Page 12 of Shattered
I'd expected him to insist on helping anyway, but he didn't. No, he just smiled—a big, full smile that was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful—and said, "Great. I was hoping you'd say that."
My brows pulled together. "You were?"
"Yeah, I want to show Flynn my bike," Logan's hand came up and scrubbed the back of his neck. "If that's okay with you."
"I don't know, Logan." There were so many reasons why this was a bad idea. Not only could it be physically dangerous if he put my boy on that beast, but emotionally too. I didn't want Flynn latching on to this man.
"I won't take him out on it," Logan sounded careful as if he knew most of what was troubling me. "I'll just rev her a bit for him. We'll be ten minutes, tops. You could even come with."
I considered his question carefully. It wasn't like he was taking Flynn out of state; they were just going next door. I turned my attention to the big window that didn't just overlook my backyard but gave me a partial view of Logan's as well. As I suspected his cherry red bike was in my line of sight, so I could easily keep watch over Flynn.
"You can take him," My gaze locked onto his. "Just, please don't put him on that thing."
Logan's tongue snaked over his lips, the action instantly drawing my attention. "Don't like bikes?"
My eyes snapped back to his. He was staring at me with the same intensity in his gaze that I felt in my entire body. "They seem a bit intimidating."
Logan nodded in understanding. "Have you been on one?"
"No."
He smiled again; this one held just a hint of mischievousness. "Maybe someday soon I'll take you for a ride." Before I had time to tell him there was no way I was getting on a bike with him, he gave me his back and spoke over his shoulder, "We won't be long."
Even if the sound of Flynn's excited voice didn't clue me in, the big smile on his face did. My boy was happy. I'd been watching them on and off for the past ten minutes. As promised, Logan hadn't put Flynn on the bike, but he had revved it quite a bit. At first, I thought the loud noise would scare my little boy, but he didn't want Logan to stop.
Euphoria was clear on his face, and it hit me right in my chest. For the first time, I was aware of the fact that there were things that I was never going to be able to give Flynn. He was a boy, and he needed a man's influence in his life, there was only so much I could teach him.
Shaking my head in an effort to rid my mind of the melancholic thoughts there, I pulled the garlic bread from the oven. A few minutes later I heard the front door open followed by Flynn's little giggles.
"Mommy, mommy," my little boy came barreling into the kitchen all smiles. "Logan's bike is so big, and when he turns the handle, it goeswrooom wrooom.It's so loud; I even felt the ground shake."
I dropped to my knees in front of Flynn only to see his blue eyes big, wide and sparkling. "Wow! Weren't you scared?"
"Nah uh," Flynn's little head shook from side to side. "It was awesome, mommy!"
"You're such a big boy. Now, go wash your hands, dinner is ready."
As I watched Flynn race out of the kitchen, I caught sight of Logan standing inside the archway. The expression on his face almost seemed like one of longing. The moment he found my eyes on him he smiled at me, except this time it didn't quite reach his eyes.
With my eyes still on him, I straightened. "Flynn is bursting with excitement, thank you."
Logan's shrug looked heavy almost like the whole world's problems were resting on his broad shoulders. "He's a great kid."
"Yeah," I looked past Logan down the hallway where my boy disappeared to moments ago. "He's pretty amazing." When my gaze flickered back to him his eyes were still glued to me, whatever was burning behind those dark irises tugged at something deep inside me. It was immensely unsettling.
Unable to look at him for a second longer I turned and busied myself with checking the pots on the stove.
"Is there something you need me to do?"
Leave.
The word was on the tip of my tongue, but I didn't give it sound. Instead, I took a silent, deep inhalation. "Set the table. Plates are in there," I pointed toward the cupboard a few feet away from him. "Forks and knives are in the drawer above the plates."
With a small nod of his dark head, Logan silently proceeded to do what he was told. Minutes later all three of us were seated with plates in front of us. With Flynn unable to stop talking, the adults didn't get a chance to have a conversation. Something I was extremely grateful for. I didn't want to get to know Logan.
With him being nothing more than a fantasy in my head, things were fine. I didn't need him invading my space and awakening feelings that I had no business feeling. Logan must've sensed that something was off. When dinner was done, he didn't offer to help with the dishes. He simply said that he'd better get going and after he high-fived Flynn I walked him to the door.
"You need a ride to work in the morning?" Logan was standing on my porch; his hands perched in his pockets.
