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“Hey, it’s me.”
I struggle to focus my eyes in the dimness of my room. “Yes, I know.” I pause. “I DO have Caller ID.” Not that I used it. I smile at him, loving that he can’t see it. He could have said one word. I’d know that voice anywhere.
“Oh, you wound me, Veronica Mars. Right to the core. And here I thought my voice was at the center of your naughty wet dreams. Whispering little dirty things in your ear....”
I interrupt, not willing to admit the role his voice plays in my nighttime thoughts. “Logan, it’s....” I check the clock. “...nearly 3 a.m. I’m not coming over.” I stretch, toes curling into the crisp cotton sheets. “Before you say anything else, I know my Dad’s away, but it’s still a school night.”
“Who said I was asking?”
“Then, why did you call?”
“Can’t a fella call his best gal?”
I snort into the phone. Who talks like this? “Ah, so you’ve had a head injury. Hang up so I can call 911.”
“Ha ha. Seriously, Veronica. I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes. Is that so bad?”
“No.” I smile to myself, shifting the phone so I can lie down and hold it to my ear more easily.
“And I had a question.”
“Shoot.”
“What are you wearing?” His voice is so low, I swear it vibrates the phone in my hand. I wish I had not just thought the word vibrate.
I want to laugh at him. To laugh at the cliché, but there is no denying the way my whole body tightened when he said that. I look down at myself, though I know full well what I am wearing. And before I can think it through, before Logan can hear me breathing, just a little fast, into the phone, I answer him.
“A t-shirt. And underwear." The little intake of breath on the other end tells me he is surprised I answered. Gotcha, Logan.
“And?” There is a tremor in his voice, nearly disguised, but not quite.
“That’s it.”
Logan clears his throat. “It is unusually warm outside, isn’t it?”
“We’re talking about the weather now, Logan?” I want to see him so badly all of a sudden. See the way his brown eyes rake over my skin, taking in every inch of me. I’ve never felt so naked and worshiped at the same time. I feel my left hand slide down, skimming the cotton of my shirt, brushing my left breast lightly. I shudder. I didn’t mention to him that it’s one of his t-shirts, either. I’ll save that for later in our little chat.
“No, no. I...are you sure you can’t come over?”
I want to say yes. I do. But I won’t. I will stand firm on that whole ‘it’s a school night’ thing.
“I’m sure. Did I mention I am scantily clad? I’m not going out like this.”
“Yeah, you mentioned it.” His voice is becoming a bit strangled. And honestly, how chaste is this? He’s adorable.
A few seconds of silence hang over the phone line and I try to guess what Logan is doing. Are his hands roaming? Is he naked? I’ve never asked how he sleeps when I’m not there.
“You naked, Logan?”
He drops the phone. There is a fumbling clatter as he gets it back to his ear and a soft laugh greets me. “Do you want me to be?”
“Oh, baby. You know it.” I roll my eyes. Only Logan can use one cliché after another and still make me hot. I’m not sure if that’s a testament to his charms or my extreme vulnerability to said charms. Probably both.
“That could be a slight problem.”
“Are the buttons tripping you up again, honey? I suggested Velcro.” I smile once again.
“No, just had not planned on sharing my goods with the rest of the world.”
I laugh, short and breathy. He’s not kidding about the goods part. “What are you talking about, Logan? Aren’t you at home?” I glance at the display on the phone, realizing he is on his cell.
No answer.
“Logan?”
“Well, no. Not technically.”
“Not technically?” I narrow my eyes slightly. “How not technically?”
“In that I am technically on the porch of your apartment.”
“Logan!” I sit straight up in my bed, eyes flying towards the front of the apartment, as if I could see him leaning there. “You’re not!”
I hear a knock on the front door and through the phone at the same time. I can almost see him smirking. “But I am.”
“You can’t come in.” Oh, my position of strength is definitely slipping. I bite my bottom lip, swing my legs out so I am sitting on the edge of my bed. My eyes slide to the front door once again.
“I promise to behave.”
Sure. Right. “Well, then you’re definitely not coming in.” I hear a bit of a choked sound and then a laugh. Now that’s a reaction I would have liked to see.
“Miss Mars, are you propositioning me?” I wonder if he knows how his voice makes my whole body quiver? All low and sexy. He probably does know. Which is okay, as long as he doesn’t stop.
“What would you do if I were?” I stand up, hand on my hip, phone still held tightly to my ear.
“I’d be even more sorry than I already am that I am not inside your apartment.”
“You know, I should be offended. This has all the hallmarks of a booty call.”
“But what a fine booty it is.”
I laugh in spite of myself. “And is that supposed to make me forget that my boyfriend is lingering outside hoping to get into my...apartment?”
“Apartment, huh? Is that what the kids are calling it today? I can’t keep up with their fancy slang.”
I walk out of my bedroom and into the darkened hallway. Not that I am letting him in, of course. I’m...thirsty. Keep telling yourself that, Veronica.
“Veronica?”
“Yes?”
He hesitates, clears his throat. “I just really want to see you.”
Oh, well damn. Now he’s gone and played the one card I can’t resist. The sincere puppy love card.
“You don’t have to come in here to see me, Logan. We have windows.”
His next words are colored by laughter. “As much as I would enjoy the peep show, I’m not sure that would do it.”
I find myself bypassing that glass of water I was going to get in the kitchen and heading closer to the front door. I could let him in for just a few minutes, right? I mean, honestly, the neighbors are bound to see him out there soon. That will cause more gossip than if I just get him in here out of sight. Head nodding, excuse firmly in hand, I walk up to the front door.
“Not sure that would do what, Logan?”
“Satisfy me.” I take a deep breath. Did I mention the voice? Yeah. My hand brushes the front door, sliding down to quietly flip the deadbolt. I hear his breath catch in his throat over the phone.
I wrap my hand around the doorknob and reply, “What do you think it would take to satisfy you?”
“If you turn that doorknob, we’d be one step closer to finding out.”
I grin, simultaneously giddy at the thought of seeing him and reminding myself that this is very presumptuous of him. And that I am mad at him for just assuming I would do what I am now doing. Which is opening the door.
And yet, when I open the door, I am instantly not sorry I did it. Logan leans against the edge of the doorframe, phone still tucked under his right ear. He immediately smiles at me and I have that little melting sensation that I find so damn unnerving and well, girly. He has clearly been sleeping, his hair a mess. He’s wearing a t-shirt and what look suspiciously like pajama pants.
“Um, Logan? Are you in your pajamas?” I pull the door open a little further and laugh as he answers into the phone.
“Of course. Geez, Veronica. It’s after 3 in the morning. Of course I’m in pajamas.” He shakes his head at me.
I laugh and let the phone drop from my ear. He follows suit.
I stand back further and open the door all the way. I swing my arm wide and he comes in, clicking his phone shut and dropping it and his car keys on the counter.
“What will my neighbors say, Logan?”
He turns and puts his finger to his chin. “That Veronica has fantastic taste in men? Thaaaat my butt looks great in these pants?”
It would probably look better out of them. Oh, thank god. For once, I put the filter on and it worked. And yet, I do appear to be staring at his butt.
“Eyes up here, Veronica.” He points with two fingers at his eyes. “I’m not a piece of meat to be ogled.” Moving closer, his hands slide down to mine and drag them to his hips. “I prefer to be groped.”
“You can’t stay, Logan.” I want him to stay. I look around the nearly dark apartment. One little lamp on to ward off my still recurring nightmares. Small, dark places are still not my thing.
“That’s what you said about coming in.”
I move my hands up a little, hooking my thumbs into the waistband of his pants. I tug him closer, the warmth of his long body pressing into mine. “Are you trying to imply that I am helpless to your charms, Mr. Echolls?”
“Never in my life would I call you helpless, Veronica. But my charms...they are wily.” He lowers his mouth to mine, his lips warm and soft on mine. “And numerous.” He lands another soft kiss and I feel his hands slide down my back. I fight back a shiver of pleasure.
“Full of yourself, aren’t you?” I step forward and he steps back until his back hits the kitchen counter. I lift one hand, let my finger trail down the front of his t-shirt. “So, tell me. What woke you from a peaceful sleep in your warm, expensive bed and made you drag yourself all the way over here in the wee hours of the morning?”
His face clouds slightly. “Veronica...”
He doesn’t say anything else. “Yes?”
“No, that was my answer.”
The corner of his mouth quirks up in a smile and I lightly slap at his chest. His firm, muscled chest. Down, girl.
“I sleep better when you are with me.” Logan’s hands are now resting on my hips, the fingertips digging into the fabric. The fact that they have moved no further south is a display of willpower I did not expect from him. “Hey, that’s my t-shirt.”
I glance down at the olive green shirt I’m wearing. The one that still smells a bit like his soap. “It is.”
“You stole my shirt?” He is highly amused.
“Want it back?” I move away from him, backing down the hallway to my room.
Logan doesn’t move for a space of five seconds. His eyes jerk down to my bare legs and all the way back up to my face again. I can feel his hard look on my body and it just goads me further.
I cock my head to the side slightly. “If you want it back, Logan. You’re going to have to take it back.” I then turn and start running for my room, his steps hard behind mine. He catches me as I fly into my room and we both crash onto my bed.
I squeal and Logan laughs as I struggle under his weight. Finally, we end up facing each other stretched out on my bed, legs tangled. He grins at me. “What happened to the waterbed? I expected that landing to cause a minor tidal wave.”
“Word to the wise. Waterbeds and pit bulls? Not a good combo. After the unfortunate toenail piercing incident, we took Backup to the vet for a trim and drained Old Faithful. I’m a landlubber once again.”
Logan nods and his eyes focus on mine once again. I swallow as I realize the position we are in. His hand trails down and grabs the edge of the shirt, fingers grazing my thigh when he does. “Now about this shirt. I’m afraid I’m going to have to claim my property, Mars.”
I push him away and sit up. I cross my arms, snagging the hem of the shirt with each hand. Without saying a word, I yank the shirt over my head, exposing my skin to the air and to the hungry eyes of one Logan Echolls. I throw the shirt at him, covering his face, before lying back down next to him.
“Happy now?”
He drags the shirt off his face and smirks. “You have no idea.”
I reach down, my hand brushing the front of his pants and the unmistakable measure of just how happy he is. “I’m starting to get an inkling.”
He jerks slightly at my touch and I lick my lips. Logan’s mouth crashes into mine in the next heartbeat, startling me for a few seconds. I feel his hands on my back, the fingertips finding the curve of skin along my spine. My hands struggle down to find his shirt and I start tugging at it as we kiss. Finally, we break apart and Logan lets me pull his shirt over his head.
“Veronica?”
I nuzzle into his neck, planting light kisses up it. “Mm-hmm?”
“This isn’t a booty call. I just...wanted you to know that.” I pull back, brow furrowed as I meet his worried eyes. “I...I woke up and I had this dream. Okay, nightmare. And you were...and...well, I couldn’t sleep after that.” He smiles at me a little, catches the hair coming out of my ponytail and tucks it behind one ear.
“Well, if you weren’t getting in my pants before, you certainly will now.” I grin, breaking the moment of tension. I lean closer, my lips pressing against his. Lightly, now more firmly. His mouth opens and my tongue enters, tangling with his. He makes a little moaning sound as I press against him. The bare skin of our chests meets as we mold ourselves to each other. I smile into the kiss before breaking it. “Do you have any idea how many girls would kill and die for a boyfriend like you? Driving across town at 3 a.m. in his pjs, barefoot, just to make sure his girl was okay?”
“My girl. Like the sound of that.”
“Yeah. Me too. And for the record? I’m okay. Better now.” I kiss his cheek, then his mouth again. I move over to his ear, breathing into it. “And thank you.” As I take his earlobe into my mouth, his reply is lost in a groan.
His hands resume their wandering, and I resume my melting. “So, can I stay then, Veronica?” I don’t ask if he means tonight or something bigger. I don’t have to. He means it all.
My breath catches in my throat as he finds his way between my legs. “Yeah, you can.”
I let you in, Logan Echolls. You damn well better stick around.