Author's Notes --------------
Hello, gentle readers. I know you're probably all wondering WHY in the world I would be so kind as to post again so soon. Well, it's because of the fact that I will be out of town for a few days. So, I won't be able to post until Monday or so.
I will be continuing writing. Maybe I'll hit Chapter 100 before I get back to town. Who knows? Perhaps United will turn out like Delta and I'll be 'stranded' in Florida again. Yeah. That'd be a real bummer.
Anyway, hope y'all enjoy this next section. It is the beginning of a major turning point in Kev & Dylan's relationship. I think so, anyway. So...enjoy...
Disclaimer ----------
The story contained here is entirely in the (possibly unbalanced) mind of its author. As much as I might like to bear Kevin's children (which would be nothing short of a miracle), I have no idea if he or any of the other BSB is actually gay. Now that Kevin's engaged, I have a good idea that he's not. If any of the BSB read this story and are offended, they should certainly exercise their right to free speech and e-mail me to complain all about it. Readers should enjoy the fantasy, but remember that reality may be (and probably is) dramatically different.
Don't read this little tale of love if you're too young where you live. Don't read this little tale of love if it's illegal where you live. If either of those two things applies to where you live, I recommend that you MOVE!!!
And now...'Forever'...
Chapter 50
I set the last box down before dropping into the recliner. It was about the only open space in the entire room at the moment. Kev had snagged one corner of the couch, and Nick had managed to get in behind some other boxes to lean against the wall.
I took a moment to look around my new place. It was pretty roomy, actually, although it didn't look it with boxes and furniture stuffed everywhere. I dreaded unpacking, but I knew I'd power through it as fast as I could. As much as I hated unpacking, I hated not being settled in a lot worse.
It had been just about six weeks since the guys had finished their tour. Just over a month since Dad had died. I had finally managed to find myself a new place to live, a house this time.
The house wasn't a whole lot bigger than my apartment had been, but it did have some nice features. A back yard, for one, with a high wooden fence and plenty of trees to keep out nosy neighbors. Plus, the house was in a secure community, so it had a gate at the entrance. I didn't figure it'd make a whole lot of difference, but it made me feel better when Kevin was around.
One other bonus of the new place was that it had three bedrooms. One of those was going to be converted to my study. The master bedroom even had a small deck overlooking the back yard. It wasn't much, but I could sit out at night and watch my stars. The third room was going to be the spare bedroom and `game room'.
I smiled to myself remembering that. Nick's housewarming gift for me had been not one but several game systems. Never mind that I hadn't played any of the new systems. Nor that I hadn't even touched a video game in something like ten years. Of course, the gift was for ME and had nothing to do with the fact that he'd been spending time at my place lately. He was so thoughtful.
Actually, Nick wasn't the only one of the guys who'd been spending time with me lately. He'd taken to bringing Brian along on his visits once in a while. I had been a little apprehensive about that at first. Brian and I still hadn't connected, and I was especially nervous around him for some reason. Maybe it was because he was Kev's family.
But, my worries turned out to be for nothing. He and I had finally managed to hit it off. He really was a nice guy, I was finding. And, he was happy cause he could kick my butt at pretty much any game we tried playing. I guess he'd gotten sick of Nick's winning streak. I got the impression that Nicky wasn't a good winner.
AJ and Howie weren't quite as frequent in their visits, but they had come down a time or two. AJ was turning back into his more relaxed self, a little goofy, a little out there, but also a good man to have at your back.
He was forever ranting about my wardrobe, or lack thereof. He couldn't figure out how I, being the good little gay boy that I was, could be so lacking in fashion sense. Never mind that what he considered fashion would be WAY out of my league. So, his missions...well, visits, had mainly consisted of trips to the mall. I was gonna be broke if he kept visiting me like that. He was also working on getting me to submit to a tattoo, but I had managed to hold that off so far.
Howie and I had started to bond fairly well. Out of all the guys, he was probably the one I was the least close to, though. It was difficult for me to figure him out. He just seemed to exist in his own world. He graced ours with his presence quite a bit, but there was always something in his eyes. Something that said he knew things that the rest of us didn't.
But, he was a good guy, and very generous with his time and money. He was the one guy who seemed to spend the most time working with charities and kids' groups. All of them put in time, but Howie always went that extra mile. I'd guess it was because he'd lost family himself.
And, of course, there was Kevin. Once the guys had gone back to work, we didn't get to see as much of each other. They were in meeting a lot, making plans for their new album. Or, they had public appearances to make. Their lives, while not as consumed as when they were on tour, were still very full.
But, he was happy. Entertaining was what he loved, and if all of this went with it, he was happy to do it. As long as he could make music.
We'd managed to spend every weekend together, either at his place or mine. If they had an appearance to make when I was there, I usually tagged along, staying behind the scenes as much as possible. So far, no one had really seemed to notice the fact that I was there so often. I was hoping that kept up for a while.
Kev occasionally came down to Tampa in the evenings during the week as well. He didn't do that as often, as he usually had to get up pretty early, and all the driving tended to wear after a while.
The guys had all offered to help me move. All except Brian, that is. He had already made plans to be out of town this weekend. The rest pitched in and helped out.
Howie had very generously volunteered AJ to clean my old apartment. AJ, of course, noted that no one could clean as well as Howie, thus volunteering his services as well. Inwardly, I had breathed a sigh. I had been a little scared at the thought of AJ cleaning my old place. He was a pretty responsible guy, but that might've been stretching his talents.
So, that left Kev, Nick, and I to haul the boxes and furniture out of my old place and into my new one. I didn't mind. Frankly, I hated cleaning. I'd much rather haul boxes and stuff for ten hours than clean. Besides, a day of watching Kevin sweat and grunt and lift was worth pretty much any price.
Lindsay had managed to conveniently get scheduled to work. She had said that she'd be over tomorrow morning to help out with the unpacking and whatever else was left by that time.
I was pulled from my thoughts by a knock at the door. It seemed a little strange to me to have visitors, considering I'd barely been in the neighborhood for two hours. But, I managed to drag my tired body out of the chair and head out to the hall and then to the front door.
The sight that greeted me wasn't exactly what I would've expected in a welcoming committee. There were two young girls standing there, neither of them could've been over 15. There was also a guy there, probably around Nick's age, who was trying his best to look bored, although something about his body language said he was actually interested in what was going on.
"Hello," I said politely.
"Hi," one of the girls, a brunette, said. "We just noticed you moving in and thought we'd stop by and say hi."
"Thanks," I said, a little surprised that a couple of kids had decided to welcome little old me.
In my own defense, I was very tired. And I wasn't exactly thinking clearly. If I were, I probably would've clued in to why these particular young ladies were actually visiting. And I would've realized it had nothing to do with me. Their next statement opened my eyes pretty quickly.
"Oh my God, it IS him! It's Nick!" the second girl, a redhead, said. Or squealed would be a better description. "I couldn't believe it when I saw you outside."
I looked over my shoulder to see a blushing Nick Carter standing there. I shot him a look of Thanks a lot' with plenty of sarcasm thrown in. He just shrugged his shoulders and mouthed sorry' back. So much for privacy here.
"Kevin's here too, isn't he?" the first girl said, looking back at me for a split second before once again focusing on Nick. "I'd swear I saw him, too."
"Yeah, I'm here, too," Kev's voice came in from the living room, just before he walked into the entryway.
"Oh my God, Kevin and Nick are moving into our neighborhood. Melissa's gonna be so jealous!" shouted the brunette again, looking at her friend. They started jumping up and down, clutching each other's hands.
"Whoa, hold it. Calm down here," I said, trying to bring some order to the screaming teens. "They're not moving in here. I'm moving in here. They just happen to be slave labor today," I smiled. The girls looked so dejected when they heard that. As if Kevin and Nick would actually move in here.
"Look, my name's Dylan. You obviously know my friends, Nick and Kevin," I said, holding out a hand. The brunette took it.
"I'm Jen, this is Sara," she said, indicating her redheaded friend. "And this," she motioned to the guy, "is my brother Scot."
The guy wasn't really paying attention. He was pretty fixed on Kevin, for some reason. This clue I actually caught right away. We had a fellow Kevin `fan' in our midst, and I didn't think he was a fan of just Kev's voice. I wasn't sure if I liked that or not. Jen nudged her brother, who blushed when he realized we were all looking at him.
"Hi," he said as he held out his hand. I had to admit, he was a pretty attractive guy. Dark black hair, kind of curly and cut short. Very brown eyes, and a nicely put together body, from what I could see.
I invited everyone into the living room. There wasn't much room to sit, but we made do. The girls actually managed to calm down and behave themselves. Kev and Nick talked with them as though very happy to have them there. But, I could tell that Kevin was a little disappointed at the intrusion into our private space.
Scot mostly stood off to the side. He wasn't doing a very good job of hiding his interest in Kevin. Our eyes met at one point. I raised an eyebrow, and he had the good graces to blush. I think he was worried that I would say something, but I let it slide.
I'd only been sitting a few minutes when there was another knock on the door. I was a little afraid it was more of the `welcoming committee', but, fortunately it was Howie and AJ. When the girls saw them, the screams started again. Fortunately, they were brief.
Howie and AJ joined us in the living room. The girls started bombarding the guys with questions. They were the usual sort you might expect from the younger fans, but there was the occasional intelligent question thrown in.
It was actually interesting to watch the girls interact with the guys. You could tell who their favorites were pretty easily. Sara was all into Nick. She paid some attention to the other guys, but for her, Nick was the man. Jen was definitely an AJ fan, although she spent a lot of time talking with Howie, too. Once again, Kev was kind of the odd man out.
"Does anyone want somethin' to drink?" I interrupted shortly after AJ and Howie had arrived. I had remembered to stock the fridge with some pop and beer, figuring my slaves would expect cold refreshments after their labors. Everyone decided they wanted something. So, I volunteered an assistant.
"Scot, why don't you gimme a hand in the kitchen?" He nodded, a little nervously I thought. We both walked out to the hall and down to the kitchen.
"So, where do you guys live, Scot?" I asked, making polite chitchat.
"My folks' place is across the street. I'm actually in school at USF. I live up there," he replied. He was having trouble meeting my eyes.
We talked a few minutes about school, then. I'd guessed pretty close about his age. He was 19 and in his second year of classes. He seemed to relax a bit while we talked school. Then, I decided to get to the core of the matter.
"So, Scot, are you gay? Or do you consider yourself bi?" I asked. His face shot up to look at mine. I thought for a second he was gonna pass out, he looked so pale.
"It's ok, man. I'm gay, and I just thought I noticed a few looks you were giving," I said, trying to reassure him. He glanced out towards the hall.
"I'm gay," he replied quietly. "Nobody knows, ok? Please don't say anything."
"I won't, Scot. Our secret, ok?" He nodded. "You might wanna try to be a little more subtle, though. The way you're looking at Kevin kinda gives away what you're thinking. You're a fan, I take it?" He blushed, looking away again.
"Yeah, I am. I've had a think for him for as long as I can remember," he said softly. He looked to my eyes once more. "How can't I, man? He's SO hot, and that voice."
At this point I wasn't sure whether to chuckle or toss him out on his hot little ass. I'll admit, I was a little jealous hearing him talk about my boyfriend like that.
"Do they know about you? About you being gay, I mean?" he interrupted my thoughts.
"Yeah, they know. They've known since we met," I replied.
"Are they ok with it?" he asked.
"Well," I said, starting with a note of sarcasm, "since they're all here helping me move, I'd guess that they're probably fine with it." I smiled to cut down on the edge in my tone.
"Oh, yeah, I guess that's true," he said. "It must be so cool to have people know and be comfortable with it."
"Not everyone I know is comfortable with it, Scot. But, most everyone is. And, yeah, it is pretty nice to just be myself," I said.
I was beginning to feel kind of sorry for the guy. I remembered the days of closet living. Always worried about saying the wrong thing, or looking too long at the wrong guy. There were so many things you had to be careful of when you were still closeted.
"Hey, Dylan, we're thirsty, man. You coming with those drinks or what?" Howie's voice interrupted our talk just before the man himself walked through the door.
"Yeah, Howie, sorry. Scot and I got to talkin' for a minute," I said. Howie just nodded, then helped us load up on cans to take back to the living room.
"You seem to have nice neighbors," Kev whispered into my ear. He was wrapped up behind me, his chest against my back, his arms and legs tied up with mine.
"Yeah, they are, I guess," I sighed.
It was the dead of night. The neighbors had left hours ago, along with Howie and AJ. Those two were having dinner with their families in Orlando, so they'd left to get back there.
Nick and Kevin had stayed the night. Nick was sleeping in the spare room tonight. They'd offered to help me unpack and get the house setup tomorrow.
"You don't sound too happy, D," Kev said.
"I dunno, Kev. I was hoping that people wouldn't figure out who you guys were so fast. It was probably a stupid hope, but having those girls find out on your first day really bugs me. Now, we're gonna have to be cautious every time you guys come over," I replied.
"Don't worry `bout it, D. It might be like that at first, but they'll eventually get used to us being around," He said. He shifted up to kiss my cheek. "It'll be fine, sweetie."
"Scot has a major crush on you, ya know," I switched subjects.
"Yeah, I was wonderin' about that," he said. "Do I sense a little jealousy?" He was grinning at me, I could tell. I nudged him lightly with my elbow. I wasn't comfortable getting teased about this right now.
Kevin shifted away from me, giving himself enough room to pull me over on my back. He moved on top of me, settling his weight on me and putting his hands up next to my face.
"You ARE jealous, aren't you?" he asked. His voice was a mixture of concern and amazement.
"I'm sorry, Kev, I can't help it," I whispered, turning my head into his hand.
"Dylan, fans throw themselves at me all the time, and it's never bothered you like this before," he said.
"Yeah, but when a fan's all over you, it's usually not someone who lives across the street from me, ya know?"
He leaned down and kissed me, lightly brushing his lips across mine. He ran his tongue gently over my bottom lip. I instinctively opened my mouth, but he didn't deepen the kiss. Instead, he leaned back to speak.
"Dylan, sweetie, no one can ever compare to you. No one can even come close to doing the things to me that you do," he said. He pushed his hips into mine, emphasizing his point.
"Kev, I'm bein' a dumbass, I know. But it still bothers me. I just got a weird feeling watching Scot watch you today. I'm sorry," I said.
"I don't mind, D. I kinda like that you get jealous," he smiled a moment before getting serious again, "Just always remember who has my heart, ok?"
I nodded, leaning up to lightly kiss him. When my head dropped back to the pillow, his followed, keeping our lips together. It started out gently, then became more forceful and demanding as the seconds passed. I could feel his passion building, as was mine. He pulled his mouth away, moving down the side of my face.
"Ya know, it's tradition for a couple to make love in their new house on the first night. It's good luck, ya know," he said, his lips against my ear.
"'their' new house, huh?" I chuckled at him.
"Yeah, baby," he replied.
"You gonna be helpin' with the mortgage and bills, there, baby?" I asked.
"Hey, I offered, man. Not my fault you turned me down," he laughed into my ear.
He was right, he had offered to pay for part of the house. His justification was that he'd be spending so much time here. I refused to let him, of course, and he'd accepted that. But it was fun to joke with him about it.
"Well, stud, there're other ways to pay for things," I whispered, turning my head to his ear. "And you're gonna have to make up for that freeloader you always bring with you," I joked, referring to Nick.
"I guess I'd better get started on that bill then, huh?" he asked, lifting his head to stare down at me as he thrust his hips into mine. I didn't answer with words, just pulled his head to mine and wrapped my legs around his waist, ready to christen `our' new home.
Chapter 51
I jerked awake, unsure of what had brought me out of my sleep. I lay in bed, listening for a minute, but I didn't hear anything unusual. I guess it was just something in my dream that startled me enough to wake me.
Kev and I had separated in the night. I could still feel the warmth from his body, but we were no longer touching. He was on his side, his back facing me. His breathing was slow and even. My sudden wakening hadn't disturbed him, I guess.
I lay in bed for a bit, trying to settle back to sleep. But, there was something wrong. I had a strange feeling, like someone had just walked on my grave or something. I had no idea what was causing it, but it was keeping me from sleep.
I slid out of bed, taking a second to throw on a pair of boxers. I walked over to my little private deck and stepped out, being careful with the door so I wouldn't wake Kevin.
Without a clock or my watch, I couldn't tell what time it was. But, judging by the general stillness in the air, I'd guess that it was about 3:00am. The city was asleep, as I should have been.
I looked out at the sky. The moon was full tonight, although there was a haze of clouds filtering its light. The clouds were also keeping the starlight very thin.
I stood there thinking, trying to put a finger on what was bothering me so much tonight. The only touchy thing I could think of that'd happened today was meeting Scot. The surge in my gut told me that was probably it.
I tried to analyze what my problem with the guy was. He seemed like a nice enough kid. In a lot of ways, I felt sorry for him. He had to be lonely for the company of other gays if he was that far in the closet. But something was bugging me about him.
I tried to think about his visit today, going over every detail in my mind. I examined every memory, wondering if there was something in his words or mannerisms that would put me on guard like this.
It had to be more than just his interest in Kevin. I knew how Kev felt about me, and I had no reason to be concerned about him hooking up with Scot for anything. I refused to believe that I could be so jealous of him that I couldn't sleep because of it, especially after Kev and I had talked earlier.
I sighed, giving up for now. I had no idea what my problem was. I guess I'd just have to wait and see what developed with him. I did know I'd be keeping an eye on him, though.
"D?" Kev's sleepy voice came to me from the bedroom. I turned and walked back in. "What's the matter, baby?" he asked from the bed. He was leaning up on one arm, looking at me.
"Nothin', Kev. I just woke up and couldn't sleep is all," I whispered to him, hoping to keep from waking him all the way.
He shifted in the bed, sliding over and flipping the covers back, inviting me back in. I stood there for a second before walking over. I crawled in next to him, and he wrapped me in his arms.
"You wanna talk for a bit?" he asked.
"No, hon, go back to sleep," I replied.
"You sure?" he asked, but I could tell by the tone in his voice that he was already on his way. I just nodded against his chest.
"Ok. G'night, D. Love you," he said, slipping away.
"I love you, too, Kevin. Very much," I whispered. He squeezed me tighter against him as he fell asleep. I lay there a while longer before the steady drum of his heartbeat took me to sleep with him.
Chapter 52
"Mornin', sunshine!" Lindsay greeted me when I opened the door.
"Ah, go ta hell," I grumbled. "What're you doin' here so early?"
"You said you wanted help gettin' settled in, so here I am," she said with a nice big smirk on her face.
"Yeah, I wanted help, but geez, woman, it's 7:00am on a Sunday morning!"
"Well, beggars can't be choosers, Dylan. You wanted help, and I'm here. If ya want, I can sure go hang out at the beach today, instead," she said.
"Fine, be that way. Would you at least go over to Starbuck's and grab us some coffee and muffins? I dunno `bout the other guys, but I didn't get enough sleep last night. I need the caffeine."
"I see. No wonder you're so grouchy this mornin'. I take it that you and Kevin decided to perform the move-in good luck ritual last night? Maybe all night?" I blushed and turned away. She just chuckled at me.
"Go, and leave me in peace. Buy me a mocha. It's the least you can do for not only wakin' me up this early but also for bein' so God- damn cheerful!"
"Fine, I'll be back in twenty minutes," she said, turning back to the door. She stopped before walking out and looked back at me. "You think that'll be enough time to...'wake up' Kevin?" I blushed again. How did she know that was my plan? I must be gettin' too obvious.
"Would you just get outta here already?" I said, shaking my head and walking down the hall to the stairs. She just laughed behind me as she walked out the door.
I wandered into the bedroom a minute later. The sight that greeted me was definitely not one for the weak. Kevin was asleep on his stomach. He'd kicked off the covers and was just lying there. Bare-ass naked and beautiful. It pretty much took my breath away.
I gently moved onto the bed and settled down on top of him. I leaned in and kissed his neck as he shifted under me and groaned.
"Mmmmmmm," was all he said.
"Mornin', baby. Ready to get up, yet?" I asked. He chuckled.
"Actually, sweetie, I'm already up. Only question now is what you're gonna do about it," he said. I could hear the lust in his voice.
"Oh, I think I could come up with an idea or two if you're interested," I whispered. I ground my hips into his ass, letting him know I was feeling the same way.
"I think I could probably raise a little interest in your ideas," he said. He rolled himself over, then. I stayed above him while he shifted, then dropped my weight down on top of him.
Our lips met in a deep, passionate kiss. My hands were buried in his hair, and his were running all over my back and shoulders. His touch felt incredible.
"Now that's what I call a good morning kiss," I whispered against his lips, nibbling lightly on his bottom one.
"Good, huh? Guess we'll have to work on that," he said, just before he picked up and started kissing me again. I had no problem with working on it until it was perfected as I lost myself in him.
I heard Lindsay's voice as I wandered down the stairs a while later. Kevin was finishing up a shower, and I was ready to face the fun of unpacking.
When I walked into the kitchen, I saw Nick sitting there talking to Lindsay. There were several cups of coffee on the table, along with a bag of what appeared to be the muffins I'd asked her to get.
"Mornin', all," I said in my best perky-and-annoying voice.
"My, you're sure doin' better than you were the last time I saw you. I wonder what brought this on," she said. I just gave her a look letting her know exactly what had brought it on. She chuckled and shook her head at me.
"I don't really wanna know, if that's ok with you, Dylan," Nick's voice interrupted our fun.
"No problem, Nick. Your loss," I said as I slid into a seat next to him. Just for kicks, I leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. He turned and looked at me like I'd sprouted another head on my shoulder.
"So, what's on the agenda today, Dylan dear?" Lindsay asked.
"Well, Lindsay my sweet, you're gonna unpack boxes while we watch since you were a little too special to help us out yesterday," I said, still smiling.
"Yeah, like hell I am, ya big ass. If that's your brilliant plan for the day, then the beach IS calling my name," she replied.
"Fine, if you're gonna be like that, then," I said. I turned to Nick. "I figured I'd turn over the living room and spare bedroom to you and Kevin. You're gonna have to hook up all those...gifts you gave me, anyway." I turned back to her. "You and I, dear sweet Lindsay, get to tackle the kitchen, bathrooms, study, and master bedroom while they take care of that other stuff."
"Gee, Dylan, way to divide the work evenly," was her sarcastic reply.
"Well, Lindsay, I'm sure the guys wouldn't mind if you volunteered to move the couch, entertainment center, big screen TV, etc around while they unpacked toilet paper and towels."
"Hmmmm, when ya put it that way, I guess what I got wasn't too bad," she said.
"Yes, I thought you'd see things my way, love," I said.
My man decided to make his appearance then. His hair was still a little damp from the shower, which basically meant he looked sexy as hell. He walked over to the table, planted a deep kiss on my lips, then sat down and grabbed a coffee.
"How're you doin', Lindsay?" he asked her.
"Judgin' by the looks of things, not as good as you two, but I'm doin' well enough, thanks," she replied. He just smiled back at her.
"You just need to find yourself a good man, dear, and you'd be as sugary sweet as we are," I tossed out at her. She just turned and gave me the finger. She was such a lady at times.
We broke up, then, all of us going to our respective tasks. I managed to find the portable radio first thing so we'd have some music. I debated subjecting the guys to their own music, but I figured that'd be a little tacky. So, I put in NSync's No Strings Attached' instead.
Nick groaned when he heard the strains of `Bye Bye Bye' come through the radio. I noticed Kevin shoot me a look when he figured out who it was. I just smiled innocently back and continued on my merry way.
The funniest thing was that I caught Nick dancing a little when I walked back by a few minutes later. He didn't even bat an eye, just pointed out that they had good music and continued what he was doing. I just shook my head and chuckled at him as I headed for the kitchen.
It was a couple of hours later when I heard a knock at the front door. I walked down from my current work spot in the master bedroom. I looked in the living room, only to see my two manly helpers passed out on the couch and recliner. So much for quality labor.
I opened the door to find a very attractive blonde woman standing there. She looked vaguely familiar, although I had no idea why. She stood fairly tall for a woman, probably around 5'10", or so, and had a fairly trim figure.
"Hello," I greeted her. She smiled politely.
"Hi. I'm looking for Kevin Richardson. I was told I'd find him here," she said.
"Well, he is here, but he's kinda busy at the moment," I said, thinking she was a fan. "If you wouldn't mind stopping back later, I'm sure he'd love to meet you. He always tries to make time for his fans." She shook her head, giving me an odd look.
"I'm not a fan. I'm his fiance."
To be continued... ------------------
I know this segment's shorter than most others. I was gonna add more, but then I wouldn't be able to torture anyone with this mild cliffhanger. So, I decided that this was enough.
Please note that I may not get to all of your e-mails while I'm travelling this week/weekend. So, if you mail and don't get a response, just have patience. I'll get back to ya eventually.
Until next time...