Two Times as Hot by Cat Johnson Page B

That way when you’re back in New York you
     can say you saw some.”
    “Yup.” Oh, yeah. That would make a hell of a story for Emma to tell around the water
     cooler at work. How she went out and saw a guy in a cowboy hat sitting at a bar. Simply
     riveting.
    Emma drew in a deep breath. She was being ridiculous and acting like a child. She
     knew that. Honestly, Tara was being perfectly nice and polite. Tara didn’t know Emma
     was interested in getting to know Logan better. Why should she? Emma had only met
     him a few hours ago, had only spoken a handful of sentences to him. And, as Becca
     kept reminding her, Emma had a date with Jace. Aside from his unbelievably huge faux pas with her last year, Jace seemed to be a decent guy.
    So why wasn’t Emma happy to be going to the wedding with Jace?
    Because talking to Logan, even for that short time, had made her heart beat faster
     than it had in years, that’s why. What did that mean? Love at first sight? Or just
     lust because, like it or not, Tara was right—Logan had looked good in those khakis
     and the cotton button-down shirt that complemented his rugged suntanned complexion
     so perfectly.
    It must be Emma’s inner competitive spirit set off by the challenge Tara presented
     that had her blood pressure rising every time the girl mentioned Logan’s name. Certainly
     not what Emma feared—that after meeting Logan once, she’d developed a schoolgirl crush
     on him to rival even Tara’s.
    What if Emma had said no to Jace’s invitation? Or if the cell phone hadn’t rung with
     that call from Japan and she had gone outside for a walk in the rose garden with Logan?
     What if Emma didn’t give a flying fig that Tara had an insane crush on Logan—probably
     the biggest crush that Emma had ever witnessed firsthand—and went for it with him
     anyway?
    What if Emma was doomed to wonder for the rest of her life, what if ? That would stink. There was nothing worse than living with regret.
    Maybe all this introspection was alcohol induced and by tomorrow, Emma would forget
     all about Logan. That would be good. She didn’t believe in love at first sight anyway.
     Lust maybe, but not love.
    Still, Emma decided to investigate that concept further. “Becs?”
    “Yes?” Becca looked a bit wary when she turned to Emma. She knew to tread lightly
     when Emma was cranky. Most likely Emma’s bad behavior tonight had given her sister
     that impression.
    “When you first met Tucker last year at the rodeo, did you know then, that night,
     that he was—you know—the one?”
    That brought Tara’s attention whipping back to the conversation at their table, just
     when she’d been busy looking around the bar, probably for someone better to hang out
     with.
    Okay, that was mean. Emma mentally took the nasty comment back and waited for Becca’s
     answer.
    “Looking back, I think I did feel it then, but I didn’t realize it. At least, I didn’t
     admit it to myself. I sure tried to keep it casual. Just a one-night”—Becca’s gaze
     moved to Tara as she cut herself off—“um, just a casual meeting.”
    Emma smiled at how Becca scurried to not tell Tucker’s little sister how she’d planned
     on one night of hot sex and nothing more.
    Tara leaned forward in her chair. “So then how did you and Tuck end up together?”
    “Once we saw each other again and I discovered we both worked at OSU—”
    “You couldn’t keep it casual anymore,” Tara finished.
    “No, we couldn’t. I guess it was inevitable we’d end up with each other. I just was
     too . . .” Becca searched for the word.
    “Stubborn?” Emma had no problem supplying it.
    “Yes, thank you.” The look Becca sent her was not at all grateful. “Too stubborn to
     realize it.”
    “That’s how I think it is with me and Logan. I can tell he’s trying to keep it casual,
     probably out of respect for my parents or something, but it’s inevitable we’ll end
     up together. I know we will. Hopefully by