| Chapter Twenty- One It had been a little more than a two weeks since Kat had flown back home and Howie was missing her like crazy. They called as much as possible, sometimes managing to talk a full hour before some responsibility would call him away. They exchanged letters, and cards to keep the loneliness at bay and she had sent some pictures that she had developed of the times they’d spent together. Sadly it didn’t help. More than once he’d had to push thoughts of her aside to concentrate on work. To make matters worse, everywhere he went Howie caught glimpses of Sasha. If he didn’t know better, he would almost swear she was stalking him. If he went down to the lounge to relax after a show, she was there. If he went out with the guys, she was there. If he went to dinner with his sister, who had come to visit for a few days, she turned up there too. It was more annoying than threatening. The last person he wanted to see was Sasha, but it seemed as if he couldn’t escape her. If she had been hoping to draw his attention now that Kat was gone, she had totally misjudged him. Instead, it made him long to hold Kat in his arms again, to feel her lips pressed against his and her body writhing beneath his as they took each other to the stars and back again. The only thing that kept him going was the fact that he knew he was going to see her in a few days. He glanced down at the picture he held in his hands and sighed heavily, wishing for all he was worth that Kat was already there with him. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* For Kat, things weren’t any better. She had a hard time concentrating at work, causing her to be late with one client’s account. She too, had pushed thoughts of Howie aside more than once in effort to keep her mind on her job. And while her days were hard, her nights were miserable. She had lain awake more nights than she could count longing for the feel of Howie’s warm, muscular body pressed against hers and his strong arms wrapped around her. Kat glanced at the calendar that hung beside her bed and consoled herself that she would be with Howie in just a few days. She had scheduled a late flight to avoid the crowds of fans and she anticipated arriving at the hotel around two or three in the morning. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ NIGHT KAT ARRIVES: “Come on D! Just come down to the lounge with me. I want to play a game of pool, grab a drink and relax before bed and I don’t want to go by myself,” AJ cajoled as he and Howie stepped off the elevator at eleven-thirty, after a very exhausting show. “Oh all right. Give me twenty minutes to change and then meet me here,” Howie gave in as they reached his room. AJ cackled in victory and walked two doors down to his own room. Twenty minutes later, AJ, Howie and Marcus rode the elevator down to the lounge. They made their way to the bar and ordered up their drinks, while Marcus saved their spot at an open pool table. AJ racked the balls and the broke, sending stripped and colored balls scattering across the felt covered table. “Stripes,” he called announcing his choice of pool balls he’d be playing for. Howie watched as AJ knocked three more balls into the pockets before missing. “Aren’t you going to play?” AJ asked Howie as he pointed his cue stick toward the table. Howie shook his head as he sipped his drink. “Nah, I’ll just watch you and Marcus,” he replied as he sat his glass down on the table. AJ shrugged and waited patiently for Marcus to select his cue stick. The game went on for another forty minutes before AJ sank the eight ball in the corner pocket after calling it and winning the game. “Come on D, play me a game,” AJ urged as he set the balls up and removed the rack. “No thanks, I’m enjoying watching you whoop Marcus,” Howie answered with a small chuckle. Marcus rolled his eyes and AJ laughed as Marcus bent over the table to break the balls. Howie watched his friends play, laughing at their antics and “macho-man I’m gonna beat you” talk. He was so busy watching AJ sink another ball that he didn’t notice someone approach his table until they spoke. “Hello Howie,” a voice purred in his ear. Every nerve in his body tensed and he bit back an oath as he recognized the voice. He turned slowly, and as politely as his mama had taught him, coolly said hello. “Is that all you have to say?” Sasha asked as she ran a blood-red nail over his knuckles. Howie removed his hand from under her fingers and struggled to keep the polite smile plastered on his lips. Inside he was raging. He couldn’t believe that she had the nerve to approach him, much less speak to him. But that wasn’t what set his teeth on edge, it was that knowing look in her eyes, the one she always used when she wanted him. ‘Well she wasn’t getting what she wanted, not now, not ever,’ he thought. “I have nothing to say to you. I thought I made that abundantly clear,” he said tightly as he lifted his glass and took a healthy swallow. Sasha’s eyes followed the movements as his throat muscles worked to swallow the drink. As he lowered the glass back to the table, she shaped her lips into a pout and said, “Yes you made it clear. I just wanted to say hello.” “You’ve said it now leave me alone,” he nearly growled, his dislike for her coming to a boil. Without a word, Sasha slid off the barstool and walked away, but she didn’t go far. She found a dark corner to sit in and she watched with eagle eyes as Howie polished off his drink. She smirked as her eyes narrowed and whispered, “I told you it wasn’t over with yet.” ~~~~~~~ Howie turned his attention back to the game of pool and watched intently as Marcus began sinking more balls than AJ. He laughed heartily at AJ’s outraged expression and nearly fell off his stool. He grabbed the edge of the table to keep himself upright and shook his head as his vision began to blur. “You okay D?” Marcus asked. “Yeah, I’m fine,” Howie muttered as he rubbed his eyes. “You sure all you had in your glass was Coke?” AJ teased, as he eyed his friend speculatively. “Ha-ha, very funny Bone. I guess I’m more tired than I realized. I’m gonna head on up to bed,” Howie said as he stood slowly and watched in disbelief as the room began to spin. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as the room stilled. “You want me to call up and have someone come down and get you?” Marcus asked, concern laced his voice as he watched Howie carefully. “Nah, I’ll be okay. See ya in the morning,” he answered with a wave as he made his way out into the lobby of the hotel and over to the elevator. He reached out to push the up button and found his fingers felt like rubber. Concentrating fiercely he managed to push the button and the doors swung open and he stepped inside, only to have to fight again to push the correct floor. A wave of dizziness swept over him and he grabbed the wall to keep himself upright. Just when he thought he couldn’t hold himself up a moment longer he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and his arm was slung over someone’s shoulder. “Don’t worry,” a voice whispered close to his ear, “I’ve got you.” Reunion Index Chapter twenty-two Main Page |