Carly sat at a private table in a dark corner of the Metro Court restaurant. She wanted privacy as she was sampling a few new appetizers her chef wanted to add to their seasonal menu. She also craved the solitude. Her nerves were jumbled and her emotions mixed as Todd Manning was going on trial today. She had mourned that relationship when she thought he was leaving town for good. Then she thought she had recovered a bit but until he saved Danny from being abducted and was seemingly back in town for good. She knew if Diane could get Sonny and Jason off of the charges she had gotten them out of over the years she would certainly get Todd out of his current predicament. What then? Would he be back in his offices in this hotel. Would he want to pick up where they had left off? Would he go back to Llanview? Kate may have been an amazing fashion editor but Connie had proven she had the chops to run a tabloid. He had to leave town. If he stuck around town, regardless of what she told everyone else, Carly knew deep down she would take him back. Her thoughts were interrupted by a beautifully wrapped gift that was laid down in front of her. Carly looked up to see her biggest mistake standing before her.
AJ Quartermaine had decided to take action and to charm Carly into telling him the whereabouts of the missing Quartermaine heir. Of course, he would frame it as she would really be doing it for Michael's future.
"That haircut is actually stunning, Carly." AJ truly meant it, her new short hair style was beautiful.
"What do you want?" Carly snipped at the last person she wanted to see, well the second to last person as AJ boldly sat himself down across from her at the intimate table for two.
"And what is this?" Carly asked as her fingers tapped the perfectly wrapped gift sitting before her.
"It's those Swiss truffles you used to love," AJ remarked conversationally, "You aren't on one of those crazy gluten free diets are you?"
"AJ.." Carly was about to loose her temper in spectacular fashion when her cell phone saved him.
Her concierge called to inform her that Todd Manning had been upset upon learning that his suite had been booked for this weekend's convention and was on his way to the restaurant to speak to her about it. He had just wanted her to have a head's up as Mr. Manning had been terribly upset they had not held his room. Carly was fuming. Hold his room! He had gone on the run and then on trial for crimes that could have landed him in Pentonville for 20 years. He really believed she would hold his suite, one of her nicest, what until his release in 2033? She thanked him and hung up. Her heart racing. She wasn't prepared to see him.
"AJ, you are here sucking up to me bringing me expensive chocolate for one reason." Carly looked over her not so bright ex husband whom she had always been able to outwit and continued,
"You want me to tell you who the mystery Quartermaine heir is and how to find them."
"Well it is for Michael." AJ managed to squeak out.
AJ was unnerved by her quick wit. He had always thought her more like Luke Spencer than his own children. He had never been able to keep up with her.
"I will on one condition." She had formulated a plan on the fly.
"Great! OK. Carly whatever you want." AJ practically fell out of his chair at the news that she was willing to give up such valuable information to him.
"You and I are going to pretend to be dating as long as Todd Manning is around." She explained.
"What?"
"Look do you want to know who the long lost Q is or not?" Carly was impatient.
"Of course, its for Michael." AJ stuttered still trying to catch up.
"Great, when Todd Manning walks off of that elevator, we are on a date." Carly explained as though she were speaking to a small child, "If you manage to convince him we are dating, after he leaves, I will tell you who the Q heir is."
The elevator opened and a free Todd Manning strode off of it. His eyes scanned the darkened room. Her little manager had told him she had rented his room to someone else. That was the excuse he needed to see her and tell her the charges had all been dropped. He was a free man. They were free to work on what they had been building when Johnny had grown a conscience. Then his gaze fell to her and the man he recognized from the front page of his own newspaper as her first husband, AJ Quartermaine. They were on what those looking on, not knowing their history, would call a date. But Todd did know their history. Carly had told him and now she was huddled in a romantic corner of a dark restaurant with the man she had wanted to kill just months before. Todd decided he would watch this for a few minutes.
Carly had seen Todd exit the elevator from the corner of her eye and had taken AJ's sweaty hand in her own. She hoped he understood the act was on. She placed her hand on AJ's knee and glanced around noticing Todd had taken a seat at the bar while his eyes never left her. AJ put his hand on her silk covered thigh. Carly flinched at his touch before she could stop herself. She recovered by leaning in, knowing Todd's eyes hadn't left her, and pressed her lips to AJ's. She kissed him and was taken aback when AJ tried to deepen their kiss. Carly, knowing Todd was watching, put her hand on his chest in what she thought looked like a seductive gesture but in reality was just to push at him, to remind him it was an act. It was then she felt the hand she never flinched from on her arm. She looked up into his eyes expecting jealousy or rage. The look on Todd's face was pure bemusement.
Todd had sat at the bar sipping her finest scotch while watching her put on a show for him. He knew Carly. He had watched her with Johnny for too many months. He had seen her lean into that rat's kisses. He himself had felt her fingers linger when touching his thigh. He had watched her eyes close when he kissed her, long, slow, deep kisses. He knew she liked to thread her fingers through her lover's hair. Right now she sat straight backed with her hand barely touching AJ's knee and flinched when the little rodent tried squeezing her thigh. When she kissed him she sat with her fists clenched, her eyes open and her lips closed. Todd decided enough was enough when that little bastard tried to deepen their kiss. He could see her push at his chest. Todd grabbed the arm holding AJ at bay.
"I hate to break up such an enchantingly romantic date but I need to speak to Carly about a room." Todd spoke directly to Carly never looking at AJ very effectively dismissing the other man.
With those words, Todd pulled her to her feet and pulling her behind him started for the elevators. He stopped at the first door he came to and pushed it open and shoved her inside. Carly felt herself backed against a door as his body leaned heavily into hers, just like New Year's Eve. Todd pushed his hands into her new hairstyle, holding her skull gently but firmly still for the deep kiss he had wanted since their lips brushed in his office that afternoon weeks ago. Now he gave in and let his tongue out to play with hers. When he pulled away from her he looked around and noticed for the first time where they were.
"Why do women have couches in their restrooms?"
In lieu of an answer, Carly pulled on the back of his neck forcing his mouth back to hers. He obliged her hungry demand. Todd cupped her breasts through the rough wool sweater she wore. Pulling his mouth away he tore it off over her head and tossed it behind him. With one hand he released the clasp between her breasts and shoved the cups away while the wrapped the other arm under her ass and lifted her. Carly arched her back and threaded her hand through his hair, guiding his mouth to her her nipples. For long minutes they stood against the door his mouth teasing, nipping and sucking on her breasts. As his mouth made its way to her neck he finally set her on her feet. Todd jerked at the rough silk skirt she wore pulling it up to her waist. Pushing her panties down he lifted each leg pulling them completely free. Carly leaned weakly against the door. She had made love with him, tenderly and slowly, but this! This was something different. They were unable to slow down to inject any tenderness. She was unable to control this she was simply along for the ride. She could hear her guests passing by on the other side of the door. Then she remembered to reach down and turn the lock. This was not the most frequently used restroom and thankfully the bar and restaurant had been almost empty tonight but you could never be too careful.
Todd cupped her bottom again this time telling her to wrap her legs around his waist. He moved to the marble vanity where he pushed, the various brushes and lotions and whatever women used when they flocked to the ladies room together aside, and deposited her on the edge. The cool marble chilled her hot bare skin. She reached between her legs to quickly undo his belt and unzip his suit pants. She pushed his pants and underwear down his slim hips and guided him into her. Todd put his hand on her bare ass and pulled her to the very edge of the vanity, positioning them so that every thrust hit her exposed clitoris. He had known exactly what he was doing. He forced her to orgasm within minutes. Carly arched and strained against his body until with a fury of pumping hips he too climaxed.
They sagged heavily against each other her back pressed to the mirror. Their clothes damp and twisted.
"We're good together." he mumbled into her neck just beneath her ear.
"Oh, and no one else is ever going to touch you again." Todd murmured as he kissed the hollow of her neck, "I'm tired, Carly. I lost eight years of my life. I'm not playing games anymore. That's over. Blair and I did it to death. I'm done. I love you and you love ME. I want you and you're mine!"
They both jerked up with the knocking and eventual pounding on the door. Carly thanked God she had thought to turn the lock. She said the first words that came into her head,
"This one's closed for maintenance please use the one down the hall."
She turned her head into his shoulder as he laughed out loud and whispered,
"I love you too."