Planning

A/N: Just want to say thank you so much for all the amazing reviews! So many of them make me smile and laugh. I literally read every single one and I just love how interactive you guys have been on this story. It makes my whole day. Much love.

"What does this mean?" AJ asked, lying in bed with Punk one night as she pointed to one of his tattoos on his arms.

"It's a bowl of ramen." Punk shrugged, "Doesn't mean anything. I just… like ramen."

"You like it so much you felt you needed to permanently ink it on your body?" She looked up at him.

"It's one of my bad habits. If I like something a decent amount, it normally gets tattooed on me." He said, "I got a pizza slice too."

"And a paw print." AJ smiled, noticing the paw on his arm.

"For my childhood dog. Callie." He said, "She was a dalmatian."

"Oh, they're sweet dogs." AJ smiled.

"My brother kicked her one time, and I ended up breaking his wrist." Punk said, "First time I ever really lost my temper with him."

"Well, you had a good reason." AJ shook her head. The more she heard stories about his brother, the more she realised that prison was probably the best place for him.

It had been a few weeks since their date by the lake and they were still spending pretty much every night in each other's bed after they finished work. Talking about everything and having lots of sex. It was bliss, and truly like they were in their own little bubble when they were together. They were still learning so much about one another and every second spent in each other's company was worth the wait of the working day.

"You have any tattoos?" He asked her.

"You've seen every inch of my body. You know I don't." AJ said.

"Do you want one?" Punk asked.

"Never thought about it, really. If I was to get one, it would have to have a lot of meaning. Not just… ramen?" She shook her head and laughed as he smiled.

"You tell Shiv about the Summer Fair yet?" He asked.

"I did, actually. I told her today." AJ nodded.

"And?" Punk waited.

"And… she didn't say much. Honestly, I get the impression that she's not really into Finn that much. I'm sure she likes hanging out with him, but she never talks about him. I'm pretty sure when she goes to college, she'll break it off. Whatever it is they're doing." AJ said.

"Yeah, I was thinking the same." Punk said, "She should talk to Daryl before she goes off to college. It bugs me that they just can't have a conversation."

"Ahh, young love." AJ nodded as Punk chuckled, "But I know what you mean. I just want to bang their heads together."

"What else goes down at the Summer Fair? Is it just the same stuff as the Spring one?" He asked curiously.

"No, it's a little bigger. There's a lot more rides and stalls. Mister Eckles brings his horses down for the kids to ride. There's a lot more ice-cream trucks. And then at night there's a huge BBQ whilst the singers take to the stage." AJ said.

"Sounds pretty great." Punk nodded.

"Yeah, it's always a lot of fun." AJ smiled.

"Sounds like a good place for a date… after we finish working." He nodded as she smiled up at him, turning around to lie on her stomach so she could see him better.

"Then you gotta win me the biggest teddy bear there is from one of the stalls." AJ nodded.

"That's a lot of pressure." Punk said.

"I think you could do it." AJ nodded.

"Do you think we should maybe have a staff meeting? Your shop and mine? Before the Fair? Just to go over some things?" He asked her.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." AJ said, "We can go over everything we're selling and what stations everyone should cover." She nodded, "But does that mean we have to invite Linda?" She groaned.

"I think it'd be nice to include her." Punk nodded.

"We don't really need her to bake anything, honestly." She said.

"I've already asked her and… it's nice seeing her feel important. She obviously lost that feeling when she lost her bakery." Punk said, "Which you stole." He teased as she shoved him and gasped.

"I did not steal anything. She couldn't afford to rent the building and I could. That is not my problem." She said defensively.

"I'm kidding." He chuckled.

"You got too much to say sometimes." She rolled her eyes as he smiled.

"Come shut me up then." He said with a seductive smirk as she looked at him curiously, knowing exactly what he was suggesting.

"Shut you up by doing what?" She smirked, already sitting up and straddling over his hips, both of them still completely naked from their antics earlier on in the night.

"Cover my mouth with something." Punk nodded to her, tugging on her hand a little in signal for her to move further up his body.

"Cover your mouth with what?" AJ played along seductively, placing her hands on his chest whilst moving bit by bit up his body.

"With this." He nodded, stroking her between her folds with two fingers as she moaned a little, feeling him physically lift her by the hips up his body, positioning her pussy right on top of his mouth as she grabbed onto the headboard in front of her, her knees at either side of his head. She'd never known a man to be so keen on going down on her. His desire to give her pleasure only turned her on all the more.

"Fuck." AJ gasped, feeling him eat her out desperately whilst holding onto her hips, feasting on her like it was his last meal. The feeling was enough to make her light-headed and dizzy.

He didn't take his mouth from her once, keeping her smothered against his mouth as she began moving her hips a little, ultimately riding his face with abandon. She had no idea this side of her existed. She'd never met a man who'd brought this side out of her. And oh, how she loved this side of her. This fun, wild and constantly orgasming side.

"What else are we doing? Puerto Rican sweet breads, cherry quesitos, mini peach cheesecakes…" AJ looked through her work diary whilst standing behind the coffee shop counter with the girls the next day, taking advantage of a quiet spell in the shop to talk about their Fair menu.

"Guava ice-tea?" Lyla remembered.

"Yes." AJ nodded, writing it down on her list so she could prepare ahead of time for the ingredients.

"Iced-cinnamon latte." Becca added as AJ wrote it down.

"I thought we were doing the mini pancakes with the chocolate sauce too?" Shiv said.

"Yes, we are." AJ nodded, adding it to the list, "Phil is getting Linda to do more classic things. She's doing fudge, macaroons and a jam sponge cake." She said.

"And what is Phil doing?" Shiv asked.

"He's doing sandwiches. Breakfast ones and deli ones." AJ said, "And he's letting Daryl do the chocolate fountain again." She said as Shiv rolled her eyes.

"Why are you rolling your eyes? You got something from the chocolate fountain at the Spring Fair. Like a big fat traitor." Lyla remembered.

"That was just a moment of weakness." Shiv said.

"Me and Phil think it's a good idea if we have a staff meeting before the Fair, just to go over some things." AJ nodded, closing her diary.

"This is still so weird to me." Shiv admitted.

"What?" AJ asked.

"The fact there's a "you and Phil" now." Shiv said.

"I like it." Becca admitted, "If AJ wants to get herself a sugar daddy, then we should all support it." She nodded seriously as AJ rolled her eyes whilst Lyla chuckled a little.

"Well this whole joining forces thing isn't making my life easier. I was going to break things off with Finn." Shiv admitted to them.

"Why?" Lyla asked.

"Because it's not really going anywhere. I mean… it's fun hanging out with him and he's like… a great kisser. But I'm going to college soon and I don't see it lasting." Shiv shrugged, "So now I'm going to have two exes to work with."

"Not our fault you're slutty." Becca shrugged as Shiv rolled her eyes.

"Finn seems like a decent kid. I don't think he'll give you any kind of grief for breaking things off." AJ said.

"It'll still be awkward." Shiv huffed.

"Then you can work at one side of the stall and they can both work at the opposite side." Lyla suggested, "No interaction necessary."

"It's still awkward." Shiv shook her head, "Why did your dumb boyfriend have to hire the only two guys I have situations with?" She turned to AJ.

Sometimes for AJ, hearing them refer to Punk as her boyfriend still surprised her. But she loved it.

"Because they both happened to need jobs." AJ shrugged, "And he says they're really good workers."

"What else does he tell you in secret?" Becca smirked to AJ.

"I am not inviting you into my relationship." AJ made clear as Becca scoffed whilst Lyla just smiled. To see her best friend so happy in a relationship was all she'd ever hoped to see. She'd tease like Becca and Shiv, but AJ knew how thrilled she was that her relationship with Punk was going so well.

"We're going to do a little staff meeting with The Brewberry girls before the Fair. Just to go over some stuff." Punk told Daryl and Finn whilst they stood behind the counter in his shop. Daryl was making a coffee for a customer whilst Finn was refilling the sandwich trays.

"Go over what stuff?" Daryl asked.

"What we're selling. Who is in charge of what. Just so it all runs smoothly." Punk nodded.

"This is a little annoying." Finn admitted as Punk turned to him, "I was… going to break things off with Shiv." He said honestly as Daryl turned his head so fast, he almost gave himself whiplash.

"Why?" Daryl asked immediately before Punk could.

"She's a great girl and I love hanging with her but… I just don't see it going anywhere, especially when she's going off to college at the end of Summer. I'll barely see her. And I get the feeling she's not that into me." Finn shrugged.

"Sounds like it could be an amicable decision then." Punk nodded to Finn.

"Use less big words please." Daryl added as Punk shook his head.

"I just don't want it to be awkward afterwards. Having to work with her at the Fair." Finn admitted.

"You see what your love life is doing to us." Daryl said to Punk.

"Hey, that is all you guys. None of my business." Punk shook his head, "I'm just interested in making the Fair a success for both coffee shops."

"I'm sure it will be." Finn nodded.

"All this talk about us working with Shiv… have you considered what it's going to be like working with AJ?" Daryl asked, handing the cup of coffee to the waiting customer with a pleasant smile.

"What do you mean?" Punk shook his head.

"What if you guys butt heads? Who is the one in charge? You or her?" Daryl asked.

"Both of us." Punk said, "She'll do her thing and I'll do mine." Punk shrugged. He had absolutely no concerns about working with AJ. None at all, "Stop trying to stir things up. Little shit." He shoved Daryl who chuckled a little whilst Finn smiled.

Punk had to admit, there had definitely been a better atmosphere in his shop. At first, he thought it was just him, because he was getting laid every night and having mind-blowing sex all the time, but he could definitely feel a better dynamic forming between Daryl and Finn.

"You wanna get this one?" Daryl asked quietly, looking over to the shop door where Luke had just walked in.

"He didn't take the hint, did he?" Punk shook his head.

"Do we not like this guy?" Finn asked curiously.

"No." Daryl said immediately. Punk had filled him in on why he disliked Luke so much, without going into too much detail. Just that he'd messed with AJ on a date.

"You serve him. I don't trust myself." Punk told Daryl who nodded whilst Punk walked off into the kitchen to distract himself.

As his feelings for AJ grew every day, he found himself feeling more fiercely protective of her and her feelings.