Thursday, February 14, 2008, Episode #5249

Nick asks Brooke what the future holds for them.

At the Marone mansion, Nick asks Brooke what the future holds for them. Brooke tells him she was blindsided by Taylor walking out on him and Jack, but Nick thinks his marriage was doomed once the truth of Jack's maternity forced him and Brooke to face their feelings for each other. Brooke concedes that they'll always have strong feelings for each other, but she's engaged to Ridge and loves him. "You love him more than me?" Nick asks. Brooke points out that they both know what it's like to be in love with two people, but she's sticking to her decision to marry Ridge and raise R.J. with him. Nick respects her standing by her decision, since sometimes you do what you have to do - and then he shows what he thinks he has to do by pulling Brooke into a passionate kiss!.

Brooke again pleads for Nick to let her go.

Brooke pulls away from the kiss and asks Nick if he heard what she said. Nick insists that any relationship she has with Ridge is going to fall apart like it always does, and he's sure she'll come running back to him and Jack when that happens. "Those are the facts, baby, and I'm stickin' to 'em," he declares. Brooke asks Nick to let her go. She admits that she has two families, one with Ridge, Hope and R.J. and one with Nick and Jack, but she can only choose one of them, so she's choosing to honor her commitment to Ridge. When Nick concedes that she's in a tight spot, Brooke asks him to stop being too obstinate. Nick takes that as a sign of how much she really likes him. Flustered, Brooke turns to leave, but Nick asks if she got what she wanted. Brooke admits that she didn't and asks if he got what he wanted. Nick says he did, because he can see from the look in her eyes that she still loves him. Brooke again pleads for him to let her go. Nick says he can do that if it's what she really wants and asks if she really wants him to her go. "No, I don't," Brooke sobs as they fall into a passionate kiss.

Katie tells Bridget to seize a second chance at love.

In Eric's office, Bridget agrees with Katie that Brooke belongs with Ridge. When Katie hopes that Brooke is ending things with Nick as they speak, Bridget wonders if her mom can really let go of Nick. Katie senses that Bridget is speaking from experience and asks Bridget if she still loves Nick. "I probably always will be," Bridget admits, wondering if things might have been different had she and Nick not lost Nicole. Katie points out that this could be an opportunity for Bridget to reunite with Nick, but Bridget asks her aunt not to go there, since she'll always be a bit gun-shy where Nick is concerned. Katie suggests that Nick and Bridget's marriage may not have really been given a chance, since the marriage ended because of Brooke. Bridget says that she's spent many hours considering that, but she realized that things just didn't work out for her and Nick and moved on. "But you haven't moved on," Katie states, suggesting that Bridget seize this second chance to find true love with Nick.

Bridget tearfully remembers Nicole.

Bridget states that she doesn't want to be pushed on Nick, so Katie offers to act as her "agent" to negotiate the life with Nick she deserves. Bridget admits that it sounds tempting, but she's too vulnerable when it comes to Nick. Katie points out that Nick is vulnerable now, too, and needs someone in his life, and it can't be Brooke. Bridget says that it may sound strange, but she's always felt this strange bond with Jack, probably because of her role in his conception. She feels responsible for the baby in that respect, almost like a mother. Which makes her the perfect person to be there for Jack and Nick, Katie proposes. Bridget admits that it sounds good hypothetically, but she fears that her heart might get ripped out again if things don't work out, and she doesn't know if she could go through that after again. Her voice starts to crack as she tells Katie that she thinks of Nicole all the time, and she sobs as she tells Katie that she still has a box of things she and Nick bought for the baby while she was pregnant to remind her of the child she and Nick lost. "You've gotta take this opportunity," Katie urges, asking Bridget to do this for Jack, for Nick and even for Nicole. "Give yourself a chance to be happy with Nick again," she tells a tearful Bridget.

Ridge offers his mother some advice.

Ridge drops by the Forrester mansion and asks Stephanie how it has been having Eric back home. Eric comes downstairs and announces that he has a meeting to get to before rushing out the door. Ridge remarks that Eric seems to be in good spirits, but he can't shake the feeling that something is still wrong. Stephanie doesn't think it's anything to be concerned about, since she can read Eric pretty well after their years of marriage, but Ridge finds Eric's happy-go-lucky mood a bit odd after Eric's whirlwind romance with Donna. Stephanie scoffs that Donna can't be trusted, and neither can either of her sisters. Ridge tells her not to start, but she assures him that she's not trying to get into his business with Brooke. But when it comes to Eric and Donna, that's HER business, which is why she'd be hurt if she found out that Eric was still seeing Donna. Ridge reminds her that she doesn't know for sure if anything is going on. Stephanie agrees, which is why she thinks she has to find out. Even though she always said it might take a while for Eric and her to reconnect once he left Donna, she can't shake the notion that she might have been wrong about those two. Ridge knows she doesn't want his advice, but he offers it anyway and tells her to be careful, because she won't win Eric back by ripping him apart. He suggests that she show Eric how much she loves him. Stephanie says that she'll try, but she doesn't know how charitable she could be if she caught Eric and Donna together. "Do what you will," Ridge tells him mother. "You always do."

Donna presents Eric with a "honey bear."

Decked out in a trench-coat and dark glasses, Donna arrives at her and Eric's love nest. Eric comes out from behind the curtain leading to the back room and admires her new look, hoping she's not wearing anything under her coat. "Wait and see," Donna teases. Eric then presents her with a pair of diamond earrings as a Valentine's Day present. Donna gasps at the extravagant gift, fretting that it will make what she got him look stupid by comparison. Eric tells her not to worry and asks her to show him what she got him, so she takes out a bear-shaped jar of honey - a "honey bear for her honey bear!" She opens the bottle and gives Eric a little taste, purring that they can have some fun with this. Eric agrees that he can and kisses her before leading her to the bad. After they make love, Donna laughs that they used her gift to get into a "sticky situation." Eric laughs that they sure did and tells her that she's "stuck" with him forever now. It was the perfect Valentine's gift, he tells her.

Eric thanks Donna for what she's brought to his life.

Donna tells Eric that she can't stop thinking about Stephanie's influence on his life and his family. Eric tells her to stop talking like that. While he treasures his family and all the memories he's shared with them, it wasn't all good, as Stephanie's blackmailing her family proves. He assures her that he doesn't want a life with a mean-spirited, selfish, controlling person like Stephanie who refuses to change and needs to have everything just as she wants it. With the matter of Stephanie settled, Eric gazes at Donna, amazed at what she's brought to his life. He tells her that he never thought his life could change this beautifully, especially at his age. Donna tells him that age hasn't slowed down and asks if he's ready for another go-around. Eric says that he is, so they start going at it between the sheets again. "You're an insatiable lover," Donna praises, asking Eric where he gets his stamina from.