Chapter 4
FOUR
You Don’t Know Me
YANA
Logan’s smile drops. With his brows pulled together, he surveys Hayes.
The move alone is enough to confirm my suspicion. Logan invited his friend because he thought Chloe was here too. If I’d corrected him yesterday, we wouldn’t have ended up here. How was I to know he’d show up without even bothering to ask if it was okay?
But if I’m honest with myself, I would’ve eagerly agreed, so why be upset now? He took initiative and made a move. Isn’t that what I wanted? Actions, not words?
Regardless, what I didn’t want was to come face-to-face with Camden Hayes. He can go screw himself.
“So Chloe’s at the cabin, then?” Logan asks, rubbing the back of his neck.
I take a deep breath, and on the exhale, I say, “No. She’s back home, working and prepping for her annual Christmas party.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Hayes mutters.
He snags Logan’s elbow and drags him a few feet away.
Heads close, they talk in hushed voices.
With the Christmas music playing through the store’s speakers, I can’t make out a word they say, but their demeanors are easy to read.
Logan is calm and collected, while Hayes’s expression is sharp, his tone clipped.
I can’t help but sympathize with the guy. I hate being blindsided, and he was just as caught off guard as I was. Obviously, Logan had good intentions, and considering our first and only interaction, I can imagine Hayes wouldn’t want to touch me with a ten-foot pole.
Though I could be wrong. I don’t really know him, except for what I read online.
Honestly, I don’t know much about Logan either.
Kakaya prekrasnaya situacija, s kakoy storony na nee ne posmotri. Pryamo predel mechtanii1.
Bozhe2, I loathe just standing here, waiting like this.
I shift my weight from one foot to the other, and the move catches Hayes’s attention.
The intense crystal blue of his irises pins me to the spot and makes my pulse flutter.
I reach for the silver pendant on my necklace and fiddle with it, a nervous habit.
A wave of heat crashes over me, settling in my lower abdomen and making me press my legs together.
This isn’t right.
I open my mouth, eager to break the tension and move this conversation along, but when I do, Camden’s gaze drops to my lips. It only remains there for a single inhale, then he’s back to looking at his friend.
My shoulders droop when his attention is no longer on me, as if it were the only thing keeping me afloat.
I’m seriously fucked up. The dude probably hates my guts, while just being in his proximity turns me on.
Finally, Logan joins me, his brown eyes warm. He catches a lock of my hair between his fingers and gives me a sincere smile.
“I guess I got a little too excited about the possibility of spending time with you before our schedules get hectic. I forgot that you mentioned you were coming here alone. Or maybe it was wishful thinking.” He crooks a smile.
“When you mentioned Chloe, I assumed she was with you, and since I was hoping to have you to myself for a little while and didn’t want your friend to feel like a third wheel, I dragged Camden along with me.
He wasn’t thrilled, but he is my best friend, so after a little badgering, he agreed. And now here we are.”
“Here we are indeed.” Despite my initial annoyance, I can’t help but grin. I don’t know what it is about him, but he makes me feel safe. Just a few minutes in his presence, and the tension in my muscles has nearly vanished. “Can’t he drive back home alone?”
“Afraid not.” Logan curls his hand around my waist. “We rode together. In my car. If he left, I’d be trapped here, and I’d miss my flight.”
“Pity.”
“You know I can hear you, right?” Hayes snaps as he stomps back over, tearing my attention away from Logan. Arms folded over his chest, he stands with his lips pressed into a thin line.
“Sorry, man.” Logan throws an arm over his friend’s shoulder, then peers at me. “I know you came here alone for a reason, and I probably should’ve asked first. You have every right to tell me to fuck off, but I really hope you’ll let us stay. Just one night. We’ll leave first thing tomorrow.”
Apprehension and curiosity battle in my mind. What do I really lose if I let them stay?
Nothing.
“Okay.” I flash Logan a smile. “You’re lucky this cabin has three bedrooms.”
“Must be my lucky day.” He pecks my lips and takes a step back. “What are you shopping for? Maybe we can help.”
“How about I finish my shopping, and you pick up whatever you want? Then we can meet in the parking lot.”
“Be ready in twenty minutes,” Camden barks, already stomping down the aisle.
Logan winks at me. “I better catch up with him. Otherwise, he’ll only pick out stuff I don’t like. He’s a bear when he’s in a mood.”
“Go get your Grinch, Golden Boy.” With that, I turn on my heel.
Before I can go anywhere, he gently grasps my arm and pulls me into him. “Please don’t call him that,” he says, all his playfulness evaporating. “Literally, you can call him anything else, okay?”
All I can do is nod. I’m not sure how I feel about Camden Hayes, but I’m not mean to people just because. “Of course. Don’t worry.”
He steals another kiss and then rushes after his friend.
“Yana, ty idiotka3,” I tell myself as I continue my shopping.
Twenty minutes later, once my bags are loaded into my Escalade and the guys have loaded theirs into Logan’s BMW iX, they follow me to the cabin.
The whole way, I listen to another random playlist at full volume, distracting myself from the nervousness that’s taken over my body.
With the way my stomach roils, I’m not sure I can even eat dinner.
Here and there, I check my rearview mirror. Each time I see Logan’s car, my anxiety dissipates a little more. The way he follows at a safe distance adds another point to his rating in my head.
I’ll admit, at least to myself, that he’s climbing the leaderboard.
And I haven’t even slept with him yet. Hell, we haven’t even been on the kind of date where we have time to talk. This is so not like me, but maybe that’s the appeal of this situation. To live my life without overthinking, without doubting my decisions.
Maybe I can stay in the moment, stay afloat, and let Logan’s presence add to the lightness. I feel weightless when he’s around. That alone tells me that I’m making the right choice by letting him stay.
As for his best friend? I’m sure it’ll be okay. We can just ignore each other.
I park the car and climb out quickly. Evenings always feel darker outside the city, especially during the winter. Snow glimmers under the headlights of Logan’s car as he parks behind me. I wait for the guys, using the time to take in the pine trees crowding the cabin and the road.
Logan climbs out of the car first. A gorgeous smile breaks across his lips. “It’s so beautiful.” He points up. “The sky is endless out here. And the stars? Damn.” Shifting, he takes in the cabin. “Wow, Queen, you’re full of surprises. When you said ‘cabin,’ this is not what I was expecting.”
“I dunno,” Camden mutters loud enough for me to hear as he unfolds himself from the passenger seat. “A very posh space for a very posh girl. It’s exactly what I pictured.”
Annoyance flares to life in my veins. “You don’t know me.”
“Agree to disagree.” With a chuckle, he opens the back door and retrieves their groceries. “How about we go inside? Early morning practice and four hours in the car have taken their toll on me. I want to eat and sleep. Then I want to get the hell out of here.”
Wincing, Logan whispers, “Don’t pay him any attention.”
Easier said than done, but I’ll try. And more than anything, I don’t want to ruin my mood, so I let it go.
Logan insists on carrying my grocery bags, and I lead him and his infuriating friend into the cabin. Inside, the warmth of the gas fireplace I had going earlier still lingers in the air.
“Like I mentioned before, there are three bedrooms.” I hold an arm out, gesturing down the hall. “I’m in the owner’s suite, but the other two are free, and the bedding is clean.”
Logan thanks me with that easy smile. Camden just grunts.
They drop the groceries in the kitchen, then head back out for their bags.
They take their time, probably talking someplace where they won’t be overheard.
That’s fine with me because it gives me time to change into black leggings and a red tee before I return to the kitchen to put our groceries away.
I’m cutting tomatoes when Camden steps into the room. He’s still wearing the jeans he arrived in, but instead of a hoodie, he’s in a white T-shirt that puts all the tattoos on his neck and arms on display.
Our eyes meet, and my hand falters, the knife hitting the cutting board awkwardly. The effect this guy has on me is destabilizing. One moment, I want to strangle him. The next… No, I better not go there, even in my head.
He is a stranger. Period.
“Do you need help?” he asks, his voice deep and velvety. Its surprising gentleness startles me.
I clear my throat. “No. I’m just slicing tomatoes and cucumbers to have with the chicken cutlets and mashed potatoes I prepped this morning.” I set down the knife and survey him. “Do you eat mashed potatoes and chicken cutlets? I didn’t even think to ask.”
He snorts. “I do. Logan does too, don’t worry.”
“Good. I’d hate to be a terrible host, even if I didn’t plan on having guests.”
“You’re fine.” He takes a few steps closer. “And I’m sorry for being an asshole. I’m tired, but that’s no excuse to snap at you. It’s not your fault Reid didn’t confirm whether your friend was actually here before roping me into this.”
“Chloe is single, if you’re interested. She’s the girl I was with at the restaurant.”
He holds my gaze, and that simple act makes me feel like I’m fully naked. “Nah. Your friend is beautiful, but she’s not my type.”
Who is your type? I want to ask.
Instead, I hold out my hand. “I’m Yana. I’m sure you know that by now, but we started off on the wrong foot and never introduced ourselves.”
The smirk that pulls at his lips is pure sin. And those dimples? Fuck.
“I’m Camden.” He wraps his big, calloused hand around mine, immediately engulfing me in his warmth. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
Neither of us takes a step back. Neither of us lets go. Eyes locked, we stand in the quiet of the kitchen, assessing each other.
“Sorry it took me so long.” Logan’s voice reaches the kitchen before he does.
Camden lets go of my hand and backs up. The step he takes is so big, it leaves him standing at the kitchen entrance.
Logan steps inside and glances between us. “What are you two up to?”
“Just finally introducing ourselves,” I say, ignoring how fast my heart beats inside my chest. “And I’m cutting vegetables to go with the chicken cutlets I made for dinner.” I pick up the knife again. “Your best friend told me you’d like them.”
Grinning, Logan drapes his big arm over Camden’s shoulder. “And he’d be right.”
Yin and yang indeed. They remind me of that boy band that was popular years ago in the Russian-speaking world—one was blond, the other had nearly black hair. How did that connection not hit me sooner?
“Would you guys set the table?” I ask as I turn back to the cutting board.
When they’ve collected supplies and moved to the dining room, I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths to steady myself.
I didn’t expect Camden to apologize for his behavior. Not after the way he acted in the restaurant and at the store. But I can’t say I’m not happy he did.
Who knows, maybe we can spend this one evening together without being at each other’s throats.
1 What a wonderful situation, no matter how you look at it. Like the ultimate dream (sarcastic)
2 God
3 you’re an idiot