A/N – Not going to say much. Only that this is over 8000 words of Jolu fun. Completely AU. Enjoy and leave me a review!
Secret Love
"Lulu," Ethan called.
"What?" Lulu asked, coming back into the kitchen.
"This is the new cook dad hired," Ethan said, nodding his head to the tall, dark and handsome stranger in the kitchen. "Otherwise known as Johnny."
"Why did dad need a new cook?" Lulu wondered, looking over the new guy.
"Lucky's going to work at Jason's bar this summer," Ethan explained.
"Oh," Lulu muttered.
"I gotta run," Ethan said, patting Johnny on the back. "Lulu will show you the ropes, won't you sis?"
"Sure," Lulu nodded, watching him head for the back door.
Ethan left quickly and Lulu turned to Johnny. He was letting his eyes roam over her body and she cleared her throat, making him snap his eyes back to hers.
"Do you talk at all?" Lulu wondered. "Or just stare at people?"
"I only stare at beautiful women," Johnny replied. "And only if they stared at me first."
"So, you do talk," Lulu said, ignoring the fact that he knew she had been staring at him.
"I talk when necessary," Johnny smirked. "But it's certainly not my favorite past time."
"And what would that be?" Lulu asked.
"That's a personal secret," Johnny said, touching his fingers to her cheek. "But I have a feeling you'll get it out of me sooner rather than later."
Lulu took a shaky breath at Johnny's closeness. He smiled at her and she stepped back, running into the counter. Johnny took another step in her direction, but backed away instantly at the sound of Luke's voice.
"Lesley Lu," Luke said loudly, barreling in the door. "It's almost time to open and you don't even have all the chairs down."
"I was just getting acquainted with the new cook," Lulu said, taking an extra step away from Johnny.
"Well, I'm here to help him out, so you can handle the front like normal," Luke smiled.
"Okay," Lulu nodded, disappearing to the front of the diner.
Johnny watched her go and then caught the eye of Luke. Luke frowned at Johnny and Johnny furrowed his brow.
"Is something wrong, Mr. Spencer?" Johnny asked.
"Only two ways to get fired around here, Junior," Luke said seriously. "Steal from the business or touch my daughter. And judging by the way you were looking at her, you already have thoughts of the latter."
"I...uh..." Johnny mumbled.
"You'll be happy to know that I'm not one to dwell on the past," Luke said, winking at him. "Let's get to work, huh?"
"Good idea," Johnny replied.
"Dad, I can't get the coffee pot to turn on," Lulu said, walking back into the kitchen.
"I swear, I'm buying a new one," Luke muttered, going to fix the appliance.
"So, I didn't really introduce myself earlier," Lulu smiled, taking a step closer to Johnny.
"Your brother said your name is Lulu," Johnny said roughly. "I got it."
"What the hell is with the sudden attitude?" Lulu questioned.
"I don't have an attitude," Johnny argued.
"Well, you obviously have a split personality," Lulu said, getting in his face. "Earlier you were all flirtatious and nice and now you're being an ass."
"Maybe you misread things earlier," Johnny shrugged. "Wishful thinking."
"Maybe you need to get over yourself," Lulu said angrily. "And when you finish doing that, go to hell."
Lulu stormed back out front and Johnny just shook his head.
One week later...
Lulu cleaned the last table and carried her tub of dirty dishes to the kitchen. Johnny noticed her struggling with the heavy tub and immediately took it from her.
"I didn't need a rescue," Lulu snapped.
"I just figured it was better that you didn't break any more dishes," Johnny said, rolling his eyes.
"You know, I could have you fired in a second," Lulu growled.
"Please, your dad loves me," Johnny replied, turning the water on to fill the sink.
"He does whatever I want, just ask my brothers," Lulu said, dropping a dish into the water.
The water splashed out of the sink and onto the front of Johnny's shirt.
"What the hell is your problem?" Johnny demanded.
"You and your existence in my life," Lulu answered.
"That's too damn bad," Johnny said, preparing the spray nozzle by the sink. "Your dad told me there were only two ways to get fired and I'm making sure I don't break his rules."
"My dad hates rules," Lulu countered, holding another dish above the water. "I doubt he told you anything."
"I wouldn't drop that dish if I were you," Johnny warned.
Lulu smirked at him and dropped the dish, splashing water on him again. Before she could get her laughter out, Johnny raised the spray nozzle and soaked the front of her shirt with water.
"Son of a-" Lulu muttered.
"I wouldn't finish that phrase," Johnny said, raising the spray nozzle at her. "I still hold the power."
"You don't have any power," Lulu said, taking a step toward him.
"Excuse me?" Johnny asked softly.
"I just remembered my dad does like a couple of rules," Lulu said, reaching over and turning the water off. "No stealing. And no dating me."
"Well, technically he said no touching," Johnny admitted.
"What if...I'm the one touching you?" Lulu suggested, taking the spray nozzle from his hand.
"I...uh..." Johnny blushed.
"You've been mean to me for a week because you're afraid of losing your job," Lulu filled in. "You could have just been honest."
"What difference would it make?" Johnny wondered, taking a step backward.
"A big one," Lulu replied, stepping forward.
"Your dad...he doesn't want this," Johnny said, motioning between them.
"What do you want?" Lulu asked, trapping him between her and the wall.
"You," Johnny answered. "From the first second."
"Good answer," Lulu smiled, running her hands up his chest.
She linked her arms behind his neck and pulled his head downwards. Her lips met his in a sweet kiss and he let his hands settle at her waist. Their simple kiss soon became a heated exchange and Johnny knew he couldn't let it go too far or there would be no turning back for him. He pushed Lulu away and tried to steady his breathing.
"Lulu, I...I want this, but I...I have to have this job," Johnny said softly.
"What happens between us should only concern us," Lulu replied.
"I know," Johnny sighed.
"Maybe there's a way it can," Lulu said thoughtfully.
"What do you mean?" Johnny asked.
"Well, if my dad didn't know that you were touching me, he wouldn't have any reason to fire you," Lulu explained.
"You mean, like sneak around?" Johnny wondered.
"It could be fun," Lulu smirked.
"You don't mind?" Johnny questioned.
"If it's a choice between a secret relationship and no relationship, I choose the first one," Lulu said, taking a step toward Johnny again.
"How is it going to work?" Johnny asked. "Everyone thinks we hate each other. If we stop fighting all the time, people will get suspicious."
"That's why we won't stop fighting all the time," Lulu answered. "In front of my dad and whoever else, we'll be at each other's throats. But when we're alone we'll be at each other's lips."
"Now that sounds promising," Johnny muttered, kissing her quickly once more.
"So, do we have a deal?" Lulu asked, wrapping her arms around him.
"We have a deal," Johnny nodded, covering Lulu's mouth with his own again.
Two weeks later...
Lulu walked back into the kitchen and froze in her spot. Johnny was wearing a wife beater under his apron, probably due to the very hot weather outside, but Lulu was thankful for whatever reason he had for wearing it.
"Something wrong, Cupcake?" Luke asked, noticing her presence.
"No, I just...spaced out for a second," Lulu covered. "Aunt Bobbie is here to see you."
"Oh, okay," Luke smiled. "Are there any other customers?"
"She's it out there," Lulu replied. "I'll stay in here to give you two privacy."
"Try not to kill poor John, here, okay?" Luke asked.
"No promises," Lulu sighed, shooting Johnny a glare.
Johnny made a show of rolling his eyes and Luke smiled in satisfaction as he left. Johnny turned to Lulu and smirked at her.
"Try to be a little less obvious," Johnny suggested. "You can't stare at me like that or your dad is going to catch on."
"Don't lecture me," Lulu replied, sauntering toward him. "I might actually have to kill you for wearing something so damn appealing."
"See something you like?" Johnny teased.
"I see something I want," Lulu muttered, kissing him passionately.
Johnny got lost in the kiss for a minute before pulling away and taking a deep breath.
"Your dad could come in here at any second," Johnny reminded her.
"My Aunt Bobbie always has a lot to say," Lulu countered, running her hands over his arms. "We have some time."
"It's risky," Johnny whispered, running his thumb over her bottom lip.
"Am I worth it?" Lulu asked, batting her eyes at him.
"Let me think about it," Johnny murmured, pulling her to him.
He kissed her softly and she smiled into the kiss as his fingers threaded through her hair. He backed her up against the island in the kitchen as he deepened the kiss and she gasped as he quickly lifted her on top of it. He moved his lips to her neck and she angled her head to give him better access. She knew if her dad caught them he would not only fire Johnny, but most likely shoot him for the way he was kissing her, but she couldn't breathe much less ask Johnny to stop. And she didn't want him to stop. Johnny's lips met hers again and she pressed her body against his. The outside door to the kitchen opened and Johnny immediately backed away from Lulu. Lulu crossed her legs and tried to make it seem as if she had just been leisurely sitting atop the island.
"What's going on?" Ethan asked, closing the door behind him.
"Slow day," Lulu said, stealing a glance at Johnny who was keeping himself busy.
"So slow you have time to make out with the cook in the kitchen?" Ethan wondered.
"What?" Lulu asked, trying to cover.
"Please," Ethan scoffed. "Half of your lip gloss is on Johnny's face."
Johnny wiped his mouth and Lulu hopped off the counter and went over to Ethan. He laughed at the determined look on her face, but her demeanor didn't change.
"You will not tell dad about this," Lulu said sternly.
"Lulu," Ethan sighed.
"He'll fire Johnny and that's not fair," Lulu replied. "Keep your mouth shut or I will make you miserable."
"Dad has his rules for a reason, Lulu," Ethan argued.
"I know," Lulu muttered. "But I also know what I'm doing."
"I hope so," Ethan said, shaking his head.
"Pumpkin, I closed up," Luke announced, coming into the kitchen. "Barbara Jean needs my help with something."
"Okay," Lulu said softly.
"What's going on in here?" Luke wondered, looking between his children and noting Johnny's serious expression.
"Lulu and Johnny-" Ethan started.
"We were having an argument and Ethan came in," Lulu interceded. "He was trying to play the peace keeper, but there's no use."
"Lulu and I are never going to get along," Johnny spoke up. "But we can work together, so there's no need to worry."
"Is that all?" Luke asked, looking at Ethan.
"That's all," Ethan nodded.
"Ethan, come with me," Luke directed. "I could use your help as well. You two finish those dishes and then you're off the clock."
"Yes, sir," Johnny replied.
Luke and Ethan headed out the back door and Lulu exhaled. Johnny went to work without saying anything and Lulu knew he was worrying about what Ethan would do. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, placing her chin on his shoulder.
"I guess I should enjoy my last day," Johnny muttered, turning off the water.
"Ethan's not going to say anything," Lulu said softly.
"He wasn't very happy about us," Johnny said, turning to face her.
"He's just overprotective," Lulu shrugged.
"Why?" Johnny asked.
"He's my brother, that's the way brothers are," Lulu answered.
"There's more to it," Johnny said, linking his fingers with hers. "Why did your dad make his rules?"
"It's no big deal," Lulu replied, looking away.
"Hey," Johnny said, catching her face in his hands and bringing her eyes back to his. "Tell me."
"It was a couple of years ago," Lulu sighed. "My dad met this guy who went to high school with me. Star of the football team and desperately in need of a summer job because his single mom got laid off. My dad gave him a shot and he was great at first. He always had nice things to say to me and he was sort of the only one. Most of the guys at school didn't pay attention to me back then so I was easy prey for him. We were dating almost immediately and he was making promises to me right and left, all of which I believed he would come through on. One day I caught him stealing from the register after my dad had gone home. It was only five dollars and he said he needed it to buy milk on the way home and he had forgotten his wallet. He would pay it back tomorrow, no need for me to tell my dad.
"It wasn't long before he was stealing constantly, never paying anything back," Lulu continued. "It was always small amounts, so I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to lose him. That all ended the day I found him cheating on me. I told my dad everything and he fired the guy on the spot. Of course, he wasn't too happy with that and started screaming at me, calling me names. He called me a bitch and raised his hand to hit me, but my brothers came in. I still don't know what they did, but I only saw him one time after that. He was with his mom, gassing up their car right before they left town."
"Wow," Johnny breathed, looking away.
"I was an idiot," Lulu mumbled, shaking her head.
"No," Johnny argued. "You were innocent."
"Well, now I'm not," Lulu replied.
"I guess that's what confuses me the most," Johnny said, looking her in the eye. "Am I just your chance at redemption or something?"
"What?" Lulu asked.
"The situations are almost exactly the same," Johnny explained. "You obviously have experience with whirlwind romances. Are you using me to prove something to yourself?"
"Johnny, the situations are nothing alike," Lulu said, running her fingers through his hair. "I don't feel like I need a guy to define me anymore. I just...like being with you. A lot of guys pay attention to me now, but they don't get to me. You did. I guess maybe I am trying to prove something to myself, but it's not what you're thinking. I'm trying to show myself that trusting someone else can be worth it."
"And you trust me?" Johnny wondered.
"From the first second," Lulu smiled. "I don't know why...I just did. And I still do."
"I'm not going to hurt you the way that other guy did," Johnny said, pulling her into his arms. "I...I was going to say 'I promise,' but that's probably not what you want to hear."
"It's okay to promise me," Lulu replied. "As long as you keep your promises."
Johnny nodded and smiled, running his hands lazily across Lulu's lower back. She leaned up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to the end of his nose. He laughed and then caught her mouth in a sweet kiss.
Three weeks later...
Lulu wiped off the counter and smiled when she felt a pair of hands on her hips. Johnny's lips met the back of her neck and it was all she could do not to melt into the ground.
"You're lucky I closed the blinds earlier," Lulu giggled, leaning back into his chest.
"Are you finally done out here?" Johnny asked, his lips grazing her ear.
"You sound anxious," Lulu smirked, turning to face him.
"I've been waiting to kiss you for eight hours," Johnny replied. "Anxious is putting it mildly."
He bent his head to kiss her, but she dodged his kiss and laughed when he groaned.
"What was that?" Johnny wondered.
"No kissing," Lulu smiled.
"Why?" Johnny pouted.
"You didn't let me finish," Lulu said, draping her arms around his neck. "No kissing...on the mouth."
Johnny arched an eyebrow at her and she gave him a coy grin. Before she could blink, his lips were on her neck and doing things to her skin that made her forget her own name. There was just something about the way he kissed and nibbled on her that drove Lulu crazy in the best way. Johnny pulled away slowly, smiling at her with a wicked glint in his eye. It was her turn to give him a questioning stare as she wondered what kind of plan he had concocted in his devious mind.
"Do you still trust me?" Johnny asked.
"Of course," Lulu answered instantly.
"Great," Johnny replied, picking her up.
He bent to the ground and laid her down in front of him. He pushed her shirt up slowly and her eyes widened, wondering if he was really doing what she thought he was doing. He kissed her stomach a few times before finally pulling the shirt over her head and discarding it on the floor. He then scooted toward the freezer and pulled out a bucket of vanilla ice cream. He moved to the fridge and brought out the chocolate syrup, whipped cream and cherries.
"I wanted an ice cream sundae," Johnny explained, crawling over to her. "But I didn't want to dirty any dishes. I thought maybe, if you think it's a good idea, I could just use your stomach to make my sundae. And then I could just eat it off of you."
Lulu's breath caught in her throat as she heard him explain his plan to her. She had no idea what to expect when Johnny had removed her shirt, but now that she knew, she was completely interested in doing just what he wanted. The prospect of him eating off of her was probably the most intimate thing she could imagine outside of actually making love.
"What do you think?" Johnny wondered.
"Go ahead," Lulu replied, not even bothering to think it through.
Johnny smiled and kissed her clean stomach one last time before using the ice cream scoop in the bucket to spoon some ice cream onto her. Lulu squealed at the coldness, but nodded when Johnny sought her permission to continue. Next, he squeezed just a little chocolate syrup on top of the ice cream. Some of the syrup ran off the side and Johnny quickly caught it, licking it off of her and making her sigh audibly. He smirked at her as he caught her eye before grabbing the can of whipped cream and shaking it. He sprayed some of the whipped cream around the ice cream and put one glob on top as well. Lulu watched as he placed a cherry on top, completing his creation. She waited what felt like forever for him to finally start eating the sundae. His mouth and tongue worked over her stomach, removing all of the sundae in a painfully slow fashion. Johnny's hands found Lulu's and he laced their fingers together as he finished off his final bite.
"That was good," Johnny muttered, pushing himself so he was hovering above Lulu and looking her in the eye.
"It was...really good," Lulu agreed.
"You didn't eat a sundae," Johnny noted.
"Not yet," Lulu said, running her hand to the hem of Johnny's shirt.
"Did you want to make one?" Johnny asked, grinning at the possibility.
"Of course," Lulu replied, yanking his shirt over his head quickly. "You don't mind, do you?"
"Not at all," Johnny said, licking his lips.
Lulu pushed him to lay on his back and gathered everything beside her. She mimicked every action he had made previously, wanting to give him as much pleasure as he had given her. Johnny watched her carefully as she kissed the last little bit of ice cream off of his abs and then he tugged her upward so he could kiss her.
"I told you no kissing on the mouth tonight," Lulu said, moving herself just out of reach before his lips could hit their target.
"Well," Johnny sighed, flipping them over quickly so Lulu was underneath him. "I'm in charge now."
His lips crushed hers in the kiss that they had both been longing for. He brought his hands to her face and she let her nails drag across his lower back. He broke the kiss when he finally had to breathe and smiled down at her. Her hair was mussed from laying on the ground and her lips were red from their intense kisses. He dropped a kiss on her forehead and she kissed his chin.
"I'm not ready, Johnny," Lulu said softly.
"Ready for what?" Johnny questioned.
"The next step," Lulu answered. "I've thought about it before, but I don't think we're ready."
"Lulu, I...this wasn't an attempt at foreplay," Johnny chuckled. "I was just in the moment and I had the idea."
"Oh," Lulu muttered. "So, you don't think about..."
She trailed off, trying not to die of embarrassment. She pushed Johnny off of her and reached for her shirt quickly. He caught her hand and turned her to face him.
"Yes, I think about it," Johnny said seriously. "I'm a guy and you're a beautiful woman. My mind has been there and back so many times it bought season tickets. But...I'm not the guy who would ever try to seduce you on the floor of a diner. I would never try to seduce you at all, not for our first time. I want it to be when you're ready and when it's right for us. And no matter how much I may want you, I can wait until then."
"Really?" Lulu asked.
"Yes," Johnny nodded. "I know when the time is right, we'll feel it and everything will happen naturally."
Lulu smiled and he kissed her gently, savoring the moment that was passing between them. When he pulled away, Lulu ran a finger over his forehead gently.
"Johnny, I..." Lulu tried.
"You what?" Johnny wondered.
"I...guess we should clean all of this," Lulu muttered.
"Right," Johnny agreed, kissing the top of her hand lightly.
They pulled their shirts on and then started to put the food items back where they went. Johnny brought his hands to Lulu's face and kissed her forehead chastely before pulling away to look in her eyes.
"Hey, Lulu," Johnny murmured.
"Hmm?" Lulu asked.
"Me too," Johnny whispered.
"What?" Lulu questioned in confusion.
"What you almost said earlier," Johnny clarified. "Me too."
Two weeks later...
"Thanks, come again," Lulu called as the elderly couple left the diner.
"Just not any time soon, right?" Ethan chuckled, hurrying to lock the door behind them.
"The fact that they tip well is the only reason I even said that," Lulu sighed.
"So, how is your boyfriend?" Ethan asked.
"Ethan," Lulu said, rolling he eyes.
"Am I not allowed to say the 'b' word?" Ethan wondered.
"Not when you don't actually care and are only trying to get me caught because you know Dad will be here soon," Lulu said angrily.
"I do care," Ethan argued. "I care that this guy is treating my sister right."
"He does," Lulu replied. "I'm really happy."
"You better not be really happy," Ethan said, narrowing his eyes. "And you two better not have any ideas about you being alone in the house tonight."
"I didn't even tell him," Lulu muttered. "We're not...doing anything anyway."
"It better stay that way," Ethan warned.
"What better stay what way?" Luke asked, joining them behind the counter.
"The untouched CDs in my room," Ethan said quickly. "I told Lulu to stay out of there while we're out of town tonight."
"Well, I say do whatever you want, Cupcake," Luke smiled.
"I plan to," Lulu replied, giving Ethan a look.
"Let's get on the road Ethan," Luke suggested.
"Alright," Ethan agreed. "Be good, sis."
Ethan and Luke walked out and Lulu put all of the chairs up on the tables. She jumped when she heard someone knocking on the front door. She smiled when she saw Johnny outside and she unlocked the door to let him in.
"Hey," Lulu said happily.
"I hated having the day off," Johnny groaned, pulling her to him. "I missed you so much."
"Well, my dad thought it was only fair since you have to work all day tomorrow," Lulu explained.
"Why is that, anyway?" Johnny wondered.
"Ethan can't work tomorrow morning because he's out of town," Lulu answered. "And my dad can't cover because he's out of town with him."
"Oh," Johnny said, nodding his head.
"I thought about telling you, but I didn't want to make you think I was implying that I wanted you to come over," Lulu rambled. "Not that I don't want you to come over, but I thought if I asked you over to an empty house you would think I was asking for more and I'm not. Not that I don't want more because I really, really like being with you and I think if we were together, like together it would be amazing. I just don't want things to be pressured or rushed and by telling you about the empty house I felt like I would have made things pressured and rushed."
Lulu took a deep breath and Johnny watched her carefully, trying to determine whether or not she was finally finished.
"I just don't want to ruin us," Lulu whispered.
Johnny smiled and kissed her softly, pulling her closer to him as their kiss deepened. He broke the kiss after a time and then rested his forehead against hers.
"You're not going to ruin us," Johnny said softly. "I wish you had told me before, but only because we could have talked about what we wanted to do. I mean, it doesn't have to be all or nothing, does it?"
"What?" Lulu asked.
"I could come over and just...hang out," Johnny suggested. "It doesn't mean we're going to...have sex. But I think it might be nice for us to spend time together outside of this diner."
"I think that would be great," Lulu smiled. "I'm sorry I made it awkward."
"You didn't," Johnny replied. "I'm just glad you told me. Never be afraid to tell me something."
"I can tell you anything?" Lulu wondered.
"Yeah," Johnny nodded.
"So, if I want you to spend the night tonight, I should just say it?" Lulu questioned.
"Yeah," Johnny repeated, taking a deep breath.
"Johnny, I want you to stay the night with me," Lulu whispered.
"I would be happy to," Johnny said, smiling.
Lulu leaned up and kissed him and he picked her up off the ground without breaking their kiss. She giggled as he slowly left her lips and then spun her around.
"Johnny," Lulu muttered, holding his face in her hands.
"Me too," Johnny breathed, kissing her chastely.
"Are you ready to go?" Lulu wondered.
"Yes," Johnny said, linking their fingers together.
They left out the back door, making sure no one saw them together. They took Lulu's car so no one would be suspicious and she pulled into the garage so the neighbors didn't see that she had a visitor. She led him in through the kitchen and he paused for a second, taking in the house.
"What?" Lulu asked.
"Nothing, I'm just...observing," Johnny replied, looking around. "This is where you live."
"Is it what you expected?" Lulu questioned, leading him into the living room.
"Yeah," Johnny nodded, taking a seat on the couch. "It feels like you."
"What does that mean?" Lulu wondered, slipping into his arms.
"It's warm and inviting," Johnny explained. "There's something about it that makes you smile."
"You're a charmer," Lulu muttered, kissing him chastely.
"I'm being honest," Johnny countered. "There's just something about you that pulls me in."
Lulu blushed and Johnny kissed her softly. She adjusted herself in his arms as their kisses became more heated. She pulled away after a few moments and Johnny stroked her face lovingly.
"Do you want to see my room?" Lulu asked.
"Yeah," Johnny nodded.
They rose off of the couch and she took his hand, leading him upstairs to her bedroom. She shut the door behind them and watched as he roamed around the room, looking at pictures of her.
"It's exactly what I imagined," Johnny finally said, turning to look at her.
"Really?" Lulu wondered.
"I even knew you would have a teddy bear on the bed," Johnny smiled, picking it up.
"I...uh...he doesn't sleep with me anymore," Lulu stuttered.
"He?" Johnny asked.
"Mr. Cuddles," Lulu answered.
"Well, I bet Mr. Cuddles is lonely these days," Johnny laughed.
"Are you mocking me?" Lulu questioned, taking the bear.
"No, I'm just pointing out that his name no longer suits him," Johnny replied.
"Well, I was planning to cuddle with you tonight, but if you really think I need to show Mr. Cuddles more attention-" Lulu teased.
"I think Mr. Cuddles is fine on his own," Johnny cut in, taking the bear back and setting him on the desk against the wall. "I want you all to myself."
Johnny took a step toward her, but Lulu held up her hand. He gave her a confused look, but she quickly explained.
"I want us to take it slow," Lulu said softly. "I want to remember this night. Every sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. And I hope that you want that."
"I do," Johnny affirmed.
"Good," Lulu muttered. "I'm...uh...I am going to take off my clothes. And you can just...watch. Then when I'm done, it's your turn."
Lulu smiled nervously as Johnny's eyes roamed over her as she removed each article of clothing one by one. She had never been so vulnerable to someone in her entire life. But Johnny's gaze didn't make her insecure, it made her stronger. The loving way he looked at her made her confident enough to stand bare before him and not blush.
"You're...so...beautiful," Johnny said slowly, annunciating each word.
"Thank you," Lulu breathed.
Johnny smiled at her as he began the process of disrobing. Lulu's face was filled with desire as he dropped the last of his clothes to the floor and he sighed happily. Knowing that she wanted him the way he wanted her was the best feeling in the world.
"Wow," Lulu whispered, unable to verbalize the emotions inside of her.
"Can I touch you now?" Johnny asked.
"I think you better," Lulu answered.
Johnny slowly brought his hands to her bare waist as his eyes looked her up and down again. He trailed his fingers over body, smiling every time a spot elicited a reaction from her. He finally settled his hands at her hips again and she took her turn in exploring his body with her fingertips. When she had touched all she could, she let her arms rest around his neck and she took a small step forward. He leaned in, letting their noses graze slightly and delaying the moment of their first kiss before making love just a little longer. He finally gave in to the need to feel her lips on his and their mouths fused together in a way they never had before. He moved them backward, slowly laying her down on the bed beneath him.
Their kiss never broke as he prepared to join their bodies together for the first time. He finally released her mouth as they unified and she whispered his name in a way that made him desperate to have more of her. Lulu smiled as Johnny groaned her name, obviously enjoying the experience as much as she was. She inhaled sharply as he continued to do everything to please her and her grin widened at the smell their love making was creating. It was a mixture of his cologne, her perfume and sweat, which was starting to form as their pace quickened. Johnny captured her lips for a heart stopping kiss as they both found their release. As their bodies settled, their kiss turned sweeter than any one they had previously experienced.
"I love you," they whispered in unison as soon as the kiss broke.
They both smiled and Johnny kissed her softly again before rolling over to lay on his back. Lulu snuggled into his side and he draped his arm around her as they laid in silence until they fell asleep.
Three weeks later...
Johnny and Lulu were laying together comfortably in a makeshift bed he had constructed. They were about three miles outside of Port Charles in an old abandoned boxcar that they had discovered on a late night drive. After their first night together, they both knew they would need a place to sneak away to where they could make love and hold each other without worry of being caught.
"Lulu," Johnny muttered, looking over at her.
"Hmm?" Lulu asked.
"We have to tell your dad about us," Johnny sighed.
"Why?" Lulu wondered.
"Because one day I'm going to ask your dad for his blessing to marry you," Johnny replied. "And I think it would go over better if he knew we were dating."
"How can you know that you want to marry me?" Lulu questioned.
"How could I ever want anyone else?" Johnny countered.
"I don't want to tell my dad," Lulu said, fighting the blush that threatened to show. "If he fired you-"
"I would find another job," Johnny cut in.
"My dad has a lot of pull in this town," Lulu continued. "He could convince everyone that you weren't trustworthy and then you would have to move."
"Would you come with me?" Johnny wondered.
"I..." Lulu trailed off.
"Okay," Johnny replied. "We won't tell him."
"That wasn't a no," Lulu said softly.
"It wasn't a yes, either," Johnny noted.
"I don't know, Johnny," Lulu sighed, sitting up. "Why do we have to get into this now?"
"Is there a better time?" Johnny asked. "Or do you just never want to get into it?"
"Is that some kind of accusation?" Lulu questioned.
"No," Johnny replied. "It's me wondering if you really love me or if you just love the thrill of doing something you're not supposed to be doing."
Lulu's mouth dropped open and she turned her head before he could see the tears fill her eyes. She started pulling her clothes on and looking for her car keys so she could leave. She noticed that Johnny didn't move or try to stop her and it broke her heart.
"You're just going to let me leave?" Lulu wondered, meeting his eyes.
"If I'm going to lose you eventually, then I figure it hurts less now," Johnny muttered, looking away.
Lulu took one final glance at him and then turned, walking away as the tears streamed down her cheeks.
One week later...
Johnny finished up the order for the customer and handed it to Ethan. He was playing waiter because Lulu was still sick. Johnny knew she wasn't actually sick, but avoiding him and he couldn't blame her. He also knew that Ethan was aware of their breakup because of the death glares he had been receiving all week. Ethan came back into the kitchen and stared at Johnny expectantly.
"What?" Johnny asked.
"Did you make the order for table five or not?" Ethan questioned.
Johnny's eyes fell to the tickets in front of him and noticed that he hadn't prepared them all. He sighed and started to reach for the ingredients but Ethan stopped him.
"Forget it, they already left," Ethan muttered.
"Sorry, man, I must have overlooked it," Johnny offered.
"I'll be sure to tell my dad you're slacking on the job," Ethan snapped. "Then maybe he'll fire you and everything will go back to normal."
"Do you even know why your sister and I broke up?" Johnny wondered.
"I know you hurt her and that's pretty much all I need," Ethan replied.
"I wanted to tell your father because it was wrong to be hiding the fact that we were together," Johnny explained, ignoring Ethan's comment. "I love your sister and I wanted people to know that. But that's not what Lulu wanted. I basically asked her if she was only with me because it was forbidden and she didn't answer. She hurt me, too."
"I'm not going to give you sympathy," Ethan mumbled after a few minutes.
"I don't want it," Johnny shrugged. "I want Lulu, but not as a secret. I can't do that anymore."
"What if that's all Lulu is willing to give?" Ethan asked.
"Then I'll be heartbroken," Johnny sighed. "But, I won't settle for only being together behind closed doors."
"You really love her, don't you?" Ethan questioned.
"With all of my heart," Johnny nodded. "I just hope she loves me enough to change her mind about telling people."
Luke sighed to himself as he backed away from the kitchen door. He wasn't supposed to be at the diner today and he assumed he definitely wasn't supposed to hear that conversation. He had suspected that there was something between Johnny and Lulu, but he trusted that Lulu was smart enough not to make the same mistake twice. And it seemed as if she was smart enough because this time it wasn't her too trusting heart that had been the mistake. It was the fear she possessed that had caused her trouble.
Luke quickly exited the diner without alerting either Johnny or Ethan to his presence. He drove straight home, forgetting his other business in favor of making sure Lulu didn't cause herself anymore unnecessary pain. He hurried up the stairs and knocked on her bedroom door furiously.
"What?" Lulu called from inside.
"Cupcake," Luke replied, pushing the door open. "We need to talk."
"Dad, I don't feel good," Lulu sighed. "Can it wait?"
"No," Luke answered. "I know you're faking the flu."
"Excuse me?" Lulu countered.
"I know everything, Pumpkin," Luke muttered. "I know that you and Johnny were together and that you recently broke up. And I know that's why you've faked being sick all week long."
"Dad, you can't fire Johnny, okay?" Lulu said seriously. "It's not his fault, it was all my idea for us to be together and then hide it from you. He wanted-"
"To tell me," Luke finished. "I know that, too."
"Are you mad?" Lulu wondered.
"No," Luke chuckled. "More like upset at myself. I messed things up between the two of you just by not knowing what was going on instead of the other way around. I made those rules for you to protect you after you were hurt the last time because I felt like I needed to. Then somehow, you grew up and didn't need me to protect you anymore. Instead, you thought you needed to protect me. You thought I couldn't handle you having a relationship, so you hid it."
"I didn't want you to worry over me like you did the last time," Lulu explained. "Johnny is different and I knew that from the start. But I figured you wouldn't see it that way."
"I might not have," Luke admitted. "But I like to think I would have trusted your judgment, given the opportunity."
"But I didn't give you that opportunity," Lulu sighed.
"No, you didn't," Luke replied. "But I know everything now and I see that you care very much about Johnny."
"I love him," Lulu smiled. "So much that it hurts because I know he will never forgive me for our fight the other day. I just walked away from him and he looked at me like he always knew that I would."
"Gumdrop," Luke said seriously. "That kid loves you like he loves to breathe. Maybe even more than that. Trust me, if you go to him and tell him that you want to be with him no matter what, he'll take you back faster than the speed of light."
"You really think so?" Lulu asked.
"I know so," Luke nodded.
"I have to take a shower before I can see him," Lulu said happily, running into her bathroom.
Luke laughed and left the room, knowing she would probably get ready in record time. As he predicted, in only fifteen minutes, Lulu ran down the stairs looking like she always did. She grabbed her purse and keys and jumped in her car. The drive to the diner seemed to take forever, but she finally arrived and hurried inside. She found Johnny leaning against the island, facing away from her. He apparently hadn't heard her come in, but Ethan, who was standing across from him noticed her.
"I'm going to go close up out front, mate," Ethan offered, making himself scarce.
"Alone again," Johnny muttered, shaking his head.
"I would say, alone at last," Lulu spoke, making him turn to face her.
"Hey," Johnny whispered.
"Hi," Lulu smiled.
"You...uh...you look good," Johnny murmured.
"I feel a lot better," Lulu replied.
"You were actually sick?" Johnny asked.
"Yes and no," Lulu answered. "I didn't have the flu or a cold, but I was so heartbroken that it made me sick. I could barely function."
"I know what you mean," Johnny sighed. "I guess the difference is, I kept coming to work because I was still hoping to see you. Hoping you would change your mind."
"I did," Lulu breathed.
"What?" Johnny questioned.
"I did," Lulu repeated. "I changed my mind. My dad knows about us."
"What made you tell him?" Johnny wondered.
"Well, I didn't actually tell him," Lulu admitted. "He found out, somehow. But when he told me he knew, he also told me he didn't care. He just wanted me to be happy and the only way I can be happy is to be with you."
"Would you have told him?" Johnny asked. "If he hadn't found out on his own, would you have decided to tell him?"
"I honestly don't know," Lulu shrugged. "And I know that hurts you because you wanted me to be willing to be with you and leave everything else behind."
"That's not true," Johnny argued.
"It is," Lulu replied. "It's okay that it is. I just hope that you can understand why I couldn't do it. It wasn't because I don't love you, it was because I love my father, too. I was afraid of what would happen to him if I just went against his wishes and ran off with the man I loved. Maybe it's stupid, but I'm still my father's little girl and I felt like he needed me."
"It's not stupid," Johnny smiled. "It's you. The part of you that is so loyal is something I love most about you. I was selfish to try and make you choose."
"I know that's not really what you wanted to do," Lulu said softly. "You just needed me to show you what you mean to me and I didn't do that. But I will, from now on. I'll have your name tattooed on my forehead if you want."
"I would never want you to mar your perfect face like that," Johnny laughed. "But maybe a tattoo in a place that only I will ever see would be nice."
"Oh yeah?" Lulu asked.
"I like a woman with a sexy little secret like a hidden tattoo," Johnny said, smirking at her as he closed the distance between them.
"What would it say?" Lulu wondered.
"How about LZ?" Johnny suggested.
"LZ?" Lulu questioned in confusion.
"Lulu Zacchara," Johnny clarified and Lulu giggled. "That way people know you're mine."
"Well, that could be arranged," Lulu said thoughtfully. "But only if you had a matching one that said JS."
"JS?" Johnny wondered.
"Johnny Spencer," Lulu smirked. "You know, that way people know you're mine."
"You're so funny," Johnny said, pulling her tightly against him.
"You don't like the idea?" Lulu questioned.
"Honestly, if that was what it took, I would do it," Johnny smiled. "I just want to be with you."
"Well, I'm feeling charitable," Lulu replied, looping her arms around his neck. "You can be with me without the tattoo. Provided that you meet one other condition."
"What's that?" Johnny asked.
"Kiss me," Lulu requested.
"Well, if you insist," Johnny smiled.
He bent his head and gently kissed her lips in a tender kiss. He moved to deepen it, but she pulled back suddenly.
"Maybe I have another condition," Lulu muttered.
"Uh oh," Johnny said warily.
"I think you'll like it," Lulu said, grinning widely.
"Let's hear it," Johnny replied.
"A trip to the boxcar," Lulu said coyly.
"I do like the way your mind works," Johnny murmured, pressing a short kiss to her lips.
"So?" Lulu asked.
"I'll only agree on one condition of my own," Johnny answered.
"What's that?" Lulu wondered.
"We never break up again," Johnny said softly.
"I can definitely agree to that," Lulu smiled, kissing him again. "I-"
Johnny cut off her words with a hard, quick kiss.
"Me too," Johnny whispered before kissing her again.