If you'd like to show your gratitude, leave a comment. If not, I guess we can leave you with your Patrick and Whore-La scenes.
"How was the party?" Robin inquired, sipping her Strawberries & Cream frappuccino through a white bendy straw. Kelly's was quiet for the morning and she still couldn't believe she had talked Elizabeth into coming here of all places. She hadn't said anything of Lucky Spencer, but Robin could feel the tension surrounding her friend. Something was definitely going on.
"Fine. The party was fine." Elizabeth idly swirled the straw in her Mocha Cappuccino. Talking with Laura had left her drained.
"I didn't mean to leave you all alone." Robin promised. "Morgan came down with a hundred-and-two temperature."
"I totally understand that. I'm just sorry I missed all your voice mails."
"I was a little neurotic." Robin admitted, glancing down at her drink.
"Just a tad." Elizabeth set her drink aside. "So what is this mass emergency?"
Robin handed over the note, having no other way to explain her giddiness. "He left it for me this morning."
Elizabeth's eye widened as she read the note. "Wait. He left it this morning?"
"He stopped by when I didn't show at the party." Robin explained, not missing the way Elizabeth was watching her. "We fell asleep."
"You keep saying I'm naïve but I know you don't get a note like that just because you fall asleep together."
Robin blushed. "It was innocent really."
"That blush says otherwise."
"I was a mess over Morgan and Patrick managed to distract me. That's all I'm saying." Robin held up her hand.
"Must have been one hell of a distraction since all frantic messages stopped after he showed up." Elizabeth cocked her eyebrow and fought the urge to laugh. No wonder Robin had pressed her so much for details. This was fun. "So after your 'innocent' distraction, you fell asleep together?"
"Yes. We fell asleep in Courtney's God-awful chair and I woke up in my bed."
"And how did you get to the bed?" Elizabeth couldn't contain her smirk.
"I don't know." Robin took a large gulp of her drink.
"You don't know? How distracted were you?"
"He must have carried me up there. I was asleep."
"Very sweet of him. So I assume the emergency is related to this note?"
"Yes." Robin replied slowly. "Tell me you're free today."
"I am scheduled to work close shift, but I'll be out about 9:30."
Double damn. Maybe this was a bad idea. Patrick would just have to understand. "Oh." Robin couldn't contain her disappointment.
"Oh no. You are not going to cancel out on this one." Elizabeth flipped out her cell phone. "Just you wait one second missy."
"Who are you calling?"
"My Grams. If she has no plans, then maybe she can watch Morgan at least till I get home."
"I don't want to be any trouble." But damn if I'm going to talk you out of it, Robin thought smugly.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Keep working on that and one day I'll believe you." She paused as her grandmother answered the phone. "Hey Grams? I have a question for you. Robin has a date and needs a babysitter. I'm working till 9:30. Is it possible for you to help out until I get home? I swear Morgan won't be any trouble." She paused and listened for her grandmother's answer. "No problem. I will tell her. Thanks Grams." Elizabeth flipped her phone shut with a satisfied air. "Grams said bring him over whenever you need to."
"Am I really going through with this?"
"Yes you are. It's my turn to live vicariously through you for a change." Elizabeth answered cheerfully. "Now what do we pack for you to wear? Simple? Sexy? Nothing?"
"I have to pack something!" Robin blurted out. If Patrick had his way, she'd wear nothing but her bathing suit. She, however, wasn't comfortable with the idea.
"I'm sure Patrick would have no arguments with it. But if you are going to be a spoilsport about it, I'm guessing simple, sexy yet tasteful?"
"Yes. That sounds right." Robin agreed.
"The green sundress? You know the one with the little spaghetti straps?"
"I have the cutest jacket that I bought for that particular dress." Robin recalled.
"Perfect. With those gold sandals?"
"Maybe I should pack more than sandals, just in case we're going to be walking around. He wasn't very specific about what we were going to be doing."
"The wedges then too. The yellow ones."
"Yes!" Robin put her hands over her mouth. She hadn't realized she was being loud until a few other diner patrons looked in their direction.
"A bit excited there Robin?" Elizabeth laughed. "So now the big question. Sleepwear?"
"I'm thinking long sleeves and sweatpants." She was only half joking.
"Nope. Not killing this vicarious living for me. I know you'd kill me if I say nothing..."
"I'll have to be in an iron belt and a foot of chain if I expect to get any sleep at all."
"Then do you have any cute cami and short sets?"
"I have a yellow cami and gray lounge pants. I haven't exactly needed..." Robin stopped herself.
"Needed what?"
"I burned all of the clothes from my marriage and that included everything but my most basic nightgowns."
"Ahh so a quick shopping trip then is a necessity?" Elizabeth quickly checked her watch. "I have a few hours before I have to be at work. We can go right now and find out exactly what Victoria's Secret actually is."
"Lead the way." Robin smirked.
Robin showed up at Patrick's door at six forty-five, punctual to a fault. She rapped on the door, taking a deep breath as her ears picked up on movement inside. Elizabeth must have used three dozen bobby pins to hold Robin's heavy mane of hair to her head. They had parted her bangs and curled them on either side of her face. As she waited for him to answer the door, she picked at the thin straps of her dress and ran her hand over the front to smooth out invisible wrinkles. Why was she so flustered? This wasn't the first date she had ever been on. She hadn't put herself out there--God she hated that statement--since Logan, but she hadn't exactly been hiding under a paper bag either, so what was with all the fidgeting?
These last few weeks she had seen a different side of Patrick and she wanted to believe that it was real, that it wasn't all for her benefit. She had been blind sighted before, but surely this was different. Calm down, she told the insecure voice. You look incredible and, really, even if you didn't, Patrick would be stunned speechless. The way he watched her always left her feeling incredibly self-conscious, wondering if he could see into some deeper level of her subconscious. Oh really Robin. Why don't you just put on a pink gypsy outfit and tell people their fortunes?
The door flung open a moment later and Patrick met her deer-in-the-headlights stare with a smug expression. She had never thought a pair of khaki-colored chinos and a blue canvas button-down could look so good on a man, but she had obviously underestimated this man. His hair was its usual frayed self, but he had at least attempted a comb-through. She glanced down at his shoes to see if maybe she could guess their destination, but frowned at his dark brown clogs. They could be going rock climbing for all she knew.
"Where's your bag?" Patrick asked, glancing past her to see if maybe she had set it down.
"In the car. Will you tell me where we're going?" Robin insisted.
"Nope. But I can promise you'll need your bag." Patrick replied, sending her a dimpled smile.
"What is this all about?" Robin heard herself ask. Did it really matter to her? Yes, yes it mattered!
"A first date. You are familiar with the concept aren't you?" Patrick teased, closing the space between them. "Of course, if you're not one for surprises, I can call the whole thing off and take you to bed right now."
If that was supposed to be a threat, Robin thought faintly. "I-I'll get my bag." She turned on her heel and was almost to the elevator when she felt a hand tug her backwards. She was barely able to keep her footing and made sure the look she gave Patrick mirrored her frustration.
"I'll walk you to your car." He explained, ushering her into the elevator.
"I'm not a child. I can get to my car by myself." Robin assured him.
"I don't doubt it, but I have to wonder if you'd come back." Patrick gave her a sideways look.
"So this is an actual date? We have a real destination and we'll be around other people?" Robin hadn't meant to sound so frightened, but his bluntness always came out of left field.
"You aren't afraid of airplanes are you?" Patrick asked instead.
"Airplanes? No. I couldn't be with all of the traveling I've done with my parents." Robin answered.
"Then relax." He settled his hands on her shoulders. "I want to spend a little time with you away from Port Charles. Is that a crime?"
"No. Okay, I'll trust you. Don't make me regret it." Robin warned, pointing a finger at him.
"You haven't said anything the entire flight. Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Patrick waved his hand in front of Robin's face and was rewarded with a scowl.
"I'm overwhelmed." Robin admitted, yanking the earphones from her ears and turning to face Patrick. The inside of the jet was so quiet they could hear Tom Cruise's voice pouring out of the speakers.
"You've never ridden in a jet?" Patrick guessed, giving her a toothy grin.
"I don't believe for a second that this is yours. How'd you manage this?" Robin asked skeptically.
"I happen to have some very generous clients." Patrick explained.
"They just let you take this out whenever you want?" Robin couldn't wrap her mind around this.
"I called in a favor." Patrick shrugged noncommittally.
"Where are we going?" Robin hadn't asked the question since they were standing in front of his apartment two hours ago.
"Robin, finish the movie. It's worthwhile." Patrick suggested, settling more comfortably against the upholstery.
"Hmm." Robin couldn't pretend she wasn't going out of her mind with curiosity, but she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"We'll stop by the hotel and then get this date started." Patrick informed her, taking each of their bags and pressing his hand to the middle of her bare back, leading her into the yellow taxi cab.
Robin bit her tongue. She didn't want to ask how many rooms they had, because she was an adult and that question would only lead to a fight. She had told him she would trust him, so what was her problem? Free trip. Free hotel. A chance at a great first date. "Are we in California?" Their arrival time and the scenery around her more than proved the possibility. This was the one state she hadn't visited, but she had seen plenty of movies and collected brochures for places she wanted to someday see.
"Did you sneak a brochure?" Patrick's voice mimicked that of a parent and their impatient child. He didn't mind letting her know where they were just as long as she didn't figure out what he had in store for them.
"No." Her head whipped from side to side, her hair having fallen from its restraints an hour or so ago.
"We're in Santa Monica." Patrick clarified, pushing her hair off of her shoulder and placing a soft kiss against her neck. "Relax."
"I'm relaxed. I promise. I'll be better." Robin promised, squeezing his right hand when he offered it to her.
"Where are we going?" The cab driver wondered, lightly tapping his fingers across the glass to gain their attention.
"Le Merigot." Patrick told him.
"Right on the pier." The driver nodded, clearly pleased with Patrick's choice of hotels.
Robin tried to hide her smile when she heard Patrick grumble under his breath. "I haven't guessed. Relax." Somehow repeating his own words to him made her feel better.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Patrick wanted to know.
"I am very much." Robin answered with a crooked smile.
The Le Merigot opened up to a spacious lobby decorated in honeysuckle yellow paint and spotless white furniture. As they headed for the front desk, Robin let Patrick get ahead of her. Standing beside a particularly large plant, she was almost completely obstructed from his view. She zigzagged between the half dozen tables that lined right wall and the glow from the yellow chandelier caught her eye. It wasn't very stunning to the naked eye and kind of took away from the elegance of the hotel. It looked like something she might have purchased at a garage sale. She decided to just stay away from it. The rest of the room was stunning and the artwork won her over.
"There you are." Patrick reached for his hand, sliding the room key cards into his right pocket.
"This place is incredible." Robin couldn't keep the awe out of her voice.
"Just wait until you see the room. I'll have to drag you out of it." Patrick assured her, pressing the up arrow adjacent to the elevators. The doors opened instantly and they stepped inside.
"Tell me." Robin smiled.
"Whirlpool bath, perfect view of the Pier, large bed." Patrick continued, setting their bags down. If he thought hers was lighter than he had expected, he didn't comment.
The doors swung open and Patrick bent down to retrieve the bags. Robin snatched one of the cards from his pocket, glanced at the number, and then trotted off to find the room. She might never be the most patient person, but he had to know how excited she was at seeing what his surprise might be. Not wanting to spoil the day, she didn't offer a second thought to his explanation of the single room and the single bed, because she hadn't expected anything less. Elizabeth had insisted on her purchasing the most provocative nightgown they had come across. Robin figured there were places where she could get into big trouble wearing such a thing, but she didn't think this was one of those places. The sleepwear gave the impression that she might sleep with him, but she knew better.
Robin found the room at the very end of the hallway. She hadn't noticed how far she had gone until she heard Patrick panting after her. Sliding the card into the little machine, she smiled even brighter when she heard the lock release. He reached past her to push open the door and she hurried inside, realizing that the owner of this hotel must have loved giant green plants and the color yellow. Of course, their room wasn't nearly as bright and intimidating as the lobby had been. Sidling toward a bed that could have held six, Robin fell onto the feathery comforter and closed her eyes. She heard the door shut and Patrick moving toward her, but she refused to open her eyes. The jet had been quicker than any charter flight would have been, but she felt exhausted.
"Don't you want to see where we're going?" She knew he was trying to drag her to her feet, but she refused to be swayed.
"Sleepy." She protested, not caring if she sounded whiny.
"How long do you have that babysitter?" Patrick wondered.
Groaning, Robin sat up; her eyes dangerous slits of brown as she caught Patrick's stare. Unless God himself was waiting outside to meet her, she couldn't understand his insistence that she see anything right then.
Robin blinked, soaking up everything that stretched out in front of her. Taking a few quick steps, she reached the end of the balcony wall and gaped. The Pacific Ocean was so close it was a wonder the waves weren't slapping against the lobby doors. It held the sort of blue tint that writers spent their entire lives trying to describe and the sun hung high above it, its rays adding an almost magical tint to the carnival in the distance.
"Welcome to Santa Monica Pier." She heard Patrick say from behind her. "Where would you like to go first? This pier is famous for its rides, games, aquarium, and museum." He went on.
"You never really know how much you've missed a corndog until you're a half mile from a carnival." Robin mused, resisting the urge to chew on her bottom lip.
"I hope you brought different shoes." Patrick replied.
"I did. In my bag." Robin answered softly.
"What else is in that bag?" Patrick asked.
"Why do you want to know?" Robin challenged lightly.
"I just want to know if I need to pace myself." Patrick explained.
"No worries." Robin promised, patting his shoulder and snatching up her bag from the middle of the bed. She disappeared in the bathroom and flipped the lock just in case.
Robin was glad that they had arrived so early in the day, because the crowds would have surely been suffocating otherwise. She and Patrick weaved through the other tourists and went to work on locating a nearby corndog stand. Just when she thought she had imagined the smell altogether, that was about the time she felt a sizzling corndog being pressed into her palm. Having been so used to the heat wave back in New York, she wasn't quite sure what to make of the cool breeze as it played with the hem of her pearl-white dress.
"Since we're eating, the rides are definitely out. Would you like to see the aquarium?" Patrick suggested. While the temperature was at least ten degrees cooler, it was barely noon and would continue to get hotter as the day progressed. Stealing a brochure from a plastic stand in front of a little shop, Robin thumbed through it.
"Let's start with something small and work our way up to the rollercoaster." Robin pointed at the monstrous piece of equipment in question. "I've never been on one."
"You've never been on a rollercoaster?" Patrick sputtered.
"Nope. When I would travel with my parents, it would always be business-related. I've been to Coney Island, but we had to leave before I could ride the rollercoaster. Let's get tickets." Robin's yellow wedges skidded across the smooth boardwalk as he dragged her toward the booth.
A few minutes later, they climbed into a yellow bench seat and pulled a metal bar down over their knees. "Did you know," Robin began, "that they use an anti-rollback device to keep the rollercoaster from sliding backwards when they have to climb lifts?"
"You're not nervous?" Patrick's question insinuated that the very idea was preposterous.
"Of course I'm not nervous. I've seen these things in action plenty of times."
"I'll let you hold my hand if you get scared."
"Not necessary. I was clearly pointing out an interesting fact that I picked up."
"This ride will last maybe ten seconds."
"I know. The odds of the track breaking are very minimal."
"Robin."
"I'm completely in control." She closed her eyes as the cars jerked forward.
"Did you know that the hotel has a twenty-four hour spa?" Patrick folded his hand over hers.
"Really? No, I didn't."
"Open your eyes. I'm not letting go."
The trip to the aquarium didn't come until it was almost time to leave. Robin had enjoyed the rollercoaster enough to insist that they go on it again until Patrick actually took her up on the offer. At that point, she had stuffed a pretzel in her mouth and said that they should probably wait until her stomach settled.
As the day went on, the number of visitors tripled, and still there was room to walk around. The place was truly remarkable. Patrick had proved his brilliance in a game of laser tag, but Robin had totally gotten him back when they reached the Skee Ball table. She wished the activities didn't have to end so early, but Patrick promised to take her to the beach once it got dark. Somehow she had known he would make good use of that bathing suit.
The first table they came to was covered in volunteer signs, index cards, and name tags. Deciding that they should be decked out in red and white My Name Is stickers, Patrick grabbed a handful along with two black markers and spent the next few seconds pressing them to his and Robin's foreheads, her chest, the hem of his shirt, and each of their right hands. Robin took a marker from him and wrote three word sentences in the white space provided, refusing to tell him what they broadcasted. She let Patrick do the same to her. Satisfied with themselves, they set about to enjoy the ambience of the dim aquarium.
About the height and width of CD rack, the first exhibit they came to went all the way around, forming a U. Where the ends should have met the wall two smaller aquariums sat on either side. The sign on the wall advertised: Look before You Touch. Patrick read the index card taped to a black podium. "Touch all you like but please be gentle with our sea stars, crabs, sea urchins, snails, kelp and sea cucumbers."
"We can touch them?" Robin scrunched up her face.
"It's not like it's the shark tank." Patrick pointed out.
"There's a shark tank?" Robin couldn't hide her amusement at this.
"Of course there's a shark tank." Patrick rolled his eyes, grinning. "I think it says somewhere in the Aquarium handbook that there must be at least one shark exhibit."
"Oh, well, I wouldn't dare question the handbook." Robin snickered.
"Give me your hand."
"Why?"
"Don't you want to hold them?"
"Last time I checked, sea creatures weren't cute and cuddly like puppies and kittens."
"You don't do them justice. Why, I bet you just hurt that crab's feelings."
"Let me see the crab." Robin gave in, snatching up the aforementioned creature.
"Watch out for the--"
"Claws." Robin glared at the animal, biting her lip as Patrick tried to remove the claws from around her thumb.
"You're not going to do that at the shark tank, are you?" Patrick inquired, returning the crab to his home.
"You're a laugh riot." Robin stuck out her tongue at him.
"Don't tempt me." Patrick murmured in a low voice, intertwining their hands and tucking her into a small corner away from the crowd. Before she could protest, he pressed his lips roughly to hers, looping his arms around her. The air conditioning was on full blast, so it made absolutely no sense for her to be melting against him. Sliding her arms around his neck, she stood on her tip toes to move the kiss from innocent to mind-bending.
His hands started at her waist, working their way over her stomach and up to her breasts. "Someone could see." Robin heard herself say.
"Half the fun." Patrick responded, tugging at the straps of her dress. He pressed his open mouth to her neck and drew the straps off of her shoulders. Needing him closer, Robin reached for his belt at which point he reacted by helping her off of her feet and balancing her with the help of the wall. "God, I've wanted to touch you all day." He whispered, smiling against her skin when he heard her sigh in agreement.
Robin wanted to lose herself in the feel of him, but the situation wouldn't allow it. At any time, they could be interrupted and she didn't think she could handle the embarrassment. Who was she kidding? If he'd move half an inch to the left she might forget all about pride.
They never made it to the shark tank. Disentangling themselves from one another, they got back to the hotel and stumbled into their room. Stumbled was the correct description, because it was practically an obstacle course on the way to the bed from the doorway. The bellman had placed their bags in the center of the room along with a tray full of desserts and a bottle of wine, none of which Robin remembered them ordering.
The second the door shut, Patrick's shirt came off followed by Robin's dress. Grumbling at her need to wear a silk slip under the garment, he inched it up her waist while she unbuckled his belt and threw it across the room. "Bed." Robin insisted, pushing him onto the mattress and straddling him. Running his hand up her leg, Patrick caught the thin white strap of her panties and slid his palm inside. Her nails bit into his back as he strummed his fingers against her, his middle finger delving inside of her. Her voice caught on a scream and he pushed harder, capturing her mouth with his.
"Do you like that?" He asked, closing his eyes as she shuddered above him. Her mouth was sweet as he swept his tongue over hers robbing her of breath she would have surely used to scream even louder. The way she gripped his finger made his head spin, but he wasn't so far gone that he felt the need to be rough with her. She might be strong and opinionated on the outside but inside? Inside she was soft and vulnerable.
Her legs trembled as he held her steady, his finger slow and long as he worked it even deeper. Sliding one hand down his chest, she thumbed the button on his pants, unable to focus on the simple task of tearing the restraint away. He reached for her and pressed her palm into his shaft, his breath hissing through his teeth when she wrapped her fingers around him.
Forcing his eyes open, he noticed that she was crying and his breath caught at the sight. Though it absolutely killed him, he had no choice but to stop touching her altogether. "What are you doing?" Robin shrieked when he rolled them over and set her on the mattress. He didn't stop walking until he had succeeded in putting adequate distance between them.
"You're nowhere near ready for this." Patrick told her.
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Robin bit into her lip when she felt it start to tremble.
"It's not that I don't want you. Nothing could be further from the truth…"
"Then what is it?" Robin asked her tone both soft and seductive as she moved her fingers to the front latch of her bra.
"Please don't do that." Patrick begged. He was trying to be a good guy, an honorable one, but if she kept this up, he was going to have her anyway. He would end up hurting her. The pleasure coursing through him was far too unpredictable.
"Don't you want to be with me?" She murmured.
"You have no idea." Not the thing to say, Drake.
"Then finish what you started." Robin insisted, standing up and walking over to him. "Because, I'm here to tell you, this is your golden opportunity."
You're a bastard Drake he heard a little voice declare. Don't want her. Hurt her feelings. Pick a fight. Do something. "I want her." He said aloud.
"You know, you never showed me that whirlpool bath." Robin reminded him, touching her lips to his.