Dancing

Richie & Libby

by Atonia & Layne

Libby had put on her new dress and was waiting for Richie. Friday was finally here. She'd been looking forward to this. She hoped Richie had been too.

She was hoping that he'd enjoy this evening. She wanted him to know how much she appreciated everything he'd done for her since the accident. He'd been so caring and attentive. And she'd missed their physical relationship too.

She wasn't sure that Richie had. Although she didn't really like thinking about it, Libby was pretty sure that he was seeing other women as well as her. She'd seen him with Nonnie Scott, as well as with some other woman she didn't know. And she knew that he didn't stick with one woman. Richie himself had told her that.

It made her a little jealous, but she knew she didn't have reason to be. She and Richie had set up the rules when they'd first gotten together. It was a friendship. With benefits, sexual benefits being part of that, but there'd been so many benefits beyond that. He was good for her and she enjoyed having him in her life. Even without the sex. She hoped he enjoyed being friends with her too.

She'd been so lost in thought that she jumped when she heard the knock at the door.

Richie knew tonight was special for Libby and being the thoughtful fellow he could be when he wanted to he’d picked up some flowers for her at The Greenery. He’d been distracted for the last couple of days thinking about Nonnie but he’d tried to put that aside for tonight…tried knowing tomorrow night he was taking her out to dinner. He smiled when Libby opened the door.

“Hey kid,” he produced the flowers from behind his back, “brought you a little something.”

"Richie!" Libby was truly surprised at the flowers. She hadn't expected something so...romantic...from him.

"They're beautiful!" She took them from him, giving him a hug and a kiss, and taking them to the kitchen for some water.

The dinner she was making smelled good. She hoped it turned out well.

"How was work?" She turned from the sink, her new dress falling softly around her legs.

“It was work,” he grinned taking in the picture she presented, “smells like you’ve been working too…you look nice Libby.” He leaned on the counter while she messed with the flowers.

"I have been working," she smiled at him. "I hope you like lasagna. It's one of the few things I'm really good at making."

"And how do you feel about dancing?" she asked, with a twinkle in her eye.

“Dancing? You gonna take me dancing tonight? Well it depends on the lasagna how I feel about it,” he teased.

"Then, maybe I just won't feed you before we go!" she teased back.

"But, yeah, I'm gonna take you dancing. There's this little jazz club in Coffs. Maybe you've seen it?" Libby had been in that club a couple of times. When the idea of dancing had come into her mind, she'd thought about Crossings, but it didn't seem like Richie's kind of place. And, despite the fact that the people who hung out there were mostly her age group, it really wasn't Libby's kind of place either.

“No food no dancing,” he replied and found a chair and sat down, “What gave you that idea about dancing?”

"Oh, I don't know, really," Libby said, putting the food on the table. "I'm always listening to music, and a song came on the radio the other day that I used to dance to. Just made me start thinking about it. I haven't done that in quite awhile."

She poured a glass of wine and stopped on the way around the table to sniff the flowers he'd brought her. On his side of the table, she looked over at him. "Wine? Or would you rather have a beer?"

“I’ll drink wine since you dressed for dinner.” He winked, she sure had gone to a lot of trouble. “I didn’t forget your birthday or something did I?” Dinner, dancing... it almost sounded like a date to him.

"Nope. That was weeks ago," she told him with a grin. Twenty-two. She wished her father had been here for it.

"No- I just-" She met his eyes. "I owe you a lot, Richie. More than I could ever repay you for. Nobody's ever looked after me the way you have since the accident. I'm just trying to show you how much I appreciate everything you've done."

Libby looked at him earnestly. "You know, for somebody who said he'd never been friends with a woman before, you really have turned out to be a good one."

“Well I hope I don’t spoil it all tonight by stepping all over your feet…dancing,” he sipped his wine and shook his head. “I can’t remember the last time I went dancing…” but then he did, he’d taken Toni out to Coffs, he hoped they weren’t going to the same place.

“You know you don’t owe me anything Libby, I don’t think friends keep books on that kind of thing. At least I hope not cause I’m probably way in arrears.”

"If we did keep books, I'd be the one who was way in arrears." She'd noticed the look on his face, when he talked about dancing. Could tell it brought up some memories for him.

"If you step on my feet, I'll kick you in the shins," she teased. "Then, we'll be even. Look, Richie, if you'd rather not go, just say so. I don't want you going just to please me, if you're not gonna have a good time."

“Kick me in the shins eh, no Libby, I’d like to go dancing with you. You’re looking too pretty not to take out and show off a little ya know. Makes a guy feel good to have a good looking woman on his arm. Especially when she makes good lasagna.”

Libby enjoyed that "good-looking woman" remarking. No one had told her she was pretty in a long time. To cover her blush, she joked, "You haven't eaten much lasagna, have you?"

He was distracted tonight. She could tell. Richie was usually distracted by his work, but it was something else now. He just didn't have the same look in his eyes that he usually did. She hoped nothing was wrong.

When they were finished eating, she cleared the table and got ready to go.

Richie was waiting for her to come out of the bedroom where she’d gone to get something he wandered over and looked out of her front window and looked right across the street to Nonnie’s shop. ‘He wasn’t ready for her,’ that’s what she’d told him, a part of him wanted to be ready for her and that part was growing. He turned as Libby came out, “All ready to go?”

"Ready." Libby couldn't help thinking to herself that she was ready for more than just dancing. She'd waited what seemed like forever for this six weeks to be over and now, here was Richie, looking so damned good...

Moving closer to him, she slid her arms around his neck and pressed herself tight against him, kissing with all the pent-up passion she'd been feeling for the past few weeks.

He responded to that kiss it was in him to do that no matter where his mind was at the moment. “Ummm, and you wanna go dancing huh, well we’d better get out of here quick or I’ll be dancing you back to your bedroom and waste this pretty dress you got on.”

"That'll be the last dance of the evening, and you can bet I'll save it for you," she told him breathlessly. They went down the stairs and Libby showed him to her new car, which had just been delivered a couple of days ago.

The insurance had finally paid up. She'd replaced the little Toyota Corolla with an SUV, a 4-Runner. "How do you like it?" she asked. "I decided to move up to something bigger."

Richie had a look at her new vehicle and nodded his head, “I like it Libby, you did good. You know I still think you should have let me take this accident to court, I could have wiped the floor up with those guys.” He understood why she didn’t because news of her pregnancy would have been all over the court.

As they got in, with Libby behind the wheel, she replied. "I know you could have, Richie. I don't have any doubts about that." She smiled over at him.

"But I just- The loss was- It hurt too much. And my being pregnant would have become public knowledge. As it is, no one knows except you and Abby, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Heading in the direction of Coffs, she added, "Besides, it's not like I need the money."

“People can always use money, Libby.” He looked out of the window as she drove, “Andy didn’t think he needed anything either but what we got out of his settlement allowed him to open Andy’s restaurant. It made him nervous to ride with her, not that she wasn’t a good driver, he just wasn’t behind the wheel.

She could tell he was on edge. Smiling a little, she pulled to the side of the road and stopped, handing him the keys. "You wanna drive?"

That was probably part of his problem with relationships, she thought to herself. The idea that someone else was involved and he wasn't completely in charge. It wasn't that he was arrogant. Some people were just nervous about things when they weren't calling the shots.

"And I really don't need the money, Richie. I-" She stopped there, unsure about telling him any more of her life story.

Richie grinned, “That obvious? If you don’t mind.” He got out and went around to the driver’s side of the car and pulled it back onto the road.

“What’s this about not needing money, am I escorting some rich princess around and not knowing it?”

Libby looked down at her hands, folding them and unfolding them. "Princess, no. Rich-? Well, I guess it depends on your definition of rich."

She looked up at him and the rest of it came out in a rush. "When my father died five years ago, he left me a trust fund. A pretty big one, actually. I don't tell anyone about it, because people tend to think of you as a 'poor little rich girl' and, especially when you're in college, they give you a hard time. You know- Oh, it's terrible she only has daddy's money to live on. You're known as a 'trust-fund-baby' and people don't like you because of it."

"The truth is, I've worked since I was old enough to have a job. Made my own way. The only time I've spent any of it was for the moving expenses when I came to Australia from the States."

Richie glanced over at her, “well you aren’t in college anymore, you should do something with it there’s nothing wrong with having money. The Glen is not exactly the wrong side of the tracks you know. Buy some land or a house or something, I think I’ve found one to at least go and look at.”

"Really? That's great, Richie! Where is it? That'd mean you'd have a place for Michael to come and visit."

"And I've actually made a list of houses to go and look at. And it's all your fault!" She grinned at him.

“The one I’m looking at is in The Glen off Glen road, way off Glen Road about four miles past the town center. It probably will need some work and I’m not a fix it guy so we’ll see. You’re lookin’ too huh, just gonna move out of my flat and not tell me,” he grinned.

"Yep! And leave owing a ton of rent!" She grinned. "That's what us rich people do you know!"

"Actually, there's a few months left on my lease and, who knows, it may take me that long to find something. If not, I'll find someone to sublease from me before I go. That'll be the only thing about having a house. I'll hate not living above your office. I've gotten so used to it."

"You're the one who got me started looking, you know. Told me I needed to find a place and establish a home before I started thinking about having kids."

“I think everybody needs a place to call home, that’s something I’ve missed living in a boarding house. You’re still thinking about kids are ya? I think you left out a component there Libby.”

"Yeah, yeah. I know. A guy." Libby sighed in mock resignation. "You anxious to fix me up or something, Roberts? I mean, it's sort of funny, you pushing somebody so hard about relationships, even though you say you don't want to be in one."

She looked over at him curiously. Had that changed? Was he thinking about it now?

“I’m just saying if you’re gonna have kids you need a guy, somebody to be around and help take care of them, be a Dad you know.” He wasn’t going to mention relationships, he wasn’t ready for that…was he? “Okay you need to tell me where we’re going I got a turn off coming up.”

She let things drop and gave him directions to the club she'd been thinking about. As they pulled up to it, she looked at him anxiously. Was it okay?

Richie parked, it wasn’t the one he was thinking about and he was glad, that last dancing night with Toni happened before she left for the States and it had not been a good night for either of them. “Okay, kid…take me dancing.” He smiled and opened the car door and went around to open hers.

They found a table first and ordered drinks. On the small dance floor, Libby moved into his arms easily. The music was slow at the moment, which made it easy just to lean against him and enjoy herself.

"This feels good," she murmured into his ear. "It's been a long time since I've danced."

“I don’t think I’ve ever danced with you,” he said and held her close enjoying the moment and letting the music push everything else from his mind.

"No, you haven't." Libby thought she could do this all night. If it wasn't for her desire to do something else.

Pressing herself against him, she felt his response to her. God, she was really anticipating the rest of this night!

Richie ran his hands up her soft silky dress feeling her pressing against him, he was beginning to wonder if this was a good idea, they were a long way from The Glen and she felt good.

Looking up at him, Libby whispered, "I may have forgot to mention that I reserved us a room for tonight. I was remembering the last time we came to Coffs, and how we didn't want to make that drive back."

Richie was a little surprised, “You did eh, good thinking,” He felt it building inside him it was going to be good he knew it was. He closed his eyes for a moment and suddenly opened them, he’d actually felt a little pang of guilt…where had that come from? He dismissed it quickly…but he knew where it came from and it bothered him.

They went back to the table and had drinks. Richie was holding her hand, stroking it with his thumb, but he seemed a little out of it. Libby took his hands in both of hers and looked him in the eye.

"Okay, pal," she said, in a teasing voice, trying to push her desire down for a few minutes. "You wanna tell me where you're at tonight? One minute you're with me and the next you're a million miles away. Is something wrong?"

“Um no, nothing’s wrong, sorry if I floated away, just a lot of things going on right now.” Richie looked down at their hands and pulled himself together, he was smiling when he looked back up, “So uh where’s this room you reserved…very far from here?”

"No. Not far." He was smiling, but Libby knew there was something distracting him. "You sure you wanna go? We can go back to the Glen, if that's what you want."

“What do you mean do I wanna go, of course I do, I’ve missed you,” he kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Okay then." She returned the kiss enthusiastically. "I guess it's my turn to ask if you're ready to go?"

Richie stood up, “I’m ready Miss Libby, let’s go.” He slid his arm around her and headed for the door. Sex with Libby was always fun…that’s what it was…right? Yeah it was fun. He wasn’t anybody’s toy to be shared or not shared…not a toy at all. Why were Nonnie’s words still running though his mind? He shook himself and opened the car door for Libby.

As they entered the hotel room, Libby kicked off the high-heels she'd been wearing. She wasn't used to them and actually hated them, but the dress had seemed to call for them. She dropped her bag on the dresser and turned to Richie.

"I don't think you know how much I've been looking forward to this, Richie." She slid her arms around his waist, looking into his eyes. "I've never enjoyed being with someone so much. I've never felt so free to be just myself. You're something special, you know that, Roberts?"

“I like just yourself,” he kissed her, “let’s both be free tonight,” he meant it, he wanted to be free…tonight. Clothes began coming off and dropping on the floor. He toed off his boots and started to unbutton his jeans but her hands were there first, he let her and then picked her up and put her on the bed.

Richie felt so good. He made HER feel so good. She pressed herself up against him, letting her hands roam over him. His body against hers was warm and familiar. She moaned softly as his lips captured the tip of one breast.

Libby felt good to him, she tasted good to him, he let himself go finding familiar places, touching her the way he knew she liked it. His lips found her mouth again and he entered her settling deep before he began to move with her.

Feeling Richie inside her again was wonderful. She knew this man, Libby thought to herself. Knew him better than she'd ever known anyone before. Just as she always did, she let go of all her worries and inhibitions. As they moved together, she looked up into his eyes, holding his face between her hands and wrapping her legs around him.

He held out as long as he could trying to make it good for her but he’d been needing this release for days. He felt she was getting there with him, “Come on baby, come on.” He whispered.

"I'm with you, Richie," Libby whispered back. "You don't have to hold back. It's okay." She raised her head and kissed, as she felt her climax approaching

He didn’t hold back any longer he let himself go and lay on her breathing heavily draining every ounce of euphoria he raised up on his arms and kissed her again a warm satisfied look in his eyes. “Mmm, I think we both needed that.”

"I definitely did," she sighed. "God, I love- I love the way you make me feel, Richie."

Libby rolled over on her side and ran her fingers over his chest. "So- What would you like to do the rest of the night?"

Richie smiled a little, “take advantage of this situation and sleep a little…maybe.”

"We can sleep as long as you want." She returned his smile and curled up next to him, feeling as though she were back where she belonged.

Richie cuddled but it would be a long time before sleep visited him.