Chapter 10: 10,000 Promises

~THE NEXT MORNING~

I awoke early. My first realization was the safeness that came over me. At first I was still groggy and didn't realize why until I looked down and saw Nick's arms tightly wrapped around my waist. He stirred a bit next to me, pulling me closely into him. He drifted back into sleep as I slowly and quietly released myself from his arms. I didn't want to leave them, but I had a lot of work to get done. I went to the VCR and ejected the tape from the night before and then went into the living room. I switched on my computer and began typing away.

A few minutes later I popped in the video tape and watched intently as I sipped at my coffee. My story flowed pretty well accept some facts I lacked. I phoned a few friends and by ten I was almost done with my story. Suddenly I felt arms around my shoulders.
"Good morning beautiful," Nick whispered in my ear. I tilted my head up and kissed him gently.
I blushed a bit and smiled to myself.
"What's up with you?" He joked, walking into the kitchen and grabbing the milk from the refrigerator.
"Nothing," I taunted.
"What?" He asked, gulping down the rest of my milk.
"I'm almost done with my story, so we have most of the evening together," I pointed out, looking over my story closely.
"Well, that's good news," he said, wrapping his arms back around my shoulders.

~THAT AFTERNOON~
Nick and I had lunch at a local restaurant and then he decided to go back to see A.J. and Howie for a bit while I went to work for a few hours and worked with Mark and a few others on my story. We decided to meet up that night at around seven back at my apartment. I gave him the key to my apartment and dropped him off at his hotel and left for work.

~THE NEW YORK TIMES~

"Hey Kate, why are you here on a Sunday?" Mark asked, standing up as I walked into the buzzing office.
"Kaylee is making me do this story on boy bands, remember?" I angrily replied.
"Oh yeah, that's right, how's it coming along?" He asked, looking at the papers in my hands.
"It's done, but of course I need some work on it. Here's the disk and the hard copy," I said, setting it down on his desk.
"Kaitlyn, you decided to join us today, how lovely," Kaylee remarked, walking towards Mark's cubicle.
"No, I didn't have a choice Kaylee," I smartly replied.
"Where's that cute blonde boy at? Man, he's got a nice ass."
"NICK is with his friends and I'm meeting him later, as if it's any of your business," I shot darts at her with my eyes.
"Ohhh, Katie, hope you're not worried that Nicky's gonna want me instead of, ha, you," she stared at me up and down.
There was steam nearly coming out of my ears.
"Kate, what did you want here," Mark said, turning my attention away from the bitch goddess from hell.
I turned my back to her and looked down at Mark's computer.
"Ta, ta, and that better be a good story Kate," she threatened yet again before walking off.

~BACK AT THE HOTEL~

"Dude, Nick, what's up man?" A.J. said, slapping hands and slightly hugging Nick.
"What's up with you guys?" Nick said, innocently as he sat down on his bed.
"Dude, you were gone AGAIN last night, you really like her don't you?" A.J. observed, sitting contently next to Nick.
Nick beamed at A.J.
"Ha! You're falling in love Nicky!" A.J. yelled, patting his friend and bandmate on the back.
"A.J., I dunno how I feel, but I feel a lot," Nick admitted, shifting in his seat. A.J. was like a brother to him, but he still felt a bit unmanly-like chatting about his emotions.
"So, did you...?"
"Did I what Alex?"
"Did you and Kate...ehem?" A.J. brimmed from ear to ear. He was waiting for Nick to find the right girl to sleep with and he hadn't yet.
"No, it's not like that. I really care about her. If we do, we do, if we don't, we don't."
"Hey that's cool. But I think she's perfect for you. Well accept for this media thing she has going on. That kinda sucks," A.J. added, standing up and looking down at Nick.
"She's a really strong and independent woman, Bone. Only at her weakest moments will she admit to needing someone," Nick said, kind of confused as he stood up and walked around his room, plucking stuff from his suitcases.
"Well, like when?" A.J. inquired.
"Her past seems to be her weakest point. I think that the side I saw of Kate last night is a side that not many people get to see. She masks her pain a lot." Nick piled his stuff on the bed and shoved it into a backpack.
"So she's been hurt a lot. Okay, so she doesn't know if she fully wants to trust you yet, or she does?"
"I think she's starting to trust me. She let me sleep with her last night and trusted that. Her job gives her a lot of pressures and I think that it's hard on her. I just wish I could do something to make her feel special. To take away all her worries," Nick searched his brain for ideas.
"Nicky, Nicky, Nicky. My poor...let's say, lack of experience, younger brother. Now, how many girls have you romanced in your life?" A.J. asked, setting his sunglasses down on the table.
"Not very many, but you already knew that. You know I've never slept with someone on an intimate level. It's just been messing around and everything but," Nick admitted.
"Well, do you feel like she's the right one?"
"I really do, but I just don't know how she feels about me. Bone, she likes me for me, not for the 'hottie Nick Carter' of the Backstreet Boys. I want to make her feel like she makes me feel."
"Well here's what I want you to do..." A.J. began as he kneeled next to Nick.

~THAT NIGHT~

It was already after seven when I parked my car and stepped out of it. I looked up at my apartment and it was pretty dark. Nick hadn't returned yet. So I had some time to fix my makeup and hair. I had my briefcase, two notebooks, and my purse in my hands, whilst trying to wrestle for my extra house key. I reached my apartment door and fiddled with the lock. The door came right open. At first my heart skipped a beat. Had I been robbed?

The door opened slowly as I saw my living room filled with candles. They were flickering throughout the kitchen and living room on top of the counters, tables and desks. They illuminated the room beautifully. I shut the door behind me and laid my stuff on the ground. As I set my things down I noticed something on the floor. In my skirt and heels I kneeled down to pick it up. It was a red rose pedal. I studied it carefully before I looked up and saw a trail of them leading down the hall and towards my bedroom. A smile brimmed on my face as I mouthed "Nick" to myself. I followed the trail carefully until I was led into my bedroom where Nick sat in a chair with a dozen roses in his hands. There were several candles in this room as well. The light from the candles flickered, making his eyes sparkle beautifully. My eyes filled with tears as I looked at him. He looked up at me and studied my body carefully.
"Nickolas...I..." I couldn't speak.
He picked up the remote and hit power on the stereo. He had it on a local R&B station.
He stood up and walked over to me. He was wearing a pair of khaki casual slacks with a long sleeve black shirt. My mouth kept opening but no words came out as he handed me the bouquet of roses.
"Nick..." I started as tears streamed down my cheeks.
"Shhh..." he whispered, putting his finger over my mouth.
He took the roses carefully from my hand and set then down on my dresser. I kept opening my mouth as the tears streamed down my cheeks. He softly kissed my lips. My heart gave into him and was filled instantly with love, emotion, passion, and fulfillment. I softly kissed him back. Moments later he broke away from me and looked into my eyes.
"If it's okay with you, I'd like to spoil you tonight," he whispered.
"Yes..." I pleaded him as his hands surrounded my face.
He reached down and slowly began unbuttoning my blouse.
The music in the background was playing quietly...
"And let me show you now that I'm for real, if all things in time, time will reveal, yeah, one, you're like a dream come true, two, just wanna be with you, three, cause it's plain to see, that you're the only one for me, and four, repeat steps one through three, five, make you fall in love with me...if ever I believe my work is done, then I start back at one..."
I leaned up and pressed my lips against his carefully. My shirt was now fully unbuttoned as he stood back and studied me. He put his hands on my shoulders and let his fingers explore every inch of me carefully. He pulled me into him and tossed my shirt onto the chair. Still kissing, he reached down and picked me up and placed me on the bed. He laid down lightly on top of me, kissing my neck, my shoulders, my arms, my breasts. I pulled at his top as he plucked it off and tossed it to the floor. He wore no wife beater tonight. I pulled him against me so I could feel his skin touch with mine. I now kissed his shoulders and chest, using my tongue and teeth to please him. I reached down and slowly unbuttoned his pants and pushed the zipper down. His eyes met with mine in anticipation. He sat up and then stood up as I pulled the bed sheets down. He unzipped my skirt and soon after, it fell to the floor. I laid down in my lingerie as he pulled off his pants to reveal his boxers. He laid down on top of me once again, this time the passion running high and our hearts beating rapidly.
"Nick?" I asked quietly between his sweet and loving kisses.
"Yes?" He asked, looking at me.
"Are you sure?" I asked, looking right into his eyes. The candles flickered in the background, making his eyes look even more fueled with passion and love.
"Yes, but there's something you should know," he quietly said, as if someone would hear him.
"What is it?" I asked rubbing his back lightly with my fingers.
"That...I've never done this before," he looked away.
"Hey," I said, making his eyes look at me again. "It's okay," I reassured him with my eyes and then sealed it with a kiss.
I pushed pieces of his blonde hair behind his ears.
He pulled me up slightly, holding himself and me, as he unhooked my bra and removed the rest of my undergarments. I reached down and took his boxers off.
We laid there looking at each other in the glow of the candles.
"God, you're so gorgeous," he complimented, pressing himself against me for the first time. My emotions began to run on a high as he slowly entered himself inside of me. I gasped slightly as the tears burned at my eyelids.
He looked at me as he slowly pressed upward and then downward.
"I love you..." he said, kissing the tears away from my face.
Giving into my emotions, I admitted what I'd been feeling for longer than he ever could imagine, that I loved him too.
"I love you too Nickolas," I whispered, tears escaping rapidly from my eyes now.
His body pressed lovingly against mine, I couldn't get enough of him. My hands ran across his whole body, studying every inch with precision.
Time seemed to fly by as we explored each other. Our passion running on high, at the same time we both reached our climax and collapsed on one another. I gasped for breath as sweat ran off both of us. Minutes later we laid under the covers of my secure bed, holding each other tightly. I felt like we were the only two beings that existed in the world at that moment.
We laid there silently for a matter of minutes until I looked up at him.
"You're lying, aren't you?" I teased.
"What?" He asked, pushing his blonde hair back off his face. It was soaking wet.
"You've had many women, haven't you?"
"No, Kate, I wasn't lying," he said relaxing his head on my pillow.
"Why?" He asked.
"I dunno, cause that was really...amazing," I admitted, laying my head back onto his chest.
He kissed my head lightly.
"Nick where do we go from here?" I dared to question.
"I dunno Kate. But I do know that I love you and I can't live without you," he wrapped his arms around me even tighter.
"What just happened was a promise to you. It was a promise of my love, my devotion, my everything to you Kate. I promise you that I won't leave you," he said, trying to convince himself that despite our conflicting jobs we would make this work.
"And I promise too," I said, taking on the most amazing challenge I'd ever take in my life. Not only did we live nearly 5 states apart, but our jobs were the problem. And no matter how many promises we made, it was a true fact.
"One step at a time Kaitlyn, I promise everything will be okay," he reassured me.
Everything will be okay. I'd heard that many times before. We had a lot ahead of us and we'd just sealed the envelope on which way fate would take us. I closed my eyes and tried to think about Nick and only Nick. Not the troubled world that buzzed about us.

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