Free An Extraordinary Match (The Match Series Book 3) by Barbara Dunlop Page B

At least here, she could clean up, get a little sleep, and then get to Denver, where she could start to figure this mess out.
    She stripped out of her clothes, wrapping them in a plastic bag and tucking them into an outside pocket of her suitcase. Then she retrieved her toiletries and stepped under the hot spray of Logan’s shower.
    Like the main floor, the bathroom was mountain rustic. The shower was large, made of natural stone with a big overhead spray. There was a double-size tub in a windowed alcove, dual sinks, and plenty of fresh, fluffy towels. For some reason, Logan hadn’t struck her as the domestic type, but the room was nicely decorated. The countertops, a mottled gray, were scattered with candles and ceramics.
    She scrubbed her body with lavender shower gel and washed her hair, rinsing in some wildflower-scented conditioner. It took a lot of hot water, but eventually she felt clean again.
    She was running low on clean clothing, but she found a pair of black leggings and a dusty-blue sweaterdress. She pulled a pair of chunky knit, multicolored socks onto her feet, combed out her hair, and decided makeup would be a ridiculous waste of time.
    She took a moment to brush her teeth before stuffing everything back into her suitcase. Then she steeled herself, unlocked the door and headed back downstairs.
    To her surprise, Logan was cooking.
    She ventured slowly to the kitchen archway, standing there for a moment, wondering what on earth to say.
    “Hi,” she finally decided.
    He turned, staring at her in silence. His gaze dropped to her feet, but he didn’t make any comment.
    “Can I help?” she asked.
    “I’m making pesto chicken.”
    She took a couple of steps forward. “Sounds good.”
    “I’m relieved that you like it.”
    “I do. But even if I didn’t, I’d lie.”
    “That doesn’t surprise me.” There wasn’t a single trace of humor in his tone.
    She sighed in defeat, noting a breakfast nook beyond the counters. It had a view along the lakeshore, a lighted pathway that stretched the length of town, and the houses and businesses beyond. A white cloth covered the table, and a creeping plant sat in the middle in a yellow ceramic pot.
    “If you point me to the plates…”
    For a moment, she didn’t think he was going to answer.
    “Top cupboard, left of the sink,” he said.
    She moved in that direction. “Thanks.”
    “This isn’t blissful domesticity,” he told her.
    “Still, I appreciate you not letting me starve.”
    She made up her mind to bury her anger. None of this was Logan’s fault. She couldn’t even blame him for suspecting her. He barely knew her, and it seemed that she’d been framed by men who knew how. The more amazing turn of events was that Amy hadn’t condemned her along with everyone else in her family.
    “Did they feed you in jail?” he asked.
    “No. I must have missed brunch, and I left before dinner was served.”
    “Are you…” He stopped talking.
    She turned to see him grip the lip of the countertop.
    “Do you…” he began again.
    She waited.
    He turned. “Do you need something right away? Are you that hungry?”
    She’d avoided crying all day long, but for some reason his reluctant question got to her. He couldn’t stand the sight of her, but he didn’t want her to go hungry.
    Her throat clogged up, and she quickly turned away, opening the cupboard to block his view of her face. “I’m fine.”
    He opened the refrigerator. “I’ve got some cheese here, some crackers, a few vegetable sticks?”
    “It’s okay,” she managed, focusing on positioning the plates on the table, lining up the geometric pattern on the plates with the inlaid wood of the tabletop. “Don’t worry about me.”
    They both fell to silence, and she let the minutes slip by without bothering him.
    “Screw it,” he finally said from behind her. “I’m opening a bottle of wine. You want some?”
    She hesitated. But nothing could make the situation any worse. It followed that