Page 8 of Shattered
"Well…uh…thanks for driving me home. Will you let me know what I owe you for the tow?"
Logan blinked a couple of times as if he was trying to figure out what I'd just said. Shaking his head, he answered, "Don't worry 'bout it, Sugar."
"Oh no, I don't want a handout-"
"We'll sort it out tomorrow, okay?" Logan interrupted. "I'm sure your little boy can't wait to see his momma." His dark head jerked toward the groceries in the back. "Can I help you carry these?"
I must have looked like an idiot because I just stared at him. I couldn't decide if I found his bossiness infuriating or sexy. A realization that I needed to say something dawned. "No, thank you. I'll manage." With that, I hopped out of the cab and opened the back door to retrieve my shopping bag.
When I turned, I found myself face to chest with Logan. His big hands came up and covered mine holding the groceries. "Let me take this in for you." He tugged at the bag, but I dug my fingers in and pulled it closer to my chest.
"I said, I'll do it." My voice came out clipped but not because I was angry. The simple feeling of his palms resting against my hands was wreaking havoc inside my body. Reacting this strongly toward him, with just a simple touch, was utterly terrifying.
As if he knew my thoughts, Logan lifted his hands off mine, palms facing me. "Alright. You let me know if you need anything."
What I needed was to be alone for a couple of minutes to work this out of my system. With a brusque nod, I pushed past him and headed for my house. With every step I took, I felt his relentless, penetrating gaze on me.
"Is there something you want to tell me?"
Startled, I almost dropped the bag I was clutching to my chest and turned away from the closed door to find my friend staring at me, hands on her hips and a smile on her face. "Geez, Lizzy, you can't sneak up on me like that." Not waiting for an answer, I headed for the kitchen to unpack the groceries and start dinner.
Footsteps sounded behind me. Instead of hearing Lizzy's voice, Flynn's little voice greeted me. "Mommy!" Seconds after his squeal, I felt his tiny arms wrap around my legs from behind. After setting the goods on the counter, I turned and hauled my son into my arms.
"And how was your day, baby?" I pressed my lips to his forehead and breathed him in. My heart swelling more and more with each inhalation.
"Aunty Zelda gave us pictures to color, and I colored inside the lines, Mommy!" His face beamed and his blue eyes sparkled.
"You colored inside the lines? Wow, my big, big boy. You gotta stop growing up so fast."
Flynn's blonde head swished side to side. "Nah uh, I wanna grow up and be big and strong."
With a shake of my head, I set my boy down and pressed my lips to the top of his head. "Go play. Mommy will call you when dinner is done." With that familiar squeeze at my heart, I watched Flynn race out of the kitchen at the same time as Lizzy entered. That know-it-all smirk still planted on her face.
"So?"
I gave Lizzy my back and started unpacking the groceries. "So what?"
A very unladylike snort sounded from Lizzy followed by, "Really, Harper? Why were you in Logan Jackson's truck? Did you finally decide to saddle up the horse?"
With my back still to Lizzy, I answered, "That piece of scrap I used to call my car wouldn't start. Logan just happened to be there and offered his help. There was no saddling of any horses involved."
"Yeah right."
Spinning on my heels and planting my hands on my hips, I glared at my friend. "What's that about?"
Without a care in the world, Lizzy strode to the fridge and pulled out two beers. After opening them both, she handed one to me. "I've seen the way you look at him when you think no one notices, but most importantly, I've seen the way he looks at you. Well, me and everyone else in this town."
Bringing the cold bottle to my lips; I turned my head toward the window, looking out over the backyard where Flynn was on his swing. "Me and him? It's a bad idea."
"Why?"
My attention shifted back to Lizzy. "Flynn for starters. I don't want people coming in and out of his life. It will just confuse him."
With a look of contemplation Lizzy steadily approached me. "No one said anything about long term. What I'm suggesting is having him take care of your needs. I'm pretty sure Logan's not the serious type anyway. The whole world doesn't need to know, not even Flynn."
I didn't answer. Instead, I brought the bottle to my lips again and took a long guzzle. What Lizzy didn't know was that the last man that'd made my pulse race and my tummy flutter was also the man that used my body as his punching bag. So, it actually didn't matter what needs I might want tended to; my mind was smart enough to know not to listen.
"I gotta go. Dawn and Jack can't handle the diner by themselves."
