Hidden Desires (11 page)

"Brooke! Come on!"

"I sleep just fine thank you very much. Now, leave me alone."
I have a very interesting dream I must get back to.
"Go play golf or something." She said, then covered her face with a pillow.

"Did you forget you're coming with me?"

Actually, she did forget that they had changed the golf plans for Saturday instead of Sunday, and Brooke only agreed to go as it was the lesser of two evils. "No, I didn't forget." Brooke opened her eyes, rolled them at Grant, and then closed them again.

"Where did you get this attitude from?"

Brooke shrugged.

Grant threw his hands up in defeat and stomped away. When Brooke was sure he wasn't coming back to annoy her, she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. If one was actually able to see a sigh, the air around Brooke would be gray.
Yep. The Country Club, my favorite. Yuck.
The blonde swung her feet off of the couch and sat up.
Hey, its not that bad. They have awesome food,
Brooke yawned,
and fabulous coffee. It's just the company that stinks. Besides it's much better than shopping with Deirdre
. The tired blonde yawned again and trudged her way into the bedroom.
I'll see mom tomorrow.

"Well good morning." Grant said sarcastically.

"That's a matter of opinion." Brooke mumbled.

"Why did you sleep on the couch last night?"

Brooke shrugged and busied herself looking through the closet.

Grant stared at his girlfriend's back. "Brooke, really, what's going on?"

The blonde came away from the closet holding a blue sun dress. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"I think you should. Whatever is going on in that head of yours is affecting our relationship and I should know about it. Wear the yellow dress, I don't like the blue one. I mean really, I can't have you moping and pouting all over the Country Club."

Brooke walked back to the closet and started to look for the yellow dress, then stopped. "I'm wearing the blue dress, Grant, and I'll mope and pout when and where I want, but don't you worry, I'll be the perfect little Stepford wife for you at the Country club."

Grant's eyes widened. "See? That's exactly what I'm talking about! Where did this all come from?"

"Me. I'm tired of being your little doll to dress up and show off." Brooke said, trying to hide her anger. "I'm going to shower now... ALONE."

Grant sighed out loud and fidgeted with his belt buckle.
What the hell? I know she doesn't have any new friends influencing her... or does she? Where does she go when she rollerblades? And who with? Maybe there's someone else? She wears such skimpy clothes when she goes out.. surely someone else has noticed that body by now. Oh shit.
"BROOKE!" Grant yelled as he flung open the bathroom door.

Brooke pulled the shower curtain over her naked body and glared at him. "What?" she asked in irritation.

"Where do you go when you roller blade? Is there another man? Why are you covering yourself anyway? I know what you look like naked."

"First of all, don't you ever come barging in here again when I'm in here, second of all there isn't other
man
, and third of all.. I don't like you seeing me naked."

"Since when?"

"Since now. Get out."

"Brooke, please... why are you so angry with me?"

"I finally realized that this is not what I want." she answered honestly.

"What?" Grant looked stunned.

"You asked." Brooke said flatly and stepped into the shower.

Grant left the bathroom and sat dejectedly on the bed.
Maybe it's just a phase she's going through. Hormones or something.
He considered that for a while.
What if it's not?

 
*  *  *

"Cayden? Can I wear your black silk shirt?"

The tall brunette grunted as she put on her sandals.

"Was that caveman for yes, of course you can borrow it, you look smashingly sexy in it. Or was it no, I don't want your pit stains in my silk."

Cayden poked her head inside Wade's room. "Yes, you can borrow it but I still don't want any pit stains, and keep that animal away from it too." she pointed to the enormous cat who was laying spread-eagled on the bed.

"Cool. Hey, how'd it go last night anyway?"

"Why don't you ask Jodie you sneaky bastard." she narrowed her eyes.

"Moi?" he pointed to himself, trying to look offended.

"Yes, vous. Like you had no idea that those girls were going to be there."

"Oh, I had an inkling. So, anyway, how cute is Denise?"

"She's hot, but I don't understand. There must be something wrong with her or Jodie would have done her already."

"Oh that. Well, Jodie had every intention of doing her but Denise wasn't into it. She's not a wham-bam kinda gal."

"Great." Cayden frowned.

"What's this? Cayden Riley's looking for a quickie?"

The tall brunette sucked her teeth. "Maybe. It just may be what I need."

"Cayd, are you serious?" Wade asked in disbelief. They only set her up with Denise, because Denise is a dater, and Jodie and Wade thought if Cayden and Denise hit it off, Cayden would finally have someone to date without strings. They didn't expect this kind of situation.

"I dunno. I guess. It wouldn't kill me to get laid... the proper way." She grinned and looked at Wade's newly made bed.

Wade rolled his eyes. "You're a pig. Defiling my Eden. But really Cayd, Jo and I tease you but we didn't expect you to call us on it."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not you."

"Well, maybe it should be." Cayden said as she left the room.

"Cayd! Don't do something you'll regret!" Wade yelled after her, but the front door closing was his response.

 
*  *  *

The air was thick around Grant and Brooke for the better part of the morning, but once they got to the Country Club, Grant put on his usual airs, and Brooke smiled mechanically, charmingly. As Grant went off to play golf with Terry, Brooke was stuck with Mary, the 30-something, uptight, snotty, bore. Brooke resigned herself to being polite and sympathetic as Mary bitched about the most inane things, like the angle of her extremely obnoxious Donna Karan skirt, to the imperfection of her ridiculously expensive, and severely pointy nose job. Brooke continued to look interested for the most part, but kept drifting back and forth between the conversation and her surprisingly inventive imagination. Every so often Mary would catch a flush creeping up Brooke's neck and question it. Brooke would wave it off, blaming it on the heat and the amount of alcohol she was consuming.

"Brooke honey, is everything ok? I've rarely seen you empty a glass of anything alcoholic and here you've just drained your second Mimosa." Mary asked curiously. She always was one for a bit of gossip.

"Oh, it's nothing really." Brooke replied with an unconvincing smile.

"Hmm, well whatever it is, you know you can tell me." Mary said, dying to know what could be bothering perfect Brooke.

Yeah, like I'd tell you anything, you busybody.
"Let's just say I've found myself. " the blonde offered cryptically.

Mary pondered that for a while and the embarrassed, yet satisfied expression on Brooke's face. "OH!" she said, nodding like a dashboard doll. "Congratulations honey!" she lifted her glass. "I found myself years ago. If you think Terry alone is enough to do that trick, you'd be sorely mistaken. We all need a little icing on
that
cake." She clicked Brooke's glass with her own.

Brooke giggled and sipped her new drink which was now straight champagne. Even though Mary had the wrong idea, she wasn't that far off.

"So tell me..." Mary started, leaning across the table, giving the blonde a clear view up her nostrils. "Did you do it while he was sleeping?" she whispered. "I get a secret thrill fantasizing about someone else while he's snoring his head off."

Brooke swallowed such a large gulp of champagne it was painful and her eyes watered.
Isn't that a teeny bit personal? What happened to uptight Mary?
She shook her head and giggled nervously.

Mary leaned back and fiddled with a finger sandwich. "I like to pretend its Vin Diesel." she confessed. "Something about a bad boy that gets me all worked up." She fanned herself for dramatic emphasis and leaned closer to Brooke again. "So, who do you fantasize about?"

Brooke almost choked on a canapé. A blush rose quickly before she could stop it and she averted her eyes.

"Oh, Brooke, Darling! Now you simply
have
to tell me!" Mary almost vibrated with excitement.

"Uhm, I'd rather keep it to myself."

"Ooo, so it's someone I know?" Mary asked, even more excited than before.

"No, really, you don't know.... them." Brooke said quietly.

Mary smiled, her brain working a mile a minute to figure out this juicy bit of info. "Well, it certainly must be good by the look on your face. Are you sure you don't want...." Mary's eyebrows shot up as something Brooke said registered.
Them?
she leaned back in her chair and studied Brooke carefully.
Interesting. I'm sure she doesn't mean 'them' in the plural sense...

Brooke kept her head bent and picked nervously at her food.
Shit... shit... I can't believe I just gave myself away!

Mary saw that Brooke was having a hard time and decided to drop the subject for now. Or at least until after the next drink. "The Brie is wonderful, don't you think?"

Brooke began to breathe again, grateful for the change in subject. "Yes, it's very good."

 
*  *  *

Cayden was well into a bag of Cheese Doodles by the time Jodie showed up at the shop.

"Did I miss anything?" The curly haired woman asked.

"Two dogs peed on the floor and a child ate a dog biscuit."

"I always miss the fun stuff." Jodie pouted, pulling one of the customer chairs behind the counter and sitting next to Cayden.

"Maybe you want to sit in my lap?" Cayden asked of the close proximity.

"Nah, this is fine." Jodie replied, smiling with all her teeth. "Soooo, call Denise yet?"

Cayden sighed., "It took you exactly 40 seconds to hold that in. A new record. " she clapped lamely.

"I'd like to thank the Academy."

The brunette snickered and threw a Cheese Doodle at her friend. "No, I didn't call...,. I'm still thinking."

"Good."

"I just don't get it Jo. First you and Wade make it your destiny in life to get me laid and when I even consider it, the both of you freak out."

"We care about you Cayd. We don't want you doing something for the wrong reasons. Especially something big, like this."

"What reasons?" Cayden asked, slightly irritated.

"Spite." Jodie said confidently.

"Spite? Who am I spiting?"