They stayed up late that night. After the pillow fight everyone settled down to watch a movie. After some squabbling between Howie and Nick, they decided on “Cruel Intentions”. Everyone had already seen it, but they watched as though it was the first time they’d seen it. Nick and Rayanne lay snuggled up on one of the beds while Brian was sprawled out on the other one. Kevin sat in a huge plush chair, Howie was on the fold-out couch and AJ plopped on the floor. When the movie was over AJ got up and turned on the lights, which was met with groans and eye rubbing from everyone, including AJ himself.

“Who wants something to eat?” Brian asked getting off the bed and heading for the kitchen. Rayanne realized she hadn’t eaten since she inhaled that handful of red jelly beans, and she was indeed hungry.

“I do please, I haven’t eaten in hours.” she said.

“Alrighty.” he said rummaging through cupboards, “What does everybody want?”

“Pizza!” yelled Nick.

“Mmm, that does sound good” agreed Rayanne.

“Do we have all the stuff to make it homemade?” piped up Howie. “Cause I’ll make it.”

“Come help me look D” said Brian.

While Brian and Howie looked through the kitchen to find the makings for a “Howie D Specialty Pizza” as he called it, Nick and Rayanne lay on the bed talking.

“After we eat, do you wanna go somewhere else? Spend some time alone?” he asked kissing her forehead.

“I would love to.” she said smiling.

“Good, I feel like I’m sharing my girlfriend with four other people.” he joked.

“Girlfriend..” she repeated softly.

“Something wrong?” he smiled.

“No. It sounds so nice to hear you say that.”

“Good. It feels good to say it, I just don’t want to share you all night.”

“Well...” Rayanne said with a pensive look on her face. “You know, Brian is cute, and AJ is pretty damn sexy, and that Howie sure ca-”

“Shut up!” he said smiling, “You trying to give me a complex?”

“Aww, you know I’m joking” she said kissing his nose.

“We’ve got everything!” Howie said running from the kitchen into the bedroom, as excited as a little boy on Christmas. “So, how much do you guys want?”

“Just make two.” Kevin said.

Howie disappeared into the kitchen and Rayanne could hear him arguing about flour with Brian.

“Goofballs.” she thought to herself. “I’m spending a month with a bunch of goofballs!”.

“Hey Rok, how long is this pizza gonna take?” Nick yelled.

“About an hour.”

He stood up and grabbed Rayanne by the hand. “Let’s go do something.”

“Okie dokie.”

They told Kevin and AJ they were gonna go for awhile, but they’d be back for pizza. They walked out the door hand in hand.

“Hot?” Nick asked her.

“Huh?” she asked, a confused look on her face.

“Are you hot?” he asked. “There’s a huge pool downstairs. I bet nobody’s in it, it’s almost 2:00 in the morning.”

“Let’s do it!” she said.

They walked a few doors down the hall and went into Nick’s room. He grabbed his suit out of a drawer.

“You brought one, right?”

“Yup, it’s even blue and green” she said with a grin.

He laughed. “You can have the bathroom.”

Rayanne grabbed her bathing suit and headed into the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and heard Nick mumbling to himself. She smiled at how adorable he was while she began to change. When she had her bathing suit on she slipped her tank top back on over it and slipped on her sandals. She walked out of the bathroom to find Nick standing in the middle of the room watching TV.

“What are you watching?” she asked as she walked over and stood next to him.

“Uh, nothing..” he said as he stepped in her view of the TV.

“Come on Nickolas..let me see!” she smiled and poked him in the belly.

He blushed as Rayanne pushed him out of the way. “Undressed! You said you hated this show!” she teased.

He looked at her sheepishly. “I usually do, but there was nothing else on...so I started watching and...it just got good.”

She laughed. “You’re so goofy. Ready?”

“Yup, let’s go” he said grabbing two towels off the rack by the door. They walked out the door and shut it behind them.

*Kitchen*
“Hey Brian, hand me those peppers in the fridge” said Howie.

“So what do you think of Ray?” asked Brian as he handed Howie a small bag of green peppers.

“Seems like a lot of fun! You used to talk to her a lot when she was in New York right?”

“Not a whole lot, but enough to know she’s a very sweet girl, and I believe she’ll make Nick very happy.”

*Hotel Pool*
Rayanne and Nick walked onto the wet deck of the indoor pool, which was empty. Nick walked over to the table at the end of the pool that had a CD player on it. He carefully pulled a CD out from between the towels and put it in. A few seconds later Rayanne heard the sound of Journey pour out from the speakers. He walked over to her and set the towels down on a chair. She had just finished taking off her sandals and tank top when he looked at her and grinned.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Ready for what?” she asked, afraid to know that answer.

He didn’t answer. Instead he picked her up in his arms and jumped into the pool.

“Nick!” she yelled breaking the surface of the water, gasping for air. “Are you trying to drown me?!”

He didn’t answer her and she looked around as she wiped her eyes. Nick was no where in sight.

“Nick?” she called out again.

She listened hard and heard nothing.

“Nick this is NOT funny!” she called.

“NICK!” She was starting to get aggravated that he wouldn’t answer her.

“Nickolas! Where the-”

She was cut off when something grabbed her legs from behind.

“AAAAHHH!” she screamed so loudly she was sure everyone in the hotel heard her.

Nick laughed. “Ray, quiet. We don’t want people coming in here now do we? We want this place all to ourselves.”

“Yes we do.” she turned around and smiled at him.

He moved closer to her and put his arms around her waist.

“Mr. Carter, what ever could you possibly be wrapping those arms of yours around me for?”

“Funny Rayanne Elizabeth, I thought you’ve wanted me to do this for a long time!”

“You know I have.” she said as she put her hands on his cheeks and pulled his face closer to hers. Her wet lips touched his softly.

“You taste like chlorine.” she giggled, not breaking the kiss. She pulled him closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. He began to slowly walk forward, until they were at the side of the pool, her between him and the wall. He kept kissing her and moved his hands down her back. He put them on her legs and picked them up. He wrapped them around his waist and moved his hands up to her face.

“Nick?” she asked pulling away.

“What’s wrong hun?” he asked looking in her eyes.

She was ready to tell Nick she didn’t want to move to fast when she lost her train of thought. She stared into his baby blue eyes and saw the love in them. Her heart melted and at that moment, everything with Nick felt perfect.

She smiled at him. “Nothing’s wrong.” She leaned in and kissed him again. He kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her waist. He deepened the kiss and Rayanne lost herself in him. She heard nothing and felt nothing but him. She didn’t know how long they were kissing, but they were really getting into it when he came.

Rayanne didn’t even hear the door open, or anyone walking on the wet pool deck. She was just kissing Nick...

“Hey! This is not what this pool is for! You kids better get out of here!” Then he realized who was in the pool...

“Hey you! Nick Carter, right? You want me to tell Michael what you’re doing down here at 3:00 in the morning?!” He started to walk closer to them.

“Shit! Ray, let’s go” said Nick as he climbed out of the pool and reached down to help her out.

Whoever the man was he was slowly getting closer to their side of the pool. Lucky for them it was a huge pool. Rayanne was out of the pool and Nick grabbed her hand and started running. The man ran after them yelling.

“Hotel Management will hear about this! We do not appreciate guests misusing our facilities!”

Nick was laughing now and dragging Rayanne toward the door.

“Nick my stuff!” she yelled.

“We’ll get it tomorrow.”

Nick reached the door and pulled it open. They stepped out into the hall and he looked to the left, then to the right.

“Come on, let’s go the wrong way.” he suggested.

Rayanne laughed. “You’re just having fun with this now!”

“Let’s go.”

He dragged her down the hall, up a flight of stairs, down another hall to the elevator, got on the elevator, took it to their floor, got off and ran her down the hall to Room 20.

“Nick, I can’t breathe” she giggled, gasping for air. “And I don’t think he’s been following us since the first floor.”

“I know, but it was fun wasn’t it?” he smiled and kissed her forehead.

He opened the door and they walked into the room hand in hand. Brian and AJ were on the beds watching TV. When the door opened they turned to look at Nick and Rayanne.

“Where are your clothes? And why are you dripping wet...?” Brian asked with a confused look on his face.

“Long story.” Nick smiled. “Pizza ready? I’m starved.”

“He walks in here with his bathing suit on, no towel and Rayanne attached to his hand, and all he can do is ask where the pizza is!” AJ laughed and shook his head.

“Hey! I’m hungry!” Nick said defensively as he sat down on the bed Brian was on. Rayanne walked over with him and he pulled her down onto his lap.

“Little man, you’re gonna get the bed all wet. How about I go get you guys some towels.” Brian got up off the bed and disappeared.

“So Rayanne, how do you like it here so far?” AJ asked sitting up to face them.

“Oh, it’s been pretty exciting so far!” she smiled. “But I’m sure when you guys are working I’ll have a chance to settle down a little.”

“Oh, speaking of that,” Nick said, “you’re coming tomorrow night right? We have a front row seat for you.”

Rayanne smiled. “Of course I’ll come! Like I would ever pass up a front row ticket...or any ticket at all!” she giggled.

Brian walked back out into the living room with two towels. He handed one to Nick and one to Rayanne. “Pizza’s almost done.”

“Man, I am so hungry. The last thing I had to eat was red jelly beans.”

“Sounds good, now where did you get those?” Nick asked pretending to be confused.

“Some hot flight attendant named Zach gave them to me.” she smirked.

“You’re so full of it” He threw her down on the bed and started tickling her.

Just then Kevin and Howie each walked out of the kitchen carrying a pizza. They set them down on the table on the other side of the room.

“Yippee! Saved by the pizza!” Rayanne laughed as Nick stood up and wrapped his towel around his waist.

Rayanne did the same and they followed Brian and AJ over to the food.

“Hey Brian, when do I get to meet LeighAnne?” Rayanne asked picking up a piece of pizza.

“Pretty eager to make friends huh?” he laughed as he put his arm around her shoulder.

“Well, it’ll be fun to have someone else to hang out with, especially when you guys are busy.”

Nick kissed Rayanne on the top of the head and sat down in the chair next to her to eat his pizza. “Come sit sweetie” she said pulling her by the waist to where he was.

She sat on his lap and ate her pizza. Everyone moved back to the couches and chairs when they were done. Rayanne laid on the bed and Nick rubbed her back. She listened to everyone talk, she hadn’t slept comfortably in so long...

“Ray” Nick whispered as he shook her. “Rayanne, wake up, we’ll go to bed.”

“Hmmm” Ray moaned as she rolled over. “What’s going on?”

“You fell asleep. It’s after 5, we should get in bed” Nick said as he picked her up. He carried her down the hall to his room. He opened the door and laid her on the bed, then pulled the covers back and underneath her and laid them on top of her.

She rolled over and snuggled up to her pillow. “Thank you Nick.”

“You’re welcome.” he said as he took off his shirt and pants and pulled back the covers on the other bed.

“You’re sleeping there?” she asked opening her eyes. “Not with me?”

“I didn’t know, it’s your first night, you’re tired...”

Rayanne smiled sleepily. “Get your buns over here.”

Nick got out of bed and crawled in beside her. She closed her eyes and snuggled up close to him.

“Sorry I didn’t stay awake. I know you wanted to spend some time alone tonight.” she said yawning.

“It’s OK hun, we’ve got all the time in the world...” he said as he watched her drift off to sleep.