What Was Lost

Chapter 13

"Dr. Pearson," the receptionist's voice crackles through the intercom, "You have a 1 o' clock here?" The sudden interruption pulls Grace's attention away from her computer screen.

She furrows her brow in confusion and quickly checks her calendar before pressing the button to respond, "Sheri, I don't have a 1 o' clock scheduled."

"He's insistent you do and that there's a scheduling error," Sheri explains with a hint of annoyance.

Grace lets out a sigh, feeling frustrated with herself. Lately, her memory and focus haven't been great, resulting in more of these scheduling errors. She mentally kicks herself for forgetting yet another appointment. She realizes she won't have time for lunch now and instead will have to grab something quick later on.

"Go ahead and send them back," she resigns to the situation.

Some time later, there is a knock on her office door. Grace tries to suppress a smile as Logan appears. Despite the mix-up, she can't help but feel pleasantly surprised by his unexpected visit.

"What are you doing?" She asks, her voice laced with curiosity as she walks around her desk. He stands before her, dressed in a fitted dark sweater that hugs his broad chest, paired with sleek dark slacks and polished dress shoes. His hair is styled back, showcasing his chiseled jawline and clean-shaven face, just as he was at the gallery show.

Using his thumb, he gently pulls her lower lip away from her teeth, revealing the hint of a smile. "Don't hide that beautiful smile from me," he says softly, the deepness of his vice sending a small thrill through her. "I earned it."

She can't help but succumb to his charm, feeling the corners of her mouth turn up into a genuine smile.

"There we go." He leans in, giving her a tender kiss on the lips. The warmth of his touch and the taste of his soft lips make her heart skip a beat.

She fixed him with an expectant look, her eyes shining with curiosity and a hint of impatience. "Are you going to answer me now?" she prompted.

"Yep," he replied, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he tugged on her arm and led her towards a bank of enormous windows in her office. He pointed out at the view beyond - the bustling courtyard below, and the peaceful park just beyond it. "See that?" he asked, gesturing towards the space. "I've been commissioned to create a sculpture for it. Just had a meeting with the park's board about it."

"Oh wow," she breathed, feeling a swell of pride for him. "That's amazing, Logan." Her gaze returned to the scene outside, imagining the beautiful artwork that would adorn the space.

"It's not my first park commission," he admitted modestly, "but this one will be bigger than any I've done before." A sly smirk played at his lips. "And good money." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully, causing her to laugh.

"I assume the board didn't request an erotic theme," she quips, a smirk playing on her lips.

He can't help but laugh at her dry humor. "No, it has to be suitable for kids. Do you think I could convince them that making a sculpture of your vagina isn't inappropriate?"

She playfully slaps his arm. "You'd have to get more familiar with it if you want to create an accurate sculpture."

He pulls her closer, his lips gently grazing the sensitive spot under her jaw. A shiver runs down her spine as he whispers, "That can easily be arranged." The thought of him exploring every inch of her body sends a surge of desire through her veins.

Despite spending over a month getting to know each other, their physical intimacy had yet to progress. He had expressed his wanting to wait until she felt completely at ease. As they spent more time together, her comfort level steadily increased. But in the days following their emotionally charged night at his place, their paths hadn't crossed again. The morning after, he was gentle and understanding, easing any worry she had about potential awkwardness between them.