Kevin and Kristy wandered back to the table and Kevin officially introduced Nick to Kristy and the other girls. Nick let his other friends go on to one of the other clubs without him, deciding that what was happening right there would be much more entertaining.
"Dancing Queen" came on and the three girls were heading out to the floor, with or without the guys. Kevin and Nick followed immediately, and AJ and Brian decided to try and keep and open mind, and soon joined the group.
If the sight of four of the Backstreet Boys boogying with a small group of very pretty girls was unusual for this club, no one acted like it. Song after song played, each one a disco sensation and the group continued dancing away. Mike and Chris joined the group after a bit, with some girls from Mike's grad school class. Introductions were made over the retro tunes and the dancing became more interactive. AJ and Nick sandwiched Kristy, who playfully held her own. Brian danced with Heather and one of the other girls, then grabbed Kristy for a "Saturday Night Fever" number.
Kristy was laughing and thoroughly enjoying herself, glad to see that everyone seemed to be getting along. Kristy's friends watched Kevin watch Kristy, no matter who she was dancing with at the time. Kevin's friends decided Kristy was a lot of fun to hang out with and were impressed with how she'd look over and smile at Kevin if she was dancing with one of them.
AJ was "actively" serenading a giggling Kristy with "You Sexy Thing!" when Kevin pulled her to him. "Sorry Bone, but I'm tired of sharing!" he smirked and possessively held Kristy.
Kristy grinned and shrugged, sending AJ a "what-can-I-say?" look, then spun around and kissed Kevin soundly on the mouth. "Took ya long enough!" she teased.
They were still dancing in a big group when an attractive man with longish, wavy brown hair in a ponytail and big brown eyes approached. "So, is this a private party, or can anyone join?"
"D!" Nick and Brian yelled.
"What're you doin' here? I thought you made other plans tonight." AJ asked.
"I decided I couldn't wait any longer to meet the woman who'd charmed our Kev," Howie laughed.
"There she is!" Nick grinned, pointing to Kristy who was holding Kevin's hand, dancing, and talking and laughing with Jessica all at the same time.
"What's that expression on Kevin's face?" Howie asked in mock concern.
"I'm pretty sure it's a smile," Brian laughed. "He's been doin' that pretty much all night."
"Except when Kristy was dancin' with me," AJ chuckled.
"So?" Howie asked expectantly, knowing he'd probably go along with the consensus.
Brian smiled, "I think she's the one!" AJ and Nick nodded.
"So, I guess I don't have a shot with her, huh?" Howie sighed dramatically.
"Tell me about it," AJ grumbled.
Nick added, "Get in line."
"Hey D!" Kevin welcomed him. "Glad you made it after all. I'd like you to meet Kristy." Kristy smiled and introduced her friends to Howie, then asked him to dance. By the end of the song, Howie had come to the same conclusion as the rest of the guys: Kristy was incredible. And Kevin was a lucky man.
************************************************************************
Kristy changed out of her suit into a pair of shorts and a tee shirt, under which she wore her two-piece. She put her hair up in a claw-clip and slid on a pair of sandals. Grabbing her purse and sunglasses, she emerged, "OK, I'm ready!" The convention was over and her vacation had officially started.
Jessica and Heather stood in the living room, dressed similarly. Mike and Chris were flying out that afternoon and good-byes had been said at lunch. Now the girls were headed over to Kevin's for an impromptu house-warming party. Since Kevin was playing host, he was going to have one of the guys stop by the hotel and pick the girls up on his way over. The three friends headed downstairs and waited outside, enjoying the mid-afternoon sun. Heather and Kristy were sitting on top of a half wall, leaning back-to-back soaking up the rays, while Jessica sat on the ground in front of the wall, facing them as they chatted. At the sound of a car horn, the three girls turned to the circular drive in front of the hotel to see AJ approaching them. Behind him walked Nick. And Howie. And Brian.
"How many Backstreet Boys DOES it take to escort three girls to a Bar-B-Q?" Kristy asked, giggling as she hugged the guys.
"When they're as beautiful as you ladies, you really need the whole Backstreet Boys' security team," Howie said, winking at Heather as the rest of the group greeted each other.
"I was gonna say," AJ smirked at Jessica, "When they're as 'ornery' as you guys, WE really need the whole Backstreet Boys' security team!"
"So who's riding with who?" Nick asked.
"I promised Kev I'd bring Kris," Brian grinned. "I think he's afraid to leave her alone with the rest of you."
"Should someone separate AJ and Jess?" Heather asked, chuckling as the two continued their, now playful, bickering.
"Nah, let 'em duke it out," Howie laughed.
Nick started jumping up and down, "Then I'm riding with AJ... I wanna watch Jess kick his butt!" which caused the whole group to burst into laughter.
"So I guess that leaves you and me?" Heather smiled at Howie. After his arrival at the club, they had spent much of the evening dancing and talking, and Kristy and Jess both suspected there was a mutual interest.
"Did you guys bring your suits?" Brian asked, leading the group back to the cars.
Kristy, Jessica and Heather all exchanged mischievous looks and simultaneously "flashed" the guys, revealing their swim-wear underneath their tops. "I'm tellin' Kev!" Nick laughed.
"Go ahead... what kinda flowers do you like?" AJ asked.
"Why?" Nick said still smirking at Kristy.
"'Cause we're gonna need to know what we should send to the hospital..." Howie chuckled.
"Or funeral parlor." Brian grinned.
"Good point. Maybe I WON'T tell Kev," Nick reconsidered.
"Very smart, Nicky-boy! Very smart!" AJ and the others laughed as they got into their respective cars.
