Ok this is my first "Reckless Dansing" fic. It's a follow up of their two scenes outside of Kelly's after, what I call, their "first real kiss" on August 10th. Hope you like it! Please read and review :)

Ric waltzed through the gates of the park, rather pleased with himself for getting under her skin again. It was impossibly easy. Once he told her that he was going to call her on a work-related issue, she lost her ability to react. Ric took advantage of her loss for words to berate her again (and suggest what a party animal she can be) without having to worry about her reaction or interruption. At least it'd give her something to think about. Not that she needed anything to think about… Ric was sure that kiss had left her unable to be susceptible to distractions for quite a while.

"Wait up!"

Ric turned around as she darted to his side. "Couldn't stay away?"

"You wish! I didn't get to have my say!"

"That's OK. We can make up for the missed conversation over a drink," Ric said moving in close to her, but she shoved him away furiously.

"Not in this life! You know, you are so conceited, it's truly amazing. Going on and on about how desperately attracted I am to you when you couldn't be more wrong, and you won't let me get a word in edgewise to defend myself! So let me tell you, Ric Lansing –"

"You seem a little irritated, counselor," he said grinning wickedly.

"Don't you dare interrupt me," Alexis warned. "First of all, you are not attractive to me in any way; you're disgusting," she said in her usual pace in which her words ran together angrily, and Ric couldn't help but grin. She continued on rapidly and wrathfully. "You are so incredibly full of yourself, it's laughable. You can't seem to grasp the overwhelmingly simple concept that you are a pig, so let me clear that up for you. You are not desirable. Not to me, not once, not ever. I can hardly tolerate being in your presence for long at all before I want to wring your neck until you stop breathing, so don't think for a second that I ever was, am, or will be attracted to you in any way."

"You sure are getting awfully worked up over this."

"I'm not finished," she said shortly. "For the record, I will never have a drink with you ever again, because you took advantage of me," she began, and Ric opened his mouth but she cut him off. "And don't even begin with that 'technically, you took advantage of me' crap, because I was the one who was drunk. When I kissed you that night, you should have turned me down, since you were the sober one. But you did nothing. Therefore, you took advantage, regardless of who initiated it, and that is why I will never, as long as I draw breath on God's green earth, have a drink with you ever again, you disgusting pig!" she shouted, and felt suddenly very dizzy. She staggered for a moment, and Ric held her arms in his hands to make sure she didn't fall. "Don't touch me!" she said pulling back.

"I'm just concerned; are you all right?" Ric loved engaging in a good reckless argument with Alexis as much as she did, but he was unexpectedly worried now.

"I just need to sit down," she panted closing her eyes and sitting down on the bench that lay all too conveniently behind her; Ric followed suit. She covered her mouth with her hands and sucked air rapidly and dangerously.

"Breathe."

"I don't need to be told!" she snapped, but her breathing only got worse. Ric almost put his arm around her, but her face got redder. He didn't know if she was angry or turned on – maybe both? – but he didn't want to find out. He just sat quietly next to her while she tried to steady her breathing.

"Are you all right?" he dared after a while.

"Don't pretend like you care," she said softly.

"But I do."

"Bull. The only thing you care about – besides your grudge against Sonny – is pushing my buttons and irritating me within an inch of my life."

"Haven't you ever wondered why I do that?"

"Because you derive great pleasure from infuriating me?"

"No," he said, looking down at his feet. Alexis looked at him closely with cautious eyes. "If I don't tease you about feeling drawn to me, then I have to realize and face how drawn I am to you."

Alexis sat quietly for a moment, and then almost burst out laughing. Ric admitting he had feelings for her? That was something to be wary of. "That's a load of crap."

"No, it isn't," he said seriously, and he looked up at her. The sincerity she saw in his gaze scared the life out of her.

"I don't understand; why are you telling me this?"

"Because I can't take it any more, OK?" he said, trying very dearly not to shout. "I can't stand kissing you one minute and then fighting with you the next. We had a real kiss yesterday. No one was drunk. No one was trying to prove a point. It was just you and me, in the moment, and it was real. It was as real as it gets, and I'm not about to ignore that."

"I honestly don't know what to say," Alexis said softly.

"Then don't," he said turning towards her. "Why do we always need something witty or clever to say back to each other? As if words are all we have between us, when I know there's more." He took her hands and slipped his fingers around hers. Her heart skipped a very important beat at his touch. She squeezed his hand, and he knew in that moment that she finally accepted him.

He wasted no time with the kiss.