<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Logan didn’t say anything. He just kept pressing on my neck with those skilled hands. I had to admit that his massage was working. The tension in my neck began to ease with every careful press.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Um… you don’t need to keep going. It’s fine now,” I whispered, barely audible.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">However, he didn’t hear me. Focused and determined, Logan continued his slow, deliberate motions. I found myself ncing at the shadows cast on the wall.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">His profile was strikingly handsome. The sunlight fell on his face, casting a soft silhouette on the wall, sharp and clean, like a work of art. Even the stray strands of his hair fell in perfect arcs.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I lifted my head slightly, watching as the shadow of my own face nestled under his chin. The image before me felt peaceful, almost too perfect.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">My heart warmed, a sweetness spreading inside me, as if I had gone back to being 18 again, carefree full of hope.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">For a brief moment, I let myself imagine. What if the first man I’d been drawn to was Logan? A soft, kind man like him could never hurt me. I could love him without regret, without fear.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">If he had been the one… maybe I wouldn’t have suffered so much in love. Maybe I wouldn’t have lost so many battles.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I was so lost in thought, watching our shadows, that I didn’t realize his hand had stilled on my neck. Then, suddenly, his face was right in front of mine.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Uh…” I stammered.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Logan’s hand steadied me, his sses reflecting the soft light as he gazed at me in silence. He held my breath, unable to tear my eyes away from his.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Dust motes swirled in the beams of light filtering through the window, driftingzily around him. The sunlight illuminated his well–defined features, lingering on his lips that always seemed to carry a gentle smile, unlike Elijah’s cold, tight–lipped expression.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Logan’s lips looked warm, like they heldughter just waiting to be shared. He stared at me for what felt like forever, then a slow smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Wh- why are you smiling?” I asked, my eyes darting away nervously.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Logan brushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear, his voice soft as he said, “I’m notughing at you. I just think you’re adorable, Ari.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I blinked in disbelief. “Adorable? Me?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">He nodded. “Yes. You’re very adorable.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">always get into trou</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">1 ducked my head, embarrassed. “I’m not adorable. I’m stubborn. I always get into trouble.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“And you blush very easily,” Logan teased, tilting my chin up to meet his gaze, his eyes glinting with</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">amusement</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“I–I do not…” I mumbled, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. But before I could say more, his lips were on</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">mine.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">My mind went nk, a soft buzzing in my ears as my heart raced in my chest. Time seemed to stretch, and I was only aware of his warmth and presence. It wasn’t until he slowly pulled away that I realized I’d been holding my breath.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Wait, no, th–that wasn’t supposed to happen…” I stuttered, tripping over my words,</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Logan’s eyes danced with silentughter, watching me flustered and confused. I shot to my feet, nearly knocking over my chair in my rush to leave.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Lum, I need to go back to my room,” I blurted out, backing away.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">But before I could make it very far, Logan grabbed my wrist and gently pulled me back into his arms. I froze, my mind going nk again as I found myself pressed against his chest, his strong arms wrapped around me.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">He leaned down, his breath warm against my skin. His eyes locked onto mine, the closeness making my pulse race.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Why are you running away?” he whispered.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I didn’t have an answer. All I could focus on was how close we were, how overwhelming it all felt. My heart pounded in my chest, and a strange, unfamiliar feeling flooded through me–something like the flutter of a first love, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Without thinking, I buried my face in his chest, hiding from the intensity of his gaze. I heard him chuckle softly, the sound vibrating through his chest.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">We stood there in silence for a while, holding each other, until I finally stepped back, breaking the embrace.</font></font>Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Logan studied my face, flushed and red from the overwhelming emotions of the moment. His voice was gentle when he spoke.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Don’t worry. I won’t touch you until you’ve figured things out for yourself.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I mumbled something under my breath, but the words were so quiet that Logan couldn’t hear them.</font></font>