"What do you mean?" Aubrey replied, taking a step away from him as he released the hold he had on her arm.

"Why were you ignoring me earlier?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest.  "Any why are you looking at me now like I just killed your cat?" He finished in exasperation.

"I don't have a cat." She replied flippantly.

Justin looked at Aubrey in confusion.  Her behavior was really throwing him for a loop here.  He was at a loss as to what he'd done to make her look at him with such disdain.  When they'd last spoken, almost a month ago, she'd requested he give her some time and space--which he'd done.  He knew she was confused and felt guilty about what had happened between them in Cabo, but she'd told him--not five minutes ago--that she and Andrew had broken up!  So why all the anger directed towards him?

When JC had called him and told him about the get together he and Rachel were having today, Justin had purposefully cut his trip to Florida short--hoping Aubrey would also be invited and he'd be able to see her.  He knew it would only serve to further torture himself--knowing full well she was with someone else and he couldn't have her--but he didn't care.  He had to see her again.  He had worked hard to surround himself with his work and other interests in an effort to try and forget about how much it hurt that she'd written him off and wasn't speaking to him anymore.

His heart had leapt when she'd told him she'd broken up with Andrew.  However, the contempt in her beautiful eyes and her admission that her relationship with Andrew had ended because of himself had him confused.  What had he done?  All he'd done--all he'd ever done--was respect her wishes.

"I told you." Aubrey said, breaking him from his thoughts.  "Andrew and I broke up because of you."

"Which I don't understand." Justin replied.  "Seeing as we haven't spoken or seen each other in a month--at your request.  How the hell did I," he put a hand on his chest.  "Cause your relationship," he pointed a finger at her.  "To end?"  Aubrey glared at him, her jaw clenched tightly.  "Why do you suddenly hate me?" He asked.  "What did I do?"

"You tried to kiss me." She reminded him.

"That's what this is about?!" He asked in shock.  Aubrey folded her arms across her chest.  Justin narrowed his eyes as he watched her closely, suspicion creeping into his thoughts.  "Are you upset because I tried?" He asked inquisitively, cocking his head to the side.  "Or that I didn't follow through with it?" The fire in her eyes blazed and he felt a smug sense of satisfaction at hitting the mark.  "Cuz if that's that case, sweetheart, we can finish what we started right here."  He offered.  She may be fighting it but the desire was evident in her eyes--she wanted him and the thought excited him.  Now, if he could only get her to admit it...

"You ruined everything." She accused.  "You and your..." she stopped, waving her hand through the air as she struggled for the right words to say. 

"Me and my, what?" He asked leaning towards her.

"You and your cocky attitude for one!" She shot back at him.  "If you hadn't been so...perfect and...charming and...just...just...you, I might have still had a chance with Andrew!"  Justin watched as Aubrey's eyes began to glisten--his arrogance melting away.  He didn't want to make her cry.  "I just..." Aubrey sighed in frustration as she swiped a hand across her cheek--angrily wiping away the lone tear that had escaped.  "Why did you have to be so perfect?" She finished quietly. 

"Aubrey, I--"

"I told him..." she cut him off.  "I told him I wouldn't see you again.  I told him I was cutting you out of my life--and I did!  I told him I knew that the idea of anything happening between you and I was ridiculous, but he walked away."  She looked at him accusingly.  "He walked away because of you.  If it hadn't of been for you everything wouldn't have gotten so messed up."

Justin took a tentative step towards her.  Messed up?  He wondered.  Or set right?  But he didn't dare ask the question out loud for fear of what she might say or do to him. 

"You didn't even want Andrew to begin with." Justin interjected, reminding her of the conversation they'd had following the first date she'd had with the guy.  Aubrey looked at him in stunned silence.  "If I'm not mistaken," he continued.  "I believe I remember you telling me that you agreed to get back into a relationship with the guy because you felt like you owed him."

"He was a good guy." Aubrey supplied.  "He was always respectful and kind to me.  He never treated me badly and I knew he would be able to protect and provide for me.  We could have been happy together." She continued and he wondered who she was trying to convince more, herself or him?

"Really?" Justin asked, lifting one eyebrow in surprise.

"Yes, really." Aubrey replied.  "Why are you acting so surprised about that?"

"Because I don't think you would have been happy." He told her. 

"Oh, and you're qualified to tell me what makes me happy, are you?" She asked taking a step towards him, the fire in her eyes captivating him.

"I believe so, yeah." He nodded. 

"Then tell me, Justin.  What makes me happy?  What do I want?" She folded her arms across her chest as she threw down the challenge--pursing her lips as she waited for his answer.

"You want someone who can give you the world but at the same time provide the security and stability you crave." He began.  "You want someone who will love you unconditionally; someone who will give you his heart completely and never ask for it back--no matter what.  You want someone who will embrace your dreams and encourage you to pursue them because he sees how wonderful and incredible you are.  He can see how much potential you have and he knows that you can do whatever it is you set your sights on.  You want someone whose only wish in life is to make you happy and who'll spend the rest of his life ensuring that you are; someone who isn't merely kind and respectful to you, but loves you so completely it makes you tremble each time he touches you and takes your breath away with every kiss.  You want someone who has memorized each and every one of your adorable freckles; a man who is blinded by your smile and immobilized every time you laugh." He stopped and she looked at him in shock, her arms dropping limply to her sides. 

~~~~~~

Aubrey stood, stunned into silence at Justin's declaration and the passion blazing in his blue eyes.  He had successfully pinpointed everything she wanted, and even things she hadn't known she wanted--except for one.  

"I also want something that's real." She replied quietly, hating the way her heart and body were reacting to having him stand so close to her.  She could feel his warmth and smell his intoxicating cologne.  Any longer and she was afraid of what she might do. 

"It can be real." He told her.  She shook her head.  "Do you want me to say I'm sorry?" He finally asked.  "Because I'm not.  I'm not sorry for anything we've done together." He told her honestly.  "Why don't you think it could be real?  Why is the idea of something happening between you and I ridiculous?" He asked.  Aubrey rolled her eyes and turned her head away from him though her heart was racing in her chest at the turn this conversation had taken.  "No." He said taking her chin in his fingers and turning her face back to look at him.  "I want to know why you said that.  Why is that thought so ridiculous to you?"

"Because you're Justin Timberlake!" She exclaimed in exasperation as if he didn't know who he was.

"And?" He questioned, obviously failing to see the relevance of her statement.  "Forgive me, but I was under the impression that my celebrity status didn't really mean a whole hell of a lot to you.  Are you, or are you not, the same girl who had no idea who I was the first time we met?"

"Yeah well, things change." She grumbled as she folded her arms across her chest again and looked away from him.

"Why?" He asked.  Against her better judgment she looked back over at him.  "What changed?"

"You--suddenly becoming the ‘Playboy of Hollywood' for one." She told him.  "How many women have you dated in the last month?" She asked.  "Every time I turn on the television or radio you're at some event or party with a different girl on your arm."

"Am I not allowed to date?" He asked, looking at her in confusion.  "You told me you needed time which I gave you." He continued.  "You didn't call.  I figured you'd made your choice and I wasn't it.  So I tried to move on with my life.  Forgive me.  I didn't know you wanted me to sit home and wait for you."

Aubrey let out a groan of frustration.  "I don't want you to sit home and wait for me!" She exclaimed.

"Then tell me, Aubrey." He replied, the frustration more than evident in his voice.  "What do you want?  I feel like we're just going around in circles here.  I'm still no closer to figuring out what's going on than when we started!"

"I want..." she sighed as she looked down at her feet.  She closed her eyes.  "I want what every girl wants.  I want to know that I'm the only one someone is thinking about.  I just want to be loved and to know that no matter what I'll always be number one on the priority list."  She opened her eyes and looked up at him.  "You can't promise me that."  

"How do you know?" He asked.  "You haven't given me a chance one way or the other."

Aubrey looked away from him, her eyes landing on a magazine sitting on the coffee table.  She took a step and bent down picking it up.  "I don't want to live my life constantly surrounded by rumors!" She said holding the magazine up for him as she pointed at it, which conveniently had a picture of him and some model on the cover. 

"Aubrey..." He sighed.

"I know that being who you are means you're going to come in contact with beautiful women everyday.  I know there are pressures all around you that you're tempted to give in too.  I also know that it's the media's job to take pictures so they can sell their magazines.  I realize all of this, but, Justin..." She looked at him, shaking her head.  "I don't know if I can do it.  I'm not the Hollywood type and I don't want to have to constantly be wondering."

"Wondering about what?" He asked in desperation.

"About who you're going to leave me for." She replied, her bottom lip trembling slightly. 

"Who I'm going to..." Justin looked at her as if she had slapped him for a moment then shook his head.  "I knew it." He said, a small smile forming on his lips.  Aubrey looked at him in question--wondering why he was smiling.  What exactly was funny about what she'd just said?  She was on the verge of tears here, confessing her fears, and he was smiling!  "You do have commitment issues!" Justin continued.  "I was joking around with you about your not getting a tattoo because of that, but you really do have a hang up with that, don't you?"

"I do not!" She exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips.

"Oh yeah?" He asked, putting his hands on his hips as well as he stood looking at her.  "Prove it." He challenged.

"Okay.  How?" She countered, her heart beating frantically in her chest.

"Give me a chance." He replied.

Aubrey rolled her eyes though her heart gave a skip.  "I'm not going to be with you just to prove a point, Justin." She told him.

Justin lowered his arms and took the final step towards her.  "Then be with me because I like you...and you like me." He said quietly.  

Aubrey felt her eyes widen and she nervously licked her lips as Justin's eyes held hers intently.  She felt as if he were searching her soul and she suddenly found it hard to breathe.  How in the world had she gotten herself into this situation?  How had they gone from her being angry at him for ruining her relationship with Andrew to Justin trying to convince her to give him a chance?  Aubrey closed her eyes as he brought his hands up--his finger tips softly brushing across her skin--and gently cupped her face.  Goose bumps broke over every inch of her body and she silently cursed him for his ability to completely disarm her with just a touch.

"Open your eyes, Aubrey Janae." He commanded quietly and she had no choice but to obey--her heart leaping at the way he said her name.  Her lips parted a little and the corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly as he leaned towards her.

Aubrey closed her eyes again--her breath coming in shallow gasps.  As he brought his mouth to hers--his lips barely touching her own--her senses were completely overwhelmed by him.  Her lips tingled in anticipation and her hands began trembling but he seemed content to just stand there rather than kiss her and she didn't understand what was going on.  She opened her eyes again to look at him, prepared to demand to know what he was doing when he finally took full possession of her mouth--making all rational thought leave her head.

Her heart felt as if it were going to beat out of her chest and she thrilled when Justin put one arm around her--pulling her against his body firmly.  Her hands found a home at his waist resting above his slim hips as he used his other hand to tilt her head to the side and deepened the kiss between them.  His mouth moved slowly and deliberately against hers, kissing her with a depth and passion that threatened to be the end of her.  His hands moved upwards--a soft moan escaping her as his fingertips massaged her scalp when they dug in to her hair.

~~~~~~

Justin pulled back at Aubrey's moan, his fingers untangling themselves from her hair--his hands coming down to once more frame her face.  He watched as she slowly opened her eyes, her lips parting with a sigh, trying to gauge her reaction to what had just happened between them.

"Do you feel that?" He breathed--his heart about ready to beat out of his chest.  He'd never been this affected by a single kiss before.  He felt like a thousand volts of electricity had just gone through his system.  She nodded silently, her eyes holding him captive.  How was it possible that it had taken him this long to recognize that look in her eyes for what it was?  Everything he'd been looking for had been right in front of him this whole time.  He was such a fool!  He'd almost let the one thing he'd spent his entire life searching for get away without even realizing it.

"Give me a chance, Aubrey." He pled quietly.  "I'll make you happy, I swear."  He vowed.  Justin brushed his thumbs across her cheeks as he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers.  "You'll never have a chance to even think about questioning my loyalty."  Aubrey closed her eyes and he followed suit, their breath mingling.  She wrapped her arms around his neck, one hand resting at the back of his head, and he couldn't help the smile that came as he felt her lean into him.  His arms dropped to wind around her waist.  Pulling her securely against him he captured her lips once again--reveling in the delicious taste and feel of them that was uniquely hers.

~~~~~~

"...so we're at dinner that night and this guy comes up to us and is totally hitting on him in French, but JC had no idea what the guy was saying!" Rachel said with a laugh as she and Megan walked up onto the patio. 

Megan shifted baby Scott in her arms and chuckled.  "Did you know what he was saying?" She asked as the girls walked towards the back door of the house. 

"Yes!" Rachel exclaimed, laughing even more.  "Jace just sat there, pretending like he knew what was going on and I was dying--trying so hard not to laugh.  He thanked the guy and shook his hand and the guy looked like he'd just won the lottery!  Then Jace looked at me and said, ‘what did he just say?'  I just told him, ‘you don't want to know.'"

"What did he say?" Megan asked as they walked into the house. 

"That he was a huge fan of his ass!" Rachel replied.

Megan busted out laughing.  "He doesn't even have one!" She exclaimed.

"I know!" Rachel laughed.  "That's what made it so funny!  He--" 

Both girls pulled up short--their laughter dying abruptly--as Justin and Aubrey jumped apart almost guiltily.  The sudden and awkward tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife as Rachel lifted her brows in surprise, her eyes taking in the intimate scene she and Megan had interrupted--a scene she never thought she'd see.  As much as she had pushed for Justin and Aubrey to be together, a part of her hadn't really thought it would actually happen!  They were both too stubborn to realize they were perfect for each other. 

Justin turned to look at her, leveling her with a death glare that--had she not known him as well as she did--would have caused her some real fear and anxiety.  Aubrey's cheeks were blazing red and Rachel watched as the girl quickly turned and snuck away quietly while Justin was busy silently threatening Rachel with his icy blue stare.

"Um..." Rachel cleared her throat.  "Sorry."  She apologized, putting her arms out and shrugging her shoulders.  "I didn't know you guys were...in here..."   

~~~~~~     

Justin glared at Rachel, his frustration reaching epic proportions.  He'd finally gotten to kiss Aubrey and who should walk in and interrupt them but the one person who had been trying to get them together from the beginning!  If she wasn't his best friend's fiancée, he'd be tempted to...

His head turned quickly as he heard the front door open and close.  "Damn it!" He exclaimed.  Aubrey had left!  Rachel had scared her off!  He groaned in frustration and scrubbed his hands over his face.   

"What are you waiting for?" Rachel asked.  He looked over at her.  "Go after her!" She pointed in the direction Aubrey had left, looking at him like he was an idiot for just standing there.

Justin clenched his jaw as he lifted a hand.  "This is all your fault." He accused, pointing a finger at her then turned and ran towards the front door, completely missing the satisfied smirk on Rachel's face as she folded her arms across her chest and cocked one hip out to the side.

~~~~~~

Aubrey concentrated on breathing deeply as she walked quickly towards her car.  She had to get away from Justin.  Her head was spinning and she didn't know what to think or what to do.  She wanted to prove she didn't have the commitment issues he thought she did, and she wanted to believe what he'd said about never giving her a chance to question him but she didn't know if she could take that leap of faith.  She didn't know if she had the courage to trust him with her heart. 

Apparently I do have commitment issues.  She thought wryly. 

She reached out to open her car door as a hand came and planted itself in front of her--making it so she couldn't get into the vehicle.  She didn't have to look at the person who belonged to that hand--she knew full well who it was.  She could feel him behind her and her breath caught in her throat. 

"Why are you running away?" He asked his voice low as he spoke right behind her ear.  She shivered and closed her eyes as goose bumps once again enveloped her.  Aubrey turned slowly and pressed back against her car as Justin leaned over her, planting his other hand on the other side of her--blocking her escape.  She was painfully aware of how close he was and the quick rise and fall of her chest as she struggled for breath.  All she wanted to do was throw her arms around him and feel his lips against hers again but she held back.  She didn't want him to know how desperate she was for his affection. 

"You didn't give me an answer." He said, lowering his head as he leaned towards her further--closing the space between them. 

Aubrey looked up at him, and swallowed hard.  "An answer?" She asked.  "I don't remember you asking me a specific question."

He narrowed his eyes at her.  "Are you going to give me a chance, Aubrey Janae?" He asked. 

"Why do you always use my middle name?" She asked her heart skipping as it always had when he did so.

"Because I think it's beautiful, just like you." He replied.  "And I like the way you look at me when I say it." He told her, his head lowering even more as he brought his lips next to hers--kissing her softly.  "What do you say?" He asked, his warm, sweet breath hitting her lips and making a delicious tingle skirt down her spine. 

"Yes." She replied with a sigh of relief as she finally gave in to what she had wanted all along.  Justin smiled as he pressed his lips against hers firmly, lowering his hands as he wrapped his arms around her waist--pulling her against him.  Aubrey wound her arms around his neck as she kissed him back with all the desire and passion for him that had been eating away at her since they'd first met.  She loved the way it felt to have his incredible arms wrapped around her and she melted against him as his lips moved powerfully against her own.  Her dreams hadn't even come close to what his kiss was really like and she knew she was lost.  She'd never be able to settle for anyone else's kiss again.

She was his.