Fic: Turnabout is Fair Play (NC-17) Logan/Veronica

Title: Turnabout is Fair Play
Author: Lindsay
Pairing/Character: Logan/Veronica
Rating: Adult/NC-17
Word Count: 5,608
Summary: Logan helps Veronica overcome a certain insecurity.
Spoilers/Warnings: Up to 2x10
Author’s Note: First of all, how dumb do I have to be to post fic on the same day that mutinousmuse posts a super new fic? Pretty dumb, I’d say. Heh. If any of you can tear yourselves away from the musey awesomeness for a scant moment or two, I’ll be supremely thankful. Written for the “Caught in the Act” challenge at loveathons. X-posted to veronicamarsfic, vm_smut and veronicalogan. Huge thanks to my awesome beta for this piece, taken_with_you. Saskia rawks my socks. Comments are LoVe.



“Just what makes them girls go wild?”

Veronica glanced up, wiping her eyes as she struggled to maintain her composure while meeting Logan’s frank gaze. “What are you blabbing about?” she snapped, heart racing with emotion that she couldn’t wait to expend, preferably in the privacy of her own room. Something that wasn’t likely to happen the longer she was detained by idiotic questions from guileless morons.

Merely lifting a brow at her rancor, he replied, “Just a question every guy wants to know.” With that equally cryptic comment, his eyes traveled toward the television where an infomercial for the latest in Girls Gone Wild was currently airing. She felt her cheeks flush in mingled embarrassment and ire as she noted that one of the coquettish misses greatly resembled a certain Neptune trophy wife that she didn’t care to think of at that particular moment.

“I’m out of here,” she grumbled, hefting her purse over one shoulder and starting for the door. She needed to get out of there before Duncan came crawling after her. Not that she really expected him to, what with all of the things they’d said to each other in the final moments of their confrontation, but one could never be too careful.

He waited until she was within inches of the door, then moved in front of her, smoothly blocking escape. Ignoring her hissed warning, he wondered in a faintly sympathetic tone, “Didn’t Duncan drive you over?”

Resentment clawed at her belly as she schooled herself against the urge to clobber him over the head. “I have no problem walking,” she managed between her teeth, fingers clenching around her purse strap like a vise. “So, if you’ll kindly move, I’ll be out of your way.”

“You’re not in the way. I am.”

She could only glare as his lips curved ever-so-slightly. Gritting her teeth, she leaned on one hip and flashed him a sarcastic smile. “Is there something you wanted, Logan? Like tips on how not to be such a frigging asshat?”

“Resorting to name-calling now, are we?” he smirked, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned back against the door. “Nothing wittier stored up those sleeves, Veronica?”

“I have a taser, if you’d rather that,” she bit off, turning panicked when she heard sounds coming from the other end of the hotel suite.

“Ouch,” he murmured, studying her with unnerving intensity as she began to fidget. When he spoke again, he’d lost the playful banter and his voice had grown softer. “Do you need a ride?”

She started in surprise, eyes snapping to his as she absorbed the concern coloring his features. “I…” she cleared her throat, bravado disappearing as tears blurred her vision again. Great. She was losing control of herself, as predicted, in front of none other than Logan Echolls. The absolute last person she’d have chosen to witness this little breakdown.

A door opened down the hall and she practically threw herself against him with a gasp, nails scraping at the doorknob as he made a surprised sound and stumbled over her. “What the—?” he trailed off as Duncan emerged from the bedroom, a dark expression twisting his features into something she no longer recognized. Something she hadn’t recognized in quite a long time.

Without a word or even a glance in her direction, he walked past them and into the kitchen, the door slamming behind him like a gun blast. Logan’s brows went up, eyes questioning as she closed her own and grimaced. Without another word, she shoved him out of the way and strode out into the hall, tears already beginning to stream down her face.

Halfway to the elevator, she broke into a jog as sobs threatened to choke her. She blindly pushed the button for the lobby and stood, shaking, as the doors slowly slid open and she slipped inside and waited to be taken downstairs. A hand shot through the crack and she went stiff when the doors opened again and Logan came in, red-faced and panting as he once again ignored the glare she was sending him.

She thought about blasting him between the eyes, then thought better of it and decided to ignore him back. Maybe then he’d get the hint that she just wasn’t interested in making herself more miserable than she already was. The only sound to be heard was the soft whirring of the elevator as it coasted between floors. Neither of them looked at the other.

When the bell dinged, signaling their arrival at the lobby, she straightened her shoulders and prepared to escape him, but he closed his hand around her arm and forced her gaze to his.

“I’ll drive you,” was all he said, eyes brooking no argument. Still, she couldn’t let that kind of command pass. Not from him.

Yanking her arm out of his grasp, she groused, “Once again, I’d rather walk.”

“And I’d rather not make a scene in front of people who’d love nothing more than to report my every move to the press,” he responded quietly, nodding toward the bevy of people milling about the hotel, “but I’m willing to do it if you insist on walking the streets alone at night.”

“Oh, please,” she snorted. “What do you care? Don’t you remember? There’s a war out there, and as of now, we’re on opposite sides.” Brushing past him, she swept out of the hotel and into the parking lot.

He fell easily into step next to her, not speaking for a long moment as they passed the rows of cars. Then, “So. I guess you two broke up?”

It seemed such an innocuous term for the incident in question that she nearly laughed before remembering herself. Recovering in time to send him a sneering expression, she turned toward the main road and called out, “I’m sorry. I must have missed it when you received your degree in rocket science.”

“I’m just trying to be nice,” he responded, sounding slightly annoyed. It was enough to have her spinning around, stomping over to where he’d stopped and getting into his face as best she could, considering the differences in their height.

“Oh yeah? And why is that? Since when are we nice to each other, Logan?” Anger, hurt, and humiliation were her driving forces as she threw her hands up to punctuate each sentence.

He remained calm, surprising her. It had never been easier to get under anyone’s skin than Logan. And yet, he only stood by, watching her with a painful sense of understanding that made her want to vomit as scorned pride choked her. “It’s never been my decision to be enemies, Veronica,” he reminded her flatly.

Then, she did laugh. “Oh? So I must have been dreaming the entire first year after Lilly died. Is that it?”

“You’re right. Just forget it.”

“Already forgotten,” she snarked, spinning on her heel and continuing on her darkened path. When she heard no footsteps following, she glanced back to find the road empty. A sense of triumph warred with disappointment as she pulled her jacket more tightly around her and stared straight ahead. Cars passed by, highlighting her features momentarily before she was once again thrust into the silken web of the night.

After a few moments of silent walking, she began to wish she’d just swallowed her damn pride and accepted a ride from him. He was right – she had no business wandering the empty streets of Neptune at night. Especially these days.

Just as she was debating upon starting back and calling a cab, which is what she would have done in the first place had she not been so out of it after her fight with Duncan, another car came up behind her and began to slow down. Her fingers were closing around the taser when she recognized the familiar vehicle silhouette, and she released a sigh of relief.

He pulled up beside her, turning off the headlights and rolling the window down before finally looking over to meet her gaze. She ground her teeth and held her head high as she opened the door and slid inside. They rode in silence for four blocks before she just couldn’t take it anymore.

“Are you only doing this because Kendall dropped you and there’s no one else to go to?”

If she hadn’t been watching him carefully for any sign of reaction, she might have missed what little he gave. Expression impassive, his fingers tightened momentarily around the wheel before he coolly answered, “Kendall dropped me? What the hell are you talking about? I broke things off with her weeks ago.”

She digested this piece of surprising news, refusing to acknowledge the traitorous part of her that rejoiced at the information. Instead, she threw back accusingly, “That’s not what she told Duncan.”

“Duncan?” he snorted. “What the hell does Duncan have to do with…?” He trailed off, understanding lighting his features as she went still, mouth dry and pulse pounding in her ears. “Oh. Crap.”

“Yeah,” she managed. She turned to stare out of the window at the passing houses as her breath grew shallow. She could feel his regard, but just couldn’t bring herself to meet the victory that she knew would be present in his gaze.

“Veronica,” he began uncertainly, “I-I’m sorry. I never…I had no idea.”

“Oh, please. You tried to warn me the night we broke into Meg’s, didn’t you?” she demanded without heat. She suddenly felt exhausted to the bone. “You were clever about it, Logan. You gave me just enough to tease my curiosity, but being the complete blind fool that I am, I never gave it another moment’s thought.”

“You’re not a blind fool.”

“I’m not? Then why was I completely in the dark about the fact that my boyfriend – my perfect, loving boyfriend – was screwing Dick and Beaver’s step-mother?” she wondered, voice rising. “Why was I the last to know that Duncan had gotten Meg pregnant before the bus crash? I solved Lilly’s murder, but I couldn’t figure out that her brother has been cheating on me!”

“Veronica—”

“Please, don’t say I told you so,” she continued, unable to stop now that she’d gotten started. Fresh tears welled and she knew she sounded crazed, but the reality of the situation was finally beginning to sink in, along with the knowledge that things would never, could never go back to normal. Not after this. “Stupid, blind Veronica,” she choked out. “How you must be enjoying this moment.”

“For chrissakes, do I seem like I’m enjoying it?” he growled, pulling the car to a sudden stop as she blinked in surprise and glanced over. “I didn’t fucking know. I didn’t, okay? And it’s my fault, because I’m the one who sicced her on him to begin with.”

“What do you mean?” she whispered, feeling sick to her stomach as she watched the play of emotions race across his features. When he didn’t immediately answer, she added shrilly, “Logan?”

“I never thought he’d…” he cut himself off with disgusted horror. Clearing his throat, he began again. “Kendall started getting clingy; I called her on the reason why and suggested that she go accost someone richer than me to be her Sugar Daddy. I left the hotel for a while, and when I got back…she was coming out of Duncan’s room. She alluded that they’d done something, but…I never really believed it. I mean, it was Duncan.”

He shrugged his shoulders helplessly, and she stared at him for a long moment. “I guess we’re both blind fools,” she murmured, falling back against the seat and swallowing heavily.

“Veronica, I’m so…”

“Please don’t,” she begged thickly, squeezing her eyes shut against the images provoking her mind. Strangely enough, it wasn’t those of Duncan and Kendall that plagued her. The man fucking the sultry brunette was lean rather than stocky, with wide palms and long fingers that had an innate sense of how to bring pleasure. She’d known only too well, once upon a time.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” she croaked, covering her face with both hands and sobbing lightly. “Oh, God. What’s wrong with me, Logan?”

“What are you talking about?” he sounded earnest and unsure of how to handle her. It gave her enough strength to open her eyes and peer at him through her fingers.

“Why am I never…” she trailed off, voice cracking slightly. “In the past year I’ve dated a guy who burns down public swimming pools for pleasure, a drug dealer, and a guy who could have been my brother. Look at me,” she widened her arms to encompass her entire body. “I’m one bad relationship away from owning thirty cats.”

He snorted softly at that. “Everyone’s life is fucked up, Veronica. Trust me.” Lingering bitterness coated his voice, but it didn’t keep her from continuing.

“Well, at least you know you can please the opposite sex,” she managed to get out without choking on the words or bursting into a flame of humiliation. “At least you’re not…”

“What?” his ears had pricked now, and he was watching her with narrowed, suspicious eyes. “At least I’m not what, Veronica? Say it.”

She bit her lip, debating with herself over the wisdom of delving into what had happened. Finally she sighed and mumbled, “At least you’re not…frigid.”

The word echoed in the car, making her cringe. Nothing but utter silence followed, and she began to wish she’d just not bothered waking up that morning. Who could have known what horrors awaited?

Finally, with an expression that battled between shock and fury, he answered, “I hope you’re not suggesting you are.”

Color blossomed across her features as she ducked her head and stared at her fingernails. “Why would you say that?” she wondered sharply.

“Look at me.”

God. He knew. One slip of the tongue and she’d revealed her most mortifying secret to date. She defiantly met his stare, daring him to try and continue the conversation. “Forget it.”

“Fuck no,” he barked. “What the hell makes you think…do you have any idea how crazy…did Duncan tell you that you’re frigid?” His words were jumbled and rushed, voice shaking with anger. When she didn’t reply, he muttered a low oath that had her eyes widening. “I’ll kill him.”

“No, you’ll do nothing,” she pleaded frantically. “This is none of your business, Logan. I-I shouldn’t have even…I don’t know why…just leave it alone, okay? Please.”

“You don’t really believe it, do you?” he demanded, ignoring her plea. “Tell me you don’t buy that shit, Veronica.”

And this was where she’d have loved to retort that of course she didn’t believe it. That it had just been something that Duncan had thrown back at her out of embarrassment from being caught straying. That he’d only been trying to hurt her the way she’d hurt his pride by dumping him. But she knew the truth.

“Just forget it,” she repeated, unable to bring herself to lie to him. “Take me home now.”

“We’re not going anywhere until you tell me that you don’t believe whatever the hell Duncan said to you,” he said stubbornly. “Veronica. You’re not frigid, okay—”

“How the hell do you know?” she finally cried, tears of frustrating spilling over. “We’ve never…you’ve never had the opportunity to know, Logan! Not everyone can just…God!”

His mouth was hanging open when she finally risked a glance in his direction. “Christ, he really did a number on you didn’t he?”

“What?”

“Why the hell do you act like this when it comes to him?” he wondered angrily. “Why don’t you bust him on his shit and treat him like every other godforsaken person you know? What the hell is it about you and Duncan Kane?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she accused in a small voice that belied her statement.

He laughed without humor. “Do you even hear yourself, Veronica? You broke up with me because I helped burn down a swimming pool, but it took Duncan sleeping with a gold-digging slut and knocking up one of his ex-girlfriends before you even thought about holding him responsible for anything.”

“That’s not true!” she returned heatedly. “I—”

“And now you’re letting him influence the way you think about yourself,” he interrupted sneeringly. “Jesus. What the hell happened to the girl who didn’t take shit from anyone, much less a cold fish like Duncan Kane?”

“I loved him,” she hissed, shocked by the fact that she’d used the past tense without even thinking about it. And it was true. Whatever love she’d held onto for Duncan had been killed by his latest actions. Her girlish dreams had died along with it.

“Yeah? Well, I loved Lilly but that didn’t stop her from boinking my dad, did it? And enjoying it, for chrissakes,” his voice broke slightly on the words and she looked at him sharply. “ I saw the tapes.”

“The tapes?” she parroted, confused. Then she gasped. “Oh. God.”

“Screw the Kanes, Veronica,” he said dully. “All they do is hurt you.”

He turned back to the road, reaching for the parking brake. Just as he was about to turn the ignition, she said softly, “It’s true, you know. What Duncan said…about me. I am frigid. I never…I’ve never once…”

His hand froze around the gearshift and he shot her a look so incredulous that her cheeks ignited. “Never?”

She affected a laugh, all the while wishing they were moving so that she could fling herself onto the road. “I guess you could say the cuddling was the best part.”

His eyes searched hers. “Did Duncan…” he scratched his head, appearing slightly discomfited to be asking the question. “Did he…get off?”

“What do you think?” she wondered coldly.

“Did he even try to help you?” Logan queried, beginning to look angry again. “It’s not like he’d had much experience before you guys got together.”

“He tried…at first,” she admitted. “But it never quite happened, so I finally just…started faking it.” She mumbled the last few words, embarrassed beyond belief that she was actually telling this to Logan Echolls, the most likely candidate to laugh himself silly at her plight. Given the way she’d treated him since their breakup.

“You faked orgasm,” he repeated matter-of-factly. Then he fell back against the seat and began to chuckle. “Oh, man.”

“It’s not something I find funny,” she snapped, hurt by his reaction despite herself. “Forget it. I should have known better than to tell you—”

“Do you have any idea how much I tortured myself, thinking of you two together?” he cut her off blithely. “And come to find out, you weren’t even enjoying it. Good God.”

Now it was her turn to be flabbergasted. She stared at his profile, semi-highlighted in the darkness, mouth gaping as she attempted to find something to say in return. “You…?”

“There’s no way you’re frigid,” he said huskily, turning to look at her. Something warm flashed through her when she glimpsed the heat in his gaze. “Not the Veronica I remember.”

She blinked slowly, tension crackling between them in the small confines of the car. She shrugged her shoulders helplessly, choking out, “Logan.”

“I can prove it to you,” he continued, shifting closer, “if you’ll let me.”

There was no misreading his intentions, and yet she didn’t try to stop him as he closed the distance between them, mouth hovering over her own. Their eyes locked as he paused, lips brushing hers, hearts pounding in unison. With a tortured groan, he finally captured her mouth with his as her arms came up around his neck.

Heat exploded. Mind racing, she could only surrender as teeth tugged at lips, tongues tangled, and hands explored. She shifted to get closer, throwing a leg over his lap as he helped her straddle him. His lips found the sensitive arch of her neck, and she threw her head back in shocked delight when he sank his teeth in.

It sent a shockwave of awareness through her, unlike anything she’d ever experienced before, and she pulled back to stare at him through glassy eyes. His gaze was as dark as the night that surrounded him as he spoke in a thick voice, “The first lesson Duncan would get from me, is that you don’t skimp on the foreplay.”

Before she could think of a reply, his mouth was attacking hers again, his palms sliding up her shirt to caress her naked back. Nimble fingers undid the clasp of her bra, and then before she could blink he had her breasts in his palms and was expertly molding her flesh. She moaned in surprise, features flushed and dazed as she tore her mouth from his.

“Do you want me to taste you, Veronica?” he prodded in a silky tone, pulling his hands from beneath her shirt and starting to unbutton her blouse.

“Taste me,” she echoed dazedly, breathing shallowly as he revealed the rise of her cleavage. Sudden embarrassment seized her and she put a hand up to stop him. “Wait. Logan, I’m…”

“Fucking gorgeous,” he finished, staring unabashedly at her breasts. After a long moment he lifted his gaze to hers. “Isn’t that what you were going to say?”

She had to laugh. “Uh, no. Not exactly. I was going to…Logan!” she gasped as his lips closed over her nipple, arching into his mouth involuntarily. “Oh, God.”

He suckled her for endless moments, and then when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, he switched breasts. He never stopped watching her, daring her to look away as he plied and tortured her with his lips.

“I dreamed about doing this to you every night we were together,” he admitted hoarsely, pulling back to blow lightly across her puckered flesh. She shivered in response when he continued, “And every night after.”

She thought it only fair to be truthful, so she whispered, “I…thought about it, too, Logan.”

Had she ever. She’d lost count of the number of times she’d awakened in the middle of the night, sweat-soaked and pulse pounding, lingering remnants of a dream that would never happen haunting her. And how she’d run straight to Duncan, filled with an inescapable sense of unfaithfulness. The irony of the situation was astonishing.

He was staring at her, surprised hope flaring in his features. But he didn’t question her statement as she’d expected, merely sent her a smile that rocked her insides and left her quivering in excitement. “Well. Then I’d say we have some time to make up. Are you ready for lesson number two?”

She hoped so. “Hit me,” she replied shakily, realizing for the first time that she was half-naked in a car with a fully clothed teenage boy beneath her, and she didn’t feel the least bit self-conscious. Not with him. Never with him.

“Lesson number two,” he drawled in a voice filled with promise, “is telling me what you like.” Holding her gaze, he rested his palms on her thighs, slowly sliding them up and under her skirt. “For example, do you want me to lick your pussy?”

“What?” she exclaimed, numb with disbelief as his crude words rang in her ears. “What did you just say?”

“I said—”

“No, I heard you,” she snapped, turning red as he smirked at her discomfort. “For God’s sake, Logan, I am not saying that.”

“Why not? It’s a harmless sentence, Veronica,” he prodded challengingly. “A little dirty talk makes everything more exciting, trust me.”

“Maybe if you’re sleeping with Kendall Casablancas,” she hissed, trying to move off of his lap. He held her in place, and she sent him a look so severe he nearly flinched. “Let me go, Logan. This is a big mistake.”

“It’s just a word, Veronica,” he laughed in disbelief. “Don’t tell me Duncan and you never exchanged a little…” He trailed off at her expression. “Okay, maybe not.”

“With Duncan, it was more ‘insert tab A into slot B’,” she responded snappishly. “There was no foreplay and no dirty talk, Logan. To be honest, I think I prefer it that way.”

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” He waited a beat. "But how can I give you exactly what you want," he continued in a delicious whisper, "if you won't tell me exactly what you want? And I know you want it, Veronica."

“Have you ever stopped to think that not everyone needs to turn sex into a tawdry, torrid affair?” she bit off, shamed by her own blatant naïveté.

“Hate to break it to you, sugarpuss, but the definition of sex is tawdriness,” he answered. They stared at each other, silently battling wills, when he finally sighed. “You’re making this much more difficult than it has to be. But it’s all right; you’ll change your tune in a minute.”

“What are you talking about?” she demanded suspiciously, then squealed in surprise when she felt his fingers playing at the edge of her panties. A sharp reprimand melted into helpless moans as he brushed the silky material aside and delved into her dampness without hesitation.

“You’re wet,” he pointed out in a voice dripping with lust. “You must be enjoying this tawdriness more than you’re letting on.”

“I’m…” she couldn’t finish the denial, drawing her lip between her teeth as his blunt fingertip circled slowly around her clit. “Oh, my…”

“Lean back,” he ordered, shifting so that her legs were spread wider across his lap. She did as he commanded, delirious by the feelings he was invoking within her. “That’s a girl,” he purred, a satisfied expression coloring his features. “You’re going to like this, Veronica.”

She had the fleeting thought that there was no way she could like it better than she was already liking it, but the idea of voicing that opinion disappeared as he flipped her skirt and drew his cheek along her thigh. His eyes closed and she caught her breath mere seconds before wet warmth covered her. Her fingers sank into his hair, gripping his head tightly as he went to work on her with feverish intent, tongue dragging slowly along the folds of her flesh, lips suckling lightly.

She wasn’t aware that she was murmuring nonsensical words in her delirium, until she felt him chuckle against her. She glanced down, glazed, and found him staring up at her with knowing eyes that spoke volumes. She should have been mortified, but it had the complete opposite effect. She opened herself wider, giving over to the pleasure he was bringing as her lashes fluttered closed and her chest rose and fell.

“You have such a pretty little clit,” he murmured, lingering over it with abject adoration as her hips worked in time with his ministrations. “Do you like when I suck on it, baby?”

“Y-Yes,” she groaned, overcome with emotion and desperate to reach for the relief she could feel hovering just on the horizon…

“I like it, too.” He punctuated this statement with a little nip to her flesh, and she came apart like shattered glass. He stayed with her throughout the wrenching ordeal, stroking and petting and drawing out her pleasure until she finally had to beg him to stop. Only after she could do no more than lie against the dashboard in limp shock, he finally tore himself away from her and holding her gaze, wiped his mouth with flagrant approval.

She felt heat crawling up her neck, but couldn’t concentrate on being self-conscious given what she’d just experienced. “Oh. My. God, Logan.”

“How do you feel?” he wondered, eyeing her speculatively. She thought she glimpsed a bit of uncertainty coloring his own gaze, which made her laugh, considering the way she’d just fallen apart in his arms.

A bit impishly, she replied, “Like I just had an orgasm.”

Hesitation melted into satisfaction as he smiled slowly. “You were quite…vocal.”

“Oh, God. What did I say?” she was immediately horrified by the possibilities.

He took his time in torturing her, leaning back and slumping in the seat, hands behind his head and a gratified expression coloring his features. “Let’s just say this. No woman begs her lover to fuck her senseless if she’s incapable of enjoying it.”

She gasped at this revelation, and slugged him playfully. “I did not say that.”

“Would you like me to repeat everything you said?” he quirked a brow. “Because I was taking notes.”

She didn’t doubt it. Feeling predatory, she leaned forward and replied, “Oh, yeah? Well, what do you think you’d say if the tables were turned? Could you keep your cool, Logan?”

“Are you suggesting turnabout is fair play?” he wondered, a bit hoarsely.

She merely sent him a feline smile in reply, lowering her fingers to the clasp of his pants where a hard bulge was waiting. He froze, watching her through heavy-lidded eyes as she maneuvered herself between his legs and undid the zipper, carefully drawing it over his erection.

He’d already sprung from the confines of his boxers, and she cleared her throat in order to cover up the surprise at seeing him for the first time. She studied the length of his cock, mentally drawing comparisons between him and Duncan. Logan easily came out on top, causing her to give a breathy, self-directed giggle.

Misreading her reaction, he stilled her hand as she reached out to envelope him, and said in a voice tight with control, “Veronica, you don’t have to—”

She cut him off by kissing the tip of his cock, introducing herself to the taste and texture that belonged to him. He hissed in response, hips jerking while his fingers clenched into fists at his side.

“Veronica.”

“I want to,” she assured him, looking up with wide eyes. She knew he was a sucker for the doe-eyed expression, and judging by the look that flashed through his eyes, he was turned on by it, as well.

Without waiting for his acquiescence, she cocked her head and took him into her mouth. She barely heard the long-suffering groan that spilled from his lips; she was so attuned to her mission. Which was making sure she gave as good as she got.

Unlike her, he had no problem instructing her on how to better please him. Hands stroking the side of her face, he breathed out, “Harder. Suck me harder.”

She complied, glancing up from beneath her lashes to meet his eyes. They were burning bright, his mouth open and panting. It was a look so uninhibitedly sexy that she paused, taking it all in. Only when he began to groan in distress did she remember her cause.

“God, Veronica…” he gasped. “You’re…too good at this…”

She doubled her efforts, realizing he was close to losing the control he’d inflicted upon himself. Taking him in as deep as she could manage, desperate to bring him the same pleasure that he had gifted her, she swirled her tongue around his cock until he jerked and grabbed her head in warning.

“Stop,” he managed, pulling her head back only seconds before he exploded in a torrent of hissed oaths and appreciation. She watched his hips buck, committing every moment to memory so she could go over it again when she was thinking more clearly.

When his eyes finally reopened, he shot her a look filled with hot possession. “Jesus, woman. You were—” He cut himself off, ears perking and expression rapidly changing as he took her head and shoved it down between his legs again. “Shit.”

She was about to yelp in affront, when blue light spilled across the XTerra and a rap sounded on the window. She flinched, stomach plummeting to her toes when she heard the familiar, snide voice.

“Mr. Echolls. Care to explain why you’re parked in the dark on the backroads?” Sheriff Lamb drawled, satisfied glee threaded through his voice.

“I think it’s a bit obvious,” Logan responded coolly. “Sheriff.”

“Ah, right.” Veronica felt Lamb’s sharp gaze burning into the top of her head, but she couldn’t force herself to look up so that he could identify her.

“Well. I’d suggest the two of you…clean up some before I bring you in for lewd conduct in public.”

“What?” Logan yelped as she drew in a sharp breath. She felt him fumbling with his zipper, bleating angrily, “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me, Lamb. We were just—”

“Please, save it for the memoirs,” Lamb laughed, snapping on a piece of gum as Veronica began a silent prayer. “Maybe you can have a chapter in your daddy’s autobiography.”

Incensed, Veronica looked up and met Lamb’s knowing gaze defiantly. “You really are an asshole.”

“Better save the sarcastic quips to explain to Daddy Mars why you got caught making it with the son of the town psychopath. Get dressed, both of you.”

“Yes sir,” Logan answered, and out of the corner of her eye she saw him give a snappy salute. She resisted the urge to snort hysterically.

“Don’t be a smart ass, Echolls. I’ve got my eye on you,” Lamb warned, eyes narrowing.

With that, fading footsteps sounded and they were thrust into darkness again. Only after she heard the distant sound of a motor did Veronica dare to look up. She met Logan’s exasperated expression with one of her own.

Minutes later, they were sitting in the backseat of Lamb’s car as he drove toward the sheriff’s station. Logan reached over and tangled their fingers together, sending her an apologetic expression as Lamb smirked in the mirror.

“Today?” she mused aloud, “Has just not been my day.”