Veronica's Hangover
Chapter 4: Limos and Sparks
Flashback - Saturday evening - Limo
Veronica waited in the stretch limo for Logan to join her, after speaking to the driver. The interior was black leather and white lights, the divider and moon roof closed. She reflected on how much had changed since the first time she had ridden in a limo with Logan. He had been Lilly's then, while she had been Duncan's.
Logan slid in beside Veronica, and kissed her cheek affectionately. He reached for the bottle of champagne chilling on ice and uncorked it, pouring them each a glass.
"Did you really think I was hot the first time you met me?" Veronica asked.
Logan, instantly understanding the source of the question flashed a grin.
"Do you think I would have risked incurring Lilly's wrath over a lie? Plus, you can never go wrong with knee socks, Veronica"
For a moment, Veronica was the sixteen-year-old girl who had felt a trickle of excitement upon hearing that her best friend's boyfriend found her hot.
"You've never told me what you thought of me the first time we met." Logan pouted.
"I'm not blind. Of course, I thought you were hot. I thought you were interesting and quirky, and I liked how opinionated you were." Veronica admitted.
Logan lowered his eyes with a contented smile before meeting Veronica's eyes again. He reached up, gently touching her face and guided her mouth to his. Lips brushed each other, lingering for a moment, sharing the same air, before hers parted and the kiss deepened. Veronica's hand slid behind his neck, and she altered the slant of her mouth to allow him to kiss her more deeply. She shifted sideways, curling her feet up behind her on the seat as the kiss increased in urgency. Finally, desperate to get even closer to his body, Veronica rose up on her knees. When she maneuvered her knee over Logan's lap to straddle him, Logan lifted his glass of champagne to keep her from tipping it. Unfortunately, Veronica was still holding her champagne in her right hand, and both glasses clinked and spilled down the front of Veronica's blouse and skirt.
Veronica shrieked and jumped back, her clothing soaked. "It's freezing!" she cried.
Laughing, Logan set down their glasses, and pulled Veronica back onto his lap. He kissed her throat, following the path of champagne with his mouth. Veronica shifted to straddle Logan's lap and arched her back to get closer to him, sliding her hands into his hair. He nosed at the fabric of her blouse baring her right shoulder and brushing kisses across it. Veronica pulled back long enough to slide her blouse over her head dropping it to the floor.
Logan halted his kisses to stare at Veronica in her black lace demi bra.
Veronica had 100 sensitive spots on her body, and he knew them all He knew which ones required kisses and which ones required touches. Which places to graze, and which to squeeze.
Experimentally, his fingertips brushed whisper-soft from her hips to her waist to the side of her rib cage, proving that nothing had changed when her head fell back and her back arched. He couldn't wait to explore the other 99 trigger spots. He pulled her back to him and crushed her mouth with his. When she lifted up somewhat to get even closer, Logan's hands slid under Veronica's skirt following the length of her bare legs, and stopping on the backs of her thighs, squeezing. Veronica moaned into his mouth trying to pull him even closer. Logan pulled from her mouth to begin kissing her neck again.
"Do you really want to marry me?" Logan asked between kisses.
"Yesss!" Veronica exclaimed.
"Tell me why." He kissed behind her ear.
"You know why." Veronica answered.
"Tell me the real reason." Logan said, working his way down to the junction of her neck and her shoulder.
"Logan…" she whimpered.
"The real reason." Logan insisted. "Why do you want to commit to spending your life with me?"
"Because…I…LOVE you!" Veronica cried.
Hearing her words, Logan lifted up and flipped her onto her back in one quick motion, blanketing her body with his. He kissed her with a passion that made his previous passion look tame.
"God I love you." He whispered, stopping to stare down into her eyes, the truth evident in his own eyes.
Veronica reached up and touched his face. "I love you too. Wow." she laughed. "I've said it twice now, and lightening didn't strike. The ground didn't open up and swallow me whole. What was I so afraid of all those years?"
Logan laughed. "I could have told you that years ago." he said.
He leaned on his elbow, softly kissing her cheeks, forehead, and then lips.
The limo came to a stop and Logan lifted up to look out the window.
"Our wedding chapel awaits. Are you ready?"
Veronica nodded smiling shyly.
"Then you might want to put your shirt back on."
Present time – Veronica's Bedroom – Neptune, CA
Veronica collapsed on Logan's chest, exhausted. He smelled like the ocean to her – or at least very expensive cologne's interpretation of the ocean – clean and fresh. She made a pillow of her arms on Logan's chest, and propped her chin on her crossed arms.
Logan let out a small chuckle. "Are you ok?" he asked her crossing his arms behind his head, looking quite pleased with himself.
"I will be when I can breathe again." Veronica joked. "I have no idea how you do that to me."
"Lots of practice worshiping your body." He grinned, earning him an eye roll and then a grin in return.
"Ah. Schmoopy Logan. How I've missed you." Veronica sighed. "How did we end up in here anyway? Weren't we just eating fettuccine? It was delicious, by the way."
"Thank you. Maybe next time, we should try sitting on opposite sides of the table?" Logan suggested.
"We're doing it again, Logan." Veronica said.
"Afterglowing?" Logan asked.
"No. Jumping into the passion and the sex without talking things out."
"OK. Let's talk. What do you want to talk about?"
"Anything?"
"Anything."
"OK. Name and describe every girl you've slept with since we've been apart."
Logan's mouth dropped open.
"That was a joke." Veronica laughed.
"Don't even joke about that." Logan said running his hand through his hair. "I still have nightmares about that conversation."
"Hey." Veronica said. "Whatever you've done in the past can stay in the past. Let's start fresh right here, right now."
"Deal. Works for me. And you're not going to change the rules and try to dump me later?" Logan asked.
"Have you slept with Madison again?" Veronica asked.
"Hell no." Logan said.
"Then we're good. Fresh start effective now." She said.
Logan wiggled his hips suggestively. "Fresh start?"
"Give me time to recover, you perv."
"But seriously. How are we supposed to do this marriage thing?" Veronica asked.
"I thought we'd take it day by day, but if you have any suggestions, I'm willing to listen."
"OK, so most importantly, living situation." Veronica said.
"I figured I'd just move in here." Logan said.
"Really? Why? It's tiny and you're filthy rich"
"To be honest, I figured you'd be more comfortable in your own home."
"So only my comfort matters?" Veronica asked.
"Pretty much." Logan said. "Listen. I know you've always been uncomfortable with the trappings of wealth and privilege. Would I be happier in a mansion with a staff? You bet! Especially with the walk-in closets - I have a lot of clothes. But I can be happy anywhere, as long as I have you. And central air." he said.
Veronica's heart ached at his admission. He'd always made everything about her wants. To be honest, as often as she'd teased him for being elitist, who wouldn't want to live in a mansion with a pool?
"I think I could…possibly... overcome my disdain for money enough to live in the manner you're accustomed to." Veronica said, arranging her expression to one of great sacrifice.
"Really?" Logan asked.
"Yes, but can we get a mattress like the one we spent our wedding night on? And some of those super comfy sheets?"
"Absolutely. Anything you want. Shall I have the moon delivered?"
Veronica laughed. "Of course. We can hang it over the pool."
"We could go house hunting this weekend. Unless that's too soon for you." Logan said.
Veronica smiled. "Sounds like a plan. I've never lived with anybody before."
"Neither have I." Logan admitted. "Unless you count Duncan, but he never wanted to spend quality time together." Logan pouted. "This blonde temptress kept luring him away."
Veronica punched him on the arm.
"So how about our careers?" She asked. "I love my job. I love being a P.I. I don't ever want to be the type of woman who sits home all day and joins societies."
"I would never ask you to." Logan answered. "Being a PI is what makes you Veronica Mars."
She smiled in appreciation. "Most guys I've dated have had a problem with it."
"The only time I ever had a problem with your job was that time when I was afraid you were going to be physically harmed. Can you make me a promise?"
Veronica eyed him warily.
"Just keep me in the loop when a case might get dangerous. I promise I won't secretly hire bodyguards to tail you, but maybe we can get you some kind of panic switch that can call in the cavalry if you're in danger."
At the sincerity and concern in Logan's eyes, Veronica nodded. "I can do that." She said.
"What about your career? Will you have to fly back and forth between here and L.A.?"
"Actually? No. Sophia and I have been planning to build a Salacia Corp. corporate headquarters office. We have several satellite offices scattered across California, but I'll be able to work almost entirely from Neptune. I mean, I'll have to travel here and there to meet with clients, but not often. Sophia will be scouting possible HQ locations in Neptune tomorrow. Why are you smiling? Were you worried about missing me?"
Veronica looked away. He was so smug.
"Salacia?" She asked. "Neptune's bride?"
"Veronica. Logan's bride." Logan smiled. "Yep. I figured you'd know. You can take the boy out of Neptune, but you can't take the Neptune out of the boy."
Veronica propped her chin on her crossed arms on Logan's chest.
"So no conflicts with our living arrangements or working arrangements? What ever shall we find to fight about?" Logan snarked.
"Other women?"
"There are other women?" Logan asked.
Veronica smiled. "Sweet talker." she teased.
"So the big question is, how am I supposed to explain this to my family and friends?"
"Don't worry. I took care of that." Logan said.
"WHAT?" Veronica demanded, rolling off Logan's chest to his left side. "You told my father that we're married?"
"Relax. I haven't told anybody. I had Sophia arrange a wedding reception for us this Friday. Most of the invites went out yesterday morning." Logan idly stroked Veronica's arm.
"Friday? Like three days from now?"
"Yes, in the Neptune Grand ballroom. Why don't you email Sophia the addresses of any of your newer friends that I don't know first thing in the morning, so she can get the final invites out right away."
"Describe these invites. Do they mention the words 'wedding, marriage, or Logan Echolls'?"
"Relax. They basically said 'Veronica Mars is throwing a party. Dress nice'. The ones going out to my friends have my name on them. We can make the announcement together at the reception."
"Well that was...thoughtful...I guess. A little presumptuous."
"C'mon Veronica. I know you. As much as you would like to, you can't keep us a secret for the entire next year. Even if secrets are pretty hot. Hey, at least this way, we can buy their approval with prime rib and a DJ."
"When they ask me, how can I explain having enough money to book a party at the Neptune Grand?" Veronica asked.
"Try avoiding everybody? Call in sick and stay in bed with your husband all week?" Logan flirted.
Veronica found the idea moderately appealing. Oh, who was she kidding? More than moderately.
"So what else do married people argue about? Bring it on." Logan said.
"Chores? Money?" Veronica asked.
"Housekeeper, and I asked my credit card companies to send cards for you."
"Logan! I don't want to spend your money!" Veronica argued.
"OK." Logan said. "I figured as much."
"OK?" Veronica asked.
"Sure. We'll live off of your paychecks. But I'm warning you, I can get pretty expensive. I'm accustomed to the best - Armani, Prada, Tom Ford, Dolce, Louis Vuitton. That's not even counting the products that keep this face looking pretty."
"Enough already!" Veronica laughed. "Which one of us is the wife again?"
"We can take turns." Logan smirked
"Speaking of…we haven't discussed my name. I don't intend to change it." Veronica said.
"Good." Logan said, reaching over to play with a strand of Veronica's hair. "Veronica Mars just sounds so right. I wouldn't want to burden you with my last name, anyway. I'd get rid of it myself, if I didn't need it."
They lay quietly for a moment.
"I think we've lost our spark, Logan?" Veronica said pretending sadness.
"Excuse me?" Logan said. "I felt plenty of sparks, thank you very much."
"We've just had a major life discussion and we can't find anything to argue about. How will I ever hold your interest?" she pouted.
"Quit your yapping so we can start making babies." Logan teased.
"WHAT? Logan, are you freaking crazy?" Veronica yelled! "If you think…"
Logan only laughed and rolled on top of her, shutting her up with his mouth.