[chapter fourteen]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please. ;-)
A/N: I know Charlotte doesn't come after Atlanta in the schedule. Sue me. ;-)
**
"They are going to have to be punished." Casey said as Junior kissed the back of her neck and she purred.
"They who?" Junior asked distractedly as he slid her necklace out of the way of his wandering lips.
"They, the devious minds who set up this tête-à-tête." Casey said, tilting her head slightly in response to his kisses. "The devious minds I still need to get to hook up together in one way or another."
"Just tell Johnson we had sex on his floor. That'll punish him." Junior said, chuckling.
"Oh, nice. Very nice, Earnhardt." Casey shot back. "That's really sensitive."
"It was a joke, Case." Junior said, leaning up on one elbow to look at her. "Well, what did they expect with all the candles and flowers and everything? We'd just sit here and hold hands and whisper sweet nothings to each other? Please. Anyway, I would never tell him about this. He'd kick my ass." Junior winked and Casey rolled her eyes jokingly.
"And here you're always saying you could take him … " Casey grinned. "I'm serious. They are going to be punished."
"Can we have some dinner before we punish them?" Junior asked, nuzzling her ear. "Pretty please?"
"All you can think about is dinner?" Casey asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, dinner after we have sex in his shower and on that couch over there." Junior grinned broadly. "Gotta work up our appetites." He teased as Casey laughed.
"Why did I forgive you again?" Casey teased.
"You find me ruggedly handsome and my charms are too much for you." Junior said, as though the answer were obvious. "And my sexual prowess is unequaled."
"My boy, you need an ego reduction, stat. All those damn pit lizards have finally gone to your head." Casey said seriously.
"Don't make me prove it all to you. Again."
Casey could only laugh in reply.
**
"You think they're going to be mad?" Denise asked, absently popping a french fry into her mouth.
"I think if they had sex anywhere in my house, I'm going to kill them." Jimmie said evenly, throwing a french fry into his own mouth and avoiding Denise's question.
Denise stifled a laugh. "You better load up on ammo, because I'm thinking, if all went according to our Operation's plan, you are going to have to do some killing."
Jimmie laughed. "As long as I don't have to know about it, I'll let it slide. As long as it wasn't on my couch."
"Think they've made up yet?" Denise asked with a laugh, tilting her head to one side inquiringly. "It's almost midnight."
"I think we better stay out until dawn, just in case they have a lot of talking to do." Jimmie said, looking down and blushing slightly.
"Oh. That was slick, Jimmie." Denise laughed. Jimmie raised his head and met her eyes, his cheeks still slightly red. "Fine by me, but none too smooth." She smiled, and Jimmie couldn't help but laugh.
"You got me figured out already." Jimmie smiled.
"Nah, not completely. But give me the rest of the night, and I'll try." Denise said with a wink.
**
(The following morning)
"I can't believe you guys did that!" Casey squawked at her best friend as she poured both of them a cup of coffee. "I should kick your butt!"
Denise smiled, happy to see the glow back in Casey's cheeks and her happy nature restored. The minute she had seen her roommate in the morning, she knew the plan had been a success. The only shocking thing about the evening was that Denise had come in even later than Casey - but she hoped her roommate hadn't noticed.
"You're going to kick my butt for getting you back on the right track with Junior, and for planning, and funding, a romantic dinner for two?" Denise raised one eyebrow. "Wow. What gratitude." She teased.
Casey eyed her levelly, handing her a mug of coffee. She gently yanked on Denise's hair. "That's for planning the whole devious thing, forcing my hand, totally lying to me and making me forgive that sorry excuse for a boyfriend I have." She leaned over and kissed Denise on the cheek. "And that's for being a fantastic friend and planning such a wonderful night, for which I owe you many thanks. So thank you. Thank you." Casey said sincerely.
"I love you too, Case." Denise said sarcastically as she snapped open the morning paper to read the headlines.
**
Jimmie smiled as he threw away the last of the candles and spied a note on his coffee table, where his bogus "file folder" had been a few hours before. He laughed, noticing the folder was gone as he unfolded the note.
"J---
You will be punished, but until then I want you to know - you are my best friend, and I don't know what I would do without you. Thank you for everything. Now, I suggest you run the other way the next time you see me. Love ya.
--C
PS And I'm keeping your 'file folder' for safekeeping."
**
"Thanks, man." Junior said, elbowing Jimmie with a nod of his head, reddening slightly. "'ppreciate it."
"Not a problem, dude." Jimmie said. "Everything cool?"
"Yeah." Junior said with a shy smile. "Yeah."
"Junior?"
"Hrm?"
"You stayed off my couch, right?"
**
"Come to Charlotte with me." Casey begged Denise. "It's not that far, and we'd have a blast. Jimmie and Junior would love to have you there, and you can keep my company while they go be race car drivers."
"I don't want to get in the way … " Denise said, torn between wanting to go to the race and not wanting to be a bother.
"Denise?"
"Hrm?"
"Shut up. You're coming with us. I'm calling Junior right now and telling him to clean that damn motorcoach of his. It's settled." Casey said with determination.
Denise smiled gratefully at her friend. "You're positive?" She asked, just to be sure.
"Yes. We can troll for cute drivers, flirt with pit crew members, I can drive Junior mad with jealousy and I can pick up a paycheck while I'm at it." Casey quipped.
"Gee, now I can see why Junior was so eager to kiss and make up." Denise said sarcastically. "What a gal he's got - lucky guy."
Casey smiled. "I'm the lucky one. But if I see that Tiffani girl, she won't be so lucky."
Denise could only laugh at the
image of Casey chasing a frightened Tiffani down pit road.