To Marry McKenzie

But it came to a sudden end, Logan wrenching his mouth from hers, looking

down at her, almost as if he were confused. 'What am I doing—? I'm sorry,

Darcy.' His arms dropped from her as he ran the fingers of one hand

restlessly through his own hair, his shoulders hunched beneath his jacket. 'I

didn't mean to do that.' He turned away. 'I brought you here to try and help

you, and instead I almost ended up making love to you. I just— The man is

old enough to be your father, for goodness' sake!' he burst out as he turned

back to face her.

Darcy took in a deep breath, barely able to think, her lips and body still

tingling from Logan's kisses. 'What man?' She frowned her puzzlement.

'Daniel Simon,' he said aggressively.

She swallowed hard. 'I—' She tried to think, to remember what had already

been said. But after Logan's kisses, she couldn't think straight at all! 'Logan,'

she finally managed. 'I don't know—I don't seem to have explained—

Logan, Daniel Simon is my father.'

Until just over a year ago, when her mother had died after a brief illness,

Darcy's father had been happily married to her mother, their relationship a

very loving one.

Which was the reason Darcy was so upset at his announcement he intended

marrying again, to the flamboyant actress Margaret Fraser of all people, her

off-screen affairs seeming to attract more attention than her actual acting

career.

Darcy swallowed hard again as she saw Logan was staring at her,

unmoving, a nerve pulsing in his tightly clenched jaw, seeming to be lost for

words himself now. It wasn't too difficult to guess the reason why: he

probably believed her attitude was an extremely selfish one. It probably

was, Darcy accepted dully. But she couldn't help the way she felt...

CHAPTER FOUR

HER father...!

Daniel Simon was Darcy's father, and not the lover Logan had assumed him

to be.

Apparently he had announced his intention to Darcy of marrying Margaret

Fraser...

This was news to Logan, although he had an idea this could have been what

Fergus had been intending to talk to him about earlier.

'I realise you must find my attitude—selfish.' Darcy began talking

self-consciously. 'I just— My mother only died just over a year ago,' she

explained in a sad voice. 'They were married for twenty-eight years.

Twenty-eight years! We were such a happy family, too. I just don't see how

my father can possibly believe himself in love with someone else after so

short a time.' She looked across at Logan pleadingly.

Her father.

Every time Darcy said that, Logan gave an inward wince about what he had

believed to be her relationship with the chef. It was his own fault for making

such an assumption, of course, although, to be fair to himself, Darcy had

never told him her surname—and he hadn't asked her for it, either—or

addressed Daniel Simon as her father, or called him 'Dad'!

Although, looking back, Logan could see she had never really stated they

had any other sort of relationship, either; he had drawn his own conclusions

about that. Completely erroneously, as it turned out!

The problem was, how did he now tell Darcy—?

'I think I had better go,' she said suddenly, her gaze not meeting his as he

looked across at her. 'I really have taken up enough of your time.'

'Darcy!' He moved to grasp her arm she would have turned away, turning

her slowly back to face him.

'I know I'm being selfish!' Those deep grey eyes were swimming with tears.

'I just—I can't even begin to think of that woman as my stepmother!' she

cried emotionally.

Logan pulled her gently into his arms, cradling her against his chest as the

tears fell hotly down her cheeks.

He seemed to be making a habit of this! Not that he was complaining,

exactly, he just didn't like to see Darcy upset like this. Although, as far as his

equilibrium went, it was probably preferable to her smiling at him.

Once again, in the taxi earlier, her smile had almost been his undoing. There

was just something about Darcy's smile that took his breath away...

Which was incredible in itself. She was right when she said she wasn't in

Margaret Fraser's league when it came to looks. It was like comparing an

exotic bird to a garden robin: the actress was flamboyant, completely

unmissable, whereas Darcy—unless she smiled!—would be all too easy to

overlook in a crowd. Although Logan had no doubts which woman he—and

apparently his inner senses too!— preferred.

'I know it's not much consolation at the moment, Darcy—' Logan stroked

her back as the tears began to cease '—but I very much doubt that Margaret

Fraser will ever be your stepmother!'

Darcy straightened, wiping away the tears. 'My father is adamant that she

will.'

Logan shook his head with distaste. 'And I'm just as sure that she won't.'