CHAPTER SIX
Betty stirred, with the sun streaming in through the window. She wasn't quite sure how she had gotten onto Daniel's bed, but she assumed he had carried her there last night, and covered her up.
She still had her clothes on and realized that in their haste to leave Alexis's, they had forgotten to stop and pick up her things. She felt guilty that she hadn't been in the 'fancy' hotel suite for a night, too.
She heard sounds downstairs and assumed that Daniel was awake, so she freshened up in the bathroom then went down to join him. He looked up, smiling, "Hey! Good morning. Or bonjour! How did you sleep?"
"Good, thanks. I forgot my…clothes. I left my suitcase back in my hotel. I really hadn't planned on spending the night anywhere else. Either at your sisters or...with you."
His eyes shone, "Any regrets for spending the night with me?"
She smiled, shaking her head, "Not at all. It was fun. I had a really great time yesterday and last night. Thanks for letting me...have your bed. Sorry to make you sleep on the couch."
He reached out and took her hand, "It's fine, Betty. Just having you here, knowing we're finally...talking and considering taking our relationship somewhere is enough to make me really happy."
She didn't want to bring up the huge question of location right now. But in the back of her mind, she wondered if Daniel had a possible solution to the fact that she lived in London and he lived here.
If she got the job she had every reason to believe she would be offered when Mr. Dunne announced his retirement, she would be even more entrenched in London and besides, she had friends there now.
And yet, when she thought of leaving this beautiful city, and more importantly, leaving Daniel again, she felt as if she was back on the tower, being pushed off the top summit. She had missed him so much for so long, and now, being here with him again, she wasn't sure how she could make herself leave.
It had been difficult enough when she left New York to go to London years ago, leaving him behind. And that was without her knowing how he really felt about her. But now...she forgot herself and threw her arms around his neck, "Daniel, I don't want to leave you! Not again. I would miss you too much!
I should never have gone to London in the first place! I'm so sorry I hurt you!" she blurted out things like that early in the morning when she was still slightly sleepy sometimes. But she wasn't altogether sure she regretted telling him how she felt this time, even if her declaration was rather blunt.
Things didn't stop with her verbal outburst, however. She also couldn't keep herself from touching him. He looked so damn hot, standing there, in his sweatpants and tee shirt. The man had definitely not been missing the gym in the past few years since she had last seen him. He looked quite...fit, as the Brits put it.
She put her hands on his chest, seeing his eyes follow them and delighting in the way his breath hitched as she ran her hands over his shoulders, and down his biceps, still staring into those deep blue eyes of his. She swallowed, only slightly unsure of herself.
He stood completely still, as she tugged off his shirt, then reached up to kiss his chest, and his jawline, and finally, pulled him down to reach his soft lips in a fiery kiss. After a few moments, she felt his strong arms slide around her waist, pulling her body against his tightly, as their tongues danced and he moaned into her mouth.
"Betty...are you sure you…" she merely nodded as they both deepened their kisses, "Mhmmm…definitely!" she excitedly began fumbling with the drawstring on his sweats, but he grinned, and picked her up, carrying her upstairs to his bedroom, then gently placing her onto his bed, this time, anxious to join her.
"Hey, are you alright? What's going on? I heard you moaning. Betty?"
She looked up, realizing that she had been having a rather heated dream all this time. She didn't know what to say, all she could do was stutter when she saw Daniel standing over her with a definite smirk on his face as if he knew what she had been dreaming about, "Everything okay up here?"
She blushed and nodded, "I'm fine. I...um...must have been having a nightmare."
He put down a tray with chocolate croissants and coffee, grabbing one of the croissants, then handing her a coffee as he sat next to her on the bed, "Funny, but it didn't seem like a nightmare; you didn't seem to be too...upset. You sounded like you were having a good time, actually. You hungry?"
"Mhmm" She took a sip of the coffee, then he fed her a bite of the other croissant.
"Mmm...chocolate! Delicious! Oh my God...mmm…."
He laughed, "I suppose you could have been dreaming about chocolate! I really thought you were um...well...I was hoping you were maybe thinking about me."
She tried to change the subject, "Where did you get these? They're delicious! And this coffee is good. Really good."
"What, you think I didn't make them myself?"
She laughed, "Highly doubtful. You're telling me you learned how to cook suddenly?"
He took one of her hands and held it, looking into her eyes, "Not so suddenly, really. We haven't really...talked much or seen each other in years, Betty. Other than you and my mom staying in touch you and I haven't been in each other's lives."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. It was both our faults."
She smiled, taking another bite of one of the croissants, "So, you're telling me you baked these yourself? You?" she looked incredulous.
He rolled his eyes, "Okay, fine, so I might have walked to the little bakery around the corner this morning for these. But I can actually cook now a little bit."
"Me, too."
He laughed, "You? Without burning down the house? Since when?" he teased.
She hit him lightly, "Hey! Be nice! I didn't say I could cook a four-course meal or anything. But I can make a few things."
"Besides Ramen noodles or heating up leftovers in the microwave, you mean?"
"Okay, smart guy. What can YOU make? Besides a coffee and croissant run to the bakery next door?"
He raised his eyebrows and held out his hand, "If you're done making sexy yummy noises up here, come on and help me. These croissants are good, but they're very small. I was thinking of making some omelets, too. Those I can make myself. You wanna help me?"
She blinked, glancing outside, "Sure. That sounds like fun. Hey, is it snowing outside?"
He grinned like a kid...well a kid at Christmas, she thought as he looked out the window, "Yeah, it sure is! That's one reason I walked to the bakery. My car is stuck. Apparently, it snowed all night last night and we're looking at a real white Christmas Eve. They said they were closing early.
So...I hope you're okay with staying here for a few days. I called your hotel and they said they'd be happy to extend your stay into the New Year since I can't get you back there until the weather improves and they get the roads cleared. Of course, it has to at least slow down first."
Betty felt a bit like she and Daniel were being given a snow day together, as they both stared in awe at the beautiful wintery scene outside. She laughed and grabbed his hand, pulling him down the stairs, "Ooh, I know, let's go outside! I want to make snow angels and make a snowman!"
"In a dress?" he looked at what she was wearing. She looked so disappointed he shook his head and laughed, "Come on, let's see what I have that you can wear."
He went into his dresser and found a pair of sweatpants and sweater and some socks and shoes that she held up, "If these actually fit me, I'd be very surprised."
"I'm sure they will be way too long on you, and maybe a bit tight in some places with your big butt and boobs, but they'll at least keep you warm." he grinned at her.
"Thanks!"
"Hey, I'm just teasing. I happen to think those are both two of your best features, Betty. Better than any model, that's for sure!"
"Haha!" she had to admit, as she had mentioned herself, Daniel's tastes in women had definitely changed over the past several years. Those women he had been spotted with were far curvier than the models back at Mode. Then, of course, there were the three women that Betty had watched break his heart back in New York: Sofia, Renee, and Molly. Not a model among them; all healthy and "normal" looking. In any case, she went into his bathroom to change and came out feeling rather silly wearing his clothes, but he merely smiled, "You look adorable in that. Here, let me help you."
He rolled up her sleeves a bit that was far too long for her and handed her socks and boots. She looked like a cute little girl, playing dress-up. Her hair was slightly mussed and he gave her one of his stocking hats to complete her "look". It reminded him of the image he had of her in his head, wearing the New Kids on The Block tee-shirt, just before he agreed to the alternative fashion show years ago.
Once he had found coats, scarves, and gloves for both of them, they ventured outside, and "played" in the falling snow until they became exhausted.
He stoked the fireplace and made sure they had plenty of blankets and candles, just in case the power went out later with the growing storm.
"I'll take a quick shower first if that's okay, then you can take your time and enjoy the hot water in case we lose it."
She nodded, sitting silently next to the fire, with a blanket wrapped around her while she waited for him to finish. He came out quickly, still damp, and she gulped, standing so close to him while he handed her a towel and some clean clothes, "You...can wear these.
Sorry about the boxers, but...if I'd known we were going to get snowed in, I would have asked my sister if you could borrow some of her clothes. She's way taller than you, but at least she'd have girl stuff. Not that you don't look great in anything you wear. Or...nothing. I mean...you know what I mean. I still go on that stupid website Marc made of you…"
"Betty's Daily Disasters? Really? Why?"
He smiled, as he touched her cheek gently, "Because I miss seeing you every day. When I go on that site, it reminds me of when I got to see you every day back then. You do know you were always beautiful to me, right, Betty?
That was never why...I didn't realize how much I loved you years ago. It had nothing to do with your braces or glasses or your interesting outfits or any of that shit. It was all me. I wasn't ready for you then. Because I wasn't good enough. Not that I am now, but…damn!" his phone rang numerous times.
She mumbled something about taking her shower while he answered it.
"Hello?" he didn't try to hide the annoyance he felt at being interrupted. He was beyond impatient at this point to be with Betty. He had been waiting for ten years to see what it was like to make love to her. There was some part of him that knew she would be the one to tame his heart when he first met this wonderful girl and he had been dreaming of this moment for so long! Far too long!
"Well, hello to you, too, Scrooge! I DID call to wish you a Merry Christmas or whatever the hell they call it in good ole Parie!"
"Joyeux Noël! Hey there, Becks. Merry Christmas to you, too. Are you...where are you?"
"Yeah, well, that's why I'm calling. I wanted to let you and your family know that I tried to get there, but I'm stuck here in Chicago. I'm really sorry. Your mom…"
"Mom called you, too? Wow, she really did pull out all the stops, didn't she?"
"Well, she said something about you needing a best man? So...who's the lucky lady, anyway?"
"Betty. You met her. A long time ago, I think."
"Betty? Hmm...sounds familiar. I heard about you and your late wife, Mary was it?"
"Molly. Yeah."
"Sorry, dude. I know we sort of lost touch. But I also heard what a cool thing you did in her honor-that big medical center for families with no insurance or something, right?"
"Oh. Right. That. The cancer center for families. Well, Betty's been my inspiration for...a lot of things. She's made me try to be a better person because of her good example for a long time now.
After my first wife died of cancer, and because Betty lost her mom to the big C, too, I figured it was a really good cause to put some of my money to use. As it turns out, Mom's epiphany recently was because she got a cancer scare herself.
Anyway, she and I had a really long talk the other day. She didn't tell me her own health was her reason for yelling at me this time. But she was on my case again for not getting off my ass and making something happen with Betty. She called...everybody apparently, including Betty herself. One of those she wanted to fix all her kids' problems before she met her maker things.
So...I guess she called you, too, trying to rally the troops to help me pull this off. I really didn't think I could do it, honestly. I still haven't exactly…you know, asked her yet!"
"Are you nuts? You haven't even PROPOSED to the girl yet? What the hell, Daniel? Are you that sure she'll say yes?"
"Not really. I have no idea. I hope so! I…think so, maybe. I'm just not so sure about getting her to do the quick turnaround. Sorry, you got stuck in the windy city for the holidays, though. Thanks for trying, Becks. I really do appreciate it."
"No problem. I'm not giving up. I just wanted to give you an update. Any chance of the snow letting up?"
Daniel looked outside, "Not from what I can see here. How is it there in Chicago?"
"It's pretty bad. But hey, O'hare is known for its crappy weather in the winter. Who knows; maybe we'll get a Christmas miracle and get a break, just long enough for me to get there. In the meantime, there is some pretty sweet-looking talent in the friendly skies. So, either way, it was nice of your Mom to charter me a private plane. So, at least it's not like I'm trying to fly commercial this time of year. She really did think of everything."
"Yeah, Mom's pretty great. I guess that's why she and Betty stayed in touch all this time. They have a lot in common."
"What, being strong, smart women, you mean or loving you?" Becks teased. "I DO remember Betty now. She's that cute little girl who USED to look like a girl scout or something, with the glasses and braces, right? The one your old man hired so you wouldn't sleep with her? I know what she looks like now. I've seen her on the cover of some British magazine. She's totally hot now! And she runs the magazine, she's a big deal over there, too! You dog!"
"Yeah, well...that's true, but it's definitely not why I love her. I've known Betty for ten years. And she has the most beautiful soul of any person I ever met. She gets inside your head and your heart and makes you want to do the right thing, she gives everyone courage and hope.
She's been like a light for me in some really dark times. I love how she makes me want to keep getting up and trying. She did it when she worked for me back in New York and I was lucky enough to have her give me tons of her amazingly warm hugs and her silly, sweet, annoyingly perky pep talks in person.
Then, after I lost her to her new life in London, she did it with her inspiration of starting over, and even after I saw that it wasn't the right time for us five years ago when I tried to follow her there, she still inspired me and made me want to keep growing and learning new things, keep overcoming new challenges.
Her influence still touched me with her being in London and me here. I never stopped loving her and...missing her. Now...I don't want to ever lose her again. No matter what that means for us. I never want to be without her anymore. I'm so crazy about her. She's been an angel who brought me back to life all these years. I can't live without my daily dose of Betty.
Becks laughed, "Wow! Okay, that was….intense! You should remember some of that stuff for your wedding, buddy! That's…good stuff! I have no doubt your mom knows her little Danny boy was crazy in love with Betty. Clearly! Listen, man, I see my pilot now. Wish me luck! You and your girl have fun in the snow there. I'm going to get the update. Have fun! Merry Christmas! We'll see what happens with the weather. But either way, love you, brother."
"Love you, too, Becks. Be safe!"
Betty had heard most of Daniel's words about her as she stood in the doorway. She didn't know what to say to his declaration of love for her to his old friend. But she knew what to do. She rushed to him and gave him a huge hug, "Oh, Daniel! I love you, too!"
He returned her hug, but pushed away a bit, "You uh...heard all that?" He looked slightly panicked, hoping she hadn't overheard what he had in mind.
She nodded, "Most of it. I'm...overwhelmed. You're an amazing man; you know that, don't you, Daniel? You've done so much, both personally and professionally. You've grown into a wonderful man. I'm really…"
He rolled his eyes, "Please don't give me the rehearsed 'you're so honored to know me' speech again, Betty. I know you're hot for me. I heard you up here…dreaming about me earlier. I was downstairs, doing the same thing about you. So...tell me…um…listen…just hang on one second. Don't move!"
She stood there, dripping wet in just a towel, when he reappeared, holding one hand behind his back, and suddenly dropped on one knee. "Betty Suarez...as you just overheard and should already be aware, I am madly, deeply, completely in love with you. Will you make me the happiest man on earth and agree to marry me? Please?!" He held out a gorgeous engagement ring to her.
"I…marry you…wait...when did you have in mind?" Her eyes went wide with surprise at his proposal.
He smiled, trying to play it coy, and testing to see if she had in fact, heard of his mother's idea to pull off a Christmas miracle wedding, "What, you want me to set a date or something right now? Is that a yes, then?"
"YES! Of course, I'll marry you, Daniel!" She grabbed him and kissed him, causing her towel to slip slightly.
He raised his eyebrows, "Nice outfit! We could just do a little practice for the honeymoon right now if you're getting impatient, sweetie. I know I sure am!"
She blushed, "I am, too."
He gave her his crooked grin that she loved and had missed so much, "So, listen, Betty. Actually, I DID have a little plan in place that my mom and I cooked up for a quickie Christmas wedding, just in case I was able to talk you into saying yes on the spot. In fact, your family should already be at your hotel by now and Becks just called to say he's stranded in Chicago, but he's trying to make it by tomorrow."
"Don't believe in long engagements?" Her look of total shock at his and Claire's idea told him that she hadn't heard his entire conversation with his "best man" at least.
"With you? Hell, no! Besides, I'm hoping to either entice you to move here and we'll find you another job or else I'm going to have to move out of this place and look for a job and house in London with my new wife, I guess."
"You'd really do that for me?"
He shrugged, "I followed you from New York to London before. I suppose I can make the move from France. It's a lot closer, anyway. No oceans to cross. Just the North Sea in January! Ha! Like you said before! You may not have been ready to settle down when I first showed up in London, but now that we both know we're in love with each other, where we are isn't important, Betty. As long as we're together. I'll always need you. I always have and I always will. You are my home and my family."
"You're mine, Daniel. I feel the same. You have given me so much since I met you, too. You told me I was beautiful before anyone else. You encouraged my ideas and my writing. You believed in me, you gave me the courage to follow my dreams. Then, even when it hurt you, you let me go because my happiness was all that mattered to you.
The fact that you're rich and handsome is not important to me. For me, it's much more impressive to know the kind of amazing, inspiring man you've become. You have the biggest heart I've ever seen. You have such integrity and you help people, even when it's inconvenient.
You give so much to so many people. You're so kind and thoughtful. Your mom tells me all the wonderful things you've been doing, you know. You really are my Prince Charming. How could I resist you?"
She reached up and gave him a decidedly unchaste kiss as she "accidentally" dropped her towel.
He gulped, as he looked down at her in his arms, "This is going to be the best
Christmas ever! Joyeaux noël, ma future épouse!"
She giggled, "I think they call that fiancé here, Daniel."
He shrugged, "I told you my French sucks. Once we have a nice Christmas wedding here in Paris, and a honeymoon...in Italy, Rome, Venice, wherever you want to go, maybe we should go back to London to live where I can speak the language at least!"
"There's a lot of things you CAN do well, though, Daniel. You can show me how to cook later...after we…" he cut her off, kissing her tenderly as he glanced down at her naked body. "Oui, oui….that's something I'm really good at!"
