::X-Men:: In The Claws Of An Angel ::Wolverine::

Chapter Fourteen.

| Logan |

The clock on my truck's dashboard read 12:45 AM in bright green digital numbers and letters, casting a soft glow over the whole cab. My Johnny Cash CD played softly from the stereo, just loud enough for me to hear, and not wake Anabelle's sleeping form in the passenger seat.

We'd stayed at the bar for the better part of five hours, drinking and playing pool, just having a good time. I had blown through at least three pitchers of beer by myself, but I was a seasoned drinker. I could handle my alcohol.

Ana, on the other hand... She was a different story. After just two and a half rum and cokes, she was all giggly and tipsy. I smirked to myself as I replayed my memories of her wobbling around, trying to keep that cue steady, giggling when she missed the shot completely, her cheeks all rosey from the rum... She was just so damn cute.

Just two more drinks and she had been down for the count. I had barely gotten her tucked safely into the passenger seat before she drifted off into sleep... She was definitely a light weight, but I could guarantee that was because she never drank. If she was going to be hanging out with me, though, she'd have plenty of chances. Maybe she'd work up a tolerance... But on the other hand, if that happened, I'd miss out on moments like this; Sneaking peeks at her beautiful, innocent face as she slept just inches away from me.

As I took the last turn out of town, steering the truck out onto the roads where there was nothing but the pale moonlight to guide me, Ana shifted in her slumber, scrunching her eyebrows up before settling again.

I stole a quick glance at her just as the moon rotated to her side of the truck, illuminating her entire body. She looked just like an angel, the only thing she was missing was the halo. And the wings, of course.

Shifting my eyes back to the dark road ahead of me, I let out a quiet sigh. I had it bad for this girl, there was just something about her... everything about her... That made my heart race and my stomach do gymnastics inside my body. I felt like a teenager coming down with his first case of puppy love, magnified about 100 times.

I wanted to tell her. I really did, more than anything. But she was such a shy, timid girl... I didn't want to scare her away, or make her feel like she couldn't be around me. It had taken me three weeks just to get her comfortable talking to me.

Hell, why would a gorgeous young woman like that take any interest in a grizzly guy like me, anyway? It was pretty farfetched. I guess it was just better to keep my secret and leave things the way they were. We were happy, this worked. So why mess with it?

I just hoped I could keep a level head and fight off my animalistic instincts of attraction... Which wasn't exactly a guarantee.

xxx

After another half hour of driving, we were back at camp. I slowly pulled the truck through the willows, the welcoming thicket beneath their branches looking so peaceful and calm. Just past the tall Sawgrass, I could see the moon reflecting off the river, making the water look like it was made up of sequins and glitter.

With just a few turns of the steering wheel, the truck was parked, and I shut the engine off. Even the tires rolling over the uneven, Sandy ground hadn't woken Anabelle up, so I reached over and gently nudged her frail shoulder.

"Ana?" I whispered, "Hey, Anabelle, wake up. We're home."

"Mmm..." She murmured in her sleep, turning away from me and pressing herself into the door.

I tried shaking her shoulder a little harder, but she was out cold. So, I grabbed the keys from the ignition, popped my door open and walked around the front of the truck after slamming the door shut behind me.