Six:

Six:

 

JC and Sarah managed to sneak into his hotel room unnoticed.  Joey, Lance, and Justin had gone out somewhere and luckily Chris was on some sort of business call.  It wasn’t that they were up to anything.  This was their time, and neither of them was willing to share it with someone else, especially not when they had so little time together.  The guys had a concert the following night, and a day of interviews, soundchecks, and rehearsals leading up to it.  Of course Sarah had tickets, not great tickets, but tickets, and she had requested the extra day off work before the tickets were even purchased.  The day after the show was a free day, but the five guys had already planned to spend it together and Sarah had to work.  They would be gone by sunset, anyway, on the way to the next stop on the tour.  This was the only real time the two would have together.

 

They curled up on the bed and turned on the TV.  There was nothing on and they preferred to talk anyway so they turned it back off.  It was hard to say when it happened and it was very unclear as to who went first, but before long they were fast asleep.

 

 

Sarah raised her head reluctantly at the sound.  First it was an insistent tapping.  Then more of a thud.  Finally, it grew to a steady pounding at the door.  She heard a groan and felt something shift behind her and that was when she realized where she was, and, more importantly, with whom.  She was instantly awake.  JC smiled at her and then frowned at the door.  A voice floated in over the pounding, telling JC to get up and get ready to go.  There was something about this not being like him at all.  She watched as he stumbled to the door, opened it a crack, and mumbled to the person on the other side.  The person apparently left and JC stretched.  Sarah decided he reminded her of a cat, so lean and graceful.  Not to mention cuddly . . .

 

“Sleep well?” he asked.  She nodded and he sat beside her.  “Good,” he whispered pressing his lips against hers in a chaste kiss.  “I have to get to some radio station, and then we go straight to the arena.  Is it OK if I get someone to drive you home?”

 

“Yeah, that’s fine, I guess.”

 

“You don’t sound very convincing.”

 

“I just feel like we weren’t together hardly at all.  I don’t want to leave.”

 

“I don’t want you to, but unless you want to face the guys with your eyeliner smeared like that, it’s a good idea.”  She gasped and ran to the bathroom, dismayed that he had been telling the truth.  Eyeliner and mascara were smeared all the way down her cheeks and her hair looked as if a family of chipmunks had nested overnight.  She knew JC was laughing at her; she could hear him through the closed door.  She shook her head and washed her face, wishing she had a toothbrush on her.  She had actually taken to time to grab her purse, so at least she had a brush.  When she was presentable at last, she opened the door and found JC standing there looking as delicious as ever in a pair of loose jeans and a white T-shirt.  His hair stuck out wildly under a Nike cap.  As soon as she was out if the way, he raced into the bathroom and slammed the door.  While waiting for him, she dug in her bag for gum or a mint . . . anything to get that taste out of her mouth.

 

When JC emerged from the bathroom, his hair now tamed under the hat and his teeth brushed, she was sitting patiently on the bed.  He watched the sunlight stream through the open curtains and dance in her hair, bringing out the subtle, natural highlights.  A sharp rap on the door pulled him out of his trance and he shot her a half-smile as he walked to answer it.  “That should be your ride,” he said.  He reached the door and looked through the peephole.  “Yep.  I was right.”  He opened the door to reveal a short, sleepy-looking brunette.

 

“You owe me, Shazass,” she muttered before smiling brightly at Sarah.  “Hi!  You’re Sarah.  I’m Gina.  This,” she pointed at JC, “is a soon to be dead man.  Waking me up is more dangerous than dragging Justin out of bed with no cereal.” 

 

Sarah wasn’t sure what to think, or say.  “Um, hi.”

 

“I’ll wait in the hall while you say good-bye, but make it fast.  Joey’s up and dressed, and so is Chris.”  With that, the door shut and Sarah was alone with JC once more.

 

“Well . . .” she said. 

 

He laughed at her wide-eyed look of confusion.  He didn’t say anything, not wanting to waste his time on words.  He kissed her thoroughly and somehow ended up with her gum.  “She wasn’t kidding.  You’ll never get out of here if Joey or Chris see you.  You are coming to the show tonight, I hope . . .”  She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.  “Good.”  He kissed the tip of her nose and ushered her to the door, peeking out to make sure the coast was clear before he allowed her to leave.  Before she knew it, she was following Gina out of the elevator and to a rental car parked at a rear entrance.

 

“So, where are we going?” Gina asked.

 

“Huh?  Oh!  Um, left at the light.”  She studied the driver curiously, wondering just who this woman was.  Sarah figured they were probably about the same age.  Sarah gave her the rest of the directions and Gina glanced at her a few times before finally speaking.

 

“Um, it’s OK.  I won’t be offended if you wanna ask who the hell I am.”

 

“OK then.  Turn right up here and who the hell are you?”

 

Gina laughed at hearing her own words.  “I am . . . actually, I have no idea what my official title is.  I guess I’m basically an assistant to whoever needs me at the time.  Mostly, I work with Chris . . . for now anyway.  He’s surprisingly organized.  Sorry . . . I’ve slept very little in the last few days and I tend to get chatty when I’m worn out.”

 

“It’s okay.  I understand, really.”  Sarah punctuated her words with a yawn.

 

Gina grinned.  “Oh, is this it?”

 

“Yeah.  Just stop over there.  I’m right upstairs.”

 

Sarah started to get out but Gina stopped her.  “Wait!  I forgot to ask how many people you’re going to the show with.”

 

“Um, it’s just me and my friend Stacy.  No one else could make it.”

 

“OK, good.  Where are you sitting?”

 

“Um, first level, kind of near the back.  One of those rows with double letters, I think.  Why?”

 

Gina rolled her eyes playfully.  “Oh please, like you don't know.  Stop at the will call office and give them this,” she said, handing Sarah an envelope.  “Unless of course you don’t want to be a little closer.”  Sarah grabbed the envelope and clutched it to her chest.  She waved at Gina and went inside, shaking her head.  She wasn’t sure if she should call Stacy now or wait until they got to the show.

 

 

JC groaned as Joey came out of Chris’ room just in time to see the girls get on the elevator.  “Whoa!  C, who was that?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

 

“Just someone I met the other night,” he ground out.  He really wasn’t ready to deal with this.

 

“Well?”

 

“Well what?”

 

“So what happened?  Come on man, you gotta give us all the details.”

 

“Nothing, Joey, absolutely nothing.  That is a true lady, so get your mind out of the gutter and keep your mouth shut.”

 

“Somebody’s crabby!” Chris yelled from inside the room.  “I think he’s telling the truth Joe.  He wouldn’t be near as grumpy if he’d actually gotten any--”  He was cut off by the pronounced slamming of JC’s door.

 

 

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