by Kahlen Aymes
Minutes passed, maybe hours. I didn't know how long I sat there watching her beautiful face; listening to her breathe and her soft moans as she changed position. Her lips parted and she said my name. My heart leapt inside my chest. I ached to wake her and make love to her for hours. She was so incredibly gorgeous, even in sleep. So soft and inviting, her body called to mine like a siren's song.
A few moments later, something changed. Brook’s breathing came faster and she began to tremble; her chest heaving, back arching and hands fisting in the blankets. Then, she started to cry in her sleep. I was frozen in place for a few seconds until she sat straight up; her arms came to rest on her bent knees and her head fell into her hands. She sucked in a ragged breath
"No! No more!" Her voice cried out as her body continued to shake. "No more... I just... ” Her voice softened as she woke up and realized it was a bad dream. “I can't do this anymore." Her low sobs filled the room as she cried into her folded arms.
I wanted to rush to her, but didn't want to startle her. I moved quietly to her side, knelt down beside her and reached out to caress the back of her head.
Her head snapped up out of her arms and she raised her tear-streaked face to look at me.
"Cade. Oh God, you're here," she breathed as I gathered her closer. I moved to sit on the bed and pull her onto my lap. Her arms slid around me, too, as she curled her body into mine. She was so incredibly loving and so, so trusting. Protectiveness and love for her flooded through every cell in my body, my heart expanding until I thought it would burst. I wanted to give her everything I had, and more.
In that moment, I knew with Brook is where I needed to be; always. With her, around her, inside her... she was where I was home. She clung to me, still crying softly and as my arms tightened, I knew I'd never be able to let go of her. Not ever.
"Cade... I can't hide how I feel anymore. It's too hard. Jesus, it's too hard... isn't it?"
I turned my face into the curve of her neck as I breathed her in.
"Yes, my love. It's too bloody hard. Completely fucking impossible." I drew back and pushed her hair away from her tear-dampened face so I could kiss her mouth. "I hated every second of tonight." I kissed her again, my tongue gently sliding and slipping against hers as she opened her mouth to me and moved her lips with mine.
"I was worried when you didn't answer your phone. Why didn't you?"
"I lost the stupid thing. I was so upset. I knew you'd be wondering and imagining all sorts of unspeakable things." Her eyes widened as I wiped the tears from her face with the pads of my thumbs. "You were, weren't you?" Her eyes, though still teary, narrowed in mock accusation and the corner of her mouth lifted in a small smirk.
I smiled softly at her. Brook knew me so well. "Only a little.” I shrugged slightly. “I know he wants you back, and he'll be resourceful in convincing you, that's all."
She laughed softly through her tears. "He could be freaking Houdini, and he'll never take me away from you." Her lips were ghosting over mine, teasing as she spoke. "Never," she placed a kiss on my mouth, "never," she said again before another soft kiss, "never."
That was all the torture I could take as my mouth closed over hers and I pressed her back on the bed, as I began to fulfill the promise I'd made to David at dinner. To have her body naked against mine, hear my name on her lips would ease the hurt we'd both been exposed to over the course of the evening, soothe the ache in my heart.
Our mouths were seeking each other’s out in frantic play, and our hands worshiped every inch of the other as we tore the clothes away.
I was torn between my desperation to merge our bodies and my desire to savor every touch and kiss, her skin like sweltering silk beneath my fingers, I wanted to touch and taste every inch of her. I raised her arms to slide her shirt up and off her luscious little form and my mouth moved to the curve of her neck and my hands closed on her hips to push her back and down on the bed.
Her legs parted for me and her arms around my back pulled me down between them. It felt delicious as her little hands worked their way under my shirt and she pushed it up and off of my body. I still had on my jeans, but only her white lace panties stood between me, and my glorious prize. My hand found the moist heat between her legs.
"Uhhhh..." Her hips bucked up to my hand and I could feel the blood surge to swell my own body even more. I was aching, straining until I was grinding against her.
"Oh, Brook, babe you feel so good. I needed this, honey." Her hands tried to free me from my pants as our mouths clung to each other and then her hot little mouth was dragging across my jaw and down my neck as she kissed and sucked my skin into her mouth. "Tonight was torture." I groaned, and then gasped, as her hands closed around my dick and she pressed and pulled with firm pressure.
I rolled over so I was on the bottom and her mouth continued to drive me insane, her hot little tongue licking its way down to my nipple where she flicked and teased in time with the movements of her hand on my cock. I felt her breath on my abdomen moving lower, licking down the trail of hair that led her lower. My head fell back and my hands were seeking to touch her flesh but it was getting further and further out of my reach.
"Brook, I need to touch you," I murmured softly.
Her head came up as her blue eyes burned into mine, and her hands moved to my jeans. I lifted my hips as she peeled them away from my body. Seeing her bare breasts heaving, her nipples erect and that sexy little piece of white lace wrapped around her gorgeous hips combined with what I knew she wanted to do almost made me explode. Her forehead came to rest on my stomach below my navel as her hot breath rushed over my skin. I felt my dick twitch in response. "Just lay back. I want to taste you. I want you to come in my mouth."
“You don’t have to do that to prove you love me. Uhhhhh…” My breath left my body in a huge rush and my hands reached above me to grab onto the headboard as I watched her mouth close over the head of my dick. My eyes rolled back in my head while her tongue teased around the rim and she grasped the base with her hand. Her other hand raked down my chest, over my hips and thigh, her nails causing goose bumps to rise on my skin as my hips thrust forward. She took me in until I could feel the back of her throat; it was almost more than I could bear. Jesus, it was absolutely amazing; Heaven on earth.
"Brook... Brook... Brook... Oh, God, Brook... " She had me panting her name aloud as I felt my balls tighten. She sucked with her mouth and moved her hand up and down in unison as the other closed gently around my sack to pull it from my body slightly and when she put pressure on the skin below it, it was like nothing I'd ever felt. My body tensed at the immense building and I knew it was going to take me down like I'd never been before.
My heart felt as if it would fly from my body as she took me over the edge and I burst in her mouth. "Brook. I... fucking love you... so much." My words broke as my body shook with spasm after spasm as I continued to spurt in her mouth. She took it all, swallowing and sucking until my muscles stopped jerking and I fell back completely spent.
The second her mouth began kissing up my body, I sat up and pulled her to me. My hands going into her hair, I kissed her mouth and tasted myself on her tongue. My mouth was wild on hers, sucking her tongue deep into my mouth. I'd just come hard and yet it would never be enough. I wanted more. More than anything, I wanted to give to her what she'd just given me.
"Shit, that was incredible. Why are you so good to me?" I whispered on her mouth, that glorious, beautiful mouth.
"Its simple. You mean more to me than anything. You’re everything." I rested my forehead against hers while I regained my breath and her hands went lovingly into my hair, stroking as she kissed along my jaw. "And, I want to be everything to you, too."
My arms closed around her as I hugged her close and once again emotion overwhelmed me. My throat got thick and a steel band wound around my chest. How could this delicate woman bring me to such earthshaking ecstasy, mind blowing physical release and flood me with so much love that I felt I could drown i
n it?
I drew back to look into her beautiful eyes, eyes that could drown me and at the same time burn me alive. I pushed her hair back from her face. It was so soft as I continued to stroke it and my other hand cupped her face.
"You are everything, Brook. I was dying tonight. Even knowing that we'd be together like this; I hated him touching you at all. I can't stand it. God help me, I find myself wishing no one had ever touched before me." Her eyes softened and welled with tears and her arms slid up around my neck and she brushed her nose against mine as she spoke. Her voice was like wine and sugar, so sweet it left me drunk in the way it melted around me.
"Cade.” My name came out like an ache. “No one ever has ever touched me like you have. You make me feel like I’ve never felt, and I love you more than anyone has ever loved anyone, ever. I’ll remember every touch for the rest of my life will be from you. Your hands, your mouth, your body are all that exist for me. There was no one before us. Not like this."
Tears fell from my eyes as I brought my mouth back to hers like a starving man, and she responded to me in every way I needed her to. Every time I was sure that I couldn't love her more, she brought more out of me. I knew what she meant about her love spilling over in her tears, because I was right there with her.
"Brook," I gasped as I buried my face into her neck and kissed her over and over. "I can't let go... I'll never be able to let go."
I silently thanked God for her as my hands moved over her body and brought her to life underneath me. Giving and taking our mouths sucked more and more love from each other, and it was so amazing.
"I'll die if you do," she cried against my mouth. "Cade, I'll die."
We made love until the sun came up, and fell into an exhausted sleep wrapped in each other's arms stated, satisfied and enveloped in the deluge of what we felt for each other. My heart was so full of her I couldn't take anymore, and I felt safe in her love.
"YES, I KNOW my dad and brother are coming."
I was beginning to sound exasperated, but this whole bullshit situation was wearing thin. I understood David's frustration, and I felt bad about it, but it didn't change anything.
"Brook, you'll make me look like a moron if I'm not with you for your birthday. Is that what you're trying to do?"
"No. That's not it, but things are different now and you were just up here last weekend. No one is going to think anything of it if you're not here tonight."
"So, that's it, then. Things are different and so you throw me out with the trash." It was more of a statement than a question and my heart felt heavy. I cared about David, but he'd become like a good friend or older brother. "All the years don't matter?” The pain in his voice was intense. “I get it. So, how will I get your present to you?"
I sighed, trying to figure out what to say. I couldn’t accept a gift from David under the circumstances. It just seemed wrong.
"Please don't get me anything. The whole situation is messed up, David. I’ll always love you as a good friend and I hate that you’re hurting, but my life is different now. It's been months and I was hoping that it was getting easier for you by now. You've certainly led me to believe you’re doing well." I was desperate to make him understand without hurting him further. "I mean, why don't you go out with friends? Go to a club or something. Wouldn't that be more fun than dragging your ass all the way to Vancouver just for a dinner?"
"Oh, I see," he let out a huge push of air into the phone. "I'm supposed to just find someone else to amuse myself with? Is that all I was to you?"
My heart dropped. "No, I don't think you see at all. I can't help what happened. I didn't choose it. I’d never choose to hurt anyone, especially not you, David. Jesus." I ran a hand through my hair in frustration.
"Wendy called. She said she wasn't invited either. Are you going to let a guy come between you and your friends? I mean, I understand that I have no value, but you've been friends with her a long time," he said in sarcastic disgust.
"Did she tell you why? Didn’t you see the story all over the place?" I was finally getting pissed. "After the little façade last weekend, she made it look like she'd spent the night with Cade again. She blew off her flight when she was expected in L.A. after they were photographed together the night before. She’s a fame-whoring bitch. We've just had enough of the bullshit!" I sounded harsh, even to myself.
"Oh, you've had enough? How do you think I feel? You know I still love you and yet I have to come up there and watch you with him," his voice was increasing in volume and I knew the tone well.
"No. You absolutely do not. You don't see me with Cade; it's him who has to see me with you. Stop trying to act so injured. You're getting paid to do this. You didn't have to agree." I looked at the clock and realized I was going to be late to the set. I didn't want to have this conversation with David on the way down to the car, so I had to get this over with.
"Well, maybe I don't want to do it anymore!" He was yelling through the phone and it startled me.
"Then don't, David! Don't. I don't want you to anyway. I'm tired of everyone getting hurt and Cade is so done with it. We just want to be together. That's all." My eyebrows rose in exasperation as I smashed my feet into my Chuck's and grabbed my leather jacket.
"Thanks a lot, Brook."
Ugh! I groaned silently.
"I'm very sorry! How many damn times do I have to say it? It's my birthday and I'd like to spend it without unnecessary tension. I can't do that if you and Cade are both there, and I need him to be with me. I had to finally choose, David. I had to follow my heart."
The phone went dead as he hung up abruptly.
Oh well.
I was sad someone I cared about was hurt because of me, but I knew who I couldn't live without.
AFTER I WENT to the set, the day passed in a happy blur. Cade and I had some scenes with Ethan, Jennifer and Dawson, and Wendy. Despite Wendy’s presence, the mood was pretty lighthearted. It was my birthday and I wasn’t going to let her screw it up. I glanced at Cade, who was a few yards away talking with Martin. It was hard to believe we’d known each other for eighteen months and this was the second birthday I’d spent with him.
The cast and crew threw a little mini-party for me over the lunch break and it was fun to have them all celebrating with me. One of the production assistants gave me a bouquet of roses. He'd been nice and very helpful during filming, and it was evident he had a slight crush. Martin shook his head with a knowing smile and Cade winked at me. I bit my lip to stifle the grin that wanted to spread across my face.
"Thank you, Mark. You're very sweet," I hugged the young man; careful not to crush the flowers.
Cade faded back, but I always felt his eyes on me, always watching. During lunch, Mark came to sit next to me and at that point, so did Cade.
Uh oh. I smiled to myself. This was flattering and I was anxious to be near Cade and wondered how he would react to the other guy’s attentiveness.
Mark made small talk during lunch and Cade just sat across from me smirking as he ate. He didn't say a damn thing.
"Brook, do you have big plans tonight? It must be hard to go out without being mobbed."
"Um... I am going out. My brother and father will be here, and we’re going out. Some of the cast will tag along as well," my eyes ricocheted off of Cade's before returning to Mark's face. I offered a gentle smile, knowing he was hoping for an invitation.
"Oh. That sounds like fun."
"Yes, it will be," Cade finally interjected. I shot him a look but he only grinned wider and forked in a mouth full of food.
The poor kid got so flushed he excused himself only seconds later. He must have been intimidated as hell. The blue eyes across the table never wavered from mine as Mark said goodbye and left.
"What?" I asked as Cade continued to stare.
"You weren't just flirting with that poor unsuspecting lad, were you?" I knew he was teasing by the glint in his eyes and the smile on his lips.
"Yeah, I guess I was." I wanted to
reach out and touch him so much but I had to be satisfied with a smile.
"Yes, you definitely were. Are you going to break his heart?" He laughed and I shook my head, but I was trying not to smile. It delighted me that even though he wasn't angry, he was the tiniest bit jealous of the young production assistant.
"You’re very happy today, Brook. I like the way it looks on you." His velvet voice washed over me like a caress. That voice was my undoing and I felt my face flush. As intimate as the two of us had become, he could still make me blush.
We were alone. The others who joined us for lunch had filtered away, allowing me to say what I wanted. "I am. Very. I'm looking forward to tonight when Nate and Dad come in. I haven't seen my dad in several weeks, and I do have the most beautiful boyfriend in the world to make love with me all night."
"Hmmph," Cade let out his breath and ran his fingers through his hair. "All night? I think I'll need a nap first," he laughed out loud.
"You're gonna get in trouble for messing your hair up. Sally will have your ass."
Cade rolled his eyes. "I'll take my chances. What does your dad usually do for your birthday?"
"He always gives me cash, but this year maybe I should be giving him some instead." I giggled at the absurdity of it, but it was true. The first film had done well and we’d be given a better salary on the second installment. "Denise and Jeanne were right to negotiate our contracts together. They did an amazing job, didn't they?"
"Yes, but what will I do with more money? Who needs it?" He shrugged carelessly. He was hugely famous and he didn’t care or act the part. He was real and down-to-earth, and it was one of the things I loved most about him. .
"I know. But think of it this way, the more they get for us, the more they get and it's fun, isn't it? I don't care about stuff either, but it's the principal. Maybe we can buy an island or something so we can sneak off by ourselves."
I reached across the table and took his hand in mine. His warm fingers closed around mine and he rubbed the top of my hand with his thumb. "Speaking of stuff,” I began, “I hope you didn't get me anything for my birthday. I don't need anything but you."
