This one gets reposted with a thousand thank-you's to Red, who reminded me that no, I hadn't brought everything over to MLA. Thanks for bringing this one to light - reading it over made me smile.
Usual disclaimer apply. I own nothing but my own imagination.
NIGHT AT THE NEEDLE
Beth leaned back against the soft leather seat in Josef’s Gulfstream and glared at Mick. He sat across from her, arms slung carelessly over the back of the long seat, one booted foot balanced on the opposite knee. He sent her one of his crooked little-boy half smiles that made things inside her tighten with desire. She was annoyed, but what the man could do to her with that smile!
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
Mick shook his head. “Nope-it’s surprise.”
Beth rolled her eyes at him and turned her attention to Josef, whose head was bent over his Blackberry. He was trying to pretend he wasn’t eavesdropping on their conversation without much success.
“Ok…spill it, Konstantin. I know you know what’s going on—this has your fingerprints all over it.”
Josef looked up briefly from the stock reports rolling over the small screen in his hand and smirked at Beth. “I don’t think so, Ms. Turner. I like my head where it is, thank you very much.” The two vampires shared a smug look. Beth briefly considered getting up and shaking both of them, but the plane shuddered through a patch of turbulence and she immediately abandoned that thought. She really hated flying.
“This vampire solidarity thing is getting very old, gentlemen. YOU,” she jabbed a finger at Mick, “practically kidnapped me from Buzzwire, and YOU,” then pointing the finger at Josef, “hustled me onto this plane and are currently flying me to God knows where—with no luggage, I might add.”
Mick shifted positions and leaned forward. Capturing one of her small hands with his, he brought it to his lips and kissed it lavishly. Beth snatched hers away and pouted as she swiveled her seat back towards the window. Mick pressed his lips together to keep from laughing out loud; he wondered if she realized how absolutely adorable she when she pouted. He prudently decided to keep the thought to himself—she no doubt would not appreciate having it pointed out to her at that moment.
The co-pilot eased himself through the cockpit door and addressed himself to Josef.
“We should be landing in Seattle in approximately 20 minutes, sir.”
Josef shut off his Blackberry. “Excellent. Thank you.”
The co-pilot dipped his head and returned to the cockpit. Beth stared back and forth between Mick and Josef, her mouth dropping open.
“SEATTLE?? What in God’s name are we doing in Seattle?” She wished she could knock the two grinning vampires’ heads together, but she doubted either of them would stand still long enough to let her do it.
“You realize it’s cold in Seattle right now. You also realize it rains nine months out of the year in Seattle. I get REALLY cranky when I get wet.”
Mick’s grin was mischievous.
“You didn’t seem cranky this morning in the shower when we…”
“MICK!” Beth blushed to the roots of her hairline and shot a glance over at Josef, who was desperately wishing to be deaf at that particular moment. Mick winked at the older vampire.
“What? You don’t wanna hear about the cute noises she makes when…”
Josef shot up a hand.
“Please. I’m begging here. It’s bad enough to be aware that the two of you engage in sexual congress. I REALLY don’t need the details of said congress.”
Beth hid her face in her hands and wished the floor under her would open up and swallow her. Mick laughed out loud and Beth thrilled to the sound, in spite of herself. Since they’d become lovers, she had slowly made Mick see himself the way she saw him—as a good man. He would always be vampire, but the more he accepted that part of himself, the more light-hearted he became. Beth got more and more glimpses of the man he must have been before being turned.
The captain’s voice came over the cabin’s speakers, announcing their imminent arrival in Seattle. Josef let out a sigh of relief.
“Thank God—saved by the bell.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth wrapped her wet hair in a towel and bundled herself into the fluffy white hotel robe. Even though she’d peppered them both with questions in the back of the sleek white limousine that whisked them away from the airport and to the hotel, Mick and Josef had remained mysterious as to the reason they’d come to Seattle. She padded into the main part of the opulent suite, barely feeling the thick soft carpet under her feet. Unwrapping the towel, she rubbed at her hair as she searched for Mick.
“Mick?” she called out. “You know I don’t like surprises—are you going to tell me where we’re going tonight?” As she padded out into the hotel suite, she jumped and dropped the towel when she found Josef standing in the window overlooking Elliot Bay.
“Josef! For God’s sake, what are you DOING here? And where’s Mick?”
Josef turned to her, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. “Nice look for you, Ms. Turner. I hope that’s not what you’re planning to wear this evening.”
Beth sighed loudly, completely exasperated.
“Since I wasn’t even given a chance to pack a clean pair of underwear when we left L.A., I hardly have a choice—and what on earth are you talking about? And don’t make me ask you again where Mick is,” she said, slanting an irritated look at the old vampire.
“Now you know I’m not going to tell you that, Ms. Turner. Mick is otherwise engaged and I’ve been given the unenviable task of getting you ready.” Josef nodded towards the bedroom. “Take a look in there. I believe you’ll find everything in there that you’ll need.”
Beth turned on her heel and stomped into the bedroom. “Oh for crying out loud—I swear, I am going to….strangle…”
Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of the boxes and bags spread out on the bed. Investigating, she found everything she’d need for a night out on the town—strappy high-heeled sandals, a lovely shawl, lacy undergarments, even make-up.
“I hope I didn’t miss anything,” Josef’s voice said from behind her and Beth started.
“You picked all this stuff up?” Heat suffused her face as she pictured the suave Josef gliding through Victoria’s Secret, picking out her underwear. Josef huffed, thoroughly insulted.
“Really Ms. Turner. I have people to handle that for me.”
Beth crossed her arms over her chest and pinned Josef with a glare.
“Well, unless the laws on indecency are different in Washington State than they are in California, you seemed to have missed an extremely important part of my wardrobe—I need a dress. I can’t very well go traipsing through Seattle in my underwear.”
Josef raised an auburn brow and raked his gaze over Beth, making her blush furiously. She hated it when Josef teased her—he always made her feel like a giddy high school girl instead of a savvy news reporter.
“I’m sure you would turn more than a few heads, darling, but,” he jerked his head towards the closet, “I think you’ll find that more to your liking.”
Curiosity getting the better of her, Beth walked over to the closet and opened the door.
“Ohhh…oh my. Oh. My. This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!” She pulled the dress out of the closet. Ice blue silk with a halter top and a gathered waist, it was stunning. Beth hurried over to the full-length mirror and held the dress against her. She carefully placed the dress on the bed, spreading the folds of the skirt to their fullest. She unbelted the robe and realized just before she dropped it to the floor that Josef leaned negligently against the doorjamb of the bedroom, surveying her from under hooded eyes. Beth clutched the robe to her.
“JOSEF! Do you MIND??” Josef smirked at her and walked out into the main part of the suite.
“Hurry up, Ms. Turner. The limo won’t wait forever.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth scowled at Josef from her seat across from him. She was currently riding in the back of a sleek black limousine that was speeding her through the downtown Seattle core. The February night was windy but tolerable; at least it wasn’t raining.
“Aren’t you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“Where YOU’RE going, Ms. Turner. I’m just the errand boy this evening.” Josef looked out the window as the limo slowed, then came to a stop. “Ah! We’ve arrived. Have a good time, Beth,” he said as the driver opened the door and held out his hand for Beth. Beth stepped out and tilted her head up to look at the tall thin structure.
“Where am I?”
The driver smiled as he guided her towards the door at the base of the structure He opened the door for her. “The Space Needle, miss. Go through that door there and give them your name—they’re expecting you.”
Beth wrapped her silver shawl around her tighter and hurried through the door. Heading towards the counter, she addressed herself to the young woman behind it.
“Hi. I’m Beth Turner and…”
The young woman gave her a dazzling smile. “Ah yes, Miss Turner! We’ve been waiting for you. If you please…” She got up and led Beth to the elevator, and pushed the button. When the doors slid open, she waved Beth forward.
“Go up to the Observation Deck. Have a wonderful time, Miss Turner.”
Beth had a brief moment to wonder at the conspiratorial look on the woman’s face before the door slid closed. She realized as the elevator ascended that the back of the elevator was glass. She watched the city’s lights become smaller and smaller as the elevator whisked her up 520 feet to the Observation Deck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth stepped off the elevator and looked around quizzically. What on earth was she doing up here?
“Hey,” a familiar voice sounded quietly from behind her. Mick stepped out of the shadows and Beth’s jaw dropped open. He looked so handsome in a black Kenneth Cole suit and a blue shirt that was almost the same shade as her dress. His wavy dark hair shifted slightly in the February breeze and eyes the color of the Pacific Northwest ocean were warm with admiration as they took her in.
“Hey yourself.” Beth’s shawl had slipped down, leaving her shoulders bare. Mick had to swallow hard at the vision she presented. The ice blue of the dress made her blue eyes sparkle and her creamy skin glow. She’d pulled her hair back with a jeweled clip that sparkled as it caught the light. He once again wondered what stars had aligned, what higher power had interceded in his dark life to bring her to him. As always, he was humbled by her.
“Mick, what is going on? Why are we here?”
“I wanted to do something special for my girl.” Grinning, he held out a hand and she took it. Beth suddenly realized that they were the only two people on the deck. Mick walked her over to the edge of the deck to look out over the city. Lights from the ferry and other boats bobbed on Elliot Bay and the city’s skyline lit up the night.
“We have dinner reservations at the restaurant but I wanted to bring you up here first. I wanted to share one of my favorite spots with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”
Beth blushed prettily. Mick took her other hand and turned her to face him.
“Beth…” he swallowed and Beth noticed with a bit of surprise that he seemed suddenly nervous. Clearing his throat, Mick tried again.
“Beth…I love you.”
“I love you too, Mick, but…”
Mick interrupted. “Beth, please. Let me finish before I lose my nerve.”
Beth’s eyes danced as she pressed her lips together.
“You were only a child when I first saw you, first held you in my arms. Even then, you held my heart in your hands.” Mick took a deep breath. “Before your mother walked into my office, I was dead inside. My heart didn’t beat, my soul didn’t exist. You gave my life a purpose—protecting you made me want to live again, made me want to be a better man. You made me want to rise above the horrible things I’d done since I became a vampire and be the guardian angel you thought me to be.”
Mick fluidly dropped to one knee and drew out a black velvet box at the same time. Opening it, he held it out to Beth, whose tears spilled from wide blue eyes and dripped down her cheeks.
“Your love for me made my heart beat again. Your faith in me gave me back my soul. I’ve loved you for years and never in my wildest dreams thought that you could love me in return. And you gave me something I never thought I’d have again—hope.” Mick looked up at Beth, his eyes soft with his love for her.
“Will you marry me, Beth?”
Beth closed her eyes and Mick held his breath. If she turned him down…
“Yes,” came her soft answer. Mick rose to his feet and tilted Beth’s chin up so he could see her eyes. Beth smiled as she answered his look with one full of love.
“Yes, Mick. I’ll marry you.”
Taking the box from her nerveless fingers, Mick kissed the ring finger of her left hand before slipping the diamond solitaire on her hand. Beth held her hand up so the ring caught the light. Two blood-red rubies sat on either side of the one-carat diamond. She threw her arms around Mick’s neck and kissed him soundly.
“Come on. Let’s go back to the hotel.”
Mick put up a token protest. “But what about dinner?”
The look Beth gave him made his body tighten in response.
“I suddenly find myself hungry for something other than dinner. Come on, Mick. Let’s go home.”
I remember this! What a lovely and romantic MickBeth tale! Thanks for the sweet nightcap. 
Considering some of my stuff is kinda dark, I'm glad this made you smile.
, and Thank you Red for reminding PNWgal of that delightful story.
