26. Tulips, burnt candles and romance

You are my best friend, my best decision, the best part of my stupidity. - Logan.

~~~

26. Tulips, burnt candles and romance

(Alexandra)

Alexandra had a smile on her lips as she turned away from Logan and walked towards the door. She didn't want to, really, but work was work and she couldn't just stay at home and kiss him all day, everyday. It was an appealing picture, but she couldn't live just on his kisses, could she?!

Why not check it out? Her inner voice taunted. She turned around, almost instinctually and grabbed him by his ties. He looked baffled, but a slow, sexy grin took over as she pressed her lips to his and kissed him a little bit longer than she had intended.

"What was that for? I am not complaining."

"Don't ever lie to me." She said as she stood on her tip toes and kissed again. "Don't ever be angry with me." She muttered as she pressed another kiss.

"I can't promise I won't be angry, but I will promise I won't stay angry. I mean, I can't."

"Good." Alex said as she grabbed her bag and he grabbed her hips.

"I can't wait for tonight." He said before he pulled her again and kissed her, gentle and teasing. Slow and seductive.

"I really need to go." She said as Leo honked again. That guy had the worst possible timing.

"Go." He pushed her forward, but his hand held on.

"Let go." She chuckled when he looked at her with wide gray eyes, that promised everything good if she stayed. She could stay. But she had promised Mathilda that she would finish the kitchen today and also she had to buy some curtains and drapes and covers.

She grabbed his palm and opened his fingers with a smile. "I will be here tonight." She said as she walked away. "Bye" Alex looked over her shoulder and waved at him and Logan was still staring at her, his eyes hooded with hints of promises.

Tonight. She wished it was already tonight. 🌃

She couldn't wait. She rubbed her palms against her heated cheeks before she opened the door.

As soon as she stepped inside the car, Leo whistled. She shook her head as she willed her face from stop blushing so much. She couldn't stop thinking about what he said about spending the night together.

Get it together, girl. She scolded herself. Yes, they had made up, and they would fight again and make up again, but nothing changed the fact that she was madly in love with him and she was his best friend.

Haha. Haahaa.

Fate sucks!

"Finally." He said as he stared at her with a smile. "You are back." He started the car.

"What are you talking about?" She shrunk her nose as he drove away.

"I am talking about how you looked like a walking corpse for past two days. Now your color is back. I suppose you made up with your moron of a husband." He said with a frown.

"He is not a moron, Leo." She said with a frown.

In the last few days, she had become good friends with Leo, as he drove her around to shop for his Mother's house and as she sat with him when he fine tuned his song to the point of obsessive perfection.

The final song was awesome, something she would hear over and over again. Something she would go to see with Stella --who still couldn't believe Alex was friends with their celebrity crush.

Now Leo was not the angel they believed to be, not anymore for Alex. He was so down to earth and he was funny, honest and truly a good guy, except when it came to women.

As Trish had said, he was almost a playboy. It wasn't so bad, except Alex had a doubt that he consciously chose women who wouldn't available for him, or who he couldn't fall in love with for dating. From a month she had known him --and before that from the magazines-- she had seen him with so many women and none of them were anywhere closer to who he would like. She didn't know what to think of that, but they were still not close enough for her to talk about that, so she kept it to herself.

"He is a moron and I don't know what you saw in him." He harrumphed.

"God, I don't know why you didn't kiss him and make up already."

"Eww, I don't want to kiss your stupid husband. He is such a pain in the ass."

"He is really not, but then you kissed his date. So?"

"For the thousandth time, I didn't know she came with him."

"Yeah?" She laughed at his red face. He gave her a pout.

"Not fair."

"Whatever." She shrugged as he stopped the car in front of a familiar shop. Her whole body stiffened as she stared at it with hollowed eyes.

It was her dad's dream. This here was the first ever shop he had opened to sell their curtains and voiles and covers from the fabric made in their GS textile.

"You don't like it here? Someone told me this is one of the good ones." Leo stopped as he looked at her face. She pulled herself back from the stupor.

After ten months, she would have money. She could fight them all, then. She could even win. Even if she didn't win, just knowing that she had fought for what was her father's would be enough for her. Just knowing that she hadn't given up would be enough.

She composed her face and compartmentalized her feelings before she stepped inside. The whole place was bustling with new salesmen, all of them young. The old loyal people were not there anymore. Maybe the new one who took over the place fired them or maybe the workers who were loyal to her father didn't want to work there anymore.

She mechanically stared through the different curtains, her eyes not seeing. She was filled with memories of herself and her dad in the shop.

Her dad brought her here whenever he could, to show the root. To show her that they hadn't always been about big, brassy shops, that they had a humble beginning.

But even this small shop was something that made Alex fill with pride. It might be small, and not massive like the new ones, but it still held beautiful clothes, all arranged neatly in beautiful bundles, pushed together to form patterns and art in their own way.

The first time she came here, she told her father how the pink bundles of curtains should come in between the reds, to make them pop out and not fade in the background and how the sunflower ones should be kept in the dimmer side of the shop because they are always bright and how dark colored drapes should be moved to the other side. She was just seven. Her dad had been proud.

That was when her eyes for colors and arrangements stood out.

Her father took note, carefully on the details without dismissing it because she was just a child and ordered the guys in there to do it like that and the next time they came, her eyes popped out to see everything was exactly as she had asked.

One of the salesman in the shop had come to her then, with a smile and said that she had a good eyes, that the shop looked much more attractive since her idea.

She was so happy she bounced around and her dad beamed at her.

Her heart clenched. She missed her dad. She missed how she could not tell him about the silliest, simple parts of her life. And the serious ones.

"Hey, if you don't like it here, we can go somewhere else." Leo patted her back and she was back from the stupor.

"Oh, it is fine."

After half an hour of pestering and bargaining, Alex had everything she needed. Big bundles of curtains and drapes were packed as they stood and watched and after giving the address, they both drove away to Mathilda's mansion.

***

(Logan)

"I am really not in the mood, Stacie." He said as he glared at the devil sitting in front of him. He didn't know how he found her attractive once. Oh, yes. She was super hot, but beyond that, there was only the spasm of cold emptiness behind her frigid blue eyes.

After soaking on the warmth of Alex and her generosity and her kindness, Stacie was like a wax doll with beautiful face and no life. None at all.

"You see, Logan. You need me. So? You do what I ask or this deal is going down the drain." Stacie said as her sharp fingers pushed one single curl behind her ears. "I am a business woman, I have always been. So I am okay to throw my brother under the bus, but not without getting something back in return."

"I can't guarantee what Fabien's opinion would be. He is not easily swayed."

"Let me worry about that. All I need is an introduction with Fabien Hass and I won't back off from this deal, even if he said no." Stacie said as she took a sip of her coffee.

"So who is stopping you from backing off, after I introduce you to Fabien?"

"I am a woman of my word."

Logan chuckled. "Really? I am not random stranger, Stacie. I dated you for a year."

"And proposed to me and then married a girl --how old is she again?-- but I almost believe that you still have unwarranted feelings for me." She winked as she gave him a smile.

He shook his head with a smirk. "Don't worry about any unwarranted feelings, Stacie. I believe you have some unwarranted delusions. So..."

She scrunched her nose before she picked a leaf up from her salad and chewed it, daintily. Logan couldn't help but think about how Alex would have vehemently opposed the salad -- God, Alex could eat.

"I will ask Mr. Marino to call you with further details."

"Ouch. You don't want to talk to me any more? That hurts." She said in a fake voice before she stood up and gave him a half wave. "Buh-bye Logan. I hope you bring your wife to Fabien's gala."

"Why? So that you can spill some more red wine on her?" He narrowed his eyes at Stacie.

"Uh, not really. I would like to apologize."

"You?" He shook his head. "Apologize?"

"Don't look too doubtful. I am being genuine here."

"Whatever, Stacie. Good bye."

"Not good bye Logan. I have a feeling that you will soon come back to me. When the newness of your marriage fade and I will be waiting. Oh, don't worry, I will take you back."

"The hell you are talking about?" He gritted his teeth.

"Nothing." She said and sauntered away, her back swishing in the tight black dress she draped her body with.

***

(Alexandra)

Alex had a long long day and she couldn't wait to go back home to Logan. She couldn't wait to get back in his arms.

And into his bed. The voice added with a sigh.

She flushed as she pressed her face against the cool glasses of Leo's car.

They had just been coming from Leo's recording studio and it was all so mesmerizing, the way a song is made. She loved every moment of it, of seeing him sing and be lost to everything around. There was a kind of serenity there, with the buzz of the equalizers and microphones and guitars. She loved it there, but then there was Trish, who kept glaring at Alex as if she didn't want Alex to be there or something.

Alex had wanted to tell her that Leo was just her friend, but how could she start a conversation with a woman who she hadn't talked about, especially one that sounded like that? So she kept quiet.

She had also met Meredith and Samir. Meredith was nice, but in a scary way and Samir, Samir kept looking at Trish with the same intensity Trish looked at Leo. And it was so obvious, except the Trish, who never turned in his direction.

It made Alex curious, but since she had promised to herself that she wouldn't poke her nose where it was not wanted, she tried not to look at people and only at Leo.

"Here is your stop." Leo said as he dropped her off. "I will pick you up tomorrow?"

"I will call you, okay. Bye, Leo. Drive safe."

"Oh, I will." He said before he drove off, leaving her in the dark.

She looked around and wondered what happened to Logan and his idea of waiting?

She walked inside the house and called for him, but there was no reply.

"Yeah, look how you are waiting for me! Knowing you, I am not really surprised." She muttered to herself as she flicked the lights on. "I am hungry." She muttered as she raided the refrigerator for something to eat, but the damn thing was empty. "And you forgot the grocery list, again. Logan. You idiot."

She muttered to herself as she walked towards her room and the changed the direction towards his room.

She just had to see that he was sleeping. Of course he would be sleeping.

"God, I can't believe him." She muttered. "I was like buzzed... to finally finally have him. All of him. Again. And he went and fell asleep. Stupid. He was the one who started all this idea in my head." She wrinkled her nose as she stomped upstairs and pushed his door open.

She could feel the low moan of the song against her body, draping her like a warm velvet.

She looked up and she gasped. Her heart thundered against her throat. The bag in her hand fell to the floor with a clutter as her wide eyes took the scene in. He startled awake from the bed and then shook his head at her.

"Oh God, I must have fallen asleep." He said as he sat straight and the silky satin cover around him tauntingly slid around his body like the promised seduction. She took a peak of his tantalizing body. He looked so adorably, hair mussed, eyes still dazed from his nap, lips pulled together in a moody pout. She wanted to go to him and hug him to her.

He rubbed his eyes with a yawn as he motioned her to come inside. She looked around the room and she gasped again.

There were candles stacked around, almost melted to the base, but they still flickered on, filling the room now, with waxes pooling around them like tears, with the scent of lavender filling the room. There were tulips, their head dropped in misery, as they waited. For her. The rose petals in the bed looked like someone had murdered them -- Logan had murdered them.

"I didn't think it will be this late." He said as he pointed the clock. "It is one."

That was when she realized it was really, really late. In the studio, it felt like it was nine. Everyone was alert and awake and Alex was high from the coffee and the thoughts of Logan that her head and body felt fresh and electric.

"I am sorry. I hadn't realized it, as well. I can go to my room." She said and he sighed.

"Come on in." He said as he looked around. "This was supposed to be romantic, not depressing and dreary." He said as he gave the room a cursory look. "Oh God, now I wish I have thought of something else."

"Nah, this is nice." She said. It really was.

"It isn't." He sulked as he stretched and she gasped again.

"Wait, are you like, in your birthday suit inside this red satin?" She couldn't stop the giggle from escaping her lips as she stared at him, mirth shining in her eyes.

"Don't you dare laugh. This was all Tom's stupid idea. I am killing him tomorrow. So killing him. God. This is humiliating." He said as he grabbed the pillow closer to him. "Hope you are hungry." He said as he pointed to the covered tray at the side.

"Starving." She said as she went to the side and he opened the tray with a grimace.

"The strawberries looks starved, the chocolate looks soggy and the cream, okay, not bad. The souffle is so ruined and the eclairs looked like they are crying. This is a mess." He grunted. She shook her head as she picked up a strawberry.

"Close your eyes." She said. "Don't look. Just feel. Just feel how I am feeling."

"Are you feeling like this is hell?" He said moodily as he closed his eyes.

"No. I feel like a woman. A lucky woman. I feel lavender from your candle and the stars from its small flicker. I feel happiness from the fact that you remembered the tidbit about how much I loved tulips. I feel the red juice running down my cheeks as I take the bite of the strawberry." She said as she took a bite of the strawberry and popped the half in his mouth. "Can you feel it, too?" She asked as she leaned in closer and licked the juice off his stubbled chin. He moaned as he opened his eyes. "No, close it."

"I want to see you." He said hoarsely and she chuckled.

"No. First you have to feel." She said and he obeyed. She swiped her finger around the glass bowl filled with chocolate and licked it clean with a moan. It was amazing. The taste of fresh cocoa, undercut with hazelnut. Her favorite flavor ever. "I feel overwhelmed by you and the chocolate. Do you want to know how overwhelmed?"

He nodded.

"You remembered how much I love hazelnut cocoa, and this feeling inside me, it is like lightning, and I could kiss you until you go mad."

"Do that." He said as his hands blindly searched for her.

She chuckled. "Open your mouth." She said as she pulled her chocolate covered fingers and painted it across his lips before she scooted closer to him and kissed it off. He grabbed her by her hips and pulled her closer to his heated body.

When they broke apart to take a breath, she whispered closer to his ears. "I feel all hot and bothered by how naked you are under this cover. I feel like a wanton, wanton woman. Can you feel it?" She said as she kissed his closer eyes and then on the stubble.

"But I wanted this to be perfect. Instead it was all a mess." He complained against her neck.

"This is perfect. You are perfect." She said as she leaned against him and kissed him again, feeling like she would burst open if she didn't touch him.

This was perfect. She wasn't lying. She wasn't stroking his ego. She didn't have time or patience for that. This was simply perfect as far as she was concerned.

It was his thoughtfulness, the minuscule details he noticed and cared about, the details anyone would have missed or passed over, it was what made her fall over and over again for him, no matter how hard she resisted.

"Can I open my eyes." He asked as she pulled the satin away from his body and took all of him in. She couldn't get enough.

Her eyes shone with love, love she couldn't contain, she couldn't keep in. She loves him so much she almost hated him for making her fall for him.

"No." Her voice wobbled as she traced his body with her starving fingers, with her hungry eyes. She took as much as she could.

Ten months later, they would be no more. She would be forever hungry, hungry for him. And so she took. She took as much as she could take, bits and pieces that she could take away with her.

I love you Logan. She whispered.

"What? Did you say something?"

"Nothing." She said. "Nothing you want to hear."

"Oh, I want to hear everything you have to say." He said as he leaned his forehead against her.

"I was just telling how much I love this cheese." She said as she gave him a piece of cheese before she pushed him down and started kissing him.

"Can I open my eyes now?" He asked as his hands wandered over her back, marking her, making her feel things only he could make her feel. It was like a blessing and a curse. Logan was her blessing and curse, wrapped in a single, glorious gift package.

"Not yet." She said as she kissed him on his neck, sucked and savored every bit of his skin. He sneaked his hand inside her tee-shirt. She moaned as his expert hand teased her stomach and a bit lower.

"Why not?" He complained as she grabbed her tee and pulled it away before she dragged her pants down.

"Because I want you to feel. Everything. Until you feel as overwhelmed as me. " She said as she grabbed his hips, pulled herself over him and sat down, slowly, and then almost surely.

He moaned. "Alexandra." Her name was like a whisper on his lips, a pleading, pleasured whisper as she moved over him and he grabbed her hips with a groan.

"Don't open your eyes." She said as she wiped her glistening eyes before she looked down at his aroused, flushed face. He looked like temptation, like sin. He looked like home. Her home.

Because if you open your eyes, you will see how much I love you. I love you so so much Logan.

"Baby." He moaned. "Baby. Lex. Alexandra." His voice was hoarse and begging. "You are amazing. You are mine." He said as she exploded.

He followed her to the peak, to the sky rocketing pleasure and then came down on her with a grunt. And a sigh.

And you are mine. For now.

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Me: guys, put something on. My eyes.

Logan: don't you know this thing called privacy and what is this word called --umm, yes, knocking?

Me: I tried. You can't hear me above all these sex noises. And also, it is not like I haven't seen you.

Alex: he is mine, woman. Keep your eyes to yourself. *saving her hands at me with irritation*

Me: Whoa, possessive much!!!

Logan: I like it when you are all alpha female over me. *pulling Alex closer and kissing 💋 her on the lips*

Me: I am still here.

Alex: why are you still here, you stalker woman?

Me: You two are ungrateful. You wouldn't be kissing each other if i-

Logan: Please, just go away. *pushing me out and closing the🚪on my face*

Me: *shouting at the door* oh, now I am angry. You two will regret this. Muahahahahaha. I am going to 📞Stacie now!

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