Everything You Say
It had been a week.
A week was longer than Logan usually spent in any one place, let alone with any one person. He still had no idea why he wasn’t bored out of his mind, unless it was the spectacular sex.
Except it couldn’t just be that, because sex he could get anywhere. This was different. Marie had taken him to places in the city he’d never known existed and wouldn’t have cared about seeing if he had, gardens and cafés by the river and even, one afternoon, a museum. The idea of his walking through galleries looking at paintings was comical, except that she kept asking him what he thought about the things, and she actually seemed to take whatever he said seriously.
And she didn’t ask him questions about himself, which was probably why the urge to move on hadn’t kicked in. That was strange too, because she talked a lot, never seemed to lack for conversation, but she just managed never to make it about him. The fact that he liked that she talked was as inexplicable as anything else.
He’d told her very little, all in all, although once when she’d mentioned a story Toby had told her he couldn’t resist correcting the big Cajun’s version of the facts. They’d been in a seafood restaurant at the time, and he remembered the way she’d listened, playing with the wax dripping down from a candle on the table. He’d finally trailed off, feeling a little awkward about how much he’d said, and when it was clear that he’d finished she’d just put the candle back down.
“I always wondered how much of that was true.” Then she gave him a quick smile and began talking about something else, some paints she wanted to pick up the next day. And he’d sat there, wondering why he felt a little aggrieved that she’d changed the subject so quickly.
The one place they hadn’t gone was back to Toby’s, though Logan had spent several hours there each night. At first he’d simply insisted that he didn’t want her there because it might not be safe, which had a grain of truth to it. It was unlikely that anything else was going to happen, but if it did, the last thing he needed was another moment of distraction at a crucial time. Marie argued with him teasingly at first, but after the third night she didn’t bring it up at all; she just kissed him goodbye and told him she’d see him later. Toby didn’t ask after her either, which was a little curious, since he must have known where Logan was staying. He was always busy, though, and Logan didn’t stay by the bar any more; since the fight, the locals were continually trying to buy him drinks, so it was easier to stick around the back of the place where he could be more inconspicuous.
But tonight was it. It was Sunday, and the bar was quiet, and there hadn’t been even a whisper of a problem all week. Marie was starting classes in the morning, and it was time for him to move on. He went to the bar, setting down his half-empty beer, and gestured for Toby to come over. The bartender put a drink down in front of a patron and then came down the bar. “You takin’ off?”
“Yeah. Do me a favor. Take my advice, hire a bouncer for Fridays and Saturdays. I don’t think you’re gonna have any more trouble,” Logan told him.
“No. No, I think you pretty much took care of that.” The large man grinned, then sobered his expression. “Sorry to see you go, though.” He gave Logan a canny look. “You mean you’re just not coming back in here, or you’re really taking off?”
“I’m heading back down to Mexico. The circuit’s started up again, gotta go make some money.” Logan wasn’t about to answer any implied questions. “I’ll get the truck out of your way tonight.” He’d parked in a tiny lot behind Toby’s place and his truck had just been sitting there, though he’d retrieved some more of his things at the beginning of the week.
“Hey—I wanted to pay you something. Going rate, anyway.” Toby started to move toward the cash register, but Logan stopped his motion with a gesture.
“Forget it.” His tone brooked no argument. Toby returned, wiping his hands off with a bar towel. He stuck out his hand and Logan took it.
“I’ll miss you, my friend. Thanks for all your help.” Toby hesitated. “You know, I’ll watch out for her.”
Logan’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
“If she wants to come back in. You don’t have to worry about it. She won’t get hurt.” Logan pulled his hand away and Toby looked slightly wounded. “Hey, we miss her ‘round here.”
Logan took a step back from the bar. He came very close to simply denying that he knew what Toby was talking about, but that would have been even more of a giveaway. Instead he shrugged. “She can do what she wants. Just didn’t want her pestering me while I was working again.” Instantly he wished he hadn’t said it; Toby would probably repeat it to her and he didn’t want that to be her last impression of him. But Toby just gave him another all-too-shrewd look.
“Sure, sure.” Toby crossed his arms. “So I’ll be seeing you after the circuit closes down in December?”
“Circuit moves to Canada in the winter, so why the hell would I be back here?” Logan knew his irritation was due at least partly to the fact that, goddamnit, he’d already considered that. Though it was also partly the expression on Toby’s face.
“Just wondering.” A couple came in then, brushing past Logan on their way to the bar, and he took advantage of the moment of activity to leave.
It was a little after eleven when he drove up and found a spot to park down the street from Marie’s apartment. He walked up the steps, awkwardly feeling for the key in the mailbox. He got the door open and came in to find her sitting in the living room, sorting out some paints and brushes. She looked up when she heard him. “Hey.”
“Hey,” he echoed. She put a stack of sketchbooks into a messenger bag and stood up.
“What’s goin’ on? You’re back early.” For the first time since he’d known her she looked uncertain.
“Nothing going on down there. No point in me hanging around.”
“You drove?” She nodded towards the front window. “I heard the truck.”
“Yeah.”
Marie looked down for a second, then back up to meet his eyes. “So you’re leaving.”
He shifted his feet uncomfortably. “I’ve got to catch up with some people in Mexico.” She nodded again and managed a smile. “I can get going tonight, if you want.”
“No.” She stayed where she was, but he could feel her gaze like a physical thing . “I was thinking about it, and—I knew you’d be leaving soon, so here’s what I’d like. I have to meet with my thesis advisor tomorrow morning, early, so I’ll be leaving around seven. I’m really bad at goodbyes, so I don’t think we should say any. I’ll just go, and when I get back you can be gone. Okay?”
He hesitated, then nodded. “Okay. Whatever you want.” She lifted her chin with an obvious effort.
“Good.” She came around the sofa to him then and put her hands on his waist. “It’s all right, Logan. I told you, no strings.” She put her head down on his chest and he closed his arms around her. “I had a really great time this week,” she said softly.
“Yeah. Me too.” He never stopped being amazed at her ability to surprise him. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and she looked up at him with a slightly wistful expression.
“I’m gonna get ready for bed. Got a long day tomorrow.”
“Okay.” He let go of her and she simply turned and walked away, back into the bedroom. He gave her a few minutes, looking around to make sure none of his stuff was still lying around.
When he finally went into the room, she was already in bed and the lights were out. He undressed quickly and slipped under the covers behind her. He slid one arm around her waist and she sighed, moving back against him and fitting the curves of her body against his. He leaned close, breathing in the scent of her. It had changed, ever so subtly, and it took him a minute to recognize the new note.
Salt.
She didn’t let her breathing alter at all, and he didn’t do anything except hold her. It took a while, but eventually she fell asleep. He didn’t. He lay still, memorizing her scent and the feel of her body under his hands, until the early morning light was glimmering outside the window.
Her alarm clock went off at six-thirty. Marie sat up, pushing her hair back out of her eyes, and reached to turn it off. She turned to him and just for an instant her face was completely unguarded. Then she pushed the covers down and got up, going quickly into the bathroom.
Logan stayed where he was, unsure of what she expected. In fifteen minutes or so, she emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed; she must have put her things there in readiness. She went to the dresser and put on a pair of earrings and a watch, then opened a drawer and retrieved a scarf. She glanced in the mirror and smoothed back her hair, then slipped the scarf around her neck and tied it. Thus armored, she came back over to the bed. Logan sat up; she leaned over and took his face between her hands. Her fingers stroked gently for a moment, up and down his jaw line, and then she brought her mouth to his. He tasted mint.
When she finally drew back, she had just the hint of a smile on her lips. She didn’t say anything. She just stayed there for another long moment, then let her hands fall away from his face. She straightened up, smoothing her shirt down, and then she turned and left the room.
Logan heard her gathering her things, moving through the apartment. After a minute a door opened and closed.
She was gone.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Logan does what he does best. Well...second best.