Rain Check?

~33~

Chris POV    

"I think that's a great idea."

    I chuckle from across the table as Dempsey nearly chokes on her Coke by my answer. I guess it caught her by surprise. I toss an extra napkin over to her place setting to help clean up the sputtering mess she's created on my dining table.

  "I'm sorry!" she coughs out, immediately wiping away the spots from the table. "But, you're joking right?"

  "Why would I be joking? You've met my family," I remind her. "In fact, just a couple weeks ago you celebrated a holiday with us. I think it's only fair that I do the same and meet yours."

  Her hazel eyes genuinely look panicked over my answer, and I find it adorable. "You're cute when you're freaking out." I can no longer hold back a full laugh as she's now holding her head in her hands, pink creeping up her neck.

  "It's so not the same, Chris," she mutters through her hands. "You bringing a girl home is easy. Me bringing a guy home, let alone YOU, is the complete opposite."

  I shake my head as I chew up a piece of the broccoli and garlic pizza that Dempsey was adamant against me ordering. I reminded her we're at my house and I can brush my teeth when we finish. "Not true. My family worries about any girl I bring home. Luckily for you, they somewhat knew of you before I actually came into the picture so you didn't have to endure the Spanish Inquisition."

  "You don't get it though. My family will know exactly who you are."

  I rest my forearms on the table, leaning forward a bit more. "Who am I, Demi?"

  She gives me the exact expression I expect when she rolls her eyes and leans further back into the wooden chair. "You know who you are, Evans."

  "I want to hear it from you."

  She huffs, but finally obliges me. "Well, you're Chris Evans, famous for playing Captain America, Johnny Storm among other roles I'm sure. You're Chris Evans, Hollywood Heartthrob that has been linked to a few actresses, according to Sawyer. You're Chris Evans, political advocate, that thankfully doesn't insist that we agree on everything concerning the political climate."

  I pause, chewing on my lip for a moment, ducking my head down before I look up at her through my lashes. "That's a good Google response I suppose, minus the last one. That was more personal. But, who am I to you, sweetheart?"

  And with that question her demeanor changes, a smile beginning to take over where a slight grimace once sat. "You are Chris, an incredible uncle, a sweet brother and son. You're a Boston boy born and bred. You love your job, your family and your dog. I think you can be romantic if given an opportunity."

   My brow lifts at her admission as I silently tell myself I may need to step up my game with something big if she's questioning that. 

  Her eyes move from my stare, up to the top of my head now. "And your hair is floofier than normal."

  That's when the sweet, tender moment changes, making me grab my chest and laugh loudly. "Not so sure that's an actual word, Miss Teacher," I gasp out between bellows. 

  Dempsey joins in with her own chuckle. "The dictionary is ever changing. Someone could be adding it in as we speak." 

  Once I calm down, I stand up from the table, moving around towards Dempsey. I offer her my hand which, even now after dating for a little over a month, she still acts shy every time she takes it. 

  It's adorable, and I hope it never changes.

  I walk her into the living room, slide onto the piano bench and invite her to sit next to me. She obliges my desire, reaching up and touching the keys in front of her with a featherlight touch. "And you play the piano," she whispers, nudging my shoulder with her own. 

  "And I play the piano," I match her whisper as I begin to tickle the ivories, slowly before I actually attempt to sing along. 

Moon river wider than a mile
I'm crossing you in style someday
Old dream maker, you heartbreaker
Wherever you're going I'm going your way

Two drifters off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after the same rainbows end
Waiting round the band
My huckleberry friend, moon river
And me

  Dempsey releases a sigh, her hand over her heart. "And you sing Frank Sinatra. No wonder Sawyer tells me you get every woman on the internet pregnant."

  My shoulders shake as I choke on a laugh, surprised by her words. I pull the cover back over the keys, turning towards her. "That's twice that you've mentioned things Sawyer has told you about me from the internet. Have you really not researched me?"

  She looks almost shocked by the question. "No, I haven't. I told you I wouldn't and I'm a woman of my word, Chris." She slips off the bench, standing up and walking further into the room. 

  "Why exactly is that again?" I think I know the answer, but I really want to just hear her say it.

  She leans her head back before standing straight again, blowing out a large breath from her mouth. "Because I don't want to know you like the internet does. I mean, yes I want to know about you, but I want you to tell me all the things. It's not like you can go and read about me anywhere. I don't want crazy articles, or twisted words to form my opinion of you."  

  I had stood up when she first started speaking, now taking a couple steps closer to her. She seems frazzled and I realize that maybe I shouldn't have pushed the subject too much. I reach my hand out towards her, letting it grip at the back of her neck, having learned this helps calm her down a bit. I give her a light peck on the tip of her nose before brushing my lips over hers. 

 "I love that you see me as just Chris. I only ever want to be just Chris with you. Please don't stop looking at me as just Chris, Demi." 

  She watches me closely as my thumb runs along her jawline. I lean in once more to kiss her but she takes a small step back. I look on in confusion as she's very obviously trying to hide a smile as she pulls her lips in. "What?" I ask cautiously.

  Dempsey now holds up her hand, covering her mouth. "You and your garlic pizza," she mumbles behind her hand. 

  I release her neck, bringing my cupped hand in front of my mouth before blowing into it. My nose turns up in disgust and I even step back from the smell. "I am so sorry!" I run into the kitchen not wanting to ruin this moment any further by actually taking the time to brush my teeth. Grabbing a breath mint I pop it in my mouth before jogging back into the living room where I left her.

  "That might explain why you're unmarried, Evans."

*I know it's shorter. I'm sorry, but three updates to this in one weekend has to win me some points, right?

*Unedited.

*After Christmas we're jumping timelines a bit like I mentioned before so I hope you'll stick with me :)