Ethereal

Chapter 4: Reunited

A/N: Surprise! This story was definitely supposed to be finished but a few weeks ago I got the inspiration to write more - wasn't sure if I was going to publish it or not but in honor of Haus Laboratories dropping a new lip gloss in "Ethereal" yesterday... here you go! That had to be a sign;)

I might continue it even more in the future, if inspiration remains. We shall see what happens. I know this story is set quite a while into the past now and that might not be to everyone's liking, but I quite enjoy writing the "old days" (and the present and the future:)

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Stefani buried her face into her hands, tried to calm down; the clock on the kitchen wall ticked, one second, two seconds and she stared at it for a moment, quite sure the damn thing was somehow broken.

Time couldn't possibly be going this slowly, yet so terrifyingly fast at the same time.

"Stef?" Natali reached to touch her arm. "I'm going to head out, okay? Call me, as soon as you have talked to him."

The blonde swallowed. "Can't you stay?"

Her sister chuckled, shook her head. "And be the third wheel? No thanks. I haven't forgotten how you two were in Vegas; I don't think you will want anyone else around."

Stefani whimpered, tugged at her engagement ring, experiencing a sudden flash of crazy desire to pull it all the way off; Christ, she was so terribly nervous. The clock struck six and as on cue, her phone rang; with trembling hands, she reached for it.

"Hi."

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Natali let him in on her way out and they exchanged a quick hug and a few words; she stood in the middle of the living room, watching as he closed the door, then walked over, lowered a folder from his hand onto the table next to her and without any hesitation pulled her onto his arms.

"Hey, beautiful."

She melted against him, into him, held on with whatever strength she could find at this moment because her legs were trembling and her heart was racing so hard she was sure Bradley had to be able to hear it, sure it would break free out of its confines at any moment now. Somehow at the same time he brought a sense of calmness, a sense of peace, his whole presence telling her everything was okay and right, at this moment, here in their own little world.

"Stef," he whispered, kissed the side of her head and then she sensed them moving as he half-walked, half-carried her onto the living room couch. She remained stubbornly hidden, her face against the spot where his neck met his shoulder; it was just the correct amount of space, like the designer of this perfect man had carved that part of him with her in mind.

He pulled back, tugging her head up gently and Stefani opened her eyes reluctantly, encountered the familiar blue oceans of his. He smiled, brushed his long fingers against her cheek.

"Good to see you."

"Yeah. You too," she managed to choke out. "God, Bradley, I..."

Memories flooded her mind like a tidal wave, memories of those magical two days in Las Vegas and especially of those magical two nights; his touch brought all that back and she ached to kiss him so much, ached to feel him inside her again but she couldn't. He was in a relationship now, with a stunning Russian supermodel who had endless legs and one of the most-sought after faces in the whole industry; with that in his life, there was no way he would go for an insecure tiny blonde with an inferiority complex and enough issues to fill a small house. And she was engaged still; things with Taylor were getting more and more strained, especially after she had returned from Vegas. She had been so sad, so confused, so deep in her own head and so terrified because for five years she had thought Taylor was it for her, the one she would marry and settle down with but now that she knew there was a man out there who made her feel all new sorts of things, much stronger things than she had ever felt before...