I disclaim! I don't think I took quite as long to get this chapter up.
Could it be a trend developing?? Hmmm. Thanks to kat. Without her
stubbornness, I would never have to prove that cupcakes are indeed sexy!!!!
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 12: Cupcakes Are Sexy
Chloe slipped further into her large, green marble tub and let the floral scented bath bubbles caress her work weary skin. Tonight had been a total disaster. Not only had the plan to make Brady jealous worked, but it had worked too damn well. Now he was upset with her and she with him. And dammit, if she wasn't as hard headed as he was but she was. So she was certain they would never patch things up. "I am determined to fall out of love with him. He's not worth it. . . so not worth it. In fact. . ." she trailed off and stood from the tub, wrapping her short length light pink terry cloth robe around her body. She stormed to her room and straight to her bookshelf, her mini trashcan in hand as she began the task of throwing away all the supernatural crap she owned. She threw away her countless books on dreams and numerology, her magic 8 ball, and finally her deck of tarot cards. She never wanted to see these damn things again. These things were the cause of all this. They made her believe something otherworldly, something destined, heavenly was going on between her and Brady. But she'd pushed and he'd pulled back. It just wasn't in the cards for them any longer, so to speak. "Down you go," she disposed of the trash and her love for Brady down the garbage shoot to the dumpster outside. Determined to forget Brady and get her life back on track, after all dreaming was for fools, Chloe made her way back to the tub and tried as hard as she could to wash her troubles away.
**********
Brady finally made it home after his long walk from Belle and Shawn's. And what a long walk it was. It was times like these Brady appreciated technology the most. Not that he could really even drive in his condition. But if not for his pride, he surely would have called a taxi, especially when the freezing rain began and ran through the threads of his clothes as his skin became soaked to the bone; but he was stubborn. And so he hobbled all the way home. "What I wouldn't give for a nice, hot shower," he collapsed on the couch and gazed forlornly at his door, knowing Chloe was probably asleep in her bed all warm and cozy. He had to see her and apologize for his outburst at Belle and Shawn's tonight. He was jealous, pure and simple. But Chloe wasn't to blame. He was. And so he would make things right. "Guess I should take a shower first though." He knew that if he went over there in his current state one: Chloe would laugh at him and his pride would be hurt or two: Chloe would feel sorry for him and he would feel like an even bigger ass. He was nearly to his room when he saw the light on the answering machine blinking. "Who would have called?"
**********
Chloe pulled on a large cotton button down Care Bears nightshirt, deciding a glass of milk, a couple double stuffed Oreo cookies and a date under her covers with a good book would be perfect. "Yummm," Chloe moaned as she snuggled under the covers. Within ten minutes, she'd abandoned the book for 'A Christmas Story' on an old movie channel. It wasn't even Thanksgiving yet and already this movie was being shown. Chloe had to laugh. She loved this movie. She could remember being as old as twelve and watching this, wishing she could wish her way into the movie, just to be a part of that family. But she had a family again thankfully and a wonderful family at that. But there were times like these, in the quiet, when she was alone, left to think and remember, that she was reminded of her past. And that, no matter how much love she would receive from Craig and Nancy, part of her would always feel alone and abandoned. She wished she could talk to Brady.
God she wanted to kill him right now but she knew he would understand what she was feeling because he'd felt that way too. He was so easy to talk to. He was the kind of guy that could make you believe he was hanging on your every word, even if the words were 'Does this dress make me look fat?' And even then he would say something flip like 'Do you think it makes you look fat?' and Chloe would burst into laughter and just enjoy herself instead. Brady made her feel comfortable in her own skin. And when he looked at her. . . Oh, whether he knew it or not, when he looked at her, he made her feel so very beautiful. Like a voluptuous, sensual, Rubenesque figure he wanted to touch all over and hoard in a special place where he alone could have his way with her. And yet other times, he looked at her as if she were the most delicate piece of crystal in the universe, afraid she might break if he touched her yet enchanted by her. He could see her, right through to her very soul and he absolutely adored what he saw, scars and all. "Oh Brady," she shook her head sadly as the doorbell rang. "I'm coming," she called out to her visitor and slid the door open. "Brady," she breathed out. How did he always manage to show up when she needed him?
"Chloe," he stood before her freshly showered, in a gray hooded sweatshirt and sweat pants, holding something wrapped tightly in a brown paper bag. She was silent and when she made no move to let him in he frowned. "I can leave."
"No," she pulled his hand. "Stay." She smiled at him, happy to see him here. "You're all wet," she said simply, pointing to his damp hair that clung to his forehead.
"Can I come in," he grinned.
"Sure, come on in," she stepped back and let him in, watching as he took a seat on the couch. "No crutches?"
"Eh, I found walking all the way home earlier today that I really don't need them all that much," he laughed. "Stopped by the hospital about twenty minutes ago and had the cast removed."
"Can you do that?" Chloe's eyebrow rose in question.
"You tell me. You're the nurse. Besides it's done."
"Ehh, they just like you over there," she joked.
"You included I hope," he looked at her with hopeful eyes.
She didn't answer him but instead changed the subject. "You walked all the way home from Belle and Shawn's?" She couldn't believe it when he nodded in the affirmative. "I'm sorry." She took a seat next to him on the couch.
"Don't be. I'm the one who should be sorry. You really reamed me out good tonight. But I deserved it. I was horrible, just a pain in the ass. I was jealous," he trailed off softly, blushing slightly.
"You were," she looked at him timidly.
He turned to face her and smiled. "Very."
"What's in the bag?"
He handed it to her. "Here, open it."
"You got me something?" She grinned, turning the object over in her hands.
"It's nothing." Brady didn't know how things had become so weird between them tonight but the air had definitely changed. It was charged with a nervous energy that hadn't ever existed before.
Chloe opened the bag and gasped at its contents. It was a CD. It was of Chopin's classics. She felt her eyes fill to the brim with tears as she stared at the CD in her shaking hands.
Brady looked at her nervously. "If you don't like it, I can take it back." He reached out to grab it but she pulled it away from him.
"Are you crazy?" She finally looked at him. "I love it. How did you know, Brady?" She'd never told Brady about that tape of Chopin. So to see Chopin's nocturnes and etudes in her hands, she wanted to cry. It was such an intimate gift. "How did you know?"
"Know?" Brady was confused.
"My adoptive parents gave me a tape of Chopin's classics, this exact version. I carried it with me everywhere, even in the foster homes." She had to wipe the tears from her eyes to see clearly. "I'd misplaced the tape but I never forgot it. I could never forget." She felt Brady pull her close to him and wrap her in a hug, holding her as she cried softly into his chest.
***************
An hour later. . .
"So I always carry pepper spray with me," Chloe finished frosting a cupcake and adding it to the large plate with the other vanilla frosted, yellow cupcakes.
"You never told me that." Brady watched her from his side of the counter and reached for a cupcake, only to have his hand slapped away.
"Gotta get some milk first," she warned, heading over to the fridge. "And of course I never told you that. There are a lot of things about me that you don't know."
"Oh please, I know practically everything about you," he teased as she poured the milk. "I know that you sleep with your TV on at night, still scared of the boogie man. I know that you love old school rap." He laughed. "That you love when it rains, like it is now. I know that you love romantic movies but you'd much prefer to read a good book. I know that you hate lima beans and butter beans but that you love refried beans. That you love Oreo cookies but only if you can have it with a freezing cold, icy glass of milk." He grew serious as he watched her blushing countenance study the cupcakes in front of her, a slight smile on her face. She loved and hated what he was saying all at the same time, he knew. "I know that you love to help people and care for people and give them a new lease on life, save them. I know that all you really want in this world is to find your soulmate and to love and be loved. And I know that you love me." He was silent and watched her head snap up and her eyes meet his. "And I know that I lo-" He was cut off when Chloe stuff a cupcake into his mouth, frosting side first. "Ughm," he pulled the cupcake from his face. "Chloe, hey. Dammit."
Chloe giggled and ran away from him as she watched him pick up two cupcakes and start after her. "Ahh Brady," she screamed as he caught her around the waist. He stuffed one of the cupcakes on her nose from behind and easily turned her around in his arms as they tumbled to the couch, he on top of her. She screamed some more as he took the other cupcake and attempted to stuff it down her nightshirt, but she resisted enough so that it smashed between her breasts. The both were breathing hard as she continued to squirm under his hovering body. Out of energy, she soon stopped struggling and watched him as he smiled defiantly down at her. That nervous energy in the air suddenly became electric. She tried to control her heavy breathing watching as Brady's face grew sober. He wet his lips and looked to hers and back to her eyes for assurance.
Swooping in, Brady bent his head and placed his tongue on the exposed part of her chest, just above her breasts, lightly licking off the frosting that had gathered there.
Chloe breathed out harshly, her chest heaving. "Who knew. . . cupcakes could. . . be so sexy," she finished on a moan sigh and cradled Brady's head to her chest as he continued to lick and devour the smashed cupcake matted to her now slick skin.
He chuckled against her chest and raised his head. "Chloe," he said softly, gazing into her hopeful eyes, knowing she was thinking the same thing he was. 'That was it,' he thought to himself. He was going in. Slowly, he bent his head down and gently touched his firm lips to her soft ones. The kiss was soft and gentle and stayed that way as they quietly nibbled on each other's lips, both of them stunned this was even happening. Too stunned to let it go any farther.
But Chloe's desire for him took hold and she soon found herself taking complete control of their kisses, running her tongue along Brady's suddenly slack lips, imploring entrance. She could taste the frosting on him, teasing her. So sweet. So damn good. She had to taste him, all of him. Now.
'Who am I to deny her anything?' he thought as he allowed her tongue to brazenly tangle with his. The kiss went on for quite awhile, growing more demanding and heated as he ran his hand up her leg and under her night shirt. Brady soon pulled back, though, for some much needed air and composure. What was happening here? He leaned his forehead against hers. Both of their eyes were closed, both breathed so intensely, both very turned on. "Chloe," he breathed out. "Chloe," he kissed her lips firmly again, reluctantly letting them go. "Chloe, this is wrong."
"What?" She kissed him softly, her glazed eyes opening slightly, closing again as desire consumed her.
"This," he kissed her back, "is wrong."
"It is?" Chloe asked. She felt Brady nod. "It doesn't feel wrong." She kissed him again, curtly but let her lips linger against his. "Do you think it feels wrong Brady," she breathed against his lips.
"No. God no," he kissed her passionately again, feeling the heat from her body below, urging him on. But something was telling him to stop. Something was wrong. Now if only he could remember what that something was. He opened his eyes and allowed his brain to function for a bit. Shit. What was he doing? "Chloe, look at me." She opened her eyes and stared at him, hungrily. "Chloe, we have to stop." He pulled back and sat on the couch, running a hand through his hair. "We can't do this."
"Okay," she sat up too, pulling her nightshirt closed, embarrassed.
"No," he tried to reach out to her but she pulled away. "Don't. It's not you. It's me."
"Oh God," Chloe couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Oh God, this is so humiliating," she buried her burning face in her hands and stood, walking over to the kitchen to get the frosting off of her face and chest.
He jogged after her and pulled her hands from her cheeks, holding them down, forcing her to look at him. "Chloe, it's not what you think. I didn't come over here for this."
She looked up at him, seeing his eyes were pleading with her to understand. "What is it then? What did you come here for?"
He lightly wiped a bit of frosting off the side of her mouth. "To tell you. . . give you the CD and to tell you a couple of things. One thing I couldn't get out because you stuffed a cupcake in my mouth." He laughed nervously. "The other, well the other thing is a little more difficult to get out."
"Just say it Brady," she was frightened by his tone, growing defensive.
"I got a call today. . . from my Commander at the police department." They both swallowed. "I'm due back in Chicago."
"When?"
"Tomorrow," he said softly, gazing at her sadly.
"Oh," she looked downward and went to the task of wetting a dishrag and wiping her face and chest clean.
"Oh? Is that all you have to say?"
"Well, what do you expect me to say? You knew as well as I did that this day would come, Brady. It has and so that's that." She couldn't very well ask him to stay. She couldn't ask that of him. They hardly had a real relationship anyway. And if he refused? Well her heart couldn't take that.
"That's that," Brady repeated her softly. Oh what he wouldn't give right now for her to ask him to stay. He would. He would stay forever. All she had to do was ask.
"Hey, well listen, I have. . . to go to work really early in the morning so I've got to get some sleep. And what with you having to go back tomorrow-"
"Morning."
"Tomorrow morning. You need to get some sleep too." She made her way over to and slid the loft door open. "So goodnight, Brady. Thanks for the CD. I'll see you when I see you."
What the hell was going on? How could she just turn so cold like that, like she didn't even care about him? He was almost out the door too, when something stopped him. "Chloe," he turned to face her, cupping her cheek and raising her face to look up at him. "Chloe, I lo-"
"Don't say it."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want you to. I just want you to leave and. . . I just want you to leave." She pushed his hand away.
"Okay." He swallowed. "Okay, I'm gone. See ya around." He waited there a few more seconds to see if she would even look at him, but she didn't. She wanted him gone it seemed.
Chloe slid the loft door closed, not even bothering to watch him go. That was it, the way it should be. He was going back to his life in Chicago and she could resume what was left of hers here. That was the way it should be, she decided.
Brady walked back to his loft. What the hell had happened? "It's as if she had just shut down." Did she really care about him or was this all a game to her? Maybe it was good he couldn't get the words 'I love you' out. Who was he kidding? She loved him and he loved her. He'd let her say those words to him so why not him to her. "Because she stuffed a cupcake in my mouth, that's why?" She had stopped him from saying those words, several times now. Why didn't she just let him say them? What was she so afraid of? But then it dawned on him. The simple truth was: Chloe was indeed afraid. But the difficult question was: Of what?
TBC. . .
Chapter 12: Cupcakes Are Sexy
Chloe slipped further into her large, green marble tub and let the floral scented bath bubbles caress her work weary skin. Tonight had been a total disaster. Not only had the plan to make Brady jealous worked, but it had worked too damn well. Now he was upset with her and she with him. And dammit, if she wasn't as hard headed as he was but she was. So she was certain they would never patch things up. "I am determined to fall out of love with him. He's not worth it. . . so not worth it. In fact. . ." she trailed off and stood from the tub, wrapping her short length light pink terry cloth robe around her body. She stormed to her room and straight to her bookshelf, her mini trashcan in hand as she began the task of throwing away all the supernatural crap she owned. She threw away her countless books on dreams and numerology, her magic 8 ball, and finally her deck of tarot cards. She never wanted to see these damn things again. These things were the cause of all this. They made her believe something otherworldly, something destined, heavenly was going on between her and Brady. But she'd pushed and he'd pulled back. It just wasn't in the cards for them any longer, so to speak. "Down you go," she disposed of the trash and her love for Brady down the garbage shoot to the dumpster outside. Determined to forget Brady and get her life back on track, after all dreaming was for fools, Chloe made her way back to the tub and tried as hard as she could to wash her troubles away.
**********
Brady finally made it home after his long walk from Belle and Shawn's. And what a long walk it was. It was times like these Brady appreciated technology the most. Not that he could really even drive in his condition. But if not for his pride, he surely would have called a taxi, especially when the freezing rain began and ran through the threads of his clothes as his skin became soaked to the bone; but he was stubborn. And so he hobbled all the way home. "What I wouldn't give for a nice, hot shower," he collapsed on the couch and gazed forlornly at his door, knowing Chloe was probably asleep in her bed all warm and cozy. He had to see her and apologize for his outburst at Belle and Shawn's tonight. He was jealous, pure and simple. But Chloe wasn't to blame. He was. And so he would make things right. "Guess I should take a shower first though." He knew that if he went over there in his current state one: Chloe would laugh at him and his pride would be hurt or two: Chloe would feel sorry for him and he would feel like an even bigger ass. He was nearly to his room when he saw the light on the answering machine blinking. "Who would have called?"
**********
Chloe pulled on a large cotton button down Care Bears nightshirt, deciding a glass of milk, a couple double stuffed Oreo cookies and a date under her covers with a good book would be perfect. "Yummm," Chloe moaned as she snuggled under the covers. Within ten minutes, she'd abandoned the book for 'A Christmas Story' on an old movie channel. It wasn't even Thanksgiving yet and already this movie was being shown. Chloe had to laugh. She loved this movie. She could remember being as old as twelve and watching this, wishing she could wish her way into the movie, just to be a part of that family. But she had a family again thankfully and a wonderful family at that. But there were times like these, in the quiet, when she was alone, left to think and remember, that she was reminded of her past. And that, no matter how much love she would receive from Craig and Nancy, part of her would always feel alone and abandoned. She wished she could talk to Brady.
God she wanted to kill him right now but she knew he would understand what she was feeling because he'd felt that way too. He was so easy to talk to. He was the kind of guy that could make you believe he was hanging on your every word, even if the words were 'Does this dress make me look fat?' And even then he would say something flip like 'Do you think it makes you look fat?' and Chloe would burst into laughter and just enjoy herself instead. Brady made her feel comfortable in her own skin. And when he looked at her. . . Oh, whether he knew it or not, when he looked at her, he made her feel so very beautiful. Like a voluptuous, sensual, Rubenesque figure he wanted to touch all over and hoard in a special place where he alone could have his way with her. And yet other times, he looked at her as if she were the most delicate piece of crystal in the universe, afraid she might break if he touched her yet enchanted by her. He could see her, right through to her very soul and he absolutely adored what he saw, scars and all. "Oh Brady," she shook her head sadly as the doorbell rang. "I'm coming," she called out to her visitor and slid the door open. "Brady," she breathed out. How did he always manage to show up when she needed him?
"Chloe," he stood before her freshly showered, in a gray hooded sweatshirt and sweat pants, holding something wrapped tightly in a brown paper bag. She was silent and when she made no move to let him in he frowned. "I can leave."
"No," she pulled his hand. "Stay." She smiled at him, happy to see him here. "You're all wet," she said simply, pointing to his damp hair that clung to his forehead.
"Can I come in," he grinned.
"Sure, come on in," she stepped back and let him in, watching as he took a seat on the couch. "No crutches?"
"Eh, I found walking all the way home earlier today that I really don't need them all that much," he laughed. "Stopped by the hospital about twenty minutes ago and had the cast removed."
"Can you do that?" Chloe's eyebrow rose in question.
"You tell me. You're the nurse. Besides it's done."
"Ehh, they just like you over there," she joked.
"You included I hope," he looked at her with hopeful eyes.
She didn't answer him but instead changed the subject. "You walked all the way home from Belle and Shawn's?" She couldn't believe it when he nodded in the affirmative. "I'm sorry." She took a seat next to him on the couch.
"Don't be. I'm the one who should be sorry. You really reamed me out good tonight. But I deserved it. I was horrible, just a pain in the ass. I was jealous," he trailed off softly, blushing slightly.
"You were," she looked at him timidly.
He turned to face her and smiled. "Very."
"What's in the bag?"
He handed it to her. "Here, open it."
"You got me something?" She grinned, turning the object over in her hands.
"It's nothing." Brady didn't know how things had become so weird between them tonight but the air had definitely changed. It was charged with a nervous energy that hadn't ever existed before.
Chloe opened the bag and gasped at its contents. It was a CD. It was of Chopin's classics. She felt her eyes fill to the brim with tears as she stared at the CD in her shaking hands.
Brady looked at her nervously. "If you don't like it, I can take it back." He reached out to grab it but she pulled it away from him.
"Are you crazy?" She finally looked at him. "I love it. How did you know, Brady?" She'd never told Brady about that tape of Chopin. So to see Chopin's nocturnes and etudes in her hands, she wanted to cry. It was such an intimate gift. "How did you know?"
"Know?" Brady was confused.
"My adoptive parents gave me a tape of Chopin's classics, this exact version. I carried it with me everywhere, even in the foster homes." She had to wipe the tears from her eyes to see clearly. "I'd misplaced the tape but I never forgot it. I could never forget." She felt Brady pull her close to him and wrap her in a hug, holding her as she cried softly into his chest.
***************
An hour later. . .
"So I always carry pepper spray with me," Chloe finished frosting a cupcake and adding it to the large plate with the other vanilla frosted, yellow cupcakes.
"You never told me that." Brady watched her from his side of the counter and reached for a cupcake, only to have his hand slapped away.
"Gotta get some milk first," she warned, heading over to the fridge. "And of course I never told you that. There are a lot of things about me that you don't know."
"Oh please, I know practically everything about you," he teased as she poured the milk. "I know that you sleep with your TV on at night, still scared of the boogie man. I know that you love old school rap." He laughed. "That you love when it rains, like it is now. I know that you love romantic movies but you'd much prefer to read a good book. I know that you hate lima beans and butter beans but that you love refried beans. That you love Oreo cookies but only if you can have it with a freezing cold, icy glass of milk." He grew serious as he watched her blushing countenance study the cupcakes in front of her, a slight smile on her face. She loved and hated what he was saying all at the same time, he knew. "I know that you love to help people and care for people and give them a new lease on life, save them. I know that all you really want in this world is to find your soulmate and to love and be loved. And I know that you love me." He was silent and watched her head snap up and her eyes meet his. "And I know that I lo-" He was cut off when Chloe stuff a cupcake into his mouth, frosting side first. "Ughm," he pulled the cupcake from his face. "Chloe, hey. Dammit."
Chloe giggled and ran away from him as she watched him pick up two cupcakes and start after her. "Ahh Brady," she screamed as he caught her around the waist. He stuffed one of the cupcakes on her nose from behind and easily turned her around in his arms as they tumbled to the couch, he on top of her. She screamed some more as he took the other cupcake and attempted to stuff it down her nightshirt, but she resisted enough so that it smashed between her breasts. The both were breathing hard as she continued to squirm under his hovering body. Out of energy, she soon stopped struggling and watched him as he smiled defiantly down at her. That nervous energy in the air suddenly became electric. She tried to control her heavy breathing watching as Brady's face grew sober. He wet his lips and looked to hers and back to her eyes for assurance.
Swooping in, Brady bent his head and placed his tongue on the exposed part of her chest, just above her breasts, lightly licking off the frosting that had gathered there.
Chloe breathed out harshly, her chest heaving. "Who knew. . . cupcakes could. . . be so sexy," she finished on a moan sigh and cradled Brady's head to her chest as he continued to lick and devour the smashed cupcake matted to her now slick skin.
He chuckled against her chest and raised his head. "Chloe," he said softly, gazing into her hopeful eyes, knowing she was thinking the same thing he was. 'That was it,' he thought to himself. He was going in. Slowly, he bent his head down and gently touched his firm lips to her soft ones. The kiss was soft and gentle and stayed that way as they quietly nibbled on each other's lips, both of them stunned this was even happening. Too stunned to let it go any farther.
But Chloe's desire for him took hold and she soon found herself taking complete control of their kisses, running her tongue along Brady's suddenly slack lips, imploring entrance. She could taste the frosting on him, teasing her. So sweet. So damn good. She had to taste him, all of him. Now.
'Who am I to deny her anything?' he thought as he allowed her tongue to brazenly tangle with his. The kiss went on for quite awhile, growing more demanding and heated as he ran his hand up her leg and under her night shirt. Brady soon pulled back, though, for some much needed air and composure. What was happening here? He leaned his forehead against hers. Both of their eyes were closed, both breathed so intensely, both very turned on. "Chloe," he breathed out. "Chloe," he kissed her lips firmly again, reluctantly letting them go. "Chloe, this is wrong."
"What?" She kissed him softly, her glazed eyes opening slightly, closing again as desire consumed her.
"This," he kissed her back, "is wrong."
"It is?" Chloe asked. She felt Brady nod. "It doesn't feel wrong." She kissed him again, curtly but let her lips linger against his. "Do you think it feels wrong Brady," she breathed against his lips.
"No. God no," he kissed her passionately again, feeling the heat from her body below, urging him on. But something was telling him to stop. Something was wrong. Now if only he could remember what that something was. He opened his eyes and allowed his brain to function for a bit. Shit. What was he doing? "Chloe, look at me." She opened her eyes and stared at him, hungrily. "Chloe, we have to stop." He pulled back and sat on the couch, running a hand through his hair. "We can't do this."
"Okay," she sat up too, pulling her nightshirt closed, embarrassed.
"No," he tried to reach out to her but she pulled away. "Don't. It's not you. It's me."
"Oh God," Chloe couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Oh God, this is so humiliating," she buried her burning face in her hands and stood, walking over to the kitchen to get the frosting off of her face and chest.
He jogged after her and pulled her hands from her cheeks, holding them down, forcing her to look at him. "Chloe, it's not what you think. I didn't come over here for this."
She looked up at him, seeing his eyes were pleading with her to understand. "What is it then? What did you come here for?"
He lightly wiped a bit of frosting off the side of her mouth. "To tell you. . . give you the CD and to tell you a couple of things. One thing I couldn't get out because you stuffed a cupcake in my mouth." He laughed nervously. "The other, well the other thing is a little more difficult to get out."
"Just say it Brady," she was frightened by his tone, growing defensive.
"I got a call today. . . from my Commander at the police department." They both swallowed. "I'm due back in Chicago."
"When?"
"Tomorrow," he said softly, gazing at her sadly.
"Oh," she looked downward and went to the task of wetting a dishrag and wiping her face and chest clean.
"Oh? Is that all you have to say?"
"Well, what do you expect me to say? You knew as well as I did that this day would come, Brady. It has and so that's that." She couldn't very well ask him to stay. She couldn't ask that of him. They hardly had a real relationship anyway. And if he refused? Well her heart couldn't take that.
"That's that," Brady repeated her softly. Oh what he wouldn't give right now for her to ask him to stay. He would. He would stay forever. All she had to do was ask.
"Hey, well listen, I have. . . to go to work really early in the morning so I've got to get some sleep. And what with you having to go back tomorrow-"
"Morning."
"Tomorrow morning. You need to get some sleep too." She made her way over to and slid the loft door open. "So goodnight, Brady. Thanks for the CD. I'll see you when I see you."
What the hell was going on? How could she just turn so cold like that, like she didn't even care about him? He was almost out the door too, when something stopped him. "Chloe," he turned to face her, cupping her cheek and raising her face to look up at him. "Chloe, I lo-"
"Don't say it."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want you to. I just want you to leave and. . . I just want you to leave." She pushed his hand away.
"Okay." He swallowed. "Okay, I'm gone. See ya around." He waited there a few more seconds to see if she would even look at him, but she didn't. She wanted him gone it seemed.
Chloe slid the loft door closed, not even bothering to watch him go. That was it, the way it should be. He was going back to his life in Chicago and she could resume what was left of hers here. That was the way it should be, she decided.
Brady walked back to his loft. What the hell had happened? "It's as if she had just shut down." Did she really care about him or was this all a game to her? Maybe it was good he couldn't get the words 'I love you' out. Who was he kidding? She loved him and he loved her. He'd let her say those words to him so why not him to her. "Because she stuffed a cupcake in my mouth, that's why?" She had stopped him from saying those words, several times now. Why didn't she just let him say them? What was she so afraid of? But then it dawned on him. The simple truth was: Chloe was indeed afraid. But the difficult question was: Of what?
TBC. . .