Thank you for reading and for your reviews - they're much loved! Just a heads up that I upped the rating to be safe (slight smut). Here's the next chapter . . . :)
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Daniel woke up with the biggest grin on his face. Just having Betty next to him was great, but the fact that she loved him was incredible – better than any sex he'd ever had. He reached over to give her a proper morning greeting when he realized her side of the bed was empty. Was it all just a dream?
"Betty?" he called. "You there?"
Her jacket and shoes were no longer by the side of the bed. He searched the bathroom – no luck. There was no trace of her anywhere. It was all in his head. He flopped back down on the bed.
She was probably with that freakin' jackass right then. He'd more than likely taken advantage of her last night and she probably wouldn't know what hit her pretty soon. He knew, because he used to be that guy.
But he wasn't anymore. He had to find her – let her know he would be there for her no matter what. She'd need him regardless of whether it was as a friend or something more. He couldn't abandon her. He got on his shoes, threw on a long-sleeve t-shirt, and flung open the door.
"Betty?" he said, surprised. "Oh, god – are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
Betty casually walked in and placed a bag and coffee holder on a side table.
"Did who hurt me? I'm fine. What are you talking about – I just went to get us some brunch –" she answered with a confused look.
Daniel grabbed her face and fervidly kissed her with all the passion inside of him. He didn't know what had come over him, but just seeing her there, knowing . . .
He caressed her cheeks.
"Y-You're here . . . y-you're real . . ." he managed after catching his breath.
Betty gave him the strangest look and gently held onto his wrist.
"Are you okay?" she wondered and kissed his palm.
"Yeah . . . Sorry – I just woke up and you were gone . . . I-I thought maybe what happened last night was a dream," Daniel explained.
"Didn't you get my note?" she asked. "I put it on your nightstand?"
The one place he didn't look.
"No . . ." he ran hands over his face and through his hair.
Betty walked over and picked it up, then handed it to him.
"'Daniel, going to get some food – be back soon. Love, Betty'" Daniel read, sheepishly.
"See – I drew a heart and everything," she pointed out.
"Yeah . . ." he smiled, embarrassed. "You'll never let me live this down, will you?"
"I think I could let it go . . . with some convincing, of course . . ." she grinned, slyly.
"What did you have in mind?" he devilishly inquired.
"Mmmm . . . a little bit of this . . . and a lot of this . . ." she teased his earlobe then moved to his lower lip before sliding her tongue into the depths of his mouth.
"Sounds like a deal . . ." he agreed.
"Good . . ." she grinned.
He groaned as she lifted up his shirt and planted kisses over his abs and chest. He unzipped her sweat jacket and pulled it off, guiding her to the bed. She put her glasses on the nightstand and laid down, pulling him towards her when his phone rang. He didn't care and continued to ignore it, kissing her neck and her collarbone, when Betty stopped him.
"Get it – it could be important," she insisted.
Daniel grumbled and picked it up.
"What?" he answered.
"Is that how you greet the mother you've ignored for two weeks?" Claire accused.
"Mom? Isn't it still early there?" Daniel questioned.
"What mother can sleep not knowing if her son is even alive?" she overdramatized.
"I've been . . . uh, a little . . . um, busy . . . uh, lately . . ." Daniel claimed, becoming extremely distracted by Betty's seductive kisses all over his chest.
Betty tried to stifle a giggle, seeing him struggle to maintain his composure.
"You're having sex," his mother assumed.
"Mom! Are you seriously going there?" he asked, appalled. "And who says I am?"
Betty patiently rested her head on his chest.
"Well, either that girlish giggle in the background is from a low budget pornographic film or you have the real thing in your bed," she reasoned. "I just hope she's the woman you crossed an ocean for and not some cheap slut."
"I'm hanging up now," Daniel replied, perturbed.
"Give Betty my best," Claire smirked, satisfactorily, and ended the call.
Daniel scoffed and turned the power off on his phone.
"Now, where were we?" he said, capturing her lips in a zealous fever.
Betty reciprocated, then pulled away and left the bed.
"Where are you going?" Daniel inquired, confused.
She came back with the bag and the coffee.
"We forgot about brunch," Betty answered, taking out two BLTs and a gigantic cinnamon roll with a container of icing.
Daniel sighed, slightly disappointed.
"You know, I could go for days without food, as long as I had you," he flirted, lightly running his hand along her bare arm.
"I don't think anyone could last that long," she smiled.
"We could try?" he suggested.
Betty snuggled against him.
"Maybe later," she replied and handed him a sandwich.
"Is that a hopeful 'maybe' or a stalling tactic?" he asked, gently kissing her temple before taking a bite of the sandwich.
Betty paused, swallowing the food in her mouth, seeming to choose her words carefully.
"Daniel, I know I told you I didn't want to last night, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I'm okay with it – because I love you and I trust you. I'm still scared and have my doubts about us, but seeing you so panicked over the thought of losing me or of me getting hurt . . . knowing you came all this way to be with me – it convinced me even more that you would never intentionally cause me any pain . . ." Betty assured him. "So I think we should let whatever happens between us, happen. And if nothing does, we've got plenty of time to get there."
Daniel contemplated her words, trying to understand her point of view. Obviously this was all new to both of them. Of course, he'd had more time to process his feelings for her than she had for him. And even though she said she loved him, it probably wasn't as deep as what he felt for her. She took relationships slow. For her to be as forward as she had been was probably a lot for her. And the last thing he wanted to do was push her into anything she wasn't ready for.
"So you don't want to rush anything?" he carefully interpreted.
"I'm just saying I want it to be natural. Maybe your mom's calling was a sign that now's not the right moment. But it doesn't mean that another one won't come . . . Am I making any sense?" she asked.
"I get it. You don't want it to be forced or planned. You want it to be spontaneous, right?" he said.
"Exactly . . . Is that okay with you?" she timidly looked at him.
She was so endearing, afraid he'd be upset with her. He smiled and toyed with a lock of her hair.
"Betty, I will wait as long as you need. I want to do this right . . . make it memorable for both of us. You're not just some girl I picked up at a club or a ditsy model – I love you," Daniel told her.
"Thank you. But like I said, I'm ready, so don't feel like you have to hold back," Betty clarified.
"Great – so I could just jump you right now?" he grinned, boyishly.
"Daniel . . ." she playfully smacked him.
"I'm kidding," he chuckled. "Spontaneous, natural – promise."
"Good," she sweetly kissed him. "Have a cinnamon roll."
He took a bite, then fed it to her.
"Mmmm . . ." she groaned and kissed the frosting off his chin and lips then climbed on top of him, taking some of the icing out of the cup and smearing it on his chest.
As she seductively licked it off, he moaned with pleasure, but stopped to question her intentions.
"I thought we were waiting?" he wondered.
"We are . . . but I never said I wasn't open to experimentation . . ." she smiled, slyly, and slowly peeled off her cami.
"You're driving me crazy, you know that?" he shook his head and captured her mouth as they playfully tumbled in the bed.
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"That was the best sex I never had," Daniel joked, kissing the last of the frosting off of her stomach.
Betty giggled.
"See – there are plenty of ways we can keep this interesting . . ." she ran her hand through his hair.
"I never knew there was a naughty side to you, Betty Suarez . . ." he marveled, mischievously.
"I have my moments . . . let's just say you bring it out in me," she replied.
Daniel laughed.
"I'm sure I'm not the first," he assumed, considering how relaxed she seemed about it. He was sure Matt the 'Wonder Boy' had probably exposed her to a few things.
"No, but you're the first successful one . . ." she stated, ambiguously.
"Really?" he said, surprised.
"The last time I tried anything . . . different . . . seductive . . . was with Henry. And he wasn't really into it – it was a major disaster. I was afraid to with anyone else after that," she revealed.
"Why me?" Daniel wondered.
"I knew you wouldn't laugh at me or think it was stupid . . . I'm sure you've done a lot more . . . You just - I feel closer to you . . . more comfortable . . . confident . . ." Betty admitted, her cheeks reddening.
"You're so beautiful . . . so sexy . . . nothing you do with me should make you feel any other way," he kissed his way up to her face and caressed her cheek. "I'm sorry it took me this long to see you as more than just my quirky best friend."
"You don't have to do that – I didn't see it either. It is a little weird, though – us . . . here . . . in bed . . . practically naked . . ." Betty said.
"You're right – it is weird," he agreed and attempted to unhook her bra. "We should be completely naked."
She immediately swatted his hand away.
"I give you an inch and you take a mile," she giggled.
Daniel shrugged, sheepishly.
"Can't blame a guy for trying," he excused. "Especially with a girl as gorgeous as I have."
"You can stop with the exaggerated compliments – I know what you're doing," she gave him a perceptive look.
"I'm not lying, Betty. You are gorgeous . . . every part of you . . ." Daniel insisted running his fingers along her curves. He meant it. He'd seen so many emaciated models, but Betty, she was healthy . . . real. "You're perfect."
"God, you're good," she smirked.
"Betty, I'm serious – I swear. I don't care if I have to spend a lifetime convincing you of it - you are the most beautiful, intelligent, caring, sexy woman I've ever known," he assured her.
"I love you," she gave him a bittersweet smile as a tear ran down her cheek.
Daniel kissed it away and she brought his mouth to hers, then began to slide his underwear down. He broke from her, silently questioning if she was sure. She nodded. He lovingly pressed his lips to hers and helped her remove the remaining barriers between them, kissing every inch of her body as they passionately intertwined for the first time.
