Page 8 of Trick or Trouble
He turned and headed for the hallway, and Darcy obediently followed him, feeling like she’d hurt his feelings in some way.“Get a grip, girl,” she muttered to herself.
Logan showed her to the bedroom on the left and opened the door.“This room and Holly’s share a bathroom.You’re welcome to use the shower in the middle; towels are provided in the closet.Or you can use the guest bathroom in the hallway.”
“Thank you,” she murmured as she stood uncomfortably sipping her tea in the middle of the room.
“The pleasure is all mine.I’ll let you get some clothes from Holly while I finish in the kitchen.”He flashed her that blue ribbon smile and left, closing the door quietly behind him.
Darcy looked around as she set her glass on the nightstand by the bed and kicked off the pointy-toed witch shoes.She groaned with pleasure at the release of the pinch on her toes.She dug her toes into the plush carpet and sighed as she looked around.
The room didn’t have any personal effects, and she wondered if Holly were an only child.It was a guest bedroom decorated in soft browns and neutral tans with a few family photos on the walls and a retro-country style tin pitcher filled with a sunflower bouquet and a happy cow painted on the side.The knock on the adjoining bathroom door stopped her perusal, and she stood up as the door opened.Holly’s face peeked around the edge.It was devoid of the heavy makeup, and she looked like a young woman again.
“I have some things that should fit you,” she said with a smile.She held out the bundle of clothing in her hands.
Darcy took it and smiled back.“Thanks, I do appreciate this.”
Holly stood there as if she wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure if she should.Then she spoke tentatively.“He likes you, you know.”
Darcy stared.“He doesn’t even know me.”
Her voice gained confidence.“I know Uncle Logan pretty well...and he likes you,” she replied smugly.I just wanted to warn you in case you start liking him back.Then if you fall for him, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Thanks for the advice,” she replied dryly.
Quickly, she turned the shower on and stepped into the tub, then closed the curtain as the blissfully hot water washed over her.
Her thoughts turned to Logan and his talk about natural consequences.She would never admit it out loud, but he did have a point.She judged Logan to be in his late twenties.She wondered how such a good-looking man had escaped marriage so far—probably this spanking business.She didn’t realize that men did that these days—unless they were kinky, of course.
Turning off the shower, she stepped out and dried herself off, brushing back the wet dark hair while a few damp tendrils curled around her neck and temples.Her deep blue eyes stared back from the mirror, pale and tired, with a hint of puffiness beneath them.Yuk!She looked like the poster girl for women who haven’t slept since menopause.
She suddenly wished she had someone to snuggle with, someone to hold her for a while.Someone to make her feel safe, protected—maybe even loved.Or at least pretend they did.
Convincingly.
Feeling down, she slipped into the chaste red cotton pajamas with black flowers all over them and padded to the kitchen with the empty glass.She thought about Doug and hisoh-so-valiantrefusal to come and get her.Yeah.No knight in shining armor there.Keeping the apartment had been an act of mistrust, and thank God for that.You would think she would know better after most of her trust in men had been burned to the ground, stomped on, and salted for good measure.
A wry grimace twisted her soft mouth as she placed the glass in the sink and turned around.She froze when she saw Logan coming through the doorway, his eyes raking her figure from head to foot.Her heart pumped faster.
A flicker of something indistinguishable flashed in his eyes as he slowly approached her.“Well, well...how different you look without all that cake make-up,” he murmured, his hand reaching out to run a finger down her cheek.“Quite beautiful in its normal appearance instead of green.”
Darcy flushed and backed away.He was too close to her personal space.“Ha, little do you know.Beauty is not one of my finer points.”
“I disagree.”His voice was low, steady as he stepped closer, closing the gap again.“I see a lovely young woman—one who shouldn’t be running herself down.”
When uncomfortable, Darcy had a bad habit of hiding behind thorny sarcasm, a trait that many people found obnoxious.Fewer still chose to tread behind the thorns.
“Men are not known for being picky,” she said tartly.“Ever hear the old song...‘The women all get prettier at closing time?’”
She didn’t miss the tightening of his lips and the scowl etching into his face.Warning signs that any sensible woman would have noted and backed off from.Darcy wasn’t in the mood to be pragmatic; she chose to ignore those warning signs, wanting only to keep him at bay.She wasn’t prepared for the growing interest she was feeling, nor the interest he was displaying in her.It was making her say outrageous things.
“Stop it,” he ordered brusquely, folding his arms across his chest.
“Why?Does the truth hurt?”She flicked her gaze to her watch, widening her eyes theatrically.“Oh my—time’s ticking.I must be getting totally irresistible by now.”
“I said...enough.”His tone hardened, steel threading through each syllable.
If she had known him a little better, she might have been more cautious.But, given the circumstances, she plowed nervously on—attempting to keep him at arm's length rather than admit the heat she felt sparking between them.To drown the flame that was licking along her abdomen.Because a man who looked like Logan would never want her in his future, and she’d rather shove him away now than hand him her heart and watch him crush it later.
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