~ Chapter 26 ~
Brian and AJ shot up the stairs two at a time. They reached the top. No Kevin. "Kev?" Brian hollered. He opened the door to his cousin's room and walked in without knocking.
Kevin lay on his back, an ice-pack on his stomach. "Kev, you ok?" Brian whispered, inching closer to the bed.
"Do you care?" Kevin retorted, then groaned. It hurt to talk.
Brian's face saddened. "Of course I care. Do you need me to call a doctor?"
"No, I'll be fine. I never realized what power D has in his feet. I'm sure his shoe print is permanently etched on my stomach."
Aj came in and closed the door. "Kev, Howie told us that he caught you doin' drugs."
Kevin scrunched up his face in feigned innocence. "Did he? Why would he say such a thing?" He'd been looking out his window. He saw everything that happened. He saw Howie chug enough beer that he couldn't be thinking to coherently. Although he knew that Howie had told the truth, Kev took this as an opportunity to save his skin.
'Cause you're a junkie!' AJ wanted to scream. Instead he said, "Well, he was drunk."
Kevin snorted. "And you believe him? You know what Howie's like when he's put away one too many."
Aj shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another. Brian glanced at him then looked back at Kevin. "Why did you two scrap it up?"
"...If you spoke truth there would be no doubt
but the only words are "we'll work it out"
Well that's not saying much, you just don't take the time
And that is where I draw the line..."
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Thinking quickly, Kevin replied, "It was about some chick we both screwed back in Frankfurt."
They both knew he was lying. Kevin saw them exchange looks. But if they knew, they weren't going to push it any farther.
"Alright Kev. You need to rest. Holler if you need anything," Brian said.
"I will." He gave his cousin a weak smile. "Thanks B."
They had been sailing for five minutes and not one word was spoken. Nick grew uncomfortable and cleared his throat. "Shae..."
He didn't get to finish because Shae spoke up. "Nick, why did you ask me to come out here with you?"
Nick was caught off-guard. He didn't expect that question. "I...well..uh..."
"Quit stammering and gimme a straight answer. We're in the middle of a lake. You can't run this time."
Nick's face reddened. "I'm a coward. I hate confrontations."
"You're still avoiding my question. While I'm at it, how about telling me if Howie was speaking the truth when he said that you called me fat?"
Nick sighed in defeat. "Alright, Shae. First, I asked you to come with me cause I wanted some company."
"Why didn't you ask one of the dancers? That Nicole chick was practically attached to your hip today." Her voice held a hint of jealousy.
"Nicki's nice, but she's not as sympathetic and understanding as you are."
Shae's eyes widened a bit, but she remained silent. Nick continued, "Since you're so understanding, I know you won't hate me when I tell you that I never meant to hurt you."
"How did you do that?" she inquired, watching him squirm.
"You're not gonna make this easy, are ya?"
"Why should I?"
"You're right. I deserve it." He took a deep breath. "Yea, Howie was telling the truth. I called you fat. I think it was the first day I met you. Howie asked me what I thought of you..."
"And that was the first thing you thought of?" she snapped, cutting him off. Her eyes watered.
He looked at her. Seeing her eyes watering made him feel like a bigger heel. "I'm sorry. I have no excuse. I'm a jerk."
"Is that all you see when you look at me, Nick? A fat girl?" Whoever said the truth hurts was right. In this case, it wasn't the truth so much as to who was saying it. She would have been better off to never have met Nick Carter. She was safe and happy in fantasy land. Reality bites!
Nick was saying, "Yea, I thought that until I got to know you." He leaned forward, rubbing his nose against hers.
Shae was surprised. She leaned back a bit and eyed him critically. "After you got to know me, all we did was fight."
Nick shrugged. "You wanted an answer. I gave you one." He ran a hand through his hair. "Look, there's something about you that makes me feel good. You understand me. Even when we're fighting. The things you say..that's exactly how I am. Or how I feel. Not many people can read me that well. You're the type of girl I would date. Personality-wise you've got everything I want and need in a girlfriend..."
"But?" she interjected, knowing what was coming.
"But there's no chemistry. No attraction on my part. I'm sorry, Shae-Lyn. Just like you don't feel anything towards Howie. You can t fake it, Shae. Either it's there or it's not. You know that."
Shae sighed, willing the ache in her heart to subside. "I do know that. It's all my fault anyway. I should never have let Lo talk me into coming here. I know Nick Carter would never date someone like me."
"I'm just a normal guy."
Shae scoffed. "Please Nick! A normal guy who only dates gorgeous models with tiny waistlines and big boobs."
Nick chuckled. "Well, you got those." He eyed her chest provocatively. In fact, he'd been eying it all day. Quite the rack.
"Stop staring you perv!" She crossed her arms over her chest while Nick laughed. "Why do you only date model-types?"
"You can't help who you're attracted to. If it makes you feel any better, most of them were airheads and bitches who only wanted me for sex, fame, or money."
"Beauty eventually fades, Nick. A kind heart will always shine."
Nick grabbed her hands. "Shae, I don't wanna fight. I want us to be friends. I know that I can trust you. I've already told you things no one else knows about me. I know that your feelings for me go deeper, but will you settle for being my friend? My close friend? Please, Shae-Lyn?" There was that pout again. The lower lip trembled for effect.
She loved his accent. The way the "Lyn" rolled off his tongue in that voice of his. He was staring into her green eyes, waiting for her answer. "If that's the only way that I can have you, I'd be a fool to say no."
Nick's face broke into a huge smile. He let go of her hands and clapped his together. "Great! I hereby declare today the day Nick Carter and Shae-Lyn Scott became close friends. No more blood, sweat, and tears. Deal?"
Shae smiled back at him. "Deal." Feeling braver than she ever did, she leaned forward and kissed him quickly yet gently on the mouth. "Friendly kiss," she murmured.
"Soft lips," he whispered.
"Yours, too."
He jumped up. "Hey I better steer this boat or else we'll end up in France."
Shae giggled silently at Nick's obvious lack of European geography. She could see clear to the other side of this lake. Did Nick think he was sailing the Mediterranean. Then again, this is the boy who thinks Belgium is the capital of Holland. Poor Nick. She would have to give him a few lessons in geography. She watched him steering the boat. Her eyes landed on his broad shoulders. Mmmm...yummy. Nice. She watched his muscles flex as he worked. Tiny tingles started up at the base of her spine. She lowered her gaze until it was fixated on his butt. What a butt. Gotta thank your momma for a booty that fine
Heat crept into her face. She wanted to be a lover. Nick's lover. It terrified her to know how much she wanted that. To sink into bed with him and let everything float away on that erotic river of pleasure. She wanted him to touch her, really touch her. To feel his hands on her naked body, skimming over her flesh. Heating it. Taking it to a place where who he was meant nothing and what she looked like was unimportant. To a place where only now existed.
And she could touch him. Feel the muscles in his arms quiver as he embraced her. His heart would pound against hers and she would arch up to meet him, to take him in...
She jumped as Nick's voice prodded her thoughts. "Are you lost in a galaxy far, far away?" he smirked.
"I..oh..." Good God, she though, staring at him. She was all but trembling, brutually aroused by her own fantasy. Her pulse was skidding along like skates on bumpy ice. "I was just thinking..."
"You're all flushed." He turned to get her some water.
Flushed She was flushed. Couldn't this man see that she was a puddle just waiting to be lapped up?
He handed her the glass and sat down. "What do you want to do later tonight?"
Her eyes bulged.
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