“You ok?” JC asked as Jenna got past the doors.

“Yeah.  I guess I need to get used to that,” she sighed.

“You’ll have security, or me, at least,” JC replied.  “What did they say?”

“They noticed how often I came back here, wondering if I knew any of them.  They found out I live in LA and wondered if…”

“If you’d met any of us?” JC laughed.

“I told them it wasn’t as easy as it seems.  I did say I met Lance, I’d seen you at Heart, and that Chris and I had a mutual friend.  Ya know, you know someone who knows someone…”

The glass doors closed, the doors tinted to further protect their privacy.  JC pulled her tighter into his arms, kissing her deeply.

“Go up to your rooms, lovebirds,” Chris called.  “Come on, let’s go have lunch, or whatever you wanna call it at 6:00…”

They smiled at each other, catching up to Chris.  “Just the three of us?” JC wondered, realizing Brad and Otown were doing meet and greets.

“I figured maybe Jenna could get changed first, give them time to get through the fans and pictures.  I wish I could have done something official, but with the hurricanes in Florida, my team was literally in the dark.”

“You made up for it today, though,” Jenna said.  “I don’t think anyone was expecting you to hop the rope and just hang out with fans.  “It shows we picked the right group though, you wanted to connect with fans that much.  Security looked thrown off, though.”

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t in any danger.  If I was, they’d have stepped in and pulled me away, I would’ve let them. I hadn’t seen one girl in almost 20 years… We happened to be at the same club for something, it was her birthday and…”

“She grabbed your butt.  I saw the picture she had on her shirt of her hand on your butt, then I saw you recreate the picture.  It had been that long since you’ve seen her, but you recognized her like it was yesterday.  Again, we made the right choice.”

“I’m gonna take a shower, get changed, Jenna might wanna change out of her bathing suit, unless you really just wanna show her off.  Surrounded by guys, that might look weird, though,” Chris said.

“About how long before they’ll be ready to eat?” JC wondered.

“Let’s give them an hour.  I’ll text them, see what they wanna do.  It might just turn into dinner, not sure when they’re checking out.”

“Can we just do something, the three of us at least, and whoever else joins, joins?” jenna asked.

“Yeah.  I know they had food at the pool, but I’m sure there wasn’t a big selection.”

“I’m hungry, that’s for sure,” Jenna laughed lightly.  “See you in a bit?”

Chris nodded. “I’ll come over when I’m ready to go, even if it means waiting a bit for you.”

They went to their rooms, both on the same floor, thankfully not next door where Chris might have heard them the night before.  She sighed as JC closed the door behind them.  “How is this my life?  I’m making lunch or dinner plans with Chris Kirkpatrick, like it’s nothing…”

“He’s not here,so I can say something and not get yelled at or hit, but it IS Chris… It’s no big deal.”

“For you. You’ve known him over half your life, Josh.  Ok, think about the first few times you saw Richard Marx.  Someone you’d looked up to, and are now friends with.  It was surreal the first little bit of that, right?  Hard to believe it was real?  That’s where I’m at now.  Eventually I’ll get used to it, but for now I’m still in shock of how this is my life.  Mainly in being with you.  I could see being friends with Chris because you introduced us, if we had just stayed friends.  But to be your girlfriend, that’s wonderfully unexpected.”

“Is it, though?  Unexpected, I mean.  We both knew there was something between us for a while, no matter how much we fought against it.”

“I definitely was worried I was overthinking things, that you weren’t interested because I’m nothing like Jen, or anyone else you’ve dated.”

“That may be true, but I’m also drawn to you in a way I’ve never been drawn to anyone before.  Let’s get showered and changed.”

“You need to shower, too?”

“Someone needs to make sure you don’t have a seizure in the shower,” he said, his voice low.  She knew it was a line by the way he sounded.

“You just want to see me naked,” she smiled in reply.

“See you, wash you, touch you…”  he paused,, leaning in close, his breath in her ear.  “Fuck you against the wall in that shower…”

“Yes, please,” she breathed, moving quickly towards the bathroom.

JC quickly stepped ahead of her, stopping in the doorway to the bathroom.  “I’ll get the water started.  You wait right here and I’ll get you ready while the water heats up.”  She watched him walk into the bathroom, pulling his shirt off as he did so.  Things were definitely heating up already.  He unbuckled his belt, puling his pants and underwear down his legs, stepping out of them and kicking them away.  He walked into the shower stall, turning on the water, testing the showerhead for spray options.  He found one he liked, almost like a rain shower, not too hard and it made an interesting echo in the bathroom, almost like music as it hit the floor.

She bit her lip as he turned to face her, her eyes immediately drawn to the thickness between his legs, already mostly at full attention, teetering in her direction.  She saw his eyes, hungry wth need and desire for her as he walked back to her.  “Things are already heating up,” she managed to whisper, his face mere millimeters from hers, their breath fanning and mixing against each other’s.

He closed the gap, pulling her into his arms, his tongue pressing past her lips.  Her coverup dropped to the floor, his hands reaching to undo her bikini top.  He groaned at feeling her naked breasts against his chest, his cock twitching to full attention, aching to fill her.  Soon enough, he told himself.

“Am I about to find out what a quickie is like with you?” Jenna wondered.  “I’d feel awkward if Chris knocked and we were still in the middle…”

“Please don’t say his name, anyone’s name right now.  If you want this hard and fast, I’ll gladly give you what you want, Jenna.”

He pulled her bikini bottoms off of her, pulling her legs to wrap around him, wishing he could enter her then and there.  He carried her to the shower, opening the door with one hand while supporting her back with the other, their lips entangled with one another.  They stepped under the water, the moment almost feeling like a movie, standing in the rain as lovers reunite.  His lips met hers over and over again, their tongues dancing back and forth, both of them rolling their hips to create an intense friction that was driving both of them deeper into needing each other.

“Josh, please…” she breathed in his ear.

“Cum for me, Jenna.  Just once.”

He pressed her against the tile wall, the cold hitting in sharp contrast to the warmth of the water.  He ground his hips against her, the pressure delicious in the pleasure that was building within her.  Her gasps and pants for breath just spurred him on, almost needing her release more than she did.

“Fuck, yes… oh god…” she managed as she felt it all build up, his lips sucking gently at her neck tipped her over the edge, her body relaxing against the tile.   “That was… amazing.”

“It’s not over yet, mama,” he smiled, kissing her deeply as he aligned himself with her, both of them groaning as their bodies joined as one.  His body supported hers against the wall, his hips driving into her over and over again, nothing slow or gentle about it.  He could take his time with her later, he needed her now, however he could get it.  She was a drug for which there was no rehab, something he needed in his system for the rest of his life, and maybe even all of his next one, if that kind of thing existed.  

His pace was frantic, Jenna’s groans of pleasure making him never want to stop, but also making him need to fall apart because of him.  He was certain of his future.  She would build him up, only to tear him down again in overwhelming love and pleasure.  He didn't mind one bit as long as it was with her.  

“Fuck, I’m so close…” he groaned through almost gritted teeth.

“Let go, Josh, let go.  Oh god…”

He kissed her deeply as she felt her tighten around him, sending him into overdrive and over the edge with her, his body stilling except his hips, slowing in their rhythm as the final waves hit him.

“Let me wash you, Josh,” she breathed.

JC gently shook his head.  “No, baby, this weekend is all about you.  The next few weeks, my entire life, is all about you…”

“I’m not one to complain,” she smiled softly, JC wishing they had more time before Chris came back, do things properly, the way she deserved.  If she wanted it hard and fast, he wasn’t going to complain, either, but he also wanted to show her how much she meant to him.

He washed her first before letting her wash him, knowing he would be quicker as long as they didn’t let round 2 start and forget about Chris.  They dried off and Jenna went through her bag to look for an outfit.  She settled on dark skinny jeans and a black off the shoulder top, JC smiling as he saw her put the top on without a bra.  

“Making it easy for me later, are you?” he smirked.  “Either that or teasing me with what I want and can’t have while we’re out with whoever all shows up.”

“What can I say?  You make me feel confident for the first time in a long time.  Before you, I’d wear this shirt with a bra that matched so you’d think it was part of the ensemble.  Now that I think about it, I kinda want to, seeing as I’m nearing 40 and gravity is kicking in…”

“Don’t.  You’re perfect, Jenna.  Women are told they have to look a certain way, but you, right now… You’re beautiful.”

A blush rose to her cheeks.  “Thank you.  Again, old me would be saying that you’re my boyfriend, you have to say that, but I know you don’t bullshit or placate people.  You’re genuine, so thank you.  I certainly feel more beautiful around you, and it’s all in the way you treat me.”

“Then I’ll do this the rest of our lives,” he sighed, brushing hair behind hr ear.  He leaned in to kiss her when they heard a knock at the door.  “That would be Chris,” he grumbled.

“Make him wait a second,” she smiled, pulling him in for a short and sweet kiss.  She pulled away, walking to the door and opening it.  “Hi Chris, sorry for the wait.”

“Umm, no problem,” he said, confused as it felt like he had waited a normal amount of time before someone opened the door.  “So it’s us, Mark, and Brad.  Maybe some of the other guys, I know a couple of them are flying out later tonight, so not sure when they’re leaving here for the airport.  There’s a pizza place in here, I figured maybe that?”

“Sounds good,” JC smiled, knowing pizza was kinda their thing given the nights watching TV and eating pizza at her place, and now at his.

“Then if you guys are still hungry later, you can do the steakhouse just the two of you.  I’m flying out in the morning, so I’m gonna go to bed early tonight.”

JC was more casual, a t shirt and jeans and a baseball cap.  Jenna didn't mind, of course, he looked fantastic in anything.  They took the elevator down to the main floor, Jenna realizing most of the people on the casino floor weren’t there for the concert, no one really looking at them.  She noticed someone following them at a distance, but recognized them as hotel staff from the concert, just in case they suddenly needed security.  She knew Chris and JC would protect her if need be, but she didn't feel like it would come to that.  

It was dimly lit inside, which gave them a bit of privacy as they sat at a large booth, just in case others made it to the table.  They looked over the menu, getting meatballs, garlic bread, and flatbread as appetizers.  Then they gave drink orders.  Chris ordered a whiskey special, JC ordered a bourbon peach tea.  They looked at Jenna, wondering what she’d order.

“I know it’ll sound weird, but can I get the pineapple martini with either rum or tequila instead?  Vodka makes me sick.”  She sighed, not wanting to be difficult but it sounded delicious otherwise.  “Can I also get an Arnold Palmer and water?”

Their server smiled and nodded, stepping away from the table.

“So, no vodka, huh?” Chris chuckled.  “I’m sure there’s a story there…”

“I don’t remember how old I was, obviously over 21, but I was with a bunch of friends one night.  We had a group of like 15 with us, so they told us we could go up to the bar if we wanted while we waited for our table.  The bartender said he makes his drinks in two strengths, strong, and stronger.  I forgot this, and at dinner ordered an electric lemonade.  I had appetizers, bread, my carb heavy meal, and like 8 glasses of water, and the room was spinning from that one drink.  Wait, I was at least 23 cuz I had my license by then and stayed at the restaurant until I felt I could drive home ok.”

“How old were you when you got your license?  Was that because of the epilepsy?” JC wondered.

“No.  I didn’t need to go many places in high school, I could take the bus to work straight after school my senior year, so I either took to transit system or got rides from family.  Once I was in college, I could still take city buses and stuff, and it worked out for a bit that I didn't drive.  I was copilot for a guy I liked. We dated for about a year after he helped me get my license.  Lots of memories in that car…” she sighed, thinking back.

“Hear that, C? I feel like you should be jealous somehow…” Chris teased.

“I was his first girlfriend, so yeah, typical young adult type stuff in the backseat.  Also cuz he wanted to hide our relationship, so that was about the only place we could do anything.  He never came to my house, met my parents, and acted like we weren’t together when I’d go over to his house almost once a week for game night with our friends.”

“Ok, sounding less great now,” Chris said.

“It had a certain thrill to it, I’m sure, at least for him.  I’d dated before that, so for his first kiss to be a lot of firsts, well, he took advantage. But it fizzled, and we’re still friends on facebook and such, but that;’s it.”

“Was he your first?” JC asked quietly, knowing Chris really didn't need to know, but also didn't want to wait until later to ask.

“No, that was Steve.”

“There’s a Steve…” Chris laughed, obviously wanting to know more.

The server came with their drinks, soon bringing the appetizers as well.  “Are you ready to order?”

“Can we get a few more minutes, see if anyone else comes over?” Chris asked.  The server nodded and walked away.  ‘So, Steve…”

“I met him through a co-worker of mine.  She and I got along well enough, and getting to know me, she suggested I might like her brother.  We set up a semi blind date at Starbucks, and talked to each other a little bit on Facebook or MySpace the night before. The night was incredible.  We hit it off really well, I even thought to myself that this could be it.  One date and I thought he could be the man I marry.  There was just such a connection, I’d never really felt that so quickly before.  We had friends in common as well, though we found that out after we got together.  The only problem was that I was still friends and in touch with my ex, the other guy I told you about.  He was super jealous, worried that I’d take my ex back.  It took over 6 months of convincing him that it was over and done before things got better between them, and they actually got along fairly well otherwise.  I knew he was secure enough in our relationship when he proposed.”

“So you’re divorced?” Chris wondered.

“What difference does it make, you’re married, Kirkpatrick,” a voice said, approaching their table.  Jenna blinked, Mark Mcgrath was standing right in front of them, sitting to take a spot next to Chris.  Brad followed seconds later, sitting next to JC.   

“No, I’m not divorced.  A year into the engagement, the morning before going to purchase my dress, he dumps me, saying he never loved me.  Two years together, taking MONTHS to convince them that I wasn’t still in love with my ex, that if he asked, I’d want to marry him, and he dumped me.  It sucked at the time, but I dodged a bullet.  He wasn’t ready, and there would’ve been a lot on me if we’d gotten married.  He was 21, I was 26.”

“What a dick…” Mark gasped.

“You’re 39 now, so…” JC let the thought trail off.

“Yeah,” Jenna said, wanting to blush, knowing what he was thinking.  “None of that matters now that I have you.”

“So how did you guys meet?  JC didn't tell us the story,” Brad asked.

“I know, I know!” Chris teased.  “It all started…”

“He saved my life,” Jenna said fondly, looking up at him.  “I had a seizure while driving, and he saved me.  Well, he made the 911 call when I wasn’t responsive.  He went to the hospital to make sure I was ok.  Even told them he was my boyfriend so they’d let him see me.”

“I get it, but couldn’t you have said you were her brother instead?” Brad wondered.  “You had Jen, what happened there?”

“We weren’t happy.  Like Jenna said, it doesn’t matter now that we’re with each other. As great as things had been with Jen, I’m happier now, wanting things I hadn’t wanted before.  All because of a dream.”

“A dream?”

“I was in the hospital, not the same day as the accident, and I had a dream that I was holding a baby.  Our baby.”  She looked up at JC, a smile wide on her face.

“I knew you were head over heels for her, but you’re wanting kids?” Mark asked.

“If Chris can do it, how hard can it be?” JC shrugged.

“Careful there, don’t tempt fate or karma to give you the hardest kid possible.  We got lucky with Nash, that we could have him at all after trying for so long.”

“Ok, before we get any deeper into conversation topics, let’s figure out food,” Brad advised.

“Get whatever you want, babe,” JC said softly.

The server came, getting their order.  The men all looked at Jenna to order first.  A slight blush rose to her cheeks.  “I’ll have the linguini carbonara, the chicken fettuccine alfredo, and sides of mushrooms, creamed spinach, and string beans.”

Their eyes widened at how much food she ordered, even JC.  No one said anything judgmental, making their own orders.  “That’s quite an appetite you seem to have there, Jenna,” Mark said.

Jenna put her hand on JC’s thigh, her fingers digging in a bit. “You have no idea…”

JC was trying to not be flustered in the moment, knowing they’d have more time later that night to satisfy that particular hunger.  

“Are you gonna be hungry later, though?” JC wondered.  “Is this doubling as dinner, too?”

“We’ll see.  I didn't really want the stuff they had out by the pool, the stuff I got was mediocre at best, honestly.  I’m hoping these places step their game up a bit.”

“Jenna, what do you do for work?” Brad asked. 

“Well, I was teaching Kindergarten, hopefully I can go back to that after my surgery and recovery.  I feel bad, especially for Justin since he pushed for me to get the job there.  I don’t want anything negative coming back on him or straining my ties to the school. I had no idea about the tumor or anything before starting there, it was just poor timing.”

“No one expects to be told they have a tumor,” Brad replied.  “You know my story, so know that I’m praying for the best possible outcome for you, Jenna.”

“Thank you.  As terrifying as it all is, that dream is giving me hope. Having Josh by my side is helping a lot, too.”

“Feel free to reach out to us,” Brad encouraged. “Seriously, I think I speak for all of us when we say how terrible this is that it’s happening to you. I hope you keep your light during all of this, that dream shining on your darkest days like a beacon of hope.”

“I’m sure recovery after the surgery is going to be difficult, but with Josh by my side, I can handle it.”

The food arrived all at once, barely fitting on the table. Their server combined plates from the appetizers to make room before leaving with empty glasses as well.  They continued to talk, the guys watching as Jenna ate all of the food she ordered. To be fair, the portions were on the smaller side, but it all tasted amazing. 

She and JC gave each other bites from their plates, enjoying the food and the company of each other and these new found friends. Brad and JC commiserated about their experiences with cancer, hoping to give insight as well as hope to Jenna. Brad had experienced so much loss in a short period of time, and she’d met Karen and had heard about Roy’s diagnosis a few years back. 

“It’s a good sign that you have such a healthy appetite,” Brad noticed. “There will be days where JC will probably beg you to eat so you get proper nutrients you need during recovery.”

Chris had been quiet, Jenna noticing his lack of engagement in the conversation. They paid the bill, Jenna pulling Chris aside for a moment. 

“Are you ok? I haven’t known you long, but I figured you’d be super talkative and such.”

“I’ll be honest, Jenna.  I’m struggling with all of this. I’ve never seen JC like this with a woman, and the possibility of something bad happening… He can’t lose you, Jenna. It would break him in ways he might not recover from. It would break all of us. We just met this morning, and I see why he fell for you.  You’re part of this crazy family, and we want you around as long as possible. I’m trying to be positive, but I can’t help but think…”

“I know. Sometimes I can’t sleep because it pops up in my thoughts, in my dreams. I’m holding onto that dream of Liam with all I have that nothing bad will happen. That someday, I’ll get to hold our baby, Josh will get to hold his son.”

“I hope you’re right, Jenna.  I’m praying that everything works out right and you get your happily ever after. You deserve it, JC deserves it.  You’re wonderful together, I’ve never seen him this happy, in spite of your situation. I want you in our lives for a long time. Not just his, you’re one of us now. You’re stuck with us, like it or not.”

“I wouldn’t use the word stuck, but thank you. I plan to love him with all I have with however much time I have left. Whether it’s a week, a month, a year, or the next 25 years or more. I will love him until my last breath.”

“I want that to be a long time from now, Jenna.”

“Me, too,” she sighed, trying not to get too emotional.

They caught up to the group, making their way around the casino floor. Chris and Mark sat down at blackjack, the rest watching. Chris had better luck than Mark, winning a couple hands and walking away before he got in over his head.  He gave Jenna $100, telling her to find something she wanted to join. 

She looked at the large section of slot machines, different themes trying to pique her attention. She settled on a brightly colored one that boasted “over 1,000 ways to win!”  JC watched for a bit before joining Chris at a roulette table. The guys worked their way around the casino, watching or playing for a bit, being conservative with their bets. 

JC went back towards the slot machines to find Jenna, not seeing her at the machine she’d started at. He began to walk around, hoping to find her instead of both of them trying to find each other. He soon saw her at a machine with a Wheel of Fortune theme.  She was sitting at a $250 prize if she cashed in, giving another tap of the button. 

He watched the screen, showing her win $50 plus a bonus game. The wheel at the top of the screen began to spin. He waited, holding his breath as she won another $100. “Holy shit,” he whispered, Jenna turning to see him. She pressed a button, a paper printing out. 

“You just won $400 from slots? Jenna, that’s amazing…”

“I stop when I hit $250, that’s my limit. If I keep going, I lose it all hoping to win it back. I’d say it’s a state that works for me,” she said, pulling out two more vouchers. 

“Jesus, you won over $900?!” he gasped quietly.

“Drinks are on me tonight, baby,” she smiled.