Chapter Four

Laurie found JC’s house easily and pulled up in front of the locked gate and pressed the button for the intercom.

“Come on up Laur,” JC said from inside the house and entered the code that unlocked the gate and opened it. Laurie drove up the circular driveway and parked in front of the front door. She drew a deep breath to steady her nerves before she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out. Just as she was walking around the car, JC came out to meet her and closed the door behind him. “Hey.”

“You’re lucky that was me at the gate and not some rabid teenybopper,” Laurie laughed.

“I wasn’t worried,” he shrugged. “You’re the only one who knows I’m in LA. God you’re a sight for sore eyes.” JC gathered Laurie into his arms and hugged her tightly. “Where did you tell Craig you were going?”

“He’s not home… he had to fly to Vancouver this morning and he’ll be there for a month,” Laurie replied and her emerald green eyes darkened with anger.

“I’m sorry,” JC apologized and tightened his hold. “Does this mean I have you all to myself for the next couple of days?”

“Yeah,” she suddenly smiled. “I guess so. So do you want to walk to Starbucks or drive?”

“Let’s walk,” he suggested. “I just need to run back inside and grab a hat.” He grabbed her hand. “Come with me, I’ll show you around.”

Laurie opened her mouth to protest, but she was pulled into the house before she could say anything. A warm feeling spread through her as she began absorbing the intimate confines of his house. JC watched her as she looked around.

“So do you want the grand tour or the mini tour?” He asked.

“I think I want to see everything,” she told him and looked down. “You need to put your luggage away before someone, like me, trips over it.”

JC grinned. “You always did have a bit of clumsiness in you. Like the one time you fell into my arms.”

“What makes you think that wasn’t on purpose?” Laurie challenged.

“Was it?”

“I guess you’ll never know,” she winked. “I thought you were going to show me around?”

“I will,” he took her hand into his. “But just the mini tour for the time being. I’m dying for one of Starbucks Carmel Frappucchino’s.”

“Oh, those are my favourite!” Laurie licked her lips. “I have a better idea… how about we leave now, get our Frappucchino’s, and then when we come back you can give me the grand tour.”

“Works for me,” JC grinned.

When they walked outside, Laurie discreetly let go of JC’s hand. He gave her an odd look and she shook her head.

“Not in public Josh, we can’t…” her voice trailed off as understanding registered in his eyes.

“Then we’ll drive,” he stated. “That way I don’t have to wait very long to touch you again.”

Laurie blushed furiously and motioned for him to get into the car. When they were on their way, he looked at her.

“Did I embarrass you?”

“A little,” she admitted. “But it was nice.”

Once they were on their way, JC kept Laurie’s hand covered with his own and they chatted casually. When they arrived at Starbucks, they silently made their way in, placed their order and waited at the side for their Carmel Frappucchino’s.

“Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Alexandria?” Laurie asked quietly so that no one overheard.

“When we get back to my place,” he replied. “I think those are ours that they’re making now.”

JC and Laurie were both laughing when they returned to his house and unlocked the door. Laurie was using her straw like a spoon and savoring the cold, icy mixture as it melted on her tongue. When JC turned to close the door, he looked at Laurie enjoying her beverage and began to smile. He approached her very slowly until he was a few inches away from her.

“You umm… have some… whipped cream on your nose,” he told her and dipped his head letting the tip of his tongue snake out and lick the whipped cream off.

“Thanks,” Laurie touched the tip of her nose with her fingers and blushed before averting her eyes from his gaze.

“Come on, I’ll show you around,” JC grinned and grabbed Laurie’s hand, maneuvering her around the luggage that was still in the hallway. “We’ll start upstairs and work our way down.”

The tour didn’t take very long, Laurie realized while they were upstairs, that while his house looked extravagant from the outside, it was very simple and tastefully decorated on the inside.

“Just like the man himself,” she thought as her eyes drifted over his lean frame. He was showing her around the studio and his eyes glazed over with passion for his love of music. Suddenly he was snapping his fingers in front of her face and it brought her out of her trance. “What?”

“I was asking you if you wanted to go out and sit by the pool. It’s a nice day and I don’t get a chance to relax very often.” He smiled.

“I don’t have a bathing suit with me,” Laurie said almost shyly.

“So we can go to your house and get one… it’s not like it’s far.” JC laughed. “Or you can borrow one from the pool house. What do you say?”

“Sure,” she decided. “It’s not like I have anything better to do at the moment. I’ll run home and get my suit and a change of clothes.”

JC and Laurie spent the rest of the afternoon lying in the sun on his deck and holding hands from their respective lounge chairs. As the sun began to set and their chatter had ceased, Laurie’s stomach rumbled and JC looked over at her.

“Hungry?”

“A little,” she grinned sheepishly and JC stood up.

“I have some steaks marinating in the refrigerator. Would you like to stay for dinner?” He offered.

“I’d love too,” Laurie replied and JC helped her up. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“There’s some lettuce and stuff for salad in the fridge if you want to make some. Other than that, I have everything under control.” He walked over to the barbecue and lit it so it could warm up. “How do you like your steak done?”

“Medium rare.” She told him and he made an indistinct noise that sounded suspiciously like a cow mooing. “Josh? Did you just ‘moo’ at me?”

He laughed. “I didn’t know you liked your food to talk back when you eat it.”

“It’s not that rare,” she huffed. “Besides, if it’s well done, it’s too dry for me.”

“Not the way I make steaks,” JC licked his lips and rubbed his stomach. “Yummy.”

“No thanks.” Laurie watched him lick his lips and found herself desperately wanting to taste them.

Once they were in the kitchen and JC started preparing the steaks for the barbecue, Laurie opened the refrigerator and removed the stuff for the salad. As she began breaking up the lettuce into smaller pieces, she heard JC leave to put the steaks on the grill, but she didn’t hear him come back, so when she felt his hands touch her hips, she jumped.

“Did I startle you?” His breath was hot against her ear and he gave her neck a lingering kiss before leaving her side.

Laurie cast a sidelong glance at his profile as he began to slice up the tomatoes. She could tell he was holding back a grin and she cursed him because he knew that he was getting to her. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth and realized how easily they were slipping into the pseudo relationship they had five years ago. The only difference now is that they were both married, albeit to other people. She realized she sighed out loud when JC looked over at her.

“Is something wrong?”

“Hmm? No… just gathering my thoughts.” Laurie averted her gaze away from his prying eyes and he laid down the knife he was using and turned to her.

“What are you thinking about?” He prodded.

“Just how we’ve slipped into a routine so easily… it’s almost like we’re married. To each other.” She added as an afterthought.

“Would that be so bad?”

“No…” Laurie took a deep breath and her eyes filled with tears. “It’s actually what I want for myself. For us. I don’t want to be married to Craig.”

JC closed the short distance between them and folded her into his arms. “I don’t want to be married to Alexandria either,” he admitted. “But it’s something we have to deal with for the time being.”

Laurie wiped her eyes and looked at him. “You didn’t tell me what you two argued about that made you fly out here early.”

“I’ll tell you after dinner,” he promised. “Let’s not ruin what’s turning into a perfect day.” He kissed her forehead. “Ok sweetheart?”

Laurie’s heart began to beat faster when she heard the endearment slip out and she couldn’t help but smile. “Ok Josh.”

They finished preparing dinner and when the steaks were done, JC set the table outside and they ate in a companionable silence beside the pool as the sun began to set. As the sky became darker and the stars began coming out, the patio lanterns started to glow and the mosquitoes came out to find their evening meal.

“I’ll be right back,” JC said and gathered their dishes together and walked inside the house. A few minutes later, Laurie heard soft jazz music filtering through the open windows and JC emerged with a bottle of wine and two glasses. “I don’t know if you drink wine, but aside from beer, it’s the only thing I have to drink in the house.”

“Wine is wonderful,” Laurie replied and let JC pour her a glass before he poured himself one. “We should make a toast.”

“We should,” he agreed and raised his glass. “To finding each other again.”

Laurie raised her glass. “And never letting go.”

“And never letting go,” JC murmured. They touched their glasses together and took a sip of the semi bitter liquid. He placed his glass down on the table and then did the same with Laurie’s. He stood up and held out his hand. “Care to dance?”

“I’d love to,” she smiled and accepted his hand.

JC wrapped an arm around Laurie’s waist and she tucked her head under his chin as if it were the most natural thing in the world. When they started to dance, it was like they had been together all their lives. Louis Armstrong’s melodic voice surrounded them and JC held her more closely. The sound of a phone ringing jolted them back to reality. JC sighed and rested his forehead on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, but that’s my cell phone… I have to answer it.” He took her hand into his and linked their fingers together so they could walk back to the table together. He motioned for her to sit down before reaching for his phone. “Hello?”

“I thought you said you were going to Lance’s.”

JC sent an apologetic look in Laurie’s direction. “I changed my mind. I remembered there was some stuff I needed to out here before the video started shooting.”

“Like what?” Alexandria snapped. “You told me everything was ready to go!”

“For the house, Dria. Don’t you ever listen to anyone except yourself talk? I told you…”

As JC continued to rant and argue with his wife, Laurie picked up the bottle of unfinished wine and the glasses they had used and carried them into the kitchen so he could have some privacy. She loaded the dinner plates into the dishwasher and started the cycle so he wouldn’t have to worry about it later.

“Laurie?”

She turned to face him. “It’s getting late… I should probably go.”

He quickly crossed the distance that stood between them and stopped in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t leave.”

“Josh…” Laurie hesitated. “This isn’t a good idea. I mean, I’m glad that we’ve found each other again, but we’re married. To other people.” She looked down at the floor. “I shouldn’t even be here.”

“But you are here. And you’re here because you want to be here. Right?” JC asked. Laurie looked up at him with unwavering eyes. “Laur… I can’t tell you what you should do, because you have to follow what your heart wants. It’s not up here,” he tapped her forehead lightly with his index finger. “It’s in here.” He gently picked up Laurie’s hand and placed it over her heart and then placed his hand over top of hers. “It’s your decision. But I won’t stop you if you want to go.”

“It’s not that I want to go,” she spoke quietly. “I would love nothing more than to stay here and be with you. But in our current situations, that just isn’t possible.”

There was a pregnant pause before JC spoke. “I guess I’ll walk you to your car then.”

They walked to the front door in silence and he waited patiently as Laurie slipped her shoes on and dug her keys out of her purse. When she looked at his slender frame leaning against the wall, her resolve weakened.

“Can I see you tomorrow?” He asked.

“I think that would be all right,” she smiled and moved toward him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a tight hug. “Give me a call in the morning and we’ll see what can be arranged.”

“Ok,” JC agreed and lowered his mouth to hers.

When their lips touched, it felt like a shock ran down each of their spines. He opened his mouth and ran his tongue along her bottom lip and Laurie caught it lightly between her teeth and began to caress it. Encouraged by her reaction, he held her more tightly and deepened the kiss. After a few minutes, they reluctantly separated.

“Don’t go.”

Chapter 5