First kiss, and then some - sequel to A Complete Crush

A/N: Thank you all for your generous responses! This chapter is just a little scene depiction.

What one should do before proposing (or, the Steps of Love)

Have dinner with his or her family - this is a chance for them to see what their brother, sister, son or daughter-in-law will be like. It's particularly important if you're very close to your family and are greatly influenced by them.

- Girls like it on top, Sofia Reyes

"If you're free this Friday, it would be great if we could have dinner." Daniel slipped his arms about Betty from behind, kissing her cheek. He'd snuck up behind her in his office as she was setting the bagel and coffee on his desk.

Betty jumped, startled, at the sudden human warmth around her. "Daniel."

"Morning," he said, kissing her again, "and say yes."

Betty rolled her eyes. "Careful, Daniel, the office doesn't exactly know about...us...yet."

Daniel grinned and released her. "How could they not? Looks like I'm going to have to make an official announcement, soon."

"No. Please. Daniel. And Friday would be great," Betty said.

"Cool." he set his briefcase down and fell into his seat behind the desk. "Thanks, Betty." He smiled as he took the bagel.

"Welcome. Um...where are we going on Friday?"

"You'll see," Daniel said, and the familiar slightly smirking smile spread over his face.

"Wow," Betty said, standing in the impossibly high-ceilinged hall after Daniel had let them in. The walls were wooden panels. On her right a massive oriental goddess-type statue stood before a tall, gold-framed mirror on a black marble topped desk. "Wow. Um - where are we?"

Daniel smiled, edged with a very weak bitterness, remembering Sofia's first words upon entering this place. He shook himself out of it; this was Betty, his best friend and supporter for so long, and now just his.

"Guess."

"Um...I don't know. A really rich mansion...in Manhattan?"

"Yup. But whose really rich mansion?"

"I don't know, Daniel. It's totally not my world..."

"Betty."

She turned to meet his eyes, and found them intensely blue and focused on her. He took her hands. "We're both having dinner here. It's your world."

She smiled, feeling a jumpy pleasure. Concerned Daniel was so cute.

Then he leaned forward, kissing her on the mouth, arms encircling her body loosely. As her arms went around his waist and she returned the kiss, he moved his hands to her face, angling his head, and -

He practically knew what was coming next.

"Mrs Meade!" Betty exclaimed, jumping out of the embrace.

"Betty," Claire said, holding her arms out as she approached. "Hello, my dear."

"Er," Betty said, awkwardly moving farther from Daniel. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Meade. That was totally ru-"

"Don't apologise, Betty." Claire smiled at a flustered Betty. "I mean, this is my son you're with."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Mom, please."

"This is your really rich mansion?" Betty hissed sideways to Daniel.

Daniel grinned.

"No, it's mine, actually," Claire said, and swept them into the living area.

The scene was familiar, except this time there was no Bradford on the couch beside Claire. But this time with Betty by his side Daniel felt it was so different as well. He smiled at the woman beside him. There was a constant warmth of love with Betty there, and the feeling -

"Daniel, darling, don't do that," Claire said, cutting into his dreamy thoughts. "Desperately besotted is not your best look."

Daniel blinked.