I love my job, I love my job, I love my job.  

"Can I help you find something?"  

"Nope, I'm fine on my own." For the thousandth time.  

If I made it through this tour I might just have to find a nice place to bury Justin. He's added eighteen shows to the roster and ten of them have themes. So now on top of having to pick up extra foundations and basics I have to pick up more eye and lip paints.

Luckily he gave me a company credit card to go nuts with, but the supplier was out of most of the things I needed. Fortunately most of the make up stores in the mall have some variety of what I needed and in colors that I can finally have a chance to play with. Unfortunately I've been so stressed out about the tour and trying to figure out JC that I'm cranky and pushy sales girls trying to get a good commission are starting to piss me off.  

I sighed and pulled my phone from my pocket as it started vibrating and groaned as I saw JC's number flash. I had been successfully avoiding him since the photo shoot, not that I wanted to, because my God if I had my way I'd have gotten through at least fifty of his one hundred ways. For now it was the best thing for both of us, at least as far as I was concerned. Plus add Justin to the mix and things were just getting way too complicated.  

A few days ago Justin showed up at my house to go over the themes that he had planned for the new shows. Normally I wouldn't think twice about that except that he asked if I wanted to go for dinner afterwards. Again nothing out of the ordinary, we had been going for business dinners since I started working at Onyx, mostly to plan the end of the month themes. At first it started with holding open doors and pushing my chair in at the posh restaurant he took me to. The doors and the chair I could blame on his southern upbringing, but this was definitely not the place for a business dinner.  

All around us were couples, dressed to the nines, holding hands and gazing adoringly at each other from across the table.

Then there was Justin and I.  

Justin was decked out in his jeans, a black button up and one of his sweater vests while I was in a baggy pair of jeans, a black and white tank top and a black hoodie displaying the name and logo of my favourite band. I have a feeling the only reason we were allowed in was because of Justin being who he is.  

Half the food I couldn't pronounce let alone recognize. I'm a beer and pizza kind of girl, not these fancy places that require reservations six months in advance or high celebrity status. Add to the fact that people around us kept staring and whispering to each other, I was quite happy when our meal was over and we got the hell out of there.  

Unfortunately Justin decided that we needed to go for a drive before we went home.  

"Is everything okay?" Justin asked as he pulled the car to a stop.  

"Aside from the fact that we're on 'make out ridge'?" I asked, "We could have talked at my place."  

"Yeah but up here there's no distractions." He pointed out.    

"Or anyone to hear you scream."  

"Don't you mean to hear you scream?"  

"No I mean you, because I know I can kick your ass." I told him. "So what did you want to talk about?"  

"Just wanted to find out how you're settling into the idea of this new job." Justin said, turning and leaning back against his door. "JC said that you were pretty stressed."  

I shrugged and leaned back against my own door. Something in the back of my mind was screaming at me to keep my distance from him. "It's just because I don't feel like I'm really earning my pay. I'm not doing any makeup except for the shoot, you barely have me scheduled at Onyx, I feel like a mooch."  

"You aren't a mooch Robyne." Justin said softly, reaching out and putting his hand on my knee. "So what's going on with you and JC?"  

My brain honed in on the fact that Justin's thumb was slowly rubbing against my knee cap, and part of me didn't want him to stop. "Nothing, we're friends."  

"You've been spending a lot of time together."   

"That's what friends do Justin."  

Seriously what was going on here? Did something get slipped into the water that I don't know about?  

Justin sat up and began leaning towards me, "Robyne, do you know what I said to you on your birthday?"  

"Which part of it?" I asked, pressing back against my door.  

"I said to you that I-"   

We both jumped when my cell phone went off. I checked the caller ID and saw that it was the club and immediately handed the phone over to Justin.  

Never in my life have I been so happy to hear about a water main breaking then I was at that moment. If I wasn't confused enough about JC's sudden interest now I had Justin doing the same thing. Most women would be jumping for joy over this particular situation, but you're looking at a girl who's had two semi serious relationships in her life and has spent most of her time watching her best friend get hit on.  

I sighed and shoved my phone back into my pocket and made my way up to the cash register. I honestly don't know how I'm going to make it through this tour.  

"I thought that was you!"   

I felt my body tense at the sound of JC's voice coming from my right where the store entrance was. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he hugged a girl that was probably a few years older then me. From where I stood I couldn't tell who she was, but I had a feeling it was his sister since she was supposed to be in town this week. I pulled my hat down lower and stepped up to the counter, carefully placing the items down so that I wouldn't draw too much attention to myself.  

"Stocking up?" The cashier asked with a smile.  

"Something like that." I muttered, watching JC and the girl out of the corner of my eye.  

I breathed a sigh of relief when she turned and it was indeed Heather, though if he had been talking with a girl I could have at least used that against him.  

The cashier cleared her throat and I realized that she had finished ringing through all my items. I grimaced as I saw the total and handed over Justin's credit card. Once I had signed the slip and shoved my wallet back into my pocket I grabbed my bag and made my way out of the store. I glanced in JC's direction and saw a smile break out on his face as we made eye contact.  

"Robyne!" JC exclaimed.  

I slowly turned my head away and kept walking, pretending not to hear him, even as he followed me, calling my name. Most people would probably give up, thinking they had the wrong person, but apparently JC was positive that it was me. I finally managed to lose him when a group of loud teenage girls stepped between us and he had to slip into a store in case they recognized him. I increased my pace and got into my car before he managed to catch up once more.  

When I got home I sighed and tossed the bag of my supplies onto my bed, opting to take a shower before I sorted everything into my kit and started to work on some of the ideas I would need to have sketched out for the theme nights.  

I turned the water on as hot as possible before shedding my clothes and stepping under the stream. My body shudder from the feeling of the heat against my skin and I watched as my skin slowly turned a bright pink. My ex boyfriend used to complain if he'd try to join me in the shower since I like the water so hot. I had once described it to JC as slowly boiling myself.

I stood under the spray for a long time, contemplating everything that had been going on, wondering what the hell to do. I had never been in a situation like this before, and even Liz, with all her experience with men, wouldn't be able to help me out on this one.   

I finally got around to washing my hair and scrubbing off my body, feeling refreshed and creative when I stepped out. At least I would be able to focus on something artistic for awhile and blare some music to keep my mind off the guys.  I wrapped myself up in one of my towels and wandered down the hall to my room, stopping short, mouth dropping open to find JC sitting on the edge of my bed.  

"What in the hell are you doing here?" I snapped, momentarily forgetting my lack of clothing.   

"I came to see you." JC said calmly, though if the way he was holding his body rigid was any indication, he was anything but calm.  

"You could have called." I snapped.  

"I have been calling, you've been ignoring me."  

Damn it, forgot about that part.  

"How did you get in here?" I demanded.  

JC held up the house key I had given him in case of emergencies about a month ago and I made a mental note to kick my own ass later.  "Since I figured you wouldn't take my phone calls I came here."  

"Just because I gave you that key, doesn't give you the right to just come into my house." The sudden drop of water from my hair to my bare shoulder reminded me that I was still in nothing but a towel. "Would you mind getting your ass out of my room so that I can get dressed?"  

"Why so you can ignore me when I try and talk to you?" JC asked.  

"I don't know what you're talking about." I told him, walking over to my closet and began pulling clothes from it. If he wanted to be like that he could just sit there and watch me get dressed.  

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." JC said, his voice getting closer, which meant he was coming towards me.   

"Obviously not."  

I gasped as JC's body pressed me flush against the wall beside my closet and I could feel my towel slipping.   

"I called your name four times and followed you through the mall and you ignored me." JC's breath was hot against my ear. "And don't pretend you weren't there because the bag on your bed says otherwise."  

"I - I-"

I've apparently lost the ability to speak.  

"Why would you ignore me Robyne?" JC asked, his tongue flicking against my ear. "I know that you want me as much as I want you."  

Oh if he only knew.  

"JC." I breathed out, pressing back against his body.  

JC groaned as my towel slipped down and I could feel him shift behind me. I shivered as I felt the skin of his chest press against the skin of my back and his lips fell onto my shoulder and he rocked against me.  

"I've never wanted someone as bad as I want you right now Robyne." JC moaned against my shoulder.  

I felt his hands start to circle around to my belly and felt the immediate rush of self consciousness that made me grab for my towel that was trapped between us and pull it up.   

"JC, please, I can't." I whispered, sliding away from him.  

"What's wrong?" JC asked as I secured the towel and snatched up the clothes I had been reaching for.  

"I don't know what's going on with you JC." I muttered as I moved to get changed in the bathroom.  

Once I was dressed I opened the door and gasped when I found him standing on the other side.  

"What do you mean?" JC asked me.  

"Are you doing this so that you'll have a regular piece of ass on the tour?" Ugh, I need that damn switch!  

JC looked like I had slapped him across the face. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"  

"JC, I've seen the women you've dated." I said to him, "They aren't like me."  

"Robyne, if I wanted someone like them, I'd be bringing one along." JC snapped, "How could you think that I'm so shallow?"  

"I just don't want all this if you think it's because it's something new to try." I sighed.  

"Something new?"  

"Yeah that over weight, tattooed freak." I snapped. "I've had enough guys treat me like that, I'm not letting it happen anymore."  

JC's expression softened, "I get it now."  

"Well La-De-Fucking-Da."  

I don't know why this conversation was making me so angry. Maybe it's because I expected him to be put off with my sudden lack of self esteem since he always talked about confidence being so sexy.  

"If it takes me forever to prove to you that I'm attracted to you because of who you are then I'll wait." JC said, running a hand through my damp hair, "But I want you to give me that chance to prove it to you."  

I sighed and stared at him, nodding once. This man had every capability of making me fall for him and fall for him hard, pretty sad considering I technically haven't even kissed the guy.  

"I'll give you the chance, but that doesn't mean anything more then you have a chance." I whispered.  

"That's all I need Robyne." JC said, kissing my head and pulling me against his body.  

"Fine, now go put your shirt on before I reconsider stopping you."  

JC laughed and pulled away from me, backing away down the hall, giving me every chance to ogle him. Oh this was going to be a long tour and it hadn't even started yet.