So sorry I've been away awhile! I'm trying to bring myself back to focus and continue my dreams.

This might be one of my favorite chapters, and I don't know why…

Chapter 23

When I had awoken there was a small stream of a light yellow light seeping through the curtains. The curtains were still, as the rest of the room. The only thing that moved was Logan and his deep sleeping breaths. I had stopped breathing, frozen to place not having the motivation to move. It seemed earlier than the actual time that I needed to wake up, but I was satisfied lying breathless.

Logan somehow ended up claiming most of the already small bed as his own. He was on his stomach, and his arms were reaching under the single pillow he'd been using. His legs were stretched out with one knee bent. But in someway, I had fit perfectly into a small angle he had unconsciously set up. The blanket had moved down to the waist line of his boxers and his entire back was exposed.

I couldn't help but marvel at how his muscles moved slowly and twitched occasionally during his slumber. My fingers shook as I tried to lightly touch him. They were being cooperative today and as soon as I felt skin on skin contact, my hand flew back. He lightly gave a 'huffing' sound and scrunched up his nose. Still not awake.

I wanted this moment. This one moment to see Logan Reese completely exposed with no guard or wall up. He was beautiful like this. No arrogance or superiority was present in his posture. His mouth was slightly ajar and I could his rhythmic outtakes.

Deciding to test the waters some more, my fingers hovered over the spine in his back. It was a line that leads from the nape of his neck all the way down past the blankets. To where my eyes were no longer able to receive access. Finally I brought myself to touch him and when he didn't move, I began to travel up and down his spine. His skin was warm and I felt cold as I touched him. He seemed forbidden. My fingers began to dance while they wondered more over his back, and not just his spine. The muscles were unbelievable. He slightly stirred and I froze for a minute until I figured it was safe to keep venturing to the unknown land of Logan's back.

I traced my lines to his waist line, and moved back and forth of the line in his boxers. Half waistband, half skin. I moved slowly and attentively listening to his small sleeping noises. I would go from one side, trace, dip into his spine crease, and move to the other. I don't know how long I kept this pattern going.

"You know I'm going to get the wrong idea if you keep this up…" His soft voice made me jump nearly a foot away from him.

"I was just…" I couldn't think of any explanation. I couldn't think of the 'whys' or 'how' I got there. Racking my brain he slightly chuckled.

"Of course my idea has many possibilities…" He said with a light early-morning groggily smile. I lightly smacked his arm and rolled off the bed. Today was going to be such a long and tiring day. I opened my suitcase and threw on a hoodie and pair of shorts. I didn't really care what I looked like, I was about to be made up into a perfect Barbie doll bridesmaid anyways. When I turned around after changing, Logan was staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said and rolled out of my bed. He walked near the door and I was about to say something but I held it back. He glanced towards me and went. Just like that. And I had no idea why he left and when I'd see him next. Something pained the area right behind my ribs and I quickly dismissed any emotion as I ran to the bathroom to clean myself up.

After I had finished I was making my way downstairs to the kitchen which seemed to be the gathering place for everyone. The time I got down there, Kendra and the other girls were sitting on the barstools.

"Where are the guys?" I asked in a rush.

"Oh they had to leave; Kenny didn't tell me where he was taking them though…" Kendra said seeming to ponder for a moment but quickly changed subjects. "You girls ready?"

"Yeah!" Nicole and Zoey jumped out kicking the stools away. I smiled, and we began heading towards the car.

XXX

"Wow," I said shortly, observing the two-story high ceiling laid with stage lights all lined on a black stream. Windows were just as large, and the floor was a perfect white marble. The front desk was black, and a lady who looked to be in her twenties greeted us behind it.

"Welcome…" she began, but saw Kendra. "Kendra! Darling!" She gushed, scurrying out from behind the black desk and running into Kendra's arms.

"Paris!" Kendra cried, kissing her on each cheek.

"Kendra, it's been weeks since your last visit! I heard about your wedding appointment, and I requested to work this day JUST to see you all made-up!" Paris started talking even more, rushing Kendra to the first chair. She ushered the rest of us over to grab all of the other chairs and it was in no time that men and women began picking at all of our hair.

I hate these kinds of things. Everyone keeps talking about how pretty someone looks after they're covered in makeup. I personally rather have people marvel at my natural beauty. Anyone could use five cans of hairspray, and spend hundreds of dollars on different makeups- but not everyone can be comfortable within themselves to be natural.

"I think we should add a smoke-effect to her eyes, it would look lovely with the dove gray dresses…" One would say.

"But wait; is that too much grays and darks? Should we go for a more natural look with browns? We don't want the bridesmaids to be the center of attention today…"

"Maybe add some green to her eyes, give it an earthy tone!"

"No, no, silly. Green and gray? It'll look too junior high…"

"It will make them look elegant!"

And this is how the hours rolled by. When nobody was messing with my face or hair, I pulled my phone out. Logan did make me a promise to talk to me all day today, but when I saw the screen my heart dropped.

Nothing.

He hadn't sent me anything all day.

Kendra was going on and on about how worried she was, how nervous that she was getting married in a mere few hours. Nicole and Zoey were by her side trying to help- and I was sitting in the chair.

More alone than I had ever felt before.

XXX

Well we certainly looked the part of bridesmaids. As soon as Zoey and Nicole got Kendra calmed down, and as soon as she said her thank you's and goodbye's to all the stylists we were walking out of the salon.

Watching Kendra shake uncontrollably while driving us to the church wasn't one of the highlights of my life. There were a few things that had to be quickly prepared before the actual wedding took place. It was so soon, and I just wanted it all to be over with. It was stressful on me and I'm not even the bride.

When we arrived at the church, everything was so chaotic. Close friends, family, and waiters were all bustling around knocking into one another while making the last few preparations.

Walking through the hall, not really sure what to do I caught a glimpse of myself. I never really looked at the final product in the salon, I was too busy worrying about more important things- but my mouth fell slightly ajar.

All my hair was pinned to the left side of my face, falling down into a massive wave of curls. They made a slight side bang swooping into the pretty mess. I suppose they decided to use the smoky-eye idea, because my eyes stood out more than they ever had before. Grays lined my eyes, in a way that I never thought I would be able to pull off. There was a slight tint of ruby in my cheeks and tiny pearl earrings.

I thought bridesmaids weren't supposed to look pretty… I snickered at my own thoughts.

I pulled my phone out again, to check for any messages. Of course, I still had nothing. Why wasn't Logan talking to me? I needed air.

XXX

Outside was the only comfort I've felt in nearly three weeks. The sun was in that certain light where it was starting to set- but not exactly. The sky wasn't too pretty, but it was your average light blue. There were clouds everywhere, and in the far distance there were a few dark clouds. The sun had a yellow light, and I wished it was that orange setting glow that made everything appear prettier.

Trees were everywhere behind the church. A wide variety of greens were presented, some shadowed and some hit directly by the sun's light. The leaves looked like they were vibrating as the wind rustled them. There wasn't much to look at around here besides those trees. And all I wanted to do was run inside the canopy and never come out. It started to get dimmer, as I realized clouds were starting to cover the sun's light.

I don't know what made me begin walking towards the woods, but I did. Something told me not to, that something bad would happen- but I didn't care.

I took my gray shoes off, and began walking further. My shoes were left at the wood's entrance. I wasn't going to venture far; I had to be present at the wedding soon anyways.

I could've walked for two minutes, or twenty minutes… I hadn't realized how dark it got the deeper you go. A branch cracked behind me, and all of my instincts instantly flared. I didn't turn around- and I'm pretty sure it was a psychological thing. There was no desire to see what was behind me, because the possibilities were endless. And the consequences were worse.

My breath hitched and another branch snapped. Whatever it was, was not trying to be very discrete about their identity. My whole body stopped moving all together. The taste in my mouth turned to metal; the hairs on my neck stood up, and the adrenalin began to pump fast through my blood.

A branch snapped again and I almost cried. This was it, I was dead. I was going to die in the depth of the woods in Washington. Behind a church, I was going to die. I would go down without a fight, because I've been beaten down so much these past few weeks that I had no desire to keep going.

"Dana…?" Someone whispered, and it was then I turned around so fast that I almost blacked out. Standing before me was Logan's body, dressed in a black tux with a gray tie. I could've laughed at my over reactive mind- but I didn't. Because I knew the possibility of something bad happening was not far from reach.

"Logan." I said his name, and that's it. No emotion, nothing inside me anymore. I walked on, seeing an area where the bright sunlight was looming. It was only a spot in the entire woods where there was no canopy to block the beautiful light.

"Dana we have to go…"

"No."

He gave me the strangest look, and began walking towards me. I wanted to push him away but deeper inside of me something said not to. Somewhere in the depth of my heart something told me that this man standing in front of me was a significant part of my life.

"I can't…" I groaned, not really sure what I 'couldn't' do.

He gave me the same look and held it. He began walking faster towards me, with more of a determination in his face.

"Don't…" I warned, because inside of me I knew where he was headed. I knew he could tell how pained I was right now. How fragile I had become. I tried to back up, run away from him but I didn't have the strength.

"Please…" I wasn't sure how that came out of my mouth, or how it was intended to be perceived. I don't know if it was a 'please continue' or a 'please stop'.

Everyone knows the answer besides me.

He rushed into me like a magnet. Grabbing my face and looking at me. My eyes watered and I didn't know the answer to why that happened either. He didn't lean in to kiss me, he stole it. He stole everything of me. Everything I was made up of. He took it without my consent, without asking…

And his lips moved like a thief. He kept taking from me, and I didn't stop him. We all know the answer now.

He wasn't stealing anymore.

And thunder began to rumble.

XXX