Sample Sunday - The Ladies Love Cool Jus

“Heyyy,” he said, as the music shifted into something we both recognized.“Oh God.” I covered my face with my hands as Timbaland launched into the opening rap, about a woman who suddenly didn’t want to be bothered with him, and wondering if another man had her attention. There wasn’t a single part of me that was surprised when Justin came up behind me and grabbed my hand, turning me around.I pressed my lips together tight, trying hard not to smile as he sang the first line of the song, about trying to go on without me in his life. I’ll Do Anything, by Ginuwine, always brought back fond, funny memories of Justin for me.He grabbed me at the hips, moving me to dance with him as he sang – and sounded damned good, to be honest.“You remember when I sang this at the talent show in high school?” he asked, pulling me in closer.I nodded, tipping my head back to look up at him as we moved. “I sure do. I also remember Coach Dawson snatching you off the stage after you ripped your shirt open, and gave half the population of the school the vapors. Those girls went nuts!”“Good times, man. Good times.”I giggled. “I bet it was. I seem to recall you were very, very popular after that. As a matter of fact… that’s why the school was calling you “LL Cool J” most of senior year, wasn’t it? You graduated up from Ginuwine.”“The ladies loved cool Jus,” he chuckled, keeping his arms wrapped around my waist as he started singing again, this time right in my ear.I bit down on my lip and closed my eyes, trying my hardest not to moan as his lips accidentally brushed my ear.“Uh, yeah,” I nodded, trying to ease away. “They did. Pretty sure every girl in the auditorium that day left with wet panties.”Justin stopped moving, and pulled his head back to raise an eyebrow at me. “Every girl?”“Well, not me, of course,” I swiftly covered, and my words were actually true. “You know you didn’t do anything for me back then. We were too close. I was immune to… these eyes, and that voice, and the charm.”“Back then?”My heart leapt up into my throat and got stuck, and I quickly swallowed it back down. “You know what I mean.”“No, T. I really don’t. Explain it.”“I can’t.”“Why?”I didn’t even realize I’d been moving, but suddenly the backs of my thighs met the desk, and I dropped my hands to grip the edge, steadying myself. Justin was right in front of me, all in my space, with this intensity in his eyes that made it hard to breathe. I dropped my gaze, trying to keep my shit together. “I… I don’t know what you’re looking for me to give you, Justin.”“A straight answer,” he said, putting a finger under my chin to turn my face up toward his, so he could look me in the eyes.I shrugged. “You haven’t asked a straight question.”And I didn’t want him to. Friend or not, I was embarrassed beyond belief by my attraction to him. And now that I’d “outed” myself, I was past that. Now, I was mortified. Heart racing, face on fire, panties soaked, all thanks to a simple, innocent dance with my friend.Friend.How the hell was I supposed to admit that to him?“You said you were… immune to me – not physically attracted – back then. Back then. That implies that something is different now. Is something different now?”I didn’t answer.My brain couldn’t process the need to respond with all my blood rushing to my sex organs. It was busy. So I just stood there, chest heaving, eyes wide, staring like a fool while Justin looked at me, waiting for an answer I wouldn’t give if I could.But I guess my non-existent answer was… an answer.Maybe even the answer he wanted.