10. Logan
CHAPTER 10
LOGAN
“ T his is stupid,” Logan muttered under his breath. He was standing at the door to his hotel room, dressed and ready to go. He was wearing the same slacks and button-down as the day before, since this was only meant to be a three-day trip — but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was his phone, which stared up at him balefully from the table beside the door.
Logan could go a day without his phone anytime he wanted. Obviously he could. He frequently went several hours without looking at it, such as on the night he’d met Delaney. But the thought of being removed from his work and any potential problems was worrying. If something happened and he wasn’t around to fix it, he could lose a lot of money and more than a little pride.
And yet… the thought of Delaney looking at him with those big blue eyes, her expression saying “I knew you couldn’t do it” — no, not just her expression; she’d probably say the words out loud — was even worse. Logan wanted to prove to her that he was a good person. He wanted to prove that to himself, too.
With a sigh, he flipped his phone face-side down and grabbed his key card from the slot beside the door. He was really doing it. He was leaving his phone behind and spending a day with Delaney.
If she showed up.
Downstairs, Delaney was already waiting for him. Her presence made Logan smile. Perhaps leaving his phone behind would be worth it, if it meant he could earn her forgiveness.
“Morning.” He nodded to her. “Shall we eat?”
“I’m ready.” She fell into step beside him as they made their way towards the dining room. “So, do you have your phone?”
“Nope.”
Delaney glanced at him. “Hmm. Can I trust you? Maybe I need to pat you down.”
The thought of Delaney’s soft, warm hands running up and down his body was more than a little appealing, but Logan shook his head.
“You can trust me. Call my phone and see if it rings.”
“I can’t. I don’t have my phone either.”
“Really?” They entered the dining room and made a beeline for the buffet. “What if we need to look for directions or call a cab?”
“We’ll just explore.” Delaney took a plate and began filling it with fruit and a few pastries. “People did travel before cell phones, you know.”
“Thank you for the history lesson.”
“Wow, being without your phone is making you snappy. We’re entering phase one of the withdrawals.”
“I’m not having withdrawals. I’m not as wedded to my phone as you seem to think.”
“Right. And you didn’t give your phone some kind of heartfelt goodbye as you left?”
Logan flashed back to staring at his phone, going back and forth about whether to break the dare and bring it, and decided to say nothing. “The fruit looks fresh.”
“That’s what I thought.” Delaney grinned. “But I’m proud of you for not bringing it. Assuming you don’t have it hidden somewhere.”
“You wound me.” Logan took a piece of bread, a foil-wrapped rectangle of cream cheese, and a few cucumbers, tomatoes, and sliced meat. “I’m a man of my word.”
“We’ll see,” Delaney said again. They made their way to a table by a window that looked out onto the street. Logan set his plate down.
“I’ll get coffee. Do you want some?”
“No, thanks. Just herbal tea, if they have it.”
Logan returned a few minutes later with two steaming mugs. He set the one filled with tea in front of Delaney.
“Don’t you like coffee?”
“I do, sort of, but if I’m being honest, my stomach feels a little off this morning. Maybe it’s the travel. Or maybe it’s the fact that Italians apparently eat deli meat and cucumbers for breakfast.”
Logan stabbed a cucumber with his fork. “I like it. It’s a nice change of pace from sweet breakfasts.”
“Hey, I like savory breakfasts. There’s nothing like a good omelet or some hash browns. This just seems like they’ve gone a little too far.”
Logan chuckled. “To each their own.”
As they ate, though, Logan noticed that Delaney only picked at her plate. Hopefully she’d feel better soon, because being in Rome without being able to sample Italian food would be torture. After they both finished eating, Delaney led the way out of the hotel.
“Where to?” Logan asked.
“I went right the first night, so let’s go left today.” Delaney pointed. “We can play the game I always used to play with my siblings on vacation. Each time we come to a fork in the road, or an intersection in this case, we alternate who chooses the direction we go. I choose that we’ll start left, so at the next intersection, you can decide.”
“What a… fun way of doing things.”
Delaney chuckled at Logan’s discomfort. “It’s nice to set aside your normal habits on vacation, even if it’s a little uncomfortable. I promise, we’ll find our way back to the hotel at the end of the day.”
“My life is in your hands,” Logan joked.
“Let’s see what happens,” Delaney replied with a teasing wink. Logan was a little apprehensive about setting out for the day without any connection to his work or any plan for where to go and what to do, but he was glad that he and Delaney were on better terms. It was worth a little uncertainty.
At the next intersection, Logan chose to turn left again towards a small park. They walked through it, both admiring the fall foliage, before Delaney choose a right turn down a narrow alleyway. It was lined with small shops selling all manner of things, from clothes to jewelry to magnets, and Logan saw Delaney admire a few pieces as they passed.
“Would you like to stop and buy something?” he asked her.
“No.” Delaney cast a lingering glance at the window of a store selling earrings, then tore herself away. “Everything here is way too expensive for me. I can’t afford it.”
“ I can. I’d be happy to buy you something.” Since Logan wanted badly to become a billionaire, he was usually far more careful with his money than most multimillionaires he knew. Yet he’d be more than happy to drop a large sum on a pair of earrings or a dress if it would make Delaney smile that radiant smile of hers.
She shook her head, though.
“Thanks, but it wouldn’t feel right. I like to earn things myself. I think I enjoy them more when I do.”
“I can understand that.” Logan followed Delaney past the last few shops. “Where to now?”
“It’s your turn to choose.”
Slowly, meanderingly, they wandered the city. It was very unusual for Logan to have no agenda, no list of tasks that needed to be accomplished, and no sense of what he needed to do and when. Yet it was strangely pleasant. He reached for his phone a few times, only to remember that it wasn’t there, but as they delved deeper into the heart of Rome, he found himself thinking about work less and less. Instead, he admired the city and his gorgeous traveling companion.
“Left here, I think,” Delaney said. “There’s a bakery that way that looks absolutely delicious.”
“Shall we stop for a pastry?”
“I think we have to.” Delaney shrugged helplessly, as though the mandate to purchase pastries was beyond her control. “When in Rome…”
“When in Rome,” Logan agreed. They walked to the bakery, where Logan found a table in the window while Delaney picked out, and insisted on paying for, a trio of pastries for them to share. They sat in the window for a while, trading bites of éclair and tiramisu for a delicate chocolate cake. Outside, it began to rain, and Logan’s heart sank. This might well be the end of the lovely day they’d just started to enjoy.
A glance at Delaney showed that she wasn’t upset, though. In fact, she was smiling, as though the rain had begun right on schedule.
“I just love the smell of rain,” she said. She smiled at Logan. “And the sound. Especially since we’re sitting inside now. Wasn’t that good timing?”
“It was.” Logan had to admit that she was right. Instead of being annoyed that it was raining at all, he could have been pleased that it had only started raining once they’d come inside.
“How much are you struggling without your phone?” Delaney asked as she carved a bite from one of the slices of cake.
“I’m fine. I don’t miss it.” Logan hesitated, caught sight of the suspicious look on Delaney’s face, and chuckled. “Okay, okay. It’s a little difficult. I’d usually reach for my phone at a time like this, but now I can’t. It’s actually nice, though. I’m seeing more of the city than I usually would. And I feel more present.”
“That’s great.” Delaney closed her eyes as she popped the forkful of cake into her mouth. She looked completely blissful. “Mmm.”
The sound sent a shiver of desire through Logan, which he ignored. They were only just becoming friends again. It would ruin everything if he gave in to the attraction he still felt for her. After all, it still wasn’t possible for them to be a couple, and he couldn’t hurt Delaney like that again.
“How are you doing without your phone? Is this normal for you?”
“No, not really. I always have to have my phone, since clients could contact me at any time. But when I’m on vacation or with my family, I try to shut off my phone so that I can really relax.”
“That’s a good policy.” Logan took a bite of éclair. “Maybe I’ll do the same.”
“Let’s see if you can get through today, first,” Delaney replied with a teasing grin.
Logan smiled back.
“I’m doing great. I haven’t sneaked off to find my phone even once.”
“So far, so good, but it’s not even lunchtime yet.” Delaney took the last bite of the tiramisu, then peered out the window. “The rain stopped. Shall we continue?”
They did. Logan left a tip on the table, even though he knew doing so was less common in Europe, and followed Delaney back out. The sidewalks were slightly damp with rain, but Delaney was right — the dark clouds had already passed them by, and weak autumn sun was beginning to break through far overhead.
“I think it’s my turn to choose the direction,” Logan said. He swept his gaze over their surroundings. “I see something interesting to the right. Shall we?”
They meandered down the street until they reached the shop Logan had spotted, which sold sculpted miniatures of different foods.
“Is this your style of décor?” Delaney asked as they stopped outside the window.
“Definitely. My bedroom at home is just covered in little boxes of sushi and tiny plates of pancakes.”
“Sure.” Delaney laughed. “I can imagine. Some of these are actually really cool, though. Look at the sprinkles on those donuts.” She pointed to a small tray of pastries, no bigger than Logan’s thumbnail.
“I’m impressed by how they made the food look almost appetizing,” Logan replied. He spotted a miniature bowl of spaghetti. “How did they make noodles out of… whatever they’re made out of?”
“Glass, I think. It looks like they poured it.” Delaney straightened up and gestured for them to continue walking.
“Hold on. I think we need a souvenir. And what better souvenir than a tiny pizza?” Logan led the way into the shop and Delaney followed. After perusing the shelves, Logan spotted a tiny plate of bruschetta and a miniature pizza. He purchased both, then handed the pizza to Delaney.
“Thanks.” She admired it, then tucked it into her pocket. “It’s a little slice of Italy I can carry with me!” She snorted at her own joke, and Logan laughed with her.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Anyway, we’d better continue.” Delaney set off down the sidewalk and Logan fell into step beside her. “Good choice of direction, by the way. You’re starting to get the hang of this.”
“This?”
“Relaxing. Exploring.” Delaney spread her arms and gave a little twirl as they walked, her hair fanning out with the motion and her gaze lifted to the clearing skies. “Fun!”
“I have fun.”
Delaney gave him a look that showed clearly how easily she saw through him. “You told me your hobbies. Work and more work.”
“You said those were your hobbies, too.”
“Yes, and I like my work. But I also like not doing my work. Isn’t it nice to put aside all the expectations people have of you and all the things they want from you, and just enjoy the day?”
“It is.” Logan paused. “We’re at an intersection, and I believe it’s your turn, Ms. Cohen.”
“Why thank you, Mr. Banks.” Delaney looked in all possible directions, then chose a street that led towards a park decked in fall colors.
They spent the rest of the day wandering the city. At Delaney’s suggestion, they ate lunch at a small restaurant off a square, where they managed to avoid another rainstorm and discovered a mutual appreciation for spaghetti carbonara. After lunch, they spent nearly an hour in a small bookstore, where Delaney eventually chose a hardcover book full of pictures of Rome that she insisted on buying for herself, even though Logan offered to pay. In the afternoon, they sat on the edge of a fountain enjoying a gelato each, watching kids walk home from school and pigeons circle the skies.
When evening rolled around, they began to walk back to the hotel, stopping to share a double portion of truffle risotto and a plate of bruschetta.
“I am stuffed,” Delaney said. “Do you remember the first night we met, when the gallery served bruschetta?”
“I remember, but it was nothing like this.”
“True. And I remember you said that you never eat at events like that.”
“I didn’t, but I think I will now. I can’t go back to a sad life of milling around not eating.”
“Good.” Delaney smiled at him, then grabbed the last piece of bruschetta. “Too slow.” She winked at Logan, then took a bite of the bruschetta. “Delicious.”
“Oh, what a tragedy. I would have fought you for it.”
“You would have lost. I’d be good in a fight.”
Logan chuckled. “I don’t doubt it. You look like the kind of person who’s secretly taken three years of martial arts.”
“Unless ballet counts, I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you on that.”
“Ballet?” Logan grinned and leaned forward. “I can’t believe it.”
“What, I’m not graceful enough?” Delaney raised her eyebrows, and Logan shook his head.
“You are. I just always thought you would have been in art classes.”
“I was. To be honest, I was only in one ballet class, and it was just because my best friend begged me to join her. Did you do any sports when you were a kid?”
“I played a few years of soccer in elementary school, but after that I got too busy and gave it up. I was never very good though, so you don’t have to mourn the loss of talent.”
“I’m sure if you’d kept playing, you would have been a professional.” Delaney giggled at her own joke. Logan tried to look offended, but he knew he was smiling. Delaney had that effect on him.
“Yeah, right. Hey, we should start heading back, if we want to get the most out of sightseeing tomorrow.”
“You’re right. Let’s go.”
They walked, side by side without touching, down the darkening streets of Rome. It was overcast, but Logan spotted a few stars peeking through the clouds above and pointed them out to Delaney. She smiled at him.
“What a nice evening.”
“Very much so.” When they were almost back at the hotel, though, the skies opened up and it began to pour again. Within moments, rain was soaking through their thin jackets and pouring off the buildings in waterfalls. Logan grabbed Delaney’s hand and pulled her under the awning in front of a pizza place. They were out of the rain, but it still fell in sheets just inches away.
“Let’s make a break for it!” Delaney suggested. She sounded more excited than anything and her blue eyes were dancing with enthusiasm.
“Or we could shelter in place,” Logan suggested.
“Nah. I see our hotel. Let’s go!”
Delaney grabbed his hand and they raced along the sidewalk, across the street, and up a small embankment to their hotel. Inside the lobby, they came to a stop, both soaking wet and slightly winded from the run. Delaney’s blond hair was flattened against the sides of her face, and her wet sweater clung to her, outlining the curves Logan knew so well from their night together. She was grinning like they’d just won a marathon.
“That was great!”
“Was it? We got caught in the rain and now we’re soaked through.”
“True, but we also had fun. And we managed to avoid the rain until the very end of the day, when we can go right upstairs and warm up. I’d call that a win.”
How do you suggest we warm up? The flirtation danced on the tip of Logan’s tongue before he swallowed it. Friendship was all he and Delaney could offer each other, nothing more.
“I suppose you’re right,” he said instead. “Maybe it’s good we didn’t bring our phones. They would have gotten soaked too.”
“ Now you’re getting it.” Delaney nudged him with her shoulder, still grinning. “And hey, you’re right. You did make it the whole day without your phone. So, I’ll forgive you for what happened the night we met.”
“You don’t have to.” Logan shoved his hands into his dripping pockets. “I know I was rude to you and that is inexcusable. Even if we don’t have a future together, we could have sat down for breakfast. I could have let you know how much our night together meant to me — because it meant a lot, Delaney. Truly. I will never forget the time we shared, and it will always be meaningful to me.”
Delaney had been looking down at the small puddle of water forming around their feet on the tile floor, but now she lifted her chin until her blue eyes met Logan’s gray ones. A shiver of warmth swept him at the feeling of her eyes on his, despite the chill of the rainwater.
“Really?” She sounded vulnerable, more so than Logan had expected. He knew he’d hurt her. Her comment the night they’d arrived had brought that home for him. But he hadn’t known just how upset his quick exit had made her feel.
“Are you kidding?” Logan took a step closer and took her hands in his. Forget boundaries and the need to maintain distance between them. He needed Delaney to know how special she was. “You’re the most beautiful, smartest, most insightful person I’ve ever met. Plus, you’re incredibly sexy. How could you think, even for a moment, that the night we spent together wasn’t important? I can’t offer you a relationship or a future, but telling you that is the least I owe you.”
“Okay.” Delaney bit her lip. Her blue eyes were still wide. “Thank you. For saying that. And I do forgive you. Consider it water under the bridge.”
“Speaking of water…” Logan released her hands and stepped back to look at the puddle around their feet. “I think we need to alert the hotel staff to the lake we’ve made.”
“Yes.” Delaney laughed softly. “And we need to dry off.”
“We do.” Logan held up one arm as water drizzled off the end of his sleeve. “You go upstairs. I’ll find someone to help with the lake.”
“Are you sure? I can help.”
“It’s all right.” Logan smiled at her. “Go and get warm. This won’t take long.”
“Okay. Thanks. See you at breakfast tomorrow?”
“Absolutely.”
Delaney tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and grinned. “All right — good night, Logan.” She waved, then hurried across the lobby towards the elevators. Logan watched her go, regret and desire warring for control, until she disappeared into an elevator. Delaney was amazing and Logan had wanted badly to kiss her just now. He was almost certain she would have kissed him back.
Yet he couldn’t. Logan’s truest love would always be his work and it wouldn’t be fair to Delaney for him to try, and fail, to have a relationship alongside that.
He let out a short sigh, then went to find someone to help clean up the puddle. It was for the best that they were only in Rome for two more days. He might not be able to resist Delaney’s playful grins and teasing jokes and beautiful eyes much longer than that.