the warmth seeping through my hoodie felt nice. I pretended not to notice when he turned assessing eyes toward me as he leaned down. “Everything okay?”
Eyes the color of the bluest ocean searched my face, leaving me rattled and embarrassingly breathless. “Um. Sure. Yes?” I wanted to knock myself in the head at the breathy sound of my voice.
“You sure?”
Jamie stood from petting Max, mumbling, “I need to check the stock,” before retreating to the back.
Logan rose to his full height once we were alone and looked down at me until I had to tip my head back. He had to be close to six and a half feet tall. Most women would think twice about being left alone with a man his size, but I’d always been a good judge of character. Logan had an edge to him, but the core of him was kind. His years in Delta Force, and whatever atrocities he might have seen during the war, hadn’t stolen that fundamental part of him. Evidenced by the fact he stopped to check on us, sorted Josh out without being asked, and took a job he was wholly overqualified for because, and I was just guessing here, he liked my brothers and me enough to want to help out.
My pulse quickened as his entire focus seemed to be centered on me while he waited for my answer. A girl could get used to having Logan’s undivided attention, but I was his boss now and I couldn’t allow my hormones to dictate our interactions. It was time to draw that line in the sand and lock down any attraction I might have for the man. It would only complicate things. Especially if it was one-sided. A man who looked like Logan could have his pick of women in this town, so why would he settle for a mess like me?
“We need to talk about this morning,” I began.
Logan cocked his head to the side, then leaned an arm on the tabletop. He hadn’t put any space between us, so I took a step back. It was time to be the boss.
“What about this morning?”
“I decide what’s best for this bar. Not you.”
He seemed to puzzle over my statement before he responded, “Is this about Ty?”
I nodded. “He’s not a threat to me. He’s possessive, yes. But no real threat. We grew up together, so there’s a part of him that will always feel like he has to take care of me. That’s where he’s coming from, even if he doesn’t realize it. He has a fundamental need to take care of everyone he knows. His heart is in the right place, even if his actions are over-the-top. Once he sees that your presence means I’m safe, he’ll back off.”
Logan regarded me for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “He’s gone the moment he steps out of line though. No second chances, Skylar, or the problem will continue.”
I wanted to stand my ground, but I couldn’t argue with that. Ty had essentially played bouncer since I took over after my father became ill. Now that I had Logan, there was no need for him to be here every night keeping watch. “We’ll see how it goes. But I’ll be the one who decides if that time comes. Not you.”
I expected him to argue, but his mouth twitched and his eyes brightened with humor. “You’re the boss.” I opened my mouth to retort that I sure the heck was, but he closed the distance between us with a single step, and my response stuck in my throat. “We’ll do it your way. For now.”
I was positive I should have spit out, “We’ll be doing it my way all the time,” because that’s what drawing the line in the sand meant, but the words failed me when he leaned closer and raised his hand as if he were about to kiss me. My pulse began to race the closer he came, and I licked my lips as nervous energy shot through me. I should push him away. He’s my employee! My eyes began to close automatically in anticipation, but they shot wide open when Max barked and Logan reached past me without missing a beat; grabbing the bag of peanuts I’d been using to fill the buckets.
“I’ll fill the rest,” he mumbled with a grin, turning to the next table. Heat ran up my neck and settled in my cheeks. I was an idiot. He wasn’t about to kiss me, he