Thirteen:
Sarah looked up expectantly as JC hung up the phone. “They found Stacy. Turns out, she was in the lobby. They’re all going to some club somewhere so that means we won’t have any more interruptions.” He switched the ringer to off and made sure his cell phone was off as well, then looked up at Sarah. Her heart gave a strange flutter. “So, what should we do now that we’re all alone?” he said. She knew what she wanted to do. She just wasn’t certain she had the nerve to try it.
Stacy struggled to catch her breath after following Chris and Joey in a wild set of movements she supposed were a dance of some sort. Not far away, Gina was greedily draining the bottle of water Justin handed her. Apparently, dancing with Lance and Justin was just as draining as dancing with Chris and Joey was, because she sat down at the table and shooed them away to find someone else to, as she put it, torture. Stacy decided maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea and sat down across from the other girl while Chris headed to the bar for more drinks. Joey was already back in the middle of the dance floor with Lance and Justin not far behind.
“I just wanted to apologize,” Stacy said, really hating to say the words but knowing she needed to.
“It’s OK, you really have nothing to apologize for. Trust me, you are far from the first to think something was going on with me and one or more of the guys.”
“But I need to apologize. Even if you were sleeping with all of them plus Steve and Wade and half the crew, there’s no excuse for treating you the way I have. You’ve been really sweet, and I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”
“Well then, apology accepted.”
They were interrupted by Chris’ return to the table carrying two bottles of water. Joey followed him with a glass of something else, which he placed on the table in front of Gina. “Here Miss Lola, one iced tea, NOT from Long Island.”
She laughed and took a sip before smiling at Joey and patting him on the head. “Good boy,” she said. “It’s even sweet enough.”
“Why do they call you that?” Stacy asked.
“Oh, it’s simple,” Chris said. “We call her that because whatever Lola wants . . . Lola gets!” he and Joey finished together. “Joey started it,” Chris said.
“I did not!”
“Yes you did.”
“Oh, yeah, I guess I did, didn’t I?”
In the end, Sarah didn’t have the nerve to simply jump on JC, wrestle him to the floor, rip his clothes off, and have her way with him on the hotel carpet. It was probably for the best though, because she wasn’t certain how often they cleaned the hotel carpets. Instead, she agreed with JC’s suggestion that hey find something mildly entertaining on television and not watch it. She was curled against him on the king-size bed, returning his kisses with as much passion as he offered them. He was still being gentlemanly, not allowing his hands to roam too far. To tell the truth, it was starting to annoy the hell out of her. She scooted closer, if that were even possible, hoping he would take a hint. If she hadn’t been so carried away, she would have taken the time to be insulted when he moved away from her. However, his resistance didn’t really register until he placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back.
“Sarah, I think we need to stop now before things get too far out of hand.”
“Wha-?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to . . . believe me I do. But we’ve barely known each other for three days. I just don’t want you to feel pressured or rushed because I’m leaving tomorrow. I swear, I have no intention of forgetting about you. It may actually be a little soon for this, but I want you to be more than some weekend fling.” I want you to be my girlfriend, he added silently. I want you to be mine.
“I . . . Josh, I don’t understand. What are you saying?”
“I’m saying you’re different from any woman I have ever met. I’m saying I can picture us together, like, you know, as a couple, for a really long time. I guess I’m saying that’s what I want, for us to be a couple.”
Sarah didn’t answer, and it scared him. He turned away from her and sighed. “I understand. It’s not fair to ask you that when I’d never be around. I have no right.”
“Yes.”
“Huh?”
“I said yes Josh.”
“Oh.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I guess I just didn’t think you’d ever agree. I was so ready to hear you say no that I’m not sure I can believe you said yes. Would you say it again?”
“Yes, Joshua. I am agreeing to be your girlfriend for as long as you’ll keep me around.” He smiled as she pulled him towards her and kissed him hungrily. He was amazed. She felt so right in his arms. He hadn’t felt that since . . . well, he hadn’t ever felt that.
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