To Marry McKenzie

was her.

But the first feel of her fingers moving against his shirt buttons seemed to

break the spell for Logan, one of his hands moving to clasp both of hers even

as he moved slightly away from her.

Darcy looked up at him, her eyes dark with passion, questioning why he had

stopped her.

'This is not a good idea,' he grated, moving sharply away from her, bending

to pick up her blouse, not even looking at her as he held the garment out to

her.

Darcy grabbed the blouse, consternation washing over her in embarrassed

waves.

What was she doing?

With her acquiescence, it had taken Logan exactly—she glanced at the

clock on the wall—ten minutes—to have half her clothes off.

What on earth must he think of her? A couple of hours ago she had been

hurling verbal abuse at him, and yet just now—just now—Oh, dear!

'I think I had better go.' Logan spoke, his expression weary as he ran a hand

through the thick darkness of his hair. 'I—I'm sorry, Darcy,' he added

tersely.

He was sorry?

Darcy wasn't sure she would ever be able to look him in the face again!

Logan had kissed her as she had never been kissed before, caressed her as

she had never been caressed before, touched her as she had never been

touched before. He had seen her semi-naked, for goodness' sake!

'I really am sorry, Darcy,' he repeated heavily.

Her blouse was back on, the buttons firmly fastened. After that first glance

at the grimness of his expression, Darcy found she couldn't look at him,

found herself looking anywhere but at Logan.

'Maybe you should just go,' she suggested, staring unseeingly at the tiled

floor.

'Yes.'

But he didn't move. Even though she wasn't looking at him, Darcy could

still feel his presence in the kitchen, knew that he hadn't gone.

'Please, Logan!' she finally pleaded, not sure how much longer she could

remain standing on her feet.

'Yes,' he repeated evenly. 'I—I'll call you tomorrow. Concerning the

meeting with my mother,' he explained as Darcy looked up at him in query.

'Of course,' she realised flatly, turning away again. For a moment she had

thought he meant something else!

That he wanted to see her again. That the two of them might be able to—

Fool, she berated herself. She and Logan came from different backgrounds,

lived in different worlds, had only been thrown together at all because of her

father's relationship with his mother; Logan would never have looked at her

twice under normal circumstances.

Although, a little inner voice reminded her, neither of them had known of

that connection that time in his office...!

She moistened dry lips. 'It might be better if, in future, I didn't smile at you,'

she teased huskily in an effort to lighten the tense atmosphere that now

existed between them.

A pretty dismal effort it was too, Darcy acknowledged, but she had to make

a start somewhere. After all, this man might—just might, if her father and

his mother ever sorted out their differences—one day be her stepbrother.

Now there was a sobering thought!

'Yes,' Logan agreed quietly. 'I'll call you as soon as I've spoken to my

mother.'

She nodded. 'I shall be at the restaurant from eleven o'clock in the morning,

preparing for the lunch-time trade.'

Logan shook his head. 'It really is a hell of a life. At this rate, I'll have to

make another booking with the Chef Simon outside catering company just

so that I can have a private conversation with you!'

In the circumstances, Darcy thought it was probably better if he didn't; their

private conversations had a way of turning into something else completely!

'I'm sure my father won't be away for very long,' she told him

noncommittally. 'I'll walk you to the door, shall I?' she added pointedly. She

really did need some time alone!

'Let's hope he isn't,' Logan answered her question as they walked out into

the hallway. 'You already look exhausted!'

Devastated was probably a more apt description, Darcy acknowledged with

a sickening lurch in the pit of her stomach. She was having serious

problems coming to terms with what had just happened between the two of

them, couldn't quite believe it had happened.

And Logan didn't look much happier!

No doubt he was wondering what on earth had possessed him to kiss her at

all, let alone make love to her in the way that he had. Despite what he had

said during the heat of their lovemaking, she was not beautiful, and never

had been. Although her figure wasn't bad, warm and homely probably best

described her looks.

It was her smile that had been his undoing, Logan had claimed in his

defence. A claim she had joked about earlier. But in future, all teasing apart,

she really would try not to smile at him. Unless she wanted to find herself

being well and truly kissed by him!