“Mmm I think it’s time for food before we dehydrate or something,” Justin said, having just woken up from a nap after yet another round of sex with Jo.  As soon as she’d woken up that morning and found him out on the sofa, they didn’t speak, they just made love again.  They’d spent most of the day in various parts of the hotel suite in much the same manner.  Johanna laughed against his chest, using her hand to move her tousled hair away from her face. 

“You’ve had enough of me?”

“All of you is never enough.” 

“No, no I get it, some men just can’t handle all of this,” she said, standing up.  She gestured to her naked body.  “But if you’re ordering room service, I could really go for a cheeseburger.”

She raised her eyebrows at him as she headed back towards the bedroom.  Justin called down to room service and ordered them some dinner.  He headed into the bedroom and heard the shower running.  He came in behind her and swung her so her hands were on the wall.

“Ooh we playing rough now?”

“No,” he said sliding his hand down her stomach.  “We’re not playing at all.”

His hands left her body and he turned to face the water, grabbing the bar of soap and lathering up.  It was only a moment of hesitation before she gave in.

“Oh c’mon don’t be a baby,” she teased, pressing her front to his back.  She placed small kisses on his back until he turned around, shampoo in hand. 

“I’m not.”  He rubbed the shampoo through her hair, as he had a few times before.  “Unlike you, I have self-control.  I can resist you.”

“Then what were the last 24 hours about Mr. Self-Control?” 

“Choice.  I wanted you and I’m not in the habit of denying myself what I want.  But I could resist.  I don’t think you can.”

“I can resist, I don’t need you,” she said, annoyed by his words. 

“I’ll take your word for it,” he said, leaving her in the shower when he heard the knock at the door. 

He pulled a robe on to answer the door and the bell boy set their food on the table.  He tipped him and went back into the room to slip into some boxers.  He heard the shower shut off and he headed back out to the couch, flipping through the channels for a movie.  Johanna came tooling out, dressed in a pair of his boxer briefs and the shirt he'd discarded the night before.  As she bent over to grab a french fry off the tray, he noticed she hadn't bothered to button it up.  Every movement revealed the curve of a breast, a peek of a nipple.  She was playing the game, and she was playing it well.  She extended her feet across his lap when they finished eating, content to lay back and watch the movie.

He smirked as she moved her feet subtly, grazing him.  She was determined to win this game but he wasn't playing.  He responded by grabbing her feet, massaging them.  She seemed annoyed by the change in power but soon game in to the pleasure coming over her sore feet.  They finished out the movie and Johanna stretched her arms over her head, yawning.  They walked together into the bedroom, crawling in.  Justin ditched the robe and crawled in naked, the way he slept most nights.  Johanna curled up to him, hitching a leg over his.  He slide his arm around her, slipping a hand under the waistband of the boxers.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to come on to me," she baited, her voice soft. 

"Who, me? Never.  Self-control."

They made it through most of the next day together still locked in the flirty battle.  They ventured out among crowds, making it easier to resist each other, the public eye on them at all times.  By the time they made it back after dinner, it was hard to sit still, the ache between Johanna's legs was so strong.  Ever since she'd realized her true feelings for him, it had been harder and harder to hold back.  After incessant jittery moments trying to just lay in bed, she rolled on top of him, running her hands up and down his torso.

"I knew you'd break first," he said.  He kissed her hard, his hand on the back of her head.

"Shut up," she growled.  "Time for some truth telling, alright Timberlake?"  she said, pulling his bottom lip with her teeth. 

"Okay...," he said, trailing off as his phone rang.  She trailed over to his ear as he grabbed it and glanced at the screen.  "Truth telling.  After I take this.  I'm sorry...believe me I'm sorry but I have to."

She groaned as she rolled off him and he went out to the other room to talk.  She flipped on the TV to occupy her while he was gone.  An entertainment news show just started so she left it.  

"Is Trouser snake Timberlake back at his player ways?  Just days after bringing a sexy brunette to the Grammy's reports are surfacing that Timberlake was spotted out with rumored flame Cameron Diaz just days before the event," the announcer said, flashing pictures of Justin and Cameron holding hands walking out of a cafe.  "Our top story tonight, what's up with Justin Timberlake?  After being rumored to be dating Cameron Diaz after a fling post-Britney, Justin Timberlake showed up to the Grammy's with a mystery woman on his arm.  So what's the deal?  Our very own Jackie James has the story."

Johanna's ears went fuzzy.  Justin had disappeared during Grammy rehearsals, telling her he had a fitting for his suit.  These pictures clearly showed otherwise.  In her head she knew she had no right to be upset but her heart told her different.  She jumped off the bed and grabbed her stuff, shoving it in her suitcase.  After wiping away silent tears and washing her face with cold water, she slipped on her shoes.  When she headed back out to the room, Justin was waiting on her. 

"I'm ready for that truth telling you were yammering on about.  Get up here," he said, gesturing to his lap.

"Yeah, um, actually while you were gone, Mollie called.  Things are getting tougher, being super pregnant, they're talking about hospitalization...she just needs a friend right now.  I gotta go.  Do you think you could get me on a flight tonight?" 

"Sure. I'll get us both on one."

"No!" she replied, a little too earnestly.  "I mean, she didn't really want everyone to know because she didn't want everyone worrying about her.  I'll keep you updated.  Besides, you've got a bunch of meetings coming up, you're finalizing the contract on your house tomorrow.  You'll be busy.  It's fine." 

"Are you fine?" Justin said, completely shocked by this sudden change in plans.  "Five minutes ago you were all over me, trying to get my clothes off and now you seem upset.  Did I say something...or do something?"

"I'm just upset about my best friend.  She's got a lot going on, I don't want her to be stressed about her pregnancy.  I just need to go to her." 

"Okay, I'll make some calls."

Twenty minutes later they were in a car, headed for LAX.  They didn't speak much on the way there, the tension was thick in the air.  Justin knew something was off, he just didn't know what had changed in the 5 minutes they were apart.  When they got to the airport, it wasn't really full since it was so late.  He walked her to security, carrying her carry on for her.  When they couldn't stay together any longer, he turned and pulled her in for a hug.  He cradled her head, pulling her in for a long slow kiss.  Johanna savored it, trying not to cry.  She didn't know if this would be their last.  

"Call me when you land," he whispered, his lips against her forehead.  Johanna couldn't speak.  She was afraid her voice would give her away.  She nodded against his chest, giving him one final squeeze before turning to go through the scanners.  When she passed through, she looked back once, giving a small wave and continued through until he could see her anymore.  She let the tears fall down her cheeks, finally finding her gate and choosing a seat near the ticket counter.  She covered her face with her hands and sobbed.  She shouldn't be this upset.  He wasn't even her boyfriend.  She'd figure out when she got home.

Justin couldn't sit still on the ride home.  Something wasn't right.  Even if something was up with Mollie, there was something different that was bothering Johanna.  He gripped his phone and when he got back to the hotel, he opened his laptop.  He did something he never did, he searched his named.  He clicked on the first hit to come up.  Top story on one of the tabloid magazines was photos of him and Cameron, holding hands.  It wasn't what it looked like.  She was talking to him about a movie she wanted him to be in.  Sure, they'd had their moments in the past but he only grabbed her hand to help her walk through the throngs of paparazzi.  

He hadn't told Johanna because he didn't think it was a big deal.  Or maybe deep down he knew it would be and was trying to avoid a fight.  All he and Johanna did was fight and make love.  For once he wanted to try a normal relationship.  Things had been going great the last few days, culminating in today, where they spent the day out and about, holding hands and kissing like a regular couple.  She must have seen this.  Why else would she be rushing out of here?  His head spun.  What was she going to tell him tonight?  Why did she want to talk?  Had he just ruined it all?

Johanna woke up in her bed in JC's house the next day, exhausted.  When she finally made it here after her red-eye flight, she collapsed in bed and cried until there was nothing left.  When she finally woke it was afternoon and she glanced at her phone.  Five missed calls from Justin and a whole mess of texts.  She ignored them all, intent on seeing her best friend today.  She got showered and dressed, slipped on some shoes and walked over to their house just in time to see JC helping Mollie out of the car.  God damn, she'd gotten big.

"Jo, what are you doing here?" Mollie exclaimed, reaching her arms out for a hug.

"I gotta talk to you," she admitted.  "But what's up with you?  Is this a hospital bracelet?" 

"Mollie's gotta talk to you too," JC said.  "Maybe you can remind her that there are 5 babies in there depending on her."

"Oh jeez."

After helping Mollie up the stairs and into bed, Johanna helped her change into comfy clothes while JC went down to prepare some food.  After getting Mollie changed, Johanna climbed in bed with her.

"You sure you wanna lay in here with me?" 

"If I don't think about you and JC it's fine.  I'm a mess," Johanna said, admitting defeat.  

"What's up?  When Jayce came back he said you guys looked happy and were having a great time." 

"We were.  I had a great time at the show, we had two days of marathon sex and we were blissed out.  I had finally come clean with myself on my feelings for him and I was so ready to tell him, until last night."

"Wait, your feelings for him?  I thought this was just sex no feelings." 

"It's become more than that.  It's been more than that for him for a long time.  I feel it.  He's just been sweet enough to give me my time.  Now I've had it and I'm in deep."

"So what changed?  Did you tell him and he didn't reciprocate?" 

"No," Johanna said, wiping her eyes on the back of her shirt sleeve.

"So, what then?" 

"We were getting into it, after a day of doing normal couple like things, we were about to end the night with a bang when his phone rang.  He went in the other room to talk and I turned on the TV.  The leading story?  Justin and Cameron, holding hands in the days leading up to the Grammy's.  It was just a slap in the face.  We'd been spending all this time together, doing coupley things together and I felt like I was going to just let my walls down and be honest and then I see this.  I see that he clearly just went out with another person under my nose."

"He didn't even mention that they were going to have coffee?" 

"No.  Our agreement was that if we wanted to be with other people we'd break off this arrangement.  He couldn't even mention it.  I feel so stupid."

"You're not stupid.  You're in love." 

"No."

"Deny it all you want, I won't believe you," Mollie said, cradling her best friend in her arms.  "Cry it out.  I've got plenty of time to lay here with you.

JC came in the room a little while later, with a tray full of food, commanding Mollie to each as much as possible.

"And Jo, just a heads up.  I think Justin's on his way here.  I had called him looking for you when you must have been on the flight.  I think he knows something is up."

 "I don't want to see him.  I'm not admitting defeat when he was out and about with someone else."

 "I can't stop him, you know that.  But I'll relay the message."