The afterglow had never felt so right. JC sucked in a low breath as he continued to play at her hair, watching her with a little smile. A couple of hours had passed and their conversation continued to be lazy and loving. He knew they were still on vacation in the most romantic city in the world, but somehow just being with her and having the time together was the best view of all.

His lips curled up into a little smirk. "Can we go back to talking about that husband wish list for a minute? Did I hear you say something about singing and dancing boys at 16 a while ago?"

She smirked. "Oh they were. Those Mickey Mouse Club boys. So charismatic and adorable with their singing and dancing. Was a shocker that no one looked or danced like that at my high school."

He licked his lips. "You're just saying this on purpose now." He grabbed at her sides with both of his hands.

"HEY," she laughed, "I am not! If I told you I specifically wanted the co lead singer of a boy band who could put it down THEN I'd be just saying that on purpose." She wiggled out of his grip again, laughing so cute.

He wouldn't let her get away, continuing to tickle at her sides. "Are you telling me you knew who I was when you first met me then?"

"Josh," she laughed softly, "You would have had to live under a rock not to know who you are. *NSYNC is literally everywhere, all the time. And for a while, it was 24/7." She looked up at him and smiled softly. 

His smile grew thoughtful and he stopped tickling her. "Baby, I actually thought for a minute in the beginning you had no idea..."

She smiled as she gazed up into his eyes. "Because it didn't matter to me. You became just Josh. My best friend's ex boyfriend's best friend," she giggled, "And quickly my friend. The *NSYNC stuff didn't make a difference."

JC grinned. "Now let's rewind back to this Mickey Mouse Club part."

She laughed softly, sitting up a bit to get a good stretch, looking down at him lying there wrapped in the sheets at his waist in his naked glory. "Okay, let's go back to it."

"You're telling me... that my soon to be wife would watch me, Justin, Ryan and Dale on TV?" He pursed his lips as he looked up at her.

"And you can't forget about my man Tony," she smirked, "Yes, yes, she did."

"Oh this is gold." He needed to sit up, "How have we not discussed this before?"

"Oh we have," she laughed, "early on," she smirked, "probably 5 or 6 beers in one night. I told you I had a crush on someone on MMC and you guessed it was Justin," she shook her head, fighting a grin.

"Wait. I said that?" He laughed and scoffed. "I was the biggest heart throb on that show, thank you very much." He was playfully making facial gestures too.

"You did! Then you pretended to be shocked just like this when I told you it was Tony," she was laughing so cute. 

His smirk was big. "I should tell Tony and have him over for dinner," he reached over to touch her face, "I bet you'd like that."

She laughed, "So you could tell him I outgrew a preteen crush when I started with real men?" She smirked, "Or that your fiance had a crush on your friend when she was a kid but now she's a model and marrying you?"

"Mmm, both of those things sound so perfect. Maybe I will tell him all that." He grinned and leaned over and kissed her cheek, then he threw his leg over her so he could get out of bed.

She laughed so cute, leaning back in the bed so he could get out over her. "Maybe he remembers the day my friends and I came with my dad," she licked her lips, "For a friend's 15th birthday. We drove from Winter Haven to MGM and went to a taping, then did a park day. Mhmm, yes."

JC paused, completely naked in front of the bed, about to head to the bathroom. "Wait. Excuse me? You actually went to MGM?"

She laughed softly, watching him. She wasn't sure if she should admire his sexy body or laugh at his perplexed expression. "Baby, why don't you go and do what you need to do. I'll be here when you're done." She needed to grin up at him because she chose the admiring-- she checked him out from top to bottom.

He pointed his finger at her. "I'll be right back. Hold that thought." He walked quickly into the bathroom, shaking his head hard. 

Sam pulled her hair out of the loose braid it was in, reaching to pull it up in a loose top knot. She was smiling, taking a moment to admire her ring and enjoy the peaceful silence of the late morning.

JC hurried back into the bedroom, plopping back down into the bed with big, love-filled eyes. He grabbed a pillow to hug against him as he moved closer to her. "Soooooo..."

She laughed softly, "Season 7."

"Oh, the last one," he grabbed at her legs and pulled her closer to him since he was sitting across from her. "Was I there when you guys went? I just want to know if I could have potentially met my future wife and had no freaking idea."

"Oh you were," she laughed all soft. "It was Cry For You day. We were just so excited to be there. Wow." She smiled, being taken back into her memories for a moment, "I guess it was never important to bring up because it just happened. After the show went off, it was just a memory."

"Wow," he smiled softly, tilting his head to look at her with a little more adoration, "I'm glad I didn't meet you back then because I was such a dork and would have totally lost my chance with you forever," he grinned.

She laughed so cutely. "Uhh you were 17 and had it all together. I was only 15 and had probably just had my braces taken off," she grinned, "I'm sure you were chasing after your beautiful cast mates, too busy to be worried about little old me."

"I was probably more concerned about what we were having for dinner and if we were going to have some time to play video games and play on my keyboard," he smirked, "I probably wouldn't have had the guts to approach you anyway."

She grinned, "You needed to wait 17 more years to grow into those little red lifeguard shorts?"

"I swear to God woman..." he smirked and took the pillow from his lap, pushing her down into the bed with it, then pushing it into her face as she fell against the pillows, like he were about to smother her in a teasing way.

She tried to push him off, and when she was finally able to move, she pulled him down with her and finally offered a soft smile. "15 year old Samantha wouldn't have had the nerve to talk to you either. Or tease you about little red shorts. So we would have had a pretty even playing field. Though I probably would have stared at you in some little red shorts, I mean at 17 I could have had an eyeful right?"

He laughed all low and tried to smother her face again for a second. "I'm going to burn those fucking shorts..." he growled.

Sam pushed him off again but this time, she got up and walked to the bathroom, her feet shuffling as she walked in. 

He watched her go in with a grin. "You're lucky that nature was calling because I could have just smothered you!" He was smirking to himself, hugging the pillow to his chest again. 

Sam took her time in the bathroom, then washed her hands and face before shuffling back to the French doors for a moment to look at her city. Her heart was racing and she was feeling a panic attack about to start. The tightness in her throat hadn't happened like this in years. She closed her eyes and breathed, trying to ground herself again.

Of course, JC was watching her closely, he could barely take his eyes off of her when she was ever in a room with him. He hummed out a sigh, looking at her with more of an appreciative stare, a slow one, one where she could feel his eyes on her too.

She sucked in another low breath, then turned to look at him. She could see him staring at her. She walked over to the bed and sat on the opposite edge from him. "Hey Josh?" 

"Mmm yeah baby?" He tilted his head real cute to look at her. He was hoping she'd be playful, he was down for another round or two. 

She sighed softly, looking down at her hands. The diamond sparkled, a symbol of something she for a long time thought would never happen to her. "Don't do that again. The shit with the pillows and what you said. I know you were joking around with me. But I've been in bad relationships. And I've been with guys who act all manly and tease like that but then they need to use their hands and physicality to run the relationship. So just. Yes."

He looked at her and was on his feet within a matter of seconds. His hands went up to her face gently. She was his world, his everything. He never, ever wanted to jeopardize that. "Samantha...." his voice was serious and soft, "I didn't... I'm sorry."

She shook her head a little bit as she looked up at him. "Sweetheart, you didn't know. And it never really had to come up because it's the past. But I told you before, transparency and communication are important to me. So I had to say something." She looked up into his eyes for a long moment. "I don't let it define me baby. I'm a different woman than I was then."

JC wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close into his body. He needed to hold and hug on her at that very moment. His lips went to her temple and he couldn't say anything with his words, just letting his protective body language speak with his actions. 

The way he held her was everything. Everything she knew she needed but could never have, never hold on to. Her first went up and banged into his chest, but not hard. She began to cry and be in the throws of it for a moment. The tears were streaming down her cheeks, silent tears, letting the pent up emotion of so many years release. Between the engagement, finally making love that way with JC, feeling those old wounds, she was vulnerable and that moment of opening up the old wound just caught up to her. She takes the moment to be emotional in his arms. She didn't know she needed it, but she did. 

JC reached up and held the back of her head, not letting his lips leave her face. He was there. He wasn't going anywhere, and he would be there for as long as she needed to cry. This was his job, he was her man, her fiance, and he was going to be there for all of these moments for the rest of her life

She let herself be in the throws of it for a good ten minutes. He felt her body start to relax and her little sniffles took over, and she let a soft sigh out against his skin. She felt silly for a moment, they were naked in a sensual hotel room in Paris, and here she was crying in his arms. But it was life, and she needed to get the release out. She looked up at him from his chest with a soft smile. "Thank you for being my everything Joshua Scott."

As he looked down at her, he knew he wanted to be her everything forever. He was boiling on the inside, angry that anyone would ever be stupid enough to hurt his woman. Whatever this man did to her, it caused emotional scars. When he found out who he was, he was going to hurt him. His mind was made up. He offered her a genuine and soft smile, knowing his reaction was going to help calm or escalate her again. "Hey. Nothing else I'd rather be in this world baby," he used his thumb to wipe her tears, then brought his lips down to her eyes to kiss the remaining tears away. 

She smiled softly at him for the first time in awhile, it was a soft genuine smile. "Cuddle with me Josh? I just want to hold you. And I want you to hold me."

He took a look at her for a long moment as he was wiping her cheek with the back of his hand. His movements were gentle. "Would you rather take a hot bubble bath or just cuddle?"

She let out a soft sigh. It was more of the I'm so thankful sigh rather than one of sadness. "Why don't we take a bubble bath."

He took her hand, offering her a warm smile as he led her through the gorgeous part of the bathroom to the tub. He didn't let go of her hand as he started to fill the water, pouring lilac lavender rose bubbles inside, keeping her close to his body.  She smiled and gave a little squeeze to their hands, letting their bodies have a gentle sway together. Something about JC gave her inner strength that she was rediscovering in herself. Pushing her past aside, she wanted to be in the moment, enjoying this time with him while the tub filled up.

"Mmm," he smiled, nuzzling his face all up into her neck, swaying with her, loving her, truly fucking loving her. He felt vulnerable himself in this moment, and he didn't want to change that either. 

She smiled, bringing her body up to his, feeling her curves press against his rock solid body again, letting her head go up to the crook of his neck. The room smelled like the bubbles and his body was warm and inviting, just what she needed after letting her vulnerability come out. He smiled, pressing his face against hers as he leaned down and picked her up, holding onto her as he stepped into the oversized tub. He was standing there in the water and bubbles as the tub continued to fill up, holding her close. Still, there were no words that needed to be said, he just wanted to be there with her and for her. 

She smiled on her skin as her legs wrapped around his waist. She peeked up at him and sighed happily and she whispered, "Hey Josh?"

"Mmm, yes love?" He looked down at her and used his foot to turn the water off. It made a faint drip in the background.

She smiled softly as she gazed up into his eyes. "I love you. I just wanted to say that."

He let out a soft and cute sigh as he brought her down to sit in the hot water with him very much attached to his body the way it was. "I love you so much, and I know that you love me. I feel that you love me every single day."

She smiled as her legs went around his body a little bit higher since they were sitting down. The feel of his naked body with his was so familiar to her now and it felt so right. "Likewise," she nuzzled her nose against his, "You've made me feel so special these last few days. Just like a princess," she smirked, "even if princesses don't sleep with celebrities."

"Mmm, well this princess does now." He grinned and leaned in to just kiss on her lips once really softly, "Besides baby, you're a celebrity now yourself and you're always going to be my princess."

She smiled softly, "And it doesn't count when the celebrity is your fiance, because he's the only one."

He had to laugh slightly, "Oh, you..." he lifted her chin up again so he could really look into her eyes. He loved seeing her smile and he knew it was medicinal for both of them, "Say fiance again baby..."

She giggled a bit, "Mmm, what?" That you're my fiance and I'm going to marry the shit out of you? My birthday boy."

"Mmmmm. Exactly what I needed to hear." He smiled and nuzzled his nose to hers as he took a wash cloth to her back and just let warm water run down."

She smiled, closing her eyes and humming softly as her face rested against his. She finally let her body relax. She whispered, "It's almost sunset now, which means your birthday is on deck."

He made a soft noise and leaned his head forward to put it against hers. "Can't we skip mine and just keep celebrating you?"

She laughed softly against his lips, "I propose that from now on we make these three days about us together. And find a way to celebrate each other. But," she grinned, "I cannot let you turning 30 go unrecognized. While I had to change up our original plans since you surprised me on another continent," she grinned, "Tomorrow morning your surprises begin."

"Wait, you had surprises for me too?" He smiled, almost in a boyish way. He was so wrapped up in making her birthday perfect that he never stopped to consider she might have had surprises up her sleeve as well. 

"Yup," she smiled, "The studio wasn't it. Actually, we were supposed to take a drive up to Big Bear for a few days. But that'll need a rain check when we get home."

He laughed, "I planned a trip and so did you? Wow." He put the washcloth on the side and cupped her face to kiss on her a few times. 

She laughed softly. "I guess we both figured the other worked too much and needed time away." She returned his kisses with a soft smile. "But I was able to call in some favors for you for this surprise. Of which I'm extremely excited about." She grinned. 

He made a low growling noise and mumbled, "Baby, what did you do?" He nudged his face against hers before pulling back slightly to look at her, still his face all close to hers.

She smirked. "Joshua Scott Chasez. You planned a trip to Paris, France with a marriage proposal and didn't say a damn word. You think I'm going to reveal what I'm doing?"

His grin was wide. "Then why did you even TELL me in the first place?" He leaned in to gentle tickle her sides, being sure his touches were gentle this time. 

She squirmed and let out a squeal. "Eee, Josh!" She laughed, "Because, it's fun to watch your mind wander to what it could be."

He grinned and continued to tickle her. "Samantha. Freaking. Bentley." He started to laugh with her as the water began to splash, both of their bodies creating movement in the water. 

She was laughing so cute with him as the water splashed around them and she was wiggling in his arms. "Joshua Freaking Chasez!" She brought her forehead to his, "I promise you that it'll be worth waiting to find out about."

He was still giggling but he stopped tickling on her and eventually just put his arms around her again as his giggle faded into a sigh. "Baby, I have no doubt that this is going to be worth it. I look forward to all of it... it's your turn to be excited about surprising me."

She smiled, kissing his lips softly. "Oh, I am," she slid her finger tips along his arms, feeling them softly and thoughtfully. His quiet strength was her comfort and she knew it wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

He held her tightly in his arms, stroking her hair and humming softly. While he was very much in the moment with his girl, his mind began to race about where they would be going, what had happened this afternoon, and the overwhelming need to protect and shelter her from the world to the best of his ability. Whatever her ex boyfriend had taken away from her, he was determined to give back to her in its entirety.