Written Feb. 9th - Mar. 26th '08 Part One

Cane Surprises Neil or Does Neil Surprise Cane!!

There is a knock on Neil's door. "Neil, do you have a second? I need to talk to you about Lily." Cane stepped into Neil's office and sits down.

Neil sighed and said, "alright Cane what is it? I am a little busy right now so could you get right to the point."

"Certainly, I am here to ask for your blessing to legitimately see Lily - no hiding - no sneeking around. I want your approval for her sake. Cane looks down at his hand and then back up at Neil, "and well because I am in love with her Neil."

Neil steeples his fingers together and rests them under his chin starring back at Cane he replied, "is that so? And what makes you think that you would ever be good enough for her? That I would ever approve?"

Cane stands up so that Neil has to look up at him. He places his hands on Neils desk and leans over slighty and said ,"because Neil, Lily means more to me then I ever thought possible. I would do anything to protect her - anything to keep her safe." He straightened and rubbed his hand over his face, "and because I can't imagine my life without her in it. I - I truly am in love with your daughter Neil and it would make her so happy if you would accept that."

Neil stood as well, looking at Cane with a new form of respect. "Do you mean that? Because I could never allow her to be hurt the way she was hurt by Daniel. But I also have come to realise that Lily is an adult and she is able to make her own decisions so I will give you my blessing."

Cane a little astounded, thinking he was going to be in for a battle to get Neils approval says, "Really?"

Neil picks up some files on his desk and says, "Yes, really. Cane, there comes a point when you have to let your children go - I have to let Lily go. It's the only way that I can keep her. I am beginning to see what she sees in you and I am willing to accept it."

Cane is blown away, he holds out his hand for Neil and says, "You won't regret this Neil, I swear to you that I will always do my best to make sure that Lily always has a reason to smile."
Neil returned Cane's handshake and started to escourt him to the door. "I hope you do Cane - I hope you do. Now if you will excuse me I have a meeting to get to and you Cane have my daughter to go and see."
Cane turned in the doorway and smiled at Neil and replied, "Yes - yes sir I do." He leaves with Neil watching him go....

The Prelude to Tonight!!

Cane was still in a daze, he couldn't believe that Neil had given his blessing. He got in his SUV and started smiling in fact he didn't think he could stop. He couldn't wait to tell Lily, she would be so happy. He grabbed his cell phone and hit speed dial. Lily picked up on the second ring...

Lily heard her phone ring, looked at the call display and couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. She picked up on the second ring, "Hey Cane, How are you?"

"I am fantastic. How are you?"

"Great now that I am talking to you. What's up?"

"Well, I am hoping that you are going to tell me that you are free in a little while because I really need to see you."

Lily was sitting at a table at the coffee house so she said, "Well I am here at Crimson Lights, how about you stop by and join me for a cup of coffee?"

Cane was driving on his way to Jabot and the studios there - a plan taking shape in his mind. "Actually I am on my way to Jabot. Can you meet me there in say about an hour? I have to check on something for your photo shoot tomorrow."

Lily getting a little concerned said, "Um... sure. Is everything ok? The shoot hasn't been cancelled has it?"

"What? Oh, no baby everything is fine. I just wanted you to meet me there so that we could do something special, like go have dinner or something."

"Oh, ok. That sounds great, I would love too. I guess I will see you in a little while."

"Ok, see you soon. Oh and Lily, I um... really missed you today. Bye."

Lily was smiling and flustered. "I miss you too. Bye."

Cane hung up with Lily and immediately got back on the phone and started his plan in motion...

Tonights the Night!!

The studio couldn't be more perfect if he tried. Cane looked around at all he had accomplished in the past hour. The room was filled with pillar candles creating an intiment light. There was a small table in one corner of the room set with a beautiful dinner, thanks to Gina. In the centre of the room was the huge four-poster bed made with the softest linens he could find and partially hidden behind the shear curtains that hung around it. He checked over everything - God he wanted this night to be perfect for her. He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair and pulled at the collar of his dress shirt. He turned as he heard a noise...

Lily knew Cane was around here somewhere. He had said to meet him in the studio, hadn't he? There was light coming from under the door of the studio to her right so she thought she would try there. She opened the door and gasped...

Cane caught her eye as she came in - God she was beautiful. He couldn't look away if he tried. "Lily," his voice was filled with heat. He took a deep breath - he had to regain control. He would not rush this.

Lily couldn't take her eyes off Cane, standing there in a suit and tie she couldn't believe that anyone had ever looked more handsome. "Cane, what is all this? Finally dragging her eyes off him to look around. "Everything is just so... did you do all of this for me?"

Cane walked towards her, he couldn't keep the distance between them any longer - he had to touch her. He reached her and gently touched his hand to her face, feathering his thumb over her bottom lip. Searching her eyes with his he replied, "No Lily, I did this for us. I need to tell you - to show you how much you mean to me." Cane leaned his head down to brush her lips with his. He had intended for it to be just a light touch but Lily reached up and stabbed her fingers into his hair and increased the pressure. All thought was lost momentarily as they let themselves be swept away by the passion of there joined mouths.

Cane realized that they were getting carried away and he pulled back, holding her face in his hands, searching her eyes. "Lily, we need to slow down for a minute. I need to talk to you, please."

Breathing heavy, Lily whispered, "Ok." And Cane gently took her by the hand and lead her to the table. He held her chair for her then sat himself.

Starring at her across the table he feels that there is way to much space in between them but he knows he has to talk to her before they can move forward together. "If your hungry I got your favorites for you."

Lily had been mesmerized - watching him watch her she hadn't even noticed the food. She laughed nervously and said, "Um... ok, I am a little hungry come to think of it." She starts picking at her salad, then looks at Cane - food once again forgotten.

"So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Lily, I went to see your father today and we talked about you."

Stunned Lily said, "You did? What happened?"

"Well, I went there to ask for his blessing to see you with his approval - because I know how much your father's approval means to you - and...well...you mean so much to me."

Lily felt her eyes fill with tears, she put her napkin on the table stood and walked around to stand before him. Seeing her tears Cane stood aswell. He clasped her face in his hand. "Lily, please don't cry."

"And what did my father say Cane?"
Cane starred down at her and said, "He approves Lily, He gave me his blessing." Lily gasped and a tear slid down her cheek - Cane caught it with his thumb. "No more of this friends in public stuff Lily - we can be together fully, completely."

Lily wanted that more than anything. She pressed her lips to his and whispered, "Thank you for doing that, it means so much to me." She glanced over at the bed then back at Cane - she didn't have to say it - he saw it in her eyes.

Cane lifted her into his arms and carried her over to the bed. He kissed her passionately as he slid her down the length of his body to stand before him. Lily placed her hand on his chest and slowly started to pull his tie free. They starred into each others eyes as she slowly undid the buttons of his shirt and slid it over his shoulders and he gently slid the zipper down the back of her dress and let it drop to the floor. "My God, your so beautiful Lily."

"So are you," she whispered back. Cane laid her gently down on the bed - he couldn't stop touching her - looking at her. He pressed himself down on top of her, clasped her face in his hands, searched her eyes.

"Lily, I don't want to rush you - I will stop if you want me to."

Lily kissed first his jaw then his neck and said, "I don't want you to stop - don't ever stop Cane."

Cane kissed her once more and starred deeply into her eyes and overwelmed with feeling said one more thing, "I love you Lily, I have never meant those words more."

Lily's heart soared. "I love you too, Cane."

There mouths fused, followed by there bodies and they became one in heart, mind, body and soul...

Later That Night!!

The candles had burned down low, creating a very intiment soft glow. Cane was slowly coming awake, the warmth and realization of Lily's body pressed against the length of his, her head on his chest, his arms wrapped around her...

He felt her stretch against him as she to became awake and again his passion for her began to stir. Would he ever get enough of this beautiful, enchanting woman or would he be forever a slave to his passion for her...

Lily turned in Canes arms so she could look into his eyes as if to confirm that all of this was real, that it had really been that fantastic. "Hey," she whispered.

"Hey, yourself" replied Cane as he stroked the length of her face with his hand.

Lily turned her lips into his palm and placed the softest of kisses there. "What time is it?" she asked.

Cane glanced at his watch, "It's half past midnight actually."

"Oh," she sat up clutching the sheet to her chest. "Is it ok that we are still here, maybe we should go." Even though it was the last thing she wanted to do.

Cane sat up aswell letting the sheet drop to his waste, exposing his strong muscular torso and caught Lily's hand in his. "No, baby we have a couple more hours before we even have to consider getting out of here. I know neither of us has our own place yet," which Cane thought he planned to rectify as soon as possible because he knew that after tonight he couldn't imagine a night without her in his arms. "And I want to keep you in my arms for as long as possible."

Lily smiled and relaxing again she said, "I don't want this to end either." She touched his face and felt the slight stuble against her sensative finger tips.

Cane grasped her hand and placed a kiss in the centre of her palm in return. Breathing in her fragrent scent he whispered huskily, "By the way happy Valentines Day, I got something for you." And he reached under the pillow to retrieve the small box...

Lily gasped as he placed it in her hand. She looked up at him and asked, "What is it?"

Cane smiled and said, "open it and see..."

Lily did as he asked and couldn't stop the tears that flooded her eyes. "Oh, my God it's so beautiful." She grasped the delicate chain in her fingers and lifted the locket from the box, it glittered in the candle light where she could see the inscription 'I love you, Lily' written on the back. "I - I don't know what to say, thank you so much. I love you too."

Cane felt his heart soar - he couldn't ask for more. "When I went to see your father yesturday and got his blessing there was one more thing I asked him for before I left. Open the locket Lily."

Lily did as Cane asked. She gasped again and placed her fingers over her mouth. She looked at the locket and then back at Cane, tears now streaming down her face. Inside was a picture of her mother.

Cane wiped away the tears with his thumbs cupping her face in his hands. "Lily, I know how much you loved your mother and I know how hard this past year has been on you since she past and well I wanted to get you something that would always keep her close to your heart." He kissed her then...

Lily was the first to break away, trying to find the words to express what this all meant to her. "Cane, I - I don't know what to say except thank you - thank you so much. I will cherish this forever - I will never take it off." She turned in his arms and lifted her hair, Cane placed the locket around her neck - she turned back. Touching his chest and looking up into his face she said, "I didn't bring your gift and you have given me so much I... let me show you how much you mean to me..."

Lily began kissing his face, his neck, his shoulders. Touching his chest, his arms anywhere she could reach. This man - her man had given her so much, she only hoped that her passion, her love for him would be enough... for now.

A New Day!!

Lily cracked open her eyes and groaned. Why did ones alarm clock have to go off at such an ungodly hour everyday - especially when one was having such a delicious dream. But oh, Lily realized a moment later what she had been dreaming about had been oh - so very real and that brought her fully a wake...

She turned and hit the off button and fell back on her pillow with a sigh, her hand going to her neck, her fingers clasping the delicate locket and her mind filling with such wonderful memories...

Cane's body, his lips, his tender touches and loving words...Lily didn't think that she had ever been happier or more content in her life. With an unstoppable smile spreading across her face, Lily got up and headed for the shower...

With the steam still swirling around the room, Lily had just managed to wrap herself in her robe and began the lengthy task of drying her hair when she heard the doorbell ring...

"Coming," Lily shouted while hurrying to the door. She leaned her ear against the wood and said, "Who is it?"

"Delivery, for a Miss. Lily Winters," came the muffled reply.

Lily opened the door to find a delivery man standing there with a clipboard and a plain white envelope. "Could you sign here, Miss. Winters?"

"Certainly," she replied. Lily signed for the envelope and said, "Oh, wait a second," she turned and grabbed a couple of bills from her purse, "here you go. Thanks."

"Thank you," he said as he turned and left. Lily with the letter in her hand shut the door and turned to go into the living room...

Figuring that it was something to do with the upcoming press junket Jill and Chloe had been talking about Lily sat on the couch to read it. Lily opened the envelope and pulled out a single piece of stationary and read:

Dear Lily,
Won't you please come join me at our place. 525 Parkway Place, Apt. 412
Love,
Cane

An astounded Lily didn't know what to say or think but she knew how to feel and it felt so right. She didn't realize it until then but there was something else still in the envelope. Lily tipped it over and a key fell into her palm...