Covering Bases

out in the open.

Bradley could feel her heart rapidly beating against her chest. 'Did I really just say that? Oh, my god.' She thought. Cory's brown eyes searched hers. Bradley averted her gaze to the ground, blushing like a teenager. That's when she noticed they were still holding hands.

"Sorry if my hands are sweaty." Bradley blurted out. She couldn't help it! She has never been so nervous before, not even on her first day in Mitch's chair. Cory chuckled.

"Don't be." He smiled. Bradley was surprised that Cory still held her hand. Under Cory's gaze, Bradley's walls were crumbling. She typically felt in control of herself, but the light sensation buzzing in her chest told her otherwise. Bradley lightly retracted her hand from Cory's. "Something wrong?"

"No! No, nothing is wrong." She said quickly, hoping Cory could distinguish the sincerity in her eyes from the anxiety. "Just... some unresolved shit, I guess." Bradley's nervous laugh attempted to cut the seriousness of how she was feeling right now. She reached for her glass, taking a swig of whiskey to calm her down.

"What are you afraid of, Bradley?" Cory asked, breaking the long silence between them. His tone wasn't judgmental at all. Not only was it filled with pure curiosity, he genuinely cared for her.

Bradley looked up at him, her mind racing between the two choices she had. Either open up and tell him the truth, or make something up and hide the parts of herself she wasn't proud of. "Mainly myself." Bradley said softly. She took a second to collect her thoughts and plan out what she wanted to say. "I always find a way to screw stuff up..."

"See, now that..." Cory paused briefly. "That is just not true. Look at where you are in your life. Did you ever expect anything like this to happen?"

"No, no, I didn't." She admitted.

"Ever consider that the things that you think went south in your life, was meant to happen? It shaped you into who you are." He smiled at her. "And, allow me to be blunt, but I'm fond of you, for you."

Cory's words rang through Bradley's head. 'Did he really just say all that?' She thought. Cory was the perfect guy. He cares about her, would do anything for her if she had any problems, and Bradley knew it. The emotions that flooded her were overwhelming and abrupt. Before she knew what she was doing, Bradley leaned in and gently pressed her lips against Cory's cheek. Bradley's lips lingered on his skin. As she slowly pulled away, Cory's eyes locked with hers. He puts his hand on Bradley's cheek, gently stroking her face with his thumb. Finally, Cory went to kiss Bradley's forehead.
...
Both Bradley and Cory had ended up passing out on the couch together. Bradley had woken up on Cory's chest, his arm protectively around her figure. For a moment, Bradley forgot what the pair had exchanged the night before. 'Oh, my god!' Images of herself kissing Cory flashed into her mind. Bradley's stomach twisted into knots. What was she thinking? She kissed her boss! Not just any one of her bosses, but the head of the news division! Possibly, the future president of UBA! Bradley slowly lifted her head off Cory's chest. She took his arm and slid off the couch.

Walking to the washroom, Bradley checked her phone. 7:56am. She washed her face and rinsed her mouth, hoping that the water would wash the worst of the alcohol off her breath. In the mirror, Bradley analyzed her reflection. 'All you do is cause chaos...' She told herself. The last thing Bradley wanted was to ruin Cory's life. Because that's all she's done, right? First, her father, then her mother, she blamed herself for her brother and Hannah.

Before leaving the washroom, Bradley pressed her ear against the door. The absence of footsteps told her that Cory was still unconscious. She quickly picked up her purse and put her shoes on. Just as her hand touched the doorknob, she heard stirring from behind her. 'Shit, shit, shit!' She panicked. Two options currently existed. One, turn around and face the music, or two, run out of his room like a coward. Bradley Jackson was many things, but a coward wasn't one of them. She turned towards the couch and saw that Cory had just adjusted his position. Luckily for her, he was still sleeping.
...
Once Bradley got back to her room, she properly brushed her teeth and changed into a navy button up and black jeans. She's jonesing for a coffee and decides to order a Starbucks. Clearly, being in public wasn't too much of an option right now. She didn't want to be bombarded by the press. So, she tied her hair up, put a baseball cap on, and grabbed her sunglasses. Hell, it's New York! Nobody pays attention to the people around them.

The brisk morning air hit Bradley's face, causing her to pause and take a deep breath. Simple moments like this meant so much. She placed a mobile order before walking down the sidewalk. Ordering at the counter probably would've been too much contact. 10 minutes passed and Bradley had picked up her drink without any bumps in the road. She was on her way back to the hotel when she noticed a man who had been following her. Bradley turned around, doing her best to make a mental note of what he looked like. But, like herself, he was wearing a hat and sunglasses. She picked up her pace. 'The hotel is only halfway down the block.' Bradley assured herself.

Bradley was now in front of the the hotel. She's quickly making her way to the entrance when a hand grabbed her shoulder. Panic struck her chest and ran throughout her whole body. She whipped around while pulling her shoulder away from the man's grasp. "Who are you? Why are you following me?" She asked sharply. The man didn't say anything. He just looked at her and smiled. She started walking away again, but turned around to make sure she'd be safe. Bradley finally turned around as she bumped into someone behind her. She yelped at the sudden contact. But, it was none other than Cory Ellison.

"Shit! Cory, I'm so sorry." She said as her morning coffee ran down his coat. Bradley's cheeks were flushed. She ruined what she presumed was thousands of dollars worth of clothing. She took her sunglasses off.

"Any reason to run into you is fine by me." There it was again. That boyish smile that managed to melt her heart. "You okay? You kinda look like you've seen a ghost." He asked as he searched her expression.

Bradley turned to where she encountered the strange man. He wasn't there anymore, thankfully. "Um, I-I'm fine..." She replied with a less than convincing tone. Cory raised his eyebrow and she clicked her tongue. "Fine. I'm just a little anxious. I left for coffee and someone followed me back here." She confessed. Bradley watched as Cory's expression went from lighthearted to serious. His gaze felt intense and she needed to look away.

"Did he hurt you?" Cory asked.

"No, he didn't. A hand grabbed my shoulder and I was face to face with a guy wearing a hat and sunglasses." Bradley paused. "I asked him why he was following me and all he did was smile..." She found herself looking back to that very spot again. 'You're just paranoid, right?'

Cory eyed Bradley for a moment. She could see the worry in his eyes. "Do you wanna take the elevator up, together?" He asked. "I gotta go change anyway." He teased.

"Uh, yeah. That'd be great." Bradley smiled nervously. Cory held his hand out for her to take. She was hesitant at first, but slid her hand into his. They walked into the elevator together. Cory pressing the button to Bradley's floor. "I really am sorry about the suit." She apologized once more. He laughed softly.

"Again, it's always a pleasure, Bradley." She could see the twinkle in his baby browns. How could she ever stay away from him?
***
I'm so sorry for the wait! I've been closely following TWD and both law and order SVU & OC.

I feel like I might end this fic here. At least for now, anyway. I may continue this depending on the reaction it gains.

I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to read this book. It truly means a lot to me. (:

-nova w.