Chapter Thirteen

    "Where are you taking me?" he asked in a teasing voice as she dragged him up the stairs.
    She rolled her eyes. "Easy, loverboy, we're just going to go watch a movie."
    "A movie? Isn't that normally used for the den?"
    She shook her head. "Not in this house...Uncle Gavin's room has a killer entertainment system and his bed is the size of Texas."
    "Ohh, me like the sound of that," Justin said as he followed her in Gavin's room. "Damn....this room is bigger than the whole house!"
    "Pretty much," she sighed. "He likes to stay in his room as much as possible so he has a lot to keep him entertained."
    "I bet the ladies sure like it," Justin said as he plopped on the bed. "Wow, this is nice."
    "It's very comfortable," she said as she knelt down by the entertainment center and rummaged through movies. "And it's fun to mess around in."
    He let out a laugh. "And how would you know?"
    "My ex and I use to sneak in here when Gavin was away....I was kind of a wild one when I first moved here."
    Justin scooted up towards the pillows and patted the empty space next to him. Misty crawled on her knees to him and then snuggled up to his warmth. She rested her head against his bare chest and Justin rested his chin on top of her head. "You were a wild one, huh?"
    "Yeah," she sighed as she watched the credits for Titanic start. "Billy was too...I thought he was what I needed but...I was wrong."
    Justin turned to his side to look at her. "He didn't hurt you, did he?" he asked softly.
    Misty's eyes turned sad and she fought back the tears. "Justin, I don't wanna...."
    "Tell me, baby," he whispered as he began to carress her hair. "What did he do?"
    "He...uh...when I first met him," she began. "I thought he was a god. I was new at the school, and my parents had just died, so the pain was still raw. He was the captain of the football team, the jock, the badboy....everybody loved Billy." Misty shifted up on her elbow and casually played with one of his curls. "He amazed me...his reckless behavior seemed exactly what I needed to get over my parents death. He took me out, he introduced me to drinking...something I don't do as often, but when I dated Billy it seemed like that was all we did."
    Justin lean up and grabbed her hand and linked his fingers with hers. "Go on."
    "One night.....our last night together, we were both drunk. More him than me. We snuck in my bedroom and started to mess around. I didn't know where Uncle Gavin was at the time...I didn't even care. But....but Billy went a little too far and..."
    "Misty, did he rape you?" he asked with concern. "Tell me."
    "He...I said no a couple of times, but he kept talking to me softy, persuading me it was okay....but it wasn't? It didn't feel right." Her first tear slipped from her eyes and Justin leaned over and kissed it away. "I..I tried to push him away, but he was too heavy and too strong.....and...and then next thing I knew he was inside me."
    Justin cursed as he pulled her to him and began to rock her. "I'm so sorry, baby."
    "It...oh Justin, it hurt so bad....he wasn't even gentle...I...."
    She broke off with tears and Justin held her close and kissed her head. "I'm so sorry that you had to live through that......I'm so sorry."
    She sniffed and buried her head in his chest. "Afterwards he...he pulled away and said, 'I finally got what I wanted,' and then left me there....alone and afraid."
    "Bastard," he mumbled as he wished this Billy kid straight to hell.
    "I haven't had a man touch me, since you," she finally said and then looked up at him. "I have never wanted a man until you."
    His eyes softened as he cupped the side of her face and then wiped the tears away with the pad of his thumb. "I would never hurt you, Misty.....ever."
    She nodded. "I know," she whispered. "I trust you.....When men touch me I cringe, but with you I ache for more of it."
    "Misty," he said softly and then groaned when he took her mouth with his.
    Misty moaned against his mouth as she rolled on to her back and pulled him on top of her. She opened her mouth, silently inviting him to taste her. And he did so, by plunging his tongue in and tasting her sweetly.
    He was so gentle and loving with her...she couldn't get enough of his touch.
    He didn't want to get carried away, he thought as he began to run his mouth down her neck. Especially after she opened up to him like that. He hated that she got hurt by another man and by God he was going to treat her right. And if she thinks that he would after the twenty-four hours is over, she's very much mistaken. Because he wasn't going anywhere.
    He finally pulled back and then snuggled her against his body. "Here...let's just watch the movie and hold each other."
    She sighed as she enjoyed the feel of him in her arms. "I can live with that."
    "I see you put on a romance," he groaned.
    "Hey...you had your fun with the vampires....it's my turn now."

    "If I have to watch Jack die one more time," he mumbled and then clicked off the TV. He waited for a response from Misty, but when she was quiet, he looked down to see her sound asleep. He smiled softly as he began to strum her hair softly. Was it possible to care about someone SO much in such a short span of time? he wondered. "Must be," he said to himself and then leaned down and kissed her softly. "Misty."
    "Hmm," she moaned tiredly and then shifted to her side.
    "Misty? Do we need to switch bedrooms?"
    "No," she mumbled.
    "Will Gavin be back?" he asked as he kissed her again.
    "Probably not," she said and then snuggled to him. "Just go to sleep."
    "Wanna get under the covers?" he asked softly. Her only reply was a nod and so he pulled the covers down and then tucked her legs inside and he did the same. "Night, Misty," he said and then kissed her temple.
    She didn't answer because she was fast asleep. He leaned over and clicked off the lights before he pulled the covers over him. He pulled Misty against him, with her back pressed against his chest. They shared a pillow and Justin's chin was propped up on top of her head and his arm was drapped lazily over her waist. Justin closed his tired eyes and instantly fell asleep.

    Misty woke up the next morning to something warm and comforting next to her and she smiled to herself as she slowly turned towards Justin's sleeping form. She reached up and lazily played with a curl--she loved how the silky strand wrapped around her finger.
    She glanced at the clock to see that she had only two hours until the 24 hours was over and so she was sure going to make the best of it. She then leaned down and kissed the tip of his chin....he didn't move. She grabbed the hand that was resting on her hip and slowly pushed him to his back as she hovered over him.
    She nipped at his mouth, and his response was shifting slightly and licking his lips. She smiled and then leaned down and ran her lips down her neck, allowing her silky strands of hair spilling across his chest. She heard a sharp intake of breath as her tongue reached out and touched one of his pecs. She looked up with a grin, but his eyes were still closed.
    She wasn't giving up.
    She flicked her tongue out again as she ran kisses down his chest and then over his hard stomach. A groan escaped his mouth and he jerked in his sleep when her tongue dipped in his belly button. She chuckled to herself, knowing that he was wide awake now. "Stop faking it," she finally said as she ran her mouth back up his chest.
    "Hmmm," he moaned. "What a great wake up call."
    "Isn't it?" she asked huskily and laughed when Justin grabbed her arms and rolled her over on her back.
    "Very much so," he said and then nibbled at her lips, before moving to her neck. He rolled his tongue over her collarbone. "But now it's my turn."
    "Oh goodie," she giggled and then pulled the covers over them.
    They were both so into the pleasure they were giving each other, that neither of them heard the bedroom door opening.
    Justin didn't know how it happened. One minute, he was on top of Misty--loving the feel of his lips on her soft skin, and the next he was being yanked away like a puppet on a string. He groaned in pain when his back hit the wall and his eyes flung open and met a pair of angry blue ones. "What the...."
    "Why you little shit!" Gavin yelled.
    "Uncle Gav...Stop!" Misty said as she ran to him and tried to pull him away. "Stop, please..."
    "Stay out of this, Mist," Gavin said as he pulled Justin away only to push him back in the wall.
    Justin winced in pain and Misty cried out. "You're hurting him, please....stop!"
    "I don't want to see you getting hurt again!" he said angrily.
    "I wouldn't hurt her," Justin said softly.
    "You shut up," he said angrily. "I will not have you hurt Misty like....."
    "Like Billy?" Justin asked and his Uncle froze. "Yeah, she told me and I would NEVER force myself on her like that...."
    "Well you could have fooled me!"
    "Uncle Gavin, he wasn't!" Misty cried.
    "Stop defending him," he said. "He's just like Billy...he'll use you!"
    "I will not!" Just said angrily and tried to shove him away, but Gavin just pushed him harder.
    "Gavin please," Misty begged as the tears started to fall.
    "It's okay, baby," Justin whispered as he looked at her.
    "DON'T, you talk to her like that," he said.
    "Like what? Like I actually care for her!"
    "I will not let Misty be one of your flings," he said.
    "You don't know shit about me," Justin said.
    "I've met plenty like you," he said. "I'm in the same business and I've met PLENTY like you. I want you out of my house."
    "NO....Uncle Gavin I don't want him to go!" she cried as she tried to pry into Justin arms, but Gavin shook her off. "No..."
    "Misty, enough," Gavin said annoyingly as he tried to push her away.
    "Stop! Just for cryin out loud, stop!" she yelled angrily. "I LOVE HIM!"
    Both men froze and both turned towards her. Justin saw her red face and the tears that were streaming down her cheeks. He wanted to take her in his arms right then and there. "You....you love me?"
    Misty turned to him and nodded her head. "Yes," she breathed. "I..I love you, Justin."
    "Stop," Gavin said forcefully while he watched Justin tap her chin lightly. "You don't know what love is, okay?"
    "And you do??" Misty asked angrily and then shoved her uncle.
    "Misty??" he asked in shock.
    "I don't want to hear you saying I don't know what love is, when you yourself are clueless!" she yelled. "All you do is praise me with presents."
    "Mis..."
    "I'm not done....You know that watch you gave me a couple of weeks ago?"
    He nodded. "I thought you would like it."
    "Oh, I did," she said forcefully. "After I swaped it in for cash and gave it to the shelter."
    "You what?"
    "And the ring...and the dress...and everything you have given me for the hell of it, I have turned it in for money." She felt the tears start to flow, but she wiped them away. "When my parents died, all I needed was someone to lean on, but you couldn't give me that....so I ran to Billy. That was a mistake.....but then Lilly came in my life and she helped me through it...and now....and now Justiin came in my life." She turned to him and smiled. "He's what I need...I have only known him for twenty-four hours, but it was enough for me to realize that I love him."
    Uncle Gavin sighed and then looked at justin. "And how do you feel about Misty? And be honest."
    Justin turned to Misty and pulled her in his arms. He reached up and cupped her face with his large hands and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. Gavine saw the gesture and knew right away that he really did care for her. He watched her leaned down and kiss her softly. "Misty," he said huskily. "When I first saw you, I fell hard....I tried to fight it...but I knew it was hopeless, because I knew I was hopelessly in love with you the first time I saw you."
    Misty sobbed in happiness and reached up and kissed him over and over again. "Please tell me that when the twenty-four hours is over, it's only the beginning and not the end."
    "It's the beginning," he said and hugged her tight. "I'm not ever letting you go."
    Gavin's eyes softened at the love that was shared between these two young people and he only wished he knew how to love her that way. He did love her, but he just has a hard way of showing her that. "Misty...let me talk to Justin alone."
    Misty pulled away and looked at her uncle. "But Uncle Gavin I...."
    "It's okay, sweetie," Justin said softly and then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Go, I'll be okay."
    She sighed and then finally nodded before kissing him softly and left the room. As soon as the door was shut, Gavin took a step towards Justin, expecting him to flinch, but he only sized up to him. Gavin grinned...the boy had guts and he admired that. "Well, Justin," he finally said. "It looks like I was wrong about you."
    "You were."
    "But...if you EVER, I mean EVER harm one hair on her body so help me God...."
    Justin grinned this time. "If I ever hurt her, she'd beat you to it."
    Gavin busted out laughing. "You're right, she would," he said and then smiled and then stuck out his hand. Justin grabbed it and squeezed it. "You make her happy, so that makes you okay in my book."
    "Thank you," he said. "And...try to be more sensitive toward her and..."
    "I know, I know," he said with a sigh. "I love her and I'm going to try my best to do a better job of showing her that."
    "Good," he said. "Because she is the most lovable person."
    "That she is," he said as they began to walk out the bedroom. "Oh, and tell Mr. Stevens that I'm going with Jive."

    "Well," Justin said as he looked at his watch. "It's officially 10 a.m....the 24 hours are up."
    She laughed. "Went by fast, didn't it?" she asked as they both stood on her front porch.
    "Sure did," he said and then pulled her into a hug. "But a lot happened during those hours."
    She nodded. "A lot," she said and then leaned up and brushed her lips with his. "You meeting the guys at the airport?"
    He kissed her. "Yeah." Kissed her again and lingered on her lips. "We're off to New York....make sure you watch TRL tomorrow."
    "Why? Backstreet Boys gonna be on?" she teased with a laugh.
    Justin pulled back and eyed her. "Not funny, missy. And no BOY will be on TRL, tomorrow...just us five men....including one particular dreamy guy that makes your toes curl."
    "Mmmm, yeah that JC really does it for me."
    "Oh that's it," he said as he started to poke at her ribs.
    Misty giggled as she squirmed. "Justin, stop....I'm just kidding."
    "Yeah, we'll see who has the last laugh," he said as he kept tickling her. "I'm not stoping till you say it."
    "Say..what," she said as she continued to squirm.
    "That you love me."
    She smiled and grabbed his wrist to keep them still and looked into his eyes. "I love you, Justin."
    He cupped her face with her hands still on his wrists and gave her a long lasting, sinful kiss that left them both breathless. "I love you too, Misty."
    With that he took both of her hands and kissed each of them and winked at her, before he walked to the limo. "I'll call you tonight," he said as he got in the limo.
    Misty nodded and blew him a kiss as the limo drove down the driveway and out of her sight.

Epilogue