The Real Thing by Paige Tyler

you mean, no?”
    “I mean I won’t be your boy toy.”
    “That’s not what I’m asking you to be.”
    “I won’t be your fuck buddy, either.”
    Her face turned red . “You’re more than that, and you know it.”
    His jaw flexed. “I don’t know anything anymore.”
    She dropped her hand. “I know you’re hurt—
    “I’m not hurt. I’m pissed as hell.”
    He threw back the blanket and go t out of bed. Tears stung her eyes she watched him pull on his jeans.
    “I can’t believe you’re going to throw aw ay what we could have over something as stupid as this, ” she said.
    He slanted her a hard look. “I could say the same thing about you.”
    A tear trickled down her cheek and she wiped it away with the heel of her hand. Logan’s expression softened and she thought he’d come over and take her in his arms, but instead he grabbed a T-shirt from a drawer and put it on.
    “You should get ready,” he said quietly. “You don’t want to miss the ferry . ”
    Raine stared at his retreating back as he walked out of the bedroom. So that was it? Logan wasn’t even going to consider seeing her simply because some stupid piece of paper sai d she was married? She could understand if the marriage was real, but it wasn’t. She was just going to be playing the part of Cameron Kincade’s wife for a little while. There had to be some way to make Logan see that. What difference did it make if the whole world thought she was madly in love with Cameron Kincade? She and Logan would know the truth, and that should be all that mattered.
    Blinking back tears, she got out of bed and padded across the carpeted floor to the bathroom. She didn’t think she’d ever gotten ready so fast before, but she showered, dressed and put on her make-up in record time. Taking a deep breath, she picked up her bag and walked out of the bedroom.
    Logan was in the kitchen staring out the window exactly like he’d done in the cabin that morning she’d left. Only this time, she wasn’t going without a fight.
    He turned at the sound of her footsteps on the hardwood floor. He didn’ t look angry anymore, at least.
    “I guess this is goodbye,” he said.
    She set down her bag and closed the distance between them. “It doesn’t have to be. ”
    H e shook his head. “I can’t, Raine . I can’t sne ak around with a married woman. E ven if your marriage is a lie.”
    Her heart squeeze d in her chest. “But why not?”
    He cup ped her cheek, the tender gesture making what he was telling her even that much more painful. “I can’t be the other guy, Raine, no matter how much I care for you. Because while a marriage may not mean anything to you, it means an awful lot to me. ”
    Tears started in her eyes. If she told him she loved him, would it make a difference? Something told her it wouldn’t. Logan didn’t live in her make-believe world where people got married because it was a good career move. He lived in a world where people got married for love. She desperately wished she could live there, too .
    A lone tear trickled down her cheek and Logan lifted his hand to gently wipe it away. “The ferry leaves soon . If you miss it, you’ll be late getting back to Vancouver. Come on. I’ll walk you out. ”
    Raine sniffed. She didn’t want to go, not until she’d changed his mind. Or at least got his promise that he’d think about it. But he was right . She had to be in Vancouver that afternoon. Wiping her nose with the back of her hand, she picked up her purse. She would have grabbed her weekender bag, too, but he picked it up before she could.
    When they got to her car, she turned back to him . “I wish things cou ld be different.”
    He gave her a small smile. “I do, too.”
    They stood for a moment gazing at each other before Logan bent his head to kiss her. Raine clung to him, her kiss trying to tell him everything sh e hadn’t been able to say with words .
    Logan pulled away first, his dark eyes sad. “Goodbye,