Last Christmas

Chapter Eight

December 2009

Friday night, Logan put on his best pair of dark washed jeans and a black button up shirt, his favorite cologne, favorite belt buckle, boots and cowboy hat before heading over to pick up Georgie. Even if they were fake dating, he could show her a good time.

Especially when their idea of a good time usually led to steamy hot kisses. If this is not heading to the bedroom, we should stop, she said during their movie night, as if heading to the bedroom was not completely out of the realm of possibilities for them.

He knew he probably shouldn't have sex with her. They were just fake dating. Not the real thing. He needed to be more mature than that. He was nearly 25 now, no longer some punk kid. He shouldn't just fall into bed with whatever gorgeous dame offered, if he didn't have feelings for her. That was the kind of stuff he did back in college but he thought he moved past that since he had been serious about Lulu for the last two years.

But maybe the best way to get over Lulu was to have a roll in the hay with Georgie? It wouldn't be wrong if they both knew ahead of time that it was just sex and fake dating, right?

He rang her doorbell.

Her mother opened the door. "You must be Logan. I don't think we have been formally introduced. I'm Felicia, Georgie's Mom. Come on in."

He removed his hat as he came inside. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am."

Two old ladies were sitting in hard back chairs near the couch. One was knitting. The other was watching Wheel of Fortune.

Logan knew that one lady was Georgie's Great Aunt Ida, the one who was harassing her at the engagement party, and that meant the other one was Georgie's great grandmother, Mariah.

Felicia made the introductions. Logan smiled and politely greeted both ladies.

Mariah said "A true southern gentlemen. Butter my butt and call me a biscuit. I had no clue that there were any cowboys this far north in Yankee country."

Logan said "Yes, ma'am, I was raised out your way in God's country."

Great Aunt Ida said "Raised to be a doctor but you became a paramedic, so I've heard. You know that Dr. Hunter is sweet on our Georgie and he's a real doctor. Are you thinking of finishing your degree?"

"First chance I get," Logan lied.

Great Aunt Ida lit up. "Well, hot damn! We could have another doctor in the family! You can tell me more about your plans when you come to tea tomorrow afternoon."

"Looking forward to it, ma'am," Logan lied.

He was relieved when Georgie came walking down the stairs. Though she was just wearing jeans and a red sweater, with her hair in soft curls, he lost his breath. She looked sexy in that green dress last week at the engagement party, but she looked damn good also when she came over for movie night wearing jogging pants from Victoria Secrets Pink label, that all the college girls wore around campus.

Georgie Jones was rocking the hottest body around but she didn't even know it. Logan was sure she had no idea how damn good she looked.

He bit down on his bottom lip as she walked closer to him. She reached out her hand to him. He took her hand. She pressed a kiss to his cheek.

She whispered in his ear. "You look great- and smell great, too. I've always loved this cologne on you."

She moved back. Butterflies swooped through his stomach. She had always loved it on him? Did she just say that to make her family think that she had noticed her boyfriend's cologne before? Had they even heard her? Or was that just for Logan? Could it be true?

Why did she constantly leave his head spinning these days?

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Thanks for coming with me tonight," Logan said, as they walked up to the door of Nadine's apartment.

They were holding hands.

Logan knocked on the door.

Georgie said "Let's give them a show."

She wrapped her arms around his neck.

He smirked and said "I think you're just looking for any excuse to smooch me."

"You figured me out." She chuckled as their lips came together in a soft kiss.

Cooper opened the door. "Hey, you two."

They were both flushed as they broke their kiss. They turned to face him.

"Hey, bro," Logan said. "Thanks for inviting us over."

"Nadine is excited that we have a couple to double with now," Cooper said, as he ushered them inside. "She wasn't a big Lulu fan."

Georgie asked "Who is?" as Logan helped her take her coat off.

Nadine called out "Coop, come help me bring in drinks and snacks!"

Coop said "Be right back. Have a seat. Take a load off. Nadine wants to play board games so I hope that's cool."

Georgie and Logan sat on the couch. He put his arm around her shoulder. On the coffee table was The Newlywed Game.

Georgie whispered to Logan "This is not going to be good. That game is for people who know a lot about each other. I don't even know your middle name."

"Baldwin."

"Really?"

"My Ma wanted me to have a piece of my Pops. What's yours?"

"I don't have one," she whispered, before Cooper and Nadine walked in.

Nadine was lit up. "I'm so jazzed that we're all getting to hang out tonight! I hope you're ready to lose at The Newlywed Game. I take board games super serious."

Logan said "I don't know that it's really fair. Georgie and I have only been dating less than a month." It had actually only been days but the were pretending they had been sleeping together in secret much longer. "You two have been together...what? Like nine months? I think this game is rigged in y'all's favor."

Cooper said "It's just for fun. Don't sweat it. Besides you and Georgie are spending so much time together that I'm sure you two got to know each other pretty well by now."

Georgie said "I guess we're gonna find out."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, this is how it works," Nadine said. "The girls stay out here and the guys go in the kitchen to answer the questions. Then we come back for round one. Whenever an answer matches, that couple gets one point. There will be 30 questions and three rounds."

Georgie and Logan shared a worried look. Thirty questions about each other! Geez. This could be a blow out in Cooper and Nadine's favor.

Nadine said "Cell phones off too. There's nothing worst than a cheater. Aunt Raylene always said: Cheaters never prosper." She passed out the sheets with the questions. "Okay, y'all, lets do this. Good luck!"

Logan pecked Georgie's lips and said "You got this, love."

She flushed from the kiss and the pep talk and especially since he had called her love again. She knew it was silly, though. This was all fake. She was probably an idiot for getting involved in this scheme to begin with, though it had made living with her Great Aunt Ida a little easier. At least the woman now thought Georgie was settled down with a man, which seemed to ease her heart.

And Georgie was not hating fake dating Logan. It was no hardship for her. It was actually fun in plenty of ways. He was a great kisser. He could be a gentleman when he tried and lately he was really being one towards her. Did she mention the kisses? They were worth mentioning twice. And it was fun to be texting with him everyday now.

Still after this was all over she would probably just feel worse about herself than ever because she would have gotten a little peek of what it was like to be loved by someone again, something she hadn't felt since her divorce, and then it would just be over like that. Valentine's Day would be another romantic holiday spent alone for her.

Letting out a heavy sigh, she got down to trying to answer these questions about her 'boyfriend'.