Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Sorry that I sort of skimmed over the horseback riding scene, but I'm just not knowledgeable enough to pull it off. Plus, I liked where that chapter ended anyway…

Duty Calls, Chapter 7, Black Velvet, by Alannah Myles

"Black velvet in that little boy's smile…Black velvet if you please..."

Diana's turn now…

My tour of the grounds of Wayne Manor by horseback was an amazing experience, allowing me deeper insight into Bruce and letting me see the world that he so often took for granted. I realized that an afternoon off for Bruce was an atypical experience – it wasn't often he got out in the sunshine, being either at work in the offices of Wayne Enterprises during the day or working exclusively at night as the Batman. Even his time with the Justice League during the day, or night, took him away from the beauty that was his home. It was nice to see Bruce relax as we rode around, admiring the sights, sounds, and smell that came from the outdoors. The day was crisp and lovely, with a slight breeze whipping through the trees and the sun shining brightly overhead.

He took me to see the small lake on the Manor grounds, the copse of trees that dotted the landscape, including where his tree-house had once stood, and detailing the other happy memories that he was reminded of during our time together. I had never had a tree-house myself, so Bruce had to explain the concept, but I could understand wanting a place of one's own in the out of doors. I had spent the majority of my childhood outside, training, riding, admiring the grace and splendor that was Themyscira. It had been a difficult transition, moving into the Watchtower, being unable to step outside and more or less confined. Of course, I had the benefit of being able to see the stars outside my window any time I choose, but I often found myself missing the tangy, salty smell of the ocean, the feel of the sand between my toes, and basking in the shade of a tree while catnapping. These were not things that the Watchtower lent itself to easily, if at all.

Bruce had challenged me to a race over one of the open areas of the grounds and we sprinted neck-for-nothing over the grass before realizing that we were evenly matched in this particular arena and calling it a draw. Of course, I continued to tease Bruce that I had won by a step, a fact which he refused to acknowledge and we continued our dispute while covering the grounds at a more leisurely pace.

As the minutes wore on, my stomach began to announce that food was fast becoming a priority and the romance of riding horses over the grounds began to fade as my stomach took over. I looked at Bruce with slight regret before deciding to make the demands of my appetite known. He looked at me in complete understanding just as my belly began loudly rumbling its demands. I blushed and swiftly moved a hand to my stomach, hoping to cover the sounds, or at least mute the extent of them. Bruce started to laugh and, leading his horse next to mine, leaned over and kissed the tip of my beet-red nose before announcing:

"Don't ever change, Princess. Now, let's go find where Alfred's stashed our lunch."

In unison, we turned back towards the Manor in search of Alfred and what I was sure would be a fabulously decadent picnic lunch. I had a feeling that the majordomo of Wayne Manor would hardly let a sub-par meal grace my palate.

As we neared the house, we returned the horses to the stables and wandered back hand in hand, enjoying the freedom of being a normal couple rather than a superhero couple. Today had been a day or normality, of enjoying the simple things and taking pleasure in each other, just as Bruce had wanted. I wanted him to eventually open up to me about his parents, truly open up and see himself the way that I did, but I also knew that that type of knowledge and understanding couldn't be forced, it had to be accepted. But today was just about us, about celebrating the beginning of a relationship and the feelings that emanated between the two of us. I could practically feel myself radiating happiness and Bruce looked more content than I had ever seen him previously. We were good for one another – good company and allowing each other to relax. Bruce didn't have to put up the front of Batman – the scary know-it-all – he could be Bruce only. And I was discovering that I liked Bruce, the side of Bruce that so few were able to genuinely see.

With the Manor in sight, I looked over to my left, towards a small overlook by a large oak tree and spied a lunch laid out on a blanket, a red and white checkered blanket.

"Bruce?" I questioned, pointing towards the sight. Just beyond the blanket, Gotham rose, daunting and awe-inspiring. The city dominated the landscape, dark and menacing, but somehow, the sunshine seemed to throw light over the whole of it, just as Batman did. But perhaps I was being rather fanciful this afternoon, enjoying the time and the company.

We sat next to one another on the blanket, shoulders brushing as we examined the spread before us that Alfred had obviously painstakingly prepared. He obviously had wanted to bring out the Mediterranean elements of the culinary arts with a menu featuring stuffed grape leaves, hummus, baba ghanouj and baklava for dessert. I felt rather pleased that Alfred had gone to so much trouble to make dishes that highlighted my cultural heritage. While I enjoyed the cuisines that I had come to now since my arrival to Man's World, I still favored traditional Greek fare above all others.

A bottle of red wine lay to the side of the blanket, resting next to a corkscrew and I watched as Bruce popped the cork and poured me a glass. Alfred had, of course, left out the finest of glass china, and I couldn't imagine a more romantic moment or a more perfect meal, an integration of our lives through food and place.

I looked at Bruce, gazing into his eyes, trying to convey the emotion of the moment and my pleasure at the thoughtfulness of the entire afternoon. While I knew that the course of events of the afternoon was not due to his input, I also knew that it was truly the company that had made our time together special, a memorable experience.

"Thank you," I murmured, letting my hand rest over his for a moment, giving it a gentle squeeze before reaching for the stuffed grape leaves.

"Everything looks absolutely delicious," I told him.

"Including yourself, Princess," he commented with a leering smirk to his handsome face. I laughed, slightly slapping his shoulder before nibbling on a grape leaf. I remembered that Bruce Wayne had been quite the flirt in Paris, but this was the first time that Bruce had attempted even a mild vocal flirtation today. Then, an explosion of flavors hit my mouth and I moaned faintly in pleasure at the delicious taste assaulting my mouth.

"Oh, Bruce, this is delicious! I've never had the like!"

"I'll be sure to pass your compliments on to the chef," he told me with a teasing smile playing on his lips as he scooped the various dips onto vegetables from the platter that Alfred had organized.

We munched in silence for a few moments, and, once my hunger had been satiated, I lie back on the grass, enjoying the wind blowing lightly through my hair and the sun on my face. I felt fingers replace the breeze as Bruce combed through my locks. I enjoyed the feeling and soon allowed my eyes to go to half-mast, replete with contentment. Bruce soon joined me on the ground, propped up on his side facing me, still stroking my hair almost absentmindedly while he looked over his city.

"What do you think about when you look at it, Bruce?" I asked him, unsure if he would answer my question, but his face grew contemplative, as if he was considering my words.

"I see home," he said quietly. "It's a city of darkness and night, but I know that it's full of ordinary people, people who want what I do for Gotham: some semblance of peace."

Considering his answer, I decided that it was time to steer the conversation away from the topic at hand and instead learn more about the man inside the cowl, not the Dark Knight of Gotham. I may have brought the original subject up, but I didn't want Bruce's mood of ease and repose to change, especially because of something that I said.

"What's your favorite thing to do with an afternoon off?" I questioned him. The shift in topic seemed to stop him for a moment, but after another moment, he gazed down at me with a distinctly flirtatious grin to his face.

"I've recently discovered an affinity for spending my free time with a certain Amazonian Princess," he whispered before stealing my lips in another mind-bending kiss. While he maintained his position to the side of my body, he used his free hand to gently sweep his hand from the tips of my hair down to the indention of my waist, brushing my breast with his fingertips, causing me to gasp into his mouth, surprised at the sensations that movement sent racing through me. He continued to plunder my mouth, rubbing his hand from side to side of my waist in soft caresses.

Pulling his lips away to just an inch from mine, he whispered in a voice that reminded me of black velvet, dark, soft and arousing, "Enjoying our date, Princess?"

The pet name that Bruce exclusively seemed to use for me, Princess, always seemed to be accompanied by a sparkle in Bruce's eyes and right now was no different. Searching deep in them, I saw the arousal that he had awakened in me echoing in his eyes and wondered how we had managed to keep ourselves apart for so long. This was the fireworks that I had been unknowingly in search of. Instead of a spark between us, there seemed to be a wildfire, a raging blaze of emotion that neither of us could neither stem nor control once we were in a situation that led to this type of encounter. Of course, I had experienced few of these encounters during my life, so perhaps the situation was different for Bruce. I made a mental note to question him about that at a later date. He certainly seemed to enjoy kissing me and I felt the same way.

I leaned up the inch and caught his lips with mine again, tenderly wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling towards me. Off-balance and not expecting the maneuver, Bruce fell across me, bringing his weight crashing down on me and enveloping me with his heat and strength. I savored the sensation, certainly a new one to me, and pulled back a little in order to repeat Bruce's earlier action and nibble at his lower lip, tugging at the fullness. He abruptly sat up, pulling clear of my body and taking several deep breaths of air in audible gulps.

"Princess, you're certainly full of surprises."

I smiled to myself, secure in the knowledge that Bruce did indeed enjoy the physical reaction between us and aware that this time, I was the catalyst. My mind did boggle a little though at the fact that I could surprise the formidable Batman, even if right now he was only Bruce. The brain was still superior and capable of amazing feats, but I had drained him of that ability. It was enough to make a girl smile in self-satisfaction.

"Maybe we should go try and find our surprise," I told Bruce, still inwardly gawking at his expression of arousal and stunned amazement. He took a second to compose his features before looking at the silky smile playing along my lips and in turn, surprising me with a short bark of laughter, the first that I had ever heard from Bruce in any form.

"You're a dangerous woman, Diana."

I simply let my smile deepen as he pulled me to my feet, off in search of our surprise.

The Next Chapter: Beautiful Disaster, wherein the surprise occurs! Maybe two!

Any ideas of what the surprise might be? Maybe I'll tell you if you're close!