..
It started with a kiss.
That's how it always starts.
A kiss.
A kiss that leads to another.
And another.
It started at a New Year's Eve party.
A lot of things have changed over the years for the Titans. Some changes were subtle. Like hair styles or uniform alterations. All normal changes as teenagers inevitably turned into adults.
Some of the more drastic changes were caped crusaders not being needed as much, leaving the young heroes with more time on their hands. Other changes included friendships progressing into more intimate relationships.
The prime example being the attractive couple currently on the dance floor.
Richard's suggestive hands held Kori close to him as she moved provocatively to the music. The pair were both very skilled dancers and tended to capture the spotlight. Though some would argue that their dancing was on the brink of being indecent.
A lot of eyes were on them as they showed off their talents. One of those onlookers being Raven, who stood alone next to the bar. She wasn't as impressed with the display.
While she was indeed happy for her friends and the love they had for one another, she found their public display a bit repulsive.
She tried to look away many times, but the couple was indeed captivating. Kori wore a short dress that showed a lot of skin, and the bright white color of the dress glowed in the spotlight, causing eyes to unwillingly wander back to her and their suggestive movements.
Raven let out an irritable sigh as she sipped her champagne. She wasn't that fond of drinking, or more specifically, the feeling of intoxication. It tended to taint her judgement, which was something she never appreciated. But she needed something to do while she waited for the night to be over.
As usual, during situations like this, she questioned why she was even here. She didn't enjoy clubs, loud music, dancing, or drinking.
The simple answer being to make her friends happy of course. They loved clubs, loud music, and dancing, and she wasn't going to rain on their New Year's Eve parade, just because she would rather stay home.
So here she stood, trying to block out the loud music as she watched her friends dance provocatively. And while she was disgusted by the display, a part of her felt envy for the connection. There was a longing for affection she would never admit to having.
She finished her drink before letting the bartender refill her glass. And as she felt the bubbles tickle her nose, she reminded herself to keep her mind straight. She didn't need to do anything rash or out of character tonight.
"How you doing, Rae?"
Raven slightly jumped at the question, completely unaware of the person that had leaned next to her. She abruptly turned to Garfield as he snickered at her startled expression.
"I'm fine." She answered simply.
"I see you're really hitting back the champagne." He observed, eyeing her half empty glass.
"Got to celebrate somehow." She drawled, taking another sip.
"Are you at least enjoying the party?" He asked and she didn't give him a verbal answer, but simply turned and gave him a knowing look.
"Right, how could I forget you aren't a party girl." He sneered.
"You know me so well." She commented, her voice still lacking any emotion.
"It's just something I picked up on over the past ten years." He smirked, shrugging his shoulders.
She didn't respond to him, knowing Garfield could continue a meaningless conversation all night. It was his nature to be overly friendly and converse in such meaningless conversations.
"So, what's your New Year's resolution?" He asked.
"I honestly hadn't thought about it." She answered, taking another sip of her drink.
She knew she could have ended the conversation there. And she honestly wasn't sure what provoked her to continue the discussion as she found herself asking him, "What's yours?"
"Try something new." He answered.
She turned to him curiously. "Wasn't that last year's?"
"No. Last year was Seize the day."
She tried not to roll her eyes. "Why are your resolutions so ambiguous?" She questioned.
He shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her. "It makes them easy to fulfil."
The music suddenly stopped, getting the attention of all the occupants of the night club, and the DJ announced it was ten seconds to midnight.
Everyone excitedly started to count down while Raven was simply happy that the night was almost over. But as she listened to the unison countdown, a sudden thought arose in her, a memory of what happened last year at midnight.
A lot of things had changed over the years as they got older. One of those things being an evident infatuation. Raven wasn't sure what Garfield hoped to gain by pursuing her romantically. She wasn't one to reciprocate such feelings, and while at times she enjoyed his company, and appreciated his friendship, she wasn't looking to pursue a romantic relationship, especially with him.
So last year, when the clock struck twelve, she didn't appreciate the kiss she received on the corner of her lips. But despite her reacting negatively towards the display of affection, he continued to pursue her, even if it wasn't as bold as a kiss.
But this year, she was prepared. As soon as the countdown ended and everyone screamed Happy New Year, she abruptly turned to the person next to her.
"Don't even think about it." She told him sternly, stopping him merely an inch away from pressing his lips to hers.
Raven was set in her ways, and was certain that she couldn't be persuaded. But as streamers and balloons fell from the ceiling, she found herself glancing back at the couple in the middle of the dance floor as they kissed each other passionately.
A foreign desire arose in her, a longing feeling for affection, so powerful it tainted any rational thinking she had.
She suddenly turned back to the boy next to her. The longing was so overwhelming she could no longer bear it. "Screw it." She breathed, grabbing the collar of his shirt, and yanking him forward, unexpectedly crashing her lips on his.
It was merely a taste of the affection she longed for. And as she pulled away from him, staring at his shocked expression, she hoped that taste was all she needed to satisfy her desire.
But it wasn't.
It started with a kiss.
That's how it always starts.
A kiss.
A kiss that leads to another.
And another.
That simple taste of affection didn't satisfy the yearning, but instead made it ten times stronger. Such a simple kiss provoked things inside of them that neither one of them had expected.
On the dance floor the party continued, but in the lavatory something unexpected commenced.
She shoved him against the shut door. Every kiss increased the fire inside them until it was too hot to bear. She tightened her arms around his neck, pulling him closer than what he already was. She pressed herself against him, feeling the warmth of his touch that she longed for. His hands gripped at her hips, mimicking the couple she had watched on the dance floor.
She couldn't think straight. The fiery passion tainting her judgement. She couldn't wrap her head around what she was doing. All she could do was act impulsively, letting her desire take over her.
He didn't oppose anything. Every kiss she gave, he greeted. Every suggestive hand placement, he mimicked. Every minuscule moan or sound of passion that left her lips, he returned with one of his own.
Never breaking away, she slowly backed up, taking him with her as she propped herself up against the sink. He tightened his hold on her hips as he lifted her up, setting her on the countertop.
He was happy to leave it there, he didn't need things to exceed. All he wanted was a kiss. Everything else that has happened after that was just an added bonus.
But she wasn't satisfied with just a kiss, or even a heated make out session in the bathroom. She desired to go where there was no return.
She tightened her legs around his hips, pressing his pelvis into hers. She loosened her hands around his neck, letting them trail down his chest, meeting at the hem of his pants.
But he pulled away as soon as she started to undo his belt. Because unlike her, he didn't have five glasses of champagne tainting his judgement.
She looked at him, almost aggravated with the sudden withdrawal.
"I feel like we should think about this more..." He spoke hesitantly, his breath slightly winded from the interaction.
"What's there to think about?" She asked, the frustration clear in her voice.
"The fact that you didn't even want me to kiss you earlier, and now you're taking off my pants?" He answered, giving her a skeptical look.
"don't want to think. I don't want to consider the consequences." She told him sternly, slipping her hand down the waistband of his boxers, causing him to do a sharp intake of breath. "I just want to do."
He should have protested. He should have questioned her reasoning, or lack thereof. But he wanted her for so long that when the moment came to have her, he couldn't say no.
It started with a kiss.
That's how it always starts.
A kiss.
A kiss that leads to another.
And another.
The kiss came with a lot of unexpected things, like the second kiss, and the third one, and so on… Like her clinging to him, groping him, and pulling him to the restroom.
All these things he greeted with excitement, passion, and desire. But the thing he wasn't expecting; at least not this soon, was going as far as they did.
He expected to build up to it, as normal people tend to do. He pictured a couple of dates with physical affection sprinkled into the mix. Hugs, kisses, and the occasional make out session. And after some time, when they both felt ready, they would take things a step further.
But that's not what happened at all. And that wasn't entirely her fault, he let it happen. He was just as willing as she was.
...
The hangover Raven felt that morning didn't come with the benefit of memory loss. And boy did she wish it did. She wanted to forget, to forget every little unexpected thing that happened that night.
Everything she did. Every compulsive kiss. Every lust filled groping. Everything that happened after the clock struck twelve.
Regretting her actions was an understatement.
She couldn't believe she gave into him, feeding into his arrogance. Confirming his assumptions that if he just waited long enough, she would eventually give into his charm.
She blamed the champagne. If she wasn't under the influence, then she would have been able to think straight. She would have been able to push away the longing of affection, like she had been doing for years.
She would have been able to listen to her conscience and sense of reason. Things that were telling her to get a grip, and to not play into the influence of desire.
But alas, that's not how the night ended. She listened to the lustful demon on her shoulder as it screamed, 'Kiss him, Touch him, Take him!'
And now she had to deal with the consequences of her actions.
...
The common room was empty, to Raven's relief. She quickly rushed to the kitchen to make a cup of morning tea, hoping it would relieve her aching head. But the water didn't boil fast enough, and before she knew it, her friends were coming through the doors.
"Look who's finally awake."
"Hey sleepyhead."
"Quite the party last night."
She ignored the comments her friends made as they poked fun at her late morning. Her tea was almost done, and she looked forward to hiding in her room for the rest of the day.
The water finally boiled, and she quickly poured it into her mug, but before she could escape the company of her friends, she felt a heated breath on the back of her neck.
"Happy New Year, Rae." Garfield said in a sultry tone, and she could hear the smirk in his voice.
She let out a long sigh as she gripped her mug tightly. She honestly was hoping to deal with this later, when her head wasn't throbbing. But there was no better time than the present.
"We need to talk." She told him as she turned around to face him.
She glanced over at their friends as they sat around the couch. But despite them not paying any mind to them, she still wanted more privacy.
"...Alone." She finished.
He nodded, the smile never leaving his expression as she walked him out of the common room and into the halls.
Once she felt they were far enough away from the others, she stopped and took a deep breath before turning to face him. But before she could say a word, he leaned in and kissed her.
"I've wanted to do that all day." He said smiling at her.
Her mouth was slightly ajar, the unexpected kiss causing her to briefly lose her train of thought.
"So, I was thinking tonight we will go on a proper date." He said enthusiastically. "I know we are kind of going backwards on this relationship thing but-"
"Last night was a mistake."
She didn't mean to blurt it out the way she had. And maybe if she had more time to think about it with a level head, she would have come up with a better way to address the matter. But he was getting carried away. She had to nip this in the bud.
"What?"
It was foolish of her to think he would take this well.
"What do you mean it was a mistake?" He asked.
"I had too much to drink and got carried away in the moment. It should have never happened. I shouldn't have let it happen..."
A hurricane of emotions was hitting him all at once, leaving him shocked and confused.
"You kissed me." He reminded her.
"I know."
"You pulled me to the bathroom."
"I know."
"You stuck your hand down my pants!" He told her, his voice exalting.
"I know what I did, Gar!" She shot back, her volume mimicking his.
"Hell, Raven, I even said we should stop and think about this!" He yelled.
"I know!" She told him.
He opened his mouth, but couldn't form a response. She could tell he was upset as she watched him break eye contact and he ran his hand aggressively threw his hair.
"Well..." He huffed loudly, the pain he was feeling clear in his expression. "I'm glad I could relieve whatever built up tension you had."
The shame of what she did hit her hard, causing her chest to sink with guilt. "Gar..." She sighed, but he abruptly cut her off.
"Happy Fucking New Year, Raven."
Over the years she had said a lot of hurtful things to him. But this by far was the worst.
Garfield felt angry, and hurt, and stupid. And he was tired of her making him feel that way. He felt foolish, foolish for thinking that they could be anything more than what they were.
He could handle longing for her and her not reciprocating the emotion. But for her to give him a taste of what it would be like to be together, even if it was only intimately, was just cruel.
He wished he could forget about everything that happened that night. To forget about her. But that seemed impossible, especially at the moment.
Because no matter how hard he tried to forget, or at least stop thinking about it, it seemed impossible, it was amazing, and intense, and unexpected.
He couldn't stop thinking about it. All the amazing details played over, and over in his head. The way her soft lips felt against his. The way her delicate hands gripped him tight. The way her body formed with his. The way a minuscule moan would leave her shallow breath.
How could he forget about that? How could she ask him to forget about it?
He loved that he was able to provoke such passion out of her. He loved that every kiss she gave him took his breath away. He loved that she took the initiative. He loved that she pulled him away from the party. He loved that she wanted him so bad, she couldn't wait until they got home.
He loved her... But not anymore.
But that wasn't true.
Garfield didn't know what to think. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to expect. But one thing he didn't expect, was for her to come back.
...
It was late as Garfield laid awake in his bed. His mind was swarming with the past events, leaving him unable to sleep.
But apparently, he wasn't the only one unable to rest as he heard an unexpected tap at his door. Out of all the people that could have been coming to him at that hour, he honestly wasn't expecting it to be her.
"Raven?" He questioned, genuinely surprised.
But the surprise quickly faded to annoyance as he found himself glaring at her.
"Can we talk?" She asked hesitantly.
He rolled his eyes. "Fine." He huffed, moving aside, letting her inside his room.
He watched her walk over to his bed and sit down, but she didn't say anything. She kept opening her mouth like she was about to speak up, but nothing came out.
He was surprised as she awkwardly fumbled with her words. He had never seen her so at a loss of what to say.
The room grew quiet as he waited for her to speak. Growing impatient, he walked over and sat next to her on his bed, hoping that would provoke her to say something.
She was acting so unusual that it caused him to question what she could be so hesitant to say.
"Well..." He said somewhat harshly.
Normally he would be more considerate, but he was rightfully still upset, and it caused him to be very impatient when it came to her.
She lifted her head to look at him directly. And before he knew what was happening, she unexpectedly bolted forward, pulling him close to her as she kissed him.
He abruptly grabbed her arms and pushed her away. He held her at arm's length, his eyes wide at what she just did.
He was shocked, dumbfounded even. He was not expecting that.
"Can we do it again?" She said softly, so quiet he barely heard her.
"What?"
"Please don't make me ask again." Her voice was hesitant as she lowered her eyes and gently slid her hands out of his grasp just to slowly glide up his chest.
He watched her do so at a complete loss of what to say.
She moved closer to him as she slid her hands up to his shoulders and loosely wrapped them around his neck. His shocked expression slowly subsided as she leaned into him. He watched her bite her lip timidly as she slowly lifted herself up and moved onto his lap. His heart pounded in his chest in anticipation as her expression grew dramatically closer to his.
"You said it was a mistake." He calmly reminded her.
"I know." She whispered.
"You said it should have never happened."
"And now I'm saying take me."
It started with a kiss.
That's how it always starts.
A kiss.
A kiss that leads to another.
And another.
As soon as the words left her lips, he vigorously pressed his mouth to hers.
Everything he was feeling, all the pain she had caused him suddenly vanished away. And he was back to where he had left off, wanting nothing but her.
Hungry lips moved around as heated breaths were exchanged. She tightened her arms around him, her fingers gripping the hair at the base of his neck. Hushed moans were exchanged, along with heated breaths. He wrapped his arms around her firmly, quickly picking her up and laying her on his bed. He loomed over her as she pulled him tighter and tighter.
And once again, the unexpected passion inside of them forced them to give in to their primal urges, ignoring the consequences their actions would have on one another.
...
The next morning Garfield laid alone in his bed as he stared up at the ceiling in exasperation.
"I'm an idiot."
He wasn't surprised to have woken up by himself. He was smart enough to know that despite what happened the night before, nothing had changed.
He was a pawn in Raven's cruel game.
He should have said no. He should have refused. He should have sent her away. He didn't have to willingly let her use him. Yet here he was being used like a foolish pawn.
Because he wanted it. He wanted her. But most of all, he wanted her to stay.
...
Garfield wasn't surprised when she came to him again, tapping on his door at the late hours of the night.
He wanted to be flattered that she found him so desirable. But that feeling was buried deep under the reality that he was being taken advantage of.
He hated that she only wanted him at night. Especially when he never stopped wanting her. He hated that she could just go about her day like nothing happened. That the passionate nights they had together meant nothing to her.
Every time he woke up in his empty bed, he told himself he was done. That he wasn't going to let this happen again. He didn't care how good it felt in the moment, because it didn't compare to how it felt when it was over.
But then she would come back, smelling like incense and tea. Kissing him as if she was starving for affection and he was a gourmet buffet of love. And he couldn't resist.
It started with a kiss.
That's how it always starts.
A kiss.
A kiss that leads to another.
And another.
...
She didn't mean for any of this to happen. Her actions were so unlike her, and so... uncharacteristic.
He had provoked something inside of her, something she refused to acknowledge. She had a flame burning in her core, and he was the gasoline that ignited it.
It was foolish of her to think a simple kiss would put out the fire in her. You can't feed a dog a treat and expect it to not come back hungrier.
So here she was, back at his door, starving for affection. The longing she had to be touched, causing her to act impulsively and out of character.
The second time was supposed to be a onetime thing, but a part of her knew it wouldn't be, as she said the same thing about the first time.
And she was right. She was always right.
Unless she's wrong.
These encounters were frequent. They weren't supposed to be. But they were. He was good, he was amazing, he was… wonderful.
And not just the first time, but every time after that. He was kind, patient, focused, and generous, and soo… affectionate.
She knew she was using him. And while she hated herself for it. A part of her got some sort of sick pleasure out of taking what she wanted. Coming to him whenever she saw fit. Using him to satisfy her own urges. And then leaving as if it never happened.
But that didn't mean she didn't feel guilty about it, in fact the guilt was eating her up inside. She knew he deserved better than this, better than her.
But here she was again, enjoying the high of climax as he moved himself off of her. The aftermath was nice. But it did come with its flaws.
Once the high was over and the endorphins faded away, she was forced to remember where she was, and what she was continuing to do. And then the regret and shame resurfaced, provoking her to make her move to leave.
Raven slid herself off the side of the mattress as she grabbed her clothes off the floor.
She mentally scolded herself for coming here again. For kissing him as if she was going to starve. For stripping him down as if his clothes were on fire. For clinging to him as if she were drowning, and he was her life preserver.
She told herself that she had to stop doing this, though she had said the same thing many times before. The words were meaningless if she didn't listen to them.
But this time she was certain. She was done. It had gone on long enough. She couldn't take the shame anymore. The disgrace. This needed to end.
But they were empty threats.
He was her drug. Her warm, safe, handsome drug. And she knew she would be back to get her fix.
She slowly got dressed, making sure to not make a sound. She was quiet, but not quite enough as she heard him let out a long-exasperated sigh.
"Slipping away again, huh?" He asked as he turned towards her, resting himself on his propped-up arm.
She sighed at the comment as she continued to get dressed.
"Leaving the scene of the crime?" He continued, and she didn't dignify him with a response. "How long will this go on, Raven?"
"It won't happen again." She stated sternly, her back still facing him.
He humorously laughed. "You said that last time."
"Well, I mean it this time." She told him firmly, causing him to roll his eyes as he loudly huffed.
He slowly sat up before moving to the edge of the bed. "Raven..." He spoke as he attempted to get up.
"This was a mistake." She told him firmly, turning her head to the side as she spoke.
He slumped back down on the mattress. "You always say that." He drawled.
"It shouldn't have gone on this long." She continued.
"Then why has it?" He asked, knowing quite well she wouldn't dignify him with an answer. "Raven…" He began again before sighing. "Rae…"
"Don't call me that!" She shot back.
He was humored that she got so defensive over something as simple as a nickname. And in the past, he would have been more respectful to her wishes. But right now, he was in no mood to accommodate her request.
"Rae..." He repeated slowly, causing her to abruptly turn her head to glare at him. He couldn't help but smirk at her angered expression.
She let out a long sigh as she turned away, glancing at the door. "I have to go." She told him.
His devious attitude shifted as his expression softened. "No, you don't." He told her softly.
"Yes, I do." She responded.
But before she could move towards the door to leave, a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist. She abruptly turned and looked at the light grip he had on her before looking up at him.
"Raven, please." He spoke tenderly.
"What?" She asked, already knowing the answer.
"Stay. Stay with me." He told her. "Come back to bed."
The guilt she was feeling only increased with his plea, causing her to yank her hand away.
"This shouldn't have happened!" She told him again in an outburst.
He sighed, narrowing his eyes. "But it did."
"This won't happen again!" She clarified.
"You're lying."
"These were all mistakes!"
"To you."
"Gar, this isn't going to work. It can't work. You're my teammate, my friend…"
"Your lover…" He finished quietly.
Her eyes widened. She wasn't expecting the comment, and it left her at a loss of what to say.
Lover...
It was true. But she didn't want to acknowledge that. She wanted to live in denial, and she hated how he continued to disrupt that by making this thing they had real.
"Gar…" She began.
"Raven, you say we are friends, but friends don't do this." He told her.
More truth she didn't want to acknowledge.
"That's why I'm putting a stop to it." She told him.
But he knew her words were empty.
"Raven, we've been at this for over a month." He told her, moving his arms around as he spoke. "A month, Rae." He finished, standing up.
She let out a frustrated sigh. "Why are you so stuck on this?" She asked, massaging the sides of her head.
"Because we've been sleeping together for over a month!" He yelled.
"Yes, I know!" She shot back.
"For over a month, you've been sneaking in and out of my room!"
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as she turned away from him. "I don't do sleepovers." She said simply.
His face contorted painfully. "You don't even say goodbye. You just leave, Raven!"
"What do you want from me, Garfield?!" She demanded, harshly turning back to him.
"YOU!" He yelled, "I want you, Raven! All I ever wanted was you. I want you to be… to be…"
"To be what?" She asked sternly. "You're girlfriend?"
"Yes..." He answered quietly.
She stared at him, unable to come up with a response.
He let out a heavy breath as he turned away from her. "I still don't understand what I'm doing wrong, Raven. It has to be something because you clearly don't want to be with me. But it can't be the sex since apparently that's all I'm good for."
"Gar…" She spoke quietly, her guilt causing her voice to sound remorseful.
"I want you, Raven!" He interrupted again, turning back to face her. "I want to take you out on cheesy dates. Where we go to dinner, and see a movie. I want to hold hands and kiss in public. I want you!"
She let out a sigh as she grabbed her arm. "It's not that simple." She told him softly.
"Yes, it is." He protested. "Raven, if you just let it happen you could see how easy it can be."
"Nothing is ever easy with me, Garfield!" She yelled, surprised he hadn't caught on to that yet.
"Only because you don't let it!"
"My whole life has been problematic, Gar. How could you expect a relationship with me to be anything but?"
"All relationships are complicated, Raven. You take the good and the bad."
Raven sighed, lifting her hands in the air, defeatedly.
"I'm done talking about this." She said, turning away from him as she headed towards the door.
Garfield slumped back down on his bed as he let out a long-exasperated breath, dragging his hand down his face. "I can't keep doing this, Raven." He told her, and she could hear the defeated tone in his voice.
She slowly stopped, but she didn't turn around to face him as he spoke.
"If you think you're too problematic to be in a relationship, then maybe you're right. I will accept that there will never be anything between us, romantic or otherwise." He told her, the despair of defeat evident in his voice.
"So, you can go now. leave like you always do. But this time don't come back. Because I can't take it anymore." He finished, letting his head fall.
She turned to see him hunched over in defeat before slowing turned back to face the door as she swallowed a lump in her throat. It tore her up inside, seeing him so beaten, and knowing that she was the cause of his pain.
She did this to him. She broke him. And for once, she was certain when she told herself that this was done. She had got what she wanted. She wanted it to end, and it did.
She opened the door, but her feet refused to move. She stared at her escape, her answer, her solution to all of their problems. Her clean getaway. An end to the late-night visits, and hidden kisses. An end to the seductive whispers and moans.
She said goodbye to the affections he gave her, knowing that she would never receive them again. And unexpectedly, this caused her to feel sad.
He wouldn't look at her the same way ever again. Not only would the look of lust and desire leave his eyes, but his charming and tender looks of affection would disappear too. That is if he ever did look at her again.
His playful snickers and flirtatious touching would cease to exist. And his scent that she grew accustomed to, would slowly fade away.
But that was what she wanted, right? For him to move on, to find someone better, someone worthwhile…someone who wasn't her. That was what she wanted, right?
No…
The sound of the door shutting caused him to lift up his sunken head. And to his surprise, he watched her swiftly turn around and walk towards him. She unexpectedly grabbed the sides of his face before crashing her lips on his.
He was about to protest, to finally take a stand and say no. But he realized she wasn't kissing him to fulfil her ongoing desire. She was kissing him because she was giving in, and finally accepting his wishes.
As soon as she felt him kiss her back, she immediately moved onto his lap. He swiftly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him until she pulled away.
"This isn't going to be easy." She warned with a heated breath.
Without missing a beat, he smirked at her. "It never is with you."
"I have issues." She told him seriously.
"I know."
"A lot of them." She emphasized.
"I know."
"I have trust issues."
"Who doesn't?"
"Self-esteem issues."
"Same."
"This could get dangerous." She warned.
He held in a laugh. "I'm not scared."
She looked at him questionably. "Am I really worth it?" She asked.
He smiled. "Do you have any idea what it's like being with you? Kissing you? Sleeping with you?"
"Fine…" She huffed, ignoring the touching sentiment. "But I don't want this coming out to the public. Not until I've wrapped my head around the matter."
"Rae, we've been having sex secretly for over a month. Do you honestly think I'm going to go blabbing my mouth?"
"I'm going to pick the restaurant, and the movie." She told him sternly.
"Done."
"And I won't dress up."
"Are you sure?" He asked playfully.
"I'm serious. Don't expect me to wear dresses or heels." She told him firmly.
"Oh, come on, Rae. Have you seen the way your legs look in them." He mused, running his hand over her thigh. "And the pair you wore at New Year's..."
She asked, narrowing her eyes. "Are you going to make a pass at me on every date?"
"It wouldn't be complete without one." He teased.
She sighed in frustration. "Fine."
He couldn't help but grin before tightening his hold on her, picking her up and flipping their position.
"You won't regret this, Rae." He mumbled, burrowing his face in her neck.
"I already am." She told him, but despite what she said, a modest smile appeared on her lips.
It started with a kiss.
That's how it always starts.
A kiss.
A kiss that leads to another.
And another.
…