Chapter 9

He couldn't believe the words she had just uttered; it felt like he had waited a life time for her to say those three little words. And now that she did, all he could do was stare at her like she was some kind of monster here to kill him. He shook his head and cleared his throat, willing the words to come out before she thought he didn't feel the same.

"Justin?"  He could hear her voice but just couldn't quite focus enough to answer her so he continued to stare at her. "If you don't feel the same its fine, I just wanted you to know how I felt. I'm tired of holding it in," she said putting one hand to his face, and relishing in the feeling of his soft cheek, she stared into his blue eyes and smiled at him.

"I love you Justin Timberlake, and I hope someday you'll feel the same."  She pecked his lips softly then walked down the hall towards the bathroom. All the while praying the tears that were pricking at the back of her eyes wouldn't fall until she was behind closed doors.

As if someone had slapped him, Justin came out of his reverie. "Amber!" he said loud enough for her to hear. "Please don't walk away."

"I have to. I know I said I could handle it but I can't," she whispered stopping just outside the door of the bathroom. "From your reaction I can tell you don't feel the same, so if you please just give me some time to get over this please."

"But that's the thing. I do feel the same." He said crossing the distance between them and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"You do?" she questioned hopefully turning around so she could look up into his eyes.

"Yes I do." He smiled, raising the hand that rested on her shoulder to her cheek where he wiped the lone tear that escaped her eye. "I've loved you since I saw you up on that stage in Utah. It hit me so damn hard I couldn't breathe, and ever since then it's only gotten stronger."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know how to, to be honest. I mean I've always looked at you like my little sister and then bam I'm seeing all of you and it's causing reactions within me that shouldn't be there,  and I didn't know how you felt.  And if you want me to be completely honest, I didn't think I could handle the rejection," he explained staring into her watery brown eyes, leaning down he laid his lips on hers as if to seal his confession with a kiss. He pulled his lips back a centimeter and whispered.  "I love you Amber Ann Andersen."

"I love you too." she smiled; getting up on her tiptoes so she could wrap her arms around his neck. She kissed him once softly then again. "God I love your lips." She confessed crushing her lips to his.

One Month Later

"Okay, just once more please Amber?" JC pleaded, he knew she was getting frustrated and he couldn't say he blamed her. She was singing the same verse over and over, which he knew how that felt from his own recording days; it was irritating when you couldn't give the producer what he wanted. Nonetheless he was doing the same to her. "Okay, sit back close your eyes, take a deep breath and count to ten."

Her eyes fluttered closed, her chest rose with the breath in she took, then fell as she blew it out. After counting to ten she opened her eyes and looked towards the other room catching his gaze. "Ready?" he asked

She nodded her head and watched as he counted down from 5 on his fingers, and once he reached 1 he pointed towards her and flicked a switch. Leaning forward she put her lips an inch from the microphone, opened her mouth and willed herself to sing the way he wanted.

When she croaked the lyrics instead of singing, his eyes narrowed into slits. With one flick of his finger he cut the music, and then walked briskly towards the recording room. Opening the door, he took note of Amber sitting on the stool her eyes looking at her lap where her hands were wringing themselves together. "I'm so...."

"Please for the love of god, do not apologize; I don't know if I can take anymore today Amber. Now I can tell your mind isn't on your music at the moment." He held up a hand when she tried to explain. "Don't explain; don't do anything, just go. Go get something to eat or whatever. You have an hour and if you don't come back ready to work, so help me God, I'll murder you. I don't care how much J will hate me."

She pulled the headphones off her ears and hung them on the stand holding the music. She hopped down from the stool and walked slowly towards the door, before exiting she reached up on her tippy toes and kissed his cheek. "See you in an hour," She said jogging out the door.

She jogged down the hall of the studio in search of the one thing that had been occupying her mind all day. It had been a month since the fateful day when she told him she loved him, and the topping on that wonderful cake her dream finally came true, she was a recording artist for Jive records.  She could still remember how she felt when Johnny had come through the doors telling they would call and let her know, she had felt so down but Justin was sure to reassure her that it was normal. All the while she knew he was just as nervous as she. And when Johnny had got the call...

*One Month Before*

She and Justin sat on the tan suede couch of the suite waiting for the call that would in sense decide Amber's future. The phone had rang a good couple of times and every time it did they would all hold their breath hoping it was the execs on the line to tell them the good news. The TV they had intended to watch till they called long forgotten, while Johnny had escaped to the small kitchenette with the excuse of making some calls for Nsync.

"God what is taking them so long?" Amber groaned slumping down on the couch and rubbing her eyes tiredly. "I mean it shouldn't take this long right?"

"Who knows?" Justin shrugged his shoulders. "I mean you have to think it would be a big decision, they have to decide if they want to spend thousands of dollars on you, it's not just something they can go hey she's really damn good let's sign her."

"Well I know that." She replied sighing softly she couldn't help but feel a little discouraged.

"Don't be sad, from their reactions in that room I know they liked you and from what I gathered from Johnny they think you are really talented, they would completely stupid not to sign you."

"Okay J." Amber smiled laying her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. It had been one of the longest days of her life, but it was one of the best. At the shrill ring of the hotel room phone her eyes popped open, and her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest as she watched Johnny jog out of the kitchen to answer it. As soon as he answered, she knew exactly who he was talking to; his voice instantly went business like. She watched silently as he paced back and forth wanting so bad to hear what the person on the other end was saying.

She wondered what was being said, because his face would go from a smile to serious every so often, and then a huge grin broke out across his face and she knew. She didn't have to have him tell her, she could tell and her best day turned into one of the greatest days of her life. "I got it."

"Your damn right you got it. You blew them out of the water Amber. They want you signed and working on your first single ASAP!" Johnny exclaimed walking over to her and pulling her up into a hug. "I have never heard the CEO of jive as excited as he was."

"So when does the sign the contract?" Justin asked

"Tomorrow before we leave for Orlando. So kids I'm going to go make the arrangements for the flight then hit the sack and I suggest you both do the same." He said pulling his phone out of his pocket and walked to the door that led to the bedroom of the suite. "Good night kids."

"Holy shit I got it Justin. I actually got it." Amber exclaimed she couldn't remember the last time she felt so happy in her life.

"I'm so proud of you." Justin said pulling her to his chest; he hugged her tightly to him. "See I told you they loved you."

"I know I should have listened to you." She replied looking up at him.

*End Flashback*

Since the day she signed her name on that dotted line, she'd been working non-stop. The song they wanted to release as her single was recorded and scheduled to air in the next few days.

Shaking away the thoughts she stopped outside studio 5, she peeked through the window at the only occupant, he was bent over a sound board, twisting knobs and flicking switches every few seconds, then he would sit back close his eyes and listen intently to whatever was playing. She watched him nod his head flick a switch, and push away from the board. Which she figured was a good time as any to make her presence known.

Pushing open the door she padded softly towards him and snaked her arms around his neck then rested her cheek against his. "Shouldn't you be in the studio working on your album?"

"Yeah I should," she replied pecking his cheek she rounded the chair so she could sit down in the chair next to his.

"Well?"

"I don't know what it is, I just can't concentrate. We've been going over and over on this same part, he wants it a specific way and I just can't get it right." she groaned flopping back in the chair and throwing her hands over her eyes where she rubbed then fiercely.

"What song is it?" he asked softly. "Maybe I could help," he added as an afterthought

"It's a song I wrote before." She sat up and motioned between the two of them. "It's about two people, who know they love each other, but aren't willing to tell the other. So the girl just decides to keep it a secret, because she would rather have him as her friend than nothing at all."

"Okay."

"Why can't it just come naturally like with the other songs came out so smooth and beautiful? But this one little verse just has to be a pain in my ass." She stood up and threw her arms up in the air with a growl then proceeded to slump against the nearest wall hugging her midsection with her arms.

"I don't know babe," he said standing up and walking softly towards her. Reaching out he unhooked one of her arms from around her waist and brought her hand to his lips where he kissed it softly, and his other hand went to her cheek where his thumb rubbed it affectionately. "Your stressing over it too much, maybe you need something to take your mind off of it."

"How am I going to do that?" Amber replied hypnotized by the blue sparkle of his eyes.

"Like this," he whispered wrapping the arm he held around his neck, pulling her close so he could crush his lips to hers.

The arm that was still wrapped around her waist snaked its way up his chest to dig her fingers into the short curls at the base of his skull. Through the last month she had learned that kissing Justin was like heaven on earth, his lips were so soft and he knew just how to kiss her so she just melted into his arms like silly putty. And this kiss was no different, with the passion he was pouring into this kiss she could be a big ole pile of goo on the floor at his feet, his lips were causing so many different feelings at once that she didn't know how she was still standing.

When her back met a wall her eyes instantly popped open only to be met with his closed lids, and when he began kissing down her jaw towards her ear she thanked god that he had her pinned between the wall and his chest. "Oh God Jus," She moaned as he caught her earlobe with his teeth and began nibbling on it.

When she hooked her calf around his thigh he took it as a sign, his hands cupped her ass and lifted her so she could wrap them around his waist. He trailed soft kisses from her ear down her neck towards the V of her shirt where he could see just a hint of cleavage. Shifting his weight so he adjusted the hold he had on her better so he could support her with one hand, he smoothed his right hand up her side pulling the fabric of her shirt aside, and dipped his head down and let his tongue taste her sweet skin.

Before his tongue could continue its assault a soft knock echoed through the room and the sound of someone clearing there throat could be heard.

"Well I... Uh came down here to apologize to Amber, but I see you two are uhm busy." JC said motioning to the two of them. "But I'll uh catch you later."

"Oh my god, tell me that did not just happen." Amber moaned burying her face in the fabric of Justin's shirt.

"I wish I could, baby girl." Justin replied releasing his hold on her ass, letting her slide down the front of him.

Groaning softly Amber pushed away from him, adjusting her wrinkled shirt. Once her clothes were adjusted and her hair was fixed she looked up at Justin and gave him a tight lipped smile. "I guess it's kind of a blessing in disguise."

"Why's that?"

"Uhm look where we're at, Justin." Amber motioned with her hand around the room. "I really don't think we intended our first time to be in a studio of all places."

"I guess." He shrugged

"Whatever. I'm going to go grab something to eat. Want to join me?" she asked holding out her hand to him.

"Sure just let me uh-" he replied looking down at the bulge of his pants.

Giggling softly, Amber waited patiently for him to readjust himself. Once he was done; he took her outstretched hand and brought it to his lips where he laid a soft kiss to it. "Let's go." He winked.

Later That Day

As far as lunches went she had to say that was probably one of the best, she got to share it with some of the funniest guys around, and not only that she got to share it with someone that she loved with all of her heart. Her life at the moment was so full at the moment that she couldn't remember a time when she felt so complete; she knew not many people could say that.

So after her recording the rest of the song with JC, she was on her way out to the car she borrowed from Justin when she noticed a piece paper clipped to the windshield. Her heart sank when she recognized the familiar writing scrawled on the sheet. Instantly all the memories she had been trying to push back to the farthest corners of her mind came rushing back, hitting her all at once, causing her breathing to become erratic. Reaching out with a shaking hand she grabbed the piece of paper and unfolded it; only to drop it as if it had burnt her when she read the single line.

"You will always be mine"

She stood there for what felt ever, just staring down at the paper on the ground not believing it was happening again. Ever since that night; it was the same thing he would leave a note reminding her of what happened. As if she needed it - the mental scars were enough of a reminder. But this time it was different. He knew she was with someone else, and that would be his breaking point.

Letting out a shaky breath she bent down picking up the paper and quickly stuffed it in her pocket, she pulled out her keys hitting unlock an immediately climbed into the car. Once she was in and all the doors were lock she laid her forehead against the steering wheel and let the tears flow down her cheeks.