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» CHAPTER FIFTEEN «

Jessica headed back to her and AJ’s room, most likely to go to sleep. She was tired. She put in the key and unlocked the door. Heading straight for the bed, she realized she was too tired to take her clothes off. So she just laid under the covers like that, and tried to go to sleep. Then she heard a sexy voice say, "Let me help you with that."

Jessica sat up and smiled. AJ was only in his boxers, and walked over to Jessica. He took off her shoes, and began kissing her toes one by one. He slipped her shirt off, and put his nose between her breasts. His hands felt her back to get to the bra strap. He removed her bra, and kissed her breasts gently. He then removed her skirt and began to kiss her underwear.

AJ took off her panties and whispered, "Jessica, have you seen my scuba gear?" he hinted with a wicked grin. Jessica suddenly wasn’t tired anymore and longed to have AJ inside her, completing her. She did eventually, after almost endless games that AJ played with her mind. As he held her in his arms, he whispered, "Sweet dreams, baby."

Jessica looked him straight in the eye and whispered back, "Only if you’re what I’m dreaming about."

While the limo drove to a place unknown to Lauren, she teased Nick with a passion until he finally begged for mercy. He was so turned on when she untied him he grabbed her and kissed her like she won’t ever forget. She was totally into it, then turned to re-apply her lip-gloss. Nick watched her and smiled. "Lip-gloss or no lip-gloss, Lauren is definitely the sexiest woman alive," he thought to himself.

Lauren’s gaze turned back to Nick. "Where are we going Nick? It feels like we’ve been driving in circles for a long time," she commented.

Nick just smiled again. "Maybe...we have been." Lauren’s mouth gaped open. Nick knew she wouldn’t put it past him. Suddenly the phone in the car rang.

"What up?" Nick answered.

"Just thought you’d like to know, Mr. Carter, we have arrived at the place you specified," the driver’s voice said.

"Thanks, Fred." Nick hung up. Lauren looked at him expectantly. Nick raised his eyebrows. "We’re heeeeeer-re!" Nick said in a ‘ta-da!’ kind of voice. Lauren smiled as Frederick the chauffeur opened the door for her. She stepped out of the car and saw a huge restaurant.

She turned to Nick. "It’s beautiful! How did you find a place open this late at night?" she inquired.

"Easy," Nick smirked, "I rented it for tonight. Fred here gets to help us run the place." Fred bowed. Lauren smiled and gave Nick a gracious peck on the lips. She took his arm and headed into the restaurant.

After they had finished their dinner, Nick took Lauren’s arm. "Dance with me," he murmured. They stepped onto the dance floor and the lights dimmed, leaving the moon shining through the skylight as a source of light. Frederick put on a romantic song, and Nick and Lauren just gazed into each other’s eyes the whole time.

When they sat back down, Nick pulled out a medium-sized box. "It’s for you, baby. I wish I could give you the whole world, but I hope this will do too," he charmed.

Lauren opened the box and there was a 20 caret diamond ring and necklace! Lauren nearly passed out. "Oh-my-goodness Nick. You REALLY didn’t have to-"

"Shhh," Nick hushed, putting his index finger on her lips. "The only thing I want to hear is that you like them."

"I love them Nick! Absolutely adore them. But it’s so expensive! I couldn’t possibly afford something so nice for you! What did I do to deserve such beautiful things?" Lauren gushed.

Nick smiled and opened his mouth to reply. "Lauren, number one- I’m glad you like them. Money is no object. Number two- I don’t care what you got me, I’ll love it no matter WHAT it is, and number three- you deserve these things because-I love you baby. I really really love you." Nick held his breath and waited for a response.

Lauren felt tears well up in her eyes. She was shaking and almost couldn’t speak. "I...I...love you too Nick. God I love you!" she exclaimed, and the tears fell.

Nick grabbed her and held her. "Oh baby, don’t cry! Oh please, please don’t cry!" he comforted, rubbing her neck.

Soon after he got her calmed down, Lauren gave Nick his present. Nick was amazed when he saw it. It was a gold shark charm on a gold chain. He hadn’t expected such a thoughtful gift. He almost forgot he was getting a gift. He told Lauren he loved it and meant it. He was going to keep it forever.

Finally, they headed back to the limo and Nick asked, "So where to now?" "I don’t want this wonderful night to end, but I think back to the hotel because I’m really exhausted," Lauren replied. They arrived at Nick’s hotel room first, and Lauren kissed him at the door. "I had a great time tonight. I love you." she whispered.

"I love you too," he whispered back.

"I need to go now," she said.

"Wait," Nick stalled, "Come in my room and visit for a while."

"O.K," Lauren agreed.

"Let’s play Nintendo. I know I’ll beat you this time!" Nick challenged.

Lauren couldn’t pass up a PlayStation challenge. "You’re on, Carter."

After Lauren kicked Nick’s butt at PlayStation over again, Nick leaned over and kissed her. "I’m not a sore loser anymore," he whispered, seducing her lips.

Lauren didn’t even bother to reply, and soon they were making out passionately on the bed. Nick took off his shirt, and continued kissing Lauren. Lauren was getting a little too into it then realized what Nick was doing and broke away. "Nick-what are you doing?" she said in an exasperated voice.

"I wanna make love to you baby," Nick murmured, still kissing Lauren’s neck.

"Nick, STOP for a second and look at me." Nick looked up. "I’m not ready to make love yet Nick! We haven’t even talked about this," she stated.

Nick gave her a funny look. "I thought you loved me Lauren. The passion was there...I thought you wanted us to do this."

Lauren let a huge sigh. "You thought this, you thought that...you didn’t know! You didn’t bother to ask me or talk to me! And you how dare you question my love for you? You KNOW I love you! But that’s not a green light to have sex...or is it? Is that the only reason you told me you loved me? Oh-my-God." Lauren stood up quickly, backing away from Nick.

Nick pulled his shirt on. "Lauren! Why are you making such a big deal out of this? That’s not why I told you I loved you! I just thought we were ready to go all the way!" he protested, standing up beside his side of the bed.

"WE, Carter. We is two people-you and me. And YOU were the only one ready to have sex. It’s a big deal, Nick. Very big. I thought you knew me better than this. Guess I was wrong."

Lauren inched closer and closer to the door. "Lauren-don’t go. Please. I love you," Nick pleaded.

"I love you too. But I can’t stay in here right now...I gotta go." Lauren walked out the door. She walked down the hall to her room, shaking trying to put the key in the door. When she got into her room, she collapsed on the bed, confused. She didn’t know what to do. She called Jessica.

AJ and Jessica were laying in bed talking, when suddenly the phone rang. It was next to AJ, so he answered. "Yo," he said. Lauren asked to speak to Jessica. He put his hand over the receiver and informed, "Baby it’s for you. It’s Lauren. She sounds upset." he handed her the phone.

"Hello?" Jessica asked sleepily.

"Jessica, can you come over really quick. Please?" Lauren’s urgent voice begged.

"Sure. Be right there." She hung up. "I’m going over to Lauren’s for a little bit AJ. I’ll be back soon, O.K. baby?" AJ nodded in understanding. Jessica threw on some clothes, and headed over to Lauren’s.

As soon as she got in there, she sat next to Lauren on the bed. "What’s wrong, Lauren?" she asked worriedly.

"Hang on and let me change out of my dress really quick and I’ll tell you." So she changed into night clothes, pulled her hair down, and sat down next to Jessica. She told her the whole evening’s events, including the not-so-good ending.

Jessica listened patiently. "Lauren, he sure charmed you tonight, but that didn’t give him any right to assume you were going to give it up tonight. It was totally rude," she said.

Lauren nodded. "I know, I know. But what do I do, Jess, what do I do?"

Nick laid on his bed, thinking of what just happened in the past 10 minutes. It was so out of hand. He had been so sure that tonight was the night. What had gone wrong? He was upset with Lauren, and himself. He was so confused.

"There’s only one thing to do," he thought aloud, "I’ve gotta go talk to Lauren." He got up and was fixing to head out the door when someone knocked on it. Nick opened it, and his eyes grew wide. He saw the face of a person he hadn’t seen in months. Mandy. "Wha-What are you doing here?" he stammered, completely off guard.

"Is that any way to greet ME, now Nicky?" she said.

He took a good look at her. She had gotten her hair cut short, and she had aged some, but other than that, she looked exactly the same.

"I was just in town and I thought I’d pay you a visit. Now aren’t you going to let me in?" Still dumbfounded, Nick waved his hand to motion her in and closed the door. "I heard you have a new girl, Nicky. Is she a tramp?" Mandy questioned.

"Mandy, this REALLY isn’t a good time, O.K.?" Nick stared at the floor.

Mandy lifted his chin up with her fingernail to look him in the eye. "Oh, trouble in paradise? Good thing I’m here. I’m so good at pity parties," she whispered in Nick’s ear. She rubbed his shoulders, and began to kiss his neck. Nick was frozen, and couldn’t tell her to get lost.

"Nicky baby...let me help you with all your problems. She wouldn’t put out, would she? Well I’m here for you darling. Let me fix it," she breathed into his ear.

Nick was so confused. He didn’t know what to do. He loved Lauren, but memories of the times him and Mandy had together were flashing through his brain. Mandy grabbed Nick and kissed him. Her lips still tasted the same...Mandy started to take Nick’s clothes off, and he took hers off. It didn’t take long for Mandy to get down to business.

Jessica listened to her best friend and tried to think of what to tell her. "I got a question for you. Do you love Nick?"

Lauren looked puzzled. "Of course I do Jess! More than anything in this world!"

Jessica smiled. "Would you want to spend the rest of your life with him?"

Lauren thought about it. "I can’t imagine being with anyone else. I love him so much."

"So, are you going to let a little fight come between you two? After all you’ve been through, you’re just going to let it go over this?" Jessica reasoned.

"Jessica, it hurts though. I thought he knew me and would talk about it with me. I’m just so confused," Lauren reminded.

"Lauren, if you love Nick, and he loves you, the best thing to do is go talk to him. Right now," Jessica ordered.

"But what if he is asleep? I don’t wanna wake him up. He’s so peaceful when he sleeps," Lauren sighed.

"Doesn’t matter. How could he sleep after fighting with you like that anyway? He’d just toss and turn. Go see him RIGHT NOW," Jessica repeated.

Lauren smiled. "Okay, okay I’m going. Thanks Jessica." She gave her friend a hug.

"You’re welcome. Anytime. What are best friends for?"

Lauren left and headed down the hallway. Jessica headed back to her room with AJ. She opened the door. AJ was waiting for her.

"Hey baby," he murmured as she slipped back into bed. "I missed you."

Jessica smiled as their lips touched. "Ditto that, AJ."

Mandy kissed Nick’s neck, and rolled off of him. "That was great Nicky. Just like old times, huh?" she commented. Nick groaned, as if he was just waking up.

"What the hell did I just do?" he asked himself aloud.

"Me," Mandy murmured in his ear.

He pushed her away. "You’ve gotta get out of here, Mandy. I can’t believe you played on my emotions like that! How could you? We used to be in love!" Nick yelled.

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Spare the speech Nicky. I’m not leaving yet. I gotta shower," she told him. She sauntered into the bathroom and closed the door.

"Hurry up! I want you out of here. And I never want to see or hear from you again. Ever."

He sat down on the bed where him and Mandy just....had sex. Shuddering thinking about it, Nick sat in the chair beside the bed. He put his head in his hands and his eyes teared up. "How could I do this to Lauren? What have I done? I don’t love Mandy. I love Lauren. And I just screwed things up big time."

Nick slipped on a white shirt over his boxers. About that time Mandy came out of the shower wearing only a towel. "Get dressed and get your ass out of here," Nick told her coldly, not even looking at her.

"What’s wrong with my ass? Well let me get my clothes." She grabbed a pile of clothes and almost slipped her towel off when the door opened.

There stood Lauren. When she saw Mandy her eyes grew huge. "N-Nick?" was all she managed to say.

Nick rushed up to the door. "LAUREN! Baby please let me explain! Please!" Lauren just stood there, her mouth dropped in shock.

Mandy walked over to the door. "Is this the little tramp you told me about? Oh hi, I’m Mandy." She stuck her hand out. Lauren’s eyes grew dark. Nick could’ve sworn there was lightning in her eyes. If looks could kill, Mandy would’ve been six feet under.

"Nick, did you....? You and Mandy?..." She looked into Nick’s eyes for a negative answer. But the look he gave the ground was obvious. Tears welled up in her eyes. "How could you? I thought you loved me...oh how could I have been so stupid? I gotta get out of here. Away from all of this."

She turned to run away but Nick grabbed her arm. "Please don’t leave Lauren. I love you! I’m sorry!" Lauren slapped his hand and ran down the hall. Nick was going to follow when Mandy grabbed Nick’s arm.

"Don’t run after her. She’s not worth it," Mandy scolded.

Nick couldn’t take it anymore. He slapped her so hard across the face something in his hand popped. Both Nick and Mandy shrieked in pain. "Why did you come back? WHY? You just ruined my life you whore!"

Mandy’s face turned smug. "To prove I can have you any time I want."

Nick was still holding his aching hand. "Oh no you can’t," he muttered.

"I just did, didn’t I?" she said still in a smug voice.

"Never again. Get out of my life. Forever."

He shoved her half-naked into the hallway and locked the door. He slid down to the floor and started crying. "What am I going to do?" he cried. "What am I going to do?"

¤ Chapter 16 ¤
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