Love Stupid

Word Count: 999

He found her huddled up on his porch, tears sliding down her face to match the rain. To say he was surprised she was there was an understatement. They had hardly said two words to each other in the past year and a half. Sometimes he was sure it was better that way … for his sanity… for hisheart…

He quickly yanked off his jacket and slipped it around her shoulders, guiding her trembling, lithe body into the warmth of his beach house. He forced her into a chair and grabbed two beers from the refrigerator. He held one out to her and she just stared at it sadly. He was acutely aware that they had said no words yet thus far but that they were communicating quite well just the same.

"It's Rick, isn't it?" He finally spoke.

She nodded and started to speak but a loud hiccup parted her lips instead. She shook her head. "I'm such a mess," she finally said. "Such a damn mess… It's just like Brooke always says – I am worth nothing."

"Hey, hey, don't even go there," Oliver admonished her. "You're worth a helluva lot."

"To who?"

"To … Your daughter," he said. To me. But god knew he couldn't say that to her. All they had ever been was brief lovers and friends. But he still wished things had turned out differently between them. Oh yes, he did even if words failed to communicate that. "You mean something to me," he finally blurted out, surprised by his own voice.

"Oh please," Amber said. "We haven't even talked to each other in ages."

"That's true but obviously you came here for a reason. You knew I couldn't turn you away. You know I wouldn't want to."

Amber nodded. "That's true. You have a good heart. I just knew you wouldn't hate me like everyone else does."

"Not possible." He quickly took a drink to try to keep himself from saying anything else. He sensed she wanted and needed to talk anyway.

"He's marrying Taylor. His former sister-in-law. How crazy is that?" Amber said. "They got back together when no one was looking and now they are getting married and Rick has demanded I stay away from them both. Why do I always mess everything up? Why am I so damn unlovable?"

He put down his beer and reached for her hand even if he knew he shouldn't touch her for his own sake. "You're not unlovable, Amber."

"Oh come on, Oliver. No one even likes me."

"I do…"

Amber reached out and touched his face. He savored the feel of her skin on his. Her hand was gone too soon…

"You're so sweet, Ollie," she said using that familiar nickname he would have tolerated from no one else.

Still, he cringed. Sweet was not what he aspired to be. He wanted her to feel passionate about him. He wanted to evoke in her the same fiery emotions she did in him. He had put a distance between them because he was afraid of his feelings for her and even more afraid that those intense emotions would never be reciprocated. He could tell it would always be any other guy for her but he, himself.

"Sweet," he murmured. "Yeah, sweet is a really endearing term. Not."

"What's wrong with it?" She looked genuinely mystified.

Oliver practically chucked his now empty beer aside and reached for her untouched one. Shutting his mouth was the only way he would keep from blurting out to her exactly how he felt and she didn't need him to burden her with that emotional stuff.

Amber stared at him as he chugged on the second beer. "Okay, this is soooo not like you. You're … You're trying to get wasted now for some reason."

He shook the bottle realizing it was now empty too. He started for the kitchen to grab another but she was grabbing his wrist and yanking him back, her hand's warmth singeing him to the core. "What, Amber?"

"Seriously you're acting kind of like a mental case right now. Why do you suddenly want to get drunk?"

"To forget you!" He snapped and saw the look of pain in her eyes. "Wait. That's not what I meant."

"What the hell did you mean then?"

"I am trying so hard to forget you, Amber, because let's face it, you forgot me a long time ago. I was just a pawn in your game to get Liam and once I wasn't needed anymore…"

"Oliver …"

"I want you, Amber. I love you. I could never say the words because I knew you didn't feel the same way and I don't know why I even said them now. I am a masochistic or a –" He was cut off suddenly by her lips pressing on his. They kissed for a long moment and then he pulled back.

"What was that?"

"I wanted to see if I still liked your kisses as much as I used to."

"Amber, don't –"

"I'm serious. I am so sorry I hurt you. If I would have known … Then I wouldn't have done anything I did. I wouldn't have chased after a pipedream when reality is so much better anyway."

"You're rebounding… you want to hurt Rick…"

"This has nothing to do with Rick," Amber said. "I thought you never cared about me when you seemed relieved you weren't Rosie's dad …"

"I wanted to be Rosie's dad. So much. But Marcus is my best friend. I had to play nice and pretend I was happy for him. Besides, by then, I thought you were done with me."

Amber rested her forehead against his. "We've been stupid, so damn stupid."

"Yes we have."

"But we can change," Amber said. "If you still want me …"

"More than anything …"

"Then I'm yours and your mine," she said and snuggled into his arms where she realized she wanted to stay forever.

FINIS