'Look at the crowd here man.' AJ, when excited talked incessantly and he tended to trip over his words. 'I mean, look at everyone. Hey there's, there's that actress with Sue and Brian and Nick, what's her name, she's Sue's actor friend?'
'Jacqueline Roycroft I think that is.' Said Howie with a smile as he nudged the tall dark haired man beside him. 'That's her isn't it Kev? She supposed to be one wild lady.'
But Kevin wasn't paying attention, as Howie followed the direction of Kevin's eyes, he smiled. Standing next to Sue was a tall willowy blonde, her hair was cut strikingly short, in a boyish cut, but it suited her. Dressed in black leather from head to high heels, she didn't look out of place here at a record launch. And Kevin only had eyes for her. The group in front of them were joined by another woman, smaller in height but her hair was darker in colour and cut in a fashionable bob. The taller blonde threw an affectionate arm around the shorter woman, and they laughed together at something Brian had said.
'Umm, yeah D, I think that's her, yeah she's Sue's friend.' Kevin shook his head to clear it. It was like he'd run smack into a brick wall. He had felt an immediate attraction to the tall woman with Nick, Brian and Sue, and it had rattled his equilibrium.
'Shall we go and introduce ourselves?' Howie suggested with a smile, as he knowingly watched Kevin's thoughts flash across his face.
'Yeah D, I guess so, we wouldn't want to seem rude now would we?' Kevin grinned at Howie, knowing that he had let his guard down and that Howie had read every thought, but Aj interrupted them.
'Hey dudes who's the chick with Brian and Sue and Nicky?'
'That's Sue's friend the actress Jacqueline…..' Howie said only to be interrupted.
'Yeah D I know that, I mean the other one, with the longer hair.'
'Well, Aj, I know a lot of woman, but even I don't know everyone of them. I dunno, I guess she's another friend of Sue's. I think she said she had two good friends coming here tonight for moral support.' Laughed Howie, and as he shook his head he thought. God here two seconds and both of them have their eyes on someone already.
They made their way over to where Nick, Brian and Sue had commandeered a table larger enough for all of them. Brian looked up from his conversation with the women and said with a wide smile. 'Hey fellas, Howie, Kev, AJ, meet Sue's friends, Kerry Graham, and Lady Jacqueline Roycroft. As we shook hands with everyone, I said with a smile.' Please call me Jac, all my friends do. I really don't use the title, only my family do.' I looked up at the man holding my hand. His hair was the colour of midnight and he owned a pair of stunning green eyes, which even the dull light of the club failed to dim their beauty. Our gazes locked and he gave me a shy smile that changed the whole complexion of his face, softening his sharp features.
'Kevin isn't it?' I asked realising I still had hold of his hand but I made no attempt to remove it. Again that quick smile flashed, and still holding my hand he pulled me towards a seat at the table. Shifting his body around so we could talk face to face he answered. 'Yeah I'm Kevin, Brian is my cousin.' I tilted my head as I studied the pair of them. 'There is some resemblance between you both I think, simular jawlines. You both wouldn't be stubborn by any chance?'
He laughed. 'You could say that.' He pursed his lips ' So how long have you been friends with Sue?'
'A while actually. We met on the set of my first film, she's a very talented actor. She taught me the ropes.'
'The ropes, don't all actors know the ropes ?' Kevin asked curiously.
'Well up until that film, I'd only worked in theatre. There's a huge difference in acting styles required for the theatre and movies. And being primarily a theatrical performer, I had a lot to learn. Sue babysat me through the whole movie making process. I'll be eternally grateful to her. She could have let me fall flat on my face but she didn't, and believe me there were a lot people waiting for that to happen. She's the sweetest person and she seems very happy with your cousin.'
Kevin looked over to Sue and Brian. 'They are good together. It's not easy being two high profile people in this business, but they cope rather well.'
'I suppose that's true it not being easy.' I mused ' But I guess no relationship is ever easy, whether you're the Queen of England or a bakers wife, all relationships have their own sets of pressures, whether it be life in the public eye, or just trying to make ends meet and pay the bills.'
He studied me intently. 'Are you always this serious?' he asked.
I burst out laughing and ran my fingers through my short hair. 'Me, no. Hardly ever. In fact I was saying to Kerry earlier today that I needed to kick my heals up and party tonight.'
'Is that an invitation?' he asked softly.
I peeked up from under my fringe and grinned at him. I found his soft, spoken southern drawl oddly attractive, and his voice was deep and resonant when he spoke. He was a very attractive man and I was drawn to him. 'Do you want it to be?'
'Yeah I do' he admitted surprised at himself. But he found himself smiling at the women in front of him 'So do you want to dance, kick up those heels?'
'Why not.' I smiled as he pulled me to my feet, and with his hand in the small of my back he guided me to the dance floor. His arms held me close as we swayed close together in time with the music. As we relaxed and let the music wash over us, I pondered my instant attraction to the man who held me close as we danced. This had never happened to me before. For all my wildness, I wasn't one to sleep around and usually it took me a while before I felt comfortable enough to indulge in the easy flirtation that I was experiencing with Kevin. The music came to an end and the DJ started to talk. Kevin smiled quizzically at me 'A dime for your thoughts'
'It was nothing.' I smiled up at him marvelling again how one man could have such beautiful eyes. Then a faster song came on. 'You up for some serious partying Kevin?'
'Sure, lead the way.' He grinned.
'Strap up then and enjoy the ride.' I yelled in his ear as the music started thumping out it's techno beat.
'I think our Kev's smitten.' Nick said to everyone as he watched the couple on the dance floor.
'As soon as Kevin saw her he couldn't take his eyes off her.' Howie said as he took a swig of his drink. All at the table watched the gyrating couple on the dance floor with interest.
'Yeah I saw that.' Aj grinned.
'Oh did ya Aj, I thought you were rather smitten with someone yourself?' Howie teased.
'Oh well yeah I am, and I'm about to indulge myself right now.' He got to his feet and stretched out a hand across the table to Kerry. 'Hey Kez wanna dance?'
She looked becomingly bewildered. 'Me?'
AJ laughed and said in that husky voice that was so much a part of him 'Yep you sweetheart, are you coming?'
Kerry laughed and stood up, and AJ grabbed her hand and led her towards the dance floor, where he pulled her to him and they disappeared amongst the crowds on the floor.
'Do you always blush so prettily.' AJ said as he wrapped his arms around Kerry.
'I dunno, I never watch myself. Are you always this forward?' she threw back at him.
'Yep I am, so is that an Australian accent?' He leaned in close so he could hear her reply over the music, but it only enabled them to get closer together, as they continued talking, dancing and having fun.
'Sue wanna join them on the floor?' Brian asked.
Sue looked surprised, because dancing unless he had to, was not a favourite pastime of Brian's. But at her nod, he smiled and they moved off as one and moved together on the dance floor as another slow song played.
'Looks like me and you Nick.' Howie sighed.
'I ain't dancing with you D' Nick laughed. 'Lets find us some action, and leave the love birds to enjoy themselves.'
'Sound like a plan Nicky.'
*****************************
'Man can you believe our luck, look at her dancing with that backstreet guy, this is perfect. We can set this up for a great story.' The reporter took a swig of his drink.
'How?' said his photographer.
'With this.' The reporter waved a glass tube in front of the photographer's eyes.
'Oh, I see.'
'Look she's a wild piece people expect it of her, we dope their drinks, she's bound to do something crazy and whamo…we get a story, and a good one especially if we rope one backstreet boy into the equation as well. I'm sure she won't disappoint us. We could hit pay dirt here.'
'Ok lets do it.'
******************************
Kevin and I collapsed into each other's arm laughing. We had been dancing together all night, in fact we hadn't left each other's side. And I didn't feel the least bit guilty for monopolising his attention, and I suspected he didn't mind too much either.
'Shit what was in that last drink?' I asked giggling as I clung to him, my arms linked around his neck.
'I dunno but what ever it was, hell it was good.' He laughed against my ear.
'Kevin…I'm so hungry, do you wanna get something to eat?' I slurred as I leant in against him.
'Do you wanna get out of here, we can find somewhere to eat, if you like?' His lips hovered close to mine.
'Uh huh. Food sounds good.' I whispered. His eyes were mesmerising and my limbs suddenly weakened as those green pools invited me to drown in them, and his lips seemed closer still.
'Ok then.' His lips grazed mine softly, and heedless of where we were, we gave into the moment and ignored the world around us.
'Quick over there, they're kissing get that on film.'
The camera snapped away quickly. 'I got them.'
'Shit they're leaving, look. Quick lets follow them'
'Woah.' I giggled as the cold air hit us. 'Do you feel the earth spin?'
'Man, I sure do. Let's walk, it might clear our heads, I'm sure we can find somewhere to eat around here.'
He wrapped his arm around my waist and we walked unsteadily along the pavement.
'There they go, Jesus what luck, they're on foot. Joe you got that camera ready?'
'Yep I sure have, hopefully this will be a great story.'
'Oh it will be, I can feel it in my bones, this is gonna be a hell of a story.'