Rachel laughed at Megan's statement Monday morning.  "Okay, that's random.  What made you come to this conclusion?" She asked as she merged onto the freeway.  Megan was on her lunch break in Phoenix and Rachel had called her in an attempt to get her mind off the nervousness she felt while driving to her appointment with JC. 

It had been a stressful five days for Rachel since he'd left her office Wednesday afternoon and she'd ridden a roller coaster of emotions-everything from giddiness to nervousness to fear.  She'd analyzed and stressed, replaying the scene from the storeroom over and over again, to the point of making herself sick.  She thought she'd been confused after seeing him last weekend at the club, but this was ten times worse.  He had almost kissed her for crying out loud!  How was she supposed to react to that?  Was she supposed to just go on as if nothing had happened when they both knew something had happened and they both knew that had Aubrey not called her something would have happened?  Or was she supposed to just laugh and play it off?

"I've read a lot of crappy books lately." Megan said, pulling Rachel from her thoughts.  "And I figure, if those idiots can write something that stupid and get it published, what's stopping me?"

I need to calm down. Rachel told herself.  Worrying is going to do nothing but make me sick and that's the last thing I need right now.  "What are you going to write about?" Rachel asked.

"I haven't completely decided yet..." Megan replied, as if deep in thought.  "But it's going to be a romance."

"I like romance."  Rachel said.  "Go on."

"Okay," Megan's voice picked up some excitement.  "So here's what I'm thinking: there's this girl-let's call her Olivia-and one night at her best friend's wedding reception she has a hot affair with a famous musician-let's call him Scott.  They're both a little drunk and the next morning she leaves before he wakes up."  Rachel began laughing as the story started to sound very familiar.  Megan continued quickly before she could interrupt, however. "She moves to New York after graduating college." Megan said.  "She wants to be an actress, but works as a waitress to pay the bills.  One night, while she's waiting tables, in walks Scott and sits at one of her tables."

"What does she do?" Rachel asked getting sucked into the picture Megan was painting. 

"She fumbles and stutters for a moment, then pulls herself together and walks over to the table, flashes her beautiful smile and realizes he has no idea who she is.  She's devastated, of course."

"Of course." Rachel replied with a smile as she pulled off the freeway.

"Well, it turns out Scott does remember her and has been trying to find her ever since he woke up to find her gone.  It's all very dramatic.  He comes back to the restaurant night after night and finally, one night, he asks her out."

"Does she go?" Rachel asked.

"Yes."

"And?" She asked impatiently when Megan stopped.  "What happens?!" 

"I don't know." Megan replied.  "That's as far as I've gotten."

"I hate you." Rachel responded dryly and Megan laughed.

"No you don't."

"Um, yeah.  Pretty sure I do." Rachel said, turning onto JC's street.  "You can't leave me hanging like that!"

"Got your mind off wanting to throw up though, didn't it?" Megan asked with a chuckle.

Rachel laughed.  "You know me too well."

Megan laughed.  "I'm serious about wanting to write a book though.  I'm still trying to come up with a story line.  Seriously, you should see some of the garbage that's being printed these days.  It's ridiculous.  I could totally write something and make a ton of money."

"Yeah, because you really need a ton of money." Rachel replied sarcastically.  Megan and Jackson were by no means poor.  What with Jackson's lucrative career as a stock broker, Megan's good income as a graphic designer, and the fact that his parents were rich and had set up a trust fund for him and his siblings when they were younger they were doing just fine.  "Just promise me that if you put me in the book you'll make it so not everyone will know it's me when they read it."

"If I use a pen name no one will know it's me writing it, therefore they won't know that it's you I'm writing about."

"Alright." Rachel said with a laugh.  "Hey, I'm here." She said as she pulled up to the gate and punched in the numbers she'd memorized.  She watched as the gate swung open and drove her car up the driveway.

"Okay.  Good luck." Megan offered.

"Thanks.  I'll call you later."

Rachel hung up as she turned her car off.  She took a deep breath then got out of the car.  When she'd woken up this morning the sky had been overcast and the weather report predicted rain by the end of the day.  She shivered slightly as a cold wind blew around her.  Looks like summer's over. She thought.  She grabbed her red messenger bag and the few catalogues she'd brought with her from the back seat then turned and walked towards the house, hugging the long brown sweater she'd thrown on this morning around her.  As she rang the doorbell and waited, Rachel ran a hand through her hair, and tried not to let herself get too nervous.  Just play it cool.  She told herself.  If you don't make a big deal out of it, then he won't make a big deal out of it.  She was a little disappointed, but also somewhat relieved, when Sarah opened the door.

"Good morning." She said with a smile, opening the door wider for Rachel to walk through. 

"Good morning." Rachel replied as she walked in, the heel of her brown boots clacking against the tile in the foyer.

"Jace is back in the great room." Sarah informed her.

"Thanks." Rachel said, smiling as she began walking that direction.  She stopped however when she passed the front room and couldn't help smiling at the drastic transformation the room had undergone.  The space seemed so much bigger now that the wall had been removed.  The light from the rest of the house was able to come through and she could tell already that it was going to be used a lot more than it had been.  She stepped into the room and turned around, getting the full effect.  She walked across the room to the far wall and ran her hand over the smooth surface. 

"I really like the color."

Rachel screamed in shock as JC spoke from behind her.  She twirled around in surprise and placed a hand over her frantically racing heart and looked at him from across the room.  He laughed as he stood, leaning casually against the edge of the new archway with his hands in his pockets.  His feet were bare which normally would have made Rachel a little flustered, but that wasn't what had her speechless and practically drooling today.  Today he was wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses and she watched, her knees feeling suspiciously like j-ello, as he removed one hand from his pocket and ran it through his short hair.  He smiled as he walked towards her, his blue eyes sparkling and Rachel found herself dropping her arm to her side and leaning back against the wall for support.  He stopped just inches from her and stood, looking at the wall for a moment before turning the full force of his attention on her.  Rachel feared for a second she was going to pass out.  Here I go.  She thought.  Any minute I'm going to end up in a puddle on the floor.  He was close enough she could see the tiny flecks of white in his blue eyes; close enough she could hear him breathing and smell the spicy scent of his aftershave; close enough to know if her heart stopped right now she'd die happy.  I can feel my bones starting to melt.  She thought. Who knew a guy could look this damn sexy in a pair of glasses?

"I'm glad we decided to go with this one as opposed to the other one."  He said, his lips turning up in a small smile as his eyes left hers and traveled down her body.  She raised one hand-hoping he couldn't see the trembling of her fingers-and placed it against her chest, hoping to stop her still rapidly beating heart leaping from her chest.

"Uh...y-yeah...uh-huh..." Rachel stammered and JC's smile widened slightly.  She felt her cheeks warming and cleared her throat as she finally straightened and pushed away from the wall and stepped away from him.  She turned her back on him for a second and tried to gain control of her body.  Between the way he looked in those glasses, to the way his eyes had slowly and seductively traveled over her body as if mentally undressing her, to the way he had been leaning over her, the warmth of his body calling out to her, to the way he smelled...Rachel was surprised she was conscious and still standing upright.  I don't know how much more my heart or hormones can take. She thought as she turned back to face him, forcing a smile on her face. 

"I like it too." She said.  "It turned out good.  I'm going to have a couple guys come by tomorrow to pick up the couches," she gestured to the pieces of furniture that were still clustered in the center of the room.  "I'll have them recovered and then this room will be almost done."

~~~~~

JC watched Rachel, an amused grin on his face.  He was intrigued with the quick turn around she'd just done.  When he'd come to stand beside her a moment ago he'd wanted to see how long it would take to get a reaction from her.  Not long at all, it turned out.  Her breathing had quickened immediately and he couldn't help but notice her trembling hand when she lifted it and began playing with the collar of the white shirt she was wearing.  He'd been caught off guard when she'd walked away from him and he watched, intrigued, as she was able to gain control of herself and once more act the part of the professional. 

His eyes once more traveled over her body, from the khaki pants she wore to the plain white shirt underneath the long duster style brown sweater which was almost the exact same shade of her eyes, to her hair which hung down around her shoulders.  He wondered how long it would take before she'd drop this professional act she had going on and just be herself around him.  It surprised him that he wanted that from her, but he did.  Whether she knew it or not, Rachel had captured his attention and JC found himself unable to move past the challenge of permanently breaking through the professional wall she had up when they were together.

"Sounds good." He finally said in reference to her plans for his couches.  "We're talking furniture today, right?" He asked.

"Yeah." She smiled, her eyes loosing some of the soft, dreamy quality they'd held as he'd been leaning over her and he found himself disappointed to see it go.

"Let's go in the other room." He said, nodding his head that direction as he began walking past her.  "There's more room to sit." He smiled over his shoulder at her. 

~~~~~

Damn you, JC! Rachel thought as she followed him back towards the kitchen and great room.  He's playing with me and he knows it!  And I'm falling for it.  Damn it, damn it, damn it!  Rachel shook her head at herself, angry that he'd been able to affect her so easily.  So he was wearing glasses?  So he was pretty much the most gorgeous man on the planet?  So he smelled like heaven itself?  That didn't mean she had to turn all weak kneed and dreamy eyed at the drop of a hat, did it?  But you have, and you do. Her conscious argued.  And you're going to keep doing it.  Somehow she had to find a way to build up her immunity to this guy.   He was just playing her and she was just going to get her hopes built up and be left to deal with the disappointment and heartache later when the game ended they both went back to their separate lives.

Rachel watched JC plop down on the couch and she smiled at the relaxed picture he made.  He stretched his legs out in front of him while he stretched one arm across the back of the couch and rested the other one on the armrest.  Rachel found herself wanting to sit next to him and cuddle up against his chest while he wrapped those incredible arms of his around her...

Instead, she forced herself to sit on the opposite end of the couch-as far from him as possible.  She tucked some hair behind her ear.

"So..." JC drawled, and she looked over at him.  "Furniture?" He asked, lifting a brow in amusement as he smiled at her.

"Right." Rachel said, handing him one of the catalogues she'd brought with her.  "Furniture."  He took the book from her and began flipping through it.  "I marked a couple pages that have some potential and I went to this great store over the weekend.  They had one piece in particular I want in the front room and there were a couple pieces I thought might look good in here," she looked around the room they were sitting in, then bent down and began rummaging through her bag.  "I took some pictures.  I know my camera's in here somewhere..." she continued rummaging, "Although, the pictures probably won't do justice to the pieces, you'll get the general idea..."

"Let's just go look at them." He said.

Rachel stopped looking for her camera and looked over at him, sure she'd heard him wrong.  "What?" She asked.

"Let's go look at them." He said with a smile.

"Right now?" Rachel asked confused.

"Why not?" He shrugged.

Rachel looked at him in surprise.  "Are you sure?  Right now?  This could take a while."

"Yeah." He nodded.  "Let's go.  Show me what you found."

"Alright." Rachel stood, still a bit unsure as to what was going on.  "It's kind of hard to find, so instead of giving you the confusing directions you can just follow me I guess." She said, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

"Or," He said, stopping her and making her look back at him.  "We can go together."  He suggested.  "Save the environment a little and all."

"O-okay..." She stammered, watching as he slipped his feet into a pair of black flip flops that she'd somehow missed next to the couch. 

"Let's go." He said, grabbing a key ring from the end table and grinning at her.

Rachel was freaking out.  Let's go? She thought.  Just like that? I'm supposed to follow you and get in your car with you?  I have no idea what we're going to talk about because basically I've been in love with you for my entire life and we've made out and you have no idea who I am and I have no idea how to process anything and we can't seem to be in an enclosed space for more than ten minutes without something almost happening and I have no idea how to handle any of this...

~~~~~

JC watched as Rachel stood there looking like a deer caught in the headlights.  He chuckled.  "Come on." He said.  "I promise I don't bite.  I'll return you back here in one piece.  I'm a very safe driver."

"Oh, no.  No, it's not that." She said, both hands gripping the strap of the bag hanging on her shoulder.  "It's just..."

"What?" He asked, putting his hands out. 

"It's just..." Her brows furrowed and she looked around the room.  "Are you sure you really want to do this?  I mean, this could take a while and if you're busy...we could do this on another day and just meet there..."

"Would you stop worrying about how long this is going to take?" He chuckled.  "I've got nothing planned today that can't be put off.  Let's go." He said, turning and walking through the kitchen.  He opened the garage door and turned, holding it open for Rachel.  She glanced up at him and he smiled in response to the fear still evident in her eyes and the timid smile on her face.  He moved to hold the door open with his back and she shied away from him like a skittish horse.  JC bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling.  Was he really that intimidating?  Had he been a little bolder he would have stopped her, placed his hands on her face and kissed her worry away.  Instead, he hit the button on the wall next to him to raise the garage door as he shut the door to the house behind him. 

"Come on." He said, leading her towards his black Mercedes.  He walked around to the passenger door and opened it for her, smiling as she looked up at him, pleasantly surprised before sliding into the car.  As he walked around the front of the car he saw her reach behind her and pull the seatbelt across her chest.

"Where're we going?" He asked as he slid behind the wheel and shut his door, enclosing them in his car.  He smiled over at her as he turned the key and brought the car to life. 

"Uh..." Rachel cleared her throat and crossed her arms across her chest.  "Santa Monica."

"Alright." He said.  He put the car in reverse and raised his hand to the back of her seat out of habit-smiling as Rachel jumped slightly-as he looked behind them and backed out of the garage.  Once out of the garage he looked over at Rachel and smiled as he lowered his hand.  He put the car in gear and drove down the driveway and out of the gate.  "Do you think it'll rain?" He asked as he drove towards the freeway.

"What?" She asked looking over at him, confusion clouding her brown eyes.

"Rain." He repeated with a smile.  "Do you think it will?"

"Oh.  Um..." She looked out of her window and shrugged.  "I don't know.  I guess it's possible.  I've learned to never trust the weather report though."

JC chuckled.  "Yeah.  They've called wolf one too many times to be trusted."

"Yeah." She replied with a nervous chuckle.  He watched as she took her bottom lip into her mouth and began worrying it with her teeth.  She was nervous.  Her composure was slipping and he couldn't help smiling.  This is going to be fun. He thought.

"So what other projects are you working on?" JC asked, glancing over at her.  Rachel tucked her hair behind her ear.  She looked over at him.  "I mean, I'm not the only client you have, right?"

"No." Rachel replied.  "No, you're not.  I've um...I've actually got this girl that I'm working on designing her outdoor wedding."

"Are you a wedding planner as well?" He asked as one eyebrow arching curiously. 

"No." Rachel rolled her eyes.  "I'm about to kill this girl actually." JC chuckled.  "You laugh, but I'm serious." Rachel replied.  "You've heard of the stereotypical ‘bridezilla'?"

"Yeah." JC said, stretching his left arm over the steering wheel and leaning towards her-resting his right elbow on the console between the seats. 

"Well, she takes the cake." Rachel said with a raise of one brow as she turned towards him.  "I swear!  She calls me at least twice a day just to complain about something or to tell me about something she saw in a magazine and wants to now have.  It's getting ridiculous.  I've redone the backyard three times."

"Three times?" He asked as he looked over his left shoulder and merged onto the freeway.

"Just this week." Rachel responded. 

JC chuckled.  "If you're not a wedding planner, why are you doing this chick's wedding?"

"Good question." She grumbled.  Rachel tucked her hair behind her ear and rolled her eyes.  "She's the owner's granddaughter."

"Ah!" JC said, enlightened.  "Why do you get the pleasure of dealing with this girl?"

"Luck of the draw?" Rachel shrugged her shoulders.  "Actually, she's a really nice girl.  She's just..."

"Ridiculous?" He guessed.

"Ridiculous." Rachel nodded in agreement. "So what do you do?" She asked, then slapped her hand over her mouth, closing her eyes as she groaned.  "I mean, I know what you do." She chuckled nervously.  JC laughed.  "I mean..." Rachel cleared her throat; sure her face was bright red.  "Let me start over.  What have you been up to?"

"Not too much." He replied with an amused smile.  "I've actually been really lazy the last little while.  It's been nice.  As soon as the new season of Dance Crew starts up I'm going to be a little more busy which will be good."

"Do you like doing that show?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah." He replied with a smile.  "It's fun." He shrugged.  "It's different.  Do you watch the show?  Do you like it?"

"Surprisingly, yes."

"Surprisingly?" He asked with the quirk of one brow.

"I'll be honest." She said.  "I wasn't really sure about it when I first heard about it.  But I watched the pilot and I was hooked."

"What made you decide to watch?" He asked, passing a slow moving minivan.

"You." She answered honestly before she could stop herself.  JC chuckled and Rachel felt her cheeks warm-again.  "And I'm a dancer.  Or I was."  He looked over at her in curiosity.  "I danced all through high school and part of college." She explained.

"But you don't anymore?" He asked, picking up on her use of the past tense.

Rachel shook her head.  "No.  I uh...I came down wrong after a jump at an audition a few years ago.  I tore the ligaments in my knee and blew my chance at dancing professionally." She said.

"What happened?" He asked looking over at her, his blue eyes serious.

"Three hours in surgery, four months of physical therapy, and a lot of crying." She admitted to him. 

"I'm sorry." He said sincerely. 

"Thanks." She replied with a sad smile.

"Dance injuries hurt, I know, but I never had to have surgery.  Do you miss it?" He asked. 

"Sometimes." Rachel nodded.  "But that's why I go out clubbing." She smiled.  

"Well, injury or not," He smirked.  "You can still move."

"How would you know?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I saw you dancing at the club."  He grinned, watching as Rachel blushed.  "So, which crews were you rooting for?" He asked, bringing the conversation back to his show they had been discussing.

"I really liked Kabba Modern from the first season." Rachel replied.  "And JabbaWockeeZ."

"Those crews were both amazing." JC replied.

"What about you?" She asked.  "Is it okay to ask which crew you liked now that the show's not on?"

"As long as you promise not to tell anyone." He said with a wink.

"Cross my heart." Rachel replied, making the motion with her finger, a playful look in her eyes.

He chuckled.  "I liked brake skate because of how different they were.  They really brought an original element to the show, and I really liked JabbaWockeeZ from the first season."  He said.  "I'm glad they won."  Rachel smiled.  "What made you decided to move here?" He asked, changing the subject.  "You're from Arizona, right?" He asked.

"Yeah." She replied, her smile growing at his remembering that bit of information from the first day she'd come to his house.  "I got a job." She answered honestly.  He smiled.  "It was just time for a change."

"How so?" He asked.

Rachel shrugged as she looked out her window.  "I graduated and my best friend got married.  I figured L.A. was as good a place as any to get my start in this business."

"Is your best friend the one in the picture at your office?" He asked.  Rachel tuned to look at him in surprise.  "I saw a picture of you with a girl in a wedding dress." He explained. 

"Oh," Rachel smiled.  "Yeah.  That's Megan.  We've known each other forever." She waved her hand through the air.

"Your hair was dark in that picture." He said.  "Was that your natural color?" He asked.  "Or is this?" He reached over and picked up some of the hair that lay against her shoulder.  Rachel stiffened slightly and her eyes widened, but he was caught off guard at the softness as he ran his fingers across her hair that he didn't really notice her reaction.  JC quickly let her hair drop back into place then turned and placed both hands on the steering wheel.  When they'd been together at Jackson and Megan's wedding Rachel's hair had been pinned up.  He'd contemplated at the time just reaching up and releasing her hair (he'd always been a sucker for a girl with long hair) and now, sitting next to her with her hair hanging free his fingers itched to run through it.  What's wrong with me? He thought swallowing and griping the wheel tightly.  You'd think I'd never been with a girl before.   

"Growing up I always loved Megan's dark hair," Rachel explained, breaking him from his thoughts.  He turned and looked at her. "And someone once told me more guys prefer brunettes, so I decided to give it a try."

"And what did you decide?" He asked with a smirk.

"I didn't notice much of a difference." She replied.  "So I decided to go back to my natural color."

"You look good in red." He replied, his eyes focused on the road ahead. 

"Thank you." She replied quietly, smiling at his compliment.  He looked over at her and smiled in return.  Rachel continued watching him as he turned his eyes back to the road.  "You want to take the next exit." She said as they passed a mileage sign. 

"Alright." He said. 

"Can I ask you a question?" She asked as he signaled and changed lanes as their exit approached. 

"Sure." He replied.

"How is it-honestly-to be a celebrity?"  She asked.  He chuckled and blew out a breath.  "Oh, turn left." Rachel pointed as they left the freeway and approached the intersection at the top of the off-ramp.  JC turned his blinker on and pulled to a stop at the red light that awaited them.

"How is it to be a celebrity?" He asked looking over at her.  "You really want to know?"

"Yeah." Rachel answered, genuinely interested in his answer.  "I've always wondered what it's like to live your life in the spotlight and...well, you've been in the spotlight for a while." She smiled.

"It's uh..." He scratched his head and looked out his window.  "It's heaven and hell." He said, rubbing his hands on his thighs.  He looked over at her.  "I get to spend my life getting paid to do what I love.  How many people can say that?  Uh...you know, you get a lot of free stuff, but you've got to go to a lot of events when all you want to do is stay home and sleep.  The fans are nice...most of the time..." he rolled his eyes and Rachel chuckled.  "But the paparazzi are annoying." He said turning the car as traffic started moving.  "I mean, can't a guy buy a tube of toothpaste without everyone arguing the pros and cons about what brand I bought?"

Rachel laughed. 

"It's kind of fun, having so many people know and love you, but honestly, sometimes I wish no one knew who I was.  I sometimes wish I were just a normal guy, that I didn't have every aspect of my life constantly under a microscope." He sighed.  "But like you said, I've been in the spotlight for so long I really don't remember what it's like not to be in the spotlight."

Rachel nodded as he looked over at her.  "Turn right." She said.

He smiled as he followed her directions.  A few minutes later they pulled up outside the store Rachel had gone to over the weekend.  "This is it." She said, getting out of the car.  JC got out as well and locked the doors before following her to the front door.  "They have a lot of really great pieces in here." She said.  "I was just driving around on Saturday and decided to see what they had."  He chuckled at her excitement as he held the door for her.  "I hope you like what I found."

"I'm sure I will." He said.  "I've liked what you've done so far."

 ~~~~~ 

Rachel smiled.  "Well, there are a couple tables I like and a chair I want to put in the great room and this," Rachel said, walking over to the baby grand piano in the corner of the showroom.  She placed her hand on the top of the instrument and turned to look at JC. "This is what I want to put in the front room.  What do you think?" She asked smiling excitedly.  When she'd walked in to the store this past weekend, her vision from a few weeks earlier of JC sitting at the keyboard of a baby grand, came to life.  "Now, I know this is just here for staging purposes and we're going to need to go to a music store to get one for the house, but I saw it in here and knew we had to get one."

JC laughed as he walked towards her.  Rachel watched as his eyes narrowed and he pursed his lips in thought.  "It's nice." He nodded as he placed his hand next to Rachel's and ran it across the glossy black surface.  He walked towards the keyboard and looked at Rachel once more before he pulled the bench out and sat at the keys.  Rachel watched, one brow rising, as JC placed his fingers on the ivories and rolled out a chord.  She turned and leaned against the piano and watched, mesmerized, as he bent his head and played a few measures of a song she'd never heard before-but instantly loved.  Rachel's knees felt weak as he looked up at her a few moments later, a sexy smile on his lips.  He took his hands off the keys and sat back, resting his hands on his thighs.  "It's got a good sound." He said.

"Uh-huh." Rachel nodded. 

"You really want to put one the front room?" He asked, crossing his arms and leaning them up on the music stand. 

"Yes."  Rachel raised one brow and smiled at the picture he made.  "Definitely."  Who would have ever thought she'd been here-leaning up against a baby grand piano as JC Chasez played the aforementioned instrument?  

"Alright." He said, standing.  "Let's get one."

"Really?" Rachel asked, standing up straighter.  "You like the idea?"

"Yeah, I like it." He said smiling.  "What else you got?"

Rachel leaned back against the piano, and looked at him for a second.  "Come on." She finally said, straightening and leading him around the store.  "I think this set of tables will go great with the couches once they're recovered." She said, pointing out the set as they approached the mock living room area that had been set up.  "And," she said turning and pointing across the store, "I want to put that entertainment center in the great room.  What do you think?" She asked, turning and smiling at him.

"Mmmm..." He hummed, looking around.  "I think I need a new bed." He said.

"Um...okay." Rachel said, completely confused.  "That was not what I thought you were going to say."

JC laughed.  "Come on." He said, smiling and grabbing her hand.  Rachel's eyes about popped out of her head and a delicious tingle shot up her arm as he locked his fingers with hers.  Rachel was too busy trying to memorize the way his hand felt in hers to pay much attention to where he was taking her.  Before she knew it he stopped in front of the largest bed Rachel had ever seen.  "I saw this when we walked in."  He smiled at her as he released her hand and jumped back on the bed.  Rachel turned and looked at him, one brow rising as she crossed her arms.  "What do you think?" He asked, leaning up on one elbow and grinning at her.

Honey, that is not a question you want me answering right now. Rachel thought.  "Uh, it's good." She smiled.  She leaned back on her heels and examined the bed.  "I think it'll look good in your room."

"No." His grin widened.  "What do you think?" He patted the mattress.

"I told you." She smiled, making no move to join him.  "It's good."

"Would you come here and tell me what you think?" He laughed.

Rachel sat on the end of the bed, her back to JC.  "I like it."  She looked over her shoulder at him.  JC groaned as he rolled his eyes and lay back on the mattress. 

"You can't tell if a mattress is good by just sitting on the edge of it!" He exclaimed.

"Sure you can." Rachel said, tucking some hair behind her ear as she bounced slightly.  "It's good."

"Lay down, Rachel."

"Excuse me?!" She asked, looking at him in shock.

"Lie down and tell me what you really think." He commanded a purely evil grin on his handsome face.

Rachel faced forward again.  This is bad.  She thought.  This is really bad.  Taking a deep breath, Rachel placed her hands behind her and pulled herself backwards across the mattress.  She continued scooting a few time before she gathered her hair and pulled it over her shoulder.  Lying down stiffly, Rachel gathered her courage and looked over at him. 

JC rolled over and propped his head in his hand and grinned down at her.  "Is that how you sleep?" He asked, his eyes traveling down the length of her body. 

"Yes." Rachel said, crossing her arms across her stomach keeping very still. 

He narrowed his eyes as he once more took in her stiff posture.  "I don't believe you." He said.  "Come on." He said, rolling back on the bed.  "Relax." He said.  He put his arms behind his head. "Get comfortable. How can you tell if the bed is comfortable when you're laying there all stiff and straight?" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Rachel closed her eyes and swallowed.  Her heart was beating out of her chest.  How did I get into this position?  How in the world did I end up lying on a bed with JC Chasez?!  Taking a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, Rachel tried to relax.  She shifted and placed her bag on the floor then rolled over on her side and assumed the position she usually slept in-trying to get comfortable.  He wanted her honest opinion on the mattress and she was going to give it to him.  "Well, I--"

Her breath caught as she felt the bed move behind her and her heart almost leapt from her chest as JC sidled up behind her.  "What do you think?" He asked his voice low.  Rachel shivered at the feeling of his breath on her neck.  She could feel the warmth of his body behind her and when he placed a hand on her hip she thought she'd died and gone to heaven, every nerve ending standing at attention in his presence.  This is ridiculous.  She thought.  Why does he have this affect on me?  I can't keep melting every time he does something like this-every time he gets close or touches me in some way. 

"Show him what he's up against." Megan's voice sounded in Rachel's head.  "Dish it back to him."

She's right! Rachel thought.  Enough playing dead.  Time to show him what he's dealing with. 

"Do you like the bed, Rachel?" JC asked as she felt him lean even closer to her.

Hold on to your hat, JC.  Rachel thought, taking a deep breath.  It's about to get hot in here.  Before she could talk herself out of it, Rachel quickly turned and faced him.  His hand, which had been on her hip now rested on her lower back, while his arm was slung across her waist.  Rachel bit back the smile that wanted to break out at the surprise in his blue eyes. Don't play with fire. She wanted to tell him.  Unless you want to get burned.

"Yeah." She breathed, as she pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and looked at him through her lashes as she placed a hand against his chest.  "Yeah.  It's good." She smiled.

~~~~~

Damn it.  JC thought as Rachel turned and looked at him seductively.  He felt his body's instant reaction to her and knew he was in trouble.  He didn't want to think about how long it had been since he'd been this close to a girl-let alone one as beautiful and alluring as Rachel was.  He didn't want to think about how he was slowly being rendered helpless as the sweet, heavenly smell of her perfume invaded his senses.  He didn't want to think about just how close her tempting mouth was-how he could easily close the remaining space between them and once more have her lips against his. 

But he couldn't help it.

"JC?" She asked quietly and he felt a shiver go down his spine at hearing his name coming from her lips in that soft, seductive tone he remembered.  His arm tightened slightly around her, pulling her even closer, as he contemplated what it would sound like to hear her say his name in the midst of...a much more intimate moment.  She looked at him, her eyes pulling him in, drawing him closer.

"Yeah?" He fought to keep himself from attacking her, but his resolve was slipping-quickly.  He moved towards her slowly, his body seeking to close the space between them, his mouth wanting to once more be connected to hers. 

"Do you think..." She stopped and licked her lips.  JC nearly groaned as his eyes followed the motion.  His eyes remained fixated on her mouth as she continued.  "Do you think we could..." She paused again.

What?!  He wanted to scream.  Do you think we could what?  If she didn't finish her question soon he was going to have no choice but to silence her rambling the only way he could.  She looked down coyly then back up at him before closing her eyes and parting her lips slightly.  He felt a jolt go through him.  He knew what it meant when a woman did that and who was he to deny her?  He closed his eyes and moved to kiss her.

"Do you folks need any help?"

JC groaned as a friendly voice spoke from behind him, effectively halting the seduction going on-though who was actually the one being seduced he had no idea.  Rachel propped herself up on one elbow and looked behind him.  The siren had succeeded in making him completely forget they were in the middle of a furniture store.  Oh, she's good. He thought trying to pull himself together. 

"No, thanks." Rachel replied with a friendly smile to the sales guy, acting as if the entire exchange hadn't affected her in the least, which bruised his ego just a bit.  "We're in the market for a new bed and we were just testing out this mattress." She finished.

"Well, we've got a few specials going on so be sure to let me know if you folks need anything."

"We will, thanks." She replied.  She looked back at him, her face void of any expression.  "So back to what I was saying before we got interrupted, do you think we could make one more stop before we head back?" She asked, an evil glint in her eyes.

JC narrowed his eyes at her, watching as her façade slipped and a grin broke across her face, her brown eyes dancing with delight.  He smiled as she put her feet on the floor and stood looking down at him.  He rolled over and got off his side of the bed.  "Right now?" He asked, coming to stand beside her again.

"Unless you have something else you want to try out." She teased.

With you..."No, I'm good." He replied walking past her towards the door.

~~~~~

Yeah, I bet you are. Rachel thought as he watched him walk away from her.  She picked up her bag then turned on her heels to follow behind him.  She pulled out her phone and quickly typed a message to Megan, as they wound back through the store, sending it before JC realized what she was doing.

He is SUCH a punk!

And I am in so much trouble...