The plan, which had originally began forming at her weekly lunch with Riley Lo last week, had concreted itself while Lelah and Daniel were in Hollywood for the Oscars.? 21twelve had been honored with a slew of technical awards, mostly for Ori Simon's amazing special effects work for 'A Murder of Crowes', and she had been so proud of him and his crew as they snapped up everything they'd been nominated for. And then the big deal?the Best Director award. The competition was tough this year and no one thought that Lelah would actually win it. When Michael Douglas read her name, she sat in her seat, utterly stunned and immobile at being the recipient. Finally, Daniel's urgings broke through her disbelief and allowed her to go up on stage. She hadn't prepared a speech, so she winged it.
Being up on that stage, accepting her second Oscar for Best Director had helped make a bunch of things crystal clear to her.? One being that she was finally a success at her chosen craft. Her fans recognized it and so did the critics.? Two, opening the studios and dumping every last cent she had into them had been a master stroke of brilliance.? Three, moving to Rhy'Din and leaving behind LA and even New York had been the best move she had ever made. And four, she loved Daniel more than she thought she was ever capable of loving anything or anyone.? Looking down into that audience and seeing his gorgeous smiling face looking back up at her made her realize that she finally had everything she had ever wanted in life.
So what if she cried on stage when thanking him and dedicating that statuette to him?? So what if they were bombarded with questions from reporters and followed by paparazzi all wanting to know who the mysterious man with the haunted grey eyes was?? So what if the journey to that moment had been long and arduous, and had almost ended in her premature death? It was all worth it.
When she and Daniel returned to Rhy'Din early Monday morning, the first thing she did when she arrived in the office was ask Liv to help her arrange tonight's dinner...and to keep the secret.? Thankfully, Daniel and Liv didn't often come into contact with each other; although Lelah trusted Liv with her life?often quite literally?she knew that her Leopard would smell Liv's attempts at secret keeping and would ferret it out of her before Tuesday night.? So while Lelah was sitting in with her cast and crew during the first day of the final week of rehearsals, Liv was off working her magic?cajoling people into doing rush jobs, finding certain items, sneaking into Daniel and Lelah's house to leave those items, and generally being the best PA a director could ever wish for.
Everything was ready for her Tuesday evening when she went home a couple of hours early.? Lelah immediately headed into the kitchen, whipped up a batch of lemon cupcakes and a bowl of rosewater frosting to go over the top of them.? While the cupcakes were baking, she set a very romantic table, using her best linens, crystal goblets, and a Waterford vase filled with tulips in a deep magenta pink.? She scattered rose petals from the front door into the kitchen where the table was located, turned down all the lights and set out candles in strategic places.
Then she began making dinner?rare porterhouse steaks; roasted, smashed, rosemary-garlic-sea salt-olive oil potatoes; and fresh asparagus?and while everything was cooking, she dashed upstairs to change.? She had the perfect dress--one in a deep pink that matched the tulips on the table perfectly.? It reminded her of a sari she'd seen in New Delhi once.? She paired it with gold bangles and chandelier earrings, sparkling golden stilettos, and carefully did her makeup.? After dressing, she returned downstairs, lit the candles in the living room and kitchen, and sat down at the table to wait Daniel's arrival.
The restaurant had been packed almost all day long today.? Apparently, people figured that since Leap Day happened only once every four years, that made it a perfect day to go somewhere fancy.? Not that he minded.? He was thrilled to see that many people in and around the Hotel, and he knew Riley and David were, too.? It did, however, make for a very long and continuously busy day.? The kitchen did so much cooking that he had to call in several sous-chefs and preparers who would've normally been off that day, and everyone was still exhausted and ragged by closing time.? Well, everyone but him.? Supernatural stamina was a hell of a handy thing to have.
It was around eight by the time he turned onto the path that led to their cabin.? It was the last week of rehearsals for Getting Over Alyson, so he figured Lelah wouldn't be home until late.? It came as something of a surprise, then, when he saw what looked like flickering candle flames through the living room window.? Brow furrowed inquisitively, he opened the front door, nostrils flaring as the rich smell of steak rolled out, followed by potatoes and asparagus.? Along with the food smells came the familiar vanilla and citrus that always made up Lelah's perfume, and under that, Lelah herself.? She smelled excited and nervous, hopeful and...randy.? The wanton scent set his heart beating faster immediately, and he went inside somewhat faster than he'd approached the door.? "Lelah?"
There was a path of deep pink rose petals on the floor leading from the front door into the kitchen, with votive candles burning in small cups to light the way.? Through the arch that led into the kitchen came more flickering candlelight and the edge of a well-laid table could be seen.? "I'm in here," she said quietly, knowing perfectly that he could hear her without any strain.
What on earth was going on?? Rose petals on the floor?? It was something big, whatever it was.? She'd clearly gone to a lot of effort to set this up.? He followed the petal-and-candle path into the kitchen, pausing in the doorway as he got his first sight of her.? She looked even more gorgeous and perfect than usual, he thought, pupils expanding as he drank her in.? "What's all this?" he asked, voice soft, but curiosity and excitement making the growl in it stand out.
At one time in her life, that growl in his voice would have unnerved her.? But now, after nine months together, the only thing unnerving was the depth of the passion it stirred up within her.? She stood and moved slowly to his side, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and drawing him closer for a tender, but quite passionate, kiss.? When they finally broke apart, she whispered against his mouth, "It's dinner.? Have a seat."
Her kiss sent a thrill of desire and pleasure through him, breath speeding up, nostrils full of the heady scent of her.? His hands fell to her waist, and it was with great reluctance that he let go when she told him to sit.? He sat, watching her unblinkingly.
She sat down, poured him a glass of Shiraz, and then nodded to the perfectly arranged plate in front of him.? "Dig in," she said with a grin, and then cut a slice of steak and chewed it with gusto.?
Curiosity warred with hunger inside him, but in the end, his stomach won out.? He knew she would tell him what was going on when she was ready to.? And the food smelled heavenly.? Leopard was already urging him to grab and bite into the steak, forgoing any silverware, eat his fill, and then take his mate, who was clearly receptive.? He was stronger than Leopard, though, and picked up his fork and knife to cut the steak.? After all the work Lelah'd done on it, he wasn't going to rush through dinner.? He put the first slice in his mouth, closing his eyes and chewing.? A soft, pleased growl escaped his throat.
She smiled at him from across the table and watched him eating for a few moments before asking, "How was your day?"? It was a ritual with them, a comfortable thing now, this forcing themselves to go into real detail about what had happened during their work days, rather than just saying something bland and banal.? She found herself purposefully storing away little anecdotes throughout the day so she could retell them to Daniel that night over dinner or just before bed.
Being up on that stage, accepting her second Oscar for Best Director had helped make a bunch of things crystal clear to her.? One being that she was finally a success at her chosen craft. Her fans recognized it and so did the critics.? Two, opening the studios and dumping every last cent she had into them had been a master stroke of brilliance.? Three, moving to Rhy'Din and leaving behind LA and even New York had been the best move she had ever made. And four, she loved Daniel more than she thought she was ever capable of loving anything or anyone.? Looking down into that audience and seeing his gorgeous smiling face looking back up at her made her realize that she finally had everything she had ever wanted in life.
So what if she cried on stage when thanking him and dedicating that statuette to him?? So what if they were bombarded with questions from reporters and followed by paparazzi all wanting to know who the mysterious man with the haunted grey eyes was?? So what if the journey to that moment had been long and arduous, and had almost ended in her premature death? It was all worth it.
When she and Daniel returned to Rhy'Din early Monday morning, the first thing she did when she arrived in the office was ask Liv to help her arrange tonight's dinner...and to keep the secret.? Thankfully, Daniel and Liv didn't often come into contact with each other; although Lelah trusted Liv with her life?often quite literally?she knew that her Leopard would smell Liv's attempts at secret keeping and would ferret it out of her before Tuesday night.? So while Lelah was sitting in with her cast and crew during the first day of the final week of rehearsals, Liv was off working her magic?cajoling people into doing rush jobs, finding certain items, sneaking into Daniel and Lelah's house to leave those items, and generally being the best PA a director could ever wish for.
Everything was ready for her Tuesday evening when she went home a couple of hours early.? Lelah immediately headed into the kitchen, whipped up a batch of lemon cupcakes and a bowl of rosewater frosting to go over the top of them.? While the cupcakes were baking, she set a very romantic table, using her best linens, crystal goblets, and a Waterford vase filled with tulips in a deep magenta pink.? She scattered rose petals from the front door into the kitchen where the table was located, turned down all the lights and set out candles in strategic places.
Then she began making dinner?rare porterhouse steaks; roasted, smashed, rosemary-garlic-sea salt-olive oil potatoes; and fresh asparagus?and while everything was cooking, she dashed upstairs to change.? She had the perfect dress--one in a deep pink that matched the tulips on the table perfectly.? It reminded her of a sari she'd seen in New Delhi once.? She paired it with gold bangles and chandelier earrings, sparkling golden stilettos, and carefully did her makeup.? After dressing, she returned downstairs, lit the candles in the living room and kitchen, and sat down at the table to wait Daniel's arrival.
The restaurant had been packed almost all day long today.? Apparently, people figured that since Leap Day happened only once every four years, that made it a perfect day to go somewhere fancy.? Not that he minded.? He was thrilled to see that many people in and around the Hotel, and he knew Riley and David were, too.? It did, however, make for a very long and continuously busy day.? The kitchen did so much cooking that he had to call in several sous-chefs and preparers who would've normally been off that day, and everyone was still exhausted and ragged by closing time.? Well, everyone but him.? Supernatural stamina was a hell of a handy thing to have.
It was around eight by the time he turned onto the path that led to their cabin.? It was the last week of rehearsals for Getting Over Alyson, so he figured Lelah wouldn't be home until late.? It came as something of a surprise, then, when he saw what looked like flickering candle flames through the living room window.? Brow furrowed inquisitively, he opened the front door, nostrils flaring as the rich smell of steak rolled out, followed by potatoes and asparagus.? Along with the food smells came the familiar vanilla and citrus that always made up Lelah's perfume, and under that, Lelah herself.? She smelled excited and nervous, hopeful and...randy.? The wanton scent set his heart beating faster immediately, and he went inside somewhat faster than he'd approached the door.? "Lelah?"
There was a path of deep pink rose petals on the floor leading from the front door into the kitchen, with votive candles burning in small cups to light the way.? Through the arch that led into the kitchen came more flickering candlelight and the edge of a well-laid table could be seen.? "I'm in here," she said quietly, knowing perfectly that he could hear her without any strain.
What on earth was going on?? Rose petals on the floor?? It was something big, whatever it was.? She'd clearly gone to a lot of effort to set this up.? He followed the petal-and-candle path into the kitchen, pausing in the doorway as he got his first sight of her.? She looked even more gorgeous and perfect than usual, he thought, pupils expanding as he drank her in.? "What's all this?" he asked, voice soft, but curiosity and excitement making the growl in it stand out.
At one time in her life, that growl in his voice would have unnerved her.? But now, after nine months together, the only thing unnerving was the depth of the passion it stirred up within her.? She stood and moved slowly to his side, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and drawing him closer for a tender, but quite passionate, kiss.? When they finally broke apart, she whispered against his mouth, "It's dinner.? Have a seat."
Her kiss sent a thrill of desire and pleasure through him, breath speeding up, nostrils full of the heady scent of her.? His hands fell to her waist, and it was with great reluctance that he let go when she told him to sit.? He sat, watching her unblinkingly.
She sat down, poured him a glass of Shiraz, and then nodded to the perfectly arranged plate in front of him.? "Dig in," she said with a grin, and then cut a slice of steak and chewed it with gusto.?
Curiosity warred with hunger inside him, but in the end, his stomach won out.? He knew she would tell him what was going on when she was ready to.? And the food smelled heavenly.? Leopard was already urging him to grab and bite into the steak, forgoing any silverware, eat his fill, and then take his mate, who was clearly receptive.? He was stronger than Leopard, though, and picked up his fork and knife to cut the steak.? After all the work Lelah'd done on it, he wasn't going to rush through dinner.? He put the first slice in his mouth, closing his eyes and chewing.? A soft, pleased growl escaped his throat.
She smiled at him from across the table and watched him eating for a few moments before asking, "How was your day?"? It was a ritual with them, a comfortable thing now, this forcing themselves to go into real detail about what had happened during their work days, rather than just saying something bland and banal.? She found herself purposefully storing away little anecdotes throughout the day so she could retell them to Daniel that night over dinner or just before bed.