Chapter 8

“Spencer! What are you doing here?”

“I would prefer Dad if you don’t mind and it’s good to see you, too.”

Chanelle leaned in for a hug but she wasn’t happy to see him.  “So, Dad, what brings you to my house at…” She glanced at her watch, “10:30 at night?”

“Can I come in?” He asked.

“Yeah, come on in.” She stepped aside while her father entered the foyer. 

Fortunately, Nick had decided to go to the bathroom.  She kind of hoped he stayed out of sight.  She didn’t feel like explaining to him to her father now or for a very long time if she could help it.

“So, honey, how are you feeling?” He asked.

“What do you mean?” She knit her eyebrows in confusion.

“Well, I was told that you came to work today and then left because you were feeling ill.”

Oh shit! She had forgotten about that.  She hadn’t expected Spencer to show up at her house to check up on her.  He was usually far too busy with work to do something like that.  No, his style would be to confront her the next day with a lecture about how he never called in sick to work.  He could be the bane of her existence at times.

“Uh, I just had a stomach ache.  Something I ate disagreed with me.  But I feel better now, thanks.”

“Oh, well, that’s good.  I was worried.” He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch.

The hell you were worried.  You’re just checking up on me! And what the fuck do you think you’re doing sticking around? Chanelle fumed inside.

“Was there anything else you wanted?” She followed him into the room and sat opposite him in a Queen Anne chair.

“Am I keeping you from something?” Spencer looked around.

“No!” Chanelle said, a little too abruptly and quickly.  “I just, I’m just tired that’s all and I was going to turn in soon.” She hoped the lie sounded convincing.   Nick, please, don’t come out here! Stay where you are! She silently prayed.

“Oh, well, this won’t take long.” He smoothed his trousers with his hands.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Chanelle asked nervously. 

“No, thanks.”

“Well, I’m a little thirsty, so I’m going to grab some water.  I’ll be right back.” She walked into the kitchen and gripped the countertop.  Deep breaths, deep breaths, Chanelle.  Her heart was pounding out of her chest and she felt like she would throw up.  It was stressful enough having her father in her home, but with the uncertainty of Nick showing up while he was there was making her sick.  She wished she had known who was at the door earlier, but she had just wanted to get rid of them and go back to her prelude to lovemaking session with Nick.  And now all sexual desire had gone out the window.

Grabbing a clean glass from the cupboard and filling it with water from the refrigerator door, Chanelle took a large gulp of the icy liquid to try to calm her nerves.

“So, I had an interesting visitor earlier today at work.” Her father announced from the living room.

“Oh, really? Who?” She asked, walking back into the living room.

“Jillian Harrison.”

Crash! Chanelle’s glass slid from her hand and landed on her solid oak hardwood floor.

“Chanelle! What happened?” Her father gasped.

“I… it just slipped out of my hand.  Don’t worry about it.  I’ll go get a towel.  Wh… what did Jillian want?”

Donning a dish towel, Chanelle’s hands shook as she wiped the water from the floor and picked up pieces of broken glass.  Her heart was pounding so hard so didn’t think she could hear his reply.

“Do you know her?” You bastard.  You know I know her! She knew he was toying with her.

“I met her once.  My catering company catered a party at her house last night.”  She walked into the kitchen to dispose of the glass.

“Interesting.” He said, stroking the rough patch of skin on his chin.

“Dad, what did Jillian want to talk to you about?” Chanelle stood in front of him, hands on hips, a frown pasted on her face.  She wasn’t in the mood to play games with him.

“She wanted to let me know that you stole her fiancé, Nick, was it? away from her at her birthday party.  Something about how you pretended to fall so Nick would have to take you home or the hospital or something and then he fell for you and broke up with her.”

Chanelle’s eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open.  She was speechless for a moment.  “That bitch!”

“Chanelle, watch your language.”

“No, daddy, I will not.  She is a lying bitch!”

“So, it isn’t true? You aren’t dating a man named Nick?”

“No, that part is true.  The part that is not is that she was his fiancé.  They were never engaged.  And I did not pretend to fall so Nick would take me home.  I actually slipped and fell and Nick graciously offered to take me home.” She fought to remain calm but it was proving to be difficult.

“Okay.  So, tell me about Nick.  What does he do for a living?”

Chanelle hesitated.  She knew her father too well to fall for the trap he was trying to set for her. 

“He’s in a band.”

“Really? What kind of band?”

“Oh, Dad, she obviously told you all about Nick.  So did you come here to demand that I stop seeing him?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I came here to do.”

“Spencer! I am 30 years old.  I am no longer a little girl that you can boss around.  I am a grown woman and I can decide who and who I cannot date.”

“Yes, that’s true, Belle, but I have a department to look after.  I want to do what’s in the best interest of you and the company.”

Belle? He only called her that when he was trying to make things right with her.  It had been his nickname for her since she was a little girl.  Chanelle Belle.  It was her weakness normally, but not this time.

“What?! Are you going to fire me just because I’m dating someone in a band?”

“Well, are you planning to go on tour with him?”

Chanelle looked at him, mouth agape.  She couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with him.

“I… I don’t know!” She threw up her hands.  “What if I did? Are you saying I would lose my job because of it?”

“I just want what’s best for you, Belle.  And I don’t think it’s Nick Carter.”

“Stop calling me that! And how the fuck would you know what’s best for me?”

“Regardless what you may think, I do really care about you.  I know about that kind of life and you don’t want it.  It’s harsh and chaotic and you’re such a calm and grounded person.  It would crush you.”

“You don’t know about it!  You don’t know him!  You don’t know me!” She protested angrily.

“Chanelle, I know that this guy is just using you for sex!” He yelled at her.

Speechless, she backed away from him in horror.  How dare he say that to her?

She wanted to laugh, to say, we haven’t even slept together! But instead she said, “You don’t know a damn thing.”

“Belle…”

“I… I can’t talk to you right now.” Her voice broke, tears threatening to spill over any second.

“Chanelle, is everything okay?” Nick asked behind her. 

“Oh, Nick.” She turned and folded herself in his arms, her face nuzzling his neck.  Suddenly she was grateful he was there so she could glean strength from him.  She was feeling quite weak at the moment. 

“Hello, sir, I don’t believe we’ve met.  My name is Nick Carter.” Nick bravely held out his right hand while holding Chanelle with the other.

If Chanelle could see the look on her father’s face, she might feel better, Nick thought.

The color had drained out of Spencer’s face as he grasped Nick’s outstretched hand.  “Hello, Nick.  I’m, I’m sorry you had to hear all that.  I had no idea you were here.  I guess you probably know who I am.”

“Yes and I think you should probably leave now.” Nick said resolutely, his face creased in anger.

“Yes, I probably should.  I apologize to you both.  Chanelle, I’ll talk to you later.”  He walked by them and silently opened and closed the door.  Spencer maintained the upper hand in many situations, but he also graciously accepted defeat when he was faced with it.

“Are you alright?” Nick grasped Chanelle’s shoulders and looked into her eyes.  Tears were glittering on her cheeks.

Chanelle nodded, dabbing at her eyes. “Yeah, I just let him get to me, that’s all.  Usually I put up a pretty good fight, so what the hell is wrong with me? I started freakin’ crying like an idiot.” She laughed weakly.

“Uh, hello, you’re on your period.” Nick smiled.  He was well aware of women’s emotional state during those few days out of the month.

Chanelle burst out laughing.  “Thanks for reminding me!”

“And for the record, I thought you put up a pretty damn good fight.” He smiled at her.

“You did, too.  Thanks for standing up for me.  I was impressed that you told the all-powerful Spencer Damien to leave.”

“I was gonna stay out of sight and let you guys work it out, but it seemed like it was getting out of control.  Fucking Jillian! What the hell does she think she’s doing?”

Chanelle shook her head.  “I have no idea.  Does she think that’s going to get you back?!”

Nick scoffed.  “That would be a stupid move on her part since all I want to do now is rip her fucking head off.”

“I guess she knew it was over so she just wanted revenge.  Did you know that she was like that?” Chanelle looked up at him.

“No.  I guess love is blind.” Nick shook his head.

“Did you love her?” Chanelle’s heart wrenched in her chest.

“No.  It’s just a saying.” Nick saw the concern in her eyes and his eyes softened.  “Don’t worry.  I have no desire to ever see that woman again.”

“Not even to tell her off?” Chanelle teased.

“Yeah, maybe to do that.” He grinned. “What are you going to do about your dad?”

“He can do or say whatever he wants, I don’t care.  I’m not going to stop seeing you just because he wants me to.  It never stopped me before.” She smiled.

“Yeah, that’s right.  The rebel in you.” Nick smiled at her, brushing her tear-stained cheeks with his thumbs.  “So, were there a lot of guys you rebelled against him to be with?” He asked her.

“No, not that many.  I’m sure not as many as the women you’ve had!” She teased.

“Oh, don’t even go there.” He laughed.

She wasn’t planning to.  She had no desire to hear about all the women he had slept with in his past.

“So… Nickolas, did you want to stay over? After all, my dad thinks you’re using me for sex.”

“Hmm, sounds good.  What did you have in mind?” He raised his eyebrows, grinning at her.

“I plan to give you an even better present than the one Jillian gave you.  In fact, it will be so good that it will make you forget all about hers.”

“Jillian who?” Nick laughed and kissed the woman who was making him glad he was a man, her man.

Chapter 9

Waking up in a strange bed was nothing new for Nick, but waking up next to Chanelle Damien certainly was.  Her bed was soft and comfortable and she was even more so.  He snuggled in closer to her body and what a body it was.  Visions of her naked flashed through his head causing shockwaves of lust, want and need twist up inside him resulting in a rock-hard erection.

Last night was a fantasy come true.  Chanelle gave him the king of all blowjobs, sucking and licking every hardened inch of his penis, wrenching the most intense orgasm out of him and causing him to cry out in pleasure releasing his hot liquid inside her mouth.

Chanelle had been pleased to accommodate him and they happily shared an intimate time of holding one another until they ended up in her bedroom watching re-runs of “Seinfeld” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”   Sharing half a carton of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream, they laughed and enjoyed one another’s company.  Chanelle’s cramps kept her from engaging in any other extracurricular sexual activities, but she was happy to just hang out with Nick and get to know him.

“What’s your favorite color?” She had asked post-TV and ice cream.  They were sitting on her bed, her legs crossed beneath her, him lounging back against the pillows, smiling at her.

“Green.  Yours?” He answered.

“Red.  Favorite meal?”

“Pizza I guess.  Yours?”

“Fettuccini Alfredo.  Favorite dessert?”

He laughed.  “Ice cream.”

“Chocolate cake.  Favorite band.”

“Now, that’s a hard one.  I like too many.”

“Yeah, me, too.” She laughed.

“Well, I know the Backstreet Boys isn’t one of them.” He teased.

“Well, not yet.  I haven’t really heard any of your music.  Hey, aren’t you guys in the middle of recording an album?”

“Yep.”

“How’s that going?”

“Well, we’re all agreeing on everything so that’s always a good thing.”

“So, are you in the studio Monday through Friday?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Can I come visit some time?”

“Sure.  Just let me know when.” He didn’t know if he was ready to share her with the guys just yet but he knew they would be cool about meeting her.

“I’d like to see what you do.  I think you have an awesome voice.  Can you sing me something?”

Nick stared at her and smiled.  “Okay.  Like what?”

Chanelle shrugged.  “I don’t know.  Just something acapella.  You choose.”

Nick begin to sing:  “Open up your heart to me and say what’s on your mind.  I know that we have been through so much pain, but I still need you in my life this time.  I need you tonight, I need you right now.  I know deep within my heart, it doesn’t matter if it’s wrong or right.  I really need you tonight.”

“Wow.  That was beautiful.  It gave me chills.” She smiled at him.

“Thanks.  Now, it’s your turn.  You sing me something.”

“Oh, no, I can’t, I couldn’t.” She shook her head.

“Yeah, I wanna hear you sing.  If you want, I’ll sing with you.”

“I don’t even know if there’s a song we both know.” Chanelle laughed.

“How about Forever Rebel? Do you remember the words?” He asked.

“Yeah, I think so.  I listened to it last night.”

“You did, did you?” He laughed.

“Yeah.  I was surprised that I still had the CD.” She said sheepishly.

“Thanks a lot.” He teased.  “Alright, so from the chorus… ready?”

She nodded.  “’Cause I’m a little bit o’ love, a little bit o’ hate, a little bit of me that you can’t break, you know that I will be forever rebel.  ‘Cause I’m a little bit of soul, o’ little bit of  lust         

“Hey, that was good.” Nick said.

“Yeah, right.  You were good, you mean.” She laughed.

“No, seriously, you’re really good.” He leaned towards her.

“You really think I can sing?” She asked.

“Oh that.  Yeah, but I was talking about something else.” He grinned, leaning in to kiss her. 

Chanelle pulled away breathless.  “Damn, you’re good at that.  I don’t even want to think about all the practice you’ve had.”

Nick chuckled.  Ditto, babe, he thought.

“Ooh.  I thought of another question.  What is your favorite sexual position?” Chanelle blurted out.

Nick snickered.  “Do you really want me to answer that? I would rather just show you.” That was the opening he had been hoping for.  She looked all kinds of hotness sitting there in a tank top and shorts with her long hair pulled back in a pony tail and only the lightest trace of make-up on her tanned face.  She never looked sexier and he had been trying to hide his hard-on for some time now. 

Nick moved his hands down her shoulders to her breasts causing her nipples to spring to attention.  He crushed her lips against his own as he circled her nipples with his thumbs.

“Oh, God, Nick…” Chanelle moaned against his lips.  That was another thing he was good at; too good at. 

“I want to make love to you, Chanelle.” It was barely a whisper against her lips and it sent electric shockwaves of desire and want coursing through her body.  Yes, Nick, me, too! She wanted to cry out.

“I… you know we can’t.” She pulled away.  Damn you for making me so horny! She thought in despair.

“Yes, I know.” He sighed, lying back against the pillows once more.

“Just a few more days.” She said, feeling his pain.

“Yeah, I know.  I’m just frustrated.  You look too damn sexy in that outfit.”

Chanelle looked at what she was wearing.  She had no idea it would affect him so much. 

“Oh.  Do you want me to put something else on?”

Nick smiled.  No, I want to take it all off. 

“No, it’s okay.  Do you mind if I take a shower?”

Chanelle hid a smile.  “No, not at all.  Let me get you some towels.”

A few minutes later Nick stepped out of the shower, feeling calmer and more relaxed, happy that the cold water had doused his sexual desire for the time being.

Walking over to the bed dressed only in the jeans he was wearing earlier, he sighed at the vision before him.  Chanelle was lying on top of the bed, sleeping peacefully. Her eyelashes lie daintily against her cheeks and her hair was loose and fanned out behind her.  One hand was partially outstretched above her head and the other one was folded on top of her abdomen.  A sleeping angel, he thought.  My sleeping angel.  He sighed happily, pulled the covers down beneath her and covered her with them.  Then he pulled his jeans off and crawled into the bed next to her.  There was nowhere else he wanted to be right now.  He was content.  He was home.

“Hmm…” Chanelle stirred as she felt Nick’s strong arms around her, his erection evident against her butt.  She luxuriated in the feel of him next to her.  This was heaven; the next best thing to having sex.

“Good morning.” Nick whispered in her ear.

“Yes, it is.” She turned towards him and smiled.  “And you’re definitely “up”, aren’t you?”

“Well, what do you expect? I have a hot woman next to me.”

She smiled and kissed him.  She could stay in bed with him all day.  Then she remembered the reason why they couldn’t make love and she jumped out of bed.

“I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later, she walked back into the bedroom.  Nick was lounging on the bed, yawning.

“Holy crap, you’re killing me here!” He said and mashed his face into the pillow.  Chanelle laughed.  She was only wearing her bra and panties.  She felt so comfortable around him, she didn’t think twice when she stripped off her clothes and made her way towards her dresser.  She grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of loose khaki shorts and pulled them on.

“Is it safe to look?” He asked.

“Yes!” She giggled.

Nick turned to look at her.  “Oh, good.  I don’t know how much of this torture I can take.” He smiled.

“Just be patient.” She grinned.

“That’s not one of the things I’m good at.”

She laughed.  “I’m not surprised.  Can I make you breakfast?”

“No.  Let’s go out.  I’m afraid I’ll attack you again if we stay here.” He said.

Chanelle smiled.  She loved the way he wanted her.  He made her feel beautiful and all woman.

The wait at C&O Trattoria in Venice Beach was 30 minutes long.  Nick wore a baseball cap and they both wore sunglasses to shield against the harsh glare of the morning sun.  Here it was November and at 10:00 am it was 70 degrees already.

Nick and Chanelle sat outside on one of the carved metal benches waiting to be seated along with the other patrons.

“Excuse me, but can I get your autograph?” A young woman of about 18 or 19 asked Nick.  Nick looked up at her.  “Sure.  What’s your name?”

“Trina.”

“There you go, Trina.” He signed her piece of paper and gave it back to her.

“Thanks! I love your music!” She gushed and ran back to her friends who oohed, ahhed and giggled over his signature and presence only a few feet away from them.

Chanelle tried to hide a smile, but couldn’t quite manage it.

“What?” Nick asked, smiling.

“Nothing.  I think that’s sweet.” She kissed his cheek.  “You’re so nice to your fans.”

“Well, they’re the reason me and boys are still doing our music.”

Chanelle looked at him.  She realized that life with Nick would really be different than with anyone else she had ever dated.  He was no ordinary man she could go out in public with and not get recognized.  If she was committed to Nick Carter, she would have to be committed to everything that came with him.

“What’s wrong? You look sad.” Nick said.

“Oh, nothing.  I was just thinking about all your fame and what it meant.” She admitted.

“Yeah, it’s a lot to take in, especially for someone not in show business, but I think you can handle it.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.”

“Carter, party of two!” Came a voice over the speakers above them.

“That’s us.” Chanelle said, smiling.  Yeah, that was them.  They were a “party of two” now and it made her happy.

“So you never told me how Jillian took the news of you wanting to break up with her.  Was she crushed?” Chanelle asked after taking her last bite of the all egg whites omelette in front of her.  They were sitting outside enjoying the sunshine and each other’s company.

Nick groaned.  “I really didn’t want to talk about Jillian today.  We were trying to forget about her, right?”

“Yeah, you’re right.  Sorry.”

“I just told her I didn’t love her and I wanted to break up and I thought she took it pretty well.  But I guess her vindictive side came out and she just had to tell your dad about us.  Oh shit.”

“What?”

“I hope she doesn’t go running to the media now with all kinds of made-up shit about me and her.  And I really hope she doesn’t drag you into this.  If she does, I’ll rain down hard upon her ass.”

Chanelle smiled.  The cavalier Nick Carter.  It was a side of him she liked seeing.  “Aw, my champion.  Thanks.”

“No problem, baby.” He winked at her and she got giddy.  He threaded his fingers through hers and held her hand on the table.

“Chanelle!” A high-pitched voice interrupted them.

Chanelle looked over to see Alexa standing there.  “Oh my God, Lex, hey!” She stood up and they hugged.

“I should have known you would be here.  It’s only your favorite place for breakfast.  But I thought it was our place.  Who’s this?” Alexa asked, motioning to Nick.

Nick turned to look at who was making the commotion.

“Nick Carter! My best friend is dating Nick Carter!” Alexa exclaimed.

“Not so loud.” Chanelle hissed, aware of a few heads turning their direction.

“Oh, sorry.” Alexa spoke softly.  “Nick, do you remember me? I was one of the ticket winners to your Now or Never concert in 2003.  I saw you in San Diego.  I still have the pictures of you, me and my sister, Jenna taken at the soundcheck.  I’m Alexa Bainbridge.” 

“Yeah, I think I remember you.  How are you?” Nick said and they hugged.  Chanelle stood there speechless.

“I can’t believe you guys have met and you have pictures! You never showed them to me!” Chanelle exclaimed and Nick laughed.

“I was a closet Nick Carter/Backstreet Boys fan.  I never told anyone.  No offense, Nick.” She said to him.

“None taken.” He laughed.

“You know me, I like heavy metal, hard core punk.  BSB is my secret guilty pleasure.” She laughed.  “So, Chanelle, what the hell are you doing dating Nick and not telling me?”

“Kind of like you not telling me of your concert going experience with Nick?” Chanelle smiled, teasing her friend.

Alexa laughed and a familiar man walked up behind Alexa. 

Chanelle’s eyes widened in shock.  “Ty? What are you doing here?”

Chapter 10

“So, this is Ty, huh?” Nick appeared to be amused.  “I’m Nick.” Nick stood up and extended his hand.

“Hey.” Ty shook Nick’s hand.

“Lex, why don’t you come with me to the restroom? Boys, we’ll be right back.” Chanelle said, leading her friend towards the inside of the restaurant.

Once inside the restroom, Chanelle confronted her.  “Are you out of your frickin’ mind?!”

“Before you go all ape shit on me, Chan, Ty called me and we had a good long talk.  We worked everything out.” Alexa said but Chanelle was unconvinced.

“What did you work out?! Did you work out the fact that he used you and cheated on you? Did you work out the fact that he’s a drug addict?”

“He’s not a drug addict.  He just smokes pot once in awhile.”

“OK, so not much of a user, but he sells them.”

“He only did that once.  He’s done with all that.  He told me he that he was sorry and that he cares about me and really wants to make it work.  He wants to be exclusive.”

“Oh, he does, does he? He doesn’t know the meaning of the word.” Chanelle scoffed.

“You don’t know him and I am going to date him whether you like it or not.” Alexa said defensively.

“You better guard your guitar and everything else in your house.  Good luck with it.” Chanelle said sarcastically and walked out.

“Chanelle, wait!” She heard Alexa calling after her, but she walked up to Nick and said, “You ready to go?”

Nick, who had been conversing with Ty stopped and looked at her, surprised.  “Uh, yeah.  I just need to pay the check.”

“OK.  I’ll wait for you in the car.  Oh, can I have the keys, please?” Nick handed them to her and she walked off, ignoring both Alexa and Ty.  Alexa looked at Ty and Nick and threw up her hands.

“She’s pissed at me.”

“Yeah, it looks like it.  You guys will work it out though.” Nick said and went to take care of the check.

“Do you want to go talk to her?” Ty asked but right then their names were called to be seated next.

“No.  I’ll call her later.  Let’s go.”  They passed Nick on their way inside.

“Bye, Nick.  Hopefully I’ll see ya later.” Alexa said. 

“Yeah, take care you guys.”  He said and took off to find out what awaited him in the car.

“So, what’s that all about?” Nick asked as he started the car.

“Oh, nothing.  Just my best friend making yet another fatal mistake with her love life.” Chanelle sighed and shook her head.

“Hey, it seems like you’re taking it a little too personally.” Nick pointed out.

“Yeah, well, I guess I do.  I really care about her and I don’t want to see her get hurt yet again.”

“I get it, but she’s a big girl.  It’s up to her if she’s going to fuck things up.  There’s nothing you can do, ya know?”

“Yeah, I know you’re right.  I guess I’m just PMSing.  Ugh.” She groaned and Nick laughed.

“Well, I better watch what I do and say.”

“Yeah, you better or I might bite your head off.” Chanelle teased him.  I would rather you do something else with my head, Nick thought.  He had sex on the brain yet again.

“So, where to, mi lady?” Nick asked.

“I don’t know.  What do you usually do on a Sunday when you’re not working or have plans?”

“I watch football or basketball or play video games.”

“Oh.”

Nick chuckled.  “What? That doesn’t sound fun to you? I’m shocked!”

Chanelle smiled.  “Maybe later.  I just thought maybe we can go hang out at the beach, walk around on the boardwalk.  I know I won’t have to twist your arm to do that.” She smiled.  She had read that the beach was one of his favorite places plus he had already told her how much he liked to surf.

“Damn, you’re a girl after my own heart.” He smiled and put his hand on her knee.  The touch lit her skin on fire and her heart beat faster.

They decided to go to Nick’s house so he could get a change of clothes.  Chanelle was in awe of his large home nestled in the Hollywood Hills.  She couldn’t believe there were all these bedrooms and bathrooms and just one man lived there.  She liked his decorating tastes: simple, casual but stylish. 

“This is nice, Nick.  Really nice.”

Nick smiled.  “Thanks.  I’ll be right back.”

Chanelle wandered through his living room, admiring everything, perusing photos and his DVD collection.  It gave her great satisfaction to know she was in a star’s home and he was her “star”.  She wandered through his kitchen and dining room and then walked towards the back patio, amazed by the breathtaking view of the city.  She could stare at it for hours.  It must be even more thrilling at night she thought.

“Yes, it is.” Nick said behind her, reading her thoughts.

Chanelle looked up at him, surprised.  “What?”

“The view looks more beautiful at night.”

“Nick, this is so breathtaking.  I think I would stay out here all the time if I lived here.”

“Yeah, it’s nice, but you haven’t even seen the bedroom yet.” Nick raised his eyebrows lasciviously.

“Well, then lead the way then.” Chanelle took his hand and he led her through the living room and up the stairs.  She smiled.  It was looked all cozy and masculine and well, like, Nick; how she would picture him living.  His bed was the centerpiece of the room, of course.  It was huge and inviting.  Oh, what she wouldn’t give to stay with him in that bed all day, every day.

“Hmm, nice.” She smiled.

“I’m glad you think so.” Nick said and tackled her, pulling her onto the bed.  He kissed her lips and then her neck making her giggle.

“Something tells me you’ve been planning that.” Chanelle smiled at him.

“Well, I wasn’t planning it exactly, but I was thinking about it – a lot.  You have no idea how much I want you.” His voice was low and throaty.

“I have some idea.” She grinned, feeling his erect dick thrust against her thigh.

“See, you have that affect on me.  I can’t get that image of you in your bra and panties this morning out of my head.”

“You have such a dirty mind.”

“When it come to you, yes.  It’s filthy.”

Chanelle laughed.  As if he didn’t think of other women that way, she thought.

“You’re making it so difficult for me.  Come on, we better get out of here.”

Nick sighed.  She was right, of course.  Only a few more days of celibacy.  It would be difficult, but he would live.  Standing up and adjusting himself, he took her hand and they headed towards the beach.

“Now, you don’t think we’ll run into anyone out here, do you? No fathers, best friends, old boyfriends?” Nick teased as they walked along the water, passing skateboarders, rollerbladers, pedestrians and runners.  Venice Beach was a busy place most of the time, but especially on the weekends.

Chanelle laughed.  “No, I don’t plan to run into anyone out here. What about you? We might run into Backstreet Boys fans or your ex-girlfriends.”

Nick smiled.  “Well, that’s always a possibility.  Fans are everywhere.”

“And ex-girlfriends?”

“Well, there aren’t that many of those.  More like…” but he stopped himself.

“More like ex-lovers?” Chanelle grinned.  Damn.  There she went reading him like a book again.

“It’s okay, Carter.  I know you were a whore.” She giggled.

He glanced over at her as they walked and smiled.  There she went impressing him again.  He shook his head.

“What?”

“It’s just that you’re so cool about everything.  A lot of women wouldn’t be.  They’d be all over my ass about who I slept with and demanding I don’t dare look at another woman while I’m with them.”

“Well, I’m a realist, especially when it comes to you.  And besides, I’m not the jealous type.”

“You’re not?” He didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing.

“Not generally but I’m sure there are exceptions.” Like if I found you and Jillian together again, she thought wryly.

“Well, I’ll try not to give you a reason to be jealous.  How’s that?”

“That would be a good thing for your sake.”

Nick laughed.  “Oh, so what would you do if I made you jealous?”

“You don’t want to know.  I can have a nasty temper when crossed.” She smiled.

“Yeah, I saw a little bit of that fight with your dad.  Don’t worry, I don’t plan to piss you off.”

“Good.  Well, then you have nothing to worry about.”

They got an ice cream and sat and ate it, watching the sun glimmer off of the water.

“Can I ask you something?” Nick asked.

“Sure.”

“And you don’t have to answer me, of course, but did some guy hurt you?”

Chanelle looked at him and frowned.

“What made you ask me that?”

“I don’t know, I just had a feeling I guess.”

“Oh.  Well, yeah, but I don’t really feel like talking about right now if you don’t mind.”

“That’s cool.  I just wanted to make sure you were okay and ask you if you wanted me to kick his ass for you.”

Chanelle threw her head back and laughed.  Nick Carter was a revelation, a man after her own heart and her body and he made her happy.

They spent the rest of the day together, eating hot dogs at a stand, talking about their past and present and hopes and dreams, laughing and relating very easily to one another.  It was one of the best days they both had had in a very long time.

“So, I guess you go back to the studio tomorrow and I go to work?” Chanelle asked sadly as he drove her home that evening.

“Yeah.  When can I see you again?” He asked.

She was torn.  She wanted to see him every day and every night and yet it was difficult being with him while she was “on the rag” so to speak.  Now that she had gotten to know a lot of about him and knew she really liked the man that he was, she was anxious to get to know the true sexual man, the man that would ravish her body and send her into a tailspin of lust and desire.

She wanted this man like no other and it scared her.  It scared the hell out of her.

“Nick, you’re single, right?”

He laughed uneasily.  “Yeah.” Duh, he wanted to say.  Where was that coming from?

“I know, stupid question.  I just had to ask it.  Can we meet after work Wednesday night? Do you want to come over my house or want me to come over yours?” She asked.

Wednesday.  He was hoping to see her every day.  Making him wait three days would be torture, but he suspected he knew what her reasons were.

“Hey, why don’t I call you? I’m not sure what my schedule will be like on Wednesday.” He said.

“Sure.  No problem.”  

“Chanelle?” Nick asked.

“Yeah.”

“You know you’re my girlfriend, right?” His insecurity resurfaced and she thought it was adorable.

She smiled and reached up and gave him a kiss.  “Does that answer your question?”

“No, I didn’t quite get that.” He smiled and moved to press his lips against hers, this time deeper, forcing his tongue between her lips to meet hers.  Damn, it was gonna be an excruciatingly long three days, he thought. 

Chapter 11

“Okay, let’s lay down that track one more time.” John, one of BSB’s producers announced through the microphone on the other side of the glass.

“Uh, do you think we’ll be out of here by 6:00?” Nick asked Howie.

“Why, do you have a hot date, Nicky?” AJ teased.

“Well, yeah, kind of.” Nick said sheepishly.

“Ooh, Nicky is gonna get laid tonight.” Brian teased in a high-pitched voice, jumping up and down in giddiness.

Nick shook his head, trying to suppress a smile.  He had told them very little about Chanelle.  Just that he wasn’t dating Jillian anymore and he had met Chanelle and that he really cared about her.  It was evident to his “brothers” that this girl was having a different affect on him than his previous girlfriends.

It had been a long three days and Nick had kept busy with his studio recording work, meetings with the boys, producers and writers, late night dinners and drinking which lead to him falling into bed exhausted every night.  He tried to keep his mind off of Chanelle just because it was too difficult to think about her knowing he couldn’t see her, but he couldn’t help it most of the time and his mind wandered to imagine her beautiful face with her soft brown eyes, her long, flowing hair and her killer curvaceous body that knocked him out whenever he saw her.  Whenever his mind went down that road, his groin tightened and he developed a hard-on.  Usually by that time, he had to quickly switch gears and think of something non-sexual or he would go out of his mind.

“So, what do you want to do tomorrow night?” Nick asked when he called Chanelle last night.  It was so good to hear her sultry voice again, chills of excitement running down his spine at the thought of seeing her again the next day.

“I decided I want to cook for you!” She laughed.

“That sounds cool.  Are you a good cook?”

“Of course!”

Nick laughed.  “I guess I’ll find out tomorrow night.  Can’t wait.”

“Good.  Is 6:30 too early?”

Nick paused.  “Nah, I don’t think so.  We should be done before then.”

“Sweet.”

“Hey, that’s my word.” He chuckled.

“You’re sweet, Nick Carter.”

The compliment was unexpected so he was didn’t know what to say at first.  He was glad she couldn’t see him blush.

“Thanks.” He choked out.

Chanelle grinned.  She made him blush she was sure of it.  She wondered if he was fishing around in his brain for a compliment for her.

“You’re wonderful, Chanelle.” He rasped and she felt her heart beating faster in her chest.  His incredible voice affected her in so many ways…

“Thank you.  Well, I’ll see you tomorrow night, then? I guess you remember how to get here.” She laughed.

“Yep, I do.  See ya.”

And now the magical night was here and Nick couldn’t wait to see her again.  He hoped, of course, to get some “skin” time with her, but more than that, he just wanted to be with her again.  Just being in her presence made him a better man.

“Hi, Nick!” Chanelle greeted Nick at the door and gave him a hug.  She accepted the roses he was carrying with eagerness, a permanent smile pasted on her face.

It had been a long three days for her and she wondered if had been for him as well.  Fortunately, she was busy with work a lot of the time, but even being at work reminded her of Nick, of course.  She pictured him standing there at her counter for the first time over a week ago looking all rugged and handsome, charming the pants off of her.  She laughed to herself when she thought about the female customers she assisted.  They had no idea that the sexy Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys had been there a few days ago.  They would be besides themselves with joy, not to mention if they knew he was her boyfriend. 

Boyfriend.  Chanelle sighed when she thought of that term.  It had been a year since she’d had a boyfriend and it was such a nice feeling.  Once Dylan left, she felt empty and alone, unsure of herself and if she wanted to commit to someone else again.  She hadn’t given her to heart to anyone since Tony but she was on the verge of doing it now with Nick.

“Ummm, it smells good in here.” Nick sniffed the air and walked into the kitchen.  He stuck a finger into the sauce simmering on the stove only to get it lightly slapped by Chanelle.

“Hey! Get out of there!” She tried not to smile but couldn’t help it.  He was adorable even when he was being naughty.

“I can’t help it, I lose all control when I’m around you.” He said, grabbing her from behind and kissing her neck.

Chanelle giggled as she felt her body come alive.

“So, are we okay to do you know what?” He whispered in her ear.

Chanelle blushed and nodded.  “Uh huh.” Thank God, she thought.

“So, do you think that whatever you’re cooking will keep?” He whispered into her ear, his breath making her hot and tingly.

“Why?” She turned around in his arms and stared into the endless blue green eyes of his.

“Because, baby, I can’t wait.” His lips ascended on hers in a crushing kiss, searching her depths with his tongue, his hands running the length of her body.

Ripples of desire coursed through Chanelle’s veins and suddenly she couldn’t remember what she had been doing.  And before she knew what was happening, Nick was hoisting her up into his arms, carrying her towards the bedroom.

“Nick, wait!” She pulled away.  “I have to turn off the stove!”

“Oh.” He smiled sheepishly.  He backed up and tilted her downward so she could reach the knobs on the stove to turn them off.

“Okay, got it.  Take me away.” Chanelle giggled at his action, content to be in his arms because there was nowhere else she wanted to be.

Nick swooped in for another kiss while his strong arms held her, making a beeline for the bedroom.  Since the door was ajar, he kicked it open.

Chanelle giggled again.  She loved how forceful he was being to have her at any cost.  It thrilled her to no end and was sexy as hell.

As Nick laid her on the bed, she smiled up at him.  “So, you just couldn’t wait until after dinner?”

“It’s your own damn fault.  You look too sexy for words.” He kissed her neck.  Chanelle enjoyed every second of it.  She had carefully chosen her clothes tonight, wanting to elicit said reaction from him.  And a tight black lace blouse, open at the neck revealing much cleavage and a short black skirt is what did the trick. 

“I love your outfit.  It’s just too bad that it’s not going to stay on very long.” Nick’s voice was deep and breathy, intoxicated by her beauty, scent and sexual pheromones.

Nick’s hands went for her shiny black buttons, impatient to part her garment and luxuriated in his naked flesh. 

“Need some help with that?” Chanelle teased.

“No, thanks, I got it.” And he had.  In a few seconds, Nick had unbuttoned her blouse and had it parted.  Damn, you’re too good at that, Nickolas.  You’ve had way too much practice, she thought wryly.

And then suddenly Nick’s hot mouth was against her naked breasts, teasing them, stroking them alternately with his tongue and thumbs  eliciting the most intense pleasure from her.  She arched her back in ecstasy as her bra was tossed aside and all her mind could comprehend was the raw, unadulterated feeling of pleasure he was causing.  A low moan wrenched from her throat as her hardened nipples responded to him and grew with each delicious touch.

She could tell Nick was responding as well, his hardness evident against her thigh, which thrilled her more.  She had seen, touched and tasted his cock before but now she would receive the honor of it being thrust inside her.  The thought made her even more wet between her thighs.

Nick smiled as he reluctantly pulled away from the sweetness of her nipples and dipped to claim her mouth once again.  Chanelle grasped the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled away to pull it over his head.  Her hands were immediately drain to the naked flesh of his chest, tracing every line, every hair, every masculine detail, finally flattening her palms against it, reveling at the strength in his muscular frame.  Her fingers brushed his nipples, which caused Nick to growl deep in his throat and grow even harder.

Chanelle moved her hands downward to his jeans, making short work of his button fly and zipper.  It was as if her hands were possessed; possessed with the desire to feel every tantalizing ounce of his hot body.

Once his jeans were unzipped, she peeled them from his frame, pulling them to his ankles.  Nick smiled, kicking them out of the way, not being able to hide the sheer magnitude of his desire for her.  His hardened organ was massive and magnificently displayed for her view.  Her eyes widened in delight at his obvious lust for her and she grasped his rock-hard rod.  Nick put his hand over hers.

“Don’t… not yet.” He didn’t want to come into her hand and that’s the way it was going.  He was beyond hard and overwhelmed with his hunger for her.  It was almost driving him beyond the brink of sanity; making him lose sight of right and wrong, control and losing control.

He peeled away her skirt and panties. “I… I want to make love to you, Chanelle.  More than anything.” He choked out, his voice laced with yearning and a deep need for her. 

“I want you, too…” She breathed, overcome with want and need for him to be inside her.  “but I need you to wear a condom.”

The reality hit Nick that yeah, he did need to wear one.  He looked up to see Chanelle grab one from her dresser drawer.  A smile curved on his lips.  He loved a woman who was prepared…

As Chanelle rolled the synthetic rubber down Nick’s shaft, it was like a sexual act in of itself.  Nick straddled her, holding himself in place and thrusting inside her; slow and steady at first until he felt her acquiesce.

“Harder, baby, harder…” she breathed and Nick thrust harder, slamming himself against her walls, feeling every titillated inch of her hot, wet cunt grip him. 

Chanelle was caught up in a whirlwind of desire, swirling like water in a drain as she felt his immenseness fill her over and over again.  She held onto him, her hands gripping his muscled back, his lips meeting hers briefly before they both moaned in each other’s hair and were on the brink of their explosive releases. 

Nick held onto her, his chest meeting her hard nipples with every electrified thrust.  He was on the brink, but when she lifted her legs above her and crossed her ankles across his back, that sent him over the edge and he called out her name in an orgasmic haze.

Chanelle was on a downward spiral of her own, her new position creating even more intense pleasure causing her to cry out as her climax gripped her.  The orgasm was so intense, it took her breath away and she held onto to Nick for dear life as he was already shuddering and quivering in his own sweet release; spasming uncontrollably and emptying himself into her.  Holy shit! He had never come like that before and it seemed to never end.

As they both came down from their intense orgasmic descent, they embraced with raw emotion, recovering from their massive explosions, shaken to the very core and completely satisfied and overwhelmed with emotion.

Nick kissed Chanelle and slowly rolled off of her.  “I’ll be right back.” He whispered and headed for the bathroom.

Chanelle pulled the sheet over her, rolled over onto her side with a huge smile on her face.  She was still trying to recover from the sexual ordeal of a lifetime.  Did that really just happen? Did she just have one incredibly long orgasm or several multiple ones? She had no idea, but she did know that she had never felt that way before, not just sexually, but emotionally.  She almost felt like crying right now the feelings were so intense.

A minute later Nick was back in bed, jumping under the covers to snuggle next to her.  He kissed her shoulder and lay his head next to hers.

“Was that as good for you as it was for me?” She turned to lie on her back and look up at him.

“Fuck, yeah.  Amazing.” He smiled.

Chanelle laughed and kissed him.  Her feelings for this man were overwhelming her.  You’ve been with men before, Chanelle.  But not like this.  You’ve been in love before.  But not like this.  What? The realization that she could be falling in love shocked her and rocked her to the core.  Suddenly, she was terrified.

“Are you hungry?” She asked Nick a few minutes later.  He was lying on his back with his eyes closed.  She had exhausted him physically and emotionally and he was unprepared for it.  Jillian had never affected him this way.  Hell, no other woman had.  It would take some getting used to, but he would adjust.

“Yeah.” Nick’s eyes flew open and his hand caressed her right breast under the covers. 

“I mean for food, silly.” She laughed and got up.  Feeling a little self-conscious, she entered the restroom and came out a minute later wearing a robe.

Nick was still lying on his back, but this time with both arms outstretched behind his head.

“You really know how to kill the mood.” He teased, a smile curved on his lips, his eyes filled with desire for her.

“You’re insatiable, Nickolas.  I have to go check on dinner.” She smiled and turned to walk out the door.

And I’ll just lay here and check you out, Ms. Damien, Nick thought.

Chapter 12

”So, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Chanelle asked Nick.

Nick looked at her.  She had been distant after they made love, heating up their dinner that they ate at her table and making idol conversation.  They were sitting across from each other now, sipping on water and wine.

“Oh shit, that’s next week, isn’t it? Uh, I’m not sure yet.  What are you doing?”

“Well, I invited my dad and Alexa over here.  Believe it or not, I’m going to cook.” She said.

“I can believe it.  You’re a great cook.  Dinner tonight was really good.”

“Albeit overcooked.” She laughed as she grabbed their plates and walked to the sink with them.

Nick stood up and grabbed their glasses off the table and followed her.

“And whose fault was that?” He placed the glasses in the sink.

“Yours!” Chanelle giggled.

“No, it was all your fault.  You bewitch me, Chanelle.” His voice got all raspy and she turned to look at him.  She saw raw lust in his eyes and maybe something more?

“So, do you want to come over here for Thanksgiving?” She tried to calm the frantic beating of her heart.

“You’re inviting me?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, I’m inviting you.” She smiled.

“I don’t know.  It means I won’t get you all to myself.” He said, kissing her neck.  Chanelle giggled as she continued to wash the dishes.

“Nick, you’re incorrigible.”

“Whatever that means.” He laughed, moving his lips to her ear. 

Hot breaths permeated her inner ear and earlobe and she felt goose bumps form all over her body.

“Stop it, I won’t be able to finish.” She smiled, putting a plate in the dish rack.

“That’s the idea.” He said as he spun her around to face him, his lips pressing urgently against hers, his hands holding her face gingerly.  His probing tongue met her own to culminate in white-hot desire flaming between their bodies.

“Nick, I…” Chanelle pulled away.  She thought her heart would explode with emotion.

“What is it?” Nick looked concerned.

“I…” How could she voice what she was feeling? “I’m just tired I guess.”

“That’s cool.  I am, too.  I got up pretty early.  Hey, are you free this weekend?”

Chanelle’s mind raced.  “No, I’m catering this weekend.”

“All weekend?”

“Yeah.  I’m sorry.”

“Well, if you have to work, you have to work.  I was just hoping that maybe we could go away somewhere, that’s all.”

Chanelle’s heart sunk and beat faster at the same time.  She wanted to tell him the truth—that she was only working Saturday and had Sunday free and that she would love to go away with him, but something was holding her back and she knew exactly what that something was…

“Oh, that’s sound fun.  Another time?”

“Yeah, that’s cool.” He said, clearly saddened.

“Well, I’ll definitely see you a week from Thursday, right? Oh and I forgot to tell you, my mom is coming, too so you’ll get to meet her.”

Wow.  He had met her dad and now her mom.  It was a just a little bit overwhelming when he was still getting to know her…

At the door, Nick said, “Hey, thanks for cooking for me tonight.  Jill… I mean, I don’t get home cooked meals as much as I’d like.”

Chanelle smiled.  She suspected Jillian didn’t do much cooking with her being a busy executive and all.  She was not only happy to cook for Nick and but was glad it elevated her in his eyes.

“You’re very welcome.  Thanks for—everything else.” She blushed.

Nick laughed.  “You’re welcome.  It was my pleasure.  When can we do it again?” He raised an eyebrow seductively.

It was Chanelle’s turn to laugh.  “I’ll let you know.”

“You know how to leave a guy hanging.” He bent to kiss her.  “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Nick.”

“I’ll call you.” He said and walked down the walkway.

Nick drove to his house in turmoil.  Half of him was ecstatic, happier than he had been in a long time, the other half was confused and sad at his girlfriend’s change of mood tonight.  She had been happy, playful and incredible in bed and then things took a turn towards uncertainty.  Something changed after they made love and he didn’t know what.

Was she sorry they had slept together? Or was it something he had done or said or not done or said? He had wanted to ask her but her mood seemed to improve during and after dinner until he kissed her.  Then the veil of fear, was it?—fell over her face again and he once again felt lost and unsure of what happened.  He wished she would open up and talk to him and he would try to be patient until she did, but he wouldn’t wait forever…

Chanelle closed the door and leaned against it.  Tears fell unabashedly down her face.  What the hell is wrong with you, Chanelle? The man was nothing but sweet and loving and you send him away! But she knew what was wrong with her.  She had given her heart to another man three years ago and got it crushed in a vice and she was petrified of giving it away again, especially to a rock star, a celebrity, someone who was known for dating women and not committing to them; someone who didn’t plan on getting married or having children.  She wanted to get married and have children—someday.  Why should she start something with someone who didn’t want that? Why should she sleep with him again when the first time was so wonderful it almost made her cry and want to have that every day for the rest of her life?

She was just headed down the road of heartbreak and she didn’t want to go there again.  Just then her phone rang.  She wiped her eyes and walked over to answer it.

“Hello?”

“Chanelle? It’s me, Alexa.”

“Hey.”

“Hey.  What’s wrong?”

“What makes you think there’s something wrong?”

“Uh, I know you and I can tell.  What happened?”

“Nothing.  I’m fine.”

“Okay, now I know something is wrong.  Spill it.” Alexa said.

Chanelle sighed.  Thank God for Alexa, dear sweet Alexa.  She was grateful that they had said their apologies a few days ago.  She had called Alexa soon after the fiasco at the restaurant and apologized for being so hard on her.

“Look, Lex, if you really like Ty, then go for it.  Who am I to stand in your way?” Chanelle had said.

“Wow.  What caused this change of heart?” Lex had asked.

“Well, if you must know, Nick kind of showed me I was being a little too hard on you.”

“I always knew I liked Nick.” Alexa laughed.

“You just met him!” Chanelle protested.

“Yeah, but I feel like I know him well.  He’s a really cool, down to earth guy.  He makes you want to be his friend.”

“Yeah, he’s good like that, huh?” Chanelle smiled.  Damn, now he was rubbing off on her best friend…

“Yep.  You got a keeper there.”

“Oh, Alexa, I don’t know, I… I’m just scared.” Chanelle sighed into the phone.

“Scared of what?” Alexa asked.

“Nick and I are getting close, I mean really close and I…”

“You haven’t been that close with anyone since Tony, right and you’re freaking out.”

“Yes!”

“Don’t, sweetie.  Nick is different than Tony.”

“How do you know?”

“I just know.  Look, it’s only the beginning of your relationship.  Why don’t you just take things slow and see how things develop?”

“It’s too late for that.” Chanelle said.

“Oh, I see, you guys had sex.  So, what, now you think it’s serious? Chanelle, my dear, sex is just sex.  You have a boyfriend now and that’s what people do when they’re dating.  Don’t read too much into it.”

“It’s just that I felt like crying, it was so wonderful.”

“It was that good, huh?” Alexa laughed.  “Look, stop freaking out.  Just go with the flow.”

“Yeah, you’re right.  So, why don’t you ever take your own advice?”

“Hey, things are going well with me and Ty and believe it or not, we are taking things slow.”

“No comment.” Chanelle said.

“Bitch.”

“Back at ya.”

“Chanelle?”

“Yeah.”

“You know I love you, right?”

“Yes.  I love you, too.”

“Hey, can I invite Ty to your house on Thanksgiving?” Alexa asked.

Chanelle groaned.  “You might as well.  Nick is coming.”

“Oh, goodie! It will be fun.”

“Yeah, but you forget my dad AND my mom are coming.”

“Oh, yeah, that sucks.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Do you want me to come over early to help you?”

“Would you?”

“Of course.”

“You’re the best.”

“Just remember that.”

Chanelle laughed.  Thank God for Alexa.  “Hey, how’s the new gig?”

“Oh, I almost forgot.  I’m playing at the Venice Whaler Sunday night.  Can you and Nick come? Ty’s coming.”

Chanelle bit her lip.  “I… I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? What do you mean, you don’t know?”

“I lied to Nick and told him I was catering all weekend.”

“What?!”

“He wanted to get together and I freaked, okay? I only have a wedding on Saturday and I’m free on Sunday.”

“Get your ass over to his house and apologize pronto.  I will see you guys Sunday night at 9pm, k?”

Chanelle sighed.  “Alright.”

“Okay?”

“Okay, okay. We’ll be there.”

She hung up, grateful that Alexa could whip her butt in shape.  She was right, of course, and she would talk to Nick; she just wasn’t going to deal with it tonight.

Chanelle walked into her bedroom and turned on the stereo.  Nick’s voice blared through her speakers:  “How can I begin to tell ya what you do to me every time I hear ya, more willing to want to see you…” She had forgotten that she had left BSB’s Never Gone CD in her player.  She had just bought it a couple of days ago and had played it non-stop ever since.  It was a great CD and she pictured Nick every time she heard his voice.

Sighing, Chanelle walked over to her bed.  The sheets were still rumpled and messed from their activity earlier.  She remembered how good it felt to finally be in his arms naked, to give herself to him completely, with wild abandon, to feel him reciprocate the same and feel like she was finally coming home.

Chapter 13

There was an insistent knock at Nick’s door at 6:00 am the next morning.  He stumbled to the door after pulling his jeans on. 

There it was again.  “I’m coming, damn it!” He yelled.  Shirtless and yawning, he pulled open the door.

“Chanelle! Hi!” His face lit up.

“Hi, Nick.  I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“No, come in.  This is a nice surprise.”  She walked in the door and he closed it behind her.

His arms encircled her body in a warm hug and he kissed her cheek.  He smelled of coffee and aftershave and she had to admit it was turning her on among other things… damn, he looked sexy without a shirt…

“So, what brings you here so early?” He asked, walking into the kitchen.  “Do you want some coffee?”

“Uh, sure.” She said and sat down at his dining room table.

He brought them some coffee and sat down opposite her.  “Thanks.” She gave him a weak smile and sighed.  “I wanted to apologize to you.”

“About what?” He sipped the hot brew.

“I lied to you about working this Saturday and Sunday.  I’m only actually only working Saturday.  I’m sorry.”

Nick cocked his head and asked, “So, why did you lie?”

“I… I…” she stammered.  “I just kind of freaked out a little.  Again, I’m really sorry, Nick.” She finally spit out.

Nick looked thoughtful and raised an eyebrow.  “Freaked out about what?”

It was a loaded question and Chanelle wasn’t ready to part with the answer although she knew she had to.

She sighed and said, “Nick, it scares me how much I like you.  The last time I felt like this, I got hurt; really hurt.”

Nick’s eyes softened and he put his hand on hers.  “Chanelle, you know I wouldn’t hurt you, right?”

She nodded.  “Yeah, I know.  I do trust you, Nick and I know it’s different, it’s just hard.  Just give me some time and I’ll be fine.” She produced a weak smile.

“I could tell you were distant after we made love and I noticed there were other times that you were dealing with something, but I didn’t want to push.  You always said you didn’t want to talk about it, but I think you should talk about it.”

She looked into his eyes and what she saw was a man who cared, a man who would listen and not judge.  It was finally time.  She took a breath and told him all about Tony and their relationship and everything that happened.  She even touched on her relationships with Paul and Dylan briefly, but she tried not to burden him with too much too soon.

Nick was a good listener and he let her say her peace.  When she was finished, he got up, walked over to her and gave her a hug.  Chanelle had been able to hold back the tears until he did that and then the dam finally broke.

She stood to embrace him fully letting the tears fall unabashedly down her face as Nick’s arms were tightly about her, comforting her.  After a minute or two, she finally calmed down and pulled away.

“I’m okay now.  Thanks for listening.” She said, dabbing at her eyes with her fingers.

“Here.” Nick handed her a napkin from the table and she accepted it gratefully, knowing her make-up was more than likely smeared now.

“I’m really sorry you had to go through that.  I could kill him for hurting you.” He said,  choked with emotion.

Chanelle looked at him and her heart wrenched.  There was something incredibly sexy about a man who was willing to defend “his woman”.

“Thanks, Nick.” She smiled at him through puffy eyes.

“So, are we good? Can I take you out on Sunday?” He asked tentatively.

Chanelle laughed.  “Yeah.  In fact, Alexa is playing at a club in Venice Beach Sunday night.  She invited us to come.  Ty will be there.  Do you want to go?”

“Yeah, that sounds cool.  Sunday night? Can we hang out before then?”

Chanelle smiled.  She could tell he was treading lightly.  She loved how he was being so sweet and considerate of her feelings. 

“Definitely.  Why don’t you call me later? I better let you get to the studio now though.” She said, glancing at her watch.

“Hey, do you work today? Do you want to come with me?” He asked.

Chanelle thought about it for a minute.  Why not? It would be great to hang out with him for the day and see the Backstreet Boys record an album.  She suddenly started getting excited about meeting them.

“Sure.  I actually have the day off.”

“Sweet.  Let me just get dressed and then I’m ready.”

“Okay.” She smiled.

“Hey, guys, I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Chanelle.” Nick introduced her to AJ, Brian and Howie.  It was probably a big step for him to bring her here and introduce her as “his girlfriend”, especially after the abrupt break-up with Jillian and Chanelle appreciated it.  Probably more than he knew.  And it was awesome to get to meet his good friends and fellow bandmates.

“Hi, Chanelle.” Howie was the first to greet her and he actually leaned over to give her a hug.  “It’s nice to meet you.” His smile lit up his face and it was contagious.  She couldn’t help but smile back.

“You, too, Howie.”

“Hey, Chanelle.  Isn’t that a perfume?” Brian said, hugging her as well.

She nodded.  “Yep.  It sure is.  My mom was a big fan of Chanel No. 5.  Nice to meet you, Brian.” She smiled.

“Shut up, Brian.  She’s probably sick of hearing that.” AJ teased.  “It’s cool to meet you.” He beamed at Chanelle and shook her hand.

Brian lunged at AJ who laughed and darted away.  Chanelle laughed at their humorous display.  She was liking them already.

Nick just rolled his eyes and pulled her away.  “Come on, you don’t want to be around them when they get like that.”

“Hey, get like what? You want a piece of me, Nicky?” Brian said, bobbing and weaving like a boxing bunny, an adorable Energizer bunny, Chanelle thought as she giggled at their antics.

“Yeah, whatever, Bri.” Nick laughed.  “Just ignore them.” Nick mouthed to Chanelle and she burst out laughing.

“Hey, what did he say? Chanelle, you can just hang with us, just ignore Kaos.” Brian continued.

“Yeah, we’ll take care of you.” AJ chimed in. 

“Alright, guys.  Let’s lay down tape for ‘Everything But Mine’.” John, their producer announced from the microphone on the other side of the glass.

Nick pointed at Chanelle and yelled, “Hey, John, this is Chanelle.  She’s gonna be sittin’ in with us.”

“Hey Chanelle!” John waved and she waved back.

“Okay, there’s coffee and donuts and stuff over there, so you can just hang out for as long as you want.  When we take a break, I’ll come by and say hi.” Nick gave her quick kiss.

“Oooh!” They heard Brian say.  “Shut up, B-Rok.” Nick said, pretending to be disgusted.

Chanelle got some coffee and sat down and watched the recording session.  She had followed Nick in her car so she could leave whenever she wanted, but the truth was, she didn’t want to.  She was fascinated not only with the entire recording process, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of Nick— his face, his presence, his voice.  She could watch and listen to him for days.  And to see him not only doing what he loved do, but doing it well made her proud of him.  When her eyes weren’t on Nick, she was watching the other three and she was impressed with them as well.  They had been doing this for 15 years and were definitely pros but they had a comfortableness and camaraderie with one another that only came with love and respect.  Her love of the Backstreet Boys began and grew from that moment on.

It was half past noon already and Chanelle couldn’t believe it.  The time had flown by.  Nick came by to suggest they go to lunch and as much as she wanted to be with him, she was almost sorry to leave. 

“So, just you and I?” Chanelle asked.

Nick smiled and nodded.  “Yeah, I spend almost every day with these dorks, I want to be alone with you.” His lips were so close to her face that she could feel his breath and her heart beat faster.

“See ya dudes later.” Nick called out as they left.

“Where to?” Nick asked her in the car.

“I don’t care.  Wherever you want.”

“Oh, so, no requests this time? Then how about my house?” His eyebrow lifted and Chanelle laughed.

“Uh huh.  Hmm, I wonder why you would want to go there?”

“Uh, to get you all alone and ravish you, duh.” He replied, grinning from ear to ear.

“Oh, so the car isn’t good enough? Come on, I’m sure you’ve done it in a car before.” She teased.

“Uh, yeah, but it’s not very comfortable.”

“Yeah, but it’s exciting.”

He looked at her.  “Do you really want to do it in the car?”

She giggled.  “No, I was just teasing you.  Where’s the craziest place you’ve done it though?”

He thought about it for a second and then laughed.

“I guess it was in my car, so you’re right about it being exciting.”

“That’s it? Not at the mall in a changing room or at the beach or in a movie theater or something like that?”

“No.  Why? Have you done it in those places?”

She laughed.  “I’ll never tell.”

Nick gave her a knowing look.  “I’ll make you tell.”

“Oh really? What are you going to do?”

“Tickle you.” He right hand snaked out and grabbed her side.

Chanelle jumped.  “Stop!”

“Ah ha, you are ticklish.  That’s good to know.”

“No, I’m not!” She protested, but they both knew she was a liar.

***

“So, what did you think?” Chanelle asked Nick Sunday night after Alexa’s set.

“She’s pretty damn good.” He said, taking a swig of his Heineken.

“I know, huh? I love that last song.  She co-wrote it with a friend of hers.  Oh, here they come.”

Ty had gone up to the stage to give Alexa a kiss and they walked back to join Nick and Chanelle.

“Hey, you! That was awesome!” Chanelle gushed to Alexa.

“Thanks! It was fun. What’d you think, Nick? You’re the expert and I respect your opinion.”

Nick paused.  He was going to pretend to give her shit but he decided against it so he just smiled and said, “I liked it a lot.  You were jammin’ on that guitar.  You’ve been playing a long time, huh?”

“Yeah, since I was 10.  And thank God I got my baby back.” She pointed to her guitar on stage and then to turn to smile at Ty who looked sheepish.  He stole a look at Chanelle who had been staring at him.

The jury was still out about whether Chanelle liked him or not but she was going to give him a chance for Alexa’s sake.

“So, sit down, have a drink.” Chanelle said and the foursome struck up a conversation.

***

Last Thursday afternoon, Nick took Chanelle back to his house to “ravish” her like he had wanted.  It was just as good as the first time and they wished they didn’t have to rush back to the studio but they both got dressed and they did just that.  Chanelle stayed at the studio for about another hour and then left to run some errands thinking she would see Nick later that evening. 

Well, it turned out later wasn’t until Sunday morning because Nick had things to do with BSB and Chanelle had to work Friday at Nordstroms and Saturday in West LA catering a wedding.

Nick picked her up late Sunday morning and they didn’t end up going out.  Instead they stayed in bed all day making love and watching movies.  Nick had brought one of his favorite movies, “The Goonies”, so they watched it naked under the covers of her bed, eating ice cream and chips.  It was one of the best times they had ever had and they both couldn’t stop smiling.

They finally got dressed around 5:00 pm and ate pizza in front of the TV, watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.  Chanelle admitted to him she didn’t know much about football, but she was interested because he was so she asked him a few questions.

“So, what is an audible again?” Chanelle asked.

“An audible is when a player changes a play at the line of scrimmage by calling out some signals.  The signals are already decided on ahead of time.” Nick said.

“Oh, okay.” Chanelle said.  “And why did the quarterback just make that play?”

Nick turned to look at her and smile.  He was sitting here eating pizza, drinking beer next to a beautiful woman who was interested in watching a football game with him.  Could life get any better?

Chapter 14

“Happy Thanksgiving!” Chanelle leaned in to give Nick a kiss at the door.

Nick took advantage of her soft lips and lingered, pressing his body against hers.  It had been four long days since he had seen her last and it had been four days too long.  He had missed her.

“Oh! Well, I guess you are happy to see me!” Chanelle pulled away breathless, a permanent smile pasted on her face.  God, she had missed that man.

Sunday night was a lot of fun hanging out with Alexa and Ty, but it was almost 2am when Nick finally dropped Chanelle off at her house.  They said goodnight since they both had early days the next day and promised to call and e-mail.  They did just that and determined that the next available day for both of them to get together was Thanksgiving.

Nick handed Chanelle a bouquet of an assortment of flowers in vibrant red, yellow and orange hues.

“Nick, these are gorgeous, thanks!” Chanelle gushed.  “Come on in.  Alexa and Ty and my mom are here, but my dad so far is a no-show.  It’s so like him to come late so he can make an grand entrance.”

Nick followed her and stopped at the living room.  “Hey guys!” He said.

“Hey, Nick.” Alexa gave him a hug and Ty shook his hand.  “How’s it goin’, dude?”

“It’s cool.”  Nick said.  He noticed they were chowing down on chips and dip, so he sat down and joined them.  A football game flashed against the screen and Nick said to Ty, “So, what’s the score?”

Chanelle walked back into the kitchen.  Her mom had spent the night last night and had been helping her with the food since early morning.  Everything was almost ready.  They just had to wait for Spencer to get there.

“Hey, mom, Nick is here.  Look what he brought!" She produced the bouquet and her mom smiled.

"Those are beautiful!" She exclaimed.

Chanelle grabbed a vase from the cupboard. "So, mom, are you ready to meet Nick?”

Beth Damien smiled at her only child.  “Sure, honey.” She dried her hands on a dishtowel and picked at her hair.

“Oh, mom, you look great.  Don’t worry, he’ll love you.” Chanelle said.  She picked up the vase of flowers and walked out of the kitchen with her mom following.

Chanelle placed the vase in the center of the dining room table, which was already set for a party of six.  There, that's lovely, she thought.

“Nick, this is my mom, Beth.  Mom, this is Nick.”

Nick’s attention immediately shifted from the game to the two women standing in front of him and he stood up awkwardly to face them.

Nick sucked in his breath.  Chanelle looked so much like her mother! Beth Damien was tall with long hair much like her daughter’s, only darker with a little gray mixed into the strands.  She had sparkling brown eyes and a slender figure.  Nick suspected she looked much younger than she actually was.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Mrs. Damien.” This was so damn awkward, he thought.  He didn’t know whether to offer her his hand or hug her. 

“Beth, please.” And as she leaned in to give him a hug, Nick breathed a sigh of relief.

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Nick.  So, what game are you watching?” She asked, sitting on the couch.

Nick’s eyebrow raised and he threw a “your mom is so cool” look to Chanelle.  She smiled and nodded as if to say, “I know!”

“So, you guys, everything is ready, we can sit down.  I don’t know when my dad will get here.” Chanelle announced a few minutes later.  Just as everyone sat down, the doorbell rang.

“Of course! He always has impeccable timing.” Chanelle said sarcastically and Nick hid a smile.  She started to rise out of her chair when her mom, who was sitting closer to the door said, “Don’t get up, I’ll get the door.”

“Thanks, mom.” Chanelle said gratefully.

Nick leaned into whisper to Chanelle, “Have I told you yet how beautiful you look?”

Leave it to Nick to help her forget her troubles.  She had been so tense about everything; the house getting cleaned, the meal being perfect, the guests arriving on time, her parents together and she needed that; she needed him.

“No, not yet.” She looked at him, grinning from ear to ear.

“You are so…” He said and stopped when they heard voices.

“Oh, hi, Spencer.”

Muffled talking.

“It’s so nice to meet you.”

Chanelle heard her mom say.  It’s nice to meet who?

Suddenly three people entered the room.  Chanelle’s mouth fell open in shock.  Standing in front of her was her mother, her father and Jillian!

Nick was just as stunned and they both looked like they had seen a ghost.

Jillian looked over at them smugly as if she had swallowed the canary.

“Hi, Belle.” Spencer Damien smiled over at her and right now she wanted to strangle the man.  How dare he come waltzing in here an hour late with her of all people attached to his arm! She was seething under her cool exterior.

“Hi Daddy.  Jillian.” She rose and walked over to them.  She’d be damned if she would give that woman the satisfaction of knowing she upset her.  She hugged her father and turned to Jillian.

“So, what brings you here?” Her tone was ice, but she had a fake smile pasted onto her face.

Jillian smiled coolly, tightening her grip on Spencer’s arm.  “Spencer didn’t tell you?” She looked over at him seemingly innocently.

Spencer shook his head.  “No, I haven’t had the chance.” He said.

Everyone’s eyes were fastened on the couple, waiting for his response.

“Uh, well, this is a little awkward, but here goes.  Jillian and I are dating.”

You could hear a pin drop, the silence was so deafening.

“What?!” Nick and Chanelle said at the same time.  

“I know, it’s all a little sudden, but…” He said.

“Daddy, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a sec?” Chanelle said, her eyes warning that he better not refuse.

“Sure, honey."  He turned to Jillian, "I’ll be right back.”

Once inside the privacy of the kitchen, Chanelle pounced on him.

“What the hell, Spencer? You’re dating Jillian now? My boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend? She’s gotta be at least 20 years younger than you!”

“She’s not that much younger.  She’s 35 and I just turned 51.”

“Oh, okay, 16 years then.  Age aside, what are you thinking? Is this a midlife crisis thing?” She hissed.

“Can’t you just be happy for your dad?”

“Not in this instance.” She said.  “How long has this been going on? Nick just broke up with her a few days ago!”

“Just a little over a week.” He said.

“Oh, so it’s not serious then.” She breathed a sigh of relief.

“We’re just having fun right now.  We’ll see how it goes.”

“We’ll see how it goes? Dad, you can’t be seriously considering a relationship with her! And what about mom? How dare you bring Jillian in here when mom is here!”

“Your mother and I have been divorced for years.  We are grown ups and can date whomever we want.”

“I don’t buy that bullshit.  You ambushed us with this, Spencer.  I’m so pissed at you right now.” She seethed.  She needed Nick right now.  He was the calm in her chaotic world and at this instant, she needed calm…

“What the hell is going on, Jillian?” Nick whispered to her in the living room.

“Nick, do you mind if we go somewhere private and talk? I can explain everything.” Nick reluctantly followed her.

“Hey, guys, we’ll be right back.” He said to Alexa, Ty and Beth who all looked at each other and shrugged.  They didn’t know whether to sit down at the table again or go into the living room, but they knew drama was going on in at least two rooms in the house.

Jillian found an empty room and walked inside.  Nick followed her.

“Okay, now tell me what possessed you to date my girlfriend’s father?” He faced her.

“I didn’t do it to spite you, Nicky.  We have only gone out a few times.  It’s not a big deal.” She said flippantly.

Nick studied her.  He was trying to decide whether she was telling him the truth or not.  “I…” he began.

Jillian leaned into him, her scantily clad breasts jutting through the thin material of her blouse.  “I miss you, Nick. Guess what perfume I’m wearing?” She raised her wrist to his nostrils.  When Nick inhaled the scent, she grabbed his head and kissed him hard on the lips.  A second later, she took his hands and pressed them against her breasts.  He could feel her hardened buds against his palms and her tongue seeking his own.

Chanelle walked down the hallway and saw the door to her bedroom ajar so she pushed it open.  She wasn’t prepared to see Nick and Jillian kissing with his hands on her breasts.  Her heart caught in her throat and she felt like it was being ripped in two.  As if in a dream, she backed out of the doorway and ran down the hallway into the bathroom, a torrential stream of tears flooding her face.

“Jillian, no! What the hell are you doing?” Nick came to his senses and pulled away abruptly, trying to catch his breath and calm himself down. 

She shrugged.  “I just thought I’d try.”

“I’m with Chanelle now.  Leave us the fuck alone.” He spat at her, having nothing but contempt for the woman facing him.  How could he have been so blind for those weeks they dated? But she was obviously was a master manipulator and he had been a mere pawn in her game.

Nick pushed past her and walked down the hallway.  As he passed the restroom, he could hear crying on the other side of the door.  He stopped.

“Chanelle, is that you? Are you alright?” He called out.

“Go away, Nick!”

“What’s wrong?” He asked, concerned.

There was silence on the other side and then the door opened.

“Leave me alone.” She said and walked past him into the living room.

She walked over to her mother and whispered something into her ear.  Nick entered the room to see Beth nod, Chanelle quickly walk over to the entryway closet, pull her coat on, grab her purse and stalk out the front door.

Just then Jillian walked in from the hallway and Spencer appeared from the kitchen.

“What’s going on? Did Chanelle just leave?” Spencer asked.

“Yeah, she had an emergency to take care of, but she wanted us to sit down and eat.  She’ll be back soon.” Beth said, standing and walking over to the table.

Nick was in shock.  Chanelle was acting like… like she witnessed him and Jillian… Oh shit! He thought.  His eyes flew to Beth and she looked over at him and then looked away.  Shit! She knows! He thought.

He flew to the front door and ran out to catch her but she was already backing out of the driveway and his car was blocked by another car.  Fuck! He grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Chanelle’s cell number.  Of course, she didn’t answer.  He tried again and then quickly clamped it shut.

Fuming, he went back inside.  His eyes scanned the room.  Not seeing who he wanted, he strode into the kitchen.  “Beth, do you know where Chanelle went?” He asked.

She shook her head.  "No, I don't.  She didn't say."

"What she saw... I mean, it's not what she thinks..." He fumbled for words, unsure of what Chanelle told her.

"It's none of my business, Nick.  You guys will work it out." She continued to stir the gravy on the stove.

"That is if I can find her." He sighed, running a hand through his dirty blond locks making them stand on end.

On Nick's way out of the kitchen, he ran into Alexa.  “Nick, do you know what's going on with Chanelle?” She asked.

Nick pulled her aside and told her what had transpired.

“Oh, shit.  Uh, she’s probably pissed and hurt, Nick.  This is a big deal.”

“I know it is that’s why I need to find her to tell her what really happened or didn't happen.”

“Yeah, you better.  I think she may have gone to find Paul.”

“Paul? Her ex-boyfriend?” He felt a pit in his stomach.

She nodded.  “Yeah but they’re friends more than anything.  They still work together at Nordstrom and sometimes hang out afterwards.”

“Where does he live?”

“Redondo Beach.  I’ve been over his house a couple of times.  Why don’t you call her?”

“I just tried and she won’t pick up.” He said.

“That’s my friend for ya.  Stubborn.  Here, let me try."  She fished her cell phone out of her purse and dialed her friend’s number.

“Hey, sweetie, what’s up? Why did you run out of here in such a big hurry?” Alexa said into the phone.

“Uh huh.” Pause.

“Uh huh.  Okay, calm down.  Where are you?” Pause.

“Okay.  Do you think that’s such a good idea?” Pause.

“Alright, alright.  Let me just put Nick on the phone.  He’s really sorry and…” Alexa shook her head and closed her phone.

“She hung up on me.  She’s really pissed, Nick.  This isn’t good.”

“Damn it!” Nick swore.

“Come on, I’ll take you to Paul’s house.”

“You don’t have to come, just tell me how to get there.” Nick said.

“You don’t understand, I only know how to get there by sight. It’s a tricky area and I don’t remember street names and shit like that.  But it's not too far from here."

Ty walked up behind her, “I’m coming, too.  In fact, I’ll drive.” Alexa smiled at him.  She loved it when he took charge.

“Let’s go.” Nick walked by everyone without saying a word and out the door.  He didn’t give a shit about what they thought of him.  There was only one person he cared about what they thought and he’d be damned if he was going to let her think he was cheating on her…

Chapter 15

“I’m sorry to bother you on Thanksgiving, Paul.” Chanelle said when Paul ushered her into his home that evening.

“I told you over the phone.  It’s no big deal.  You know most of my family lives Back East.  I’m just having Glenn and Hollie over.”

Chanelle walked into the living room to see the couple seated on the couch watching “Christmas Vacation.”

“Hi guys! It’s been ages!” Chanelle said.

“Hey, Chanelle, it’s so good to see you!” Hollie stood up to hug her.

“Hey, you.” Glenn said and hugged her next.

“Are you still working at Nordstrom?” Hollie asked.

Chanelle nodded.  “Yeah.  I’m at the fragrance counter now.”

“Oh, you’re moving up in the world.  Daddy’s little girl, huh?” Glenn teased.

“Ha ha, Glenn.  Enjoy life at UPS this time of year.” Chanelle teased him back.

Both Hollie and Paul burst out laughing and Glenn just smirked.

“So, did you guys eat already?” Chanelle asked.  It was only 5 o’clock.

“Yeah, but we have lots of leftovers.  Are you hungry?” Paul asked.

Chanelle shook her head.  “I couldn’t eat.  Do you have an alcohol?”

Paul laughed.  “You know I do.”

“I’ll talk to you guys later.” Chanelle said and followed him into the kitchen. 

She opened his liquor cupboard.  “Ah ha.  You have Tequila.  We could do shots.”

“You must be dealing with some serious shit to want to do shots.  Pour away.” He grinned, leaning against the counter.

She grabbed two shot glasses, handed one to Paul and poured the caustic liquid into his and then her own.  “Wait, not yet,” she said and opened his refrigerator.

“Do you have any lemons or limes?” She peered inside.

Paul chuckled.  “It’s amazing at how comfortable you are in my house.  Uh, no, fresh out.”

“Well, we did date for three months and I’ve been over here a few times since then.  Oh well.” She closed the door, grabbed the saltshaker, licked the top of her hand and sprinkled salt on it.  She handed the shaker to Paul and he did the same. 

“Okay, you ready? Bottoms Up!” They both downed their shots and licked the salt off their hands.

Chanelle winced.  “Shit, that burns!”

Paul laughed and then grew serious. “So, Chanelle, baby, what brings you to my humble abode on this day of all days?  Why aren’t you with your family and friends?”

Chanelle got quiet.  Damn, she didn’t want to start crying all over again.  She had already done that on the way to his house.

She sighed.  “I was, but something happened. Do you want another?” She held up her shot glass and he nodded.  She poured them two more shots, which they downed immediately.

“Ooh, smooth.  So, what happened?” He said after licking some more salt.

“I told you about me and Nick dating, didn’t I?”

“The Backstreet Boy, right?”

Chanelle nodded.  “Yeah, the young, hot stud that makes me weak at the knees among other places Backstreet Boy.”

Paul laughed.  “Uh, TMI, babe.”

Chanelle laughed.  “Sorry.  I forgot who I’m talking to.  Anyway, he was over my house today along with my mom and Alexa and Ty and…”

“Alexa and Ty? Is Lex seeing someone?”

“Yes.  Focus, please.”

“Oh, sorry.  Go on.” He smiled.

“Oh, I don’t want to go into all the gory details.  Basically, he kissed his ex and now I don’t trust him.”

“That sucks.” He remembered hearing about what Tony did to her when they first began dating two years ago.

“Yeah, it does.  Oh and did I mention that the same ex, Jillian, is now dating my dad?!”

“No shit?!”

“Uh huh.  I need another one.” She went to grab the bottle, but Paul grabbed it first and pulled it out of arm’s reach.

“I think you’ve had enough.”

“No, I haven’t! Just one more, please!”

“Nope.”

“Paul!”

“Hey, you’re driving.”

“Well, what if you drove me home or I spent the night?”

“Chanelle, don’t you have people at your house, like your mom and everyone else?”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot.  Well, you can drive me home, can’t you?”

He looked at her.  She didn’t drink that much that often and it seemed like this occasion warranted it so he handed her the bottle and said, “Okay, I’ll drive you home, but just one more, alright?”

“Yes, dad.” She said sarcastically, pouring another shot and downing it.

“And I’m definitely not you’re dad.” He laughed, his eyebrow raised.

“Yeah, that’s true.  The sex was good, huh? Remind me again why we broke up.” She looked at him all doe-eyed.

“You’re drunk, babe, that’s why you don’t remember, but we were each other’s rebound person.  You with Tony, me with Erin.”

“Yeah, but that still doesn’t answer my question.”

“I don’t know to be honest.  I think we just decided to be friends.” He shrugged.

“But why?” She asked, unsteady on her feet, feeling more than a little buzz from the Tequila.

“Whoa, there, missy.” Paul grabbed her to prevent her from falling and Chanelle fell against his chest.  There was a moment between them when their eyes locked and passions rose. 

“Paul…” Chanelle said, her breath coming in short bursts.

“Yeah?” His voice was low and throaty, a rasp that was torn from him.  It was taking every fiber of his being not to assault her luscious lips and press his overheated body against hers.

“Kiss me and tell me you still want to be friends…”

Paul knew it was the alcohol talking; they’d been friends for months since their break-up and nothing like this had ever come up and yet, it may have been lurking below the surface because he felt a stir in his groin and desire to relive their sexual glory days so long ago…

“Chanelle…” He said, trying to fight it, but when she kissed him, he couldn’t control himself and kissed her back with the same intensity, brushing her hair with his fingertips.

Dear God… he had to stop this or he’d be gone.  He had to tell her…

“Chanelle, stop.” He pulled away.

“Why? That was nice.” She smiled drunkenly.  “Do you still want to be friends with me?”

“Actually, yes.  Remember Erin? Well, we’re getting back together and I can’t do this to her.  Plus, I think you should patch things up with Nick.”

“Nick? Who’s Nick?” She asked, her mind clouded and muddled by lust and intoxication.

They both turned at the sound of footsteps to see Nick barreling through the door.

“Who’s Nick?! I thought he was your boyfriend, but maybe I was mistaken.” He had both hands on hips, staring the couple down angrily. 

Chanelle suddenly felt lightheaded.  “I… must… sit… down…” she gasped, stumbling to the dining room table chair.  She put her head in her hands.  It was too much to comprehend that she was in the same room with both Nick and Paul.  Paul didn’t want her and Nick had cheated on her – hadn’t he?

“Chanelle, are you okay?” Paul asked, concerned.  Chanelle raised her hand to dismiss him.

Nick walked over to the counter, picked up the bottle of Tequila and studied it.

“How much of this has she had?” He asked, putting the bottle down.

“Three shots.  I told her that was it.”

“And you were going to let her drive?!”

“No I was going to drive her home.”

“Thanks anyway, but I’ll drive her home.”

“Nick, I’m Paul.  We’re just friends, I swear…”

“It didn’t look like you guys were just friends.  Did you kiss her?”

“I…no…” Paul stuttered.

“No, Nick, I kissed him! Just like you kissed Jillian.  So, there, now we’re even!” Chanelle lifted her head up to say.

“I’ll let you guys talk.” Paul turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Smart man, Nick thought wryly.  He walked over to where Chanelle was sitting with her back to him.  He put his hands on her shoulders and she leaned backwards to look up at him.  “Wee! That’s fun!” She said as she took a roller coaster ride in her head.

Nick wasn’t amused to find his girlfriend in her ex’s house, drunk off her ass, probably making out with him and now in no condition to talk.  All he could think about on the drive over was how he could explain things to her, how he could make things right, how to tell her that he was falling head over heels in love with her…

“Hey.” He pulled a chair out from the table, sat down and turned her chair around to face him.  He leaned forward and said, “Focus, baby, focus. Are you alright?”

“Um hmmm…” She nodded, smiling like a dope.

“God, you’re no good to me now.  Baby, we need to talk.” He said. 

“I don’t want to talk.  I want to do something else.” She said huskily, pressing her hand to his crotch and massaging him.  Nick jumped a little; he wasn’t expecting that. 

“Not here.” He said between clenched teeth, pushing her hand away.  Oh God, all he needed was to get hard and have sex with her on the floor of the kitchen.  And he would, too, if he allowed her to continue…

“Kill joy.” She pouted, leaning forward to try to kiss him.  Apparently, she had forgotten all about his tryst with Jillian… at least for the moment.

If he had known what effect alcohol had her, he may have gotten her drunk sooner, he thought, but now as not the time…

“Nicky, kiss me…” She said, grabbing his head and pressing her lips to his own, parting his mouth and seeking his tongue.  Apparently, she was indiscriminate about whom she kissed tonight, Nick thought.

“Chanelle…” He pulled away.  As much as he wanted her—and shit, did he want her—this was not the time or place.

“It’s time to get up and get you some coffee.  But first, some water will feel good…” He pulled her to her feet and over to the sink.  He ran some cold water and grabbed some paper towels, dousing them and pressing them against her face.  It was a rude awakening for a blitzed Chanelle and she protested loudly.  “Fuck, Nick! That’s cold!”

Nick couldn’t help but laughing.  “It’s for your own good.  Are you sober yet?”

“No, just pissed off!” She replied.  Nick chuckled.

“Come on, I’ll take you home.”

“I’m not going home with you!” She protested.

“Oh, yes, you are!” He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder caveman style.

“Nick, put me down!”

“No.” He said stubbornly and walked through the kitchen’s double doors to the living room.

Five pairs of eyes turned to see Nick carrying a protesting Chanelle over his shoulder.

“Ty, Alexa, it’s time to go.”

“Oh!” Alexa looked startled at her friend’s disposition. “Why are you carrying her?”

“Because she’s shit-faced and she refuses to come home.  We can get her some coffee on the way back.” He said, walking to the door.

Glenn and Hollie looked startled, not knowing what to say.

“Uh, bye, it was nice meeting you guys.” Alexa said to Glenn and Hollie and then, “Paul, it was good to see you again.  Thanks for being a friend to Chanelle.” She gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

“Sure.  Take care, Lex.  Nice to meet you, Ty.” Paul shook his hand.  If Alexa only knew the truth, he thought, shaking his head.  What a disaster.  He felt he had let his friend, Chanelle down; a very good friend and he didn’t want to lose her.

Chanelle got plopped into the back seat next to Nick as Alexa sat up front and Ty got behind the wheel and pulled away.

Chanelle turned away from Nick, clearly pissed.  “What happened to the woman who was attacking me in the kitchen just a minute ago?” Nick whispered in her ear.

“She’s gone.  Don’t ever think about touching me again, Nick Carter.”

Sanity restored.