Two
weeks passed, and the man Jack left as a spy was still there. Jean
remained in Logan's room, always wary of the moment he might finally
make good on his threats. It wasn't that she hated him, or found him
unattractive; her problem was the complete opposite, she had a bit of
a lusty crush developing on the stubborn pirate.
Their separate
lives made it easy to avoid most daily things like showers, Logan
coming to bed when Jean was already asleep, and Jean up and at work
long beore Logan woke up. But one night when Logan stumbled over one
of Jean's boots, she woke up to see him toss the boot aside and sit
on the bed. He tugged off his own boots and unbuttoned his shirt,
unaware that Jean was watching him from under her lashes. As he
tossed the shirt away, she let her eyes roam over his strapping back
and trim waist with rapt attention, tempted to reach out and touch
him. Then his weight left the bed and he removed his pants, the
strong legs and toned ass making her curse in apprecation of his
sturdy form within the confines of her own head.
Logan looked down
at her, and she was sure as caught. Waiting for him to say or do
something, minutes ticked by that he just stared at her. She nearly
flinched as his hand came to her cheek, brushing her hair aside. He
hadn't realized she was awake, only admiring her, his face lacking
any annoyance or stress. He was really quite handsome, and her heart
thumped at that admission, Logan's hand drifting from her cheek,
gently brushing his fingers over her throat. Jean moved into the
touch, making him smile.
He left her to take a shower, and she
turned over to try and get some sleep.
"Jean."
She
blinked, looking up into Logan's face. A blush crept over her cheeks
as she realized she was staring at him, if he had noticed he said
nothing as he sat next to her.
"Did you say
something?"
"We're gonna have to talk about the
ceremony," he repeated.
"We have to go through with
it?"
"The tavern is planning a party for the engagement
tonight, seems they want to see us married already."
Jean was
quiet, touching the ring on her finger.
"Kurt would do the
ceremony. Used to be a priest."
She nodded, he could do it so
it wouldn't be official.
"I could always do away with the guy
quietly, save the trouble."
"Everyone's going out of
their way for us, least we can do is give them a party," she
smiled.
Billy approached them with a grin. "I don't see you
lovebirds ever leave."
"No reason to leave when we've
got everything we need," Logan smirked.
"Why don't you
take this beauty off my hands for the day? She deserves it," he
winked knowingly at Logan and went back to the bar.
Jean smiled at
Logan, whose own face looked uncertain.
"We don't have to,
I'm sure you're busy-" she spoke by way of giving him an
out.
"Are you going to wear that tonight," he
interrupted.
"This, no," she looked down at her pants
and shirt. "I'll go change."
Logan was still sitting
at the table when Jean came down in a gauzy green dress, hair undone
and messy with curls. Jean neednt ask if she looked okay, his roaming
eyes obviously approved.
"Changed your mind," she asked
with a smile.
"Go back upstairs," he said with a grin,
though he wasn't joking.
Jean brushed past him, taking hold of his
hand. "Billy let me out for the day, you're taking me out."
They
walked around the small community, greeted by other pirates. For what
most people thought of pirates, if they saw the Cove, they'd think
they were in any other civilized city. Invited into shops, Logan
talked business while the women admired Jean's ring, teasing her to
the point of blushing.
"You're going to need a dress."
"I
hadn't thought of it," Jean admitted.
"Get one with the
most buttons and hooks, make him work for it," Vivian
winked.
"There's one just across the way at Margie's,"
Tessa spoke up.
"Ask him for some money, go on!"
This,
Jean was not looking forward to. She never asked Logan for something
that she hadn't earned herself.
"Logan, could I ask you a
favor?"
He turned, eyebrow quirked at her timid tone. "How
much and what's it for?"
"A wedding dress."
An
amused smile joined the quirked eyebrow, and he handed her the money
without a word. Jean leaned in and kissed him, the pair receiving
rowdy comments from the store owners that encouraged Logan to give
her lip a gentle bite.
"I'll find you," she
smiled.
Tessa and Vivian escorted her to Margie's, who
immmediately showed Jean the dress. She had to admit that it was
beautiful, champagne in color and close-fitting, enough fastenings on
it to take a month to remove.
"Try it on, then!"
Knowing
her reluctance to try it on would cause them to fuss, she did as she
was told and changed into the dress. With the back open, she held it
to her chest and left the small room.
"What a sight! He'll
think he died and went right to Heaven!"
"First, let's
get her fastened in!"
She waited patiently as they hooked
each hook and buttoned each button, speechless as she moved into the
mirror, harldy recognizing herself.
"I'll take it."
They
boxed the dress and sent her on, Jean wandering the streets looking
for Logan.
"Hey you," Logan grabbed her around the
waist.
Jean smiled, leaning into his chest.
"Is that
it?"
She nodded, holding it away from him as he tried to
reach for it.
"I was only going to carry it for you," he
grabbed the box and tucked in under his arm.
Heading back to the
tavern they were greeted by most of the Cove assembled inside. The
box containing the wedding dress traded hands as they were served
drinks, fed, and repeatedly congratulated.
The party was just
getting into full swing when Jean grabbed Logan's hand, leading him
up the stairs. Stopping on the landing, she leaned back against the
wall.
"I just needed a minute to breathe," she
smiled.
"You brought me along..." he let the question
trail off, looking down at her.
"Wanted some company."
"Being
engaged agrees with you," Logan brushed the backs of his fingers
down her arm.
"Helps when you're the one I'm engaged to,"
she sighed.
Logan put his hand to the back of her neck, pulling
her close for a lingering kiss.
"I don't see that guy
anywhere," Kurt smiled.
"Go away, Kurt."
"I'm
supposed to come look for you."
"Found us, now go,"
Logan muttered, placing a teasing kiss on Jean's lips.
"He'll
be back with an audience," Jean smiled.
"So let's go
upstairs," he replied, picking her up easily.
"This
happens after the wedding, Logan," she wrapped her arms around
his neck.
"Nobody waits anymore," he ascended the stairs
quickly and shut the door behind them. Now that they were alone, the
room seemed smaller and more intimate than previous times they were
together. Logan set Jean on her feet and paced around, as Jean
watched him with her bottom lip between her teeth. She crossed to the
chair where the box sat, running her fingers along the top.
"I
have a dress, and a ring...but it's not a real marriage."
"Why
can't it be?"
"What," she looked at him with a
curious expression.
"We could get married."
"You
want to have a wife? A real one?"
"No, I was thinking a
wooden one would be preferable...quieter, definitely," he
smirked.
Jean rolled her eyes, muttering something about him under
her breath.
"You asked."
"I did, but you decided
to be difficult about it and would you just tell me if you do want to
marry me or not, please!"
Logan picked her up again and
tossed her on the bed, crawling over her.
"Does that answer
your question?"
"Not the one I just asked," Jean
began to smile, but he leaned in and kissed her deeply, over and over
until she was gasping for breath.
"Marry me," he asked
roughly.
"Yes."
