A/N: Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Till' I Said It To You.

Lori-Ann opened the door slowly as it revealed Brock on the other side. Reba tried to rack her brain for thoughts why he would be here. Why did he follow her? Did he love her? Is she just going insane? Brock smiled as he looked at Reba who seemed to be staring at him for quite a long time.

Lori-Ann rolled her eyes at the both of them for being silent, "Brock would you like to come in?"

Brock nodded but then paused, "Um...Actually..."

Reba cut him off and looked at him suspiciously, "Brock, what are you doing here?"

Brock sighed, "Reba, we need to talk. Now. It's very important." He finished as he looked into her deep blue eyes.

Lori-Ann exchanged glances between the two. "I need a drink. I'll go out and get something while you too speak of your problems."

"Lori-Ann, this is your house. I don't wanna kick you out your own house." Reba said.

Brock thought and maybe Reba was right. They should go somewhere more private to speak of this. "Can I take you somewhere to eat? I rather discuss this somewhere else. A diner, a deli, anywhere else?"

Reba looked over to Lori-Ann who gave her a look. "Go on, you'll tell me about everything later anyway, I'm gonna go out I'll meet you back home later tonight." Lori-Ann answered as if reading her thoughts.

Reba walked out the door as Brock followed. She walked towards his car and waited for him to get in. "I'm not hungry." She said as soon as he turned on the ignition.

Brock sighed, "Then we'll just take a drive or something."

They drove for what seemed hours. Neither of them said a word. The silence began to become uncomfortable. Soon both Reba and Brock were shifting in their seat, trying to make conversation with one another. Reba finally decided to put an end to the silence.

"Brock, why are you here?"

Brock turned to look at her. "How can I not be...with a letter like this?" he says as he pulls the letter out of his pocket and pulls the car over to the nearest sidewalk.

"Oh..."

Brock silently chuckled to himself. "You know what's so funny?" he asks as Reba shakes her head 'no'. "My ex-wife tells me she loves me and then runs off...and I'm forced to follow her all the way to California. I'm one-hundred percent sure this would make a million dollar movie."

Reba rolled her eyes at his comment. How could that be so funny? She poured her feelings out to him and he's mocking her. "Listen, Brock...I'm pretty sure I was a tiny bit...well...intoxicated when I wrote that letter. So I wouldn't be surprised, if it sound absurd...I know you...well I know you...I know you don't-"

Brock cut her off and ended her babbling with a simple answer. "I feel the same way too."

At first the answer shocked her. Then she became confused, "What?"

"I love you too."

She still could not believe her ears, "Pardon me?"

Brock rolled his eyes and smiled, "Reba...I said I love you too. I mean you can't honestly believe I didn't."

"That's impossible! You can't love me!"

Brock forced back a giggle. "What do you mean I can't love you? I've always loved you. We've known each other for nearly twenty somethin' years and you still question my love for you?"

"We're not supposed to love each other that way anymore! I don't love you that way. Sure it's the whole 'I love you as the father of my children' type of way, but not in love with you, Brock." She said as she finally calmed down.

"So you lied in the letter?"

"No. Yes. I mean - I just don't know. I was confused and you were the person closest I leaned on too. I didn't know what I was saying. I was still hurt from the loss of the baby and then my divorce to John. My whole world came crashing down and I just thought that maybe saying that I loved you would make me feel better. And it did, that is until you followed me." She tried to reason with him, but inside she knew she was only fooling herself into thinking that way.

"You don't love me?" he asked.

"No." she lied.

Brock nodded his head. "Then I can't believe I spent so much money on following you over here. Just to waste my time when I could be looking for someone who cares about me."

"Wait a minute; I thought you said you loved me too. So you lied to me?" she asked.

Brock shook his head, "No, I thought I loved you. I do love you. When you wrote that, it just felt so natural for me to say it back to you and I believed I felt it, but you didn't. I love you Reba. I know you don't feel the same way as me. But I don't only love you as the mother of my children." He stated trying to choke back some tears.

"Brock...listen to me." she said.

Brock rolled his eyes, "What? You're so quick to tell me you don't love me, but now you want me to listen to you?"

Reba sighed rubbing her temples in the process. "Brock, when I wrote that letter I was fragile, I was hurtin'. I didn't expect you to follow me here. And even if you did love me, I don't think I could live with getting hurt again. Not after this. What if we stop communicating again? What if you some how decide I'm not good enough again and you go and try to find yourself? Have you thought of that? Do you know what that would do to me emotionally again?"

Brock gave her a look of compassion. Was that what was holding her back? "Reba, I love you. It's always been you. I'd swear that I won't ever leave you again you've got to believe me. One night with Barbara Jean changed my life and not for the better. God Reba, I mean don't you realize it? I moved three houses down from you with my then wife and I came over everyday. There's got to be a reason for it."

"The kids." She pointed out.

"Not only them. You. Every time I saw you I got chills down my spine. Sometimes when you were those tight blouses that are revealing yet conservative and that bring out your deep blue eyes I wanna pounce on you. Every time you throw me a sarcastic remark, I wanna kiss you. Anytime you hurt, I wanna hurt the person that made you feel that way. Honey, it was you twenty eight years ago and it's you now and for all eternity."

His speech brought tears to her eyes. She saw the sincerity in his deep blue eyes. She wondered if he meant what he said, she knew she couldn't take the pain if he was to leave her again. God, he smelled so good. She just wanted to pounce on him. But she wouldn't let him know how she was feeling. She vowed to herself long ago she had stopped loving him. Why did she have to deny her true feelings?

Brock stared back at her for some long time waiting for any type of reaction - a face movement, a gesture - anything. He wondered what was to happen if he leaned in to kiss her. Would she push him away? Would she kiss back?

"Please, just take me back to Lori-Ann's."

Without any words shed after that he started up the engine. As he drove her to Lori-Ann's he longed to find out what she was thinking. The weather intensified. The way the wind howled made it impossible to believe they were in California. As he saw the clouds come together in a somewhat unified form he realized a terrible rain storm was bound to hit. Brock speeded up quite a bit and in no time he arrived at his destination.

As Reba began to remove her seatbelt he gently grabbed her arm, "Please think about you and me. Give it just a thought."

"There is no you and me." she said as she released her arm from his gentle grasp and ran up to the front door before it started to pour.

He sighed in annoyance. Why must she be so stubborn? Thunder roared and lightning flashed. "Great." he thought to himself as he looked at the door Reba had previously entered. Brock then got out of the car and ran up to the door.

He knocked and waited for a response. Reba peeked through the window and rolled her eyes at his presence. "Reba, I just drove you home. I know you're there."

Lightning struck and lit up the house as she opened the door to let him in.

"We need to talk." he stated simply as he walked in.

"Brock, there is no-"

Even before she said anything he began nodding in contradiction. "Yes there is. No matter how hard we try to deny it or beat around the bush even after all these years, there is definitely something between us."

She turned away from facing him and looked out the window.

"Reba..." when she didn't move or respond he let out a long breath. "Please Reba, look at me."

She didn't want to but the sincerity in his tone of voice made her heart melt.

"I want you Reba, not anyone else."

She made an attempt to leave the room but he stopped her. "No, wait please. I want to explain."

He fell silent for a moment trying to seek the right words. "Between our divorce and my affair, I've been hauling around a load of guilt and regret. I thought I could learn to love Barbara Jean, but I realized love doesn't work that way. I've been carrying a torch for you for twenty eight years, Reba. Especially since all that time I thought you were mine. When I watched you walk down that aisle to marry that jerk, I knew what I felt for you was ten times more powerful than anything I had ever felt for Barbara Jean."

He sat down on the couch, leaning forward and rested his elbows on his knees staring at his feet. Reba's heart began to pound. She was trembling all over. With anticipation. With hope. With a wild desire that threatened her to throw morals out the window.

He looked up and caught her beautiful blue eyes. "I'm not gonna leave, Reba. Not this time." He reached for her and pulled her close as he stood up. "I need you."

She willingly went into his arms and met his lips with hers. Lightning flashed and the boom that followed knocked them back on the couch on top of one another.

Both pulses leaped in anticipation of what was to come as they glorified in their rising passion. It was always this way between her and Brock. She loved him. She always did and always would have.

Reba wrapped her arms around him, taking his weight gladly, and a heavy, sensual burden that stirred something deep in her. Without breaking their kiss, he touched her everywhere as if he couldn't explore her fast enough. Taking the time for prolonged foreplay seemed beyond him.

"Reba." he breathed into her ear. He pushed her slightly away far enough to get a hold of her jeans. He pulled them off and flung them to the floor, closely followed by her under garments. He whispered soft love words, as he caressed her stomach. "We have got to slow down." he groaned. But even as he said it he grew warm and hard, his need building urgently.

"This is too fast," he moaned, shaking his head. He then began withdrew his hand, "If I don't slow-"

"No." She arched against his hardness. "No, don't wait. I've been waiting for this to happen since forever."

Her plea sent him over the edge. He pulled her T-shirt over her head and tossed it aside. When he fumbled with her bra, she moved to help him, even though her fingers were shaking and the familiar clasp seemed difficult. He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. Quickly he shed his jeans and shoes and socks. Just before he was ready to sink back on the couch, she stopped him.

"Not here. The bed." Finding her bed in the guest room meant a delay. He was about to protest, when she kissed him hard on the mouth. "I've waited too long for this. Let's not waste it on this uncomfortable couch." He picked her up and followed her directions toward the guest room. The electricity was still off and the room was dark.

"You're beautiful." he whispered as he kissed her breasts and allowed his fingers to graze her abdomen. All she could do was throw her head back and moan at the warmth of his mouth on her skin. He sensed that she was at the edge and his own passion quickened as his hand swept lower.

Sensation after sensation spiraled through her. Her body was no longer her own. Pleasure, deep and dark, robbed her of her will. Still glorifying in this feeling, she wanted more. She wanted -

"God Brock!" She moaned as his hands and mouth drove her higher. Clawing at the sheets, her head tossed fitfully as she tried to hold off the inevitable as they both became one. He teased at first, making her moan his name louder as the pushing became harder, deeper, and faster. There was no controlling the volume of moans as they both reach their highest points. Reba wrapped her legs around his waist and he moved faster. She dug her fingernails into his back and moaned hotly onto his neck, struggling to hold on.

Brock felt his orgasm coming close as he tried to hold back, Reba felt it and she pulled him closer as he felt her heart beat extremely fast. She arched her back as her entire body shook violently. "Oh…God…Reba!" he moaned in a savage growl as they both reached their orgasm for the third time. His body shuddered along with hers and he kissed her passionately. Reba ran her fingers through his hair, as he pulled out and lay down next to her both breathless.

"What are you thinking?" asked Reba a while after. He shook his head. "Were you disappointed?"

It took a moment for her question to sink in. "Disappointed?"

"Yes. I know I'm not very..." Her voice began to trail off; she wasn't able to say it.

Astonished, he pressed back into the pillow so he could see her. "Are you serious?"

She shrugged and with deep chuckle he tightened his arms around her. "Sweetheart, if it had been any better, you'd have to haul me down from the ceiling."

"Really?"

"Of course." He said as he lowered his face to kiss her. "It was fantastic. You're fantastic. And beautiful. And Special. And oh, so, very sexy."

She smiled against his mouth, "You say that now."

He turned over on his side and gazed at her. "The only problem I had with it was -"

"A problem?" she questioned raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing extreme, honey. Just that I'd have to say it went too fast."

"And whose fault was that?" she questioned as he brushed a strand of hair out of her face with his finger.

"Yours."

"Mine?" she asked huskily.

"Yeah. If you weren't so beautiful and special and sexy, I'd have been able to last a lot longer."

She blushed at his comment and leaned over and kissed his lips. Turning to him, she linked her arms around his neck. He groaned at the warmth of her flesh. She smiled when she felt his response. "Let me love you." she said as she touched his bare chest. Suddenly he shifted so that she was on top of him. Covering his mouth with hot, crushing kisses she moved down his neck. "Reba I love you."

"I love you too, Brock." It was the last thing she said before passion claimed them both.

A/N: Hey guys! How long has it been since I last updated? 3 years? lol. Well anyway, I'd like to thank those who have not given up on this story and thanks for all the reviews, I'm ashamed I haven't thanked ya'll sooner. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I actually don't know when my next update will be, I'm going on vacation in a few days to Italy, and I'm know the last thing I'd do would be sit down and write lol. Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews.

- Francesca.