The group was in the middle of dinner when Cheryl's phone rang. It was her mother. She needed her to come home to baby-sit because a friend of the family was in a car accident.

"I have to go but, I had a great time Brady we should do it again sometime. It was nice meeting you Philip, Chloe." She got up to leave.

"Well at least let me bring you home." Brady offered.

"No, no I'm fine. Mom already called a cab for me besides it is raining like crazy out there. It's nothing serious they just have to go to pick him up at the hospital. Don't worry. "

Brady walked Cheryl to the exit. Chloe watched as Brady bent down and accepted a kiss from the pretty girl. The girl Chloe hated desperately despite how kind she was. She could not help but feel some animosity towards her considering she was dating Brady, her Brady. Chloe wondered had the embers that had been burning so brightly in Brady's heart gone out? It hurt her more than anything she had ever experienced before. There was now for the first time a very real possibility that Chloe would lose Brady forever.

Philip got up from his seat and went to use the bathroom.

Brady found himself slowly walking back to a lonely Chloe. He sat down and stared down at his plate. He dared not to look at Chloe. He knew he would not be able to hide his feelings from her.

"Well she seemed nice" Chloe stated.

"She is nice"

"So how long have you been seeing her?"

"This was our first date" Brady said almost guiltily.

"Oh" Chloe said trying not to seem too relieved. "Do you like her?"

"She's really great. She's smart and funny and beautiful but....."

"But what?" Chloe said concerned.

"...But she's not you!" Brady said bringing his eyes up to hers.

Before Chloe had a chance to respond, Philip came back to join them.

Chloe and Brady stared into each other's eyes, almost ignoring Philip's presence completely. At that moment it was just them in the world. Nothing else existed and no one else mattered. Chloe turned away quickly not wanting Philip to get jealous. She looked at Philip and tried to seem interested. Brady kept his eyes on her.

"Hey Brady now she was hot!" Noticing the glare Chloe was giving him he added "but certainly not as gorgeous as Chloe here"

"I don't think anyone could compete with her. Now if you'll excuse me...." He said finally looking away. Brady got up from the table leaving money to pay for dinner.

Brady walked out of the restaurant and made his way to his car.

"Philip will you excuse me? I have to use the ladies room"

"Sure baby. Hurry back!" He called after her.

Chloe making sure Philip was not watching ran through the glass doors of the entrance and straight to Brady.

Brady put his key into the car door lock when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to find Chloe. The sky was cloudy and the rain had let up some so there was only a light drizzle.

"Brady?" Chloe breathed.

"Chloe I don't have time for this. I just want to go home"

"Please Brady, I just need to talk to you"

"Look, I am sick of playing intermediate in your relationship with Philip. It's not my job. Go to Belle and ask her what you should do, because I cannot stand listening to it for another minute"

"Brady?" Chloe looked so hurt, she had never heard such coldness coming out in his voice before, but she knew she deserved it.

"I'm sorry okay but I can't do this right now" Brady finally got the door of his car open when he felt Chloe's hand on his.

"It hurt me to see you with Cheryl tonight. I didn't want to admit it but it really hurt." Chloe said quietly.

"What am I supposed to do? I can't have my own life? I can't go out with people but you can spend as much time with Philip as you damn well please. It's not fair Chloe. I know were not together but even you can't deny that there is something between us. So I'm sorry but how can I possibly move on if I don't date. Do you think I give a crap about that girl? I mean she is really great but.... Look what I have been reduced to! I know you don't want me but someone does, for whatever reason, God knows why she likes me. So I tried to move on and when I do you tell me that you're hurt. I can't win with you can I? Now you tell me,..... you tell me what am I supposed to do?" Brady belted out.

"Why are you so angry?"

"Why am I, so angry? I cannot believe that you have the audacity to ask me that. I'll tell you why I'm so angry Chloe. I 'm angry because I cared about you and you never thought twice when you picked Philip over me. God Chloe, you hurt me. I think I have the right to be angry. I mean I thought that you felt the same but once again I was wrong."

"Brady it was one night. We had a great time together but that was it....how could I have hurt you so badly?" Chloe tried to be strong under her tears.

The sky opened and the rain came crashing down on them.

"....because I'm in love with you!" Brady blurted out before he had time to realize what he was saying.

"You're what?" Chloe tried to look in his eyes.

"It doesn't matter now, but you know it was a lot more than a one night stand. How can you look me in the eyes and tell me you didn't know how I felt about you? You told me before that my eyes don't lie, well Chloe neither do yours"

Chloe looked away knowing she felt the same.

"Brady...." She was finally realizing she had partaken in a self-fulfilled prophecy. All along she was afraid she would hurt Brady and it was exactly the attempt to not hurt him that had caused her to break up with him, that same fear that had hurt him so deeply.

Brady moved closer to Chloe. The rain was soaking through their clothes. Chloe's thin material of her dress clung to her body. Brady could make out every detail of her curved figure. Chloe leaned into him shivering. Brady's white shirt was made almost translucent by the falling rain.

The strap of Chloe's dress began to slip down her shoulder because of the pelting rain drops. Brady moved his hand to her shoulder and slowly manipulated the strap back into place. She closed her eyes at his touch. He gently stroked her arm. Steam rose from her skin, as the cool rain was hitting her warm flesh.

Chloe felt his heart race when she touched his chest. She lifted her head and allowed her lips to make contact with his. The coolness of the rain was replaced by the warmth of their bodies. The kiss became intense. Chloe felt herself become filled with the same desire that had overtaken her at the hotel the night they made love.

Brady pulled back. The temptation had been too much for him. "I can't.... I can't do this...I'm sorry" Brady struggled to get into his car. He turned on the ignition and sped away, screeching his tires in the rain.

Chloe stood there watching him leave. She watched a long time after he had gone. His touch still lingering on her body. She closed her eyes and made her way back to an unimpressed Philip. Despite his questioning she did not reveal to him why she was wet. Chloe remained quiet for the rest of their date. Philip dropped her off at home without so much as a kiss goodnight.

Chloe lay on her bed still wet and cold for hours. She finally got up to look through a photo album. She flipped through pages and pages of her and Philip until she found the one she was looking for. It was a picture of her and Brady taken that summer. He had his arm around her and they were both smiling heartily. Chloe took off her damp clothes and put on her robe. She took the picture back to her bed and feel asleep looking at it.

To be continued......