Fic: Sex, Fries and Videotape (Logan/Veronica) NC-17 1/2
Title: Sex, Fries and Videotape (1/2)
Author: annie_oakley
Pairing: Logan/Veronica
Word Count: 4200
Rating: PG-13 for this part, NC-17 for part 2 (for sex and language)
Summary: This is a sequel to Sexual Jealousy Issues, which I wrote for the Lost in the Dark Challenge at gogetem_bobcat. Another day, another case.
Spoilers: Up to the 3.20 finale
Warnings: This is the first part, and I should have the second part up tomorrow night, Saturday at the very latest. And for everyone who has been asking me about Everything Hits at Once, I should have that updated next week. Honest!
Also, I took some liberties with this fic, because I'm pretty sure it's not legal to have most celebrity sex tapes available on pay-per-view, but it is in Neptune! And finally, I'm not sure of the quality of this, but I've had most of it on my computer for a long time, so I figured I might as well finish it and post it, since I believe any fic is better than no fic, but it's probably not my best.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of it, the show, characters, or Disney movies I mention. Also, I went without a beta for this (ha, again), so any and all mistakes are mine. Feel free to point them out and yell at me for it!
“Veronica?”
“Yeah?” Veronica replies absently, not bothering to look up from her magazine. It’s the Monday morning following her reconciliation with Logan and she’s sleep-deprived and a little grumpy as she waits for him in the college food court.
“Could we talk for a minute?”
Veronica peers over the top of her magazine to find a very pretty young woman standing beside her table. “Um, okay,” she answers, a bit confused after being approached by a total stranger. Ever since her infamous and unwilling launch into the amateur porn ranks almost a year ago, most of her classmates were content with ignoring her. After months of whispers, dirty looks and open teasing, of course.
The girl, a tall number with dark hair cut in a very tasteful and classic bob, nervously takes the seat across from Veronica. “It’s about a case,” she explains, whispering the last word as she folds her hands.
A case? Veronica perks up at that. She was still getting steady work from her peers, but most came to her at Mars Investigations or contacted her through Mac or Wallace. It’d been awhile since she had a random stranger personally request her assistance.
“All right,” Veronica says, sliding her magazine to the other side of the table and leaning forward in her seat, indicating to the girl that she is ready for her to explain the problem.
The girl looks around the almost empty cafeteria, and her skittish behavior makes Veronica wonder if the she is nervous about someone overhearing or just embarrassed that she’s associating with one Veronica Mars.
“What’s your name?” she asks, trying to break the ice.
“Holly,” the girl answers, smiling sweetly. “I’m a senior PR major. I think you were in one of my classes last semester.” She continues at Veronica’s blank expression, “Literature to Film?”
“Oh. Okay,” Veronica returns, even though she still can’t remember her. “And you need help with something?”
Holly wiggles in her seat, clearly uncomfortable. “Yeah. Well, my boyfriend and I broke up a couple weeks ago. He’s moving to New York and he wanted me to come with him after I graduate,” she explains. “But I never saw us as long-term, and I just got into USC for grad school, so we ended things.”
Veronica nods, waiting for Holly to get to her point.
“Well, I ended things. He didn’t take it very well,” she elaborates.
“And he’s bothering you now? Threatening you? Stalking you? Boiling bunnies?” Veronica ventures.
“There’s a tape,” Holly states flatly. “And I want it back before he’s gone for good. I was hoping you would understand and could help me get it.”
“A tape?” Veronica asks, Holly’s words suddenly clicking. “Oh, a tape.”
“I don’t want something like that hanging over my head,” she explains as she stares down at her hands. “I’d break into his house and take it myself if I knew how to get away with it.”
“Well, you could always ‘go lightly’,” Veronica chuckles. She straightens in her seat at Holly’s look of confusion. “Sorry. I’m tired. And trust me, breaking and entering is not something you want to try.”
“It’s just all very embarrassing. It was a thing…he liked to do. He’s a little older… successful, wealthy. I met him at a club when I transferred here last year.” She exhales before continuing, “It was probably stupid-”
“No,” Veronica rushes to stop her rambling. She doesn’t understand why Holly would agree to being taped, but she’s not going to let her blame herself when this guy reminds her of…
It’s not something Veronica ever wanted to think about again, but now that she has, she’s determined to use her anger to help Holly.
“What’s his name?” Veronica asks as she reaches into her messenger bag for a notebook and pen.
Holly looks relieved. “Harrison Lansing. He’s an entertainment lawyer in San Diego. You know, I already asked him for the tape but he said it was his. He keeps a library-”
“Lansing,” Veronica repeats the last name, writing it down furiously. “And what’s your phone number?”
Holly’s reciting digits when Logan appears, a tray full of breakfast food in his hand and a bounce in his step. He drops his bag onto the ground and places the tray on the table, nodding to the stranger across from Veronica as he plops down on the chair next to her.
“Good morning,” he enthuses, leaning over to kiss Veronica on the cheek as she closes her notebook.
“How are you so cheerful so early?” she grunts.
“I had a great weekend,” he explains, his grin widening at Veronica’s shy smile.
Veronica has to pull herself away from their shared look when she remembers her newest client. “Logan, this is Holly.”
“Hi,” he tells her, turning his attention to the other girl. “It’s no Tiffany’s, but you’re welcome to have breakfast with us,” he says, pushing the tray toward her.
“Oh, no thanks. I should really get going. So, Veronica, you’ll help me with this?” she asks softly as she rises from her chair and begins gathering her things.
“You can count on it.”
“Thank you. Call me later, okay?” Veronica nods and waves goodbye to Holly as she leaves.
“What was that all about?” Logan asks when she’s out of sight.
“I,” Veronica states confidently, “have a new case.”
“How unlike you. Need my assistance?”
“Possibly. I’ll let you know. Hey, what time is it?”
“Quarter to nine,” he answers, looking at his watch.
“My first class is at 9:20,” she sighs. “Barely enough time to enjoy a sausage biscuit.”
“Getting together is going to be tough this week. I’ve got three midterms coming up,” Logan adds, grabbing an apple from the tray. “How about a date Friday night?”
“Sounds good.”
“Maybe we can talk then,” he amends quietly, gently tossing the apple from hand to hand. “You know, since we haven’t gotten much talking done since Thursday.”
Veronica’s smile falters at Logan’s implications. They did have a great weekend together and things were going fine without trudging up any unpleasantness, and she wasn’t sure if that was something she wanted to risk now, despite anything she had said before.
But telling Logan as much wasn’t the best way to begin their week. So she smiles and agrees and takes another bite of her breakfast sandwich.
~+~
The next afternoon, Veronica waits outside of Logan’s class as he finishes up on his first midterm. He’s out the door a few minutes later, no longer the last one scrambling to finish the exam. She kisses him lightly on the lips as he slips his bag over his shoulder, and they hold hands as they walk down the hallway together. It’s easier to be on campus when Logan’s at her side; she doesn’t feel so self-conscious when she’s with him, and it’s nice to not be worried about what others might be saying or thinking about her.
They take a seat at their usual table in the food court, and Veronica settles in as Logan grabs their lunch. He returns to her a few minutes later, placing a plate of lasagna and her drink in front of her before taking his seat.
“Still willing to help me out on a case?” she asks as she’s digging into the pasta.
“Always.”
“Lansing’s moving to New York in a few months, but he’s still living in his house in San Diego. I need you to call this real estate agency,” she slides a business card across the table to Logan, “today and tell her that you’re shopping for a house in the area.”
“What for?” Logan asks, examining the card.
“His house will be listed on Monday. I need you to try and schedule a showing ASAP. So say you’re going out of town for Spring Break next week. The guy keeps a library of his tapes in his bedroom, and I need to get in there soon, before he starts packing anything. This would be the easiest and safest way to get the tape.”
“As much as I love playing the Watson to your Sherlock, why are you letting me help you instead of doing it yourself?” Logan asks, suspicious.
“Oh honey, isn’t it obvious? I’m using you for your money,” she smiles, stealing a breadstick. “And your name. There’s no way I could get a private showing with that realtor without some kind of pull.”
“Aww, and here I was hoping you were reaching out, meeting me half way…”
“Oh, fine. That too,” she grins, taking another bite of her lunch.
~+~
Three days and two midterms later, Veronica and Logan have a standing appointment for a special viewing of Harrison Lansing’s humble abode.
“Mr. Echolls, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Joanne Taylor, one of the most prominent real estate agents in the city, enthusiastically shakes Logan’s hand. Joanne’s hair is L’Oreal shade #523, Fire Engine Red, which happens to match her lipstick. She’s rocking some very heavy blue eye shadow and is wearing a shiny pantsuit that reminds Veronica of one of the Golden Girls. Why she’s regarded as the go-to agent for multi-million dollar sales, Veronica’s not sure.
“Oh, and is this your little girlfriend?” Joanne inquires happily, beaming at Veronica. Logan opens his mouth to make the introduction, but Joanne cuts him off. “She’s adorable! This would be a perfect love nest for you two. Come along, there’s quite a bit to see.”
Not an exaggeration, Veronica thinks to herself as they start up the walkway. The large Spanish style home, according to Joanne, is a three bedroom, two bath “slice of heaven,” complete with a game room, home gym and, apparently, sex tape video library.
“Now, as I told you on the phone, the house isn’t even on the market yet, but I expect it to go quick,” Joanne informs them from over her shoulder as she unlocks the front door.
“What’s the list price?” Logan asks as they enter.
“Only 2.2, can you believe it? It’s practically a steal.”
“Gotta love a housing crisis,” Veronica adds. Joanne laughs heartily, gently touching Veronica’s arm. “Oh, not if you’re me. But it’s the perfect time to buy your first home. This is the foyer,” she motions to the area around them. “The owner’s a bachelor, hasn’t done much in the way of decorating, but you could do wonders with a woman’s touch.”
“What do you think, dear? Wouldn’t this be the perfect spot for my Statue of David replica?” Logan asks as he takes in the space.
Joanne grins, missing Veronica’s eye roll. “Now you’re thinking! And wait ‘til you see the kitchen!”
Twenty minutes later, (and dammit if Veronica wouldn’t kill for that double wall oven), they’re making their way to the formal living space. “A perfect spot for entertaining,” Joanne explains.
She’s just about to launch into a lengthy description of the crown molding when Veronica interrupts. “Do you think we could see the upstairs now?”
~+~
When Veronica agreed to take this case, she had a very vivid mental picture of Harrison Lansing. He is supposed to be cold and calculating, a suave businessman who takes advantage of young girls and tapes their sexual escapades for his own personal enjoyment. He isn't supposed to be the type of have more video games than Logan and Dick combined, stuffed animals on his dresser top, or a giant gumball machine in the corner of his master bedroom.
“You think he’d throw that in with the price of the house?” Logan asks, pointing.
Veronica elbows him in the side. “Let’s get a move on before date night’s a bust, okay?”
“Joanne?” Logan speaks up, turning to the realtor. “Do you think Veronica and I could have a minute to discuss things?”
“Of course. You two take your time and think things over, and I’ll be in the kitchen.” Logan and Veronica smile innocently as Joanne leaves the room.
“Okay,” Veronica states, getting down to business as soon as the realtor is gone, “let’s find this damn thing so we can get out of here.” She moves toward the large built-ins on the one side of the suite as Logan takes a seat on the bed.
“It’s a pretty nice house.”
“I guess, if you’re into that Mediterranean look,” Veronica replies as she searches through the drawers.
“You’re not?”
“I don’t know. I like a more classic style.”
“You mean a white picket fence and a big yard for 2.5 kids?”
“1.5. I want time for a career. Aha! Jackpot,” Veronica exclaims, opening the door to a cabinet with shelves full of DVDs.
She searches through the titles, mostly comedies and action flicks, for the tape of Holly. On the bottom shelf, next to a few mainstream pornographies, is a blank jewel case. She opens it to find a DVD-R with “Me and Holly,” written across the top, a heart drawn next to the letters.
“Going for the obvious, I’d say this is it,” she says, examining the case.
“So that’s the sex tape library? A couple copies of Girls Gone Wild and one tape with your girlfriend?” Logan asks in disbelief. “I thought this guy was supposed to be some kind of sex maniac?”
“I don’t know,” Veronica replies, searching through the DVD collection again, opening up cases to random movies to check their contents. “Maybe he has more hidden somewhere else?”
“Or maybe Holly knew exactly what to say to get you to do this in such a hurry?” Logan suggests, angry.
Veronica sighs and puts the disc in a case in her bag. “Well, I agreed to it. Should I replace it with a copy of Milo and Otis like I planned or just leave the case empty?”
“How soon do you think he’ll notice it’s gone?”
“Based on the number of pictures of Holly he still has hanging everywhere, I wouldn’t be surprised if he watches this every night.”
“Don’t worry about it. If he even tells Joanne that something’s missing, I’ll handle it, okay?”
Veronica smiles at Logan, watching him as he gently bounces in his seat on the bed. “Thanks.”
“C’mon, let’s go break Joanne’s heart,” he tells her, standing. He reaches for her hand and helps pull her to her feet.
“How much do you think she’s losing on commission?” Veronica asks, tucking herself into Logan’s side.
“Probably about sixty grand.”
Veronica whistles. “Damn. I’m in the wrong business.”
~+~
By the time Veronica drops the tape off to Holly and heads back home to walk Backup, shower and shave her legs, it’s almost 7 p.m. Her father’s out of town for the weekend on a case, and so she calls Logan to discuss their plans. They both agree to room service and a movie marathon. Her pick.
She shows up at the Grand at a quarter after eight, several DVDs in her hand and an overnight bag slung over her shoulder.
“What do you want me to order for you?” Logan asks after she lets herself in.
Veronica thinks for a moment as she lets her bag slide to the floor. “Mm, burger, fries and chocolate shake.”
“Sounds good,” he replies, picking up the phone to dial room service.
After Logan orders dinner, he drops down on the couch beside Veronica, kicking his feet up to rest on the ottoman. “What’re we watching?”
Veronica grins as she reaches for the movies at her side. “Who’s your favorite Disney princess?”
“Disney?” Logan asks, borderline disgusted. He examines her collection, which includes Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty and The Little Mermaid.
“What, no Lion King?”
“Not tonight. Come on, pick which one you want to watch first.”
Logan heaves a put-upon sigh before pointing at Sleeping Beauty.
“Ah, the blonde. A good choice,” Veronica says as she opens the case and moves to the DVD player.
“I’m nothing if not a gentleman,” he manages half-heartedly, not quite looking forward to the movie part of their date.
After setting everything up, Veronica settles back into her seat next to Logan, leaning against his side. “This is one of my favorites.”
They watch in silence for the first couple of minutes, Logan fidgeting uncomfortably as he tries to pay attention to the movie. “Okay,” he starts, disrupting the quiet as the fairies greet Princess Aurora. “So the gift of beauty and the gift of song. Why no gift of intelligence? Or gift of humor? This entire movie is insulting to women.”
“We’re not turning it off,” Veronica replies, not taking her eyes off the screen.
Logan sighs dramatically, but he doesn’t protest. He waits about three seconds before adding, “Also, Merryweather? Definitely a lesbian.”
“What?” Veronica laughs, incredulous.
“She doesn’t ping your gaydar at all?”
“She’s a cartoon!”
“Cartoons have sexual orientations. Aurora is straight. Prince Phillip is straight. Well, allegedly.”
Veronica grabs the remote to pause the film. “Just because she prefers blue over pink doesn’t make her a lesbian.”
“That’s not it. You can just tell. Same with Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast.”
“Cogsworth, too?” she scoffs. “Let me guess…Lumière is his lover?”
“Lumière isn’t gay. He’s just French. Besides, he was fucking that maid, the feather duster.”
Veronica smiles in spite of herself, but her voice doesn’t belie her disbelief. “Disney characters don’t fuck.”
“Make love. Whatever.”
“They didn’t even have genitalia,” she counters seriously.
“Why do you think they were so hell bent on getting that curse lifted?” He glances over at Veronica, and her raised brow conveys her skepticism. “Hey, clocks and candlesticks don’t have to pay taxes, is all I’m saying.”
Veronica hits the play button to continue the movie, shaking her head but not pushing the argument. Onscreen, Maleficent is cursing the newborn Princess, condemning her to death by her 16th birthday. It’s one of Veronica’s favorite scenes. She sinks further into the couch and wraps her right arm around Logan’s left, resting her head against his bicep. “Now be quiet, it’s getting good.”
The room service arrives just as Aurora and Philip meet in the forest, and so Veronica stops the movie in consideration of Logan’s appetite. She channel surfs as they eat, and he tries to stay as close to her as physically possible while balancing a plate full of french fries on his lap. Frustrated with the Friday night selections, Veronica finally settles on one of the programming guides.
“You don’t want to finish the movie?” Logan asks, burger in hand.
“No,” she replies, absently swirling a fry in some ketchup. “We can find something else to watch.”
“It’s your pick tonight,” he reminds her gently. “We’ll watch whatever you want. I’ll even shut up.”
“Is that possible?” she asks, feigning shock. He doesn’t reply, just stuffs his mouth full of food as he continues to watch her. “It’s okay. Maybe Disney night was a bit too extreme. Guess I just wanted to remind you that, yes, I am a girl.”
“Trust me,” he tells her, mid-chew, “I’m very aware and very appreciative of you being a girl.”
“You better be,” she smiles, reaching to feed him a fry. “Maybe next time we’ll have that Steve McQueen marathon you’ve been pushing.”
“You,” Logan starts, moving his plate to the ottoman as he leans into Veronica, “are the best girlfriend ever.” He punctuates the statement with a kiss, and then uses his thumb to tenderly wipe away some ketchup from the corner of her mouth.
“He says when he gets his way,” she counters.
“Hey, I’ll watch another one of your picks. Little Mermaid? Sebastian’s the gay character in that one.”
Veronica shakes her head. “I had no idea you were so homophobic. And against cartoon characters, too.”
Logan’s mouth drops open in shock, truly offended. “I am not. I was just pointing out the obvious, Ms. Detective. I fully support their choice of lifestyle.”
“Ah, so homosexuality is a choice?”
Now Logan shakes his head in annoyance, muttering, “I hate you,” as she smiles in satisfaction.
“Okay, let’s see what’s on pay-per-view,” she tells him, using the remote to navigate through the programming guide. Logan has been rebuilding his impressive movie collection, but Veronica’s interested in the new releases.
“It’s Friday night, hon. You’re going to have to scroll through a lot of porn.”
No kidding, she thinks as she quickly reads through some of the titles, her face scrunching in disgust. “Bareback Mount Him? Seriously?”
“Just skip to 650,” Logan laughs.
Veronica ignores him and continues reading through the X-rated options. “Ah, the Pam and Tommy tape.” Beside her, Logan yawns and slouches further in his seat. Veronica continues to search through the listings and sees that there’s a couple other celebrity sex tapes available. She studies the TV for a minute, seemingly lost in thought. “Why do you think people do it?” she suddenly asks, her curiosity genuine.
Logan knows what she’s asking and he doesn’t bother with any obvious jokes, instead answering with, “I don’t think most people intend for anyone else to see it.”
“Still, I don’t get it.”
“Who knows?” Logan sighs, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. He knows that the idea has been heavily weighing on Veronica’s mind since Holly first approached her. Their history with Aaron’s tapes with Lilly and then Veronica’s own tape with Piz makes it a touchy subject for them both.
“Have you…ever…” Veronica trails off, struggling with the words.
Logan slouches even further into the couch, his shoulders slumping as he awkwardly plays with his hands. “Lilly wanted to, once.” He exhales loudly, shifting his position to lean more on his left side. “I was into it before I realized she just wanted to piss off Celeste. I didn’t think it was worth the ass-kicking I would have gotten from Aaron.”
Veronica nods solemnly, her eyes trained straight ahead at the television screen even though she’s no longer paying attention to the channel guide. “It just…seems pretty narcissistic,” she finally says.
“Yeah,” he agrees quietly, knowing they’re both thinking about his father. He turns his head to look at her then, even though she’s still staring at the TV. “How’d things go tonight with Holly?”
“I gave her the tape, she gave me the money. I told her I couldn’t guarantee there weren’t copies.”
“Did you call her out on that bullshit ‘library’?”
“No,” Veronica admits, her voice low. “I just wanted to get out of there. I guess I can’t blame her too much for wanting that tape back at any cost.”
“Yeah, but didn’t she lie to you? Make you think this Lansing guy was, I don’t know, Aaron-lite?”
“Not exactly,” Veronica admits, a bit reluctant. She turns now to meet Logan’s eyes. “She didn’t tell me too much about him. I sort of…drew my own conclusions.”
The slow smile tugging at the corner of Logan’s mouth doesn’t annoy her as much as it should. “Shut up,” she tells him, smiling too.
He doesn’t say anything, just reaches for her hand, entwining their fingers. She stares down at their joined hands, studying the way Logan rubs his thumb along her knuckle, marveling at his gentleness, at the sheer size of his hand, so much larger than her own. She feels herself growing warmer, and the need to be closer to him overwhelms her. Suddenly the room feels colder as her skin gets hotter, and her nipples tighten beneath her thin, long-sleeve thermal.
Her eyes trail up Logan’s arm, to his large muscles straining against the tight fabric of his black t-shirt. She loves how strong he is, even though she sometimes hates how he uses that strength. But then she thinks of him taking down Gory, practically throwing him across the room as if he were a sack of flour, and she’s almost ashamed of how hot it makes her.
His neck is long and slender, and his throat muscles at work as he takes a sip of his chocolate shake. She watches him as he watches the TV, and takes her time appreciating his handsome features in profile: the strong, defined jaw; perfectly straight nose; perfectly kissable lips.
He turns to her then, oblivious to her scrutiny. “Want to watch that new Russell Crowe movie?”
Veronica doesn’t answer him. Instead, she scrambles to move into his lap, throwing her leg over his as she grabs the back of his head and pulls him into a kiss. His mouth is cold from the milkshake, and she can taste remnants of the chocolate as her tongue slides against his. He breathes out in surprise, still trying to catch his bearings after she pounced on him, and the warm air is a stark but pleasant contrast to the chill from his tongue.
Logan recovers quickly, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her against him as they continue to kiss deeply. His hands move to trace the section of bare skin right above the waistband of her jeans, and he can’t help but moan at the softness of her.
“Logan,” she pants, pulling her mouth away from his. He stops, his breathing heavy, his eyes opening slowly to focus on her. “Logan, do you…do you have your camcorder here?”
Part 2
Author: annie_oakley
Pairing: Logan/Veronica
Word Count: 4200
Rating: PG-13 for this part, NC-17 for part 2 (for sex and language)
Summary: This is a sequel to Sexual Jealousy Issues, which I wrote for the Lost in the Dark Challenge at gogetem_bobcat. Another day, another case.
Spoilers: Up to the 3.20 finale
Warnings: This is the first part, and I should have the second part up tomorrow night, Saturday at the very latest. And for everyone who has been asking me about Everything Hits at Once, I should have that updated next week. Honest!
Also, I took some liberties with this fic, because I'm pretty sure it's not legal to have most celebrity sex tapes available on pay-per-view, but it is in Neptune! And finally, I'm not sure of the quality of this, but I've had most of it on my computer for a long time, so I figured I might as well finish it and post it, since I believe any fic is better than no fic, but it's probably not my best.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of it, the show, characters, or Disney movies I mention. Also, I went without a beta for this (ha, again), so any and all mistakes are mine. Feel free to point them out and yell at me for it!
“Veronica?”
“Yeah?” Veronica replies absently, not bothering to look up from her magazine. It’s the Monday morning following her reconciliation with Logan and she’s sleep-deprived and a little grumpy as she waits for him in the college food court.
“Could we talk for a minute?”
Veronica peers over the top of her magazine to find a very pretty young woman standing beside her table. “Um, okay,” she answers, a bit confused after being approached by a total stranger. Ever since her infamous and unwilling launch into the amateur porn ranks almost a year ago, most of her classmates were content with ignoring her. After months of whispers, dirty looks and open teasing, of course.
The girl, a tall number with dark hair cut in a very tasteful and classic bob, nervously takes the seat across from Veronica. “It’s about a case,” she explains, whispering the last word as she folds her hands.
A case? Veronica perks up at that. She was still getting steady work from her peers, but most came to her at Mars Investigations or contacted her through Mac or Wallace. It’d been awhile since she had a random stranger personally request her assistance.
“All right,” Veronica says, sliding her magazine to the other side of the table and leaning forward in her seat, indicating to the girl that she is ready for her to explain the problem.
The girl looks around the almost empty cafeteria, and her skittish behavior makes Veronica wonder if the she is nervous about someone overhearing or just embarrassed that she’s associating with one Veronica Mars.
“What’s your name?” she asks, trying to break the ice.
“Holly,” the girl answers, smiling sweetly. “I’m a senior PR major. I think you were in one of my classes last semester.” She continues at Veronica’s blank expression, “Literature to Film?”
“Oh. Okay,” Veronica returns, even though she still can’t remember her. “And you need help with something?”
Holly wiggles in her seat, clearly uncomfortable. “Yeah. Well, my boyfriend and I broke up a couple weeks ago. He’s moving to New York and he wanted me to come with him after I graduate,” she explains. “But I never saw us as long-term, and I just got into USC for grad school, so we ended things.”
Veronica nods, waiting for Holly to get to her point.
“Well, I ended things. He didn’t take it very well,” she elaborates.
“And he’s bothering you now? Threatening you? Stalking you? Boiling bunnies?” Veronica ventures.
“There’s a tape,” Holly states flatly. “And I want it back before he’s gone for good. I was hoping you would understand and could help me get it.”
“A tape?” Veronica asks, Holly’s words suddenly clicking. “Oh, a tape.”
“I don’t want something like that hanging over my head,” she explains as she stares down at her hands. “I’d break into his house and take it myself if I knew how to get away with it.”
“Well, you could always ‘go lightly’,” Veronica chuckles. She straightens in her seat at Holly’s look of confusion. “Sorry. I’m tired. And trust me, breaking and entering is not something you want to try.”
“It’s just all very embarrassing. It was a thing…he liked to do. He’s a little older… successful, wealthy. I met him at a club when I transferred here last year.” She exhales before continuing, “It was probably stupid-”
“No,” Veronica rushes to stop her rambling. She doesn’t understand why Holly would agree to being taped, but she’s not going to let her blame herself when this guy reminds her of…
It’s not something Veronica ever wanted to think about again, but now that she has, she’s determined to use her anger to help Holly.
“What’s his name?” Veronica asks as she reaches into her messenger bag for a notebook and pen.
Holly looks relieved. “Harrison Lansing. He’s an entertainment lawyer in San Diego. You know, I already asked him for the tape but he said it was his. He keeps a library-”
“Lansing,” Veronica repeats the last name, writing it down furiously. “And what’s your phone number?”
Holly’s reciting digits when Logan appears, a tray full of breakfast food in his hand and a bounce in his step. He drops his bag onto the ground and places the tray on the table, nodding to the stranger across from Veronica as he plops down on the chair next to her.
“Good morning,” he enthuses, leaning over to kiss Veronica on the cheek as she closes her notebook.
“How are you so cheerful so early?” she grunts.
“I had a great weekend,” he explains, his grin widening at Veronica’s shy smile.
Veronica has to pull herself away from their shared look when she remembers her newest client. “Logan, this is Holly.”
“Hi,” he tells her, turning his attention to the other girl. “It’s no Tiffany’s, but you’re welcome to have breakfast with us,” he says, pushing the tray toward her.
“Oh, no thanks. I should really get going. So, Veronica, you’ll help me with this?” she asks softly as she rises from her chair and begins gathering her things.
“You can count on it.”
“Thank you. Call me later, okay?” Veronica nods and waves goodbye to Holly as she leaves.
“What was that all about?” Logan asks when she’s out of sight.
“I,” Veronica states confidently, “have a new case.”
“How unlike you. Need my assistance?”
“Possibly. I’ll let you know. Hey, what time is it?”
“Quarter to nine,” he answers, looking at his watch.
“My first class is at 9:20,” she sighs. “Barely enough time to enjoy a sausage biscuit.”
“Getting together is going to be tough this week. I’ve got three midterms coming up,” Logan adds, grabbing an apple from the tray. “How about a date Friday night?”
“Sounds good.”
“Maybe we can talk then,” he amends quietly, gently tossing the apple from hand to hand. “You know, since we haven’t gotten much talking done since Thursday.”
Veronica’s smile falters at Logan’s implications. They did have a great weekend together and things were going fine without trudging up any unpleasantness, and she wasn’t sure if that was something she wanted to risk now, despite anything she had said before.
But telling Logan as much wasn’t the best way to begin their week. So she smiles and agrees and takes another bite of her breakfast sandwich.
~+~
The next afternoon, Veronica waits outside of Logan’s class as he finishes up on his first midterm. He’s out the door a few minutes later, no longer the last one scrambling to finish the exam. She kisses him lightly on the lips as he slips his bag over his shoulder, and they hold hands as they walk down the hallway together. It’s easier to be on campus when Logan’s at her side; she doesn’t feel so self-conscious when she’s with him, and it’s nice to not be worried about what others might be saying or thinking about her.
They take a seat at their usual table in the food court, and Veronica settles in as Logan grabs their lunch. He returns to her a few minutes later, placing a plate of lasagna and her drink in front of her before taking his seat.
“Still willing to help me out on a case?” she asks as she’s digging into the pasta.
“Always.”
“Lansing’s moving to New York in a few months, but he’s still living in his house in San Diego. I need you to call this real estate agency,” she slides a business card across the table to Logan, “today and tell her that you’re shopping for a house in the area.”
“What for?” Logan asks, examining the card.
“His house will be listed on Monday. I need you to try and schedule a showing ASAP. So say you’re going out of town for Spring Break next week. The guy keeps a library of his tapes in his bedroom, and I need to get in there soon, before he starts packing anything. This would be the easiest and safest way to get the tape.”
“As much as I love playing the Watson to your Sherlock, why are you letting me help you instead of doing it yourself?” Logan asks, suspicious.
“Oh honey, isn’t it obvious? I’m using you for your money,” she smiles, stealing a breadstick. “And your name. There’s no way I could get a private showing with that realtor without some kind of pull.”
“Aww, and here I was hoping you were reaching out, meeting me half way…”
“Oh, fine. That too,” she grins, taking another bite of her lunch.
~+~
Three days and two midterms later, Veronica and Logan have a standing appointment for a special viewing of Harrison Lansing’s humble abode.
“Mr. Echolls, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Joanne Taylor, one of the most prominent real estate agents in the city, enthusiastically shakes Logan’s hand. Joanne’s hair is L’Oreal shade #523, Fire Engine Red, which happens to match her lipstick. She’s rocking some very heavy blue eye shadow and is wearing a shiny pantsuit that reminds Veronica of one of the Golden Girls. Why she’s regarded as the go-to agent for multi-million dollar sales, Veronica’s not sure.
“Oh, and is this your little girlfriend?” Joanne inquires happily, beaming at Veronica. Logan opens his mouth to make the introduction, but Joanne cuts him off. “She’s adorable! This would be a perfect love nest for you two. Come along, there’s quite a bit to see.”
Not an exaggeration, Veronica thinks to herself as they start up the walkway. The large Spanish style home, according to Joanne, is a three bedroom, two bath “slice of heaven,” complete with a game room, home gym and, apparently, sex tape video library.
“Now, as I told you on the phone, the house isn’t even on the market yet, but I expect it to go quick,” Joanne informs them from over her shoulder as she unlocks the front door.
“What’s the list price?” Logan asks as they enter.
“Only 2.2, can you believe it? It’s practically a steal.”
“Gotta love a housing crisis,” Veronica adds. Joanne laughs heartily, gently touching Veronica’s arm. “Oh, not if you’re me. But it’s the perfect time to buy your first home. This is the foyer,” she motions to the area around them. “The owner’s a bachelor, hasn’t done much in the way of decorating, but you could do wonders with a woman’s touch.”
“What do you think, dear? Wouldn’t this be the perfect spot for my Statue of David replica?” Logan asks as he takes in the space.
Joanne grins, missing Veronica’s eye roll. “Now you’re thinking! And wait ‘til you see the kitchen!”
Twenty minutes later, (and dammit if Veronica wouldn’t kill for that double wall oven), they’re making their way to the formal living space. “A perfect spot for entertaining,” Joanne explains.
She’s just about to launch into a lengthy description of the crown molding when Veronica interrupts. “Do you think we could see the upstairs now?”
~+~
When Veronica agreed to take this case, she had a very vivid mental picture of Harrison Lansing. He is supposed to be cold and calculating, a suave businessman who takes advantage of young girls and tapes their sexual escapades for his own personal enjoyment. He isn't supposed to be the type of have more video games than Logan and Dick combined, stuffed animals on his dresser top, or a giant gumball machine in the corner of his master bedroom.
“You think he’d throw that in with the price of the house?” Logan asks, pointing.
Veronica elbows him in the side. “Let’s get a move on before date night’s a bust, okay?”
“Joanne?” Logan speaks up, turning to the realtor. “Do you think Veronica and I could have a minute to discuss things?”
“Of course. You two take your time and think things over, and I’ll be in the kitchen.” Logan and Veronica smile innocently as Joanne leaves the room.
“Okay,” Veronica states, getting down to business as soon as the realtor is gone, “let’s find this damn thing so we can get out of here.” She moves toward the large built-ins on the one side of the suite as Logan takes a seat on the bed.
“It’s a pretty nice house.”
“I guess, if you’re into that Mediterranean look,” Veronica replies as she searches through the drawers.
“You’re not?”
“I don’t know. I like a more classic style.”
“You mean a white picket fence and a big yard for 2.5 kids?”
“1.5. I want time for a career. Aha! Jackpot,” Veronica exclaims, opening the door to a cabinet with shelves full of DVDs.
She searches through the titles, mostly comedies and action flicks, for the tape of Holly. On the bottom shelf, next to a few mainstream pornographies, is a blank jewel case. She opens it to find a DVD-R with “Me and Holly,” written across the top, a heart drawn next to the letters.
“Going for the obvious, I’d say this is it,” she says, examining the case.
“So that’s the sex tape library? A couple copies of Girls Gone Wild and one tape with your girlfriend?” Logan asks in disbelief. “I thought this guy was supposed to be some kind of sex maniac?”
“I don’t know,” Veronica replies, searching through the DVD collection again, opening up cases to random movies to check their contents. “Maybe he has more hidden somewhere else?”
“Or maybe Holly knew exactly what to say to get you to do this in such a hurry?” Logan suggests, angry.
Veronica sighs and puts the disc in a case in her bag. “Well, I agreed to it. Should I replace it with a copy of Milo and Otis like I planned or just leave the case empty?”
“How soon do you think he’ll notice it’s gone?”
“Based on the number of pictures of Holly he still has hanging everywhere, I wouldn’t be surprised if he watches this every night.”
“Don’t worry about it. If he even tells Joanne that something’s missing, I’ll handle it, okay?”
Veronica smiles at Logan, watching him as he gently bounces in his seat on the bed. “Thanks.”
“C’mon, let’s go break Joanne’s heart,” he tells her, standing. He reaches for her hand and helps pull her to her feet.
“How much do you think she’s losing on commission?” Veronica asks, tucking herself into Logan’s side.
“Probably about sixty grand.”
Veronica whistles. “Damn. I’m in the wrong business.”
~+~
By the time Veronica drops the tape off to Holly and heads back home to walk Backup, shower and shave her legs, it’s almost 7 p.m. Her father’s out of town for the weekend on a case, and so she calls Logan to discuss their plans. They both agree to room service and a movie marathon. Her pick.
She shows up at the Grand at a quarter after eight, several DVDs in her hand and an overnight bag slung over her shoulder.
“What do you want me to order for you?” Logan asks after she lets herself in.
Veronica thinks for a moment as she lets her bag slide to the floor. “Mm, burger, fries and chocolate shake.”
“Sounds good,” he replies, picking up the phone to dial room service.
After Logan orders dinner, he drops down on the couch beside Veronica, kicking his feet up to rest on the ottoman. “What’re we watching?”
Veronica grins as she reaches for the movies at her side. “Who’s your favorite Disney princess?”
“Disney?” Logan asks, borderline disgusted. He examines her collection, which includes Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty and The Little Mermaid.
“What, no Lion King?”
“Not tonight. Come on, pick which one you want to watch first.”
Logan heaves a put-upon sigh before pointing at Sleeping Beauty.
“Ah, the blonde. A good choice,” Veronica says as she opens the case and moves to the DVD player.
“I’m nothing if not a gentleman,” he manages half-heartedly, not quite looking forward to the movie part of their date.
After setting everything up, Veronica settles back into her seat next to Logan, leaning against his side. “This is one of my favorites.”
They watch in silence for the first couple of minutes, Logan fidgeting uncomfortably as he tries to pay attention to the movie. “Okay,” he starts, disrupting the quiet as the fairies greet Princess Aurora. “So the gift of beauty and the gift of song. Why no gift of intelligence? Or gift of humor? This entire movie is insulting to women.”
“We’re not turning it off,” Veronica replies, not taking her eyes off the screen.
Logan sighs dramatically, but he doesn’t protest. He waits about three seconds before adding, “Also, Merryweather? Definitely a lesbian.”
“What?” Veronica laughs, incredulous.
“She doesn’t ping your gaydar at all?”
“She’s a cartoon!”
“Cartoons have sexual orientations. Aurora is straight. Prince Phillip is straight. Well, allegedly.”
Veronica grabs the remote to pause the film. “Just because she prefers blue over pink doesn’t make her a lesbian.”
“That’s not it. You can just tell. Same with Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast.”
“Cogsworth, too?” she scoffs. “Let me guess…Lumière is his lover?”
“Lumière isn’t gay. He’s just French. Besides, he was fucking that maid, the feather duster.”
Veronica smiles in spite of herself, but her voice doesn’t belie her disbelief. “Disney characters don’t fuck.”
“Make love. Whatever.”
“They didn’t even have genitalia,” she counters seriously.
“Why do you think they were so hell bent on getting that curse lifted?” He glances over at Veronica, and her raised brow conveys her skepticism. “Hey, clocks and candlesticks don’t have to pay taxes, is all I’m saying.”
Veronica hits the play button to continue the movie, shaking her head but not pushing the argument. Onscreen, Maleficent is cursing the newborn Princess, condemning her to death by her 16th birthday. It’s one of Veronica’s favorite scenes. She sinks further into the couch and wraps her right arm around Logan’s left, resting her head against his bicep. “Now be quiet, it’s getting good.”
The room service arrives just as Aurora and Philip meet in the forest, and so Veronica stops the movie in consideration of Logan’s appetite. She channel surfs as they eat, and he tries to stay as close to her as physically possible while balancing a plate full of french fries on his lap. Frustrated with the Friday night selections, Veronica finally settles on one of the programming guides.
“You don’t want to finish the movie?” Logan asks, burger in hand.
“No,” she replies, absently swirling a fry in some ketchup. “We can find something else to watch.”
“It’s your pick tonight,” he reminds her gently. “We’ll watch whatever you want. I’ll even shut up.”
“Is that possible?” she asks, feigning shock. He doesn’t reply, just stuffs his mouth full of food as he continues to watch her. “It’s okay. Maybe Disney night was a bit too extreme. Guess I just wanted to remind you that, yes, I am a girl.”
“Trust me,” he tells her, mid-chew, “I’m very aware and very appreciative of you being a girl.”
“You better be,” she smiles, reaching to feed him a fry. “Maybe next time we’ll have that Steve McQueen marathon you’ve been pushing.”
“You,” Logan starts, moving his plate to the ottoman as he leans into Veronica, “are the best girlfriend ever.” He punctuates the statement with a kiss, and then uses his thumb to tenderly wipe away some ketchup from the corner of her mouth.
“He says when he gets his way,” she counters.
“Hey, I’ll watch another one of your picks. Little Mermaid? Sebastian’s the gay character in that one.”
Veronica shakes her head. “I had no idea you were so homophobic. And against cartoon characters, too.”
Logan’s mouth drops open in shock, truly offended. “I am not. I was just pointing out the obvious, Ms. Detective. I fully support their choice of lifestyle.”
“Ah, so homosexuality is a choice?”
Now Logan shakes his head in annoyance, muttering, “I hate you,” as she smiles in satisfaction.
“Okay, let’s see what’s on pay-per-view,” she tells him, using the remote to navigate through the programming guide. Logan has been rebuilding his impressive movie collection, but Veronica’s interested in the new releases.
“It’s Friday night, hon. You’re going to have to scroll through a lot of porn.”
No kidding, she thinks as she quickly reads through some of the titles, her face scrunching in disgust. “Bareback Mount Him? Seriously?”
“Just skip to 650,” Logan laughs.
Veronica ignores him and continues reading through the X-rated options. “Ah, the Pam and Tommy tape.” Beside her, Logan yawns and slouches further in his seat. Veronica continues to search through the listings and sees that there’s a couple other celebrity sex tapes available. She studies the TV for a minute, seemingly lost in thought. “Why do you think people do it?” she suddenly asks, her curiosity genuine.
Logan knows what she’s asking and he doesn’t bother with any obvious jokes, instead answering with, “I don’t think most people intend for anyone else to see it.”
“Still, I don’t get it.”
“Who knows?” Logan sighs, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. He knows that the idea has been heavily weighing on Veronica’s mind since Holly first approached her. Their history with Aaron’s tapes with Lilly and then Veronica’s own tape with Piz makes it a touchy subject for them both.
“Have you…ever…” Veronica trails off, struggling with the words.
Logan slouches even further into the couch, his shoulders slumping as he awkwardly plays with his hands. “Lilly wanted to, once.” He exhales loudly, shifting his position to lean more on his left side. “I was into it before I realized she just wanted to piss off Celeste. I didn’t think it was worth the ass-kicking I would have gotten from Aaron.”
Veronica nods solemnly, her eyes trained straight ahead at the television screen even though she’s no longer paying attention to the channel guide. “It just…seems pretty narcissistic,” she finally says.
“Yeah,” he agrees quietly, knowing they’re both thinking about his father. He turns his head to look at her then, even though she’s still staring at the TV. “How’d things go tonight with Holly?”
“I gave her the tape, she gave me the money. I told her I couldn’t guarantee there weren’t copies.”
“Did you call her out on that bullshit ‘library’?”
“No,” Veronica admits, her voice low. “I just wanted to get out of there. I guess I can’t blame her too much for wanting that tape back at any cost.”
“Yeah, but didn’t she lie to you? Make you think this Lansing guy was, I don’t know, Aaron-lite?”
“Not exactly,” Veronica admits, a bit reluctant. She turns now to meet Logan’s eyes. “She didn’t tell me too much about him. I sort of…drew my own conclusions.”
The slow smile tugging at the corner of Logan’s mouth doesn’t annoy her as much as it should. “Shut up,” she tells him, smiling too.
He doesn’t say anything, just reaches for her hand, entwining their fingers. She stares down at their joined hands, studying the way Logan rubs his thumb along her knuckle, marveling at his gentleness, at the sheer size of his hand, so much larger than her own. She feels herself growing warmer, and the need to be closer to him overwhelms her. Suddenly the room feels colder as her skin gets hotter, and her nipples tighten beneath her thin, long-sleeve thermal.
Her eyes trail up Logan’s arm, to his large muscles straining against the tight fabric of his black t-shirt. She loves how strong he is, even though she sometimes hates how he uses that strength. But then she thinks of him taking down Gory, practically throwing him across the room as if he were a sack of flour, and she’s almost ashamed of how hot it makes her.
His neck is long and slender, and his throat muscles at work as he takes a sip of his chocolate shake. She watches him as he watches the TV, and takes her time appreciating his handsome features in profile: the strong, defined jaw; perfectly straight nose; perfectly kissable lips.
He turns to her then, oblivious to her scrutiny. “Want to watch that new Russell Crowe movie?”
Veronica doesn’t answer him. Instead, she scrambles to move into his lap, throwing her leg over his as she grabs the back of his head and pulls him into a kiss. His mouth is cold from the milkshake, and she can taste remnants of the chocolate as her tongue slides against his. He breathes out in surprise, still trying to catch his bearings after she pounced on him, and the warm air is a stark but pleasant contrast to the chill from his tongue.
Logan recovers quickly, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her against him as they continue to kiss deeply. His hands move to trace the section of bare skin right above the waistband of her jeans, and he can’t help but moan at the softness of her.
“Logan,” she pants, pulling her mouth away from his. He stops, his breathing heavy, his eyes opening slowly to focus on her. “Logan, do you…do you have your camcorder here?”
Part 2