Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own
Chapter 12: The Best Defense is a Snarky Blonde Offense
A/N – Remember when I ended up splitting the last chapter because it was too long? Well this is the second half, but…it ended up growing to over 16K words, so I split it again. I know, I suck. I split it rather unevenly too. This half has 11K words, while the other one is at around 5K. The good news is there will be less of a delay on that half. Unless I start fiddling with it some more. So hard to resist.
If you're hoping for a lot of story progression here, you'll probably be disappointed. Lots of L/V discussion and interaction here.
Veronica – Day Three – Lakeview Court Motel – Dallas, Texas
When Veronica slipped through the office door of the Lakeview Court Motel, she immediately felt she had chosen the right place to stay the night. The khaki colored Berber carpet was immaculate. To the left of the door, two inexpensive but spotless chocolate-colored couches were arranged around an oak coffee table. Tasteful framed black-and-white photos of flowers – taken by somebody with a great eye – lined the walls.
Behind the white front desk with a brownish granite countertop stood a tall, heavyset, grandmotherly woman, with dark hair flipped up at the ends in a style reminiscent of Rikki Lake in Hairspray.
"One second, hon." The lady ran a finger along a leather-bound ledger, jotted down a figure, and then glanced up at Veronica.
"Welcome to the Lakeview, how may I help you?"
"I'd like a room with two double beds, please." Veronica said.
The desk clerk tilted her head, examining Veronica to determine why she was familiar, and then comprehension dawned on her face.
"Veronica Mars?"
"Veronica, who? I'm not acquainted with anybody named Veronica. You know what? It's a little early to be turning in. Actually, I think I can drive all night. Must be the 5-Hour Energy shot. Bye now!" Veronica attempted to backtrack to the door, but her legs wobbled as if they had turned to jelly.
"Wait." The clerk scuttled out from behind the desk and rushed over to Veronica reaching out a hand.
Veronica froze, expecting to be grabbed by the wrist, but instead, found herself pulled snug against a plump bosom liberally scented with Shalimar, Opium or some other Oriental-scented perfume. "You poor, poor child." The lady cooed, patting her on the back.
Perhaps sensing Veronica's discomfort, the woman released her, giving her space. "Oh, I am so sorry. You're probably not comfortable being touched." She had the melodious speaking voice of a trained singer.
Veronica considered all of the people who had attempted to touch her over the past three days: Jake Kane, who'd reached for her arm, Weevil, who'd wanted to hug her, the waitress in the diner, who'd grabbed her hand to examine her ring, and we can't forget Danny Boyd and Liam Fitzpatrick. In every case, she had shrunk away from physical contact. Her stomach recoiled remembering how she'd reacted the same way after her rape at Shelly's party.
"I'm sorry. I meant no disrespect, but I do get a bit edgy when people touch me." Veronica admitted.
Except for Logan, my long-time nemesis. I'll mull that one over later.
"Nonsense, you have nothing to apologize for. It'll be awhile, but eventually you will feel safe again. Trust me, I've been there."
The lady wasn't what anybody would call beautiful, and there was a weariness to her that suggested she'd lived a hard life, but her large brown eyes were kind and compassionate, and she obviously put an effort into enhancing her appearance. The cherry tint to her dark brown bouffant did not come from nature, but was flattering to her complexion. Her arched eyebrows framed a small button nose. She wore a deep ruby lipstick on her full, bee-stung lips, and black mascara defined and separated each spidery eyelash. A long red and white floral patterned caftan draped her Amazonian figure, ending near her ankles and golden sandals completed her ensemble.
"Now where are those boys? Out in the car?" Without waiting for an answer, the woman opened the door and hustled out into the stifling heat. Veronica trailed behind, at a loss as to how to deal with this situation.
The lady bent over and leaned into the driver's window. "Logan Echolls! My, my, you're even more handsome in person." She peeked into the back seat. "And you must be Dun..." She trailed off.
"Has he been like this ever since it happened?" She addressed Logan with concerned eyes.
He nodded. "Yeah. Well, he's stopped rocking, but yeah."
"Come on. Let's get him inside. It's too hot out here."
Logan turned to Veronica for guidance, but she could only shrug helplessly. Seeing no other alternative, he climbed out of the truck and guided Duncan into the motel office, leading him to one of the couches and ordering him to sit.
He turned back to their host with a guarded expression.
"Margaret Loomis, but most people call me Peggy. I own this place." She held out her hand to Logan.
"Logan," he responded, shaking the offered hand. "Why Peggy?"
"Are you asking how they got Peggy from Margaret?"
"Yes."
Peggy raised her hands in the universal gesture of 'I-have-no-idea'. "One of the great mysteries of the world. Crop circles, Bigfoot, Jimmy Hoffa, and how does Peggy come from Margaret. You ever figure it out, be sure to tell me. I'm pleased to meet you Logan, and you too Veronica."
She stepped over to Duncan and crouched down. While she visually examined him, Veronica took a seat on the opposite couch where she could keep her eye on the door.
Peggy pulled out a cell and dialed one of her presets. "Tony? Hey, I need you to get over to the motel right away, and bring your bag with you. No, make an excuse. Tell nobody where you're going. OK, see you in a minute hon."
"Who did you call?" Logan asked in a panicked voice, reaching blindly for Veronica's hand. "Come on, Veronica. We need to get out of here."
Peggy rose from her crouch and touched Logan's arm. "I called my son, Tony. He's a doctor, and he can examine your friend here. We've been following your story on the news, and we're both on your side. You're safe with us."
Logan exhaled and dropped down on the couch to Veronica's left. To the eye, he appeared to have relaxed, but Veronica knew better. His forearms resting on his knees, he held himself with rigidity unusual for him.
"Are you sure?" he asked. "You're not going to call the police the minute we turn our backs?"
Not sure exactly why, Veronica put a hand on his lower back, and rubbed lightly. Almost immediately, she felt his tension seeping away.
"Of course not! That Sheriff Lamb on the news? I can tell he's a snake by looking at him."
"I'm sure you've heard some not-so-great things about me as well." Logan countered.
"I have." Peggy admitted, "But anybody who takes care of his friends the way you do can't be a bad person."
Logan ducked his head self-consciously.
Peggy turned back to Veronica. "And look at that, he's humble to boot. So are you two kids dating yet?"
"No!" Veronica answered, a little too forcefully. "We're just...friends?" She glanced at Logan in question. Was it too soon to call each other friends again?
"Yeah...friends." His voice was pleasant, but his soft eyes said something different.
Welcome back, Schmoopy Logan. What do you want from me this time?
Peggy didn't seem to be buying the 'just friends' thing. She gave them a knowing smile and asked, "While we're waiting, what can I get for you? Coffee? Tea?"
"No thank you," Veronica said at the same time Logan said "Coffee sounds good."
"Sure thing, I'll be right back." Peggy exited the room through a door behind the front desk.
"So what do you think?" Logan asked when they were alone. He flopped back on the couch so that his shoulder touched Veronica's. She noticed he had left enough room for two people on his other side, but didn't make an issue out of it.
"Honestly? It's strange. I don't trust anybody," Veronica started. "But for some reason, my instincts tell me to trust her. I think she's for real."
"Good, so do I." Logan said, and began bouncing his left leg.
Usually, Logan's hyperactive fidgeting didn't bother Veronica, but this time she pressed a hand to his knee until he stilled.
"Sorry," he said, his face sheepish. "That used to drive Lilly crazy."
"Hey." Veronica caught his eyes. "Logan, it's okay. Nine times out of ten that wouldn't bother me, but right now, I'm a little tense about this situation we've gotten ourselves into, and whether I should trust my instincts."
"You have the best instincts of anybody I know."
"You mean those same instincts that made me think you'd never turn on me?"
"I thought we were getting past that."
"Logan, I'm not programmed to forgive and forget. I can't just start chumming around with someone who's ignored and mocked me for a year."
Logan looked wounded. "So you're taking back your forgiveness now?"
"No…" she answered slowly. "I don't want to hold on to the anger anymore, but just because something is forgiven doesn't mean it never happened. You turned on me and I learned several life-lessons as a result. One being the fact that my instincts aren't infallible." She kept her voice detached and non-judgmental. She wasn't trying to start a fight.
"I'm going to earn back your trust, Ronnie."
Ronnie. She would never break him of using that nickname, but at least now, his voice held the old affection, rather than the biting manner in which he'd said it little more than a week ago.
"Well, you can start by being trustworthy,"
Logan inhaled a breath as if about to begin a rant, but Veronica put a hand up to stop him. "I know you're trying, Logan. These past few days you've been…surprising, but it's going to take some time for me to stop bracing myself for the other shoe to drop."
"Fair enough," Logan answered with a sigh, and began fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves.
Peggy returned to the office with a chrome rolling-cart containing a large coffee urn, cream and sweeteners, and a platter of chocolate chip cookies.
Veronica and Logan both offered their thanks, and then Logan reached for two cookies.
"Sorry," Logan addressed their host. "If I don't grab 'em early, she'll eat the entire plate-full, and I won't get any." Catching sight of an apple in a bowl of fruit, he handed the cookies to Veronica and instead snagged the piece of fruit.
"A young lady who eats more than salad? How refreshing." Peggy said.
"A young lady who eats more than a defensive lineman." Logan said.
Veronica's eyes narrowed and Logan yelped when she pinched his side.
The windowed door of the motel flew open and a tall, good-looking man hurried in, heading straight to Peggy, and gripping her forearms. "Mom, what's wrong?"
Good looking? This guy is freaking hot!
Veronica felt Logan stiffen next to her - shifting his posture, sitting taller, puffing out his chest and almost bristling with testosterone as if threatened.
Awww. Poor Logan. Not used to being the second hottest guy in the room, huh?
"Mom! What happened?" The man asked worriedly. At around 6 feet tall, he obviously spent a lot of time working out. He wore khaki cargos with a white polo. His hair was of the darkest brown and his eyes were as dark as Logan's were, with a fringe of thick lashes. He reminded Veronica of Colin Farrell.
Noticing the extra people in the motel office, he paused. "Oh...Wow…The kids from Neptune, California." His eyes swept over Veronica and Logan finally stopping on Duncan.
Wait…wait…when was it established that Logan is always the hottest guy in the room? Can we erase the last bit of self-admission?
Peggy's son dropped to the couch next to Duncan, digging through his bag. He pulled out a tiny flashlight, shining it into Duncan's eyes, his face troubled.
Screw it. Logan is hot. It's not some kind of shocking revelation, I've known for years. Lightening isn't going to strike me for admitting he's hot.
The man slid a stethoscope under Duncan's shirt to his heart.
He's hot enough that I sometimes forget what a jackass he can be.
The doctor pressed two fingers to Duncan's wrist watching the second hand on his watch. "He's been like this ever since it happened?" he asked Veronica.
"Who, Logan?"
Logan turned to her with an eyebrow raised in question.
"I thought this was Duncan." The man said, confused.
"No, he is Duncan. I'm sorry. I was distracted. Yes, that's Duncan. I'm Veronica and this is Logan."
"Tony Loomis." He walked over to shake Logan's hand. Turning to Veronica, he brought her hand to his lips and pressed a lingering kiss to it.
"Back off, she's taken." Logan said irritability, wrapping his left arm around Veronica's shoulders and pulling her snug against him.
"Sorry, man." Tony said, holding his hands up in apology. "I didn't realize you two…"
"Well we are." Logan said.
Veronica simply raised an eyebrow at Logan, who was avoiding eye contact. Peggy looked between Logan and Veronica with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
Great. Now she thinks we're secret lovers or something. Then again, after all of the news coverage, who in this country doesn't think we're secret lovers?
"So how many days has he been like this?" Tony asked, interrupting Veronica's thoughts.
"This is the third."
"Has he been eating for you?"
"No, but we've been giving him three nutrition drinks a day and plenty of water."
"Well, that's a novel approach, I suppose. What about his other bodily functions?"
"Logan's been helping him shower and dress him. We have him in an adult diaper."
"Has he had a bowl movement?"
Veronica glanced over to Logan.
"No." He answered.
"OK, I run a clinic three blocks from here. I'm going to take Duncan with me and put him on an I.V. for 24 hours." He dug around in his pocket and then handed Logan a business card. "Once mom gets you in a room, call me with the phone number so I'll know how to reach you. After 24 hours, we'll need to evaluate our next steps. Can you pay with cash?"
Veronica nodded, and then looked at Logan. "What do you think?"
Logan spent a long moment looking over Tony. "Can we trust you not to call the police?"
Tony began to speak, but Logan put up a hand stopping him. "We've managed to escape three times already from the Irish mafia. The Fitzpatricks. Liam Fitzpatrick told me to my face that he plans to rape Veronica and force me to watch, before he kills all three of us, and we're pretty sure Sheriff Lamb works for him. You need to know...if you turn us in, we won't get a jail cell and a fair trial. It'll be straight-up murder."
"Can I speak now?" Tony asked.
Logan motioned for him to talk.
"I have no intention of turning you in. My mother and I can see those Fitzpatricks are drug-dealing scum. You kids caught a tough break. I want to help you, and I'm sure my mom agrees."
"I absolutely do." Peggy said.
"Thank you," Logan said with sincerity, "That means we would have to stay here for two nights. We haven't had the best luck staying hidden at motels."
"This is our off-season, so the Eastern wing of the motel is completely unoccupied, and there aren't many guests in the Western wing, either. This is a poor, but quiet neighborhood."
Logan turned to Veronica. "I say we let him help Duncan."
Veronica nodded. "I agree. Thank you Tony."
"Don't thank me yet. I can keep him hidden in an examining room for the next 24 hours, and check in on him all day, but after that, I'll have to bring him back. The cleaning people come in tomorrow evening, and we can't risk them seeing him. It this doesn't work, we may need to get him to a hospital."
Logan – Day Three – Lakeview Court Motel – Dallas, Texas
Room 118 opened with a key rather than a card, so Logan wasn't sure what to expect as he felt-around with his left hand for a light switch. His fingers closed upon a slider, which turned on the overhead lights, starting with a soft glow and ending in an almost blinding glare. He dialed it back to about the ¾ mark and glanced around the room.
The floor, carpeted in cream-colored Berber, was as spotless as in the motel office. Two double beds covered with solid cranberry red bedspreads and crisp white turned-down sheets abutted the left wall. Oak nightstands bookended each bed, and a matching long, unscarred dresser lined the right wall with a tall mirror attached to the back, and a larger-than-usual television mounted above it.
Veronica headed straight to the bathroom with one of her bags, to shower and get ready to go out for a late dinner, while Logan dropped to one of the beds, testing the bounce, before lying down. Surprised by the comfort of the mattress, he paused in the middle of reaching for the room phone to figure out what was missing.
The musty scent. That's what is missing. All I can smell is fabric softener. Nice!
Logan dialed Tony's clinic.
"Hey, Dr. Tony. Veronica and I are in room 118."
"Okay." Tony said, taking down the phone number. "Thanks for getting back to me."
"How's Duncan doing?" Logan asked, examining their lodgings further.
The sight of a coffee bar on the far wall to his left - coffee maker and baskets containing packets of coffee, powdered creamer and sweeteners - triggered a caffeine craving, but they would be leaving once Veronica came out of the shower, so he would have to wait.
"Duncan has been made comfortable in an examining room. I have him on a catheter and an I.V."
"What's in the I.V.?"
Above each nightstand hung wall sconces. Logan found a switch and one of them lit up, while Tony explained intravenous nutritional treatments and Benzodiazepines – which were tranquilizers used to relieve catatonic symptoms. He promised to keep Logan up to date on Duncan's status, and then ended the call.
Peggy's promise that this wing of the motel was deserted had not been a lie – only the sounds of Veronica's shower, and the quiet hum of the air conditioning penetrated the silence.
Logan lingered in bed for a moment. After his encounter with Liam this morning, he wasn't in the best shape of his life, but he had been worse after encounters with his father. Much worse. Groaning, he climbed out of bed, and dug through the FitzBackpack for an Oxycontin, which he dry-swallowed, scowling at the chalky aftertaste.
He emptied the backpack out on the dresser top, sorting the contents into piles. To the right, bags of Oxycontin in three strengths, bags of some clear chunky crystals he assumed must be Crystal Meth, and two tiny bags of Cocaine. Envelopes containing several thousand dollars in small bills were sorted to the back. To the left, he pushed tablets of Ecstasy in candy colors pre-sorted by the images embossed onto their faces – Superman symbols in one baggie, stars in a second, and the interlocked C's of the Chanel logo in a third. Logan ran his hands around the inside of the backpack finding it empty. The outer pockets were empty as well, except for a tiny pocket at the top front, which contained only a small thumb drive with the SanDisk logo. Finding no signs whatsoever of a tracking device, he repacked the backpack.
Their room was still a far cry from the five star hotels Logan was used to sleeping in, but at least it was clean and had Wi-Fi. He didn't feel dirty staying here as he had at the other motels, and since they would be here two nights, he could set out some pictures. That first night, while he had waited for Veronica to return from searching for her mother, he had framed the photos of the Fab Four he'd convinced Veronica to pack, with black 4X6 frames he'd purchased at Target. Now he lined them up along the low dresser – except for the one of him about to toss Veronica into the pool. He put that one on the nightstand. What could it hurt to decorate a motel room? And if the photos reminded Veronica of who they used to be? Even better.
He spent a few minutes emptying his bags, hanging his button-up shirts on the chrome non-removable hangers in one of the closets, and sliding his folded clothing into several dresser drawers. He found a home for their car fridge below the coffee bar, snagging a Pepsi after plugging it in, and savoring the first bubbly sip.
Logan grabbed the black straw cowboy hat Peggy had loaned him and headed over to the mirror.
"Nobody will give you a second glance in this hat," she'd told him, and after putting it on, he believed her. The hat completely transformed his appearance. He didn't even think he would need the glasses.
"Thank you very much," he told the mirror.
No dumbass, that's Elvis. Try again.
"I haven't lost my temper in 40 years, but, Pilgrim, you caused a lot of trouble this morning; might have got somebody killed, and somebody oughta belt you in the mouth. But I won't. I won't. The hell I won't!" Logan threw a fake punch at the mirror.
"Hate to break it to you Logan, but you're far too pretty to play The Duke." Veronica said, coming out of the bathroom.
When Logan turned to face her, his mouth went dry. Her blond center-parted Jessica Simpson-esque wig full of big bouncy curls reached midway down her back. Her usual black biker boots peeked out from under tight blue jeans, and she wore a red skinny-strapped tank top layered over a white one. Shiny pink gloss covered her lips, and she wore a bit more eye makeup than usual – although not enough to appear trashy. His favorite look for Veronica was her natural hair – especially when she had the pigtails or the mini cinnamon buns, but this look was a very close second.
"I haven't seen that wig before." He said, feeling somewhat tongue-tied.
"It would stand out anywhere else, but when in Texas…" She shrugged.
If you're going to look like this, let's just stay in Texas forever.
"I see you're dressed for the occasion," she said pointing at the cowboy hat.
"Do I look ridiculous?" Logan asked.
"No,"
Her soft smile wasn't malicious, so he decided to take her at her word.
"I searched the backpack."
"Anything?"
"Tracking devices? No. There was some Oxy, some X, some coke, and some meth – I think. A few thousand in cash. Want me to dump it somewhere? We probably don't want to be caught with all those drugs."
Veronica considered. "More than anything I'd like to get rid of it, but I think we'd better keep it. Danny Boyd kept you alive for Liam because he wanted the backpack. Otherwise, he might have killed you right away."
"I don't think he's the killing type."
"But Liam is, and if he catches one of us, we might be able to use the backpack as leverage."
"Can't believe a couple thousand in cash and some drugs would be so important to Liam."
"That's because you're a millionaire. To us lesser beings, a few thousand is a lot of money," Veronica said.
"Ready to go eat?" Logan asked, changing the subject.
"Always," Veronica said. "But we can't be gone for too long. My dad's interview will be airing later."
"Can't wait to see that. Maybe he'll accuse Jake Kane of stabbing Ciaran Fitzpatrick," Logan said, without thinking.
"And there goes our truce," Veronica said, turning to walk away from Logan.
Oh hell. Why did I say that?
"Veronica…" Logan grabbed her by the wrist, forcing her to face him. "I'm sorry. I don't want to fight."
"Then you shouldn't have started one." Her narrowed eyes dripped with animosity.
"Please…don't be mad at me. I really want us to be…friends, but I can't help the way I feel about your father. The Kanes were grieving. They had just lost their only daughter. Can you imagine how painful that was? And then he went after them for murder. That's just cruel, Veronica," Logan said, his voice impassioned.
"They were hiding something, Logan! My dad suspected it, and I have irrefutable proof."
Logan sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed and reaching for both of Veronica's hands.
She's not pulling away. That's a good sign.
"How about this?" he said, giving Veronica his best puppy-dog eyes. "Even though I know without a doubt that Jake Kane would never, ever hurt his daughter, I'll acknowledge that your dad truly believed he was hiding something, and was only doing his job."
Veronica's eyes began to soften.
Logan went on, "Jake probably was hiding something – probably his affair with whomever he was meeting at the Camelot – but he did NOT kill Lilly, and I'll never believe that he did."
He could feel Veronica withdraw. Her eyes became distant as if she were lost in thought.
Something about Jake Kane's affair really bothers her. Why won't she just tell me whom Jake was meeting at the Camelot? Why is she being so loyal to him, after she'd already chosen her father?
He rubbed his thumbs along the backs of her hands to bring her attention back to him. "Hey…Ronnie…I promise that I'll keep my opinions about your dad to myself from now on, okay?"
The left side of Veronica's mouth turned up in a sad little smile. "Okay, and I promise that I'm going to change your opinions."
"I have no doubt that you'll try," Logan stood, and looked down at her with a smirk. "Now are you ready to go eat?" He released her hands and grabbed his wallet from the dresser.
"Yeah, did you call the good doctor?" she asked as she grabbed her bag and walked to the door.
"Yep, he's getting Duncan settled in, and I can't tell you how relieved I am not to have to worry about him for five minutes. He mentioned a type of tranquilizer that helps catatonic patients, but I can't remember the name. Oh, and he has him on some kind of nutritional I.V."
"He seemed likeable."
"You just liked him because he was good-looking." Logan grumbled.
"Jealous?" Veronica smirked, taking a page from Logan's book. They locked the room door behind them, and stepped out into the evening.
The sweltering heat from earlier had been replaced by a light breeze, and the three-quarter moon reflected off the inviting motel pool outside of their room.
"Where was this place Peggy recommended?" Veronica asked.
"She said it was two blocks up. It's called the Moonglow Tavern.
"So it's a bar?"
"A bar with a kitchen. She said the food is delicious. And we know how much you like good food. Should we walk or drive?"
Veronica hesitated for a second, considering. "It's breezy, you're well-disguised, and Liam should never find us this far off the beaten path. Let's walk."
"Perfect." Logan said. "My lady?" He held out an elbow.
Veronica looked at it as she would a contagious rash.
Logan sighed. "Is it really necessary to go through this every time? You're my fiancée. You need to act as if you actually like me."
Veronica laughed softly, and took his arm.
"Thank you," he said in a long-suffering tone, and began walking.
"You realize Peggy and her son are aware of our true identities?"
"Yeah, so? They're not going to turn us in."
"So the fiancée thing isn't necessary with them. You told Dr. Tony that I was taken."
"Yeah, well I didn't like his Rico Suave way of looking at you at you."
"I thought he was sweet."
"He's a man whore.
"Oh…right...and until now you were that special man-whore in my life."
"I'm glad you think it's funny, Veronica. Guys like that will break your heart."
"Well then thank goodness I'm traveling with two stand-up guys like you and Duncan. You two would never even think about breaking my heart."
Logan sighed. "I can't win this discussion, can I?"
"Not without a time machine."
"The way he was kissing your hand like that? Total player!"
"Didn't you kiss my hand the other night at the diner?"
"I was playing a part, V, and trying to take the attention off of your gumball machine ring."
"And again, during the car chase?"
"I thought I was going to die, it was the closest I was going to get to any action in the last moments of my life."
"You're still a man whore."
"Maybe I don't want to be anymore, okay." Logan said, in exasperation. "New name, new leaf, remember?"
"Right…I'll believe it when I see it." She said, rolling her eyes.
"Your faith in me is so uplifting. You really are the wind beneath my wings. Veronica, he's a doctor."
"Your point?"
"So unless he's Doogie Howser, he's at least ten years older than you."
Veronica snorted in laughter. "Ah…I see. And how old were those trophy wives you slept with?"
"That's different!"
They'd come to the road, lined with brick single-story mom-and-pop businesses, including a convenience store, a hardware store, a veterinarian, and an old-fashioned pharmacy. "We need to cross here." Logan said, halting at the curb to wait for a break in the heavy traffic.
"How is it so different? Because you're a guy?"
"No, because I'm not a virgin."
Veronica tensed-up and pulled her arm free. "What make you think I'm a virgin?" She asked.
Logan turned to face her. "I know you're a virgin, Veronica."
"You didn't seem to think so when you told the entire school I was a slut."
"No, I suspected even then, but now I'm sure."
"I'm not a virgin, Logan, and what makes you think you know for sure?"
"You are too a virgin. You admitted two days ago, that you have only kissed Duncan; therefore, logically, you are a virgin, unless you and Duncan managed to hook up during those few weeks between Homecoming and your breakup. You're hardly the type to have emotionless sex against a wall or something. Now can we go eat?"
With the break in the traffic, Logan grabbed her hand, entwined his fingers with hers, and tugged her across the street. He slowed down again once they reached the opposite sidewalk, but he didn't release her hand.
The zesty scents of pizza sauce and pepperoni from Fiore's Pizza mingled with the mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked bread from Tasty's Sub Shop, making Logan grateful they were already heading out for dinner.
Veronica picked their conversation back up. "So you actually admit you suspected I was a virgin while you were calling me a slut."
"Pretty much."
"Why would you do that?"
"Why do I do anything, Veronica? I'm a jackass. I'm fucked up. There's something wrong with me."
"So you knew you were wrong?"
Logan hated the way her eyes narrowed at him.
Hurray! I'm back to being the gum on the bottom of her shoe.
"Of COURSE I knew I was wrong. I'm not stupid. I was okay with being wrong. Lilly was dead. The entire world was wrong. Back then being wrong was the only thing that felt right."
"Logan, that's no excuse."
"Who's making an excuse? I'm telling you I have no excuse. Or…I don't know…maybe Weevil was right."
"Weevil? What did he say?"
Logan laughed bitterly, "He said I wanted to make sure nobody else could have you."
Veronica went silent.
A movie marquis across the street caught Logan's eye, and he almost allowed one of the titles to upset him, but then remembered where he was and with whom he was walking. How they had made it this far in the conversation without Veronica ripping her hand away from his, Logan had no idea, but he loved the physical contact, and was grateful to have a legitimate excuse to initiate it.
He pointed at the ancient movie theater. "What's up with that? Those movies came out at least two months ago."
Veronica smirked a bit. "Of course! Why should I be surprised you've never heard of the dollar movies before? Why would you ever need to save money?"
"Well you'll just have to teach me how to be poor now, won't you, Little Miss Thrifty?"
Another minute passed. The blue, pink, and yellow neon sign of the Moonglow Tavern had just come into sight half a block ahead of them, when Veronica spoke again. "Why did you want to make sure nobody else could have me?"
Logan sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. This is about to get ugly. "Because…you belong to me."
Veronica gasped in outrage.
"…and Duncan…and Lilly." He finished.
"WHAT?" Veronica dug in her heels and came to a halt. "YOU threw ME away!"
"Veronica…" Logan stopped, looking down at her and moving his hands to her shoulders to keep her from storming off. Her eyes crackled with anger at him, while her blond curls blew forward in the breeze. "I was insane with grief, and so angry I wanted somebody to suffer. Mostly, I wanted YOU to suffer...But the thought of somebody else putting their hands on you...?"
"What?" She hissed.
"It makes my stomach turn…It makes me want to vomit."
The anger flickering in Veronica's eyes fizzled down to mild annoyance.
"You don't like to share your playthings." She said, wryly, one brow arched.
"No. I don't." Logan sighed in relief. Crises averted…hopefully. With his left hand, he pulled away several hairs that had blown into her shiny pink lip-gloss, while three fingers on his right hand brushed against the back of her neck. "And you, my dear, are my favorite toy."
Veronica stared at Logan in amused disbelief. "This conversation is so completely dysfunctional."
"Yeah." Logan agreed, taking advantage of her amusement by pulling her into a hug, and tucking her head under his chin. Veronica stiffened for a moment and then relaxed his arms. "Are we done fighting now?" He asked.
"Our entire relationship is dysfunctional."
"Pretty much." Logan agreed.
"You act like a jealous boyfriend."
"Sometimes." He agreed again.
"Duncan never acted possessive of me like that, and he was actually my boyfriend."
"Well I'm your fiancé, and Duncan was an idiot."
"My pretend fiancé, and why exactly are we hugging? We're not hugging-friends. Anymore."
"Because you love the way I smell," he teased.
Veronica laughed and shoved him away. "Are we going to stand out here all night, or are you going to feed me?"
"Far be it from me to come between you and your dinner." Logan answered, reaching for her hand again.
Veronica – Day Three – Moonglow Tavern – Dallas, Texas
The Moonglow Tavern was dimly lit, as bars tend to be, and shaped like a reversed 'L'. Upon entering through the front door, Veronica and Logan faced a long espresso-colored wooden bar, which ran the length of the wall, turning left at the corner and disappearing from sight. Patrons occupied around sixty percent of the visible red vinyl barstools and several tables. Row upon row of liquor bottles lined the shelves along the mirrored back wall, while stemware hung from wooden slats near the ceiling. Tavern art – the usual suspects – covered every available surface on the walls and the lowered soffit above the bar.
The bartender, a good-looking, if rather short, sandy-blonde man in a black cowboy hat like Logan's winked at Veronica as they entered, and invited them to sit anywhere. Tall bar tables with stools filled the center floor space, while matching dark-stained and lacquered wooden booths with red vinyl seats lined the entire front wall of the establishment.
Veronica led them towards the last booth in the line. Midway, the long end of the "L" opened up for them, revealing the back half of the tavern. Around the corner, three coin-operated pool tables shared space with two dartboards, a pinball machine, and a jukebox that was currently playing Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Kind of Man". Wooden racks containing pool cues attached to the right-hand wall, while the bar lined half of the left, ending at a hallway leading to the restrooms.
Veronica slid into the U-shaped corner booth, amused when voices from every area of the bar broke into song at the chorus – must be an anthem song around here. She was less amused however, when Logan parked himself immediately to her left. She sighed in annoyance, but he didn't get - or more likely, chose to ignore - the hint.
"This is a big booth, Logan. You can sit there, or there, or there." She pointed to several places that weren't right on top of her lap.
"But I want to sit next to my fiancée," he pouted, not giving an inch.
Veronica chose not to argue this time. He hadn't been mistaken outside when he had claimed that she loved the way he smelled. The boy's scent was sexy.
No…it's hardly a hardship sitting close to Logan, but we can't be letting him get a big head, can we?
A hanging stained glass lamp in shades of red and amber cast a soft glow upon their table from above, while a candle in a red glass bowl provided ambient lighting.
Logan pulled two burgundy leather menus seemingly out of thin air, and handed one to Veronica. They glanced at them in silence for a few minutes, while 'Simple Kind of Man' gave way to 'Freebird'. Veronica snickered. 'Freebird' was a song in its own category. You had to laugh when somebody played it – there was one in every crowd – but minutes later, you'd always catch yourself feeling it. By the end, you'd be silently agreeing: 'Lord no! I can't change!', followed by that embarrassing, damn-I've-been-Freebirded-again feeling after the song ended. She glanced up at Logan and caught him looking amusedly at the jukebox. When he glanced back at her, they shared a smile.
"Crab legs sound good." Veronica mused, glancing down at her menu.
"Guess we won't be making-out tonight." Logan said with an accompanying dagnabbit hand gesture.
"If you thought making out was even within the realm of possibility—"Veronica started.
"I was kidding! Sheesh! You know, my…"
"Shellfish allergy. I get it." Veronica said.
"You remembered?" Logan looked up at her in surprise.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"I don't know, my dad's constantly trying to kill me with crab cakes and lobster. Lilly couldn't even remember most of the time."
"Well, I'm not Lilly, am I?"
"No. No you are not." Logan answered with his soft sweet eyes.
A tall, ponytailed, redhead named Honey wearing denim short-shorts and a tight blue tee shirt with the Moonglow logo stopped by to take their drink orders. Logan was tripped-up by her use of the word Coke to encompass all flavors of soda, but eventually ordered a Pepsi, while Veronica ordered her usual Skist. Logan also placed appetizer orders for deep-fried dill pickles and Veronica's favorite – mozzarella sticks.
"Deep fried dill pickles?" Veronica asked with her nose wrinkled up.
"Hey, Peggy insisted we try them, and I know for a fact that you like dill pickles."
"I'll try one, but they sound disgusting." Veronica said.
Honey brought out their drinks, a basket of dinner rolls, and two white appetizer plates, informing them that their apps would be up in a few minutes.
Veronica was in the middle of buttering one of the steaming hot rolls, when Logan took off his hat, brushed her curls behind her left shoulder and pressed a lingering kiss to the place where her neck met her shoulder. She gasped aloud and almost dropped her dinner roll as an electric surge ran through her entire body.
To an outside observer, the look she gave Logan was one of love and devotion. Only he could hear the ice in her voice.
"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"Marking my territory," Logan whispered, lifting his head and kissing her cheek.
"Can't you find a less…" intense…sexy…toe curling… "Physical…way of doing that?"
"You're just mad that I found your spot in my first try…" He laughed softly. "…again."
"And why exactly do you need to mark your territory?" Veronica ignored his baiting, ratcheting up her plastic smile on notch.
Logan's forehead lowered to touch hers. The faint scent of Pepsi lingered on his breath and Veronica fleetingly wondered if she would be able to taste it on his tongue.
Stop it, Veronica!
"Because those three guys over at the pool table think they're going to pick you up, and I'm not okay with that."
"You're crazy. I'm obviously here with you."
"And they think they can take you away from me," Logan kissed her again on the cheek – way too close to the corner of her mouth for her comfort – and pulled away replacing his hat and reaching for a roll.
Ripping off a hunk of the heavenly tasting dinner roll and popping it into her mouth, Veronica silently counted 30 Mississippi's before glancing in the direction of the pool table.
Three jean-clad men stood around the table. The oldest of the three, in his mid-forties, and currently leaning over the table to line up his shot, had dark curly hair, beginning to grow over his ears. He was of a medium height, and not unattractive. Clean-shaven, and rugged looking, his nose had been broken at some point in the past. His plaid button-up shirt was untucked, and a smallish beer gut protruded over his waistband. Satisfied with his angle, he pulled back on his cue, and took his shot. The cue ball struck the nine-ball on its left side sending it careening into the side pocket.
The youngest of the three heckled his friend as he began lining up his next shot. Taller than the first man, and somewhere around twenty-one years old, he had blue eyes and dark hair with sideburns under his cowboy hat. He carried his lanky body with an air of insolence that reminded Veronica of Logan. Here was yet another guy who was well too aware of his effect on the ladies.
When Veronica's eyes turned to view the third man, she was disconcerted to find him staring at her with small, dark, piggy eyes. He was in his late thirties, barrel chested and bowlegged, his torso longer than average. His wiry strawberry blonde hair was cut into a mullet of all things. I understand you're business in the front, but dude, that party in the back should have ended twenty years ago. A bushy mustache lay between his bulbous nose and his protruding upper lip.
Veronica shivered, at the man's obvious scrutiny, and turned back to Logan, touching his left cheek with her hand, while kissing his right cheek – more tenderly than she had intended. Logan's face lit up for a moment, reminding Veronica once again of the full extent of his attractiveness. Veronica had never been a fan of cowboy hats in her life, but Logan wore it well, choosing to pair it with a plain black tee shirt and those $300 jeans that had always made his butt look so amazing.
Yeah, I've been known to ogle him from behind. Sue me.
"See what I mean?" Logan asked, and it took Veronica a moment to realize he was still referring to the three men at the pool table, and not, in fact, his fine ass.
Honey arrived then with their appetizers. "Are you ready to order?" she asked.
"Sure, I'll take the Moonglow Burger, and fries." Veronica said.
"Chicken-fried steak and fries." Logan said. Honey wrote down their orders and walked away promising drink refills. She was very attractive, but surprisingly, Logan's eyes didn't watch her leave.
Veronica reached for a mozzarella stick, pouring some of the marinara sauce on her plate for dipping. Her first bite coaxed a small moan of pleasure from her throat, causing Logan's intense eyes to jump to her face.
"Mmmmm, perfect Marinara. Zesty, but not too sweet," she explained, taking a second bite of the mozzarella before reaching for her Skist.
"I thought you wanted the crab legs." Logan said.
"What, and miss the make-out?" Veronica smirked.
"Yeah, you go right ahead and joke about that."
She shivered at the intensity in his eyes, and glanced away.
The jukebox began playing the White Stripe's 'Seven Nation Army'
Finally, something from this decade.
Logan handed her one of the deep-fried pickles, and Veronica eyed it dubiously. Bracing herself, she took a bite.
"Mmmmm," she sighed with pleasure, reaching for the Ranch dressing and pouring some on her plate next to the Marinara. "Delicious!"
Logan agreed and reached for a mozzarella stick.
"What's a chicken fried steak, anyway?" Veronica asked.
"I don't know. Peggy told me to order it." Logan said, taking a bite from his mozzarella stick. The cheese was stretchy and stubborn, so he had to chase it with his tongue. After a moment, Veronica realized she was becoming mesmerized by his mouth's battle with the stringy cheese, and quickly looked away, reaching for her third deep-fried pickle. Her eyes happened to fall on creepy mullet man, reminding her of their earlier conversation.
"This bar is filled with single women. Why would those guys want to go after a girl who's clearly with somebody else?"
Logan flashed her his you're-so-naïve smile, and she momentarily considered wiping her pink lip-print off his cheek. In the end, she left it there.
Of course, I'm not 'pulling a Logan' and marking my territory. He can be with anybody he chooses. As long as it's not in our room.
"That's one of the reasons I like you so much, V."
"You don't like me at all."
"Right…" Logan rolled his eyes. "Well if I did like you, that would be one of the reasons. You truly have no idea."
"No idea about what?"
"That you're the prettiest girl in this room. You just take it all in stride. It's nothing big to you."
Prettiest girl in this room? Only after you, Logan. Only after you.
Honey arrived, setting their dinners down in front of them, along with fresh drinks before disappearing again.
Veronica inspected Logan's plate curiously. A large slab of something crunchy was smothered with a thick white gravy with flakes of black pepper. Logan eyed her warily, as he cut into the steak and finally, sighing, held out the fork presenting the first bite to her.
Veronica pounced like a Great White, letting out a moan that put her previous moans to shame.
"That good?" Logan asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"Bury me with chicken fried steak," she sighed dreamily.
"Sorry, but I intend to keep you alive." Logan said. "I've already lost one girlfriend."
Ahh…slippery slopes and blurring lines, Logan. Fake fiancée. Not girlfriend.
Veronica's burger was thick, with cheddar, bacon, and a brown-sugar barbeque sauce. No doubt, it was delicious, but Logan's food was better. "Want a bite?" she asked, with a flirtatious smile.
"No thank you," Logan's eyes told her he knew exactly what she was doing. He cut off another bite and held the fork out to Veronica, smiling at her obvious enjoyment of his food.
"Keep moaning like that, and your friends over there are going to think I'm doing naughty things to you under the table." To demonstrate, Logan ran a single finger up the outside of her jean-clad leg, causing Veronica to jump out of her skin.
"On the other hand, that can't be a bad thing," he chuckled softly, feeding her another bite of chicken fried steak before she could become irate. "Show them you're not interested."
"Why should we even care if they're interested?" she asked after swallowing the delectable crunchy bite of steak. Reaching for one of her fries, she dipped it into Logan's gravy. Logan simply shook his head in defeat. When Veronica held up her burger for him again, he bit down into it.
"Not bad, but mine's better," Logan said, before returning to their subject. "That's exactly what I meant earlier. You don't care if they're interested."
"Why should I?" she took a bite of her burger.
"I've had three key women in my life, and you're nothing like any of them."
"Lilly…" Veronica started.
"Trina, and my mom," Logan finished. "Each of them would have been preening under the attention."
"I doubt—"
"Every time I have the guys over to play cards in the poolhouse, mom decides to go swimming – in a string bikini. Trina always whines about it when she has her boyfriends over, but she does the same thing when my friends come by. So would Lilly."
"That's not true. Lilly knew her self-worth."
"Are you sure about that?"
Veronica paused, considering his question carefully. "Lilly did like to be admired." She finally admitted, reaching for Logan's fork, and stealing another bite of his food.
"And you don't." Logan said.
"I never said that."
"I'm not saying you dislike being admired. You just don't need male attention in order to feel good about yourself. Your self-worth seems to come from within...and that's hot."
"You're making me blush." Veronica said dryly.
Logan leaned over to speak quietly into her ear. "Look over at the bar. See the blonde standing near the end in the cowboy hat?"
He wasn't trying to turn her on, but his warm breath at her ear wasn't exactly making her feel ambivalent.
"Yeah. She's very pretty."
"She's beautiful, but check out the way she pushes her butt and boobs out. There is nothing natural about that pose. She's desperate to be noticed. I could get into her pants in five minutes."
"What's stopping you?" Veronica asked, aspiring for an air of indifference.
Besides the sparkly pink lip-print on your cheek. He he.
"Desperation is a turn-off. Now look...oh…about four stools down from her. The little brunette."
"In the green tee shirt? She's cute."
"Right. Cute. Nowhere near as beautiful as the blonde. Simple hairdo, not a lot of makeup. No cleavage up to her chin. She's comfortable with herself. Sitting there chatting with her girlfriend, not a care in the world as to whether anyone is looking at her. I'd take her any day over that blonde, and I'd have to work much harder to get her."
"Well by all means, have at her. Sharpen your skills." Veronica said, her words clipped and accompanied by a dismissive hand gesture.
"Now who's acting like a jealous girlfriend?"
"This? Jealous?" Veronica pointed to her face, positive it displayed nothing of the type.
From the hoots of surprise coming from the pool table, Veronica figured somebody had made a tricky shot, but she didn't glance in their direction.
"Yes, jealous," Logan smirked. "If you're this jealous while I'm sitting right here next to you, I'd like to see how jealous you'd be if I were over there trying to pick her up."
"Not jealous in the least." She dipped another fry in Logan's gravy.
"Care to make a wager on that? Not tonight – I'm too beat up from Liam – but soon. I bet I can cause you to act like a jealous girlfriend."
"I bet I can cause you to act like a jealous boyfriend."
"Not a fair bet. That has already been established. So are we on?"
He held out a large hand. Veronica stared at it for a moment for taking it and shaking. "We're on."
Logan smirked. "This is going to be so much fun."
Veronica realized the music had ended when the desperate blonde rose from her place at the bar and flounced over to the jukebox. Staind's live version of 'Outside' began to play.
"So hey, if you want to go talk to that blonde…or even the brunette…" Veronica said, eyeing Logan's chicken fried steak. "I'm not stopping you."
Logan leaned close again. "You mean, step away from the table and leave my food here to get...cold? Nope. Plus, it's bad manners to pick up girls when you're with your fiancée, whom I may have already mentioned, is the prettiest girl in this joint."
"Sweet talker!" Veronica laughed, shoving him away.
Logan grinned down at the table and ran a long finger around the rim of his glass.
I'm on the outside, I'm lookin' in
I can see through you, see your true colors
'Cause inside you're ugly, you're ugly like me
I can see through you, See to the real you
Veronica's eyes met Logan's and a silent acknowledgement passed between them. They had always understood each other better than their respective partners had. They knew what made each other tick, and how to push each other's buttons. She had loved Duncan, but they'd never shared that type of connection. She didn't think Logan had with Lilly, either. Her and Logan just got each other.
20 to 1 he's thinking the same thing I am. He can see through me.
Unable to endure the intensity of Logan's gaze a second longer, Veronica returned to their earlier topic. "So what do you do when your mom acts that way?"
She watched him mentally retrace his steps to where that conversation had left off. "Squirm, I guess. Nothing is more fun than five guys standing at a window disrespecting your mother. She doesn't even understand that she's being disrespected, which makes it worse."
"Why does she do it?"
Logan ran a hand through his hair and stared blankly at the candle flame. "I think deep inside, she's aware that dad is a serial cheater. She became obsessed with her appearance when I was around eight or nine. Dad stopped looking at her, which probably made her desperate. Horny teenage boys equal guaranteed validation, I guess."
"You really love your mother." Veronica said softly.
"Of course I do." Logan turned back to face her. "She disappointments me, but I love her."
"Why is she a disappointment?"
"Um…she's kind of like Duncan in a way. When things are too difficult to deal with, she checks out."
"Maybe that's her coping mechanism…"
"I need her to be a mother, not to cope. I need her to take care of me." He responded, more harshly than he'd intended.
"Do you miss her?"
"Not much…so far. I worry about her not having me around as a buffer for my dad."
"Why does she need a buffer for your dad?"
"Actually, I just remembered he's out of the country. She'll be fine." He cut another bite of his meal, but conceded when Veronica stared at his fork intently as if attempting to mentally will it to enter her mouth.
"You think Lilly was like your mom?"
"Just in the fact that she craved male attention, but my mom is weak. Lilly was one of the strongest people I ever knew. After you."
Veronica gave him an appreciative smile as Honey arrived with fresh drinks and their check. Conversation trailed off while Veronica focused on finishing her burger, and raiding Logan's plate.
While Logan waited to pay the bill, Veronica excused herself to go to the restroom. After washing her hands, she applied more pink lip-gloss.
Yes, I do need shiny lips for the walk back to the motel, thank you very much. Never know who might not buy my disguise if the lips aren't sparkly enough. That's the only reason.
When she came back out, Britney Spears' 'Toxic' was playing on the jukebox, and her mind made the leap straight to Logan, who was in fact, dangerous, and absolutely should wear a warning.
When did Logan become my go-to guy for song lyric comparisons? What happened to Duncan? To Troy, even? Logan and I never were, and never will be…right?
Lost in thoughts of a psychotic jackass, she didn't take care to plan her route back to the table, and ended up passing the three men playing pool.
"Hello sweetheart, can I buy you a drink?" The cocky young guy asked, in a lazy drawl the girls probably found sexy.
"No thank you." Veronica attempted to walk right past them. She almost succeeded.
"Hey baby. Why don't you ditch the pretty boy over there and try out a real man for once." The creepy mullet man said.
Veronica spun on her heel, turning back to the trio of men, her hands on her hips, and looking at them as if they were insects.
"Real man? Ohhh…I get it. You were so shortchanged in the looks department that you assume you were given a little something extra on the sexual side to make up for it, huh?"
Creepy mullet man stared at her as if she were nuts with his little piggy eyes, while his friends pointed and laughed at him.
"And you think that just because my fiancé looks like a…Greek god…he must be missing something between the sheets. Is that right?"
"Well—"Mullet guy began.
"You couldn't be more wrong." Veronica cut him off. "Back when we were in school, my man was legendary in the bedroom. I knew all about his…skills…before I ever met him. While you were learning about sex from high school cheerleaders, my man was learning at the breasts – no pun intended – of the hottest trophy wives in Seattle."
Mullet man's companions looked at each other in amusement.
"And trust me, those ladies taught him how to pleasure a woman."
The piggy eyes opened wide in surprise.
"He should have a degree in Advanced Woman Pleasuring with a minor in G-Spot Archeology. A PHD, even. I would encourage him to go pro, but he's all mine, and I don't like to share."
The men were laughing aloud now.
"He has those giant hands, and trust me, he knows how to use them. You know what they say about guys with large hands, right?" Veronica rubbed the back of her neck sensually, as if she were turning herself on.
"Then there's that little flick-flick-twist thing he does with his tongue." Veronica closed her eyes and shivered all-over. Thank you Lilly Kane for being such an over-sharing drama queen!
The hot younger guy leaned slightly forward with his mouth slack.
"Oh." She covered her mouth as if she had made an embarrassing faux pas, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You guys probably don't do the dirty stuff like that, right? You're real men after all. Real men don't worship at a woman's body. As long as they're barefoot and in the kitchen, right?"
They all looked at each other and snorted in laughter.
"I mean, as long as you get off, right? Why would you need to hear your girl screaming your name three…four…times in a session?"
Creepy Mullet Man raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"So I just have two questions for you boys." She counted off on her fingers. "One, why would I ever want to trade in my 'pretty boy' for a 'real man'? And two, how long has he been standing right behind me."
"The entire time" Mullet Man said before he and his friends exploded into paroxysms of laughter. "You should have seen his face!" he choked out.
Veronica turned around reluctantly. "Hi, baby?"
Logan was looking at her with an intensity that almost made her knees crumple. Her hands snaked around his neck as much to keep herself upright as to stay in character. Damn, his eyes! Logan's hands found her hips, squeezing, but did not attempt to pull her closer. His eyes closed as his forehead dropped down to touch hers. His breath sounded shaky, and to be honest, she wasn't sounding much better. She wanted to say something – anything – to ease the awkwardness, but suddenly the three guys were all clapping Logan on the back and competing for the right to buy him shots.
"I appreciate the offer guys, really." He flashed them an aww-shucks grin, stepping back from Veronica. "But after hearing my girl talk about me like that, you can probably imagine why the most immediate thing on my mind right now is getting her back to our room to get started on that name screaming."
He turned back to Veronica. "Four times, baby? I told you I was exhausted that night. I promise, I'll do better tonight." he kissed the tip of her nose. "Let's go." His hand on her lower back – almost too low – guided her towards the exit, but he stopped to look back over his shoulder at the three men, his voice long-suffering. "It's exhausting worshiping her body sometimes. The girl wears me out!" He smirked and then drove Veronica out the door.
Outside, the night air had become almost chilly. With most of the businesses closed down for the evening, the stars seemed even brighter than they had earlier. Veronica laughed awkwardly, and held out her hand for Logan.
"Not right now." He said distractedly.
Really? Aren't you the one always pressuring me to stay in character?
Logan remained silent, and maintained a two-foot distance from Veronica as they walked. Finally, afraid that she'd badly offended him, she broke the silence. "Are you mad at me for that?" She asked. "What I said back there?"
"No. Not at all."
"Then…why?" She gestured to the distance between them.
"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to, Ronnie." Logan answered.
"When have you ever known me to not want answers, Logan?"
"Trust me, this time you don't want to know."
"Logan…" she coaxed.
"Fine, but remember, you asked." Logan stopped, sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm keeping my distance because I have a raging hard-on about to rip right through my jeans. Touching you, or getting closer, is probably a very bad idea right now." He gave Veronica a rueful half smile and a shrug.
"You have…?" Veronica started.
Keep your eyes on his face, Veronica. Do not look…OH!
OH…
"Why?" she asked, and wanted to kick herself for the breathless tone to her voice.
"Why?" Again, his hand swept through his hair. "What you just did back there? That was one of the hottest experiences in my life. Hotter than the car chase, even."
"You thought the car chase was hot?" Veronica interrupted.
"Very, but we're talking about tonight. Even knowing it was all an act. Still… to see you take down three guys like that. For me. Nobody's ever…"
His hand reached out and touched the side of her neck. "And that shiver thing? And the screaming my name? Whether you like it or not, rotation baby."
"Oh…" Veronica exhaled, a Mona Lisa smile forming on her face, and for the second time in two days, she experienced that strange sense of power over Logan.
So this was how Lilly did her magic. This was how she'd swooped in and snagged him right out from under my nose.
"What's a flick, flick, twist?" he asked interrupting her thoughts, and Veronica fought hard to keep her cheeks from reddening. He knew exactly what she'd been implying.
"I made it up. It sounded like something Lilly would say."
"No." Logan gripped her arm, deadly serious. "Not Lilly."
"Oh…" Veronica looked to the ground, still embarrassed.
"Lilly would have accepted the drinks. Then she would have made arrangements to hook up later with the young guy, and finally, she would have turned it all around and blamed it on me and my jealousy."
"Logan…"
"Lilly never would have defended me. You fucking eviscerated him, Ronnie,"
Her eyes rose to meet his again.
"You did it for me?" he seemed compelled to ask again.
Veronica nodded, unable to speak. The look on his face stunned her.
You've seen that look from him before, Veronica. Don't misinterpret it this time. You've been hurt enough at the hands of this boy.
"Let's get back," she said, with a weak smile. "It's getting chilly out here."
Logan glanced to where his hand gripped her arm, and together they watched it slide down the length of her forearm until it linked with the fingers on her hand. "Sure let's go," he said quietly, tugging her forward.
Logan didn't speak again until after they crossed the street. "So Greek god, huh?"
He just can't leave anything alone.
"It was just the first thing to pop into my head! You don't look Greek in the least."
"But I look like a God?"
"Maybe after a few crunches." Veronica teased, waving a hand at him dismissively.
A/N: The feedback and reviews – Just Wow! I'm amazed not only by the amount of reviews, but by the content. Your support for this story really overwhelms and humbles me. Thank you so much! I try to respond to each review individually, but I can't if you're a guest. Just know that you have my appreciation.
I would like to address the one really long review from 'a' (PLL fan? Should I be worried?). I would have responded privately, but you weren't signed-in. You mentioned quite a few things that weren't working. Were you auditioning to beta? If so, you're hired. But in all seriousness…a lot of the things you mentioned are already plotted out on my timeline. Others weren't. I'm a dog owner, so I did obsess over leaving Duncan alone in a hot car, but ultimately, I realized, the only way Duncan was going to get heat stroke was if I gave it to him. And yes, you are correct. It would be a lot safer for L/V if they went through drive-through's instead of going inside to eat. The thing is? It wouldn't make for a very entertaining or suspenseful story if they never left the car or interacted with other people.
I do put a reasonable effort into researching. I strive for accuracy as much as I can, but I'm not trying to write The Veronica Mars Guide to Eluding the Police and Psychotic Irish Mafia Figures. In a contest between a bland-but-accurate story and an entertaining-but-somewhat-contrived story, I'm going to go for the entertainment every time. Hopefully, my readers can appreciate that.
A/N2 Keith/Lynn interview in the next part of the chapter.
A/N3 You'd think I'd be satisfied with the amazing feedback I've gotten, but I'm a greedy girl (it's a Leo thing). More, please. I'd love to know what you think of this story and this chapter. Not a lot happened here, but there was some bonding and growing closer. You guys know how I love to write the dialogue. Hopefully it wasn't boring.