So Much For The Second Date

Posted on Fri Jun 12th, 2015 @ 11:18pm by Lieutenant Raymond Benson & Ensign Leela Carter

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Ensign Carter's Quarters

She had said seven, but she was running late. A good ten minutes late. Leela hated being late. She fluffed her hair then gave up and slicked it back into a ponytail. Making a quick pass at putting makeup on, Leela quickly picked a dress and was halfway into it when the doorbell rang. "Crap," she grumbled and stumbled toward the door, still yanking the tight dress into place.

"Coming!" She called.

When the door opened, Ray stood just outside, dressed in black pants and a silk shirt in a deep scarlet. In his hand was a single rose in a matching dark red. He smiled when he saw her. “Running to the door or is it me that’s left you breathless?”

"What if I said both?" She smiled and gestured for him to come in. "Come in, have a seat. I'm not quite ready."

“No? You could have fooled me. Perhaps it’s me that is left breathless.” Ray stepped in and reached out, brushing her cheek with the rose blossom. “Take all the time you need.”

"Said like a man who isn't hungry," she joked and took the rose from him. "I'll be out in a minute." She retreated to her bedroom, leaving him to either sit and twiddle his thumbs or stare at the art on the walls.

Ray took advantage of his wait time to look over the living room where he sat. He’d always known you could learn a lot about a person based on the rooms they inhabit, so he studied his surroundings with care. Moments later, he was berating himself. He was thinking like a lawyer, not a regular guy here to pick up his date for the evening. Then again, this whole situation was far from regular and neither were the people involved in it. Idly he wondered how much Siri and Chelsea had bet on this evening and which one of them would win. The thought brought a chuckle and he shook his head. Perhaps he should have a talk with the staff tomorrow.

"Hey, how hungry are you? Really?" Leela called from her bedroom. "Starved or could you wait?"

“I’m in no danger of wasting away in the next couple of hours, why?” he called back to her.

"Then... Maybe you could help me here for a minute?" She appeared in the bedroom doorway, wearing nothing but her heels, and added, "I simply can't figure out what I should wear."

Ray turned to look and seeing her there, rose to his feet and was over the back of the sofa in a single bound. He reached her and drew her tight against him. “I have a few ideas….”

"I'm sure you do," she pulled him by his shirt to her bed and kissed him before pushing him onto it. Talking wasn't necessary as she pulled his shirt off and put it on herself. "This color suits me."

Ray laughed and pulled her down to him. “You know what would look even better on you?”

"Are you about to be crass and say you?" She laughed and kissed him.

“Ooooh, absolutely me.” He grinned and flipped her over beneath him. Then neither had much to say for quite some time.

*****
Later, Leela's stomach rumbled, reminding her they'd skipped her normal dinner time. They'd had more important, and fun, things to do. "You awake?", she nudged Ray with an elbow.

“That’s Sleeping Beauty to you missy,” he murmured, then laughed. “Though I was expecting to be awakened by a kiss, not a nudge.”

"You came to the wrong bed for that, SB. A good night kiss you can maybe count on, but a wake up kiss? No." She was just about to kick him out of the bed, literally, when he put an arm around her and pulled her close. "Oh, or should this be a second-walk-through-the-park kiss?"

“I like parks,” he replied. “A lot. Well worth a second visit. Can you make it through another stroll without starving? We can always have something delivered and have a picnic...since we’re going back through the park and all.”

"A picnic sounds lovely. I don't even have to figure out what to wear. And I could go for a stroll before needing to eat, so come here," she shifted and then they didn't need to talk.

*****
Sometime later Ray rose, leaving Leela dozing, and strolled out to order dinner. He then investigated the kitchen and, finding a bottle of wine, he popped it open and poured two glasses. It was a nice, white wine, already chilled. Perfect, he decided. With a smile plastered on his face, he carried the glasses back to the bedroom. Leaning down, he kissed her forehead.

“Hey Rapunzel, come down from the tower.”

"No, SB, you should come here. The bed is so soft," she crooned and rubbed the sheets next to her. "Ah, but I see you have wine." She sat up, gathered the sheets around herself and took one of the glasses from him. "Perch on the grassy knoll with me. I take it our picnic is on the way?"

"It is.” Ray settled down on the bed beside her and touched his glass to hers. “If there’s one thing I have a soft spot for, it’s a woman with good wine in the kitchen. How was your snooze?”

"Pleasant. Did I snore?"

“No, were you supposed to?” Ray smiled back at her and leaned in for a kiss. “For the record, I do wake up kisses. But that’s it right now. I don’t want wine all over the bed.”

"That'll come later, then," she said and kissed him. "What's dinner?"

“I debated between exotic, refined, or sloppy. In the end, since neither of us wanted to dress, and it’s gauche to eat French food en deshabille, and since this is an extended stroll through the wilderness, I went for uncomplicated and perhaps messy. Big cheeseburgers. Huge. And fries. We need to keep our strength up for the upcoming hike.” He grinned at her, then sipped his wine.

She laughed. "I like this. Better than going out. Burgers and fries are awesome. Do you have a favorite food?"

“Whatever doesn’t eat me first?” he joked. “Really, it depends on the day and my mood. I have what has been described as having an eclectic palate. Which could be a high compliment or a nice way of saying I’ll eat anything.”

"That makes you sound very high-brow," more high-brow than she was, she thought. "I'm simple. If I can recognize it, I'll eat it. Well, so long as it isn't something weird, like snails or gagh. Bleh. I don't see how folks can eat those things."

“Oh hell no.” Ray shook his head. “I draw the line at Klingon food. It’s weird watching someone so refined as Kh’ali dig into that stuff.” He shuddered. “I saw her do it once at a diplomatic dinner. True story.”

"Yeah, that's awful. I'll leave the live worms to Oz's pet, Ignatius. If only I could take it to some of those dinners. At least I haven't yet had to try eating something that wriggles. Other than during security training."

“Now I’m doubly glad I went to law school.” The chime rang and he looked around, searching for his pants. “Someone needs to get decent and answer the door. I’ll settle for getting dressed, though.” He gave Leela a wink and climbed out of the bed.

She liked this: getting to stay in bed while a lover - a good one at that - brought her things, as if in tribute. A thought came to her and she scrambled out of the bed then set about finding a blanket and.... She knew there were books somewhere in the room. She found a couple, old textbooks,under her bed. Tossing the blanket onto the bed, she set the books there too, creating a makeshift picnic with the books as somewhat stable places to put their glasses. She settled back on the bed just as Ray came back with the food. "Grassy knoll?"

He carried two large plates loaded with food. “I’d be delighted, Rapunzel.” He sat carefully on the bed and placed the plates on the blanket. “Now then, once we eat, we should have plenty of get up and go to...ummm….get up and go?”

"Oh yes, we will." She grabbed some fries and jammed them in her mouth. "Mmm, sho goodt."

“You said it perfectly,” Ray agreed. He lifted a fry and offered it to her. “And once this is done…..” He leaned in and spoke softly, his lips brushing her ear. “After all, the night is young and I like what you’re wearing.”

She took the offered fry, kissing his fingers. "You're overdressed, by the way, Ray."

He smiled like the Cheshire Cat. “So I am……”

*********

Ensign Leela Carter
Clothing Challenged

Lt. Ray Benson
Dressed But Not Always Decent (Not Always Dressed Either)