Life's Canvas

Biker baby

Chapter 8: Biker Baby

Life's Canvas

Chapter 8: Biker Baby

Richard woke up, groggily blinking his fascinatingly cerulean eyes. A yawn skewed his features for a moment, and he wriggled his fingers. His arm was asleep. It was then that he became painfully aware of Kori, contentedly sleeping away in his arms. He then remembered the incidents of the previous hours and his eyes drifted to the clock. Almost eight. He'd had a total of seven hours sleep. That was plenty for him, but obviously not for Kori.

He gently shook her shoulder with his free hand and she groaned, clinging tighter. "Kori, wake up..." he muttered. This wasn't what he needed at the moment. "Kori!" he insister. Kori yawned and rolled off of him, falling back onto his bed without batting an eye.

"Five more minutes, Roy... I don't wanna go to work yet... " she mumbled. Richard stiffened. Ok... so Roy was a usual fixture in her bed? Or did he simply live there and come to her room to wake her? Or did he drive out to see her every morning?

"Kori, it's Richard. You gotta wake up now." He said. Kori's eyes flew open and she bolted upright so suddenly that Richard found himself scrambling backwards to press his back against his foot board. "Um, mornin' Sunshine?" He laughed sheepishly. Kori's wild-eyed expression faded, and she drew her knees to her chest, blushing furiously.

"Oh, sorry... I was simply startled... I..." she shook her head. Instead of continuing the thought, she looked to the clock and with a squeak she vaulted from the bed. "Ah! We must be going now! Roy will be waiting at the little café I'm parked at... um... The Black Cup, I believe." She nodded at the recollection. Kori was about to bound out of the door when Richard came up and placed a hand on her arm. She stopped and looked over curiously. "Yes?"

"You might wanna change..." he grinned. Kori seemed to realize she was still in her night clothes and her hands flew to the sides of her face in slight shock.

"Goodness yes!" she exclaimed. Richard released her arm with an amused nod and closed the door after her in order to change himself.

They met ten minutes later, standing in the foyer. Kori smiled softly as Richard jogged down the stairs. "You will like Roy. He is very similar to you... but he does not find me so annoying," she giggled and winked. Richard understood she was kidding... but it kind of hurt. He didn't like this sensitivity she was bringing out in him.

"You're not annoying at all. I-I enjoy your company. You're just... the most vivacious business partner I've ever had," he said as he came to stand in front of her. Kori smiled broadly.

"Really? That means a lot. Especially with all the trouble I caused last night." She shrugged. Richard nodded and peered over at her shoulder. She saw him look and tilted her head.

"It's fine. Shall we be going now?" she asked. She looked anxious, he decided. Richard took her hand lightly and led her outside into the nippy late morning air. She inhaled deeply. "It's beautiful out!" she grinned. Richard didn't say anything, instead he took her around the side of wrap around drive way and opened the door to his black mustang. Kori didn't pay much attention, her thoughts very far elsewhere. "RICHARD!" she squealed. He jumped at the sudden cry.

"What!" he asked, disturbed.

"Is that your motorcycle?" she asked innocently. He nodded slowly, blue eyes narrowing behind his dark shades. He had chosen to loosen up a bit on wardrobe today and was donned in dark jeans and a polo... still a bit more conservative than Kori; who had elected to wear a short white peasant-style skirt and matching white top that fell around her shoulders. Her hair was swept up in two paint brushes again and she had actually worn shoes. These were strappy weave sandals with obnoxiously chunky heels.

"Yeah... It's my bike... why?" he asked carefully. She looked over at him with sparkling green eyes.

"Can we ride it to the café?" she inquired hopefully, her hands clasped in front of her.

"You're in a skirt," he replied bluntly... as if that would settle it with Kori!

"And your point is?" she tilted her head to the side. Richard opened and closed his mouth a few times. Well, she should know quite well what the point was. Flippy, short skirts were not bike-wear. At all.

"Uh, you might not be comfortable..."

"Oh Richard, stop being silly! Please? I've never been on a motorcycle and it seems like so much fun..." she cut him off, batting her lashes. Richard shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Fine, whatever you say," he sighed. To tell the truth, he actually found it rather amusing. With that as her go ahead, she grabbed his arm and raced to the bike. She hopped from foot to foot in excitement.

"This will be so thrilling! Roy has a bike... it's blue. He won't let me ride it though," she bit her lip as Richard held out his helmet to her. "What will you wear?" she asked. Richard shrugged.

"I'm fine. Put it on. We're gonna be late," he said. Kori nodded hastily, and jammed it onto her head. The paint brushes slipped out and a waterfall of scarlet hair tumbled out of the bottom of the helmet. Richard helped her onto the back of the bike and got on himself. Kori laughed as the engine roared to life. Richard smirked. He liked that sound too. Kori wrapped her arms around him, and for a brief moment he was disoriented under the trusting closeness of her touch. He sucked in a deep breath, kicked back the stand and allowed the bike to surge forward.

They shot down the streets of Gotham, Kori's hair flying back like a banner, announcing their presence. Her skirts billowed around her and teased the bike seat. She laughed, tightening her hold on Richard and throwing back her head. Richard smiled at the sound. She was enchanting like this. "Faster, Richard!" she peeped. Richard obliged willingly and the bike shot out between the cars, dodging traffic in a less than legal manner... but it was a hell of a lot of fun. They neared the café, and Richard reluctantly began to slow down. Kori brought her head over his shoulder. "Roy can wait just a little bit. Can we keep going?" she asked.

He hardly needed urging and they sped off again, roaring around the block. "Richard, you lied!" she called over the growl of the engine.

"What do you mean?" he yelled back.

"You said you didn't have fun!" she replied. Richard gave a bark of laughter and revved the bike as they stopped at a red light.

"Ok, fine... I lied then," he looked over his shoulder at her and Kori shivered as their eyes met, but it was brief because the light changed and they were off again. They looped back to the café and parked around back, next to Kori's car. Richard lifted a brow at the lavender vehicle but said nothing. Kori hopped off of the bike and gave Richard a quick hug as he got off. He awkwardly patted her back and she snickered at his incompetence.

"For someone so well known as a play boy even out in Jump City, you sure are shy," she jabbed him in the chest and he grimaced.

"It's your fault," he muttered under his breath. Kori didn't hear, already pulling him off to the front of the café. As they rounded the corner Kori dropped his hand. He noticed for a split second, her face fell and she seemed to go cold in her spot. It was so quick though, he couldn't have been absolutely sure because the next moment she was rushing over to one of the tables.

"Roy!" she exclaimed, bounding into the arms of a man about Richard's height with red hair a few shades more orange that Kori's. Richard was further shocked when Roy planted a firm kiss to her lips. Kori indulged and then turned back in Richard's direction, her cheeks a bit flushed. Whether it was from the ride or Roy's kiss, he couldn't be sure.

"Richard, I want you to meet Roy Harper... In the police force they all call him Speedy," she grinned and laid her head on Roy's shoulder. Roy waved and offered a friendly smile, but behind his own dark glasses his brown eyes were anything but sociable.

TT

I HOPE YOU LOVELY PEOPLE ÉNJOY !