“It will stop soon,” he told her. “Dakota…do you remember leaving my place?”
“Of course I remember,” she said in a huff. “Like I was going to stay with your mind on someone else. Uh…I don’t think so.”
“What? Dakota, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I saw you once with that girl. I’m not falling for that again, Logan. I’m not other woman material.”
Logan grew more confused the longer the conversation went on.
“There wasn’t another woman at my villa, Dakota. Just you and me.”
“No,” she said, suddenly agitated. “She’s in here.” She pointed her finger at his chest.
“You loved her.”
“Dakota, the only woman I have ever loved, as a teenager or an adult, has been you.”
“No,” she cried. “That’s not true. I saw you with her in your dorm room. Your friend took me upstairs, and yep. You were. You were making love with her. I left. Don’t tell me I never visited you. I did.” She laughed. “And look what happened. No, thanks. I won’t be visiting you again.”
She pulled the covers up and turned over. She was quiet for a few moments before she whispered, “You broke it.”
“What did I break?”
She rolled over again, her eyes misty with unshed tears. She took his palm and placed it flat on her chest. “You broke this.” She lay back and closed her eyes, his hand still against her heart.
“It can’t be fixed,” she murmured.
Logan sat on the edge of the bed in shock.
She yawned. “Room’s still spinning.”
Dakota drifted to sleep. Logan lost track of how long he sat there watching her before he got up and went into the living room. He sat down on the couch and placed his head in his hands. It was hard enough dealing with the fact that Dakota had come to see him, and had left without him knowing. But having to hear her admit that she saw him in bed with another woman when she got there was what did him in. He had no idea who, or when it was, either.
From what he could piece together from their conversations at his apartment in Chicago, earlier that night at his villa and now, the puzzle was beginning to make sense. She had done the only thing he had ever wanted. She loved him, had chosen to be with him, and he had foolishly walked away. It was there all along, but he had been too self-absorbed to see the gift she offered was beyond friendship. Beyond words. It was the kind of bond that forever was forged from—and love.
He had foolishly let himself be governed by self-doubt and fear. She offered him the world, and he had blown it.
* * *
Dakota opened her eyes to see sunlight flooding her room. She blinked a few times and then eased into a sitting position.
“Good morning,” Norma Jean said from the doorway. She brought over a tray laden with food and set it on Dakota’s lap. “How are you feeling?”
“Uh…okay,” she replied. “My mouth feels like I slept with cotton in it all night, but at least I don’t have a headache.”
“You can thank Logan’s quick thinking for that. He gave you a hangover drink that’s been used in our family for centuries.”
Dakota looked up. “Centuries?”
“Oh, yes. It’s well renowned in the Montague family. Anyway, you’ll be feeling just fine once you put some food in your stomach. I made mango pancakes, bacon and eggs, or if your stomach isn’t up to it, just some grits.”
“I’m fine. Whatever was in the drink Logan gave me last night worked. I’m steering clear of Jamaican punch from now on. Who knew they would be so potent?”
“They are if you drink a pitcher of them,” Norma Jean pointed out. “From what I hear, you had an interesting time at the beach.”
Dakota put her hands to her face. “That bad? I hope I didn’t embarrass anyone.”
“Nonsense,” Norma Jean said. “Don’t go making excuses for having yourself a good time. I heard you cursed Logan out, too. He cornered Tandie last night about him teaching you a few colorful metaphors.”
“I hope he wasn’t too hard on Tandie. I didn’t learn any bad words from him. Actually, I picked up a few from the guys working on the resort.” She laughed. “They didn’t always know I was around.”
Dakota took a bite of the pancakes. “Ms. Jeannie, these are heavenly. You’ve outdone yourself.”
“I’m glad you like them, honey.”
“So where is Logan, anyway? I was hoping he could join me for breakfast. I think I owe him an apology, too.” She put her hand over her eyes. “I’m so embarrassed. He came down to the beach to get me, and managed to get me home. I hope I didn’t cause too much of a scene.”