Enamoured

"Heads up!" Logan exclaimed at me before I noticed a piece of cake charging at me. Even though it only took two seconds, it felt like it took a minute as if it was happening in slow motion, but my reflex wasn't working as I stood frozen on the ground with my eyes widened. SPLASH! The creamy substance landed on my forehead before slid down my face and onto the floor. Logan's loud laughter filled the entire kitchen, and I closed my eyes, gritting my teeth in rage.

I wiped the frost from my eyes and looked at Watson, who was hunched over and laughing his head off. I took advantage of the situation by taking an egg from the carton and walking two steps up to him before cracking it into his hair. The tables have now been turned. While Logan was glaring at me, I was laughing at him as the slimy egg fell from his head down onto the side of his face. However, I noticed his surprised expression changing into a well-known mischievous one. When I noticed him looking at the bowl of flour on the counter, my eyes widened.

"No, no," I said as I took a step back. "You threw a cake at me, and I was only making it even by cracking the egg on your hair, which is actually good for hair, you know for smoothness and everything," I said quickly, trying to shake him out of his reverie. Logan chuckled sarcastically.

"Is that so? "I've also heard that flour is good for your hair," he joked. For God's sake, that's all-purpose flour!

"It's only gram flour-" I screamed as he grabbed the bowl and ran after me. I quickly rounded to the other side of the counter, so that we were facing each other with the kitchen counter between us.

Logan's eyes twinkled with delight as I gave him a deathly stare. "You know I'll get to you," he smirks. Bastard, he's a self-assured jerk!

"I'm not going to talk to you if you do this, like EVER," I threatened, but it was in vain because his smirk only grew wider.

"I know how to get you to talk," he says confidently, and I grit my teeth in irritation.

"Then I won't let you kiss me," I threaten once more. Logan raised his brows as he moved side to side with me.

"I don't require your permissions right now. "Remember, I'm your boyfriend," he stated flatly.

"That is considered ungentlemanly," I said, and he shrugged his broad shoulder.

"I don't care," he said, then dashed towards my side before my brain could process it. I screamed again and attempted to flee, but his one arm wrapped around my stomach and drew me into his chest. He poured all the dry flour onto my hair while holding me in his strong grip, ignoring my pleadings and screaming.

I thrashed like a child in his arms, trying to get away from this caveman, but all my efforts were futile until I heard Logan groan, followed by him loosening his grip on me. I guess I gave him a hard headbutt on the chin. I used that as an opportunity to break free from his grip and run a few feet away before turning to check him. When I noticed how tightly he was rubbing his chin with his scrunched face, I frowned. His displeasure was visible on his face.

"Are you okay?" I inquired timidly, but all I received was his groan. I took small steps towards him, unsure of his reaction. I mean, he's a fighter, so he could have taken much more damaging blows or endured much more agonizing pain than this simple accident.

"It hurts." Logan sighed and clutched his head in his hands. "Oh my God, I'm dizzy."

With an erratic heartbeat, I dashed to his side and cupped his cheeks in my hands, attempting to examine his chin. "Log, are you okay?"

Logan's arm wrapped around my body and pulled me into his chest in an instant. I shrieked as I realized he had tricked me. I should've followed my instincts and fled, damn it!

"Log, let go" I tried to push him away, but he drew me in closer than necessary, ignorant of the fact that we were both drenched in raw food.

"Apologies," he says, his eyes mischievously glinting. I snorted.

"Apologize for what exactly?" As I look up at him, I raise my brows. Logan's hot breath hit my forehead, and I know he can feel my chest pressed against his. There isn't even a single space for me to place my hands on his chest and push him. That's how tightly he's gripping me right now. It's against the law to be this strong.

"For hitting me and causing this complete mess," he said, and I narrowed my eyes at him. What a jerk!

"You started this whole thing, asshole," I grumbled. Logan's eyes darkened at the nickname, but he didn't question it because he knows I won't stop calling him that no matter how hard he tries. Because he has tried his luck numerous times.

Logan reasoned, "You were a tease, so I had to stop it," and I rolled my eyes. We were both attempting to make chocolate croissants, but Logan was distracted by something else, as his hands kept touching my body and pressing up against me whenever he had the opportunity.

"Apologies," Logan says again, and I imitate his expression to annoy him. Logan growled loudly before taking a step forward with me in his arms, primarily to press me against the counter or refrigerator. But he slipped on the slick floor and stumbled in his steps. When he lost his balance, I yelped and we both fell to the floor. I was sprawled all over him as Logan turned me around at the last second, allowing him to take the brunt of the blow. Logan groaned beneath me before opening his eyes to stare at me. Our gazes locked for a few seconds before we burst out laughing.

We were laughing so hard that when we stopped, we couldn't breathe normally. When Logan gently caressed my cheek, my entire attention was drawn to him. Our gazes locked, and I saw pure love and adoration in them.

"What exactly is going on here?" In the midst of our laughter, we heard Grecia's voice from the kitchen door's threshold. We must have both forgotten that there was a third person in this house. From the floor, we both looked at her, surprised. Grecia, despite her best efforts to appear angry, had a sly grin on her face.

I pushed myself away from Logan and stood up, then tried to shake the flour out of my hair. Logan, too, rose to his feet quickly.

"Stop it, you look funny," Logan said from beside me, his voice tight as if he was holding back his laughter. I came to a halt in my frantic movements and laughed nervously.

"He started it," I said childishly, blaming Logan for everything. From my vantage point, I noticed him staring at me. Grecia cocked her brow at us.

"What exactly are you, five-year-olds?" As I look down at the floor in embarrassment, she asks. Imagine a food fight between a 23-year-old and a 19-year-old. Yes, we are worse than children!

"Both of you clean the kitchen right away and go take a shower," she says, and I nod while Logan groaned loudly.

"Mom! That's a lot of work," he grumbles, and Grecia crosses her arms.

"You should have thought about it before starting it." that made Logan shut up and sulk. I glared at him. We're in this mess because of him.

"And then, once everything is finished, both of you meet me in the hall. We need to talk," she stated firmly before leaving us in the kitchen. I gulped silently, wondering what she wanted to talk about with us. It doesn't sound good from the tone she used.

We were sitting in the living room an hour later. Logan and I sat on the L-shaped white sofa, while Grecia sat on a wing chair in front of us, arms crossed.

"What was that back there?" she asked, straight to the point. My nerves were all bundled up, so I pressed my lips tightly.

"We're sorry for destroying your kitchen," I say timidly. Logan appeared to be at ease, with one arm resting on the top of the sofa's back pillows and his legs spread wide.

"I'm not talking about that," Grecia stated and I grimaced slightly. "I've already warned you both. If you're just messing around with each other, you should stop because it could have a negative impact on both of you."

Logan sighed, "Mom." "We're not going to mess with each other. She's my girlfriend." Logan blurted.

Grecia is clearly taken aback. I bit the inside of my cheeks in nervousness as she remained silent for a few moments. "Oh," she exclaimed, still stunned.

"We were going to tell you, honestly," I say quickly, not wanting to appear as if we were trying to keep this from her. "We confessed to each other only three days ago," I say once more. Even though I was curious about her reaction, I was also irritated with Logan. How can he look so at ease when I'm sweating profusely here?

Grecia began to laugh and shook her head at us. I look at her, perplexed. "Finally, my son came to his senses." Logan rolled his eyes at his mother's statement.

"Everyone except you two could see how much you two were in love. Thank lord, it was about time"

We both looked at Grecia strangely as she gushed about how happy she was with our decision, and to my horror, she even began to discuss future plans. You know the plans that every parent wishes to see before they depart from this world. Logan appears amused, and he continued to give teasing glances while wiggling his brows.

Great, now he has another reason to tease me indefinitely! Thank you, Grecia.

******

"Log, if the VAT invoice is issued within 14 days and payment is not received before the basic tax point, what happens to the invoice data?" I asked Logan who was sulking beside me.

"It turns into a tax point. It establishes the VAT period during which output tax must be accounted for," he says right away. I jot down the response he gave before stroking his hair.

"You're doing a good job for a man who didn't go to university," I say, and he just huffs.

"Running a company helps," he replied before returning to his brooding self, a scowl set on his lips. I chuckled at his endearing expression and ruffled his hair again, which accentuated his scowl. He pushes my hand away before readjusting his unkempt hair and thudding onto the bed with a loud thud. He appeared tired and a little off today.

"I swear, this is the last page," I tell him, and he pouts. "Make it quick, I'm bored," he whines childishly, and I chuckle before nodding and returning to my assignment, which I must submit tomorrow.

I'm not sure how long this has been a habit. Logan comes from his office after my university hours, around the evening, and just crashes in my apartment until the night. When Grecia calls, he sometimes spends the night or leaves. He keeps some of his clothes here, and when I asked him about it one day, he replied with a coy smile, "In case of any emergency, it's always good to be prepared." Since then, I've never questioned him and have let him do whatever he wants in my apartment as long as he doesn't break anything.

I am officially finished with this complex, laborious assignment fifteen minutes later, thanks to the businessman sitting beside me who knows more about this than I do and who made my work less stressful.

"Pheww," I exhale dramatically as I wipe the invisible sweat from my brow before gathering all the strewn paper on the bed and storing it on my nightstand. I happily crawl into my man's open arms and lay my head on his chest, sighing constantly. Logan encircles my body with his strong arms and sways us back and forth. He sniffs my hair a few times, which weirdly crept me out for a second.

"Did you change your shampoo?" he asks looking curiously.

"It's the same brand, but a different scent. it's Jasmine."

"It smells good too," Logan adds, and a smile forms on my lips. We talked about everything and nothing for a long time, but I noticed Logan wasn't his usual self during this time. Something was bothering him because his responses to my questions were brief or I had to repeat a question twice. I know he has a lot of tension with his company, and I'm used to it, but it's not the same today. He is bothered by something.

"All right," I said as I sat up straight and turned to face him. "What exactly is it?" Logan's expression quickly changed to one of seriousness, as he realized what I was asking.

"I really don't know how to say this," he sighs, and my brows furrowed in confusion.

"I wish I could keep this from you, but I know you wouldn't want me to, and you also deserve to know this."

"As long as it's not about you having another affair or cheating on me, you and I will be fine," I shrug, and he glares at me.

"You know I wouldn't do that to you," he says firmly, and I shrug again, just to rile him up. He tightens his grip on my hand, which he has interlocked with his.

"All right, what exactly is it?"

"You know I did a background check to learn more about Oliver's Worcester connection, right?" I nod, not understanding where he's going.

"Even though I didn't get any more information from it, I discovered something..." he trailed off, looking at me warily. His hands reached up to stroke my cheeks. "I wish I didn't have to tell you this, but you have to know."

"Just say it already, Log," I sigh, growing impatient.

"Sheriff Wilson is no longer alive." My heart skipped a beat, and I went completely still. I blinked at him and waited a few seconds, hoping Logan would laugh and say it was a joke. But I knew he wouldn't pull a prank like this on me. Especially when it comes to something like this.

"Lia?" Logan drew me in closer and grabbed my shoulders. "Please say something, love," he begs, his voice tinged with concern and fear, fear that I will collapse at any moment. I could feel the blood rushing to my head and my heart pounding furiously. My eyes began to burn, and my heart clenched.

"H-How?" Even though my mind was racing with different questions, I was only able to form that one word.

"I couldn't get many details, but from what I understand, it wasn't an accident or a normal death," he said, inhaling sharply. That means he was murdered.

"Do you know by who?" I inquired, lightly sniffling. Logan shakes his head, a sad and guilty expression on his face.

"I'm sorry," he says quietly and shakes his head, looking guilty for not getting enough information, but I shake my head. "Thank you for not keeping this from me," I say, bringing his right hand to my lips and kissing it while closing my eyes. My thoughts blurred, the last moment I spent with Uncle Wilson flashing through my mind.

"You don't have to be concerned about anything. My friend is the person at the emigration. He will erase all information about you once you pass the security check, okay?" Uncle Sheriff gives me instructions and hands over my passport and other necessary documents.

"Will you and Jamie safe?" I ask him in hushed tones, tears welling up in my eyes at the prospect of being separated from them. As a sob escapes my throat, he pulls me into a tight embrace.

"Don't be concerned about us, kiddo. We'll be fine. I am, after all, a Sheriff." I smile softly as he chuckles.

"Oh, come here, baby." Logan envelops my body in his arms and hugs me as a tear escapes from my eyes. "I'm truly sorry. Please don't cry," he says, wiping away my tears. To keep my emotions at bay, I closed my eyes and took deep breaths. I shouldn't be crying. I know that crying will only hurt Logan and make him regret saying this to me. I'm a strong person. This is something I can handle.

"I-I'm fine, Log. It's just... they meant a lot to me." I place my hands on his chest and whisper to him. He pulls me up onto him and places my head directly on top of his heart. His heartbeat soothed and comforted me, and his fingers lightly stroked my hair, slowly lulling me to sleep. Logan kept on whispering how strong I am and how much he's proud of me as he feared I might lose it if I once again hear the death of my close ones.

My heart is breaking inside, but I've learned how to hide and cope with my emotions and fears by now. Mom, Dad, and now Wilson may have left this world, but they will never leave my heart. They are always inside of me and will always be with me. After all, everyone must leave this world one day, and for them, that day came quickly. I have a lot of memories that will stay with me until I close my eyes and leave this world.

My thoughts kept returning to Aunt Jamie and how she is coping in the aftermath of his death. It will be difficult for her, but she is a strong woman, so I know she will handle it better than I did. But right now, I'm kicking myself for not forcing Sheriff Wilson or Aunt Jamie to give me their phone numbers.

Uncle Wilson advised me to forget about them once I arrived in New York, but how could I when they are my saviors and the ones who gave me a second life?

******

(One month later)

I was panting heavily, beads of sweat dripping from my brow. Logan's fingers were tightly interlocked with mine, pulling me forward to climb the seemingly endless stairs, despite my and my body's protests.

"If you say 'Patience' one more time, I'm going to kick you," I threaten, trying to wiggle my hand free from his firm grip, but in vain. So far, today's evening has gone extremely well. It was our first official date, and there would be no more deception by our friends. We had planned this for a long time, but due to his office work or my university work, it had to be postponed until today. We went to a diner that sells the best pizza rolls in New York instead of a fancy restaurant. After that, we strolled around the park, just enjoying each other's company. Logan told me he wanted to surprise me and took me somewhere with my eyes blindfolded. I had no clue where he was taking me, even though I could hear the distant crashing of waves against the rocks.

We've been ascending these steps for who knows how long. I was exhausted, and if it hadn't been for Logan's firm grip, my knees would have buckled right away.

Logan encourages, "Just ten more steps," and I sigh tiredly. I'd already climbed about fifty steps, so ten more wouldn't hurt.

A steel door creaked open, followed by a strong chilly wind that made my untied brown hair dance around my face. Logan pushed me forward before standing behind me, his hands on my shoulders.

"Ready," he said into my ears as he removed the blindfold from my eyes. When the complete darkness was replaced by starlight, I gasped at the view in front of me. I could see the beach beneath us, the water shimmering blue like small crystal beads as the waves crashing against the sand and rocks. The moon was missing from the night sky, but the stars made up for it by filling the entire sky. We're on the roof of a lighthouse.

"Wow," I exclaimed as I walked towards the railing. The scenery was breathtaking, and I could have stayed here forever admiring the earth's beauty. Logan's arms wrapped around me from behind before he rested his chin on my shoulder.

"Was it worth it to climb those stairs?" he asks, his light stubble tickling my cheeks as he stares at me.

"It's incredible," I said with a smile. "But you're carrying me down those stairs when we leave," I point out. Logan's laughter fills the space, and warmth spreads throughout my heart. We remained in that position for quite some time before I felt him move away from me. I didn't bother turning around because I was too taken with the view.

Logan softly called to me after a few moments of silence. When I turned around, my eyes widened and my heart thumped loudly. Logan is standing right in front of me, holding a ring in his hand. His eyes held a deep emotion that shook me to my core and caused my knees to buckle at the intensity of it.

"It hasn't been the same since you came into my life," Logan said as he took small steps towards me. My heart skipped a beat before thumping again like an angry elephant. "I see your face wherever I go. You appear in my dreams whenever I sleep. Karolia Kingston, you have me wrapped around your cute little pinky and you didn't even have to do anything to get it. A day without you in my arms is now equivalent to a day without oxygen." He delivered the last two lines in a dramatic manner, which made me laugh a little.

"That was definitely cheesy," I tease, to which he responds with a cocky smile.

"What can I do?" "I totally love you to the moon and back." He casts a light glance behind me at the night sky, which made me chuckle lightly. Even though he is putting on a confident face, I can see the nervousness lurking behind them.

I inhaled sharply, and tears welled up in my eyes, strong emotions overpowering me. "L-Log," I said quietly. I closed my eyes and let the tears roll down my cheeks as his warm hands gently rubbed my cheeks.

"I-I," I stuttered, unsure what to say. "Shh, love," he hushed, pressing a lingering kiss on my forehead. "I know," he said quietly, and I looked up, puzzled.

"This is just a promise ring," he says as he kisses my nose and wipes away my tears.

"W-What?" I replied dumbly. I thought...

"I know you're not ready for that big step in our lives; I'm not either," he says to me, and I nod in agreement. "This is simply a promise I'm making to you. A promise to always be there for you when you need me and to support you in every decision you make, unless it's ridiculous," he chuckles, and I slap his chest playfully.

I silently extend my left hand to him. Logan smiles broadly as he slips the ring onto my finger and pulls me into a knee-buckling kiss. This is a perfect moment. Kissing beneath the canopy of the sky and the ocean beneath us reveals a deeper meaning to me about our relationship. Whatever happens, we're ready to cross the sky and the sea for each other.

"However, one day I will replace this with a real ring" Logan whispers against my lips, "On that day, your status will change from girlfriend to wife," and I smile, twirling my fingers in his locks and relishing this moment.