Heart and Soul

Episode 69

Body Language

By Allan Craig

 

Food cooking: check. Wine breathing: check. Table set: check. Candles lit: check. Looking fabulous? Like a check is even needed. Jessica Monroe inspected her appearance in the mirror one last time, flipping her blonde hair over her bare shoulders, smoothing down the figure hugging black dress that concealed some very, very revealing black lingerie, purchased especially for a romantic Valentine’s night in with Rex.

 

She sprayed a little perfume over her neck and allowed the cool liquid to sink into her soft skin, adjusting her lip gloss before walking out into the living room and sitting herself down in her sexiest position, eagerly awaiting Rex’s return from work, loving the fact that Rex wasn’t going to know what hit him when he came home.

 

 

Adam sleeping upstairs: check. Movies rented: check. Pizza on its way: check. Beers chilling: check. Looking fabulous? When your day is spent looking after a baby, looking fabulous isn’t practical or easy, but Carrie Masters was doing her best. She tied her long hair, which was slowly making its way back to her natural, blonde colour, back into a ponytail, and slipped into her most figure hugging jeans, which she could now fit into, a year after giving birth to her son, and a chic black sweater teamed with a new pair of black, knee high leather boots she had treated herself to, and gave her subtle makeup a quick touch up.

 

She made her way along the corridor, checking in on Adam before making her way down the staircase to the living room, where she sat down on the sofa and watched as Nate entered from the kitchen, carrying two bottles of chilled beer for them, and handing one to Carrie as he sat down.

 

“So what do you fancy first? Dreamgirls or The Devil Wears Prada?” Nate asked as he took a sip of his cold beer; not really caring about either of the films Carrie had chose to rent, but looking forward to a night of quality time with her enough to put up with the chick flicks she had chosen.

 

“Surprise me.” Carrie smiled as she snuggled up on the sofa. She was too worn out from watching Adam all day to care what movie they watched, she just wanted a quiet Valentine’s night with Nate.

 

 

Ashley swept her thick fringe out of her eyes as she walked up the steps to Theatre, a hot new bar-club that had only recently opened downtown, on the site of what was a derelict theatre until work began on restoring it to its former glory. She stopped halfway up, praying the knots in her stomach would settle, until she felt a hand comfortingly clasp her own, looking up to see Cal smiling warmly at her.

“Relax, kiddo, we’re out to have fun tonight.” Cal reassured his younger cousin, hoping that a night on the town would be enough to bring Ashley out of the slump she had been in ever since her father’s funeral.

 

“If you insist,” Ashley smiled jokingly, suddenly doubting whether her skinny jeans, heels and off the shoulder top was a good enough ensemble. She fiddled with the oversize hoops hanging from her ears as they approached the door, being waved past the queue by the doorman (her mother’s friend Felicia knew the promoter for the club) and entering the club. Instantly they were hit by a young, hip atmosphere, with open plan booths and an illuminated bar highlighting the dark, cavernous room. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, while attractive bar staff who looked like they’d stepped off of the pages of an Abercrombie and Fitch catalogue mixed exciting cocktails for the baying crowd.

 

“This place is awesome.” Cal remarked as they made their way to the bar. “What are you drinking, kid?”

 

“I’ll just have a soda, thanks.” Ashley smiled, glancing around the impressive venue. Back when she was in high school, she’d have killed to get into a place as exclusive as this, but now she didn’t seem as phased by the whole party scene as she once did.

 

“Not on my watch,” Cal winked as a gorgeous barmaid approached. “I’ll have a Jack and coke, and my beautiful companion here will have…a mojito.”

 

“Cal, seriously, I’m not in the…”

 

“We’re going to paint the town red tonight, Ash, so loosen up.” Cal assured his cousin, eager to show her a good time, she deserved it after what she’d been through. “Besides, if you’re going to be single on Valentine’s day, you might as well have fun with it.”

 

As the barmaid poured their drinks, Ashley felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach. The last person she wanted to see had just entered the club, and already she was mentally planning her exit through the back door. The very thought of running into Leo Sterling again had never even crossed her mind, and now that they were in the same room, only a few feet apart, Ashley could feel the knots in her stomach tighten even more.

 

“What’s up? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Cal asked his cousin, noticing that she had suddenly got even more tense than usual.

 

“You could say that.” Ashley took the drink that Cal had given her and began to make her way further into the club, hoping to avoid any contact with Leo. “Come on, can we go sit down somewhere?”

 

“Um, sure, there’s a free booth over there.” Cal directed his cousin to the empty table, helping her through the crowd, who jumped around to Do It by Nelly Furtado. They took a seat at the booth and Ashley instantly felt about two feet tall, and all she wanted was for the world to swallow her up so she could avoid any contact with Leo Sterling.

 

“So what’s up?” Cal couldn’t help but feel worried by his cousin’s sudden mood change from bad to worse.

 

“I just saw someone who I don’t really want to talk to, that’s all.” Ashley scanned the room for Leo’s whereabouts, hoping he was as far away as possible. She caught sight of him, laughing with friends as an attractive girl hung off of him, and instantly all the hate for him that she’d locked up in the back of her head came flooding back to her. She looked him dead in the eye and suddenly their eyes met; and it was Leo who looked like he’d seen the ghost.

 

“If you want to leave, Ash, we can leave.” Cal changed his tune; confrontation was the last thing Ashley needed right now.

 

“No, it’s cool,” Ashley took a sip of her cocktail. “I’m not going anywhere. In fact, do you want another drink? Suddenly I’ve got a craving for tequila shots.”

 

“I’ll get them.” Cal began to stand up, but Ashley’s hand stopped him.

 

“I insist, this round’s on me.” Ashley stood up and strutted over to the bar, lowering her off the shoulder top to reveal a little more skin as she leaned over the bar and flirted with the gorgeous barman, watching Leo with one eye as he began to look increasingly uncomfortable with the situation. As Nelly Furtado faded into Britney Spears’ Gimme More, the barman handed Ashley her drinks and she wrote her phone number on a napkin, watching Leo watching her, and slid it to the barman, who she continued to fawn over as Leo marched over and took her by one arm, dragging her away from the bar.

 

“What the hell are you playing at?” Leo scowled, not expecting to see Ashley any time soon.

 

“I’m sorry, who exactly do you think you’re talking to?” Ashley looked Leo up and down with a look of disgust, although she couldn’t help but feel a small twinge of attraction towards him, he was still as hot as ever, his killer physique framed by a fitted white shirt unbuttoned to reveal his toned, tanned chest. “Now get your hands off of me.”

 

“I asked you a question.” Leo tightened his grip on Ashley.

 

“And I chose not to answer it.” Ashley attempted to break free from Leo’s clutches. “Now if you don’t mind…”

 

“I do mind. Very much in fact, so you’re going to go get your bag and leave, okay?”

 

“I wasn’t aware this was your club, Leo. And I think you’ll find that I’ve got just as much right to be here as you do, so for the last time, let go of me or you’ll regret it.”

 

“You heard the lady,” came Cal’s voice, followed by his hands pushing against Leo’s broad shoulders. “Let go of her.”

 

“Oh yeah?” Leo spun around to stare Cal square in the eye. “And who’s this punk?”

 

“Your worst nightmare,” Cal growled.

 

“Oh don’t make me laugh. What is this? An episode of The OC?” Leo chuckled. “Back off, dude.”

 

“Or what?” Cal edged closer to Leo, broadening his shoulders and straightening up his posture, which Leo mirrored in his stance.

 

“Guys that’s enough!” Ashley interrupted, all she wanted was to push a few of Leo’s buttons, and she’d succeeded enough without having to cause a fight in the club. “Leo, go back to whatever bimbo it is you’re screwing and leave us to enjoy our night.”

 

“You’d do well to listen to the girl, unless you want me to rearrange your face.” Cal knew Leo was no match for him, and Leo know it as well, which was demonstrated by his decision to back away from Cal and Ashley.

 

“See you around, Ashley.” Leo gave her a look up and down before heading back to his crowd of friends.

 

“Are you okay?” Cal turned to Ashley.

“Yeah, I’m fine” Ashley insisted.

 

“Do you want to leave?”

“Nope, I’m just getting started.” Ashley grinned, downing her shot of tequila with a smile on her face.

 

 

Jessica pushed play on her iPod speakers again, the playlist of hot, sexy songs she had made had come to an end whilst she waited for Rex to get home from work. Quickly she resumed her sexy pose on the sofa, but keeping her shoulders and lets in the right position became increasingly frustrating when the likelihood of Rex coming home was getting slimmer and slimmer by the second.

 

Her cell phone bleeped and she picked it up, reading a text message from Rex’s number.

 

Wont be home til late tonight babe.

Work is heavy with this case.

Sorry. R. x

 

She flipped her cell phone shut and downed her glass of red wine, pouring herself another one and drinking it just as fast before setting the glass down and picking up her keys. No way in hell was Jessica Monroe staying home on a Friday night because of a man standing her up.

 

 

“Would you relax?” Marc handed Megan a glass of wine. “Jessica wont have told him anything.”

 

“But what if she has?” Megan panicked. “If Jessica’s told your father that we got married before we get the chance to tell him, he wont be happy.”

 

“My dad’s cool.” Marc explained. “And besides, we’re adults, Megan, we don’t have to explain ourselves, or our actions, to our parents anymore.”

 

“Swap parents with me and then try saying that with a straight face.” Megan joked. “Seriously, though, why else would your dad invite us out to dinner? On Valentine’s of all days.”

 

“Um, I dunno, because he’s been out of town for a while and wants to catch up…call me crazy, but that sounds like a pretty plausible explanation to me.”

 

“We’ll see.” Megan shrugged as she motioned for Marc to zip up the back of her dress. Spending Valentine’s night with her father in law was hardly ideal, but she knew Marc would make it up to her later in the night. “Now come on, we’re going to be late.”

 

 

Half a pizza later, Carrie and Nate sat snuggled up on top of the sofa, half asleep in each others arms as Jennifer Hudson belted out And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going on the TV screen.

 

“You want another beer?” Nate asked, having about as much as he could take of the musical melodrama playing out the TV screen.

 

“No, thanks, but a water would be great.” Carrie half smiled, unable to muster up enough energy for a full one. As Nate made his way into the kitchen, there was a knock at the front door. Carrie stretched herself out, too comfortable to get up and answer the door, but Nate’s lack of movement from the kitchen prompted her to rise to her feet and head over to the door. She opened it to see Greg standing outside and quickly invited him in.

 

“Hey, am I interrupting something?” Greg asked, noticing the movie and pizza, accompanied by the empty beer bottles on the coffee table.

 

“No, not at all, come on in.” Carrie lied, trying her best to keep up the whole ‘being civil to Greg for the sake of their son’ thing, when she wanted to slam the door in his face and return to her romantic night in with Nate. “What can I do for you?”

 

“I know it’s late, but I was wondering if you’d mind me going up and seeing Adam?” Greg was clearly distraught, still reeling from his breakup with Kristen, not that Carrie knew that.

 

“Greg you should have called.” Carrie sighed. “Adam’s asleep, and I cant risk you waking him, he’s got a party tomorrow and I don’t want him being cranky during it.”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude on your night.” Greg winced, his response tinged by a bitter hint of resentment towards his ex wife. No matter what joint custody agreement had been drawn up by the courts, Carrie still called the shots where Adam was concerned. “Um, well, I guess I better get going, I said to Josh I’d meet him for a few drinks.”

 

“Sorry about that, Greg,” Carrie opened the door to her former husband. “You know if it was any other time…”

 

“No, don’t worry about it.” Greg insisted. “Seriously; I’ll see him on Monday like we planned. Have a good night.”

 

Greg made his way down the stairs from Carrie and Nate’s terraced townhouse as Carrie closed the door behind her and returned to her spot on the sofa; she couldn’t help but think Greg was acting slightly peculiar. Something wasn’t right about him; she thought; he seemed almost…defeated.

 

 

“I don’t care what Lucas says, I’m the one that’s signing your paycheck so you’ll do as I say…got it?” Shane hissed into his cell phone as he made his way down the staircase within his penthouse, standing at the floor-to-ceiling windows that lined one wall of his spacious lounge overlooking the city, cloaked in darkness with illuminations coming the distance lighting up the view. “Just sort it out unless you want to have me to answer to.”

 

Shane hung up his cell phone and tossed it onto his sofa as he walked over to the drinks cabinet and poured himself a vodka on the rocks and took a seat overlooking the city.

 

A knock at his door disturbed the silence that Shane found himself in, forcing him to get up and answer the door. Standing in the plush hallway of his penthouse stood Jessica Monroe, looking particularly sexy.

 

“Jessica? Sorry, did we make arrangements and I’ve forgotten?” Shane asked the seductive blonde standing in front of him.

 

“No, this isn’t a business meeting, Shane.” Jessica pouted, gliding past Shane into his impressive home. “Sorry for turning up unannounced like this, but I just thought…oh, I don’t know what I thought…just that…”

 

“Sit down, sit down. Can I get you a drink?” Shane, never one to turn away a beautiful woman in distress, was quick to make Jessica feel welcome. “How do you like champagne?”

 

“You certainly know how to spoil a girl.” Jessica resumed her sexy pose, this time on Shane’s couch, as she watched him pop the cork of an expensive looking bottle of champagne and fill two flutes with the gold liquid, handing one to her as he sat down next to her.

 

“So tell me, what brings you to my neck of the woods?”

 

“I just felt I could use some male company.” Jessica took a sip of the chilled liquid before continuing. “And since Rex is too busy at work right now…”

 

“That boyfriend of yours is an idiot if he leaves a beautiful woman like you waiting at home while he plays cops and robbers.”

 

“It’s just his job, he cant help it. He’s in the middle of investigating some sort of drugs case and it’s taking up a lot of his….sorry, I shouldn’t have said…I’m not supposed to…”

 

“Don’t worry.” Shane edged closer to Jessica. “I wont tell if you don’t.”

 

“If I don’t tell what?”

 

Without a single response, Shane leaned forward and kissed Jessica’s full, glossy lips, silencing her with an intense, wild kiss that Jessica was half expecting, although not in her wildest dreams did she imagine it would be so hot, so passionate, so…much better than what she’d had with Rex these last few months.

 

 

Ashley emerged from a bathroom stall in the club and headed over to the sinks, adjusting her hair and makeup in the huge mirrors that adorned one wall of the uber chic bathrooms. As she re-applied some lip gloss, she noticed a familiar face emerge from another stall and check her reflection in the mirror…she couldn’t help but think she’d met this girl before, she just didn’t know where…

 

Suddenly it hit her, the last time she saw Leo, he was arguing with some girl in Fix…and that girl was standing right in front of her.

 

“Hey, it’s Natalie, isn’t it?” Ashley asked, somehow managing to place a name to the face she had so briefly seen…she’d been kept up to date with all the gossip from Oakridge during her time away, both from Will and from her superb MySpace snooping skills.

 

“Um, yeah…do I know you?” Natalie paused as her memory of Ashley came flooding back to her…”The girl who slapped Leo…you know, I really should be shaking your hand right now.”

 

“No need. Ashley Abbott, pleased to meet you.” Ashley smiled, glad to have some sort of common ally in the fight against Leo, although she was unaware of the extent that Leo and Natalie were…still…involved. “So tell me, how were either of us dumb enough to get involved with Leo Sterling?”

 

“Tell me about it…” Natalie hesitated, knowing that if it wasn’t for Leo, she would never have had Grace. “Although something positive did come out of my thing with Leo, and I’d never wish not to have had Grace…fate works in mysterious ways…”

 

“Grace?”

 

“Grace is my daughter with Leo…Not that we’re together or anything, god no…”

 

“You and Leo have a kid together?” Ashley felt like she’d just been punched in the gut, Natalie’s sudden revelation was enough to make what little color she had left drain from her face. “I didn’t know…um….”

 

“So are you here alone?” Natalie, sensing Ashley’s awkwardness, quickly changed the subject.

 

“No I’m here with my cousin, Cal. What about you?”

 

“Just a friend. You’re more than welcome to join us if you’d like.”

 

“I better not leave Cal alone…he’s new in town and doesn’t really know anyone.”

 

Outside the bathroom, Cal waited casually across from the entrance to the ladies room, sipping on his drink as he checked out a pretty brunette who dropped her purse, spilling the contents everywhere.

 

He rushed over to help her as she crouched down, frantically gathering the contents of her purse from the floor. “Here, I think you’ve forgot this.” Cal smiled, handing the girl her cell phone.

 

“Thank you” she smiled.

 

“Don’t mention it. I’m Cal, by the way.”

 

“Kendall,” she smiled.

 

“Can I get you a drink?” Cal asked.

 

“No, thank you, I’m not drinking tonight.” Kendall grinned, charmed by the attractive stranger standing in front of her.

 

“Surely one wont hurt?” Cal winked.

 

“If you insist, I’ll have a soda.” Kendall couldn’t help but want to spend a little bit more time in Cal’s presence; Natalie would be out of the bathroom any minute and she promised she’d spend some more time with her in an effort to ease tension between Natalie and Leo.

 

“What is it with you girls and your sodas?” Cal joked. “A jack and coke for me, and a soda for the lady.”

 

“Have you got a death wish or something?” came a man’s voice from behind Cal. He spun around to see Leo standing next to him, clearly a little bit braver following a few drinks and a few lines of coke.

 

“You again?” Cal rolled his eyes as Sean Kingston’s Beautiful Girls began to fill the club. “Listen bud, I don’t know who you are or what your problem is, but you’ve got five seconds to get as far away from me as possible, alright?”

 

“You two know each other?” Kendall asked, confused by the tense situation.

 

“Hardly.” Cal laughed off Leo’s attempt at a threatening demeanor.

 

“Stay out of this, Kendall.” Leo snapped at his younger sister.

 

“Don’t talk to her like that.” Cal squared up to Leo.

 

“She’s my sister, I’ll talk to her however I want.” Leo hissed.

 

“You want to learn some respect for women.” Cal once again edged closer to Leo.

 

“Or what?” Leo clenched his fists.

 

“Do you really want to risk finding out?” Cal threatened.

 

“Enough.” Kendall pushed her way in between the two men, breaking up a possible fight.

 

“What the hell is going on here?” Ashley interrupted, Natalie standing close behind her.

 

“Natalie? What the hell are you doing here?” Leo turned to the mother of his child.

 

Natalie refused to acknowledge Leo’s question, rolling her eyes and heading towards the bar. Ashley couldn’t help but notice how confused Kendall seemed by the whole situation, and she didn’t blame her, she barely knew what was going on herself. How Cal and Leo had taken such an instant dislike to each other was beyond her; but this was ridiculous.

 

“Leo, when are you going to get the hint to just fuck off and leave everyone alone?” Ashley yelled over the music. “There’s a reason why nobody wants anything to do with you, and the sooner you realize that and grow the hell up the better.”

 

“This coming from the girl who was practically stalking me because I didn’t call her back after a one night stand?” Leo yelled back. “Ever heard of the terms ‘needy’ and ‘pathetic’, Ashley?”

 

“Watch your mouth.” Cal interrupted.

 

“Or what?” Leo growled at the man who was instantly becoming one of his worst enemies. “What you going to do?”

 

“That’s enough guys.” Kendall grabbed Leo’s arm and pulled him away before a fight could break out, shooting Cal one last look as he disappeared into the crowd. She’d never heard someone speak to her brother like that before in her life, and part of her secretly liked the fact that golden boy Leo was getting a dressing down from someone at last.

 

“You want to head?” Cal asked Ashley, who seemed to have loved the entire situation a little bit too much.

 

“I’m not letting Leo Sterling ruin my night.” Ashley insisted as she made her way over to the bar, “Another drink?”

 

 

 

“Listen, son,” Patrick began as he sat in The Bungalow with Marc and Megan. “I know this is going to seem pretty out of the blue, but I’ve got a proposition for you.”

 

“What?” Marc asked his father, taking a sip of the vintage Merlot his father had picked to go along with the meal.

 

“Well, I couldn’t help but notice that Pulse Fitness was up for sale, and it turns out half the building still hasn’t been developed properly. You know your old man’s a sucker for a good business deal, and this one was just too much to resist…so you’re looking at the new owner of Pulse.”

 

“Okay, you’ve lost me…” Marc didn’t understand where his father was going with the story.

 

“I want you to head up Pulse as a major leisure facility within Oakridge. We could be on to a real money spinner here, son, and I want you to be a part of it. How would you feel about heading up the development of Pulse as the hottest, most exclusive gym outside of Manhattan? I know you’ve always wanted to run your own gym, so this is your opportunity. It’s your baby, Marc, if you want it?”

 

“Of course,” Marc couldn’t help but feel delighted at the prospect of running his own business, particularly in something he was so passionate about. “I don’t know what to say…of course I’ll do it, dad…but, why?”

 

“Well now that you’re a married man, you need to be earning enough to support your wife.” Patrick joked, as if Megan needed supporting with all the money her family was worth.

 

“Jessica told you.” Megan sighed jokingly. “Boy, word travels fast when Jessica’s in charge of keeping things quiet, doesn’t it.”

 

“Don’t you worry, darlin’. My lips are one hundred per cent sealed.” Patrick grinned. “Welcome to the family, Megan.”

 

“Thanks, Mr. Monroe…” Megan smiled.

 

“Please, call me Patrick. After all, we are family now. So what do you say, boy? We got ourselves a business deal?”

 

“You bet.” Marc agreed, shaking his father’s hand.

 

 

Running his hand up Jessica’s naked back, Shane began to kiss Jessica’s neck passionately as they rolled around naked on top of his bed. Jessica’s hands explored Shane’s smooth, toned body as he ran his hands through her thick blonde hair. Their bodies gyrated in sync with one another, following the same rhythm as their beating hearts. Jessica moaned with delight as she began to reach her climax, Shane’s hands roaming her body, enlightening every last one of her senses.

 

Heat: check. Chemistry: check. The best sex Jessica Monroe had ever had: check, check, check.

 

TO BE CONTINUED…