Chapter 3

As Amanda ventured up to Samantha’s room once again, she found her sister’s bedroom door open half-way.  Softly she called her name, “Samantha?” but in turn received no response.

Cautiously she pushed open the door, finding Samantha sound asleep, sprawled out on her full-sized bed. For a moment, Amanda stood still. She was beginning to realize that Samantha probably hated the way her bedroom was decorated. It was girly and Samantha didn’t seem to be girly at all. The walls were an ivory color and her bed spread and pillows were a lavender and pale yellow. Samantha didn’t seem to fit in to her atmosphere in any way. Tomorrow they’d redecorate if she wanted. Maybe that would give the two some peace with each other. It was only fair after all that Samantha have her bedroom the way she wanted it.

Funny though, watching her sleep so peacefully, Amanda realized that under all that outer clothing and make-up, her sister was nothing more than a scared, little girl. Amanda knew just how she felt loosing the only person who truly loves you unconditionally--your mother.

Amanda took in a deep breath and decided to let Samantha sleep. It had been a long day and she needed her rest.

When Amanda returned downstairs she searched for JC where she’d left him, in the kitchen. It didn’t take but a second for her to realize he wasn’t there anymore. “Jace?” she called to him, “where are you?”

Two seconds later she knew, as she heard the music quietly pouring from the next room. She headed in that direction to find him, but he met her at the doorway instead. “A little dinner music?” he said softly, reaching for her hand and pulling her into his arms.

“Samantha’s asleep,” Amanda informed him.

“You should let her sleep then,” he replied, swaying softly to the sounds of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” as it called to them from the stereo in the other room. He curled one arm around her waist, letting his other grasp on to her hand. “Dance with me,” he said.

“Right now?” Amanda asked, partly giving in and letting her body move together with his. “Yes, maybe it will help you relax,” he told her, and then dipped her out of the blue.

Returning upright, Amanda let out a flirty giggle. His sudden movement had made her just a little dizzy. But his next move made her head spin even more as he pulled her in closer and circled both of his arms around her back. Instinctively Amanda rested her head against his shoulder. “This is nice,” she breathed softly.

“See, I told you.”

“Can we just stay like this?”

“For as long as you want,” he told her.

Quietly, she moaned, “good.”

“Before I go back on the road, I’m taking you away for a few days. Somewhere where no one will find us. Just me and you.”

“That sounds really nice,” Amanda sighed breathily, pressing her body into his even more. “How ‘bout tomorrow?”

“I wish,” he answered. “It will be soon though, I promise.”

They swayed contently without a care in the world, Amanda finally letting go of some of that built up stress she’d carried on her shoulders for the majority of the day.

“I think someone’s home,” Amanda announced softly after hearing what sounded like the front door, but not wanting to give up their position whatsoever.

“Just ignore them and maybe they won’t notice us,” JC advised.

That plan sounded just find by her. Of course, the sound of Terra and Chris’ footsteps followed only seconds later.

“Now, if it weren’t for the fact you two are obviously not in the house alone, I would’ve been worried. I mean, you’ve got the fuck-me music on and everything. The last thing I want to walk into is you two getting busy on the kitchen counter.”

JC and Amanda stopped still and both glared at Chris, catching the scene just in time to see Terra throw an elbow into his ribs. Amanda’s strong-willed cousin looked at him playfully and said, “you’re kinda squishy Kirkpatrick, you better get back on the road soon so you can work off that extra layer,” then teasingly poked him in his side with her finger.

“Hey now, hands off the goods,” he remarked, taking one step away from Terra.

JC and Amanda both laughed, tearing themselves apart from each other. “Touring doesn’t help, he’ll still be squishy,” JC clarified.

“At least I CAN gain weight,skinny,” Chris shot back.

“I can gain weight, I just don’t want to,” JC defended.

“Boys, boys. Calm down now,” Terra intervened. “I’m starving. Is it ready?” she asked, turning her attention to Amanda.

“Yes, it’s ready.”

“Was that the doorbell?” Chris asked.

Amanda noticed as JC stopped and listened, then trotted out of the kitchen. “It’s Justin,” she informed them, “he’s eating, too.”

“Oh, what about Sam?” Terra asked.

“She’s asleep.”

“She’s probably hungry. You want me to wake her up?” Chris asked with a devilish gleam in his eyes. Huh, that was about the last thing Amanda wanted. The girl would probably run off and hide if Chris were to wake her up, especially since it probably wouldn’t be the nicest way to wake a person up if he did.

“No, I’ll do it,” Terra offered, “since Amanda’s busy.”

As Terra left the room, JC and Justin entered. “Damn girl, something smells good,” Justin commented.

“Thanks, hopefully it tastes as good as it smells,” Amanda replied.

“I’m sure it will,” JC remarked, planting a quick peck on Amanda’s cheek as he stepped to her from behind.

“Would you two knock off that lovey dovey crap?” Chris asked with irritation. “You’re almost as bad as the kids.”

Amanda smirked, watching as Justin gave Chris the evil eye, knowing exactly who he’d been referring to when he’d said “the kids.”

“You’re just jealous because you haven’t gotten any in like four months,” Justin remarked, taking a seat at the table.

“That’s not true,” Chris defended, sitting across from him.

“Guys, knock it off. Amanda’s sister’s gonna be down any second and I don’t think she wants to hear about all that.” JC warned.

“He started it,” Chris whined, pointing at Justin.

Amanda just rolled her eyes as she set the food on the table. Things never changed much when the boys were over.

She was still dreading the look she was going to get from Samantha when her little sister realized who was having dinner with them. Amanda had a good feeling it wasn’t going to be pretty.

With the food all set, Amanda took her seat at the head of the table, with JC at her left and an empty seat to her right. It was only a few seconds later that Terra and Samantha appeared.

Politely Terra began with the introductions, “Sam, this is JC and Justin.”

“Nice to meet you, Sam.” JC smiled.

Samantha only stood there looking completely perturbed.

“Hey Sam, how’s it goin’?” Justin added.

Her look of confusion continued as she glanced at the two men sitting beside each other and then looked at sister. “Am I sitting here?” she asked, pointing to the empty chair on Amanda’s right side.

“Sure.”

As everyone dished up their food, Amanda kept a watchful eye on her new found sibling. She could only imagine the thoughts that were running through her sister’s head. Maybe it was wrong to put Samantha in such an awkward position on her first night there, but Amanda was being stubborn and she wasn’t about to change her life because of Samantha’s arrival. She wasn’t going to let her father control her life again.

There was no way she was letting that happen.

Dinner carried on as it normally did. The guys settled into a discussion about whatever it was JC and Justin had been working on in the studio that day and the girls pretty much just listened. Samantha mostly stared at her food. It was obvious that she felt very out of place.

“Do you like it?” Amanda asked her quietly, trying to maybe ease the tension between them.

Samantha nodded her head yes, “yeah, it’s pretty good. I haven’t really had a home cooked meal in awhile. I’ve been living off fast food for the past two weeks.”

Amanda almost didn’t know how to respond. For the first time Samantha had opened up and actually revealed something about herself. She hoped the others would continue with their own conversation because if they cut in, there was a good chance Samantha would close herself off again.

“We should talk after dinner,” Amanda told her, “I was thinking maybe tomorrow we could redecorate your room the way you want it.”

A look of surprise clouded Samantha’s dark eyes and once again Amanda was reminded of her father. If only Samantha hadn’t been cursed with that stare, life would have been so much easier.

“I told Amanda that most girls aren’t as girly as she is,” JC interjected, tearing himself away from his own conversation. Obviously he had been half listening to Sam and Amanda’s.

“This is an A and B conversation,” Amanda told him playfully, shooing him away with her hand, “so you just C you’re way out of it.”

JC rolled his eyes and shook his head with bewilderment, “you’ve been hanging around Chris too long,” he told her and turned back to his previous discussion. “Chris, you need to stay away from my girlfriend because you’re starting to rub off on her and I don’t like it.”

Amanda knew he was teasing, but she subtlety smacked his leg under the table anyway. He only looked at her from the corner of his eye, flashing that boyish grin he was so good at giving. The same grin that made her stomach flip flop, but now was not the time for those kinds of feelings.

“But really,” Amanda continued, turning back towards Samantha, “if you want to change your room I totally understand."

“It’s not that bad,” Samantha answered, “I don’t want you to have to go through all that trouble.”

“Well, it’s up to you. We can talk about it more later,” Amanda decided.

Once everyone’s bellies were full, the guys – not surprisingly – wound up in the sitting room, settled in front of the big screen television playing video games. How Amanda even had a PlayStation 2 she wasn’t sure. Someone had snuck it over and it had been there ever since.

Meanwhile, Amanda cleaned up the kitchen, Terra and Samantha helping voluntarily. Her hands soaked with sudsy water, Amanda stared at the phone as it rang, not exactly able to answer it at the moment.

“I’ll get it,” Terra said.

“So, I know this is none of my business,” Samantha remarked, arranging plates in the dishwasher as Amanda handed them to her, “but JC is your boyfriend, right?”

Amanda knew she had a silly grin across her face as she answered, “Yep.”

“How did that happen?” Samantha asked curiously.

“Um, guys,” Terra interrupted, “it’s, um, your dad.”

Instantly Amanda froze. Looking over at her sister, she said, “you go ahead. I’m sure he wants to talk to you anyway.”

“Okay,” Samantha replied, trotting towards Terra who was holding the telephone. Amanda listened as her little sister chipperly spoke into the receiver, “daddy!” she called him.

Terra, taking Samantha’s place at the dishwasher, immediately turned to her cousin. “Did she just call him daddy?” she whispered.

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Amanda sighed quietly in response.

Once the kitchen was clean, Amanda planted herself on the couch in the room where the guys had sprawled out on the floor, playing some racing game. JC looked back quickly as she sat down, giving her a wink and a grin before returning his sight to the TV.

Amanda’s whole mood had been shot since the call had come in from her father. Samantha had retreated up to her bedroom once she’d finished talking with him and left Amanda to speak with him briefly. Of course, he only wanted to make sure Samantha was adjusting okay. Amanda didn’t know how to tell him his daughter was a little, well… different. So she opted not to mention that fact and instead told him that things were a little awkward, but that they seemed to have made a little progress over dinner.

Overall, Amanda couldn’t help but feel a little hurt over how much more he seemed to care about Samantha than her. He didn’t ask if she was doing okay. He only wanted to know how his youngest daughter was doing. Amanda was beginning to realize that they’d never been close for a reason. He didn’t like his oldest daughter, that’s why. She was beginning to realize it more and more.

“Wanna play?” JC turned back to ask after a little while.

“No, you guys go ahead,” Amanda answered.

“Actually, I’ve gotta get going,” Justin decided and stood from the floor, stretching his arms towards the ceiling.

“Yeah, it is getting kind of late and I’ve gotta early morning meeting,” Chris added.

“Me too,” Terra replied.

Amanda gave a curious glimpse to her cousin and the older man standing beside her. She was beginning to wonder if there relationship was as casual as Terra had said.

“Yeah, me too,” JC remarked with a grin.

“You do?” Amanda asked curiously.

“No, I just thought since everyone else did,” he remarked playfully.

Amanda only shook her head at his silliness as he stood and stretched as well. She also rose to her feet, patting him on the stomach before his arms fell back down to his sides.

“I’ll see you guys in a week or so,” Justin announced, “I’m flying out to meet Brit tomorrow.”

“Tell her we all said hi,” Amanda grinned.

“I will do that,” Justin remarked. “Good luck with – you know.”

“Thanks,” Amanda replied, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

Justin saw himself out. A second or two later, Terra and Chris followed.

JC didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around Amanda and lift her off the ground in a huge bear hug. “Good,” he said, “now I have you all to myself.”

“Yes, thank god,” Amanda agreed.

“That didn’t go too bad, did it?” he asked her, returning her feet to the floor but keeping her locked in his embrace.

“It was okay, I guess. Hey, is something going on between my cousin and Chris that I don’t know about?” she asked, eyeballing the door to make sure Terra wasn’t coming back inside.

“Not that I know of. They sure have been hanging out a lot, though.”

“I know. I’m starting to wonder,” Amanda told him.

“Don’t you think she’d tell you if something was going on between them?” he asked.

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

“Well, I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”

“Yeah, I was just curious. It’s not a big deal or anything,” Amanda replied. She knew her cousin had relationship issues and wasn’t about to explain all of that to JC. Really it wasn’t her place to say. So what if Terra had never dated the same guy for more than two months?

“So, are you ready for bed, Ms. Ballard?” he asked, whispering seductively in her ear.

The touch of his breath on her skin made her tingle from head to toe. Was she ready? Only if he was going with her.

“I should probably go tell my sister good night,” she said.

“Oh, of course. So, I’ll meet you there?”

“Okay, I’ll be there in a minute.”

JC KISSED HER lightly on the lips as he let go of his hold on her and then watched her scurry out of the room. It was only seconds later that Terra appeared.

“You want my friend, huh?” he asked her teasingly.

“Who? Justin?” Terra replied with a devilish grin.

“Now, you better quit that. You know he’s off the market.”

“I know. Damn Britney,” Terra replied playfully, “does she even know how lucky she is?”

JC only shook his head. “You know that’s like my little sister you’re talking about?”

“I know. You know I’m just kidding. I would never try to steal Justin away from her,” Terra assured him.

“Anyway, I was talking about Chris,” JC explained.

“I know who you were talking about Chasez. Chris and I are just friends.”

“Hey, if you say so.”

“I do. Don’t let that little mind of yours wind up too tight thinking about it either because there is nothing going on between Chris and I. Nothing.”

“If you say so,” he repeated.

Terra shook her head with disagreement. “I’m going to my room,” she announced.

“Good night,” JC told her with a smile.

“Good night JC.”

JC headed upstairs and straight for Amanda’s bedroom. He would be glad to finally have her all to himself. Having Terra around hadn’t been too much of an invasion, but he had a feeling now that Samantha lived there too, it could get awfully difficult to have a private moment with his girl.

Hopefully Amanda would be able to adjust okay to her new sister. The girl was a little different, but there was nothing wrong with being different. Amanda would just have a harder time getting used to her, that’s all. JC was sure the two women would work it out.

Once in the privacy of Amanda’s bedroom, he headed straight for the shower. It had been a long day and a hot shower would definitely release some of the tension from his tired body.

"YOU THINK THAT you’ll be able to sleep okay? Being that you’re in a new place and all?” Amanda asked her sister as she sat on the desk chair in her bedroom.

“Yeah, I think I’ll be okay,” Samantha answered.

“I’m sorry if things have been a little uncomfortable for you today, and I’m sorry for what I said in the car.”

“It’s okay, you were just being honest with me. I understand,” Samantha replied as she searched through her dresser draws. “It’s gonna take me a little while to get used to everything around here,” she told Amanda, “my mom and I lived in a two bedroom apartment. This house is huge compared to where I used to live.”

“Really? An apartment? I can’t believe that – " Amanda stopped, she didn’t want to say anything to jeopardize Samantha from opening up to her.

“That our father would let that happen? Yeah, well I don’t know him very well like you do,” Samantha revealed, “he didn’t support us. My mom supported us.”

Now Amanda was completely confused. Why did he seem to care so deeply then?

“Did you ever see him?” she asked curiously.

“Once or twice a year. That’s about it.” Samantha answered, finally pulling a pair of gray cotton pajamas out of her drawer.

“I got the impression that you two were close.”

“Not really.”

Amanda didn’t dare ask why then she had called him daddy on the phone. Maybe it was because they weren’t close. That did make more sense to Amanda now that she thought about it.

“Well, I’m going to go to bed now. If you need anything, just help yourself, okay?” Amanda told her.

“I will. Hopefully I don’t get lost going to the bathroom.”

“You won’t,” Amanda smirked softly as she stood and walked towards the door.

“Hey, Amanda?"

“Yeah?” she asked, turning around quickly.

“Is, um, JC staying here tonight? I just wondered if I should worry about running into him in the hallway or something.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that too much. I’m on the other side of the house and I’ve got my own bathroom, but Terra’s only two doors down if you need anything.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“Goodnight,” Amanda grinned and reached for the door handle to let herself out.

“Goodnight.”

Once she finally made it to her bedroom, twenty minutes after she’d told JC she’d meet him there in a few minutes, she found him sprawled out on the bed, freshly showered and dead asleep.

“That figures,” she remarked softly to herself and disappeared into her walk-in closet. She grabbed a pair of pajamas before wandering into the bathroom to perform her nightly routine of washing her face and brushing her teeth.

A few minutes later, she nudged JC in the shoulder as she tried to get him to make some room for her on the bed. Unfortunately, he didn’t budge. “JC,” she said, “scoot over.”

He still didn’t move. Finally she poked him rather hard right smack in his rib cage.

“Hey,” he finally stirred, rolling over onto his back, “you don’t have to poke so hard.”

Amanda grinned, crawling onto the bed beside him and switching on the TV.

“You weren’t moving,” she explained.

“I wasn’t even asleep,” he revealed, “I was faking it.”

“Oh, you were?” she asked.

“Yep. How did it go with your sister?” he asked, sitting up beside her and situating his legs under the sheets.

“It went pretty good, I think. She actually opened up to me a little.”

“I see what you mean when you said she was the total opposite of a fan, but you know, it’s probably just a phase she’s going through.”

“I think I’m past the whole shock issue,” Amanda explained. “It’s obvious that she’s going through a lot and I’m going to try my best and not be bitter about the whole thing and be there for her.”

JC gave her a genuine smile as he snatched the remote from her hand. “That’s my girl,” he remarked, “now that’s the attitude I know and love.”

Amanda ignored his words and instead reached over to turn off the light on her nightstand. “Sure you can have the remote,” she told him sarcastically.

“Thanks,” he replied nonchalantly.

But Amanda wasn’t having it. She had a long day and there was only one thing she really wanted at the moment - him. There was no way she was going to sit back and watch TV.

Although, she had been the one to turn it on…

But that wasn’t the point.

“JC?” she said to him.

“Huh?” he asked, not paying her any attention.

“Don’t you remember our conversation earlier in the kitchen?” she asked.

“What conversation?”

“Oh, this is useless,” Amanda sighed and took the initiative to crawl right onto his lap.

“Hi,” he told her with a wide grin.

“Hi,” she replied, snatching the remote from his hand and tossing it on the floor. “Hope you weren’t watching that.”

“Nope, I was just waiting for you to seduce me,” he grinned devilishly.

“Good, ‘cause that’s just what I’m about to do,” Amanda revealed, inching her lips towards his neck and basking in the clean scent of her freshly showered man. Reaching one hand to the side of his head, she tangled her fingers in his damp shaggy hair before lightly dragging her mouth across his warm flesh.

A solid groan sounded from his voice as she touched him. “I’ve been thinking about this all day,” he told her as his arms wrapped around her back, his fingers searching for the bare skin underneath her thin pajama top.

“You have?” she asked, letting her breath tickle his ear.

“Yes.”

“Me too,” Amanda revealed.

His smooth touch inched up her bare back, his fingers crawling underneath the sheer material that served as her top, and a million tiny sparks ignited throughout her body. For four months she had been graced with his affection and it had been the best four months of her life. Four months that she wouldn’t change for the world. Four months and she still felt just as giddy and excited every time he touched her.

Instinctively her eyes fell closed as she tasted him again, her mouth teasing the freshly shaven skin just below his jaw line.

With one swift movement JC hoisted her up and tossed her gently on to her back, her head laying where her feet usually rested, and shadowed her body with his, hovering above her and studying her image as he balanced himself on one arm.

Amanda stared up at him with wanting eyes. If he only knew how incredibly sexy he appeared at that moment. Every muscle in his chest bulged as he rested his weight on that one arm until slowly he lowered himself against her.

Her arms curled around his neck, her fingers tangling into his hair as she pulled him down for a deep, needing kiss. She was on fire inside and he was the only one that could put it out.

“I want you,” she whispered as his lips broke away momentarily.

He groaned, a deep sexy groan that made the desire in her belly swirl with need.

But the sound of Amanda’s bedroom door creaking open caught them both off guard. Immediately Amanda looked over just in time to see Samantha’s face peaking through the door, “oh my god, I am so sorry,” she gasped with wide eyes and shut the door in a hurry.

JC rolled off Amanda and she instantly sat up in shock.

“Ten more minutes and she would’ve got one helluva show,” he remarked.

Amanda was almost too startled to speak, choosing to ignore his comment.

“I can’t believe – uh… I mean, why? She must be lost. I mean, she must’ve been looking for the bathroom or something. Why would she just walk in like that? Oh my god, this is so embarrassing.”

JC chuckled, “I think it’s kinda funny,” he told her.

“You would,” Amanda remarked, smacking him lightly in the chest.

He only smiled in response. It was obvious he was amused by the whole thing.

Amanda just sat there perturbed. She didn’t know what to do. “Should I go talk to her?” she asked.

“No, it will just make her feel worse. I’m sure she’s a lot more embarrassed than you are right now.”

“Oh god, you’re right. Poor thing. I don’t get it though, why would she just come in here like that?”

“Maybe she secretly has a crush on me and was hoping to catch me naked,” JC teased.

“That’s not funny,” Amanda told him, and then the thought actually hit her. What if it was true? “Oh my god, what if she does?”

JC only laughed at Amanda’s hysteria. “Babe, I don’t think that’s it. I was just kidding. I’m sure she just took a wrong turn down the hall or something. This house is kind of confusing.”

“This is just great. Tomorrow is going to be horrible. I thought we were making progress and now it just all went down the drain,” Amanda stood and walked towards the closet.

“Where are you going?” JC asked.

“To talk to Terra. I need advice,” Amanda answered, throwing on a burgundy colored robe.

“But we’re not finished,” JC reminded, obviously not happy at Amanda’s sudden decision to leave the room.

“I’ll be back. Don’t fall asleep. Okay?”

JC sighed loudly and straightened the blankets on the bed, switching his position so his head was actually where it was supposed to be. “Fine,” he said.

“I promise, I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

“Wake me up if I fall asleep,” he told her right before she darted out the door.

Amanda tip-toed down the hall way towards Terra’s room. Hopefully her cousin wasn’t asleep yet. Quietly she knocked, hoping not to stir Samantha. After a second, Terra opened the door and let her inside. Thankfully she hadn’t been sleeping, which was obvious since her light was on and she had an open book laying on her nightstand.

“What’s up?” Terra asked.

“Oh god, Terr. The most embarrassing thing just happened,” Amanda sighed, taking a seat on the edge of her cousin’s bed.

“What?” she asked curiously.

“Samantha walked in on us,” Amanda revealed quietly.

Instantly Terra’s hand flew to cover her mouth as she had to stifle a laugh.

“It’s not funny.”

“You’re right. It’s not funny,” Terra agreed, but she was still having a hard time wiping the grin from her face. “So, she walked in on you… were you guys like… you know?”

“We still had our clothes on, thank god!” Amanda gasped with wide eyes.

“Not that I really wanted to know the details or anything, I was just trying to paint a better picture of what poor Samantha walked into. I’m sure she’s going to be scarred for life now.”

Taking in a deep breath, Amanda realized that Terra wasn’t going to be much more help than JC. “Terr, it’s not funny. What am I supposed to do now? Should I try and talk to her about it?”

“My suggestions? For one, get a lock on your door. For two, just leave it alone. It would be more embarrassing for her – I’m sure – if you try to talk to her about it. Think about when you were fifteen. How would you have felt if you walked in on your parents having sex?”

That thought made Amanda’s lip snarl.

“Yeah, not a pretty picture, is it? Anyway, would you have wanted to talk about it the next day? No, you would have wanted to pretend it never happened.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Even though we’re not her parents, but same thing. I guess.”

“Now,” Terra said, standing up and yanking her cousin off her bed, “go back to your room. Finish whatever it was that got interrupted – oh god, I can’t believe I just told you that,” Terra realized. “Okay, just go. I need to get some sleep.”

Complying, Amanda opened the door and whispered, “goodnight” to her cousin for the last time.

Terra just shook her head and chuckled.

Amanda was having a difficult time shaking the feeling that things were about to get weirder before they returned to normal. Having a sister around was going to take more adjustments than she had realized.