"How is my beautiful wife on this fine morning?" A.J. said the next morning. He walked up to Isabella and began to kiss the sides of her neck.
"Just fine, and yourself?" Isabella answered. A.J. started to massage Isabella's neck and shoulders.
"All is swell here."
"Glad to hear it. That feels good, thank you." Isabella turned around and gave A.J. a kiss. "Want a snack?"
"Depends on what you are making." A.J. went over and sat down at the kitchen table.
"Soft pretzels and if you are lucky I'll get you some soda." Isabella made her way over next to A.J. and sat on the table.
"Sounds good to me!" A.J. smiled.
"Good, I love your smile. It's so cute." Isabella kissed A.J. again then got up to make some soft pretzels. Isabella and A.J. made the dough and put it in the oven. Isabella fixed them each a coke and sat down next to A.J. They sat there for a while in silence, enjoying their drinks. "I am so glad that we got this house," Isabella said breaking the silence. "I love it so much."
"I like it too. It's really big, but that isn't a bad thing."
"I wanted to at least show Nick and Cassandra the whole house. The others can look for themselves." A.J. laughed.
"What is with you and Cassandra?"
"Well besides the point that she is my sister-"
"What about Coreene and Mariah?"
"I guess you could say that I admire Cassandra's sex life."
"Oh yeah? Well when I am done with you, she will be the one talking to her husband about how she admires your sex life!" Isabella laughed. A.J stood up and picked up Isabella out of her chair.
"Wait, the pretzels are still in the oven." A.J. put her down and she ran over to the oven and turned it off. Isabella ran and jumped into A.J.'s arms and he lost his balance and fell to the floor. Isabella landed right on top of him. "Oh this could be comfortable." They both laughed and A.J. began to make sure that their sex life surpassed Nick and Cassandra's.
Isabella got up about two hours later and went upstairs. A.J. followed her. Isabella threw on a yellow silk bathrobe. "Do you still want any pretzels?" she asked him.
"Are you going to eat some?"
"I think so."
"Okay then I will too."
"Okay, I am going to turn the oven back on."
"I'll be right down."
"All right, baby," Isabella said and went back downstairs and turned the oven on. A.J. came down, in a white bathrobe and boxers, and sat at the table.
"Come over here, tootsie."
"Tootsie?" Isabella walked over towards A.J. and he pulled her onto his lap. Isabella bent over to kiss A.J. but unexpectedly, the phone rang. "Excuse me." Isabella got up and answered the phone. "Hello?.....no.....All right.....That sounds great.....See you then.....Bye."
"Let me guess. That was Cass and she wants to go out to lunch at the mall and you agreed."
"Oh you are good!"
"Don't forget about your pretzels."
"Oh geez, the pretzels!" Isabella ran over to the oven.
"They'll be all right, just take them out now."
"You sound upset," Isabella said taking the pretzels out of the oven. She put some on a plate and sat down and began to eat with A.J.
"Yeah, well, you could have asked me if I wanted to go to the mall."
"You don't have to."
"No, I want to-"
"Then what's the problem?" A.J. sighed.
"You are too angelic to fight with!"
"I know." Isabella ate a few more pretzels then started upstairs.
"Where are you going?" A.J. asked.
"I am going to take a shower."
"Sounds like fun, may I join you?"
"Not today. I want to get in and out and dressed. Maybe tonight or tomorrow."
"Okay," he reluctantly agreed. Isabella left and took a shower. A.J. finished the rest of the pretzels and did the dishes. Isabella came down in shorts and a black tank top with white butterfly prints on it. "I am going to go get my shower and get dressed."
"Okay, but leave the bathroom door open so I can get in," Isabella said grinning.
"Should I leave the shower door open for you, too?"
"Very funny, Sugar."
"I'll be back in a flash, Honey."
"I'll be waiting, Sweetheart."
"No, I'll be waiting for you in the shower."
"You aren't going to give up on the shower thing are you?"
"Have I ever given up?
"Go take your shower."
A.J. laughed. He got up and kissed Isabella. "I love you."
"Yeah, I love you, too." A.J. smiled and went upstairs. "Dork," Isabella mumbled.
"I heard that!" A.J. yelled from the top of the stairs.
"Kiss my ass!" A.J. ran down the stairs and over to Isabella. He lifted her over his shoulder, and kissed her ass. Isabella tried to scream, but she was laughing so hard. She struggled to get down, but A.J. carried her upstairs. "Help!" Isabella screamed in between laughs. "Put me down, you idiot! Help!" Isabella was laughing so hard she could barely talk. A.J. laid her down on the bed and began to tickle her stomach. "Stop! Mercy, mercy! Uncle!" A.J. stopped and laid down next to her on his side facing her. "You are idiotic, you know that?"
"No, I am just madly in love with you." A.J. kissed her and took his finger and began to stroke her nose.
"What are you doing?"
"Do you like it?"
"Yes."
"Then this can be out way of saying, I love you."
"Okay." A.J. stopped and kissed her again. "You better take your shower. We are meeting Cassandra in an hour." A.J. kissed Isabella several time before he got up and in the shower. Isabella went in the bathroom and put on her make up. Isabella knocked on the shower door.
"Yeah?" A.J. answered.
"I have to go to the bank and get some money. I'll be back before we have to leave."
"Go ahead. I'll miss you."
"Sure you will. Do you need anything while I'm out?"
"Maybe some money for the mall."
"Okay, anything else?"
"Yeah, you."
"You already have too much of that."
"Damn girl, you are good," A.J. laughed.
"Farewell."
"Wait!" A.J. yelled. He stuck his head out of the door. "Kiss good bye?"
"All right, no tricks though."
"Of course not." Isabella walked over and gave him a kiss, he tried to pull her in, but luckily she saw it coming and pulled away too fast. Isabella left to the bank in her yellow jeep wrangler.
Unexpectedly on the way over, Isabella's car phone began to ring.
"Hello?" Isabella said remembering that it was her new cell phone and she hadn't given anyone the number yet.
"Boo! I scared you didn't I?" A.J. laughed.
"How did you get this number?"
"You only have it written down on a piece of paper hanging on the fridge."
"Oh, because I hadn't given anyone this number yet."
"I know, that's why I decided to call you."
"Well aren't you funny."
"I know I am."
"You are such a moron."
"Hey watch it, or I will have to tickle you again."
"You can't if I am in the car."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah." Isabella pulled into the bank and got out of her car and started towards the ATM.
"Well what if I told you that I am closer than you think?"
"I wouldn't believe you because you aren't." Isabella stuck her bank card in the ATM.
"You just stuck your card in the ATM."
"So? Anyone could predict that." Isabella began to type in her bank card number.
"Your bank card number is three, two, six, seven." Isabella turned around and looked around the parking lot for A.J.'s car. "Looking for me?"
"Where are you?" Isabella smiled and got her money and ran back to her car. "Are you in my car?"
"No." A.J. began to laugh. "Suddenly, a familiar car pulls up next to the beautiful, yellow jeep wrangler." Isabella began to laugh as A.J. pulled up next to her.
"A.J., you loser." Isabella hung up the phone and ran over to his car. A.J. rolled down his window. He was wearing shorts, a jersey, and sunglasses. "I can't get away from you can I?" Isabella leaned in the car and kissed A.J.
"Do I know you?" A.J. said pulling his sunglasses down on the tip of his nose. "Oh yes I remember you. You are the one who called me a loser." Isabella laughed. "Welcome to Mister Roger's neighborhood. He couldn't be here today, so i will be taking his place."
"You can always make me laugh!"
"I don't try to. You are just so silly."
"I would rather be silly then be half-witted."
"Are you calling me stupid, Miss You Can Always Make Me Laugh?"
"Shut up." Isabella got into her car and her cell phone rang. She looked at A.J. and he had no phone so she picked it up. "Hello?"
"Got you again!" A.J. yelled into the phone. Isabella looked at A.J. again and he had his car phone to his ear and he was waving. Isabella gave him the death look and rolled her eyes.
"You are in the dog house, Mister Rogers!" Isabella hung up her phone and drove home with A.J. right behind her. When they got back it was time to go to the guys' house to pick up Nick and Cassandra. Isabella's cell phone rang. She looked at it then picked it up. "What do you want?" Isabella said abruptly.
"Do you want to take your car or mine?"
"Mine." Isabella hung up the phone and pulled in front of their house. A.J. pulled into the garage and ran over to Isabella's car, and got in. "Let's go." Isabella pulled up to the guys' house.
"I'll get them-"
"No," said Isabella and honked the horn several times until and Cassandra and Nick came running out and in the car.
"Sorry about that," Cassandra said getting into the car.
"Don't worry about it," Isabella said.
"Can we put the top down?" Nick requested.
"Sure," Isabella said hitting the button to put down the top.
"That is what I love about this car. It fits your personality well, Isabella," said Nick.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Isabella asked.
"It fits you, that's all," Nick answered.
"Oh, thanks," Isabella replied pulling out of the driveway. Isabella drove to the mall. The whole way there, Nick and Cassandra talked, but Isabella and A.J. were silent.
When they got there the girls wanted to go to some stores that the guys weren't to thrilled about, so the four of them split up and were to meet in the food court in two hours. The girls headed down one end and the guys down the other. "So how are you and Nick doing?" Isabella asked.
"Good, good. Great actually. Nick gave me his credit card." Cassandra held it up with a grin. "And you and A.J.?" Cassandra asked.
"Well, he was playing pranks on me and it got a little out of hand so I am giving him the silent treatment and he knows that he's in the dog house."
"Oh, that's too bad. How long are you going to do it?"
"Until he begs for forgiveness." They both laughed and continued shopping.
"So how are you Cassie?" A.J. asked Nick.
"Great, couldn't be better! I mean, the sex is great, she cooks and cleans for me and pampers me so I couldn't be happier. Did I mention that the sex was great? Oh yeah, what about you and Izzy?"
"Well I think I am in the dog house because I kind of went overboard with my pranks, but the sex is good and she cooks for me."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I thought maybe you could help me pick out a 'sorry' gift."
"Yeah, sure, if you help me pick out an 'I love you' gift?"
"Sure."
"Cool-" said Nick.
"What?"
"I think I just found your 'sorry' gift. Come on, let's go."
"Hey that is a good idea!" A.J. agreed.
**Two Hours Later In The Food Court**
"Where are they?" Cassandra asked putting down all of her shopping bags.
"They are just a little late, that's all." Isabella piled all of her shopping bags next to Cassandra's. "Did you have that gift for Nick wrapped?"
"Yeah, did you have A.J.'s wrapped?"
"Yep. Oh, here they come."
"Hey ladies, I see you have your regular two thousand shopping bags!" Nick said.
"Yeah, so? Nothing wrong with that," Cassandra said kissing Nick.
"Well, as long as they're from Victoria's Secret, then there is no problem," A.J. added.
"Typical," said Cassandra. They all laughed and A.J. and Nick put down their two or three bags and sat down at the table across from Cassandra and Isabella.
"Did you max out my credit card yet?" Nick asked Cassandra.
"No, but that can be arranged," Cassandra said smiling.
"Well, we did go there," Isabella said reffering to Victoria's Secret, "but you will have to wait till tonight to see if we bought anything."
"Hell, why wait till then? As soon as I get home I want to find out," Nick joked.
Cassandra kissed his hand. "Wait and you shall receive," Cassandra said.
"Is that a promise?" Nick promise.
"Maybe," Cassandra answered slyly.
"Isabella I have something to tell you," A.J. said looking straight into Isabella's eyes. "I am so sorry about what I did earlier." A.J. go down on one knee and took Isabella's hands into his. "My love for you is stronger than you and stronger than me. I want to be your baby. Let me wrap up and hold you all through the night." Isabella felt her eyes well up with tears. "I want to be closer than we have ever been." Isabella tried to hold back the tears, but they just began to roll down the sides of her face. A.J. swept them away with his hand. "I won't ever be too far away from you. I will never forget the part of you I hold so tender. I need your forgiveness right now or I won't be able to go on." A.J. got up, kissed her and took his finger and began to stroke her nose. "Because I love you." Isabella flew into his arms and he held her.
"I forgive you," she whispered. She pulled away.
"I got you a little something." At this point, Isabella was crying her eyes out. A.J. pulled a fairly large white box out of one of his bags. It had a large red ribbon. Isabella slowly untied the ribbon.
"Oh my God, it is so cute!" Isabella said pulling out a small golden retriever puppy. The puppy had a little blue ribbon around it's neck. "Is it a boy or girl?"
"Girl, so it can have puppies," A.J. said.
"And how could I forget?" Nick said. "This belongs to you." Nick handed Cassandra a thin, long box, wrapped with a green ribbon.
Cassandra eyed Nick. "What is it?"
"Let's just say, you've given me your love, and now I'm giving you my heart."
Cassandra couldn't wait any longer. She slowly undid the ribbon and opened the box. Inside was a necklace: a thin gold chain with a heart of diamonds on it. "Nick, it is so beautiful, but what is it for?"
"It is a little reminder to say 'I still love you' and like I said before, you've given me your love, and now I'm giving you my heart." Nick smiled. They both stood up.
"Oh Nick, how can I resist a smile like yours?"
"Just kiss me." Cassandra laughed softly then kissed him. He pulled away, took the box and took the necklace out of the box, and stood behind her. He gently brushed her hair back and clasped the necklace around her neck. Still standing behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her neck.
"Nick, it's so beautiful. Oh thank you, so much." She turned her head and kissed the side of his face that rested next to hers. He rested on her shoulder and softly smiled to himself. "Oh yeah, we got you both a little something, too," Cassandra said jumping back into her mind.
"Oh yeah," Isabella said as she got up and search her stuff and Cassandra joined in. They both pulled out one box, each box was wrapped in floral wrapping paper. The boys ripped open the presents. Inside was a jersey, a pair of sunglasses, and some little gifts for the girls to wear to bed. A.J. held up the nightgown to him.
"Well, it is pretty and all, but I don't think it will fit my muscular body," A.J. jested.
Nick held up the one in his box to himself, and talked in a high, falsetto voice. "Well, I must agree with A.J. It is simply darling, but I don't think that it will fit!" They all laughed and Isabella grabbed hers and threw it in the box, and Nick put the one back too.
"That's enough, smarty pants," Isabella said to A.J. He stuck his tongue out at Isabella and she quickly leaned over and caught it in her mouth. "You taste good."
"I'm hungry," Nick complained.
"If you kiss me like that, I will pay for your lunch," Cassandra said to him.
"Sounds good to me." Nick stuck his tongue out, and Cassandra followed Isabella's steps.
"I want a soft taco, Nick," Cassandra said pulling away.
"You are buying," he said.
Cassandra laughed. "No I'm not. You are."
"Yeah, but you said-" Nick complained.
"We kiss like that all of the time. I didn't say when I would buy you lunch, Sweetie, and look! Gullible is written on the ceiling!" Nick took a quick glance up at the ceiling, then headed towards Taco Bell. Isabella and Cassandra laughed at him.
"Hey baby, what do you want to eat?" A.J. asked Isabella kissing her sweet lips.
"Umm, how about McDonald's?"
"What do you like there?"
"Number four. Double quarter pounder meal with cheese, large coke, large fries, iced tea no lemon, there you go."
"Couldn't have said it better myself!" A.J. left to McDonald's and Isabella began to play with her new puppy.
"How are you going to eat all of that?" Cassandra asked Isabella.
"I won't. A.J. will eat whatever I can't."
"You're good."
"I know, but my question to you is, are you going to take your necklace off when you're near water?"
Cassandra bit her lip. "Probably, but God, it's so beautiful! I mean, I gave him my love and now he gave me his heart? I wanna cry!"
"I know."
"You know what? We're almost like family."
"Oh my God! We are family!" Isabella exclaimed.
"Oh my God, the brother I never had!"
"Me too!"
The guys came back with the food. Cassandra jumped up and hugged A.J. and Isabella jumped up and hugged Nick. The guys pushed them away and gave them a funny look.
"You guys feeling okay?" A.J. asked them. "Isabella, get over here."
"I was just giving my brother in law a hug!" Isabella protested.
"Wow, you are my sister in law!" Nick said.
"Very good Nick," Cassandra said. "But that has already been said."
"Cassandra is my sister in law?" A.J. said. "Dude, kick ass!"
"Cool!" Nick said. They all ate then decided not to walk around the mall anymore because of the puppy. They headed back to the car and were on their way home.