Chapter 19

"Oh no, you are not wearing that."

"Brady!?"

"Look, Belle, I've been to this club before, and no sister of mine is going there looking like that."

"Looking like what?"

"Like that! Like a woman."

Belle broke out into a large smile. She had missed this side of Brady. The caring, yet somewhat controlling, older brother role. "Fine," she pouted and stormed back into his bedroom, almost knocking Mimi over on her way to change.

"That goes for you too, Mimi."

"What?"

"Just follow Belle and put some clothes on."

"But I want to look nice for Ja...I mean the guys at the club."

Brady grinned at her slyly. "Well, if you're trying to impress Jared, I would suggest something a little more casual."

"Really?" she asked, intrigued.

"Just go change." He laughed as Mimi skipped down the hall back to his bedroom.

Brady sat on the couch, waiting for them, allowing them more time to throw together an outfit. That was one thing he could never understand about women. All guys did was throw on a clean shirt, run some gel through their hair, and they were good to go. What did women do when they were getting ready, throw a tea party and talk about world politics? That was the only thing that would take hours to commit to in his mind.

Finally, they walked out of the room, each stunning in their own unique way. Brady watched them come into the living room, so grown up, so ladylike. It was hard to believe that his sister was a woman now, capable of adult emotions and feelings. To think he has missed her progress dampened his excitement for a moment. Even little Mimi couldn't be called that anymore. She had the body of a woman and the mind of one too.

"Does this meet your approval, oh wise one?" Belle joked as they spun in unison to show off their modest, albeit form-fitting outfits.

"I guess it'll have to do," he sighed, in mock frustration.

Brady was disappointed that he couldn't take his motorcycle, so they rode with Jared. Mimi didn't hesitate when she stole the front seat from Brady and even stuck her tongue out at him in the mirror. Maybe Mimi was still the same girl he once knew, he laughed to himself.

When they arrived, Belle and Mimi were impressed when they didn't have to wait in line, rather they were personally escorted into the club by the manager. Brady was a regular and well-liked for the most part. The manager even joked that on the nights Brady came the female clientele doubled. Belle and Mimi looked to Jared who just shook his head, not daring to comment on Brady's lifestyle.

They went to a table and sat down. Brady ordered himself and Jared a couple of Corona's while making sure the girls just ordered a coke. Before long, Mimi and Belle were itching to get onto the dance floor. They pulled Jared with them and left Brady to save the seats. Brady looked around, hoping that Chloe might find her way into the club tonight. Back at the garage, she had seen him with Mimi, and he could only guess what was going on in her head at that moment. He needed a chance to clear his name, to prove to her it wasn't what she thought.

On the dance floor, Belle and Mimi looked to be having a great time. They danced circles around Jared, as he bounded to keep up with the energetic twosome. So fixated on his friends, he barely felt the tap on his shoulder or the way she cleared her throat. Brady turned to meet Chloe's angry gaze. "Chloe!?"" Brady shouted over the loud base.

"I just wanted to tell you I know what you're doing."

"Doing? What are you talking about?" he questioned, unsure if he heard her right over the powerful music.

"I saw you with that girl."

"What girl?"

"Today, at work. I saw the way you hugged her, the way you held her. The way you laughed with her. I saw the whole thing, Brady."

"And?"

"You asshole. You saw me there. I know you saw me, and you did it on purpose. You knew it would hurt me."

"I didn't do it to hurt you, Chloe."

"You did, Brady. But don't worry. I got the message now, and I won't bother you anymore. I should have listened to you when you told me you weren't ready for a relationship. All you want is sex, Brady. To think, I almost gave that to you. I wanted you so badly that night. I thought you wanted me too, and not just because of the sex. I thought it was something more. But you're right, Black. You're fucked up."

"Hold on," he said, cutting her off. "If you would just listen, I can explain everything."

"I've listened to you enough. I don't need this anymore," she seethed and then broke out into a partial run, constricted only by her heels.

Brady bounded after her, not wanting to let the situation get any more out of hand. They had finally been getting along, making a breakthrough, an important step to further their relationship. "Wait!" he called after her, getting a light grip on her arm.

She turned around, fire and tears in her eyes. Chloe turned to the man beside her, taking his drink from his hands and splashing it down Brady's face. "Just go away."

"I can't!" Brady shouted at her, his face soaked in gin. She resisted, but he pulled her closer.

"I can't do this. You have to make up your mind," she said through an emotional, fear-consumed voice. For once, she had laid it on the line for him. She wanted him to know that he couldn't toy with her emotions any longer. Chloe was taking a stand. She was ready to walk away if that's what it took.

"You can't ask me to give up my life, not when I'm not ready," he told her through clenched teeth.

By this time, a crowd had gathered and was intensely listening to their heated argument. Belle and Mimi stood with Jared just behind Brady. Mesmerized by the scene, no one dared to speak or interrupt the fight.

"Brady, I've waited and waited. When are you going to be ready?"

"I don't know."

"Well, that's not good enough. Now, let me go." Brady released her arm from his grasp. "I knew you would let me go so easily," she whispered, letting the tears fall from her eyes.

"No."

"No what?"

But he didn't answer her. He turned his head, ashamed.

"Go to hell!" Chloe told him angrily, walking past the circle, bumping into a waitress and spilling a tray of drinks.

"Friend of yours?" Mimi asked, humour lacing her tone.

Brady didn't even acknowledge her. He was too busy watching Chloe walk to the front doors. This wasn't how he wanted it. It couldn't end like that. He took off, past the gathered people, and ran in front of her, his feet skidding on the tiles, almost knocking him over. "Please don't go!" he begged.

"Why should I stay?"

"You need to hear the truth. That girl in there and the one you saw at the office, it's not what you think. I tried to tell you before."

"What is it then? I'm tired, and I just want to forget about all of this."

"See, my sister was having trouble with her boyfriend. So she and her best friend came here to New York, and what you saw this morning was just me giving an old friend a hug. It was nothing more than that, I swear. I've known Mimi since she was a toddler. There's nothing going on there. And I couldn't come after you because my sister needed me. Chloe, I would never betray you like that."

"That's all it was?" Chloe searched his eyes for the truth.

"That's it."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Have I lied to you yet?"

The sincerity in his eyes registered in her heart, and she knew he was telling the truth. "Well, now I feel pretty stupid. Your sister and her friend must think I'm insane."

"No, I think they understand. Besides, I think there's one way to make it up to them," Brady soothed, gently thumbing her tears away and pulling her hair out of her face.

"Really? How?"

"Let's just say it involves credit cards and a whole lot of perkiness."

"What?" she laughed, blowing her nose into Brady's handkerchief.

"You'll see. Let's get back in there. I don't want some guy all over my sister when we get back."

"Oh Brady, I'm sorry I did that to you," Chloe said, touching his wet shirt.

He smiled, taking in his appearance. "You really are a Diva, aren't you?" He laughed. "It's okay. I've had worse."

Brady took her hand and led her back into the dim nightclub. People were already back to their own business. They found Belle, Jared and Mimi seated at a table. Brady picked up their drinks to make sure there was no alcohol in them. "Belle, Mimi, this is Chloe."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you, Chloe. I'm Belle, Brady's younger sister. Let me know if he gives you a hard time, and I'll take care of him." She smiled, the words tumbling over each other in a fast race to finish.

"Hi," Chloe said shyly, gripping Brady's hand. "I'm sorry about before. I didn't mean to cause a scene. You all must think I'm some sort of escaped mental patient."

"Well, the thought had crossed my mind," Mimi snorted, joined by Jared.

"I'm sorry, Chloe," Jared apologised, trying to suppress his laughter. "But it was sort of a show-stopping performance."

"Oh, Jared, not you too?" Chloe gaped, feeling rather silly about her outburst.

"Chloe and I are going to hit the dance floor. Anyone coming?"

"Nah, I think we'll sit this one out," Belle supplied.

"Okay. Your loss. Come on, Chloe."

They found a spot on the dance floor relatively open and perfect for their erotic exchange. He pressed her body against his. She responded with a need that he couldn't quench on the dance floor. It was something deeper, more demanding, that she hadn't felt before. Raw, unchecked emotions bounded from their pores. They wouldn't be satisfied until they were together, making passionate, all-consuming love until the sun came up.

For now, a dance would settle any immediate impulses. The desire would capture them but would also uncap those hidden tender feelings that lay dormant inside of them and they both tried so hard to hide in the daylight. The dark room, with only a soft glow of light, echoed the dark places in their mind. Those places they wanted to escape and could only do so with each other. Under the flourescent lights, anything was possible.

"I had a dream about you the other night," Brady whispered against her ear.

"Did you? What was it about?"

"It was sorta erotic," he said softly.

"Hmm……Did you like it?"

"I would have liked it more if it were real," he breathed against her ear, pulling her closer to him.

"This isn't very friendly talk. If I didn't know better, I would have to say you were hitting on me," Chloe told him, pretending to be offended, but she couldn't hide the smile that passed her lips.

"Maybe I am." He laughed softly, gently touching her cheek with the back of his hand.

"So back to this dream. What was it about?"

"It's not important, but it inspired me to make you this." He reached into his pocket and unfolded a piece of white paper. "It's not the best. I haven't drawn for a while, and it's from memory, but I want you to have it."

Chloe took the paper from him and looked at it. Tears formed in her eyes as she looked down at her own face sketched in pencil. The rendering was perfect, with shadow and light sculpting her face. "You did this for me?"

He nodded.

"Why?"

"I just wanted to try to show you how I see you. This is the best way I know how."

"It's wonderful. I'll keep it forever."

"I'm glad you like it," Brady said, kissing her forehead. He moved his hands onto her hips, shifting her closer to him.

She pressed herself into him, loving the way his arms wrapped protectively around her. They swayed together when there came a break in the music. Just staring into each other's eyes as they waited for a new song, both felt a little freer. Soon, they might be able to share themselves more fully. For tonight, they had the moment, and that was all that mattered.

The hard base blasted through the speakers, and they began to bounce to the music. Chloe ran her hands along Brady's skin, feeling the contours of his muscles under his shirt. He couldn't help but love the way she touched him. It was incredible the way her fingers grazed his skin, yet caused amplitudes of sensation. It seemed different as they swayed and rocked with each other. Somehow, it went deeper than sexual attraction. Of course, the attraction underlined everything they did, but there was a look in their eyes, one Chloe would never forget. Chloe trembled as he moved his hands up her body, touching her curves, exciting her. He bent down slightly, nuzzling his head against her neck, sweetly kissing her ear.

Before they even realized it, another song played. This one was faster. It required more thrusts, more movement. The couple gyrated together, and Chloe ran her hands through her hair as Brady held onto her. Soon, their bodies would be soaked in sweat as they followed the rhythm and their own passion to dance.

"God! Belle, look at your brother out there. He sure can move. I would give anything to be Chloe right now," she laughed.

"Mimi, please! That's my brother out there. I really don't want to hear you talking about him like that."

"All I'm saying is that if he moves that well on the dance floor, just imagine what he does..."

"MIMI!!"

"Okay, point taken." She laughed, then turned to Jared. "So, wanna dance?"

"Sure. Belle, will you be okay here alone?"

"I'll be fine. Go ahead." She smiled.

From the corner of the dance floor, hidden in the shadows, a pair of eyes watched everything that transpired through the evening. Chloe couldn't fool him. He knew her every action. He knew where she was at all times. Soon, she would know he was there too.