Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls or the characters mentioned in this story that are also mentioned on the show.
(Margaritas and Marshmallows)
"You ready for this?" He asked her seriously.
"Yes." She replied confidently. He loved that she was already so confident in this. He loved that they were on the same page again.
Logan opened the door for his girlfriend and they both stepped inside and followed their ears toward their friends. As they got closer to the living room Rory, still clutching his hand, hung back so she could be a step behind Logan and he would enter the room first. Logan knew she didn't like being the center of attention as much as he didn't mind it, and this afternoon- after last night before, during, and after the pub, and their coffee date this morning- they would be the subject of questions, cat calls (from Finn of course), and knowing looks. He allowed her to follow him into the living room, but he didn't allow her out of his reach.
"Hey, everyone, looks like you figured out that we are neighbors this week." Logan said announcing their return.
"Well?" Colin asked making a show of looking at their joined hands and back up to Logan.
"Well what?" Logan replied keeping a straight face, but already knowing what his friend was asking.
"Did it happen? Are you…." Colin looked slightly annoyed with Logan's game. "Look, man, Rory's standing behind you smiling, so just tell me, did it happen?" Colin tried again
Logan looked at Rory and she tried to drop her smile to give a neutral expression to help out his game, but it was impossible.
"Did what happen? Are we what?" Logan again responded making sure to frustrate his friend
Finn, unable to take anymore of this beating around the bush jumped up from his position on the couch and knelt before Rory and implored, "Rory, my love, Colin is trying to ask if you and Logan have come to your senses. Did he beg you to take him back? Did you accept?"
"Yes!" was all she could say for her smile had taken over her face. Logan looked at her with loving eyes. She may have been too timid to walk into this room ahead of him, but he loved that she couldn't contain her feelings about this any better than he could.
Kimberly and Jill let out squeals of excitement and Finn yelled, "FINALLY!"
Colin looked up and simply said, "Thank God!"
Everyone in the room knew that Rory and Logan belonged together and that even their friend's lives would be so much happier and more fulfilled now that they were together again. As was fitting, neither Logan nor Rory could wipe the smiles off of their faces. Logan kissed her cheek and pulled her into his side as they stood there before their best friends happier than they had been in years- since before the last time they'd seen each other.
When the cheering and leering had died down a bit Logan asked, "What were you all doing here anyway?"
Jill answered from her place next to Finn on the couch, "The guys showed up a couple of hours ago saying that we should all wait for you two together, so we started a movie and we just had lunch. We were actually thinking that we would all hang out together today, maybe spend the day in the back by the pool and have a barbeque for dinner. What do you think, Ror, Logan?"
"Umm, yeah. That sounds fine to me." Rory said. She was always easy going about these kinds of things.
"Good, well, we'll be back in a few minutes. We should all go change into our board shorts. Is there anything you don't have here? We can run out to the store since we're already going out" Logan offered. He had already started wondering about the bathing suit Rory would wear.
"Yeah, that would be great. Thanks! I'll make you a little list. Be right back" Jill said. A minute later she came back with a short list and the guys were off. The girls went to change and set up a few things for the afternoon and evening. Rory came down wearing a white strapless beach cover-up and the royal blue strings to her bikini top peaked out from the top and tied behind her neck. Jill, the redhead, wore a bright green bikini with small white polka dots that was covered up with a tank top and a short denim skirt, and Kimberly had on the same kind of cover up as Rory, but it matched the color of her hot pink suit perfectly.
LLG + LEH
Logan, Colin and Finn walked back to their house, changed into board shorts and sandals, and got into Finn's SUV and made their way to the store. After a just few minutes in the store Colin was saying, "Ok, guys, it looks like we got everything on the list: hamburgers, chips, buns, hot dogs, more buns, lettuce, cheese, watermelon—"
Finn interrupted, "How 'bout marshmallows?"
"No, marshmallows aren't on this list, Finn!"
Finn, being the Finn that his is, picked up a bag of mini marshmallows and hugged them protectively to his chest. "I don't care, I want them anyway! We should also get some booze. The way they drink it, those girls will probably be out of tequila soon and they'll need some more margarita mix too. Better get a couple more bottles of our drink as well." He paused, folded his arms across his chest as if deep in thought, then the Australian continued, "You know, I have never known six people to go through so much liquor in such a short time before!"
Laughing at this Logan cut in, "Finn, that is such a lie, but maybe we should get some more scotch for us and stuff for the girls. Hey, you seem awfully concerned about the girls, especially Jill. What is going on with you and Jill anyway? You two seem awfully friendly for having just met."
"Logan! She's hot, she's a redhead, and she likes to party! She's like my dream girl! You know I'm always up for a little fun, Mate!"
"Alright, alright. Let's get back. I think we've got everything now."
"Missing Reporter Girl already, Logan?" Finn teased
"Only about as much as you would like to see Jill again!" Logan ribbed his friend back. Finn paid for the groceries and they piled back into the Escalade.
They made their way back to the girls' house and carrying the groceries, walked in without even bothering to knock. They found the house quiet and empty and they began to unpack their bags and put things away when they heard laughing come from the backyard. The three men looked outside and found Rory, Jill, and Kimberly chatting excitedly and laughing in the hot tub while sipping margaritas.
"Figures" Colin says playfully. "They send us out to run errands and they get in the water before we can even get a good look at them in their bathing suits!"
"Don't worry, my friend, we will find a way to see those girls in their suits out of the water." Finn assured his friend. They finished up in the kitchen and poured themselves each a drink and went to meet the girls out back.
LLG + LEH
The door opened and Jill pointed daintily and said, "Oh, look, they're back!" The girls all turned to look at the three men who had just walked outside.
Logan began to make his way over to the hot tub when a slightly tipsy Rory let out a squeal, jumped out of the hot tub and launched herself into his arms and attached her mouth to his, effectively soaking him in the process as her wet body clung to his, newly wet, body, but neither of them minded. With her there in his arms he noted Rory's deep blue bikini that he had seen flying to him just a moment before. 'Nice! The kind with strings- My favorite!'
After her eccentric display of affection she jumped out of his arms and back into the hot tub just as fast as she had bounded into Logan the moment before. Logan shook his head trying to figure out what had just happened. One minute she was there and the next she was back to sipping her margarita in the hot tub.
Once the feeling came back to his knees after that kiss, Logan finished walking over to the girls and came up behind Rory and rested his forearms on the edge on either side of her shoulders. He leaned in and whispered into her ear, "I missed you too. That was one hell of a welcome back." She turned her head a smiled at him. It was all she could seem to do today. She liked it and so did he.
Smirking, he addressed all three girls, "So, it was nice of you to wait for us to get back." He said casually.
"Well, we would have, but you took so long and besides we thought that sipping drinks would be much more fun in the hot tub than in the house waiting for you. This way we also get a nice show when we watch you guys take your shirts off too!" Jill countered excitedly.
"I'm glad you're enjoying this, Jill" Logan shot back with a playful gleam in his eye. "You guys do know it's like 90 degrees outside and you're sitting in a hot tub, right?"
"Yeah, but our frozen drinks make us cold!" Rory answered and looked up at her boyfriend with a cheeky smile and a little shiver for emphasis. He just stared back at her, completely at a loss for words at their logic.
Just then music started to come out of the speakers in the backyard.
"YAY! Party!" Jill squealed.
"Yes, Love, a party- it's what I do best!" Finn cut in. He took off his shirt right in front of the girls, very happy they were all watching him, and jumped into the pool. Logan pulled off his shirt too and Jill and Kimberly started cat calling.
"Yeah, Baby!"
"OWWWWWW!"
Rory was quiet but she kept her gaze locked on her boyfriend. He was beautiful.
He came back to lean against the hot tub right behind Rory again and thoroughly enjoying their cat calls in good fun. With a big grin Logan shot back, "You ladies like that?" and in a whisper into Rory's ear, but not losing any of his cockiness, he asked his girlfriend, "Rory do you like that?"
She rolled her eyes, but kept looking at him with a small smile. He kissed her cheek and jumped into the pool after his friend and Colin was left standing on the deck still clothed.
"Ok, Colin, your turn! Give us something to see!" Kimberly yelled
Finn looked up and couldn't take it anymore, "Now hold on a moment, girls. Why are you so excited about Logan and Colin, but not a word was said when I stripped for you?" Finn asked pouting.
"Well, I liked watching you, Finn" Jill announced
Colin smiled. He had just figured something out. He started out slowly, "Yeah… I don't think those are your first margaritas of the day, ladies" Colin said playfully.
"Nope! These are our second- but the way Jill makes them, we may as well be on our fourths!" Kimberly said proudly as she held up four fingers in explanation.
"Oh, that's where all of this is coming from…it's liquid courage!" Logan said as if it all made sense after that revelation.
"Alright, I'm going in too" Colin said and finally and he too took of his polo shirt and got into the pool as the girls all watched with their eyes glued to him.
"Colin, did you look like that in college?" Rory quietly let out more to herself than anyone else.
"What?" Colin asked with a smile
Logan's head jerked from his conversation with Colin to his girlfriend who he saw blatantly checking out Colin of all people. "What did you just ask him?" Logan looked shocked
"Huh? What?" Rory asked and turned to her girlfriends, "did I say that aloud?"
"Oh yeah, you did" Kimberly said laughing.
Just then Logan came up behind her, took her drink out of her hand and placed it on a nearby table, returned to the hot tub and scooped Rory up in his arms. When she realized what he was doing she started screaming, "LOOOOGAAA-!" but was cut off when he jumped into the pool still holding her to him. Their friends all looked shocked first at Rory's words to Colin and then Logan's actions in response, but laughter soon overtook them.
"Logan! I can't believe you did that!" Rory sputtered when they came back above water together. He pulled her to him and she instinctively wrapped her legs around him and held onto his neck while he grabbed her waist and walked with her clinging to his body to the opposite side of the pool for their little chat.
Smirking he started, "Now, Ace, I think you need a lesson in body appreciation. You can't let out a comment about another guy's body when your new and old boyfriend is near- and looking so well, I might add. You didn't even say you liked mine" He said in a half playful tone.
Rory, getting that he was fishing for compliments replied, "Oh, poor baby." She mocked, laying a hand on his chest, "You already know how much I appreciate your body, though, Logan. I had to give Colin a little something to make him feel better about himself, especially with you around always looking so much better than him anyway" she finished coyly.
"So, that comment didn't just escape your pretty lips, it was premeditated and only intended to give Colin's ego a boost?" he asked keeping up the charade.
"Uh huh" Rory answered as she ran her hand over his chest and down his arm stroking his muscles to show her honest appreciation.
Logan leaned closer to her and whispered into her ear, "You look good, too, Ace. Blue really works for you." and let his hands wander a bit south of her waist to give her cheeks a playful squeeze and placed a quick kiss on her ear for emphasis.
"I'm glad you like it" she said with a smile and a light kiss on his lips.
"Well, I kinda like being so close to you in the water with so little clothing on too."
"Yeah, it's alright." She said playfully.
Their four friends came over to the corner of the pool to impose on Rory and Logan's alone time.
"Alright, you two, break it up or get a room. We don't want to see any of that lovey dovey crap here!" Finn said way too loud for their close proximity.
"Don't knock it 'till you try it" Logan shot back not letting go of Rory. Rory smiled at their friends, but tightened her hold on Logan. He flew when he felt her try to get closer to him. He smiled and looked at her. "Enjoying yourself, Ace?"
She nodded emphatically still smiling as big as ever. "You?"
"You have no idea" He answered almost giddily before kissing her lips again.
The couples' friends had moved away from them in the pool and began to talk about their friends who were so clearly enamored with each other.
"Well, we wanted to get their minds off work while we were here…looks like mission accomplished" Colin commented.
"Yeah, but something tells me that when they go back to work they won't be such workaholics anymore either." Kimberly agreed.
"I hope this means the old Logan will come back. He hasn't been the same since He moved to California." Finn commented, surprisingly focused on the situation at hand.
"And something tells me that the Rory we knew from work will no longer be with us either. It sounds like the Rory from the stories she's told us about her past and Yale and in Stars Hollow will be coming out now too. I'm beginning to think more and more that they were supposed to find each other and get back together on this trip." said Jill.
Rory and Logan rejoined their friends who were all smiling at them. "I'm not even going to ask what you were all talking about" Logan said, shaking his head at them. "Do you guys want to play some pool hoops?" He asked pointing to the basketball hoop that was positioned over the pool.
"Sure"
"Yeah" Both Colin and Finn agreed
Logan winked at Rory. Now she would have the opportunity see and appreciate the body he's worked so hard to keep up.
"We'll just watch from over there" Jill pointed to the lounge chairs that lined the side of the pool.
"YES! Excellent, Loves!" Finn shouted "We'll be able to see you perfectly from here!"
The three girls rolled their eyes and got out of the pool and made their way over to the chairs. Each of them positioned her chair so she was mostly lying down with her head propped up so she could watch the boys and soak up the sun. This was a two way street.
After a few minutes of the girls blatantly staring at the guys, Jill focused on Finn, Rory focused on Logan, Kimberly broke the silence, "So, Rory was right. Colin really does look good."
"OH MY GOSH! You like Colin!" Rory teased her friend. "Oh, this is just too cute!"
Before Kimberly could confirm or deny Rory's assumption Jill cut in, "No, you know what too cute is, Ror? You and Logan in the pool few minutes ago-- the very definition of a cute couple. I didn't know two people could smile as much as you two smile at each other- but I guess that's warranted, re-finding your perfect match and everything, I mean, that's a pretty good thing"
"Yeah, It's the best" Rory said with feeling and a happy sigh as she continued looking at her boyfriend play with his friends. It was true, all three of them were good looking men, but no one held a candle to Logan, no one ever had.
Logan looked up just in time to see her eyes fixed on him and he waved back knowing they were even. She smiled and gave a small wave back.
LLG + LEH
Colin saw the girls were chatting and laughing, but their eyes never left the shallow end, where the men were playing, since they had gotten out of the pool. Finn saw this and, turning to look at the girls, draped his arm around his friend's neck and said, "I know, Mate, Isn't it like we've died and gone to heaven?"
Logan joined the group and saw where they were looking, "You better not be leering at my girlfriend, boys!"
"Just look at them, Logan!" Finn implored as he gave out an appreciative whistle in the general direction of their audience. "They're gorgeous, all three of them!"
They heard the girls all laugh at Finn's whistle and watched as, in perfect unison the ladies all stood up from their chairs Rory looked over at the guys who were lined up facing them and laughed to herself at their obvious and unashamed staring and called, "We're going to start getting dinner ready; in a while you guys are going to have to barbeque!" She turned back to her friends and resumed talking with them.
The three men stood there in the pool and watched, mesmerized by the three smart and beautiful bikini clad women with amazing legs and perfect bodies walk seductively into the house in a line as they chatted and laughed together without so much as another look at the men.
Once they were in the house Kimberly said, "Oh, my God! That was perfect! They just stood there gawking at us! Rory, you are evil when it comes to this!"
"Not evil, I just know that with those three when beautiful and barely dressed women walk by they will stop whatever they're doing and stare with no shame. I thought it would be nice of us to give them a show!" Rory defended.
They all agreed then Jill said, "Ok, first thing's first!"
So, the women set to their first task- a fresh pitcher of margaritas!
LLG + LEH
Outside the men were all still staring at the door the women had just walked through.
"Do you think they planned that?" Finn asked clearly shocked and disappointed that their female companions had gone inside where he could not see them.
"Oh, man! I definitely need a drink!" Colin exclaimed
"Yeah, and maybe a cold shower!" Logan sighed
The three guys got out of the pool and heard the blender start up again inside and with an eye roll they poured themselves each a glass of scotch before they gathered around the barbeque.
The evening went on, the six had dinner together on the patio, each exclaiming it was the best barbeque they'd ever had.
After dinner a little sun drunk and tequila tipsy Kimberly stretched and sighed, "Today was so fun! One of the best days ever, for sure!"
"Yeah, it was…until you put your cover ups back on for dinner!" Finn sulked
"Yeah! What's with that anyway?" Colin joined in
Logan and Rory just looked at each other shocked. That was a very 'un-Colin' kind of statement.
"Well, you guys put your shirts on before we ate, so we figured we would get dressed too." Jill quipped.
At this, Finn and Colin stood together and pulled off their shirts in protest.
Rory and Logan couldn't help themselves and burst out laughing at Finn and Colin's behavior.
Taking Rory's hand on one of his and their dirty dishes in another Logan piped up, "Ok, we're going out before this gets any weirder. Be back later."
As Logan and Rory walked away from the group they could hear Finn saying, "Now, could I interest you ladies in some marshmallows this evening?" This only made them laugh harder.
They went inside and he dropped their dishes in the sink and grabbed a blanket before Logan pulled Rory out the front door. They walked out of the yard and onto the beach with fingers laced in blissful silence. When they got closer to the water he looked at her and said, "So, Ace, have a good day?"
"Hmmm, let's see here. I woke up and got my boyfriend back, played in the pool with said boyfriend and friends all day, sipped margaritas to my hearts delight, had an excellent meal and now I'm walking on the beach with boyfriend on a beautiful night watching the sun set. Yeah, I'd say the day hasn't been too bad." She said with a coy smile.
He returned her smile and said "Good, I'm glad. I enjoyed the day too. No day can be bad when I get to be with you again."
"That was cheesy, Logan!" she complained.
"No, it was the truth and you loved it anyway, so no complaining! Ok, we're here."
"We're where?"
"At our destination." He spread the blanket and sat down and pulled her to him. He positioned her so she sat in front of him with his legs on either side of her body so her head rested on his shoulder and her back against his chest. He folded his arms over her stomach and bowed his head to place three kisses on her ear and whispered to her, "Now, look there"
She lifted her head from his chest and opened her eyes. He had sat so they could see the sun set in the distance, which luckily they were on a northwest-facing beach so it was only half setting over houses and they got to see it go down over the water too.
"Wow! The sky's so many colors! It's beautiful here, Logan."
"Yeah, it is, Ace."
She settled back against him and felt warm even though she knew she should have felt a slight chill from spending the day in the sun. She breathed in deeply and could smell Logan's natural scent she knew so well and had missed so much while they were apart the last few years. She felt perfect in his arms. He knew how to hold her so she felt safe and cherished. His smooth warm skin was amazing to touch and she missed that too.
His voice broke her thoughts "You sound like you are going to be sleeping soon."
"No, I'm just taking it all in, just thinking, just being."
He smiled to himself and brushed a few stray hairs away from her face before kissing the top of her head and tightening his grip and she snuggled closer to him.
A few minutes later Logan spoke slowly and softly against her ear "This is one of the things I missed most about being away from you- this feeling of total contentment. Before you, and since we broke up, I… I always felt like I needed to be doing something to have fun… to keep myself entertained and amused" He paused. "But here I am sitting with you not doing anything, just being with you and I feel like I could stay here forever as long as you stayed here just like this, with me." she could feel his hot breath as he whispered against her skin. It gave her chills.
She turned her head and looked up at him and his lips met hers. Their kiss was soft, slow, and searching. She hesitantly licked his lips with the tip of her tongue, loving how soft they were. He couldn't get enough of the way her bottom lip felt between his teeth as he caressed it with his tongue and then his lips. The two sat there, relearning one another's mouths, the way it felt, the way it tasted, and what made the other let out those coveted small moans of pleasure.
There was no rush and they simply sat there enjoying the feel of their bodies so close together and the knowledge that they had found that which they had missed and needed for so long. This feeling was old and familiar, but new at the same time because they had been without it for so long. Her hand moved to cup his cheek. His skin tingled when her hand found his face. He'd missed those simple touches. Simple they may be, they still meant the world to him. They made him feel something that he had only felt with Rory.
Rory got a little braver and ran her tongue along his bottom lip. His breath caught but he allowed her entrance into his mouth again. As her tongue passed through his lips he couldn't help but touch the tip of his tongue along the side of hers before he attacked her mouth. It was a slow attack, but she couldn't have pushed him away even if she wanted to, not that the thought crossed her mind at all. She was lost in him just as much as he was lost in her.
When they pulled away from their kiss they stared into each other's eyes for a while with googly eyes. There were really no words that would do justice to their feelings.
After a few moments Logan's voice still low, he spoke, "Ror, can I take you on a date tomorrow night?
She nodded still having trouble thinking straight and coming up with words after their kissing in the moments before.
"Pick you up at seven."
She leaned back down onto his chest and listened to his heart beat. His heart was beating fast, but no faster than hers.
They sat there together until even their joyful feelings and the body heat that emitted from the pair was not enough to keep them warm anymore. They stood up; he shook out the blanket, wrapped it around her, and picked her up and carried her like he would carry a small child all the way back to Jill's house.
When they arrived he kissed her softly again while he still held her.
"Rory, today's been the most perfect day. I would have been supremely happy to get you back in any way on any day, anywhere but today was amazing; if I had dreamed this it couldn't have been better."
"I agree!"
He kissed her again and said he would pick her up for brunch the next morning at ten, watched her go into her house and he walked back to Colin's house to meet back up with friends. He was sure they'd want details and for once, he was willing to give them freely.
Logan opened the door to Colin's house and saw just what he'd expected to see that night when he returned. Finn and Colin had set up in the living room with a table set for a poker game and three glasses of scotch.
Logan looked up when he heard, "He's back!" and his friends bounded down the stairs and over to the poker table. Colin dealt the first hand while Finn addressed Logan. "We think it's great that you and Reporter Girl are back together, Logan. In all seriousness, you haven't been the same since her and we look forward to getting our old friend back."
It was Colin's turn, "Yeah, but if you screw this up again—"
Logan put his hand up to his friend and cut him off. There was no need for Colin to finish that sentence. "Thanks, Finn, it's good to be back. It's just right when I'm with her. I know it, I feel different when I'm around her. And, Colin, you don't have to worry. I'm not letting her go again. I've learned my lesson."
"Good, now, let's play cards!" Colin said. He knew his friend was serious about this. His fears were laid to rest.
"Alright now, Mate, tell us the whole story, starting with before you walked into the pub last night!"
"Seriously, Finn, you're worse than a girl when it comes to gossip!" Logan said with a laugh. He told them about accidentally bumping into Rory just before they walked into the pub, the important parts of their conversations the night before and that morning, and that he was really happy again, supremely happy.
After a few rounds Colin was up 4000, Logan was up 2500 and Finn owed each of them quite a bit of money. They decided to call it a night and try to even things out another night.