Chapter Thirty Four. 

            As our first day came to an end in Las Vegas, Everyone had gone into their separate rooms and as soon as we got into ours Justin locked the door behind him and headed into the bathroom. I guess he hadn’t forgotten about what I had said earlier and I followed directly behind him, watching as he turned on the faucet of the huge tub and poured the bubbles into it to create what I had envisioned.

            “I got the uh, wine too.” He said with a nervous little smile and pointed over to two glasses. “It’s white. Do you like that?”

            He rubbed his hands onto his shorts in a rapid motion, licking his lips as well before he continued his stare on me to see what I’d say. I have no idea why on earth he’s so nervous but it’s adorable.

            “Hey.” I giggled softly, wrapping my arms around his neck. “What’s going on?”

            “I’m nervous. Like, really nervous.”

            “Why? Since when the hell are you nervous?”

            “Ever since you. I don’t know why I am but you just make me get like this when we’re alone. It’s weird, I know. I’m sorry.”

            All you could hear was the tub filling up with water and the room was dark from the light being off, the candles illuminating the two of us together and I just thought to myself in this moment how lucky I was to have found someone who cares about my presence so much. Someone who honestly cherishes me and wants the best for me is something I can’t be more thankful for.

            “It’s not weird.” I said, beginning to slowly take the belt off of his pants. “It means more to me than you know.”

            His pants fell on the bathroom floor, as well as his briefs, and as he unhooked the straps of my bikini I slid my bottoms down, shocked when bubbles landed onto my feet.

            “Justin!” I laughed hysterically, turning the faucet off. “Oh my god you put way too much bubbles in.”

            He focused his attention on the water and started to laugh as well when the bubbles were so high above the water it looked like some sort of a mountain. We can’t do anything though without something going wrong so it doesn’t really surprise me.

            “Shit.” He grinned, stepping into it. “Well, more bubbles for us.”

            Following his lead, I stepped into the tub as well and sat down next to him as he passed me my glass and we both laughed again from hardly being able to see each other over the bubbles. The hot water felt good on my skin and I rested my head on the back of his arm as it came around my shoulder. We’ve never taken a bath together before but it certainly felt amazing.

            “I’m having a lot of fun.” He admitted, taking a sip of his wine. “The trip just started and I’m already having the best time of my life.”

            “When did things change for you?” I suddenly asked out of nowhere. It was so random but it was the first thing that popped into my head.

            “What do you mean?”

            “I mean what made you see me as something more than just another girl to have sex with? Justin we were just two people who had sex for like a half a year and then suddenly things changed and I just want to know when it changed for you.”

            “The team dinner. When I saw you all dressed up like that. I think that’s when it hit me.”

            “But why?”

            “Because when I saw Colby kiss you on the cheek and when his arm went around you like that I’ve never felt something hurt me so much than that. Seeing someone else have you in their grasp and make you feel special made me so angry. You called me bud when we got done in the bathroom that day and it was then that I realized I wanted more. I didn’t want you to call me bud… or friend… or person you have sex with. I wanted you to be like this... For us to be like this.”

            His hand was running through my hair as my head was lying right on top of his chest and I just smiled, wrapping my arm around his waist as all of our crazy memories that we’ve made over the past year floated throughout my head.

            “Remember when we all went to the movies with Casey for like one of the first times and you got pissed because you had to sit next to me? You got mad that other girls would think you were on a date so you’d be off limits?”

            He erupted into laughter once I said that and then we started talking about all of the times that we just didn’t realize we liked each other. Like when we went to the amusement park with our friends and I threw up after the tea cups because I got motion sickness and even though he acted like he hated me he stood there by the trash can and waited until I was finished. I didn’t know it at the time, but he said he wanted to make sure I was okay.

            Or the time when we went to the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Carolina Hurricanes with everyone and we both had to sit next to each other. That’s when we both found out that we both enjoyed hockey except he favored the leafs and I favorite the canes.

            “I thought it was the hottest thing that you knew so much about hockey.” He chuckled, taking another sip of his wine. “That’s why I drove you home in my car that night on the way home.”

            Now it made sense because after the game, he told me he was going to drive me home and although I was confused, I had a feeling I knew what it was for and we fooled around a little bit for the first time since the party. The week after that I called him and said I wanted to meet at McDonald’s to talk about it. I guess the rest is history.

            “You and I have had a hell of a lot of memories.” He laughed once our wine glasses were empty, the water getting cold. “We’ve been talking for like an hour.”

            “I know. It’s so crazy though. Like how far we’ve come and everything. When I first met you I just never thought…”

            “I know. Me neither.”

            Then I grabbed a handful of bubbles and blew some at him, most of it going on his face, which made me erupt into laughter. For a second he was confused but then he grabbed some bubbles as well and blew some onto me, which caused me to straddle him and push his chest down so he couldn’t do it anymore.

            “Wait!” I laughed hysterically. “I can totally make a beard on you right now.”

            Picking up some more bubbles, I caressed his cheeks so I could form a beard on him and he was trying so hard not to laugh right now as he stared at me. He looked in love, which was so cute it made me speechless. His eyes were alive and when I finished and he had a bubble beard, I died laughing and reached over for my phone that was on the toilet seat.

            “Do I look like honest abe?” He teased.

            “Pretty damn close. Let me take a picture.”

            “Babe! Don’t show it to anyone.”

            “I’m not! Now say cheese.”

            A corny smile was plastered on his face as I took the picture and I loved the fact that I had this saved in my phone. I obviously wouldn’t show it to anyone, although he looked so cute it was hard not to. I just wanted it for myself and when he took my phone from me and turned the camera so he could take one I just rolled my eyes and sent a little smirk at it, looking down quickly to make sure the bubbles were covering everything.

            “God.” He paused, continuing to stare at my phone. “You are so beautiful.”

            His joking tone flew directly out the window and he was dead serious, finally clicking the camera button when I looked at him. It felt like my heart stopped beating in my chest and he put the phone down on the floor, pulling me closer so my lips could press against his.

            “You are so perfect and you’re mine Reina. I am so lucky.”

            “Justin…”

            “No, Reina. I mean it. I’m the luckiest man alive. We have such a good time together and just to know that you’re my girl is mind blowing. I’m so happy that I found my best friend.”

            My lips were on his again and he took me by surprise, lifting me out of the water of the tub and carrying me into the bedroom. I was freezing but his body kept me warm as our soaking bodies landed on top of the comforter, me pulling him down directly onto my chest so my legs could wrap around his sides.

            “Reina I’m in love with you.” He whispered. “So in love with you it’s crazy.”

            “I know.” I responded quietly. “I’m in love with you too Justin.”

            And as the words left my lips, his met with my skin and for the first time in my life I felt like I was giving my all to him. Not sexually, but emotionally. I found my best friend and never in my life have I ever let myself open up to someone but to Justin it just came naturally. Everything came naturally and the sex- that used to be everything – is now just a bonus. Every part of me is in love with him and for the first time I’m truly meaning it.

A/N:

From here on out things will never be the same...