Title: Enchantment

Chapter 3: Something so casual

No copyright infringement intended.

Previously-

Brock watched her laugh and throw her hair back again over her shoulder. "Who's taking Nell's new body out for a test drive?" He had his hands on his hips.

Reba had seen it before with their daughters when boys came to the door. Her mind ran to the times when he looked like that when he stared down her boyfriends after the divorce. It was more jealous than protective. She looked at him. She answered him in a low, sultry voice. "You only get one first time, or in my case, two. I'm making it count with the guy I wish I'd gone to bed with in high school. Wouldn't you like to know?"

What happens next? Keep reading to find out more!

The answers to the questions above will be revealed as you read the story. Here is "Enchantment!"

Now on with our next chapter-

Every night during the following week, Reba video-chatted with Lori Ann. Brock was eager to find out what secrets Reba was hiding. First, he tried eavesdropping on her conversations. Second, he tried flirting with her during tutoring. Then, he asked her to walk home with her after school. He desperately wanted to know who the mystery guy was. A part of him thought that he might be the one. He was the only one who would understand her situation. Who else would sleep with Reba under these conditions? He didn't sleep with her in high school. He didn't get a chance with her until college started. That's how he justified his reasoning to himself.

On Friday, Reba was tutoring Brock in algebra. She was amazed how he ever got his degree without mastering higher level math. She was showing him the steps to a difficult problem when he lifted his finger and pushed a stray hair out of her eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked. Her eyes opened wide and her mouth was slightly open in shock at his action.

"You had a big piece of hair in your eyes. I moved it for you. I know that you're really focused on the math, but I need you to be able to see in order to help me." He shrugged.

Reba went back to tutoring him. His arm brushed hers for a moment. A wave of electricity flowed through both of them. Reba pulled back as if she'd been burnt. That's when Brock knew that she felt it, too.

"So, why is it so important to you to play in the football game?" he asked.

Reba cast him a look of astonishment. "You don't really know me, do you?" She sighed. Her voice got quiet. "I used to play all the time when I was younger. Guys aren't really into tomboy bookworms, and there isn't a girls' team for football so I stopped playing. Don't you remember the times that we used to play football with the kids? I really loved that. You couldn't beat me easily. That should've been your first clue."

Brock leaned in closer to her. "That was a lot of fun. I miss those days. Remember the race?"

Reba's face lit up at the memory. "Yeah, I had fun kicking your butt."

"You know I wouldn't mind playing with you again. You need someone to practice with before the game."

"Maybe. We'll see."

"Who are you training with anyway? You've been talking to Lori Ann all week."

"An experienced football player who likes tackling me on and off the field." She smiled. "A guy who realizes that he was a fool for letting me slip away from him. I think that I wouldn't mind dating him again. Or at least, trying it just once. I'd like to see if we're still compatible. He used to rock my world."

"Hey, I know a guy like that." He smiled back at her.

"I know you do. It's like Cheyenne said. We've got a second chance here. We should be making the most of it. I know I believe in being careful, but careful hasn't gotten me very far in my life. I want to jump in with both feet."

"Really?" It was Brock's turn to be astonished. He covered her hand with his own.

She didn't pull away. "Yes, really. Why is that so surprising? Sometimes I think that you're clueless when it comes to me."

"You might be right about that one. I'm sorry for not paying attention before."

"That's okay. The important thing is for you to recognize your mistakes and fix them now. We better get back to studying. You have to pass math to play football. Besides if you don't, I'll have ammo to tease you for the rest of your life."

They studied for another hour. That's when they started packing up to leave.

"Can I walk you home?" Brock asked.

Reba smiled. "I guess I can tolerate you for a little while longer."

"I want to see you more."

She rolled her eyes. "We share a room. How much more do you want to see of me?"

"You know what I mean. Other than tutoring and being at home, I really don't see you at all. We're in the same classes and we don't even walk together. You go out of your way to avoid me."

"I'm not avoiding you. I'm just saving your reputation. Football players don't usually like to be seen in public with girls like me."

"I don't care about that. I like hanging out with you. You're my best friend."

"Okay, thanks, I guess. I'm glad that we've been able to stay friends after everything."

He grabbed her hand again. She started swinging her arm. They walked with their arms swinging together, still holding hands. They stopped at a drug store.

"Hey, why don't you go on home without me? I need to pick something up in here." She pointed to the store.

"I'll go in with you."

"It's really personal."

"I believe that I've had to pick up those 'personal' items for you many times before. It doesn't bother me."

"I'm not on my period, Brock!"

He grinned. "You called me Brock."

"Force of habit. Try not to be so shocked when we go in there. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Brock followed Reba inside. She headed to the aisle with the condoms. She saw tons of varieties. She didn't know which one to choose. She hadn't had sex in seven years and didn't have a need for them until now. She looked confused as she looked over the boxes.

He chuckled. "I think that it's so cute that you don't know which kind to buy."

She head-slapped him. "I always let the guy take care of that, you mo-ron. You should know that." She bristled with embarrassment.

"Maybe the guy wondered which kind the lady wanted. It should be comfortable for her, too. It's so strange that we were together for 20 years and never had this conversation."

"I always believed that the guy bought them, wore them, and that's it."

"No, there's more to it. It's supposed to be pleasurable for both people."

"Okay." She picked up the kind that Brock usually wore. "In that case, I'm not picking these."

"Really? Why?"

She rolled her eyes. "Do I have to spell everything out for you? Those are only comfortable to you. I need something comfortable for me. I don't know why I'm obsessing over this."

They talked about each kind and Reba was finally able to pick one. She also picked up some spermicide.

"Condoms and spermicide? How much protection do you need?"

Reba glared at him. "For your information, I went to Planned Parenthood Tuesday afternoon during lunch. I got on the pill and got a diaphragm. It takes a month for the pill to be fully effective. I'm gonna be smart and safe this time, not like when we conceived Cheyenne."

Brock was shocked. "How did you do that? How did you get out of school?"

"Lori Ann called me out. I returned with a doctor's note from the clinic and no one said anything about it at school."

"And you got away with that?"

"Sure. Lori Ann is posing as my mother who's out of town right now while I stay with Cheyenne. I can outsmart you and Cheyenne any day of the week."

He put his arm around her. "Were you okay? You've never done anything like that before."

She nodded. "Yeah, I know. I never had sex in high school so I didn't need to go there. It's different this time around. I took a bus. It was okay. They gave me some condoms, but they were the kind that you buy. I have them in my drawer if you want them."

"That's okay. I think I'll start using a different brand, one that more comfortable for the lady."

"Are you actually growing as a person? That's new for you."

"Ha, ha. I am capable of thinking of someone other than myself."

"Glad to hear it." She shook her head. "This is too much trouble for a friends with benefits thing. I don't know why I'm doing this."

"Then don't. You can always wait if you want to."

"That's sweet. But Cheyenne is right. I need to live to the fullest and I've got all these hormones. I forgot how hard it is to be a teenager. I don't remember wanting it this much."

"I do. I remember wanting it all the time. It's hard because you're so beautiful."

She lifted her eyebrow. "Really? How corny of you. Or is that your way of being funny?"

"I'm serious."

"You have options. I know somebody who's interested in you."

"Okay, I'll play along. Does she have red hair and the voice of an angel?"

"Ugh, not me, you mo-ron. It's Lori Ann."

He started choking on his own saliva. "What?"

"Don't tell me that you didn't know. She's always been attracted to your 'original package'. She just hides it well. She's right, you know. You do look better like this. You would've looked better before if you would've allowed yourself to age gracefully like other men."

"Like the guy you're interested in, a guy who apparently doesn't mind that you look like this?"

"Yeah, I don't mind being part of his midlife crisis. I think he's done with his flavor of the month by now."

"He sounds just great, Reba. How is that any better than what I did during mine?"

Reba detected his sarcasm quickly. She put her hands on her hips, but kept her voice low since they were in public. "Because he's not married and he's got more class than to seduce a woman in an x-ray room."

He put up his hands. "Reba, I swear to God, I didn't seduce her. She seduced me. I was at a low point. We were separated. The thought didn't even cross my mind until she put the moves on me."

"I guess that's one thing that Barbra Jean and I have in common. I intend to make the first move. I'm just smart enough not to get pregnant."

"I'm sorry that I cheated, but I'm not sorry that I have Henry."

"Okay, I'm not sorry that we have Cheyenne. Truce?" She offered her hand.

He shook it. They paid for the items and started walking home in silence.

Brock finally broke the silence. "Are you really okay with something so casual? Don't you believe in being love before..."

"It's different now. I don't want to wait to have ring-a-ding anymore. You wouldn't know anything about this. You're not celibate."

He turned to face her. "You want a bet. Barbra Jean and I didn't have sex very often. Only when she wanted to and mostly just to keep the marriage going. It's why we're divorced."

Reba put her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. She never let on about it. I thought that things were good between you two in that department."

"I want to try something." Before she could think, Brock pressed his lips to hers. At first, she didn't move, but he slowly got her to open up to a full kiss. They broke apart.

"What did you do that for?" she asked.

"I figured that both of us could use the practice since you don't mind the whole friends-with-benefit thing or being casual."

"Well in that case, I'd better try again. That wasn't very good. I'm a little rusty. I'm usually better at kissing. The problem is that I have kissed anybody since Jack." Before Brock could respond, she planted her lips against his. She worked slowly, exploring his mouth.

When the kiss ended, Brock responded. "Wow, that was definitely better. Better than I remembered."

She beamed. "Thanks." She took his hand and held it in hers the rest of the walk back to the house.

Brock joked with her the rest of the way home. She was laughing as she entered the house. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the visitors in the living room.

"Hi," she said softly.

The man walked over to her. "I can't believe it. You're a real blast from the past. Looking good, Nell."

She placed her hand on his cheek. "You don't look so bad yourself, Mike."

To be continued...

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Characters I don't own: Reba McKinney, Brock Hart, Barbra Jean Booker, Kyra Hart, Jake Hart, Cheyenne Montgomery, Van Montgomery, Elizabeth Montgomery, Barbra Jean Booker, Henry Hart, Mike Holliway, Terry Holliway, Lori Ann Garner, and any other characters from the Reba cast.

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