“Let me grab my coat. It’s cold out tonight.”
“I heard there might be some snow.”
“I heard that, too.” She pulled on her coat and stepped outside, the biting cold wrapping around her. “It’s the chickens I feel sorry for. They hate the cold.”
Logan followed her glance. “Is the one that scratched me still in there?”
“Hester?” She grinned. “Oh yeah. She still rules the roost. Literally.”
He wrinkled his nose, amusement curling his lips. “I don’t mind if that one gets cold. I’ll save my sympathy for the rest.”
“She’s a doll, really,” Courtney told him. She pulled the front door closed and tried not to shiver as he slid his arm around her waist, gently guiding her down the stairs. “You should wear that scar with pride. If she scratches you, she likes you.”
“Is that right?” he murmured, opening the passenger door. “I’ve heard of a few women like that.”
Courtney laughed. “I bet you have.”
“I do owe her for one thing though.” He closed her door and walked around to the driver’s side, settling himself in. “If it wasn’t for her running out in front of me, we never would’ve met.” Pressing the ignition button, he turned to her, that half-smile playing at his lips again. Her breath caught in her throat at his intense stare. The space between them crackled with electricity.
It was as though she was programmed to respond only to him. She’d never felt anything like it before. Yeah, she’d heard about instant attraction. But until Logan, she hadn’t believed in it. She’d certainly never experienced it. Not with Shaun or anybody else.
And now her body was responding in ways she’d never imagined. She shifted in her seat in an attempt to break the connection. “Where are we going?” she asked, staring out of the window. The dark sky was covered with grey clouds.
“Actually, we’re almost there.” He turned left toward Maple Cross. A mile down the road he pulled into a driveway, his car bouncing over the rocks and stones that peppered the surface. On either side lights were strung between lampposts, and at the end was a ranch-like house covered with bright Christmas decorations.
There was a big painted sign in front of it. The Secret Gourmet.
“What is this place?” she murmured.
“It’s owned by a friend of mine,” he told her as he pulled the car into a bay at the side of the house. “They serve gourmet meals in their home. Kind of like a paid-for dinner party. Usually they’re booked months in advance, but they managed to fit us in.”
“I’ve never heard of it.” Not that she got out enough to even know about places like this.
“They don’t advertise.” He opened her door and helped her out. She could get used to this. “They don’t need to. It’s all word of mouth. And when you know about it, you’re in on the secret.” He smiled at her. “But more than anything, the food is amazing.”
“That’s high praise from you.”
He shrugged. “I like good food. I think you’ll like this place, too.” He knocked on the door.
A moment later it was opened by a thirty-something woman. As soon as she saw Logan, her face lit up. “Oh my god, look at you. You’re more handsome than ever.” She leaned forward to hug him tight, then turned to Courtney. “Hi, and welcome,” She said. Her smile was warm. “Come in from the cold.” She ushered them in, taking Courtney’s too-small coat from her shoulders. “If you’ll go into the living room, Dan has some cocktails waiting. You’re both on the virgin ones, right?”
Logan glanced at Courtney and winked. “Yeah, that’s right.”
“I could have driven if you wanted to drink,” Courtney told him. “You should have said something.”
“If you’re not drinking, neither am I.” He slid his hand down her back, pressing his palm into the small of her back. “It’s no big deal.”
But it was to her. Another little hint of how attentive he was. “This place is beautiful,” she said as he lead her through the hallway to a doorway at the end. “All these decorations look antique.”
“Ellie and Dan inherited this house from her grandfather,” he told her as he pushed open the door to the living room. “It was completely run down when they got it. They’ve spent the last few years renovating it, funding the rebuild by feeding people. In the summer, they have barbecues and cook outs in the backyard. And this is the second winter that they’ve run their dinner parties. Ten guests maximum each time.”
They walked into the beautifully furnished living room, complete with an oversized Christmas tree and inglenook fireplace. In the corner was a bar, and a bearded man was grinning at them. Like his wife, Dan walked around and immediately hugged Logan. “I wasn’t expecting to see you this side of Christmas,” he said, his voice booming out. “You must be crazy busy in Boston.”
“As always.” Logan grinned. “But I had some business this way.” He glanced at Courtney, his eyes warm. “This is Courtney Roberts.”
“Dan Mitchum. Pleased to meet you.” Dan shook her hand. “And I hear congratulations are in order.”
Courtney blushed, touching her stomach without thinking. “Thank you.”
“I told him about your pregnancy. I hope that’s okay. Sometimes they serve things you’re not supposed to eat,” Logan told her.
“Don’t worry, there’s no shellfish or soft cheese tonight,” Dan said. “And no alcohol, of course. Speaking of which, here are your cocktails.” He walked over to the bar and picked up two long stemmed glasses filled with a bubbling pink liquid. Passing them to Logan and Courtney, he nodded at the door. “I’m heading to the kitchen. You two sit in here and enjoy your drinks. We’ll call you when we’re ready.”
“Is anybody else joining us?” Logan asked.
“We have a group of eight in the dining room, so we’ve put you in the conservatory,” Dan said. “The best seats in the house.” He
