A KISS IS JUST A KISS/CHAPTER 3
Daniel's eyes widened, as he scooted slightly further from Betty on the sofa, his voice cracking, "Um...what do you...uh MEAN, Betty? You mean…"
She shrugged, rather nonchalantly, "YOU, you know, getting back on the horse? That is what Becks was talking about, right? That it's...you know, been a long time since you've done that? I assume that's what's going on with you?
Sorry about...earlier! I shouldn't have come out here in my robe like that. Especially, well, with you, possibly being...drugged and Becks…
well, you know, being Becks! I guess I didn't think about it."
Daniel snorted, "About me, being aroused by...seeing your um...well, yeah! I'm sorry, too! Why the hell are YOU apologizing? WE should both be apologizing to YOU! And since when are you my...PIMP, Betty? Why are you so worried about...you know, 'hooking me up' or whatever?"
She rolled her eyes, "I did it before! Or at least tried to...you know, after Sofia dumped you and I had to pull you out of your loft before you buried yourself in takeout! What about Giselle? I might still have her peoples' contact!"
He sighed, "Well, yeah, okay, fine. NOT about...Giselle! Besides, you're not my assistant anymore, Betty. And finding me a...date is NOT in your job description! Don't listen to HIM about...anything! Hey, by the way, I'm really sorry that he...um...you know, took you off guard like that! Are you okay? You could have slapped him, you know! He totally had it coming, kissing you like that!"
She blushed slightly, "Well, it wasn't...that bad! Besides, I didn't slap you!"
"Yes you did! In the bathroom! I remember distinctly! I still have the mark! You hit hard!" He teased, placing his hand on his cheek.
"Well, yeah, sure! First of all, I'm from Queens, remember? My papi taught me hit first ask questions later. But anyway, that slap was just to 'snap you out of it" or whatever. Not when you kissed me."
He looked puzzled, "Wait, I...KISSED you? Me? When?"
She looked down at her lap, her cheeks now flaming, "Um...on the way here, in the car. We both fell asleep. Then, you opened your eyes and said my name and...kissed me!"
"I DID?" he seemed utterly floored, and swallowed nervously, "OH! I...uh… sorry! I don't remember."
"It's fine. I figured as much. You went right back to sleep."
He hesitated, then placed his hand on top of hers, as he asked gently, "Um ...was it...was I...any good?"
She blushed again, biting her lower lip, and nodded, "Oh yeah! Definitely! Very good!"
They both grinned slightly, looking at each other nervously.
"SO, Tony's pizza is on its way! When is that doctor coming to take your blood and have you pee in a cup or whatever so he can clear you with your pint-sized bodyguard here to have a beer with the pie? They said forty-five minutes." He glanced at his watch, then scowled, seeing the two looking very embarrassed.
He waved his index finger between them, "So, what's going on here? Did something interesting just happen? What did I miss? You two both look guilty as hell!"
He pulled off the pillow Daniel had been holding on his lap, and laughed, "Well, I see you must at least be thinking less impure thoughts about sweet little Betty here! No more Mister Dragon, huh?"
Daniel rolled his eyes, getting up and leaving the room to go into his own suite, "Shut up, will you? You have...the biggest mouth, Becks! Geez! Just let me know when that doctor is here! I need to take a shower!"
"Yeah, better make it a cold one, buddy!" he couldn't help giving his pal a hard time. After he left, Becks raised his eyebrows, sitting next to Betty and putting his arm around her casually, "Okay, spill, Miss Suarez! What the heck were you two really doing over here? I saw that little blushing and touching and grinning crap you guys were doing! Tell me seriously, Betty. Are you...in love with Daniel?"
Betty's eyes widened and she stood up, looking horrified, her face bright red, "WHAT? ME...and...Daniel? NO! Of course not! He's my boss! He's my...friend! He's…"
"He's the guy you have been chasing into the men's room to rescue from his own grief and pain and you even had to deal with your ex in order to save Daniel. But that didn't stop you. Going undercover, all Mata Hari style to talk to that creepy-ass Bennett guy IN his headquarters didn't scare you off, either. Not to mention, Daniel reminded me that you actually faced off with his pyro-killer ex to save his lily-white pampered ass! I'd say you're a pretty damn amazing FRIEND, Betty!"
He leaned closer to whisper, "OR...you've got the hots for our Danny boy? Well, I guess both, really. You're still an amazing friend, irregardless!'
"It's...RE…
He grinned, rolling his eyes as he headed for his own suite, "I KNOW, Miss Grammar! I couldn't resist! I figured you couldn't pass up a chance to correct me, sweetie! Listen, Betty. I do sincerely apologize for getting out of hand earlier, okay? I did NOT mean to make you uncomfortable! Especially since you're clearly so in lo…"
Betty threw her arms around Becks and kissed him for all she was worth. At first, he didn't react, but the more she deepened the kiss, he finally slid his arms around her waist, pulling her into him. After several minutes, he released her and rested his forehead against hers, "Well that was… unexpected!
That was a very, very nice kiss, Betty. Thank you for that! I just want you to be sure you're kissing the right guy! So...think about it, okay?
Daniel may THINK I'm his 'wingman' or whatever, and sure, maybe we USED to be 'hunting buddies', back in the day. But I have a feeling those days are gone. I realize he's been through a lot. That's why I'm here. Hell, it's why you did your rescue! I know neither of us wants to hurt him."
"Sorry! I don't know why I did that!" She ran to her suite, pausing with her hand on the doorknob.
He smirked, "Don't apologize! But, if I had to guess, I'd say, just like our mutual buddy there, you're deep in denial! Or should I say you are deep into...D-A n-i-e-l?"
"Was the kiss that bad?"
He laughed, shaking his head, "NO! On the contrary! It was a very sexy kiss! I just think we both know you were overcompensating! Trying to prove that you aren't in love with your boss and best friend! All I know is what I see. Why did you yell at me before for drinking a beer in front of him?"
"I don't know! Because! I was worried about him! He's been through so much already with Molly and getting caught up in all that stupid stuff with that bit...um WOMAN, Natalie! She's...she's...do you know she made me feel like a third wheel at our weekly lunches when she was the one who...tried to REPLACE me! Is she kidding? I mean who the heck is she? She doesn't know anything about what Daniel really need...um…"
Becks shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest and grinned, showing off his gorgeous dimple, "I rest my case!"
"You what? What case? Don't be ridiculous! I was dating Matt right up until the night Molly died, when he decided to break up with me! All because he got it in his head that I'm still in love with Henry! He's so jealous! For no good reason! I was only trying to kiss Henry goodbye!"
"Yeah, who is this Henry guy? I sort of got the jealous vibe from Daniel when he was yelling about your 'first love'! The guy actually proposed to you, huh? And tried to take you away from New York...away from Daniel?"
"I wouldn't say it like that! Gio asked me to go to Rome with him at the same time but I didn't go with either of them. That was a long time ago!"
"Wait, so you had these other two guys fighting over you but you turned them BOTH down? And one of them, the one who proposed to you came back and messed things up with you and Matt?"
"YES! He always does that! Just when I think I'm over him, Henry pops back up and gets me all confused!"
"HE gets you confused? But not Matt and not...who was the one who tried to take you to Rome?"
"Gio!"
He laughed, "Gio. Right. So, tell me, Betty. I guess what you need to ask yourself is...if DANIEL asked you to go to Rome with him...would you go?"
"NO! Becks, SHUT UP, will you? You have no idea what you're talking about!"
Betty could feel the warmth rising on her neck and up to her face, as she watched Becks, laughing at her. She wasn't sure how to answer such a ridiculous question honestly. IF Daniel asked her to go to the moon, she knew her answer would be yes, let me help you pack! But Becks didn't need to know that! It honestly seemed as if he had already surmised that would be her answer anyway.
Why the hell did she KISS Becks? Was she seriously just trying to prove something to him (or herself), prove that she wasn't actually, like he said, harboring feelings for her newly widowed boss and best friend? Because that would be wrong. On so many levels! She had planned Daniel and Molly's wedding for goodness sake!
"Hey you two! What are you out here yelling about? Is the doctor or the pizza here yet? I'm starved! And I really want to get this damn drug test over with so I can drink a damn beer with it!"
"Right! We're...we...were just watching the game on TV!"
Daniel and Becks both turned to her in disbelief. Daniel raised his eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest, "THE GAME, huh? What game would that be, Miss Suarez?"
"YOU know! The big game! The...um...playoffs!"
Daniel wasn't letting her off the hook. He sort of enjoyed watching the girl squirm when he could tell she was lying to him, "WHICH sport in particular, Betty?"
"UM….the one with the balls!"
Becks and Daniel both snorted slightly, "The balls? Um...you're going to have to narrow it down just a tad, there. Let's see. What sport has balls? More like, what sport doesn't? Let's see...Tennis, perhaps? Because Wimbledon was all the way back in June. And it's still too early for the start of football season. Too late for the…"
"OKAY, fine! We weren't watching some stupid game! If you must know, nosy, I kissed him! Not that it's any of your business what I do or who I do it with!"
Daniel looked between them and Becks backed up a few steps, "Um… yeah. Fine, maybe she did. But I told her, she only did it because she's really in lov…"
"Trying to get over Matt! Right, Becks? Matt broke my heart, so what Becks and I have is...um...purely physical! He was just trying to help me get over Matt. That's all. But like I said, it's not really any of your business who I kiss. Or date, Daniel!"
"Well, as your boss, I agree. It's definitely not my business. But as your friend...I'd have to warn you against getting into anything with this guy!" he gestured towards Becks.
Becks walked to Daniel and slapped him on the back,"Gee, THANKS, Danny boy! Excuse me, but I am standing right here! I'm not THAT bad! Hell, we were sort of the same guy for a long time! Now that you got married, you're suddenly mister respectable, I guess, huh?"
'Well, yeah!" Daniel and Betty both said, simultaneously, then glanced at one another, smiling.
Daniel walked to Betty and stood next to her, as she put her hands behind her back against the wall. He asked quietly, "So you're really sure you NEED to get over Matt? Because I was thinking...I need to get over Molly, I know. And I see now that the stupid Phoenix was NOT the way to do that. So I was wondering...if maybe we could…"
They jumped apart as there was a knock on the door. Becks went to answer it and stood with his eyes widened, "Whoa! YOU'RE the doctor? You're HOT! I'm guessing NOT the pizza delivery! Huh! Man, why do I feel like I'm in some hot, porn movie?"
The tall, attractive redhead walked past Becks, completely ignoring his crazy rant and headed straight towards Daniel, glancing at a picture of him she had on her cell phone, then shook his hand, "According to your mother, she's concerned that you may have been drugged by some unscrupulous people who you were seeking support from after losing your wife to cancer, Mr. Meade?
I'm Dr. Sarah Lafleur, and I think we should get blood and urine samples from you, so I can see what type of hallucinogens they were dosing you with and how much. Do you feel light-headed now? Why don't you have a seat, and I can check your responses?"