Indomitable Will, Tender Heart - 18
Author: Taryn
Email: Write
Me!
Rating: NC-17 (language and sexual situations - this chapter)
Disclaimer: Don't own them, yadda yadda. See Chapter 1...
Author's Notes: This chapter was really just an excuse to
keep our favorite couple in bed for most of the day! They've
already been put through the wringer a couple of times (and there's
more to come - big shock, I know) so I figured they deserved a day to
do absolutely nothing but enjoy each other. In other words - MORE SMUT AHEAD! Extra special
thanks go to Karen
for lending her considerable 'expertise' and helping me tweak all that
smut. I know it was a real *chore*
for you, girl, but I
do appreciate it! ;-)
------------------------------------------
Logan was slowly awakened by the hazy light filtering through the slats
in the blinds and the sound of sleeting rain on the windowpane.
Inhaling deeply, he started to stretch and roll over, hoping to escape
the morning light for just a bit longer. Instead, a lemony smell
tickled his nose and he bumped into something warm and soft, realizing
with a start that
Marie was curled up next to him and they were sharing her bed. Oh,
God...it wasn't just a dream! As memories of their lovemaking
came flooding back to him, he also discovered that there was a great
deal
of bare Marie-skin pressed against his equally bare body and he fought
the
Wolverine's sudden urge to possess her, nuzzling and nipping at her
flesh,
permanently imprinting her with its scent. Then, as if responding
to his bestial urges on a subconscious level, Marie shivered and
snuggled
closer to him. Her breathing was still low and even, and she
appeared
to be soundly asleep, but for the hint of a smile on her lips.
She'd said she loved him. She loves me.
Damn. But how..? His heart, scarred by life as it
was, instinctively knew she was telling the truth, but his mind was
having trouble wrapping itself around the notion that someone as
beautiful and as pure as Marie would - could - feel that way about a
hardened loner like him. Even though many of his memories were
murky, and the majority were probably lost to him forever, Logan knew
there hadn't been a helluva lot of kindness or compassion in his
life. His edgy, badass demeanor had been cultivated as a defense
against a world that was all too ready
to judge him on appearances alone, and all too eager to use his
abilities
for their own purposes. Most people were wary of him on
sight....the
rest usually made themselves scarce not long after that. For as
far
back as he could remember he'd been on his own - no rules, no
obligations. It was the only thing he knew and - in all honesty -
he'd preferred it that way. He would admit, if forced, that his
was a lonely existence at
times, but experience had taught him early-on....and all too
well....that
society was only interested in team players and that there was just one
person
you could always count on to never let you down....yourself.
Now, though, he felt himself standing at a crossroad, no longer
belonging to his old way of life but more than a little out of his
element in regards to the new one being offered to him. That the
young woman snuggled
against his side had been able - and willing - to look beyond his rough
appearance and even rougher ways, into the very depths of his soul,
both amazed and
humbled him. She'd opened both her home and her heart to
him,
and while he didn't feel even remotely worthy of those gifts, he knew -
probably
better than anyone - how incredibly rare an offering like that
was....especially for someone like him. It was with no small
degree of shock that he
realized he wanted - needed - to believe in Marie....and to be needed
by
her in return. Above all else, he desperately wanted to do right
by
her -- he just wasn't sure exactly how to go about it. As he lay
there
contemplating, surrounded by Marie's wonderful scent now merged with
his,
he was quickly becoming aware of a strange sensation - a warmth that
seemed
to originate from way down deep and was rapidly enveloping his entire
body.....unfamiliar,
but not uncomfortable. Not having any personal experience to draw
on,
he wasn't entirely confident in his ability to recognize contentment,
but
Logan was fairly sure that what he was feeling had to be a fair
imitation
of it. Contentment....and love. I really do love
her.
God help us both....
Marie had shifted again and was now facing toward him, one arm under
the pillow and the other cradled against her chest. A few strands
of dark hair had drifted across her cheek and Logan rolled carefully
onto his side, reaching over with a fingertip to gently move them away
from her face. He remained that way, content to just watch her
sleep for awhile.
It almost felt like he was returning the favor, for all the times
recently
that she'd spent watching over him. After a few more moments, she
murmured something incoherent and began rubbing her eyes. Logan
could
just barely see the tops of her breasts beneath the covers, and he
leaned
over and pressed his lips to her collarbone, resisting the urge - for
now
- to nip and lick her as well.
"..'Morning already?" Big brown eyes opened slowly and she gave
him a sleepy smile. "How long have you been awake?"
"Not long." He slid his arms around her, his hands idly stroking
the warm skin of her back. "But it's actually closer ta noon."
She made a little grunting noise in her throat and he chuckled because
it sounded like him. "Hmm.....I think this 'sleeping the day
away'
thing you've got going on is starting to rub off on me."
Knowing full-well that their lovemaking was the reason she'd slept so
late, he propped himself up on one elbow, smirking. "I tried
warnin' ya....I'm a bad influence."
Marie's eyes were twinkling as her mock-pout turned into a grin.
"That's okay, I don't mind. Well, except for the fact that I'll
be
yawning like crazy by dinnertime and I've probably got dark circles
under
my eyes...."
"Nah. You always look beautiful," Logan was quick to reassure
her, reaching out and tucking another wayward strand of hair behind her
ear. "If I could wake up next to ya every mornin', especially
with ya lookin'
like that, I'd be one helluva lucky bastard."
"Maybe that could be arranged?" She winked at him and snuggled
closer, running her fingertips over his whiskers before moving lower to
brush them across the crisp hairs on his chest. "..Mmmm....you
know, the view
from here isn't too bad, either."
"Yeah?" He shook his head, clearly skeptical. "I ain't much
to look at, darlin'...'specially in the mornin'..."
"Oh, you're so wrong about that." She scooted up on the
pillows, and the covers fell away from her breasts completely, exposing
her rosy nipples to his gaze. He immediately went hard at the
sight and unconsciously pressed his hips against her thigh, prompting a
laugh from Marie. She peeked under the sheet and quirked a
grin. "That's quite an eyeful you've
got there, sugar, and it all looks mighty fine to me..."
The southern endearment, spoken with just a hint of her former drawl
and coupled with the smell of her growing arousal, made his entire body
hum
with desire. Logan's hands moved to her waist and he lowered his
head
to her breasts, taking a nipple into his mouth, teasing and licking
until
it pebbled under his tongue. Marie stretched and, with a sigh,
offered up the rest of her breasts for his attentions. He was
more than happy to comply, a low growl emanating from his chest.
"Logan..." she was slowly rubbing her hip against his groin and it was
making him crazy. "...About last night --"
At the shift in her scent and the hesitation in her voice he abruptly
lifted his head, almost afraid to breathe. "Are ya okay? I
didn't hurt ya....did I?" Fuck. I'll bet she's
havin' regrets about
what we did....
"No, no....not at all. I'm fine. In fact, I'm better than
fine. It's just that....I never knew I could - that, um...that my
body was capable of --" She saw the heat in his eyes and glanced
down, her cheeks growing pink. Tracing gentle fingers over his
bicep and down the length of his arm, she lifted one of his hands in
hers and pressed her lips over the knuckles. "It
was....incredible. You were incredible, Logan. I'm
just amazed that you're able to be so strong and yet so...tender....all
at the same time." At the odd expression on his face, she
hastened
to add, "Oh, it's not that I didn't think you could be both of those
things!" She smiled down at him, her eyes shining with love and
admiration.
"Somehow, I always knew you were capable of them. But it just
blows
me away that you have them in equal amounts, you know? I mean,
after
everything you've been through, you're still able to be gentle and
caring.
That's no small thing....and I just wanted you to know how proud I am
of
you, for that."
Jesus... Swallowing hard, he glanced away, his hand
drifting idly along the smooth muscle of her thigh. "If that's
true, then you made it happen, Marie." His voice was thick with
emotion. "It was all because of you, cuz it's never been that way
for me....uh, before." He broke off, not at all sure how to
convey what he really meant, his momentary confidence rapidly being
replaced with frustration and no small degree of anxiety. No
matter what he said, it probably wouldn't come out right either
way. Shit. I really wish I was better at this
stuff. 'Course, I ain't exactly had a helluva lot of practice...
Taking a deep breath, he blurted out, "I just wanted it to be real good
for ya,
darlin'....to show ya that ya really mean somethin' to me."
"Oh, Logan...you did show me all those things. It was just
perfect." She leaned in and touched her lips lightly to
his. Lemons, and desire. Desire for him. Breathing an
inward sigh of relief - I dunno how she does it, but lucky
for me she always seems to get what I mean, even when I can't find the
words ta say it right... - he
nuzzled her face with his nose and chin, pausing to nibble on her full
lower lip.
"You smell so good, baby..." he whispered. "...Good enough to
eat."
"Really?" Her fingers were tracing patterns on his abdomen and
his muscles tensed involuntarily. "I was just thinking the same thing
about
you."
She sat up, pulling the covers away, and pushed him gently onto his
back. He watched in surprise as she leaned over him, one small
hand sliding hesitantly over his upper thighs, her fingers moving
slowly but determinedly upward
to cup his balls, making him gasp as his stomach muscles
twitched. Oh, God...
Glancing up at him from under her eyelashes, she favored him with an
impish smile and air hissed between his clenched teeth as she curled
her fingers around the base of his erection. Dark hair tumbled
down around milky-white shoulders as her lips ghosted across the tip of
his cock. Logan groaned involuntarily and closed his eyes, the
sheet now bunched tightly in his fists.
"Does that feel good?" There was still a note of uncertainty in
her voice and her scent was filled with apprehension.
"Oh, yeah....Unnnh....it feels great." He raised his head
and glanced down at her, marveling at the combination of both sin and
innocence on her face. "But ya don't hafta..." He broke
off, gasping for breath as she lowered her mouth down around the head,
sucking experimentally.
"I want to." She blushed again, but that didn't stop her from swirling
her tongue across his straining flesh, teasing him from base to tip and
back again. "I want you to feel as good as you made me feel last
night."
"Oh, yeah, baby....ya keep doing that, it's gonna feel real good, real
quick..." He groaned again, his head falling back against the
pillow.
Marie leaned up then, climbing over him until she was straddling his
knees.
Her breasts were pressed against his upper thighs and while the look
she gave him was teasing, there was a burning heat reflected in her
eyes.
Marie took her time exploring Logan's lower body, relishing the feel of
his strong leg and abdominal muscles as they flexed beneath her
hands. His skin was firm yet surprisingly soft, and most of it
was covered with
a fine layer of hair that thickened up across his chest and stomach,
crisp
black swirls that she traced with trembling fingers. She smiled
as
she caressed him, marveling at every reaction to her touch; the hitch
in
his chest with every gasping breath, the movement of his eyes beneath
the
tightly closed lids, the twitching of his cock under her fingers.
This
was heady stuff and - having learned from bitter experience that life
sometimes
had a way of yanking things out from under you when you were least
expecting
it - she was determined to savor every minute of their time together.
Logan's heartbeat throbbed in his ears as Marie slowly lowered her
mouth
onto his shaft, her long hair sweeping over his stomach and groin, the
feather-like
sensation making him shiver. As she began increasing the rhythm
and
pressure, a sound somewhere between a moan and a whimper escaped from
his lips. Feeling much more confident now,
she lowered her head again and again, using both her mouth and her
fingers
on him, licking and sucking more insistently as he squirmed and gasped
beneath
her.
Logan kept his eyes tightly closed, concentrating on the effect her
sensual magic was having on his flesh. Unnnnhh... While
he'd certainly had his fair share of *attention* from women in the
past,
he also knew - despite his limited memories - that he'd never
experienced
anything remotely like this before. It felt amazing, yes, but
even
more than that, it felt so....right.
Marie's fingers drifted in small circles over the tightness of his legs
and her mouth was hot and wet and insistent....A growl issued from his
chest and his hands unconsciously reached up to grasp the headboard as
he fought to remain in control despite the overwhelming feeling of her
lips on his
erection. It was a battle he had no chance of winning and - with
a
shudder and a hoarse cry that sounded like her name - he gave in and
surrendered
completely to the powerful sensations she was producing in him.
Marie was fascinated by the reactions her ministrations were having on
Logan. He was such a powerful man and always so in-control of
himself
and his body. Seeing him squirm and gasp with pleasure and
knowing
that she was the cause of it made her feel proud and more than a little
giddy. Suddenly she heard him growl and then he was gripping the
headboard
with both hands as his cock went rigid under her lips and he rasped her
name. Hot, slightly salty, liquid filled her mouth and she
swallowed
quickly, surprised not so much by the volume but by the sheer force
with
which his release was spent. Oh, my God....I know he really
liked it,
but I can't believe I actually did that!
Logan wasn't even aware of working his hands free from the headboard,
his arms falling loosely at his sides and his chest heaving as he
fought to
catch his breath. That was just.....Christ... He
closed
his eyes, luxuriating in the feel of the adrenaline coursing through
his veins, slowly turning to a languid warmth and finally to a
faint tingle. Glancing down at Marie, he saw that her eyes were
bright
and she was struggling to get her breathing under control as
well.
Her scent had also changed - arousal now combined with....
...embarrassment?
Belatedly, he realized that she'd never done ...well, that before and,
now that it was over, she was feeling a little self-conscious. As
he started to say something to put her at ease, she leaned against him
heavily, her hair serving as a curtain that only partly hid her flaming
cheeks. When she finally spoke, she was smiling but her voice was
a little shaky. "Wow....uh...I don't know what got into me.
I think, maybe, you've created a monster...."
He frowned, one hand coming up to stroke her hair. "Nah.
That makes what we're doin' together sound bad, or wrong....and it
ain't." If anyone's a monster here, it's me.....not you,
baby. Never
you.. She peeked up at him, marveling at how the gentle
expression
in his eyes belied the intensity of his words. "The way I see it,
I just gave ya a taste of somethin' ya never thought you'd have."
While Marie knew that the sentiment was heartfelt, the innuendo in his
choice of words wasn't lost on her either. She leaned back
slightly,
her eyes misting as she studied his face. "That's really sweet,
Logan....but --" she couldn't help flashing a teasing grin, her
confidence slowly coming back. "-- I was really hoping for more
than just a taste...?"
Logan smirked and pushed himself upright, wrapping muscular arms around
her as he pulled her into his lap. His renewed erection was
pressed firmly against her backside, and her breath caught in her
throat as he growled fiercely, peppering her neck and shoulders with
kisses until she squirmed and giggled breathlessly, urging him
on. "Wait..." It was
more of a gasp than a request. The Wolverine was gnashing its
teeth against the Man's rapidly crumbling restraint, and it was with no
small degree of effort that Logan managed to tamp down his baser
instincts, forcing out
the rest while he was still able to form a coherent thought, let alone
put
it into words. "I know we didn't...er, use anythin' last night,
but...shouldn't we...."
"Mmmm.....no worries." Marie picked up the slack and began
licking the pulse in his throat with her tongue, her hot breath on his
neck making him shiver. "I'm not on the Pill, but my cycle's
always been like
clockwork. I can usually tell when I'm --" With a jolt, she
was suddenly aware that he probably could too, as the memory of the
Wolverine
sniffing around the woman at Wal-Mart because she was 'in heat' flashed
through her mind. The realization was both embarrassing and
strangely
erotic. I guess there's both pros and cons to being intimate
with
someone who has animal senses! Flushing to the roots of
her hair, she stammered "I mean, um....well...."
"S'okay....I gotcha." Still, he couldn't resist quirking an
eyebrow at her even as he let her off the hook. Straddling his
lap like she was, bright eyed and gloriously naked, he was in awe at
the innocence she still radiated, even while her most primal urges were
asserting themselves. "God, baby..." he buried his face in her
neck, breathing her in. "Everything about you drives me wild...."
*Wild* was an understatement compared to the effect he was having on
her. Trembling, Marie shifted against him, locking her legs
around his waist,
the tip of his erection now nudging against the warm, yielding flesh
between
her thighs. Logan felt a brief stab of worry that she might be
sore
from last night.....he'd tried hard to be gentle, but it had been her
first
time and he was a large man. He was just about to add that they
didn't
have to do this again so soon, but Marie didn't appear to share his
concern. She moaned softly and pressed herself against him,
teasing his earlobe with her teeth. Fuck... With a
grunt, Logan slid his hands beneath her bottom, cupping her rear-end as
he shifted her position on his lap. She whimpered as he kissed
one ivory shoulder and slid inside
her to the hilt with one single, powerful thrust, encountering only the
slightest resistance before finally being enveloped by her hot, tight
wetness.
"Logan...." His name came out sounding like a sigh. He growled
and withdrew slightly, only to plunge into her once more. She bit
her
lip to keep from crying out, the feeling of being filled was so amazing
she didn't think she could stand it. Logan's hands cradled her
breasts,
thumbing the nipples into taut peaks as he drove into her again and
again,
their bodies trembling as they moved against each other. She
looked
like a goddess, riding him with pale skin flushed and tousled hair
falling
down around her shoulders, her dark eyes closed.
"Ooohhh..." Marie leaned forward, cradling his face between her
hands while pressing her cheek against his temple, her eyes coming open
with a dazed
expression. Her hips moved against him, slowly at first, then
faster
as she picked up his rhythm and matched it with her own. Logan
tilted
his head back, capturing her mouth with his and kissing her deeply,
both of them completely caught up in the feel of his body fitted
perfectly and oh-so-exquisitely inside hers.
A long moment passed, filled only with the sound of their
murmurings. Her breasts were pillowed against the hardness of his
chest as he thrust
upward, going ever deeper into her. The Man was trying to be
gentle,
but the Wolverine was quickly gaining ground and began matching Marie
stroke
for stroke. She broke free of their kiss, a low moan
escaping
her lips, then she lowered her head, her long hair falling around her
shoulders and his face as she murmured in his ear.
"Harder, Logan....please --"
His shaky restraint broke completely then, the urgency in her voice
robbing him of all pretense at nobility. He kissed her fiercely,
ravaging
her tongue with his, prompting her to gasp and clutch at his biceps as
she
struggled to simply hold her own. The Wolverine, while still
yoked,
was free to take the lead and it sped up the rhythm of its thrusts with
glee,
snarling against the pressure that was steadily building within.
Rational
thought was abandoned....its senses were aware only of their musky,
mingled
scents, and of the breathy moans coming from the soft female joining
with
him, her fingers digging into his shoulders with a surprising
strength.
Marie's head was flung back, exposing the slim, white column of her
throat,
and she cried out, her legs tightening around his waist. White
lights
pulsed and throbbed in front of his eyes as the world suddenly exploded
and he emptied himself into her with a shout....each of them caught by
the
current as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over their senses,
sending
them spinning blissfully out of control.
Slowly, Logan came back to himself, using the last of his strength to
force the Wolverine into submission. The smell of sex was heavy
in the air and the animal resisted being subdued, grinding its teeth
and growling,
desperately wanting more. Logan swallowed hard, trying to slow
the
pounding of his heart as he held Marie in strong arms, placing
whisper-soft
kisses her on her forehead, her eyelids. She murmured something
nonsensical
and snuggled her head between his neck and shoulder with a sigh,
basking
in the feeling of being adrift, as though she was detached from her
body,
the solid warmth of Logan's arms around her and the steady rise and
fall
of his chest beneath her ear the only thing anchoring her to
reality.
In truth, she was a bit sore, but Logan's worshipping of her flesh was
everything
she'd ever dreamed about and more, and her heart was so full - with the
knowledge
that she was loved and cherished by this man - that it felt close to
bursting. She didn't know if her body could contain all the
staggering emotions that were coursing through her, and she didn't even
care to try. I'm so happy, I want to shout it from the
rooftops!
Raising her head a few inches, she peered up at him. His eyes
were closed but his hands were making small, warm circles on her back
and she
fought down a shiver. Thoughts of him had almost completely taken
over
her mind for the last few days, in ways she didn't even begin to
understand,
and now he'd claimed her body in the same, all-consuming way. She
couldn't explain it, but she belonged to Logan.....mind, body and
spirit....and he belonged to her. It was as if they were two
halves of a larger whole, and now that they'd finally been brought
together in the most intimate of ways, there was nothing that could
separate them.
"Logan?"
"Hmm?" His eyes remained closed, but he tilted his head down
slightly in acknowledgement.
Marie traced his adam's apple, smiling when he swallowed and it bobbed
under her finger. "You know what I said before, about you
creating
a monster?"
"Yeah..."
"Well....how about a compromise? We could say that you brought
out my inner vixen and I awakened your inner poet!"
Hazel eyes came open abruptly, fixing her with a skeptical look.
"I ain't gonna argue the 'vixen' part, but me as a poet? Now
that's
really stretchin' things, Marie..."
She couldn't help grinning at his hearty approval of her as a
'vixen'. "But you do have the soul of a poet, Logan, whether you
admit it or not." Her head came down to rest on his shoulder once
again while her fingers
moved lower to play with the hair on his chest. "Not to worry,
though....it will be our little secret!"
Logan chuckled, the hint of a smirk on his lips. "Darlin',
there's a lotta shit I can't remember, but if there's one thing I do
know it's that women just love tellin' all their girlfriends about
stuff like that..."
"Busted." Marie giggled. "Honestly, I was only going to
tell Jubilee and Kitty, and Beth, of course....though it'll probably
take a lot more than our usual 'confiding over pints of Ben &
Jerry's' to convince her that Mister Tall, Dark and Growly is really
just a big teddy bear!"
He snorted in mock disgust. "Teddy bear? Shit, Marie, I
ain't --" His protest was abruptly cut off as a devilish glint
appeared
in his eyes. "...Mister Tall, Dark and Growly? "
Marie blushed again. "Well....I didn't know your name and I had
to refer to you as something, so I -- what?" Logan was shaking
his
head, a sly grin playing at his mouth.
"You said I didn't scare ya, but that don't mean I didn't have an
effect on ya."
There was no denying it and Marie knew it was pointless to even
try. Damn the man! If there was one thing she
was sure of, it was that - even if he wasn't doing it on purpose -
Logan was well aware
of the reaction that women had to him. Well, most women
anyway....Beth possibly being the only exception on the planet.
"All right, I confess.....I was busy checking you out while I was
putting all those books away." She shrugged, affecting an air of
breezy disdain. "But don't let it go to your head. The urge
to jump your bones passed and I quickly
came back to my senses."
"Uh-huh."
Marie leaned up on her elbows, grinning back at him. "...For a
few minutes, anyway."
Logan barked a laugh, tugging her back down so she was cuddled against
his side, his arm coming to rest around her lower back. "Must be
all
that animal magnetism....'makes me damned hard to resist."
Under her cheek, Marie was enjoying the vibration from his voice and
the steady thrumming of his heart. She nodded
wholeheartedly. "Mmmm....worked like a charm on me."
"Never woulda guessed..." They both laughed. Then, Logan
added in a rueful tone, "I think it's safe to say your friend is
immune, though."
Marie peered up at him. "Who? Beth?" At his nod, she
laughed again. "Oh, don't mind her. She's just more into the
whole 'J. Crew-wearing, belongs-to-a-country-club type of guy....that's
all."
His expression and the Logan in her head left no doubt in Marie's mind
what his opinion of *those kind of guys* was. Buncha pansy-ass
pretty
boys....heh. The smile began to fade from her face,
though,
when she realized he was beginning to squirm uncomfortably.
Is
he worried that I might really be interested in guys like that,
too?
Gosh, maybe I'd better reassure him a little here, just in case...
But before she could speak, Logan blurted out "Uh....speakin' of Beth,
I
sorta had a run-in with her."
"What?" That was not at all what she'd been expecting him to
say. "When?"
"Yesterday....while you were in Westchester."
Realization dawned....."Oh. So she called here, then? What
happened? Wait....you forgot to let the answering machine pick it
up, right?"....followed by relief. "Oh, well, that's okay -- she
already
knows I'm helping you out, so it's no big deal that you took a message
-- "
"She didn't call....." Logan was squirming visibly now.
"..She, uh, came over."
Marie blinked. "Oh." Another blink. "You didn't
answer the door, though....right?"
"No. I mean, yeah....right. I didn't answer the door."
"Okay. Well, then - no harm done! No awkward explaining to
do....nothing to worry about --"
" -- But...apparently...I also forgot to lock the door."
"....Oh."
"Yeah."
Neither of them spoke immediately and the silence was almost
tangible. Finally, Marie drew a deep breath and said "Just give
it to me straight: how bad was it?"
Logan noisily exhaled the breath he'd been holding. "Shit,
Marie....I was hammerin' in the guest room and never even heard her til
she was standin' right behind me. 'Course, she'd seen your car in
the driveway and when I told her ya weren't here, she immediately
started
callin' me every name she could think of, assuming I'd murdered ya and
buried
your dismembered body parts in a shallow grave out back. Either
that,
or I was molestin' ya and keepin' ya locked up in a closet while takin'
a
break from writin' ransom notes....I forget which. I'm tellin'
ya,
it's no wonder she works in a library, cuz she's got every one of them
fuckin'
murder-mystery novels memorized!" He sighed heavily again, raking
a
hand through his hair in exasperation. " --And, well....it just
sorta
got outta hand from there."
"Oh, God...."
"It ain't nothin' ya gotta worry about, though. I managed ta get
her calmed down and she never did call the police. At least, I
don't
think she did -- "
"Oh, God!"
"Nah, it's okay - everything's under control now. 'Course, it
helped that I was able to fix her car -- "
"You....what? "
"Yeah, her distributor cap had condensation in it. Happens a lot
when you're dealin' with really cold weather." He shrugged.
"Anyway, I got the damned thing runnin' again and she told me she was
sorry
for sayin' all that shit. Said she was only tryin' to protect you
and she didn't wanna see ya get hurt. And that's good, cuz I feel
the same way, ya know? We're both just lookin' out for ya and
--"
He stopped in mid-sentence as Marie suddenly burst out laughing,
clutching
at her stomach with the sheer release of it. Logan continued to
stare
at her for a moment longer before fixing her with a lopsided grin.
"..What's so damned funny?"
"You!" Her eyes were watering and she paused to dry them and
catch her breath before fully answering him. "Or, more
specifically, you
and Beth! I've witnessed her tirades when she gets her panties in
a
bunch and....." she shook her head, choking back laughter, "oh,
man....I'd
loved to have been a fly on the wall during that little
showdown!"
"In that case, darlin', I'm sorry ya missed it...." Logan's grin
widened, pure relief that Marie had taken the news so well flooding
through
his veins. "It was a real humdinger."
"I'll just bet!" Marie snorted, still wiping her eyes. "So,
why didn't I hear about this yesterday?"
Logan's face fell. "I, uh....I guess I just wasn't sure how ta
tell ya." He glanced at her sheepishly. "I kinda figured
you'd be
mad at me, and, well...." That, and I didn't want my
stupidity
- or the fact that I lost my temper with one of your friends - ta ruin
my
one and only chance of havin' some decent holiday memories ta take with
me.
"Don't be silly, Logan - I could never be mad at you! " She shook
her head, a smile ghosting across her features. "Okay, maybe 'never' is
a bit too optimistic, but honestly, this wasn't your fault."
Reaching for his hands, she cradled them in her own while rubbing his
knuckles with her thumbs. "I know how militant Beth can be.
There's no doubt in my mind that she came at you with both barrels, and
the fact that she
managed to not only confront but sneak up on the Wolverine - and not
get
skewered! - tells me that you must've exercised all kinds of restraint!"
As always, her touch was soothing and Logan was beginning to relax
again. His expression remained sober, however. "I gotta be
honest, Marie...the only thing that kept your friend from gettin' a gut
fulla Adamantium was
the fact that I smelled her - recognized her scent - right before I
turned
around. If I hadn't, or if she'd been standin' any closer to me
than
she was, I woulda.... Shit." He broke off, biting back the words
he
couldn't bring himself to repeat. Dammit. I fuckin'
warned
her I was dangerous. Now she won't have any choice but ta believe
me...
Logan glanced down at their entwined fingers, suddenly feeling
disgusted -- and ashamed. His hands were nothing if not the
deadliest of weapons....lightning-fast, efficient, merciless....and
the sight of them being held so lovingly in her smaller, softer ones
made
bile rise up into his throat. Her hands've been used for
nothin'
but good....there ain't no blood on 'em. It took every
bit of
his will to quell the urge to violently jerk away from her grasp.
How
can she want me, knowing what I am.....what I'm capable of?
Clasping his fingers a little tighter in hers, Marie sat up and -
leaning forward - gently pressed his palms against the warm skin above
her breasts, right over the steady beating of her heart. It was
almost as if she'd read his mind, and Logan shivered. It's
just fuckin' weird, how she can 'see' into me like that...
"Hey, I didn't mean --" Her tone was apologetic as soft eyes sought out
his. "Um...remember when I said I have a big mouth
sometimes?" His lip twitched and she fought back a smile.
"Yeah, well....this was one of those times...."
"Marie -- "
"Let me finish, okay?" Clearing her throat, she hurried on. "Look
- Beth surprised you. Nothing happened, but if anything had --"
She shivered slightly at the realization of just how close her friend
had come to swift and certain death. "...well, it would've been
instinct on your part, that's all. I wouldn't have blamed
you for it,
and it wouldn't make me think any less of you." She squeezed his
fingers where they lay resting on her chest. "You're not a bad
person, Logan. I know you think of yourself that way, and I also
know you're not all that comfortable with the....animal side of your
nature, but the truth is - it's part of who you are and....well, I just
want you to know that I love every part of you, no matter what."
Jesus.. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to meet
and hold her gaze, even as his hazel eyes were misting in spite of his
best efforts to blink the moisture away. Marie realized he was
feeling more than a little overwhelmed and, as she'd already said as
much as she was able
with words, the decision to let her body do the rest of the talking for
her -- to speak, now, to both Logan and the Wolverine, in a universal
language
understood by all -- was an easy one.
Holding his hands again, she moved them lower until they were cupping
her breasts, arching her back to give him better access.
Obediently he
cradled them, palming the nipples into peaks, her throaty moans
exciting
the Man and awakening the Beast. "See, Logan?" Her voice
was
little more than a whisper. "See what your touch does to
me?
Your body....your hands....they're capable of wonderful things, too."
Abruptly, he sat up along-side of her and slid his arms around her
waist, his face pillowed against her chest where his hands had been
just a moment before. "...'Love you, Marie." She felt, as
well as heard, his voice and her fingers wound their way into his hair,
smoothing the dark,
unruly strands away from his face.
"I love you too, Logan....all of you." she whispered fiercely, feeling
him tremble under her touch. "Never doubt that."
Christ. Ya sure-as-hell can't buy that kinda faith in
somebody....
The kiss he gave her nearly stole her breath away, the light in his
eyes when he pulled back to gaze at her making her heart clench with an
outpouring of unbridled emotion. This time, when he took her,
their coupling
was slow and sensual and deliberate, as they reveled in the newfound
scents
and sounds and indescribable feelings of a love that transcends words.
-------------------------------------------
Posted September 2002
