Between You and Me

“I’d like to stay.” His deep voice was so earnest, it made her stop and turn back to look at him. He was behind her, his eyes tight with ambivalence, making the corners crinkle appealingly. “We have a lot to discuss.”

That made her stomach do a little flip. But she was Tess Harrison, and dammit, she knew how to cover her emotions when necessary. That was Life As a Harrison 101. “Really,” she said. “Then let’s do that.” She went to the dining area, gesturing with a sweep of her hand for him to sit where he wanted. She sat at the head of the polished wooden table as he shrugged out of his coat and hoodie.

“You took the power position,” he noted as he placed his things on a chair. “You’re pretty pissed at me.” He yanked off his hat and dropped it onto the same chair, quickly raked his fingers through his golden hair to brush it out of his eyes, and took the seat closest to her, at her right, watching her with intent.

She sipped her tea as he settled his big frame into the ornate, high-backed cherrywood chair. In his blue and gray flannel, her rugged, sexy guest looked slightly out of place at the long, elegant table. She kind of liked that. Finally she said, “Yes, I’m pissed at you. But probably not for why you think.”

“Do I get to guess?”

“You don’t have to. I’ll tell you outright, if you really want to know.”

His pale green eyes met hers. “C’mon, Tess, I know why. And you should be mad. I would be too, if someone I’d come to think of as a friend disappeared on me without a word for days. Much less after I asked something enormous and made myself vulnerable.”

Impressed with his insight, she only nodded and sipped again.

“I’m very sorry for how I’ve behaved,” he said. “It’s inexcusable.”

“Well . . . it’s not totally inexcusable,” she said. “Not the first few hours of it, anyway. I took you off guard, I shocked you with something major.”

“Damn right you did. But the two days since? No excuse.”

Respect sparked in her core. But hurt and disappointment still reigned. “There I have to agree as well. And before you proceed any further, you should know I’m not interested in excuses.”

His eyes rounded for a second. “You get formal when you’re furious. Like . . . haughty. Even your word choices . . . Interesting. I have to remember that. The more regal and frosty you get, the more trouble the other person’s in.”

He kept impressing her with how clearly he understood her, but she wasn’t ready to take her icy wall down just yet. “You’re not in trouble, Logan. Things are just . . . different now.”

“I deserve that. But . . .” He leaned in a drop and asked softly, “Any chance you’d be willing to let me back in? I’d like to try.”

Her heart skipped a beat and she swallowed hard. Damn. Damn him and his magnetism and natural charisma and sharp perceptiveness and his beautiful eyes staring into hers. “Don’t know yet. But I do appreciate your coming here and trying to make amends. Better late than not at all, I suppose.” Her hands circled her mug, hot beneath her skin. “What did you want to discuss?”

“I hate the formal Tess.” He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “Makes me want to shake you and get the real Tess to come out. The sweet one, the warm one.”

She just stared at him, even as her breath caught.

“And I hate that guarded look in your eyes,” he said. “I know I’m the one who put it there. Yes, I let you down. I’m so sorry. I just needed time to think. To process your . . . request.”

Her heart squeezed. She sipped some more tea, welcoming its warmth as it helped stretch out the silence. If he wanted to get back into her good graces, she still needed more.

He sighed again, heavily. “Mostly, I wanted to apologize for bailing on you like I did. I’m really sorry I acted like such a dick. You deserved better. I’m very sorry.”

“Thank you.” She set the cup down. “I appreciate that.”

“And”—his eyes met and held hers—“I’ve missed you. That surprised me.”