“It’s been used as a filming location for a few movies,” Logan offered, dragging her gaze back to him. “Derek was in one, in fact, which was how we happened to find the town in the first place. It’s beautiful, and it still has that small-town atmosphere. Since the locals are accustomed to having actors in their midst, it’s not a big deal for Derek to be here.”
“What movie?” she asked, her interest piqued.
“Stealing Annabelle.”A grin curved Logan’s lips. “One of his sappy love roles.”
“I remember that movie.” Snapshots of it filtered through her mind. It had been about an actor who returned to his sleepy hometown and fell in love with his best friend’s ex-wife. “I liked it, and I didn’t think it was sappy.” Naturally, Logan, Mr. Devoid of Emotion, would think it sappy.
Logan tilted his head to the side and gave her an oh-come-on look. “That’s because you’re a woman.”
She tapped the tabletop with her fingers. “As I recall, it was a box office hit. You can’t tell me every single person who went to see it was a woman.”
“You’re right.” The smile he sent her was one hundred percent pure smug. “Half the people who went to see it were men dragged there by their wives or girlfriends.”
“Ah.” She tapped her fingers harder, her annoyance growing as she considered his words. “So your girlfriend of the moment dragged you to it?” The idea of it rankled, she had to admit, if only to herself.
His high cheekbones suddenly darkened. “Er, not exactly.”
Was he actually blushing? Claire blinked, unable to believe it.
“You went by yourself, didn’t you?” He didn’t bother answering her, didn’t need to since she’d already figured it out herself. Claire laughed. She couldn’t help it. It was so cute, picturing Logan by himself in the movie theater, watching a romantic film.
“Stop laughing, damn it,” Logan growled. “He makes me see all his movies and tell him what I think. But I refuse to watch the ones with nudity. I draw the line at seeing my best friend’s bare ass.”
Claire’s laughter subsided long enough for her to catch her breath and formulate a response. “His bare ass, huh? Which movies are those? I’ll have to rent them.”
He scowled at her, clearly unappreciative of her humor. “Like hell you will.”
“Why not?” she asked innocently, enjoying the knowledge that it bothered him.
“He’s my best friend, for Christ’s sake,” Logan spit out, looking ready to throttle her. “His ass is off-limits to you.”
“Hi, I’m Leslie. Can I take your order?”
Claire bit back a grin as she turned her attention to the young waitress who’d just appeared at their table. She wondered how long Leslie had been standing there and how much she’d overheard.
Logan’s cheekbones darkened further, and Claire had to actually swallow her laughter. Apparently, he was wondering the same thing. She decided to spare him from more squirming.
“I’m not sure what I want to order yet, so I’ll start with a drink. I’d like water for now,” she told Leslie with a smile. “Do you have bottled or tap?”
“We have both,” the girl replied helpfully.
“I’ll take bottled then,” Claire decided. She hated water that tasted like chemicals had been pumped into it.
Leslie scribbled on her pad, then turned to Logan. “And you?”
“The same,” he said curtly, still obviously embarrassed.
When Leslie had disappeared, Claire flipped open her menu and began perusing its contents. A giggle escaped her lips and she pressed them together to quell the others rising in her throat. Another made its way to the surface.
Logan growled. “What’s so damn funny now?”
Claire looked up at him through her lashes. It was unfair that he was so gorgeous and sexy and yet so wrong for her. Sophie’s words popped inexplicably into her mind. It was true, Claire would never know for certain whether Logan was wrong for her. Unless she gave a relationship with him a try.
Which she really shouldn’t. But the idea was so damn tempting.
“Well?” Logan demanded, still sounding quite surly.
It was too easy to provoke him, she thought, and she really shouldn’t. But it was also entertaining.
