She was too close. Something about her made all of the air in the room disappear. She had that mischievous look in her eye he knew so well. What was she up to? He turned to face her and try to figure it out but before he could ask, she threw her arms around him and pulled him down to her. She tasted like honey and champagne. He kissed her back, deeper longer. He pulled her closer to him and put his hands in her hair pulling her closer still. She didn't know what she was feeling. He was kissing her back and her head was spinning. He was nipping at her mouth when the kiss finally broke. He looked at her with a sad look on his face. What had she done? He was disappointed. She had crossed a line and would probably ruin their friendship. He just stood there looking at her. "Alex, I'm so sorry. I just got carried away." She tried to sound reasonable. "I understand Brie, you just had one too many drinks is all." He turned around to go back to making coffee. He dismissed her entirely. She had hoped...hoped for what? He would suddenly think of her as a girl and not one of his friends? She was a fool. She had to get out of here. She started for the door. "Brie where are you going?" He saw her at the door. She wouldn't look at him. "I can't stay Alex, not now. I don't know if you can work through this or not but...I just don't know anything." She left the room and headed downstairs. Alex let her go. He called the driver and told him to take her wherever she wanted to go. What was he supposed to do? She never thought of him as anything other than a friend. Now he felt his heart all twisted up just like it had been 15 years ago.
Why did she kiss him? Why now? He took a long drink of the coffee. He sat down in the chair. Was it a game? It made no sense at all. The only thing he could do was try and figure it out. An hour later he was still plagued with the reaction she caused in him. He buried that a long time ago, and with one kiss, she drags all of it back out again. It wasn't fair. He stood and grabbed his jacket and called his driver. He needed answers. Her apartment was on the other side of town. He stood in front of her door and knocked. When she opened the door, he could only stare at her. Still wearing his pajamas, the ones she put on back at the hotel, she braided her hair and washed her face. She looked just like she did years ago, all braids and freckles. She blinked and he shook his head. "Listen, Brat, I'm not 14 anymore. I don't know what's going on with you but we need to figure it out because I'm all twisted up all over again. He frowned because this was not what he planned to say. "Thirteen, Alex? What are you talking about? At that age, I was following you around and you didn't even know I existed." She crossed her arms and continued. "I knew all about the bet at the dance and how you all planned to keep me from becoming a girl and all that, Mary Jenkins told me. It's okay, I understand. I've had this crush so long I just got overly excited and kissed you, that's all." He stood there. Bet? What the hell was she talking about and she had a crush? "First of all there was no bet, Mary Jenkins liked me and told you that to keep us apart. I was half in love with you already then and you just went into tomboy mode as soon as we got there." He sat down on her couch and she followed. They both sat and thought about it for a while. "You loved me then?" she whispered it. "I have always loved you, Brat." He looked at her. "I've loved you too, Alex. I just wanted you to be happy and you deserved something, someone better." She shrugged. "There is no one better, Brie. This whole time I thought you just saw me as your friend, and I had no idea." He put his hand over hers. "I thought the same thing, Alex." She looked up at him and he smiled before leaning in for another kiss. This time it was longer, deeper, and meant more, it held a promise of a future where they could both be less lonely and find happiness and peace. When they separated, Alex began to chuckle. "What's so funny, Mister?" She frowned. "I think we owe Brandon 6 bucks." They both started laughing and he pulled her into his arms again, this time for good.