They talked for a couple more hours before she fell asleep, unconsciously nuzzling into him as he closed his eyes and inhaled her scent. The gentle sound of her rhythmic breathing lulled him into a peaceful sleep...something he'd sorely missed.
When the sun rose, he had to wake Marie up since she was still curled against him. He looked down at her face and sighed. He wished he could stay in that warm sleeping bag all day with her warmth pressed against him.
He gently shook her shoulder, "Come on, kid...time to get up."
They both used the bathrooms available at the camping grounds to shower and wash up before reconvening at the SUV.
He was surprised when she took the tent down by herself and folded it neatly back into its bag, "You been camping before?"
"I used to go every summer with my older cousins. My tent was the only one that didn't collapse on contact. I ain't as prissy as ya think, buddy."
Logan didn't realize he was just standing there, watching her with a stupid smile plastered on his face until she looked up at him and smiled back, "What?"
"What-what?"
"You're grinning."
He immediately fixed the scowl back to his face and grunted, "Ready to go?"
Marie gave a mock salute, "Aye aye, captain!"
Logan couldn't help but let out a low chuckle and shake his head as she climbed into the truck.
They drove for another six hours before finally reaching the first safe house they would be staying in. It was a nondescript house in a suburban neighborhood with only a few, necessary pieces of furniture scattered throughout.
Luckily for Logan and his morning wood, there were two beds.
That night, they ate some take out, then got ready for bed. He had just taken off his shirt when Marie suddenly knocked on his partially open door, "Can I come in?"
The light knock widened the door just enough for her to get an eyeful of his naked chest. Logan couldn't help but be proud of the appreciative gaze she favored him with.
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to bother you-"
He quickly shook his head and opened the door wider, "You're not."
Marie smiled, "Oh...I was just goin' through the closets and found Monopoly...was wonderin' if you wanted to play."
"Monopoly?" he asked with a puzzled look on his face.
She looked down and stuttered, "Yeah, yeah, you're right, it's a dumb idea. I just need something to take my mind off of...everything."
Logan spoke quickly, "Sure...sure...no, it's OK. Come in."
Marie sat on Logan's bed and smiled as she laid out the board game. He joined her on the opposite side of the board and watched as she divided up the money.
When everything was laid out, he still had a vacant look in his eyes, "Please tell me you've played Monopoly before..."
"Do I look like the type of guy who plays board games in his spare time?"
"Good point. Alright...the object of the game is money and property..." Marie laid out the rules and object of the game before they finally had the opportunity to roll the dice.
After an initial rocky start, Logan quickly got the hang of the game and began buying up property left and right. Marie was far more picky in her purchases and saved her money for railroads, utilities and the coveted green and blue color coded properties.
Three hours later, Logan was bankrupt and holding onto his last piece of property and a "Get Out of Jail Free" card.
He almost growled when he rolled the dice and landed on Marie's house-packed Pennsylvania Avenue. She laughed a little and looked on the back of her card, "Let's see...I don't think mortgaging skid row is gonna give you enough to pay me rent. You might have to start turnin' tricks."
He tossed the card down and crossed his arms, "Fuckin' ridiculous..."
Marie's mouth dropped open a little, "Are you a sore loser?"
"No. This game is rigged!"
She collapsed onto the bed in a fit of giggles, "Oh wow!"
Although he was glad she was laughing, he was still upset over losing the game. The Wolverine never lost.
"We're playing again."
Marie's laughter slowly died down, "Oh wow...Logan, come on, I was just messin' with ya."
"I demand a rematch."
"Nope! You lost! Fair and square! Deal with it!" she said as she snatched the dice away.
He held his hand out, "Gimme the dice."
She shook her head, "Nuh uh."
"Marie. Give. Me. The Dice."
"No", she said as she hid them behind her back.
She suddenly squealed in laughter as he lunged forward and reached behind her back to try to pry the dice from her fingers.
When the struggle made their lips accidentally brush against each other, Logan suddenly stopped and looked down into her eyes.
Marie pursed her lips together as he slowly moved away from her and sat back on the opposite side of the bed, "Maybe we can play again tomorrow...it's late."
She slowly nodded, then stood and left the room without a word.
As soon as the door was closed, he plopped back against the bed and rubbed both hands over his face, "Shit...I am so fucked."
The following day, they made their way to the local Wal Mart to purchase a few groceries, but Marie ended up dragging him into the board game section.
"Monopoly didn't quite work out for you, so let's try somethin' else."
Logan rubbed the back of his head as he thought back to their near-kiss the night before that was the result of a heated game of Monopoly, "I dunno, kid..."
"Oh come on...let's try Scrabble...and Clue. They're just ten bucks each."
He realized there was no way in hell he would ever be able to say no to that face...and those pouting lips, so he nodded and followed her to the cash register with their half full basket of groceries.
When they returned to the safe house, Marie immediately went to work on dinner, claiming she had the recipe for some southern pork chops that would knock his socks off.
Logan leaned against the counter, sipping a beer as she stood next to him at the sink, peeling potatoes. He watched her like a hawk to make sure she didn't cut herself, but she seemed to be an expert in the kitchen.
Sometime between her putting the pork chops on the stove and mashing the potatoes, Logan panicked internally when he realized how happy he was just sitting in the kitchen, talking to her and watching her cook.
"Would ya get the plates down for me?"
He nodded and laid them out on the table before she loaded them up with hefty servings of mashed potatoes, green beans and smothered pork chops with gravy.
Logan's first bite was practically magical, "Holy shit, kid."
"You like it?"
He gave her an incredulous look, "Where'd you learn to cook like this?"
"I am from the south, darlin'."
Logan practically inhaled his food before asking for seconds. After he finished eating, he felt it was only right that he be the one to clean up the kitchen while she went upstairs and took a hot shower.
He finished cleaning and walked upstairs to find Marie walking into her room, glistening wet and wrapped in a towel.
She muttered an apology for her nakedness and rushed into her room. A few minutes later, she walked into his room wearing a tank top and shorts and holding the "Scrabble" board game they'd purchased earlier.
"Ready to give this one a shot?"
Logan nodded, "Sure."
Again, Marie set up the game and laid out the rules.
The game was competitive and lasted for over four hours before Logan declared victory with a triple word score for the word "Zilch".
He pumped his fist in the air and yelled, "Yeah! Now that's a game!"
Marie rolled her eyes and began putting the game away, "The only reason why you like it is because you won."
"Who's a sore loser now?"
She stuck her tongue out, "You suck."
Before he could stop himself, he suddenly blurted, "No, I lick."
Marie's eyes widened a little before she blushed and giggled, "Well well..."
"S-sorry...I don't know why I said that."
She waved her hand, "Don't worry about it. It was funny...and well timed."
Logan looked down. Would he be able to get through one day without putting his foot in his mouth in front of her? He never usually had a problem with things just falling out of his mouth, but with her...he couldn't help it.
"OK, do you wanna try Clue or call it a night?" she asked.
Logan glanced at the clock, "I think we should probably get outta here the day after tomorrow, so we'll need to hit the sack early tomorrow night."
She nodded and stood, "Well, wherever we go, we need to be sure we take the games with us. These things have been a lifesaver."
"Tonight, for me, your cookin' was the lifesaver. I hope the next safe house has some kitchen stuff so I can try some more of your recipes."
Marie favored him with a gentle laugh before bidding him goodnight and walking out of the room.
That night, Logan was woken up by the sounds of Marie's muffled cries. He suddenly jumped up and rushed into her room, where he found her sleeping form, tangled in the covers and desperately fighting some unseen force.
He walked over to her and took a hold of her arms. An intense pain suddenly assaulted his senses as he began gasping for air. It felt like her skin had grabbed a hold of him and was refusing to let go. The sudden rush of memories and heat woke Marie. She shrieked and shoved him off of her, causing him to crumple to the floor in a quivering mass.
Marie struggled to deactivate her skin before rushing to his side and grabbing his face, "Logan! Logan! Look at me!"
His eyes rolled to the back of his head before his world fell black.
When he awoke, she was sitting on the chair beside the bed with red, wet eyes. When she saw that he was awake, she sniffled and wiped at her face, "Oh thank god you're OK..."
Logan slowly and gingerly sat up before attempting to reach for her, but she jerked back and quickly shook her head. He furrowed his eyebrows, "Marie...it's OK. It was just an accident. It was my fault anyways."
"I almost killed you, Logan..."
He shook his head, "Don't. You didn't almost kill me...I should know better than to sneak up on ANY mutant when they're having a bad dream. I'm the worst person to sneak up on when I'm sleeping, trust me. Come on...don't cry."
Marie's bottom lip trembled as he grasped her wrist and pulled her into a hug. She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed softly as the tears slowed and her trembling ceased.
Logan gently rubbed her back and closed his eyes. She had done a number on him, but he would never admit it.
She suddenly jumped back a little bit and rubbed her head, "Uh...I should go to bed."
Her abrupt departure left him confused...especially since they had been in her room.
The next day was awkward. Marie desperately avoided his gaze like the plague. She seemed a little uncomfortable and was unusually quiet for the entire day. When he finally got up the nerve to be the first to speak, it was nearing dinner time, "What's goin' on, Marie? You haven't been yourself since last night..."
She looked down at her hands for several moments, then finally let out a deep breath, "How much do you know about my mutation?"
"Uh, I was told you can temporarily take on the powers of others and kill them if you hold on too long."
Marie nodded, "Yes...that's part of it."
Logan paled, "What's the other part of it?"
"When someone touches me while my mutation is activated, I do take on their powers...but I also take on pieces of their personality...and their thoughts and feelings."
He immediately wished a hole would open up beneath him and swallow him whole. He'd definitely let the cat out of the bag.
Logan cleared his throat, "I'm sorry. I never...I guess I-"
Marie suddenly quieted him with a searing kiss that caught him completely by surprise. Despite the fact that he was taken aback, he wrapped his arms around her and pressed her close, hoping to god that the moment never ended.
As the kiss drew to a close, Marie whispered against his lips, "I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I never meant to avoid you or anything...I just didn't know what to do...with Victor after me and-"
It was his turn to quiet her. He pressed her up against the nearest wall and allowed his hand to roam down her body as they continued kissing.
Logan attempted to come to his senses and break the kiss as he panted, "Maybe...maybe we shouldn't."
She shook her head and grabbed his collar, yanking his mouth back to hers, "I need you..."
He gently pried away from her, "This isn't right, kid...you're...you're "
Marie shook her head as she watched him walk away from her, "Logan..."
But it was too late. He'd already rushed up the stairs and closed his door.
That night, as he laid awake in bed, he heard his door open and quickly looked up, spotting Marie wearing nothing but a bathrobe. As she started to climb on the bed, he sat up to speak, but she placed a gentle hand on his lips and looked into his eyes, "When I touched you last night, I felt everything you felt for me...it was overwhelming at first because I honestly didn't know anyone could ever feel that way for me..."
When her soft hand slowly slipped off of his lips, he shook his head, "Marie, I-"
"Besides that, I've always had a crush on you."
That made him raise his eyebrows, "Really?"
She blushed and nodded, "Come on...the first time I saw you, you were shirtless. What woman wouldn't crush on that?"
Logan sighed and gently cupped her face, "It ain't in the stars for us, darlin'."
Marie looked him square in the eyes, "Why not?"
"Everything that's goin' on with the cult...my past...your age..."
She leaned down close, "I don't care about any of that, Logan...I want you."
He gulped audibly as she straddled his hips and laid a gentle kiss on his mouth. He threw his resistance out the window and began kissing her back as he allowed his hand to snake behind her neck and curl into her hair.
A soft gasp escaped Marie's lips before he suddenly flipped her over onto her back and ground himself into her. He moved his lips away from hers, just long enough to trail kisses down her neck to her chest.
His entire body tensed when he moved his hand down to part the thin fabric of her robe to reveal her gorgeous, naked body. Logan allowed his hands and lips to explore the soft, sloping planes of her nubile body as it trembled in anticipation beneath his sensual caresses.
"God, Marie..." he whispered as he leaned down and took a hardened, pink nipple in his mouth. She arched as he sucked and licked at her breast, teasing the overly sensitive flesh with his teeth.
Marie ran her hands through his hair, letting her nails gently graze at his scalp as he moved from one breast to the other.
When he felt that her breasts had had enough attention, he kissed his way down her stomach and took a deep, savoring breath before delving into her soft brown curls.
She jumped and gasped as she felt his tongue flick across her clit, then delve into her velvety, wet folds, "Oh...god!"
After several moments of torturous pleasure, Logan gently kissed the inside of her thigh, then made his way back up her body. As he settled on top of her and looked down into her eyes, "It'll hurt a little bit baby..."
Marie nodded, "I'm ready."
Logan slowly reached down and grasped his cock before guiding it forward and allowing the tip to rest just inside her opening. He looked back into her eyes and began slowly pressing his hips down into her, guiding his shaft further and further into her tight hole.
When he felt her barrier give way, she tensed and whimpered beneath him. Logan panicked internally, hating the thought of causing her any pain, "Are you OK?"
Marie let out a soft breath, "Yeah...I'm good. Don't stop."
He kissed her lovingly, then slowly began moving within her. It was gentle at first, but the sound of her soft moans began spurring him on, bringing out the animal within him.
"You like that?" he growled as he began moving faster.
She eagerly dug her nails into his back and bit her lip, "Mmm yeah..."
Logan ran his tongue over the glistening skin of her neck, tasting her as she began moving her hips in tune with his powerful thrusts.
Marie locked her legs behind his and whispered his name as he pushed deeper and deeper inside of her, "Don't stop."
He was panting and sweating from his exertion now. Her tightness was too much to bear and he knew he would be cumming soon, "Baby...I'm not gonna last much longer...I gotta pull out..."
"No, don't pull out!"
Logan didn't know how he had the where with all to keep talking as he continued pumping into her, "B-but...you're not-"
"I don't care! I need you! All of you!" she cried out as she began cumming hard. Her body jerked and clenched around him, forcing him into his own, white hot cloud of pleasure.
All argument ceased as he came deep within her, roaring as he spilled his seed.
As they slowly floated back down from heaven, he laid gentle kisses along her jaw, "Are you OK?"
Marie let out a breath and nodded, "More than..."
Coming up next...
Logan and Marie move to another safe house.
Emma is finally able to get a lock on Marie.
Victor finds a way to draw Marie away from Logan.
Someone says "I love you".
Things don't go according to plan for ANYONE.
As always people, REVIEW! I need feedback!