A/N – I'm sorry I missed updating last week. I was sick and then I spent earlier this week trying to catch up on real life stuff that I got behind on because I was sick. Hopefully you'll all forgive me and enjoy this update anyway! Let me know what you think!

Chapter 27 – Stress Relief

"You seem tense," Lulu noted, kissing Johnny's shoulder. "How about I give you a massage?"

"I'm not really in the mood, Lulu," Johnny replied, snuggling further into his pillow.

"You're not in the mood to have your hot girlfriend pay a lot of attention to your aching muscles?" Lulu wondered. "Do you have a fever?"

"Just a headache," Johnny answered.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day when you would fake a headache," Lulu muttered.

"I'm not faking, I actually have a headache," Johnny argued. "And I knew you were faking one the other night."

"I was tired," Lulu said sheepishly.

"Well, now I'm tired," Johnny countered.

"Fine, I guess I'll go downstairs and watch a movie," Lulu sighed.

"Wait a minute," Johnny called out, grabbing her arm. "You can't go downstairs, I'm trying to sleep."

"You must be tired because you're not making any sense," Lulu laughed.

"I can't sleep without you next to me," Johnny explained.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I don't want to go to sleep right now," Lulu shrugged. "And just for the record, you haven't been sleeping with me next to you for the last week, so it doesn't really make a difference."

"You noticed that?" Johnny asked.

"Of course," Lulu nodded. "That's why I've asked you a million times what's wrong and why I keep asking even though you're lying to me and saying that everything is fine."

"Everything is fine," Johnny replied. "I'm just worrying too much and even though I know it, I can't seem to stop."

"Well, what are you worrying about?" Lulu questioned.

"My father, the business, if I'm neglecting you," Johnny listed.

"Honey, you have to stop worrying about us," Lulu replied, kissing him chastely. "I'm happy and if I wasn't, I have a feeling you would know."

"How would I know?" Johnny wondered.

"Because I'm obnoxiously honest about my feelings," Lulu joked.

Johnny laughed and kissed Lulu again, lingering this time. She sighed into the kiss and he deepened it.

"You're perfect," Johnny whispered when they finally pulled apart.

"Hardly," Lulu sighed. "Okay, so we have one of your worries solved. Tell me what's going on with business that's keeping you up at night."

"Spencer, you know I don't like to tell you that stuff for your own safety," Johnny groaned.

"You don't have to give me shipment details or anything," Lulu replied. "Just give me the basics so I can help."

"Well, there's this new threat, I guess," Johnny explained. "Corinthos and I have an even balance of power right now, but some outsider wants to come in and make problems between us and then take over when we're not looking."

"So tell Sonny that," Lulu shrugged.

"He's got his own drama right now and I think a war would make him happy," Johnny continued. "Any distraction is welcome to him."

"These are the days when I wish Jason had never left town," Lulu muttered. "He could always calm Sonny down and make him see things more clearly."

"It's still weird to me that you know these people," Johnny admitted, kissing her hand. "Anyway, I guess I'm just unsure if Sonny will blow his top or not before I get the chance to prove this outsider is the one causing all the problems."

"You know, I think you should have a little more faith in Sonny," Lulu said thoughtfully. "At the end of the day, he's not going to put his business at risk and going to war with you without conclusive proof you're trying to start something would cause him damage."

"See, this is why you're amazing," Johnny smiled. "You always say exactly what I need to hear."

"We still have one more problem to solve," Lulu noted.

"I don't think there's anything that will make me stop worrying about my father," Johnny said, shaking his head. "Other than the words, 'he's dead' that is."

"Fair enough," Lulu relented. "But maybe this will help."

Lulu pressed her lips to his again and kissed him fully, exploring his mouth until she felt him relax.

"That did help," Johnny smirked.

"I trust you," Lulu said seriously. "No matter what, I believe you will protect me."

"I will," Johnny promised.

"Now, get some rest," Lulu ordered. "You're bound to be exhausted."

"Not so much anymore," Johnny replied. "But, I am hungry. I barely touched dinner earlier because I was so stressed."

"Well, I think we have leftovers in the fridge," Lulu noted. "Or, we could cook something."

"Or, I could have the night chef cook something," Johnny countered.

"You don't want to cook with me?" Lulu asked.

"I don't want to burn the house down," Johnny laughed.

"Have a little faith in me, will you?" Lulu requested.

"I have faith that you believe you can cook something," Johnny joked.

"Fine, miss out on my delicious concoction," Lulu said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"I'm coming with you, don't worry," Johnny assured her, tickling her as she tried to get out of bed. "That way I can watch you do your magic. Or, you know, inevitably fail."

"Jerk," Lulu giggled, swatting his chest as she squirmed away.

"Okay, just five more minutes in the oven and it should be ready," Lulu proclaimed, smiling at Johnny who was watching her with a smile on his face. "What?"

"You're just incredibly sexy sauntering around in here," Johnny replied.

"Oh, so you like me cooking, now?" Lulu asked.

"I like you doing everything," Johnny answered.

"You like it most when I..." Lulu trailed off, leaning in to finish the thought with a whisper in his ear.

"I do love that," Johnny agreed, smirking as he suddenly had an idea. "Spencer, come here."

"What?" Lulu wondered, walking over and wrapping her arms around his neck.

Johnny leaned down and gently caressed her lips with his. She smiled against his lips and then Johnny deepened the kiss.

"Mm," Lulu said, shaking her head and pulling away. "I know that kiss and we can't. I have something in the oven."

"Then get it out," Johnny shrugged. "Then I'm gonna blow your mind."

"We're in the kitchen," Lulu said, looking around.

"So?" Johnny asked.

"So anyone could walk in," Lulu pointed out, pulling her casserole out of the oven.

"I told the guards that we were to be left alone," Johnny continued.

"That's another thing," Lulu replied. "The guards are right outside the door."

"I'll have them go away," Johnny said simply. "I want you right now and I'm not taking no for an answer."

"But what about the food I just spent an hour on?" Lulu wondered.

"What food?" Johnny questioned, reaching around her and spooning out a small bit of the casserole. "This food?"

"Yes, that food," Lulu smiled as he walked closer. "Are you going to try it?"

"Sure," Johnny agreed, returning her smile.

He brought the spoon to his lips and then turned it, dropping the casserole down the front of his shirt.

"Damn," Johnny swore, his eyes sparkling. "Look what I did."

Lulu glared at him as he set the spoon on the counter and quickly pulled the shirt over his head.

"You did that on purpose," Lulu accused.

"I don't know what you mean," Johnny said, making his innocent face.

"You're awful," Lulu sighed, reaching behind her and grabbing some of the grated cheese she had put on the casserole earlier.

She quickly threw the cheese at him and Johnny's mouth dropped open in shock.

And it was on.

Food flew through the air, followed by clothes as Johnny and Lulu made good use of every surface in the kitchen. She smiled as he collapsed over her on the small table that was in the kitchen. Her nail marks were all over his back and she knew she would be needing makeup on at least one spot on her neck the next day.

"That may very well be the best sex we've ever had," Lulu noted.

"Until the next time we have sex," Johnny agreed, lacing his fingers through hers.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Lulu muttered.

"I owe it all to you," Johnny said, kissing her chastely. "I owe everything to you."

"You are my everything," Lulu whispered.

Johnny smiled at her and bent down to kiss her slowly once more. Before long, she pushed him away, catching him off guard.

"Let's clean up down here," Lulu suggested. "That way we can go upstairs and take a shower to clean whatever food might still be sticking in our hair. And then we can go to bed."

"But no sleeping," Johnny noted.

"I wouldn't plan on it if I were you," Lulu replied, winking at him.