Curling up next to her on the bed, he propped his head in his hand. In a singsong voice
he sang out “Lexxxxxi... wake up sleepyhead.. You can sleep the rest of the night away, just
wake up noooow.”
She rolled over, nearly on top of him, as her eyelids opened into tiny slits as they
adjusted to the darkness. A lazy grin spread across her face as she recognized his silhouette in
the darkness. “Mmmm... Hello stranger. I don’t know quite how I ended up here in this hotel
room in bed with you, but I’m pretty sure it had nothing to do with alcohol, so I’m safe.” She
pulled the covers up and looked under them quickly, then nodded, “Yep. I’m safe.”
Chuckling, he answered, “Lonnie out there tried to make me wait until tomorrow to see
you, but I believe I’ve waited long enough.”
She looked up at him from where her head rested on the fluffy feather pillow with rose
colored satin case. “Yeah. It has been awhile, hasn’t it, Lancers? How have you been?”
He gently took her into his arms, hugging her tightly while inhaling the scent of her all at
once. Vanilla- she always smelled of it. It intoxicated him. “Tour life... you know how it is. I
miss Mississippi a lot.”
She nodded, then burrowed her head into his neck, “Yeah. I wish you guys were at
home.”
Lance smiled to himself and stated, “I’m sure you’ve met Justin’s new friend, haven’t
you?”
“Yeah. I’ve had the distinct pleasure,” Lexi answered as she closed her eyes and
sighed.
“Bad, isn’t she?” Lance asked, already suspecting Lexi’s answer. In all honesty, he had
given Amber a fair chance, and had come to find that first impressions are often the best. Of
course, management thought that she was wonderful. Any pretty girl on his arm would have
been fine with them. Justin’s bandmates, however, saw through Amber’s false charms which he
was so blinded by.
Lexi nodded slowly, then hurriedly added, “Don’t tell him I think that, though, Lance. I
wouldn’t wanna.. wouldn’t.. well.. you know.”
Smiling again, he kissed her forehead and whispered softly, “You’ve got nothing to worry
about, Lexi. It’s me, remember? Get some sleep.”
She hugged him tightly to her again, and stated, “You know Lance, I don’t know what I
would do without you here. I don’t think I would ever come visit Justin if it wasn’t for you and the
other guys, of course. You’re always there when I need you.. I mean.. Justin is my best friend
and all that.. but I don’t think that I could come visit him if it was just him and that.. that Barbie
doll...”
Lance smiled gently and looked down at her from where his head was propped up on his
hand. “You know Lexi, I’ve known you since you were.. what.. 14 years old? I still remember the
day I met you like it was yesterday. You were this tangle haired little tomboy who wouldn’t speak
to a stranger if her life depended on it. This old ratty notebook was clutched in your hand, along
with a Bic pen that was nearly out of ink. And then there was me, this guy that just couldn’t
seemed to grow out of the awkward stages of his teenage years. We were a lot alike Lex,
weren’t we? Both striving to be somewhere.. to do something big. We both needed something
more than what we had. From that day on.. all I wanted to do was protect you.. And look at us
now. The best of friends..” He squeezed her hand gently. “Don’t let her push you away from
him, Lexi. You’re a better person than she could ever be.” He held her closely to him again, and
then chuckled, “I better get up before Lonnie comes in here to get me. Don’t want him getting
the wrong idea, you know?”
Sighing, Lexi nodded slowly, “Go ahead Mississippi.” He smiled at the nickname she
had given him several years ago. After he was out of the bed, he made his way to the other
side, and she raised an eyebrow, “What are you doing, Lancers?”
“Lay your head down, Lex,” he commanded. He kissed her lightly on the cheek and
tucked the covers tightly around her. “As my momma used to say, snug as a bug in a rug.”
Her eyes shimmered as she looked up at him, “Thank you, Lance.. for everything.”
Without another word, Lance reached out and turned off the bedside lamp, then making his way
to the door.
Once he was in the hallway, Lonnie frowned, “I’m gonna get you a watch, *NSYNC boy.
That was six and a half minutes.”
Lance smiled gently and Lonnie looked down at the young man knowingly, “She means a
lot to you, doesn’t she, Lance?”
Surprised that Lonnie had called him by name, Lance peered slowly up into the face of
his bodyguard, “She means a lot to all of us Lonnie. Some are just.. too stupid to see what they
have when they have it..”
Nodding knowingly, Lonnie patted Lance on the back, “Some day he’ll know. Let’s just
hope for both their sakes that it won’t be too late.”
“Let’s hope for her sake,” Lance corrected, frowning as he walked away with Lonnie
trailing him.
