Chapter 48

CHAPTER 48

MIRA

L ogan and I spent an indulgent morning and afternoon together. We talked, laughed, had more cups of coffee than I could count and cooked breakfast together wearing nothing more than a pair of aprons. After that, we took a long, leisurely bath, spent a couple hours in his bed, and then a delivery man showed up at his door.

I frowned when the doorbell rang, fear racing through me that Slate had been the one to press it. While I was sticking to the decision I'd made about not hiding or lying anymore, it would be a real downer to face my brother on the first relaxing day we were spending together.

Logan smiled and smoothed out the crease between my eyebrows with his thumb. "It's not what you think. Go get it."

"You want me to get your door?" I asked, suddenly suspicious as I glanced at the foyer from where we were lying on the sofa in his living room. "Why?"

"Because it's for you," he said cryptically, the grin on his face wide and satisfied. "I can't wait to see it."

Curious as hell, I shot him a questioning look as I got up and headed for the door. Logan faded from view as I turned when I entered his foyer and I sighed, but my heart was also racing with excitement now that I knew that whoever was at the door wasn't a threat.

Back in Logan's T-shirt and lounge pants, at least I was completely covered when I reached out and opened the door. The delivery guy looked bored and uninterested as he handed over his clipboard.

"Sign here please." He pulled a pen out of his shirt pocket and gave it to me, then waited until I'd scribbled my signature on the line. Then he bent over. I hadn't seen it before, but there was a slim, long box on the ground with a massive golden ribbon tied around a dusky pink wrapping paper.

Although I hadn't shopped from this boutique before, I recognized the signature colors and logo printed on the sticker stuck to the center of the box. It belonged to an up-and-coming designer and I'd been dying to wear something of hers. I'd just never had the opportunity. Working on the rigs didn't give me much chance to dress up.

The excitement made my cheeks turn pink and my heartrate picked up its pace again, suddenly thrumming with anticipation in my chest. I took the box from the delivery guy gently, but I came very close to squealing as I shut the door behind me and I had to actively keep myself from running back to Logan to ask him what he'd done.

It turned out he wasn't waiting in the living room. He was leaning against the wall at the entrance to the foyer, that wide grin still in place as his gaze met mine. "Surprise."

"Surprise? That's an understatement. Is this really Isabella G? Is it for me? Where did it come from? How did you do this?"

He chuckled as the questions shot out of me one after the other. I didn't even pause to take a damn breath between them. "Of course, it's for you, and yes, it's from her. I emailed her assistant after we got out of the bath. Now we just have to hope it fits."

"You emailed her assistant?" I repeated incredulously, my eyes getting rounder as I processed what he'd done. "That's impossible. How did you get it delivered in two hours?"

He shrugged, a self-satisfied sparkle in his eyes. "I'm me, baby. I can make miracles happen."

I laughed and tucked the box safely under one arm. Then I wrapped the other around his neck and smiled at him. "I'll let you be cocky about this. You deserve it. This is incredible. Thank you, but what's it for?"

"I'm taking you to dinner tonight," he said as he bent his head toward mine and kissed the tip of my nose. "We have reservations at Jasmine Sky in an hour."

I blinked a few times, my mouth going dry as I stared at him. "Jasmine Sky? That place is booked up a year in advance."

He winked at me, kissing each of my eyes softly as he shrugged. "Not for me, it's not. We should start getting ready if we don't want to be late, though. I'm not sure they'd keep a table open for us if we are."

"Not even for you?" I teased as I took his hand and followed him to his bedroom.

He laughed. "Not even for me."

A little over an hour later, we walked into the gorgeous restaurant on the top floor of a glamorous hotel in the city. All the exterior walls were made of glass to provide an unparalleled view. The lights in the chandeliers hanging overhead were turned down low so as not to distract from the view, and candles flickered on each of the tables.

Known for being one of the most expensive and one of the most romantic restaurants around, it wasn't the sort of place I'd ever go, but with Logan by my side, I didn't feel as if I stuck out like a sore thumb. I felt like I fit in.

Like I was some kind of princess being escorted by her prince. It was the kind of setting that made it feel like we'd stepped right into a fairy tale. At least, it felt that way to a girl like me who was forever forced to be the tough as nails chick who didn't get to want things like dressing up and feeling pretty.

Dressed in the sexy, form-fitting gunmetal gown Logan had gotten me, I couldn't remember ever feeling more beautiful. The dress showed off my full figure perfectly, and every time I caught him checking me out, I had to pinch myself before I realized it was real.

Feminine energy pulsed through me and I loved it, smiling constantly as we were shown to a table right next to a window. Logan peered at me as we sat down, and yet another thrill ran through me. I felt like a worthy and desired woman tonight, even if he did look like a million bucks himself in a sharp suit that matched the color of my dress.

With him looking like that, I was aware of all the stares he was drawing, and yet I didn't feel like I had to vie for his attention. He was fully focused on me, and the way he kept staring at me really did make me feel like I belonged here with him.

I returned his smile. "Are you finally going to tell me how you did all this now?"

"If I share all my secrets, I lose all my mystery." He pretended to pout for a moment, then reached for my hands across the table, and I gave them to him. Wrapping his fingers around my own, he cocked his head and all the humor faded out of his eyes.

It made my stomach burst out in butterflies, but I didn't avert my gaze. "You could do with a little less mystery, Logan Jones."

"I'm an open book when I'm with you," he said honestly, and it didn't even sound like a line. "So I'll tell you all my secrets if you promise me no lies?"

I arched an eyebrow at him. "Look at you, getting all lyrical on me."

A smile crinkled the corners of his eyes as he shrugged a shoulder, his intent gaze never leaving mine. "Only with you, but honestly, this isn't really a secret. I've been here a few times before. I'm on their list. If I call, they do their best to accommodate me."

"Wow." I often forgot just how rich and influential he was, but it was only because he wasn't an arrogant prick about it.

In the past, I'd thought I didn't belong with a guy who traveled in the circles he did, but I felt so very comfortable with him now that I didn't even care if another article was written about us together. As long as we were still together .

Somewhere along the way, that had become the only thing that mattered to me. "Thanks for bringing me here. I've heard great things about the food."

"Everything you've heard is well deserved, but I'll let you judge for yourself." A waiter brought over a bottle of expensive wine and displayed it on a linen napkin.

Logan nodded at the guy and he poured him a sip before filling our glasses. After that, an array of appetizers was set down on our table and I glanced at Logan. "What is all this? We haven't even ordered yet."

"I asked for a selection to share when I made the reservation. Figured it was the best way to try everything."

I grinned, my mouth watering as I moved my gaze from one dish to another. There were skewers drizzled with some kind of sauce, pockets of phyllo pastry, and a variety of mushroom, zucchini, and other vegetable options. Slivers of steak with yet another dipping sauce sat on another plate and a mix of shellfish on the board beside it. Several breads and dips sat off to one side and I couldn't wait to try it all.

"How are we ever going to finish all this?"

Logan smirked at me. "We'll stay until it's done."

"I like the way you think, and I accept the challenge." It had been ages since I'd felt so spoiled, like I could be flirty, vulnerable, and weak at the knees.

And it's all because of Logan.

I knew he hadn't necessarily meant to make me feel this way, but from my perspective, it was yet another thing he'd done for me without even having to ask him. He'd given me the freedom to be feminine, which was a real treat for me. Especially because I didn't have to try to hide it.

There were no rig workers around here and no one who was going to make me feel inadequate for being a girl.

"The first time I came here, I accidentally ruined an engagement," he said as we started on the appetizers. "I ordered a tray of champagne for the group I'd brought with me. We got a bit tipsy, and as soon as I saw a tray with champagne on it, I grabbed one. The waiter tried to stop me, but I was a punk in my early twenties, so I made my toast, and when I downed the champagne, I nearly swallowed the ring."

I gasped, then laughed, my eyes big as I waited for the rest of the story. He chuckled, his cheeks flushing adorably as he nodded at me. "It really happened. I swear. The poor guy sitting at the table next to us almost fainted when he realized which glass I took. Then, to make matters worse, this piece of metal hits my mouth and I made a big show of fishing it out of the glass, and then I joked about someone trying to ask me to marry them."

I groaned. "Please tell me you let it go quickly?"

He shook his head. "I really dragged it out. Eventually, the guy nearly tackled me to get the ring back and the waiter politely asked us to leave."

"Did you?"

He winced. "If only. We insisted on staying to watch the engagement happen. The guy was so flustered at that point that everything came out wrong, but his girl still said yes, so I guess it ended alright."

"Oh, God." I covered my face with my hands and spread my fingers apart to peer at him. "That's terrible."

"I know." Those high, defined cheekbones flushed again and it was so sweet to see it that I got all fluttery inside. "I felt like such a dick when I woke up the next morning. It's still one of things I regret the most, but I made it right a couple years later."

"A couple years?" I asked. "How?"

"It took some doing, but eventually, the staff here helped me track them down through the information they gave to make their booking. They were expecting their first kid then, so I paid for them to go on a babymoon in the Maldives. While they were gone, I had the nursery done up for them and sent a bunch of baby shit."

"Holy hell. Maybe having a horrible engagement story was worth it for all that," I said. "Besides, I'm sure they're laughing about it by now."

"They said they were, but still. I was just happy they gave me the chance to make up for it once I stopped being that punk-ass kid."

A fond smile spread on my lips. "You're a good guy, Logan. Don't ever let anyone tell you any different."

He told me a few more funny stories about that time of his life, making me laugh easily until he brought up my brother. "Slate bailed me out of hot water more than a few times. He always did have a better head on his shoulders than me."

"Not anymore," I said bluntly, my insides tightening for the first time all day. "He really seems to have lost some of his good sense now that I'm making my own choices."

And right now, that choice was Logan.

As if he'd heard the thought, he reached for me again and looked into my eyes as he asked the question. "What do you want to do if he doesn't come around and accept us dating like this?"

The tightening gave way for a whole herd of butterflies to hatch and speed through me. I didn't even know if the collective noun for butterflies was a herd . Probably not. But that didn't matter. I grinned so hard my cheeks hurt as I looked back at him.

"Dating?" I asked with a smile on my lips. "So that's what we're doing now, is it? Are you sure that's what you want?"