Life's Perfect Moment

Life's Perfect Moment

         She sat on the bench wiping in vain at the angry tears that flooded from her eyes.  A scowl marred her pretty heart shaped face and darkened her features.  She wanted to punch something, but she also wanted a hug so that she could sob out the heartache that seemed intent on destroying her one heartbeat at a time. 

         “Asshat!” she muttered, still trying to stem her tears.  “Stupid, effing, asshat!”

         She looked up when a shadow came to rest above her, blocking the only warmth she felt in her life at the moment.  Blinking against the bright blue of the clear sky, she tried to see who was standing there.  Giving up on seeing the face against the horizon, she looked down at the ground, embarrassed at her over emotional display in public.

         A pair of black waffle-stomper boots stood where her eyes stopped.  Slowly, her green eyes travelled up the form fitting, faded jeans that housed a pair of very fine, well-muscled legs.  As her eyes continued to travel up, she saw a tapered waist and six pack abs that were thinly covered by a tight black tee that was stretched over his wide chest and bulging biceps covered in bright tattoos.  The man sat and she could finally see his face.

         “Hey, Logan,” she mumbled, her embarrassment growing.

         Logan Marshall was the one guy she’d had a crush on forever.  He was also the only man who had never seen her as more than his best friend’s little sister.  His features were burned into her mind’s eyes more permanently than any other thing in her world.  The black hair with shades of red highlights that nature had lovingly given him; the azure eyes that always seemed to be laughing at her; the fine nose that wrinkled adorably whenever she did something to make him laugh; sculpted cheeks with high cheekbones that told anyone and everyone that he was half Cherokee covered with his typical days’ worth of stubble; and his lips… oh God, those lips… that she would give anything to have kiss her.  Oh yes, she knew that face… too well.

         “What’s wrong, Tika?” Logan’s growling voice ran up her spine, sending shivers coursing over her body.  Only Logan ever got away with calling her Tika.  He’d started calling her that to irritate her as a teen after he’d read the Dragonlance books and decided that she looked like the character named Tika from the story.

         Madilyn Chambers sighed and pushed her curly red hair from her face.  She really didn’t want to bare and share her current misery with Logan of all people, but she just really wanted someone… anyone to give a damn about her, if only for a moment or two.  Madi lowered her head to her graceful hand with its long, delicate fingers and tried again to stop the tears that had started to fall again. The warmth of Logan’s arm around her shoulders made her close her eyes in combined elation that Logan was holding her and misery that he was seeing her like this.

         “Come on Tika, tell me.  I’ll kill whoever made you cry.” Logan cajoled.  Madi choked on a giggle that got tangled with her tears.

         “You’re going to kill your best friend?” she asked, lifting her head to gaze into his fierce blue eyes.  Logan’s eyes narrowed at her words.

         “What did Mick do this time?”

         Madi half laughed, half sighed.  She knew that Logan was aware of Mick’s temper and rapid descent into the same behavioral patterns that their father had always displayed.  Gavin Chambers was an alcoholic, abusive pig who’d beaten their mother regularly and had ‘taught’ his son to be the same.  Madi knew that Logan had tried on more than one occasion to help her brother, Mick, break the cycle, but she also knew that Logan had not succeeded in saving her brother. 

         “Tika!  Answer me!” Logan demanded.

         “What difference does it make?  He isn’t going to change any more than Dad did.” Madi argued.

         “Tika, I’m warning you,” Logan snarled.  Madi realized that while Logan was fiercely angry at the moment, his arm was still around her protectively.  A small smile flitted across her lips.

         Madi sighed again, deciding that it really wasn’t worth fighting with Logan over.  “He hit me because I told him I wouldn’t give him money.”

         Logan roared and Madi cringed.  She knew he wasn’t angry with her, but having grown up with a violent father, her reaction was instinctual.  With no other thought than self-protection, Madi pulled her knees to her chest and covered her head.  She could feel herself trembling, but couldn’t stop as tears spilled from her eyes again.

         Inexplicably, Logan’s arm tightened around her shoulder and his other arm came around to envelope her in a gentle but tight hug.  The smell of Aramis surrounded her and made her dizzy… holy crap, she loved the smell of him!

         “Oh God, Tika, I’m sorry.  Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you… and he won’t touch you again.  I swear it.” Logan growled softly in her ear.  Slowly, Madi relaxed, putting her feet to the ground again.  As she did, Logan’s arms tightened around her.

         “Why are you being nice to me?” she asked suspiciously.  While she’d crushed on him, she had always gotten the impression that she was nothing more than a pain in his ass and someone he liked to tease.

         Logan surprised Madi by chuckling. “Tika, you of all people should know that I don’t like it when guys hit girls … and Mick is no exception.  He doesn’t get to do that to you.  Besides, I’ve known you forever, I’m not a total bastard.”

         Madi looked into his eyes… his face… and wished to die right then and there in his arms with that heart twisting, sexier than anything half grin on his face.  She’d spent countless nights dreaming of that very look, begging the powers that be to let her have this gorgeous man.  She drew a shaky breath and blinked in confusion.  Her heart was beating madly in her chest, telling her that she was having the best dream of her life while her head was busy telling her that she was deluding herself into thinking he cared.

         “Come on, let’s get you some place safe where Mick can’t find you, then I’ll take care of him,” Logan said gently.  He stood and slipped his arms into his black leather jacket and zipped it.  “I know just the place.”

         Madi watched him with fascination and fear as he moved then held his hand out to her.  With wide, unblinking eyes, she looked at his hand.

         “Tika, come on.”

         Slowly, her heart racing, Madi put her hand in his and let him help her to her feet.  Logan didn’t relinquish her hand as he led her to his black Honda ST1300 motorcycle.  He handed her his spare helmet and opened one of the saddlebags, pulling a leather jacket from it.

         “You keep a spare leather jacket…?” Madi smirked. 

         “I do.  I’ve dropped my bike before and shredded my jacket.  It pays to have a spare to keep from shredding me.  It’ll be big on you, but it’ll keep you safe until we get there.” Logan grinned that maddeningly sexy half grin at her again.  Madi swallowed over her crazy heart and nodded, unable to find her voice for the moment as she took the jacket from him.  She put it on and gaped at him.

         “Big?  Logan, I could put two of me in here!” Madi squeaked.  Logan’s laughter washed over her making head swim.

         “Just zip up, Tika and put the helmet on.”

         Madi struggled to get her arms out of the sleeves far enough to reach the zipper and Logan laughed again, his nose wrinkling endearingly.  He reached out and zipped the massive black jacket and pushed the helmet gently onto her head.  After adjusting the strap and making sure the helmet was secure, he raised his leg and straddled the huge black bike.

         “Get on, Tika,” he grinned.  Madi was thrilled with herself when she managed to get astride the bike without making an ass of herself.  Logan reached for her arms and pulled the sleeves up so that her hands peeked out then he put her hands firmly around him.  “You hold on now, okay?”

         “Yeah.  Please don’t kill me.” Madi whispered into the leather of his jacket.  She felt the rumble of his laughter and the movement of his muscles as he lifted his own helmet.

         “Not a worry, Tika.  You’re safe with me.”

         “Where are we going?”

         “Huh-uh… I’m not telling.  I don’t want Mick to be able to find you.”

         Madi had no response for this and before she could think of one, Logan fired the motorcycle up and her arms were tightening around him.  He patted her leg then turned onto the street.  She choked back a nervous giggle when they passed her brother as he stumbled from her apartment and Logan flipped him off.  Mick’s stunned face was one she’d remember for a long time.

         After a few minutes, Logan tapped her leg and pointed to the left of the bike as it sped along the road.  She turned her head and gasped.

         He’d driven onto the coastal highway and they were headed north with the sea in all of its glory ebbing and flowing on the left while tall, craggy hills rose to the right.  Occasional patches of green flew by, but Madi’s eyes remained fixed on the stunning, never-ending view of the Pacific Ocean.  She barely felt the curves and twists of the road as Logan drove. 

         For one brief moment in time, Madi closed her eyes and just let life happen to her.  She was here, surrounded by the heady smell of the one man she’d dreamed of, with him, holding him as he drove along the most beautiful stretch of road she’d ever seen.  For this moment, her world… her life… was perfect.

word count 1677

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