Reaching for The Moon by ThePekingNoodle
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Chapter Thirty-Five: Time to Get the Party Started
It's party-time for our hero and heroine…
When Logan woke up the next morning, he was definitely not in a good mood. He decided that he had been more right than he knew when he told Max that sex between them was a bad idea. Trouble was that now he had no idea of how to handle the situation. He was used to casual encounters with women who knew exactly where he was coming from and what they could hope for from him. If they hoped for more, that was on them, and he didn't worry about it. He couldn't be that callous with Max though. Thinking about it was starting to give him a headache, so he decided the best thing to do was to push it aside for the time being. Maybe he'd have an inspiration. He hoped he would.
"Good morning, Logan." Max greeted him cheerfully when he emerged from his bedroom. She was lounging on his couch, leafing through some kind of magazine. He wondered what it was since magazines were few and far between in post-Pulse Seattle, and he stifled a groan when he realized it was the tabloid that Bling had brought over the other day.
"Couldn't you find anything to read besides that rag?" he asked her.
She smiled at him with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "It's amusing. Did you know that underground Seattle is home to a monster that's half human and half beast? They think it might be a cousin of the abominable snowman. One who got tired of the snow up in Alaska and decided the Seattle sewer system was a better place to live."
"Max, please throw that thing away. It's an affront to any serious journalist."
Max shot him a hurt look. "But Logan it has our wedding pictures in it. You want me to throw our wedding pictures away?"
Logan groaned again and mumbled something unintelligible before heading out to get some aspirin and coffee for his aching head. He decided his best bet was to let the whole tabloid thing drop. Max was clearly still in the same unreasonable mood she had been in the night before, and he hadn't had his inspiration yet. He prayed it would come soon.
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When Bling arrived, he and Logan closeted themselves in the computer room to go over the latest Eyes Only case.
"Logan, I don't like it. You going to meet with these guys pretending to be a buyer is risky. What if they make you?"
"They won't. My face isn't all that well known." Logan said confidently. "The meet is already set for tonight at the Cottontail Club. I'll wear a comm and you'll be outside in the limo to monitor me and back me up in case something goes sideways."
"If there's time. These are the kind of guys who don't waste time talking, Logan. They shoot first and ask questions later."
"This isn't up for discussion. If you don't want to run backup, then I'll get someone else to do it." Logan glared at Bling. First Max and now Bling. Why couldn't he have at least one reasonable person in his life, he wondered.
"No. I'm in. I just go on record as not liking this." Bling paused. "What are you going to tell Max?"
"I'll tell her that I have to go out to meet someone for an interview for a couple of hours."
"Is she going to buy that?'
"Doesn't matter. She isn't my keeper you know." Logan responded shortly. "Now if you don't mind, I think you need to go make arrangements and pick up the limo for tonight. Here's the information and money." He handed Bling a thick envelope. "Pick me up here at 9."
"Whatever you say, boss." Bling injected clear sarcasm onto the word boss. Logan shot him a look, but he was already on his way out the door.
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From her position on Logan's couch, Max had easily heard every word the two had said despite their lowered voices and the soft humming of Logan's computers. Logan hadn't even worried about her overhearing them since no normal person could have. She had bristled when Logan casually dismissed her interest in his whereabouts and safety. His words were further confirmation that he clearly underestimated her and what she was capable of. Logan Cale had a surprise coming to him, that was for sure.
When Bling left, Max slipped into her room and pulled out the cell phone Logan had given her. She quickly dialed Kendra's number.
"Max, I never heard of the Cottontail Club. Frankly it sounds like some kind of strip joint or something. Why are you asking?"
"Oh, no reason. Just heard the name last night and I thought it might be a place to check out. But if you don't think so, forget it. Hey I haveta run. Gotta do some errands this afternoon."
"What are you doing tonight?"
"Logan has plans."
Kendra laughed. "I just bet he does. Remember Max, the red gown. Wear it. He won't know what hit him."
"He's not going to know what hit him anyway." Max said smugly and hung up the phone, leaving Kendra chuckling to herself on the other end.
Max quickly dialed another number. "Is this the Jam Pony Messenger Service?" she asked. "No, I don't need a pick up or delivery. I need to speak to one of your employees, Her name is Original Cindy." She listened with a frown on her face. "My name is Maxine Cale and if you don't want my husband, Logan Cale of the Seattle Cales, to shut your little operation down, I suggest you put her on the phone. Now." She waited a beat and her voice was once again sweetness and light, "Thank you."
Several moments later she brightened at the sound of a familiar voice on the other end. "Hey, I need your help with something. Are you free anytime soon? Yeah, I can wait until 5:00. No, not at my place. Where do you live? I'll meet you there." Max was smiling as she closed her phone.
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"Whoa mama, you look downright wicked. You could stake out any street corner and make it all yours in that outfit. You'd pull down some nice scrilla into the deal."
Max preened in the clothing Original Cindy had provided for her. Her bright turquoise bustier top was strapless, and cut in a way that enhanced and emphasized her already significant assets. In fact, it looked like she'd pop out of it if she took a deep breath. Not to mention the deep cleavage it revealed. It was held closed by laces on the front from just below her bust to the waist, giving a clear peak at her skin underneath. The tight black leather micro skirt looked like it had been poured on to her. The hem reached barely below the tiny little g-string she wore underneath, and the back of her top dipped below her waist leaving only a few inches of barely concealing material there. She didn't quite think Kendra had had this in mind when she threw the g-string into Max's bag at Victoria's secret, but it was perfect for the occasion. Three-inch high stiletto heels completed the ensemble, along with fake jewelry that glittered on her neck and arms.
"You just need me to do your face, and you are ready for the masquerade ball." Cindy observed. "Just tell me one more time why you doin' this?"
"It's a game Logan and I are playing. He's gonna meet me at the Cottontail Club, only we pretend we don't know each other. He has to try to pick me up for the night. Use his persuasive powers."
Original Cindy shook her head. "Sugah, I gotta tell you, if you playin' this in character, all the boy needs to do is flash some cash and you his for the night. Ain't no persuasive powers needed for your kind of gal."
"Well in our game he has to persuade me. Or I might just go home with someone else." Max winked at Original Cindy.
"Boo, you rich folks are whack, is all Original Cindy has to say about it. Hope your boy is packin'. He's gonna need to be to look after hot little you in that dive."
"I can take care of myself." Max said breezily, "Come on, let's get the makeup done, I have to meet him soon."
"Whatever you say, sugah. Whatever you say." Cindy sighed and began to make up Max's face to fit her clothing.
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At 9:30 PM that night a black limo pulled up in front of the Cottontail Club and Bling dressed in a chauffeur's uniform stepped around to open the back door for Logan.
Max watched from her hiding place across the street. "Right on time," she said to herself. Then she let out a gasp as Logan reached into the car and helped out a tall redhead, dressed in a similar manner to Max. Hot anger rushed through her veins. She stood there for a moment calming herself but then she took a deep breath. "Let's get this party started."
End of Chapter Thirty-Five…TBC…
