AS209 Much Ado About Something Chapter Ten, a dark angel fanfic

AS2.09 Much Ado About Something by Star24 and Lelu2

Real Life has finally relented and allowed for a continuation of this for anyone who hasn't completely given up on it. Posting will be more regular now and yes, this story will be finished. Enjoy!

Chapter Ten

Max yawned as she and Logan came down the stairs. When they came in sight of the other guests, she gritted her teeth and fell into the pose. Clinging to his arm, she complained, "Logie I'm still sleepy.

Logan put his hand on her arm and patted it indulgently. "You need to wake up baby. We'll have some breakfast, then we can decide what we'll do today...God I sound like the worst sort of prick," He hissed the last part under his breath.

Max heard him and stifled a laugh. She rubbed her hand up and down his arm and he turned to look at her. She looked up adoringly at him and sighed happily.

Logan flushed slightly knowing he was being teased. "Lets have some breakfast shall we, sweetheart?"

Together they went onto the veranda where a sumptuous breakfast buffet was waiting. There were already several couples there and they watched Logan and Max with interest.

Logan guided Max to an unoccupied table at the corner of the veranda where he made a slight show of seating her. "What would you like, sweetheart?" he asked solicitously.

"Anything you'd like to bring. I'm starving" Max smiled up at him then gave him a surreptitious wink.

Logan grinned and headed to the serving line, snagging a passing waiter in the process and nodding toward Max. "A couple of Bellinis to the table in the corner."

"Right away, sir."

Max watched him, amazed by the studied arrogance he exuded. It was as if he was a different person.

"Not exactly the same man you know?"

Max quickly looked up to see a tall rangy woman standing at her table. She smiled brightly saying. "I beg your pardon."

Claire sat down at the table.

Max studied the woman curiously, but held her tongue as she waited to see what she had to say.

Claire looked around and then spoke, pitching her voice so that no one besides Max could hear her. "I've known Logan since we were children and I know who he really is, which certainly isn't the worthless playboy he's pretending to be. What I'm wondering now, is who you are and why you're here with him."

Max shrugged, "I'm his date for the weekend."

Claire smiled at her knowingly. "Oh, I think you're a bit more than that. Like Logan, I have a feeling that there's more to you than meets the eyes."

Max met her smile and smiled in return but remained silent. She wondered about the slight but unmistakable emphasis Claire had placed on 'eyes', but refused to give the woman the satisfaction of a reaction.

"Claire, give it up. She's not going to tell you anything." Logan broke into their conversation as he placed two plates on the table and pulled out a chair next to Max. "Max has it all over me when it comes to playing her hand close to her vest." He frowned, "If I'd known you were joining us I'd have brought a plate for you as well."

"I've already eaten, Logan. Don't let me keep you two from your food, though. I'll just have another cup of coffee." Claire had already flagged down a passing waiter and quickly made her desire known to him. Within moments a coffee cup appeared in front of her, almost as if by magic, and the waiter poured the fragrant steaming brew into it. Claire took her time adding milk and sugar to her taste, and then sipped slowly, letting out a contented sigh. "No matter what else you have to say about Kip Masters, he certainly serves a good cup of coffee."

"Where is Kip anyway? I haven't seen much of him." Logan commented.

"He was around for a bit last night, mainly with John Endicott and Teddy. I haven't seen him so far this morning." Claire answered.

"I thought he was host of this thing. Isn't this charity his baby?" Logan probed.

"It used to be but recently he seems to be turning more and more of it over to John."

"That's certainly interesting," Logan mused. There was silence for a few moments as Logan and Max worked on their breakfasts and Claire sipped her coffee.

"How long have you known Logan, Max?" Claire finally asked.

Max wrinkled her brow in thought for a moment, "Not quite two years," she finally supplied.

"Why don't I believe for a moment that you really had to think about that answer?" Claire laughed.

"Max, Claire is hard to put anything past." Logan smiled at both women and nodded imperceptibly at Max. "I gave up trying years ago."

Max relaxed slightly at his signal to her that Claire was to be trusted. "I'll take your word for that, Logan." She turned to Claire, "So what else do you want to know?"

Claire laughed. "Everything of course, but I doubt I'll get that. Not if you're as close to Logan as I think you are."

"She is sharp, Logan."

"I told you so." Logan and Max's eyes met in unspoken communication.

Before they could continue, Claire's face dropped into a slight frown. "Don't turn around, we have company on the way," she hissed softly. "Good morning, John."

As she spoke, John Endicott stepped around from behind Logan and Max whose backs were to the stairs that he had climbed from the lawn to reach the veranda.

"Good morning, Claire," John responded. "Logan, Max." Without waiting for an invitation he pulled out the fourth chair at the table and seated himself.

"John." Logan responded without warmth. Max simply sipped her coffee and regarded John steadily.

"What brings you out so early?" Claire asked John, "I'm surprised to see you up and about before noon."

Max was intrigued by the underlying note of scorn in Claire's voice. John however didn't pick up on it, or chose to ignore it.

"Logan, I thought you two might like to come out on my yacht this afternoon. We have several ships going out but I think you and Max would enjoy a sail on The Aphrodite. I've room for two more." As he spoke, John's gaze roamed lasciviously over Max.

"If you like completely decadent luxury, John is right, Logan." Claire tossed in.

John preened, seemingly oblivious to the sarcasm in her voice.

"What about you, Claire?" Max asked. "Will you be sailing?"

"Claire doesn't sail, she complains it makes her seasick." John said scornfully.

"Actually, it wasn't the sailing that made me sick." Claire tossed back.

John glared at her and Max stifled a giggle.

"We'd love to join you, John." Logan interjected sending a stern look at Max. "Max can work on her suntan. You'd like that wouldn't you, baby?"

Max sent him a beaming smile, "Of course I would, Logie. You always know best."

John smiled smugly. "Be sure to bring your swim suit then. Unless you prefer to sunbathe au natural, to avoid the dreaded tan lines. It's quite fine on The Aphrodite, you know No bourgeois moral pretensions allowed on board."

"Don't you mean no morals?" Claire muttered so softly that only Max caught it.

John rose from the table. "I'm berthed at Slip 5, Dock 21. We leave promptly at 2:00 PM. Just ask the concierge and he'll arrange for a cart to drive you over." He swept one last long look over Max and left the table.

"Why do I feel like I need to shower all over again?" Max complained with a glare at Logan. "And why do I do these things for you?"

Logan shot her a grin but didn't answer.

Claire snorted, "You have more will power than I do, Max. If that slime looked at me like he was looking at you, I wouldn't have been able to just sit there."

"Ah, but Max knows about patience, don't you, Max?" Logan said with a smile.

"Max knows that she's gonna get her chance to wipe that nasty smile off of his face before this is all over, right, Logan?" Max said meaningfully.

"I don't think I want to know anymore." Claire said. She hesitated for a moment, "Logan be careful of John. I've heard rumors about him…"

Logan waited for her to continue. When she remained silent he prodded, "Rumors of what?"

"Nothing concrete. Just whispers about him and women. Nasty whispers." She looked at Max meaningfully.

Logan smiled at her. "Don't worry about Max. It's covered."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Logan."

"We do, Claire." Max sent her a reassuring smile.

Claire rose from the table. "I'll leave you two to enjoy the rest of your breakfast. Enjoy your sail, but be careful." She cast one more troubled look over the two of them. "I'll see you both tonight at dinner."

As she walked away Logan looked at Max and smiled. "Thanks."

Max raised her eyebrows, "Don't thank me until all of this is over. You have no idea what my putting up with that slimeball is going to cost you."

Logan grinned, "By the way about the au natural sunbathing…"

"Don't even think it."

"…I was going to say forget about it, but if you're that set on it…"

Max snorted and turned back to her meal as Logan laughed softly at her.

End of Chapter Ten