It was nearing dawn, and he was still somehow awake. Maybe it was because he couldn't get his mind off the girl sleeping next to him. He ran his hand down her bare back, memorizing each touch, each feeling that soared in his heart. His fingers danced lightly to the nape of her neck to the crevice of her breasts and came to rest atop her stomach.
She shifted in her sleep, turning towards him. He smiled lightly, pushing loose curls away from her angelic face. He knew it was wrong; starting a relationship with the nanny, but it wasn't like that. He wasn't the typical Upper East Sider and he never would be. He despised the way fidelity was treated so lightly and it wasn't going to be that way with her. He would never do that to her; not to his Serena.
He chuckled to himself as he played with a strand of her hair. Already he was considering her as a girlfriend, but then again, why wouldn't he? After all, the feelings he held for her far surpassed anything he had felt before. His attention turned to her as she moved again, her head falling easily onto his chest. A contented sigh escaped her lips and her eyes fluttered as she bordered between sleep and consciousness.
"Go back to sleep," he whispered, kissing her forehead.
"No," she protested sleepily, eyes opening. "Claire's going to be up anyway."
"I'll take care of it."
"You're paying me."
He rolled his eyes, even half awake, she could still argue with him. "Go back to sleep."
She smiled up at him and she yawned again. "Make me."
"You're so immature."
"You love me," she shot back, not realizing the intent of the words until she saw the look on his face.
He stroked her soft cheek, reveling in the faint blush. "Maybe." His fingers traced her lips and he watched in slight amusement as she bit his index finger. "Serena," he murmured, his lips descending on hers. "would you like to go on a date with me?"
"What about Claire?"
He chuckled, knowing that he picked the right girl. "Nate and Blair have been dying to babysit."
"Are you sure you want to be seen with me?" She asked teasingly, but he knew that deep down, she was scared and embarrassed for him.
"Is it impossible for you to be my nanny and date me at the same time?"
"What if everyone thinks I'm sleeping with you for money?"
"As long as it isn't true, who cares? I certainly don't." His lips reached her neck and he kissed his way down her throat, feeling every gasp, every sigh. "You still have to give me an answer."
"Of course I will, Mr. Humphrey," she murmured and he grinned, capturing her lips with his.
--
"Nate, you know Blair has been dying to see Claire." Dan sat in his study, tapping his pen on the table as he talked to Nate.
"At least tell me who the girl is." Nate protested.
"How about I tell you after?"
A sigh came from the receiver as Nate gave in. "You can bring her around 7 and pick her up at 9. God, you better tell me who it is after."
Dan chuckled, shaking his head. "Thanks man. I owe you."
"Hell yeah. Hey, I'll see you later, Blair needs help with something. Later."
Just as Dan hung up the phone, the door to his study opened and Serena entered, looking more ravishing than she had before, if that was possible. "Hey you"
He stood up, making his way over to her. He kissed her gently, his arms wrapping around her. "Hey."
"That's a way better greeting than mine," she giggled, resting her hand on his cheek. "So are we staying in tonight or are we taking Claire with us?"
"We, as in the two of us, are going out, like I said before. And Claire is going to be babysat by my friends until tomorrow morning." He smiled at her, kissing her again. "Unless you don't want to go."
"What should I wear?" She grinned, slipping her arms around him as their lips met again.
"Does it matter? I'm sure you'll look amazing anyway."
"Yes it matters, Mr. Humphrey. I don't want to show up at an upscale restaurant wearing jeans."
He chuckled, lips brushing across her forehead. "Fine, how about this? I pick something out for you and you can get ready while I run off some errands."
"You're leaving?" She asked, her perfect lips formed in a pout.
"I have a job, remember? Which I've been happily ditching to spend time with you and Claire." He smiled, one hand caressing her cheek. He leaned forward and kissed her softly. "I'll be back at six, I promise."
"Okay, what about Claire? Do you want me to drop her off?"
"No, I'll do it." He smiled, running his fingers through her hair. "Now I just have to invade your closet."
"No going through my lingerie," she murmured, giggling.
--
Dan stood in front of his door, feeling a bit ridiculous. It was his own house and he was a bit nervous about going inside. Exhaling slowly, he opened the door slowly, only to find Serena on the other side, clad in the red dress he had chosen for her. "Damn."
"Is that for getting caught sneaking in or the way I look?" She giggled, pulling him closer by his jacket.
"Definitely for the way you look." He grinned, kissing her. "And you smell so good."
She giggled, her laugh music to his ears. "Okay, go get dressed Tiger."
He reached in his jacket pocket, handing her a red rose. "As you wish." He gave her another kiss before bounding the hallway, a spring in his step. He came out of his bedroom minutes later, wearing a black suit, his tie clumsily done.
She giggled and took a step towards him, fixing his tie. "There, all better." At his questioning look, she added, "Charm school."
"There is so much I don't know about you," he chuckled, opening the door for her. "After you."
She smiled, heels clicking lightly against the floor as she made her way out. He followed after her, locking the door behind him.
--
After a brief car ride, they were tucked into a quiet corner of an upscale Italian restaurant, both wary of the paparazzi that lurked outside. "So," Dan said, after the hostess had left them. "I don't know if I've told you this, but you look incredible."
"Thanks," she blushed as his hand took hold of hers. "You look pretty great too."
"Hello, my name is Dana and I will be your server today. Are you ready to order?" A curvy brunette stood in front of their table, eyes focused on Dan.
"Do you mind if I order for you?" He asked.
"No, go ahead."
"A bottle of Dom Perignon '95 to start off, please. An order of the Miso Glazed Shrimp, Spaghetti Al' Amatriciana for two, and lastly the salmon for the lady and I'll have the grilled swordfish."
"Is that all?" The waitress purred at Dan.
"Yes, thank you."
"If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to ask." She said, one hand casually grazing his shoulder as she turned to leave.
Serena stifled a giggle as Dan raised his eyebrows, unsure of what to say. "Um, I don't, uh,"
She giggled, her hand gripping his forearm lightly. "Its okay, after all, you are very handsome."
"This doesn't happen often, mind you." He chuckled as Dana returned with the champagne. They waited patiently as she continued to flirt with Dan, her words getting as suggestive as they could to a professional extent.
Serena raised her glass, biting her lip. "I guess its going around that you date the help."
"Can I fire you?" He joked, clinking his glass with hers. "To you."
"To us."
He smiled, watching as the champagne flowed down her throat, arousing him. "So, tell me about you."
"What is it that you don't already know?"
"Well I know that you're a great nanny and an even greater kisser, and I know bits and pieces of your past, your favorite color is blue, you love hot chocolate, and you miss your family." He took a sip of his champagne and continued. "I know there's a lot about you I should know."
"How about this, you tell me all about your family and your past and then I'll tell you about mine." She proposed, tracing the rim of her glass.
"Alright then. Well I grew up here, and I went to St. Jude's like every other little Upper East Side boys. My mother dressed me until I hit middle school, I was all khakis and sweater vests before then." She chuckled at the thought of him as a little boy. "My father, um, he was busy a lot and I never really spent time with him. He was an investor and he always had these business deals so he never had time for me. Which is why, I guess, that my parents only had me. But yeah. So when I got into high school, I was kind of a party boy and kind of the total opposite too. After high school, I went to Yale, which was really good for me. And then I met Natalie, and here I am now."
He paused as Dana showed up again, placing the dish of Miso Shrimp in between them, being careful to lean over Dan as she set his plate down. He dismissed her, annoyed.
"She's starting to bother me." Serena admitted, taking a sip of her champagne.
Dan nodded, sliding over in his booth and patted the spot he had previously occupied. "Come here, maybe she'll stop after she sees that I'm interested in you. And only you."
"You sure?"
"I like blondes, not brunettes." He smiled as she joined him. He draped his arm over her shoulders, and started to feed her the shrimp. "So tell me your story."
"Well I grew up in Southern California, but that didn't stop my mother from sending me to charm school when I hit third grade. I was just like a girl here, doing charity events and debutante balls and whatnot, it was just that we were short on money occasionally. And I had a big family too. Four older brothers and two little sisters, its probably why I'm such a good nanny. Um, I didn't date a lot when I was a teen, but I did get a lot of attention." To that, Dan growled playfully and smiled when she giggled. "I moved to Boston for college and there was one family I started to babysit for because I needed the money and from then, I just sort of let go of college and did what I love; taking care of kids. Then somehow I ended up here, and I met you."
"I hope that's a good thing." He murmured, feeding her a bit of shrimp.
"The greatest. You're just so different from all the guys I've dated. You're rich, but you don't act like money is the greatest thing in the world. I guess you're everything I want in a guy."
"And you are everything I want in a girl." He said, lips brushing hers. "Its been hard," he confessed, looking down at their entwined hands. "Dating, I mean. And not just because of Claire. Its just, I was hurt so badly last time, I don't know, I was kind of scared to let someone in."
"Do you miss her? Natalie? Because its okay if you do."
"No," he looked up, lips curved in a soft smile. "Why would anyone miss her when they could have you?"
She rolled her eyes, but pecked him on the lips nonetheless. And then Dana showed up again, a slight frown on her face as she noted the new seating position. She collected the dishes silently, setting their pasta and entrees in front of them and before she turned away, she made sure that Dan caught her wink.
"I think she wants to poison my food." Serena giggled, stabbing warily at the noodles. He chuckled, taking her fork from her. He twirled a strand on the fork, delicately placing it into his mouth.
"Nope, no poison. A bit spicy though so I think that one's mine." At her questioning look, he said, "I come here often. Most of them know me by what I order. And the new ones like Dana, I think, always try to hit on me." He switched plates with her, kissing her lightly on the lips.
Half an hour later, their plates were cleared and the check was delivered- with Dana's phone number inside to further Serena's annoyance. "Come on, I know what will get your mind off of killing the waitress." Dan had whispered in her ear, his arms sliding in an already familiar way around her waist.
"Does it involve kissing you?" She murmured, letting him drape his suit jacket over her shoulders.
"Of course." He smiled, leading her back into the town car from which they arrived in, glad that the paparazzi no longer remained.
--
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