Alison had no idea what to do.  Should she confront him, ask him why he would ask Slo to change his way of dress, and insinuate that she was asking too much about this housing business?  This was all too much and she had no idea what to do.  Her first thought was to call Sammy and see what she thought, but she kind of had a feeling already of what she would think.  She would say he was a drug dealer and tell her to come the heck home. Alison sighed and sat down right where she was, on the stairs.  She needed to think and she was too tired at that moment to do it anywhere else.  Literally, she couldn't find the strength to get up and go back to her room, close the door, and think in privacy.  It seemed like too much.

Everything seemed like too much.  Too much with the presents, with the luxurious room in the opulent penthouse, too much with the argument with her parents and being separated from them.  Everything had changed and things were moving so fast she felt like she was on a roller coaster and today had been full of ups and downs.  It was too much.

"Ali?" Just was halfway up the stairs when he saw her sitting there on the stairs.  "Baby ... what's wrong?" Justin was concerned as he'd never seen her look so sad, so despondent.  He knelt down in front of her and ran a hand over her hair, then resting it on the nape of her neck.

Afraid she was going to burst into tears for the millionth time that day, Alison shrugged her shoulders and said, "Nothing.  Just tired, I guess."

Not sure if that was true, Justin waited a moment before answering.  He didn't remember exactly what he and Slo had been talking about since JC left an hour or so earlier, and he wondered if maybe Ali had heard something that maybe she shouldn't have.  But he couldn't just come out and ask her that; if shehadn't heard anything he would be putting his business on blast.  Better to watch her closely and see if she was acting funny.  

Just as he thought that, Alison leaned forward suddenly and put her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder, sighing.  Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her as close into him as he could get her.  "Baby, you wanna go upstairs and lie down?  I can give you some privacy if you want.  I know you had a long day," he suggested.

She shook her head and sighed again.  She was so confused and worried and the only thing that made her feel better was being in his arms.  If that was was wrong, then so be it.  Right now she needed comfort, love, reassurance ... she needed him.  "Can we ... can you lie down with me in your room?"  

He was surprised that she wanted to go into his room but he didn't really care where she wanted to go.  He would've laid down on the kitchen floor for her is she asked him to.

"Sure, baby.  C'mon," he pulled her up and waited for her turn and around.  Watching as she trudged dejectedly up the stairs, the thought that she had heard something again floated into his mind.  But then he reminded himself that she had had a very long and stressful day.  Anyone in her shoes would be feeling out of sorts, for sure.  Sure.  That was it.  He followed her up the stairs and they walked the short distance to his room, opening the door for her.  He kicked off his shoes while Ali went to sit on the bed, looking pitiful.

He climbed up on the opposite side of the bed and stretched out.  "C'mere, baby," he pulled her arm until she relaxed her body and rolled over so that she was lying in his arms.  "You've had a fucking shitty day," he said, stroking her hair down her back.  "I would be exhausted too if I were you. Is that what's bothering you?"

Sighing yet again, Alison nodded.  It was true; it was an exhausting day.  And maybe she was just hearing things.  Maybe she got it confused when she heard him talking to Slo.  Their voices weren't clear and she was eavesdropping anyway.  Justin was so sweet, so perfect. He was everything she'd ever wanted in a man.  Yes, a man.  He was not a boy and maybe it was time to stop acting like a little girl and be  a real woman for him.  "I just want to to be here with you right now.  It's the only thing that makes me feel ok.  Being with you, I mean.  And Justin ..." her voice trailed off and he moved his head so he could look down into her eyes.

"Yeah, baby?"

"I ... I wanna be with you.  Like, for real.  I mean ... you know," she said blushing and closing her eyes, burying her face into his chest.

You could've knocked him over with a feather.  She wanted to have sex?  Immediately he got hard as a rock and he almost wanted to put his hand down there to press his erection down so it wasn't so obvious.  And obvious it was.  She felt it and moved against him, sort of pressing her sex into his and both of them groaned at the same time, it felt so good.

"Ali ... are you sure?" Justin asked, his voice hoarse from wanting her so much.  He couldn't believe she was going to go that far already.  But he wanted her to be sure about it.  He didn't want her to have any regrets.  "You don't have to do this now if you're not ready, baby girl.  Make sure you're really ready, you know?"  But GOD did he want her to be ready.

"I'm ready," she sighed and she pulled his head down to meet her lips and they fused together in a sizzling kiss that should've sent smoke spiraling up the ceiling.

It was time.

She was ready.