"Hi?"

"Hi?" Brandon repeated, his eyebrows up in amusement. A small smile played on his lips as if he had to work hard to not break out into a full fledged grin. His green eyes danced in the dim lighting of the hall, speaking a million things in its wake. I saw his chest rise and fall in shorts gaps, matching my pace. My voice caught in my throat as his bag slipped from his shoulder to ground with a soft thud.

His eyes glazed over, taking a staggering step towards me. The time froze as we assessed each other, happy and unbelieving at the same time. There was this intimacy in knowing someone warm and familiar in an unknown, foreign country, and that's what I felt as the heat rushed up my body. My mouth hung open, trying to take it all in. To take him all in.

He too appraised my whole form, leaning against the half opened door. The choppy hair covering his forehead in the most delectable way. I looked up from his ripped jeans, to his white tee and that chiseled swimmer body. Then back up to his eyes which remained glued to the lower half of my body.

Cool air-conditioned air hit my feet and legs. The realization was like a splash of cold water on my face. Because sure enough, I was standing there with no, and I meant no pajamas on. I crossed my legs in panic, pulling down the small dress shirt to at least cover my mid thighs. My cheeks burned, and my heart rate spiked up, the thumping deafening my ears.

Something worse than running around the hotel in pajamas? Being caught not wearing any pajamas.

"This is a dream, this is a dream, this is a dream... " I chanted under my breath, shutting my eyes tight. If only closing them could make everything go away.

"Do you want proof?" Brandon whispered, and my eyes popped open at his voice. He leaned closer to the doorframe, and my breath hitched when he stooped lower to my eye level. My feet staggered, trying to take a step back. But he only slid closer, parting his lips a little. He exhaled, and his minty breath fanned my face.

Slightly feeling that this looked like a toothpaste commercial of some sort, I ignored my rambling thoughts, when he took another step closer. If he went any closer we would be just short of hugging each other. My eyes widened to another level when I noticed the glint in his eyes. Another chant started up in my mind,

Oh god, he is going to kiss me. He is going to kiss me. Shit, he's going to kiss me!

"Yes, I am going to kiss you. Now shut up," he breathed on to my face, and I did as he asked. My face at least two degrees hotter as he closed the distance between us.

But another reality hit me hard when I remembered that I had just in fact woken up, and this entailed a good pack of free morning breath.

Truth to be told, now was the time to panic.

My hand slid down the door length as Brandon kept his torturous pace towards me. I took a step back, but he didn't notice, brushing away my hair from my face. My nerves got me and I pushed upon my feet, jumping a little to kiss Brandon's cheek and catching him by surprise.

He gave a gasp and tried to grasp my hand. But my mind had already went over to la la land, prying it away in one short move. With a gust of wind, I turned, and yelped, "Bye!"

And slammed the door on his face.

...

...

...

Oh my freaking God.

I slid down the closed door, my heart leaping out my chest, doing a puddle dance in hot chocolate flames. My lips burned where it had touch his cheek. And not his lips.

Then the reality hit me that I had just turned down Brandon (even after having wild fantasies of the same) and probably smashed his nose in process. Literally, if I could guess by the sound of his groaning out the door.

Gathering up my courage, and cursing the people in heaven above for my horrible luck, I slipped on the pajama. Brandon stopped groaning when I opened the door, keeping my head down. My hair shielded my face from his searching eyes. I turned to get back inside the room, but Brandon caught my wrist. He pulled me towards him, and my body relented, without objection. Even though my mind was going bonkers over what was happening.

"If you keep looking at the floor, I am gonna go back okay?"

"What?" My head snapped back up, and Brandon grinned at me. I at once realized his ploy and turned away my face. He sighed, his hand holding my chin up, forcing me to look at him.

I gave up, allowing his hands to caress my face. My cheeks were burning red hot, and his touch only made them to sizzle more. He raised his eyebrows and then shook his head. Before I could protest or process what was happening, Brandon had wrapped his arms around me in the tightest hug.

I melted.

My muscles relaxed (more like gave away) and I put up my limp hands, wrapping them around his torso with as much strength as I could. Feeling snug with the soft feel of his tee and the warmth of his body. My morning mess, forgotten. That I was in Singapore, forgotten. The fact that I had turned down Brandon moments ago, forgotten.

Because the only feeling right now was of him. His scent filled my nose, and I settled in even more. He seemed to do the same, his head close to my messy bed hair, tightening his hands around my waist. This felt like two forbidden lover's affair, having lived apart for centuries, rather than a little more than friendly meeting between two high-schoolers. Which was scary.

But who cared? Every nook and valley in my body screamed of pleasure and satisfaction at his touch. My soft body flushed with his rigid one in the most delicious way.

Brandon lifted his left leg, brushing my right leg on enticing way. Goosebumps traveled up my leg, and a shiver ran down my whole body. I stood confused but then understood what he was doing.

He took a step forward, and simultaneously I took one back. In synchronization, we were inside the room, our bodies still in an embrace. The luggage kicked and pushed in with one hand and the door slammed behind us. And now we were alone.

Awkwardness or hesitation was out the door, or maybe the entire floor as Brandon rubbed my back. I sighed, my mind blogged with too many feelings and sensations going on. If someone asked me what two plus two was, I had probably answer four Brandons.

"Are we filming a movie?" I croaked, and Brandon laughed. It filled the room, and I pulled back to look at him.

"Well, I don't see the cameras," he mused, lifting me up, and doing a swirl. I squealed, slapping his arms to put me down.

We finally parted, our mouth stretched into huge smiles. Even the background looked like it had sprouted roses and daisies.

"You are really here!" I stated, and the doorbell timed it with my outburst. Giving each other a look, I tiptoed towards the door and peeped through the hole.

Sure enough, Stephanie stood there with her ever present eccentric smirk. I turned the knob, pulling open the door in a detached manner. My wings seemed to land down after the initial shock and feelings, and her presence was the cruel reality to my midsummer dream.

"Has Brandon reached?" she spoke as soon as when she saw my face. I opened the door further, and Brandon came into her sight.

"Brandon!" she said like she had known him for years. Her face seemed to glow with approval as she invited herself in. I could have stopped her, but I had a few questions for her as well.

"You are?" Brandon asked, looking between the two of us.

"Oh, have you forgotten my voice already?"

"Stephanie, the one who plagued us with calls? How could I forget that voice..." Brandon winced, his expression reminiscent of what he had gone through.

"Did I?" She laughed, brushing off Brandon's claims.

"You knew he was coming? Why didn't you inform me?" Had I known, that no-pajama accident could have been prevented.

"Wait, you didn't knew? I thought Melanie, that woman in suit, explained everything to you." Stephanie pushed up her glasses, avoiding looking in my eyes. Fishy, huh?

"She didn't. Someone called her--"

She giggled. "I wonder who that might be!"

I glared at her. Brandon noticed that and tried to intervene.

"Never mind Ty, but didn't Rose call you?"

"Mom?" I frowned. Brandon nodded, walking over to my bed stand and picking up my phone.

He opened it and then shook his head in disappointment.

"Six missed calls and ten messages. Sleeping Beauty didn't see this?"

"What?!" I snatched the phone and scrolled through the call log. There indeed was six missed calls, few from Seth and Leo too. "Oh right, we had this meeting--"

I stopped, realizing that Stephanie was standing there, openly eavesdropping on us. She could not know about the meeting we had. Not unless we wanted our sweet revenge.

"Stephanie we'll talk about this later. Can you show me to my room now you are here?" he asked, already picking up his hand bag. I bit my lip, and Stephanie gave me an all-knowing amused smile.

"Didn't Tyler tell you?"

Brandon looked at me. "Tell me what?"

"That the team members are to share the same room." She let her words settle in, and in an instant the room was sizzling with energy.

True to her eccentric ways, she walked out without another word, the door clicking shut behind her. Brandon looked at me with wide eyes and a hint of fear. His expression looked for confirmation and I nodded, shrugging my shoulders to let him know that I could do nothing about it.

"Ha!" he snorted, laughed, growled, and earned a weird look from me.

Both out gazes seemed to stop at the humongous (not really) piece of item, taking most of the space in the room, and in a state of great distress; the bed.

Before things got awkward between the two of us, I rambled.

"Do you want me to help you open the bags? Bea's most belongings are in the hospital room. You can have the other half. Here's the juice. Oh shit, that's mine. Take this one. Wait, I think it expired--Do you want me to order some? It's free, you know! Or do you want tea? Coffee?" I looked at him, but he stared back at me in a daze.

"Are you not hungry? Do you want to sleep? You can--" I stopped when I looked at the hazardous state of the blankets and pillows. What if it smelled?

Swooping up the blankets and pillows in a hurry, I called out to Brandon, "I'll just call the cleaners... Room service is good here!"

My vision restricted to the white satin sheets stuffed in my hands and face, I realized that the calling part should have come before picking the blankets up.

"Do you need any help?" Brandon asked in a concerned voice, and I shook my head. Realizing that he couldn't see me well stuffed in the bundles, I walked over to him, trying to breathe.

"No, I'll just put them over here, and call--ack!" My right foot caught on the trailing blanket, pulling it down and then I slipped.

A strong hand caught my waist before I went flat down and pushed me over to the bed. The mess of the blankets, caught on Brandon's foot as well and he dropped on me. And let me tell you, the weight was... unbearable.

"Can't breathe!" I gasped out, trying to untangle our legs, and the wrapped up blankets.

I pushed Brandon off of me, and he half scrambled up, his foot catching in the blanket again. He almost landed back on me, when he twisted his body, and fell face down on the bed, beside me.

Time stopped for us, as the mattresses bounced, and Brandon and my eyes locked with each other. I took a sharp intake of breath as I watched him, look at me with such abandon. My heart fluttered, and my throat dried up. The insides of my stomach were a mush, his twinkling green eyes dancing in front of me.

The bed stilled, and Brandon got up on his arm. Resting his head on his palm, his body cocooned towards me. His lips turned up into a dazzling smile, blinding me. Brandon shifted closed and even my goosebumps got goosebumps.

He picked up my limp hand, away from my other hand wrapped up above my chest, and intertwined his fingers with mine. The soft yet coarse skin of his palm melted with mine, holding each other's hand like two halves. Shifting yet another inch closer, he bent his head down over to me, and I closed my eyes.

I felt his lips press against my forehead, an undercurrent went through me, lightning up my body.

And then a very painful flick followed by it.

"What the hell!" I screamed, clutching my forehead in pain. Brandon laughed and I glared at him, hitting him hard on his shoulder.

"Ow!" He winced, and I felt the small satisfaction on hitting him back. But he laughed once again, and I tapped the sensitive skin on my forehead, he had so brutally flicked his finger on.

"You want more?" I asked, climbing on the bed and standing up. His eyes followed my movement as I picked up the pillow and angled it dangerously over his head.

He shook his head, his eyes pleading, but I had no mercy this morning. And there it went. I used my full force and hit him on his back. Regaining my balance after a stumble.

His body didn't even bulge.

"That's all?" He turned to look at me. "Are you tickling me?" He laughed, and I almost cried in annoyance.

"You... you!" I cried and swung the pillow at hit him again. His hand flew out and caught the pillow in one fast move. His other hand grasped my other hand and pulled me down on him.

My knees buckled and I fell, crashing on to his legs. More like straddling his lap. He pulled the pillow out of my hands and threw it away, a few feathers fluttering out of it as he did so.

I looked at him in surprise, but still wary of his motives. If he so much as thought of tickling me, I would manhandle his private parts. In a scary way.

The intimate distance unnerved me, but Brandon kept watching me. So I did the same.

Twirling my necklace with my hand, daring him with my eyes to try anything. He watched me play with the necklace he had given me, a smile coming to his lips. Then back up, those evil eyes glazing with something entirely new, yet I knew.

"What is it?" I breathed, stilling as Brandon gave a soft sigh.

"Sorry, I can't stop myself anymore," he whispered, and claimed my lips with his.

*****

I did promise you cute moments. HAPPY?! :D

And yes everything really happened. This was not a dream!

How did you like this chapter? (hope you didn't think the kiss was rushed!) The tension between them was killing me. More is to come. Hang on!