Chapter 20

Chris, was laughing hysterically at something Joey had just told him.  Bouncing in his seat, smacking his leg in a fit of laughter, while shaking his head back in forth when the sight of JC leaning over and kissing Zoë grabbed his attention and he immediately stopped laughing.

He nudged Joey who was also laughing, and pointed towards JC and Zoë.  Joey, too immediately stopped laughing.  “What the?” Joey, whispered.  Then turned in his seat to get Justin, Trace, and Lance’s attention.  “You guys look!” he, whispered pointing towards JC and Zoë.

“What?” Justin, asked standing up and leaning forward, as did Trace. “Oh!” he, said when he seen what Joey had been pointing out to them.

“I saw that coming!” Trace, said all knowingly.

But Lance just sat there smiling to himself.  He could see perfectly what was going on from his seat.  His little talk with JC had worked.  And he was kissing her.
 

JC, allowed his lips to linger on Zoë’s for a moment.  Wanting to give her ample time to feel the immediate sparks he was feeling the moment his lips met hers.  It felt so perfect.  Like it was always supposed to be that way.  Like his lips were meant to kiss her lips.  And only her lips.

He slowly pulled away from her.  But not all the way away from her.  He was still only inches from her face.  He opened his eyes to see that Zoë was still sitting there with her eyes closed, and the faintest smile on her face.  A complete expression of what he would describe as heaven on her face.  It was then.  When he seen that twitch of a smile on her face that he knew she felt the same way he did.  She didn’t have to answer him. He already knew.

Zoë, slowly opened her eyes.  She found JC only inches from her face, smiling back at her.  Their eyes locked, and both of their smiles grew.

“Did you feel that?” she, whispered.

“The sparks?” JC, asked so she’d know that he felt exactly what she had felt without question.

“Yeah, the sparks.” she, said.

“Yes, I felt them.  And I have to say.  They felt REALLY good!” he, said.

“Yeah, that they did.” she, said as she continued to star into his eyes.  She could see all the love he’d professed there.  His eyes were the widow to his heart.  To his soul.  Everything she needed to know, was right there for her viewing.

“So you wouldn’t mind if I did it again then?” he, asked.

“Not at all.”

JC’s, smiled grew larger at her words.  He leaned back in to kiss her again.  Just as his lips were about to meet hers again the announcement came that they were about to land and for everyone to take their seats, and fasten their safety belts.  “Figures” he, mumbled and then placed a quick kiss on her lips and sat back in the seat he was in.

Zoë, giggled at his remark.  “Yeah just went it was getting interesting.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say all that.  It got VERY interesting a while ago.” JC, laughed.

Zoë, laughed. “Yeah, you’re right.”

JC and Zoë, sat together the remainder of their flight.  JC, had intertwined his hand with hers, and stroked her hand with his thumb.  He couldn’t get over how amazing the whole thing felt.  Kissing her.  Holding her hand.  How could he have never realized this before.  She was perfect for him in every way.  It was like they were made for each other.
 

Once, the plane landed and they were given the all clear, JC and Zoë got up from their seats and began gathering their things to exit the plane not noticing the stares they were getting from the other guys.  They had been watching them ever since Chris had pointed out that they were kissing.

JC, grabbed Zoë’s carry on, and then turned to go back over to grab his stuff from where he’d originally been sitting on the flight.  It was then he caught the stares of his friends, and knew immediately that they must have seen what had taken place.  He stood there for a moment, glancing from one smirking, all knowing expression to the next.  Then he just shrugged his shoulders, and gave them all a smile and then proceeded to do what he had set out to do.

None of the guys said anything though.  They had to wait until they at least got off the plane.  And they wanted to observe things a bit more to see if they could get a clearer picture of what was truly going on.  And it didn’t take long for them to get that picture either.

As they all made their way off the plane, JC stuck right by Zoë’s side.  Following her like a lost puppy.  He was whispering things to Zoë, yet he hadn’t said one word to any of them.  That was the most obvious part of it all.  JC, was always walking with Zoë when they were out together.  But now it was different.  He walked incredibly close to her.  And his attention was completely and totally focused on her.

They all made their way through the airport, and then were ushered out to a large SUV that would be taking them all back to their respective homes.  Chris, couldn’t take it any longer.  Once, they were in the vehicle he had to say something.  He just couldn’t stand it.

“OK, so what’s going on?” Chris, asked finally.

“What on earth are talking about?” JC, said sarcastically while smirking at, Zoë.  He had whispered to her on their way out that the guys had seen them.  And they were both waiting on someone to say something.  He would have never guessed it would have taken them this long.

“Aw, come on don’t even play that!  We saw you two on the plane!” Justin, said grinning from ear to ear at them.

“Like JC said.  What are you talking about?” Zoë, glanced at them innocently.

“Funny!  You know what we’re talking about!  Now spit it out!” Justin, said.

“Aw, leave them alone guys!” Lance, said.

“NO!  I wanna know what that kiss was all about!” Chris, said.

“Me too, me too!” Joey, chirped in.

“Well, if ya’ll can’t figure that out for yourselves.  We’re surely not going to explain it to you!” JC, told them and then turned his attention back to Zoë, who was on the verge of laughter.

“Sooooo…” he, drew out.  “When are we going to go on our first date?” he, asked winking at her flirtatiously.

“Hmmmm….I’ll have to get back to you on that one.” she, teased.

“So does this mean you two are a couple or what?  Cause you know JC, I was really considering the idea of asking Zoë out to dinner and maybe a movie at the drive inn.” Trace, said with a devilish look on his face.

JC, shot him a funny look.  “For one, you will not be asking her out!  Especially, to no damn drive inn!  And secondly…” he, said turning his attention back to, Zoë.  “I don’t know if we’re a couple or not.  She’s never exactly answered me on any of that.”

“Well, I think you need to take me out on our first date before I make a big decision like that.” she, teased.

“Oh, really?” JC, said raising an eyebrow at her.

“I’m a bit old fashioned in that department, Josh.  You’ll have to take me on a date first.” she, smirked not being serious in the slightest.

“Yeah, C.  Don’t you know that you’re supposed to ask the girl out first.  You don’t sit down next to her in a plane and profess your love and then expect that you’re a couple.”  Lance, said.

“How do you know I professed my love?” JC, questioned, already knowing the answer but he didn’t care.

“I’m the observant one, remember!” was all that Lance said in return.

JC, laughed and turned back to, Zoë.  “Fine.  You want a date, then you’ll have a date.”

“You gotta ask her dumbass!” Joey, said and JC shot his head around and glared at him.

Zoë, burst out laughing at Joey’s words.  This whole thing was just too funny to her.  It was so surreal.  She still couldn’t believe all of this was even happening.

JC, turned back to Zoë.  “You think that’s funny?”

“Sorry, but you have to admit this whole thing is just funny!” she, continued to laugh.

“She’s got a point!” Justin, said as he and the rest of the guys joined in with Zoë laughing.

JC, just shook his head.  “Yeah, I guess it is.” and laughed with them.
 

They finally pulled up to JC’s house after dropping Lance, Chris, Justin and Trace off at their places.

JC, climbed out of the vehicle and then gave his hand to Zoë to help her out.  Mike, grabbed their bags from the back and carried them up to the house, where Zoë already was unlocking the door for him.

“Hey, C.” Joey, said getting JC’s attention as he was about to shut the door after grabbing his backpack.

“What’s up?”

“Don’t forget to ask her out on that date.  She may not have been serious, but she defiantly deserves it.  You and I both know that.”

“Yeah, she sure does.  But it’s gotta be something really special.  Something that no one else would or could ever do for her.  Just to show her how serious I am about this whole thing.” JC, said.

“You really do love her don’t you, JC?  I mean I always suspected it, but to see you actually acting on it, and admitting it.  Well that’s totally different.” Joey, smiled.

“Joey, I don’t know why or how I never realized it before.  I guess I’ve always known that I loved her.  I mean I’ve always loved her. But….” he, started but his words trailed off.

“You just needed to see her with Emenim to realize!” Joey, laughed.

“I guess you could say that.  But honestly.  I’ve been questioning my feelings for a while now.  Like yesterday.  When I seen her in the swimsuit.  My GOD, I wanted to jumper her.  And I was like this is NOT a normal reaction to seeing Zoë.  Granted I’ve never seen her in a bikini before.  And then when I was rubbing that lotion on her.  I just…I can’t even explain it.  The electricity that shot through my body.  How right it felt to be touching her like that.  And then when I seen her in that dress yesterday.  She was breath taking.  It hit me.  Zoë, isn’t Zoë anymore!”

“Yeah, Zoë is a full fledge hottie!” Joey, laughed.

“I just couldn’t take my eyes off her yesterday. She was breathtaking.  And I realized then and there that things were really different than they used to be.  But I just needed a swift kick in the ass from Lance to really make me think.”

“Lance?  What did he say.” Joey, questioned.

“He just pointed a few things out to me, I guess you could say.” JC, smiled.

“Well, I’m glad.  You two are cute together.  And deserve each other.  You’re both good people.”

Mike, came back out from the house and got in the truck.  He looked at the two guys standing there talking.  “JC, I think your woman is waiting on you inside.” he, smirked.

JC, rolled his eyes.  “I better let you go!” he, told Joey.

“Well, you let me know how that whole date thing goes.  And if you need any help, let me know!” Joey, told him.

“Will do!  See ya later.” JC, said and then shut the door.
 

JC, stood in his driveway and watched the large SUV disappear before he headed inside.  This was going to be weird.  Being back home with Zoë.  Alone in the house, their feelings exposed.  Yet, he couldn’t wait.

Walking into the house he quietly shut the door behind him.  “Zoë?” he, called out.

“In my room!” he, heard her call from upstairs.

So he darted up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. He walked down the hallway and stopped when he got to her bedroom.  The door was wide open, but Zoë was nowhere in sight, but he could hear water running.  “Zoë?” he, called.

“I’m in the bathroom.” she, said.

JC, walked into the room.  The bathroom door was also open so he figured it was safe to venture closer to the door.  “Whacha doin’?” he, smirked when he saw her standing in front of her sink brushing her teeth.

“What’s it look like I’m doing?” she, asked as she continued to brush her teeth.

“Looks, like you’re brushing your teeth.” he, laughed.

“How observant.” she, laughed as she rinsed her mouth.  And the proceeded to wash her face, and then take some Tylenol for the headache she still had, as JC just stood watching her.  Once, she was finished she looked up at him and smiled, and then walked past him back into her room, and began to finish unpacking her suitcase which was laid out on her bed.

“Now what are you doing?” he, asked.

“Unpacking.  What’s it look like silly?” she, grinned looking up at him.

“I think that can wait.  I know you’re still tired and not feeling well.  You should lay down and rest for a while.” he, told her as he walked across the room to where she was.

“I will as soon as I get this done.  I just want to get this out of the way.” she, said as she continued her task.

When her back was turned to him as she was putting something away in one of her draws, JC grabbed the suitcase off of the bed and tossed it to the floor.  Zoë, turned around at the sound of the slight thud it made.  “JC, I’m serious I want to get this done.”

“Oh no you don’t!  Don’t you JC me.  I hate it when you call me that.  YOU call me JOSH.” he, said grabbing her hand and pulling her to him.

“I’ll try to remember that.” she, grinned as he held her in his arms.

“Don’t try.  Just do it.” he, commanded playfully squeezing her tighter.

Zoë, suddenly felt a little nervous.  Here they were, in her room.  Standing right next to her BED.  And they were in this new situation.  Whatever you wanted to call it.  Both of their feelings being exposed.  Well, somewhat exposed.  He had confessed his feelings, but so far she’d gotten away without having to do that.  Although, she knew that JC could read her like a book.  She knew he already knew everything he needed to know when he kissed her.

She was jerked from her thoughts, when she felt JC lifting her off the ground.  “What are you doing?” she, asked.

“I’m putting you to bed.” he, said as he smiled devilishly at her.

Zoë’s, face gave away her thoughts.

“Don’t worry.  I didn’t mean it like that!” he, laughed as he laid her down in the bed, and then pulled the covers up over here.

“I knew that.” Zoë, said looking up at him.

“Sure you did.  That’s why you looked like you was about to pee your pants!” he, laughed.

“I did not look like I was…” she, started to protest but JC, silenced her by placing a finer over her lips.

“SLEEP!  Just go to sleep and get some rest!  You’ll feel better when you wake up.” he, told her.

“Ok” she, said as her eyes immediately grew heavy from being in her comfy bed.

JC, leaned in and kissed her softly on her lips.  “Sweet Dreams, Zo.” he, whispered as he slowly pulled away smiling at her.