“Do you realize I’ve been to more meetings with this tour than I probably did in my entire 12 years of service?” Meredith dropped onto the sofa as AJ settled beside her.
He chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. “In a few weeks, we’ll get this show on the road, and then it’s just gonna be fun.”
“For you, maybe.” She kissed his jaw, nestling closer in his arms.
“For both of us.”
**Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys**
“I love this song.” Serenity bounced a little on her toes as she watched the guys perform That’s the Way I Like It.
“Me, too.” Allyson began to dance as the guys did, mimicking some of their movements in the confined area behind the stage.
Irene moved closer to the two women, and they all started dancing, much to the amusement of the road crew backstage. Lumien and Meredith were discussing some upcoming appearances with Ramos, Leary, and Marcus, occasionally glancing over with smiles.
All of a sudden Irene stopped, a gleam appearing in her eye. Serenity elbowed Allyson, and they both looked at the older woman, recognizing that she was plotting something.
“What is going through your mind now?”
A smile spread across Irene’s face as she bobbed her eyebrows. “I’ve got an idea.”
Allyson groaned and backed away. “Oh, no. The last time you had an idea, I ended up in the hallway in my underwear.”
“Nick didn’t seem to mind.” Serenity smiled.
Allyson smacked her on the arm. “Don’t encourage her.”
“Is there a problem, ladies?” Meredith and Lumien had joined the trio.
Serenity laughed. “Irene has an idea.”
“Does it involve whipped cream and Saran Wrap?” Lumien remembered one of Irene’s earlier ideas.
Serenity and Allyson looked at Irene, surprise written across their faces. Irene laughed. “Nope. I was just thinking about Valentine’s Day, and what we should do for our boys.”
“I told you, no group orgies.” Meredith signed a delivery form and directed the young man towards a dressing room.
The younger woman smacked her sister. “No sex involved…at least, not with anyone other than our significant others.”
“What’s the idea?” Lumien was curious in spite of herself. Irene had proven to be a good friend, if a little unconventional, and she was definitely great in loosening Kevin up in his role as father figure of the group.
“How do you guys feel about singing and dancing?” She looked at the four women with her, gauging their facial expressions before continuing.
“Depends on what we’re singing and dancing.” Meredith leaned against a wall as she waited for an explanation.
“Since we all love That’s the Way I Like It, I thought we could come up with something and sing it for the boys on Valentine’s Day. They have a show the night before, so we could ask the band to help and some of the dancers to help choreograph it, and we could do it at sound check.”
Irene was pleased with her idea and figured the guys would enjoy it a lot.
Lumien was hesitant. “I don’t know. I don’t sing very well, and I’m not really sure about the dancing part.”
“You can sing back up. We only need three leads, and Meredith’s one of them.” Black curls flew about her head as Irene talked and gestured.
“What do you mean, I’m one of them. I haven’t agreed to this, little sister.”
“Oh, come on, you know you enjoyed singing and dancing with them at Joe’s. I’m sure AJ would love to have a front-row seat to see you move.”
“He already does.” Meredith winked at Irene.
“Please, TMI. Let’s just give it a try. If it doesn’t work, we’ll each do our own thing for the guys. Deal?” Irene looked around the group.
“Who else is singing?” Serenity looked at her friends, knowing that she didn’t want a lead.
“Irene’ll do one of them.” Meredith spoke up before turning her attention to a question from Leary.
“I can sing.” Allyson looked at Irene. “I also had some dance lessons when I was younger.”
“Excellent. Now, who’s singing which part?” Irene clapped her hands together and rubbed them, smiling broadly.
As he went downstairs to a costume change, Kevin looked over and saw Irene’s face. He was shaking his head as he approached his band mates.
“What’s wrong, Train?” Nick slid into another shirt and pulled on his jacket.
“Irene’s planning something.” He changed quickly.
“Not good, man.” Howie patted him on the shoulder.
“It gets worse. She had the other girlfriends with her.” He rubbed the towel over his head and swallowed some water.
“Oh, shit.” AJ slipped on some sunglasses as they prepared to go back and finish the rehearsal.
Facing the roar of the fans who had been allowed to view the final dress rehearsal, they tried not to let their worries about whatever Irene was planning distract them from their performance, but it was hard.
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****
“You can come, right?” He drummed his fingers on the countertop.
[Yes, I’ll be there. Is it okay if I bring Nina? She’s been pestering me ever since we started going out that she wanted tickets to the show.]
“Think she’ll be satisfied with front row and backstage passes?”
The laughter that echoed through the phone warmed him. [I can guarantee it.]
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****
“You didn’t have any trouble getting the nights off?”
[Nope. Ever since I finished that app ahead of time, the boss has been extraordinarily pleased. I’ll be there.]
“Good.”
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****
“When does your flight get in?”
[Around eleven. Ramos picking me up?]
“Not sure yet who it will be. I’m glad you’re coming. I miss you.”
[I miss you, too, baby. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.]
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****
“Nervous?”
“Why should I be nervous?”
“This is a whole lot different than the promo tour, you know. Think of that multiplied by a thousand, and you’ll get some idea of what to expect.”
“Are you deliberately trying to freak me out? ‘Cause, you know, if Merry has to find somebody else to protect your butt, she’s gonna get pissed.”
“Aw, you like protecting my butt, don’t try to deny it.”
“Bite me.”
“Gladly.”
***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***
In the weeks approaching Valentine’s Day, the five women managed to find time to meet with the band, meet with the dancers, and actually rehearse. They even managed to avoid questions from the guys and keep it a secret, much to the amusement of the rest of the crew.
They studied videos of previous performances, deciding to incorporate a lot of those moves so that they could practice on their own, using the together time to perfect their synchronization. Because Irene was flying in, they wanted to maximize their time together. Having Serenity and Allyson in Orlando made it easier for the other four to practice.
***Backstreet Boy****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***
The day before the first concert, Irene picked up the phone and quickly dialed a number. “I’ve got an idea.”
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***
The first day of the tour brought its own special kind of hell. There were problems with microphones, there were problems with costumes, there were problems with the lighting. The fact that their girlfriends were going to be out front watching only added to the anxiety of the five men as they prepared for another tour.
Irene showed up a couple of hours before the concert was supposed to begin, Serenity and Allyson in tow. The three women disappeared into the office with Meredith and Lumien, leaving everyone to wonder what they were doing in there.
“Is this really necessary?” Lumien stared up at Irene, who was hurriedly painting the white streak.
“Yes. Now shut up while I finish. Serenity, you start on the tattoos.”
Because of time constraints, Irene had Allyson applying black and blue nail polish while Serenity applied the little BSB tattoos they had purchased. Irene was putting blue streaks into Lumien’s hair and blue and black streaks in Meredith’s braid.
In forty-five minutes, the women were ready for their concert experience. Because of their jobs, Meredith and Lumien were wearing the red security shirts and black pants. Meredith sported an AJ tattoo high on her left cheek, while Lumien’s Howie tattoo was on her right cheek. Serenity wore a Brian tattoo on the swell of her breast, right above her black tank top. She also had a BSB tattoo on her back. Allyson wore a Nick tattoo right below the hollow of her throat, and she had another one on her arm. Irene’s Kevin tattoo sat at the top of her cleavage.
Each woman sported alternating black and blue polish on their nails and streaks of blue or blue/black in their hair. Serenity, Allyson, and Irene were all wearing some combination of black and blue.
Irene stood back and looked at everyone. “Damn, we look good.”
Meredith chuckled. “Can we get back out there now? The closer we get to show time, the worse everyone seems to get.”
Her sister nodded, and they opened the door. Leary took one look at them and just shook his head. He watched as they headed down the hall to the dressing room, and he followed so he could listen to the reaction of the group.
Meredith knocked on the door, and they entered at the invitation. Kevin just stared at them, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, they definitely get points for matching the tour.” AJ smiled at the group standing in front of him.
Brian stepped over to Serenity and walked around her, checking out her outfit. Irene had twisted her hair back and clipped it with bright blue butterfly clips. He brushed his finger across the tattoo on her back before coming to the front and touching the tattoo on her chest.
“Lookin’ good.”
She leaned in to kiss him. “Thank you, darlin’.”
Nick chuckled at Allyson as he looked her over. Irene had painted her hair earlier, and they had pulled it up into a ponytail on top of her head. Blond, blue, and black curls bounced all over the place.
“I think you need something else.” He tapped his chin as he stared at her.
“What?” She looked down at herself to see what she was missing.
He walked over and grabbed the blue pencil he had used to draw on his face. Cupping her chin, he tilted her head up. “Close your eyes.”
She closed them, and he drew a line down the right side of her face. When he finished, she looked over at the mirror and noticed that the two of them matched now.
Howie smiled at Lumien, who grinned back and shrugged.
“I like your hair, Lu.” He reached out and caressed the now blue strand, taking a moment to cup her cheek.
“Thank you, Howie.” She leaned into his caress, pressing a quick kiss to his palm when she thought no one was looking.
AJ tilted his head and looked at his girlfriend. “No colored hair?”
With a quick flick of her head, the braid came swinging over her shoulder and he saw the blue and black in her hair. Laughing, he tugged on the end of the braid and pulled her close to give her a kiss.
Irene watched Kevin watch her. He moved closer to her and looked at the tattoo of his face nestled at the top of her breasts.
“Lucky bastard.”
“Well, I think I might be convinced to let you join him later.” She stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to his lips, eliciting a groan from him.
Ramos knocked on the door. “You ladies ready to get out front?”
Irene, Allyson, and Serenity nodded, then gave their men another quick kiss. Meredith and Lumien waved as the trio left.
The three women settled into their seats, keeping their backstage passes tucked neatly in their pockets to avoid having them ripped from their necks. Nina joined them a few minutes later, unable to get away earlier. She took one look at the three women and laughed.
“Looks like I missed the party.”
“Never fear, we’ll get you tomorrow.” Allyson smiled at her cousin.
The lights dimmed, and Krystal appeared, whipping the crowd up in anticipation of the guys. When the lights came back up for the roadies to prepare the stage for the main event, the four women chatted as they waited.
Lumien walked out into the gutter and leaned over the rail to talk to them. “Hey, Serenity, Bri wants to know if you packed his razor.”
She chuckled. “Tell him it’s in the right front pocket of his bag.”
“Thanks.” The bodyguard headed backstage.
“You packed for him?” Irene looked at the other woman.
“You should have seen him this morning. I thought he was going to bounce off the ceiling. He was even giving Tyke a headache with his hyperactivity.”
“So what did you do to calm him down? He wasn’t that hyper a few minutes ago.” Allyson took a drink from the water bottle she had picked up backstage.
“Tied him to the bed and wore him out.” Serenity chuckled.
All four of them heard the gasps from behind them and turned around to find six teenage girls staring at them. Serenity just smiled and winked, then turned back around to face the front of the stage.
They heard the whispers of the six girls. The three girlfriends just exchanged glances and amused looks.
“You realize this is going to be *all* over the ‘net tonight, don’t you?” Irene just shook her head.
“Probably something about me beating him up or torturing him or something, I imagine. You’ll have to let me know what it says.” Serenity shrugged.
The lights dimmed, and the show began. The four women were overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the concert. They danced and sang along with the guys, watching their men with avid interest. Allyson repeatedly fanned her face as she watched Nick move around the stage.
They laughed at the antics of the men, clapping loudly after each song. When they sang Not For Me in front of the large air fans, then ripped off their shirtsleeves, the women almost fell over. Nick tossed his shirtsleeve to Allyson, who promptly tucked it into the front of her pants. He shook his head and shook his finger at her. She just blew him a kiss and waved.
When the concert was over, Irene, Serenity, Allyson, and Nina stood and waited for some of the people to clear out. When they saw an open corridor, they headed for an entrance to the gutter and flashed their backstage passes. The six teenage girls continued to whisper.
***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***
If they thought there was pandemonium beforehand, it was nothing compared to afterwards. The four women waited in the hospitality room while the guys showered and cleaned up. When they were ready, all five men burst into the room. They were on a post-concert high, laughing and carrying on as they talked about performing the new songs for the crowd.
Nick picked Allyson up and swung her around, kissing her when he stopped spinning. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her. After a few minutes, the catcalls began, and he reluctantly ended the kiss.
“You guys were awesome.” She smiled up at him.
“Thank you. It felt so good to be back. You still got that sleeve?”
She patted the waistband of her pants. “Gonna get it bronzed.”
He laughed and wrapped her in a hug.
“What did you think?” Kevin wrapped his arms around Irene and kissed her softly.
“You rocked, babe. That was phenomenal.”
“I really enjoyed it.” He kissed her again as she hugged him.
“Well?” Brian sat down next to Serenity on the sofa.
“Very cool. I never expected it to be that…”
“Loud?”
Chuckling, she smacked his arm. “No, alive was the word I was looking for. It had a lot of energy, and you really connected with the audience.”
“Thank you for being here. It means a lot to me.”
She cupped his cheek as she kissed him. “Thank you for asking and sharing it with me.”
Meredith walked in and kissed AJ. “You looked fantastic, mine.”
He leaned his forehead against hers as he smiled. “Thanks, love. Are we having fun yet?”
She swatted his ass as she chuckled. “Soon. Very soon.”
Lumien followed the other bodyguards into the room and took her place next to Howie. He grinned down at her.
“Enjoy the show?”
“What I saw of it. You guys sounded great.” She smiled at him, and he returned it.
The simple gesture made her heart skip a beat, and she quickly looked toward Meredith to hear what her boss had to say. Howie caught the movement, and his smile grew.
“Okay, everyone. We’re gonna be heading out of here in a few minutes. There are four limos out back, waiting to take everyone to the hotel. Allyson, you and Nina have a room on the floor with us.” She looked at the two women, who nodded in understanding.
“When we leave, remember to stay close to a bodyguard, especially you ladies. The fans see you and they might be tempted to take a piece of you just because you’re with one of the boys. Keep everything close to your body, and don’t stop. Any questions?”
Allyson and Nina were wide-eyed at all of the instructions, and Nick wrapped his arms around both their shoulders. “Just stick close, and it’ll be okay.”
“I can do that.” Allyson gulped, and Nina nodded in agreement.
After twenty minutes, everyone was gathered together for the trip to the limos. Seeing the large number of fans, Meredith made a quick change.
“Okay, second team, you take the ladies out to the first limo and get them on their way. Come back, and we’ll take the guys out.”
“But…” Irene looked at Kevin then Meredith.
“Go on, babe.” He smiled at her.
The secondary team surrounded the foursome and escorted them out to a limo amid the shrieks of fans. They were put into the limo and sent ahead to the hotel. When the team got back, she put an extra man with each of the boys, and started them out the door. Howie, Brian, and Nick went out first, smiling and touching fans, signing what autographs they could. They piled into the second limo and were sent to the hotel. Kevin and AJ came out and signed autographs, posed for a couple of pictures, and waved at the people. They were loaded into the third limo. Meredith and a few other guards came out last, and she was surprised when she was stopped by a voice calling her name.
Looking over she saw the young women she had met at the restaurant. “Tricia and Renee, right?”
The girls screamed with glee and jumped up and down. Tricia finally calmed down. “I can’t believe you remembered us.”
“You guys enjoy the concert?” She signed the pieces of paper they held out towards her, then posed for a picture with them.
“Yeah, but I wish we had been closer.” Renee smiled her thanks.
Meredith grinned at them before reaching into the pocket of her coat. She pulled out a couple of front-row tickets and some backstage passes, slipping them to the two girls.
“I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
She was pulled into a tight hug by both girls then released. Finally climbing into the limo, she leaned back against the seat. Tony and Jack just chuckled at her. In fifteen minutes, they were pulling up to a service entrance to the hotel. Slipping in through the back entrance, the trio headed upstairs to find a party in full swing in the main living room of the suite.
AJ pulled her into a hug and danced her around as he sang along to the CD blaring through the room. Sighing, she wrapped her arms around him and just swayed along with him. They continued to drink and dance into early morning.
Around three a.m., people began to wander towards bedrooms. Irene and Kevin disappeared first, calling out goodnights that almost no one heard. Nick escorted Allyson and Nina to their room. Nina walked in, leaving the couple standing outside in the hall.
“Thank you again, Nick. I have had so much fun.”
“I’m glad you came.” He leaned in to kiss her, taking his time in exploring her mouth with his tongue.
Allyson wrapped her arms around him, pressing her body close as they kissed. When they heard doors opening and people spilling out into the hall, they separated.
“I’ll see you in the morning.” She kissed her index finger and pressed it against his nose.
“We’re meeting for brunch around 11:30 before we have to head back for another sound check. I’ll come get you two.” He brushed his nose against her in an Eskimo kiss and then straightened.
Waiting until he heard the lock catch on her door, Nick smiled and headed for his room, whistling softly as he went.
Brian and Serenity held hands as they walked down to their room.
“Tired or wired?” She preceded him into the room, turning on lights as she went.
“Both, actually.” He twisted his neck and back to relieve some of the tension.
“Want a massage?”
His eyes lit up at the thought. “I’d appreciate it.”
Pulling off his clothes, Brian fell onto the bed and groaned. Serenity grabbed a bottle of lotion and a towel, laying them on the nightstand. She pulled off her clothes and straddled his thighs, squirting some lotion into her hand. Rubbing her hands, she warmed it a bit before she started working on his body.
“That is pure heaven.” He closed his eyes in pleasure as she worked the tension out of his muscles.
“wa-do {Thank you}.” He spoke softly, his words partially muffled by a pillow.
“gv-li-e-li-ga {You’re welcome.}”
When she finished, she lifted up a little, and he flipped over. Leaning down, Serenity kissed him before sinking down onto his ready cock.
“And that’s even better.” He groaned as she rolled her hips.
“Think so?” She sighed as he stroked his hands over her body.
“I know so.” Staring into her face, Brian reached up to brush his fingers across her lips. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Brian. So very much.”
They made love slowly, taking time to enjoy the simple act of loving each other.
***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***
The next morning, Nick stopped by to pick up Allyson and Nina for breakfast. The two women pulled on sweatshirts and sweatpants, padding down the hall behind Nick in just their socks.
“Morning, ladies.” Leary opened the door to the living room, smiling at the women.
“Morning, Leary.” Allyson smiled at him, as did Nina.
They weren’t surprised to see the others in similarly casual attire, with the exception of the bodyguards. Nick nudged his girlfriend towards the buffet laid out on a table, and she smiled at him before picking up a plate. Nina grabbed an apple and a muffin, heading straight for the coffee. Allyson filled up her plate, sitting down in front of the coffee table to eat. Nick sat down next to her, and Nina sat down in a chair behind them.
The young woman was surprised at the camaraderie among the group, despite having heard Allyson talk about how well everyone got along. She couldn’t help chuckling as the guys teased each other, and the girlfriends just egged it on. Even the bodyguards in the room chimed in on occasion, giving the meal an almost party atmosphere.
At one, Meredith started herding the guys towards their rooms to get ready for sound check and an interview at the arena. Irene took the opportunity to paint Nina’s blond hair when the young woman joined them after getting ready. Allyson had picked out her outfit, insisting on a black and blue combination to match the others. Meredith and Lumien escaped without having their hair painted, but they did get tattoos again.
After a quick dash into the waiting van, the group made it into the venue and began the task of warming up. Meredith wandered around, checking in with the tour manager then checking in with the venue manager to make sure there weren’t any problems with the additional security that had been brought in for the concert.
As she wandered around, she kept catching bits of songs from the sound check. She didn’t even realize she was singing along with the guys as she checked on final preparations. People gave her amused glances, not expecting the security manager to be singing right along with her clients. Most of them had no clue was actually living with one of the singers.
Sitting in the office while the interview was conducted, she called the next two venues to double-check security arrangements, then called the hotels where the guys would be staying. Having checked her list twice, she finally wandered down to the dressing room. Nodding at Sully as she knocked on the door, she waited for in invitation to enter before walking inside.
The men were in various stages of getting ready. Kevin was dressed, made up, and ready to go. Howie and Brian were heading for makeup, while Nick and AJ were finishing up their costumes. Another knock sounded, and Irene, Allyson, Serenity, and Nina walked in. Kisses were exchanged while Nina looked around in awe.
Sully poked his head inside the door. “Boss? There are a couple teens out here with backstage passes.”
“Short brunette and a redhead?” She turned to look at him.
“Yep.”
“Send ‘em in.”
Tricia and Renee tentatively stepped inside and practically hugged the wall. Meredith smiled at them as she walked over. “I’m glad you guys made it.”
Still speechless, they just nodded in agreement. Taking a hand from each girl, she gently tugged them over to meet the guys.
“Tricia, Renee, this is Kevin.”
He smiled charmingly, holding out his hand. Meredith released the hands of both girls, and Tricia shakily held hers out to greet him. Chuckling, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and she practically sagged against him.
“Did you guys make it to the show last night?”
Renee nodded, finding her voice first. “It was so cool! I had a blast.”
Tricia just nodded her agreement. Meredith left the girls in Kevin’s capable hands and moved back to talk to Irene.
Kevin smiled and squeezed her a little tighter. “You gonna be okay?”
The girl swallowed and finally spoke. “Yeah. It’s just that we never expected to get back here, and then we saw Meredith last night after the concert, and she gave us the tickets and passes. She’s just so cool.”
“Yeah, she is.” He nodded in agreement and turned to look at Howie.
“D, this is Tricia and Renee. Meredith brought them in.”
The shorter man smiled and shook their hands, eliciting a sigh from Renee, who was finally meeting her favorite Backstreet Boy. The four of them chatted until Brian showed up. He talked to the fans as they waited for the other guys to get finished.
Nick was drawing on Allyson’s face again, adding a heart to her cheek after he had drawn the line. Tricia and Renee watched as he decorated his girlfriend’s face. When he finished, he gave her a quick kiss before she joined the group of girlfriends. He walked over and introduced himself, and Tricia and Renee practically vibrated with excitement.
Chuckling at their excitement, he asked them if they would like something drawn on their faces. Shocked, they nodded slowly. He drew a butterfly on Tricia’s cheek and a star on Renee’s. They turned around to look at the mirror, giggling at their Nick creations.
“Ladies.” The raspy voice made Tricia freeze. She grabbed Renee’s hand and looked up to find AJ looking at her.
Nodding at him, she opened her mouth but no words came out. Renee chuckled and smiled at the last Backstreet Boy.
“So you’re the two fans who made my lady feel so welcome.”
Tricia finally regained her voice. “Um, yeah. She was so nice when we went over there at the restaurant. I’ve still got her autograph taped to my mirror.”
He reached over and wrapped his arms around the teenager, giving her a hug. “Thank you. I really appreciate you doing that for her.”
He hugged Renee, too, making the girl sigh. Wrapping his arms around both girls, he looked over at Meredith.
“Hey, love? Can you get a picture of us?”
“You bet, mine.”
Tricia and Renee handed over their cameras, and Meredith took pictures of each girl with each of the guys, then a few pair and group shots.
A knock on the door and “thirty minutes!” interrupted the impromptu meet-and-greet. Meredith smiled at the two young women.
“It’s about time for you two to head out to your seats.”
With heartfelt thank yous, the young women were taken out to the arena by Ramos. When they got to their seats, they squealed and jumped up and down, hugging each other.
Meredith wrapped her arms around AJ, leaning in to give him a kiss. “Thank you, mine.”
“You’re so very welcome.” He kissed her again before she headed out into the hall.
Irene, Allyson, and Serenity kissed their men before taking Nina out to their seats. They were only a couple of seats down from Tricia and Renee, who came up and asked for their autographs as well. More pictures were taken, and Irene asked for copies when they were scanned in. She gave them an e-mail address that she had set up for just such an occasion, and the girls promised to have the pictures sent as soon as possible.
Table of Contents
Chapter Thirty-Four