"Hey, how's the most beautiful girl in the world today?" AJ asked sounding overly cheerful.
"Hi stud man. Wassup?" she asked laughing.
"Nothing but me," he joked laughing loudly.
"Oh god A...." she stopped herself from saying his name, remembering where she was. You say 'AJ' anywhere in Florida and people go crazy. "I'm in the middle of the video store, I better not say your name out loud," she whispered.
"I'd like to make you scream my name out loud baby. Mwahaha!" AJ laughed at his jokes.
"Stop it or I'm gonna give the phone to some teenybopper and make you talk to her as she goes crazy and makes you answer all her questions. She can scream your name for ya," Shayla said laughing at him.
"Ok, ok, I'm just kidding ya. Are ya in the porn section? Go into the porn section and let's talk dirty," he said goofing around again.
"Cut it out. You're in a horny mood today aren't ya?" Shayla said as she looked for a movie.
"That's cuz I didn't get any last night. That girl turned out to be a cold fish and you left with another man so..." He was cracking Shayla up.
"Hey not to encourage this behavior but, ya wanna come over later? Bri and I are gonna watch a movie. And no it won't be a porno movie," she said.
"Damn. Ok, I'll bring some brewskies. See ya later baby girl," he said and hung up.
"Bye," Shayla said. She laughed again as she clicked off the phone and noticed everybody staring at her. She ducked her head and went to pay for the movies. Once in the car she laughed out loud. AJ always cracked her up.
Shayla and Brian spent the afternoon with him helping her develope some pictures. He found it fun and interesting. He also took the opportunity to talk to Shayla about working for them as their personal photographer. It would mean going on tour with them when they started again and going to the all the awards events and parties and just about anything they did. Shayla was extremely flattered and excited. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. The pay would be terrific and she'd get to travel and always be with people she knew and liked. Plus she'd no longer have to look for assignments. She had two more assignments that she was already committed to which would free her up by the middle of June which Brian said was ok since they weren't going to be doing anything until then anyway. Shayla agreed to do it and threw her arms around Brian jumping up and down hugging him and thanking him. Brian realized how happy it made him she said yes to the job. They were so happy and having a great time together. He was afraid though that the feelings he was having would ruin that. He realized he'd had those feelings for a long time.
They were finishing up dinner and Brian was helping her clear the dishes. "AJ won't be here for a while. How about a walk on the beach with the dogs," Shayla suggested.
"I don't know. I don't want any of the reporters to spot me," he said.
"Grab a hat and sunglasses and we'll walk down the other direction towards the pier. Come on you need to get out of her for a while," she begged with a smile he couldn't resist.
"Ok sounds good." Brian ran upstairs and grabbed his hat and glasses. Shayla was waiting for him with the dogs on their leashes.
Once they were down at the beach and everything looked like it was going to be ok, they took the dogs leashes off so they could run and play. The beach wasn't very crowded so they didn't need the leashes. Taco, Belle and Tyke loved the beach. They would stand by the waters edge and wait for the next wave to come in, then snap and bark at it as it went back out.
Shayla and Brian talked as the walked down the beach. They talked about everything from work to families. Brian talked to her about his heart surgery and how scary it was for him. As they were on their way back, they were walking along the edge of the water. Shayla kicked some water up at him and it hit him in the face. He scrunched up his eyes and shook the water off stunned. Shayla laughed at him.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to get ya in the face," Shayla said laughing. She stopped when she saw the look on his face and realized what he was going to do. "Oh no. Don't even think about it," Shayla said backing away from him.
"Oh what's a matter? You can dish it out but you can't take it?" he asked getting into a tackle position.
"Aahh!" Shayla screamed running as he lunged for her. Brian chased after her laughing with her screaming and splashing around while the dogs yapped at them. Brian finally got her, tackling her around the waist from behind. He carried her kicking and screaming until he was knee deep in the water and tossed her in. He laughed heartily at her as she flailed to the surface choking on the salt water.
"You're a dead man Littrell," she yelled as she regained her breath. Brian was laughing so hard at her he wasn't able to react when she trudged up to him and pulled his legs out from under him pulling him under. He resurfaced in shock. It soon erupted into a dunking war, both of them finally surrendering.
Brian pulled shayla to him holding her because she was shivering from the cold water. They looked at each other and laughed. "It feels good to laugh and have fun," he said.
"Look at us. I must look like a drowned rat," Shayla said.
"Actually you look beautiful," Brian said swallowing hard. He was still holding her in his lap. Shayla's teeth began chattering from the cold and they laughed again. "Your lips are turning blue," he said smiling.
"That's because I'm freezing," she said laughing and shivering. They stared at each other for a moment. They both knew what was happening. The attraction had been there from the second they met and had been building for weeks.
"Maybe I should warm them up for you," Brian said softly tightening his hold on her.
"Maybe," Shayla said shivering as she stared into his eyes.
Brian moved slowly to her lips. He pulled her against him and kissed her. Shayla forgot all about being cold. His mouth was so warm. Both of them felt the intensity of the kiss. He kissed her for a long time and she climbed into his lap wrapping her legs around him as he sat in the water holding her. This moment had been building between them for so long and it was electrifying.
"We better get you out of this water before you catch pneumonia," Brian said as they finally pulled apart and he stroked her face.
"Yeah, we should get back," Shayla replied. They walked back in silence, both of them unsure how to act now.
"I'm gonna get a quick shower," Shayla said as they walked into the house. She quickly ran up the steps away from him.
"Hey Shayla...." Brian called after her wanting to talk about it. But she had already shut the door. "Damnit!" Brian said. "What have I done?" Brian ran upstairs and jumped in the other shower. He let the water beat down on him as leaned against the shower wall. He didn't know how he felt. Did he really want to jump into another relationship yet? Did he want to chance ruining his great friendship with Shayla? Did she even like him like that? Did he like her? Definitely he did. He had no doubt about that. And she did respond to the kiss.
Shayla put the hair dryer down and sat on the bed. She couldn't stop thinking about him or the kiss. She was totally unprepared for this. She'd have to be crazy not to like Brian and she should consider herself lucky to have him like her. She just didn't know about this. But that kiss was amazing.
"Ugh!" she exclaimed throwing herself back on the bed. She jumped up hearing a knock on the door. Had he heard her?
"Shayla? AJ's here," Brian said.
"I'll be right there," she yelled back. "Great. Now we're not even going to be able to talk about this," she mumbled. Did she really want to? But they had to.
"Did you say something?" Brian asked through the door.
"No, I'm coming," she said throwing on some clothes.
"Hey man, ya wanna beer?" AJ asked as Brian came into the kitchen.
"Please," Brian said exasberated.
"Ok?" said AJ confused. "Something wrong?"
"No, nothing, why would anything be wrong?" Brian said stuttering nervously. He felt like it was written across his forehead that he was falling for Shayla.
AJ laughed. "Whatever. I think you're losing it." Shayla came waltzing in. "Hey there's my girl," AJ said grabbing her for a kiss. He handed her a beer. Brian felt uncomfortable seeing AJ kiss her now. Even if it was just a friendly peck.
"Hi AJ," Shayla said taking the beer. She looked at Brian. They both looked away and felt uneasy. "Well, I'll go put the movie in. Why don't you guys make some popcorn."
"Sure," Brian said watching her leave.
"Something going on here?" AJ asked Brian noticing the way they were acting.
"No, why would you think that? We're fine," he said.
"Dang, she pushes my buttons. I wish she'd change her mind and go out with me. Man, the things I'd do to her. Uhh," AJ said giddily bouncing around looking for the popcorn.
"AJ," Brian scolded giving him a look. The last thing he wanted to have as a picture in his mind was AJ doing things to Shayla. He suddenly felt relieved that they never got together. But how would AJ feel about Brian being with her? AJ and Shayla were pretty close. Maybe there was still a possibility of something happening between them. And some of her reasons for not being with AJ would apply to him also. Maybe she wouldn't want to pursue a relationship with him either.
"Yo Brian!" AJ shouted snapping him out of his trance. "Where's the bowl for the popcorn?"
"Oh, um check that cabinet over there," Brian said. "Um, AJ how do you think...." he stopped deciding not say anything.
"How do I think what?" AJ asked not turning around and going about his business of putting popcorn in a bowl.
"Uh, nothing, nevermind," Brian said picking up the bowl and walking to the sitting room.
"Ok whatever," AJ said following him. Shayla was sitting on the loveseat and Brian was trying to figure out if he should sit next to her or not. He took too long though and AJ went flying by him and jumped in next to her laying down in her lap.
"Ever wonder why they call this the 'luuuuvv seat'?" AJ asked rubbing her leg and attacking her belly with his mouth and a growl being silly. Shayla laughed and pushed him away. She and Brian looked at each other as Brian sat down on the sofa on the other side of the room.
Brian watched as AJ flirted and played with Shayla throughout the movie. Shayla could see he was uncomfortable with it and felt bad but didn't want to say anything to AJ. In between the movies she went to the kitchen to get more snacks and drinks. When AJ got up to use the restroom, Brian went into the kitchen with Shayla. He stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Don't mind AJ. That's the way he is, you know that. Our relationship is kinda based on all that harmless flirting and playing," Shayla said nervously wondering why she was explaining herself.
"I'm not worried about it. We do need to talk about what happened though," Brian said softly massaging her shoulders.
"What's a matter, you tense baby?" AJ said coming back humming a song.
Brian quickly dropped his hands. "She just had a little cramp in her neck," he said covering.
"It's better now, thanks," Shayla said smiling to Brian. "Um, I'll think about what you said. That would probably be a good idea." She left the two of them and went back to the other room.
"You two are acting really strange. Is there something going on here?" AJ asked taking a drink of his beer.
"I'm not sure," Brian said staring at the empty doorway she'd just walked through.
"You're not sure? What's that mean?" AJ asked watching Brian.
"I kissed her ok," Brian blurted out.
AJ sat his beer on the counter. "I see," he said.
"It just happened and now I don't know what to do," Brian said.
"Well you better get on the ball. It's about time you realized what's been in front of your face for a while now," AJ said grinning as he walked out of the kitchen.
"Bone," Brian called after him. AJ stopped and came back. "Thanks," Brian said.
"No problem," AJ said. "But if ya screw it up, I'm giving it another shot."
Brian chuckled and shook his head at AJ. This time AJ went straight to the couch leaving the only seat for Brian to take being the one next to Shayla. Brian sat down next to her and glared at AJ who was grinning smugly at him. AJ began signing softly, "It's Gotta Be You, uh huh, uh huh", and drumming his legs. Brian shot him a look and Shayla looked at him confused.
"Well I'm kinda tired. I'm gonna go," AJ said suddenly jumping up to leave.
"Why?!" Brian and Shayla said in unison, not wanting to be alone. They looked at each other panicked.
"But we haven't watched the other movie yet," Shayla protested.
AJ walked over to Shayla and hugged her. "I'll call you tomorrow sweetie." He gave her a kiss on the cheek, smacked Brian's shoulder and left.