“He’s your brother-in-law,” Logan said. “I wouldn’t do that to you.” The whole sorry mess in the town square felt like a blur. He was relieved he’d had the good sense not to hit back. Maybe he really was growing up.
The side of his head was pounding where it had slammed into the car door. Then there was the déjà vu he kept getting. Him sitting in this kitchen chair while Courtney leaned over him, her touch gentle as she tried to take away the sting. It reminded him of the first day they met, when she’d cleaned up the scrape he’d gotten from holding her chicken.
The draw to her was still overwhelming. His body hummed with electricity as she rubbed ointment onto his lip. It took everything he had not to kiss the tip of her finger. Not to pull her onto his lap and kiss her hard no matter how much it hurt.
And not to slide himself into her, giving himself up to sweet oblivion.
Would it always feel like this? The pull to her? That first day they met it had felt like a chemical high. Now it felt even stronger. The need to take care of her, protect her, mingled with the desperate urge to have her.
God, he needed to get ahold of himself.
“Carl took it badly when Shaun died,” Courtney told him, screwing the top back onto the tube of ointment. “We all did, of course.” She gave him a brief smile. “But Carl, he’s never gotten over it. They were so close as kids. He was the protective big brother.” She slowly ran her tongue over her bottom lip. He tried to ignore the jolt of pleasure it caused him. “Shaun called him the night he crashed and left a voicemail asking Carl to meet him. I don’t think he’s forgiven himself for not answering the phone. As though that would have made any difference.”
Logan looked up at her through his thick lashes, trying to imagine how he’d feel if one of his brothers died trying to meet him. He swallowed hard, because it hurt to think about. It had been difficult enough when he’d been injured in junior year and it had been made clear he’d never play football again. It had felt like a bereavement, knowing he wouldn’t be able to play alongside Cam anymore.
But to imagine never seeing his brother again? The thought made him swallow hard.
“I don’t want to report him,” Logan told her. “I just don’t want him upsetting you. Or the baby.”
Courtney sighed. “I need to set him straight. He can’t go around hitting people.” She touched the side of his head. “There’s a bruise here. Does it hurt?”
“It’s not too bad.”
“Are you sure you’re okay to fly?” Her brows dipped with concern.
Logan smiled at her. “It was just a little punch. I’ve had worse during a football game. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay then.” She breathed out a sigh of relief. It could have been so much worse. Damn Carl.
He stood, cupping her jaw with his warm palm. “Are you gonna be okay?” he asked her. “That’s more important right now.”
She smiled. “I’ll be
fine. Once you’re gone I plan on feeding the chickens then gorging myself on those brownies you gave me.” She glanced down at her still-flat stomach. “It’s nice to be able to eat without worrying about the calories, or getting sick.”
He glanced at his watch. It was time to leave if he wanted to catch his flight. But part of him wanted to stay. Make her a warm drink, curl up with her, and watch her go into a chocolate frenzy. Stroke her hair until she fell asleep.
“I should go,” he told her.
She glanced at her own watch. “Yeah you should. I don’t want you to be late again.”
“I won’t be able to get back for a couple of weeks, but I’ll be here for your next appointment.”
“Sure.” She nodded.
“I’ll try to stay for a day or two. Maybe we can start making a few plans,” he suggested. “Work out what we’re gonna do once the baby is here.”
“That sounds like a good idea.” She nodded. “With you in Boston and me here in Hartson’s Creek, it’s going to take some working out.”
He gave her a half smile. “I guess we like things complicated, huh?”
She laughed gently. “We sure do.”
Leaning down, he pressed his mouth against her brow, ignoring the brief pain that shot from his bottom lip. “Take care of yourself,” he murmured. “And the baby.”
“I plan on it.”
“And if you need anything, call me. Okay?” He pulled his keys from his pocket, twisting them in his hand.