JC sat on the cream-colored leather sofa, feet extended, crossed at the ankles resting on a dark wood coffee table. He held a TV remote in one hand, changing the channels quickly, and repeatedly flipped his cellphone on his thigh with his other hand. From time to time, he would pause the rotation of his phone and check his text app, but no reply. He had been home for a week, and Nicole had no time to see him because all of her free time was spent with Zaire. He missed her and he missed Long Beach. She was his in, and now he had ruined it. Why couldn't he have just come up with some kind of excuse and not given Zaire her number. But the thought had never crossed his mind that she would agree to go out with him. He sighed, unlocked his phone, and shot off a very curt message:

Josh: How's the date?

He stared down at the phone, waiting for a reply. He watched as the message changed from delivered to read, but no reply. No dots. He tossed the phone to the other end of the couch and sat back, focusing all of his attention on the flicker of the screen as he resumed changing channels. 

"How do you know what you're watching, you keep flipping through so quickly?" Jen asked him as she entered the room. She walked over to him, straddled him, and sat gently on his lap.

He paused his channel flipping and looked up at her through his thick eyelashes. She bent down and kissed his cheek, then his chin and finally his mouth. He sat motionless. She raised up and smiled at him. 

"Are you okay?" She asked him, as she moved from his lap. She slid behind him and sank down between him and the back of the couch. Her feet rested on either side of him, and her knees bent up, wedged between his arms and his sides. She kissed the back of his neck a few times and massaged the tense muscles of his shoulders. "You've been sorta, I don't know, tense since you got back from New York? Everything go okay there?"

JC allowed her to rub his shoulders, but he remained tense, and leaned slightly forward, resting his elbows on his lap, holding his head in his hands. "Just tired I guess," he answered her, rubbing his eyes. 

She ran her hands down his back and up back to his shoulders and down his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed between his shoulder blades. When he didn't respond, he ran her hands down his stomach and under his shirt. He stood suddenly and took a step away from the couch. He turned to her slightly, "I'm sorry," he offered, and then headed straight downstairs to the home studio. 

****

Nicole on the concrete island in the middle of Matt and Candace's kitchen. She swiveled in the bar stool and tapped her foot nervously. Kaylee sat next to her, slicing a baguette and organizing the pieces on a platter that Candace had pulled down from an upper cabinet. The two women were in a very animated discussion about Kaylee and Joel's wedding plans. Nicole chewed on her pinky nail and feigned interest in the details. She had a dress fitting in a few weeks, that was all she needed to know for now. In the meantime, her thoughts were growing more and more occupied by Josh. She had been avoiding all communication with him for close to two weeks, but the further she pushed him away, the more space he occupied in her mind. 

"More champagne?" Candace asked Nicole, snapping her out of her haze. 

"I love family dinner at your house, you always have tons of champagne," Nicole answered, holding out her glass for a refill. 

"That's ‘cause I'm a classy bitch," Candace laughed, filling both Nicole and Kaylee's glasses. 

Matt and Joel entered the house, each carrying a case of beer. Both men slammed the cases of beer on the counter in front of Nicole, hoping she would flinch, but she knew it was coming. After thirty-five and twenty-two years of friendship, they were predictable. Matt began organizing places in the fridge for the beer, while Joel, locked Nicole in a headlock and kissed the top of her head repeatedly. 

Kaylee sighed loudly, "Don't do that to her, Joel."

Joel released his grip on her and smiled at his fiancé. "You're on her side now?"

"No. Uhg, you two just touch each other too much. It's not normal," she rolled her eyes. 

Joel dismissed the comment while Nicole slid from the barstool and walked to her purse across the room, as a series of dings emanated from her cell phone. She pulled the phone from her bag and reviewed the text messages. 

"Is that Josh?" Joel asked her. "Is he coming to family dinner? I liked having him here last time. He brings good whiskey. I like you dating him."

"Oooo! Joshy!" Matt howled as he continued filling the fridge with beer.  

"We aren't dating." Nicole mumbled, typing on her phone. 

"Whatever, Nic, he's at your house like 3 days a week, what do you call that?" Matt laughed at her from behind the door to the fridge. 

"Leave her alone," Candace warned. 

"We aren't dating, because I'm seeing someone else," Nicole shrugged, trying to hide the disappointment.

"You're what?" Matt asked, surprised, poking his head around the refrigerated door. 

Candace picked up Nicole's glass of champagne and walked it across the room to her. "They never defined the relationship," Candace announced. "Nicole can date whoever she wants, and she found herself a new hottie," Candace handed the glass to Nicole and bumped her hip with her own in an attempt to lighten her mood. She knew all about Zaire, and JC's hand in bringing them together. And she was very aware of Nicole's disappointment. Candace even encouraged her to go out with Zaire. Make Josh jealous, Candace told her. Go out with Zaire and watch Josh squirm. 

"Man, I can't keep up," Matt muttered and continued to arrange the beer in the fridge.

Nicole took a sip of the champagne and handed her phone over to Candace, urging her to look at the most recent text exchange. 

Zaire: Hey sweets. You going to JCs thing Friday? You wanna go together? 

Nicole: thing?

Zaire: Yeah, you know his listening party. For some tracks 

Candace inspected the text, and eyed Nicole questioningly. 

"I wasn't invited to his thing on Friday," Nicole whispered. 

"Well, you are now, and I have the perfect outfit for you to wear." 

****

Nicole stepped out of the elevator of her apartment dressed in a short black, long sleeved wrap dress and her one pair of black peep-toe pumps. The dress may have covered her arms, but the skirt stopped mid-thigh and the deep V of the neckline made up for it. Candace insisted she wear this dress, and while it was not a style that she felt completely comfortable in, she had to admit she looked good. Unsure how to style her hair any other way, she wore it down, allowing the soft waves to frame her face as it cascaded down past her shoulders. She exited her apartment building and found Zaire, standing on the passenger side of his double-parked black Bentley Continental GT. 

Zaire opened the door for her, and just before she could get in, he stopped her. Raised his hand up to her jaw line and whispered, "You look beautiful." He leaned in, and she turned ever so slightly away from him, allowing him to kiss her cheek. She placed her hand on my his shoulder, kissed his cheek as well, and slipped into the all-white leather interior of his car. 

The drive to JC's house was long. The traffic that evening was a bear. Fortunately, Nicole did not need to fill the entire trip with forced conversations, as Zaire spent the second half of the drive on a business call. Nicole watched out of the window as the car purred up through the winding streets of the Hollywood Hills. She had never been up here before. The higher up they went, the less the houses looked like houses and the more they looked like fortresses, one gate or giant wall after the next.  

One final turn and a short way up a narrow street, they encountered a line of cars parked off the road on a dirt shoulder against the cliff. Zaire ended his call, put the car in park, and hurried around the front of the car to the passenger side, opening Nicole's door. She took a few initial wobbly steps, as it was difficult to navigate the gravel in her heels. Zaire held his arm out to her, and she looped hers in his. He walked her across the street to a large, cream-colored stucco wall. They walked along the wall, and along the average looking garage, and through a small black door with frosted glass panels. 

They immediately descended a set of steps, and if Nicole wasn't already regretting her shoe choice, she was now. They entered the front door on the bottom level of the house and were immediately sent up to the second, main floor. She thought to herself, if she had to climb up one more set of stairs, she was going to just take her shoes off and do it barefoot. As they reached the main level of the home, she noted the plain decor. Much like the outside of his home, the inside was also minimally decorated in natural tones. But who needed decorations when the floor to ceiling windows and giant slider doors opened out to a deck overlooking the cliffs? The city lights flickered in the distance. She scanned the small crowd that spread out through the open concept main floor and outside deck, but no one looked familiar. 

"Nice view from up here," Zaire whispered in her ear. "Let's go check it out." He escorted her through the living room and out through the large sliding patio doors. They walked out past small groups of people to the railing. 

"Clear days in LA? Sweets, you're dreaming," he joked. "Let's get a drink" He led her back toward the doorway to where a bar was set up. "What do you want?" Zaire asked her. 

Before Nicole could answer, a loud laugh drew her attention away from the bar. She knew immediately it was a JC's voice, and her head turned to scan the patio. She saw JC walking out through the large sliding doors onto the patio. He was dressed in all black, black jeans, black shoes, black shirt, black denim button down shirt, and an all-black Dodgers hat. His beard was thick, thicker than she had ever seen him have before. He had his arm draped around a gorgeous woman with long straight black hair in a white sundress. He was flanked on the other side by his manager, Eric, who was also dressed in all black.  

Nicole tried to turn quickly, before he noticed her, but it was too late. JC caught sight of her. He stopped suddenly in his tracks, "Excuse me a minute, Jen." He slid his arm from around Jen's shoulders, then held up a finger to Eric and excused himself in the direction of Zaire and Nicole.

JC forced a smile and walked up behind them at the bar. He held his arms out in the shape of an air hug, and made his presence known. "Hey you two!" Arms still out, he looked from Nicole to Zaire, and then back at Nicole. He held her gaze and added coolly, "I see you have hit it off nicely."

Zaire unhooked Nicole's arm from his and extended it out to shake JC's hand. JC obliged and pumped his arm vigorously. JC let go and turned to Nicole. He opened his arms out for a hug, and she stepped into him. He hugged her, kissed her cheek, but before pulling away, he whispered, "You can come to my home, but you can't return a call?" He pulled away from her and forced another smile. "So, glad to have you both here!" He announced in an overly friendly tone, then promptly left to the other side of the patio to rejoin Eric and Jen. 

Nicole spent much of the night on Zaire's arm, sipping gin in tonics, while he mingled and chatted with various people. Nicole would nod and smile, pretending to follow along in the various conversations, all the while scanning the room, or the patio, for JC. He seemed to be avoiding her. If she and Zaire made it anywhere near his vicinity, he would promptly move across the room. But by her fourth gin in tonic, it didn't even phase her. She felt a nice fuzz creeping in, which was good, because even her aching feet weren't registering to her anymore. 

Sometime around 11, Eric invited everyone inside to the giant living room/dining area. The crowd was small, no more than 20 or 30 people, but they managed to fill the room. With the quantities of alcohol, Nicole was feeling warm, and she led Zaire across the room to the open patio door, slightly away from everyone else. Nicole scanned the room and noticed JC again with his arm around the beautiful dark-haired woman in a white sundress. Eric began addressing the crowd, explaining the various things JC had been working on over the last month, but Nicole found it difficult to listen. She was too busy staring at JC. Was that his date for the evening? Was he trying to make her jealous, like she was trying to do to him? Suddenly, JC's eyes met hers and they locked their gaze on each other. Nicole's heart hammered in her chest, and she could feel a blush settling in on her cheeks. She stared at him, until a loud bass line rumbled through the speaker system, causing Nicole to jump slightly. Zaire turned to her and they both laughed quietly. She looked back and JC was still watching her. Her breath caught in her throat slightly. 

"Sweets, are you okay?" Zaire asked her.

"Ye-Yeah." she stuttered. 

Her arm was looped in his, and Zaire brought her a step closer to him. He leaned down to kiss her, and she turned ever so slightly. His kiss landed on her jaw line. He kissed her again, moving closer to her lips, then a third time, but before he could kiss her a fourth time, she pulled back slightly. JC staring at her all the while.

"It's so warm in here," she whispered, looking up at him, fanning herself lightly with her free hand. "Or too much gin," she laughed quietly. "I'm going to find the bathroom." She slid her arm out from his and walked toward the kitchen, in search of a powder room. 

She tried to step softly as she walked, not wanting to draw attention to her exit. A small crew of caterers were organizing plates and trays on the large marble island in the center of the very white kitchen. She noted a long sort of hallway that led past the kitchen with two doors on each side. Hoping one was a bathroom, she walked to the one on the left and opened the door. She flipped a switch and noticed a large washer and dryer. She turned to try to check out what was behind the other door across the hall, but bumped into a crisp black shirt. 

"Are you looking for something?" JC asked her as he stepped forward, ushering her further into the laundry room. 

"No. Um. Well, just the bathroom," Nicole stuttered, taking a step back. 

"What do you think you're doing here tonight?" he asked her, his once bright blue eyes appeared stormy and dark. "And looking like this?" he added, slipping one finger between her skin and the seam of the V-neck collar on her dress. 

"Seeing as how you had no problem with me dating your friend, I didn't think you'd mind if I was his date to your little party," she said, not moving, stone faced staring up at him. If he wanted a battle of wills, he would get it. 

"So, you're dating?" He took a step closer. 

Nicole nodded.

"And you like him?"

Nicole nodded again. 

"Sure," he chuckled and smiled coolly. 

Nicole looked at him quizzically.

"But you won't let him kiss you?" He asked her, eyebrow raised.

Before she could say anything else, JC reached his hand behind her, gripped a fistful of hair, and angled her face up toward him. He pressed his lips to hers, seeking entrance with his tongue. Taken aback by the force of the kiss, she stumbled a few steps backward. He followed  her, keeping her upright, and then pinned her against the counter. He pulled slightly harder on her hair, angling her face closer to his, he kissed her deeper. His other hand slid up her body and paused on her breast, squeezing forcefully. He pressed his hips into her, and she could feel his erection.

He released his grip on her hair and placed his hand on her cheek, pulling away from the kiss and rubbing his thumb over her swollen lips.  She panted, trying to catch her breath. He pressed his forehead to her. "I missed you," he breathed before capturing her lips with his again. 

She slid her hands down his chest to the top of his pants. She unclasped his belt and feverishly unbuttoned his pants, sliding her hand down, gripping him firmly. He thrust into her hand and paused his kiss to gasp in pleasure against her lips. 

"Josh," she breathed softly, and that was all he needed to send him over the edge of all rational thought. Just the sound of his name from her lips, and he was putty.

He slid his hands down her sides, then raised her dress up above her waist. He lifted her and set her on the edge of the counter, pushing folded towels out of the way and onto the floor. She separated her legs, allowing him access. She raised her arms and locked them around his neck. Kissing him again. He slid a finger between her legs and felt the damp material of her silky underwear. He pulled her panties to the side with one hand and guided himself in her with his other. He slid the tip of his penis up and down softly before slowing pushing inside of her. As he felt her surround him, he wrapped her legs round his waist.

"Holy fuck, Nicole," He whispered breathlessly as he kissed down her jawline, then on to her neck. 

         "Mmm, Josh, you feel unbelievable," she moaned softly. Aware that people were just in the other room, she bit her lower lip, trying to seal her mouth. 

         JC rested his forehead against hers, gripped her hips firmly with his hands and thrust into her. He pulled almost completely out and thrust into her again, then again, speeding up the rhythm with each thrust. He filled her up, and she rolled her head back in ecstasy. Desperate to feel all of him, she wrapped her legs tighter around his waist, keeping him thrusting deep inside of her. Nicole shut her eyes tightly, and buried her face into the crook of his next, whispering soft pleas, urging him to be more forceful. He grunted and pressed deeply into her.  She shuddered around him and panted, trying to remain silent during her climax. JC continued, edging closer to his own release, panting hard until finally with a soft grunt he exploded inside of her. 

JC rested his forehead against hers, eyes staring deep into hers, as he worked to catch his breath. Reluctantly, she unwrapped her legs from around his waist, and he pulled out of her, adjusting himself back into his pants. She slid off of the counter, adjusted her dress, and combed her fingers through her hair. She looked at him for confirmation that she was presentable. 

         He smiled at her. "Sexy, mama," he said with a wink. "The bathroom is across the hall, if you need to clean up, but to be honest, I like the idea of me spilling out of you on the rest of your date." He smirked, slapped her ass, and turned to leave. 

"Josh?" She whispered.

He turned and answered her with a raise of his eyebrows. 

"Why did you give him my number?" 

JC walked back toward her and placed both hands on either side of her face, kissed her deeply, and pulled back. "I don't know Nicole. But I wish I hadn't."