Quinn's Bar & Restaurant [A Brooke & Joe side thread].

[SortOfBeautiful]

May, three years ago.


Brooke Bailey had been waiting tables for almost a year now at Quinn's, which had formally been called Quinn's Pub. To make it more appealing to all sorts of customers, Bar & Restaurant had been added to sound more inviting. Family friendly. That's what the staff at Quinn's was, right? Family.

Well, it was difficult to remember that when Brooke was currently going through a little bit of a crisis. Her brother had texted her and said that his work had arranged some last minute travel plans for him, and he was to fly out of Seattle tonight and head to Los Angeles.

Can you stop by my work? I left my purse and keys at home and have no way to get in!

She had texted her brother from the employee break room in the back, trying not to panic. At least until she got the text back from her brother.

I'm already at the airport, B. See if you can stay with friends, I'll be back in two days.

"Well, shit," Brooke mumbled to herself, snapping her phone shut and sliding it back in her apron. Who could she ask? The new cook, Sidney, seemed nice, but Brooke didn't know her well enough yet to ask if she could sleep over at her place. That would just be an awkward conversation. Sofia wasn't working today, she was on vacation for a week, so she was ruled out. Then there was Brian. She'd known him for about a year now, and she considered them good friends. Surely, he might say yes? Even if she had to flirt a little to convince him, she'd do it.

But when Brooke walked out of the back room so she could talk to Brian at the bar, she found that he was no where to be found.

"Hey, is Brian on break?" She asked the other bartender there, a woman in her early forties. She had only been bartending for Quinn's for about four months, and seemed to hate pretty much everything. She complained about everything, and everyone, and Brooke sometimes found it difficult being around the older woman.

"No, his shift ended. You just missed him." The bartender replied, and Brooke cursed. She was running out of luck tonight, and she had one option left. With no car to sleep in, all of her friends busy or gone, she had one last option left. And that option scared the shit out of her.

James and Mary Quinn.

The older couple treated Brooke like a daughter, which seemed fine to her, considering she hadn't talked to her own parents in over a year. But they were tough on her. Having started in the kitchen washing dishes, unable to keep up, James Quinn was always on her back, breathing down her neck, or complaining about something she did wrong. Perhaps it was the fact that she enjoyed being out on the floor much more, being the social butterfly that she was. So, Mary had moved her to waitress when a spot opened up, and James didn't complain about her so much anymore. The times he actually complimented her on a job well done was a day to put in the history books.

Sulking in her walk, Brooke was already regretting this conversation as she turned back around so she could find James. He was in the kitchen, like he often was, but it wasn't crazy enough in the restaurant for him to be too busy to have a conversation.

"Hey, Mr. Quinn?" She called out, standing in the doorway, one of the swinging doors pressed against her ankle as she held it open a little. James didn't answer her, he only turned his head to look over at her to show her that she had his attention.

"I'm kind of locked out of my brother's place right now. I've asked a few people to take me in for a couple nights, but no one can, or they're gone. Do you think...well, do you think it's okay if I sleep here on the couch in the break room? I won't touch or move anything after closing, I swear! I just need a place to sleep until he gets back." Brooke shrugged, and James didn't look too happy to be having this conversation right now. Great. That made her real hopeful.

"Not now, Brooke. We'll talk about this in a little bit, when Mary gets here to pick me up."

Brooke nodded, but she already knew his answer. It would be no. How could she expect her boss to say yes? This is a restaurant, not a hotel, you idiot, she said to herself, sighing heavily as she walked into the back room to get changed. Changing out of her employee uniform, Brooke redressed in a pair of blue jeans and a green sweater. By the time she was tying her shoelaces, she could hear Mary's voice from down the hall. Before Brooke could even stand up, Mary was standing in the doorway, smiling.

"James says you need someplace to sleep?" Mary asked, and Brooke nodded while she folded her uniform neatly and placed it back in her bag.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry, I know it's a lot to ask. But if I stayed here--"

Mary interrupted, "Oh, sweetie, don't be silly. You're not sleeping here, you can stay with us." Mary insisted, and Brooke just raised a brow. Wouldn't this be...awkward, sleeping at her boss' house? A married couple letting their 21-year old waitress sleep over? Well, it did sound awkward, but...Brooke couldn't really afford to be picky right now.

"Are you sure? I don't want to step on any toes..." Brooke played, just to be sure.

"Yes, I insist. Joe is still finishing up finals at school, so we have a room you can stay in for as long as you need." Mrs. Quinn's nodded, and before long, they were leaving the restaurant and headed to the Quinn's home. God, it had been so long since Brooke had been to an actual house. Everyone she knew in the city lived in a loft, condo, or apartment, and it had been a while since she'd been to her own parent's house. So, walking in, Brooke inhaled deeply. It even smelled like a home. Comfy. Welcoming. Brooke smiled.

"This way, Brooke. I'll show you to Joe's room if you want to get some rest. Mary motioned for her to follow her down the hall while James wished her good night. Brooke hadn't met their son, Joe, yet. But they talked about him every now and again about how well he was doing in school. How they wanted him to take over some day when they retired. The only other thing she knew about him was that he was younger than her, and he was pretty cute. Or so some of the other waitresses had said, when they'd seen him stop in.

When shown to Joe's bedroom, Brooke smiled and hugged Mary, thanking her for letting her stay there. It meant more to her than the Quinn's realized, but she didn't want to get all emotional about it right now. Stepping in the dark room, Brooke's fingers felt around for a light switch. She couldn't find it, so she gave up on her search and just shut the door behind her while she let her eyes adjust to the darkness. The moonlight was shining through the window, so she let that be her guide as she began to look around. Pictures of Joe and his parents, and a few of his friends, she guessed, were in frames on his dresser and a desk. She smiled and looked at them for a little bit before she decided she probably shouldn't be snooping. She was a guest, and wanted to stay that way.

So, Brooke prepared herself to go to sleep. She was still wearing those jeans, but had no intentions of sleeping in them, even if she hadn't brought a change of clothes with her, except her uniform. So, she decided to strip. Unbuttoning her jeans, Brooke pulled down the zipper and pushed that tight denim down her slender hips, bending over to push the fabric down her long legs. Leaving her in a purple pair of boy short panties. Once the jeans were tangled at her ankles, she kicked her feet out of them and began to remove her sweater. Raising her arms, she pulled her sweater over her head and her blonde locks loosened in its ponytail and her wavy hair fell free to her shoulders. Instantly, she could feel the cold air on her soft, young skin, and she shivered. She hesitated, as if contemplating a decision, before she finally went for it. She walked back over to Joe's dresser and pulled out one of his t-shirts. No one would have to know, right? Right.

Removing her bra, the glow of the moonlight on her naked back, Brooke pulled Joe's shirt over her head, leaving her in only that over-sized Seattle Seahawks football t-shirt, and her underwear, which couldn't even be seen anymore. Leaving her trail of clothes on his bedroom floor, Brooke's bare feet tip-toed over to his bed, and she opened the blankets to crawl inside them.

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

God, this bed looked amazing. Sure, there was nothing more that Brooke wanted more than her own bed right now, but this one would do. After a nine-hour shift on her feet at Quinn's, stripping down to barely any clothing, half of which weren't even hers, she couldn't wait to lay down and bury herself in the blankets below and drift into a sleep for...well, however long the Quinn's let her sleep in.

Reaching down, leaning in over the bed, Brooke lifted the covers and put her knee down on the bed so she could slide in. Then she thought she saw movement.

"Erm, I think that's my shirt," A voice spoke, from right in front of her. Brooke gasped, startled and scared shitless as she tried to back up. With one knee on the mattress and her other leg still on the floor, Brooke began to fall off-balance. In what felt like slow motion, her body fell backward and she tried to reach for something. Anything. A hand found the nightstand next to the bed, but that didn't stop her knee from hitting the corner of it as she fell on her ass onto the carpeted floor.

The body on the bed moved, crawling to the side of the bed where she had fallen. Scared, she tried to back away on the floor, but her knee hurt more than she expected. When the figure reached over to the nightstand, a light was flipped on and Brooke's pretty blue eyes winced, adjusting to the sudden brightness.

And that's when she recognized him.

"Joe," She breathed, letting out a heavy exhale of relief. It wasn't a psycho, or a killer, or someone trying to kill her. Thank god. It was Joe Quinn; Mary and James' son. She recognized him almost immediately from the pictures she'd seen of him, in particularly on his own dresser. But he was in his own pajamas. His hair a little out of place from laying down. And then she realized that he wasn't the intruder here, she was. He wasn't the one wearing clothes that didn't belong to him, she was.

Shit.

"I--I'm so sorry. I work at the restaurant with your parents, and they told me you were still at school. I swear, I didn't know you were here." She looked down, and was suddenly reminded that she was wearing his t-shirt. Oh my god, this is so fucking awkward! Cursing at herself, Brooke hoped that it was still dark enough in his room for him not to see the way her cheeks were turning pink from her blush. Oh god, had he seen her this whole time? Had he seen her undress, and then put on one of his shirts? Well, maybe not...he would have said something long before she got into bed with him. Right?

"I'm Brooke, by the way. You must be Joe." She introduced herself, since it was only fair that she knew who he was, and his name. "This is...extremely awkward. I'm so sorry, I don't even know what to say." Laughing nervously, Brooke looked down at her knee and was surprised to see that she was bleeding a little. It wasn't until she saw the blood that she could feel the wetness on her knee.

"Do you think you could get me a band-aid? I don't want to get blood on your shirt. I'll change out of it right now, I promise." Well, after one of them left the room, of course.

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

Joe was getting closer, swinging his legs over the bed with concern in his eyes. Brooke looked down at her bloodied knee, which wasn't too bad. With her clumsy nature, she'd endured worse injuries, specifically at Quinn's. Banged up knees, coffee burns and stains, cuts from broken glass...all of it was pretty typical when it came to Brooke Bailey at work in the restaurant business. But apparently, it happened off the clock, too.

But it wasn't every day that someone surprised her in the dark inside a room that she was supposed be alone in.

When Joe climbed out of bed to get her that band-aid, his erection was obvious. Brooke couldn't help but blush again, and she tried not to let it show in her eyes that she had noticed. Was it because of her? Had he watched her undress? Or was it just...a guy thing, and she'd woken him up in the middle of some kind of dream?

Look at you. You're in your underwear, you idiot. Brooke reminded herself as she watched Joe walk away. She slowly shook her head at herself. This was not exactly how she intended for her night to turn out. She should have been in bed already, sleeping soundly. When Joe returned, Brooke sat up a little straighter and bent her knee. She'd expected to do it herself, but Joe had kindly offered to help her. And Brooke couldn't help but notice just how close he was, with her half naked in front of him.

With that bent knee, her legs naturally parted a little, giving that college boy a delicious view of inside her legs, between those smooth thighs of hers. Even with underwear on, she felt like she was on display. But at least when she looked up, searching for Joe's eyes, she found that his eyes were focused on her knee. Good boy. It made her feel a little more comfortable; or at least, as comfortable as she could be in this kind of situation.

Joe placed one of his hands on her knee, the other on her thigh to hold her still. When he carefully swiped the alcohol wipe to clean her wound, she inhaled sharply, hissing. Reaching forward, she grabbed his hand on her thigh and squeezed it. It hurt!.

"Shit, sorry, that probably stings," There was something sweet, soft, and apologetic in his voice. Laughing, Brooke nodded.

"Just a little, I'll be okay though." She laughed again, then realized she was still gripping onto his hand, and she let it go and let her hand fall back down to the floor beside her. Since his eyes were busy on his care to her knee, she took those few seconds to let her blue eyes gaze over at him, studying him. His face looked a little older than in his pictures that she'd seen. And with him kneeling there in front of her, without a shirt, she could definitely tell he was the athletic-type. Not the most heavy-built, but well toned. Defined. When he placed the band-aid over her wound that had stopped bleeding, she couldn't help but smile. Her lips curved, and she pursed them together. When he offered to help her up, Brooke lifted her small hands and squeezed his when he grabbed them, helping her up. She found that her knee was a little sore, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle.

Once Brooke was on her feet, her bare toes digging into the carpet beneath her, she tilted her head back to find Joe directly in front of her, so close. Both of them half naked. He was slightly taller than her, but not dramatically so. Brooke was a fairly tall girl herself, so there weren't many people she had to look up to like a shrimp.

"Well it's nice to meet you Brooke, even though I have to admit the circumstances are a little strange,"

Both of them laughed together, nervously. It was definitely an awkward situation that neither of them really knew how to handle, except in stride. But at least they could laugh and joke about it.

"Thanks," She smiled up at him, running her fingers nervously through her hair as she brushed some of it behind her ear. The effort was useless, because some of it fell in front of her ear again, anyway. "For uh, letting me borrow your shirt. I swear, I really didn't think you were here. And I don't usually...steal people's clothes." She laughed again, softly, shaking her head. Do you think you could show me where some extra blankets are, or something? I remember where the couch is, I'll bring my stuff out there."

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

Joe had insisted that Brooke sleep in his room, but she still seemed a little unsure. It was already a little weird that she was standing there in front of him, in just his t-shirt and her underwear, in the bedroom of someone she had just met, and now he was going to let her sleep in his bed.

Well, that would just be a typical night of a one-night stand for Brooke, but...that's wasn't what this was. Joseph Quinn was her boss' son. There wasn't a whole lot of room to flirt here, or even be tempted of the idea of crawling into bed with this younger boy who had just finished his first year of college.

As hot as he was, she had to resist.

"There are plenty of pillows and blankets, it looks like." She nodded, glancing over at his inviting bed, then back at his inviting...self. Gah. "I don't mind sleeping on the couch though, really. I don't want to impose, or anything." Brooke shrugged, even if the thought of sleeping on the couch already made her back ache. And she didn't even want to think about how awkward it might be for James Quinn to come into the living room to find her in her underwear on his couch, in his son's shirt. Yeah, that wouldn't go over very well.

Brooke stood aside and watched as he pulled out some blankets and a pillow from his closet, and then rambled on about her working in the restaurant and needing a drink. Brooke knew she should probably just call it a night, go to sleep, and worry about avoiding him in the morning. And yet, why did the thought sound so tempting? Why couldn't she stop smiling, and why did she want to continue talking to him? She wanted to get to know her boss' cute son, who seemed to blush every time she so much as made eye contact with him.

"I'd love a beer," She agreed excitedly, nodding her head. "Or two, if you guys can spare to help get a poor waitress drunk." Laughing, only joking of course, Brooke followed him out of his bedroom as her bare feet carried her through his house. A lot of the rooms were dark, since the Quinn's had turned the lights off, so they had to be quiet. Tip-toeing, Brooke held her hand over her mouth as she giggled and they whispered in the halls. She reached for his shirt and held on to it, letting him guide their way to the kitchen since he knew the layout of his own home much better than she did in the dark. When they finally made it to the kitchen, he flipped on the light and she let go of him.

While Joe moved to the fridge to get them beers, Brooke sat at the island on one of the stools and waited. It was much colder in the kitchen, although it didn't seem to bother her in the least that she still wasn't wearing any pants, shorts. Anything.

"I live with my brother, in west Seattle," Brooke started to explain, answering Joe's question that he had asked her in his room. "Of course, my blonde-self left my purse and keys at home before I left for work today, and my brother called to tell me tonight that he was at the airport and wouldn't be back for a few days. You have really sweet parents, you know." She smiled and tilted her blonde head to the side. Of course he knew. They had raised him. "They were really kind, even if your dad does scare me sometimes, and invited me to stay here since they thought you were still at school. I've heard about some of the other staff coming here sometimes for the holiday, but this is definitely my first visit. Thanks for making it a memorable one." She teased, winking playfully at him before she laughed softly, trying not to speak too loudly and wake his parents.

When he handed her a beer, she thanked him and took a long pull from it, and then a smaller one before she set it back down again.

"Your dad told everyone that you might be working and helping out at the restaurant a little bit this summer, is that true? If it is, I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other. Although, I think you've seen more of me than most people I know." She teased him some more, grinning, talking about the moment back there in his room when he'd watched her undress.

"Thanks again though for letting me crash on your bed. I'll call some of my friends tomorrow and see if any of them can house me since my brother will be gone for another night. Then I'll be out of your hair, and you'll have no more strange waitresses stealing your clothes and your bed."

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

Brooke smiled, listening to Joe tell her about working at Quinn's for the summer while she nursed her beer in front of her. Sitting on the stool, she noticed he didn't join and sit beside her, but he stood next to her. It was fine, she figured it was probably because she wasn't exactly wearing any pants at the moment and he didn't want to make this situation more awkward than it already was. Good boy.

"Hey, bussing isn't so bad. That's where I started out, you know, and...Okay, well, fine. You're right. It's awful." She laughed softly, pausing to take a long pull from her beer, and she carefully set the glass back down again. "The extra help will be really great though, I know we had one waitress quit the other week, and a few months ago another was fired. I guess your parents had no choice to keep me on as waitress, lucky them. They've been so nice though. A little rough at times, but nice. I can't count how many plates or glasses I've dropped, I'm surprised they still even let me carry anything." Grinning, Brooke's blue eyes gazed up at Joe, hoping to see him smiling back.

"So do you like football?" Joe pointed, and Brooke looked down to her chest, where the Seahawks logo was plainly written.

"Yeah! I mean, I don't claim to know everything. I probably couldn't tell you what the difference of a cornerback and a running back is, but...I know the gist of the game. Did you catch the game last week? Oh my god, I about died when Hauschka kicked that 46-yard field goal in overtime. I thought my heart was about to come out of my chest that whole fucking game! They better not pull that shit tomorrow, we can't afford to let our defense slip with the Saints' offense. Brees has a streak going and has been on fire lately, and we're going to get slaughtered." She sighed, remembering to take a breath. Okay, so it was obvious she was a fan. Maybe she didn't know everything about the game, the positions, the play calling, or any of that. But she never thought that any of that really mattered if you supported the team.

When Joe offered her a beer, stepping up beside the counter next to her, Brooke shook her head and stood up.

"Nah, I got it." She insisted, pushing back the stool so she could stand up. As she pushed back, the stool fell behind her and she knocked over her glass as it shattered on the kitchen floor and the remainder of her beer spilled.

"Shit!" She cried out, cupping a hand over her mouth when she realized that they were probably making a ton of noise. God, the last thing she needed was his dad coming out right now, seeing her dressed as she was, drinking with his underage son. Yeah, if that didn't get her fired, she didn't know what would.

"I'm so sorry," She whispered, bending over to pick up the stood and set it upright again. If Joe already didn't get enough look at her beautiful curves earlier in his moonlit room, he'd get to see the perfect Brooke Bailey ass as she had bent over to pick it up, then fall to her knees to pick up the broken bottle glasses.

"See what I mean about clumsy and breaking things?" She blushed, a little embarrassed for making so much noise and for making a mess. And here they'd been, trying to get to know each other. "Maybe we should call it a night." She suggested with a soft sigh, wondering if going to bed would save her more embarrassment and humiliation. "But if you're free tomorrow, maybe we can catch the game together? If you don't already have plans, that is. If they don't play well tomorrow, I can't promise I won't break more things though." She joked, hoping to make him smile again to ease the tension.

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

So, tomorrow she'd be spending the day with the boss' son. Brooke knew that probably wasn't the best idea. She respected James and Mary Quinn and definitely didn't want to be in deep water with them if she was hanging around their only son. Mary loved Brooke to death, and James...well, he had a love/hate relationship with Brooke. Sometimes, he looked out for her like his own daughter, like tonight. And sometimes...well, she knew very well that she drove him crazy. Whether it be with her annoyingly chipper personality, the fact that she was always talking at work, or how she always managed to break something every shift.

But...they were just hanging out, right? Joseph Quinn was as cute as could be, and god, those arms. But it wouldn't be the first time she had a guy friend that was just simply that - a friend. It was the only way she managed to keep guys in her life, it seemed. Relationships with Brooke Bailey were complicated and messy. She wasn't good with either of things, so she kept it simple. Just friends, no benefits. Of course, there were some exceptions to that rule, but she blamed alcohol and her lack of self-control when she was tipsy.

"Watching the game sounds fun! I know this great bar not too far from the restaurant that we can go to. Big screens everywhere and great food. I know the bartender, so maybe I can sneak you in." She smirked, remembering he was underage. Shit, and she was drinking with him now. She bet that James would love the fact that she was having a beer with his underage son. In her underwear.

Since they were calling it a night, Brooke looked down at the ground, trying to tiptoe her way around any pieces they may have missed.

"Careful there might still be some small pieces of glass that we missed..." Before she knew it, Joe's big hands were on her small waist and he was lifting her off of the ground. His strength surprised her, and she placed her hands on his shoulders as he carefully set her down again in a safe spot. She was still stunned as she stood there, wide eyed.

"Wow, um," She laughed, shaking her head and snapping herself out of it. She couldn't deny that there was something absolutely sexy about a man who could just lift her like that, without asking, without breaking a sweat. "Thanks." She nodded, clearing her throat. She could feel that her cheeks were warm, and she hoped she wasn't blushing.

"You remember the way to my bedroom?" He asked, and Brooke just grinned and nodded. Was he the one nervous now, wishing her goodnight? She seemed to be more in the element when he was the nervous, blushing one, not her.

Laughing, Brooke nodded again. "Yep, I think I got it. Good night, Joe. It was really good to finally meet you. I'll see you in the morning." She flashed a smile his way, smiling back at him in the kitchen before she slowly turned and the two of them parted ways. Hugging him seemed inappropriate, considering they'd just met and she was half naked. And shaking hands was just awkward.

On her way back to his room, she tried to replay in her head their whole meeting, not even aware that her whole walk back to his room, she was still smiling.

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

Friday night.

Three years later...


They'd kissed.

Of all places for Brooke Bailey and Joseph Quinn to have their first kiss, and for all the times and places Brooke had daydreamed of how it might've happened, she would have never guessed the kitchen inside the Church.

It had started out as a game. An easy, simple, kissing game of spin the bottle. What better excuse and reason to kiss the one boy she'd been thinking about off and on for three years? And yet...when it had came down to it, when that bottle spun and fate finally pointed it at him, she couldn't do it. It was forced. Unnatural. And she didn't want to blame the moonshine, after. No, if she was going to have a first kiss with Joseph Quinn, she wanted it to be perfect. And yet, when he took off into the kitchen, clearly a little upset that she'd chosen a drink over his lips, Brooke knew she couldn't continue hurting him like that. She had to tell him how she truly felt. Show him, even.

Joe's lips had felt just as soft as she'd imagined them to be. He'd kissed her sweetly, but she had barely let him get over the surprise of her mouth crashing against his before she had pulled away and suggested they leave the party. They had to get out of there, before she did something very, very stupid. Like drink more, and take him into one of the rooms in the Church and sleep with the boss' son.

But that urge didn't disappear even as the two of them left the party and stood outside, waiting for their cab. It was raining, and while Brooke called the cab company to pick them up, Joe was kindly putting his jacket around her so she couldn't get wet. Brooke usually didn't mind a little rain, especially since it wasn't pouring, but the cold Pacific Northwest winds made her freeze, and she shivered and thanked him, huddling closer.

"We should have the cab stop at your house first, you're closer. Then I'll have it drop me off last." She suggested while they waited, reaching for his arm. She'd almost forgotten how much Joe had grown. Playing football at UW had definitely been good to him, and she had no doubt the exercise and conditioning they had him go through was absolutely strenuous, judging by his bigger size than what she remembered. He was taller, and that arm she held on to was more firm and built than the last time she touched him.

When the cab finally arrived, both of them were still a little wet as they climbed inside the cab and gave the driver Joe's address. Brooke shivered as she leaned against him for warmth, and just for any reason to be close to him. Brooke Bailey wasn't exactly the clingy type, but wasn't it just like most girls when they were drunk, to want to be close to a man? To feel wanted and cared for? Well, sometimes. Any romantic feelings Brooke ever had for Joe had always been quickly dismissed, whether that be because he was her bosses' son, or the fact that he was young and still had some growing up to do. She didn't want to be the bad influence in his life especially if that came back to bite her in the ass and affect her job security. Joe had always been sweet, kind, and just a good fucking guy, and Brooke sometimes felt like she didn't even deserve a friend as good as him, let alone much more than that.

But now, with the moonshine in her system giving her more confidence by minute, Brooke found herself seated in the middle of that cab, pressed against Joe's side with his arm around her. When her head turned to the side and tilted back just slightly, his face was right there. His lips, so sweetly soft and familiar, were there if she wanted to kiss them, again. But would he want her to? Her blue eyes gazed up at him as he also turned his head to look right back at her, and Brooke was mesmerized by the masculine shape of his jaw, the curve of his mouth, and the glow of the streetlights they passed on the street. He was beautiful. She knew that it wasn't common to call many boys or men that, but it was the first word that came to her mind as she gazed back up at him.

Beautiful.

She licked her lips.

"I want to kiss you again." She confessed, her voice barely a whisper in the backseat of that dark cab. Joe didn't laugh or even make a face that kissing her again was the last thing he wanted to do.

It was enough.

Enough to keep her confidence strong as her hand came up and touched his face, gently. Her fingertips pressed against his freshly shaven, handsome face, that pretty blonde head tilted at just the right angle, and her soft mouth found his once again. This time, they weren't rushed. And this time, they didn't have an audience, save for the cab driver, of course. But he may as well have not existed, because all Brooke could concentrate on were his lips kissing her back. Slow and firm, their mouths stayed pressed together with each kiss that grew deeper and hotter by the second. She didn't dare pull away, and to entice Joe to do the same, Brooke's warm tongue slipped between his lips, seeking his own.

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

Much like at the party, Joe seemed surprised, yet pleasantly so, that Brooke was kissing him. Had she never given off the hint that she'd wanted to do this before? Did he not know how long she'd wanted to do this?

Maybe not. Brooke was a smart girl, and made smart decisions. When it came to most decisions in her life, Brooke Bailey followed her heart. But when it came to love and feelings for someone else? She followed her brain. And her brain always told her that any relationship she ever had with Joe would never be healthy. He was the boss' son, and if anything ever happened or went wrong in their relationship, it could cost her the only job she'd been able to keep for longer than a year. That didn't mean she'd be fired, but she'd quit if she had to, if it meant not dealing with the awkward moment every day of having to look at his parents.

No, she couldn't screw that up. She couldn't ruin their friendship, and she couldn't lose her job.

But now, the line had been crossed. In fact, that imaginary line had been destroyed completely, and there was no turning back to jump back over it. One taste, and she wanted more.

With her warm mouth pressed against his moonshine-flavored lips, Brooke kissed Joe deeply, and whimpered slightly as she felt his hands move to her waist, pulling her. He wanted her closer and she wasn't about to deny them both. As he pulled her hips, Brooke lifted a leg until she was straddling his lap with both knees on each side of him, that kiss never ending. In that position, her blonde hair fell in both of their faces as she kissed him deeper, hotter, her body naturally rolling and grinding gently against his own. Even between the fabric of both of their jeans, she could feel he was hard. Brooke pressed her smile into that kiss, satisfied that he was so attracted to her.

His hands were curious, studying her body blindly as they moved up from her hips, to the small of her back, just beneath her t-shirt. His touch was so soft, and she was sure he could feel the goosebumps along her lower back as her body and soft flesh responded to his touch. She wanted more. She wanted those clothes again, and she wanted to feel more of that flesh on flesh contact. So, when Joe pulled away, his hands pushing away her hair out of her face to look at her, intense blue eyes looked back at him with a drunken, built up lust from years of keeping the animal caged. Heavily, Brooke exhaled, catching her breath.

"...Do you want to come back to mine for one last drink before we call it a night...?" Joe had asked, and Brooke took a moment to look back at him. To study that handsome face that now showed her that Joseph Quinn was no longer the naive young man she'd first met in his bedroom three years ago. He was different. They were different.

But if Brooke was ever going to have a chance to stop this before it go out of control, now was the time. Instead, her lips curved into a smile.

"Yes," She answered, her voice a whisper. If the cab driver was watching them or even listening to them, Brooke didn't notice. To her, he didn't even exist. It was just Brooke and Joe. "Yes," She repeated, slowly nodding her head and pressing her chest against his own. "Let's go to your place, but not to drink. And we're not calling it a night, not yet." She slowly shook her head, knowing full well that she didn't want to stop this. But she wasn't going to beat around the bush and make him guess what she wanted, or wonder how far he should go with her. She gave him the green light before they had even made it to his house, and she didn't care anymore if his parents were home. She wanted him now, and they were much closer to his place than they were to hers. She'd just have to be quiet.

Easier said, than done, with Brooke Bailey.