"I know how you feel. I feel that way whenever Brian is in the room. You are in love with a certain tall blond, miss Gina. You've already fallen, fallen face down from the empire state building. You're already in love, that's your problem. So you're right, you're not falling for him, because you already have without knowing it."
Gina blinked several times, then a grin appeared on her lovely face. "Well then, now that I know the answer to my dilemma, what do I do now?" she asked confusedly, but she was still smiling.
"You tell him when the time is right. That's the only thing you can do. I can tell you now, you'll never feel as nervous performing in front eighty thousand people than you will when you confess your love to your boyfriend. I know. It nearly tore me apart because I was afraid of rejection, and you will feel that way, too. But the only way to find out is to tell him, hold your breath and wait for an answer."
"Thanks, Leighanne," Gina said quietly. "Your advice has been great, but I'll still feel afraid. Do you know a way to make it just a tiny bit easier when I tell him?"
Leighanne smiled. "You can always picture him naked," she began, and laughed at Gina's intense blush. "Guess not. You can picture him in his Super Mario boxers if ya want, or you can always imagine him as a giant six-foot turkey that gobbles like crazy."
Gina laughed. "Thanks, Leighanne. I think I'll tell him when the time is right, but not now. Not when the tour is just days away and I have a whole day's worth of interviews headed my way today."
Leighanne nodded in agreement. "I couldn't agree more. Pick a time when you feel emotionally balanced and when your workload is low enough so that you have lots of free time with him. Maybe sometime during the tour."
"Thanks, Leighanne! I have to go wake up my sleepyhead of a boyfriend right now, though." she giggled.
"Anytime!" Leighanne said happily.
Gina walked back into the bedroom and started shaking Nick lightly. He refused to open his eyes for several moments, then looked up at her and smiled sweetly. She smiled back, a genuinely happy smile.
"Time to get up, you." she said softly, kissing his forehead.
"Anything for you," Nick mumbled, reaching up to hug her.
"Awwww, baby you are so cute when you do that." Gina chided, eyes sparkling.
Nick bolted upright. "I'm not cute! I don't wanna be cute!" he whined.
"Then why don't you kiss me?" she asked, looking into his bright blue eyes.
A grin appeared on his face. "That's right! I've never kissed you for real. Aw baby, I'm sorry." he said comfortingly.
"Don't apologize, just kiss me." Gina said, eyes darkening.
Nick leaned his head in and kissed her sweetly and tenderly, making sure not to overdo it. He just kept up his tender assault while Gina was starting to respond to his kiss. She couldn't get over the sweetness of this kiss. She was glad that it wasn't wildly passionate. It was perfect. When Nick finally pulled away, she smiled softly at him.
"Thank you so much," she said softly, leaning her forehead on his.
"No problem. Anytime you want another one, all you have to do is ask me." he said, looking into her eyes.
Gina pulled him up, and hustled him to pick out his clothes and take a shower. He came out looking amazing. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a blue Phat Farm T-shirt. He smiled winningly at her, and laughed when she blushed.
At that moment, Leighanne came back in. She saw Nick and Gina talking together, and hid behind a curtain. She listened as they talked together and she smiled. They were so obviously in love.
"C'mon, miss Gina. Gotta getcha to breakfast before all those nasty reporters come to hunt you down." Nick laughed.
"Alright then, Sir Nick. Lead the way." Gina giggled.
Arm in arm, the striking pair left the hotel room together, headed for the elevator and breakfast. Leighanne heard them laughing all the way down the hall. She was happy for both of them, hoping they could both forget their tormented pasts and get lost in each other and their future.
Later, by the beach on the coast, Gina was sitting down for the bombardment of the press. Much to her distress and relief, Nick refused to leave her. But, she was still worried about how his admitting that he was dating her would affect his career.
"Nick, are you just going to admit to those reporters that you're dating me?" Gina asked with a worried look on her face.
"Of course I will, I have nothing to hide. Baby, I know you're worried about my career. Don't be. The fans will come to accept it, just like they have Brian's and Kevin's upcoming marriages." Nick replied, patting her arm.
The siege began when about five different magazines came to interview her. Seventeen wanted to do a photo shoot that day while they were at the beach and make her their cover model. Gina, of course was ecstatic. They were last, and Nick had already done his own separate interviews with the four "teenybopper" magazines that had just interviewed Gina. They had indeed asked him why he was with Gina and he'd told the truth, but only Seventeen would get an exclusive interview with the both of them after Gina's solo one was finished.