lomh4

Chapter 3.

Max�s POV

I�m walking around with a silly grin on my face, but damn it, I�m happy.

After so long, I�m allowed to be, a part of me even believes I deserve to be.

I didn�t catch Cindy at home this morning. Figuring she�d be at work, I chose to head in early instead of swinging back by Logan�s, pretty sure that I wouldn�t be coming into work if I did, and Logan wouldn�t get to air the hack that�s been sitting on his computer since Friday, or talk to his contacts, or check his email, or write his article, or leave his bedroom.

My grin widens slightly at the last thought as I roll my bike down the ramp into Jam Pony headquarters, a slight bounce to my step.

I spy Cindy rummaging through her locker, ignoring Normal�s sarcastic remarks, I�m early, for once, and don�t have to put up with his BS for another 25 minutes, I wheel straight there, abandoning my bike against an empty wall.

�Hey� I say, walking up beside her.

�Damn boo�� she starts, turning around.

The worried expression on her face vanishes, replaced by a knowing look as she recognizes the grin on my face.

�So this was a good �Cindy-don�t-wait-up�, that ain�t a black-helicopter- dudes-have-been-bustin�-my-ass-all-weekend grin.�

I laugh, really laugh, and she looks at me thoroughly shocked.

I guess it really has been that long since I laughed.

�Ok. Lay it out for me boo, where you been at?� she says, one hand finding it�s way to her cocked hip.

�Logan�s� I reply casually, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

�Logan�s? All weekend?� she asks, even though we�d been spending more time together lately, with all the distance we�ve put between us the past few months I wouldn�t blame Cindy if she doubted me.

�All weekend� I nod, grinning so wide I�m afraid my face may split into two.

Her face breaks into a grin and she throws her arms around me.

�Damn, I knew you two wouldn�t let this thing get in your way for too long!�

She gives me a reassuring squeeze, pulling back to look at me.

�Don�t worry Boo, it�s only a matter of time before you kick this love bug bitch in the ass once and for all, and trust Cindy when she says she thinks it�s going to be soon,� a determined look etched onto her face.

�Maybe sooner than you think� I mutter, not sure if she heard me or not. I don�t know how much of the past weekend I want to tell her.

�You two found a lead?� she questions.

�You could say that,� I answer brazenly.

�Really?� she asks, her voice rich with repressed laughter, �And how soon do you think you�re gonna kick this bitch?�

�Oh,� I start, holding up 3 fingers, �about 3 days ago.�

The next thing I know, she�s wrapped me in a hug so tight that circulation is cut off to half of my body.

�So you were busy all weekend kicking the bitch, then kickin� �it�, huh boo,� she says, pulling away to reveal a grin that rivals my own.

I feel a slight blush creeping into my cheeks and turn away.

I�m not supposed to blush. It�s not in my genetic make up.

A flash of blue white and red catches my eye as I spin away from Cindy.

The slightly distorted sound of Logan�s voice filtering through the TV set claims my attention and I turn back, forgetting about my already fading blush.

�Do not attempt to adjust your sets��

A small smile graces my lips as I allow myself to indulge in the low timbre of Logan�s voice.

I can see Cindy smirking at me from the corner of my eye.

She opens her mouth to say something, but I cut her off with a threatening glare, before quickly turning back to watch the screen.

I am captivated by his clear blue eyes, I feel my body relax as the image filters across the screen.

The hack ends, and I turn to talk to Cindy, ready to postpone the inevitable chat for at the least a few hours.

�Ok, now I really believe you,� she says. Her eyes are glued to the screen, and her mouth is hanging open, her arm slightly raised, frozen in the air.

I open and close my mouth a few times, not sure what exactly is going on.

My eyes dart around the room, from Cindy, who�s still standing there with her jaw scraping the floor, to Sketchy, with a similar expression plastered on his face, to Normal, arms frozen and mouth hanging open, captured in the middle of one of his �bip�s.

Everyone in the room has gone silent and I can hear soft groaning in the background. I follow Normal�s gaze, my eyes settling back onto the Tv screen.

I can feel my face burning up as I watch Logan�s back moving above me.

Memories of �christening� the room filtered through my mind, provoked by the images on the screen above me, the soft sounds that we made drifting through the speakers.

I hear myself calling out in ecstasy, the hack ending abruptly as I start to call out Logan�s name.

I stare at the screen long after the hack has ended in shock, positive my face is aflame, bathed in an interesting mix of reds, part fury, part embarrassment, and part arousal.

All of which continue to flourish at the absurd thoughts sweeping through my mind.

�I didn�t realise I was so oral� being the most prominent, closely followed by �Logan has a nice ass�.

Cindy placed her arm around me, seemingly the first person in the room to have recovered.

�Damn boo, since when have you and Logan started broadcasting armature porn?� she whispers. I can feel her body shake with laughter.

I�m sure that one day Logan and I will look back on this and laugh, assuming I let him live long enough for that to happen.

�Didn�t even know we were making home videos.� I say, shooting Cindy a glare.

�Are you serious?� she asks, sobering.

I nod my head.

�Good thing your boy�s already on wheels then.� She says, beginning to laugh again.

I slip away from Cindy and head to the front desk, dodging idiots whose eyes are still glued to the TV screen, even though it�s gone back to it�s regularly scheduled broadcasts.

I grab the phone, dial the familiar number and wait for it to start ringing.

On the forth ring the machine picks up.

�You�ve reached the number you�ve dialled.�

I pause for a moment. Collecting myself.

�Pick. Up.� I command through clenched teeth.

Like the smart man I know he is on some level, he obeys, picking up the phone with a hesitant �Hey Max.�

�Logan, we need to talk.� I hiss.