This story is all Wanda W.'s fault - I am totally blameless. She challenged me to write something about chocolate covered cherries and THIS is what happened. I don't own them, really I don't...

Cordial Cherries

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HE was sitting at the bar, the beer in his hand warming as he tried to forget the scene by the pool earlier today. He'd gotten out of there as quickly as he could. Rogue, Kitty, and Jubilee had been laying out in the sun, in nothing but pieces of string and fabric barely covering ANYTHING important…and sharing a box of chocolate cherries.

They had no idea he'd seen them, he wasn't supposed to be at the school today, he'd been in town getting some supplies but forgot to get a measurement for one of the replacement windows they needed after a brawl between the boys. It just happened to be the window that looked out over the pool.

He hadn't been able to stop himself, watching all three girls – no definitely NOT girls anymore – licking melting chocolate off of their fingertips. They were laughing and sharing secrets, not knowing he could hear every word.

"…and then he was standin' there, his uniform half torn off and I couldn't help but get all hot and bothered. What is it about a Wolverine half covered in leather and blood that just gets a girl all hot and bothered?" He still could hear those words out of her sweet southern mouth as she licked the candy filling from her lips.

He moaned and took another drink from the beer. He shifted uncomfortably on the barstool. He definitely needed to think about something else.

"Can I get you another one?" The bartender asked.

"I need something a little stronger…"

"Now, why's that Sugar?" He flinched.

"It's been a long day."

"Really? Why's that." She dropped onto the barstool next to him, and leaned back on the bar on her elbows. Did she have any idea what that posture did to her assets? He felt like unsheathing his claws right into his thigh to give him ANYTHING else to think about besides her very tempting assets not eighteen inches from his hand.

"Things didn't go well in town." He muttered, downing the shot the bartender dropped in front of him. The man looked at him and at her, and just left the bottle.

"Somethin wrong, Sugar." She sounded so sweet and concerned, and all he could think about was finding a way to get those cherry lip gloss covered lips around…Pull your head out of the gutter, LOGAN , he thought to himself.

"Just the glass shop had ta cut the glass four times, took forever." He lied. What had taken forever was the three cold showers to get him the hell out of the mansion and away from the very tempting vision by the pool.

"Oh…poor baby." She gave him a pout with those glossy lips that nearly had him jumping off the stool, and all over her. "Did you see anythin' today, in town, you were interested in?"

"Huh…" He'd definitely seen something today he was interested in – and no way in hell he was getting.

"Didn't ya have some shoppin ta do?"

"Yeah – no didn't see much…leather shops in town suck."

"Maybe we'll have ta take a trip into the city. I could use some leather pants."

That image did drag him right up off the stool. "Be right back." He muttered and beat a quick retreat for the bathroom. That girl was going to be the death of him tonight. He pressed his sweaty forehead against the cold tile in the bathroom, trying to calm his raging need.

He splashed his face with cold water, trying to calm down before going back out to face her again. He finally calmed down enough to go back out. The stool was empty, but there was a small box on the one he'd been sitting in…a box of chocolate covered cherries, and a note.

"See you later, Sugar."

He just looked at the bartender and the half empty bottle of whiskey. "I'm gonna need another." He growled.

"The lady paid for four."

"SHIT!"

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She was sitting at her desk combing her hair when Kitty phased in.

"Did you DO IT?!"

"Hell yeah – that's what he gets for spyin' on us." Rogue laughed.

"Did you have enough money?"

"For four bottles."

"He's gonna be DRUNK!"

"This is LOGAN we're talkin about, he'll be lucky if he gets a damned buzz. That's not the point. He was spyin' on us."

"I know…did you TELL him?"

"NO! Why should I?'

"Hello – you can control your skin now…" Kitty smacked her upside the back of the head. "He might want to do something about it."

"Yeah RIGHT! I've given him every chance ta do somethin…" Marie muttered.

"He's a GUY! They're dense – they're idiots. You have to SPELL it out FOR THEM!" Kitty groaned.

"You wanna borrow my two by four and go hit Pete with it." Marie laughed as Kitty dropped onto the bed.

"Only if it works on Logan."

"Well HELL if that damned string bikini and buyin him four bottles of whiskey ta drown his sorrows in don't help I'm plum outa ideas."

"Have you tried climbing in bed with him?" Kitty asked, blushing.

"Hell yeah – last week, He curled up and went ta sleep."

"Oh God – he's hopeless." Kitty moaned. "Almost as hopeless as Pete."

"What's he done now – or should I say hasn't done."

"I offered to pose for him – NUDE! And he turned me down."

"Kitty – you don't need my two by four, you got your own." They both jumped at the sound of a motorcycle engine coming up the driveway.

"Scoot – I don't want Logan ta see ya in here."

"What are ya gonna do?"

"I don't know yet, I'm wingin' it. Get."

"Let me know – I'm hanging by a thread." Kitty said as she phased out of the room.

Marie sat there running the brush through her hair, watching her bedroom door in the mirror in front of her. She had no doubt he'd come find her after leaving the chocolates at the bar.

She heard him long before he reached the door, and she couldn't tell if he was tipsy or pissed. She was praying for the first, she didn't want him angry when she told him her news that could go ten ways of wrong.

"Do you mind telling me exactly why you did that?" He started the question before he kicked in the door – and she was in trouble.

"Did what, Sugar. I've done a lot of things today?" She was going to have to brave this out. He wouldn't hurt her, physically, she knew that for a fact, but sometimes he had no idea the effect his words had.

"The bottles – and the chocolates?"

"Oh that – that's what ya get for spyin' on girls at the pool." She snapped. The only way to deal with an angry Wolverine was to give as good as you got.

"I wasn't spyin."

"Really – did ya just happen ta leave these layin there? And I don't know WHY you needed THREE showers?"

"How'd ya know about THAT?"

"I heard the water runnin – and cut off and turn back on…I DO have you in my head ya know?" She threw his tape measure and notepad that he'd left on the windowsill at him.

"I…uhhhh…ummm…I was hot." He was backpedaling now

"Uhhh huhhh." She started walking toward him, the short dressing gown she was wearing barely covering the lace boy shorts and camisole she was planning on wearing to bed…if she went to bed alone.

"Marie… you really should cover up, Darlin." He was backing up toward the shattered door.

"Now why would I wanna do that, it's hot in here." He hit the door jam and just stopped dead as she stalked closer. She wanted him to suffer – just a bit before she let him have it.

"Marie…Darlin, what are you doin?"

"There's somethin' I wanna show ya."

"Can you show me from there, Darlin, I'm a little drunk and, damn…there's way too much skin showin."

"Now why would that bother YOU? Damn Logan, you've slept with half the women in Westchester County."

"I have not – only about a third, the rest are too old, married or too young." She knew he had no idea what he was saying, his eyes were glued to the swell of her chest where the dressing gown flared open.

She stood in front of him, and reached out a bare finger and lifted his chin. "My eyes are up here, Sugar."

"They sure are…WHAT THE HELL!" He sobered up about the time her lips brushed his…and she knew the moment he realized exactly what she'd wanted to show him, his arms locked around her waist crushing her against him. He didn't even breathe, he seemed to be trying to absorb every inch of skin he could find. Finally she'd gotten his attention.

She heard the sound of the gown ripping as he tried to untie the belt, and he lifted his head from her throat long enough to growl and pop a single claw and cut it off of her.

"Logan…Sugar…Can we take this to your room." She panted.

"Why?" He growled backing her toward the bed.

"There's a crowd outside the door."

Kitty, Jubilee and Ororo were standing there, all three in various stages of shock…and glee.

"Don't stop on our account." Jubilee said with a pop of her gum as she leaned against the half splintered door frame.

Logan just growled and threw Marie over his shoulder. She winked at her friends as he carried her down the hall and remembered to actually open his door. Jubilee gave her a thumbs up, and then took off down the hall…Marie caught sight of the half hidden digital camera before she turned the corner. There would be some INTERESTING pictures on the school website tomorrow.