“Alright Mr. Chasez, you are now the proud owner of 8,000 square feet of empty space right on the Sunset Strip. Congratulations” 

The realtor’s words echoed in his ears as he reacted automatically to her extended hand by clasping it in a firm handshake. In a daze he took hold of the duplicates of the purchase agreement, folded the paperwork methodically and placed it in his briefcase. As though on auto-pilot he smiled at the agent, made his way out of the air conditioned office building into the blazing afternoon sun and into his car. As he sat behind the wheel, his hands still gripping his briefcase, the situation dawned on him with the force of a ton of bricks. 

Was he really going down that road again? The bitter taste of the failed foray in restaurant-owning was still lingering in his mouth and here he was signing his name on the dotted line to own a space right on the Sunset Strip. For months he’d been tossing around the idea of opening a club that would serve as a venue for new artists and, he admitted to himself, for his new material as well. Music was his life; this new venture was simply an extension of his passion. 

He’ll be wiser and more careful this time around. He won’t trust just anyone with his new baby and the situation won’t get out of hand. He’ll keep his finger on the pulse and only hire people he completely trusted. 

What will his parents think about him taking the plunge a second time? Will the media shred him to pieces? Will people think: Look at another pop star trying to be an entrepreneur! Let’s see how long until he falls on his ass this time. 

With a shake of his head he placed the briefcase on the passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt. Resolutely he looked at his reflection in the rear-view mirror and muttered to himself. 

“Quit being such a pussy Chasez, you’re a grown man and you can do what the hell you want.” 

As he placed the keys in the ignition of his Audi Quattro convertible he dialled the familiar number on his cell phone. 

“Yo!” the voice on the line answered 

“Hey Terrence, it’s JC.” 

“I know it’s you fool, I’ve got this handy, futuristic device that’s taking the world by storm. It’s called the caller ID.” 

“Real funny smartass. I was calling you to say I did it. I signed the papers, the deed is mine.” JC swallowed the lump in his throat, not wanting his friend to know just how queasy those words made him feel just then 

“For real? Uh… okay! So, like, what’s the next step? What do you want me to do man?”  

For all his ribbing, Terrence Lowell respected JC and saw him more like a brother than his boss. Though they’d known each other for a couple of years now, Terrence had only started working for JC in the last two years, serving more as an all around go-to guy than as a simple assistant. He’d seen what his last endeavour in entrepreneurship had done to him and wanted to avoid a repeat at all cost. Though he wouldn’t admit it unless tortured, Terrence truly did love JC and would go to the mat for him. 

JC laughed at his reaction, somehow feeling calmer now that he could hear the panic in someone else’s voice instead of his. With a renewed sense of confidence he placed his earpiece in and pulled away from the curb. 

“The building is sound and solid as a rock, I had it inspected by the same guy that checked out my house. All I need right now is for you to find me a kick ass designer to make this place look great.” 

“Search no more man; I know exactly who you need. Remember that boutique hotel we stayed at last year when we went to Vancouver for that Winter Ball?” 

JC searched his mind, trying to think back to the last time he’d been up to Canada. He remembered performing at some charity event and freezing his ass off but he couldn’t recall the hotel. 

“You have to remember; you spent the entire three days we were there telling me, and anyone who was stuck next to you, how you loved the design and how the ambiance was amazing.” 

“How the hell do you remember all that?” 

“Besides the fact that it’s my job to retain information, my mind’s a damn Memorex when it comes to the fine ladies of this world. The last night we were there, while you were sick in bed with that nasty ass cold, I was downstairs trying to get close to Ms. Designer herself. She was in town doing what she does best for some restaurant.” 

JC laughed loudly, earning looks from the other driver waiting at the red light beside him. 

“Only you Terry, that’s all I’m going to say. So how come I never heard about this girl anyway?” 

“Are you crazy? What man in his right mind would introduce a hot, smart and single woman to you if he wants to have a fighting chance? I wasn’t born yesterday!” Terrence laughed on the line 

“No comments. Okay so since I’m assuming you obtained her digits why don’t you just send me her info and I’ll call her up and tell her about the project when I get home.” 

“While you’ve got her on the phone tell her I said hi.” 

“What are we in high school? You’ve had her number for a year now, if you haven’t called her it’s on you buddy.” 

 “Remind me not to be your wing man anymore; you ain’t got any loyalty in that skinny ass body of yours.” 

“Luv ya too. Talk to you later.” 

Tossing his earpiece in the middle console JC sighed satisfyingly. He felt good about this.He would succeed. 

***

She swore to herself she wouldn’t panic. There simply was no reason to do so.Just because she’d quit a job she was content with, moved to a different country and didn’t know a single person in this city was no reason for losing her cool.She was Noree Armstrong, interior designer extraordinaire. Even if this meant nothing here in sunny California, it meant something back home in Montreal. It meant something to her. 

Squaring her shoulders, taking a deep cleansing breath and trying to exude a confidence she certainly didn’t feel at this very moment, Noree grabbed her suitcase and made a beeline for the row of cabs waiting patiently outside the terminal. 

The sun was blinding and hot on her skin. She could feel the prickle of it on her naked arms and exposed legs. Her brown eyes, shielded by her Jackie O-inspired sunglasses, caught her reflection in the glass panels of the terminal. 

At 5’-6” she was more curvy than slim, a fact that had caused her much self-inflicted grief as a teenager surrounded by tall and slim cousins. After years of failed fad diets, extreme workouts and crying jags, Noree came to the conclusion that curvy was her lot in life. Her grandmother used to tease her and say she’d been born a couple decades too late and that her old school coke-bottle figure would’ve garnered her plenty of admirers. Noree supposed that statement was meant to make her feel better about herself but it only succeeded in making her long for the 1920’s.  

As an adult she could examine her figure with a different eye; her arms were sleek, her stomach flat with a hint of definition, her bottom was high and round and her legs were long and toned despite her small stature. She kept her curling brown hair long, despite the sometimes cumbersome thickness. Her skin, thanks to a mixed heritage dating back a couple decades, was the color of café au lait and the sprinkling of freckles on her nose and cheeks gave her face a gamine appearance.All in all, she could finally see herself for what she was; a very cute young woman. 

Breaking out of her reverie Noree turned around and quickly made her way to the first cab in line, placed her suitcase in the trunk and slid inside on the cooled seats, reciting her new address to the driver.  

A mere thirty minutes later  she was standing on the sidewalk, staring at the small two-bedroom house she'd be renting for the next year at the very least. As the driver pulled away from the curb, leaving her suitcase at the curb, Noree turned her gaze to look around her. 

A woman in shorts and a tank top was jogging down the street, her large breasts following their own rhythm, two elderly women were walking with their poodles under their arms and a car full of teenagers was roaring down the road. 

She turned back towards the house and forced a smile. 

This was her new home and she would succeed.

*Later that afternoon*

"How the hell am I gonna do this?"

Noree stared at the mountain of boxes surrounding her, not knowing where to start. She'd finally received all her belongings, the delivery guy giving her nasty looks as he unloaded her cargo. Since she'd felt bad she'd handed him a generous tip for his services and offered a slice of pizza and a diet coke, both of which he'd curtly refused before shoving her last box through the front door.

Now the small two-bedroom house looked like a FedEX depot and she was the sole employee.

"OK girl, your shit ain't gonna move itself. Just get started so you can finish!"

For the next 5 hours Noree worked diligently, barely coming up for air. As she tightened the last bolt on her drafting table, she felt like dropping to the floor in a heap. Why couldn't she be like everyone else and unpack gradually? No, she had to be completely anal retentive and make sure every item was unpacked and placed properly on her first day in town.

Granted, she would need to get some more accessories here and there to make the house more homey but it would do for now. The plain walls would have to work since her leasing agreement prevented her from painting them. She was a designer after all; she would accessorize to her heart's content and make this place a show piece. Sometime tomorrow she would buy new furniture; the pieces that came with the rental would not do and she'd rather fork over her own money than use any of the rickety furniture. She'd simply contact the landlord and pay a premium to store the items if necessary.

She put away her tools, wiped her grimy hands on her shorts and stood up, glancing at the clock on her new office wall.

If her calculations were right, it was now 11pm in Montreal. She'd be cutting it close but she'd promised her grandmother a quick phone call.

She grabbed her cell phone and dialled the familiar number.

"Oui allo?" (Yes, hello?)

"Grand-mère? C'est Noree." (Grandma? It's Noree.)

"Noree chérie! Ça va? Comment était ton vol?" (Noree honey! You okay? How was your flight?)

"Ça c'est bien passé, il n'y a pas eu beaucoup de turbulence. Et toi, ça va?" (It went well, there wasn't much turbulence. What about you, are you okay?)

"Mais oui, ce n'est pas moi qui viens de passer des heures dans un avion. Dis-moi, tes choses sont arrivées? Et la température; est-ce qu'il fait vraiment très chaud?" (Of course, I'm not the one who's just spent hours on a place. Tell me, did your things arrive? What about the weather; is it very hot?)

"Toutes mes choses sont arrivées en un morceau, je suis vraiment surprise. La température est horrible, c'est super chaud mais je ne me plaint pas. C'est toujours mieux que nos hivers à -30°C." (All my things made it here in one piece; I'm really shocked. The weather is abysmal, it's horribly hot but I'm not complaining. It's always better than our winters at -22°F.)

"Tout a fait d'accord. Oh chérie, avant que j'oublie, ton ancienne patronne a appelée pour toi. Elle m'a laissé un message pour toi. Elle dit qu'un Monsieur Chasez te cherche. Il avait ton numéro au bureau mais tu n'es plus là alors elle m'a contacté à la place." (I completely agree. Honey, before I forget, your old boss called you. She left me a message for you. She said a Mr. Chasez is looking for you. He had your number at the office but since you're not there anymore, she called me instead.)

"Oh, pas de problème. Donne-moi son numéro, je le rappellerai demain matin. C'est sûrement un client potentiel. J'espère qu'il n'est pas à Montréal; ça serait trop ironique." (Oh, no problem. Give me his number; I'll call him back tomorrow morning. It's probably a potential client. I hope he's not in Montreal; that would be too ironic.)

Noree quickly jotted down the number on her message pad before placing the piece of paper on her desk.

"Grand-mère je vais te laisser ok? J'ai encore des boites à défaire et je veux passer à l'épicerie faire des courses. Passe le bonjour aux filles, je les appellerai plus tard dans la semaine." (Grandma I'm gonna let you go okay? I still have some boxes to go through and I want to pass by the grocery store to stock up. Say hi to the girls for me; I'll call them later in the week.)

"Ok chérie, prends soin de toi et fait attention." (Alright honey, take care of yourself and be careful.)

"Oui grand-mère. Bye." (Yes grandma. Bye.)

"Bye chérie." (Bye honey.)

Noree didn't want to admit it but she missed her grandmother. True there'd been times while growing up she couldn't stand the very presence of the woman in her life but times were different now. After her parents' death twenty years ago, Noree had been lost and broken. She'd felt truly and utterly alone. Before the funeral she'd never spent more than an afternoon with her grandmother, a woman who seemed larger than life to her 8 year old mind. But from that day, Rose Julien had welcomed her in her house with arms wide open. Not a day went by when Noree wasn't thankful.

Looking down at the paper on her desk Noree frowned. Wouldn't it just be her luck if the moment she decided to leave Canada, a client would seek her personally?

"Story of my damn life!"

With purse and directions in hand, Noree left the house to explore her neighborhood and get some groceries. As she walked along the different houses, she couldn't help but feel a small sense of excitement. She was out on her own, in a different country and so far she liked what she saw.  There were palm trees all around her for God's sake! She'd never even seen one in real life and now she was surrounded. Tomorrow she would receive her new car. No one walked in L.A. according to her cousin Sophie. That would take some getting used to as she was used to walking everywhere when she didn't need her car.

She doubted it would take her long to get a good sense of the layout of the city. The moment she'd signed the rental papers for the house she'd been studying map after map; learning the different routes to places she might need to know. She'd only taken her direction sheet as a precaution; she'd memorized the route to the grocery store on the plane ride and could most likely make her way there without any help.

A smile played on her lips when a breeze picked up and ruffled her curls. She was in L.A.! Who would've thought geeky Noree Armstrong would one day move to the land of the stars?

***

*Following Day - June 13th*

Noree woke up, the sun streaming through the sheers covering the bedroom window. For a moment she simply laid there, beneath the fresh sheets, her eyes slowly taking in her surroundings. Though the walls were bland, she'd made up for it with her own singular touches for colour. Bright blue glass perfume bottles were catching the light on her dresser, sending their array of colours across the backing wall.

She'd been relieved to see her custom-made king size bed had not only survived the trip but fit perfectly inside the bedroom. She'd have hated to get rid of it. It was the first piece of furniture she'd designed and built with her own two hands. Upon seeing the end result, all three of her cousins had requested their very own, claiming the padded headboard would certainly come in handy.

Noree loved its clean lines, the feeling of opulence she got whenever she laid on it. With a contented sigh, she stretched her weak limbs under the 1000 thread-count, Egyptian cotton sheets, a smile lingering on her lips. When her eyes turned to the alarm clock on the bedside table they widened.

"11am!"

She couldn't recall the last time she'd indulged in such a late morning. She had so many things to accomplish, places to visit, suppliers to get acquainted with and phone calls, so many phone calls to place.

Shaking off the urge to linger in bed, she bolted from under the body-warmed covers and headed for the adjoining room where her office was now taking residence. She took hold of her notepad, BlackBerry and To-Do list.

First on her list: the phone calls. She needed to call the landlord, contact some past clients and let them know she was now in their area and take the time to call her old boss out of courtesy. She couldn't afford to burn bridges. Then she needed to call the car dealership and see if her car was ready for delivery. She'd splurged on a Mini Cooper S Convertible and couldn't wait to get behind the wheel.

Her eyes landed on the phone number she'd taken down the night before, still tacked on to her bulletin board. She needed to call back this potential client. Any work at this point would be welcomed.

Taking the paper in her hand, she looked at the phone number. The area code clearly indicated the caller was at least based in Los Angeles so it was a good sign. She'd hate to have to travel so soon after arriving in town.

She looked at the name and gasped as she recognized it. It was like being hit in the solar plexus with a 10 pound sledgehammer. She dropped the sheet, her hands covering her mouth.

"Holy fucking merde! (shit)"

How had she not recognized the name last night? She could only blame lack of sleep and temporary insanity for her gross oversight.

JC Chasez was looking for her? The JC Chasez?

She had officially entered the Twilight Zone because in what normal world did some up and coming interior designer from Montreal not only moved to California but found herself in possession of one of America's most recognizable faces' phone number, with permission to use it?

He had called looking for her.... He knew her name.

"Oh shit, he's in L.A.!"

It dawned on her that, whatever his reason for calling her, she would have to meet him in person to at least discuss it, whether she accepted the mandate or not.

"Alright, deep breaths, calm down. This could be nothing. I could have the wrong Mr. Chasez. His dad's name is Chasez, so's his brother's. Yeah, that's it, I'm gonna talk to his dad or his brother or some cousin..."

With her calm somewhat restored, Noree reached for the paper and, before she let nerves get the best of her, she pressed each digit onto her cell phone.

***

"Babe, where should we eat today?"

"I can't head out today Sasha; I've got a shitload of things to do." JC's voice was muffled as he spoke with his pen lodged between his teeth, his eyes trained on the papers in front of him.

"But babe, we haven't been out together in days, I'm going stir crazy. How about we grab some brunch at that new restaurant and then do a little shopping? We never go out anymore."

The brunette made her way over to him. She was tall, rod slim and knew exactly how to work a room, any room. Moving the papers out of the way, she took her place in his lap, taking his arms and wrapping them around her waist. She truly was a beauty and if she knew her man, he wouldn't resist her long.

With a sigh, JC rubbed the bridge of his nose, moving his glasses out of the way.

"Sasha, I really need to get this done. You can invite your girls; I know you haven't seen them in a while."

"I don't want to go out with them; I want to be with you. You never make time for me anymore. It's always work and more work lately; what happened to spending some quality time with me?" She knew she was pouting and the concept would normally irk her but, desperate times called for desperate measures.

JC didn't want to get irritated with her, he didn't want to lose his patience but she was making it very hard not to. He'd been neglecting her lately, he could see it, but he was finally getting the ball rolling on a project that got his creative juices flowing again and all he wanted was a couple hours of peace and quiet to get some details ironed out.

He looked up at her and smiled. He knew she wouldn't be happy with him but there was no way around it. In the end she would understand; she always did. Wrapping his arms more firmly around her, he brought her closer.

"I would love to go and roam the city with you baby, but I can't. Once this project is under control and all the details worked out, I'll have more time, I promise. For now, I need you to be patient with me."

Sasha rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. She knew she was considered shallow as a kiddie pool by some but, to her own surprise, she was starting to deeply care for the blue-eyed man. She didn't pretend to understand everything about his life or his work, and if she were honest with herself, and she rarely was, she could say that they had nearly nothing in common but somehow they worked.

"If you weren't such a cutie Chasez..."

JC's hands travelled from her waist to her back, left bare by her halter top. With a smirk on her face, Sasha leaned forward, her lips inches from his. As he was about to close the distance between them, she pulled back.

"I'm taking the Beemer. Thank you babe!"

Without looking back Sasha bolted to her feet, grabbed her purse and the car keys from the hook. JC barely had time to blink before he could hear the mechanical sound of the garage door opening.

He knew his and Sasha's relationship, if one could call it that, was far from a great love story. They both enjoyed each other's company and neither had any great expectations from each other. As shallow as it made him sound it was exactly what he needed; a stress-free, drama-free and, let's face it, short-term relationship.

He knew that no matter what his mother told him she was eager to see him settled with a wife and 2.5 children but he kept waiting for the urge to manifest itself. In the meantime he'd please himself with Sasha and ride the wave. Even though it made him sad to do so, he didn't believe he was meant for the "Great One".

As he reached for the discarded papers his cell phone buzzed, vibrating on the glass table. He tensed when he saw the caller ID indicating Unknown Caller. He hoped to God his number hadn't been leaked again. He had no desire to change his number yet again.

"Hello?" He kept his voice as neutral as possible. If some eager fan was on the line, he could at least try to pretend they had the wrong number

"Yes hi, my name is Noree Armstrong, is Mr. Chasez available; I'm returning a phone call?"

Looking back on that very moment, JC would remember his breath clogging in his throat and his stomach seizing at the sound of the voice on the line. The only way to describe it was purely and inherently sexy. The smoky tone reminded him of seedy bars and the barely noticeable hint of an accent made him think of French films noirs.

Not certain how long he'd been silent on the line, JC hurriedly answered.

"I'm Mr. Chasez. You're a hard woman to track down Mrs. Armstrong. I've been bounced around a couple times."

"I'm afraid you've caught me in transition Mr. Chasez. I've just moved and I only received your message late last night. Is there something I can help you with?"

"I sure hope so. I was in Vancouver last year and stayed at this boutique hotel you re-designed; I was really impressed with your work. I took some time yesterday to go through your old employer's website and the projects that were associated with your name really impressed me. I recently purchased a space and I would like for you to see it and maybe go over a few ideas. I realize this is last minute but would you be able to fly to L.A.? "

"We're both in luck Mr. Chasez; I've moved to South L.A. so my office isn't as far away as it originally was."

"Wow! That's amazing. In that case, we have to meet. I would love to go over what I've got in mind for my own project."

JC couldn't believe his luck. What were the odds?

"Do you have a specific time and place you'd like for us to meet?"

"Would today work for you? I've got a lot of different aspects that need to be set in motion and they all pretty much depend on what I do with the space."

"That won't be a problem. Would you like to meet at the space?"

"That would be perfect. Here's the address. How about we meet in front an hour from now and we can talk about everything?"

"It works for me. I'll see you in an hour Mr. Chasez."

Hanging up, JC smiled. He looked down at himself and decided he couldn't very well show up to a business meeting looking rumpled and scruffy. With an extra bounce in his step he climb the stairs two at a time and headed for the shower.

***

Noree was still staring at her phone, a disbelieving expression marring her features. She was pretty certain she'd just spoken to JC Chasez. Certainly not the father nor the brother. On top of it, she was scheduled to meet him. With a shaky breath she ran her trembling hand though her messy curls.

"Let's stay calm. He's just another potential client; nothing more, nothing less. You will treat him as such and stay professional. It's not like he's the first rich man you've worked for. You did that reno for Guy Laliberté* once; this is the same thing. "

She looked down at the cell phone's display and jumped. She only had a bit less than an hour to receive her car and head over to Sunset.

Quickly, she placed a call to the dealership and after being assured she would receive her car within the half hour, she headed straight for the shower.

She was putting the finishing touches to her make-up when she heard the doorbell. With a squeal of excitement she hurried to the front door.

Within minutes the paperwork was signed, keys handed over and Noree was standing barefoot in the driveway, looking over her brand new, Sparkling Silver Mini Cooper S Convertible with Hot Chocolate Soft Top and leather Tuscan interior.

With a dreamy sigh she ran her hand over the body of the car, the chrome accents catching the light. She ran back inside the house and quickly put her shoes on, grabbed her portfolio, her laptop bag and her purse.

Noree slid into the car and, starting it, plugged in the address into the GPS. With a silent prayer she drove out of the driveway and headed towards a meeting that could very well establish her career.

She decided against driving with the top down, doubting that showing up for her first appointment with a potential client with windblown hair would make her look very professional. She'd opted for a low bun to keep her curls under control and give her a more serious appearance.  Hopefully she'd make a good enough first impression with Mr. Chasez.

***

JC was standing in front of his new acquisition at the corner of Sunset and San Vicente, chewing nervously on his bottom lip, both hands shoved deep in his jean pockets. The building's exterior was nothing to write home about but that was about to change. Hopefully with the help of Noree Washington.

He turned his gaze to the street just in time to see the silver car pulling up. Behind sunglasses his eyes observed the driver as she stepped out. He took in her curvy frame beneath the simple dove gray linen suit jacket and calf length pencil skirt. Her own eyes were hidden behind large sunglasses, keeping him from fully seeing her face.  The sun reflected off her brown hair, causing copper highlights. His gaze travelled down the length of her, following every curve, and his breath hitched at the sight of the bright red 5-inch ankle-strap pumps on her feet. He couldn't explain it but the contrast of the prim and proper suit with the sexy footwear went straight to his gut.

Cursing under his breath, JC fought to focus on her face as she made her way over to him, a smile curving her full lips.

-Get yourself under control you idiot. You don't want to scare her off just because you've got some weird shoe-thing going on!- the words were screamed loudly in his mind as he plastered a smile on his face

"Mr. Chasez, I'm Noree Armstrong."

She removed her sunglasses, placed them quickly in her purse and extended her free hand for a firm handshake and JC nearly whimpered. Her voice was more poignant in person, twisting his insides. The fact that she had the face of a pixie, complete with a smattering of freckles, and the voice of a sexpot didn't help his ability to focus.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Armstrong. You can call me JC, Mr. Chasez's my dad."

JC silently congratulated himself for being able to string a full sentence together.

"In that case you can call me Noree."

"Alright Noree, welcome to my run down diamond in the rough. Hopefully you can accomplish a miracle."

With a laugh JC led the way to the front door and, grabbing the large keychain, unlocked it. The air that greeted them upon entry was heavy with the smell of spilled alcohol and dust motes could be seen dancing in the air with what little natural light that came in through the small ceiling height windows on the far wall.

Unconcerned, Noree made her way around the room, taking notes and measurements and murmuring to herself. JC simply stood still near the entrance, just watching her. The floor was littered with pieces of drywall, the remnants of old booths and tables and old bottles. The space had had many incarnations during the last decade and the last one had been a bar with a rough and ready clientele. The bar had only survived a few months before the owners, a pair of Hollywood starlets, had decided to cut their losses and close the place down.

Now it was all his to do as he pleased.

Noree's heart was slowly regaining its regular rate as she made her way around the large room. She thought she'd covered her initial reaction beautifully; her hand hadn't trembled and her voice had remained steady. Now she just needed to get her heartbeat under control and everything would be alright.

Though she was a fan, Noree was glad she wasn't an obsessive one. Or else her nerves would've gotten the best of her.

He truly was a beautiful specimen of the male type. He was tall but in her heels she could look him in the eyes without craning her neck. He was dressed simply but her experienced eye let her see everything was either tailor-made or tailored to fit his long frame. His hand had been rough in hers, nearly sending a shudder up her spine. She couldn't afford to react that way. So what if it had been more than two years since her last relationship; it was no reason to act like some horny teenager.

Continuing to scribbling notes and observe the space, Noree didn't notice JC's gaze following her.

-Chasez, you're not allowed to think these things. She could be working for you before long and you have a girlfriend. This is just another beautiful woman. There are plenty of those around and you don't go ape-shit when you see them. Just remember to breathe and don't look at her ass... Damn!-

JC nearly genuflected when Noree bent forward to observe the underside of the still standing bar. To distract himself he started walking, blindly looking around at details.

"Was the foundation inspected?"

Noree's voice broke through his ongoing inner dialog.

"Oh, yeah. It's sound. I have the report in my car."

She simply nodded and kept going. Some twenty minutes and ten pages of notes later, Noree joined JC in the middle of the empty space.

Noree's first reaction was glee. She loved a blank canvas and she could really sink her teeth into a project of this size. If she played her cards right she could add another accomplishment to her portfolio and get her name within the inner circles of the Hollywood elite.

"So? What do you think? You're still here so I'm guessing it's not so horrible after all."

"There's nothing better for an interior designer than a blank canvas. I've got all the measurements I need for now, is there someplace where we can sit so we can discuss what you want to do?"

"We can head over to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf just up the street. It's just a 3-minute walk." JC said, pointing towards the general direction of the coffee shop

"That's great!"

Without another word they headed outside. Noree waited as JC locked the heavy door. Back behind the security of her sunglasses she let her eyes roam down his body, a warm flush coming over hers.

-Who knew such a skinny white guy could have such a cute ass?-

When he turned towards her, she simply smiled, hoping he couldn't read her expression. In silence they walked towards their destination.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you move to California?"

JC could only think of it as sweet torture but he wanted to listen to her voice.

"Well, I guess I decided I'd done everything I could do back home. Interior designers aren't chump change in Canada but we're not exactly fought over either. I wanted to move on to bigger and better."

"I can understand that. I for one am thankful."

"I've actually been meaning to ask you where you got the number to my old employer. I know the hotel didn't list us anywhere in their press kit; how did you know where to start looking?"

"I can't take the credit for that. A buddy of mine, Terrence, remembered meeting you while we were in Vancouver last year and he still had your business card. I spent that entire 3-day trip raving about the place but I got sick on the last day or else we would've met then."

Noree frowned, trying to remember her visit to the Vancouver hotel. The work had drained her physically and emotionally. They'd been the most difficult clients to date and after pouring her heart and soul into the rehabbing and redecoration of the entire building she'd enjoyed their offer to use the facilities for free before heading back home. She had a vague memory of meeting a man that night. He'd made her laugh with his clumsy compliments and she'd given him her business card, fully knowing she'd never hear from him.

"Short, Latin man with hair like he got smashed into an electric fence?"

JC's laugh came quickly at her words.

"Yep, that sounds about right. You'll be happy to know we were able to talk him out of that haircut."

"Glad to hear it."

"It was an unfortunate time in all our lives, believe me."

"You don't seem too scarred by it."

"I'm made of sterner stuff than that."

Both laughing quietly, they walked into the coffee shop and headed for the counter.

"Welcome to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf." The perky blonde behind the counter was all smiles when her eyes landed on JC

"Hi there, can I have the large Chai Latte? What would you like Noree?"

"Hmm, the large Frozen Lemonade please."

When JC reached to pay for both drinks, Noree placed a hand on his wrist to stop him.

JC told himself he was being silly. He'd been spending too much time under the sun and his mind was going. The moment her hand made contact with his skin, he had the definite sensation that time stopped. His breath lodged in his throat, his eyes landed on her hand and followed the length of her arm until he settled on her face.

For a fraction of a second he saw the same shocked expression in her eyes before she blinked it away and released his wrist.

"You don't have to pay for mine, I'm not on the payroll yet." Her laugh was forced and she cleared her throat as she reached for her wallet to hand a couple bills out to the cashier who was still standing with that dreamy smile on her face

With an uncomfortable silence between them, they headed to a table at the back with their drinks in hand. To keep her hands busy, Noree took out her laptop and proceeded to booting it up.

JC was busy mentally kicking himself when Noree slid a large folder in front of him.

"These are some of the projects I headed independently from the firm I was with. You can look them over while I do a rough-in of your space on my computer."

Thankful for the distraction, JC simply nodded dumbly and started flipping through the portfolio. The projects were varied and each one of them was stunning. Some were not to his personal taste but they all held a sense of originality that showed him how truly talented she was. By the time he flipped the last page Noree was putting the finishing touches to the rough layout of the space.

Pushing the book aside, JC brought his seat closer to Noree's to get a better look at the computer screen. He was shocked to already see a 3D mock-up of the interior space.

"How'd you do this so quickly?!"

Noree smiled, her gaze never leaving the screen.

"Years of experience. Now, tell me what you would like to do with the space, what you would to see in the space, what you can't live without and what you loathe."

JC laughed, feeling at ease again now that the tension had lessened between them.

"Is that all?"

For 4 hours they sat at the little table, going over his ideas and her suggestions. With a couple quick presses of a few buttons she had different scenarios appearing on the screen. He would either dismiss them or note what aspects he liked better. By the end they both had a pretty good idea of the direction and scope of work to be done.

A quiet chime broke through their conversation and JC reached for his cell phone in his back pocket. Gesturing for Noree to wait for him, he stood and answered.

"Hi babe!" JC tried to keep his voice down as he walked a little ways from the table

"JC, where have you been all afternoon? I've been calling you." Sasha's voice came through

"I'm sorry babe, I didn't hear my phone. I've been in a meeting with the designer for the club and I lost track of time. You know how I get when I work; I tune everything out."

Sasha sighed on the line, the sound coming through loud and clear.

"Yes, I know how you get. When are you coming home? I wanted to show you what I bought and we have to figure out where we're having dinner tonight."

JC cringed, knowing his answer wouldn't please her.

"I'm real sorry Sasha but I can't make it for dinner. We're not done here and there are a lot of details we still have to go over. I want to go over some samples with Noree and head Downtown to check out some of the custom furniture we could get."

"Who's Noree?"

"The interior designer I hired."

The long pause didn't put JC's mind at ease. After a few moments, Sasha's voice broke through, with that overly enthusiastic tone she used whenever she felt uncomfortable.

"Do you want me to come help you out? You know I've got a good eye for these things babe."

JC felt bad but he truly didn't want Sasha to show up. He knew what would happen. She'd come and stay involved in the conversation for a whole 10 to 15 minutes before she lost interest.

"I appreciate it baby but it's not necessary for you to lose the rest of your day doing this. Why don't you and your friends do something tonight?"

"I've already been out with my friends JC; they replaced you at brunch today, remember?"

Because JC could feel a fight brewing, he chose his words carefully.

"This project is not just about me Sasha; it could mean something. I know it's a lot to ask of you but my time is going to be stretched very thin for a while."

JC could practically hear her thinking, mulling the words over in her mind.

"I guess I'll see you later tomorrow then."

"Alright babe, see ya."

With a relieved sigh JC placed the phone back in his pocket and headed to the table where Noree was patiently waiting.

Noree was quietly berating herself.

-Girl, he's obviously got a girlfriend so you're going to do yourself a favour and delete all those nasty fantasies you've been entertaining since you laid eyes on him. He is officially your client and you NEVER AGAIN will dip your pen in the company ink. UNDERSTOOD?-

She'd been on the receiving end of cheating boyfriends too many times to even consider the notion of pursuing something with a man who was clearly unavailable. Her only foray in mixing business with pleasure had ended so horribly she swore she never would make the same mistake again. With a resolved nod to herself she made her decision; the relationship between herself and JC Chasez would remain professional, at all cost.

She looked up as he made his way towards her.

-Damn it!-

"Well, are you ready to head downtown? I can't wait to look at some pieces already."

"Sure. I'll give you the address to the manufacturers I researched and I'll follow you in my car. I've got a GPS but I'd rather be on the safe side."

"Let's hit the road then."

With that they left the coffee shop and headed back to their cars.

JC waved as he pulled away from the curb ahead of her and Noree followed.

When they reached the first warehouse, they both got out of their respective cars and headed for the entrance.

Together they roamed the showrooms of various manufacturers and questioned the sales staff. Noree took copious notes and concentrated on the task at hand. She refused to even linger on the barely there grazes of the hand that seemed to sneak their way in despite her efforts to keep her distance.

Leaving the last warehouse, Noree sighed and massaged her neck, stretching it from side to side to relieve the tension.

"I think it's safe to say we've done all we can for the day, probably too much actually." JC's words were laced with humour

Noree grinned, nodding in agreement.

"I could probably keep going but I need fuel and flatter shoes. The retailers are closing anyway so it's a moot point."

Looking down at his watch JC cringed. It was already past 8pm.

"I've kept you a little longer than expected. Sorry."

"No harm done, I'll let you know when I can't take it anymore. I think for now the best would be for me to go ahead and produce those plans. I've got your contractor's information so I'll be in contact with him. I could have the book of plans ready for him by the end of the week and a couple sample boards for you by that time also."

"Already?"JC was impressed, he wasn't expecting her to give him such a quick timeline

"You've got the benefit of being my only client at this very moment so I'm at your entire disposition. I work pretty quickly and once I get your green light to go ahead I can relay that to the contractor and place the orders for the materials I'll need. Once you've approved the samples we'll have a better idea of the timeframe depending on the availability of the materials and the production time for the custom pieces."

"That works for me. How about I meet you at your office a week from today so we can go over the final choices?"

"Sure. Here's the address. I'll keep you up to date with everything."

JC entered her information in his cell phone and walked her over to her car.

After throwing her purse in on the passenger side, Noree turned to JC and held out her hand. Bracing himself against the jolt he was sure would course through his body at the contact, JC took the outstretched hand in his in a firm handshake.

"I'll call you to set a time to meet."

"Sure. Thanks again for taking this project."

With a nod, Noree let his hand go and slipped into her car, making quick work of starting it and leaving the curb.

For a moment JC stood there, staring at her retreating lights. He had the feeling this would be an interesting couple of weeks.

*June 19th*

JC's foot tapped and his head bobbed to the beat pouring through the speakers and he couldn't help the small thrill he felt every time he listened to a newly finished track. As he sat behind the console, his fingers moved over the sliders, adjusting the sound to his liking. When he judged the track perfect he would save it and file it away.

That's all he seemed to be doing with his music lately: lay it down, file it away. For all his talk of wanting his new album to come together organically, he felt he couldn't quite put his finger on what he wanted. He had plenty of records he wanted to let the world hear but something wasn't meshing.

He hated to think he was getting gun-shy about his craft.

In due time, that's what he kept telling himself. In due time he would have the right combination of tracks and he would release a new album. For the time being he was content to lay down a couple tracks when something came to him.

For the past week he'd been writing madly, ideas coming to him left and right. Most of it wasn't suitable for anything more than an exercise in brainstorming but he had at least three completed songs on paper and one he was mostly done recording. For the last few months he hadn't felt any inspiration and had felt frustrated whenever he sat down with pen and paper. He couldn't deny he was feeling inspired now. He just wouldn't admit out loud it was all thanks to a certain someone.

He wouldn't analyze it. For now he was happy to ride out the wave and see how long this one would last.

He looked down at his watch and winced. He'd been down in the studio since 6am and it was now a bit past noon. He never brought his cell phone down with him but he would bet good money he'd see a few missed calls from Sasha. Sighing he saved his session and shut his equipment down. He'd have to grovel this time to earn her forgiveness.

He was making his way up the stairs when he heard the sound of the front door opening.

"Yo Chasez!"

Terrence's voice boomed loudly in the house.

"Remind me to take away your keys man."

Terrence walked into the kitchen just as JC did. His arms were heavy with grocery bags and he had a slightly harassed expression on his tanned face.

"Oh please, who the hell would handle your shit when you're away fool? I'm the only one crazy enough to work for you anymore."

He put the bags down with a huff, dropping his cell phone and keys on the marble countertop as well. Leaving everything behind he headed for the refrigerator and grabbed the first water bottle in sight, downing it quickly.

"Dude did you run a marathon or something? You're stinking up my house with that BO you've got going on." JC laughed, peering into one of the grocery bags

Terrence simply sent him a murderous glare as he gulped more water from a second bottle.

"Man, it is hot as a mother out there. Look at you all fresh and rosy, you've probably been in the studio all day."

"Hey, don't hate on me man, I have to make a living if I'm gonna pay your salary."

Terrence rolled his eyes and shut the refrigerator door.

"I had to duck inside the supermarket to try and cool down so I got you some groceries while I was there."

Grabbing some items and starting to place them in the pantry JC shook his head, laughing.

"Terry, you don't have to give me reasons to get me groceries."

"Man, shut up and put away your food."

Together the two men put away all the items. As he was putting away the bags of chips Terrence sighed.

"You eat like an overgrown teenager you know that? Your mom would have my neck if she knew I let you eat that shit on a daily basis."

"Awww, are you worried about my health Terry? That's cute!"

"I'm just making sure my meal ticket lives long enough for me to retire young and wealthy. Which is why I got you some whole grain bread and other healthy shit so your skinny ass can stay around for a while longer."

"Dude, you do realize I barely eat at home anyway? Sasha sure as hell isn't going to cook anything either; I don't even think she knows what my kitchen looks like."

JC was the first to admit to being completely clueless when it came to any sort of food preparation. He could nuke pretty much anything as long as it came with detailed instructions. Nowadays the only times he sat down to a home-cooked meal was when he took the time to visit his parents.

"Of course that girl won't cook a damn thing! Does she even eat?"

Terrence made no secret of his dislike for Sasha and the two butted heads whenever they were in each other's presence for longer than five minutes. He tried to avoid her as much as possible because he knew JC wanted to keep her around and fighting with her was more painful for his friend than for him. Terrence actually enjoyed harassing her.

JC chose to ignore Terry's comment.

"Don't forget you have a meeting with Miss Designer today dude. I can't believe you get to go to her place and all that. The world is an unfair place."

"Repeat after me Terry; her name is Noree Armstrong. Try rehearsing that before you see her again."

"With my luck she won't even notice I'm there. God knows why women like your pasty ass! I'll stick with women who appreciate me, thank you very much."

"You've got it all wrong man; she was all business with me. You know damn well I've got absolutely no game with women."

Terrence thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

JC had no illusions about his skills; he had very little when it came to women. Performing in front of thousands of screaming, squealing woman was never as nerve-wracking as talking one on one with a woman he didn't know.

"It's a moot point anyway; I'm not single."

"I think you know my thoughts on that already so I won't repeat myself. Was she looking hot though?"

JC shook his head in disbelief.

"I ain't telling you jack shit man!"

"Ay come on amigo! Throw me a bone here."

JC laughed and turned away, leaving the room.

"Alright, I see how you are. Don't even try to play me; I've seen the face you make when you talk to her on the phone."

JC stopped short at Terrence's words and backtracked.

"What are you talking about?"

"You should see yourself man; you doodle on napkins and shit like some love struck teenage girl! She's getting to you and you only saw her once. How the hell are you gonna survive a month-long reno?" Terrence smirked at his friend

"You don't know what you're saying. I do not act like that." JC's denial was greeted by Terrence's laughter

"Lie to yourself all you want hombre; you've got the hots for her and you know it."

Of course he knew! He'd spent the past week fighting himself and his vivid imagination. The problem didn't lay there. If the people around him could see his reaction to Noree so easily then Sasha wouldn't stay oblivious for very long.

He needed to get himself under control. He needed to focus. He was good at compartmentalizing his life and he just needed to make sure Noree stayed under the "Professional Relationship" tab.

"Alright, so she's a knockout, doesn't mean anything will ever happen. Nothing can happen. Not just because I have Sasha but because she works for me and I doubt I'm even her type."

"In that case, mind if I give it a shot?"

The gleam in Terry's eyes was enough to let JC know he was just testing his reaction.

"Be my guest man. Though I have to warn you she referred to you as the "Latin man with hair like he got smashed into an electric fence"; your chances might be on the slim side."

Terrence just shook in head in disgust and turned away, leaving a laughing JC behind him.

"I called the guys for tomorrow's BBQ and I'll pick up the food tomorrow morning before I head out to my folks'. Do you need anything else done before I leave your ungrateful behind?"

"Who else confirmed?"

"Joey and Kelly are coming but they're leaving Bri with Kelly's mom. Justin and Jess are coming later but they'll be there. Chris didn't confirm yet but you know he'll show up at some point. Lance can't be there cuz of some business he's got out of town. Chad, Pepper and Tum are coming with enough booze for a small, very alcoholic country. Selina, Tommy and Bruno are bringing some food and Sasha's bringing her model posse."

"See, that's one thing you can be thankful for; Sasha's got plenty of model friends that don't know about your past haircuts. You might actually have a chance!"

"You're on to talk: All Hail Caesar!"

At those words both men laughed.

"I was a poor innocent pop star under the control of an evil, boy-fetish, tub-o-lard; I cannot be held responsible for anything regarding my appearance prior to 2000."

"Yeah right, whatever you say man. I'm outta here, don't forget your appointments."

***

The heat was getting to her.

The two fans she had running full blast on both sides of the office were doing nothing more than stirring hot air. No matter what she tried, she was still sweating buckets. With self-preservation in mind she decided to forgo any work on her computer and stick with her drafting table. The heat generated by her PC would positively kill her at this point.

So with her riotous curls piled haphazardly on top of her head, a white sports bra and black shorts on Noree worked diligently on the last of the renderings. She loved the authentic feeling of drafting plans by hand but she could never fault the ease of working with her computer. Erasing details on paper was a lot more work than simply pressing "Delete" on her keyboard.

When she reached to move the parallel ruler downwards, a drop of sweat slid down her nose to land on the exposed table, precariously close to her sheet.

"That's it! No more for today. I'm sweating all over these papers!"

Resigned to it, Noree left her work behind and decided to get yet another shower.

"I should just stay in the tub and get it over with."

She still had an hour before JC was due to show up and discuss the latest renderings and plans with her. By then she should be marginally less sweaty and should've been able to talk herself into ignoring any attraction she might have for him.

-Yeah right!-

All week she'd been fighting an inner battle, reminding herself of her own principles.  She had goals and aspirations and none of them included trying to seduce her client.

She was heading for the washroom when the doorbell rang.

Swearing to herself, Noree made her way to the front door, shoving her glasses on top of her head. Not bothering to look through the peephole, she opened the door, letting in a new wave of heated air. Her greeting stayed stuck in her throat as she laid eyes on JC.

JC's own words stopped short as he took in the sight before him. Noree's tanned skin was glistening with sweat, some curls clinging to her temples and forehead. Her hourglass figure was in full display, the bra and shorts leaving nothing to the imagination. JC averted his eyes as quickly as he could from her generous chest to settle further down.

-God! She's got legs up to her chin!-

He had to look away. He couldn't look away. If he'd known this body was hiding under her plain suit he would've probably spent the week in a constant state of arousal. As it was, he would have to concentrate to keep his body from betraying him. Vivid images kept flashing in his mind like a constant movie reel. He had the urge to run his hands down her body, bring her close to him and bury his face in her neck where the skin looked so soft. He wanted to hear her breath catch when he kissed her, touched her, thrust into her...

Gritting his teeth against the onslaught of emotions battering his senses, JC focused his eyes on Noree's own. He wondered if the flush on her cheeks was due to the heat or embarrassment.

"Hi." He said dumbly

"Hi. You're early."

"Yeah, my earlier appointment was cancelled and I figured I'd come by now. I'm sorry, I really should've called."

"That's alright. Come on in."

Moving aside Noree let JC walk in and closed the door behind him.

-Shit! Shit! Shit!- She took a deep breath as she locked the door

With Noree's back turned away from him, JC could get a full view of her back and he nearly swallowed his tongue. Making its way down, right on her spine was the tattoo of a vine. Normally the view of a tattoo brought to mind needles and the associated crippling fear in his gut but, for some reason, his first thought as his eyes followed the vines path from between her shoulder blades down to where the shorts interrupted the pattern was to kiss and lick his way down to what appeared to be a fantastic ass.

Fighting the urge to get a closer look, JC balled his hands and shoved them deep in his pockets, his stance shifting from one foot to the other.

Noree turned to him, a slightly self-conscious expression on her face. She was a sweaty mess and JC was looking so fresh and put together. His crisp white button down shirt was left open to reveal a bright yellow t-shirt tight enough for her to see some muscle definition. His dark slacks hung low on his narrow hips, held there by a simple black belt she guessed cost more than any of her own accessories. She'd gotten a quick whiff of his cologne as he'd passed by her; something musky and woodsy that just made her want to nibble on his neck to her heart's content. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, exposing toned forearms. His hands weren't those of a pianist but looked strong and powerful.

She wanted those hands around her, on her, in her...

-Dream on girl, you are NOT in his league.-

"Would you like something cold to drink?" She hoped her voice didn't sound too strained

"Sure. It's like a sauna in here." JC laughed, trying to ease some of the discomfort

He tried not to follow her movements as she headed for the kitchen.

"You're telling me! The AC broke down 2 days ago and I've been melting ever since."

From the corner of his eye he could see her riffling through the fridge, no doubt in search of a water bottle. He trained his eyes straight ahead of him, keeping them away from her bent figure.

She handed him a bottle and when their fingers brushed, JC could've sworn he heard a buzzing in his ears.

"If you wouldn't mind I was about to head for the shower. You can wait in the living room or in my office; I won't be more than 5 minutes"

JC simply nodded, not trusting his voice. He watched as Noree walked away, his eyes following the motion of her curves in motion. He would not think of her in the shower.

­­-Down boy!-

Trying to clear his mind he downed half the bottle before making his way towards the only other opened door. When he walked in he saw he was in the office, with a desk and guest chair on one side and a drafting table on the other. Curious, he made his way to the table. He could see plans and other drawings, all done by hand. Cautiously he flipped through the series of renderings for the space, showing the club in different angles.

***

Noree rushed inside her en-suite bathroom shedding her clothes as she went. She turned the cold water on and let the water wash over as she quickly washed off the day's sweat.

She didn't take the time to wash her hair, simply letting the water soak through. In less than 5 minutes she was out and drying herself, a towel wrapped around her head. She knew she shouldn't feel embarrassed by the situation; it's not like she opened the door naked or anything. She wasn't wearing anything less than she would for a workout at the gym. Granted, she tended to visit gyms for women only but that was beside the point. She had nothing to be ashamed of and she wouldn't let this affect her professionalism.

Resolute she grabbed the white skirt and blue blouse she intended to wear for the meeting, dressing quickly. Looking herself over she decided to forgo make-up and simply applied some moisturizer to her face. There was no point in trying to put her face on if she would just sweat it off in a matter of minutes. She pulled her hair in a tight ponytail, not wanting to take the time required to tame it.

She made her way to the office, taking a deep bracing breath before walking in.

She saw JC sitting in the guest chair, looking over the renderings.

"I'm really sorry about the AC; I placed a call to the landlord and he should be passing by to fix it."

"No worries, I'll survive."

"Alright. So I see you've looked through some of the drawings already; what do you think so far?"

"I think it all looks awesome. I can't believe you've done these by hand. I was expecting some computer-generated images or something but not this. You're really talented." JC's smile was infectious and Noree couldn't stop the grin forming on her own features

"Thank a lot, I appreciate that. You would've gotten a computer rendering but I thought I would just die of heat by turning on my pc. Now I've got the sample boards here and you can tell me what you think about the fabrics and materials I've chosen. We can make any changes you want at this point."

Methodically they worked their way through all the drawings and samples Noree had selected. JC dismissed some but was very satisfied with the overall choices.

They looked over plans one by one with JC giving his input.

"Not everyone can see a plan and understand it, you're very good." Noree was impressed by JC's understanding of the complicated plans laid before him

"When I was a kid I wanted to become an architect and it stuck with me I guess. I eat up those home improvement shows!"

"Well, it makes my job easier that's for sure. So since the plans are to your liking I'll send them over to your GC and I'll order the materials and furniture. If everything stays on schedule, and I'll make sure it does, we should be starting the demo this coming Monday."

"Can I just say that you are the quickest designer I've ever met? The girl that decorated my house took forever. You're awesome!"

Noree blushed at his words.

"Thanks a lot."

When the silence grew between them JC scrambled to think of something else to talk about.

"Do you live out here by yourself?"

"Yep. My cousins are all still back home, so is my grandma."

"What about your folks, where do they live?"

"They don't; they passed away about 20 years ago." Noree's voice was neutral as she spoke the words

-Great going shithead!-

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. You have a husband, boyfriend or fiancée back home?"

-Why the hell did I ask her that? I don't want to know!-

"Oh no! What about you?"

"Girlfriend. We don't live together but she's around a lot. My folks are still in Maryland."

Noree simply nodded at his comment and the heavy silence settled between them again.

-This is beyond awkward. I need to say something. Come on girl, think!-

"You look like you've settled in really quickly. I think I unpacked the last of my boxes last month."

"When did you move in?"

"More than 2 years ago." JC replied with a sheepish smile

"Now that's just wrong! Then again, I think I may be the only person who can move in within the span of 24 hours. I think I might have overdone it with the Red Bulls; I was still twitching the next day!"

"You should see me when I have a cup of coffee. I try to stay away from the stuff cuz I can't keep up with myself! I try to keep my zen as much as possible."

"Your zen huh?"

"Once you have found your zen you'll understand what I'm talking about young grasshopper."

At his words Noree cracked up, her eyes watering. JC sat there, smiling and observing her. He'd seen her smile and even blush but watching her laugh whole-heartedly was a sight to behold. Her whole face lit up and her cheeks were flushing with color. Her laugh was deep and smoky like her voice, hitting him straight to the loins.

When she noticed that JC was looking at her, Noree self-consciously stopped laughing, running a nervous hand over her hair.

"Well, I guess I should let you get on your way. I'll send the info to George and he can tell me what he thinks. I'll relay what he tells me if you'd like." As she spoke she stood and started making her way out of the office, JC following closely behind her

"Sure, whatever works best. The faster we can move on this project, the better."

As they passed by the living room JC's eyes landed on a series of black and white framed pictures. Letting his curiosity win he made his way over.

The picture of a little pigtailed girl with a microphone almost as big as her face caught his attention.

"Is that you?"

Noree swallowed the groan. She knew she should've kept her pictures in her bedroom where no one but her would see them but she'd been feeling sentimental.

"Yeah. That was eons ago."

"Were you singing?"

Of course he would ask her that.

"Just some little talent show my parents had signed me up for; no big deal."

"How old were you, you look so tiny."

"I think I was around 6 years old or so. I don't remember exactly."

That was a bold face lie and she knew it but she wasn't in the mood to rehash her past.

"What about in this one? You look a little older." JC pointed to another black and white photograph of Noree holding a microphone, seemingly in the middle of a song, her eyes closed and head tilted up

"I was about 7, almost 8."

When JC's eyes landed on a picture of a young Noree standing onstage holding a trophy as tall as her he stopped to read the inscription underneath, his eyes growing wide.

"You won Star Search in '90? That's amazing! Even Justin didn't win it in '91 and God knows that little fucker was talented even then."

"It was a really long time ago. I keep the pictures more for sentimental value then anything else. My grandma keeps the trophy at home." Noree was feeling increasingly uncomfortable and JC could tell

With a surreptitious glance towards another picture he decided to change the subject. He pointed towards a color photograph of 4 girls, one of them Noree.

"Are they siblings of yours?"

"My cousins Sophie, Anna and Toni."

"You guys were so cute!"

Noree turned to look at the picture herself. It had been taken on her 12th birthday. She'd pleaded with her grandmother to let her have a party at home but when none of the kids in her class had accepted her invitations her cousins had descended upon the house in hopes to cheer her up. Looking back she could see it as a sweet gesture but back then she'd felt alone and rejected.

In the picture all four of them were sitting in the grass in the backyard, with the girls striking different poses.

"You should see them now; they're killer. Actually you might have seen them; they're all models now. They're the "Deadly Three" of the fashion industry!" Noree laughed at the nickname because she knew her cousins hated it with a passion

It had taken her some time but she was now able to see her cousins without feeling that pit of envy deep in her stomach. She loved all three of them unconditionally and wouldn't trade their childhood together for anything.

"Models huh? Maybe they know Sasha."

Noree's smile dropped a fraction. His girlfriend was a model? Figures.

-You've got your confirmation now girl; there's no way in hell you can compete with some leggy model. It's good! Now you can focus on something else.-

"Actually, I'm having a little get together tomorrow at my place with some friends of mine and Sasha; would you like to come?"

-I'd rather run through briars buck naked-

"I'd love to, as long as it's not an imposition."

"I would love to have you there. You can meet a bunch of people and even network. My friends are loaded and they tend to have too many houses that need redecorating every year or depending on what girl they're trying to impress at the time."

Noree laughed "That's always good for business."

"It's settled then. I'll see you tomorrow around 3pm though I doubt anyone will be on time. Dress comfortably; we'll be playing some football or basketball or whatever else we can think of. Bring your bathing suit if you want to take a dip in the pool or just catch some rays."

-Nice going man, now you've got a mental picture of her wearing a bikini stamped in your brain!-

"I'll be there."

As they stood in the entranceway JC wasn't sure what his next move should be. Beating him to it, Noree extended her hand for a firm handshake.

"Thanks again for your help on this."

"It's my pleasure really."

With a wave of her hand, Noree let JC out, closing the door behind him. Leaning on it she groaned as she slid down to the floor.

"You're and idiot Ree, an idiot of the worst kind!"

***

*BBQ - Next Day*

Noree nervously tugged at her shorts with one hand while the other balanced the Tupperware. What the hell was she doing here? She should've cancelled. She didn't belong there with these people. She was about to walk inside a house, in the Hollywood Hills nonetheless, that would be crawling with musicians, actors and models. What in the world had she been thinking?

She would make an appearance, that's all. She would go in, spend an hour just to be polite and then make a quick exit. No one would remember her anyway. With a cringe she looked at the casserole she'd made. Who the hell brought casserole to some A-list BBQ? This wasn't a PTA meeting for Christ's sake! Maybe she should leave it in the car, no one would know and she wouldn't feel as ridiculous. But she couldn't go in without some sort of host gift; she'd been brought up right after all. She should've bought a bottle of wine or two. Oh who was she kidding? She didn't know what these people drank and it was more than likely she couldn't afford it.

She would just have to risk it and get it over with. Determined she made her way towards the front door of the Spanish-style house. The drive up to the gates had taken her breath away and she was glad no one had been around to see her gaping at the extravagant homes. She couldn't help but feel a small thrill when the security guard buzzed her in through the gated community after checking her name on the guest list.

She was even happier to see that JC's house wasn't as ostentatious as the others she'd passed by. The vividly green vines climbing up the sides of the house combined with the simple landscaping gave her the impression of a warm home instead of some grand estate.

With one final inspection of her clothes - she was wearing a white tank top and mid-thigh cargo shorts over her brown and white striped bikini with a pair of maroon and taupe Chuck Taylor Converse - she rang the doorbell. She'd debated long and hard on her footwear selection but she'd chosen to be comfortable instead of trying to strut around in shorts and heels. She'd also decided against trying to keep her hair under control; the humidity was making it impossible to tame it so she'd let it loose and free to do as it chose. She'd brought a couple elastic bands just in case, along with her tongue sandals.

Just as she was about to ring the doorbell again, the door opened to reveal a tall, stunning brunette. Her long straight glossy hair was falling in tumbled waves, framing a narrow face with high cheekbones. Her yellow sundress was fitted around the torso and revealed long slim limbs. The look on her face that had been friendly at first quickly changed as she took in the sight - Noree - in front of her.

"I think you have the wrong house honey." The woman's voice was cool and neutral

Noree frowned, reaching her free hand inside her purse to dig out her BlackBerry. She scrolled down to JC's information and looked at the number besides the front door.

"Actually I believe I have the right house. I'm here for the BBQ; I was invited."

"Oh. Who are you with?"

"No one, I'm by myself."

"Then you definitely don't have the right house honey because if you're not with someone who was invited and I don't know who you are, you're not coming in."

Noree bristled at the words.

"I was invited by Mr. Chasez himself. I'm Noree Armstrong, the designer for his club on Sunset."

-Who the hell does that heifer think she is?-

"Sasha, babe, who's at the door? If it's Joey tell him to bring his fat ass to the backyard so he can man the grill; I'll just end up burning the house down." JC's voice was heard from inside the house

-Oh, Sasha... figures.-

"It's some chick who says she's your designer."

Noree told herself to calm down and not take offence to the tone and words Sasha was using to describe her. If she'd been in her place and some random woman had shown up at her party, she'd be wary too.

Noree could hear fast footsteps approaching and she nearly dropped her Tupperware when JC rounded the corner and appeared in the doorway. He was wearing knee-length cargos with a grey muscle shirt. God she wanted to take a bite out of him!

"Hi Noree, come on in! Sorry about that babe, I forgot to tell you I invited her."

JC hadn't forgotten. He'd wanted to avoid a "talk" with Sasha.

With a stiff smile plastered on, Noree walked inside the cool air, trying to not gawk at her surroundings. What she could see of the house was fabulous.

"Oh cool, you brought some food!" At JC's exclamation Noree snapped her gaze back towards him

"I wasn't sure what to bring so I put together a casserole."

"Babe, would you mind taking this to the kitchen while I show Noree around?"

Before she could answer JC took the container from Noree's hands and handed it to a gaping Sasha. With a barely audible huff she turned towards the kitchen, stomping away in her platform sandals.

Noree sighed quietly, already anticipating the tension that would accompany any run-in with Sasha. Maybe she could stay 45 minutes instead before bailing.

"You don't have to give me a tour, really. I don't think your girlfriend was very happy with you."

"Don't worry about it, Sasha's cool. I insist on giving you the tour, if for no other reason than to avoid having to send a search party when you try to go to the washroom or something."

"Has that ever happened?" Noree chuckled

"We've lost a couple guests, found some the next day. They usually find their way out somehow but I'd rather be on the safe side."

Noree followed JC as he took her through most of the rooms on the first floor. The house was bigger then it looked from the exterior and it didn't feel like some showpiece; it felt lived in and warm. The furniture was very masculine so either he'd chosen all the pieces himself or Sasha hadn't had her say yet.

"And here's the backyard."

Noree didn't hold back her initial reaction at the vision that welcomed her. The backyard was enormous with a full deck to one side and a large in-ground pool to the other. There were already some women on the lounge chairs taking in some sun and a couple men sitting on the deck, drinking beers. The scene could look pretty typical if it wasn't for the fact that everyone looked picture perfect.

"It looks like a Gap ad..." Noree muttered the words under her breath as she stepped out on the deck with JC.

-What the hell am I doing here? I don't do well with large amounts of people, especially people I don't know.-

Just then a redhead made her way across the yard towards the deck and grabbed a water bottle from the heaping cooler. To Noree's eyes she was built like every man's wet dream. She moved with a dancer's grace and her body, clad only in a pair of shorts and a bright lime bikini top, was tight and toned.

-30 minutes. I'll stay 30 minutes.-

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Noree Armstrong, she's the designer helping me out for the club."

The men waved at her and so did the women.

"Not everyone's here yet but they should be there soon. In the meantime I want you to make yourself at home, grab a beer, some water, wine or whatever else you might want."

Noree had to restrain herself from grabbing a hold of JC to keep him from leaving her alone. What was she supposed to do now? She was never good at socializing, especially with a crowd of people that already knew each other.

-Maybe I can tell JC I'm not feeling well...-

"Hi, I'm Tum." The redhead smiled warmly, extended her slim hand for a handshake

"Tum?" Noree couldn't stop the question from popping out

"Short for Tummy; my nickname. I never go by my real name but I can give you a list of aliases."

Noree smiled, encouraged by the woman's teasing tone.

"It's nice to meet you Tum."

"So, do you want me to introduce you to the gang since JC's skills are limited in that area?"

"Sure..."

Tum turned to point towards the pool where 4 women were lounging.

"From left to right you have: Blonde Model Bitch 1, Brunette Model Bitch 2, Redhead Model Bitch 3 and just now joining her court is Queen Sasha Model Bitch 4."

Noree's laugh was loud and she quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Not part of the fan club I see."

Tum rolled her green eyes and shrugged.

"Their job is to sit there and look pretty. I have nothing against models but these ones just rub me the wrong way and that's saying a lot because any rubbing is good rubbing in my book."

"All three of my cousins are models and I've been exposed to their "co-workers" enough to understand what you mean."

"Oooh, a partisan to the cause; I think I like you already. Now, here on the deck we've got Tommy, Chad, Bruno and Pepper - not an alias by the way - and the lovely Miss Selina."

At the mention of their names, the men turned from their conversation to smile and wave to Noree. Selina seemed engrossed in the inner workings of the monster BBQ and simply stuck a hand out and waved in their general direction.

"Selina likes to think she knows something about big bad BBQs and we tend to let her indulge in her delusions so long as she doesn't set the house on fire." Tum explained in a fake whisper loud enough for all to hear

"Bitch I heard you." The tone was light and friendly in direct contrast with the bird Selina was currently flipped towards Tum's direction

A loud crashing sound could be heard from inside the house, startling Noree. When no one flinched besides her she turned to Tum who was simply shaking her head.

"Do you have a good sense of humour and a deep well of patience Noree?"

"I believe I do... Why?"

"Another guest has arrived..." Tum's grin spread evilly as she just looked towards the patio door

Noree's trained her gaze in the same direction, curious as to who would come through. She barely had time to blink when a shorter dark-haired man bolted through the open door and ran across the deck, managing to grab a beer on the fly. She followed his trajectory as he headed straight for the pool. With a loud battle cry he leaped off the diving board, gathered his limbs tight to his body, beer still clutched in his hands and landed in the pool.

The water gushed out and managed to soak the four women who all, to Noree's amusement, shrieked in horror. When the man emerged to the surface he brought the beer to his lips and grinned like a loon as he drank from it. Through the booming laughter surrounding her Noree could hear Sasha's curses directed at the man. All four women stomped away towards what looked to be the pool house, each one dripping wet.

Before Tum could confirm it Noree knew who she staring at. She might not have been their biggest fan back in the day but she could plainly see Chris Kirkpatrick leisurely making his way out of the pool, his beer still in hand.

Dripping wet he made his way back on the deck, a grin plastered on his face as he made sure to hug every single person in his path. When he reached Noree he stopped and stared.

"I don't know you, you're new."

"Chrissy-poo my dear, this is our lovely Noree Armstrong; JC invited her."

Chris observed her closely, one eyebrow raised in question.

"Are you a member of the Model Bitch Clan?"

Noree inelegantly laughed at his comment.

"My allegiances lie with the résistance." Noree's grin was quick as she replied, playing up her French accent

"Ah-ha! A woman after my own heart I see. Welcome to the cause."

"She can provide inside intel on the enemy; her three cousins are models." Tum added in mock seriousness

Chris' eyes grew as his smile widened.

"Oooh, are they hot?"

Tum quickly slapped him upside the head.

"Don't mind him Noree, he has relapses once in a while. The last time it happened we enrolled him in the MFA intensive program."

Noree was almost afraid to ask but she had to know.

"MFA?"

"Model Fuckers Anonymous." The words were spoken in unison by all; even Selina's voice echoed from inside the BBQ

The giggle that was bubbling inside her broke through and Noree was quickly in tears, her sides hurting.

"We've been trying to get JC in the program but he's in deep." Chris' words were met with mock-solemn nods from all

"What program?"

JC walked out on the patio, a large platter of assorted cuts of meat in his arms. He looked at his friends, clueless as they just shook their heads and continued laughing. With a shrug he walked over to the BBQ and set the platter down. With a nudge of his hips he moved a protesting Selina out of the way and Noree finally got a better look at the woman.

She was short, shorter than Noree, with a cropped hairstyle of sleek black hair. Her face seemed dominated by large expressive blue eyes. Her slight body was covered in a pair of beige capris and a simple blue t-shirt but she oozed elegance somehow. She looked like a tiny pixie and Noree immediately liked her.

-Okay, maybe I'll give this a shot.-

Hour after hour passed and, as more and more guest arrived, Noree couldn't bring herself to leave just yet. Even after a chilly run-in with Sasha.

Right now they were all seated under the canopy, listening to Chris and Justin rib into each other. Her first reaction at seeing Justin Timberlake walk in with his girlfriend had been sheer panic. For some reason, she'd been able to dissociate Chris, Joey and even JC from their celebrity but she'd frozen when she'd seen Justin. He was imposing but not in an overbearing, ‘hey look at me, I'm Justin-Fucking-Timberlake!' sort of way. He just had a natural swagger to himself that made Noree want to either hide under a rock or gush like a teeny bopper. Thankfully she'd done neither.

"Listen here, infant, I can still kick your ass so don't test me." Chris' finger was right under Justin's nose, taunting him

"Still? There's no still about it old man! You couldn't take me back when I was shorter than you, you sure as hell can't take me now!" Justin's amused grin was wide as he tapped Chris on the head teasingly

"That's it! It's on now pipsqueak! Who brought the football? I'm taking you down Vanilla Ice!"

Justin's expression turned to mock indignation as he stood up and looked around.

"What the hell did he call me? Did he say what I think he did? You're on Leprechaun!"

The words were enough to prompt most of everyone to stand up and get ready to join in on the fun. Noree looked over in time to see a hushed conversation between JC and Sasha, who looked everything but pleased by the turn of events. JC just kept shaking his head and pointing towards his friends, already moving lounge chairs and obstacles out of the way to make room for the impromptu game. With a set jaw, Sasha stood up, gathered her things and walked straight back inside the house, her cronies following closely behind her. JC's shoulders slumped visibly as he looked towards Sasha's retreating form.

Noree frowned, her dislike of Sasha quietly growing. All night she'd either been glued to JC's side or calling him to her side like some puppy. She hadn't been bothered by her behaviour so much as by his. Even while he'd been in the middle of a conversation with friends he obviously had not seen in a while, he'd dropped everything and gone to her. That in itself wasn't worrisome if it wasn't for the fact that anytime he seemed to be having a good time that didn't involve Sasha, she called him over with some stupid excuse.

Noree could only guess that she'd pitched a fit about the game about to take place; Sasha didn't strike her as the sporty type.

-Well too bad Your Highness, you can't dictate everything he does all day long!-

Determined, Sasha stood up and dusted herself off as she walked over to JC.

"Are you joining the game?" she asked, breaking him out of his thoughts

"I might actually go back in and check on Sasha... she's not feeling well." The explanation sounded wrong even to his hears

"When I don't feel well, I like having my girlfriends with me; guys just get in the way. Why don't you go play, I might even try it myself."

JC perked up at her words.

"You play football?"

"I can handle myself on the field when I have to. Guess you'll just have to play to find out."

Without another word, Noree turned and walked towards the cleared area where Justin and Chris were still exchanging taunts.

JC quickly stood up and jogged after her.

From her corner under the canopy, Tum smiled.

"Alright people, let's get this show on the road. Justin and I will be captain and I get to choose first." Chris declared as he tossed the football from one hand to the other

"I'm gonna wipe the floor with you Grandpa!" Justin's heckling was met with laughter

"Just for that I choose Jessica for my team, asswipe!"

Laughing, Jessica made her way over to Chris, waving cheekily at Justin who just glared at Chris.

"Well, I can't really choose your woman since you ain't got one! I'll take Tum cuz she's mean as hell and she told me she didn't like you all that much."

Tum walked over to Justin's side, jumping up and down and sending mock glares at the opposite team.

By the end of the picks Pepper, Noree, Tommy and Chad had joined Christ and Jessica on one side of the scrimmage line with Justin, Tummy, JC, Joey, Bruno and Selina on the other. Kelly was happily seated under the canopy, keeping score and serving as referee.

"How come I got saddled with Joey? He can't play worth shit!" Justin said it louder than necessary, earning an elbow in the ribs from the man himself

"Afraid you'll lose? We'll see how you like it when I kick your ass even with Pepper "Butterfingers" on my side."

"Keep my name out of your retarded diatribes gents; I am but an innocent bystander." Pepper's voice was laced with an affected British accent that earned him groans from all around him

"The man does one play in community theatre and he thinks he's fucking Shakespeare!" Tummy's words earned her a death glare from Pepper

"What I want to know is whether or not we need to explain the rules to Miss Canada over there. Wouldn't want you getting confused there girl." Justin's smirk was just cocky enough to bring a smile to Noree's face

"I think I can manage not to do a touchdown in the wrong end zone."

Already enjoying herself, Noree took her position behind Tommy who was serving as quarterback to Chris' center. She looked to her left and right where Jessica and Pepper were taking on the role of wide receivers with Chad assuming the tight end position.

JC looked towards Noree from his spot as linebacker. He was happy to see she was enjoying herself. He'd spent most of the first half of the day anticipating her arrival and the other half trying to find ways to be with her. He knew he was being ridiculous and a large part of him was ashamed at his behavior. He was spending his time fantasizing about one woman while ignoring the one he was supposed to be with. His guilt was so much that he ignored Sasha's constant need for attention throughout the day.

He'd been disregarding her as of late and he wanted to avoid an argument as much as possible. But he couldn't help but feel resentful that he'd barely gotten to spend any time with Noree.

-Wow Chasez, talk about skewed priorities!-

He was snapped back to attention when he heard Chris' shout and saw his team mates rushing towards the opposing team. His eyes registered the football's trajectory from Chris' hands to Tommy's, who feigned right and then left before throwing the ball to a running Jessica.

From the corner of his eye he could see Noree running through the defense line, bolting straight for their end zone. She avoided a collision with Bruno by vaulting over his crouched form and veering to the left. Joey swooped in and barely missed his attempt to tackle Chad to the ground as he was about to take the ball from Jessica.

Jessica's eyes scanned around, looking for someone to pass the ball to as Justin was heading straight for her, an evil gleam in his eyes. Just as they collided she threw the ball in Noree's direction. Working on auto-pilot, JC rushed straight to her. Just as Noree was catching the ball, JC was wrapping his arms around her, bringing her to the ground. In a last minute attempt to keep her from hitting the ground, JC rotated and landed on his back, the air rushing out of his lungs at the force of the impact.

To JC it was as if the world was moving in slow motion. He could hear a commotion in the distance and guessed that someone from his team or Noree's had picked up the fumbled ball. His eyes slowly settled on Noree's close by face, bringing it into focus. They were merely inches apart, her hair falling forward the soft curls blanketing him. The citrus smell of her shampoo seeped through his senses. He could see each and every freckle that dusted her pert nose, the shape of her mouth as it parted as she took in a hitched breath and he could see her eyes widen as they clashed with his.

Perhaps unconsciously, his hands tightened around her, bringing the length of her body, already plastered against his, a fraction closer. JC could feel her full breasts heaving with every breath, the nipples pebble hard against his own chest and he had no doubt Noree could feel his arousal pressing against her center. A voice was screaming in his head, telling him to get up and run but his fingers just tightened on her hips, sinking into the soft skin revealed by her top.

Noree couldn't breathe. JC's tackle had surprised her but the close contact was making her dizzy. She was a grown woman and she believed that even though she'd been single for some time now, she had a healthy sexual appetite. At this very moment, she wanted nothing more than to grab JC's face in her hands and kiss him as thoroughly as possible. She wanted to press herself against him and his hands on her.

Her eyes took in the short stubble on his chin and jaw, the full bottom lip, the strong nose and the piercing blue eyes. He was looking at her, staring at her, into her. She simply needed to lean forward a few inches to satisfy her curiosity. If only she closed the gap between them, she could taste his lips and feel his tongue against hers.

A shiver ran up her body as she felt his right hand shift slightly to slide beneath the hem of her top, his callused fingers grazing her skin. The movement brought her back to reality with a jolt. What was she doing? The man was involved with someone else. She was, for all instance and purposes, on that woman's territory, seriously considering poaching on claimed goods. She was not that kind of woman.

Taking a stilted breath, Noree gathered up her willpower.

"Nice tackle, think you could let me up now?" She said the words in what she hoped was a light, teasing tone

JC blinked rapidly, trying to clear his mind. He removed his hands rapidly, bringing them to his sides.

"Guess I was a little to into it huh?"

"Yeah..."

Her body stiff and uncoordinated, Noree stood and watched with a weary eye as JC did the same. They avoided each other's eyes and both made a show of dusting themselves off.

"I think I should get going; I've got a lot of things to do and I shouldn't have stayed this long anyway." Noree's voice was casual, something she wasn't feeling at all like at the moment

"Oh... well if you have other plans..." JC wanted to ask her to stay, find a way for them to actually sit down and have an actual conversation, away from distractions but he knew when he was being brushed off

"It was very nice of you to invite me; I had a great time. Will you give my best to Sasha?"

JC simply nodded silently. He saw her head back towards the group of people that was in the midst of an argument over the validity of the touchdown. He watched her say good bye to each one and hurry towards the house, gabbing her bag on the way, before she disappeared inside.

-Nice job Chasez! Now she won't be able to look you in the eyes anymore.-

Furious at himself for letting his emotions take over, JC ran a rough hand through his hair and jogged towards the group.

*Later that night*

"Thanks for coming guys; it was really great to see y'all." JC's words were slightly slurred as he hugged each of his friends as they slowly left his house

They just shook their heads and laughed at him, patting him on the back. As they all filtered out the front door, Tummy stayed behind.

"You alright there buddy?" Tummy asked, chuckling when she saw JC concentrate to sit down on one of the kitchen stools

"No worries Tum, I'm not drunk." His grin was wide and reminded her of the first time she'd met him

He'd been younger, around 22, when she saw him for the first time. She'd been performing with her dance troupe and JC and his friends had dropped by to see the show. He'd been shy then, more so than now. After a few drinks together after the show she'd known they would be great friends, nothing more. Now more than 10 years later, she loved him like a brother.

She'd seen his rise to fame, his ups and downs, witnessed his bad relationships, his good ones and all his fashion disasters. She could even admit she'd been responsible for some of them. Now, she was a little sad to see him stay in what she considered one of his bad relationships. He wouldn't admit it but she knew he was only with Sasha because he was lonely but didn't believe in any sort of permanency. It hurt her to see him get hurt repeatedly by his own beliefs.

"I wasn't talking about that. How's everything?"

JC's eyes focused on hers and he sighed.

"Tum, not now. Spare me one of your therapy sessions please."

"Don't avoid the question hon."

JC let out a frustrated sigh.

"What do you want me to say Tum? Huh? Do you want me to say that I'm miserable, unhappy, unfulfilled? Well fine, I am. My career is going nowhere, I barely ever see my friends anymore, I'm treating my own girlfriend like shit and I'm pretty sure I'm developing an unrealistic obsession with an employee. As you can see, my life is a bit of a mess right now." The words had been spoken in a quiet voice, his tone never rising about a whisper

Tum marched over to her friend and settled her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to look at her.

"Your career is in your control; if you want to be a singer, do it! If you want to be an actor, do it! If what you want is to judge ABDC for however many seasons it lasts then do that! No one but you can decide for you.

Your friends will always be there and it's your job to make time to see them. Your girlfriend is a spoiled brat moonlighting as a major pain in the ass. Don't try to deny it; you know it as well as the rest of us do. You're only with her because she's there. She offers some temporary sense of normalcy you're clinging to for some reason. I won't say you deserve better because I'd be wasting my breath.

As far as Noree goes maybe your fascination with her isn't so unrealistic. I only met her today but I like her and she seems really nice. Have you considered she might like you too?"

JC shook his head and Tummy could see he wouldn't listen to her, not tonight.

"I appreciate your help honey. Don't worry about me, alright?"

"You know I can't do that, what would I do with myself all day?"

"Get a new hobby? I hear pottery's making a huge comeback."

With a sad smile on her face Tummy leaned forward and placed a friendly kiss on JC's forehead.

"I love you, you idiot. Now get a shower, go to bed and don't call Sasha, please."

With no other word spoken between them, Tum leaves JC behind, still sitting on the kitchen stool.

As much as he wanted to believe Tummy, JC was sure he was right. She had a point about his career; he was in charge of it and with no label pressuring him he had all the artistic freedom he'd ever craved. But where Noree and Sasha were concerned, he knew he had it right. He would just have to keep his contact with Noree to a minimum and spend more time with Sasha. They hadn't gone out together in a while; maybe they could take a small vacation together, get out of town for a while.

Sasha's role in his life didn't have to be temporary, he could make it work.

JC stood up and on sturdier legs, made his way around the first level of his house, shutting off lights. When he made it upstairs to his room he debated simply falling face down on his bed and giving in to sleep. A sniff at his clothes changed his mind and he headed to the bathroom.

The brightly lit room boasted a glass shower and a separate spa tub he'd splurged on. He hadn't used it a lot since moving in but Sasha had sung its praises more than once. Peeling articles of clothing away and throwing them towards the bin across the room, he stepped inside the shower, turning on the multiple heads to pound water on his tired body. He let his head drop forward, the overhead spray massaging his neck. For a moment he just let the water wash over him, in no hurry to grab the soap. Unbidden, an image flashed in his head. He visualized Noree in her own shower, her body naked under the spray of water, her bronzed skin glistening with water.

He'd nearly died yesterday, waiting for her to finish her shower while he'd been in her office. It had taken all his self-restraint not to take a peek inside the room.

Opening his eyes, JC let out a frustrated whimper as he looked down at himself. The thought of Noree made him hard automatically. He'd been like this for more than a week and he had it down to a routine. This was the part when he turned off the hot water and let the cold water cool his senses.

He reached a shaky right hand towards the knob, prepared to repeat the action like he had done so many times in the past few days, but he stopped. He was alone with no one in the house to interrupt or overhear him. He was in the privacy of his own home and no one would know.

He used his right hand to brace himself against the wall, the water from the overhead spray hitting down his neck and back and the lateral sprays aimed at his sides. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. In his mind he could see Noree, standing naked beneath the shower, her body fully exposed to him as she looked at him with desire burning in her eyes. Her dark hair was smoothed against her back, her heavy breasts rising with each labored breath. His eyes traveled down, past her flat stomach, to her center. His breath hitched as he imagined her hand sliding down in between her thighs, her fingers disappearing. His own left hand slowly traveled down his toned stomach, sending shivers along his sensitized skin.

He could see Noree's features twist in pleasure as her own fingers worked her to a frenzy, caressing her center slowly as her other hand caressed her own breasts.

JC's hand closed over the base of his length, his dick so hard the purplish head was curved towards his stomach. With a firm hand, he stroked himself from base to tip, a groan wrenched from his throat. He could feel his skin flush, the heat radiating around him.

In his mind Noree's hand sped up, two fingers working their way inside her. Her other hand was busy squeezing and pulling at her hardening nipples, soft cries of pleasure escaping her parted lips as water cascaded down her heated body.

JC's movements hastened to match Noree's, his fingers closing over his swollen tip at each stroke. He could feel himself nearing his breaking point, his hips following the motion of his hand.

He imagined Noree's cries getting louder as she pumped her fingers faster, his name escaping her lips repeatedly in low sobbing moans. He saw her throw her head back as she screamed his name, her orgasm taking over her body.

With a deep moan of his own, JC tightened his grip, his hand moving faster and harder over his member. As he felt himself climb higher towards his imminent orgasm, he used his other hand to tug down at his heavy sacks. The sensation pushed him over the edge.

"Oh God, Noree!" His deep groan resonated inside the glass shower as his body jerked, his release powerful and draining

His lungs burned from the strain and he leaned forward, his hands braced against the wall as he let the water wash over his skin. His legs felt weak but he remained upright, trying to get himself under control. When he finally blinked his eyes open, the inside of the shower was hazy around him and the water cooling. He washed himself off, perfunctorily soaping his skin and rinsing off.

He stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around his waist and sighed as he looked disgustingly at his reflection in the fogged up mirror.

"Congrats Chasez, you're a sick fuck."