Reaching for The Moon by ThePekingNoodle

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Chapter Thirty-One: Point of No Return

In which some things prove to be inevitable…

The door closed behind Bling, and Logan and Max stared at each other for a few moments.  Logan ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling the already disheveled spikes and sighed heavily.

"He's right you know."

Max didn't bother to pretend that she didn't know what he was talking about. "What do we do about it?"

"Max if you weren't you and I weren't me, I would have had you in my bed days ago. But given the givens…I don't know."

A jolt of heat shot through Max at Logan's words and the look that accompanied them. She had no doubt that he was speaking the truth. She also had no doubt that she wouldn't have exactly resisted too strongly.   It was her turn to sigh.

Logan mistook her silence for upset over his words and hastened to reassure her. "Max it's not you; I mean I don't care about you being…"

"A freak?" she asked sarcastically.

"No. Never a freak. I meant you were more than me… better…Damn, I'm saying this all wrong. What I mean is that it's me, not you. I can't have a normal life. You've seen what happens. It isn't safe. I can't put anyone to that risk."

Max laughed at that. "I'm probably more of a risk to you than you are to me. I got my parents killed, and I should leave here before I get you killed. Those two goons were nothing compared to what Manticore could send after me. And if you happened to be around, they'd kill you without batting an eye."

"Max I can protect myself…and you. I promised your father that I would and I won't break that promise. Forget going anywhere." He paused and added with a twinkle in his eyes, "Besides, how would it look if Logan Cale's new wife left him after less than a week? I'd never hold my head up in this town again."

"Now that's the clincher, Logan. I 'd never forgive myself for ruining your no doubt richly deserved reputation as a lady killer." Max shot him a sassy look, "Of course, I'm sure Miss Pretty in Pink would be happy to console you."

"Max, I don't care if I ever see pink again." Logan grimaced at the thought. "Ashley was a mistake. One I was already trying to correct before I got your father's letter."

Max just slanted him a look.  Logan returned it and both were once again aware of the almost overpowering chemistry that coursed between them.

"Max…I…"

"Logan…I…"

Both said simultaneously.  Neither knew which one moved first, but Logan's arms were wrapped around her and he was kissing her fiercely. Max responded readily, running her hands through his hair and spiking it even more.  He stroked her back, pulling her close against him.  He reveled in the feel of her softness pressed to his body, even as his mind reminded him what a bad idea this was.

Max ran her hands down his arms, loving the feel of his muscled biceps under her hands. He was outlining her lips with his tongue, silently asking for entrance, and she willingly opened to him, even as her mind told her that she was making a mistake.

After long minutes, Logan pulled back from the kiss and looked down at her. His eyes seemed to burn into her very soul. "Max, this is a bad idea."

"I know." She made no move to pull away from him. Her eyes shot sparks back at him.

"If we do this, there's no going back and pretending it never happened."

"No." She sighed.

"I can't make any promises. Except that I'll do whatever is in my power to keep you safe. If that includes sending you away from me, I'll do it without a second thought."

"If I have to leave you to keep you safe, I won't hesitate." She answered in return.

There was nothing more to be said.  Logan reached for her hand and she gave it to him willingly. He pulled her along with him toward his bedroom. When they reached the doorway, he stopped and looked at her one last time.

"Last chance to change your mind. Once you cross that doorway you're mine."

Max felt a thrill go through her at the note of possessiveness in his words.  Instead of answering, she stepped through the door into his room and then turned to him with a smile.

Logan stood there for a moment running his eyes over her, savoring what was to come.  Max allowed it for a moment then she lifted a brow and said with a slight challenge in her words, "Well? Are you going to show me if you live up to your reputation or are you just going to stand there all day?"

Logan let out a laugh and walked forward, catching her by surprise when he swooped her into his arms and carried her over to the bed. He let her down gently on to it, and then stood looking down at her with a wicked smile.

"Some things are best done slowly to be done properly, Max," he said huskily. Max was content to lie where he had placed her and watch as he pulled his shirt over his head.  His chest was nicely sculpted without being overly muscular and it was covered with a fine layer of hair. Logan quickly removed everything but his boxers.

"Your turn." He said turning to her. Max started to sit up, but he stopped her. "Let me."

His experienced hands quickly found the fastening of her jeans, and he slowly unbuttoned them and then slid down her zipper, making sure to let the back of his hands brush against the soft skin of her stomach as he did so. Max sucked in a breath at his touch and then lifted her hips for him as he gently slid the jeans down and off.  Next to go was her T-shirt, and once again Logan made sure to slowly slide it off of her, letting his hands lightly brush her skin as he did so.  Max was wearing one of the lacy sets Kendra had insisted she buy, and Logan felt his breath catch at the contrast of the creamy white lace against her golden skin.

"You're amazing," he breathed as he bent his head and fastened his moth over one of her breasts, sucking lightly as he ran his tongue around the nipple, soaking the fine material of her bra. When he lifted his head her nipple was clearly visible through the fine, damp material. He treated its companion the same way and as he worked Max felt a current of electricity running down from her breasts to her feminine core.  When Logan finished he sat back up and regarded her with a smug smile. 

He stretched out beside her, and propped on an elbow, he gently traced the outline of her body with his other hand.  Then he laid it on her flat stomach and Max gasped at the warmth of his skin touching hers. She shifted restlessly ready for more than just this gentle touching and exploration.  Logan smiled as if he guessed her thoughts, and when she reached up to pull his lips down to hers he didn't resist but allowed himself to roll so that his body was covering hers.

Max gasped as his tongue probed her mouth and she felt a hardness pressing against the junction of her legs.  She pushed up against him and twined her legs around his, pulling him closer to her. Logan left her mouth and trailed kisses down her face and neck.  Max could feel the heat in her skin as Logan enflamed her with his expert kissed and caresses.

Soon she was moving gently under him. Logan was aware of his own aching hardness, but he was determined to go slowly and make this memorable for Max. He rolled off of her and she let out a soft cry of protest trying to pull him back.

"Shhh." He soothed. His knowing hands made their way to the source of Max's aching restlessness and he slipped his fingers into her tiny panties.  She was wet and ready for him. He smiled as he untied the small bows at each hip that held the panties on her. They lay loosely covering her, wanting only a touch to fall away.  Then he sat up and unhooked the front clasp of her bra pushing it to the sides and down her arms, exposing her rosy tipped breasts to his hot gaze.  He gently cupped her full breasts in his hands for a moment, but then Max grew restless and he moved his hands downward.  One hand played gently with her small nub as he used the other to stroke the inside of her thighs, coming closer and closer to her hot, wet center.  Max began to moan softly in earnest as she moved her hips, pushing against his fingers.  Max's eyes were closed and a look of pure pleasure was on her face as she gave herself up completely to him.  Logan thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in his entire life. Never stopping the motions of his one hand, he used the other to slide his boxers off, kicking them aside. 

He gently pushed Max's panties down and then, as she writhed feverishly at his touch on her sensitized skin, he slid two fingers into her. It took only a few swift strokes before she came with a soft cry. She had opened her eyes and his locked onto hers holding them captive. She was still feeling the shocks of her climax, as Logan rolled onto her and entered her with one swift stroke.

He thought he was going to explode on the instant as he slid into her tight, hot sheath and felt the tiny aftershocks that were still rocking her. Then he forgot everything, as Max tightened her legs around him and began to move with him.

He was dimly aware of her hands scratching his back, but within seconds he had lost all sense of control and coherency as Max began to come for a second time. The feel of her convulsing around him drove him to the edge, and before she had finished he joined her, pushing into her with long hard strokes and hearing his own groans as he spent himself inside of her.

End of Chapter Thirty-One…TBC…