Brandon nervously bit his thumbnail as he stared up the walkway leading to the Solaria's front door. The familiar walk was suddenly daunting and he didn't quite know why. After all, his mom slipped and mentioned that Stella's flight wasn't supposed to get in until this afternoon anyway and the only other person that would be at the house for a while was Luna so he didn't know why he was so damn anxious.
Swallowing his pride, he strode up the front steps and knocked on the red front door. He didn't have to wait long before the always prim and proper Luna Solaria opened it up.
"Brandon dear, I've been expecting you!" she exclaimed, pulling him in for a tight hug, "It's lovely to see you! Come in, come in!"
"It's good to see you again too, Ms. Solaria," Brandon smiled, stepping into the large foyer.
"How many times do I have to tell you, sweetie? Call me Luna," she smiled, letting him go.
"Thanks Ms. Solaria," he joked, "Luna. And thanks so much for this. I'm sorry to be such an imposition, but –"
"Nonsense," she replied, cutting him off, "You know you can make yourself at home here!"
Brandon chuckled at the irony of that statement, the sinking feeling of last being here three years ago for dinner still eating away at him inside. But he would take that feeling over the feeling he got when he thought about the last time he was upstairs in this very home eight years ago. In Stella's bedroom...
He shook his head, trying to shake the memory from his mind and trying to play it off as a joke, "Thank you ma'am," he replied, anticipating the snicker on Luna's face before correcting himself, "Sorry Luna, habit."
She simply grinned before showing him to the bottom of the stairs, "That Navy has you pretty squared away, doesn't it?" He grinned and nodded and she motioned up the stairs, "I'm sure you remember where the bathroom is, but the towels are under the sink and feel free to use whatever you can find. I'm not sure much up there smells very, well manly, as most of it is from Bath and Body Works, but whatever works, right?"
"Ha," he laughed, "I'm just thankful you're letting me borrow your shower. After working with Sky in the yard all day yesterday then having the water pipe burst this morning, I'm probably smelling pretty ripe right now."
"Well, I wasn't going to say anything but," Ms. Solaria teased, "I'm just kidding. Now go on, breakfast is in thirty minutes."
"Thanks, I appreciate it," he replied, making his way up the steps as she turned away and walked toward the kitchen.
He took them slowly, hesitantly as he approached the top landing, peeking his head around the corner to look at the room at the end of the hall. The door he had walked through a million times as a young boy. The door he last saw while walking out eight years ago.
Brandon swallowed hard and walked toward the door, glancing to his left and quickly ducking into the bathroom. He put his shaving kit on the vanity and stripped down, turning the water on full blast and waiting until it hit the right temperature before ducking under the spray.
He took his time savoring the hot water, but his thoughts soon drifted to the woman who would re-occupy the room at the end of the hallway later that day. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the tile, his thoughts wandering back to the summer in between their sophomore and junior years of high school.
He and Sky had been out tinkering on the second-hand powerboat Brandon had finally saved up to buy for the better part of the morning, the two boys eating their weight in beef jerky and sweating out all of the beer they had stolen from Mr. Miller's fridge after they finished mowing his lawn the day prior, when Stella and a few of her cheerleader friends came giggling out her back door. Brandon quickly ducked behind Sky, keeping his face down and focusing intently on the boat to try and avoid the knowing stares and daggers a few of those cheerleaders would be shooting his way. Payback for fooling around with a few girls on the same team, he thought as he continued to focus on the task at hand.
Sky noticed his obvious change of mood and discomfort and immediately started ribbing him for hooking up with both Musa and Roxy in the same week, placing bets on how long it would take until both girls figured out what he did and both came after him.
Brandon simply shook his head, cursing himself and his little head for thinking for him when his brain obviously stopped functioning as soon as boobs were involved. They continued to mess with the engine for a bit longer until the clearing of a throat took their attention away from the task at hand.
"So, I know you both are total horn-dogs, but please try to be on your best behavior today," Stella stated, her hands planted firmly on her hips as she stared at the two boys. "And if you can't do best behavior, at least try to be nice and keep it in your pants...yes, Shields, I'm looking at you."
Brandon could barely roll his eyes at the comment, let alone do anything else but stare at Stella standing there in front of him. She wore a pair of tiny cut-off shorts and a black bikini top that left little to the imagination, his own imagination going into overdrive as he looked her over. Usually when she hung out with the two of them she wore a pretty non-descript one-piece, saying it was more practical if they were going to be jumping off of rocks or tubing. But this... he had never seen her in so little before, and good God was she hot.
Brandon shook his head and tried to look away as that comment entered his mind.
She's not hot.
It's Stella, she's like one of the guys. She can't be hot.
But her body was like a beacon and he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Even as she rolled her eyes at him and Sky and walked back down the dock and back over to her own house, Brandon's eyes were glued to her and the gentle sway of her hips as she retreated back up the lawn.
The sweet scent of her suntan lotion. Supple, sun-kissed skin. The gentle slope of her hips and mouthwatering curves. The soft swell of her breasts under that heart-stopping bikini. And those perfectly pink and pouty lips, oh Lord.
"Musa's looking pretty hot today, huh?" Sky joked, motioning to the Latina in a barely there white bikini, making a point of bending over and giving the two boys a show as she smoothed out her towel over a lawn chair, "I think she still wants you too."
"Huh?" Brandon asked, his eyes never leaving Stella's form.
He felt like he was in a daze. This was the same girl he used to run around the forest with, pretending a fallen log cabin nearby was their castle to defend against imaginary dragons. The girl he called up to go fishing or cause trouble with. The same girl who got sent home from school after she kicked a guy in the balls for stealing Brandon's baseball glove in fifth grade.
The same girl who was now stripping out of her teeny-tiny jean shorts and stretching out on a lawn chair next to Musa, her legs parting slightly as she tried to find the best angle to catch some rays.
Sky patted him on the back and murmured something in his ear about Musa again, but all he could focus on was Stella.
How the hell had he never noticed her in this way? How did she manage to hide that body from him for this long?
Brandon's groin ached painfully and he realized his surprise... and excitement were probably showing by now. He adjusted his shorts and bent back down to continue to work on the engine on the boat but he couldn't get her out of his head.
It was a hard feeling to reconcile...in more than one way. Stella was one of his best friends, she was like a sister to him so he shouldn't feel like this. He shouldn't feel attracted to her, turned on by her, but he was. Very much so.
Musa had all but vanished from his eyesight as he looked back up and continued to stare at her, admiring her strong and shapely legs...his groin throbbing again at the thought of those legs wrapped around his waist.
NO, stop it! He mentally scolded himself. Get it together, Shields! It's just Stella. Calm down, boy!
But it was no use. As soon as he looked back up and felt his mouth go dry as he watched her readjust her bikini top, her skin glistening as her breasts bounced around while she re-tied the top.
Fuck...he was so screwed.
His pants felt tight and the sun felt far too hot to continue to sit out here and stare at her, Brandon making a quick excuse to retreat into the confines of his own home to take care of his little, or in this case, big problem.
As he stood there under the spray, images of Stella flashed though his mind and his hand began to drift lower, grazing his manhood before his head rolled back and smacked the hard tile.
It was definitely the wake-up call he needed, quickly looking around and remembering he was in the Solaria's guest bathroom and internally scolding himself for letting his mind wander while he was a guest in their home.
He sucked in a deep breath and cranked the nozzle all the way to cold, hoping the shock to his system would help him and Brandon Jr. calm down a bit.
After taking a few more moments to himself and realizing that nothing was going to dull down the electricity flowing through his body at the memory, he turned the shower off and grabbed a towel, drying himself off and slinging the towel around his waist while he took the time to get ready for the day.
He was midway through shaving when he began hearing it: a low moaning noise coming from the other side of the door that joined the bathroom. He figured it was the air conditioner kicking on, seeing as that particular door lead to Stella's bedroom and she wasn't supposed to arrive in Lima until later that night. So he continued to shave, rinsing his razor off and wiping his face down when he heard it again.
That same low moan...
...and now he was curious.
He zipped up his shaving kit and set it aside before quietly making his way toward the door, leaning in and listening to the low groans and muffled noises. He quietly cracked open the door and peered into the room.
Lying there, her legs tangled in the sheets, was the girl he hadn't seen in three years, yet was more beautiful than he remembered.
He sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of Stella, surprised as hell to see her already there and even more shocked that the sound of him using her bathroom hadn't woken her from her peaceful slumber. He looked down and was about to leave when he heard her shift once again. She twisted once more, the sheet pulling away from her body as she curved an arm around a pillow, the sigh leaving her mouth stopping him dead in his tracks as her voice gently floated across the room.
"Brandon."
His eyes shot back up to her face, searching for any sign that she was awake and calling out for him. But her eyes were closed and her body was still and peaceful, so he had to have been hearing things, right? She shifted again and groaned lightly, kicking the sheet away and revealing the skin-tight white tank-top and the tantalizing black boy-shorts she slept in, both hugging her womanly curves perfectly, leaving him far more turned on at this moment than he had been after staring at her in her bikini when they were sixteen.
Brandon felt his body move toward hers involuntarily, the need to see her like this up-close becoming overwhelming as she tossed around the sheets. He stopped next to her side of the bed, giving her a very obvious once over before watching her twist again, another sigh leaving her mouth as her legs fell apart and she clutched a small pillow to her side.
"Mmm, Brandon."
So he hadn't just been hearing things! He couldn't help but grin as his name tumbled from her lips.
He swallowed hard as he watched her toss again, this time discarding the pillow she had been clutching as she sprawled out, opening herself up to him. Brandon felt his mouth go dry as she let out another little moan, a slight smile appearing on her face and he simply couldn't help himself any longer.
He leaned in and gently kissed her pouty, pink lips, savoring their softness against his. He heard her take in a deep breath and felt her hand wander to his arm, barely brushing his forearm as he pulled back to look back down at her. Her eyes were still closed but that slight smile appeared on her face again, a small contented sigh leaving her lips again.
"Ooh, Brandon."
Brandon grinned again as he heard his name again. She had to be aware he was here, otherwise why would she be sighing his name, right? She probably wanted him just as bad as he wanted her.
He leaned forward again, brushing his nose against hers before tenderly kissing her lips again. He felt her other hand brush down his abdomen, resting gently against the clasp of the towel wrapped around his hips. Brandon felt his heart race and his breathing hitch at the contact. She had to be doing this on purpose, he thought as he pulled back once more.
Eyes still closed and eyelids shuffling gently, she looked like an angel. So peaceful and graceful. But he knew she had to be awake. Unless... No, that probably wasn't it. Her body was so responsive to his presence that she had to be awake, she was probably just messing with him.
He leaned forward once again, brushing a wayward strand of hair behind her ear before nuzzling her nose with his again.
"Stella," he murmured, "Stella, open your eyes."
"Mmmm," she replied sleepily, twisting gently under him.
He kissed her gently again, murmuring a bit louder against her lips, "Stella, open your eyes. I want to see those beautiful golden eyes of yours."
He felt her shift again, so he pulled back a bit, watching as her eyelids fluttered open and her eyes readjusted to the morning light. She blinked up at him once or twice then took another look around the room before her head snapped back around as she finally registered that he was leaning over her, most of his body suspended over hers as he looked down at her.
"Morning sunshine," he said, grinning down at her.
Her face went from contentment to surprise to straight fury in about 2 seconds flat, her body practically vaulting up into a sitting position, forcing Brandon to pull back even farther as he sat back on the edge of her bed.
"What the fuck are you doing in my room? And why the hell are you in a towel?" she asked, her face a light shade of pink as she fumed back at him.
Brandon tried to recover as quickly as he could, simply grinning back at her, "We had a pipe break last night and had to shut off the water. There's a plumber over there now trying to help my Ma fix it and since the Eraklyons have about a million people over at their house for the wedding, your mom said I could use the shower."
"Why my shower?" she shot back.
"Um, cuz it would have been a little awkward and weird showering in your mom's room?"
Stella just sat there silently, staring back at him and trying to think of what to say next. Brandon, on the other hand, let his gaze wander down her chest, her camisole gaping gently as he stared at the perfect rise and slope of her cleavage, her skimpy bed-wear leaving little to the imagination. It had been a long eight years since he had last seen that body in a bathing suit...or otherwise, and she definitely looked like she had grown into it over the years, her curves delicious as he felt his mouth go dry just looking at her.
Stella shifted again, her face deceiving her self-consciousness as she pulled the sheets and comforter up around her bust, holding it tightly against herself. It was enough to break Brandon out of his staring stupor, his gaze finding hers again and he couldn't help but wink at her to see if he could make her blush. Sure enough, that faint pink tint returning to her cheeks as she tried to look anywhere but at him as he sat there.
"Well, now that you've showered and successfully become a huge creeper by sitting here and staring at me while I slept, I think you can leave now," she finally replied, breaking the uneasy silence that had fallen over them.
"Me? A creeper?" he replied, half-chuckling, "You were the one playing the little game. Calling out my name and kissing me like that. Tisk, tisk, Ms. Solaria."
"What? What the hell are you talking about?" she asked incredulously, "What game? I was asleep and let me tell you, it's rather unnerving to wake up with someone hovering over you like that, you weirdo."
"Wait, so if that wasn't some little game of yours..." he reasoned, the wheels in his head turning as another grin crept up on his face, "You weren't...we're you having a sex dream about me?"
"WHAT? No!" Stella answered, a little bit too quickly, "Now you're just delusional."
"Mmmhmm. So that's why you were practically moaning my name, my first name mind you, and kissing me back. Your hands were even wandering a bit. That totally screams sex dream to me."
He knew he totally had her when Stella turned a deep shade of scarlet and looked away again, "It was not a sex dream! I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh babe, those were total sex dream moans and we both know it," he replied, cocking an eyebrow at her, "So tell me, how amazing was I? I mean I could hear you and your body shifting around the entire bed told me enough, but it's still nice to hear."
He knew he was pushing it and he should have probably quit teasing her a while back and left her room when she first asked, but he couldn't force himself to leave. Stella was so damn hot when she got flustered or mad that he couldn't tear himself away, even if he would be the one to ultimately get the verbal lashing in the end.
And he was right.
She glanced back up at him and shot him her trademark glare, the woman practically shooting flaming daggers out of her eyes as she stared him down.
"I wasn't having a sex dream about you. Why the hell would you EVER be the subject of any of my more salacious or erotic fantasies? Your ego is just too damn big that you think far too highly of yourself, so get real Shields. And while you're at it, get the hell out of my room!"
"Chill, Solaria. Don't get your panties all in a twist. After all, they are such a lovely little lace number."
"I'll have you know, the state of my panties is none of your business. And I don't remember any of the details. Why? Because I was asleep, you creeper. All I do know, is it wasn't about you so drop it."
The sternness of her voice and her icy demeanor proved him correct in that he definitely struck a chord with that one...and now she was really pissed. He thought she was pretty damn hot, with her hair all wild and her eyes ablaze with rage, that is once you got past the slightly frightening demeanor she was giving off.
Brandon let out a chuckle and scooted closer to her, his body reacting to the involuntary draw he felt toward her, yet fighting the urge to push her down and kiss her senseless. But her body language was still very on edge and he liked the challenge.
He knew he should quit. He knew he should just shut his mouth and leave, maybe apologize later and see if he could make nice for the wedding. He knew he shouldn't push her any farther if he wanted to salvage any type of relationship with her in the future.
But he couldn't help himself. It was just their two personalities. This is how it had always been whenever they would fight. Both of them were too proud to admit defeat and both were too stubborn to give in. So instead of shutting his mouth and leaving, he went for the big guns knowing he would get some sort of rise out of her.
"Aww Q, you're not still mad about the night of the bonfire eight years ago, are you? Come on, cut me some slack here."
He instantly regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth, her face falling into a horrified look before she quickly masked it with rage yet again. He winced, the look she just gave him betraying the fact that she was still hurt and rather upset about that night eight years ago. Hell, so was he, but he had to go there and in turn, continued to dig himself a deeper hole.
He didn't have to wait long for her to unleash hell on him either.
"You asshole! First of all, you don't deserve any slack, least of all from me so don't come looking to me for any. And second, don't fucking flatter yourself, Shields," she spat out in disgust like his last name was nothing more than dirt, "I was young and naïve then, so just forget it. And I'll have you know that I've slept with plenty of men since then, all of which were far better lovers than you could have possibly been. Some women may fall for that smirk and your so-called "charm," but not me. Sorry to burst your bubble."
She sat back as an unnerving calm settled over her body, Brandon shifting uncomfortably as she crossed her arms and glared at him. He swallowed hard, thinking of a way to play it off and regain some control in this situation.
Fortunately for him, Stella's cell phone blared from her night stand.
Without thinking twice, Brandon's body leapt off of the bed on its own volition and caught her arm as she reached for her phone, pulling her up against his chest and lowering his mouth to hers, kissing her deeply. He felt her go rigid at first, her body softening in his arms as she allowed herself to kiss him back.
When he finally pulled away, her face was flushed pink and her eyes were still closed as her tongue snaked out of her mouth to lick her swollen lips. He felt himself perk up below the towel and he couldn't help but think at how interesting this week could get if they were already starting off this way.
Stella's eyes finally fluttered open again and Brandon was finally able to savor looking into those deep golden pools he loved so much. They truly were the windows to her soul and betrayed every emotion she tried to keep bottled up, and he couldn't help but smile that the shock and confusion they held just moments before he decided to kiss her was rapidly dissipating into something that looked a lot like lust.
Brandon continued to hold her gaze, gently pushing away another strand of hair as he ran the pads of his fingers down her jaw before trailing them down the long column of her neck. He wanted her, and if he wasn't mistaken, she wanted him too. Her eyes betrayed that much. Regardless of how pissed she had been moments before, she couldn't hide her desire, her entire demeanor changing in an instant as she sat there and stared back up at him, her gaze searching his.
Before either of them could make another move, Stella's bedroom door swung open revealing Sky's hulking form, a croissant sticking out of his mouth as he began to speak.
"Breakfast is on the... oh shit" he began, his mouth full as he spoke. He swallowed hard and tried not to choke as he took in the sight of Brandon in a towel embracing a scantily clad Stella, the two of them mere inches from one another.
"Do you ever knock before barging into a girl's bedroom?" Stella practically screeched, quickly pushing away from Brandon as she covered herself back up with the sheet that had been dropped when he grabbed her earlier.
The shocked look on Sky's face quickly dissipated, a shit eating grin appearing as he took in the two of his friends, who at one point in time could barely stand to be in the same room with one another, now looking awfully cozy with one another.
"Sorry for interrupting," he said, the grin on his face growing wider as he spoke, "And normally I would just say 'don't mind me and go back to what you were doing' but I was told to come up and tell you both that breakfast is ready."
He shot them both a "thumbs-up" and winked at them before backing out of the room, Brandon hurling a pillow at him in the process before he shut the door and left them to deal with what had just happened between the two of them.
He heard Stella groan from her position up against the headboard, the blonde pulling the sheet up over her face as she shook her head.
"This is just great," she groaned sarcastically, "This is exactly how I wanted to start this week. And you know Sky can't keep his mouth shut!"
Brandon couldn't help but smile at her comment, despite the sarcasm. This really wasn't a bad way to start this week, he thought as he slowly stood and placed a kiss against the top of Stella's sheet-covered head before making his way back to the bathroom to collect his clothes.
To say that Stella was flustered after the events of the morning would be a major understatement. Her fingers were still trembling from the shock of kissing Brandon again that she could barely button her jeans, let alone apply eyeliner and mascara without making a mess all over her face. She could still taste him on her lips, the gentle pressure of his lips on hers a vivid memory as she stared at herself in the mirror on her vanity, her cheeks flushing a light pink again just thinking about it.
She ran a comb through her tangled hair before pulling it back into a loose ponytail. She selected her favorite pair of earrings and was having trouble with the clasp of her cross necklace when a soft knock came from her bathroom door.
"May I?" Brandon asked softly, walking forward and gently taking the chain from her, draping it around her neck before closing the clasp and allowing his fingers to fall down the back of her neck slowly.
A shiver crept down her spine at the contact, his nearness enough to make her heart race again with the memories of this morning. Her eyes fluttered closed momentarily as she took a deep breath and regained her nerve.
She looked back up into the mirror to find Brandon staring back at her, a gentle smile on his face as he watched her.
"I swear you get more and more beautiful every time I see you."
Stella gave him a soft smile in return before standing and moving away from his distracting touch.
"Thanks," she replied before she cleared her throat and glanced at the door, "I uh, I think we better head downstairs for breakfast before someone else decides to come up and find us."
"Yeah," Brandon responded quickly, "Yeah, that's probably a good idea." He glanced back over at where she was standing, flashing her that grin that always made her melt when she was younger before adding, "Unless you, ah, wanna hang out up here and make out a little more."
Stella blushed again before rolling her eyes and opening her bedroom door, signaling for him to exit as she followed him down the stairs and into the kitchen. Brandon glanced back up at her every other step and Stella felt her face flush each and every time. She didn't know why, after all these years around him, she still blushed whenever he looked at her like that. She should be pissed at him for barging in on her this morning, stand-offish even yet he still managed to fluster her every time she saw him.
She tried to be cordial to him, even aloof at times, but for some reason that never seemed to get to him. Maybe what happened between them that night eight years ago was just a one-sided feeling, a one-sided hurt and he was completely unaffected by everything that happened. She sobered a bit at that thought, the heat dissipating from her cheeks as she continued to follow him down the stairs.
However, he couldn't be completely unaffected about what happened. He wasn't completely heartless and he had felt something for her at some point in time, right?
God, she really needed to stop this whole "what if" game she had going on in her mind, but she couldn't help it. They had a deep history, both as friends and... well...
She shook her head and tried to rid herself of the memory, glancing around at the photos lining the hallway walls. One photo in particular caught her eye and she found herself pausing in front of it for a moment, smiling at the sight of her, Brandon and Sky fishing off of the dock behind the Shields' home when they were six years old. She chuckled as she remembered that day vividly, the dare Sky issued to Brandon shortly after this picture was taken ended up leading to her first kiss...
"Smile guys and gal!" Luna called out before she snapped the picture of the three of them sitting on the dock, feet dangling in the water as they proudly held their first fishing poles. Luna smiled back at them as she lowered the camera, "Remember, if you catch anything, you need to toss it back in the water. Oh, and be careful with the hooks. And no horseplay around the lake!"
"Mom! We know, we're fine!" Stella groaned back at her mom, rolling her eyes at the elder blonde.
"I just want you to be safe," Luna replied before turning around and heading back up toward the Shields home, "But if you need anything, we're just inside."
"Ok," all three of them replied in unison, quickly turning back toward the lake and casting off their lines.
They sat there in silence for a few moments before Brandon glanced over at the two of them, that mischievous smirk emerging.
"You guys wanna play Dare?"
"Isn't it supposed to be Truth or Dare?" Stella asked.
"Well, yeah, but just Dare is more fun."
"I'll play," Sky asked, puffing out his chest as he waited for his first dare.
"You wanna play, Stell?"
"Um, ok," she agreed hesitantly.
"Ok cool. Sky, I dare you to eat one of our bait worms," Brandon grinned, holding up a squirming earth worm.
"Eww, nasty!" Stella protested, "Brandon, that's gross."
"Well, good thing it's not your dare then," Brandon replied, glancing back over at Sky, "So Sky, what do you say?"
Sky looked over at a horrified Stella before taking in Brandon's evil smirk, thrusting his hand out toward his friend, "Gimme the worm."
Brandon began to laugh as Sky held the worm up. Sky took a deep breath before opening his mouth and quickly shoving the worm in, barely chewing before he quickly swallowed, sticking his tongue out to prove that it was gone before frantically grabbing for his water bottle and chugging the liquid down.
Stella groaned as soon as he stuck it in his mouth, covering her eyes as he completed the dare, where as Brandon simply laughed at the horrified face his friend made once he swallowed the worm.
"I don't care what either of you say, I am not eating a worm or anything else remotely disgusting for my dare," Stella murmured.
"Oh, well then in that case," Sky replied, looking between his two friends and trying to decide what to dare them to do before thinking of the perfect thing, "Stella, I dare you to kiss Brandon."
"What?" "Eww, no!" the two of them replied simultaneously.
"You know what happens if you don't do the dare," Sky warned, grabbing another earth worm and dangling it out in front of Stella, "You have to eat the worm. That's the consequence."
"I don't want to play this anymore," Stella protested, not wanting to eat a worm or kiss Brandon.
"Come on, it's not that hard of a dare, Stell," Sky teased, goading her on.
Stella sat there and glared at him, continuing to pout before she felt Brandon's hand on her face, turning her cheek toward him before he leaned in and puckered up, kissing her lips and holding it a few seconds to prove that they were in fact kissing and that they were fulfilling Stella's part of the dare. Stella sat there stunned, her lips puckering against his and her eyes were wide as saucers as he leaned into the kiss, Brandon's eyes fluttering closed as he tried to kiss her properly to complete the dare.
After a few seconds, he pulled away and licked his lips, looking back up at a stunned Sky before he proclaimed that Stella's dare had been fulfilled and that it was now his turn. Sky nodded and looked back at the lake, trying not to giggle at the fact that his two friends totally kissed just now. Stella on the other hand continued to stare at Brandon, still in shock over what had just happened. Brandon simply glanced back over at Stella, offering her one of his trademark grins before turning his attention back out toward the lake.
As easy and simple as a silly dare from Sky when they were six... and he had probably held her heart ever since. She smiled again at the picture before she felt Brandon tug on her arm, breaking her out of her mini reverie and leading her toward the kitchen.
As soon as they walked into the kitchen, they were met with the sweet and savory aromas of cinnamon rolls, croissants, freshly cut fruit, and several other goodies, all placed on the giant table in front of everyone. Melanie, Samara, Bloom and Sky were already seated, the three women talking animatedly about the wedding before Stella and Brandon made their grand entrance. Once the group had noticed the new arrivals, all of the women popped up out of their chairs and immediately attacked the duo, offering hugs all around before Luna practically forced plates into their hands.
Of course, given their luck already this morning, the only two seats left at the table were right next to each other, Brandon and Stella taking their seats as Sky continued to give the two of them the same shit-eating grin he wore earlier when he walked in on them. Stella felt her face flush as she tried her hardest to avoid his gaze, chatting and catching up with Melanie, Samara, Bloom, and her mom while the boys continued to have a staring contest across the table from one another.
Throughout the meal, Brandon and Stella did their best to avoid any and all physical contact with one another, a feat in itself considering the cramped quarters. After munching for a while longer, Samara suggested Bloom run over the itinerary for the week with everyone now that the best man and the maid of honor had arrived.
Bloom pulled out her notebook, giddily flipping through the pages until she found the ones she was looking for.
"Ok, so I will have you all know that this is somewhat flexible this week as I know you all have your own lives and I'm going to try really hard not to be a Bridezilla. Having said that, the parts of the week that are not flexible will take place at the end of the week; aka, the rehearsal dinner and the wedding itself. Now, Stella and Brandon, since you both have been pretty busy as of late, you both have your final fittings for your tux and dress for the ceremony."
"Wait, I thought you said it would be cool if I wore my Naval Dress Blues to this," Brandon asked, shoveling another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.
"Um, yeah, I forgot to tell you the other day," Sky began, rubbing his hand through his hair, "Uh, the color of your uniform would really, what did you call it Bloom, 'clash' with the rest of the groomsmen's tuxes."
Brandon put his spoon down and leaned back into his seat, glaring once again at Sky. Brandon chuckled as Ms. Shields scolded him from across the table, telling him he would survive without his uniform for one evening. However, much to Stella's chagrin, Brandon visibly relaxed and even nudged her in the ribs once Bloom decided to chime in and let him know that she went ahead and scheduled their fittings at the same time that very afternoon at the little boutique in downtown Lima.
Stella stiffened once again as she thought about being in close quarters with him again, the prospect exciting yet unnerving at the same time. She was definitely still attracted to him and interested in possibly exploring the spark she felt with him earlier today, but a big part of her continued to scream at her to protect her heart too. She had known Brandon her whole life and knew how he rolled when it came to women, so now at age twenty six, she knew it was more important than ever to keep some things at a distance, to protect herself and her dignity at the very least.
No matter how enticing exploring this thing with Brandon sounded or strong she thought she could be in terms of setting boundaries and protecting herself, she didn't think she could survive the fallout this time if she let her heart go with him again... and it was all too easy when it came to him.
Brandon continued to seethe over the fact that he wouldn't be allowed to wear his uniform to the ceremony. They were his dress blues, they were certainly formal enough for a wedding, and the ribbons and badges that adorned the jacket were hard earned. He was proud of it and he rarely got to wear it, so hearing that he couldn't simply because "it clashed" with the other groomsmen's suits pissed him off. He had been in a warzone twice. He had fought overseas twice for Heaven's sake, he had seen battle out there. It was not like he just sat on a boat and lounged. No, he had been out there in country more times than he could count, so why couldn't he have the satisfaction of wearing it just once in a while.
He tried to keep things in perspective, especially when his mother called him out for being selfish and only thinking of himself when this was Sky and Bloom's wedding, not his. But truth be told, he really wanted to wear it for several reasons. Yes, he was proud of it and his accomplishments and what his uniform represented. But truth be told, he really wanted to wear it to show everyone who would be there that he didn't end up a total screw-up or a Lima Loser. He wanted to show people he made something of himself and that they could be just as proud of him as they were of their golden boy Sky and perfect Stella. He wanted to prove that he wasn't just all talk, that he wasn't just the perpetual jokester who couldn't commit to anything and couldn't take anything seriously.
Though he would never admit it, he always felt so inadequate compared to Stella and Sky. They had gone on and done great things, but he was always the one lagging behind them with little to no direction or sense of commitment. But the Navy helped him find his way, that uniform, that pride he had in what he did for his country made him feel a little bit more equal with the two of them.
Also, if he was being really honest with himself, he really wanted to wear it for Stella. To show her how far he had come in the last eight years. That he wasn't a complete loser and that he could commit to something and take it seriously. She had only seen him in his camo uniform once briefly, the summer after Brandon's boot camp and Stella's freshman year at Yale. But despite the very distant and somewhat tense friction between them at the time, the smile she gave him at that moment made his heart swell once again and gave him hope that they could salvage some part of their relationship as it seemed to be a smile she reserved only for him.
It was the same smile she gave him the night of the bonfire eight years ago, after she led him silently back up to her room and offered her virginity to him for the taking.
Brandon's heart began to race as he imagined that smile in his head. Her secret smile. One that had been absent from Stella's face every time he had seen her since... and he would do anything, absolutely anything to see that smile again.
He sucked in a sharp breath and swallowed hard, trying to focus on something other than the entrancing blonde sitting next to him, as his hands were itching to touch her again. To hold her again. And to taste her lips once again. It had been so long since he last kissed her, but now that it happened once, he knew he had to taste her again. To feel her again.
As soon as Bloom announced that they both had a fitting that afternoon and thus, they would be alone together once more, Brandon felt himself relax about the whole uniform situation. He still wasn't thrilled about being forced to wear a monkey suit, but as shameless as it sounded, if it meant spending an hour or so with Stella away from everyone else, he'd do it.
It was easy being around her again, and if watching her now told him anything, it was that she was still the same old fun loving Stella she always had been and the chemistry between the two of them was almost magical; sparks flying, stars shooting kind of magical...and now that they were in the same place for an entire week, he may actually have an opportunity to try and right the wrong from that one stupid night eight years ago.
The least he could do was try, right?