Page 46 of Under the Mistletoe
“Is that Victor Holt’s next chapter?”
“What?” All the warmth drained from his face. How could she know that?
She pulled a sticky note off his sleeve and turned it around.What does Astryn want?was in bold Sharpie.
It must have dropped from his notebook. He snatched the note and stuck it into his notebook. “I can explain?—”
“Or are you just a really invested reader?” That knowing gleam was in her eye. “I’ve suspected for a while you were working with him. But maybe you’re @HoltFanForever. That guy—or girl—has a lot of interesting theories on the message boards.”
“You follow a lot of message boards?”
“Super fan. Remember? I just hadn’t realized you were too, unless it’s just a job for you.” She let it hang there a moment then added, “Don’t worry, I won’t ask any questions that you probably shouldn’t answer.”
“Right.” The NDA. But surely if something was happening with them, he needed to tell her. Didn’t he? Then again, maybe that should come after he knew exactly what was happening. After all, he’d like to know if she was falling for Logan and not Victor at this point. “Let me take this to my room.”
She stepped aside, and he hurried up to his room. He dropped his laptop and all his notes on his desk. If they really did this, then there would be no keeping it from her, but he needed a little more time.
“Logan.” Her faint voice drifted up the stairs.
He stepped into the hallway and spotted her standing at the bottom of the stairs with Cal at her side. “Yes?”
“Is there a shirt I could sleep in?” She tugged at the sleeve of her sweater. “This might not work well.”
He returned to his room and grabbed a T-shirt, but the idea of her in his shirt sent a new wave of heat through him. Maybe that wasn’t what she wanted. She saidisthere a shirt, not doyouhave a shirt? Logan walked over to his parents’ room and grabbed a large T-shirt of his mom’s. It wasn’t nearly as big as his, but this way, she could choose.
He hurried down the steps to the guest room. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, no Cal. He must have gone in search of any food left out. She stood when he appeared in the doorway.
“I have two choices. This is my mom’s and this is mine.” He held them up, but when she didn’t reach for either, he set them on the dresser. Then motioned to two doors on the right side of the room. “This room has a private bath. And knowing my mom, folded towels in the closet and spare toiletries in the bathroom. But if you need anything else, text me.”
“Is everything okay between us?” Her teeth tugged at her bottom lip, and Logan closed his eyes a moment and took a step back toward the doorway. “I mean before the phone call…and now…are you upset with me?”
His eyes flew open. “Upset? No.”
“Then what is it?” Her face reddened, and her eyes seemed almost hurt.
Man, was he doing this all wrong.
“Did I read you wrong earlier? Do you not want to kiss me?”
He drew a slow breath and took a half step toward her. He clenched his fists at his sides to keep from reaching for her. “More than I want to breathe.”
“Then why?—”
“Because if we are doing this”—he motioned between them—“then we are doing it right. We’re giving it the best chance. But if…well, if you feel at all about me like I…” He lifted his face to the ceiling for a moment and drew a calming breath. “I’m just saying that one kiss wouldn’t be enough…and I don’t want us to get in over our heads.”
“Oh.” A slight smile tugged at her mouth as she bit her lip again. The girl was going to kill him. “And so you know, you’re better with words than you think.”
She stepped to the dresser and claimed his T-shirt and hung it over her arm.
Right. Logan drew in a slow breath, swallowed, and marched out into the hallway.
She walked to the door and shut it partway, then looked up at him. A look not all that different than when she’d been inches from him four hours ago. “Good night, Logan.”
His breathing slowed. “Good night.”
She clicked the door shut, and Logan gripped the frame to keep himself from knocking and telling her he’d changed his mind about that kiss. He rested his forehead against the door and drew a slow breath again.
“Devin?” His voice was low, so if she’d moved away from the door, she wouldn’t hear him.
