Chapter 0159
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“Oh.” She blushed. Logan wanted to throw his chair through the window. “He’s going to wait in the lobby for me. Don’t worry, he’s not coming up here.”
“I’m not worried,” Logan said. A lie. “You can stay at your desk until he arrives.”
“I think I’ll go down and wait for him in the lobby. Unless you need me, of course.”
Logan gritted his teeth. He wanted to keep her there, but he had no right. He couldn’t commit to her like she deserved. For so many reasons.
Their relationship needed to remain professional.
“No. You can go,” Logan managed.
Hazel smiled, but it seemed almost… sad? Was she disappointed?
“Very well,” she said, and started to back out of the room. “Goodnight, Logan.
The door closed behind her, leaving me alone. Through the windows of my office, I watched her clean up her desk for the day and shut down her computer. Once everything was set, she sat very still in her office chair for a long moment.
Logan half–wished she would look back at him. He didn’t know why. It wouldn’t change anything. But he wanted her to think of him, even if only for a second.
She didn’t look at him. She was probably thinking about Dylan.
Logan clutched the arms of his chair in a tight, vice–grip.
Dylan was a playboy. He would only hurt Hazel. She deserved better than that.
But who was Logan to interfere? With their relationship strictly professional, he had no right to step into Hazel’s personal life. He could assign her extra work or insist that she stay late. Those would only be temporary solutions.
Dylan might even wait until she was finished, which might bring him up here to the office. If Logan had to watch them flirt with each other, he might lose his mind.
No. It was best to let her go. Logan could busy himself with work to keep himself from thinking about what might be going on.
Hazel stood from her desk and walked toward the elevator. She still didn’t look back.
Logan’s chest pulled tight.
Just like that he was gone. 1
It’s fine, he told himself. This was how it was supposed to be. Logan and Hazel were professionals.
If he could survive this night without reacting, then he could prove that to himself. To both of them. He just had to hold on.
I clutched my cell phone tightly to my chest as I entered the elevator and pressed the button for the first
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Chapter 01:59
floor.
I continued thinking right up until the elevator doors closed that Logan might storm out of his office and stop me. But he didn’t. The doors closed, and the elevator began to descend.
My
heart sank down into the pits of my chest. It ached, the want I had for Logan to step in. Of course, he wouldn’t. He’d made his feelings and intentions clear.
He didn’t want me in a romantic way, despite some flashes of romantic moments between us. Those were flukes. Moments of supremely poor judgement.
That Logan was fine with my dating Dylan was all the evidence I needed.
“And it was long past time that I start moving on myself. My lingering feelings for Logan were only getting
in the way of my true happiness, as well as
making things far more difficult than they needed to be.
The elevator doors opened and I walked out into the lobby.
Dylan still wasn’t here yet, though he texted me while I was at my desk to tell me he was on my way. I came downstairs because I couldn’t sit at my desk anymore. All I wanted to do was turn back and look at Logan. That wasn’t a good way to start off my date night with Dylan.
Moving toward the glass double doors, I looked out at the city beyond. Evening was setting in. The sun was dipping behind the other buildings, casting long shadows across the streets packed with cars. It was still rush hour.
If Dylan was driving, I would be waiting for quite some time.
At least, that was what I thought, until-
„““Hazell
I turned and Dylan was standing behind me. Had he come in another way?
“1 parked in the underground garage,” he explained. His smile was handsome and bright. “I was thinking we could walk to the restaurant with all the traffic out there. It’s not far.”
“Okay.” I forced my own smile. It was no hardship being on a date with such an attractive and successful man, but even so, disappointment filled my heart where excitement should have been.
I shook my head. No. Forget Logan. If he wanted me, he would be here.
Dylan held out his arm for me. “Ready?”
Slowly, I slid my arm through his. “Yes.” The only way out of my feelings for Logan was to push them far behind and bring forward feelings for Dylan instead.
I could do this. I was taking the right steps right now.
Together, Dylan and I moved toward the front door.
Behind us, the elevator doors opened. Someone stepped out in a rush.
“Hazel! Wait
That was Logan’s voice..
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Chapter 0159
My heart jumped up into my throat as I immediately dropped Dylan’s arm and turned to look at Logan. Logan strode toward us with long, powerful steps.
“Logan,” Dylan started to say.
“I’m not done with Hazel yet,” Logan replied, though his eyes stayed on me. There seemed to be fire burning within them, hot and blazing. “I need you back in the office, Hazel. Now,”
Dylan laughed, but there was a hard edge to it. It wasn’t genuine, not by a long shot.
you need Hazel for can w
“Surely whatever until the morning,” Dylan said. “She’s busy now.”
Dylan reached for my arm again and held it lightly, wrapping his fingers around my wrist.
Logan’s gaze dropped to where Dylan held me. Then, in a flash, he reached out, wrapped his arms around my waist and physically lifted me to his side. My arm fell out of Dylan’s hold. I was too stunned to do anything but stare.
“She’s mine,” Logan said, voice low and dangerous.
I didn’t know how Dylan reacted, I was far too busy staring at Logan in disbelief.
He didn’t just say… He couldn’t have…
But how could I doubt my own ears?
Before I could react, Logan loosened his hold around my waist to take my hand in his instead. He tugged me back to the elevator. Once we were inside, he pushed a button back for the floor of our offices.
“Now, wait a damn minute!” Dylan called, storming after us. He blocked the elevator door with his shoulder, keeping it from closing. “Hazel and I hate a date,” he said to Logan, before looking at me.” Hazel?” 1
I swallowed thickly. I knew all the reasons I shouldn’t go up this elevator with Logan. After each of our previous romantic encounters before, Logan had found a way to backtrack and shut me down. He would likely do the same again, and I’d end up hurt once more.
To have a chance with Logan, I’d risk it.
“I’m sorry,” I said to Dylan.
Dylan’s eyes went wide in surprise. He stepped backwards into the lobby, but his eyes stayed on me the entire time, until the elevator doors closed, separating us.
Logan turned to me. Lifting a hand, he cupped my cheek.
“Mine,” he growled and kissed me.
3
