How long had I been missing it?
Granted, most of my dating life had been consumed by Buck. Then I ran, left everything behind for a year, and came back only to fall—far too quickly and thankfully briefly—into Miles’s arms.
I never gave myself the space toreallysee Logan Walker.
And now, there he was.
His broad frame appeared from the hallway, shoulders back and that casual, confident stride of his that could make any woman lose her mind.
Even under the dim lighting of a dive bar, he looked like a dream.
I wasn’t ready to confront Janet’s quiet revelation.
Not yet.
I couldn’t go there. I didn’t even know who I was anymore, much less what I truly wanted.
So instead, I steered the conversation back to safer waters—to easy laughs, light questions, and new stories.
When it was time to go, Terry and Janet insisted on exchanging numbers.
“Y’all ever find yourselves back around here, you better swing by the farm,” Terry had said.
Apparently, telling them about my connection to horses had earned us an open invitation.
Outside, the night air greeted us like an old friend.
Cool, quiet, still.
As soon as we stepped into the starlight, I leaned into Logan without thinking.
His arm slid around my shoulder like it belonged there, like it had always belonged there.
We walked side by side, our boots crunching over gravel, no words between us. The only sounds were the hum of insects and the faint chirp of crickets echoing against the vast stretch of sky above.
When we reached our room doors, we stopped.
Facing each other, just inches apart Logan stepped closer.
“Thank you for a great night,” I said softly.
He smiled. “Anytime, Ace.”
We didn’t move.
The space between us felt weighted, electric.
The moon cast a soft silver glow across his face, and I drank him in—those steady eyes, the curve of his mouth, the way he made me feel like I could breathe again.
I wanted to kiss him.
God, I wanted to lean in, feel the brush of his lips, let myself fall.
But instead, I swallowed the ache, gave him a small smile, and turned.
I stepped inside my room, closing the door gently behind me.
The click of the lock echoed louder than I expected.