I Love You, I Hate You: Part 1

“It’s fine. I’ll take care of her.”

Sarah stares at me for a moment then nods. I’m not a bad guy. Despite my reputation of being a drunk playboy, there’s not much anyone can say about me that’s bad. “You know her dad can’t see her like this. He’ll freak.”

I’ve seen how Dr. Winters handles intense situations. He’s the voice of reason, but I doubt he would be so calm when it comes to Danika. “I figured as much.”

“So, what are you going to do? Rachel’s meeting me here in a few minutes and I don’t want to leave until I know your plan.”

I reach out and set my hand on Sarah’s shoulder. I appreciate her concern, but I’ve got this. Outside of her own home, there’s nowhere safer in the world tonight than with me. I lean down and stare into her eyes. “Trust me when I say, we Harris men, we take care of our girls.”

28

Logan

Cooper sits on the front steps waiting for us when I pull into the driveway. He stands with a frown as I get Danika out of the car. When I reach the house, he opens the front door and follows me inside. “She okay?”

“Probably not.” I wait for him to open my bedroom door then let him enter first so he can pull the comforter back. I lay Danika down and pull the blanket up to her shoulders. Then stare down at her. I like the way she looks, curled up in my bed. Too bad the circumstances aren’t different. That one night we fell asleep together was amazing.

“Where are you going to sleep?” he asks me.

Danika’s mouth falls open, a soft snoring sound leaving her lips. I’d say she looks peaceful, but that’s a lie. I grab one of the pillows and toss it to the floor near the end of the bed. “Here., I want to be close in case she has a reaction or something. I don’t know what that bitch gave her.”

Cooper chuckles, shaking his head in amusement. “Taking a page out of my playbook, brother.”

Not gonna acknowledge that. I pull my shirt off and toss it in the corner of the room where yesterday’s clothes wait to be washed. “How is Piper doing?”

He shrugs. “As good as can be. She hasn’t spoken to me yet, but I know she will. Eventually.” Silence falls between us. Cooper stares at Danika while I change out of my jeans and into a pair of basketball shorts.

“What?” I ask, noticing a small smile on his lips. Cooper gets this stupid, goofy expression when it comes to Piper. Looking at Danika, he’s got the same one.

“Do you love her?”

“Do you?” I’m not talking about Danika. Cooper barely knows her. I’m talking about Piper because I have never seen someone fight so hard for another person. The shit thing is, Piper doesn’t even realize Cooper’s been fighting her battles for years. Too bad he’s stuck so far in the friend-zone there’s no coming out without a miracle.

“That’s a stupid question.”

“But she’s fucked up, Coop. Don’t get me wrong. I love Piper like a sister, I just don’t think falling for someone so broken can be healthy for you.”

Cooper smirks. “We’re all broken, Logan. You. Me. Her.” He tilts his chin at Danika. “Falling in love is finding that person who’s willing to pick up your pieces and help put them where they belong.”

I step into the hallway and grab a blanket from the closet. I don’t have time to think about love. I don’t want to think about love. This thing with Danika and I just started. Love isn’t in the cards. Not yet. “You’re getting way too philosophical for me.” I drop the blanket at my feet, by the pillow, and look at the door. “I’m going to bed.”

“Logan?” Danika asks, her voice hoarse from sleep. She groans and rolls to the side of the bed, looking for me.

“It’s okay. I’m here.” I grab the wastebasket and set it

beside the bed in case she pukes. I’ve never needed to roofie a girl to get her to sleep with me. I don’t have any experience with this shit, but Google says the aftereffects are similar to a hangover only worse.

I know hangovers.

“Why am I in your bed?” Her face pinches together in pain and she groans again. “Holy crap, my head is killing me.”

Under other circumstances, hearing a curse word slip from those pretty little lips would be cute but Danika looks like she’s on her deathbed. I reach out and touch her cheek. “Can I get you anything?”

“Could you—” she tries until a lurching sound eats her words.

I lift the trashcan to Danika’s face just in time as what’s left in her stomach empties. I grab her hair with my free hand, holding it back and out of the way like I’ve seen people doing in movies. I don’t usually do this. When a girl starts puking, that's my cue to leave, but the thought of abandoning Danika when she’s at her weakest doesn’t even cross my mind.

She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and rolls onto her back. “What the hell happened to me last night?” she asks pain in her voice.