He let out a sigh and gently pried my hand away. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You made it very clear to me since your first day here. I was just too stubborn to see it. When you don’t feel it, you don’t feel it, right?”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know you didn’t. But I don’t think we can go back to the way things were. At least not right now. I just need time, okay?”

When I didn’t say anything, he playfully tapped my chin with his thumb. “I have to get back to work, and so do you.”

And then he walked away, and I felt his loss almost painfully. As if this really was the way it would be for us from now on, and I just lost a really good friend, permanently.

I turned around and John was there. The look on his face told me he heard everything. “Ah, don’t worry, Hayden. Dave’s a big boy. He’ll get over it.”

“You really think so?”

“Yeah. Now, I think your customer had been trying to get your attention for a while.”

I nodded, and went over to the Stetson man, refilling his drink. “Is there anything else I can do for you?” I asked.

“Nothing now, thanks, sweetheart.”

I shot him a smile I didn’t exactly feel and went back to work.

I didn’t see Dave for the rest of the night, and when Logan came to pick me up, there was only John and me at the bar.

John didn’t want to leave me alone until Logan got there, so he waited with me. Everyone had left not too long ago, including Dave, who had always been the last to leave, no matter what.

I waved bye to John when I saw Logan’s car pulled up, and I got out, hugging my coat to my chest, having not bothered to put it on. Finally, I was with Logan again and everything was right in the world.

“Where to, sweetness?”

“Your place?”

I was avoiding my place. I didn’t want to go home. I was spoiled with all the luxurious amenities Logan’s apartment offered, and I couldn’t imagine going without them.

“Okay, but first…” he wrapped his hand around the back of my neck and gently pulled me forward. Then his lips devoured mine and I sighed into his open mouth.

“Logan.”

“Miss me?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I missed you, too.”

I shuddered and moved to bury my face in his neck. Then, I kissed the skin there, watching as his Adam’s apple bob up and down on a hard swallow.

I couldn’t stop myself from touching him on the drive home, which was surprising because I was not a physically affectionate person. Or at least, I didn’t think I was.

Logan had been, and would always be, the exception to my every rule.

I ran my fingers over his powerful arms, feeling his muscles tense every time he shifted gears, moving to his neck, his hair… his jawline. I was deeply fascinated with his jawline. When Logan got to a red light, I unbuckled my seatbelt and moved up to him.

“Hayden, what are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” I asked, taking a page from his playbook and nibbling gently on his earlobe between my teeth. “I’m turning you on.”

His hands tightened around the steering wheel, and I smiled, moving my lips down to his jawline. “We can’t. Not here. Not when I’m driving.”

“Are you telling me no?” I asked, playfully.