The rest of the trip had been uneventful. The mysterious blonde man had not been on the flight from New Orleans to Houston, a fact that AJ had been quick to point out to Sam. Sam still contended that the man had been following them and insisted that he had probably been the one who had stolen Dani's laptop. Frankly, Dani was beginning to agree with Sam's assessment of the situation, although she kept her thoughts to herself for the time being.
Although security measures had been taken in order to ensure their safety at the Dallas airport, they encountered only a few surprised fans. They were able to make their way to the waiting limo with little trouble and it delivered them promptly to their hotel. AJ had chosen this particular hotel because it was secluded as well as security conscious. Not to mention classy. As the four entered the elegant lobby, Sam laid her hand on Dani's arm pulling her to the side. "We didn't get to finish our conversation earlier. Does Howie know he's going to be a daddy yet?" she asked eagerly. Dani shushed her to silence as Howie looked back at them quizzically. Dani waved him away, and he shrugged before following AJ to the front desk. "No, I don't want to say anything until I'm sure," she told Sam. "And don't say anything to AJ about it because you know he can't keep a secret," she added.
"You know I won't say anything, but I can't help but remember what happened the last time you kept something from Howie," Sam said, referring to Dani's recent tiff with her lover. Dani took a deep breath and looked at her friend anxiously. "I don't even know if I am pregnant. It didn't even occur to me until this morning when I was feeling nauseous. I'm only a couple of days late. It could just be all the stress." Dani's expression grew serious and she looked her friend in the eye. "Sam, I don't want him to feel obligated to me just because I might be pregnant," she confessed. Sam snorted and looked at her with disbelief. "You're kidding, right?" she asked. "Howie worships the ground you walk on! He'll be ecstatic to find out you're pregnant!" Dani shrugged. "I just want to be sure first," she repeated. As the women strolled over to where the guys were holding the elevator for them, Howie looked at Dani questioningly. "Everything all right?" he asked her, as he handed her the extra room key.
"Oh, yeah," Dani said giving him an overly bright smile. "Just girl talk." Howie looked dubiously at Dani and then Sam. "Really, Howie," Sam grinned at him. "We were discussing which tampon we prefer," she said innocently. Howie's eyes widened and he got that look on his face common to all men when confronted with that particular topic. "I'm sorry I asked," he said, raising his hands in a gesture indicating he didn't want to hear anything more on the subject. AJ snickered as he handed Sam her room key.
When the elevator opened onto the floor where their rooms were located, Sam checked her room key against the sign posted in the hall. "Looks like I'm down this way," she said as Howie and Dani turned in the opposite direction. "Me too," AJ said. "Hey, D, order up some room service and we'll be down as soon as we get settled in," he called down the hall. Howie raised his hand and waved without turning around.
"1669, 1669," Sam repeated to herself, looking at the room numbers as she walked down the hallway. She stopped in front of her room and slid her key card into the lock. She looked over her shoulder at AJ who had stopped behind her. "Don't let me keep you from your room," she told him.
"Thanks," he said grinning, "I won't." Sam gave him an odd look before shrugging and pushing the door open. Sam had been assigned a corner room, which had a living area as well as a separate dressing room and bath. The king-sized bed sported a mauve and sage green floral comforter. The print was repeated on the sofa in the living area. Cherry end tables flanked the sofa. A large, comfortable armchair as well as a chaise lounge, both in sage green fabric, sat across from the sofa. The sitting area was completed by a brass and glass coffee table adorned with a vase of pink lilies. Sam dropped her traveling bag and laptop on the sofa and crossed the room to the large picture window. She drew open the drapes to reveal a view of the golf course with downtown Dallas in the distance. The large balcony was furnished with a white faux marble-topped table and four chairs with thick, mauve cushions. "Now this is living," Sam remarked.
"I thought you'd like it," AJ's voice came from behind her. She turned to find him stretched out on the bed, his hands clasped behind his head and a grin on his face. "Make yourself at home, AJ," Sam said pointedly.
"Thanks," he responded, still grinning at her as she strolled over to the bed. Her hands on her hips, she arched one eyebrow as she stood staring down at him. "Don't you think you should go get settled in your room?" she asked. AJ wiggled around on the bed, making himself comfortable. "There," he said. "All settled." Sam's eyes widened and her mouth fell open as she realized he had booked them into the same room. "Oh, no!" she cried. "You are not staying in my room!"
"Actually," he said, propping himself up in the bed on his elbows, "you're staying in my room."
"The hell I am!" she said, stalking to the sofa and picking up her bag. "Sam, Sam, Sam," AJ laughed. "Don't be such an old prude!" She turned around and glared at him. "I am not a prude," she said frostily. "And I am not old!" She looked around for something to throw at him, finally settling on a pillow from the sofa. AJ caught it handily and tucked it behind his head. "And I am not staying in this room with you!" she shouted before storming out the door. AJ laughed, shaking his head and rolling off the bed. It always amused him to push Sam's buttons, especially since she fell for it every time. He picked up his bag from the floor and set it on the bed. It didn't take him long to unpack as he always traveled light. After putting his few clothes away, he took his shaving kit and toiletries into the bathroom. Catching his reflection in the mirror, he stroked his goatee. He figured now was as good of a time as any to sculpt it.
Twenty minutes later the slamming of the door startled him. "Shit," he cursed, grimacing at the sharp sting of the razor. "You're sleeping on the couch!" Sam called from the other room. AJ laughed to himself. He could have told her the hotel was booked up, but why spoil his fun. And as for sleeping on the couch, he didn't think so. "Oh my God!" he heard Sam cry out.
"Ouch!" AJ flinched as he nicked himself again. He grabbed a towel and hurried to the other room,
wiping shaving cream from his face. Sam was sitting on the bed staring at her laptop. She looked up at
him as he neared the bed, her eyes wide. "It wasn't Dani's laptop that got stolen," she said, "It was mine."
Links to other sites on the Web
© 1997 crunkgrl62382@yahoo.com
Get your own Free Home Page