LITMIR.BIZ

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the hat and boots give it away?”

      “It’s Texas. Those don’t exactly qualify as unusual.”

      “True.”

      So he was in Blue Falls for the rodeo. At least now she knew when he was probably leaving town. If she ended up flirting a little, no harm done. She wouldn’t have to worry about backpedaling later. He’d be off to some other rodeo risking his neck.

      She glanced to her left in time to see Liam and India dance by in the opposite direction. Neither of them paid her any attention, wrapped up as they were in each other. The music hall could empty out around them and the music stop, and they wouldn’t notice. A pang of envy squeezed her middle. Despite the emotional ups and downs of her parents’ marriage, she couldn’t deny that there was a hidden romantic streak in her that wanted the kind of love Liam and India had, the kind that was pure, honest, that you didn’t have to worry about. The kind that wouldn’t up and disappear one day.

      “You okay?”

      Skyler jerked her attention back to Logan. “Yeah.” She forced herself not to explain, or she might start babbling.

      “So your friend and Liam are together?”

      “India, yeah. They’re getting married soon.”

      “Another one bites the dust.”

      Skyler stiffened involuntarily. She shouldn’t be surprised he had such a dim view of marriage. Hadn’t she thought as much about him earlier? She forced herself to relax, at least as much as she could in her current situation.

      “You know Liam from the rodeo circuit?”

      “Yeah, we’ve crossed paths a few times. Was surprised to see he’d moved to the little town where my cousin lives.”

      “Probably no more surprised than Liam and India were.”

      The song ended, but Logan didn’t let her go, instead pulling her along with him as the next song began. “That’s enough about other people. Let’s talk about you, Skyler Harrington.”

      “What about me?”

      “Like what you think about me.”

      Skyler laughed, unable to help herself.

      “Look at that, she can smile.”

      “I smile.”

      “You had me wondering earlier today.”

      “I don’t typically smile when I’m scared half out of my mind.”

      He leaned closer, robbing her of breath. “Come on, admit it. You liked it.”

      She was tempted to deny it, but then again, why? “Okay, fine. It was beautiful.”

      “So are you.”

      “I’m guessing these smooth lines usually work for you, don’t they?”

      “That’s not a line. It’s the truth.”

      When she looked up into his dark eyes, she believed him. Flustered, she lowered her gaze back down to the blue checkered shirt he wore. “Thank you.”

      Her nerves sizzled as Logan’s arm slid around her and eased her closer. As the last strands of another song faded, Logan leaned close to her ear.

      “I think I owe you an ice-cream cone.” It was the most innocent of sentences, but the rich timbre of his voice that close to her ear made her go all gooey inside. He had her thinking things that were totally out of character for her.

      “They have ice cream at the bar.”

      “I was thinking we ditch the crowd and walk down to the Ice Cream Hut.”

      Why did everything that came out of this man’s mouth make her think of writhing in sheets, sweaty skin and tangled limbs? For heaven’s sake, he was talking about ice cream.

      For just the two of them.

      Under the stars.

      When she looked up at him, her eyes focused on his lips. His full, oh-so-kissable lips. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She sounded breathless, probably because she was.

      “Why not?” He said it close enough that she could feel his warm breath brush against her cheek.

      She swallowed hard, searching for words that refused to form in her brain. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

      Logan smiled. “Do I make you nervous, birthday girl?”

      “Yes.” Great, the power of speech came back in time for her to embarrass herself.

      “You know what I think?”

      She shook her head, unable to look away from him.

      “I think it’s been very rude of me not to give you a birthday present.”

      “You don’t even know me.”

      Something flickered in his eyes, something that made her hyperaware of everywhere his body touched hers.

      “I know enough.”

      And then those lips of his came closer and closer until they captured hers.

      She knew she should resist, but she couldn’t. When he deepened the kiss, Skyler decided that this was the best birthday ever.

      Chapter Three

      He’d died and gone to sensory-overload heaven. Logan pulled Skyler close, splaying his hand along the small of her back. What he’d meant to be a playful kiss went deeper because he suddenly couldn’t get enough of the taste of her. Her curves fit nicely against him, and his blood pumped faster at the thought of seeing all those curves the way they were meant to be seen.

      She broke the kiss but didn’t back away. He took that as a good sign, that and the drugged look in her eyes.

      “Hey, everybody!”

      Skyler jerked back a step as her attention spun toward the stage. Her friend Elissa stood at the microphone.

      “We’ve got a big birthday in the house tonight.”

      “I’m going to kill her,” Skyler said under her breath.

      He leaned close to her. “You said that already.”

      She glanced up at him. “Well, this time I mean it.”

      “We’ve got a special surprise for Skyler Harrington if she’s not too busy,” Elissa said, eliciting a few laughs from the crowd.

      He chuckled, too, at the teasing look on Elissa’s face.

      Skyler thumped the back of her hand against his upper arm. “Cut it out. You’re already on my list.”

      “Depending on the list, I might want to be on it.”

      Skyler’s fair skin betrayed her as a blush crept up from her neck to her cheeks.

      “You’re even prettier when you blush.”

      “Hush.” The way she said it with her gaze averted made him believe that she actually liked the compliment but didn’t want to admit it.

      He’d never claim to be an expert on women, but he couldn’t help thinking that Skyler just might be worth the effort to learn more. She may try to hide it, but he got the feeling there was an entirely different Skyler Harrington simmering below the surface.

      Movement at the edge of the stage turned out to be another woman carrying a birthday cake complete with lit candles.

      “Okay, everybody together now,” Elissa said, then launched into a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday.”

      Even as Skyler’s cheeks flamed redder, Logan joined in. Thank goodness it was a short song or Skyler might actually combust. As the song ended, everyone

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