A/N: I seem to have lost a few in the change to M, but that's ok, the story needed to be told this way. Hope those of you still with me are enjoying it. Probably another 3 chapters max. Thanks for reading! Still own nothing…

Chapter 8

Sneakin' Around With You

There was a buzz of conversation to be heard as Lucas and Peyton walked into Nathan and Haley's house. They could hear Brooke and Haley chirping excitedly about all things baby, and a low rumble which was clearly Nathan and Julian talking about who knew what.

All the chatter stopped abruptly as Lucas and Peyton walked into the living room where they were all sitting, and a silence that soon became uncomfortable filled the room. Julian was the first to break the silence.

"Hi, welcome back," he said a little too enthusiastically. Brooke gave him a sympathetic look, fully understanding that he would naturally have some discomfort with this whole situation.

Once those few words were spoken, the floodgates opened as the questions began. So many all at once, that it was hard to tell who was asking them.

"How was your weekend?"

"Do you think it worked?"

"Are you guys getting together?"

"What will happen if you're pregnant?"

"Is Peyton moving in with you?"

Peyton caught Lucas' eye and gave an almost undetectable shake of her head letting him know they were not going to confess all today. Lucas' winked in acknowledgment as they took turns answering the questions carefully.

"The weekend was great" followed by some blushing on all parts.

"Too soon to tell"

"We need to figure things out"

"We'll talk about that when it happens."

"No plans for that yet."

They seemed to have deflected most of the onslaught and were quite happy when the conversation, although still somewhat related to them, turned to the imminent birth of Nathan and Haley's third child, and the arrival of Brooke and Julian's first child in about three months.

When Lucas and Peyton left and were finally alone in the car again they had their first moment to breathe and talk about what had happened.

"That was about as crazy as I thought it would be" said Lucas as he started the car.

"Yeah. You were right. Let's be selfish for a little while. I think they'll still be on us about getting together or whether I'm pregnant, but that I can handle. Once we tell them, the next questions will be about getting married, and I am sooo not ready for that." Peyton froze as she realized what she had said and looked at Lucas with apologetic eyes.

"Not that I wouldn't, I mean, it's a possibility, but I wouldn't presume, and this is so new and …" she rambled nervously.

"Peyt, stop. It's ok. It's a possibility. There's no rush. You're right. Throw them a little bone and they'll want a bigger one. We'll keep this to ourselves for a month, until we know if you're pregnant or not, and we'll have time to just be us." He squeezed her hand reassuringly and began to drive away.

"You realize we'll be sneaking around," Peyton said teasingly. "Stolen moments here and there, and no sleepovers. Wow, whose idea was this? It's actually going to suck, just like it did before, but for a whole bunch of other reasons." She laughed.

They had reached the beach side house that Peyton shared with Brook and Julian, and Lucas pulled the car up outside, shut it off and turned to Peyton very deliberately taking her left hand in both of his.

"First of all, this kind of sneaking around can be fun. We're not deceiving anyone that could be hurt by it. Technically, the only people we're hurting in some way is us, by not being out in the open. Secondly, there may not be sleepovers, but there better be sex, we didn't get that far last time." He smirked and she blushed. "Lastly, last time was over before it began, because it had to be. We were foolish and we would have been doing it to be selfish for all the wrong reasons, but at least we realized it before we hurt anyone. This time we're being selfish for the right reasons, and we're not on any timeline and I'm ok with that. I love you, Peyton Sawyer."

"Oh and I love you, Lucas Scott...so much"

Flashback

The first year after Lucas' first book tour was better than the previous year. Lucas and Peyton would email and talk on the phone occasionally. They saw each other a few of times in Tree Hill over holidays and when Haley gave birth to her and Nathan's second child, a daughter named Alexandra. Peyton was named godmother and Lucas was godfather again.

Each time they saw each other, they were with there respective significant others, and they fell back into the easy friendship they had when they were younger. Peyton and Lindsey struggled to find common ground, but they liked each other. Julian and Lucas began seriously talking about making Lucas' first book into a movie and actually spoke more often than Peyton and Lucas as the idea began to really take hold.

The next year Lindsey moved from New York to live with Lucas in Tree Hill when they finally decided that the long distance thing wasn't working and there was no book tour to put them on the road together. She was quickly accepted into the fold with Nathan and Haley. Peyton and Julian were living together in Los Angeles, but Peyton was really starting to feel that she was never going to get anywhere with the label without compromising her principles.

When Julian finally sealed the deal for the movie of Lucas' book after almost three years of trying, it was decided that they would move to Tree Hill together. He could more than adequately support them, and Peyton could figure out what she was doing when she got there. It wasn't long after that that Brooke moved back as well, not wanting to be apart from everyone.

Once they were all back together, it didn't take long for everyone to seemingly gang up on Peyton and virtually force her into starting her own record label. Lucas provided the office space, Brooke provided the capital, and Haley was going to provide the talent. The latter was reluctantly since everyone knew Haley could sing, but a crippling case of stage fright kept her from ever doing anything with it.

Soon after everyone was back in Tree Hill, Lucas proposed to Lindsey and it seemed in record time after that they were married. Peyton was happy that Lucas was happy and she tried very hard to hide the small pang of disappointment she felt. She succeeded with everyone except Lucas. He knew her too well to not notice that something was amiss when she first made an excuse to not attend Lindsey's bridal shower, and then had Julian take her home early from the wedding reception claiming she didn't feel well.

The pattern continued for a year after the wedding. Peyton was at all the important family events, but all attempts for her and Julian to socialize with Lucas and Lindsey either didn't make it past the planning stage or fell through at the last minute. Peyton had also virtually stopped calling Lucas altogether. They lived in the same town, but talked less than they had the second year she was in LA.

Lucas had had enough of her avoidance and was concerned about Peyton so he went to her office that she shared with the night club, Tric, to talk to her. As he pulled up outside he notice her old Mercury Comet parked outside. She had only driven it for a while when they were in high school as it was always breaking down, but she just couldn't get rid of it. It was a cool car and a convertible and it just felt like her, and when she drove it, everyone in town knew she was coming. She hadn't had it out for ages, so he smiled at seeing it out again.

When he went into the building, he couldn't help but stop and lean against the big sliding door that separated her space from the night club. She was sitting at her desk with her feet up on it tapping her hand on her thigh listening to a new potential artist. She was in her element and completely oblivious to everything except the music.

"Glad some things haven't changed," Lucas said startling her from her world of music.

"Nothing's changed," she replied somewhat shortly.

"Oh, but it has," he said folding his arms and meandering over to the desk. "I got married, you got mad, and all of a sudden we're not friends any more."

"Don't be ridiculous, Luke. I'm not mad, and of course we're friends. Always friends." She said doodling on a piece of paper and emphasizing the word 'friends'.

"See, that's what I'm talking about. You've got this attitude that just..I don't know..like we've got some unfinished business you'd like to settle but you're afraid to be in the same room with me or talk to me for fear we just might finish it. So if that's it, let's settle it now, because we are friends, and I have a wife and you have a boyfriend and we all need to be able to just get along together."

"Thanks for the speech, Rodney King," she retorted sarcastically. "You really want to know what's up? Why I've been distant?" Lucas nodded for her to continue as he moved around her desk to sit on it in front of her.

Peyton continued more calmly.

" Julian and I aren't getting along. I think it's going to come to an end soon, actually."

"I'm sorry. He never said anything to me about it."

"Why would he? He blames you." She answered simply.

"Blames me?"

"I told him ages ago when we first got together about our stupid deal, and he thinks that our not getting along is because I'm pouting because you're married now and our deal is clearly null and void. And do you know what sucks the most about this whole thing?" Peyton rose from her chair and stood in front of Lucas still sitting on her desk and rested her hands on his knees.

Lucas shook his head puzzled by what she was doing.

"He's fucking right," she stated leaning in close as her eyes darted back and forth over his. "I hate it that I'm feeling like this. I hate that he called me on it, and I really hate it that I can't fucking do anything about it. It's stupid, I know, but I do feel like we missed out on something, and now…that's it…it's ov.."

Her last words were cut off as Lucas' hands grabbed her face and his lips met with hers in a forceful kiss. Peyton pulled back shocked that he had done that and searched his eyes for any sign of what he was doing. He pushed her back a little so he could speak.

"Pottymouth" he grinned and then became more serious. "Peyt, I still feel like we've missed out on something, but we moved on. I have Lindsey, and you do have Julian. You can fix it, I know you can."

Peyton shook her head, and looked down as he tried hard to control the tears and hide the attempt from Lucas. Lucas wasn't going to allow her to hide so he placed his finger under her chin and lifted her face up. As her eyes met with his, she couldn't stop herself from closing the distance and kissing him again.

This time neither one pulled away. Their tongues battled with each other as Lucas' hands moved to rest on her hips. Peyton held the side of his face with her left hand while her right hand ran through his hair. They continued exploring each others' mouths and taking turns sucking on the other's neck. Each move took them to a new height of need for each other. They were growing breathless as Lucas slipped his hand under Peyton's t-shirt and began to move toward her breast. That simple action that could have been the start of the undoing of both of them was enough for Peyton to snap out of the lust induced haze she was in.

"Luke, stop…stop…stop" she urged breathlessly as she used all her strength and willpower to push away from him. "We can't do this. I won't do this. We would be hurting and disappointing so many people."

"We don't have to tell anyone," he smirked half-heartedly.

"I know you are not suggesting we have an affair. We are not those people!"

"I know, I know," he responded running his hand through his hair adding to the tangled mess created by Peyton "but goddammit, do I want to!"

"You have a wife, Luke, and you are happy, you can be happy. Just go, please," she begged.

"Yeah, ok," he conceded standing from the desk and turning to leave "but we're only 23, Peyt. Seven years is a long time. Anything could happen."

With those words hanging, he walked out of her office, Peyton let the tears fall.

This time they could act without fear or guilt, or any real concern for anyone but themselves, and they were selfish. They felt a small amount of guilt for deceiving their friends, but for one whole month, they enjoyed being together, but not being together.

They managed to find some time alone occasionally at Peyton's office late in the evening. They had actually gone and parked in Peyton's Comet by the lake one night and made love there, but those moments were few and far between.

The new hunger they had for each other was beginning to consume them and they almost thought about telling everyone they were a couple after the first two weeks just so they could have sex without having to sneak around.

Tthe sneaking around had actually become part of the fun and they started making a game of how far they could go when they were with their friends and not get caught.

They went to a basketball game with Nathan, Julian and Brooke. Haley had stayed home with the children as she felt she was too pregnant to be going to arenas.

They took risks only crazy people would take. When they went to get refreshments Lucas pulled Peyton into a payphone alcove and pretended to talk on the phone with one while he rubbed against her with his penis, hard as a rock through his jeans, until she came, biting back cries.

On another occasion, Peyton went to see him in his office at the school where he was now the varsity basketball coach. School was out for the summer, but there were a few teachers around. She went to visit him one lunch time and ended up with him kneeling before her as she sat on the couch. With her head thrown back and her eyes closed, he slowly, with just his fingers wet with her own juices, worked her to a shuddering orgasm, watching her face every second.

Although they were still very much set on the goal of having a baby, their secret encounters were not always about sex. They took this as their time to be crazy and kinky and just enjoy each other. Lucas sometimes took a perverse pleasure in making Peyton come when he couldn't, but then other times would be all about the quickest and sneakiest way to actually have sex.

The one thing they did manage to do everyday was talk. They talked about memories from their childhood, about how they had felt about each other all along, about the future they were going to have together, and it all felt as it should have been all along.

As they were nearing the end of their month long, self-imposed secret, Haley went into labor. Everything went smoothly as it was her third delivery and another beautiful boy was welcomed to the Scott clan.

As everyone gathered at Nathan and Haley's house to welcome Brian James Scott, the conversation turned to first Brooke and how soon she would be having her baby, which she then deflected to Peyton.

"So, P. Sawyer, are you going to be taking a test any time soon to see if all the sex you've been having has worked?" she asked non-chalantly.

Peyton and Lucas exchanged glances, Julian showed no sign of reaction on his face and Nathan and Haley just laughed.

"Oh please," Brooke continued with a playful smirk on her face "you losers didn't think you could fool us did you? The way you two look at each other could start a freakin' fire, and don't think I don't know that you've been at the house late at night when you thought Julian and I were asleep. Oh and by the way, the time you did it here in the Naley bathroom…good job Jamie and Alex weren't here." She teased, fanning herself.

Peyton and Lucas were both blushing and laughing but neither had said a word.

"Dude, you're killing us here," Haley addressed to Lucas. "Please just tell us what the hell is going on between you two."

Lucas grabbed Peyton's hand with both of his and squeezed it as he began to speak.

"Ok…here's the deal. We wanted some time without you guys down our throats about one thing or another, so we decided to keep it a secret, at least until we knew if Peyton was pregnant or not. But since you already know anyway, and we obviously can't hide our feelings for each other very well, yes, we are together, we have been together since that weekend and we will be together whether Peyton is pregnant or not."

"Thank god for that" said Nathan "I'm about tired of these girls talking about it" he joked.

"Soooo, when are you taking a test?" Brooke asked again.

Peyton stood up and reached for her purse.

"Well, more information than any of you guys wanted I know, but I am three days late, so no time like the present."

She left the room quickly leaving a room full of speechless faces, including Lucas behind her.