"Hey," Gus greeted Lawson as he opened the door early the next morning.

Lawson pulled on his shirt and whispered, "She's still asleep. Watch her while I go work out, would ya?"

"Sure thing, sweet thang," Gus said with a southern twang.

Lawson glared at him. "You carrying?"

Gus nodded. "Always."

Lawson bent down to tie one of his sneakers.  "Good."

"Hey, if we're gone when you get back, I took her to the restaurant downstairs for breakfast. I'm starved."

Lawson stepped through the door and rolled his eyes. "You're always starved, H.S."

"You still can't say it, can you?"

"Miranda is evil."

"You're just jealous because I got 'Hot Stuff' while you got 'Sweetheart'."

"Yeah, but that fizzled out, didn't it? You should be called Cold Stuff instead."

"Hey, low blow, man."

"Ah, man, I'm sorry," he rubbed his eyes. "I didn't sleep well. How are you doing with all this wedding stuff, anyway?" Lawson asked, leaning on the door frame.

"Surprisingly okay."

Law patted his shoulder. "Good."

Gus pushed him away. "Go work out, Shithead."

Lawson laughed at the nickname. Since Miranda sometimes called him 'Sweetheart' the guys called him 'Shithead'.

"Later, Horse Shit," Lawson got his own dig in and headed down the hall.

Gus closed the door. He glanced over at a sleeping Jade and sighed. He sat down on the chair beside the bed and waited.

******************************

Jade opened her eyes to see Gus sitting in the chair, watching her.

She sat up quickly and looked to where Lawson should have been sleeping, but he wasn't there.

"He went to work out," Gus spoke up. "Law wanted me to stay with you and then take you to breakfast when you got up," Gus explained nonchalantly. He noticed that Jade had looked to the bed not the floor. That was interesting.

Jade clutched the covers to her chest. "How long have you been sitting there?"

Gus looked at his watch and shrugged. "An hour."

"And you've just been sitting there watching me?!"

"Mostly counting ceiling tiles," he said, pointing up.  "You've got sixty."

"Good to know."

Gus lifted an eyebrow. "Are you ready to eat? I'm starved." 

"Can I take a shower first?"

"Sure, be my guest." He gestured to the bathroom with a sweep of his arm.

"Why don't you watch some tv," Jade tossed him the remote. "it's kind of creepy, you just sitting there."

Gus shrugged and pointed the remote at the tv, clicking it on, "Didn't want to wake you."

Jade got up, took out some clothes from the suitcase Lawson had provided her, and went into the bathroom.

How could Lawson just leave her alone with one of his friends? And how could he not wake her to tell her that he was leaving?

She'd awoken a few times in the night to find herself wrapped in Lawson'sarms. She wasn't sure how she ended up there. Had it been her that rolled into his arms or he who went into hers?

Jade hadn't wanted out of them when she found herself there and she had just closed her eyes and went back to sleep. A completely unlike Jade thing to do. The old Jade wouldn't have been in bed with a man in the first place.

She was grateful that she and Lawson had made a quick stop at a department store before they checked into the hotel. Jade picked up a few dresses for daily wear and one for the wedding. She felt much better than being in jeans for these events. She couldn't putter around the nice hotel that they were staying at in jeans. Jade vowed that once this mess was over she'd pay Lawson and Gus back for everything.

Even Lawson had been wearing slacks and a button-down shirt the night before. Jade found him to be the type of guy who preferred jeans, but he didn't complain when they'd arrived the night before and he'd changed into the dressier clothes. She wondered how he would look in the gray tux that was hanging in the closet for the big day.

*******************************

Gus took her downstairs to the hotel restaurant and they got a table for three while waiting for Lawson to join them. Gus had said that he would. Some of the others, who were attending the wedding, came into the restaurant as well.

Jade saw Nikki and Kyle take a seat at a table near them full of people they knew. Had they not joined another group, she would have invited them to sit at Gus and her table.

After ordering their drinks, Gus excused himself and went over to Kyle, said something to him. Kyle glanced at Jade and nodded.  Gus headed off, she assumed in the direction of the bathroom.

Jade figured Gus probably told Kyle to keep an eye on her. She wondered if Kyle knew all that was going on with her situation.

She saw Lawson enter the restaurant and she couldn't help but smile. He was exquisite every time she saw him. Today, he was wearing khaki pants and a gray short-sleeved, polo style shirt.

Lawson didn't glance in her direction when he walked past her. Instead, he went over to a blonde woman at the end of the bar. The blonde smiled greeted him with a lingering kiss. After they pulled away, Lawson sat down on the stool next to her.

The bartender came over and nodded at whatever Lawson ordered. He slipped an arm around the woman's shoulders, leaned over, and nuzzled her neck, at which the blonde giggled.

Jade's blood boiled. If he was going to be kissing another girl, he could have the decency to not do it right in front of her! She knew she had told Lawson that she didn't want a relationship right now, but that didn't mean he had to go off and get the first blonde bimbo that came around!

She tossed her napkin on the table. Well, she wasn't going to stand for it! Jade could have stayed in San Francisco and dealt with being shot at. It was less embarrassing. Lawson didn't seem to care about kissing another woman in front of the very people to which he was pretending she was his girlfriend! Jade was embarrassed enough for the both of them.

Jade got up and went over to him. "Aren't you going to sit with me?" she asked quietly as to not cause a scene.

He turned his body on the stool to look at her blankly. "Excuse me?" 

"Aren't you going to have breakfast with me?"

Lawson's eyes flicked over her in amusement. "Sorry, do I know you?" He looked back at the blonde, who had turned around also. She was even more beautiful close up.

"You might want to act like you know the person who slept in your arms all night," Jade snapped.

Lawson slipped an arm around the blonde, "I certainly would."

The blonde bimbo put a hand on his arm and glared at him. "Babe..."

"And you wanted me to trust you?!" Jade demanded, slapping his shoulder. She was tempted to slap his face, but Jade didn't want to cause a bigger scene than she was already making. 

Lawson only laughed. Jade raised her hand. "Hang on, now, darlin'," he grabbed her wrist before she hit him again.

"Hey, J.T!" Gus called, rushing up behind them with a puzzled look on his face.

Lawson stood up and embraced Gus in a man-hug."Gus! Good to see ya, old man." He patted him lightly on the back. "How's the shoulder? The leg?"

"Doing alright. Have you seen Lawson around?" Gus asked pointedly and looked at Jade.  Gus shook his head. She looked from Gus to Lawson and back again.

"Nah, not yet. We just got here," J.T said. "Who's the spitfire?" he asked, gesturing to Jade.

"This is Natalie. Law's girlfriend."

J.T grinned. "Yeah, I figured it was something like that. Sorry 'bout the confusion, darlin'", he seemed apologetic. "I'm J.T," he said, reaching out to shake her hand. "Lawson's brother," J.T added, when she only stared at him. "I guess he didn't tell you about me?"

Jade's forehead puckered in confusion. "Twins?"

"Unfortunately," Lawson said from behind her.

Jade whirled around. It was like standing next to a mirror, seeing one in front of the other. They were even wearing the same clothes.

"God, I hate when you do that, man," Lawson pointed to his brother's outfit.

"Pshh...I didn't think I had to consult you when I got dressed this morning." J.T said annoyed and then grinned "How you doing, ugly?" He hugged Lawson, pounding him on the back.

"Good. You met Natalie?" Lawson asked, putting an arm around her waist, and lightly pulling her to his side.

"Yeah, I did. We had a bit of a misunderstanding. Like always. You owe me a slap."

Lawson turned his attention to Jade. "He didn't try to kiss you, did he?"

"No!"

"I'm insulted!" J.T feigned being hurt by the accusation.

"He used to try to steal all my girls," Lawson told her.

"Didn't even have to try. They came willingly," J.T answered and winked at Jade.

J.T nodded to the girl she'd mistaken as a blonde bimbo, who was currently talking to Gus. "That's my girl, Brooke. Don't worry about slapping me. If you hadn't, Brooke would have for you."

Brooke turned as she heard J.T say her name.

Jade rushed over the few steps to shake her hand. "Oh, I'm so sorry for the mistake. You must have assumed the worst."

"I'm used it by now. Don't worry about it. J.T deserved the slap for not telling you outright that he wasn't Lawson. The two of them enjoy when people mistake them for the other. They play along... and then they usually get slapped," Brooke patted J.T face lightly with the palm of her hand as J.T wrapped her in his arms. "Don't ya, babe?"

J.T turned his head and kissed Brooke's palm.

"How can I tell the two of you apart?" Jade asked, looking back and forth between the twins. They were a carbon copy of each other. There were no distinguishing marks on either one of them.

"I'm the good looking one," they both said in unison.

Jade laughed. "This is going to be confusing."

"You'll figure it out," Brooke chuckled.

"Not if they keep dressing alike."

"Despite their protests, they always dress alike," Brooke informed her.

"Bite your tongue," J.T hissed.

Lawson pulled Jade next to him again. "You'll figure it out." He smiled down at her. Lawson moved his hand lightly up and down Jade's spine, sending a nice little chill through her body.

Jade looked up at him. Would she know by that? By Lawson's touch? Or if J.T touched her, in the same way, would she feel the same?

"I heard something about breakfast?" J.T asked.

"Pull up a chair," Gus motioned towards their table.

*******************************

"Did you really slap my brother?" Lawson asked as they left the restaurant.

"Lightly slapped him on the shoulder," Jade said with a shrug.

"Jealous, were we?" he asked, sliding an arm around her.

"No. Not at all. I was just upset. I thought you were ch-  ignoring me," she explained calmly. Jade sucked in a breath.

She almost said she thought he was cheating on her. Lawson couldn't be cheating on her because they weren't really dating. But somewhere during the pretending, it didn't feel like they were faking. It felt real. And the thought of Lawson with another woman had hurt like hell.

Lawson stepped in front of her, bringing Jade to a stop. He put his hands on her shoulders. "I'd never cheat on you."

"I know you wouldn't."

He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. Lawson lifted Jade's chin up with his index finger. "I don't think you do." His eyes searched hers, looking for her faith in him.

She hoped that her faith was all he could see and not how much she was falling in love with him. "Lawson," Jade whispered.

"I'm going to break my promise," he said, leaning towards her.

Jade wrapped her arms around his neck to get ready for a kiss. She'd been dying to feel his lips against hers again.

When he was a quarter of an inch from her lips, Lawson pulled back. "I can't."

She sucked in a breath. "Why not?"

"I don't break my promises."

Jade growled. "Lawson, kiss me," she said firmly.  Her hands tightened at the base of his skull.

He smiled. "Are you asking me to kiss you?" 

She couldn't take it. Jade pulled at his neck, brought his head down closer to her, and pressed her lips to his.

Jade felt like liquid beneath him.  She would just melt right there in the lobby of the hotel.

Jade found she didn't care that they were in public. That was a first for her. She always cared what other people thought about her. Here and now, all she cared about was Lawson and what she was feeling while he kissed her like she'd never been kissed before.

A clearing of the throat brought Jade back to reality.

"Lawson, a moment," Kyle said tapping him on the shoulder. Lawson kept kissing her. "Law," Kyle repeated firmly.

Law pulled back from Jade. "Excuse me, darlin', while I get a lecture on PDAs," Lawson told her, stepping away.

****************************
"Are you kidding me?" Kyle hissed when they were out of earshot.

"It's none of your business," Lawson told him.

"Don't make me pull rank."

"Come on, Kyle! For once, I find someone that I actually think I could have a future with."

"She's a case, Law!"

"I know!"

"So, chill. Until it's done. Then you can start something up again if you still have feelings for her."

"I don't want to hear it. You said the same thing to Miranda and Ben. And now, they're getting married. Forgive me for not listening to your sage advice."

Kyle glared at him. "Ben's one of us. He always was even though Miranda and we didn't know it at the time. He's never been a case."

"Stay out of my personal life, Kyle," Lawson said angrily, walking away.

"I can pull you," Kyle called after him.

Lawson kept walking, but called over his shoulder bitterly, "You just try it."

*******************************

"What was that about?" Jade asked, when Lawson returned to her with a scowl on his face.

Lawson leaned down to kiss her again. "Don't worry about it. It's fine."

"Lawson," Gus interrupted.

"God!" Law pulled away from her angrily, "Not you, too!"

Jade put a hand on his back and rubbed it gently. Lawson moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"A quick word," Gus answered.

"No such thing."

"I swear."

Lawson sighed, releasing Jade. "Alright," he kissed Jade's cheek, "Wait for me here, darlin', I won't go far."

"Sure," she answered and gave him a reassuring smile.

Jade wondered what was going on. Did his friends not approve of her? Had she not dressed right? Did she not say the right things?

Jade looked at herself in the mirror hanging in the hotel lobby. She hardly recognized the face that looked back at her. Her hair was a chestnut brown. Jade had even put on more makeup than she normally wore. She thought she looked nice with her new look, even though it was different than what Jade was used to.

******************************

Lawson followed Gus to a patio in the rear of the hotel. Luckily, they were the only ones outside.
"I don't want to hear it from you too."

"Hear what?" Gus asked.

Lawson leaned against the stone wall of the building. "Your non-approval of my relationship with J...Natalie."

"Hell, I approve. She's great!"

Lawson sighed in relief, "Thank you. I think so too."

"Oh, I get it. Kyle said something to you, didn't he?"

Lawson blew out a breath. "Bingo."

"What's he not approve of?! Oh, let me guess. She's a case."

"You're on a roll."

Gus shook his head. "Did he try to pull rank?"

Lawson chuckled. "You know him too well."

"Yeah. So do you. And you know for a fact, he wouldn't do that. Not to you."

Lawson ran a hand through his hair agitated. "Yeah, I know. He's just such a pain in the ass when he says that though." Lawson tried to shake off his annoyance with Kyle. Gus didn't deserve him snapping at him. "So, what did you want me for if not to lecture me?" 

Gus put a hand on his shoulder. "I need you not to freak out. Promise me."

Lawson narrowed his eyes at him. He took a deep breath in and out and then nodded. "What happened?"

"Jade's place was ransacked. They got there before we did on the night you found her. I just found out."

Lawson looked up at the sky. "Shit."

"We've dusted for prints, but so far all that's coming up are Jade's."

Lawson rubbed his hand over his face. "You interviewed the neighbors? Someone had to have seen something."

"One neighbor saw a dark car and got partial plates as they sped away. We're working on it."

"Alright. Thanks, Gus. Keep me posted."

******************************

"Everything okay?" Jade asked when Lawson returned.

"Sure. Just last minute wedding stuff. You know...."

Jade grinned. "I think I figured it out."

Lawson'a heart stopped."Figured what out?"

"How to tell you and J.T apart."

Lawson rubbed his chest as his heart started beating again. "How?"

"You have a mole right here." Jade touched the side of his neck.

Lawson shook his head. "Sorry, he's got that too."

Jade put her hands on her hips.
"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

He grinned. "Nope," he said, making a popping sound on the P.

"Is there a way?"

"That's for me to know," he touched the tip of her nose with the tip of his index finger," and you to find out," he teased.

"You're so mean!" Jade stuck her tongue out at him.

Lawson laughed and leaned over to kiss her soundly on the cheek. "Come on, darlin'. We've got wedding stuff to attend to."

******************************

Jade had a great time with Lawson and his friends through the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. She felt a part of a family with them all.

Jade felt, pretending to be this Natalie girl, who no one knew, that she could be whoever she wanted to be. It was nice not having any restrictions. Jade grew up with strict parents. She was always told what to wear, how to act, what to think.

Lawson actually paid attention to what she had to say. He would think about what she said as if it was important. If Lawson didn't agree with her, he said so, but he didn't belittle her for thinking differently than he did.

She felt awkward when they returned to their hotel room. Their relationship had changed. They had kissed and Jade had asked for it. Lawson had held back until she demanded that he kiss her. Why had she? She wasn't ready for a relationship. It wasn't on her schedule for another year to get involved with anyone seriously. Jade hadn't met her career goal yet.

Lawson closed the door behind them. Jade gasped as he quickly grabbed her by the waist, pulled her firm against his body, and kissed her.

Jade forgot what she was thinking about and dropped her purse onto the ground. He picked her up and carried her over to the bed. Lawson slid his body on top of hers and then began unbuttoning the front of her dress. His lips moved to her neck. He kissed, nibbled, and sucked lightly on her skin. Jade moaned. Lawson lowered the top of her dress off her shoulders and slowly kissed the length of them.

Jade tugged at the hem of his shirt until he moved his hands to help her pull it over his head. Lawson returned to kissing her until Jade was mad with desire. He released the claps of her bra and Jade quickly removed her arms and tossed the garment somewhere over her head.

Lawson groaned then captured one of her hard points with his mouth. Jade gasped as his tongue flicked the sensitive bud. Her hands went into his hair, tugging his silky strands as he made love to her breasts. She moaned at the sensations that he sent through her body. Jade had never experienced such fierce desire. She brought Lawson's face back to hers and kissed his sweet lips.

He fumbled with his belt and pulled his pants off. Jade ran a leg up and down his, enjoying the sensation of her smooth legs against the coarse hair on his. Lawson tossed his pants to the side as she glided her foot up and down his leg until she hit against something hard near his ankle. He pulled it quickly off, leaned over the bed and tucked it under his jeans. He returned in a swift movement, his lips meeting hers.

Jade pulled back to look at him. "What was that?" 

"What?" he asked as his hands slid to her breasts.

"You had something on your leg," she laughed as he kissed her neck tickling her.

"Pedometer. Counts how many steps I take a day," he answered with a shrug and then pulled her dress down and over her waist.

"Oh," she said, lifting her hips. She watched him toss the rest of their clothes on the chair next to the bed.

Lawson was an incredible sight to see. He was like a statue of a Greek god, she thought, as he pulled the blankets back and gestured for Jade to climb. Lawson followed, turned off the light, and wrapped his arms around her.

He said kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I'm sorry I attacked you. You're too damned beautiful to resist, darlin'." He sighed.

"So are you," she whispered.

He kissed the crook of her neck."Goodnight, Jade."

Goodnight?!  Was he just going to go to sleep?! He'd gotten her naked and all he wanted to do was sleep?!No man had been able to get her shirt off, let alone get her naked! Lawson had and he wanted to go to sleep?!

"Night, Lawson," she said, burying her head in his chest, embarrassed she must have done something horribly wrong.