Life's Canvas

An Affinity to Read

Chapter 14: An Affinity to Red

Life's Canvas

Chapter 14: An Affinity to Red

After the boutique incident, Richard had pointedly taken Kori's hand and proved severely reluctant to let it go at any time. From the look on his face, he hadn't liked either of the choices he'd been given back there. God knows he didn't want to hurt Kori, but he was equally at odds with the concept of a steady relationship. And a relationship with a girl like Kori, at that. Their views on exactly what constituted a relationship were incredibly different, to make matters harder, and it appeared they would be following Kori's logic.

Kori looked up at him from her seat in the food court as he came over with their orders from China Express. "Richard, if you don't want to... I mean, I understand you don't usually..." she grimaced at her inability to speak.

"No. I... don't want to leave you. Ever." He said quickly, though she could see the discomfort plain on his face. It was probably the worst possible moment for the blue-eyed vixen, Barbara Gordon, to show up. Babs sauntered up, one eye-brow quirked as she flipped her wavy red hair back over her shoulders.

"Richard? What a surprise!" she chuckled leaning her weight on their table. Richard swallowed his mouthful of orange chicken slowly, and looked up. He was aware of Kori's curious gaze flickering between the two.

"Uh, hi... Babs..." he coughed.

"I haven't seen you on our usual morning runs recently... what's up?" she murmured, baby blues searching his face with interest. Richard nodded and glanced over at Kori, who met his gaze with a slight shrug. He could see her mind working, though. Undoubtedly remembering the conversation they'd shared the first time they'd eaten dinner together. The one involving the party. Babs had been his original choice as a date.

"I've busy lately. So I've been using Bruce's Gym in the evenings for my work out instead," Richard replied carefully, suddenly feeling an overwhelming guilt for what had been done between Babs and him but days before Kori's arrival. Kori went back to eating her lunch, figuring she would be fairly exempt from the conversation. And that was fine, seeing as she had no particular desire to talk with Babs. Either way, she remained intent on hearing what went on in the talk... whether her eyes were actually on them or her half-consumed egg roll.

"Mhm... Sure, ok. So, who's the lovely lady over here?" Babs inquired, her gaze shifting to Kori and studying the young artist with practiced glance. Richard blinked.

"Kori Anders... she's an artist I've employed for the moment," Richard's words fell subconsciously from his mouth, not much of a thought given to them. But the moment he heard them, the moment he saw Kori hear them... he became painfully aware it had been a mistake. She definitely wasn't just a random artist... she was Kori. At this point, his Kori. He peered at her expression, guiltily catching her gaze, but she only offered a soft smile in return. The kind that are far worse from any death glare or heart-wrenching, tear-filled gaze. It was just a soft smile that told me his words had been expected and that she had never truly trusted his kisses.

Kori allowed her hold on Richard's stare to linger for a moment before the brief exchange was lost and she offered Babs a well-faked grin. "A pleasure to meet you... Babs?" she extended a slender hand and Babs quickly took it and shook it politely.

"Same to you, and yeah... Babs will do fine," she said. Kori nodded.

"Babs, then. As I said; a pleasure," she returned her attention to her finished meal and crumpled up her napkin, tossing it blankly onto the tray with her empty dish. "Richard, are you through eating?" she asked. Richard nodded and Kori took his plate, neatly stacking it atop her own and taking the finished drinks as well. She quickly excused herself and went to throw them away. Richard sighed.

"So... if she's just a co-worker, there's no competition, right?" Babs asked with a light laugh. Richard stiffened and sucked in a breath.

"Actually..." Richard was cut off, as Barbara rather inconveniently pressed her lips against his own. She lingered, and then pulled back slowly with a wink.

"See you later," the girl practically purred as she slipped away from the table and disappeared into the crowd milling through the mall. Richard stared at the table. He should've enjoyed that. A lot. In fact, he usually would have enjoyed that and been much more responsive. But the blunt truth was, this time had been different. He hadn't enjoyed it. All it did was make him feel slightly nauseated with nagging guilt. And as he looked up to meet Kori's surprised stare... he knew exactly why.

Kori came back over tentatively, doing a commendable job at keeping her composure. Seriously, what had she expected? It wasn't like Richard was blind to the other members of the female world. It wasn't as if she had really, truly expected anything from Richard Grayson. Still, it stung. "Kori, please," he started, but she shook her head with a feigned smile considerably less believable than the one she'd offered to Babs.

"It's fine, really. I didn't honestly think you'd... limit yourself to me, I mean..." she trailed off. Richard stood quickly and grabbed her shoulders as if he thought she might disappear in a puff of smoke if he didn't tell explain now.

"No, Kori, it's not fine. I hurt you, didn't I..." he murmured.

"Like I said, I didn't truly expect anything. I-I mean, I'm just some artist you employed... right?" she shrugged and attempted another grin but her sensitive nature was winning out. What was it with men and breaking her heart like this!

"Kori, listen to me. I didn't mean it the way it sounded. I-I don't know, Kori. I'm not used to doing this sort of thing. The whole... emotional thing is-is kind of beyond me. But it doesn't take away from how I feel about you. Whether I can really understand it or not," he said, searching her face. He could feel something in the pit of his stomach; either the orange chicken seriously hadn't set right or he was scared to death of loosing Kori when he just barely had her. He was guessing it was the latter.

"Then why'd you kiss her?" Kori asked quietly... bluntly. Richard hesitated and closed his eyes.

"I didn't. I tried to explain what my relationship with you really was, but she didn't even let me get out three words. In fact she only let me get out one... and then she just-just... kissed... me," Richard muttered, knowing exactly how stupid that must sound. But it was the truth. Kori was staring at him, wanting to believe so very much and feeling incredibly skeptical at the same time.

"Honestly?" she asked finally, her expression daring him to lie to her. Richard sighed and nodded, wishing she had more reason to trust him.

"Honestly. And even if I'd been the one kissing her it still wouldn't change how I feel," he said. "Babs is the one that's just a co-worker." He finished.

"But... how do you feel, Richard?" she asked with a slight shake of her head. Richard met her gaze, his eyes dark as he pulled her into a kiss, completely overwhelming her with every ounce of emotion he felt. It was true, every last bit of it. He pulled back and Kori swallowed, breathless.

"I love you, Kori Anders," he stated quietly, his voice confident enough that it surprised not only Kori but himself as well. Kori locked gazes with him, drowning him in her endless emerald eyes.

"I... love you too," she agreed finally, kissing him lightly again. Then, she smiled, her seriousness lost. "So... if she's just a co-worker, there's no competition, right?" she asked. Richard gave an ironic chuckle.

"None. None at all,"

TT

HOPE U LIKED THE QUICK UPDATE ! JUST IN A JOYFUL MOOD SINCE ITS MY BIRTHDAY AND I'M ALIVE THANKS TO GOD !