Sea Breeze ⚓ JJ Maybanks

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

JJ and Gina were back in her room, her arms still wrapped around his shaking body. "I'm sorry that I didn't go with you before. I regretted it as soon as you were gone."

"No, no." His eyes were still red from crying. "It's my fault. I was a total ass, and you guys were right, I shouldn't have taken the money."

Gina took his face in her hand so that she was sure he was listening. "You are not a screw up, JJ. You said that back at Barry's, and it's bothered me ever since."

"You don't think I'm a screw up?" he asked. The look on his face reminded her of when he had first told her about what was happening with his dad. His eyes were full of so much fear and shame. It broke her heart that he felt that way.

"You matter to me, do you hear me? I love you more than anything in this world, JJ," Gina smiled sadly. "I love you more than chocolate cake."

He chuckled. "Oh, you must really love me then."

Her smile grew even wider. "I do." She kissed him quickly, but he pulled her back in, deepening the kiss.

"I know I've said this before," he whispered against her lips. "But having you in my life, is the only thing that I know is a good decision." He smashed his lips against hers again and they fell back against her bed. One hand rested on her waist while the other pinned her arms above her head. Her tongue tasted his bottom lip, her legs wrapping around his torso and pulling his body closer to her.

He groaned. "Fuck, G." He tore his shirt off, not knowing or caring where it landed.

Gina's eyes found his bruises again, her fingers gently tracing them. She looked up into his blue eyes, slowly kissing each black and blue mark.

Let's just say that what happened on Kie's boat happened again, if you know what I mean...

⚓ ⚓ ⚓ ⚓ ⚓

She woke up the next morning with his arms still wrapped tightly around her.

"You will always be the best thing about waking up in the morning."

She was always going to blush whenever he said stuff like that. They could have been married for years and he would still find a way to make her flustered. At the thought of being married to JJ, she blushed even more.

"Let's go get breakfast," Gina suggested.

"But I just want to stay here with you," he whined.

She smelled the air trying to figure out what her mom had made. She smiled when she realized that it was her and JJ's favorite. "JJ, I think my mom made french toast."

He jumped out of the bed so fast you would have thought it was on fire. "Lets go! What are you waiting for, slow poke? Come on!"

Gina giggled. "You might want to get dressed first," I reminded him. "Unless you want my mom to see all of that," I motioned to his naked body. He blushed, threw some clothes on, and then they both quickly ran down stairs like they were little kids again.

"Morning, mom," Gina said as she started pouring orange juice for the three of them.

"Morning, you two," Amelia smirked as she set the plates down on their small kitchen table. "Sounds like you two had some fun last night."

JJ and Gina both choked on our orange juice. "Mom!" she protested, her face just as red as JJ's. She had no idea her mom had been home. Amelia had told Gina she was taking an extra shift so that she could pay the electric bill. But to be honest, Gina had no idea what time her and JJ had gotten home the previous night.

"Yeah, yeah, okay," her mom still had a smirk on her face.

"Ms. Dennis, I'm s--" JJ started to say.

"Oh, be quiet. Obviously that's something both of you need to work on anyways," Amelia said the last part under her breath, but JJ and Gina had both heard her. They both choked on their drinks again, causing Amelia to chuckle. "You're teenagers. I'm not saying that I totally approve, but I also know that there's nothing I can do about it. Can I at least ask if you're using protection?"

Gina wanted to crawl under the table and die of embarrassment, but JJ quietly nodded, looking just as traumatized as she felt.

Amelia reached out her hand and put it on top of his. "I just ask that you treat her right and don't break her heart. I know you two really care about each other. You have always been like a son to me, JJ."

His eyes filled with tears and Gina realized that after what had happened with his dad, what he needed most right now was a parental figure. "Th-thank you, Ms. Dennis."

She smiled back at him. "I just hope someday that you can be my son-in-law," she winked.

"Mom!" Gina screamed again as Amelia and JJ laughed at her.

"And for the record, I'm to young to be a grandma, so just be careful and make smart decisions."

"Oh my god," Gina groaned, burying her head in her hands.

"Okay, okay," her mom said, still laughing. "I'll leave you two be." She got up and took her finished plate to the sink, leaving JJ and Gina in a stunned, flustered silence.