Chapter 24
The next day came quickly with the preparation for the Grammy’s. Tessa woke up early and went on a morning run with Justin and then headed back into the house to relax.
Justin got changed and headed over to where the Grammy’s was being held to look over security while Joey stayed with Tessa.
They sat around, and watched movies and just talked; something that they hadn’t done since he found out about Justin.
They were sitting in the theater room, the TV on low as they snacked.
“So how are things Joe?” Tessa asked as she sipped on her water.
Joey looked at her, “They’re fine” he said simply.
Tessa nodded as she turned and looked at the TV once again.
“Did you have fun last night?” she asked, “At the party”
“I didn’t do much but watch the exit,” he said “but it was okay”
“Sorry, usually you’d be able to party” she said.
He shook his head, “It’s about keeping you safe Tessa, that’s my job” he said.
Tessa nodded, “I know, it’s always been your job but before you could come out and party with me” she said
“What Justin says goes” Joey said, “He’s about keeping you safe, and so am I”
Tessa looked back over at him again, as she bit her bottom lip.
“Are you still mad at me for that?” she asked him.
Joey shook his head, “It doesn’t matter what I say, you’re going to do whatever you want to” he replied.
Tessa stuck her bottom lip out in a pout.
“Joey!” she whined.
He turned and looked at her.
“He’s not worth losing your life over” he said, “Having you be connected to him like that puts a risk on your life”
“I love him Joey” Tessa said, as she moved herself next to him on the couch. “I know it sounds crazy, but I love him”
Joey remained silent as Tessa continued to watch him.
“I’m not like you guys, where you get to go out and meet people and have a good time” she said “Most of the time when I meet people, I have to think about their motive”
A smile crept on her lips “Justin’s only motive was to protect me,” she said “and for some unexplained reason, we connected”
“Yeah, but that connection could kill you” Joey said
Tessa smiled and shook her head, “He cares about me as much as I care about him” she said “He won’t let anything happen to me”
“He better not” Joey said, still unsure.
Tessa moved herself closer to Joey and leaned over to wrap her arms around him in a tight hug.
“I love you Joe” she said, “You’re my Joey bear”
He wrapped his arms around her hugging her tightly.
“I love you like you’re my own blood” he whispered.
Tessa smiled. She broke the hug and sat up more comfortably next to him.
“Now, let’s jus enjoy the rest of the day ok?” she asked.
Joey nodded with a chuckle as he turned back to the TV. He reached for the remote and began to change the channel. Tessa watched him with a smile, things would be okay.
-*-
The time had arrived. Tessa headed up to her room to start getting ready for the Grammy’s, while the men went to change into their black suits they had picked out for the event.
Justin made his way from the patrol room, donned in his black suit and black sunglasses to match. He had his gun strapped under his jacket, and his cell phone in hand. He wanted a chance to see Tessa before Brandon came in to make sure she was ready. So he quickly walked up the front steps into the house.
The house was silent, so he took it as a sign that Brandon had yet to enter. He quickly closed the door and made his way up the stairs to Tessa’s bedroom at the end of the hall way.
He could hear her singing to a song that was playing on her radio and he smiled as he knocked on the door lightly.
“Come in!” she called.
Justin opened the door, and poked his head in.
“Hey baby” she said with a smile as she walked out of the bathroom that was connected.
He smiled as he walked in, and closed the door behind him. He looked her up and down; she was dressed in a dark red short tube top dress that hugged her in all the right places. It went down to her mid thighs and she had her hair pinned up and her dark eye makeup and red lips were captivating.
Tessa turned around in a circle and then looked at him with a smile.
“You like it?” she asked,
He nodded, but still didn’t say anything. Tessa giggled and made her way towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she leaned up to brush her kiss against his. Justin’s hand went to her cheek to hold her face in place as he kissed her deeply.
She groaned, and then broke the kiss and looked at him, and reached up to pull the sunglasses off his face to see his eyes and rested them onto his head.
“I got you something” he said.
Tessa smiled at him as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a medium sized jewelry box. Tessa looked at the box then at him, and smiled as she took it and sat down on the side of the bed with the box in her hands and Justin moved to sit down next to her.
“You didn’t have to get me anything” she said
He smiled, as the box left his hands and went into hers and he leaned over to kiss her cheek. She turns to him and smiled again before putting the box on her lap and untying the ribbon and opening the small box.
Justin watched in anticipation, his tongue reaching out to lick at his dry lips. She gasped as she pulled out the gold necklace that had a medium sized heart pendent attached with what looked like a single red stone in the middle.
“Oh it’s beautiful” she said with a smile as she turned to look at him.
He watched her, and reached out to take the necklace, unlatching the lock and putting it around her neck.
“This red stone, it’s a panic button that leads right to this censor” he clasped the latch before reaching into his suit pocket and pulled out black object, that looked like a pager, holding it up to show her.
Tessa looked at the object before turning to look at Justin, her eyes meeting his.
“If you need me, you touch that button and I will be your side before you can say Grammy” he finished.
Tessa leaned over to press her lips against his; not really carrying if her make up would get messed up because all that mattered was that he cared about her as much as she cared about him. Justin’s hand went to rest on her cheek again as he deepened the kiss”not being able to control himself.
There was a knock on the door a minute later that cause the kiss to break suddenly, and they both turned towards the door.
“Tess, we’re about ready” Brandon’s voice came from the other side.
They turned to look at each other again, and Justin pressed his lips to hers once more before they both stood up. Tessa turned to look at Justin once more but couldn’t help that giggle that escaped her lips.
“You’ve got red on your lips, you better go wipe it off” she whispered.
Justin’s hand immediately went to his lips as he turned and made his way into the bathroom.
“Tessa” came another call from the other side of the door.
Tessa rolled her eyes and walked towards the door and pulled it open.
Brandon was there dressed in a black suit identical to the one Justin had on.
“Hey” he said, “Nice necklace where’d you get it?”
Tessa immediately reached up to touch it.
“Justin gave it to me” she said
Before Brandon could say anything, Justin emerged from the bathroom his sun glasses now over his eyes. Brandon looked up at him kind of shocked, before turning back to Tessa.
“It’s a censor; all I have to do is push it if something happens and Justin gets a message and is on his way” she said holding it out “Isn’t it beautiful?”
Brandon looks at it before turning to look at Justin, who is still wiping at his lips.
“I’ve got the other half here” Justin said patting his chest.
“Well, we better get going don’t want to be late” he said, before turning to Tessa again. “Do you have everything?”
She nodded and went to the bed to pick up her small purse, and makes her way towards the entrance taking Brandon’s hand as they head down the stairs. Justin follows behind them as they walk down the stairs.
There’s was a limo outside the front door, Tony wouldn’t be there until she was going home”he would be waiting for her at the drop off at the end of the night. Joey was outside talking to the driver when the three made their way outside. He looked up, donned in the black suit like the other two men and black sunglasses over his eyes, he smiled.
“Look at you” he said with a whistle.
Tessa smiled and made her way down the steps, “Do I look ok Joe?”
He laughed and walked towards her and kissed her cheek lightly, “You look great” he said, “C’mon lets go before we’re late”
With that the limo driver opened the door, Tessa made her way in first then Brandon and Joey. Justin made sure everyone was secure before he got into the passenger seat of the limo and the driver started up the limo and they headed out of the secured property.
As they got closer to the venue Justin reached into his other pocket, and took out the walkie talkie he had tucked away before turning to look at the crowd in the back.
“You guys got yours?” he asked and held it up.
Joey and Brandon each reached into their pockets and held out their own walkie talkies.
“Ok, channel 8” Justin replied as he turned on his device.
The other guys did the same thing, and put them back into their pockets. Pretty soon they pulled up into the line of other limos and cars that were lined up outside the red carpet.
There were fans in the stands going crazy as the celebrities got out of their limos and made their way to the carpet. The news crews were everywhere, interviewing whoever they could get to stop and say hi.
Justin turned to them again as they neared the front of the line.
“Let’s do the same formation as last night at the club” Justin said, “It seemed to work”
They all nodded their heads in agreement and Justin continued.
“We’re only talking to Pat O’Brian from the INSIDER since CBS has been really good about all the security and everything” he said, looking at each of them.
All three nodded and the limo came to a stop. Joey and Brandon were wishing Tessa luck when Justin made his way out of the door; once again as he stepped out the screams erupted from the people around. As soon as Justin opened the door, the crowd went crazy again.
Joey made his way out of the limo, and then Brandon who turned over to offer his hand to Tessa who took it and stepped out of the limo. As she stepped out she turned to the crowd and waved and smiled to them like usual. Justin closed the limo door and patted the hood and it took off.
Justin turned towards the carpet, and followed Brandon and Tessa as they made their way down the red carpet with Joey leading the way. She did what she did best, waving and smiling at the crowd and the paparazzi.
After some mingling with some people she made her way towards the front of the building where the camp for INSIDER was hanging out. Brandon and Tessa immediately got into conversation with Pat while Justin stayed behind them watching the people around and Joey was in front watching the entrance.
“So how excited are you about tonight Tessa?” Pat asked, as he stood in front of her mic in hand.
Tessa smiled at him, “I’m very excited, it’s such an honor to be put in the same categories as some of these people” she said
“Since there has been so much going on with your life right now, are you nervous at all about the people attending the show tonight?” he continued.
Tessa knew what he was getting at, and she tried her best to answer.
“CBS has been wonderful about the extra security that I’ve insisted on having” she said with a smile and turned into the camera “Thank you CBS for making sure this night will be one for me to remember”
Pat smiled before asking more questions. They were typical ones, about the dress she was wearing, her preparations for the show, etc. Surprisingly, there were no questions about her relationship which she was thankful for but she answered all the ones she could truthfully as possible.
Finally it was time to go, Joey cleared the way and Brandon and Tessa followed while Justin brought up the rear again. They got inside and it was a little bit calmer, only people who were supposed to be in there were in there and people were mingling and talking trying to find their seats.
Justin walked over to Joey and patted his shoulder.
“I’m going to check backstage,” he said “Make sure she gets to her seat”
Joey nodded “Will do” he said, “I’ll see you backstage”
Justin nodded and took off into the crowd, making his way backstage to check everything again before the real show began.
Author's Chapter Notes:
I'm back! School is done, and I plan on finishing this story during winter break. I've got the rest of the story outlined, so I know what I have to write I jus have to write it :) Thanks to all of you who've stuck by me and I hope you like this chapter, let me know what you think :)
Chapter End Notes:
*&*Traci*&*
Comments? Questions? E-mail me at Spacey1141@hotmail.com
Comments? Questions? E-mail me at Spacey1141@hotmail.com
Story Tags: justin joey
