~*~ I’d Give it All Up For You~*~
As AJ made a call to order something for Andi’s dinner, she wandered out to the pool area. Her mind was racing with a million thoughts. She wanted to be with AJ but she didn’t want to disappoint her grandfather. Why was this happening to her? Would AJ let her live with him if she left her grandfather’s house? How would she pay for the rest of her college? What was Seth really up to?
AJ joined her and as he put his arms around her, he said, "Dinner will be here soon. How’s your headache?"
"Worse but I’ll live."
She leaned her head against his shoulder and he placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Wanna tell me what you’re thinking about?"
"This whole mess."
"Stop thinking about it for now. Just enjoy the time we have for right now."
Andi was silent looking at the night sky and her thoughts went to the time they’d spent on the beach talking. Softly, "Alex, I don’t want us to be over."
"We aren’t. I’m going to find a way to get your out of this arrangement."
"There’s a quick way to solve it."
AJ pushed her away so that he could look at her. "How?"
"Move out of my grandfather’s." She paused, not sure how he was going to react to the next question. "Alex, can I move in with you?"
He wasn’t sure he’d heard her right. "Move in with ME?"
Misunderstanding him, Andi pulled away and turned her back to him saying, "That’s okay. Never mind."
"No, don’t, Andi," begged AJ as he moved to take her in his arms again. "I just wanted to be sure I heard you right. I would love having you here with me, baby."
"It’s okay, AJ…"
"Hold it. What’s this calling me ‘AJ’? Andi, don’t make this something it’s not. I DO want you with me forever but not under these circumstances."
"It’s the only way, Alex," whispered Andi afraid of losing control.
"No, it’s not. We haven’t talked to your mother yet for her advice and I have a few ideas of my own. We just need a little time, Andi. Please, look at me." Andi turned slowly and he cupped her face in his hands. "Andi, I want to wake up every morning with you in my arms. I want to come home from the studio or rehearsal or whatever to you waiting for me. I want it to be YOU who I can call when I’m on tour and homesick. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms after we’ve made love over and over."
"Then I’ll pack my stuff tonight and move in tomorrow."
"No, I don’t want it this way. You said it yourself…if you don’t follow your grandfather’s wishes and marry Seth, you’ll be exiled from the tribe and your grandfather will disown you. I am NOT gonna be responsible for that and I don’t want you to grow to resent me because you gave up your family and your heritage to be with me."
"I won’t resent you, Alex."
"You say that now and you mean it, I know, but yes, you will, baby, and I just can’t live with that."
"Then how are we going to be together? My grandfather said the wedding is to take place in one month."
"Trust me. We’ll talk to your mother tomorrow, get her advice. And I’m gonna hire a PI to check up on Seth. He’s not on the level with your grandfather and I’m gonna find out what he’s hiding."
"What do you think you’re gonna find?" asked Andi curiously.
"Tabitha thinks he’s involved with drugs."
"That’s ridiculous. He knows that if he breaks the law, he’ll be in trouble with the tribe."
"Let me look into it first. He’s obviously got your grandfather snowed for him to believe him over you. And what is he doing video taping you having sex with other men? THAT is perverted."
"But not against the law."
"Unless he’s selling it…for porn. Something isn’t right, Andi. I just need to figure it out and prove it to your grandfather. Please, trust me."
"I do, Alex….with my life."
The doorbell rang scaring Andi and making her jump.
AJ laughed, "It’s okay, baby. It’s just your dinner."
Andi followed AJ out to the living room but waited as he went to answer the door. He’d been right…it was her dinner and they went into the kitchen where AJ fixed her something to drink. They sat together at the bar talking as Andi ate her dinner.
