Show: General Hospital

Title: Las Vidas de los Corinthos' II: Chapter 10

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: First, I apologise for the delay. I was busy with school and work all last week and was unable

to find time to write a new chapter. That being said, thank you for last chapter's comments, I have

nothing to say about the character Daniel, except to read and find out 'cause, with me, you never

can tell. Enjoy!

*~*~*~*~*~*

New York City (3 weeks later)

Liz and Alexis's lunch date had come and gone as well as the scheduled meetings between

Frances, Daniel and herself. Everything had been settled – Elizabeth had entered into a contract

with Daniel allowing him exclusive rights to market and promote her work – and now, she devoted

the majority of her time into compiling new work for her first solo exhibition at the Schmidt in less

than eight days.

When she was not painting, she was with Daniel, working feverishly alongside him and the

harried set-designer on the Gallery opening. He had specific ideas about what he wanted the

launch to be like and they had clashed on more than one occasion but, for the most part, she left

most of the decision-making to him.

He had one annoying habit however. He was constantly looking over her shoulder, monitoring the

progress of the paintings as she worked. He never made any suggestions, but often, it was a bit

unnerving when he seemingly faded into the background watching her paint and she could only

feel his dark eyes watching every move her brush-strokes made. He never said anything but,

much to her chagrin, in the vast amount of time they had spent alone together in the past couple

of weeks, every time he was near her, she could feel that tingling awareness gnawing in her belly.

She was attracted to him. And it was no secret that he found her attractive as well. He

unconsciously found himself stroking her close-cropped curls, or whispering in her ear when he

watched her paint from over her shoulder. He was always seemingly *there* although he had

other business to take care of.

Liz felt special, like a *woman* whenever he was around. And the more time they spent together,

the weaker her resolve to keep their relationship strictly platonic and businesslike became. If he

ran his fingertips over her shoulders one more time, she would crack!

Tonight, it was the same story. Seemingly, every light was blazing in the studio and Deftones was

blaring in her headphone – her music 'bothered' Daniel ('Gee, where the hell did he get off?'

she'd wanted to know at first), so she kept it to herself. She was humming along to 'Minerva'

when she instinctively felt his presence behind her. His hands settled warm and strong on her

shoulders, and his thumb was rubbing small circles at the base of her neck. His eyes were glued

to the canvas however. Slowly, Liz removed the headphones from her ears and waited with bated

breath. The painting was only partially finished, but it was breathtaking nonetheless. Obviously,

Daniel thought so as well.

"It's beautiful."

Liz jumped, her eyes popping open. His voice had come right beside her ear. Its grated whisper

sending shivers down her spine. His fathomless eyes shifted from the painting to meet hers.

"Beautiful," he whispered again, before he closed the hairsbreadth of distance between them and

captured her lips with his.

At first Liz was too astonished to do anything but sit there in shock. But, as his tongue probed the

seams of her mouth, it was as though a bucket of water had been tipped over her head.

**Oh my God!** her mind screamed. **He's kissing me! And I like it!**

Instincts took over after that revelation and Elizabeth found herself turning on her stool, melting

into his touch with a reluctant moan as his strong arms wrapped around her and drew her against

him.

Pleasure jack-knifed through her body as his lips trailed soft, wet kisses down her jaw line to the

smooth pale column of her throat. Her fingers buried themselves in the thick crow's feather hair at

the nape of his neck, her stomach pressing against the evidence of his desire.

Elizabeth couldn't think… she was drowning in a see of desire; incapable of any rational thought

besides the fact that her body felt as though it was on fire and there was only one way to quench

those flames. She whispered her name, and closed her eyes against the intensity.

Suddenly he stopped. Reluctantly, Liz opened her heavy eyelids to see his smoky-eyed gaze

riveted on hers. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice trembling with the effort to remain control.

It was such a loaded question. He meant, of course, was she ready to take that step? To forever

cross the line between business and pleasure – a line that had never truly been clearly defined

between the two of them. But for her, it meant so much more… she had not been with anyone

since that ill-fated romance between Zander and herself after they'd been locked in the crypt,

before she and Jason had gotten together… more than two years ago. She had just never felt

anything close to the way she felt for Jason… still didn't. But this was so close… so achingly

close.

But, *was* she ready. She didn't think so… but then again, she never was certain.

She answered him with a kiss.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Far away in Port Charles, Jason Morgan awoke with a jerk.

His heart seemed to have broken in two.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Elizabeth lay dozing in the aftermath of their pleasure, the cotton sheets wrapped loosely around

their bodies. Her head lay against the pillow as she spooned with him behind her propping on his

elbow.

"Tell me about yourself," he encouraged, dropping a kiss on a creamy shoulder.

Liz smiled sleepily. "What do you want to know?"

"I dunno. Everything. Who is Elizabeth Corinthos?"

"Just your average New Yorker," Liz joked.

"Yeah right," Daniel chuckled, gently nipping her shoulder.

Liz turned until she was facing him.

"There's not much to tell. I'm from Port Charles. I have a little brother named Michael and a little

sister called Kristina and I lived there most of my life. I'm close to my mother and my cousin

Nikolas and I love art. Just a regular small-town gal."

"With friends in high places," Daniel added.

Liz looked away. He was referring to the apartment. He always wondered how an artist such as

herself, who wasn't established as yet, could afford an apartment like this.

Her gripped her chin between his thumb and forefinger and gently forced her to look at him. "Who

are you *really*, Liz? You're such an enigma… and everyone I've asked is so closed mouthed

about you. What's so special about you, Ms. Corinthos?"

The look in his eyes told her he'd used her surname deliberately. He already knew who she was.

Why he still bothered to ask baffled her.

"Why ask if you already know who my father is?" she asked testily. She gathered the sheets

around her and made to leave the bed, but his loose grip around her elbow stalled her.

"I wanted to hear it from your own lips."

"How did you know?" she eventually asked softly.

Daniel shrugged and released her, dragging his hand roughly through her hair. "I make it my

business to find out everything I can about the artists I represent. Corinthos is not that common of

a name, Liz. Besides, what New Yorker doesn't know of Sonny Corinthos, the most powerful mob

boss on the Eastern Seaboard?"

"Alleged," shot back Elizabeth defensively.

"Excuse me?"

"*Alleged* mob boss," she replied.

Daniel raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

In a huff, Elizabeth turned her back on him and settled back into the pillow.

"Liz," he tried to touch her shoulder in apology. She shrugged him off. "Liz, I'm sorry. I never

should have brought it up."

"Just go, please?" she asked quietly.

Daniel heaved a sigh and reluctantly got out of the bed and gathered his clothing. Liz said nothing

as he hurriedly dressed behind her. "I'm sorry," he said again. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Liz watched stonily as he crossed the open-plan apartment to the front door and left her alone

again.

TBC…

A/N: R&R people. I'll try to get next chapter up sooner. I know this is a Liason fic, although the

Liason moments are practically nonexistent, they will come, probably in the next two or three

chapters, just keep bearing with me.

Cara