Disclaimer: The following fiction is loosely based on characters currently owned and operated by the producers and writers of NBC-TV's Days of Our Lives. I claim no affiliation. Gratuitous entertainment purposes only.
Stubborn and Clueless
Chapter Thirteen
by Fidomom
As he waited for her to say something he saw the rollercoaster of emotion flicker within the depths of her eyes. Anger seemed to appear most often, with sadness a close second.
"Would you have ever told me, Brady? Without hearing me say it first, would you have ever told me?"
He pressed his lips together and shook his head,
"No."
She shoved herself away from him,
"Take me home. Right now, Brady."
He nodded and settled the bill. She slammed her door as she got into the passenger side of the jeep and refused to be drawn into further discussion. She stared out the window lost in her storm of thought and emotion. The jeep stopped and Brady cut the engine. Their surroundings finally registered in her brain and she whipped her head toward him.
"Fine, Brady! I can walk home from here if you won't take me!"
He looked at her for a long awkward moment and then smiled~If you were going to walk home you would have left the jeep by now.~
"Come on up to the loft with me, Chloe. I owe you an explanation. I'll hold the elevator for you while you take a moment to calm yourself. The classical station is number three on the pre-sets. Here's the remote key. Lock up the jeep before you come in."
She opened her mouth to argue but he interrupted.
"I always mean what I say. Remember that."
She watched him walk away from the jeep and enter his building. He didn't even look back to see if she was leaving or staying.
"Arrrgh! Of all the arrogant ... if he thinks he can just ... dammit Brady!"
She put the key in the ignition and turned the battery on. She angrily stabbed at the third button. She initially resisted the calmness seeping into her; she wanted to stay mad. The music washed over her and she realised that even though she felt more calm and more in control she was still angry.~It would serve you right Brady Black if I walked home with your remote! I should. No. On second thought, I do deserve an explanation! No way am I letting you off the hook with the silent treatment! There's plenty I have to say to you!~ She snapped the radio off, took the key out of the ignition, got out of the jeep and locked it. She lifted her chin determinedly and walked briskly into his building. Brady looked up from inside the elevator, surprised to see her so soon. He waited for her to step in then released the doors and they closed. He pressed a button and the elevator began it's ascent up to his floor. They didn't speak. When the elevator doors opened they both got out. She crossed her arms impatiently waiting for him to unlock the door to the loft. She shoved past him and tossed the keys to the jeep on the counter. He raised his eyebrows in amusement. She shed her jacket and began pacing. Brady forced himself to stop watching her and he came into the apartment too. He slid the door shut and took off his jacket. He headed for the fridge.
"Would you..."
Without even looking up she answered him tersely,
"Iced tea is fine."
He raised his eyebrows again and opened the refrigerator door,
"Okay then. Iced tea it is."
He poured her tea and stood in her path waiting for her to pace his way. He held her drink out to her. She accepted it distractedly and turned to continue pacing as she sipped. In sudden irritation she set the drink down and spun to face him. He'd been waiting for this and he was ready.
"Why no Brady?"
He gave her a small smile and sighed,
"No because until I heard you say otherwise I thought you were still hung up on Philip. I didn't want to burden you. Plus there's the whole age thing. Plus there's the fact that you are destined for New York City, Juilliard and the Metropolitan Opera. Plus there's the whole thing of me being in complete denial. Plus your Mom barely tolerates me. Plus my Dad would be all I told you so in my face. All the way around it was illogical and impossible. I still have no clue where we go from here. All I do know is that I love you. You were in tears thinking I didn't love you, I couldn't let that ride. I don't ever want to be the reason you cry. I watched you falling apart and I have never felt so helpless in my life. I didn't know what to do at first Chloe. I didn't want to tell you what I'd seen and heard because I wasn't supposed to have done. I felt guilty for invading your privacy but relieved that I knew the truth. So. There it is. If you still want to yell at me, I won't interrupt you."
He watched her carefully as she looked at him. Watched as she processed everything he'd said. Watched as her face crumpled and tears ran in rivers down her cheeks. Closed his eyes and arms around her as she came to him and sobbed against him. He rubbed her back, stroked her hair, rocked her and shed a few quiet tears of his own.
Her sobs subsided and she looked up at him,
"Brady can we go to the gazebo tonight? Now?"
Bewildered but pleased he nodded,
"Yeah, Chloe, sure. Why though?"
She shrugged,
"I don't really know. I just want to be outside; I just want to be there ... with you."
He nodded and a sudden thought popped into his head. He argued with himself~No, we are not doing that. It's not reasonable. Now or never Black? You'll always wonder. It's craziness! There's no way she'll agree to it! So what? The outcome is not the point. Do it. I don't want to. Liar. Why do you already have one upstairs then? Oh for crying out loud, the timing is just very bad! But the setting is perfect and you love her right? Okay fine. I'll bring it but it's an exercise in futility.~
"Chloe? Why don't you go summon the elevator? If it arrives before I come out, hold it for me okay? There's something I have to do here before we go."
She nodded and slipped on her jacket,
"Okay, Brady."
He slid the door open for her and then ran up to his room to grab something he'd bought on impulse. He stuffed it into the inside pocket of his jacket as he tugged it on and he joined Chloe at the elevator. They held hands as they rode the elevator down, they held hands as they rode in the jeep and they held hands as they walked through the park to the gazebo. He squeezed her hand gently to get her attention,
"Shall I turn the lights on?"
She smiled and nodded,
"I'd like that.
Brady reluctantly let go of her hand to turn on the mini lights. He returned to her side and watched her looking at the lights with a gentle smile on her face. She turned to look at him and beckoned him to follow her up the steps. He obliged without hesitation. She stopped on the top step and turned sideways. He stopped too and turned to face her. She searched his eyes for what he wasn't sure. She smiled softly as she touched his cheek.
"Now I know why I wanted us to come here."
He waited for her to tell him. At the last second before she spoke he knew. Her eyes darted to his mouth and back up to his eyes. Her arms slid around his neck and she pulled his face closer to hers. Just before first contact he heard her whisper.
"For this."
He pulled her even closer as they shared their long overdue first kiss. Chloe sighed with pleasure against Brady's hot mouth as he caressed her lips with his own. So soft, so achingly sweet, Chloe thought she might pass out from the sheer joy of knowing finally what it was to be kissed by this man- her man. Her lips parted without her conscious permission and Brady tasted the new territory she offered. His heart thundered loudly in his ears. Chloe hesitantly at first and then more boldly sampled what lay beyond the threshold of his sensuous lips. They clung to one another as their wonder became knowledge, knowledge became confidence, confidence became a fierce energy that seemed to short circuit between them with a heat and intensity that burned bliss into their very souls. Chloe felt his hands on her shoulders gently but firmly halting further escalation of passion. Eventually they were able to drag their mouths apart. Their embrace tightened as they looked at each other in awe, chests heaving in exhiliration. He stroked her cheek and softly brushed his thumb across her now swollen lower lip. His gaze rooted her to the spot. Never had she seen him look at her before, the way he was looking at her now. She felt compelled to speak,
"Wow."
He nodded his head unable to speak.
"I ... I meant what I said Brady. What you heard when I thought I had turned off the camera. I felt safe to say it to a picture. You always seem to know how to make everything right for me. I ... Brady? Is it really true? Is it really not unrequited? You ... you love me for real? Not just as a friend?"
He smiled,
"My lips are still tingling how about yours? I've never kissed any friend like that."
She let out a nervous laugh,
"Good point."
He gave her a soft, short kiss on her still numb lips,
"I know how scary it is to say out loud. I thought I might pass out from nerves alone when I told you I loved you earlier. It helps that I've already heard you say it so if you aren't ready to say it directly to me yet it's okay. I know it's there. I feel it in our every interaction. I love you and that isn't going away anytime soon I promise. Just keep your arms around me until my brain catches up to what my heart and soul and body already know. I'm in love with you, Chloe."
Looking into his eyes for the security she needed and finding it she let the words tumble out of her heart and fall from her lips in an emotional whisper,
"I love you Brady! I love you so much!"
To be continued ...
Stubborn and Clueless
Chapter Thirteen
by Fidomom
As he waited for her to say something he saw the rollercoaster of emotion flicker within the depths of her eyes. Anger seemed to appear most often, with sadness a close second.
"Would you have ever told me, Brady? Without hearing me say it first, would you have ever told me?"
He pressed his lips together and shook his head,
"No."
She shoved herself away from him,
"Take me home. Right now, Brady."
He nodded and settled the bill. She slammed her door as she got into the passenger side of the jeep and refused to be drawn into further discussion. She stared out the window lost in her storm of thought and emotion. The jeep stopped and Brady cut the engine. Their surroundings finally registered in her brain and she whipped her head toward him.
"Fine, Brady! I can walk home from here if you won't take me!"
He looked at her for a long awkward moment and then smiled~If you were going to walk home you would have left the jeep by now.~
"Come on up to the loft with me, Chloe. I owe you an explanation. I'll hold the elevator for you while you take a moment to calm yourself. The classical station is number three on the pre-sets. Here's the remote key. Lock up the jeep before you come in."
She opened her mouth to argue but he interrupted.
"I always mean what I say. Remember that."
She watched him walk away from the jeep and enter his building. He didn't even look back to see if she was leaving or staying.
"Arrrgh! Of all the arrogant ... if he thinks he can just ... dammit Brady!"
She put the key in the ignition and turned the battery on. She angrily stabbed at the third button. She initially resisted the calmness seeping into her; she wanted to stay mad. The music washed over her and she realised that even though she felt more calm and more in control she was still angry.~It would serve you right Brady Black if I walked home with your remote! I should. No. On second thought, I do deserve an explanation! No way am I letting you off the hook with the silent treatment! There's plenty I have to say to you!~ She snapped the radio off, took the key out of the ignition, got out of the jeep and locked it. She lifted her chin determinedly and walked briskly into his building. Brady looked up from inside the elevator, surprised to see her so soon. He waited for her to step in then released the doors and they closed. He pressed a button and the elevator began it's ascent up to his floor. They didn't speak. When the elevator doors opened they both got out. She crossed her arms impatiently waiting for him to unlock the door to the loft. She shoved past him and tossed the keys to the jeep on the counter. He raised his eyebrows in amusement. She shed her jacket and began pacing. Brady forced himself to stop watching her and he came into the apartment too. He slid the door shut and took off his jacket. He headed for the fridge.
"Would you..."
Without even looking up she answered him tersely,
"Iced tea is fine."
He raised his eyebrows again and opened the refrigerator door,
"Okay then. Iced tea it is."
He poured her tea and stood in her path waiting for her to pace his way. He held her drink out to her. She accepted it distractedly and turned to continue pacing as she sipped. In sudden irritation she set the drink down and spun to face him. He'd been waiting for this and he was ready.
"Why no Brady?"
He gave her a small smile and sighed,
"No because until I heard you say otherwise I thought you were still hung up on Philip. I didn't want to burden you. Plus there's the whole age thing. Plus there's the fact that you are destined for New York City, Juilliard and the Metropolitan Opera. Plus there's the whole thing of me being in complete denial. Plus your Mom barely tolerates me. Plus my Dad would be all I told you so in my face. All the way around it was illogical and impossible. I still have no clue where we go from here. All I do know is that I love you. You were in tears thinking I didn't love you, I couldn't let that ride. I don't ever want to be the reason you cry. I watched you falling apart and I have never felt so helpless in my life. I didn't know what to do at first Chloe. I didn't want to tell you what I'd seen and heard because I wasn't supposed to have done. I felt guilty for invading your privacy but relieved that I knew the truth. So. There it is. If you still want to yell at me, I won't interrupt you."
He watched her carefully as she looked at him. Watched as she processed everything he'd said. Watched as her face crumpled and tears ran in rivers down her cheeks. Closed his eyes and arms around her as she came to him and sobbed against him. He rubbed her back, stroked her hair, rocked her and shed a few quiet tears of his own.
Her sobs subsided and she looked up at him,
"Brady can we go to the gazebo tonight? Now?"
Bewildered but pleased he nodded,
"Yeah, Chloe, sure. Why though?"
She shrugged,
"I don't really know. I just want to be outside; I just want to be there ... with you."
He nodded and a sudden thought popped into his head. He argued with himself~No, we are not doing that. It's not reasonable. Now or never Black? You'll always wonder. It's craziness! There's no way she'll agree to it! So what? The outcome is not the point. Do it. I don't want to. Liar. Why do you already have one upstairs then? Oh for crying out loud, the timing is just very bad! But the setting is perfect and you love her right? Okay fine. I'll bring it but it's an exercise in futility.~
"Chloe? Why don't you go summon the elevator? If it arrives before I come out, hold it for me okay? There's something I have to do here before we go."
She nodded and slipped on her jacket,
"Okay, Brady."
He slid the door open for her and then ran up to his room to grab something he'd bought on impulse. He stuffed it into the inside pocket of his jacket as he tugged it on and he joined Chloe at the elevator. They held hands as they rode the elevator down, they held hands as they rode in the jeep and they held hands as they walked through the park to the gazebo. He squeezed her hand gently to get her attention,
"Shall I turn the lights on?"
She smiled and nodded,
"I'd like that.
Brady reluctantly let go of her hand to turn on the mini lights. He returned to her side and watched her looking at the lights with a gentle smile on her face. She turned to look at him and beckoned him to follow her up the steps. He obliged without hesitation. She stopped on the top step and turned sideways. He stopped too and turned to face her. She searched his eyes for what he wasn't sure. She smiled softly as she touched his cheek.
"Now I know why I wanted us to come here."
He waited for her to tell him. At the last second before she spoke he knew. Her eyes darted to his mouth and back up to his eyes. Her arms slid around his neck and she pulled his face closer to hers. Just before first contact he heard her whisper.
"For this."
He pulled her even closer as they shared their long overdue first kiss. Chloe sighed with pleasure against Brady's hot mouth as he caressed her lips with his own. So soft, so achingly sweet, Chloe thought she might pass out from the sheer joy of knowing finally what it was to be kissed by this man- her man. Her lips parted without her conscious permission and Brady tasted the new territory she offered. His heart thundered loudly in his ears. Chloe hesitantly at first and then more boldly sampled what lay beyond the threshold of his sensuous lips. They clung to one another as their wonder became knowledge, knowledge became confidence, confidence became a fierce energy that seemed to short circuit between them with a heat and intensity that burned bliss into their very souls. Chloe felt his hands on her shoulders gently but firmly halting further escalation of passion. Eventually they were able to drag their mouths apart. Their embrace tightened as they looked at each other in awe, chests heaving in exhiliration. He stroked her cheek and softly brushed his thumb across her now swollen lower lip. His gaze rooted her to the spot. Never had she seen him look at her before, the way he was looking at her now. She felt compelled to speak,
"Wow."
He nodded his head unable to speak.
"I ... I meant what I said Brady. What you heard when I thought I had turned off the camera. I felt safe to say it to a picture. You always seem to know how to make everything right for me. I ... Brady? Is it really true? Is it really not unrequited? You ... you love me for real? Not just as a friend?"
He smiled,
"My lips are still tingling how about yours? I've never kissed any friend like that."
She let out a nervous laugh,
"Good point."
He gave her a soft, short kiss on her still numb lips,
"I know how scary it is to say out loud. I thought I might pass out from nerves alone when I told you I loved you earlier. It helps that I've already heard you say it so if you aren't ready to say it directly to me yet it's okay. I know it's there. I feel it in our every interaction. I love you and that isn't going away anytime soon I promise. Just keep your arms around me until my brain catches up to what my heart and soul and body already know. I'm in love with you, Chloe."
Looking into his eyes for the security she needed and finding it she let the words tumble out of her heart and fall from her lips in an emotional whisper,
"I love you Brady! I love you so much!"
To be continued ...