CHAPTER 4

Veronica was just getting comfortable on the cushioned bench in the yacht's cabin when Logan walked back in. He had been getting ready to push out and had wanted Veronica to relax.

"We're ready to go" he said cheerfully, pausing at the door and looking down at her. His hair was ruffled from the wind and his cheeks flushed from working as fast as he could. There were a few smears of grease on his arms from checking out the engine. The black accented the muscles in his arms, making her eyes linger there.

He noticed her gaze and looked down at himself. "I was in a rush" he explained the greasewith a self-conscious smile. "I'll clean up when we're out there" He looked back up at her and Veronica's heart wrenched.

He was smiling at her in a way that he hadn't done in months; ever since they broke up. It was a tender and loving smile; one that she had only ever seen him give her. Not Lily or Kendall, but her. When he gave her that smile it was if he trusted her completely. She had lost count of the times where she had betrayed him andthat smile.

Tears started to fall down her cheeks as she continued to look at him. She had hurt him so many hadn't trusted him; she hadn't stood by him and worked through their problems. She had run back to Duncan and her normal life. She had forgotten that she wasn't normal anymore.

That was the prison that Aaron had talked didn't trust anyone enough to love she wouldn't let them really love her either; at least not enough to reach her. That was why she had left Logan; he hadn't turned into an unassuming boyfriend that didn't push. He wasn't like Duncan. Logan wouldn't settle; not with her.

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As Logan looked down at Veronica, she started crying. They were silent tears that didn't stop her from returning his look. They stared at one other as if they hadn't seen each other in months; and they hadn't, not really.

He tried to imprint the vision of her like this in his mind. Veronica, open to him. She was crying freely and leaving her emotions clear on her face for him to read. There was regret; regret and a new understanding of him. He hoped that she would use that understanding to trust him. He had needed her trust for a long time.

A sob shuddered through Veronica as she crashed.

Logan knelt down in front of her and took her into his arms. Her head went on his shoulder and she clutched at his waist. Logan held her close, stroking her hair again. The fruity smell of her shampoo reached his nose and he breathed it in deeply.

"I'm sorry Logan" Veronica gasped out, clutching at him tighter. "I'm so sorry"

Logan rocked her in his arms and listened to her words silently. He knew that she needed to get it all out. Veronica kept everything bottled up all the time; but he wanted her to let it all go when she was with him.

"I shouldn't have tried to make you settle" she said earnestly, pushing her face from his shoulder and looking up at him. "I should have trusted you enough to give you everything. I…I know that you would never have hurt me. Not then" she finished.

Logan looked at her in surprise. She was telling himexactly whathe wanted to hear: ever sincethey had broken was telling him that she trusted him, but he had a hard time believing it. Itwouldonly take a minute for her to run from him again.

Runningwas what Veronica did best. This time she was running from her mother's death; with him as the best escape route. But he didn't care anymore. If he only had an hour with Veronica then he would take it. He loved her too much not to.

He was going to settle. As that thought went through him he thought of something else she had said.

"What do you mean 'not then'? I would never hurt you" he said, his face drawing into angry lines.

Veronica's smile didn't reach her eyes. "You had every right to be angry at me for notsticking withyou Logan" she said softly, putting a hand on his arm comfortingly. "I don't blame you for biting my head off these past months"

Logan's eyes widened. She meant the insults. He had teased her as mercilessly after the break-up, as he had before they had gone out. It had been a way to keep himself from begging her to take him back.

"I didn't mean to hurt you Veronica" he said honestly. "I just needed to stop myself from begging" He chuckled ruefully at the shocked look on her face. "I thought you would prefer the insults" he added.

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Veronica was gaping at Logan, her mouth slightly parted in shock.

"Beg?" she said incredulously. "You don't beg"

Logan laughed and kissed her softly, taking her off guard. He pulled away before Veronica could respond to his lips. Her eyes drifted shut as she tried to focus.

Logan had just kissed her.

Her eyes reopened as she felt his hand cup her face. Their eyes locked as he took one of her hands with his free one. He brought it to his lips and held it there in a prolonged kiss. His eyes closed as he did it, the emotion on his face bringing fresh tears to her face.

"I'm begging now Veronica" he said softly, his eyes opening again. He put her hand on his chest against his heart and let her feel the rapid beating of his heart. "Stay with me" he finished on a whisper.

"Always" she answered in her own whisper. She hadn't known she was going to say it until it came out. But she didn't regret it; not when it meant being with Logan. "I love you Logan"

Logan's eyes closed shut tightly at the words. A single tear fell down his cheek as he struggled for control. "Veronica!" he cried out gruffly as he gave in and kissed her.

Veronicathrew herself into the moment and kissed him back with all her heart. She had been with Duncan before, but it had been tame next to Logan. Passion had been one of the things that had frightened her about Logan; and had been disappointing about Duncan.

They were interrupted by the ring of Veronica's cell phone. Her head snapped back from Logan's and she moved quickly to answer it. It was in her pocket and she tried to get it open quickly.

She had forgotten about her cell; her father couldfind her by it because she had left it on. He had done it in the past.

"Hello?" she said as she finally got it open and to her ear.

"Honey?" her father's worried voice asked from the phone. "Are you okay?"

"Dad? Where are you?" Veronica asked, trying to control the panic that was starting to build in her stomach. She didn't want him to take her away; she wanted to stay with Logan. Veronica knew how her father felt about Logan; he had ever trusted him, not even when Lily was alive and the four of them were good friends.

"I'm on my way to get you Veronica" Keith answered in a reassuring voice. He didn't know how she felt about Logan and probably thought she wanted to be rescued.

"How close dad?" Veronica asked, a plan starting to work itself out in her mind.

"A few more miles and I'll be there"

"I won't be here dad. I'm staying with Logan for a while" she said in a rush. "I love you" she hung up the phone quickly and jumped from her seat. She looked at Logan earnestly. "You need to get us out of here" Logan understood the situation quickly and ran out to the deck. Veronica followed, moving to where the yacht was tied and working at the knot.

It was a simple enough knot, but her fingers didn't work right. She kept looking over her shoulder to make sure that her father wasn't coming. She didn't know what she would do if he caught her now.

By the time she had the boat free Logan was ready to go. "Come on" he said, holding his arm out to her for her to get back aboard. Veronica hesitated.

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Veronica hesitated and it took ten years off of his life.

Was she going to back out now? Had she suddenly changed her mind and decided to stay to greet her father? Those thought raced through his head in the few seconds that it took for Veronica to move.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and put it onto the post that she had just untied the yacht from. After making sure that it wouldn't fall in the water she grabbed Logan's arm and jumped into the boat.

The small craft rocked slightly at her weight and Logan held her to him until it stopped. Relief was coursing through his body. She was coming with him! He kissed her hard on the mouth once before releasing her to go start the yacht moving.

He didn't breath easily until he manoeuvred the yacht out of the small bay that held the docks. He pushed on the throttle and got them out of there as fast as he could. He knew that if they weren't into international waters soon, that the coast guard would catch up to them. He didn't plan on letting that happen.