At the street before the Peace House, Angela, Kim Ann, and Sandra passed Kenneth and Anne in their car. They all smiled and waved madly, but Kent and Anne kept going. They pulled in to the back lot of the house and actually considered chasing after them, but decided not to. "It's dark out, you guys," observed Angela. "They probably didn't even see us. Don't take it personal, Kim Ann."
"I know," Kim Ann said slowly. "I was just hoping Ann had those pictures with her, that's all. And I'd be pissed if Kenneth threw them away or something just for spite."
Sandra looked at her thoughtfully. "Do you really think Anne would let Kenneth see them? Especially the one of her and Kevin....and then Angela and Nick? Lordy Lord, he'd have a heart attack."
"He probably would have a heart attack over Anne's!" Angela said, wide-eyed. "I didn't even think about that!"
"I don't care!" Kim Ann shouted. "I want to see if Howie and I turned out. I'm really hanging on to that thread of hope."
"Don't worry about Howie's picture, Kimmy. You still got the real thing. Right Sandra?" Angela replied, getting out of the car.
"I know, I know....you're starting to sound like ME, Angela. Stop it." Kim Ann jumped out of the car at her. "You're freaking me out."
As they all stood there momentarily, Angela prodded Kim Ann and Sandra again for their opinions on her appearance. "So how do I look, you guys? Not too much, right? For bowling?"
Kim Ann stood silently. She wanted to yell at Angela for asking again, but she couldn't. Angie had to remain in a positive frame of mind for tonight and SHE certainly wasn't going to be the one to ruin it. "Well," Kim Ann replied as a hint of a smile came across her face. "All I can say is, if Nick's heart doesn't skip a beat when he sees you, Angela, then he's a blind man." She took two steps forward and smoothed Angela's brown hair softly for assurance. "I have never seen you look more beautiful than you do right now."
Sandra stood back waiting, enjoying the latest moment between Kim Ann and Angela. She didn't feel her opinion really mattered on at this point anyway. Kim Ann was always the one that Angela had been so bent on impressing, ever since the first time they'd met at college. It had led to many fights and many tears throughout their odd friendship, but this time it was a positive thing.
Nick came bounding out the back door towards them, disrupting the sisterly mood. "Hey!" he yelled as he ran, "I thought you guys ditched us!" He slowed as he got closer and started bitching. "God, I'm gonna have to wear a jacket. It's fuckin'...ummmm, it's freezing out here."
Angela noticed his appearance immediately as he moved into view. He looked completely different than before. His blond hair was neat and combed smooth, with one side tucked behind his ear, and his clothes were impeccable! The jeans were gone and replaced by tan baggy pants, and a white T-shirt and white semi-dressy shirt over it had replaced his work shirt. For the first time, she also noticed a gold chain with a key on it because it was sparkling in the moonlight. It must've been tucked in to his shirt earlier.
Kim Ann laughed when she saw how dressy Nick as. "Hey, Nick," she asked, "Goin' to a photo shoot or something? You look pretty spiffy for a bowling alley."
Nick grinned shyly and laughed. "What? This old outfit?"
"Yeah, right," Kim Ann said walking by him and grabbing Sandra by the arm. "Come on, Sandra, let's get this stuff in the house. I think WE'RE too underdressed to be hanging out with these two."
Sandra and Kim Ann laughed as they grappled with all the bags from the car, juggling them between themselves so they could get them in one trip.
"You know, I can help you ladies with that," Nick offered.
"We can get this, Nick, so get your ass out of my way," Kim Ann snapped at him as he attempted to pull a bag away from her.
When they left for the house, Nick yelled after them. "You don't have to be so BITCHY about it!"
Sandra turned around and smiled at him when she got to the door, but just as she prepared to yell something smart-alecky back at him, one of her bags tore and the items fell all over the ground.
Angela could hear her yell "DAMMIT!" into the house as she went inside. A moment later, Brian was on the steps picking the items up for her. He flashed Nick and Angela a goofy smile before he went back inside.
"Do they WANT us to be alone?" asked Nick.
"Yeah, I think so." Angela replied, softly, a little embarrassed about how obvious they were about it. She was beginning to get butterflies in her stomach and couldn't hardly look at him. Even though they'd been alone before - and even kissed before - it was different this time. The implications for the evening were heavy on her mind. She felt powerless and intimidated, yet strangely excited.
Nick, though, was very calm. Angela had lost any potential influence over his insecurities the moment he'd learned of her inexperience. Earlier, he'd been duped by her age and her straightforwardness into feeling less confident. Now he had key information about her and it made him feel very in-control. He remained silent as he looked at her unabashedly, amazed at how beautiful she looked in the moonlight.
Her brown hair was blowing slightly in the crisp October breeze and a patch of it had flown across her face, covering her mouth. It looked sultry with the wind gently disturbing its straight, simple style. Nick looked at her sweater and smiled to himself. He wondered if she had made a lucky choice or if she had known prior to choosing it that it was his favorite shade of green. Then the realization that Kim Ann had called AJ on the phone earlier hit him and he KNEW it had to be for that very reason. He laughed.
"What's funny?" Angela asked, glancing into his eyes, then down again.
"Nothing, really," he replied. "It's your sweater. It's my favorite color."
Angela smiled guiltily and giggled, looking intensely at the ground. "Really..."
"Is that why Kim Ann called AJ earlier?" Nick could tell by her reaction that it was, but he wanted to make her say it.
Angela blushed. "He told you, didn't he?"
"Huh-uh, not at all." he replied casually. "I just figured it was a good possibility, maybe." He focused on her whole outfit and liked that her clothes were now tight enough he could see her true figure, unlike the baggy ones she was wearing in the afternoon. His eyes trailed down to her waist and back up to her chest, and he smiled as he noticed how curvy her body was. "It looks good on you, Angela." She glanced up at him again, swiping her hair out of her face, but still could not maintain eye contact with him. "Thank you," she said shyly.
Nick enjoyed how she was succumbing so easily to his intense stare and was in no hurry to end the visual journey. After a slight pause at her face, his eyes wandered to her neck. The low cut of the sweater made it look long and swanlike, and he wanted to reach out and close his fingers around it, but he didn't. Instead, since the wind had blown her hair over her face again, he reached out and moved it back away, touching her ever so slightly.
Angela felt herself begin to tremble after the touch, but she still couldn't say anything or look at him. She felt very awkward and self-conscious and found herself wondering how many other girl's he'd acted this way around before.
Nick's eyes stayed on her lips, which were pursed together nervously, highlighted by the soft shade of reddish-brown lipstick that Kim Ann had chosen for her. He moved in closer and bent down towards her, noticing the shaking. "Are you cold?" he asked.
Angela could now feel his body heat as it sheltered her from the wind. Her breathing shallowed and her throat tightened from the intensity, knowing that he could kiss her at any moment. "No," she replied. "I mean, yes." Gawd! She didn't want him to think she was THAT nervous!
"Well is it yes, or no?" Nick asked softly, leaning closer to her face.
"A little," she replied while thinking to herself, Don't freak out, don't freak out, don't freak out.
Cautiously, he brought his left hand up and encircled her neck with it. Her eyes lulled shut as she felt his gentle touch on her throat and she let out a small, unintentional whimper. He smiled from the sound and moved his face in closer to hers, pausing momentarily to watch her.
Angela could feel his breath on her as he nuzzled softly against her cheek with his nose and lips. Without hesitation or thought, she tilted her head back and opened her mouth expectantly for his kiss. Rather than give in so quickly, though, Nick pulled back once more to look at her. He found it incredibly exciting how she responded to his touch and desire swept through him when he saw her just waiting for him to kiss her.
Deliberately, he teased her lips softly with his and pulled back yet again to look at her, hoping she would look into his eyes, but she didn't. He nuzzled yet again and pulled away, indulging in his dominance over her, before finally placing his mouth tenderly onto hers.
Angela's mouth opened wide the moment Nick's lips touched hers and she felt like fainting when he thrusted his tongue inside as if afraid she might change her mind and close it. It was a much more passionate kiss than the one that had occurred earlier in the day and the sudden rush of emotion almost frightened her. Nick's excitement increased when he felt Angela's body shaking next to his, and his fingers naturally tensed around her throat. Angela disregarded the increasing pressure on her neck until it turned almost painful. She leaned forward to ease the strength of his grip, trying not to draw attention, and when Nick realized how much his fingers were pressing into her skin, he loosened his hold. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally eased from powerful and urgent attacks with his tongue to gentler, more delicate movements. His hand slid from her neck up into her hair and he withdrew from her, his mouth still open slightly, waiting until her eyes finally met his.
"Are you all right?" he asked, concerned. "I didn't mean to choke you. I just.....I....got.." He opted not to finish his sentence, rather than confess that he'd gotten overexcited.
Angela laughed nervously. "No, no," she insisted, "I just lost my balance." She could see the relief in his eyes and his concern for her made her smile.
"Are you lyin' to me?" Nick asked playfully, as he pulled her to him for a hug. "Cos if you are, then I'll have to punish you."
"Punish me?" Angela asked, curiously, looking up at him.
"Yeah," he replied, looking deeply into her eyes. "I'd have to make you sleep alone tonight."
Angela laughed and looked away from him, shyly. At that moment, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what Nick's intentions were for later on. It was overwhelming and she didn't know what to say in response.
-------------------
Everyone but Kevin was crowded around the back door window watching Angela and Nick. "We have a sad, sad existence, don't we?" AJ asked. "I really need to get a life if this is the best I can do on my week off from the tour."
"Shhhhhhhh!" Kim Ann said loudly.
"I know, I know," AJ replied. "You can't see when people are talking."
"AJ, don't make me kick your ASS!" Kim Ann said, turning to him. "I just want to see what's going on, okay? You're distracting me."
"Now why am I getting a feeling of deja vu?" asked Brian. "Is this all we're gonna do for the next three days? Watch Nick and Angela?"
"Yeah," added AJ. "I coulda brought a camcorder. THAT would be one for the web, don'tcha think?"
"Look at him go, Kimmy." Sandra said, ignoring the banter between AJ and Brian. "He's just gettin' closer and closer...."
"Yeah, I know. What the fuck is up with that? Didn't we prepare her better than this?" Kim Ann asked, getting frustrated. "She's just standing there like a pussy!"
"Um," inserted Brian, "She is a...."
"Don't say it, Brian, don't say it." Kim Ann growled at him. She backed away from the window and turned to look at AJ, Howie and Brian. "I want to know who the fuck told him she's a virgin."
"What?" Howie asked quickly, a feeling of dread coming over him.
"You heard me, Howie," Kim Ann replied. "I want to know who told him she's a virgin. He's out there stalking her like a goddamned panther!" She looked at AJ, then Howie, then Brian and could tell by Brian's ease that he was guiltless. "AJ? Was it you?"
"Hey man," said AJ throwing his hands up in surrender. "I never heard no talk of virginity. I just heard the sex COMPLEX thang." "Howie, how COULD you?" Kim Ann asked, obviously hurt and surprised
that "her" man had given up the dirt.
"I was just joking. He didn't believe me, right AJ?"
Howie looked to AJ for support, but AJ was looking out the window again. "Damn, we'd better get out there before he strangles her. Look at that chokehold he's got goin' on out there!"
"Oh my goodness!" exclaimed Sandra. "He's a kinky thing, isn't he?!"
Kim Ann had to look, so she let Howie off the hook momentarily. To her disappointment, the chokehold was gone, so she turned back to Howie. "YOU," she said pointing, "are gonna pay, little man." She then thrust open the door and yelled at Nick and Angela. "Get a fuckin' room!"
------------------------------
Angela had never been so relieved to hear the F-word shouted at her in her life. She was freed from all of Nick's pressure, and the others were now heading out to the car.
Nick smiled at Angela and winked before responding to Kim Ann. "You're just jealous, Kim Ann. Is that common for redheads?"
Kim Ann approached at a quick pace and when face to face with Nick, replied, "And you're a cocky little bastard. Is that common for DICK heads?"
Nick didn't even answer her quip. Instead he put his arm around Angela and smiled like Chesshire Cat.
"Smug little bastard, too isn't he, Kimmy?" Sandra whispered. Kim Ann nodded with a frown. She was NOT happy with Howie. Not at all. She gave him a semi-dirty look to make him feel bad.
"Well," said AJ, feeling bad for Howie's predicament. "Let's get this show on the road. I need to par-tay, ladies."
"We're only taking your car?" Sandra asked Kim Ann. "How are we all gonna fit in there?"
"We'll fit," Kim Ann answered, pausing to think. "I'll drive, AJ can sit beside ME," she looked at Howie as she said it, "then Howie. You in the back, then Brian, and Angela can sit on Tarzan here's lap."
"Sounds good to me," Nick said, grinning.
"I'll bet it does," Kim Ann said boldly. She couldn't wait to get Angela away from him. They were going to have to do some serious damage control now that Nick was....aware....
"Well, what are we waiting for?" pushed Brian. "I need to have some fun, people!"
Kim Ann, AJ and Howie sat in the front laughing as Nick tried to get into the back seat after Sandra and Brian.
"You guys," he whined, embarrassed that he couldn't get in gracefully in front of Angela, "my legs are too long."
"No," AJ added. "That's not it, Nick. You're ASS is too big."
Nick shot him a dirty look, warning him to shut up, but said nothing. After a long struggle and a lot of bitching from Sandra about his feet being on her, he was in.
"It would help if you had a four-door, Kim Ann," observed Angela as she peered back at Nick through the open car door.
"Yes, it would," said Howie, who was pressed against the dashboard. "WHY did we get in before they did?"
Angela climbed in the best she could, smashing Howie further towards the windshield, but her move into the back seat was still much more elegant than Nick's. As she eased onto Nick's lap, she could feel her face turn hot from embarrassment and was glad that it was so dark out. Hopefully no-one could tell.
"Um, Angela?" Nick asked in a strained voice, "Could you move over to the right just a little bit?"
"...and then to the left, and then to the right again," laughed AJ.
"Fuck you, AJ!" Nick said loudly.
"You're welcome," AJ replied smugly.
Angela moved to the right and felt Nick slip his hands around her waist. He pulled her back against him and leaned his head over her shoulder. "Thanks, sweetie."
"Y'all are makin' me sick," said Brian. "Knock it off!"
Nick looked over at Brian and winked. "You got a woman over there, Brian, it isn't MY fault you're not taking advantage of it."
Brian and Sandra laughed, but the words stung Angela's ears. She didn't know if she liked that comment or not. If he thought she was easy, he had another thing coming!
"Just kidding, HONEY," Nick whispered in her ear.
"GAWD!" Brian yelled. "How far away is the bowling alley, Kim Ann? I can't take much more of this!"
"It's about 15 minutes, Brian, don't sweat it," Sandra answered. "They can't possibly get their clothes off by then."
"But WE could...." Brian teased, looking at Sandra's blouse and raising his eyebrows.
Sandra blushed. She hadn't expected Brian's comment. Before she could answer him, though, AJ butted in. "And don't even THINK about it, Howie."
Everyone was laughing. The evening was off to a great start, and they
were
headed for the Alley. "This is gonna be a blast," exclaimed Kim Ann,
excitedly, as she pulled out of the drive, onto the street. "Oh
yeah..."
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