A/N – The characters you know and love aren't mine – but you knew that. All the crazy OCs that you could do without (but I couldn't), those are mine
Chapter 43
"Jay, I don't care how drunk you get me. I am not letting you near my husband's stiff one."
Veronica and Logan met Jay and Ethan in the hotel lobby that evening. Veronica smiled happily at the assembled men, while she was no closer to making a decision about her future, she felt better having the options laid clear. The foursome had done an early dinner and preliminary debrief. It was decided that Ethan was the clear winner of the day and that Dick should definitely close on the hotel.
"So now what kids?" Ethan asked. "Is it time for the Mars family to run off on the old married fuddy-duddies?"
"Nope," Veronica popped the "P". "Someone told me about a karaoke dive bar, and I think it is time to break into a musical number." Her smile glowed brighter as she grabbed Logan and Jay's hands and started tugging them towards the door.
Logan planted his feet, "Oh no….This is not New York, and this is not On the Town."
Veronica let go of Jay's hand and turned back to Logan with a pout, "You are right, this is D.C. not NYC….but I don't remember there being any snappy musical numbers in Logan's Run." She tugged on his arm again as she tried to walk backward and pull him along. "You don't have to sing if you don't want to….just hold my purse?" Her wide blue eyes looked at him with entreaty.
Logan laughed and let himself get tugged along, delighted to see Veronica's pout shift instantly back to a blinding smile. Just like that, I am a sucker. Of course she knows that she can get me to do anything she wants, but it is worth it to see her so happy.
True to his boast, Jay led them on a walk through dimly light streets and darker sidewalks between buildings until they came to a staircase leading down into a basement level speakeasy. The space was bigger on the inside and although crowded, the foursome managed to grab a table relatively near the small stage. Logan stayed standing as the other sat pouring over the song notebook, snickering and jotting down notes on little slips of paper. "If you promise not to put my name on any of those, first round is on me," he said with a smile.
Veronica lazily waived her hand over her shoulder, "go forth and secure the libations flyboy. I only promise that if I sign you up for something it will be more original than You've Lost the Loving Feeling."
Logan headed off to the bar, shaking his head in mock dismay. As he was waiting for the bartender's attention, he felt someone soft and small slide up against him. Turning with a smile, he wrapped his arms around the women and bent his head for a kiss. "Couldn't stay away from me could you?" He asked with a laugh, and then suddenly took a step back. He bumped into the bar, eyes darting hastily from the women in front of him, to the table where Veronica still sat.
The blonde women stepped forward, pressing herself tight against him. She lifted his lips to his ear and purred, "Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing Logan. Marital bliss with the town tramp not what you expected?" Her hands were on him now, idly running up his chest.
Logan pushed her back gently and side stepped. "Madison, we both appear to be mistaken. My wife," he gestured to the table by the stage, "the federally trained agent with a license to kill, is just over there. I suggest that you go elsewhere." His voice was cold and his eyes hard. What the fuck? Of all the gin joints in all the towns…does Neptune always have to reach out for a sucker punch?
Veronica had looked up to see what was taking Logan so long. I wonder if Logan could be convinced to join us for a group rendition of "In the Navy." She saw an overly made up looking Beltway Bimbo pressing up against Logan. Veronica stiffened for a second and then released her breath. Really Veronica? Knee jerk jealousy, I thought I was past that. She watched as Logan turned and tried to extract himself from the situation and she smiled. That's my Logan, solid and true, but why does he look so angry? What did the bimbo say to cause such a reaction?
Madison glanced coolly over at the table that Logan gestured to. She caught Veronica's gaze and smirked wickedly. Madison stepped into Logan's personal space again, "It looks like she is being well taken care of by those two strapping men at her table. Why don't you let me remind you what it is like to be with a real lady?" With that she stood on her tip toes and laid a passionate kiss on Logan's lips.
Veronica's hand grasped unconsciously for where her gun should be, but wasn't because it was locked securely back in the room's safe in case she decided to drink tonight. She put her hand flat on the table, and decided to count to ten before going over and knocking out Madison's teeth.
Logan roughly pushed Madison back this time, grabbed a shot of some unknown alcohol from the man next to them at the bar, gargled and spat on the floor. Madison looked down in disgust at the spittle on her Louboutin heels. She sneered, "Over dramatic much Logan? Go back to your wife," the word sounded like a curse. "You are used merchandise anyway." Madison turned and made her way out of the bar without looking back.
Logan was afraid to meet Veronica's gaze. Instead, he turned deliberately back to the bar. He apologized to the man whose drink he had stolen and the bartender for the mess. Throwing down a fifty, he bought the next round and provided a generous tip for their troubles. Somehow he ended up with a scotch in his hand, the amber liquid swirling around cubes. The karaoke and other noise of the bar grew muffled as he contemplated what it would mean if he lifted the glass. It would be so easy. He put it back down on the bar, and spoke to the bartender again.
Ten. Veronica's heart ached, not from anything she had witnessed between Madison and Logan, but from the look she had seen on Logan's face before he turned back to the bar. He looked like that morning in college, it took us so long to recover from that. She resisted the urge to go to him. That face, I don't want that cycle to start again. I should let him cool down, before either of us say things we don't mean. Jay was heading up to the stage. He and Ethan had been oblivious to the little tableau that just played out at the bar. Veronica forced her attention to her partner and cheered as he started belting out Call Me Maybe.
Logan came back to the table, and deposited two beers by Ethan. He handed Veronica a bottled mineral water, and kept a similar bottle in his hands. He didn't sit.
Veronica set her bottle on the table and reached both of her hands out to Logan's. She pulled him down into his seat, and then scooted herself into his lap. Next, she pulled his arms around her waist as she leaned back into his chest. Veronica twisted her head back and kissed Logan's cheek. "Drink up, flyboy, we are on next, Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House."
Logan felt like a robot, afraid to look at Veronica. She manhandled him into the shape of a chair and blithely announced they would be singing Garth Brooks, in public. He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, and felt himself relax. The rest of the night passed in a blur. Veronica pulled him onto stage more than once, but never forced him up alone. She also sang by herself and with Jay. She was radiant, laughing, and relaxed. When Veronica wasn't performing, she was almost always on his lap, or touching his arm, his cheek, his hair.
Veronica returned to the table after a stirring rendition of Wrecking Ball. Logan stood up and pulled her into a deep kiss. People from the surrounding tables let out whoops and catcalls as the pair broke apart, breathing deeply.
"Hey, Bard, you big stud. Take me to bed or lose me forever." Veronica grabbed Logan's arm and started tugging him towards the door. She threw a wink at her partner and his husband.
"Show me the way to the hotel, honey." Logan followed willingly behind, not even sparing the courtesy of a nod to their friends as they entered into the night.
The door had barely swung closed before Veronica had Logan pressed against the wall of the hotel. She kissed him hungrily, her hands pushing at his shirt, trying to simultaneously move it up his sculpted abs and undue the buttons to free him entirely.
"Veronica," Logan panted, grasping her hands, trying to still their frantic motion. "About what you saw tonight," he started.
She stopped him with a kiss. Her tongue demanding and teasing in his mouth. She pulled back, "I saw a bimbo throw herself at my glorious specimen of a husband. I saw my husband handling the matter in an appropriate way that did not land anyone in jail or the hospital. I don't think we need to talk about seeing, why don't we concentrate on feeling instead?"
Veronica slid down his body until she was on her knees in front of him. Logan was still pressed against the wall, and he let out a long moan as her delicate fingers worked the zipper on his pants and freed his cock. She circled the base gently and pulled him into her mouth. He groaned as she continued bobbing her head and working her hand on his shaft. "Veronica…I am close."
She looked up, eyes twinkling wickedly. Her lips moved to just his head and increased the suction. Logan felt himself explode. Veronica drank him down, then stood. Backing fully into the room, she slowly undressed, her eyes never leaving his. She laid back on the big bed and smiled. Logan gathered his energy and pounced. She is right, sometimes we don't have to talk.
a/n quotes borrowed shamelessly from Casablanca and Top Gun
