"I didn't know you were going to be here waiting for me!" Justin replied in defense as he took the plates from her.  "If I'd known you were drunk and waiting to jump me," he continued with a teasing grin, "I wouldn't have--"

"I'm not--" Aubrey began loudly then dropped her voice back down to a heated whisper.  "I'm not drunk!" She told him.  Not anymore. She thought, disgusted with herself.  The quick transition from attempting to seduce Justin to the surprise of meeting his mother had done its job in sobering her up.  She had been humiliated at the thought of what Lynn had almost walked in on and incredibly grateful that Justin had pulled her up and had put some space between them before she had come into the kitchen.  If she had only been a minute earlier her first introduction to Aubrey would have been to see her on her knees in front of her son. 

What a great first impression that would have been!  Aubrey thought sarcastically with a grimace.  She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. 

"Are you okay?" Justin asked, reminding her of his presence.

"I have a headache." Aubrey told him honestly.  The alcohol she'd consumed on an empty stomach and the effects of her adrenaline rush wearing off were starting to catch up with her.  She heard him open a draw behind her and turned around.

"Here." He said, opening the bottle in his hand and shaking out a couple pills.

"Thank you." Aubrey smiled as she took the aspirin from him.  She dumped out the remaining wine that was in her glass and filled it with water instead.  Quickly swallowing the medicine she took a deep breath then turned and made her way out to the dining room.

"Are you mad at me?" Justin asked putting his hand on her arm.

Aubrey stopped and looked over at him.  "No." She shook her head.

"Promise?" He asked, turning to face her.  He put his other hand on her opposite arm. 

"Yes." Aubrey assured him.  "I'm not mad at you."  I'm mad at myself for getting drunk and thinking I could pull this off.  "I just..." She sighed.  "I was just looking forward to spending some time with you tonight.  It's been two weeks..." She trailed off as she looked down at the floor in disappointment.   

"Hey," Justin said quietly.  He put the fingers of one hand under her chin and lifted her face to look at him.  "What do you say you and I go somewhere this weekend?" He smiled, his eyes sparkling.  "Somewhere we won't be interrupted and we can be alone?" He looked at her with a hopeful expression and Aubrey's heart fluttered in her chest.  His hand moved up to cup her cheek--his thumb brushing across her skin.  Aubrey smiled and leaned towards him, accepting his kiss.

"I just have one condition." Justin said, pulling back just enough to look in her eyes.  His warm breath fanned against her lips causing a shiver to skirt down Aubrey's spine.

"What's that?" She breathed leaning into him-completely forgetting the fact that his mother was sitting in the next room waiting for them.  Justin kissed her again--slowly this time, and deliberately.  Aubrey let out a breathy sigh as he pulled away again.

"No alcohol." He told her, the intense look in his eyes making her stomach quiver.  "I want you sober the first time I make love to you.  I want to make sure you're going to remember everything in the morning."

Aubrey swallowed as she was consumed by tingles-her knees almost buckling at Justin's words and the seductive look on his handsome face.  "Damn you!" She told him.  How in the world was she supposed to go out there and sit at the dinner table with his mother and pretend she wasn't about to jump out of her skin?  How did he expect her to get through this with any semblance of sanity and normalcy saying things like that and getting her all flustered? 

Justin pulled back and looked at her in surprise, an amused smile on his face.  "Did you just curse at me?" He asked. 

"Yes!" She replied in exasperation.

"First I come home to find you drunk, and now you're swearing?"  He chuckled and she scowled as she slapped his chest with the back of her hand. 

"You're a bad influence on me." She replied with a pout.  This whole evening was turning out to be one huge disappointment. 

"Baby, you have no idea." Justin replied with a confident smirk and an evil glint in his eyes.  "But you will." He promised as he picked up the plates he'd set down a few minutes ago.  "You will."

~~~~~~

"Take a look at these," Rachel said the next day as the girls met for lunch.  "And tell me what you think."  She handed Aubrey several catalogues with different pages flagged.

"What am I looking at?" Aubrey asked, flipping to the first marked page.

"Bridesmaid dresses!" Rachel replied scooting her chair closer. 

"Rachel..." Aubrey groaned.

"I sent Megan a copy of each of the ones I liked and she said her favorites were these two." Rachel continued as she picked up one catalogue and flipped to a specific page.  "But if you don't like them, that's okay." Rachel smiled.  "Megan's pretty easy going.  I'm sure she'll be okay with whatever?"

Aubrey said nothing as she continued flipping through the catalogue in her hands, though she wondered if Megan really would be okay with "whatever."  With a sigh she tried to swallow her distaste of the task in front of her.  Whether she liked it or not, she was going to have to wear something to the wedding.  At least Rachel seemed to be giving her the option to pick what she wanted to wear, which she should be thankful for. 

"This one's kind of cute." She said, turning the catalogue towards Rachel as she pointed at the one that had caught her eye.  "It's even pictured in the color you want." The chocolate colored dress was strapless and the slightly flared skirt fell just below the knees of the model.  It was cute and simple and Aubrey was surprised as how much she actually liked it. 

"Awesome!" Rachel exclaimed pulling some post-it notes from her purse and placing one over the picture of the dress.  "Okay." She said.  "Good.  We can look for something like that this weekend."

"This weekend?" Aubrey asked, looking at Rachel in question. 

"When we go look for your dress." Rachel told her.  "We're getting down to the line here." She continued.  "We've got to find something pretty soon."

Aubrey laughed.  "You're not getting married until May, Rachel!" She reminded her friend.  "That's still eight months away!  We don't have to find a dress this weekend.  Besides," Aubrey continued, closing the catalogue and attempting to appear non-chalant.  "I can't do anything this weekend with you.  I...I have other plans."

"Other plans?" Rachel asked.  "What other plans?"

"None of your business, other plans." Aubrey replied without thinking.  As soon as the words were out of her mouth she knew she shouldn't have said them. 

"None of my business?" Rachel asked, looking at her with calculating eyes and Aubrey cursed the fact that she could feel her cheeks starting to warm.  "Are they perhaps plans involving Justin?" Rachel needled. 

Aubrey remained silent.  She really didn't want to talk about her plans for the weekend.  Not only did she want to keep them to herself because it was kind of personal and special but the more she allowed herself to think and talk about what she was going to be doing this weekend the more anxious she became.  She finally felt like she was ready to take this next step, but she was still nervous and scared.

Rachel lifted one brow--a smirk on her face--at Aubrey's silence.  "What are you guys doing this weekend?

"We're..." Aubrey paused.  "We're...going away for the weekend." She replied vaguely.

Rachel put her elbows up on the table and leaned closer.  "Where are you going?" She inquired. 

"Why do you care?" Aubrey asked, taking a drink of her water. 

"Just tell me." Rachel replied.

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Aubrey asked.

"Nope." Rachel shook her head.

"Has anyone ever told you you'd make a good reporter?" Aubrey replied with a roll of her eyes.  Rachel just smiled and Aubrey sighed heavily.  "We're going up to Big Bear." She told Rachel.  "My parents have a time-share up there.  We..." she stopped.  "He's been gone the last couple of weeks with the guys--as you know--and we just want to spend some time together.  What's that look for?" She asked at the devilish grin spreading across Rachel's face.

"Are you guys..." Rachel trailed off, one eyebrow lifting suggestively and Aubrey again felt her cheeks warm.  "It's about damn time!" Rachel exclaimed excitedly and Aubrey groaned again as she covered her face with her hands. "Alright," Rachel continued as if Aubrey's discomfort didn't even register.  "Since you've never done this before," she whispered with a grin.  "Here's what you need to do--"

"I don't need a sex talk, Rachel." Aubrey stopped her as she lowered her hands.  "My mom took care of that awhile ago." She assured her overly excited friend.

"That's not what I'm talking about." Rachel told her, waving her hand through the air.  "Justin will take care of all the mechanics of it, I'm sure." She continued and Aubrey wanted to disappear.  Please kill me now.  She pled in embarrassment as Rachel went on to talk about what kind of lingerie Aubrey needed to buy, and to make sure to have some candles to help set the mood.  "You might want to pick up some champagne and strawberries." Rachel continued.  "Aphrodisiacs, you know." She smiled.

Aubrey lifted one brow.  Does it have to be this complicated? She wondered.  She felt like telling Rachel that they didn't need all of that stuff.  The few times they'd gotten pretty heavy with each other they hadn't needed candles or champagne and strawberries.  Plus, Justin made me promise there wouldn't be any alcohol involved this weekend.  She mused.  Justin also hadn't seemed to have any complaint with what she'd been wearing the last time they'd come close to sleeping together--but she knew that would start an entirely new topic of discussion with Rachel that she didn't really want to bring up.

"I can go with you." Rachel offered in response to Aubrey's blank stare.

"What?  No!" Aubrey insisted. 

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."  Aubrey nodded emphatically.  "If I decide to buy something I'm sure I can pick it out myself."

"If?" Rachel asked.  "What do you mean if?"

Aubrey sighed.  "I'm not...I don't think lingerie is really my thing." She said.

Rachel laughed.  "You're probably not going to be in it for long."

"Exactly." Aubrey nodded.  "I don't understand why you spend money on something that's not really worth it."

Rachel smiled.  "For the look in his eyes." She sighed.  "That's why.  Trust me.  It's worth it."

Aubrey felt a tingle go through her at the thought of Justin seeing her in something as sexy and revealing as lingerie.  She remembered the way he had looked at her when she'd been lying on his couch in just her bra, and then the look on his face when she'd been wearing his T-shirt and boxers to bed.  Justin wanted her no matter what she was wearing but maybe Rachel was right.  Maybe she needed to buy something special for the trip.  Whether or not I'll actually have the courage to wear it, is another thing.  She mused.

"Promise me you'll buy something." Rachel said.

Aubrey took a deep breath and finally nodded.

"Good." Rachel grinned and Aubrey laughed in spite of herself, the action relieving some of the stress she had been feeling.  "I don't think I've ever been up to Big Bear." Rachel continued.  "Is it pretty up there?"

"Yes." Aubrey nodded.  "I love it and I hope Justin will too."  She paused, as a thought came to her.  "If the press finds out where we are this weekend..." Aubrey pointed her finger at Rachel threateningly. 

"My lips are sealed." Rachel promised.  "They won't find out from me."

Aubrey smiled.  "Alright," she said with a good-natured roll of her eyes.  "Show me these other dresses you liked..."

~~~~~~

"I bought something for you." Justin said as he and Aubrey walked towards his car late Friday afternoon.

"Really?" Aubrey asked looking up at him.  "What?"  She was tense, he could feel it.  He needed to loosen her up--make her laugh--or his plan for this weekend wasn't going to work. 

"Something I told you I was going to get you a long time ago." He answered vaguely.  Aubrey's brows furrowed as they reached his Escalade parked at the curb outside her grandmother's house and he grinned.  He opened the door to the backseat and took her duffle bag from her.

"How long ago?" Aubrey asked as he put her bag in the car.

"Our first date." Justin replied, wondering if she'd remember what he was referring to.  It hadn't initially started out as a "date," but as he'd looked back on everything they'd done together since they'd met he'd realized that's what it had been. 

"I don't remember you promising me anything when we went golfing last month." She replied referring to the first date they'd had after officially deciding to date after Rachel and JC's Fourth of July barbeque. 

"No." He shook his head as he closed the back car door and opened the passenger side door.  "Our first date." He said, turning and leaning over the front seat as he grabbed the bag holding her present.  He straightened and turned once more to face her.  Hiding the bag behind his back he chuckled at the completely confused look on her face and couldn't help thinking how absolutely adorable she was.

"Paint balling?" She asked and he nodded.  Her eyebrows rose in surprise, a smile slowly spreading across her face.  "Paint balling was our first date?  Really?"

"Well, yeah." He replied.  "Don't you think so?"

She shrugged her shoulder as she looked down at her feet.  "Yeah." She replied, looking back up at him.  "I just didn't think you did." She told him.  "We weren't together then."

"It was still a date." He grinned.

Aubrey smiled.  "Okay," she said tucking her hair behind her ears as she cocked her head to the side.  "What did you promise to get me that day?  I don't remember."

Justin gasped and put a hand over his heart.  "You don't remember?!" He exclaimed.  "I'm hurt, Aubrey Janae." He told her, shaking his head. 

Aubrey laughed as she stepped towards him, putting her arms around his neck.  "I'm sorry." She pouted as she leaned up and kissed him.  "Remind me."

"I've spent the last three months looking for this," he continued as she kept her arms around his neck, playing up the part of the martyr. "I felt bad that I'd told you I was going to get it for you and never did, and thought you'd be all excited about it but you don't even remember!"  He sniffed dramatically and put one hand over his eyes.  Aubrey laughed again.  "And now you're laughing at me!" He accused lowering his hand to look at her. 

"I'm sorry." Aubrey told him again, struggling to keep a straight face.  "Give me a hint." She said.

He looked at her for a moment, thoroughly enjoying this.  "I called you something that day." He said.  "Do you remember?"

"Yes." She nodded.  "Xena."

"Well, at least you remember that." He muttered under his breath as he rolled his eyes.  Aubrey slapped his shoulder playfully and he smiled.  He pulled the bag he was holding in front of him.  Aubrey dropped her arms and took a step back from him.

Justin made a show out of pulling out what was in the bag.  Aubrey looked at him expectantly and he wanted to kiss her.  He finally pulled out the Xena: Warrior Princess T-shirt he'd found while in Tennessee last week and held it out in front of him.   Aubrey laughed as she reached forward and took the shirt from him. 

"I love it!" She exclaimed, taking it from him. 

"You told me if I got you a T-shirt, you would wear it." Justin reminded her. 

Aubrey smiled as she put the shirt over her head and pulled it down over what she was already wearing.  She pulled out the hem of the shirt as she looked down at the TV show's logo that was now blazoned across her chest then looked up at him with a grin.

"What do you think?" She asked pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyes sparkling enticingly. 

She was so adorable and he was completely in love with her!  He couldn't help the smile that came to his face.  "My Warrior Princess." He said, putting his hands on her face as he stepped towards her and pressed his lips against hers.

~~~~~~

Aubrey tilted her head as Justin's lips pulled at hers.  She wound her arms around his neck again as he lowered his hands and put his arms around her waist, pulling her against him.  She'd been so nervous the last two days thinking about everything involved with this weekend away with him, but now all the anxiousness seemed to disappear.  She should have known he would take care of her.  His show of giving her the T-shirt was just what Aubrey needed to feel more at ease.  He really was too good to her.  Justin pulled back finally, his blue eyes meeting hers, and Aubrey smiled as she ran her fingers through his short hair.

"You have to wear that now, whenever we go paint balling again." He told her.

She smiled.  "I will.  I told you I would."

They stood there for a moment just looking into each other's eyes and Aubrey's heart skipped at the depth of emotion she saw in his azure eyes.  He really loved her.  She could see it.  She could feel.  Rachel's words from a few weeks ago came back to her.  When you're ready, you'll know.  It'll just...feel right and you won't even think about it.     

"Are you ready?" He asked as if he knew the direction her thoughts were taking.  The double meaning behind his words made her heart skip again.

"Yes." Aubrey breathed as she leaned towards him, kissing him softly.  "I'm ready."    

~~~~~~

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Aubrey asked a few hours later as she stood at the kitchen sink in the condo her parent's had bought into a few years ago.  She ran the tomato she was about to cut up under the stream of water.  The drive up to Big Bear had been uneventful and, after a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up some food, they'd made it up here in good time.

"I think you're cute." Justin told her from where he sat at the bar--watching her.  "I like looking at you."  Aubrey smiled and felt her cheeks warm slightly.  "And I love that I can still make you blush." He continued with a teasing grin, his blue eyes sparkling.  Aubrey smiled as she pulled a knife out of the drawer. 

"Here." She said, handing him the tomato and the knife.  "Make yourself useful."

"Yes, ma'am." He replied, snapping his hand up in salute as he took the items from her.

Aubrey laughed.  "You're a dork." She told him as she pulled out the small package of ground beef she'd bought from the fridge.  Unwrapping the meat from its plastic covering she began making what had always been her family's tradition when they came up here: tacos.

"But a cute dork, right?" Justin asked her.

"Yes." Aubrey smiled at him.  "A very cute dork."

"Is it always this quiet up here?" Justin asked as he bent his head and concentrated on cutting the tomato.

"Yeah." Aubrey told him.  "I love it." She sighed.

"What do you usually do up when you come up here?" He asked.  "I've only been up this way once or twice to ski."

"Usually nothing." She told him.

"I hope we're going to do something." Justin replied suggestively.  "Otherwise--why are we here?" He looked at her and Aubrey's stomach quivered slightly.  She smiled as she went back to working on the tacos. 

"I always come up here with plans to do all these different things, but most of the time I just end up curling up on the couch or out on the porch with a book."

"Hmmm." He hummed and they were both quiet.  "Alright, here you go, AJ." He said a moment later.

"AJ?" Aubrey laughed as she looked up at him in question.

Justin grinned.  "I'm trying to see if I can find a nickname that fits you." He told her, handing the knife back to her. 

"AJ?" She questioned as she dropped the knife into the sink.

"Yeah.  Aubrey Janae.  AJ!" Justin told her as he folded his arms and leaned over the bar towards her. 

"I'm not sure I like that one." Aubrey said, scrunching up her nose as she thought about it.

"No?" Justin asked.  "Okay." He shrugged.  "I thought it was kind of cute.  How about...Bre?"

"No!" Aubrey exclaimed.

"Wow!" Justin laughed.  "Didn't expect that reaction.  Such hatred..."

"It's not hatred so much as..." She paused.  "That's what Andrew called me." She explained.

"Ugh!" Justin replied, a look of disgust on his face.  "Right.  No, ‘Bre.'"

"Do I need to have a nickname?" Aubrey asked as she took the plate of tacos over to the oil heating on the stove.

"No..." He drawled.  "I guess not."

"I like that you call me Aubrey Janae." She smiled at him over her shoulder.  "Nobody else does that." She watched as Justin got up and came to stand next to her.

"You got it, Aubrey Janae." He told her, tucking her hair behind one ear before he leaned down and kissed her.  "Now," he said, putting his hands on his hips when he pulled back.  "Finish dinner, woman." He commanded with a teasing sparkle in his eyes.  "I'm starving."

Aubrey laughed as she turned and put the first taco into the pan, the hot oil popping and sizzling at the contact.  "Watch it, Superstar." She told him.  "Or we really will be doing nothing this weekend." 

Justin chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.  Resting his chin on her shoulder he kissed the side of her neck.  "You smell good." He said, burying his face against her neck.  Aubrey shivered.  "You always smell good."

"Quit distracting me." She told him.  "Or we'll never eat."  Justin sighed dramatically as he let her go and Aubrey laughed again.  "Why don't you set the table?" She suggested.  "These are going to be done pretty soon."

"The things I do for you." Justin muttered under his breath.

"Oh brother." Aubrey rolled her eyes.  She laughed as she looked over at him.  "You are such a brat sometimes!" Justin just grinned then leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. 

"Where are the plates?" He asked.

"In the cupboard next to the fridge." She told him, letting out a sigh as he turned from her.  Her eyes quickly scanned over his backside and she had to suppress the tingle that went through her.  He really did bring sexy back.  She thought and had to force herself to concentrate on cooking the tacos instead of fantasizing what it was going to be like when they finally slept together.  A small voice in the back of her mind whispered that the reality of Justin was sure to be better than any fantasy she could come up with and Aubrey felt a slow smile spread across her face.

She couldn't wait to find out.

~~~~~~

"Mmm...I love kissing you." Justin murmured against Aubrey's lips as her fingers curled around his neck.  After they'd eaten and cleaned up dinner they'd started a fire--though the one between them was burning hotter than the one in the fireplace at the moment.

Aubrey moaned as she moved to straddle his legs and Justin groaned as he moved one hand up--his fingers tangling in her hair as his other hand moved up her thigh to grip her hip.  Their kisses were long and slow--each one taking their time, striving to memorize the other's mouth.  Aubrey's hands moved over his face, her fingers then threading through his hair--her touch driving him crazy.

He'd never wanted anything as badly as he craved this woman.  The addictive taste of her kiss, the incredible feeling of having her body next to his, her intoxicating scent...he couldn't get enough!  The thought that he was finally going to be able to share his love with her in the way he'd been dreaming about for so long quickened his desire.  Aubrey finally pulled away from him, releasing his mouth as she struggled for breath.

"This is the most fun I've ever had up here." She told him, a sexy grin making her eyes sparkle. 

He laughed as he pulled her back down, his lips pressing against hers again.  "We're just getting started, sweetheart." He told her, his mouth moving against hers as he spoke.  Aubrey opened her eyes to look at him and he felt her smile against his lips. 

The love he felt for her overwhelmed him in that moment.  Her beautiful eyes seemed to see straight into his soul and he found himself doubting that he was worthy to love her.  She was everything he'd ever wanted and so much more.  She was sweet, kind, beautiful, and good.  She was normal and down to earth.  She was smart, funny and sexy and he didn't understand why she had chosen to waste her time with him.  He was grateful that she had--and he wasn't going to question it--but he still didn't understand.  With all the things he'd done in his life, how was it possible that he was sitting here now?  With her?

"Are you okay?" Aubrey asked, concern clouding her eyes.  She placed a hand against his cheek.  Justin turned his head to press his lips against her palm.  He closed his eyes as he inhaled.

"Perfect." He replied, looking back at her.  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.  Aubrey put her arms around his waist as she snuggled close to him, resting her head against his shoulder-her nose brushing the skin on his neck. 

"I didn't know if I was going to make it these last two weeks without you." She said quietly, her warm breath on his neck causing him to shiver.  "What am I going to do when you go out on tour?"

"Come with me." He said, tightening his arms around her.  The time away from her had been hard on him too and the thought of being away from her for the months that a tour would take made his chest hurt. 

"We have to be realistic, Justin." Aubrey told him with a sigh.  "I have a job--two jobs, actually--and I'm going to school.  I can't just quit and go on tour with you.  What happens when it's over?  We'll come back, but I won't have a job anymore and I'll still be working on my generals.  I'd like to finish my degree and start teaching before I turn thirty."

"You will." He told her.  She tightened her arms around him.   

"I'm really going to miss you." She said softly.

"Hey," He said, pulling back.  "Look at me." Aubrey sat up.  "I'm not leaving tomorrow." He told her, placing his hands on either side of her face.  "We're not even sure if there's going to be a tour." He continued.  "That all depends on record sales and lots of other variables."

"There'll be a tour." She told him. 

"This is who I am, Aubrey." He sighed.  "I'm a musician.  Part of my job is going out on tour."

"I know." She hung her head.  "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Justin put his fingers under her chin and lifted her head back up.  "It's going to kill me being apart from you too, but we'll survive." He assured her.  "How?" He asked, reading the unvoiced question in her eyes.  She nodded.  "Late night phone calls, an occasional visit and one hell of a reunion when I get home."  She let out a soft laugh, a smile coming to her face.  "We're not the first couple that has gone through periods of separation due to one or the other's work schedule, and we won't be the last." He continued as Aubrey lay back against him again.  "I mean, look at Rachel and JC.  How do you think they're going to survive?"  He laughed as he wrapped his arms around her.  "They can't keep their hands off each other.  He's going to be really cranky out on the road.  Instead of worrying about how we're going to make it being apart, I think you should worry about JC killing us all one day when something doesn't go his way."

Aubrey laughed as she hugged him tightly and kissed the corner of his jaw.  Justin twisted his body as he lay down, stretching out lengthwise as he rested his head on the arm of the couch.  He closed his eyes as Aubrey relaxed against him, one of her hands reaching up to run rhythmically through his hair. 

"I love you." She said quietly, her lips brushing along his jaw. 

"I love you." He replied, closing his eyes. 

The pleasant weight of Aubrey lying on top of him, her fingers massaging his scalp and the warmth emanating from the fireplace all combined to work against the plans he'd had for this evening.  As hard as he fought against it, he was exhausted.  The last two weeks had been non-stop work trying to get the album put together and this was really the first time he'd had a chance to slow down and relax.  He wanted to continue what they'd started moments ago but he couldn't.

We've got all weekend.  He told himself as he shifted slightly, already dozing off.  He just prayed Aubrey would understand and wouldn't be too upset. 

~~~~~~

She was cold. 

Aubrey shivered as she attempted to snuggle closer to the body next to her, seeking the warmth he could provide.  Justin groaned as he tightened his arms around her.  Their fire from the night before had long since gone out and the early morning chill in the house was quickly chasing away any hope of falling back to sleep.  Aubrey opened her eyes slowly.  It was still mostly dark outside, but the sky was light enough for her to see the man beside her. 

She looked at Justin, a smile spreading as she watched him sleeping.  Last night hadn't really gone the way she had expected it to, but she wasn't upset.  He had been tired--she had seen it in his eyes when he'd come to pick her up yesterday--and she knew he needed to sleep more than anything else.  Since she'd known him he'd always had a million things going on at once, but with everything that had happened in the last month it had been like he was in overdrive, trying to drown himself in work to hide from his stress and anxiety over...

Aubrey stopped herself.  No.  I don't want to think that.  She thought as she closed her eyes.  Not this weekend. She pled.  Please.  This was their time.  She didn't want to think about what she knew Justin was really worried about.  She knew what it was--she was worried about it too.  It was the dark cloud hanging over their relationship that they couldn't escape.  Justin shifted beside her on the couch and she opened her eyes.

"Justin?" She whispered putting a hand to his face.  She hated to wake him up but he couldn't be comfortable scrunched up on the couch with her like he was.  "Justin?" She asked, a little louder this time.

"Hmmm..." He groaned. 

"Let's go to bed." She told him, leaning forward to place her lips against his.  Slowly he opened his eyes and looked at her sleepily.  Aubrey smiled as she ran her thumb along his bottom lip.  "I'm freezing." She said.  "And you'll be more comfortable in bed than out here on the couch."  She nudged his chest and he finally stood up, letting out another groan as he lifted his arms above his head to stretch.  She watched, her mouth suddenly going dry and her eyes widening, as the action lifted his shirt--revealing a good portion of his stomach to her view.  Aubrey wanted to reach out and touch him like she had the first time that skin had been exposed to her.  She wanted to kiss him like she had that night on his couch a few weeks ago.  She wanted him to look at her again like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.  She wanted...

Justin cleared his throat and she looked up at him guiltily then chastised herself.  She had nothing to feel guilty about!  It wasn't a sin to think your boyfriend was sexy and feel an overwhelming desire for him, was it?  And if it is, I'll gladly go to hell for it.  She thought as she finally stood next to him. 

"Come on." She said taking his hand.  "This way."

~~~~~~

Justin willingly followed along as Aubrey led him through the darkened condo.  His body was stiff from being curled up on the couch all night, but he didn't care.  He was still half asleep and the only thing going through his head at the moment were thoughts of crawling beneath the covers, and holding Aubrey in his arms as he slept for about twelve more hours.  Aubrey let go of his hand as they entered the bedroom and he reached for the bag he'd brought and tossed in here last night.  As she disappeared into the bathroom, Justin left his T-shirt on but quickly changed into the pair of sweats he'd brought to sleep in.  He knew he probably needed to brush his teeth--he didn't really want to scare Aubrey away when she came to bed--but he didn't have the energy to even do that. 

Looking around the room he spotted Aubrey's purse and walked over to it.  Picking it up, he looked inside quickly.  "Success." He whispered as he pulled out a piece of gum.  Popping it into his mouth he set her purse back down on the floor.  After chewing for a minute he spit it back out into the wrapper and tossed it into the trashcan beside the bed.  With a yawn he pulled back the covers of the bed and lay down, his eyes closing once more the moment his head hit the pillow.

~~~~~~

Aubrey pulled back her hair as she spit out the toothpaste in her mouth.  She hadn't brushed her teeth last night before she and Justin had fallen asleep and she hated the bad taste it had left in her mouth.  Rinsing her mouth off she straightened, wiped her hands on the towel hanging up and turned to leave.  Her stomach fluttering nervously as she opened the bathroom door.

"You're being ridiculous." She told herself quietly.  "You've slept in the same bed with him before.  It's no big deal and..." She frowned--her body slumping slightly.  "And he's already asleep."  She took in Justin's sleeping form as he lay on his side taking up a large portion of the bed.  With a sigh of disappointment she turned off the bathroom light and made her way over to him. 

As she crawled beneath the covers Justin reached out reflexively and pulled her towards him.  Aubrey closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep but she couldn't.  She had always been the type that once she was awake it was near impossible to fall back to sleep.  Normally that aspect of herself didn't bother her so much, but in this instance, it was frustrating.  It wasn't very much fun being the only one awake when you were sharing a bed with someone you were insanely attracted to and loved and wanted to get closer to.       

"Justin?" She whispered, scooting even closer to him under the covers. 

"Mmmm..." he hummed and she smiled.  Maybe he wasn't as far gone as she thought.

Aubrey brushed her lips along his jaw as she ran her hands over his chest.  You can sleep later.  She wanted to tell him.  I'm done waiting.  They'd come up here for a very specific reason and she didn't want to put it off any longer.

"Do you remember when you came home on Wednesday and we talked about coming up here?" She asked, her lips finding his.  She nibbled at his bottom lip and smiled as she finally felt his body responding to her the way she wanted; his hand tightened at her waist as she pressed her lips fully against his--kissing him warmly.

"Mmm-hmm." He nodded once as he kissed her back, his tongue seeking and finding entrance into her mouth.  He kept his eyes closed as he continued to kiss her thoroughly.

Aubrey pulled back, laughing softly as Justin followed her.  His eyes were still closed, a frown creasing his face at the loss of the contact between them.

"Come back." He said.  "I wasn't done kissing you."

She reached one hand up, her fingers tracing over his lips.  He kissed her fingertips and she smiled as her stomach quivered.  "You told me you wanted me to remember everything in the morning." She told him.  His lips stilled as an expectant pause fell between them.  "It's morning." She whispered, her heart fluttering in her chest as she waited for his response.

Justin's eyes opened and connected with hers and Aubrey felt a rush of goose bumps consume her.  "I'm done waiting." She told him, voicing the thought she'd had a moment before and wondering where this newfound confidence was coming from.  Nine months ago, when they'd first met, she never would have believed she would be lying here, saying these things to him.  Justin just lay there looking at her like he couldn't believe what she'd just said either--his blue eyes searching hers.

"Am I dreaming?" He asked, fully awake now.  Aubrey shook her head.  "I'm asleep, aren't I?"

"Do you want me to wake you up?" She teased, her lips lifting slightly. 

"No." Justin replied as he leaned forward, capturing her lips with his.  Aubrey let out a soft moan as Justin pressed her back onto the mattress, his lips leaving hers and trailing down her neck as his hand smoothed down her side--resting on her hip.  She wound her arms around his neck as she turned her head slightly, her lips finding and taking his earlobe between them.     

Justin let out a groan and pulled back.  Moving one leg over hers so he was straddling her, he went up on his forearms--keeping most of his weight off of her as he looked down at her.  "Do you have any idea, what you do to me?" He asked, his fingers combing through her hair.  "I love you." He told her, his eyes holding hers--refusing to let them go.  "So much it hurts sometimes.  I never thought I could be as happy as I am with you, Aubrey; as happy as you've made me the last few months."

Aubrey smiled as she blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision from the tears that were threatening to fall at Justin's ardent declarations.  She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat.  "What did I do to deserve you?" She wondered aloud as she put a hand against his face.

"I--" He began, but Aubrey shook her head as she put a finger against his lips--silencing him.

"Let me finish." She told him.  "You--Justin Timberlake--are sexy and dangerous and entirely too overwhelming for me most of the time." She admitted, making him chuckle.  "But you are also one of the sweetest, most genuine and sincere men I know.  From day one you've accepted me and who I am.  You've respected me and haven't pushed me for anything more than I was ready to give.  You stood quietly by while I refused to listen to my heart and chose to be with someone else." She ran her hand over his face.  "You are everything my heart has been looking for; everything I never thought I would find-or be able to have.  I walk around and feel like I've won the lottery most days." She told him, trying to hold back her tears.  "I know love is a game of chance but..." she stopped, trying to control her emotions.  "But I won!  Somehow," she sniffed.  "I won."  She was quiet for a moment.  "And I'm not going to let fear hold me back anymore." She told him.   

"Say the words, Aubrey." Justin replied, his blue eyes dark as they searched hers and Aubrey felt her heart expand even more with the love she felt for him.  He wanted this just as badly--if not more--than she did, but he wasn't going to do anything until she told him it was okay.  "Say the words." He pled quietly as he lowered his mouth to hers--their lips barely touching as their breath mingled.

Aubrey closed her eyes.  "Love me, Justin." She breathed as his lips finally captured her own.  "Please."