This chapter is rated M.

Logan held his wife's hand as their rental car climbed toward the ski lodge where they'd first met. That long ago Winter Break trip with his parents had changed his life forever. He thought back to New Year's Eve five years ago, when he'd brought her back here to propose to her. Next to him, Soo Ryeon was also remembering that magical night. Logan had been so nervous, reciting his well-rehearsed speech before dropping to his knee and slipping the ring on her finger as the new year dawned. She smiled as Logan lifted her hand to brush her fingers across his lips.

"Lots of great memories here, huh?" he commented huskily, and she nodded. "I can't wait to make some more."

"Maybe we can make something more than memories," she replied shyly. She'd felt better since they'd returned from Daegu, and was excited by the possibility of conceiving a baby on this trip.

A cocky grin split his face. "It'll certainly be a pleasure to try!" He laughed as she blushed adorably, pulling her hand back up to his lips. "How is it possible, after all this time, that I can still make you blush?"

She shrugged. "I guess there'll always be that 'freaky math girl' part of me that can't believe a guy like you chose a girl like me."

He glanced sideways at her as he pulled into the lodge's parking lot. "A 'girl like you'? Smart, sexy, talented, sweet, strong, drop-dead gorgeous? You're right… What was I thinking?!"

She shook her head self-depreciatingly. "I'm serious, Logan. You are the most amazing man I've ever known. My life would've turned out so differently if you hadn't been a part of it. I love being married to you. I'm so lucky."

Logan pulled into a parking spot and killed the engine. He turned to face her and took her face in his hands to kiss her properly. "I'm the one that's lucky," he insisted. "I love you, baby." He kissed her again, and then reluctantly pulled back. "Let's go get checked in so we can continue this in private."

They got out and walked to the lobby hand in hand. Logan gave the clerk his name, and she handed him a few forms to sign. Soo Ryeon wandered in a small circle, soaking in the familiar warmth of the lobby, but her attention was drawn back to the desk as she realized the clerk was saying things like "chalet" and "honeymoon." She touched Logan's arm, looking up at him questioningly when he turned to her. Winking, he slung his arm around her and kissed her forehead before turning back to the clerk.

"Here's my beautiful bride," he announced, and the clerk extended her hand to Soo Ryeon.

"Congratulations!" she offered before handing a key over the counter to Logan. "Here's your key, Dr. Lee. If you need anything, please let us know. Enjoy your stay."

He turned nonchalantly and took a few steps toward the exit, but Soo Ryeon stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Your 'beautiful bride'?" she asked suspiciously.

"You are my beautiful bride," he insisted. "Regardless of whether we said 'I do' yesterday or 3½ years ago."

She shook her head. "You're incorrigible," she scolded, trying to hide the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. "And what's this about a chalet? I thought we were staying in a regular suite like the last time we were here."

"I never said that," he defended. "You just assumed that we would. Last time we were here, we were grad students. Now we're professionals, making good money, and so we're upgrading."

"Now, no more arguments. If I feel like spoiling my wife, I'm going to spoil my wife, and you're just going to have to grin and bear it."

She laughed. "Well, if I must…"

"That's my girl."

...~«ώ»~...

The chalet that Logan had chosen was breathtaking. It was also quite secluded, set off in the woods to the side of the lodge. It was close enough to enjoy the amenities of the lodge, yet far enough away to allow complete privacy. As Logan set about building a fire in the fireplace, Soo Ryeon pulled on her coat and stepped out onto the spacious deck. She stood there, enjoying the sight of the light snowfall against the backdrop of rich green pines in the fading sunlight. It looked like a scene from a fairy tale, and she watched, transfixed, until Logan called to her from inside.

"I'm out here," she answered, and a moment later the sliding door opened and his arm snaked around her waist.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, his breath warm on her face.

"Enjoying the snowfall," she told him before turning to face him excitedly. "Logan, let's go for a walk in the snow! It'll be fun!"

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Okay, but we'd better hurry before it gets dark," he replied.

After bundling into their cold-weather clothes, they set off along a marked trail that wound through the forest below the resort. The snowfall intensified, and the snow muted the sounds of the forest and the skiers farther up the mountain. They walked hand in hand, and no words were necessary as they savored the deep tranquility of the woods and the simple pleasure of being together.

As the trail turned back toward the resort, Logan noticed that one of this boot laces was untied. He took a few steps off the trail and lifted his foot onto a snow-covered log to attend to the laces. As he straightened, he heard a mischievous giggle behind him and felt a snowball connect solidly with his backside.

"Hey!" He turned, but before he could say more, a second snowball hit his chest. "You're asking for it, woman!" He declared, running for cover behind a nearby tree. Another snowball whizzed past his head as he knelt to grab a handful of snow, and he quickly packed it and lobbed it at her. Soo Ryeon giggled again as his first attempt missed her badly, and she ducked back behind the cover of a trail marker. She balled snow quickly, collecting a cache, as snowballs hit the wooden sign she was kneeling behind. As she peeked up over the sign, she saw him running toward a wider tree on the same side of the path that she was on. She managed to hit him twice before he reached his new shelter, and he landed a hit on her shoulder just before he dove behind the tree.

There was a break in the action as they formed snowballs from the safety of their shelters. Soo Ryeon stood to check Logan's location, and he hit her squarely in the chest, forcing an "Oof!" out of her lungs. She alternately threw, dodged, and made snowballs, laughing when his shots went wide and gasping when they hit her. She clapped and cheered every time her throws met their target.

As she knelt again to form snowballs, she suddenly realized that Logan hadn't returned fire for several minutes. She caught a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye and straightened just as Logan charged at her, grabbing her waist and pulling her down into the snow. She let out a surprised squeal as he rolled and pinned her to the ground. "Gotcha!" he declared, laughing heartily as she wiggled around in a futile attempt to free herself. He couldn't resist… His hands tightened on her sides and he tickled her. Her squeals and laughter echoed in the still evening as she struggled breathlessly.

"Stop, Logan, stop!" she pleaded, although her delighted smile revealed how much she was enjoying their play. Her rapid breaths produced clouds of condensation in the cold air, her cheeks were rosy, and her head thrashed back and forth as she laughed and struggled. He paused to look down at her adoringly, and his heart warmed to see her so happy and carefree. He released one of her hands and brushed a gloved finger across her cheek, pushing aside a wet curl. The air suddenly seemed to electrify, and she watched as Logan's eyes flitted back and forth between her eyes and her lips. She raised her chin in invitation, and he lowered his mouth to hers.

She was content to lay in the snow with his warm body covering hers, enjoying the kiss for a few minutes, before the mischievous glint returned to her eyes. "Logan," she murmured seductively. He pulled back to look at her… and got a face full of snow. She roared with laughter as he sputtered and wiped snow from his face. She used the distraction to try to wriggle out from under him, but quickly realized that she was no match for his size and strength. Since they'd first met at this resort, he'd grown taller and more muscular, and his adolescent body had thickened and filled out into a firm, chiseled man's body. Soo Ryeon, on the other hand, was still small, her eyes barely meeting Logan's chin when she was wearing heels. She loved that about him, though… Being with him made her feel absolutely safe and warm and loved.

Logan quickly recovered from her surprise attack and recaptured her arms, pinning them above her head as he leaned close. "That wasn't very nice, Mrs. Shim," he scolded. "Now I'm going to have to punish you. I hereby declare that you are my prisoner."

She squealed again as he lifted off of her and stood, offering his hand to help her up. Once she was on her feet, he bent and picked her up, slinging her unceremoniously over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"What shall I do? I've never been a prisoner before. Where are you taking me, sir?" she feigned distress, trying hard not to laugh.

"You shall be exiled to a lonely tower with only a crust of bread to eat and a scrap of fabric to keep you warm," he decreed grandly.

"Dear me," she fretted, continuing the game, "I do hope that a handsome prince will come and rescue me from my loneliness and despair!"

"Perhaps the handsome prince no longer wishes to rescue you after you so coldly rejected his advances," he countered.

"Hmm," she considered. "Perhaps I could entice the handsome prince with some advances of my own." To prove her point, she slid her hands down to caress his backside. His steps faltered for a moment, and she noticed that his pace quickened as they approached the end of the trail. "Ah," she observed. "It seems that the prince is not immune to such advances."

Her view suddenly tilted and she landed on her feet, coming face to face with the icy blue eyes of her prince. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Sweetheart, I haven't been immune to you since the night I met you, and I'm certainly willing to submit myself to the advances of my captive princess."

"Well, then, off to the lonely tower we go!" she replied, grinning mischievously once more. "And just so you know, as long as I have my prince to keep me warm, I won't be needing that scrap of fabric."

A low moan escaped from Logan's lips and he lifted her again, moving quickly and purposefully toward their chalet.

...~«ώ»~...

Back in the warmth of their bedroom, Soo Ryeon was shivering through her wet clothes. Logan offered to take a warm shower with her, but she declined, telling him she'd be out shortly as she grabbed her overnight bag and closed the door. Sure enough, a few minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom, her black curls tumbling freely over her shoulders, wearing a thin red silk negligee. Logan was laying on the bed waiting for her, and she instantly had his undivided attention. He held out his hand in invitation, and she accepted it, snuggling her body against his.

"I thought you said the scrap of fabric wasn't necessary," he said lowly.

"It's not," she replied. "But I thought you might enjoy taking it off of me."

"See, this is why I married a genius," he answered before his mouth covered hers. He gathered her close, molding her curves into his body, and kissed her thoroughly, cupping her face with his hands. "I want to make love to you, Soo Ryeon," he told her when he broke away, his voice thick and husky. "I want to be inside you and make a baby with you."

She touched his face. "Yes, Logan, please. Make love to me."

His hand slid down to lift her leg over his, opening her to him, and he touched her through the fabric of her panties. He smiled at the small moan that gurgled up her throat, and rolled her onto her back to grind his erection against her. Their kisses intensified as he hovered over her, and her hands slid to his backside to pull him down and into closer contact with her. He broke their kiss to drift down to her breasts, and began to knead them through the silk. He slid the slim straps down her arms to lower her negligee and release her breasts to his tender touch. Her hands tangled in his hair as his tongue laved first one breast, and then the other.

"Mmm," she murmured, and felt him smile against her breast before his lips returned to hers.

"You like that, sweetheart?" he teased.

Logan retreated and sat back on his knees, pulling her up into his lap. His erection strained against the fabric of his boxers, and he cupped her backside to hold her against him intimately. She clung to his neck as their kisses intensified, and she ground herself against him. After a few moments, Logan laid her back on the bed and lifted her legs to pull off her panties. His eyes locked on hers as his hands gripped her hips and his mouth lowered into the damp curls between her legs. Soon their eye contact was broken as she tipped her head back blissfully and covered his hands with hers. He spread her legs farther apart and settled between them again, his eyes taking in the euphoria on her face.

"You taste incredible," he purred. "Touch your breasts for me, baby."

Soo Ryeon did as he asked, and he had to close his eyes briefly to regain control against the sight of her pleasuring herself. He lifted her legs over his shoulders and slid a finger inside her. Her eyes flew open at the unexpected sensation. He increased his pace, adding another finger and lowering his mouth back onto her clit. He pushed her knees up to her chest and held them there, and she gripped his arms as he drove her higher and higher. She cried out as she reached her peak, and he continued to stroke her until her intimate vibrations stilled. Logan pulled off his boxers, then laid back down facing her and pulled her leg over his hips, grinning at the look of satisfied pleasure that settled on her face. When her eyes reopened, he kissed her deeply, sweeping his tongue into the warmth of her mouth.

Soo Ryeon quickly took the lead, pushing him over to lay on his back before straddling him and lifting her negligee over her head. She rubbed her silky folds against his erection as she lowered her head to kiss him. After a few moments Logan's hands slid down to reach around her hips to align himself with her, inserting the tip of his penis into her. She lowered herself onto him as he pushed upwards, reveling in the moments when her internal muscles contracted, drawing him in and holding him tight. His hands settled on her backside to encourage her to move, and she lifted up and resettled onto him, circling her hips and sliding back and forth as she rode him.

Logan looked up in confusion as she suddenly raised herself off of him, but sunk back into the bed as she slithered down his body to settle her mouth over the tip of his penis.

"Ohhh…" he moaned.

She licked the length of him, gently cupping his sac as she swirled her tongue around the head of his shaft. He reached down to hold back her hair and watched her as she pleasured him. Her small hand circled his length and pumped him languidly, nearly driving him crazy with the slow pace. When he could take no more, he sat up and pulled her into a fierce kiss before lowering her back to the bed, laying her on her side facing him. Her leg slid over his, aligning them intimately. He grasped her backside as he eased into her again. He mimicked her slow thrusts, teasing her, before rolling her onto her back and covering her with his body. Her hands kneaded the muscles of his backside, pulling him farther into her, and his face hovered over hers, smiling as he watched her and listened to the soft moans and pants that bubbled out of her mouth.

"Logan," she gasped as his face burrowed into her neck, kissing and gently sucking. Her hands clutched the taut muscles of his back as his pace increased. His mouth returned to hers for a few moments before he sat back on his knees, holding her hips to thrust harder. His gaze shifted back and forth between her bouncing breasts and the intimate joining of their bodies. Feeling his peak approaching, he slowed his pace and lowered himself onto her again. Her hands cupped his face as they kissed, and she felt him harden even more inside her. When he broke their kiss, he grabbed a pillow from beside her and slid it under her head. Touched by the loving gesture, she stroked her fingertips across his cheek, letting him know that she was ready for more. He sat back up on his knees, gripping her tightly as his intense thrusts resumed.

Soon he laid back down on his side behind her, pulling her back against his front and her leg backwards over his leg. He slid back into her and rocked them both on the bed, his arms circling her body to hold her close. She covered his hands with hers, turning her head to initiate another steamy kiss. Their love-making quickly stole their breath, and they simply rested their foreheads together as they panted in unison. Logan's thrusts became more frenzied, and he rolled her onto her stomach and straddled her legs. Though his base instincts screamed at him to pound into her, he forced himself to slow down as he leaned over her.

"Are you okay, baby?" he asked in her ear, smoothing his palms across her silky skin. She wondered how he could summon the words to speak. All she could manage was a breathless nod. "I love you," he murmured before pushing back up to his knees, grasping her backside as his thrusts resumed. She let out a strangled cry and he lowered his face back down to hers, fearing that he'd hurt or frightened her. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her fists bunched in the sheets. "Soo Ryeon?"

"Harder," she whispered. "Please, Logan. It's… you're incredible. I want to feel it when you come inside me and make me pregnant. "

His thrusts resumed and his moans filled the room, echoing hers. He drew back and plunged into her as hard as he could, once, twice, three times.

"Now, Logan," she begged.

"I'm not finishing without you," he told her hoarsely. He pulled out and rolled onto his back, tugging her to rest on top of him. She raised up, aligned herself, and reconnected their bodies. Her hips circled as he held her body tightly against his and thrust up into her. Their gasps turned to grunts, then pants, and as Logan felt the familiar tightening of his sac, he cupped Soo Ryeon's face as she hovered over him. "Soo Ryeon." She opened her eyes to meet his. "Let go, baby. Don't think. Just let it happen. Come with me. Now."

He watched her eyes widen as her orgasm overtook her, and she cried out as her internal muscles contracted and tipped him over the edge. He came and came in powerful waves, the pulsing of her orgasm squeezing him dry inside her. Her whole body trembled as she collapsed onto his chest, panting hard, and he enfolded her in his arms, rolling them onto their sides without breaking their connection. Logan's eyes drifted closed as a dreamy haze consumed him. He refocused on her when she gently touched his face.

"I love you, Logan," she told him.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he replied, unable to contain his contented smile.

She giggled. "You look…" Her brow furrowed as she searched for the right word.

"Satisfied?" he supplied. "Happy? In love?"

"I was going to say 'worn out,'" she teased, walking her fingers up his chest. "Does this mean that the princess has completed the term of her punishment?"

"No way," he grinned. "I'm just getting started."