Logan shifted in bed, the smell of coffee drawing him from sleep. He turned on his side and adjusted his eyes to the dark hotel room. Just as he observed the small sliver of light under the door to the adjacent sitting room, Logan heard the clinking of glasses and dishware. Marie must have woken up early – or not slept at all – and gotten them breakfast. Logan ran a hand through his tousled hair as he sat up and slid himself out of the bed to go to the bathroom.
It had been three days since the ill-fated encounter with Marie's father. Once Marie had calmed down, Logan had driven them out of Mississippi and headed north. Originally, he thought they would go back to the mansion but as they traveled it just felt right to keep going. Marie had been through too much hell in a short amount of time – she needed a break and he certainly didn't mind the idea of them finally spending some time alone. So he drove until the familiar territory of Canada loomed close and the memories of their first trip together bloomed fresh in their minds. This time, they weren't strangers wary of each other and what lay ahead.
They found a small, out of the way hotel run by an older couple who seemed completely nonplussed by a weary looking Logan and exhausted Marie who showed up in the early hours of the morning and asked to say for 'awhile'. Logan liked that the gentleman didn't ask too many questions and his wife doted on Marie. They'd slept much of yesterday but had managed to wake in the early afternoon and go into town for some extra clothes and items they needed…like Jack Daniels.
Logan pulled on his jeans and opened the door to the small room that served as their family room. Marie had opened the blinds and cracked the sliding door enough that he could hear the rustle of the leaves and the birds chirping their good mornings. She sat on the couch, her feet propped up on the coffee table as she looked out the window. The glow of the emerging sun bathed Marie's features in an almost ethereal radiance. For the first time in months – probably more like years – Marie looked peaceful and relaxed. He wanted to make sure she stayed that way.
He stepped up behind her and put his hand on the back of her neck. She flinched slightly, her coffee swishing from side in the mug between her hands.
"Maybe say 'good morning' next time so I don't jump out of my skin, Logan." He could tell that Marie was more amused than annoyed.
"Sorry, baby. I just like seein' you relaxed, didn't want to bother ya."
Logan walked around the front of the couch and sat down next to Marie, pulling her to his side. He stroked her hair, inhaling the scent of her as her head lay on his shoulder.
"Carl and Martha had breakfast ready." She pointed to the small table in the corner of the room. "I got you lots of bacon and sausage."
"Thanks."
"I ate all the biscuits, though. She makes those from scratch. I could develop a serious addiction to those things."
She snuggled in closer and Logan held her to his chest as they watched the sun grow brighter in the sky. The smell of the food made his stomach rumble but having Marie next to him trumped any hunger. Her slight body molded perfectly to his side. She really was perfect for him in every way.
"Whaddya want to do today?"
Marie was silent for a moment, then shifted forward to place her coffee mug on the low table. When she finished, she brought her face to his and kissed Logan deeply. Marie had been gaining more confidence when they were together but, most of the time, there was still a hesitation when they became physical. This time Marie wasn't pulling back and she wasn't being bashful about her assertiveness. It took a great deal of restraint not to want to push farther, but his instinct to protect her shut down his physical response almost immediately.
She ran her hands through his hair and down his chest while her tongue explored and teased his mouth. Holy shit when did she get this good? He wanted to allow her the freedom to claim him, experiment with her limits and become more confident with herself…but she was pushing him to a place where he knew pulling back would be impossible. Marie stopped briefly to catch her breath and before she could resume her ministrations on his more than willing lips, he put his hands on her shoulders.
"Baby, we gotta stop…"
"Logan, this is what I want to do today. I want you." Her voice dripped with desire. Fuck.
She leaned forward and nipped at his lower lip while whispering into his mouth. "I need you."
Her hot breath made him shudder. Her eyes were half lidded and her body radiated lust. Logan had caught brief glimpses of Marie's scent previously when they'd kissed but, at this moment her aroma was like blood in the water – and he was the shark.
Logan sat up and bolted to the other side of the room, clenching and unclenching his fists. He could have sworn he heard Marie whimper as he left her side and that only served to inflame his need.
"Marie, I told you I would wait. You don't have to do this to prove somethin' to me…or yourself."
She sat on the couch looking at him with eyes so full of want, he was a split second away from launching himself at her. It was all he could do to maintain control – the Wolverine wanted her so intensely, Logan wasn't sure how long he could keep him suppressed.
"I'm not proving anything – except maybe that I can finally move on with my life. And that means I want us to be together." Marie stood up and crossed the short distance to Logan's side. He didn't want to look at her for fear of completely losing control. Her fingers laced through his and he felt her warm breath as she kissed his knuckles. Logan growled. God damn she knows how to push my buttons.
"I'm not afraid anymore." Another kiss on his knuckle. "You're everything to me, Logan. And I want to be yours." Kiss. "Please."
Marie's gasp of surprise filled his ears as he turned quickly and scooped her into his arms – so light she was – and marched into the bedroom. Logan didn't throw her on the bed like she probably expected; he sat down with her on his lap and looked deeply into her eyes.
"You're mine whether we have sex or not Marie, you understand that?"
She nodded.
"I love you, woman, but you gotta be sure. 'Cause me and that animal clawin' around inside me want nothin' more than to…claim you." He hated how desperate his voice sounded. He wanted her in every way possible, but there was no way in hell he was going to make her anxious the first time they were together.
Marie's delicate hand caressed the coarse hair on the side of his face. Her touch caused him to shudder again. She kissed him again – this time gently and reverently as if doing so would calm the raging beast.
"I'm more than sure. You told me I'm your mate. Well, I'm ready for that in every way, sugar. I'm yours. But that means you're mine too."
Those were the words he needed to hear. Her understanding of what she meant to him and what their intimacy would mean for their relationship was vital to him. Logan kissed her as softly as she had only moments earlier.
"This ain't just sex to me, Marie. This is us. This is our bond. I'm gonna show you what this should be about." He shifted, placing feather light kisses on her neck and was rewarded with another whimper.
"And it's gonna take all day."
oOo
Marie's head lay on Logan's bare shoulder and her leg rested across his lower body. She ran her hand gently through the hair on his chest, a gesture that was surprisingly soothing to her. It was late afternoon now – true to Logan's word they'd spent the day in bed with Logan doing things with her that she'd only imagined. He'd taken his time, ensuring that she was ready for each new sensation and then bringing her to heights of pleasure over and over. She was sore, sweaty and insanely happy. He fell asleep with Marie tucked into his side and she had spent the last thirty minutes simply watching him sleep and listening to the gentle rhythm of his breathing.
She'd woken up that morning with a peace that she hadn't known since before her mutation manifested. The night before she'd had a dream – as cliché as it sounded even to herself. In that dream, she watched herself on a beach at sunset, the orange of the disappearing sun reflecting and dancing along the water. She'd turned to see Cody, Victor, Vinnie and her father gathered on the sand, watching and calling for her to return to them. Marie saw herself smile and walk away from them. When she turned toward the water, a boat suddenly appeared with Logan at the helm. She climbed in and sat down, her back still to the men waiting for her along the shoreline.
Marie leaned forward and kissed Logan, who was already steering the boat away from the beach. The two of them continued on the sea until the beach no longer existed. The water was calm and Marie felt completely safe and secure with Logan at her side. She'd woken up gently – not startled awake by yet another nightmare – and the realization that her past was now exactly that - her past – felt as if the proverbial weight had been lifted off her shoulders. The fear and anxiety she'd held on to for so long was gone. The memories didn't hurt anymore. Vinnie's voice tried to push through but Marie shut him away easily. They would have no more control over her. She would spend no more time focused on what she could not change.
She began to kiss Logan's chest and shifted herself so that she lay on top of him. As her mouth trailed along his neck, he stirred and the telltale growl of his made her center pulse with anticipation. His hands gripped her hips as she brought her face to his and Marie was rewarded with his dark eyes staring into hers.
"I love you, Logan."
He kissed her, deeply and possessively before responding. "I love you too, Marie."
"I never imagined that I could be this happy. You know you're never getting rid of me now, right?"
"Never planned on it, darlin'."
"Good. Because no man could ever live up to what you just did to me."
"If there's a man that even thinks about it, he won't be a man anymore."
She shifted her hips and was rewarded with the feel of him hard against her.
"I love it when you talk dirty."
"Baby, you ain't heard nothin' yet."
He growled and leaned up, capturing her mouth again with his. She was lost to him. His scent, his touch, everything that was Logan consumed her. Why she had allowed her fears and anxieties to close her off from this utter and complete bliss escaped her. The physical connection was the last piece in the puzzle between them. She trusted him emotionally but, now, her body and mind were completely his. Everything that had come crashing down inside her from the moment of Cody's attack was being rebuilt every day she spent with Logan.
As she sat in Logan's arms after the confrontation with her father, she'd felt the first shred of hope about her future. She had no more fear about losing control or hurting someone else. She knew that life gave no guarantees. But with Logan at her back, she would at least be guaranteed love...and that was enough for her. It would always be enough.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Last chapter here. Found that it was a good wrap up at this point - and I'll use the plot bunnies I have on the next story.
Thanks to doctorg for all her beta for this.
Thanks to doctorg for all her beta for this.