A loud crack of thunder and a flash of lightening had Nichelle jolting awake. She could hear the soft beat of rain outside and wished its accompaniment would stop so she could be lulled back to sleep.

The mixture of thunder and lightening had always made her nervous. Even as a child growing up in the south where storms were a rarity for her she still hadn’t grown out of the fear of them.

Her breath caught when she felt the arm around her waist tighten and a muffled groan in her ear.

“Are you okay?” Justin moved closer to her, still only half awake.

“I’m fine.” She whispered in the dark but unconsciously snuggled her back closer to his spooning body. She jumped with the second snap of thunder causing him to snicker.

I wouldn’t expect you to understand asshole

“Are you…laughing at me?” She turned her head to look at him. His eyes were closed but there was a definite grin spread across his face. She glared at him and began to get out of bed taking some of the sheets with her to cover her body.

Fully awake now, he made a grab for her. “Whoa, where are you going?” When she landed on top of him he grunted and proceeded to roll them over. She could feel every bit of him as he pinned her down under him. She knew if circumstances were different she would have taken full advantage of their missionary position.

“Away from you.” She spat and turned her head to avoid eye contact.

He stared at her for a moment, searching her face for playfulness but was met with a brick wall of disregard. Upon realizing she was very much afraid of storms he became serious and regretted his earlier teasing.

“You’re really scared, aren’t you?” He asked hooking a finger under her chin and turning her face toward his. Her eyes were glassy as if she were about to cry. His face automatically softened as he caressed her cheek.

Well, duh, shit head

She only nodded and bit her bottom lip trying to hold back the tears he was sure were about to fall.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m sorry, C’mere.”  He rubbed her back and let her snuggle up to him once more. He kissed her forehead and moved off of her and onto his side, making himself more comfortable.

He let her head lie on his chest while her hand rested on his heart, feeling the light thud. Her finger began to tap to the rhythmic beat as she stared out into the darkened room at nothing unparticular.

“I used to sleep in my closet when I was a kid while a really bad storm was going on.” She randomly relayed the childhood memory with a short laugh. Her hand began it’s descent under the sheets were it instinctively started rubbing his stomach. She could feel his muscles tighten up as her finger nails ran up and down his torso.

“You never went to your parent’s room?” His voiced was strained due to her hand movement. He could feel that familiar ball of arousal knotting up in his stomach. God, how he wanted her.

He began stroking a hand through her silky hair to somehow distract his own inappropriate thoughts. He loved the feel of it. He loved getting his hand lost in it.

There was silence for a moment, only the muffled sounds of the rain were heard from outside. Then she spoke hesitantly.

“My parents…they didn’t tolerate fear. Fear is a weakness.”

He lifted his head to look at her.

Sympathy was written all over his face.

Nichelle turned her back to him becoming annoyed. She could take his playful smirks, lustful grins but she couldn’t bare his sympathetic scowl. No way in hell was she letting him feel sorry for her. That was the last thing she wanted or needed was another, Oh poor Nicky Channing so bright yet so ill encouraged by those parents of hers.

Knowing she must have felt foolish he let her lay as she was with her back to him. Justin simply kissed her shoulder softly and whispered in her ear, “Fear isn’t a weakness baby. It takes a strong person to admit they’re afraid.” 

She closed her eyes upon hearing his reply.

She hated this.

Being vulnerable was something she was not use to. Opening up was not her strong suite either. She never felt a need to convey everything to someone before, especially, a male someone.

This wasn’t supposed to be happening, she thought.

She had a job to do, a story to write. She wasn’t supposed to be letting him cloud her judgment with flowers and sweet talk. This was supposed to be a simple seduction. Get the dirt, get in and then get out. She wasn’t supposed to be falling in lo…

Shit no

Suddenly she pushed away from him and stepped out of bed not caring that she was completely bare. Squinting in order to see better in the dark she began groping for her clothes.

“Nicky, what are you doing?” Justin’s voice was full of concern as he sat up to inspect her actions.

Pulling her shirt on, she spoke. “I’m going to my room.” She said matter-of-factly. “I have an early day tomorrow.”

“Um baby…this is your room.” He said and watched her with amusement.

Nichelle stopped shimming into her jeans long enough to take a moment and curse her stupidity. She couldn’t remember a time when her mind had been so jumbled. Shutting her eyes in utter embarrassment she began removing her clothes again.

“Well of course it is. I knew that.” She smiled smugly as if trying to make it seem like he was the idiot. “Would you mind?” She gestured toward the door, “I really have an early start tomorrow.”

“You’re kicking me out?” He laughed almost in disbelief. Justin Timberlake did not get kicked out of a woman’s room especially if sex hadn’t been implemented first.

“Well Justin, I have to get sleep and I won’t be getting much with you here.” She stood in front of the bed with her hands on her exposed hips. She was gorgeous he thought. He could barely make out her features until the bright flash of lightening illuminated the room for mere seconds. Her expression was serious and sexy, something he could definitely become accustomed to.

He grinned evilly and started to crawl toward her. “Oh really, and why is that? I don’t snore so I’m not loud.”

She rolled her eyes and watched him move closer. “Because I like my bed to myself, thank you.”

“Yeah?” Justin smirked arrogantly as he made his final advances. He was on his knees at the edge of the bed staring her straight in the eyes. He searched them for some sign of rejection and his smile grew when he was met with full-fledged desire.

“Yeah, now if you don’t mind…”

“Well I do.”

His voice had dropped an octave as he challenged her to do something. When nothing happened he made a grab for her hips and boldly let the pad of his fingers trail up and down the delicate skin. He pulled her closer so her nipples were rubbing against his own. She bit her lip to keep from releasing a moan at how wonderful her skin felt melding with his. Nichelle looked him square in the eye and jutted her chin out dropping her own voice.

“You know what?” She moved in until her lips were a breath away from his, waiting a beat before she continued. “I’m immune to whatever type of charm you think you have.” And with that she stepped away from him and climbed onto the bed trying to keep her gaze as far from him as possible because she knew that if she looked at him her sudden dismissal would be short lived; she just wasn’t willing to give him the satisfaction of knowing he affected her.

“Sure.” Justin said simply and regained his previous position next to her. He stared at the ceiling for a while analyzing the marble title and wondering why his suite didn’t have the same. For the first time that night he realized the thundering and lightening had seized leaving only the light patter of rain drops.

Soothing and peaceful, he thought. He couldn’t remember the last time he had taken the pleasure to listen to the rain. From touring, press conferences, interviews, radio shows, appearances, his family, daughter and the many women for entertainment purposes, leisure time was pretty much nonexistent in the life of Justin Timberlake.

But this little trip to Miami had proven to be very successful he concluded as he watched Nichelle out of the corner of his eye. Business on top of pleasure was his forte but something told him the woman lying next to him was starting to turn into something more then just a pleasure. There was something familiar about her that he just couldn’t put his finger on.

Relinquishing his thoughts to something more his speed he turned to Nichelle. Her eyes were closed giving off the façade she was actually asleep but he knew better. “I think you’re getting soft.”

Her eyes instantly opened. “What?”

“I’m still here.” Justin smiled. “I thought you liked your bed to yourself.”

“I do, so go away.” She huffed and cuddled up to her pillow. This only made his smile grow as he shifted closer to her. His hands found a spot on her bare hip caressing it lightly. He let his lips leave a subtle kiss on the back of her neck, then another and another until she lost count. He could have sworn he felt her tremor soundlessly.

Justin’s hands were becoming bolder, snaking around to her lower stomach. He heard her gasp almost inaudibly as they journeyed lower. He kept his lips busy on her neck coaxing her to turn to him and let him take her to that wonderful peak of ecstasy. He nibbled on her sensitive skin every so often to incite the pleasure-pain sensation.

“Justin…” She’d meant for it to come out as a stern warning not breathlessly as it had. Her mind was reeling from the work his hands, lips and teeth were doing. Nichelle moved her neck trying to keep him from it but only managed to give him better access.

She could feel his wet warm tongue flicking out to care for the wounds he’d inflicted with his teeth. “Mmm?” he mumbled against her skin.

“You…you…have to…stop…I mean go…you have to stop and go.”

He took a moment to cease all movement. “Do you really want me to go?” He groaned lowly and let his tongue take a swipe at her earlobe—she was a goner.

 “God,” She started and turned over to face him. “No. Don’t go.” She slid her lips over Justin’s surprising him thoroughly. She had never been the one to initiate anything between them, while sober anyway.

She touched his most sensitive spot making him groan for more. Her passion for control took over as she straddled his waist and bent back, basking in the sweet haze of desire. Her breast heaved as she went to take him inside of her for what seemed like the first time.

Nichelle let her head fall back and mouth fall agape at the familiar tingle but did not move; neither did he. With his hands clasped firmly to her hips Justin stared at her as if he were seeing her for the first time and in his mind, he was. He took her in—all of her. The sight of her bowing back was one of the most beautiful he’d ever seen. Her skin was the perfect shade of caramel, though in the moonlight it seemed to take on a gray hue.

“Are you ready for what I have to offer you?” He spoke almost inaudibly as he ran his hands up the sides of her waist.

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