Banana Pancakes
part III
"What are we doing?" he asked as she grabbed her purse and pulled him out the front door.
"The mall," she said simply. She smiled at the blank look on his face. "You're going to buy a pair of jeans. And wear them."
"No, Ror, come on," he tried to protest but she cut him off.
"An I Never day, Fred Baby," she reminded him as she waited for him to unlock his Porsche. "You're the one that said we'd have one. We means the both of us."
"Thanks for the English lesson." He held the car door open for her before moving around to the driver's seat. "Where to, Miss Golightly?"
She smiled appreciatively. "So you have seen Breakfast at Tiffany's, good to know." She quickly rattled off directions to him and soon they were on their way to the nearest mall.
They walked through the glass doors and Rory was surprised as Logan held back. "It's just a mall Logan, surely you've seen one before, maybe even been in one?"
"Yes, I've been in a mall Ace, I'm not as sheltered as you'd like to think I am."
"Then what's with the frown Eeyore?"
He plastered what he hoped was the biggest grin he could on his face. "Look Ace, a bookstore!" he said as he pointed. "I bet we could spend a few hours in there, couldn't we?"
"We could," she said with a nod. "But first things first, we're going to go buy you some jeans." She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the escalator.
"All right Ace, but you're going to have to warn me ahead of time if we're going to go into Abercrombie because I'll need to pop my collar."
"Pop it anyways, I'd like to see you walk around like that."
"Maybe some night if you're lucky." She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed. They were halfway up the escalator when he realized they were still holding hands and he dropped hers swiftly.
Too swiftly, because she noticed. She wasn't looking at him, but he saw her smile fade and then reappear just as quickly. He thought about trying to cover it up running his hand through his hair or rubbing the back of his neck but then it was too late and he just pushed the hand into his pocket and sighed.
Logan Huntzberger didn't hold hands with girls in public. He could grope inconspicuously in movie theaters and he could inch fingers under skirts during dinner parties but he simply could not walk through a mall holding hands. Rory would get ideas then and it would all spiral from there. Before he knew it, he'd be doing other things like waiting for her between classes to say hi or going to stupid Hartford parties just because she'd be there. He'd be bringing her coffee first thing in the morning and blowing off dates with easy blondes to watch ridiculous British comedies he didn't understand. Except, he had already done all of those things and they were against the rules, so what harm would handholding do?
They stepped off of the escalator finally and he went to reach for her hand again but it was tucked firmly in her own pocket so he opted to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. Just to see what it felt like. "Where to now?" he asked.
Rory's eyes searched behind him at all of the stores. "Well, where do you shop the most?" she asked logically.
He shrugged. "I have a personal shopper Rory, I call her when I need something and it's delivered to me a few hours later, I don't know where it all comes from."
"No, you're not spoiled at all." She rolled her eyes. "Well come on then, let's go slumming in that store over there," she said, pointing at the Express Men store.
He eyed the store suspiciously. "Lead the way," he said finally, following her past several other stores.
They walked into the store and instantly, three female workers pounced on them.
"Welcome to Express!"
"Hi, is there anything I can help you with today?"
"We're having a sale right now, all of our button down shirts are buy one get one half off."
Logan looked around frantically for Rory, who had stepped back a few feet and was pretending to be very interested in a rack of sweaters. Payback for dropping her hand like it burned him he supposed. "Umm…" He tried to form an answer but the salesgirls kept on talking over him.
Rory finally looked up. "Sweetie, I want you to try this on!" she said, holding up a green sweater. She walked back over and linked her arm through his. "There's a few other things I want you to look at too, c'mere." She smiled patiently at the salesgirls and pulled him towards the other end of the store.
He grabbed her arm. "You're not leaving me alone the rest of the time we're in here," he warned, leaning in close as he whispered. She just rolled her eyes and dragged him to a table piled high with jeans.
"So what size?" she asked.
He lifted his shoulders in a lazy shrug. "What's the matter Ace, don't have an eye for the sizes like I do?"
She raised her eyebrow and stared at him for a few seconds before turning back to the table and selecting a few pairs of jeans. "Here," she said, shoving them into his hands. "Come on." She moved to another table and grabbed a few more pairs, throwing them on top of the ones already in his arms.
"I have to try on all of these?" he complained.
She nodded. "I don't know if you'll like boot-cut over straight-legged. You might want dark denim and not light." She smiled at him. "And of course, you'll want some new shirts to go with these jeans."
"Of course." He paused. "You wouldn't just be trying to torture me for making you skip class, would you?"
"Who me?" She batted her eyelashes at him. "Now Logan, why would I do that? Just because at this very moment I could be sitting in my psychology class taking notes and instead I'm at the mall with you?"
"Right, of course that's not what you're doing," he deadpanned. "You take psych?"
She handed him a shirt. "Yes I do." She looked around the store, searching for the fitting rooms. "Okay, this way." She pointed to an empty room and sat herself down on the nearest bench. "I'll be right here, show me everything," she added.
"Just so you know Ace, no matter what you do to me today, it's worth it, just because you skipped class."
"Good to know." She smiled as he disappeared behind the door. She watched as he kicked off his shoes and dropped his current pants to the floor…khaki these ones were. She supposed it was better than linen but she couldn't count those out as she hadn't really gone through his closet.
Rory closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. She was still thinking about what happened on the escalator. It wasn't like she had meant to hold his hand, and she really hoped he didn't think that's what she was trying to do, she just simply hadn't let go because the thought hadn't occurred to her. It hadn't even occurred to her that she had been holding his hand until he let go of it. She would have been fine if it would have ended there, lines would have been drawn, boundaries would have been set; she would have known where they stood. But then he had to go and ruin it by one stupid movement. A hair tuck. Seriously, why would he do that? That was a definite boyfriend move and he was not her boyfriend.
"Sleeping already?"
She opened her eyes and smiled appreciatively. "Definitely boot-cut," she murmured as she stood up. "Do you like them?"
"If I say yes, do I have to try the rest on?"
"Yes you do. But these are nice." She walked around him and giggled. "You won't want to wear them in front of Charlotte though," she warned.
"They're too tight," he griped.
"Trust me, they're not." She winked at him and then laughed as he slammed the door to his dressing room. "Try on one of the shirts with the darker jeans," she called to him before taking her place again on the bench. She looked at her watch and saw that her psych class was just ending. There were still two classes she could get to today but she knew better than to try and figure a way to. She only hoped she wasn't missing too much.
This was good though, she decided as Logan came out in his second pair of jeans. She shook her head quickly and he disappeared into the fitting room again. She and Dean had never gone shopping together before and the thought of Jess actually setting foot in an Express was at best, laughable, as she was sure he only shopped in thrift stores and street vendors.
"You're taking too long, what's the matter, you get stuck?" The door swung open again as soon as the words were out of her mouth and Logan stepped out and posed with his hand on his hip. He took a few steps forward, paused, did a spin and walked back towards the fitting room where he leaned against the door.
"Well? What do you think?"
"I think you've seen one too many episodes of America's Next Top Model," she said as she stood up and walked over to him. "But these do look good," she said.
"Good?" He scoffed. "Please, they look fierce."
"Okay, now I know you've watched Top Model at least once and I gotta say, that scares me." She motioned with her hand for him to turn around again and he obliged. If she had her way Logan would be wearing jeans a lot more from now on. The light blue ribbed tee shirt fit him nicely too, she noticed, appreciating the way it stretched over his biceps.
"Careful Ace," he said, a slight smile on his lips. "I don't think the salesgirl will like it if you drool all over these and then I don't buy them."
"Oh you're buying them," she replied without hesitating.
"I am?" She nodded and grinned at him. "Why?"
She turned him away from the mirror. "Look at that ass. Every girl on campus will thank me for making you buy these jeans," she declared.
"Did Rory Gilmore just say ass?"
"Would you have preferred backside?"
He laughed. "Ass works. Careful Ace, I might be rubbing off on ya a little."
"Probably not." She looked at her watch. "I'll let you get out of trying on the rest in there if you agree to get these and the first pair and then buy me a cup of coffee?"
"Deal." Logan headed for the fitting room again and few seconds later he poked his head out. "Hey Ror?"
"Yes?"
He caught her bye the hand and pulled her into the small room with him, shutting the door behind them. "I thought you'd like to see the jeans up close," he suggested innocently. Rory started to protest but his mouth covered hers before she formed even a syllable. It took only a second for her to kiss him back and as soon as she did he backed her up against the cubicle wall. It shuddered slightly under their weight and Logan wondered if there was anyone on the other side of the wall. The thought was immediately forgotten though as Rory's tongue found its way into his mouth and he slid his hands up the back of her shirt.
And just as suddenly as they began, they were done. Rory gasped and shoved him away hard. He hit the other wall with a dull thud and again wondered if anyone was on the other side. "Ow," he muttered, holding onto his elbow.
"Logan!" she hissed. "We are in a fitting room!"
"Wow, wait, we are?" Logan looked around. "You're so observant. You know, you should be a reporter or something." She gave him a dirty look but didn't resist as he came close enough to kiss her again. Once again, his hands drifted from her waist upwards and she pushed him away.
"Come on Ace, you've never misbehaved in a fitting room before?"
"No, never!" the words were out before she caught them.
"Never huh?" His eyebrow shot up. "Well me either, and today would be the day of all days to fix that, wouldn't it?" He leaned in again but this time she held him at arm's length.
"Logan, fitting room!" she repeated in a whisper. "This isn't allowed, we're going to get in trouble!"
"Well damn the man Ace!" She couldn't help but laugh as the words left his mouth and she rewarded him with a quick kiss on the lips.
He tried to keep her against him and deepen the kiss but she wasn't having any of it. He wasn't surprised when Rory ground her heel into his toe and found her way out of the room.
"You should leave the jeans on," she suggested quietly once she was safely on the other side of the door. She blushed as the salesgirl in the fitting room area frowned at her disapprovingly.
Logan appeared a few seconds later. "Oh you're not mad at me for that," he said once he saw the look on her face.
"I'm not?" She wasn't really, but that wasn't the point.
"You're not." They walked towards the cash registers in the front of the store. "And you won't be until after I buy you your coffee."
Coffee would be good, she decided. "I hate you," she grumbled for the second time that day.
"Yeah but you don't hate my ass in these jeans so I think we'll be okay, won't we?" He grinned at the cashier as he handed her a credit card.
"You're buying me the biggest cup of coffee ever," she said, for lack of anything better to say. They walked out of the store and Rory immediately dragged him over to the Starbucks kiosk.
"Hi there, I'll have a tall cinnamon spice mocha and what?" he glanced at Rory. "Three gallons of the strongest coffee you have?"
Rory elbowed him and stepped forward. "I'll have a venti caramel macchiato. Actually, I'll have two."
"You heard the lady," Logan said as the barista looked at him for confirmation. As he paid for their drinks Rory's eyes wandered over to the bookstore.
"I suppose we're going in?" Logan asked as he followed her gaze.
She shrugged. "Can we?" She didn't want to sound too hopeful but there were at least seven books she wanted right now that she could think of off the top of her head.
"Sure, it's your day off after all." He steered her towards the bookstore. "Although…"
"What?" She looked at him suspiciously as they stood in front of the store.
"I think it's your turn for an I Never and I've got one for you."
She sighed. "I'm not going to have sex with you in the bookstore!" She spoke too loudly and several people stopped to stare at her.
"Nice to know Ace, but I wasn't going to even suggest it. I know you'd never defile your precious books like that. No, I have another big one for you, maybe even bigger than playing hooky." He leaned in conspiratorially. "This could be a monumental day for you."
"What is it?"
He shook his head. "You have to agree to it before we step into the store."
"I agree," she said reluctantly. He took her hand and walked into the bookstore. "Okay so what is it?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest.
He grinned wickedly. "You're not allowed to buy a single book."
Rory's mouth dropped open in dismay. "Logan! No!"
"Sorry Ace, but you agreed. Now come on, let's go look around."
"I'm not going to look around if I can't buy anything!"
"Okay then, come and watch me as I look at books then."
"What did I ever do to you?" she demanded. "Why do you hate me so much?"
"I don't hate you, I—I'm making you a stronger person Rory."
"You're mean." She followed him deeper into the store and trailed behind him, looking longingly at the biography section as they passed it.
"You'll thank me for it later."
"Doubtful." They walked around quietly for a few minutes before Rory broke.
"This is so unfair!" she protested finally. "Logan, this is just cruel."
"Crueler than say, oh I don't know, me not setting the alarm clock for this morning?"
"They were both cruel!"
"Which one was crueler?"
"I'm sorry, I can't hear you anymore." She turned to the bookshelf and picked up a book. After scanning the back of it she looked up at Logan with hopeful eyes. "You know, I've never been in a bookstore and bought just one book before."
"Yes you have."
"Excuse me? I have not."
"Have so."
"When?" she demanded.
"Two weeks ago. I ran into you on campus as you were leaving the bookstore with one book for your poetry class."
"Oh my God, you remember that?" she shook her head and thrust the book against his chest. "I need this book Logan."
He looked down at it. "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "You need this book?"
"Yes," she said stubbornly, fully aware that she sounded like a four year old. Her eyes brightened. "And you could buy it for me because you've never bought me a book before and I've never let you buy me a book before so we both add another thing to our list."
Logan took the book from her hands and studied it. "I don't know Ace, that's not a very exciting I Never." He snaked an arm around her and pulled her flush against him. "Now, I know I said we wouldn't embarrass the books Rory, but what do you say?" She glared at him silently and he shrugged. "All right, no book then."
He dropped his arm from her waist and turned to put the book back when she grabbed him by the chin and kissed him. Logan was stunned by the sudden attack and the book fell from his hands as Rory ran her other hand up his stomach and around, fumbling for something to hold onto as she leaned into him.
She had him trapped between her and the bookshelf, not that he minded though, it was a good place to be, but he was curious as to what she was going to do. He wasn't too worried, seeing as how she had freaked out not half an hour ago in a fitting room, and at least in there, no one else could see them.
"Can I have the book?" she asked, pulling away slightly.
"I really think that's going against the rules of the original I never." She leaned in again and kissed his neck, her tongue flicking against his pulse before moving to his collarbone. He groaned and steadied himself against her. She may have every other guy in the world fooled but Rory Gilmore was not as virtuous as she wanted everyone to believe she was.
"Are you sure I can't have the book?" she asked again, pouting slightly and flashing her signature Bambi eyes. She should have those trademarked he decided as he placed his palms against the base of her spine and pulled her even closer.
"I don't think you need another book." He was going to buy her the book; he had decided that before she actually asked for it. He was just goading her now, seeing how far she'd actually go.
Rory could be absolutely salacious when it came to books, he soon discovered, as her hand found its way into his front pocket. He broke their kiss abruptly and looked at her in surprise. She smiled at him wickedly before bringing his head back down for another kiss and he was beginning to imagine all sorts of things until a stock boy clearing his throat interrupted them.
Rory blushed appropriately and avoided eye contact with the teenager as she walked out into the main aisle. As Logan bent down to retrieve the fallen book he became aware of how harsh the denim material of his jeans could be, especially as it tightened around him. He'd have to remind Rory of that sometime. He just shrugged and offered the guy a lazy smile as he trailed behind Rory.
He caught her by the elbow and steered her toward the front counter. "You get the book," he said against her ear and she just smiled triumphantly at him as she handed over the book.
"Thank you," she said sweetly once the bag containing the book was back in her hands.
"Mmhmm." He rolled his eyes at her. "I don't think I can ever look at you the same again Ace."
"Just taking a cue from you," she said with a wink. "Where to now?" she asked as they left the store.
"Actually," he stopped and looked at her. "There's something I need to do since we're here, it's for the LDB, which…" his voice trailed off.
"Which means you have to go alone," she finished.
"I wouldn't if I absolutely didn't have to," he said apologetically.
"No problem," she assured him. "You go do what you need to do and I'll sit right here and read my new book."
"It'll be fifteen minutes tops," he said.
"It's fine, go," she said with a wave of her hand. "I actually should check my messages anyway." She pulled her phone out of her purse and frowned. "No service."
"Oh." He looked at his own phone before handing it to her. "Mine works, knock yourself out."
"Thanks." She smiled at him. "Run along, do your super secret club business." She flipped open his phone and waved as he walked away. She only had one message, and it was from Paris so she left her own message on Paris' phone that she would be home later this evening and would talk to her then. Settling down on a bench she opened up her book and began reading.