She lay stretched out on the couch in the recreation room at the venue; her brown leather sandals still on her delicate feet, exposing the silver polish on her toenails. His eyes moved up the length of her smooth, toned legs, which were partially covered by a pair of khaki shorts. The lavender tank she was wearing hugged her upper body in all the right places and nicely complemented her tanned skin. A small portion of her hair remained in a messy ponytail resting at the crown of her head with the majority of her golden brown locks spilled over the arm of the couch were her head rested. He stood silently in the doorway watching as her chest moved up and down with rhythm of her breathing when all of the sudden she started to snore lightly. It was the first time he had ever found snoring to be attractive. She looked so happy and serene; he hated what he was about to do. He moved quietly over to the couch and squatted down next to her as he spoke.
"You better not let your boss catch you sleeping on the job."
His voice sent a shiver through her whole body as she spoke without opening her eyes. "Yeah I know, he's a real jerk," she said smirking.
"Is that so?" he asked, lifting her legs before placing them over top of his own as he sat next to her on the sofa. "Does he make you work long, grueling hours?"
"Yes, just last night he kept me up way past dawn."
"You poor thing. Here let me take some of that stress away," he said, slipping off her shoes as he began massaging her feet. "But the benefits make it all worthwhile do they not?"
"Absolutely," Sam replied, bounding up and snaking her arms around Lance as she kissed him. "But the hours still suck," she kidded while laying back down, pulling the elastic tie out of her hair as she stretched, allowing all of her hair to lay freely at her shoulders.
"I'm sorry to wake you but I have something that needs an immediate response," he explained as he rested his hand on her knee. "Because depending on your answer I may have to make some arrangements."
"It's okay. What's going on?"
"Well, as I'm sure you know, after tomorrow night's show we have four whole days off," he paused as they both cheered. "We're all going our separate ways this time for a change. Chris is going to L.A., JC and Joey are going back to Orlando, and Justin is going to visit his mom on tour with Innosense."
"Who just happen to be touring with Britney," Sam interrupted. "What is going on with those two anyway?"
"Justin and his mom?" Lance asked pretending to be confused as Sam rolled her chocolate eyes at him. "Oh, you mean Brit. I have no idea. I don't think they know themselves, it's just kind of like whatever. But why are you asking me this? I'm sure you've heard it already from him."
"Actually, now that I think about it, it's the only thing we never talk about. He's mentioned her in casual conversation but never about their relationship."
"Huh," Lance said thoughtfully.
"What?"
"It's nothing, but back to my question."
"Okay, so you've told me how the rest of the guys are spending there days off, but what about you? Are you still going home?" Sam asked as she sat up leaning against his chest, her legs curled up on his lap.
"That's where you come in," he smiled, grazing the tip of his finger down her nose as he continued. "If you go back to Orlando then I will be miserable at home in Mississippi, grateful to have time with my friends and family, but missing you terribly. However, if you came with me, then everything would be perfect."
Sam smiled warmly at him, clearly touched by his offer. "That is very sweet of you, but I don't want to intrude on the little free time you have to spend with your family."
"That's ridiculous. How could you ever be an intrusion?" Lance asked, locking his green eyes with Sam's brown ones. "You are a part of my family, you are my friend," he paused, reaching his hand up and running it over her hair as he kissed her lightly. "You're my everything."
"Did you feel that?"
"Feel what?" he asked confused.
"My knees just went weak," she giggled.
"They feel fine to me," he replied, squeezing the one knee where his hand still rested. "So is that a yes?"
"On one condition."
"Name it."
"Kiss me," Sam ordered.
"Ugh, well if I have to," Lance huffed as he wrapped her in a tight hug and obeyed her command.
The couple was still embraced minutes later when Chris bounced into the room. "OH MY GOSH! Sam is choking!" he screamed running towards the pair. "Quick Justin, get in here!" he yelled as he pushed Lance away from her. "Move you dummy, that's not how you do CPR. Let a pro show you the right way," Chris said as he shoved his way between them and grabbed Sam pretending to resuscitate her. She tried to protest but couldn't manage a word through her laughter.
Justin strolled into the room chuckling, expecting nothing less from his wacky friend. "At least it wasn't me this time," he shrugged at the pair.
"You interrupted them?" Chris laughed. "When?"
"This morning."
"This afternoon."
"It's not important."
Chris looked at the three of them who had just answered in unison. "Well, as much as I'd love to stick around and get to the bottom of this, I need some food. I'm so happy for you two crazy kids," he squealed while giving the new couple noogies before leaving the room and doing the same to Justin on his way out.
"So about that," Justin said staring at his feet. "I'm so sorry. It's definitely ranked as the new most embarrassing moment in my life."
"Don't worry about it," Sam said as she slid next to Lance motioning for Justin to sit in the spot she had just vacated. "And we were only kissing."
"At that moment anyway," Lance said with a crooked grin as he moved her hair aside, before leaning in, lightly kissing her earlobe. Sam giggled and squirmed at the touch of his soft lips on her skin.
"Stop that," she ordered while jabbing him in the stomach with her elbow. "I'm trying to talk here."
"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself," he replied, resting his chin on her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her stomach from behind. "You've got the cutest little ears."
"As I was saying," Sam began, glaring sideways at Lance. "It was a little awkward yes, but it's nothing for you to be so embarrassed about. I'm not. Besides, it's not like you saw anything. Right?" she asked just to be sure.
"Just Lance's bare back," Justin answered.
"See and I'm sure you've seen that before."
"More times than I care to remember," he cracked, managing to muster a smile in an attempt to hide the way he was feeling inside. He was truly happy for the both of them, yet at the same time his heart ached to be in Lance's shoes. "You really need some sun by the way."
"Thanks," Lance said as he rose, releasing Sam from his arms. "I'm going to go make our flight arrangements. Will you be here when I'm done?"
"I will be where ever the food is. I'm starving. For some reason I missed breakfast and lunch," she joked.
"Hmm, me too," he smiled as he bent down to kiss her. "So I'll meet you there when I'm through?"
"K," she replied before pulling him back in for one more quick kiss.
"Wow, it must be love if he's convinced you to go to Mississippi with him," Justin teased after Lance had left the room.
"It's a little early to be saying that word."
"You don't have to say it, I can see it in your eyes. His too," he took a deliberate pause to study her face before continuing, fully realizing for the first time that he would never see that kind of emotion for him in her eyes. "And you've never looked more beautiful."
"Aww Justin, you're gonna make me cry."
"It's true, you're glowing Sami," he said touching his hand to her blushing cheek as she smiled at him shyly.
"Well it would've never happened without a little help from my friends," she said grabbing his hand and squeezing it. "You guys believed in us when we were too scared to," Sam explained before leaning in to hug him. "I can never thank you enough for all of your support. I love you kid."
"I love you too," Justin whispered, afraid that if he said it any louder she would hear that he meant it in every sense of the word. "Why do you call me that?" he asked as they released from their embrace.
"Kid?" she asked scrunching her nose at him. "Why, does it bother you?"
"No. I was just wondering why, that's all."
"Well, you are younger than me," she smiled. "I don't know, I guess because I feel somewhat protective of you. I think of you as part of my family, like a brother."
"Oh," he managed to say while fighting back the lump in his throat, crushed by her explanation. "Didn't you say something about needing food?"
"Yeah, are you coming with me?"
"I'll be there in a minute," he paused while searching for an excuse to escape. "I need to go get a hat from the bus. My hair is out of control today."
"I don't think it looks that bad. I love it when it's all wild and fro-ey like this," Sam said standing in front of him and pressing the locks of curls down to his head, giggling as they sprung back into place. "They're so boingy."
"You are a nut," he smiled as he stood up next to her.
"Yes I am, and you know you love it."
"You're right I do. Now go get some food and I'll catch up to you there."
As they walked in different directions down the hallway the expression on his face dropped. Justin could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He clenched his jaw and tightly squeezed his eyelids forcing them back. If anyone were to see the tears he wouldn't be able to explain them away.
****
Jen was too busy tearing through the blankets, pillows and other miscellaneous items in the bunk she'd slept in to acknowledge that JC had boarded the bus.
"Here you are," he said.
"Was I missing?" she asked flatly, while smiling at his attempt to sneak up on her again.
"It was the cologne again wasn't it?" he asked disappointed.
"Yes, but you get an A for effort," she teased, giving up her search and turning around to face him. "Have you seen my cell phone? I thought I took it inside with me but I couldn't find it in there and now I can't find it in here," she said frustrated, pushing a few strands of stray hair out of her eyes.
JC grinned mischievously as he reached into his pocket and recovered her phone. "Is this it?" he asked dangling it in the air, quickly pulling it away as she reached for it.
"Yes! What are you doing with it?"
"I saw it laying on a desk in the management office and I knew you'd have to come looking for it eventually," he said in that same flirtatious tone that Jen had come to enjoy so much. She took it from his hand unable to hide the smile on her lips and turned to walk towards the door that led to the front of the bus. "Not so fast," he said bracing his arm against the other wall, blocking her passage. "Do you know what today is?"
"Tuesday," Jen said turning towards him as he placed his other arm on the opposite side of her body. Her heartbeat quickened at the closeness of their bodies.
"The date."
"The fourth."
"Right, the fourth of July," JC said, inching still closer to her.
"And your point is?"
"Well, I was hoping for a little afternoon fireworks."
Jen couldn't help but to laugh at him, quickly stopping when she saw the defeated look on his face. "I'm sorry, but you have to admit that was way corny."
"Okay, maybe a little," he conceded.
"If you want to kiss me, just say so," Jen said staring into his radiant blue eyes.
"I want to kiss you," he said, sliding his muscular arms around her waist.
"What makes you think I'm going to let you?" she questioned, seductively grazing her hands up his stomach, continuing to his chest, where even through his shirt she could feel the well defined contours of his upper body, before resting one hand on his neck and the other at the back of his head, running her fingers through his closely cut brown hair.
"It just a hunch I have," he said with ragged breath, his body still tingling from her sensual touch. His heart racing as she moved as close as possible to his body. She leaned her head in and he closed his eyes as the heat from her breath hit his neck.
"Then go for it," she purred into his ear.
He moved one hand up to the base of her hair, gently pulling her head back and bonding his eyes with the hazel color of hers as he leaned in slowly to finish what they had started earlier in the day. Their lips met in a heated kiss just as the sound of footsteps rang through the bus.
"Damn it! Doesn't anybody around here ever lock the damn door!?!" she groaned, leaning her head on JC's chest.
"I guess not," he chuckled, kissing the top of her head before releasing her to see who had entered the bus.
"Who is it?" Jen asked as he peered through a small opening in the door separating the two sections.
"Justin."
"Well get rid of him," she whined.
JC turned back to her with a pleased smile on his face. "I will do that. You…don't move," he instructed as he walked out, closing the door behind him.
Jen sighed heavily as she collapsed into one of the bunks, her face erupting into an enormous smile as she pondered what was yet to come.
JC walked out to the front of the bus fully prepared to get rid of Justin as quickly as possible, until he saw the saddened expression on his friend's face. He was oblivious to JC's presence.
"What's wrong?" he asked as he sat across from Justin.
"I don't want to talk about it," he mumbled. "Johnny is looking for you."
"For what?"
"I don't know. I saw him on the way out here and he said to send you his way if I saw you."
JC exhaled loudly, trying to decide which direction to head first. "Son of a bitch," he muttered standing up. "We will talk about what's bothering you later, count on that. Jen is in the back, tell her I'll be back in five minutes," he said before quickly walking off.
Justin hadn't even thought about questioning why JC and Jen were in the back with the door shut, or why it mattered so much that she knew what JC was up to. He was too wrapped up in his own pain for any of it to register.
Jen opened the door expecting to find JC; instead her eyes discovered a sulking Justin. 'Okay, the boy band god does hate me' she thought to herself, recalling an old joke between her and Sam.
"What are you doing here?" Justin asked as she walked out.
"Looking for my phone. Where'd JC go?"
"Johnny needed him for something. He said he'd be back in five minutes," he replied emotionless.
"What's wrong with you?" Jen asked.
"What do you care?" Justin said angrily.
"I don't. I was just trying to be polite," she shot back.
"Don't bother. I know you don't like me. You don't have to pretend you do. The only thing I don't know is why you don't like me. I suppose you're jealous."
"What the hell would I be jealous of you for?" Jen asked thinly.
"My relationship with Sami. I think it's become a little too close for your comfort and you're worried that I'll take your place and she won't need you anymore," Justin said venomously.
"Oh that's right," she said glaring at him. "I've forgotten how truly amazing you are, after all, you are THE Justin Timberlake. Of course you could replace me in a two-month time frame. You are so full of shit."
"What's the matter? Did I hit a nerve?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Yeah actually you did, the jealousy thing is right on the money. But it's not my problem, it's yours. It looks like Lance is taking more than just your fans away now isn't he?" Jen countered.
"Fuck you."
"Now who hit a nerve?" Jen asked seething as she walked off the bus.
****
Sam sat a table, thoroughly enjoying her large chicken caeser salad. Lance knew it was a favorite of hers and made sure the caterers prepared it on a regular basis. She smiled when she realized it was another item to add to the list of thoughtful things he did for her. The sound of footsteps behind her interrupted her thoughts.
"Guess who?" he asked playfully, cupping his hands over her eyes.
"Umm, Carson Daly."
He gasped, pretending to be upset as he removed his hands and sat next to her. "Is that who you were hoping for?"
"In a perfect world," she teased.
"Well, you are definitely not coming with us the next time we do TRL then."
"I'm just playing," Sam smiled. "He has a girlfriend."
"You're lucky I know that you're just kidding," Lance grinned. "Can I have a bite?"
"Actually that would make you the lucky one," Sam said as she lifted a forkful to his mouth.
"Oh looky, she's feeding him just like his mommy used to," Chris cooed as he and Joey approached the table. "Are you going to chew it up for him too?"
"You are sick Chris," Sam said shaking her head.
"Thank you, I try."
"Hey guys, Johnny needs all of us for a minute," JC said walking up hurriedly. "I'm going to go get Justin and we'll meet you back there."
The three men grumbled as their dinner plans were halted by business. "I'll be back in a few," Lance said kissing Sam's forehead as he stood to leave.
JC almost ran into Jen as he sprinted to the bus to retrieve Justin. He became concerned when he noticed her flustered demeanor.
"Hey what's wrong? I'm sorry, I was trying to get back to you as soon as possible," he explained.
She smiled, looking up at his chiseled face as she spoke. "It's okay. I understand."
"Then why are you so upset?"
"You're in a hurry. Do what you have to do and we'll talk later okay?" she said moving past him.
"But…" he stopped. Whatever was bothering her had obviously killed their moment for now.
Jen plopped down next to Sam and laid her head on the table.
"Are you okay?" Sam asked.
"Yeah I'm fine. It's just been a very unique day."
"Oh really? Do tell."
"Later. First you, this is the first time I've seen you today without Lance attached to your lips," Jen laughed. "And since we probably won't be alone again until tomorrow, talk."
"About what?" Sam asked sheepishly.
"Psssh, about what. You know exactly what I'm talking about girl. Was it everything you'd dreamed it'd be?"
"Everything and more."
"Wow, that doesn't happen too often," Jen said surprised.
"I just can't stop kissing him," Sam giggled.
"I'm so happy for you but you'll have to forgive me if I don't want to hear all the details okay?"
"I understand, and believe or not, for the first time I don't feel like sharing them all," Sam paused. "They're just too…"
"Private," Jen finished.
"Exactly. He asked me to come home with him for the break."
"Really? Meeting the family, it must be serious."
"I already know his family," Sam reminded her.
"Yes, but you know them as his assistant and not as his girl. Plus you only know the immediate family," Jen added. "Did you forget about grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins?"
"Are you trying to scare me?"
"Nope, just warn you," Jen laughed. "I'm sure you'll be fine."
"Now I'm nervous. Thanks a lot. Some friend you are," Sam huffed.
"I'm sorry," she said through her laughter. "So what are the other guys doing for their break?" she asked trying to sound casual.
"Chris is going to visit Dani, Justin is going to visit his mom, and JC and Joey are going home to Orlando. The four of you should do something while you're there, maybe Mel can pull Joey out of his funk."
"That's what I was thinking too," Jen said, thinking to herself that Mel and Joey could do whatever they pleased as long as her and JC got to finish their kiss properly without any interruptions.