"C'mon Belle! It's Friday night! You have to go out!" Ruby Lucas chided as she tugged on her neighbor's arm.

"Ruby, I don't know. I mean clubs aren't really my scene," Belle French fidgeted. Her best friend from the apartment across the hall was always trying to get to to go out, get her to meet a guy.

"It's Friday night, you just broke up with that jerk Gaston and you start your new job on Monday, it's the perfect time to go out!" Ruby bounced on her toes, "Come on Belle! Just this once! Please?"

"All right, I guess," Belle said, giving in, "But not too late."

"Wheeeee! Great! I call picking you an outfit!"

Two hours and one too-short gold dress later, Belle was standing in a fancy club, trying to make conversation over the music. Unfortunately, her conversational partner was too much like her ex, more muscle on her arms than in his head, and Belle was bored, bored, bored. She had a headache.

"Excuse me," she yelled, and moved away, hoping the first door she saw would be a bathroom.

Rumold Gold was having a horrible time. His blind date, Zelena Green, was positively insane. She was too clingy and insisted on touching almost every moment they were together. She laughed at everything he said and obviously only after him for his money. Rumold Gold was the CEO of Gold Books, the most famous book store chain in the world.

He had managed to rid himself of Zelena for the moment, sending her on a wild goose chase to fetch him fictitious cocktail called Unicorn Blood. He was greatly surprised and amused, however, when a tiny brunette in a tinier gold dress let herself into his private room at Club Castle.

"Is there something I can help you with dearie?" he asked.

The woman jumped, "oh my gosh, you startled me! I'm sorry, I can leave, I was just looking for a quiet place to clear my head. It's really loud out there."

"Indeed it is," he agreed, "Well, you can stay if you like. As you probably noticed this room is completely sound proof."

"Thank you," she slid into the booth next to him, "I'm Belle, by the way."

"You can call me Rum," he offered, "make yourself at home."

She smiled in return and fished around in her bag for a book, a classic, and began to read. Surprised but now very curious, he looked at he more closely.

Belle was wearing an off the shoulder gold dress that shimmered every time she moved. It was low enough to entice him with her collar bone, smeared with a fine gold dust, and short enough to show off her fabulous legs. Rumold was enchanted to say the least.

After several pages, Belle looked and noticed him watching her.

"I'm sorry! That was so rude! I must be buzzed," Belle said "What brings you to the Club Castle?"

"Blind date. Horrid things, really," he said.

"Oh! Maybe I should go, I don't want to intrude-"

"No intrusion at all," Rum said, "Between you and me, she's off her rocker."

Belle giggled.

"So why is a beautiful young woman such as your self here in my booth reading and listening to an old man talk about his date he's dodging?"

"I'm not really one for the club scene," Belle admitted, "My neighbor drug me out. She says it's the perfect time to have a one night stand since I broke up with my boyfriend yesterday and I start a new job Monday."

"Ah, I see," he said, not seeing at all.

"So," said Belle after a moment of silence, "You want to be that guy? My one night stand in the perfect setting? You can ditch your date and at least get coffee with me or something. What do you say?"

She bumped her shoulder against his.

Well.

This was an odd turn of events. It had been a long time since a beautiful woman had sincerely offered to sleep with him. (Had a beautiful woman ever sincerely offered to sleep with him?) And leaving Zelena to bed this strange woman who read in clubs was best idea he'd heard all day.

Maybe she was drunk.

"How much have you had to drink?" He asked eyeing her glass.

Belle laughed, "Like, one sip of my gin and tonic. I'm not drunk Rum."

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"Well in that case-" he leaned over and crashed his month against hers.

Belle wrapped her arms around him and returned his kiss with passion. Braking away, Rum grabbed her hand.

"Let's hurry before my date gets back," he said and added silently, and before you change you mind.

Out in the cold night air, he hailed a cab, pulled Belle in, onto his lap, and gave the driver an address.

"You don't mind my place do you?" he asked between kisses.

Belle shook her head and laughed, "I should do this more often."

Rum ran kisses along her collar bone, causing Belle to moan as he sucked at her pulse point. As the cab pulled up to a high rise, they were both in a red, kissing induced haze. They barely made it up to Rum's apartment before Belle's dress was on the floor, followed by his jacket and tie and her underwear.

Rumold's apartment was a pent house, and expertly decorated with book shelves galore, but Belle didn't notice as they fell onto his bed together. She tugged at his shirt, unbuttoning it and trying to push it off his shoulders.

"Hasty, aren't you?" he teased, "Don't worry, we have all night."

"It's not fair," she whined, "Me being undressed and not you."

"Mmmm, you are beautiful," he murmured, cupping her breasts and gently pushing back to lay on the bed.

He moved away then, to take off his shoes and the rest of his clothes. Belle lay watching him as he rolled on a condom.

"And you are deviously handsome, Rum," she said grinning.

"You need to have you eyes checked," he whispered, lifting one of her legs to kiss the inside of her knee. His kisses moved closer, further up her leg until he was hovered over her sex, already wet. Belle trembled with anticipation.

He gently kissed her folds before running his tongue along them. Belle mewed, and tried to buck her hips, but he held her in place. He continued to lap at her core, teeth and tongue finding the little bundle of nerves at her center. Little nibbles giving her pleasure she never imagined.

Belle lost herself, screaming as she came for the first time that night. Rumold grinned and added his fingers to dip inside her and caress her inner walls. He brought her to climax twice more with his mouth and hand, thoroughly pleased with the way she screamed and trembled.

He kissed his way back up her body. Nudging her legs open he pushed inside of her in one swift movement. Belle moaned and arched. Gaston had been mush bigger in stature compared to Rum, let Rum was much larger, filling her in a way she'd never felt before.

Rum kissed her throat with each firm thrust as Belle sobbed his name. She broke all over again. And, several thrusts later, Rum did too, biting at her neck as he came.

He rolled onto his side. Tucking Belle under his chin in the afterglow. She sighed and snuggled closer, wrapping her arms around him. She felt safe and protected, which was odd considering she'd only met Rum several hours ago. Rum, in turn kissed the top of her head before falling asleep.

Maybe Ruby was right and she did need to get out more.

Belle woke up the next morning before Rum did. She smiled, looking up at him. He was actually much more adorably in the morning light. She untangled herself from his arms and pulled the blanket away. He was so good last night, she wanted to return the favor.

She moved down between his legs and bent over. Belle ran her tongue along his tip causing Rum to sigh in his sleep. She took this as a god sign and kissed his tip before taking him into her mouth and sucking gently.

Rumold woke to the most pleasing sensation. Opening his eyes he found his little one night stand with her mouth around his cock, grinning at him cheekily. This was new also. Usually his one night stands disappeared before morning or stayed too long and tried to get some money out of the deal not return the favor as Belle was doing now.

Belle's head bobbed between his legs. Rumold moaned and, gripping the sheets as to not grab her hair, came in her mouth. Belle swallowed and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand.

"I guess this is the part where I go home? I'm not sure. I don't do this often- or at all," she said innocently.

"At least stay for breakfast," he offered, not wanting to let this, this goddess out of his sight.

So she stayed, dressed in his shirt and sitting in his lap for coffee, french toast, and a discussion of of Bronte. Rum was content, wishing this wouldn't end and he could keep Belle, this strange woman who was most beautiful and possibly better read than he.

But, alas, as she disappeared to dress he called her a cab, and wished her well as she left. Gently kissing her one last time. Maybe he'd see her again, on the street or in a book store. He could ask her out and they could do this properly. He doubted it. Fate never worked in his favor.

"Well, well, well, look who's doing the walk of shame," Ruby teased as belle fumbled with her keys, "Who's the lucky guy? Was he any good?"

"Brilliant," Belle sighed, then laughed at her self, "But I'll probably never see him again. It's too bad, really. He was charming and intelligent and-"

"Good in bed?"

"Yes! That too. His name was Rum and goodness, I don't even know his last name!"

"Scandalous!" Ruby laughed, "I'm glad you had a good time, Belle, you seem way happier."

"Well, enough of that, I have to go prepare for tomorrow."

"Ah yes, worrying over your new job. Secretary for who was it?" asked Ruby.

"The CEO of Gold Books!"

"Right, right, I think you've maybe mentioned it a million times?"

Sunday came and went and as Monday rolled around Belle found herself following Mary Margret Blanchard, head of HR, to her new desk.

"Mr. Gold likes tea every morning at nine on the dot. Don't be late. He takes Earl Grey with cream and no sugar," Mary Margret said.

"Nine am, Early Grey with cream not sugar, don't be late," Belle repeated, "Got it."

"This is the com," Mary Margret explained, "Once you have the tea ready, press this button and tell him so. He normally just clicks his com in response. Then take it in and pour the tea. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Mr. Gold will also only have whole leaves steeped in a tea pot and served that way. I already made this morning's tea so you can bring it in and pour once I alert him. Then Mr. Gold can tell you the rest of your duties, okay?"

"Alright!" Belle replied picking up the tray.

Mary Margret pressed the com, "Your new secretary here with your tea Mr. Gold."

There was a click of the other com and Belle walked through the office door, shutting it behind her. Mr. Gold was facing away from her, towards the windows when her entered. Belle set the tea tray on the desk and picked up a tea cup.

"So you are the new sacrifice," Mr. Gold said spinning around.

Belle dropped the cup. It fell against the desk and chipped.

"B-Belle? " Mr. Gold stuttered.

"Rum?" she whispered.

Fate had a funny way of doing things.