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It was finally starting to rain for the first time in three weeks in San Diego. They didn't often get rain -- being one of the hottest states and all -- but this time in Southern California, it was.

And Justin was enjoying every second of it as he sat in his probably five to six seater booth that he occupied with himself, his black shiny briefcase, and his lucky glass half full of scotch that the bartender wasted no time serving to him once he entered, after all, he comes there almost every day for a drink.

Justin silently gulped down the last of his scotch and set the glass down back onto the wooden surface and licked his wet alcohol tainted lips while staring down the empty glass as if he'd get an instant refill if he just stared just a little longer, but suddenly, the door to the bar opened loudly but quietly enough for Justin to look up amongst the handful of people that were in the bar as well.

Justin's hazel eyes had locked with her beautiful chocolate-brown ones from afar -- a lock that she quickly broke as soon as she realized Justin was staring which made him softly laugh to himself as he watched her curvy hips that were covered with skin tight white wide-legged slacks sway effortlessly over to the bar stools.

Justin hummed to himself and watched her place her beige and gold trimmed Chanel purse down onto the wooden bar table before her and then proceeded to take her hair down from its neat bun and let her long jet black hair flow graciously down onto her shoulders, even from Justin's booth, he heard her sigh out of relief from being able to let her hair down.

"What can I get you, darling?"

"My usual, please, Rob."

Usual.

She's been here before.

But why hasn't Justin seen her?

Rob nodded and proceeded to pull out a glass for her and watching her rest her chin in the palm of her hand as he slowly poured the clear liquid into her glass from the long glass bottle before smiling with his black and gray infused beard before sliding it over to her.

"Thank you."

Rob nodded and looked over Justin's way in the midst of wiping down the counter and paused once he saw Justin's eyes were already on her, he let a small grin come to his lips before motioning for Justin to come over, which he quickly shook his head to and started to grab his things making Rob roll his eyes.

"Hey, Bieber. One more drink. On the house, come on."

"No no, gotta be able to drive home."

"I think you'll live. Now, come drink. Won't you make the old man happy?"

Justin paused for a moment and looked over to the woman and saw her look at him once over her shoulder before smirking to herself once she turned back around and slowly drink on her tequila as Justin slowly made his way over and let his legs plant him in between the empty bar stool and the woman.

"Well...enjoy this on the house," Rob whispered out before slowly pouring Justin's scotch in the glass he previously cleaned and then proceeded to pour more tequila in the woman's glass as well earning a giggle from her. "As for you, my dear."

"Rob--"

"I'll be back. I've got a shipment coming in."

"At almost nine at night?"

Rob waved his hand at Justin and walked off to the back as the silence grew over the two which made the woman hum to herself and lean back against the stool while Justin exhaled a breath deeply and took a hard swig of his scotch, earning the burning sensation in the back of his throat before slamming the glass upside down on the bar table and slipping a twenty-dollar bill on the counter.

"Tell Rob to keep the change."

And with that, Justin grabbed his things and started to walk away when he suddenly stopped at the sound of a feminine voice that sent a sudden and unexpected chill down his spine and even caused him to stop walking.

"And what makes you trust me enough to let Rob get this money?"

"Pardon?"

"I mean...I am a stranger to you after all," The woman murmured as she slowly picked up the twenty-dollar bill in between her white manicured fingernails and held it up as she spun the bar stool around so she could face Justin. "What makes me so trustworthy?"

"You called him Rob. People don't usually get to call him that."

There was a sudden silence that grew again between the two as they kept eye contact with each other during it, but Justin had his eyes on her full figure and outfit now that he finally has a chance to see her body up close, she was wearing a long sleeve laced bodysuit tucked inside the skin tight wide-legged pants with nude stilettos on her feet.

"You done checking me out?"

"Nothing wrong with looking...we are strangers after all."

"Cute...but you're not going to get to me that easy."

"I'm sorry?"

The woman sighed softly before spinning the bar stool back around and finishing up the last of her tequila while Justin stood and waited for another response -- only to earn her silence again and make him feel a sudden urge inside of him as he sat his things down onto the bar stool next to her and sat down causing her to side eye him.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were...stalling me to keep me here..."

"Whatever will help you sleep tonight."

"I think you'll have to be there in order for that to happen."

The woman side eyed him again and tried to hide her beautiful cheeks that were turning a light shade of pink and causing Justin to smirk in victory as he looked around the bar and saw no one looking before reaching across and taking the glass of tequila.

"What are you--"

"Rob doesn't give a shit, and from the looks of it, you know that too."

Justin filled her glass up again as she watched him in disbelief, but still keeping the strong poker face as Justin took a small swig from the bottle and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"You trying to get me drunk?"

"Do you want to get drunk?"

"I'm not as lightweight as I look."

Justin hummed in response and passed her the glass he poured for her and placed it directly in between the two of them and saw her keeping her poker face still that he wasn't able to read as their eyes stayed on each other for what felt like forever -- and he didn't mind. She was utterly gorgeous and an enigma.

"Well then...cheers?"

The woman shook her head as if she was letting every rule in her head about this fly out the window as she picked up the glass and chugged it down and let the burning come to her throat as she pushed her hair back out of her face as she and Justin continued to talk while the silent sound of rain dripping against the window was heard, but they didn't let distract them.

Justin and the woman talked for a while, time was passing and the two didn't mind how their witty and flirty comments flowed from their liquor fused lips in the quiet section of the bar until they were the only two in the bar with no one to hear them and their heated gazes made them both more aroused by the second.

Even though Justin and the woman were having a wonderful time, the woman looked at the time and gasped before shooting up from the stool and trying to grab her things which made Justin crease his eyebrows and mock her actions. "Got an early morning?"

"Yeah, uh, first day of internship."

"Well, good luck. I--"

"Bye."

Justin watched in disbelief as the woman walked past him, not giving another glance as her sweet scent of vanilla passed him as he watched her head for the door which made him quickly call out to her and make her stop walking up the bar steps that led her outside.

"I didn't even get your name..."

"That's because you weren't supposed to."

"I'm sorry?"

The woman pursed her lips and sighed softly before walking slowly back down the steps where Justin decided to meet her halfway and stand on the last step where she stood taller than Justin and made him look up at her with disbelief.

"You're telling me you didn't feel that?"

"Listen...you were a great drinking companion...I won't deny that you're charming, sweet, funny--"

"At least let me make sure you get home safe."

"I told you I'm not a lightweight..."

"Come on. I'll take you straight home." Justin whispered out as he slipped his hands into the pocket of his slacks and the woman looked down at him with her long black eyelashes before sighing softly and shaking her head at him and trying to hide a smirk.

"There's no talking you out of this, is there?"

"I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing you didn't get home safely."

Rolling her eyes, the woman placed her keys in Justin's hand and turned on her heels and walked up the stairs once again while Justin smiled in victory and followed her outside to the parking lot and unlocked the door before opening hers and seeing her use her hair to hide her smile as she thanked him and slipped inside.

Once Justin was inside, he buckled up and cleared his throat as he turned on the radio and let the sound of Midnight Train by Sam Smith play lowly as he looked over to the woman and saw her already looking at him before breaking her gaze at him.

"What?"

"Nothing...just take me home, please. I'll tell you where to go."

Justin listened to her directions and drove off into the traffic of the night as the rain started to slowly come to an end and the city lights lit up the wet road and let it glisten as he drove.

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Once out of her car, Justin cleared his throat and watched her silently walk up the steps of her beautiful townhome and run her fingers through her hair -- but she stopped in her tracks when she heard Justin clear his throat from behind her.

"Forgetting something?"

The woman snickered and walked back down the steps to meet him on the last one, but she stopped at the second when Justin held onto the keys and didn't let her take it from his tight grip which made her yank them and crease her eyebrows when she realized he wouldn't budge.

"What--"

"I just wanna know your name...is that so hard for you to tell me?"

The woman sighed heavily and looked down at Justin as the rain suddenly tried to start up again and she felt some raindrops touch her cheek as Justin looked up at her waiting for her to respond.

"My name is Storm."

In satisfaction, Justin let go of her keys and watched her yank them from him and shake her head as she watched him step up onto the same step as her and let his body tower over hers and let his strong smell of tequila and cologne engulf her nostrils.

"Well...goodnight, Storm."

As another sudden silence fell over them, Storm didn't quite know what came over her, maybe it was the tequila, maybe it was the rain, maybe it was Justin's intoxicating scent, but she suddenly found herself cupping one side of Justin's face and pressing her plump lips on his and letting the taste of tequila and scotch swirl between their mouths in heated passion.

Justin found himself pulling her small and curved waist closer and letting his tongue slide into her mouth -- but Storm pulled away as soon as she felt herself going too far and decided to create space between her and Justin.

"Goodnight..."

Just as Storm went to walk up the stairs once again, she felt a tug on her arm and she suddenly was spun back around as Justin met her body on the last step and brought their lips back together while cupping her face and letting the kiss become more intense than the last as Storm's arms went around his waist in surrender.

After pulling away, the two stood there and looked at each other as if they were both caught up in a daze and they were seeing stars, but in reality, there were just raindrops that lightly poured and caused them both to keep their moist bodies close.

"I..."

"I'm guessing I'll see you at Rob's bar?"

Storm didn't respond with words, only a wicked smile as she bit the corner of her bottom lip and stepped away from Justin and unlocked the door finally and stepped into her townhome -- only to turn around momentarily and smile at Justin one last time before shutting the door while Justin felt like he was walking on a cloud.

Justin walked down the steps and completely forgot the feel of the rain on his hair as he walked down the sidewalk where he got ready to get an Uber, but his mind for the rest of the night would be on one thing:

Storm.

And he didn't mind.

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this was honestly just a chapter to let y'all know how justin and storm meet! did you like it? just know this was long because i care and that i'm typing my "best" at night lolol.

hopefully you guys like the actual book, just to give y'all an insight, it's going to have "monster-in-law" & "bridesmaids" vibes, but majority of the story ideas will be mine! but thank you for reading! don't forget to vote and comment! 🦋✨