Lucas raised his head and stared at her intently. Those words were more powerful than anything he had ever heard or felt before. It affected him to hear it and touched her even more to say it out loud for the first time. The situation had come to a head and things were out of control. Tears spilled down Brooke's cheeks as she felt an emotional breakdown peak. In a frenzy she stood and walked over to the door, opening it.

"I'm so sorry, Luke. I shouldn't have said that. I cannot do this right now", she sobbed. "Please. You have to leave now."

Almost mechanically he stood and followed her to leave. One foot out the doorway he stopped and turned to face her. Their eyes locked in an overwhelming gaze. The tension in the air was so thick it could be sliced with a knife.

"Do you really want me to leave?" he breathed.

She nodded as her tears continued to fall down her pretty face. His hand shook as he touched her chin, tilting it upwards to meet his face.

"Look me in the eye right now and tell me you want me to go."

Her mind was screaming for him to leave, to walk right out of there but her heart just couldn't transmit the words to her mouth. Lucas purposely lowered his face onto hers and their lips met in the place that was once so familiar. The chemistry was amazing and neither person could have pulled away even if they had wanted to. Losing themselves in the moment, they succumbed to passion, closing the front door and kissing all the way to her bedroom. Brooke's hands pulled Luke's shirt over his head and he instinctively removed hers as well. She felt timid and shy as she stood before him in just a skimpy pair of panties but all inhibitions quickly disappeared as they kissed again. Gently pushing her down on the bed, he removed all his clothing and she was taken aback as she stared at that familiar beautiful naked form. He was truly an incredible creature she thought, as they didn't communicate verbally but their actions spoke a thousand words. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually every part of her ached for him. In one swift motion he removed her thong and entered her causing both of them to gasp upon insertion. Moans and tears emitting from her body were uncontrollable and Lucas caressed her as they made love. The pleasure was beyond any words or emotions as with one final thrust they exploded together .

"Are you alright?" he whispered. "Your legs are trembling."

They both silently remembered another incident as her body had shivered next to his: It was the last few days of the hot summer in which Lucas and Brooke had found so much love and pleasure in each other. In two days she was due back to Boston and the local Carolina kids were throwing a "good-bye" to summer party. It was being held at the lake not far from Tree Hill High but Brooke had not dared to even ask Gran's permission. They would be out way after eleven and unchaperoned at that; no way would Gran ever agree to such a thing and both Lucas and Brooke were well aware of that fact.

So when they were sure her grandparents were fast asleep, Lucas crept to her window. Barefoot, she carefully climbed down and he carried her piggy back style the two miles or so to the spot of the get together. About ten of the local kids had gathered and there was a bonfire where some people were toasting marshmallows. Brooke held her stick over the fire and Lucas smiled as he took it from her.

"I'll do it, you always burn yours", he smiled.

She grinned and reached to light up a cigarette. One of Luke's friends, a skinny yet slightly adorable kid named Mouth, who was a few years younger removed a Marlboro light from her pack and put it between his lips.

"Would you not smoke?" Lucas asked his girlfriend, rather exasperated. "That really gets on my nerves and it's a filthy, funky, disgusting habit. You know I hate when you do that!"

Brooke did not like the young man's tone. She thoroughly resented when he or anyone for that matter was bossy towards her.

"Lucas Scott, do not raise your voice at me! You don't tell me what to do."

He knew he would get nowhere fast if he came at her as some sort of authority. She was way too independent for that.

"Baby, calm down", he said, trying a more subtle approach. "I wasn't trying to be a jerk, it's just that you promised me you would quit and I don't want anything to happen to you."

She could never resist that low and sexy voice and especially those broody, mysterious eyes. Brooke smiled and snuffed out the cigarette as they ate their toasted marshmallows together, lost in their own little world of teenage puppy love. A loud hacking sound interrupted them as they turned to see poor Mouth literally choking to death on his Marlboro.

"Give me that, you jack ass", Nathan said as he snatched it from Mouth causing anyone within earshot to laugh.

Lucas kissed Brooke and guided her by the hand.

"Come with me", he smiled as he led her to a tent set up not far from the others. "Baby, I just wanted us to have a little private time together", he whispered.

"I know", she said sadly. "I'm going back up north soon."

"I know, Brooke. I'm gonna miss you so much. I love you."

"I love you, too", she agreed, "and I'm gonna miss you."

He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Know what I'll miss most?"

"What?" she smiled.

"I'm gonna miss your smile."

"My smile?"

"Yeah. It sounds kind of corny but I love your smile. You have a great smile and the cutest little dimples", he grinned shyly.

"Aw, sweetheart, that's not corny, it's so sweet."

"I guess when people are in love they are allowed to be corny."

Brooke stroked the palm of Luke's hand.

"When people are in love they are also allowed to do other things."

"What do you mean?"

Brooke looked him right in the eye.

"Lucas, we've been together for a long time and you know how I feel about you. We're in love and I think it's time for us to make love."

Lucas took a deep breath as he looked at her mischievous grin. Her invitation was the words any guy in his right mind would long to hear. She had been propositioning him forever and he God knew how much he wanted her but Lucas had been the one to hold out. He had been with other girls before but this time he was in love and he wanted it to be special. He had wanted things to be right between them, he was waiting for the perfect moment.

"Brooke, wait. We've talked about this before and I thought we decided to, you know, wait..."

Brooke sighed almost in defeat.

"What's the matter. Don't you want me, Luke?"

He stared at the beautiful young woman before him and his heart swelled with love.

"Brooke, how can you even ask me that. Baby, I want you so bad it hurts. Do you have any idea just how much you mean to me? This is our first time together and I just want you to be sure. I want you to be ready. I don't want to push you into anything."

"It's not like that. I love you and I want to be with you. We've held on this long and I don't want to wait anymore. It's right...it's time. I just want to make you happy, Lucas. Babe, I want to rock your world."

The dimples were in full view as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure about anything in my entire life."

They kissed, sweet and soft at first, then more passionate. Luke's body trembled from want but he knew he had to take his time and be gentle with her. Brooke closed her eyes. Sure she had been with other guys...lots of them and sex had been no big deal. She did love Lucas but he was hot and he was her boyfriend and she wanted his body, pure and simple.

Brooke grinned as Lucas undressed her as if he was opening a package that had been marked fragile. His gentle nature took her by surprise. Usually at that point clothes were being ripped off with buttons flying and zippers breaking. But with Lucas it was just the opposite. For her there was romance and tenderness, the kind of things you read about in sappy novels. For him, her naked body was the single most beautiful and amazing sight he had ever seen. Brooke kissed him fully again on the lips, yet so excited in anticipation of what was to come. As she looked at his nude body for the first time, her eyes widened a bit with terror.

"Brooke...you okay?"

She bit her lip with a worried look then her entire face broke out into a smile.

"I'm fine, it's just that...well, you're a little bit bigger than I'm used to."

He smiled and tried not to let the compliment go straight to his head as he desperately contained his blush.

"I don't want to hurt you, Brooke. I'll go slow, alright?"

She shrugged.

"I don't care, Luke. Hurt me."

He held her close and slowly entered her. She let out a small groan and dug her nails into his back.

"Babe, are you okay? Do you want me to stop?"

She bit her lip and shook her head. The feeling was indescribable. Slow and deep, Lucas maneuvered himself in and out of her body, relishing the intense pleasure he felt from her wetness and warmth. As he made love to her, he whispered her name and how beautiful she was in her ear. After about an hour, he released, careful not to do so inside her. When it was over, they held onto each other for dear life, Luke wiping the fresh tears that had fallen from her eyes.

"You okay? I didn't want to hurt you, Brooke. I tried to take it easy. You should have said something."

"You didn't hurt me, Luke. It's okay."

"Then what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Because I'm happy", she smiled through tears. "Lucas, I...I've never felt this way. I mean, the sex was great but it was so much more than that. It was beautiful. I have never felt so loved or so close to someone as I feel to you right now."

Lucas nodded. It made him happy that she was so happy. He felt the same way. He knew in his heart it had been the right choice to wait.

"I don't want to get you pregnant", he whispered after a while

"And I don't want to get pregnant. I'm not on the Pill, Luke. Were you careful?"

"Yeah", he nodded. "I was. You trust me, right?"

"With everything I am", she replied.

Lucas kissed her again and sighed.

"You sure I didn't hurt you?"

"It hurt a little but I'm not crying about the pain. Pain is temporary, it goes away. I'm crying now because I'm so happy. What we just did was so beautiful Luke and I'm glad I waited. I wanted to have sex with you for so long but now I'm glad we waited. You were right. It was really something special and it was absolutely perfect."

He smiled at his the moon light cast an exotic glow across his girlfriend's already angelic face.

"Brooke, I love you. I really, really do. I never even thought it was possible to have these strong feelings for another human being but I want you to know you're everything to me. I live for you, I'd die for you...and I'll always be there for you, we will always be together no matter what."

Brooke buried her face into his strong chest that was dampened from their sweat. She smiled as she drifted off into a peaceful slumber, Luke's promise of "forever" still lingering in her mind.