Chapter 19
Logan's rental car pulled into Finn's sister's driveway well past midnight, their walk, talk and later the drive back had been filled with little bits and pieces of their lives. Things like funny happenstances involving people they both knew, glimpses of Rory's child growing up, Stars Hollow's quirkiness; art, fun and indulgences London had offered Logan in the meanwhile; Logan's bachelor party even, whilst staying clear of things that could potentially disrupt the progress they were making. They were just enjoying each other's company again - as simple as that.
But whether they were going to take this thing to the next level was the real question that lingered in both of their minds. It was not nervousness, surely - it was not like they were at this for the first time. It was just cautiousness - whether jumping into bed together the first chance they got - screw the consequences and implications - was the one mistake they could avoid making this time around. But at the same time there was haste - realizing they had less than two weeks of this precious alone time left. Hence it was a constant mental battle between what was wise, cautious and clear-headed, and desires that were lustful, day-cheesing. In their minds the latter was winning, despite some hesitance, because it had the prospect of being quite otherworldly because of the way absence had made their bodies yearn for the other.
After emerging from the car, Rory and Logan strolled slowly down the footpath, Rory's index finger hanging casually off Logan's little finger. By the pool house low music was playing - Miguel's 'Adorn' - actually creating quite a pleasant romantic, but not cheesy, mood. The settings seemed to be in their favor.
"The music - it must be Finn's doing, right?" Rory said, trying to laugh about the way Finn had been their DJ before.
"Um, shh… I think it's his doing alright," Logan said, hushing her, holding Rory back before she stepped into the pool area. "But I don't think it was meant for us," he added, unsure whether to be disappointed or glad.
"What?!" Rory whispered, not understanding what he was talking about. But it only took her a moment and a brief glance from behind the Eumundi Quandong bush to realize what he'd meant.
"Oh, god!" she exclaimed in a whisper, having seen something she hadn't quite anticipated seeing.
Logan chuckled at her response, but kept his voice low. Their giggles were masked well by the growing crescendo of voices by the pool however - Finn and Gigi were clearly enjoying each other's bodies, Gigi riding him on one of the recliners. Their moans and gasps were impossible to escape now.
"Come on, there's the back way up to the house," Rory suggested, still giggling slightly, making the decision for the both of them. If the pool house wasn't around to be used for a night cap, she might just as well invite him up to her room. She didn't want the night to end - at least this much she knew.
Logan couldn't deny that he was relieved of this development and even without knowing the outcome for certain, he knew then he'd gladly follow her anywhere.
They snuck along the shrubbery, not wanting to be seen by the soon-to-be-newlyweds, and Rory, hoping she wouldn't step on some snake or pick up an unwanted spider along the way. Logan calmed her about the latter as they went, saying they were making far too much fuss for anyone to want to mess with them.
The back stairway led to the other side of the block, and it was only really used by Sylvie's kids who took the school bus; hence it was the first time for either one of them to actually climb those stairs up to the house.
Reaching the wrap-around porch, they slid the familiar sliding door to the kitchen open and headed in, still feeling a little giddy for having caught Gigi and Finn going at it by the pool, not seemingly caring one bit if they were seen or heard.
"It's not the first time I've walked in on her, you know," Rory whispered, as they walked up the stairs, keeping her tone down so her father wouldn't hear. She essentially just wanted to ease the growing sexual tension between them and talk about something more neutral. The topic wasn't perfect, only barely meeting the 'neutral' criteria.
"Oh yeah?" Logan encouraged, stopping for a second in front of Rory's bedroom as she opened the door.
"She was very different from me growing up, that's for sure. I once even had to help her sneak a guy out of dad's house," Rory said, giggling.
"And I bet you were resourceful as ever doing it," Logan commented, simply wanting to spend the night admiring her in whatever form he would be enabled.
"I wasn't even living in Boston then!" Rory replied, explaining it further, despite Logan's lack of interest in the topic. There were, after all, much better topics at hand that needed far less words.
"So, what? You did it over the phone?" Logan asked.
"Yes. She calls me up like at 7 AM, saying how they fell asleep, and how they both needed to get to school in the morning," Rory said. "So, I called dad, asked him something specific that required him to go to his computer to keep him busy," Rory shared.
"Reminds me of Honor and me, even despite the smaller age difference," Logan replied.
"Oh, I know. She's told me," Rory replied.
"Oh, really? She has? Why didn't I know about it?" Logan replied with some surprise.
"What do you think girls talk about when they go to bathrooms together, eh?" Rory said, teasingly.
"Of course, she has," Logan replied, knowing well what his sister was like. His sister had always been the easy part of his family - the one who'd always loved Rory out of everyone he'd ever dated.
But instead of continuing that train of thought, Rory stepped out of her shoes, exhaling from relief.
That was definitely a sight for Logan to take in - something so simple yet intimate.
"Honestly, I just feel like I could use a shower," Rory exhaled, feeling sticky and smelly, even her feet felt dusty from walking around in her sandals all night.
"Go ahead," Logan suggested. It was not like they hadn't seen each other at their most natural state before, and also at their most casual and imperfect selves. Not every time a shower needed to mean something naughty. And Logan could certainly understand where she was coming from, feeling like he could use one himself.
Rory smiled humbly at that suggestion. This was one of the reasons why being with Logan came so effortlessly. Even with Jess, whom she'd shared a life with most recently, there had been some things that had felt less genuine than this. There had been more shame about her post-pregnancy body and of the time passed since they'd last seen the other naked, the mood never being quite right.
"Make yourself comfortable," Rory replied, gesturing at the cute little Smeg minifridge in the corner. She bit her tongue remembering that the fridge also held her gel face mask she sometimes used in the mornings. Some insecurities were easily looked past around Logan, some - the fact that time, however generous, had still passed, was still unavoidable.
But in the presence of Logan, just as he was there, getting a drink of water from the fridge at her suggestion, Rory felt an odd sense of courage building in the bottom of her stomach. She put her purse away but struggled to make up her mind whether to step into the bathroom to get rid of her dress, and treat the shower for what a shower was normally supposed to be - a way to get clean, or… use it to break the tension.
She shook the tempting idea away, and headed into the bathroom by herself. But closing the door all the way didn't quite feel right either. She turned the shower on, and continued to wipe away her make-up. It was then she realized that she only really had two options to move forward - twist her arms like a crazy person, possibly use the aid of a wire hanger left in the trash can from the day before, to get out of her dress or, do what she truly wanted.
"Hey, could you come in here for a minute? I could use a hand with my dress," Rory said, her gut feeling all hollow just at the thought of what she was suggesting.
Before she knew it Logan's lips were on the side of the neck, and his fingers were drawing down the zipper on her back, as if it was the most natural development ever. Her eyes fell shut from the overwhelming response her body gave in return, nearly forgetting she needed to breathe. It wasn't just about lust either. It was about trusting him completely to do whatever he wanted with her.
The small imperfections of aging seemed insignificant in this moment, all insecurities getting replaced by the intense feeling in one's gut. They knew what they were doing, they knew even what they were feeling and what the prospect was with the person they were with. It wasn't just the physical act of searching for release.
Stepping out of her dress and underwear, Rory finally turned to face him, whilst backing into the shower, pulling Logan along. Her forehead met his softly, and enjoyed the hold he had on her body, as she felt her whole core shiver at the excitement and disbelief. This was really happening, wasn't it? It was an odd feeling of happiness, one that could almost make one cry if one let it get to you a little too deeply.
The next kiss came from Logan's side, reminding Rory very much of the kiss in the elevator earlier that evening. It was hungry and passionate, pushing her through the rain shower and against the wall, leaving their hair and face dripping with water.
As the kiss broke, both of them needing a breath of air, it caused them to giggle, as they cleared the hair and water out of each other's faces.
Logan considered saying she was beautiful but no words seemed to do her justice, besides - inside Logan still worried Rory would shut down at the slightest compliment like it had some years ago.
Logan let his fingers do the talking, and simply let them trail her delicate body - her arms, her neck and clavicle, her sides and her hips whilst he gently brushed his own chest against her enough to graze her nipples.
Rory gasped at the touch - the delicate flick having had an unproportionally significant effect. She almost felt she couldn't wait any longer - she needed to feel him now.
But Logan's mouth, touching her lips and tongue gently again, made it impossible for her to protest. Rory could already feel his growing arousal between them, causing her core to become more and more impatient for him.
There were other things Logan left unsaid right then and there, not wanting to scare her off. He felt undeserving to even be in this position right now, lucky to be touching her and privileged to have the opportunity to make her gasp from pleasure again. And he had every intention of making the latter a reality.
At that thought Logan sank to his knees in front of her, allowing the water to pour off his back, causing Rory to moan at the way his gentle kisses against her abdomen and thighs soon transformed into his hot tongue lapping over her most sensitive spot.
"Oh, god, yes!" Rory whimpered out loud, proving to be almost as loud as her sister had been earlier.