“You are aware of the fact that I’m not going to let you out of my sight anytime in the soon to near future. Or ever for that matter,” Logan told Marie as he pulled a beer out of the fridge.
Marie grinned from ear to ear as she stirred her hot chocolate. She had already had a couple of beers with Logan and was now craving something more relaxing.
“Ah figured as much, sugah. My inner-Logan gets all growly and possessive when another guy gets within ten feet o’ me,” Marie teased, turning around and flashing Logan a bright smile. She sobered instantly, remembering the reason why Logan was so dominant in her mind. “`Sides, after everythin’ that’s happened this week Ah’m not so eager ta let ya outta mah sight, either. Ah feel a whole lot safer when Ah know exactly where ya are, sugah.”
“As long as we’ve got that settled,” Logan said before taking a long swig of his beer.
Setting his beer down on the counter, Logan went over to the liquor cabinet and pulled out a clear bottle that held a clear liquid. Unable to see the label, Marie had no idea what it was. All that she knew was that Logan was bringing it over to her. He stopped less than a foot in front of her and began unscrewing the top.
“An’ just what are ya up ta, sugah?” Marie inquired, arching an eyebrow in his direction as he took the mug of hot chocolate from her.
Logan said nothing as he poured a small amount of the bottle’s contents into her hot chocolate. He swished the mug around a bit to stir it up before handing it back to Marie and returning the bottle to its rightful place. Marie kept her eyes on Logan the whole time, enjoying the view as he bent over to put the bottle back in the cabinet.
“Will you take a drink, kid, and stop staring at my ass,” Logan said with a smirk as he leaned against the counter and picked his beer back up.
Even as she began denying what he was saying, Marie could feel her face reddening. “Ah was not starin’ at yer ass, Logan.... Ah was merely tryin’ t’ see if Ah could figure out what was in the bottle.”
Logan was still smirking in her direction. “That so, kid? You do remember that I can hear what you’re thinking when it’s directed at me?”
Marie began to blush even harder at that. “Ah wasn’t starin’ at yer ass,” she insisted, brining the mug up to her lips and taking a long drink. Forgetting that Logan had added something to the hot chocolate, Marie started coughing at the pepperminty taste that had quite a bit of kick to it.
“Easy there, kid. I put peppermint schnapps in that,” Logan warned, taking the mug from her hands before she dropped it.
“So Ah noticed,” Marie gasped, struggling to pull in an even breath. “Think ya could warn me ‘bout that before Ah take a drink next time?”
“Sure thing, kid.”
Once again the room was thrown into silence. Not an awkward, drawn out silence, but a comforting one. The two of them simply stood there drinking their beer or Loganized hot chocolate and enjoying the easy silence. It saved them from having to discuss important issues such as figuring out what they were going to do next. Marie knew that Logan wanted to get away from the mansion, but he had only been awake for a few hours so Marie forbid it. She was still trying to figure out how he had convinced her to start drinking with him.
“So, kid, what’s next on the agenda?” Logan asked after taking the last swallow from his beer.
Marie nearly choked on her hot chocolate for a second time. “Me? How come Ah always end up makin’ the decisions fer us? Ah don’t wanna drag ya somewhere ya don’t wanna go. It wouldn’t be fair t’ ya.”
Logan shrugged his shoulders. ”Considering I don’t care much where we go, I thought that you could chose. We could stay here for a while if you wanted. Or maybe head up to Anchorage. It doesn’t matter to me.”
Marie knew that it wasn’t the entire truth, but she didn’t call Logan’s bluff. Instead, she suggested, “How ‘bout we head up to Alkali Lake and pick up where we left off?”
It was easy to see that Logan was completely floored by her suggestion. His eyes were practically bugging out of his head and his mouth was hanging open. It didn’t last for very long, though. Within seconds, Logan had his features back in order, his shock carefully hidden.
“You don’t have to pick somewhere just because it’s somewhere you think I would want to go,” Logan told her, running his fingers through his wild hair.
Marie shook her head and set her drink down on the counter. She walked over to where Logan stood and wrapped her arms around his waist, pillowing her head against his chest. “Ah wanna go there ‘cause Ah wanna help ya find yer past, Logan. Ah want t’ help ya find out more ‘bout who ya are. Ya deserve t’ know the truth ‘bout yerself, sugah, an’ Ah wanna be there when ya find it.”
Marie let out a contented sigh when she felt Logan’s arms wrap around her waist. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head then, sighing himself. For the moment, at least, everything was perfect in Marie’s world.
“I’m glad that I didn’t leave you standing at the side of the road,” Logan said suddenly, surprising Marie with his bluntness.
“You an’ me both, sugah,” Marie giggled. “Ah’d prob’ly be a popsicle by now. Ah got lucky that day. Turned out ta be the most important day o’ mah life.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Logan balked, beginning to run his hands up and down her back. “I just kept telling myself that I’d feel guilty later if I found out that something bad happened to you because I left you out there. Damn near had myself convinced of that, too, till you showed up in my room that night.”
Marie grinned against the warm flannel of Logan’s shirt. “If it makes ya feel any better, Ah was kinda scared o’ ya till Ah touched ya that first time. Not hard ta believe considerin’ the first time Ah saw ya was when ya were beatin’ the shit outta some guy in a cage.”
“You shouldn’t swear, kid,” Logan chided, but his voice lacked all seriousness. If anything, Logan sounded almost ashamed of himself. “And I only did that for money. There’s not that many ways for me to make a living.”
“Ah know, sugah,” Marie assured her, a smile playing on her lips. “An’ Ah’m not afraid t’ tell ya that Ah was more than a little turned on watchin’ ya. Ah swear it was like watchin’ a movin’ Greek statue or somethin’.”
Logan snorted, his good humour quickly returning. “Has anyone ever told you that you have odd taste in men, kid?”
Stepping back slightly so that she could see Logan’s face, Marie reached up and smoothed her fingers through his hair. “Ah happen ta think that Ah have great taste in men. Ah found ya, didn’t Ah?”
Grinning suddenly, Logan leaned forward pressed a featherlight kiss to Marie’s lips. He was quick enough to beat her powers, but just slow enough so that Marie could get a quick glimpse at what was going on in his head.
Logan was glad that he’d found her.