The music from a club on the edge of the water was loud enough to carry all the way out to the ship.  Jennifer and JC had returned to the railing for the conclusion of their cruise, so they heard the music clearly.

“Wow…” Jennifer contemplated, “if we can hear the music all the way out here, imagine how loud it is inside the club.”

“Yeah,” JC agreed.  “Justin, Joey, and Chris love going to the clubs, and with all that loud noise, I’m surprised they aren’t deaf the next morning.”

Jennifer’s eyes had been scanning the piers around the club.  Noticing a young man with familiar blond curls, she elbowed JC and pointed him out.  “Honey, look…does that guy look like someone we know?”

JC leaned forward to catch a glimpse.  “Well, it looks like he’s got Justin’s hair…but it couldn’t be him.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.  I mean, what’re the odds that he, and the other guys as well, would be in the same area as we are?”

“Pretty small, I would guess.”

Jennifer looked back at the people on the piers.  “Look at all the couples walking around,” she sighed.  “I wonder if they’re as happy as we are.”

“Well, let me tell you this.”  JC took Jennifer’s shoulders and turned her to face him.  “No one has ever made me feel happier to be alive than you, Jennifer.”

She reached up to wipe a tear from her lashes.  “JC…”

“Wait, I’m not finished.  You mean so much to me, Jennifer, and believe me when I say I’ve never asked this of anyone else before.”

Inhaling sharply, her mind went wild with thoughts.  He’s never asked anyone this before?  What is ‘this’ supposed to be?  Her heart beat faster as she waited for JC to continue.

“Jennifer, I want to ask you…if you’ll come back to D.C. with me to meet my family.”

She just stood there for a while, not able to say anything.  Her mind was blank, her tongue tied.  Say ‘yes’!  Just say ‘yes’!  “You want me to meet your family?” she choked out.

“Yeah.”  Why doesn’t she say ‘yes’?  Is she having doubts?  Does she not want to meet them?  “I want my family to meet the woman I love.”

Jennifer let out a slow breath.  After a few moments during which JC’s heart beat in his throat, her lips melted into a beautiful smile.  “I would love to meet your family.”

JC let out the deep breath he didn’t know he was holding.  “Oh, thank God,” he said, a look of relief on his face, “I thought you were going to say we were moving too fast or something.”

“No…I was just shocked, I guess.  I mean, when you said you had never asked anyone this before, I started thinking about those special questions that you only ask once in a lifetime.”

He grinned at that.  “Sorry to disappoint you.”

“Oh, no, you didn’t disappoint me!  I was just thinking what would happen if you really did ask me…and how I would respond.”

“Really?”  JC’s interest rose.  “What would you have said?”

“Well, it depends…how would you have asked?” she retorted with a smirk.

His lips stretched into a smile.  He took one step back and lowered himself down to one knee.  Taking her hand, he kissed her fingers.

Jennifer giggled.  “That’s a good start…I think I would have been at about a ‘maybe’ here.”

He raised an eyebrow at her.  “Okay, then, smarty-pants…next, I would have said something like this.  ‘Jennifer, no one has ever touched my life the way you have.  I want to spend every minute of every day with you.’  Then I would have pulled the ring out of my pocket and said, ‘Please make my wishes come true and be my wife.  Marry me, Jennifer.’”  He looked up expectantly at her.

Again, she felt choked up.  “Oh, JC…that was beautiful.”  A tear slipped down her cheek.

“Would you have said yes?”

“Hmm…” Jennifer pretended to think.  Let’s make him sweat for a while.

“Jennifer?”

“I’d have to check my planner.  If I can fit you in, then sure, let’s get married.”

“What?”

Jennifer burst out laughing.  “Oh, honey, you are too excitable.  You know I’m just kidding.”

“Uh, sure…” he said, obviously unsure of her.  “Really, Jen, what would you have said?”

Jennifer sighed.  “Honey, you know I love you, but you also know we couldn’t get married now.  We’re young and have the rest of our lives in front of us.  I mean, you know I would marry you in a minute, JC…but we’re just too young yet.”

JC slowly stood up.  “I know, Jennifer, I know.  I was just hopeful, I guess.”

She placed a hand on his cheek.  “Ask me again in a couple of years, and you may get a different answer.”  She raised up on her toes to kiss his lips.

He placed his hand lightly on the nape of her neck and pulled her close.  Pressing his lips to hers, he brought his other arm around to circle her waist.  When he felt her arms come around his waist under his jacket, he tilted his head to change the angle of his kiss.

The tenderness of their light kisses quickly turned into flames of passion as their bodies pressed even closer.  JC trailed kisses down Jennifer’s neck, and she leaned her head back to give him better access.  Running her fingers through his hair, she let herself drown in the overwhelming heat they made together.

The captain of the ship walked onto the deck through a nearby door and caught the couple in a tight embrace.  Noticing the two, he immediately turned his back and cleared his throat.

Jennifer heard his cough and looked over through slumberous eyes.  Quickly regaining her composure, she tried to push JC up by his shoulders.  “Sweetheart,” she whispered urgently in a low voice, “the captain’s here.”

“What?”  Still thinking only about Jennifer in his arms, he couldn’t concentrate.  “Who’s here?”

Jennifer straightened out her dress and turned to the captain.  “Excuse us, sir,” she said, raising her voice so JC would get the point, “we were just…”

“That’s quite all right,” the captain replied with a slight grin.  “I just wanted to let you know we’re on our way back to the dock.”

“Oh…thank you,” Jennifer accepted.

The captain simply nodded and began to walk away.  “Young people nowadays,” he muttered with a chuckle.

Jennifer turned to JC as soon as they were alone again.  “Time to cool down, honey.”  She took his hand and led him to a table near the dance floor.

Still not thinking clearly, he asked, “What just happened?”

Flashing a small smile, she gently pushed him into a chair.  “Okay, try to follow me here, sweetie.  We were talking while standing at that railing over there, then you asked me to meet your family.  We talked about getting married someday, then things got…uh…hot and heavy, then the captain showed up.”

“The captain saw us?  Oh, man…”

“Yeah, he did, but he didn’t seem offended by it.”

JC sighed in relief.  “I don’t know what got into me back there.  I mean, one minute, we’re just talking, and then the next minute, we’re about to…”

“Yeah.”  Jennifer knew exactly what he was saying.  “You know, for some reason, whenever we try to be together, someone or something always interrupts us.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, think about the morning after you all came back from your tour.  Derrick walked in on us by accident.  Then, the next night, we got started and Kathy knocked on our door.”

“And then tonight,” JC finished for her.  “You know what I think?”

“What’s that?”

“That we need to find a place where we really are alone.”

Jennifer laughed lightly.  “No kidding.”

“Seriously, Jennifer.”  His eyes were set on hers.  “I love you so much, and I want to be with you.”  He took her hands into his.  “I want you, and I want it to be tonight.”

She looked at him, her eyes studying the planes of his face.  “You’re really serious, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

Jennifer stood so she could sit in JC’s lap.  As his arms came around her, she wound hers over his shoulders.  Her eyes roamed over his face as she played with his hair.  Not saying a word, she carefully studied his features.

“Sweetie?”  Frowning a bit, JC wondered about her silence.

“Do you have anything else planned for tonight?” she asked, still playing with a lock of his brown hair.

“Well, I was thinking we could go for a walk along a nearby beach, but…”

“What time is it now?”

JC checked his watch.  “It’s only ten o’clock.  What are you thinking about, Jen?”

“What time is everyone else coming home?”

“Around midnight or so…Jennifer, what are you thinking?”

“This.”  She wove her fingers into his hair and kissed him hard.

Almost startled by her, JC’s lips separated slightly, and Jennifer took the opportunity to run her tongue just inside his mouth.  He closed his eyes in pleasure and touched his tongue to hers.

After a few seconds of this, Jennifer reluctantly pulled herself away.  Licking her lips, she asked, “Did you catch my drift there?”

Breathless, JC could only look at her with longing in his eyes.  He shook his head slowly.

She leaned in to whisper in his ear.  “Forget the walk…let’s go home.”  She nibbled on his earlobe, and his eyes slowly closed in delight.

**

The second the ship had docked and the ramp lowered, Jennifer and JC had rushed to their limousine.  They got in quickly, and JC knocked on the partition glass.

“Yes, sir?” the driver asked as the glass was lowering.

“Take us home.”

“Right away, sir.”  The driver raised the glass again and started the car.

As the limo moved away from the curb, Jennifer turned to JC and said, “So you really want me to meet your family, huh?”

“Of course…why not?”  He picked up Jennifer’s bouquet and pulled a rose out.  After smelling its beautiful fragrance, he began tracing her jawline with it.

Her lips curved into a smile.  “You’re a brave man, JC.”

“Why do you say that?”  He moved the rose along her neck.

“I can be a handful, you know.  Saying things without thinking about them first, doing things I shouldn’t be doing, that kind of thing.”

“All of that’s a part of you, sweetheart.  I don’t want you to change because of them.  I want them to meet you, not someone who acts differently just because they’re them.”

“Well, it just makes me a little nervous, that’s all.”

“There’s no reason to be nervous, sweetie.  They’re going to love you…just like I do.”

“Really?” she asked, turning her face to him.

“Of course.”  He kissed her softly.  “And if they don’t…well, I’ll have to find a new girlfriend.”

Jennifer’s jaw dropped in shock.  “What?”

JC laughed at her expression.  “I’m kidding, Jennifer.  No one could ever replace you.”  He kissed her again.

When he pulled away, she looked down at her hands in her lap.  “Sure you could, JC.  Look at you…you’re young, talented, considerate, gentlemanly, respectful, and incredibly attractive.  I don’t think there’s any female in the world who could resist you.”

Where did all this come from?  He tilted her face up to look at him again.  “Listen to me, Jennifer.  There’s only one woman I want in this world, and that’s you.  No one could ever take your place.  I love you, so you’re going to have to accept that.”

She took a deep breath.  “I love you, JC.”

“Good.  And it better stay that way.”  He kissed her once again, this time firmly, so she would understand how he felt about her.

Once JC lifted his head, Jennifer smiled.  He really does love me.  “I can’t wait to meet your family,” she whispered.

He grinned back at her.  “Well, you won’t have to wait long,” he told her, “because I’ve talked to my parents about it.  They want us to fly out there right after you finish this term in school.”

“But that’s only three weeks from now.”

“I know.  They said I should stop telling them about you and actually bring you to meet them.”

She giggled at that.  “Oh, lovely…now they’re expecting to meet me.”

“Hey, no worries, right?”

“Right,” she said with a nod.

“Good.  Now tell me something.”

“Tell you what?”

He leaned down to whisper something in her ear.  When he finished, she looked at him in surprise.  He grinned wickedly back at her and wiggled his eyebrows.

Laughing, she said, “I didn’t think you even knew how to talk like that!  I mean, you’re always so proper and everything…”

“You’re not the only one who can suggest ‘things,’” he pointed out.

“Apparently not.”  She gazed at him for a few seconds, then the corners of her mouth turned up in a slow grin.  “But you’re dealing with a master of that kind of talk.”  She leaned over to whisper something in his ear while her hand trailed up his thigh.

JC swallowed and sighed.  Her suggestive words and warm breath were driving him crazy.  He felt her fingers glide slowly along his leg.  When it reached the top of his inner thigh, he grabbed for her hand.

Jennifer stopped whispering when he pulled her hand away.  “Something wrong, JC?” she asked in a low, seductive voice.

“No,” he managed to choke out.  “God, you’re good at that.”

“I know.”  She tried to pick up where she left off, but he wouldn’t let go of her hand.

“Sweetie, you have to stop.”

“Why?”

“Because if you keep going, I won’t be able to wait until we get home.”

She laughed at his pleading expression.  “I’m sure we’re almost there, honey.  Don’t you want to get a head start on things?”

“Trust me, Jennifer, if you keep going, it’ll be all over way too soon.”

She laughed again, then signaled the driver, who lowered the partition glass.  “Excuse me,” she said, “but how much longer until we get home?”

“Five to ten minutes at the most,” he replied.

“Thank you.”

The driver simply nodded and raised the glass again.

“See?  We’re almost there, JC,” she said, turning back to him.

He answered her by giving her a long, deep kiss.  When they separated, he looked at her with passion swimming in his eyes.  “I’m going to show you how much I love you,” he murmured.

“Well, I’m going to finish what I started here,” she replied.

“I hope you do.”  He pulled her close again, and they shared one long, passionate kiss as they headed home.

**

The limousine pulled to a stop along the curb.  The driver immediately got out, walked around the hood of the car, and opened the door for Jennifer and JC.  As JC tipped the driver, Jennifer stood on the front walkway, one arm full of the flowers JC had given her.  In her other hand was the rose JC pulled out of her bouquet in the car.

When the limousine left, JC turned to Jennifer and looked her up and down slowly.  She looked beautiful in her dress, spotlighted by the moon.  Taking two steps towards her, he extended his hand.  “Shall we?”

“Yes.”  She offered the rose she held in her hand.

He took it as he swept her along the walkway.  Fumbling around in his pocket, he found her key, and when they reached the front door, he quickly opened it.  Jennifer rushed inside and went to the living room.  As JC shut and locked the front door, she set her bouquet on the coffee table and went back to the hallway.

When JC turned around, he saw Jennifer standing before him, her cheeks flushed, her hair still in a perfect twist.  He reached out to take hold of the scarf she wore around her shoulders and pulled on it to bring her close.  When she was right in front of him, he drew the scarf away and dropped it.  As it drifted to the floor, he framed her face with his hands and kissed her deeply.  She lifted her hands to his chest and began to unbutton his shirt.

As they continued kissing, JC had been steering Jennifer back towards her bedroom.  Every so often, something would get left behind in the hallway – Jennifer’s scarf, JC’s cuff links, her shoes, his jacket.  When they reached her bedroom, his shirt was completely open, and her dress was unzipped.  He pushed her up against the closed door and kissed her thoroughly.

“Wait, honey,” she said as he moved to kiss her neck.  “Are you sure no one will be home soon?”

“I’m positive,” he said, though his words were muffled against her skin.  “But we can lock the door to our room anyway.”

“Definitely.”  She pulled his face up to hers and laid her mouth over his.  Reaching down with one hand, she turned the knob and drew him inside.  As the door closed, JC slid Jennifer’s straps off her shoulders.  She then pushed his shirt down his arms.

With her dress pooled at her feet, Jennifer reached out and loosened JC’s pants.  After she did so, he scooped her up and carried her to the bed.  He laid her down, then stretched out beside her.  Looking deep into her eyes, he asked, “Are you sure about this?”  I don’t want her to have doubts.

“I’m sure,” she answered.  “I love you, JC.”

“I love you, Jennifer.”  With this, he gently placed his body over hers and kissed her with all the emotion he held inside.

**

A half-hour later, Derrick pulled his car up to the curb in front of Jennifer’s house.  As he shifted into park, Justin, Joey, and Chris piled out of the car.

“Sorry, guys,” Justin said as all four stood on the sidewalk.  “I didn’t mean to cut your night short.”

“It’s okay, Justin,” Joey replied for the rest.  “I think we’re all kind of tired.  It has been a long week.”

“Yeah, you guys just got back from a tour on Wednesday,” Derrick put in.  “You deserve a break.”

At this point, a white car pulled into the driveway.  “Hey, check it out,” Chris said, pointing towards the car.  “It’s Kathy’s car.”

Sure enough, Kathy and Lance got out of the car soon after the engine shut off.  Noticing the group of men on the sidewalk, Lance called out, “Hey, guys…what are you doing home so early?”

“We were kind of tired,” Joey replied in a raised voice.  “How about you?”

“We got kind of tired, too.  We thought we would go hang out in the backyard or something.”

Everyone convened on the front walk.  “Hey, why don’t we watch a movie or something?” Chris suggested.  “I mean, it’s early, and it’s not like we have to go to sleep early or something.”

They all agreed that would be a good idea.  Kathy walked up the porch, key in hand, and opened the door.

“What’s that?” Justin said, noticing a piece of lavender fabric lying just inside the doorway.

Kathy stepped inside and picked it up.  “It’s Jennifer’s scarf,” she told the rest of them after examining it.  “I wonder what it’s doing here.”

“She was wearing it when they left, wasn’t she?” Derrick asked.

“I thought so.”

“Are Jen and JC here?” Joey wondered aloud.

“No, they couldn’t be,” Lance replied.  “They wouldn’t come back this early.”

“Yeah,” Chris said with a smirk, “they probably rented a motel room or something.”

“Be nice, Chris,” Kathy warned, then turned her attention back to the scarf.  “Well, it’s probably not that big of a deal anyway.  Let’s watch that movie.”  Everyone filed inside and headed for the living room.

Just before they got there, though, Lance spotted Jennifer’s right shoe.  As everyone else went to the living room, he picked up the shoe and brought it with him.  “Hey, y’all, check it out,” he said, showing the group what he had found.  “It’s Jen’s shoe.”

“Her shoe?” Kathy questioned.  “Okay, this is getting awfully weird.  First we find her scarf, then we find her shoe?  Next, we’ll probably find JC’s jacket or something.”

“Speaking of which,” Chris said as he entered the room, “look what I found.”  He held up JC’s jacket.  “I was going to drop something off in my room, and while I was walking through the hallway, I found this tossed over a chair.”

Kathy, Derrick, Justin, Lance, Joey, and Chris were looking at the pile of clothing in the middle of the living room.  As they sat and thought in silence, they heard three noises: a laugh, a creaking sound, and a door opening and closing.

Everyone looked to the entry to the living room when JC appeared, wearing only a pair of silk boxers.  He looked back at them, his face turning a bright red.  Talk about getting caught with your pants down.