All of Me: A Small Town Romance (The Bridesmaids Club Book 1)

Chapter 11

"You can't stay the night." Tess stared at the stubborn frown on Logan's face. He was paying more attention to his container of Chinese takeout than he was to her.

He sucked a noodle off his chopstick, then hunted for a pork ball in the Chow Mein.

"It's bad enough that you're here," she growled. "It's even worse that you got the China Inn to deliver takeout. To my home."

"You didn't offer to make me dinner. I was hungry."

Tess couldn't believe he was still sitting in her apartment. It was eight o'clock. She'd planned on having a long soak in a bubble bath. She would have washed her hair, painted her nails, then slept the night away.

"You can't barge in and stay the night. I've got things to do."

Logan took a sip of water. She refused to offer him anything else.

"I didn't barge in." He sounded as though he was having a rational conversation with someone who cared. Except she didn't feel rational and she didn't care. She wanted him gone before he poked and prodded into more of her life.

"You told me I could stay in your spare bedroom," he continued in the same modulated tone.

It was beginning to grate on her nerves.

"I'll leave as soon as you tell me why you're working all hours of the day and night to help total strangers."

Tess glared at him. "Have you ever heard of squatting? It's when you stay somewhere you're not welcome." Max, Sally's dog from the shelter, had more manners than the man sitting at her kitchen counter.

"You're being overly dramatic," he insisted.

Tess crossed her arms. "If you don't leave my apartment, I'll tell your mom you overstayed your welcome."

"You fight dirty." The smile on Logan's face told Tess he didn't care if his mom knew about his bad manners.

"You're impossible." She glanced at the other container of takeout sitting on the counter. Logan had ordered an extra Chicken Chow Mein. It was one of her favorite Chinese meals and the only thing she'd been able to smell for the last fifteen minutes. Her tummy rumbled.

Logan smiled. Using the end of his chopstick, he pushed the container toward her.

She grabbed the box and opened the lid. "I'm only eating because it's rude to waste good food."

"Of course, it is." He was having trouble holding back the laughter in his voice.

Tess decided to ignore him while she ate her dinner. He was bad for her digestion and she wanted to enjoy every tasty mouthful.

She sat on the kitchen stool as Logan pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He touched a few buttons and a Michael Bublé song filled the apartment. All they needed was candlelight and a bottle of wine and they could have called their meal a date. Except this wasn't a date. It was a takeout takeover.

They ate in silence. Michael Bublé continued to croon and Tess continued to simmer. By the end of her meal, she was feeling slightly happier about Logan being in her apartment. But that was only because he had good taste in takeout and she didn't need to do the dishes.

When Logan opened the bag he'd left in the fridge, she almost forgave him his inadequacies. He'd ordered chocolate mousse for dessert. While he took two bowls out of the pantry, she found a tub of vanilla ice cream in her freezer.

He raised his eyebrows when she added a generous scoop to each bowl.

Tess sent him a dazzling smile. "Ice cream is full of calcium. You're getting old and need all the help you can get."