Reaching for The Moon by ThePekingNoodle
AN: I am deeply deeply wounded Superblonde that you could ever think I would make it so easy for our hero and heroine. You would think that after fifty (gasp) chapters you'd know me better than that by now. With that said, on to the torture um I meant tail um I meant tale… (there goes that keyboard again!) PN
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Chapter Fifty: Consequences
In which our heroine feels the wrath of a betrayed lover…The door to the Yellow Room closed behind Max and Logan and as it did, Logan's laughter faded. Max was still giggling as she turned to look at him, but her mirth died as she took in the look on his face.
"Were you really going to let that idiot Arnold…?" he demanded, unable to even say the words.
Max stared at him caught off guard. Now you've done it.
Me? He's yours remember. You deal with him.
Her stricken look was answer enough for Logan. He felt a renewed rush of hurt and anger race through his veins as he realized the truth. "You were. Max, how could you?"
"Logan it's not like that… I mean I can't…I…"she stopped aware that she was only making things worse.
"You what? Have no self control whatsoever? That was pretty damn clear down there." Logan surprised himself with the bitterness in his own voice and words. "And to think I was starting to believe we might have a future together, when all I really am to you is a convenient stud to fill your needs."
"No. That's not true." Max felt the tears coming as Logan turned and strode to look out the window, his back to her.
"Isn't it?" Logan tossed back over his shoulder without even turning to look at her.
There was silence for a few moments and then he straightened and turned back to face her. Max flinched as his eyes swept over her body, measuring and somehow insulting.
"So let's get to it then."
"What?" She stared at him in shock at what his words implied.
He had crossed the room and was standing over her. Max felt her hormones flooding her once again and she desperately tried to hang on to control. His scent flooded her nostrils as he stood there and she felt herself slipping back into the grip of the heat.
"You need another screwing don't you?" He deliberately used the crudity and felt a certain satisfaction as he saw her flinch. He also saw the slumberous look in her eyes and he noted her increased breathing. "That much was clear earlier. Since I disposed of your would be lover down there, it's clearly incumbent on me to take care of your needs myself. "
"Logan…don't…" Max tried weakly.
In his anger Logan wasn't listening, and his arms came around her with punishing force as his mouth came down on hers. There was nothing gentle about his kiss as he thrust his tongue into her mouth and ravaged it. Max wanted to pull away but her body was in control and she felt herself responding to Logan. Something feral in her responded to his barely leashed savagery, and she felt herself spiraling into a hot blackness as his hands rapidly tore off her clothing and then his own.
Their coming together was hard and hot and fierce. It was almost animalistic with no words of love or caring, in fact with no words at all. Max didn't know if Logan was making love to her or punishing her and her body didn't care. She urged him on with her mouth and hands, meeting his fierceness with a matching one of her own. When they finished he rolled off of her, still without a word and walked into the bath. When he emerged he was fully dressed.
He looked at Max who was still lying naked on the bed where he had left her. "I'm going downstairs for a while. Don't leave this room. If you need more when I get back, I'll take care of it. Is that understood?" His voice cut her like a whip slicing through unprotected flesh.
Max just looked at him. Now that the rush of need was temporarily sated she felt numb. She wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball and stay there forever. Her pride kicked in and she managed to hold back the tears. She hated him in that moment but she hated herself more.
"Just go." She managed to get out.
"And Max, we are going down to dinner tonight and you will behave yourself. If that idiot is there you will not say one word to him. Not if you want him to live." The door closed behind Logan with a slam and Max burst into tears.
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By the time Logan returned several hours later, Max had managed to bathe and she was dressed for dinner.
Her heat was still affecting her but she was optimistic that it was beginning to taper off. If she could make it through the night she thought she might be back to herself by the morning.
Logan opened the door and looked at Max who sat relaxed in one of the room's stuffed armchairs. She rose as he entered, looking like an elegant and poised princess in her turquoise gown. Her hair was swept up with a few strands artfully falling down both to soften the effect and to conceal her barcode. The dress tied in an elegant knot on her left shoulder leaving the other bare, and fell in simple elegance, skimming her body. There was no pattern or decoration on it – its simple lines and slightly shimmering material were rich enough. She wore a thick silver band on her right wrist which emphasized the smooth golden skin of her arm and shoulder, left bare by the dress on that side.
Logan felt a pang as he took her in. But then he remembered the sight of her in the lounge chair kissing Arnold passionately, and he hardened himself against her.
"So you think you can make it through dinner without disgracing yourself or me tonight?" he said to her.
Max lifted her chin. "If you can," she threw back, refusing to let him see how his words hurt her.
"I'll be dressed in a few minutes. Wait here for me." Logan walked to where his freshly pressed tuxedo was hanging and pulled it down, taking it into the bath to dress. Max was just as glad. Despite her words she wasn't sure if she could have stood seeing Logan in a state of undress. Her heat was still bubbling just below the surface even though the intensity had decreased. When he emerged and came over to her she steeled herself and managed to maintain her composure despite his proximity.
Logan stared down at her for a moment as if testing her willpower. "Let's go." He left the room before her, not waiting to see if she was following.
Max was half inclined not to but she decided that acting unconcerned was the better alternative. When they reached the bottom of the stairs Logan held out his arm for her to take and looking down at her he said warningly. "If you get one bit out of line I'm taking you up, no matter how embarrassing it is for me or you."
Max shrugged and smiled sweetly at him. "If you don't stop glaring at me you're the one who's going to be making a scene, Logan."
He shot her a narrow look but then flashed one of his brilliant smiles at her. "No worries about me, sweetheart."
Max gritted her teeth as they walked together in the salon where the dinner guests were gathered.
Within seconds her heat and Logan's anger were forgotten as Logan's Aunt Margo and Uncle Jonas came over to greet them with a guest in tow.
"This is my nephew Logan and his wife, Maxine." Margo began the introductions and Max felt suddenly lightheaded. "… one of your uncle's investors in Cale Industries, Colonel Donald Lydecker."
End of Chapter Fifty…TBC…
PN laughs wickedly…Happy Fiftieth Chapter!!
