"Stop here." Shawn signaled for the limo driver to pull over by the lake that was a few miles from Belle’s complex.

"Why are we stopping Shawn?"

"I just thought maybe we could talk for a little while." Shawn jumped out.

"Here." Belle looked skeptical.

"Can you think of someplace better?"

"No." Shawn motioned for Belle to give him her hand. As she hopped out of the limo, she stumbled right into Shawn’s arms. "Sorry."

"What for?" They had been standing there for about a minute just gazing at each other.

"I feel a little cold."

"I can fix that." Shawn pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around Belle’s shoulders. Belle shuddered. It was not because the night breeze was blowing, but because Shawn had touched her bare skin. They walked over to one of the benches that lined the lake.

"So what do you want to talk about?"

"I don’t know. How does it feel to be prom queen?"

"Alright I guess. I mean I never really thought about until I was on the dance floor with Phillip." Shawn would never forget that dance. Phillip had not been holding Belle completely to him, but he had been holding her close enough. Something inside Shawn had made him feel jealous and he still had yet to figure out why. He had wanted to walk up to the happy couple and yuck Belle away from Phillip and give a good punch in the face. He knew that there was nothing going on between them, but Belle was his date and he was supposed to be the only one she danced with. Shawn knew that made no sense, but who cared.

"You were a beautiful queen." Shawn could not believe he had said that aloud, but it was exactly what he was thinking. She looked beautiful even now with the moonlight shining on her face.

"Thank you." Belle’s cheeks flushed. She had wanted to look beautiful for him. She wanted to knock Shawn Brady off his feet. "Shawn I…" What was she going to say? Shawn I have been crazy about you forever and I was wondering if maybe you felt the same way. How lame!

"What Belle?" He was now looking straight at her once again his eyes drifted from her eyes to her lips and back.

"I…I want to thank you for tonight." Coward.

"No need to thank me. It was my pleasure escorting royalty to the prom. Anytime."

"Do you mean that?" Belle was trying to draw hope from any little thing Shawn was willing to give her.

"Of course. What intelligent guy would not want to be seen in public with you?" Belle did not care to just be seen with him, she just wanted to be with him. Belle gave him a tiny smile. "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing. Maybe we should just go." They stood up.

"Is it all right for me to give the queen a good night kiss?" Was he serious? Was Shawn Brady asking her for a kiss?

"Yeah I don’t see why not," Belle responded in what she thought was her sexy voice. Shawn leaned over…and kissed her…on the cheek. Not again. Belle nearly cropped over. What did she expect?

Shawn had wanted to do more than kiss Belle on the cheek, but what he was thinking was completely inappropriate. He had wanted to kiss her so deeply until he would be able to find what it was about her that drove him mad. Shawn knew that Belle did not want that no matter how much she looked up at him with her steel gray eyes filled with longing.

"Let’s go." Belle pulled away and walked off. She was so tired of this. She wanted to just scream at him. She wanted to scream ‘you stupid fool can’t you see what’s right in front of you’. She wanted to…She wanted to be kissed.

They pulled up to the front of Belle’s penthouse building. Shawn was about to hop out when Belle stopped him.

"Don’t bother."

"Belle did I upset you." No. Yes. No. She had upset herself by hoping for more and she knew better. Shawn looked really concerned. She knew that Shawn cared, but only for her as a friend.

"Shawn thank you again for tonight."

Without a second thought, Belle leaned and planted a soft kiss on Shawn’s lips and two seconds later she jumped out and ran into the building as if she were Cinderella. Shawn was left behind touching his lips.

"Shawn honey what are you doing?"

Shawn had been exercising all morning. He had been trying to work off all of his frustration. Belle’s kiss had haunted his dreams. It was chaste, but it had awakened some things in him, not to mention some things on him.

"I’m in here mom." He continued doing his push-ups.

"Well there is someone downstairs to see you." Who in the world could that be? Shawn thought.

"Send them up here." He did not want to stop because he was about to set an all time record.

"Okay."

Fifteen seconds later there was a knock at his room door.

"Come in." He continued his crunches.

Belle did not breathe one word at first. She just watched him from the door. "Hey." Shawn was so startled to hear Belle’s voice he almost hurt himself with the last bend.

"Hey yourself."

Shawn jumped up from the floor. He was shirtless and sweat drained down his body. Belle held her breath. God, he was beautiful!

"I um…I wanted to return this." Belle held his jacket in her hand. She knew that there was no rush for her to return his jacket but she had wanted to see him. She had been so impulsive last night after kissing him and she wanted to know he felt.

"Place it on the bed." He did not want to go anywhere near her. She looked extra cute this morning in her baby blue sundress that was too short for comfort. For some reason Shawn could not help but notice every single detail about Belle this morning.

Belle walked over to the bed. "Rough night?" The sheets and pillows were disheveled across the bed. Rough night was an understatement.

"Belle." It was but a whisper. "Why did you really come?" Shawn began to walk to her. For every step she took back he came forward until she could not go any further.

"I don’t know what you mean. I told you to bring your jacket back." Belle’s last few words became a murmur.

"Are you sure…" Shawn was a fingertip away from her now. "…you did not come to finish what you started last night?"

"No."

"You know it was not fair of you to kiss me and run off like that before I could get a chance to respond."

"I…" Shawn touched her lips with his index finger. "Shawn I…" He began to trace them slowly.

"Don’t worry Belle, I know you didn’t." He reached above her head for the towel that hung on the door. Shawn knew that he was playing a dangerous game. It was just so much fun to see Belle squirm.

"Did it bother you me kissing you like that last night?"

"No why would it? It was a kiss between friends."

"Friends. Right." Belle walked over to Shawn’s mirror. Something suddenly caught her eye. It was a picture of her and Shawn at the Last Blast two years ago.

"What are you looking at?" No response. Belle just smiled. "So you don’t want to tell me ay. Maybe I can tickle it out of you." Shawn crept up on her.

"Shawn don’..." Before she could finish Shawn was tickling her. Belle was laughing so hard she could not think straight. "Shawn stop."

"Tell me Belle."

"Nothing."

He continued. "Liar."

"I am not lying." They were not paying attention to where they were going and fell flat on Shawn’s bed.

"Say uncle." Shawn laid on top of Belle. He was looking intently at her lips. They were crying kiss me, kiss me. "Say uncle or I’ll tickle you again."

"Uncle."

Shawn bent his head to whisper in Belle’s ear. "Next time I won’t ask you for uncle. I can think of better ways for your surrender." He looked back at her lips. Without thinking Belle licked her lips. Shawn jumped up before they could both do something they would regret.

They had been friends for a really long time. They had gone through so many major situations with their families, at school, just in general. Was a kiss something to give that all up for? Shawn did not know if he was ready and he did not think Belle was ready for that either. He needed to get out of there. He needed to get some fresh air.

"I was just about to take a run. So can we chat later?" Belle felt as though she was being pushed out the door. That probably was a good idea though. Things seemed to be out of her control. Shawn so close was making her dizzy. She hated the typical ditsy schoolgirl way she acted around him.

"Yeah okay. Are you going to Phillip’s graduation barbeque tomorrow?"

"I wouldn’t miss it for the world."

"Great. So I guess I will see you then." Belle had a huge smile that lit up her face.

"Yeah until then." Belle left Shawn’s room. Shawn could not help but notice the small curve of her hips and the gorgeous tan that covered her legs as she left. Instead of heading towards the outside, Shawn thought maybe it would be better if he headed for a cold shower instead.

"Is that everything ma’am?" Belle had just gone shopping for a new bathing suit in Salem Place.

"Yeah this is it." Why was she doing this to herself? It seemed as if lately she had been doing everything with Shawn in mind. Would he like her if she did this or wore this? She could not help it.

Belle walked out of the store satisfied with her purchase. She did not just buy a suit to impress Shawn. She looked good in it and if Shawn was impressed that would just be an added bonus.

"Brady over here." Phillip motioned Shawn in his direction by the side of the pool. "Glad you could make it man. You haven’t been to one of my parties in awhile."

"Yeah. Training’s been keeping me busy."

"I bet. So what happened after the prom?" Phillip raised one eyebrow.

"What are you getting at Philly boy?" Shawn did not like the insinuation.

"Nothing man. Just asking." Before Shawn could press on…

"Hey Shawn." Mona Chandler walked up next to him and began rubbing his arm.

"Hey Mona. Long time no see."

"Yeah I know. I was wondering if maybe you could rub my back down with suntan lotion." Phillip had a huge grin.

"I don’t see why not." Shawn walked Mona over to one of the lounge chairs. He was so busy rubbing Mona down that he did not see Belle walk in. Belle spotted him immediately. And who was that blond bimbo he was with? She watched as the bland got up and led Shawn over to a crowd of people who were just dancing around. She was throwing herself all over him and Shawn…Shawn seemed to be enjoying every moment of it. He was holding her around the waist as they danced to a reggae song.

"Down girl."

"What?" Belle turned to face Chloe.

"Mona has nothing on you." Belle turned back to face Mona and Shawn.

"Yeah nothing but Shawn that is." They walked over to the snack stand. "What does he see in her anyway?"

"Nothing they’re just dancing." Belle began stuffing her face with chips. When she was depressed she could not help but eat anything she could get her hands on.

"Your highness."

"What?" Belle screamed before she realized who it was. "Oh hey Phil. What’s up?"

"Not you. You don’t seem to be having any fun. What can I do to make things better." Belle could think of a number of things starting with knocking off Miss Mona.

"You can point me to the dressing room." Phillip pointed in the opposite direction from Shawn who Belle had looked back over to see what he was doing.

Minutes later she came back out in a white two-piece. It was a tank top with a cute pair of bikini shorts. Her hair lay loose along her shoulders and she wore white straw sandals on her feet. Belle did not see Shawn when she had stepped back out, but Shawn had seen her.

"Have you noticed how hot Belle has been looking lately?" Shawn asked Phillip from the back door of his mansion.

"Are you kidding me man?"

"What? You don’t think she’s hot?"

"No. I mean Belle has always been hot. You are a Johnny-come-lately. Every guy in Salem High knows Belle is hot, but you. Welcome to the rest of the world." Phillip patted Shawn on the back.

Every guy was all that Shawn could think about. Every guy. Belle was now standing talking to Henry Belton, a baseball player. She was giving him one of her big smiles as if she liked him or something. And Henry, he was so obvious. Could he be any more obvious? Shawn had a mind to walk up to him and tell him that he had no chance with Belle, but what was that to him?

"Water fight!" Shawn heard someone say from the pool. Almost everyone jumped in and Shawn was about to join them when he realized that Belle had fallen to the side. He ran up behind her and scooped her up.

"Put me down Shawn Brady. I am not getting wet."

"So then why did you come?"

To see you she thought. "Please put me down. I’m just not ready to go for a swim yet." Belle was trying to sound sweet and batted her eyes at him.

"Okay, but I’ll get you later." Shawn rested her down gently and jumped in the pool making a huge splash. Things got a little out of hand not long after. People started to leave the pool and started throwing snacks around. The chairs were used as blockades to avoid getting hit. The Kiriakis backyard was messed up.

"Phillip!" Mr. Kiriakis came out screaming. "Get this yard cleaned up now or this one will be coming out of your allowance."

"Oooh," the crowd added.

Shawn heard humming coming from the pool. Everyone had basically left after cleaning up and he was not sure where the remainder was. He walked over to the pool and saw Belle wading in the far corner. Her back was to him so she did not see him. Shawn eased himself into the pool so as not to alarm her. He slowly floated across the pool to where she was and tipped her lightly on the shoulder.

"Aahh!" she screamed. She turned to see him there. "Shawn Brady you…you…"

She began splashing water into his face. To stop her, he grabbed her hands and pinned her to the far wall. "That one’s going to cost you."

Belle really was in no mood to play games. Once again the day had been unsuccessful. "Uncle. I surrender already. You win."

"Unh unh. Remember I told you the next time you would have to pay something else."

"What are you talking about? What do I have that you could possibly want?" Shawn moved closer to Belle. Her heart began to race.

"I don’t know, maybe…" 

Shawn was now fixated on her lips. Shawn moved slowly until finally his lips touched hers. For a moment Belle was in shock that it was finally happening. Then when she felt his tongue trying to force her mouth open, she let him and followed his gentle guide. It was slow and soft, but deep. Belle had never kissed a guy like this before. She had never wanted to. Right now all she wanted was for this to never stop. She let her fingers run through his hair as the kiss deepened. She could feel every inch of him up against her in the water. Almost simultaneously the both of them let out a low moan. Shawn drew his tongue back as he proceeded to nibble softly on Belle’s lower lip. He had wanted to do that for every time he had seen her lick or bite her lips.

"Shawn. What’s that?" Belle’s voice broke the moment.

"Hunh."

"There is something poking at my stomach." Shawn was so caught aback that instantaneously he jumped away from her.

"I’m sorry." How could he be so stupid to let things go so far? Shawn was no virgin and he assumed without a doubt that Belle probably was. From the time he had known her, she never really had any kind of serious relationships. Shawn on the other hand had come across all kinds of girls in his time especially at boarding school. "I think you should go now."

Was she hearing correctly? After everything that had just happened, he wanted her to leave. She must have made a complete fool out of herself. Shawn had not been moaning out of pleasure, but out of sheer disgust at her kiss. Belle just wanted to ball up and die. She drifted slowly towards the steps of the pool and ran over to the house without even looking back.

"Good one Brady." Shawn slapped his forehead. "Now she’s probably feeling all insulted." That was for the best though, or was it? What happened tonight could never happen again and he would do whatever it would take to make sure and that meant staying as far away from Belle Black as possible.

to be continued...

Home Page   Chapter 7 to 9     Fan Fics by Others    My Fics    Guestbook