WILDFIRE
By Aysia Anderson (a.k.a. Nikki)

Chapter Eighteen: Venus de Milo

“I want to thank all of you so much for coming out tonight to see this show! It means so much to me that you all would set aside a portion of your time to come out and see me! You guys had fun, right?” The applause and shouts were deafening as Camille stood in the middle of the stage with all of her dancers moving around her to the music that the band was playing. “Yeah, that’s what I love to hear!” She laughed. “Thank you! We love you!”

The sound of the cheers from the crowd were gratifying as Camille took a bow with her dancers and took in the momentous energy that was being fed to them. She breathed in heavily, exhausted from the strenuous performance that she somehow loved, and waved to all of her beloved fans. The show had gone off without a hitch and possibly had been the greatest performance she had ever given up until that point.

Camille had never been so eager to walk away from the stage the night of the last concert on her Disillusioned World Tour. In many ways it was bittersweet for her as she exited backstage and was handed a water bottle and towel to wipe away the sweat. All of her life she had dreamt of headlining her own tour and being successful at it. She had just accomplished that goal by selling out venues within mere minutes, and she could feel by the audience response that they were all walking away feeling good and satisfied with what they had just experienced.

The thing that saddened her though was that it was over. She was going home to start all over again, to write new material, to expose her soul once more in the recording studio. The only thing in that moment that could bring a smile to her face was the fact that she wouldn’t be doing it alone. She was going home to someone instead of to an empty house. She was going home to an environment of love, trust, and honesty where nothing was off limits. Nothing was ever off limits with Justin.

At times it was still hard for her to believe that she was a married woman. If it hadn’t had been for the wedding ring on her hand catching her attention most nights then she would have believed the whole thing to be nothing more than a whimsical fantasy. There she was, a newlywed, and hadn’t laid eyes on her husband since the day that she had married him. It wasn’t the ideal situation but it was a sacrifice of their careers.

After the reception she had boarded a plane to her next tour venue where she took in a few hours of sleep before heading out onto the stage. In turn, her husband stuck around their home for another week before jetting off to do commentary for the NBA. There was no honeymoon. Only a lingering kiss goodbye to tide them over for the next month and a half that they would be spending apart.

“Is everyone ready to go?” Camille asked timidly as crew members and dancers scrambled around the backstage area like mice heading off in all different directions. Observing the chaos, she ran her fingers through her long hair toward the back of her head to keep it from sticking to her damp face. If this was what touring was like while being in shape she didn’t want to know what touring out of shape could be like. She was tired and sore.

“Pick it up, people! Pick it up!” The tour director shouted out as they all circulated around collecting items and dashing out to the tour buses with equipment. “Let’s move! We want to be able to get out of here and get home as soon as possible!”

“Everyone is still going to that nightclub, right?” Tommy, one of the male dancers, took a moment out to ask as Camille stood with her bodyguard feeling shell-shocked. He was a tall and muscular man of mixed heritage, Puerto Rican and Irish, that usually danced as her partner or love interest onstage. He had the most brilliant green eyes and lightly tanned skin that she had ever seen.

“Um, I think so. I’m not sure.”

“You’re not going to bail on us, are you?” The man smiled at her, rubbing his hand over her arm gently. “I know you’re excited to get back to that husband of yours at home.”

“No, I’m not going to bail.” She forced a smile even though the thought had actually crossed her mind to duck out right after the show had ended and catch the quickest flight back to L.A. “This is the last night that I’ll have to spend with you guys and I don’t know how many of you are going to come back on tour with me. I wouldn’t skip out on this night with you all for anything.”

“Yeah, that is, unless Justin just happened to make a guest appearance in town just to swoop you up and take you home.”

“Ha! You say that like he’s free to do something like that. He is so busy right now. I’m glad that I got to do this tour because otherwise I’d be sitting at home pulling out my hair wondering when he would be coming home and you know I can’t do that.”

“The pulling out of the hair or the sitting at home?” Tommy joked. “Alright, well, we’re all heading back to the hotel to get showers and all but we can expect to roll over to the club with you, right?”

“Definitely. I want to go back and wash the funk off too.”

“Well, hey, I could be of some assistance in that area if you needed me.” He winked.

“Oh, you are so bad! Go get on the bus, Tommy!” Camille rolled her eyes at her dancer and friend as he bounded off down the hallway as ordered. “What a cut-up.”

“So back to the hotel and then to the nightclub?” Eddie, her bodyguard, questioned for confirmation.

“I guess so. I don’t think I’m going to stay out that long though. I really want to get back home.”

“Alright then.” Eddie nodded that he understood where she was coming from and offered the young woman his arm. “Let’s make that move right now then so we don’t have to delay you getting back to your husband any longer than we have to.”

****

“Alright, Griffin is up at the free-throw line right now after drawing that foul from Browning on that lay up.” Justin announced as he and the other two men dressed in ties and suits sat on either side of him commentating on the basketball game. “Griffin needs to make these two shots if his team is going to stay in the game.”

“Now, Griffin is a rookie with a lot of potential.” Magic Johnson stated. “This kid is a great point guard yet doubles as an in your face defensive player which is a combination that makes magic on the court.”

“My sentiments exactly. I’ve had my eye on this kid for a while now and was always wondering why Sanders kept him on the bench. It all makes so much sense now. Griffin is like the secret weapon for this team.” Justin agreed as the young player landed both shots at the free throw line. “Nothing but net, baby. Nothing but net.”

“Gorgeous,” Amad Rashad added before whisking them off into a commercial break and turning in his seat to the young pop star that had his hands all over the entertainment industry. “Player, player!”

“Ha, ha! What’s up, man?” Justin turned in his swivel chair to face him with a smile looking completely professional in his navy blue suit and tie.

“Man of the millennium, partner. I hear your wife should be coming home soon.”

“Yeah. She had her last tour date tonight so hopefully she’ll be back in town by tomorrow morning.”

“Excited?”

“Hell, yeah, I’m excited! I haven’t seen my girl in over a month now. I can’t wait to just see her in person and tell her how much I love her.”

“Camille Henderson. Mm-hmm!” Magic Johnson dusted his hands symbolically in order to further his sentiments. “You landed you something special right there, boy.”

“Well, thank you, sir.”

“Be sure to take care of her, now. You don’t want to let something like that slip away from you. The girl has fire in her touch. You can tell that just by looking at her performing onstage. She exudes this confidence, this sensuality…”

“Hey, hey, now!” Justin warned jokingly. “Don’t be sitting here fantasizing about my wife, man. I don’t want to have to throw you a beat down.”

Magic, Amad, and Justin all laughed together. Maybe it was true that Justin didn’t know just quite what he had but he wasn’t blind. He knew that he had something. For once in his life the public wasn’t pinning him as just another side order to a dish. He was a part of a powerhouse couple now. There was Brad and Jennifer, Will and Jada, and now there was Justin and Camille.

“So do you have anything special planned for your lady love’s return to the home base?” Amad prodded, drumming his fingers together.

“See, now, I can’t tell you all of the details. A man has to keep some portions of his private affairs private.” Justin shrugged elusively.

“Oh, there he goes holding out on us again.” Magic shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I could give you a few pointers, young buck. I’ve got a few moves in my repertoire.”

Amad threw his head back in laughter. “You’ve got that right, Magic! They’re few and far between.”

“Uh-oh, watch out now!” He snapped his fingers and pointed at the other man before returning his attention onto the young man sitting between them. “Whatever you do, Timberlake, make sure it’s special and spontaneous. Women love surprises and they love romance but if you pull together something unexpected it will knock her socks off.”

Justin understood that he understood what was being told to him. He was never the one to turn away the insight of a more experienced individual. He could always take pointers or advice to better himself.

“Whatever you do, be gentle.” Amad added in his two cents. “Be nurturing and be sweet.”

“I’m sorry but y’all are coming at me like I don’t know how to put it on a woman.” he couldn’t help but to lighten the suddenly serious mood.

“Kid, we’ve seen who you’ve been with in the past so there’s no question about laying down the plumbing, but you’re a married man now and married men have to take a different approach.”

“Okay, I follow you. I get it.”

“All we’re saying is don’t bust out the moves like you’re superman and don’t punk out like you’re Clark Kent.” Magic explained. “You need to be at a medium with this thing. You don’t want her to think she married a closet freak…even if she did!”

****

“Well, look at you! You clean up like a new penny…or is it an old penny? I don’t know! I’m drunk! Hello!” Nicole Ritchie giggled and embraced Camille as soon as she laid eyes on her inside of the trendy uptown nightclub. Nicole was dressed to kill in knee-high boots, a pleated denim skirt and tube top. Her knack for drawing attention to herself had not come to an end just yet.

“Hey, sweetie. How have you been?” Camille smiled at her intoxicated friend and took it upon herself to make sure that she didn’t tumble to the ground as she walked unsteadily with her toward the VIP room. All of her dancers were already there partying it up without her. She had taken longer to get ready than expected and it hadn’t been because of clothing options.

“I’ve been great besides all of these fucking cameras following me all of the time. Hi, asshole!” she made a face at one of the gawking men on the dance floor while accidentally spilling a bit of her drink. “Same old thing.”

“Ah, I see. Tommy’s here, you know?”

“Your hot dancer, Tommy?”

“Yeah, the one with the green eyes that you like.”

“Did you tell him about me?” Nicole was suddenly reduced to a giggling school girl.

“You thought I wouldn’t? He was excited to hear that you even noticed him from performance on MTV.” Camille informed before shushing her friend and leading her into the VIP area. “Hey, you guys!”

“Hey, baby!” Tommy was the first to speak up and stood to his feet quickly to rush over to her and wrap her up in a hug.

“T is drunk, Cam. Don’t pay him any attention.” Ellie, one of the other dancers, apologized for him and embraced her as well. She was no taller than Camille with her tight curly blonde locks and hip-hop/punk sense of style.

“Two drunk people that are made for one another.” Camille concluded. “Tommy, meet Nicole. Nicole, meet Tommy. There’s a free corner over there so go and make out.”

“As you wish.” Tommy smirked flirtatiously at Nicole who immediately grabbed him by the hand and disappeared with him.

“I never pinned you as one to hang out with the likes of someone like Nicole Ritchie.” Ellie commented. “You seem really low-key and down to earth but then there’s Nicole…”

“Ha, ha! Nicole definitely is a lot more of a free spirit than I am but she’s a fun person once you get passed all of the snotty aggression. She’s actually very nice if you’re on her good side.”

“Hmm, Tommy already looks to have joined her good side.”

“I’m not even going to turn around to see that!” Camille laughed, adjusting the rim of her paperboy hat over her head. “So what are your plans after tonight, Ellie?”

“I guess I’ll be going back home to Iowa to see my mother because she’s kind of sick right now.”

“Oh, I hope it’s nothing serious. Is she okay?”

“I think she’ll be fine but don’t worry yourself with it. I’ve done enough of that on my own.” The young woman forced a smile. “So I bet you’re excited to get back to Justin!”

“I’m looking forward to it.” She nodded coyly.

“I always wanted to express my gratitude for you sticking in there and continuing the tour even though you had the opportunity to just put it on hold. Not a lot of people would do what you did with all of that drama and media attention going on and then getting married only to put your marriage on hold.”

“I knew a lot of people were depending on me and Justin understood that.”

“My mother and I really needed the money from this tour and when you kept going to make sure that everyone was taken care of that really touched me.” Ellie continued. “I want you to know that I don’t see you as only a performer or an employer. I see you as a friend and my mother and I are forever grateful for what you’ve done.”

“Yeah,” the other dancers began to encircle Camille proudly. “We all are.”

“Are you guys about to jump me or something?”

“Damn for sure!” Ellie giggled as they all encircled her in a group hug. “We love you!”

The remainder of the evening was spent laughing, talking, and dancing as no one was ready to let go of the chemistry between them all that had been started by working so closely together on the tour. They had all become a closely knit family instead of just colleagues and would be walking away with lifelong friendships. As the clock struck 1:15 Camille decidedly pried herself away and promised to keep in contact with them all. An hour later she was on an early morning flight back to L.A. ready to begin the next chapter of her life.

“I thought you were never coming home!” Was the first thing that Justin said as he met his wife in the doorway of their home and snatched her up into a tight hug. “I missed you like crazy, baby.”

“Oh, I missed you too!” Camille hugged him back as tightly as she could as he spun her around in a circle. “I wanted to come back last night but I had promised everyone that I would celebrate the end of the tour with them.”

“You and your promises.” He smiled and kissed her gently on the lips. “Wow, this is the first time I’ve gotten to kiss my own wife since I’ve married her.”

“That’s not true.”

“May as well be.” He looked passed her to see Eddie and another member of her security team unloading her bags for her. “Thanks for bringing her home safe, fellas!” He called.

“No problem man!” Eddie called back with a wave though Justin couldn’t return it because he found himself unable to let Camille go.

“God, you can’t imagine how glad I am that you’re back here with me.” He kissed her over and over again as she smiled up at him giddily. “I don’t think I’ve ever missed someone so much in my life.”

“Welcome to the club… J, I can’t breathe.”

“Oh, shit! Sorry!” He loosened his grip and smiled down at her, nuzzling his nose to hers. “Are you gonna give me babies?”

“Eyew, Justin!” She shouted playfully. “Don’t you think you should have asked that before we tied the knot? Stop watching ENOUGH. Remember in the end that J-LO kicks that guys ass and he dies.”

“You said that like I’m taking pointers from that movie or something. I just think it’s an interesting film. ‘You always leave a trail behind no matter where you go’.”

Camille rolled her eyes and tugged his t-shirt lightly. “I’m going to go help the guys get my stuff. I will deal with you later.”

“Nah, I got it. You go in there and relax, sugar.” Justin spun around her and dashed out into the driveway to help retrieve the rest of her bags. After a moment’s hesitation Camille shrugged and disappeared inside of the house.

////

“So after the Disillusioned World Tour was the first time that Justin and Camille actually had to settle into married life? Up until that point they already knew that they were compatible living in the same house together but were there any things that changed once they were officially married?” Gary inquired, spinning his pen in between his fingers as he waited for a reply from their close friend, JC Chasez.

“Honestly, I don’t think that there was much of a change for them besides the obvious. I mean it’s no secret that Camille was waiting until she got married to go all the way. It wasn’t to the degree of Jessica Simpson where she became the poster child for virginity but everyone knew that she was saving herself. I think that was the only thing that really changed in their relationship.” JC sighed heavily. “We’re not going to get into this on national television, though, Gary, so why don’t we change the subject?”

“If you’re uncomfortable then…”

“Hey, I am never uncomfortable when it comes to sex! No way, man!” JC put up his hands in defense. “I just don’t feel that their sexual relationship is any business of the public. That’s a sacred thing. Now, if it was my own relationship it would be a completely different scenario.”

“Do you feel the need to prove something, Mr. Chasez?”

“Nah,” he shook his head with a chuckle. “I just figured you needed something overdramatic in this piece to really get the viewers watching. That would make a great promotional tool.”

Gary couldn’t help but to chuckle himself. “I forgot you were the one that told the media that Justin and Camille were getting married in Beirut. I should have known you were the jokester.”

“It is my forte.”

“So is there anything that you can tell us?”

“Well, I think I can tell you that even though they were married and it was the first time that they had seen each other in over a month they still held off on jumping into the sack.” JC cleared his throat and rubbed his knuckles under his chin. “It may sound crazy to some people but they still didn’t want to rush things.”

Gary leaned forward in his seat. “Do you think that it was more or less because of Camille’s apprehension or was it something more than that?”

“I couldn’t honestly tell you that because I’m not either of them. I don’t know what was going on inside of their heads, you know? I just think that they had enough respect for one another that they really wanted their first time together to be something meaningful and unforgettable. They didn’t want it to be, ‘we just got married so get naked so we can get this over with’, you know?”

“So in other words they remained true to the authenticity of their relationship up until that point?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Do you believe that any of this waiting fed into what has ultimately happened most recently?”

“No, not at all.” JC disagreed. “I think that it was just a bad judgment call. Nothing in the beginning of their relationship could have ever hinted at what’s going on right now.”

“Now, I don’t want us to get too far ahead into the story or pry too deeply but where exactly did they have their honeymoon?”

“What ended up happening was that Justin had a few more things to tie up with the NBA at the time that Camille finally got to come back home after touring. It was all last minute stuff that hadn’t been in the plan. As soon as that was done they both flew out to a private island, Caribe Cay.”

“At the time there were reports that they were staying somewhere off of Hawaii. Was there a reason for that other than the obvious?”

“They just wanted to get away…”

////

“Now how tight is this?! Happy Honeymoon to you!” Nastassia clang her glass to Justin’s as they sat side by side in beach chairs under an umbrella watching the dazzling blue waters of the Caribbean. “I never knew you and Cam getting married was going to be so good for the rest of us.”

“No use in having a whole island to ourselves.” Justin shrugged, sipping from his glass. “I just hope you and Nelly can think of something to do in that cottage.”

“Oh, you don’t even have to worry about that. We’re the only four people on this two-acre stretch of land besides the hired help. We can keep ourselves occupied and out of you and my girl’s hair. How much are we going to owe you for this little outing?” she asked and adjusted her shades over her eyes to block out the sunrays.

“Not a damn thing. Why are you always so worried about the money?” he turned his head to face her with an inquisitive stare.

“I guess when you grow up without any you’re always afraid of losing the little bit that you get.”

“Here, you have to look at it in the same light that I do.” He offered up his assistance. “All of this can be over tomorrow. One day you’re on the top and the next you’re gone, you know? I know all of us, the four of us, have acquired a lot of money by doing what we love to do and yes, there is always that threat of it getting snatched out from under us. We all came from nothing to something. All I’m saying is that you should enjoy it. You shouldn’t worry about when it’s going to be done and over with because money isn’t what brings happiness. I’d be happy chilling back in Tennessee never having all of this as long as the people in my life were still there.”

“You wouldn’t have met Cam and I there.”

“I don’t know about that. Some people are just destined to be together. I think we would have met up somewhere along the way but back to the point of our conversation, baby girl, don’t sweat the small stuff. You’re a good investor and you’re going to have yours for a very long time.” The two tapped their fists together before returning their view to the clear waters and hearing the sound of two voices approaching from behind them.

“Good show, dog. Good show.” Nelly announced after he and Camille and walked the entire stretch of the small private island that the couple was renting for their belated honeymoon. “I’m liking this.”

“Good to hear.” Justin caught Camille’s hand as she started to stroll by in a pair of chunky heeled sandals, swimsuit and open short satin robe looking like a true superstar. Easily he directed her to sit down on his lap facing him and stared up into her eyes.

“I think that’s the cue for us to hit the road, Nell. Let’s go check out our cottage and see what’s on the menu tonight.” Nastassia quickly jumped up from her seat, leaving behind her glass, and ran off with her boyfriend.

“You sure know to clear a place, don’t you?” Camille joked, draping her arms over her husband’s shoulders. It was still strange to think of him that way. He wasn’t just her boyfriend anymore. He was her husband. She giggled just hearing the word in her head.

“Is everything to your liking, princess?” Justin ignored her question and came with one of his own.

“Not too shabby, I must say.”

“Great. No cameras, no reporters, no questions. It’s just you and me together alone.”

“Yeah, you and I, Stassia and Nelly, and about seven other people that you have working for us.” She pointed out. “Why do we need a maid, gardeners and cooks?”

“Came with the package.” He explained, shrugging.

Camille raised an eyebrow suspiciously. “Stop looking at me like you want me naked.”

“But I do want you naked.”

“Ok, then. Drop your trunks and lets do the damn thing.”

Justin rolled his eyes at his wife. “You are a trip, you know that?”

“I try.”

“Mm-hmm. Come hither.” He wiggled his finger at her until their lips connected and couldn’t help but to shudder as her index finger slowly traced the outline of his left ear. “That’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair?” Camille asked, moving her lips from his lips to his jaw line and down to his neck.

“Shit. I can’t work with this.” His eyes began to roll into the back of his head. “This is wrong. This is really, really wrong.”

“Okay, I’ll stop.” She shrugged and started to get up when he pulled her back.

“No, no! I meant that it was like, you know, the good kind of wrong.”

Camille narrowed her eyes at her husband. “The good kind of wrong?”

“Just do what you were doing again.” He pleaded helplessly.

“I have a better idea. Why don’t we save all of this yummy energy right here that we have until later tonight? That way it will be way more intense.”

Justin’s mouth hung slightly agape as she stood up from his lap and headed up the walkway back toward the cottage. “Hey! Weren’t you the one saying that it should be me doing all of the pursuing and you saying that we should hold off?” he called. “Well, I don’t like this shit! Let’s go back to you really, really wanting to do me and me pretending that we should wait!”

Camille turned to blow him a kiss goodbye. When Justin stood up from his beach chair her eyes grew huge and she squealed loudly before stepping out of her heels and turning to run away from him. Just as she arrived at the door she felt the gravity of the earth being removed and found herself flipped over Justin’s shoulder.

“You are a little bad ass, you know that?” He spanked her on the ass before opening the door and carrying her inside with him.

“Put me down, monkey boy!” she laughed and waved at the gardener who was giggling just outside of the door before she lost sight of him as Justin headed up the stairs of the cottage to their bedroom.

“What was that? I can’t hear you. You’re lips are moving but nothing’s coming out.”

“Okay, wise ass.” Camille pulled back her arm and smacked his ass as hard as possible the second that he had entered them into the bedroom and closed the door.

“Ah!” Justin yelped and retaliated by returning the favor before setting her down on the bed. He shook his head at her as he reached back to rub his soar butt bone. “You’re a mean little banshee bad ass!”

“Grr,” she twirled her fingers at him playfully before he moved in on her, bending forward to attack her lips with his own so quickly that she had to scoot back from the side of the bed and into the middle. Without hesitation he made up for the extra space as he kissed her, her elbows propping her up on the mattress, and placed his knees on either side of her.

“Fuck, wait a second.” Justin ended the make out session abruptly and dashed over to the door to lock it.

Camille stared at him inquisitively as he snapped his fingers together, pondering what to do next. “What are you doing?”

“We need music and I need a condom.”

“Music and a condom?”

“What music did you bring with you?” He bounded over to her suitcase and immediately began to shuffle through her belongings before pulling out Evanescence, JC Chasez, and Jewel CD’s. “I’m not even going to ask about this Schizophrenic CD, traitor.”

“I like that CD. Don’t be a hater.” She stuck her tongue out at him childishly.

“What’s on the Jewel CD?” He examined the track listing before deciding to use it and popped it into the stereo.

“Are you done now?”

“Yeah, I think so.” He pushed repeat on the CD deck before taking a deep breath and strolling back over to her. “I don’t need a condom, do I? I’m married to you.”

“If you still want me to give you babies then I don’t think the contraceptive would be the best thought out decision.” Camille remarked as her husband carefully crawled back over her.

“I don’t want to hear your mouth nine months from now.” Justin joked and licked his lips before kissing her again. “You agreed to this.”

“So sure that you’re going to do it right the first time.”

“Nah, just wishful thinking.”

////

“Wait, wait, stop!” Gary put up a hand as he and JC stood outside of the studio with cups of coffee in hand chatting about what could not be recorded for television viewers. “I don’t believe that!”

“You don’t believe what?”

“She just happened to have your CD with her?”

“What do you take me for here, Gar?” JC put his hand to his chest. “I would never add in some shameless plug like that. Camille loves my music.”

“So much that she would bring it along with her on her honeymoon?”

“Hey, hey. If this was something all concocted from my head don’t you think I would have said she had him play the CD?”

////

Venus de Milo in her half-baked shell
Understood the nature of love very well
She said, "A good love is delicious,
You can't get enough too soon
It makes you so crazy you want to swallow the moon."

Camille giggled as Justin drew her leg up above his shoulder, sliding his hand over her calve with a grin, and slipped her delicate toes out of her high-heeled sandal. Carefully he did the same with the other leg and kissed down the bottom of her foot, to her ankle, and to the back of her knee. He smiled down at her as she watched his every move intently and reached up to cup her hand over the side of his face with a curiously stare on her face.

Oh, oh Jupiter
Oh, oh be still my little heart
Oh, oh love is a flame
Neither timid nor tame

Taking a step back from the bed, Justin took her hand into his and stood her up on her feet with him. Leisurely he walked around her sliding his hand in a corkscrew manner over her body a few times before stopping in front of her. Kissing her, he smoothed his hands down her neck and prodded the material of her silk robe from her shoulders before hearing the soft swish of it falling to the floor below their toes.

Camille breathed in deeply as Justin moved around her once more but this time paused behind her. She was silent as he untied her bikini top and trailed butterfly kisses along the side of her neck. Her stomach was twisted into knots from her anxiousness. She had always prodded him to just get it over with in the past but this was different. This was something tangible and real and there was no sign of either of them backing down this time. They no longer had a reason to.

Take these stars from my crown
Let the years fall down
Lay me out in firelight
Let my skin feel the night
Fasten me to your side
Say it will be soon
You make me so crazy, baby
Could swallow the moon

“Nervous?”

“No,” she shook her head uncomfortably.

“I’ve seen you naked before so…”

“You have not seen me completely naked!”

“Pretty damn near.” Justin laughed, moving her hands that were covering her body from his eyesight. “Oh, my God.” he breathed. “You are so beautiful.”

Camille nibbled the inside corner of her lip nervously. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

“I’m not so bad?” He smirked down at her, forearms resting on either side of her head as he lay over her lightly. “I’m glad you approve.”

“Why stop approving now?”

“I don’t know.”

Camille swallowed as she began to get lost in his deep blue eyes. “I’m nervous.”

Justin nodded. “Me too.”

“I want to do this though.”

“Yeah,”

“Just promise that you won’t…”

“I’ll try not to hurt you.” He stated before she could complete the request that he already knew she was about to ask. “Just promise me that you’ll let me know verbally instead of sucker punching me or doing something far more damaging to the things I treasure the most.”

Camille smiled widely, “I’ll try.”

My hands are two travelers they've crossed oceans and lands
Yet they are too small on the continent of your skin
Wandering, wandering
I could spend my life
Traveling the length of your body each night

Justin’s eyes followed the invisible paths that his hands created on the smooth surface of Camille’s dark skin. In silent adoration they memorized the feel of the rises and falls of the living canvas painting memories along the way. They traveled the sloping valleys and the rising mountains before disappearing into the dark waterfalls of her hair and drawing her head up close in order for his lips to capture hers. They were soft and moist as they met reminding him of the succulent peaches that his grandmother had hand selected for her famous cobblers. Every touch was like experiencing something new yet familiar all at once.

Oh, oh Jupiter
Oh, oh be still my little heart
Oh, oh love is a flame neither timid nor tame

She had never expected it to be quite the way that it was. She expected to encounter the excruciating pain and the tears that would spring from it. Instead, though there was initial pain for the first few minutes, it was becoming a memorable experience. She didn’t cry. She didn’t have to sucker punch him or karate kick his ass over the side of the bed. She was just there in the moment getting lost in being closer to Justin than she ever had before.

Take these stars from my crown
Let the years fall down
Lay me out in firelight
Let my skin feel the night
Fasten me to your side and say it will be soon
You make me so crazy, baby
Could swallow the moon
Swallow the moon

The entire world appeared to radiate with light deriving it’s strength from within Camille’s body. It was something that she had never experienced before and was afraid to let go of. It was so beautiful and so overpowering all at once that she felt as if everything was going numb. The only thing that kept her grounded was the fact that he was there with her experiencing the same thing.

Oh, oh Jupiter
Oh, oh be still my little heart
Oh, oh love is a flame neither timid nor tame

Justin breathed heavily into Camille’s neck and let his eyelids drift down to cover his eyes weakly. He could feel her heart pounding against his chest like the beat of a drum. It reminded him of a song as he struggled to catch his breath and nuzzled into the niche of her neck resting lightly above her. He could feel her giggle from beneath him as his arm hooked around under hers and his fingers danced over her bare shoulder.

“What’s up?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“I never realized how bony your hips are until today.” She snickered before cringing slightly. “My legs hurt like hell and you’re going to have to pay for that.”

“Okay. I’ll take responsibility for that.”

Take these stars from my crown
Let the years fall down
Lay me out in firelight
Let my skin feel the night
Fasten me to your side
And say it will be soon
You make me so crazy, baby
Could swallow the moon

“When you were a little girl where did you imagine yourself being at this point in your life? I mean, did you always think that you would be a famous entertainer and all of that?” Justin asked, his arm folded behind his head, as he lay in bed staring up at the ceiling.

“I don’t think I necessarily knew from the beginning that it was going to all come about through music but I think that I always knew that I would be here.” Camille answered, her head resting on his broad chest with her fingers splayed out over his skin. She was staring out of the window of the small enclosed balcony that served as a sitting room connected to their bedroom a few feet away. Night had begun to fall. “I never imagined being with someone like you, though. I always thought that at this point I’d be completely career oriented.”

“So I threw a monkey wrench into your plans?”

“No. You made the plan better.”

Justin moved his arm from behind his head and shifted Camille up and to his side so that he could look into her eyes as he spoke. “I always had the vision of what my dream girl would be like,” he smoothed the palm of his hand over her leg that he had drawn over his abs and allowed her to rest her head on his right shoulder. “The only thing that I didn’t know about her was how she looked. I felt her presence and knew that she would light up the room whenever I would see her. Then I met you.”

Camille could feel the smile growing on her lips as he spoke. She didn’t know how it was possible to fall in love with someone every time that you looked into their eyes or merely thought about them but it was happening. She was falling all over again when in reality she had never stopped falling at all.

“You’re everything I expected you to be yet you’re more.” Justin concluded before snickering lightly. “We completely missed dinner.”

“Oh, you’re hungry now?” she laughed with him.

“I was just thinking about Nastassia and Nelly sitting at the dinner table alone together wondering where the hell we’re at.” He explained. “I’m not hungry at all. I’m completely content right now just lying here with you. I could lay here forever.”

Camille closed her eyes as she lay with his strong arms wrapped around her. “I’d really like to try…”

Swallow the moon
Swallow the moon
Swallow the moon

***Song Credit to Jewel, Jupiter (Swallow The Moon) (C) 1999

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