Chapter 45: Date With Dylan Part 2

"Could you tell me where we are now?"

"Teresa, stop asking me that. It's a surprise."

"Dylan. Where are we?"

"You really want to know that bad huh?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"'

"Because it's so beautiful."

"Well, all this and more could be yours."

"What do you mean?"

"Teresa, we're at the Banning Estate in New England."

"You mean you live here?"

"When I'm not living somewhere else, yes, here."

"The Banning Estate?"

"Yeah, just like the Cranes have an estate with countless amounts of grounds, well, so do we."

They walked up the stairs to the front door and Dylan pulled a key from his back pocket and opened the door and they walked inside. By the looks of things, the Banning manor house was at least twice as large as the Cranes.

Once a maid took their coats and belongings Dylan saw that Teresa was flabbergasted by the home. He slowly walked up from behind her and placed his arms around her waist and held her. He put his chin on her shoulder and whispered to her, "Teresa, this is just our New England home. We have many more."

"Are you serious?"

"You bet. Don't you remember the homes we stayed in while running away from the 'wanna-be Fox?'"

"Oh that's right!"

"Yup. All Banning homes."

He kissed her cheek and continued to hold her in the same way as she checked out the pictures of his family in the foyer and along the walls.

"Dylan?"

"Yes, beautiful."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"You've met the Cranes before, so now it's time for you to meet the Banning family. Don't you think so?"

"Not after the position I'm in with choosing you or your best friend. Your parents may not like me for that."

"Nonsense. Of course they will. Come on," he held out his hand and she gave him hers, "walk this way."

Dylan led her through the foyer and down two hallways into a family/living room where a skinny young woman was sitting. Dylan spoke to her, "Alyssa?"

She slowly turned towards them and her eyes widened at the sight of them, "DYLAN!" She ran up to him and practically ripped him from Teresa and hugged him.

"It's so good to see you Alyssa!"

"Dylan! You have no idea."

"When did you get back from London?"

"Last night. Mom said I had to be here to meet your lady." She turned to Teresa and stretched out her hand, "Alyssa. Alyssa Banning."

"Nice to meet you Alyssa. I'm Teresa." They shook hands and Alyssa quickly went back to admiring Dylan. Dylan looked at Teresa, "Alyssa's my sister. She's been at Oxford University in London for six years for her Ph.D."

"Wow. A PhD! In what may I ask?"

"English, Psychology, and Medical."

"Three Phds?"

"Yeah. In six years. I worked my butt off."

"I guess anyone would to get three degrees in six years."

"Yeah, you know it!"

She laughed and kissed Dylan's cheek, "Do mom and dad know you're here yet?"

"I think one of maids went to go tell them."

"Okay."

They sat down on the couch and talked for a bit about London. Dylan's parents came in and Dylan introduced them to Teresa.

"Mom, Dad, this is Teresa. Teresa this is my mom and dad, Claire and Nathan."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." They shook hands and afterwards Nathan said aloud, "You have a very firm handshake Miss Teresa. That's good for business you know."

She smiled as Dylan said, "Banning business right dad?"

"You bet son."

They laughed as Teresa became a bit uncomfortable.

*~*~*~*~* After dinner, they head out on the grounds again to the pool area. *~*~*~*~*

"Are you okay Teresa?"

"Yeah."

"You've been quiet since dinner."

"I'm fine I was taken aback by meeting your parents I guess."

"Why is that?"

"I guess because I never had to 'meet the parents' before. The Cranes knew me and I dated both sons and the Bennett family knew me all my life."

"Yeah, I hate meeting the parents, personally."

"You've meant parents before?"

"Yeah. I almost married this girl once."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"I never knew that."

"There's a lot you don't know about me Teresa."

"Like?"

"That girl I was going to marry I left at the altar."

"Why?"

"She was out for money. I caught her planning my murder."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It was crazy. I thought she'd kill me after I left her at the altar. I remember Fox," he pauses to laugh then continues, "Fox was my best man, of course, and he was the one who found out about the conspiracy. He had to hide me for months and get me away from the wedding."

"Wow. So you and Fox have always been close huh?"

"Since nursery school. I guess that's why we reconciled so fast and so well. We've been after the same girl before you know?"

"Really? Who?"

"Rachel."

"Oh."

He laughs, "Yeah, she was everything an 'heir' could want in a wife."

"How so?" She asked as they sat down on two chairs besides the pool.

"Well, first off she was a Baxter. Just like the Bannings, Cranes, Firestones, Vanderbilts and so on, the Baxters are rich and powerful. And every man wants his son to marry someone who's like they are. Father's think that a rich woman who marries into the rich family is good, not just for the name, or the family, but also for business. And what's good for business is good for the family."

"Your dad thinks that way?"

"No. Not since my older brother married a woman who was middle class, but perfect for him."

"Lucas?" (The names are coming from my O.C. & One Tree Hill addictions . . .)

"Yeah, Lucas married Hailie who was a business major at Atlanta College. My dad almost flipped out until he saw how happy they were. That left the gate open for Alyssa, Kirsten and I."

"Where's Lucas tonight? I met Kirsten and Alyssa."

"Probably in Milan or Japan or somewhere on business."

"He doesn't work for your father?"

"No. He works for the Firestones." (Firestone= Andrew from "The Bachelor".)

"I see."

"See beautiful, there's still more of me you need to get to know."

"So your planning for a long engagement I see."

He laughed, "Unless you want a speedy wedding, then yeah."

She laughed, "Good."

"What do you mean good?"

"I was hoping you weren't rushing into this wedding."

"Hey, I'm the guy here, guys don't rush into marriages."

"Especially being a Banning right?"

"Yeah."

Dylan laid back in his chair and Teresa got up from hers and laid on him with her back to his chest and they stared up at the stars. As Dylan lowered his hands to around Teresa's waist to hold her he asked, "Anything else you want to know about me?"

"Um, if we did get married where would we live?"

"Well, I'm guessing you'd want to live close to your mother and our New England estate is close to Harmony so we could live here or build a home."

"Live here?"

"Yeah. Something wrong with this one?"

"No. Not at all. Just a bit surprised, that's all."

"Only the best for you my darling."

"I love when you say that." She removed his hands from her waist and rolled over so her chest touched his and she placed her face very close to his and continued, "I love when you that."

He kissed her lips and said, "And I love you."

She kissed him again, "I love your kisses."

He kissed her lips.

She continued, "I love your touch."

He held her waist and kissed her again.

"I love when we're one."

Dylan smiled and then laughed, "Well, I can't do that here on a lawn chair, but the pool house is over there."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

She hopped up and Dylan followed her. She abruptly stopped and turned around to face Dylan. He asked, "What's wrong?"

"You're wet." She said.

"Huh?" He asked.

She pushed him into the pool with all his clothes on. Once he came up from the water she said loudly, "You're wet!"

She laughed as Dylan climbed from the pool and grabbed her to hug her. He soaked her and said, "Don't worry I'm not as mean as you are. I won't throw you in."

"Good."

He threw her in the pool seconds later.

When she came up from the water he jumped in next to her. When he came up grabbed her and pulled her to shallow end of the pool and leaned her up against the side of the pool and said, "What a great date huh?"

She laughed as he kissed her neck, "Awesome date."

"So you liked it then?"

"Oh very much so."

He picked her up from the pool and placed her on the lawn chair they sat in earlier. He went towards a closet near the pool house and pulled out towels and gave one to her. When they finished drying off Teresa asked, "Make out session please?"

"What?"

"You said earlier that if I wanted a make out session I had to ask for one."

"Done." He leaned into Teresa's face to kiss her. As they kissed she slowly pulled him along side the pool into the pool house and he locked the door to give her what she asked her. After all, he did say that he'd give her anything she wanted whenever she wanted it . . .

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

NEXT CHAPTER: Teresa reflects on both dates and she pictures her lives with each man.

R&R please.

NOTE: this chapter was a date, technically, but it just showed that Dylan and Teresa could have fun anywhere as long as they were together. The date with Fox showed that they have a lot of memories together.