She was pure like snowflakes
No one could ever stain;
The memory of my angel could never cause me pain
Years go by, I'm looking through a girly magazine
And there's my homeroom angel
On the pages in between!

My blood runs cold,
My memory has just been sold
My angel is the centerfold
(Angel is the centerfold)
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
Angel is a centerfold.

- Centerfold

---

Looking back, Logan had to at least admit he never had a chance. There was just no way he could have willingly agreed to such bullshit had it not been for the fact that he was coerced, pressured, bullied even. And Marie was the best. She knew all his weaknesses and played them all. If he would have known, shit would have never gone that far, but he was clueless and she was good. Real good. It was all innocent enough and very subtle and very patient. And looking back, that's what did him in, fucking patience, or in his case a total lack of it. But shit, it was all worth it in the end.

---

He had been at the Mansion three weeks and things couldn't have been better. Logan stomped into the rec room and dropped on the biggest recliner. Marie was getting out of class soon, and there was a game on. He went through his mental checklist as the room quickly vacated. Cigar, check. Beer, check, Remote, check. Hottest babe in the Mansion waltzing through the door right now, check. Logan grinned through his cigar at Marie who slinked over and settled into his lap. The little shits looked. Well, they tried not to, but hey it does something to your ego to have everyone drool over your woman, so he just growled. That was enough to send them packing. But he let it go at that because growling at Marie was much more fun.

"You're early, darling."

"And you're hot."

She draped her legs over his and ran her fingers in that damn-so-sensitive spot on his chest. Now he was really growling. Okay, so maybe she wasn't that subtle. But Marie was pretty straightforward about those things and they shared healthy libidos if nothing else. How was he to know something was up? She wrinkled her nose at the cigar and took it out of his mouth and dropped it on the ashtray next to the recliner.

"No like."

Logan grinned even wider and took a drink. He would normally give up a good fight, but she had on a smile. Not the please come fuck me one, but something just as promising. It was the `I want to play' smile. Which usually preceded the latter. He glanced around. The room was already empty and he couldn't recall ever having done it there. He looked back at Marie's little smile, hockey game long forgotten.

"So you wanna screw or something?"

She frowned and gave him a look. The `you're not playing by my rules' look. With a pout thrown in for good measure.

"Must ya only think about sex?"

"You started it."

"Did not."

"Did too. I can smell you. You want me."

He dove into her neck. She was ticklish as hell. Marie gasped and pushed him away.

"Ya are such an egomaniac Logan!"

He pulled back and took another drink. Didn't want to deal with snapped ribs just then. Plus, this could be more fun. Get her all angry and shit.

"I just now you want me Marie, don't deny it."

She resumed the chest rubbing with a smirk. Had to work hard not to growl now. Her voice was low and throaty and full of accent.

"So maybe Ah do, but unlike ya Logan, Ah can control myself. Even if Ah did want ya, which Ah really don't, Ah can walk away calmly and ya can't."

That meant trouble. That voice always meant trouble and he didn't know quite how to react. He opted for huffing and crashing the can he was holding before tossing it across the rec room and into a trash can. Well, almost in. Close enough.

"That's bullshit Marie, and you know it. Besides, you couldn't keep your legs crossed if you tried."

And that woke her up. She pinched him hard and turned on his lap to face him.

"Ya son of ah bitch! Yoah tha biggest slut Ah know and yer telling me Ah can't control my-self? Jerk."

And then she got up and stormed off, thick heels clicking. Logan chuckled. Hockey and beer or pissed off Marie and whatever little torture she can come up with? Hmmmm. Choices, choices. But of course, there really wasn't any choice at all. Logan drained the rest of his beer and stomped off behind her.

He made it to the room door just as she slammed it. Adamantium knuckles were useful in situations like this. Only Marie was never intimidated.

"Marie! Marie!"

And then he heard laughing. Logan turned his head slowly.

"Fuck off Scooter or do you have something to say?"

"No, no continue groveling."

Scott cleared his throat and kept walking down the corridor, shaking his head along the way. Logan muttered under his breath and pounded the door a little harder.

"Marie, open the fucking door!!"

He rethought his strategy. Groveling. This was something pussy-whipped Scooter would do. He was a man. A real man. No way was he going to beg at a door like some dog. Fuck that. He was about to turn and leave when the door swung open and a very dangerous Marie frowned at him with a hand on her hip.

"Yes?"

Logan looked her over and a deep growl emerged from the recesses of his chest. The brief thought that someone could see her ran through his mind, but he stood stock still. He was a man dammit. He had pride.

"Well, if ya have nothing ta say, then fuck ya and good night."

She went to turn around and slammed the door, but Logan blocked the door with his foot. Okay, so he was a man with needs and a little pride. Stepping in at her heels, Logan kicked the door close and followed her to the desk. Marie just calmly sat down, confident that he was not stupid enough to touch her.

"Do ya have something ta say? An apology maybe?"

Logan crossed his arms like he did when he wanted to intimidate someone. Flexing and everything. Too bad she was writing and not looking at him.

"What the fuck do I need to apologize for?"

She swiveled her chair around. Since when did she grade papers in her underwear anyway?

"Ya are ah pig and ya insulted me."

Logan snorted and tried the flexing again. She didn't look scared at all.

"All I said was the truth, so you can't be upset at that."

She stood up with a gasp. Even stepped forward. Logan stared at all the exposed skin. He was already excited. Damn if he didn't like living dangerously.

"Let's get this straight Logan, yer tha biggest slut ever, so fuck you."

Logan smirked. A plan was unfurling in his head, urged on by his groin of course.

"That sounds like a challenge Marie."

She crossed her arms too. Made her cleavage do all kinds of nice things. Logan considered their little stand off. She had an eyebrow perfectly arched and was fighting a smile. Looked promising enough.

"What kind of challenge, sugah?"

Logan leaned forward and flexed his arms a little more. So what if she was stronger, he had bigger muscles. That had to count for something.

"Let's test your little theory. See who holds off the longest."

And she smiled. His favorite smile. The please come fuck me right now smile. Something deep inside his abdomen stirred. And then Logan realized he was in trouble. It had sounded like a great plan in his head a minute ago, but watching her unhook her arms and take the step that brought her flush against him, Logan knew he was dead in the water. He was about to open his mouth and apologize instead, bringing the whole thing to a quick and pitiful end, but then she pushed him. Straight onto the bed. He faltered. She was on him in a second. Damned those two years of fight training.

"Ya got yerself ah deal, sugah. Now how we gonna do this."

Logan grumbled and Marie smirked. She knew she proved her point. He knew she proved her point. The point was wedged between them straining against his jeans, so why drag this out? But then Logan remembered, a creative Marie made for great sex. Why fight it?

"However you want, darling."

And she beamed. Logan had a suspicion they were no longer playing a waiting out game. They were just going for it and that made him happy again. So glad he had decided not to watch hockey.

"Okay, until ya say mercy. We time ta half an hour, see who lasts tha longest, winner gets ah special request."

Logan tucked his hands under his head and closed his eyes. Better than he thought. She could spend hours on foreplay. So what if she'd win. He even new what her special request would be. He grinned. Yup, he was certainly up for some of that.

"Me first. Go for it darling."

And he braced for it. But it was not what he expected. No ripping off of clothes. No brutal handjobs, no teeth. Just a feather light touch across his chest. Logan opened his eyes and looked down. This was unexpected. Marie had a look of total concentration on her face, running a gloveless finger across his t-shirt.

"Babe?"

She looked up quickly with a triumphant smile.

"You give up already?"

Logan gnashed his teeth and sunk back down again. So they weren't going to just go for it. Damn. She was really going to drag this out. Shit, but I'd be worth it to wipe that look off her face. He could definitely last half an hour with whatever she threw at him. Yup, he could handle this.

"I didn't say anything, continue please."

And she did. Touching, then brushing, then kissing, then nipping, then licking, sucking was next, but it didn't even get past kissing, so why digress? Marie was halfway down Logan's abdomen only ten minutes later when he broke down with a frustrated growl.

"Marie!"

She paused and looked up with a demure smile. To his increasing frustration she didn't even say anything, just looked at him from under thick lashes and twirled circles into the indent of his belly button. But there was way too much skin. If she didn't want to cooperate, he couldn't make her. In Logan's sex hazed brain he tried to come up with a catalyst. Intimidation, his favorite, that would do nicely.

"Marie get the fuck up here now."

He tried to add edge to his voice. Really tried. I mean it worked sometimes, when she was in a particularly complacent mood, but she just giggled now. It was disastrous for his ego. The lingering doubt that she had somehow planned this rose in him again. But there was no time to think. He wanted her and he was getting impatient. And that was his downfall. Seeing opportunity, Logan hooked the thin stretch of fabric that connected the two halves of her bra with his forefinger. Pulling her up by the purple contraption, he breathed into her face.

"Marie get your ass in gear. Enough of this shit."

"Just say ya were wrong, sugah."

He thought about it. Her hand had slipped a little lower. Just grazing, but not quite there. He had wanted to last the half hour, but who gave a fuck when the only thing he had to loose was one of Marie's special request. And those were always fun. And of course his pride. But fuck it, pride was overrated.

"Okay Marie, you win, I'm the bigger slut, now get my fucking gloves."

Marie jumped up, eyes as bright as her laughter.

"Ha! So you admit it, you nympho!"

Logan growled and took out a claw. He ran it under the purple junction in her bra and sliced the contraption in two.

"Whatever."

Marie shrugged off the bra and reached under her pillow for a spare set of gloves. She threw them at him triumphantly. Logan pulled them on and immediately flipped her under him. Figuring they hadn't had sex with her completely naked for some time, well two days seemed like a long time, he unzipped his pants and took his penis out of his shorts. Marie looked at him with a smirk and placed a foot on his shoulder. Like he needed encouragement.

"Oh God Marie, I really need you."

And that damned smile.

"Ah know sugah."

Logan rolled on his condom with one gloved hand, using his other to feel along Marie's already moistening entrance. Ahh, the beauty of crotchless panties. He was finding it hard to breathe, but the look on her face was intriguing. He had to ask. It helped formulate the game plan in his head. First some of this, then some of that, then more of same. It helped to strategize a plan. Get maximum Marie that way.

"Marie baby, what's your special request?"

He finished easing on his protection and brought her other leg to his shoulder. Always a personal favorite, this position afforded him a nice view of events. Marie closed her eyes and already flushed, Logan wasn't expecting an answer right away. He came down towards her with a grunt, her long legs tucked dangerously on either side of his neck, but she braced away from his impending thrust and offered a deliciously saucy smile.

"I need ya ta promise Logan that you'll do it for me."

His growling got louder. Couldn't she see he was practically bursting?

"Whatever baby, I promise you."

He gripped her waist and thrust forward into her warm wetness with the words still breathlessly on his lips. And there his fate was sealed. You try being patient in a situation like that.

---

Some time later, when he was almost completely recovered from the latest bout, Logan remembered Marie's special request again. Rubbing her head that rested on his chest and feathering kisses to her gloved hand by his lips, he ventured the question.

"Marie baby what did you want?"

Marie moaned heavily from where she was. She was almost asleep, but then remembered her mission clearly. She turned to face Logan, still tracing patterns on his lips.

"Yer gonna be mad."

Logan raised an eyebrow. She was staring right at him and was deadly serious. This was unexpected.

"Why the hell would I be mad?'

Marie frowned a little and figured the direct approach was best. She eased up some and settled her chin on his sheet covered chest. Might as well grab the Wolverine by the horns.

"Ah have my last photoshoot tomorrow."

Logan took a minute to process that. Minute over, he jumped up, causing Marie to fall to the side.

"You have what?"

She straightened up, thankful that at least the claws didn't come out.

"Ya know, for tha magazine."

Logan stared at her incredulously. He swung back the blankets and stood up.

"The fuck you are. You ain't doing shit. No fucking way."

He started pacing the room with a barrage of questions and declarations. Marie leaned back against the headboard, crossed her arms and prepared for the worst. After about ten minutes of pacing and cursing she had had enough.

"Logan! Stop pacing. Ah didn't say Ah was gonna screw someone, Ah'm just gonna take pictures."

He stopped in his tracks and looked at her in agony.

"Pictures Marie? Pictures? No fucking way. You ain't doing it."

"Ah have ah contract, they could sue me."

"I'll fucking shove it down their throats. No way are they going to sue shit!"

Then an enlightened thought occurred to the man.

"As a matter of fact who the fuck is they and where are they? And how the fuck did you meet they to begin with?"

Marie rolled her eyes and ruffled her hair. This was getting ridiculous fast.

"Look Logan, Ah promised ta do this and Ah'm gonna finish it. Ah realize it may hurt yer feelins' and what not, but nothing happens. It's ah few hours, some pictures, and Ah get ah check. No fucking orgies or tha like. So gimme some credit here."

Logan stared mutely as Marie jumped off the bed and stomped into the bathroom. He followed her trying to find words to counter all that she just said.

"Back the fuck up, why the hell are ya even telling me if you already know you're going?"

She swung around angrily.

"Because Ah thought ya were mature enough ta handle it and Ah figured ya wanted ta maybe come with me."

She slid open the door of the shower, almost shattering it in the process. Stepping in, she swung it shut again and turned on the water. Logan wasn't through arguing so he slid it open again to finish his rant.

"Mature my ass. So why this whole `promise me' game and shit? You expect me to like the fact that you're going off to parade naked for god knows who so you can be plastered on a million fucking magazines for the whole world to see? No fucking way! Not my woman!"

Marie dropped the shampoo bottle in her hands. Logan knew right there and then argument was over.

"First of all Ah'm not yer property. So spare me tha caveman bullshit. Ah do what ah wish with my life. Ah'm not being unfaithful and it really is no big deal. Not millions, only ah hundred thousand. Ya fucking loved it so why tha sudden change?"

Logan's nostrils flared. It's because he loved it that was the problem. Other people shouldn't see that. She was his.

"That was before."

Marie rinsed the lather out of her hair and stared at Logan's tortured look. He was getting all wet from the spray of water bouncing off of her. This hadn't gone exactly as planned.

"Don't you trust me?"

He brooded for a little while. He did trust her. Even though it killed him to know that there were others, one actually that lived under the same roof, he trusted her. It came with the whole love thing.

"I trust you Marie, but I don't have to like it."

He leaned against the shower stall and wondered when the hell he got so soft.

"Look Logan, please come with me. Ah want ya ta be there."

He crinkled his face in disgust.

"I'll kill them. I can't go."

Marie sighed heavily.

"Almost everyone takes their boyfriends and stuff. Plus they don't use ah full crew with me, it's too dangerous. Ah requested only one photographer. And he's gay Logan. Just ah few hours and they fly by. Please come."

Logan thought about it. And even though he never got headaches, he had one now. But he must have been an idiot because the idea actually didn't sound too bad like that. And he could make sure that dick kept his hands to himself. He knew Marie and she was going to do regardless. Marie saw hope in his hesitation. She turned off the water and faced him again.

"You can be my assistant if you'd like."

Logan yanked the bath towel on the rack and opened it before him. Marie stepped into it, squeezing the excess water out of her hair. Logan wrapped it around her and finally offered a wan smile.

"What would I do?"

Marie leaned over the sink and brought up a pink razor.

"You can start by shaving me."

Logan let a slow grin cover his face.

"But you never shave."

Marie slowly matched his.

"Magazine rules."

It was a `let's experiment' kind of grin. And shit, he was always up for a new experience. Taking the razor from her hand, he carefully heaved her into his arms and deposited her legs spread open over the sink. He licked his lips in anticipation and looked up at Marie's flushed face.

"Okay, so how do we do this?"

Marie bit her bottom lip and silently handed him a can of shaving cream and two latex gloves out of the box they kept in the bathroom. Logan looked at Marie with a deep, shaky sigh. This was going to be fun. Nothing like make-up sex after a fight and with a little bit of a weird shaving task to help along, it would be all the more fun.

---

Logan looked at his watch for the dozenth time. She was still getting ready and although she usually spent an eternity on all that girly stuff, it had been close to an hour and she had insisted that he wait outside. When he could pace no longer, she avoided his aneurysm by finally stepping out of the bathroom. All thought left Logan's brain.

"So what you think, sugah?"

"Damn."

To his unbelievable joy, she had opted for a wig to hide her white streaks, and he was all for anonymity. But he figured she'd go for the standard blonde since the bedroom he was sitting in was crawling with them, but no, she went with black. A straight whispy style that almost reached her waist and curled nicely under her breasts. Which were quite bare under her robe. He frowned again but before he could say anything, Marie held up a bottle.

"No fighting assistant, ya promised."

Logan looked down at the high highs and silky robe she had on. Not fair. He had been censoring all her outfits, but this one looked killer. He was actually liking it.

"Put on my lotion sugah, Ah don't want ta ruin my gloves."

And damn that smile. Logan pulled at the robe strings and poured some of the too strong smelling stuff on his hands and over her chest and breasts. It was clear but left sparkling things on her skin. And apparently it was okay for him to slime his leather gloves in glitter. Not that he was complaining.

"Dammit Marie you're killing me."

She caught his hands and made them rub her nipples a little harder. He stepped into her real close. They were alone in a hotel suite that the photographer rented out. Unfortunately, Logan could still hear the tiny little man milling around with the equipment in the studio down the hall. What the hell. He leaned over to kiss Marie briefly, but then he called. Logan growled and dropped the bottle.

"Ah'm coming Pierre!!"

Logan growled and walked off after Marie. She had had two wardrobe changes, and although they took more than half the time, he couldn't stand the other man's chatter. He preferred watching Marie try on little scraps of fabric and model them for him. Interesting way to spend an afternoon. Marie giggled at Logan behind her and pulled him along to the studio room. She gave him a hug and a kiss on the sideburns before whispering in his ear.

"Ah think Pierre likes ya, sugah."

Logan growled, at the statement and the fact that he couldn't touch her. And damned if Pierre didn't come to take her away.

"You just sit right there Mr. Big and Silent type, we'll be done soon enough."

He pulled Marie to the side to fuss with her wig, never suspecting Logan could hear every word he was saying. And he really could have done without hearing all of that. Logan suddenly wished the radio was on again, but no, gay disco club hits of the nineties wasn't going to help his mood any. And he had snapped the CD in half anyway. Better that way, cause at least he could hear the swish of Marie's thighs rubbing together when she walked and her heartbeat not too far off. It kept him calm in a way.

"I swear to you Rogue honey, that man of yours is a dish. To die for in those tight jeans. Umm, is it hot in here?"

Marie shot Logan a brilliant smile and let herself get settled on a bunch of throw pillows in front of a ton of lights and special umbrellas. Pierre kept mumbling, completely oblivious that his death was being planned across the room.

"And Christ Almighty, he even growls. Now where exactly did you catch a man like that Rogue honey?"

Marie covered her smile with her hand and settled back on the pillows with bent knees pulled together and hair fluttering all around her.

"Ah picked him up at ah bar in Canada."

Pierre gasped in horror and Logan finally cracked a smile.

"He's Canadian? Well girl there you have it, the fatal flaw. Canadian men just can't get past the flannel honey. It's so sad. Not that there's anything wrong with the LL Bean look, but that can be so unoriginal. It takes years of undoing to get rid of that little habit……"

Oblivious to the chatter, Marie focused her gaze on Logan brooding in a chair. He looked so handsome it hurt. And he looked about to hurt several times. Like when Pierre opened her robe. Luckily Pierre heard the growling in time to cover her up again somewhat with the hair. He had learned quickly to keep the pictures modest. But overall, Marie knew Logan had been unbelievably understanding. At four hours, he had shown more patience than she had thought possible. And it must have been hard.

Logan shifted in his seat. Damn he was hard. If he was honest with himself, he would admit that it wasn't as bad as he'd imagined. And he had quite the imagination, but luckily it had been an uneventful session, even though he had to flash claws when Pierre suggested `props'. But he was okay with things. Marie had good judgment and in a way he should have trusted that. And sitting and watching her close this many hours, it occurred to him that that what this whole thing was about.

She would never admit to it, but this had been a test. It took planning to get him there and more than a little manipulation. She had wanted to test him. And Logan was okay with that too. In little over three weeks they had settled in on a relationship awfully quick and she hadn't exactly forgotten the reason he came back was over a damned centerfold. Logan flexed his hands over his knees. Every time she shifted a little on the pillows, he got more uncomfortable. The gaze she was giving him wasn't helping anything. But he had to prove it to her somehow, that it was more than just sex. It was the wake-up call, but not the reason. He had to show her that he was in it for the long haul.

Still wrapped in his thoughts, Logan barely noticed when Pierre snapped the umbrella lights off. Marie sat up and sauntered over.

"You're done?"

She nodded and pulled him up by the hand and into an embrace.

"Now that wasn't too hard was it?"

Logan smiled at her choice of words. His Marie was a smart cookie.

"That's easy for you to say. I'm the slut remember?"

She laughed into his chest and Logan dropped a kiss on her shoulder. His hands went automatically around her waist when a voice interrupted. He grumbled in annoyance.

"Excuse me, but no hanky panky here Mr. Man, unless you guys are interested in some couples work?"

Pierre wiggled the camera in his hands and Logan shot him a look that could kill. Luckily for him Marie burst into laughter.

"Pierre sugah, it's been fun working with you, but Ah'm done with pictures fer good."

Marie looked up at Logan thoughtfully and he couldn't help but think `yessss!!!!'. The photographer shrugged with a sigh, eyes still firmly glued to Logan's behind.

"Now that's a crying shame."

Logan was too enthralled in Marie's gaze to care. Pierre continued snapping off lights and equipment when he remembered something. He jumped up and took an envelope out of his bag.

"Oh Rogue honey, this is your fee. I'll send the proofs in two weeks."

He flashed Logan a toothy smile.

"I'll just forget the whole CD incident."

Logan rolled his eyes. To his great dismay, Marie leaned over and gave Pierre a smacking kiss on his goatee. The man had enough bad judgment to blush.

"Thanks Pierre, Ah'll never forget ya."

He fluttered a hand to his throat.

"Well, I'm unforgettable that way."

With that he turned and Marie giggled before dragging Logan off to the changing room. Once there, he closed the door and pressed her into a wall, descended into her neck. He could wrinkle her all up to his heart's content. The robe was thinner than he thought and the wig was actually kind of nice. Marie gasped and wrapped her arms around him.

"Logan, we can't do anything here."

He kept grinding into her, knowing the effect it had on her breathing.

"Just a quickie."

She giggled against his wild hair and he started swaying into her.

"But we can't."

He kept going, sliding his sparkly leather gloves down to cup her behind. Wouldn't be the first time they broke some decorum rules. But Marie wiggled out of his grasp.

"Ah have an idea though."

And that got his attention. Marie had an idea. She grinned at him.

"We're in ah hotel. How `bout we take my fee and……splurge."

Logan thought that over. Ten minutes, tops, and he would be spulging. Splurging was good.

"Marie, that sounds like a plan."

She brought the envelope she had tucked into her g-string out.

"Here go get ah key, Ah'll change."

Logan opened the envelope. A fat stack of hundreds stared back.

"Shit."

Marie pulled off her robe and pushed him towards the door with a giggle.

"We can hook up yer bike with that. Now go on, or are you considerin' Pierre's offer?"

Logan snapped the envelope shut and grumbled.

"No way in fucking hell anybody but me is gonna take a picture of you again Marie."

She chuckled and embraced him again. As quickly as his possessiveness overtook him, it eased away. Left something else in exchange.

"Then get going sugah, go."

He watched her pull away and grab her bag to start changing. A swell of tenderness washed over him in watching her do something as simple as that.

"I love you Marie. More than anything."

She paused and flashed him a smile he realized was his true favorite. Not the please come fuck me one. That one was good, real good, but this one was better. It was the `I love you' look. All big warm eyes and soft Marie look. No-one had ever given him that one before.

"Ah love ya too, sugah."

And they contemplated each other for a minute. Marie actually blushed, and not because she was wearing only a wig, gloves and a g-string, but because he overwhelmed her. He did it often actually. Logan stuffed the envelope into his back pocket and walked over to give her a long tender kiss through the silky robe that she had tossed aside. Marie clung to him, more than assured that it was true. He loved her. That was all she ever really wanted. When he pulled away, she smiled at him. Soft look still there.

"Marie baby, throw on your coat and let's go. No need to get dressed if I'm gonna rip it all off in five minutes."

She looked up into his face and planted a soft little kiss on his eyebrow. It was surprisingly erotic.

"That's an even better idea, sugah, cause we have ah whole lot of splurging ta do."

Logan chuckled and helped her into her cloak and grabbed her bag. Opening the door, he put an around her waist and led her out. Nothing like splurging with a warm and willing Marie. His Marie. He slipped his hand into his motorcycle jacket and clenched the ring box he had there tightly and smiled. He had a plan, a speech, and a certain chocolate-eyed centerfold that he adored at his side. So what if he had to endure her little test. They made it, they loved each other and in the end that was all that truly mattered.