A few hours later, the four of them sat on Howie's parents' boat. Jodie sat next to Howie letting him put sun-block on her back, Jade layed sprawled out on the deck, AJ layed beside her, the two of them talking up a storm. A cool breeze blew across the deck, lifting Jade's hair out of her face. Her sunglasses hid her eyes, but her smile was still visible. "I'll bet..." AJ said. "That if we threw you in the ocean, while you were smiling, that it'd be bright enough to see to the bottom. And I'm dead serious! I'm thanking God for these sunglasses right now!" "Oh shut up!" Jade laughed, smiling bigger. "Oh! Ow! Ahh! My eyes! Ahhh!" he yelled in mock pain. "I'm blind!" Jade laughed and laughed. "I had no idea you'd be this fun, AJ." Jade said, still grinning. "See what you would have been missing out on?" he replied sticking his tongue out through a goofy grin. She laughed. "So, tell me about you... singing, you mentioned singing before. Is it professional singing? Or are you just kinda, one of those yeah-I-like-it-but-I'm-not-gonna-make-it-a-profession type people?"
AJ smiled and took off his sunglasses so he could look at her. "Its um, well... yes and no." "You wanna try that again?" Jade asked, slipping off her sunglasses. "I used to sing professionally. Now its more of a hobby. I'm kind of working on a solo thing, but...I'm not in any big hurry to finish it." he replied, stretching out on his back, allowing the sun full access to his sculpted chest. "Oh." Jade replied, slightly distracted by the glint of sunlight on his body. She put her sunglasses back on so she could look at him without him knowing. He had multiple tattoos along his muscular arms, and his swimming trunks hung low on his hips, exposing another tattoo that wound its way around his belly button. She followed the dark trail of hair from his naval to the tip of his swim runks... then shaking her head to rid her brain of the mental picture she'd just summoned up. "Looks better when wet." AJ said not moving. "Excuse me?" Jade asked, thankful he couldnt see her blushing. "Whatever it was you were just trying not to think about.- I said it looks better when wet." he said through a big grin. "I dont know what you're talking about." Jade said laughing. AJ propped himself up on one elbow, and peered at her over the top of his sunglasses. He grinned wickedly, and made sure she could see his eyes roam over her body...from head to toe and back again. "Sure ya dont." he said. "What?" Jade asked. "You know exactly what I'm talking about...looks better when wet... and I'm sure what I'm thinking about does too." AJ laughed in a deep raspy tone. "We'll just see about that wont we?" Jade giggled, laying down on her stomach. AJ glanced over at her smooth back. "Yes we will..." he whispered. "Yes we will."
"Howie, listen." Jodie whispered against the breeze. "What?" Howie whispered back, leaning in close to Jodie. "They arent fighting." she grinned, glancing up at where Jade and AJ layed in the sun. "They seem to be getting along." "Shhh...listen again." Howie said. The breeze brought with it the sounds of AJ's deep laughter, and Jade's playful giggles. "Wow." Jade sighed, leaning in closer to Howie. "Who would've thought that Jade would get along with a guy like AJ?" "Who would have thought that you'd get along with a guy like me?" Howie asked, smiling and leaning in for a kiss...
"Oh gross! Get a room will ya?" AJ and Jade called out from the upper level of the deck. The two continued making gagging noises and grabbing at their throats- pretending to pass out. "Oh you're just jealous!" Jodie called back. "You wish you could be doing the same!" AJ sat up, and gave Jodie a silly look of confusion. " I wish I could be making out with Howie? Wow. I never knew I felt that way about Howie... Coyote- did you know I felt that way about Howie?" Jade laughed. "No clue! I mean, after last night, I figured..." Everyone laughed. Howie stood up, putting his hands on his hips and adding a look of mock disappointment on his face. "AJ- does this mean we arent together anymore?" AJ grinned and put an arm around Jade. "Yeah, sorry man. I found me a girl this time!" Howie laughed and sat back down with Jodie, letting her curl up against him again. "AJ.." Jade whispered in his ear. AJ turned, nearly nose to nose with Jade. Their breaths mingling between them. "Yes?" he asked barely audible, the low raspiness in his voice making the only sound. "You can let go now. They arent watching." Jade whispered back, straining to hear herself... her breath shaking as AJ just sat there not moving. Jade thought to herself, "God, what am I doing? I need to back away. Put more space between us..." "I cant move." AJ mouthed to her as they stared into each other's eyes. "Neither can I..." Jade choked out, wishing something would happen to stop this magnetic pull between them. AJ leaned closer, half an inch away from her lips...
"You guys want something to eat?" Jodie chirped happily, bounding onto the deck. Jade and AJ pulled apart rapidly. "Sure that'd be great." AJ announced, his voice cracking as he cleared his throat. Jade blushed, stood up and walked to the far end of the boat. AJ stood up and walked behind her. He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. Surprisingly, she leaned back against him, resting her arms on top of his. "Whats going on here, AJ?" Jade asked into the wind. "I dont know..." AJ rasped huskily in her ear. "I dont know... but I can tell you I've never felt anything so right..." Jade whirled around face to face and said, "How do you know? How can you tell this is right? What if its wrong... it feels so wrong..." AJ hushed her with his hand. "Shhh... dont talk like that, Jade." Jade turned to him, her eyes wide, a look of astonishment on her face. "What'd I do?" AJ asked confused. "Say it again..." Jade whispered watching his mouth. "Say what?" AJ asked as his eyebrows drew together with a frown. "My name... you've never said my name before..." Jade replied, the wind carrying her voice, so AJ had to strain to hear it. "Jade...You have a beautiful name..." AJ said with a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. He leaned in closer, their eyes gazing into each other's, their lips inching closer and closer... "Dinner's ready!!" Howie and Jodie yelled from the other side of the boat. Jade pulled away from AJ and walked over to her friends. The air was filled with laughter from stories Howie told about AJ and vise versa. Jade ignored AJ the rest of the evening, refusing to even look at him.
As the boat docked and Jade climbed off, AJ hopped off after her, grabbing her arm and spinning her around. "Why are you ignoring me?" he demanded. "Because." she replied. "Not good enough, Coyote... give me a good reason and I'll leave you alone." he said loosening his grip on her arm. "I dont want to know you." Jade answered, avoiding eye contact. "I want you to leave me alone." "Funny! Ha ha!" AJ spit out bitterly. "Look at me when you say that. You cant tell me you dont feel the chemistry we've got going on here. I know you feel it too..." "Even if I did, it wouldnt matter because this relationship isnt going anywhere. Ever. Understand? I dont want to have anything to do with you. Now if you dont mind, I'm going home." She pushed past him and jogged off to her car, getting in and slamming the door. "God!! What is her problem!?" AJ growled. "Give it time, AJ.." Jodie said softly, walking up behind him. "Please dont give up on her yet... you're the first guy that I've actually wanted her to like. Hold in there... for me atleast..." AJ smiled down at Jodie, giving her a big hug. "Ok. Only for you JoJo. Only for you..."
"You want me to do what?!" Jade shouted through the shower curtain. "Go horse back riding with us!" Jodie shouted back looking in the mirror and handing a towel to Jade when she heard the water turn off. " You have got to be joking. I told you how I feel about the me and AJ thing. I dont want to be close to him in any way shape or form! I believe that horse-back riding involves a lot of physical contact, does it not?" Jade said as she pulled on an oversized tank top and began towel-drying her hair. "Ok, you and me can ride together and then stick the two guys on the other horse." Jodie replied shrugging. "Just please come with us. Howie misses you! You two havent talked in over a week just because AJ's his friend! "That is not why we havent talked..." Jade said struggling to find a believable excuse. "Then what IS the reason?" Jodie said, putting her hands on her hips and staring directly into Jade's eyes. "I, um, well, its just that... Oh leave me alone Jodie! I dont need to give you a fucking excuse! God, just back off will ya?" Jade shouted, turning away from her best friend when she felt the tears burning in her eyes. "Fine, Jade... fine. I only asked because, well, believe it or not- I care. Howie is concerned. He's hurt. He thinks you're mad at him and he misses you terribly. You have been laying in bed, moping around the house and for Heaven's sake Jade- you turned down a trip to the mall with Nick!! The horseback riding would get you outside, in the fresh air and would probably make you feel a h*ll of a lot better... Please? Just for me? And if not for me- do it for Howie!" Jodie pleaded. "Ok. I'll go with you guys, but its only for Howie." Jade sighed in defeat. "Yesss!" Jodie shouted, jumping up and hugging Jade. "You'll have fun, I promise."
"Oh, its beautiful..." Jade sighed as they climbed out of the car. The field was long and green, with numerous trees. The air was cool and clean and Jade closed her eyes, allowing the wind to brush against her face, through her hair. Jade felt a sense of being stared at and opened her eyes to find AJ looking at her, watching her. She turned away from his gaze and smiled at Howie. "Ready to ride? I've got good news and bad news. We didnt get the 2 horses...we got 4! So now we each have our own." Howie said with a grin. "Sure. Let's go!" Jade replied. Howie walked Jodie over to a horse, and helped her up, letting his hand linger on her thigh longer than neccessary. AJ turned and offered Jade his hand to help her up. She pulled away. "Jade- I'm only trying to help. Can you handle it?" AJ said roughly. "Sorry- yeah fine, thanks." Jade mumbled, allowing his hands to grab her waist and help her up. "All settled?" AJ asked, looking up into her eyes, with a small smile. "Yeah, thanks." Jade nodded. AJ hopped easily onto the horse beside her, and the 4 of them set off. Clouds began to gather in the sky, casting huge shadows along the trail. AJ and Jade rode along, side by side, silently, oblivious to everything.
A while later, AJ turned around and stopped suddenly. "What?" Jade asked annoyed. "Where's Jo and Howie?" AJ asked concerned. Jade turned around, to face the empty trail behind her. "Where'd they go?" Jade asked in alarm. "How should I know?" AJ replied. "Well this is just great." Jade muttered. "I'm stuck alone on an unfamiliar trail with you." "What is so incredibly terrible about me? Why do you hate me so much?" AJ asked, throwing his hands up in the air. "Nevermind. Its nothing." Jade mumbled, looking down at her lap. AJ muttered something under his breath then continued along the trail. Jade had no choice but to follow. Just as she decided her luck couldnt get any worse, thunder shook the ground and the clouds that had been gathering moments earlier opened up and poured down their contents. "What did I do to deserve this?!" Jade shouted to the sky. AJ pulled the horse over to the side of the trail, dismounted and tied the reins to a low branch. He walked slowly to Jade's horse, and did the same. "Wanna get down before you hit that branch?" AJ asked, pointing to a low hanging limb, just inches from her face. "Um, yes." Jade growled out, her hair dripping water into her eyes. AJ held out his hands, letting Jade slip into his arms. They stood facing each other, Jade still in his arms, longer than necessary.
Jade pulled back and inched towards a large tree. AJ followed her, backing her up against the tree. Rain still streamed down their faces and bodies. AJ kept moving forward, until only inches separated their bodies. Jade's breath shook as she watched him inching closer and closer. "I'm not gonna do this anymore. I cant handle it." he whispered. "Handle what?" Jade whispered back. AJ leaned forward, taking Jade's face in his hands, kissing her softly. When she didnt pull away, he increased the kiss, pressing harder and harder against her mouth, forcing his tongue deeper within her mouth, tasting every inch he could access. She responded hungrily to his kiss, his tongue. Jade wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling them closer together. AJ wound his arms around her small waist, pulling her roughly against his body. Their hands roamed all over, taking in every last inch of each other's body. Slowly, Jade backed away, gazing up into AJ's big brown eyes. She took a deep breath and smiled. "Exactly how I thought it'd be..." she whispered huskily. "Even better than I thought..." AJ replied with a grin. Jade went to slap him, but he grabbed her arm, pulling her back against him and leaning down for another kiss. He pressed her back against the tree, trapping her, hugging and holding her. Jade wrapped her arms around his neck again, as he lifted her up. Wrapping her legs around his waist, letting him support her weight, the kiss deepened, and her hands begin to roam across his muscular chest, broad shoulders, sculpted back...
"There ya'll are!!" Jodie shouted through the rain. "Holy shit! How the fuck does this happen every time???" Jade screamed as she jumped away from AJ. "Whats the matter, Jay?" Howie asked as the 2 horses trotted up. "What the hell do you think Howard? I am never going to get laid with you two around!" Jade spat out sarcastically. "Whoa. Sorry..." Jodie mumbled. "Ready to go back? The clouds are starting to clear..." AJ nodded, allowing Jodie and Howie to go ahead. He hung back for a second, and stopped Jade before she got on the horse. "Dont ignore me this time, ok?" he whispered up to her. "Whatever." Jade muttered as she kicked the horse and rode off. "Good God! What am I doing wrong?!" AJ shouted, his hands raised to the sky, dropping them back to his sides in defeat. "What the hell am I doing wrong?"
