| When Belle opened her door to Brian he was in awe of her beauty and all thought of Kane was momentarily forgotten. She wore a simple woollen dress in pale blue that hugged her curves seductively and looked stunning on her. Tights encased her slim shapely legs before disappearing into a pair of calf length boots. Her hair was free, flowing over her shoulders and she wore a minimum of makeup highlighting her eyes. He was dazzled and nothing else but being with Belle mattered. “You look… beautiful.” Brian stammered out in a strangled voice. Belle blushed at Brian’s obvious admiration at seeing her. She had been warned that this is what would be happening everywhere she went once her movie came out with many guys falling instantly “in love” with her, much to her discomfort at that thought, but Brian’s admiring reaction was different. It made her feel warm inside and it meant something. It was real. “Thank you Brian.” Belle smiled at him, licking her top lip to wet it subconsciously, and his body reacted instantly, desire slamming through him. His need, at the very least to kiss her, overwhelmed him. He reached his hands out and pulled her to him slowly, dropping his head down to kiss her lips slowly. He slid his lips over hers exerting the tiniest bit of pressure so he didn’t scare her off. Stepping back he watched her closely and grinned with joy when he noticed her eyes were closed. That could only be good. Belle sighed as Brian moved away and she licked her lips savouring the tingling feeling running through them. She opened her eyes slowly, trying to focus again. She heard Brian groan quietly and looked up into his face. His blue eyes sparkled down at her, desire shining from them with a smile. They stood in the doorway of Belle’s room gazing at one another neither one of them wanting to break the spell that had them enchanted. Brian took a breath wanting to say something, but let it out staying silent, needing to prolong the magic that surrounded them. She smiled shyly up at him and he returned the smile, his heart beating loudly in his chest. “Um… We should go…” he said softly, wishing more than anything that he could take her into his arms and kiss her the way he really wanted to. “Yeah… yeah, I guess we should. Where are we going?” Belle asked him almost dreamily. “The guy at the front desk recommended a nice little Italian restaurant just down the road. We can walk there. Is that okay with you?” “Sure it is. Just let me grab my jacket,” she said looking at his jacket he had laid on the floor. “I bet it’s freezing out there.” Brian nodded his head and stood at the open door waiting for her. He tried to peer inside without looking too curious, but he saw nothing that would tell him that Belle was involved with anyone else. Not that he really expected to see anything here. If that Kane guy were here she would hardly be going out with him tonight. He waited till she appeared with her thick ski jacket in her arm and was tugging on her gloves. “Will you be warm enough?” Brian asked, looking at her legs. Belle laughed. “Yes Brian, thank you for your concern. These are very warm. I’m sure I will be fine for a short walk.” They left the building, shrugging on their jackets just before they walked out the large entry doors to the hotel. Brian wished it wasn’t so cold. He couldn’t get as close as he wanted to Belle. He couldn’t even hold her hand with these thick gloves on. He could try, he thought, but it would likely become awkward and embarrassing so it was best to give it a miss. The restaurant was only a short walk away, no more than a block, and as soon as they were inside they shrugged out of their coats, sticking their gloves in their pockets and hanging them up as they walked by the coat racks. It was only a small place, very intimate, and not many jackets lined the wall in the foyer. As soon as both jackets were hung up, Brian reached for Belle’s hand and tucked it securely in his, smiling at her when she looked at him questioningly. The waiter led them to their table and much too soon he had to let go of her hand sitting opposite her at the table. After they had ordered their meals Brian suddenly remembered the picture in the magazine and frowned. “Brian. What’s wrong? Don’t you like what you ordered?” Belle asked him when she saw the expression on his face. “Oh yes! Sorry, my mind was somewhere else.” He had to ask her, but how? “Where was it? It can’t have been a pleasant thought,” she asked with concern. “It wasn’t.” He frowned again. “I need to ask you something Belle, and I guess the only way to do this is to come right out and say it.” Now Belle was frowning too. “What is it Brian?” “Well,” he paused, not knowing what to say. He looked up into her eyes. He needed to see her reaction to his question. “Belle, who is Kane?” Shocked surprise graced her face instantly, followed by a frown and finally sadness, tinged with hurt. “Why would you ask that Brian? How do you know about Kane?” “I…I…I,” Brian stuttered. The hurt on her face broke his heart and he wished now he had never said anything. He looked down at his hands clasped together on the table then back into her sad eyes. He reached out and took one of her hands in his. “I’m sorry Belle, I should never have asked you. It’s none of my business.” She was still frowning and he thought he saw a shimmer of tears in her eyes. Now he felt really bad. He had made her cry. She sniffed and shook her head. “No, it’s okay Brian.” She looked up as if trying to stop the tears from falling. “I’ll tell you about Kane, but how do you know about him.” “Nick saw a picture of him in a magazine and showed me. It said he was your boyfriend.” Belle looked seriously at him. “Did you believe it Brian?” “No. No I didn’t. But the article said otherwise. He was saying how very much in love you two are.” He watched her as he spoke and knew this was a crucial step in their budding relationship. “Belle, I know you aren’t the kind of person who would do that to anyone. You don’t need to explain.” “I want to Brian.” He was rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand, the little bit of contact enough to start affecting his mind. She took a breath. “I was going out with Kane and I was in love with him,” she said and his hand stilled on hers. Did he want to hear this? “Or I thought I was in love with him. Seems I have a lot to learn still.” Her sadness was tinged with a touch of anger and Brian couldn’t help but feel even more dislike towards Kane. “Tell me what happened Belle. What did he do to you to make you so sad?” “Same old story. He cheated on me.” She sighed deeply. “There was more to it, but I don’t want to spoil this evening with the details.” “It’s okay. You can tell me. I am a good listener.” She shrugged her shoulders dejectedly. “He couldn’t deal with the fact that I was going to become more famous before him. He was jealous of me making the movie and all the attention it gave me. He is an actor too, a struggling one, and it hurt his pride to know that I was more successful than him. For heavens sakes, I have only done one movie!” she said with frustration. “I might never make another.” Brian had a basic knowledge of Belle’s rise to fame, most people did if they listened to the entertainment news. He knew she would be making many more movies. “See,” she continued on when Brian didn’t say anything, “I never planned to be a famous actress, and the thought still scares me. I have never aspired to be an actress even, but everyone keeps telling me I am a natural at it.” She saw Brian nod his head. She shook hers sadly. “You know, I don’t even know how I was picked for this role. They must have seen one of the small jobs I had done as an extra with Kane on one of his movies. He only ever had small roles. But all of a sudden I got this phone call. Ever since then it’s been a roller coaster ride of movie making. But you know what? I love it. I really enjoy everything involved in the movie making business.” Brian wanted to tell her she was very good at it because she was. Their meals arrived at that stage and they stayed silent while the waitress placed their food in front of them. Once she was gone he urged her on slowly. “Belle what about Kane, what did he do?” She played with her food for a while before answering, her mind in turmoil. “As I said, he couldn’t handle the fame I was getting. The fame part of it he could have, I am not particularly comfortable with it, but then I found out he was seeing his agent behind my back, working on her to further his career. He stayed with me to bask in the glory of my press, but used Adele to further his own.” She finished bitterly. “Belle. I’m sorry you had to be treated like that.” Tears still pooled in her eyes. “I was heartbroken Brian. I was so naïve to believe he loved me like I loved him. Then this video shoot came up only days later. I grabbed the opportunity to get away and think.” She laughed ironically. “You made me think Brian.” He grinned apologetically and shrugged. “I’m sorry.” Belle laughed and sniffed at the same time. “You don’t sound sorry Brian.” She noticed his expression change and put a comforting hand over his. “No. It’s a good thing, I realise that now.” She looked at Brian lovingly. “I couldn’t have done it without you. I’d still be wallowing in heartbreak and self pity if I hadn’t met you.” She laughed ironically again. “Can you imagine my reaction when I realised what the song was all about. I didn’t know when I got here.” Brian’s eyes opened wide. “No wonder you kept me at arms length that first day. First your heartbreak and then the subject of the song.” He looked at her with a penetrating gaze. “No one should treat you like that. He doesn’t deserve you Belle.” “Well, he’s history now. He doesn’t have me to use anymore.” He took both her hands in his across the table and looked deeply into her eyes. “But now you have me. I won’t break your heart.” |