The weeks flew by; they handed out candy at Halloween and attended four Thanksgiving dinners as the Gilmore Girl tradition had come to dictate. Before they could believe it December had arrived and Luke and Lorelai's wedding was less than two weeks away. Emily's obsessive planning was starting to drive everyone crazy and Luke tried on more than one occasion to get Lorelai to agree to elope. As appealing as eloping was beginning to sound Lorelai wanted the fairytale wedding that her mother was planning and she knew that Luke was the only man she was ever going to marry.
At work Rory was still quietly putting in her time in the Lifestyles department. She had finished the last of the eight articles a few weeks earlier and was waiting to hear the final verdict on which department she would be moving to. Secretly she wanted a position on the front page more than anything; but she would gladly accept which ever position Mitchum and Logan decided was best. Logan had been hinting for weeks that he thought she might be moving soon. Darin had hired two new rookies and Rory had been assigned to show them the ropes. She suspected that he'd chosen her as the best person for the job partly because he was confident that she'd be a lot more welcoming to them than any of her colleagues. She'd given up any hope of becoming friends with her co-workers in Lifestyles; she only hoped that people in her new department would be more welcoming. Basically she was playing a waiting game.
Logan's duties at the paper had begun to grow, as he expected that they would as he acclimated to the position. Rory was eating a lot more dinners alone and finding herself with a lot of free time on the weekends while Logan was putting in time at the office. While it was disappointing for both of them to be spending so little time together it wasn't something they discussed. Each knew that right now this was their reality and there was nothing that they could currently do to change it. After a grueling round of interviews a secretary/assistant had finally been hired to work with Logan. His name was Jonathan; he was an older student taking night classes at NYU and had been hired in an intern capacity. He was going to school for journalism and hoped that an intern position with Huntzberger Media might be his foot in the door when he graduated. Logan had been unsure about hiring Jonathan for a number of reasons. The first being that he'd only ever worked with women as secretaries; secondly he and Jonathan were only a few months different in age and he wondered if that would be difficult for Jonathan. Finally, he worried about hiring a student. Would his work suffer because he had too much to concentrate on with school work and professional work? Logan's doubts turned out to be unfounded. Jonathan was a dedicated worker and seemed to be able to anticipate Logan's every wish. With in weeks their rapport was phenomenal and Logan was singing Jonathan's praises and already imagining ways they could put him to work after he'd earned his journalism degree.
After that first chance meeting at the gym Rory and Jess had quickly fallen into a schedule of exercising together twice a week at the gym. Logan still didn't relish the idea of his wife exercising with an ex-boyfriend; but she had become noticeably less stressed with the gym as an outlet. He worried slightly about Jess' motives but tried not to dwell on them, trusting Rory and knowing that was enough. Somewhat uneasily Rory and Jess had rebuilt the friendship they'd once shared. Eventually they'd traded home and cell phone numbers and chatted easily as they worked out.
"Your grandmother is driving me crazy," Jess told Rory one Wednesday afternoon as they hopped onto adjacent treadmills.
"You too?" Rory sympathized, "She is making me come in for what feels like the twentieth dress-fitting."
Jess eyed her figure and said, "That might not be a bad idea. After all the time we've been putting in at the gym your body has changed."
Rory blushed noticeably, embarrassed that Jess had noticed her changing figure too.
Seeing her blush Jess quickly amended, "Not that I was looking at you like that; I mean, you've always been skinny but now you're really lean and toned."
"At least someone noticed," Rory muttered quietly.
Jess had to strain to catch all of her words but immediately he knew what she was implying, "Logan hasn't noticed?" he asked incredulously.
Rory instantly felt guilt, she hadn't intended for Jess to get the wrong impression. "Well no, but it's really not his fault. His work schedule is insane. Right now we barely see one another let alone have time to be intimate. He really hasn't had a chance to notice."
Jess sucked in his breath sharply before saying, "Jeez Rory, that so isn't something I want to hear about."
Rory laughed at his discomfort and replied, "Like it or not you've become one of my best confidants and that comes with some specific obligations."
"I am not prepared to hear particulars about your sex life," Jess informed her.
"I never said I was offering them," Rory laughed.
"Thank goodness for small miracles," Jess responded.
Rory grew quiet thinking about how many weeks it had been since Logan had made love to her. Six long weeks and the worst part was that she wasn't sure that he had even noticed. She could deal with the absence if she felt like he was missing it as much as she was but she wasn't certain that was the case.
Several blocks away Logan was sitting at his desk restlessly shifting around the piles of work in front of him. He simply couldn't concentrate any longer; but he still had too much work to do to quit and head home. As his mind wandered from his work his eyes locked on a framed photo from their Austrian wedding. As his memory traced her familiar features he wondered, how long it had been since they'd made love. He cursed gently as he counted back and realized that it had to be close to six weeks if not seven. Not that there was much getting around it at the moment. Most nights she was fast asleep when he arrived home and he'd been leaving for the office before she rose again the next morning. After yet another failed attempt to finish up his current project Logan gave up. If anyone questioned him tomorrow he'd lie and say that he'd gone home because he'd been ill.
He pulled on his jacket as he jogged toward the elevator. He thought about calling Rory to tell her that he was on his way home, but decided against it, instead wanting to surprise her. Ten minutes later he was the one who was surprised when he arrived home and found the apartment empty.
"Earth to Rory," Jess called when she'd been silent for nearly five minutes, "What are you thinking about?"
"How much I miss him," Rory replied quietly, "not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too."
"You still see him everyday don't you?" Jess asked.
"I see him around the office and technically we still share our bed for five or six hours a night," Rory confided, "But I can't remember the last meal we ate together or the last real conversation we had. Not to mention…"
"Sex," Jess supplied.
"Right," Rory confirmed.
"So, how long has it been?" Jess asked.
"Six weeks and four days," Rory admitted.
Jess whistled and said, "If I thought it would help or that you'd go for it, I would offer my body for your personal use."
Rory slugged him and laughed, "Thanks, but no."
"So, what are you going to do about it?" Jess asked.
"I don't know," Rory admitted, "I've been trying to figure that out myself."
Just as Jess opened his mouth to answer Rory's cell began ringing. "It's Logan," Rory said excitedly as she flipped her phone open. "Hello?"
"Hey," Logan said, "Where are you?"
"I'm at the gym with Jess, as I am every Wednesday evening," Rory explained, "Where are you?"
"I'm at home looking for you," Logan said,
"You're at home?" Rory asked excitedly, "Don't move, I'll be right there."
"I'll send Frank to pick you up," Logan offered.
"He's probably already here, he always drives me home," Rory said.
"Hurry," Logan insisted.
"Don't worry, I will," Rory agreed.
Rory hopped off her treadmill and was sprinting toward the locker room when she remembered Jess. Sheepishly she turned back and quickly he stopped her. From across the room he yelled, "Have fun! See you Friday." She flashed him a grateful smile and waved. A few minutes later he saw her sprint back out of the locker room with her winter coat over her gym clothes and her bulging, hastily packed gym bag over her shoulder.
Logan was a ball of nervous energy as he waited for her to arrive. At first he rushed around trying to figure out where Rory kept the candles and looking for wine glasses. Eventually he abandoned his search and just loitered around in their entry way waiting for her. Initially he'd thought they'd savor their time with candles and wine but when he thought about how much he wanted her he knew that they would probably make love more than one time tonight and this first time was bound to be quick and purposeful. They would save the wine and candles for the second time.
He heard the elevator ding outside in the hall and he flung open the door. He moved aside as she stumbled inside, struggling to rid herself of her gym bag, purse and winter jacket. Finally unencumbered she launched herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and crashing her mouth to his. After several steamy minutes Rory broke the kiss and said, "I'm still in my gym clothes and I'm all sweaty, do you want me to shower?"
"Are you kidding?" Logan asked, "I can't wait that long, I've missed you too much."
"I missed you too," Rory whispered before their lips found each other again.
As they kissed and Rory began to loosen his tie and unbutton his dress shirt, Logan propelled them toward their bedroom. When they reached the bed Logan turned and sat, with Rory still wrapped around his waist. They broke the kiss as she continued unbuttoning his shirt and he peeled her damp gym tank-top from her torso. Underneath her tank she was wearing a front-clasping sports bra. With ease he opened the three clasps and unleashed her breasts. Hungrily his mouth sought her chest and eagerly sucked a nipple into his mouth. Rory moaned loudly as she dug her nails into his back in ecstasy. Spurred on by her enthusiasm he carefully shifted them so that she was lying on the bed on her back and he was positioned between her legs, which were still wrapped around him. He ground his ever growing erection against her and she giggled as she struggled to remove her gym shoes from her current position beneath him.
"Why are we laughing?" Logan asked with a smirk.
"I'm having a hard time getting my sneakers off from this position," Rory snickered.
"Okay, sixty second foreplay break to get naked," Logan offered, "And, go."
Logan rolled off her and in unison they rose from the bed. Rory removed her shoes, peeled off her socks and shimmied out of her Lycra shorts and panties. Logan removed his undershirt, unbuckled his belt, stepped out of his pants, removed his socks and finally stripped out of his boxers. The pair studied each other for the merest millisecond before they grabbed one another and collapsed onto the bed together. Within seconds he plunged into her and they rode each other mercilessly until they came together and finally lay wrapped up together on the bed.
"Hi," Rory said softly as they finally lay still together looking into one another's eyes.
"Hi," Logan replied with a smile, "Have I told you how much I've missed you these past weeks?"
"I think you mentioned it earlier," Rory said, "But even if you hadn't, what we just did screamed it loud and clear."
"Okay, well, let me say it one more time just for good measure," Logan said. And at the top of his voice he bellowed to their vast apartment, "God, I missed you."
Rory giggled in response and replied, "Let's make sure that it isn't another six weeks and four days before we do this again and we won't have to miss each other so much."
"How do you recommend we go about that with the schedule we're currently on?" Logan asked.
"Wake me up when you get home," Rory suggested, "Or come home for an hour in the evening, have your way with me then head back to the office. Or talk to the IT department about setting you up to be able to work from home in the evenings."
"Those sound like good ideas," Logan said, "I will talk to the IT department tomorrow. I am damn sure that I will be able to concentrate on my work better if I'm not being so deprived of my time with you."
"That's for sure," Rory agreed.
The couple lay content in each others arms for a few minutes before Logan asked, "How about that shower now?"
"Do I stink or something?" Rory asked, trying to sound offended.
"Hey, you're the one who was at the gym before this," Logan reminded.
"A shower sounds great," Rory agreed, "Pizza for dinner when we get out?"
"Sure," Logan agreed, "And clean sheets before we go back to bed."
Rory gathered the sheet around her before rising from the bed. She hopped off the bed into Logan's arms and he carried her bridal style into the bathroom. He set her down and turned on the water to warm up. Grasping an end of the sheet Logan tugged and Rory slowly started to spin, letting the sheet unravel and puddle on the floor around her. When she stood naked before him he studied her realizing that something was different.
"How long have you been going to the gym?" Logan asked as he reached out and stroked a finger over her lightly defined abs.
"Twice a week for about two months now," Rory said.
"Wow," Logan exclaimed, "My wife is hot."
"Wasn't I already hot before I started hitting the gym?" Rory asked.
"Before you were adorably cute and amazingly beautiful and bordering on hot," Logan explained, "but your ripped body pushed you over the border into hot territory. How did I not notice this before?"
"Incase you forgot," Rory teased, "You haven't seen me naked in over six weeks."
"Oh yeah, that," Logan replied as his eyes swept over her sculpted body again.
"Let's shower," Rory said, taking his hand and pulling him toward the tub.
"Oh yeah, that," Logan repeated.
The shower was a blur of kissing and Logan running his hands over her new and improved physique, which lead to him pressing her against the wall and pushing his way inside. When they finally immerged from the shower they bore immensely wrinkled and puckered hands and feet from such a long immersion in the water. Logan walked to the kitchen still wrapped in a towel to order their dinner. When he returned Rory had dressed in sweats and a tee-shirt and was carefully combing her tangled hair. Logan also dressed in sweats and a tee-shirt and joined her in the bathroom, taking the comb from her hand and pushing her onto the little stool that accompanied her dressing table. Rory closed her eyes and let her head droop a little as he gently finished combing her hair. When he finished and she raised her head again Logan was startled to see tears in her eyes.
"What's the matter?" Logan asked.
"I'm just so happy we're together right now," Rory said, "I missed you so much."
"I know, I'm so sorry," Logan said, "I swear to you, the first thing I'll do when I get into the office tomorrow is talk to the IT people about access to our networks so I can work from home in the evenings."
"Okay," Rory agreed.
"I do have some news that will cheer you up," Logan offered.
"What," Rory asked with interest.
"I have it on good authority that tomorrow will be your last day in the Lifestyles department," Logan said with a grin.
"What department am I moving to?" Rory asked excitedly.
"My father made me promise not to tell you," Logan said, "He wants to tell you himself."
"Can you give me a hint?" Rory asked.
"No," Logan said, "We are meeting with my father over lunch, you will find out then."
Rory pouted for a moment before a smile again lit up her features and she said, "That won't keep me from guessing all night long."
"Doesn't matter, I'm not going to tell you," Logan said.
The couple spend the remainder of the evening at home in comfortable happiness; thrilled just to be spending time with one another.
Author's Note: I know that this chapter is shorter than I have been making them lately. I am also aware that it took me a long time to update. I am sorry for both offenses. Life is insane as most of you are probably aware of. I am hoping to be able to update more regularly. This chapter has been in the works for months…There are a lot of fun things coming up: Luke and Lorelai's wedding, Christmas…etc. As always I love to get reviews and hear ideas from my readers! Thanks!