“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride,” the man at the altar said. Bruce lifted Diane’s veil and kissed her, and the audience cheered.
“Oh, they look so happy,” Selena cooed, watching the video of Justin’s grandparents’ wedding.
“They still are,” Pattie smiled fondly. The two sat on the couch after just relinquishing a bunch of old home videos. Selena had been invited over to watch them with Pattie and Justin, but he was running late from his busy studio schedule.
“That’s so sweet,” Selena continued to gaze at the screen, a small smile spread across her face.
“They do make a great couple,” Pattie added, rummaging through an old box. She pulled out two large binders with a silky, embroidered border.
She opened up to the first page and glanced at a picture of a very small Justin in a high chair, holding something over his head. Selena laughed as she looked at the photo. The silly boy had poured spaghetti all over his little head. His body and his sandy hair were both stained red. He didn’t look too happy about it at all.
Justin walked in from the back door then and kicked off his shoes as soon as his feet hit the carpet. His heart thrummed in his chest as he noticed Selena sitting in the family room.
“Hey Mom,” He trudged into the room, his pants hanging dangerously low. “Hey baby – Where did you get that?”
“Justin, lower your voice. And you should really close the door,” Pattie admonished, studying Justin’s baby pictures over Selena’s shoulder. Justin rolled his eyes and stepped over to the door and closed it.
“What are you two doing?” he asked, coming back into the room and setting himself between the women.
“Looking at your baby pictures,” Selena said, flipping the page. “Jay, you look so cute!”
Before Justin was going to retort back, Pattie pulled out a black, VCR film tape. “Oh Justin, look at this.”
Justin pulled the tape easily from her fingers and looked it over, “I really don’t want to watch this, Mom.”
“Oh, come on, Justin,” his girlfriend sighed. “Let’s watch it. You don’t even know what it is.”
He looked over at Selena desperately but unfortunately for him, her eyes were just as hard as his mother’s, and she strongly nodded her head as she whispered, “Please.”
With the majority against him, Justin gave in, closing his eyes and hanging his head down in embarrassment. “…Fine,” he relented with great reluctance. “Put it in.”
Pattie slid in the tape and pressed play. She stepped out of the room for a moment to search for other old, fond memories. Justin looked at the screen and his heart clenched at the image.
A small boy runs in circles in a yard full of deep green grass and tall trees. He laughs as his father chases him, hollering, “I’m gonna get you, Justin! You better run fast!” Within seconds the man catches him, and they tumble to the ground, laughing.
Justin smiled at the memory, bits and pieces still coming back to him as he looked back to that particular day.
“Justin – are, are you okay?” Selena asked, honestly worried. She was worried that it might have brought him memories that he didn’t want to remember. “Should we – should I not have – ?”
“Shh, Sel,” Justin comforted, rubbing a warm hand up and down her arm. “It’s okay, don’t freak out. I’m glad you showed me.”
“Okay,” Selena relented, not completely sure how she felt about it.
“I’m okay, promise,” Justin gave a sigh and leaned down to kiss the very edge of Selena’s mouth gently. “You’re perfect.”
As she felt his lips make contact with her skin again, just millimeters away from where she wanted him, she was struck with a jolt of boldness and desire in equal parts. Selena turned her head and by a stroke of grace, she managed to catch one of Justin’s lips perfectly between hers. They kissed, gently and softly. The sound Justin made into her mouth made it hard to keep from pressing her hips forward into him.
Justin pulled back from her then and Selena let out a sound that was a disturbing cross between a whine and a moan.
“God, Selena, you’re so perfect it’s unreal,” he said dipping his head and placing a kiss into the hollow of Selena’s neck, the underside of her jaw, just under her ear.
“I’m so happy right now I could scream,” Selena whispered, biting her bottom lip when his lips trailed along her jawline.
“Really?” Justin asked, his head lifting to look at her, his voice cracking a little. “Are you really happy?”
Selena scooted up to press her face into Justin’s warm neck, inhaling deeply. She kissed the junction where his neck met his shoulder gently and Justin felt himself tense against her.
“I’ve never been happier,” she whispered into his soft skin.
