A/N: It's another chapter… I'm not really in the mood for saying much… read the end author's notes for the reason…


Thanks, kudos, love and kisses to my wonderful, awesome, lovely, kind beta and friend Cherry Jade… I love ya girl… love you
very much…


Dedicated to everyone who reviewed and read this story and supported me… you are all the best readers and reviewers a girl can ask for… really…


Disclaimer: Not mine… still… not mine, maybe I'll have more luck this year…?



Chapter Seven:

Not?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Richard lay wide awake in Raven's bed staring at the dark woman lying next to him. Her head rested on his shoulder. Once again he was taken aback by her intriguing beauty and grace. Richard gently brushed a lock of her smooth violet hair off her face only to see her serene and sleeping face.

It was a mistake. Last night – it was a mistake.

He never should have done that. It went too far and now, Raven would be the one to pay for his mistake.

How could he be so stupid, so careless to let that happen?

You love her, that's why his inner voice told him.

He chuckled sadly at his own thoughts. He loved her, that's true. But the only way to show his love for her was to sleep with her and endanger her life. Either that or breaking her heart.

No matter what he decided to do next, it will break her heart. And once again it would be his fault that she would have to endure hurt.

Richard's gaze drifted again to the dark beauty. She was beautiful, intelligent, sarcastic, mysterious – she was a goddess. He loved her - truly and deeply.

"Richard …" he heard her muttering in her sleep.

Richard shook his head once and than again to clear his mind. He had to go. He couldn't stay here. He had to leave. Leave her bed, leave her house, leave her life, leave her.

It had bee a fatal idea to move here at all. He had to leave before she could learn the whole truth, before she would be hurt more.

Richard silently crawled out of the bed. Searching for his discarded clothes he walked through her room. Finally, putting on his boxers, jeans and his shirt, Richard looked at Raven and bend down his head; he placed her kiss on her forehead.

Carefully he patted to the door, hoping and praying that she won't wake up. He had to be gone before the morning comes. He couldn't –

"Richard?"

Don't turn around. Just leave. Don't turn around!

"Richard?" He could feel her confused eyes on his back. No, he couldn't leave her like that. He had to look at her – see her wonderful eyes.

Slowly he turned away from the door only the most wonderful sight ever. There she was: Her hair tousled and sticking in every direction, a blanket was around her body covering her wild and exotic curves. She seemed a bit flushed and her amethyst eyes were sleepy but looked at him confused and questioning.

"Richard?" she said for the third time and her eyes asked every question she couldn't pose openly.

"I-"

Yeah, I what? What do you want to tell her? That you love her but that you are the reason that-

Richard shook his head to get rid of these thoughts.

"I-" he began again. He could tell her the truth – the whole truth. She would understand and then they had a chance to be happy or?

Who was he kidding, she would hate him and she had every right to. The truth would hurt her only more.

There was just one way – one way to end this.

"Raven, I-" but before he could finish his sentence she was standing in front him, the blanket tightly around her petite body.

Her small hands were cupping his face bending his hand down, Raven placed a small, soft kiss on his lips. He stared in her eyes confused but kissed her back nonetheless.

This was not the Raven he had come to learn and love. She was opening up. This sweet, intimate gesture was more a proof for her love than any passionate night could ever be.

Raven loved him. She loved him … and he loved her. It was that simple and yet it wasn't.

What should he do?

Richard's eyes searched hers for an answer but what he found there was breaking his heart. Instead of her usual dull, sallow eyes, they were now filled with affection, warmth, hope and … love?

His arms arched to hold her small frame and he decided to give in to his desires and he pulled her close to his chest. The blanket glided down from her body and she was left in all her naked glory.

Richard felt her soft breasts pressing on his chest, smelling her intoxicating scent; he wished they could stay like that forever. Forever in his arms, there would be no harm to her; there would be no hurt, no pain for her to endure.

He slowly entangled himself from her and looked at her – at her soft, ivory body. She was beautiful, breath-taking beautiful. He had never seen anything more … beautiful and wonderful. He couldn't stop his eyes from rooming all over her exposed body. Finally, his eyes rested on her face to see a pink tint gracing her cheeks.

He smirked and hoped, she wouldn't notice it.

"Ouch…" he softly growled and rubbed his right arm. "What was that for?" he asked bemused.

"For smirking," she simply replied, but he could clearly see the edges of her lips twitching upwards.

"So, every time I'm with you and I smirk, you'll pinch me?" he questioned.

"Yes or when you laugh or chuckle or smile smugly," she informed him.

"Then maybe I should reconsider being with you," he laughed silently.

He watched her expecting a witty comment but all he could see was her eyes wide in confusion and uncertainness.

"Ra-"

"You'll be with … me?" she asked, refusing to believe it. He could clearly see that she was nervous, confused and afraid – afraid of his answer.

"Yes," he said and pulled her again close, intertwining his lips with hers. And as he did this, he knew that he had to find a way to make this work.

He had to tell her the truth soon. But for now he will just be happy and content to have her in his arms and life although it could fall apart soon.

As they broke apart, Richard caressed her cheek lovingly. Holding her close he tried to cherish every moment and feeling.

"And you? Do you want to be with me?" he smiled at her but deep down in his heart he knew that he was as nervous and afraid as Raven was earlier.

She put her index finger on her cheek and bowed her head to the right pretending to think about his question.

"I don't know. I mean, after all you came into my room without asking, you looked through my personal stuff without asking for permission, you saw the photo from me where I had to wear pink and I had to endure a night in club full of drunk and pointless people. I'm not sure if I should, after all the humiliation and agony you put me through."

"Humiliation and agony?" he interrupted her speech. "You sure sound like an actress on a soap opera," he chuckled, but he became silent as soon as he saw her eyes narrowing at him.

"Whatever," she dismissed his remark with a wave of her right hand. "But I think I can try to forgive you." And then her lips curled up in a small, sweet smile.

The breath he was holding was released and once again he bended down to give her a small, chaste kiss.

"You know, I should go before you mother comes back and sees us like this. As much she might like me, I don't think she would like to see me with her daughter in this position," he laughed and shook his head.

Raven bit her lips and looked up at the handsome man.

"Raven, is something wrong?" Richard asked her sensing her uneasiness.

"Last night, it was a mistake," she blurted out.

"A mistake?" he repeated unsure about what she wanted to say. Had she not said that she wanted to be with him? Could it be that maybe she would break his heart.

Raven shook her head wildly. "No, that's not what I meant. I mean, the night it was wonderful but it was too soon. I didn't regret it, but it had been better if we … we had waited. I'm not ready to move that fast," she whispered the last part. What would happen when he didn't think the same?

Richard sighed in relief and smiled broadly. "That's fine with me, Rae," he ducked his head bit waiting for an insult because of the pet-name but as nothing happened he continued. "It's okay; I just want to be with you." He said and ran his hand through her hair.

Raven nodded. He loved her. He really loved her.

"I really should go now." Richard said entangling his hand from her hair.

"Yeah."

He turned to her door. "Richard," Raven said before he went through the door. "We will see each other… tomorrow, right?" She mentally scolded herself. She was sounding like a desperate woman who couldn't live without seeing her boyfriend for a day.

Boyfriend? That sounded … good. Really good, in fact.

Richard turned his head to her and showed her his charming smile. "Of course," he said. "Goodnight Raven." He added before closing the door behind him.

"Night Richard." Raven whispered knowing that he didn't hear her. "I love you!"


Had he really done the right thing? Was it really right to be with her – to love her?

Richard shook his head. He shouldn't think about that. He should be happy to have her.

He would love her and nothing could happen to her. He would protect her.

Richard smiled at his new determination and opened the door entering his house.

"Everything will be fine." he said to the darkness and emptiness in his house.

"Do you really think that, Robin?" a voice haled through the darkness of the house. "Do you really think that you could escape me?"



A/N: So, how did you like it…? Too fluffy wasn't it…? What can I do? I'm a sucker for fluff…

But tell me, was it that bad…?

Review and tell me… I love to read your reviews and they make me happy and smile…


Now to something entirely else…

I'm really sad to say that I'm thinking about leaving this site… yeah…

It's just that, so many RaeRob authors/authoress already left and somehow it as if StarRob fans are running around flaming RaeRob authors/authoresses for their stories and insulting their writing style… which is sad… really sad…

Not to forget that I think that the shipping war is going out off hand… and I'm just tired of seeing everybody I befriend and loved to read their stories leaving or quitting writing on this site…

So, basically, I'm not sure anymore if I should continue… maybe I just need a new motivation… or I'm just too depressed to think clearly… just not sure…


Anyway, I just wanted to ask you to check out the wonderful stories for my challenge… so many awesome authors/authors took part in my challenge and wrote a story, but I had to see that most of them didn't get the attention/reviews they deserved… so, have a look into my Favourite stories list and check them out… read them, review them and love them… they are really, really good and wonderful…


So, until next chapter…

Love…

Alena