Smoothing one last flyaway strand of dirty-blonde hair up into my loose bun, I felt pleased with my overall appearance. I wore a light blue chiffon dress with a sparkly rhinestone belt that hid a multitude of sins but still showed my curves. It was casual and elegant at the same time. Maddy had suggested that I put my hair up with this dress, and I had to admit that with the addition of some dangling earrings, I looked pretty darn good.
I gave one last photographer-ready smile to the mirror, opened the door, and promptly smacked into a wall of solid muscle in a suit.
“I'm so sorry,” I apologized as I backed away from the figure I had just run into. “I didn't see you there.”
“No problem at all, Olivia,” Logan said warmly. I felt my cheeks heat instantly. Of all the people to crash into, I had to crash into him. This was just not my day. With an appreciative eye, he ogled me up and down, making me want to hit him upside the head. “You are stunning.”
“Thank you,” I huffed, simultaneously enjoying and resenting the compliment. “You look nice yourself.”
If anyone looked amazing, it was Logan. The playboy billionaire knew how to dress. He wore a dark suit with strong lines that accented his broad shoulders and muscular build. His usually messy hair was combed neatly back, making his jaw appear strong and chiseled. His friendly brown eyes were warmly set in a smiling, suntanned face. The only thing that kept him from airbrushed GQ magazine perfection was the red sunburn across the bridge of his nose.
“Blue is wonderful on you,” he mused, reminding me that he was watching me. The thought sent warmth through my core, which just made me blush harder. The last thing I wanted was any sort of attraction to a man like him. He was a snake in a very good-looking suit.
“Thank you.” I smoothed the front of my dress, suddenly feeling self-conscious under his intense gaze. The corners of his eyes crinkled with amusement at my discomfort, which only further raised my temperature. He had to know the effect he had on women—even women who were actively trying not to be flustered by him. “I was just on my way to go get Tyler. I take it you're staying at the resort as well?”
“I am. I was invited here just like you were.” He stood tall, unconsciously holding a handsome pose. I wished he wasn't so damn easy on the eyes. I couldn't stop looking at him in that suit and thinking of what was underneath it.
“I would think a billionaire playboy wouldn't need to take free vacations,” I said, hoping he couldn't see the effect his suit was having on me. His shoulders were just so deliciously broad and tapered down to a tight V that made me ache for his masculine touch. It just wasn't fair that he was so gorgeous and evil at the same time.
He shrugged, drawing my attention back up to his muscular shoulders. “I do actually look into places that my company promotes from time to time.”
“And the fact that the owner just happens to be one of your good college buddies certainly doesn't hurt either, I suppose.” I smoothed my hair back again and resumed my walk to the elevators. Logan fell into step beside me.
“You mean Noah Black?” He asked as we faced the silver elevator doors and waited for them to arrive. The stairs were available, but after the day's events, I didn't want to risk them in heels. Unfortunately, that meant I had to stand there and wait with Logan.
“As if there were another Noah Black?” I wished the elevator would hurry up. The door chimed softly, and I dashed inside. Logan hit the lobby button, but I hit the floor below us.
“Noah is always happy to help me with my travel arrangements. I certainly bring him enough business.” Logan definitely did give Noah Black and his hotel company, Diamond Hotels, enough business. Diamond Hotels was the preferred provider on Travel, Inc.'s website. The two men had made each other very rich.
The elevator rang as we reached the second floor. I quickly stepped out. I was about to let him continue on down to the lobby, but there was something I needed to know first. I turned and thrust my arm out to hold the door open.
“Did you or Tyler save me?” I asked, watching his face intently.
“Tyler,” he answered without hesitation. I couldn't detect any hints of deception in his face, but then again, I knew he was an expert liar. Especially when it came to me.
“That's not what he said.” The elevator chirped for the doors to close, but I kept them open. Logan looked thoughtful for a moment before answering.
“Tyler wasn't strong enough to keep you above the surface by himself. The waves were rough. I helped. He deserves the praise, though, not me.” Logan took a step closer to me but still within the confines of the elevator. “Tyler was the hero, and I'll stand by that.”
With that, he gently pushed my arm out of the way so the doors would close, and he continued down toward the lobby without me. I stared at my open-mouthed reflection in the shiny metal door. Tyler had said as much, but Logan's lack of desire for praise made no sense. He was the type of person who relished these kinds of opportunities, and carrying the hero's mantle seemed like something he would enjoy.
“Aunt Liv!” Tyler called out, yanking me from my thoughts. He hurried toward me as I turned from the elevator to see him and Maddy coming down the hallway. Tyler looked uncomfortable in his dress shirt and crisp pants; he was all awkward limbs and gawky angles that made the clothes look too small and too large at the same time. His nose and mouth were too big for his face, and his light brown hair was falling in his eyes.
He was totally geeky and graceless right now, but there was a handsome promise underneath his awkwardness. But, as he tripped on his oversized feet down the hallway, he was just a pre-teen boy with no grace. He was stuck being the ugly duckling for right now.
Perhaps that's what Logan saw, and that was why he was giving him this moment of glory. There weren't exactly a lot of paparazzi on the island. The media gain from this would be small without pictures, but making Tyler feel important would be huge. It was common knowledge that I considered him a part of my family and that he was Maddy's world. Perhaps Logan was going to use this as some sort of bargaining maneuver.
“You look really pretty, Aunt Liv,” Tyler said once he got to me. His hair was gelled and messy in an apparent attempt to mimic Logan's easy bed-head look. Unfortunately, without Logan's team of hairdresser's, it wasn't having quite the same effect. He still looked cute, though.
“You look very handsome yourself,” I complimented him. He grinned and stood up a little taller.
“What about me?” Maddy asked, finally catching up to her son. She wore a long, dark blue halter dress that hung in beautiful swoops. Maddy was curvy, and this dress hugged her in all the right places. She was always joking that she was trying to lose Tyler’s baby weight and that it would come off any month now. The dress was perfect on her, and it even managed to disguise her walking boot.