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Chapter 10

-Emory-

I spend all of Saturday pampering myself, starting with a nice long bath where I exfoliate, shave, and moisturize afterward. Once I get my hair dried and pinned the way I want it to wave later, I start on finding an outfit. I know Logan said dinner, but he didn’t say anything about where. We could be going to his favorite diner or pizza place, or Eleven Madison Park or Estela. I finally give up and text him to ask.

Emory: It just occurred to me that I have a question for you.

Logan: I bet I have every answer you need ;)

Emory: Very cute, but this is important, mister!

Logan: Oh shit, life or death, huh? Ask away.

Emory: I don’t want to puncture the man-of-mystery thing you have going here, but I need to know so I don’t feel like a weirdo. Is this a jeans and heels kind of dinner or a dress and heels kind of dinner?

Logan: I’ve noticed the heels are not optional. What if I told you we were going on a walking tour? We’re not, but it could happen. I would say…. A dress and heels. I like your legs better in your cute little skirts anyway.

Emory: Advice and preferences noted!

Emory: Also, I could do a walking tour in heels. I just have specific heels for walking. You really shouldn’t underestimate me when it comes to my Louies. But also, I’m not a huge fan of walking for other reasons.

Logan: Advice and preferences noted

I can almost hear Logan’s chuckle through the phone. I love that we’re always laughing together. So far, anyway. It’s also weirdly flattering to know that he’s been checking out my legs. I guess the heels have been doing their good work, after all! And I thought they were a waste of money. I silently apologize to my favorite pair, the ones I would now be wearing tonight, and get to work finding a dress that showed my legs off to their very best. I end up picking a black wraparound number that works well with my curves and has a deeper neckline than I would usually go for. If I can’t show off the girls on a date with a hot guy, when can I?

I toss the dress on the bed and go for a smoky, dramatic eye and natural- looking lipstick. I want my makeup to say “evening” not “lady of the night.” I glance longingly at the red lipstick I once bought on a whim, but Cora told me a bold red doesn’t work for me when my hair is already so bright. I know she wouldn’t crush my 2000s T. Swift dreams like that if it wasn’t the truth. Speaking of, since I’m finished with the whole ensemble a full 45 minutes early, I decide to video chat Cora to get a second opinion on the look. Once she picks up, I see that she’s having a night in, for a change. She has a glass of red wine in her hand, and the New York Times is open on the couch beside her.

“Hey Cora! I’m ready for my date!” I squeal. “ What do you think?!” I flip the camera to the mirror and give it the slow pan up and down so she can get the full check-me-out effect.

“Oh my God! Who is that girl? Where have you been hiding her? She’s an apparition, a goddess, a paragon of all things hot date! Are those the shoes you’re going with?” I look down at my red heels.

“Yes? These are my favorite heels. They’re perfect.”

“Oh, then of course you should wear what you’re comfortable in! Don’t mind me, darling. Go get you some fresh hot dick! I want to hear allll about it, but not a second before noon tomorrow! Promise me!” Cora has been listening to me whine about my dry streak for literal years now. I’m sure she’s just tired of hearing it and wants me to break it and come back to the land of the satisfied.

“I promise! I’ll have so much to tell you, I’m sure!” I feel myself blush just thinking about it, and I get a little swoop in the pit of my stomach, something like stage fright. It really has been a long time…

“Well, go get him tigress! Ta-ta now!” She hangs up before I can say anything back, but I don’t have long before Logan is supposed to show up, anyway. At that thought, I start to pull up our text thread to tell him I’ll wait by the front door. I never actually told him my apartment number, so- I hear a knock on the door.

“Hey Emory, it’s me.” I check the peephole and it’s Logan. Two minutes early, and he actually came up to get me! I must have told him my apartment number and forgotten about it. He’s so easy to talk to, I wouldn’t be surprised. I unlock the door and sling it open.

“Hey Logan! Let me grab my coat and purse and I’ll be ready to go!” I take a second to absorb the wolfish grin on his face when he catches sight of me dolled up before I grab my coat and bag. I start to put it on as I walk toward the door, but Logan takes it from me.

“Here, let me help.” He holds the coat open for me, patiently waiting as I switch my bag to the other hand and slide that one in the sleeve. He ends up with his hands on my shoulders, where he pulls my hair gently out from under the coat collar. Once I’m comfortable, he strokes his hands down my arms as he steps up behind me, further encroaching on my personal space, and just stands for a moment with his lips against the crown of my head. It’s like he’s basking in my warmth as much as I am his. I’m breathing harder when he finally sighs and steps back again, keeping hold of my right hand. “You look absolutely stunning. I was literally stunned speechless when I opened the door. You’re going to make it difficult to get through dinner.” He smiles sheepishly at me before walking us both down the stairs. He holds my hand up to help me like I haven’t walked these stairs in these heels a million times. I have to admit stunned speechless Logan is just as adorable as silly innuendo Logan. I take a minute to check out the rest of him nice and slow while he isn’t staring at me.

“Jesus, Logan, you don’t clean up too bad yourself!” He laughed as we walked out the door, but I wasn’t joking. His suit is, of course, cut just as perfectly as the rest of them, but the navy fabric and white shirt set off his olive skin so perfectly that I can feel myself start to salivate. He has the top few buttons undone at his collar and the dip and shadow of his clavicle is just begging for me to lick it. It really is going to be hard to get through dinner. He gives me a joking little growl, I guess to snap me out of it, before hauling me into the car with him. I’m mildly surprised to see a driver ahead of us before he’s on me.

Logan kisses me once, hard, before pulling back to look me in the eyes for an endless second. Without looking away from me, he asks the driver to roll up the partition. I'm already breathing hard when he smiles at me and uses a hand in my hair to tilt my head back a little more.

“We're alone now, Little Rose, and I don't think I can make it through dinner, do you?” He peppers kisses along my jaw as he speaks, until he reaches the spot just behind my ear. I'm left with no air when he plants a sucking kiss just there before asking again “Well? I need a yes or no, baby. Do you want me to stop?” He nips at my earlobe, causing me to gasp as I finally answer.

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