Brothers & Best Friends

by Rose, Ashley

  “Wha—” Jess tried to respond, but Janine pushed her finger to his lips. Then, slowly, she pulled her shirt over her head so she was naked from the waist up. Jess inhaled sharply, tracing his fingers up and down Janine’s sides. Hesitating for only a moment, Janine pulled his head to her chest. Taking the hint, Jess pressed slow kisses against her chest, using his tongue to gently circle each nipple. Unable to stop herself, Janine began circling her hips, grinding herself against Jess until she felt him harden against her thigh.

  Standing up, she pulled Jess of the bed with her. She pulled down his pants, his erection springing free, then slowly slid her own panties down, her lips dangerously close to Jess as she bent over. Smiling up at him, Janine kissed him once more, then pushed him onto the bed again.

  Straddling his thighs, Janine began massaging Jess’s chest in slow, smooth strokes. Each time she leaned forward, she felt his erection against her stomach. The sensation was causing her own arousal to grow. She moved her hands lower, massaging his lower stomach, then slowly stroking up and down his length. Suddenly, Jess reached up and moved Janine to his side, rolling on top of her.

  “Jess?” she asked.

  “I want to make you feel good, Janie,” he answered. Before she could respond again, he lowered his head between her thighs and ran his tongue over her. Gasping, Janine involuntarily closed her thighs, but Jess didn’t let up. He licked and kissed her faster, moving his hands up to caress her breasts at the same time. The sensation was too much for Janine. She moaned Jess’ name as her entire body shook with her orgasm.

  Once Janine had recovered, Jess moved up to kiss her, spreading her legs with his knees as he went. Janine lifted her hips off the bed to meet Jess. He entered her slowly, taking in every sensation as he went. Janine moaned, pulling him down to kiss him, her tongue intertwining with his. She spread her legs wider, allowing him to thrust deeper.

  “Faster, please,” she whispered breathlessly.

  Jess picked up his pace and Janine wrapped her legs around his waist, not wanting their bodies to part. Jess rested his forehead on the bed beside her. The feel of his hot breath against her ear sent her over the edge. She came a second time, her muscles contracting around Jess as he moved inside her. Moments later, he gave a final thrust, spilling his own release into her. Exhausted, Jess collapsed beside Janine, who rested her head on his chest.

  “I can’t believe I’m getting married,” she said after a few minutes of silence.

  He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Are you sure?"

  She merely grinned. "Did you tell Karen and Chad already?"

  He sighed, rolling his eyes. "I told them yesterday. I thought Karen was going to blow my cover."

  Janine was grinning so wide her face hurt, but her smile managed to widen anyway. Then she gasped and popped up. "I have to go call John."

  "He already knows, and you might cause the death of his phone if you call this early."

  She attempted to give him a severe look, but her smile ruined it. "Have you told everyone then?"

  "Nope," he said, shaking his head. "I left your mother to you."

  "How very generous," she said dryly. "What about your mom?"

  "Didn't tell her either."

  She smiled and kissed him again. "You're wonderful, have I told you that lately?"

  "I believe you have."

  "Well you are," she said, looking down at her hand and sighing. "I can't believe this. You actually proposed."

  "Didn't you think I'd ever get around to it?"

  "Well, I had hoped you would someday, but I never dreamed you'd be so prompt about it. Look at Chad and Karen."

  "I'm not Chad. And thankfully, you're not Karen."

  "Be nice! They're your best friends," Janine chided. "You're marrying me. You're really marrying me. You're going to let me stuff cake in your face in front of people."

  He nodded, placing a hand on her stomach. "And you and Baby will have my last name when he's born."

  Sighing, she cuddled up next to him again, not even noticing that they were upside down on the bed. "I love you."

  "Ditto," he said, bringing her closer and pressing a kiss to her forehead. They stayed just like that for a few minutes, and then Jess finally sighed and said, "I need to get ready now."

  She looked up at him, resting her left hand on his chest and staring at it. "It's so beautiful," she told him. "Thank you."

  He gave her an odd smile. "Are you supposed to thank me?"

  She shrugged. "I have no idea. I've never been proposed to before."

  He gave her a quick kiss and rolled off the bed. "I have to go. You go back to sleep now. Let the baby sleep."

  "He isn't all that sleepy anymore," she informed him, smiling at him adoringly.

  He gently ruffled her hair, sighing. "I have to go now or I'll be late."

  She reached up and caught his hand, kissing him on the knuckles as he had done. "I'll be at work when you get home," she said sadly.

  "Want me to have your dinner ready?" he asked with a teasing smile.

  "Will you wear an apron?" she replied with a devious grin.

  "No."

  She sighed. "Mean."

  "But I will marry you."

  She raised her eyebrows. "I guess that will have to do."

  Jess squeezed her hand one more time and gave her a smile before walking out.

  Janine sighed and held her hand up in front of her, grinning at the ring, saying quietly, "Mrs. Jess Rossini." Then she closed her eyes happily and ran her hand over her belly, wondering how her life had managed to become everything she had always wanted.

  ***

  That night, everyone was getting together at Karen & Chad's place again, and Janine couldn't wait to show everyone her ring. Karen was giddy before they even got there, and she pulled out a stack of bridal magazines, which they started flipping through right away.

  "Looks like we've got an exciting night of wedding planning ahead, buddy!" Chad said, slapping Jess on the back.

  "Woo hoo," Jess said, rolling his eyes.

  Chad smirked. "Hey, it might be fun." There was a knock at the door and Chad said over his shoulder as he went to open it, "Oh, and just a heads-up: Candace is bringing Will tonight."

  "Some heads-up," Jess muttered, and Janine took his hand.

  "Hey," Candace greeted as she hugged Karen.

  "Hey, sweetie."

  "We brought pizza. One pepperoni and one extra cheese, because I'm cheesy that way."

  "And completely original," Will remarked sarcastically.

  "Oh, definitely," she agreed with a teasing smile.

  "Good," Karen said, taking the pepperoni and handing it off to Chad. "We're starving."

  Jess had to let go of Janine when Chad handed the box to him, so Janine offered to go with Chad to help get plates.

  "Relax," Chad to her said when they got in the kitchen.

  Janine merely blinked at him. "What?"

  He nodded toward the other room. "You're oozing awkwardness. It's like fear, he can smell it. Just relax," he said with a smile, handing her a stack of plates.

  Janine blushed, but she tried to follow his advice anyway, walking back into the room with a slight smile on her face.

  As soon as Janine went back over to Jess, Will smirked and shook his head with a mock sigh. "He put you on a leash this time, huh?"

  Janine rolled her eyes. "No, he did not put me on a leash." Then her senses seemed to come back to her and she grinned, holding out her hand. "But look."

  Candace gasped. "Is that...?"

  Janine grinned and nodded. "We're getting married."

  "Kind of small, isn't it?" Will remarked.

  "Will, don't talk about yourself that way," Jess said. Then, in a stage whisper he said, "They make medicine for that now."

  Will merely smiled. "You would know, wouldn't you?"

  "Okay, separate the children," Karen said, using her hands to motion for them to part.

  Chad came over and
started talking about football. Janine excused herself to go get pizza with Karen.

  "Cheese or pepperoni?" Karen asked, handing a plate to Candace and glancing at Janine.

  "Cheese for me, pepperoni for Jess."

  Karen nodded and filled the plates, then handed them to Janine and glanced over her shoulder to call to Jess and Will. "Would you two like the kids' meal?"

  "What's the toy?" Jess replied.

  "Maturity," she replied brightly. "It's fun, you should try it."

  "None for me," Will called.

  She rolled her eyes and shook her head, saying to Janine, "Men can be such boys sometimes."

  Janine smiled.

  Karen smiled sympathetically. "You should probably stick with the girls. Your face is still red."

  That made Janine blush again.

  She turned to walk back to the others, and suddenly she was face to face with Will. "So, I guess congratulations are in order," he said. "How long have you two been together, anyway?"

  Janine raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

  He shrugged nonchalantly. "Just curious. You're, what, five, six months along?" he asked, looking at her stomach.

  "Around there," she replied guardedly.

  "I thought Candace said you just got to the city. I was just curious. It's my curse."

  The glare she sent Will's direction was quite sincere. "You're not even one of Jess's friends, so it's really none of your business," she told him, sticking her nose in the air and walking over to Jess to give him his plate.

  Will mostly hung back with Candace after her waspish reply, not teasing her or Jess anymore. She still felt bad for being so snippy. She couldn't seem to help it, and what was worse was knowing that she would find him almost amusing if it were another person he was teasing.

  She couldn't seem to stop the anxious, embarrassed feeling that had come over her. She rolled her eyes at herself, and for the first time since she had started stewing, Jess noticed.

  "What's wrong?" he asked.

  She shook her head. "How can you put up with me?"

  He smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist. "What do you mean?"

  "I'm so naïve I annoy myself, so I can't see how it would be possible not to annoy you. I blush over stupid things."

  He shrugged. "And I never blush. It evens out."

  She raised her eyebrows, shrugging. "I would just think it would get irritating."

  "It's cute," he said. "It's just one of those things that makes you you. When you're eighty I'll probably still be able to make you blush."

  She smiled and absently ran a hand through his hair. "You'll still be cute at eighty. Wrinkly, and probably with a lot less hair, but still cute."

  He grimaced. "Gee, thanks."

  "Anytime," she replied with a nod.

  "Are you putting that in the wedding vows?" Chad asked with a smile.

  Janine started, having forgotten he was right there, but then she smiled. "Absolutely. Right before my promise to feed him applesauce when he loses all his teeth."

  "She paints an attractive picture of me as an old man, doesn't she?" Jess remarked.

  "Good thing you're marrying young. Don't know how many good years you got left," Chad said, shaking his head gravely.

  Paula finally showed up, despite Janine's secret hope that they would be gone by the time she got there. She called out a greeting to Jess and Chad, but didn't bother to greet Janine, instead giving her that superior smirk and going over to join Candace, Will, and Karen.

  Karen put Hope to bed shortly after that, then informed everyone that they were going to drink to Jess and Janine. She asked Candace to help, and then told Will if he was going to take up space he might as well be helpful, and enlisted him, too.

  "White wine for me. Chad, you want a beer, right?" Karen said.

  Chad nodded, and Will decided to be so helpful as to ask Jess and Janine what they wanted. "Beer for you?" he asked Jess.

  Jess nodded, then went back to talking to Chad.

  Will smirked at Janine. "Kool-Aid for you, right?"

  "Just water for me, please," she said, shooting him a look.

  "So polite," he remarked.

  "I know," she replied shrewishly.

  "That's Janine for 'go away,'" Jess translated.

  "Or what, you'll hit me over the head with your club? Get a grip," he said, rolling his eyes.

  "Look, I really don't give a damn if you think I'm a possessive ogre or not, but you've been making Janine uncomfortable all night, and it's starting to piss me off, so I suggest you get the hell away from us."

  "Ooh, I'm scared," Will said mockingly.

  "What the hell is wrong with you?" Jess asked, frowning. "Have I offended you in some way? Because you seem to have made it your mission to try to provoke me at every turn, and I can't figure out why."

  Will shrugged. "It entertains me."

  "Why? I've barely spoken a dozen words to you before tonight."

  Will merely shrugged.

  Jess rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just step off," he said, giving him a shooing gesture.

  "As you wish, master," Will said with a mock bow as he walked away.

  Jess vaguely glared at him, saying to Janine, "I really don't like him."

  "He's a jackass," Janine agreed.

  Jess nodded, then turned his attention back to Chad, this time attempting to incorporate Janine into the conversation.

  Janine tried to contribute, but since they were talking about someone she didn't know, her mind kept wandering. She felt a stab of delight as she again thought about her upcoming wedding. A wedding. Hers. She was actually marrying Jess, the very thing that seemed so far out of her reach when she first arrived on his doorstep. How had she managed to get so lucky?

  Absently her hand wandered to her stomach, and her thoughts turned a little cloudy. As much as she would fervently deny it if questioned, she could admit to herself that she gave the credit to her pregnancy. The little baby growing inside of her was what had honestly brought them together, because without him she never would have shown up on Jess's doorstep. She hated to admit it, but that was another reason she wanted her brother to let it go.

  She shook her head to push the thought away and stood up, telling Jess she was going to go get some pretzels.

  Janine was in the middle of putting pretzels on a paper plate when she heard someone say, "Would you like me to distract Jess for you?"

  Since she hadn't yet turned, Janine felt safe to roll her eyes. Then she turned around to face Paula with her best blank smile. "Why would I want you to do that?"

  Paula quirked a brow. "So you could sneak off with Will."

  Janine's smile fell away and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, tell me you have a better insult than that up your sleeve."

  Paula just shrugged. "I'm not trying to insult you. Will's hot and with the way he keeps watching you, I'm sure he'd be more than willing to...distract you."

  The smile Janine gave her was incredibly condescending. "And I'm sure you have nothing but John's little sister's best interest at heart. However, I have absolutely no interest in Will, and even less need for a distraction for my future husband. Thanks anyway," she murmured, brushing past her.

  Janine was just about to walk out, but Paula's next words stopped her. "If Johnny finds out you've been crossing paths with Will, you better believe he's going to be pissed at you."

  Janine stopped and frowned, turning back to face Paula. "Why would John care? He doesn't even know Will."

  Paula raised an eyebrow as she reached in the fridge for a beer. "Of course he does."

  Janine's frown deepened. "I was under the impression that you guys met Will through Candace, who met him through school."

  "Will just transferred to NYU this semester."

  "Jess met Will through John? How long have they known each other?"

  She shook her head. "Jess never met him when he went to school with John. He didn't meet him until he transferred here."

  "He wen
t to school with John, too?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "Were they friends, then?" she asked, trying to remember a time she had heard John refer to a friend named Will.

  "Not quite," Paula said with a slight shake of her head. "John never really liked him. No idea why. You would think they'd be two of a kind, but..." She trailed off with a shrug.

  "Huh," Janine murmured, frowning thoughtfully. "I still don't see why John would be mad at me, though. I've talked to guys he hasn't liked before."

  Paula rolled her eyes. "Who knows how Johnny thinks. I just know last time I talked to him, he seemed particularly pissed that Will was paying any attention to you, and if he knows you stood near the guy for too long...well, you know how he gets with you."

  Now Janine felt more confused than ever. "How would John know about that? What, does he have spies on me now?" she asked, almost smiling at how absurd the whole thing seemed.

  Paula raised an eyebrow. "Uh, no," she drawled as if talking to a particularly stupid child. "I'm talking about before he transferred. Did you even bother to tell Jess that he had his eye on you before you met him here, or is that one of your cute little games?"

  "Paula," she said, shaking her head, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I never met Will until the night he came here with Rachel."

  "Of course you didn't," Will said with an easy smile as he walked into the room. "Stirring up trouble again, Paula?"

  Paula shot him one of her "I hate you" glares, tossed her head, and walked out of the kitchen as if they were both below her.

  He sighed. "Such a snob," he said to no one, shaking his head and walking back out to join the others.

  Janine just blinked in utter confusion, trying to figure out what Paula was talking about. Dismissing it as another way to irk her, Janine shrugged it off and took her plate back out to join Jess.

  ***

  Later that night, Jess told Janine that John was coming to visit the following weekend.

  Then he asked her how she really felt about having a small wedding, assuring her that they could wait until after the baby came if she wanted to. She had to consider for a moment since she would only get one wedding, and she had always planned to have the big white dress, the limo, reception hall full of family and friends, big wedding cake complete with bridal shower and bachelorette party. In the end, though, she decided she would be fine with a small wedding. Marrying Jess was the important thing, and she would love to have his last name when she had the baby.