"Hi," Chris grineed back, taking Marki's empty seat. "So, what are you doing after dinner?"
"Um...I don't know, I didn't really have anything planned." A blush crept over her cheeks.
Chris nervously picked at the hem of his shirt. "Well...if you want - and there's no pressure or anything - you could, uh, come back to my room with me -"
"I can't." Shannon cut him off, and his face fell.
"Oh...well..." Chris tried to hide his disappointment.
"No! That came out wrong," Shannon laughed. "It's not that I don't want to, I can't. I'm not allowed to be on the hotel property if I'm not working...it's kind of a rule."
Chris immediately brightened. "So you do want to do something with me?"
"Yes," Shannon smiled. "We could go back to my place, maybe watch a movie...unless you wanted to go out somewhere?"
"No, that sounds perfect."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, Destiny and Michelle were making plans with Justin, Colin, and Lance to go see a movie.
"How old are you again?" Justin asked Michelle, causing Lance to roll his eyes.
"Too old for you," Michelle shot back, grinning.
"Good one, Michelle," Colin laughed.
"Fine...maybe I won't go out with you." Justin stuck his tongue out at them.
"Uh oh, time to put the baby down for his nap," Destiny winked at Lance who chuckled, liking her sense of humor.
"Yeah, he's a little cranky," Lance agreed, standing up.
"I'll give you cranky," Justin glared at Lance.
********
One hour later, Shannon sat with Chris on her couch, a bowl of popcorn between them and "Braveheart" playing on the television, but her mind was on anything but the movie. Shannon's mind raced a million miles a second, turning over the scenario in her head. "Chris Kirkpatrick is in my living room! Chris Kirkpatrick is in my living room and on my couch...next to me! Oh my god...say something! Say anything!"
"Um...I could make some popcorn." "IDIOT!"
"You already did," Chris pointed out, picking up the bowl and setting it on the coffee table.
"Oh..." Shannon laughed nervously. "So I did." "Ooh, way to go there, Shan! You're lookin' mighty sharp tonight!"
Chris could sense her nervousness, and scooted closer to her. "Are you okay? I don't bite you know," he said with a wicked grin.
It was a good thing she was sitting, because Shannon's knees instantly turned to jello. "I know," she tried to control her voice and sound normal.
"Am I really that intimidating?" Chris raised his eyebrow. "Let's just pretend that I'm just some guy you met at the supermarket -" Shannon laughed. "Okay, so maybe not at the supermarket. Anyway, I'm just some guy you randomly met, and it's just a normal date."
"You think this is a date?" Shannon blurted out.
"Only if you do," Chris shot back. The pair looked at each other nervously, and he cleared his throat. "It is a date...kinda...right?"
"I guess so," Shannon smiled. "One I wish I could start over."
"We can do that," Chris grinned, and held out his hand. "Hi, I'm Chris Kirkpatrick."
"Shannon McCormick," she laughed out loud, taking his hand and shaking it.
"You're really pretty when you smile like that, you should do it more often." Chris looked at her seriously, still holding onto her hand.
"Thank you," Shannon blushed.
"I'll have to thank your brother later," Chris remarked.
"For what?" Shannon looked at him curiously.
"For giving me the opportunity to do this." Chris placed his hand on Shannon's face and placed his lips on hers in a soft, sweet kiss. The kiss deepened, and Shannon had just placed her arms around his neck and pulled him closer when the door to the apartment burst open, and her two roommates returned with Colin, Justin, and Lance. Shannon and Chris jumped apart, and Michelle laughed.
"And just what have you two been doing?" She grinned evilly.
"Aww...look at that, Lance! Chris finally got some play!" Justin teased as Chris shot him a dirty look.
"Dude, watch it, that's my sister," Colin made a face.
Chris leaned in to whisper in Shannon's ear. "Is there anywhere we can go to...uh...talk?" His eyes looked hopeful.
"I have a TV and VCR in my room," she suggested.
"Perfect," Chris grinned, ejecting the movie from the VCR and grabbing their bowl of popcorn. "Well, kids, enjoy yourselves," he wiggled his eyebrows and followed Shannon to her room.
********
(July 25, 8:45 a.m.)
Destiny stretched as she woke, a smile coming to her face as she remembered the night before. In just one day, her life had gone from ordinary to wonderful, and she could hardly believe her luck.
"Good morning," the deep voice shook her from her reverie. Destiny looked up to see Lance entering her bedroom with a tray.
"Wow...good morning!" Destiny giggled, her eyes taking in the sight of Lance in nothing but his boxers. His eyes caught hers and he blushed slightly.
"I wasn't exactly prepared to spend the night," he grinned, sitting down beside her. "I could hear Justin snoring away in the next room so I know he's still here, and I could hear Chris's voice, so I guess we all had the same idea."
Destiny surveyed the french toast, bacon, and orange juice on her tray. "This looks yummy - you didn't have to do this."
"I wanted to," Lance smiled shyly. "It's been a long time since I've felt this comfortable with someone, and this was the only way I knew how to thank you."
"Thank me?" Destiny asked with a mouthful of french toast. "For what?"
"Last night." Lance saw her confused statement and elaborated. "It's been so long since I could just hang out and be me, not "Omigod it's THE Lance Bass from *N SYNC". You guys made me laugh last night in a way I haven't laughed in a long time. I had a great time, and I want to thank you for that."
"Wow...you're welcome...I guess," Destiny grinned. "So, what are you guys doing today?"
"We don't have anything planned until two, that's when we have soundcheck, so it's just a free day. I already called Johnny so he knows where we are, and he just told me to make sure we're all back at the venue by one thirty...so until then, I'm all yours." Lance replied.
"All mine, huh?" Destiny winked devilishly.
"In a manner of speaking," Lance said huskily as he moved closer to her.
"That sounds pretty good," Destiny closed her eyes as their lips met, her heart raced, and -
"GOOD MORNING!" Chris burst through the door, wearing Shannon's fluffy pink terrycloth robe and looking ridiculous.
Lance and Destiny looked at him in shock, both trying to get their hearts to stop racing from the scare.
"Chris? What the hell?" Lance narrowed his eyes at his best friend. "Are you nuts?"
"That's for last night!" Chris stuck his tongue out at them both and raced out of the room and back into Shannon's room. Destiny turned and looked at Lance in disbelief.
"Well...I guess life on the road with him is interesting."
"That's one way to put it," Lance said glibly.
Chapter Index
Back to Hosted Fiction
Back to the Den