The night was unusually quiet at the bar, the kind of calm that made the hours drag. I was wiping down tables when the door creaked open, and I glanced up to see Logan stepping inside.
My heart lurched. “What are you doing here?”
He hesitated, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. “I was in the area. Thought I’d check in.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Since when do you check in on me?”
Logan smirked faintly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Need help closing up?” he asked, stepping closer.
I considered brushing him off but decided against it. “Sure,” I said, tossing him a rag. “Start with the tables.”
As we worked, the silence between us felt heavier than usual. It wasn’t until we both ended up at the same table, reaching for the same bottle of cleaner, that the tension snapped.
“I’ve never stopped thinking about you,” Logan said suddenly, his voice low and steady.
I froze, my hand gripping the bottle tightly. “Logan—”
He stepped closer, his eyes locked on mine. “No, I mean it, Emma. I tried to move on. I tried to be what Vanessa needed, but I can’t stop thinking about you.”
I crossed my arms. “You’re using me, Logan. You say you care, but you’re still tied to Vanessa. You can’t have it both ways.”
“You think I’m using you?”
“What else am I supposed to think?” I snapped, my frustration bubbling over. “You come to me saying you can’t stop thinking about me, but you go back to her like she’s the one you really care about. You can’t keep doing this.”
“I’m trying to do the right thing, Emma. She’s barely holding it together. What am I supposed to do? Leave her completely shattered?”
“You’re shattering me,” I said, my voice cracking.
My throat tightened as I searched for more words, but none came. “You shouldn’t be here,” I said finally, though my voice wavered.
“I know,” he admitted. “But I can’t stay away. I can’t stop wanting you.”
For a moment, we froze, caught between the truth and the reality he didn’t want to face. The air between us felt electric, charged with everything we weren’t saying.
Before I could think, I cut the distance between us in one swift motion and kissed him desperately and all consumingly, a collision of every unspoken feeling we’d been trying to bury.