Mal's Musings: Okay, I want to start with a big thank you to Emily and Kylie for volunteering their services, you two are the greatest. Now, it is time for your assignment DA readers. I need suggestions for Logan's pet name. I'm thinking something along the lines of Buttercup, but I know y'all can do better than that.
Chapter Five
"So, did you enjoy your little chat with Senator Cummings?" Logan asked as he sipped his third glass of champagne.
Max smiled, picking up on the note of jealousy in Logan's voice. "Oh, I always take great pleasure in our little 'talks.'" She briefly enjoyed the flash of annoyance that spread over Logan's face, "He's a major supporter of our company, and he was surprised to see me here, especially when I'm supposed to be in France keeping up international communications."
Relief poured through his body, removing the tension lines around his face. "None of my business."
"Don't worry, Logan," Max answered in a low voice, brushing an imaginary piece of lint from his tuxedo, "I'm very much yours for the next few days." Looking back over her shoulder to where Cummings stood talking with another woman, "Besides I think his wife has claimed his affections for the rest of the night." Returning her gaze to his eyes she added, "Just as she has done for the past twenty-five years. They are very happily married."
"You seem to know them pretty well," Logan remarked, snagging another glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
Nodding absentmindedly, Max surveyed the room. There were a few other senators present at the event, some of whom were most definitely not with their wives, preferring to spend the evening with their west coast mistresses. Max settled her attention on a woman encased in a sapphire blue evening gown.
So Anna is back in town, Max thought grimly, I wonder if Zack knows. She didn't particularly relish the task of informing her brother that the woman who had ripped his heart out three years ago and did a little dance on it was back in Seattle. It would have been better for everyone if Anna Kate Maxwell had stayed in Switzerland.
Standing beside Max, Logan could feel the tension running through her body. Reaching out a hand, he gently began massaging the back of her neck.
Unconsciously Max tilted her head forward slightly, allowing Logan's questing fingers better access.
"Hey, what's this," Logan asked, leaning in closer to her neck to examine the black markings his massage had uncovered.
Oh shit, Max cursed, quickly realizing that the makeup she had applied to cover up her barcode had become nearly non-existent. Slapping a hand on the back of neck, Max turned on her heel headed towards the nearest restroom, "I'm going to go powder my nose."
Logan watched her hasty exit, and then turned his attention to the hand that had been rubbing Max's neck. Rubbing his fingers together, he felt the thick makeup. So that's how she covered the barcode, I was wondering. I suppose Zack didn't tell her I know the real truth about Fifth Generation X International and their agents. Logan snagged a napkin from the nearest table and wiped off the bronze cream onto the pristine linen.
Max stood in the bathroom, holding a compact in front of her face to see the reflection of her neck in the mirror behind her. Applying the heavy concealer in the bad light was tricky, but she could only hope that she did an adequate job of covering up the brand. Just as she was returning the compact to her clutch, the door to the restroom opened revealing Anna.
Anna's eyes widened as she saw Max standing before her.
Max inwardly laughed at Anna's own version of the deer-in-the-headlights routine. "Fancy meeting you here," her voice dripping with unrestrained sarcasm.
"Max," the blonde acknowledged. "You look very pretty tonight."
Rolling her eyes, Max roughly brushed past Anna. Pausing at the door, Max turned once more to address her brother's ex-lover. "Stay away from Zack. If you break his heart again, there is no where you can hide that one of us won't find you."
As the door shut behind Max, Anna's eyes welled with tears. "I never meant to hurt him," she whispered to the empty room.
Logan could tell that something had happened to Max since she left him. He could still feel the thrumming tension in her body, but it was different this time. His questioning eyes met her own troubled brown ones, as he cupped the side of her face.
She took a deep breath and shook her head softly at his expression. "I'm okay."
"Sure you are," he smiled softly. "How about a glass of champagne?" Snagging his sixth glass and her second from the passing waiter.
"I think you've had enough of the bubbly for tonight, Mr. Cale," Max said taking the glass from Logan's hand before it could touch his lips. Clutching both flutes, she set them on a table beside her, and took his hand leading him away from temptation.
Logan looked wistfully at the sparkling liquid before allowing himself to be led away. Normally he didn't drink quite so much, but the champagne had been the only way to keep his hands busy and away from the tempting neckline of Max's dress.
The rest of the evening passed quickly and all too soon they were in the elevator on their way up to the penthouse. Logan anxiously pulled on his shirt collar, unbuttoning the top of the confining material. The bad thing about elevators was the small space. The cramped quarters had never bothered him before, but he had never been in one, slightly buzzed with Max Guevara.
Watching the lights click onto the floors, Logan silently counted. Seven more floors, six more floors. Why, oh why, must I live in the penthouse? He resumed his watching, all the while very conscious of the warm body standing closely beside of him. Tugging off his glasses, he placed them in his pocket, as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Max smiled, knowing the effect her closeness was having on Logan. She didn't really know what intrigued her the most about Logan Cale. It wasn't his body, she had protected much, more handsome men than him. But there was something about him, perhaps the eyes.
The sparkling blue depths were familiar to her, but she couldn't exactly place where she had seen them. And then there was his attitude. Most men would have fought tooth and nail against the idea of having a female bodyguard, but not Logan. He just accepted the fact that when he asked for the best and Zack sent her, she was the best. But it wasn't just that. A lot of men would have already tried to get her into bed; she had been half expecting it the other night in his office. Logan was different, perhaps that was why she was drawn to him in a way she had been to no other man.
Sex had never been that pleasant for her, which was why she had only tried it a couple of times. Even during her heat cycles, she had taken to locking herself inside of her apartment and sitting under pulsing, cold water. Studying him out of the corner of her eye, Max unconsciously licked her lips as she pulled down her hair and ran her fingers through the newly freed tresses. Her mind couldn't quit wondering what Logan Cale would taste like on her tongue.
"If you don't stop looking at me like that, you're going to get more than you bargained for," Logan said quietly, turning slightly.
Busted, Max thought as she returned his gaze. "And just how was I looking at you?"
Under hooded eyes, Logan tossed her own words back at her. "Like I was an all-day sucker you just couldn't wait to lick."
"Mmmm," Max purred seductively, "you're right. I was just wondering if you were strawberry flavored or cherry."
Lowering his head, Logan stopped a breath away from Max's lips. "I guess you'll just have to find out."
Their lips met in a ferocity that should have shocked Max, she had never wanted someone so badly. By the time the doors to the elevator opened, Logan's shirt had come completely unbuttoned by Max's questing hands and the bodice of her dress was pulled down to her waist.
Refusing to leave Max's lips, Logan struggled blindly trying to fit the key into the lock.
Max chuckled at his difficulty, as she wrapped her legs around his waist and began moving sensuously over a certain portion of his anatomy.
Logan groaned into the kiss. "Max," he said warningly. "If you don't stop—" his voice trailed off as Max's hand found his zipper. "Okay, enough."
Max moaned as Logan broke their kiss. Looking at him through partially veiled eyes, "Why did you stop?"
Finally opening the stubborn door, he carried her inside and slammed the mahogany with a kick of his foot. "I've always found beds to be very comfortable."
Max licked the side of his neck, "Beds are good, but walls can be equally fun."
If it was possible, Logan hardened even more. With supreme self-control, he managed to make his way to his bedroom. Lowering their joined bodies on the bed, he rolled over so that Max was on top of him.
She should have stopped him, but damn it his hands and his mouth just felt too good. Feeling his fingers pause at the main zipper in the back of her dress, Max nodded, firmly sealing her fate. She wanted this night, even if that was all there was.
Logan made short work of her dress and soon she was breathing heavily beneath him clad only in her black lace panties, as the bra had been built into the dress. Standing briefly to remove his clothing, he quickly rejoined her on the bed clothed in his black silk boxers.
Max's hands skimmed the top of the waistband before venturing under the material to feel the skin beneath. Just as she was thinking that the moment couldn't be more perfect, she felt a sudden and very, unwanted tremor rip through her body. Closing her eyes tightly against the pain, she tried to get Logan's attention.
Logan had firmly attached his mouth to Max's neck and was happily feasting on the flesh there when he felt the tremor rip through her body. At first he took it as a wave of pleasure, until he felt her hands pushing against his chest. Rolling off her quickly, Logan saw that Max's entire body was caught in the throes of a seizure.
"Shit," he swore softly, instantly realizing what had happened. Swinging his feet over the side of the bed, he raced to his bathroom for a syringe. Re-entering the bedroom, he saw that she was still shaking badly. "Hold on a just a second, Honey," he whispered as he deftly filled the syringe with tryptophan.
Logan closed his eyes as he pressed the needle into Max's upper arm and pushed the medication into her bloodstream. Laying the discarded syringe on his night table, he crawled back into bed beside of Max, wrapping his arms around her silently willing the seizure to stop. Logan stroked her back lovingly as the tremors finally abated.
"I'm sorry," Max whispered into his chest as sleep claimed her.
"There's nothing to apologize for," Logan said quietly, kissing the top of her head. He tightened his arms around her, wanting to protect her but knowing that he couldn't.
~*~*Did y'all think Logan was going to get a little lovin? Hmmm, maybe later, cause y'all need to tell me just how smutty it should be.
~*~*Okay, people, it has been brought to my attention that some of you are simply reading this story and not reviewing. I for one am shocked—no, actually, I'm not surprised in the least. I just wanted to quell a few people's fears, and let you know that I'm not one of those of review snobs who think she needs a certain number of reviews before posting the next chapter. Don't forget your assignment, give me that pet name.