You Don't Know Me/CH 4
They stood outside Betty's apartment, Daniel leaning a hand above her on one side of her doorway, as he brushed back her hair then gently rubbed his thumb over her cheek and smirked, "I don't suppose you'd consider inviting me...inside for...um...coffee tonight?"
She hesitated, blushing and he winced, shaking his head at himself, "Scratch that! Forget I said that, Betty! I'm sorry! See, I told you I didn't trust myself not to hit on you! Pretend I didn't act so cheesy just then, please? I'm leaving while I'm ahead, okay? Just...one more kiss goodnight and then I'll go, I promise."
She smiled, nodding, "Mmhmm…at least one more!" she pulled him down to her by his tie, making him grin at her impatience, then slid his free hand around her waist to pull her as close as he could as he deepened the kiss, finding her soft little moans incredibly sexy! Jesus, what was going on? His best friend, Betty was now totally turning him on?
She sure as hell could give as good as she got when it came to kissing! He couldn't help but wonder where she had picked that particular skill up? He practically knew all the men she had dated, ever since the strange guy with the butterfly net who liked potatoes so much had been stupid enough to cheat on her, there was...the accountant, of course. The one who Daniel hated with a passion because he was Betty's first real love, something he could never be.
Then the sandwich shop guy, Gio (who she had flashed and listened to his career advice, apparently!) Oh, yeah, and he had evidently "annoyed" Betty so much that she got trashed and drunk dialed her other ex, HENRY!
Betty pushed away lightly, "Daniel? What's wrong?"
"Huh? Nothing! Everything is...great! Why?" he panted slightly out of breath, but took his other hand down and pulled her to him again, "You're amazing!"
She shook her head, "What's going on? You're not… really...here! You were, but you faded out. What are you thinking about?"
"OH! Sorry! Yeah, well, I guess I started out wondering how you got to be such a great kisser!"
She smiled, blushing, "Thank you! But what do you mean you 'started out" thinking that? Then what? Did I get...bad?"
"NO! Definitely not! I'm sorry, honey. I guess I was just sort of wondering WHO you had kissed? Like who did you learn that from? I know, stupid! For me to be jealous, when...:"
"When I've only had a VERY FEW boyfriends and you knew all of them! YES, it is sort of...silly, Daniel! Especially since YOU…"
He winced, putting up his hand, "I know, I know. I have no defense! I've been with lots and lots…"
"AND LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of women! Exactly!"
"Sure, fine, but the difference is you didn't know most of them, Betty! They were just nameless, faceless women for the most part. So that's harder for you to be jealous of, for some reason than if it's someone you actually know! I think that's the difference. Unfortunately, I know that idiotic Hartley and the rest of your goofball lineup of rejects! All too well!"
She rolled her eyes and started to go inside, frustrated with his jealousy over her handful of boyfriends in comparison to his...well, "Actually, that's not true. It's quite easy to be jealous that you just jumped into bed with any girl who batted their eyes at you! And I'm sorry but Anybody you have sex with should NOT be 'nameless or faceless', Daniel! You had well...what I can only call a HAREM!
YOU have had like a constant lineup of women since I've met you! Just in case you forgot, there was that night you had me as your very own air traffic controller! That's a little hard to forget!
Not to mention the time I had your boxers thrown at me from tracking down your stupid watch from the different girl every night, and all the time, you completely forgot about Amanda! The girl who used to be your backup sex toy when your other conquests fell through. Then she was your "fun buddy"! And if you ask me, it was pretty disgusting, considering the girl could easily have been your half-sister!"
She was getting so worked up that she dropped her keys. He bent down to help her pick them up. They locked eyes, his hand on top of hers as she held onto the keys, "I know, Betty. You're absolutely right! I was a total pig when you met me! I used women. I had no respect for them or their feelings. You are the one who taught me to respect the women I dated and not just use them for sex.
If it hadn't been for your good influence, I never would have married Molly or even considered thinking about marriage with any woman! You showed me that I was trying to hide from my own feelings by jumping into bed with any woman who would let me sleep with her, with no regard to how I might be hurting her feelings. I owe everything to you, Betty. And I know it's because you care about me that you let me know what I was doing was wrong. So, thank you!"
Her eyes misted over and she whispered, "You're more than welcome. But...then, why do you care about the few men I dated?"
He smiled, shaking his head as he pulled her up, his one hand still over hers and held her face in the other, as he kissed her tenderly, then leaned his forehead against hers, "Because, Betty. You're MY girl! I guess in a way, I'm still just a spoiled, selfish rich guy, and I never want to share you with anybody, don't you get that? You are Daniel's girl and don't you forget it, okay?"
She blushed, nodding, "Mmhmm...okay, Daniel. So..." She fumbled slightly again with her keys but managed this time to open her door, and they both stood, staring into one another's eyes again, and smiling.
"So, anyway, thanks for tonight! I had a great time. You're a really good dancer."
"I had a really good teacher! Plus, it helps to have the right partner, finally. We make a great team at work. And especially after tonight, I'd say we are pretty damn fantastic together on the dance floor! I can't wait to see how well we...well, our kissing is definitely amazing! So, yeah, I guess I'd better leave now before I'm begging you to let me in...thanks for the dance, senorita!"
She smiled, nodding, as she laughed, "Anytime, Senor Meade! It was fun! Goodnight!"
"Goodnight!" he kissed her briefly and turned to leave, clearly not really wanting to go yet. She closed the door slowly and leaned against it, sighing, not really wanting him to leave.
"DANIEL!" She blew out a breath, and they both sighed, as he kept his hand on the door, closing his eyes, and breathed out softly, "Betty!"
The whole way back to his loft, Daniel kept contemplating what she had said about his past. He knew all along that in spite of the fact that she claimed she knew he wasn't "that guy" anymore if they actually did pursue a romantic relationship it would not be that easy for a good woman like Betty to simply totally forgive and especially to forget about his womanizing history.
How could she? She had been here, in his bedroom, stocking up his condoms for him, for god's sake, he thought, cringing. As his former assistant, she had been right there, front and center, watching him go through women like they were his own personal playthings!
But now he had to figure out a way to remind her that no matter how depraved he may have acted when they first met, mostly thanks to her, he simply had no desire to be that kind of man anymore. He was a changed man, a reformed "manwhore", and he wanted nothing more than to prove to himself (and Betty) that he had no more desire to use women. He only wanted one woman now. HER! And he had to show her that she meant the world to him.
He stripped off his clothes and headed into the shower, letting the warm water wash over him, and found himself wishing there was a way to wash away that image Betty must surely still have of him, acting like the lothario he used to be. He remembered telling her that if he wanted to have sex with a different woman every night, "Why not?"
Man, he really had been a jerk! No wonder she had sort of slammed the door in his face when he asked to come inside! Okay, maybe she didn't slam it. More like reluctantly closing it. But he wouldn't blame her if she did. The poor girl was probably thinking he was disgusting! She had said she thought him being with Amanda was. He couldn't really argue with her. It was. HE had been!
Betty knew the real person behind all the "Daniel Meade, suave, rich playboy, bachelor-of-the-year" crap! She had seen him totally drunk, barely able to function, sleeping at work, hiding out from the press, after the Sofia fiasco, here at his place, literally hiding from her in his closet! Okay, that didn't sound right. But irregardless, wait, THAT didn't sound right! REgardless, Betty knew Daniel. Better than anyone on the planet, including his own mother.
She surely saw beyond all his many past mistakes, beyond his stupid, irresponsible, immature behavior of four years ago, and could see the kind of man he aspired to be now, the self-confident, kind person he could almost envision himself as, especially since he began his non-profit for cancer patients and their families in Molly's honor (and honestly, also for Betty's mom).
He smirked, thinking he and that little jerk Matt Hartley perhaps did have one thing in common (well, other than their new half-brother, that is). They had both been inspired by the sweetest, strongest, most amazing, and positive little ray of sunshine. Oh, well, and maybe the fact that they had also been sex addicts. Hmm...did Betty have a "type"?
He couldn't help thinking that no matter his faults, at least Hartley had been an improvement over the accountant who had gotten his ex pregnant then kept expecting Betty to just forget about that and leave her job and family behind to go live in Utah and become a Mormon? Did the goof think HE deserved to keep Betty on the side, while he waited on his baby mama hand and foot? God, the guy made him so mad! And why the hell had she drunk dialed HIM of all people? Why didn't Betty ever drunk dial Daniel?
As if on cue, as he stepped out of the shower, and wrapped a towel around his waist, his phone rang, but of course, she wasn't drunk. Still...it was a good sign, right? He grinned, "Hey there! Couldn't get to sleep, thinking about me, huh? I just stepped out of the shower. I could get dressed and come back over there. Or you could come here."
There was a pause as she thought about Daniel, remembering what he looked like without his shirt on. She cleared her throat, somewhat nervously, "I...just...was thinking about some of the things I said earlier. I'm sorry, Daniel. I shouldn't have said those things. I was just sort of...well, mad that you were giving me such a hard time about…"
"Henry! And Hartley and Gio...oh and that guy you laid out AFTER I caught you two kissing in the hallway that time, what was his name, Zack, right? Yeah, I know, Betty. What can I say? I'm a very jealous guy! And I get that I have no right to be since we both know what a 'manwhore' I used to be! I'm sorry! Do you think you can ever forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive, Daniel! It's not as if you were 'cheating on me' or something! You did have every right to 'date' a different girl every night! You and I weren't together then or anything. I mean...ARE we...now?"
"I hope so. I want us to be. IF...you know, you'll have me. If you want us to be… together, that is. I'd really love it if you'd think about it. Think about us, Betty."
"US?"
"Yes. As in you and me. If I'm not too...disgusting for you to even consider dating."
"Daniel, stop! See, when I said that, I was...mad, I was jealous of Amanda. I know I'm never going to be like her, or like Sofia or some model...I just was worried I wasn't ever going to be enough for you. Even without my braces or my glasses. Without the frizzy hair and colorful wardrobe. I'm still...just Betty from Queens. I'm still the ugly girl your father hired so you wouldn't want to sleep with me!"
"Well, cut it out! That's so...NOT how I ever saw you! I always saw you as beautiful because you are! You've always been beautiful to me, Betty. And you know I clearly was never in love with Amanda, okay? She's sweet, but...she and I were never a good match. I admit I used her though, in some ways, she used me, too. And Sofia? Are you kidding me? Why in the HELL would I ever want a woman anything like that.. .well ...sorry, but BITCH is the only word that springs to mind I'm afraid! And I think we've already had this discussion about the silly models, right?
You are still and will always be far, far better than any model, you got that Betty Suarez? So...just knock off all this self-doubt and insecurity. It doesn't suit you. YOU, young lady, are an attractive, intelligent, confident, ball-buster! In a good way, of course! At least I hope so!"
She laughed, "Okay! I get it. Thank you for all that, Daniel You're sweet! But clearly not above trying to 'tempt' me, talking about running around in a towel? Is that supposed to...to...well…"
"Get your motor running" I hope so! I'd like to think I could do that if I tried hard enough. I've seen how you get with...other guys! You're so cute, getting all blushy and chewing on that sexy, soft, bottom lip of yours like you do when you've got it bad for some idiot!
Oh, right, JESSIE! The goofball musician who made you cry! Then you ended up dumping HIM! See? You ARE SO better than any model, or musician, Betty! You're...well, you're YOU! My sweet, beautiful, sexy, adorable Betty! The girl I am… crazy about! The girl I adore, the girl I...want to...be with. My...girlfriend? Maybe?"
The silence was deafening, then he heard her sigh softly, "Maybe. Mr. Meade."
"MISTER MEADE? Seriously?"
"I'm kidding, Danny! Calm down!"
"Danny? Okay, Bossy Betty! Two can play this game." He grinned, flopping down on his bed, picturing her next to him on it. He could be patient, he thought. Couldn't he?
She giggled, "Bossy Betty, huh? Is that seriously the worst thing you can call me? You're not very mean, are you?"
"No. I try not to be. I know what a bad boss I was your first week. Make that TERRIBLE boss! After that, I promised myself I'd try to always be the best boss you ever had. I felt so awful, so mean and nasty and despicable, seeing how much I hurt you, Betty."
"Despicable, huh? Well, no worries. You've always been a very sweet boss ever since then. Of course, I still can't look at coleslaw! Or big dogs. Or gum!" she teased.
"Very funny, Suarez!"
She laughed, then bit her bottom lip, in spite of herself trying not to, finding herself picturing him at his apartment, just getting out of the shower, "So are you naked yet, Daniel?" she rolled onto her stomach, taking a sip of wine, and trying to at least imagine herself as some kind of 'sexy girl' who said things like that. It somehow felt safer for her to at least try to "flirt" with Daniel over the phone, she thought.
He sat up immediately, hitting the back of his head on the wall behind his bed, "OW! WHAT did you just ask me?"
She giggled, trying to keep her composure, but it simply wasn't in her nature, "Sorry! I was trying something out, but who are we kidding here, we both know that's not really me!"
He gulped, "Okay...um...that was...unexpected! I didn't say I didn't like it, though! I mean, I guess I could ask you the same question, Betty. So...are you?"
"Am I...what?" her eyes widened at his response to her silly attempt at flirting. Clearly, he wasn't the type of man to be trifled with, she thought.
"Naked?"