Nick's heart hammered within his chest as the landscape sped past. He wasn't sure if it was due to the thrill of the stallion's fast pace as he galloped across the country side or the warm feeling of the woman leaning against his chest. Betsy laughed loudly, her head thrown back and her eyes closed as she allowed herself to just let go. His lips twitched up in an answering grin.

Guiding the horse towards his preferred path with a light pull on the reigns and gentle nudge of his heels, the horse slowed and veered onto a worn muddy path. Sensing the change of pace, the blonde in his arms opened her eyes and let out a gasp as her eyes roamed over the landscape around them.

From the top of the hill the view was spectacular. Even with low lying clouds, they could see for miles around them. Lush green fields surrounded them on either side, fighting to . The only object which stood out amongst it all was the bright blue fabric tent which had been set up on top of the hill. Nick slowed the horse and pulled to a stop next to the tent.

The smell of freshly baked bread, cooked meats and other rich foods seeped out. Betsy's stomach grumbled loudly causing her to blush and looked down at her hands which, during the course of the ride, had wrapped around Nick's. She slowly released them and looked up into his dark heated gaze through her lashes.

"Sorry," she murmured before dropping her gaze and her eyes from him.

Nick felt his lips pull up into a smile. "Come on. Let's get inside before the food gets cold."

Easing from the saddle, Nick slid from the horse with a soft thump. Then, holding the reins tightly within his grasp, he held his free hand up to Betsy. Without hesitation, she softly rested her cold hand within his larger hand. She bit her lip as she looked down at him and Nick wondered for a moment if there was something wrong with his heart. It missed a beat at her simple gesture.

Curling his fingers around hers, he guided her arm around his shoulder and then pulled so her into his arms. Nick would be lying if he didn't enjoy the flush which rapidly spread over his pixie's face as he slowly lowered her body down to the floor. Her front was pressed to his. If it wasn't for the loud rumble of her stomach,  and his own hunger,  he would have taken advantage of the moment.

Instead, he brushed his lips chastely over her forehead before backing away.

"Stay here for a moment. I'll be right back." Nick promised, clicking with his tongue and giving a light nudge on the reins so that the black imposing stallion followed his lead.

Walking several feet away, Nick secured the reins to the tree and gave the Stallion an affectionate run on the nose. His eyes darted back to Betsy. She was facing away from him, her arms folded over her chest while the wind whipped around her. Her hair had come loose and was being blown around her head in a beautiful blonde curly halo. Instead of worrying about how she looked, Betsy simply threw her head back and stretched her hands out to the sides as the wind blew past her.

"Sorry boy, I've got a date waiting for me." Nick murmured to the horse at his side. The beast snorted and butted him in the face before turning his attention to the tasty treats which had been left especially for him.

Crossing over the wild grass, Nick stepped up behind Betsy and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her closed so she was pressed up against his chest. He breathed in the scent of her as he rested his chin on her shoulder and just enjoyed the moment with her.

"It's amazing." Betsy murmured, wrapping her arms over his as if to hold him closer. "It's so peaceful."

"It's where I come to think. It's the only place I can come and not have distractions. I don't get up here as much as I used to but I can't regret it. Business is good and so is my family." Nick said softly, brushing a feather light kiss on the blonde's chill skin. "A lot of that is down to you."

Turning her head, Betsy couldn't stop the grin from appearing on her lips. "Don't be silly."

"I'm being serious. My family was fine before you came but now you're with us -." Nick paused and stared deep into her eyes. He still couldn't believe he had already opened up to the petite woman so much. She tore down his defences as quick as he could build them. This time however he was choosing to bring down a wall. "You make us happier. You make me happier."

Turning in his arms, Betsy titled her head back so she could look up into his face. Nick had trouble placing the expression on her face. It was soft. She was smiling softly and through their close proximity he could feel her heart racing in her chest. She lifted a hand to his face and the dark haired man had to fight the instinct to close his eyes under her gentle touch.

"You make me happy too."

Nick had no idea how long they stood like that, just staring at one another, before he cleared his throat. "Come on, the food is getting cold."

The pair entered the tent together, their fingers tangled together as they stepped onto the wooden floor. Nick nodded his head. Everything was how he had specified. From the table settings, the rugs covering the wooden floor to the lanterns illumination the blue fabric of the tent in a soft romantic glow. Money did buy you what you wanted – at least most of the time.

Guiding the woman in his arms towards the table, Nick tucked her chair under the table. He then took the napkin which had been laid across the fine china plates and shook it out. Gently, he settled it in Betsy's lap. As he leant close, he couldn't stop himself from closing the distance between their lips and stealing a quick kiss.

As he stood back up, Nick cursed himself. He was acting like a horny school boy. He needed to get a grip already. With a shake of his head, Nick pulled the metal covers off of the platters to reveal warm bread which had been thickly cut, sliced meats and an array of sauces. He would wine and dine Betsy properly but today was about good filling food. He knew under the others he would find hot custard and apple crumble.

"You don't even know how perfect this is." Betsy beamed as her eyes went over the tray before her.

"There's a jug of water and some soap for you to wash your hands. Then we can start." Nick replied, lifting the lid off of the matching bowl. Lemon scented steam rushed up to greet him as he took the small cloth, soaked it into the water. As much as he loved his horse, Nick refused to eat a sandwich covered in horsehair.

Over roast beef and horseradish sandwiches, the two of them talked. Nick had so many questions for Betsy he didn't want to spoil the atmosphere. She was looking at him across the table as a real man. Not some public figure or some prize. The beautiful blonde just looked at him as Nicholas Davenport.

"What do you want to know?" Betsy asked, her eyes twinkling and her lips twitching into a grin before she hid behind her wine glass.

The dark haired man looked down at the crusts in his hands. "What happened with Peter's father?"

Betsy quickly set her glass down and her eyes darted away. She drew in a few deep breaths. Nick regretted asking the question. He hated the way all of the light and sparkle just evaporated. He thought she wasn't going to answer his question. Abruptly she stood from the table. Nick pushed his chair back and started to do the same but she held out her hand.

He froze, halfway between sitting and standing. As he watched her standing there with her chest heaving, he slowly lowered his body back into his chair.

Betsy did not look at him as she moved closer to him. Her hands fiddled with the hem of her jumper as she came to a stop near Nick. Close enough he could smell her perfume but too far away for him to touch.

"After Peter -." She sucked in a breath and then ran a shaky hand through her hair. "After the caesarean, there were some complications. I got an infection. The doctor told me I would probably never have any more children. Too much scarring they said."

Nick rubbed his hand at his chest. The small blonde looked even smaller as her hands drifted down. With shaky hands she lowered the waistband of her trousers to reveal a long jagged and twisted scar which ran from hip to hip. He felt sick. Not because of the scar. He didn't care about how it looked. The only thing he cared about was the pain it represented the woman who had to stare at it every day.

Slowly, so he didn't frighten her away, Nick pushed his chair back from the table. Then, with caution, he approached the flighty woman. Still she would not look at him. Dropping to his knees before her, he kept his eyes trained on her face as he laid his hands on her hips and drew her close. Then, before she could stop him, he pressed his lips on to the scar.

Betsy flinched away, startled by the strangely intimate gesture but Nick did not ease his hold. Instead he pressed one kiss after another along the physical reminder of her loss. By the sixth kiss, the blonde signed and relaxed, allowing one of her hands to stroke over his hair, almost holding him to her.

"Don't hate these marks Elizabeth." Nick murmured, pulling his head away so that he could meet her eyes. Tears were clinging to her lashes and her body was trembling ever so slightly under his touch. "These marks are proof that your son existed. They're proof that for several months you carried and protected a life within your body."

Betsy let out an ugly sob, bringing one hand up to cover her face. Pushing to his feet, Nick pulled Betsy into his arms. She fit into his chest perfectly as if she was made to fit into his arms. Her smaller height meant that as her cheek pressed into his chest, Nick was able to rest his chin on her head protecting her from all sides.

He held on to her for a long time. Just holding her and letting her grieve her loss. She was grieving not only the child she had lost but also any future children she might have had. Nick felt his own eyes start to water. He was grateful she couldn't see him. She had already seen him weak today and she needed him to be strong for her now.

"It's why my marriage broke up. He never told me he blamed me but losing our baby." Betsy sucked in a sharp breath, her voice breaking up over the words. "Sometimes there's just no coming back from it."

Pressing his lips to the top of her head, Nick's arms held her tighter at the sound of her anguish. "It's his loss. You did nothing wrong. Sometimes bad things happen and there is nothing you can do to change it. You just have to appreciate all of the good moments while they last."

The woman his arms sniffled but Nick did not let go. He couldn't even if he wanted to.

"I just always wanted to be a mum and now it's never going to happen. Who's going to want me? I'm broken." Her voice was so quiet he almost didn't hear her.

Pushing her away, Nick held her at arm's length. "Don't say that. Don't even think it. If you're broken then so am I. So is every other person. You are strong. You are a fighter. And if you really want it, you can find a way to be a mother. There are plenty of options for you to have a family of your own. You can't give up on your dreams." He stated firmly, his gaze holding hers so that she couldn't look away.

He released her arms and brought his hands up to her face. One hand cupping each side of her face, he stroked his thumbs over her smooth cheeks. "And to answer your question, I want you. I want you whether you can have children or not. You are an amazing woman Elizabeth."

Nick leant forwards and brushed his lips against hers. He could taste the salt from her tears but it just made the moment increase in intensity. Everything was raw and vivid as her lips gently parted and he was deepening the kiss. He felt everything from the heat of her body, the soft strands of her hair brushing against the back of his fingers and softness of her lips as she responded enthusiastically.

Breathless, Nick pried his lips from hers. As she stood there, cheeks flushed and swollen lips, he wanted nothing more than to keep kissing her. But he held back. "I know it's probably not the right time to say it but I want to date you properly. No more pretending. No more forcing you into dates. I want you to come out on dates with me because you want to."

Betsy said nothing. The only sounds were the sound of their heavy breathing. He could see her mind working overtime as she puzzled over his words.

"What do you think? Do you want to date me properly?"

Betsy frowned, her pink lips pulling into a small pout. "So are you telling me this wasn't a proper date?"

Nick's breath left him in a ragged exhale before laughing a placing a gentle kiss on her pouting lips. "It can if you want it to be."

Betsy lifted her finger and tapped her chin. "I'll have to think about it."

Laughing, Nick pressed another kiss on her lips unable to stop now that the seal had been broken. And then his fingers were tickling her sides and she was laughing, head thrown back as her loud giggles filled the tent.

This was it. This was what had been missing from his life. Nick only hoped he could persuade her to stay with him and to stay with the children.

"And if you didn't catch my answer." Betsy panted, turning her head so Nick was only able to kiss her cheek. "The answer is yes. Yes, I will kiss you. No, I mean date you. I will date you."

A/N: Sorry it took so long. I couldn't decide what I wanted for their date and as per usual it went in its own direction. That's Nick for you. He does what he wants whenever he wants. Anyway, if you didn't see, I have decided to enter Billionaire's Housekeeper into Wattys2016 - wish me luck. x