"So first let's start off with the truth." AJ turned his car off as Izzy opened the door getting in. The two sat in darkness somewhere on the outskirts of the city, the only light being the moon. Reaching over AJ took her hand in his. "I thought you were hot the first day Lily brought you to the club and putting it bluntly…..I wanted to fuck you…..hard." Izzy laughed covering her face with her free hand and as the red flush warmed her cheeks. "Then I found out you were 17 and was…thrown off. You're a kid, were a kid and I had some not so PG thoughts going through my mind. To keep that from happening I just kept remembering you were a kid and in these past two years you grew up and I wasn't ready for it." Izzy sat silent rarely hearing AJ talk so seriously and in depth about his feeling or what he thought. It was a nice change. "I could've broken Jake's neck when he asked me to keep you at my house, like I was some kind of babysitter. I knew the temptation was going to be too much."

"Why weren't you just honest from the start? Do you know what it's like for a girl to have a crush on a guy and for that guy to FINALLY kiss her and then go completely Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Why not just say 'I like you…..I've got stuff to figure out'." Izzy asked.

"I felt it was easier my way."

"Your way? You mean screwing around with random women?"

AJ shrugged. "Thought if you stopped liking me, I would do the same."

"You're stupid you know that?" Izzy asked

"Sorry they don't teach relationship issues at college." AJ retorted with sarcasm.

"It's not about teaching, it's about following your heart and just learning from experience." Izzy leaned over putting her hand on his chest feeling his heartbeat.

"About that, I was 16 when I was last in a relationship before I went to college and that was it." AJ shrugged.

"Dating Angel doesn't exactly make me a pro with the dating thing either."

"I think I still remember how to do this though." AJ cleared his throat turning to face Izzy.

"Remember what?"

"If you are not busy tomorrow night….would you like to go out with me?"

"I would."

Leaning over AJ cupped Izzy's face in his hand kissing her lips sweetly. Getting ahead of himself AJ found his hand slithering up Izzy's dress.

"…..AJ that's not….I'm not one of those girls." Izzy pushed his hand away before sitting up straight.

AJ smirked. "No…..you're not. You're a good girl that I get to corrupt."

"You are so retarded." Izzy laughed. "If and when the time comes...I will be a willing participant in this corruption plan you have, but not right now. I need to know you are interested in me for more than sex."

"Izzy I can get sex from a nun. I'm with you because I want to be, you have to trust that." Running his hand down the side of her face he pulled her close until their lips met. "You might not be experienced in everything but you've got kissing down."

Izzy smiled brightly but sighed. "I should be getting home, if Jake or Lily gets home from the club and I'm not at there when I said I was leaving over an hour ago they're going to be mad."

"About them." AJ grabbed her hand before she could get out of his car. "For now….I think its best they don't know about us."

"Agreed." Izzy nodded. All the guys were protective of Izzy but Jake was the worst, he took on this fatherly duty making sure to know everyone she talked to. Jake hated Angel, he hated Vanessa's brother, hell he hated the guy at Starbucks that always added extra whipped cream to Izzy's drink. It was nice knowing she was loved that much but at the same time she wonder if she would be an old cat lady because Jake tried scaring off any guy that approached her.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow." Leaning in AJ kissed her again pulling back he blew out air. "You should go before I take you in the backseat." Izzy laughed, kissed his cheek and went back to her car heading home.

Weeks passed making it their one month anniversary. Izzy didn't expect AJ to think anything of it, hell she didn't really think anything of it. If they made it to 6 months or a year then it would be something to celebrate. The past month though had been nice, seeing as how they had known one another so long they were already friends. AJ knew her favorite restaurants and places to go, he knew her favorite music and although it made him cringe and his ears bleed, he even took her to a concert the week before. AJ loved Izzy's playful nature it made him relax a bit more even though she jumped through her skin every time Jake's name showed up on caller ID.

"He knows." Izzy lay in AJ's bed curled up to him just watching a movie.

"He does not." AJ smirked at the paranoia written all over her face.

"Yes he does! I can see it in his eyes when I was leaving tonight and told him I was staying with Vanessa." Izzy argued. "He always calls when I am over here and he's starting to wonder why I am out so late every night."

"Jake is a smart guy, he might suspect something but he doesn't know. All he has to do is check the GPS on your phone to find out if you're where you say you are. If he was that suspicious he would have. Relax." AJ rubbed her shoulders and leaned down kissing her lips. Slowly Izzy made her way to straddle AJ's lap continuing their make out session.

"Izzy." AJ moved his head to avoid her lips but let out a soft moan when they met his tattooed neck. "Izzy."

"Hmm?" Her eyes answered but her lips moved to his throat kissing his adams apple.

"What are you doing?" AJ leaned back enjoying it a bit more than he wanted to while caressing Izzy's backside.

"You can't tell?" Izzy asked.

AJ laughed. "I think you're trying to seduce me, which wouldn't be the best idea seeing as I've been good for a month now and you're going to ruin it." AJ had abstained from sex for over a month, nearly 6 weeks and it was killing him. Izzy was an amazing kisser and often times AJ had to control himself to keep it only at that.

"Maybe that is what I want." Izzy bit her lip shyly, she was new to this and although her heart and body were telling her to go she wasn't exactly sure how to go.

Closing his eyes AJ inhaled deeply before looking over at her. "Are you sure?" AJ placed his hand under Izzy's shirt resting on her side.

"Would I be in your bed….on top of you, if I wasn't sure?" Izzy asked mimicking his motion and placing her hand under his shirt. Going a step further she began pushing it up to which AJ held his arms up allowing it to be removed. AJ wouldn't admit it but he was scared, he had never been with a virgin…..ever. He remembered when he lost his virginity, it was to an older woman he met at a tattoo shop. Shuddering AJ looked down at Izzy kissing his chest, looking up at him for approval.

Running his hand through her hair AJ slowly took her shirt off and brought her to him kissing her lips. Sitting Izzy in his lap AJ let his fingers play with the waistband of her panties and felt her shiver. "Don't be scared." Whispering in her ear AJ wanted her to be 100% sure and 100% comfortable. Holding her close AJ prepared Izzy for what was to come, hearing the slight gasp and watching as she bit her lip. "You tell me if you want me to stop." He begged she wouldn't tell me him to stop.

"I don't." Izzy leaned in tracing the tattoo on his neck with her tongue. AJ gave a deep chuckle reaching back unclasping the bra. As if knocking her out of her zone Izzy quickly covered her chest.

"Nu uh." AJ smiled taking her hands away so he could see her body. Letting his eyes travel over the newly exposed skin before attaching his lips to it. His hands roamed her body and paid attention to ever little detail and little by little all self-doubt melted away and she opened herself to him. AJ couldn't remember a time he cared so deeply for someone outside of his family and the pain etched in her eyebrows as she squeezed her eyes shut made his heart hurt. "It's okay." AJ kissed her temple. "It'll feel better soon, I promise." AJ kissed her lips but really he hadn't a clue what she felt or was going through. He only hoped it would get better for her. It started off slow, her nails digging into his back, soft gasps followed by an 'oh my god' and AJ knew he had her. He had her heart, mind and body. As the end drew near and her body tensed up AJ looked down at her parted lips and listened to the sounds she made in pure ecstasy.

AJ held her small waist in his hands, against his body and buried deep as her back arched lifting off the bed her orgasm coming in waves her moans like music to his ears. Digging her nails into the sheets so tight her knuckles began turning white until her body finally collapsed with heaving chest as she tried to catch her breath. Izzy's lips trembled and body shook still recovering. "I think I love you." Izzy spoke honestly.

"You hear that bro? You hit it so good she thinks she's in love."

AJ's head spun around to see Ghost standing in his doorway. "What the fuck are you doing here?" AJ yelled out more than pissed off but livid. Covering Izzy's body protectively AJ was fuming.

"I came to talk…..but you were busy so I waited." Ghost smiled sipping his drink. "I stopped by John's yesterday; I guess he forgot to tell you I got released early." Taking another sip Ghost moved to the side. "Pretty hot piece of ass you got there, I call next. It's been a while you know."

"Get out." AJ's voice was dangerously low.

"Alright, alright but we need to talk. Get dressed and I'll be waiting downstairs." Ghost disappeared from the room.

"Who was that?" Izzy asked.

"Ghost. I'm sure you've heard Lily or Jake mention him…stay here." AJ got out the bed pulling on some pants. Reaching into the night stand beside his bed he pulled out a gun tucking it behind him and then another handing it to Izzy. "Hold this in case something happens okay?"

"Something like what?" Sitting up Izzy held the gun looking at it like a foreign object.

"Oh shit…..you've never shot a gun have you?" AJ asked running a hand through his hair.

"No!"

"…..If Ghost comes back in here point and pull the trigger." AJ leaned in kissing her lips.

Izzy sat speechless what the hell was going on? She wanted to call Jake or Lily and ask them who Ghost was, she heard his name once years ago but never since. From what she gathered he used to date Lily but nothing more. If he was once Lily's boyfriend she didn't understand AJ's concern or why he gave her a gun. She was missing something. Calling and telling Jake that Ghost was at AJ's though meant admitting she was at AJ's as well. Seeing as how she said she was spending the night at Vanessa's that wouldn't go over so well. So she sat and waited.

"You know…..your house is easier to get into that John's." Ghost laughed.

"What do you want?" AJ asked.

"Same thing I told John, I have job waiting for us. I told him to talk you and the guys obviously he hasn't. I knew you'd be up for it."

"You just got out of jail and you want to do a job?"

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity…talking major money. Think about it." Setting the glass down Ghost walked out shutting the door behind him. AJ set the alarm and headed back upstairs for Izzy.

"What did he want?" Izzy asked pulling a shirt over her head.

"To do a job." AJ removed his pants and sat on the bed. "He used to be a part of our crew and date Lily, a few years ago during a job he got shot and arrested. He got released from jail early for good behavior."

"So he's a friend?" Izzy asked handing his gun back to him.

"….I don't know." AJ put the weapons away and climbed in bed kissing Izzy's forehead. "Sorry." He apologized as their special moment seemed ruined. Curling up to his body Izzy smiled and closed her eyes.

"If you do this job I want in."

AJ looked down at her. "Get some sleep."

"I'm serious AJ, you and the guys said before the next job you'd let me know…..if this is the next job I'm in." Izzy turned to look at him.

"….Get some sleep." AJ repeated. "In the morning I'm taking you to a shooting range."

That night at the club

Izzy sat beside John taking a break from the busy atmosphere in the lower level listening to the men joke around. It amazed her that they could see each other almost every day and still have so much to talk about.

"For you." Lily held a bottle up for John. "It's from the girl at the bar." Everyone looked over to see a blonde raise her glass.

"I want a drink." Izzy stood getting a look from Jake. "Of water." Walking past the guys Izzy stopped short at the same time Lily turned around.

"Ghost?"

"What's up babygirl?" Ghost smiled at Lily making Jake stand coming to her side.

"I told you later." John spoke as well.

"Yeah well after I paid a visit to you and AJ here without getting a call I figured I'd come and talk to you all myself." Ghost smiled taking a seat. "Hey baby I didn't know you were a part of family, I thought you were just another piece of ass." Ghost spoke looking towards Izzy.

"Excuse me?" Jake stood glaring down at his former friend.

"Oh don't be greedy Jake you can't have Lily and her, besides AJ already got to her last night."