Oh dear. Logan looks like I’ve just shot him straight through the heart with an arrow.
Maybe this is how David felt right after he hit Goliath with that rock. How in the world have I managed to inflict pain on a man as gorgeous and charming as Logan? I feel horrible.
My hand shoots out to grab his arm. It’s a real hulking muscle, and I do get distracted for a moment, squeezing it under my fingers and feeling just how bulky it is. God, he must eat loads of protein. Hopefully he’s not one of those wankers who shoots raw eggs down his gullet in the morning though. Blech.
Then I drag my attention away from his hard-earned muscles and up to his eyes…the lovely brown eyes that look utterly wounded right now. I feel bad all over again. I don’t want to be David.
“Listen, okay, it’s not that bad. It’s just I don’t know the rules at The Day School yet. This teacher got axed last year for having sex with a student’s dad, and I know you’re not Briggs’ dad, but you’re his uncle, and maybe that’s just as bad? I tried to—”
“We’re back! Finally. My feet hurt just from walking to the loo and back. This place is huge,” Kat says, sounding as if she’s just climbed Everest and she needs to take a load off.
“It really did take forever what with all the doors. I swore we went into like fifteen bedrooms before we ended up in the line for the loo,” Yasmine agrees. “Anyway, who’s this?” She looks Logan up and down, her brows shooting up to her hairline like she’s mighty impressed. “Oh right…”
She’s finally connected the photos of him from Google to the real-life thing.
“This is Logan,” I say, motioning between the three of them. “Logan, these are my flatmates, Yasmine and Kat.”
“Right. So you’re Logan, Mr. Celebrity Athlete and all. Real pleasure to meet you.” Kat extends her hand. “Quite a nice set of bricks you have here. What’s the square footage on a place like this?”
Yasmine groans and cuts in before Logan can answer. “Kat, you can’t just ask someone that. It’s so crass.”
“What? Seems like if someone is going to spend this much on a flat, they’d want to show it off.”
He shakes her hand then looks to me with a pleading expression, as if hoping I’ll explain that these aren’t my friends at all, but rather two psychos I plucked off the street as a joke. Funny, right? Anyhoo, they’ll be leaving now. But alas, it is what it is. Crazy attracts crazy, and we three come as a trio.
“Now that my friends have introduced themselves, I think you should take us out to your pool.”
“Yes!” Kat agrees, clapping her hands together enthusiastically.
“Okay sure. Let’s go,” Logan agrees. “Let me just grab a drink first.”
We head to the bar, and he asks the bartender for a water.
“Are you sober?” I ask, trying to keep my voice down. “No judgment or anything. I’ve got an uncle who did AA.”
He looks confused for a second before seeing my gaze on his water. “Oh no. I just don’t drink much. I already had a beer earlier, so I’m cutting myself off. My trainer can always tell if I’ve been drinking the night before a session, and it’s not worth the extra sprints.”
“Right. Then I won’t drink either.” I turn to the bartender. “Water for me too. On the rocks.”
He looks thoroughly confused. “What?”
I fidget a bit. “I was just being cheeky. Can I just get it with some ice, please?”
He still doesn’t laugh, but he does get me a cup of water with loads of ice. Once Yasmine and Kat have their wine, we set off toward the porch. I expect it to be freezing once we step outside, and I nearly run back in for my coat. But then, instead of icy air blasting my face, I’m met by pockets of warmth. There are huge heaters set up around the perimeter of the balcony, making it so you can stand anywhere outside and still feel comfortable, so much so that there are a good number of people in the pool. They’re brave souls who’ve stripped down to their knickers and are splashing around in the water. One of the guys shouts for Logan to come over, and Logan waves to him before turning to us.
“Make yourselves at home. I’ll be right back.”
I watch, feeling bereft as he walks away.
With Logan by our side, we belong. With him gone, I suddenly feel like a fish out of water. At least we have each other, I suppose. We circle the pool until we reach the side of the balcony opposite the flat. There, we dare each other to stand at the very edge, right against the glass railing that seems much too flimsy to support my full weight. I manage two and a half seconds with the city hovering below me before darting back to safety with a little squeak.
“That’s mad! Look way down there. I think that’s a dog!” Kat shouts, pointing down to the city street.
My stomach rolls at the sight of her leaning over like that. “Do you have to stand over there? I swear you’ll topple over if a decent gust of wind blows past.”
At my warning, she pretends to slip, and I nearly lose my stomach. Then she and Yasmine roll into a fit of laughter, and I threaten to excommunicate the pair of them.
While we’re over there, more people flood out onto the balcony, and I think it’s because Logan’s out here now. He’s still with his friends, a group of guys taunting each other near the edge of the pool. I smile as I watch him with them, so carefree and confident. It’s clear they’re all a bit in awe of him. I suppose I am too.
I drift over to the edge of the pool closest to me as I consider how lucky Logan is to have so much outdoor space this high up off the ground. It really looks nice too, not just concrete and glass. There’s artificial grass laid down between the pool edge and the glass railing of the balcony. He’s also got huge trees in planters dotting the sides, so it’s like we’re in a proper garden instead of on some floating space-age balcony.
A huge splash draws my attention back to the pool, and I look back just in time to see Logan surface from the water. He whips his wet hair back and he’s got a huge smile on his face. His friends are laughing, though not for long, because another two of them get tossed in next, and then the whole lot of them splash in. Even way over on my end, my legs get sprayed, and I take a step back, just in case.
“I’m going in,” Kat says, already in the process of yanking off her dress.
“Ditto. The pool is heated and lovely,” Yasmine says with a groan of pleasure. “I haven’t been swimming in ages.”
I’m ready to join them and strip too then look down and remember I’m still wearing the expensive red dress that’s now fused with my body. There’s no getting it off, and I certainly can’t wear it into the pool. Given how much I paid for it, I suppose I’ll just be wearing it forever.
“You coming in?” Kat asks, laying her clothes on a lounger behind us. She looks lovely in her black knickers and bra set, real tall and lithe.
“I can’t, remember?” I fiddle with the edge of my dress. “You two go. I’ll sit on the edge, over there by the stairs. Come swim over to me.”
They take each other’s hands and leap in together, laughing while they do it. I envy them as I curve around to the other side, watching everyone bobbing up and down in the water. I’ve never wanted to swim as badly as I do now. I bet the water feels good, and even with the heaters on, I’m still a bit chilly in my lightweight dress.