Fairy Tale 78-86
by: Belle
"Oh - thank god we escaped." Brenda sighed and sat down happily at a table in Kelly's. "Well, we're happy and safe, but I'm afraid I can't say the same for poor Kieron and Juliet."
Jax laughed and shook his head. "Poor Kieron and Juliet my foot. I've been watching those two bicker since Julie was in pre-school and Kieron a second-grader. It's ridiculous." He glanced over the menu, trying to decide what he wanted for breakfast."Right now I'm just glad that I'm here with you. Relaxing and *not* arguing."
"But Jax - I thought you said I look sexy when I argue?" Brenda gave him a look of wide-eyed innocence.
"I said you look sexy when you speak your mind. Yelling at *me* - that's another story." Jax grinned and looked her over suggestively. "However, I must say that you Ms.Barrett, look awfully sexy this morning and you seem to be perfectly agreeable."
"Thank you." Brenda gazed at Jax dreamily. "I am *so* excited to go to Colorado. Eventhough the thought of being stuck in a house with Juliet and Kieron for three days kind of scares me. Do you think we'll survive? I mean - the ranch must be huge, it can't be any worse than the penthouse last night."
Jax laughed. "You know what's going to be hell? The plane ride. Four hours of Juliet and Kieron War ten billion and one. You'd think that after five years of not seeing each other, they would have changed. I understand that Julie made Kieron crazy when she was little, but she's twenty-two now."
"And she's absolutely gorgeous." Brenda added. "Which I personally think only makes things worse."
"So you think the fact that Juliet is beautiful drives Kieron crazy?" Jax leaned forward and looked at her curiously.
"Definitely." Brenda tossed her dark hair behind her shoulder, and smiled seductively. "Doesn't the fact that I'm gorgeous make you crazy?" she teased.
"I think you're just plain old crazy." Jax joked back. "Truthfully, I'm not sure Kieron has even noticed that Juliet's grown up."
Brenda took a bite of the pancakes Ruby had just brought her and looked at Jax asthough he were insane. "Are you kidding me? Did you see the way he looked when she and I walked into the penthouse last night? He nearly fell off the couch he was so surprised. I'm telling you now. These two don't hate eachother half as much as they want to believe. There is some definite chemistry there. You know what they say..."she reminded him in a sing-songy voice. "there's a thin line between love and hate."
Jax looked thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe you're right. Still - neither one of them would ever admit it. Juliet may be sweet and funloving to you, but she is definitely a "Jacks."."
Brenda cocked one eyebrow and shook her fork at him. "You Jacks' don't intimidate me. Especially you. Underneath all the confidence and charm, I know you are the sweetest most caring man in the world Jasper Jacks."
******
Brenda blushed a little as she made this declaration, and Jax's heart melted. "Well - I think you bring out my good side. Oh - would you excuse me for a moment? I'm being paged, and I need to make a phone call."
Jax got up from the table, and headed towards the phone, giving Brenda a quick kiss on the way. Brenda turned around and watched him talking animatedly on the phone. He saw her watching him, and gave her a dimpled grin. She blew him a kiss. "What's gotten into me?" Brenda wondered. She didn't even think about kissing and hugging Jax anymore. It was just something that she did. Not because she wanted to make Sonny jealous - just because she wanted to kiss and hug him. Jax had mellowed out also. After seeming so angry with her the past few days, Kieron's arrival had made things infinitely better. She wasn't sure whether Kieron had said something to Jax, or if he had just gotten over being so upset with her, but she was delighted to see him return to his fun, flirtatious self.
"We really should get going." Jax said to her, returning to the table, and taking some money out of his wallet to pay the bill. He smiled at her joked. "Let's go home."
"Okay." Brenda chirped. Jumping up, and grabbing her suitcase. Linking her arm through Jax's she pulled him towards the door and giggled.
"What are you so giggly about?" Jax took her suitcase and tossed it into the trunk of the limo.
"I was just wondering if we have a home to return to. God knows what Kieron and Juliet have done."
Jax groaned and ordered Niles to drive as fast as he could.
**************************************
"Juliet - get out of the shower! If you're in there any longer you are going to wash away. Now get out of there!" Kieron shouted, pounding on the bathroom door. He looked at his watch. She had been in there for over 20 minutes, and Jax and Brenda would be back from breakfast any minute. Juliet was making him late. They were supposed to leave for Colorado in less than an hour. If he even got to take a shower, there probably wouldn't even be any hot water left.
"Calm down psycho." Juliet screamed. The water stopped, and he could hear her fiddling around in the bathroom. "I'll be out in a second." A few moments later, the door opened.
"It's about ti-" Kieron started to say sarcastically, but he stopped when he saw Juliet standing before him in nothing but a towel, her golden skin still glistening with water and her green eyes dancing with anger at him. "time." he finished. He still couldn't get over the fact that Jax's scrawny, irritating, baby sister had grown up into this breathtaking woman before him.
The fact that Kieron was practically gawking at her didn't escape Juliet. She pulled her towel tighter around her, and narrowed her eyes. "You know -" she pointed out. "I've heard that ppatience is a virtue."
"Well it certainly isn't a virtue that you were brought up on. Ms. "If I don't get my coffee this moment I'm going to scream." He chided, reminding her of the fit she'd thrown earlier that morning when he had finished all the coffee.
Juliet glared at him, stuck out her tongue, and stalked towards the kitchen, struggling with holding onto all the things in her hands while trying to hold up her towel. Kieron turned to watch her, laughing at the difficulty she was having. When she heard his laughter, she turned her head. "Well - what are you waiting for?" she asked coldly. "You're wasting time just standing there - watching me."
"Oh - I'm just practicing my patience, and getting quite a show at the same time."
"You are *so* funny."
"I've always thought so. And so do many other people. Especially women." Kieron arched one eyebrow and smiled seductively.
"Well not this woman." Juliet announced defiantely.
Kieron walked towards her, stopping when they were only feet apart. "But don't you?" He ran his hand slowly and deliberately up her arm, which was still damp with water. Juliet tried to ignore the fire she felt at his touch. The return of so many feelings that she'd had years ago. For a second, she looked up and into his eyes and almost forgot about all his insults. But then she saw the mockery in his emereld eyes and realized that he was toying with her. She yanked her arm away and slapped him across the face. "Don't play your games with me Kieron. I'm not like all those other women you toy with and then dump. I can play just as well as you can. Never forget that." She turned on her heel and left. Kieron rubbed his face, which was stinging from her slap. "What a woman..." he murmured. "What a women...."
***********************************************************************************
"We're back!!!!" Brenda screamed as she and Jax walked into the penthouse, keys in hand ready to leave for the airport. "Kieron? Juliet? Are you guys ready?"
Hearing no response, both Jax and Brenda looked at eachother nervously, and went into the kitchen, searching for some food to bring on the plane with them. Yet to their surprise, Kieron was in the kitchen, cleaning milk and cereal off the floor.
"Kieron - what happened?" Brenda asked, alarmed by the fact that the cereal was not only on the floor, but also on his shirt and in his hair. A faint red mark glowed on his right cheek, and his eyes glittered with anger. Brenda could swear that she saw steam coming out of his ears.
"Your sister happened." Kieron practically shouted. Holding up an empty cereal bowl and pointing upstairs where Juliet was packing. "She's more than a pest now Jax. I don't even know if there is a word for her. Witch, sorceress.....vampire! Most people get better as they mature, well Juliet has gotten worse."
Jax had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. Kieron looked absolutely ridiculous with wet Special K clinging to his hair and splattered across his expensive Georgio Armani suit. "Did the two of you have a food fight?" Jax asked curiously. Glancing over at Brenda and noticing that she too was biting back laughter.
"No! After I got out of the shower, which I'd like to add was ice cold because Juliet was in there for hours, I came into the kitchen to have some breakfast. I had layed out some fruit and cereal for myself. Since there was only one bowl of Special K left, I wrote a little note next to the bowl that said it was mine. So - I come into the kitchen, and there's Cruella de Ville herself, sitting in *my* chair, eating *my* cereal. Well, I was a little upset, but I was trying to be nice, and I gently suggested that Juliet show some manners and respect my note next time. She apologized, and I kind of went off on her about politeness and sharing. I reminded her that she always had a problem sharing, and the next thing I knew she said that she would love to share the cereal with me, and then she dumped the bowl over my head."
Brenda could no longer contain herself and burst into laughter. "Go Julie!" she shouted, giggling. Jax shot her a look of warning that Kieron was *not* in a mood to be teased. "Oh Kieron - I'm just teasing. Don't be embarrassed."
"I'm *not* embarrassed. I'm angry and frustrated."
"Oh - well, is that why your cheek is all red?" Brenda asked.
"No - my cheek is red because Juliet slapped me. Now if the two of you would excuse me, I'd like to go take *another* shower - hopefully a hot one this time - and change my clothes." Kieron threw the wet sponge in the sink and stalked out of the kitchen.
As soon as he was gone, both Jax and Brenda burst into laughter. "Juliet slapped him *and* dumped cereal over his head?" Brenda grinned. "I'm almost sorry we went out."
"I'm not." Jax brushed some milk off her face and smiled.
"You aren't? Now why would that be?" Brenda wrapped her arms around Jax's neck, running her slender fingers through his blond hair and gazing into his eyes.
"You are such a flirt."
"I know." Brenda giggled. She leaned forward and brushed Jax's lips with hers sensually, running her tongue along his lips then giving him a quick but intense kiss on the mouth.Pulling away, she gave him a sexy smile."But you like me that way."
Jax chuckled, and pulled her to him, kissing her mouth passionately. His hands ran down her back to her waist, and he held her tightly. His heart did flip-flops as her mouth moved slowly and gracefully against his. Their mouths and bodies fit perfectly together. It was almost asthough they were made to kiss each other, as if they were meant to be together. "What am I thinking?" Jax thought. Outloud he admitted, "You're right I do." Maybe even a little too much - he realized.
*************************************************************************************************************************************************
The morning sun shining through the blinds was so bright that Brenda couldn't sleep anymore. Opening her eyes groggily, she squinted to read the clock next to her bed. "Oh my god -" she moaned when she saw that it was only 6 a.m., "I can't believe this, but I'm wide awake." Stretching, she sat up and looked around the room. It was beautiful and huge, exactly like the rest of Kieron's ranch. Eventhough Brenda knew how wealthy Kieron was, when he had first mentioned his ranch, she'd pictured a rustic log cabin in the middle of the mountains, surrounded by cowboys and cattle. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. The ranch covered over 800 acres of land in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. At the heart of the land, right next to the river was the house which had 53 rooms. It had three stories, the first of which was completely surrounded by a porch - parts of which were screened in. The inside was furnished with antiques and wood-panelled walls. Kieron owned both horses and cattle. There were also two swimming pools - a salt and freshwater, tennis courts, a golf course, hundreds of hiking trails, three guest cabins along the trails, and a gym facility. The entire second floor was made up of bedroom suites. Upon their arrival, Kieron had assigned everyone their own suite. His room was in the east wing, facing the stables. Surprisingly to Jax, but not to Brenda, instead of banishing Juliet to the west wing and as far away from himself as possible, Kieron had given her the suite next to his, claiming he wanted to make sure she didn't get into any mischief. Brenda was given the suite next to Juliet, and Jax was in the suite next to Brenda. Brenda's room had a magnificent view of the river and she shared a balcony with Jax.
Getting out of bed, she smoothed the lavender and pink floral comforter, and slipped on her peach silk bathrobe. She tiptoed down the long stair case so she wouldn't wake anyone, and headed to the kitchen to make coffee.
Ten minutes later, Brenda wandered out onto the porch, coffee in hand. She leaned against the railing, and looked at the sun rising over the river. Sighing, she shook her head in amazement, it was truly spectacular here. Brenda was so busy marvelling in the view's beauty, that she didn't hear Jax come up behind her.
"Are my eyes deceiving me? Or is Brenda Barrett really awake at 6:15 in the morning?"
Hearing Jax's voice, Brenda turned her head and smiled happily at him.
Jax came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Well.....I can feel her....." he smelled the vanilla scent of her hair, "... I can smell her....." he then proceeded to slowly kiss her neck, "....and I can taste her...." he laughed, "So I guess it really is you - not a vision from my dreams."
Brenda giggled and wrapped one arm around his neck, so that his face was leaning close to hers. She stroked his cheek with her other hand, staring dreamily at the river.
"What are you so dreamy about? Don't I even get a good morning?" Jax joked, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, and starting to pull away.
"Hmmmhmmm.....morning Jasper." Brenda said playfully, pulling his arms around her, and settling comfortably into him."Now don't move because I was just sitting here thinking about how perfect this moment is." she touched his face softly. "The view is beautiful, and I'm in one of my favorite places - your arms....the coffee is good, "shhe held up her mug, "and..."
"and Kieron and Juliet are still asleep." Jax added, smiling. He kissed the top of her head. "You're right. This moment is *awfully* perfect."
"Oh - they weren't that bad yesterday." Brenda unwound herself, yet still held onto Jax's hand, leading him over to the porch steps for them to sit down. "I mean - once the entire penthouse episode was over, Juliet slept on the plane, and then they were civil during dinner."
"I know." Jax grimaced. "Their good behavior scared me."
"Maybe they've realized that they're made for each other." Brenda suggested, glancing at Jax hopefully.
"I doubt it. So - are you going to show me your award-winning girl scout talents today?"
"Maybe." Brenda responded in her best "if-you're-lucky voice." she giggled when she heard her stomach grumbling. "But first - I thought I'd make us breakfast. Come on....do you want some eggs?" she called, skipping towards the kitchen.
"Am I endangering my life if I answer yes?" he teased, following close behind her, and occassionally slapping her on the behind.
Brenda turned and glared at him pretending to be angry. Jax saw her pretty pout, and went to grab and hug her, but she took off, running with Jax chasing after her.
He followed her into the kitchen, where she pulled the faucett-sprayer out of the sink, and held it in front of her like a gun, threatening to spray him if he approached her. Jax snuck by her, and grabbed a whipped creme bottle out of the refrigerator and aimed it at her. They circled eachother for a few moments, staring intently at eachother. Suddenly, Jax lunged at Brenda, and startled to splatter her with whipped creme. In turn, she doused him with water. The whipped creme bottle ran out, and Jax held up his arm and cried, "Truce. Truce."
Brenda stood back, still aiming the sprayer at him. "Say that you surrender." she declared.
"Never!"
Brenda splurted a little water at him. "Say it....I Jasper Jacks, surrender to you Brenda Barrett."
"Make me." Jax dared. Walked closer to her.
"Don't make me use this..." Brenda dangled the hose from her small hand and stepped closer to Jax, who was just standing there, obviously debating whether he was going to submit to her order. "You can't do it, can you?" she poked him in the chest with the tip of her forefinger. "You're actually scared to surrender to me."
"Actually - I thought it was the other way around." Jax responded.
"You think I'm afraid to surrender to you?" Brenda asked increaduously.
"Yes." Jax smiled sexily at her. "I'm always chasing you, and you're always running. I kiss you - you pull away." he reached out and touched her arm,and she flinched away suddenly she was realizing just how much his touch, his kiss, and everything about him affected her.
"Are you incinuating that I'm scared of the way you make me feel?" Brenda said, distracted by the way her heart was doing tiny flip-flops as she stared into his intoxicatingly beautiful blue eyes.
"You said it - I didn't." She could see the dare sparkling in her eyes, and it was driving her mad.
"Jax -" she began to babble. "I'm not really sure what you're talking about. I mean - I kiss you sometimes, and then other times you don't want to, but then I want to and this is all getting so confusing, and I wish I knew what I was...."
Jax just gazed at her babbling on, trying to make sense of everything that was happening between the two of them. He wanted her to be quiet, and just let things happen. And there was only one way for him to silence her at the moment...pulling her to him forcefully, he cupped her face in his hand, and kissed her passionately on the mouth. The kiss grew in intensity as Brenda gave in to her desire, and threaded her hands through Jax's hair, drawing his mouth closer to hers. They backed into the kitchen wall, and Brenda drew away for a second, gasping for breath, her eyes burning with desire. "Okay - " she whispered. " I surrender...."
To be continued....
Okay - I'm going to be away at College Orientation for a few days. i'll write more when I get back. :-)
- Belle
J&B Reuniters - Sonny never, Jax Forever
J&Bangels
IRFC