Chapter 3
Elise
The additionof Logan to our little group definitely shook things up. For me, anyway. My brother and his friends were all used to the way Logan was, and tended to let his sourpuss ways just roll off of them, hitting back with jokes and teasing until some of the brooding displeasure had faded from Logan's face.
I was the only one who seemed to have a real issue with the way he acted, and I kept my distance from him for the rest of the first night was there, sitting at the complete opposite end of the long table we used for dinner, listening to Jason talk instead of watching Logan glare at his fish like it had done something to offend him.
He disappeared back up into his room once the wine got poured, begging more exhaustion, and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the night.
I honestly didn't know why they'd even invited him. In the years since Dan had first brought the literal embodiment of a storm cloud into our lives, he'd been nothing but rude and snappy, alternating between brooding in silence and lashing out.
Dan said he hoped some time away would do him good, but I didn't think it was possible. Logan didn't have any other sides to him. He was just a cranky asshole, and he always would be, clearly.
I was only too happy to try and avoid him for the rest of the trip.
Assuming he would sleep late because of jet lag and whatever else was dragging him down, I got up early on the morning of the third day, making coffee in the kitchen and entertaining the idea of going for a run or just a walk to find more things to snap some pictures of.
There was also the option of wandering into the little town that the island boasted and seeing what was for sale in the numerous little shops and market stalls that would probably be open by the time I got moving for real.
Whatever Logan thought about my work ethic or whatever, I wasn't used to having so much free time to myself like this, and I didn't know where to start.
Before I could get too deep into thinking about it, the front door banged open, making me jump, and I just barely avoided spilling hot coffee all over my hands.
Logan came stepping in, toweling off his hair while the rest of him was dripping wet.
Judging from the fact that he was dressed in nothing but swim trunks that were short enough to show off most of his legs, he had just been out for an early morning swim.
And God. Try as I might, I couldn't jerk my eyes away from him. The water ran down his arms and chest, and my eyes followed the lines and curves of his muscles, surprised at how fit and toned he was.
He was a doctor, and he made it sound like he didn't have time to do anything else, so he had no business being so fit.
I was staring. I was most definitely staring, but looking at him, I didn't think anyone could blame me. He was just so... It was so unfair. If only people's outsides could match how unpleasant they were inside so good people like me didn't have to live in a world where people like Logan were hot.
"Can I help you?" he asked sharply, and it shook me out of my reverie hard enough that I nearly dropped my coffee again.
God, I was a mess today. I could feel the blush of embarrassment spreading over my face, and I scrunched up my nose, trying to will it away. The last thing he needed to know was what I was thinking about him.
I turned away, rolling my eyes. "I doubt it."
"It’s just you were staring at me pretty hard," he insisted. "So, it seemed like you wanted something."
"The only thing I want is for you to stop dripping all over the floor," I said back. "That would be great if you could somehow manage to dry off before you came into the house."
I didn't see the look on his face since I was definitely not looking at him, but the tone of his voice made it clear he was annoyed. Good. I was also annoyed. We could be annoyed together.
Well.
Not together.
We could be annoyed at the same time. Separately. Yeah. That would work. It was what he deserved.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," he deadpanned. "I'll be sure to make every effort to not drip all over your precious hardwood next time."
"See that you do. How do you like your eggs?"
"What?" He sounded baffled, and I shared a private little smirk of amusement with... Well, with myself.
"Eggs. How do you like them? I'm making breakfast for everyone." I hadn't planned to, but it seemed like a good enough thing to do if I was going to be standing in the kitchen making a fool of myself.
