"Dance with me"

"What? Chloe, have you totally lost your mind?"

"Come on, Dance with me"

"Right here? Right now?"

"Why not?"

"Uh because....what if your mother walks in? And Who ever heard of dancing to opera?" Brady said, looking around the room at the numerous Opera Cd's that flooded the floor and bed.

"Brady we're not going to dance to opera and who cares what Nancy thinks, she's not even home. There is nothing wrong with a harmless dance." Chloe laughed.

"Oh yes, silly me" Brady mocked.

Chloe and Brady were still working on their friendship and Chloe was working on getting Brady to trust her again. All she ever wanted to do was be with Brady. She wanted to be close to him. No, she needed to be close to him. Chloe cherished the time they spent together. He was still distant. The scar that Chloe had put on his heart was not going to go away as easily as she would have liked.



They went back to hanging out together like they had before things got weird. They spent a lot of their free time together. Chloe's house had become practically a second home to Brady and vice versa.

Brady was beginning to open up again to Chloe. Although he was still hurting and not yet ready to start a relationship, he still loved spending time with Chloe.

On that particular day Brady was helping Chloe practice singing. The school play was coming up. It was going to be a musical and she wanted to audition.

"Brady, Please, pretty, pretty please."

"Stop it. It's not going to work I'm immune to the puppy dog face" Brady coved his head with a pillow. He knew he could not resist the look she was giving him.

Chloe ran across the room and jumped on the bed. She tried to pull the pillow away from his face. "Please"

"Nooooo, it's not going to work" Brady laughed.

Finally Chloe got the pillow away from Brady. Chloe lost her balance and fell on top of him.

Looking deep into his eyes she felt her heart jump. They stopped laughing. Brady was looking back at her with the same passion. Brady breathed heavily. Images of their night together flashed through his mind. He shook them off. He did not want to move too fast. He had to protect himself. There was no way he could take another broken heart. It was best for them to remain friends for the time being.

Having Brady so close to her without being able to act on her feelings was pure torture. Just once she wished he would let go of the past for a minute to realize what was right in front of him.

"I'm...I'm sorry" Chloe said, trembling.

"It's okay. You win"

"Win?"

"The dance. I'll dance with you, but you have to get off me first" Brady chuckled.

An awkward moment passed.

Chloe climbed off of Brady and got off the bed. Brady followed suit.



Chloe moved over to the Cd player and changed the Cd. The soft melodies of Brian Mcknight's "Back at one" filtered through their ears.

"Okay let's uh...let's get to that dance, Miss Lane" Brady offered her his hand.

Chloe gladly accepted it. "Why thank you Mr. Black"



Brady pulled Chloe close to him. They swayed slowly to the music. Chloe put her arms around Brady and rested her head on his shoulder. Even through his sweater Chloe could feel Brady's heart beating fast. Chloe nestled her hand in the back of his hair. It was so soft and familiar. Brady closed his eyes and leaned down just to be closer. Chloe lifted her head and kissed his neck. Immediately the sensation resonated through Brady. He tried to pull away but something deep inside him resisted. It had been a long time since he had been touched and kissed in that way.

Chloe left a trail of kisses on his jaw line, stopping at his lips. Still with his eyes closed he felt the light pressure of her lips on his. Brady moved his hand from her waist and ran them through her hair. Her body ached with his touch. It had been far too long since they had touched each other. The kiss deepened. Reawakening the passion they felt for one another. Brady's tongue glided along her lower lip. Chloe almost moaned as her tongue touched his. They needed to be closer to taste each other, touch each other, everywhere. Chloe started walking backwards edging her way to the bed.



"I can't" Brady said breathlessly as he broke away.

Chloe looked into his eyes that just sprung open.

"Brady, I know that I hurt you. I know that I can never make that up to you but you have to believe me when I say that I'm sorry. I never meant to put you through that, but I was so scared"

"Everything about this feels right...but I'm just not ready yet."

"Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

Chloe stood on her tip toes and placed a gentle kiss on Brady's cheek. Then she relaxed her head back on his shoulder.

Long after the song was over, they were still swaying to music that only they could hear.

Finally Brady seemed to snap out of a trance. He let go of Chloe and stepped back.

"I think that's enough practice for one day. I'll call you later okay?"

"Sure"

Brady left the room leaving Chloe alone. Chloe sat down on her bed and grabbed her teddy bear. She hugged the bear remembering the day Brady gave it to her.



FLASHBACK

"Okay open your eyes"

"Brady,...." Chloe's eyes got a little misty.

"I know it's probably not the one you wanted as a little girl, but I just thought that you could use a friend."

"Brady, it's perfect" Chloe said, giving Brady a warm hug.

"You're perfect" Brady whispered into Chloe's ear.

END OF FLASHBACK



Chloe hugged the teddy bear even tighter, wishing it could be Brady she was holding.



To be continued......