Jagged lines from speeding headlights flashed through the blind onto the hotel room's musky wall.

Lucas couldn't sleep. His wide blue orbs chased the light trails as he listened to the city buzz that drifted through the open window. It was something he was yet to get use to. He was still accustomed to nothing but silent nights, not a city that never seemed to sleep.

The body beside him stirred and he tilted his head to look at her, welcoming any distraction from the persistent traffic outside. She was laying on her front, the bed sheet barely covering her backside, giving him a perfect view of a very glorious naked back. It was a muggy night and their unknown hotel didn't indulge in such luxuries as air conditioning, air conditioning that Lucas was more than craving right now.

Uncaring to the possibility of waking her, he let his hand run down the curve of her back, revelling in the smoothness there.

It had been almost a month since this somewhat impulsive yet greatly appreciated arrangement had come about. She'd kept to his demands....to some extent anyhow. There had been no issues with Brooke, well not to his knowledge, however she still wasn't what Lucas would define as polite but he put up with it. Her short temper was easy to handle when he put it into perspective. He was being compensated for her unruly behaviour with these frequent meetings in gloomy hotel rooms.

'Mmm' She muttered into the mattress and a mischievous smile tugged its way onto his face. He'd come to find that only in her sleep did he ever see her completely unguarded. 'Lucas' she grumbled as she came to, swatting at his hand.

'Uhuh' He started to lay kisses from the base of her neck all the way down her spine.

'No. Work. Early. Sleep' She told him shortly, briefly opening one eye to look at the red glaring digits on the bedside clock. 'Jesus, it's three am Lucas' She complained, rolling onto her back to put an end to his insistent kisses. Her move didn't quite have the desired affect, he murmured at the sight of her. This was why she tried to avoid staying. More often than not she found herself asleep beside him though, always unable to move and blissfully sated.

He seemed deaf to her protests though, his hands tugging at the sheets now tangled around her legs.

'Luke' She sighed tiredly. The shortened version of his name had become part of her vocabulary within just the last week and every time it accidentally escaped from her mouth he found himself tingling briefly from head to toe.

He finally freed her endless legs, bringing minor relief to her overheated form.

She let his gaze rake up and down her, she watched his eyes turn black. She had no intention of letting this escalate anywhere but she let him look, for no reason accept that she loved that look. 'We're not having sex' The look that was then to form on his face was a mixture of disdain and pain and she kind of enjoyed taunting him, he always made it so easy.

He groaned. 'It's always when and where you want it isn't it?'

Even in her sleepy state she managed to kink an eyebrow at him. 'Do you want these meetings to stop?' It was a rhetorical question, she already knew the answer. 'Cause you're going the right way about it'

'Do you want these meetings to stop?' He mimicked. He already knew the answer. He hovered over her with a devilish smirk 'Cause your best bet at keeping me in between these' He nudged her legs apart with his knees and settled himself where he loved to be best. 'Is to keep me satisfied and sweetheart...right now, I'm not satisfied'

Despite his threat, she knew without a doubt he wouldn't be able to resist her, regardless of whether or not she gave in right now. She feigned a sweet smile. 'Well' She trailed her finger down his chest. 'You're going to continue to be unsatisfied sweetheart' Her smile vanished and she pushed at his hard chest.

He let his weight press against her for a second and she took a sharp breath and it took all her self control to shoved him harder.

He chuckled as he reluctantly sat up right, moving to kneel beside her. He knew he had her all worked up and that she'd rather suffer with the sudden hankering need in the pit of her belly than give in. She was far too stubborn for that.

She placed her feet on top of the crumpled sheets, her legs bent at the knee and took a deep breath, a perfect glower on her face. 'I'm going back to sleep'

'Uhuh'

She snapped her eyes closed, trying to ignore the fact that he hadn't laid back down, that he was still looking at her.

'How did you get that?' He spoke not even a minute later.

'Get what?' she muttered with a frustrated exhale.

'This scar' His finger trailed over the defect on her calf. He'd noticed it the first night he'd slept with her. He'd daren't question her on it until now, she was half asleep and less likely to tell him her life wasn't any of his business, which was her standard answer to his attempted exchanges.

Her eyelashes fluttered and her Green orbs sparkled in the dim room. 'You're really determined to not let me sleep aren't you?' She scowled.

'I can't sleep' He told her simply.

'Oh I know, you seem dead set on making me suffer for it' She rubbed the sleep from the corner of her eyes.

'Oh you're not going to be suffering, in fact-'

'We're not having sex' She dismissed. 'You already wore me out and it's too hot'

'Yeah, you are' He grinned wolfishly and she whacked his arm.

He flopped back onto the mattress beside her with a dramatic huff.

He waited a few moments and she thought he'd finally shut up but then he spoke again. 'You didn't answer me'

'What?' She whimpered.

'The scar' He rolled onto his side, leaning on one hand and staring at her expectantly, watching as she opened and closed her mouth hesitantly.

'I, I was thirteen, it was at one of my Dad's gigs' She curled onto her side.

'What happened?' He pried softly.

She breathed out heavily through her nose. 'It was a big venue and I guess security wasn't exactly great' She opened her eyes and looked into his sincere face. 'I always liked standing in the audience, it's so much better than watching from the stage, it's a, it's just a completely different atmosphere' She licked her lips. 'This man grabbed me when they were doing the encore. It was all about money, I guess he was going to blackmail my parents or something. We didn't make it out of the arena though, there was a shoot out and I ended up getting hit'

His eyes widened considerably and she was pretty sure his face had just whitened a couple of shades 'God Peyton, that's' He shook his head. He didn't understand quite why, but the knowledge that she'd been hurt and in danger filled him with an incomprehensible anger, an anger he'd never experienced before.

'I just remember screaming, screaming so loudly but no one could hear. No one noticed. The whole audience was already screaming, screaming for my dad to play more and I was screaming for him to notice me. It wasn't my Mum or Dad that noticed I was gone though, it was their bodyguard'

Her eyes were glistening with tears and he'd not seen this side to her before. She was suddenly vulnerable and he wanted to save her.

She suddenly blinked repeatedly. 'I shouldn't, I shouldn't have told you that' She mumbled in a fluster.

'I'm glad you did' His hand found her face and her stare focused on him. 'Don't you think if I was going to tell anyone anything about you I would have done so by now? I'm not that guy Peyton'

His head was all too close to hers and despite the fact that she'd let this man see all of her body, she'd not so much as dared to let him see what was beneath the skin, until now that is. She'd slipped up. She'd told him something personal. Something she'd not told absolutely anyone and right now he was staring at her with something she couldn't register, with something she didn't recognise but she did recognise that this was far too intimate and as she did she shifted away and his hand dropped from her face.

'I'm tired' She declared.

He cleared his throat. He wasn't as blind as her, he was aware that he was feeling more for this blonde haired beauty than perhaps he should.

'Right' Lucas settled his head back onto his pillow and let his eyelids close to the sleep that his body so terribly craved but wouldn't succumb to.

The buzz of passing cars filtered irritatingly through his ears once more but as he was about to groan out his frustration Peyton's legs were sliding over his to straddle him.

He squinted up at her in surprise, unable to stop a murmur from passing his lips at the feel of her against him. 'What happened to not having sex?' He asked hoarsely.

'I can't sleep'

'So? When I couldn't sleep you didn't seem to care but when you can't, I should?' He concluded.

'The difference is that you woke me up, the difference is that you are the reason that I can't sleep'

He abruptly flipped her over. 'Don't get in a strop' He husked in amusement. 'I'm sure I can find a way of getting you back to sleep' He smirked, hooking her leg around his waist.

'Shut up and kiss me' She gasped.

He brushed his nose against hers. 'Gladly'


'Ouch' Peyton winced.

'Oh god, I'm so, so, so sorry' The girl apologised profusely. 'I'm such a cluts'

'It's fine' Peyton smiled down at the nineteen year old that had accidentally pricked her with a needle. 'Believe me I've had worse. A few years back someone stabbed me with a pair of scissors accidentally' Peyton tried to make her more comfortable but the girl's eyes seemed to pop out of her head in horror not relief.

'Knock, knock' Peyton looked up at the masculine voice. 'Hi there, I'm Caleb'

'Hi' Peyton greeted, her brow furrowed curiously.

'I'm the Clothes over Bros publicist' He elaborated.

'Oh, Peyton' The blonde introduced herself, holding her hand out in front of her.

'I know who you are' The forty something man walked further into the room and wrapped his fingers around hers, bringing her hand up to his mouth, leaving a lingering kiss there.

She internally rolled her eyes. He was one of those. 'It's nice to meet you Caleb' She tugged her arm back.

'Likewise Miss Wolf. I have to say I was thrilled to hear you'd joined the company'

'Thank you, that's sweet' She nodded politely, her eyes returning to the young girl now pinning up her dress to the desired length.

'I'm sorry that we haven't met until now, Brooke's very particular over how she wants her company advertised'

'I'd say that's a good thing' Peyton told him, her polite expression gone.

'Yes, yes of course. We've been having a lot of disagreements over how to represent you though'

'I trust Brooke' Peyton found herself sticking up for the brunette.

'She's an idealist. She doesn't get that we could double sales with you doing the cover that Vogue wants'

Peyton's eyes averted back to the pompous man.

It had been a discussion she'd had with Brooke just the previous day. Vogue had contacted her directly, but she'd spoken to her boss regarding the possible shoot before she made any decisions. She'd had her reservations over the desired clothing, or lack there of, that they'd be wanting her to wear. They'd discussed the pros and cons and regardless to her agents suggestion that she take it, she'd come to a decision with Brooke that she wouldn't do it.

'I don't want to do the cover, if I did, I'd do it. I'd rather keep my job here. Brooke has a vision and I don't care if that's being idealistic, in fact I think it's brave and more than anything she's passionate about her work' Peyton finished strongly.

He smiled, a smarmy smile.

The nervous looking girl that had been knelt on the floor for the last twenty minutes and whom was so wrapped up in her job and in performing to the prestigious Miss Davis' standards, suddenly stood and shuffled across the room to consult the designs that she was trying diligently to recreate.

Peyton cursed her timing and the empty space now separating her from the man before her.

'Come now Peyton, you know how this industry works'

'I know that in the last seven years I've not worked with anyone like Brooke Davis, I've never worked with anyone that I actually respect'

He was circling her and not wanting to ruin all the young girls work, she stayed frozen to her spot.

'It's people like me that get people like you into the shining lights, it's people like me that make you a star' His voice had dropped into a seductive lull and he was suddenly behind her, his hands settling lightly on her hips.

She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth together. 'I'm not a naive kid that you can brainwash. I'm not doing it Caleb' she tried to brush his lingering hands away but they stayed firmly put.

'Come on Peyton, you've done stuff like this before' He taunted. 'Brooke's not going to fire you. I'll make sure of that' His fingers slid down her sides grappling in the ruffled material at her thighs, hoisting the knee length dress. 'There's no harm in showing off a little more skin'

'Stop it' She heard the material rip as she instinctively moved forward.

He didn't release her. He didn't stop. He was stronger.

'She said stop Caleb'

Peyton's eyes jerked to the distinctive rasp. Brooke was standing in the doorway, her face contorted with anger.

His hands left her almost instantly and she stumbled as he smiled at the fuming brunette. 'Brooke, I was just coming to find you. What's with the long face? There's no harm done, we were just discussing how this dress would look great a few inches shorter'

'Get out Caleb'

'What?' He laughed. 'Bro-'

'Now. Leave. You're fired'

'Excuse me?'

Peyton's eye's widened at this.

'You heard. Go'

His face reddened with humiliation. 'You've got to be kidding me, after everything I've done for you and this company?'

'You've done nothing but sabotage what I do and go behind my back. I need people I can trust and you're not that person'

His jaw stiffened and there was an awkward moment of silence before he stormed toward the door, pausing before exiting. 'You're making a huge mistake'

'No, I'm fixing one'

He slammed the door after himself and only then did Brooke's eyes trail to the blonde standing awkwardly.

'Are you okay?' She asked gently.

'I'm fine' Peyton nodded, a small smile playing on her lips.

'What he just did wasn't fine'

'I'm use to it. I can handle myself' She breathed, her heart only now returning to it's normal steady beat.

'I'm sure you can, but that doesn't make it okay' Brooke stared at her sternly.

'I can't believe you just fired him' Peyton looked bewildered.

'You think I'd seriously let someone say and touch you inappropriately? Peyton, I' She stammered. 'I'm sorry' She said difficultly. 'I'm sorry that, that happened and I, I've been, I know I've been hard on you. I just, I have a big responsibility and-'

'Brooke, I get it. I know I'm a liability' She shifted her feet.

'What Caleb just did wasn't okay and he won't be working for me again'

'Brooke you don't have to-'

'No, you could have him charged Peyton, I'm serious'

'It wasn't anything, I've dealt with worse, you just have to put up with jerks like that'

'No you don't' Brooke disagreed strongly. 'You don't'

Peyton self consciously tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

'I want you to tell me if anyone so much as says anything to you out of line sweetie' The term of endearment slipped from her mouth and her hand rested on the blonde's arm. 'I'm not having people like that work for this company, okay?' As quick as her fingers hand come to touch Peyton's arm they were gone again.

'Okay' she mumbled quietly.

'Good' The brunette averted her attention to the girl standing in the corner. 'Kate, can you go get me some more of this fabric, I'll sort this out okay?' The girl nodded and scurried out of the room without a word. 'She's new' Brooke informed Peyton in amusement.

'I noticed' Peyton smiled genuinely as Brooke began to unpin the ripped section of the dress. 'Brooke?'

'Yes?'

'Thank you'

She smiled. 'Well, I guess I have to be nice to you, considering I'm pretty certain you're the reason one of my closest friends hasn't been able to stop smiling lately'

Peyton was very rarely lost for words and she hated that her cheeks were burning. She'd figured that Brooke would know what had been going on but she'd not said anything for the last four weeks. 'It's not, we're not. It's nothing serious' She eventually stuttered out.

'Oh, I know that' She looked up seriously into Peyton's nervous green eyes. 'I'm just beginning to wonder if he does'.