Joanie put down the stack of papers she'd been reading and ran a hand over her face. Kat's heart fell. She hated it. Oh God. Katia wanted to die, disappear under the table, her second slash along with her. Before she did that, she heard Joanie's laughter.
"Out with it," Kat said, "just tell me you hate it already!"
"Hate it?" Joanie wiped tears from her eyes. "It's incredible! I don't know if Paul's thought his cameo appearance was going to be quite like this."
"I know."
"But damn... that's my boyfriend in that story, fucking... alluding to fucking Andrew, and wanting Jeff. God, that makes me so horny!"
"That's good."
"What about you though?" Joanie asked, leaning forward, "doesn't turn you on to write this stuff?"
"Writing about it's a incredible turn-on. I can't NOT get turned on when I write this... it's impossible."
"Kind of like making up your own gay porno in your head, right?"
"Exactly like that! And guys think gay sex doesn't turn women on... how could it not?" Katia asked, a smile playing on her lips.
"I am with you on that. All and all, I like your story and although Paul's going to hate it at first, once I explain its... effects on me... he'll love it."
Jason and Jeff came over then, smiling expectantly.
"We saw you writing," Jeff said, "can we hope you were at least writing about one of us?"
"Both of you actually."
"Can we read what you have so far?"
"Not yet. I still have to edit it and type it up. Probably clean it up and change a few things, you know."
"Okay. Uh Kat, am I cute in it?"
"Baby," Katia answered Jeff, "you're cute and you're sexy in it."
"Very sexy," Joanie confirmed.
"And it's hot?" Jason asked. "Hotter than Adam's story?"
"I'd say so."
"Thanks again," said Jeff, bending down to peck her cheek, "you're the sweetest girl ever!"
"I agree with the Hardy," said Jason, "but you had to be sweet. It's a Canadian thing."
That being said, Jason and Jeff walked away, smiling happily.
"They'll be crushed," Joanie said, watching them walk away.
"They wanted the story to be cute and hot. It's cute and hot, no?"
"You're playing with words Kat."
"Of course I am... I'm a writer, ain't I?"
"Yeah but..."
"And they didn't say it could be hot with the two of them doing each other, did they?"
"True."
Paul and Shane came back to the dining room just then, grinning eagerly.
"Is this it?" Paul asked, pointing to the stack of written paper, "you done?"
"Yep."
"And my cameo? You didn't forget it, did you?"
"Oh, you're in there," Joanie chuckled.
"She read it?"
"Yes. But you can't read it," Katia said, picking up the story, "not until it's all done."
"Why not?" Paul whined, "please?"
"Not until it's perfect."
"Fine!"
"Can I read it?" Shane asked.
"Of course," Kat said, "but promise you won't tell anyone anything about it, except for Joanie and me."
"Okay."
"Why does he get to read it when I can't?" asked Paul as Joanie took Shane aside to read the story.
"Because I go to bed with him at night."
Paul groaned and made a sad face. Kat playfully tugged on his ponytail.
"You want to hear something cool?" she asked him.
"Sure. What is it?"
"You're playing a major role in one of my upcoming stories."
"I am? What kind of guy do I get to be in this one?"
"Shane's best friend."
"Like in real life?"
"Exactly like that."
Kat sat in the owner's box with Linda and Vince. Her fingers tapped a nervous beat on top of a counter, her eyes unable to focus on the TV monitor where RAW was kicking off. She wanted nothing more than a cigarette. She was somewhat proud about having held out for more than 24 hours but right now, she needed the calming effect of smoking to fill her lungs.
"I'll be right back," she told Shane's parents before hurrying out of the box.
Kat headed to the arena's VIP restaurant and took a seat on the edge of the smoking section, close to a ceiling fan. She pulled the small red box of her DuMaurier cigarettes out and flicked open the lid. It was a full pack, except for the two cigarettes she'd indulged in at the airport and in the cab yesterday. She pulled a thin stick of tobacco out, inhaling its cloying scent, and brought it up to her mouth, allowing her painted lips
to close around the filter. Then, she pulled a lighter out, one that matched her pack of cigarettes, and her fingers flipped the switch, making a flame appear. With a pleasure that bordered on the unholy, Kat brought the flame to the tip of the cigarette inhaling until the cigarette was properly lit.
Damn, if that didn't feel good, she thought as the smoke filled her lungs. Her eyes strayed to the nearby TV and she was finally able to focus on RAW. She smoked her cigarette slowly, enjoying every breath, not knowing when she'd get another chance to smoke.
After going to the bathroom to gurgle and spray her body and clothes with a fruity perfume, Kat rejoined Linda and Vince, only to find Shane's father on the phone.
"Oh," said Vince, waving her over, "she just walked back in. It's Shane."
"Thank you," said Katia, taking the phone, "what's up?"
"Wanna go out tonight?"
"I never turn down a party," she joked.
"Good. Dwayne's the main attraction for a club that's opening tonight. A Montreal band's supposed to be playing."
"Cool. What kind of place is it?"
"Dance, salsa... your kind of shit."
"Good."
"One tiny thing though. I have to stay here and handle some paperwork. But Dwayne said he'd take you there. We'll just hook up a little later. Is that okay with you?"
"Yeah, sounds great."
On the way to the club, Dwayne told Katia so many jokes he made her cry.
"Who knew you were so funny?" she asked as she wiped tears from her eyes.
"I did... and my wife of course."
"Figures."
When they got to the club, Katia stood off to the side and watched Dwayne as he became THE ROCK, signing autographs and generally delighting his fans, all the while keeping that wonderful smile of his on. The club's owner stepped in after twenty minutes and whisked them away to the VIP area.
An hour passed and although she'd hit the dance floor a few times with arriving WWF stars, Katia was getting bored. Where the hell was Shane? She was about to step outside for a quick cigarette when someone laid a gentle kiss on the nape of her neck. Shane!
"You made me wait," she said sullenly, not turning around.
"How did you even know I was here?"
"Sammy!"
Katia threw her arms around his neck and pecked both of his cheeks. Sammy was a singer/actor she'd met through her friend Jess almost two years ago. She had had a not-so discreet crush on him since their initial meeting.
And how could she not? Tall, dark and handsome, not to mention sweet and ambitious. Although he was interested in Jess, he'd never ignored her friend, playfully flirting with her, never making her feel like a third wheel.
They'd been seeing each other quite often in the past month or so since Kat and Jess went to see him and his band play at a popular Montreal restaurant once a week.
"What are you doing here?" she asked him.
"We're playing here tonight."
"You guys are the Montreal band. That's so great!"
"Tell me about it. I saw both Gloria Estefan and her husband back there."
"But how did you guys get this gig?"
"Alejandro's nephew owns this club."
"That's so great!"
"And listen... is it me or is that our song?"
Santana's Smooth began and Kat placed her hand in his, allowing him to lead her to the dance floor. The way she looked at it, whether Shane was there or not, she was going to have fun.
Shane walked into the club just in time to see Kat's colored nails curl around the muscled bicep of a man who was leading her to the dance floor and was awestruck. First of all, Kat looked really good in a simple strapless black dress that ended past her knees. Her wavy hair hung on her shoulders and her legs were encased in knee-high beige suede high heel boots. As for her partners, he was about 6'4", leanly muscular and bald. His complexion was lighter than Kat's and was complimented by his neatly clipped goatee. He was wearing black pants and a tight grey tee-shirt.
Shane barely recognized the song and did his best not to stare as Katia and her partner danced. But it was nearly impossible. He'd seen her dance with Jason and Gary but that had been different. Whereas one was an employee who knew better than to even think about making a move on the boss's girlfriend, the other was her cousin. And there had been that guy from the New Year's Eve party. but that had been different too. Alan and Katia danced to provoke, erotically, blatantly sexual in every move.
But with this guy. physically, they were a match, both so lean and tall, their complexions contrasting and complementing each other. Not to mention their ease on the dance floor, an ease that could only stem from familiarity. But how could that be, Shane wanted to know.
His heart tightening, Shane realized his girlfriend was completely unaware of his presence, lost as she was the private and exclusive world she had created with her partner. Then, they executed an intricate series of steps that had Katia weaving around her dance partner as per the directives of his body, his hands skimming over her body delicately. sensually.
Sensuality. That was the word. They moved across the floor sensually, acutely aware of each other and Shane was just as aware of their connection, and of the fact that he'd never connected with Katia quite like that. Katia's dancing was completely hers and no matter how hard he tried, it was a part of her he couldn't share. It wasn't so much that she didn't want to share that part of herself with Shane but it was inate to her. She danced without thinking, instinctively. It was a feeling of abandon she could only share with dancers like herself, or her current partner.
Shane clicked his tongue against his palate and turned from the dance floor, only to find that avoiding to look at the dance floor didn't ease the sharpness of his jealousy.
"Shane's here!" said Katia as Smooth ended. "I want to introduce you to him."
"The boyfriend, huh?"
"Yeah. And Sammy? He doesn't know that I smoke."
"Secrets? Oh, baby girl, you know better."
"No time for lectures Sammy. Shane!"
Katia hurried to Shane, dragging Sammy behind her.
"Shane!" she said, kissing him, "I was starting to wonder if you were going to make it after all."
"And you found someone to replace me?" Shane asked, looking Sammy up and down.
"Never that. This is Samuel Blanco. I told you about him. Jess and I go to his shows every Wednesday?"
"Samuel."
"Shane," said Sammy, eyeing Kat and her boyfriend as the two men shook hands, "Kat talks about you all the time."
"Thanks. She loves your band. Always calls me when she goes to see you."
"She's a flatterer. And one hell of a writer too."
"You read some of her stuff?"
Kat looked up at Shane and saw something slightly strange in his expression. At the same time, his hand tightened around her waist, drawing her to him possessively.
"Yeah and I loved it," said Sammy, grinning uncomfortably. "Katia, I'm going to have to let you go. We have to set up for our set."
"Okay, that's cool."
"I am going to see you on that dance floor, right?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Sammy shook Shane's hand one more time and walked away. Katia turned in Shane's arms and sighed.
"He's such a perfect gentleman."
"Sammy? Perfect? Really?"
"Yeah. He's nice, responsible, generous... one of the few good black men I know."
"So why aren't you with him?" Shane snapped, his body stiffening.
"Because he's in love with my best friend Jess."
Shane had the decency to look surprised, which he was. Kat curled her fingers around his neck until her mouth was at a level with his ear."
"I love you but if you thought I was going to wait for you to get here to start having fun, then you were sadly mistaken."
"Kat..."
"And remember this... I love you and I love Sammy. But he's a friend. You're my lover. There is a big difference."
"I know. But when I walked in and saw the two of you burning it up on the dance floor..."
"But that's it. on the dance floor only. We'll never burn it up anywhere else."
Still a tad angry, Kat stalked off to the table where Paul, Joanie and Dwayne were waiting for her.
"So, who was that?" Joanie asked, "the dance floor Adonis?"
"Sammy," Kat replied curtly, not looking at an approaching Shane.
"Oh, that's Sammy. The guy Jess is so desperately in love with, right?"
"Right."
"So how come they haven't hooked up yet?" Paul asked, "I mean, even I have to admit, the boy's hot."
"Do you now?" Kat asked, thinking about her story, "you think Sammy's hot, huh?"
Joanie and Kat shared a look and dissolved into laughter and Dwayne and Paul looked on, not understanding. Shane smiled tightly, knowing all too well what caused the women's hilarity.
"What the hell's with them man? I mean, Joanie's been looking at me funny all day and now this. Shane?"
"I say nothing."
By then, Kat and Joanie had somewhat sobered. But when they looked up again and their eyes fell on Paul, the laughter started again.
"I know they're laughing about me," he said, "but I want to know why. Shane?"
"No way, I'm in enough trouble as it is. You're on your own."
Paul got an intensely focused look on his face as he stared at both Kat and Joanie, who stared right back at him seriously... for about ten seconds before erupting into gales of laughter.
Dwayne was in the small stage-like area in front of the band, welcoming everyone to the club on behalf of the owner's. Shane sat at the table across from Katia as she whispered a few things in Joanie's ear. She was still angry at him for the whole being late thing, and the jealousy thing but how the hell was a man supposed to feel when he saw his girlfriend moving the way she's moved in Sammy's arms. Just accept it and say nothing?
"Take a deep breath man," counselled Paul, "you look like you're about to blow something."
"I am."
"What happened?"
"I made the mistake of being jealous of Katia and that guy she was dancing with. Now she's mad."
"Ouch. Here's a little free advice. If Kat were younger and flightier, chances are, your doubts would be justified."
"But?"
"She's older and wiser and she said the whole I love you thing. From a woman like that, that's as good as you're going to get."
"So I fucked up?"
"You fucked up."
Shane looked across the table at his girlfriend and slid his hand across the table to cover hers. His fingers were a mere eighth of an inch from hers when she started clapping and getting up from the table.
"Come on Jo," pulling her friend to her feet, "let's hit the dance floor.
"I don't dance salsa babe," Joanie said, laughing.
"I'll teach you, it's easy."
Without a glance to Shane or Paul, they were gone.
"Man Shane, this is worse than I thought."
"Looks that bad, huh?"
"Yeah. I'd be tempted to believe you won't ever have sex again."
"Great! That's just great."
Katia and Joanie made their way to the front of the band just as the Latin Groove began their rendition of Santana's Maria, Maria. But Sammy and the lead female singer spotted her on the dance floor and they waved at her. Then Sammy approached his microphone and did something that shocked Katia down to her core.
Ho Katia Katia
She reminds me of a west side story
Growing up in Spanish Harlem
She's living the life just like a movie star
As he sang, Sammy looked straight at Katia who could do nothing but smile right back at him and blow him a kiss of thanks.
Shane sat straight up in his chair as Sammy serenaded Kat with that song. He felt a vein pulse on his forehead and looked like he was about to spit nails. Next to him, Paul was trying to calm him down.
"Come on Shane-O, relax, it's just a song."
"He's serenading my girlfriend! Right there, in my face! That cocky son of a bitch!"
"Shane... breathe man... I don't think you should be turning red like that. It's not healthy."
"Oh, you think this is funny, don't you? It's damn hilarious, right Paul?"
"Shane, he's just a friend."
"Joanie's just my friend, I don't treat her like that."
"Well, there's two reasons for that," Paul said with a smile, "first of all, you can't sing. Second of all, if you did what that guy is doing with your girlfriend to my girlfriend, I'd have to kill you."
"So I should kill him?" Shane asked almost eagerly.
"No... but look down there and tell me that girl doesn't have it hard for you."
Shane looked down at the dance floor where Kat stood, waving up at him, a smile on her face, gesturing him to join her.
"See, she wants you to join her."
"She's just being nice."
Paul slapped Shane upside the head so hard that the younger man's head almost hit the table top.
"Go down there you prick! She loves you! I don't know why but she does! Now go before I kick your ass down there."
Shane slowly made his way to Kat who opened her arms to him.
"I... uh... I... don't know how to dance to this," he whispered in her ear.
"In that case, just hold me tight and follow my lead."
On the stage, Sammy looked down at Kat and at her boyfriend and smiled. One day, he hoped, one day Jess and him would dance like that, holding each other tight, letting the whole world see their love.
When they got back to their hotel room, Katia was still moving to the music in her head. As a matter of fact, as Shane watched, she danced her way in and around the room to N'Sync's Bye, Bye, Bye, singing the chorus over and over again.
"Had fun?" he asked, throwing down the car keys and the hotel key card on the coffee table.
"Oh yeah. You know, there's a song from a musical that goes I Could Have Danced All Night? Well, that's me. I could have danced all night."
As she spoke, Kat slid out of her clothes until all she had on was a strapless bra and panties. She then turned to Shane, tapping the tip of his nose with her index finger.
"Did you have fun?" she asked him.
"It was all right," he said sullenly.
"Right," she whispered, "you couldn't have had any fun when you were wasting so much time being so needlessly jealous!"
Shane had the decency to hang his head low and look ashamed.
"Baby," he began, "I'm sorry. It's just that."
"Nope, can't get out of it. You were a total asshole tonight."
"I know."
"Sammy loves Jessyka! Remember her?"
"Kat."
"I am so mad at you Shane. But you wanna know something? Tough noogie!"
"Tough noogie?" he asked with a smile.
"Do you think I care whether or not I get your dumb American expressions right? Cause I don't. You have a problem with my being friends with Sammy? You got a problem with my having guy friends Shane? Cause I make friends with guys real easy and they like me back. I'm cool and I'm nice and I'm a tomboy. They love that about me and I like that about me."
"I'm sorry Katia... it's just that you and Sammy seemed so close and intimate on that dance floor... and..."
"Didn't I tell you that Sammy was just a friend?"
"Yeah... but then he sang to you."
"That was Sammy being nice! Damn you Shane!"
"Damn me?" he looked down at Kat, saw her hurt expression.
"Yes! Damn you! Don't you trust me?"
Shane gasped, surprised by her blunt question.
"I do."
"You evidently don't. And you know what? It should be me not trusting you. After all, you probably have ringrats trying to get into your bed every night. But I trust you to be faithful. You see me one night with one guy, a friend, and you have the gall to be jealous! You distrusting bastard!"
"Baby," he opened his arms to her, smiling at her, using his legendary pout. "I'll make it up to you."
"You think you can?"
"I'll try," he grinned."
"Another night," Kat said. "Tonight, you're going to get intimate with that sofa bed. Get pillows and blankets from the bedroom."
"Katia!"
"I'm serious Shane. I'm mad at you right now and I don't trust myself not to start hitting you in your sleep. Now get a move on."
Katia pulled a robe on and went to the small desk where she'd set up her laptop. She turned it on and logged on to the Internet. It was late and she doubted Brittni would still be on. She was right... but Carm was on.
KatWildMartin: Your brother is an ass
CarmieMcMahon: My brother? Oh, Shane. LoL. What did he do?
KatWildMartin: He got all jealous because this guy I know, who happens to be in love with my best friend, serenaded me tonight
CarmieMcMahon: LMAO
KatWildMartin: Not funny. I mean. I love him. Your dumbass brother, I mean
CarmieMcMahon: Does he know? And hella yeah, it's funny
KatWildMartin: Yes he does. I told him. If he doesn't know, he's dumber than I thought
CarmieMcMahon: what are you doing about it?
KatWildMartin: I'm having him sleep on the sofa
CarmieMcMahon: ROTFLMAO
KatWildMartin: Carmie!
CarmieMcMahon: I'm sorry. You're right. This is not funny
KatWildMartin: I so don't believe that
CarmieMcMahon: Good, cause this is too funny! LoL
KatWildMartin: You know, you're supposed to be helping me, not laughing at me
CarmieMcMahon: Crystal laughs at me all the time
KatWildMartin: Can Crystal get you free Wrestlemania tickets and unlimited backstage access to AXXESS?
CarmieMcMahon: You are so fucking with me, right?
KatWildMartin: I don't know. I was thinking of asking Shane to work something out for me
CarmieMcMahon signed off at 3:43:01
CarmieMcMahon signed on at 3:43:37
CarmieMcMahon: AOHell sucks!
KatWildMartin: LoL
CarmieMcMahon: You're not supposed to laugh!
KatWildMartin: You laughed at me
CarmieMcMahon: Right
CarmieMcMahon: So, is he still on the couch?
KatWildMartin: Yes
CarmieMcMahon: Are you going to leave him there all night?
KatWildMartin: I'm thinking about it
CarmieMcMahon: You're such a bitch
KatWildMartin: He has to learn to trust me. that dumbass
CarmieMcMahon: Yeah. You don't mind the ring rats do you?
KatWildMartin: I do. But I trust him.
CarmieMcMahon: That makes a big difference, doesn't it?
KatWildMartin: It does all right. I'm going to let you go all right?
CarmieMcMahon: Yeah. Night. And Kat?"
KatWildMartin: Yeah?
CarmieMcMahon: Teach him who's boss.
KatWildMartin: Will do. and can I tell him his little sister said that?
CarmieMcMahon: Sure.
Kat stripped off her robe and undies and slipped into bed. She propped up her pillows and closed her eyes, counting backward from a hundred. At seventy-three, she gave up.
"Shane?"
"Yeah?" he answered eagerly.
"Come to bed," she sighed.
Shane ran to the bed with a wide grin and Kat smiled, nestling into his arms.
The next morning, Katia sat at a table with her boyfriend and Joanie and Paul when she saw Matt Hardy run into the living room, waving a sheet of paper around. The smile on his face was too mischievious to mean good news.
"Aw shit," Kat whispered, "aw shit, aw shit, aw shit. Shane, you got your portable here with you?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"I want to check something."
Suddenly, there was a burst of laughter from where the boys were sitting, and Kat's heart fell. Joanie turned to her sharply.
"Is that what I think..."
"Yes."
Kat's fingers flew over the keyboard as she checked the site where her stories were posted.
"Why is it that for the one time I would have appreciated a delay in my stories going up, I don't get one?"
"Is my story up?" Paul asked brightly.
"Uh. yeah."
"Can I see it?"
"No?"
"Why shouldn't I see it?" he asked, making a grab for the laptop.
"Because I don't want you to?"
"Stop being an idiot Katia and let me see that story."
"Kat," said Shane, "he's going to see it sooner or later."
"I was hoping for later," she whispered, letting go of the laptop and watched Paul click on the hyperlink for The Request. As he read on, she watched his face fall and he looked up at her.
"I thought we had an agreement?" he shouted.
"An agreement?" she squeaked.
"You don't involve me in... those stories and I don't kill you!"
"Paul, come on," said Shane, "it's just a story, no more no less."
"Easy for you to say, it's not you out there being molested by Andrew."
"Molested?" Joanie exclaimed. "Oh tell me you're not serious. There was no molesting involved."
"He touched me!"
"And you were a willing partner," Kat said flatly.
"Ugh! It's disgusting!"
"Actually, Paul. I think you should know... reading about this stuff makes us... me, Kat, a lot of women, very horny."
"What?"
"Joanie's right," Kat confirmed. "We don't write this just for gay males... we write it for ourselves... for other women who get off on this."
"I'm the living proof man," Shane added. "I mean, nothing gets Kat's juices going like reading some of these erotic stories... and let me tell you... when she brings them into bed with us... whoa!!!"
"You don't mind reading about coworkers having sex together?"
"Well, mostly she brings me female/male ones, but when she reads the guy stuff... well, I can't help knowing I'm going to have some good sex."
"You too?" Paul asked Joanie. "It turns you on too?"
"Oh yeah... something about two guys going at it... especially when it's well written. It's one hell of a turn."
"Katia, that was not what we asked for," Jason came to the table, his face red with anger.
Behind him, Jeff Hardy had a weird smile on his face as he took in the approaching argument.
"Well, you asked for a story that was hot, and by God, I believe this was hot."
"It's a gay story!"
"Well, I don't think I make your sexual orientation very clear. I mean, the story doesn't exclude you might want to get down with girls. Just that on this one occasion, you got down with Rainbow here."
"But I don't like Jeff in that way."
"That's all fine and good. I mean, that's cool. You don't have to like Jeff in that way but for the purposes of my story, you do. That's all. It's not real. It's just a take on it... a possibility."
"Well, I don't like it."
"What about you?" Kat asked Jeff. "You've been extremely quiet through all of this."
"I ain't got much to say," he said, smiling at the author.
"Don't you mind the way I portrayed you?"
"I am rather cute in the story and that is what I asked for."
Jason and Paul turned to Jeff and threw their hands up in the air in disgust. Just then, Andrew ambled over, an unsure look on his face.
"Kat, Adam and Matt and Chris said I should be pissed at you about something."
"No, you shouldn't," Kat said, at the same time as Paul and Jason shouted their disagreements.
"What did you do?" he asked, a gentle smile on his face.
"Well, remember that story I wrote about you and Hunter... getting together?"
"That whole Wedding Night thing? What about it?"
"She used us again!" Paul shouted.
"You did?"
"Yeah. Are you mad?"
"Do I come off studly?" Andrew asked.
"You always come off studly," Kat smiled at him.
"So what's everyone's problem?"
"Jason and Paul are ticked off because I..."
"She made us gay," Jason exploded. "No way of being polite about it. She made us gay."
"I did not make you gay," Kat said with a kind smile, "I opened the door to your bisexuality."
"Argh!!!"
Jason stormed off amidst a gale of laughter while a still snarling Paul bent over Kat. She smiled up at him candidly and reached out to touch his hand.
"You owe me a story," he bit out, "a straight story."
"You have a straight story... a full-length story... in which you get the girl."
Paul still looked like he wanted to spit nails until Joanie pulled him away and started whispering something in his ear. He immediately calmed down and started smiling. In the meantime, Andrew and Jeff pulled chairs to the table and sat down next to Katia, grinning broadly.
"Run, baby," Shane whispered into Katia's ear as he kept an eye on both younger men, "I know that look they got in their eyes and I swear... it's no good."
"Now Shane, why do you have to malign us like that?" Andrew asked. "We're nice boys, right Jeff?"
"Sure we are."
"All right, nice boys... what do you want?"
"We've been reading some of the stories posted on the fanfic sites... is that what you call them?"
"Yeah... why?"
"We were wondering... you know any of these chicks?"
Jeff slid a piece of paper over to Katia and she looked over the names, finding some of them to be familiar, others not so much.
"I do, why?"
"What kind of people are they?"
"Again... why?"
"We're curious."
"Well, most of them are really cool. I mean, down to earth kind of chicks, living the real life you know. going to school, dealing with family crisis, boyfriends, growing up and shit."
"Any of them psychos?" Jeff asked with a frown.
"Some of them, I'm sure," Katia grinned. "But seriously, if you meet them at shows, they'll probably go way overboard... they'll go absolutely crazy. I mean, these girls love you guys. Remember how in the 80s girls were in love with New Kids On The Block? Well, back then, I watched wrestling but I loved Jordan. Now, girls love Brian and Kevin and Howie from the Backstreet Boys and they love you just the same."
"So we're teenage icons?"
"You're more than that... I mean... I'm not a teenager anymore but I got to say, I get a charge from watching you guys go at it out there. And unlike the teeny-boppers, I know exactly what I want to do to you."
"You do?" Andrew, Jeff and Shane asked at the same time.
"Oh yeah. I mean, when I was fourteen, I wanted to have NKOTB's Jordan as a boyfriend and make out with him... but I'm a woman now and... the things I want to do to you... much more than make out."
"Tell me more," Jeff asked, pulling his chair closer and closer.
"It's all about sex now," Katia explained, putting a soothing hand on Shane's leg.
"All about sex?"
"Yeah. but I know something. I love my boyfriend and no matter how hunky you boys are, and you are, he's my main guy," Kat whispered, kissing Shane's shocked mouth.
MID-JUNE 2000
"Yes, a suite with two rooms, total of four beds," Kat was saying as Shane came in, "the weekend of August 4th. We'll be arriving on Friday night. And leaving on Sunday morning."
Shane came up behind his girlfriend, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind as she finished his call. Somehow, she managed to finish her call while he nibbled on the back of her neck, whispered all kinds of sweet nothings into her ear. Finally, she put the wireless down on its stand and turned around in his arm.
"Well, hello to you too," she whispered before kissing him, sending her tongue into his mouth.
The couple staggered around the living room, ripping at each other's clothes until they were naked. well almost. Shane fingered Kat's bright red thong.
"Did you know I was coming to town?" he asked with a grin.
"No," she replied, running her fingers through his hair, pulling his face to hers.
"Since when do you wear thongs?"
"Really," Kat asked, running her hand over his chest, "do you want to talk about my thong right now?"
Shane chuckled and lowered his head to feast on the dark brown tip of her breast.
Kat nestled into Shane's arms and she smiled into his chest, lightly running her fingers over his arm.
"So, where are you going on the weekend of August 4th?" Shane asked.
"Oh Toronto. Didn't I tell you about that?"
"Maybe. Refresh my memory please."
"There isn't much to say honey. I'm going to Toronto for Carnival with Jess, Nat and Mireille."
"What about work?"
"I managed to get those days off."
"Oh."
"What was that oh all about Shane?" Kat asked, turning around to Shane.
"Nothing, nothing."
"Oooh, a double nothing. Shane, it's only Carnival."
"But Kat, we get to spend so little time together. I mean... you manage to get days off for Carnival but not for me?"
"Shane, last year, I promised Jess I would go to carnival with her. Before you came along."
"Oh," he pouted. "Maybe I can join you there."
"Nuh huh... it's a woman thing... you're my boyfriend. You can't be there."
"So you're going to Carnival with all these single women?"
"What makes you think all of my friends are single?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Well, I know Jess is single."
"Not anymore."
"So Sammy, huh?"
"Nope, not Sammy," Kat said dryly.
"How come? I thought you said they were meant for each other?"
"I thought so too. But she wants Guy instead."
"Guy?"
"Don't ask."
Shane nodded and Katia settled down on his chest, closing her eyes and dozing off. Thank God it was a warm night. The air was still and warm and lying across from Shane... that felt so good... it had been too long since they'd been together like that, just relaxing, doing nothing.
"So, what exactly goes on at this Carnival?" Shane asked.
"Huh?"
"Carnival... what's so special about it?"
"Nothing much. I mean, music, floats, people... good Caribbean food."
"Oh... no guys then?"
"Is that what you're worried about?" Kat asked, looking up at Shane.
"Not from your end. I mean, I trust you. But it's those guys I don't trust."
"What guys?"
"The guys who won't take no for an answer."
"Trust me, guys know when I say no, I mean no. Jess says it's because
I throw off a mean vibe."
"I didn't get a mean vibe."
"That's because you were a client when we met... and because you were cute."
"So... it's never been about me," he said, playfully tugging on one of her curls, "it's about my body, right?"
Kat laughed and eased off the couch, sticking her tongue out at Shane, "I'm not telling."
Then she took off running out of the living room. Shane growled and followed her up the stairs.
EARLY AUGUST
"Check it out Jason," Adam shouted, "we can get MuchMusic from here."
"What the fuck is MuchMusic?" Matt asked.
"It's a... Canadian MTV," Andrew asked.
"Yo man," Jeff said, ogling the skimpily clad women, "if that's Canada, I'm fucking moving!"
On the TV screen, women, most of them black, of every shade of brown and beige, showed off their short shorts, their tiny skirts and their legs, moving to the beats of reggae, calypso, zouk, kompa. Around them, Black men did what men did when they were surrounded by beautiful women... they ogled and made their moves.
"That's just Carnival," Jason explained, jockeying for room on the one couch in their large dressing room."
"So how come we're here and not there man," Jeff asked. "Look at that one. Those legs just go on forever!"
Jeff moved closer to the TV and pointed to a woman wearing dark blue shorts and a white halter top. Her long black hair was up in a ponytail and streaked with dark blue. She was moving her hips from side to side, her arms up in the air, laughing with some of her other, very attractive female friends.
"I knew we should have asked for this weekend off," Andrew was saying, "I knew it, I knew it. I could be out there, asking that cute one with the funky hair how to dance to reggae."
Apparently the VJ conducting the onsite interview agreed cause he went up to the women.
"And where are you fine ladies from?"
"Montreal PQ, baby!" said the cute one with the funky hair.
"And are all Montreal girls as hot as the four of you?"
"You betcha baby," said a voice all the boys were all too familiar with.
Jeff almost swallowed his tongue when he realized he'd been lusting after his boss's girlfriend. But then thoughts flew out of his mind when he realized her top was now see-through because of the water someone had dumped on her.
"We shouldn't be watching this," he said, his eyes still on the screen.
"Yeah Adam," said Andrew, "shut off the TV or switch the channel."
But none of the boys moved... even when Shane walked into the room.
"I was kind of worried when I walked by," he said, "we usually have to tell you boys to keep the volume d..."
That's when Shane saw her, on the screen, looking flushed and happy, the Ray-Ban sunglasses he'd given her on top of her head, her white top a flimsy cover from the breasts he considered to be his. Blindly, he reached for his cell phone and dialed.
Kat was enjoying the impromptu interview when her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. Who the hell would be calling her?
"Hello," she shouted, moving away from the MuchMusic camera.
"Baby, how nice your breasts look."
"Who the fuck is this?"
"It's the man you can't get a vacation for."
"Shane?"
"I just walked into a room filled with boys getting wood from watching your breasts, your wet breasts on TV."
"And you decided to call me because?"
"I thought this was something harmless... but here you are, flaunting yourself, exposing."
Kat pressed the end button and walked back to her friends. The interview was winding down when Kat spotted a fine looking Nubian prince watching her. She smiled into the camera and crooked her finger at him. He came over eagerly.
"And for all those of you who are at home," Kat said, linking her arm with Tall, dark and handsome, "this is why women come to Carnival. The fine men!"
And she walked away, letting that stranger wrap an arm around her waist. Her phone buzzed once and she turned it off... she wasn't in the mood to get interrupted.
Shane punched Kat's number in again and got her voice mail right away. Damn her to hell!
"It's just us girls," he mimicked his girlfriend. "Well, that was one hell of an ugly girl!"
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