A man who experienced love.

     Then the moment was gone.

     He rose from the table and motioned her over. “I fold.” A combined groan echoed from the group. Jim called him a wimp. Logan chuckled. “You’re mad cause you want more of my money. This is a ruthless crowd. Sure you guys don’t want to come work for me?”

     “Nah, you don’t pay enough,” Jim grumbled. Everyone cackled with laughter.

     “Minimum wage, Jim. Just give me the word.”

     “I make more with Social Security.”

     Logan winked at her. “Actually, I’m excusing myself because this lovely lady will break my concentration. Chandler Santell, let me introduce you to the poker club.”

     He rattled off the list of names and she was greeted with a warm enthusiasm, except for Jim. He looked as if he was sizing her up to see if she was worth Logan’s company. The realization that the elderly man was protective of the city’s most ruthless businessman caused a spark of tenderness.

     Logan called over one of the nurses. “Lucy, take my place, and don’t let them intimidate you.”

     Jim snorted. “Yeah, and why don’t you change the music while you’re at it. Sinatra’s old news. Put on the new Kid Rock CD.”

     Logan shook his head and guided her out of the room. They didn’t speak as he led her toward a lounge marked PRIVATE QUARTERS. She watched while he stopped before the window and stared out at the lake. Old faded Levis clung to his thighs and muscled calves. He wore a navy short sleeve Ralph Lauren polo shirt which showed off corded arms sprinkled with dark hair. A gold Rolex shimmered around his wrist. He stood with legs slightly apart, hands on hips, his powerful shoulders thrown back with an unconscious male arrogance. She shivered as she recognized her body’s instant reaction. The man was a pure sex symbol, but she refused to let her mind be weak any longer. Because he was also a liar.

     And dangerous.

     “How did you find me?”

     His tone was mellow. His deep voice stroked her like a velvet glove. Chandler cleared her throat. “I called Laura. Told her it was an emergency.”

     He nodded. Then turned. She was struck full force by his presence, and the raw masculinity that filled the room. “Is it an emergency?”

     Her eyes narrowed with bitterness. “Probably not for you. But when someone lies to me, I like to know the reason why.”

     One brow lifted. “Sounds serious.”

     She waited for more but he stood there, staring at her. The anger came back, hot and demanding. “Serious for people who believe in the truth. Not so serious for people who don’t care who they hurt to get what they want.”

     “Do you regret last night?”

     Color flooded her cheeks. She shifted her feet for better position. “Last night never should have happened. It won’t again.”

     “Won’t it?” he murmured.

     Temper exploded within her. She reminded herself to breathe calmly. “No, it won’t. I don’t sleep with men who treat me like a plaything.”

     “I thought I treated you like the passionate woman you are.”

     “Why did you order a dossier on me?”

     He stepped back as if struck. Surprise glimmered in his eyes, then quickly turned to regret. He cursed under his breath. “How do you know?”

     She clenched her fists. “That’s the question? No denial? No explanation? Oh, but of course, that’s a businessman answer, isn’t it? Fine, this is my answer—it doesn’t matter. You admitted the truth. Consider our contract null and void.”

     She turned to walk out the door. In seconds, his hand shot out and clasped her upper arm.

     “Don’t be stupid, Chandler. Don’t throw your entire school away because of your temper. Think for a minute.”

     She did. Her words had been impulsive, but pride kept her silent. He turned her gently around and tipped her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. “I did order the dossier. And you’re right, it doesn’t matter how you found out. I’m asking for one thing.”

     “You have no right to ask for anything.” She practically spit out the words.

     “I know. I’m asking anyway. Hear me out. If you want to leave after I’m done, I won’t stop you.”

     She told herself to walk out the door without a glance back. Her mind directed her to act. Her heart told her to stay. For a little while longer.

     “Fine. You’ve got five minutes.”

     He nodded and settled down in one of the chairs. “It’s been a long time since I’ve wanted to trust somebody. I told you before, I won’t make any excuses to how I’ve lived in the past. I did what I had to do. But when you walked into my life, I wanted something else. For the first time, I wanted to know what it would be like to trust a woman. Have a relationship.”

     He let out a humorless laugh. “But I’m still a businessman. Your father called my office to set up a meeting. A meeting to discuss a huge merger. I’ve been trying to get him for years, and he never made a move. You walk into my life, and suddenly I get this phone call. Something didn’t add up, so I hired a PI to check your background.”

     Dizziness swept over her, so she grabbed the chair opposite Logan. He spoke in a factual manner. “When the dossier got delivered to my office, I started to read it. Dry details about your childhood. How your mom died. Then I stopped.”

     “Why?”

     “It wasn’t enough.” He laid his palms flat out on the table and leaned over. “I wanted to learn about you, but not through a statistic report. I want you to tell me what happened with your father, and who hurt you in the past, and what made you the woman you are. I knew if I read it, you’d never forgive me. I knew we wouldn’t have a chance.”

     His jaw clenched with resolve. “So, I threw it away. I went with my gut and decided to take a shot. I’m going to trust you. I’m going to trust you’re not in league with your father, and you don’t know what’s going on either.”

     The fight went out of her. Alexander Santell was trying to control her life again. She had to make a decision. She could trust Logan to stand up to her father and make his own choices. Or she could flee like she did before.

     “You lied to me,” she whispered.

     He shook his head. “No, Chandler. I’d never lie to you. Ask me a direct question and I’ll give you the answer. Telling you I ordered a dossier and threw it out didn’t seem to be something you needed to know. I never lied about my feelings for you.”

     “What about Richard?”

     “What about him?”

     “Did you threaten him?” she asked.

     His face tightened. “I warned him. Told him I knew he was playing games and to stay away from you.”

     “Did you threaten his job?”

     “No. That would be stupid. He’s an excellent worker. But something is going on, and I haven’t been able to figure it out. I don’t want you involved with his power plays.”

     She made herself ask the next question. “Do you think he’s involved with my father?”

     “I don’t know. I’ll find out, but in the meantime he needs to keep his distance.”

     “You had no right to get involved in my relationship with Richard.”

     A smile touched his lips. “I had every right. You let me show you things no man has before. You gave me part of yourself, and I’m not about to stand back and let another man try to hurt you.”

     She closed her eyes and searched for the answer. She had to choose which man to believe. Either way, she wasn’t ready to admit the whole truth about her father to anyone. Her past pained her, and she needed to explore her emotions before she made another leap of faith. This time she needed to be sure of who to trust.

     “I don’t know you.” She opened her eyes, and knew he could see the raw fear reflected there. “I’m not sure how much I can trust you.”

     He nodded. “I know. I won’t ask about your past. You can tell me when the time is right.”

     “What do you want?”

     “An honest chance. Stop fighting me and yourself. And I’ll try to give you what you need.” He shook his head in mock humor. “Not that I know how good I am with this. I’m more the Type-A personality. Not your normal sensitive millennium man.”

     She laughed. “It’s okay. I realized that immediately.”

     “Do you believe me about the dossier?”

     She looked him in the eye. Chandler was amazed at the simple answer she uttered automatically. “Yes.” Her gut said he gave her the truth. All he asked for was time. She’d never experienced such complicated emotions with a man before, and if she walked away she’d always regret. She’d learned long ago not to live life with regrets. “Yes, I believe you,” she repeated.

     A gentle smile curved his lips, the one she’d seen when he spoke with the elderly residents. “Good. Now we can get down to business.”

     “What business?”

     “Getting to know me.” He settled back in the chair. “Ask your questions.”

     She bit her lip to stop from laughing at his efficient demeanor. “Hmmm, somehow I didn’t think getting to know each other would be like a business meeting.”

     “Best way to learn about a person. Direct questions and answers. What do you want to know?”

      She smothered a giggle. The opportunity to ask anything was too tempting to ignore so she tried to pick a good one. “Are you into sports?”

     He snorted as if disgusted with such an easy question. “Racquetball and skiing. Hate football. And I’m not afraid to admit I’m a Mets fan. Gotta love the underdogs, even if they haven’t won a World Series since 1986. Next.”

     She wrinkled her nose and thought hard. “First girlfriend. Tell me about her.”

     “Sally Demarco. Went to the junior prom together. Dumped me for a football player.”

     “Is that why you hate football?”

     “Very cute. Next question.”

     “Favorite color?”

     “Blue. Not too loud and not too fashionable.”

     “Interesting. Favorite meal?”

     “Anything I don’t have to cook. Come on, ask me a real question.”

     “Why do you come here every Sunday?”

     That threw him for a moment. Then he grinned like he was proud of her. “Good one. I like to visit with older people. It’s amazing how much you learn by their stories.”

     She waited for more but he seemed to be finished. Slowly, she reached out and took his hand. Startled, he watched her interlace all five fingers with his. She smiled. The warmth of her flesh against his made a shudder wrack his body. “Now tell me the truth,” she said softly.

     Chandler watched the demons dance within the depths of his eyes, fighting to get out. “When my mother got sick, I didn’t have enough money to take care of her. We had no insurance. Private care centers were too expensive, and I couldn’t spend all day with her. She had nowhere to go except for the state nursing home.”

     She winced when she imagined the horrors of a little boy trying to make the right decisions for his mother. “You had no other family to help?”

     “Nope. Mom was an only child. My father had taken off years ago and wouldn’t have helped anyway.”

     “What happened?”

     “She died there. I was at school. I went to visit her in the afternoon and her bed was already occupied. They never even called the school, just let me find out when I got there. Told me it was some kind of mix up and they were truly sorry.” He shook his head as if to clear the memory. “Anyway, the place was a horror. I decided I’d make a safe home for people with no money to go. Like a private institution, but with no pressure of funding.”

     She blinked. “Logan, did you build this?”

     “Yes. This is what I couldn’t do for my mother when she was around. But every time I see a person here smile, or thank me, or meet one of their families, it’s all worth it.”

     Sudden tears burned behind her eyelids. “You didn’t name it after yourself?”

     He shrugged. “I hate that stuff. I don’t want to be a picture on the wall as founder, and my mother wouldn’t want that either. I want to be involved with every person here.” He looked disgusted with himself. “Oh, hell, now I sound like a wimp. Just like Jim said.”

     She laughed and lowered her forehead to their clasped hands. One tear ran down her cheek and splashed against his wrist. His fingers tightened around hers. “You make me crazy, Logan Grant,” she muttered. “Before you know it, we’re going to discover behind that Type A personality lies a true millennium man. Sensitivity and all.”