thought you were supposed to be making me feel better, not being Mr. Creepy.”
Logan laughed.
A moment later Bailey realized Logan’s giant black SUV had pulled in behind him. “Oh… hey.”
Logan smiled. Bailey could see him in the rearview mirror. His unease faded, and he smiled back before giving a little wave. Another man Bailey recognized as the guy who’d driven Logan’s truck to him the night before sat in the passenger seat.
They opened their doors at the same time, and Logan said something to the other guy. He began to look around the area while Logan approached Bailey’s car door.
Bailey unlocked it and climbed out of the car. He ignored his sweaty palms and looked up at Logan. He looked tired, with deep purple marks under his eyes, as if he hadn’t slept at all since the night before. His dark, nearly black hair curled over his forehead, messy from Logan running his hand through it. Probably more stress.
Bailey’s stomach churned with guilt. He shouldn’t have bothered Logan over nothing. He clearly had more important things—
“Hey.” Logan lifted Bailey’s chin with his finger and stared down at him. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop.”
“I’m thinking you’re exhausted and should be getting some rest. You haven’t slept yet, have you? And here I am dragging you away from your work to come… do what? Babysit me?”
“Pretty sure I told you to call me even if you thought something was wrong. Didn’t I say that, or is my exhaustion making me forgetful?”
“Not funny.”
Logan grinned. “I thought it was.”
“Bails?” Ashley called from the front porch. “What’s wrong? I thought you were heading home.”
She glanced worriedly at Logan before looking back to him.
“Guess we should go talk to her, huh?”
“Yes. Did you message the others?”
“Not yet.”
“Come on, then. Let’s go talk to her, and you can message them then.”
Logan glanced over his shoulder to the other man, and Bailey followed his gaze. The guy shook his head.
“Keep watch. Let me know when the detective gets here.”
“I will.”
Logan put his hand on the small of Bailey’s back and guided him up the sidewalk. Bailey pretended he didn’t notice it, but damn, his heart sped up and his cheeks heated and everything in him wanted to lean into Logan’s touch.
He was broken. That was all there was to it.
He barely knew this guy, and all he wanted was to curl up against him and have Logan tell him everything would be okay. Sad thing was, Bailey would even believe Logan if he said it. He had it bad.
“Hello, Ashley,” Logan said once they reached the porch.
She glanced at Logan sharply before turning her attention to Bailey. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I checked in with Logan, and he let me know a detective is coming by to talk to you about last night. I thought you might want me here.”
“Uh-huh. And what is he doing here?”
She glared at the hand still touching Bailey. “I got a little spooked, so I called him, Ash.”
Her glare faded. “Shit. I’m sorry. I’m foul. Thank you for coming, Logan. I’m sorry I’m being a bitch, but… well, honestly, you’re a strange man, and at the moment I’m not really wanting to be around men I don’t know.”
“That’s a good plan. Why don’t we sit out here on the porch and wait for Detective Alfred to arrive? Bailey is going to contact your other friends as well. We need to see if they can remember anything that’ll help us find this person.”
Ashley sat down on a white wicker patio chair, leaving the matching love seat for Bailey and Logan. The floral cushions really didn’t match his look for the day. Oh, and she was about as subtle as a Mack truck with her machinations.
He glared at her, and she smirked. Such a brat. Why were they friends again?
Logan sat down, leaving Bailey standing there awkwardly for a minute. He laughed at himself, then sat next to Logan. They didn’t really fit. Well, they fit, they were just pressed together from hip to knee, and dear God, was that man hot. Like, literally temperature hot. Well, plus figuratively hot, like, burning. But still, that warm weight pressed against him—and oh, dear God, Logan leaned closer and his arm sort of pressed into Bailey’s and his hand… long fingers and veiny and strong and…
Bailey’s brain nearly combusted. He shot a panicked look at Ashley, who finally earned her friendship points by asking Logan a few questions about the events of the previous night. It gave Bailey a moment