When I Found You. Kate James

have dinner or a drink with me?”

      She laughed. Light and airy. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard her laugh, but it appealed to him in a way he couldn’t explain.

      She gestured toward the building. “I just had a drink, and, Captain...” she put distinct emphasis on his title “...one drink is my limit if I’m driving.”

      It was his turn to chuckle. He rested a hand on her window frame. “I didn’t mean right now.”

      An odd expression flitted across her face. “Of course not. Is there a new development I should be aware of?”

      Logan didn’t know if she was being coy or had forgotten about their discussion. He never had this much trouble asking a woman out on a date. Despite her laugh, she seemed reserved and, well, standoffish. He had no idea what had changed. He’d thought they’d hit it off the night they’d gone to Buster’s. “No. Not for business. Just a chance to spend some time together...get to know each other better,” he clarified.

      Her eyes darkened and a vertical line formed between her brows. She swung her gaze toward the entrance to The Runway before meeting his again. “I think you have enough company to keep you entertained, Captain.”

      He wasn’t sure what she meant, but this time her use of his title sounded derogatory.

      “C’mon. Have dinner with me.” He offered his best smile. “There’re always the policies to discuss.”

      “Thanks, but I’m busy.”

      “I haven’t suggested a night yet.”

      “Right. Well, that night that you’d be suggesting, I have plans.”

      He had to draw his hand away quickly as she raised the window. If he hadn’t taken a step back, she might’ve run over his foot, too, as she pulled away and out of the lot.

      Logan heard a hearty laugh and turned toward its source.

      Cal stood some twenty feet away, his arm around his wife. Jessica was grinning ear-to-ear.

      “Crash and burn! I don’t think I’ve seen you strike out before, Jagger,” Cal remarked.

      Logan knew the reputation he had at the division. He didn’t know how he’d earned it. He was no more a player than most single cops. Although he avoided romantic entanglements, he tried to never hurt a woman he was seeing. That was more than could be said for some of the others. Having a witness to his strikeout with Ariana was mildly embarrassing, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. “It’s not the first time, nor do I expect it’ll be the last,” he said pleasantly. Waving good-night to Cal and Jess, he headed to his own vehicle.

      It irked him more than he cared to admit that the beautiful security executive had brushed him off. There was no denying his attraction to her. When they’d ended their evening at Buster’s, she wouldn’t commit to dinner but he was certain the appeal hadn’t been one-sided.

      Logan shrugged. Probably for the best if it didn’t go anywhere. At least until he either finished training Shannon or hired a replacement for Brody.

      And of course, there was the whole reason why he avoided getting serious with women and why he’d procrastinated calling Ariana. Despite how happy his close friends were in their relationships, he’d seen up close, with his mother, what being married to a cop could do to a person.

      His attraction to Ariana was unlike anything he could remember experiencing before, and he wasn’t prepared to risk thinking long term.