She could not erase the image from her head. Actually she could not forget anything about that night in the rain with him. The way his lips felt on hers. Soft and Comfortable. How her skin seemed to come alive with his touch. The way his body was pulsating with heat under here hands. Then inevitably, the way he had pulled away.

God, he wanted to kiss her. More than anything he had longed to take her in his arms and kiss her. But things were not that simple and a kiss would not solve all of their problems but man did it feel good. How could something as simple as a kiss turn everything upside-down. It was the source of his greatest happiness and sadness. In that one moment she was his and when that moment was over, she went back to being the unattainable. He would give anything for that moment to have lasted forever. Because in that moment life was worth living. If that was all he was allowed to do for the rest of his life, he would gladly choose that kiss.

Brady sat in his car for the longest time. Not driving, just sitting in a vacant parking lot, thinking. He could not drive, for the life of him he could not remember how. All he could think about was Chloe. Brady was not even sure of the time but knew it must be early in the morning. The sun was beginning to come up past the trees. The ray's lit the ground exposing the dew that had formed overnight. Brady fastened his seatbelt and headed home. He was drained from thinking all night.

Chloe lay awake in her bed picking up the picture she had slept with. She touched Brady's image. He was so happy in it. Last night when he pulled away from her, he bared no resemblance to the carefree image before her. She saw the hurt that had become a permanent fixture and held her breath knowing she had caused it.

Chloe would give anything to be able to lift his sadness and her own. It was time to move on. For the first time in her life she knew what she wanted and was ready to take the risk. She wanted Brady Black but there was a problem, she was still with Philip.

The ringing of the phone brought Chloe back to her senses. Chloe picked up the phone and gave a weak hello.

"Chloe, do you know where Brady is?"

"No I saw him last night at Tuscany but he left pretty early. Belle, why what's wrong?"

"He didn't come home last night"

"What? Are you sure?" Chloe said concerned.

"Yeah, I went to his room to wake him up and the bed was still made."

"Maybe he just went somewhere early this morning"

"No, even if he did go out early there is no way he would make his bed before he left. Chloe, you don't think something happened to him do you?" Belle said panicked.

"Belle, I...I have to tell you something"

"What? Is it about Brady? Do you know where he is? Chloe tell me!" Belle said

"Belle, calm down!"

"Okay, Okay. What is it?"

"Last night, me and Brady...we...we uh" Chloe began apprehensively.

"You what?"

"We kissed"

"Chloe how could you do that to him?"

"Who Philip?"

"No, Brady. You know how he feels about you"

"That's the thing Belle. I didn't know. I knew he cared but I never knew..."

"What? That he loved you"

"Yeah"

"Well, duh Chloe."

"You mean you knew, did he tell you?" Chloe began to get choked up.

"No, he didn't have to. Chloe, think about it deep down you knew it too. Then you go and kiss him. No wonder he didn't come home."

"Belle you're not being fair!"

"No, Chloe you're not being fair. You're the one parading around in some bogus relationship when there is someone who genuinely loves you right in front of your eyes. Brady would do anything for you. Oh my god....."

"What?"

"What if he left town?"

Chloe could not hold back her tears any longer. "You don't think he would really do that do you?" Life without Brady Black was not even bearable to think about.

"It's Brady, anything is possible"

The door flung open and Brady walked through it. His eyes were red from lack of sleep. His once crisp, white shirt was creased from the rain and staying in his car all night.

"Oh I gotta go, he just got in"

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief.

"Belle wait!"

"What?"

"Could you come over later so we can talk. I would go over there but Philip won't let me and I don't think I could be able to face Brady right now"

"Fine, but sooner or later you're going to have to you know"

"I know but not right now."

Belle hung up the phone and hugged her brother.

"Who was that on the phone?" Brady asked.

"Uh, it was Shawn" Belle lied. She really did not think it was necessary to tell him who it really was.

"Brady, do you want to talk about it?"

To be continued........