A Valentine's Day Prompt from the Rumbelle for the Win Group on Facebook in which the rules consisted of Rumbelle, Roses, Hearts, and the Colour Red.

Mr. Gold gave his bedroom a once over. The red and pink heart-shaped candles engulfed it with the scent of fresh roses. On the nightstand lay a bowl of chocolates along with a fruit tray. He placed the wine bottle and glasses next to the lamp, careful not to accidentally turned over a candle. One last addition came in the form of rose petals surrounding the bed and leading up to the dawn curtains.

With still an hour left before his gust would arrive, Mr. Gold-headed towards the study for a drink. The smooth amber liquid did little to calm his nerves, as he could barely pull his focus from the clock. If he could just get through tonight. Everything could go back to normal. He tried not to think of facing Belle on Monday morning knowing he hired an escort as a poor substitute for her?.

For a fair amount of two years, Mr. Gold had slowly fallen in love with his assistant. They first her freshman year when she was a student in his Victorian Literature course. Unlike most of the students who believed the course would consist of 18 weeks of little work for the promise of an easy grade, Belle took her work very seriously. She was always participating in class lectures and providing him with essays rivaling those of the graduate students. After the semester ended, he offered to take her under his wing. She gladly accepted and began to assist him with small jobs such as grading paperwork and on rare occasion teach the class when Mr. Gold suffered from bouts of the flu She would always go straight to his house books and treats to keep the professor company as she nursed him back to health. The young woman humored him as he constantly assured her there was no need for her stay and baby him.

"Nonsense, if I leave you to waste away, your ghost will haunt me about how I was a horrible assistant." She always said it with a radiant smile, obviously teasing and left Mr. Gold silent not wanting to admit to Miss French that she had a point and had made him smile.

Overtime, Mr. Gold began to notice that Miss French was not just a brilliant student but a beautiful woman both inside and out. She laughed at his jokes, even those made at the expense of others and there was never a moment in the day when he would see her without a smile. Mr. Gold couldn't say for certain the exact day he had realized it, but he knew he was hopelessly in love with Belle French.

He found himself stealing glances at her whenever he could. The swell of her breasts, the lean lines of her legs accentuated by her high heels and short skirts, and her pale skin gave him fantasies of taking her hard whenever he could, leaving her satisfied and wanting. Some of fantasies were sexual in nature. On one occasion he fantasize about the two of them sweetly holding hands not having a care in the world. Always in these fantasies, Belle would look at him with complete love in her eyes.

After such daydreams, he found it difficult to return to his previous activity. Having to face a reality in which he knew Miss French would never take an interest in him made his mood darken. He always made an effort to hide his darkness of mood. If she were to sense it and discover his feeling for her, he would lose what little relationship they had. She was such a beautiful young woman and he knew she must have had many offers from men her own age. She never mentioned a beau or love interest, or even made mention of so much as a date. This brought him a bit of a relief for the time being.

A few weeks ago during his office hours, Mr. Gold got a visit from his colleague, Jefferson Carrol. Jefferson was the closest thing Gold had to a friend and felt comfortable enough to make a suggestion for Gold's Valentine's Day. Jefferson handed Mr. Gold a business card. It read, The Enchanted Forest, an escort service. Theirs specialty involves having girls who looked more like fairytale princesses than models. He placed the pink business card with a logo of a castle filled with hearts on the desk where Gold would not have easily ignored it. At first Gold dismissed the idea. Speaking to Jefferson in colorful manner to go away and never speak of it again.

"Suit yourself, old boy. But you may need to loosen up. You can't stay in limbo forever…."

Mr. Gold continued going about his normal routine, Jefferson's comments still going through his mind. Sooner or later, he would take something Belle said out of context. He didn't want to risk doing something he would regret.

Gold gave in and called the agency the next day, speaking a receptionist who arranged for a girl to arrive at his house for the Friday night. Even after the reservation was confirmed, he couldn't shake his nervousness. The replacement had to look exactly like Miss French for this fantasy to work, including her signature high school uniform. He managed to maintain his usual poker face towards Belle even giving, him time to ponder when her expression became smug, though it quickly changed whenever she realized he noticed her. As curious as he was about whatever what was going through her mind, Gold assumed it had to with Belle's friends and their insipid dramas she would sometimes tell him about.

The doorbell rang when Mr. Gold finished his glass. With his stoic demeanor in place, Mr. Gold left his study going to the front door, surprised at who was standing on his porch.

"Miss French, what a surprise. I wasn't expecting you." He raised his eyebrows with his head screaming to reject his plan immediately. If the escort arrived now, with Belle here. he could never forgive himself.

"Good evening Gabriel. Can I come in? It's not exactly California weather at the moment." She had wrapped herself up in a white trench coat, which he was grateful was long enough to cover her legs.

Gold knew Miss French normally took the bus or walked and his house was not exactly close to the campus. The snow had been difficult recently. With some luck, the escort might be running late because of the recent weather. "Yes come in, sweetheart."

Belle started taking off her gloves, allowing the warmth of the house to give her fingertips a bit of life after clutching them close to her mouth to breathe in. She walked a little ways toward the living room, sitting down on the leather couch. Mr. Gold went into the study to gather his tumbler and two glasses. He remembered the last time he and Belle drank from the tumblers. He had preferred to stick to her iced tea, but whiskey was always the best way to warm up during the cold weather. Heading back to the living room, Gold stopped short at the sight before him.

Belle French was standing in his living room without her trench coat to reveal a tight white blouse unbuttoned and revealing a red lace bra with little pink heart patterns. Her shirt was tied up to show her stomach. Her skirt was of a plaid black and red pattern which was so much shorter than her usual skirts that it could have been mistaken for panties, thigh high white stocking with little red bows on the side and black stiletto heels. Belle looked at her professor with a sinful expression smiling back at him whilst placing her hands towards her back.

"Cat got your tongue Gabriel?"

Now Mr. Gold knew he was dreaming; Belle French in his living room wearing the clothes he wanted and calling him by his first name were not common occurrences. He closed his eyes, convinced she would vanish when he opened them. To his amazement, she was still there, hands poised on her hips, grinning impishly down at him.

"Belle, what are..."

"I saw the card Jefferson left on your desk and forwarded the number to my mobile in case you called. Perhaps it was me being petty, but I couldn't bare the thought of you spending Valentine's Day weekend with another woman. When you called and described me, I just knew that I wasn't mad… Unless you know another blue-eyed, brown-haired girl with a foreign accent."

The tension in the room began to ease. Gold walked closer to Belle, smiling at the thought of her clever plan.

"No sweetheart, just you." Their lips drew closer together for a passionate kiss. Gold tasted the whiskey but noticed a faint hint of tea and wine. He chuckled at the idea this beautiful woman needed to have liquid courage. She pushed him onto the sofa, straddling his hips and deepening the kiss as her hands entangled themselves in his mused hair.

Gold moved his mouth towards the nape of Belle's neck, enjoying the sounds she began to make as started kissing her collarbone towards her chest. Untying the knot of her blouse, Belle took off her shirt followed by exposing her breasts.

"Tell me when to stop."

"Never. Please take me to bed." Placing another kiss to Gold's mouth. Belle got up as did Gold, slowly walking up the stairs hold their hands. Neither said a word. Their mouths never left the other. They made it to the master bedroom with Belle wearing nothing but her stocking and heels and Gold in his dark blue boxers, still smelling of the roses.

"Oh Gabriel, this is gorgeous. You really went to all this trouble for a stranger?"

"No, just you; I was just too much of a coward to ask you out properly." He kissed her again, allowing Belle to pull him closer as the both landed on the bed.

"Well you don't have to worry about that anymore." She whispered.

All of Gold's worries were gone as Belle kissed him, wrapping her legs around his waist. Adjusting her position, she broke the kiss and presented him with a devilish grin. She moved closer to the edge of the bed until Gold caught her leg, kissing her ankle. He moved up toward her thighs until he reached her wet folds. He looked back at Belle, who nodded.

He kissed her clit swirling his tongue on the labia, enjoying the sounds she was making as he tasted her juices. Belle withered and moaned to the touch, clinging on to his head as she rode out her orgasm. She started catching her breath; face flushed and glistened eyes. They each began to giggle kissing one another with Belle tasting herself on his lips.

"Condoms are in the drawer, sweetheart."

He gently thrusted in not wanting to hurt her until Belle urged him to go faster. Belle had not been a virgin for several years but it still had been a while for the both of them.

They each told one another, "I love you" several times before going over the edge. Once the aftershock faded, the couple continued holding each other tight. Their eyes met and they rested their brows together as they caught their breath.

"Did you mean what you said?" Belle asked, taking a strawberry and turning the fruit around with her finger as she sucked the tip.

Gold smiled. "Yes. I love you Belle. I should have told you that much sooner.

Belle moved closer towards Gold placing her head on his chest. "I love you too, my handsome professor; although I will have to smack Professor Carroll on Monday for that stupid idea."

"Jefferson will never let us hear the end of it."

Belle laughed. "Well we can tell him that you heard I was available on Valentine's Day and asked me out to dinner then swept me off my feet."

He grabbed her hips kissing her once again.

"So far, a pretty good night?" he asked, raising his eyebrow as she moved to grab another condom and offered him a cheeky grin.

"Sunrise isn't for another six hours."

The End