BRIGHT LIGHTS

Palm Trees and Powerlines

Brooke squirmed in her seat in impatience for the damn plane to land. Jay sat next to her, a Wall Street Journal in his hands, reading patiently.

"Jay!" Brooke punched Jay's arm.

Jay slowly lowered the newspaper and gave an inquiring stare. "Ow?"

Brooke rolled her eyes and unbuckled her seatbelt. She leaned over the large tray separator between them and gave Jay a huge kiss on the cheek. "I'm so excited! This is just . . .unbelievable!" She grinned up at him.

Jay stared at the beautiful brunette next to him. When Lucas first introduced Brooke, honestly, he wasn't paying much attention to whatever the snobby executives were saying, but he was totally blown away by her beauty. Later, when he asked Lucas how he knew her, Luke avoided the question. Jay didn't know what went on between them, and frankly, he couldn't care less. Brooke was sweet, bubbly, intelligent and definitely playful as Brooke was fiddling with his belt buckle. "Brooke." He whispered as he frantically looked around the first class cabin. They were all dressed in suits and enjoying their complimentary wine. "We're in a plane!" He slapped away her hand.

Brooke rolled her eyes and sat back in her own seat. "Exactly. Don't you want to join the mile-high club?" She nodded towards the lavatory five rows ahead.

"Not exactly." Jay snapped. Airplanes bathrooms were small and highly contaminated from who-knows-where. Actually he did know from who, crazy people like Brooke who wanted to have sex in them.

Brooke pouted. She crossed her arms over her chest and moved to the middle of the seat. She'd never been in a plane before with a serious boyfriend, this was the first opportunity to be in the mile-high club and here Jay was refusing sex. It was unbelievable, no guy had ever turned down Brooke Davis. She always thought Jay was this huge player, but he was actually just a classic, sweet, preppy jock who was also very much so of a prude.

Jay laid a hand on her thigh, soothingly. "Brooke," he tried to reason as he noticed her pissed off expression. "I promise we can have fun at the hotel."

Brooke remained motionless as she stared straight into the TV monitor ahead of her. It was playing CNN or something like that. Brooke felt Jay's hand slip away from her leg. She looked over to see Jay picking up the newspaper again, and grew more agitated. Damn, this guy definitely has self-control. If he wanted to play this game, she could too. She grabbed a People out of her carry-on tote bag and snapped the magazine open, pretending to be intensely interested in some article about a cheating politician. She sneaked a peek at Jay who was now looking at some stock prices. Jay wasn't even in business, he was a music executive/major producer, why was he looking at DOW? Brooke caught a look at his chiseled face. Why did he have to be so good-looking and yummy and all cute while he was all concentrated? Brooke took breaths to keep herself focused and undistracted by her incredibly hot boyfriend. She flipped a page in her magazine and pretended to be interested once more- Ooh look, a picture of sexy Mark Ruffalo! Rowr. Brooke started drooling over the picture of the incredibly hot man.

A pair of hands gripped both sides of her face. Jay pulled her closer and gave her a kiss. He finally gave in.

Yess! I win! "You pay the dinner and taxi and you have to answer the room service door." Brooke chirped happily.

Jay sighed inwardly. Thank god all those things were covered, when Brooke and him had these wars on who could resist each other the longest, they ended pretty quickly.

"And. . ." Brooke started with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Get ready to start the initiation process for the mile-high club." She unbuckled her seatbelt and waited for Jay to do the same.

"You're sadistic," he muttered as he followed Brooke to the bathrooms.

One hour later, Brooke emerged from the crowded space, looking slightly flushed, but still perfect. Jay walked out after her, zipping his pants up. He didn't look any different; he was too much of a player for anyone to notice.

As they settled back in their seats, everyone else around them was either typing away on their laptop or lightly snoring. The air was stuffy and silent.

Brooke leaned over to Jay, "You have a hickey on your neck."

I have a what??? Jay ran his fingers over his neck and he felt the swelling. Oh fuck! "Brooke. . ." He whined.

Brooke sat there looking angelic. "What???" She batted her eyelashes at him.

"I have a freakin' hickey on my neck! Whenever anyone looks at me, all they'll see is this." Jay freaked out. "It's not manly. . ."

Brooke lay her manicured fingers on his bare arm. "You look sexier with it."

Jay stared at her with disbelief. He was so sure it was turning a violent shade of purple. "Really?"

"Yea." Brooke lied. She looked at his neck, and stared to feel really bad. It was huge and there was no way you could miss it. "You can always put cover up on it," She offered.

"Guys don't wear makeup." Jay defended himself vigorously.

Brooke rolled his eyes. What was it with guys' aversion to makeup? Amazing actors wore it all the time. She was sure that Nathan wore some cover up, but then again, that man was obsessed with his appearance. That Cocky bastard. "Fine," she answered with nonchalance as she settled back in the leather that was incredibly smooth and soft.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be arriving at LAX in 5 minutes. Please do not take off your seatbelt until the sign has gone off. Flight Attendants prepare for landing."

Those who were sleeping groggily woke up and the high level professionals who were furiously typing at their laptops were now furiously tapping at their Blackberry's.

Brooke was so glad that she put off work for one weekend. "Brooke?" She heard Jay whisper. She turned to him to find him pouting with eyebrows furrowed in anger. "Yes?" She replied.

"Could you put the. . ." He coughed. "Cover up on me?"

Brooke rolled her eyes as she got out her compact. What is it with guys and their fear of putting on makeup?

Brooke nervously tapped her French nails on the glass window.

Jay scooted over to her. "Brooke. . . Don't get nervous."

Brooke stopped her incessant tapping, but her face still remained facing towards the tinted window of the stretch limousine they were occupying.

"You're not mad,  are you?" Jay asked nervously. He knew that he sprung this on her, but he thought she would seriously enjoy it and benefit from the whole experience.

Brooke turned her face, and Jay expected a furious expression, but instead he saw a grin. He breathed a large sigh of relief.

Brooke snuggled closer to Jay's body as he held her. "No, it was a surprise. I'm not angry at all. But the fact that we're going to a red-carpet event and I'm the representative for Sonna Katisz makes me so nervous. I mean the company is such a fledging party and this is what could make or break it. My stomach has butterflies on speed in it."

Jay laughed softly as he traced his fingers on her bare arm and shoulders. "All you have to do is answer some questions and look beautiful. And from here, it seems like you're going to do just fine." He teased as he looked down her dress into her ample cleavage.

Brooke playfully hit him in the stomach which unfortunately, knocked the wind out of him.

Jay clutched his stomach as Brooke reluctantly rolled off of him. "That's like getting hit in the balls," he thought for a second. "Well, not that bad."

Jay looked out his window into the night life of LA. Flourescent lights, locals and tourists mingled together on the sidewalks, the sweet summer air, and the palm trees floating up above. "We're almost there, beautiful." Brooke looked so elegant in a striking black floor length strapless dress that conformed to every curve in her body. There were ruffles and silk and ribbons and who-knows-what-else, but all Jay knew was that she was breath-taking.

Brooke felt giggled with such a girlish quality as Jay's eyes roamed over her body.

"You look beau-." Jay started.

Brooke interrupted him mid-sentence. "I know, and by the way, you look great too," she said as she looked over the black Tom Ford suit he was wearing with a black shirt underneath.

Jay smiled and the door of the limousine suddenly popped open. The chauffeur gave the both of them a smile, and then stood erect next to the open door. Jay got out first and offered his hand to Brooke who was still inside like the true gentleman he was.

Brooke took Jay's hand and was immediately greeted by flashes from the light bulbs of photographers. She could barely see, but she heard her name being called. Brooke felt like a princess.

This is what she had dreamed of since she was five.

Jay squeezed her hand to reassure Brooke. Brooke smiled to herself and grinned, looking in all directions to the photographers. Jay guided her throughout the red carpet. They both smiled and posed with Jay's arm wrapped around her waist. Occasionally, Jay would kiss the top of Brooke's head.

A reporter stopped Brooke. Brooke gladly turned her attention to the poor woman who was being squished to death against the iron gate by greedy photographers. "What's it like being the head and driving force of Sonna Kastiz?"

"Um," Brooke was unprepared as the reporter put an audio recording device in her face. "It's fun and great, the company is really fun. The people there are great and we get along very well. Sonna Kastiz has just done so well this past year, it's really expanded."

"How was that?" Brooke asked Jay while they walked off of the red carpet and into the actual party area.

"It was awesome." Jay replied as he grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter.

"Oh my god, it's Mark Ruffalo." Brooke squealed as she saw him standing behind her. She turned and tried to talk to him conversationally. Mark's eyes met hers and she was immediatly stunned by his immense handsomeness and the lesser fact that he was an amazing actor. I really want to fuck you so bad. "I really want to fuc-, I mean umm. . .any new movie projects?"

"Jay, my man!"

Jay turned and saw a blond head move towards him. "Lucas! What's up?" They embraced each other. Lucas' arm was wrapped around a pretty brunette in a teal dress. Jay gave a peck on each of her cheeks. "Hello, Angela."

"Hey Jay." She replied as she returned the greeting.

Lucas cleared his throat, prompting Angela to speak up. Lucas didn't want to ask, it was girlish. Guys didn't interfere in their friends' love lives.

"Oh yea, Lucas told me you met someone." Angela responded, sincerely happy. "I hope she's perfect for you, Jay, you really deserve it."

Jay smiled at Angela's remark. "Thanks Ang."

Lucas scoffed. "I doubt she'll last for more than six months."

Angela glared at him.

Jay looked hurt at Lucas' remark. This guy was supposed to be a close friend. "I really like her. We're serious, Lucas."

Lucas looked at him in disbelief. "Just saying that you've never had a girlfriend for over three months."

"I had one in high school!" Jay said defensively.

"So where is this mystery lady?" Angela interjected.

"Oh she's right here." Jay turned around and gave Brooke, who was in the midst of slipping her number in Mark's pants pocket, a tap on her shoulder. She slipped it in and turned around, her elegantly curled hair, spinning in the air.

"Lucas?" She gaped as she saw the handsome blond looking equally surprised.

"Brooke???" He answered with more vigor, looking between Jay and Brooke. Oh he could not believe this. This is who his best friend was crazy for?

"Brooke," Jay said as he slipped his arm around her waist, "This is obviously Lucas, and his fiancée of one year, Angela."

Author's Note: IF you haven't figure it out, Jay does NOT know that Lucas and Brooke had a relationship. He thought they just knew each other.