Back to Part One of Blizzard…Winter Wonderland…

Blizzard…Winter Wonderland…

Part Two

by

IvanaBgood
(IvanaBgood@aol.com)

The place he took her to was of course Raffi’s. She wasn’t able to enjoy it the last time she was there and so took the opportunity to look around. It wasn’t a smoky little café’. But it wasn’t the kind of shabby pizzeria she’d anticipated either. Instead it was a tiny restaurant, the sort of place CC had thought existed only in films. Sausages and cheeses hung from the rafters, perfuming the air. And the waiters, who were still trying to tidy up, wore starched white aprons that stretched almost to their ankles. And the food, the food was the sort that restaurant critics wrote purple prose.

"Are you sure you want pizza?" Niles asked after the menus had been handed to them.

She wasn’t sure of that at all. Everything sounded delicious and exotic. Prosciutto con

melone, cannelloni, saltimbocca - she could have ordered them all without even asking what they were. But pizza was what she first mentioned and she didn’t want him to think she was impressed.

"Yes," she said as she folded the menu and set it aside. "I’m quite sure."

She watched as he signaled to the waiter and ordered. Surprised at first to realize that he was speaking in what sounded like a fluent stream of Italian. But then she thought that nothing about Niles should surprise her any more.

"This is my first chance to see if they listened to my cooking lessons today," Niles remarked.

CC fought back a smile as she pictured Niles in one of those big white chef’s hats. If someone would have said that she would be sitting in Vail having a pizza with Niles of all people, she would have laughed in their face. And yet he looked completely at home here. Maxwell wasn’t around to bellow his name and Niles seemed relaxed, open, he seemed…

"What’s that smile for?"

CC gave herself a mental shake. "What smile?"

He looked at her curiously, "The one that makes you look like Mona Lisa’s stand-in.

You were looking at me with such a strange expression on your face."

She blushed. "Was I?" She glimpsed down at her napkin. "I was listening to you talk with the waiter. I didn’t know you spoke Italian."

He smiled. "Or what passes for Italian. I haven’t really spoken it in years, except to New York waiters who know which side their tip is buttered on. That was George. Or Giorgio as we like to call him. He’ll be leaving us soon and going to Italy. I was just keeping him on his toes."

"You’re half French right, not Italian?"

"Right. I picked up the language as I bounced around Europe the year after I graduated college. Just me and my backpack." He smiled fondly. "A last farewell to youth before I stepped into the cold, cruel world."

She nodded. Only a few hours ago, it would have been hard to picture Niles bumming his way across Europe. Now, after seeing him in that ski outfit, she could easily imagine him doing that. The dark suit would have to go, of course, and the tie, but that was easy enough. She could see him now in faded jeans and an equally faded shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, the first buttons undone…

"Miss Babcock, is something wrong?"

CC blushed darkly. "No, nothing," she said quickly. "I just…I…," she swallowed hard.

"I’ve always been sorry I didn’t learn to speak another language. My grandmother tried to teach me, but…"

"Swedish?"

She looked at him dumbly, "What?"

"Norwegian, then. Or Danish. Your features seem to point that way."

Her breath caught. To think he actually looked at her long enough to wonder.

"No," she said. "I mean, yes mostly Swedish. But more or less I’m this mad brew of Welsh and English and Swiss."

Niles laughed, his teeth very straight and white against his tan. "All that?"

"Along with touches of American Indian. I’ve got a great-great-grandmother who was Sioux. At least, that’s the story the family tries to keep quiet about."

His eyes moved slowly over her face, moving at last to her eyes.

"Yes," he said. "I can see it now. A tribe of Babcocks war-whooping after a group of choreographers," he grins.

CC laughs. The conversation was getting too personal for comfort. And she was glad he got them back on even footing.

He joined her laughter and then his eyes met hers again. A little furrow appeared between his brows, as if he were puzzled. "Funny," he said, "but I never noticed before."

CC’s heart rose to her throat. He was looking at her so strangely, almost as if he were seeing her for the first time.

"The vino, signore, just as you requested. A chianti classico."

She looked up, grateful for the interruption. Giorgio was standing beside the table, holding a bottle of wine for Niles’ approval.

"Wine? But you said…"

"I said we’d have pizza, and so we shall," he said with a quick smile.

The waiter opened the bottle, poured some into a glass, and offered it. CC watched as Niles sniffed it, tasted it, and nodded his agreement.

"But pizza goes better with vino, isn’t that right, Giorgio?"

The waiter nodded as he filled their glasses. When he’d gone, Niles lifted his glass to clink against hers.

But the tap they heard was from the window they were sitting next to, as fingernails clicked against it.

Dee Dee! CC practically groaned.

"Hello Dee Dee," Niles greeted as he opened the door. "Miss Babcock and I were about to partake in a late night meal, would you care to join us?"

Dee Dee looked at CC, "I wouldn’t want to be intruding…but okay."

"Excuse me, ladies. I just want to confer with the chef."

"Dee Dee, what do you think you’re doing?" CC whispered as she watched Niles walk away.

"What do you mean?" Her eyes widen with implied innocence. "You did tell me that you detest that man, did you not?"

"Well, yeah…"

"I’m just being the good friend I am and rescuing you from your fate of having to sit through this meal alone with him," Dee Dee pushed herself closer to the table. "Besides I for one think the man is a dish and I intend to try to convince him to stay here."

Before CC could ask what she meant, Niles came back.

"Oh I’m sorry Dee Dee, where are my manners?" He handed her his wine and asked Giorgio for another glass.

CC lifted her glass and sipped at the deep burgundy liquid. The wine was warm and tart and it filled her mouth with the taste of faraway places.

"Mmm…Niles this is very good," Dee Dee smiled. "Here try some."

She tipped her glass to his lips and CC watched with a stomach lurching feeling as she observed the wine pass through his slightly parted lips. His fingers clasped over Dee Dee’s as their eyes met over the wine glass.

"Thank you." As he turned back to CC, he grabbed another chair and sat down.

"Ahhh…here’s our pizza. Mushroom and sausage, as requested."

They ate silently for the next few minutes. At least CC went through the motions of eating. But she might as well have been biting into cardboard. The pizza was probably delicious. It smelled wonderful and it looked as good as any she’d ever seen.

But each mouthful lodged in her throat. She was conscious only of the man seated opposite her. Suddenly her whirling mind seemed determined to imprint each detail of his face into memory. She had always known his eyes were very blue, but never that they had variations of blue hues when he tilted his head a certain way. And his mouth - why had she thought it narrow? His lower lip was fuller and he tended to get these creases next to his eyes whenever he smiled a certain way.

"…isn’t that right CC?"

"Hmm…I’m sorry. I guess I wasn’t paying attention. She noticed the knowing look that Dee Dee threw her way. And the quizzical look of Niles. "I have to go. Dee Dee, nice seeing you again. And Niles…" CC threw her hand up quickly not knowing what to say, stood up abruptly and almost knocked her chair down as she left.

~~~~

"CC, why don’t you call it a day. It doesn’t look like you’ve slept in a week," Maxwell said before leaving the office.

Through tired eyes, CC nodded her good-bye and relaxed into his leather chair. "He has that right. I haven’t slept in a week," she mumbled to herself as she pulled the chair closer to the desk. He’s never coming back. She stared sadly at the laptop and sighed deeply as she clicked on the ‘print’ icon. The beeping noise snapped her out of her deep thoughts. "No. Not again. Argghh! I thought Maxwell just changed the stupid ink cartridge in the printer."

With a sigh, she rose and opened the machine. It was new, she had never peered inside it before. Nothing looked familiar at all. She pulled open the desk drawer and poked inside until she found a replacement cartridge and the instruction booklet that had come with the printer.

But it didn’t. CC poked and pushed, and still the thing refused to budge. Flustered, annoyed at herself for her mechanical ineptitude, she straightened up finally, slapped her hands on her hips, and glared at the printer.

"You’re nothing but a useless piece of junk," she said. "If you don’t come out of there right now, I’m going to kick the crap out of you!"

Soft laughter drifted towards her from across the room. Startled, she looked up - and saw Niles standing in the open doorway.

Her heart gave an unaccustomed leap. The cool weather had brought a flush to his cheeks and the wind had ruffled his hair so that it lay in silken disarray across his forehead. Her heart did a funny little turn again as she wondered how long he’d been watching her.

He smiled, and she ached to smile in return. Instead, she glared. "No wonder I’m having such bad luck with this thing. Looks like today is going to be filled with misfortune." She was amazed at how calm she sounded when her pulse was racing.

His brows rose at the way she held tightly to the desk, but he said nothing about it.

Instead he nodded at the printer. "Would you like me to do that for you?" His smile became a grin. "Or would you rather go another round with it on your own?"

"It’s new," she said defensively. "The cartridge goes in differently. It…" She fell silent.

"Yes," she said after a moment, "that is something butlers are trained at doing, aren’t they?"

He shrugged out of his coat as he walked towards her and dropped it carelessly across the back of the chair. "I would assume if it had batteries, you would know exactly how to fix it," he replied with a smirk. "Here, give me the cartridge."

Their fingers brushed and an electric shock raced along CC’s skin. She jumped and their eyes met.

Niles gave her a slow smile. "Sorry. It must be the weather. I’m full of electricity today."

She nodded and dragged her gaze from his. "It’s cold out."

He hesitated and then cleared his throat, "Quite. Okay, let’s see. I think if we just push this - and then that…" The cartridge popped out easily. "And then fit the new one in like

so…" The cartridge clicked into place. Niles straightened up and smiled at her. "Done."

"Finally. Now I can get some work done," feeling back behind her, her hand landed on the chair and she sat down.

Niles nodded and ran his hand through his hair.

Something was troubling him, CC thought suddenly.

The gesture told her so. And now he walked to the French doors, and stared out at the patio, his hands jammed into his trouser pockets.

Yes. There was definitely something on his mind. He always looked out of the window that way when he needed a solution for a delicate situation. She stared at him. How did I know that? Just last week Dee Dee questioned me about Niles and I assured her that I knew nothing about the man, except that he was an annoying subordinate who didn’t know his place.

And that had been the truth. Only a week ago, I would have been hard-pressed even to describe the color of his eyes…okay, that was a lie.

She knew. His back was to her now, but she knew that his eyes were as blue as the morning sky after a heavy rainfall. And that when he was distressed - like he seemed to be now - they turned a shade of gray. She realized she could read his disposition as if his eyes were like a mood ring. "The pulse of the soul," she muttered to herself.

"Did you say something?" Niles turned around.

"No. Nothing at all. What are you doing here Niles?" Her eyes studiously avoided him. She gazed at the computer screen as if her life depended on it.

"I came to pick up a few things that I couldn’t live without," he replied, as he stared at her profile.

"Knock, knock," Dee Dee greeted as she entered the office. "Hello CC, I hope Niles didn’t spoil the surprise."

"Surprise?"

"Yes. When Niles told me that he was flying to New York, I asked if I could join him. So that we could spend more time together."

"You and Niles?"

She tittered. "No, darling. You and I. Although, Niles was a heavenly seatmate during the plane trip over here."

"As were you," he grinned back before leaving the room.

Both women watched his retreating figure.

"I really think I’m falling in love," sighed Dee Dee.

"But you’re already married."

"Yes and he’s never home," Dee Dee pointed out. "I’ll get the best of both worlds. A rich husband who’s never home and a very dashing boyfriend to keep me warm at night."

CC’s eyes glared deeply at her friend. "He’ll never go for it. Niles has high standards."

"You sound a tad bit jealous there darling. Almost as if you were interested in the man yourself. But of course we both know you’re not," Dee Dee sat on the couch. "By the way, have you been tripping the light fantastic with that beau of yours, Paul is it?"

Closing the laptop with a snap, CC answered coolly, "No, it didn’t work out."

As she listened intently, Fran turned the intercom button up quickly when Niles came walking down the back stairs.

"So Niles, you’re getting awfully chummy with Miss Babcock’s friend."

He placed a small duffel bag on the counter, "Nothing there Mrs. Sheffield. Just being neighborly."

"Are you sure?" Fran discreetly turned up the volume on the intercom even more as Niles reached for a cup on the shelf.

"Very. She is attractive. Charmingly witty. And I do love it when she trades lightening-quick barbs with me."

"Sounds like the perfect woman for you."

"But she’s married. And I do have my scruples," he replied as he poured himself a cup of tea.

"So you mean if she wasn’t…"

"No. She’s just not the one. There’s an elusive quality that she is missing," he put two spoonfuls of sugar into his cup before he stirred.

Dee Dee and CC stared at the intercom on the desk, both still as statues.

"Same thing with Miss Babcock," Fran replied as she opened the cupboard and took out a glass.

"What do you mean?" Niles asked as he sipped. His finger swirled around on the spilt sugar on the counter.

"Turns out this Paul guy wasn’t the one either. Maybe it’s because she hasn’t been acting like herself lately. She’s been a veritable zombie this past week. Anyhow, he called and broke up with her today."

"Oh really," Niles quietly said. As he turned to leave the kitchen, he passed the intercom on his way out. "He’s a fool. Any man who would leave her has to be."

"What was that Niles, I didn’t hear you?" Fran called out to him.

"Nothing," he yelled back.

Dee Dee and CC stared at each other intently until CC pushed the intercom button off.

She watched her friend cross the doorway, as she just sat there rewinding his words in her mind.

"What are you doing still sitting here?!" Fran hollered.

CC jumped in her seat. "Will you stop yelling! And what the hell are you talking about?!"

"You and Niles of course. You could not have missed that conversation! You must have heard it. I saw your friend stampede out of here like Ma on her way to an all you can eat buffet."

"Yes, I heard you two. Ha, ha very funny."

Fran twisted her finger deeply in her ear. "Alright. I must have another big ball of wax in there. Either that or you really are blonde."

"Nanny Fine, I’m not falling for it so save it. Was that Niles’ last joke on me before he left for Vail for good?"

"Oy!" She looked up at the ceiling. "I’m going to turn old and gray living with all these gentiles!" Fran grabbed CC’s hand, "Come here."

CC felt herself being hauled out of her chair, dragged down the hallway, and into the kitchen.

"And there’s your smoking gun." Fran gestured towards the counter.

Giving her a confused look, CC stared down at the counter. "Spilt sugar, so what? Are you telling me because Prince of Tide didn’t clean up, he must be in love with me?"

"Look at that sugar carefully."

Bending down, CC looked more scrupulously. There on the counter was her name. His finger spelt out her name. "Do you really think…?"

Fran nodded her head emphatically. "It’s just like when we women write our name with the guy we love on paper over and over again. Adding his last name to ours, seeing what it will look like after we get married. Although, that’s something you won’t be able to do."

CC sat down weakly, "I…I don’t know what to think or do."

"Well, I do. Haul your tuchus to your place and start packing for Vail before that friend

of yours gets him drunk and has her way with him," Fran pushed CC out the back door.

~~~~

CC showered quickly, then dressed, forcing herself to focus on the basics of her regular routine as if by clinging to them she could banish everything else from her mind. The beige wool suit, she thought as she peered into the closet. Or perhaps the navy - yes, that‘s better. And a white silk blouse, along with a blue and red scarf at my throat for color.

But the ruse didn’t work very well. She found herself caught in a slow-motion parody of dressing. It took long minutes to decide between equally discreet gold button earrings and ones of silver when her thoughts kept slipping away to Niles and to the overheard conversation. And the conclusions.

Crazy. It was crazy, all of it. CC sat down at her dressing table and stared into the mirror. She had never once looked at Niles the way a woman looked at a man. She sighed.

Okay, another lie. CC closed her eyes. Her thoughts went back to the restaurant and the softness of his voice, the look of faint surprise on his face, as if he were seeing her for the first time.

Her eyes flew open. Enough, she thought, giving herself a mental shake. I’m making mountains out of molehills. What he’s said had been meaningless. She picked up her brush and attacked her hair, brushing it back from her face with steady, harsh strokes.

Somehow the pain made her feel better. Cleared up her thoughts. It was her own fault really. The truth was, her love-life was sadly lacking. Paul and the other men she knew were nice enough, but there was nothing terribly exciting about any of them. They were invariably pleasant, always eager to please.

CC caught her bottom lip between her teeth. Paul had taken her to the theatre, to the ballet, to all the latest films and the trendiest restaurants, but she’d never enjoyed one of those evenings as much as she’d enjoyed that night at Raffi’s…that is, until Dee Dee interrupted.

A loud knocking made her drop her brush with a clatter. She opened the front door and groaned, "Nanny Fine! Why don’t you leave me alone?!"

"I knew it. I knew you would still be here talking yourself out of going. Well, you are going missy and not in that!" She stared pointedly at the conservative outfit CC had on.

Striding towards CC’s closet, she ruffled through her outfits quickly. "Nope…uchh…no way, oh my god - this is dowdy. Miss Babcock, don’t you have anything decent to wear to a wooing?"

"I’m not going to a wooing," CC glowered as she attempted to close her closet.

Something sparkly caught Fran’s eyes. "Ooo, what’s that in the very back?" Her hand reached in and pulled out a short black crepe de Chine dress. Sequins were scattered across the bodice and glinting in the light like tiny stars blazing against a night sky. Fran cocked her head to the side. "Mmm, now this is yummy."

"I bought that last year and never got around to wearing it. I shouldn’t have bought it in the first place."

"Are you kidding me, it’s perfect. Strip Miss Babcock,."

"I will not! And…why are you helping me so much anyway?" She asked suspiciously.

"We never were very fond of each other."

"Maybe not, but I am fond of that man jetting his way to Colorado and I don’t want to lose my best friend. If I have to wave you in front of him like a milkbone to make him stay, I will. Now strip."

~~~~

Struggling to push her carry-on into the compartment above her seat, CC shoved a final attempt - success! She took a magazine from the flight attendant and proceeded to convince herself the real reason why she’s jetting back to Vail.

"Now this is too much of a coincidence. Miss Babcock, what are you doing here?"

"Niles?! I thought you would be in Colorado by now," CC exclaimed as she watched him sit next to her.

"I would be, but as I tried to leave the house Roger Clinton dragged me inside his place and kept me there for hours. He insisted on showing me photo albums of him and his brother. Bill Clinton shaking hands with President Bush, Roger in the background smiling. Bill Clinton sitting in the front row at a Barbara Striesand concert, Roger in the back, sharing his seat with Janet Reno."

"Oh. Where’s Dee Dee?" She turned her head to look past him.

"I’m not sure. She mumbled something to me about finding an elusive quality and left." His brows furrowed. "At least I think that’s what she said." He stopped the stewardess and asked for a drink. "Miss Babcock, something for you?"

"Yes, something not too strong. Get me a Long Island Ice Tea," she ordered the stewardess.

"That’s full of vodka, rum, tequila and gin," Niles chuckled. "I wonder what would be strong in your book."

"Certainly not you," CC quipped. "Did Nanny Fine purchase you a new ticket?"

He leaned his head to one side, "As a matter of fact she did. When I came back inside to book another flight, she handed me a first class ticket and rushed me out the door.

Why?"

CC shrugged and closed her eyes. Now that she made the decision to go, an immense weight lifted off her shoulders and she gave herself over to the hypnotic drones of the engines. After a little while she slept, and as she should have known it would, the dream came to claim her…

She was walking through a magnificent garden. Flowers bloomed everywhere. She could hear the sound of water falling over stones, splashing and tumbling to earth. The garden was lovely. But she was alone. And she didn’t want to be alone. She wanted - she wanted…

"CC."

A smile curved across her lips. It was his voice. He was here. He’d come for her again. It had been so long.

"CC." His breath whispered against her hair as she went into his arms.

"You came back," she sighed and he smiled.

"Did you think I wouldn’t" His arms tightened around her. "I want you beside me, CC."

"CC…"

"CC…Miss Babcock?"

The whisper penetrated her dream. CC’s eyes flew open, then widened with shock. She was lying in the warm curve of Niles’ arm. Her head was cradled against his shoulder, her mouth was almost against his throat. The heat of his body blazed against hers. Color flamed in her cheeks. "Oh god," she said as she pulled free of his encircling arm. "I…I must have fallen asleep."

"You were dreaming," Niles said softly. His voice was low and intimate. For one terrible moment her heart seemed to stop beating.

"Did I say anything?"

He gave her an amused look, "No. Do you usually say something when you dream?"

She shook her head as she put her hands to her face. Her cheeks felt as if they were on fire. Wisps of hair had escaped the neat knot at the back of her head and she smoothed them back. CC felt as if she were coming undone, as if she needed to reassure herself that she was still the same person she’d always been.

He stretched lazily, the movements catlike in their economy and grace. "I caught some sleep too," he said. His eyes glanced over appreciatively.

CC followed his gaze and noticed that her dress had rode up to her upper thigh. Pulling it down didn’t help much and she chastised herself for even listening to Nanny Fine. She glanced towards Niles and their eyes met. His gaze moved over her face, heating it until she felt her skin bloom with warmth again. She wanted to look away from him, but his eyes caught hers and she felt powerless to move. The moment stretched into infinity.

"Excuse me," the flight attendant cleared her throat. "But we’ll be serving dinner in a little while. Have you had time to make your selection from the menu?"

Niles nodded. "Yes, but Miss Babcock may wish to…"

CC shook her head. How can I keep the menu from trembling in my hands? He’ll be sure to notice. And how can I look at it and make sense out of it. I might as well get use to the taste of cardboard if this keeps up. "That’s alright, just pick something for me Niles. You’re suppose to be the gourmet - prove it."

"You want me to pick out your dinner for you?"

"Yes. Whatever you choose is fine with me - just make sure it’s human food - none of that usual dog chow you try to pawn off on me sometimes."

"Are you sure?" His eyes met hers.

"Yes. Anything you want."

"I know exactly what I want Miss Babcock."

A dark wave of some indefinable emotion beat through her. CC bit down on her lip.

Enough, it’s time to stop thinking for awhile. "Good then order it. Excuse me," CC said in a shaky whisper. She rose and moved past Niles, past the flight attendant, then stepped quickly into the aisle.

God help her, so did she.

~~~~

He knew something was different the moment she sat back down. Instead of hunching over to the other side of her seat, she shyly leaned to him and then backed away.

CC Babcock shy? "Is something wrong?"

"What makes you say that?"

"I don’t know. You just seem…different. Your hair, you let it down. And what is that fragrance?" He sniffed the air. "Bug spray?" he grinned.

"Do you find it alluring? It’s suppose to attract the most loathsome creatures," she grinned back.

His voice dropped an octave as he leaned closer, "And if it pulls me in, what happens?"

This seems so familiar, CC thought. His scent seems very familiar. Almost like it lingered on her skin. A soft moan of despair rose in her throat. Woodsmoke and mountain air, her heart began to race. That was the scent I’ve been trying to identify in my dreams. It was Niles’ and it always had been. He was the man in my dream!

~~~~

"Hey Maggie, time to pay up!" Brighton grinned as he stuck his hand out.

"What are you talking about toad?" His sister grimaced as she bit into her burnt toast.

"CC and Niles are not together. In fact I heard them arguing with each other. Come on, hand it over," his fingers gestured rapidly.

"You don’t know anything. Those two love to offend each other. Didn’t you ever notice how CC’s eyes dilate and she gets this huge catlike grin on her face when Niles puts her down."

"Yeah, it’s like she loves being denigrated," Gracie added.

"Oh no, sweetie. She just loves being insulted," Fran smiled as she picked up her glass of orange juice.

"And besides, not only did CC fly back here, but Niles followed her," Gracie said to her brother as she suspiciously eyed her blackened bacon.

"So, that doesn’t mean they like each other. Niles forgot some stuff he needed. Probably his little black book," Brighton reasoned as he toyed with the runny yolk on his plate.

"I know I never like to go anywhere without mine."

"Only because it’s filled with all those 900 numbers," Maggie laughed.

He scowled, "Those numbers are very important. One can connect me to the main library whenever I need information for homework."

"Since when did the New York library start hiring librarians named Britney Leers and Pamela Anderson Lay?" Fran questioned with a smile.

Off his dad’s upraised brow, "Uhh…they believe in equal opportunity?"

"Young man, that phone bill is coming out of your allowance," Maxwell said as he scrunched his nose after sipping his tea. "I know," he pushed himself away from the table, "how about we do something spontaneous and have breakfast out for once?"

"You don’t like the meal I cooked?" Fran pouted.

"Darling, of course I did. It was delicious, wasn’t it children?"

They all nodded as they passed their wadded up napkins underneath the table to each other and eventually to their father.

Hiding them under his blazer, "I just thought it would be exciting to change the schedule. Not be so hum drum. You know, be with it," Maxwell smiled charmingly as he snapped his fingers.

"Okay, that sounds like fun to me. Let me get all dolled up," she kissed him on her way out.

Maxwell pulled out the soggy batch of napkins from underneath his jacket.

"By the way…" Fran stuck her head into the doorway.

He shoved them back underneath quickly.

"Don’t let that stuff get too close to your shirt or Brighton will be spending hours trying to get the stain out."

Max smiled sheepishly, "Yes sweetheart."

~~~~

CC stumbled out of her seat. I’ve got to get out of here. This can’t be right!

"Miss Babcock, what are you doing?"

"I decided to change seats," she backed away from him.

"Watch out!"

Glasses and cans of soda were knocked down as CC ran right into the serving cart.

"Oww!" She fell back, clutching her knee.

"Come here and sit down," Niles guided her back to her seat and examined her knee.

"Don’t touch me!"

"Will you be quiet and let me see! You’re bleeding. You must have cut yourself on a sharp corner or something." Looking at the apologetic stewardess, "Can I have a first aid kit, please?"

"Right away sir."

"Niles, it’s just a small scratch. Now leave me be."

"It looks too deep to be a scratch. Now stop being a baby." Cleaning her cut, he sprayed the infected area with medicine. Hearing her sharp intake of breath as it stung, he looked up.

CC gritted her teeth.

Niles soothed, "You have to have this or bacteria may spread."

"I know! Doesn’t mean I have to like it!" She grimaced. "What are you doing now?"

"Quiet. I’m just blowing on it. It helps take the pain away."

"Well, stop it. I don’t need you blowing on my knee. It feels fine!" CC’s stomach hurt as she watched his lips purse once again. His breath made her skin tingle, overriding the medicine’s pain.

He looked at her quizzically. "You are acting most peculiar. What is it?"

"Nothing. Your breath is making me nauseous," she breathed a sigh of relief as she felt his fingers loosen their hold on her thigh. "It doesn’t hurt much. Sit back down."

"Did anyone ever tell you that you’re very bossy?" Niles grinned as he leaned back in his seat.

CC chuckled, "Practically everyone I know."

"Well, it’s very appealing."

She glanced at him quickly, "What?"

Niles cleared his throat. "It’s very appalling."

"Oh…so who cares. I’m not about to hide behind a simpering facade like most women and kowtow to get favors. If I want something I go and get it."

"Always?"

"What do you mean?"

"You wanted Mr. Sheffield and I don’t see your name on the marriage certificate."

CC sighed. "All right, for once I failed." She sat there thinking and the seconds stretched.

"I really didn’t though, you know. We weren’t compatible except in the business sense."

Niles wrung his fingers in his ears. His jaw moved from side to side.

"What are you doing?" CC asked, perplexed.

"I just wanted to make sure my ears weren’t clogged. Did I hear you right? Did

CC Babcock finally admit she was wrong?"

CC glowered. "I wasn’t wrong. I just wasn’t right."

"Ha, same thing!"

"No, it isn’t and I’m sorry I even opened my mouth," she crossed her arms in front of her chest and turned away.

"Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry," he said quietly. "You took me by surprise. Everyday I had to watch you make cow-eyes at the man."

"Will you stop with the bovine jokes. I did lose weight." She mumbled softly, "Not that you noticed."

Softly, "Oh, I noticed. And so did half of New York." Looking at her, he assessed her surprised reaction to his comment. The soft lights from inside the plane illuminated CC’s face and gently glanced off her silky locks. "I’m relieved to learn you didn’t know."

"Niles?"

He brushed a golden strand of hair from her shoulder and watched it curl around his finger. "I suffered through it stoically and I insulted you ever chance I could."

Drawing a breath, she glanced at him. "Wha…what do you mean?"

His shoulders shrugged as the words just wouldn’t come. CC gave him a pointed look.

Niles sighed, "I thought I would be on top of the world. Mr. and Mrs. Sheffield got married. She’s expecting. One big, happy family again," he rubbed his hands together as he spoke. "I’m happy, but not really happy. Forget it. You wouldn’t understand."

"I do," she answered, surprising him. "Look at me. I’m finally at my ideal weight. I’m rich, successful. I have a job that I love, but when you get right down to it…it’s all meaningless." Her voice trailed off.

"How so?" Niles turned towards her, his eyebrows locked.

"When I spend my day gathering the backers needed, or helping to put it all together and I feel that euphoria that comes with the knowledge that once again I made a difference, it all ends there," CC sighed. "I come home and there’s no one to share it with. No one to tell the little details to. No one."

"You tell me."

CC looked up with realization. "I do? You’re right, I do."

Niles nodded. "Remember when you managed to talk Mr. Haste into backing ‘Annie Get Your Grunge’ even after he found out how we all tricked him into thinking Mrs. Sheffield was you? It took you three long months, but you succeeded like you said you would."

CC’s eyes sparkled. "You remember that? That happened four years ago."

"I remember everything," he said quietly.

"But why?" She was able to ask as her throat constricted with hope.

Niles opened his mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead he managed to say,

"Just because." His eyes raked over hers, dark with emotion.

They stared at each other for a long moment. Afterward, CC couldn’t remember who kissed who first. She only knew she was suddenly in his arms, her cheek pressed against his shoulder as his strength enfolded her. She closed her eyes as she wound her arms around his neck.

"Please say this isn’t a trick Niles," she whispered as she leaned back to look at him. Her body tingled and caught fire where they had touched.

"I’ve never been more serious in my whole life," he said as he looked at her.

They gazed into each other’s eyes for what seemed an eternity. CC felt as if she were drowning in a warm blue lagoon. Her fingers tightened on his shoulders as his eyes slowly traced the curve of her parted lips. And she felt his muscles swell beneath her fingertips as his arms tightened around her.

Then she closed her eyes as his mouth brushed hers in a gentle, almost questioning kiss.

But when she opened her eyes and looked into his, she read the same mounting desire that rocketed through her own body. And she felt breathless as his thumb brushed her mouth and she realized she wanted him to kiss her again.

This time his kiss was firm and hard. And when CC parted her lips, his tongue seized the invitation to explore. He claimed her mouth with a bruising urgency and when he released her, she leaned against him, shaken.

"I’ve been wanting to do that for some time now," Niles murmured against her forehead.

Smiling, CC pressed her cheek against the rough weave of his sweater. "You probably won’t believe this, but I’ve wanted you to do that for some time now."

Clasping his hands behind her waist, Niles grinned wickedly, "Want to become a member of the Mile-High Club?"

CC laughed, "You’re so romantic Niles. How did you know I wanted our first time to be in a tiny bathroom of a 747?"

~~~~

"Fran, why are we doing this? It’s okay for Brighton, but I do have a social life,"

Maggie complained.

"Gabbing with your friends and complaining that your age is higher than your bust size doesn’t sound like much to me," quipped Brighton.

"Will you two stop it. I swear it’s like Niles and Miss Babcock never left," Fran placed her Scrabble tiles down on the board. "There, that’s 27 points for me."

"Soffle?" Maxwell read out loud. "Sweetheart, that is not a word."

"Sure it is," Fran pulled her husband by the collar until her breath warmed his lips. "You are a master at soffling."

"Soffling?" Maggie repeated.

After being thoroughly kissed, Maxwell sat down hard as he tried to focus on his surroundings. Fran smiled after she wiped the corners of her lips and rubbed her finger on her teeth..

"No way, not this time Fran. I have never heard of that word before," Brighton replied.

Fran gave her husband a look.

He leaned forward as he tried to think of something to say. "Brighton, I’m surprised at you. Soffling. To soffle. The act of soffling."

"Okay, now you just repeated that word three times and I still have no clue what it means," his son pointed out.

"You are so cute when you lie for me," Fran enveloped her husband in her arms. She whispered sweet nothings as she kissed him again.

"Not again," Maggie groaned.

"I am out of here. This is like watching a bad episode of 90210," Brighton thought for a beat. "Now that was redundant. By the way, where’s Blossom and how did she escape Family Fun Night?"

"Gracie is up in her room studying. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that," Maggie shook her head.

"Hmm…studying the empty pages of your diary or playing Scrabble with the ‘rents - close call," Brighton grinned as he rushed up the stairs before his big sister could pound him.

~~~~

Niles groaned, "This just isn’t my day."

"If you would have let me haul that woman out of the bathroom like I suggested we wouldn’t be in this predicament," CC replied.

"Bullying people out of the loo isn’t my idea of romance."

"Oh, but shagging in it is?"

Niles grinned. "So I lost my head. I suppose it would be better if we waited."

"I hate not getting my way," CC complained.

He chuckled as he handed her a soft pillow, "Ten more minutes and we’ll be landing…oops!" He made a motion to reach for the pillow that slipped from his grasp.

"Let me…" CC lurched forward at the same moment he did and her head cracked against his.

For a few seconds black spots floated behind CC’s eyes and she wondered if she was going to pass out. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the steady throb of pain where Niles’ head had slammed against hers.

"Are you okay?" Niles’ voice floated to her through the pain.

"I think I have a concussion. Your head is as hard as a bowling ball."

"Well, your head made a dent in my bowling ball."

She opened her eyes slowly and saw the red skin above his left temple. "Did I do that?"

"Yes."

"Wow!" She gingerly touched the spot. "That’s going to be quite a bump. People are going to wonder how that happened."

"What a heartless woman! Is that all you’re worried about - what people will think? What about me?" He pouted half-heartedly.

She adopted an exaggerated expression of concern. "Poor baby," she crooned. "Let me kiss it and make it well again."

His blue eyes glinted with warning, "If you do, I won’t be held liable for the consequences."

She placed her hands on the armrest and leaned forward to press a quick kiss to his swelling forehead. "There. All better?"

Irritation grew in the depths of his eyes and turned down the corners of his mouth.

"No. Maybe we ought to rethink that intimidation ploy of yours and head on to the back of the plane."

CC smiled. "Too late. My offer for a quickie has just expired."

One corner of his mouth tipped up. "Come closer."

His kisses were unhurried, as if he were savoring each one. And CC knew that the pain behind her eyes was worth every throb. She kissed him back as her fingers combed through his hair. With each tiny, tender kiss he stripped away layers of uncertainty and willpower, until he exposed her trembling desire for him. His lips opened a little wider, until he was sucking gently on hers in a tugging motion that sent spirals of pleasure through her. She sighed luxuriously and wound her arms around his neck. He was delectable, flirtatious, and skilled at the art of seduction. Her fingers moved through his hair. It was silkier than she had remembered, flowing through her fingers in a tickling caress.

The voice of the pilot wove its way through their intense concentration on each other and they both gulped for air.

~~~~

"Are you really going to quit your job Niles and work here instead," CC asked as she watched Niles prepare their dinner.

"I’m not sure anymore. I do enjoy it here, but…certain circumstances may change my mind," he answered mysteriously as he handed her plates and silverware.

"Why did you move out of the lodge?"

"I missed having a kitchen nearby," he shrugged. "And besides, Mr. Sheffield insisted I move into his chateau, so I did."

They ate their meal quietly, each in their own thoughts. Later, as they sipped their coffee and Amaretto in the living room, CC asked the question that had been bothering her. "Who is it that changed your mind about working as a butler Niles…was it Dee Dee?"

"Dee Dee? No, there is nothing going on between Dee Dee and I."

"Anymore?"

Niles nodded, "Anymore."

CC’s heart dropped. "So you two…?"

"Last year, yes."

"And now?" She asked as her eyes misted.

"Now nothing. CC, she’s married and I don’t feel anything for her. We saw each other for awhile last year until she broke up with me."

"She broke up with you?" CC asked dully.

"Yes, because she complained I was spending far too much time visiting you at the hospital. And when I wasn’t at the hospital, all I did was talk about you, think about you, and bake about you."

"Bake about me?"

"Yes."

CC lifted her eyes to his thick lashes and her breath caught. He took the snifter from her fingers and placed it on the coffee table. CC curved her arms around his neck and rested her forehead against his. "Niles, I…I…"

He smiled, "Me too."

They looked at each other, and as their smiles faded, CC knew that the teasing had ended. When he kissed her again, her breath quickened and her heart raced against his. She framed his cheeks with her fingers and moaned softly when the heels of his palms pressed against the swell of her breasts. When she drew back from his mouth, her breath was as ragged as his.

Niles’ hands stroked her hair back from her face. "My sixth sense tells me this is the moment I should show you the hot tub." His voice flowed over her like rich, dark honey.

"I think your sixth sense is right," her own voice emerged low and throaty.

Niles nuzzled her ear, "I’ll race you."

CC laughed softly, feeling a tingle spread over her body. "No fair. You know where it is."

The hot tub occupied a large room behind the living room, sharing the same fireplace. Two of the walls were glass, affording an unobstructed view of the valley. On a clear night the village would have twinkled like a chain of Christmas lights. Tonight the lights blurred behind a blowing curtain of snow.

"Being a successful chef has it’s high points. This is a magnificent view."

"It sure is," Niles assured her with a wicked grin.

CC looked over her shoulder and discovered him admiring the curve of her bare buttocks. "I meant out there."

"I’ve seen that view…I’d rather look at you." His gaze moved slowly over her body. Then he pulled her into his arms, covering her mouth with a long lingering kiss as he carried her into the warm inviting water…

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