Logan led Isabella out of the banquet hall and into the nearest room.

Although the castle he had rented for the evening had guest rooms available, he was far too impatient to go that far.

The moment the door closed behind them, the atmosphere shifted.

Cradling her chin gently in his hand, he tilted her head back and kissed her.

The longing in that kiss was unmistakable — the restrained desire of a man finally holding the woman he had dreamed of for so long.

“Mm—”

As their kiss deepened, Isabella grasped Logan’s jacket and took an instinctive step back. He followed her without hesitation, leaving her with nowhere to go. When her back met the wall, he slipped his arm around her waist, steadying her as he lifted her slightly towards him.

Their lips parted only long enough to draw in uneven breaths.

Overwhelmed and breathless, Isabella slid her arms around his neck. In the process, the hem of her dress rode up and one of her gloves disappeared.

Her flushed, faintly swollen lips trembled with shy embarrassment. Without breaking eye contact, Logan carried her to the bed and gently laid her down.

“You’re beautiful.”

The heat in his eyes was unmistakable as he looked down at her. His hand traced her body as though he was etching her image into his memory.

A warm breath brushed her jaw and neck. Wherever he touched her, a flush bloomed beneath her skin.

Isabella felt her breath catch in her throat.

Just then, Logan lifted himself slightly, supporting his weight on one arm.

“Shall we stop?”

He had not missed the slightest change in her breathing or the slightest hint of tension in her body. Although consumed by desire, he did not press further.

“Just… a moment.”

As the pressure eased, Isabella managed to steady her breathing. Her body, still recovering, began to tremble at something as simple as a kiss.

“I must have been too impatient.”

Logan brushed a soft kiss across her forehead, then pulled away. Instead of continuing, he pulled her into his arms, trying to calm the fire rising within him.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. This isn’t your fault.”

Despite knowing that Isabella had not fully recovered, Logan almost lost himself in the moment.

From the moment he first saw her in the white dress, through dinner and dancing, his attention never wavered.

He reached out and gently caressed her cheek. The tenderness of his touch revealed just how deeply he cherished her.

“Sleep.”

Logan rested Isabella’s head on his arm and closed his eyes. If he could not trust himself, the only solution was to fall asleep quickly.

But Isabella nudged him.

“Like this? We should change before sleeping.”

“In front of me?”

Logan lifted his head and raised an eyebrow. His playful expression prompted her to tap his chest lightly with a loosened fist.

“All right, all right. In a little while. Right now… that might be difficult.”

He took her hand and rolled slightly onto his side.

There was an unmistakable strain in his voice.

For reasons she did not fully understand, Isabella’s gaze drifted downwards. The obvious evidence beneath his trousers caused her to look up at the ceiling in shock.

“That’s indecent.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“You’re shameless.”

“I admit it. But this only reacts to Isabella Wins.”

Even now, he managed a teasing remark.

Her face burning, Isabella sprang up from the bed and stepped away from him.

“I’m going to wash up, so—so don’t even think about coming out until that… settles down!”

Logan reached out as if to stop her, but she slipped away and shut the door with a firm click.

“…Ha.”

Left alone in the room, Logan sighed at the persistent ache in his lower body. After a moment, he stood up and straightened his disheveled clothes.

And so, their first official date came to an end.

***

Meeting the ever-busy Duke was no easy task.

Logan Fraser’s days were perpetually filled with his own engagements and those of others. More often than not, Isabella only saw him late at night, once he had finished everything else.

Nevertheless, Logan made a deliberate effort to set aside time for her.

He booked tables at the most prestigious restaurants in the capital and rented boutiques that usually required reservations months in advance. Each outing was executed flawlessly, as though nothing less would suffice.

Recently, they attended the most talked-about play in the city. When the curtain fell, they applauded the actors as they took their bows.

But the thunderous applause that usually filled the grand theatre never came.

The vast auditorium was empty.

Only two seats were occupied.

The actors on stage bowed solely to Isabella and Logan.

“How was the play?”

“It was fun. I’ve never been in such a grand theater before.”

When they stepped outside, they saw that the ticket office was packed with people waiting for the next performance. As Logan guided Isabella through a quieter corridor to avoid the bustling lobby, she found herself unable to look away from the crowd.

Determined to make sure she had a perfect day, Logan had booked every venue they were visiting in advance. As a result, Isabella dined in empty restaurants and browsed department stores that had been cleared of other customers.

At first, not having to worry about being photographed unexpectedly or becoming the subject of gossip felt unfamiliar yet oddly comforting.

But when it happened every time, it began to feel isolating.

Wherever they went, there was no lively murmur of people or ordinary bustle. Anxious not to make even the smallest mistake in front of such distinguished guests, the staff handled every detail with excessive caution.

Isabella did not dislike solitude.

However, she did not dislike the sound of laughter or soft voices blending together.

Shutting the world out wherever they went came with a certain loneliness, reminiscent of her days at the estate, when she had never truly belonged among the servants.

Perhaps she was being ungrateful, unable to recognize how fortunate she was to enjoy such privileges. And yet, this was not the kind of dating she had imagined.

She had longed for simple things: holding hands in a crowded street to avoid losing each other in the crowd, or joining in the applause and cheers at the end of a performance.

From her perspective, she wanted nothing more than an ordinary life.

‘But perhaps “ordinary” has never existed for Logan Fraser.’

“Is there something you want to say to me?”

When Logan asked her, Isabella hesitated.

She knew he was pushing his schedule to the limit to find time for her. She knew he had booked entire venues for her safety.

Asking for more would make her seem ungrateful.

Even voicing this feeling seemed like a complaint she didn’t have the right to make.

“No. I was just thinking about the play we watched.”

She simply smiled and dropped the matter.

Logan didn’t ask her for more information. In the cool evening air, he gently draped her coat over her shoulders.

Just as she was about to step into the carriage, she spotted a group of children laughing and playing across the street. A parent followed behind, holding a pair of skates by their laces in one hand.

The nearby lake had frozen, and the skating rink had opened for the season.

In that quiet moment, an idea began to take shape in her mind.

Something that might fulfil her wish —

— without placing any burden on him.

“Um…”

She tugged lightly at Logan’s sleeve. His gaze shifted to her at once.

“I’ve thought of something I’d like to do.”