Valentine Masquerade

Hope you enjoy! For entertainment only! :D

Chapter 4: Fallen Roses

Daniel was finding this girl so enchanting and really wanted to know who she was, especially since she kept reminding him of someone he met before. But that was crazy; there was no way he could be with the same girl after all this time. She looked totally different!

"Um...my name is...Bella!" she blurted, feeling unsure and sort of upset for lying to him.

He smiled "Bella, huh?"

She nodded, "Mhm" she felt like her face was on fire from the electrifying look in his eyes as he seemed to take her in. A jingle disrupted the silence between them and Betty realized she'd been gone for so long, so it was most definitely a text from her sister.

"Sorry, it's probably my sister wondering where I am" Betty took out her phone and saw her text.

Betty! Where are you?!

Betty stepped away for a second to respond, blushing when she saw that Daniel was watching her. She quickly text her back. With Daniel... In case you need to call me my name is Bella tonight!

She got a quick response. Ooo sexxyy!

Betty rolled her eyes. Hilda!

Whaat?!

Betty shook her head as she text her. Crazy!

She got another text as she was about to put her phone away. She opened it and blushed reading it. Have fun sexi bella! ;*

She felt butterflies as she put her phone away and blushed even more when she noticed that Daniel had been watching her intently, this faint smile on his face as he was leaning against the tree. He looked so drop dead gorgeous, looking all suave and charming.

"What?" she asked as she noticed this almost smirky amusement in his eyes. "Uh...you just seem familiar"

Betty's heart started racing. Crap! He figured her out!

She tried to remain calm and said "Really, how?"

He laughed as he kicked his foot against the trunk pushing himself away from the tree and toward her "I have no idea. It feels like I know you, but that's crazy. I'm sure I'd remember you."

She bit her lip, looking down shyly, trying to remain level-headed. She was with Daniel Meade, the same Daniel Meade who was such a big jerk to her and treated her like some worthless doormat.

Part of her wanted to take off her mask and tell him off for what he did, but as she glanced up at him, seeing that charming smile of his and the sweet look in his eyes, she wondered if this was the real Daniel, the one who was underneath all of that, the one that was so unfairly judged, the one she was now wishing she gave a second chance.

She did remember the first few days he'd been nice to her, but then he started treating her like a slave, and then with that photoshoot...it was so humilating. For a brief moment she saw the regret in his eyes and then came after her to apologize and she just yelled at him in the middle of the street.

"Want me to push you on the swing?" he asked, breaking her away from her thoughts. She looked to the swing and laughed "Really?"

He nodded with a grin "Yeah, it'd be fun, right?"

She nodded with a smile "Ok" she walked over, placing her glass on the ground and sat on the swing; he came over and stood behind her. His hand went to her back and gently pushed her.

Daniel pushed her several times, a little higher each time, his smile growing, seeing her hair gently fall behind her with each swing, her soft laugh made him feel good.

Betty felt so many butterflies, when this time he pulled her all the way back toward him, his hands landing just above hers on the ropes, her back just barely brushing against his chest.

"I am having such a good time with you" he said, his voice melting her heart as he pushed her again. She was feeling so free and happy and wonderful. She'd never felt this way before with anyone. He somehow made her feel... beautiful.

She bit her lip, trying to stop tears from filling her eyes, remembering how awfully he treated her when she was 'ugly'. He seemed to notice her sadness and stopped pushing her and moved in front of her as he said "hey, what's wrong?"

She shook her head and got down from the swing "Nothing, I should get back to my sister."

He frowned, but said "oh, uh...I, I guess, if you want to."

A tear escaped her eye and she wiped it away quickly.

Daniel felt so disheartened that she wanted to go back. He was having such a great time with her. He didn't want her to go. As she started walking, he took her hand and said "Wait. Please stay a little longer. Come on, I wanna take you somewhere" he said as he squeezed her hand gently.

She looked to their hands and then to his eyes that seemed so warm and kind. She gave him a smile and said "Ok"

He smiled brightly "Great, come on" he pulled her along excitedly, starting to run and she laughed as she said "Where are we going?"

He grinned "I just know you will love this" In just a few more seconds they stopped in front of this breathtaking gazebo. She gasped at how gorgeous it was. There were these pretty lights wrapped around all the columns intertwined with rose vines that held both red and white roses, more flowers and lights hung down from the top creating curtains of light.

This was something out of fairy-tale, she thought in awe as she took in the sight before her.

Daniel watched her with a smile; she was so beautiful, and had the prettiest smile. She bit her lip, which was tempting him to pull her close and claim those lips; when she looked to him with a warm smile, his stomach flipped at how sweet she looked "This is so beautiful" she said in a quiet voice.

He smiled "I knew you'd love to see it."

She looked in his eyes, feeling awed that this was the same Daniel who wasn't so nice to her before. He held his hand out for her to take. She took it and was led up the steps behind him; her foot got caught in a wayward rose vine, causing her to stumble forward, but he caught her with one hand landing at her waist and the other grasping her arm to steady her; their eyes met and the world seemed to vanish around them.

Daniel wanted more than anything to kiss her, but didn't want to scare her away, so he pulled her back up, his hands slowly moving to her waist.

"Thanks" she whispered, a blush creeping across her cheeks. He smirked "You are so cute"

She blushed brighter and he was having a difficult time restraining himself from crashing his lips to hers in a breathtaking kiss. She had such beautiful tempting lips, and that blushing of hers was easily testing his resolve.

He let go of her "Uh…"

Betty stared at Daniel, her heart racing at how it felt to be with him. He was incredibly charming and it was making it hard not to fall for him. She was about to tell him that she needed to go, when he placed his open palm in front of her and said "Dance with me?"

She stared at his hand and then looked to him, his eyes were shining and he had this warm smile on his face. She found herself smiling and placing her hand in his. His smile brightened, his hand closing around hers as he pulled her close, removing his jacket from around her, and tossing it over so it draped across the baluster.

Betty couldn't take her eyes off him. He was so fluid and confident in is movements; she felt enthralled by him. "There's no music" she said softly, not wanting to disrupt the calmness surrounding them.

He smirked and leaned across, still keeping an arm around her, and pressed a hidden button on one of the posts. She gasped in surprise when soft violin music started playing.

He chuckled at her expression. "There's a speaker up there" he pointed up; she looked up to see that the covering had a speaker built in.

She looked to him with a bright smile "That is amazing"

He grinned, and pulled her even closer, her body seeming to melt into his, his hands resting on her lower back, feeling her soft skin under. There was this electric energy between them as his eyes were locked on her's. She had such pretty eyes. His eyes drifted across her face taking in every detail that wasn't hidden by her mask. As beautiful as the mask was, he wished he could see her face and see who she really was.

He took her hand in his and started to slowly dance with her, seeing this soft smile on her face as she looked at him. He felt his smile grow the more he saw her's. He couldn't believe he was actually enjoying himself so much, since he was miserable just some time before.

Betty was in awe that she was dancing with Daniel Meade. She felt so many butterflies migrate through her at his soft, yet purposeful touch as he danced with her. He smelled so amazing, charming and exhilarating, his intoxicating scent and the warmth from his proximity, and the mesmerizing look in his eyes were making her breathless. She could easily get lost in his charms.

She wondered if this is what it felt like to be those women that he was so used to seducing. Although, it seemed most women gladly threw themselves at him, without so much as a blink in their direction. She felt a little flustered, and her breath caught when he lifted his hand gently to her face, his fingers softly brushing across her cheek, causing her eyes to close.

Daniel smiled seeing the effect his touch had on her. He started to trace the edge of her mask, wanting to remove it, but she stepped back.

He gave her an apologetic smile, seeing she didn't want him to see her. Betty felt conflicted, part of her wanted to tell him she was Betty, and part of her was enjoying being with him like this so much, she didn't want this to end.

She bit her lip, and held her breath when he swept his thumb across it, his touch making her heart pound, and when his gaze fell to her lips, she felt this gravitational pull to him.

The world seemed suspended around them, this gentle breeze causing a delicate shower of rose petals to fall amongst them, and the soft romantic music intensifying their dance.

It was all like a magical dream.

Daniel could see that she was becoming just as affected by their dance as he was. He wanted more than anything to have this last all night.

He was enjoying being with her so much he forgot how terrible he felt earlier. He lifted her hand above them and twirled her causing her to laugh, that laugh of hers making him smile brighter.

She was really cute.

When he spun her back to face him, he pulled her close, both of his hands falling at her waist as he dipped her back, his eyes meeting hers. He shot her a playful smile, and she returned it with that incredibly breathtaking smile of hers, and he felt himself being drawn to her like a magnet. He couldn't stop himself this time as he leaned toward her, their lips a breath apart, when this loud ringing made him stop to stare at her in question.

"Oh gosh," she placed her hands to his arms to pull herself up "that was my phone. I'm sorry" She blushed brightly, both at the interruption and the fact that Daniel most definitely almost kissed her.

She felt her heart skip in her chest, the anxiousness fluttering, as she took out her phone, feeling a bit disappointed. She answered seeing that it was Hilda calling. "Hey"

"Hey Bellaaa" Hilda said playfully.

Daniel felt flustered at the interruption between them. Damn, he really wanted to kiss her. He ran his hand through his hair nervously, not sure what to make of this whole night.

He'd never felt such a connection to someone before. And he didn't even really know who she was. It was so crazy.

He felt closer to her than he did to Sofia. How even crazier was that?

He placed his hands in his pockets feeling different and confused, but strangely happy. He watched as she answered her phone.

Betty felt butterflies as she saw that Daniel was watching her curiously. "Hilda" Betty whispered

"Oo, Betty, are you with Daniel now?"

"Yes, we...were dancing" she said softly, trying not to have him hear. "OMG What?! I thought you didn't want anything to do with him, huh? Now, what, are you sneaking off to have your own party?" Hilda said with a laugh.

Betty blushed "It just happened… why did you call?"

"Well, it looks like people are starting to leave, so I was wondering if you wanted me to just leave since you're having such a great time, or-"

"NO! I'm coming, too!"

Hilda laughed on the other end and said "Wow, you must really like him…"

Betty bit her lip, then said in a quiet voice "Maybe…"

"Ooo Betty! I say stay and enjoy your hunky ex boss while you can! I'll see you when you get home, byee!"

"No, no, -"

The line disconnected and Betty exhaled deeply. She looked to Daniel to see him watching her with a smile. She blushed at the sweet look in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Da-uhm...I had such an amazing time with you, but I really have to go now!" she said and started to turn away when he said "Wait!"

She looked to him and he picked this beautiful rose and walked over to her; her heart raced with each step closer he took toward her, looking so gorgeous. When he was standing in front of her, she felt her heart lift when he slipped off his mask.

She bit her lip as she stared at him, her heart almost galloping in her chest at how charming he really looked. The dreamy look in those blue spell-binding eyes and the captivating smile on his face was too much for her to take. She felt terrible for pretending she was someone she wasn't.

Their eyes were locked to each other's as he said "Uh...look, I can see that you don't really want me to know who you are, but if uh...you ever wanna see me again… now you know. I'm Daniel Meade." he held the rose to her and she took a breath as she took the rose from him, trying not to have her hand shake as she did.

Why in the world did she have to meet him again? And worse, have such an amazing time with him!

When she took the rose from him, she leaned up and placed a kiss to his cheek "thank you" she whispered and practically ran away, stripping the mask from her face, wiping the tears that ran down her cheeks.