The Bridge/CH 14
After looking into Daniel's ridiculously blue eyes for some time, Betty finally took a deep breath, "Fine, professor. Confidence, huh? I suppose I could give it a try. Could we practice a little?"
He nodded, "Sure, of course. It all starts inside you. If you're confident, it shows in your attitude. Your eyes, your smile...your posture.
That's all way more important than your dress size or how much make-up you wear. Being the Editor-in-chief of Mode, you can't quote me that it's more important even than what you wear, though!"
She laughed, "Okay, don't worry. I won't tell anyone."
"You're plenty confident most of the time, Betty. And you're definitely not shy about voicing your opinion!"
She narrowed her eyes, and he laughed, holding up his hands, "...which is great, don't get me wrong. It's one of the things that makes you stand out. But...as far as sexual confidence, that's a whole different matter.
First, you've got to be a LOT more comfortable with your flirting. I mean...you and I know each other really well, so you'd think you would feel more at ease with me, but I noticed you still get all blushy when I just mention sex."
"Daniel..."
"Betty...What? Look, if you can't even talk about sex with me, who the hell else are you going to talk to about it, Hilda, your 'papi'? So, go ahead, ask me anything you want to know.
You know I'm not shy. You can ask me absolutely any question about sex you've always wondered about. And if I can't explain it; I could always demonstrate."
She rolled her eyes, "Very funny, Daniel. No demonstrations right now, thank you. This is...just what did you say before, 'flirting, and uh...foreplay', right?"
He smiled, pointing to her face, "Now, see what I mean, Betty? You're blushing just saying foreplay. So how are you going to react when I teach you about actually...doing it?"
She bit her bottom lip, trying not to let him fluster her, "Fine. I'll just pretend we're talking about something else, so I don't get quite as embarrassed."
"Sure. Plus, I could show you some simple little things to do in public. Say for example we're at some restaurant. You want me, of course and want to let me know you're thinking about me. But you can't just rip my clothes off and have your way with me. At least, not right that second..."
Betty rolled her eyes and reddened, "Daniel! Knock it off!"
He laughed, "What? Too much? Okay, so let's try this. You're looking at me like I'm your favorite pastry like you were earlier..."
She smiled, biting her lip, "No I wasn't!"
He stood behind her and slid his hands down her arms slowly and whispered huskily, "Oh, yes you were, Betty. It's fine. I didn't say I minded when you looked at me like that. Actually, I sort of enjoy being objectified by you. It's a big turn on."
She tried in vain to slow down her racing heart rate as she felt his hot breath against her ear and his body, up close against her, his arms around her waist now. She glanced slowly at him, "It is?"
"Mmhmm...absolutely. What, you think guys don't like to be desired, too? We need just as much validation as women."
"Sometimes more. What with your fragile male egos and all." she teased.
He laughed, "Okay. I'll give you that one, Betty. But that just proves my point. One thing you could do in a public place besides just basic eye contact is some simple, old-fashioned stuff, like, say hand holding or...playing footsie.
Just make sure it's welcome. I mean, with me, you've got no problems, though. As long as we can get away with it, I'm game."
Betty pulled away slightly, looking back at him, "So...you weren't 'up for it' with Amanda then at meetings? I saw her sliding her foot up your leg a few times and you moved away."
He looked down at her, "You...uh, saw that, huh? Yeah, well, actually I was trying not to encourage her doing stuff like that.I tried several times to tell her I wasn't interested, Betty. But Amanda always had her own agenda.
She was always coming on to me. Then again, Amanda would come on to a priest if she thought it would get her what she wanted! She and I are okay now, though. We can still be friends."
"Just friends?"
"Yeah, just friends. We care enough about each other to want to see the other one happy, but...I'm never going to want a romantic relationship with her. We're just not right for each other."
She nodded, patting his cheek, "I believe you, Daniel."
He nodded, "Amanda's not very subtle. We've talked about it. You're sweet to be concerned, though. Especially after the way she's treated you sometimes. Her and Marc haven't always been all that nice."
"Neither have you. People change."
He laughed, "Tell me about it." He nuzzled her neck and began kissing it softly, then he whispered, "So, anyway...next lesson. You know how you really like this? Me, uh, kissing your neck and whispering into your ear?"
Betty closed her eyes, feeling as if she were going to seriously faint right now. "Mmhmm.."
"Yeah, well, guys like that, kind of stuff, too. Just FYI."
Betty was having a hard time focusing, "Uh, they do?"
"Mmhmm...oh, and any time you...uh get aggressive, like yanking on my tie, or pushing me up against a door to kiss me or maybe sliding your hand under my shirt, those are all huge turn ons, believe me."
Betty started to pull away from him for a second, but he grabbed her tighter, "Where do you think you're going, young lady? Lesson's not finished yet. Not by a long shot."
She protested, "I was just going to get my notebook to...uh...take notes. I'll never remember all this, Daniel. This is good stuff."
He rolled his eyes, and squeezed her, "No notes, Betty. Object lesson. This is OJT. Just try it for yourself. Here. We'll sit on the couch for a few minutes and you can try it on me."
"Try what, exactly? What should I do to you?"
He raised his eyebrows, "That's a loaded question."
She hit his chest as soon as they went to sit down. He smiled and grabbed her hands to hold them in place. She bit her lip, then slowly and deliberately slid her hand up inside his tee shirt. As her hands felt his firm abdomen and chest, he sucked in and smiled, nodding, "That works."
She leaned forward and he bowed his head down to meet hers in a kiss that started out sweetly and became increasingly deep and urgent. Betty had her arms around his neck and Daniel had his around her waist, pulling her closer to him.
After several minutes, she pulled away, looking up at him, "Is that good?" she asked, naively.
He narrowed his eyes, "Sure...that's uh...really good. See, you just need practice at this stuff. It's like kissing, you're a nartural. You just need lots and lots of...uh..."
Betty smiled slyly and pulled him down to her level for a soft kiss. Daniel mumbled, "practice." as her lips met his.
When she finally pulled away, she spoke against his lips, "You mean, like that?"
He took off her glasses, and looked into her eyes, moving slowly towards her, nodding, as he pulled her forcefully towards him cradling the back of her neck with his hand, and kissed her again, this time more intently, "Huh? Oh, yeah, just like that, Betty."
After a very heated kiss, he reluctantly pulled himself away and stood up, "Maybe we should uh...take a little break. I'm going to call Alexis and let her know that crazy story Mom told me about her killing Fey and see what she thinks we should do about it.
I need to go see my dad sometime tomorrow, but I don't really want Alexis to know about it. Can you think of a way to cover for me, Betty? I want to see who my dad wants to get for a lawyer."
She nodded, standing up and pulling down on her blouse, trying to pull herself together. "Sure, Daniel. I can do that."
"In the meantime, maybe you wouldn't mind taking my mom to the spa or something? See if you can get her to talk to you. Hopefully, she was just having a little relapse with me earlier.
He stood, looking down at Betty, and was clearly fighting himself about touching her, "Maybe you could drop off your entrance papers and my recommendation letter for the YETI program before you go pick her up?
After Alexis and I meet with everyone and let them know what's going on..."
"You know, Wilhelmina is going to have a fit, Daniel. I would be prepared for sparks to fly from her broomstick. And she'll send Marc to be her little flying monkey to spy on you."
He laughed slightly, "While I agree with your impression of her as a witch, and Marc as her pet, what makes you think she won't be happy once she knows I'm planning on leaving Mode, Betty?
I mean, all she's wanted since I started is to be the Editor-in-chief of Mode. Alexis and I are giving her that on a silver platter. You don't think that will make her happy?"
"Sure, for about two seconds. But once she thinks about Alexis and especially you, still being her boss...she's not going to like it. I can guarrantee you. She'll never be happy until she's your boss."
"Well, I'm sorry, but until her name is on the building, that's just not going to happen, I'm afraid!"
"I'm just telling you; don't expect a thank you card and flowers from her for the promotion!"
"No, I know you're probably right. But, she can take it or leave it. If she doesn't like it, we'll find someone else to run Mode. Hell, I can do it until we find a replacement for her if she actually turns it down."
"I don't think she'll go that far. She does want it. I just know she's never satisfied."
As Daniel handed Betty a cup of coffee, their hands touched. He softly ran his thumb over the back of her hand, turning her stomach into so much jello.
"Speaking of never being satisfied...I really hate to say this, believe me, but maybe we should see if Marc and Amanda can come here for dinner. Or Justin."
Betty looked at him, clearly surprised, "Marc and Amanda? Why on earth would you want them here?"
He brushed her cheek gently with his lips and whispered, "Because, Betty. I don't think I trust myself alone with you for much longer. I really think I'm going to need a chaperone."
She giggled, looking down at her skirt and blouse, "You're kidding, right? In this?"
He nodded, grinning, "I told you. It doesn't matter what you wear anymore, Betty. You could be wearing that damn poncho of yours and I'd still want to get it off you. But it all depends, I guess.
Can you either hang tight while I go take a really cold shower or...at least tell me you're NOT going to keep kissing me? Because if you plan on doing what you've been doing to me...I'm in big trouble. Or else...you are."