NB: Set a few years in the future, yet Matt is present. This story is inconsitant with the tv show Ugly Betty. Please review with comments and suggestions for improvement. Enjoy...
She lifted her champagne glass and looked through the sparkling amber liquid at the handsome man sitting across from her, and a slow smile lifted the corner of her mouth as she felt the warmth of affection fill her heart.
Matt also lifted his glass and clinked it with hers, as he toasted them, "To us!".
They both smiled at each other as they drank, their eyes locked as they enjoyed the moment of languid happiness.
Betty felt wonderful tonight. The dim lighting and atmosphere of the romantic restaurant contributed to her fine mood. Ever since she had allowed Matt into her life...and her heart, she enjoyed a fulfilment and a contentedness she had not experienced in a very long time. He was stable, reliable, caring, funny and most importantly he was THERE.
After the tumultuous relationships of her past, it was a welcome change to be able to have a boyfriend without complications. There was nothing to keep them apart, and Betty appreciated the simplicity of their relationship.
She sighed contentedly as she set her glass down and leaned back in her chair, unable to stop smiling as she admired his now familiar form and features. With him, she could just BE.
Going still, she determinedly stopped her thoughts there. Someone else had said that to her. No. She wasn't going to drag out the past now, not now while she was dining in a romantic restaurant with her fabulous boyfriend and feeling glamorous for once in a gown of deep red. She wasn't going to dwell on the past, not tonight while on this perfect date.
"What's wrong?", Matt asked. A slight crease of concern touched his forehead.
"Oh", Betty refocused her attention back to him and leaned forward as she reached across the table to touch his hand, "nothing, nothing at all, I just realised how happy I am to be here with you right now, in this perfect moment".
Matt's dark eyes shone and his thumb gently caressed her hand where it still held his. "Betty, I wouldn't want to be anywhere in the world other than right here with you. I feel like the luckiest man alive to have you in my life!" Then he leaned forward to hold both her hands in his, "and you look absolutely beautiful tonight".
Pleasantly surprised by this last bit, Betty looked up into his eyes and blushed slightly when she noticed his gaze move over her face then down her throat to her breasts, she hadn't realised she was allowing him a tantalising glimpse as she leaned across to hold his hands.
Having decided to be a little daring tonight, Betty had chosen an elegant gown which skimmed her shoulders gracefully revealing her arms, shoulders and a lot more of her cleavage than she was used to. The way Matt looked at her made her feel self aware, and sexy.
She tilted her head to one side and watched Matt lift one of her hands to his lips and slowly kiss her skin. His eyes travelled back up her bare arm to her face. His dark eyes wordlessly communicated his desire for her.
It positively thrilled Betty to know he wanted her, she knew he found her fun to be around and intellectually stimulating...but to know he found her physically attractive as well did wonders for her self esteem. She realised she wanted to become more intimate with him too. Betty found her mouth forming the words with ease, "Let's go back to your apartment, Matt. I don't want this night to end just yet..."
Gio looked up as a flash of lighting lit the sky, then adjusted the box he held on his shoulder.
"Looks like rain", observed Bernardo, his newest apprentice, as he slammed the van door shut.
Bernardo was a talented and motivated young man, and Gio trusted him like no other apprentice he'd trained thus far. That was the reason he only allowed Bernardo to accompany him on these secret deliveries.
"Uh-huh, better get this last box over to Jacques before he .......", said Gio as he walked towards the back entrance and smiled as he heard Bernardo guffawing behind him.
For some time now, Gio had been preparing and delivering selected dishes secretly to an upper-class restaurant for a handsome sum. He was bound to secrecy lest anyone find out the fancy restaurants most sought after dishes were prepared by a lowly deli shop owner.
The deal suited him just fine, Gio wasn't interested in restaurant cuisine no matter how good he was at it, so he allowed Jacques to take the credit and in return it allowed him to finance his REAL passion to further refine and develop his unique deli menu.
He was taking the humble deli roll to new heights, allowing people from all stations of society to access nutritious, superb quality and delicious food during their busy working day. He truly believed a good meal prepared with love nourished the soul as well as the body. And he wanted to share his vision with the world.
Gio smirked as he approached the back door to the kitchen and saw Jacques silhouetted against the light streaming out of the kitchen into the alley, as he approached he noticed the Chef casting a nervous look over his shoulder and wringing his hat in his hands.
"Hurry up! Some of the diners have asked to see the chef and I have to get these boxes out of sight, mainenant!!"
"Okay, okay...keep your beret on", Gio said as he sauntered over, "I'll be ready to see them in a moment".
Setting down his load, he pushed past the flustered chef and proceeded to smooth his hair and check that he looked presentable for the diners using the reflective surface of the kitchen cabinets as a mirror.
"Get out! Get out!" Jacques whispered hoarsely at him and shoved Gio towards the door, marched back into the kitchen and slammed the door, but not before uttering a string of abuse in his French tongue.
The quiet alley was plunged into darkness and Gio turned on the step laughing heartily. He jumped down and strolled into the alley, he was in good spirits tonight.
As he made his way back to the van he took in the restaurant building, it sure was impressive. On the spur of the moment he decided to take a self guided tour of the kitchen garden, Bernardo wouldn't mind waiting a few minutes.
He slipped off his white apron and neatly rolled it as he entered the gardens and paused. It was lovely. His chest expanded as he breathed in the fragrance of plants and herbs on the cool night air. He was a solitary figure in the empty garden with its stone benches and raised beds, and it felt magical. Not many people knew about this side of Gio, they saw a cocky, blue collar, sandwich maker from the deli. But there were many layers to Giovani Rossi, the deeper of which he reserved for the most important people in his life. And the deepest most intimate part of his soul he reserved for his soul mate.
On this night he was getting a strong feeling that everything he ever wished for in life would come true, that all his dreams would be realised.
A movement caught his eye, looking toward the building he saw floor to ceiling window panes and what appeared to be an atrium or waiting area. He saw a couple there, a tall thin man was helping an elegantly dressed woman into her coat. She turned towards the windows and Gio almost ducked behind a bush to hide, when he realised she couldn't see him in the dark night. She was using the window as a mirror and arranged her blond hair around her shoulders before taking her partners arm and leaving the room by a side door.
Gio sat down on a stone bench, he guessed the couple were married, the way she smiled at him, the way he touched her...like he cherished her. Gio smiled, he would have that some day.
He sat quietly thinking about his plans for the future gazing distractedly into the brightly lit empty room the couple had vacated. A woman appeared in another doorway, and he watched with little interest as she walked into the room.
Suddenly Gio was jolted out of his reverie. Heart pounding, he slowly raised himself off the bench, his eyes now intensely focused upon the woman in the window.
His legs felt like lead as he moved forward, the apron he held in his hand fell from limp fingers to the floor but he didn't notice, the woman held all his attention. He felt as though the whole universe was contracting and only he and this woman existed.
"Betty. Oh Betty.", He whispered.
She was a vision, in the years since he last saw her she had blossomed, he was blindsided by her beauty and aura.
She walked slowly towards the windows as Gio also moved closer mesmerised by her. His mind was racing, his heart overflowing with emotion, pounding fiercely in his chest for the unknowing woman in the window.
As he watched Betty raised her arms and smoothed her dark hair then tilted her head as she considered her reflection, smiling slightly. Gio smiled with her. He felt as though he was being hurled into the past, to the time when she had last graced him with that smile.
His eyes took in her face, her skin, her breasts straining the fabric of her deep red gown and lower still to her waist, and the way the silky fabric glided over curvy hips which begged him to hold and down lower to her shapely legs and feet encased in matching red heels.
Gio thoughts and emotions raced, years of suppressed feelings surfaced stronger than before. In his minds eye he was already making love to her, he could see himself easing her gown over her shoulders and letting it slip from her body. He would kneel at her feet. He would worship her, he would caress her to the point of utmost pleasure, he was already tumbling naked on a bed with her, skin to skin, his hard body loving hers, giving all of himself, holding nothing back and making her cling to him fiercely and cry out in ecstasy.
He wanted that, oh how he wanted to be with her, he was in heaven and hell at once as he looked upon her.
He was on the verge of running around to the entrance when he saw a man slide his hands around Betty's waist and her head turn to look up into his face.
Gio glared fiercely, his hands forming fists, red hot anger coursed through him. Then Betty raised her head and planted a kiss on his lips.
"No", Gio said. The silence of the dark empty garden mocked his pain.
Betty was giving herself to that man, encouraging him and as Gio looked on in anguish, the man was taking.
Blind with passion he took up a rock from the flower bed and with a face etched with heartache, he bent his arm, and hurled the rock forward towards the windows.