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Everything Your Heart Desires Chapter 8 Cheryl slowly opened her eyes as a beam of sunlight sliced through her curtains and into her bedroom. From downstairs she could hear the faint sound of music. She pulled back the blankets that covered her face and cocked her head, trying to identify the tune. Unconsciously, a smile touched her lips. ‘“Larger Than Life”,’ she thought, her smile widening as the events of the previous night came back to her. ‘Howie.’ She sat up, needing to talk to Kristy to make sure she hadn’t just been dreaming. As she walked into the hall she could hear someone singing along with the music and a faint rhythmic thumping. Curious, she headed downstairs towards the noises and stopped in the doorway to the living room, smiling at the sight before her. Cheryl watched her roommate step in time to the BSB song, her blond ponytail bouncing along in time. Kristy had muted the stepaerobics video in favor of a tape of fast-paced songs she’d made to workout to, and was now singing along, barely missing a word. “You fit THAT in one of your suitcases?” Cheryl asked incredulously, shaking her head at one of Kristy’s “essentials” as Kristy added kicks to her intricate step work. Kristy chuckled, still not missing a beat. “It helps me think.” Cheryl grinned and stepped fully into the room, leaning against the wall. “And what... or should I say who?... are you thinking about?” That caused Kristy to falter. Both women laughed as Kristy stopped the routine, grabbed her water bottle, and taking a long drink, sat on her step. “How is it that I can dance an aerobic routine AND sing along to the music, and I’m just fine? Yet the moment I think of being in Kevin’s arms... or, God help me, kissing him... I can’t catch my breath, my heart starts racing a mile a minute, and I’m generally a wreck?” she asked, shaking her head. Cheryl slid her back down the wall and sat on the floor, looking across at her friend. “I’m glad you said that.” Kristy arched an eyebrow. “Why?” “For one, you just confirmed that last night wasn’t simply an incredible dream.” Kristy giggled and nodded while Cheryl continued. “And two, it makes me feel better to know that you’re not always as composed as you seem,” she chuckled and gestured to the TV. “Do you do this every morning?” Kristy shook her head. “Nah, but it was too bright in my room to sleep and I don’t know the area well enough to go running, so I decided to dance with the Boys,” she grinned as “Don’t Want You Back” started playing. “Cause you didn’t get your fill last night?” Cheryl teased. Kristy’s smile broadened. “Nope. And you did?” she turned the question back to her friend. Cheryl giggled, “Not even close!”Cheryl poured two bowls of cereal as Kristy grabbed the milk from the refrigerator. The girls each took their bowl, looked at each other and, lacking a more formal dining area, sat on top of the counters. The girls sat and talked over their breakfasts, their legs dangling against the kitchen cupboards, when the phone rang. Cheryl leaned back on the counter and reached for the phone. “Hello?” “Good morning.” Cheryl’s face lit up and Kristy smiled at her friend’s reaction. “Howie?” Kristy mouthed and Cheryl nodded, listening to him say something else. “Yes, right here. Yeah... all right.” Cheryl hit a button on the phone and put the receiver back in its cradle. “OK, you’re on speaker phone now,” she said shrugging as Kristy sent her a questioning glance. “Good morning Kristy,” Howie said over the phone. “Morning D!” Kristy said, smiling at her roommate. “How’re you?” “I’m very well, thank you,” Howie replied, a true gentleman no matter what the time of the day. “Did you ladies sleep well last night?” The two women looked at each other and grinned. “Mhmmm,” they agreed in unison. “Any sweet dreams you wanna share with us?” a deep voice tinged with laughter and a hint of a Southern accent asked. “Kevin!” Kristy exclaimed, her face lighting up at the sound of his voice. “Good morning Angel,” Kevin said, his velvety voice practically caressing Kristy through the phone. “Hi Cheryl.” “Morning Kev,” Cheryl said, now grinning at her roommate’s reaction. “You guys together?” “Nope... the wonders of three-way calling!” Howie laughed, then continued, “We know it’s short notice, but we were hoping you ladies might want to spend the day with us.” Kristy and Cheryl exchanged bright smiles and Cheryl asked - although it didn’t really matter what the answer was - “What did you boys have in mind?”Kevin and Howie stood in front of the entrance to Typhoon Lagoon, one of Disney World’s water parks and waited for the girls to get there. Or rather, Kevin stood and Howie paced. “Aren’t you the least bit nervous about seeing them again?” Howie asked, sending Kevin a frustrated look. “You mean, what if last night was only a one-time thing? That they just got caught up in the atmosphere and the music and the countdown? Or that they were only interested in Howie and Kevin Backstreet, and in the light of day, Howie Dorough and Kevin Richardson will be a disappointment?” Howie nodded to each question. “Exactly.” Kevin shrugged. “Guess I hadn’t really given it much thought,” he lied. Howie gave Kevin a sympathetic smile. They were both hopeless.Kristy and Cheryl grabbed their bags and walked through the parking lot. Cheryl heard Kristy exhale deeply and sent her a sideways glance. “Nervous?” she asked, recognizing Kristy’s habit of taking deep breaths to calm herself down. Kristy gave Cheryl a sheepish grin and nodded. “I just keep thinking about saying good-bye to the guys last night in the parking lot.” A smile crossed Kristy’s pretty face as she remembered Kevin’s goodnight kiss. Cheryl nodded, her lovely face flushing slightly as she recalled her and Howie’s kiss near her car. “I’m not expecting it to be like it was last night, but the fact that they wanted to see us again is a good sign, right?” “Right!” Kristy said confidently, trying to reassure them both. She caught sight of Kevin and Howie and took another deep breath. “Ready?” “...Willing and able!” Cheryl joked, causing both women to burst into giggles. The sound of feminine laughter drew Howie and Kevin’s attention. Howie stopped pacing momentarily, then walked forward to greet the women. He thought Cheryl looked as great in her jean shorts and an emerald green T-shirt as she had the night before in her dress. She walked towards him and adjusted the bright red bag she carried that was filled with essentials for a day in the sun and water. Kristy had a pale yellow bag, filled with similar accessories over her shoulder. After giving Kristy a quick “Hi,” Howie gave Cheryl a very long hug. Kevin stepped forward and extended a hand to Kristy as he took in her navy blue tank top under a pair of denim short-alls. Kristy took his hand and let herself be gently pulled to him. Kevin raised his free hand and fingered one of her French-braided pigtails, a smile playing on his lips. “Very cute.” Kristy shrugged, “They’re functional.” “I wasn’t just talking about your hair,” Kevin said, gently tugging on her pigtail to pull her head closer to his. Kristy smiled, their faces inches apart. “Nice line. You learn that from your brother?” she teased. Kevin leaned closer, “I didn’t learn this from my brother,” he said before his lips claimed hers in a steamy kiss. “Well, I see some of us are picking up right where we left off last night,” Howie joked as he and Cheryl joined them. The two couples headed into the water park, found a secluded area under some palm trees and arranged their lounge chairs and towels in the sand. The men both removed their shirts, causing Cheryl and Kristy to stop what they were doing and stare. God, they were beautiful. Howie adjusted the waistband on his long gray swim trunks and raised his deep brown eyes to find Cheryl watching him. He stepped over to where she was standing, frozen in the process of rummaging through her bag, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her slowly. He pulled back and brushed a stray red curl from her forehead. “Need any help?” he asked, fingering the collar to her shirt and grinned as Cheryl realized he was referring to her undressing. “Howie!” she giggled and blushed slightly before kissing him again. Kevin could feel Kristy’s eyes on him, but forced himself to stay where he was. Kristy rested her hand on the back of the chair, using it to help her keep her balance. She felt a little dizzy looking at Kevin like that. His muscular body showed the results of his hours of performing and working out, and the white of this trunks contrasted with his tan skin. Kristy let her gaze roam upwards to his face and smiled as she saw that Kevin was watching her watch him. With their eyes locked, Kristy unhooked the straps on her bib-shorts, letting them fall loosely around her hips. She tugged her tank top off and then stepped out of her shorts. It was now Kevin’s turn to appreciate the view in front of him. Kristy looked fantastic in her cornflower blue two-piece. Kevin’s eyes lingered over her athletic, but incredibly feminine figure. Although her suit certainly wasn’t as revealing as some he’d seen in the short time they’d been at the water park, Kevin knew every male between the ages of 7 and 70 would notice Kristy and suddenly wished she’d left her overalls on. Howie was thinking much the same thing as Cheryl removed her street clothes. Her fair coloring, auburn hair and blue-green eyes were all perfectly accented by her deep purple one-piece with its high neck and open back. He couldn’t resist the urge and pulled her back into his arms for another spectacular kiss. Kristy fished out her camera and captured Cheryl and Howie’s kiss on film. She put the camera aside and reached into her bag again. “Kevin... would you mind?” she asked, holding out her bottle of sunscreen. Over Howie’s shoulder, Cheryl smirked and raised an eyebrow at her roommate who’d already applied some suntan lotion before they’d left. Kristy caught Cheryl’s eye as she sat on one of the lounge chairs, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. Kevin took the lotion bottle from Kristy and squeezed a good amount into his hand. He rubbed his hands together, warming the thick lotion a bit, and giving him time to compose himself before he touched Kristy. The way his heart was pounding in his chest, he felt like he was thirteen years old again and infatuated with the beautiful older blond lifeguard at the summer camp his parents had run. But he knew this beautiful blond wouldn’t laugh at his attempts to show her how much he liked her. Kristy felt like she was going to die from the anticipation. She quickly changed her mind when she felt Kevin’s strong, warm touch on her back... she was going to die from the pleasure of his hands on her body. Kevin sensually rubbed the fragrant lotion into her soft, tan skin. He slowly and deliberately massaged her shoulders, feeling her relax and lean back against him. He squeezed more lotion into his hands and ran them down her arms, his head near her ear. He continued caressing her skin, running his hands up and down her arms as he bent his head and feathered light kisses on her neck. Kristy would’ve come off the chair if Kevin hadn’t taken her hands in his as he ran his lips and tongue along the sensitive skin right below her earlobe. Cheryl snapped a picture of the two with Kristy’s camera before she turned back to Howie. They grinned at each other and aimed their spray bottles at their friends, sending a cool, wet mist in their direction. Kevin and Kristy turned and looked at them, their faces a combination of passion, frustration and confusion. “Hey! What gives?” Kevin grumbled, Cheryl giggling as she captured the “after” picture. Howie chuckled at his friend. “We were thinking about asking that guy to turn the hose on you two,” Howie said, pointing to a man spraying some laughing and playing kids across the way, “But we decided to use a more subtle approach.” Kristy blushed and rose slowly from the chaise lounge, although Cheryl didn’t miss the fact that she looked a little weak in the knees. “Shall we?” Kristy asked the group, nodding to the man-made beach and waves.Next: Chapter 9 |