He ushers her out the side door and helps her find a table before making his way back inside to grab the tray of food he had ordered earlier. Thanking the server behind the bar for keeping the food chilled, Logan heads back out to the terrace.
Before taking his seat, Logan stands back for a moment, mesmerized by the site of Avery resting back in her chair enjoying the music and scenery. She looks the most relaxed he has seen her in the few weeks he’s known her. He observes a few of the other male patrons taking notice of her effortless beauty, but Logan can’t find himself to be angry or jealous. She commands the attention of the room without even trying.
Logan shakes his head and smiles as he makes his way over to where she sits and he leans down quickly, brushing his lips softly against hers. She startles at first and then relaxes against his touch.
“What do you have there?” she asks, her voice tainted with huskiness, as she peers as the tray Logan sits on the table.
“Just some snacks. It’s a beautiful day. I thought we could hang out here for a little while.”
“That sounds lovely. It’s really pretty here.”
Looking at her as she continues to watch the band he says, “It’s remarkable.”
Glancing at him from the corner of her eyes, Logan knows she catches his meaning when the sweet blush rushes up to her cheeks. She licks her lips in a nervous gesture before turning her attention back to the band.
Watching her pink tongue barely escape past her lips causes the muscles in his groin to tighten. Needing to tap down his desire for her, Logan grabs a few pieces of cheese and crackers from the tray, stacks them, then takes a bite. Sipping the refreshing wine that Avery poured into his glass, Logan leans back in his chair, content to enjoy the atmosphere as well as his guest.
Unfortunately, his calmness doesn’t last long when he notices a buxom blonde he had taken home from the bar one night, strut her way over to their table, leaving her date in the dust. She ignores the fact that Logan is here with another woman and plants herself directly on his lap - which truly is comical since his legs are crossed and extended forward, resting on the porch rail.
A voice which he’s certain she thinks is attractive but is truly a nasal pitch that makes his skin crawl and would keep dogs at bay, squeals from her mouth.
“Logan, what are you doing here? Why didn’t you ever call me?”
He huffs and remains in his seat, moving his hands to her waist in an almost successful attempt to move her from my lap, only she takes it as an invitation to snuggle closer. Her perfume is nauseating and Logan can’t help but question his judgment.
Must have been the alcohol and nice rack.
Logan is finally able to remove her from his legs and he pushes her as far away as he can without making a scene.
“I didn’t call you because it was only a one-time thing. I told you this.”
And he knows he did because he tells everyone it’s a one-time thing.
“But I thought we had a good time,” she says, pouting her lips in an attempt to be cute.
“Look, I’m here on a date and enjoying myself. Why don’t you head back to your date and do the same?”
She finally acknowledges Avery’s presence and shoots venom from her eyes before storming off in the other direction, grabbing her date’s arm along the way.
He brings his attention back to Avery and he finds her with her head down and a hand pressed against her mouth.
Nervously Logan says, “I’m sorry about that,” while adjusting himself on his seat, bringing his feet to the floor, and running a hand through his hair.
And then by complete surprise, she starts laughing out loud; head tossed back in an explosion as laughter erupts from her body.
“Oh my goodness, I’m sorry, but that was too funny,” she says through spurts of giggles. “Did she sound like a helium balloon when she had sex, too?”
Unable to control himself, he can’t help but join in her laughter, glad he was too drunk to remember what she sounded like during sex.
Reaching across the table, Logan takes Avery’s hand in his own as they let the laughter subside and enjoy the rest of their afternoon.
AS SUMMER CREEPS INTO FALL, Avery and Logan form a steady relationship. They have kept their status hidden from their work companions - Avery’s doing, not his - but they come together almost every night for dinner. Her original hesitance at their joining seems to have dissipated and she seems more open and carefree than when they originally met.
Tonight though, Logan has a surprise planned in a neighboring town. He made reservations this morning at a nice restaurant and booked them a room at a hotel. In the few weeks they’ve been together, Avery and Logan haven’t done more than most high schoolers and strangely enough, he’s ok with that, though it’s probably the longest spell of no sex he’s ever had. Logan didn’t even reserve the hotel room with the notion of getting laid tonight, he just thought she’d like it and it would allow him to drink at dinner tonight.
Logan sits at his desk, finishing up his final patient file. He absent-mindedly makes notes as he sits, eagerly waiting for the clock to land on that magical number five so he can hightail it out of town with his favorite person. As he closes the folder, he’s startled when he finds Avery sitting in the chair across from him, biting her mouth in nervousness.
“Hey, babe. You okay?”