Out Of The Friend Zone (13 page)

"So, anyway, didn't you have something for Willow?" Chandler asked, getting a little impatient with his friend.

"Oh, right," Mike said, snapping out of his dream-like fog. He opened up his gym bag. "Willow, I heard you're a big Yankees fan. So, your dad asked me to get you some stuff. Here is a jersey signed by all the players, my jersey that I wore tonight, autographed by yours truly, and the winning ball signed by me and the rest of the pitchers from tonight."

He handed all the stuff to Willow. She began jumping up and down with excitement.

"And, I have a ball signed by all the players for Barrett over here," he said, and threw the ball to Barrett. Barrett's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Mike smiled at the kids, completely satisfied with their reactions.

"Now, how would you all like to meet some of the other players?" he asked.

"Mike, you don't have to do that. I don't want to bother anyone. I think Willow is happy enough to have this stuff," Chandler told Mike.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all. The guys love meeting their biggest fans," he reassured Chandler. He looked at Brynn. "So, are you a fan?"

"Um, that's an understatement. I have loved the Yankees since I was old enough to follow the game. Why do you think Barrett is such a big fan?" Brynn told him.

"Yeah, you should see how she painted my bedroom! It has the Yankee pinstripes down it, with a big Yankee symbol on the wall over my bed. It's so cool, you should see it!" Barrett said excitedly.

"I'd love to see it sometime," he smiled. "How about we go into the locker room now? Maybe you can get some more autographs too, if you want them."

"Are you sure we aren't imposing?" Chandler asked.

"Not at all," Mike said, as he led them into the locker room.

Barrett and Willow took off to talk to all their favorites. Willow cornered Jason Giambi, and Barrett cornered Derek Jeter. Brynn watched as the kids were excitedly talking to their favorite players. The players looked entirely comfortable with the kids there, and made a point of making them feel special. She could hear Barrett talking about his dog and how he named him Jeter. Jeter threw his head back and laughed. Barrett looked like he was in heaven.

"So, how cheesy would it be if I asked you for your autograph?" Brynn asked Mike.

"I'd be honored. Where would you like it?"

"How about my shirt? It's my favorite and I wear it all the time."

"I have a better idea. Why don't I give you one of mine, and I'll get all the guys to sign it. That way, you don't have to ruin your favorite one," Mike told her. "Besides, I notice it's a Giambi jersey...that hurts. I was hoping I would be your favorite."

"Well, you are now," Brynn laughed.

Chandler rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe they were flirting with each other, right in front of him.

Mike went to get another jersey out of his locker for the guys to sign, leaving Brynn and Chandler alone. Chandler moved closer to Brynn and put his arm around her shoulder. "Having fun?"

"Yeah, this is so cool. How come you never told me you were friends with Mike Mussina?"

Chandler shrugged. "I don't know. It's not like I use it as a bargaining piece, like 'Be my friend since I'm friends with Mike Mussina.' We go way back, but we don't see each other very often."

"I understand. He seems like a nice guy."

"He is. He seems pretty taken with you, and it looks like you're enjoying him just as much," Chandler said, with a little edge to his voice.

"Well, I didn't think you'd mind. I mean after all, I'm just a 'friend and neighbor', right?" Brynn gave him her edgy voice right back.

Chandler sighed. "I didn't know what to say in front of the kids. I'm sorry. I hope you're more than my friend and neighbor, but what do you want me to tell people?"

"I'm sorry, you're right." Brynn shook her head. "I don't really know what to say either."

Chandler pulled Brynn into a hug, and after glancing at Barrett and Willow to make sure they weren't looking, he gave Brynn a soft kiss on the lips. "Do you forgive me now?"

"Hmm. I might need a few more kisses to convince me."

"Well, twist my arm and all, but I think I can make it up to you later," Chandler smiled at her. He squeezed her tight in another hug, just as Mike was walking back over to them.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?"

Brynn and Chandler broke apart. "No you're not interrupting anything. At least, nothing that we can't hold off until later," Chandler said with a smirk.

"Oh, I see," Mike said, disappointed when he realized that Brynn and Chandler might be more than friends. "Well, here's your new jersey, signed by all the guys." Mike handed her his jersey, touching her hand as he did so.

"Thanks, this is the coolest thing I've ever gotten!" Brynn said, sounding like a school girl again.

"I bet I could give you something cooler," Mike said, under his breath.

"Huh?" Brynn asked. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said. It's pretty loud in here."

"Oh, sorry. I just said it was my pleasure," Mike lied.

"Well, we should probably get going. Mike, I expect you'll be over to the house sometime soon for dinner?"

"How can I turn down a free, homecooked meal?" Mike laughed. "I'll give you a call, and we'll make plans for it. Will the lovely Brynn be attending this fine dinner?"

"I'm sure I can persuade her to come. I may even persuade her to cook, since she is so much better at it than I am." Chandler looked at Brynn, and they smiled at each other. "I'll get the old gang all together and we'll make a night out of it. Will you be in town next weekend?"

"Yeah, next weekend will work for me. I'll see you both then. Call me and let me know what time."

"You got it. Thanks for everything Mike. We all appreciate it!"

Brynn rounded up Willow and Barrett, then came back and thanked Mike again. "I can't tell you how much we appreciate this today. Thank you so much for everything!" Brynn said, and gave him a hug. "See you next weekend!"

"See you then. Bye everyone!" Mike replied, as the four people left the locker room. He couldn't help but admire Brynn's rear as she walked away.

By the time the SUV pulled into the driveway, both kids were asleep in the back. They had had such an exciting day that it finally took a toll on them and knocked them out. Brynn smiled when she saw both kids asleep, with Willow's head resting on Barrett's shoulder and Barrett's head resting on Willow's head. They looked so cute sleeping like that, and Brynn hated to break them apart to put them to bed. She also didn't want to wake them up and have them be so rested from the nap that it would take them hours to settle back down.

In the end, Brynn and Chandler decided to try to carry the kids, and not wake them up. They carried them up to Barrett's bedroom, so that Chandler and Brynn could spend a little more time together, alone.

The kids were so worn out they didn't wake up. Brynn put Barrett in his bed, then set up the spare bed for Willow.

Brynn and Chandler went downstairs to sit in the living room and watch TV. Brynn stopped in the kitchen and got them both a couple of Pepsis. When she got to the living room, she found Chandler on the couch, waiting for her.

"Come here, I think I have something to make up to you," he teased, as he pulled Brynn down on the couch and into his arms.

"I believe you are right. You might want to start now. It may take you a while," Brynn smiled.

"I thought you'd never ask," he told her, then captured her lips with his own.

Brynn moaned as he kissed her. She had missed this so much since their argument; now she was more than ready to make up for lost time. Their tongues dueled with each other as their passion increased.

Chandler hadn't intended to go too far, but he couldn't help himself - he had to touch her. His hand went from Brynn's waist to cup one of her breasts through her jersey. She broke the kiss as she threw her head back and moaned, pushing harder into his hand. . Chandler began trailing kisses down her jaw, heading toward her soft and silky neck. Once he got there, he found that he wanted more. Again throwing common sense to the wind, Chandler started to unbutton her jersey.

"Wait," Brynn said suddenly, stilling his hands with her own. "We can't do this here. Even us just kissing out in the open like this isn't right if we haven't told the kids yet. I don't want one of them to wake up and walk down here to catch us." She was panting, her eyes glassy with passion.

"Do you want me to leave?" Chandler asked, praying that she said no.

"No, I just want to go up to my bedroom, where we can be behind closed doors," she said, as she stood from the couch. She saw the sudden look of doubt and rushed to reassure him. "Don't worry, I'm not saying that we're going to have sex. I just want a little more privacy."

Chandler nodded and followed her up to her bedroom. Brynn shut and locked the door behind him, then turned to look at him. He was standing a few feet away from her, his hands stuck in his pockets.

"I'm a little nervous," Chandler chuckled.

"Me too, quite honestly," Brynn said with a smile. Neither one knew what to do, so they both just stood there, looking at each other. Both were afraid to make the first move, so Brynn decided to lighten the mood. Crossing the room to the large armoire in the corner, she eased both their minds by turning on the television. "What do you usually watch on Saturday nights?"

"I don't know, but there's got to be some movie that we both can agree on," Chandler said, relieved that Brynn had done something to break the tension.

Brynn sat at the end of her bed with her remote in her hand, flipping through the guide to find something to watch. Chandler sat next to her, watching as the titles scrolled through on the TV. They finally decided on 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Brynn scooted back so that she could lie on the bed comfortably, and Chandler followed her.

Once they were comfortable, they started watching the movie, and most of the tension disappeared from the room. After only a few minutes, Chandler rolled onto his side and looked at Brynn. He ran his hand down her face, then let his fingertips graze over her neck. He leaned over her and kissed her soft lips, unable to resist any longer.

Soon they were right where they left off, with his hands on the buttons of Brynn's jersey. When he finally had all the buttons undone, Chandler pulled her shirt off, to reveal a tank top underneath. His mouth moved to her shoulder, sucking and nipping at the skin there, knowing that he was leaving marks and not caring...just as long as it wasn't on her neck, where everyone would see it. It would be their little secret.

Chandler let his hand roam under the tank top. She gasped when his hand met her bare nipple. Taking that as a sign of pleasure, Chandler peeled the tank top off of Brynn, leaving her torso bare. Chandler looked at her naked top for a while, then descended on her bare breasts, one with his hand, the other with his mouth, drawing moans of pleasure from her.

Brynn's hand wandered from his arms, down his stomach, to the growing bulge in his pants. As she touched the mound, Chandler drew in a quick, sharp breath. He rolled her over so that she was flat on her back, and he was lying on his side, next to her. He brought his mouth back up to hers as his hand left her breast and slowly made its way down her stomach. When he reached the button of her jeans, he easily flicked it open, and dragged the zipper down. His mouth left her as he backed away from her and looked into her eyes, while his hand made its way into her jeans and panties, searching for her pleasure.

Brynn's eyes drifted closed as his fingers curled in her center. The first touch made her groan. He began a slow rhythm of stroking, sending waves of pleasure through her body. Soon she was lifting her hips up to him, moving with him, getting closer and closer to the climax she could feel just over the horizon.

He sucked on her nipples, one at a time, and kissed his way up to her mouth, drawing her bottom lip into his mouth and sucking on it. His fingers never stopped moving. Now she was bucking against him, meeting his every thrust, and her whole body felt the good tingle, the one that said she couldn't hold back much longer.

Chandler looked into her eyes as the pleasure overtook her body. Her hands clenched on his shoulders. Her mouth fell open and the sound that came from her was pure sexual heat. Her nipples got even harder and her whole body flushed a gorgeous shade of pink. He had never seen such a breathtaking sight.

As the last wave flooded her body, she finally regained her breath and smiled lazily at Chandler.

"What was that for?" Brynn asked.

"Just something I wanted to do," Chandler smiled.

"Well, there's something I want to do too," Brynn whispered. She rolled Chandler onto his back and he went willingly, knowing exactly what she had in mind. The bulge in his pants was still there and bigger than ever. She reached for his pants and undid them, sliding them and his boxers down his hips. She took her time, giving him the opportunity to stop her if he wanted, but by the time she had his pants off he was panting with desire.

When she looked at his erection, she got an eyeful. He was definitely bigger than Nico, the only other man she had ever been with.