They're sitting in her driveway in his Ferrari and Aaron's hand is on her knee. Technically, it's resting about two inches above it. He gave her a ride back from Logan's after they'd had round two of their fight. Aaron's palm is cool and dry and when he gives her leg a little squeeze, she gets butterflies. She thought she was well past the butterfly stage, outgrew it by age twelve, but it's Aaron-freakin'-Echolls and she's trying to act cool. Adult. Like she has loads of experience with older men. There have been many-a-sweaty teenage palm on her knee but this is a man. An Oscar-winning man. The most famous man in the world. And by the signals he's giving her, he wants her. She knows the look well enough by now. The longing glances at her lips, her chest, her ass.
As luck would have it, genetics blessed her with fabulousness in the lips, chest, and ass categories.
It's been a few days since Logan caught her flirting with Aaron in his kitchen. It wasn't intentional, she was in her bikini, Aaron was getting juice, and it just happened. When Aaron had shown interest, she'd been flattered. She knew Logan would find them there so she'd kept Aaron talking. Asking him about his latest movie, his workout routine, his vacation. And maybe she did pile it on a little thick but it'd worked. He'd noticed her, all right. She'd just been trying to show Logan that she was desirable - that the other Echolls man of the house was not immune to her charms.
She was more hurt about Logan's obvious crush on Veronica than she'd let on.
Veronica? Over her? The idea was laughable. She loved Veronica like a sister but c'mon. She'd never be able to satisfy Logan. Logan was a sexual savant and Veronica… well, she'd be no match for Lilly. How Logan didn't realize that himself was beyond her.
They'd had a screaming blowout about her flirting, Logan had overreacted, as usual, about the non-event and they hadn't talked much since today. He'd picked her up in his new SUV, brought her back to his house, but their tentative truce quickly deteriorated into fighting. She'd tried to smooth things over with him, hell, she even offered to blow him but he kicked her out, and Aaron, thank god, gallantly came to her rescue. Her knight in shining armor.
She refuses to apologize to Logan because nothing has happened between her and Aaron. Yet.
But the idea is taking shape in her head and she can't deny its appeal. Celeste would freak. Logan would get some well-deserved punishment. And she'd get to fuck an Oscar-winner. She's all about saying yes to life. How many girls get the opportunity to sleep with Aaron Echolls?
"Any chance you'd be willing to do me a favor?" Aaron is leaning in now, rubbing her knee.
She gives him a knowing grin. "And just what sort of favor did you have in mind?"
"I was hoping you could come by the house to try on some clothes I bought for Trina. She's about your size. Well," he says, looking pointedly at her breasts, "most of her, that is." He chuckles and shoots her a ten-million-a-picture smile. "I just want to make sure everything's going to fit before I send them to her."
She giggles and flicks her hair. "I'd love to."
"Great. Saturday? Can I get your number and I'll text you?"
She considers writing it on his palm, high school style. Marking him with her number for everyone – Logan - to see. The idea makes her lips curl but she knows that won't fly with Aaron. She needs to show him she can be discreet. That she won't go blabbing to her friends about him. He hands her his phone and she makes sure their fingers touch, lingeringly, while she adds her name into his contacts.
Lilly Kane. Right above Nicole Kidman. Not too shabby. The butterflies are back.
His hand returns to her knee. Technically, it's resting about four inches above it. "Thanks, Lilly. If there's ever anything I can help you out with, don't hesitate to ask."
She wavers for a second, then thinks 'fuck it' and puts her hand on top of his. She doesn't feel sparks exactly. It's more like an adrenalin rush. The first big hill on a roller coaster.
"Of course, Mr. Echolls. Anything for you."
"Call me Aaron."
"Thanks for the ride, Aaron." She flashes him her most beguiling smile, coquettishly removes her seat belt, sliding it slowly over her chest, and sticks her boobs out a little before exiting the car.
She knows without turning back that he's watching her ass the entire time she walks to the door.
God. It's good to be young and beautiful.
Logan's been sulking for days. Lilly denies everything. Typical Lilly - nothing is ever her fault. When she prances around nearly naked in his house and his letch of a father drools over her, she thinks it's flattering. It doesn't matter that Logan's told her everything about Aaron's favorite forms of discipline. About every broken bone he's suffered, every damaged organ, every hospital visit.
He doesn't know if she believes him. And that hurts almost as much as the flirting.
She must think he's lying. That's the only possible explanation for her fawning over his father. That, and her ridiculous, unwarranted jealousy over Veronica.
Sure, he's thought about Veronica here and there. It's more of an awareness of her than an actual crush. He notices her hair and clothes. Knows when she gets something new. It registers with him, but that's it. That's about as much attention he pays her. Unless she's showing skin. He's kind of obsessed with Veronica's pale skin. He rarely gets to see it unless they're at the beach. She's always covered up so he has to take it all in when he can. When Duncan isn't around.
Lately, he tries, and fails, not to compare Lilly and Veronica. Veronica wouldn't orchestrate some elaborate plan to sexually manipulate him on his birthday. Veronica wouldn't flirt with his father. Veronica wouldn't break up with him every month to go fuck someone else. Veronica would care that he was abused. Veronica would help him so he didn't feel so fucking alone all the time.
Lilly must've walked to Dick's for a ride home today because she was gone when he went looking for her. From now on, he promises himself, he will be on red alert, and if Lilly comes anywhere near his property, he won't leave her alone. The very thought of her sleeping with his father is physically revolting. It would be a double betrayal beyond anything Logan can reasonably comprehend. From now on, he's only hanging out with Lilly at the Kane's where it's safe.
Veronica's almost done reading Animal Farm and she can't wait to finish it and get started on her essay. It's not due for another week but she likes to work ahead. She's already decided on her thesis statement and supporting points and makes a note about manipulation in her notebook before she forgets. She can hear her mom making noise in the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher. Her dad's watching the game in the family room. It's a rare night that all three of them are home together. Her mom is gone a lot of nights now, usually when her dad is working, so Veronica has had to get used to being alone. She likes the sounds of life when her parents are in the house, the warm comfort of knowing they're all there together.
She can tell her mom hasn't been drinking because she's still up, still coherent, and singing along with the radio. The nights she drinks, she's in bed by eight, "water bottle" in hand. Veronica doesn't like dwelling on it, but the fact is, there've been more and more eight o'clock nights lately. So many that she's spoken with her dad about it. He assured her there was nothing to worry about. That he would handle it. Maybe today was the start of better days?
Veronica's cell phone rings and she's greeted with, "Get ready, Veronica Mars, cause I am picking you up in twenty and we're going out."
Veronica rolls her eyes even though Lilly can't see her through the phone. "I can't. It's a school night."
She hears Lilly's car radio in the background. "Oh come on, for me? I had the most ah-may-zing day and we are celebrating."
Veronica sits up at this news. "Really? Did you and Logan make up? Oh, that's so-"
"No. We're still… I don't know what we are but it doesn't matter. Now get ready."
"What am I going to tell my dad?" Veronica can't help sounding disappointed. She hates when there's tension in their foursome. She doesn't understand why Logan and Lilly break up every few weeks. They're perfect together. Wild, glamorous, worldly, with what Lilly refers to as, "Sex so good it shouldn't even be called sex. It should have a different name." What do they possibly have to fight about?
"Leave your dad to me. And wear something HOT. No pastels."
Veronica's already in front of her closet, looking for something to wear. "Is Duncan going to be there?"
"Who cares? Tonight is about us, Veronica. Girls' night. You can sleep over and I'll drive you to school tomorrow." Veronica's pulling out tops. Everything she owns is pastel. She spies a green shirt in the back. Aha, jewel tone, not pastel. It will have to do.
"But my dad-" Veronica gives the argument half-heartedly because she knows Lilly's going to get her way. Even as she says it, she's pushing down her yoga pants and pulling on some jeans. They have sequins on the pockets and she thinks they're completely adorable.
"I told you, I can handle your dad. I have a way with older men."
"Ewww. Don't even say that about my dad. He is not like that."
"Twenty minutes, Ronica."
They pull up and the expansive driveway is full of cars. Lilly sees Logan's car parked near the front. Great. He's probably moody and wasted. She looks over at Veronica and prays, silently, that Veronica will let her take her shopping. The girl needs some sexy clothes to show off that cute little body. As long as it isn't Logan looking at her…
"Why is Enbom throwing a party on a Thursday?"
"Um. Why not? He's rich, hot, and likes to have fun."
Veronica checks her hair in the vanity mirror. She layers on another coat of pink lip gloss and puckers, blotting it on a tissue from her purse.
Lilly leans over and hugs her. "You look good enough to kiss. Now go find someone better than my lame-o brother to smooch. And unbutton that shirt at least three more buttons."
Veronica wants to leave but Lilly's dancing. With everyone. Right in front of Logan who's been brooding on the couch all night.
She crosses the room and sits next to him, aware that Lilly unbuttoned too many of her buttons and the tippy top of her pink bra is showing. She's self-conscious about it but trying not to be. Duncan isn't at the party and she misses him. He's always offering to get her snacks and checking on her drink and making sure she's warm enough. He's incredibly sweet and she's incredibly lucky. She's been considering having sex with him. Maybe. Someday. They'd be responsible, double birth-control and everything. There's no one else she'd ever want to do that with, she's sure of it.
Just like she's sure that Logan and Lilly will be back together soon, maybe even tonight if she has anything to say about it.
"Hey." She gives him a soft smile and he returns it.
"Heeyyy, Vonica." The words come out slowly. He's loose and swerving and she's getting the same icky vibe she gets when her mother drinks. The years of dealing with it at home have made her overly sensitive to drunkenness in others. It makes her uncomfortable.
She pulls her knees up and spins to face him, nudging his leg. "Why don't you go dance with Lilly?"
He shakes his head but it isn't fast enough. It's a sluggish, mellow shake. "M good here. Nd howryou?"
Before she can answer, Lilly's standing in front of Logan with her hand out. "Stop moping and dance with me." Lilly's got on a short, black tank dress, her hair flat ironed into a golden sheen falling perfectly down her back. She looks stunning, just like always.
Logan grabs Lilly's hand and she hauls him out to the patio near the speaker. Veronica watches them dance, and it's like watching them have sex standing up and fully clothed. They undulate. The way they move their bodies into each other is insanely erotic. Then they're kissing and Veronica feels all tingly inside, not from alcohol because she's only been drinking Caffeine-Free Diet Coke all night. It's the sight of them together that does it. Aphrodite and Ares. Only with a happier ending.
Logan and Lilly disappear into the house somewhere. Veronica knows they're off making up.
And things are right with the world again.
As they fuck in the bathroom, Lilly bent over the ugly gold sink, Logan's feeling much better.
This is what they do best. Animalistic, crazy, out-of-control fucking. He's admiring her curves in the mirror. The swells and valleys he knows so well. They're doing it exactly how she likes it when they make up. Rough, from behind. Rough enough to bruise. He's pounding out all his frustration and she's loving it. Every goddamn thrust. She's so loud he thinks they can probably hear them in Siberia and he doesn't give one shit. Let everyone hear how much she loves him. Loves fucking him? Whatever. Doesn't matter.
Lilly loves Logan, she really does, especially when he can fuck her into a stupor. Like now. The boy can just go and go and go.
She'd lost count of the number of orgasms he'd given her. Four, five? And they'd only been in the bathroom for half an hour. She's going to bring Logan home with her and Veronica, make sure Veronica is asleep, and screw Logan all night in her pool. It's one of her favorite places to fuck him. She loves the thrill of it. Her parents' bedroom overlooks the pool. So far, they'd never been caught but there is always that chance.
She briefly wonders if Logan fucks like his dad. If so, she's going to need to rest up. Satisfying two Echolls men might just be more than she can handle.