Chp 8
“What the hell happened to your neck? Kevin asked gawking at Howie as he walked in.
“Um…” Howie stammered hiding the mark with his hand. Brian started laughing and the rest of the guys cluttered around Howie to see his neck.
“I think I know what it is…” Brian said smiling. The guys all looked at him expectantly. “ I feel like a chaperone on a school trip or something. I believe I broke up a party last night.”
“Really?” Nick asked now very interested.
“Well, tell all, you have our attention” AJ urged.
“Ok, well, I went upstairs to see if our boy D wanted to join in on our B-ball game. I knock on the door, and it takes like 10 minutes for him to come. He finally came to the door. He was all rumpled looking and Kat was sitting on the bed trying to look innocent.” The guys all started cracking up.
“Howard has a hickey!” AJ exclaimed in a girly voice.
“Dear god, young man…I hope you arent going too far with this girl” Brian added in a low-fatherlike voice.
Everyone started laughing and Howie just sat there holding his head in his hands. Even Kevin was laughing, a rare occurrence.
“You guys suck…it’s a rash!” Howie said grouchily and got up and walked out of the room. The guys were at Bop magazine headquarters, waiting to be interviewed. Howie had walked in late and that’s when the ridicule began. Howie walked around the hallways thinking about what jerks the guys were being. He wished Kat had agreed to accompany him to the office, but she had opted to stay at the hotel with Rae, probably gossiping her head off. Kat hadn’t mentioned her birthday and Howie didn’t really feel like involving anyone else in the celebration he had planned. He had seen a heart locket the other day and thought Kat might like it, so he decided to buy that for her. He couldn’t wait to get back the hotel to see her. Tomorrow she'd go back to Florida and he wouldn’t see her for close to 3 months. He finally let himself drift back to the room where the guys were and walked in. The guys snickered but the interviewer was there so they had to start the interview. The interview seemed extra-long to Howie and as soon as it was through he sulked out, not wanting to join the other guys on the bus. He got a cab and a bodyguard and went and bought Kat a rose and the silver locket. He had to wait until after the concert to give it to her, but he was patient.
“Are we going to watch the concert or sit backstage today?” Rae asked Kat as they pulled into the arena.
“Could we watch? I really want to today…” Kat said. She had always wanted to attend a BSB concert on her birthday. She hadn’t discussed her birthday with anyone but she was very content with keeping it a secret.
“That’s fine,” Rae said softly. Shed been quiet recently and Kat wished she’d open up and tell her her problems. They got to the concert just as it was starting and it was phenomenal as usual. They went backstage to the boys afterwards. As soon as the girls walked in, the guys started up again.
“Kat, do you know where Howie got that ‘rash’ on his neck?” Brian asked as soon as he saw her. Kat blushed bright red.
“That’s great Brian….Kat and I have someplace to go.” Howie grabbed her hand and led her out.
“Where are we going?” Kat asked as Howie led her through the corridor.
“It’s a surprise..” he winked at her. He had taken a shower right after the concert and was wearing her favorite cologne and was dressed impeccably as usual. They hurried out to a car through a hoard of fans and drove away. The came to the hotel and Howie pulled her inside.
“This is our hotel….not much of a surprise” Kat said dully.
“Smart-ass. You’ll see” Howie remarked. He took her to her room and opened the door. Inside there was a table set up with candles and a rose. There was a small present set on the table.
“What’s this?” Kat asked truly stunned.
“Did you think I’d forget the woman I loves birthday?” Howie asked. Kat turned around and hugged him tightly.
“I didn’t know you knew….” Kat said tears welling up in her eyes. “This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
“Don’t cry baby. I did this because I love you. You know that” Howie squeezed her tightly. “You’re the sweetest person I’ve ever met. I would never forget something as important as your birthday.” Kat kissed him.
“You give me a reason each day to fall deeper in love with you” Kat murmured as she nuzzled her nose into his shoulder. He smelled really good; he had the exact cologne she loved. It was a total turn-on.
“That tickles.” Howie laughed squirming. “Plus, you saw how the guys attacked me cause of my neck. There's been enough damage done there.” Kat kissed his neck softly.
“Well, I guess I could do damage somewhere else…” Kat said suggestively.
“Omigod! I’m shocked!” Howie exclaimed.
“Shocked at what?” Kat asked innocently.
“You know what” Howie said playfully.
“No, I don’t think I do. But I do think you have a dirty mind.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Definitely not.” Kat murmured as she kissed him deeply. She continued to kiss him like this and played with his hair a little, hoping he’d get the idea of what she wanted to do. Howie pulled away slowly and looked in her eyes. Her eyes had a way of asking a question without words and he saw her question right away.
“Are you sure you want to now?” Howie asked softly.
“Howie, I’ve been waiting for this for years…” Kat responded smiling shyly.
“You’re not going to regret this later, especially since its so early in our relationship?”
“If you don’t want to have sex Howie, then we won’t.” Kat said pouting a little.
“God, Kat, you know I want to. I’ve wanted to since the first day I laid my eyes on you in that club. My desire has always been there and I think today is a perfect time to show you what I’ve had to keep inside for a very long time” Howie said smiling. He paused. “I just want you to be completely comfortable with this…I don’t want you to regret…..” Kat hushed him by placing her finger over his lips.
“Sweetie, I have no regrets about anything……and I know what I want right now, and that’s you.” Kat said. She reached over and started to unbutton on of his buttons.
“Patience! I want you to have our present first.” Howie said smacking her hand lightly.
“You’re not my present?”
“Well, I’m part of it.” Howie grinned slyly. “But you have this to open.” He handed her the small box from the table. She opened it slowly and gasped when she saw the silver locket.
“This is way too much..” Kat said looking and the necklace. “I can’t accept it”
“Yes you can. And you’re going to wear it.” Howie fastened the necklace around her neck. Pretty soon the necklace was all she was wearing and Howie had on even less. Then the real celebration began.
Kat awoke several hours later and extended he arm to see if Howie was still beside her. She found him and scooted closer to him. She half-opened her eyes and found him awake.
“Are you awake?” Kat muttered sleepily.
“Mhm…” Howie murmured.
“How long have you been awake?”
“ Long enough to see how gorgeous you are when you’re asleep.” He reached out and stroked her hair. She shifted into his arms and lay on his bare chest.
“Can we talk about something?” Kat asked.
“Of course.”
“I am feeling very unsure right now. Now we’re so much more then friends, just like I’ve dreamt about. It’s the best thing I’ve ever felt, being with you, and I’m so glad were together. But I’m afraid I’m going to get my heart broken. I don’t want to end up alone again. I’m so scared and uncertain. Remember how I told you about the emptiness I’ve always felt? Well, right now, I feel completely whole. I don’t want the feeling to ever return.” She stopped and looked into his eyes. His eyes gave her instant comfort.
“Kat, Kaitlin, my baby. I promise I’ll never leave you lonely. I’m here for you, no matter what, always remember that. You’ll never be lonely again.”
