Page 27 of Fake Engagement with my Brother's Best Friend

Logan catches up to me, his voice breathless. “Grace, wait. Please.”

I stop, turning to face him, crossing my arms protectively over my chest. “What do you want, Logan?”

His eyes search mine, his expression a mix of worry and frustration. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you all day.”

“It’s none of your business where I’ve been,” I snap, the anger bubbling to the surface before I can stop it. I try to walk past him, but he steps in front of me, blocking my path.

“It is my business,” he says, his voice tight. “I’ve been worried sick.”

“Good,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them. “After everything you’ve put me through, you should be worried.”

Logan flinches, the hurt flashing in his eyes, but I don’t back down. I’m tired of holding back, tired of pretending like I don’t care. “You dragged me into this fake relationship, made me part of your stupid plan, and now look where we are. I’m stuck in the middle of your mess with Samantha, and I—” My voice cracks, but I push through, refusing to let the tears fall. “I didn’t sign up for this.”

Logan looks at me, his expression softening as he takes a step closer. “Grace, I never meant for it to get this complicated. I just—”

“No,” I interrupt, shaking my head. “You didn’t think. You never thought about how this would affect me.”

“I’m trying to fix it,” he says, his voice filled with desperation. “I don’t want to lose you.”

I bite my lip, torn between wanting to believe him and knowing that trusting him could lead to more heartbreak. “I don’t even know if this can be fixed,” I admit softly, my voice barely audible over the sound of the waves.

Logan reaches out, his hand hovering near mine. “Let me try. Please, Grace.”

After everything, how am I supposed to trust him? How am I supposed to believe that Samantha won’t just sweep in and ruin things all over again?

Logan steps closer, his eyes dark with intensity. “Grace, I never wanted this to happen. I didn’t want you caught in the middle of all of it—Samantha, the lies—it wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

I feel my frustration boiling over. “Itdidhappen, Logan! You didn’t think about me, about how any of this would affect me. You were so wrapped up in your own problems, in saving face, that you didn’t care what you were dragging me into.”

His expression tightens, guilt flickering in his eyes. “I know, and I’m sorry, but we’re both complicit in this.”

“I know! I’m an idiot for going along with it.”

“No, you’re not.”

I scoff, shaking my head. “What am I to you, Logan? A distraction?”

His jaw clenches, and for a moment, he looks away, his hands running through his hair in frustration. “I—dammit, Grace, it’s more than that! You’re more than that! Don’t you see? I’m not playing games with you. I—” He stops himself, visibly strugglingwith the words, like he’s on the edge of something but not quite ready to say it.

Anger surges through me, mixing with something else—something dangerous and undeniable. My heart pounds as I stare at him, my body alive with a storm of emotions I can barely control. The way he’s looking at me, the frustration and desire in his eyes, the rawness in his voice—it sends a jolt of heat through me, making my skin prickle.

He’s standing so close now, and I can feel the tension radiating off him, the intensity of his presence almost too much to bear. My mind is screaming at me to walk away, to protect myself, but my body is betraying me. There’s this electric pull between us, a force I can’t fight. The anger and hurt only fuel it, making every nerve in my body hum with the need to close the space between us.

“I can’t keep doing this,” I manage to say, my voice shaky, but my body is leaning into him despite my words. “I can’t keep pretending like I don’t feel something for you when you’re using me.”

Logan’s eyes snap back to mine, and he steps even closer, so close I can feel the heat of him, the tension crackling in the air between us. “I’m not using you,” he growls, his voice low and rough. “This isn’t just a game to me, Grace. Maybe it started that way, but now—now it’s something else. Something I can’t ignore, no matter how hard I try.”

I feel my heart race, the desire surging through me even as my mind struggles to make sense of it all. I want to push him away, but at the same time, I want him closer. The way his voice has dropped, the roughness in his tone—it sends a thrill through me that I can’t ignore.

I hate that I want him so much. I hate that every argument, every heated exchange, only makes me want to touch him more, to feel his hands on me, to lose myself in the heat of the moment.

“You say that,” I whisper, my voice trembling with both anger and something darker, “but how do I know it’s real? How do I know this isn’t just another lie?”

Logan’s eyes blaze, his frustration finally boiling over. “Because I can’t fucking breathe without you, Grace. Every time I’m near you, it’s like—” He cuts himself off, his words hanging in the air like a challenge, and suddenly, I can’t stand it anymore.

Before I know what I’m doing, I grab him by the collar and crash my lips against his, my anger and desire spilling over in a kiss that’s fierce, desperate, and hungry. Logan doesn’t hesitate. His hands are on me in an instant, pulling me against him as he kisses me back with just as much heat, his mouth moving against mine in a way that makes my knees weak.

The kiss is like a release, all the tension between us exploding into something raw and wild. I press myself against him, feeling the hard planes of his body, the way his fingers dig into my waist as if he can’t get enough of me. My head is spinning, my pulse racing, and all I can think about is how much I want him—how much I’ve always wanted him.

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