Chapter 34

"She blinked at the change of subject, "travel?"

"Yeah ya know.. see the world.... try new things.." He chatted as he stuffed his face gleefully.

She shook her head, a wry smile on her lips. "I can't do that, maybe someday when I can afford it, when Shannon's finished with school. I do have to work you know."

"What ya gotta work for?" He shrugged. "The house is paid for right? Shay’s old enough to take care of herself.. and afford it? Babe you wouldn’t have to pay a dime."

Her brow arched slightly, "Taxes, utlilities, food, Lord Richie, there are bills to pay. What do you mean I wouldn't have to pay a dime?"

He waved away her worries, " you'd be with me, I ain’t gonna let my lady pay, no way."

A nice toasty warm had started somewhere in her belly and was working its way through her body, heading straight for her brain. As she glanced at him curiously for a moment he blurred then came right again. "Your Lady?" she nearly squeaked it out. "You got a lady?"

He looked at her curiously, "Hell yeah I do....." he grinned, "I think I do.. if I don’t she will be soon."

She picked up the sake', water, whatever it was and poured a healthy dollop in her cup. "Oh." She should of known he'd moved on. Sex was, hell he was a rock star..She should of known. "I see."

He fought hard to hold back his amusement "Do you see?" His voice was soft as he studied her intently. “Do ya really?”

She reached for a piece of sushi and dunked it in one of the sauces and bit into it and felt her mouth catch fire. "Oh shit. fuck.. What was THAT!" She swallowed and waited a moment for her tongue to work after scorching it and nodded. "Sure, you're just revisiting old times. It’s ok, really. I hope she’s nice, this girl of yours. I might have to hurt her otherwise."

Richie shook his head and couldn’t hold back any longer, he laughed. He laughed long and hard while he poured her a glass of water to wash away the burning. Oh my, Mellie. What am I going to do with you hmmm??? I'm talking about you. You’re my girl. Don’t you know? It's you I want to come with me to see the world."

Her eyes went wide as shock filtered through her system. "You want me to travel with you, while you work, while you," she shook her head trying valiantly to clear her muddled thoughts, "what happens to Shannon huh?"

"Well yeah... ok maybe not like all the time. I wouldn’t ask that of my worst enemy." He chuckled as he continued, "but yeah why not? Why not a few days here, a weekend there?" He took her hand and held it on the table between them "Shay'll be just fine on her own once in a while. Ya gotta start cutting the strings a bit babe."

It sounded so nice, but she couldn't see having a job that allowed for all that. "I doubt any boss would allow for that kind of time off, but it sounds really nice Rich, really it does." She watched quietly as his eyes darkened, disappointment shining in the dark brown orbs. She sighed, “Don't DO that darn it."

He sighed. He knew she would say no, but he'd hoped, he'd really hoped. He knew the more she was around the easier it would be for him to really make a change both for himself and her. "Well.... I mean, let’s just say we can try? I'll be happy with that. If all you can do is a weekend now and then it’s better than nothin'. I just want... I just don’t want this to be it ya know.. I want..... I wanna give us a shot..." he said sincerely

She leaned over the table and reached out to brush his cheek. "I got into more trouble around you because I couldn't resist those eyes. You know that right?"

At her admission he turned on the full power of his pout. His eyes softened and took on a sexy glow "Please Mellie? Say yes.... Say you'll be my girl."

She blinked and tried to fight away the blurry sensation. What the hell was wrong with her? It was just the dork sitting there. She could refuse him; she'd done it a million times. She would refuse him, he was, damn him; he was dangerous she had to refuse him.

Her eyes shadowed as the thoughts tried to straighten up in her overly scrambled brain, the sake' and the man combining into a lethal knock out punch. "Ok.”

He smiled and leaned over the table to brush her lips with his "Good! Now it won’t be right away but as soon as I can and as soon as you know you have a few days I'll set somethin' up ok?"

She nodded and took another bite of sushi. Once you got used to it, it wasn't so bad. Washing down the bite with another drink of the sake' she started to pout when she tried to pour more and found the small pitcher empty. "Well darn."

His eyes widened. "It's gone?"

She nodded, a full fledged pout shining in her eyes. "Can we get more?"

"Uh... nah ... um.. I think... I think we've had enough." He looked a little shocked. Damn she drank all that... oh man this was not good. "Ya know, we should probably get going the place IS about to close." He fished in his jeans for his wallet and tossed a few bills down.

Her brow arched at his sudden need to leave. "So what's next hmm?" She stood up suddenly and wavered slightly. She leaned into him and grinned, "We haven't gotten into trouble yet."

He steadied her then slipped his arm around her waist. "Oh, I was thinking maybe going home, chilling out ya know?"

She leaned into his hard body and grinned, slender fingers walking up along his chest, "Oh I can handle chilling out I think.”

His senses perked at her touch. Was she initiating......She'd yet to even touch him freely and of her own accord. As he helped her into the car and caught the desire flaming in her eyes he thanked every god he could think of for the fine invention of sake’.