Ella   The evening sun dipped below the horizon, casting a soft glow that filtered through the sheer curtains of my small but cozy apartment. Candles flickered on the dinner table, illuminating the dishes we had prepared together.   As I opened a bottle of wine, I felt satisfied, but also a bit of unease. My sister’s safety hinged on this moment. If I didn’t manage to pull through with my plan to make Logan lose out on the Barrett family fortune, th

EllaBy the time I awoke, the morning light was streaming in through the window. I yawned, scrunching up my eyes against the light; I wasn’t in my bed. The air still smelled faintly of popcorn, and I was thirsty from the alcohol. What happened?Then, suddenly, I remembered.Logan.I had fallen asleep on the couch next to him, our bodies close. My cheeks instantly flushed red, and I jolted slightly as I lifted my head to see that he was asleep right beside me. His back was turned to me on the large sectional sofa, but I could still feel his warmth, and we were sharing the same blanket.Before I could get up and get my bearings, Logan began to stir. He rolled over onto his back, his eyes blinking open. And then his gaze met mine.The events of last night crashed over me like a tidal wave. The movie, the popcorn, the accidental exhaustion—it all went directly against what I had promised myself. I had allowed myself to cross a line I had drawn in the sand, a line meant

Ella   Once again, we slipped into another comfortable pattern. Logan’s presence in my bed became familiar, our boundaries remaining firm. But there was something else, too: Logan slipped out of the bed and disappeared at least once a week, only to reappear come morning.   One evening, as I was laying there staring up at the ceiling and wondering where he went this time, I heard the front door quietly click open.

Ella   “Do you really want to know, Ella?” Logan asked, his voice low and husky. “My deepest, darkest secret?”   Something about the teasing tone hiding in Logan’s voice gave me pause. I took a step back, slipping out from between his body and the wall where I was sandwiched.  

Ella   The scent of rubber and gasoline was thick in the air, familiar and yet so foreign in this new context. Logan, noticing my trepidation, gestured for me to follow. We headed into a more private area behind the garage, where there were fewer prying eyes.   “You okay?” he asked, his voice lowering.