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Post by James Benson on Feb 28, 2016 17:32:13 GMT
Less than a year ago, Ellie Tyler had thought that this week would have turned out much different than it had. She had never expected to be in a place where her best friend would have been fighting with her so violently, and part of her had never expected that things between Kensi and Jamie would have ended so poorly either. She particularly hadn't been expecting that Jamie would have brought someone completely new on their spring break vacation. It wasn't that she didn't like AJ - she didn't even know her well enough to pass judgement - it just wasn't the way that she thought it might go. It didn't change the fact, however, that she still had a week away in Mexico with her sister, her friends, and Everett. That thought alone was enough to make her look forward to whatever was on the agenda for the next few days. If nothing else, she now had a few days where she didn't have to think about anything happening outside of what was happening here; no concerns over Kensi, no worries about whether or not she had gotten the chance to spend time with her sister, and no worries about college starting in a few months.
James Benson, on the other hand, wasn't finding it so easy to put aside his concerns for the week. Maybe because he had brought his most recent concern with him on this trip. He had been pleasantly surprised when AJ had agreed to come with them on the spring break trip but that didn't stop him from feeling as though he had only made whatever tension there was between them much worse. He had to admit that after kissing her he couldn't stop thinking about doing it again. Even just sitting with each other on the plane, he had to force himself to remain strictly friendly with her, despite the fact that he had wanted to take her hand and reassure her that they were going to have a great time, regardless of the fact that he had convinced her to come on a trip with a bunch of people that she didn't know.
When they had gotten to the hotel and, like he assumed they would, everyone coupled up outside of the original room assignments, he felt the need to once more reassure AJ that they were still going to have a great time and that sharing a room didn't have to mean anything. As everyone settled into their first vacation activities, with Brody and Morgan heading off with Brody's friends from school, Jamie had to admit that he was relieved that Ellie was doing her best to try and make AJ feel welcome and part of the group.
Ellie had excitedly bounded into Jamie and AJ's shared room, saving him from having to immediately address their sleeping arrangements, and plopped herself down on the bed. "What should we do first?" she asked, grinning. "We could go to the beach, or we could get something to eat, go to the pool? Take a nap?"
Jamie laughed, shaking his head, "I'm good with anything." He turned to AJ, "What sounds good to you?"
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Post by A.J. Dogherty on Feb 28, 2016 18:59:39 GMT
AJ had to admit that she was a bit at a loss. When Jamie had first suggested spring break, it conjured images in her mind of a long crowded road trip to Florida in some sketchy motel room and whatever it was kids did on MTV during Spring Break. She liked being friend with Jamie and her parents always felt that she had to get out more, so she'd promised them that it would just be a great way to get to know his friends more and to socialize and they'd actually signed off on it. She also had been of the opinion that she'd be bunking with one of the other girls - which while intimidating enough when it came to getting to know a stranger but now it seemed that everyone else had paired off with their best friend or significant other, and so she would be staying with Jamie.
She was unpacking her book bag, which actually contained books - novels, comic books, and a guide book of Cabo San Lucas. When Ellie bounded in, she smiled at the other girl. She seemed to have quite a bit of energy and had been friendly enough to her. "Honestly, I'm easy. I've never really taken a real vacation before." She admitted. "I haven't had time to look at the guidebook, but maybe there's some kind of tour we could take."
Everett followed Ellie into their room, leaning against the wall near the door. As excited as he was to get a week away with Ellie, he was less than thrilled that he had to do it under these circumstances. While his friendship with Kensi was fractured, she was still one of his closest friends. He didn't really like the idea of vacationing with James Benson and certainly didn't like the idea of him having invited some other girl along, especially one they all barely knew. "I don't know that we're really up for sight seeing quite yet."
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Post by Ellie Tyler on Feb 28, 2016 20:11:06 GMT
Ellie looked over at her boyfriend as he appeared in the doorway and considered what he had said about not being up for sightseeing yet. While she had to admit that he was probably right, she was starting to wonder if he wasn't really as excited about this week as she was. She had been looking at it as a way to forget about everything that was stressing her out at home, but she hadn't really considered that with Everett's friendship with Kensi, this maybe wasn't where he wanted to be right now either. She thought that it wouldn't have been fair, however, if she left this poor new girl to fend for herself with nobody but Jamie to keep her company, however. It didn't really seem fair to have everyone couple up when it looked like there wasn't really anything going on between the two of them just yet. Despite the fact that she had already seen them kiss at New Year's. Though she had to admit, a lot could happen in three months, or a lot could have stayed the same, too. Maybe there was less cause for drama with Kensi than there had been before. Maybe Jamie and this girl really were just friends.
Deciding that it wasn't worth dwelling on now, she instead turned her attention back to what they could do today. "Everett's right, we have plenty of time to take a tour and see the sights. Maybe we should start off nice and easy and go lounge by the pool?" Taking note of the books that AJ had been unpacking, she wondered what exactly the other girl thought was going to happen on this trip anyway. Ellie certainly had her own ideas and she couldn't say that a lot of them had anything to do with reading. Being alone with Everett on a beach, absolutely, but they certainly weren't going to be doing any reading in that situation.
Jamie nodded, "Sure, the pool could be nice." His own reasonings for wanting to go to the pool were admittedly not what he supposed he should have been thinking, but the idea of having AJ so nearby in nothing but a bathing suit was too appealing to want to pass up. He tried to change his train of thought, to focus on anything but what he would have liked to do with his friend instead, but it was hard to focus on other things when the possibilities of it happening weren't unheard of.
"You could even bring your books," Ellie added to AJ, trying to be helpful.
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Post by A.J. Dogherty on Mar 8, 2016 2:25:25 GMT
Everett watched as AJ continued to unpack her books and the others seemed to discuss what they should do. He observed James Benson somewhat carefully, studying the way he interacted with the new girl. With each second that passed, he couldn't help but feel that perhaps Kensi was right to be upset - that he was betraying her years of friendship by taking a cozy vacation with her ex-boyfriend and new friend. He took a moment and smiled Ellie, "I'm fine with whatever." The truth was, his biggest concern was focusing on time with her, hoping to make their first trip away a memorable one for the right reasons.
AJ fidgeted for a moment, she bobbed her head gently. "Sure, I'll get changed and meet you guys at the pool?" She had to admit that she was a bit overwhelmed by the entire experience already. The hotel room was much nicer than anything she was used to. She'd never traveled far, let alone out of the United States. She also wasn't used to just lounging around the pool either. So she grabbed her bathing suit from her suit case and dropped a book to the side to bring with her.
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Post by James Benson on Mar 8, 2016 3:11:25 GMT
Ellie smiled brightly at AJ, nodding her agreement to their new plan. "To the pool!" she announced, bounding back over to her boyfriend. Smiling at him, she pressed a quick kiss to his lips before taking his hand and pulling him back toward their hotel room so that they could get ready to head down to the pool with their friends. In her excitement over their vacation, she hardly waited for the door to close before she started pulling her tank top off over her head and moved to her suitcase to find her own swimsuit.
"AJ seems really nice," she commented, pulling out her favorite new bikini. She admittedly might have gone overboard in shopping for the trip, her suitcase now overflowing with new swimsuits and sundresses. "Jamie seems to like her."
With Ellie and Everett now out of the room, Jamie was suddenly aware of the fact that he and AJ were alone together for the first time since arriving in Mexico. Even more, he was aware that he didn't know exactly what he was supposed to do now. In planning for this week and all of the excitement that had been building up around it, he supposed that he had forgotten to consider exactly how AJ was going to feel surrounded by a bunch of people that she didn't know. Awkwardly clearing his throat before deciding that he should receive his own suit if they were meant to go to the pool. He did hesitate, however, and looked over to AJ.
"We don't have to go," he offered her. "We can just do something the two of us if you'd rather."
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Post by A.J. Dogherty on Mar 9, 2016 23:29:23 GMT
Everett grinned at his girlfriend, following her to their hotel room. He'd packed light, hardly being the type to really need much except his camera bag and the clothes on his back, so he tugged his swim trunks out of his bag but dropped down onto the bed, allowing Ellie to busy herself moving around the hotel room and gather what she wanted to bring with her and change. "One of these nights we should get dinner - just the two of us. They won't miss us just for one night," he said with a nod, smiling at her.
AJ glanced at James when he told her they could do something else just the two of them and she smiled. "I don't want to keep you from spending time with your friends," she told him. "I don't mind going to the pool. Just let me change and then maybe you can help me with some sunscreen?" she asked, holding up the bottle she'd packed. "I burn really bad unless I have SPF one million," she laughed before disappearing into the bathroom. She had to admit that she still felt a bit awkward. James was really the only one that she knew on the trip, but she'd still told her parents she'd likely be bunking with one of the girls. She was honestly out of her element. After she changed into her bikini, she stepped out of the bathroom and smiled at him. "So, what sort of things do you normally do on vacation?" she asked him curiously as she opened her sunscreen bottle and applied some onto her arms and legs. "You know, some people are sightseers, others like to just sit around the pool. Could you get my back?" she asked him, anding him the bottle.
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Post by James Benson on Mar 10, 2016 1:28:20 GMT
Finally satisfied with her choice of bikini and outfit for the day, she stopped at looked at Everett, grinning at his suggestion of dinner. Well, she wasn't sure if it was a suggestion or if it was more that he was informing her of his intentions for them to spend some time alone together. Either way, she appreciated the gesture. Her own intentions in coming on this trip had been twofold, admittedly. While she loved the opportunity to spend time with Everett in a warm, beautiful resort, she also was excited over the prospect of spending some much needed time with her sister. It wasn't that they hadn't regularly seen each other recently, it was just that with her time in Ithaca and with Morgan being in college, it wasn't quite the same as it had been before. A week in Mexico seemed much more relaxing than trying to find a time for lunch or a movie after Morgan's classes.
Though, she had to admit that maybe time with her sister could wait. "Just one night?" she asked him teasingly. "That's all you want from me?" Grin still on her lips, she quickly advanced on her boyfriend, bouncing on top of him and tackling him to the bed. She kissed him quickly, "What about a whole week? Do you want me for a week, Everett?" She couldn't seem to stop teasing him, this entire vacation having already put her into a good mood.
Jamie took the opportunity to change into his own swim suit when AJ excused herself though he had to say that his thoughts had been elsewhere. Since the first night that he met her, he had known that he had no intention of remaining friends with her for long. The attraction had been obvious and he hadn't even waited long before he kissed her for the first time. Nearly a month later he had kissed her again, and a month after that they were now on spring break with each other. He just didn't know if they were still strictly in the friends zone or if they were in a position where they could move forward. When she stepped out of the bathroom and handed him the lotion bottle, he wondered if it meant more than just skin protection.
"I guess a little bit of everything," he told her, moving toward her to take the bottle from her. He squeezed some sunscreen onto his hands before gently, almost hesitantly, beginning to spread it onto her back. "What do you like to do?" As he continued to continue to apply the lotion to her body, he found himself giving into temptation and stepping closer to her, almost caressing her instead of just providing a helping hand.
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Post by A.J. Dogherty on Mar 10, 2016 2:05:51 GMT
Everett let out a low chuckle, his arms winding around his girlfriend as they fell back onto the bed together. He kissed her on the mouth soundly. "A whole week sounds perfect," he admitted. His fingers moved along the exposed skin of her back and he smirked, taking time to admire her bikini. "You should text Benson and tell him I'm not feeling well and you and I are going to stay in the room until dinner," he said gently.
AJ smiled as James helped her. She knew that he and his family tended to travel more than she ever had just from their conversations. However when he turned the question to her, she found herself distracted by his hands on her body. Her eyes fluttered shut briefly and she stifled a content hum. "Well, I've never really been on much of a real vacation," she admitted. "So I'm not sure, I want to try a little bit of everything." She bit down on her lip for a moment as his hands slid along her shoulder blades and down her back. She smiled at him over her shoulder. "So maybe you'll have to help me figure it out."
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Post by James Benson on Mar 10, 2016 2:51:00 GMT
Ellie knew that she couldn't promise him an entire week of her undivided attention, she supposed that there was no harm in giving him a few hours now. She hoped that Jamie's new friend wouldn't think poorly of her if they abandoned them and skipped out on their pool date. Pushing Everett onto his back, she climbed on top of him and straddled him, offering him a full view of her in her bikini. "What are we going to do in this room when there's so much of Mexico still that we can see? We could go lounge by the pool, or we could go find something to eat, or," she grinned at him and leaned forward to kiss him. "We could stay here, I suppose." Not giving him a chance to answer, she kissed him again.
Jamie nodded, realizing quickly that she couldn't actually see him do it. Finding that she perhaps didn't need a response, he continued to slide his hands across her body, He wondered what would have happened had he reached for the ties of her bikini and pulled them, ridding her of the thin layer of fabric that separated them. He wondered what would have happened had his hands slid under it to touch her body, but more than anything else, he wondered what would have happened if he would have kissed her. "AJ?" he questioned her softly.
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Post by A.J. Dogherty on Mar 10, 2016 3:08:48 GMT
As his hands continued to drift along her body, AJ bit her lip - now obviously well aware that it had nothing to do with sunscreen. Hesitating slightly, she stepped away only to turn around and look at him. Her eyes drifted down his bare torso and she felt her mouth go dry. She smiled up at him, stepping a bit closer to him. "Yes?" she asked him, tilting her head to the side even as her eyes drifted towards his lips. She remembered their first kiss well. It was something she had played in her head over and over again countless times only on the way home from the New Years party. While she'd shortly thereafter been set up with one of her cousin's friend there hadn't been the same sort of connection.
She liked texting James when she found a new comic book at the local shop or calling him on the phone sometimes to talk about something that had happened earlier in the day or that night while she'd been watching wrestling at home. She didn't mind a long, crowded trip on the Long Island Railroad to spend some time with him or having to deal with an unfamiliar city and take new risks. It wasn't like that with Will, and that was why it had been easy for her to turn down any plans the British boy had for them on Valentine's Day and why she'd all but completely stopped seeing him when James had invited her on vacation with his friends. She'd told herself it was because James was just a better friend but on some level she knew that it was more than that.
While she'd never been in this situation before, she also knew that if he felt the same way that she would want to see where it went. Suddenly she foresaw a brand new issue with them sharing a room, but it wasn't one that she was going to complain about.
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Post by James Benson on Mar 10, 2016 3:25:39 GMT
He didn't think that there was anything that he needed to say in response, he figured that everything from here was easily expressed in more non-verbal ways. Stepping toward her, Jamie reached out and took hold of her hips, anchoring him to her so that he could make quick work of closing the gap between them. Jamie was forcibly reminded of how it had felt the first time, or even the last time, that he had gotten a chance to kiss her. Unlike the last couple of times, he knew that they had the opportunity to explore their personal relationship without the fear of interruption by ex-girlfriends or family members. It wasn't even an awkward non-date, it was simply two people, in a nice place, just ... getting caught up in their emotions?
Jamie wasn't sure that it even mattered. What did seem to matter was that he was curious how far she was willing to let this go, how far he was even comfortable pushing her at this point. He kissed her softly at first, testing the waters of their relationship so far. When she didn't immediately push him away, he deepened the kiss, pulling her body tightly against his own.
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Post by A.J. Dogherty on Mar 10, 2016 3:35:29 GMT
AJ inhaled quickly when he pulled her closer to him, a sharp breath as though she were readying herself for something she could prepare for. But just like their first kiss, there was no preparing for it. She tentatively kissed him back just before she was pulled against him and suddenly she was aware of how little fabric separated the two of them. She reached to wrap her arms around him in turn, allowing him to deepen the kiss at his own pace as she was in somewhat uncharted waters. Her lips parted against his and she let out a soft sigh of contentment. She realized quickly that she was happy to spend the rest of their vacation kissing him and as his body pressed up against hers, she also realized that she was also willing to spend their vacation doing more than just kissing. She just wasn't sure where to start.
When they pulled apart after a moment, she peered up at him and laughed softly, pecking him on the lips. She kept herself pressed firmly against him and chewed on her lower lip for a moment. "Maybe we shouldn't go to the pool," she said softly. She tilted her head at him and smiled sheepishly. "We could stay here...settle in?"
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Post by James Benson on Mar 10, 2016 14:37:42 GMT
Jamie couldn't say that he hadn't thought about what would have happened had they acted on impulse. He wasn't naive enough to think that he was going to have the willpower to remain on a strictly platonic level with AJ as his friends continued to couple up with each other on their first real group vacation alone. The moment that he had received the entire listing of people attending the trip, he had figured that ultimately he and AJ would have been left to their own devices, not only in activities but when it came to their room, too. There had maybe been a one percent chance that AJ would have actually roomed with one of the other girls, Alex perhaps, but he had hoped that it wouldn't have happened.
With Kensi, getting involved had seemed almost logical. They had friends in common, a school in common, a whole life of commonalities, but it still hadn't been enough. AJ's attraction was based much more solidly on their interests. She liked to read the same things he did, watch the same things, they could talk for hours about everything and nothing at all, and more than just that, he genuinely liked her. Try as he might have to be remotely sensitive to Kensi's feelings, he couldn't avoid the way that he felt about AJ.
Feelings that he was all too willing to give in to as she continued to hold herself against him, giving him the out he hadn't realized he wanted. "Are you sure?" he asked softly, though he wasn't convinced that he was just asking her about skipping out on the pool. Being alone with her, barely clothed, knowing that they weren't at risk for getting caught, was enticing.
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Post by A.J. Dogherty on Mar 10, 2016 15:02:58 GMT
Just because everything was new to her didn’t necessarily mean she was clueless. She had a very good idea of what would happen if they were to stay in the room together. She appreciated the fact that he wanted to make sure it was okay with her. Still the way that it felt to just be pressed against him now was a thrilling feeling – new and exciting. Plus, admitting in her head just how much she liked James, she knew that it was what she wanted, too.
Taking a breath, she pressed herself against him and nodded. “I’m sure,” she told him, kissing him softly and smiling up at him. “I mean, if you want to,” she added hastily. She chewed on her lip and looked up at him.
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Post by James Benson on Mar 10, 2016 19:53:11 GMT
Jamie was almost amused that she seemed to be giving him an out of sorts. It would have been easy for him to say that he didn't want to, that he thought that it was best for their relationship if they just remained friends and didn't move past this point. He knew that AJ would have understood and he knew that deep down it was probably the right thing for him to do. He just didn't want to stop. There was no thought in his head and no muscle in his body that was willing to abandon this moment in favor of things staying exactly the same. He couldn't even identify what his relationship with AJ really was at the moment, whether they would just friends who had sometimes kissed, or if they were on the cusp of becoming more than that.
Though, that thought reminded him sharply that it wasn't like he was the only boy that she spent time with. He had never bothered to pry about the nature of her relationship with Will Blye, and truthfully he wasn't sure that he wanted to know, but the memory of how Will had tried to get her attention at the New Year's party kept coming back. Perhaps a better person would have felt the need to step back and let things run their course, but a more competitive side of him wanted to prove that AJ preferred his company over Will's. Besides, he argued, it seemed like she truly did. Which made it that much easier for him to give in to his own feelings for her.
Slowly he led her back toward the hotel bed, smiling softly as he did so. Catching her lips in a kiss, he used the opportunity to push her back gently so that she was now sitting on the bed. Without daring to break the kiss, he led her back up the length of the bed so that he was hovering over her as she moved into a more comfortable position. Thinking that maybe he should warn her of what was coming next, that maybe he should have apologized for being so forward with her, maybe even tease her about how sure he was about doing this too.
Instead of saying anything at all, he tentatively touched his tongue against hers, urging her to respond to the parts of their physical relationship they had never encountered before. Realizing that he had never seen her with so little on before, he pulled away from her briefly, grin on his face. From his position above her, he had a chance to survey her body for a second, taking in everything he could about this moment.
"Who would have thought that you would be so hot?" he teased before leaning forward again and kissing her.
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