Disclaimer: The lyrics used in this chapter are from the song 'Why Don't You Kiss Her?' by Jesse McCartney. And I do not own them.

CHAPTER 7:

Daniel knocked on her door and waited for a few moments before he heard her heels clicking towards the door. As he mentally rehearsed what he was going to say to her, he began to freak out. 'Am I crazy? What the hell am I thinking? She's gonna kick me to the curb.' Out of panic and fear, he decided to walk away. Just as he was turning to leave, the door flung open revealing an utterly astounded Wilhelmina. Noticing her flawless hair and makeup, his eyes devoured the rest of her; she was clad in a ball gown, wearing a sapphire pendant with matching earrings. Just as he was taking her in, Willie spoke, causing him to snap back to reality; that he was standing in front of Wilhelmina Slater's door and hasn't a word in almost 30 seconds, which was pretty creepy.

"Daniel?" She said, questioningly.

"Uh…Wilhelmina…I wanted to…" He stammered.

"What are you doing here? Is everything alright?" She asked as a wave of panic set in. "Please come in."

"Uh…thanks…wow you look beautiful…I mean, it's just…uh…where have you been? Was there an award ceremony I didn't know about?" She gave a tight lipped smile in response.

"Actually, I was just about to…"

"Willie, are you ready to go?" Came a foreign accent and Daniel froze on the threshold. He glanced behind her, trying to find the source of the voice and there came out a gentleman from the hallway in a tuxedo, fastening his bowtie.

"As I was saying I was just about to go out now." She clarified as the gentleman walked over. As he came closer, Daniel recognized him and his stomach dropped. The feeling of foolishness doubled upon seeing that she was with someone and who it was.

"Daniel Meade." Acknowledged the gentleman.

"Rodrigo...Veloso?" Said Daniel as he felt a stab of jealousy at seeing him.

"How are you, man?" Said Rodrigo shaking his hand firmly.

"I'm…uh…I'm good. I didn't know you were in town."

"Why would you?"

"I…I don't know…" Daniel answered nervously, the feeling of silliness escalating.

"That was a joke, man." Rodrigo said sniggering and Daniel responded with a nervous chuckle. Sensing that the two needed some time alone, Rodrigo excused himself.

"Willie, I'll…uh fix myself a drink while you talk Mode business, okay?" He said while touching her arm gently causing Daniel to mentally curse him. He gave a curt nod to Daniel and walked off, vanishing in one of the door ways.

"Uh…Is there an emergency?" Willie questioned.

"No. There…isn't. It's not important, really. Just go on…enjoy your evening."

"Daniel, Is everything alright?" She asked worriedly.

"Yeah, please don't worry, we can talk about it tomorrow." He turned and walked away. She closed the a door and leaned against it, completely dumbfounded.

"That was weird." She murmured to herself.

We're the best of friends

And we share our secrets

She knows everything that is on my mind

Lately something's changed

As I lie awake in my bed

A voice here inside my head

Softly says

Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and feeling like he just took a sucker punch to the gut was not how Daniel anticipated the outcome of the evening. He wasn't sure how he expected things to turn out. He wasn't expecting much but deep down he hoped that Wilhelmina felt the same way as he did and maybe the evening would end with a kiss. However he never in a million years thought he'd find her in the company of Rodrigo Veloso, looking they were heading to the Oscars®. He didn't know where they were going but he knew how their evening was going to end; with a fuck.

He heaved a frustrated sigh and reasoned with himself. 'Maybe it was a sign. Maybe I wasn't meant to tell Wilhelmina that I have feelings for her.' Rodrigo's presence was a sign for him to remind him of who she is and what she's done. Nonetheless, getting shot down that brutally before he could even confess his feelings still stung. Why the hell was he mad at her for? For having sex with whomever she felt like screwing as she was single woman.

He was mad at himself for feeling that way about her, and what frustrated him more is that his attraction to her was much more powerful than what he'd ever felt for any other woman. Maybe it was because he finally knew a little something about her past, something that played a major role in her attitude in life. But he seemed to want to know more about her, he wanted to be with her.

Why don't you kiss her

Why don't you tell her

Why don't you let her see

The feelings that you hide

'Cause she'll never know

If you never show

The way you feel inside

Returning from the event later that evening, Willie and Rodrigo chatted casually in the town car.

"So, what's the deal with Daniel Meade?" Asked Rodrigo.

"What do you mean?" She asked looking at him quizzically.

"What was he doing in your place at that time?"

"I…don't know. That was really awkward. Maybe he came to discuss something to do with Mode and upon seeing that I was going somewhere, he realized that it wasn't important." She answered honestly.

"I meant what's the deal between you and him?"

"What do you mean?" She asked scrunching up her face.

"Willie, when I came out to the living room, he looked at me like he wanted to punch me."

"So? Maybe it was…maybe Alexis told him about you two and what really happened back then."

"That is not it. I'm a man and I know that look."

"What look?"

"The look that says 'Get your hands off my girlfriend.'" Willie scoffed at that.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. I think he likes you."

"No, he does not." She disagreed stiffly.

"Yes, he does. Trust me."

"No he doesn't. Why the hell would he be attracted to me?"

"Your…hotness?"

"Maybe that's true on some level. I have caught him starring at my ass a number of times when he started at Mode but that's it. Daniel sleeps with models that are at least ten years younger than him."

"But he changed since he started dating the dead woman. He turned in his player card back then. He made news even in Brazil when he settled down and started looking like an idoso." Wilhelmina responded with a small laugh.

"Excuse me? Daniel doesn't look like an old man."

"Yes he does and that beard. He makes all playboys of the world get scared of settling down."

"I happen to like his beard." Willie defended the absent Daniel.

"So you do like him." He accused.

"Rui, come on. Why are you interrogating me about Daniel Meade all of a sudden?" She asked, her voice turning serious.

"Willie, we might have a no strings attached sexual relationship but I'm one of the few if not only sex buddy whom you also talk to as a friend. You remember when you had cold feet when you were going to marry Bradford Meade?"

"His father. Which makes it forbidden. Not to mention the shit I did to his family."

"Does he know you were involved?"

"In instigating the plan for you to date Alexis and get her out of the country? I think so…maybe Bradford or Alexis told him."

"So? I don't think he cares. Willie, don't stand in the way of your happiness."

"Rui, are you serious right now? Happiness?"

"Yes. Willie, you and I are alike in many ways. We are both strong, firm, ruthless talented devilishly gorgeous people." Willie let out a laugh at the last statement "I understand you because I recognize you from me."

"Rodrigo, I don't want to hear it." She said softly before pressing her lips to his in a soft and passionate kiss and began fumbling with his bowtie.

Oh I'm so afraid to make that first move

Just a touch and we

Could cross the line

Every time she's near

I wanna never let her go

Confess to her what my heart knows

Hold her close

The following morning, Wilhelmina sat at her sanctuary filling out paper work while casting glances at the television set, watching Fashion Buzz. Memories of the previous evening kept on filling her thoughts and it wasn't the man she was with that was occupying her mind; it was Daniel. How strange and awkward was that? She didn't even get the chance to get him to sit and talk properly. They had their conversation while he was standing on the threshold. Whatever it was, it certainly had nothing to do with Mode because he would have brought up the issue before or during the creative meeting. As she was contemplating the weirdness of the situation,

"Mmhhh, somebody got it all this morning." Amanda exclaimed gleefully as she waltzed in her office wearing a broad and mischievous smile.

"What?"

"Oh, come on, Wilhelmina, who's the lucky guy…or guys? You know Marc once mentioned how sometimes you like to…"

"Amanda! Excuse me, but when did WE become friends?" She asked, tilting her eyebrow.

"Oh, come on, you talked to Marc about all your car washes. So spill." She said she settled on the chair in front of her desk.

"Amanda, stop."

"Only a threesome will leave you with that look on your face…or maybe you banged a foreign guy. What was he? French? English? Italia-…" The young woman stopped speaking as Willie's expression continued to harden.

"Excuse me?" Willie said with her legendary death glare.

"Uh…uh…Your call sheet for the Wild Vest Shoot." She said setting the document on her desk and practically ran out of the office.

Why don't you kiss her

Why don't you tell her

Why don't you let her see

The feelings that you hide

'Cause she'll never know

If you never show

The way you feel inside

Daniel strode down the street, incredibly upset; Marc had forgotten to book the car again in addition to forgetting his food. He exhaled angrily just thinking about Marc and his obvious 'slip ups' and he was driving him crazy. For the past week, he had been messing up deliberately in hopes of getting fired and sent back to Wilhelmina. 'Shit!' He mentally cursed 'He's probably doing all of this shit so I could fire him so he can back to Wilhelmina. Little does he know that she wants nothing to do with him.' Then unconsciously, Wilhelmina and that night came back.

Getting shot down by Rodrigo's presence at her apartment almost a week ago resulted in Daniel avoiding Wilhelmina at every cost. The only interaction he seemed to have with her was business related. His thoughts were interjected by someone forcefully bumping onto him. Taking a look at the culprit, his eyes softened at seeing who it was.

"Betty. What the… Are you all right?" Daniel questioned confusedly.

"No, I'm gonna die!" Betty replied melodramatically "Wilhelmina's making me write a first-person piece on how comfortable these heels are."

"What? Do you want me talk to her?"

"No. I'm trying to pay my dues so she'll give me something better to write."

"No, I can…"

"Daniel I know you two are pals now, but please, let it go. Will you walk with me please?"

"Okay, but we have to walk fast. Marc forgot to book my car again. I'm literally running to an appointment at Coach. He's really been messing up a lot lately."

"Marc? Really? He's an amazing assistant. And no offence, Daniel, but you're not the best communicator."

"What?...That's…Betty, but….No…What?" He stammered.

"See? I mean, I understood that, but I've worked with you for a long time."

"Alright, I guess, maybe. All right, I've got to go left here."

"Okay, just peel off gently." She said before pulling away.


Sipping her afternoon tea, Willie sat at her desk short listing some media kits that she and Daniel were selecting for future issues. She found herself smiling when she thought about the debate they had about a week ago about his choices. They had laughed it off when they realized that they still had it, even more so when she revealed to Daniel that she completely agreed with him and that the only reason she disagreed with him was to antagonize him. Suddenly, she was overwhelmed by a warm feeling at thinking about Daniel. She sort of missed having him around when they worked after hours and she could tell that he had been steering clear of her and she knew it was because of Rodrigo. Now she became certain that Daniel knew about her involvement in Bradford's plan to get Alexis out of the country 3 years ago.

A knock on her door snapped her out of her thoughts,

"Come in." She said. Daniel walked in and immediately walked over to the chair in front of her desk. "Daniel, hey."

"Hi. Willie, we need to talk." He said crustily.

"What's going on?" She asked, her eyes narrowing in confusion.

"Betty. Why did you make her wear those heels and walk a whole mile?"

"It WAS her concept; 'Walk a mile in her shoes' and I had HER walk a mile." She retorted unceremoniously. He shot up from the chair angrily at her nonchalance.

"What's the matter with you?" He questioned gruffly as he placed his palms on the surface of her desk, towering over her.

"Did she tell you the full story?"

"She didn't have to. Why do you have to be so mean, woman?"

"Mean? So, it was okay for her to call an assignment I gave her bullshit?" She asked, her tone still dripping with indifference and it was beginning to get to him.

"Oh come on, I'm sure she didn't say that." He argued.

"She might as well have. She called me out in front of the staff, told me that the assignment was light and that she wanted to write something different and put what I told her in her own voice. She actually had the balls to say 'who's going to believe that there's a comfortable stiletto?'" Daniel softened a little at that explanation. He would have been angry too if someone told him that they wanted to write something different in front of the staff.

"Well, still it was mean." She slammed her laptop shut in aggravation and looked at him, her nostrils flaring up and her cheeks a bright shade of pink.

"I don't give a shit if it was mean or not. And I don't give a shit how they feel about me, my employees will respect me." She affirmed.

"Respect you? That's not respect, that's fear. And this little façade of being the HBIC…that's not you being in charge, that's you being angry at the world and everybody in it!" He blurted and his face immediately washed with regret at seeing her expression change to uncontaminated anger. They both knew what he was referring to.

"Angry at the world? Daniel, I'm not angry at the world, but right now, I'm angry at YOU."

"Me?"

"Yes! Being your assistant was Betty's first serious job, the first step at achieving her dreams and she was stuck with YOU. You were such a screw up that her entire job was to handle your personal life, schedule your naps and cover for your ass to your father and to the media, that she missed the one thing a person so smart, young yet naïve as she needed…Mentorship; someone to teach her how a magazine and the rest of the world works. And you failed her! And now you're coming to me…"

"Wilhelmina!"

"Now I'm sorry if you and Betty's feelings are bruised but she needs to know her place and if she has any objections to any assignment that I give her, she should at least do me the courtesy of voicing them in private."

"Wilhelmina, whoa, calm down."

"And now you're giving me shit because I told her what to do as her boss? Not every boss she'll meet in life is going to be a fuck up turned best friend that she can say whatever she likes to. I'm operating in the real world, Daniel and in that world, subordinates know their place!" She screamed.

"Willie, all I'm saying is…"

"And one more thing, DON'T YOU EVER use my personal life as a tool to make your argument. You are in no position to neither psychoanalyze me nor judge me. You are not my shrink. Stay out of my goddamn business!" She hissed and Daniel just backed out of the room in fear.

What would you say

I wonder would she just turn away

Or would she promise me

That she's here to stay

It hurts me to wait

I keep asking myself

Daniel released a sigh as he fell back on his chaise feeling like shit. He was so angry with himself that he resorted to the boys-tease-the-girls-they-like approach when dealing with his feelings for her. He didn't know what to do or what to say to her and then he used the only opportunity he had and lashed out at her for punishing Betty. But his anger wasn't about what happened to Betty and he knew it. Maybe they were right, all of them. Marc accused him of coming off as needy while Amanda and Betty accused him of not being a good communicator and Willie indirectly accused him of getting everything on a silver platter. And he was beginning to see it and he didn't like it very much. What was he expecting? Wilhelmina to sense that he had feelings for her and confess first? And they would start dating and have fun and sex for all eternity? 'Maybe they were right, I'm so used to getting what I want that I throw a fucking tantrum whenever I don't get my way. I behaved like a fucking spoilt brat and Willie doesn't respond to that, she wants a goddamn man. God, I've got to apologize.'

On the double, he stood up and hurried out of his office, making his way to Wilhelmina's. He knocked softly and she tore her gaze away from the monitor and locked eyes with his.

"Hey, Wilhelmina. Uh…got a minute?"

"How did the meeting with…"

"I just want to apologize." He said solemnly, cutting her off.

She didn't respond and she just stared at him with a neutral expression. He walked over and sat down on the chair in front of her.

"Wilhelmina. I'm sorry. I'm an ass okay? I shouldn't have even come to you about the Betty situation, let alone talk to you like that, especially bringing up…your…problems. I was dead wrong." He said apologetically.

"Okay." She said dryly.

"Okay?" He asked looking at her quizzically.

"Yes."

"Are you sure? I mean, I realize that…"

"You were just being an asshole. We all have our moments." She said monotonously.

"Willie, that's not…"

"How did the meeting with the Dsquare reps go?" She questioned, cutting him off.

"We didn't get into much business, really. We were just having drinks and talking shit."

"Thank God I didn't go. So you guys didn't talk any figures or…nothing at all."

"Well, they were…uh kind of late. I was at the Waverly and they went to the Farmhouse."

"How the hell did that happen?" She asked.

"Marc told me he rescheduled the meeting and I went to the Waverly and they went to Farmhouse and then I looked like a dick when they walked in, telling me that they waited for a half an hour and then called my assistant who told them where I was."

"That's strange. That doesn't sound like Marc."

"He said he did it for me because I'm needy. He was forgetting my food, my coffee, forgetting to book my cars…I kind of got angry 'cause I though he wanted to come back to you." He explained leaving out the biggest reason why he was acting out.

"I'm glad you didn't fire him. Now if you'll excuse me…"

Daniel didn't argue further, he just stood up and walked out.

Why don't you kiss her

Why don't you tell her

Why don't you let her see

The feelings that you hide

'Cause she'll never know

If you never show

The way you feel inside

Days went by after Daniel's attempted apology and his relationship with Wilhelmina had taken a few steps back to being neutral and it felt foreign to him. She only spoke to him with work related matters, and turned down his offer of helping her with the book the previous night. Nonetheless, she didn't deliberately disagree with him and insult him in meetings like he had expected. No matter how bizarre it would seem, this was worse that when they were adversaries. He wanted to be mad at her for giving him the cold shoulder after he tried to apologize but he couldn't because he knew what kind of a person she was and he knew he was in the wrong for accusing her of being angry and the world. Why shouldn't she be? She lost a man she loved and her baby and he accused her of being bitter all because he didn't know how to address his feelings. Maybe it was time he manned up and told her how he felt, it didn't matter if she rejected him. He didn't want to live his life that way anymore. He spent so much time crushing on Molly and didn't do anything about his feelings, and when the time finally came, he only got three months with her.

One evening, he wearily rubbed his eyes as he tried to concentrate on the monitor in front of him. He was going through the new media kits. He could have finished redlining over an hour ago but it proved to be a pretty difficult task as Wilhelmina became a constant presence in his mind. He averted his eyes from the laptop monitor and realized that the employees were gone for the night. He decided to head home and finish everything tomorrow as Wilhelmina would probably change it anyway. He put on and his coat and walked out.

He sighed and yawned as he waited for the elevator, growing impatient. Just then he heard a distinct click of heels against the tiled floor and knew it was her. Wilhelmina appeared and knitted her brows at seeing Daniel at the office that late.

"Wilhelmina. I didn't realize you were still here." He said casually.

"Well, I am. Can we be done with the small talk now?"

They stood side by side with their arms folded. Finally, the elevator doors slid open. Daniel gestured for Willie to go in first and surprisingly she didn't protest and walked right in. Daniel pressed the lobby button as she folded her arms and stared ahead, Daniel turned to look at her and mirrored her pose. She felt his eyes on her and she turned and glanced at him.

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Daniel, for the last time, no." She offered with a hint of annoyance.

"C'mon…" All of a sudden, the elevator came to a screeching halt and the lights went out.

"Goddamn it!" Willie exclaimed.

"Are you alright?" He asked cautiously.

"Yeah, you?"

"I'm good."

"What the hell happened?"

"Let me find out." He said, reaching for the emergency phone and called maintenance "Hello. The elevator just stopped and there's no power and we're stuck…oh?...Just two people, me and my colleague…we're fine. How long?….Alright, thank you." He sighed as he put the phone back.

"Apparently there is a city wide black out. The maintenance guy said we may be here a while. So, I guess we should just sit tight."

"Alright." She said monotonously as leaned back against the wall.

To Daniel, the blackout seemed to have been orchestrated by fate as it allowed he and Wilhelmina some alone time. He managed to start up a conversation with her and got her to talk to him. And it worked, after the tension eased, the conversation flowed smoothly and Daniel decided to take advantage of the situation and address their small issue.

"Willie, I'm sorry." He started. She scoffed and simply stood up attempting to avoid him somehow. Daniel grabbed her hand in an attempt to get her to sit back down but she snatched her hand out his grasp.

"I really am. I was wrong, okay?"

"I know, you said that already." She said calmly. He stood up and took her hand in his before he spoke.

"Willie, c'mon I'm trying…I shouldn't have brought up the thing with Betty. I know you were doing your job. I would have been pissed too. I took out my frustration on you and I was dead wrong."

"It's okay, Daniel. You really don't have to apologize. Nonetheless, I have to ask...did I do something? Or did I say something that upset you…before the thing with Betty?"

"No"

"Was it because of Rodrigo? Is because of Alex-…"

"No Alexis told me about him conspiring with my dad to get her out of the country…and your involvement." He admitted. "But that wasn't it. I didn't go off on you because of it. Truth is, I really don't know how to act around you anymore, Willie." He confessed.

"What?"

"I…I…just…I don't know how to… I didn't how you'll react. I don't…" He stammered

"Daniel, what the hell are you trying to…" He grabbed her waist and closed the space between them and then tenderly touched her lips with his. She stiffened at first but gave in to the kiss and responded with the same tenderness but suddenly her sanity came back and she pulled away.

"What was that?" She whispered, glaring at him in confusion.

"That was me." He said with a smile that Wilhelmina at first thought was cocky but as she stared at him, she could see that he was just glad; glad as if he had been longing to kiss her for a long time. "…showing you how I feel about you." Her heart hammered in her chest at his confession.

"You what?...about me?" She whispered.

"I have feelings for you, Wilhelmina." He admitted. She swallowed hard. Her eyes bored into his as she tried to process what he just revealed. What the hell was she supposed to say now? Say it back?

While she was still pondering the matter, the lights and power of the elevator came back on and they felt themselves descending. That's when she pulled herself free from his grip on her waist. She looked at him and his eyes seemed to have been searching hers for an answer, willing her to say that she also had feelings for him. Her lips twitched as if she was going to open her mouth and say something. However before she could reply, the elevator dinged, signaling that they had reached the lobby. She quickly walked out without another word. Her actions didn't completely shock Daniel, but it was definitely not the kind of reaction he was expecting from her. He expected her to say something, not run. He ran his hand on his hair in defeat as he watched her getting into her town car.

Why don't you kiss her (tell her you love her)

Why don't u tell her (tell her you need her)

Why don't you let her see

The feelings that you hide

'Cause she'll never know

If you never show

The way you feel inside...

Why don't you kiss her?