Soon the guys piled into the van all sweaty and high on the adrenaline. Wiping their faces with towels and drinking out of their water bottles. What a high it must be to have thousands of people hanging on your every word, your every gesture! Lance got into the car and hugged Mercedes. His brief kiss was salty and wet.
"That was impressive." Mercedes told him.
Lance gave her a funny questioning look.
"The show." She smiled, coyly. "But, that other wasn’t bad either." He blushed, but it wasn’t very noticeable because all the guys were pretty flushed anyway.
It was prearranged that the guys would be dropped off at their cars so they might drive to their homes to shower and change for the after party at Johnny’s house.
When the van stopped in the Jive parking lot in front of Lance’s car, Chris asked Lance, "We ARE going to see you later, right?"
Lance smiled. "You just keep my parents occupied. I’ll be along later."
"Wes is supposed to go with you, where is he?" asked Justin.
"I told him I’d meet up with him at the party." Lance said. p>Justin gave him a smirk and a wink. "Yeah. Right."
"Do you want me to drive?" Mercedes asked.
"That would be terrific, thanks." Lance replied. He placed the car keys in the palm of Mercedes’ hand. Holding it for an extended moment. Lance smiled. Mercedes got behind the wheel, as Lance made himself comfortable on the passenger side.
Lance closed his eyes and relaxed as Mercedes drove to his house. "I’m really not as tired as I might look." he said with a smile.
Lance took her hand and squeezed it as it laid there on the sweaty white towel laying next to him on the seat.
Lance opened his eyes. He simply stared at her. He thought of the fun they had this afternoon jet-skiing. How great she looked in that bathing suit. ‘Ooo, man and that ice cream! THAT was a little slice of heaven.‘ How comfortable they were getting with each other. ‘Maybe she will share this feeling I have for her. Maybe she already does.’ Lance got a smile so big, he thought it might burst off his face.
The way she hugged him today when they were out on the water. Lance couldn’t believe how she initiated so much physical contact. She wasn’t holding back anymore. Not like when he tried to kiss her at her estate in front of the lake the other night. That was last night. Whoa, were they moving too fast? Was he going to scare her away? Living so much of his life on the road, Lance often felt there was so little time for a personal life. Much less time to maintain a relationship. This relationship was too precious for him to rush it, but time was a hard thing to get for himself.
How will he balance his anticipation and desire within his time constraints? How can he ever have a so-called normal relationship!?
Lance caught her looking at him while they were out on the boat. The embarrassed way she looked when he caught her staring at him was priceless! Lance always knew that inside that ‘classic-to-die-for’ exterior beat the heart of a child. Innocent, yeah, still innocent after all she’d been through.
Her childlike enthusiasm. The giggles he heard as they skied across the water. She would actually try and splash him and outmaneuver him out on the inlet! When he took a towel, after he was pretty well dried off himself, and helped Mercedes dry her hair that moment came so naturally, comfortably to them. Lance would have given anything at that moment to have taken a hot shower with her. ‘Ooo. I better not think about that right now.’ He sheepishly looked over at Mercedes driving them to his house and a devilish grin came over him.
And then there was the ice cream. They finally got some groceries into Mercedes’ house. And only a half hour before he was supposed to leave and drive over to Jive, he and Mercedes finished making ice cream! It was butter pecan, she had found the recipe in some old cookbook Mrs. Serke, from the Vineyard farm, had let her borrow. It tasted so damn great. It tasted even better when he tasted it on her finger, her lips...her tongue. Oh Lord, it was the best ice cream he had ever tasted in his life. If he hadn’t had that Meet and Greet to get to...
Tonight, all he really wanted to do was be alone with her. Tomorrow the guys had one more show in Orlando and then they were heading to Ft. Lauderdale. Lance hadn’t asked Mercedes if she thought she would come along. He wanted to see if he could convince her to join them for at least the Florida shows. It would mean so much just to have her around a little bit longer. Who was he kidding, it would mean EVERYTHING to him to have her around.
Now the thing was, when was he ever going to get some time alone with her?
"Lance, hey you!" Mercedes giggled quietly, "We’re here!"
He smiled. "Did you think I was asleep?" Mercedes handed Lance the car keys and got out of the vehicle. "You did, didn’t you?" She just started to laugh.
Lance went around and put his arms around her waist as they approached the front door. "To tell you the truth, I was thinking about how very much I’d like some more of that ice cream." Mercedes giggled and they both were feeling pretty giddy. Lance put his hand on her tush, unlocked the door and walked her inside the house in a slow, sexy dance. They twirled, cuddled close and he kissed her cheek.
"Let me go shower before I get you all sweaty, too." Lance said. Then he shook his head and covered his eyes, "Geez. You know what I mean."
Mercedes eyes widened and she blinked as she tried to stifle her laughter. "That was probably more accurate than I should admit to, Sir."
Lance leaned in closer and whispered, "That’s nice to hear." Mercedes felt herself go a little weak in the knees when his lips brushed over her neck and earlobe. She closed her eyes. "I’ll jump in the shower and be right back." he said.
Mercedes popped open her eyes and tried to act nonchalant. "Yeah. Uh Huh. Good idea."
Mercedes looked around Lance’s house. She never really got the chance to before when his parents and sister were here. Now, she took her time looking at the photos, admiring the way he put certain personal touches in his home. There was one photo of *N SYNC when they recorded "Tearing Up My Heart" in Sweden. There she was in the middle of all these teenagers! They looked SO young. Not that she was old, but they were just babies before they were Babes! Mercedes thoughtfully looked at all the old family photos. One, she surmised, was definitely of "Granny". Mercedes made a mental note to ask Lance if she was right.
She roamed about from room to room. Mercedes LOVED the Dr. Seuss room, filled with the colors and books of some of her childhood favorites! One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish ‘Yeah!’ Cat In The Hat!! This guy was going to make a great Dad some day.
Mercedes touched the children’s books lovingly. ‘The baby would’ve been almost 4 months old by now.’ Funny, but Mercedes didn’t know if the baby she had lost had been a little girl or a little boy. At the time, Liam and Victoria had both told her it was better that she not know. ‘Less painful that way,’ Victoria had said. But, now Mercedes wondered if perhaps it might help to bring closure if she could mourn the baby and name the baby in her mind and in her heart. She should know, it would help to know, what the baby would’ve been. Baby boy or baby girl.
She heard the sound of drawers opening and closing. Lance must be out of the shower and getting dressed. Mercedes hoped he wouldn’t mind that she had come into the bedroom wing and was nosing around.
Lance stood in the doorway of the Dr. Seuss room watching her hug his Cat In The Hat doll. He also thought about the baby she lost. He wished he could see to it that Mercedes wouldn’t feel sad. Lance stood there in his khaki pants and green shirt, tilted his head and said quietly, "Keep the faith, Mercedes. You WILL make a wonderful Mother some day."
Mercedes turned to see him standing in the door way, he looked so great the green of his shirt bringing out the green of his eyes. His hair still damp and so unruly. She loved that.
"Thank-you, Lance." Then she gestured around the room, "This is such a great room. What were you thinking? A place for Ford and Stacey to leave your niece or nephew overnight?"
Lance smiled, "No, actually...even though that would be cool...I was thinking mostly just how much I liked Dr. Seuss. "
Lance rocked back and forth in the doorway his hands placed against the door frame. Mercedes walked up to him slowly. His eyes followed her. She placed her head against his shoulder, he dropped his hands and put his arms around her. Lance smelled wonderful. Soap and Calvin Klein cologne. It would be possible to get lost in that essence. Lance brought one hand to her face, "Mercedes I don’t want to go to that After party tonight. I just want to be here alone with you."
"Did I say that out loud?" Lance said astonished.
Mercedes smiled. "Yes, you did."
Lance cleared his throat, "Oh. I was afraid of that."
Mercedes touched Lance’s chest, "That was refreshingly honest. I’m glad I heard it."
"You know I have to go to the After party, right?"
"Of course."
"Even though I am expected to go. I can be fashionably late." Lance said as he bent down and kissed her.
Lance pressed closer to Mercedes, the Cat In The Hat doll stuck between them. Lance raised his eyebrows, grabbed the doll and tossed it. His kiss deepened. His arms tightened around her. Mercedes put her hands underneath Lance’s shirt. For the first time since that night in the loft, the kisses became more urgent. Lance teased her mouth open with a little gentle pressure from his tongue. Mercedes surrendered. Her hands roamed up his back. Lance inadvertently started moving Mercedes up against the bedroom wall. They could barely take a breath before there was another kiss. Now, Lance rubbed her back increasingly harder, his kisses so deep and wet. Lance would lightly bite or suck on her lips in between. Mercedes was feeling slightly intoxicated from the closeness and the kisses.
Those kisses. ’Damn, did someone teach this boy how to kiss or what? I want to thank that girl.’
Lance took his arms from around her waist and placed his hands on her pelvic bone. He applied a moderate amount of pressure and his hands slowly began to move up her stomach onto her shirt. Lance was leaning against her body and Mercedes felt how aroused he had become. His hands roamed higher up the fabric of her shirt, stopped on the side of her chest and Lance began to lick her neck. He cupped her breasts. They moaned. Lance heard Mercedes’ head hit ’THUMP’ against the wall, he realized then what he was doing.
He was alarmed that the desire he felt was so quickly getting out of hand. In his mind, what he really wanted to do...would be difficult to manage with his parents staying as guests in his house. Mercedes reached for his hands and Lance felt the rings on her left hand. His head went down on her shoulder. ‘I’m so stupid.’
"Are you alright?" he asked, rubbing the back of her head. Breathless, he held her. "Mercedes?" Lance tried to control his breathing and fight his desire to continue. "Mercedes. I’m sorry." he whispered.
Mercedes held him as she caught her breath, too, and nodded. "I know."
She paused, then asked, "Lance how did this happen?" o
Lance placed his cheek against hers. "What happen?"
"This wonderful, sexy, totally intense kissing thing?"
Lance kissed her cheek, "Dunno." His head still against hers, his face in her curls. "Are YOU okay with it?"
Mercedes was quiet for a moment. Lance stared into her eyes. She looked deeply into his. "Doesn’t it surprise you?" she asked.
"I’ve always felt attracted to you, Mercedes. You must have known that."
"I’m not necessarily the best choice for you. I’m kind of a risk here."
"Why do you say that?" Lance kissed her forehead, tenderly.
"You know all the many reasons." Her eyes fell to the floor.
"All I know is how I feel." He placed her hand on his heart and lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes.
"Lance. You can’t be blind to..." Mercedes stopped and composed herself, "You must be aware that..."
Lance held her to him. "Mercedes every time you open yourself up to loving some one it’s a risk. I’m not afraid. I know all I need to know."
Mercedes looked up at him, as tears escaped from her eyes.
"How can you say that? How can you be so trusting?"
"I’m telling you. Keep the faith." Lance smiled and kissed her eyelids, the bridge of her nose, kissing her cheeks and wiping away each tear with his gentle finger tips.
Lance then rubbed over the wedding band and engagement ring Mercedes wore. He opened her palm and kissed inside her hand. Mercedes asked, "Do you have a ziploc bag or an envelope or something I can put this jewelry in? I shouldn’t lose them, but I don’t think I’m going to be wearing them any more. It’s time."
Trying to hold back his emotions, Lance answered, "I think I can find you something." He looked into her eyes, turned and took her hand as they walked into the hallway and down towards the kitchen. Lance opened a drawer in the kitchen and handed her a ziploc baggie. As Mercedes placed the rings inside the baggie, Lance stood behind her putting his hands on her shoulders and massaging her head and neck. Placing his head into her curls, he kissed her head repeatedly. As she turned around to him, Lance hugged her tightly. They stood there in his kitchen just holding each other.
After a long period of quiet peace, Lance cleared his throat and said, "Mercedes, there is so much I need to talk with you about. It may not be easy, but we do need to talk about them. I just don’t know how...I don’t know..." Lance kissed her temple.
"I understand how important your family is to you. I’m really concerned about their reaction to us, too. I’ve always envied the relationship all of you share..."
Lance took his hand and brushed away Mercedes’ hair back from her forehead and sighed, "Shh, No. That’s not it. I’m not in the least bit worried about that. My parents love me. Sooner or later they will come around. Don’t be concerned about that. Not at all. nah ah." He kissed her forehead. "Mercedes..."
"Then what?" A light bulb went off in her head, "Oh. Of course, listen I understand about the fans. Remember I was there when Lou and Liam used to give you guys ’the lecture’ about girlfriends hanging around..."
Lance grinned, "No. That’s not it either." He spoke slowly. "The fan thing, I don’t know what to tell you. I haven’t even thought about that. I mean, I don’t want to upset people, but at the same time... Don’t I get a life? It could get downright unpleasant, but you’ll just have to promise to take the same precautions the rest of us do when you’re visiting me on tour...and NEVER surf the web. That‘s DEFINITELY out." Lance looked into her eyes, "Am I getting ahead of myself here ?" Lance’s face scrunches up, " I mean, I think I’m taking some things for granted here."
It was Mercedes’ turn to grin. She reached up and kissed his eager lips.
"Does that answer you?" Lance opened his eyes and smiled. He nodded his head. "So what is it?"
"Oh. Man. This isn’t easy. There are a few things I really feel you need to know about."
The phone rings. Lance exhales. "Crap. Who could THAT be?" He raises his arms, "Let’s let the answering machine pick up."
"Honey? It’s Mom, have you left yet? We’ve been a little worried, we’ve hardly seen you today. We’re waiting for you at Johnny’s house. Okay, well, hopefully we’ll see you soon, hon. Bye for now."
Mercedes looked at Lance. "We probably should get over there. She’s right she hasn’t seen much of you."
"Not yet. I really want to talk with you."
Mercedes put her hands to his face, then dropped them to his chest, "It’s not like we won’t have a chance to talk later. Your parents are going to go home before you know it and you’ll wish you had taken advantage of this time to spend it with them."
Lance touched her hands, brought them to his lips, kissed them and said, "We’ll go only if you promise me you won’t go back to the Vineyard for a while. I really need to spend more time with you. Please stay long enough to be here for the Florida shows. At least that long."
"Of course, I’ll stay at least that long."
