“I don’t know if I cook, either,” he said with a sideways grin. He liked it when she teased him. “But there’s always a first for everything. How does breakfast for dinner sound? It was my favorite meal my mother made us when I was a kid. And coincidentally, the only meal that didn’t end up in a giant ball of flames on the stove.”
“Sounds delicious.” She pushed the sleeves of her blouse up to her elbows and looked expectantly at the kitchen. “What can I do to help? Put me to work.”
Once again, Logan was reminded of how different Rachel was from all the women he’d dated before. He would’ve thought that a girl who grew up so privileged wouldn’t be accustomed to getting her hands dirty, but here she was once again, diving into work. After directing her toward the ingredients he’d laid out for the pancakes and the shiny red mixer stand, she got down to business and began spooning out the flour.
As Logan began to work beside her, cracking eggs into a bowl, her large brown eyes gazed over the gourmet kitchen and the open living and dining spaces. She seemed to take in every detail, from the elaborate fireplace mantel to the cream colored couches. Her eyes swept up to the ceiling high above them and then back down toward him.
“This place is simply amazing,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. “So much better than my tiny studio apartment. I’ll bet you could fit ten of mine in here.”
“Thanks,” he said, trying to focus on the eggs, instead of the beautiful woman standing beside him. It was a battle he wasn’t winning. “It was on the market for $1.4 mil, but my realtor got them down to $1.2. She said it was a really good deal for the area.”
He wasn’t sure why he was spouting dollar amounts. He tended to ramble about useless facts when he was nervous and boy, did
Rachel Knight make him nervous.
“Well, it’s beautiful,” she said, awe entering her voice. With the cinnamon shaker paused over the mixing bowl, she smiled shyly at him and cocked a hip. “I have to say, I was worried you were going to back out on me tonight. You weren’t exactly very chatty at work today.”
He grimaced slightly and spared her a quick glance. Truth be told, he’d been waging a war inside his head all day and putting space between them was the only way he could keep his head clear. But logic had won out in the end.
Have dinner with Rachel at his place, away from work and distractions. Prove to them both that this was a giant mistake. Put an end to this thing they had between them. Save his friendship with Michael and his working relationship with Rachel. That, he could handle.
If only Rachel would agree.
RACHEL WATCHED LOGAN mix the omelets, his wavy blond head bowed over the bowl. He’d put on a pair of navy slacks for their date and a Robin-egg blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up over his shapely forearms. She could tell he was nervous. He’d been nervous since she saw him this morning at the restaurant. It was a different emotion from him. He was usually so steady.
“It was a busy day,” he said into the egg mixture. “A lot on my mind.”
“That’s understandable.” Rachel stole a slice of red bell pepper from his vegetable cuttings and plopped herself onto the counter next to him, wanting to be nearer. “You’ve built an amazing restaurant, Logan. You should be proud of yourself. I know I’m proud of you.”
He stopped whisking to look at her. “You think so?”
“Definitely.” She bit into the crisp vegetable and grinned. “It’s going to be great.”
If only he would take a small step to the left, he could’ve stepped between her legs and been at eye level with her. He could’ve leaned forward and cradled her head in his hands and placed his lips against hers. She wanted that, more than anything.
The same desire seemed to burn in his blue eyes at that moment. Her heart thumped against her ribcage as she anticipated his move. Instead, he turned away and took three steps to the stove top to turn on the gas for the skillet. She bit her bottom lip, biting back her disappointment.
“My mom keeps telling me she’s proud of me, but she’s never even seen the restaurant,” he said with a chuckle. “I hope to fly her and my dad in sometime. They’re probably more comfortable in a Denny’s than in a place like mine, but I think they’ll like it.”
Rachel took another bite of the sweet pepper and allowed her gaze to caress the back of his neck. “That’s great. Do you see your parents often?”
“Not since they moved to Colorado.” He turned to look at her, seeming more comfortable with the distance between them. His eyes flickered over her bare legs when she crossed them. Clearing his throat as his cheeks reddened, he looked up to her face. “I bought them their dream home three years ago in the mountains after my mom retired from teaching. It overlooks a lake. There’s skiing year round. They’re basically in paradise. I make sure to visit at least every Christmas.”
“Christmas in the mountains with the family.” Rachel wrinkled her nose and then exhaled with a reverent sigh. “That sounds magical. I’d give anything for a Christmas like that.”
Logan huffed and then grinned. “Excuse me, but I believe when Michael and I were in high school, your family went to the Swiss Alps for Christmas. That’s nothing to sneeze at.”
“Trust me, it wasn’t much to remember,” Rachel replied, casting her eyes down toward the ground. She gripped the remains of the pepper in her hand, crushing it. “My father invited the families of two other businessmen he was trying to partner with at the time. They spent the entire holiday in conference together while Michael and I got to spend it with their bratty children. Not much of a family Christmas, if you ask me. I probably would’ve traded you, if I could. Your family always seemed so happy.”
Logan watched her for a long moment, seemingly unsure of what to say to that confession. She chewed on her tongue, wishing she hadn’t been so forthright, especially on a first date. Pity parties did not guarantee second dates. But Logan seemed to bring that out of her. There was no fear of being herself around him. He made her feel safe and free from judgement.
“Is that why you left home right after graduation?” he asked, his voice low. “Because of your dad?”
“Pretty much.” Rachel tried to smile through the sadness in her eyes. “I knew that life wasn’t for me. I wanted to experience the world. Have real friends and make real connections that didn’t depend on a contract and a handshake. Paris was that and so much more. I miss it.”
He frowned, taking a small step toward her. “Why did you come back home?”
She shrugged. It wasn’t much of a story. “The jobs stopped coming and the money ran out. I was down to my emergency fund I’d set aside years ago. Just enough for a plane ticket. It was a sign that things needed to change. So I hopped on a plane for home and tried not to look back. I was sad for a while, but this month has changed everything. Reconnecting with you has made up for it.”