Chapter 65
 

Trace looked up from the TV as Justin entered the room.  He watched his friend as he casually and carelessly made his way over to the sofa and took a seat at the opposite end.  Justin didn’t speak, he merely focused his attention on the TV, ignoring Trace’s presence.  It was obvious he had no intentions of offering up any kind of explanation for what Trace had walked in on, but there was no way Trace was going to let him get off that easy.  He’d ask, he wasn’t scared to ask.

“So you wanna explain what was going on upstairs?”  he questioned, eyeing Justin.

“Not really, no.” Justin shrugged, never looking away from the television.

“Well, I think you should.  I mean after all this “I can’t pursue her, she’s not ready, I can’t do that.” shit you’ve been throwing around for weeks, and now I walk in your room and find you making out with her, on the verge of doing things I don’t even wanna think about and all you can say is no?”

“Pretty much, yeah.” Justin said, trying desperately to maintain his careless expression.  He wanted to smile, to laugh so badly that it was taking all his will power to hold a straight face.

“Justin….”

“Trace…”

“Ugh!” Trace groaned.  “Would you just tell me and quit playin’ games!”

“Why do I need to tell you anything?  You seen what you saw, that should say it all.” Justin said, finally looking at him.

“Not necessarily.  I mean how am I supposed to know ya’ll weren’t just hooking up for the hell of it.  Ya know, you’re both lonely, needed a little action.”

Justin glared at him and Trace smiled, he knew that would get him.  “Because you know I would NEVER do that to Kerrigan, ya ass!”

“I don’t know anything of the sort.”

“Trace….” Justin warned.

Trace rolled his eyes.  “Fine whatever, I know you wouldn’t do that.  Just explain.  How long has this been going on?  What the hell happened?  I mean you were hell bent just a few days ago, on nothing happening between you two.”

“We talked.”

“You talked?  Yeah, that really clears up my confusion.”

“Look Trace, you don’t need to know every single detail ok?  Just know that we talked, we admitted our feelings to each other and now we’re here.”

“And where exactly is here?” Trace asked.

“A couple, I guess.” Justin shrugged, turning his attention back to the TV.

“You guess?  You either are or you aren’t.  There is no “I guess” about it.”

Justin turned to Trace.  “Look man, things are brand new between us and I don’t wanna start putting labels on it.  I love her and she knows I love her, just like I know she loves me.  That’s all that matters to me right now.”

Trace smiled to himself, this was music to his ears.  “FINALLY!” he said, somewhat loudly.

“Finally, what?” Kerrigan asked perplexed, as she walked into the room.

“Nothing.” Trace covered.

Kerrigan gave him a confused look, but continued on into the room.  As she was passing by Justin, he quickly grabbed her, pulling her down on to his lap.

“Where you going?” he asked, smirking at her mischievously.

“I was GOING to sit down on the sofa.”

“Why, when you can sit right here?” he asked, leaning in to kiss her neck.

Kerrigan pulled away from him slightly, she was somewhat uneasy about the acts of affection being performed in front of Trace.  This was all still very new to her.

She smiled down at Justin.  “Maybe because the sofa is more comfortable than your bony ass lap?”

“I’ll show you bone….”

“Ok, ewwww gross!” Trace groaned, getting up from the sofa.  “I think I’m gonna go to Becca’s or something.  Anywhere but here!” he exclaimed.

“You act like you’ve never seen anyone cuddle before.  You and Becca do it all the time, don’t be such a baby.” Justin retorted.

“Yeah, I cuddle with Becca, not KERRIGAN!  That’s just….just weird.”

“Well, you better get used to it, because you’re going to be seeing a lot of it.”

“Justin….” Kerrigan tried to shut him up.

“No, for real.  I’ve waited a long time for us to be together and now that I’ve FINALLY got that, I don’t give a shit who knows or sees it.” he said, leaning in to kiss her.

Kerrigan was taken a little off guard by Justin’s sudden smooch, but quickly responded.  Kissing him was like heaven and there was no way she could refuse his lips.  She didn’t care who was in the room.

“Come on you guys, get a room.” Trace groaned, when they seemed to be getting into the kiss a little too much for his liking.  At least in his presence.

Kerrigan laughed as she pulled away from Justin, scooting off of his lap.

“Damn it.  Trace, why’d you have to say something, couldn’t you just leave the room?” Justin joked.

“Oh, don’t worry I am.  Like right now.  I’m getting out while the getting is good.” he said, retreating from the room.

He was halted however by the sound of Kerrigan‘s voice; “Oh, yeah and Trace.”

“Huh?” he said, turning to look at her.

“Later, we need to have a lil’ talk about your wandering eyes.”

Trace’s eyes grew large and he glared at Justin.  “You told her?”

“Well, I had to offer some explanation as to why she’s no longer aloud to wear those lil’ tank tops and stuff around you anymore.”

Trace groaned in annoyance.  “Well, maybe I should tell her about…”

Justin jumped up, quickly covering Trace’s mouth with his hand.  “Shut up.” he commanded.

“Oh, no.  Do tell, Trace.”  Kerrigan urged.

“If you do, so help me God Trace.  I’ll lay all your shit out there.” Justin warned.

Trace jerked away from Justin.  “Unlike you I know HOW to keep a secret!” he said before hastily exiting the room.

Justin turned around facing Kerrigan.  He gave her an innocent look, then proceeded to reclaim his seat beside her on the sofa.

“What was Trace going to tell me?” she asked when Justin didn’t speak.

“Oh, nothing important.” Justin waved her off.

“Well, it seemed kinda important to Trace.”

“Well, it’s my little secret.” he said, turning to give her a sexy smile.

Kerrigan nodded.  “Ok, well I’ll let it go for now.  But I’ll ask you again sometime and you better be ready to tell me then.”

“Or what?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at her in challenge.

Kerrigan shrugged nonchalantly, giving him the sweetest, yet utterly seductive smile she could muster.  “Or I won’t tell you about my lil’ secret.”
 

( New Years Eve )

Justin, Kerrigan, Trace and Becca walked into the lively club.  They were at a New Years party a friend of Justin and Trace’s was throwing.  It seemed that everyone was there.  Kerrigan looked around and recognized several people she had seen before at other various events she had been to with Justin.  But this time it was different for her because she was there with Justin as his date.  Not just as a friendly date, but an actual we’re a couple kind of date.

He was holding her hand tightly in his own as he lead the way through the crowd in search of someplace for their small group to sit.

Kerrigan didn’t fail to notice the looks she was getting from people as they passed through the crowd.  Although, she couldn’t be sure if it was because she was with Justin and he was holding her hand or if it was because her face had been plastered on all the newspapers when everything had happened with Cody and they were all aware of the situation.  Perhaps it was a little of both.

She decided to ignore the strange looks she was receiving because she was there to have fun.  This was the first event that she and Justin had been to as a couple and she wanted to take in every detail and cherish it forever.

The last few days had been fairly uneventful.  Justin and Kerrigan had spent the majority of their time at the house, just being together.  Getting to know each other as a couple.

They had ventured out once or twice to run to the store to pick up a few items or what not, but for the most part they just hung out at the house.  They wanted to be alone and since Trace was spending the majority of his time at Becca’s, they had the house to themselves.

Kerrigan was still feeling a bit awkward about the public displays of affection, but Justin didn’t seem to have a problem with it in the least.  She had learned that quickly and it wasn’t because of the simple hand holding either.

As soon as they had walked inside the club, Justin had done a sweep of the room with his eyes, then turned his attention to Kerrigan.  He had given her a comforting smile, then leaned in to place a sweet kiss on her lips.  It was almost as if he was letting it be known that she was there with him, staking his claim if you will.

After what seemed like an endless search for a place for their group to sit, Justin finally found a small table in the corner.  There was only three chairs at the table so Justin, Trace and Becca each took one, while Justin pulled Kerrigan down on his lap.  He had decided upon seeing what she was wearing at the house that he was not about to let her out of his sight.

Justin couldn’t remember a time when Kerrigan had looked so incredibly sexy.  Sure, she always looked good, but the jean mini skirt and tight midriff bearing camisole she was wearing that evening just did him in.  And he was positive that it would have the same effect on every other male in the club, therefore his need to keep her as close to him as possible.

Their small group spent the first couple of hours between talking the best they could over the loud music at their table, or out on the dance floor, living it up.

Trace was getting a huge kick out of watching the evil glares Justin was giving the various men that in Justin’s words “had the nerve to undress Kerrigan with their eyes”.  It amused him greatly to see Justin suddenly so protective of her and who looked at her.  Not that he hadn’t been protective before, but this was totally different.

It also made Trace extremely happy to see his two friends having such a good time together.  They were glowing from their new found love and he was happy for his friends.  At the rate things had been going at before, he thought they’d never end up together.  But once again Justin and Kerrigan had surprised him, just as they always seemed to do in some way.  But this was a welcomed surprise.

Leaving the dance floor after another round of dirty dancing, Justin and Kerrigan made their way back to their table, where Trace and Becca were already seated.  They had been dancing right along side of Justin and Kerrigan for the first five songs, but after that they had given up.  There was no way they could keep up with Kerrigan and Justin, so they had retreated to their table to catch their breath and get another round of drinks.

The group resumed their friendly conversation.  Mainly talking about everyone that was at the party and what they were looking forward to about the new year.  All of their spirits were up and they were each having a good time.  All worrisome thoughts had been pushed to the back of their minds so they could bring the new year in with a bang.

Across the club a very perplexed Chris Kirkpatrick sat talking to a voluptuous blonde.  Or at least he had been talking to her until he had noticed Justin and Kerrigan on the dance floor.  He knew that they were supposed to be at the party, or at least he had figured they would be, but that was the first he had seen of them.

However, he didn’t figure they had noticed him at all.  The two appeared to be so rapped up in each other that they probably thought they were alone in the crowded club.  Which was something that made Chris extremely curious.

He had watched the way they had danced with each other.  The way Justin had allowed his hands to wander down over Kerrigan’s body in ways he NEVER would have done before.  And how Kerrigan’s eyes were solely fixed on Justin.  And now they were sitting across the room, Kerrigan sitting comfortably on Justin’s lap, as Justin ran his hand up and down Kerrigan’s bare thigh.

Curiosity getting the best of him, Chris decided he needed to go find out what was up.  No one had called him to tell him about any changes in their relationship.  The last he had heard Justin was still refusing to admit his feelings for Kerrigan.  But from the looks of things, something somewhere had changed.  That or the two of them were very drunk.

As he walked up to the table, Kerrigan noticed him and immediately jumped up from Justin’s lap to envelope Chris in a tight hug.  “Hey you, how are you?  I’ve missed you.” she said, as she pulled away from the embrace.

Chris gave her an endearing smile.  “I’m good.  I missed you too.  Haven’t seen you in a while.” he said, as he watched Justin pull Kerrigan back to his lap, then slide his arms around her waist.

“Well, I’ve been at the house.  You need to come by sometime and hang out with me.” Kerrigan replied, leaning back into Justin’s arms.

“Yeah, I can see that.  Maybe I should have come by a lil’ sooner.  What’s up with you two?” Chris asked, eyeing the new couple.

Justin smirked.  “What do you mean what’s up?”

Chris rolled his eyes, Justin always had to be difficult.  “Well, obviously I missed something.  I don’t recall you ever hugging on Kerr like this before.  And I seen you two on the dance floor.  Something’s definitely changed, so fill me in.”

Trace snorted.  “Dude, don’t bother.  I tried asking the same question and all I got were half assed answers.”

“Sounds like, J.” Chris nodded.

“I’m right here.” Justin groaned, rolling his eyes at his friends.  “We’re together.  What do you think is up.”

“Well, I kinda figured that part out on my own.  What I meant was, when did this happen?  HOW did this happen.”

“I caught Justin writing a song about me.” Kerrigan beamed and Justin groaned.

Chris’ eyebrow raised.  “A song, huh?”

“Yup.  And it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.” she smiled, turning to look at Justin.

Justin smiled back at her, then leaned in for a brief, sweet kiss.  “I’m glad you like it.” he whispered.

“I don’t like it.  I love it.” Kerrigan smiled lovingly at him, before leaning in to kiss him again.