Romancing the Stone

Nathan drove Brooke home from the hospital three days later. She had been given a slue of medications to take and the doctor told her to stay home and in bed for the next week. Nathan had decided he would stay with her until she was better, despite her protests that she could take care of herself.

Nathan catered to Brooke's every whim. He wouldn't allow her to leave the bed except to use the restroom. He made her meals, fluffed her pillows, tucked her in, and even did her laundry. Brooke teased him about being a better wife than she would ever be. But as hard of a time she gave him, she was glad to have the company of her best friend while she had to stay home. As it was, she felt almost stir crazy. Her body had gotten quite used to the exercising she did daily, and she missed the physical activity. She also missed seeing Dex.

But after their last conversation at the hospital, she wasn't sure how she would feel the next time she saw him. She had told him that she liked him, was attracted to him, and he seemed to think that she was just pulling his leg. He was her trainer and she was his client. That was as far as the relationship went. Each considered the other a "friend," but still, it was just a working relationship, nothing more.

She sighed, "Maybe I was supposed to become a nun cause I sure don't have any luck with men."

Nathan walked to hear her mumbling. "What was that, huh?" He was holding a glass of water and her medication.

"Oh, nothing. I was just talking to myself."

“Well, don't talk - swallow." He handed her the pills.

"Yes, mother!" she teased.

She looked down at her hand at the group of pills she had to take. She would be glad when she was better and didn't have to take them any longer. They always made her lightheaded and drowsy. She popped them into her mouth and took the glass from Nathan, swallowed some water and handed himk thk the glass.

"Wanna watch some TV? I think that show with the chick who kills vampires is on."

"You mean 'Buffy, the Vampire Slayer?'"

"Yeah, that's the one. Wanna watch it?"

"Sure, I guess. But I'll probably fall asleep before it's over. You know how these pills affect me."

Nathan walked over to the dresser and turned on the TV. "That's okay, I'll turn it off if you do." He returned to the side of the bed and told Brooke to scoot over a little so he could sit down next to her. Sure enough, within twenty minutes, she was asleep.

Nathan got up, tucked the sheet under her chin, and was just about to turn off the TV when the phone rang. He rushed into the living room to answer it before it rang again. He didn't want it to awaken Brooke.

It was Billy calling for Nathan. He had some bad news to share. Before their conversation was over, the doorbell rang.

'Boy this place is Grand Central tonight.' "Coming!" he shouted and then apologized to Billy and told him he would call him right back. Nathan opened the door to find Dex standing there.

"Dex!" he said surprisingly.

"Sorry, man. Didn't mean to disturb you. Can you just give this to Brooke for me?" Dex held out an envelope. Obviously it was a card of some sort.

Nathan stepped back and opened the door further. "Don't worry about it, man. Why don’t you come in?"

Dex studied the man's face for a moment before answering. "Naw, I should be going. Can you just give Brooke this card, please?"

Nathan's mind was more on Billy than anything else at the moment. Still, he managed to apologize to Dex for giving him the 'third-degree' the other day.

"Listen, about the other day," he started, "I…I shouldn't have been so curt with you. I think I was just really concerned about Brooke."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Nathan. I know how close you and Brooke are. That's why I called you that day. I knew you would want to know right away."

"I realize that now and I'm sorry for interrogating you."

"Forget about it. I have. Well, I'll be on my way; just give this to Brooke for me." He tried to hand Nathan the card once more.

"Dex, please, come in for a moment. I have a favor to ask."

Dex eyed him questionably as he stepped through the door. He didn't think he would be staying long so he didn't bother to remove his coat. "What can I do for you, Nathan?" he asked.

"Well, just before you arrived, I got a call from a good friend of mine. His father just passed away and he's not doing very well, right now. I'd really like to go see him, but I don't want to leave Brooke alone."

The hardened muscles in Ares' face relaxed as a small smile formed. "Say no more, dude. I'll kick it with Brooke for a while."

"She's sleeping right now and probably will be for the rest of the night. Her medicine sort of knocks her out pretty good. Are you sure you don’t mind hanging?"

"Naw, I don't mind. I'll just watch the tube. That's what I'd be doing at home, anyway." He removed his coat and looked around the room. "Got anything to drink around here?"

"Yeah, there's diet soda in the fridge and if you want something harder, I think there's some vodka and scotch in the cabinet above the stove. Help yourself," Nathan answered as he retrieved his coat from the arm of the couch. "I appreciate this, Dex. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Take your time, man."

Before Nathan got out the door, Dex asked, "Hey, Brooke isn't gonna freak out or anything if she wakes up and finds me here, is she?"

"No. I doubt if she'll wake up, anyway. I'll see ya."

"Yeah, later," Dex said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Ares stood in the doorway of Brooke's bedroom and watched her for a long time. She looked so peaceful sleeping. Her face was relaxed, and her lips were slightly parted even though she was breathing through her nose. He watched her chest rise and fall with each breath she took, and there was just enough moonlight sneaking through the window blinds to make her look like she was surrounded by a supernatural aura - like a angel, he thought.

She was a beautiful picture to see. He wanted to go to her, wake her with light, wet kisses and nuzzle his face in her breasts. He wanted to feel her hands move over his body in exploration - new and exciting. He wanted to make her scream out his name while her legs locked around his waist and he thrust his hard cock into her.

He walked further into the room, wanting to be closer to her. He stopped at the foot of the bed. He knew he shouldn't be there. But he was finding it difficult to stay away. It had been over a week since he visited her in the hospital and he missed seeing her. He had gotten quite used to their little hour and a half training sessions each day. Now it seemed like each day that went by where he didn't see her, left the god feeling somewhat incomplete. He didn't understand this emptiness inside of him. Nothing like that had happened to him before.

He turned to leave and saw her perfume sitting on the dresser. He picked up the bottle, pulled off the cap and brought it to his nose. "Mmmmm," he murmured quietly. It smelled just like Brooke. Calvin Klein's: Escape. The scent was soothing to his soul. Then something snapped and he quickly recapped the bottle and replaced in on the dresser.

'What’s wrong with me?' he thought to himself, 'I've been thinking more about this mortal than I have been of the stone.' He wasn’t sure how long he had until Nathan returned. Why was he wasting his time in here when he could be admiring his stone? He headed back out to the living room and straight for the breakfront.

The entire time the god had been watching her; Brooke's sleep had been far from peaceful. Her mind became sexually charged and her dreams became filled with thoughts of Dex. Dex working out, sweaty and half-naked. Then Dex was wet and naked in the sauna. She was there and naked, too. They kissed, touched and licked until he took her. She screamed her orgasm. Then the dream ceased suddenly. She stirred in bed, wetness had formed between her legs and she started to awaken. She had to use the bathroom.

Ares was just about to pick up the Cronos stone when he heard Brooke in the hallway.

"Nathan? Are you awake, Nathan? I'm thirsty," she said as she staggered into the living room.

Ares quickly closed the breakfront and used his powers to transport himself to the couch in an instant. He couldn't help but smile as she entered. She had on a short, pink nightie and no underwear. It was pretty, with fancy lace, a ruffled hem, and spaghetti string straps. The material of the gown was not completely see-through, but was sheer enough for him to see the outline of her body. She was rubbing an eye with her hand and yawning; she hadn't noticed Dex sitting on the couch.

"Uh, hi, Brooke," he said softly.

Brooke was instantly wide awake at the sound of the voice. That wasn't Nathan's voice, that was . . .

"Dex! What are you doing here?" She hadn't realized that she was underdressed for company.

"I came by with the intention of just staying a moment, but Nathan apparently had some emergency and asked if I could hang out for a while, just in case you needed something."

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Nathan," she grumbled, "It was awfully nice of you to fill in for him, but to be honest, I really don't need a babysitter. You really don't have to stay with me, Dex. I can take care of myself."

Ares let his eyes wander briefly down her body. She looked delicious; like a piece of candy waiting to be licked and eaten.

"I'm sure you can, Brooke. I can go if you want me to."

She shrugged. "Well, since you’re already here, you may as well stay until Nathan gets back or he'll be upset, thinking that you took off and left me alone. So what's this emergency, anyway?"

"Well, I guess it's not really an emergency. He just said that a good friend's father just passed away and he thought the guy could use some company."

Brooke knew right away whom he was speaking of. "Oh god, poor Billy! I'm sorry to hear that. We knew it was going to happen soon, though. His dad had cancer and has been pretty sick for the last year or so."

Dex quickly changed the uncomfortable subject. "So did I hear you say that you were thirsty? Want me to get you something cold and wet from the kitchen." Unable to keep himself from visually admiring her, his eyes quickly draped over her body again.

It was at that moment when Brookalizalized that she wasn't dressed. She gasped. "Excuse me," she said quickly and disappeared down the hall in a split second. When she came back out, she had on a long robe.

"Sorry about that, I forgot I wasn't dressed," she explained.

"I'm not," Dex said under his breath.

"What was that?"

"I said: fine plot."

"Fine plot? What are you talking about, Dex?"

"The TV show. It's a good plot. Wanna watch it with me?"

She headed for the kitchen. "I don't know. Right now I'm just thirsty. You go right ahead and make yourself comfortable, though. I'll be back in a minute."

"You sure you don't want me to get it for you, Brooke?" She didn't answer; she was already in the kitchen.

Suddenly, Ares heard a loud crash coming from the other room. He jumped up, ran into the kitchen, and saw Brooke lying on the floor.

"Brooke! Brooke! Are you alright?" He kneeled down at her side and took her in his arms.

She shook her head in confusion. "Yeah, I think so."

"What happened?" Dex asked.

"I'm not sure. I think I fainted."

"You're still sick, still weak. Come on," he said as he picked her up off the floor like she weighed almost nothing, "I'm getting you back to bed."

"Dex! Put me down. Now!" Brooke demanded. At that point, he had already carried her into the living room. "I can walk, really."

"If you insist." He lowered her feet to the floor and she pulled away from him to stand. Then she felt dizzy again and fell back against him, landing in his arms with her face to his.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment as Brooke looked up into his dark eyes. She felt the sexual electricity that pulsed through her body. His lips were mere centimeters from hers and his hard body was warm against her skin.

Ares was so tempted to steal a kiss from her. He licked his lips anxiously and slowly dipped his head towards hers. At the last minute he changed his mind, 'No,' he told himself. 'Don't blow it!' Instead, he helped her to get her footing.

Brooke's heart had started to beat rapidly and her face flushed. For just a brief moment, he looked like he was going to kiss her. She was ready. So ready and willing. Her heart sank when he only moved to help her stand.

She braced herself against the back of the sofa and moved away from him.

"You all right?" Dex asked sounding concerned.

"Yeah, I just need to sit down." She hugged the couch as she moved around to the front and sat down.

"You should be in bed, Brooke. When do you see the doctor again, anyway?"

"Not for another week or so. It's nothing to worry about, Dex. Really! The medicine they gave me usually makes me pass out. But for some reason tonight I woke up thirsty. I only took the pills an hour or two ago and I'm sure I’m a little buzzed. I really am doing much, much better. Honest."

Dex took a seat beside her, tilted his head forward, and looked at her out of the corners of his eyes. "Are you sure?"

She nodded and smiled at him. Her smile turned into a yawn and when she finished, she leaned against his side, resting her head on him, as if it were natural to do so.

"So what are we watching?" she said sleepily.

"I don't know what it's called, but it's about some vampire angel from L.A."

"Angel," she said as her eyelids became heavy.

"Yeah, an angel who is a vampire," he answered.

"No, silly," she chuckled, rubbing her head against his body to get more comfortable, like a cat kneads his sleeping spot. "The show is called Angel cause that's the vampire's name."

"Okay." He shrugged and moved his arm around her and drew her a little closer to him. He could care less about watching the TV show. He was too busy watching her. She looked so sweet all snuggled up to him. Her face still smirking in memory of her last remark.

She was sound asleep inside of five minutes. Ares used his powers to transport them both to her bedroom. She rematerialized in the bed under the covers and he was sitting next to her on top. He tucked the blanket around her neck and stroked a lock of hair out of her face. His fingers lightly trailed down her cheek as he looked at her with affection and sighed.

He stood, smirked, and rubbed his hands together. 'Now, let's go get a look at that stone,' he mused and turned on his heal, heading out of the room and back towards the living room.

Just as he exited the hallway, he heard Nathan at the door. 'Shit! Lousy timing,' he thought to himself as he moved to the door, unlocked and then opened it.

"Hey, Dex. How'd it go?" Nathan sounded down, which wasn't surprising considering the circumstances.

"Just fine. How's your friend?"

"Not the best, but he'll get through it," he answered as he removed his coat.

Dex grabbed his at the same time and started to put it on. "He's lucky to have a good friend like you. I know Brooke just thinks the world of you. Well, I better be off, now." Dex reached for the door.

"Sure, Dex. Thanks for looking after Brooke."

"No trouble at all, man. See ya round the gym."

Nathan nodded and they shook hands.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The next morning Brooke awoke early, before Nathan. She took a refreshing shower, dressed and headed out to the living room where her friend was asleep on the couch.

She made a pot of coffee and then retrieved the newspaper from the porch. She sat quietly in the armchair next to the couch with her morning cup of Joe and the 'Calendar' section of the paper.

Nathan tossed and turned for about five minutes before he actually woke up. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he looked over to Brooke.

"How long have you been up?"

"Not very long, maybe half an hour."

"How are you feeling this morning?" Nathan asked almost routinely. He didn't sound like his usual cheery self.

"Pretty decent, actually. Better than you sound, anyway. Want some coffee?"

"Yeah. I'll get it. Did you take you pills yet?"

"No. Not yet."

"I'll get those too while I'm up." He stood and staggered off to the kitchen.

Brooke continued to talk to him, just a little louder now so he could still hear her in the other room.

"I had some pretty weird dreams last t. t. I dreamed that Dex and I watched Angel together. And I dreamed about the sauna, too." She stirred in her seat at the memory of the steamy sauna scene. "Strange. I kinda remember him telling me something about Billy's father."

"Did you say something, Brooke?" Nathan called out from the kitchen. He hadn't heard a word she said.

"No, nothing," she yelled back. She reached for her coffee cup and noticed an envelope on the table with her name on it.

"I wonder who this is from?" she said to herself. She turned it over, slipped her fingernail under the flap, and slid it across to open it. For some reason, she was excited by the mystery. She drifted off in pleasant thought.

Nathan re-entered the room. "I got some bad news last night, Brooke."

It immediately snapped her from her reverie and she looked up at Nathan. He was frowning.

"Billy's dad died last night," he said sorrowfully.

"Oh, Nathan. I'm so sorry. Is Billy all right?"

"As well as can be expected." He nodded toward the card in her hand. "That's from Dex. He stopped by last night. I asked him to hang out for a bit so I could go see Billy. I hope you don't mind."

'So, he was here,' she thought. "Of course not, Nathan. Listen, I'm feeling much better and I can probably manage by myself today if you want to go and spend some time with Billy. I'm sure he needs you more than I do, right now."

Nathan handed over her medication. "Are you sure, Brooke?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. You go on. I'll be fine. I promise. I swear I'll page you if I need anything."

"Take your medicine first, and then I'll be happy."

She popped the pills into her mouth, followed by a big gulp of coffee. "There. Now go."

Nathan smiled half-heartedly at her and kissed her cheek. He was gone less than a minute later.

Brooke just sat there for a few moments afterward. She mulled over her supposed dreams about Dex, trying to figure out which ones were really dreams and which were actual memories. She knew the gym and the sauna were dreams. She hadn't been to the club in more than a week. But maybe she really did watch TV with him, she couldn't quite remember clearly.

She shrugged, frustrated and looked at the half opened envelope in her lap. She picked it up and pulled the card out, her heart was pounding noticeably in her chest. On the front was a picture of a beach with a palm tree blowing in the wind and a beautiful sunset in the background. There was a silhouette of a couple walking along the shore and holding hands. The caption read "Thinking of You."

Brooke slowly opened the card to read the inside. There was no preprinted message within; it was a blank note card. The words "Get Well Soon" were written in simple handwriting. But there was also a letter that had been folded up to fit inside. A letter from Dex.

Brooke,

I hope that you are feeling better as you read this and that you will be able to return to the club soon. Sam and the rest of us miss you terribly and send our best wishes for a speedy recovery.

I also need to tell you something else. I haven't been completely honest about my intentions. You see, ever since I met you that day at the pool I knew you were different and I wanted to get to know you. When I look into your eyes, Brooke, I see someone real. You don’t hide behind plastic surgery, money, or fancy clothes, like the other woman I know. They only pursue me because of my looks and care nothing about the person I am inside. To them, I am only a trophy to show off at their side. When you wouldn't go out with me, I had to find another way to spend time with you. So I offered to train you.

Please don't be mad at me, thinking that I lied about the reasons I told you for wanting to help. Those reasons are true. But if I had told you the whole truth - that I was interested in you, would you have accepted my offer? I doubt it. But as we started training, and you got more involved - I got more involved. Suddenly, I found your goals as important to me as they were to you. I want more then ever to help you get where you want to be - physically, and I know I can, because that's what I do. So, I set aside my personal feelings for you and became your professional trainer.

I made a hasty decision when you asked me to dinner the last time I saw you. I had turned you down so quickly and only because you were my student. But now that I've had some time to think it over, I would be an idiot to turn down a date with you. However, my work ethics still haunt me, so I have an offer. You let me help you reach your next weight loss goal and I get to take you out to celebrate your accomplishment. This way I think we both win!

So what do you say, Brooke? Will you give me another chance?

Dex


Brooke's hand shook as she read Dex's letter. She couldn't believe this was really happening to her. That someone as gorgeous as Dex was interested in her, even when she was heavier, before she started dieting and exercising. He liked her! He really liked her, despite they way she looked. She couldn't see past her own beauty, or perceived lack of, at the time to realize the man was practically throwing himself at her feet.

"Now I know I'm an idiot!" she cursed.

Ares watched Brooke invisibly from his seat on her piano bench. He was quite pleased that his little "true confessions" letter worked just as he had wanted it to. He waved a hand towards the front door and suddenly the doorbell rang. Brooke got up and crossed the room to open it.

"Who is it?"

"Delivery, ma'am."

"Delivery?" she said quietly and opened the door a little to look out. All she could see was a huge bouquet of red roses.

"Are you Brooke Westchester?"

"Yes."

"These are for you. Can you sign here, please?"

"Oh sure," she said, opening the door further and taking the clipboard from the young man. She signed her name and handed it back. "Wait, let me get my wallet."

"Oh no, ma'am. The sender has already been taken care of that. Thank you. Enjoy your flowers." The delivery boy handed Brooke her bouquet and left.

Brooke closed the door, walked over to the coffee table and set the flowers down. She immediately reached for the card and opened it.


Please give me another chance.

Dex


She smiled and picked a rose out of the bouquet. She sat down on the couch and brought the flower to her nose, taking in the sweet fragrance. Yawning, she knew the pills she took earlier were beginning to have an affect on her. She stretched her legs out and got more comfortable, reached for the remote and flicked on the TV. She smelled the rose again and sighed.

"Oh, Dex. Of course I'll give you another chance," she said aloud. Shortly thereafter, she fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Another few days passed by and Brooke was given a clean bill of health from her doctor. She was ready to get back to her usual routine: work and the gym, however the doctor suggested she give up the early morning jogs until the weather was warmer.

The first day back to work seemed to last forever as she anxiously watched the clock for the minutes to pass. She really wanted to get to the gym. She couldn't wait to see Dex. Finally, the workday was over. She grabbed her gym bag and rushed off to the racquet club.

After changing, she entered the weight room expecting to see Dex, but he was nowhere to be found. She hadn't taken into consideration that his workday ended at 4:00 PM and their workout sessions didn't usually start until 6:30 or 7:00 PM. Dex would either hang out until she arrived or would leave and come back to meet her. But today he left just after 4:00 PM and, as for the past week, supposedly wouldn't be returning until the next morning at 10:00 AM, when his shift started.

Although she was disappointed, she still wanted to work out. It seemed like months since she was here last, although it was only about two weeks. The one good result of being sick recently was that she had lost another six pounds. That seemed to balance out having to give up her workouts for a few weeks. It also meant that she was six pounds closer to her "celebration" date with Dex, if, in fact, he meant what he wrote in the letter.

She saw that the arm lift was available and decided to begin there. She adjusted the weight to where she and Dex had left off at previously and started her routine. She found it was more difficult than she remembered; she didn't think it would be this hard to get back into it again. How she wished that Dex were there with her right then. Not just because she liked him, but also because his encouragement always seemed to make her want to work harder at succeeding. She realized at that moment, just how important and valuable his training had been to her. She doubted she would have made it this far this fast if not for him.

With her eyes closed, breathing deeply, she concentrated even harder, struggling to finish her reps with the machine. It was more than she could manage. Her concentration was broken when she heard a familiar voice.

"That’s a good way to hurt yourself, Brooke. Are you trying to kill yourself on purpose?"

She opened her eyes and turned her head to see Dex casually leaning against the wall with his muscular arms crossed in front of his chest. He was smiling at her. She smiled back, blushing.

"You've got it set too heavy for you. Let me adjust it."

He moved closer and started to fiddle with the weight setting on the back of the machine. Now standing beside her, he ran his hand down her arm to her hand and wrapped it around hers. He tested the amount of weight by pulling on the pulley with her hand still beneath his.

"There, that should be more manageable," he said softly in her ear. She gasped silently as a shiver moved through her entire body. She turned her face toward his and they were only inches from each other.

"Thank you," she said in little more than a whisper.

He smiled seductively, with a sexy look about him. "No problem, Brooke. That's what I'm here for." He backed away and resumed his position against the wall to watch her finish.

She had worked up a sweat by the time she was done. Dex handed her a towel and suggested that she pass on the swimming for a few weeks, until she was truly over her illness.

"You're probably right," she agreed. She and Dex looked around the gym to see what other machines were currently free to work with. "I almost didn't think I would see you tonight. You're usually here when I show up," Brooke said to make light conversation.

"Well, if you had called me to let me know that you were going to be here, I would have been. So the doctor said it was okay for you to resume your workouts?"

She nodded. "Yep, he even sent me back to work. Bummer!!" she joked. "No, really, I am glad. It feels good to get back to it again. I was going stir crazy sitting in that apartment all day. At least I got a chance to work on a project I've been meaning to do."

"What's that? Catch up on all the soaps?"

"No, silly. Actually, I was doing some research on the Internet on something Nathan was interested in."

"Oh, that sounds real exciting!" Dex said sarcastically. "Find out anything interesting?"

"Yeah, a little. But n'tn't want to talk about that right now," she said, mustering up her courage. "I'd rather talk about a certain letter I found on my coffee table a few days ago." She fidgeted nervously with her hands. Dex almost looked to be blushing.

"Did you really mean what you said in that letter, Dex? That you… you're interested in seeing me?" She stared down at her feet. She was afraid to hear his answer, in case he changed his mind in the last few days.

Dex lifted up her chin to look her in the eyes. "I wouldn't have written it if I didn't mean it, Brooke. I've liked you from day one. But you wouldn't have anything to do with me. So I offered to train you and practically had to beg you to take me up on it. I figured you'd be mad at me, once you knew the truth." Now it was Dex's turn to look away.

Brooke placed her hand on his cheek and gently stroked her thumb over his cheekbone. "Mad at you? How can I be mad at you? You've done more for me in the few months I've known you than most people I've known my whole life. It's just a little strange, that's all. I'm not used to this kind of attention."

He took her hand from his cheek and kissed the back of it. "I’m just glad you’re not being pursued by a bunch of other guys. This way I get to have you all to myself," he said softly. He paused a moment and just looked into her eyes to convey his sincerity and then said, "Brooke, I . . . I . . . I really should tell you . . ."

"Yes?"

"The Stairmaster is available and you should grab it before someone else does."

They laughed. "Yes, sir," she responded.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Over the next few weeks, Brooke worked diligently at her training. She had also cut way back on her calories in an attempt to speed up the weight loss. She and Dex didn't speak any more about the letter or their feelings, and concentrated on the workout more than anything else. What they didn't say with words was easily conveyed with a look or a light touch. The sexual tension between them was growing by leaps and bounds.

Then one Friday morning Brooke got up and went into the bathroom to shower, as she did every morning. Completely naked, she stepped on the scale and screamed. She had done it! She reached the next twenty-pound mark! She was so excited that she couldn’t wait the entire day until she got to the gym to tell Dex. Sot aft after 10:00 AM that morning, she called the club and asked for Dex. He came to the phone moments later.

"This is Dex Baxter. May I help you?"

"Dex? It's Brooke."

"Brooke! What a nice surprise," he responded. You could tell he was smiling by the sound of his voice. Instantly, it changed when he thought that maybe it wasn't a social call. "Is there anything wrong, Brooke? Are you all right?"

"I'm better than all right, Dex. I guess you could even say that I’m 'all light!' I made it. I hit my next mark. I've lost another twenty pounds."

Dex was silent at the other end of the line. Brooke wasn’t sure how to take his lack of response.

"Dex? Are you still there?"

His voice became very seductive sounding. "Yes, Brooke. I'm still here. You do know what this means now, don't you?"

Brooke closed her eyes, totally entranced in by his sexy, deep voice. "Yes, it means that I'm going to need a new wardrobe again," she joked.

Dex laughed. "Well, that too. But we also have plans for a private little celebration, right?"

Brooke blushed at the thought of going out with him. She answered shyly, "Yes."

"Goooood," he slurred. "How about we skip the gym tonight and I pick you up at your place around seven?"

"Tonight?" She hadn't expected him to want to go out right away and she wasn't prepared for a night out.

"Why not? It's Friday. Neither one of us has to work tomorrow."

"I know. But . . . but . . ."

"But what? You haven't changed your mind about going out, have you?"

"No, Dex! It's just that . . ." she hesitated again.

"What?

"Well, it's just that I don't have anything nice to wear."

Dex laughed. "Is that all? Well, you just leave that to me. At five o'clock, you'll be receiving a delivery. Just put on whatever I send over to you and don't argue with me about it. Got it?"

Brooke smiled at the receiver, unbelieving. "Oh, so you're going to send me something to wear this evening? Sure you are, Dex!"

"You'll soon find out, Brooke, that I always do what I say I will. I am a man of my word," he said softy, yet confidently.

"And you know what size I wear?" she probed.

"Um-hum. Don't you trust me?"

"Dex, I don't even know what size I am."

He laughed. "You forget, my dear, that it is my job to know, to memorize every inch of your body. It can be rather… intimate," he purred.

Suddenly Brookes started to get that warm feeling in her gut again. She shifted in her chair and could tell that she was becoming excited by his words, turned on by the sound of his voice in her ear. She cleared her throat and swallowed. "I hadn't thought about that," she managed to squeak out.

"Just be ready at seven, okay?" he insisted.

She agreed and they hung up the phone. Brooke was way too distracted to get any work done, so she decided to cut out early and go to the beauty spa for a facial and massage. She would be able to make it home and shower before her package was to arrive. She was looking forward with amusement to how Dex planned to dress her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At 5:00 PM, the doorbell rang at Brooke's. When she opened the door, there was a shopping bag and a large box sitting on her porch, but no delivery boy. She quickly scanned the yard and street for someone, but couldn’t see a soul. She picked up the packages and brought them inside.

She took the packages into her room and set them down on the bed. In the bag was a pair of black, patent leather, high-heeled shoes and thigh-high pantyhose, complete with a garter belt, bra and panties. She sat on the edge of the bed and slipped a shoe on. She was surprised that it fit her perfectly and even seemed comfortable.

"Dex. I'm impressed," she said aloud to herself. She did, however, feel a bit intimated by the hose and garter. She had never worn one before. But it really did seem very sexy to her. The idea that they would both know what was under her outfit was a big turn on.

After examining the items in the bag, she lifted the lid off the box. Inside were a short, black leather skirt and a white, silk blouse with long sleeves. There was also a matching black leather jacket, very light and feminine looking. She held up the skirt in front of her.

"I don't know. This looks pretty small." She walked over to the mirror and held it to her waist. At least it wasn't too short. If it fit, perhaps it wouldn't be too bad.

She finished with her hair and makeup and was pleased with the outcome. The facial she had earlier really gave her skin a healthy glow. She moved back to the bed and put on the bra and panties first. Once again, she was amazed that they fit her to a tee. Next - the garter and hose. She stood and viewed herself in the mirror. Turning sideways, she looked at herself and nodded.

"You're looking pretty good, Brooke," she told herself, proud of the improvement in her shape. All that dieting and hard work was evident.

She slid on the white blouse. The feel of the silk against her skin was soothing. It made her feel rich. Rich and beautiful. She buttoned up the front and then grabbed the leather skirt. She stepped into it and slid it up her legs.

"I can't believe this fits!"

And fit it did! The skirt appeared to be skin tight, although it didn't fit that way. It completely complimented and highlighted her new shape. It made her look and feel a little dangerous.


She picked out a simple silver chain with a green crystal pendant and matching earrings from her jewelry box and put them on. “Perfect,” she complimented, as she looked in the vanity mirror. She thought the contract of silver and green against the black looked quite eye-catching.

When she was all dressed with the shoes and jewelry, she viewed herself once more. She would never have bought an outfit like this for herself. She would have been sure it wouldn't look good on her. But she had promised Dex that she would wear it, and now that she had it on, she was more than satisfied.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


At 7:00 PM a long, black limousine pulled up in front of Brooke’s apartment and parked. The driver got out and walked around to the curbside to open the passenger door. Out stepped the debonair and handsome Dex Baxter, dressed in an all black suit with a small red rose sticking out of the breast pocket.

He sauntered up the path to her door. Then he straightened his tie and checked himself before knocking on her door. When she opened it, his jaw dropped.

“Hello, Dex,” she said with a shy smile.

“Geeze, Brooke . . . you look . . . fantastic! Turn around and let me see all of you.”

She blushed and giggled as she turned around for him. “I better look okay, since you dressed me.”

“Believe me, my dear, you’re a knock out. Shall we?” Dex held out his arm for her to take.

“Why thank you, kind sir.” She took his arm and closed the door behind her. As they started down the walkway, she noticed the limo. “Dex! Is that for . . . us?”

“Of course,” he answered.

“You didn’t have to do all of this, Dex. A simple trip to the coffee shop would have been fine with me. How can you afford to spend all of this money?”

They reached the car and got in. “Trust me. I can afford it. My aunt, who was quite wealthy, left me a rather large inheritance when she died. She had never married and had no children to leave her estate, so she left most of it to my parents and me. That was over twenty years ago.”

He reached for a bottle of champagne and uncorked it. He handed Brooke a crystal flute and slowly poured her some and then filled a glass for himself.

“I was still a tger ger at the time. I remember, I was so excited! I wanted to buy everything I saw. But my father, who had always been a good steward, refused to let me spend it away, and insisted that I invest most of it in the stock market. So every day after school, for about a week, he sat down with me and taught me about the different stocks and commodities and how to makund und investments.”

“Apparently, he did a good job. I wish I had that kind of knowledge. You’re very fortunate, Dex.”

“Well, to be honest, it was mostly luck. You see, I took 90% of the funds I had and bought stock in a small chain of restaurants. No one knew at the time that it would grow to the multi-billion dollar corporation it is today.”

“Really?” Brooke said with wide, curious eyes. “Which one is that?”

“McDonalds.”

“You’re kidding?”

“Nope. The stock’s quadrupled in value, at minimum. I don’t bother watching it much any more. I leave it alone. I did, however, sell some to try my hand at some other ventures. Those paid off, as well.”

“My goodness, Dex, I had no idea that you were such an entrepreneur. So if you’ve got all this money, then why are you working at the club as a trainer?”

“Because I enjoy it, it keeps me fit, and I like being able to help people obtain their personal goals. Oh, I did the traveling thing for a while, but I got bored and fed up with all the snobs I met. People treat you differently when they know you have money, you know. So I returned home and went back to work. When I work, I’m just a regular person, like the rest of the world, and no one treats me any different.”

“You’re far from being a regular guy,” Brooke mumbled more to herself than to Dex.

“What do you mean, Brooke? I don’t act snooty and thumb my nose at people, do I?”

“Oh, heavens, no! That’s not what I meant. I would have never guessed that you had money, Dex. I meant that you’re not like the typical guy. You care about people, even about us plump folks, and try to make people’s lives better by helping them. That’s a rare quality in a person, Dex. Personally, I think you’re an endangered species,” she joked, smiling at him.

Dex laughed. “I’m flattered. But I can tell you that I’m no saint, my dear. There are plenty of things that you don’t know about me.”

“Like what?” Brooke asked.

“Oh, just things. I’m sure you’ll find out in time.”

“I suppose. Then I should assume that this date tonight could this be the beginning of a long friendship?”

Dex leaned closer to her and whispered softly in her ear. “Perhaps even more. Remember, I know what you have on under your outfit.”

Brooke turned bright red. His words both embarrassed and excited her. She tried to mask the uncomfortable feeling with a joke. “No you don’t. For all you know, I could have worn a chastity belt.”

Dex smiled sexily. “Well there’s one sure way to find out.” He reached for the hem of her skirt.

She quickly slapped his hand. “Don’t you dare! You better be good or you might find yourself eating alone,” she teased.

“Oh, alright. Then let’s have a toast.” He held up his glass of champagne in gesture. “To finding hidden treasures.”

“Dex!” she exclaimed.

“Okay, how about, to mystery.”

“You’re incorrigible.” She clinked his glass and took a sip. “So where are we going?”

“I thought we’d take a ride along the coast to Huntington Harbor. There’s a quiet little restaurant there called The Sea Captain. It has a beautiful view of the ocean. Then maybe we could take a boat ride.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



After the couple ate dinner, they went down to the docks and waited for a small boat that ran a half-hour tours around the coast. A street vendor approached them selling flowers and Dex bought Brooke a bouquet. The entire evening had been very romantic and Brooke was floating on a cloud. She had noticed that many of the woman, some extremely beautiful, were eyeing her date with desire. But Dex had only paid attention to her. He opened doors for her, ordered her supper, and did everything else a gentleman was supposed to do for a lady.

Around midnight, the limo pulled up in front of Brooke’s apartment. Before the driver was able to open the door, Brooke started to thank Dex for a wonderful evening.

“I had a really nice time, Dex. Everything was perfect and my flowers are lovely.”

“You make it sound like it’s coming to an end.”

“Well, it is getting late, and I have to get up early tomorrow. Nathan’s supposed to pick me up in the morning to go to the gym.”

“Late? It’s barely midnight!” Dex exclaimed. “And what about this bottle of champagne chilling here in the ice bucket? You don’t want to let it go to waste now, do you?”

Brooke thought about if for a moment. “Well . . . I guess a nightcap would be nice.”

“Excellent,” Dex agreed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~