His Nanny Mate (Moana and Edrick Morgan)

Chapter 361 Dress To Impress

Ella

As I stood in front of my bed, my eyes darted from one outfit to another where they laid sprawled out on top of the comforter.

I knew that this shouldn’t have been a difficult decision. But for some reason, it was. For reasons that I never wanted to admit, I found myself actually caring about how I looked in front of Logan, and I felt like an absolute moron. But I couldn’t deny it; I wanted to look nice.

As I pondered my choices, my wolf piped up in my mind, a sly undercurrent of mischief lacing her tone.

“Why don’t you wear the red dress? You know how good you look in it. Especially if you’re trying to catch someone’s eye.”

I grimaced. “I’m not trying to catch anyone’s eye, especially not Logan’s.”

She chuckled. “Sure. Let’s just pretend for a moment that you haven’t thought about how he’d react if you got all dressed up tonight.”

“Stop it. I don’t think of him in that way,” I shot back, feigning a coolness in my voice that I didn’t really feel.

“Oh? And what about the kiss at the luncheon? And that near hook-up in his old playroom?

That felt pretty real to me,” my wolf retorted, a note of triumph in her voice.

My breath hitched, my mind racing back to that electrifying moment when our lips had met, a moment of unrestrained emotion that had almost spiraled into something more. The feeling made me go soft, but I couldn’t afford to surrender to the emotion.

“That was the alcohol. It was nothing more than an accident,” I argued, even though I knew that I was grasping at straws.

“Sure. An accident. And falling asleep on his shoulder on the airplane? An accident too, I presume? How about the adrenaline rush at the car race? All accidental fun?”

I hesitated, truly lost for words. My wolf had a point, one I wasn’t willing to fully admit even to myself. I never wanted to catch feelings for Logan, and yet here I was, struggling to decide what to wear just to grab something for dinner. It had already been almost ten minutes since I closed my door in his face, and I still hadn’t picked something.

But as much as I hesitated to admit it, my wolf was right. I couldn’t completely deny the feelings that had grown between us, even though it pissed me off beyond all belief.

“I… don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mumbled out loud, but the blush warming my cheeks gave away my true feelings. I caught sight of myself in the mirror, and the flush was impossible to ignore.

With a resigned sigh, I selected a casual yet elegant outfit-a tailored pair of jeans that hugged my curves, and a flattering blouse with delicate lace trim.

Modest but beautiful, it was the kind of outfit that would impress without seeming like I was trying too hard. I added minimal makeup, just enough to brighten my eyes and give my lips a little color, and grabbed my cropped leather jacket in case of a cold breeze.

When I was finally ready, I opened the door to find Logan leaning casually against the wall outside my room.

His eyes met mine for a moment before making a leisurely journey down the length of my body and back up again. He was checking me out, as unapologetically as ever, and despite the assertiveness of the action, it didn’t feel invasive.

Instead, it sent a jolt of electricity through me, igniting that all too familiar blaze my wolf was so keenly aware of.

“Ready?” His voice broke the spell, grounding me back to reality.

“Yes,” I answered, not trusting myself to say more.

“Good, because I’m starving. Feels like I’ve been waiting for forever.” He grinned, the playful tone back in his voice.

I met his gaze, my wolf howling her approval within the depths of my soul. “Sorry,” I said. “But at least the place I’m taking you to is within walking distance.”

“Lead the way, then,” Logan replied, his eyes never leaving mine.

As we made our way down the hall toward the elevator, I felt his eyes on me again. Their scrutiny was almost palpable, and I caught myself glancing at him occasionally, trying to ignore the intensity of his gaze.

“So… You look nice,” Logan finally said, his voice carefully neutral, betraying nothing of the earlier heat between us.

“Nice?” I arched an eyebrow, pressing the button for the elevator. “And what would make you think I dressed up to impress you?”

He chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that resonated in the small space between us. “I never implied that you dressed up to impress me.”

I felt my face turn a deep shade of red, leaving me at a loss for words. But before I could say anything, Logan just laughed again. “Either way, you look great. That outfit suits you, though you look pretty no matter what you wear. Even if it’s an oversized hoodie and leggings.”

My face flamed at his words. He was recalling my airport outfit- one of the less glamorous ensembles I had ever dared to wear in public. “I can be a slob sometimes,” I mumbled, looking away.

His smile was warm, disarming. “Well, it doesn’t appear that way. Even when you dress down, you look like you put effort in.”

I blinked, a bit taken aback by the genuine compliment. “Um… Thanks,” I said softly.

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open to reveal an older couple inside. One quick glance revealed that they were clearly struggling with their bags. Without a second thought, Logan darted in to help, lifting the heavy suitcases as if they weighed nothing.

“My, what a gentleman,” the old lady cooed, looking gratefully at Logan before turning her eyes on me. “And what a good-looking couple you two make.”

I opened my mouth to correct her, but Logan beat me to it. He slid an arm around my shoulders and drew me in close before I had a chance to say anything.

“I appreciate the compliment,” he said, his voice full of mischief. “Though it’s my fiancee here who’s really doing all the heavy lifting in the looks department. I’m just here to help folks carry their bags.”

The couple chuckled appreciatively, leaving the elevator with a parting wave, their eyes twinkling with what I imagined was nostalgia for their younger selves.

As soon as they were out of earshot, I shrugged off Logan’s touch, my cheeks burning. “You shouldn’t tell strangers we’re a couple when we’re not.”

He smirked, that infuriatingly endearing expression that made it hard for me to stay mad at him. “They’re strangers, so who cares? Besides, you’re well-known in this city, and I wouldn’t want any gossip to get out about everything, you know?”

I sighed. He had a point, but the brazen way he had claimed me as his own unsettled me more than I wanted to admit. “You might be right, but still… you shouldn’t be so brazen about it.”

Logan smirked. “Noted. My apologies, Miss Morgan,”

As we stepped onto the elevator, however, Logan’s words echoed in the back of my mind. To think of us as a real couple….

There was something tempting about it, as much as I didn’t want to admit it.