Lying beside you,
here in your arms
Feeling your heart beat with mine,
Softly you whisper, you’re so sincere
How could a love be so blind?
-Open Arms, Journey
Chapter 9
It was after 5:30 when the gamblers proceeded into the cold night air
to catch their
limo back to the hotel. Nikki’s arm was looped through AJ’s as he lit his
cigarette.
“Oh Babe. Congratulations. Really! It’s definetely been YOUR
night!” Nikki
glanced at AJ. This was everything she had been thinking about the past
year. With his
bright red hair he looked like a cartoon character. But there was something
so eternally
sweet and down to earth about this man; this man who tried to appear like a
bad boy. AJ
was more down to earth, actually, than any of the guys Nikki had dated
recently. He
whispered his low raspy voice in Nikki’s ear. The hair on her neck stood up
straight.
Whoever had said that he “oozed sex” had been right. She took back what she
had
thought earlier. He definitely WAS attractiave.
“You gonna come by my room for a night cap, Nikki?” She liked the
way he
said her name, the way his voice sounded like he had one too many marlboro
lights. But
Nikki knew that she was spent and that it was just too quick to be spending
the rest of the
evening having thrashing headbanging sex with AJ.
“Lemme take a rain check, handsome.” Nikki said as she unlooped her
arm from
his and kneaded her hand into his toned bicep. “But until then,” Nikki
licked her lips as
she eyed AJ’s. She went in for the kill in no time, the kiss becoming deeper
and deeper,
their tongues writhing together. When they finally parted, Nikki shuddered,
as AJ
remained clinging to her.
“I’m warm inside but cold out.” AJ croaked as he rubbed Nikki’s
bare arms. She
slipped her naked goosepimpled limbs under his jacket and laid her head on
his shoulder.
*It’s been a good night* she thought. As she closed her eyes, though,
Brian’s eyes were
there to meet hers, piercing and playful and blue. Nikki now began feeling
warm inside
too.
*****
“You go on up, Nik.” Angie told her friend as the group entered the
hotel.
“Shhhh....” Nikki almost sighed as she looked at Angie as Howie lead
her down
the hall. “What if he’s still in there?” Nikki half whispered, half yelled
down to the
following Angie.
“I’m sure she’s sleeping by now.” Angie said, determined. “This
IS Kelly, the
queen of sleep that we’re talking about.”
“Yeah, but I can think of one thing she’d rather be doing than
sleeping...she IS also
the Queen of Porn if you remember correctly....” Nikki spat out, determined
herself that
she was not entering the room alone. “And that’s something I really don’t
wanna walk in
on.”
“Tell you what, Angela.” Howie’s voice was always so quiet. “You
go back to
your room and get comfortable and then come see me when you’re all set.”
Angie didn’t
care much for the idea. She couldn’t believe it, but thought she’d lose the
nerve if she
didn’t go right then. But Nikki grabbed her before she could argue and
hopped on the
open elevator.
“Now I’m gonna have to kill you rich girl.” Angie glared at her
friend as Nikki
tried to flash her most winning smile.
When the elevator got to the eleventh floor, Angie and Nikki crept
quietly down
the hall to their suite. They both made silent motions to one another as
they motioned
each other to open the door.
“Ah hell,” Angie said under her breath. “He’s probably been gone
for three
hours.” She stuck the card key in the door. The two of them crept in
through the small
living room leaving the lights off. As they entered the sleeping area they
flipped on one
small lamp near the entrance.
“Oh God.” Nikki whispered. Her tummy fluttered a little at the
vision in front of
her. It was so completely sweet. Angie just smiled at the sight of her
friend wrapped in
the arms of the boy they all admired so much.
“I wanna take a picture.” Angie said in a giggle type whisper.
“Oh God...NO” Nikki repeated trying not to laugh outloud.
Nick sighed momentarily as he turned inward toward me, diligently
staying
entwined in my body. Angie and Nikki saw that I looked completely content, a
faint
dopey smile on my sleeping lips.
Just then the silence was interrupted by the loud siren of the
telephone. All four
occupants of the room jumped. Nick leaned up on one of his arms.
“What the hell?” he said groggily and looked at the clock.
“Ugh...” he grunted and
grabbed the phone across me before anyone could stop him. I just snuggled my
head into
his chest, pulling him as close as possible. “Hello” he said rubbing his
eyes with one hand.
“Uh, who’s this?” a surprised voice came over the line. Howie
answered his own
question with a hint of surprise before Nick could respond. “Nick?”
“Yeah,” Nick replied, still dazed. “What’s up man?”
“Is Angie in there?” Howie asked Nick, almost whispering.
“Yeah, I think so, lemme get her,” answered Nick but Howie cut him
off.
“No, no...uh...just tell her that I’m sorry, but she shouldn’t come
down for that
drink.” Howie paused and then almost pleaded. “Claudia’s here. She just
came tonight
as a surprise.”
“Damn...” Nick empathized and then affirmed his bandmate. “OK,
I’ll let her
know. Talk to you later, D.” and hung up.
I felt warm by the sound of Nick’s groggy voice. His hand was now at
the nape of
my back, a few fingers touching my exposed skin between my shorts and my
shirt. Talking
to no one imparticular I requested that the lights be shut off. Nick flicked
the light next to
him off, then brought his large hand to my head and ran it through my hair.
My stomach
flip-flopped and I almost giggled.
“Angie?” Nick’s voice was raspy. He looked toward the girls.
“Which one of you
is Angie?” his eyes went from one to the other.
“Me.” Angie motioned her finger toward her chest.
“Oh, OK.” Nick looked at her a moment, as if memorizing her. “That
was
Howie. He said not to come down cause Claudia’s here.” Angie sighed. “She
surprised him. Sorry.” There was a momentary silence. Nick felt
uncomfortable. He
realized he shouldn’t have put it quite that way, but his pleasant sleep had
been
interrupted. “Don’tworry though, you know? Cause Howie’s not exclusive or
anything.”
I turned my head at that point as Angie plopped on the other bed.
“Well...Fuck
him then. I’m glad I’m not going down.” She sighed a secret sigh of relief
and took off
her shoes.
“I guess you guys had fun tonight.” I said as Nick’s hand gently
caressed up and
down my forearm. I couldn’t believe it at that point and tried to ignore the
reaction his
touch was getting from my body.
Nikki walked to the other bed as well. “Well...I DID win 30000
bucks.”
“Shut up.” I said at this revelation, sitting up.
“I’m NOT kidding. It was MY night tonight at the CRAPS tables.”
she couldn’t
wipe the smile off her face, and now that she knew I was alright...well,
better than alright,
she felt even better. There was a momentary pause as I took this information
in. “It looks
like you had a good time yourself.” Nikki cracked, almost not believing she
had said it. I
blushed as I realized what it must have looked like. Nick responded first,
though, still
sleepy.
“Nah, it’s nothin’ like that.” His voice was even and relaxed.
“We just fell
asleep.”
Nikki replied happily. “That wasn’t the question, though.” She was
gathering her ready for bedtime paraphenalia and getting ready to go into the
bathroom.
“The question was if you guys had a good time tonight.” I lied back down,
reclaiming my
spot cuddled against him.
“Yeah then,” Nick answered. “Yeah, we had a really nice night.”
He closed his
eyes once again and murmured a goodnight to all of us. The last thing I
remember was
the soft kiss on top of my head.
Chapter 10
Song For Kelly
NinasFiction
NinasFeet
