This chapter is rated M.

Soo Ryeon's birthday fell on the first Saturday in April, and she awoke feeling warm and snuggly in her husband's arms. They were lying facing one another, her cheek on his bare chest, and their legs twined together under the covers. She felt his breath stir her hair as his chin rested on her head, and she peeked up to meet his eyes.

"Hi," she murmured.

"Hey, birthday girl," he replied softly, stroking his knuckles across her cheek. "I'm sorry, I was going to fix you breakfast in bed, but I was enjoying holding you too much to get up."

"That's okay," she smiled, tracing a thick vein down the length of his arm with her fingertip. "This is my favorite way to wake up, with you." She giggled when he shivered at her ticklish touch.

His arm tightened around her, pulling her closer against his body, and his whiskers tickled her skin as he kissed her forehead. "I love waking up with you, too." His voice held a huskiness that she knew well, but he cleared his throat to refocus his attention. "So how does it feel to be the big 2-8?" he asked.

"You tell me," she returned with a smile. "You're more experienced than I am."

"Are you saying that I'm older and wiser because I'm six months older?" He grinned smugly, and she nodded. "Well, in that case, I'd have to say that you're the most beautiful 28-year-old I've ever met." He punctuated his statement with a kiss on the tip of her nose. "Now, what would you like for breakfast, my beauty? Your wish is my command."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought it over and decided on waffles with strawberries, and he gave her a lingering kiss before rolling away and pushing to his feet. She appreciatively watched the movement of his back muscles as he padded into the bathroom. Not a bad way to start the day, she mused. Not bad at all.

...~«ώ»~...

Soo Ryeon's choice of activity for the day was the Cherry Blossom Festival. While Logan would normally have tried to get out of going to such an event, he wanted her to enjoy herself on her birthday, and more importantly, he wanted to spend the day with her. He was pleasantly surprised to find himself absorbed in the music, food, and culture as they strolled hand-in-hand through the streets. He even stopped to pluck a fragrant cherry blossom and tuck it into her hair. They watched Taekwondo demonstrations and a dance troupe from Yonsei University, listened to music performances, sampled all kinds of Korean delicacies, and took part in a traditional Korean tea ceremony. The event schedule even included a basketball jamboree at the Sakura Culture & Community Center, which Soo Ryeon found quite amusing.

"How is it," she teased as they stopped to check it out, "that wherever you are, somehow, somewhere, basketball is involved?"

Logan shrugged and grinned. "It must be that masculine, basketball-y vibe that just follows me around. You married a jock, babe."

She laughed, the kind of hearty, carefree laugh that he loved to hear from her, and his heart soared. "Well, how does my masculine, jock husband feel about accompanying me to the Arts & Crafts Fair?"

He flinched exaggeratedly before slinging his arm around her shoulder. "I'm with you all the way, sweetheart. You were so engrossed in that demonstration this morning that the man could've woven you into his tapestry and taken you home with him."

She poked him and did her best to look scandalized, but her eyes danced with mirth. "It's embroidery, Logan, not weaving. But now that I think about it, I do like a man who's good with his hands…"

"Oh you do, do you?" he challenged before sliding behind her and dropping his hands to her sides to tickle her. She shrieked with laughter and squirmed in his arms.

"Logan! Logan, stop it!" she pleaded breathlessly. Then suddenly, her laughter halted and her breath seized. Her left hand dug into her back, just behind and below where his hand rested on her waist. Concerned, he spun her to face him and saw her pained expression.

"Sweetie, what is it?" he asked. "Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head, still breathing heavily from her laughter. He looked around and spotted an unoccupied bench nearby and walked her over to it. He eased her down onto the seat and knelt in front of her, covering her clenched hand with his own.

"Soo Ryeon," he tried again. "What happened?"

She waved him off, indicating that she needed a minute, and he sat back on his heels, watching her intently. She took several deep breaths, and gradually he saw her taut muscles begin to relax. Finally, she looked up to see the concern on his face, and she forced a smile.

"I'm okay, Logan," she told him. "I had a pain in my back, but it's easing up now."

"Show me where," he urged, pushing to his feet. His fingers followed hers and he felt a small knot, most likely an overtaxed muscle. He continued to probe around her lower back, but found nothing wrong.

"I'm fine, Logan," she said again. "It's probably just because we've done so much walking today. Really, it's okay. It hardly hurts anymore." She took his hand and pulled him down to sit next to her.

"And the tickling didn't help, I'm sure," he confessed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be silly," she insisted with a smile. "I'm fine. Actually, I think what I need is to sign up for one of those  massages we were reading about earlier."

He glanced up at her. "Over my dead body!"

"What? You would deny me the relaxing, sensual benefits of a massage?" she pressed lightly.

"Would I deny you? Of course not," he clarified as he regarded her seriously. "But there's no way I'm letting some beefcake masseur put his hands on you."

Soo Ryeon had to stifle her giggle, realizing that Logan was being serious. He wasn't really a jealous man as much as he was just extremely protective of her. "A lot of massage therapists are women, you know. And trust me, there are a lot of non-beefcake masseurs out there."

Finally, his smile returned. "I'll tell you what… Let's head over to the bazaar, I'll buy a massage book and some oil, and then I'll be your beefcake masseur." He glanced sideways at her and winked. "Unless you'd prefer a female masseuse…"

"I prefer you," she told him firmly, lacing her fingers through his.

"Good," he nodded before standing and pulling her to her feet and into his arms. His gaze flicked between her eyes and her lips, and she knew what was coming.

She looked up at him with a grin. "It's not proper for masseurs to kiss their clients," she teased.

His eyes twinkled as he clasped his hands around her waist. "Good thing I haven't bought that book yet, then, because proper or not, I want to kiss my beautiful wife." True to his word, he bent his head and kissed her soundly, holding her tightly against his body. Her fingers threaded into his hair, and for a few moments, they lost themselves in the taste and passion of their kiss. A wolf-whistle from a passerby finally broke their spell, and she blushed as he released her.

"Bazaar?" he asked, his voice unmistakably husky.

"Let's go," she answered, unable to stop the wide smile that spread across her face as she told herself, Happy birthday, indeed!

...~«ώ»~...

The next morning, Soo Ryeon showered while Logan fixed breakfast, and, feeling frisky, she pulled on her new red silk robe. She'd admired it at the bazaar, with its embellishments, but had balked at the price. Logan had insisted that she get it, along with the massage oils and book. After dinner with their friends, Logan had tried his hand at massage, and had turned out to be quite good… too good. She'd fallen asleep, and Logan, always the gentleman, had curled up with her and called it a night. She planned to make it up to him as soon as the breakfast dishes were cleared.

After they ate, Soo Ryeon cleaned up the kitchen while Logan went to shower. While she waited, she flopped onto the sofa and opened her laptop to check her e-mails. Predictably, there were a number of birthday messages from family and friends, and one from Seo Jin with an attachment. Rolling her eyes, she clicked to open the file and found a massive spreadsheet and equally massive set of instructions. She leaned forward as she scrolled through the information, groaning at Seo Jin's request to send out another mailing about the show that would take place the weekend of the reunion to honor Ms. Da Mi's retirement.

"What's that?" Logan asked as he reappeared from the bedroom. She turned to answer, but her breath caught as she took in his tousled wet hair and freshly shaven face framing his dancing eyes. All he wore was a pair of basketball shorts and boxers that peeked over the waistband. Beads of water clung to the hair on his chest, and he grinned disarmingly at her.

Flustered, she turned back to the computer screen. "Oh, um, it's just that… Um, Seo Jin sent me another mailing to um… send out…" Her train of thought derailed as he slid onto the couch behind her. His long legs rested around hers, and he pulled her back into his chest.

"Send out…?" he prompted, his breath hot in her ear.

Her mind raced, trying futilely to remember what she'd been saying, until Logan's hands slipped around her waist and tugged at the knot holding her robe together. "L-Logan…" she choked.

"Are you really thinking about work right now?" he challenged. His hand slipped inside her robe to fondle her breast.

"I… um… was just checking… uh…" she tried again, until his other hand pulled the bottom half of her robe to the side to reveal her thigh. "What are you doing?" she whispered breathlessly.

His chest rumbled against her back as he chuckled, and he stretched forward to nip her ear with his teeth. At the same time, his hand crept up her leg to touch her intimately. "I'm pleasuring my woman," he murmured into her neck. "I remember you saying something about liking a man who's good with his hands."

She tried to turn, to lower herself onto the hardness that she felt pressing against her back, but he held her firmly in place. She was supposed to be seducing him, she told herself just before her mind short-circuited completely. "Logan," she whimpered.

"Shh…" he insisted. His fingers spread her gently, feeling her legs quiver as he circled and fondled her clit. His other hand continued to stroke and tease her nipple, and he pinched it at the same time he slipped a finger deep inside her. She cried out, unprepared for the assault of sensations rippling through her body, and her head lolled back on his shoulder as he stroked her. Placing hot kisses against her neck, he added another finger and thumbed her clit. Her hips thrust against his hand, her arousal heightened by the coolness of his wedding ring against her hot flesh.

"L-Lo-ggan," she moaned.

He smiled against her skin, absorbing her small noises of pleasure. Her arousal thrilled him, made him feel like he was king of the world because he was the one doing this to her, making her crazy with need. "Yeah, say my name, baby," he ordered softly.

"Logan, please," she begged.

He slowed his pace, making her whine with disappointment. "'Please' what, baby?" he teased. "What do you want?"

Under normal circumstances she might've hit him for torturing her so cruelly, but at the moment, her sole focus was on him finishing what he'd started.

"P-please," she stammered, pushing her hips against his stilled fingers. "Touch me, Logan. Make me c-come…"

Before she'd even finished the sentence, his fingers were pumping into her again, faster and harder. Her hands clutched his knees as she strained into his touch, and her head thrashed back and forth, tickling the hair on his chest. Her moans became whimpers, and her thighs began to shake from the building tension. He nuzzled her neck, his muscled straining to hold her in place as she bucked against him. "Yeah, that's it, baby," he purred.

Suddenly she froze, held captive at the pinnacle of her orgasm, before she tumbled down into the bliss of her release. He felt the powerful vibrations around his fingers, and continued to stroke her gently until she collapsed backwards onto him, completely spent and sated. He could feel her heart pounding against his chest, and he shifted slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position for his painful erection.

"Wow," she sighed contentedly.

He smiled broadly. "Happy birthday, sweetheart."

"You can say that again," she breathed.

"Oh, I plan to," he replied, the huskiness in his voice unmistakable. She wriggled her hips suggestively against his hardness, forcing a moan to bubble up from deep in his chest.

"What do you say we do something about that little issue?" she propositioned.

He managed a choked laugh. "I'd say it's a pretty big issue at the moment, thanks to you and that ridiculously sexy robe. But I'm not finished with you yet."

Her protest was silenced as he set her on her feet, pushed himself up and swept her into his arms to carry her to their bedroom. He lowered her to the bed and pushed the robe off her shoulders. "You won't be needing that anymore," he announced as he hovered over her.

Soon his intimate touch was back, driving her upward again, and she squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation. She suddenly felt his hands brace on the bed beside her, and she moaned as his penis slipped inside her. Instead of thrusting, though, he settled his body on top of hers and held himself still. Resting on his elbows, he cradled her head in his hands and lowered his lips to her ear.

"Soo Ryeon," he whispered. "Can you feel me inside you?"

Her eyes remained shut, and she let out a tiny whimper as she nodded. It was sweet, cruel torture.

"Do you like it?" He swirled his hips, and she nodded again.

He stared down at where their bodies were joined, and then spread her lips and touched her again. Right there, and she came off the mattress. He moaned low in his throat.

"That's right, baby," he whispered, and found her breast, kneading, pinching, twisting. "Come for me again."

"No, you," she panted. "It's your turn."

His mouth curved. "Oh, I'm gonna come. With you, in you, and we're going to make a baby."

She smiled. "That's the best birthday gift I could ever wish for."

Logan kissed her hard, sweeping his tongue deep into her mouth to taste her sweetness. Their love-making progressed rapidly, and he rolled her to her side and spooned her, entering her from behind. His thrusts quickened, but somewhere in the drug-like haze that enveloped him, he became aware that Soo Ryeon's normal gasps and cries had turned into whimpers. He forced himself to slow down and pushed up on his elbow to look at her. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her fists clutched the sheet below her so hard that her knuckles were white.

"Soo Ryeon?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, Logan," she bit out. "Please, don't stop."

"You're obviously not fine," he countered. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she persisted. "Could we maybe change positions? That might help."

He pulled out and eased her onto her back. He hovered over her, trying to determine whether to continue or investigate further. His body screamed at him to plunge back into her, but his protective instincts warned him that something wasn't right. His decision was effectively made, however, when her fingers wrapped around his penis, realigned their bodies, and thrust her hips upward to take him back in. Logan's body reacted, his hips jerking to bury him inside her, to the hilt. The nearness of his peak came roaring back, and his eyes closed tightly as he fought to maintain a shred of control. His thrusts resumed at a frenzied pace, and he could feel the first twitches of his orgasm approaching when Soo Ryeon suddenly cried out in obvious pain. But he was too far gone. His mind told him to stop, but the primal force of his body refused. Two more thrusts, and he exploded inside her.

"Logan, stop! Please! It hurts! Stop!" She cried from beneath him. A sob forced its way up her throat, and he belatedly registered what he'd done. The momentary euphoria of his release vanished as crushing remorse washed over him. Quickly he pulled out and rolled onto his side, gathering her in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, baby," he insisted, realizing the inadequacy of his words. "Please, Soo Ryeon, talk to me."

Her face was buried in his chest, and her body shook as she cried. He'd never felt so terrible in his entire life. Judgment and self-condemnation careened through his mind. What kind of man are you? How could you do this to her? After everything she's been through…

"Soo Ryeon, please…" he choked out as tears pricked his eyes.

"It's not your fault, Logan," she whispered into his chest. "I should've stopped you sooner. It was hurting, and I thought I could get through it, but it kept getting worse…"

He gripped her shoulders and drew her away from his body, pulling them both up to sitting positions. His arm circled her waist, and he lifted her chin to look at him, brushing her teary cheeks with his thumb. "What do you mean? Sweetheart, if I was hurting you, why didn't you tell me right away? I don't understand."

She shook her head. "I don't know. I've had some… discomfort… a few times lately. I thought it would pass."

His eyes narrowed. "Discomfort during sex? Soo Ryeon, why haven't you said anything before?" Her eyes dropped, and suddenly he was angry. "How could you let me hurt you and not tell me? Our relationship is supposed to be about love and honesty and trust! Damn it, Soo Ryeon, I made a promise to take care of you. How the hell am I supposed to make love to you when I'm wondering whether you're in pain and lying to me about it?"

He moved away from her then, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and pulling on his boxers. Stung by his harsh words, she wrapped her arms around her waist self-consciously as more tears fell.

"I haven't lied to you," she argued softly. "I just didn't… want to say anything about it."

He shook his head. "Not telling me… keeping me in the dark about something like this, especially when it affects me too… it's just as bad." He turned back to look at her, and his voice dropped. "Why?"

She didn't meet his gaze, and for a few moments he wondered if she was going to answer him. Finally, she drew a shaky breath. "I want to get pregnant, Logan," she admitted quietly. "So much. If I'd told you I was hurting, you would've stopped, and… it would've been a... lost opportunity." She looked up at him searchingly, her eyes pleading for him to understand.

"Sweetheart, pain during sex is not normal, especially when we've been together for so long." He shook his head, his anger beginning to diffuse at the vulnerability in her voice and posture. "I want to have a baby with you, but not at the expense of our intimate relationship. If we can't communicate about this, how are we going to be able to communicate as parents?" He looked down at his hands, fidgeted with his ring, and drew a deep breath. "It would be a good idea to see Dr. Goo soon… as soon as possible. I think… something might be wrong…"

Her eyes blazed as she turned on him. "Nothing's wrong with me, Logan! You're just saying that to get back at me because I didn't tell you about the pain. But you're wrong!" She slid off the bed, grabbed her robe, and stalked toward the bathroom. In the doorway, she turned back. "Maybe I'm already pregnant, Logan! Did you think of that? Maybe that's the reason for the discomfort."

"Soo Ryeon…" he began, concerned by her frantic denial.

"No, you're wrong, Logan!" she shrieked. "I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with me. That's it, I'm already pregnant. That's the only explanation." She slammed the bathroom door, and Logan's heart sank as he heard muffled cries on the other side. He approached the door and knocked gently.

"Baby, please come out," he pleaded. "Let's talk about this face to face. Please don't shut me out."

"I'm sorry, Logan." Her response was muffled. "Please, just… just leave me alone."

He hesitated, torn. Finally he cleared his throat. "I'll leave you alone for a little while, but when you're ready to talk, I'll be here. We're going to get through this together. I love you, Soo Ryeon."

He heard a sniff, and then her tiny voice replied. "I love you too."

She waited until she heard him get dressed and leave the bedroom before she allowed the full force of her tears to consume her. She hated that they'd fought, but most of all, she hated that he was right. She'd pushed aside her fears, explained away her suspicions for weeks, months. But she couldn't deny it any more. She knew it. Something was wrong with her, and she prayed for strength to withstand the heartache that was to come.