TITLE: Conversation and Cocktails

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: Sequel to Roses and Wine, Diana's first date with Bruce at Wayne Manor. BMWW

A/N: A Happy New Year's update for my favorite people! Wishing you all a safe night and many blessings in the new year. Hopefully, one of those blessings will be DC (in some form) giving us the BMWW we all want and demand!

Hope you enjoy another installment in the mini-series Tears and Whiskey! :)

Conversations and Cocktails

Wayne Manor; May 21st, 18:29 EST

Diana ran her hand over the skirt of her red dress to smooth out any wrinkles or to calm her suddenly anxious nerves—she wasn't exactly certain which at this point. She was more than a little annoyed with herself for feeling so self-conscious instead of like the poised Amazon princess that she had been raised and trained all her life to be.

It wasn't like her to be reacting this way, especially about something as simple and innocent as a dinner date. Then again, no one had ever made her quite feel the things that Bruce Wayne seemed to always arouse within her. It left her feeling a little uncertain at times and extremely exasperated. At the same time, he made her feel wonderful and unexpected things.

Her hope that Bruce shared her feelings had wavered at times, but now here she was standing at the precipice…the beginning of something new between them. She found herself filled with a wave of apprehension that threatened to steal her breath away. She knew that her mother would be outright furious with her for allowing a man to have this affect on her.

She momentarily closed her eyes as she stood on the front porch of Wayne Manor in order to gather her emotions before making her arrival known, finally lifting her chin and holding her head high as she lifted her hand to knock. She was completely unaware that he was down in his private sanctuary at that very moment watching her on his security monitors and becoming even more enchanted by her.

A slight smirk formed on her lips as he intently studied her. He had been questioning whether this was something that he should pursue for so long. He knew he was in trouble no matter what he decided to do. He couldn't let her in, but he definitely couldn't live without her. The thought of her with another man inflamed a scorching jealousy deep within him that he'd never felt before, singeing every inch of his soul.

Seeing her now on his doorstep, clearly as apprehensive as he was feeling, he knew it was time to let go of his fears and embrace the goddess that had somehow managed to steal his heart. He drew a deep, fortifying breath as he stood from his chair, silently willing himself not to screw this up before things had even gotten started with her.

There was a part of him that yearned deeply for a relationship with her despite what his head kept telling him. He decided that for once in his life, he was going to allow himself to be completely selfish. He was going after what he wanted and he wanted her more than anything in this world.

Bruce passed through the opening behind the grandfather clock, the sound of Diana's lilting laughter greeting his ears and automatically putting a small smile on his face. It was a monumental feat generally accomplished by the Amazon and very few others.

He stopped in the foyer as his eyes came to rest on her. The image of her on the security feed had not prepared him in the last for what he saw in person. It suddenly felt as though there wasn't nearly enough oxygen in the room as he stared at her, his heart beginning to race as she looked up and met his intense gaze.

A faint blush tinted her cheeks as the corners of her lips curled at the sight of him. She hooked a loose raven curl behind her ear as she met his stare, unable to look away either. He looked so very handsome in a gray sweater and black dress pants.

Seeing her reaction, Alfred turned to glance over his shoulder at his surrogate son, knowing smile adorning his face. "I see that Master Bruce has managed to drag himself up from his dreary domain to grace us with his presence."

"I'll take it from here, Alfred," Bruce told him, his focus solely on her.

Alfred gave him a grin that told him how pleased he was with how things were finally developing between the two superheroes. "Well, I guess I shall relinquish Miss Diana to your care while I finish the dinner preparations."

"Thank you, Alfred," Diana said.

Alfred gave her a slight bow. "It is definitely my pleasure, miss."

Bruce eventually figured out how to make his legs cooperate as he closed the distance between them. He reached out and took her smaller hand in his, his long fingers lacing with hers. "I'm glad you came."

"I'm glad you asked me," she replied.

He felt the overwhelming desire to kiss her, but instead opted to lead her to the library instead. His thumb caressed the back of her hand as he guided her to the couch, not certain what to do now. It felt like everything was moving so fast and yet no nearly fast enough. He definitely wanted to take things slow with her, not rushing headlong into this relationship and destroying what could potentially be the best thing that has ever happened to him.

Settling down on the couch, he felt a little deflated when she sat down, putting a little distance between them instead of sitting right next to him. "Would you like something to drink?" he asked, hiding the unexpected sense of disappointment that had settled over him.

Diana visibly blanched with his offer, holding up her hand to him with a wince. "No, thank you," she grimaced. "I'm still trying to recover my lost dignity after what happened last night."

Bruce leaned towards her, taking her hand between the two of his as he gazed into her ocean blue eyes. "Hey, you have nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of."

"I've never done anything like that before," she admitted with a shake of her head. "I don't know what came over me to lose control like that."

"You were hurting, Diana," he pointed out.

"I still wish you hadn't seen me like that," she replied, averting her eyes as she bit at her bottom lip.

Bruce frowned with her response. "Why?"

Diana glanced down at his large hands holding hers. She loved his hands. They were so strong, so skilled and sure. She'd dreamed of him doing utterly amazing things to her with those hands alone. "I have never cared what others thought of me until I met you," she hesitantly revealed. "I want your respect…to be thought of as your equal. It means everything to me."

Bruce was momentarily stunned by her confession. Without a second thought, he tilted his head, kissing her with an unexpected passion that had been tightly reined in for far too long. He was free now to show her just what she did to him, how she made him feel and the feelings for her that consumed his heart.

His fingers tangled in her hair as he drew her closer to him only to be interrupted by a throat-clearing cough. He pulled back, pressing his forehead against hers and feeling more than a little ashamed for allowing things to grow so heated so quickly.

"Yes, Alfred," he practically growled, annoyed with himself.

"Dinner is served, sir," he informed him.

"We'll be right there," he replied, refusing to release Diana from his hold just yet. As angry as he was with himself, he found he didn't want to let go of her.

"We should probably go eat," Diana told him, still a little breathless from the kiss that had excited her far more than she had dreamed possible. It was taking a great deal of willpower to force her arms to loosen her hold on him.

Bruce was fighting a similar struggle as his body was trying to dictate his next move, but he forced logic to the forefront of his lustful thoughts. "You're right," he reluctantly agreed, standing to his feet and offering her his hand.

She took his hand as she stood as well only to find herself fully enveloped in his strong arms. "Never worry about being anything but you with me," he firmly said with a tenderness in his eyes that she had rarely seen before. It was as if he had pushed all his walls aside just for her, allowing her to see into his very soul to the real Bruce. "There is nothing that you could do to make me stop loving you."

"I feel the same way about you," she confessed.

Bruce chuckled softly as he released her, taking her hand in his. "I wouldn't say that just yet, Princess," he warned her as they made their way to the dining room. "You haven't seen me at my worst. I just might end up driving you away for good one of these days."

"I don't know about that, Bruce," she replied. "I'm pretty stubborn."

"I imagine you two are a perfect match for one another when it comes to being obstinate," Alfred interjected as he entered the dining room with two plates covered with silver domes.

Bruce pulled Diana's chair out for her, pushing it in for her before taking his own seat. "Thank you," she murmured. "Alfred, it smells divine."

Alfred beamed with pride as he removed the covers from their plates. "I hope you enjoy," he replied. "Now, if you'll both excuse me, I'm going to retire to the kitchen. Please let me know if there is anything more you need."

"I'm sure we'll be just fine, Alfred," Bruce reassured him, giving him a direct look. "Enjoy your evening."

Alfred took that as his cue, nodding his head in agreement before leaving the couple alone for the evening. Bruce reached for the bottle of wine, but Diana held her hand up. "No, thank you," she told him. "I will just stick with water for now."

Bruce chuckled softly with her wariness. "You know alcohol in moderation isn't a bad thing," he pointed out as they began to eat.

"I know, but I believe I drank enough last night to last me at least a couple of months," she answered with a visible grimace.

"Did you sleep well after I left?"

"No…not as well as last night on the observation deck," she shyly confessed as she reached for her glass of ice water, refusing to meet his question stare.

Bruce noticed the faint hue of a blush touching her cheeks. "And why would that be, Princess?" he coyly asked.

He was anxious to hear what her answer would be. He hoped it was the reason he had slept so well last night too. It was the first time in a very long time that he hadn't had any nightmares. He had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with the stunning Amazon seated to his right.

"Must have been the company," she replied, finally meeting his intense gaze.

She felt a tremble roll through her with the way he was openly staring at her, no longer hiding his feelings for her that he had kept tightly concealed for far too long. It suddenly felt very warm in the manor as the desire to kiss him grew stronger. She could tell by the look in his eyes that Bruce was sharing the same struggle. She decided she needed to slow things down a little before they completely lost control. Of course, not that she minded that the more she thought about it.

"So tell me about these early days of your when you were establishing your playboy persona," she questioned him.

Bruce was momentarily taken aback by the abrupt change in subject, but was a little relieved nonetheless. He swore it had gotten at least twenty degrees warmer in here, but, then again, he was having dinner with a beautiful Amazon princess who had him tied up in knots on the inside. He was torn between taking things slow with her and kissing her senseless.

"I don't know, Princess," he replied. "It might taint your view of me. I might not be able to recover what's left of my dignity after that."

Diana's melodious laughter filled the dining room, her bright blue eyes shimmering with amusement as well as something else that made his stomach do flips. "It can't be that bad, Bruce."

He visibly winced as he took a bite of his salmon, savoring all the flavors as he contemplated his answer. "Okay, I'll tell you a couple of stories as long as you promise me two things. First, you don't hold it against me and, second, that you'll continue to date me regardless of what you learn here tonight."

"Deal," she readily agreed as she leaned towards him, her elbow coming to rest on the table as she cupped her chin in her hand. "Spill it, Wayne. Tell me all your drunken, sordid moments of debauchery. I promise it'll make me feel better about my humiliation last night."

Bruce rolled his blue eyes as he shook his head. "Last night couldn't possibly come close to the things I've done, Diana."

"If I haven't run away from you by now, I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that I'm in this for the long-haul," she reassured him.

He truly wanted to believe her, but he couldn't afford to. He knew that he'd eventually push her away and crush her fiery spirit. It was only a matter of time. And whoever he didn't drive away with his cold, detached demeanor was always taken from him in the end.

Diana sensed the wave of brooding melancholy that had abruptly swept over him, making her that much more determined to save him. She reached over and took his hand in hers, forcing him to meet her gaze. "Trust me, Bruce," she softly said. "I don't scare easily."

There was a faint upturn at the corners of his lips as he turned his hand over to lace his fingers with hers. "I might prove you wrong," he replied. He meant it has a joke, but he knew there was far more truth in his words than he cared to admit or think about.

"You're stalling," she told him with a mock glare.

He drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly as he sat back in his chair. "As I was preparing to become the Batman, I attended a party at a friend's house. I decided I need to really play up the drunken fool act if I was going to protect my nighttime activities. Unfortunately, I took things a little too far. I got wasted on cocktails and body shots."

Diana did her best to suppress the sense of shock that she could feel rising to her face, but she knew that she had failed miserably. "Cocktails and body shots?"

Bruce chuckled with the memory, but groaned as he remembered the horrible hangover the next morning. "Cocktails…like Martinis and Manhattans," he revealed. "Veronica kept handing me different cocktails to try and I kept drinking them in an effort to impress all the ladies."

"Oh, Bruce," Diana murmured, trying to stifle her amusement with her hand over her mouth, but failed. "Care to explain what body shots are?"

Diana could have sworn she saw a blush suffuse his cheeks as he struggled to decide the best way to describe what a body shot was, but it disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. "I'm not sure a demure princess like you should know about body shots," he warned her.

"If you don't tell me, I'll just have to ask Wally," she threatened.

"Hell no," he adamantly stated as he leaned forward in his seat. "I'd rather you find out through me."

"Is it something we can try?" she sweetly asked, raking her teeth across her bottom lip with an air of innocence that was beginning to drive him wild.

Bruce growled low in his throat, the very thought alone of doing body shots with her enough to completely inflame his desire for her with no hope of surviving. "You'll probably change your mind when I tell you what they are."

Diana leaned in closer, a sweet smile gracing her face. "Try me."

"A body shot is a sexy way of doing shots of tequila," he explained, studying her face for her reaction. "A lime is held in your partner's mouth and the salt is put somewhere on…a…body part."

His gaze fell to her lush red lips before dipping to her breasts as sensual thoughts raced through his mind. She met his intense star head-on, not retreating in the least. "And?" she prodded him.

"And you lick the salt off of them, take your shot of tequila, and then eat the lime out of their mouth," he finished, finding his heart hammering in his chest now.

"Sounds like fun," she decided. "So what happened next?"

Bruce was stunned that she wasn't offended or disgusted with his actions. Looking back on it all now, he found himself revolted by his behavior back then. "What then?" he asked, visibly surprised by her question. "Diana, I just told you I did body shots off of several women and you ask what happened next?"

"Bruce, you haven't done anything that warrants you being put in front of firing squad," she told him. "You should talk to Wally and Shayera some time. I've learned more stuff from those two than Cosmo could publish in a year."

"I'm not sure I like the idea of you hanging out with Wally and Shayera," he decided with a furrowed brow and a disapproving frown, definitely not liking the idea of Wally and Shayera filling his princess's head full of garbage. "They're going to end up corrupting you."

"Oh, and you won't?" she seductively teased with a smirk. "I never heard of body shots until tonight."

Bruce tilted his head towards her, returning her playfulness in full. "I'm positive I will," he replied, slowly closing the distance between them. "And I'm the only one you will ever do body shots with."

"You sound pretty confident, Mister Wayne," she murmured, her breath catching in her throat with his close proximity, the brush of his warm breath against her face.

"If I haven't screwed this up yet, then I'm hoping that I might actually have a chance with you."

"I'd say you have an excellent chance of—"

Bruce unexpectedly silenced her with a bruising kiss as his right hand slipped into her hair to cradle the back of her head. He felt a certain desperate urgency to keep her right there with him, fearful that she would pull away or disappear from his embrace.

He tilted his head as he deepened the kiss, his tongue prodding her lips for admittance which she eagerly accepted. He moaned deeply with the velvet softness of her mouth, her taste further arousing him. He never wanted to stop kissing her, but the need for oxygen became too demanding to ignore.

He pulled out of the kiss, but didn't release his hold on her. Her face was slightly flushed, her blue eyes dark with mutual desire. It did very little to temper his escalating need at that moment as he fought to remain in control of his body. As badly as he wanted her, he wasn't sure either of them was ready to take things that far yet.

"I want you," he breathlessly confessed the words without realizing they had just escaped his mouth.

"I think we've wasted enough time," she murmured, brushing her lips against his.

"Diana…" he whispered, his heart racing with what she was telling him…the implications of what she was saying. Did she realize what she was telling him?

"Take me," she told him, her hands cradling his face and keeping him where she wanted him as she claimed his lips.

It was filled with a passion that he'd never experienced before, sweeping away any lingering doubts about pursing this with her. He stood to his feet, momentarily breaking the kiss long enough to sweep her up into his arms and carrying her upstairs to his bedroom.