*just a warning it gets steamy towards the end, so if you want to skip it heads up*

After about ten minutes, we pulled up in front of a kind of grassy open plain. It was getting to early evening now so the sun was just beginning to sink lower into the horizon. The view was breath taking from where I was inside the limo.
Suddenly, the door beside me was pulled open and there stood Franco holding his hand out to help me out of the limo. I accepted it graciously and climbed out of the car, taking in my surroundings as I did so.
The view was even more spectacular from here than through the windows of the limo. The fading sunlight touched the tips of the grasses swaying lightly in the mild breeze and cast a light golden hue over the field. It was kind of enchanting, to say the least.
Franco reappeared carrying my bags with him.
"I'll take care of your bags miss", Franco announced as if answering my unspoken question. Then, out of nowhere he handed me another single red rose with a white note attached to its stalk. "This is for you. Have a wonderful evening"
I took my rose from Franco and closed my eyes, breathing in its beautiful fragrance. "Thank you Franco", I said which prompted a smile and a hat tip from him.
I flipped open the note. This one said, "Falling in love with you was something I was helpless to resist, like the petals of a flower opening up to the touch of morning light. Follow the lights on the way and I hope it leads you to me"
I looked up from my note smiling and almost immediately, some pretty white lights flickered on. They were strung from two little wooden stumps fixed into the ground, creating an obvious path for me to walk along.
I did just that, walking with the guidance of the lights forward on the path Noah had created for me. It was getting slightly dark, so I was grateful for the illumination it provided. It wasn't a long walk until I got to him.
Noah... The man I loved so much it made my heart ache.
He was smiling as I got to him, holding out a single white orchid this time.
"Hi baby", he murmured, raking his eyes over me which made me shiver involuntarily. I couldn't believe the effect he had on me "Glad to see you could make it"
I walked straight up to him, stopping only when our bodies were flush against each other. "It's not like I had a choice... You're my ride out of town, remember?"
Noah's lip quirked up at my joke and his eyes darkened as his gaze dropped to my lips. All jokes were forgotten as I slipped my hands about his neck and pulled him down while I leaned up to him on the tips of my toes. Our lips met in a sizzling and deliciously long kiss, like it had been forever since our last. Noah pulled away first, kissing my temple and taking hold of my hand as our breaths evened out.
He placed the single white orchid in my hair. "That is for you"
"Why do I have a feeling the store ran out of red roses?" I teased him
He ran a hand through his beautiful longish hair and laughed out loud. "They kind of did... But um, this one is different", he took my hand that he held in his and pressed it to his chest "This one signifies forever. And that's what I want, you and me Ellenore. I can't imagine my forever without you"
"Me either", I told Noah, helpless to stop the single tear that escaped and made its way down my cheek. If my heart was a dam, it would be bursting right now. It was full and overflowing.
Noah used the pad of his thumb to wipe away the tear. "Come with me"
He led me some distance out onto the field where I met an elaborate and yet, quite romantic set up. There was a plaid blanket set down on the grass, with what seemed to be a gigantic picnic basket set down in the middle. The wonderful scent of vanilla filled the air and I guess it was from the candles in their transparent holders arranged around the blanket in strategic locations. The white lights hung down from some wooden frame, like a canopy all around us. It wasn't glaringly bright, but it provided just enough light for us to see. Looking around some more, I noticed that this seemed to be some kind outdoor movie venue. There was a humongous screen straight ahead and I noticed a projector and player set up a little ways to the side.
I took this all in with a huge grin on my face and then turned to Noah, raising my eyebrows at him. "Is this what I think it is?"
Noah just smiled and with my hand in his, he led me to sit down on the blanket on opposite sides of the picnic basket such that we were facing each other.
"Welcome to Noah's outdoor viewing experience and picnic extravaganza", he smiled at me, kind of shyly like he wanted to know that his efforts made me happy. It made my insides liquefy "It's a little corny, I know but I mean anything for that smile on your face"
"I love it, Noah. I love everything" I said lightly touching the necklace around my neck.
I love you
His eyes flickered down to my chest, noticing that I was wearing the necklace and pendant and his face broke into the biggest grin. "I'm glad you wore it tonight", he said to me softly
I reached out to cup the side of his face in the palm of my hand. "How could I not? You're spoiling me way too much, Noah"
"I don't think you understand what you do to me, Ellie. If you did, you'd understand that you deserve every bit of it and much more", he placed his hand over my hand on his cheek and his emerald orbs looked right into mine, setting my entire being on fire.
I didn't want to spend our entire date attached to his lips, but I couldn't help it. I leaned forward on my knees to kiss him again. He caught me by my waist and took control of the kiss, his tongue dancing with mine until my head was spinning and we were both out of breath.
"Champagne, miss?" Noah inquired once I had sat back down, opening up the picnic basket and pulling out a bottle of Cristal champagne and two champagne glasses.
"Yes please, kind sir", I replied, batting my eyelashes playfully at him.
He chuckled as he set the glasses down, pouring generous amounts of champagne into both of them. I took mine and he took his and we clinked our glasses together, looking into each other's eyes as we did. I took a sip of the champagne, and it tasted really good. It warmed me up inside, but not quite as much as the look on Noah's face did.
I watched as Noah pulled out an elaborate spread from the picnic basket. My eyes widened as he pulled each Tupperware container out. There was chicken Tandori and lasagne and crème brulee, just the sight of the food made my mouth water.
"My goodness, Noah... I would have been fine with some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The flowers, the gift, the limo, the champagne, all of this... it's too much"
"It's our first date, babe. I needed to impress you", Noah smirked at me
"You know I'm already in love with you, right"
"I know", Noah grinned "But it doesn't hurt to hear you say it"
"How did you even come up with all this stuff? And how in the world did you pull it off?"
"I had some help. A lot of help, actually", he smiled as he began explaining "So early this morning before you got up, I sat Darryl and Sandra down and we were seriously brainstorming. I knew I wanted to take you on a picnic probably at sundown so we could watch the sunset together. Darryl came up with the idea of using this place; it's where the kids in town come for outdoor movies. It doesn't look like much but I kind of had to rent it out. Sandra helped with the picnic. She made everything here, while I helped her with her errands today. She's such a lifesaver, that woman. Then I had some help from Darryl's friends with the limo and fixing this place up"
Hearing him explain all what it took to set up this date made my hear constrict in my chest, and made me love him even more, if that was possible.
"So that explains the wonderful aroma from the kitchen today"
"Mmhmm", Noah nodded, pulling of the top of the container of chicken Tandori. He passed me a fork and set it in front of me "Eat up, babe"
We both started eating then. The food and the champagne were all amazing and I made sure to let Noah know in between. We also talked, a lot... we talked about the trip and how I was so glad he came with me and everything turned out okay because I didn't think I would have had the balls to do it on my own. He said he was glad to share this experience with me, and it was certainly going to be an amazing memory for him as well. We talked about our families and how we hadn't let them know about our new relationship yet because we were all so caught up with everything, and we talked about how everything would be once we got back to Aspen and ultimately when we returned home.
Talking about the future with Noah, it was everything. Never in a million years, would I have imagined that I would be here with him today. I was beyond blessed and oh, so grateful.
Once we were done with our dessert of crème brulee, I packed away the used plates, glasses and utensils back into the picnic basket while Noah went to set up the projector.
I had no idea what we would be watching but I had a nervous tingling anticipation in my stomach, anything would be good as long as it was with Noah.
The movie just started rolling as Noah came back to sit down with me. He sat down behind me and tucked my back into his front, me sitting in between his legs, so that I was resting my head on his chest and leaning into him.
The movie started and once I knew what it was, I gasped, eliciting a huge grin from Noah.
It was Moulin Rouge!, one of my favourite movies of all time.
"Oh my God. I love this movie!" I exclaimed
"Maya said you did", Noah said, smiling down at me
"You called Maya?" I asked incredulously. This boy would never stop surprising me.
"Of course. I'm trying to impress you here"
"Well then, mission accomplished Mr. Stinson", I whispered up to him
Noah's lips lifted in a smile and he leaned down and caught my lips in a short, sweet kiss and then we settled back to enjoy the movie.
It was about two hours of music, magic, romance and tragedy. I think it was Noah's first time watching it because I caught his genuine expressions of laughter, shock, amazement and sadness when it got to the end and it was revealed that Satine, the female lead in the movie was terminally ill.
While Satine and Christian were singing 'Come what may' to each other on stage, I felt tears begin to slip down my face, Noah noticed and immediately became concerned.
"Ellenore, what's wrong? Is it the movie?" Noah inquired, rubbing my shoulders in soothing motions through my top
I shook my head. "Well, no... not really. I was just thinking about us"
"What about?"
"I just never would have thought that you would ever return my feelings. I was crazy in love with you, and I wanted to stop being in love with you, I tried so hard to stop but I just couldn't", I turned a little so that I could look him in the eye while I talked "And now we're here on this amazing date, which is better than anything I could have imagined and I love you so much, and knowing you feel the same way... It's perfect and I can't believe this almost didn't happen"
Noah looked a little emotional as he pressed his lips to my forehead. "Well we're here now and I believe we're meant to be so fate would have found a way to make us happen. Umm... I actually want to let you in on a little secret"
I raised my brow at him, curious. "Shoot"
"So... you don't know this but the first day you came for your interview at Stinson and Co, I actually saw you. You came in and I saw you from afar talking with Rosie at reception and then you left"
Noah smiled as he continued. "I knew you didn't see me so I went over to Rosie and asked who you were and what you were doing there and she told me. I knew my dad wasn't big on hiring interns because he likes to hire qualified people with experience and so I called him in the guise of reminding him of our lunch meeting and gave him a little nudge to hire you once he agreed you had a good resume"
I gasped as it all clicked and came back to me now; I remembered the interruption during my interview with Mr Stinson that day. "What? Why would you do that? You barely even knew me then"
Noah laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know. Fate, I guess... You were like a beacon and I was just drawn to you. I just know that I wanted to be around you in any way possible since that night I took you back to your dorm"
I shook my head, smiling at the incredulity of it all. I looped my arm about his neck. "I love you so much it scares me, Noah Stinson", I whispered, closing my eyes and leaning my fore head against his.
"Ditto", Noah whispered back at me and then we were kissing. The movie was long forgotten as Noah laid me back on the blanket and kissed me senseless, which was just as well as Satine was coughing up blood and the movie would end tragically from there.
We kissed and touched each other, breaths mingling, tongues tasting and teasing, moans, sighs and whispers escaping for a couple of long minutes until I felt two fat rain droplets hit my face. Noah noticed too I looked up at his face still filled with a combination of passion and love but now mixed in with concern.
Lightning flashed in the distance and almost immediately, the rain began to pour down with savage ferocity.
"Oh damn!" I laughed as we both stood up, rain hammering down on us in all directions.
"I'm so sorry Ellie", Noah apologized as I watched the rain pouring down on him, running down his face and making his blonde locks stick to his head "I had no idea it was going to rain today"
I reached up to him and kissed him, rain sluicing in between us and our soaked clothes as our lips met and parted.
"Don't apologize for anything. This has been the best day ever", I told him, looking up at him and hoping he could see the joy on my face. It was true, and I also had a thought at the back of my mind as to what could make it better.
Noah smiled at me and as if we just remembered that the rain was pouring down on us, we began to pack up the basket and blanket with immediate urgency and we ran back to where our rental car was parked just a short distance away.
We got in, our breaths heavy from the run and Noah revved up the engine and pulled away from the field and onto the road.
Noah drew away some of the wet hair from my face and smiled at me, then used his free hand to squeeze my fingers in his as he drove. "I'll find a hotel for us to stay in tonight, and then we'll begin the journey in the morning okay?"
"Okay", I nodded back, smiling at him.
We found a small hotel with our GPS tracker about ten minutes away and Noah found a parking space in its underground lot and we immediately went in, carrying only our overnight bags with us.
We met the hotel receptionist, a nice brunette lady at the desk, her name tag read Jenna.
"Hello and welcome to Chez Hotels", she gave us a warm smile in turn "How may I assist you?"
"Hi, we'd like to make a reservation to stay here for the night, please", Noah said to her
"Okay", she nodded and typed something into her computer "And how many rooms would you like"
"Just one", I spoke up and Noah looked at me, something electric flashed between our eyes as we looked at each other and the air hung heavy with expectation.
"Alright guys" Jenna smiled looking at each of us as if she could feel the sexual tension there "I have a perfect room for you guys with a great view and enough space for the both of you"
"Thank you... we'll take that", Noah said to her slipping her his credit card.
Jenna nodded and made the transaction into her computer after asking us our names. Once that was done, she handed Noah the key card to the room and motioned for a bellman standing nearby to come take our bags and show us to our room.
We declined him taking our bags as we could carry them ourselves but we followed him as he led us to our room. Room 39.
"Have a pleasant stay", he encouraged us. I thanked him and gave him a generous tip out of my wallet, which was the least I could do considering all Noah had done for me over the past couple of days.
I then turned to Noah who was looking at me with a delicious and sexy smile on his face as he took off his drenched denim jacket.
"So..." he started and his voice sent icy shivers through me, chilling me straight to my bones in a way the cold rain shower had not
"So you need to excuse me while I use the bathroom real quick", I said to him, smiling shyly as I made my way past him and into the bathroom.
Once there, I took off all my clothes including my drenched underwear and tied them up into a small plastic bag for laundry tomorrow, then I wrapped myself in a light, pink robe and towel dried my hair to the best of my ability.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror as I tried to psyche myself up for what I wanted. I loved him so much and I wanted to be with him in every way possible... in mind, in soul, in body. I wanted him to make me his and tonight was the night, everything was perfect and the timing was right. I couldn't shake the apprehension I felt at the thought of taking such a huge step with him but deep within myself, I knew that there was no better time to express the immense love I had for him.
I took a few deep breaths and walked back into the room. Noah had adjusted the light settings so that it was not as blaringly bright as before but it was enough for me to see that he has taken off his wet clothing and he stood there drying his hair in just his pyjama bottoms riding low on his waist.
I caught sight of his rock hard abs and his chiselled body and my mouth grew dry and my brain stopped functioning, I think. How could someone be so hot and how could that someone be mine? It blew my mind.
I walked up to him and without a word, ran my hands over his taut abs and chest, loving his sharp intake of breath from the reactions I invoked in him.
I stood on the tips of my toes and leaned up to kiss him. Once our lips met and my tongue touched his, the world seemed to explode around us. Noah gripped my waist firmly as his mouth ravaged mine, eliciting sighs and whimpers from me. He tasted divine, he tasted like a drug I could never get enough of and I hoped very much that I would never have to. Our tongues tangled and parted in a fiery dance and my skin was on fire as Noah's hands roamed over every part of my body through the flimsy material of my robe. I loved his little moans of appreciation every time our lips latched onto one another.
I pulled away from him, kissing the column of his throat as I did which prompted a shiver from him. I never looked away from the hot and burning look in his eyes as I pulled at the tie of my robe, sending it pooling down at my feet so I stood before him, naked as the day I was born.
The heated and lustful look in his eyes as they slowly raked over me, from my head to the tips of my toes sent goose bumps prickling all over my skin.
"You're so beautiful, Ellenore", he whispered and then reached out to cup his hand at the back of my head and pressed a kiss to my temple "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes", I whispered back, closing my eyes and leaning into his touch "I love you Noah, and I want to be with you in every way"
"I love you too, Ellie... So much. And I promise I will never ever hurt you"
I didn't think I could love Noah any more than I did but it seemed every little thing he did or said made me fall in love with him all the more.
Without any further words, Noah leaned down to kiss me, his hands spanning around my naked waist, lighting a trail of fire everywhere that he touched. He picked me up while I wrapped my legs about him and laid me down gently on the large Queen sized bed.
He kissed me everywhere and he touched and felt me everywhere until I was writhing impatiently under him, running out of my mind with need and longing. He lit my body up with a trail of kisses from my lips to every single inch of my body and he blew me apart when he kissed me there. He left me for a second to remove the last of his clothing and he returned with protection. When we were finally joined, his lips caught mine and I was sure my heart would explode as I was overwhelmed with emotion. We pulled apart and tears filled my eyes as I saw the love and emotion mirrored in Noah's as we were taken to the highest point, and came back down together.
"I love you, Ellie", I could hear Noah whisper to me as I fell asleep in his arms.
xxxxxxxxxx
The next morning, I woke up with the arm of a sleeping Noah still draped around me protectively. I felt great... scratch that, I felt amazing. Last night had been the best night of my life and I was so excited that there would be more to come.
It was crazy that I was so darn happy.
I checked the alarm clock by the side of the bed and it said 8:03 am which was a little later than when we planned to get up so we could start our journey this morning. I looked at Noah and my face stretched into such a huge smile, I feared it would split in half.
My gorgeous, perfect, hunky boyfriend. I was crazy stupid in love with him. And as much as I would love to spend all day in bed with him, all cuddled up to his warm, delicious body... I had to get up and go do laundry of our wet clothes from last night so we could get ready in time and make the trip back to Aspen.
I didn't want Mr Stinson to get mad at us for coming back later than we were supposed to; this was a work trip to begin with.
I reluctantly pulled myself away from Noah's embrace and got up, stretching languidly and picking my robe up off the floor.
That's when I noticed Noah's Iphone buzzing like crazy on the side dresser. I made to go wake him up until the name that flashed across the screen registered in my brain.
Shannon.
What did that crazy bitch want?
My eyes narrowed in anger and I almost picked up the phone to hurl insults at her but I figured that would just inject negativity into my beautiful morning. I made to go wake Noah up when the phone screen indicated he had received a text.
From Shannon.
Fighting against the urge, but unable to help myself, I swiped the screen and the text appeared.
"I miss you, baby. Why haven't you been picking my calls? Call me ok? Love you"
What... the.... Real... HELL???!!!!!!

A/N: So guys I'm excited about this chapter because it marks the next stage in Ellie and Noah's story. Poor Ellie though... what's with that text from Shannon? Noah said they'd broken up. Let me know what you guys think. Don't forget to vote, comment and share :).
P.S- I have an important school defence in two days but I just had to get this chapter up. Do keep reading guys . Xoxo
-Crystal