Free Logan's Redemption by Cara Marsi Page A

when he was around. Was she bothered that Anita walked in, or that they’d been about to kiss?
    “Anita, what brings you to Center City?” Doriana asked.
    The brunette strolled into the room, her hand outstretched to Logan. “I’m Anita Santisi, Doriana’s cousin.”
    Logan took her hand and smiled. “Logan Tanner. Temporary assistant.”
    “Temporary? Pity.” She glanced at Doriana. “He’s a keeper.”
    Doriana narrowed her eyes and gave Anita a quelling look. Logan grinned.
    Dimpling, the brunette continued to hold his hand. “Have we met before? You look familiar, but if I’d met a gorgeous hunk like you I’d remember.”
    Laughing, Logan pulled his hand free. “We’ve never met.”
    Frowning, Anita studied him.
    “What brings you here, Anita?” Doriana asked in a tight voice. “Don’t you have a client with a hair emergency somewhere?”
    “Meow,” Anita said, laughing.
    Logan rubbed a hand over his mouth to cover his grin. Was Doriana jealous? He hoped so.  
    The phone rang. Doriana lunged for it as if she welcomed the intrusion. “Yes,” she said into the phone. Her face paled and she handed the receiver to Logan. “It’s for you.”
    The short rings told him the call was internal. Dan wanting an update? Logan picked up the receiver. “Logan here.”
    “Logan, it’s me.” He stiffened when he heard Candi’s breathy voice.
    “Yes?”
    “Can you talk?”
    “I’ll call you back.” He replaced the receiver. “I’ve got some work to do in my office, Doriana. Can we talk about the chart later?”
    She nodded, pink staining her cheeks.
    He left the room, leaving the door slightly open.
    “What a hunk,” he heard Anita say. “I’ll bet that was a woman calling him.”
    “You bet right,” Doriana said.
    “Why, Miss Doriana, I do believe you’re jealous,” Anita said in a fake Southern accent.
    “Close that door, Anita. Right now.”
    Before closing the door, Anita winked at Logan where he stood just outside. He grinned back at her.
    Was Doriana jealous of other women? He shrugged off the thought, but couldn’t shrug off his rush of pleasure.     
    He picked up his phone and punched in Candi’s extension. He hadn’t had a chance to talk to her alone since Monday. “What’s up?” he said when she answered.
    “I need to talk to you.” She sounded stressed. “Away from work.”
    “Are you okay, Candi?”
    “No. Yes, I’m fine. I need to see you. I know a little coffee shop at the Italian Market. Can we meet there tomorrow morning?”
    Logan got directions to the coffee shop and hung up the phone. He hoped Candi would give him information that would help break this case. So far there had been no further thefts or vandalism. He wanted to catch the culprit before he struck again. Jo was Fed-Exing the information on Bryce James. Maybe he’d resolve this case and head home to Arizona sooner than he thought.
    Home. Hot. Sunny. Lonely. He suspected his life would be even lonelier now that he’d found Doriana again. Logan rounded his desk and signed onto his computer. He tried to concentrate on work but thoughts intruded. He didn’t belong in Doriana’s world and he’d better remember that.  
    * * * *
    Doriana averted her gaze from her cousin. “I do not care what women Logan sees. He’s a temp doing Lisa’s job until her leave is over. Then he’ll be gone.”
    At the thought of Logan’s going, regret washed over Doriana. Despite her attempts at a professional attitude with him, Logan brought a vividness into her life that had been missing.
    “Sure looked like there was something going on between you two when I walked in.” Anita sat in the chair opposite Doriana’s desk and stretched out her legs, encased in the latest stiletto boots.
    “There’s nothing going on,” Doriana said. “Logan’s not my type and he flits from job to job. Not very stable.” And not good father material , she thought, glancing over at Josh’s picture. Josh’s three-year-old face