Sexy Berkeley (1) (24 page)

"Bea, it's me," Tilly calls through the door.

"Oh, come in, Til."
She walks in looking beautiful in a short, summery floral silk dress. "Wow, you look gorgeous,"

"Thanks! Whoever Daniel's assistant is, I love her!" Tilly replies.

"I can't believe how much Daniel has spent on me, he bought me this bag!" I pick up the Chloe bag and show Tilly.

"Wow, that's gorgeous! It's Chloe! I told him I'd pay for my stuff, it wasn't a lot anyway. He said 'no' and then Luke piped up, wanting to pay for it, but I shoved the cash in his hand anyway. I'm not having either of them buying my shit. I need to borrow this bag at some point, Bea, you know that, don't you?"

I giggle. "Maybe."

"Goody! So, you said in your text last night that you wanted to talk to me?" We both sit on the side of the bed next to my beautiful new shoes, Tilly holding my bag on her lap, stroking it like a kitten.

"Yeah."

"What's up? Everything ok?"

"I'm just having such an amazing time with Daniel. I want to bring him home." I pout and frown.

"I know that feeling, babe. I actually really like Luke."

"You don't say?" I roll my eyes and grin, widely.

"Alright, alright. I'm not in love with him or anything."
 My face falls and I look down at my hands in my lap. "Oh, doll," Tilly says, putting a gentle hand on my back. "You've fallen, haven't you?"

I nod and turn to look at her, my eyes begging her to tell me what to do.

"That's not such a big surprise, Bea. He's amazing, and you two are so hot together, you can practically see the sparks."

"I don't know what to do, Til. How will I live? I'll be so far away from him, knowing I may never see him again. The thought actually hurts... like physically, hurts, Tilly." I clench my fist and press it into my sternum, as if holding it there will somehow relieve the pain.

"Darling, would you move here?"

I shake my head.

"Bear's?" she asks.

"Yes, and my family, and you and Clare."

"And I assume he can't move to the UK? How about long distance?" She shakes her head and scrunches her nose as soon as she says it, knowing that wouldn't be a viable option.

"Oh, dear. You're in a right old pickle aren't you?"

I sigh, loudly, "Oh, yes I am. But I don't want that to ruin my day today, I have the rest of my life to be miserable. Today, I'm with him."

"Have you told him?"
 

"Oh god, no! So don't you go blabbing!"

"Of course I won't," Tilly says, rolling her eyes. "Does he love you? Silly question, I think that's obvious."

"Really?" I ask, butterflies flitting in my belly. "He hasn't said anything. I don't think he does. It has only been a week!"

"I think you'd be surprised, Bea. But of course I won't mention it. Luke's taking me somewhere this morning and then I'm taking him back to Gem's for the day, she's making us dinner tonight, but call me if you need me, ok?"

"Ooh! He's socialising with the fam!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's just because I won't see him for another six months or something, don't read into it."

I grin, knowing it's more than that. "Yes, I'll call if I need you. You too, Til, call if you want to chat."

"Oh, I'm fine, babe, you're the one in love."

"Hmm, well have a lovely day, I don't know what's happening later but I imagine I'll stay here, I'd like to."

"Yep, no stress, as long as you're back in time to pack tomorrow. We don't have to be at LAX until about half six, so we have all day."

"Yes, that's great. I'll be back to pack at some stage. I'll see you tomorrow."

We both stand and share a long, welcome hug. "Love you," I say, because I do, I love her so much.

"You too, Bea. I'll look after you."

"Thank you. Now go and have a day of hot sex or whatever it is that you two do." She winks and turns to leave the room with a grin. 

I feel better for talking to Tilly, although she hasn't come up with any alternative solutions as to how Daniel and I can be together, she is a huge comfort, and I know she will look after me when I get upset. I have the best friends in the world.

Daniel enters the room as I bend over the bed to pick up the white camisole. "Hey, baby." 

I smile at him, he looks gorgeous yet again, in fitted navy shorts and a tan belt. He's teamed it with a white fitted shirt, tucked in with the collar open and sleeves rolled up
at the elbows. He's such a well dressed man, I wonder if he wears much other than Ralph Lauren. "You look hot," he says as he approaches me, slipping his hands around my bare waist. I smile and he closes the distance between us to kiss me. It's not just any old peck, he is getting right in there, snogging me passionately and it's delicious.
God, I love you.

"Baby, you need to get that top on before I get carried away. Do you need the hair dryer?" he asks, breathlessly, still holding me, running his fingers through my wet hair.

"Yes, please. One more kiss though?" I ask sweetly and he smiles a huge, beautiful smile before kissing me oh-so-tenderly, again. 

"Come on baby, less kissing, more hair drying, breakfast is in the kitchen," he says, swatting my behind.

I pout and move away to put my new top on. 

"Here's the hair dryer, I'll see you out there, will you be long?" Daniel asks as he puts it down on the bed.

"No, just a few minutes."

Once I've done my hair, I quickly pack all of the essentials into my lovely new handbag, before heading out to the kitchen. A selection of delicious looking food is spread out on the breakfast bar.
"Ooh, yum!" I say to Daniel who is sitting, waiting for me.

"I made you tea, come sit and choose what you'd like."

"Thanks, Daniel. Did you get this all sent up?"

"Yes, I thought it'd be quicker and easier."
I sit down and put a couple of pancakes on my plate with maple syrup and some strawberries. It's more like a dessert but I love pancakes, and they're so much more delicious in America. I take a sip of my tea, which Daniel has made perfectly again, and start to eat my breakfast. He watches me with a smile on his face.

"Is something funny, Daniel?" I ask when I have finished my mouthful.

"No, baby, not at all. I'm just enjoying how happy you look this morning. You like pancakes, huh?"

"I
love
pancakes. Thank you for breakfast."

"You're welcome, enjoy," he says as he continues to eat his scrambled eggs and streaky bacon. His looks delicious as well, I fancy eating that, too, I'm ravenous!
 

"When you're ready, we'll have a few hours out. I wanted to take you to a couple of places, that ok?"

"Sounds good, Daniel. I'm ready to go after this," I say, having another sip of my tea.

Fifteen minutes later, we're making our way down to Daniel's car.

"Thank you again, for my clothes and everything. I really love it all, Daniel." I clutch my bag and grin from ear to ear as we get into the car.

"You're welcome, again. Stop thanking me and enjoy it. Here..." He hands me a sunglasses case and I open it to find a pair of Ray-Ban aviators.

"I know you like aviators because you have some already so I thought they'd be
the safest bet. Are they ok?"

"You bought these for me?"

"We can't go out for a day in LA without sunglasses, baby. Do they fit?"

I put them on and look in the wing mirror, "They're perfect, Daniel. Thank you, you didn't need to."

"I wanted to. Stop thanking me," he says, nonchalantly, whilst lowering the roof. I lean over and kiss him on the cheek. "Shall we go or do you want to do some more kissing?" he asks.

"Don't ask me that question, my answer will always be kissing."

"Oh, really? I'll ask you that tomorrow then, when your plane is about to depart," he grins a conspiratory smile.

"I wish I could canoodle with you on the flight home." I pout, and he leans towards me, cradling my face in his hands and kisses me, softly.

"Me too, baby," he says against my lips, kissing me once more. We pull out onto the road, and Daniel puts on his Ray-Ban wayfarers, they really suit him. "So where are we going?"

"Well, first, I want to show you something."

"Ok," I'm intrigued. I wonder what it is.

As we stop at some lights
after a few minutes, Daniel says, "Look up there." He points to the top of a large office building, and I see the words 'Henry Berkeley Inc." in large letters at the top.
Wow
, I realise now just how huge the company is.

"Your work!"

"Uh huh," he says, pulling into an underground car park, removing his sunglasses and nodding at a security guard, "I thought I'd show you my
office
," he adds with a huge, cheeky grin and a sly wink.

"Oh! I see!"

He smiles, "Actually, I thought I'd show you where I sit and think of you all day. Is that ok? Or would you rather go somewhere else?"

"No, Daniel! I am really excited to see where you work."

"Really?" He looks surprised.

"Yes! You always seem surprised when I ask about your work, I want to know! It's a huge part of your life. I would also like to have a mental picture of you at work, so when I look at the clock and it's a time you'd be there, I can imagine you, sitting at your desk." I grin.

Daniel is silent for a moment as he parks. When he turns the engine off, he remains still and then turns to me. "Will you really think of me, like that, when you're home?"

"Of course I will, what do you mean?"

"Like, you'll look at the clock and wonder what I'm doing?"

I nod, shyly, "Is that weird? Have I freaked you out?" I ask quietly, wondering if I've just completely put him off. Not that it matters really, considering I'm leaving tomorrow.

He stares at me and it feels like minutes pass. Oh shit. It is weird. How do I come back from this? "Daniel, I..."

He grabs my hand. "Baby, it's not weird at all, sorry. You take me by surprise sometimes, you're so interested in parts of my life that most girls don't want to know about. When you say things like that, I like it because I know I'll be the same, only I can't picture you at home or work. There's so much about you that I don't know and I want to know it all, I want to be part of it, I want to see you at work, I want to meet your folks and Oliver and Clare, be in your car with you, see your apartment, sleep in your bed with you," he stops and shakes his head.

I offer him a small smile. "Daniel, I wish it wasn't like this, I wish you could see all of those things and be a part of them. And I'd like you to understand that I am so interested in your work, I think it's fascinating, what your dad created, and what you and your sister are now part of. What an incredible achievement for the family, and huge opportunity for so many employees."

Daniel smiles. "Come on then, it makes me feel happier bringing you here, knowing you really want to see it. I like to show off what I'm proud of. I'd show you off, given the chance."

I smile as Daniel steps out of the car and comes around to open my door for me. He takes my hand and walks with me to an awaiting lift.

We step out into a huge, marble floored reception hall with a large desk between two pillars, opposite the main doors to the street. There is a great, sweeping marble staircase behind the reception desk, and three more lifts to the right of that. I can imagine it bustling in here during the week. Daniel takes my hand and walks me towards the other lifts.

"Good Morning, Mr. Berkeley," the girl at reception says, blushing a little.

"Good morning, Sarah," Daniel responds with a warm smile, walking purposefully, towards the lifts.

We enter another lift and he presses a button for one of the top floors. As the doors close, he pulls me into his arms and beams, beautifully. "I like having you here. I'd rather it was a week day so I could show you off, but never mind," he says as he kisses my nose and loosens his grip on me as the lift comes to a halt. He takes my hand again and leads me out onto the office floor.

It's a very large, open space with many, modern office cubicles to the left, a large reception desk to the right with a seating area beyond it. Around the back of the huge room, are doors to what I presume are, private offices.

An older lady sits behind the reception desk, typing at the speed of lightening. She looks up as we walk towards her and immediately stands. "Good morning, Mr. Berkeley, I wasn't aware that you were coming in today."

"Good morning, Iris," Daniel says, confidently. "Don't worry, as you can tell from my attire, I'm not here to work, just showing my girlfriend my office. This is Beatrice Hart."
His girlfriend!
I wonder how many of his 'girlfriends' she's met...

"Good morning, Miss Hart," she greets and nods with a smile. I can see a hint of surprise in her expression
but she's hiding it well.