Passionate Kisses

By: Michelle T (for Michelle H)

The slight breeze that whispered against her neck was met with welcome relief from the young woman, as she gazed off longingly into the sea of faces swirling around her booth. Her long fingers scooped up the light brown curls and she deftly fastened her locks into a small bun at the back of her head.

Niki drew her breath in slightly as her eyes lit upon an elderly gentleman that was gently guiding his gray haired wife into a highbacked seat on the merry-go-round. The look of hopeless love in his eyes as he fretted over the woman brought forth a small smile to Niki's lips. Oh, to be loved so deeply......

She pulled her gaze from the couple and watched with bemused interest at the overly confident gait of a teenager advance upon her. With a sigh and a roll of her eyes, she plastered a beautiful smile on her face.

"Evening, sweetie....try your luck for two dollars?" Niki groaned inwardly as the boy withdrew a twenty dollar bill.

"Well....what do I get if I knock all the bottles down?" he asked with a leer as he leaned over the wooden barrier towards her. His stale cigarette and beer breath repulsed her and she did her finest acting just to not turn away and heave her dinner.

"You can read, Kid. . You get all three bottles in one hit and you get a kiss." Niki peered around the sickening sight before her, "Come on, make your decision, we've got a line forming behind you." The boy quickly turned, assessed his audience and grinned cockily.

"Pass me the balls, baby and get ready for the kiss of your life."

Niki swore silently and tossed three balls to the kid. "No leaning over the counter." she warned him with a sense of dread overwhelming her.

As anticipated and feared by her, the first throw knocked all three bottles down and before Niki could even blink, the kid grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her against his chest. "Pucker up, babe."

His peach fuzzed chin loomed over her menacingly just before his thin lips crushed down upon hers. The forcefulness of the brute took her by surprise and she gasped involuntarily. His tongue plunged into her mouth and his arms snaked around her back preventing her from pulling away. Fear and disgust pulsated through her veins as she struggled to tear herself away from the revolting creature. Finally regaining her footing, she bit down sharply catching his tongue and lower lip between her teeth. With a painful and angry cry, the boy released her and shoved her roughly away from him.

"Fucking bitch, you bit me." he screamed while covering his bleeding mouth with his left hand and raising his right to strike her. Niki's eyes grew wide and she took a step backwards to distance herself from the raging lunatic. As his hand advanced upon her, she shut her eyes tightly and covered her head with her arms. The lack of a stinging sensation against her head caused her to peek from underneath her protective arm.

Just as the punk was about to make contact with the cowering woman, his arm was wrenched back swiftly and painfully. With a startled cry, he turned quickly and was met by a fierce blow to his eye. Niki stared in amazement as her savior pulled the kid by the scruff of his neck up close to his face.

"You ever dare attempt to strike a woman again and I swear I'll hunt you down and tear your pathetic slimey lips right off your ugly face." The kid cringed before the shorter man, fearful of the rage in his dark eyes. With a wild nod of his head, he pulled himself from the other's grasp and fled into the crowd.

Howie turned towards the shivering woman and felt a tug at his heart strings as he noticed the blood on her lips. She inched toward him, lost in the kindness and concern that emanated from his eyes. Unconsciously, he ran his thumb across her lip and wiped the crimson stain away.

"Are you alright, Miss?" he asked softly, while taking in her bright eyes, sun-glistened skin and trembling frame. She nodded mutely and caught his hand with her own.

"Thank you," she whispered as she closed the distance between them, "No one has ever come to my rescue before. What is your name?"

"It's Howie.... and you?" he asked, surprised that she didn't know him.

"I'm Michelle, but they call me Niki." She pulled a rag from beneath the counter and wiped the blood from his hand before pressing it to her lip briefly. His dark brown eyes mesmerized her and she allowed her gaze to flicker quickly over the rest of him, before being absorbed once again in his stare.

"Yo, D! You alright, man?" Nick ran up to Howie and looked at him with concern.

Howie nodded and turned to find his friends surrounding him. He quickly explained the situation and then turned his attention back to Niki. "Niki, these are my friends. This is Kevin and the blonde straddling his back is also known as Michelle." Howie turned and winked to Michelle, "but, we just call her Michelle."

"That's not what Kevvy calls her." AJ pushed his way through the group and held out his hand to Niki. "He calls her. . "

"AJ, shut up!" Kevin growled and then moaned quietly as Michelle whispered something into his ear and tightened her legs around his waist.

The group broke out into laughter and Howie continued with the introductions. "That is AJ kissing your hand and the stunning beauty behind him shooting daggers into his back is his wife, Kris. This is Nick and his fiancee, the luminous Lumien. They're getting married next week, but I think they've already had the honeymoon."

Niki couldn't help but smile wide at the beautiful man before her, describing his friends with pride. She looked quickly around the group and settled her gaze on the sole remaining beautiful woman, assuming she was his girl.

"And finally, this clown is Brian," Howie settled his hand on Brian's shoulder, ceasing his hopping around. Brian came to stand beside Howie and bowed graciously before Niki.

"At your service, Madam." Niki broke out into a hearty laugh and curtsied in return. "This is my lovely bride, Karen. She sometimes forgets which one of us she's married to," he leaned over conspiratorily and continued in a mock whisper, "I think she has the hots for Howie." He pulled back and dared a glance at his wife, "But, I KNOW she only really loves me!" Karen rolled her eyes at her incorrigible husband and pinched his butt. "Ouch," he cried out dramatically, "See? My wanton woman can't keep her hands off me." He turned qucikly and scooped Karen up into his arms, "Just you wait, my pretty, we shall soon be in the Tunnel of Love and I will make you forget all those other Backstreet Boys even exist."

At the mention of the group name, Niki turned her attention back to Howie with a questionable look, "You're the Backstreet Boys? You're Howie D?" She blushed slightly and pretended to swoon. Howie acted quickly and caught her in his embrace.

"Niki! Are you alright? Did that jerk hurt you? Do you need to lie down? How about a cool drink." Howie looked down frantically at the giggling woman and blushed deeply upon the realization that she was playing with him.

"I'm sorry," she said between fits of giggles. "I shouldn't have done that, but I couldn't resist. Sorry, I didn't recognize you all. I like your music but have never really paid attention to who you actually are or what you look like."

Howie righted them both and shot her a grin. "All's forgiven, as long as you come have a drink with us." His beautiful smile and charasmatic personality drew her breath away. She nodded quickly and then allowed him to assist her over the counter. She formally shook hands with each and every one of them and was delighted and surprised to find them all so nice and friendly.

After an hour of riotous laughter, comical binging on fried dough and lemonade, and numerous get-to-know-you questioning, the group exited the food tent and went their separate ways. Howie held his hand out to Niki. "Do you have to go back to your booth?" he asked hesitantly. She slid her smaller hand into his and gazed down upon their entwined fingers with a smile.

"No, I think I'm done with that. I was just filling in for an old friend, who should be back by now anyways." Niki longed to run her fingers through the wavy strands of Howie's hair and taste his full red lips. With a quick shake, she chastised herself for her thoughts and smiled into his eyes. "You want to go on the Ferris Wheel?"

Howie grinned and nodded his head, relieved that she did indeed want to spend some time with him. He had felt a quickening of his heartbeat ever since he'd laid eyes upon her and then to watch that young punk manhandle her had brought on a surprising mixture of jealousy and protectiveness. He pulled her closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they started towards the rides.

They spent their time walking and waiting in line by making small talk about themselves, each very much aware of the heat kindling from their closeness. Niki loved the feel of his strong arm wrapped around her shoulders, they way his head bent down towards hers as he spoke smoothly to her and the way his eyes never left her face, as if he was afraid to look away and she would magically disappear. She turned in towards him and genty placed her hand on his waist as she replied to one of his many questions. He erupted into laughter at her description of her last job and pulled her close in a quick hug. Niki laid her cheek against his collarbone and sighed happily while inhaling his intoxicating scent. All too soon, they were setted in a seat and rising high into the star filled evening sky. Their hands remained clasped together as they continued to enlighten each other on their lives.

Within minutes their car came to a jerking halt at the very top of the ferris wheel. Niki looked around her in wonderment and felt like she was on top of the world. The twinkling of lights strung throughout the fairgrounds, the mixture of carnival music floating up from below, the aromas wafting by from the many food stands and the warm hard shoulder and thigh of the man beside her caused her heart to swell.

She turned to Howie with eyes full of happiness and passion, "Isn't this the most beautiful sight in the whole world?"

He could only gaze lovingly at the captivating woman staring at him. "No, you are the most beautiful sight in the whole world." He leaned over and brushed his lips across hers. "I think I love you, Niki." The tears welling in her eyes caused his own heart to swell. She continued to hold his gaze and smiled shyly before whispering, "I think I love you, Howie."

"I haven't paid the two dollars and I haven't knocked all the bottles down, but I'd give everything I possess to have another kiss from you," Howie shifted slightly in his seat and drew her into his embrace.

Niki smiled widely at the man she knew could and would love her so deeply that in fifty years he would be gently guiding her onto a high-backed seat on a merry-go-round at a fair on a beautiful summer night.

She slowly brought her hands up to his face and stared deeply into his eyes before gently placing her lips upon his. The feel of him, the taste of him, the sensations he aroused from within her from just a moment's touch shook her very soul. The kiss continued, seemingly endless, deepening as every second passed by. Neither felt the ferris wheel begin it's cycle once again or stop altogether several minutes later. They were lost, totally and hopelessly, in passionate kisses.

The End

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