“Would you be an angel and grab us another round whenever you get a chance?” Gabby asks Joseph, the new hire at Déjà vu.

When the girls convinced me to come out tonight, my only request was to pick where we went. I’m not much for a club or rowdy crowds, but after working here for so long, I feel completely comfortable. There were no arguments, and both girls were more than willing to spend the evening in familiar territory.

“I’m not sure we really need any more shots, Gabs,” I say, stacking up the empty glasses to make it easier for Joseph to grab them when he returns.

Gabby scrunches her face up at me and shakes her head. “Yes, Brenna, we absolutely do. I don’t get nights out like this often, so I am going balls to the wall. Also, I plan to go home and have wild drunken sex with my husband. Maybe even make another baby.”

My eyes widen. “Are you guys trying?”

“Well, we decided to stop trying to prevent it.” A giant smile spreads her lips.

“That is amazing. I wish you guys the best,” Claire says, just as our new shots are set down. Lifting hers, she continues, “Here’s to baby making.”

Gabby raises her glass to meet Claire’s in a flash, but I hold back for a second.

“At least for Gabby,” I say, causing them to laugh.

That would be the last thing I would need right now or anytime in the near future. No need to jinx myself.

The night thus far has been a blast. I haven’t had this much fun out in a long time. Claire and Gabby hit it off instantly, which didn’t surprise me in the least. As more drinks have been consumed, fewer topics of conversation remained off limits. We have talked about everything in the past couple of hours, and I am shocked I’m not more embarrassed.

It has been extremely hard to refrain from calling or texting Logan to check in on Jane. He has sent a couple of pictures of the kids playing and little updates, so I know she is having a great time and is in good hands. She never even blinked an eye when I mentioned her staying with Logan. I’m not sure which excited her more; playing with TJ or hanging out with Logan.

“So, Brenna, things seem to be progressing rather well for you and Logan,” Claire says. I look up from my phone and find two sets of eyes glued on me.

“Yeah, things have been great,” I say vaguely.

Gabby’s eyes light up before she speaks. “I don’t remember the last time I have seen him this happy. Since you’ve come into his life, he just seems free; like he can be himself without needing to pretend to be something else.”

“That’s good because I wouldn’t want him to be anyone else.”

“He is so cute with Jane too,” Claire adds.

I smile, agreeing with her statement, and take a sip of my drink. “They have become two peas in a pod, those two. She attached herself to him instantly, and it makes me a little nervous.”

“Of what?” Claire asks.

“Nothing is guaranteed in life; we all know that. My relationship with Logan is still so new and has moved quickly. I don’t want her to get her heart broken if something happens and Logan is no longer with us.” Or my own heart. “Not only that, but who knows how long she will be with me. If her mother takes her back, there is no telling when I will see her again.”

“We can’t focus on the negatives. You’re right; there are no guarantees in life, but Logan is a great guy, and I have complete faith in the two of you. No matter how new it may be.”

I think about Gabby’s words, and I know she is right; I need to stop worrying about the things I can’t control. Logan has never given me the impression this is something temporary, but I also need to keep reminding myself that he just came out of an engagement.

The thought of Logan being engaged leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth, and in search of a cure, I wave down Joseph and signal him to bring another round.

“That’s the spirit!” Gabby exclaims from across the table.

Before Joseph has a chance to make it back to us, Lindsey appears with three glasses and a smile on her face.

“Looks like you ladies have some admirers. These were sent over from the guys at table thirteen.” She sets the glasses down, and I get a good whiff of the cinnamon scent and cringe.

I long ago learned the mistake of mixing liquors, and tonight we have stuck with clears—mainly vodka. Glancing over at the table she mentioned, I see three guys standing and holding their own shot glasses up toward us. I was thinking I might recognize them from working here, but they are all unfamiliar.

“Well, I guess we shouldn’t be rude,” Claire points out, lifting her drink and motioning for us to do the same.

We raise them up, look at the guys, and take the shots. I mouth the words, “Thank you,” and turn back around. While we don’t want to come off as rude, I also don’t want to lead them on or give them the impression we are interested.

Moments later, Joseph shows up with the round I had ordered along with three tall glasses of ice water.

“You’re an angel,” I say, reaching for the water.

“Those came from the big guy at the bar.” Joseph laughs.

We all turn in search of who would send the waters, and I smile when my eyes find Jordan leaning against the bar.

Claire squeals in excitement and jumps from the table, taking off toward Jordan, who had been gone the last week with his band.

I look at Gabby and clink my water glass with hers. “And then there were two.”

“Let’s dance!” Gabby yells, sliding the drink Joseph delivered closer to me. “Down that and let’s go.”

She is giving me an intense mom look, which I find extremely humorous, but still, I put the straw to my lips and suck down the drink in record time.

Grabbing my hand, she pulls me onto the dance floor, and we both get lost in the music with our hips and arms swaying all over the place. In my head, we have so much rhythm that we could outdance any professional, but I have a feeling that, in reality, we look like two wasted broads sloppily moving our bodies. We are having fun, though, so who cares.

One song bleeds into the next, and we just keep dancing. I didn’t realize how much I truly needed this night out until now. I have been stressing nonstop over doing everything right for Jane, and with starting my new job at the law firm, I am busy all day long. I thought I would be able to juggle both the law firm and bartending, but after a couple of days of trying, I realized it would be too much. Ian was more than willing to allow me to take personal time off without having to quit just yet.

Hands grab my hips right before someone whispers in my ear, “I’ve been watching you move from across the room, and it’s so hypnotizing that it brought me right to you.”

The unfamiliar voice causes me to turn. Reluctant to free me, he keeps his hands on my body. I instantly recognize him from the table who sent the shots over, and giving him a friendly smile, I attempt to step away, but his hold only tightens.

“Sorry, that wasn’t my intention,” I say, clutching his wrists and yanking his hands off me.

“Come on, now. Don’t be like that. You seemed more friendly when I sent you the drink. Is that what it will take for you to move that sexy body against mine? You need another drink, baby?”

“No, I don’t. I turn unfriendly when someone touches me uninvited.” I glance behind me to see Gabby in conversation with another one of the guys from the table, but she seems at ease.

“The way you were shaking that ass was nothing but a billboard, flashing the invitation.”

His hands reach out for me again, but I step back. “And your words and actions are a flashing billboard for getting kneed in the nuts. Don’t touch me again.”

His eyes light up as though I just offered him a challenge, and I am instantly both creeped out and uncomfortable.

“Dirty talk. That’s okay, baby. I like it a little rough,” he says with a sneer, taking a step closer toward me.

I’m one second away from plowing my knee into his crotch when a deep voice booms from behind me.

“She told you not to touch her. I’d advise you to back off. Now.”

Tanner comes to stand in front of me, shielding me with his body between mine and the asshole. I want to be pissed off that he thinks I need him to come to my rescue. I obviously had the situation under control and was about to teach this guy a lesson. But I think better of protesting because I have never seen Tanner this angry. I am used to the fun, flirty, and joking around Tanner.

“Look, big guy,” the asshole says, sarcastically, “how about you step away and mind your own business.”

“She is my business.” Tanner jerks his head toward where Gabby stands with the other guy watching the scene unfold. “And so is she. It would be in both yours and your friend’s best interest to just walk away.”

The guy holds up both of his hands in front of him and begins to back away. Tanner doesn’t move an inch until he is out of sight.

A hand touches my arm, and I jump in surprise, but calm once I realize it is just Gabby. Tanner’s back is still stiff and rigid, and his hands are clenched tightly in fists at his side.

When he finally turns around, I have a huge smile on my face.

“I’m not going to lie, Tanner. That was on the verge of hot,” I say.

His face lights up, and his ever-present cocky grin reappears. “Verge? You and I both know that got you all worked up. How about you, Gabs? You both finally realize you are with the wrong one in the family?”

“Let’s not get too carried away,” Gabby jokes.

Tanner chuckles and wraps an arm around each of us, walking back to the table we previously occupied. When we reach the table, Gabby moves out of his arm, and I softly elbow him in the side.

“You know I had that situation under control, right?”

He peers down at me, sizing me up. “Yeah, I’m sure he was really scared of you.”

“Whatever, jerk. How long have you been here anyway?”

“Long enough to know you should have sent those shots back to where they came from.”

“Who turns down free alcohol?” Gabby scoffs. “Brenna knows the entire staff, so it’s not like we were in danger of someone slipping something into the drink.”

“While that may be true, it doesn’t mean that guys like him aren’t expecting something in return. You guys just need to be more careful.”

“Aww, Tanner, you big ole softy,” I say, swatting him in the chest. “Who would have pegged you for the responsible one?”

He shakes his head but smiles. “Yeah, yeah. How are you ladies getting home?”

Gabby and I both share a look.

“Well,” I start, “Claire was supposed to be the designated driver, but then we convinced her she needed to have more fun and drink with us. So we agreed that we would just get an Uber to take us back to Gabby’s.”

“Lucky for you, there will be no need to call for a ride. I will make sure you both arrive safely, and since Claire disappeared with Jordan, I would imagine she no longer needs a lift home.”

“You would be correct. But haven’t you been drinking? You can’t drive us.” Gabby waves her finger in the air in a scolding manner.

“Get out of here with that.” Tanner laughs, pushing her hand back down. “I didn’t drive here tonight. My trusty DD is right over there.”

I follow the direction his hand is pointing and spot Bethany sitting at the bar. She waves her hand in the air with a smile, and I return the gesture.

“Yay!” I exclaim, jumping on my toes. “I love Bethany. You’d better not be messing around with her because if you hurt her, I will disown you.”

Tanner raises his hands. “Easy killer, she is one of my best friends. That’s something I couldn’t chance losing. She is right up there with you, sweet cheeks,” he says with a wink.

Gabby giggles next to me, and when I look over at her, she has her eyes glued to her phone. Her fingers are typing away swiftly, and there is a red tinge to her cheeks.

“Are you sexting with your husband?” I ask, and she only blushes more. “You dirty little slut.”

“I can’t help it. He is just so sexy that I am turned on all the time. You’ve seen him in uniform, Brenna, so you know what I am talking about.”

“Too much for my ears,” Tanner says, pressing his hands against his ears to block out Gabby’s words.

“We’d better get her home so she can fulfill those love messages she has been sending,” I tease but am also ready to get back to Logan.

I haven’t received any new messages from him in a while, and it’s more than likely because he and Jane are sleeping. We already discussed that she and I would spend the night at his house since I would be getting in late, and after drinking, I wouldn’t be driving. Jane was ecstatic when she heard the news and packed a bag with enough clothes and toys to last a week.

---

“Thank you so much for the ride home, Bethany,” I say as we pull into Logan’s driveway.

Gabby’s house was the first stop, and with a quick goodbye, she was out of the car in a flash, rushing to get to her husband.

“Don’t mention it. It was great seeing you again.”

“I know. I haven’t been around too much lately. Next time we have girls’ night, you have to come with us!” I exclaim.

“What about me?” Tanner asks, turning in his seat.

“Umm, Tanner, did you miss the part where I said girls’ night?” I look at Bethany and roll my eyes.

“Which sounds perfect for me. Besides, it’s obvious you can’t be let out on your own without getting into some kind of trouble.”

“I told you, I had everything under control. I was just about to crush his nuts when you interrupted me.”

Tanner cringes when I mention the nut crushing. He looks out the window and turns back to me.

“Looks like you’d better go.”

Confused by his rush to get me out of the car, I glance out my window and see Logan standing just outside his door. Dressed in dark lounge pants and a white shirt, I have never seen anything sexier.

“Yep,” I say, popping the p. “You kids have a nice night.”

Opening the back door, I ignore the laughs coming from inside the car as my body gravitates toward Logan.

His hair is in a state of disarray, and it makes me want to brush my fingers through it just to mess it up more.

I climb the final stair that brings me to him and wrap my arms around his neck. His hands claim their spot on my hips, and it feels a million times better than the stranger earlier.

“Did you have fun tonight?” his sleep filled voice asks.

I nod my head and press my lips to his. “I did. How about you? Jane wasn’t too much trouble?”

“None at all. We both fell asleep on the couch watching cartoons. I just moved her into the guest bedroom.”

“Thank you for watching her.”

“Anything for you,” he says, sweeping his warm lips across mine. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

Entering the house, everything is dark except for the dim light coming from the television. I venture down the hallway to check on Jane in his guest room. Her sweet little form is bundled up with a hand tucked under her face, grasping the pink blanket in her fingers. She goes nowhere without it and refuses to fall sleep without it in her clutches. Trying to wash it is always a big task.

Careful not to wake her, I kiss her forehead, and thankfully, she doesn’t stir. Turning to leave, I am surprised to find Logan standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. Entwining his fingers with mine, he pulls the door until it’s cracked and leads me through the house to his bedroom.

He heads straight into his bathroom, shutting the door behind us and twisting the lock.

“Late night shower?” I ask, backing up until I bump into his vanity.

His head shakes back in forth as he stalks closer. With his hands on my waist, he lifts me and sets me on the counter. The skirt of my dress is bunched up, and the ice-cold granite causes a rush of chills to run through me. Or it could be the look in Logan’s eyes as his thumbs caress my cheeks.

“I forget what my life was like before you. You consume my every waking thought and my dreams are nothing but you and a future together. I never imagined falling this hard or this fast, but God, Brenna, I love you so much.”

When the words leave his full lips, I stop breathing. Literally stop breathing. I fear that my mind is playing tricks on me because there is no way Logan Tate just told me he loved me.

“Did you …?” I trail off with a wetness building in my eyes.

“I did.” He punctuates his next words with a kiss after each. “I.” Kiss. “Love.” Kiss.

“You.” Kiss.

Reluctant to break our gaze, I blink and tears release from where I have been trying to hold them back. His thumb catches them and gently wipes their trail.

Swallowing down the lump lodged in my throat, I grasp his wrists. “I don’t know what to say,” I stumble over my words, but when I see the expression on his face fall, I backtrack. “No, that’s not what I mean. I love you too, Logan. It’s just your words were so sweet compared to mine.”

“Hearing you love me is all I need.” His deep blue eyes pierce mine before his mouth descends upon mine.

He threads his fingers through my hair and pulls my head back, allowing his warm tongue better access. My legs circle around his back and pull him closer to my body, causing his erection to hit against my core.

I knew my feelings had grown significantly for Logan, but I didn’t realize just how much until the moment he looked me in the eyes and confessed his love for me. At that point, there was no question in my mind or heart how I felt about him. Maybe we haven’t been together that long and things are moving too fast for some, but how can you argue with your heart? The feelings I possess for Logan are completely different than anything I have ever experienced before, even with my last and only serious relationship.

“I need you,” I whimper, lifting his shirt and pulling it over his head, then tossing it on the ground.

He grabs the material of my dress, rips it over my head, and throws it behind him.

“Did someone forget half of their undergarments?” he asks when he notices my bottom section is bare.

“No,” I respond innocently, batting my lashes. “I just removed them in the restroom before we left the bar.”

Shaking his head, his hands reach behind me to unhook my bra, and I slip mine into the elastic of his pants and push them over his ass. I lick my lips when his glorious erection pops out and the pants pool at his ankles.

Pulling my ass closer to the edge of the vanity, he lines himself at my entrance and an audible gasp escapes me when he pushes inside. He stills for a moment while our eyes lock. His lips crash against mine, and soon, his hips fall in sync with his tongue—both thrusting at the same pace.

“God, Brenna, you always feel so good.”

“Don’t stop,” I breathe out, feeling my pending release.

“Never,” he says, changing the angle slightly to penetrate me even deeper.

He hits the spot, and it sends me in a whirlwind of pleasure I feel through my entire body. With his lips on mine, he masks my moans and keeps moving inside me. Soon after, he reaches his own release, whispering my name across my mouth.

We remain in position, me with my arms and legs wrapped around him, until we are both able to control our breathing. As soon as he removes himself from my body, he realizes his mistake.

“Shit, Brenna, I’m sorry. I was so caught up in the moment I forgot the condom. Shit.” He keeps looking from my face to the area between my legs.

Jumping off the vanity, I place my hands on his chest and feel the rapid beating of his heart.

“It’s okay, Logan. I’m on birth control, so that’s not a worry.”

His spirits seem to lift briefly but fall again. “I shouldn’t have been so irresponsible without speaking with you first. I haven’t been with anyone since Melody, and we always used protection.”

“As good as it is to hear that,” I start and glance down at my naked form and motion to his, “now is not exactly the best time to discuss your ex-fiancée.”

“I’m screwing this all up,” he says and takes a deep breath before starting over. “That was amazing. So much so that I don’t know I could ever go back to wearing a condom with you. Unless you ask me to because, God knows, I will do whatever you ask.”

I giggle at his rambling, causing his navy eyes to snap to mine.

“How about that shower?” I ask, wrapping my arms around his middle and kissing his chest.

“Sounds like a good idea. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

With the hot water raining down on us, Logan takes a great effort to show me just how much he loves me. He takes his time massaging the shampoo into my scalp and the soap across my entire body and proceeds to help rinse me clean.

I have never had someone take such care of me, and it’s an erotic experience all on its own. Logan finds simple ways to spoil me each day, and while I naturally want to overthink and analyze every single detail, I choose to live in the moment instead.

I fall asleep wrapped in Logan’s arms with nothing but positive thoughts for our future and get the best night’s sleep I have had in a very long time.