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The Best of Friends Ch. 01

By: Cocoa Sashimi



First off, thank you to everyone who left me both positive and negative feedback about this story via e-mail. First, I changed the title so that readers will know that this is only the start of a larger story. Second, I added some additional information to this first chapter. Third, I changed some character names. I suffered from some serious writing malaise after putting this first chapter on Literotica, and I'm currently working on Chapter 2. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 The first buds of spring gently swayed on the tree branches as the sun kissed the manicured lawns along Elmwood Drive. Despite her usual routine of partaking in the joys of spring as they unfolded, Keely didn't give a moment's notice to the sights around her. She was in too much agony to notice much of anything. All she wanted to do was to get home and crawl under her covers and shut out the world.

It had all started that morning when she woke up feeling out of sorts but thought it would eventually pass. Thinking it must be the "Monday blahs" getting to her, Keely kept working even though she was feeling under the weather. Unfortunately, her nausea had gotten worse and her naturally tanned skin had taken on an unusual pallor. Her teaching cohort had insisted that she immediately call her doctor and let someone else handle her students. Had it been anyone else, Keely would have paid them no heed and said she was feeling good enough to forge right on until the end of the day. Instead, with graceful acquiescence and a churning stomach, she went to her doctor.

Good thing she had, for Keely was spiking a 101.7 fever along with the standard flu symptoms. Her doctor explained that there was a very active new strain going around and that most of his patients had been out of commission for a week. With that, the doctor sent her home with specific orders to do nothing but rest.

Keely rounded the corner nearest her house and noticed a blue Ford Focus blocking her garage door. 

"What the hell?" she thought. Upon further inspection, it dawned on her that it was a brand new car and that Jessica had spoke of buying a new car the night before. Although she loved Jessica like a sister, she could not wait until Saturday for her cousin to move into her first house with college roommates, so she would have her home back completely. Keely couldn't wait to be able to spend time alone again with her husband, Paul.

Parking her car on Paul's side of the driveway, Keely slid out of her Jeep and grudgingly trudged up the walkway towards her front door. "I really don't need this right now," she thought. "I just want to go to bed."

Upon opening the front door, the lilt of Jessica's laughter along with a deep murmur from a male filled her ears. 

"Oh hell, she's entertaining," Keely muttered to herself. At that moment, she was regretting telling Jessica to do the things she would have done had this been her own home. She was never one to dictate the life of a twenty year old, and as much as it inconvenienced her at this moment, she wasn't going to do so now.

Keely gazed up the staircase and mulled over the best way to handle this because nothing was stopping her from going to her bed. As long as Jessica had her door closed, she could slip by undetected into her own room and turn on her air purifier to block out any noise. Although with the way she was feeling, she doubted she would hear anything once her head hit the pillow. Despite the protests of her achy body, she headed up the stairs. 

It wasn't until she had stepped on the top landing that she realized Jessica did not have her door closed. "Screw it. It's my home, I'm sick, and it's not as if I've never seen people having sex in my thirty-one years on this planet. I'll just walk right by and keep looking straight ahead," Keely thought. With that, she pressed forward, intending to make a straight line to her bedroom.

"K-k-keely?"

She turned her head towards the familiar voice, and her eyes widened. Her stomach quickly did a somersault, and she wretched.


********

One week later...

"This is Paul."

"What the fuck have you done?" an angry voice bellowed into the phone.

"Nice way to greet your brother, Craig. What the hell are you talking about?" 

"I just got off the phone with Mom. She informed me that you and Keely are getting a divorce? I know how Keely feels about marriage, so the divorce must have been your dumbass idea."

Paul took in a ragged breath and replied, "No, it wasn't my idea, but I will admit I gave her a damn good reason to file for divorce."

"The only thing that would make Keely walk away is if you –" 

Not giving him a chance to finish, Paul interrupted. "You're probably going to hear it from her anyways, so I might as well tell you. Yeah, I cheated on her and got caught."

"No, I'm not going to hear it from Keely because she isn't returning my calls, you peck! Now I know why. I can't believe you were so stupid!"

"What does our divorce have anything to do with your best friend not calling you back?" sneered Paul. There had always been jealousy in his heart that Keely and Craig were so close. It didn't matter that they had been friends for years before he stepped into the picture.

"You know what, Paul?"

"What?!?"

"Forget it!" roared Craig as he slammed down the phone. "You're not even worth my time or anger," he muttered to the phone in its cradle.

"He has always managed to piss me off," spat Craig. "I should have known that he'd fuck things up with Keely." 

Whereas Craig believed in honoring commitments to the fullest, Paul was a complete flake. He couldn't believe they had shared the same womb. Sharing it was about the only thing the two fraternal brothers had in common. In every area, they were diametrically opposed.

As he thought of what a screw-up his brother was, he absently tapped a solemn tattoo on his desk with his pencil. "How do I fix this," he wondered.


********


Six months later...

The incessant ringing of the phone brought Keely out of her slumber. Groggily, she reached for the phone on her nightstand and managed to knock off her bottle of water along with her alarm clock.

"Yeah?" she groaned.

"Keely, did I wake you?" cooed her sister.

"What do you think?" she snarled into the phone. Keely always hated that her sister had managed to be a peppy morning person while she remained a dedicated night owl.

Darbie giggled into the phone. "Did you forget that we had breakfast plans this morning?"

Keely dangled her arm off the bed and groped along the floor for her clock. "Uh...um..." Grasping her clock with her fingers, she dragged it up onto the mattress and peered at the readout. Any other person would have gotten an earful. However, Darbie was not only her sister; they had been best friends since the second grade.

"Darb, I know for a fact that we do not have breakfast plans at 6:00 A.M. in the morning. I also know for a fact that you are well aware I don't get up this early, and I would think considering how long you've known me, you would know better by now."

Muffled giggling on the other end was her only response. Flopping onto her back, she threw her arm over her eyes and expelled another heavy sigh. Trying to argue with Darbie was pointless, and Keely knew it. All she could do was mutter an exasperated, "Where and when?"

Thirty minutes later, a beaming and effervescent Darbie slid into the booth with Keely's brother, Alan, only to be greeted by a pair of slate grey eyes that narrowed at her. Darbie's smile widened. She knew that Keely could never be mad at her for long. Even as kids, she could make Keely smile; although, it had been harder to do so these past few months.

"You couldn't have given me two more hours of sleep? Why the hell are we here this damn early?" griped Keely.

"And good morning to you," smiled Alan.

"Well I can honestly say it's not because of your bubbly morning personality," goaded Darbie. "Honestly, it's because your schedule has been so hectic the past few months. If I didn't get to you early, you would have been booked solid for the day, and by the time you were done, I would be in bed."

"Actually, I don't have clients today or tomorrow." At her brother's cocked eyebrow, Keely quickly added, "I'm flying out for a one-week conference tomorrow."

"And which kind of conference is this?" queried Darbie. She always found it amazing that Keely had spent the last few months utterly swamped between two jobs. 

"You should know by now that any summer conference I attend is most likely going to be to further my massage therapy experience," Keely stated before taking more sips of her coffee.

Darbie thought back to two years ago when Keely had first started massage therapy school. Everyone thought it was insane that she was even attempting to go to school part-time while also teaching full-time science at a local high school. That is everyone but Darbie. She knew from experience that once Keely threw herself into something, one hundred percent would be given until completion. It turned out to be the best thing for Keely because it kept her mind off Paul and the divorce.

Darbie snapped back to the present to find Keely staring at her intently. "Spill it" was all she said to Darbie, who stole a glance at Alan.

"Aunt Linda called me last night."

Every muscle in her body tensed up as Keely heard her brother mention that name. "And this has to do with me why?"

"Because Jessica flew home and dropped the bombshell that she is about six months pregnant. Aunt Linda blames you." Alan looked up at Keely but not in time to see her reaction. Darbie, on the other hand, had watched as she looked stunned for a second. Then some unreadable emotion flittered across her face, but it was so fleeting that Darbie wasn't even sure what it was. 

"What?!? How the hell am I responsible for what Jessica does?"

"She thinks that if Jessica had been able to live with you after you left Paul, she would have had a role model to guide her to make better choices. Now she's pregnant, refusing to say who the father is, and Aunt Linda wants someone to blame." Darbie tried to put her words as delicately as possible because Keely's reaction to the news had her worried.

Not one word was uttered by Keely as she shakily reached for her purse and took out her planner. Anger coursed through her veins like molten lava. She flipped through a small stack of business cards. Handing Alan one, she coldly spat out, "If she wants someone to blame, have her call this number. I have no doubt he's the one who got her darling Jessica pregnant."

Still in shock over the vehemence in Keely's voice, Darbie took the business card from Alan before he had a chance to look at it then glanced down. What she saw there shocked her completely, and she was almost afraid to ask. She feared how Alan would react when he saw it. He was very protective of his younger sister. 

In spite of that, Darbie gently asked, "This is Paul's business card. Why would Aunt Linda need to call him? What would he know of that?"

Slowly expelling air from her lungs, she glanced at her brother who was fuming, and then her eyes rose to meet Darbie's. Not once had she mentioned to any member of her family the reason for her divorce from Paul. Even Darbie didn't know, and she knew everything about Keely. They had all assumed that she had valid reasons for the divorce since nothing she did was half-cocked, and they respected her privacy. That was the great thing about her family: they were always supportive without prying.

"I know you've wondered why I decided to leave Paul out of the blue and why I have refused contact with Jessica. I know that you have all tried to figure out what it could possibly involve but none of you assumed that the two issues were related. I didn't want to tell anyone partly because I didn't want to cause a rift in this family and partly because I was embarrassed." Keely bowed her head over her cup of coffee and continued shakily. 

"Six months ago, I came home early from school due to the flu only to find Jessica on her knees in front of Paul. You can figure out the rest." Looking up, Keely noticed that for the first time in their friendship, Darbie was speechless. "Now you know," she added with a shrug.

Puzzle pieces started to fall into place for Darbie. "Oh my...that explains...I can't believe..."

"Darbie, finish a complete train of thought please. You're speaking gibberish," teased Keely.

"How can you be so glib about this? It all makes sense now - why Jessica seemed to walk on eggshells around the rest of the family; she wasn't sure if you told and was on her best behavior. Why you told Mom that there was no way in hell that she was staying with you when her living arrangement with her friends fell through. Why you stopped coming to Sunday dinner and why Jessica was able to still move out on her own."

"I'm going to kill him," fumed Alan. 

"Alan, you will do no such thing. Am I hurt? Yes. Am I angry? Yes. Do I want you to step in on my behalf? NO! In order to heal, I have to do so on my own. Please don't step in. It's over and done with."

Alan glared at his sister. He didn't like the idea of anyone hurting his sister. However, he had always respected her wishes even if it killed him to do so.

"Fine." muttered Alan. "Aunt Linda going ballistic on Paul should be punishment enough."

For the first time in months, Keely found herself giggling at the thought of Paul having to deal with Aunt Linda's ire. She quickly explained when she saw the looks of shock on Alan and Darbie's face, and they, too, started laughing because they knew exactly how Aunt Linda could be. To describe her as overbearing would be an understatement.

Darbie and Alan convinced Keely to spend the rest of the day with them, and it was a much needed respite from her normal routine. The ringing of her phone greeted her as she closed and locked her front door. Most people would rush to pick up the phone; yet Keely went to the machine and listened. It could have been Aunt Linda and that was a conversation she did not want to have at the moment. 

"Keely? It's Craig." Every muscle in her body tensed. Craig was Keely's best friend since college, and Paul's brother. She had been avoiding him for the past six months. Although it broke her heart to not speak with him, Keely was a firm believer in not dividing families. 

"Okay, so you're either really not there or you're avoiding my calls. Personally, I think you're avoiding me. Why? One: because I know you're a homebody when you actually aren't working. Two: because I know you're usually conscientious about returning calls even if it takes you a while. Three: because I know you have this odd notion that staying friends will have an adverse impact on my relationship with my brother and the rest of my family. Honestly, I think he is the one to blame for that, but I'm the one being punished. Do you realize we used to talk every day before this snafu? Keely, if you're there, pick up..."

Just as her fingers touched the phone, Keely heard, "I miss talking to my best friend," followed by an exasperated sigh then a click.

********

"I miss talking to my best friend." Craig disconnected, but his cell phone sat in his hand like a dead weight. The feeling that Keely was listening didn't lift his spirits. Instead he was hurt. It was Paul who cheated on her, yet he was bearing the punishment. He and Keely were the best of friends until Paul couldn't be faithful. "The sins of the father should be changed to the sins of the brother," he thought ruefully.

Craig lived with many regrets since learning that his brother had betrayed Keely. The one that weighed the most on his soul was that he was the reason Keely ever met Paul. It still stung him to think that their paths would never have crossed had he not invited her home for Thanksgiving eleven years ago. He felt like he somehow had a direct hand in betraying his friend.

As a shudder of regret rippled through his body, a new determination gripped him. He punched a few numbers into the phone and waited for it to connect.

"Hello."

"Hey, it's Craig."

"It's about time. Did it take Keely pushing you out of her life for you to realize that you love her?" barked Darbie.

The Best of Friends Ch. 02



Chapter 2 may be a tad confusing if you read the original story. Names were changed because I just wasn't connecting to the names that Keely and Darbie's husbands had. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Craig sighed into the phone. For years, Darbie had teased Keely and him about having feelings for one another and for being too blinded by their friendship to see the truth. He never knew how she got the notion in her head, but without fail, it was always stated whenever she spoke to him.

"For the millionth time, Darbie, yes, I love Keely, and no, not in the way that you mean."

"Well, if you're not calling to profess undying love for Keely then what's up? Are you having one of your lovely dinner parties with Keely as the hostess like we used to do before Paul screwed up? I know she's been busy, but I so miss those." Darbie said with glee.

That was when he realized that she had no clue that Keely had stopped all contact with him. 

"Darbie," he started hesitantly. "Do you know that Keely hasn't returned my calls since she split with Paul?"

"Son of a bitch," spat out Darbie. "It's her noble sense of not being the cause of a family rift, isn't it? Don't even bother answering me. I know that's why she isn't talking to you. What have you done in response?"

He could already hear the gears turning. Without asking, he knew that she had started formulating a plan. 

"I just keep calling her in hopes that she will get so sick of me, she'll eventually pick up the phone."

"Pfft... futile effort. You and I both know she is far more stubborn than that. It may take me awhile, but I can wear her down. I know how her logic works. Let me try something. If that doesn't work, we'll deal with it during the November cabin trip." 

Craig started to speak, but Darbie quickly cut him off by adding, "For the last ten years, you have always come on the annual November trip, and you're not going to skip it this year just because Keely is being stubborn. Just clear off the calendar, and I'll be in touch."

As he heard the phone click, all Craig could wonder was what had he committed himself to.

********

Yawning sleepily, Keely leaned over to flip off her bedside lamp. Her hand jerked as the unexpected ringing of the phone startled her. Steadying the lamp and then straightening the shade, she quickly glanced at the Caller ID and saw Craig's last name. He had called every evening at the same time since he found out about the divorce. However, it was unlike him to call late unless it was an emergency, so she picked up the phone in a panic.

"Craig? Is everything okay?"

"It's not Craig, Keely."

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, exhaled, and reread the Caller ID. It was then that she noticed that it read Emerson P. "P for Paul," she thought. The panic welled inside of her. Something had to be wrong for him to call her this late.

"Are you okay? "

"Yes."

"Oh my God! Is it your father? Did he have another heart attack?" Her pulse pounded in her ears when she thought of Paul's father having another one; she loved him as much as she loved her own father. 

Paul's heart broke when he heard the anxiety in her voice over the possibility of losing his father. She had always loved his family like her own, and he knew he was to blame for her distance from them. The irritation he had when he first called had completely dissipated.

"No, everyone is fine."

"Then why are you calling me at this hour?" Paul could hear the suppressed anger in her voice.

"I'm sorry; I had originally called to chew you a new asshole."

"Chew me a new... Why?"

"I just spent the last three hours trying to explain to your Aunt Linda that I'm not the father of Jessica's baby."

Laughter caught in her throat. She wanted to cackle with glee but the sheer exhaustion in his voice stopped her. Besides, she had never been vindictive and wasn't about to start now.

"Excuse me for coughing."

"Cut the bullshit, Keely. We were married long enough for me to know what your real cough sounds like. You were probably laughing." He even let out a little laugh of his own.

"Paul, do you blame me? It's not as if you didn't put yourself in this position. And honestly, I was sick and tired of being the one blamed for Jessica's 'situation.' I'm not the one who fucked her."

Hearing her use such language stunned him. That wasn't her style in the least, and he was shocked to know that he brought that out in her. Despite what everyone thought about him, Paul really did love Keely. He still loved her to this day, and he regretted what he had done. He sighed into the phone. 

"You're right. I'm sorry for calling so late and scaring you. I just wanted, well, I don't know what I wanted - maybe to yell and have you finally yell back at me. Keely, I know I screwed up, and I know you're angry. But unleashing your aunt Linda on me was, I don't know; let's say its cruelty in the extreme. She just kept asking me what I planned to do. I didn't know how much she knew, so I sat there like an idiot while she went on her tirade."

Keely sunk back into her bed as she spoke with Paul. 

"Truth be told, Paul, I don't know what Linda knows. I'm not the one who spoke with her. I gave Darb your new business card when she told me that Linda was starting to bother her and Alan. I didn't think it was fair for them to have to deal with her, and I just got tired of her constantly calling me. I... I just wanted you to suffer. It was wrong of me, but you are going to have to face your responsibility in this."

"Keely, it's not mine. I swear."

"You don't have to give me that. The divorce is final, so it can't be used against you. Not that I ever would have. There was only one thing I wanted: out."

The hurt in her voice cut him to the quick. It was true. In their state, she could have used his infidelity to financially rake him over the coals, and she hadn't. All she had asked for was that their property be divided equally. She didn't want alimony either. He probably would have felt better had she been a vindictive bitch about their divorce.

"Keely, I'm not feeding you a line. What you saw was a one time –"

Tearfully, she interrupted him. 

"Paul, please don't. I'm trying to move on. If it was indeed the only time then you have nothing to worry about with Aunt Linda. You can just deal with her for the next three months until the baby is born then demand a paternity test. I've got to sleep. I've got an early flight in the morning. Good luck with Aunt Linda." 

The darkness enveloped her after she flicked off the lamp. Hearing Paul again threw her into an emotional turmoil. Then there was the panic that she felt when she thought Craig was calling with an emergency. What would she do if he had been hurt and she hadn't talked to him in all these months?

There was an early flight in the morning, but sleep wasn't going to come any time soon for Keely. 

********

Due to meetings with clients and a jam packed schedule, Craig's day flew by. He had worked nonstop until his partner, Eli, had poked his head into his office and told him to go home. It wasn't until then that he realized he missed his daily 7 P.M. message to Keely. 

Although Darbie had told him that Keely would be away on a conference for the next week, he still wanted to be reliable. Lord only knew she didn't have that with his brother. He decided to leave her a message from work.

"One of these days, it's going to work," he said to himself as he picked up the phone.

A smile split his face as he heard Keely's voice on her answering machine. It was a short and simple outgoing message, but one could hear the warmth and kind nature in those few seconds. He was so distracted by her voice that it took him a moment to realize that the machine had beeped.

"Oh, it beeped, and here I was daydreaming. Yeah, it's me, Craig, being a dork and leaving my daily message albeit it a little late. It was a hectic day here at work, and in fact, I haven't even left yet. When you get home from your conference, give me a ring."

"Who am I kidding? You're not going to call until you're damn good and ready," thought Craig as he hung up the phone. Most people would have given up by now, but he and Keely had really bonded in college. She was the only person who knew his innermost feelings, and he really didn't want to lose that.

As he headed for the car, Craig just hoped that he hadn't already lost it.

********

Exploring new cities had always been Keely's passion, and she spent the first evening after her conference roaming around San Francisco only to find herself in a little restaurant nestled above an import store eating noodles. She remembered visiting Japantown regularly when her parents had been stationed in the Bay Area during her youth. However, her last visit had been over twenty years ago.

Enjoying the noodles is what she should have been doing, but instead she kept glancing at her cell phone and wondering why she hadn't heard back from Craig. He should have been home by now and heard the message that she had left him on his answering machine.

********

The blinking light on the answering machine greeted Craig as he entered the kitchen to make a light snack before settling in to watch some mindless late night television. Normally, he would have rushed to the answering machine in hopes that Keely called.  

Since she was currently in California and never returned his calls anyways, he didn't rush to press play button. Instead, he settled into making himself some tomato and basil bruschetta and poured himself a glass of wine.

The bruschetta was divine, the wine was heavenly, and the television mediocre at best. As he cleared the dishes and put them in his sink, he noticed the machine blinking still. He recalled that he hadn't checked his messages yet. 

The first message was just his mother checking in on how he had been. He smiled at how doting she was. She hadn't heard from him in a week and was ready to call out the Search and Rescue team. As the machine announced the date and time of the next message, Craig made a mental note to call his mother back first thing in the morning.

What followed was a short clipped message from Paul stating they needed to touch base. He wondered what on earth Paul needed to discuss with him and added another task onto his list of things to do in the morning.

The canned robotic voice announced another message's date and time. He continued cleaning his kitchen while listening to his machine. The plate he was washing hung in mid-air as he heard her voice.

"Craig...uh, it's Keely." Turning slowly, he stared at the machine. He didn't notice that he still held a sudsy plate in his hand, which was now leaving a puddle of soapy suds on his hardwood floor.

"You must already be at work. I just wanted to touch base with you. Um, if all your offers about being my best friend are still there, I'd like you to forget that I've been an idiot these last six months. I won't be home until Saturday morning, so I'll call you after Darb drops me off at home. If you want, you can give me a ring on my cell. It'll be on in the evenings."

Completely forgetting the plate in his hands, Craig ran to jot down the number on a stack of Post-It notes by the phone. As he reached for the pen while Keely left her new cell number, he noticed the soapy plate. He couldn't care less that he was acting like an idiot; his best friend was back in his life.



The Best of Friends Ch. 02



It didn't take long for us to finish off the six pack between stolen kisses and secret sideways glances. Alec was lying with me on the couch as we watched television. His head was on my chest, my long fingers running through his hair, the smell of his Irish Spring shampoo teasing my senses. I twisted my fingers in his hair gently and pulled his head back, looking into his eyes, wondering... He smiled the perfect, heartbreakingly beautiful smile I had tried to copy so many times. My heart skipped, he laughed a little and I sighed, releasing his hair and tracing my fingers down his spine, feeling goosebumps erupt beneath my fingers. My brain was buzzing from the alcohol and the beautiful boy in my arms, but more from the boy than the booze. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed the top of his head.

"Alec, can I ask you something?" The burning hazel of his eyes scalded into my own again and I had to look away.

"Sure."

"Who is the man you love?"

His cheeks turned crimson and he was off of the couch and across the room before I realized what was happening.

"I'm gonna run to the store and get some more booze, dude. Anything you want in particular?"

"Alec, what just happened?"

"Nothing, man. Just gotta get more beer. It isn't far to walk."

"It's snowing like hell out there."

"I'll wear a coat." 

I followed him to his room and leaned against the frame of the door, watching him get dressed. I couldn't keep myself from admiring his beautiful form. His back and shoulder muscles were perfectly sculpted, his butt was round and tight, his legs were long and muscular. His skin was smooth and pale, nearly iridescent under the lights of his room. He turned and saw me watching him.

"Feel free to pay if you like the show that much."

"There's no way I could afford you."

"Shut up, you're making me feel weird."

"No," I thought, terrified that he was having second thoughts. I crossed to him and grabbed his hand, placing my other hand under his chin and tilting his face up to mine. 

"I don't want you to feel weird about any of this." I leaned down and kissed his lips impossibly softly, then pulled away. He just stood there and looked at me. "We never have to talk about this again." I turned to leave his room, feeling the disappointment and frustration burning across the back of my neck. Then his arms were around my waist and his face pressed into my back, between my shoulders. 

"I'm not mad, Trey. Don't leave."

I intertwined my fingers with his and held his hands there, pressed to my chest, feeling my heartbeat between his fingers. 

"What do you want me to do, Alec?"

"I want you..."

I waited. Nearly a minute passed.

"You want me to what?"

"Don't be an idiot!" he said, letting go of my hands and punching me lightly in the back. "I want you. That's all. I don't want you to do anything... No, I mean.. I don't have a reason for this, but I want you more than I have words to tell you. I have wanted you since I knew what it meant to want someone. Always. I knew for sure when you carried me home that day I broke my leg cause I crashed my bike."

"Dude, we were like..twelve..."

"Yeah."

I turned to face him.

"It's me?"

"Trey, it always has been."

"Say it, Alec." His cheeks burned crimson again and I leaned forward and kissed them, smiling. 

"Trey, don't make me..."

"I want to hear you say it, so I can be sure." I hovered close to him, teasing him with a kiss that I wouldn't let him have. Not yet. He ran his hands up my chest, bringing them to rest on my shoulders. The hazel eyes were full of something I had never seen there before, and his touch sent electricity coursing through my body. 

I was naked in the middle of my best friend's room. He was half naked, his arms around me, so close that I could taste his skin. It was almost surreal, just a few hours ago I had been so certain that I was alone in this. I put my arms I around his waist, pulled his bare chest against mine and leaned down, biting his neck hard. He whimpered and I grinned, kissing the spot I had just bitten. I felt him melt into me and I brushed back his golden hair as I kissed up his neck to just under his ear, then along his jawline . 

"Just a few words, Alec. That's all it will take." He was shaking, and I held him to me more tightly. He turned his head away from me and bit his bottom lip. I was almost overwhelmed with envy. I longed to bite that lip again. Hard. I took a deep breath and focused on his breathing, which was light and shallow. He turned his face to me again and pulled a little away from me, searching my eyes for something. He smiled weakly, and I felt that if he started shaking any more he might fall apart at the seams. His eyes strayed to my lips for a moment before locking on my own eyes.

"Trey, you are my life."

I intertwined my fingers behind his back and pulled him close to me again. He wrapped his arms around my neck. I don't remember if I initiated the kiss or if he did, but it was the kind of kiss that exploded throughout my entire existence. It was soft, almost uncertain, but I wouldn't wish it any other way. I felt as if I were kissing him for the first time all over again, and as he pulled away I opened my eyes, feeling as if every puzzle piece I had ever been missing had suddenly appeared right in place. I felt like I could hardly breathe, and the smile on Alec's face mirrored the one on mine. I leaned in to kiss him again, and this time I gently bit his lower lip, sucking on it, tracing patterns on it with my tongue. I couldn't stop smiling as I kissed him, I felt his strong arms around my neck and I pulled him even closer to me, as if I might be able to pull him right into my heart, where he had always belonged. 

I held him and kissed him and felt like I was seeing the sun for the first time in my life. Like he was the rain and I was new-growing things, and he was bringing me to life. I couldn't breathe right, but I didn't need to breathe. I could kiss him and live forever. 

My hand snaked up his back and my fingers tangled in his silk hair, pulling his head back, away from me, and I bit his throat, sucking gently. I knew it would leave a mark, and that was what I wanted. I wanted to mark him for the world to see. He squirmed a little, inhaling sharply. I pulled away from him, my fingers still in his hair, and looked deep into his eyes.

"You are mine, Alec."

"Yours."

I fell to my knees in front of him and unbuttoned the jeans he had pulled on not long ago, pulling them down to reveal the beautiful length that I was beginning to become familiar with. I kissed the tip of his cock, which was already hard, and smiled at the drop of precum that was left glistening on my lips. I stood again and pushed him backward until the back of his legs hit the bed and he fell backward, where he kicked his jeans all the way off. He looked up at me desperately. 

"Trey, make me yours for real. Take everything I am. I need you."

I got on top of him, my hands on the bed on either side of his head, my stiff erection grinding against his as I moved my hips back and forth slowly, watching the pleasure dance across his face. The excitement was a tense knot in my stomach. I had wanted this for so long. I had longed for the feeling of his skin against mine, his soul and body bare to me for a brief moment in time, when all the cards were in my hand and it was up to me to decide how to play them. I smiled and touched his beautiful face softly with my hand. 

"This is my first, Alec."

"Mine too, Trey. It's what I have been waiting for."

"I've been practicing.." I bent to kiss him deeply, our tongues tangling with each other. Every little sound that he made sent waves of pleasure rocking through my entire body. "Are you sure you want me?"

"Trey, I need you." 

I smiled again and moved my way down his body, taking his perfect length in my hand and laying between his legs. I kissed up and down the shaft, then started sucking him, quickly. It felt like if I didn't go fast enough, this crystal moment would shatter and I would wake up to a world in which pretty brunette girls were what Alec really wanted and I was just a roommate and best friend. I sucked him deep, rolling his heavy balls between my fingers and humming quietly, the vibrations traveling through his throbbing cock all the way into his core. He gasped and thrust into my hungry mouth, hard, and I responding by sucking him even harder. I stopped for a few moments to lick his sweet, smooth balls, before engulfing his cock again. My middle finger snuck downward to tease his tight pink hole, and the sharp inhale told me that he was getting close. His hand on my head made me pause and look up at him.

"Not like this, Trey. I want to be yours." I smiled and climbed back up, leaving a trail of kisses along his flat stomach and biting each of his nipples lightly before kissing him again. His cock was wet from my saliva, and I straddled him, pressing the head of his swollen member against my tight hole. I had been preparing for this moment for so long that my muscles were well trained. I knew just what to do. I smiled at him and closed my eyes, relaxing and letting out my breath before pushing myself down on him hard. There was a moment of painful resistance, but then his thick pink head stretched its way into my tight hole and I felt my muscles contract around him. Alec let out a little whimper of absolute ecstasy and writhed in pleasure beneath me. I licked my fingers and lubed myself up a little more before pressing myself all the way down onto him. He looked up at me, and the adoration that I saw in his eyes drove me wild. I slid myself all the way up his cock, til the head nearly popped out, and then I slammed myself back down again. His cock stretched me so far, filled me so incredibly. I could hardly believe that my best friend was underneath me on his bed with his cock balls deep in my tight virgin ass. My head fell back in pleasure.

I moved and he moved with me. Every time I pushed myself down, he thrust himself up to meet me, making our union that much harder and more passionate. Whatever pain there had been at the beginning of his entrance was erased as he nudged against my prostate and sent me cascading through worlds of pleasure I had never imagined could exist. I rocked with him deep inside and felt an orgasm unlike any I had before in my life building deep inside me. It felt like it was squeezing itself out through my bone marrow and exploding through my nerves like firecrackers. My body was being engulfed in the flames of our passion and pleasure. I kept rocking, rising and falling, drawn ever nearer to the edge. I opened my eyes and looked at my best friend, my lover, and he was staring at me. Chills tingled up my spine.

"What?" I gasped with him buried inside me.

"You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

I placed my hand on his chest and felt his heartbeat underneath my fingers as I bent over, my tongue tracing the outline of his lips before I kissed him again, so deeply that I almost lost myself in him. I broke away for a moment, wrapped my arms around him and brought my lips close to his ear, my breath quickening as he pounded into me and the orgasm of my life started ripping through my body.

"Alec, I love you." I whispered as I exploded thick ropes of cum between our sweat-shined bodies. At my words, his fingernails raked down my back and with a moan that was almost a scream he filled me with his orgasm. We came together for what could have been hours, our bodies convulsing with involuntary spasms of pleasure. I gathered enough energy to roll off of him onto my side, sitting up long enough to kiss the head of his softening cock, licking the cum that was left on my lips. I fell back next to him on my side, closing my eyes, only opening them when I felt him draw close to and bury his head against my chest. I held him tightly in my arms, kissed the top of his head. Our breathing aligned. Together we fell into the ether of dreamless sleep. 



The Best of Friends Ch. 03



Chapter 3 is very short. True love conquers all, right? ;-)

~*~*~*~*~*~

Immediately after the seatbelt light was extinguished by the captain, almost all the passengers stood to retrieve their jostled belongings from the overhead compartments. Keely, however, was not one of them. With her cell phone to her left ear and her finger in her right ear, she told Darbie that her plane had landed. 

Most travelers would have friends or loved ones waiting for them in the airport, but Keely didn't see the point in having anyone waste time waiting for her, especially if the plane arrived late. 

Whenever she flew, she always waited until the plane landed to notify whoever was picking her up that she had arrived. She would then wait for that person to pick her up from the airport. In her opinion, it was better for her to wait than inconveniencing anyone.

Grabbing her small carry-on, she exited the plane and made her way through the jet way. She had been in this airport so many times that she was on autopilot as she navigated the concourse towards the baggage claim. Her thoughts were on Craig. It bothered her that he hadn't returned her call. That's why she didn't notice the proximity of the man standing next to her; until his fingers closed around her upper arm.

"What the hell are you doing, buddy?" Instinctively, she wrenched her arm back, looked up, and was startled.

"Keely, its okay, it's me."

"Craig, are you trying to give me a coronary?" she uttered as her hand fluttered over her heart.

"No," he uttered sheepishly. "I didn't realize you were so deep in thought and so unaware of your surroundings. I'm sorry."

"No, no, you're right. I'm usually not so oblivious. Wait, what are you doing here?" 

He grinned. It was the grin that Keely had aptly named as his mischievous grin because people only saw it when he was up to something. She had seen it many times over the course of their friendship. 

"I thought it would be obvious. I'm picking you up."

"Darbie was supposed to pick me up."

"You're right she was, but since you deigned it okay for me to be back in your life, I wasn't going to give you a chance to change your mind. I called her and asked if she minded if I picked you up."

Keely cocked her head to the side and gave him her stern face, which never worked on him. 

"Why didn't you call me on my cell then?"

"When I got your message, I realized you were most likely asleep." 

He noticed that she was about to interrupt and added, "Don't even argue with me about calling any time. You forget that I know that you don't function well the following day when your sleep is interrupted and that you have a hard time falling back to sleep. Work is so hectic that I haven't had a free moment to call from there either."

Spying her only checked bag, she effortlessly grabbed the handles and pulled it off the baggage carousel. Craig took it from her and asked if she had any others despite knowing that she always packed light. Once she confirmed that his old instincts weren't wrong, he led her to the parking garage.

As they walked through the garage, they caught up on the last sixth months. After he explained that business was booming for him, she brought him up to speed on how she taken a sabbatical from teaching to focus on her massage therapy business. She also added how it had allowed her to stay grounded during her divorce.

Keely tried to explain why she didn't contact him, but Craig told her that he knew her reasoning. He also reassured her that her divorce from Paul wasn't creating a division within the family. 

In fact, his parents still expected her to play the same role in the family that she had prior to marrying Paul. That was the role of best friend to him. 

Since Paul was never big on family functions, their mother had proclaimed that Keely was still expected to attend them. She felt overjoyed at the statement because she had always adored Craig and Paul's parents; they were good people. 

En route to her house, she asked him how his relationship with Cat was going. He and Cat had been going out for the last two years, and she was still shocked at their mismatched pair. Craig was a driven man who headed a company with his partner, Eli. His company ran like a well-oiled machine, but at the same time, he and Eli showed the utmost compassion for their employees.

On the flip side of that relationship was Cat. She seemed like a ruthless business shark with an icy demeanor who would do anything to get to the top of her company. This was the polar opposite of Craig, and Keely surmised that the old adage of opposites attract must be true when it came to relationships. It certainly was in this case.

"How do you feel about being my best man?" He glanced over at her while he drove and grinned.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, actually, I guess it would be my best woman." 

A blanket of confusion slid over Keely's face as she asked him to clarify.

"While we weren't speaking, I proposed to Cat. I'm asking you to stand up for me and be my best 'man' now that you're back in my life."

She stammered, "Yes," but at that moment, for some unexplainable reason, she felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. Chalking it up to the shock of seeing her best friend, the proverbial bachelor, get married, she smiled at him.

"I know it must be shocking, but what can I say? I'm in love."

Keely said, "I remember that feeling."

As he pulled into the driveway, he turned to her and his face was graven. "You can't let what Paul did cloud your opinions of love. You used to celebrate other people's engagements."

She didn't have the heart to tell him that she was still a hopeless romantic. How could she tell Craig that Cat had made her skin crawl since the first day they met? There was no way she would ever burst his bubble when he looked so ecstatic.

"Don't worry, Craig. I'll be okay in time."

Realizing he was examining her, she opened the door and asked him to pop the trunk. "I've really got to catch up with my clients and appointments. I'll call you tomorrow."

She waved as Craig pulled away and wondered why she felt so empty. 



The Best of Friends Ch. 04



Chapter 4 is ready for your perusal. I apologize for the shortness of some of my chapters. I write until I reach a stopping point or until my brain freezes, whichever comes first. In this case, it took a little longer than usual for it to freeze.

~*~*~*~*~*~

After returning from her week in California, time seemed to move so quickly for Keely. Her clientele had picked up considerably, and it was all due to word of mouth. Most of her clients needed evening and weekend appointments, so she spent some of her weekdays volunteering at her former school helping out wherever they needed her.

It wasn't until she noticed a sign for the Homecoming dance near the school's office that it dawned on her that fall was here. She was marveling at how fleeting time really was when one of her former students spoke behind her.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Emerson. Are you planning on coming to the homecoming dance or are you checking the signs for errors?"

Without turning around, Keely already knew it was Rhianna. Though she would never admit it, Rhianna was probably her most favorite student of all time. After spending fifth period science with her during Rhianna's freshman year, there was no way Keely would have ever thought she would grow to care for the kid. In fact, had people told her that Rhianna would be her favorite in a few years, she would have laughed in their faces. 

Keely turned and smiled. Rhianna was an independent young girl whose mother worked two jobs. While Rhianna was a freshman, Keely had spent many hours after school trying to keep her on the straight and narrow. It had worked. Standing before her was an honor society student with a passion for learning and a penchant for all things science. 

"Rhianna! How are you, and how's your mother?"

"I'm doing well. I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed by all the college applications, but I'll manage. Mom's doing great; she just loves the new job, and it pays enough and has excellent health benefits so she only has to work there now. No more second job! Plus, her boss has told her that if she wants to go to law school, he'll foot the bill as long as she agrees to practice in his firm when she's done."

"Oh, Rhianna," she squealed with joy. "That is wonderful news! How did your mom find that job? It sounds perfect for her!" 

The young girl tilted her head at Keely and studied her quizzically. "You should know," she stated.

"I should?"

"Yeah, you should. Your husband gave her the job."

"What?!?" gasped Keely. "When did this happen? Wait, you mean Paul, my ex-husband?"

"What do you mean he's your ex-husband?"

"Explain the job thing, and I'll explain the ex-husband thing."

"Do you remember when you and Mr. Emerson drove my mom and me to scout out colleges last spring over break?" 

"Yes." Keely recalled how Paul had been in a foul mood when they left because he hadn't wanted to go, but he had put on a friendly façade during the excursion.

"Well, when you and I fell asleep on the drive home, Mr. Emerson was talking to my mom. I guess she mentioned that she had paralegal experience and that all the jobs she'd were part-time. He took her number and promised that the next position open would be hers. She didn't really believe him, but a week later, his paralegal quit working to be a stay-at-home mom. Mom was the first person he called. I think he must have heard enough about us from you that he wanted to help out. Now what is this about him being your ex?"

It dawned on Keely that she didn't know because at that time, she was moving out of the home she had shared with Paul. The only words she had uttered were "I'm leaving," and she hadn't waited around to hear anything from Paul.

"I filed for divorce about two weeks after that trip. By the way, I'm back to my maiden name of Jacobsen. It's a story that I don't want to rehash, plus I don't think my former student should hear about my drama. You might envision me as less of a science geek. We can't have that happen." Keely winked at Rhianna, who let out a giggle.

"Oh heaven forbid we students see you as a real human," she joked. "You know, I always thought that you should have married Mr. Emerson's brother. I liked when he came as an extra chaperone on field trips."

Just as Keely was about to ask her why the young girl thought that, the screeching of the bell filled the halls.

"Oh, I better get going. I can't be late for physics. Bye, Mrs. Emer ... Jacobsen."

"Bye sweetie." Keely spent the rest of her morning in a daze over Paul's kindness and Rhianna's unexpected declaration.

********

As she drove to meet Darbie for lunch, her thoughts kept bouncing around in her mind. She couldn't get them to coalesce; it was too much shock over Paul's generosity. 

She arrived at the restaurant fifteen minutes early. With time to kill, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed. On the third ring, he picked up his direct line.

"Paul Emerson here."

"Paul, it's Keely."

"Keely?" he cheerfully greeted her. "What did I do to deserve this call?"

"Well, I was volunteering at school, and I ran into Rhianna. She told me what you did for her mother, and I wanted to thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. Beth is a dedicated employee, and she's sharp. Sharp enough that I want her to go to law school and be a partner. In fact, I should be thanking you for making me go with you three to scout colleges and apologize for being an ass prior to that trip. It was a good experience, and it gave me the chance to talk to Beth."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He sighed. "I believe, at that point, you weren't listening to a thing I had to say. Not that I hired her to placate you, mind you. In my mind, she was hired the day we drove home. It was just a matter of a vacancy opening up here."

"You know, you really are a good guy."

"Ah, don't forget to add, 'Despite the fact that you fucked up our marriage' to that sentence," he replied dejectedly.

"You know what, Paul?" In that moment, Keely had an epiphany: she wasn't bitter anymore.

"What's that, Keely?"

"Oddly enough, I've forgiven you. People make mistakes. It's about time you forgave yourself."

Silence greeted her. Keely would have thought he hung up if it hadn't been for the shallow breathing she heard through the receiver. It dawned on her that it wasn't breathing; Paul was crying.

********

Several minutes later...

Darbie waited across from Keely as she finished her call.

"Okay, we'll talk later. Are you going to be all right? Are you sure? Okay. I'll check on you later. Bye, Paul," was all she heard, but it was enough for Darbie to give Keely a stunned look.

"Stop giving me that look," Keely snapped as she put her phone in her purse. "Don't start jumping to conclusions."

"Then why don't you explain to me why you were so civil to him?"

Darbie listened intently as Keely detailed her morning encounter with Rhianna along with the phone call that just ended. When Keely was done, Darb gently asked if Keely was sure about forgiving Paul.

"Darb, it was like a total moment of clarity. I wasn't angry any more, and it wasn't because he gave Beth a job. Although, that did help me remember that he was a good person before his one indiscretion. One mistake shouldn't negate all the good choices he's ever made."

Darb gave her an appraising stare. 

"Are you thinking of getting back together with Paul?"

"Hell no!"

"Why not?"

"Because, unlike my brother, I don't share well."

Darbie snorted. The comment wasn't meant to offend. It was just a simple fact. Keely had known for years that Darb led a less than 'nilla lifestyle and assumed her own brother was part of it, too. As long as they were happy, she didn't care.

"You never know until you try," Darbie winked.

"You've said that to me how many times now?"

"Maybe a million," Darbie mused.

"Wow, that's almost as many times as you've asked Craig and I when we are going to realize we love one another."

"Speaking of Craig, how is that sexy man? Has he figured out yet that he loves you?" Darbie flashed one of her killer smiles at Keely and batted her eyelashes.

"Yeah right."

"It's only a matter of time. Mark my words."

"Don't hold your breath. He's marrying Cat."

The glass slipped from Darb's hand, but she had the quickness to upright it before it spilled all over her and the table. 

"When did this happen?"

"I thought I told you when I got home from that conference at the end of August."

"Um, no, I would have remembered something like that."

"You sure? I mean, you are getting older, Darb," Keely said with mock concern. 

A roll of her eyes let Keely know what she thought of that comment. "Why the hell would he marry that bitch?"

"Opposites attract, I guess."

"Did you ever mention how badly she treats you?"

"Come on, Darb. What am I going to do? Tattle on her to Craig?" Splaying the fingers of each hand on her cheeks, Keely whined, "Oh Craig, please help me. Cat is being mean to me." 

"I would advise you give Cat a dose of her own medicine, but that's just not your way. You're too nice. When is the wedding?"

"Craig wanted a winter wedding; he feels summer weddings are overdone and because winter is his favorite season. However, the Ice Queen wants a June wedding."

"Figures. Is Paul going to be his best man?"

"Yeah right. Craig wasn't Paul's best man at our wedding, remember? Paul had his closest fraternity brother be his best man. Despite having shared the same womb, those two are like oil and water."

"Then who is his best man?"

"You're looking at her," muttered Keely.

"Oh my God! Tell me you are joking. How on earth did he get the Ice Queen to agree to that?"

"I'm assuming he didn't ask. He just stated. That would explain the newest level of hell she is putting me through."

"How so?" 

"She can't decide if she wants me in bridesmaid gown, a gown that resembles the tuxedos in color, or in a tuxedo."

"Do you realize how out of place you would look in a tuxedo? You'll look so..." Darbie trailed off.

"Manly," Keely added. "I think that is her intention. She has never liked me. Even when they dated in college, she was absolutely horrid to me."

"You know why, don't you?"

"No, but I know you're going to tell me. Go ahead."

"She's jealous."

"Of what?"

"I'm telling you: you and Craig have a bond that neither of you even realizes. People around you can see it, but you two are blind to it. Cat is aware of it, and she punishes you for it."

Looking up to the ceiling, Keely cursed. "Here you go again."

"All right, all right, I won't mention it." 

"Don't forget to add 'today' to that."

Darbie smiled and forged on. "Now that we've addressed the crappiness known as your love life, let's talk about the week at the cabin. You're coming up, right?"

"Of course. Have I missed a November retreat yet?"

"No, but Alan and I were fearful that you would this year."

"Yeah, it's all good now. Who will be there?"

For the last decade, it had been a fall ritual to invite friends up to join them at the Jacobsen cabin. Keely and Alan's father had suggested it the year that he had taken their mother on a cruise during November. The entire family couldn't be there, but he had told them they should start a new tradition.

"Alan and I, of course. Craig is coming, but Cat has begged off saying work is more important. Oh, I invited Eli and his wife, Brigid, since Paul wasn't coming. That is unless you wanted me to extend an invite to him."

"No, that's quite all right. Besides, I don't think he wants to face Alan."

"Yeah, that wouldn't be good."

They stuck their heads together and went on with planning their annual vacation.

********

November...

Evergreen trees rushed by as Alan maneuvered the SUV higher into the mountains. Keely glanced at Darbie dozing in the passenger seat. Ever since they were kids, she would always be the first one asleep on a car ride. Something about the movement of the car always lulled her to sleep, and Keely had always given her hell for it.

Unlike Darbie, she couldn't fall asleep. Giddiness filled her as she thought about being in the cabin. Since she was a little girl, the cabin had been magical, and even in her adulthood, it still held the same allure.

Alan broke into her silent revelry. "We'll be there in twenty minutes, Kee. Not that I need to tell you."

Glancing up into the rearview mirror, she caught his smile and grinned back. Alan had always teased her about the cabin. He liked it, but he didn't feel that close bond with it like she did. Her gaze fell back to the evergreens going by.

The SUV had barely come to a stop in the wide gravel driveway when Keely threw the backdoor open and bolted up the steps to unlock the front door. She knew the cabin would be stocked because Jan and Mark, friends of their family, had retired early and opened up a little general store near the lake. Their cabin was a quarter mile down the road from the Jacobsen cabin. Keely's dad had known them over twenty years, so the couple had a key and maintained it during the winter months if no one was visiting.

Fresh pine greeted her as she opened the door. Jan had taken it upon herself to remove the slip covers and clean even though the cabin hadn't sat vacant that long. Keely made a mental note to take over some fresh baked goods to Jan later in the day.

Not wanting to shirk her share of the luggage duties, Keely hurriedly joined Alan and Darbie to bring in their suitcases and the extra food. The three of them worked in the kitchen to add their food to the bounty already in the pantry and had the groceries unpacked within fifteen minutes.

Alan and Darbie disappeared down the southern hall to put luggage in their room while Keely stood in the center of the kitchen and absorbed the cabin's energy. The kitchen, which sat at an angle in the west, had only a tall island that separated it from great room so she could view almost everything.

The eastern wall of the great room consisted mostly of windows that looked out over the lake. The railing of their wrap-around deck stood beyond the windows. Hallways were to the north and south. Next to the southern hallway entrance, there was a split staircase. One way led to the enclosed loft. That was always reserved for Keely's parents. It had never been stated, but no one ever went up there to sleep. The other way led to the game room downstairs complete with pool table, card table, and wood burning stove.

On part of the north wall was a huge river rock fireplace that easily heated the entire cabin. It was the focal point of the great room. It had enough room and furniture to comfortably seat ten people, and many nights at the cabin were spent near the hearth playing board games or just sharing mulled wine.

"Hey Keely," called Alan as he stepped into the great room.

"Yeah?"

"Which room are you going to use?"

Puzzled she looked at him. Why wouldn't she use the room that had always been hers? "Mine. Why would I want to use any of the others?"

"I guess I thought you might be more comfortable in another room," her brother replied as he shrugged.

"Seriously, I'm okay. It doesn't matter that Paul and I spent time here. The cabin still holds the same magic now as it did before Paul. Nothing will change that. Besides, I know Mom took down all the pictures that were in that room. Although they wouldn't have bothered me."

"Okay, whatever you say." He shook his head in disbelief.

At that point in the conversation, Darbie poked her head into the great room. "We figured we would put Eli and Brigid on our side of the cabin. That way you won't have to share the adjoining bathroom with a couple. We'll let you share a bathroom with Craig. He knows how you are; no need to subject Brigid and Eli to that." 

"And exactly how am I?"

Alan and Darbie looked at each other then at her and replied, "You're a bathroom hog." 

They proceeded to hoot and howl as she muttered all the way to her room.

********

At noon, Eli and Brigid arrived with Craig in tow. Darbie led Eli and Brigid to their room and told Craig that he was family and could find his own room. He muttered, "You probably stuck me with the bathroom hog."

"Hey! I heard that!" Keely barked as she baked cookies.

Craig just chuckled and left Keely to finish baking for Jan. She knew the older lady had a sweet tooth but would never bake for herself. It was a small way to show her appreciation of Jan's care of the cabin in their absence.

As she pulled the last batch out of the oven, she noticed that everyone had congregated in the kitchen. No doubt they were awaiting the cookies. Sighing loudly, she staked a claim on the cookies on the cooling rack for Jan. Then she opened the warmer and pulled out a plate of cookies she had set aside for them.

"I'm going to head over to Jan's. Anyone want to walk with me? It's only a quarter mile. There's a path that cuts through the trees."

"I'll go with you," volunteered Brigid. "We haven't spent much time together since, uh..."

"My divorce." She noticed the sheepish look on Brigid's face and added, "It's okay to talk about it. In fact, I've talked to Paul. We're good."

If Craig had snapped his head up faster, he would have broken something. Keely saw it out of the corner of her eye but didn't respond. Instead she focused on wrapping up the cookies. She didn't want to have to explain herself to him nor defend his brother. Even though they spent time together, there was some edginess to their relationship that she couldn't explain. It had gotten worse in the last month; most of their time together was spent snapping at one another.

"Hey Brigid, don't forget to wear your hiking boots and bring gloves just in case. It's not too cold yet, but I don't want you to get a chill."

********

As the two ladies made their way to Jan and Mark's cabin, Brigid broke the silence by saying she was glad that Cat wasn't spending the week with them at the cabin.

Devoid of emotion, Keely asked why.

"I don't know. I'm just not very comfortable with her. We've been to the same functions because the guys are business partners, and she has even been to our house, but there's just something off about her."

"So what do you think of the impending nuptials?"

"Between you, me, and the trees, neither Eli nor I can figure out what Craig sees in her. She's got great business acumen, but there is something lacking in her social skills. I see it as cold and artificial. I wonder if she's always been like that."

"She was like that when they dated in college. It was a torrid on again-off again relationship. Craig would get sick of her attitude and break it off with her, and a few months later, she would come back sweet as pie. It was interesting to watch, but I will admit it was horrible to take her attitude."

"To him?"

"No, to me. Granted, she never did it in front of him, but she's always been rude to me when he wasn't around."

"I can't see Craig tolerating someone he was involved with treating his best friend so cruelly."

"That's because he doesn't know. I've never seen the reason to go crying to him. I can hold my own. Oh, we're here."

Just before Jan opened the door, Brigid confided, "I just think Cat is mean to you because you're a threat. Craig may not know his feelings for you on a conscious level, but Cat sure does."

Before Keely could ask her to expound on what she had just said, Jan opened the door and invited them in. An hour passed with Brigid taking a tour of the house and Jan sharing stories of the area. Keely really enjoyed Brigid's company and was glad that Jan took a liking to her, too. Eventually, they headed back to the Jacobsen cabin.

********

The walk home had been enjoyable. Keely had forgotten to ask Brigid about her last comment before Jan opened the door, and when she finally remembered, they were back at the cabin with everyone. She made a note to ask her about it when they were alone again.




The Best of Friends Ch. 04



Brigid joined the others down in the game room, but Keely wanted to grab a quick nap before dinner. Her first day at the cabin always required a short pick-me-up nap because she would never get a restful night of sleep prior to a trip there; she would be too excited.

Bracing one hand on the four poster bed, she shucked off her jeans. She debated whether or not to leave on her thermal leggings. Pulling them off, she stood to see if the ambient temperature was warm enough. When she decided it was, the leggings promptly fell to the floor. Standing in her long t-shirt, socks, and underwear, she listlessly edged closer to the side of the bed. A nap was what all she needed.

Right before collapsing into the bed, she noticed that she still had her bra on. In the midst of trying to take it off by pulling her arms into her shirt, she missed the gentle knock at the bathroom door. Her bedroom and the other bedroom shared a full bathroom. 

Her grunt of satisfaction at undoing her bra was misinterpreted as permission to enter for Craig who used the shared bathroom as an entry to her room. He stepped in only to be smacked with her bra as she threw it over her shoulder on her journey to the bed.

"Ow! My eye!" 

This wasn't the first time he had been hit with articles of Keely's clothing. They had lived together all through college, and he had quickly learned that if Keely was tired and wearing too many clothes, it was a safe bet to move away from her. Had he known she was peeling layers when he entered the room, he would have ducked.

With mild irritation about her nap being delayed, Keely quickly spun around and thrust her arms through her sleeves. She crossed over to Craig and gently pulled his fingers from his eye. They had lived together long enough that it didn't even stun her to be in just a shirt and underwear in front of him.

"Craig, sit down, and let me see."

She maneuvered him to the edge of her bed and looked down. He loosened his grip and she noticed that he had a small scratch underneath his eye where the hook must have scratched him, but the eye, itself, was fine.

"It's just a small scratch. Keep your finger on it until the stinging goes away. You'll survive. What are you doing in here?"

"I wanted to talk to you, and when I knocked, you grunted approval."

She thought back to the last few minutes and realized her grunting whilst removing her bra was mistaken for her permission to enter. She knew it was a simple misunderstanding, so she didn't correct him. Besides, they had spent the last few weeks snapping at each other. She didn't want it to become a full-blown fight.

"What did you want to talk about?" 

He looked up at her and said, "Paul."

Keely started to back away, but when she had Craig sit on the bed, she had stood between his legs to look at his scratch. He quickly clamped his thighs on either side of her and snaked his arm around her waist. This was going to turn into a fight.

"Keely," he said gently, "what did you mean earlier when you said that you and Paul were 'good'?"

She placed both hands on his shoulder and tried to free herself. That only caused him to tighten his grip.

"Answer me, Kee. Are you getting back together with him after how he treated you? You can't go back to him; he's an ass," he stated sternly.

"What on earth would make you think that?" Her irritation was rising.

"You're not one to forgive and forget when you've been betrayed, so I can't see why you would be talking to Paul unless he's duped you into forgiveness."

Keely was pissed now, and she struggled to pull free. She didn't want to hurt Craig, but she did want out of his grasp and this conversation. How dare he assume she was stupid enough to go back to Paul! 

"I'm going to ask you to let go one more time, Craig," she warned as she leaned down to put her forehead to his. "I don't want to talk about Paul, and I'm pretty pissed that you'd assume I was too stupid to avoid falling into the same trap twice." 

He pushed back against her forehead. "And I'm going to ask you one more time to tell me why you're talking to Paul." 

Keely had wrestled enough with Alan as a kid and when they were teenagers to see an opportunity to get out of someone's grasp. She had even wrestled with Craig when they lived together. Usually that was over the remote. The moment Craig pushed forward with his head Keely pushed herself up from the floor and tried to propel her body over Craig's left shoulder towards the mattress. However, she hadn't factored that Craig would counter her move, and he twisted so they both turned. He quickly pinned her arms to the bed and managed to straddle both of her legs.

He leaned into Keely and his face was a few inches from hers. "Are you going to tell me or are we lying like this for the rest of our vacation?"

"Fuck you!" she hissed as she shoved her hips upwards in hopes of pushing him away. Rage filled her so much that she didn't feel her shirt rise up a few inches.

He bucked back pushing her into the mattress and moving his face even closer to hers, and said, "Oh, you must be very mad to swear at me; you never say, 'Fuck.' Just tell me what's going on. Or are you going to shut me out of your life again?"

It hurt her when he said those last words, and she caved. She told him about her conversation with Paul and that she had called to thank him for taking care of Rhianna's mother. She held nothing back, not even his crying at the end of their conversation when she told him she forgave him. Keely also added how she and Paul had starting talking regularly. It was nothing romantic, but he was really supporting her through all this frustration she felt.

"Frustation over what?" asked Craig as he once again pressed his forehead to hers.

She couldn't tell him it was from dealing with Cat, his Cat, and the love of his life. "I don't know," she lied. "I've just been so frustrated lately, and I've been taking it out on you. I'm sorry." 

Tears escaped from her eyes, rolled down her cheeks, and silently hit the mattress. He kissed her tear-stained cheek. He'd done it many times in the past, but it had never affected her the way it did now. Her toes curled, and her heart heaved. At the same time, she felt a piece of it die, for he was going to marry Cat. 

"Keely, I think you know why. Just tell me."

"I can't Craig." 

Her grey eyes were so dark and clouded with pain that Craig felt it in the pit of his stomach. He wanted nothing more than to keep her safe and protect her. Without thinking, he leaned down and slowly brushed his lips against hers. She gasped deeply, and he pulled back to stare down at her.

At that moment, he became aware of four things: her exposed hardened nipple with its crinkled cap peeking out from the bottom hem of her shirt, his hard-on begging to be released from its confinement, the overwhelming urge to kiss her again, and the unbridled lust in her eyes. He'd never seen that look from her and any rational thought he had vanished.

Without releasing his hold on her, Craig deftly rearranged his legs so they were between hers and languorously rocked against her. His movements were slow and suggestive, and in that simple move, his intentions were loud and clear to Keely. Her instinctive response was to wrap her legs around his waist in hopes of drawing him closer.

"What am I doing," she thought. "This isn't right." As she was battling for a semblance of sanity, Craig rolled his hips more insistently, which brought his clothed cock to rest against her clit. All Keely could do was rock back against him. Throwing her head back, she moaned with such pleasure that Craig lost all thought for a moment.

Her uttering his name in a breathy whisper brought his focus back. He leaned in and kissed Keely again even slower. They were so consumed by that kiss, that neither one of them heard the gentle knock on the door. Nor did they notice the door open.

"What the fuck is going on here?" shouted Cat. 



The Best of Friends Ch. 05



Talk about total writer's block. Cat was being uncooperative. What a shock!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Scrambling out from under Craig before Cat had a chance to start yelling again, Keely seized her discarded clothes from the floor on her way to the bathroom. The reality of what had transpired in the last few minutes overwhelmed her with guilt as she lowered herself on tub's side. Never once in her life had she ever overstepped the boundaries of anyone's relationship, and to do so now with her best friend filled her with an intense shame and confusion.

Her confusion was due to the fact that, for a moment, Keely had seriously considered ignoring the woman and continuing. She hadn't wanted to break her connection with Craig. Her trembling hand pressed against her swollen lips as she thought of how his kisses had sent her emotions and body into orbit, and how, begrudgingly, she was brought back to Earth by Cat's voice. A voice Keely could still hear through the door. 

"You lying son of a bitch! I knew you two weren't just friends! How long have you been fucking that whore?" spewed Cat from the other side.

Keely couldn't hear Craig's response. It didn't matter anyway. Both of their answers would be identical: this was the first and only time. She knew no matter what either of them said Cat would never believe them nor trust them.

"Oh God," she groaned placing her head into her hands. "Cat's never going to let me be around Craig."

"I don't think that is going to stop Craig, hon." 

Keely's gaze swept up to see Darbie's tall form leaning in the doorway that led into Craig's room. She was startled at first, at the tall redhead's sudden presence. Then she remembered that even as kids when she hid in this bathroom, Darb had always found her because she always forgot to lock the bathroom's other door.

"You came when you heard the yelling, huh?"

"Actually, no; I showed Cat to Craig's room. When she didn't find him there, she knocked on your door. I was in the middle of telling her that you were napping when she barged in, which just proves she has bad manners."

"Only you would think to mention someone's manners during a time like this." Keely sighed. "Oh God. She's going to think you were trying to cover up for us."

"Cat can believe whatever she wants. Not like anyone can tell that woman otherwise. Do I really look like I'm worried?" Pushing off the door frame, Darb perched herself on the edge of the tub nudging Keely with her shoulder. 

Keely shot Darb a rueful smile. "Nope, you never are."

"You shouldn't be either. Now are you going to explain how this," Darbie gestured to the door, "all started?"

Darbie listened as Keely briefed her on the events that had just transpired.

"So, where do you stand?"

Throwing a sidelong glance at her friend, Keely said, "Clarify."

"Where do you stand emotionally?"

"I don't."

"I'm not going to argue with you. Instead, let me ask you a few questions, and I want you to answer without analyzing them."

"Fine."

Turning, Darb assessed her friend. "What will you feel if Cat forgives Craig and they work things out?"

"Crushed."

"Why?"

"Because I won't see him anymore. He makes me laugh, he balances me out, and we enjoy so many of the same things. I feel happy when he's around and empty when he isn't around. I don't know. I just enjoy his company." She shrugged.

"Keely, hon, doesn't that sound like love to you?"

She took one look at Darb and started to cry. "Oh shit."

********

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," thought Craig as he faced Cat.

As Cat was screaming at him, his thoughts wandered. When she had burst in on him and Keely, he initially thought his worst nightmare had come to fruition. This wasn't it by any means. His worst had begun when his flakey brother had started to date Keely eleven years ago. It then evolved to an absolute horror when she had accepted Paul's proposal and actually married him. 

Until now, Craig attributed all his antipathy towards their relationship to the fact that his brother was flighty with women, and he simply didn't want to be left to blame because of Paul's screw-ups. Never once did he contemplate that his negative feelings were due to the emotions he felt towards Keely, the emotions he had ignored until their kiss.

The furrow in his brow deepened as he thought.

"Trying to figure out a plausible explanation?" sneered Cat

His train of thought completely derailed at the sharp sound of Cat's voice. Even though he was conscious of her being in the room, he had blocked her out while exploring his feelings about Keely. All he could manage to do was stammer, "What?"

"I don't believe this! Where the hell did you drift off to? Wait. Are you thinking about her?"

Being the honest man that he was, Craig didn't even think to lie even though it would probably grant him some leniency from her tirade. "Yeah, I was."

With one finger poised in mid-air and the other firmly planted on her hip, Cat was thrown for a loop. He could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't expecting him to be honest. Who could blame her? Most men in his situation would probably eke out some weak excuse. 

Cat's blue eyes narrowed and darkened. Her arms came down to her sides, and she held him with an assessing stare. Slowly, she strutted towards him. Craig knew this move well. She always assumed it when she was angry. Long ago, he had found it both sexy and thrilling because it always meant they would have the best make-up sex. Now, the allure was utterly gone.

"You have your goddamn nerve," she hissed as she poked him pointedly in the chest with her finger. "How long have you two been fucking?"

Staring down at her, Craig asked, "Does it really matter what I say to you? You're not going to believe me, are you?"

"Try me."

Despite knowing that Cat wouldn't accept the truth, he resigned himself to at least try to tell her the truth. Looking down at her, he braced himself for the tirade he knew would come as he said, "This was the first time. I've never kissed Keely until today let alone done anything else."

Never breaking eye contact with Craig, Cat circled around him and jiggled the handle on the door. When the door didn't open, she thumped it hard with her fist several times then walked towards the nightstand.

To Craig's shock, it wasn't Keely who opened the door.

"Yes?" said Darbie as her head poked out from behind the edge of the door.

Cat's ire turned to Darbie. "Get Keely out here," snapped Cat. "Now!" As Darbie ducked her head behind the door, Cat thought she heard the statuesque woman say something about manners. "Fuck her," thought Cat.

"I'm here," a completely clothed Keely uttered quietly as she entered the room with Darbie following behind. She had entered with her head down in total shame, but her eyes rose to meet Cat's cold stare.

Before Craig had a chance to intervene and stop Cat from starting what he knew was going to be a tongue-lashing, she started in.

"I have one thing to say to both of you." Cat pointed to Keely and her words dripped malice. "You are a fucking whore. I wouldn't be surprised if you cheated on Paul instead of the other way around."

"Hey," barked Craig in an attempt to stop Keely from being subjected to further humiliation.

Cat spun to face him and pointed, "Of course you're going to defend her! You're fucking her, you two-timing bastard! We're through!" 

With that, she grabbed one of the framed pictures that Keely's mother had displayed on the nightstand. With all the force she could muster, she launched it at Craig. "I fucking hate you!" Luckily, he had never taken his eyes of her and anticipated her move; he ducked just in time. The sound of shattering glass filled the room as Cat stormed out of the room.

Darbie's gaze passed between Keely and Craig. "I think you two need to discuss this." With that she followed Cat to make sure the she didn't break anything else along her way out.

Craig's heart plummeted when he saw Keely move toward the bathroom door. "Great," he thought, "she's going to hide in there." However, she returned with a wastebasket and devoted herself to picking up the glass shards. 

"Keely?"

She refused to meet his gaze or answer him. Instead she fixated on the task in front of her. Her fingers worked quickly and nimbly to move several shards to the trash.

"You're not going to retreat from me," he rasped as he grabbed around her wrist to still her frenetic cleaning.

It was all too much for Keely. Not only had she overstepped the bounds of their friendship, she had just destroyed his relationship and come to the startling realization that she loved her best friend. A strangled whisper left her body as she tried to free herself from his grasp. "What else am I supposed to do? I caused this." With her free hand, she reached for the photo that had slipped facedown when the frame broke. 

"Keely, you didn't ruin anything that wasn't already in great need of repair. In fact, I think what happened here was meant to be. It's given me perspective."

"Perspective on what?" asked Keely while flipping the photo over to see which one needed to be replaced. She studied it more intently than she normally would have since she was looking for anything that would keep her from meeting Craig's eyes. Not surprisingly, Cat had chosen to throw the photo of her and Craig dancing, her head tilted back with laughter over something funny he had said, on her wedding day.

His finger came to rest on the photo, but she refused to look up at him. When a response wasn't forthcoming she asked again, "Perspective on what?"

"On these two people and where they want their relationship to go from here." He tapped their images in the photo.

Exasperated, Keely dropped the photo and stood. At that moment, she wanted to seize him in her arms and never let go. However, she'd been in Cat's shoes and as much as she abhorred the woman, Keely knew that Craig had to deal with that aspect of his life first. 

"We're not going anywhere from here. It was a mistake; one that should have never happened. It's caused too much damage. Did you not notice what just happened here, Craig?"

Quickly rising and stepping over the glass to stand over her, Craig just scrutinized her face without responding to her. Sensing something had just changed between them, Keely stilled. Then for reasons she didn't clearly understand, she became angry. Jutting out her chin, eyes narrowing at him, she demanded, "What?"

Before she had a chance to react, Craig's hands were cradling her head. His thumbs slowly caressed her cheeks as his lips sought hers. Unlike the first kisses they had shared, this was forceful and demanding. He ensnared Keely's bottom lip between his and sucked. A whimper escaped her lips. Seizing the opportunity, he deepened their kiss while slowly walking her back towards the wall behind her.

At first, thinking was beyond her. All she could do was feel. Awareness of anything else was slowly slipping away. Craig completely filled her senses. His intoxicating woodsy scent, the velvety feel of his lips, and the sheer strength of his body was overwhelming. As she bumped into the wall, she thought, "I wish this could last forever." The thought was so jarring that she tensed up.

"Don't think; just go with what you feel. You feel it as strongly as I do. I love -" whispered Craig as he leaned his head back to study her.

Not giving him a chance to reply, Keely pushed him away. "Don't you even think of saying that to me."

"Why the hell not? You feel it as much as I do. Don't try denying it."

"You're confusing sexual tension with love."

"I think I'm old enough to know the difference."

"Yeah then why did you propose to Cat?"

Dumbfounded, Craig stared at Keely. It was a low blow, but Keely needed something that would stop him. She wasn't about to let him admit he may have strong feelings for her. Her own emotions were bad enough.

"You need to figure out where you stand with her."

He stared at her as he grumbled, "As you are well aware, Cat plainly stated her feelings on the whole matter. Wait a minute? Are you thinking this is my way of recovering from a break-up?"

"What would it seem like if the roles were reversed?"

"Damn it, Keely. This isn't some damn rebound fling. I really do love –"

"Stop it!" she roared. She didn't have the emotional fortitude to listen to him utter those three magic words. At least not so soon after he and Cat had broke up. She was a big believer in closure. If she was going to accept and act on her love for Craig, she wanted it to be sure that he was completely over Cat. 

"What do you want me to do? How can I prove that I, well, I can't say it now, can I?"

"I'm not going to be your recovery tool for a bad break-up especially since I'm the one who caused it. As much as I hate to say this, you need to make sure you and Cat are completely over before you attempt to profess your love for me. You never know, she may want you back when she cools off. Some women forgive men over this."

"Keely –"

"Craig, I'm not going to change my mind. You need to take Darbie and Alan's car down into the city and check on her in the morning. Goodnight." Grabbing her toiletry case from the bureau, she walked to the door.

Craig was left standing in Keely's room wondering what to do.