**BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB*
AJ walked into the house, dropping his duffel bag on the floor and rubbing Stasi’s head. Making his way into the kitchen, he grabbed a beer. After his first swallow of Corona, he wandered back into the den.
The past two weeks had been painful. Management had them in interviews with every well-established “news” reporter they could find. The Firm made sure their clients told the story of how 14 pop stars managed to hold off an *army* of hostile rebels.
“These people need to get serious lives.” He looked at the covers of the magazines laying on Meredith’s coffee table before propping his feet on them. He had no desire to read anything about their ordeal. He’d been there, lived it, and come home. Now, all he wanted to do was bury himself in Meredith’s arms and not come out for a week. The two weeks he’d been away from her had been filled with phone calls and e-mails that allowed them to talk about everything under the sun, as well as talk about what they wanted from each other.
Meredith walked in the door, placing the mail on the table. She smiled when she saw the bag and started walking through rooms to find him. She ended up in the den, standing behind him as he stared out the window. Leaning over, she slid her hands down his chest and dropped a kiss on his head.
“Hi.”
He set the bottle between his legs, then ran his hands up her arms to rest on her shoulders. Their cheeks rested together, and he sighed.
“Hey.”
They remained in that position for a few minutes before he decided he wanted to actually see her face. Setting his bottle on the table, he turned around and kneeled on the sofa, taking her face in his hands. AJ pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth. Closing her eyes, she relished the soft caress before opening her mouth to the searching tongue licking her lips.
The groan against his mouth excited him, and he pulled her closer as he stroked her tongue and the roof of her mouth. Pulling back, he looked at her face, brushing his fingers over her cheeks as she slowly opened her eyes.
“I’ve missed you.” She brought her hands up to rest on his arms and smiled.
“Me, too.” Leaning forward, he rested his head against hers.
“How long can you stay?”
“Until you kick me out.” He grinned.
“That could be a while.” She tugged on his hand, leading him around the sofa and pulling him towards the kitchen after he grabbed his bottle.
A cell phone rang, and she knew it wasn’t hers. AJ veered towards his backpack and pulled out his cell phone.
“Hello?”
“No, I told you, I’m on vacation. No more interviews, no more photo shoots, no more meetings.”
He listened for another moment then simply clicked his phone off. Meredith looked at him, grabbing his hand and continuing their walk to the kitchen.
“I take it the vultures have started.” She handed him another beer as she looked in the refrigerator to figure out what they were having for dinner.
Stasi lounged on the floor near them, her tail wagging as AJ rubbed her back.
“They’ve been hounding us ever since we got home. I’m so tired of answering the same old shit.”
She nodded. “I know. I’ve done a couple of interviews, but Captain Carruthers has curtailed a lot of it, for which I’m very thankful.”
He stood and made his way over to her as she washed lettuce in the sink. Standing behind her, he wrapped his arms around and pulled her close against his body.
“I think I’d like to stay like this forever.”
She dropped the lettuce, resting her hands on top of his and leaned back against him. The two of them swayed in place as they simply enjoyed being together.
*BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***
They ate dinner in the kitchen, sitting close together at the table to enjoy the pasta and salad they had prepared together.
“Where was everyone heading when you left?” She twirled some angel-hair pasta on her fork as she looked at him.
“Howie was going home. Brian took Nick to his parents’ house so he wouldn’t have to go home and deal with any calls from Jane. Kevin was staying with Irene.”
“Kevin was staying with Irene?” She raised an eyebrow as she smiled.
“Yeah. We were kinda surprised to see her walk out of his bedroom last week.”
“I bet.” She chuckled at her sister’s actions. The younger woman was a definite firecracker, and Kevin’s life would never be boring while she was in it.
“Has Howie talked to any of you yet?”
“Nothing other than what’s come up in the interviews. I tried to mention it a couple of times, but he got this look…” AJ closed his eyes and laid his fork down as he thought about his friend. “I didn’t push it.”
Meredith laid her hand over AJ’s, gently rubbing the fingers beneath hers. “You can’t force it. He’ll talk when he’s ready. What about Nick and Brian?”
“Brian’s okay. He spends a lot of time reading his Bible, but he’s doing okay. Nick…” He sipped his wine as he tried to figure out what to say since he figured that she knew more about actual conversations than he did.
“Nick looks lost. He doesn’t flinch every time his cell rings anymore, but he’s not too quick to pick it up either. It’s just a bad, bad situation all around.”
“Yeah, it is. My first instinct is to slap that woman across the room for what she’s doing to Nick. I haven’t told him that, though.” She shrugged at AJ’s look of surprise. “What?”
“You’re usually so calm about things, and this thing with Jane is definitely pushing your buttons. It’s a little surprising.” AJ pushed his plate aside and held on to one of her hands.
“Nick’s a great kid; a kid any mom would be proud to call her own. All of you would make any mother proud. It just infuriates me that she does this to him; that it looks like she’s doing it to Aaron, too.”
“You’re going to be a great mom, you know that?” Resting his chin on one hand, he smiled as he watched her get wound up about his friend.
Meredith stopped chewing and looked at him. Swallowing, she smiled. “Thank you, AJ.”
*BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB*
Later that night, she downloaded her e-mail and saw an urgent message from Irene. Clicking on it, she discovered a URL and one word “READ”. She pointed her mouse at the site and waited for it to load.
“Oh my God.” She started laughing, drawing AJ’s attention from his chair on the other side of her desk.
He got up and moved behind her, looking at the site entitled “Bone’s House of Love.”
“These people need to get a grip.” He stared at the screen, looking at the pictures scattered all over the opening page.
Meredith saw the “Who the Hell is This?” reference and hit the link, not really surprised to find a picture of herself and AJ there. The caption read “AJ’s New Bitch,” and part of her cringed at it. The rest of her laughed. AJ saw the page, and he could feel the anger starting to build.
It wasn’t this one thing that pushed him over the edge, it was the culmination of the last two weeks. Meredith looked at him since he’d gone silent, and she quickly collapsed the window. Turning to face him, she held his hands until he looked at her.
“What’s wrong?”
He blew out the breath he’d been holding with an angry sigh. “Just once I’d like to be able to keep something for me. It’s none of their damn business who I’m seeing. It’s none of their damn business what I wear or what I do or when I do it. When are they going to learn that?”
She tugged on his hands until he was straddling her in her chair, then wrapped her arms around his waist and dropped her head onto his chest. “They love you, and they feel it’s their duty to protect you. Some of them just go a little far.”
“A little?” He snorted at the thought.
She rubbed her face against him then pressed her cheek to his heart. “Just let it go. It’s not important.”
Looking up, she smiled at him, and it took his breath away. “We’re the only ones who matter. And if we believe in it, then we will succeed. Everyone else will either come around or they’ll just have to get over it.”
He stroked his hands up her arms, brushed his fingertips against the pulse in her neck, then cupped her face in his hands. “Have I ever told you just how much you mean to me?”
She shook her head no, pressing a kiss against his palm when she finished. He smiled down at her, and she delighted in the fact that he stopped wearing sunglasses when they were alone. She loved looking into his eyes, feeling him pull her deeper into his heart.
“I love you.” He whispered the words, and her breath caught in her throat.
She stared up at him, speechless at the depth of tenderness with which he spoke and held her. A single tear escaped, trickling down her cheek. He leaned close, catching it with his tongue. When he leaned back, she smiled.
“I love you, too.”
Standing, he pulled her up from the chair and led her towards her bedroom. He stopped them beside the bed, cupping her face and pulling her close for another kiss.
There was no sense or urgency here, not like the last time when they both knew he would be leaving the next day. Now, they could take their time, explore things, find out how the other really tasted and felt.
He brushed his hands along her skin, his fingertips registering the satiny feel of her body. “Do you know which part of you I always find myself thinking about first?”
Her hands were busy roaming across his body, slipping under clothes to touch the warm skin. “No, what?”
“Your hands.” He pushed her hair aside, pressing a kiss to her jaw.
“My hands?” She closed her eyes at his touch, her body shivering in response.
“Yeah.” He continued to trail kisses along her jaw then down the curve of her neck. “I know they are strong, capable, fierce when necessary. And then I feel them on my body, and they can be gentle or feathery or firm as they stroke me. There’s so much possibility in them.”
She was surprised into silence at his admission. He used that silence to his advantage, dipping his tongue between her lips as he pressed his mouth to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close.
When the kiss ended, they took quick breaths as they stared into each other’s eyes. Smiling, he pulled the shirt over her head, his hands sliding down her arms when he finished. He easily unclasped her bra, and pulled it away, letting her breasts fall into his hands where he could caress them.
She watched him as he stared down at her, watched himself rub the hardened nipples as they rose to his touch. She found the whole picture to be incredibly erotic, watching him watch her. As much as she enjoyed it, she wanted to rid him of his shirt so she could feel the wiry muscles in his chest move against hers.
Meredith tugged at the hem of his shirt, forcing him to look up and move his hands so she could take it off him. She smiled and kissed him when he pouted then wrapped her arms around him to draw him close. He sighed in pleasure the moment bare skin met bare skin. Feeling the slow friction of bodies rubbing together prompted them to quickly remove the rest of their clothes.
She climbed onto the bed, pulling him with her to nestle amongst the pillows, sheets, and comforter. As they faced each other, each movement from one prompted a similar move from the other.
When he stroked his fingertips down her back, she stroked her hand up his flank. When he brushed his fingers against her lips, she brushed her hand across his chest, giving each nipple a quick caress. Their kisses continued—hot, wet, deep, soft, slow—registering only as pure sensation; a sensation that lifted them beyond the mundane of sheer physical urges. He moved closer to her, feeling her body slide against all of his. He liked feeling her against him, how they seemed to fit so well together.
In the middle of a deep kiss that left him shivering, he slid his hand under her knee and brought her leg up over his hip, opening her to him. He angled his body so that he was lying more on her than on his side. She slid her other leg between his, hooking her ankle around his upper leg. Holding himself up with one arm, he grabbed his cock and slowly teased her clit with it.
“I’ve missed you.” She breathed the words against his lips as she guided him to her.
He couldn’t respond for a moment as he slid into her. Once the sensation of being buried inside of her surrounded him completely, he opened his eyes and looked at her.
“I missed you, too. I missed being with you.” He didn’t move for a moment or two, then he began to slowly pull back and push forward, each stroke the slightest bit harder than the previous one.
AJ slid his hands under her shoulders and buried them in her hair as he watched her face. Every touch, every look, every word he shared with her was like a new treasure he discovered.
He eased out of her then slid inside with a smooth stroke, pressing his hip against her clit as he did it. She moaned softly as the friction increased the ache low in her belly.
Meredith reveled in the feel of his cock inside of her, his hands buried in her hair, his mouth pressing open kisses against hers and teasing her tongue. She wrapped one arm around his back and ran her fingers through his hair as they pleasured each other.
Another withdrawal, another surge forward, harder this time.
He sucked on her ear lobe, breathing heavy in her ear as she tightened around him. “You feel so good, love. So hot and tight and amazing.”
His hips pressed forward as her hips rose to meet him, the slap of his balls against her ass coming faster as their bodies pushed them towards release.
She gasped at his next thrust, her fingers digging into his back as she felt him sink deep within her. The steady thrusts did not just sink deeply into her body; they sank into her soul. It felt as if AJ was trying to merge his body into hers, to make himself a permanent part of her. As she pulled him closer with her arms and legs, Meredith realized that she wanted it, too—wanted him to leave a part of himself inside of her so that he would always be there.
As their minds swirled with the knowledge that this was beyond anything they had ever expected; as their hearts found the same beat, keeping time one with another; their bodies drove them on, completing the mental and emotional connection they craved.
The last few savage thrusts into her body forced his hip against her, making her shudder and clutch at him in response to the sweet release of her climax. Hearing her moan his name pushed him faster, and he jerked and stiffened as pleasure rolled along his spine and throughout his body when he came.
AJ collapsed against her, his heart still racing as he quivered. Meredith shivered as little frissons of pleasure tingled along her nerves. She shifted a bit, rolling to her back so that he settled fully between her thighs. The friction from her movement made his cock twitch in response, and he groaned.
He thought about moving, but when he tried to roll his body off her, she tightened her legs around him.
“I’m too heavy.” He whispered the words against her neck.
“You’re just right.” She stroked her hands up and down his back as they lay there pressed close together.
They fell asleep in a tangle of arms and legs, their bodies touching almost everywhere. Every time one of them shifted, the other moved as well, not willing to be separated even in sleep.
***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB*
When she got up the next morning, she went back to the site and read what was said about her. There wasn’t much information; mainly questions on who she was, how old she was, and what her intentions were toward AJ. Looking at the page title, she did have to smile.
At least they got the bitch part right
***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB*
Irene rolled over and stretched. Her hand touched warm flesh, and she smiled as she let her fingers drift over Kevin’s chest.
“Mmm. Morning.” His voice was deeper than usual, still roughened by sleep.
She rolled over again and looked at him, reaching up to kiss him. “Morning, babe.”
“You taste good. I could get used to waking up like this.” He pulled her close to his body, and she felt just how awake he was.
***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB*
Later that day, they floated around in the pool, lazily pushing against walls when their rafts floated too close.
“So, when are you coming to Florida?” AJ rested his head on his arms as he stared at Meredith drifting beside him.
Turning her head, she looked at him. “I’ll have to schedule some vacation time. Is there a time when your schedule will settle down?”
He moved his hands through the water to move his raft closer to her. When they were side by side, he spoke.
“Towards the end of August. Howie’s gonna have a birthday party at Tabu. You could come for that, spend a couple of weeks. Do all sorts of touristy things.”
“Touristy things, huh? Aren’t you a touristy thing? I suppose I could do you.” She smiled at him, arching an eyebrow.
AJ smiled at her and winked, right before he tipped her float over. Meredith surfaced next to him, tipping him over, too. They started splashing each other, laughing and chasing each other around the pool.
She dived down, grabbing his trunks and pulling them down before pushing him over to yank them off his legs. She scrambled up the rail and stood next to the pool, twirling the suit with her hand.
“Don’t think I won’t get out of this pool.” He stared at her.
Dropping the wet material, she smiled and untied her bikini top and pulled off the bottoms, adding them to the pile of wet cloth at her feet. “That’s what I’m counting on.”
Meredith disappeared into her bedroom, AJ quickly following.
***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB*
“I’m never going shopping with you again!” Irene kicked off her shoes and dropped onto the sofa.
She looked at the all of the bags they had brought in, and 75 percent of them were Kevin’s.
“You say that now, but I bet I can change your mind.” He grinned at her, raising an eyebrow at her doubtful face.
“Give it your best shot, stud.” She waved him away and leaned back against the sofa cushions.
Ten minutes later, she felt the delicate brush of silk against her face. Opening her eyes, she looked around and saw Kevin standing behind the sofa draped in a green silk robe. He was swinging one end of the tie in a lazy circle.
“You look quite edible in that, Mr. Richardson.” She moved to kneel on the sofa and beckoned him with a finger.
‘You like? I *bought* it this afternoon. On our shopping trip.” He spun around for her, showing how the silk clung to the muscular lines of his body.
Irene toyed the belt, wondering what would happen if she untied it. Tugging slightly, the bow loosened and the robe fell open, revealing a pair of green silk boxers that did absolutely nothing to hide the Kevin’s erection.
He watched her eyes darken with passion, watched her lick her lips in anticipation. Spinning slightly, he eased out of the robe and left it in her hands. She watched as he stalked back towards the bedroom, looking over his shoulder with sexy smirk.
Irene leaped over the back of the sofa and dragged the robe behind her. “I’ll go shopping with you any time if this is what I’m going to get out it.”
***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB*
“Pookie.”
“No.”
“Honeybear.”
“No.”
“Snookems.”
“Hell no.”
“C’mon. I need a nickname for you.”
“Merry?”
“That’s what other people call you. I want something just from me to you.”
“Fine. What’s the first thing you think of when you think of me?”
“Incredibly hot woman that I want to be locked in a bedroom with and never come out.”
“Well, those letters don’t spell anything. Anything else come to mind?”
“Just how much I love you. I’ve got it. Love. I’m going to call you love.”
“Simple, understated, to the point. I like it.”
“What about me?”
“What about you?”
“Don’t I get a nickname?”
“You want another nickname?”
“I want something that no one calls me, a name that really means something to you. I’ll ask you the same question. What’s the first thing you think of when you think of me?”
“Besides incredibly hot man I want to be locked in a bedroom with and never come out?”
“Smartass.”
“No, that’s ‘love’ to you, mister.”
“Seriously.”
“Seriously? The first thing I think of is ‘mine’.”
“Mine?”
“Haven’t I ever told you how territorial I am?”
“No, but I like it.”
“Then it’s settled.”
“Love.”
“Mine.”
***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB*
Kevin hung up his cell phone. “Damnit.”
“What?” She looked up from the pot full of pasta she was draining.
“I have to go back to Orlando for a meeting with management.” He tossed his phone onto his backpack and walked into the kitchen.
“I thought you didn’t have to be back until Wednesday?” Irene rinsed the spaghetti and let it drain the sink as she finished the sauce.
“Yeah, well, being in charge sucks sometimes.” Kevin wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her close. “I don’t want to leave you.”
She laid the spoon on the stovetop and turned off the sauce, covering it. Smiling up at him, she tugged on his hands and led him toward the bedroom.
“What about dinner?” He looked back at the kitchen briefly before turning to face her.
“Dinner can wait. Let’s make some memories for you to take with you until we’re together again.” Irene pushed him down onto the bed and climbed up beside him, kissing him deeply.
***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB*
AJ flew out Monday morning because of some problems with his grandfather’s health. His mother called the house Sunday night looking or him because he had turned his cell phone off. She gave him the rundown, and he called the airport for a flight to Orlando the next morning. Lying in bed that night, he held Meredith close after they made love and breathed in her scent. He knew it would be a while before he would be able to come back, and he wanted to make sure he had enough memories tucked away until he returned.
Meredith drove him to the airport, parking in a visitor’s spot and holding his hand as they walked into the building. They went straight to the gate since he was carrying his duffel bag on the plane and found seats close to the window.
“I wish I could stay longer.” He brushed his knuckles across her cheek.
“You would if you could. Family is important. Go and take care of your mom and grandparents. I’ll be here when you’re ready to come back.”
“I haven’t left yet, and I’m already ready to come back.” AJ wrapped his arms around her and held her close, burying his face in her neck.
“Flight 1827 to Atlanta, with continuing service to Orlando, is now ready fore boarding. All Platinum, Gold, and Silver Medallion members may now board.”
“That’s you, mine.”
He looked at her and grinned, thrilled that she was already using his nickname. “I know, love. Just another minute, though.”
He pulled her back into his arms, and they held each other close as first-class passengers were allowed to board. Meredith finally pulled back, knowing she needed to if she was going to make sure AJ got on the flight.
Standing, she reached to him and pulled him off the chair. They walked to the passageway leading to the plane. He kissed her warmly before handing the ticket agent his boarding pass. Walking backward down the hall, he smiled at her.
“I’ll call you when I get home.”
“You’d better.”
“I love you, love.” He stopped in the middle of the hall.
“I love you, too, mine.” She kissed her fingers and stretched out her hand to him.
AJ smiled, then turned and walked away. He boarded the plane, thinking about her as he flew home.
Meredith pressed her fingers to her lips again, smelling him on her skin as she got into her car and drove home. When she walked into her bedroom, she found his shirt lying on the bed and changed into it, wrapping her arms around herself.
Three hours later, the door opened and she heard two familiar voices.
“Mom, we’re here.”
Brian was struck with a sense of déjà vu as Nick echoed his words from two days ago, only now his friend was happy to be where he felt at home.
Stasi raced out to meet Nick and Brian, excitedly licking the two men and wagging her tail. Meredith hugged both men, making them feel welcome.
They took their bags to their rooms and changed into bathing suits. She made a pitcher of tea and waited for them to come to the kitchen before seeing if they were hungry.
“I’m starved.” Nick opened the refrigerator, looking for something to eat.
“Me, too.” Brian joined his friend in front of the open door, and they peered into the depths.
“Me, three.” Meredith joined them in their search for food.
Seeing nothing exciting, Nick called Giuseppe and ordered a pizza and some breadsticks. He grabbed the Porsche keys to go pick it up. When he walked back into the house, they looked at him.
Meredith reached up and brushed the garlic salt from his chin. “Always remember to get rid of the evidence.”
He grinned sheepishly as they took their food onto the patio and sat in the shade.
***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB***BSB*
Wednesday morning, Meredith was at the airport again, making sure two more Backstreet Boys caught a plane to Orlando.
She hugged Brian. “Call me if you need me for anything. And I do mean anything.”
Brian smiled at her. “I will, Merry. We’ll see you soon.”
She smiled and turned to Nick, pulling him close. He closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her.
“Call me when you get home, Munchkin. Let me know if you need me, okay?”
Nick pressed a kiss to her cheek before hugging her again. “I will, Mom.”
They handed their tickets to the ticket agent, waving as they walked down the hall. Nick suddenly stopped and turned around, laying his fist over his heart and pointing at her like he had done before. Meredith smiled as she repeated the gesture. They disappeared from sight, and she slowly walked back to her car.
Just like when they left the first time, the house seemed so empty without the voices of her friends. Sighing, she did some laundry and finished some other housework.
Table of Contents
Chapter Six