A/N: I'm so overwhelmed by the amount of reviews I received! I didn't know what kind of response i would get to this story, but after reading soooo many fics, I felt compelled to join the club. I hope you all enjoy, and thank you so so much for the reviews! You guys are a great bunch.

Chapter 2: A Game of Chess

A tap on the window interrupted Rory's scrambled thought process and she looked up to see Logan's torso pushing the glass panes open and leaning into her dorm room. Infuriatingly, a warm blush spread like fire over Rory's face, and she only hoped that the redness wasn't as apparent to him as it felt to her. She was furious at herself for reacting that way to him, and became even more determined not to back down.

One look at Logan's smirking face, and all of Rory's self confidence came rushing back. She would not be the first one to cave in.

"Every girl's dream," she said huskily, in a voice that even she didn't know she possessed, "is to have their own Romeo."

Logan looked a little taken aback at her opening line, but was quick to respond as Rory walked over to the window and leaned sideways alongside it.

"I am only concerned with your dreams. As your fiancé, it is my duty to fulfill them." He was unsure what was going on inside Rory's head, and was quite frustrated that she hadn't admitted defeat yet. Her prank had been good, but there was no way he'd let Rory Gilmore outsmart him. Although he had to admit, she was one hell of a player.

Rory smiled angelically at her "fiancé". "As my fiancé, you should know though that you are welcome to use the front door, no matter how romantic it is to have a scene from Shakespeare played out in my dorm room. However, I don't think Shakespeare himself would appreciate it as much, in fact, he'd probably roll over in his grave a million times over again."

Logan couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Touché. I'll meet you at your front door." And with that he retreated.

Rory let out a breath she had been unaware she was holding in. She wasn't surprised that Logan was continuing the charade, after sending an engagement ring, how could he stop? However she was very surprised with herself. Rory thought of herself as the type who didn't play games or beat around the bush. This guy infuriated her, why wasn't she just telling him that and kicking him out of her life? Why was she continuing a game that could only fool him into thinking she could actually deal with him as a friend? She walked into the common room to meet Logan at the front door, all the more determined to make him admit defeat and finish this stupid match.

Rory opened the door and looked around but Logan was nowhere in sight. It shouldn't take all but a minute to get to her room from outside, and she leaned against the doorframe to wait for him, wondering what crazy stunt he was about to pull now. She began to lose her patience when she spotted him entering the hallway with his arms behind his back.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Ace m'dear," he said with a bright smile. "But I wanted to come bearing gifts." He entered the room, carefully ensuring that Rory didn't see what was behind his back.

Rory raised her eyebrows as she closed the door behind him. "Didn't you already bear a gift of some kind today? You know, that large, sparkly Marilyn Monroe-esqe type gift?"

Logan laughed. "Glad you liked it. No, this is a fairly different type of gift. Are you intrigued, hanging on my every word, pining to know what it is?"

"Actually…no. But you seem fairly anxious to tell me what it is, so I'll allow you to give it over - if you wish."

"How very kind of you. And I mean that in every sense of the 4th grade way in which you meant it as well."

Rory stuck her tongue out at Logan, who just smiled and said, "Point proven." He withdrew his arms from behind his back, revealing two steaming cups of coffee. "The only reason I give up this opportunity to provoke you is because the steam is making my back sweat."

Rory made a face as she grabbed her cup of coffee. "I don't need to have an image of your sweaty back as I drink my coffee." She took a sip and heaved a huge sigh of contentment. "Which, by the way, is heaven. You know the way to my heart."

"Aw come on Ace," Logan said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I know that coffee isn't the only way to your heart. I'm betting that that image of my sweaty back is just burning in your brain as much as the coffee is burning in your mouth, and each one is making you equally salivate."

Rory gaped at him, openmouthed as he leaned over, pecked her on the cheek and turned to leave. One foot out the door, he turned back and said, "Pick you up tomorrow night at eight Sweets. Don't be late, and be fancy. And do me a favor, and have Marilyn Monroe's best friend adorning your finger."

Logan smirked as he entered the hallway. Check.