A Benefit to Remember

[REMY GRAHAM]

“Yeah, I should check some things too,” She seemed a little distant, but Remy didn't think on it too long. He needed to be separated from her before he did something stupid or said something equally unintelligent. Teasing her was one thing, but the closeness was getting to him. He liked her, and he didn't want to like her. Not really. Not in the way he did. Being friends was one thing, being coworkers another, mock lusting for her something different but actually falling for her.. that was something he couldn't handle.

Remy disappeared into the kitchen without a second glance back. He moved through the rows of chefs and prep cooks, checking everything they were doing. The food was all fresh, not the frozen crap that could be served at functions like these in lesser hotels. It smelled delightful in there and Remy stole a sample here and there where he could. No one said anything, everyone recognizing who he was. Once things were in order he slipped out a different exit, going into the hotel to check things there. It was quiet that night. There were couples here and there talking in quiet, away from the party, but otherwise it was deserted. New Years wasn't exactly a prime time to find a hotel for the evening. Most people, especially at this time, were where they needed to be for the night, though he was sure an influx of pedestrians would filter their way in somewhere around two in the morning, most likely inebriated. Remy made his way to the hotels lounge and ordered a cocktail, sitting on one of the stools and enjoying a little alone time.

He could have almost anyone woman in the world if he fought hard enough for her. Why Julie? She was a pain in the ass workaholic with something good between her ears. That wasn't his style. She didn't care about his money or power or how good he can be between the sheets. She cared about getting ahead in life. She had goals and dreams and she wanted to pursue them, so why the hell did he want to be around her so damn much? She was beautiful, but so were all the women he brought to bed with him. Remy mulled it over as he drained his glass, ordering another. By the time he finished his third he knew he'd better get back to the party. It was nearing midnight and his presence might actually be required soon. Scooting off his stool he left a nice tip and escorted himself back to ballroom.

Upon entering the grand room, Remy snatched a glass of champagne from a passing server, looking around for the women who had been tormenting his thoughts for the last hour. Finally he caught her with his gaze and headed in her direction. When she finally saw him she smiled and he felt his stomach twisting. He silently assured himself it was the liquor and her beauty that made him desire her at the moment and nothing more. “The prodigal partner returns just in time to ring in the new year.” Remy took his spot beside the girl and rolled his shoulders, lifting his glass. "A man's work is never done." He teased. "Miss me?" He smirked and, as she'd done all night, she took his comment lightly assuring him she had not. He expected nothing less out of her.

"Everything's fine in the kitchen, and all seems well." He explained as the visuals of the ball in time square graced the screens that had been set up. The counter on the screen told the viewers there was 30 seconds left before they could ring in the new year. Remy licked his lips and looked down at Julie. He wanted to say something, but no words came to mind so he sighed and looked away, back at the screen. The seconds ticked by until the crows started to count down along with the timer on the television.

"10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

An instrumental version of Auld Lang Syne started playing through the speakers as clips of the ball lighting up graced the screen. All around them couples embraced and kissed while black, silver and gold confetti rained on them from the ceiling. Without even thinking Remy turned and slid his hand to cup Julie's cheek, bringing his own face to hers and in one swift, fluid motion. His lips met hers in a hard sudden kiss, one that surprised him. But would she pull away?

[JULIE BRADY]

“A man’s work is never done.” Julie nodded knowingly as if she understood Remy’s statement even though it was only mock seriousness. “Miss me?” She looked up at him, seeing his smirk and she brought her glass to her lips. “Nope!” she replied enthusiastically. It wasn’t strictly true. She’d liked having fun with Remy and for the last hour or so she’d been hanging out by herself. Still, she couldn’t tell him that. He would take a comment like that and run with it. “Everything’s fine in the kitchen, and all seems well.” She nodded again, glancing to the televisions as they lit up with a picture of the ball dropping. “Good to know. There won’t be much damage control then.” The less she had to do after this party, the better. It would be nice to get home and crash before it got too late. A smile showed on her lips as people grinned between each other, their faces glowing. There was so much hope in the room as if the new year could change things. She always liked that feeling of electric hope at these celebrations…Her eyes lifted to Remy, sensing he was looking at her. He had a serious look on his face and it made her stomach twist. There was something in his eyes…was it desire maybe? Whatever it was it made her fight back a flush and look away again, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. Why was she so attracted to him tonight?

“10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…HAPPY NEW YEAR!”[/b]

Julie grinned wide as all around them couples embraced and kissed and the black, silver and gold confetti floated down from the ceiling. It was so perfectly coordinated! She was going to turn and toast Remy, but his hand flashing in front of her face surprised her. Why was he grabbing her face? Before the thought could even fully form he turned her head toward him. By the time she was looking at him, she was shocked at how close his face was, the whole movement swift and fluid.

And then his lips were on hers…

His kiss was so hard and sudden that she squeezed her eyes shut instinctively and her hand gripped the shirt over his chest of its own accord. It hadn’t even sunk in yet that he was kissing her, her brain too stunned to process that. His lips were soft and warm, his stubble tickling her chin. The champagne wasn’t letting her think clearly. For a few seconds her lips relaxed against his, moving ever so slightly with his and kissing him back. It was just a fleeting moment but it was enough that he could probably feel it. Had she wanted him to kiss her?

NO. This couldn’t be happening! Remy was her boss and she’d been denying him for years anyway! She couldn’t stop now! As suddenly as he’d kissed her she tore her lips away and pushed hard on his chest. Her heart must have been racing with fear and anger—or had she liked it? The look in her eyes was something between shock and terror. She couldn’t like him…that wasn’t possible. And why hadn’t she ever noticed how blue his eyes were? “I have to go.” The words tumbled out of her mouth in a breathy, panicked voice. She had to get away before he saw her trembling like a leaf. What was wrong with her?! And why had he kissed her?! Before she could even ask him she bolted into the crowd, hardly aware of the glass still in her hand. She paused briefly to leave in on a table and then started crashing through people again. With one kiss Remy had transformed Julie from an intelligent, independent woman into a scared little girl who desperately needed her mother’s arms around her.

[REMY GRAHAM]

Remy had no idea why he was kissing her, and for a moment he forgot about the inevitable backlash, enjoying the sensation of her lips softening into his, her fists clenching handfuls of his shirt over his chest. It was hot and he wanted her despite knowing how terribly wrong she was for him and how stupid this move was on his part for their business relationship.

As quickly as it started, it was over. Julie pushed away in a surprised fury and Remy gulped as he watched her flaming blue eyes glare into his. She looked horrified and pissed off and it left Remy uneasy and hot. What the hell had he been thinking kissing Julie like that? It was inappropriate and completely idiotic and he was surprised that her hand didn't fly across his face considering the look she gave him. “I have to go.” Remy felt a pit form in his stomach as she turned and marched away, guilt sweeping over him. How could he have been so completely stupid? She was off limits, yet he forced himself on her. She didn't like him that way, and he knew it was bad for them to get into anything more than what they'd had.

A hand came up and swept over his lips, watching her disappear through the crowd and he was suddenly aware that he couldn't let her leave like that. She'd been drinking and she was upset; it was too dangerous for her to go and even if she hated him, he needed her to not die or quit or his ass would be on the curb.

Remy suddenly went after her, walking swiftly but not so much that he would catch peoples attention. He weaved through the couples that crowded the floor, all still celebrating with champagne flutes in their hands, laughing and picking confetti from their partners hair and shoulders, completely unaware of the scene he had caused. He caught up to Julie just as she had gotten out of the ballroom, stopping her near the clock tower in the center of the lobby by grabbing her elbow and forcing her to come to a halt, ignoring her protests. "I'm sorry.." He offered in a huffy voice, turning her so he could look at her. "I shouldn't have done that and I get that you're pissed, but you can't leave." He said, his eyes firm and a little scared, not his normal cocky self. "Look, you've had too much to drink and you're pissed, and I don't want to be responsible if anything were to happen to you so just... just stay here, okay? Until you sober up and calm down. You can have a room, I won't bug you, I swear. I have clothes in my suite you can borrow if you want just don't.." Remy gulped, his grip loosening on her arm. "Don't leave like this, Jules. I'm sorry.. I don't know what the fuck I was thinking.." He pleaded.

[JULIE BRADY]

Julie was almost clear of the lobby, so close to getting to the door and hardly noticing how out of breath she was. But just as she reached the clock tower, a strong hand grabbed her elbow and tugged her to a halt. “Let go of me!” she snapped, turning to shake the hand off her, but she quieted when she saw it was Remy. That moment of quiet didn’t last long and soon she was grabbing at his hand to yank it off her. “I’m sorry…” He turned her more and grabbed her other arm, forcing her to look up at him with troubled, burning eyes. That’s not what she wanted to hear! She didn’t even know why it irritated her so much to hear those words. “I shouldn’t have done that and I get that you’re pissed, but you can’t leave.” She wanted to demand why and wiggle away from him, tell him to deal with the clean-up himself, but the look in his eyes told her not to argue. He looked…scared. “Look, you’ve had too much to drink and you’re pissed, and I don’t want to be responsible if anything were to happen to you so just…just stay here, okay? Until you sober up and calm down. You can have a room, I won’t bug you, I swear. I have clothes in my suite you can borrow if you want just don’t…” His grip loosened but Julie didn’t snatch her arms back just yet, trying to rationalize leaving. “Don’t leave like this, Jules. I’m sorry…I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking…” Again she felt her irritation flaring up and she pulled her arms away, wrapping them around herself and trying to close herself off. “Don’t apologize!” With a sigh she tried to slow her heart rate, glancing back up at him and unable to come up with a good reason for not staying. “I’ll stay, just…don’t apologize.” Still flustered and angry and just all around upset she marched past Remy to the front desk to get a key.

She had to check their system to see which rooms weren’t occupied. Of course Remy’s was listed as taken and she wouldn’t consider staying there anyway. He might have access to all of the keys all of the time, but she wasn’t going to make it easy for him to bother her. Why had he kissed her? And why had she initially let him? She even kissed him back for Christ’s sake! It wasn’t much of a returned kiss, but it was returned all the same. Just thinking about it made her stomach feel queasy and tie into knots. She booked herself a room and grabbed the key before reluctantly heading back in Remy’s direction. It was pretty clear she wouldn’t be able to look at him without thinking of kissing him over the next several days and probably weeks. She shouldn’t let it bother her—when a guy who liked you kissed you but you didn’t return his feelings, it was easy to brush it off. So why wasn’t this easy to brush off? She certainly didn’t return his feelings. It had to be the champagne. She wasn’t even drunk! Just tipsy…

When she reached him she gave him a stern look, her face flushed before she looked away. “So…about these clothes…can I borrow them? I’ll wash them before I give them back.” She was trying to sound angry and firm but she came off sounding more nervous than anything else. How was she supposed to act around him now?! He’d just permanently made things awkward between them! But even with how sorry he looked, she didn’t want that. It just made her angrier. If he’d gone out of his way to kiss her for New Year’s then she wanted to be worth it, damn it! She just didn’t know how to feel about it all. She couldn’t even think of something to say. Instead she waited for the elevator with him in silence, hugging her arms tight about her with her jaw set and her brow creased. She wanted to call her mother, but she was probably getting into kissing Luke and calling Sophia was out of the question too. She would just have to wait to vent until tomorrow.

[REMY GRAHAM]

He let her pull away when she tugged her arm back, waiting for her to fly off the handle and throw every demeaning insult she could think of at him. He braced himself, seeing the fury on her face. "Don’t apologize!” She snapped and sighed, and Remy was left confused. Don't apologize? Why wouldn't he apologize? She was clearly disturbed by his actions, and he was trying to make amends. If not an apology, what did she want? “I’ll stay, just…don’t apologize.” She suddenly marched off towards the desk and let Remy standing there dazed and confused. What the hell just happened? Remy was used to pissing women off, he did it often. In fact, it was practically a sport to him, but normally he knew what he did to piss women off. In Julie's case he wasn't sure if she was angry at him or not. She didn't want an apology but she was acting enraged, and the man wasn't equipped to deal with that sort of crazy.

He pondered the exchanged, running through everything in his mind from the time he kissed her until she stormed off, and the pieces still weren't clicking. Suddenly she was with him once more and he offered a look that showed exactly how he was feeling. Her face was stern and her cheeks were deep pink. Was she embarrassed? Angry? He couldn't even tell with her. She looked away and his brows knit low over his eyes. "So…about these clothes…can I borrow them? I’ll wash them before I give them back.” Was she scared or pissed? Or both? Remy gawked at her, shocked she was asking for clothes.

"Uh.. yeah. C'mon." He gulped and lead her to the elevators, punching the up button and waiting beside her. He felt the tension between them and for once he felt the need to not say anything sexual, even though they were going up to his suite. The elevator chimed and the doors opened and Remy let Julie get on first. He followed after her, looking cautiously around the hotel to make sure no prying eyes were watching and getting the wrong idea about them as the doors closed. Once closed he reached over and pressed the button for his floor and the elevator vibrated into life, lifting them to their destination.

The ride was awkward and quiet and Remy looked at the girl beside him out of the corner of his eye now and then, unsure what to say to her. Finally the elevator began to slow and then halt, the doors sliding open. Remy waited for Julie to get out and then followed her, leading the way to his room. He pulled his wallet out and got his room key, sliding it through the door when they arrived. He opened the door and then looked at Julie for a second. "You can come in." He said softly, for once showing a little humility. "I'm not going to try anything stupid, or even suggest it. I promise." He gave her a long look and then turned, moving over the threshold and leaving it up to her to decide if she wanted to come in or not.

Remy turned the lights on and moved through the room. It looked like every other hotel room, only there was something almost more personal about it, like a guest had been there for a while. He moved to the television armoire and pulled the second drawer open, tugging a white t-shirt and steel gray fleece pants. He turned his head and saw Julie in his room, though she was hovering at the door as though she were planning to make a run for it at any second. He brought the folded laundry to her, offering it over. "Those should fit." He said softly, his brow furrowing again as he looked at her. He let out a long sigh and slid his hand through his hair, messing it up. "Look, this doesn't change anything, okay? Let's forget it happened. Monday morning it will be like normal. I'll go take care of the party and the cleanup though. Just.. go get some rest. You did a good job today, Brady." He tried to make it casual, as if nothing really had happened. He looked down at her and forced a smile though he didn't feel much like smiling. He felt like kissing her again, but he rather enjoyed his testicles being attached to his body.

[JULIE BRADY]

Finally the elevator arrived and Remy allowed Julie in first. She couldn’t look at him as she passed, keeping her arms tight around her as she stepped in. It was no less awkward in the elevator. By this point she was starting to admit that maybe she had liked kissing Remy and it just made her angrier. She didn’t want to like kissing Remy at all. Not only was he a player who she’d been pushing away since late high school but he was her boss. It was inappropriate! If anything happened between them and it didn’t work out, she would be forced to get a new job or live with awkwardness for the rest of her days in the hotel. Why did he have to make this so confusing? And why couldn’t she just go home and get away from him? She shouldn’t have had so much to drink. This would be so much less painful if she could just run away…

When they reached his floor, she stepped out and waited for Remy to take the lead to his suite. Great, she was actually going to his suite…she suddenly hoped nobody had seen them coming upstairs together and her eyes scanned the hallway suspiciously. Thankfully she didn’t see anyone but that didn’t guarantee there hadn’t been spectators in the lobby. When he opened the door, she glanced to Remy’s face for a moment. “You can come in. I’m not going to try anything stupid, or even suggest it. I promise.” From the quick look she got of his face he appeared sincere and his voice was much softer than normal, obviously trying to calm her, but she couldn’t be sure. She was too embarrassed to look at his face. He moved into the room first and she watched his retreating form, deciding he was an honorable enough man not to force her. With a few hesitant steps she walked into his room but hovered near the door. Her eyes examined his suite and while it looked like all of the other rooms, it was cozier somehow, obviously lived in. It was clearly his space and her whole body bristled with warning. He had the upper hand here and she was tired of him having the upper hand this evening. As he rifled through his drawers she waited impatiently for him to just give her some clothes and let her go.

At last he made his way back to her and presented her with a small pile of folded laundry which she took gratefully. “Those should fit.” Even without putting them on or close to her face she could tell they smelled like him. Damn it, she would be stuck with a reminder of him all night. Would she even be able to sleep tonight? His long sigh actually drew her eyes to his face and she could tell he was out of sorts by the way his hand ran through his hair. “Look, this doesn’t change anything, okay? Let’s forget it happened. Monday morning it will be like normal. I’ll go take care of the party and the cleanup though. Just…go get some rest. You did a good job today, Brady.” Brady. Not Jules. How could him kissing her not change anything? It changed everything! He’d been working up to this for years and he could just forget it. She was stupid to think he was actually capable of liking her for real. It suddenly hit her that she’d been wondering that all night—could he actually care about her? Now she had her answer. He was giving her a smile, not genuine, but she couldn’t even manage to fake one back. Her eyes drifted from his to his lips and blushed at how dumb she was. There were actual tears stinging in the back of her eyes but she fought desperately to swallow them down until she got into her room. Perhaps they were glittering a little as she looked back up into his eyes and she gave one stiff nod. “Thanks. You too.” Her voice was barely above a whisper to hide the fact that she was getting choked by her own tears. It had been such a good night before now. And the very person who’d actually made it a good night was the one who ruined it. She wished desperately that Sophia were there or she could go home. Turning quickly to the door, she hurried out and didn’t look back as she hugged the clothes Remy let her borrow close to her chest to help hold in her tears. She knew once she cried she would get over it quickly, but she couldn’t let them out near Remy. Even so, one tear squeezed out of her eye as she power walked to the stairs and she was forced to brush it away before anyone could see. As soon as the door to the stairs slammed shut though, she realized she’d been holding her breath and she sucked in a deep shuddering breath that echoed through the flights of stairs. Thank God she was only two floors down and not far from disappearing. She wished Monday would never come…

[REMY GRAHAM]

Though he'd allowed her the rest of the evening off she somehow looked hurt. Why would she be hurt? Did she want to work? Because if that was the case he would certainly let, her, Remy was just under the impression that she would want to go rest after the long day and the grief he clearly caused her. His brows knitted slightly as she blushed and backed up, her eyes seeming almost moist. Was she going to cry?

“Thanks. You too.” She croaked in a voice hardly above a whisper which upset him more. What was her deal? What had he done wrong now? She was quick to turn and leave making Remy let out a long, drawn out sigh. He would never get women. He chalked it up to her expecting him to apologize again even though she had told him not to. Though she didn't always act it, Julie Brady was still a woman and women were fickle. He just hoped she would get over it all by Monday so they could continue working without things being awkward.

With a heavy sigh Remy slowly made his way from his suite and headed back down towards the party. He had a long night ahead of him still.

-----------------------------END-----------------------------