Why, indeed? All in all, lunch had been a very enjoyable outing. At
Sabrina's suggestion, they had travelled leisurely to Manhattan and
tried out a new restaurant she had read about. Once there, they had
spent nearly two hours reminiscing over pleasant moments of their
youth.
Sabrina had been effervescent, and more than once during their meal
had a male head turned to enjoy the sight of her beautiful smiling
face. Stefan had done little more than watch her. He had
interjected an occasional remark here and there when it seemed that
her constant dialogue might cease. When a purposeful wry comment of
his caused her to laugh until she cried, Stefan was forced to guard
his expression, lest some trace of the attraction he felt for her
should reach her eyes.
He feared he had not been successful in guarding his feelings. As
their lunch had come to a close, Sabrina shifted into what Stefan
considered her 'dangerous' mode. When Sabrina felt that way,
nothing he said or did would stem the outrageous remarks and behavior
she would engage in. Thinking it wise to remove both himself and
Sabrina from the restaurant before she could get started, Stefan
called for the check.
Ari rushed forward with Sabrina's full-length leather duster held
before him. She waved it away saying, "No. The weather is too
beautiful for that. I want to enjoy the day!"
The longsuffering bodyguard looked to Stefan for assistance.
Fighting the smile which threatened to appear, Stefan merely shook
his head at the man. Sighing, Ari merely folded the coat over his
arm and began to lead them from the restaurant.
Offering him a brilliant smile, Sabrina cheerfully linked her arm in
his. "Thank you. I wish we could always have days like this." She
kissed him playfully on the cheek.
Stefan looked indulgently at her. He could not resist her at a time
like this, though everything inside him cried out for him to do so.
As they stepped out into the sunshine of New York, Sabrina stopped
suddenly, lifted her face toward the sun and drank in its rays. Not
understanding her actions, Stefan gazed upward to see what had caught
her attention.
Sabrina looked over at her brother, and realizing that he had not
understood, pulled away from him. "I was enjoying the sunshine,
Stefan," she pouted playfully, her hands on her hips. "Isn't it
beautiful?" He was at once reminded of the little girl she'd been.
Sabrina stood in the middle of the sidewalk, her arms outstretched,
her head thrown back.
"Alright, there, Mama! Show us what ya got!"
So came the catcalls from the building across the street. Stefan
stiffened in anger as the guards awaited his instructions.
Sabrina, however, turned in the directions of the comments and began
to pose seductively. Her formfitting t-shirt clung to her like
second skin, and the worn denims she wore enhanced her every curve.
"Oh, yeah! That's some junk in your trunk."
The young Cassadine woman gave a flowery bow in response to the lewd
comment.
"Sabrina!" Stefan hissed, outraged. He strode forward and grabbed
her arm. Pulling her toward the now-waiting limousine, he thrust her
impatiently inside.
"Oh, don't be such a wet blanket, Stefan."
He stared in disbelief as Sabrina childishly stuck her tongue out at
him. "I do not comprehend your behavior. Was it respectable to
encourage the distasteful comments of those," he searched for a word, "ruffians back there?"
"Didn't you hear?" she asked saucily. "They were merely admiring the
junk in my trunk."
Stefan's confusion over the comment showed on his face. Laughing,
Sabrina explained. "The were admiring the shape of my derriere."
At a loss for words over both the comment and his sister's enjoyment
of it, Stefan could only gape at her. "What?" she challenged.
"You don't agree with them?"
How did one intelligently answer such a question, he wondered.
Unbidden the image of Sabrina's lithe body and firm behind popped
into his head. Futilely, Stefan closed his eyes in an attempt to
remove the stimulating picture from his thoughts. Squeezing his
eyes shut, he tried to regain the feeling he'd had just moments
earlier when he was reminded of Sabrina's childhood.
Gleefully, Sabrina watched as Stefan struggled with his thoughts.
She knew him as well as anyone. The battle he currently fought was
one she engaged in each time they were together.
Stefan opened his eyes to find his half-sister smiling knowingly at
him. Refusing to be baited, he turned his head and stared out of
the window.
"I've been working out a lot lately," Sabrina began casually.
Too casually, Stefan thought. "I'm really proud of my abs. Look."
Against his will, Stefan turned to see Sabrina in the process of
lifting her shirt. Like lightning, his hands shot out and grasped
hers. "Brina," he pleaded, trying desperately not to look at the
expanse of smooth cafe au lait skin she'd exposed.
Electricity jolted through her at the touch of Stefan's hands.
Sabrina wanted desperately at that moment to kiss his lips, to feel
the heat of his body. Caught up in the moment, it truly did not
matter that he was her half-brother.
Stefan read the emotions which danced swiftly across her face.
Equally as attracted as Sabrina, he nonetheless strengthened his
resolve. Such a thing could never be again.
She knew his decision even as he made it.
Just like that, Sabrina's joy in the day was lost. She pulled her
hands from Stefan's and slid to the other end of the leather seat.
She stared out of the window. And as the tears ran down her face,
she whispered brokenly, "I guess that is why we don't do this more
often."
