The house was empty when Justin and Elizabeth got back from their date. It was a little chillier inside than it was when they left, but neither seemed to notice. Elizabeth looked around the living room, and found no sight of Anna. She called Anna's name, but got no response in return.

        “Wait. I think she left a note,” she said. She grabbed the piece of paper off the coffee table and picked it up, slowly reading it over. What she read was almost unbelievable.

        Honestly, she wasn't that surprised.

        I left with JC. Don't worry, everything's okay. If you need to reach me, we'll be at our house. Thank you for everything, you guys. I'll call you later and let you in on what happened.
        Love, Anna

        “Looks like they got back together,” Justin said from behind her. He had removed his coat and thrown it on the couch.

        He took the note from Elizabeth's hands and scrunched it in a ball and threw it across the room. “Can't say I'm at all surprised. I knew he could get her back,” he said.
 
        “But I don't understand,” Elizabeth said. “That girl---”
 
        “Ended it with her last night,” he told her.

        “I'm glad.” As mad as she still was at JC, she was glad that he and Anna were back together. From the moment she had seen JC and Anna together that first night, she had been able to see that they really loved each other.
 
        They'd been both worrying about Anna the last few days, and Justin just wanted to get back to him and Elizabeth. They had just gone out for a nice dinner at a local restaurant, but it seemed like they hadn't been alone for days.

        He pulled her into his arms and nuzzled her neck, placing delicate kisses along the skin there.

        Elizabeth just closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of having Justin in her arms again. His kisses were causing her to feel weak. She held onto his shoulders for balance and tried not to groan as his mouth moved up to her lips. He claimed her mouth in a soft, but heated kiss. She grasped his shoulders tighter as the kiss deepened.

        What was he trying to do to her?
 
        Justin hadn't had a moment alone with her without someone looking at them, or without someone asking for an autograph.

        They're relationship had just been announced to the media, and even though Justin had warned her about the attention their relationship would get, she was shocked to see that everyone was interested how they met, how long they'd been together, and what she was like.

        Dinner had almost been a disaster. Justin had gone out in a pair of dress pants and a plain white shirt. And still with his glasses hiding his identity, a few managed to recognize him. And they didn't wait to disturb their dinner and ask for autographs.

        Elizabeth had felt totally out of place. The whole time at the restaurant, she just sat there and picked at her food.

        “I'm sorry about what happened at dinner,” he apologized. “Sometimes the fans can get a little…” He searched for a word. “Crazy.”
 
        Elizabeth had easily waved dinner off. All she cared about was right now, being alone with him.

        “It's okay. I'm just glad we can be alone for a change.”
 
        Justin smiled. “So am I. It's nice to have you all to my self for a little while at least.” Not that he had been paying much attention to anyone else all night. At the dinner, all he could do was stare at the beautiful woman across from him at the table.
 
        “Hmmm,” she murmured when he kissed her.
 
        “Hmm?” he said, pulling away. “I hope that's a good thing.”
 
        “Hmm.” Elizabeth laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist. “It's a very good thing,” she confirmed.

        “That's good to know for future reference.”
 
        She stared at him. They hadn't talked about what had happened at her cousin's house since they got back. She wondered whether he ever thought about it.

        “You okay, baby?” he asked, seeing that she had zoned

        “Yeah,” she said. “Just thinking.” She looked back at him.

        “About what?” he asked, though he could guess what she'd been thinking about. He'd been thinking about it a lot, too.
 
        “Do you ever think about what our lives would be like if we never met?”
 
        Her question surprised him. “No, of course I don't. Why, do you?”

        She shrugged. “Sometimes. Just, since we left Mark's, I can't help wondering what my life would be like. Sometimes I wonder if you would have ended things with Meg if I never came into your life.” She hoped he wouldn't get mad.

        “I had enough people telling me to get rid of her. I would have done it even if I never met you,” he said. “But you definately moved my decision along. But why think about the past when we think about our future together?” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “I've never been so happy since you came into my life. I didn't know I could love anyone as much as I love you.”
 
        Tears glistened her eyes. “I didn't know I could love anybody again after Thomas,” she admitted. “But you changed all that. I thank God everyday that you came into my life.”
 
        He sighed contently. “I love you too.”

        He lowered his mouth down and claimed hers possessively. The next thing Elizabeth knew, she was backed up against the wall. She loved how he was taking charge of the situation they were in. She had wanted to tell him last night, but still being worried about Anna, she just couldn't. Now seemed like the right time. Especially when she wanted him right now as much as she did.

        “I want you,” she whispered, pulling her mouth away from his.
 
        He gulped. “I want you, too.” He was a little unsure what she meant by that. He wanted her in everyway that you could want the person.

        “Right now,” she said, then crushed her mouth to his again.

        This time she took charge and ran her hands through his hair as they moved towards the bedroom.

        He was totally taken aback by the way she was acting, but he wasn't about to complain. He knew what she meant when she looked up into his eyes. He could see it in those deep shades of brown. She wanted him. God, and he wanted her, too.

        “Are you sure about this, Lizzy?” he asked quietly.

        “I've never been more sure about anything. I want you to be my first.” She looked up into his eyes. “My only.”
 
        His heart softened at her words. She trusted him enough with something this precious, he could very well do the same. She was the only one he ever wanted to make love to. Though he had never told her, she would be his first, too.

        Many people believed that he slept with a lot of women, but in truth he'd never even thought about it till he met Elizabeth. Even with Meg he couldn't force himself to. He had always wanted to wait for the right girl. And now that he'd found her, he was ready to give her everything he had.

        “I want you to be my first too,” he said quietly. When she looked at him, he smiled. She had been surprised, but happy to learn that he'd never been with a woman before. “My only,” he whispered in her ear.

        “It seems like I've waited my whole life to love you,” she said. “I don't want to waste another minute.”
 
        “We have our whole lives together.”

         He took her hand and led her the rest of the way to their bedroom. For now they could forget the tour, the constant disturbances in their lives. For now they could just love each other, and forget everything and everyone around them. Tonight they would make a world of their own.

        She felt stupid feeling so nervous. She wasn't sure what to do, and she wondered how Justin was staying so calm.

        This is crazy, she told herself. He's not a stranger. You don't have to be scared.

        Elizabeth looked over at him when she heard him calling her name. “I'm sorry. What were you saying?”

        “Baby, are you sure you're ready for this? We can wait.”
 
        She looked around the room and noticed that he had lit two strawberry scented candles that were sitting on their dresser.

        Man, she thought, you think too much. Just enjoy the moment.

        “No.” She touched his arm. “I'm sure about this, Justin. I was just thinking, that's all.”
 
        He smiled. “You really should stop doing that so much.”
 
        “I'll try.”

        She laughed nervously. What was she supposed to do? They were just standing there, smiling and grinning at each other like they normally do.

        Suddenly, she relaxed when she felt his lips on hers. Then, he scooped her up in his arms and laid her down on the soft white sheets on their bed. She watched him from partially closed eyelids and he hovered over her.

        “You know,” he said, “I always dreamt about what our first time would be like.”
 
        “I did too.” She was glad she wasn't the only one who did. She opened her eyes completely and laid those loving eyes on him. “But then again, nothing's better then the real thing.”
 
        He leaned down and started to attack her jawline with his mouth. Her breathing was getting heavier. She had never felt anything like this before. She wanted him more than she ever did. His kisses slowly moved down to just below the collar of her old gray sweatshirt that she was wearing.

        He looked up into her eyes for permission to remove it. When she nodded, he slowly raised his hands and lifted the garment over her head and tossed it to the floor. As he kissed down her stomach, Elizabeth suddenly wanted to touch him, too.

        She lifted his chin with her finger and smiled sweetly.

        “Are you okay?” he asked, worried that maybe she didn't like what he was doing.

        “I'm great,” she said. “I just.…” She smiled sheepishly, her cheeks growing a rosy pink. “I want to touch you.”
 
        “Oh.” He laughed. “I thought you were going to say you hated what I was doing. I thought that maybe you were going to push me off the bed or something.”
 
        She laughed and shook her head. Though they were entering a new level in their relationship, she felt totally relaxed. She thought that maybe it would feel weird considering they'd never been this close to each other, just a few articles of clothing seperating them.

        When he started to unbutton the shirt he was wearing, Elizabeth put her hand on his stopping his actions.

        “Let me,” she whispered, and he moved his hand down to his side.

        He groaned silently as her fingertips came into contact with his skin. She didn't need to know quite yet how she effected him. Elizabeth wouldn't have noticed anyway. She loved touching him. She had always to, but she had always been scared. Maybe he didn't like her touching him that way, or that it would feel too weird and she would never feel comfortable around him again.

        But now she thought she would die if she never got to touch him like this again. His shirt was tossed right on top of her sweater on the floor, and Elizabeth resumed running her hands up and down his stomach. He tensed a little when she pressed a few light kisses in the spots where her fingers had been.

        She noticed this, and looked up at him. But Justin's eyes were closed, and his whole body was shaking from pleasure.

        When Elizabeth stopped, causing Justin to open his eyes, he groaned. “Why'd you stop?”
 
        “You had your eyes closed.”
 
        “Only cause you're driving me crazy,” he admitted. “I was enjoying it.”

         He could sense that she thought that maybe he didn't like it. Oh boy was she was far from the truth. God, he thought. Why didn't we do this sooner? He never thought it would be so good.

        She started to place delicate kisses all over the skin revealed. She moved up his body till she reached his mouth and kissed him hungrily.

        “I love you so much,” she whispered, afraid that if she didn't tell him, he would never know how much she loved him.

        He was deeply touched by her words. “I love you too. If only you knew how much.” He ran his fingers through her brown locks, that were still up in a pony tail. He took care of that himself and took it out so he could run his fingers through it all. “You're so beautiful,” he whispered, before claiming her mouth again.

        What was the guy trying to do to her? She couldn't speak. All she could do was kiss him, as her body shook as for the first time, she came into contact with his lower body. Now she could barely breathe.

        He pulled away when he saw the look of alarm on her face. “What is it?” he asked.

        “Nothing,” she said. “I just never realized I could want somebody so much. Why is it that it took so long for me to realize it?”
 
        He smiled. “I don't know. But you know, I would like to show you just how much I love you.”
 
        As a response, she grinned and licked her lips. “Then please, go on,” she said.

        “You gotta let me know if I'm going too fast. If you want me to stop, just tell me okay? I don't want to hurt you.”
 
        She nodded, unable to speak. He slowly unhooked her string on her pants, and the next thing she knew, they were on the floor along with the other clothes. She was completely naked in front of him, and he still had his pants on.

        How unfair, she thought with a grin.
   
        He saw her grin and couldn't hide one himself. “What?” he asked.
 
        “Do you realize that you still have clothes on and I'm laying here with nothing on?”

        “Why don't you do something about that?” he said, in a husky voice.

        “Maybe I will.”

         She reached her hand out and reached for the belt loop of his jeans. When she found it, she slowly undid it with unexperienced and shaky hands. Once it was gone and his pants were kicked off the bed by his foot, they both looked at each other.

        No more words were said as Elizabeth went straight into Justin's arms. He rolled on top of her and stared at her.

        “You're so beautiful. I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have you as mine.”
 
        She gulped. Closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again. “And I'm lucky to have you as mine. I don't know what I did to deserve you,” she said.
 
        “I'm sorry for all the mistakes I've made,” he said softly, running his finger down her cheek. “But I promise, you're never going to regret taking me back.”

         And then he slowly slid inside her. The sudden contact almost caused Elizabeth to jump, but because Justin was holding her, she didn't. She always felt safe in his arms.

        There was a little pain, but once she got used to his size, Elizabeth was pulling him closer, begging him to go faster. As he thrusted deeper inside her, he knew that this was it. This was the night they would both remember for the rest of their lives. This was the night they became one. He was sure of it when he yelled out of her name as he emptied into her.

        And when he pulled out of her and pulled Elizabeth to his side after wrapping the covers around their bodies, he knew that without a doubt it wouldn't be long before he would want her again.

---