Four:

Four:

 

JC walked around Sarah’s modest apartment.  It was clean and nicely decorated -- homey.  It struck him as comfortable.  He could get used to this place.  He studied the framed pictures and knickknacks around him, listening to the low murmur of Sarah’s voice coming from the bedroom.  The phone had started ringing almost as soon as they walked through the door.  She hadn’t been planning on answering until her mother’s voice came over the answering machine.

 

The kitchen was small but nice, just like the rest of the apartment.  He had stayed in hotel suites bigger than her apartment.  He couldn’t believe he’d ever whined about not having enough room.  He didn’t pity her.  It was more like envy, actually.  Sarah didn’t have to answer to anyone.  What she had was hers alone, and what she did was her business.  He wouldn’t change his life for anything, but sometimes he did wish he could forget some things.  He was pulled from his thoughts by the creak of the bedroom door.  “Everything OK?”

 

“Yeah.  Great, actually.  We just don’t get to talk much anymore.  We have different schedules and I live just far enough way that dropping by isn’t feasible.”

 

“Family’s important.”  She nodded at his comment, more interested in the way his shirt stretched across his chest and shoulders than their conversation.  She honestly couldn’t remember a word her mother had said.  The whole time they were talking, Sarah had been lying on her bed staring at the ceiling and wondering what JC was doing.  She had told him to make himself at home.  It sounded like he was looking around and she was thankful that she’d actually cleaned for once.  When she had finally said good-bye to her mother, she had practically jumped off the bed and run from the room.  She did manage to stop herself from racing up behind him and just jumping him.

 

“So, what do we do now?” she asked.

 

He gave her a look.  “Be careful how open you leave that question,” he said, shooting her a look that would toast marshmallows.  She took a few steps, stopping when she stood less than a foot away from him.

 

“Maybe I meant to leave myself open to the possibilities,” she said, batting her eyes at him.  He took a ragged breath and leaned down to kiss her, but ended up tumbling to the floor when she moved away from him and opened the refrigerator.  He groaned but instead of getting up and complaining, he stayed right where he was, enjoying the view.

 

“Minx,” he growled, making her laugh.

 

“Hungry?” she asked as she turned around.  He refused to answer, pouting instead.  “Aw, did I huwt da wittle baby’s feelings?”  He nodded and gave a dramatic sniff.  “Maybe I can kiss it all better.”  At that he nodded vigorously and she couldn’t help herself.  She leaned over and kissed his forehead, then the tip of his nose, then she walked back to the refrigerator and found what she was looking for.  “So, really, do you want a sandwich or something, cuz I’m starving.  I’ve barely eaten the last two days.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Well, nerves I guess.”

 

“What did you have to be nervous about?”  Instead of answering, Sarah rolled her eyes and popped a bite of cheddar cheese into her mouth.  “Oh,” he said.  Sarah proceeded to finish assembling her sandwich and then poured herself a drink.  She walked into the living room and JC stood up to follow.  He stopped in the doorway as his stomach growled.  Sarah heard it and laughed at him.  He knew that somehow, she would manage to bring it up again.

 

They ended up channel surfing after they ate.  Neither of them actually paid attention to the television.  They were too busy talking about their lives, their likes and dislikes, their friends and their families.  Of course, they also spent long moments kissing and cuddling.  The sun was rising when JC realized no one knew where he was and that he had left his cell phone at the hotel.  “Can I use your phone?  I kind of didn’t tell anyone where I was going.”

 

“Sure,” Sarah said, pointing across the room.  “It’s on the desk.”  He called one of the rooms security was using and Sarah could hear the yelling from her seat across the room.  She was impressed at how well he handled it, simply holding the phone away from his ear until the angry tirade ended.  Then he spoke very calmly and said he would be there as soon as possible.  Sarah stood up and grabbed her keys.  She was waiting for him by the door before he even thought to ask her to drive him.

 

They were both very quiet during the short drive.  A bodyguard was waiting impatiently in the parking garage.  JC took his time saying good-bye and finalizing plans for the evening.  He knew he was in for the lecture of his life but he refused to let that spoil any of his time with her.

 

Sarah watched as the bodyguard ushered him into the garage elevator.  She felt sorry for JC in a way.  He had a busy day ahead of him and he hadn’t slept a wink.  She drove home in a daze, unable to believe this was actually happening.  When she was with him, he wasn’t JC the pop star.  He was just a guy she really liked and found herself growing more attracted to every minute.  Now that he was away from her, she was terrified that it would all turn out to be a very nice dream.  Then she looked at the small piece of paper in the passenger seat and her smile grew so large it seemed her face might simply split in two.  She had the one and only JC Chasez’s cell phone number and a date with him that very night.  Then it dawned on her that she only had 12 hours to get ready.  Good thing she had the day off.

 

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