The Purchased Mistress

The Purchased Mistress P19

The carriage ride through Logan's acres had been a magical treat. For a moment, I imagined myself back in the old days, carefree and respectable, gentlemen callers come to pay their visits and woo me. Oh I knew it was completely absurd but I was allowed to dream wasn't I?

What woman didn't want a Jane Austen moment?

And Logan...Because of Logan I was able to sit in a carriage, a dainty parasol over my shoulder and pretend I was somewhere else, sometime else. It was a respite I would cherish always.

"How about we head on back? I had the cook prepare a picnic for us if you are up for it?" Logan asked with a cheeky grin.

"Definitely!" I couldn't hold back my own grin.

We rolled up to the stable and I watched as two of the workers came out with the plank. Logan unbolted himself from the floor and waited until I had gotten down before he maneuvered himself around and down the makeshift ramp.

I patted the horses' goodbye before following Logan to a side path than ran along the house. Logan had some amazing gardeners on staff and a pretty good landscaper too if the meticulous gardens were anything to go by.

I followed Logan silently down the path and towards a pond. There was a giant willow tree and I could see someone had set up a picnic under its fringes, right by the pond. It was so pretty, I felt spoiled to a whole new level.

"Would you mind helping me push my chair Paige? I'm afraid I'm not very good at wheeling myself over the grass here." I looked down to see Logan who was looking anywhere but at me.

I realised he was self-conscious and vulnerable about not necessarily being able to manage this part himself. Logan was a prideful man and I believe it stung him to ask for help. Maybe it brought back the reality of his situation and made him realise that although he was very independent and self-reliant, there were just something's he could not manage on his own anymore.

I swelled with pride myself to realise that Logan must trust me on some higher level to ask for my aid. I just couldn't imagine him asking just anyone for help, even with the smallest things. As weird as it sounded, it pleased me that he believed his pride and ego were safe around me that he could allow me to see some of his weaknesses. It made him seem much more human. Well, other than a rich regal heir that is.

"Of course, I'm sure between the both of us we can manage." I moved behind him and started to push. It was bumpy as hell and I winced in sympathy each time I hit a hidden hole or root. Logan never said a word but gripped his wheels from time to time to steady the decent or to help me push over some obstacle.

By the time we made it to the picnic site, I was slightly out of breath and Logan was beet red, something that I was pretty sure was related more to embarrassment than effort. He mumbled a curt thank you without looking at me and settled himself at an angle, locking the wheels of his chair and pushing the foot holsters aside.

I watched as I saw him grip his handles and slide himself forward in the seat and then push upwards. The muscles in his arms bulged and I felt something in me hum in appreciation at the show of strength. For all his immobility, Logan was in his prime and a spectacle of strength. I watched as he slowly lowered himself to the ground.

I took my cue and sat on the blanket next to him and started rummaging through the basket that had been left there. As I set about removing the items, I peeked at Logan to see him settling himself on the blanket. I watched as he placed his legs in a position that would support him. It had never occurred to me that without the use of his legs, the balance needed to sit upright with no support might not be possible.

"Here, I'll open the wine." He said and I passed him the bottle and opener. I once again watched the mesmerizing play of his shoulder muscles and biceps as he opened the bottle. He poured us each a generous portion and picked at the grapes and cheese I had set out.