“That’s sixty seconds too long.” He leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“I get it. Now go get her,” Morgan said as he quickly tried to catch up with Cori.
She’d already made it out to the front of the house with her cell phone out, seeming to search for something on it. Logan couldn’t believe it. Is she really going to call for a ride?
He walked up to her, pulled her phone from her hand, and said, “I thought I said I’d take you home.”
She shot him a look between shocked and pissed off. “Excuse me? Please tell me you did not just pull my phone from my hand?” He opened his mouth to speak, but she slammed him again. “I have no idea who the hell you think you are dealing with, but I’m my own woman, and I do not need a man to take care of me.”
Logan had no idea what had come over him. This was the type of behavior he’d seen in his brothers, not him. When did I become the ass? He handed her the phone and knew he needed to apologize. “Cori, I’m sorry. That was... rude.”
“You think?” She took the phone from him and slipped it into the back pocket of her white jeans.
“I honestly don’t know what made me do such a thing.”
Cori stared at him as though she didn’t believe one word he spoke. Why should she? He wasn’t even sure why he cared what she thought, but he did. “Cori, I’d really like it if you’d let me drive you home and maybe then I can explain my actions.”
“I’m not sure you can. Or if I honestly want to know.”
He hated doing this, but he had to. What other choice did he have? “Consider it an insider view of the Henderson family.”
Logan saw her eyes widen and the wheels start turning. She couldn’t hold back from the opportunity he offered.
“This isn’t a game to me, Logan. I take my work very seriously. So if you’re saying that so I’ll come with you, then you better be ready to start this interview tonight.”
Logan nodded. Although her body relaxed, the look of doubt didn’t leave her eyes. If anything it shined brighter than before. There was no reason for him to pursue this. Truthfully, it made a hell of a lot of sense to walk away right now. Instead, he agreed. If anyone had witnessed this, they’d tell him it was time for him to have his head examined.
Cori pointed her finger at him when she said, “I promise you the article I write will not portray you in a good light if this is some kind of game, Logan.”
He already knew anyone choosing to write about a Henderson wasn’t going to write something sweet and loving. Who’d want to read it? Cori was out to find some dirt, and he’d known from the moment Bennett informed him what she did for a living. So he was going to give her some. Not about everyone, but just a bit on him, on what it was like growing up under James. We all look like saints compared to him.
Surprisingly, she allowed him to drive her home. He already knew where she lived, but he pretended to need the address. Clearly, they hadn’t been truthful and forthcoming with each other. He wasn’t sure if either of them ever could be. Logan probably was the most reserved of all of them. He never snapped or did anything irrational. At least, not until recently.
Once inside, she offered him a coffee, which he accepted. Then she went into her bedroom and returned with her laptop. He wasn’t going to lie. If she’d changed her mind and decided to slip into something sexy for him, he would’ve been all in. That, of course, was wishful thinking. She was being polite, but she was still angry with him.
He sat on the couch, and she took the seat opposite him. The laptop screen blocked his view of all her loveliness. This wasn’t how he’d envisioned their evening going. Yet it was still early, and he had hopes it would end on a different note. His taste of her lips had been far too brief, so he knew he wanted another. I hope I’ll be able to stop at one.
“So let’s start this interview by telling me why you were such an ass earlier.”
Logan didn’t expect her to hold back any punches. If she did, he’d be disappointed. She was driven, and that required a certain amount of toughness. He knew she possessed it. The question that haunted him was how badly did she want the story and just exactly what was she willing to do to get it?
He leaned back on the sofa, crossed his arms over his head, and looked up at the ceiling. He flashed back to when he was young and it had been drilled into his head to take or be taken. Being a hammer was something he’d fought all his life. Instead of using his anger to crush people he invested it in energy to advance his surgical techniques. How could he possibly explain that to another person?
“That’s a long story.”
“I’m not looking for the edited version.”
He tilted his head to meet her eyes. They were fixated on him but not in a romantic way. This hard-as-nails woman was Cori Sparks the reporter. He had to remember that. Whatever he said not only could, but most likely would, be used against him. Sitting upright again, he decided to give her something she could use and leave the rest buried where it belonged.
“As you know, we grew up without our mother...” He needed to watch out not to pluralize anything. It hadn’t been revealed they each had a different mother. It would definitely open more questions than anyone in the family wanted.
Cori nodded. “But you had your father. What was that like?”
She knew exactly where she wanted this conversation to go. Logan had no problem keeping this focus off him and onto James.
“I’m sure you’ve done your homework, so you know what type of businessman he was.”
“I do.”