Chapter One

'So, it's almost Valentine's Day,' Neal pointed out, having met his father for lunch two days before the big day.

'So it is,' his father agreed. He sipped his coffee, not taking his son's bait.

'You, uh, got plans with Belle?' Neal persisted.

'Neal, I don't know whether I should be relieved that you're happy for us or disturbed that you're so interested in my relationship with your very good friend,' Gold commented.

It was all rather odd. Both his son and his daughter-in-law Emma had been behind his relationship with their friend Belle for months, culminating in Neal telling his mother, Gold's ex-wife Milah, when she showed up unexpectedly for Christmas, that Belle was his, Gold's, girlfriend. Gold had been horrified, but Belle had gone along with the ruse to make life easier for him, and it had led to admissions of love from both of them. They'd been almost inseparable ever since.

Neal laughed. 'Come on, I just want you to be happy. You've got plans, right?'

'Yes, we do, so I'm afraid I can't take Henry for the evening.'

Neal held his hands up. 'Wasn't expecting you to. Hey, you've taken him every Valentine's for the last ten years, you go do your thing with Belle. What are you doing anyway?'

'I'm taking her away for a few days.'

'Where?'

'Paris, if you must know,' his father returned.

'Nice,' Neal said, impressed. 'Does she know?'

'No, and you're not to tell her.'

'Hey, my lips are sealed, but she's gonna need her passport.'

'Already sorted. Ariel dropped it by yesterday. Now, all Belle has to do is pack a bag. I'll tell her where we're going tonight.'

'Smooth, so you got it all figured out,' Neal approved.

'Yes, I do,' Gold said, pleased with himself.

'And you guys can go be gross in another country for a couple days.'

Gold rolled his eyes. This again. 'Neal, it is not our fault that you were early for crepes last Sunday. You should have said you were coming before we expected you. It's hardly our fault that you walked into what you walked into.' Which had been very enjoyable, until Neal appeared unannounced, making Belle scream and making Gold annoyed at being interrupted as he was just about to make her scream for an entirely different reason. He wasn't sure he'd ever forgive Neal for that.

'Most people keep that in the bedroom, Papa,' Neal said, making a face.

'Son, I have a very unfortunate memory of you and Emma not keeping it in the bedroom,' Gold countered. 'And that was in my house! Consider last Sunday payback.'

Neal smiled, reminiscing. 'Oh, yeah, I remember that. Ok, Papa, I guess that's fair,' he said contritely. 'I shoulda called to say I was stopping by early. You and Belle need your space. I knew she stayed over Saturday nights.'

Gold smiled. 'Apology accepted. Now, I'm sorry, son, but I've got to get back. I've got a meeting with that Gaston fella, and he has a partner he wants me to meet as well.'

'No problem, Papa,' Neal said, 'but before you go, I just wanna tell you it's totally cool with me if my very good friend becomes my stepmom in the near future.'

Gold studied his son. 'Yeah?'

Neal smiled. 'Yeah. You got a ring?'

Gold smiled. 'I might have.'

Neal grinned. 'Nice. Well, I gotta get back too. See you later, Papa.'

Gold watched his son go, smiling fondly.

0

'Mr Gold, Ms French is here to see you.'

'Oh, send her in. Thank you, Kathryn.'

The door opened and in walked Belle. Gold was walking across the room to meet her.

'Sweetheart, what a lovely surprise,' he greeted, kissing her. 'What brings you by?'

'Well, I met Ariel for lunch, and it's my half day anyway, so I thought I'd come and surprise you.' And she draped her arms around his neck, smiling at him.

'Well, you've certainly done that,' he said, and smiled. 'And I'd love to just escape with you for the rest of the afternoon, but I've got a meeting in a few minutes that I really can't skip.'

She sighed. 'Well, can't blame a girl for trying.'

'I'm very glad you did,' he said. 'I've missed you today, and I'd much rather be with you, but this meeting might prove very beneficial financially.'

'Well, then, of course you can't just blow it off, and I wouldn't expect you to. You'll come by later?'

'Wild horses wouldn't keep me away,' he said, putting his arm around her and walking her to the door.

'I love you,' she said.

He kissed her. 'I love you too.'

He opened the door to show her out, and he vaguely registered two figures in suits standing up, but he was still focused on Belle, especially when she tensed as she looked at the two men.

'Greg? Father?'

Gold looked from Belle to his next appointment. Greg Gaston he already knew, but the portly man with cropped grey hair, he had never met before. This must be Gaston's partner, and Belle's father, the father she didn't get along with, the father who belittled her and sneered at her every opportunity he got. Ah, so this was that Greg, he realised, the Greg her father had wanted her to marry and she'd refused.

'Belle?' Mr French asked.

She turned into Gold now, looking beseechingly up at him.

'That's your father?' he asked her.

She nodded, and he could see that she just wanted to run. She had been brave to cut the man out of her life, but now she was face to face with him when she didn't expect to be: of course she was panicking.

'It's alright,' he promised: 'it's gonna be alright.' She'd helped him deal with his ex-wife last Christmas, and now he could do the same for her.

'Mr Gaston; Mr French, please come in and sit down. We need to have a little chat.'

'Uh, Mr Gold, we're here to discuss business,' Gaston began.

'Ah, well, we'll have to see about that, given the circumstances.'

'What circumstances?' French demanded. 'What's my daughter doing here?'

'Your daughter, for all that you've been a father to her, is my girlfriend, and I know all about you, Mr French. Come in and sit down, please: I won't ask again.'

Gaston and French filed in. Belle looked away from her father's glare.

'Kathryn, please bring Belle some tea,' Gold requested, 'nothing for our visitors: they won't be here long.'

'Yes, Mr Gold,' Kathryn said, standing.

Gold led Belle back in to his office. Holding her hand, he led her to the couch opposite where French and Gaston were sitting. He kept hold of her hand when they sat down, stroking his thumb comfortingly over the back of it.

'I didn't realise who you were when we met, Mr Gaston,' Gold began. 'Belle never mentioned your last name, just that her father had wanted her to marry a man named Greg, whom she didn't love, for what I can only assume to be financial gain.

'You treat your daughter like collateral in a business deal, French?' he demanded.

'It's none of your business,' French claimed.

'I've made it my business,' Gold snapped.

'What the hell do you think you're doing here, Belle?' French demanded.

'I'm living my life the way I've chosen to live it,' she returned, taking strength from the man at her side.

'He's old enough to be your father,' he sneered. 'If you wanted money, Greg would have provided for you.'

'I never loved Greg!' she cried, 'and I'm not in a relationship with Tristan for his money.'

French snorted, rolling his eyes.

'I would be very, very careful how you proceed here, Mr French,' Gold said with quiet authority. 'This woman is everything to me, and I will not put up with your attempts to belittle or bully her, do you understand me?'

There was a knock at the door then and Kathryn entered with Belle's tea.

'Will there be anything else, Mr Gold?' she asked as she set the tray down.

'Cancel everything for the rest of the day, please, Kathryn, and please ask Dove to come up here.'

'Certainly, Mr Gold.'

'Thank you, Kathryn.'

She went, and Gold focused on making Belle's tea.

'I'm a very powerful man, as I'm sure both of you know, so it's really not a good idea to make me angry when you need my help,' Gold said, after a pregnant pause.

'We want you to negotiate a deal for us,' Gaston corrected.

'Same thing,' Gold said, shrugging. 'Here you go, sweetheart,' he said to Belle, handing her her tea.

'Thank you,' she murmured, taking the cup from him. She'd never seen the deal maker in action before. He was rather compelling. He was clearly the one in control here. It was very attractive, and she'd tell him that if she weren't face to face with her father and seeing him again wasn't upsetting her.

'You need me,' Gold said to Gaston, 'because I'm good at what I do, and I can handle George King. Nobody knows their way around a deal like I do, and that's your luck out, because I don't deal with bullies.'

Gaston shifted in his seat, showing his nervousness. 'That's unfortunate, Mr Gold, for you. This would have been a lucrative deal, involved a big fee for you.'

'Yes, it would have,' Gold agreed, 'but, uh, without me, you've got very little chance of making that deal, so it seems that the ones really losing out here are you.'

'Oh, we'll just take our account to Regina Mills,' Gaston said easily.

'Oh, by all means,' Gold said, just as easily. 'You're welcome to. Regina's very good, but then she would be, because I taught her everything she knows. She's not me, but she's very good.'

'Well, then,' Gaston said. 'I believe we're done here.' He moved to stand.

'Ah, not quite,' Gold said, holding up his hand. 'As I said, I'm a very powerful man. I know a lot of people: I can make things happen…or not happen. I can call Regina, tell her not to work with you. I can call any negotiator and put them off working with you. The wheels of business don't turn without me, you see, so…' He spread his hands, leaving the two men to figure out the rest for themselves.

'You'd keep us from doing anything because of Belle,' Gaston said.

'Very good,' Gold said, nodding.

'This is no way to do business, Gold,' French said.

'You're not in a position to lecture me on how things are done, French,' Gold returned.

'What do you want?' Gaston asked reasonably: 'how can we bridge this impasse? We need to be able to do business, Gold.'

'Belle and I will have to talk about that,' Gold said, taking her hand. 'And now we're done here. We'll be in touch. Good afternoon, gentlemen.'

He stood and Belle stood with him. She stared her father down, finding courage from Tristan's touch, and he looked away first. It felt good to have someone in her corner: she hadn't had that when she'd had to fight him years ago.

The door opened and Mr Dove entered. He was a tall, rather severe-looking man, but Belle had known him a while now, and she knew he was devoted to Tristan. He seemed to have a fondness for her too, especially now that she and Tristan were dating. She knew she had nothing to fear from the man, but her father and Greg looked rather uncomfortable.

'Ah, Dove, thank you for coming so promptly,' Gold said. 'Ms French and I would like you to show these gentlemen out.'

'Certainly, Mr Gold,' Dove said: 'Ms French.' He tilted his head respectfully to her, and she realised that he and Tristan were investing her with authority here.

'Thank you, Dove,' she said softly.

'Will there be anything else, miss?' he asked politely.

'No, thank you, not for the moment.'

He nodded. 'Very good. Gentlemen?'

Intimidated by his presence, Gaston and French hurried out. The door closed behind them, and Belle and Gold were left alone.

'Alright?' Gold asked, rubbing her arm.

She nodded. 'How much was that deal worth to you?' she asked.

He shook his head. 'It doesn't matter. You're worth more than any number of deals.'

'How much, Tristan?' she asked again.

'Somewhere about twenty million,' he said, figuring she wouldn't let it go until he told her.

Her eyes widened. 'God. That's…a lot of money.'

'It's only money,' he said, pulling her closer. 'I'd much prefer to see you happy, sweetheart.'

'You're…you're amazing, you know that?'

'That's always nice to hear,' he said, smiling. 'You think about what you want from them and I'll make sure you get it.'

She shook her head. 'I don't need anything from them except for them not to be around,' she said. 'You preventing them from doing business isn't going to make my father treat me better. He might apologise because you made him, but he wouldn't mean it. I don't care any more anyway. I don't need that man in my life. The only thing I could think of that he could give me would be…' She shook her head. 'It doesn't matter: he'd never give them to me.'

'What does he have?' he asked. 'Tell me and I'll make sure you get them.'

'My mother's books,' she said, 'and some other things he kept. He only kept them because he knew I'd want them.' Her lips trembled and tears sparkled on her lashes.

'Sweetheart,' he murmured, pulling her closer. 'We'll get them back. Why didn't you tell me, love?'

'They're just things, really,' she said, sniffling, 'but they were hers, and he doesn't care about them like I do.'

'Then of course you shall have them, my precious,' he promised, kissing the top of her head.

'Thank you,' she murmured, 'and thank you for what you said to them. I've never seen you in action before: it's very impressive.'

He smiled. 'It's all an act,' he confessed. 'I'm good at it, and it's served me well, but there are more important things in life. Speaking of those more important things, have you packed yet?'

'Not yet,' she said. 'I was sort of hoping you could tell me where we're going so I'd know what to pack.'

He smiled. 'You mean reveal all my secrets? I don't know about that, now.'

She giggled. 'You're going to have to tell me eventually.'

'This is true,' he agreed. 'I have an idea, why don't we go check out what's in your closet that you might need, hmm?'

'What, now?'

'Right now.'

'But don't you have to work?'

'I cancelled everything else for today, remember?'

'I thought you just meant meetings. Don't you have other work to do?'

'Nothing that can't wait, sweetheart. Let's escape!' And he grinned.

'I'd love to escape with you,' she murmured.

He kissed her.

'Come on, let's go,' he said, taking her hand.

She laughed. 'You're so much fun,' she said then, smiling at him.

'I'm glad to hear it,' he said, hugging her to him as he led her out.

'Kathryn, I'm going to take Belle home. Do you have plans with Fred for Valentine's Day?'

'He tells me he has something up his sleeve,' she said, smiling.

'Good, well, go get started on that early. I won't be back today, and you know Belle and I will be away for the rest of the week, so there's no reason for you to be here either. Take a break, paid, of course. I'll see you on Monday.'

'Thank you, Mr Gold,' Kathryn replied, pleased.

'Bye Kathryn,' Belle said, smiling.

'Have a nice vacation, Ms French, and you too, Mr Gold.'

Gold smiled and led Belle towards the elevator.

'That was nice of you,' Belle murmured.

Gold smiled. 'Kathryn's the best assistant anyone could ask for. I like to keep her happy.'

Belle smiled.

0

'Ok, let's see here,' Gold said, opening her closet. 'Well, you'll need a coat, a pair of boots for walking, gloves and a scarf, jeans and jumpers, a hat. Then for evening, a couple of dresses, those high heels you love so much, another coat, and whatever else you think you'll need.'

Belle smiled. 'So, you gonna take me out to a fancy restaurant for dinner?' she asked.

He smiled cryptically. 'Mmm, that could be on the cards.'

'And, uh, what about the evenings we don't go out: what should I pack for those?'

He slipped his arms around her waist. 'Well I wouldn't think you'd need to pack very much for those, but why don't you surprise me, hmm?'

She giggled. 'A surprise it is,' she said, and kissed him. 'Now, go sit down or you'll distract me and I'll forget something.'

He smiled and did as she bade him, lying on the bed and watching her select things from her closet and put them in her suitcase.

'I could get used to this, you know,' he said.

'What's that?'

'You packing so I can take you on a trip.'

'Much as I'd love to travel the world with you, darling, we both have to work.' And she closed her suitcase. 'Ok, I just need toiletries and a few other things, which I can sort out later.' She lifted her suitcase down off the bed and lay down beside him.

'I know you love the library,' Gold said softly, 'but if I wanted to show you the world, would you let me?'

She studied him. 'You mean take a leave of absence so we could travel together?' she asked. He nodded. 'What about you? You can't just leave your work.'

'Actually, I could leave it very easily,' he said, taking her hand. 'This thing between us has made me rethink my priorities.' He intertwined their fingers. 'I could leave it all behind tomorrow, Belle, for you.'

'Tristan,' she breathed, her heart beating fast. 'Your life's work… Would you really just let all that go?'

'In a heartbeat,' he said.

'But why?'

'Because I love you, and I'm not getting any younger. I want a life. I want it with you.'

'Me too,' she said, possibilities for paths and adventures they could take together forming in her mind. She bit her lip, excited at the prospect of travelling with him, of a life with him. It had been less than two months since they got together, but she knew she wanted to be with him forever.

Gold smiled and kissed her. She rolled onto her back and pulled him to her, hooking her leg around his.

'Love you,' she breathed. 'Want you.'

They undressed and made love. Gold had it on the tip of his tongue to ask her to marry him, but he managed not to. Just a few days, he told himself: he only had to wait a few more days.

'Tristan!' Belle cried. He was so deep inside her, and it felt absolutely incredible. This intensity, on top of all that talk about showing her the world, had her head spinning.

'You feel so good, angel,' he breathed. 'So tight, so warm. I can't hold on. God! Come for me, my beautiful Belle: let me feel you.'

His thrusts were harder now, faster, his hips circling into her, grinding against her, making everything feel good, and she broke around him with a loud wail of his name, which made him come, shouting her name too.

'Oh, God,' Belle gasped, as they rode their orgasms out together. 'Tristan, that was amazing.'

He kissed her shoulders and breasts and neck. 'You're incredible,' he breathed. 'Nothing feels so good as making love with you.'

'You're so good at it,' she said, only half aware of what she was saying, but she wouldn't have taken it back anyway.

He laughed a bit. 'And so are you.' He sighed. 'Ah, Belle, you make me feel twenty years younger.'

She giggled. 'No one would guess you were any older than me with your energy.'

He hummed, amused. 'I'm just happy to be able to keep up with you.'

'Me? I'm lucky I can keep up with you!'

He laughed and hugged her, both of them quiet as they cuddled together.

After a while, Belle kissed his cheek.

'I'm gonna take a shower. You wanna join me?'

'And you say you're lucky you can keep up with me?' he asked.

She giggled and stood up. She got to the bathroom door and turned.

'Aren't you coming?'

He jumped up and chased after her, making her laugh and then squeal when he caught up with her.

0

'Ok, that's everything,' Belle said. She'd finished packing her suitcase and she was dressed to go with Tristan.

'Oh, not quite,' he said.

'No? What else do I need?' She thought it all through. 'No, I'm sure I've got everything, Tristan.'

He came towards her, his hand in his coat pocket. He was smiling.

'You're gonna need this,' he said, producing her passport.

'My passport? How did you get that?' Her eyes widened. 'Wait, where are you taking me?'

'Well, I was gonna tell you, but I think I'll keep you in suspense a bit longer.'

'Tristan!' she cried. 'Where are we going?' she demanded.

He only laughed. 'You'll see,' he said then. 'Are you ready to go?'

'We're leaving right now?' she asked.

'We are. My bag's already in the car.'

She stared at him. 'I didn't know you were so sneaky.'

He smirked. 'Well, as they say, you ain't seen nothin' yet.'

'Oh, my God, what else have you got planned?'

He shook his head. 'You'll see.'

'Tristan Gold, you are…the most amazing man I've ever met,' she said, grabbing the lapels of his coat and pulling him to her.

She reached up and kissed him deeply. He kissed her back for a long moment, but then pulled back.

'Much as I'd love to continue that, we need to get going. We're on a schedule.'

He pulled away and grabbed her suitcase. 'Well, shall we?'

She smiled brightly and took his hand.

0

'A private jet? What on earth?'

Gold smiled at Belle as they crossed the Tarmac to the plane that was waiting for them.

'Welcome, Mr Gold; Ms French,' the pilot greeted. 'Please.' He gestured to them to board, which they did, and were welcomed by two stewardesses.

Belle was amazed at the comfort of the cabin. Looking around, she saw two comfortable seats, a table between them, a drinks cabinet, and a screen on the wall. How the other half lives, she mused to herself.

'Tristan, I can't believe all this,' she said, turning to look at him. 'You didn't have to go to all this trouble.'

'I wanted to,' he said. 'You're worth all of this and more, Belle. Now, let's sit down. Are you hungry?'

'I couldn't eat right now,' she demurred, 'I'm too excited.'

He smiled.

'Perhaps you'd like a drink, Ms French?' one of the stewardesses, who'd introduced herself as Elsa, suggested.

'Actually, that would be amazing,' Belle said, feeling like maybe a drink would calm her down. She wasn't nervous, but Tristan had thrown a lot of surprises at her in a short space of time, and she wanted to relax so she could savour them.

Elsa smiled. 'What would you like?'

'Um…'

'How about some Champagne?' Gold suggested.

Belle smiled and agreed.

Elsa poured two glasses. Gold took them and handed one to Belle.

'What shall we drink to?' he asked.

'To you, for doing all of this,' she said.

'Or to you for making me brave enough to do all this,' he countered.

She smiled.

'How about to us,' he said then, 'to the first of our adventures together.'

She clinked her glass against his. 'Cheers.'

'Cheers, sweetheart.'

0

They'd been in the air for a few hours. Their pilot had just come on to say that they would reach their destination in about another hour. Belle was disgruntled because she couldn't get any information about where they were going from anyone.

'How about a hint?' she wheedled.

Gold laughed. 'If I give you a hint, you'll guess it immediately, you're that clever. It's not much longer, my sweet. You'll see soon enough. Come here,' he requested then, holding out his hand to her.

Belle debated whether she would or not, but in the end, she just couldn't resist him. She stood and let him pull her into his lap.

'Mmm, that's better,' he murmured, burying his face in her hair. 'You smell wonderful.'

She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. 'So do you. I wanna wear that shirt in the morning.'

He squeezed her a bit. 'You know I love it when you wear my shirts.'

'I love having your smell on me,' she said.

He kissed her neck. 'I love knowing that means you're mine,' he murmured.

She smiled, stroking her fingers through his hair.

Nearly an hour later the captain came on the radio again.

'Ms French; Mr Gold, we'll be landing soon, but it's a clear night, so if you look to your right, you should get your first glimpse of our destination.'

Belle craned her neck to look back over her shoulder. Gold pushed a button to move the seats around, and now they could both see city lights.

'Where are we?' Belle wondered, trying to figure it out.

Gold leaned over to her. 'Look over there, sweetheart,' he breathed in her ear: 'do you recognise that?'

He'd pointed to a rather famous landmark, one that Belle would almost certainly know.

She gasped. 'The Eiffel Tower! Paris?' She looked at Gold. 'You brought me to Paris for Valentine's Day?'

He smiled. 'Surprise.'

She kissed him; then pulled back. 'Oh, you…' She couldn't find words, so she kissed him again.

He pulled away, laughing. 'I take it you're pleased?'

'Pleased? Are you kidding me? I can't believe you did all this. I mean, Paris… Tristan, this must be costing you a fortune!'

'You're worth it,' he said. 'Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart.'

She stroked his cheek. 'Happy Valentine's Day, love.' She kissed him again.