Chapter 12:
The Next Morning.Basic Black.
Brady sat at his desk, staring unseeingly ahead at his door as he thought back to earlier this morning. Chloe didn't say a word to him. They sat in silence drinking the coffee he'd prepared for them both. And then she just left, off to 'The Sweet Bar' without so much as a 'See ya later, Brady.' Of course, he didn't say anything to her either but women were supposed to be more mature than men. Isn't that what Marlena was always telling him? Chloe could have at least apologized to him. His back was killing him because he'd had to sleep on that couch, not that he thought Chloe would let him sleep in her bed with her. But he specifically remembered her saying something about an inflatable bed she had packed in a box in her closet. He could have used that last night but she had locked her door and refused to come out and show her face until morning. He felt his eyelids grow heavy and looked at the NY Jets clock ticking away on the wall. He had two hours until his meeting with 'Swirly Shoes' began so he figured he should take a quick nap. No sooner had he had that thought, that his head plopped ungracefully on the table as he snored quietly.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Slowly, Brady lifted his head from the desk. He was surprised his father's secretary (who was now his secretary as John had left for vacation this morning) hadn't intercomed him. "Come in?"
Chloe let the door slowly swing open as she stood in the doorway dressed in a black formfitting trench coat, her long, dark hair splayed loosely down her back. "Brady."
"Chloe?" Brady's voice squeaked slightly.
"That's right." She walked into his office and closed the door firmly behind her, locking them in.
"Why aren't you at work?" Brady's eyes were wide and his voice was almost panicked.
"You mean you're not happy to see me?" She pouted.
"No!" He stood from his chair. "I mean yes! I mean no! I'm definitely happy to see you. I've been thinking about you all morning."
"That's sweet." She grinned. "You know, I've been thinking about you too, Brady.all morning and [i]all[/i] last night." She began to untie her coat.
"You have?" Brady swallowed audibly.
"Uh huh." She let the trench coat fall to her feet, now standing completely nude except for the way too big New York Jets football jersey hanging loosely on her body. "I want you Brady."
Did she just say she wanted him? "Can you repeat the last thing you just said?" Brady wanted her to say it again, not quite sure he'd heard her right.
"I said 'Brady.'"
"No," he grinned. "Before that."
"I want you, Brady." She began to walk over to him, like a sleek lioness after her prey.
"Again." He grinned, loving the look of pure want and desire burning brightly in her eyes.
"I want you, Brady." She crawled onto his lap, straddling him and running her hands through his hair, all the while whispering in his ear. "I want you, Brady."
"And again." He smiled, getting drunker by the second, every time she spoke those four intoxicating words.
"Brady!"
Brady's eyes snapped open and his shocked gaze met an angry Chloe's. It had been a dream. F&ck, it had been a dream. "Chloe.what are you doing here?" he sat back in his desk chair. She was dressed in a beige knee length skirt and a black, formfitting button down blouse, looking as sexy as ever.
"I brought you something." She laid a full brown paper bag in front of him and leaned her hip against the side of his desk. "Jamie buzzed you about ten times but you wouldn't answer. She said that you were probably sleeping and that I should just go on in." She tried to look unconcerned but she had been worried when he hadn't answered Jamie's buzzes through the intercom. She was so relieved to see that he [i]had[/i] been sleeping after all. He had looked so adorable when she'd walked in. His black jacket hanging loosely on the back of his chair, and his pale yellow shirt making his hair seem a more brilliant blonde. She'd noticed his tie was off too. He'd been in his office not three hours and his tie was already discarded for the day.
He raised both eyebrows at her and smiled innocently. "You brought me something huh?" He started to dig into the bag.
"It's not much, Brady. It's just a bottle of pain killers because I noticed your back was hurting you this morning and some chocolate milk to wash it down."
"And some brownies." Brady's smile grew as he pulled the container of brownies from the bag.
"And some brownies," Chloe gave him a slight smile.
"Peanut butter chunk brownies, Chloe. My favorite." He looked up at her in surprise. "How did you know?"
"I asked Belle this morning." She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"You've spoken to Belle?" He dug into the brownies stuffing a whole one into his mouth.
"Yes. I felt bad about what happened between us last night."
"You talked to Belle about our fight?" His mouth was full.
Chloe looked at his chewing mouth disgustedly. "Well, I didn't give her the details but yes, I told her that we did have a fight and that I felt kind of bad about it. So she suggested that I make you something and so I did."
He swallowed and licked his lips, nearly speechless. "So I guess this was her idea too then huh?" He held up the Styrofoam cup of chocolate milk and bottle of ibuprofen.
"No, actually that was my idea."
"What makes you think I like chocolate milk?"
"Look, if you don't appre-"
"Chloe.Chloe I was kidding." He smiled and gently took her hand in his. "Thank you. Thank you for doing all of this."
"You're welcome." She averted her eyes from his intent stare.
"How's your hand?" he continued to stare at her as she tried to look at anything but him.
"It still hurts but it's better than yesterday."
"And your heart?"
She suddenly looked at him, pulling her hand away from his and frowning. "Brady."
"No, wait Chloe. I'm sorry. I don't mean to butt into your business but. I like you. Chloe. I.I really like you. And I just.I want to be here for you. I want to be your friend and help you deal with this." He reached out and took her left hand in his again, softly rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, gazing at the ring that sparkled on her finger that was beginning to represent more to him than he ever thought possible. "Now even though I don't think Philip deserves you at all, I'm not going to say anything else against you wanting him back okay? Because I respect you and I want you to be happy and I want you to know that I'm here for you."
Chloe was flabbergasted. Brady wanted to be there for her? Was he asking to be her friend? She was at a loss for words but one came to mind, however unintelligent sounding it was: "Ditto."
"What do you mean?"
"Patricia." she trailed off, knowing that mentioning her would affect Brady.
"Patricia," he repeated her. "It's funny. I'm beginning to realize that she and I were never meant to last. I mean I loved her and I guess in a way some part of me always will. She was my first love, my only love. so far. but the kind of love we had was never deep. I know that now."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, like, I guess I mean that what she and I had was a kind of puppy love. I adored her and for a time, she adored me. It was sweet. I mean I desired her, no question. She was beautiful and kind and.but," he sighed. "I guess, with Patricia, I loved the idea of being in love with her more than I ever did her."
"I don't understand."
"Well, what I mean is that I don't really miss her. I don't think I ever really did miss her." He ran a hand through his hair, trying to find the right words. "But what I did miss was the feeling of what it was like being with her. I missed being able to care about someone and have her care for me. I missed getting to know someone intimately. That's what I miss. But I know myself better now than I ever have in my life and so in a way I'm happier now."
"You are?"
"Yeah." He blew out a breath. "I mean, granted, I want to fall in love again, but."
"But you don't believe in love," she finished for him.
"That's not entirely true," he smiled sheepishly, blushing slightly. "I just don't think I'll ever find it. The truth is that sometimes I think Patricia is and was the best I'll ever do."
"I know the feeling," Chloe gave him a small smile.
"But then I stop drowning my sorrows long enough to think. And I truly believe that if Patricia and I were meant to be together, then we would be together now. I believe that everything that happens, happens for a reason. And if Patricia was my soulmate, I never would have let her go to begin with. I would have forgiven her anything."
"If she was your soulmate, you wouldn't [i]have[/i] to forgive her anything."
"You're right about that Chloe." Brady nodded at her, wondering if she'd take her own advice. "What," he asked her as he noticed her smiling goofily at him.
"Nothing, it's just.You believe in soulmates?"
"I know," he held up his hands in mock surrender. "Surprise, surprise. Contrary to popular belief, I'm really all mushy and warm and fuzzy inside. It's disgusting." He laughed.
"You're a great guy, Brady," Chloe looked at him seriously. "And you'll find love and it'll be even better than it was before. You'll see."
"Thanks, Chloe. That truly does mean a lot coming from you." They sat there staring at each other again. "Okay enough sappy talk," he laughed, breaking the spell. "Have some brownies." He scooped up some in between his fingers.
"No Brady. I work with that stuff all day, I couldn't." but he stuffed some in her mouth before she could close it. "Mmm.that's delicious."
"Isn't it?" He grinned wickedly.
"Yes, now give me some of that chocolate milk."
"Get your own." He held the cup away from her.
"Brady." she gave him a warning look.
Smiling, he handed her the cup and watched as she took a generous sip. "So are we officially friends now?"
"I think it's safe to say that." She handed him the cup back.
Chugging down some of the warm liquid, he then put the cup down and wiped his face with his sticky fingers. "So, like I asked you before, Diva dear: 'How's your heart?'"
She sighed. "Definitely better. Definitely. Good luck with your meeting, Mr. Black." She smoothed his short hair back and let her hand rest on his cheek.
Cupping her hand on his cheek in his, he placed a soft kiss to her palm. "Have a good day.Mrs. Black."
She didn't correct him this time, almost loving the sound of 'Mrs. Black' directed at her. As she made her way to the door, she turned around abruptly. "So, how long are we going to do this?"
"Do what?"
"Stay married."
"Well," Brady shrugged. "Until you get sick of me, I guess."
Laughing, Chloe quietly left the room and slowly made her way over to the empty elevator in a kind of daze. It was like a weight being lifted off of her shoulders. She didn't have to pretend to hate Brady anymore. They were friends. Okay so they were friends who'd made love, friends who'd gotten married, friends who'd kissed again only yesterday. But they were friends...finally. Chloe smiled. In all the years of meeting people and making friends, she'd never gone about finding one this way. This was crazy. Well it figured. Brady was no ordinary guy and she was finally beginning to realize that.
The Next Morning.Basic Black.
Brady sat at his desk, staring unseeingly ahead at his door as he thought back to earlier this morning. Chloe didn't say a word to him. They sat in silence drinking the coffee he'd prepared for them both. And then she just left, off to 'The Sweet Bar' without so much as a 'See ya later, Brady.' Of course, he didn't say anything to her either but women were supposed to be more mature than men. Isn't that what Marlena was always telling him? Chloe could have at least apologized to him. His back was killing him because he'd had to sleep on that couch, not that he thought Chloe would let him sleep in her bed with her. But he specifically remembered her saying something about an inflatable bed she had packed in a box in her closet. He could have used that last night but she had locked her door and refused to come out and show her face until morning. He felt his eyelids grow heavy and looked at the NY Jets clock ticking away on the wall. He had two hours until his meeting with 'Swirly Shoes' began so he figured he should take a quick nap. No sooner had he had that thought, that his head plopped ungracefully on the table as he snored quietly.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Slowly, Brady lifted his head from the desk. He was surprised his father's secretary (who was now his secretary as John had left for vacation this morning) hadn't intercomed him. "Come in?"
Chloe let the door slowly swing open as she stood in the doorway dressed in a black formfitting trench coat, her long, dark hair splayed loosely down her back. "Brady."
"Chloe?" Brady's voice squeaked slightly.
"That's right." She walked into his office and closed the door firmly behind her, locking them in.
"Why aren't you at work?" Brady's eyes were wide and his voice was almost panicked.
"You mean you're not happy to see me?" She pouted.
"No!" He stood from his chair. "I mean yes! I mean no! I'm definitely happy to see you. I've been thinking about you all morning."
"That's sweet." She grinned. "You know, I've been thinking about you too, Brady.all morning and [i]all[/i] last night." She began to untie her coat.
"You have?" Brady swallowed audibly.
"Uh huh." She let the trench coat fall to her feet, now standing completely nude except for the way too big New York Jets football jersey hanging loosely on her body. "I want you Brady."
Did she just say she wanted him? "Can you repeat the last thing you just said?" Brady wanted her to say it again, not quite sure he'd heard her right.
"I said 'Brady.'"
"No," he grinned. "Before that."
"I want you, Brady." She began to walk over to him, like a sleek lioness after her prey.
"Again." He grinned, loving the look of pure want and desire burning brightly in her eyes.
"I want you, Brady." She crawled onto his lap, straddling him and running her hands through his hair, all the while whispering in his ear. "I want you, Brady."
"And again." He smiled, getting drunker by the second, every time she spoke those four intoxicating words.
"Brady!"
Brady's eyes snapped open and his shocked gaze met an angry Chloe's. It had been a dream. F&ck, it had been a dream. "Chloe.what are you doing here?" he sat back in his desk chair. She was dressed in a beige knee length skirt and a black, formfitting button down blouse, looking as sexy as ever.
"I brought you something." She laid a full brown paper bag in front of him and leaned her hip against the side of his desk. "Jamie buzzed you about ten times but you wouldn't answer. She said that you were probably sleeping and that I should just go on in." She tried to look unconcerned but she had been worried when he hadn't answered Jamie's buzzes through the intercom. She was so relieved to see that he [i]had[/i] been sleeping after all. He had looked so adorable when she'd walked in. His black jacket hanging loosely on the back of his chair, and his pale yellow shirt making his hair seem a more brilliant blonde. She'd noticed his tie was off too. He'd been in his office not three hours and his tie was already discarded for the day.
He raised both eyebrows at her and smiled innocently. "You brought me something huh?" He started to dig into the bag.
"It's not much, Brady. It's just a bottle of pain killers because I noticed your back was hurting you this morning and some chocolate milk to wash it down."
"And some brownies." Brady's smile grew as he pulled the container of brownies from the bag.
"And some brownies," Chloe gave him a slight smile.
"Peanut butter chunk brownies, Chloe. My favorite." He looked up at her in surprise. "How did you know?"
"I asked Belle this morning." She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"You've spoken to Belle?" He dug into the brownies stuffing a whole one into his mouth.
"Yes. I felt bad about what happened between us last night."
"You talked to Belle about our fight?" His mouth was full.
Chloe looked at his chewing mouth disgustedly. "Well, I didn't give her the details but yes, I told her that we did have a fight and that I felt kind of bad about it. So she suggested that I make you something and so I did."
He swallowed and licked his lips, nearly speechless. "So I guess this was her idea too then huh?" He held up the Styrofoam cup of chocolate milk and bottle of ibuprofen.
"No, actually that was my idea."
"What makes you think I like chocolate milk?"
"Look, if you don't appre-"
"Chloe.Chloe I was kidding." He smiled and gently took her hand in his. "Thank you. Thank you for doing all of this."
"You're welcome." She averted her eyes from his intent stare.
"How's your hand?" he continued to stare at her as she tried to look at anything but him.
"It still hurts but it's better than yesterday."
"And your heart?"
She suddenly looked at him, pulling her hand away from his and frowning. "Brady."
"No, wait Chloe. I'm sorry. I don't mean to butt into your business but. I like you. Chloe. I.I really like you. And I just.I want to be here for you. I want to be your friend and help you deal with this." He reached out and took her left hand in his again, softly rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, gazing at the ring that sparkled on her finger that was beginning to represent more to him than he ever thought possible. "Now even though I don't think Philip deserves you at all, I'm not going to say anything else against you wanting him back okay? Because I respect you and I want you to be happy and I want you to know that I'm here for you."
Chloe was flabbergasted. Brady wanted to be there for her? Was he asking to be her friend? She was at a loss for words but one came to mind, however unintelligent sounding it was: "Ditto."
"What do you mean?"
"Patricia." she trailed off, knowing that mentioning her would affect Brady.
"Patricia," he repeated her. "It's funny. I'm beginning to realize that she and I were never meant to last. I mean I loved her and I guess in a way some part of me always will. She was my first love, my only love. so far. but the kind of love we had was never deep. I know that now."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, like, I guess I mean that what she and I had was a kind of puppy love. I adored her and for a time, she adored me. It was sweet. I mean I desired her, no question. She was beautiful and kind and.but," he sighed. "I guess, with Patricia, I loved the idea of being in love with her more than I ever did her."
"I don't understand."
"Well, what I mean is that I don't really miss her. I don't think I ever really did miss her." He ran a hand through his hair, trying to find the right words. "But what I did miss was the feeling of what it was like being with her. I missed being able to care about someone and have her care for me. I missed getting to know someone intimately. That's what I miss. But I know myself better now than I ever have in my life and so in a way I'm happier now."
"You are?"
"Yeah." He blew out a breath. "I mean, granted, I want to fall in love again, but."
"But you don't believe in love," she finished for him.
"That's not entirely true," he smiled sheepishly, blushing slightly. "I just don't think I'll ever find it. The truth is that sometimes I think Patricia is and was the best I'll ever do."
"I know the feeling," Chloe gave him a small smile.
"But then I stop drowning my sorrows long enough to think. And I truly believe that if Patricia and I were meant to be together, then we would be together now. I believe that everything that happens, happens for a reason. And if Patricia was my soulmate, I never would have let her go to begin with. I would have forgiven her anything."
"If she was your soulmate, you wouldn't [i]have[/i] to forgive her anything."
"You're right about that Chloe." Brady nodded at her, wondering if she'd take her own advice. "What," he asked her as he noticed her smiling goofily at him.
"Nothing, it's just.You believe in soulmates?"
"I know," he held up his hands in mock surrender. "Surprise, surprise. Contrary to popular belief, I'm really all mushy and warm and fuzzy inside. It's disgusting." He laughed.
"You're a great guy, Brady," Chloe looked at him seriously. "And you'll find love and it'll be even better than it was before. You'll see."
"Thanks, Chloe. That truly does mean a lot coming from you." They sat there staring at each other again. "Okay enough sappy talk," he laughed, breaking the spell. "Have some brownies." He scooped up some in between his fingers.
"No Brady. I work with that stuff all day, I couldn't." but he stuffed some in her mouth before she could close it. "Mmm.that's delicious."
"Isn't it?" He grinned wickedly.
"Yes, now give me some of that chocolate milk."
"Get your own." He held the cup away from her.
"Brady." she gave him a warning look.
Smiling, he handed her the cup and watched as she took a generous sip. "So are we officially friends now?"
"I think it's safe to say that." She handed him the cup back.
Chugging down some of the warm liquid, he then put the cup down and wiped his face with his sticky fingers. "So, like I asked you before, Diva dear: 'How's your heart?'"
She sighed. "Definitely better. Definitely. Good luck with your meeting, Mr. Black." She smoothed his short hair back and let her hand rest on his cheek.
Cupping her hand on his cheek in his, he placed a soft kiss to her palm. "Have a good day.Mrs. Black."
She didn't correct him this time, almost loving the sound of 'Mrs. Black' directed at her. As she made her way to the door, she turned around abruptly. "So, how long are we going to do this?"
"Do what?"
"Stay married."
"Well," Brady shrugged. "Until you get sick of me, I guess."
Laughing, Chloe quietly left the room and slowly made her way over to the empty elevator in a kind of daze. It was like a weight being lifted off of her shoulders. She didn't have to pretend to hate Brady anymore. They were friends. Okay so they were friends who'd made love, friends who'd gotten married, friends who'd kissed again only yesterday. But they were friends...finally. Chloe smiled. In all the years of meeting people and making friends, she'd never gone about finding one this way. This was crazy. Well it figured. Brady was no ordinary guy and she was finally beginning to realize that.