I had that dream again. Even if I couldn’t remember the dream my body does. That all too common stickiness has made it’s way onto my sheets again.

Why do we have to play silly games?

***

3 Days Ago

“It was Jean’s silly idea to play a childish game. At some point, should you not be too old for truth or dare?” Ororo said while fidgeting around the kitchen for snacks.

“Aw, c’mon, darlin’. It’s not that bad.”

Of course it wasn’t so bad from his perspective. Ororo was shoulder deep into the refrigerator leaving him a good view of her lean legs and firm posterior.

“Nope not bad at all”

“Did you say something, Logan?”

“Nope sure didn’t,” he said tipping his head forward. She didn’t get to see how the shadow from his Bark colored Stetson never reached his devilish canine grin.

She began to struggle with the bottom drawer of the fridge. “Damn drawer, always get stuck.”

“Let me help ya. Game must really got ya riled if ya swearin’.” He bent over to assist brushing arms. She stood immediately.

“Here I will move out of the way.”

“You’re never in the way, Darlin’, but here hold my hat for me”

There he was Wolverine, Logan… James, bent over and leaving her a full view of his denim clad ass and bare feet.

“Mm, delicious”

“What was that, darlin’?”

Damn, did I say that aloud? “Nothing.”

“There ya go, op-”

He turned around stopping mid sentence mesmerized by what he saw.

She was standing there in his Stetson, hair falling like a curtain behind her shoulders. Her breast strained against the white tank top with black-ironed letters that read “Boy Beater”. It was untucked and resting above the band of her denim cutoff shorts. The rest were long lean legs leading to bare feet.

“Earth to James”

James She was the only one that called him James. It helped to acclimate himself with his identity, his former life. She melded things for him. With her, Wolverine, Logan and James were one. She absently made him complete.

He looked her in the eyes. The space between them decreasing with each step forward. The hand she reached out in a friendly gesture, he grasped by the wrist. Pulling her to him he nuzzled her neck. No fear, he thought.

“Lo-gan,” her breath, caught in her chest while pronouncing his name. Her breath, caught in her chest while his mouth crushed hers. He released the wrist he held and threaded his fingers between hers. Her other hand reached into his hair, his tightened on her waist.

“Hey what’s taking you two so long!”

They jumped apart, instantly missing the warmth of the other. Logan was at a lost for words.

“Sorry, Scott. Drawer was stuck again.”

“Well then, hurry up you two. Jean is beginning to act like a hyper teen again.”

“We’ll be right there.”

Alone again. “Lo-“

“-‘Ro. Uhh… Tell Scooter and Red I had to do something. Needed some air.”

“Okay,” she managed. “Umm, Here’s your hat.”

“Hold onto it.”

***

Back in her Room

Ororo laid her back against the now cool sheet looking up to the post over her head. There it was, his Catera by Stetson. She fingered the rim. Her brown skin blending with the bark color.

These games have to end, James.

Chapter 2

Instincts. Following her instincts has gotten her far in life. She trusts them still. His bike is here. He was the best at hide and seek, but usually when he played no one sought him out… until now.

“Ready or not ” she breathed.

The six-story buildings slow dilapidation told a story against the always-developing city. The lock was an easy pick, gaining her entrance to the lobby. Stale urine, discarded and spilled beer wafted throughout the hall. She looked up, the winding staircase seemingly endless. He couldn’t make this easy, she sighed.

Familiar with the building, she made short work of the stairs and took small strides to her destination.

I could knock, but what’s the point? she thought. She grabbed for the knob. Turning it quickly to avoid the creaking sound. She entered the dark room, closing the door then leaning against it.

She couldn’t see in the dark as he could but her eyes adjusted to various object and his movement. Cigar in hand, he lifted it to his shadowed lips. He was diagonal to the left of her in the corner. She knew he was watching, for all her straining she was watching him as well.

“You unlocked it for me. When did you know?”

“By the third floor for sure” He moved into the light. “You came knockin’, why?”

She never left the door “Why did you leave?”

“Need ta think”

“About”

“Things”

This is what she wanted to get passed. “Why do we play these games?”

“What games are those, Darlin’?”

“Games like this one, James.” He involuntarily shuddered at the use of his name. “Right now it’s 20 questions and vague answers, it’s usually our ongoing game of tag I was referring to. The one where you’d kiss me and run”

“Keepin’ tabs?”

She pushed off the door slightly taking one step closer the back of an over turned chair. “My friend, I spend too many nights alone, so it’s prudent, as well as beneficial at times that I remember those moments that come so fleetingly.”

He leaned back against the wall, the light outside the window making the inside duskier than dark. “S’shame. Beautiful woman like you shouldn’t be alone. ‘Specially at night.”

“Not many offers. Perhaps I am not as beautiful as you say. I think my hair is the wrong color. I suppose I’ll have better luck as a red-head.” Her downcast eyes picked up to catch his.

“What’re you gettin’ at, ‘Ro?”

She tilted her head forward using the cowboy hat to shield her face. Looking at her heel clad feet, visible knee, trench-coated chest and fumbling hands, she debated her answer knowing he could sense a lie. And it was too late to lie.

“I want you. I’ve always wanted you, but it was obvious years ago that I could not have been your choice. You wanted another and I accepted that. And then our escape in the kitchen… feeling I buried surfaced and you left. I was confused but I accepted it for a while, as I have always done. I’ve always accepted you as is, wanted you as you are…” Logan sensing her beginning awkwardness, slowly closed in on her. “… damn, as I ramble on I realize perhaps this was not as wise and I’ve made a mistake in coming here.”

She turned, her hand on the knob again willing herself not to open it, but losing against her fear or rejection. The knob turned, the door creaked, it was slightly ajar, but in that short time, he was upon her and she found herself stuck between the door and a hard person.

“Can’t let ya go.”

“Please, Logan…”

“What’s my name?” He breathed, nuzzling the hollow of her neck.

“James, please, let me leave with the little dignity I do have left.”

He looked Ororo in her eyes and she found herself speechless. Afraid of his intense gaze, she looked away. He tilted her head back to meet his. “You always have your dignity, what you’re gonna lose is your control”

She gasped and in that opportune moment, he claimed her mouth. He moved slowly over her neck, “What’s under the coat?” He tugged at the belt and deftly undid the buttons without much protest. She was lost in the heady sensations. Until she realized what he was intending to do.

“Wait, Logan don’t.” Too late.

“Sweet Jesus,” he growled. “You wore next to nuthin’ in public for me?

“I am wearing nothing.”

“You’re wearin’ my hat, but not for long.”

Chapter 3

She stretched languidly, her sinewy limbs encased by his. Her soft cheek reveling the feel of the wispy hair of his arm. When they made it to his bed, she had no clue. There was the divestiture at the door. The first searching kiss. The wind-howling oral exploration near/on/against the sofa. She purred at the thought of it all.

“Morning, Darlin’”

“That it is, my love”

His chest hairs tickled her back as his coarse voice pricked her skin. “I don’t wanna move.”

“I am in no hurry,” her backside pressed into his groin.

“He’s already awake, do that again and there’s no stoppin’ ‘im”

Disturbing the calm moment she flipped over in his arms until she straddled his waist. Her wet folds sliding against the length of him, she began a delicious torture in the to and fro movement. Ample breast moved with her actions hypnotizing and constricting his gaze. He reached for them.

“You’re gonna learn I don’t like ta be teased”

“You lie,” she said breathily. “You like it” She lengthen his shaft until it’s head nipped at her center. “You like…Mmm…turning… tables. Thoughts were becoming jumbles as they met each other thrust for thrust. “I have seen…in battle. You let…ugghh… someone think they have the upper hand, then you flip the situation… Yesss… I imagined you no different in the…ahh…bedroom.”

“Flip it, huh?” He growled pulling her down to him. “Like this?”

She squealed in the transfer having been taken by surprise. Buried inside her still, their hips ceased to move. Logan lowered his chest to hers eliciting a gasp when his chest hairs grazed her peaked nipples.

He nuzzled her chin. “If I had known, Darlin’”

“What’s done is done. Love me now.”

“I always have.”

Ororo’s hips started a motion all their own at his words. Searchingly burying him deeper within her slick walls until he began where she ended.

***

Hours of primal, passionate declarations of love passed and still they laid intertwined still. His hand was lost in her silky tresses and the other drawing circles on her heated skin. “You wanna go back”

“No” she moaned.

“Hn.”

Her eyes locked on his mouth. Her index finger played with his lips parting them, marveling at their softness, so much in contrast to everyone’s perception of him, the Wolverine.

“Mmm, James. I wish we could stay this way.”

“I like when ya say my name. Say it again.”

“Only if you answer me one thing.”

“Shoot.”

She leaned on her elbows momentarily breaking the warmth between them. Her hair a cascading curtain billowing over her shoulder onto his. “Are we done with insecurities and foolishness?”

“I’m not insecure. I know what I want and I play for keeps. So I got a question fer you, Windrider.”

“Shoot.” She lazily watched her hand drag up and down his chiseled abdomen.

“Marry me.”

She stopped in mid drag. “What?”

“Marry me.”

“That is not a question,” she said trying to make light in this turn of events.

“I’m serious”

“So am I. That is not a question,” she giggled.

“’Ro,” he warned.

“Sorry. This is just so sudden.”

“Ya know me better than anyone. We were meant to be. We’re-“

“Soul mates” she finished for him.

“Yeah.”

“Yes.”

“I can’t promise it’s gonna be easy, but-“

“James” She held fingers to his mouth. “I said Yes”

“Fer real, ‘Ro?”

“Are you planning on retracting your offer?” She realized the past had left a scar on her as her breath caught in her throat half wanting to choke her with a sob if he hadn’t been sincere. Bright Lady, let this be real

“I ain’t him. He didn’t know what he had. Besides after all of this, there ain’t no way in hell you’re getting’ rid o’ me.”

He pulled her down in a bruising kiss. “Mmm… James Howlett, I do love you.”

“Ororo Munroe, I do believe you are the sexiest woman in a Stetson.”

“Let’s go find that Cowboy hat” She crawled over him and dashed into living room.

“ I love ya, ‘Ro” he said in a low tone. “God help me, you’ll be the death of me, but I love ya.”

“Found it,” she appeared in the doorway, nude save for the cowboy hat.

“Who says there ain’t a heaven on Earth?!”