The music and the heat engulfed her like a wall of flames. The club was packed, and bodies were pressed tightly together on the dance floor. A peculiar perfume wafted through the air. It smelled alternately of alcohol, sweat, smoke, and cologne… eau de club. As she shimmied to the insistent beat, Natalie was surprised to find she was having a good time. This wasn’t usually her scene, especially when it was this crowded. But, tonight, she was floating on a high, born more of the heat and the atmosphere than the two drinks she had consumed.

A group of girls she worked with had talked her into coming out tonight. They were celebrating the promotion of one of the women, and Natalie couldn’t turn them down. A key part of their persuasive argument was that it was Industry Night at this particular club. That accounted for the crowd, but it also meant cheaper drinks and fewer tourists. Once you’d lived in Las Vegas for a while, you learned to seek out your fellow locals.

Natalie could feel her legs beginning to tire, and she was thirsty for another drink. Just as she was about to head for their table, the ocean of dancers shifted yet again, and a different man was in front of her. She’d danced briefly with at least five or ten guys tonight, and she almost walked away. But something in the lean line of his body caught her eye, and she lifted her head to get a better look at him.

He wasn’t looking at her, which proved to be lucky for Natalie. He missed seeing her eyes widen and her jaw drop. But, then, she supposed that probably didn’t faze him anymore. When you’re Justin Timberlake, reactions like that are all in a day’s work.

She managed to regain her composure pretty quickly. He made eye contact with her, then, and she smiled at him. He returned the gesture, and she swore his smile lit the entire room. And then, it was gone, and he was staring down at his feet again. Her sore legs were forgotten as she watched him dance. He was actually much more low-key than she would have expected. Not that there was much room for fancy moves on this crowded floor, but he seemed shy, almost timid in his movements. Yet every now and then she saw a flash of the fluidity and grace that marked his dancing when he was onstage.

Natalie expected him to be near her only briefly and then to be washed away with the next tide of people. But he held his ground, and by the third song they were dancing with each other instead of just in front of each other. Their bodies made fleeting contact in a variety of places… an elbow here, a hip there. Each touch was followed by a smile and a few seconds of eye contact before they lost themselves in the beat again. Conversation was utterly impossible in the face of the pulsating music that was drenching them.

When the song changed again, Justin stopped abruptly. Smiling at her, he wordlessly extended his hand. Natalie’s heart was racing as she slipped her own hand into his and followed him through the crowd. He led her to a darker and somewhat quieter hallway. Turning to face her, he finally spoke. "Hi. I’m Justin."

She couldn’t help but laugh as she replied, "I’m Natalie."

"Nice to finally meet you, officially," he said, still smiling at her. "I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty thirsty. You ready to take a breather and have a drink?"

"Sure," she answered.

"Cool," he replied, turning toward a door that was almost hidden in a corner. All she could think was that he’d better stop smiling at her, because it was making her go weak in the knees.

They entered into an even darker room where Natalie could barely make out some couches and a small bar. As they crossed to the bar, she realized Justin’s bandmates were scattered around, along with a handful of other people. She saw a few other faces she recognized as well. There was music playing back here, too, but it was much quieter. Under its tones, she could still hear the bassline from the main dance floor.

She ordered a cosmopolitan at the bar, and Justin led her to a seat on one of the couches. They passed a low table which held the remnants of a cake, and she suddenly remembered today was Justin’s birthday. He was finally 21.

"Happy birthday," she said, raising her glass to him as she settled into the plush velvet of the couch.

He clinked his glass against hers, but looked at her quizzically. "How did you know it was my birthday?"

Natalie chuckled. "It says so on the cake," she said, pointing in that direction.

"Oh, right," he said, relaxing visibly.

She took a long drink from her glass as she surveyed the room. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she could now see the small groups of people conversing. "I didn’t even know this place had a VIP room," she commented.

"Well, I don’t know how much use it gets. We found this place by accident one time and now we come here a lot when we’re in town. It’s kinda nice, because it’s off the Strip and people don’t bother us much here."

"Yeah," she nodded sympathetically. "Not very many tourists here."

"Right. What about you? You a local?"

"As a matter of fact, I am. Been living here for four years now."

"That’s cool. I love this town. You work on the Strip?"

"Yeah. New York New York.  But I work back-of-the-house, so it’s a lot calmer than you’d imagine."

Justin chuckled, and lifted his glass toward his mouth. Just then, it was almost knocked out of his hand by a flying projectile that she belatedly recognized as Chris.

"How ya doin’, birthday boy?" Chris yelled. "Ya drunk yet?"

"Get off me," Justin responded, but he was laughing. "No, not yet."

"Well, why the hell not?" Chris asked. He was about to say something else when he spotted Natalie. "Hi there. Who are you?"

Natalie started to answer, but Justin interceded. "This is Natalie. Natalie, this is Chris. He’s nuts. Just ignore him."

Natalie put out her hand. "It’s nice to – "

Chris grabbed her hand, but verbally cut her off. "Ya gotta help me out, here, Natalie. I need your help."

She giggled. "With what, Chris?"

Suddenly he acted conspiratorial, although clearly Justin could hear every word he said. "You see, my little brother here, my baby brother, is finally turning 21. Now, he never, ever gets drunk. I think tonight’s the night we should change that. So you gotta help me out here. Use your feminine wiles, spike his Coke, whatever. But help me get him drunk."

Natalie was laughing hard by the time Justin finally stopped Chris. "OK, OK, that’s enough. Leave this poor girl out of your nefarious plans."

"Fine," Chris said, pretending to pout. "But don’t you ever tell anybody I wasn’t a good big brother." He continued to pout for a second before the gleam returned to his eye. "OK, I’m going back to my argument with Howie. Catch y’all later."

"Whew," Natalie sighed, "How much has he had to drink?"

Justin laughed, a low rumble that barely seemed to escape from his throat. "Probably not that much. He’s actually quieter when he’s drunk. Sometimes we spike his Gatorade on the bus… just kidding."

They sipped their drinks for a while, chatting aimlessly. She met both JC and Joey when they stopped by to talk to Justin. JC was on his way back to the hotel, having had his fill of partying for one night. Joey, meanwhile, was on to another club, with a blonde on his arm. She never got to speak to Lance, who was deep in conversation in the far corner of the room.

They polished off their drinks almost simultaneously, and she stood up, saying, "I really should get back out there. My friends will be looking for me."

Justin rose to his feet as well. "Do I get to meet them?"

Natalie was a bit taken aback. "Sure…" she stammered, "If you want to."

"Then let’s go," he said, holding the door for her so she could lead the way back to her table. As she picked her way through the crowd, Natalie wondered how her friends would react to Justin. She hoped they wouldn’t make fools of themselves.

"Hi guys," she said nonchalantly as she reached their booth.

"Where you been?" Tricia piped up, "We’ve been looking – " Tricia stopped as Justin walked up behind her, and Natalie held her breath. But all Tricia said was, "Who’s the hottie?"

Natalie looked around the table in disbelief. All of her friends were staring back at her expectantly, waiting for the answer to the question. None of them recognized him.

"I’m Justin," came from behind her. "Nice to meet you all."

A chorus of responses came back, along with several looks of approval directed Natalie’s way. Then his voice, low in her ear, so close his breath tickled her. "You see, this is why we like this place."

She turned her head, and his face was right there, so close she almost had to close her eyes to be able to stand it. She could feel five pairs of eyes burning holes in her, and she quickly stepped back. Swallowing hard, she managed to look him in the eye and say, "You ready to hit the floor again?"

"Let’s go," he said, and she swore she saw a wicked twinkle in his eye. What the hell is going on here, she wondered. She turned back and asked if anyone else wanted to dance. Carrie and Sara took her up on her offer, and the four of them headed out to the dance floor. It was getting later, and there was a little more breathing room now. They all sort of danced in a little circle until Justin excused himself to go to the restroom and the other two girls pounced on Natalie, both talking at once.

"He is so hot!"

"Girl, he is fine!"

"Where did you find him?"

"Are you going home with him?"

"Is he a local?"

"Does he have a brother?"

"Whoa, whoa!" Natalie finally said, holding up her hands. "Everybody settle down. I just met him for Chrissake." She looked at them closely, about to say, "Don’t you people watch MTV?" But then she decided she liked the fact that he was her little secret right now. She decided to leave it alone. Instead, she cocked her head to one side and said, "He is pretty hot, isn’t he?"

"Oh my goodness, yes!" Sara replied, and the three girls dissolved in laughter. And then Justin was back, and they resumed dancing. He moved dangerously close to her, locking his eyes onto hers. They danced together, moving in the same ways without exchanging a word. She followed his lead for a little while, then he followed hers. With a little more space to work with, his moves became bolder; his hips gyrated a little more. She kept up with him, and before she knew it, their bodies were pressed tightly together, grinding in perfect time to the beat that never seemed to let up.

Natalie had no idea when Sara and Carrie left the dance floor. There was no one in the room right now but she and Justin. She slid her hands along his arms, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt. His hands were planted firmly on her ass, and she couldn’t believe how much she was enjoying that. She put one hand on the back of his neck, toying with the curls that had just recently grown out. The relentless beat finally slowed a little, and she took the opportunity to study him for just a second. He was glistening with the exertion of the dance, and his breathing was a bit shallow for someone who did this every day. The yellow lights of the club were picking up the highlights in his hair, but his eyes were a much darker blue than they’d been an hour ago.

Her gaze wandered to his full, impossibly pink lips and rested there. The strobe light kicked on and sent her world into slow motion as he dipped his head and gently brushed those lips against her own. She responded without hesitation, and that was all the encouragement he needed. His long fingers wound their way through her short, dark hair, cupping the back of her head softly. Lips and tongues clashed greedily, and she grasped two fistfuls of his shirt.

Abruptly, he pulled away, leaving them both gasping for air. She watched him look around him, and she did the same. Amazingly, time had not stopped, although the club was beginning to clear out now. He pulled her close so she could hear him.

"I can’t do this here," he whispered urgently, "Someone will see me. Come back with me." He stepped back so he could look at her, and his eyes were pleading. All she could think was, how can this boy think he has to beg? But she merely smiled and nodded.

Pulling him back down to her level, she whispered, "Meet me at coat check."

She hurried back to the table, where only Tricia and Lisa remained. Grabbing her purse, she said, "Gotta go, girls," and took off, ignoring the catcalls behind her. She knew they had to be surprised. Natalie was never the one who left with a guy, if she went out at all. But this was one chance she simply could not pass up.

He was waiting for her, already wearing his favorite brown jacket. "I would have gotten yours, but I didn’t know…" His voice trailed off as she reached up and ran her finger across his lips.

"It’s OK. I’ll just be a second." She handed the attendant her ticket and a ten-dollar bill, and she had her coat in thirty seconds. Outside, they were fortunate to grab a taxi quickly. As they slid into the backseat, she asked him, "Shouldn’t you have security with you or something?"

"Nah," he shook his head, "It should be OK. No one knows we’re in town." Turning to the cabbie, he said, "The Rio, please," before sliding the window shut between them. Focusing his attention back on Natalie, he said, "Thank heavens for tinted windows," and smiled as he pulled her into his lap. They began kissing fiercely, and she sighed as his hands roamed all over her body, although they never strayed under her clothes. She could feel him beneath her, his desire growing more obvious by the minute. God help him if there were fans at the hotel.

But luckily, there were not, and he paid the cabbie and they walked briskly to the elevators, seemingly escaping notice. He held her hand as they rode to the top floor, but he didn’t say a word. Finally they got out and again strode swiftly up the hall to his room. He let her in and closed the door behind him, letting out a sigh of relief she was sure he hadn’t meant for her to hear.

Her attention turned quickly, however, to her surroundings. They were in the living room of an enormous suite, with a huge picture window opposite them. A Jacuzzi bubbled in the far corner, next to a bar, and music played softly. Justin noticed her expression and laughed, "Hey now… I don’t want you to be getting the wrong impression. I don’t always get to bunk like this on the road. This was a birthday present from the guys."

"Wow," she said, "Can you tell them my birthday is in May?"

He laughed again, his tongue peeking out between his teeth. He took her coat and walked her over to the window. "I think the view is the best part, really. In the daylight, you can really see the mountains," he said softly. She could feel her heart rate picking up again. God, he was so sexy. And the best part was that he was only half aware of it. One minute, he was all teeth and confidence, and the next, his insecurity peeked out from under his heavy brows. "Can I get you something to drink?" he asked, breaking into her reverie.

"No, thanks," she breathed, reaching up to pull him down to where she could capture the lips that seemed to be calling to her. Their frenzied kisses renewed, they somehow stumbled to the couch. Justin grabbed a remote and turned up the music.

"I take back what I said… the best thing about this suite is the sound-proofing," he said with a grin. She giggled and he took the chance to plant a kiss in the hollow at the base of her throat. Her giggle turned into a moan as his lips softly kneaded the flesh of her neck.

"Justin… how did you… that’s my favorite…"

He stopped and looked at her, his eyes dancing with delight. "Lucky guess," he shrugged. Then he returned to his ministrations. She reveled in the attention, not caring if he left a mark, not caring if he left a hundred marks. They continued making out for what seemed like an eternity. He slowly unbuttoned her shirt and removed her thin bra, turning his attention to her breasts. Natalie ran her hands endlessly through his curls, fascinated with their softness. Finally, however, she pulled his shirt over his head and drank in the sight of his beautifully sculptured torso. She moved her hands all over his smooth skin, pulling lightly on the tiny curls of his scattered chest hair.

He had her pinned in the corner of the couch now, and she was drowning in the sensation of their bare chests pressed up against one another. She wanted more; she wanted all of him. Her hands slid down his back and slipped underneath his waistband, cupping his buttocks and squeezing hard. He moaned and rocked the weight of his body against her roughly. He managed to unzip her skirt and remove it without ever lifting his own body. Now clad in just her lacy panties, she could feel the hard heat of his cock pressing against her stomach. She wanted badly to hold him, and she moved her hand inside his pants, around his hip and toward his erection.

And, suddenly, his long fingers wrapped around her wrist, and he stopped her. Startled, she pulled her head away from him, and he sat back, both of them panting heavily.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"I…" He refused to meet her eyes, and she didn’t know what to make of this development. "It’s just… I…"

She sighed. "OK, Justin, this has been in the back of my mind anyway, so I may as well just ask. Is this all a big tease?"

He looked up at her then, and his eyes were wide. "No! No, I – "

She continued without waiting for his explanation. "Because the last time I heard, you were a virgin and planning to stay that way until you got married."

"Natalie, wait," he interjected, "It’s not like that." She eyed him skeptically. Slowly, he continued, "I mean… yes, I am a virgin. But the whole marriage thing wasn’t my deal; it was hers. I just wanted the time to be right. And this… this feels good. This feels right. I want to be with you. I stopped you because… because I was afraid this would all be over in a hurry, and that’s not what I want. So… it’s not a big tease, and if I haven’t completely freaked you out yet, I’d like to start kissing you again." The pleading look was back in his eyes, and Natalie felt herself melting.

"Freaked me out? You’re telling me that not only do I get to make love to the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on, but I get to be his first?"

He dipped his head a little, and she could see a blush creeping over his ears. "Um, yeah, something like that," he murmured.

She leaned way over, till her lips were right next to his ear, and she whispered, "That is so hot… I’m even more turned on now than I was before." She saw his body relax again. Hooking her fingers in his belt loops, she drew him forward so that he was on top of her again. "C’mere," she said with a smile, "And don’t worry, I won’t let you go over the edge too soon. You just have to trust me."

They lost themselves in each other, then, until the couch seemed too small. Wandering dizzily into the bedroom, they removed what was left of their clothing and slipped between the soft sheets. She showed him what she liked, and he was a quick study. Aroused as she was, it didn’t take long for him to bring her to climax. As she recovered her senses, she opened her eyes to find him staring at her. "Wow," he whispered, "Did that feel as good as it looked?"

"Better," she replied. "And now I get to return the favor." She wrapped her fingers around him, sliding her hand up and down and occasionally using her fingernails for good measure. At the same time, her other hand was everywhere, and she kissed him feverishly. She kept this up until she knew he couldn’t take much more, knew she had him right on the brink. Then she ceased all her caresses and rolled over onto her back, inviting him in with her eyes. She wanted him to feel in control during this, his first time. There’d be plenty of time later for him to learn the joys of other positions.

He opened his mouth but seemed incapable of speech. He was breathing hard, and his whole body was trembling. His eyes never left hers as he lowered himself over her. With just a tiny bit of her guidance, he found his way and slowly slid inside her. She watched in delight as his face contorted into an expression of intense pleasure and he gasped loudly. He remained motionless for a few seconds before rocking his hips back and forth, developing a slow rhythm.

Bending his head low next to hers, he asked quietly, "Is that OK? I’m not hurting you, am I?"

She turned her head, "No, baby, not at all. That feels amazing. Why don’t you try going a little faster?" She put her hands on his ass to encourage him, and he did as he was told. His natural rhythm and grace served him well in this pursuit, as did his lithe, agile body. If she hadn’t known already, Natalie never would have guessed this was his first time. His hips were tireless, and he moved them in ways she hadn’t thought possible. Her whole body started to tingle, and she could tell that he, too, was arriving at the point where his desire would overwhelm him. She whispered, so low in his ear he could barely hear her, "Let go, Justin. Just let go."

And his pace quickened still further, and he began to make tiny noises that he seemed to have no control over. Her hips bucked against his as she came near her own breaking point once again. He moaned her name, and it was just enough to send her crashing over the edge. She cried out as her body was wracked with spasms of pleasure. It was finally all too much for him, and with a final thrust of his hips and a loud groan, he spilled into her. He rocked back and forth several times and then collapsed on top of her, shivering with aftershocks.

She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, allowing him to lie there until it became uncomfortable. Then she nudged him so that he rolled onto his back. Propping herself up on one elbow, she ran her finger down his chest to his navel and smiled him. "Can you speak yet?"

It took him two tries, but he finally said, "I think so. Wow. That was fucking amazing. What the hell did I wait so long for?"

Natalie chuckled. "You wouldn’t have appreciated it as much if you hadn’t."

They lay there like that for a few minutes, Natalie idly tracing patterns on his muscular chest. Suddenly, Justin’s face lit up. "Hey, you wanna go play with the Jacuzzi?" A look of surprise crossed Natalie’s features before she could stop it. "What?" Justin asked suspiciously.

"Um… nothing…" she replied, "I was just kind of expecting you to pass out."

"No way, man, I’m wired," he said, bouncing up into a sitting position to prove his point.

Natalie had to laugh at his boundless energy. "Boy," she said, shaking her head, "Wide awake after sex. Aren’t you a keeper?" But it was the wrong thing to say, and Justin’s face fell as he was reminded of the transitory nature of this relationship. "Justin…" she said, "It’s just a figure of speech."

"I know," he said, quietly.

"Anyway," she said, to change the subject, "I will take you up on the Jacuzzi offer. But I think I better take a quick shower first. I’m a little messy over here."

He looked confused for a second, and then realization dawned. "Oh," he said with a grin, "Sorry about that."

"Nothing at all to be sorry about," she said, leaning over and kissing him. "But you don’t want it in the Jacuzzi." He cracked up, and she headed for the bathroom.

She already had the water running when he hollered in from the doorway, "Hey! Can I come, too?"

Opening the door to the enormous shower stall, she replied, "I was beginning to think you’d never ask."

After a quick and mostly perfunctory shower, Justin poured each of them a glass of wine and they headed for the Jacuzzi. Natalie couldn’t believe how comfortable she felt walking around the suite in the nude. Normally she was very self-conscious about her body. She wasn’t really overweight, but she definitely had curves not found on your average supermodel. There was something about Justin, though, that set her at ease. Given his superstar status, that seemed odd, but it spoke volumes about what kind of person he was.

They relaxed in the bubbling warmth of the tub and talked about whatever came into their heads. Music, movies, Vegas, other places they’d both been… She found she really enjoyed the conversation, and she wished they could be friends. But she knew that was unlikely, so she put it out of her head. She would have wonderful memories of tonight, and that would be enough. But there was one thing she wanted to ask him, and she finally worked up the nerve.

"Can I ask you a question?"

A little apprehensively, he answered, "OK."

"Why me? Why tonight?"

He smiled and ducked his head a little. "Um… well… It just seemed like a good time for it, I guess. With it being my birthday and all, and the guys getting me this suite."

"No peer pressure there."

He laughed. "I don’t think they meant it that way. They don’t usually give me a bad time about it." He grew serious again. "And as for you… You really got my attention at the club when we were dancing. I knew you recognized me, but you didn’t lose your mind over it. And… I don’t know… you’re a great dancer, and you’re beautiful, and I just felt a connection with you and decided to go for it."

"That’s sweet, Justin, thank you."

"You’re welcome. I thought it sounded kind of cheesy, myself."

She laughed and said, teasingly, "How do you know I won’t call People Magazine first thing in the morning?"

He looked up at her, and his eyes clouded over. "I don’t know that. I can’t ever know that. It’s a part of my life I’ve come to accept. I just have to trust people sometimes, you know? I couldn’t breathe if I didn’t. And you don’t seem like the kind of person who would do that to me."

"I’m not," she said quickly. She felt bad for even bringing up the subject. "You can trust me, Justin. I won’t say a word. To anyone."

"Thanks," he said.

"You’re welcome," she replied, bending forward to kiss him softly. She squealed when he suddenly grabbed her and dragged her into his lap again. His lips eagerly sought hers, and his hands began roaming over her body once more. Eventually, they toweled off and found their way back to the bedroom. This time, they went slowly, exploring each other’s bodies thoroughly. She marveled at the resilience of his young body, and by the time it was all over, she felt utterly sated.

They lay lazily in each other’s arms, not speaking. Natalie could tell Justin was growing sleepy, which was unsurprising given that the sun was peeking over the horizon. She wanted nothing more than to fall asleep wrapped in his long arms, but she had to go work that day. Reluctantly, she sat up and turned to face him. "I have to go, Justin, or I’ll never manage to get to work today."

"You really have to?" he asked, frowning.

"I’m afraid so," she replied.

"OK," he said quietly.

She pulled the blanket up over him and began dressing quickly. She could feel his eyes following all her movements. When she was somewhat presentable again, she sat back down on the edge of the bed. He was still just watching her, with a look in his eyes that she couldn’t categorize. She reached out and ruffled his curls. "Thank you, Justin. I had a wonderful time tonight."

"Me, too," he said softly, taking her hand and kissing it. "I’ll never forget it."

"Neither will I," she replied, smiling at him.

She began to pull away from him when he suddenly said, "Wait – hang on a second." He stretched to the nightstand and grabbed the hotel stationery and a pen. Hesitating for an instant, he scribbled something down. "Drop me a line sometime," he said, handing her the paper. On it was his email address. She doubted that she’d be writing to him anytime soon, but she accepted it from him just the same.

Natalie leaned over and kissed him one last time and then rose to her feet. "OK, I’m going," she announced.

"I’ll walk you to the door," he said, making a move to crawl out from under the covers.

"No… stay in there where it’s warm. Get some sleep. I’ll make sure the door locks when I leave." He pulled the blanket back over himself but didn’t respond to her. She turned to go, but he stopped her with his voice.

"Natalie – Our plane doesn’t leave until three or four. Did you want to maybe have lunch or something?"

"I’m going to have a ton of work to do today since…" She started to make the excuse and then decided to just be truthful with him. All alone in the huge bed, he looked his age for the first time that night. "Justin…" she said gently, "Tonight was magical. I think… I think maybe we should just let it be."

"OK," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"OK," she replied, "I’ll see you later, then."

He didn’t answer her as she turned and walked into the living room. She grabbed her coat and purse and made her way to the door. Taking one last look around, she went out into the hallway. She closed the door quietly behind her, checking the knob to make sure it was locked.

Chapter Two

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