From Single Mum to Secret Heiress. Kristi Gold
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found her pretty damned attractive when he’d met her, from the top of her auburn ponytail to the bottom of her bare feet. She’d possessed a fresh-faced beauty that she hadn’t concealed with a mask of makeup, and she had the greenest eyes he’d ever seen in his thirty-eight years.
But now...
She did have on a little makeup, yet it only enhanced her features. Her hair hung straight to her shoulders and she wore a sleeveless, above-the-knee black dress that molded to her curves. Man-slaying curves that reminded Logan of a modern version of those starlets from days gone by, before too-thin became all the rage.
When they made eye contact, Hannah started forward, giving Logan a good glimpse of her long legs. He considered her to be above average in height for a woman, but right then she seemed pretty damn tall. Maybe it was just the high heels, although they couldn’t be more than two inches. Maybe it was the air of confidence she gave off as she crossed the room. Or maybe he should keep his eyes off her finer attributes; otherwise he could land himself in big trouble if he ignored the boundary between business and pleasure. Not that he had any reason to believe she’d be willing to take that step.
Logan came to his feet and rounded the table to pull out the chair across from his as soon as Hannah arrived. “Thanks,” she said after she claimed her seat.
Once he settled in, Logan handed her a menu. “I thought for a minute there you were going to stand me up.”
“My apologies for my tardiness,” she said. “My daughter, Cassie, had to change clothes three times before I took her to my friend’s house for a sleepover.”
He smiled over the sudden bittersweet memories. “How old is she?”
“Gina is thirty. Same as me.”
Logan bit back a laugh. “I meant your daughter.”
A slight blush spread across Hannah’s cheeks, making her look even prettier. “Of course you did. I admit I’m a little nervous about this whole inheritance thing.”
So was Logan, for entirely different reasons. Every time she flashed those green eyes at him, he felt his pulse accelerate. “No need to be nervous. But I wouldn’t blame you if you’re curious.”
“Not so curious that I can’t wait for the details until after dinner, since I’m starving.” She opened the menu and began scanning it while Logan did the same. “I’d forgotten how many choices they offer.”
He’d almost forgotten how it felt to be seated at a dinner table across from a gorgeous woman. The past few years had included a few casual flings for the sake of convenience with a couple of women who didn’t care to be wined and dined. Sex for the sake of sex. And that had suited him fine. “Yeah. It’s hard to make a decision. By the way, did you get your plumbing fixed?”
She continued to scan the menu. “Unfortunately, no. They called and said it would be tomorrow afternoon. Apparently pipes are breaking all over Boulder.”
With the way she looked tonight, she could break hearts all over Boulder. “Do you have any recommendations on the menu?”
“Have you had bison?” she asked as she looked up from the menu.
“No. I’m more of a beef-and-potatoes kind of guy.”
“Your Texas roots are showing.”
She’d apparently taken his advice. “Did you check me out on the internet?”
“I did. Does that bother you?”
Only if she’d discovered the part of his past he’d concealed from everyone in Wyoming. Almost everyone. “Hey, I don’t blame you. In this day and time, it’s advisable to determine if someone is legitimate before you agree to meet with them.”
“I’m glad you understand, and you have quite the résumé.”
He shrugged. “Just the usual credentials.”
“They certainly impressed me.”
She undeniably impressed him. “Have you eaten bison before?”
“Yes, I have, and I highly recommend it. Much leaner and healthier than beef.”
“I think I’ll just stick with what I know.”
Her smile almost knocked his boots off. “Perhaps you should expand your horizons.”
Perhaps he should quit sending covert looks at her cleavage. “Maybe I will at some point in time.” Just not tonight.
A lanky college-aged waiter sauntered over to the table and aimed his smile on Hannah. “Hi. My name’s Chuck. Can I get you folks something to drink? Maybe a cocktail before dinner?”
Bourbon, straight up, immediately came to Logan’s mind before he realized booze and a beautiful woman wouldn’t be a good mix in this case. “I’ll have coffee. Black.”
Hannah leveled her pretty smile on Chuck. “I’d like a glass of water.”
The waiter responded with an adolescent grin. “Have you folks decided on your meal?”
She took another glance at the menu before closing it. “I’ll take the petite bison filet, medium, with a side of sautéed mushrooms and the asparagus.”
Logan cleared his throat to gain the jerk’s attention. “Give me the New York strip, medium rare with a baked potato, everything on it.”
Chuckie Boy jotted down the order but couldn’t seem to stop staring at Hannah as he gathered the menus. “How about an appetizer? I highly recommend the Rocky Mountain oysters.”
That nearly made Logan wince. “I believe I’ll pass on that one, Chuck.”
“I second that,” Hannah said. “A salad with vinaigrette would be good.”
Chuck finally tore his gaze away from Hannah and centered it on Logan. “Can I bring you a salad, too, sir?”
No, but you can get the hell out of Dodge. “Just the coffee and a glass of water.”
The waiter backed away from the table, then said, “I’ll have that right out.”
“What an idiot,” Logan muttered after the guy disappeared into the kitchen.
Hannah frowned. “I thought he was very accommodating.”
“He definitely wanted to accommodate you and it didn’t have a damn thing to do with dinner.” Hell, he sounded like a jealous lover.
Hannah looked understandably confused. “Excuse me?”
“You didn’t notice the way he was looking at you?”
“He was just being friendly.”
She apparently didn’t realize her appeal when it came to the opposite sex, and he personally found that intriguing. “Look, I don’t blame the guy. You’re an extremely attractive woman, but for all he knows, we’re a couple. The fact that he kept eyeing you wasn’t appropriate in my book.”
Her gaze momentarily wandered away and the color returned to her cheeks. “But we’re not a couple, and he wasn’t eyeing me.”
“Believe me, he was.” And he sure couldn’t blame the guy when it came right down to it.
She picked up the cloth napkin near her right hand, unfolded it and laid it in her lap. “If he was, I didn’t notice. Then again, I haven’t been out much in the past few years.”
“Since your...” If he kept going, he’d be treading on shaky ground. The kind that covered a major loss from the past. He knew that concept all too well.
She raised a brow. “Since my husband’s death? It’s okay. I’ve been able to talk about it without falling apart for the past four years.”
He definitely admired her for that. Even after nine years, he hadn’t been able