“I think you’ll be safe,” I whisper, leaning toward him. He smells like vetiver and musk. “I doubt anyone would expect one of the Rogues to show up to a Southwest Junior High football game.”
He grins sheepishly. “You’re probably right. I just don’t want to take away from the kids. Luckily, we’re not nearly as easily recognized as some other pro sports. Though Minnesota is a hockey state, so you never know.”
The sentiment is a sweet one, and I can’t help feeling incredibly confused by the man sitting beside me. Who in the hell is he? The sex god who was perfectly happy to fuck a stranger from a club and never exchange last names or numbers? The angry hockey player who accused me of lying and purposefully throwing myself in his path back in LA? Or isthe real Logan this guy who shows up at a kid’s football game because he said he would?
And why do I hope he’s the latter? I shouldn’t hope for anything regarding Logan Byrne. He was an ass, and he’s a player on the team I work for. I can’t risk going the way of my predecessor, Becky, and getting fired for hanging out with a player.
But all those thoughts are interrupted when the sound system crackles to life and the school announcer introduces the two teams. I jump up from my seat when Reed runs out onto the field, cheering and calling his name. To my surprise, Logan does the same. And when my brother scans the stands and finds us both cheering him on, his smile is so luminous that I almost decide it doesn’t matter who the real Logan is, if he can help put that kind of look on my brother’s face.
Reed waves, then taps Eddie on the shoulder. His new friend’s eyes go wide when he sees who’s sitting in the stands, and I can’t hold in my laughter.
“Does that ever get weird?” I ask Logan, my focus still on my little brother.
“Yeah. I mean, I grew up seeing people fawn over my dad, so I’m probably more used to it than a lot of people are, but yeah. It’s still weird.”
“Except when it helps you pick up women, right?” I say, only half teasing. Since I’ve started working for the Rogues, I’ve heardplentyabout the team and their exploits. The fact that Logan has quite the reputation doesn’t surprise me, based on our interaction that night in LA, but it still stings some irrational part of me that hoped maybe I was special.
Which is why I have no business participating in one-night stands.
Logan has the good sense to look embarrassed. “I deserve that.”
We sit in silence for a few minutes while the teams get ready to play. The wind picks up, and I rub my hands together. I really need to buy myself and Reed coats. He’ll happily exist in hoodies for as long as possible, but we’ll need something warmer than that soon.
“Listen, I’m really sorry for how I treated you when you started with the Rogues.”
My heart rate kicks up, and I turn toward Logan. He’s watching me with a furrowed brow. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not. I was a huge dick, and you didn’t deserve that. Not that it excuses my behavior, but I have some trust issues, and you got caught up in them. I’m sorry.”
Wow. Okay.
Sagging a little, I sigh. “I’m sorry too. I’m sorry for pretending I didn’t know you and for being a jerk. I just… Reed depends on me. I’m all he has, and he’s all I have, and I really need this job, you know? When I saw you in that weight room, you looked so angry, and I freaked out. I was worried you were going to get me fired, and then where would we be? I had a little bit left in savings, but not enough to get us through in a new city with no job.”
Logan winces. “I promise, I have no intention of getting you fired. I wouldn’t do that. You have to understand, women have tried to trick me into relationships before. There have been women who won’t take no for an answer when I tell them I’m not interested. Hell, there was one woman who claimed she was pregnant to hook me. She wasn’t, but it scared the shit out of me because I’m the last person who should be a dad.”
“That sounds horrible.” I can’t imagine someone trying to trick me into a relationship because of my money or fame. It honestly sounds awful, and I suppose it makes sense he has trust issues. Especially if he saw that kind of thing play out with his dad.
“I need you to know that I’m not that kind of person. Hell, you’re my first and only one-night stand,” I tell him sheepishly. It’s embarrassing to admit, when he’s clearly so much more experienced, but I need him to believe me when I say I’d never act like that. “Despite the way I acted that night, I don’t go around hooking up with guys just because they’re hot and I have an itch to scratch.”
“You think I’m hot?” Logan smirks.
My cheeks grow warm, but I roll my eyes. “Oh, please. You know you are. Quit fishing for compliments.”
That makes him laugh, but it’s quickly drowned out by cheers as Reed’s school wins the coin toss and they decide to receive. The other team executes their kickoff, then the game is in play.
“So what made you decide to go to the club that night?” Logan’s minty breath is warm on my face, and I have to hold back a shiver.
I debate giving some evasive answer, but fuck it. Logan showed up for my thirteen-year-old brother’s football game. He’s earned some honesty. “It was our last night in town. Reed was at a sleepover, and I realized I didn’t have anyone I could call to spend the evening with. No one that was going to be sad I was leaving. And I guess I wanted to do something out of character. To feel close to someone for a few hours, you know?”
Logan is quiet, and I hold my breath. I doubt he can relate. He has teammates that are his close friends. Hell, they act more like family than simple friends. He has women throwing themselves at him all the time. I doubt Logan Byrne understands what it’s like to be desperate for human connection.
“I get that. I’ve felt like that plenty of times.”
I look up at him in surprise. “Really?”
He nods. “Sure, I have my teammates, but most of them have paired off in the last year, and it has me feeling… Well, it hasme feeling a lot of things. Some of them contradictory. But I understand feeling lonely. Better than you probably realize.”
The blond winger studies me intently, his head tilting to the side. “Can I ask you something?”
