6 Months Later

It was hot.  Almost too hot, really.  Sweat beaded up against her skin and she squinted her eyes against the glaring sun.  With a sigh, she rolled over and rested on her stomach, stopping briefly to glance to her left.

He lay on his back, a cell phone up to his ear as he chatted away with someone back in L.A.  Rylee’s eyes travelled down his torso, enjoying the ripple of his abs, the lines of his hips, and the curve of his thighs as he flexed his leg muscles.

With another contented sigh, Rylee rested her head back down on the towel beneath her and closed her eyes against the bright, Hawaiian light.

It had taken them nearly five months to finally get here, but it was well worth the wait.  Justin had said that he’d cleared the studio, which he had, but just as they were about to book plane tickets, he got a call from Timberland and just couldn’t refuse the offer.  The album took over three months to make, and then Justin had had to go to New York to do some promotions and a music video.

It had been a whirlwind, but Rylee couldn’t be happier.

While Justin was busy in the studio, she’d finished all her schooling and graduated with her degree.  She still worked for Tennman Records, but now she handled her own clients and had her own name.  Her work with Paramore had spread rapidly, and now she was a success in her own right.  It was a really good feeling for Rylee, one that she never thought she would get to feel.

There had been one more run in with Christina shortly after Rylee had kicked the girl out of her apartment.  Christina had shown up at the studio, begging to speak with Rylee.  Of course, Rylee being Rylee, she gave Christina one more chance to say what she needed to say.  It took all of three minutes before accusations and harsh words were being thrown around, and Rylee had the studio security escort Christina out of the building.

The last she’d heard, Christina had moved back to the East Coast when her uncle stopped footing the bills.  Apparently, Rylee was a huge part of the reason Christina’s uncle had been so fourth coming with the cash, as he felt that Rylee was a stable force in his niece’s life and would keep her on track.  Now that Rylee was out of the picture, so was the money.

It made both she and Justin chuckle.

“Baby?”

With a sluggish speed, Rylee turned her head in Justin’s direction.  “Hmm?”

“Can I put some more sun block on your back? You’re looking a little pink.”

Rylee rolled over, feeling the heat of her skin as she did so.  “I think it’s probably time we headed inside.”  Justin nodded, moving to pack up their stuff while Rylee gathered her towel and bag.

“What are you in the mood for tonight?”  Lean fingers intertwined with a much smaller set, and Rylee grinned up at Justin as they walked back toward their bungalow.  Since going all big time with an artist like Timberland, Justin now had some connections.

“I think we should keep it light.  Maybe some salads and grilled chicken?”  Rylee’s suggestion met Justin’s satisfaction and he nodded at her.

“Sounds perfect.”

The rest of their walk was made in relative silence.  There was another bungalow about 300 yards down the beach, but the occupants rarely came out.  Rylee would’ve assumed that it was vacant, except for the occasional moans and screams she and Justin heard at odd hours.  Their guess: honeymoon.

The sand was hot under Rylee’s feet, but she loved the feel of it between her toes as they walked.  The smell of the ocean was relaxing, and the sound of the waves was just enough to put her to sleep.  The combination of those three and Rylee’s fair skin lead her to believe that the pink skin she had now would soon become red.  She didn’t really mind, though, because she was in paradise and nothing could stop her from feeling incredibly happy.

“Hey…” Justin’s voice called to her from the other side of her daydream.  “Where’d you go?”  He grinned at her.

Rylee shrugged.  “Dunno, just thinking.”

Justin’s hand tightened around hers, and she couldn’t help but return the grin that was still sitting on his face.

Rylee couldn’t get over how incredible everything had been between them.  Even when they were both grumpy and getting on each other’s nerves, they had this way of working everything out and being OK.  They really hadn’t gotten into any serious fights, and even those that bordered on being bad, they managed to work it all out and make up soon after.

She loved being around this man.  He was so talented and so passionate that she couldn’t help but be swept up in it all, and the best part was that the majority of the time that passion was directed at her.  He adored her, and it was perfect because she adored him right back.

“Why don’t you go take a cool shower and I’ll start the grill.  Your skin looks pretty hot.”  Justin’s light touch skimmed over Rylee’s bare shoulder, and she nodded at him, pecking him on the lips before disappearing down the hallway to the bathroom.

Justin watched her form leave, admiring the view as she went.  The grin on his face stretched farther and he chuckled to himself.  He was one happy man.

The kitchen was bright with natural sunlight streaming in from the windows and patio doors.  It felt cool and crisp inside, a nice change from the hot sun on the beach.  Justin grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before taking out the chicken and some shrimp to cook on the grill.  He was looking forward to a relaxing night with Rylee, something they didn’t get too often.

Life had gotten busy very fast for him, but he couldn’t really complain.  Working with Timberland had pushed his career that much further, and he’d also made a really good friend.  Being in the studio and creating some of the best music of his life had sparked something in Justin, and he couldn’t wait to see where it led him. 

He also couldn’t get over how in love he was and how simple it all seemed.  Once he and Rylee had gotten past the strange beginning they shared, things fell into place with an ease that seemed unnatural.  He wasn’t going to question it, though, and he certainly wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of their relationship.

It worked out well that they shared time in the studio together every now and then.  Rylee understood the long hours and the strange schedules, and her schedule often matched his, which worked well.  It also helped that she was an incredible musician in her own right, because Justin didn’t have to worry about leaving her alone with artists that he previously managed.  Rylee had made quite a name for herself, and Justin couldn’t be more proud.

Letting out a contented hum, Justin moved outside to the patio to fire up the grill and start cooking dinner.  He heard a noise behind him and turned just in time to catch Rylee as she wrapped her arms around his torso.

“Mmm…”  He cooed, “You smell good.”

“Thanks,” she grinned up at him, her smile matching his own.  “I’m going to go in a make the salad.  Do you want a drink?”

“A beer would be great.  Thanks Love,”  He kissed he mouth deeply before letting her go and smacking his lips with a loud pop.  She giggled.

“I love you, Justin Randall Timberlake.”  His grin grew.

“And I love you, Rylee Jean Anderson.”

Leaving a trail of laughter and mango scented air, Rylee flitted back into the kitchen.  If there were a word to describe how things had turned out, she might try ‘perfect’ but even then she wouldn’t really be close.

And to think…this all started out by making a huge mistake.  Apparently there are some circumstances where it’s OK to sleep with your best friend’s boyfriend, but Rylee wasn’t sure she’d ever want to try that one again.  It was probably safer, too, considering her best friend was Justin, and he didn’t have any boyfriends, as far as she knew.  Maybe Trace, but that would just be wrong.

None of those thoughts really mattered, anyway, because she was happy and she wasn’t about to give any of it up any time soon.

Finishing up the salad, Rylee laughed as she watched Justin through the patio doors, swinging his hips to some imaginary beat in his head.  She grabbed the bowl, and balanced a bottle of beer and her wine glass on a tray as she made her way out onto the patio and to the table.

“Smells good, Babe,” she commented as Justin pulled the last piece of chicken off the grill and moved the plate over to the table.

“I hope it tastes good, too.”

They sat down, preparing plates amidst laughter and shared kisses.  This was how it was supposed to feel and this was how it was supposed to be. 

And of course it didn’t hurt that they were in Hawaii.