Chapter Four Logan
Chapter Four
Logan
I sit back down at the table, still feeling the heat of the moment with Grace lingering in my chest. I can’t quite shake the image of her—angry, flustered, and far more vulnerable than she’d probably care to admit. It was just supposed to be an act, a way to sell the engagement story, but that kiss felt… different. I’m not ready to unpack that, though, so I push it down, focusing on the conversation around me.
Joseph looks up from his coffee and glances around, then at me. “Where’s Grace? She was with you, right?”
I nod, trying to sound casual. “Yeah, she went back to her suite. Said she needed to rest for a bit.”
Joseph frowns slightly but then shrugs. “Fair enough. We’ve got that hike later, anyway. A good way to work off all this food.”
I nod, though I can’t help but feel a flicker of something—dread? Anticipation?—at the idea of being with Grace again, even in a group setting. I agree to the hike, knowing it’s better than sitting around overthinking everything.
“Listen,” Joseph says after a second, “there’s this weird rumor going around that you and Grace are engaged. What’s up with that?”
I swallow thickly. Well, I’d have to tell him eventually…
“We are,” I say, and try not to wince as the shock written across Joseph’s face. “I know it’s sudden, we decided to keep it under wraps until after the wedding, didn’t want to steal your spotlight. You know?”
He looks at me as if to say no, I don’t know.
“Please don’t give me that look. Seriously, Grace and I have something special.”
It sounds cringeworthy even to my own ears, but slowly he begins to relax. “Well, congrats. I always knew the two of you had something going on, I could just never place it. If you want to be with her, then by all means – but I would have appreciated a heads up, man. That’s my sister you’re engaged to.”
I manage an awkward smile, desperately hoping Joseph can’t see through it. He’s taking it remarkably well, though I have to admit half of that is probably because he’s distracted with his own wedding stuff.
Finally, with a grin, Joseph claps me on the shoulder. “Really, congrats; and good luck. I know Grace has been desperate for love since she was a little girl, so you’d better treat her right.”
My throat feels dry as I say, “I will.”
The conversation shifts to other things—wedding details, the weather, the usual stuff—but my mind keeps drifting back to Grace, to the way her lips felt against mine, to the way she looked at me like she wanted to figure me out but wasn’t sure she wanted the answers.
And to how I know Joseph will look at me when he finds out this is all a sham.
After a while, I get up to grab my gear for the hike. When I reach the reception, I’m surprised to find it nearly deserted. I check the time, thinking maybe I’m early, but I’m not. I scan the room, but the only familiar face I see is Grace’s, standing near the entrance with her backpack slung over one shoulder.
She catches my eye and walks over, a small, hesitant smile on her face. “Hey, where is everyone?”
I glance around again, then shrug. “Looks like they bailed. Figures. Joseph mentioned something about going to check out some local shops with Emily, and Jess probably got distracted by the spa.”
Grace sighs, clearly disappointed. “So, just us, then.”
“Yeah, just us.” I pause, considering my options. Part of me wants to suggest we forget the hike and do something else—anything else that doesn’t involve being alone with her again after what just happened. But another part of me, the part that still feels the electricity from that kiss, isn’t ready to walk away.
“I guess we could just call it off,” I say, the words hanging in the air as I test her reaction.
She surprises me. “No, let’s go. We should talk anyway, and this is a good chance to do it in private. Besides, it’ll be nice to get some fresh air.”
There’s something in her tone, a mix of determination and curiosity, that makes me nod in agreement. Maybe she’s right. We do need to talk, to figure out what the hell we’re doing and whether this fake engagement is something we can keep up without it spiraling even further out of control.
“Alright,” I say, adjusting the strap on my backpack. “Let’s go.”
***
We step onto the trail behind the resort, the path winding through a sprawling forest that seems to go on forever. The air is cool under the canopy of trees, the sunlight filtering through in dappled patches that dance along the ground. It’s beautiful and should be peaceful, but the tension between us crackles like static in the air.
We walk in silence at first, the only sounds the rustle of leaves underfoot and the distant chirping of birds. I can feel Grace beside me, her presence almost magnetic, pulling my thoughts away from the trail and back to the mess we’ve found ourselves in.
After a while, the silence becomes too heavy, too charged with everything we’re not saying. I can’t take it anymore, so I finally speak up.
“You know there are consequences for this stupid plan of yours,” I say, my tone sharper than I intended. “You dragged me into this, and now we’re in deep. What did you think was going to happen?”
Grace doesn’t miss a beat. She stops walking, turning to face me with fire in her eyes. “My stupid plan? You’re the one who blew it out of proportion! I suggested we keep things low-key, just enough to keep everyone off our backs. No, you had to go and make some grand announcement at brunch like it was real.”
I stop too, crossing my arms and meeting her glare with one of my own. “We were both drunk, Grace.”
“This whole thing shouldn’t have happened in the first place but you were the one who went through with it.” Her eyes flash with anger, and she steps closer, her voice rising. “You could have said no, Logan! You didn’t have to play along, didn’t have to kiss me this morning like—like it meant something!”
I feel my pulse quicken, her words igniting something deep inside me—anger, yes, but also a desire I’ve been trying to bury. “You think I’m the only one to blame here? You kissed me back, Grace. Let’s be honest, you wanted it.”
Her breath hitches, and I see the flicker of confusion, of desire, in her eyes. But she’s not backing down. “You don’t get to twist this around on me. I didn’t ask for this… for whatever the hell this is between us.”
I take a step closer, closing the distance between us until we’re almost touching, my voice dropping to a low, dangerous whisper. “You want it, don’t you? You’re just scared to admit it.”
Grace glares at me, her chest rising and falling quickly, and I can see the conflict in her eyes—anger, frustration, but also something else, something deeper. She opens her mouth to argue, but no words come out. Instead, she looks at me with a mix of fury and need, and before I can stop myself, I grab her by the waist and pull her to me.
Her gasp is the only sound before our lips crash together, and it’s not gentle this time. It’s rough, desperate, fueled by all the emotions we’ve been holding back. She kisses me back with equal intensity, her hands gripping the front of my shirt as if she can’t decide whether to push me away or pull me closer.
I can’t think, can’t breathe, all I can do is feel—feel the heat of her body pressed against mine, the taste of her lips, the way she melts into me even as she fights it. The forest around us disappears, the world narrowing down to just this moment, just us.
Then, just as suddenly as it started, she pulls back, her breathing ragged, her lips swollen from the kiss. She stares at me, her eyes wide and searching, as if trying to make sense of what just happened.
“Why do you keep doing that?” she whispers, her voice shaky, vulnerable.
I want to tell her the truth, to admit that this is more than just an act, more than just a game. I can’t. Not yet. So instead, I shrug, trying to play it off even though I know she won’t buy it.
“For the act,” I say, the words hollow even to my own ears.
Grace shakes her head, clearly unconvinced, but she doesn’t argue. Instead, she steps back, putting a few feet of space between us as if she needs to catch her breath, to think.
We stand there in the thick silence, both of us still catching our breath. I can see the doubt flickering in Grace’s eyes, the way she’s teetering on the edge of something she doesn’t want to admit. I know I should step back, give her space, but every part of me is drawn to her, like a magnet I can’t resist.
“It doesn’t have to be complicated, Grace,” I say, my voice rough, trying to convince her, trying to convince myself. “It can just be a bit of fun. No strings, no pressure. We’re both in this, whatever it is, and maybe… maybe we just need to see where it goes.”
She looks at me, her lips parted, her breath still coming in quick, shallow gasps. “Fun?” she echoes, her tone half disbelieving, half curious.
I nod, taking a step closer, closing that space between us again. “Yeah. I don’t know why, but I need you, Grace. I think… I think you need me too.”
She hesitates, her eyes searching mine for something—truth, maybe, or just reassurance that she’s not the only one feeling this pull. Then, slowly, she nods. “Okay,” she whispers, almost like she’s testing the word out. “Okay.”
That’s all I need to hear. I close the distance between us, my hands finding her hips as I pull her to me, kissing her hard, desperate to feel her again. Her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me down to her, and it’s like all the tension, all the confusion, melts away in the heat of our kiss.
We stumble backward, her back hitting a tree as I press her against it, my hands roaming over her body. She’s warm, soft, and everything about her feels like fire under my fingertips. I kiss her like I’m drowning, and she’s the only thing keeping me afloat, each touch making the need for her burn hotter and hotter.
Grace moans against my mouth, her fingers tangling in my hair as she pulls me closer, deeper into the kiss. It’s raw, primal, and I’m losing control, every rational thought slipping away as I focus only on the way she feels in my arms. The consequences, the complications—they all blur into the background, irrelevant compared to the way she’s responding to me.
I slide my hands up her sides, feeling the curve of her waist, the rise and fall of her chest as she gasps for breath between kisses. Her dress bunches up under my touch, and I can’t resist running my hands along her bare thighs, drawing another soft moan from her lips.
“Logan,” she breathes, her voice full of need, and it only drives me crazier.
I press my lips to her neck, tasting the salt on her skin as I kiss my way down, reveling in the way she arches against me, her body seeking mine. My hands find the hem of her dress, pushing it higher as I press my hips against hers, feeling the heat of her through the thin fabric.
She gasps, her nails digging into my shoulders as she pulls me closer, her legs wrapping around my waist. It’s electric, the way our bodies fit together, the way everything about this moment feels inevitable, like we’ve been leading up to it from the moment we met.
I push aside all thoughts of what comes next, of what this means. Right now, there’s only Grace—only the taste of her lips, the heat of her skin, and the way she’s melting into me.
“Grace,” I murmur against her ear, my voice rough, full of everything I’m feeling but can’t say. “I want you. Now .”
She answers by kissing me harder, her hips grinding against mine in a way that makes my head spin. It’s reckless, dangerous, but neither of us stops. We’re too far gone, too wrapped up in this need that’s been simmering between us for so long.
I feel her hands tug at my shirt, pulling it up and over my head, and then her hands are on my chest, tracing the lines of muscle as she explores every inch of me. I groan, feeling the heat of her touch, the way she’s looking at me like she’s seeing me for the first time.
There’s no going back now, no stopping what we’ve started. I lift her higher against the tree, my lips finding hers again as I let go of everything else. This is all that matters—this moment, this heat, this need that’s consuming us both.
I kiss Grace like she’s the only thing that matters, because right now, she is. The world around us fades away, leaving just the two of us in this wild, desperate tangle of desire. Her body is warm and responsive beneath my hands, and every sound she makes drives me further into a frenzy.
I slide my hands up her thighs, pushing her dress higher as I press her against the tree. The fabric bunches around her waist, leaving her legs bare against me. I can feel the heat radiating from her, and it’s enough to make me lose whatever shred of control I had left. My lips find her neck again, kissing and nibbling at the sensitive skin just below her ear, and she tilts her head back, giving me more access.
My cock is hard as I press against her. She’s hot, wet, and perfect.
She gasps, her breath hitching as I press my hips against hers, feeling the friction that sends sparks shooting through my veins. Her fingers dig into my shoulders, pulling me closer, her nails grazing my skin in a way that sends a shiver down my spine. I want more—need more—and it’s clear she feels the same. The way she moves against me, the way she clings to me like she can’t get close enough, it’s intoxicating.
I bring one hand up to cup her face, tilting her head so I can capture her lips again. The kiss is hungry, frantic, both of us lost in the heat of the moment. My other hand trails down her side, feeling the curve of her waist, the rise and fall of her chest, before slipping between her thighs.
She gasps into my mouth, her body arching against mine as I touch her, feeling the wetness that tells me just how much she wants this. I swallow her moan with another kiss, my fingers teasing her as I explore every inch of her, memorizing the way she feels, the way she responds to me.
“Logan,” she whispers, her voice shaky, full of need and something else—something that makes my heart pound even harder. I kiss her harder, deeper, desperate to feel more of her, to get lost in her completely.
I press against her, my body responding to every little sound she makes, every movement she makes against me. My breath comes in short, ragged gasps as I focus on her, on the way she’s trembling in my arms, the way she’s clutching at me like I’m the only thing keeping her grounded.
I can’t think, can’t focus on anything but the way she feels, the way her body fits perfectly against mine. Everything else fades away, leaving only the heat of her skin, the taste of her lips, the way she’s falling apart in my arms.
I pull back slightly, just enough to look at her, to see the way her eyes are dark with desire . She’s beautiful, so damn beautiful, and for a moment, I can’t believe this is really happening. The way she’s looking at me, like she wants this as much as I do, like she’s as lost in this as I am, it’s enough to drive me over the edge.
I lower her down onto the soft grass, the world spinning around us as I kiss her again, my hands roaming over her body, feeling every inch of her. She pulls me down with her, her legs wrapping around my waist as my fingers pump into her, lost in the heat of the moment. The world around us disappears, leaving just the two of us, tangled together in a desperate, needy embrace.
I lose track of time, lose track of everything but her—her touch, her taste, the way she’s trembling beneath me. I can feel her body responding to mine, the tension building between us until it’s almost too much to bear. Then, just when I think I can’t take it anymore, she pulls me closer, her breath hot against my ear as she whispers my name.
It’s enough to send me over the edge. My fingers are frantic, and she arches into my palm as an orgasm has her screaming my name.
When it’s over, we collapse together, our bodies tangled, our breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. The world slowly comes back into focus, the sounds of the forest filtering through the haze of our shared moment.
We sit there for a while, both of us catching our breath, neither of us saying a word. The reality of what just happened starts to sink in, and I feel a strange mix of satisfaction and dread. I don’t know what this means, don’t know what comes next, but I can’t bring myself to regret it. Not when it felt this right.
Grace is the first to break the silence. She pulls her dress back down over her legs, smoothing the fabric as she sits up , her eyes searching mine. “What now?” she asks, her voice soft, almost hesitant.
I wish I had an answer for her. I wish I knew what to say, how to explain what just happened, but the truth is, I don’t know. I don’t know why I need her so badly, why this feels like more than just a bit of fun. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.
“I don’t know,” I admit, my voice low, raw with the honesty of it.