A/N: I completely apologize for not updating. I had surgery and it really took a lot of energy out of me. I hope some people are still reading this and I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Just a few details: Chloe isn't the town whore and EJ never kidnapped Stephanie.
Arianna was exhausted by the time she walked into the Brady Pub to get dinner. The past two days she had seen so many women come in and out of the building hoping to be a model for EJ's new line that it was more of a headache than anything else. Every girl had to be evaluated and since EJ thought so highly of her opinion she sat in on their auditions and interviews with him. There was something to be said for the restraint she had shown when some of the women (most of them) attempted to flirt with the lawyer. However, he never flirted back instead choosing to keep the meetings professional. She had called them in some dinner from the Pub and then they were meeting back at the mansion to strategize. Caroline informed her that her food would still be a few minutes so she took a table to sit down.
"Is that you Ari?"
"Oh, hey Rafe." She greeted accepting his kiss on the top of the head before he sat down across from her.
"I haven't seen you in so long I almost forgot what you looked like."
"Very funny. I've just been busy with work and everything…" Arianna trailed off not sure how she should tell her brother the truth at what had truly been keeping her so occupied.
"Yeah I heard about what everything you've been busy with."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that it's not a secret of how you're working off your attorney bills."
Arianna bit her lip to keep from saying exactly what she wanted to say at the statement, "Excuse me?"
"I know that you're screwing EJ Dimera and so does the entire town." He leaned forward as he spoke and Arianna did the same.
"Well guess what? I'm an adult. If I want to scew EJ Dimera from daylight til dark every day I will. And as far as what everyone in this town thinks? I truly don't care. If they know I'm sleeping with EJ then I'm fine with that."
"So you really are sleeping with him?"
"Yes I really am."
"How could you Ari? You know what he is, what he's done."
"Then you answer your own questions Rafe. You know how Sami is, what she's done. What's the difference?"
"The difference is that Sami and I love one another. You and EJ," He shook his head in disgust, "I don't know what you'd call that."
"I'd call that intimacy between two adults. EJ isn't seeing anyone else and neither am I. So we may not have an exact name for it but I know this. I know EJ cares for me, I know that he's doing everything in his power to get the charges against me dropped, and I know that he gave me a job and a place to live when I didn't have either. So quite frankly Rafe if you can't see that then you and the rest of this town can kiss my ass."
"Arianna your food is ready." Caroline called and the other woman got up from the table to collect her food.
"Thank you Caroline." She shot Rafe a hard stare and walked out of the pub without a word to her brother.
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Hearing the door close EJ smiled to himself knowing who had just walked into the mansion. Taking off his glasses he sat aside his work to properly meet her.
"Hello darling."
"How can one man be such a judgmental ass?" Arianna demanded slamming the bag of food on the coffee table
"Sweetheart?"
"Where does he get off? Acting like I'm not capable of making my own decisions! I'm an adult damn it! I can do whatever I want!"
"Arianna," EJ stood up and placed his hands on her arms, "I'm very lost. Who are you talking about?"
"Rafe."
"Ah."
"I ran into him at the pub and he informed me that the entire town knows that we're sleeping together."
"I'm sorry. I know that you probably didn't want everyone to know."
Arianna stopped being mad long enough to give him a confused look, "Why wouldn't I want everyone to know?"
"Arianna I'm….I'm not a good person. You could do a whole hell of a lot better than me. As much as I don't like Rafe he probably only had your best interest at heart."
"Well he's not the only one." She gave him a small smile and wrapped her arms around his waist, "EJ I would be lucky if the entire world knew that we were…"
"We were what?"
"I don't know what we are." Her eyes widened when she realized what she had said, "Not that I'm pressuring for anything or that I expect anything."
"Arianna you're not pressuring me. Actually I think this talk is a little overdue. I'm not interested in seeing other people and I really don't have any interest in you seeing other people. Is there any way you'd consider me?"
"Consider you for what?"
"Dating material?"
"Yes, absolutely yes." Pulling him closer she smiled when his lips lightly touched hers making a spark ignite in her.
"I know this is going to kill the mood but I'm starving and we need to make a decision about which women for the ad."
"You could never kill the mood. And you're right but just remember," Arianna connected their lips together in a series of prolonged kisses licking her lips after she was done, "all work and no play makes for a very out of sorts EJ."
"I tell you what. After we finish all of this let's go to Chicago for a weekend."
"I suppose if a rich, handsome, practically perfect Brit wants to whisk me away I shouldn't turn him down."
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"Chloe, Stephanie thank you for coming in. EJ should be back from his meeting in the next few minutes but put please go on in." Arianna greeted the two women as they walked off the elevator and led them to EJ's office.
"So does this mean that we'll be working as the models?" Stephanie asked once they were inside the room.
"I really should let EJ talk to you."
"Arianna, you were probably just as much a part of the decision as EJ was. So I imagine you didn't call us in to tell us we didn't get it." Chloe replied.
"You would imagine right." EJ announced his presence in the room, "My apologies ladies but some of the board members talk just to hear the sound of their own voices."
"That's completely fine. We just wanted to know where we stood."
"With Dimera Enterprises if you'd like." He took off his coat and hung it up before grabbing two contracts from his desk, "I have two contracts waiting to be signed. You'll be paid well for a few days worth of your time and if this goes well…perhaps we could continue this arrangement."
"Not to offend you but I think I'd like to have an attorney look this over." Stephanie told him while flipping through the pages.
"No, I insist! Arianna and I are very confident that you'll be please by what you find. If you two have any questions just call either one of us."
"I'll see you soon then. It was nice to see you both again. I'll call you." The opera singer gave them both a smile and walked out the door with Stephanie following behind.
"Sweetheart, I think we've done it."
"You did it. You, Summer, and Briana. I was just along for the ride."
"Arianna, you are just as important to this deal as anyone else. You stayed up all night with me trying to narrow down the list; you helped me decide what type of contract to give them. I couldn't have done this without you."
"Thank you," She hugged him tightly, "I wish they could see what I see when I look at you."
"Maybe eventually sweetheart. Rafe will come around. We just have to be patient."
"Well in the mean time we have plenty to keep us distracted."
"Plenty? Oh you mean the new ad campaign, keeping you out of prison, and balancing our relationship. Please darling that'll hardly last a week before we need some more to occupy us."
She laughed when he kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer. She never imagined she'd fall for someone so quickly and she definitely never thought his name would be EJ Dimera. But the best things are sometimes the most unexpected and EJ was definitely the best thing to ever happen to her.