“Hey? Weren’t you shopping with your sister and Leigh?” AJ asked Valerie who stood at his front door. “Man you just missed Howie,” he said allowing her to come in. He stopped smiling when he saw her tears, “What’s wrong Val?” he went up to her and without warning hugged her.
Valerie fell into his embrace; it brought her the memories of the other night when he had stayed to sleep at her house. “I hate myself so much AJ. I just got into a huge argument with my sister and now she’s throwing things from my past back at me. She thinks I hate her and that am jealous of her! I am not I am very happy for her I am.” She said sobbing now just clinging to him her faced buried in his chest.
“Wow siblings… I am sure Val it’s just the nervousness of the wedding kicking in. I know she loves you just as much as you love her,” He told her rubbing her back as she continued to cry.
“Maybe I should just vanish and never bother my family again. I think that would make everyone happy.” She said in between sobs.
“I wouldn’t, I would go crazy looking for you and I am sure everyone else would. Val just calm down watch by tomorrow everything will be fine.” AJ told her raising her chin so she was looking at him. He gave her a smile and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. “Come on let’s just sit here and talk till we can’t no more,” he told her bringing his lips to her cheek.
Valerie closed her eyes as she felt his lips on her face, “I am glad I have you now…” she told him. She held onto him not wanting him to bring space between them, opening her eyes she looked in to his. “Thank you for being my friend,” she told him and without thinking it twice brought her lips to his. She gave him a small peck but when she saw he didn’t stop her she took his bottom lip with her mouth and before she knew it he was kissing her back.
She moaned softly and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck holding him tightly. AJ took a hold of her waist and walked them backward towards his couch. Without breaking the lip lock he pulled her down next to him. Their kisses became more intense as AJ tangled his fingers in her hair and ran the other up her back. He pushed slightly laying her down on the plush cushion and carefully laid his body over hers. Valerie broke the kiss for a moment to take a breath and looked up at the man leaning over her. She saw something in his eyes. Desire? Lust? She wasn’t quite sure at first. His hand came up and he gently stroked her cheek, staring down in her eyes.
“Val…”
“Yes” she whispered.
“I … you’re so beautiful,” he whispered against her lips before kissing her again.
Her eyes flew open when she felt a hand slide up on her shirt and cup her breast. She pushed against him, struggling to sit up. “Don’t.”
AJ looked at her confused, “what’s wrong baby?”
“Don’t call me that. Don’t say I’m beautiful. I’m not. I’m typical yes but… not beautiful. “
“Valerie,” AJ spoke gently and tilted her head up forcing her eyes to meet his, “you are beautiful. “
She bit her lip and he could see her eyes filling with tears. He leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers.
“Let’s go upstairs and get in bed. We can curl up and you can tell me about the fight okay?”
Valerie nodded and accepted his hand, “Okay.”
AJ smiled warmly and stood her up before leading her up the stairs to the master bedroom.
“Would it be possible for me to borrow a t-shirt?”
“Of course sweetie,” AJ went to his dresser and pulled out a t-shirt for her to change into.
“Thanks,” she smiled and turned to go into the bathroom.
AJ watched her movements, trying to recall a time when he had seen her look so… fragile.
“Honey,” he grabbed her arm gently and turned her around, “I’m sorry if I went too far.”
Valerie shook her head, “You didn’t.” She smiled softly and leaned up kissing him quickly before disappearing into the bathroom.
*******
A Few minutes later she came out blushing as she tugged on the t-shirt. “I don’t think you’ll be able to wear this shirt ever again, I stretched it out…” she told him feeling very embarrassed.
AJ smiled as he saw her she looked good on her a little snug but good, “Val please stop that, it looks fine come here,” he told her standing up from the bed and walking up to her. “You can keep my shirt,” he said kissing her softly on the lips.
Val smiled as she watched him shed his clothes to a wife beater and boxers. What had happened earlier was inexplicable and it felt good. Yet she couldn’t finish what she had started, did AJ like her? No right? He just saw the opportunity to get laid…right? “Do you have a side preference on the bed?” she asked trying not to think to much about the situation earlier.
“No,” AJ said walking back to where she stood. “So tell me what happened,” he told her as he took her hand and pulled toward the bed.
She obliged and took the left side of the bed, lying on the plush bed. “Well I guess I shouldn’t have been so annoyed with this whole shopping thing. But seriously AJ she saw so many fucking dresses and she didn’t like not one! Hell I would have picked the first one…” she said rubbing her temples. “I guess she was just as frustrated because she went off on me too once we got home. I told her I was fine but then she started to bring out my past, she knows well I hate my past. I hate my life period,” she stopped and observed AJ that lay beside her his hand intertwined with hers.
“Val everyone has something in there past they hate and no matter how much we don’t want to bring it up it always finds its way out, I have the same problem. I don’t know exactly what yours is but I know you heard of mine on TV,” he told her kissing her hand.
She smiled as she felt his lips on her hand, “I was clinically depressed AJ…I was on medication because I was even suicidal. I began to vent out on people one of them being Sandy. I just hated the fact that she was popular in school and then she was the one to meet Howie.” She began to laugh.
“What’s so funny,” AJ asked curiously looking at her.
“You know Howie actually dated Sandy at first. It was a one date thing though and then they realized it wasn’t going to work. So they became good friends.” She looked at him and smiled, “Thank you for listening to me, I bet you think I’m crazy. I probably am…”
AJ scooted over to her and kissed her cheek, “I think everyone has a little crazy inside of them if not we wouldn’t be normal,” he told her. “Now stop tormenting yourself with your past and this fight. I know Sandy she is probably feeling guilty already like always. She will apologize and you will still be the maid of honor. Just rest tonight ok?” he told her as he wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him. He then reached for the lamp turning it off.
Val just sighed as she felt him so close to her and his breath right by her ear, “AJ,” she said softly.
“Mhmm,” AJ said.
“I’m sorry for earlier I shouldn’t have started something I knew I wouldn’t go through with.” She told him turning around to face him. She smiled as she felt his grip on her tighten.
“Val you shouldn’t apologize I allowed it to go further myself. Valerie I don’t know if you haven’t noticed but I like you just like you are…You are beautiful. I would have loved for that to have happened but I want you to feel ok with me. We can always try again if you want…and I promise I won’t be disappointed in your body. On the contrary I like your body; Val you have nice curves you know. Can I tell you a secret?” he told her as he brushed his lips on hers.
“Yeah,” Valerie said a little startled by AJ’s confession. AJ liked her…she felt excitement inside of her.
“I actually am always checking you out when you’re not looking,” AJ said chuckling a little.
Her eyes widened in shock, “Shut up.” She shoved his shoulder and AJ laughed catching her hand in his.
“It’s the truth. I can’t help it.”
Val blushed and broke eye contact, “Oh.”
AJ smiled gently, “Come on. Time to sleep.”
She looked up at him once again before kissing him tentatively, “Night.”
“Good night sweetheart.”
Val turned back around and laid on her side. She felt AJ snuggle up to her back, pressing his strong chest against her. “Age?” she whispered in the dimly lit room.
“Hmm?”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome baby.”
She smiled at the term of endearment and closed her eyes falling into a peaceful sleep, wrapped tightly his arms.
********************
The following morning Valerie slowly woke up blinking away the remains of sleep. She momentarily panicked when she felt the weight of something holding her down. She looked down and saw the familiar tattoos, and she knew she was safe. She snuggled back into the fluffy pillow under her head only to have her eyes pop open a minute later. Her mind replayed the events of the previous night and the little make out session on the couch.
“Oh god!” her mind screamed, “Oh my god! We almost had sex last night!”
Valerie turned her head and saw AJ was still sound asleep. She carefully pulled her body from his, stopping when he stirred behind her. He moaned softly but continued to sleep. She tried moving again and this time was successful. She slid from the bed and padded her way into the bathroom doing her best not to wake the sleeping man.
“Oh man,” she whispered to herself once the bathroom door was shut. She started thinking over the previous night once again and AJ’s words ran through her mind. “You are beautiful.”
She actually blushed at the thought of AJ calling her beautiful. She wasn’t beautiful, not by his normal standards she knew. But there was something in his eyes and his voice, the way he spoke, sounding so sure of himself and how he felt about her. However he was a guy and he could have been just saying it to get her into bed right? No, she knew he wasn’t like that. Or least she hoped he wasn’t.
Val took a deep breath and pushed herself off the closed bathroom door and stepped up to the sink. She quickly brushed her teeth, hoping AJ wouldn’t mind she had borrowed his toothbrush. She splashed some cold water on her face before grabbing a hand towel from the cabinet below the sink. As she dried her face she took in her features. She could freely admit that yes she felt she was a little pretty but she could never get herself to utter the B word about herself.
“You’re beautiful,” AJ’s voice ran through her head. She so badly wanted to believe him.
After finishing in the bathroom, Val slowly opened the door and walked back into bedroom. She found AJ sitting up looking around slightly confused. “Hey,” she whispered.
He smiled when he saw her at the door, “Hey you. Where’d you go? I woke up and you weren’t here in my arms.”
She smiled slightly and stepped to the bed climbing up beside him, “I had to use the bathroom.”
AJ smiled sleepily, “its okay.”
He leaned forward to kiss her good morning but stopped and sat back. Val stared at him with wide eyes. “Damn it. He regrets it,” she mentally scolded herself.
“Hold that thought,” AJ spoke and climbed from the bed, heading to the bathroom.
She heard the faucet running and knew he was doing the same thing she had just done. She smiled to herself and waited for his return. A minute later AJ appeared in the doorway and quickly strode to the bed and climbed back in beside her.
He smiled and guided her mouth to his, “Morning.”
“Morning,” she whispered before he kissed her gently.
*********
“Thanks for the breakfast,” she told AJ not wanting to leave his car. She didn’t want his hand to stop holding hers.
“Hey it was my pleasure,” he said kissing her hand. “Are you going to be ok?” he asked as he looked at her apartment complex.
“Yeah I am sure she is in a better mood by now. Besides I am only going to change for work,” she told him. “I’ll see you later right?”
“Yes, definitely…remember to dress nice. I am taking you out on a date,” he told her finally leaning in and doing what he had been wanting do since he had parked. He kissed her cheek, then her nose, the other cheek and then finally he took her mouth with his.
She kissed him back enjoying his kisses, “your making it harder for me to leave,” she told him finally stopping the kiss. “Later ok,” she told him.
“Ok beautiful,” he said as she walked out of her car. He watched her vanish into the apartment complex, “What have you done AJ? Can she handle this?” he asked worried about her. She was a very sensitive person and a relationship with him was going to put her threw scrutiny with the media and his fans.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Special thanks to Krystle for the help. :)
Chapter End Notes:
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