TITLE: Matchmaker
AUTHOR: LOTSlover
CHARACTERS: Batman / Wonder Woman
RATING: T
WARNINGS: Author Chooses Not to Use Warnings
DISCLAIMER: I love Justice League, but especially Batman and Wonder Woman. Unfortunately, I do not own the characters and, if I did, things would be much different for them.
SUMMARY: Clark, Bruce, and Diana go on an undercover mission on Valentine's Day, but will it go as everyone expects it? BMWW
A/N: I was too excited about how this turned out to wait until tomorrow to post. Besides, it's Valentine's Day somewhere in the world right now...right? ENJOY! :)
Matchmaker
"I still can't believe that I let you talk me into this," Bruce hissed low and dangerous, the expression on his face mirroring the dark tone of his voice.
"I didn't talk you into anything," Clark maintained with an even manner despite the smirk playing on his lips…one that Bruce couldn't see. "You only agreed because Diana agreed."
"Whatever," Bruce grumbled as he adjusted his bowtie. "It was nothing but collusion. You two ganged up on me."
"Now, don't sulk," Clark chided him like a petulant child. "You know if you keep scowling like that your face is going to stick that way."
"Thanks, Ma Kent," Bruce snapped. "Where's Diana? She should be here by now."
"She was away on a mission in Kasnia. She's on her way now," he reassured him. "Why? Are you worried about her?"
"Of course not," he claimed as he smoothed out his tux jacket. "The woman can lift a tank over her head with one hand. I know she can take care of herself."
"But you still worry about her," Clark pressed. "It's okay, Bruce. We all do."
Bruce pursed his lips into a frown. "I'm not worried," he stated as he checked his cell phone again, finding no messages from her.
"Come on…where's the playboy?" he asked his friend. "Your date will be here any minute."
"It's not a real date," Bruce ground out through clenched teeth as he adjusted his cufflinks for the hundredth time. "We're undercover—nothing more. Besides, if too much of the playboy comes out, Diana will deck me and send me flying through a wall. I can't afford to be in a body cast for the next six months."
Clark grinned from his position on a nearby rooftop, watching as Bruce nervously adjusted his bowtie again. "If it's not a date then why do you keep adjusting your bowtie and cufflinks?" he asked. "Anyways, it's Valentine's day. This should be as natural to you as breathing. You're spending it with the most beautiful woman on the planet. You should be excited."
"I'll be sure to tell Lois you think Diana is the most beautiful woman," Bruce shot back with a derisive smirk.
"I love Diana like a sister," Clark maintained, his grin broadening with the way Bruce visibly bristled with his words, his scowl deepening.
He knew how jealous and protective Bruce was of Diana though he was loathe to admit it. Besides, he loved to get under his friend's skin whenever he got the chance. Bruce dished it out on a regular basis. It was sweet revenge for Clark to be able to give it back sometimes. Not to mention, he had to do something to try to get Bruce to admit that he was in love with the Amazon beauty.
"Yah, a step-sister," Bruce muttered with a definite sharp edge.
"That's disgusting," Clark decided with a frown.
"You can't tell me that you wouldn't consider be going after Diana after Lois passes away."
Clark's throat instantly tightened with the thought of losing Lois, but decided to use the comment to his advantage. "Maybe I should," he replied. "It's not like you're going to do anything about her. I should step in and show her what love really is."
That got a definite desired affect as Bruce's nervous apprehension turned into jealous anger, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. A terrifying glare was leveled in Clark's general direction, one that would've immediately reduced him to ashes had he been able to. Unfortunately, Diana's arrival kept him from vocalizing what he thought at that moment.
"I'm so sorry I'm late," Diana apologized as she approached, smoothing out her dress. "I was in Kasnia helping Queen Audrey and I didn't get back to the Watchtower until just a little bit ago."
Bruce turned around to face her, rendered completely speechless by what he saw. She looked stunning in a royal blue off the shoulder gown that was a definite nod to her royal upbringing, the slit in the skirt revealing a generous expanse of long, toned leg. Her raven hair was pulled up into an intricate updo that had Bruce itching to bury his fingers in only to take his time releasing every single curl from its confinement.
"What?" she asked with a frown as she glanced down at her dress, gracing him with a concerned expression on her face. "Do I not look appropriate for tonight's event?"
"Yes," Bruce confessed, swallowing hard. His throat was as dry as arid sand, his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. "You look fine."
Diana's lips curved into a dazzling smile that seemed to light up the night. "Thank you," she replied, knowing by the look in his eyes that he found her more than just fine. "You look very handsome yourself, Mister Wayne."
Clark was grinning from ear to ear as Bruce offered Diana his arm to escort her inside the building. "Diana, you look positively gorgeous. No one is going to be able to keep their eyes off you tonight."
"Thanks, Kal," she softly said, feeling Bruce grow tense next to her. "Is our target here yet?"
"Not yet," Clark revealed. "His name is Eric Korsakov and he's very dangerous. You two need to be on guard at all times."
"We already know," Bruce commented. "You sent us all the information on him, remember?"
"Then you know that the deal is supposed to go down tonight sometime during the party," he patiently reminded them. "I just discovered his buyer is Luca Balzano. I didn't have time to send you a picture of him, but I'm sure you two will be able to figure it out."
"If this mission goes south, I'm never letting you organize another one," Bruce threatened him, plastering a playboy smile on his face as they approached the front doors and trying his best to ignore Diana's jasmine scent that was making his stomach do flips.
"I'm sure everything will be fine," Diana reassured them both. "Just relax and enjoy the evening. It's Valentine's after all."
"Good luck you two," Clark told them.
Clark smiled to himself. His plan was going perfectly so far.
"Mister Wayne," the host greeted him with a broad smile. "So happy that you could attend tonight's charity event. I see that you once again have a very beautiful woman on your arm."
"This is Diana Prince," he introduced.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," the host replied, shaking her hand. "I hope you enjoy yourselves tonight."
Bruce led Diana into the ballroom already buzzing with music and activity. "Could let up the grip on my arm please?" he whispered.
"I don't know, Bruce," Diana sweetly said, a smile on her face despite the icy look in her sapphire blue eyes. "Am I going to have to listen to everyone talk about your girlfriends tonight?"
"Jealous, princess?" Bruce murmured as he reached for two glasses of champagne.
"Not at all," she coolly responded as she took the offered glass from him. "Just don't take it personally if I decide to go home tonight with someone other than you."
Bruce growled low in his throat with her comeback, the sound of Clark's snickering filling his ear and adding to his growing irritation. Bringing his champagne glass to his lips, he murmured, "keep it up and you're going to find a shiny green rock in the most inappropriate place."
"You wouldn't," Clark said, his voice colored with disbelief.
"Try me, farm boy," Bruce threatened him, his intense blue eyes scrutinizing the entire scene before him as he searched for any signs of Eric Korsakov or Luca Balzano.
"Behave you two," Diana whispered. "Bruce, don't make me take you outside and discipline you."
"Save it for my bedroom later tonight, princess," he flirted, Clark's sharp gasp plainly heard.
Bruce was sure he could feel the heat of Clark's red face even from inside the ballroom. The aw-shucks farm boy better not be trying to play matchmaker with this mission of his or he was going to be pulling pieces of Kryptonite out of his…
"Only in your dreams, playboy," Diana murmured under her breath as she moved away from him, keeping her attention on the guests that were mingling and dancing.
"Whoa, she burned you," Clark uttered with a chuckle.
"Shut it," Bruce growled under his breath, watching as Diana made her way towards a couple to engage them in conversation and completely ignoring him.
He immediately felt the loss of her presence next to him, but he shoved that sense of emptiness aside to focus on the mission at hand. He was here to help keep a Russian arms dealer from making a deal with an Italian terrorist, not on a date with the very woman who visited him in his dreams almost every night. His heart wished for more, but his brain kept telling him to leave her in his dreams.
"Bruce!"
The Gotham playboy turned at the familiar voice, internally wincing as Valerie ran towards him with a glass of wine in her hand. He wondered just how many glasses that she'd had so far tonight. Judging by the rosy glow on her face and the slight stumble in her step the answer was quite obvious.
"Val!" he exclaimed in mock excitement. "Should have known you were going to be here."
"I never miss a great party especially when I know handsome bachelors are going to be here," she gushed, her hand coming to rest against his chest. "We really should give it another try, Bruce. I know we didn't work out last year, but we should try again. I've missed you."
Bruce's arms automatically wrapped around her as she unexpectedly fell into him, doing his best to keep her upright. She grinned wickedly up at him, abruptly pressing her lips to his. After several seconds of stunned surprise, he pulled away to find Diana glaring menacingly at him, murder dancing in her blue eyes. He just wasn't certain who she wanted to strangle more—him or Valerie. Right now, it appeared to be whichever one she got her hands on first.
"Excuse me," Diana pleasantly said, her hand coming to rest on Valerie's shoulder. "Would you mind removing your lips from my boyfriend?"
Valerie giggled, her hand moving to cover her mouth in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, unable to stop her fits of giggles. "Are you Bruce's girlfriend this week? Trust me, honey. Once he beds you, he'll be on to the next woman, but boy is it worth the ride…like literally. Once you've had Bruce, there is no one that can compare."
"Thank you for the advice," Diana icily stated, glancing at Bruce who was giving her an apologetic look as he tugged uncomfortably at the collar of his shirt. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
"See you later, Bruce," Valerie muttered. "Call me next time you're single."
Bruce watched in dread as Valerie sauntered on to the next man that caught her eye, leaving him alone with an infuriated Amazon. "Diana, it wasn't true," he tried to tell her. "She's obviously drunk and doesn't even know what she's talking about."
"Whatever," Diana murmured with a sigh, sadness permeating her eyes as she turned away from him.
She was beginning to reconsider the wisdom of being on this mission with Bruce, knowing what she felt for him and how he wouldn't let himself feel anything for her past friendship and teammate. It was going to be a very long night, one that was certainly going to test her patience to its very limits.
"Smooth, Bruce…real smooth," Clark whispered in his ear. "You really know how to show a girl a good time, don't you?"
"Don't you have a tall building to leap over," Bruce hissed, following Diana.
He caught her by her hand, feeling an overwhelming need to make her understand. She needed to know that nothing ever happened between him and Valerie…that none of the women that he went out meant anything to him. He only dated them to keep his playboy image alive.
"Diana, please wait," he pleaded with her. "I never slept with her."
Diana stopped to look down at his hand clutching hers, her ire still thrumming intensely through her veins. She knew she had no right to be upset. Bruce didn't belong to her, didn't want to be with her. He had every right to go out with whoever he wanted to, sleep with whatever girl caught his eye. She had no say in his life no matter what she felt for him.
She was so tired of this same song and dance, the constant pushing and pulling. She couldn't do this any longer. It hurt far too much. "I'm not yours and you are not mine, Bruce," she softly replied, sadness permeating her words. "You can be with whoever you want to be with."
"…and it's not me."
The unspoken words hung thickly in the air between them, creating a chasm filled with three years of hurts and regrets and missed opportunities that glared accusingly back at him. How could he have been so stupid…so foolish…so cowardly?
It was impossible not to notice the hurt that swam in her eyes, the hopeless expression on her face or the way her shoulders slumped slightly in defeat. She was giving up on him. She was going to let him go and move on, walling off her heart to him and the thought suddenly terrified him.
He released a frustrated sigh, his mind racing. He tightened his hold on her hand, keeping her from walking away from him. "Diana," he said, his voice laced with the sense of urgency he felt pulsating through him. "Dance with me…please."
At that moment, a handsome, dark haired man approached them, taking them both by surprise. "Is this man bothering you, miss?"
It was Eric Korsakov.
"Excuse me?" she asked.
"It appears this man is upsetting you," Eric continued, taking her free hand in his. "You are far too beautiful to be treated in such a way by a man. Please, dance with me and I will show you how a lady should be treated."
"The target has arrived," Clark said in their ears.
Bruce's scowl deepened with Clark's ridiculous comment that too little too late, his azure eyes darkening with jealousy. "I believe the lady is with me," Bruce icily stated, tightening his hold on Diana's hand.
"I believe she would rather spend time with a real man, one that does not hurt her like you obviously have," Eric pressed.
Diana gave Bruce a look that said "back off" as she pulled her hand free from his. "I'd love to dance, Mister?"
"Eric Korsakov," he introduced himself. "And it would be my supreme pleasure to spend time with a beautiful woman such as you tonight."
Bruce clenched his teeth, his playboy façade long forgotten as he watched Korsakov walk away with his date for the night. Not only did Diana willingly go with him, but she seemed to be pleased with his rescue and overt attention. He silently cursed at himself for first agreeing to this whole mission and secondly, for being such a coward when it came to his feelings for the Amazon princess.
"Bruce, relax," Clark told him. "Your teeth are going to crack if you grind them any harder."
"I'm fine," he whispered as he reached for another glass of champagne.
"No, you're not," Clark countered. "I bet your dentist loves you. You probably have to get your teeth recapped every six months with the way you grind them down to nothing."
"Where's Luca Balzano?" Bruce softly demanded as he kept his glass to his lips. "I want this over with…now."
"He should be here any minute," Clark replied. "Just keep a close eye on Diana. Korsakov comes across suave and charming, but he's very dangerous...like your level of dangerous. I don't want her around him more than she has to be."
"Don't worry," Bruce ground out. "I've got both eyes on her."
Clark smirked as he watched from his lookout post on the roof. Things were going better than he'd anticipated. With any luck, he'd have Bruce and Diana kissing all the way to Bruce's waiting limo tonight. Hopefully, it would be the beginning of something that should've begun well over a year ago or more if Bruce wasn't such a stubborn fool when it came to matters of the heart.
Bruce watched as Diana danced with Korsakov, clearly enjoying herself. The man whispered something in her ear, causing her to smile and laugh. The way her face lit up with amusement made his heart stutter in his chest. When she smiled, it was as if the whole room had suddenly gotten brighter.
He tightened his grip on his glass of champagne, growing more furious by the second as Korsakov pulled Diana in closer to him. He was clearly enraptured by her and, despite the fact the man was a dangerous criminal, she was obviously enjoying herself.
"You hold that glass much tighter you're going to be picking pieces of glass out of your hand," Clark reminded him.
"You're supposed to be watching Korsakov and Balzano, not me," Bruce snapped. "I need some fresh air. Keep an eye on Diana."
What he needed was to get out here, but he knew that he couldn't do that. The transaction was going to take place soon and they couldn't miss the opportunity to nab the two criminals in the act of an illegal deal. At the same time, spending time with Diana like this tonight was driving him to distraction.
She looked radiant in every sense of the word, completely stirring up feelings in him that he'd been trying so hard to ignore and keep buried. Unfortunately, they refused to be dismissed, growing stronger and more overwhelming by the minute.
He hated how she always managed to have such an overpowering affect on him. She was his Kryptonite…his Achille's Heel and there was nothing that he could do about it. He'd tried so hard to counteract how she made him feel or how his body responded to her every time he saw her, but none of his previous training could ever have prepared him for her.
Making his way out onto the balcony, Bruce stepped out into the fresh, cool night air. He leaned his forearms on the wrought iron railing, closing his eyes and drawing a deep breath. He needed to regain some measure of control if he was going to survive this night with his heart and his sanity still intact.
"You're a fool, you know."
The sound of Clark's voice didn't even faze him as he slowly opened his eyes. "I know," he softly admitted.
"You could so easily have her in your life…have everything that you've ever dreamed about with an amazing woman," Clark told him on a private line between just the two of them, hoping that his words would get through to him this time. "You need to stop thinking and start acting."
"And possibly get her killed?" Bruce countered with a sneer. "I can't let that happen."
"And you really think that by not getting involved with her you can keep her from dying someday?" Clark pressed on. "She runs the risk of dying every single day that she goes out on a mission, Bruce. One of these days, she could go out and never come back to us whether you're with her or not. Are you willing to go through life without ever knowing her love for you just because you're scared?"
"You don't understand…how hard this is for me," Bruce tried again, his argument sounding weak even to him.
"You really are an idiot."
Bruce smiled softly…sadly. "I know."
Shots suddenly rang out, capturing both superheroes attention. "Bruce go!" Clark yelled.
Clark didn't have to tell him. Bruce was already racing back into the ballroom, thoughts of finding Diana dead instead nearly buckling his knees. Guests were running in every direction, screaming in panic as guns continued to fire.
"You were supposed to be watching her," Bruce hissed in absolute fury as fear clawed at his throat.
He knew Diana was strong and could handle the situation, but all this talk about her dying had caused his fear to skyrocket. What if this was the one time that someone got to her before he could stop it? What if this was the night that her gods had deemed it to be her last, taking her away from him forever?
"Where is she?" Bruce yelled, more at himself than at Clark.
"I don't see her," Clark responded with the same sense of panic. "I'm on my way."
There was too much chaos to get a good visual. Smoke filled the room from lit candles being knocked over, fire beginning to spread as people ran for cover. Shots continued to ring out, but it didn't deter Bruce in the least from trying to get to Diana. He had to find her before he lost her.
"Diana!" he cried, his heart pounding against his chest wall.
He removed his handkerchief from his tux pocket, covering his mouth to keep from inhaling the smoke. His eyes began to burn as he leaned over to help an elderly couple find their way towards the exit. He couldn't quite make out where the shooting was coming from, but he knew who was behind it and he was going to damn-well make sure that he paid.
Hearing a familiar cry of rage, Bruce felt his heart leap into his throat, relieved to know that she was alive. Superman arrived at that moment, using his breath to put out the fires and remove the smoke from the room. That's when Bruce spotted Diana across the expansive ballroom. She was holding Korsakov up by the scruff of his neck in one hand and his bent gun in the other.
Her blue dress was torn and singed from the fire, black smudges from the smoke marred her face as well as her clothes. Her sapphire eyes were blazing with fury, but she appeared to be uninjured as far as he could tell.
A shot rang out from the other side of the room, directed right at Diana. She lifted her arm to block the shot, but she wasn't wearing her bracers tonight since she was undercover. The bullet tore through her right arm, but she was completely unfazed by it.
Tossing Korsakov aside, she flew straight at Balzano with teeth clenched, slamming her fist into his face and dropping him like a wet bag of sand. "Did you leave anything for the rest of us?" Clark asked.
Diana smiled, ignoring the blood that was running down her hand from the bullet wound. "I think this has to be the best Valentine's Day I've ever had since coming to Man's World," she told him. "Thank you, Kal."
"Diana, are you all right?" Bruce breathlessly asked as he approached, still in playboy mode for the handful of people who were still lingering in the room.
"Yes, I'm fine," she reassured him, not meeting his worried gaze for long. Hurt still lingered in her heart over what could have been but never would be.
"You should get back to the Watchtower and have that arm fixed up," Clark told her.
"I'll take care of her," Bruce softly informed him as police and rescue crew escorted the rest of the people out, leaving Bruce, Diana, and Clark all alone in the ballroom.
"I'll be fine…really," she insisted.
"No, you're coming home with me, Diana," Bruce stated in full Bat mode. "I won't take no for an answer."
"You better go with him, Diana, or he'll be harassing you all night long until you agree," Clark encouraged her. "I'll take care of everything here."
"Fine," Diana relented, still uncertain if she really wanted to be around Bruce any longer tonight.
Taking her hand in his, Bruce led her out of the room and to his waiting limo parked away from the chaos that had now moved into the parking lot. They made a surreptitious escape from any onlookers who might have seen Diana in action or noticed Bruce Wayne leaving with her.
Settling into the back of the limo, Bruce immediately removed a first aid kit from a hidden compartment, opening it up to attend to Diana's wound as Alfred sped home towards Wayne Manor. He kept his head down as he gently began cleaning away the blood from her arm and hand, finding it more than difficult to make eye contact with her.
There were so many things that he wanted to say to her, things that he'd kept bottled up inside of him like a ship that could never escape its glass imprisonment. All he knew was that he was going to have to find a way because he couldn't go through another night…another mission like this again without her knowing how he felt about her...how he loved her.
His eyes had been opened to the fact that he couldn't live without her. He couldn't keep denying what consumed his heart. Fighting it was only making him absolutely miserable. Embracing it and letting her in was the only option he had left.
Diana watched him as he gently wrapped gauze around the bullet hole. Luckily, the bullet went straight through instead of becoming imbedded in her arm. In a couple of days, no one would know that she'd been shot or that she'd even been on a mission tonight. Unfortunately, she couldn't say the same thing about her dress.
"I think this dress has seen better days," she lightly said, trying her best to ease the suffocating blanket of tension that permeated the back of the limo.
"I'll buy you a new one," he replied without looking up.
"You don't have to, Bruce," she responded. "Designers are always trying to send me dresses to wear."
"But I love this one," he confessed. "The color seems to make your eyes even bluer if that's possible."
She was stunned by his admission, her breath catching in her throat as he finally lifted his head to meet her gaze. She didn't know what to say in response, her mind spinning with so many questions that she had no answers for.
Was he just pulling her in only to push her away tomorrow? She couldn't handle that. She withdrew her arm from him, the instinct to protect herself from anymore hurt instantly taking over. She bit at her bottom lip, feeling incredibly shy for reasons she couldn't begin to fathom. She was an Amazon for Hera's sake and yet this man could reduce her to this.
Bruce could see that she was pulling away from him both physically and emotionally. He knew that he had no one to blame but himself for it. How many times had he hurt her? How many times had he given her the cold shoulder or drew her in one moment only to aloofly shove her away the next, all the while expecting her to understand and accept it?
"Princess…I'm sorry," he found himself saying. It wasn't something that he said often if ever and he was fairly certain that he'd never said to her before. If anyone deserved to hear it, it was most definitely her.
Diana looked at him, stunned for the second time that night. "For what?" she asked, confused.
"I know that I hurt you tonight…that I've hurt you many times over the last three years with my behavior," he began to explain, pausing to draw a deep breath. "I would get close to you only to distance myself from you later, expecting you to understand and play the game without giving you the rule book."
She reached over and placed her hand on top of his. He immediately laced his fingers with hers, holding on to her for dear life. "Bruce, it's all right," she gently replied. "I understand that this is difficult for you."
"It's so much more than that, princess," he said with a frown. "I'm afraid of you."
Diana's free hand came to rest against his cheek, her eyes shining brightly. "Bruce, I would never hurt you."
He shook his head, feeling frustrated with himself for having such a difficult time getting out what he wanted to say. "No…I know that," he told her. "You would never intentionally hurt me and that's not what scares me. What scares me is how vulnerable you make me feel. You make me feel things that I shouldn't feel for a teammmate. I feel so defenseless against you.
"I have always been in absolute control of myself—my heart, my mind, my body. I've trained for years to be able to completely master every single aspect of my life, but then you waltzed into my world and just completely obliterated all of it. I…I don't know how to handle that. I don't have a way to counter you and the emotions I feel because of you."
"What do you feel, Bruce?" she asked, hope springing in her chest as she held her breath for an answer.
"Love," he simply said, gazing deeply into her eyes. "You make me feel happy. You make me want to smile, to hope and dream and to have faith. You make me want to trust and take a chance on love again because that's what I feel for you and I know that I shouldn't."
Diana's lips curled with his confession, her heart racing with the knowledge that he loved her. Bruce Wayne…the Batman…loved her. "I love you too, Bruce," she replied.
"Well, it's about damn time."
"Clark!" Bruce growled darkly, stunned more by the sound of the Kryptonian's voice than the fact that he had just cursed. "Have you been listening in on us this whole time?"
"Uh…yah. I mean no…I mean not exactly. Ok, so maybe just a little bit," Clark stuttered. "It's a little difficult when you two keep your commlinks connected to mine."
Diana couldn't contain her laughter, her hand moving to cover her mouth in an effort to stifle her amusement. "Kal, you do not want to see Bruce's face right now," she warned him. "You might want to go into hiding for a while. Maybe sleep at the Fortress for a few nights."
"Come on, Bruce. Don't disconnect now," Clark heatedly pleaded. "You haven't even kissed her yet. We've come this far together tonight. I should be able to—"
"We'll discuss this later. Good night, Kent," Bruce ground out, disconnecting the link.
"Diana, please…" Clark whined.
"Bye, Kal," she sweetly responded, hitting her commlink as well. "Now, where were we?"
"Well, now that we got rid of him, I believe I was going to do this," he told her as he leaned in close, all the reasons why he shouldn't evaporating away into nothingness.
He did what he'd been aching to do all evening long, his finger slipping up into her hair as his lips softly caressed hers. Tilting his head, he gradually increased the pressure, his lips urging her into parting for him. She readily obeyed, his tongue finding hers and earning a throaty moan.
Her fingers caressed his jaw as they kissed, sliding up into his hair. She felt as though her heart was about to burst with all these amazing feelings assaulted her at once. Before she realized what she was doing, she shifted her position, moving to straddle his lap.
Bruce settled back against the seat, his hands settling on her hips as she took control. Passion began to flare between them as all the pent-up attraction and desire and lust roared to the surface, threatening to overtake them both. He knew that he needed to slow things down or they'd never make it back to the manor.
Retreating, he rested his forehead against hers, both struggling to regain control of their breathing and the need that was pounding through them. "Wow," he whispered, still breathless. "Never been kissed quite like that before."
Diana grinned at him as she pulled back to look at him. "Bruce, you've kissed hundreds of women over the years," she pointed out, though the words burned like acid on her tongue.
His hand moved to cup her jaw, his eyes mirroring what he felt in his heart. "Yes, but none of them were you."
She leaned in and kissed him again, more than anxious to continue this in the privacy of his bedroom but fearing that it wouldn't happen anytime soon. "Do you have to go out on patrol tonight?" she tentatively asked, biting at her bottom lip and praying that she didn't come across as being too forward, but she had waited for three years for this with him.
It was his turn to grin as he used his thumb to erase a smoky smudge from her cheek. "Why, princess, are you propositioning me?" he coyly questioned her in his best innocent voice which was incongruous with the dark, lustful storm brewing in his piercing blue eyes.
"It depends on how you answer my question, Mister Wayne," she seductively purred as she nipped playfully at his bottom lip, pausing to suck on it as he tightened his grip on her hips.
"I already got Dick to cover patrol for me tonight with Tim and Barbara," he informed her with a smirk. "I'm all yours tonight…if you want me."
"There is no question of want, Bruce," she told him, her hand settling on the back of his neck. "I've always wanted you. It's a matter of do you want me…do you want this with me because I won't be pushed away tomorrow."
"I want this more than you can begin to imagine," he reassured her. "It just took a certain matchmaker to get me to see it."
Her lips spread into a bright smile, her eyes sparkling like sapphire diamonds. "I'll have to thank him."
"Not tonight," he firmly stated. "Tonight, you're all mine…and all day tomorrow too."
Diana couldn't have agreed more as she captured his lips in another kiss. Their matchmaker could wait, but they could not. "Happy Valentine's Day, Bruce."
"It is now," he murmured as he pulled her in for a heated kiss, readily deciding this was the best Valentine's day he'd ever had in his entire life.
THE END