Chapter Two

“Did you get it?” Nick asked kissing Gwen softly on the lips.

“Maybe.” she replied in a sing-song voice.

“That’s a yes.” Nick said following his fiancée into his huge house.

“Mmmmm, what are you cooking for dinner. It smells wonderful.” she said stopping at the entrance to the kitchen to close her eyes and inhale.

“Spaghetti and meatballs. So what does the dress look like?” Nick asked as he moved to the stove to stir the sauce. He lifted the spoon carefully to his lips to taste it.

“Not tellin.” Gwen said hopping onto the counter next to the stove.

“So you did find one!” Nick said setting the wooden spoon back into the red sauce. He moved between Gwen’s legs and rested an arm on either side of her body.

“Sneaky.” Gwen said tapping his nose.

“I know. But you love me anyway.” He said straightening to press his lips softly against hers.

“Mmmmmm.”

“You like my kisses?” Nick asked brushing her cheek with his finger.

“Only when they taste like your mother’s special tomato sauce.” Gwen giggled. Nick rolled his eyes.

“I swear, you’re in this for the food.” Nick laughed.

“No, baby. I’m in this for you.” Gwen whispered kissing him again. Nick was about to deepen the kiss when the timer on the stove went off.

“Just when I was getting into it.” he muttered as he grabbed an oven mitt and opened the oven. He pulled out hot garlic bread and set it on top the stove.

“That is adorable.” Gwen commented.

“What?” Nick asked moving towards her again. He lifted his hand to run it through his hair but found he still had the oven mitt on. Gwen burst out laughing.

“You, getting all Emeril Lagasse on me.” she said between giggles. Nick tossed the oven mitt on the counter and attacked Gwen, tickling her.

“I thought you’d love a man who was good in the kitchen.” Nick pouted.

“Aw, baby. I do. But...I personally think that the stage is more of your thing.” Gwen said raising her hand to Nick’s head. She played with the short spikes as Nick smiled.

“Yeah, the stage is definitely my specialty.” Nick said. “I remember when you finally figured out who I was.” Nick said smiling. Gwen laughed.

“Our first date....

*Flashback*
“It’s really is breathtaking out here.” Gwen whispered as Nick led her down the shore of the Gulf of Mexico.

“This is my favorite place in the whole world. It’s so peaceful. Sometimes I just lay in the sand and look at the stars. Clear my head. My life can be hectic.”

“Everyone’s can be hectic. I hate my job.” Gwen muttered. Nick stopped and lowered himself to the soft earth. He pulled Gwen down next to him.

“I’m glad that you took that job.” Nick said honestly.

“Why?”

“Because, I would have never met you if you hadn’t worked at Shelly’s.” Nick smiled. “Was that a little to direct? This being our first date and all...”

“No, not too direct at all...” Gwen whispered allowing her sentence to drift off into the night.

“This sky is amazing.” Nick said looking upwards at the black blanket sprinkled with diamond stars.

“Yeah...amazing.” she said angling her face to gaze at the stars. Nick smiled softly reaching for her hand. He closed his fingers around her small hand and squeezed. Gwen squeezed back.

“I just had this feeling, like I had to try. You know?” Nick said returning to the topic of them.

“Yeah....”

“So, tell me about yourself, Gwendalyn. Do you mind me calling you that?”

“No.” Gwen whispered.

“Okay, Gwendalyn. Talk.”

“About what?” she asked shyly.

“You, I don’t know anything except your name and job. How old are you?”

“Eighteen. I graduated from high school last month.”

“College?”

“Yeah, University of Central Florida this fall.” Gwen said. “I’m majoring in Communications.”

“Hmmm. What about your family?”

“Just me and my mom and dad. I have no brothers or sisters.”

“That’s too bad. I have three sisters, a half-sister and a brother.” Nick said laughing. “Want one?”

“Nick.” Gwen said elbowing him lightly, realizing then that they were still holding hands. “What about you? How old are you?”

“Nineteen.” Nick answered looking out over the dark water.

“What school did you go to?” Gwen asked. Nick looked at her curiously. She didn’t know who he was....

“Uh...I was homeschooled...kinda.” he said.

“Really? Why?”

“Um..well, I’m kind of in a business...I didn’t have time for school.” he explained cautiously.

“Business? What kind of business?” Gwen asked looking at him confused.

“The music business...you, um..don’t know who I am?” Nick asked.

“Should I?” Gwen asked worriedly, afraid that she was about to make a fool of herself again.

“Um, I guess not. I’m..in this music group called the Backstreet Boys.” he explained.

“The Backstreet Boys? You’re one of them?! Man, I knew your name sounded familiar, I just couldn’t place it.” Gwen said laughing.

“That’s cool with you?”

“Sure, why not? You guys have sold a few thousand records, right?”

“Uh..million...actually.” Nick said masking the smile that was forcing its way onto his face. He had to down play everything about his job...there was no way he was going to come off as full of himself with Gwen. She was perfect.

“Million?! Sorry, I’m a little out of the music loop. I’ve heard of the group before, but I haven’t heard the music.” Gwen admitted.

“That’s completely okay with me. I know that sounds bad, but...I can’t trust everyone. Some girls just say they’ll go out with me because.....” Nick trailed off.

“Because you’re a musician...who has sold millions of records??” Gwen offered.

“Yeah, is that bad?” Nick asked turning towards her.

“Nah, you can never be too careful.”

“Good.”

“So, Nick...you are in the Backstreet Boys...tell me about them?”

“We’re just five guys who got together six years ago up in Orlando.”

“Six years? You were so young!” Gwen exclaimed.

“I know...but, it was my dream.”

“How cool..have you guys traveled to any other countries?”

“Yeah, we actually hit it big in Europe before US so the five of us spent a few years over seas before we brought it back here.” Nick said running his fingers slowly over Gwen’ palm.

“Paris?” Gwen asked dreamily.

“Mmm hmmm. Paris, Rome, Berlin....all over.”

“Amazing. What do you sound like?”

“Pop...a lot of ballads, some up-tempo songs.”

“Bubble-gum pop?” Gwen asked wincing at the thought.

“No not ‘bubble-gum’. We’re a vocal harmony group, we do pop music, but we try to keep in mature sounding, not to childish.” Nick said laughing a little.

“Thank God! No offense, that is one thing I cannot stand. Those whiny little kids trying to sing. I want to kill Hanson.” Gwen said laughing.

“We’re not like Hanson, don’t worry.” Nick said lacing his fingers with hers.

“Good.” Gwen smiled.

“Yeah....”

“I can’t believe I didn’t know who you were. I feel so stupid.”

“Don’t, I kind of like it like this. Some girls I have dated read everything related to Backstreet that they could get their hands on. They knew more about me than I did. I like the fact that I have to tell you about myself....”

“Me too. You’d be pretty boring if I already knew everything about you.” Gwen said laughing lightly. Nick watched the moonlight reflect in her eyes. She was beautiful. “Nick?” Gwen asked catching the soft look on his face.

“Hmm?”

“What are you thinking about?” she asked averting her eyes from his. She gazed out over the gulf, the black water rising and falling with the light waves. It was peaceful...serene.

“You...us...this.”

“Us?” Gwen questioned. She shifted her gaze to their interlocked hands. “There’s an us?”

“I want there to be.” Nick whispered. For some reason, everything just fit, perfectly, like a puzzle. He walked into a small diner for a bite to eat and this girl just fell into his hands. She was perfect...it was strange. He hadn’t known her more that a few days, yet, he felt as though he had known her for years, lifetimes. He felt so comfortable around her, like he was hanging out with a close friend, only she was more.

“I want that too.” Gwen replied quietly. That was unlike anything she would ever do. Confess hopes concerning a guy on their first date. But, she’d never felt this way. Connected to someone like she was connected to Nick.

“You do?” Nick asked surprised.

“Yeah.” Gwen said returning her gaze to Nick’s. “I don’t know why, or how...but I just...know.”

“Yeah..” Nick nodded.

“It’s like that movie, Sleepless in Seattle....Magic” She whispered, her warm breath grazing the sensitive skin of Nick’s neck. He shuddered inwardly at the erotic feeling. “My favorite movie.” Gwen said resting her head lightly on Nick’s shoulder. “It was so romantic.”

“What was? The magic part?”

“No, how they both just knew...you know? This woman whose engaged to be married travels across the country to see this guy who she heard on the radio. She left her fiancée for some guy she never met just because of a feeling.”

“Yeah...I guess that’s kind of romantic.” Nick shrugged.

“And the whole ‘meet me on the top of the Empire State Building from Affair to Remember...ingenious.”

“So, if I asked you to meet me on top the Empire State Building..you’d think I was romantic?” Nick teased.

“No silly, they didn’t INTENTIONALLY copy Affair to Remember...it just happened that way. If you did that, no only would you be taking the idea from a classic, but also the newer version. How unoriginal is that?” she asked nudging him playfully.

“Ah, I see. You want originality. I can do that.” Nick said smiling.

“I can’t wait...”
*End Flashback*

“Those were the good days.” Nick sighed as he twirled a strand of Gwen’s wavy blond hair around his index finger. The two sat in Nick’s dim living room, sprawled on the plush forest green couch. The only sounds echoing in the large mansion was of their reminiscing.

“What do you call these days??” Gwen asked him wide eyed. He smiled at her, catching the playfulness dancing in her deep blue eyes.

“The sweetest days...” Nick said rubbing his nose against hers.

“I can’t wait until we’re married.” Gwen sighed, gently running her fingers through his blond spikes.

“Soon, baby...soon.”

“I know...we’re down to a month.”

“So, tell me what the dress looks like?” Nick pleaded.

“Nope....you’re going to have to wait until the wedding to see it.” Gwen said yawning as she leaned against Nick’s warm body. He wrapped his arms protectively around her small frame, linking his fingers together.

“Tired?”

“Mmmm, yeah. A little.” Gwen said trying to hide another yawn. She bashfully covered her mouth with her hand, smiling shyly.

“Don’t try to fool me.” Nick said lowering his head to momentarily rest it atop Gwen’s.

“I should head home.” she murmured.

“Nah, stay here tonight...with me. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms.”

“Should I?” Gwen contemplated.

“I think you should. I know how tired you are.”

“You sure?” she asked resting her head on his shoulder, her forehead rested against his neck.

“Yeah, come on...” Nick said opening his arms for Gwen to climb out. She stood and pulled Nick up as well. He followed her up the stairs to his large bedroom. “What do you want to sleep in? The shirt I wore today?” Nick asked. Gwen loved Nick’s shirts. She had once told him that whenever she wore his clothes, she drowned in the scent of him...it made her feel safe, loved, protected. Nick liked that feeling. Whenever he went off on another Backstreet Tour he made sure that she had some clothes of his to wear while he was gone. It comforted him, knowing that she could still smell him, feel him, when he wasn’t there with her.

“As usual.” she laughed as Nick picked up the discarded T-shirt from the bedroom carpet and tossed it in her direction. She quickly undressed and slid the shirt over her head. Reaching up the back she expertly unhooked her bra and slid it out through the sleeve.

Nick ran his eyes over her body, clad in only his shirt, which was so large she was lost in it. He smiled to himself, knowing that she had practically nothing on underneath it....

“Nickolas...” Gwen scolded, sensing his thoughts.

“Hmm?” Nick asked darting his eyes from her long tanned legs to her eyes.

“Are you going to stand there and gawk or can we go to sleep?” she asked him, raising an eyebrow. Nick laughed in apology and stripped to his boxers, pulling back the huge fluffy comforter from the bed. He climbed in and held his arms open for Gwen. She flipped the lights off and curled up against him. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and watched her fall sleep in his arms.

Chapter Three
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