Greek:

Chapter 5.

Two Weeks Later

Casey sat at a table in the quad drinking a steaming cup of coffee. She took a sip and rolled the hot liquid around in her mouth before swallowing it, enjoying the hazelnut flavor. Ryan sat opposite her, watching her as he often did. They had been dating for two weeks and she knew him well enough to know that he was extremely organized, that he could actually cook, and that he liked observing people. It bothered her the first night, the way he watched her intently, his sharp mind cataloging her movements and habits. She didn't mind it so much anymore.

Ryan tapped his foam cup lightly with an index finger as if he wanted to say something but was waiting for her to let him know that it was the right time. Casey took one more sip of coffee before she set the cup down and folded her hands in her lap.

"What's wrong?"

Ryan stopped tapping the cup, realizing that she could read his movements almost as well as he could read hers.

"Casey," he started softly. "These past two weeks have been great."

Uh oh, Casey thought. She tensed up in her chair as he paused, collecting his thoughts.

"You are one of the most amazing girls I've ever met. You're honest, free spirited, and confident. You love your house and your friends." He said extending his hand, asking her to give him hers.

She did.

"I just wanted to, I needed to tell you that over this short time I've really enjoyed hanging out with you. I care about you."

Casey felt all the tension flow out of her body as a warm wave spread across her abdomen.

"I've liked you for a long time Casey," Ryan continued. "I just thought you should know how I felt."

Casey sighed, biting her lip. She liked Ryan, she really did but she had had two serious relationships while in college and she didn't think that she could take another one right now.

"Ryan," she started, getting up and abandoning her coffee cup. She stepped over to his side of the table awkwardly as he pushed his chair back. She was finally off her crutches but her ankle wasn't completely back to normal yet. Nestling herself in Ryan's lap, she looked down into his brown eyes. Emotion and wanting lit them up and Casey wanted to kiss him but she also wanted to make sure he understood where she stood first.

"I care about you too. I really do and don't take this the wrong way but I just can't do serious right now. I've had two serious relationships that completely crashed and burned. I don't think I could take another one."

Ryan though about this for a moment before a slow sexy smile crept up to his eyes.

"So we are talking light," he said softly, kissing her mouth lightly. "Airy," kissing her again but with more pressure. "And fun?" He said with one last lingering kiss.

"You got it," Casey whispered, smiling against him. Ryan slipped his tongue in her mouth, touching hers, as she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck. He tasted like mint and coffee, yumm.

"Agreed," he said as he pulled away, looking up into her eyes to show her that he really meant it. They would keep this relationship fun.

"Well in that case," Casey giggled, pressing her lips to his again. He responded, his lips becoming heavy with excitement as he rubbed her through the gauzy material of her black short sleeve button down blouse.

Casey tilted her head to the side and settled in closer to Ryan as she sat in his lap. Just as she was about to sink in and stay there awhile she was startled by someone's shadow falling over them and she pulled back quickly to see Evan standing in front of them.

Casey stiffened in Ryan's arms and he sensed her unease. Standing up, Ryan slid Casey off his lap and stepped in front of her.

"What do you want Chambers?" Ryan said calmly looking down at the slightly shorter man.

"I need to talk to Casey," Evan said.

"I don't think so."

"That's up to her," Evan shot back.

"It's okay Ryan," Casey said, walking uneasily back to her chair and plopping down. "I'm going to listen to what Evan has to say and then he's going to leave me alone."

Ryan looked at her as if to ask if she was sure she wanted to do this.

She nodded. "It's fine. I'll see you tonight."

Ryan picked up his coffee cup and walked away, his long strides confident and strong. Casey knew he wasn't fazed by this and he liked that. If it had been the other way around Evan would have stalked off, jealously marrying his walk.

"What do you want?" Casey echoed Ryan's words as Evan sat down.

"I wanted to apologize." He started, his eyes lacked the hardness that she had seen two weeks ago in the bar. "I was wrong Casey, about everything and I'm sorry."

Casey blinked, not responding to his apology.

"I didn't try to manipulate you into going out with me two years ago. Yeah, I wanted to be with you and it killed me that you were with that loser but I had real feelings for you and I hope you know that. I shouldn't have broken up with you last semester. We had a good thing and I was a jealous idiot, I can see that now. I'm sorry that I bribed Shane and that I tried to manipulate your time at the party. That was wrong and I just didn't know how to deal with you moving on. I know it's too late to get you back but I was hoping that we could be friends. Real friends. No more bribing and no more lying."

Casey's throat closed up and she couldn't respond, not that she wanted to anyway. She just looked at him, trying to keep the emotion from showing up on her face. Evan sighed at her lack of reaction. He bent down and slipped his hand inside his messenger bag. He came back up with a manila envelope, the one that he had with him at Dobbler's that night.

"I think I'm finally moving on Casey. Franny wanted to tell you but I think I needed to say it first. We've started dating. It's not serious but it's a step. I'm moving on." He put the envelope down in front of her. "Dr. Charles Roosevelt is an admissions rep for Harvard Law School and a friend of the family. He's been in Cypress for a little R&R these past two weeks but he's going back to Boston in two days. I made an appointment for you with him. Even if you don't want to go to Harvard, this connection will help you with any law school you want to go to."

Casey didn't touch the envelope or say thank you. She didn't do anything. Franny and Evan are dating?

"Will you at least accept my apology?" Evan pleaded.

Finally Casey opened her mouth. "I can't do that today. Maybe someday but you betrayed my trust and I can't easily forgive that, not twice."

Evan lowered his eyes and nodded before getting up and leaving her alone with her coffee and the envelope.

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Casey walked awkwardly down Greek Row, annoyed as hell. Everyone was moving on but why wasn't she? After Evan left she could no longer enjoy her warm coffee. She dumped it and took the envelope with her back the Zeta Beta Zeta house. She wasn't going to go to the meeting. She didn't need Evan's help and she didn't want it either. She could get into law school all on her own, thank you very much. The only reason she was keeping it, in fact, was for the Harvard Law School pamphlets. They gave all sorts of good information on the different types of law and she had yet to pick a concentration.

That aside, she went into the house and was immediately confronted by Franny. She had said she was sorry and that she didn't know how it happened but it did. Frankly, Casey didn't care what Evan did. She did feel minor concern for Franny but her older sister had said she could handle herself. After reflecting on the events of last semester, Casey figured that she could handle herself and she wouldn't try to get in between whatever Evan and Franny had.

Casey walked past the KT house and her mood worsened. Cappie had also moved on. He had moved on with Rebecca. Why were her ex boyfriend's moving on with her sisters? First Cappie with her little sis and now Evan with her big sis. Why was everyone moving on but her?! Well tonight she was going to move on. She was going over to the Sigma Nu house and Ryan was going to make an early dinner then she was going to move on with her life.

Dinner had been amazing. Ryan actually set up a little table in small back yard of the Sigma Nu house with candles and red wine. The wine went perfectly with the Frutti di Mare that he had cooked. Everything was fresh: homemade pasta noodles his mom had sent him, his special sauce, and a bit of seafood mixed in. Christmas lighting and soft jazz had made it absolutely perfect. Yes, Casey had enjoyed herself; she was moving on.

Casey now sat on Ryan's bed waiting for him to finish washing dishes and come upstairs. She had offered to do the dishes since he had cooked but he insisted on doing them himself. She looked around his room; the walls were a boring beige, his rug and comforter a manly navy blue.

There were no posters on the walls, only a few picture frames on the dresser. She stood and looked at them. One was of Ryan and a woman slightly older than him. She wore a CRU sweatshirt and Casey guessed that it was his sister. She wasn't pretty but had the same charming quality about the eyes as Ryan did. The next picture was of him, a younger boy, and a couple in their mid 50s. She knew they were his parents and the boy was his younger brother. The next picture was of him and his ex girlfriend at the Tri Pi house. Casey frowned at the hugging couple.

"Hey," Ryan said, causing Casey to jump. She looked at him quickly trying to act as if she hadn't been looking at the picture.

"Ryan, you scared me."

Ryan smiled and walked over to her, giving her a light kiss on the cheek before taking the picture of him and his ex. He looked at it for a moment and then threw it in the empty trash bin next to his desk.

"Ancient history," he shrugged.

Casey gave him a weak smile. They were both moving on.

Moving into his arms, Casey circled hers about his neck. She pressed against him and put her lips next to his ear. He pulled them into movement as they swayed where they stood.

"Ryan," she purred.

"Hummm?" His hands settled at her waist.

"I was think we could try taking this….whatever this is to the next level?"

Ryan pulled back, light surprise on his face. Casey smiled her most seductive smile. It was all Ryan needed.

He swooped down and captured her lips with his. His kisses were heavy and lingering. Hands tight on her waist, Ryan pushed Casey back until she felt the bed at the back of her knees.

"Are you sure," Ryan grunted, taking his lips from hers.

"Yes," Casey said, although she wasn't sure at all. She moved her lips to his neck and her fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. Ryan threw his head back as her hands found his bare chest. Casey moved from his neck, making a wet trail down his chest, short hairs tickling her face as she kissed him. When she brought her head up to look at him desire was etched in his face.

Ryan quickly undid the buttons of her black button, opening it to reveal a black and pink lace bra, the stiff under wires pushing her cleavage up. Pushing her down on the and pinning her with his weight Ryan set his lips at her neck. Casey shifted under Ryan's weight as he lay on top of her, nibbling on her neck. Her face was turned away from him as she tried to enjoy the feeling of his hands on her body.

"Is something wrong?" Ryan asked, his breath crawling over the moist skin of her neck.

"Huh? No, nothing."

"You just don't seem like you're into it."

"I'm fine. Please don't stop," she said in what she hoped was a sexy voice.

Ryan gave her a small smile and turned his attention to the slope of her breast. She closed her eyes in an attempt to get into it, his lips leaving light kisses on her cleavage. Slowly she began to relax, allowing her hands to find the skin on his back underneath his shirt. She saw him with her mind's eye kissing her and she shuddered when he took her nipple into his mouth. She brought her hand out from under his shirt and tangled it in his brown shaggy hair. A moan escaped her as he whispered something, his breath cool on her moist nipple. She wanted to see his blue eyes; the passion behind them always turned her insides hot. She moaned again as he took her nipple again and she open her mouth to call him, to make him look up. Cap.

Casey jerked up and her eyes flew open. Ryan looked up a mix of alarm and passion in his brown eyes. I was about to say Cappie, she thought alarm filling her. Did I say it out loud? She looked panic stricken at Ryan who hovered just above her breast, the cup of her bra askew, reveling her nipple.

"What happen Casey?" Ryan asked. He didn't know. She breathed a little easier but she knew she couldn't do this now. Damn, she had been fantasizing about Cappie while she was with Ryan!

"I…uh…just remembered I was supposed to do something," she stammered. "Zeta Beta."

"So you need to go?" Ryan asked sounding disappointed as he slowly pulled himself up. It wasn't really a question.

"Yeah. I'm sorry." Casey said, embarrassed, fixing her bra and quickly buttoning herself up.

She stood up and put her feet into her black flip flops and grabbed her bag off his desk. Giving him a quick kiss on the cheek she promised to call him later. She practically ran for the door, leaving Ryan alone and confused in his room.