Sexy Berkeley (1) (43 page)

I am so relaxed and can feel myself dropping off just in the moment that soft lips press gently against mine. "Mmm, hello." I smile, eyes still closed.

"You look serene. Can I join you?"

"Of course," I say, opening my eyes. He is standing, hovering over me with another gift.

I grin a massive, stupid smile, knowing not to say a word about how he shouldn't have. This time, it's the matching peep-toe boot shoes to the lace dress he gave me in the car. They are stunning and totally extravagant.

"Thank you, Daniel, they are, as you already know, totally perfect. As with everything else today. And you. Thank you."

He sits next to me, leans forward to pick up his tea and rests back against the couch, one ankle resting up on the other knee. "So, sweetheart, what do you want to do?" he asks, taking a sip of his tea.

"If it's ok with you, I'd like to stay here. Chill out, get down and dirty a little bit, have a bath before getting ready."

The cheeky grin on Daniel’s
face tells me he approves of the idea. "Sounds like my kind of afternoon." He wiggles his eyebrows, making me laugh. "So how many of your friends will be out later, baby?"

"Th
e usual crowd probably; Tilly, Clare and Oliver - obviously, Jamie and Laura who you haven't met, a few friends of my brothers who are now friends of everyones and a bunch of people from the college days. Probably about twenty people, or so. Oh yeah, I should forewarn you, Dylan and his girlfriend Leah will probably be there."

"Oh really? Ok..." he says with a scheming sort of smile on his face,

"Ok... what? What's that look for?" I ask with suspicion.

"Oh, nothing, baby, just looking forward to meeting the schmuck."

"Don't cause a scene or anything, will you?"

"Baby, of course I wouldn't do that. I just want him to know you're with me now, that's all," he says with a comical, wicked laugh as he inches closer to me, burying his head in the crook of my neck, licking and kissing his way up to my ear and back again.

~~~~~~~

"Time to get up, baby," Daniel whispers in my ear, splaying a large hand on my naked belly, making me smile as I stretch and turn to face him.

"Mmm, morning... evening... whatever it is."

"Evening, baby, you looked beautiful laying there, so peaceful."

I blush a little and raise my hand to stroke his cheek. "I love you."

"Happy birthday..." he says, covering my body with his, kissing my neck and face. "I hate to have to stop here..." he mumbles between kisses, "but we have to get out of bed. Mmm, you taste good..."

"Don't stop, it's so relaxing. What's the time?"

"You've got an hour, sweetheart."

"Oh, we really do have to stop. But it's so good."

He pushes himself up onto his hands, looking down at me. "You want me to run you a bath, baby?"

"I can do it, you chill out in bed for a bit, watch some TV or something."

"Let me..." he starts before I cut him off.

"No, please, I'll do it, you haven't stopped doing things for me today. Just chill out here while I get my things ready and have a bath."

"Ok, but just so you know, I have really enjoyed spoiling you today. I look forward to doing it more often."

I grin and make my way to the bathroom. Why, I must always find the negative in everything, I have no idea, but when does he think he'll have the opportunity to spoil me more often? He's acting like we're never going back to reality. Oh well, that's a conversation for another day. I run the taps and start the 'getting ready' process in style in this fabulous hotel room.

Running my fingers through my bouncy hair, I check my face in the mirror and give a satisfied nod. Make-up complete, hair looking good, accessories in place. Now time to slip into my fabulous Valentino ensemble and head to dinner on my gorgeous man's muscular arm.

He's currently waiting for me in the lounge looking hot to trot in jeans and a tailored, crisp white shirt and sports jacket. My friends are going to think I paid for this man, he looks (and smells) far too good to be true. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep my hands off him.

"Daniel, can you please come and zip me up?" I call, holding my hair above my neck and slipping my feet into my beautiful studded heels, standing with my back to the door.

"Sure thing, baby," he says as he enters the bedroom and does as I ask. "Done. Let me see you, sweetheart."

I release my hair and turn to smile at him.

His eyes widen and a sexy little smile curls his lips. "God, baby, you look absolutely incredible. Wow."

I do a little twirl feeling somewhat shy, although thrilled by his reaction. "Thank you. I feel fabulous in this outfit."

"You look it, every guy in their right mind will be wanting to switch places with me tonight, how in the hell did I manage to get a girl like you? I am one lucky guy."

"No, I'm so lucky to have you here with me right now and for you to have made today so special. Thank you."

"You're welcome, baby. Ready to make a move?"

I grab my clutch from the dressing table and slip my arm into the crook of his. "Ready."

The waiter pours our wine and takes our orders as we sit opposite each other, smiling, enjoying. He takes our menus and makes a swift retreat as Daniel holds my hand across the table.

"So, Daniel. How was everything at work? Any problems?"

"None at all, baby, in fact, the task was set for HBUK to finalise the last few things today, contracts and the like, and it has all gone ahead smoothly, without a hitch. So things are looking really great."

"Oh that's fantastic, I thought you seemed very happy after speaking with work." I hope this doesn't mean he is going home right away. The thought lingers, unwelcome.

"Yes I was, and on this subject, I wanted to talk to you."

My heart sinks. "Oh?"

"Well, Bea, I wanted to talk about the future, our future." Here it comes. I brace myself for the bad news
. "Firstly, what are you doing for Christmas?"
What?

What the hell has this got to do with anything? I frown as I respond questioningly, "Um, I hadn't really thought to Christmas yet, probably spend it with the family as usual... why?"

"Well," he clutches both of my hands and leans forward on the table, "I was hoping that maybe you'd come spend it with me? In Aspen?"

I really don't understand how we got here from talking about work. "Oh, um... well, I think we ought to decide where we go from here first. I mean, it sounds amazing and I would love that, but you're leaving soon - judging from how things are going at work - very soon. We should really figure out how we're going to move forwards before we start planning Christmas. Maybe not tonight though, Daniel? I don't want to get upset, the thought of you leaving never really escapes me, but I would rather not discuss it on such a lovely day."

"I want to discuss it now, baby."

"Daniel, please? I
really
don't..."

"Baby, I'm part of the re-structure."

"Daniel, please, I'm serious, today has been..."
Wait... what?
"What?"

He smiles at me, tentatively, assessing my reactions. "I am part of the re-structure. It's based around me. The contracts drawn up today are mine."

I stare at him, frowning, not really sure if I'm grasping what he's getting at. "Which means... what exactly?"

He chuckles and reaches across to cup the side of my face with his big, warm hand. "I am going to be based here, in the London office, indefinitely."

My eyes widen as it dawns on me. I bring my hand to my mouth as the tears prick my eyes. "So... you're staying? Here?"

He nods slowly at me and shrugs questioningly, asking for my approval. His eyes searching mine for the 'ok'.

"Oh my god. Oh... oh my god!" Each word louder and higher in pitch than the last. My eyes flood with happy tears. "Daniel! So you're... we're... we can..."

"Be a normal a couple? Yes, please?"

I shriek out in excited laughter, attracting some enquiring looks from guests at other tables. They probably think he proposed, this is pretty much just as meaningful for me, so he may as well have. I jump out of my seat and move around to his side of the table. He stands with me and I throw myself at him, squeezing him as tightly as I can.

"Oh Daniel! I can't believe it! I just can't believe it!"

"Believe it, baby. It's been so hard not telling you that I've been working on this."

I kiss his neck and face over and over again. "Oh I love you, I love you!"

"I love you, baby. We should probably sit, people will think we're about to get dirty or something."

I giggle and wipe the tears from my cheeks, releasing Daniel to return to my seat. "So, will you get a place in the city? Or..."

"I can, sweetheart, and we can take things slowly, or..."

"...or you can move in with me?" I ask with an excited grin.

He smiles right back. "Are you asking me to?"

"Yes. Please? Please do. We can always get somewhere bigger later down the line, if you want."

"I was hoping you'd want me to move in, sweetheart, because I want that, more than anything."

The feeling of total and utter relief floods through me, I can finally let go, finally enjoy every minute with him. I just can't quite believe it.

"There is more that we need to talk about, and if you agree with what I propose here, you'll need to have a meeting with Clare."

"Right... so?"
Anything, I'll do anything!

"So, my role here in London will be the same as my role back in LA and I'll still be working closely with my dad and Alexia. The difference being; I need to travel to LA for two weeks of eight, so basically, I will be working here for six weeks and then in LA for two. That's how my job will roll. What I want you to consider is that I want to share our lives, so I would like you to come back with me, for my two weeks in LA."

"Oh right, I see, every time?"

"Every time," he says cautiously, again, assessing my reaction.

"Well, I have to say that sounds like an amazing life, but Bear's? It's my business."

"I know, and I've thought about that, too. Maybe we can sit down and discuss that tomorrow. If you'd rather not go back so frequently, or think it won't work, then I understand, sweetheart, but if you think it might, we could be on to something just about perfect."

I press my palms to my cheeks and shake my head, I just can't believe what's happening right now. The waiter arrives with our meal, Daniel has the Rib-eye steak with fat chips and I have grilled sea bream with gnocchi. It all looks mouthwatering, but I can't seem to concentrate on what I'm supposed to be doing. I run my fingertips up and down the cutlery on the table, getting my head around this latest, amazing news.

"So, it's definite?"

Daniel smiles at me, he's just so handsome. "Yes. It's definitely definite."

"So that means, oh wow. This means you're actually my..." I wiggle excitedly in my seat with a smile that spreads so wide it almost hurts my cheeks. "My boyfriend? My real life, everyday, amazing boyfriend?"

His answering smile is just as gorgeous, his eyes light up. "That's right, baby. I'm lucky enough to be your boyfriend, and you're my girlfriend, my real life, everyday, totally incredible girlfriend, and I can't wait to tell the world about it."

"Oh good god, I could skip dinner and head straight to the pub to tell everyone! I can't wait to tell them! Oh and my mum, she will be so happy!"

"I can't wait either, sweetheart, but you're not skipping dinner, eat!"

"Oh yes, I am on another planet entirely. The food looks yummy."

"It does, I hope this restaurant is ok for you, I did try the others but couldn't get reservations."

"Oh, this is my favourite restaurant at this hotel, I love it in here."

"Great, so eat!"

"Ok, ok." I pick up my cutlery and make a start on the mouthwatering fish. There isn't a huge amount of gnocchi thankfully, it can be so filling and I can't get bloated in Valentino!

Still totally dazed by these new developments in our relationship, I realise I have so many questions to ask. "Daniel, what about your family? What about Luke?"

"Well, I had a talk with them all, I will get to see them every time I go back, six weeks isn't that long to be away, and besides, I would have been so miserable had I
not
done this, no one would have wanted to see me anyway!"

"But you spend so much time with them?"

"Yes, but I'll still be working alongside my dad and Alexia, like I said, so I'll be talking with them non-stop during the day anyway, I still have the same job, I'll just work, predominantly, from here. As HBUK is expanding so rapidly, it helps to have one of us here anyway, over-seeing everything. "I'll make sure I speak to Mom all the time so she doesn't miss her boy too much," he says with a smile. "Not seeing Luke will be quite difficult, we spend a lot of time together, but having spoken to him, he thinks I need to do this, we'll hang out during my two weeks at home and he said he'll try to come over here when he gets the chance. Having seen the golf course at this resort, I think he'll be more than willing to come try it out."