(Author's note: This thread is relating to when Dirk and Noelle discovered each other and how they came to be. Just for those who might be curious as to how it all happened.)

It had been a few days since the big break up. Dirk was in is truck driving. A lot had gone through his head and he had come to a decision. He loved Gage, but that had mellowed back down to the friendship, brotherly level. Though it was no fault of Gage's, the time he spent away from Dirk and Cole had taken it's toll. And all of the fighting with Cole had taken it's toll too. He lost them both in the same twenty four hour period.

Oh yeah, the decision. He was going to do what it takes to win Cole back. That's where he was going. Cole had went home to get away from Dirk and the Frat to get his mind clear. So to Cole's parent's house, he was headed.

He got there in the late afternoon and it was freezing cold outside. When he got to the door Mrs. Hayes greeted him with a smile and bid him to come in. He guessed that Cole hadn't told his parents much of anything that had happened. She took his coat and asked him to stay for dinner. He smiled back and said he'd like that. As they walked through the house to the kitchen she explained that Cole had went to the lake on the property. She said that he told her that he needed to clear his head about things but wouldn't tell her what. Dirk knew all too well what.

"Noelle, put another plate on." Mrs. Hayes called to the dining room as they went into the kitchen. Dirk hadn't seen Noelle in a few years. Last time he saw her she was a flat chested kid still in pig tails. He smiled at that thought and excused himself to the bathroom.

After draining his lizard, he walks through the dining room. The girl he saw setting the table blew him away. She had beautiful long, auburn hair, trademark of the Hayes family. She moved with a grace and elegance beyond her years. "Ok, Mom." and her voice was that of an angel. When she looked up at him and smiled, he felt goosebumps up and down his arms and butterflies in his stomach. He just blinked at her stupidly and grinned an idiots grin.

"Noelle?" he cants his head slightly, looking her over. She had become a woman. She was curved and had all the right things in all the right places. And her face, well it was nothing short of beautiful. "You've grown up."

He watches her face and scowls slightly at her remark. Well yeah, he knew that. But not every kid grew up to look the way she did. Usually he would comment on how a woman looks to him. And usually it's either she's hot or she's not. There was no in between. But for some reason, he didn't see her that way. Beautiful is not a word he used often, and especially not when he described women.

He lowers his head a bit and shakes it. "Yeah, you're right. It's nice to see you again." he smiles slightly and takes a chair at the table.

When she smiled at him, he got butterflies all over again. Holy shit, is this going to happen every time she smiles? It wasn't something he was accustomed to. He gave women butterflies, not the other way around. Maybe it was just something he ate at one of those roadside bbq pit places.

"Yeah, a ginger ale, if you've got one?"

He had heard the conversation plain enough. The walls weren't that thick and he was near the doorway to the kitchen. He didn't see the looks the mother and daughter had exchanged though. If he had, he might have rethought his next set of actions.

When she returned to the room he turned his most boyish smile on her, flashing that dimple. "Thanks." he nods as he takes the glass from her. His stomach flip flopped and tied in a knot when his fingers accidentally brushed against hers. What the hell was that? Him, nervous around a woman? No way!

He decides to test himself, just to see if it was her, or that bbq. He reaches up his hand to gently touch her cheek. "You've grown up into such a beautiful woman. Some guy's going to be very lucky someday."

Oh how prophetic those words.

And yes, his stomach tumbled one more time.

He watched her face as the thoughts raced across her mind. She was young enough to be easily read, and he could see it when she finally chose her course of action. She should have went with her gut. Dirk was a notorious play boy and his reputation was scandalous. When he was in town he could usually be seen at a popular bar with a piece of eye candy on his arm. Usually his first line of business when he gets to town is to score a hot chick, show her off, screw her and then disappear. He'd done it countless times.

But he hadn't come to town to score a hot chick and he certainly wasn't thinking with his nether regions when he looked at her. Of course, they reacted in the natural way. He's a man after all. But he actually wanted to get to know her. It was strange. A woman that wasn't an object.

He follows her to the stairs. "I can help." It wasn't an offer, it was a demand. He wasn't going to let her out of his sight. "So, tell me about this boyfriend." Sure, when she had said that, it daunted his spirits a bit. But then this is Dirk Stevens. He saw it as a challenge.

He follows her up the stairs and cannot help but smirk when her ass wiggles as she practically runs. Man, what a nice, hot, tight, firm, deliciously beautiful ass. He almost missed it when she mentions her boyfriend's name. "James huh?"

Yes, it could have been anybody and he doesn't think twice about the name. "So if he's so great, why aren't you on the phone with him or why isn't he here now?" He smiles blandly, wondering if he were calling a bluff or not.

But then she stops and he nearly runs into her. He has to stop himself or they'd both take a tumble. "I don't mind, really. It's like I'm paying for my dinner in a small way." he grins wider with a nod. "I don't want to watch a game, and your dad is well, rather milquetoast for my taste."

He notices the nervousness in her giggle and he lifts a blond brow. She was nervous? Hell his stomach hadn't stopped flipping from the time that he'd laid eyes on her. He hadn't drank any of the ginger ale she'd brought so maybe it was the bbq.

"Besides, I want to see the sheets Cole sleeps on." he mentally cringes. Did he really just say that?

He follows her the rest of the way up the stairs, still kicking himself for that last comment. How stupid that must have sounded! I mean, come on! Sure he was here to win Cole back, but good grief, that was simply too much.

Walking into the large linen closet, he picks up a sheet and starts folding it. Of course, he'd never folded a sheet in his life, so after folding in half, then again and then one more time, he flops it down into an empty basket and starts on another one.

"So, what makes this James so wonderful?" He doesn't look at her, he just keeps himself busy by sloppily folding the sheets. He sneaks peeks at her every few seconds or so. She even made folding sheets and towels into a thing of beauty.

He watched as she picked up the sheet he had just put aside and grins. So she was a perfectionist too. Well that was just fine with him. She was cute the way she didn't say anything, only giving him sidelong glances. He almost laughs.

But then the snide comment. Nice, real nice. As they say, one step forwards, two steps back. He just gave her a glare and then continued to fold as sloppily as he could. Then he thought to himself, why in the hell did he care what she thought anyway? Dirk Stevens didn't care about what women thought of him as long as they agreed to jump in the sack with him. But, it had bothered him, what she said. Perplexing.

And then her confession. No boyfriend. He just nods and gives her a sympathetic look. "Maybe you just haven't found the right guy yet?"

He grins and puts the sheet that he's holding down. Taking a step closer to her, he reaches up slowly to touch her face. A soft, shy smile, a small dimple flash. "You caught me. The truth does sting just a bit at times. And nobody has ever put it like that before." he whispers softly and puts his other hand on her shoulder. Hazels intent on olives.

"maybe I am... and I know I'm trouble. But I get the idea you like that about me... " he chuckles and then takes a step back.

His smile brightens with her reaction. It warmed his heart that she could be that pliable. He wanted to hold her and protect her from guys like him. Yes, he knew just what he was all about and he wasn't about to let her get hurt by someone like him.

"You're right, you should stay far, far away from me." His eyes were transfixed on her. He said his words softly as he wraps his hand around her head and leans in to give her a gentle kiss. Just a brushing of lips really. But when his lips touched hers, butterflies all over again.

He leans back and smiles down at her, anxious for her reaction. Since when did Dirk become anxious around women? And not a full grown woman at that. Dear lords, he needed to get away and quick. But one more look in those olive colored eyes and he knew.

Watching her face once he had stepped back from that kiss, Dirk felt his heart melt. She was smiling and slightly flushed. Her lips parted just slightly as if she were asleep almost and her eyes took their time in opening. He felt badly that she had averted her eyes at first. But then when she's exploring him with her gaze, it's time for him to turn a bit red in the face and avert his own gaze.

He knew that she should have slapped the fool out of him for taking such liberties. The fact that she didn't spoke volumes to him. Could this woman actually want me? Now that was new too. Most of the women he'd been encountered with made it blatant what they wanted. And that was fine with Dirk because it used to be he only wanted one thing. But now... he wasn't sure what was going on with his mind and body. Or was it his heart?

When she asked what was wrong with him, he had formed a pretty good idea what was truly wrong. And the thing is, it wasn't wrong. Nothing had ever felt so right. But, in Dirk Stevens' life, nothing is ever easy and things that are right one day are completely wrong the next. "I... oh.. nothing." as he picks up another sheet.

"i'm.. uh... sorry I did that." he looks to her quickly, then down to the sheet he's folding. Apologize for a kiss, Dirk you must be outside your head! He just needed to get out of that closet. It suddenly became very apparant how small the closet was and how close he was standing to her. "uh, listen, I'm going to go watch the game with your dad." he nods as if he's made some profound statement.

Dropping the sheet, he looks to the floor, then to her. He takes a quick step to her, his hand touching then sliding around her neck to pull her into a soft, sweet and lingering kiss. No tongue, just a sweet innocent kiss. And once it's ended, he definitely needed to get out of there. He wanted her and his body was waking up to that face. A brilliant smile to her and then he turns and runs down the stairs. That grin did not leave his face for three days.

And in those few days Noelle had time to sit and evaluate that Dirk is nothing but a jerk and trying to mess with her. It has to be. He had never shown an interest in her before, but back then she was even younger and not quite how she looks or acts now, but still.. She can't help but feel this is all a game to him. See if he can get her to want him then go and tell Cole.

Course she has even talked to Cole about his feelings for Dirk. Coming to find out that Cole would rather be friends and that he and Dirk had agreed to that. Still, this has to be some ploy from Dirk, has to be a game.

She sighs and turns over on her bed, looking up at the ceiling and hugging a pillow tightly to her chest. Is she really falling for Dirk, is she really going to try and be involved with a guy who has the policy of love them and leave them. A purse of her lips at the thought. And she really doesn't want her first time to be with a guy like that, that right there can do all kinds of damage.

Now her mother is calling her. She groans and puts the pillow over her face. "Not now.." She mutters under the pillow. She has been staying in her room, keeping away from Dirk, course it seems he has the same idea. He hardly has even looked at her in the last couple of days and she is just fine with that. Well, no not really. She hates it. She wants him to look at her, and be near her and.. she has lost her mind.

Another light sigh escapes her and she tosses the pillow aside and climbs out of the bed, and trudges her way on down into the kitchen to get the news that she is going shopping with Dirk. Shopping, with Dirk? She groans again, but of course she can't say no to her Mother. "Yes, Ma'am" She rolls her eyes and kisses her Mother on the cheek, but smiles as her Mother then hands her a cookie for the rode. And behave she said, yes of course.. behave. "Yes, Ma'am." She smiles again and takes a nibble of the cookie as she walks on out the door.

She sees Dirk's truck and pauses for a moment. "Oh boy." She whispers and goes on to the passenger side.

She pulls open the truck door and climbs in. Shutting the door she then grabs the seatbelt just as he had said that. She giggles softly. "Yeah because then my Dad would kick your butt and you know it." She rolls her eyes at him and folds her arms over her chest. She wasn't going to enjoy this ride, no matter what. He can act all cute all he wants she isn't going to fall for it.

After pointing out where to go and letting him know some of the streets, she takes a deep breath and looks out the window. Best to keep her gaze away from him, though his cologne smells nice. A purse of her lips and she reaches out and draws on the lower half of the window with her index finger, nothing noticeable really, just swirls and nonsense.

Course every time he sneaks a peek she can feel his eyes on her, she shakes her head. Don't play the game, just keep your eyes out the window and this will all be over very soon. And the long silence isn't so bad and before she knows it they will be at the store, so yes, just hang in there.

But when he says her name, like a natural reaction she turns olive green eyes on him. "Honest about what?"

Olive green eyes watch him very closely, noting the way his lips form the words as he speaks, how his hazel eyes have an amber color to them, how his hair curls around his ear. She wants to reach out and brush back the strands that have fallen on his forehead. Snap out of it Noelle.

She clears her throat and pretends to cough for a moment, hoping he will think that is why her cheeks have a darker pink hue to them. She listens and smiles softly. Is he really being honest or is this part of his bull to get anyone he wants into bed.

"I wasn't startled." She frowns and shrugs it off. "I mean it was a surprise but I wasn't startled, not at all." She then smiles sweetly, pearly whites making their debut. "Besides, it wasn't really a kiss, but then the second one. Yeah okay, so it was a kiss, but I mean it's not like you forced me. I could of stopped you anytime I wanted." She nods, giving him the.. "So There" look.

"And I wasn't avoiding you, you were avoiding me." Time for her to be honest and say what she thinks, or rather to get him to come clean. "Is this all a game to you Dirk, are you wanting to see how long it takes for you to get me to say that I want you? Cause that day will never come. So you can just stop right now." Now she feels very proud of herself, standing up to him and letting him know, she isn't some little girl he can use as his toy.

Olive green eyes look down at his hand as it makes its way to hers. He is daring to touch her again, did she send vibes to him that said.. "Touch Me" or something? And when it lays on hers she closes her eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth of it and it sends tingles through her hand, up her arm and throughout her body.

Her eyes back on his face. "No game. Then what exactly are you trying to do?" She pulls her hand away from his, the touching has to stop, otherwise she might find herself leaning over to kiss him. God and if she does that then she will want to be held by him, and then it will just keep spiraling. Her wants and need for him has to be stopped. Dirk Stevens may say he wants you, but come on.. he is skilled in this. He knows exactly what to say and when to say it.

But the last comment coming from his lips causes olive greens to widen. He is incorrigible! Her mouth opens as if words are about to come out and then it closes just as quickly. Very tight pursing of her pouty lips and she reaches over and pushes his shoulder.

"Enough with the games Dirk! You have always been so mean to me, don't think I forgot about you putting that frog in my bed three years ago!" She huffs at him and shakes her head. "So mean."

She shakes her head and watches him closely. "A boyish prank, more like you were just trying to upset me. Which you did, countless times. Pulling my hair, shutting me in the closet, you tormented me and you know it." She has to laugh, some of those times were fun and they did have some good with the bad.

"Though swimming out by the lake was fun, for once you were nice by showing me how to dive and hold my breath underwater. But other then that Dirk, you have been a real jerk." She nods to that.

She blushes even more at the wink that is sent to her, how does he always know how to make her cheeks flush. He can smile a certain way, or even give her a certain look and she can feel the redness creep into her cheeks. She tries her best to hide it by nibbling on a finger and turning her gaze away from him and out the window again. Her other hand on the door handle. Getting out of the truck would be a great idea, now to will her body to move..

But as he talks she turns back to him. Did he just say that he would do her chores for a week? "Just how long are you planning on staying? I mean, are you staying for a while or something?" And that probably came out very wrong and she cringes. "I mean, how long do I get to spend in your wonderful company?" She giggles loudly but then it abruptly stops the moment the rest of what he had said registers.

"What do you mean no touching, you were going to touch me?"

She smiles back at him and watches his gaze go from her to the store, and while he does look away, she studies his face. Trying to see if all he says is sincere. She keeps nibbling on her bottom lip, being this close and in such a small space with him makes her very nervous.

"You were really mean." She nods but giggles as he can't get the door open. But she frowns when he smiles at her flushing, oh she caught on to that right away. No fake coughing is going to fool her, she is starting to understand his little tricks. Course this only makes her blush more and she turns her head to look out the window again. God, would she stop blushing already!

Then what he says makes her turn right back to him. "A very hot commodity, what are you talking about?" She frowns slightly again, did he mean her? Now he sees her as some sort of object to acquire? Olive greens slant slightly and she tries her best to not reach over and smack him all to hell.

She leans away as his hand comes to caress her face, but she smiles. A genuine smile at his words. "Thank you." Not many people have called her beautiful, alright so they did but she never really believed it. Besides, Mom and Dad have to say that, they are your parents. She sighs and closes her eyes, she is falling for him all over again and she can't seem to stop herself.

Olive green eyes open quickly and gaze on him. "You are really serious about all of this? I just.. I don't know Dirk, I mean. I don't know what I mean." She sighs and opens the door to the truck and slides out, then slams it shut. She knows in her heart.. she has already lost this battle. But she won't admit it and she won't let him know, no matter what or at least.. Try not to.

She walks towards the store without turning for a moment to look back at him. In her head a mess of things going on. The thought of him calling her a commodity infuriated her. She is no object to obtain. So all this time he tries to be sincere and really underneath it all she is nothing but a little play thing. Just as all the other women he had went after. And yes, including her own friend Stacey.

The large doors to the market open and she walks in. Turning just to snatch the list from him. "Grab a cart?" She says without eye contact and moves on down through the front of the store. She looks down at the list for a moment and sighs. This is going to take forever, so much for a little list. More like her mother wants to buy the whole store.

She stops and looks back at him. "Did she say she wanted all of this?" She shakes her head and stuffs the list in her pocket. "How about we get out of here, do something fun?" She smiles and walks up to him. "Shopping can wait right?"