Reaching For the Moon by ThePekingNoodle

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Chapter Fifty-Two: Let the Play Begin

In which our hero and heroine's acting skills are put to the test…

Max started to pull open the door leading to the salon but Logan stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Wait a minute." He held her at arms length and looked her over.

"What?" she asked impatiently, wanting to get the evening over with.

"You don't look right."

"What's wrong with how I look? she demanded, somewhat annoyed.

"We're supposed to be honeymooners. There's no way we made it in here without people seeing us. Therefore they are going to expect to see certain …things when we come out."

Max looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"If we walk out there looking all calm and collected, that's what's going to get people thinking. You need to look like you've just been well and thoroughly kissed."

Before Max could protest Logan pulled her into his arms and proceeded to kiss her quite thoroughly indeed. As his lips found hers and moved over them, Max felt a familiar rush of warmth and when his tongue asked for entrance she found herself willingly granting it. Logan continued to kiss her for several moments, running his hands lightly through her loose hair as he did so. When he dropped them down and began to caress her shoulders she suddenly pulled back.

"I think that's enough." Her voice was slightly breathless and husky.

Logan looked at her lips, which were now slightly swollen from his ministrations, and noted the slight flush coloring her golden skin. He was aware of his own rapid heartbeat (and other reactions to her closeness) but he pushed them aside and nodded.

"Perfect. Let's go." He grabbed her hand and opened the door pulling her out into the other room with him.

Several people turned and looked at the two of them as they emerged and Max noticed smiles and not a few whispers, as they looked both her and Logan up and down.

Logan handled it with aplomb, looking completely unconcerned and Max followed his lead as best she could. He snagged two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handed one to Max.

"Now what?" she asked him as they strolled leisurely through the salon, sipping their drinks.

"I need to find my cousin Bennett." Logan was scanning the room looking for his cousin.

"Max." Kendra came hurrying over to them. She stood and looked them over critically, then sighed in relief. "I was worried about you two earlier." She winked. "I can see that you kissed and made up though." She put particular emphasis on the word kissed and shot a mischievous glance at Logan.

"Ken, watch it." Logan said warningly to his irrepressible cousin. "You're embarrassing Max."

"Max is fine. You mean I'm embarrassing you." Kendra shot back at him.

"Have you seen Bennett?" Logan asked ignoring her sally.

"He left. One of his execs called this afternoon with some crisis and he had to go back to Seattle."

"Damn." Logan frowned.

Kendra looked at Logan curiously. "What's the big deal?"

"Just that he hasn't met Max and I wanted to introduce her. He's hard to pin down most of the time."

Kendra shrugged.

"So, Ken," Logan asked casually, "who's the new investor that Aunt Margo and Jonas are shepherding around?"

"You mean the Colonel?" Kendra asked. "Just another business contact of Daddy's I guess. He's kind of cute in an older guy sort of way if you know what I mean."

Max suddenly choked and Kendra looked at her in concern. Logan took her champagne from her and patted her back. "You okay sweetheart?"

"Some bubbles went up my nose. I'm fine." Max grabbed her glass back and quickly drained it. "I need more champagne."

Logan looked at her askance and then he realized that she was staring at someone as she said it. He turned to see Colonel Lydecker heading their way. A waiter walked by and Max practically tripped him as she grabbed a glass from his tray. Kendra was looking at her strangely and she smiled at her. "Girl gets thirsty when her guy…you know." She sent a meaningful glance at Logan, and Kendra suddenly laughed.

"Oh right. Uh oh. Mom's waving me over. Probably got some boring society stud she wants me to meet. Catch you two later." With that she was gone, headed in the opposite direction from Margo.

Logan looked down at Max and smiled as he said sotto voce, "We have company. Break a leg."

Max smiled brilliantly up at him, "…of course, darling. You know how I love theatre. When can we go to the play, did you say?" She laid her hand on his arm. Even though the touch looked light, Logan could feel the tension vibrating through her. He put his own hand over hers, reassuring her without words as the Colonel came up to them.

"Mr. Cale. I understand you and your lovely wife are newlyweds. I wanted to offer my congratulations." Lydecker was saying.

"Thank you, Colonel." Logan smiled. He nodded to a waiter who brought Lydecker a glass of champagne. Logan lifted his glass "To my lovely bride." Deck lifted his glass with a smile, as Logan put an arm around Max and pulled her close, gazing at her adoringly.

Max looked back up at him thankful for the chance to look away from Lydecker as she gathered her wits.

"You look familiar to me, Mrs. Cale." Lydecker was saying as he stared at her. "Have we met before?"

"Not unless you've spent time in Switzerland in the last several years. This is my first visit to Seattle." Max replied with a smile.

"And quite an exciting one so I hear."

Max looked at him, momentarily at a loss.

"I meant your marriage. I understand it was something of a surprise." Lydecker continued blandly.

"Not to us, Colonel." Logan stated calmly.

"I would have thought that your wife's family would have preferred a large affair in keeping with their social position." Deck observed idly.

"My wife's family was completely against her marriage to a brash American, so I'm afraid we had to resort to some subterfuge. But I was determined to have Max once I met her. And I'm not a man who lets anything get in the way of what I want." Logan's voice was smooth, but there was an undercurrent of warning in it.

"A man after my own heart, Mr. Cale." Lydecker smiled, but Logan noticed how his smiles never seemed to reach his eyes. He reached out to take Max's hand and bent over it in the continental fashion. "Charmed to meet you my dear. I shall hope to have the pleasure again soon. Perhaps we will be able to spend some time sharing stories of our favorite places in Europe."

Max smiled charmingly as he kissed her hand. "That would be a pleasure, Colonel."

"I'll call you when you return to Seattle, and we may all have dinner one night. As my guests, of course."

"We'll be going out of town for a while. I haven't had the opportunity to give Max a proper honeymoon trip yet, but I intend to remedy that oversight. But when we return we'd be delighted." Logan glanced away, "Ah, I see that my aunt would like me to meet someone else. If you will excuse us, Colonel? I'm afraid being newlywed means we spend a lot of our time meeting and greeting."

"Of course." Lydecker nodded.

Logan threaded his arm through Max's and slowly headed in the direction of his aunt. He looked down at her once they were out of Lydecker's hearing. "Are you alright?"

Max nodded. "Thanks, Logan." She shot him another smile for the benefit of those watching. On impulse, Logan stopped and leaned in to kiss her lightly.

"For the benefit of our friend." He explained as he straightened.

Behind them Lydecker stood sipping his champagne and watching them consideringly.

End of Chapter Fifty-Two…TBC…