Gold felt the purest happiness when he woke up on Sunday morning. He was wrapped around Belle, as he always was, but this morning was different. She'd moved in with him yesterday so they'd just spent their first official night together in their bed... and they were only one month away from making their whole relationship as official as it could be. He instinctively drew her closer. Every time he didn't think he could be happier, something proved him wrong.

They'd had the perfect first day together. She had already moved in some of her personal items and the rest would be arriving later in the week. He thought back to their attempt to integrate her clothing into the bedroom closet. His cock, which was already hard, stiffened more. She'd promised him that they'd have fun arranging the closets and she hadn't lied. She had a way of taking the most mundane situations and turning them into something intensely satisfying. He chuckled. That was one way of putting it. He still couldn't get used to how she could be so sweet and so beyond sexy at the same time. It had to be that combination of traits that aroused him so relentlessly.

He combed his fingers through her hair and a tiny moan escaped her lips. He kissed the top of her head. He wanted to cuddle with her as much as he wanted to engage in uninhibited sexual activity with her. In fact, as aroused as he was, he wanted nothing more at the moment than to shower her with affection. He wanted to do things for her and buy her anything her heart desired.

Unfortunately, he was going to have to move a little more slowly than he wanted. She'd opened up to him about some of her fears and insecurities about their relationship. He knew that she'd be uncomfortable about the difference in their financial situations. The fact that she was so concerned about protecting his interests and Neal's made him love her all the more. He hoped he'd allayed her worries. What each of them brought financially to the relationship was of such little importance. He was rich. That was neither here nor there. He'd been rich for a long time. And in spite of that, if it hadn't been for his son, who was grown up and had his own life now, his life would have been lonely and empty.

Belle had changed all of that. She was the reason they were where they were. She'd been the brave one, the one who'd been willing to take a risk with him and to challenge him to take that same risk with her. She'd been the one who'd made him open himself to something that he thought he'd never have. She was a hero to him. And even though he hadn't said that to her in so many words, he wanted her to know it. She brought so much more to the relationship than he did, whether she believed it or not.

"Rum…" Her voice was sleepy.

He kissed the top of her head again. "It's still early, Belle. Go back to sleep."

She sighed and snuggled closer to him. "A few more minutes."

She dozed off and he continued to stroke her hair. She had to be both physically and emotionally exhausted with everything that had been happening. He was determined to make sure that she rested most of the day today. Tomorrow was her first day at her new job and he wanted her to be at her best. She was going to be busy over the course of the next month and he wanted to do everything in his power to make things easy for her when he could.

As she pressed against him, he realized just how aroused he was. Sometimes he wished that his physical responses to her would be less frequent and less intense. His love for her ran deeper than he thought possible. He never wanted her to think that his physical desire for her was greater than that. He felt her press against him again. She was as physical as he was in this relationship and he certainly didn't question the depth of her feelings. He didn't know why he'd be worried that she would question his.

"Mmmmm…." Another little sound of contentment escaped from her lips as her fingers found their way into his hair.

So much for being concerned about his constant arousal. His hands automatically cupped her breasts in response. She moaned and rubbed against him.

"I hope you don't think that I'm more interested in the physical aspect of our relationship than in anything else." He felt the need to whisper in her ear.

"I would never think that…," she giggled, "especially considering the fact that I'm usually the one who initiates it."

He nibbled her earlobe. She always made him feel better. "I'm glad you owned up to that, Miss French. I'm the one who should be concerned."

She reached up further to massage his scalp. Her body was now spread out naked before him.

"Are you concerned?" She stretched out further.

He chuckled. "Not in the least." He teased her nipples between his fingers. The sensation traveled down between her legs. She whimpered and dug her fingers into his head.

"Does that feel good, Miss French?"

She whimpered.

"I love you, Belle." He felt compelled to tell her at that moment.

She dug her fingers in deeper. He gently stroked her nipples and nibbled on her neck. She pushed back against him. "Touch all of me. I need to feel your hands all over my body."

He chuckled again. "As you wish, sweetheart." He loved it when her attempts to take control hovered somewhere between outright commands and desperate pleas. His body reacted quickly and intensely to her words.

Gold began to slowly caress every inch of her body. Her skin was so soft and smooth that he never wanted to stop touching her. The whimpers and moans that escaped her lips made his cock throb.

"Is this what you want, darling?" His hands had roamed her body and were now positioned on the inside of her upper thighs.

She loosened her grip on him and changed her position to lie flat on the bed. "I want you." She pulled him over to lie on top of her.

Gold wanted the same thing - her on the bed with him on top. After yesterday's little session in the closet, he needed the intimacy that this position afforded. He wanted to make slow, sweet love to her in a way that expressed his deepest feelings.

"I love you, Belle." He nuzzled her neck and whispered huskily into her ear.

She caressed his back. "I love you too, Rum." She wrapped her legs around him.

He chuckled. "OK, darling." He slipped his hand between their bodies and separated her folds. He dipped a finger into her. "You're so wet, sweetheart."

"Mmmmm…"

He shifted his position and took his cock in his hand. He pushed slowly into her and she arched her back to meet him. He grunted when he was all the way in. "You're so warm and inviting, sweetheart."

"Mmmmm…"

That's how he felt… warm and welcome and torn between the need for release and the desire to remain joined with her indefinitely. He stayed still inside her for a couple of minutes while they kissed sweetly and tenderly. The gentle nature of their kisses made his cock throb as much as their deep passionate kisses, almost more so. It was probably the delay of gratification that excited him so much. He wondered if there was anything about her that wouldn't excite him.

She moaned quietly as they kissed, encouraging him to grind against her. She clenched his back as her moans increased. When he could no longer hold back, he began to slowly thrust in and out of her, pulling out just enough to give himself the friction he needed. She arched her back to meet him each time he pushed in, establishing a perfect rhythm with him. Her whimpers made his cock throb even more.

As their need built, they increased their speed a little at a time, until they were both moaning and panting heavily. Her voice started to hitch and her body clamped around his cock, pumping it with her contractions. He groaned loudly as he felt himself losing control. He thrust fast and hard into her. Her trembling body and cries of ecstasy forced his own release to follow hers. He collapsed on top of her, shifting his position slightly so as not to hurt her.

He kissed her lips and brushed the hair from her face. "I love you, Belle."

"I love you too, Rum." She wrapped her legs back around him and they continued to kiss and caress each other.

After a while he switched their positions so that she was on top of him. He liked her on top.

"I have a confession to make, sweetheart." He looked deeply into her eyes.

"What is it, Rum?"

"You were brave to lay all your cards out on the table for me yesterday."

She sensed his hesitation and kissed his chest.

"There are a couple of things that have been bothering me too, Belle."

"Tell me." She could feel his heart beating rapidly. She kissed his chest again.

"I know we talked about this already, but I need to bring it up again..." His eyes searched hers. "I hope you don't think that the physical part of our relationship is more important to me than the rest of it."

"You know I don't think that." She raked her fingers through his hair. "I agree that we're very physical... I like that about us, Rum. Sometimes it's an expression of deep emotions and sometimes it's a bit of lust and fun." She blushed. "I never know what it's going to be. I think that's part of what makes it so exciting to both of us."

Once again he had to bow to her. "I'm always blown away by your wisdom, Belle. I'm glad you feel the same way. I'm sometimes shocked by how physical we are."

"I like knowing that being near me does that to you. I can't explain how good that makes me feel. I want someone who loves me and lusts after me." She stroked his cheek. "Don't you like knowing that I feel that way about you?"

Gold grinned. "So you lust after me?"

She giggled. "I think I've made that pretty obvious."

He chuckled. "Yes… and just so you know, the more obvious the better as far as I'm concerned." His thoughts went back to the day before when she ordered him to remove her panties.

"I'll keep that in mind." She nibbled on his ear.

He felt aroused even though his body was too spent to respond. He squeezed her. He felt a thousand times better.

"What else is bothering you, Rum? I want to know everything."

He kissed the top of her head and nuzzled her neck.

"Rum?" She looked him in the eyes. "Tell me."

"I want to buy you things."

At first she was taken aback. Then she understood what he was saying. "I guess I've made you uncomfortable about spending money on me."

He didn't want her to feel bad about it. "I understand where you were coming from, Belle, but now that we're engaged and about to be married, can't I spoil you a little?"

The puppy-dog look he gave her nearly broke her heart. "I've always been better at giving than receiving." She tried to explain herself.

"Is that a yes or no?" He wasn't sure.

"I want you to do what makes you happy." She couldn't let her own insecurities get in the way of his needs and desires.

"You don't know how happy that makes me, Belle. Neal won't let me do anything for him and you've been reluctant to accept things from me…"

"It's OK, Rum. I'm trying to get used to my new lifestyle."

He smiled widely. "You know you'll be able to buy anything you want once we're married."

"I know, but it's still alien to me."

"That's why I want to buy you things in the meantime… to help you get used to it." He grinned at her.

She sighed. "Can I ask what kind of things we're talking about?" She was still uncomfortable.

"Just a few tokens of my affection."

"Such as?"

He knew she'd push further. "A book that you want… a piece of jewelry… a new pair of shoes…."

She giggled. "How did I know that shoes would be in there?"

He chuckled. "I have a sudden inexplicable urge to buy you more shoes."

She laughed. "Those sound OK."

His heart beat faster. "A new car…," he said it under his breath.

He felt her tense up. He kissed her head again and stroked her gently. "We can wait until after we're married if you want."

He could feel her struggling. "Can't we start with a book and ease into everything else?"

He couldn't suppress his smile. She hadn't said no. He hugged her tightly. "Whatever works for you." He grinned at her. "Thank you, Belle."

She shook her head and smiled in spite of herself. "I love you."

"And I love you." Once again he felt happier than he thought possible.

They hugged and kissed for a few minutes. Gold laughed at her when they finally came up for air. "I suppose we should go down and have breakfast. I imagine you're starving."

"I can always eat."

He chuckled. "I know."

This time she tickled him and he enjoyed every second of it.

They covered up a bit and went down to the kitchen. "I'll make breakfast for you, my dear. I want you to rest as much as possible today. You'll need your energy for your first day at work tomorrow."

"Thanks, Rum." She decided to let him pamper her. She could tell he needed it. "I'm looking forward to my first day. I don't even feel nervous."

"I'm glad to hear it." He smiled at her. "Now what would you like for breakfast? It's your choice."

"You know my favorite." She smiled back.

"Blueberry pancakes it is." He got to work making tea and pancakes and setting places for them at the counter. He wouldn't let Belle do anything.

They had a pleasant breakfast together, talking about her next day at work and their plans for the rest of the day. When they finished, they got ready to take a ride to the mansion that Belle hoped would be their wedding site.

Since the house was located off the only main road that hugged the shoreline, their route to the house was pretty direct. As they approached the town line, Gold questioned her. "I thought you said the mansion was in Storybrooke."

"I guess I was mistaken. I don't think it's too far from here. You don't mind, do you?"

"No… of course not." She noted a slight hesitation in his voice. She wasn't sure why it would matter to him.

They found the mansion a couple of miles outside of Storybrooke in an area referred to as Mist Haven. The driveway to the house was situated at the end of a very sparsely populated dirt road. It was lined by a dense thicket of trees that opened up to a beautifully landscaped property. The house, which almost looked like a castle, was perched on the top of a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Belle gasped. "It's more beautiful than I imagined. The photos didn't do it justice."

Gold concurred. The house and grounds were spectacular. "It's a fairy tale setting."

"More than you realize." Belle added.

Gold looked at her.

"You'll see. Wait until we get inside." She explained cryptically.

They located the groundskeeper's cottage which was the check-in point for anyone interested in viewing the house and property. When the person in charge realized who Gold was, they were given access to the house and free reign to look around on their own.

When they got back outside, Belle stopped him. She made him look at her. "It all makes sense now."

"To what are you referring, darling?" He tried to hide the guilty expression in his eyes.

"You own this house."

He held her gaze. "What makes you think that?"

"The way Mr. Jones reacted when he heard your name. It made me think about the fact that you own and rent out so many properties..." she gave him a reprimanding look, "…I know how this house is decorated inside, Rum."

"That would give it away." He looked sheepish. "Are you upset?"

She took his hand. "Of course not… But why didn't you tell me?"

"I honestly didn't think it was this house until we approached the town line. When you told me that you'd found the perfect spot for our wedding on the Storybrooke shoreline, I wanted to tell you about this place, but I also didn't want you to abandon your dream site just because I owned a house in a similar setting. I was going to show you this place after you saw the mansion you had found."

"That's sweet of you, Rum. But why didn't you say anything once you knew it was the same house?"

"I wanted you to see it through unbiased eyes."

"Oh, Rum." She kissed him on the lips. "I love it already and we didn't even go inside yet. You must know why I think it's special for us."

"Yes."

"It's actually special for several reasons." She squeezed his hand. "Are you planning to show me around?"

"You're not angry at me?" He gave her his puppy-dog look for the second time that day.

"How can I be? What are the chances that I would choose a house that you own for our wedding site? Doesn't that make it even more perfect?"

"Yes." He put his arms around her and kissed her.

She seemed to enjoy the kiss for a few seconds before she suddenly pulled away. "You don't own any other mansions on the Storybrooke shoreline, do you?"

"No, you chose the only one I own."

She giggled. "Just checking. It wouldn't have been as perfect if you owned all of them."

He laughed. "No, not so much."

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again. "I'm more excited than I was, Rum. I can't believe I chose this house. It means something."

"I agree." He was happy that she was so happy. "Why don't we take a look around? I'm anxious for you to see it. Plus I want to hear all the reasons you think it's so perfect for our wedding."

She linked her arm in his and they entered the house.

"This is spectacular." Belle was already in awe and they were only in the entryway.

Gold chuckled. "It's a gorgeous house, Belle. I'd live here if it were more convenient."

"It is like a fairy tale, Rum. Inside and out."

"That's why I bought it, Belle. It was the perfect spot for my art collection."

By now they had entered a room that was akin to a ballroom in Belle's eyes. The walls were lined with Gold's fairy tale art collection. Belle didn't know if she wanted to observe the art or be swept around the room in a romantic dance.

"I think this may be my favorite room." She gushed as she pulled him into the middle of it.

"I'll let you know which room is my favorite after we spend our wedding night here." He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed her shoulder.

She giggled. "I reserve the right to change my mind."

"Maybe we should spend the whole honeymoon week here. There are a lot of rooms in this house." His mind began to picture them in various stages of undress in each of the many rooms.

"I seriously think that's a good idea. This isn't that far from town." She smiled seductively at him.

He chuckled again. "I'm glad you agree." His cock hardened.

She bit her lower lip. "Should we look at the rest of the house?"

He grinned at her. "Of course, sweetheart." He draped his arm over her shoulders and led her to the other rooms. Each was beautiful in its own way and each was decorated with pieces from Gold's art collection. Before they headed upstairs to the bedrooms, they walked out onto the huge stone porch that spanned the side of the house that faced the ocean.

Belle pulled Gold over to the edge to look out at the sea. "This is what first made me think this house was perfect for our wedding. When I saw this huge balcony overlooking the water, it made me think of the cruise ship. I wanted to get married out here with the blue sky and blue ocean as our backdrop."

"And then you saw photos of the rooms." Gold added.

"Yes! When I looked at the rooms on the website, I realized that the artwork on the walls all had a fairy tale theme, the same as the artwork on the cruise ship. I thought it was a sign. It made it perfect for us."

Her eyes were glistening with tears.

"It is perfect for us, Belle." He stroked her cheek and pressed his lips against hers. He felt overwhelmed himself by what had to be much more than coincidence in his mind. So much about them seemed meant to be.

He placed his arm around her waist and led her back in. "You'll be happy to know that I house the china set here."

She giggled. "You do?"

"Must be another sign. Seems fitting that the first time I'll ever need to use it is in this very house."

"I like that, Rum, don't you?"

"Yes. It's rather intriguing…" He took her hand in his. "Now let's go see the master bedroom."

He led her upstairs to a huge room with large windows that looked out over the ocean. The bed seemed larger than king size to her and the fabrics on everything were lush. The paintings on the walls were all fairy tale couples.

"This is gorgeous, Rum." She ran to the window. "The view is breath-taking."

She turned to face him. "I'd never want to leave this room if I lived here." She began to circle the room to take everything in.

When she realized that the paintings on the walls represented true love fairy tale couples, she took his hand in hers. "You've always been a romantic, Rum, haven't you? These paintings are lovely and perfect for this room."

"I thought my renters would appreciate them."

Then she saw it - a painting of Beauty and the Beast, depicting the beast in both his human and non-human forms, was positioned over the bed.

"Has this always been here?" She questioned him.

"Ever since I decorated the house."

"This may be my favorite room." She decided.

He chuckled to himself. "What do think of the painting?"

She smiled at him and bit her lower lip. "Apart from the fact that it's perfect for us, as you know, it makes me wonder if you're going to be the prince or the beast on our wedding night."

"It will all depend on whether Mrs. Gold is acting naughty or nice that night." He pulled her against him, her back to his front, and nipped her neck. His cock had been hardening ever since they entered the room. It was now fully erect and pressing against her.

"We'll see." She reached up to tangle her fingers in his hair. "But I have a feeling Mrs. Gold may feel a little naughty, especially if she has to be nice all day."

'Mrs. Gold' – hearing her say it again did all types of things to him. He wanted to take her right then and there.

"I can't believe I'm going to be Mrs. Gold in less than a month." She looked up at him.

When she said it again he felt himself losing control. He had to stop himself. This house was going to be the place where they spent their wedding night. He wanted it to be a special place for that special night.

He tried to change the subject. "So should I make the arrangements with Mr. Gold to rent this house for our wedding and honeymoon?" He couldn't resist nibbling on her neck again.

She whimpered and raked her fingers through his hair. "It's perfect, Rum. Everything about it."

He moaned and bit her shoulder. He had to pull away before they went any further. "Let's look around a little more."

"Good idea." She followed his lead.

They viewed the other rooms and then went back outside to survey the grounds. Belle marveled again at the beautiful landscaping. She had a few ideas about some lovely photos that they could take on their wedding day.

"I'm sure Neal would be happy to take photos for us, though I'd prefer it if he relaxed that day and enjoyed the wedding." Gold commented.

"Maybe he can take a few intimate photos for us and we can have the rest taken by someone else. I want him to enjoy the day too," Belle smiled mischievously, "especially since Emma will be at the wedding."

Gold chuckled. "My thoughts exactly."

He snaked his arm around her waist. "I have a little surprise for you."

She allowed him to guide her around the house and down a wooden staircase to a small sandy beach.

"I read about this on the website, Rum. It was another reason I was drawn to the house. There are so few sandy beaches in Maine."

"Are you planning to build a sand castle?" He was curious as to her thinking.

"I have an idea for a couple of photos that I want to take on the beach." She bit her lip to suppress her smile and giggle.

"Belle?" He knew that look.

"It's just a little thought I had to remind us of our meeting again and how far we've come. I think you'll like it."

"Why don't I trust you?" He pulled her against him and tickled her. His cock began to harden again.

"Because you know me well?" She answered as she tried to get away from him.

Her response did nothing to allay his suspicions. He grinned at her. Let her be naughty on their wedding day. It would give him license to be a beast that night. He had a feeling it's what she wanted. "Yes, even better than you think."

"Good. I'm happy to hear that." She kissed him on the lips.

His body continued to respond. He thought about their honeymoon week in the house and all the possibilities it presented to them. He was sure that she knew what he was thinking.

"I'm looking forward to our honeymoon here."

Her words confirmed that he'd been correct. "I was just thinking the same thing."

"I know." She bit her lower lip. "I can read your eyes, your face, your smile…," she giggled, "and other parts of your body."

He tickled her again. "Now you are being naughty, sweetheart."

"I like to tease you. Your reactions are so adorable."

He'd come to like it when she referred to him as adorable or cute. There was something sweet about it that made him feel as though she wanted to protect him and take care of him. It was a good feeling. He kissed the top of her head. He felt the same way about her.

They spent a little longer on the beach and then climbed the stairs again back up to the house. They strolled around the gardens for a while longer, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air.

Before they parted, Belle took one last look. "It's so enchanting, Rum. It reminds me of a castle. I can't believe we're going to be married in such a beautiful place."

Gold decided at that moment that he'd no longer rent the property. He wanted it to be available to them whenever they wanted to come out and use it. He pictured their children exploring every inch of the house and grounds in their own little fairy tale worlds. He chuckled. He imagined Belle would probably be doing the same. She had a love of life that defied age. He decided that they'd explore every inch of the place together. He was already seeing it in a completely different light now that she'd fallen in love with it.

"I think we'll be spending a lot of time here in the future."

She looked at him.

"I'm not going to rent it anymore. I want us to enjoy it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I can picture our children playing here."

"I think I have the same picture, Belle." He also pictured how beautiful she would look when she was pregnant, sitting on the porch with a book in her hands.

She deepened their kiss. When they finally parted, they returned the key and headed back to the car. They were comfortably quiet on the ride home, both thinking about the way the day had unfolded.

Gold broke the silence as they got closer to town. "Do you want to go out for an early dinner? I don't think either of us feels like cooking today."

"What if we get take-out and eat it at home? I feel like spending the whole day alone without seeing anyone else."

"I feel the same way." He took her hand. "I can get used to this." He grinned at her.

"So can I. It's nice being alone together."

He raised her hand to his lips. "What would you like to eat?"

"Chinese. It will be quick and easy."

"Sounds good."

Belle called in their order and it was ready by the time they arrived at the restaurant. They picked it up and returned to the house. They settled themselves at the kitchen counter where they sat facing each other, their knees touching. Gold poured them wine and they shared the various foods they had ordered. They were both in a euphoric mood after the day they'd spent together.

When they were done eating, Gold made them tea and they carried it into the library. Gold sat back on the couch and invited Belle to lay her head on his lap. He was determined to coddle her for the rest of the evening. He gently massaged her head and temples. Her sighs of contentment aroused him, but he did not want to go there. He was enjoying these moments of contentment and domestic bliss too much to disturb them.

Domestic bliss… he liked how that sounded. His fingers massaged her cheeks and neck and earlobes. She sighed again. Yes, he told himself, he would be good.

"Rum?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" He traced her lips with his finger.

"Are you trying to be good?" She giggled.

"Yes, sweetheart." He knew where she was going with this.

"It's not working." She giggled again.

"You're being naughty, Belle." He wanted to tickle her, but he knew that would make the situation worse.

"Am I?" She bit her lip and then licked it.

"Yes…" He tried to force his body not to respond.

"I don't want you to be good." She took his hand and kissed his fingers one by one.

"If you insist." He breathed a sigh of relief.

"You can be good tomorrow."

"Whatever you say, darling." He chuckled. They really were perfect for each other.