AN: Finally got your reviews - huh! What a relief. Loved them, thank you! And keep them coming, they're always appreciated.

I don't want to spoil it for you but there just might be some smut in this chapter.


Chapter 198

June 27th, 2022

Time slowed down, like a movie scene being winded very slowly, as they rushed out from the shop, a few smaller accessory stands falling to the floor as Rory's dress brushed against them by accident. Water sprinkled down from the ceiling, wetting everyone's clothes and hair. One of the shop assistant's mascara was running down her cheeks. There wasn't a lot of smoke, just a thin layer that could be seen below the ceiling - not enough to make one cough seriously or feel flames, but definitely enough to make one cautious and react. The deafening sirens, and the water, making the magically soft beige carpet on the floor splash under their feet, was creating more panic than the situation was perhaps worth.

Rory's hand was in Logan's tight grasp, once almost slipping out of it, but he didn't doubt to stop and get a better grip.

It was only as Rory reached the stairs, Logan had a chance to really look at her, as she slowed down, needing to hold her dress up. Even with her casually pulled back hair, wet loose strands of hair on the side of her face plastered onto her face, her dress dripping from water, making parts of it really stick to her body like it definitely wasn't supposed to, she looked incredible.

To Logan Rory looked like she'd just stopped off the set of a fantasy film on fairies or a Evanescence music video, if Logan were to say the first name that popped into his head. For once Logan understood the awe in which grooms looked at their brides, having definitely not had that moment with Odette. It was hard to picture Rory looking any more beautiful, her bump only making her more breathtaking.

"Are you okay?" Gigi asked as they reached the street, having gotten out a few moments before them.

There were several people outside already, including another one shopper, who only had a robe on, probably having been in the middle of trying on a dress downstairs at the boutique.

"Rory? You okay?" Gigi repeated, pulling her out of the haze.

Logan wrapped his arm around her, kissing her temple, feeling relieved to have her out of harm's way. Getting her and their baby out of there had been such a rush of adrenaline, the seriousness of the event still a little fuzzy for Logan. He'd definitely overreacted a little, it seemed, as it hadn't been difficult getting out of there, truth be told. But any sight of danger had made him super protective of his family.

"Uh-uh," Rory managed, her eyes still fixated on the store, a column of smoke coming out of its doorway.

"Oh, fuck, the dress!" Gigi exclaimed, worriedly, having now had a chance to really look at her. Rory hadn't even had a chance to really observe the damage, mostly her mind having been on the fact that her purse was in there and her street clothes. And her shoes - as she now realized, feeling the bare, and slightly sticky, pavement under her soles which was definitely a little gross, forcing her to step aside to find a better spot.

Only then Rory really looked at the dress - it having both water and some smoke damage, some object on the way having scratched some of its lacing as well. Logan could just see the sadness in her face. Dissapointment. Worry. Hopelessness.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Logan assured, rubbing her shoulders. Surely ther was some place where they could just get it cleaned, fixed - a copy of it made - he thought quickly. No matter the cost.

Then the fire truck arrived and a couple of firemen headed inside the building, taking charge of the situation.

"Maybe it was bad luck I saw you in your suit before the wedding?" Rory desperately tried to joke, but the worry was ever present in her face. Logan had seen her dress, the dress was ruined - she wasn't sure if dresses like this were ever supposed to be cleaned - and all of her street clothes, her purse, her shoes, also both pairs of her wedding shoes, her lingerie - everything except her phone that she'd grabbed on instinct was in there.

Logan loved how her dress hung to her frame, even now, emphasizing her bump just right. God, he wanted so badly for her to have the day she'd dreamt of and he knew right then that he'd do anything to try to remedy this. Hell, he was willing to buy her a storeful of alternative dresses so she could have something else she loved equally much - just to see her smile again for real. But right now Logan knew he just wanted her safe and out of those wet clothes, both for her sake and the baby's.

"Colin, can you stay here - see if you can get a hold of any of her stuff? Gigi? Can you go get some clothes for her, for the meeting?" Logan instructed, stepping into action mode.

"Oh, crap - the meeting!" Rory just realized. She'd had the perfect outfit planned - a simple navy pleated skirt and a button-up top, business casual but summery enough.

"And don't forget shoes!" Logan continued, speaking to Gigi, finally noticing the lack of shoes himself.

"I have these?" Gigi said, having grabbed her own sandals, she'd bought earlier, rushing out. That pair had just been at her reach, unlike Rory's.

"You guys are the same size?" Logan asked, looking back and forth.

"One size difference, those should do," Rory replied, still sounding like she was in shock.

"Okay, we'll try these but get something for backup anyways. I'll get her to a hotel to get cleaned and dried up," Logan added. Colin threw him his key fob the next second, seconding his plan.

Thankfully their car was just there, parked across the street.

"Hey, you can't go with that dress on!" one of the younger shop assistants began to say, but another one stopped her from saying anything else, knowing a bit more about the client in question.

"Bill me!" Logan huffed in return, despite knowing it had not been their fault. He just wasn't in the mood. But seriously - what did they expect - Rory to strip down on the street? Outrageous!

He guided Rory into Colin's Tesla Model X, which they'd driven over here, Colin having wanted to show it off, and got to the driver's seat. He had never driven one of these - but apparently it was time to learn fast.

He knew theoretically they could've just postponed the meeting, but he just knew that Rory just needed something to go right that day. He didn't even care his wedding suit had probably gotten water damage just the same, he just didn't want her stressing about these things, and he could only hope her blood pressure was alright as was the baby.

"You feeling okay?" Logan said he drove off, at the same time thinking quickly on where to go. Where was Finn when one needed him? Not only did he need a place that would have vacancies, but it needed to be a place that'd allow him into a room mid-day, at a time usually reserved for cleaning. It also needed to be a place that would allow Rory to get out of the car without drawing much attention to herself. They didn't need photos of her, soaking wet, and in her wedding dress circling around.

"Shaken up, but yeah," Rory said, clutching onto her phone with dear life.

"Where did you have the meeting?" Logan asked.

"Madison Avenue... and East 28th," Rory recalled, finding some paper napkins from Colin's glove compartment and patting her face dry.

"Okay now...," Logan sighed. "Now where is my secretary when I need one," he muttered, having several places in mind where to call to check but it wasn't the easiest of things to do while driving. The car hadn't connected with his phone on automatic and nothing was as easy as he was used to things being in the old days. And at the HPG, he hadn't yet gotten around to choosing his new assistant.

"Hey, calm down - just pull over! I still have a few hours," Rory said, seeing how he was panicking a little. She loved seeing him in action mode, but it was warm, despite being in a wet dress, and she wanted him to just take a breath. She was surprisingly calm with him next to her. Everyone was fine, including the baby who was currently kicking Rory's hand that rested on her stomach.

"I just… I thought I could lose you," Logan sighed, his hands on the steering wheel.

"You didn't. I'm not made of sugar! Despite my sugar consumption I don't melt...," Rory tried to uplift his mood. She was fine unless she thought too much about the dress.

Logan turned to her, wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck and into hair, caringly, and stretched out his neck to kiss her.

"I love you," Logan said, his forehead lingering on hers for a moment.

"I love you too," Rory replied.

"And the dress… just wow," he felt he needed to say.

"Hey, you've only seen it wet! That's no way to judge a dress!" Rory objected, laughingly, figuring this just needed to be something they were going to laugh about later on. Everyone was fine - it was just some clothes, right?

"Okay, let's make a few calls then," Logan exhaled and began dialing some numbers he had in his phone memory. "Hello! It's Logan Huntzberger," he began, charmingly, aiming to pull any strings he knew to get Rory comfortable as discreetly and quickly as possible, while Rory massaged his thigh, assuringly, for a moment.

Mentioning Finn's name had come in handy this time as well, considering it was one of his family holdings. But in the end it had been the possibility to drive into a parking garage and have a receptionist come meet them there and guide them up to their suite that had been the deciding factor.

They got the penthouse suit at the New York Edition, which was on Maddison and in walking distance from Rory's future publishist, figuring once Gigi and Colin arrived, they'd probably all just want some room to hang out in. He also made arrangements so the two would get key cards upon their arrival.

While Rory went to grab a shower, Logan ordered room service for the lot, knowing everyone was likely to be starving and texted everyone where they were, including the room number.

Logan was sitting back on the couch, having put his phone to charge on the wireless charger on the side-table, switching through the channels on the television, struggling really to focus, the day's events having raddled him. Eventually he'd landed on CNN just for backgroun. But it wasn't so much the events but curiosity on how Rory was handling it that concerned him. And he really just wanted her to not sell herself short at the interview or let the earlier action of the day affect her. He knew how vital this meeting was for her well-being long term. He was her biggest fan, but he also knew that Rory wouldn't allow him to pull any other strings for her.

As Rory emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her, she was actually in a pretty good mood. Disappointed. Shaken up. But… happy to be out of the wet dress that she'd hung up in the bathroom for now. She was, despite everything, hopeful. But there was also another thing she hadn't been able to get out of her mind - it was the chivalrousness that Logan had shown. And considering the earlier naughty thoughts she'd gotten already at the lingerie store and seeing him all handsome and sexy in his wedding suit, she was already kind of aroused. Logan, or thinking about Logan had made her feel incredible, protected and fended for, even if the fire hadn't been life threatening as far as they knew, or at least not in those early minutes.

She saw Logan on the couch, and she felt tempted. She approached Logan from the back of the couch, and bent down over his shoulder.

"I realized I don't have any underwear," she whispered in a sultry tone, and she could feel Logan jolt momentarily as the hot air reached his air. She'd thought about getting dressed after her shower but she really didn't anything except the wet dress, the hotel robe and the towel she was in right now, not until Gigi got back.

A wide smile crept onto Logan's lips, her seductive voice assuring him that she was fine - that was what he had been mostly worried about, after all.

Rory lay a couple of small kisses on his neck, while Logan was still in a bit of a state of disbelief that she'd moved on so quickly. But she could tell he was definitely enjoying her attempt at seducing him.

"I'm probably going to have to get all new lingerie for our honeymoon as well...," Rory began, teasingly, running her hands down his chest from behind her, and kissed his neck again.

"What did you get?" Logan asked in return, holding onto her hand so he could turn his head and kiss her more properly. That kiss was definitely a more intense one.

"Black… lace…. Bodysuit," Rory spelled it out for him, teasingly.

"Hmm… I like that..," Logan commented, and kissed her again.

"A see-through unpadded bra… so you can see and feel my hard nipples through it," Rory continued, her tone very luscious.

"Uh-uh," he commented, tugging at her towel so it'd drop to the floor, needing to feel one of her nipples right then and there. While still super sensitive - he knew just what those nipples loved. Logan's hang grazed her breast, so the nipple just got between his fingers, sensing its hardness. It felt exquisite. He turned fully, and climbed over the back of the couch, not caring if it wasn't terribly graceful. He needed to hold her close to his body right now, and brush his own stiffening arousal against whatever part of her he could.

"And… crotchless panties," Rory whispered to his ear as his lips touched her neck. The hot air made goosepumps rise on his skin.

At that sentence Logan pretend-bit into her neck, exemplifying how he could just devour her - her words were just the biggest turn on, just the distraction and assurance he needed to see how fine she was. They were stronger than this.

He steered her back towards the bedroom, sliding the separating door shut behind him. Her towel remained on the floor in the living room.

After several minutes of hands intertwining and caressing their bodies, and hungry kisses sending their minds into a whirlwind, they moved into the bed, Rory moving onto her knees, telling him which way she wanted it. Not that with her growing bump there were a lot of options to choose from, spooning having become their usual go-to most often. But this was their all-time favourite pose, no doubt, and Rory curved her back beautifully, inviting him.

Logan's body soon hovered over her, kissing her neck, back and sides, as he moved down to her ass and not a minute too soon licked over her slit, causing her to let out a weak moan. His hands caressed her thighs and ass, reaching around her hips to her mound.

Rory bucked her hips backwards against his lips and tongue, his stubble adding other sensations with its roughness. He didn't even really realize how he'd somehow managed to strip himself from his clothes, while he ate her juices, causing her to moan and buck her hips even more. Her whimpers grew more desparate by the minute.

His entrance was sudden, not with a lot of teasing, Logan actually being able to think enough to know they didn't have a lot of time. He bottomed out along with a loud gasp of appreciation from both of them. She fit like a tight glove around his member - so right, making them forget all else.

This was the most passionate sex they'd had in a while, even if it was hasty. Thrust after thrust he drove her closer to her climax, that too being part of his general goal to make her feel better. He almost felt it was his duty in this moment, his own release being just a side-effect. She thrust her hips back towards him, increasing the strength he hit her cervix - probably the roughest sex they'd had in a while. But since she'd been free from bleeding for months now, she didn't stop - just needed to feel that power, she needed to feel him. She could almost picture this being her wedding night - it was what she needed to picture right now.

Overcome by her thrusts backwards, he finished much sooner than he'd anticipated, but replaced his member with his hand, rubbing her clit and G-spot as skillfully as he could until her shivered, her core still enveloping his fingers. Rory's knees collapsed from the strength of her orgasm, and she barely managed to land onto her side, not her stomach, to the bed, panting heavily. Logan crashed next to her, needing to gather himself just the same.

The two smiled at each other, as they made eye contact.

"Not too rough?" Logan just had to ask.

"Just right," Rory commented.

Both of them got cleaned up, not wasting much time. Logan got his clothes back on while Rory pulled a white hotel robe tightly around her, her stomach grumbling for some nutrition. Both felt heppy, having needed that release. A distraction, a celebration, an assurance - that they were going to be fine.

As Logan slid the bedroom door open, however, they were faced with a giddy-looking Gigi, barely holding back her laughter, and Colin, having his cordless earphones on and his phone in front of him, looking at them rather angrily. There was also a room service trolly in the room, and Gigi had already helped herself to a burger that she was holding. They'd heard most of it, while Rory and Logan hadn't heard anything that had gone in the next room, having been too focused on each-other.

"Sorry," Rory mumbled, her cheeks all red, along with a light chuckle, as Logan only really managed to clear his throat, feeling a little embarrassed himself, but tried to change the subject swiftly.

"Gosh, I'm hungry," Logan said.

"Yeah, I bet," Colin grunted, causing a burst of laughter from the rest.