Teela’s eyes bulged. She couldn’t speak; she just hung there in his arms with this comic look of shock on her face. Rick drew back calmly and said to the security guard, "See?"
"Yeah, neat," the guy grimaced. "Don’t do that here, okay?" He shook his head, turned, and walked off.
Teela, who had dropped her arms and stepped back when released, watched the guard leave, then turned to Rick. "What the FUCK did you do to my neck?"
Rick looked unperturbed. "I don’t THINK I left a hickey…"
"A HICKEY! YOU…" Teela sputtered.
Rick put a finger to her lips. "The guard still wants to toss you…" He flicked his eyes to the guard, who WAS still watching. "We need to be REALLY calm, here, if we want to see the movie. Give me your hand … By the way, which flick did you come for?"
Teela stood there a moment looking outraged, then flicked a glance at the guard before very tentatively holding out her right hand. Rick took it and facing them both away from the guard, led off toward the concession stand. Holding her outrage in check, she said, "I was going to see the sci-fi flick."
"That’s convenient," Rick replied mildly. "So was I."
Teela turned her head, eyeing him. "You don’t think I’m going to sit with you…"
"Everybody else does," Rick replied calmly. "Besides, we need to discuss your original question…"
Teela was completely nonplussed. She eyed Rick in disbelief — was he NUTS? But Rick merely said, "You were in line to get something?"
"Well, yeah … Popcorn. And a Coke." The girl behind the counter nodded. Teela pointed out medium sizes for both.
"I’ll have a lemonade, medium," Rick added, then fished out money. "How much?"
"For the lemonade? Or everything?" The counter help asked.
"Everything." Teela’s mouth flew open, so Rick added, "Quiet, Runt."
"Runt! I ought to… !"
" … Be quiet before John Law shows up again," Rick cut her off. "We STILL have a conversation to conduct."
"Runt. I’ll SHOW you RUNT!" Teela hissed — but it was quiet — hissed pitched for his ears only.
Rick grinned; while she blustered about name-calling, he got the snacks paid for, instead of having to fight her over who was providing the money. "Let’s go. Smile for the nice usher and give him your ticket…" There was a momentary lapse while Teela juggled her popcorn and drink to produce a ticket, finally handing her popcorn to Rick, then the recovery while he presented his own ticket, and they were through — and Teela, with both hands full was in no position to contest the hand Rick draped around her waist. "What the FUCK are you doing?" she hissed.
"Directing you to your seat," Rick replied, leading her down the hallway. "I don’t want you getting lost — we still have to talk." He moved ahead of her to open the theater door, bowing, "After you, milady." Teela sidled through the door, unwilling to lose sight of him — the boy was OBVIOUSLY insane…
But the hand reappeared on her hip as soon as they were through the door. "Where?" Rick murmured in her ear.
"Up high — I don’t want to be seen…"
"Fine." He led her to the stair, then followed her up with one hand placed possessively in the saddle of her lower back. The theater wasn’t full, by any stretch; Teela had no problem finding seats in the second row down from the top of the theater.
"You don’t have to pretend any more," she hissed as she started traversing the seats toward the center of the row, "No one is looking."
"You hope," Rick replied, chuckling.
Teela deliberately picked a seat where the seat in the row in front and to her left was filled by a tall person so that Rick, behind her, would have a poor view. Rick just sidled past, managing to scotch an attempt by Teela to trip him as he passed. Okay, you’ll pay for THAT, too! he thought. Rick couldn’t explain it, but he was having the time of his life, messing with the little spitfire! At this point, he was prepared to make an afternoon of it … Draping his left arm over the seat back, he laid his hand negligently on her left shoulder, "Now we can talk…"
Teela plucked at his fingers. "If you left a mark on my neck…" she hissed.
"You’ll be showing it to your girlfriends until it goes away," Rick finished mildly. "Speaking of which, we were discussing Sally…"
"You insufferable… ! Oh! I can’t BELIEVE you!" Teela howled.
"You really need to get a grip on that temper, you know," Rick pointed out mildly. "It leaves you incredibly vulnerable to attack…"
It never had before, actually. Teela prided herself on being able to freeze most males in place BEFORE they could launch an attack! God knew she had a lot of practice … The downside was that her defensive shield repulsed just about everybody… "Get your hands off me!" she grated.
"Why? Maybe the paparazzi will show up and put us on the cover of People…" Rick replied, unperturbed. He squeezed her shoulder, making it more difficult for her to peel away his fingers — something she was applying serious resources toward.
"Rick! Please!" Teela pled.
"Finally! An attempt at manners!" Rick pulled his hand from her shoulder, but left it on the seat back.
"You are with out a doubt the most…" Teela blustered.
"Careful! Before you go too far, take a look in the mirror in the Ladies' Room…"
"For my neck?" Teela gasped, horrified.
"No, to make sure you’re not describing yourself!" Rick replied. "Thus far, I’ve gotten you out of trouble with the law and bought you goodies at the concession stand — not to mention subjecting you to my tender loving care — and all you’ve done is rant and rave…"
"I don’t have to sit still for this!" Teela hissed.
"Oh, yes you do!" Rick returned his left hand to her shoulder and pressed, stopping her nascent attempt to rise. "Now will you PLEASE shut up so we can discuss this foolishness between Lon and Sally?"
Teela stopped struggling, "What?"
"You heard me!"
"Okay…" Teela thought fast. "So what’s going on?"
Rick sighed. "I don’t know — it’s totally inexplicable! I’ve tried to talk to him about it, and he’s perfectly reasonable — except the whole thing doesn’t make any sense in the first place…"
"It makes perfect sense if he’s looking for a girl he can charm out of her panties and leave standing around looking stupid!" Teela huffed.
"No, it doesn’t," Rick replied, sighing. "Lon doesn’t need to do that."
"And why not?" Teela argued. "You boys are ALWAYS randy…"
"Trust me, it isn’t necessary," Rick replied.
"So you’re trying to tell me that Lon’s sexual needs are taken care of? That he has his own supply of willing women waiting for him to wander by and graciously accede to their entreaties to fuck their brains out?" Teela hissed sarcastically.
"Well, that’s going a bit far," Rick replied, "but he has a steady supply of no-strings sex…"
"From what? Sheep?" Teela rolled her eyes.
"Women. Living, breathing creatures more or less answering your description," Rick murmured. "At least I ASSUME that you meet the standard criteria for female…"
"Hey!"
"If you can’t hang with the big kids, stay off the playground!" Rick retorted.
"So you’re telling me this thing has NOTHING to do with sex…" Teela sneered.
"No. Well, yes and no. Sex is part of it — but Lon insists that he wants her as a girlfriend!"
"That’s … bullshit!" Teela howled, getting a look from people in the row in front of her. Fortunately, even the previews of coming attractions hadn’t started yet…
"Frankly, I can’t see it, either, but he says she fits his criteria…" Rick shrugged.