Page 12 of One Night Seduction

As if some sick twist of fate, my phone buzzes to life, a text from Kelly, of all people.

Kelly: I rented the lake house for the week, just like old times. You should come. I miss you.

She has been trying to get back with me ever since I caught her with one of her clients. She is a real estate agent, and when one open house seemed to be going really well, I got out of court early and showed up to lend a hand. Imagine my surprise when I found her bent over a baby grand piano, moaning like a goddamn porn star. I filed for divorce within the hour and never looked back. She hasn’t been able to do the same, though.

She drunk dials me often, telling me she’s still in love with me and she will never love again. I don’t believe a goddamnword she says. She misses the money and the sex, but there’s nothing else to it. I should have blocked her years ago, but at this moment, I’m glad I didn’t.

Temptation sits there, so close I can nearly touch it. Before I know what I’m doing, I’m responding to her.

Me: Who will be there?

I love that house, I really do. We had some great times on the lake. It’s about an hour outside of Seattle, and the place is like a little slice of paradise. We used to rent it every spring break and go up there with my brother, her sister and husband, and…Arianna.

She responds almost immediately, no doubt shocked that I’ve responded for the first time in over eighteen months.

Kelly: The usual. Marissa and Tom, their kids, and Ari.

Ari.

Fuck. That should be reason enough for me to pass, so why the fuck is it the reason I’m wanting to go?

Kelly: Please come, Logan. It will be a lot of fun. No pressure.

I’m not an idiot. If I say yes, Kelly will take the opportunity to seduce me every moment she can. She’ll try to get me into bed with her and hope that I’ll just forget the betrayal. The problem with her plan is that I realized once the ink had dried and the divorce was finalized, I never really loved her. I loved the idea of her. She was good for my ego, a beautiful trophy wife.

I was a different man back then. I’ve grown, changed, maybe for the worse, since the only reason I’m even interestedin allowing her back into my life is so I can get just another moment with Arianna.

With all the red flags waving wildly in my face, I’m responding before I can stop myself.

Me: I’m in.

Chapter Seven

Arianna

I still can’t believe it. I fucked Logan Cunningham. My mom’s ex. My ex-stepdad. Fuck, I think I’m gonna be sick. It’s been three days since I found out who the man behind the mask really is, and I still can’t get over it.

Logan? Seriously…Logan? I just…I’m speechless. He never gave me weird vibes or made me uncomfortable while he and my mom were together. He was always pretty checked out, hyper focused on his work. It’s one of the reasons my mom used to rationalize why she started sleeping around.

He was always a good guy, a kind man. He spoiled my mom rotten and tried to do the same for me as well. I didn’t accept his generosity as willingly as my mom did. Was that his way of trying to get to me? Was he attempting to…fuck, I honestly don’t know.

The fact that he knew it was me while we were fucking, and he still kept going, is fucking insane. I’m still trying to process what was going on in his head.

Probably the same things that were going on in yours.

Despite how horribly wrong and disgusting it was, in themoment, it felt great. When I didn’t know who he was, it was perfect,hewas perfect. Together, we were just…

Closing my eyes, I wince as I shake my head. I just need to forget it ever happened. I’m heading up to the lake house my mom rents every spring break in the middle of nowhere. Plenty of space to relax, de-stress and not obsess over the fact that I fucked my goddamn ex-stepdad.

And loved every second of it.

I’ll definitely take that small piece of information to my grave.

Shaking off this weird funk I’ve been in over the last few days, I decide to just let it all go. There isn’t great cell reception up here, so I can avoid Cassi and Naomi’s questioning, though they both seem to have gone radio silent lately. We all need a girl’s day soon to catch up. After I figure out how the hell to process what I’ve done, that is.

When I turn the final corner down the dirt road and park in front of the lake house, nostalgia hits me. We’ve been coming here for years. It’s a home away from home. Even though it’s not ours, it feels like it. There is something special about this place. I used to spend hours running around the woods and the dock, taking pictures until my camera was out of storage. It’s where I truly fell in love with photography and where I made the decision to major in it.

As I shut off the car and step out, the crisp Washington air fills my nose, and I smile. It’s been unusually nice lately. Typically, April is nothing but never-ending rain, but we’ve lucked out with a small break. It’s supposed to be sunny and high 60’s to low 70’s, which is scorching for April.

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