Chapter 4

"I-I might if I knew what that word m-meant." She stuttered. He chuckled at how quickly she was thrown off guard, it was kind of cute…and sexy. Slowly he moved forward again until he was a mere centimeter away, he frowned; she wasn't stopping him. And there he was, practically on top of her, staring into her gazing eyes. His heart was pounding, demanding for more with each beat.

"Darien?" she ventured, unsure. He pushed past her mouth until they were cheek to cheek and he whispered into her ear.

"Don't play games you can't win Serena." He pulled back from her and gave a small smile. "Let's get you home."

Deftly, Darien exited the back of the car and offered his hand to Serena. She took it gently and allowed him to guide her past the seats and out of the car onto the cold cement floor. Holding back a conniving smile, she looked straight into his stormy eyes and said with confidence, "Don't be so sure that I won't be the one who wins."

He just shrugged and smiled as though he was thinking "whatever you say." He began zigzagging through the cars with Serena following close behind as he headed towards the elevator. Silently, he noted with a certain satisfaction that as she walked behind him she was craning her head to look at any angle she could at the cars they passed. Somehow, it pleased him to know that he impressed her, and a small smile graced his lips.

Suddenly she darted out from behind him and ran full speed for the elevator. Startled and confused, he picked up his pace and followed her. His eyes looked for her and not to far ahead from where he stood he realized she had stopped and was now patiently waiting for the elevator. Regaining his casual walk he approached her with a quizzical look on his face.

"Just what, exactly, was that about?" he asked. Serena looked at him in confusion before gesturing at the glowing "up arrow" elevator button.

"I wanted to push the button." He gave her a dubious look.

"You had to sprint over here just to push a button?"

"What? I like pushing elevator buttons. Everybody does. There's something about them that's just fun. It's weird like that."

"yeah," he replied, "I'm learning there's a lot that's weird concerning you." The bell dinged to announce the arrival of the elevator. The doors opened.

"Oh please," she said sarcastically as walked in and hit the G button, "like you didn't like to be the one to push the elevator buttons when you were little."

"Actually I lost most of my childhood memories in the accident that took my parents, so I guess it's possible." In the background the bell dinged and the doors opened in front of them on the ground floor. Serena only replied with a nod and a sympathetic apology.

"When do you want to meet again?" she asked as they stepped out.

"Tomorrow after 4 PM is the only time I am available. I need to do some homework and I have a few work hours, so if you're free after then, then I suppose I can meet you tomorrow. Serena nodded.

"I can swing that. Should I meet you at crown again?" Darien nodded. "Well, I suppose I'll head home then." She muttered. "My mom will want to go shopping for groceries soon and I want to go with her to make sure she gets what I want." Darien laughed as he stepped back onto the elevator.

"I don't think your parents have enough to buy the grocery store Meatball head." Serena scowled in response.

"And here I was thinking about offering to buy you a double chocolate milkshake to thank you for your help today. Well, so much for that idea Mr. Evil." Darien's eyes lighted up and his hand shot out to catch the closing elevator door.

"I thought you said you were going to go home?"

"I also said I was only 'thinking' of offering to buy you a shake. But you were mean so I decided against it." He walked out of the elevator and grabbed her hand and immediately took on an apologetic appearance.

"I am sorry. Please, please, please buy me a shake." Serena looked confused.

"Say what?"

"Putting my life in danger makes me crave chocolate. After riding with you today I would kill for a double chocolate shake right now." Serena sighed and thought for a moment.

"Well," she said, "even though I think you just insulted me again…I suppose I could take you out. I did leave a list of things I wanted with my mom after all." Darien smiled. "Then to Crown Parlor it is."

After a relatively uneventful walk to Crown Parlor, Serena and Darien took their seats at the bar where Andrew was working to make delicious desserts. Seeing his too best friends, he promptly made his way over to ask about their experience.

"Well, I see you are both alive and well." He said with a smile.

"Pretty much Andrew." agreed Serena, "His majesty wants a double chocolate shake, and I want my usual please."

"I'm on it."

With a smile on her face, she turned to look at Darien. "Are you happy now?" she asked.

"Indeed." He answered. Serena glanced over to Andrew, who was making their shakes, and thought back to her evil idea that she had brewed up as she got out of Darien's corvette earlier. She had planned to do it the next day, if she really had the guts to do it at all, but this timing seemed to be so much better. Nervously she licked her lips. 'Just act natural.' She said to herself.

"So what are we going to do tomorrow?" she asked. Darien shrugged.

"Whatever comes to mind I suppose. Is there anything you want to do in particular?" She smiled alluringly at him and in a teasing tone responded, "we could do a little more of what happened in your backseat."

Darien felt his chest tighten involuntarily. "What?" he gasped.

"I said we could do some more of what happened in the backseat" she slid out from her seat and slinked around behind him. Blithely, she slid her arms around his shoulders and put her lips next to his ear. "You would like that, wouldn't you?" she whispered seductively. Darien could only stare at her from the corner of his eyes. He knew this was more of the game, but he didn't care. Her whispers and scents were making his body tingle in a way that was a whole new sensation for him. He let himself slip a little more into the feelings she induced. She noticed that he was deep in thought and it didn't take her long to capture his attention.

"By the way Darien," she continued to whisper as she practically slid around him again and seated herself onto his lap sidesaddle style, "I just want you to know…." She continued as her arms snaked around his shoulders, "That I win." Darien's eyes flew open, and his mouth opened slightly as he prepared to stammer "what?" But before he could even speak, she had pulled him to her and taken his lips into their first kiss.

Complete shock flew through Darien's mind as her lips roved his. White heat flooded his body with waves of passion. His heart raced faster and faster as the nimble tip of her pink tongue gently traced his lower lip over and over in rhythmic ecstasy. The feeling was almost too much to bear from such a simple kiss. Without thinking, his hands wound around her waist and he squeezed her gently as he pulled her nearer. His composure never fully returned during the kiss, but he did regain enough control to know that his body wanted more. Reflexively he put a hand up to hold her head and prepared to gently, but energetically, return her searing kiss to her.

However, she had already begun to pull away from him by the time his state of semi-consciousness had returned. With a smug smile she turned to get her milkshake from Andrew but realized there would be no shake for her or Darien that day seeing as how Andrew appeared to be in a comatose state of astonishment, the shakes in both hands squeezed so hard that their contents had spilled out onto the floor. With a small smile she turned back to Darien, who also appeared to be in a state of shock, and slid the money for his shake into his jacket pocket. "Buy a new one when he…well, when both of you, wake up." She said with a laugh.

Happily, she slid from his lap to the floor, stepped down from the bar and headed for the door. "See you tomorrow guys!" was the last thing she said before walking out into the sunlight.

End Chapter 4