan's features before it is replaced by a somber expression again. “What?” he asks, clearly caught off guard.

“At the restaurant, before my parents showed up,” I clarify. “You said you had something important to discuss with me. What was it?”

For a moment, Logan's gaze veers away from mine, almost like he's afraid that if we make eye contact for too long, I will be able to decipher what he wants to tell me in one glance.

“Uh, yeah, it was nothing, don’t worry about it.” He claims with a dismissive shake of his head.

It’s my turn to scowl, “How could it be nothing when you said it was important, Logan?” I press, pushing off the door and walking toward him. “Just tell me.”

“I just said it’s nothing, stop pushing the subject and drop it, Savannah.” Logan retorts scornfully and turns to walk in the direction of the kitchen. My stomach sinks deeper into my core at the terse tone of his voice. It’s not one I’m used to, but seem to have been on the receiving end of it a lot this past week. I’ve noticed he keeps calling me Savannah rather than Savi or Wildfire like he usually does and it’s honestly starting to grate on my nerves.

What the hell is going on?

Following him through to the kitchen I catch his arm as he’s about to reach for the refrigerator and he turns to face me, his facial features grim. “Logan, hey, I know you’re still upset, but why are you giving me the cold shoulder? Did I do something to upset you?”

Logan sighs in exasperation, his eyes close very briefly as though he is trying to keep his cool, “No, and I’m not giving you the cold shoulder.” He claims as he frees his arm from my hold before turning to open the refrigerator door.

“Yes, you are.” I insist, crossing my arms over my chest and glowering at the back of his head. Logan’s posture goes stiff with agitation. The last time I saw him this tense was when Trent found out about us. “You’ve barely said two words to me since we left the restaurant. You won’t look at me. Clearly, I’ve done something to upset you, so tell me what it is I did.”

With a forceful shove, he slams the refrigerator door shut, causing the glass bottles on the upper shelf to clink together. The sudden outburst startles me, and I flinch back, watching him with his hand still pressed against the refrigerator door and his head hanging low.

The feeling of dread consumes me, and I know this isn’t heading anywhere good. “I just want some space, Savannah. Can you just give me some space, please?” Logan retorts tartly, the ire in his tone sends a chill through me that has every hair on my body standing.

Shaking my head, I ignore the voice in my head telling me to back off and let him be and slowly walk over to him. The old Savi would have cowered away and done as she’s told but I can’t do that. I need to make sense of why he’s being so cold and standoffish toward me.

“And I'll respect your request for space, but first you have to tell me what I did to deserve this stony treatment.” When I approach him, I place my hand on his back, and I can immediately feel how taut the muscles are when they expand under my touch. “Are you mad that I introduced you to my parents as my boyfriend? Is that it?”

Logan emits a grunt and turns to face me. Those silver eyes brimming with so many emotions I’m struggling to make sense of any of them. “No, Savannah.”

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