“Noob,” I muttered under my breath, biting my lip to keep from laughing.
“Louise jolted back the same second I tried to dismount. Not my fault—Ryder spooked her.”
The temperature finally hit that perfect sweet spot, and I pulled my hand back from the water, flicking the excess droplets from my fingers.
“You’d better be careful,” I said, my voice softer now, tinged with a note of worry. “I’d hate to see something worse than a twisted ankle happen to you.”
It only takes one misstep on a ranch—one wrong move near a piece of heavy equipment, one startled animal—and everything can change in an instant.
Logan straightened from where he leaned against the counter and took a slow step toward me, the faintest limp in his stride.
“No need to worry, Ace,” he said, voice low. “I’m not going anywhere.”
That one sentence bloomed warmth across my chest. Security. Steadiness. He meant it, and I knew it. Logan had always been the one constant in my life, the one who never wavered.
I gave a quiet nod, acknowledging the weight of that truth between us.
“I’ll give you some privacy,” I said gently, brushing my fingers against his bare chest in a light tap before turning toward the door. The soft click behind me, followed by the rhythm of running water echoed down the hall.
While he showered, I figured I’d pull together something for him to eat.
As I rummaged through the plastic bag, I spotted something tucked in the bottom—a small baggie of lavender and eucalyptus shower melts. I’d tossed them in last minute, not because I expected him to shower while I was here, but because I thought they might help him relax the way they always helped me.
Smiling to myself, I grabbed the baggie and jogged back toward the bathroom before he got too deep into the shower to use them.
“Logan?” I called, giving the door a quick knock before easing it open.
Steam spilled into the hallway, fogging the mirror and filling the space with heat. Logan peeked his head out from behind the curtain, blond hair slicked and dripping, his eyes hidden behind strands he quickly shook from his face.
He held the curtain low over his hips, chest bare and glistening, skin damp and flushed from the hot water.
“Use these,” I said, handing over the baggie quickly, my voice only slightly higher than usual. “Drop one on the floor, maximum relaxation, guaranteed.”
Logan grinned as he accepted the bag, the curtain dipping even lower.
A flicker of warmth rushed through me. Must have been the steam from the shower.
I shook my head and took a deep breath.
“You came prepared,” he teased, laughter in his voice.
“I told you my hands were going to be full,” I replied, backing out of the bathroom like I was escaping a landmine.
I needed to collect myself, collect my thoughts, before I started reading too much into things. Tonight felt like a test, and I didn’t need another one. Life had been full of them lately.
In the kitchen, I busied myself with preparing dinner. Mac and cheese, his favorite. I plated everything, set out drinks and snacks on the coffee table, and queued up our favorite movie. The lights were dimmed, and the illumination from the TV was the only thing lighting the space.
I was mid-scroll on my phone when the sound of feet on the hardwood caught my attention. Logan rounded the corner, his hair still damp and curling slightly at the edges, a new pair of pajama pants riding low on his hips.
“So?” I asked, locking my phone and turning to face him. “Feel better?”
“Actually…” He eased down onto the couch beside me, the limp in his step less noticeable now. “I do.”
I smiled, resting my cheek in my hand, elbow on the back of the couch. “See?” I pointed to myself and mouthed,always right.
Logan laughed, reaching out to tap my knee. “Never denied that, Ace.”
“I made you dinner,” I said, rising to grab the bowls and returning with two warm servings of mac and cheese.
