Three Is Not Company

By: TracyCook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters belong to the creator of One Tree Hill.

Couple: Haley/Brooke and one sided Peyton/Brooke, also some Peyton/Rachel

Rating: M

Chapter 14

How Gentlemanly Of You

Peyton's POV

Rachel crossed her arms and looked at the blonde, an all-knowing smirk plastered on her face as she stared her down. "So, are you here for a fuck, or did you actually want to talk about what's going on in that mind of yours?"

Peyton fidgeted uncomfortably under brown eyes, pulling at the bottom of her shirt. She did not really know how to tell Rachel about the strange feelings that had been plaguing her lately. She did not know how the other woman would react. Would she get angry, would she tease her, would she use it to her advantage, or would she simply dismiss them? She hated that she cared how Rachel would react to her confession, because on some level that made her realize just how much she cared about her.

"I don't think that we should do this anymore."

"Wait, what?" Rachel grew serious and rushed to the bed standing in front of Peyton. "Why?"

Peyton stared down at her hands and remained silent.

"Look, if this has something to do with the mistakes that I have made in the past, I promise—"

"—It isn't that." She interrupted. Peyton did not wish for Rachel to blame herself for what was happening. In fact, if she had made a few more mistakes this conversation may have been avoided. Instead, the redhead was completely sweet to her, she listened to her and helped her through her problems, she cared about her, and that was why Peyton was so confused. That was why she had to put an end to their arrangement.

"Then what does it have to do with Peyton, because you weren't complaining the other morning when I had my head between those scrawny legs of yours." Rachel sounded angry, but her tone was still teasing and flirtatious.

"It just—" She started, turning and catching brown eyes with green. Her breath caught in her throat and she lost her voice for a moment, but quickly she found it and continued. "—It just has to stop, okay?"

The beautiful redhead threw her hands up in the air. "No! It's not okay, Peyton. This is bullshit and you know it. What the hell is this really about? Is it about your feelings for Brooke?"

"No…" She muttered.

"Then what, is it about your feelings for me?"

Peyton took in a breath and let it out loudly as she lifted her hands awkwardly. "Kinda, I mean yeah, sort of, I guess." She stammered out.

Rachel laughed humorlessly as she walked closer to her. "Kind of, sort of, you guess? What the fuck does that even mean, Peyton?"

Her hands were shaking as she continued to stare down at them; she did not dare look up at the other woman as she admitted her feelings. She did not think that her ego could handle that. After everything she had told Rachel about not wanting anything more than sex, she did not understand how she had developed any feelings for her other than lust.

'Maybe 'cause she actually cares about me…' Her mind teased and she hastily pushed the thought to the back of her mind.

"That means that lately while we have been, y'know, fucking, I have kinda started to feel somethin' a little more for ya."

"And this is a bad thing?" Rachel asked with a raised brow and a smirk.

Peyton blushed anxiously and waved her hands around, finally taking a chance to glance up at her. "Well, yeah, it's a horrible thing Rachel. I love Brooke, I have always loved Brooke. It was supposed to be me and her forever and now I dunno, you have me missing you when you aren't around and feeling all sentimental and stuff after we have sex. When this started I just kicked you out most of the time, now I practically beg you to stay! I just—It's gotta stop."

Rachel moved to sit down beside her. She did not make a move to touch her, but she did continue to watch her. Peyton could feel her eyes on her.

"Are you sure you still are in love with Brooke?"

She thought about it, but she already knew the answer. She was not sure that she was still in love with Brooke. At least if she was, she was not in love with the same intensity as before. "I-I dunno."

Suddenly, she felt Rachel take her fidgeting hands in her own and her heart stopped. Glancing up at her she blushed even more and smiled awkwardly. Peyton loved it when she touched her. She loved being around her, staring into those eyes. 'God I've gotta stop thinking like this…'

"Okay, well if you don't know about how you feel about her. How do you feel about me?"

"I dunno!" She groaned out, pulling her hands away and falling back onto the bed. Burying her head in one of the pillows as she practically screamed.

Rachel smirked. "You like me."

She groaned out once more into the pillow, pulling it even more so against her face. She wanted to cry, scream, do anything to get rid of all of these conflicting and confusing emotions. Lifting her head she looked at Rachel and noticed that she was wearing a devious grin. "Would you just wipe that smug look off your face and shut the hell up. You aren't bein' helpful at all."

"Oh, so it's help that you want?"

"Well, yeah…"

"Okay…" Rachel smiled and started to crawl over the blonde, straddling her waist and resting her body on top of hers. Peyton could feel her entire body reacting to the contact and she shivered as she felt heated breath rush against her ear. "Do you trust me to help you?"

She could not think of anything to say, so she simply stated. "Yeah." She did trust her.

Rachel jumped off of the blonde at this and smiled proudly. "Alright, in that case, I have an idea!"

'Oh god, this is a big mistake…'

O

Haley's POV

She stared into the full-length mirror, allowing her eyes to wander over the outfit that she had chosen for the date. Her eyebrows were furrowed in frustration as she stared at her reflection. Haley always felt inadequate, she never felt beautiful enough or attractive enough for anyone, and this was not just anyone. This was Brooke Davis. The most beautiful girl in school, the popular head cheerleader that had dated and slept with a good number of men, it was intimidating.

Doing a twirl, she watched as the medium length purple dress swished around her knees. After completing a few circles she stopped and cast her eyes to her hair. Running a shaking hand through curls, attempting to make them frame her face in a more attractive manner.

"God, I hope that she likes my dress…" She whispered to herself.

The last time that Haley had been out on a date, ironically, was her first date with Nathan. This of course was ironic, because Brooke had been the one to set up the date. It had been interesting to say the least. This memory caused feelings to resurface and she pushed them down.

Haley would probably always love Nathan. He had been the first person she had ever given her heart to, she still missed him, she still could remember their first kiss, their first date, their first time they were intimate. He had been her first everything. She had lost her innocence to him, she had married him, those feelings did not simply disappear overnight.

She did not expect them to, and she actually did not want them to.

But, she did want to give Brooke a chance. When the diva had kissed her, she had been upset initially, but she could not deny the way that her body had reacted. She could not deny the way that her heart had sped up and threatened to leap through her ribs, the way that her hands had shaken, and the complete and utter warmth and safety that she had found wrapped up in those arms.

Those feelings were too overwhelming to ignore.

Haley cast her large brown eyes to the clock and she realized that it was a little after seven. She wondered where Brooke was, and how exactly this date was going to work. Was she going to come and pick her up from their apartment?

A knock at the front door answered her question and a smile spread across her face, her lips twisting up at the ends as she fixed her hair one last time, looking over her makeup, before heading toward the front door and opening it.

Her eyes widened at the sight and her heart started to race. She knew that she looked ridiculous, just standing there with her mouth hanging open and staring, but she needed to take a moment to look over the gorgeous woman's attire. Brooke was wearing a short black dress that went to right above her knees, showing off her long toned legs. Her v-neck dipped down deep, revealing a good amount of cleavage that Haley could not help but allow her eyes to wander over.

"Glad to see you like my dress."

Haley snapped her head back up, her eyes meeting devious hazel before she noticed that Brooke was wearing her infamous dimpled smirk. She knew that she looked sexy, and she also knew that Haley thought that she looked sexy. It was embarrassing and caused a blush to travel along the tutor's cheeks.

Finally, she found her voice. "Um, y-yeah. I mean, like may be an understatement." Her blush deepened and she forced herself to find her confidence. "You look beautiful, Brooke Davis."

"Nowhere near as gorgeous as you, Haley James." Brooke moved toward her, resting her hands on Haley's hips and looking down at her.

Haley gave a disbelieving laugh. "Right."

"Seriously, you look so hot in that dress. I may just have to reconsider this whole no sex thing." Brooke teased, waggling her eyebrows suggestively as she leant forward and planted a soft kiss on Haley's lips. Feeling those perfect lips pressed against her own, Haley let out a moan of pleasure into them, whimpering slightly as Brooke pulled away, missing the contact. She truly did believe that she could kiss the other woman all day, every day for the rest of her life, and never get tired of it.

"Mm… I may just have to let you."

It looked as if the taller woman was reconsidering something, but she quickly pulled away from her. "No. I want to do this right." She said with a nod as she held out her arm. "Your carriage awaits."

Haley looked up at her with a baffled expression. Brooke Davis was notorious around the school for sleeping around. Yet, she had just practically told her that she could have her way with her, and the other woman had chosen to do it right. She actually wanted to court her, and it was endearing as well as slightly adorable.

"Well, how gentlemanly of you." She said with a smirk, reaching out and looping her arm in Brooke's allowing her to lead her out of their apartment.

Haley had not expected what she saw.

There was an actual horse-drawn carriage waiting for them in the street outside of their apartment. It was beautiful. Something straight out of a fairytale, something so romantic. She would have never expected Brooke to come up with an idea like this. She seemed more interested in alcohol and limousines.

"Wow…" She whispered out softly. "I didn't think that you actually got a carriage for our date."

"That is how they do it in all of the fairytales Haley, and like I said, I want to do it right."

Her heart swelled at the diva's admittance and she smiled brightly, shaking her head, and allowing Brooke to lead her toward the horse-drawn carriage, helping her up into the back seat.

Haley could not recall another time that she felt so happy.

O

Authors Note:

I know that y'all probably hate me for this, it isn't too short but it isn't as long as I had hoped for either. It is currently four in the morning and I have class at eight, so I must get to bed, but I wanted to leave y'all something to read! I stayed up writing this, but did not complete the date or Rachel's plan, so I thought that I would just save the main portion of the date and the plan for the next chapter. Regardless, I hope that y'all liked reading this chapter!

I would love it if y'all leave me some reviews to encourage me, y'all keep me writing!

Love you guys! Thanks for reading! :)

-Tracy Cook