Groaning slightly, she squinted as she pried her eyes open. The light that slipped into the room through the crack in the curtains only increasing the agony from a nasty hangover. She flopped back into the tangled bedding, her eyes slipping shut in an attempt to block out the light.

A faint crinkling of paper drew her attention and she pulled a heavy certificate from under her ass. Blinking groggily she frowned as she fought to bring the lettering into focus.

Two minutes later any hints of drunkenness or hangover were long gone. Instead a slow building panic worked its way through her body, choking her. Her fingers trembled uncontrollably as the words registered.

Her eyes darted around the room. A pale icy green blouse hung over the back of a chair, the matching skirt decorated a lampshade, stockings were dangling for the ceiling fan, and her brand new, one hundred dollar lace bra was tangled with the red flannel shirt on the floor by the bed, the straps torn.

A snore from her right had her turning her head and staring at the sleeping figure tangled in the sheets. Several bottles lay on their sides on the bedside table, along with a half full ashtray, and several empty beer bottles.

“Hey, wake up.”

The groan coming from beneath the pillow was filled with irritation. “Don’t even think about goin’ back to sleep.”

“It’s too early…”

“Listen you stupid Canuck, this is important!” She slapped him hard, a small hint of a smile touching her lips at his grunt of discomfort. Glaring at him as he rolled over and opened one eye to stare at her she held up the document. “It was supposed to be one drink to celebrate the finalization of our divorce. Just one drink. I am supposed to be in Miami in two days to get married!”

“So?”

“Fifteen years of living with you and I still don’t know you. How could you? Huh? How could you get me drunk and then….then do this!” Screaming at him she waved the page in his face.

Sitting up he took the sheet of paper and read it slowly, a warm smile crossing his face before he met her eyes. “I never wanted out, baby, that was all you.”

“Sure it was. It was all me that you had an affair that you could be there for me when I lost our baby, that…”

“I was there!” Reacting quickly he snarled as he rolled from the bed. “And who did I have an affair with? I was in that marriage to and not once did I ever do anything that would hurt you!”

“Just cheated on me with ‘her’, with the one woman you knew you’d never be able to have forever. I’m not about to play second fiddle to anyone.” She grabbed for her clothes. “Not then, not now. Dammit where are my shoes?”

“FUCK YOUR SHOES! Talk to me!”

Turning around to stare at him she shook her head, “I said everything there was to say in my divorce application.”

“Irreparable damage? Doesn’t cut it. You tell me right here and right now just whose bed you think I was crawling into, cause memory tells me the only bed I was in was yours.”

She pulled her shirt on quickly, praying that the tears would hold until she could get away from him. She wouldn’t give him another drop of her pain, another moment of her time. Maybe she could find a lawyer who would be able to find something about the marriage that wasn’t legal, something that would give her a clean, clear break from the past.

“You ain’t leavin’ till you tell me.”

She froze at the chilling words and turned to stare at him as he leaned, naked against the door. Even now after so many years of seeing him naked, of making love, of knowing every line, every imaginary scar, every bruise he could still move her. “I don’t have to tell you a damn thing.”

“I know you won’t believe me,” he paused and looked away for a moment, a flash of pain crossing his face. “But I never cheated on you. I never wanted to be apart from you, never wanted you to know pain. I did everything in my power to keep you from hurting and what did I get for it? A fancy lawyer showing up one day while you were supposed to be out with your friends on a girl’s week off with divorce papers.”

“You deserved them.”

“You didn’t miscarry by the way.” His words stopped her dead in her tracks as she grabbed for the few odds and ends of her clothing.

“What?”

“She induced you. I got there just after she’d injected the dope. Couldn’t stand the thought that you’d get something she’d never have. If I could have killed her I would have.” He shook his head and met her shocked stare head on. “Instead, I got pushed aside and within a few weeks you were starting to pull away. Next thing I know I’m being divorced and you’re moving on with that…that thing. Oh no, you don’t get to say I cheated, I hurt you. I didn’t, you killed me.”

She stood still as he grabbed for his jeans and began to dress with an almost cruel haste. Stunned beyond belief she watched him pick up their second certificate and fold it delicately to be placed in his pocket next to his heart. It was only when he reached for the door that she found her voice.

“I haven’t slept with him. I couldn’t.”

A cold cynical laugh echoed in the room as he turned his head to glare at her. “I don’t give a fuck, baby. You go see your fancy lawyers, get another set of papers drawn up. Don’t think for a second that I’m gonna give it to you though. I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction.”

She stood and watched the door close softly before sinking onto the foot of the bed and staring at her hands. A familiar gold band circled her finger, winking at her. Taking it off she stared at it, wishing she could toss it aside but knowing she couldn’t. Tilting it she caught the faint marks on the inside of the band and frowned.

With butterflies in her stomach she squinted and tried to read the inscription. “I’ll take care of you. I promise.”

Her breath exploded out on a sob and she sat there, her pain a living breathing creature. How long she sat there she wasn’t too sure, but she recognized the battered boots that entered her vision and glanced up at the familiar face of a man she’d loved since she’d met him when she was sixteen.

“I can’t let you go again.”

“You promise?” She whispered tearfully.

“I promise.”

She rose to her feet and clung to him, the last traces of bitterness and self doubt washing away with each tear. “I don’t care if you slept with her, I don’t care about anything, just please don’t let me go again. I couldn’t live without you!”

“I won’t. Couldn’t even get outta the hotel.” Gentle kisses were pressed against her face even as he cupped her jaw and forced her to meet his eyes. “And I never betrayed our vows. I swore to keep myself only for you and not once did I stray from that promise. Doesn’t mean I didn’t look, just couldn’t make myself want what I knew wasn’t you. I love you, only you.”

For the first time in two years she listened to him without a cloud of anger coloring her judgment. There was honesty in his tone, and a hint of apology, a hint of desperation, of need to be believed, to be trusted. It struck her that she’d never asked him about the night Jean had come to her and told her all about their affair, she’d just blindly believed the older woman and left Logan. She bit her lip and glanced down at her feet for a moment before looking up at him.

“I’m sorry. I condemned you without thinking about it. Laid all the blame and the anger, and hurt on you and…”

“Doesn’t matter. That’s all behind us.” He whispered softly. “This is us, no one else. No Red, no living ice sculpture, just us.”

“Did you plan this?” She hiccupped as she smoothed his shirt and heard the crinkle of paper. She refused to think of how easily he’d forgiven her, how easily he’d accepted her back into his life, his arms, his heart, and his bed.

“This?”

“Yeah, you dumb red-neck, in case it slipped your mind, you got married again last night.”

He chuckled softly and rested his forehead against hers. “Yeah, yeah I planned it. I knew I couldn’t just let you walk away from us. Forgive me?”

“Logan, next time ask before you do something.”

“Marie, I ain’t never asked you to marry me, why would I start now?”

Laughing softly she stood on tip toe as he lowered his head. The soft kiss quickly deepened and she giggled as he swept her into his arms and headed for the massive, heart-shaped bed they’d shared all night. For once she was content to just let her heart guide her.