Inevitable

Too good. That man should not be allowed near another suit. At least not around women.

Heat rushed up from my toes, prickling at my scalp. Where the hell did that come from? Logan’s gaze swayed from the woman to his drink and then landed on me. I quickly turned my head and attention back to Robert, taking a drink as I listened to him rambling. He looked nervous, poor guy.

“So yeah, my mom doesn’t mind. Plus it’s the whole basement to myself!” Robert wiped the back of his hand across his forehead removing the beads of sweat and wiping it on his pants leg. “What more could I ask for. Right?”

Slightly sickened, I realized I had no clue what he’d just said and he was staring at me expectantly with a wide grin. “Huh, oh, that’s nice.” I smiled, giving a small nod hoping there was no question in his current rambling.

I couldn’t help glancing over at Logan when Robert began going on about his favorite movies, but as I stole a quick peek over the rim of my glass, I found Logan staring directly at me.

My eyes locked with his. I wouldn’t be the first one to look away this time. Challenging him, my brows rose followed by his doing the same, mimicking me with an amused smirk.

A smile tugged at my lips as his expression sharpened into an impish grin. The moment he glanced at Robert, scrunching his nose I lost my resolve. Damn him. Smiling, I slowly shook my head.

The mellow music flowed into a new song and I watched as his eyes flickered from mine to the dance floor. I followed his gaze, biting my bottom lip to control the grin aching to break across my face. Logan nudged his head to the dance floor beckoning me with his eyes to join him there.

With one faint shake of my head, I mouthed, “Not happening.”

He cocked an eyebrow and glanced back at the woman in front of him. She must have said something to him. He answered her in what appeared to be one word and then his gaze instantly returned on me.

Logan nudged his head back to the dance floor and mouthed, “Dance with me.” The heat of his stare warmed something deep inside me, something I’d never felt before.

Subtly shaking my head once, a smile playing on my lips, the woman sitting across from him whipped her head around glaring at me. I burst out laughing, and my hand flew to my mouth in hopes to cover the fit of giggles that hit me out of nowhere. She was pissed. If looks could kill I’d be in trouble.

Clearing my throat, I looked back at Robert who stopped talking. “Sorry, I just saw someone that was…wearing a crazy outfit,” I lied quickly.

He turned in his seat to see but my hands reached out covering his. Robert’s eyes flew to my hands on his and then up to me, a smile brightening his face.

“They just left. So what were you saying?” I asked, slowly removing my hand.

The bell rang and I smile, hurriedly saying good-bye, hoping Robert would have noticed I wasn’t interested in more time with him. Luckily, he got the message and moved to the next table.

Logan moved as well, sitting down at the booth with an older woman. I recognized her from the meat counter at the grocery store; she was in her late forties with three grown children. There were five more tables separating Logan from mine. The idea of being trapped with him so close to me warmed my cheeks as well as other areas in my body. What would he have to say to me after that night in his pool?

“Joe.” The man now sitting in front of me said, pulling my attention to him.

“Hi, I’m Cassandra.” I smiled softly, giving him my full attention. He reached out and shook my hand. I cringed at the clamminess of his and quickly noticed his hard expression and shifty eyes. “So have you ever done anything like this before?” I asked.

He was much cuter than the other guys here tonight but still nothing compared to Logan. I winced, hating myself the moment I thought it; Logan seemed to be everywhere tonight, even in my thoughts.

“No, my wife and I separated a few weeks ago and my buddies said I should go out and try to meet new people,” he explained, finishing his drink in one gulp and slamming it down on the table.

I flinched. He reeked of alcohol. “That’s nice of them. Trying to give you a little push.”

“I guess. I think they just want me out of the picture so they can fuck my wife!” His tone was cold and filled with irritation.

I sat there, stunned for a moment, unsure what I could say to that. He reached across the table, grabbing my glass of wine and finishing it off as well. My internal self-preservation alarm blared in my ears and my feet scooted my chair back away from the table. The one cute guy in here and he was a nut job.

“I doubt that’s true,” my voice cracked. “Breakups are tough and—”

“Really!” he interjected. “I caught my best friend spying on my wife sunbathing last week…topless!” Joe’s nostrils flared as he sat up farther in his seat. His knee bounced up and down wildly. “You know you remind me of her a little. Blond hair, blue eyes.” His face contorted with anger that was seething off him. “I bet you’re a cheating little bitch too!”

“Look, asshole! You have no idea—” I leaned into the table. His remark and the frustration from being talked into enduring the night finally coming to a head.

Joe stood abruptly, jumping to his feet, his chair crashed to the floor behind him. I flinched back. “You women are all the same!”

“Hey, buddy,” Caleb said smoothly, walking over with his hands in the air. His stern expression and my memories of him as a teenager told me he could kick this drunk’s ass blindfolded. “I think you need some fresh air.”

The man brushed Caleb off, bumping into his shoulder as he stomped out of the bar. Caleb turned back to face me. “You all right, Cassie?”

I nodded, my body coming down from the surge of adrenaline. “I could use a margarita though.”

Caleb chuckled. “On the house.” He walked to the bar where Hilary was standing with wide eyes full of concern.

“You okay?” she mouthed silently.

I shrugged and looked down at the table. I just wanted to forget the bipolar jerk but I realized the bar was eerily silent. Looking back up at the other tables I sighed, people were staring directly at me, whispering.

Logan however was staring at the door the bastard just exited through. My eyes were drawn to his clenched jaw and rigid posture, taking me by surprise. Leaning into my table, I noticed his clenched muscles leading down to his tight grip on his glass, ready to implode.

He turned his head slowly to face me, as if he could feel me staring at him. His shoulders deflated and his body noticeably relaxing, his eyes softer.

“Margarita?” a waitress asked, holding my drink.

Looking up at her, I smiled. “Thanks.”

“Come on, let’s not pretend it’s the first time you guys have seen a drunken guy?” Caleb called out chuckling.

The room erupted in chitchat and laughter falling back into the motions of the event, but my mind was still on Logan.

What was going on in Logan’s head? He looked about ready to follow the guy outside and tear him apart. The thought that he may care was too much to process tonight. As I took a sip of my drink, I saw Logan tip his head toward Caleb who walked straight over to him.

The noise in the bar was too loud and his seat too far down for me to overhear. Between the look on Logan’s face and his head nod at the door followed by Caleb’s eyes glancing over me, I had a feeling it had to do with the drunk. Was he planning on doing something? I hoped not. The guy just needed to go home and sleep it off.