Page 29 of Lumi

CHAPTER 6

Logan O’Neil

Lumi

I hadn’t seen Logan O’Neil since Damian’s thirtieth birthday. The two men had worked together on the Emergency Response Unit back then, but unlike Damian, Logan hadn’t been on duty the night the ERU responded to the shootings at the Red Manor House.

“Are ye ready?” Damian asked as we walked up to the third floor.

“Yes, it’ll be fun.”

Damian gave me a look of disbelief. “Liar. Ye hate parties.”

“I’m trying to have an open mind. I have fond memories of Logan, and your colleagues are always kind to me.”

Damian snorted low.

A note on the door instructed us not to use the doorbell but to come right in. The place was already packed with guests, and as expected, Damian was laughing and giving out hugs left and right.

“Congratulations on yer new place. It looks grand.” Damian smiled at Logan, who came toward us with a beer in his hand.

“Thanks.” Logan placed an arm around Damian’s shoulder but zoomed in on me. “Lumi Robertson. Wow, I haven’t seen you in years.”

Logan was so much like Damian, only a few years older and with a scar above his right eye. The warmth in his gray eyes made it easy to smile back. Letting go of Damian, Logan embraced me in a hug and pulled back to look at me with the same spark of interest he’d had for me the last time I saw him.

“Damian texted me that he was bringin’ ye. I can’t believe that the years have made ye even more stunnin’.”

I smiled. “I could say the same about you. That George Clooney look suits you.”

Logan’s hands lifted to his hair. “Ye mean the streaks of gray?”

“Yes. I like it.”

Damian cleared his throat. “So, how are ye settlin’ in?”

Logan kept glancing over at me as he answered Damian’s question. “It’s better than I expected.”

I smiled at him. “I heard you moved to the States?”

“I did. Met a charmin’ Yankee and lived in Maine for six years. That ended, and now I’m back to my roots.”

“At least you didn’t lose your Irish accent. What about children? Do you have any?” I asked.

Logan shifted his beer from one hand to another. “I’m afraid not. My ex didn’t want children. Maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll meet a young woman to start a family with now that I’m back.”

My smile grew as Logan and I kept looking into each other’s eyes.

“Maybe we should get somethin’ to drink,” Damian said. “Where do ye keep the black stuff?”

“In the kitchen,” Logan gave a nod down the hall and reached for my hand when I moved with Damian. “Stay. O’Rogue can bring somethin’ for ye.”

“I’m afraid we’re bound together.” I lifted my hand with the handcuffs and saw Logan’s eyes widen.

“Did I miss somethin’? Are ye two together?”

“Yes,” Damian said over his shoulder. “We’re sleepin’ together.”

I laughed and shook my head. “It’s not the way it sounds. We’re taking part in a research program.”