Marie turned back to Logan, intent on finishing their conversation and was surprised when he rose. "Let's getcha a water, huh?" She was small and had already made a pretty good dent in her bourbon. She was going to need to pace herself a little. He intended this evening to last well into the small hours.

That made her laugh. "Sugar, you've gotta be the only man in here not tryin' to get his date tipsy."

"Nah," he teased. "You just got a mouth on ya when you're drunk, kid." And a propensity to speak her mind. Sometimes more than she should, and definitely more than was good for his sanity. And God help him, he liked it.

"Got one on me when I'm stone cold sober too, cowboy." Her laughter was rich and warm.

She followed him to the bar, still not feeling like she wanted to be left alone with this much skin showing. It wasn't a lot by most people's standards, but for her it was a big deal. A baring of more than just skin, it was revealing a vulnerability in a way she never had before, and that was a fear that went far deeper than what her deadly skin could do. It probably wasn't her bravest hour, but it was what it was. He'd always made her feel safe. Tonight was no exception.

As Logan leaned in through the crush to order, the man to Marie's left watched her, his mouth quirking up under his full beard as he pushed his lean, muscular body away from the bar and turned her way. He was rugged and a little wild. Late thirties, early forties, maybe. His brown shoulder length hair was tied back haphazardly. There was a hint of gray at his temples and in his beard along his strong jaw that gave the impression of experience rather than age. He had a tattoo on his forearm, peeking out of his rolled up shirtsleeve.

His eyes were light and sharp, like the sea in winter. Marie felt the weight of them on her, and turned to look. In the darkened atmosphere of the club, it was impossible to tell if they were gray or green or blue. His pupils were slightly elongated, but it was more his demeanor and the way he moved that made her think of a big cat on the prowl.

He tipped his hat respectfully. "Ma'am." The slow, Mississippi drawl made her smile in spite of herself. It had been a long time since she'd heard a voice like that; one that immediately reminded her of home. She felt a surprising warmth in her chest as a rush of memories welled up unexpectedly. She hadn't been home - like that - in years. Sharp and sweet. Old ghosts and happy memories of a life long abandoned. The 'ma'am' wasn't a sign of her age, but a sign of respect from a country boy whose mama had raised him right. Marie responded in kind automatically. Her mama had raised her right, too.

"Sir."

That boyish grin was back again, revealing two dimples in his cheeks under his beard. He didn't run into too many Mississippi girls this far north of the Mason Dixon line.

"Jackson?" he inquired, a thoughtful finger on his lip. It was rude, but with his senses, he'd been unable to keep from overhearing her earlier conversation or from drinking in the sweet smoky cadence of her words. She was a fine looking woman. Wide-eyed innocence trussed tight in a pretty green corset. He approved.

"Meridian."

Him, too. Didn't that beat all? He probably knew some of her kin. He wisely kept that reply to himself. He wasn't intimidated, but he didn't want to make trouble for her, and her man had that hard look that said he and trouble were old friends. The girl smelled good. Lush and sweet with a hint of… wintergreen?

The man's scent overlaid hers only superficially. Interesting. Who was he to her that he called a woman like that 'kid'? Not her lover, that much was certain. At least not yet. She was green as fresh grass. The accent tickling his ear had made him look twice, but he found his interest drawn back by the details, and by the intelligence sparkling in her wide, brown eyes. She had a good laugh, too. Throaty and rich. And ample breasts, made for a man's hands. There was a dusting of fine freckles on them that held his interest a heartbeat too long.

Logan's eyes narrowed at the interloper.

The man had already turned back to the bar, but he looked back over his shoulder at Marie. "You enjoy the show now, y'hear?"

"Go fuck yourself," Logan growled.

"Logan! He was just bein' polite." It was impossible to explain to someone what hearing your own accent reflected back felt like so far from home. Especially when that childhood feeling of safety and security was long gone. She could go back, but it would never truly be home again.

"Bullshit." Logan snorted. The man's words might have been polite, however his scent was anything but. Under the earthy musk of interest was a pitchy spice that said quite clearly that Logan wasn't the only man with feral instincts in the house tonight. Fucker. It was that, more than the words, that had made Logan bristle.

The bearded man's gaze swung from Marie to the rough man at her side, his sense of playfulness fading to cold assessment as he took her man's measure. He couldn't really blame him for the growl. If she was on his arm, he'd probably do the same, though he'd never be stupid enough to bring a woman like that into a place like this without claiming her fully, first. What was her man thinking? She wore her innocence like a dare. The bite on her neck barely gave him pause, but he wasn't free to hunt tonight. His dance card was full. His lip curled, flashing a bit of teeth at her man that was in no way a smile.

His boyish charm came back as he gave Marie one last look. "Ma'am." He set his drink down, touched two fingers to the brim of his hat and melted away into the plummy shadows.

"Asshole," Logan growled under his breath as they made their way back to the table.

Marie arched a brow at him. "You or him, sugar? He was just bein' nice." Logan chuckled at her naiveté.

"Trust me. There was no way what he was thinkin' was anythin' close to nice."

She laughed a little at that. "So you read minds now, too?"

Logan snorted and tapped his nose. "Don't have to."

"Please. He probably just heard my accent and wanted to say hello."

"Yeah. Right." Lord love her, she really didn't get it. "I toldya you'd have 'em comin' outta the woodwork tonight."

"Oh, come on." She was still a virgin at twenty-one. There was hardly a line of suitors knocking down her door.

"Darlin', you forgotten where we are? People who approach you here are only lookin' for one thing, and they're gonna assume if you're in a place like this lookin' like sin incarnate, that you're willin' to at least entertain the question when they ask if you wanna play."

"He just said hello. He was bein' sweet."

"Not that sweet. Your innocence is like catnip to a man like that." Irresistible. His choice of words was deliberate. He was too much a predator not to recognize it in another. The man's scent was broadcasting several things clearly; he was a mutant, a feral one at that, and he was definitely interested in Marie, despite his casual nonchalance.

Her face felt warm. It wasn't a rebuke so much as a lesson. He could see she got it now. Good. She'd do well to listen to him. He knew what he was talking about.

Marie was still thinking about it after they sat back down. Was a familiar accent really all that it was? If she was honest with herself, she supposed the interest of the leonine man felt good, provided she experienced it from the safety of Logan's personal space. He was quite handsome in a rugged sort of way and he'd had that underlying streak of wildness she'd always responded to. Definitely the sort of man she'd have had a drink with if she'd been by herself. What did that mean? And was Logan right? Was the man's interest really about more than their shared birthplace?

He hadn't really flirted with her and she'd barely said two words to him in return. But at the same time, she'd liked how it had made her feel for Logan to see another man, a man like that, take an interest in her, even if it was largely nonverbal. There was power there, but it was unfamiliar. She was ready to see herself in a new way and she was ready for Logan to see her in a new way, too.

"God." She felt foolish and her face was red and hot. She understood the draw of youth, but next to the sexually sophisticated women around her tonight, she felt inadequate in comparison. "I can't imagine how I must look."

Christ, if she only knew. It was because of the blush, not in spite of it. "Nah. Looks good on ya."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Like a virgin snowfall. Every man who looks atcha wants to be the first to leave a mark, darlin'." He was no exception. It made him feel frighteningly possessive.

Logan thought she'd blush more. He was surprised when she turned those piercing eyes on him instead. "I'm not sure I see it that way. What you said? That's not really about me exciting anyone. That's just about some guy wanting to be the first to, ah, plant a flag. He doesn't really care where he plants it, or who he plants it in, as long as he's first."

He frowned. Was that what she thought he was doing here? The thought of being present tonight, sitting with her while she experienced this erotic self-discovery, wasn't much different. The idea of being the man with her while she discovered those things excited and aroused him. It wasn't about being first, though. It was about being first with her. He'd never been with a virgin, at least not one he could remember. The idea itself wasn't titillating, but the idea of being a part of Marie's initiation into the world of adult pleasure was frighteningly compelling.

Her brows knitted together at the look on his face. "What?"

"Nothin'."

"I call bullshit."

"I just don't wanna be one more asshole with a flag, kid." That was hers to give, not his to take.

He was surprised when she threw back her head and laughed. The full-throated sound seemed to settle directly between his legs. "Are you kidding me? I'm practically covered in little Logan flags — and all of them make me smile."

"What the fuck?"

"You were there for a lot of my important firsts, sugar." A lot of them were pretty heavy so she didn't list them; her first time absorbing a mutant, first time touching a man, first real hug, first real emotional adult connection…. but he'd also taught her to how to fight, how to play poker and pool, how to do tequila shots, how to hotwire a car, how to drive a stick shift, how to kill man, how to defend herself, how to strip an engine — and a weapon. How to lay a floor and replumb a bathroom and build a deck. The list was endless. "I'm kinda excited about sharing this one with you… you know, if you're up for it." The serious look in her eye slid towards something else. Something hot and a little wild.

"What'd I tell ya about callin' a man on it, darlin'?" he teased. He wasn't actually hard, but their intimate banter felt good. Felt right.

Marie opened her mouth to respond but as she did, the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness…

Up next: Take On Me. Logan wishes Marie could appreciate the show's carnal delights the way he does, with all his enhanced senses. And then he realizes she can, all it would take is a little touch…

Okay, y'all. I'm writing Logan and Marie's first time together. (Smut, and a lot of it. Hey, it's me, right?) Any song suggestions for that? Gold star to anyone who can guess the working chapter title. I'm putting out a call for smutty song inspiration because you know it's gonna be more than one chapter of sexytimes, right? Think of it like a smut station: KPWP playin' all your favorites. Less talk... more nookie... ;)