Logan Kade (Fallen Crest #5.5)(34)

“No wine?”

“More like kegs.” He started his vehicle and pulled onto the road.

I shouldn’t be going with him, but I heard myself talking again. “No cheese trays?”

“Only for holidays and when I’m in my thirties.” He grinned at me. “Expect lots of beer, pool, beer pong, maybe some nudity.” He winked at me. “If you’re lucky.”

Resting my head back against the seat, I laughed with him. “Sounds wonderful.”

And it did, which surprised me. That should’ve been a nightmare, but I was going with Logan. Everything was different with him. Everything would always be different with him. I felt that realization deep in my core, and something fluttered inside of me, but I couldn’t identify it.

I didn’t want to.





HE’S A GOD.

NO, REALLY.





TAYLOR


I was in trouble.

As soon as Logan pulled into the driveway, I realized this was the same house as the first college party I came to with Jason and Claire—the one where I’d seen Logan for the first time. Unlike last time, when a large crowd had formed in the backyard, tonight almost everyone was inside. When we stepped through the front door, I felt all eyes on us. They went to Logan first, as if they’d been waiting for him. Then they noticed he was with someone, and when it registered that I was a girl, I really felt their attention.

None of this was blatant and obvious, but it was in the air. I could feel a shift in the atmosphere. Logan must’ve felt it, too, as he reached behind him to grab my hand, tangling our fingers together. He didn’t look back at me, and my heart pounded. I pressed a hand to my chest, hoping to soothe myself, but there was nothing I could do.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as we went through the living room and into the kitchen. Once we stepped through the doorway, my hand tightened in Logan’s for a split second. I wasn’t sure if this party was any better. The girl I recognized from last time was here. Samantha. She leaned against the counter, surrounded by a couple other girls. She was laughing at something, but the two girls next to her wore different expressions. One was a little heavier with red hair curling freely over her shoulders. She wore a scowl. The girl on Sam’s other side was much more petite with almost white-blonde hair. She wasn’t scowling, but she seemed confused, as if trying to figure out the world’s most important riddle. I noticed all of this before they noticed me.

When they did, Sam looked surprised, and suddenly the other two wore matching frowns. They did not seem to be fans of me.

“Hey!” A guy saw Logan across the room and raised his arms in the air. “Kade is here. Hell yeah, buddy.”

Logan let go of my hand and moved forward to bump fists with the guy. Then they pounded each other on the shoulders. After that guy, it was like a line formed. Logan stayed in place as guy after guy moved past him to do the same fist-bump-shoulder-pound thing. When I realized the line wasn’t going to end anytime soon, I sank back against the doorframe and folded my arms to half-brace and half-shield myself. I felt like I needed it.

“Hi.”

My muscles were rigid, but the soft voice soothed them a little. Samantha, the only girl I knew Logan cared about, had moved to stand in front of me. I looked down, and she held her hand out. Damn. She was nice. I swallowed a knot in my throat. I put my hand in hers and felt how she closed her hand over mine.

“Hi,” I said.

She smiled, and it lit up her entire heart-shaped face. She had dark brown eyes, beautiful plush lips, eyelashes that couldn’t be manufactured, and the long black hair that had helped me recognize her. I’d known she was stunning, but she was even more so up-close. Add the genuine kindness I sensed, and I was forming a girl crush on her.

After letting my hand go, she gestured to herself. “I’m Sam. I don’t know if Logan’s said anything about me.”

He hadn’t, but I already knew. “You’re dating his brother?”

She nodded. “There’s a whole long story that goes with that, but yeah. I’m dating Mason, and my mom is going to marry their dad, so I’m the future stepsister, too.” Her lips curved into an impish smile, and she rolled her eyes. “It’s all one big f*ck-up, but Logan—”

She stopped as Logan sidled up next to her and placed his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her close and grinned down at me. “She’s family.” The fondness in his eyes was clear. He genuinely loved this girl. A sensation I hadn’t felt in a long time seized my heart, squeezing it in a painful grip.

I was jealous.

Completely.

Utterly.

I wanted what she had.

My throat was suddenly parched, and I let out a quiet cough to clear it. “It’s nice to meet you.” I nodded at her, and she smiled, a knowing look in her eyes. She’d seen my reaction and knew what it was. She grinned up at Logan. Her hand found his on her shoulder, and she squeezed it before removing his arm.

“We should all go downstairs,” she said. “Nate’s down there.”

“He is?” Logan moved back, his eyebrows bunching together slightly.

She nodded. “Yep, and he seems happy.” Her finger rested on Logan’s chest. “Don’t take that away from him.”

“Why would I?”