Chapter III: Barely Even Friends

It wasn't until one in the morning Belle woke up to find Cora staggering back into the suite.

Belle assumed her employer had too much to drink, until morning when she was summoned to help Cora dress. Her cheeks were mottled and her eyes overly bright. Suspicious, Belle laid a hand on Cora's forehead; she was burning with fever.

For the remainder of the day, Belle kept Cora comfortable, insisting she stay in bed. She cancelled appointments and brought her cup after cup of tea. Cora was delirious and she would rant and scream that Belle was ruining her life by forcing her to stay in bed. Belle snickered behind her hand. Eventually, Belle even removed the phone from Cora's bedside. She was so desperate to talk to people that she called her friends and talked herself hoarse.

Cora proved herself to be a terrible patient leaving Belle completely exhausted when performing her usual tasks which sometimes were left unfinished leaving Cora more impatient and calling the hotel to hire a nurse for her. Belle though the problem was solved, but then she woke up to Cora's complaints to the nurse: her medication had to be at higher dose, her pillows weren't fluffy enough.

Deciding to take advantage of the vacation and escape while she could, Belle quickly got ready for the day. As she zipped up her skirt, she looked at her reflection through the window viewing the coast several miles away.

There was a knock at the door as Belle slipped on her shoes. It was the nurse, a middle aged redhead who was about the same height as her. "Excusez-moi mademoiselle but Madame Mills has been placed to sleep where you are not needed for ze day."

Belle had not wanted to appeared thrilled about a confirmation towards an off day but at least she was happy to know there would have been a last minute message for her while she was out." "O-oh…...okay, thank you." Nodding back to the nurse, Belle closed the door smiling when she stared at coastline, giving herself an idea, she removed her emerald sweater heading back into her wardrobe.

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Belle headed towards the hotel lobby replacing her emerald sweater and grey skirt for a light blue coverup and large brown sunhat with a white bow decorated towards the side and white flats. The weather had been as sunny as she had suspected. She took a deep breath and strolled in the direction of the bus stop, startled when she heard honking behind her.

"How is our paid companion doing this morning?" Belle turned around seeing Mr. Gold in driving his car this time with the top down. She waved heading closer to the car.

"Relieved of my duties for the time being, Mrs. Mills is in bed with the flu being and cared for by a nurse. I thought it would be the perfect time to go to the beach." She smiled back at him.

"Not a bad idea, get in." He reached across the seat to opened the latch on the passenger side. Belle had not thought twice before getting into the car and closing the latch.

As he began driving, Belle looked at her clothing in contrast to his, wondering how he was going to the beach in a three piece suit. Suddenly she remembered their last encounter.

"Mr. Gold, about what happened the other night, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." She turned away not wanting to see his reaction.

He raised his eyebrow causing his face to change his expression, "What happened the other night?"

Trying to regain her footing, she said, "You seemed upset when we cut the daytrip short a bit early and I thought it must have been something that I said."

They stared at one another then Mr. Gold looked around then and shrugged. "You did nothing wrong my dear. The fresh air was too much for me causing a migraine. Luckily for the both of us, I had not caught the flu your Mrs. Mills is currently suffering from."

"Still, I am glad you are okay." She replied, regaining her speech. "I think you would have gone mad had I been instructed to see to your health.

"Ah to be a nursed by a beautiful woman." He winked. "Unfortunately, I must rely on the seawater as an alternative.

Please don't tease me sir, I am not now nor have I ever been considered beautiful. "When that does happen, I will be sure to ask the hotel to find you such a beautiful nurse," she responded.

"Are you actually offering to consider Mrs. Mills offer in becoming my personal valet? I might actually plan on becoming under the weather." Gold looked back at her but Belle tried not to be appear nervous as he said nothing.

They managed to find a spot away from most of the crowd, close to a cove that gave a good sound of the echoes coming from the waves of the ocean. Belle gathered her blanket but Gold took it from her. He smoothed it out for her, then placing her bag onto their spot to keep the breeze from blowing the blanket away.

"Did you ever get those photos developed? I was very much looking forward to seeing them." Gold froze when he saw a flash; he turned to find it Belle turning her camera towards him taking another shot this time at some of the rocks nearby.

"I haven't had time to get them developed." She placed her camera back onto her bag and sat down on the blanket next to her companion. "When they are done, you will be the first one to see them." She smiled.

Gold leaned closer taking a bit of her hair and wrapping the strands on his finger. "Looking forward to it." he whispered, then tucking the curl behind her ear.

Belle's stomach twisted into knots as she stared into Mr. Gold's honey coloured eyes, there was something about them she couldn't put her finger on. He only gave her a small smile followed by a light sigh. They slowly leaned toward each other, until their attention became diverged to a beach ball landing between them.

A group of young children ran toward them, calling out for their ball. Belle gladly rolled it over to them, then one of the girls, a little girl of four or five with brown hair and green eyes handed Belle a small purple brownish seashell.

"Do you want to come play with us?" the child asked Belle.

Belle looked at the children then Gold placed a hand over her shoulder. "Go play with them, I have to go to the car anyway." Gold quickly got up tipping his hat towards the children and Belle; "Enjoy yourselves." He waved towards the children.

Belle quickly took off her cover-up to reveal her red and white polka dotted, halter top, swimsuit and joined the children.

They played with the ball for a while turning it into a volleyball game. While the children varied in size, Belle made up for it by suggesting different games such as tag along the shallow parts of the water.

After a while, the kids were called by their parents and leaving Belle back onto her blanket seeing waving goodbye to the small crowd.

She checked her watch. It had been over an hour and she wondered what happened to Mr. Gold hoping he was alright. Perhaps he had gotten lost and unable to get back, or he had gotten himself into an accident? Or worse, what if he Mr. Gold had simply left her? That last one became too absurd since he offered to join her in the first place.

Relax! He will be back. She decided to read one of her books to relax and started rummaging through her bag. She found a tattered copy of one of her favorite novels on the blanket and began reading.

"Excuse me miss, but it doesn't seem right for you to be yourself." Belle noticed the shadow looming over. She shaded her eyes and looked up. His French was pitiful. He was handsome, she supposed, with an athletic build, roughly her age with light brown hair and terrible tan lines. Belle almost reached into her bag for her suntan lotion but it was too late, his skin was a streaky mix of red and brown.

Before Belle could say anything, the man sat down next to her and began to take a drink from a dark flask he kept in the pocket of his swim trunks. He offered her a swig but she politely declined. Smelling the odor of beer seemed to seep out of his skin and she wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"I appreciate the concern, but I'm actually fine fo—"

He interrupted, "Do you like crepes? I know this lovely little café close by that serves them at just the right temperature."

He grabbed her shoulders clinging to her. Belle removed his hands, scooting over to the end of the blanket and scrambling to her feet.

"Listen, you seem like a nice person, but I would rather be alone right now if you don't mind." Belle hoped to let the man down easily, but the smell of the beer began to overwhelm her. She fought past a wave of nausea.

"You don't have to be snobbish about it; I was only trying to be polite." The man got up and tried to grab Belle's hand again. She pulled away quickly, just as Mr. Gold returned with a satchel in hand.

Belle quickly noticed there was something off about her companion; his eyes appeared to honing in on the other man with a predatory instinct. She flinched, worried about what might happened. Even though Gold carried a cane, she suspected was not someone to be underestimated.

"I believe the lady said she wanted to be alone." Gold spoke in French, his voice firm and clipped. He pointed his cane towards the neck of the other man, applying pressure to the windpipe. He started gagging as Gold pushed him further away. "Now, how about you be a gentleman and do as the lady requested?" he asked in a sinister tone.

The man nodded and immediately took off. Belle watched him stumble in the sand before he got up and ran further away. She nearly laughed, then turned to look at Gold. His entire demeanor had changed back into the posh gentleman.

Belle took the satchel away from Gold taking one of the several water bottles he had brought. "You didn't have to do that, I was getting along rather well."

"The boy was drunk and I could not stand idly and watch a lady's virtue be compromised no matter the circumstances…"

She sat down and looked at her camera. She fiddled with the lens, trying not to give Mr. Gold the satisfaction of being right. "Still, I should let you know that I am perfectly capable of defending myself when the occasion calls for it."

He smiled back at her again taking the camera from her hands and taking a picture of her sticking her tongue back at him. "I believe you will be more than capable when that moment occurs, my Leannan."

She took a deep breath wanting to forget about the incident and focus on the nice day ahead of her. Since Mr. Gold had not brought a swimsuit of his own, he volunteered to stand by as she splashed in the water. Belle allowed the waves to blanket her until her hair became completely drenched with water and sand. After the water became too cold, Belle hurried back to their spot and wrapped herself in her cover up and a towel, She huddled against her companion, please that he didn't seem to mind if his sports jacket was getting wet and covered with sand.

They stayed together, Belle's head on his shoulder, and Bell began to drift to asleep as Gold's long, warm fingers combed out her wet hair. Afterwards they headed to a café and ordered a huge soufflé, so hungry they ate it right out of the pan.

They drove back to the hotel this time arguing about over the top radio station to be played. At first Gold pointed out no one was allowed to touch is car until Belle pleaded for an opportunity to show her companion something new. This led Gold to relent leaving Belle to choose a station for the remainder of the evening until they arrived back parking towards the entrance of the hotel'.

"Well here we are; I'm sorry that I won't be able to give you a proper music lesson tonight."

Clever bastard, I will show him next time. "That's all right" Belle said in a sweet tone. "Time clearly wasn't on my side today."

"I would still love to get a proper music lesson, let's say tomorrow for lunch?" Now Belle became surprised as she was not expecting another date so quickly.

"I don't know if I can get out of the hotel so easily tomorrow since Mrs. Mills has me at her beck and call…."

"You said so yourself she has a nurse helping her for the time being and it seems these of illnesses don't go away after twenty-four hrs." He placed his hand over hers, warm and slightly calloused and Belle blushed. "Let me see you again. Please say yes." He raised her hand to his lips, his warm golden eyes never leaving hers.

Belle shivered and nodded. "All right."

Sher breath quickened as he cupped her cheek; his fingers caressing her skin drawing her closer as he pressed his lips against hers.

Belle felt tingling sensation throughout her body. She leaned in closer and as the kiss deepened and lengthened her first kiss and Gold's mouth unleashed desires she never knew existed. She craved more of his touch, even as he broke the kiss and slowly pulled away from her. Belle opened her eyes pleased that Gold was breathing as hard as she was. The intense hunger in his eyes made her shiver with longing.

Gold closed the distance between them again, this time placing a soft kiss on her cheek. "Tomorrow then Leannan" he whispered against her ear.

Belle gathered her items getting got out of the car and waving back.

She walked into the hotel lobby with a Chesire cat grin, bumping into at least three different people. She was blissfully unaware of her surroundings. She knew the patrons must have thought her mad, but all that mattered to her as she entered the elevator heading towards her suite, was that she had a lunch date the next with the wonderful Mr. Gold.


Leannan: Gaelic for Sweetheart