moire2
in
vm_library
Title:If You Can’t Pronounce the Name of the Library, You Might as Well F*ck in It (L/V) Rated:NC-17
Title: If You Can’t Pronounce the Name of the Library, You Might as Well F*ck in It
Author: Kyria Greene moire2
Rating: NC-17
Content: L/V, language, sexual situations
Word Count: 4761
Spoilers: Heck, if you know the boys and girls went to college, you can read this without being spoiled. If you didn’t know they went off to Hearst, whoops! My. Bad.
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine. None. Nada. Zip. Zero. That Rob Thomas guy owns them along with UPN and Warner Brothers. No copyright infringement intended. No profit is gained.
taken_with_you beta’d this, and for that I owe her a lot.
Author’s Notes: This was written for vm_library
Feedback: Yes! Do that black-magic that you weave so well and feed me.
Summary: Grumbling a curse or two under his breath, he tried to remember how he got roped into this gig to begin with. Oh right, he’d begged to come along. Why he thought it’d be fun to follow Veronica around as she photographed famous European libraries for some sh*tty travel magazine was a mystery. F*cking dumb-ass is what he was.
1. RIJKMUSEUM AMSTERDAM
Ancient texts and moldy manuscripts - not his usual sexual turn on. And yet, surrounded by the scent of antique tomes, he had instant wood. With a frown, he followed Veronica through the British Library in London. He was, per usual, carrying her camera bag. The difference - today - was that they had company. The head library dude was giving Veronica and her assistant a personal tour, hinting that he might be able to let her see Shakespeare’s First Folio. The annoying fuck said First Folio as if it was sacred. Nerds, Logan thought in irritation. Worse yet? An English nerd. And, Logan was pretty sure the English nerd was hitting on his girlfriend. Since he was actually posing as Veronica’s assistant, he couldn’t beat the shit out of the guy and still allow his girl an air of professionalism. Grumbling a curse or two under his breath, he tried to remember how he got roped into this gig to begin with. Oh right, he’d begged to come along. Why he thought it’d be fun to follow Veronica around as she photographed famous European libraries for some shitty travel magazine was a mystery.
Fucking dumb-ass is what he was.
Following Veronica to the curving stairs, he smiled and thought of Amsterdam. If he remembered correctly, his first association between sex and libraries was there…
***
The clattering of brass curtain rings being pulled across the metal rod was disturbing to his jet-lagged psyche, but didn’t match the irritation caused by the afternoon light slanting in through the over-sized windows. Letting out an annoyed grunt, Logan shielded his eyes with his arm. As he blinked awake, he found his nemesis glaring at him. Her alabaster brow was furrowed into a frown as she pointed at her watch. “I’ve got an appointment to photograph the Rijkmusem’s library in an hour.”
“And this has what to do with me?”
The frown intensified exponentially - not a good sign. “You’re the one that insisted on coming along to help as my so-called assistant.” She charged up to his bed as he pulled a white pillow over his face to block the sun. Yanking it from his grasp, she tossed it across the hotel room. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her down for a kiss. To his surprise, she wrinkled her nose in disgust. “You’re not getting any action until you brush your teeth, big guy.”
He scowled and released her. “Keep whispering little sweet nothings like that in my ear, and I’ll be yours forever.”
“Face it, sweet-ums, you already are.”
Keeping the scowl firmly in place, Logan pushed crisp cotton sheets to the side and got up. “Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be ready.”
She shrugged as she shut the bedroom door behind her. He could hear the television through the door of their hotel suite as she turned it on and increased the volume. His passive aggressive little darling wasn’t to be deterred. Ambling into the bathroom, Logan headed toward the shower. He could be ready in fifteen minutes if he wanted. Considering the annoyed look on Veronica’s face, he wanted to.
***
The tripod was heavier than it looked and he was regretting his offer to carry the backpack loaded with camera equipment as well as the aforementioned tripod up the rickety, spiral stairs to the fourth floor of the library. In fact, he was panting and they were just reaching the second floor. He was about to say, “Jesus Christ, Veronica, what do you have in here?” It was on the tip of his tongue, but he looked up and was struck dumb. Veronica was wearing a short skirt and, as she lifted her leg to take the next step, he got a glimpse of black lace panties. Wetting his lips with his tongue, he jogged the next few steps in order to get a closer look.
His irritability about having to carry what seemed like a few hundred pounds of camera equipment up four floors vanished and he was actually a bit disappointed when they got to the top. Shrugging off the over-loaded backpack, he dropped it in front of her and glanced around. Each floor was built like a balcony and book shelves lined the walls a few feet from the banisters. Wandering over to the railing, he leaned on the burnished wood handrail that topped the wrought iron balusters. He was watching a few small figures wandered aimlessly below, when the idea came to him. As far as he could tell, they were alone on the fourth floor of the library.
Completely alone.
Glancing to the side, he watched as Veronica set up her tripod, extending the legs until it was at eye level. Well, eye level for her was chest level for him. Smiling, he watched as she carefully locked her camera in place and peered through the viewfinder. She frowned, unsatisfied with the shot, and proceeded to remove the lens. Bending over, she shuffled through her backpack for an alternate. As she did so, her skirt inched up, allowing him a scintillating view of toned, pale thighs. Glancing around again, he tried to think of a reason not to pull her away from the railing and fuck her up against the book shelves. There was no one around, and he was pretty sure she’d enjoy it. He swallowed hard, eyes glued to her as she attached the new lens and began snapping photos, pausing every once in awhile to make adjustments to the camera.
“I know you’ve got jet lag, but isn’t the light from the fourth floor windows totally worth getting up for?”
As the light illuminated Veronica’s pale, blonde hair, Logan had to agree. She looked like an angel, was the disgustingly, saccharine thought that ran through his mind. He could feel a smile crook the corner of his mouth as he moved toward her. “Totally worth it.”
Wrapping his arms around her midsection, he pulled her back flush against his stomach.
“Logan,” she whispered as his mouth found the crook of her neck. Sliding his hands down, he grabbed her hips, grinding his erection into her ass. She twisted in his arms, pushing him back toward the dusty book shelves as his mouth slid over hers. Oh, yeah. He knew she’d like it. Lips smooth as satin opened, her tongue thrusting as she squirmed against him. Surrounded by the scent of books, he pushed her panties to the side. Fingers stroking her dewy flesh, he was rewarded by a breathy gasp of pleasure. Veronica moaned pulling at the buttons of his jeans, wrenching the material down as he lifted her, cradling her ass in the palms of his hands.
“Put me inside.” His voice sounded gruff, and he closed his eyes in frustration as she grabbed him, sliding him up her wet slit as she rolled her hips. “Veronica, please.” His voice held a note of desperation. When he opened his eyes, he found her bright blue gaze fixed on him. From her intent stare, she was noting every pleasurable grimace that crossed his face, filing each away for future reference. His head dropped back against the shelf with a thump, and she must have taken pity on him because abruptly, he was inside her. Fingers grasping her ass, he ground against her. Hips rotating, he thrust home in smooth circles and she buried her face in the crook of his neck. Her warm breath puffed against his skin as she tried to muffle a whimper.
“I’m close,” she hissed.
Driving against her, he whispered her name, “Veronica…”
2. BIBLIOTECA DE LA REAL ACADEMIA DE LA LENGUA MADRID
“Give me the bag.” Coming to a halt, she held on her hand, gesturing for him to hand it over. He shook his head in the negative and replied, “I just asked what was in here.”
“It’s a camera case, Logan, so I’d have to say my camera is in there, along with a few lenses. If it’s too heavy for you, let me have it.”
He snorted as his eyes trailed over her petite frame starting with her feet and ending with her eyes. If he were the romantic sort, he’d notice how the pale blue walls of the book-lined room accentuated the warm sapphire of her eyes, but he wasn’t. In fact, if he wanted to be brutally honest, today Veronica was dressed the exact opposite of sexy. Exuding dour librarian, Veronica was clad in high-waisted black pants that were belted at her ribs. Her filmy, canary-yellow top was filled with… ruffles. Despite her lack of taste when it came to professional wear, she was still stunning. Not even dour-librarian-wear could disguise the sweet curves, her creamy skin and… Shit, he was getting hard. A smile quirked the corners of his mouth when he noticed the faint blush crawling up her cheeks. Sure, she was frozen, hand outstretched as she waited for him to hand over the bag. And, yes, she looked more angry than turned on, but anger and lust had always been irrevocably intertwined for them. She was still waiting for him to hand over the obscenely heavy bag. Two could play this game, he decided as he shifted the pack on his shoulder and leaned against polished wood bookshelf. Taking a moment to look around he noticed the room’s luminous white trim was edged in gold. As he glanced up, he asked, “How big do you think these shelves are? They gotta be at least three times my height, don’t you think?”
Huffing, she uncharacteristically gave up. He watched with a grin as she walked down the gleaming white floor, heels clicking a little too hard on the white marble. With a push off the shelf, he followed after, enjoying the view of her ass. Today, he noted, there was no afternoon sun illuminating the large room which meant she’d have to figure out how to light the place. Veronica motioned for him to put down the backpack, and immediately began to root through it when he did. She pulled out four remote flashes, handing them to him with a grunt.
“Put two on each side between every other shelf.”
Logan nodded, eyeing the ample cleavage taunting him despite the many ruffles attempting to block his view. “Logan!” She was snapping her fingers in front of his face to get his attention. “That sex in the library thing? Not gonna happen today, got it?” Eyes narrowing, Logan suddenly realized the reason behind her outfit choice - to turn him off. Poor, misguided Veronica - it had never been her clothes that had gotten him hard.
“Got it,” he replied and grabbed the flashes before ambling through the stacks.
Flicking the flashes on, he placed them as instructed and strolled back. He sat at the desk closest to her, watching as she peered through the camera and began taking shots. The flashes strobed on and off as she made adjustments.
No library sex my ass, he thought as he stretched out in the chair, tilting it back as he watched her work. “You know, I had a really good time in Italy.” She nodded, a small smile moving across her face.
“Rome was beautiful,” she agreed.
It was silent for a moment as Logan stood moving to lean against the shelf closest to her. His voice dropped an octave as he softly whispered, “My favorite part was shopping for lingerie at La Perla. All those gorgeous dark women with hair down to their asses walking around in tiny scraps of black lace and nothing else.” Veronica’s head slowly turned, the smile was gone as she glared up at him. Undeterred, he continued, “And you, utterly confident...modeling all those different bras and panties for me, walking through the shop as if it was something you’d done a million times before. You've never looked more beautiful--a small pale flame among all those dark, lush women."
He paused, watching as she decided whether or not to be annoyed that he’d bring up other women while complimenting her. He let her stew on that a moment before continuing. “Are you wearing them?” he asked. A flush moved across her fair skin. “Wearing what, Logan?”
“The set we bought--the gray ones,” he clarified.
She didn’t answer.
“After seeing you parading through the store, all I could think about was taking you home and undressing you. I’ve always had this fantasy of you...in high heels and lingerie, getting dressed to go out. I would play voyuer...watch you put on your makeup, spritz on your perfume...you would watch me in the mirror, watching you," he murmured, his voice cracking.
She gulped hard, biting her lower lip and he knew she’d decided not to be angry.
“And then, when we got back to our room, I undressed you, do you remember?" he asked in a husky whisper. "You were wearing the bra already, and I slid the straps down both of your shoulders. The lace cups fell forward, but not enough for me to see the hard, pink tips of your nipples, and I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do next. Should I move one side down first, revealing each breast individually? Or push both down and relish the flawless symmetry of your body?” Logan paused, remembering the achingly perfect seconds when he was hovering in front of her, knowing he could reach out and touch her, but holding out the sweet longing of the moment.
“You pushed both sides down.” Veronica’s breathy voice brought him back to the present and he smiled, wondering exactly how wet she was right now.
He shrugged lightly. “I opted for symmetry. I pushed down the lace and began lapping at you, you know I could do that for hours if you’d let me. You’re so responsive. Making you come by playing with your nipples; that is a huge turn on for me. You came three times that afternoon.”
She took a long, shuddering breath and stood. Turning, he saw her eyes were dark with lust and he was having a hard time keeping from touching her. She stalked closer, moving until she was an inch away. Reaching up, she grabbed him by the back of his neck, pulling him down into a mind melting kiss. She rubbed against him, writhing like a cat in heat before he pushed away. A merciless smile crossed his lips as he said, “Honey, the sex in the library thing? Not gonna happen.”
Eyes narrowing, she frowned. “You want this as bad as I do, honey.”
He could feel the smile stretch thin before he slid his mouth across hers in a searing kiss. Breathless, he pulled back. “More, Veronica. I want this more than you do, but it still isn’t going to happen.”
She pulled away, eyes flicking down to the massive tent in his pants. “This is war, you know that, right?”
His smile was genuine as he nodded. “I was counting on it.”
3. STIFTSBIBLIOTHEK KLOSTERNEUBURG
Their appointment to photograph Stiftsbibliothek in Klosterneuburg was after hours. After the night guard let them in, he quietly disappeared into the stacks. Logan had to admit, the part of the library Veronica decided to photograph was spectacular. The curved, circular room had several tall arches that led to other book lined rooms. Shelves were built into the bases of the arches and filled with brightly covered books. Rising up above the shelves, the white walls had ornate patterns seemingly carved into them. It was architecturally stunning, and possibly one of the more beautifully appointed rooms he’d seen in his lifetime.
“I’m going to set up over here.” Veronica’s voice interrupted his thoughts, and he turned to watch her as she arranged her equipment.
Gulping hard, Logan turned in time to see her shrug off her long coat, revealing body hugging black yoga pants, the top of them folded over so the fabric hung dangerously low on her hips. Her shirt barely covered the taut, pale flesh of her stomach which, when she reached for something, gave him glimpses of her belly button. In addition, the shirt was a v-neck tee that was cut much lower than her usual modest attire.
“Shit,” he said softly to himself. How was he supposed to resist that?
“Did you say something?” Veronica asked innocently. As she turned his way, she slid a hand down the flat of her stomach to rest inches above the very spot he wanted to be. He glared at her.
“Nope. Didn’t say a thing.”
With a nonchalant shrug, she bent over her bag allowing her shirt to fall forward and reveal she wasn’t wearing a bra. Jesus, she was a tease. Ever since Madrid, she’d been withholding sex while traipsing around in obscene outfits. More than once he’d walked in on her wearing nothing but the bra and panty set he’d bought her while lounging on the couch watching television. She’d stretch, arching her chest forward before sauntering out of the room and putting on some clothes. Last night, she’d crawled into bed wearing only a thong and proceeded to grind her ass against him while he spooned her - all this as she yawned, stretched and promptly fell asleep.
Needless to say, for him sleep never came. And now, with her exposing the full mounds of her breasts, he was hard. Again. He was sincerely regretting starting this little battle of wills. Sure, he won the first skirmish, but - as he watched her cross the room to him - he was pretty sure she’d win the war.
He closed his eyes as she skimmed her hand down his chest, and knew his mouth was set in a hard line as she closed the small space between them. A small humming sound left her as she slid her hand down to palm the hard length of him. “Looks like little Logan’s got a problem,” she said in a sing-song voice.
Between gritted teeth, he grumbled, “Not little, and there’s no problem I can’t take care of myself when we get back to the hotel.”
His eyes flicked open as she began stroking him through his jeans, fingers finding the metal zipper and pulling it down. She was on her knees before he could stop her - not that he truly wanted to - pulling his cock free of his pants and giving him one long, luscious lick. “Jesus,” he hissed as he threaded his hands through her hair. They were in the middle of the room, and the thought of the guard walking in on them made him want to jerk her to her feet and zip up. He didn’t have that kind of willpower, though, and his hips jerked forward of their own accord as her hot, wet mouth slid over him. Head bobbing, Veronica swirled her tongue around him, wiggling it up and down his shaft. Her nose was buried in the wiry hair surrounding his cock as she took him all in, suckling hard. His hands gripped the back of her head, as he tried not to scream out his pleasure. At that very moment, she pulled away, releasing his cock with a loud, wet popping noise.
“Maybe that’ll give you a head start when you jerk-off later.”
Turning on heel, she left him standing in the middle of the room with his painfully engorged cock bobbing out from his jeans. He watched with an enraged, open-mouthed stare as she began snapping pictures of the library, ignoring him completely. With shaking hands, he carefully zipped up his pants, grimacing at the confining material as he un-tucked his shirt and hoped it would serve as adequate camouflage.
His mind raced as he tried to come up with a possible retaliation, but he was coming up blank. Fervently, he prayed she’d quickly finish up here so he could relieve himself in the hotel.
4. HANDELINGENKAMER TWEEDE KAMER DER STATEN-GENERAAL DEN HAAG
Crimson, metal railings lined the four balconies of the library. Veronica only made him walk up one floor this time, before she slid the bag open and began setting up. Leaning against the railing, Logan stared down at the parquet floor, eyes intent on the V shaped pattern in the wood below. Veronica, he thought before shaking his head and blinking hard. It wasn’t good when flooring patterns made a guy think about his girlfriend. The last few days had been a hormonal rollercoaster ride from hell. Showers weren’t cutting it anymore, and he was pretty sure the mind numbing testosterone mixed with the reduced blood flow to his brain was going to kill him. Today, his intrepid girlfriend was dressed in the mini-est of minis. The cashmere sweater she was wearing clung to every curvy inch of her body, and despite the eye catching cleavage, he ignored her. Keeping to business, he slid to the side and pointed to the floor. “If you can, you might want to get the flooring in the shot. The parquet is stunning.”
He could feel her stare boring into him as he glanced aimlessly around the library, searching for something to divert his attention. And, he found it. A tall, dark woman wandered into the first floor. As Logan appraised her athletic build and long, flowing hair, he suddenly had a plan. The clicking sound of the camera paused as Veronica waited for the young woman to move out of the shot. Letting his head follow the woman as she walked underneath them, Logan smiled. With an innocent look Veronica’s way, he offered up a suggestion, “How about I go down and ask if she’d mind staying out your way?” At Veronica’s quirked eyebrow, he added, “it’ll make the shoot go faster.”
Before she could answer, he was speeding down the stairs to find the hot, little honey on the first floor. Honestly, he wasn’t interested in other women, but he was desperate for Veronica’s attention and this was the only thing he could think of to get it. The rubber squelsh of his shoes echoed against the cavernous walls and freshly-waxed floors as he loped across the floor towards the woman in question. Flashing a smile filled with boyish charm, he scrubbed a hand through his hair.
“Excuse me.” The woman looked up from the book she was perusing, dark eyes meeting his in surprise.
“I don’t mean to intrude, just wondered if you’d mind hiding out under the second floor balcony, we’re trying to get a few snapshots of the library upstairs.”
“Oui, how do you say, no problem?” The European beauty gave him a dazzling smile.
Logan smiled, charmed at her warm grin and agreeable disposition - which was man-code for fabulous rack. Leaning against one of the many shelves, he glanced out at first floor watching as the camera flash lit up the area.
“My name’s Logan Echolls, it’s nice to meet you.”
5. BRITISH LIBRARY LONDON
“You were gone an awfully long time.”
He stared up at the long, curving wall of London’s British Library, never once looking Veronica’s way. He could hear her settle into the chair next to him, letting out a sigh as she turned his to face him.
“Not as long as you were off with that little French girl, yesterday.”
He closed his eyes, and mimed slapping his own forehead. “Oh, of course--Veronica-logic. You running off for the afternoon with Mr. Bean is my fault.
“His name is Humphrey Welshfield, and he was showing me Shakespeare’s First Folio,” Veronica said as she leaned on one arm, hitching the chair toward him as her voice lowered in pitch. “He had good suggestions about lighting and where to set up, plus he didn’t complain about how heavy the camera bag was.”
Logan’s mouth set in a hard line as he slid back in his seat. “Well, why don’t you and Welshfield go set up house? I mean, he doesn’t complain about carrying your fucking bags around, he sounds perfect.”
Glancing around the empty library floor, Veronica shushed him, “Not so loud, O.K.? I shouldn’t have said it like that, but you have no room to talk after flouncing around with little Miss Thing.”
“You know what the difference here is, Ver-on-ica? I don’t know her name. I met her, and she told me, but I was only interested in getting out of your erogenous zone for a while. You? You know this guy’s name, that he likes to carry your bags and that he has an abnormal fixation with Shakespeare and your ass.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “The last bit, I can’t blame him for - you do have an amazing ass.”
Pushing back from his seat, he moved to stand, but Veronica grabbed his hand. “Logan, don’t go.”
The moment hung suspended as his eyes bore into hers. Playing games with Veronica was difficult. They’d begin with a mere battle of wills that would soon escalate into an all out argument. Hell, he wasn’t even sure who started this one. Was it her with her comment of no sex in the library, or was it him when he had taken it to the next level by intentionally turning her on and then turning her down? What he knew for sure was this feeling of being at the edge of an abyss waiting to fall over wasn’t worth the win. With her hand on his arm, and tears welling in her eyes, he knew it didn’t matter who started it.
Once again, both of them had pushed it too far.
Biting his lip, he sat down. As soon as he did, Veronica moved to straddle him. Her mouth slanted across his, and he could feel the hum of desperation between them. He returned the kiss, crushing her to his chest as he thrust up against her. It seemed like he couldn’t touch her enough. The week he’d gone without being inside her had felt like an eternity and, as he stroked her back, he realized he didn’t want to be without her again. Working his hands through her hair, he realized all he wanted was her pleasure. He wanted to hear her pant with abandon and feel the tremble in her thighs as she arched into completion. Slipping his hand up her skirt, he ran his fingers across the satin crotch of her panties. He almost growled when he realized her panties were soaked through, and bit at her lips as he circled the nub of her clitoris through the silky material of her underwear. Burying her head against him, he could feel the vibration of her moans as she tried to muffle the sound with his shoulder. He increased the pressure of his hand, moving faster as she gripped his arms with both hands, fingers digging into his biceps. He could feel the tremble of her body, and knew she was at the verge of climax. With his other hand, he jerked her head away from his shoulder, and angled his mouth across hers, swallowing the sounds of her breathy moans like they were a heady wine. Her small hips jerked against his hand, and he relished the feel of her shuddering body as she orgasmed. Slowing his movements, he came to a halt. With a shaky breath, he pushed her into the chair across from his, pulling her skirt down her thighs. Veronica blinked, her forehead wrinkling in confusion.
“What about you?”
A half smile crooked his lips as he leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers. “Oh, we’ll get to me later. Back at the hotel.”
Her pink lips opened, and she hesitated for a moment before deciding not to say anything. Logan had no such reservations.
“These little games we’ve been playing?” Biting her lip, she nodded at his words. “They’re over.”
Her shoulders seemed to sag in relief and she slowly moved to stand. “They are,” she said definitively.
As they walked through the stacks, Veronica grabbed his hand. “Of course, you do realize I won this one, right?”
He rolled his eyes and smiled down at her. “Whatever you say, honey.”
“You can’t play it off like that. Tell me I won. Come on, we both know it’s true!”
Logan was a wiser man than most people realized and, as they walked out the front door of the library hand in hand, he did what any wise man would have done. He shut her up with a kiss.
***
The End
Author: Kyria Greene moire2
Rating: NC-17
Content: L/V, language, sexual situations
Word Count: 4761
Spoilers: Heck, if you know the boys and girls went to college, you can read this without being spoiled. If you didn’t know they went off to Hearst, whoops! My. Bad.
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine. None. Nada. Zip. Zero. That Rob Thomas guy owns them along with UPN and Warner Brothers. No copyright infringement intended. No profit is gained.
taken_with_you beta’d this, and for that I owe her a lot.
Author’s Notes: This was written for vm_library
Feedback: Yes! Do that black-magic that you weave so well and feed me.
Summary: Grumbling a curse or two under his breath, he tried to remember how he got roped into this gig to begin with. Oh right, he’d begged to come along. Why he thought it’d be fun to follow Veronica around as she photographed famous European libraries for some sh*tty travel magazine was a mystery. F*cking dumb-ass is what he was.
1. RIJKMUSEUM AMSTERDAM
Ancient texts and moldy manuscripts - not his usual sexual turn on. And yet, surrounded by the scent of antique tomes, he had instant wood. With a frown, he followed Veronica through the British Library in London. He was, per usual, carrying her camera bag. The difference - today - was that they had company. The head library dude was giving Veronica and her assistant a personal tour, hinting that he might be able to let her see Shakespeare’s First Folio. The annoying fuck said First Folio as if it was sacred. Nerds, Logan thought in irritation. Worse yet? An English nerd. And, Logan was pretty sure the English nerd was hitting on his girlfriend. Since he was actually posing as Veronica’s assistant, he couldn’t beat the shit out of the guy and still allow his girl an air of professionalism. Grumbling a curse or two under his breath, he tried to remember how he got roped into this gig to begin with. Oh right, he’d begged to come along. Why he thought it’d be fun to follow Veronica around as she photographed famous European libraries for some shitty travel magazine was a mystery.
Fucking dumb-ass is what he was.
Following Veronica to the curving stairs, he smiled and thought of Amsterdam. If he remembered correctly, his first association between sex and libraries was there…
***
The clattering of brass curtain rings being pulled across the metal rod was disturbing to his jet-lagged psyche, but didn’t match the irritation caused by the afternoon light slanting in through the over-sized windows. Letting out an annoyed grunt, Logan shielded his eyes with his arm. As he blinked awake, he found his nemesis glaring at him. Her alabaster brow was furrowed into a frown as she pointed at her watch. “I’ve got an appointment to photograph the Rijkmusem’s library in an hour.”
“And this has what to do with me?”
The frown intensified exponentially - not a good sign. “You’re the one that insisted on coming along to help as my so-called assistant.” She charged up to his bed as he pulled a white pillow over his face to block the sun. Yanking it from his grasp, she tossed it across the hotel room. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her down for a kiss. To his surprise, she wrinkled her nose in disgust. “You’re not getting any action until you brush your teeth, big guy.”
He scowled and released her. “Keep whispering little sweet nothings like that in my ear, and I’ll be yours forever.”
“Face it, sweet-ums, you already are.”
Keeping the scowl firmly in place, Logan pushed crisp cotton sheets to the side and got up. “Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be ready.”
She shrugged as she shut the bedroom door behind her. He could hear the television through the door of their hotel suite as she turned it on and increased the volume. His passive aggressive little darling wasn’t to be deterred. Ambling into the bathroom, Logan headed toward the shower. He could be ready in fifteen minutes if he wanted. Considering the annoyed look on Veronica’s face, he wanted to.
***
The tripod was heavier than it looked and he was regretting his offer to carry the backpack loaded with camera equipment as well as the aforementioned tripod up the rickety, spiral stairs to the fourth floor of the library. In fact, he was panting and they were just reaching the second floor. He was about to say, “Jesus Christ, Veronica, what do you have in here?” It was on the tip of his tongue, but he looked up and was struck dumb. Veronica was wearing a short skirt and, as she lifted her leg to take the next step, he got a glimpse of black lace panties. Wetting his lips with his tongue, he jogged the next few steps in order to get a closer look.
His irritability about having to carry what seemed like a few hundred pounds of camera equipment up four floors vanished and he was actually a bit disappointed when they got to the top. Shrugging off the over-loaded backpack, he dropped it in front of her and glanced around. Each floor was built like a balcony and book shelves lined the walls a few feet from the banisters. Wandering over to the railing, he leaned on the burnished wood handrail that topped the wrought iron balusters. He was watching a few small figures wandered aimlessly below, when the idea came to him. As far as he could tell, they were alone on the fourth floor of the library.
Completely alone.
Glancing to the side, he watched as Veronica set up her tripod, extending the legs until it was at eye level. Well, eye level for her was chest level for him. Smiling, he watched as she carefully locked her camera in place and peered through the viewfinder. She frowned, unsatisfied with the shot, and proceeded to remove the lens. Bending over, she shuffled through her backpack for an alternate. As she did so, her skirt inched up, allowing him a scintillating view of toned, pale thighs. Glancing around again, he tried to think of a reason not to pull her away from the railing and fuck her up against the book shelves. There was no one around, and he was pretty sure she’d enjoy it. He swallowed hard, eyes glued to her as she attached the new lens and began snapping photos, pausing every once in awhile to make adjustments to the camera.
“I know you’ve got jet lag, but isn’t the light from the fourth floor windows totally worth getting up for?”
As the light illuminated Veronica’s pale, blonde hair, Logan had to agree. She looked like an angel, was the disgustingly, saccharine thought that ran through his mind. He could feel a smile crook the corner of his mouth as he moved toward her. “Totally worth it.”
Wrapping his arms around her midsection, he pulled her back flush against his stomach.
“Logan,” she whispered as his mouth found the crook of her neck. Sliding his hands down, he grabbed her hips, grinding his erection into her ass. She twisted in his arms, pushing him back toward the dusty book shelves as his mouth slid over hers. Oh, yeah. He knew she’d like it. Lips smooth as satin opened, her tongue thrusting as she squirmed against him. Surrounded by the scent of books, he pushed her panties to the side. Fingers stroking her dewy flesh, he was rewarded by a breathy gasp of pleasure. Veronica moaned pulling at the buttons of his jeans, wrenching the material down as he lifted her, cradling her ass in the palms of his hands.
“Put me inside.” His voice sounded gruff, and he closed his eyes in frustration as she grabbed him, sliding him up her wet slit as she rolled her hips. “Veronica, please.” His voice held a note of desperation. When he opened his eyes, he found her bright blue gaze fixed on him. From her intent stare, she was noting every pleasurable grimace that crossed his face, filing each away for future reference. His head dropped back against the shelf with a thump, and she must have taken pity on him because abruptly, he was inside her. Fingers grasping her ass, he ground against her. Hips rotating, he thrust home in smooth circles and she buried her face in the crook of his neck. Her warm breath puffed against his skin as she tried to muffle a whimper.
“I’m close,” she hissed.
Driving against her, he whispered her name, “Veronica…”
2. BIBLIOTECA DE LA REAL ACADEMIA DE LA LENGUA MADRID
“Give me the bag.” Coming to a halt, she held on her hand, gesturing for him to hand it over. He shook his head in the negative and replied, “I just asked what was in here.”
“It’s a camera case, Logan, so I’d have to say my camera is in there, along with a few lenses. If it’s too heavy for you, let me have it.”
He snorted as his eyes trailed over her petite frame starting with her feet and ending with her eyes. If he were the romantic sort, he’d notice how the pale blue walls of the book-lined room accentuated the warm sapphire of her eyes, but he wasn’t. In fact, if he wanted to be brutally honest, today Veronica was dressed the exact opposite of sexy. Exuding dour librarian, Veronica was clad in high-waisted black pants that were belted at her ribs. Her filmy, canary-yellow top was filled with… ruffles. Despite her lack of taste when it came to professional wear, she was still stunning. Not even dour-librarian-wear could disguise the sweet curves, her creamy skin and… Shit, he was getting hard. A smile quirked the corners of his mouth when he noticed the faint blush crawling up her cheeks. Sure, she was frozen, hand outstretched as she waited for him to hand over the bag. And, yes, she looked more angry than turned on, but anger and lust had always been irrevocably intertwined for them. She was still waiting for him to hand over the obscenely heavy bag. Two could play this game, he decided as he shifted the pack on his shoulder and leaned against polished wood bookshelf. Taking a moment to look around he noticed the room’s luminous white trim was edged in gold. As he glanced up, he asked, “How big do you think these shelves are? They gotta be at least three times my height, don’t you think?”
Huffing, she uncharacteristically gave up. He watched with a grin as she walked down the gleaming white floor, heels clicking a little too hard on the white marble. With a push off the shelf, he followed after, enjoying the view of her ass. Today, he noted, there was no afternoon sun illuminating the large room which meant she’d have to figure out how to light the place. Veronica motioned for him to put down the backpack, and immediately began to root through it when he did. She pulled out four remote flashes, handing them to him with a grunt.
“Put two on each side between every other shelf.”
Logan nodded, eyeing the ample cleavage taunting him despite the many ruffles attempting to block his view. “Logan!” She was snapping her fingers in front of his face to get his attention. “That sex in the library thing? Not gonna happen today, got it?” Eyes narrowing, Logan suddenly realized the reason behind her outfit choice - to turn him off. Poor, misguided Veronica - it had never been her clothes that had gotten him hard.
“Got it,” he replied and grabbed the flashes before ambling through the stacks.
Flicking the flashes on, he placed them as instructed and strolled back. He sat at the desk closest to her, watching as she peered through the camera and began taking shots. The flashes strobed on and off as she made adjustments.
No library sex my ass, he thought as he stretched out in the chair, tilting it back as he watched her work. “You know, I had a really good time in Italy.” She nodded, a small smile moving across her face.
“Rome was beautiful,” she agreed.
It was silent for a moment as Logan stood moving to lean against the shelf closest to her. His voice dropped an octave as he softly whispered, “My favorite part was shopping for lingerie at La Perla. All those gorgeous dark women with hair down to their asses walking around in tiny scraps of black lace and nothing else.” Veronica’s head slowly turned, the smile was gone as she glared up at him. Undeterred, he continued, “And you, utterly confident...modeling all those different bras and panties for me, walking through the shop as if it was something you’d done a million times before. You've never looked more beautiful--a small pale flame among all those dark, lush women."
He paused, watching as she decided whether or not to be annoyed that he’d bring up other women while complimenting her. He let her stew on that a moment before continuing. “Are you wearing them?” he asked. A flush moved across her fair skin. “Wearing what, Logan?”
“The set we bought--the gray ones,” he clarified.
She didn’t answer.
“After seeing you parading through the store, all I could think about was taking you home and undressing you. I’ve always had this fantasy of you...in high heels and lingerie, getting dressed to go out. I would play voyuer...watch you put on your makeup, spritz on your perfume...you would watch me in the mirror, watching you," he murmured, his voice cracking.
She gulped hard, biting her lower lip and he knew she’d decided not to be angry.
“And then, when we got back to our room, I undressed you, do you remember?" he asked in a husky whisper. "You were wearing the bra already, and I slid the straps down both of your shoulders. The lace cups fell forward, but not enough for me to see the hard, pink tips of your nipples, and I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do next. Should I move one side down first, revealing each breast individually? Or push both down and relish the flawless symmetry of your body?” Logan paused, remembering the achingly perfect seconds when he was hovering in front of her, knowing he could reach out and touch her, but holding out the sweet longing of the moment.
“You pushed both sides down.” Veronica’s breathy voice brought him back to the present and he smiled, wondering exactly how wet she was right now.
He shrugged lightly. “I opted for symmetry. I pushed down the lace and began lapping at you, you know I could do that for hours if you’d let me. You’re so responsive. Making you come by playing with your nipples; that is a huge turn on for me. You came three times that afternoon.”
She took a long, shuddering breath and stood. Turning, he saw her eyes were dark with lust and he was having a hard time keeping from touching her. She stalked closer, moving until she was an inch away. Reaching up, she grabbed him by the back of his neck, pulling him down into a mind melting kiss. She rubbed against him, writhing like a cat in heat before he pushed away. A merciless smile crossed his lips as he said, “Honey, the sex in the library thing? Not gonna happen.”
Eyes narrowing, she frowned. “You want this as bad as I do, honey.”
He could feel the smile stretch thin before he slid his mouth across hers in a searing kiss. Breathless, he pulled back. “More, Veronica. I want this more than you do, but it still isn’t going to happen.”
She pulled away, eyes flicking down to the massive tent in his pants. “This is war, you know that, right?”
His smile was genuine as he nodded. “I was counting on it.”
3. STIFTSBIBLIOTHEK KLOSTERNEUBURG
Their appointment to photograph Stiftsbibliothek in Klosterneuburg was after hours. After the night guard let them in, he quietly disappeared into the stacks. Logan had to admit, the part of the library Veronica decided to photograph was spectacular. The curved, circular room had several tall arches that led to other book lined rooms. Shelves were built into the bases of the arches and filled with brightly covered books. Rising up above the shelves, the white walls had ornate patterns seemingly carved into them. It was architecturally stunning, and possibly one of the more beautifully appointed rooms he’d seen in his lifetime.
“I’m going to set up over here.” Veronica’s voice interrupted his thoughts, and he turned to watch her as she arranged her equipment.
Gulping hard, Logan turned in time to see her shrug off her long coat, revealing body hugging black yoga pants, the top of them folded over so the fabric hung dangerously low on her hips. Her shirt barely covered the taut, pale flesh of her stomach which, when she reached for something, gave him glimpses of her belly button. In addition, the shirt was a v-neck tee that was cut much lower than her usual modest attire.
“Shit,” he said softly to himself. How was he supposed to resist that?
“Did you say something?” Veronica asked innocently. As she turned his way, she slid a hand down the flat of her stomach to rest inches above the very spot he wanted to be. He glared at her.
“Nope. Didn’t say a thing.”
With a nonchalant shrug, she bent over her bag allowing her shirt to fall forward and reveal she wasn’t wearing a bra. Jesus, she was a tease. Ever since Madrid, she’d been withholding sex while traipsing around in obscene outfits. More than once he’d walked in on her wearing nothing but the bra and panty set he’d bought her while lounging on the couch watching television. She’d stretch, arching her chest forward before sauntering out of the room and putting on some clothes. Last night, she’d crawled into bed wearing only a thong and proceeded to grind her ass against him while he spooned her - all this as she yawned, stretched and promptly fell asleep.
Needless to say, for him sleep never came. And now, with her exposing the full mounds of her breasts, he was hard. Again. He was sincerely regretting starting this little battle of wills. Sure, he won the first skirmish, but - as he watched her cross the room to him - he was pretty sure she’d win the war.
He closed his eyes as she skimmed her hand down his chest, and knew his mouth was set in a hard line as she closed the small space between them. A small humming sound left her as she slid her hand down to palm the hard length of him. “Looks like little Logan’s got a problem,” she said in a sing-song voice.
Between gritted teeth, he grumbled, “Not little, and there’s no problem I can’t take care of myself when we get back to the hotel.”
His eyes flicked open as she began stroking him through his jeans, fingers finding the metal zipper and pulling it down. She was on her knees before he could stop her - not that he truly wanted to - pulling his cock free of his pants and giving him one long, luscious lick. “Jesus,” he hissed as he threaded his hands through her hair. They were in the middle of the room, and the thought of the guard walking in on them made him want to jerk her to her feet and zip up. He didn’t have that kind of willpower, though, and his hips jerked forward of their own accord as her hot, wet mouth slid over him. Head bobbing, Veronica swirled her tongue around him, wiggling it up and down his shaft. Her nose was buried in the wiry hair surrounding his cock as she took him all in, suckling hard. His hands gripped the back of her head, as he tried not to scream out his pleasure. At that very moment, she pulled away, releasing his cock with a loud, wet popping noise.
“Maybe that’ll give you a head start when you jerk-off later.”
Turning on heel, she left him standing in the middle of the room with his painfully engorged cock bobbing out from his jeans. He watched with an enraged, open-mouthed stare as she began snapping pictures of the library, ignoring him completely. With shaking hands, he carefully zipped up his pants, grimacing at the confining material as he un-tucked his shirt and hoped it would serve as adequate camouflage.
His mind raced as he tried to come up with a possible retaliation, but he was coming up blank. Fervently, he prayed she’d quickly finish up here so he could relieve himself in the hotel.
4. HANDELINGENKAMER TWEEDE KAMER DER STATEN-GENERAAL DEN HAAG
Crimson, metal railings lined the four balconies of the library. Veronica only made him walk up one floor this time, before she slid the bag open and began setting up. Leaning against the railing, Logan stared down at the parquet floor, eyes intent on the V shaped pattern in the wood below. Veronica, he thought before shaking his head and blinking hard. It wasn’t good when flooring patterns made a guy think about his girlfriend. The last few days had been a hormonal rollercoaster ride from hell. Showers weren’t cutting it anymore, and he was pretty sure the mind numbing testosterone mixed with the reduced blood flow to his brain was going to kill him. Today, his intrepid girlfriend was dressed in the mini-est of minis. The cashmere sweater she was wearing clung to every curvy inch of her body, and despite the eye catching cleavage, he ignored her. Keeping to business, he slid to the side and pointed to the floor. “If you can, you might want to get the flooring in the shot. The parquet is stunning.”
He could feel her stare boring into him as he glanced aimlessly around the library, searching for something to divert his attention. And, he found it. A tall, dark woman wandered into the first floor. As Logan appraised her athletic build and long, flowing hair, he suddenly had a plan. The clicking sound of the camera paused as Veronica waited for the young woman to move out of the shot. Letting his head follow the woman as she walked underneath them, Logan smiled. With an innocent look Veronica’s way, he offered up a suggestion, “How about I go down and ask if she’d mind staying out your way?” At Veronica’s quirked eyebrow, he added, “it’ll make the shoot go faster.”
Before she could answer, he was speeding down the stairs to find the hot, little honey on the first floor. Honestly, he wasn’t interested in other women, but he was desperate for Veronica’s attention and this was the only thing he could think of to get it. The rubber squelsh of his shoes echoed against the cavernous walls and freshly-waxed floors as he loped across the floor towards the woman in question. Flashing a smile filled with boyish charm, he scrubbed a hand through his hair.
“Excuse me.” The woman looked up from the book she was perusing, dark eyes meeting his in surprise.
“I don’t mean to intrude, just wondered if you’d mind hiding out under the second floor balcony, we’re trying to get a few snapshots of the library upstairs.”
“Oui, how do you say, no problem?” The European beauty gave him a dazzling smile.
Logan smiled, charmed at her warm grin and agreeable disposition - which was man-code for fabulous rack. Leaning against one of the many shelves, he glanced out at first floor watching as the camera flash lit up the area.
“My name’s Logan Echolls, it’s nice to meet you.”
5. BRITISH LIBRARY LONDON
“You were gone an awfully long time.”
He stared up at the long, curving wall of London’s British Library, never once looking Veronica’s way. He could hear her settle into the chair next to him, letting out a sigh as she turned his to face him.
“Not as long as you were off with that little French girl, yesterday.”
He closed his eyes, and mimed slapping his own forehead. “Oh, of course--Veronica-logic. You running off for the afternoon with Mr. Bean is my fault.
“His name is Humphrey Welshfield, and he was showing me Shakespeare’s First Folio,” Veronica said as she leaned on one arm, hitching the chair toward him as her voice lowered in pitch. “He had good suggestions about lighting and where to set up, plus he didn’t complain about how heavy the camera bag was.”
Logan’s mouth set in a hard line as he slid back in his seat. “Well, why don’t you and Welshfield go set up house? I mean, he doesn’t complain about carrying your fucking bags around, he sounds perfect.”
Glancing around the empty library floor, Veronica shushed him, “Not so loud, O.K.? I shouldn’t have said it like that, but you have no room to talk after flouncing around with little Miss Thing.”
“You know what the difference here is, Ver-on-ica? I don’t know her name. I met her, and she told me, but I was only interested in getting out of your erogenous zone for a while. You? You know this guy’s name, that he likes to carry your bags and that he has an abnormal fixation with Shakespeare and your ass.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “The last bit, I can’t blame him for - you do have an amazing ass.”
Pushing back from his seat, he moved to stand, but Veronica grabbed his hand. “Logan, don’t go.”
The moment hung suspended as his eyes bore into hers. Playing games with Veronica was difficult. They’d begin with a mere battle of wills that would soon escalate into an all out argument. Hell, he wasn’t even sure who started this one. Was it her with her comment of no sex in the library, or was it him when he had taken it to the next level by intentionally turning her on and then turning her down? What he knew for sure was this feeling of being at the edge of an abyss waiting to fall over wasn’t worth the win. With her hand on his arm, and tears welling in her eyes, he knew it didn’t matter who started it.
Once again, both of them had pushed it too far.
Biting his lip, he sat down. As soon as he did, Veronica moved to straddle him. Her mouth slanted across his, and he could feel the hum of desperation between them. He returned the kiss, crushing her to his chest as he thrust up against her. It seemed like he couldn’t touch her enough. The week he’d gone without being inside her had felt like an eternity and, as he stroked her back, he realized he didn’t want to be without her again. Working his hands through her hair, he realized all he wanted was her pleasure. He wanted to hear her pant with abandon and feel the tremble in her thighs as she arched into completion. Slipping his hand up her skirt, he ran his fingers across the satin crotch of her panties. He almost growled when he realized her panties were soaked through, and bit at her lips as he circled the nub of her clitoris through the silky material of her underwear. Burying her head against him, he could feel the vibration of her moans as she tried to muffle the sound with his shoulder. He increased the pressure of his hand, moving faster as she gripped his arms with both hands, fingers digging into his biceps. He could feel the tremble of her body, and knew she was at the verge of climax. With his other hand, he jerked her head away from his shoulder, and angled his mouth across hers, swallowing the sounds of her breathy moans like they were a heady wine. Her small hips jerked against his hand, and he relished the feel of her shuddering body as she orgasmed. Slowing his movements, he came to a halt. With a shaky breath, he pushed her into the chair across from his, pulling her skirt down her thighs. Veronica blinked, her forehead wrinkling in confusion.
“What about you?”
A half smile crooked his lips as he leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers. “Oh, we’ll get to me later. Back at the hotel.”
Her pink lips opened, and she hesitated for a moment before deciding not to say anything. Logan had no such reservations.
“These little games we’ve been playing?” Biting her lip, she nodded at his words. “They’re over.”
Her shoulders seemed to sag in relief and she slowly moved to stand. “They are,” she said definitively.
As they walked through the stacks, Veronica grabbed his hand. “Of course, you do realize I won this one, right?”
He rolled his eyes and smiled down at her. “Whatever you say, honey.”
“You can’t play it off like that. Tell me I won. Come on, we both know it’s true!”
Logan was a wiser man than most people realized and, as they walked out the front door of the library hand in hand, he did what any wise man would have done. He shut her up with a kiss.
***
The End