Half an hour later.
Selina stood by the hot spring pool in a bathrobe, still in a daze.
Why on earth had she nodded when Logan asked if she wanted him to "serve" her?
The wooden deck around the pool was warm despite the snow falling outside. Steam curled up from the water, blurring the view—but not enough to hide Logan’s toned chest and abs.
Selina couldn’t help but swallow.
His voice came low and husky from the water. "Mrs. Reid, weren’t you going to enjoy the hot spring?"
Her legs trembled. Of course she wanted to.
But right after she’d nodded earlier, Logan had leaned in, lips brushing her ear, and whispered—
"Mrs. Reid, how exactly would you like me to serve you?"
Instantly, her mind had been flooded with... well, things not exactly fit for PG ratings. Completely inappropriate images had taken over her brain.
Now her face was bright red as she stammered, "W-Wait, give me a second. I need to... mentally prepare. Just a minute."
Logan’s eyes lazily drifted across her figure like a tangible caress, his tone light and offhand. "Sure. Take your time."
Selina: "..."
That smug look on his face—like he’d already won—made her want to scream. What, was she that easy to seduce?
"I’ve been to plenty of hot springs," she muttered. "Missing one won’t kill me—"
Before she could finish, Logan stood up from the water.
His shoulders broad, waist narrow, muscles defined but not exaggerated—everything about his figure hit her like a truck.
Selina, who had just said she wouldn’t be seduced, gulped again. Her voice cracked, "L-Logan, why aren’t you wearing anything?!"
He turned slightly, seemingly unfazed by her flushed face. "Who wears clothes in a hot spring?"
...Fair. She couldn’t argue with that.
Selina looked away, cheeks burning. No, no. This man was clearly trying to tempt her. She couldn’t fall for it—she had dignity!
But... the gaze. The muscles. The—
She took a long gulp of red wine. Stay calm. Stay calm.
In the water, Logan leaned back against the edge, unmoving.
From her angle, it looked like he’d fallen asleep.
An idea sparked. If he was asleep... maybe she could sneak in a quick soak?
Acting on impulse, she slipped off her robe and gently eased into the water, drifting to the farthest corner from Logan.
Hidden behind the fog, Logan opened his eyes and chuckled softly.
Snowflakes drifted from the sky. The whole mountain retreat was still and silent. Selina closed her eyes without realizing it.
At some point, she felt herself being lifted out of the water, cradled in someone’s arms, and laid gently on a soft bed.
When she opened her eyes again, the snow had stopped. Stars twinkled outside the window, and a beautiful birthday cake sat in front of her.
Logan’s voice was soft. "Mrs. Reid, happy birthday. May every birthday from now on shine as brightly as today."
Selina blinked, a wave of indescribable warmth washing over her chest.
Someone had celebrated her birthday. Truly celebrated it.
And it felt... amazing.
...
The next morning, Selina woke up to see Angelica’s studio had released a public statement denying the drone and fireworks show were for Angelica. The statement had already landed her on Twitter’s trending list—this time for getting mocked into oblivion.
Selina knew one thing for sure: if Logan hadn’t pressured them, Angelica would never have admitted the truth.
She found herself reflecting.
Logan celebrated her birthday.
Selina wanted to crawl into a hole. The trauma from her past cooking experiments clearly ran deep. freēwēbnovel.com
He was too striking—tall and carrying the aura of someone born to command attention. Among the sea of regular shoppers, he stood out like a spotlight in the dark.
Selina glanced over, hesitating. "Logan, I think you should—"
Before she could finish, her hand was caught in his.
"It’s crowded," he said casually. "Don’t want you getting lost, little one."
...She was definitely going to tell him to wear a mask.
The rest of her sentence died in her throat as her face flushed crimson. "Who are you calling little?!"
Logan chuckled, the rare warmth in his expression lighting up his otherwise distant features. It was such a beautiful smile that even passersby couldn’t help but stare.
Not far away, a middle-aged man on the phone suddenly paused.
"Yes, Young Master Owen, Reid Group is now under Logan’s control. There’s not much I can—"
Whatever Owen said on the other end made the man desperate to prove his worth.
"Don’t worry, sir. I’ve got connections. Even if Logan wants to push me out, he’ll have to think twice!"
"Yes, yes, of course—I’d never be a liability to you—"
Then he froze. "Wait... is that Mr. Reid?"
The man was a lower-level executive at Reid Group, secretly placed there by Owen. He’d always suspected Logan was onto him and had grown frustrated at his stagnant career. Hoping to find some leverage, he never expected to stumble upon this—
Mr. Reid, out shopping, with a woman!
She was bundled in a mask, hat, and scarf, her face completely hidden.
There was no way this was Selina. Everyone knew she was Mrs. Reid now—if this was a casual outing, why cover up?
Oh. My. God. He just caught Logan cheating.
"Young Master Owen—huge scoop!"
Meanwhile, Selina had the oddest feeling someone was watching her. She glanced over her shoulder, confused.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex's 'Uncle'