To Hamburg

Chapter 23: The arrangement

Rory should have known to expect the unexpected with Logan, but this was unexpected even for him.  They had the entire yacht to themselves, minus the crew sailing it.  It was cold outside, but they were both content to spend their time together below deck.  It was a magical two days of cuddling near the fire, cooking their meals together in the small kitchen, and making love.  It reminded Rory so much of the time when they had lived together in New Haven while studying at Yale.  It seemed as though no time had passed at all.

Finally, their last night upon them, Rory couldn't help but feel as though her happiness was slipping through her fingers.  She wished that she could make the world around them stop and stay in this place with Logan for the rest of her life.  At that thought, she silently wiped a tear from her eyes.  She had been the one who had said no to all of this so that she could make her way in the world.  How was she to have known eight years ago that her heart would still belong to this man?  And now that she knew that her heart would always belong to him, he was engaged to marry a French heir for the sake of his family.  She had caused him far too much pain with his family already and couldn't bear the thought of asking him to face the wrath of his family for her once again.

Logan must have noticed the shift in Rory's mood, because he quickly crossed the living quarters and took her in his arms. 

"Ace, what's going on in that head of yours?" he asked quietly.

Rory tried to pull herself together before answering.  "Me?  Oh, it's just..." No, she couldn't tell him what she was really thinking, how desperately she wanted him back in her life for good.  "I just don't want this moment to end," she finished.

"Neither do I, Ace," he answered quietly as he placed his forehead lightly against hers, caressing her cheek.  "Neither do I."

They held each other for a long moment, and Rory argued silently with herself.  She couldn't bear the thought of giving him up entirely after having him back for one perfect week. 

Her resolve strengthening, she finally continued.  "So, I was thinking."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I was thinking about Vegas."

"Vegas, Ace?  I've never really considered you to be much of a Vegas girl."

"And you would be correct, but times change, right?  So, I was thinking, what about Vegas?"

"What about Vegas?  I must say, you have me puzzled."

"Vegas.  You know," she hesitated briefly, "as in what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."

"Oh yeah?"  A slight grin spread on his face as he continued.  "Tell me more about just what you had in mind."

She noticed his smirk as she continued, "Well, you see, I was thinking that perhaps we could have a kind of Vegas arrangement.  I could see you when I'm in London, you could see me when you're in New York.  When we're together, we're together.  And when we're apart, we're apart.  You know, no strings."

She held her breath waiting for his answer, afraid that perhaps she had said the wrong thing.