Real Love Ch. 10

Writer's Notes:

'Real Love' is my personal tribute to JammyJimmy's (JJ) story, 'Threads: The Island'. I give JJ credit, because credit is due, for this story and for my own inspiration and entrance into writing. 'Real Love' is actually the first story I wrote, even before 'Tale of Two Teens', my first published story.

As I was writing this story way back when, I was hoping JJ would be the editor. Having been unable to make contact with him, I have been reluctant to release it. Some say JJ has passed away, but I don't know. JJ, if you read this and want this story removed, please contact me. Several readers have relayed to me, both publically and privately, that they would like it released.

Therefore, 'Real Love' is an unauthorized, reimagined rewrite and sequel to JJ's story, 'Threads: The Island'. The general storyline in JJ's story is embedded in this story. Several of the character names have been changed because this is my story. Anyone who has read JJ's story will identify the characters quickly, starting with my main character, Bradley Weber, formerly known as Kyle Watson in JJ's story.

This story is long, but tolerant and filled with several emotions. If you stick with it, you will experience euphoria, happiness, sadness, sorrow and it will make you horny. You'll be disgusted, pissed off, scared and you'll grieve, cry, frown, smile and sometimes, you'll laugh, I hope.

'Real Love' starts off slow, but gains speed with age. Feel free to leave comments about what you like and what you dislike about the story. Feedback is a good thing for those writers who want to know what reader's like and dislike about their stories.

Please don't be mean in the comments because those that put in many hours over a period of several months, and thought into designing and writing these stories don't appreciate it, nor do they deserve it.

I do hope you enjoy the 'Real Love' series. Just don't forget one important detail -- it's fiction. Please do give us 'not so professional' writers a little slack.

JJ, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, fair winds and following seas my friend.

Let the saga of Bradley Weber continue...

MDSW

* * * * *

Brad likes the workouts, but some days, he's not into it. The argument he had with Kelly this morning, and yesterday, rocked his world and he regrets it. When he enters his bedroom, Kelly is kneeling on his bed, still dressed in his football top, typing the speech into a laptop. She pauses and looks at him as he wearily walks in.

"How you feeling?"

"Had better days," Brad murmurs, then walks straight into the bathroom.

To his surprise she's run another bath for him.

"This for me?"

"Yup. Hop in."

Brad shrugs off his clothes and gets in the bath, easing himself into the hot water. Kelly appears and sits back on the unit opposite him, the laptop resting on her lap.

Brad just sinks underwater and stays there for about 30 seconds, then slowly surfaces. Thinking back, this morning has been a confusing nightmare. They had a very fruitful conversation about their relationship, then they were mad at each other again. He doesn't like it when Kelly is pissed off at him and he's angry that someone else has manipulated him, and he used that anger at his workout. By the time he finished, his body is trembled with fatigue.

"So I think this is just about done," Kelly says a moment later, breaking the silence. "So do you want to talk about it?"

"I'll read it in a bit," Brad replies.

"No, about this morning. We should probably clear the air between us... I'm not mad at you. I understand your point. I'm sorry I was pissed at you. It wasn't fair that I did that to you."

Brad looks at her, surprised.

"That's good. I'm not pissed at you Kelly, if that helps. I was more disappointed to find out it wasn't you."

"It helps," she nods. "I'm going to find out who it was, Brad. That's not a jealousy thing, although I was jealous earlier. I still am a bit. But, if I'm saying we can't sleep together, then I've no right to demand you don't sleep with anyone else. I can't believe I just said that to you. I don't even know why I brought it up. It's really none of my business who you fuck."

"Why are you so jealous, Kelly? Maybe you are concerned about who I fuck. That's something you will have to deal with. You can share your thoughts with me if you like. You know I'm here for you as well. It's a two way street. Still, I have no desire, at this time, to sleep with anyone but you," Brad explains. "Plus, it's probably wrong to say it, but I'm kinda glad that you're a bit jealous. Shows that you care and your into me. Know what I mean?"

She chuckles and hangs her head.

"You're hopeless, but also right. I do need to figure out why I even went down that road."

Brad smirks and moves around in the bath, sliding carefully onto his side, trying to get his body into a more comfortable position.

"So where do 'we' stand?" he asks.

"We're good," she says immediately.

"Good as in?"

"Good as in I'm not pissed at you. As in we should erase it from our memory banks and just act as if things are back to normal, hopefully."

Brad laughs.

"Normal for me is going to the office, no island paradise, no amazingly HOT assistant, and no talking to people from the shower or bath."

"Okay, situational normality," she replies, smiling.

"Situational normality? I like that."

"I like amazing and HOT assistant," she says.

Brad shrugs and winces.

"It's true, Kelly. I'm convinced I'd be lost if you weren't here."

She smiles.

"You keep doing that."

"What?"

"Saying these incredibly sweet things from time to time. It makes it really difficult to not want to jump your bones," Kelly says, hoping at some point she does.

"Sexual harassment! I must report this to your boss!..."

"So is that what does it for you?" Brad grins. "I'll have to remember that."

Kelly laughs.

"No, there was a moment the other night when I came up the stairs and you were reciting the portfolio of companies and their locations from memory."

"That did it for you?" Brad asks, laughing as she blushes a little.

He moves again, trying to get comfortable and ends up sitting upright, groaning from pain in the process.

"Different strokes for different folks," she says a moment later. "I like intellect. Hot guys look good, but sometimes it takes a little more to stimulate the senses. I've often thought about what it takes to get my motor running, but have learned it's not just one thing. Know what I mean?"

Brad thought for a second.

"So last night when I was editing the speech?"

She bites her lower lip and smiles.

"That was tough, getting off your bed."

Brad chuckles, a broad grin on his face.

"So if I start reciting the five year strategic objectives and office plan for my old work there's a chance you might hop in the bath with me then?"

"Don't be a smarty pants, Brad. Besides it's not a list of information that does it for me. If that's the case, the amount of data I see on a daily basis would reduce me to a quivering wreck, or more likely kill me from exhaustion."

His eyes narrow.

"I'm gonna figure it out, Kelly. How to push your buttons."

"You know the rules, Brad," she says, smiling.

Brad is getting conflicting information from her. First, it seems she's okay with their relationship. Jealousy, however, does not play in that role. Or does it? He wonders. Why is Kelly so concerned about who he fucks? She's tempted to get into a sexual relationship by her own admission, but doesn't because of her professional relationship. Is it possible they're on a collision course?

"I'm not giving up Kelly... Now, in a completely unrelated note, is there any chance you can do that soapy massage thing you did yesterday on my back... Please?"

"Ha! And you've got no ulterior motives?"

"Of course I have, but right now I'm too sore to do anything about it. If I promise not to try anything, will you help me out?"

"You promise?"

"I do," he replies, holding up three fingers. "Scouts honor."

She chuckles and sets the laptop aside.

"Slide up the bath a bit."

Brad does as requested as he groans from his pain, sitting upright halfway down the bath, his legs crossed as Kelly stands in behind him, then sits on the edge of the tub. She bends over, her hands slide into the water, lifting and pouring it down his back and neck and Brad smiles, lowering his head.

She pauses and then moves again, and Brad feels her feet in the water at either side of his waist.

"That's better," she mutters. "It's a bit awkward."

"If it's easier for you, just get in," he suggests, chuckling a little.

"Yeah, you'd love that," she replies and Brad can hear the amusement in her tone.

"Of course I would. But you're the one who said we'll be all cool seeing each other naked and all that, remember?"

"I never said we will be sharing a bath, did I?"

Brad feels the bar of soap in her hand as she begins to work over his shoulders, gently probing at his sore muscles and he sighs in pleasure.

"Technically you're already in it," he mutters a moment later.

She never replies and Brad sits there, loving the feeling of his body relaxing and reacting to her fingers, kneading and softening the stiffness from his shoulders, neck and upper back.

"How does that feel?" she asks a few minutes later, pausing to rinse the soap off him.

"Great. Any chance you can do my lower back too?"

His voice is sleepy and content. Kelly chuckles.

"How did I know that was coming?... Don't move, okay?"

Brad smiles, his eyes open. He feels her shift her weight for a moment and then he sees his football shirt hit the floor. Then she's in the bath behind him, her feet sliding past his waist and resting on his thighs.

"No peeking," she warns, her hands holding his shoulders in place.

"You're in the bath with me," he notes, smiling. "Naked?"

"Just behave, okay?"

He nods.

"I'll try, if forced."

"Consider yourself forced."

Brad smiles as her hands slid down his spine and pushes him forward a little, while he groans, until his head is nearly in the water. He feels the bar of soap working into the muscles on either side of his spine, firm movements that sought out the knots and slowly smooths them out. Her free hand comes to rest on the back of his head and he feels her fingers gradually begin to massage his scalp.

"Oh my," he murmurs as waves of pleasure flow through him.

"Good?"

"Amazing."

Kelly continues to massage him, and after a few minutes, she moves her hands down his back, smoothing the skin and removing any residual soap. Brad sighs, feeling incredibly relaxed and content. She can feel something stirring inside her, but isn't able to identify exactly what it is. It's a new feeling, something she's never felt before.

"How's your pecs?"

"Sore, Kelly. Sore. Everything. Sore," he admits.

He feels her hands slip around his ribs and up until, they're resting on his chest. He expects her to sit upright behind him, so he's a little surprised when she pulls against him.

"Lean back. Slowly."

Brad slowly leans back and feels the pain as Kelly adjusts her position behind him, until he's resting on her, his head on her shoulder. He can feel her breasts pressing into his back, supporting him and her legs resting on his thighs.

"This is sooo nice," he whispers.

"Put your arms on the sides of the bath," she says softly in his ear.

Brad lifts them, with a groan, and then she begins to pull water up and over his chest. It feels incredibly intimate and tender, as if two lovers who have been together for a long time, are caring for each others needs. He closes his eyes, lost in the pleasure she's giving him.

Kelly begins to run the bar of soap over his chest, coating him in circular swirls. She releases the soap and it slides down between his legs. Her hands begins to work the muscles of his chest, her thumbs pushing at the tension, her fingers probing.

"Oh Kelly, I feel like I'm in Shangri-la."

Brad can feel her breathing in his ear, can sense her concentration as she works on helping him, easing his pain.

"This is bliss," he murmurs.

"Glad you like it," she whispers.

Her hands begin to scoop up water and sluice it over his chest, rinsing him clean and then she drapes her hands over his ribs.

"That's it. You're done."

"Thanks, Kelly," he murmurs, not moving.

Kelly didn't move either, just lays there with him resting against her body, her arms wrapped around him giving him an intimate feel.

"You do know we have to move at some point, right?" she says after a long while of virtual silence.

"Nah, we don't. We can just stay here all day."

"What about the funeral?"

"Push it back to tomorrow."

"Margaret will come in here and want you to try on your new suit," she adds.

"Margaret?" Brad murmurs. "I need a gun or something then."

Kelly chuckles.

"Yeah, shooting people is frowned upon here."

"I can take out a restraining order."

"No courts."

"I could fire her."

"She wouldn't listen."

"I meant, fire her from a catapult."

"That might work," Kelly allows. "But we still have to get out the bath. Catapults don't build themselves."

"Don't we have people for that?"

"Brad," she says smiling.

"I know, I know," he mutters. "Honestly though, did you enjoy this quiet time with me?"

"Honestly?" Kelly replies softly. "It's been the nicest thing I've experienced in... months."

Brad sighs. His hands slide off the edge of the bath as he turns his body and head to face her. He suddenly realizes he's given no consideration to what she's been through in the last few weeks and months. Danny Packard, her mentor and friend, dying over time while she was at his side. Then she's been thrown into her next job to look after him with little or no time to deal with her emotions. That must be so stressful for her.

"You worried about today?" he asks gently.

"A little," she admits, her gaze fixed on the wall. "It seems like saying goodbye to him, but I don't really want to. Does that make sense?"

"Absolutely," Brad says, gently. "You know I'm here for you, right?"

She nods once, then sighs.

"I miss him."

"I know you do."

"This whole thing with you is confusing me too," she admits quietly. "I thought you and I can have the same sort of relationship that Danny and I had, but it's different."

"What's different?"

"Well, Danny and I never did anything like this for starters," she says, a slight smile twitching at her lips. "There wasn't that type of attraction there."

"But you were close?"

She nods slowly, her eyes distant.

"I suppose it was a bit like a father-daughter thing, or really close friends without benefits. We just got along well and spent a lot of time together."

"And you wanted to recreate that with me?" he asks gently.

"I guess so."

"You know we can be just as close, right?"

"I didn't plan on us being this close though. We've already past what I had with Danny and it took a long time to get that far with him. I'm talking years. We've managed to do it in days," she admits.

"I won't hold it against you... It doesn't make it a bad thing."

She shrugs a little, and a small smile is visible.

"Maybe not. I don't know yet."

Brad turns back around and rests his body on her and lays his head on her shoulder. She begins caressing his body and she runs her fingers through his hair. She's feeling very affectionate and Brad doesn't want it to stop.

"Well, if it's any consolation to you, the last few days have been the most stressful I've ever encountered in my life," Brad explains. "I know I've said it before, but I'd have been totally lost if you hadn't been with me. You have been more helpful to me than you know. Thank you for that. And as for this, right now, it's is the best thing that's happened to me since... Myrtle Beach."

He turns his head back to her and sees the gentle smile on her face. He feels her arms squeezing him, hugging him, holding him to her. She sighs.

"You didn't do anything like this with Danny because of his rules or yours?"

"Both I guess. I never got the courage to do with him what I've done with you. It felt comfortable for me with you. Your response turned me on so I continued. Now I hope I don't regret doing it," Kelly says. "I shouldn't even be telling you this... All good things must come to an end," she adds, a soft smile on her face. "We have to move, Brad. Lots to do."

Her arms release him and slide back, gently pushing at his shoulders to move forward.

"One last question before we get out."

"What?"

"Would you do this again with me?" Brad asks intently, watching her.

She smiles.

"Wait and see."

"A simple yes or no would be a better answer for me."

"Wait and see, Brad," she says again, smiling.

Kelly is feeling close to Brad and she decides to clear the air about her job assignment, to avoid any confusion.

"Wait... Brad, before we do get out, I would like to talk to you about something I told you a few days ago that's not exactly accurate. But, I don't want you to be pissed off at me over it. Can I trust you?"

"Kelly, your job requires you to be honest with me, so if you haven't been, we should clear the air, the sooner, the better. What's the problem?"

"A couple days ago, when we met, you asked me how I ended up being your assistant. I told you I requested to be assigned to you. Do you remember?"

"Yes, I remember."

"The fact is, Danny assigned each of us specifically. He gave me my choice of the three of you as long as I picked you. He told me you would be the one triplet to be more business like and you would most likely be the alpha of the owners. After I read all your files, I would have picked you anyway for the reasons I told you back then, but the fact is, Danny assigned me to you."

"Thank you for that Kelly, but that's inconsequential as far as I'm concerned. It's nice to know you picked me though. I just hope I can live up to what you expect of me. Right now, I feel I have a lot of pressure on me."

Continuing, Brad says, "Arriving on this Island, I knew nobody. I was alone and in many ways, I still feel that way, sometimes. The death of my father is the only reason I'm here, but you have made my life easier to deal with and I thank you for that from the bottom of my heart. It's been a journey for me, as well as for you, no doubt. You should be proud of your accomplishments with me so far. I know haven't been an easy person to deal with and there are so many things I wish I could've done differently. I just hope, in the future, I do those things differently."

"You're welcome Brad. I'm glad I'm able to be of help and I am proud of my accomplishments with you. You are a good student, argumentative sometimes, but a good student none the less. Now, lean forward please."

He chuckles, then slowly leans forward, feeling the water churning as it poured into the gap between their bodies.

Kelly's legs slide back, behind him, and he feels her get up and out the bath. The shower cubicle door opens, then closes and he hears the shower come on.

"You're in the shower?"

Kelly laughs.

"I have to wash all your sweaty water off me, remember."

Brad chuckles.

"Good point."

He dunks himself under the water, then sits up and drags himself out the bath, rubbing briskly at his skin with a towel, then wraps it around his waist and goes to the bedroom.

Brad tries to remember what's on his schedule this morning, and drawing a blank, he picks up his phone and checks it out to see what Kelly has on his list. Workout at six, Margaret at half seven, breakfast at eight.

He glanced at the time, seeing it's only four minutes from Margaret's visit, and drops the phone on the bed.

"Margaret will be here in four minutes," he calls to Kelly.