Recording Romance

“I really wish you’d just tell me what’s going on.”

“I told you. We’re going to the recording studio.”

“Yeah, see, you’ve been my manager for almost five years and I don’t think you’ve ever come to a recording session with me. Let alone at six am.”

“Now that’s a bit unfair—”

“Or with make-up.”

“Okay, your point is made. I have ulterior motives.”

“No kidding.”

Alex Charles, nicknamed “Charlie,” looked at her manager, Kit Martinez, with a mixture of incredulity and amusement. Kit had called the night before telling Charlie that she would pick her up the next morning for the first recording session of Charlie’s new album. This had immediately set off alarms in Charlie’s head, and once she stepped into Kit’s luxurious town car, she set about asking questions.

“You’re going to be working with a new songwriter and producer today; someone who I know you’ll be excited to work with.”

Charlie’s eyes lit up.

“Oh! Is it Timbaland?”

“Er, no. Someone who you’ll be excited to work with, but not that level of excited.”

“And this person is who you’re wearing make-up and heels for?”

“Yes and no. I mean, he’s not my type but he knows people who are my type, and so I want to impress everyone involved.”

“So he’s a he.”

“Very much so.”

Charlie frowned, thinking hard. It had been a long time since she had been really excited to meet someone in the music industry; the turnover was so quick that she had met most of the heavy-hitters. But, knowing Kit, she was about to work with someone whom she had mentioned working with before, and whose songs she had enjoyed. That narrowed the field somewhat.

“It isn’t JT, is it? I mean, I love the man to death but he’s best when he’s working with Timbaland.”

Kit gave her a look.

“Justin has been very good to you, especially when he invited you on his tour when he had absolutely no reason to.”

“Justin invited me on his tour because he wanted a hot girl opening for him to make him look good in front of his boys. And, I mean, I’m flattered and all, but really?”

“It’s not Justin. But we’re here so you’ll just have to wait and see,” Kit said, sliding out of the car. Charlie followed her, wondering if she should have put some more effort into her wardrobe that morning.

‘Fuck it,’ she thought and followed her friend into the building.

“I really wish you had worn something else,” Kit murmured, seemingly reading Charlie’s mind, as they weaved through the hallways toward their designated studio.

“Well, if I had known I would be entering the room with a fashion plate, I would have put about two more minutes thought into it,” Charlie replied, though she was starting to regret wearing her comfortable, but worn, college sweatpants.

“Did you put two minutes total into it?” Kit countered.

“Look, you’re not the one who has to stand in a hot booth for sixteen hours doing take after take after take, okay? I’ll wear what I goddamn please, thank you very much.”

Kit sighed.

“All I have to say is thank God you know how to accessorize.”

Charlie rolled her eyes.

“Yo! Charles!”

Charlie turned and smiled.

“Were your ears burning, Timberlake, because Kit and I were just talking about you,” she said, giving him a hug.

“Oh yeah? What were y’all sayin’?”

“Charlie was telling me how much she wishes she could work with you again,” Kit said, giving the attractive man an ice-melting smile. During the tour, Justin and Kit kept up a mild flirtation but since they were both spoken for at the time, nothing came of it. Now, with Kit’s single status minted in the columns of Page Six, she was more than happy to carry on the flirtation with the still very-much-taken man.

“Don’t you have a wedding to plan, J?” Charlie asked, giving her friend a not-so-subtle elbow in the gut.

Justin, always the gentleman, pretended not to notice.

“Yeah, I’m headed back west tomorrow mornin’ to meet with Jess about the food or somethin’. Honestly, I just stand back and let her make all the arrangements.”

“Good thing she’s not high-maintenance, man. You got yourself a good one, J,” Charlie said. She and Jessica had bonded on the final leg of the tour and Charlie had always had a soft-spot for her, even during the pair’s brief separation.

“Yeah, I know. Speakin’ of which, I’m just here to talk to one of my groomsmen. I knew he would be workin’ with you today so I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone: talk to him and see you.”

Charlie’s brow furrowed, “I’m working with one of your groomsmen?”

Justin arched an eyebrow.

“Didn’t Kit tell ya? You’re gonna be workin’ with—”

“Justin! It’s a surprise!” Kit whined, putting her hand to Justin’s mouth before he could finish the sentence.

“Oh for God’s sake,” Charlie said, turning on her heel and starting into the studio.

“No, wait!” Kit called, rushing to move ahead of her. Unprepared for the sudden movement, Charlie lost her balance and crashed to the floor, closing her eyes in mortification as she heard Justin chuckle as he followed them into the room.

“That’s the Charlie I remember: grace personified.”

“Shut it, Timberlake,” Charlie mumbled, pushing herself up onto her knees and dusting her hands off before catching sight of a pair of black Puma sneakers. Attached to them was a pair of long legs, clad in dark wash, boot-cut denim. A stylish faded leather belt was looped through the slim waist, followed by a long, lean torso in a gorgeous pale pink cashmere sweater. The v-neck was highlighted by a simple medallion, the neck long and sinewy.

Once she hit the chin, strong and angular, Charlie knew exactly who she was working with. Her entire body flushed with deep and profound humiliation.

“I had a dream like this once,” she said, somewhat proud of herself at the nonchalance in her voice. “Only, I was naked and able to wake myself up.” She stood, brushing off her pants, still avoiding eye contact.

Justin nudged her, “We could try it naked, if you want,” he teased.

She gave him an angelic look, saying, “Do we really want to get into embarrassing naked stories, Justin? Because I’m sure I could come up with some good ones from the tour.”

Justin flushed and for the first time Charlie heard the melodic chuckle that had played an influential part in the development of her sexuality. Turning to face the man who had been the singular star of many a sordid fantasy, she swallowed hard, feeling like a deer in headlights in front of him.

JC Chasez, all 5’11” of him, was trying to stifle a smile on those sinfully-full lips. His beautiful blue eyes, framed by unfathomably long lashes, twinkled with restrained mirth. Charlie felt like she was looking directly into the sun. In spite of the years that had passed, the man had aged wonderfully. She felt her pulse start to speed up and she suddenly had a burning desire to be swallowed by the earth to avoid the inevitable continuation of her embarrassment.

“Um…hi. My name is Mortified. Nice to meet you,” she said, extending her hand to him.

He laughed, “Justin’s told me a lot about you, Charlie. I’m JC.”

“Everything Justin’s told you is one hundred percent fabricated.”

“Oh, I don’t think so. He’s only said good things, in spite of himself.”

“Hey!” the man in question said indignantly. “I came in here to talk to you about the weddin’, C, but you’ll find yourself uninvited pretty damn quick if you keep up this disparagement of my character.”

JC crossed his arms in amusement, “Wow, J. ‘Disparagement’ is a pretty big word. I’m glad you’re using that “Word of the Day” calendar I gave you.”

“What is this, “Rag on Justin” Day?! Dude…” Justin huffed.

Charlie smiled slightly and walked over to him, “You know we only rag on you because we love you,” she said, standing on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

He gave a melodramatic sigh, “And I just come back for more.”

JC smiled with a shake of his head, walking over to the consol and picking up some pages before handing them to Charlie, “Charlie, here’s the song I was thinking of working on with you. Why don’t you look it over while I talk to Justin?”

“Okay,” she said with a small smile, taking them from him before grabbing Kit and pulling her into the recording room. “I hate you so much right now.”

“What? Why?!” Kit cried.

“JC Chasez? Really?”

“I thought you liked him!”

“I do! And that’s the problem,” Charlie hissed.

“How is that a problem?”

Charlie looked at her as if she had three heads, “Okay, let me put it this way: if I hired Johnny Depp to work closely with you, how much work do you think you’d get done?”

A slow smirk grew on Kit’s face, “I don’t know, but I’d be more than willing to find out.”

“Oh my God, you’re infuriating!” Charlie cried, throwing her hands in the air. Then she took a deep breath. “Look, I respect the man’s talent. I mean, he’s quite possibly the best male vocalist of the last twenty years, so I’ll work with him. But from now on, can you avoid getting songwriters and producers that played a big part in molding my sexual identity?”

“Sure. Maybe you can make me a list next time.”

Charlie glared at her before looking down at the lyrics she had been handed. She sighed, shaking her head slightly. Of course he would write poetic lyrics with a great hook and a sexy tone. She let out a deep breath, biting her lip and closing her eyes for a moment. This day couldn’t possibly get any more stressful.

Walking back into the control room, she found both JC and Justin looking at her. She shifted uncomfortably, “What?”

Justin smirked, “A big part in molding your sexual identity?” he said. Her jaw dropped and he nodded toward the recording booth. “Room full of microphones, babe.”

Charlie closed her eyes once more before smiling slightly, “Right. Sorry. Excuse me while I go and jump off the Brooklyn Bridge.”

She turned and walked out of the room and into the hallway, holding her sides. It wasn’t possible. Karma wouldn’t be so cruel as to allow her to make an ass of herself twice in ten minutes. Looking up at the ceiling, she felt tears start to spring to her eyes. She wiped them away angrily, leaning against the wall and sliding to the floor, placing her head on her knees.

A moment later, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she found herself falling into JC’s eyes. Her face suddenly felt very hot and she quickly looked away. He, however, gently turned her face back to look at him.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Honestly. Justin can be a jerk sometimes.”

Charlie let out a laugh that turned into a hiccup, “You’re sorry? God, JC…I can only imagine what you think of me.”

He smiled, “I like you. You talk straight, you know? I respect that. And in order to even the playing field a bit, I’ll admit that I’ve been staring at your ass since you unceremoniously dropped into the room.”

She flushed, “You don’t have to say that,” she mumbled.

He laughed, “Honey, you know you fine, okay? So now we’re even. You think I’m good-looking, I think you’re good-looking…now let’s go make some kickass music together. And at the moment, I only mean that literally.”

She looked up at him, “It’s a great song.”

“You’ll sound great singing it,” he said. Then he stood and offered his hand. She took it gratefully and stood.

“Thanks,” she said. “You’re a classy guy, JC.”

“I try.”

They walked back into the control room where Kit and Justin were in the midst of a heated debate. They looked up when the two entered and Kit rushed over.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, brown eyes wide. “If I had known the mics were hot…”

“Don’t worry about it. JC is a gentleman,” Charlie replied before looking at Justin. “I love you, J, but I have a song to record.”

He gave her a shy smile.

“I’m sorry, Chuck,” he said, using the endearment he had coined for her on tour. “I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s okay, sweetie. Now get outta hear before I kick your ass,” she joked with a wink.

He laughed, “Alright, girl. C, I’ll see ya in LA soon.”

“Yeah, man,” JC replied and the two hugged before Justin waved and left.

“Okay,” Kit said, looking at Charlie. “So…I’m going back to the office. Call if you need anything. JC, thanks again for doing this.”

He smiled as he shook Kit’s hand, “Yeah, like it’s a chore to work with Alex Charles.”

Kit smiled slightly and started out before stopping, turning back to them, “Hey, if you guys finish at a decent hour, we should have dinner.”

Charlie shot Kit a look before saying, “Oh, I’m sure JC has better things to do while he’s in the city than spend time with us. Especially since he’ll be around me most of the day.”

“Actually, I don’t have plans,” JC said. “For the first time in awhile I don’t have any press for the show, so I’m free. And most of my friends are in LA so…I don’t know many people here.”

“Perfect,” Kit said. “Let’s eat at Charlie’s.”

“Wait. I’m cooking now?” Charlie said.

“Well, we could go out but…well…you’re cheaper,” Kit said with a brilliant smile before rushing out of the door.

“I am going to kill her,” Charlie mumbled before turning to JC. “Sorry. This must just be…I’m sorry.”

He grinned, “A home-cooked meal with two gorgeous women? I could think of worst things.”

“Yeah…I am a pretty kickass cook.”

“Of that I have no doubt.”

She smiled before looking at the pages he had handed her what seemed like hours ago, “So…let’s hear the music.”

He walked over to the consol and pressed a few buttons. The music came through the speakers and Charlie closed her eyes to listen fully. Like with most things involving JC, the music was innovative and catchy. She smiled to herself as she listened to his demo vocal track. The smooth, sensual quality to his voice left chills and when she opened her eyes at the end of the song, he was looking at her, waiting for her opinion.

“Dude,” she said with a slight laugh. “I don’t know, man, one day you’ll come up with a good one.”

He chuckled, but she thought she saw a flush on his cheeks as he said, “Um, so…you wanna try it a couple of times before we start laying it down?”

As the minutes turned to hours, Charlie allowed herself to dive into her work. She had been singing since she was old enough to recognize her own vocal chords, and singing JC’s music was hardly an unpleasant task. He was also very constructive, giving great notes and by the time they had finished the background vocals and harmonies, Charlie was genuinely surprised that so much time had passed.

“Well, that’s probably the easiest session I’ve had,” she said into the mic as she took her headphones off. “Thanks.”

“It was a pleasure,” he said through the control room mic.

She walked back into the control room, looking at her watch, “Wow. I didn’t realize we were here for so long. You must be starving.”

He looked at his own watch, eyebrows shooting up, “Actually, I didn’t even notice. But yeah.”

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear nervously, “So…you probably wanna go back to your hotel and chill.”

He smiled slightly, “Trying to get out of cooking?”

She smiled, “Well, I was giving you an out, but I did promise you a home-cooked meal, so a home-cooked meal you shall have.”

“Cool. When should I get there?”

“Um...” She did some elementary math in her head. “How about eight?”

He nodded, “Perfect. Here, gimme your phone.” She frowned but handed it over. He put his cell phone number into it and handed it back. “Alright, text me your address and I’ll see you at eight. Should I bring anything?”

She shook her head as she typed into her phone, “No, just your charming self,” she replied before smiling at him.

He looked at the phone and smiled when the text came through, “Great. I’ll see you soon.”

~ * ~

“Shit shit shit shit…” Charlie mumbled as, at seven fifty-five, she rushed into the kitchen. It had been a series of unfortunate events since she left the studio. First, getting from the downtown location up to her upper west side apartment was hell due to rush hour. Then she had fallen asleep in the bath, waking up just before seven thirty. She had barely noticed the clothes she had thrown on until she looked in the mirror and saw that she had paired a bright orange shirt with a black miniskirt. Looking like a Halloween costume was not the direction she was going for.

Her second pass had taken a little longer and so, at seven fifty-five she slid into the kitchen looking fabulous but completely devoid of any food preparation. Taking a deep breath, she went for a tried and true recipe – homemade pizza. She thanked the heavens that she had made a big batch of dough a few days earlier.

As she was unwrapping the saran wrap, both the buzzer and her cell phone went off. She went to the buzzer first, “Hey George,” she said to her doorman.

“Hello Miss Charles. I have a JC Chasez here for you?”

“Yup, send him up,” she replied before unlocking her door and diving for the cell phone, “Hello?”

“Hey girl, it’s Kit.”

“Hey. What time are you gonna get here? JC’s already on his way up.”

“Oh, hun, I’m so sorry, but I don’t think I’m gonna be able to make it.”

“What? This whole thing was your idea!”

“I know and I really wish I could make it, but JC sent me the track. It sounds hot!”

“Don’t change the subject, Kit.”

“Oh come on. Like you didn’t see this from a mile away? Did you honestly think I’d invite the man of your dreams to your apartment and then play the third wheel? I don’t think so.”

“I…I really hate you right now.”

“No you don’t. You only think you do. But tomorrow morning when you’re lying resplendent and satisfied in bed with a sex god, you will be kissing my ass.”

“Yeah, let’s take bets to see how likely that is.”

“Hey, I called him first. So if he’s still coming over, it means something.”

“Yes, it means I promised him food and men will never turn down food.”

“Nor will they turn down sex. So why don’t you promise him that too?”

“Okay, I’m hanging up now. And I still hate you.”

“Love ya too, hun!”

Charlie hung up the phone and took a deep breath. She could do this. She looked great – she had found a pair of pants that accentuated her ass – so at the very least, he would appreciate the thing he had already admitted to appreciating. The evening could be salvaged, so long as she avoided being a spaz.

She was doomed.

Going back to the kitchen, she finished prepping the dough. Just as she was dusting flour off her hands, there was a knock at the door.

“It’s open!” she called, moving towards the hallway. JC walked in, closing the door behind him before turning to her. Charlie had to stop herself from drooling. He had showered and his hair was still damp. He had changed into a different pair of jeans, with the same belt, and patterned blue and white button-down shirt. As he came closer, she caught his scent and she bit her lip to stop herself from inhaling even deeper.

He smelled delicious.

“Hey,” he said with a smile. “You look amazing.” He handed her a bottle of red wine. “I wasn’t sure if you drank, but I figured flowers were a little too corny.”

She smiled, “A man after my own heart. I love wine. Come on in. I hope you like pizza.”

He arched an eyebrow, “You made pizza?”

“Well…I’m making pizza. I had a little bit of a time-management issue. But don’t worry we’ll eat in, like, twenty minutes. As soon as you tell me what you like on your pizza.”

He cocked his head to the side, “You’re making pizza?”

She smiled slightly, “Yeah. Why, you didn’t think it just came pre-made in a pizza box, did you?”

He laughed, “Well, my experience has been just that, actually.”

“You’ve never made a pizza?” she asked incredulously.

He shook his head, “Nope.”

“Not even in school?”

“What type of school did you go to that you made pizza?”

She chuckled, “Normal public school, man. But…do you wanna learn how to make a pizza?”

His eyes lit up, “Yes! Learn me.”

She chuckled, “Clearly you went to public school too.”

He followed her into the kitchen and she handed him an apron. As he tied it on, he looked down at it and then back at her, “Seriously?”

She laughed as she read the words ‘Is that a sausage on my grill or am I just happy to see you?’ on the apron, “Sorry. That was a gag gift from a college friend. I don’t usually make my guests cook so it doesn’t get much use.”

“Yeah, no, I’m totally used to having blatant innuendo slapped across my chest,” he said.

She smiled, walking over to the fridge, “Right, so are you a sauce guy, a cheese guy, a meat guy or a veggie guy?”

He looked at her blankly, “Um…all of the above?”

She smiled, “Alright…how does a simple tomato, mozzarella, basil and prosciutto pizza sound?”

He grinned, “Sounds perfect.”

“Cool. Alright, we’ll need to stretch the dough out,” she said, preheating the oven and making sure her favorite piece of culinary equipment – her pizza stone – was in it before walking over to him.

She showed him how to work with the dough and was both impressed and turned on by how quickly he learned. He had rolled up his sleeves and the muscles on his forearms flexed as he worked. She concentrated on slicing the tomatoes and mozzarella to avoid staring at him.

“How long have you been cooking?” he asked.

“I didn’t really do much on my own until after college. But my dad cooks really well and I guess I picked up some things. That, and Food Network,” she replied, pulling the prosciutto from the fridge.

“I can’t watch the Food Network,” he said. “It always makes me hungry.”

She laughed, “Yeah, me too. But I’ve gotten some great recipes from it.”

“How’s this?” he asked, standing back so she could survey his handiwork.

She smiled, “Looks great. Just one last thing…” She picked up the dough and tossed it a couple of times, smoothing out the shape.

He gaped at her, “Seriously?!”

“Slinging pies got me through college, man. When I moved to New York I used to order it all the time, but after awhile I started getting weird looks from my doorman so I went back to making it myself to avoid the judgment.”

He shook his head, “You’re such a guy’s girl,” he said.

“I don’t know how it was intended, but I’m going to take that as a compliment,” she said, brushing the dough with olive oil before throwing it in the oven.

“It was intended as a compliment. Um…don’t you need the toppings on it?”

“In a couple of minutes. If we put the toppings on immediately, the crust will be a little mushy.”

“Ah. Is that a technical term, ‘mushy’?”

She nudged him, “Smartass.”

“Should I open the wine?” he asked.

“Oh, yeah. Corkscrew is in the first drawer on your left and glasses are in the cupboard next to the fridge.”

She peered at the pizza to avoid watching him as he moved comfortably around her kitchen. For a moment she allowed herself the fantasy of him being a permanent fixture there with her. But she quickly dismissed it. They lived two different lives; hers was in New York or on the road and his was in Los Angeles. Her career was only getting bigger and he had moved on to another stage in his. Under no circumstances could it happen.

But God, the sex would be fantastic.

“How’s it looking?” he said from her shoulder and she jumped slightly, yanked from her fantasy.

She smiled sheepishly as she took the wine, “A few more minutes.”

He nodded, taking a sip of his own wine and looking around, “This is a really nice apartment. Upper west side…good address.”

“Yeah? It’s quieter than I thought it would be. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good thing, but sometimes it’s a bitch getting up here.”

“Wanna give me the tour?”

“Sure. Currently you’re in the kitchen,” she said, gesturing grandly around her. “This is where some of my best work is done.”

He smiled, “Some of your best work.”

She led him out of the kitchen and into the living room, where he admired the truly awe-inspiring amount of bookshelves she had.

“I never throw books away. I value them too much,” she said, leading him to the first room off the living room. “This…this is my baby,” she added.

It truly was her favorite room in the whole place: her studio. She had soundproofed the whole thing and moved in her instruments, recording equipment, and computer. It was a labor of love three years in the making, but she was ecstatic with it. She had written most of her second album in that room, her ex-boyfriend having complained almost the entire time.

She dropped the album a week before the boyfriend. The album went on to great success. The last she’d heard, the boyfriend had not.

JC, however, looked like he had died and gone to Heaven.

“Oh my God…this is like my own personal Candyland,” he said, picking up her Stratocaster. His eyes widened when he saw the inscription on it. “This is Clapton’s Strat?”

“Yup,” she said with a grin. “Up there with one of my most prized possessions. I met him when I was on tour in London. Pretty cool, huh?”

“I would kill to play this,” he said, looking at it in awe.

She smiled, “Be my guest. I have to get the pizza ready anyway.”

She walked back to the kitchen and pulled the crust out of the oven, letting it cool for a few minutes on the counter. She could hear the soft strains of ‘Layla’ playing from the room and she smiled softly, shaking her head. Of course he would gravitate to that room. He was the consummate musician.

She started humming along with his guitar, swaying and finishing up the pizza, dancing with it over the oven and setting the timer. Then she walked back to the studio. She paused at the door, just watching him play around for awhile. She felt a tug at her heart. Here was yet another room in her house where he looked completely at home.

Damnit.

“Enjoying yourself?” she asked.

He looked up, his eyes twinkling, “This is incredible. I mean…God, Charlie.”

She smiled slightly, “Do you wanna keep on playing? Food’ll be ready in about ten minutes.”

He shook his head, placing the guitar gently back in its stand, “No, let’s finish the tour.”

“All that’s left is the closet and bathroom.”

He arched an eyebrow, “No bedroom?”

She felt a thrill shoot through her at the smirk that was playing on his lips.

“Well…yeah. That too.”

“Lead on, beautiful.”

Charlie slowly moved down the hall and opened her bedroom door, thanking God that she had had enough wherewithal to clean up the tornado of clothes she had tossed around preparing for that night.

“So…here’s the bedroom,” she said somewhat shyly, walking in.

He looked around, taking in the old film posters that framed most of the room. She had designed this as her sumptuous oasis of nostalgia in a fairly modern apartment. She had always loved the idea of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and had modeled the room after it. JC walked from poster to poster with a look of appreciation.

When he reached the last one, he turned to look at her.

“You’re quite the cinephile,” he said.

She nodded, “I really am. All types of movies, but I’ve always been a sucker for Gene Kelly. Triple threats like him don’t come around very often. Especially not recently.”

JC nodded, “I think Justin is the closest I’ve seen to officially being that type of triple threat.”

“Yeah, he’s very talented,” she agreed.

He gave her a bemused look, “Are you nervous?”

“No,” she said quickly, blushing slightly. “It’s just…not a lot of people see this room.”

“Why not?” he asked. “I mean, aside from your studio, I think this is my favorite room of your apartment.”

“Mine too, but it’s not something I show everyone. I mean…it’s a bedroom. There are a finite number of things one requires of it.”

“True,” he said, taking one last look around. “It’s beautiful, Charlie.”

“Uh, thanks,” she replied, waiting for him to walk out before turning the light off and following him rather awkwardly back to the kitchen.

“Not that I don’t think it’s adorable, but can I take this apron off?” he asked, as she grabbed her wine glass.

“You can take off whatever you like,” she murmured, taking a long sip of her wine. It wasn’t until a period of silence passed that she realized she had said that aloud. She hung her head, her back to him. “Oh my God, I did it again, didn’t I? Shit.”

“Charlie,” he suddenly said and she jumped because he was right next to her ear. “The only thing that’s stopping me from ripping your clothes off and taking you right here is the fact that I’m hungry, and seeing your ass in those pants is making me question even that.”

She felt his hands untying her apron and goose bumps formed as he lifted it off her body and turned her around to face him. He took the wine glass from her hand and placed it on the counter before taking another step closer, his body pressing against hers as her back hit the granite countertop.

“I’ve been fantasizing about your lips all day,” he whispered, leaning in so close that she could feel his breath on her upper lip.

“Kiss me,” she breathed and he pressed his lips to hers without hesitation.

Her hands flew to his shirt as his kiss transported her. His lips were soft but demanding, seeking entry and gently coaxing her. She couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her throat at the feeling. He tasted of red wine and something darker, though she couldn’t quite place it except to think it was so uniquely him.

His scent enveloped her; a rich, earthy scent that had her gripping his collar, pressing her body against his even harder, feeling his muscles mold to her curves in a perfect fit. Electricity raced through her; bolts of lightening striking in the pit of her stomach and setting off every nerve in her body.

His fingers found the patch of skin between her pants and shirt, and she gasped. His touch was like fire, burning through her but making her long for more. The pads of his fingertips kneaded into her lower back and she felt her knees buckle. She clung to him, letting herself sink into this torturous teasing.

She didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but when the oven timer chimed, she was startled. He seemed to have lost track of time as well, because he glared at the oven as if it had personally offended him. She hid a smile as she ran her hand up his chest.

“Do you want to eat?” she asked innocently.

His eyes burned into hers.

“I’m not in the mood for pizza,” he rasped.

“No?”

“No.”

In a swift motion, he turned the oven off and swept her into his arms, causing her to squeal. He carried her into the bedroom, kicking the door closed before putting her down again and kicking off his shoes.

She tugged his shirt out of his jeans, trying to work the buttons as quickly as she could. She felt her mouth water at the glimpse of muscle beneath. Pushing the fabric off his shoulders, he pulled it off, freeing his hands before tugging her shirt over her head.

“JC…”

“Call me Josh,” he whispered before catching her lips again, running his hand up her back, unclasping her bra. She pulled it off and threw it into a corner.

He pulled away to look at her, his eyes devouring her upper body, “Jesus, Charlie, I want you so bad,” he whispered as his lips descended to her neck.

She moaned, letting her head fall back. Her body had never felt so alive. Perhaps it was the thrill of the potential fulfillment of her innermost fantasy, but she knew it was more than that. It was the way her stomach contracted at the flutter of a touch from him. She liked him. And that scared her.

“I can’t,” she said, pulling away and wrenching her eyes from him.

“I…I’m sorry. I know this is fast, but I just got caught up…sorry,” he said, though she could hear confusion and hurt in his voice.

It was the hurt that made her look at him.

“It’s not you. God, JC…I mean…I just…”

He searched her eyes, trying to find meaning and she took a deep breath.

“I can’t have…you know…a one-night stand. Not with you. I’d rather not know than—”

She was cut off by his lips on hers and she was thrown at how much he was conveying to her. He was putting all of his passion into it and she surrendered under the sweet seduction of it, her eyes fluttering closed. She felt like she was melting into him, his strong arms around her body the only thing stopping her from slipping into a puddle on the floor.

He pulled away and looked deep into her eyes, “You, Alexandra Charles, are not a one-night-stand.”

She chuckled slightly, “How on earth is this going to work, JC?”

“Josh.”

“Fine. I mean, you live on the west coast, I live here or on a tour bus…I mean…long-distance?”

He cupped her face.

“Let’s just see where tonight goes,” he whispered. “For all I know, you may never want to see me again.”

She stared at him before laughing. Her refuse him? He had to be kidding.

“You laugh now,” he said, cerulean eyes boring into hers. “But did it ever occur to you that I’m terrified of disappointing you?”

Her brow furrowed, “Disappointing me how?”

He smiled slightly, “Not for nothing, but telling someone, even inadvertently, that they helped mold their sexual identity isn’t exactly lowering the expectations.”

She flushed, “JC...”

“Josh.”

She swallowed hard, looking up into his eyes, “Please,” she whispered.

He kissed her tenderly then, his hands running down the sides of her body before sliding forward to the clasp of her pants. They fell to the floor as her fingers worked the belt from its loop, unbuttoning his jeans and pushing them down. He stepped out of them before lifting her into his arms, her legs wrapping around his torso.

He lay her down on the bed, hovering over her body as he looked into her face. There was intensity to his gaze that held her captive. Those two beautiful azure orbs held a gleaming fire within them that she felt drawn to. It was cliché, being the moth to his proverbial flame, but it was the very definition of truth. She could not resist him even if she tried.

She was in no position to try.

His lips dropped to her neck as his hands rolled her panties down her legs, settling his weight between her legs. She brought her feet up, pushing his boxer briefs to the ground and letting her head fall back at the feeling of his heavy erection against her heat. His lips slid over her collarbone, grazing over her breasts. She arched her back, his hot breath causing her skin to sing.

His lips captured a nipple and she gave a low keen. He groaned at the sound, his hips dipping against hers, his erection rubbing against her wetness. As he lifted his head to look at her, she saw his lips slightly parted and his eyes seemed to glow. She raised her hips and he gasped before kissing her deeply.

“Do you have…” he breathed in her ear and she nodded, rolling over to the side table and grabbing a foil package. He sat back to sheath himself and she got an eyeful of what was in store for her. She smiled slightly. He was, in every way, the perfection she had dreamed.

He kissed her as he hovered above her once more, his knees parting her legs even wider. He guided himself toward her entrance and she closed her eyes as she felt the slow, torturous penetration. Gripping the sheets, it took everything for her not to thrust her hips up and impale herself upon him. The slow movement was killing her, but she also felt every ridge, every inch, of him. And that thrilled her.

He rolled his hips, sliding deeper within her and she threw her head back. Each movement was so slow and deliberate that Charlie felt like she was going to go insane. He was setting off nerves with such isolated movements that she honestly wondered what exactly she had been having before if this was how sex was supposed to feel.

Then came a hard thrust and her back left the bed. The spot he hit was so elusive that she could barely count the amount of times it had been reached. But he had targeted it and now she wanted more. Rolling her hips, she urged him on, moaning and running her nails down his arms.

He rewarded her with another hard thrust but she could feel the quiver in his muscles – his control was fragile. She wanted it. The deliberate movements had stoked more within her than even the most heated of sexual encounters she had had in the past. She was ready to be pushed to the breaking point.

Seizing what was left of her sanity, she rolled them, landing on top of him and sitting back, enjoying the feeling of him deep within her. He took this change in stride, running his hands up her thighs to grip her hips as she moved.

She looked down into his eyes as she started to roll her body. Running her hands up her own sides, she gasped as he bent his knees and thrust up into her. Looking at him through hooded eyes, she tightened herself around him as she rolled her hips and he gasped audibly, his fingers digging into her hips. She smiled to herself, continuing the slow, rolling torture, giving him a taste of his own medicine.

“Fuck…” he gasped, his eyes sliding closed as she moved. Her breath hitched as she felt a deep build start within her core, slowly creeping into her stomach through her limbs. She let out a moan as he thrust again, and looking down at him once more, she saw him watching her.

“So close…” she breathed, tilting her head back as her movements became more erratic. She felt hands slide up her body and she looked up just in time to see him sit up and roll her onto her back again.

Hiking her leg up onto his hip, he started long, hard thrusts that had her back arching and her limbs tingling. The build that had started had intensified and her moans grew louder. He kissed her deeply, lengthening his thrusts and pushing deeper, groaning as her walls started to contract around him. For a blissful moment, Charlie opened her eyes and saw him watching her, his eyes aglow.

Then she exploded.

It was if the world stopped. There was a second of complete silence and then she was awash with sensation. Wave after wave of pleasure, the likes of which she had never experienced before, devoured her body. She was carried into a wonderland of pleasure, with violent colors and delicious feelings. She was floating, her own cries of ecstasy the only sound in her ears.

Then she crashed back down to earth just in time to feel JC let go. His hips jerked as he groaned into her neck, his body tensing. He cried out, his fingers digging into the sheets as his body fell into hers. He was panting, his hair plastered to his head. She held him, allowing him to catch his breath as she came down from her own sensuous high.

After a few minutes of gentle silence, JC lifted his head to look at her, gazing into her eyes before brushing his lips to hers. It was a gentle kiss yet filled with passion, and as she felt his body pressed to hers, she knew that this was something she was not willing to let go of. Not yet.

“You are incredible,” he whispered, kissing down her jaw and nuzzling into her neck. “I haven’t cum that hard before.”

“Me neither,” she admitted as she ran her fingers through his hair.

“You feel so good around me. Like we fit…perfectly.”

“Yes.”

He looked up into her eyes, “Does that scare you?”

She looked down at him and felt herself tense, “No…does it scare you?”

“No,” he whispered. “And the fact that I’m not scared that we work so perfectly tells me something about how I feel about you.”

She chuckled slightly, “In the, what, sixteen hours we’ve known each other?”

“Lightening in a bottle, baby,” he said with a lazy grin, pushing a lock of hair out of her face. “Sex this good does not come around every day.”

“Hmm…it was pretty outstanding, wasn’t it?”

“Fucking beautiful.”

She grinned at him, “Ready for another round?”

He smirked, “Abso-fucking-lutely.”