Welcome back to my story.
Please Note: So there won't be confusion over what they're talking about, 'Sex on the Beach' is an alcoholic beverage served on the rocks or as a tall shot (vodka, peach schnapps, with orange, pineapple and cranberry juice). You can add bartender to my long resume.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or related entities.
Where Have You Been All My Life?
AU Dick and Kory
Together since college, Kory Ander's heart was broken when she found out her fiance was cheating on her. Kory takes the two weeks that should have been her honeymoon to do some soul searching and rethink her life. Will an encounter with a gorgeous former playboy Dick Grayson change both of their lives?
Chapter 2
He only moved about 15 feet away but I felt a bit of a loss when Dick joined his friends. I looked back at my long abandoned food and pushed the plate away. I considered going up to the bar and buying a drink but decided not to. I don't like to drink alone and the depressive effects of the alcohol probably wouldn't be a great idea at the moment.
I looked at my watch. It was after 7:30 but I really wasn't ready to be alone with my thoughts in my rented cabin. There would be nearly another hour of daylight. I considered taking a walk but again, I'd be alone with my thoughts. Plus to be honest, I wanted to stay near Dick. I rechecked my watch – the date was July 26th. If Karras and I had gone on our honeymoon, I'd be in the French Riviera. It would be 1:30 AM there and Karras and I would probably be... ugh, why does my mind work this way?
I remembered that I had downloaded the Kindle software to my iPhone. Because the display is back lit, I could do some reading so I could stay in the bar longer. I could even download some medical journal articles via Ovid. I'm such a geek sometimes.
Its always important to keep up with one's specialty and mine is gynecology oncology, or GYN-ONC. I decided to go with a journal article and opened it finding yet another discussion of whether or not to test for CA-125 routinely in perimenapausal women. It offered the usually pros and cons - pros: early ovarian cancer detection, cons: cost, false positives. Nothing new there.
There was a loud outburst of laughter from Dick's table. Dick and the three brothers – Barry, Jerry and Terry – had been joined by some guys that must be friends of the bride and Dick, judging by their age and in my quick assessment, behavior. There was an attractive tall and muscular African American man, a cute looking blond with green streaks in his hair and a nice looking red head with a runner's body if I'd ever seen one.
During this time, the bar had been filling up and the noise level was rising. I could no longer make out much of what Dick and his friends were talking about. Not that I was listening... well, yes, I was. There was a guy setting up in the corner with an acoustic guitar with a pick up and amplifier. Eavesdropping was going to be completely out shortly.
As I scanned the room, my eyes met Dick's. He gave me a quick smile and wink and returned to the conversation at his table. Yeah, definitely a nice looking guy. He certainly seems interested...
Why am I torturing myself? I'm sure I'll run into him later this weekend, his cabin can't be far from mine. But if I leave, I'm going to be alone and even if I came down here to St. Leonard to be alone, its not that much fun when you keep thinking about your stupid cheating ex-fiance who started messing up your life years ago.
Maybe five minutes went by when the bartender arrived at my table carrying a peach colored drink in tall shooter glasses in each hand. He set one in front of me and with a dramatic roll of his eyes said, "This is complements of Barry and Jerry".
It hadn't dawned on me what those buffoons were up to until I heard Barry say, "Hey Barkeep, the other one's for my man Dick over here." In that booming voice of his he continued, "come on Dick, go over and have a drink with Kory."
For some reason, Dick complied – okay, maybe he was interested - and I found him standing in front of me which at that moment I was incredibly thrilled about. He raised his glass and I raised mine as well, and in my long since abandoned skills of shot drinking managed to down the peach schnapps, vodka and fruit juice concoction easily in one swallow. My glass even hit the table a couple of milliseconds before Dick's did. Go me!
"I knew you two would end up having 'Sex on the Beach'!"
Laughter filled the room and both Dick and I turned beet red. I was mortified but Dick looked pissed. Really pissed. His eyes darkened markedly right before he spun around with a growl.
"You idiots! How old are you guys? Leave. Her. Alone."
He turned back to me, his eyes still dark. "I'm sorry, Kory. I should have seen that coming. I can't believe them!"
I struggled to gain composure. Being in my cabin even if it meant I would be alone with my thoughts sounded like a great idea somehow right now.
"I, uh, better get going," I said as I gathered my purse, phone and keys and what was left of my dignity. I looked at him and did my best to smile, "Dick, one of the first things you mentioned to me was how 'crude' as you put it those two were."
"Yeah, but..." His face softened slowly and then he gave me a dashing, broad smile, "You remembered exactly what I said to you!"
"I hung on your every word," I replied in a flirting, almost purring tone I hadn't heard come out of my mouth for years.
Dick chuckled and looked at me as though... was he going to kiss me?
"I better settle up with the bartender," I blurted out. Sure I wanted to kiss him, whether that was a good idea or not I'm sure I'll figure out at some point, but in front of the little bachelor celebration? I don't think so.
He chuckled again and shook his head, still smiling. I turned toward the bar and felt his hand on the small of my back. Guess I was getting an escort to the bar.
As we passed Dick's table, before anyone could say anything, he said in that incredibly sexy authoritative voice, "I don't want to hear another word," and then his voice turned almost threatening, "Barry, Jerry – when I get back, you're going down!"
Dick had his wallet out when we got to the bar and was ready to pay before I could wrestle mine out of my purse. He looked over the bar bill and chuckled, "$9.45 for an ice tea and tomato stuffed with chicken salad. My aren't we a cheap date?" He handed the bartender $15.00 and waved off getting the change.
His hand found my back again as he ushered me out the door. I couldn't miss a cat calls and a wolf whistles, most likely from Barry and Jerry. I heard a slight growl in Dick's throat. Guess those guys had a death wish.
Even in the setting sun, Dick popped on sunglasses. What a shame, I was really looking forward to seeing his eyes in the sunlight.
"Is your car here?" he asked once the door had closed behind us.
"No, I walked over from the cabins."
I felt a small stroke of the thumb of the hand on my back. Well, that was nice. I wondered if he was going to drive or walk me back. My heart rate quickened.
"Let's get you back then. We'll have to walk, I left my car there too because I knew we'd be drinking."
I wondered briefly if he had a problem with drinking – why would I think that? Well, Dad, and to be honest, Karras...
"I rarely drink more than a couple of glasses of wine or a beer or two," he said casually but as though he had read my thoughts, "but dealing with those two all weekend I think I may need a bit of additional lubrication."
It was at that point that I realized the 'Sex on the Beach' was affecting me. In my defense, it was served as a 3 ounce shot. I rarely drank anymore, and after barely eating or sleeping the last five days, the drink was quickly affecting me enough to enter me into the running for the 'lightweight of the year" poster child. My left ankle turned out and I faltered slightly, falling into Dick muscular shoulder. Bummer.
"Whoa, uh, sorry," I said sheepishly and giggled. The 3 ounces were primarily vodka and peach schnapps.
He chuckled again. God I loved that chuckle. "I'm not going to have to carry you am I?"
Well if I can plan it correctly, maybe...
"Nah. Guess the 'Sex on the Beach' was..." I searched for the right word – no not wonderful, no not hard, strong?, yeah but, "potent." Whatever it was, it was affecting my brain.
I know I heard it but I have no idea if I imagined it or if Dick actually said it: "The 'Sex on the Beach' wasn't as good as its going to be."
My head snapped up at him, "huh?"
He gave me an inquisitive look, "What?"
It was all I could do at that point to only look and smile at him. I seriously wanted to kiss him. You know, as a start.
"Come on Kory," Dick said. His arm was now around me, holding me at my waist, his thumb continuing its absent caresses as we resumed walking.
We arrived at the cabins. The path continued with the odd numbered cabins on the left and the evens on the right. They were set back in a somewhat staggered manner within multiple evergreen trees, and there was probably at least 45 feet of space between the cabins.
Now my heart was really pounding and it wasn't the walk.
"There's Terry and my humble abode," Dick remarked as we walked by #17. Noting the new looking Mercedes and the Honda pulled next to it, I figured the professor must have the Honda. So Dick has a Mercedes, nothing wrong with that.
In less than 100 feet we arrived at my cabin, #21, my silver 7 year old Lexus LX parked to the side of it.
I heard that chuckle again, dear Lord, what have I gotten myself into? "Looks like someone got the deluxe cabin."
I had gotten the 'deluxe' cabin, because it was the only cabin available at the last minute and I didn't care it cost over twice the normal rate. It came complete with a full kitchen rather than a kitchenette, fireplaces in the bedroom and the living area, a king size bed instead of two twins, and a large spa bath rather than just a shower in the bathroom.
My ankle turned out again when Dick ushered me to the left toward the steps to my cabin.
"Oops," Dick said with that darling chuckle as his left hand skimmed across my belly and met his right hand at my waist to steady me. "Are you okay?"
Well other than a very pleasant sensation when you just touched me like that...
"I am now," I managed feeling ridiculous for having this response to that one drink.
Dick was chuckling again and raised his eyes to the heavens, "What am I going to do with you?"
About fifteen highly suggestive responses sprang to mind but fortunately I was able to leave those things unsaid, at least for the time being.
Dick cocked an eyebrow at me and I realized we were at the front door to the cabin. Fortunately I produced the keys with an assemblance of grace. My hands did shake a bit as I tried to put the key in the lock, and, much to my delight, I found Dick's hand over mine, assisting me in turning the tumbler to the right.
The door opened easily and I found the light switch. I'm sure deep down somewhere I should have been panicking and concerned for my safety, but if I were to tease out my feelings at the moment, I am not sure that it was there.
Dick guided me around so I was standing in front of him. He looked at me with an intensity that again had me blushing which must have been a sight to go with the flush I was experiencing from that stupid drink. He reached out and gently tucked part of my long bangs behind my left ear and it was then I realized he was maybe one inch or so taller than me. I know I mentioned it before, I am attracted to men about my height of 5'9", plus it is really very nice to kiss someone standing up who is about your height.
But here is where there is a slight detour in this, well at least hopefully, love story. I guess it hadn't occurred to me that I wouldn't be getting kissed. I had jumped ahead to the part of figuring out how not to let things get too much out of hand. So when I received a kiss on the cheek, I let out a bit of a whimper. Not my most sophisticated moment.
"Kory," Dick said softly and then added with in a serious tone, his eyes darkening but in a way completely unlike when he was so angry with Barry and Jerry, "as much as I would love to kiss you right now, if I do, I'm not going to want to stop anytime soon."
"You're right." There was no hiding the disappointment in my voice, but then again, what he had actually said, 'I'm not going to want to stop anytime soon' was very nice to hear. I added for levity, "I can't imagine the trouble Barry and Jerry have gotten into by now."
"Yeah, I better go – I have to kick their butts anyway for how they treated you."
I am a somewhat independent woman most of the time but that display of chivalry and/or bravado, was fine with me.
I realized he was actually going to leave, "I'm so glad we met," I said, returning to that purring tone I could only hope would affect him, "Good night, Dick and try to have fun tonight."
He touched my cheek, "Fun? I am really regretting this whole idea. Of course if I hadn't done it, then I wouldn't have met you. Good night, Kory and I'll see you in the morning."
And then he was gone.
TtTtTtTtTt
Ovid is a website where you can subscribe and download medical and technical journal articles.
Hope you enjoyed it – this is a pretty grown up story. Its T for now, I think it will stay that way but just a reminder Kory and Dick are adults in this story, roughly 30 and 35 in age.
Please review! New Chapters up Soon!
