Trace stands and looks at me, “Now repeat everything I say. I Justin.”

“I Justin.”

“Will not be a pussy.”

“Will not be a pussy,” I reply, eyeing him as he enjoys my pain a little too much.

“And desperately go after Megan Currie.”

“And desperately go after Megan Currie.”

Trace puts his hand on my shoulder, “No matter what she’s wearing or how hard you get.”

I grimace at the thought of having to go home without her but I realize my whole life cannot be spent chasing a girl who doesn’t want something more. I’m not saying that I know exactly what I want, but I do know it’s so not cool that she’s sleeping around with other guys while doing me, “No matter what she’s wearing or how hard I get.”

Trace pats me on the back, “Good man. Now you have a meeting with Jordan and she will be there. You are going to hold your own with the help of Cassy.”

“Right, that girl I met at that party once.”

Trace nods, “Yes, and you will leave with her, take her to dinner, forget about Meg and with any luck get laid.”

I take a deep breath, “Okay. I’m ready to go.”

The doorbell rings and Trace outs his hands up so I’ll sit, going over to the door and opening it, “Cassy, so nice to see you baby.”

The blonde steps into the room and smiles as she sees me, “Justin Timberlake. My, my my, will wonders never cease. I thought you didn’t know how to use a phone after I gave you my number a few weeks ago.”

I smirk and brush the comment off, “I was really busy. You know how busy my life gets.”

She nods, “I thought it was because you were holding out for Megan Currie.”

Trace makes a face at me and I catch it out of the corner of my eye, “No, not anymore. We were hanging out but it’s over now.”

Cassy smiles, “Alright then. Let’s not be late to see Jordan lay down her vocals.”

I take her arm and lead her out the door as Trace throws me a thumbs up as I leave. I can do this, I can do this.

________________________________________________________________________

I push my hair back as I lean against the glass, watching Jordan sing. I have never met a nicer person in my life. She’s sweet and kind, two very rare qualities for an emerging artist. Normally they are full of it because they have something to prove, but Jordan let’s her voice speak for itself.

Of course when my dad looks at her, all he sees is dollar signs. Money to be harvested he says. I’d like to punch him in his face every time he does. It’s what he used to say before taking over someone’s company.

I watch out the window as a car pulling in catches my attention. I see Justin and whoever is with him park his car, another new one and walk inside together, fucking hanging on each other as they giggle their way into the building. I think I just threw up in my mouth. Ugh.

“I was so plastered I couldn’t remember a thing.”

Oh please tell me this is the part where she bursts into oblivion. Just the kind of girl you want to take home to mom. Justin barely looks at me with a quick, “Hi,” 

Her eyes scan me over like a cat does to a mouse. That’s right honey, you just show your fangs but I’m the one with the bite. Justin looks back to the “doctor” and turns to me, “Cassy, this is Meg. Meg, this is my date Cassy.”

“Pleasure,” she says, squeezing my hand a little too tightly to get her point across. And what would that be? Stay the fuck away from my man.

She’s only been here two minutes but she has already managed to rid me off my patience and make her way up under my skin to fully piss me off, “Nice to meet you too.”

Jordan comes out from the recording area, “Hey Justin, what did you think?”

He nods, “It’s really, really good. I would put that on the album.”

She squeals a little, “Great. That means it’s a wrap.”

Jordan turns to me, “Thank you so much for taking me out to lunch. I had a wonderful time talking about your pieces.”

I smile, “It was so nice to talk to someone who understands.”

Dad calls Justin over and he puts his hand on Cassy’s back, leading her over. As she passes by me she utters, “Whore,” under her breath.

That is about all I can take so I turn to end my conversation with Jordan, “Call me sometime and we can get together. I’ll show you some of the things I’ve been working on.”

Justin starts talking to Jordan about a few details as she walks out the door and I look at my watch, sighing loudly, “Damn it.”

Like clockwork, Justin turns to me, “What’s the matter?”

“I was supposed to be up town in fifteen and with traffic the way it is I won’t get there so I was going to take a different route, but I left my map in my other car.”

“Well let’s go out to mine and see if there’s one in there.”

I follow Justin outside before Cassy can protest and watch as Justin looks in the car door, “No I don’t think I have one, sorry.”

He turns back around but before he can say anything else, I kiss him on the mouth. He backs up and looks at me panting, “What are you doing?”

“What I’m good at. Don’t question it. Meet me at my apartment in ten minutes, I’ll be waiting.”

“What about Cassy?”

I turn back around and give him a crazy look like it should be incredibly obvious. Men, “Lose her.”

He nods and jogs quickly inside as I head out to my apartment.

________________________________________________________________________

I look around the room as Cassy talks to Daniel and I try to think of an excuse as to why I need to leave her here. She spots me before I can think of a reasonable lie, “Hey I was thinking maybe we could go out to dinner.”

I smile and laugh a little to kill the discomfort I’m feeling. Daniel gathers up his briefcase and turns to us, “I’ll see you guys later. Nice job on her album Justin.”

I don’t just hate that guy, I despise him for the way he treats her. Like she’s not even in the fucking room. The only time Meg is acknowledged is when he’s showing her off like they do at dog shows. Cassy tugs on my arm and I suddenly remember that she’s not going anywhere unless I do something quickly, “Dinner sounds wonderful but I just got a call outside from one of my friends who needs me to help them out.”

Cassy’s smile quickly fades as she looks at me, “Where’s Megan?”

I decided to play innocent since it’s the last card I’m left holding, “She left remember? The whole map thing….”

I barely finish speaking before she slaps me in my face hard, “You are going to go hook up with her aren’t you?”

I don’t say anything in favor of rubbing my face where she hit me and subtly glancing at my watch at the same time. If I leave in the next minute, I can just make it there on time. Meg waits for no one. I look up at Cassy and say nothing, letting the truth of it set in as she gears up for a fight that I refuse to engage in, “I thought you said it was over. I thought you were moving on.”

“Cassy I really don’t feel like getting into it with you right now alright?” I sigh, hoping that she’ll just drop it.

“You know what Timberlake? Fuck you,” she spats, storming out of the building.

I don’t even stop to think about her as I run to my car, hop in and drive like a madman over to Megan’s. I’m pretty sure I could get killed by the way I’m driving but the more I think about her, the more I want her. Forget about stop lights and speed limits. Obviously the person who invented them never had a girl naked waiting for them at the other end of town. I put the car in park and I pull in her driveway.  I don’t bother to knock as I take the steps two at a time up to her bedroom and open the door in triumph.

I see her completely naked hold a wrist watch in her hand lazily, licking her lips, “Right on time.”

________________________________________________________________________

I get up tiredly as Justin’s cell is ringing and it’s driving me crazy, having woke me up from a deep sleep, “Hello?” I say groggily.

“Cassy?” a voice asks over the phone.

I smile as I gently drag my nails down Justin’s sleeping figure, causing him to groan a little in response, “No it’s not.”

The person sighs over the phone and I know exactly who it is, “Meg?”

I chuckle, “Morning Trace. Sleep well?”

“What happened to Cassy?”

I roll my eyes and get out of bed, put on my robe and look out the window, “She just wasn’t doing it for him.”

Trace groans, “You know it’s not health for him to be with you. Your fucking with him.”

“Of course I am. He’s damn good at it to I might add.”

“You know what I mean Meg. There are plenty of guys out there willing to take care of your needs. Why the fuck do you have to fuck with his head every time? Why can’t you just let him go?”

The truth of the matter is I don’t know. I normally don’t hang on to the guys I do, makes them feel like they are number one which I don’t ever want them thinking. But for some reason, I keep letting him in, “You know what Trace? I don’t have time for twenty questions. Justin will have to call you back, he’s busy at the moment.”  

I slam the phone closed which causes Justin to wake up, opening his eyes, “Morning.”

“Morning,” I respond, handing him some strawberries from my mini fridge.

He takes the fruit, “Thanks.”

I nod and wait for him to get the message it’s time to go, “Trace called, he wants you to call him back.”

“You talked to him?” he asks nervously.

I nod, “Why? You concerned I’m soliciting others?”

He rolls his eyes, getting out of bed and pulling on his boxers, “I’ve got a question for you.”

I look over at him, “Oh yeah?”

“I was thinking I have to do a few shows in Germany and was wondering if you wanted to come with me?”

I freeze since he’s breaking rule number three, no couple outings, “Justin come on.”

“It’s not like were dating each other or anything, think about it as a mini vacation. We would only be gone like a week and a half. It might be fun,” he pleads.

In spite of myself, I’m beginning to melt as I look at his face. I mentally tell myself to get a grip and that I’m losing my touch but the other half of me takes over, “Fine, but just as friends.”

“With benefits,” he grins.

I ignore his last comment and he wipes that stupid smirk off his face, “When do we leave?”

“Tomorrow.”

“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about this. I’m not going to be following your ass around anytime soon or anything like this. It’s purely platonic and if you can’t handle that-”

“I get it,” Justin responds, pulling on his clothes.

“Why don’t you take a shower,” I offer.

He looks up at me, “You sure? I mean normally you just kick me out.”

I turn to him with a annoyed expression, “I could change my mind.”

He shakes his head no and heads towards the bathroom. I turn back around as I watch the city begin to wake up. Suddenly I feel his lips on my shoulder, “Thanks Meg.”

I don’t bother to turn around as chills go up my arm, “No problem.”