These Things Take Time/CH 11
When she released him from the kiss, Daniel smirked, touching his bottom lip, "Wow! That was...a real kiss, Betty! I thought you were the one who wanted to…"
She made a face, "I know. I did. I'm sorry, Daniel. Do you hate me now? I mean, I know what I just said before about...you going too fast and then I go and...well, kiss you like that!"
He grinned, still trying to catch his breath and stop his heart from bursting out of his chest. He shrugged, unsure how to proceed, "Well, I definitely don't hate you, Betty! And believe me, it's...okay. It's more than okay.
In fact, anytime you feel inspired to kiss me like that again, please, feel free! I promise, I won't complain. That was...amazing. Actually, can I just say...you're a really good kisser, lady! How come you never kissed me back like that earlier? Were you...holding back?"
She nodded, "A little, I guess. I don't know, Daniel. I was...afraid you'd think I was...coming on too strong. That I was too... eager."
"Why wouldn't I want you to be eager to kiss me? I mean, I kissed you first. It wasn't like you were chasing me down and kissing me against my will or something.
You know what, it doesn't matter. Now I know. You...you have really amazing lips, did anybody ever tell you that? Jesus, Betty, my head is still spinning! My heart feels like a….jackrabbit or something right now!" He put his hand on his chest and took a deep breath, shaking his head.
She blushed, "Really? It was...good?"
He nodded, "Oh yeah! But you'd better not kiss me like that again unless you plan on taking me home with you or something.
Because I don't think I'd be able to walk away from another kiss like that, without… well, I'd probably have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you back to the nearest bed, kicking and screaming."
He carefully took off her glasses and tried them on, "Can I wear these? I think you might have knocked my eyes out of their sockets with that kiss!"
She giggled, and took her glasses back, "Daniel, stop! You're making fun of me!"
He lowered his voice, and smiled, feeding her a bite of the desert they had brought, "No, I promise you, I'm not. Seriously, Betty. Why did you kiss me like that? Couldn't resist my charms anymore?"
She licked her lips, but still had a small dab of ice cream on them, so Daniel wiped it away with his thumb, then smiled at her and leaned forward, "You uh...still have a little...right...there."
He leaned even closer, covering her lips with his and holding her face in one hand as he deepened the kiss for several minutes, before they parted, leaning their foreheads against one another, "Whoa...I'm dizzy! Are you dizzy?"
She nodded, "Uh huh. Kind of. I think maybe I should...go, Daniel. I don't know why I kissed you like that. I'm really sorry. I couldn't help myself. You were just so...so…"
"Sexy? Handsome? Irresistible?" he teased.
She smiled, "Cute!"
He made a face, "Cute? Cute! Wow, way to make me feel...manly, Betty. You think I'm….cute, huh? Gee, thanks!"
"Hey! You called ME cute! And...adorable."
"I did? I did, I guess, you're right. I also called you beautiful, Betty. And said I adored you. I know I should have done a lot more, after all this time. I totally screwed up, not letting you know how I felt about you a very, very long time ago."
She blushed, looking down, "You were ...distracted by a lot of other women, Daniel. I wasn't much to look at back then. I'm still…."
He put a finger to her lips, "You were always beautiful, Betty Suarez! I was the one who needed a lot of...improving since you first met me. I was a selfish, spoiled, lazy, idiot who didn't deserve all your hard work!
I can't believe how much patience you had with me all this time. And I really want to try and show you how much I've changed.
How much you've helped me grow, helped me to be a better man, one you can be proud to be around. I know it's not much, but….here, I got you something."
He held out a box with a necklace and she opened it, her eyes wide and a huge smile on her face, "Daniel! It's...it's so pretty! Thank you! You actually picked this out yourself?"
He grinned, "Yeah, I did, Betty. I got it in Paris. For your birthday. Believe it or not, I actually remembered it this time, but…I had just left here and I knew how pissed you were at me, so...I held onto it, hoping I'd get a chance to give it to you in person. Do you...want me to put it on you?"
She nodded, and as he bent down to fasten the back around her neck, she fingered the delicate filigree fashioned in the shape of the Eiffel Tower.
She drew in a sharp breath, as he dropped a kiss on her neck, after he had it on. "Can I see? The length is...okay? It fits? Do you ...like it?"
She smiled and nodded, her eyes full as she thought of Daniel, going to a jewelry store in Paris, and actually remembering her birthday, and buying something so beautiful for her.
"I love it. It's beautiful, Daniel. Thank you!" She turned back towards him and showed it to him, then hugged him tightly around the neck, and whispered, "It's the most beautiful thing anyone's ever given me!"
He grinned, feeling his cheeks start to flame and his heart start pounding again. He cleared his throat, "Do you want to go?"
She smiled, "No. Not really. But...we probably should, I guess. I know you have one of your interviews tomorrow and I have a lot of work, too. Thank you for...everything, Daniel. For helping with the launch, for dinner, for...this."
He grinned and nodded, "No problem-o, Betty!" She rolled her eyes.
"Sorry. Seriously, it was my pleasure. Especially having dinner with the most gorgeous, adorable, cute, charming, sexy, beautiful girl in London. And...that kiss was...well, the perfect end to the perfect date with the most perfect woman for me I've ever met!"
"Daniel, I'm hardly perf…"
He put his finger on her lips, and shook his head, "Uh uh, Betty. I didn't say you were perfect. You're not.
You're way too into details, you uh...don't have perfect eyesight, you're a little clumsy sometimes, although on you, it's completely adorable, you seriously drive me crazy and apparently other people with your damn lists and those stupid post its! But...like I said; you're perfect for me. There's a difference. Because I happen to find all those things very...sexy. Very appealing."
She smiled, blushing at his words, "You don't mind my...glasses? Because I was sort of thinking about getting contacts."
He shook his head, touching her new frames, and shrugged, "Yeah, well, sure. It's up to you, Betty. They're your eyes. But, although I honestly miss your red ones a little, I got so used to them…"
"I know! Me, too! Hilda and Justin wouldn't let me bring them!" He laughed, but continued, as he leaned forward and kissed her nose, then took off the glasses and kissed her eyelids, then handed them back to her, "But these...are so sexy! They're perfect for you...now. For my London Betty. My little butterfly. The woman you've turned into."
She smiled, and bit her lip, "Thank you, Daniel. That's...really sweet of you to say."
He got up and held out his arm for her, "Ready, Miss Suarez?"
She giggled, "Ready, Mr. Meade."
He faked a British accent rather badly, "Shall I escort your ladyship to your flat, straightaway, then, madame? Or shall I...feed you crumpets and jam...and tea until you become...quite ill?"
She laughed, shoving him, "Daniel...you're so silly! You sound like Dr. Seuss!"
"Was he British?"
"No."
"Oh, but...Peter Pan was, huh? Or...the guy who wrote him, right?"
"Yeah. James M. Barrie. He was Scottish, actually, but he lived and died in London. You should know all about Peter Pan, Daniel." She teased.
He rolled his eyes, "Not you, too! What can I say? I was really drunk that night! And ...stupid!"
She laughed, "Clearly!"
He held her hand and as they walked down the street for a while, squeezing it and he looked at her, "Uh, Betty?"
"Mhmm?"
"Do you think...you'd like to go out with me on a 'real' date? One that counts? One that you know is a date and where I give you plenty of notice, and I come pick you up at your place and bring you flowers and so I can start…"
"Banking the dates, towards the third? Daniel, this counts. This definitely counts. So did the others."
He raised his eyebrows, "They did? So, you mean...this IS our third date? Okay! That's great! Uh….let's get a cab…" He whistled loudly and hailed a cab, rushing her towards it.
She shook her head, putting her hand on his arm and laughing, "NO! Daniel….I mean, well, yes, they all count, but...you know I'm still not...really ready for…"
He leaned forward and whispered, "Sex?"
She blushed, "Uh...right. That. I mean, this is all so…"
He pulled her by her waist to him and kissed her, lifting her up off the ground as he did, and after several minutes, he let her back down, without saying a word, and helped her into the waiting taxi.
She gulped, "What was THAT for?"
He shrugged, grabbed her hand back in his, and smiled at her, "Just to let you know, I'm ready, whenever you are. Just say the word. Any time. Day or night."
She giggled, "Just put my lips together and blow, huh?"
He raised his eyebrows, "Come again?"
She shook her head, seeing he clearly didn't get the reference, "Nothing. It was...just from an old movie, that's all."
"Oh. Sounds like a good movie."
"It was. We… saw it a long time ago. Together. You don't remember? Never mind. I guess that was one of those times when you were…"
"Distracted by other girls? Maybe. But, you can be sure from now on, you're the only woman who can get my attention."
She nodded, and they talked for a while about her launch, Daniel was careful to avoid mentioning her family, although Betty seemed to be a little sad when she brought them up and told him how much she wished they could see her. "It's the first time I think I've done anything like this that my family won't be…"
Daniel grabbed her and kissed her, rather forcefully in the back seat of the cab. She was carried away in his kiss, but then she pushed him away, breathlessly, "Daniel! What brought that on?"
He shrugged, "Sorry, Betty. You just...looked so pretty right then, I couldn't resist you! I promise, it won't happen again."
She smiled, "Don't make promises you can't keep."
He laughed, "Okay. Maybe you're right about that one. I guess...I just got carried away sometimes. Oh, by the way, Betty. I remembered that movie you were talking about with Bogey and Bacall.
The one where they kiss and at first she slaps him, then later, she says that thing about the whistle? And he whistles after she leaves, right? Yeah, that was pretty cute."
She smiled, and kissed him quickly as she got out of the cab. He started to get out to escort her to her door, but she shook her head, "It's fine, Daniel. I'm right here. There are no boogeymen. You don't have to take me to my door. I'm a big girl."
"I see that, yes. You even maintained your sobriety after three sakkis."
"I spaced them out this time."
"Are you sure you're not just afraid I'll talk my way inside?"
She raised her eyebrows and nodded, "You know me so well, Daniel. Exactly!"
"So, you still don't trust me?"
She shook her head, as she went to close the door, "Uh uh. It's me I don't trust. I know you'll try to...come inside. I just don't know if I should let you yet. Goodnight, Daniel."
He smiled as she walked away and waved, tripping slightly as she walked towards her door. He shook his head, smiling, then pursed his lips together, whistling as he looked back. He leaned his head back, grinning as he remembered the first time he had watched her walk away from him, after she had helped him get the Fabia account, thinking this was a girl like no other he had ever met.