It was several weeks before Logan caught up with Marie again. They still hadn't had their talk, but he understood it wasn't really her fault. Midterms had the skeleton staff stretched thin. Nights off were rare. On top of that, everyone was busy helping and planning for the approaching holidays. Xavier had always made a big deal out of it, mostly because there were so many students whose parents didn't want them home during the break.

Marie was in the thick of it, helping out wherever she could. She knew how it felt to not be wanted at home and she tried to help ease that burden when she recognized it in someone else.

Things were still awkward between her and the others her age, but the little children adored her. Logan couldn't really fault them for that. Kids knew special people when they met one.

He was in the library when Marie literally ran into him.

She bounced off his wide chest, rubbing her nose with a gloved hand. "Ouch!"

"Where's the fire, darlin'?" She smelled like pure sweet woman and…. brandy? He sniffed again. Yep. Peach brandy, definitely. She smelled good and looked better; like sex incarnate. Dark jeans, her favorite Frye harness boots and a black blouse that was just sheer enough for him to be able to tell she was wearing a leopard print bra.

Jesus.

Her bronze dangly earrings kept drawing his attention to her slim neck and her shiny lip gloss was making his blood pressure climb. He had a strong urge to bite her. Hard.

"I think I left my phone in here and I'm my way out." She hadn't had a night out to blow off some steam in weeks.

He smiled at her. "Out? Looks like you're already lit pretty good."

"Couple of shots. Nothing too crazy. Just a little warm up for the main event." She nodded again with a sexy little shimmy and then raked her hands playfully down his chest. "I wanna go dance."

Holy hell. She was all kinds of fun right now.

"Where ya off to?"

"Some new club downtown with Jubes and Gambit."

"Gambit? Jesus, darlin.' You better watch yourself around him. He's a dirty bastard." He'd know. He'd been out on the town with Gambit too. A wake of wet panties had followed. That old swamp rat could sweet talk just about any woman into his bed. "He just wantsta get into your pants."

Marie rolled her eyes. "Mine and everyone else's. I hardly think he's singling me out. That boy's not real particular from what I hear."

"You hear right." He was pretty sure that Cajun asshole wouldn't be pleased to hear Marie call him a boy. That made him smile a little.

"Don't worry about me, sugar. I like my men with a few more miles on them, you know?" A little more upstairs. Her gaze left his eyes to flicker lower to his belt buckle. A little more downstairs…. Focus, Marie!

"Good to know."

She gave him a hard look and then ruined it by giggling. "Hey! You never told me about mama's cake. Better than sex? Everyone says so."

"No offense to your mama, darlin', but everyone's a fuckin' liar. Either that or you all are doin' it wrong. It was damn good, but not better than sex. Or at least not better than the kinda sex I liketa have."

Her full mouth rounded into a soft 'oh'.

He kissed the top of her head and then swatted her backside. "Have fun, kid."

He was out the door before she could even pick her jaw up off the floor.

Up Next: Cum On Feel the Noize. Enter Jubes. And her mouth. Marie has a few choice words of her own in return…