My best friend Lauren’s older brother, Logan, is finally back from his years abroad. Word on the street is that he’s been so buried in his career that his love life has been an absolute desert. Lauren couldn’t stop sighing about it. “I’m happily child-free, and my brother is a certified workaholic with zero romantic prospects. At this rate, the Miller family legacy ends with us!” A few days later, I finally met the man, the myth, the legend. And my brain completely short-circuited. Why did he look exactly like the guy I slept with four years ago—the biological father of my daughter? I’d heard Lauren rave about her brother for years. He was a man with a reputation for having an iron will in the business world, and he’d been her idol since they were kids. But ever since Lauren and I became friends, he’d been stationed overseas managing their international mergers. I’d never actually laid eyes on him. Until a week ago, when Logan officially returned. And this time, it seemed like he was back for good. Now, looking at Lauren, who was completely wasted and passed out on the bar table, I was trying to figure out how to haul her home. Suddenly, her phone buzzed. It was Logan. I hesitated for a moment. But when the phone started ringing for the third impatient time, I finally swiped to answer. “Where are you? I’ll come pick you up,” a deep, raspy voice vibrated through the speaker. Honestly? It was incredibly hot. My ears started burning for no reason, and I cleared my throat. “Hi, I’m Sophia, Lauren’s friend. She’s… a little past her limit right now.” Before I could finish, Lauren suddenly bolted upright from the table like a zombie. “My poor, tragic brother!” she wailed into the night. “He sacrificed his youth to conquer the overseas market, and now he’s old, single, and totally unwanted! He’s going to die alone!” The other end of the line fell into a terrifying, dead silence. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, curing my own mild buzz instantly. “She’s really drunk. Here’s the address.” “Eight Maple Street,” he said simply. The line went dead. I waited with Lauren inside for a bit, and when the time felt right, I helped her outside to wait by the curb. In the distance, a sleek black SUV pulled up. A tall man stepped out of the driver’s seat. He was wearing a sharp, tailored cashmere coat that emphasized his broad shoulders and insanely long legs. I couldn’t make out his face in the dim light, but his silhouette alone was striking. But the next second, the air caught in my throat. He shut the car door and started walking toward us. His stride was steady, carrying an aura of effortless authority. As the streetlights illuminated his face, the shadows shifted, and his features began to look terrifyingly familiar. My fingers tightened around Lauren’s arm, my entire body freezing up. *No way,* I screamed internally. *It’s been four years. The world is huge. There’s no way…* He stopped right in front of us. He was so close that I could see the sharp angle of his jaw and catch the faint, crisp scent of cedarwood radiating from him. Then, he looked up and locked eyes with me. Time slowed to an absolute crawl. Those sharp, piercing eyes, the deep-set brow, the firmly set lips. Every single detail dragged a buried memory right back to the surface. That chaotic night… the burning heat of his skin in the dark, the roughness of his palms, his heavy, ragged breathing in my ear… My heart hammered violently against my ribs. It was him. It was really him. The stranger from the bar four years ago—the man whose name I didn’t even know, but who had given me my beautiful daughter—was standing right in front of me. Lauren’s brother, Logan Miller, was Nina’s father. My one-night stand. Right then, the phone in my pocket began to vibrate furiously. The FaceTime ringtone sounded deafening in the quiet night. “Is that Nina?” Lauren mumbled, leaning heavily on my shoulder and squinting at the screen. “It’s so late… pick up…” My fingers trembled violently as I reached into my pocket. Logan stood there, his towering figure practically casting a shadow over me. I swiped the screen, and Nina’s chubby little face filled the display. “Mommy!” Her bright, sweet voice cut through the tense air like a knife. I saw Logan’s brow twitch ever so slightly. “Nina,” I turned my body away, lowering my voice to escape the gaze that felt like it was burning a hole through my skull. “Why are you still awake, sweetie?” “I missed you, Mommy! Where are you?” Nina peered curiously at the screen. In the background, I could hear my mom, Lisa, telling her it was bedtime. “Mommy’s outside, I’ll be home soon,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, though my throat felt like it was closing up. “Go to sleep with Grandma, okay?” Even without looking, I could feel Logan’s eyes locked onto the side of my face. “Okay… Goodnight, Mommy.” Nina blew a kiss and hung up. The moment the call ended, the silence returned. But this time, it was tighter, heavier, and charged with something dangerous. Lauren was now practically draped over her brother, mumbling nonsense. Logan held her steady with one arm, but his gaze never left my face. “Sophia,” he said suddenly. It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. My heart leaped into my throat as I looked up to meet his eyes. “Do you need a ride home?” he asked. “No…” I gasped, desperate to escape. “I can manage. Thank you.”
Having Nina was a complete accident. Four years ago, I had just gone through a brutal breakup. I went to a bar to drown my sorrows and ran into a man who was the definition of brooding, dangerous, and insanely attractive. Every breath he took seemed to cater exactly to my specific type. Fueled by liquid courage, I took him home. To my surprise, we were perfectly, mind-blowingly compatible that night. To this day, I could still feel the phantom sensation of his large, calloused hands gripping my waist, sending shivers down my spine. At the time, I thought maybe, just maybe, this could turn into a real relationship. But the next morning, he woke up to a phone call that made his expression turn incredibly grave. “Understood. I’m on my way.” He got out of bed and dressed in a flash. Then, he scribbled a string of numbers on a piece of paper. “I have an emergency cross-border acquisition I have to handle immediately. You can reach me at this number.” I didn’t even know his name. I figured we’d get in touch later, but a month later, I stared at a positive pregnancy test. In sheer panic, I called the number. It rang and rang. Nobody ever picked up. I assumed I’d been ghosted. He probably wasn’t interested, made up a dramatic excuse to leave, and gave me a fake number to keep me from clinging to him. Due to some health complications, abortion wasn’t a safe option for me, so I chose to have the baby. And I never regretted it. Nina was the sweetest, smartest little girl, and these past years with her had been the best of my life. The next morning, Lauren called me, nursing a massive hangover. “My brother is such a brute! He practically threw me into the car and bruised my arm. I’m telling you, Sophia, men like him are dominant and have zero gentleness. Avoid them at all costs…” Before she could finish, Logan’s deep, emotionless voice drifted through the line. “It seems you’ve already forgotten the lesson from last night.” Lauren instantly shut up. But then, she seemed to remember something, and her tone turned shameless. “Hey, Logan, are you free this afternoon? Can you help my friend move?” “No.” “Perfect!” Lauren completely ignored him and spoke directly to me. “I found us some free labor. He’ll help us move this afternoon.” “No, really, Lauren, I can do it myself,” I pleaded. “Come on, we’re family! Plus, he’s just adjusting to the jet lag and has nothing better to do anyway.” I thought Lauren was joking. But that afternoon, she actually showed up at my place. And right behind her was a towering, breathtakingly handsome man.
I own a boutique coffee shop in the city center. I’ve been running it for years, and business is pretty good. I don’t have extra staff, so I handle everything myself. Sometimes, when it gets crazy, Lauren comes over to help out. Lately, business has been great, and I’d saved up enough to upgrade my living situation to a nicer apartment. That afternoon, I was in the middle of labeling moving boxes when I heard arguing outside my door. “You made me cancel a business dinner just to help her move? She didn’t even hire a moving company…” “What’s wrong with helping her move? Do you sleep on the streets, Logan? If you keep being a jerk, I’m telling Dad you’re a heartless monster!” “Fine. I’m keeping score,” Logan replied, his voice calm, though the threat was clear. “You better pray you don’t need a favor from me anytime soon.” Realizing they were about to start a full-blown sibling war, I quickly stepped out. “It’s fine, really! I don’t have that many boxes. I don’t need this much help.” I looked up, intending to apologize to Lauren’s brother. “I’m so sorry, Logan. Lauren didn’t explain things clearly, and she dragged you here. I—” The words died in my throat. He was wearing a dark brown overcoat today, looking even more striking in the daylight than he did under the streetlights last night. His features were sharp, his jawline perfectly chiseled, and his eyes—the exact same eyes that had haunted my dreams again last night—were locked onto me. My heart skipped a beat. Even though I’d realized the truth last night, seeing him this close in the broad daylight brought a wave of raw, overwhelming shock. I hadn’t even processed the fact that he was Lauren’s brother, let alone how to face him. I forced myself to look away, turning to Lauren. “…I can really do this myself.” “Fine! If you don’t want to help, just leave! Nobody’s begging you with that grumpy face of yours anyway,” Lauren rolled her eyes and linked her arm through mine. “Don’t apologize to him, Sophia. He’s been gone for years and has completely lost his manners.” “I never said I wouldn’t help,” Logan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Where are the boxes?” “Wait, what?” Lauren blinked. “The boxes. Where are they?” Logan took off his overcoat, revealing a perfectly tailored black button-down shirt that subtly showed off the hard lines of his chest and back. He draped his coat over a chair and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. The muscle definition in his forearms was insane—he clearly worked out religiously. My mind flashed back to the night of our one-night stand, remembering how those strong hands had gripped my waist… I violently shook my head to clear the thoughts. With Logan there, Lauren and I were instantly relegated to the sidelines. Lauren sat by the counter, sipping coffee and scrolling through Snapchat, happily bossing her brother around. I hid in the bedroom, pretending to be busy packing clothes. My mind was a complete mess. *Does he remember me? Probably not. It’s been so long…* As I was spiraling, a deep voice broke the silence. “I’ve moved everything from the living room.” “Oh! Thank you!” My bedroom wasn’t huge, and with his massive frame stepping inside, the space suddenly felt incredibly cramped. I instinctively took half a step back, accidentally knocking over a small storage organizer. Logan reacted instantly, bending down to catch it. The lid popped open, revealing a piece of neatly folded lace underwear. The delicate, soft fabric caught on his finger, creating a stark, wicked contrast against his black sleeve. I froze. I vividly remembered wearing something very similar that night… My face flushed a violent crimson. Logan stared at me, his eyes darkening. He leaned in, so close that I could count his eyelashes. His voice dropped to a low, dangerous murmur. “You seem terrified of me, Sophia. Why?” My breathing hitched, our gazes locking. Trapped and desperate, my brain completely short-circuited, and I blurted out the first thing that came to mind: “Lauren told me you hit women!” Without waiting for his reaction, I ducked under his arm and bolted out of the room. Outside, Lauren heard the commotion and walked over. “Hit women? Who the hell is hitting women?!” With Logan’s help, the move went incredibly fast. An ordeal that should have taken until 8 PM was completely wrapped up by four in the afternoon. Lauren didn’t want to overstay, so she grabbed Logan to leave. But the giant of a man stood firmly in my half-unpacked living room, looking like he had no intention of moving. “Is Sophia really so stingy that she won’t even buy us dinner?” he asked smoothly. My cheeks burned. “Of course I can. What do you guys want to eat?” Lauren’s eyes went wide. “Logan, how do you have the nerve? Asking my friend to buy you dinner? Are you serious?” Logan’s face remained impassive. “You guys pick the place. I’ll pay.” “Okay, now we’re talking!” Lauren grinned, linking her arm with mine and whispering, “My brother is loaded, Sophia. It’s rare for him to open his wallet. Don’t be polite—pick the most expensive place you can think of!” I don’t know if it was coincidence or fate. But the restaurant we ended up choosing was right next to the bar where Logan and I had met four years ago. Neither Logan nor I were big talkers. Thankfully, Lauren was a chatterbox, keeping the atmosphere from becoming painfully awkward. Still, I could feel Logan’s gaze lingering on me throughout the meal. It was intense, burning, and completely undisguised. Suddenly, my phone rang. Lauren immediately leaned over to sneak a peek at the screen. “Is that Nina? Oh my god, I miss her so much. Put her on FaceTime!” Across the table, Logan’s expression froze. As I stood up to take the call outside, I caught his deep, strained voice asking: “She’s… married?”
Logan’s question immediately set Lauren off. “What is that supposed to mean? You don’t need a husband to have a kid, Logan. Don’t be such an old-fashioned boomer!” “So she’s not married?” Logan instantly relaxed, leaning back in his chair and taking a sip of his drink. A tiny smirk played at the corner of his lips. “Good. What about the father? Have you met him? Who is he?” Lauren stared at him, her expression turning suspicious. “Logan, you’re looking a little too happy about this. You can’t start hating on other people’s happiness just because you’ve been single for a century.” Logan raised an eyebrow. Lauren leaned in. “Look, when Sophia gets back, don’t you dare bring up Nina’s dad. I’m pretty sure she hasn’t dated anyone else because she still can’t get over that deadbeat jerk.” Hearing this, Logan’s smirk vanished instantly. By the time I walked back to the table, they had finished their little hushed argument, and I sat back down. I’d never told Lauren the full story about Nina’s dad. For one, we only met after Nina was already born. Secondly, I figured I’d never see the guy again, so there was no point in digging up the past. I had only vaguely mentioned that the father was unreachable after I got pregnant. But Lauren had clearly filled in the blanks herself, assuming he was a classic pump-and-dump scumbag. To spare my feelings, she had never pressed for details. And now, things were incredibly awkward. Even though I felt guilty lying to Lauren, I didn’t dare drop the truth bomb about Nina’s parentage yet. I didn’t know Logan well enough. If things went south, it would ruin my friendship with Lauren. Later that evening, Lauren and I had a few drinks, so Logan naturally took the keys to drive us back. As the car headed north, Lauren pressed her face against the window. “Wait, you’re going the wrong way! Sophia’s place isn’t over here.” “I’m dropping you off first,” Logan said smoothly. “I have some errands to run later, so I’m not heading straight home.” Lauren pouted, grumbling, “If we knew you were busy, we wouldn’t have let you drive. Sophia and I could have gone to another bar for round two.” Logan glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “In your condition? I don’t think so.” The car pulled up to the Miller estate, and Lauren reluctantly got out. Feeling the suffocating tension of being alone with Logan, I quickly unbuckled my seatbelt. “Actually, my place is pretty close from here. I can just call an Uber. Since you have errands—” “It’s no trouble. It’s on my way.” Lauren nodded in agreement through the window. “Yeah, just let him drive you. He doesn’t have anything important to do anyway!” Pushing it any further would make me look guilty, so I had no choice but to accept. “Where to?” “Cherry Street Apartments, please.” He glanced at me through the rearview mirror, a knowing smile playing on his lips. “Didn’t you want a round two? I’m taking you there now.” “No, really, Lauren was just joking,” I said politely. “Thank you for today, Logan. Sorry for the trouble.” “Are we really going to pretend we’re strangers, Sophia?” I hadn’t expected him to be so direct. My breath hitched. Before I could answer, he spoke again, his voice filled with certainty. “You remember.” “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Liar,” he murmured. “Did Lauren never tell you what my background is? I’m trained to read micro-expressions and emotional shifts.” Panic surged, and I tried to force my face into a blank mask. Seeing this, Logan let out a soft, genuine laugh. “I was kidding about that part.” “Logan!” “There you are,” he said softly. “You’ve been so incredibly tense around me all day.” Terrified of giving away anything else, I shut my mouth and refused to say another word.
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