Chapter 5

'God, it is so cold. Where am I?' Candace wonders as she slowly wakes up. She feels something cold and hard under her body, nothing like a mattress. Candace moves her head on her pillow and feels her hand touch muscle under some fabric. When she opens her eyes, she almost jumps realizing that she is actually asleep on Justin!

"Good morning beautiful. Feeling better?" he asks, brushing back a piece of her hair that was hanging in her face.

"Yes, much better. Thank you for everything. Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

"Baby, it was the sweetest thing to be able to have you sleep in my arms and wake up to having you in my arms. Who knew though that this moment would be shared in the middle of a golf course?"

"Golf course?"

"I guess you didn't notice it when you were running for peace and quiet. Look around you and you'll see grass galore and sand traps everywhere."

Candace picks up her head and looks around. "God, we better go. It's broad daylight and the bus is leaving soon. What time is it?"

"I have no idea. I left my pager in my room." Justin gets up and offers his hand down to Candace, who takes it and gets up gracefully. They brush the grass off of each other and walk hand in hand back to their room. "Why is the door open?"

"I don't know. We better go check," Candace says, leading him into the room. "The cleaning ladies are cleaning up already! The guys must have left us!"

"That's impossible! We better get our things though and see if they are still there."

Candace nods her agreement and goes into her room to find everything untouched. Quickly, she places her clothes back into her bag and gathers her toiletries into her overnight back and stuffs that into the bag as well. When she's sure everything is packed, she leaves the room and finds Justin waiting for her.

"JC's things are all gone. The other rooms are empty as well. I guess they did leave us. Ready to head to the airport to catch the next flight to San Jose?"

"Do we really need to fly?" Candace inquires.

"We do if we want to make the next concert on time. I still can't believe they left us," he mutters as he leads Candace out of the room and down to the parking lot where they have a driving attendant call them a cab. Once at the airport, the two luck out and find two first class seats open for them on the next flight out, which actually departs twenty minutes from their check in time. They run down the terminals, find the gate, and hop onto the plane which takes off just after they get settled in. "Well, this is actually much better than driving all day in the tour bus. You have to admit," he says, settling into his seat and grabbing Candace's hand.

"True. Although, I wonder why they did just leave us."

"Who knows? I guess we'll find out when they reach the hotel."

With that said, Candace snuggles closer to Justin and falls asleep on his shoulder, staring out the window, at the clouds passing by.

After the plane lands, Justin and Candace hail yet another cab and sit quietly as it takes them to their hotel in San Jose. Candace leaves Justin sitting in the lobby with those sunglasses he hasn't taken off since they left San Diego and checks into their suite, getting two of the six keys. Together, they take the elevator up to the tenth floor and travel down the hall until they are at room 1017. Justin opens the door and holds it open for Candace to enter through. Candace immediately heads into one of the rooms, dumping her stuff on the bed as Justin finds the room next to it and puts his bag on the bed as well.

"So, what are we going to do with all this dead time?" Candace calls out to Justin.

"Swimming in the pool sound fun?" he asks.

"Do you think it's safe for you?"

"Sure! I'm only a teenaged guy having fun anyway. Get dressed and we'll go down to the pool."

Both are relieved when they go downstairs and find the pool area empty except for a few people who are in their late forties or fifties. Candace freely tosses off her oversized shirt and dives into the twelve foot end of the pool, leaving Justin to stare at the sight of her in a two-piece before she is out of his sight. He takes a deep breath and takes off his shirt, diving in right after her. The two play around in the water for a while and then end up in the Jacuzzi, relaxing, allowing the jets to massage their muscles. Eventually, as mid afternoon comes around, Justin gets hungry so the two agree to go back into the room. Just as Candace is about to close her door though to change, Justin stops her.

"Candace, wait!"

"What Justin?"

"How would you like to take a shower with me?"

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, with our bathing suits on of course. It was just an idea. If you don't want to, I understand."

"No, it sounds rather romantic actually. I'll race you to it!"

"You're on!" he gets out before having to chase after her as she gets a head start into the bathroom. Lucky for them, the shower is bigger than usual so both fit in without having to squeeze in.

Justin takes the liberty of soaping Candace up first, then washing her hair before washing her down. In return, Candace gets a hold of the soap and starts washing Justin's body, then his curly hair. When the two are done, Justin starts kissing Candace's shoulder and neck, making his way for her lips. The water is still cascading down the both of them as they get involved in a heavy and intense moment that is broken when Justin feels Candace start to shiver. He breaks away and exits the shower and grabs a fluffy white towel. After wrapping it around himself, he grabs another one and opens it up for Candace to step into as he wraps her in it. After drying her, he asks, "Are you ready for dinner?"

"Sure thing Justin. I'll be back after changing."

"I'll be waiting," he says, watching her go into her room and then dashing off into his room to change into a pair of slacks. About twenty-five minutes later, the two head off together to the restaurant at the top, a revolving one. The two take a seat and order immediately two steaks, one medium and one well-done. Justin and Candace spend a long period of time just murmuring softly to each other as they relax together in the booth, looking at the scenery as the restaurant revolves around and around. Just as the two are enjoying their raspberry tart together though, their time together is interrupted by a burst of giggles. Justin motions not to speak anymore and turns his ear in the direction of the table of girls just a few feet away, on the other side of the booth.

"I can't believe we're here Melissa! We're finally going to get a chance to meet the guys of 'NSync!"

"No kidding! I can't wait to see Joey. Mmm... Now he's a hunk."

"Joey is all right. I think it's all about Chris though."

"Eww! I can't believe you just said that Liz. Even without his dread locks, he just looks, I don't know, just nothing compared to Lance."

"You're one to talk Megan! You have been obsessing over that guy from day one! Now JC, there's a real man."

"Puhlease Mary! You are so pathetic when it comes to him. You constantly drool over him."

"Guys, hush up! You are being so loud. Anyway, we all know that we all agree when it comes to one guy..."

"Justin!" they all scream, making Justin and Candace think that they are discovered.

"I can't believe he's here! Their bus should be coming in about three hours. We'll be ready for them, right girls?"

"You bet! Do you think I could get a kiss from Justin?"

"Only if his girlfriend isn't there. Cammy is her name, right?"

"No, that's JC's girl. I think Justin's is the dancer he is with during the concert, or so the reviews have said. I believe that her name is Candy or Candace. Something like that. Either way, I don't really think Justin would kiss any of you after he sees me. He's going to die seeing what I'm wearing."

"Let's try what you aren't wearing!"

"Hey!"

"Anyway, we better try to think of a way to get their room number if we don't see them out there anyway and call it plan B. Whose name could it be under?"

The girls' voices drop down several notches as they start going through ideas, making Justin wish that he could hear that part. The waitress comes over with the bill and Justin hands her his credit card. Her eyes widen as she realizes for the first time that it is him but doesn't say anything, knowing that the fans are only a booth away. She comes back with the slip and Justin writes her out a big tip and signs his name on it, as well as a napkin she gives him. Silently, he waits for the floor to go back to the front entrance and grabs Candace with him as they dart towards the elevator. The fans don't realize that it is him that ran out of the restaurant but later hear that he was sitting right next to them from overhearing the waitresses talk.

Justin and Candace end up stumbling into their suite laughing so hard and are out of breath from the run. "I don't know about you but I'm getting tired," Candace says to Justin.

"Same here. Hang on for a second," Justin replies as he goes into his room. He comes back out with one of he jerseys. I've been meaning to give this to you. It's one of my favorites."

"Justin! I can't take this."

"Consider it as my pin or something like that to symbolize how serious I am about you."

"That's so sweet! I'm going to go change into it," Candace says, giving Justin a kiss and going into her room to change into it and underwear. There's a knock on the door and she opens it, surprised to see Justin there in only his boxers and a T-shirt.

"Can I sleep in here with you?"

"Sure Justin."

He smiles at her and lifts the covers so she could go in first and then crawls in after her. She instantly snuggles up to him and begins kissing him passionately. Justin of course, gives back every pleasure she gives him and takes it as a good sign when she asks to take off his shirt. He helps her out and shudders at the feeling of her lips on his chest, placing soft kisses up and down from his neck to his bellybutton. Justin places his hands at her waist and slowly raises them up her sides, under his jersey. He doesn't attempt to take it off but finds her mouth again to kiss her for what seems like an eternity.

"Make love to me Justin," he hears Candace whisper.

"What?" Justin questions in shock.

"Be my first one. I love you."

"I love you too Candace but I don't think it's time."

"What do you mean?"

"You know I really want to but I don't think either of us is ready for the aftermath. Why don't we just go to sleep in each other's arms for now?"

"I guess. Night Justin," she says, turning her back on him and laying her head down on her pillow.

Justin just stares to her back, knowing he just did the right thing but is experiencing a consequence nonetheless. He is afraid to touch her so he rolls over onto his other side, putting his back to her, and closes his eyes, willing sleep to come and take away the heartache he just caused himself. Just as he is about to fall asleep, he feels Candace's arm lay across his waist and feels her lips give him a kiss on the cheek before whispering, "I love you Justin. Thank you for the gift of self-control." With that she rolls over onto her back and closes her eyes again.

Justin can't help but smile as he flips over and slips his arms around her waist. "I love you too Candace. Never forget that."