“Whoa, you sounded really judgmental right there.”
“You keep it pristine. Women aren’t like that. We’re messy and complicated. Organized chaos.” She yanked the truck door open, spilling glass from the shattered window as she did. “What did you name her?”
“Victoria.”
Winter plucked glass pieces off the seat. “You have a big, badass, jacked-up truck and you named it Victoria.”
“It’s a sexy name.” His voice was deep and low, but there was a tinge of amusement laced in it.
“Well, sexy Victoria now looks haggard.”
He winced as he looked down the side of his truck, the one he’d kept so polished and perfect. “I deserve that.”
She made to climb up into the cab, but stopped herself, turned on a whim, and hugged his waist. Logan froze under her embrace, one hand gripping the top of the open door, the other thrust out in the air, palm up, as if he didn’t know how to hug her back. She thought he would soften over time, but he didn’t. He remained rigid until she slipped her hands off his waist and took a step back.
Eyes downcast, he murmured, “You shouldn’t do that anymore.”
“But you just held me in the shower,” she said, confused.
“That was the last time we’ll be sharing anything like that. It would be best if we just forget today happened. I’m not yours.”
“And I’m not yours,” she huffed.
Logan’s dark eyes narrowed, but he nodded once. “So we don’t need to go all affectionate, Winter. We aren’t a crew, we aren’t friends, we aren’t anything.” He strode around the front of the truck and got in behind the wheel, flashed her a fiery glare, and started the engine as if he would leave whether she got in or not.
“You aren’t really like this,” she said.
“Like what?”
“So hot and cold.” Winter climbed in and closed the door beside her. It was all bent up, but it clicked into place with a little extra elbow grease.
Logan turned up the radio. Some song about love and pain being the same thing. Perfect.
“We aren’t nothing, Logan. We aren’t strangers anymore, not after everything we went through together today. Even if I don’t meet your qualifications for a friend, there is a chance we could be in the same crew. You want to pretend like today didn’t happen? Fine. Big fuckin’ surprise you’re just like everyone else. I liked being with you before you Changed. It felt good.”
“It was a distraction.”
“So? We fit! Our bodies were good at what we did. And you can’t pretend I wasn’t a distraction for you, too. You want to forget some casual fling in the woods, okay. I didn’t expect anything complicated from you, Logan. Just…don’t be mean.”
“How many men have you been with?”
She huffed a breath and dipped her hand out the broken window, caught the wind in the bowl she made. “None of your business.”
“Seven.”
She tossed him a dirty look. “I didn’t ask your number.” And she sure didn’t want to hear about it after the emotional roller coaster that was today.
There was blood on her jeans. She could smell it. Even if the soreness in her arm didn’t remind her of what they’d shared earlier, the copper scent sure did. He’d loved her body, and then he’d scarred her. She winced and returned her gaze out the window as buildings gave way to thick Smoky Mountain forest.
“I wouldn’t have killed you,” he said, barely audible over the music.
“I trust you.” Winter didn’t even try to conceal the lie from her tone.
“I swear I wouldn’t have.”
Across her mind flashed the vision of that charging bear, glass shattering, the massive claw bigger than her face reaching for her, bleeding her. Apparently Logan-the-man was crazy, too. She’d seen the feral determination in that animal’s eyes.
“Two,” she murmured just to change the subject. She rolled her head on the seat and looked at Logan’s handsome profile. Beautiful face, ruined soul. “Brody was my first.”
“I was your second?” he asked.
“Lucky me,” she said, holding her finger and thumb up in front of the sun. Squinting, she squished it between her fingers.
“I liked being with you too. You know…before. You were good at fucking.”
Winter snorted and giggled. “Thank you. I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Logan chuckled a surprised sound, and there it was, that stunning smile she knew would transform his face. “Since I’ve said so much to you.”
“You are a man of few words.”
“I’m a man of action.”
“Murder and fucking. I bet Kane and Rowan will be thrilled to induct you into the crew.”
“I have a skill-set that can help them.”
“Until you convince them to put you down.”
The song switched to a slower beat. It was one of those with violins and a woman’s soulful voice.
“Logan?”
“Yeah?”
“If they ask you to Change, you should get out of it. Kane won’t let you around his mate if he knows what you are.”
His smile faded to nothing. “What I am,” he repeated. “You know what I am, and you’re still sitting in my truck with me.”
“I’m different.”