The Kiss - 13

Mid afternoon - The Fourth of July - - -

The fourth of July celebration at River Road Circle was in full swing, as was the celebration at the Quartermaine mansion. And the two gatherings could not have been anymore different if they had been held on two different planets.

While waiters, sweating to death in elegant wait outfits milled around by the Quartermaine pool serving champagne and sparkling cider to the accompaniment of a four piece orchestra playing poolside, over at the River Road Circle party, a wild and raucous water balloon fight was taking place in the woodsy back yard. Will Smith’s "Gettin’ Jiggy With It" was blaring over the stereo as Lois’ cousin Bobby played DJ.

Lois screamed as a blue balloon filled with water came crashing down on her head. She looked up to see Brenda perched on a tree limb waving at her.

Lois turned to her partner, whom Brenda had made sure was Ned, and she gave him a shove.

"Ashton, you are supposed to be watching my back," Lois reminded him. "That is like the fourth time I’ve been hit already. You are a terrible partner," she complained, shaking her wet hair. But Ned saw her smile and knew her act of being upset, was just that. An act.

He gazed at her wet face, her dark lashes, those phenomenal blue eyes. Had she always been this beautiful? How was it possible that he had never noticed her before?

"Ned, did you hear me?" Lois said, when he simply stood there looking at her. "You’d better shape up or I’m gonna have to trade you in for a better model," she warned him.

"No, there is no trading," Brenda yelled down. And then Brenda covered her mouth so as not to let out a giggle as she saw Jax approaching from behind Ned.

"Oooh! Look out!" Lois yelled. But it was too late as Jax sent the balloon flying in Ned’s direction and it burst, dousing Ned in water.

Brenda let her laughter out as did Lois.

Ned shook himself, laughing as well, as he turned to see Jax.

"Not very alert, Ned," Jax chastised. "Lost in those blue eyes, were you?" he teased. And then he turned to the tree where Brenda was making her way down. Jax held his arms up to assist her and she slid happily into them giving him a spontaneous kiss.

"Good party, huh?" she bragged. "Didn’t I promise you it would be?"

Jax nodded. "Yes you did." He kissed her again, unable to resist. Then again as she smiled at him, her emtions as clear as crystal.

His cellular phone rang then and Brenda looked at the thing in exasperation. She wished that just once Jax would leave it behind, But she knew perfectly well that a man in his position had to practically sleep with that phone.

"This is Jax," he said, sliding her down to the ground.

"Jax, it’s me," Stefan Cassadine said on the other end of the line. "I’m just getting ready to leave this Quartermaine yawnfest and I should be at your place in about twenty minutes."

"Great. Hurry up," Jax said, hanging up. Then he gazed down at Brenda. "Well Stefan is on his way."

"Good," she said with a smile, "I can’t wait to meet him. You know it looks like everybody showed up," she said proudly. "Well, except your brother," she added although she did not look in the least bit disappointed or upset about that, Jax noticed. In fact she was smiling.

"I’m sure he’ll be here," Jax told her.

<I hope not> Brenda thought as she lobbed a balloon at a passing Keesha, who did a laugh-scream combination and fled.

Back at the Quartermaine party Phoebe was stifling a yawn and Katherine was staring disinterestedly at the empty pool wondering why no one ever actually used it at the Quartermaine parties?

Tracy gazed at her father and saw him desperately trying to turn on the charm and shmooze his guests, even making fun of Tracy’s ill-fated pursuit of Jax to put a spin on it as if Edward had not ever REALLY thought they would get married. It was his way of saving face, Tracy realized. At her expense of course, she though sourly. She glanced over at her friends how were decidedly NOT having a good time. The orchestral music was just about putting

everyone to sleep and there was nothing to do except eat and drink and make conversation while waiting until the fireworks, which was hours away. The party was elegant and classy and hopelessly dull. The highlight was Emily’s schizophrenic fashion show, as every fifteen minutes or so the young teen would disappear into the house and come out in a new outfit.

At last Tracy spotted the person she had been looking for as Jerry Jacks entered the patio, a dazzling blonde on his arm. Tracy made a beeline for him.

Edward was glad to see one of the Jacks brothers arrive, although not the one he would have liked. But as Edward smiled at Jerry’s arrival, he frowned as he saw Stefan Cassadine, Jason and AJ all departing. It was bad enough that Ned had left earlier. Then the Buchanan kids had left soon after. Now Stefan, Jason and AJ? What the devil was going on causing all the young people to leave as if they had somewhere else to be? The remaining young

crowd seemed bored to tears. But Edward knew that would all turn around the second Jax walked through the door. But where was Jax? He had not RSVP’d. Edward headed over to Jerry to try determine if Jax would be showing up or not.

Tracy had Jerry’s ear first, however, as she tried to grill him about his feelings on Jax’s new girlfriend.

"She’s not who I would’ve picked for ‘im," Jerry confessed. "But you know, Jax isn’t a kid. He makes his own choices."

"Right, right," Tracy said agreeably. "But you could perhaps assist him in coming to the RIGHT choices. You’re his brother , Jerry. You know that Brenda Barrett is the worst thing that could have ever happened to Jax."

Jerry gazed at Tracy speculatively. "Perhaps not the worst thing," he said, thinking Tracy Quartermaine would have been much worse indeed.

"But you’d like to see them apart, wouldn’t you?" Tracy said, getting to the point.

"Of course," Jerry responded.

"So would I," Tracy told him. "And not for the reasons you think. I know that my chances with Jax are completely over."

"You never had any to begin with," Jerry assured her.

"Be that as it may," Tracy said stiffly, " I realize he is a lost cause for me now. My sole purpose in wanting to help you break those two apart is my need for revenge on Brenda. That girl has single-handedly ruined my life," Tracy spat.

"You don’t say? How’s that?"

"She has Jax. She has my friends willing to turn on me and accept her into our exclusive circle if it becomes necessary. She has my family having to throw this ridiculous party to try and win back the approval of everyone. And she got my own father to disinherit me. Reasons enough to hate her don’t you think?"

"Well perhaps that is where you and I differ, luv. I don’t hate the pretty little pixie, I just want her out of my brother’s life."

"That’s all I want too," Tracy assured him. "That will be enough revenge for me. I CAN help you, Jerry."

His gaze upon her was curious. "How?"

"Well I think the first thing we need to do is try and keep them away form each other. You can work on keeping Jax away from Brenda, and I’ll take on the responsibility of keeping Brenda away from Jax. She works for my family, you know. In a manner of speaking. I mean we own the hotel where she works. I can keep her so busy that she won’t have a second to socialize," Tracy promised with an anticipatory smile.

<Harmless enough> Jerry though. <and it could bloody well work too>

"You’ve got a deal," he said. "As long as you realize my intention is not to hurt Brenda, either physically or emotionally. I just want them to break up and I think constant separation is just the key."

"Agreed," Tracy said.

And then her father was there, completely ignoring her as he turned his attentions to Jerry.

"Jerry, I’m delighted you could make it," Edward said shaking his hand. "But where is that brother of yours? Is he going to stand me up?" Edward half-joked.

"I’m afraid so," Jerry said. "Jax has got his own party going on."

"What?" Edward and Tracy said in unison.

"Yeah, he and the girlfriend decided to throw their own impromptu get together," Jerry shrugged. "Which is why I won’t be staying long, incidentally."

Edward’s eyes were livid. Brenda and Jax were throwing parties together now? Good god could things get any worse?! And they dared to throw one on the same day as the Quartermine party? Suddenly it all made sense to Edward why all the young people were fleeing his party. No doubt they were racing down to River Road Circle to Jax’s party.

"Jax is having a party?" Tracy repeated, stunned that he apparently did not invite anyone from their crowd. Tracy was sure that all of Brenda’s crowd was there, however.

"Yes, didn’t you hear him first time?" The blonde said. Then she turned to Jerry. "And quite frankly, Jer, Jax’s party is where I want to be right now," she informed him, her light blue eyes lightning up with anticipation.

Jerry smiled. "It’s where I want you to be too, luv," he assured her. "I’m sure that Jax will be thrilled to see you again. Not so sure his girlfriend will be though," he chuckled as he and his date left the dwindling Quartermaine bash.

# # #

When Stefan, AJ and Jason arrived at Jax’s house everyone was gathered around the pool cracking up as the karaoke contest was underway and Lucy Coe had just done a hilarious and off key version of "God Bless America." The panel of judges which included hosts Jax and Brenda, Lois, Jax’s lawyer and friend Mark Dawson, Karen Wexler and Justus Ward, gave Lucy mostly 5’s and 6’s and she laughed and stuck her tongue out at them as she sat down next to a

laughing Kevin.

"Any more brave souls?" Lois asked with a grin.

To her shock, Ned Ashton stood up.

"Earplugs! Earplugs!" Jason yelled making everyone laugh and Carly smiled in delight that he had arrived. She went over to him, gave him a kiss of greeting and offered him a hamburger.

"I barbecued it myself," she said.

Jason looked at it and nodded. "Unfortunately, Carly, I like my burgers well done - - ahhh - - not burnt."

Then he gave her another kiss and gave her the hamburger back.

"Hey," Jax said greeting the new arrivals. "Brenda, this is Stefan Cassadine," Jax said as he introduced them. "Stefan, this is Brenda Barrett."

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Brenda," Stefan said, his voice carrying some kind of suave Eruo-accent which Brenda could not exactly place. The man emanated culture and refinement and yes – royalty. He was very handsome in that reserved, aristocratic way, not quite the stop-you-dead-in-your tracks way that Jax was, but effective all the same. His hair was blonde, although a much darker shade of blonde that Jax’s. His eyes were blue-gray with

more emphasis on the gray and there was something so genuine about him that Brenda just loved him instantly.

"I’m very happy to meet you, Stefan. Jax has told me a lot about you," Brenda said, shaking his hand and noticing the impressive ring he wore with his family’s crest on it.

Stefan nodded and smiled. "And yet he has told me very little about YOU. Not that I blame him," he said , grinning over at Jax. "If you were mine I supposed I’d want to keep you my extraordinary little secret as well."

"Would you like to take a crack at it?" Jax asked, pointing to the Karaoke machine.

Stefan shook his head and took a seat next to Jax. "It should be entertaining to watch Ned make a fool of himself though," Stefan commented with a grin.

Brenda reached past Jax to tap Stefan’s shoulder and get his attention. "So you were at the Quartermaine’s, right? How was their party going?" she asked.

Stefan rolled his blue-gray eyes. "Terrible. It was boredom at it’s best."

Brenda grinned with delight and gave Jax an "I told you so!" look just as Ned began his turn at Karaoke.

Brenda leaned over to Lois. "Hey, even if he does terrible you should give him a ten."

Lois just rolled her eyes at Brenda and then turned back to watch Ned closely.

Ned picked an Elton John track called "The One," turned on the Karaoke machine and began. The moment he opened his mouth and the words came out everyone was shocked into stunned silence. He was amazing.

I saw you dancing around the ocean

Running fast along the sand

A spirit born of earth and water

Fire flying from your hands

In the instant that you love someone

In the second that the hammer hits

Reality runs up your spine

And the pieces finally fit

Brenda was gazing at Jax, thinking truer words were never sung. He was mostly watching Ned but he was aware of her looking at him. He could all but feel the love in her eyes without even having to look at her. And since he didn’t know what the hell to do about he fact that he knew she was in love with him, he just decided to do his best to ignore that knowledge.

And all I ever needed was the one

Like freedom feels where wild horses run

When stars collide, like you and I

No shadows block the sun

You’re all I ever needed

Baby you’re the one

Brenda reached over and slid her hand into his. He figured that he should not do anything to encourage her feelings, but he found his fingers slowly threading through hers anyway. Then she turned to him smiling, and what could he do in the face of that beautiful smile that did such ridiculous things to his heart? He gave her a little smile back.

Then they both watched Lois who was mesmerized by Ned. When his performance was over Lois was not the only one giving him a ten on the score card.

"Did you know that Ned could sing like that?" Brenda asked Jax.

Jax nodded.

"He’s great!" Brenda said, impressed.

"Is he ever," Lois said dreamily.

"I think he scared off any other competition," Stefan noted as Ned was easily declared the winner.

Jax’s phone rang then and since it was his father, and he could not hear well over the noise, he excused himself to go inside.

Brenda turned to Stefan. "So Jax told me that you’re his best friend in the world."

Stefan nodded. "As he is mine."

"And you both went to the Eaton School together, right?"

"That is correct."

"How was the 12 year old Jax?" Brenda asked with a smile that Stefan found simply adorable.

He gazed at her with quietly probing eyes and then folded his hands together. "You’re in love with him, aren’t you?"

Brenda was so stunned that she didn’t know what to say.

Stefan smiled to set her at ease. "A simple yes or no will suffice," he said.

She bit her lip and smiled tentatively at him. "Ummm - - - - yes. But don’t you dare tell him that!"

"I won’t," Stefan promised.

"How did you know?" Brenda inquired. "Geez, is it that obvious or something?" she added, looking concerned.

"Honestly? Yes it is," he told her. "If you’re trying to keep him unaware of the path your heart has taken in his direction, you might want to stop looking at him as if the sun rises and sets at his will."

Brenda grinned self-consciously. "I can’t seem to help it."

"Most women can’t where Jax is concerned.

Brenda sighed. "You think I’m not good enough for him, don’t you?" she said.

"On the contrary. I think he’s met his match in you. A perfect match at that. That kind of things does not happen very often in this life. Most people search forever for it and it eludes them from the cradle to the grave."

Brenda gave him a grateful smile. "So you believe me then? That I love him? And that my love for him is the real thing? Because it IS, you know."

Stefan nodded. "Yes I know, Brenda. The eyes do not lie."

"Well I wish Jax’s brother could see that," she muttered. "You know he practically hates me."

"I’m sure he does not hate you. Jerry is just very protective of Jax and it may come off as hostility towards you, but it’s not meant to be. His goal has always been to protect Jax. From everything."

"I understand that, but Jax is an adult. He hardly needs his brother’s constant protection, and certainly not from ME."

"Brenda, Jax is one of the most sought after men in the world. It is my opinion that Jerry is justified in looking out for him and trying to protect him from plotting women. However, I can see you are clearly not one of those women. You just have to give Jerry some time to form the same conclusion. He’s very wary of you, Brenda. No woman has ever gotten this close to Jax except one, and it took her a lot longer than it has taken you. Plus she

was a family friend, so no one minded. You’re a virtual stranger to the Jacks family. I’m afraid you’re going to have to win them over. Mostly Jerry."

Brenda folded her arms. "Maybe he’s going to have to win ME over," she said stubbornly, recalling how hostile Jerry was to her even in the face of her niceness at their initial meeting. She was not about to tap dance all over the place for this man’s approval.

Jax re-emerged from the house having just finished up a call with his father. So he would have to be out of town for a while again, and he knew Brenda would not take it well. It was probably best to tell her later, when everyone was gone. Jax was actually glad for this chance to leave town. Hearing Brenda confess the very thing he suspected "I love you", even said in her unconscious had been haunting him ever since yesterday. Love. So soon? It

hardly seemed possible for her to feel this way already. And yet he knew that her words had been the truth. And he was bothered that it did not trouble him more than it was. He should be distancing himself from her by leaps and bounds after hearing her confess to being in love with him. But so far he wasn’t doing any distancing at all. At least this trip to Maui would force him to stay away. It would give him a week and a half alone to put all

of this business with Brenda into perspective. He felt he had no perspective in her presence. For that matter, she probably had no perceptive in HIS presence either. Maybe a week and half away from each other would make her realize she wasn’t in love with him at all. Although for some reason, that possibility bothered him a great deal.

Brenda saw him and he beckoned her over to him. She was heading over to him when she halted as she saw the dreaded Jerry walk into the back yard with a stunning blonde at his side. Everyone seemed to be looking at the blonde bombshell. Everyone except Jax who, Brenda noticed with a glorious leap of her heart, only had eyes for her. Brenda reached Jax at the same time that Jerry and the blonde did.

"Hey there, boy genius. I have arrived, and bearing gifts, no less," Jerry grinned as he gestured towards the beaming blonde, who’s eyes were practically eating Jax alive.

Jax seemed to at last look at the blonde woman and his face lit up with a smile. "Cassie!" he said, giving her a close hug as Brenda bristled next to him. The Cassie woman swung back her tall spirals of blonde hair and then placed a kiss to Jax’s lips.

"Oh Jax, it’s so GOOD to see you!" she said. She kissed him again and Brenda felt something hot and unpleasant shooting through her. Jealousy.

"Where did you find her?" Jax asked the very pleased looking Jerry.

"Cassie’s in town on business and I thought I could convince her to stay and maybe help us out with Hanson," Jerry said.

Jax turned to Brenda, placing one arm around her shoulders. "Brenda, this is Cassandra Benton. Cassie, this is Brenda Barrett."

Brenda swallowed back on her jealousy and extended her hand. "Hello," she said.

Cassie extended a slender, well manicured hand sparkling with jewels. "Nice to meet you, Miss Barrett," she said graciously in a refined British accent. But as gracious as her greeting was, her cornflower blue eyes barely even glanced at Brenda, so eager were they to go back to soaking in Jax. As Jax and Cassie caught up on what the other had been up to over the past two years since they had last seen each other, Jerry slid over to Brenda.

"Feelin’ all right my dear?" he asked condescendingly.

"I feel perfect," she shot back at him.

"Oh, c’mon. You can tell me the truth. I’ll bet you’re wondering if Jax prefers blondes about now, eh?"

"Actually I’m wondering how you and Jax could possibly be related!"

Jerry laughed softly. This one was no pushover by any stretch of the imagination. "Jax and Cassie were friendly competitors when Jax was working out of the J&J Jacks London office a couple of years ago," Jerry said, his eyes steady on Brenda who was desperately trying not to let her insecurities show. "She’s a dear family friend."

"Oh," Brenda said nodding, relieved that the relationship had been one of only businesses and friendship.

And then with a Cheshire cat smile, Jerry delivered his trump card. "Oh yes, and did I mention that they also lived together for a year?" he said.

Brenda tried to act unaffected by that bombshell, but as Stefan had said earlier, her eyes betrayed her. And Jerry knew his bringing Cassie to the party had the desired effect he had hoped.

Brenda heard Cassie’s pretty laughter as she told Jax about some deal she had stolen out from under someone else and Jax in turn, excitedly told her about a recent coup of his own. Brenda had never felt so left out in her life. Then Jerry made it worse by joining in on the conversation while Brenda had no clue what they heck they were all even talking about.

She murmured an "excuse me" and left, glancing back to see Jax, his brother and Cassie still engaged in animated conversation about their corporate maneuverings. Several minutes later when Brenda spotted them all seated still chatting, Casie with her arm draped around Jax’s shoulder, she felt her blood boiling. Had Jax suddenly forgotten all about HER now that his damned live-in ex, the brilliant blonde, British business woman had arrived?

<Why did I EVER think I could fit into his life? Into his world?> she chastised herself. Suddenly, she just wanted to go home in the worst way. AJ saw her pacing around and looking very frustrated. He approached her.

"Hello Brenda," AJ said.

"Hi," she murmured, not even looking at him.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

She stopped her pacing and looked at AJ. "Yes," she said. "I need to get home. Right now."

"Allow me," he offered, extending her his arm. "My car is right over there," he added pointing to a black Testarora.

"Thanks. I’ll be right back," she said as she disappeared into the house to get her clothes. She considered telling Carly and Lois that she was leaving, but they were both engrossed with Jason and Ned respectively and seeing them having such a great time while she was suddenly so miserable, just made her want to leave all the quicker. She glanced over at Jax again to see him laughing at something Cassie was sharing with him, their heads nearly

touching. Brenda was so mad she wanted to spit. She met back up with AJ and they both headed towards his car and away from River Road Circle.

Back at the cottage, Brenda kicked off her shoes and tossed her bag on the couch. Irrational anger fueled by her jealousy, filled her and she decided she did not want to see or hear from Jax ever again. She unplugged her phone in case he should try to call her and then went to take a shower. She was getting ready to remove her watch when she realized it was not there, and in fact had not been in her possession ever since they left Catalina Island

late last night.

"Oh great, I must have lost it when we were on the beach," she realized, her bad mood just getting worse. She took a quick shower and changed into jeans and a blue tank top and then decided to head up to Randall Park and watch the fireworks from there.

Back at Jax’s house he was looking all over the place for Brenda. She was nowhere inside the house and no one seemed to have seen her, not even Lois and Carly. Jax was completely puzzled as to where she might have gone – or why? It had been nearly 45 minutes now.

"Maybe she got a better offer?" Jerry teased, insinuating that Brenda had left with another man.

"Maybe you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about," Jax murmured, not in the mood for Jerry’s crass humor.

"Does she often just pick up and go like this?" Cassie asked.

"No," Jax said. He began to worry that maybe somehow Sonny Corinthos had snuck into the party and had somehow gotten her out of here.

"For chrissake, Jax. stop lookin’ so bloody worried. She’s not some six year old kid, she’s fully capable of takin’ care of herself," Jerry said. "Maybe she just went home to go catch up on her soap operas," he said with some annoyance. Jax’s interest in Cassie had not been quite what Jerry had hoped. After conversations about business, Jax had all of a sudden begun seeking out Brenda with his eyes. Not locating her he had then excused himself

to go searching for her. He had not seemed to have the slightest rekindling of romantic interest in his former flame, Cassie. Jerry was beginning to realize that he had badly underestimated Jax’s attachment to Brenda, as well as Brenda’s hold on Jax. He would have to push the separation factor hard and he would have to do it soon. Because it was obvious, even to Jerry, that Jax was falling, that Jax KNEW he was falling, and that Jax was not

trying very hard to stop the fall.

"She would never leave without saying something to me. Or at least to Carly or Lois," Jax refuted. "And anyway, I tried her at home and there is no answer there."

Suddenly Stefan was at Jax’s side. "May I have a word with you, Jax?" he requested, pulling his friend aside. Then he whispered to him. "She left with AJ Quartermaine while you were getting reacquainted with Cassandra. Now, AJ came back, but Brenda did not," Stefan finished.

Jax could not believe it. "She left with HIM? She just LEFT? I’m here going crazy trying to find her and she just left without saying a word to anyone?" Jax took swift, angry strides over to where AJ was hitting on Keesha Ward. "AJ," Jax said, "where did you take Brenda?"

"Oh, she wanted to go home," AJ said. "You seemed pretty occupied and she seemed pretty anxious to leave, so I offered her a ride home."

Relief shot through him that she was all right. "When was that," Jax asked softly.

AJ checked his watch. "Over thirty minutes ago."

Jax nodded and walked over to his Ferrari, leaning on it, thinking. So she had not only just left without telling him or anybody else why, but she had gone home and was now obviously not even bothering to answer her telephone? Didn’t she think he’d be going crazy wondering where she was?! He wanted to strangle her pretty little neck!

He got into the Ferrari and headed for Brenda’s cottage.

# # #

It had begun to pour when Brenda made her way home from the Randall Park fireworks which she had not enjoyed a single bit. She raced up the steps of the cottage so fast that she did not take notice of the gleaming red Ferrari parked in front of the house. She fumbled for her keys as she tried not to get any wetter than she already was.

"I would offer you an umbrella," a familiar voice said behind her. "But it doesn’t appear that you want anything from me tonight."

She spun around to find Jax there on the tiny front porch. He was as drenched as she was, his blue-green eyes vibrant and gorgeous and not at all happy. He expected her to be contrite and offer some kind of explanation for her behavior, but to his shock there wasn’t the slightest hint of apology in those beautiful brown eyes of hers. There was defiance and what appeared to be annoyance and definitely anger towards him.

"You’re right, Jax. I don’t want anything from you tonight, or any other night!" she told him as she finally got her door open. "What are you even doing here? Go away!"

Jax could not believe her attitude. "What?!" he said, following her inside. "Go away?" he repeated.

She disappeared into the bathroom and came out with two towels. She hurled one angrily at him and used the other to dry herself off as best she could. Her tiny tank top was pretty soaked though, and it outlined her body in ways that made Jax want to grab her.

"I REALLY don’t know why you’re here," Brenda insisted.

Jax tossed the towel down and gazed at her in disbelief. "Well here’s a thought, Brenda. Perhaps it’s because I was going out of my mind wondering what the hell happened to you!" he said. "Don’t you think you owe me an explanation for why you just took off like that without a word to anyone?"

"I’m surprised you even noticed I was gone," she said, hands on her hips, eyes blazing beautifully and driving Jax crazy. "I don’t think I even existed to you once your old buddy Cassie showed up with that despicable brother of yours!"

Despicable brother?

"You and Jerry have some kind of a problem?" Jax asked, with an unintentionally sensual raise of his blonde eyebrows.

Brenda looked away from him before she fell under his spell. "I don’t want to talk about your brother. I don’t want to talk about that - that -that WOMAN. In fact, I don't wnat to talk ANYTHING with you. Will you just leave?" she said.

She was jealous, Jax realized. My god, she was jealous. That was what this irrational hostility towards him was all about. He suppressed the maddening urge to smile.

"I didn’t mean to ignore you if that’s in fact what I did," Jax said to her. "It’s just that I really didn’t expect to see her. She’s a good friend of mine, Brenda." Why in the hell did he even feel the need to explain this to her? he wondered in exasperation.

"HA! A friend you just happened to live with for 12 months? Look, don’t even bother to answer that. You don’t owe me any explanations. You don't owe me anything at all!"

"12 months?" Jax laughed. "Where did you hear that? Cassie and I lived together for a month, Brenda. It totally did not work out between us."

<OH!!! That Jerry was such a liar!> Brenda fumed. But to Jax Brenda just shrugged coolly. "A month, 12 months, I really don’t care."

"Well I beg to differ, but obviously you DO care, Brenda. I can’t believe this is bothering you. Why didn’t you just ask me about her instead of jumping to whatever erroneous conclusions you’ve obviously jumped to?" he sat down on the arm of the couch and Brenda sighed as she realized he was not going anywhere.

She walked over to him. "Jax, you totally ignored me the second she came!" she accused, shoving him and then walking over to the coffee table and sitting on it.

"No, Brenda I didn’t. You’re the one who excused yourself and left. Silly me, I thought you were coming right back."

"Why would I come back to stand around like some idiot while the three of you were talking about things I didn’t have a clue about?! And if she kissed you one more time I was going to rip her lips off!" she added.

Jax grinned and got up. He walked over to her and knelt in front of her. "Do you really think her kisses meant anything to me? Especially after I’ve been kissed by the most perfect lips I’ve ever known? Yours."

And then he kissed her and his kisses burned like fire from Heaven and she felt her defenses crumbling like the walls of Jericho.

His hands cradled her face as he gazed into her eyes. "Do you really think I could give any other woman a second thought - - -when I have you?" It was more than he wanted to say, but the words were already out, so what the heck. "You see where I am, don’t you, Brenda? I’m not there with her. I’m here -- soaking wet and probably minutes away from getting bloody pneumonia -- with you. I’m with you," he repeated.

<Yes,> she thought with a little burst of joy, <He is with me! He came looking for me!> And he was soaking wet too. She touched his wet hair, her eyes soft and apologetic.

"Oh Jax, I’m sorry," she said, all at once fussing over him. "We have to get you out of those wet clothes." She removed his shirt. "I’ll just go put this in the dryer. Oh, you know I have a shirt of yours here, if you want something to put on while you’re waiting for this one to dry," she told him. "It’s in my closet, upstairs."

He watched her disappear into a room which obviously housed the washer and dryer. When she was gone, he let out a sigh. She had given him several opportunities a few moments ago to end things between them, opportunities he should have jumped at given the fact that she was in love with him and he didn’t want her to be (although that was not entirely true, he knew. A part of him definitely wanted her to be).

Why hadn’t he jumped at the chance to be free of this nineteen year old enchantress?

He went upstairs to her bedroom to go get his shirt. He took it out of her closet and spied that ravishing champagne colored velvet dress she had worn that very first night aboard the Isabella. He touched the soft fabric as memories of that night raced across his mind. It had been the beginning of something incredibly perfect. Something he should have resisted, he realized. He shut her closet and threw on his shirt, not bothering to button it.

He noticed that the rain was still pouring down and there was a slight chill to the summer night. Noticing that Brenda had a fireplace in her bedroom, he lit a fire, and then stretched out in front of it, leaning back on his elbows, his ankles crossed, his thoughts wandering.

Take it slow. Isn’t that what he had asked of her? Isn’t that what they both had promised each other? But she was in love with him - something that she shouldn’t be as far as he was concerned. Something that was just complicating the hell out of everything now. And he - - - well he didn’t know WHAT it was he was feeling, but it was far more than he wanted to, that was for sure. Other women did not interest him anymore. Brenda alone filled his

dreams every single night. He wanted to spend all of his free time with her, not at the office or stirring up trouble with Jerry. Separations from her drove him as crazy as they drove her, although he would never have admitted it with as much candor as she had.

This relationship was evolving way too fast. It was no longer just light and fun and physically gratifying to a degree unimaginable. It was way beyond all of that now. And it was evolving into something he certainly had never expected or wanted when he had decided to start dating her. It was too exclusive first of all. He wanted no one else and neither did she. They were both possessive about each other, he knew. Sexually it was something

beyond perfect. Emotionally it was becoming too attaching. It was just getting too serious, is what it was. He really had to extricate himself from it. Why hadn’t he let it happen tonight? The perfect opportunity to break up with her, at HER insistence, no less, so he wouldn’t have been seen as the bad guy. And yet he could not and would not let it happen. He had fought her every step of the way until she had seen the truth and forgiven him.

What the devil was wrong with him anyway?

She entered the bedroom carrying a tray of something hot, he noticed as steam was rising from the two cups. He heard something that sounded like a barely audible gasp escape her lips as she stood in the doorway looking at him; stretched out in front of the fireplace, leaning back on his elbows, his shirt open, his hair still damp. The firelight flickering softly behind him causing his hair to glow in varying shades of dark and light golds and

casting a soft bronze, radiance against the golden skin of his muscled chest.

In that instant she had no idea how somebody like this could possibly be hers, or anyone’s for that matter. How she could possibly ever expect that she could hold onto something so magnificent, so borderline divine. It wasn’t possible, she realized. She could try all she wanted to, but he was a treasure that all women were seeking to call their own. And the only way to keep him from slipping through her hands into the hands of another, was for

him to realize that she, Brenda, was that treasure for him too.

<I can do that> she thought with a little smile.

Jax was watching her as intently as she was watching him. The moment she had entered the room he felt that pull towards her that he had to admit was more than just the fascinating physical attraction. He didn’t know how much more it was exactly, but the fact that it was more than that at all was cause for concern. The firelight’s glow danced in her amber-brown eyes, making them positively hypnotic. God, he wanted her. More than just her

kisses. More than just her body. His heart began to race with something far more than passionate inclinations inspired by her intoxicating beauty. This was a mess. He really should have let things end tonight. He really should have. He still could, he realized. It was not too late, exactly.

She knelt down alongside him, setting the tray down in front of her.

"Hot coffee," she said, handing him a cup. Then she turned to him, placing her hand on his thigh, sending a rush of pleasure through him. "Jax I’m sorry," she apologized. "I’m sorry for leaving the party like that and for worrying you and unplugging my phone so that you couldn’t call me. It’s just that. I was - - - uhhh - - -"

"Jealous," his voice was seductive softness in the semi-darkness of the room.

She nodded, although she looked somewhat embarrassed. Her honestly continued to amaze him. "Yes I was jealous," she confessed. "And I was angry with you because, you seemed to just dismiss me the moment she came."

He put the coffee down on the tray. "That isn’t true. You were the one who left, Brenda."

"Because you were ignoring me, Jax."

"I wasn’t. I was just catching up with a friend I hadn’t seen in a few years. You didn’t seem to think I was ignoring you when I was talking to Stefan. Or Ned. Or any of the males at the party," Jax pointed out.

He was right and so she didn’t know what to say. She just bit her lip and cast her eyes to the carpet. The firelight caressed the rich, darkness of her hair making it shimmer as if sprinkled with fairy dust.

The silence between them lingered on, and he realized that he could do it right now. He could tell her that he could not deal with her being jealous of every woman he spoke to and that this would obviously never work and he thought it best for them to part ways now while they could at least still be friends.

But then she said, "I guess you just mean more to me than I thought - - more than I even want you to," she murmured, thinking that was the understatement of the year. "I’m not the jealous type, Jax. Really. I don’t know why I behaved that way. I’m sorry."

Her voice was quiet and confused. And she still refused to look at him.

He, however, could do nothing but look at her.

If ever I would leave you

It wouldn’t be in summer

Seeing you in summer I never would go

Your hair streaked with sunlight

You lips red as flame

Your face with a luster, that puts gold to shame

Who was he kidding. He was not going to break up with her or cut her loose from his life in any fashion. Not now. Maybe when the summer was over, he decided, although at this moment that seemed highly unlikely and borderline impossible.

The lingering silence was driving Brenda insane. She finally lifted her head and looked at him, hit full force by the stunning effect of his emerald/sapphire eyes which were gazing at her steadily. As she looked at him, she tried to hide the love in her eyes, recalling how Stefan had told her it was so obvious. "Are you that mad at me?" she asked him thinking his silence signified displeasure with her.

Jax’s eyes were arrested on her face and despite her efforts, there was no manner of self-subterfuge that could ever hide her feelings from him. "Mad about you," he corrected her, one hand coming up to caress her face. And then his lips took hers in a kiss that dreams were made of. It was as fiery as it was gentle. It was as achingly sweet as it was maddening sensual. It was exactly like THAT kiss. The one where Brenda had giddily realized that

Jax was in love with her. Love spilled within Brenda like a glorious waterfall as her heart raced with happiness and hope. Slowly his arms went around her and he gently, slowly pulled her down on top of him, never once breaking the almost reverent beauty of the kiss they were sharing.

But if I’d ever leave you

It couldn’t be in Autumn

How I’d leave in Autumn I never will know

I’ve seen how you sparkle

When Fall nips the air

I know you in Autumn

And I must be there

Jax was lost in a haze of desire, confusion and something else. Something far deeper and more nerve-wracking than the previous two emotions. How was it possible that she could do these things to him? With a kiss, with a smile, with a touch. She sent him reeling into places unknown. Places he had avoided all of his life. His heart was aching in a manner completely unfamiliar to him. Aching for some kind of completion. Christ, it made no sense.

When he was with her nothing made sense.

A strange joy shot through him as he felt her raining kisses down his chest. Every kiss betrayed her love, the thing he knew she was desperately trying to keep hidden from him - - - - unsuccessfully. Had she not murmured her love for him out loud yesterday, he still would have known about it. Her eyes, her touch, her lips. They all screamed out the secrets of her heart. He was far better at keeping his secrets safe, he thought. He hoped.

And then all thoughts fled his mind as her lips found his again in an endless, drugging kiss that made his senses reel as they slowly undressed each other and began to make love. Very soon, they were both lost in the wild beauty of their lovemaking.

And could I leave you running merrily through the snow

Or on a Wintry evening, when you catch the fire’s glow?

Jax’s gaze held hers in a timeless moment of surreal wonderment, desire rocketing wildly through them. And something else. Something else - - - -

If ever I would leave you

How could it be in springtime

knowing how in Spring I’m bewitched by you so

Oh no, not in springtime

Summer, Winter or Fall

No, never could I leave you

At all

Intoxicating passion burned within them, brighter and hotter than the flames of the fire that crackled quietly in the fireplace. Breathless passion intertwined with that other emotion. The deep, startling one that moved every cell within you. The one that drove the passion beyond all bounds, plunging them into the very heart of passion’s beautiful, raging rivers as they reached the blissful heights of their lovemaking with wild, shuddering

ecstasy that left them exhausted, and privately, deliriously happy.

Several moments later, surfacing slowly from the mists of desire, and the headiness of a love that grew deeper by the hour, Brenda was once again unaware of her words as she whispered, "I love you, Jax. I love you." Her voice was a breathless whisper which he would easily have missed had he not been so attuned to her. She let out a sigh of perfect contentment and satisfactions as her head rested against his chest, her hair tumbling over it as she

heard the wildness of his heartbeat beneath her.

< IloveyouJax, IloveyouJax, IloveyouJax> The words echoed in Jax’s mind. Nothing he could do would shut them out or dismiss them. It was impossible to ignore this. <I don’t want her to love me> he lamented. But the surging joy within his heart made that claim very questionable. And it made him very nervous. What defenses had he against a woman who was everything he had ever wanted? How could he possibly stop himself from giving

to her what he had vowed to give to NO woman? His entire heart.

Songs used: "The One" by Elton John And " If Ever I Would Leave You" from the musical, Camelot.

CJ