and Skyler was urged to the stage. She walked as if she were heading to the gallows. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to laugh or wrap her in his arms and hurry her away from the crowd that was making her so uncomfortable.
Well, wasn’t that a gallant thought, so unlike him. He wasn’t a jerk when it came to women, but he’d never been a knight in shining armor either.
Gradually, the crowd filled in the space between him and Skyler as she accepted a piece of cake and was surrounded by her friends. After a couple of minutes, the music started up again and he made his way to the bar. He’d barely gotten his beer and turned around to see if he could spot Skyler in the throng when Verona stepped up next to him.
“You and Skyler seemed to be having a nice time,” she said.
“We were.”
“That’s good. She needs a night where she can loosen up a little.”
Logan didn’t respond beyond a grunt that indicated he’d heard her.
“You think you’ll be staying long?”
“Just till the rodeo’s done.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Blue Falls is a nice place to settle down. You could ask Liam about that. He seems to like it.”
“I’m not much of the staying-in-one-place type, ma’am. Can’t make much money riding bulls if you don’t go where the bulls are.”
“I guess not.” Verona sounded as if he’d shot the air out of her very pretty balloon.
He glanced in her direction to find her scanning the crowd. He got the oddest feeling she’d stricken his name from a list and was already seeking out a new potential mate for Skyler. And damned if that didn’t make him angry.
Not for himself. What he’d told her was the truth. He was just annoyed on Skyler’s behalf. If she was the least bit like him, she didn’t like other people trying to carve out her life for her. Before he slipped and told a woman old enough to be his mother to mind her own business, he took another swig of his half-finished beer and set it on the counter behind him.
“If you’ll excuse me.” Before Verona could respond, he pushed his way into the crowd, intent on finding Skyler. The night was young, with plenty of time for more dancing and hopefully a few more kisses.
But by the time he made it to the middle of the dance floor, he noticed she was no longer near the stage. He searched the faces around him and finally spotted her heading out the front door as if the place was on fire.
Something told him he should let her go, that if he followed her, he would be getting in over his head. That thought was still repeating in his mind as his feet carried him toward the exit.
* * *
WHEN SKYLER STEPPED outside the music hall, she inhaled deeply and let it out slowly, what felt like the first true breath she’d taken since arriving. Between the crush of people, kissing Logan and then having every eye in the place turned toward her, she’d felt more and more of her breath stolen with each passing moment.
She still couldn’t believe she’d kissed Logan, someone she’d met only hours ago, right there in the middle of the dance floor. And it wasn’t just a peck either. It’d been a mind-melting, blow-her-shoes-off type of kiss. Whatever else she might say about Logan Bradshaw, the man could kiss. When his arms had pulled her close against his hard body, she’d wanted much more than kissing. Honestly, her body still hummed with that insane longing. For a crazy moment, she’d wished she was the type of carefree person who could indulge her yearnings without thinking it to death.
“Making a getaway before they spring another surprise on you?”
The sound of Logan’s voice sent a little extra jolt to that hum within her, kicking it up a notch.
She glanced toward where he stood leaning back against someone’s pickup truck. “That obvious, huh?”
He held up one hand with his thumb and forefinger nearly together. “A touch.”
“Did they send you out here to drag me back in?”
“Nope. I’m chasing you because I still intend to buy you that ice-cream cone.”
“I just had cake. The last thing I need is ice cream.”
“Don’t tell me you’re worried about your figure. Because from where I’m standing, you’re an entire ice-cream factory away from having to worry about it.”
Though it wouldn’t be visible out here in the half light of the parking lot, Skyler’s face heated at his compliment. Despite the fact that compliments probably rolled off his tongue easily because he had a lot of practice, there was a ring of truth behind his words. It might be a line, but it wasn’t a lie, at least not from his point of view. That made her stupidly happy.
Logan pushed away from the truck and walked slowly toward her. “Come on, you know you can’t resist the siren call of ice cream.”
Skyler laughed. “You’re used to getting whatever you want, aren’t you?”
Logan smiled, and it made her heart do a funny little flip.
“Good things come to those who go after them.” He leaned toward her and lowered his voice to a whisper. “And just so you know, right now that good thing isn’t the ice cream.”
“What is?”
His eyes took on a wicked gleam, the kind of wicked that tempted you to do things you’d never normally consider, not outside of your imagination, anyway. “I think you know.”
Her breath caught trying to escape her lungs. He was going to kiss her again, and oh how she wanted him to do exactly that. Only he didn’t. Instead, he slid his fingers through hers and started leading her down the sidewalk.
She searched frantically for something to say but came up empty. Was she being totally nuts, walking off into the night with a stranger without telling anyone where she was going? But it was as if a part of her that never revealed itself was in charge, telling her to enjoy the moment, the feel of his strong hand wrapped around hers, the high of having a good-looking man showing interest in her.
Sure, she went out from time to time, less than Elissa but more than India ever had, but this felt different. Electric and breathless and exciting. She had a good life, one she enjoyed, but this type of excitement never made an appearance in her safe, ordered life. She’d never known she yearned for it. Part of her still believed none of this could be real, that she had to be dreaming.
When they reached the Ice Cream Hut, Logan led her to the window. “Get whatever you want.”
Mari Brewer, the teenage daughter of Larena Brewer, the inn’s head chef, saw Skyler first. Then her eyes widened when she spotted Logan. It seemed to take a good bit of effort for her to shift her gaze back to Skyler.
“Hey, happy birthday. Sorry I couldn’t make it to the party.”
“Thanks, and don’t worry about it. I just made a quick getaway.”
“Don’t blame you.” The way Mari looked at Logan, it was
