A/N: Whew.. thought for a few hours there that ff.net didn't want me to post this chapter, since it seemed to be up to its old tricks once again. :P But it's all good... and here we go with the next installment. The following is part eight of fifteen.
There are very mild spoilers for second season in this, but only up to Some Assembly Required, and most of them are only vague allusions to past events.
I welcome all reviews, both here and by email, so please feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you're thinking. I can't improve my writing if I don't know what people want to see. :P
They're not mine, I just borrow them sometimes and mutate their inner voices. What can I say? It's fun. But Cameron will always own the good stuff. :P
Towards the Sunset
Part Eight: Playing with the Boys
By: Danae Bowen
Email: logansfox@rogers.com
Max moved quietly through the woods, trying desperately to keep her mind on discovering the source of the shots. Helplessly, however, Max was forced to relive images of her youth; Manticore training at its best as she and her siblings performed like puppets for their commanding officers. Unable to close her eyes against the images, Max relived the entire escape all over again, only tonight beneath her feet there was no snow and no soldiers were approaching from behind with tazers and guns.
She groaned, shaking her head free from her childhood, finally able to concentrate on the night at hand. She picked up her pace, using the trees as cover from the waterfront as she traveled around the lake. At first she'd believed the shots to have come from nearby the cottage, but a quick scan of the area had proven her wrong. It wasn't until after she'd secured their temporary home that she remembered Logan's words of earlier. The way the lake was settled into a valley with only the various scattered cottages and wooded areas for sound barriers, any small sound could be heard far further than in the city, and any loud sound would carry for miles, echoing off the surrounding hills until finally dying away.
When the shots had continued long minutes after Max had left Logan's warm embrace, it took all of her talents and enhanced hearing to track their accurate direction. If her tracking skills were still as honed as she hoped them to be, she should come upon the source of the shots just short of half way around the lake.
Twenty minutes passed and Max's delicate hearing picked up voices not far ahead. She slowed her pace, moving silently through the last bit of forest before coming upon a clearing. Her nose twitched as smoke from a campfire wafted over her, and the now nearly continual popping sound became deafening.
With a groan and a shake of her head, Max stepped into the clearing and leaned against a tree, watching the situation before her unfold in silence for a moment before speaking. "Didn't your mothers ever teach you that in a place like this sound carries for miles?"
The four teenagers leaped in surprise, spinning to face Max as their bodies instinctively dropped into the fight or flight defensive position. They searched the shadows for a minute before they finally caught sight of Max, dimly lit by the outer glow of the fire. The boys took in Max's scantily clad form, a girl barely older than themselves, and let out sharp barks of laughter.
"Didn't yours ever teach you not to go sneaking through the forest in your underwear?" The largest of the boys lifted an eyebrow as he allowed his eyes to openly devour Max.
Max rolled her eyes in the darkness, her best "in your dreams" expression crossing her face, but she carefully blanked out her emotions as she stepped further into the light. "Nah. My mother taught me to be a vapid slut. You boys wanna get it on, or is playing with cherry bombs the biggest your dreams get?"
Her face dropped into a mask of seductive innocence and her tongue flicked out to wet her pouty lips while her eyes traveled from face to face. Something wicked inside of her got a thrill out of the shock, followed by excited desire that filled the teenagers' expressions. She waited until one stepped forward before she couldn't hold back any longer, and erupted into laughter.
"As if, boys." She shook her head in amusement. "Quit with the cherry bombs. I hear them again, I'll personally come back here and kick all your asses."
The largest kid stood straight, trying to appear tougher than he actually was. "Yeah? You and what army?"
Max raised an eyebrow before sighing, deciding a little demonstration was in order, and would double as a decent way to get rid of some excess energy. She dropped into a dead run, passing the boys who barely had time to blink before she vaulted off a tree, back flipped over their heads and landed a foot behind them. When they turned to look at her in awe, Max merely smoothed back her hair, and gave them her stoniest glare.
"No. More. Cherry. Bombs."
"Uh, yeah, sure, lady." The largest boy stuttered. "You got it."
Max shook her head and turned on her heel, deciding to stick to the woods for a mile or so before hitting the road and jogging back to the cottage. As she moved away, her sensitive hearing picked up the boys deep in conversation, and she was forced to giggle as she was compared to a pre-pulse television show warrior princess. She arrived at the gravel road only minutes later, and took a moment to stretch out her muscles before beginning the long jog home.
She chuckled to herself as she thought about the direction the boys' conversation would have turned to by that point. If she knew anything about teenaged hormones, her tight gray tank top and what it was hiding would likely be the main focal point of their newly discovered dreams. Teenagers and cherry bombs. Max giggled and shook her head again; Logan was gonna have a fit when he heard about this.
By the time Max had jogged the long miles around the lake to the cottage, the sun was slowly beginning to rise on the horizon. With her life as complicated as it was, she found little time to admire such constancies as the rising and the setting of the sun, but this morning she slowed her pace to watch in awe.
She took the final few steps to the front deck, and settled herself on the top stair against the railing. She wasn't sure how long she sat watching the sky change from black to gray to a brilliant orangey red, and finally to the light blue of a clear spring morning, but when she finally climbed to her feet, a small yawn escaped her lips.
She paused at the door to the cottage, shrugging before quickly picking the old lock and letting herself inside. Once in the warmth of the building, Max yawned again and realized exactly how tired she really was. Aside from her catnaps in the car, she hadn't actually slept for any length of time since Logan woke her up that evening nearly four days before. She sighed. She'd only managed to catch three hours of sleep then, anyway, having been exhausted after a particularly brutal day of Jam Pony runs.
She stood in the kitchen for a few minutes, trying to decide whether to crash on the sofa in the family room or to drag her body up the long flight of stairs to her warm bed. She shook her head and poured herself a glass of water, kicking off her running shoes, turning to check in on Logan before making any decisions.
As she slipped off into the left wing of the cottage, she noticed the temperature increase substantially, and she suddenly wasn't as chilled from her pre-dawn journey. She slipped down the short hallway to the room Logan had chosen, and made her way inside silently.
A smile crossed her lips as she peered down at him quietly for a moment. In sleep his face was free of the hard lines he'd developed through too many years of fighting a sometimes losing battle. His hair hung down into his eyes, and Max frowned, brushing it away with cool fingers. He muttered something Max couldn't discern, but his lips curved into a slight smile before his breathing returned to its slow steady rhythm.
She walked around the bedroom, stopping here and there to run a light finger over the exoskeleton, gage the black market value of a lamp or painting, before coming to a stop in front of Logan's computer. The deadline for Eyes Only to reveal himself had passed hours before, and a little message indicating that Logan had new mail was blinking insistently for attention. Glancing back at Logan's sleeping form, Max slid into the chair at the desk and clicked into Logan's inbox.
A new message from Logan's men appeared, making Max frown and bite her lip in concern. Two hours after the deadline, the guards Logan had placed on Max's apartment had intercepted what appeared to be an attempted break in. The apparent thieves had been heavily armed and escaped, wounding two men in the process. A new message from Matt made mention of an idle bomb threat that had been called in regarding Logan's building, specifically the penthouse. Matt had handled the situation himself and nothing had come of it, but it was still cause for concern.
The final message made Max's revved up blood run cold. "Eyes Only, we know you're out there. It'll only take us a short time to track you down. You had a chance, now neither you nor your pretty little girlfriend will survive our presence. We know both your names, Logan. Be sure and tell Max that her friends from Jam Pony say, "Hello". I think the cocky young man with all the money will be the first to say goodbye. Be seeing you."
Max shuddered at the callous words, for a brief moment hating the world in which she lived. With a sigh, Max slipped Logan's cell phone out of the pocket of his discarded jacket and punched in the number for Alec's cellular.
"This'd better be good."
"Hey, golden boy." Max's voice was cold as she rolled her eyes skyward.
"Max? Do you have any idea what time it is?" His voice was cloudy from sleep. Obviously, Alec was recovering from his lifetime at Manticore.
"Hey, if you don't want the heads up on a potential killer on your worthless ass, I'll hang up."
She heard him pause then sigh. "Who'd you piss off this time?"
"Dunno. Just know he's coming after you, hot shot, and as much as I hate the sight of you, you got Joshua's back till I get home, so unfortunately I gotta keep you alive at least that long."
"Gee, appreciate your concern."
Max sniffed. "No problem. Catch Sketchy's back while you're on guard, would ya? Wouldn't want him dying instead of you. He's a moron, but at least I like him."
"Yeah, yeah. Alec the Great to the rescue."
Max snorted then flipped the cell off, cutting off Alec's obvious response. Dropping the phone onto the desk next to the laptop, she turned and froze. Logan's eyes were half open and looking at her in concern.
"What?" he asked, his voice low from just awakening.
She shrugged. "Usual. Baddies threatening us and my peeps. Alec's on it."
He nodded she could tell he was almost at the point of drifting off again. Max glanced towards the door, and then back to Logan.
//What the hell?// She figured. //When don't we have a killer on our collective ass?//
She shifted her weight onto the bed and slid under the covers. Careful, she slid over until she was curled up against Logan's chest, her fingers splayed over his warm stomach.
"Good thing I can't feel anything from the waist down." Max nearly jumped when he spoke, expecting him to have already fallen back asleep.
She frowned and raised her chin to look up at him, catching the humor in his beautiful blue eyes. "Why's that?"
Logan chuckled and wrapped his arms around her body, holding her close. "Cause if your fingers are any indication, your feet are probably freezing. As much as I love having you close against me, Max, I think feet that cold would definitely keep me awake." He winked at her softly before closing his eyes once more. He allowed gently exploring fingers to travel up and down her spine in a slow rhythm as Max relaxed against him and her breathing evened out. He smiled. "Don't worry, beautiful. I'll always be here to keep you warm."
*****
Max stretched slowly, arching her back, groaning slightly in the bright light of the day. She glanced out the window and raised an eyebrow at the height the sun had attained in the sky. It was at the very least late morning and Max had slept away half of her first day on vacation. Her lips pulled into a slow smile as she turned in the large bed, snuggling down deeper into the warm blankets, not wanting to pull away from the comfort that surrounded her.
She heard a crash and quiet laughter from the kitchen and chuckled to herself, wondering what Original Cindy and Logan were up to. With a sigh, she pulled back the sheets and dragged herself to her feet, taking a moment to stretch out her sleep tightened muscles. She glanced down at her clothing and frowned, wishing she had something to wear aside from the now wrinkled shorts and tank top in which she'd spent the early morning jogging.
//God, I need a shower.//
With a shrug she ran her fingers through her hair and slipped out of the bedroom with as much grace as she could muster. The hall exited into an arch that separated into the kitchen and the family room and Max paused, wondering if she'd be able to slip around her friends without being noticed. Not that she cared really; Original Cindy had seen Max first thing after exhaustion had caught up with the genetically enhanced being, but Logan didn't need to see her at her worst. She was trying to make a good impression on this vacation but morning breath, sleep tangled hair, grungy clothes, and no shower did not bode well in the impression department.
Using all of her well honed cat burglary skills, Max slid silently past her friends and into the large family room. She breathed a sigh of relief as she made her way up the long staircase and into her bedroom. It only took a few minutes for her to retrieve a pair of jeans and one of her token black tank tops before making her way to the bathroom for a long, hot shower.
As she allowed herself to relax under the hot spray of the water, Max relived the events of the past few days, still wondering how she and Logan always managed to get themselves into such remarkable disasters. She knew they couldn't stay hidden out in Canada forever, as appealing as the thought may be, and worries over what would happen should Matt not be able to find the villain of the week before it was time to return home began to creep into her mind.
They had to start figuring out who it could be so hot on their asses, although the why was fairly obvious. In the past two years, she and Logan had managed to put away many people who would have reason to come after them in the event of their release. Short of breaking into Seattle's department of records and finding out who had been released lately with connections to Eyes Only, Max couldn't see them narrowing down the list of suspects in any short amount of time.
Max stepped out of the shower and into a towel, taking her time as she dried off before brushing her teeth and slipping into her fresh clothing. Exiting the bathroom, Max was satisfied that she finally appeared human and decided to join her companions.
She took a deep breath, bringing a sparkle into her eyes as she breezed through the family room and into the kitchen with an air of confidence. Original Cindy and Logan were at the table, indulging themselves in thick sandwiches, salads, and large glasses of iced cola. Max leaned against the doorframe and lifted an eyebrow, watching them in amusement.
When she cleared her throat, they both looked up and greeted her with smiles. Original Cindy winked at Max as she kicked the chair next to Logan away from the table. "Startin' to think ya'd never get yer ass outta that bed, boo. I mean damn, we already been to town 'n got us groceries 'n everything. Your dreams that much better than the real thing?"
Max caught Logan's gaze, and memories of the moments before they'd been interrupted by cherry bombs set her cheeks aflame. His gaze darkened as he watched the flush creep across her face, and he licked his lips slowly, a wicked glint shining in his eyes. Max's eyes matched his sparkle, and she lowered her gaze to the floor, avoiding Cindy's pointed look from Max to Logan and back again.
"Aiight, what'd I miss? You two bang the gong last night?"
Logan blinked, staring at Cindy in surprise. "What kind of question is that?"
Max rolled her eyes and dropped into the free chair, kicking Cindy under the table, making her friend yelp. "The kind she asks whenever you 'n me have dinner. 'Bout time you gotta deal with it."
"Can y'all really blame a girl for getting her boo's back?" Cindy raised her eyebrow and turned her serious gaze on Logan. "Sugar, y'all been dancing around your big ole expensive bed for two years. Original Cindy's just sayin' it's about damn time you two give it up."
Max rolled her eyes, climbing to her feet. "You two can sit here and chat about our sex lives all you want. I'm going to town." She held her hand out in Logan's direction, giving him a pointed look until he handed over the keys to the Aztec.
Cindy glanced at Logan before getting up. "You know what, boo? Original Cindy doesn't have a stitch to wear, 'n if we're goin' dancin' tonight, a girl's gotta be at her best."
Max sighed. "Whatever, but, girl, you got no say in what I buy."
"Fair 'nuff." Cindy's face eased into a grin as she glanced one final time between Max and Logan. "Still, a little something sexy…"
Max shook her head and walked out the door, forcing Cindy to stop talking and follow her if she actually wanted a ride into town.
****
The girls were gone less than four hours, having hit Lakefield instead of Peterborough for their shopping spree. When they pulled into the driveway, Logan was sitting on the front deck, enjoying the sun and working on his laptop. He lifted a hand in greeting as they walked up the path; Cindy was carrying an armload of bags while Max only carried three. He lifted his eyebrows at her, studying the bags curiously, but she laughed him off, telling him he'd see what she'd bought later that night.
The girls took their purchases upstairs, coming down to dig around the kitchen for something to eat. Logan joined them, returning his laptop to the desk in his room before helping them pull out the ingredients for more sandwiches.
Original Cindy gave the sandwiches a cursory glance as she sat down at the table, letting Max and Logan finish together. "Hey, boo, thought you said your boy's a gourmet. All he's done for me is sandwiches. When we gettin' to the good stuff?"
Logan chuckled softly. "When you only give me five minutes, there isn't much I can do aside from sandwiches, but I promise to try something more creative for tomorrow night."
"Mmhmm, Original Cindy'll believe that when she sees it. Think I'll take my fine self for a walk down the beach 'n see if I can't find me a friend or two."
Max and Logan watched Cindy get to her feet and exit the cottage in a flourish as she continued muttering about the lack of choice in the area for a girl who knows what she wants. Logan's hand slipped on the knife he was holding as he tried to cover laughter with a cough and the blade cut into his hand, making him hiss in pain.
Max frowned as he lifted his hand to his mouth, covering the small wound with his lips as he moved to the sink. "Got yourself good?"
He shrugged. "Nothing a little cold water and twenty stitches won't fix."
She laughed. "Baby. Lemme see."
A hot rush flooded Logan's body as Max took his hand in her own, stroking over his soft flesh as she examined the small cut that had almost stopped bleeding. He cleared his throat, willing his heart to continue beating and his lungs to continue drawing breath as he curled his lips into a smile. "Are you going to kiss it better, too?" His words were light, but his darkened eyes begged for an opening into intimacy.
Max gave him a slow smile, lowering her head to his hand, caressing his wounded flesh with her gentle lips. She glanced up, her eyes sparkling brightly. "Better?"
He sighed, swallowing deeply. "Feels nice."
Max glanced at the door to make sure Cindy was truly gone before pushing Logan back towards the kitchen table and into a chair. She moved onto his lap, settling into his arms. "I know something else that feels nice."
The sting of Logan's wound suddenly faded as Max's words whispered over him like a gentle purr, instantly heating his blood further. His arms wrapped around her waist as he lowered his lips to her throat, soaking in the taste and feel of her flesh against him once more.
He trailed soft kisses up over her chin towards her lips, silencing her next words in a warm kiss full of longing and desire. Minutes passed as they lost themselves in sweet kisses, flesh tingling with the feel of gentle caresses, bodies aching as they pushed themselves to the point of overheating. Finally, gasping for air, Logan pulled back. He closed his eyes as he tried to calm his rapid heartbeat, holding Max close to his chest.
He rested his chin on the top of her head, his eyes trailing to where Cindy had disappeared only minutes before. "What do you think our chances are?"
"You mean without phone calls, explosions, gun shots, cherry bombs, unexpected visitors, and Original Cindy?"
"You left out enraged big brothers."
Max bit her lip but recognized the joke for what it was, and let the slight tug at her heart pass by without mention. She smiled softly, "I dunno, but the longer we sit here talkin' about it, the more fate has time to come up with her next intervention."
Logan swallowed hard, and Max felt his arms tighten around her. "Are you sure?"
She rolled her eyes, lifting her head to meet his darkened gaze. "No, Logan, I'm just screwin' with your mind." Her tone was sarcastic but gentle, and she lowered her lips to his for a long, gentle kiss. In moments her brown eyes deepened to an almost black, and she leaned back to meet his smoldering look with a sexy smile. "Bedroom's not gettin' any closer."
In seconds Logan was on his feet, Max laughing in his arms as she was swept into the air. She shivered with pleasure as his voice deepened into a sexy growl, and his hot words burned over her flesh. "The hell it's not."
Neither of them noticed the chair Logan vacated as it tipped over and crashed to the floor. The only thing on their minds was the bedroom a mere hallway away, and the pleasure to come. Max crushed her lips to Logan's, breaking the kiss only long enough to giggle as he stumbled them into a wall. He corrected their direction and reclaimed her mouth, sweeping his tongue past her lips to indulge himself on her unique taste.
He paused as he reached the doorway to the bedroom, peering into Max's eyes one final time. His own pleasure and desire were mirrored in her dark depths, but his heart skipped a beat as he finally understood the emotion that burned even deeper within her. Beyond the smoky, sexy gaze that Max turned upon him, Logan caught sight of the timid love growing in her soul. He sighed, holding her that much closer as he took the final step over the threshold and into his room, carrying her to the bed before setting her down gently.
He wanted her more than words were able to express, every nerve in his body burned at the thought of making love with Max for long hours to come, but it all became moot in that one moment when he realized that Max did truly love him. For all her fears and all her pain, she'd come so far with him that she was no longer afraid to let him see what was in her heart.
His eyes grazed over her body, and he realized, not for the first time, the true beauty that this woman held. Of course, as he lowered his lips to that sweet little hollow in her throat, losing himself in the touch he'd been too long denied, he realized that his love for her was just as great. Perhaps she wasn't ready to hear or say the words themselves, and perhaps neither was he, but Logan wasn't about to let one minute more pass them by without letting Max know, with his every action, that she was loved as much and more than any other woman.
His thoughts began to blur as the focus of his world became the desperate whimpers and cries that escaped Max's lips, and Logan gave up trying to make sense of anything but the feel of the woman beneath his hands. He didn't mind, however; he'd spent too much of his life thinking and analyzing. That afternoon, Logan was going to learn what it meant to truly feel.
End Part Eight: Playing with the Boys
There are very mild spoilers for second season in this, but only up to Some Assembly Required, and most of them are only vague allusions to past events.
I welcome all reviews, both here and by email, so please feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you're thinking. I can't improve my writing if I don't know what people want to see. :P
They're not mine, I just borrow them sometimes and mutate their inner voices. What can I say? It's fun. But Cameron will always own the good stuff. :P
Towards the Sunset
Part Eight: Playing with the Boys
By: Danae Bowen
Email: logansfox@rogers.com
Max moved quietly through the woods, trying desperately to keep her mind on discovering the source of the shots. Helplessly, however, Max was forced to relive images of her youth; Manticore training at its best as she and her siblings performed like puppets for their commanding officers. Unable to close her eyes against the images, Max relived the entire escape all over again, only tonight beneath her feet there was no snow and no soldiers were approaching from behind with tazers and guns.
She groaned, shaking her head free from her childhood, finally able to concentrate on the night at hand. She picked up her pace, using the trees as cover from the waterfront as she traveled around the lake. At first she'd believed the shots to have come from nearby the cottage, but a quick scan of the area had proven her wrong. It wasn't until after she'd secured their temporary home that she remembered Logan's words of earlier. The way the lake was settled into a valley with only the various scattered cottages and wooded areas for sound barriers, any small sound could be heard far further than in the city, and any loud sound would carry for miles, echoing off the surrounding hills until finally dying away.
When the shots had continued long minutes after Max had left Logan's warm embrace, it took all of her talents and enhanced hearing to track their accurate direction. If her tracking skills were still as honed as she hoped them to be, she should come upon the source of the shots just short of half way around the lake.
Twenty minutes passed and Max's delicate hearing picked up voices not far ahead. She slowed her pace, moving silently through the last bit of forest before coming upon a clearing. Her nose twitched as smoke from a campfire wafted over her, and the now nearly continual popping sound became deafening.
With a groan and a shake of her head, Max stepped into the clearing and leaned against a tree, watching the situation before her unfold in silence for a moment before speaking. "Didn't your mothers ever teach you that in a place like this sound carries for miles?"
The four teenagers leaped in surprise, spinning to face Max as their bodies instinctively dropped into the fight or flight defensive position. They searched the shadows for a minute before they finally caught sight of Max, dimly lit by the outer glow of the fire. The boys took in Max's scantily clad form, a girl barely older than themselves, and let out sharp barks of laughter.
"Didn't yours ever teach you not to go sneaking through the forest in your underwear?" The largest of the boys lifted an eyebrow as he allowed his eyes to openly devour Max.
Max rolled her eyes in the darkness, her best "in your dreams" expression crossing her face, but she carefully blanked out her emotions as she stepped further into the light. "Nah. My mother taught me to be a vapid slut. You boys wanna get it on, or is playing with cherry bombs the biggest your dreams get?"
Her face dropped into a mask of seductive innocence and her tongue flicked out to wet her pouty lips while her eyes traveled from face to face. Something wicked inside of her got a thrill out of the shock, followed by excited desire that filled the teenagers' expressions. She waited until one stepped forward before she couldn't hold back any longer, and erupted into laughter.
"As if, boys." She shook her head in amusement. "Quit with the cherry bombs. I hear them again, I'll personally come back here and kick all your asses."
The largest kid stood straight, trying to appear tougher than he actually was. "Yeah? You and what army?"
Max raised an eyebrow before sighing, deciding a little demonstration was in order, and would double as a decent way to get rid of some excess energy. She dropped into a dead run, passing the boys who barely had time to blink before she vaulted off a tree, back flipped over their heads and landed a foot behind them. When they turned to look at her in awe, Max merely smoothed back her hair, and gave them her stoniest glare.
"No. More. Cherry. Bombs."
"Uh, yeah, sure, lady." The largest boy stuttered. "You got it."
Max shook her head and turned on her heel, deciding to stick to the woods for a mile or so before hitting the road and jogging back to the cottage. As she moved away, her sensitive hearing picked up the boys deep in conversation, and she was forced to giggle as she was compared to a pre-pulse television show warrior princess. She arrived at the gravel road only minutes later, and took a moment to stretch out her muscles before beginning the long jog home.
She chuckled to herself as she thought about the direction the boys' conversation would have turned to by that point. If she knew anything about teenaged hormones, her tight gray tank top and what it was hiding would likely be the main focal point of their newly discovered dreams. Teenagers and cherry bombs. Max giggled and shook her head again; Logan was gonna have a fit when he heard about this.
By the time Max had jogged the long miles around the lake to the cottage, the sun was slowly beginning to rise on the horizon. With her life as complicated as it was, she found little time to admire such constancies as the rising and the setting of the sun, but this morning she slowed her pace to watch in awe.
She took the final few steps to the front deck, and settled herself on the top stair against the railing. She wasn't sure how long she sat watching the sky change from black to gray to a brilliant orangey red, and finally to the light blue of a clear spring morning, but when she finally climbed to her feet, a small yawn escaped her lips.
She paused at the door to the cottage, shrugging before quickly picking the old lock and letting herself inside. Once in the warmth of the building, Max yawned again and realized exactly how tired she really was. Aside from her catnaps in the car, she hadn't actually slept for any length of time since Logan woke her up that evening nearly four days before. She sighed. She'd only managed to catch three hours of sleep then, anyway, having been exhausted after a particularly brutal day of Jam Pony runs.
She stood in the kitchen for a few minutes, trying to decide whether to crash on the sofa in the family room or to drag her body up the long flight of stairs to her warm bed. She shook her head and poured herself a glass of water, kicking off her running shoes, turning to check in on Logan before making any decisions.
As she slipped off into the left wing of the cottage, she noticed the temperature increase substantially, and she suddenly wasn't as chilled from her pre-dawn journey. She slipped down the short hallway to the room Logan had chosen, and made her way inside silently.
A smile crossed her lips as she peered down at him quietly for a moment. In sleep his face was free of the hard lines he'd developed through too many years of fighting a sometimes losing battle. His hair hung down into his eyes, and Max frowned, brushing it away with cool fingers. He muttered something Max couldn't discern, but his lips curved into a slight smile before his breathing returned to its slow steady rhythm.
She walked around the bedroom, stopping here and there to run a light finger over the exoskeleton, gage the black market value of a lamp or painting, before coming to a stop in front of Logan's computer. The deadline for Eyes Only to reveal himself had passed hours before, and a little message indicating that Logan had new mail was blinking insistently for attention. Glancing back at Logan's sleeping form, Max slid into the chair at the desk and clicked into Logan's inbox.
A new message from Logan's men appeared, making Max frown and bite her lip in concern. Two hours after the deadline, the guards Logan had placed on Max's apartment had intercepted what appeared to be an attempted break in. The apparent thieves had been heavily armed and escaped, wounding two men in the process. A new message from Matt made mention of an idle bomb threat that had been called in regarding Logan's building, specifically the penthouse. Matt had handled the situation himself and nothing had come of it, but it was still cause for concern.
The final message made Max's revved up blood run cold. "Eyes Only, we know you're out there. It'll only take us a short time to track you down. You had a chance, now neither you nor your pretty little girlfriend will survive our presence. We know both your names, Logan. Be sure and tell Max that her friends from Jam Pony say, "Hello". I think the cocky young man with all the money will be the first to say goodbye. Be seeing you."
Max shuddered at the callous words, for a brief moment hating the world in which she lived. With a sigh, Max slipped Logan's cell phone out of the pocket of his discarded jacket and punched in the number for Alec's cellular.
"This'd better be good."
"Hey, golden boy." Max's voice was cold as she rolled her eyes skyward.
"Max? Do you have any idea what time it is?" His voice was cloudy from sleep. Obviously, Alec was recovering from his lifetime at Manticore.
"Hey, if you don't want the heads up on a potential killer on your worthless ass, I'll hang up."
She heard him pause then sigh. "Who'd you piss off this time?"
"Dunno. Just know he's coming after you, hot shot, and as much as I hate the sight of you, you got Joshua's back till I get home, so unfortunately I gotta keep you alive at least that long."
"Gee, appreciate your concern."
Max sniffed. "No problem. Catch Sketchy's back while you're on guard, would ya? Wouldn't want him dying instead of you. He's a moron, but at least I like him."
"Yeah, yeah. Alec the Great to the rescue."
Max snorted then flipped the cell off, cutting off Alec's obvious response. Dropping the phone onto the desk next to the laptop, she turned and froze. Logan's eyes were half open and looking at her in concern.
"What?" he asked, his voice low from just awakening.
She shrugged. "Usual. Baddies threatening us and my peeps. Alec's on it."
He nodded she could tell he was almost at the point of drifting off again. Max glanced towards the door, and then back to Logan.
//What the hell?// She figured. //When don't we have a killer on our collective ass?//
She shifted her weight onto the bed and slid under the covers. Careful, she slid over until she was curled up against Logan's chest, her fingers splayed over his warm stomach.
"Good thing I can't feel anything from the waist down." Max nearly jumped when he spoke, expecting him to have already fallen back asleep.
She frowned and raised her chin to look up at him, catching the humor in his beautiful blue eyes. "Why's that?"
Logan chuckled and wrapped his arms around her body, holding her close. "Cause if your fingers are any indication, your feet are probably freezing. As much as I love having you close against me, Max, I think feet that cold would definitely keep me awake." He winked at her softly before closing his eyes once more. He allowed gently exploring fingers to travel up and down her spine in a slow rhythm as Max relaxed against him and her breathing evened out. He smiled. "Don't worry, beautiful. I'll always be here to keep you warm."
*****
Max stretched slowly, arching her back, groaning slightly in the bright light of the day. She glanced out the window and raised an eyebrow at the height the sun had attained in the sky. It was at the very least late morning and Max had slept away half of her first day on vacation. Her lips pulled into a slow smile as she turned in the large bed, snuggling down deeper into the warm blankets, not wanting to pull away from the comfort that surrounded her.
She heard a crash and quiet laughter from the kitchen and chuckled to herself, wondering what Original Cindy and Logan were up to. With a sigh, she pulled back the sheets and dragged herself to her feet, taking a moment to stretch out her sleep tightened muscles. She glanced down at her clothing and frowned, wishing she had something to wear aside from the now wrinkled shorts and tank top in which she'd spent the early morning jogging.
//God, I need a shower.//
With a shrug she ran her fingers through her hair and slipped out of the bedroom with as much grace as she could muster. The hall exited into an arch that separated into the kitchen and the family room and Max paused, wondering if she'd be able to slip around her friends without being noticed. Not that she cared really; Original Cindy had seen Max first thing after exhaustion had caught up with the genetically enhanced being, but Logan didn't need to see her at her worst. She was trying to make a good impression on this vacation but morning breath, sleep tangled hair, grungy clothes, and no shower did not bode well in the impression department.
Using all of her well honed cat burglary skills, Max slid silently past her friends and into the large family room. She breathed a sigh of relief as she made her way up the long staircase and into her bedroom. It only took a few minutes for her to retrieve a pair of jeans and one of her token black tank tops before making her way to the bathroom for a long, hot shower.
As she allowed herself to relax under the hot spray of the water, Max relived the events of the past few days, still wondering how she and Logan always managed to get themselves into such remarkable disasters. She knew they couldn't stay hidden out in Canada forever, as appealing as the thought may be, and worries over what would happen should Matt not be able to find the villain of the week before it was time to return home began to creep into her mind.
They had to start figuring out who it could be so hot on their asses, although the why was fairly obvious. In the past two years, she and Logan had managed to put away many people who would have reason to come after them in the event of their release. Short of breaking into Seattle's department of records and finding out who had been released lately with connections to Eyes Only, Max couldn't see them narrowing down the list of suspects in any short amount of time.
Max stepped out of the shower and into a towel, taking her time as she dried off before brushing her teeth and slipping into her fresh clothing. Exiting the bathroom, Max was satisfied that she finally appeared human and decided to join her companions.
She took a deep breath, bringing a sparkle into her eyes as she breezed through the family room and into the kitchen with an air of confidence. Original Cindy and Logan were at the table, indulging themselves in thick sandwiches, salads, and large glasses of iced cola. Max leaned against the doorframe and lifted an eyebrow, watching them in amusement.
When she cleared her throat, they both looked up and greeted her with smiles. Original Cindy winked at Max as she kicked the chair next to Logan away from the table. "Startin' to think ya'd never get yer ass outta that bed, boo. I mean damn, we already been to town 'n got us groceries 'n everything. Your dreams that much better than the real thing?"
Max caught Logan's gaze, and memories of the moments before they'd been interrupted by cherry bombs set her cheeks aflame. His gaze darkened as he watched the flush creep across her face, and he licked his lips slowly, a wicked glint shining in his eyes. Max's eyes matched his sparkle, and she lowered her gaze to the floor, avoiding Cindy's pointed look from Max to Logan and back again.
"Aiight, what'd I miss? You two bang the gong last night?"
Logan blinked, staring at Cindy in surprise. "What kind of question is that?"
Max rolled her eyes and dropped into the free chair, kicking Cindy under the table, making her friend yelp. "The kind she asks whenever you 'n me have dinner. 'Bout time you gotta deal with it."
"Can y'all really blame a girl for getting her boo's back?" Cindy raised her eyebrow and turned her serious gaze on Logan. "Sugar, y'all been dancing around your big ole expensive bed for two years. Original Cindy's just sayin' it's about damn time you two give it up."
Max rolled her eyes, climbing to her feet. "You two can sit here and chat about our sex lives all you want. I'm going to town." She held her hand out in Logan's direction, giving him a pointed look until he handed over the keys to the Aztec.
Cindy glanced at Logan before getting up. "You know what, boo? Original Cindy doesn't have a stitch to wear, 'n if we're goin' dancin' tonight, a girl's gotta be at her best."
Max sighed. "Whatever, but, girl, you got no say in what I buy."
"Fair 'nuff." Cindy's face eased into a grin as she glanced one final time between Max and Logan. "Still, a little something sexy…"
Max shook her head and walked out the door, forcing Cindy to stop talking and follow her if she actually wanted a ride into town.
****
The girls were gone less than four hours, having hit Lakefield instead of Peterborough for their shopping spree. When they pulled into the driveway, Logan was sitting on the front deck, enjoying the sun and working on his laptop. He lifted a hand in greeting as they walked up the path; Cindy was carrying an armload of bags while Max only carried three. He lifted his eyebrows at her, studying the bags curiously, but she laughed him off, telling him he'd see what she'd bought later that night.
The girls took their purchases upstairs, coming down to dig around the kitchen for something to eat. Logan joined them, returning his laptop to the desk in his room before helping them pull out the ingredients for more sandwiches.
Original Cindy gave the sandwiches a cursory glance as she sat down at the table, letting Max and Logan finish together. "Hey, boo, thought you said your boy's a gourmet. All he's done for me is sandwiches. When we gettin' to the good stuff?"
Logan chuckled softly. "When you only give me five minutes, there isn't much I can do aside from sandwiches, but I promise to try something more creative for tomorrow night."
"Mmhmm, Original Cindy'll believe that when she sees it. Think I'll take my fine self for a walk down the beach 'n see if I can't find me a friend or two."
Max and Logan watched Cindy get to her feet and exit the cottage in a flourish as she continued muttering about the lack of choice in the area for a girl who knows what she wants. Logan's hand slipped on the knife he was holding as he tried to cover laughter with a cough and the blade cut into his hand, making him hiss in pain.
Max frowned as he lifted his hand to his mouth, covering the small wound with his lips as he moved to the sink. "Got yourself good?"
He shrugged. "Nothing a little cold water and twenty stitches won't fix."
She laughed. "Baby. Lemme see."
A hot rush flooded Logan's body as Max took his hand in her own, stroking over his soft flesh as she examined the small cut that had almost stopped bleeding. He cleared his throat, willing his heart to continue beating and his lungs to continue drawing breath as he curled his lips into a smile. "Are you going to kiss it better, too?" His words were light, but his darkened eyes begged for an opening into intimacy.
Max gave him a slow smile, lowering her head to his hand, caressing his wounded flesh with her gentle lips. She glanced up, her eyes sparkling brightly. "Better?"
He sighed, swallowing deeply. "Feels nice."
Max glanced at the door to make sure Cindy was truly gone before pushing Logan back towards the kitchen table and into a chair. She moved onto his lap, settling into his arms. "I know something else that feels nice."
The sting of Logan's wound suddenly faded as Max's words whispered over him like a gentle purr, instantly heating his blood further. His arms wrapped around her waist as he lowered his lips to her throat, soaking in the taste and feel of her flesh against him once more.
He trailed soft kisses up over her chin towards her lips, silencing her next words in a warm kiss full of longing and desire. Minutes passed as they lost themselves in sweet kisses, flesh tingling with the feel of gentle caresses, bodies aching as they pushed themselves to the point of overheating. Finally, gasping for air, Logan pulled back. He closed his eyes as he tried to calm his rapid heartbeat, holding Max close to his chest.
He rested his chin on the top of her head, his eyes trailing to where Cindy had disappeared only minutes before. "What do you think our chances are?"
"You mean without phone calls, explosions, gun shots, cherry bombs, unexpected visitors, and Original Cindy?"
"You left out enraged big brothers."
Max bit her lip but recognized the joke for what it was, and let the slight tug at her heart pass by without mention. She smiled softly, "I dunno, but the longer we sit here talkin' about it, the more fate has time to come up with her next intervention."
Logan swallowed hard, and Max felt his arms tighten around her. "Are you sure?"
She rolled her eyes, lifting her head to meet his darkened gaze. "No, Logan, I'm just screwin' with your mind." Her tone was sarcastic but gentle, and she lowered her lips to his for a long, gentle kiss. In moments her brown eyes deepened to an almost black, and she leaned back to meet his smoldering look with a sexy smile. "Bedroom's not gettin' any closer."
In seconds Logan was on his feet, Max laughing in his arms as she was swept into the air. She shivered with pleasure as his voice deepened into a sexy growl, and his hot words burned over her flesh. "The hell it's not."
Neither of them noticed the chair Logan vacated as it tipped over and crashed to the floor. The only thing on their minds was the bedroom a mere hallway away, and the pleasure to come. Max crushed her lips to Logan's, breaking the kiss only long enough to giggle as he stumbled them into a wall. He corrected their direction and reclaimed her mouth, sweeping his tongue past her lips to indulge himself on her unique taste.
He paused as he reached the doorway to the bedroom, peering into Max's eyes one final time. His own pleasure and desire were mirrored in her dark depths, but his heart skipped a beat as he finally understood the emotion that burned even deeper within her. Beyond the smoky, sexy gaze that Max turned upon him, Logan caught sight of the timid love growing in her soul. He sighed, holding her that much closer as he took the final step over the threshold and into his room, carrying her to the bed before setting her down gently.
He wanted her more than words were able to express, every nerve in his body burned at the thought of making love with Max for long hours to come, but it all became moot in that one moment when he realized that Max did truly love him. For all her fears and all her pain, she'd come so far with him that she was no longer afraid to let him see what was in her heart.
His eyes grazed over her body, and he realized, not for the first time, the true beauty that this woman held. Of course, as he lowered his lips to that sweet little hollow in her throat, losing himself in the touch he'd been too long denied, he realized that his love for her was just as great. Perhaps she wasn't ready to hear or say the words themselves, and perhaps neither was he, but Logan wasn't about to let one minute more pass them by without letting Max know, with his every action, that she was loved as much and more than any other woman.
His thoughts began to blur as the focus of his world became the desperate whimpers and cries that escaped Max's lips, and Logan gave up trying to make sense of anything but the feel of the woman beneath his hands. He didn't mind, however; he'd spent too much of his life thinking and analyzing. That afternoon, Logan was going to learn what it meant to truly feel.
End Part Eight: Playing with the Boys