Monday, February 11, 2008, Episode #5246

Nick makes a plea to Brooke.

As Brooke pulls away from their kiss, Nick tells her that she can't marry Ridge, since her heart belongs with him and baby Jack. Brooke states that she can't do this, reminding Nick that she and Ridge have plans to get married and raise R.J. together. Nick states that he would accept R.J. as his own son, just as he's made Hope like his daughter, but Brooke counters that R.J. has a father and asks Nick to think this through. Nick says he has thought it through, and he feels that her relationship with Ridge will never work. All she has to do is say the word, Nick offers, and the two of them can have the life they always dreamed of. "I can't even believe we're having this conversation," Brooke balks. Nick states that there must be a reason that the little boy over there is their son, but Brooke refuses to talk about this and turns to leave. But as she reaches the door, Jack starts to cry.

Brooke tries to calm baby Jack down.

Following her maternal instinct, Brooke picks Jack up and holds him in her arms. "Mommy's here," she assures, trying to calm the baby down. Nick notes how beautiful she looks holding their son. Brooke agrees that the little guy is a real miracle. Nick reminds her that Jack is there because of her, since she helped bring him into the world and helped keep him there. "I did what had to be done," Brooke responds. Nick says she did more than that, since he sees a mother bonding with a child that needs his mother in his life. "I love you, and I want you in our lives," Nick declares, "and I hope you want that, too." He tells Brooke again that he believes that everything happens for a reason, and he thinks she believes that, too. He then asks Brooke if he can hold her; Brooke obliges, so Nick draws her into a warm embrace.

Taylor asks Rick why he kissed her.

At Taylor's old house in Bel Air, she pulls away from Rick's kiss and asks what he's doing, since she didn't think she did anything indicating that she wanted him to kiss her. Rick apologizes, admitting that he cares about her. Realizing that he overstepped his boundaries, he turns to leave, but he stops by the door and turns back with a big grin on his face. Taylor asks what he's smiling about. He responds that he has this god-awful urge to kiss her again and asks why he'd feel that way. A confused Taylor says that she's not even sure herself, because her life has turned upside-down. Starting to analyze his feelings, Rick says that he cares about her, and he supposes that he wanted to kiss her because she's beautiful, gorgeous, smart, intelligent, sensitive, independent and beautiful. Realizing that he said beautiful twice, Rick admits that all those qualities don't necessarily warrant his kissing her, so he supposes he should be punished. "Feel free to slap me at any time," he quips, telling her to choose any of his four cheeks that she'd like.

Rick flatters Taylor with compliments.

Taylor tells Rick that his flattery seems weird in a Freudian way, although she concedes that he seems a bit feisty. Rick says that he just wants her to see how incredible she is. Blushing, Taylor tells him to stop with the flattery, but Rick claims that he's being truthful when he says that she's smart and talented and a hot mom. Taylor asks if the "hot mom" reference means that she should go for the younger market, but Rick states that he's being serious when he calls her a hot mom. He asks her to promise that she'll think about what he said, because she has so much to offer, and he doesn't want that to go to waste. He then gives Taylor a tiny peck on the cheek, bid her good-night and leaves.

Donna prepares to put on a show for Stephanie.

Eric and Donna are making love on the couch in his office. "Do you know how much this turns me on?" Donna purrs, asking if he remembered to lock the door. Eric assures her that he did. Donna thanks her honey bear and tells him how much she appreciates what he's done for her, since his charade to appease Stephanie gave Storm the second chance he needs to get help dealing with his issues. "I wish we could just stay like this forever," she whispers. Eric thinks that's a good idea, but then he gets a phone call that Stephanie is in the building. He suggests to Donna that they take this chance to stage a breakup in front of Stephanie to make his wife believes they're really finished. Donna is unsure, but Eric tells her that she can do this. They get dressed and pack a box of Donna's things as they wait until Stephanie is outside the door. Once he hears Stephanie outside his office, Eric tears into Donna, ordering her to take her lingerie and things and leave the building immediately. Donna tearfully pleads for him to reconsider, but Eric has had it with her lies and her need for sex and tells her that they're through. Donna promises to do anything to fix this, but Eric shouts that he's back with Stephanie where he belongs. Turning to leave, he tells Donna that he needs to get away from her, and he angrily orders her not to be here when he returns.

Stephanie tells Donna to accept that it's over with Eric.

Outside the office, Stephanie ducks out of sight as Eric storms out of the office. Once Eric is gone, Stephanie enters the office to confront Donna, who refuses to deal with Stephanie right now. Stephanie taunts that Donna looks as disheveled as she did when she came out of the steam room. Donna points out that she was only in the steam room because of Stephanie, who counters that she, unlike Donna's relatives, knows what it means to fight for her family. Feigning being hurt, Donna concedes, "You won." Stephanie states that after hearing Eric toss Donna out, she decided to pop in and see for herself if Donna is really capable of genuine feelings. Seeing Donna as she is right now, she admits that it seems like Donna has genuine emotions after all. But even so, Eric has made his feelings clear by moving back into the mansion, so Stephanie thinks Donna should just accept that her relationship with Eric is over. Donna sobs that she doesn't need Stephanie rubbing salt in her wounds, but Stephanie thinks she needed to deliver the life lesson that she'll always be ready to protect her family from Donna's. Donna argues that Stephanie can never make Eric happy, but Stephanie retorts that Eric finally sees Donna for who she is. "A whore from the valley?" Donna asks. Stephanie thinks this day has been a long time coming after what Donna did to Thorne and to Eric and reminds Donna of their arrangement to keep Storm out of jail. "Your day will come," Donna fires back.