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It was the Saturday after their dinner date and Daniel and Betty were inseparable. It was as if nothing had changed – well maybe a few things, of course. She had even convinced him to stay in her two bedroom apartment, arguing he was wasting his money on a hotel suite when they were together all the time. He was hesitant at first, afraid things were changing too fast for her. But in the end she had worn him down.
Daniel had only brought a carry-on when he first came. He didn't have time to pack anything else. Getting to Betty was the sole thought on his mind. He had had his mother take care of the rest of his things – which had arrived the previous day at the hotel.
Today was moving day and boxes and belongings were practically everywhere. Daniel stepped over a pile of clothes near Betty to pick up some CDs.
"Is that even possible?" he curiously questioned, casually leaning over Betty's shoulder as she was looking at the yoga manual that came with the DVD.
"Maybe if you're Gumby . . . How does he do that?!" she stared in awe. "I think I just need to stick with the basics."
"That I can help you with – I did take a yoga class, once," he said.
"Yes, I remember your 'yoga' pose," she stood on one foot and lifted her other leg up to her knee, her hands clasped above her head, mocking him - until she lost her balance, that is.
"Whoa! Careful, butterfly queen, you don't actually have wings. Are you sure you don't want someone else to take over this article?" Daniel asked, catching her before she hit the hardwood floor of her apartment.
"What did you just say?" she asked.
"Hey, sorry! I didn't mean to upset you, it's just you're not exactly athletically coordinated," he held his hands up in defense, expecting to get pommeled by the girl from Queens.
"Thanks for that – and I know. But that's not what I meant. What did you call me?" she asked again.
"Uncoordinated?" he guessed.
"No, when you caught me," she corrected.
"You mean 'butterfly queen'?" Daniel assumed.
"Yeah," she replied.
"I'm sorry – it just slipped out. Guess you just remind me of those things you love so much – changing over the years I've known you into something even more beautiful and perfect than before . . . But I won't do it again," he apologized. "I've learned my lesson with trying to call you a nickname."
"No, I like it," Betty smiled, leaning back in his arms. "It makes me feel like I'm your girl."
"You are my girl," he nuzzled her neck.
"Daniel . . . You know what I mean," she blushed.
"Yeah, I know," he lovingly captured her lips in an upside down kiss. "So, uh, do I get one, too?"
Betty turned around and placed her hands on his chest, contemplating for a moment.
"You could be 'D'?" she suggested.
"For?" he prompted.
"Just Daniel?" she guessed.
"Or the Dark Knight?" he threw out.
"Or dragonfly – the butterfly and the dragonfly? But you're right – the Dark Knight does suit you more," she agreed. "Strong, rich, sexy superhero with a heart of gold and a dark past . . ."
"That'll work," he smiled. "'B&D' – it's like we're one of those TV supercouples or something."
"This is all kinds of cutesy disgustingness, isn't it?" Betty cringed.
Daniel shrugged.
"Who cares? Marc and Amanda had the office calling you Daniel's Lady a while back, anyway," he pointed out.
"How could I forget," she rolled her eyes. "Do you think they knew something we didn't?"
"Nah. I just think they liked to make fun of our friendship," Daniel shrugged.
"You're probably right," she agreed. "Hey, why don't you take some of your clothes over there and put them in my closet?"
"Betty, are you sure? I thought I was going to stay in the spare bedroom?" Daniel questioned, a little floored.
"I know, but I started thinking that sharing a room would be more practical – in more ways than one . . ." she seductively whispered in his ear, while allowing her hands to roam underneath his Harvard t-shirt.
"What's gotten into you, lately? I mean, not that I'm complaining or anything, but first you insist I move in with you and now you want us to share the same bedroom. Are you okay? Because this all seems a little too fast for you," Daniel worried.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? We're together all the time, Daniel – we even end up sleeping together most nights. Well, not sleep together, but you know what I mean. And it's not exactly like we haven't done things in that department either. So why are you being like this? I thought you'd be happy?" Betty defended herself.
"I am. I just don't want you to have any regrets about us, okay? I know you aren't on the same page as I am, but I don't want you to feel you have to rush to catch up with me. This isn't a race, B. I love you and I'm not going anywhere – ever. So we can take our time – enjoy what we have, okay?" he assured her.
"Okay," she nodded. "But what if I do feel this is right? I mean, simply dating you and setting sleeping boundaries would be counterproductive, wouldn't it? We can pretty much finish each other's sentences. And I already know you snore a little from falling asleep with you on the couch all these years. Sure, we weren't cuddling or anything and we never planned it, but I'd say that counts. And the cuddling part is pretty much routine, now."
"True. Four years of late-night takeout and movies . . . working together . . ." he thought back.
"Laughing, talking . . . telling each other the most intimate details of our lives . . ." Betty added.
"Let's not forget plotting against Wilhelmina and everyone else who was against us," he remembered.
Betty smiled.
"Screw dating and boundaries," he flirted, attacking her lips, and her neck.
"See. I knew I'd get you on my side," she flirted back, giggling.
Daniel gave her a sexy grin.
"Seriously - baby, whatever you feel is fine. I'm just happy to be with you," Daniel admitted.
"Me, too," she wrapped her arms around him. "I love that I can do this anytime I want."
"Uh, Betty? You basically have anyway," Daniel pointed out. "Marc and Amanda even made a blog."
"You mean like the one about my clothes?" she asked.
Daniel opened up his laptop and showed her.
"'Attack of the Mexican Blob'?!" she read, viewing a picture of her hugging a frightened and disgusted Marc. "And you bookmarked this one, too? Daniel, how could you?!"
"What?! Aside from the title it's actually pretty cute. You and I are in there a lot. They even had a count - see?" he pointed.
"1,162 . . . Oh my god! That's almost a hug per day!" Betty exclaimed, embarrassed. "Maybe I am too affectionate."
"No - never! It's one of the things I've always loved about you," he assured her.
"Wait a minute - some of these were after hours - Marc and Amanda weren't even there?!" she observed.
"Hey, you're right . . . Oh - security footage. They must've made screencaps," Daniel guessed.
"They really had too much time on their hands!" Betty shook her head. "Well, I know for sure I could never do this . . ."
She seductively kissed him.
"You're right about that . . . This is definitely a bonus," he agreed.
They made out some more and then cuddled in a comfortable silence until Betty coyly spoke.
"I've still got some space in my closet . . ."
"Really?" he asked, wanting to make sure she was truly ready for this next step.
"Really," she assured him, handing him a stack of his dress shirts and pulling him by the hand into her bedroom. "Whatever doesn't fit, you can put in the spare closet in our new guest room."
"You've really thought about this," he said, surprised, as he looked at her half empty closet. "What happened to all of your clothes?"
"When I was packing to come here, I realized I didn't wear a lot of them anymore, so I donated them," Betty explained, hanging his shirts on the rod. "I figured I could always buy a few new outfits once I got here."
"And this?" he inquired, holding up her framed signature red poncho.
"I just couldn't seem to let that one go," she smiled, wistfully, and leaned it back against the closet wall.
"I still remember the day you literally came crashing into my life . . ." Daniel thought back.
"And here we are . . . four years later," Betty leaned her head on his shoulder. "Come on, I'll show you where you can put all of your manly cosmetic products."
"What do you mean 'all'? I'll have you know I only have five different moisturizers, and three bottles of concealer," he defended.
Betty tried to stifle a laugh.
"What? Is that wrong? That's normal, isn't it?" he asked, oblivious.
"For RuPaul, maybe," she snickered. "No, D, it's perfectly normal considering your family business. Just do me a favor and don't turn from Daniel to Danielle on me."
"Ha. Ha." Daniel pouted.
"Oh come on – Daniel, you know I'm just messing with you. You know I love all your little quirks," Betty reassured him with a brief but tender kiss.
"Yeah, I know," he forgave her.
"Good, because I was thinking maybe we could take a break from unpacking?" she proposed, toying with the belt on his jeans.
"You mean . . . here? Now?" he asked, surprised, and very intrigued.
"Mmmhmm . . ." Betty smiled, unbuckling his belt and unbuttoning his jeans. She then proceeded to take off her top and his, guiding him toward the bed. She captured his lips before she shed her yoga pants and stripped him of his jeans, creating a path with her lips all the way down his perfectly chiseled chest.
Daniel pulled her back up to him and kissed her soundly, letting his hands caress every part of her upper body. He fumbled with the clasp on her bra for a moment before removing it, but only because Betty started nibbling on his ear while her hands were slowly and meticulously freeing him of his boxer briefs and it was driving him crazy. He kissed her neck while toying with the band on her panties, his fingers instinctively beginning to inch beneath the silky black fabric - only his mind caught up with the rest of him.
"Betty?" he asked, his breath heated.
"It's okay, Daniel. I'm ready," she assured him.
He slid the final barrier between them off of her incredibly curved ass and his heart skipped a beat as he took in a full view of the gorgeous woman he loved. Betty smiled back at him, seeming to be as taken with him as he was with her.
"I love you, Betty Suarez," Daniel proclaimed, stroking her cheek.
Betty blushed, and closed the space between them, sinking her lips into his as if there were no tomorrow.
"Come here," she coaxed, taking his hands and backing onto the bed.
Daniel followed. Their bodies intertwined as they proceeded to make love for the first time throughout the entire afternoon.
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"Hey," Betty timidly looked into Daniel's blue eyes.
"Excuse me, do I know you? Have you seen Betty Suarez, because all I see is this feisty, sexy, siren who practically jumped me not too long ago . . ." Daniel flirted, lifting the sheet in a mock search.
"Daniel . . ." Betty lightheartedly protested.
Her eyes widened and she began to squirm as she felt his hands and mouth start to roam around her lower region again.
"Whoa . . . Easy there, Captain Kangaroo! Stop exploring The Land Down Under – I'm not quite ready for Round 6!" she playfully warned.
Daniel emerged from underneath the sheets, a devilish smile on his face.
"It was worth a shot," he excused.
Betty giggled.
"And I can't believe you just said that – you're adorable," he teased her bottom lip.
"Well, I try," she flirted.
"Seriously, I mean, that was . . . I don't know what that was but I definitely wanna try all of it again!" Daniel shamelessly grinned. "You took me to another dimension!"
"Daniel, stop . . ." she protested. "I know you're just trying to make me feel good."
"No - No lie. Best. Sex. Ever." he assured her. "Betty, you connected with me like no one else ever has. It was like we could read each other's minds. I've never felt so complete with anyone."
"You made me feel beautiful," she confessed.
"Because you are," Daniel reminded, brushing the hair from her face and planting delicate kisses from her shoulder down to her hip. "Inside and out."
"I've never felt so comfortable – so free - like I could say or do anything – try anything. I didn't have to hold back," she admitted.
"And you have before?" Daniel asked. "B, that's so sad, because you are so amazing and you deserve to have everything you've ever desired – to be truly loved."
"You did that for me, Daniel. Showed me how incredible it can feel to really be with someone. And how fun – I mean, I can laugh with you, and make jokes – it's like I'm with my best friend, because you are . . . only so much more," she smiled. "I love you."
"I know," he brushed her off.
"No, I'm serious, Daniel," she insisted. "I'm in love with you."
"Betty -" Daniel objected.
"Wait – I know what you're going to say. I know you think I'm merely basking in our first post-coital bliss. That I'm not thinking clearly. Just let me finish," Betty requested. "I spent so much time going over this in my head, because I didn't want to give you false hope. But I know now for sure. I can't stop thinking about you when we're apart. Ever since you showed up here, I found myself daydreaming about you at work. I once caught myself writing the same sentence five times because I was so distracted."
Daniel chuckled.
"You make me laugh even when I feel like crying. You're the only one I can tell my deepest secrets to. You're the only one I want to come home to every night and wake up with every morning. You make my toes curl like no other guy ever could. When we're like this – as close as two people can get - I can't even see straight. We fit together so perfectly in every aspect of our lives and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else but you, Daniel. If that isn't being in love, then I don't know what is," she confessed.
"I believe you," he drew her lips to his in an earnest and passionate kiss. "And . . . I think we should celebrate!"
"D, I'm way too tired to -" she objected.
"Not that," he got up and slid on his boxer briefs, then searched through her closet and pulled out an apple red Halston halter cocktail dress. "Here. Put this on – we're going out."
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"Was that waiter seriously hitting on me - right in front of you?" Betty mused.
"I know – he's lucky I didn't get him fired for trying to steal my girl," Daniel grumbled.
"Maybe you shouldn't have picked out this dress for me to wear – Amanda found it, so of course it's a little slinky for my taste. I've been too afraid to ever show it off in public," she replied. "I feel practically naked in it."
"I knew there was a reason I chose it," he flirted.
"Daniel!" she lightly smacked him in protest. "That's it – I'm donating it tomorrow!"
Daniel shook his head. As much as she'd learned from fashion, she still couldn't let go of her modesty sometimes.
"How about you think about it for a while? You could still wear it for me?" he suggested.
"Okay," Betty agreed as she plopped on the sectional and pried her black Louboutin pumps off of her swollen feet. "Ulchh . . . I'm exhausted. Who knew it would be impossible to ride the Tube without standing around waiting for an hour?"
"It's Saturday night," he reminded her, stretching out on the opposite end. "Everyone's out celebrating something."
"Speaking of celebrating, Lindsay mentioned you got the job as Creative Director at Royal Athletics. Why didn't you tell me?!" she threw a pillow at him.
"I don't know, I guess there were just so many other things going on that I forgot. I don't start for another week. They're still finishing up with construction for the new offices . . . And . . . I don't know . . . it's not like it's Sports Illustrated or anything," he shrugged it off.
"D, I know European athletics don't exactly scream excitement, but you still get to run photoshoots and design layouts featuring athletes and teams across the entire United Kingdom. And it's less paperwork and responsibility than being Editor. Plus, you get to do a swimsuit issue. And you love swimsuit issues!" Betty cheerily pointed out, giving him another one of her pep talks.
"I bet I could get Victoria Beckham to do the cover . . ." he brainstormed. "And maybe David could do one in the fall – or is it the spring?"
"I'll find you a European Sports for Dummies book," she teased.
Daniel threw the pillow back at her.
"Seriously, Daniel. You'll do great!" she assured him, then grimaced as she rubbed her feet. "I wonder if Victoria has any tips for wearing stilettos and not killing your feet. I still can't believe how much of a slave to fashion I've become."
"Want me to run you a bath and give you a massage?" Daniel offered.
"Only if you'll join me," she bargained.
"I'll get the oil and salts," he replied with a sexy smile and left.
