�You ready to go?�
�Yeah. Wow that was quick,� I replied looking him over. He had changed from jeans and a t-shirt to jeans and a nice shirt. I don�t think he even changed his jeans. He did change his sneakers for a pair of black shoes.
�Doesn�t take me long,� he said climbing down the stairs.
�You men are so lucky. I go up there and it takes hours to change my entire outfit including my hair, makeup and accessories. I gotta take a shower, style my hair, do my makeup, put my outfit on and make sure everything looks right before I leave, don�t even get me started on accessories. All you do is go up there and change your shoes and shirt, run some more stuff through your hair, splash on some cologne and you�re ready in a few minutes. It�s just not fair,� I told him.
�Does it help that I really, really appreciate the hours you take to look this good,� he said pulling me into his arms.
�A little bit,� I said with a small smile. He kissed me.
�Ready?�
�Yeah let�s get outta here.�
We were at club number three when I found myself sitting at the bar alone. This club was my idea to come to, the first two were his. Before I was deserted we were dancing, drinking, and cuddling in dark corners when Nick saw someone he knew. After all the dancing my feet were beginning to hurt and it was my own fault because I had only worn my boots once before. They needed to be broken in. I told Nick my feet were hurting and he asked me to wait for him by the bar as he went to find his friend. I hopped onto a stool and ordered a drink.
�Someone as lovely as you should not be sitting here alone,� someone said from behind me.
�You would think that wouldn�t you,� I said with a little laugh.
�So why are you?� he asked taking the vacant seat next to me. I turned to get a better look at him. Hhhhmmm. . . . I�m not that drunk yet, I thought. He wasn�t my type at all. He was too short and looked a little too old. He was bald with a neatly trimmed goatee, light brown skin and an easy smile. He seemed harmless so I didn�t see any harm in indulging him in a little conversation.
�Well I�m not here alone. My boyfriend just asked me to wait for him here.�
�And you just gonna wait here? He could be talking to some other girl.�
�I know he wouldn�t do that,� I said with a smile.
�So what are you like his little lap dog? He tells you to jump and you ask, �How high?�,� he said taking a sip from his drink.
�Oh no, it�s nothing like that. I am no one�s lap dog. He saw someone he knew and went to talk to them. I told him my feet were hurting and he asked me to wait for him here. I assume he would come back with his friend to introduce me to them. It�s better than traipsing me all over this club.�
�Ok ok. . . I guess you�re right. Your boyfriend is a little stupid, though.�
�What makes you say that?�
�Well if I was your man I wouldn�t leave you here like this. . . . a beautiful woman like you. Someone could try and snatch you up.�
�Is that what you�re trying to do?� I asked watching him out of the corner of my eye.
�Maybe,� he replied with a grin.
�Well, just to let you know. . . . I�m not the kind of woman that�s easily �snatched� from someone that I�m with.�
�Ok, ok call this friendly chit chat. I�m just lettin� you know what�s out there if at anytime you�re lookin� for something. . . different.�
�Really? I�ll be sure to keep that in mind.�
�There could be a man out there that wouldn�t leave you stranded at the bar is all I�m saying,� he said.
Just then Nick came into my view just over my new friend�s shoulder. He was talking to someone who was leaning against the wall. I couldn�t exactly make out who the other person was, as there were people moving around and blocking my line of sight. I was about to tear my gaze from Nick figuring he�d found the friend he was looking for, when someone moved and I could see a profile of who he was talking to. It was a woman. For a moment I thought my eyes were failing me then, she reached out to him and ruffled his hair. I just stared as they continued talking. Next thing I knew she hugged him, kissed him on the cheek and disappeared into the crowd. I had to look away. I didn�t know what to think or what to say.
�So what�s your name, sweetheart?� he was asking me.
�Oh uumm, Alexis, what about you?� I answered distractedly Who is she? I kept thinking.
�I�m Donnie,� he told me. I looked back in the direction that Nick had been standing talking to the girl and saw that he was heading towards me.
�Well Donnie, it looks like my boyfriend is coming this way, now,� I said trying to act natural. I refused to jump to any conclusions. She was probably a fan. Nick�s famous and probably knows a lot of people all over the place, I told myself as he drew closer. Yeah and most of them are probably women he�s slept with while on the road.
�Hey babe,� he said coming to stand between Donnie and me. I didn�t notice the change in Donnie�s demeanor until it was too late. I didn�t hear him mutter. �Oh so that�s how it is?� either but Nick heard him.
�Hey where�s your friend?� I asked after he ordered his drink.
�My friend? Oh she had to leave, her friends were leaving by the time I caught up with her and she didn�t want to get left behind.�
�Oh she had to leave did she. . . . that�s too bad.�
�So what is that supposed to mean?� Nick asked swinging around to face Donnie.
�Nothing man. . . nothing. I was just talking to myself,� he replied taking a swig from his beer.
�Nick what�s wrong?� I asked.
�Nothing,� he told me.
�So. . . . your friend, what�s her name?� I asked hoping to divert his attention.
�Leia, she�s cool. I think you�ll like her,� he replied. A second ticked by and there was another sudden outburst directed at Donnie. �Dude, what the fuck is your problem? How come everytime I say something to my girlfriend you have some shit to say?�
�I guess, I just don�t like to see a sista gettin� played. . . . especially by a blue eyed, blond haired white boy like you.�
�Excuse me, who the fuck do you think you are? She�s not getting played by anyone. You need to mind your own business.�
�Fuck you white boy! I�m sick and tired of ya�ll taking our fine sistas away and then treating them like shit. I would never leave my girl at the bar and go off to talk to anyone else. . . . especially some other girl.�
�He treats me fine, Donnie,� I said.
�Donnie? Do you know this guy or something?� Nick demanded whirling to face me.
�No, not really we were just sitting here talking,� I explained.
�Because you left her here,� Donnie interjected.
�Well maybe you should tell him to mind his fucking business.�
�This is silly, Nick, just ignore him.�
�No, I want to know what his fucking problem is,� he said to me over his shoulder as he faced Donnie.
�My problem is of all the women in the world to play you gotta pick a sista! Why don�t you stick with your own?�
�Are you mad?� Nick said placing his hand on my knee. �Mad that I�m with her and you�re not? Does it piss you off that I get to touch her, kiss her. . . . fuck her? How mad does the idea of my white dick inside of her-,� Nick started but was cut off as Donnie spat in his face.
�Nick!� I gasped knocking his hand away from my knee. I heard everything he said and was completely stunned. I could see some of the people around us had started to pay attention to the exchange between Nick and Donnie. I was mortified. I thought Nick had to have been drunk to talk like that.
I looked away from the crowd that was forming and I wish I hadn�t. I looked up to see Nick throw a punch and then miss, just barely grazing Donnie�s right cheek. Donnie stood, threw the next punch and connected with Nick�s eye. Donnie�s punch took Nick by surprise and he stumbled backwards.
�Come on white boy! You wanna go? Let�s go!�
�Fuck you, motherfucker!� Nick yelled holding his eye and standing up straight.
�Nick stop! This is crazy! Let�s just go!� I yelled but he ignored me. He took another swing and connected with his right cheek this time.
Before either of them could do anymore damage, a bouncer the size of a small mountain appeared and got between them.
�I�m going to have to ask both you gentlemen to leave,� he said in an imposing voice. �If you don�t leave I�m going to have to call the police.�
I was fuming. I could not believe that we had just got kicked out. Not to mention the fact that everyone was watching us as we left. I kept my head held high and tried to walk ahead of Nick. Once he caught up to me he tried to put his hand on my waist but I moved away from him.
When we got outside I walked away from him. I headed for the corner, anywhere that was away from the crowd and him. A few people even followed us outside to see if anything else would happen. I knew if I spoke to Nick right then I would explode and I didn�t want an audience for that.
�Alexis, what�s wrong?� he asked when he reached me.
�What�s wrong?! You just got us kicked out! I have never been so embarrassed!! Why�d you have to goad that fool?�
�So what was I supposed to do? Just let him talk to me like that?�
�You could have ignored him! We could have moved away from the bar!�
�That guy was a fucking jerk he deserved to be punched!�
�Yes he was and a small minded idiot but you were the bigger idiot by paying attention to anything he said. And then what you said about us. . . . about me! Is that all I am to you? Do you think you won some fucking prize? Look at me, I�m a white boy who�s landed a black girl. Does that make you feel all big and bad or something?�
�Alexis that�s not how I meant it. I was just trying to piss that jerk off.�
�Oh I understand now! You were trying to piss the jerk off by becoming one and degrading your girlfriend in the process. It�s all so fucking clear, now!� I said and walked away from him.
�Alexis wait, where are you going?�
�I need to get away from you. You hurt my feelings and I can�t even look at you right now.�
He let me get a few steps away from him before he ran up in front of me.
�You can�t go walking around New York City this time of night dressed like that by yourself. Something could happen to you.�
�As mad as I am right now, I doubt an entire gang would fuck with me. Get out of my way, Nick.�
�No, I�m not going to let you walk the streets alone, Alexis.�
I shoved past him and started walking. He followed me silently and lit a cigarette. My night was blown, my feet still kind of hurt but I didn�t care because the anger I was feeling was dulling the pain in my boots. I just wanted to go home and sink beneath the covers and not come out until it was time for the tour to start. I knew it would be all over the paper the next day. I could just see the headline on Page Six. Backstreet Boy in Barroom Brawl, I cringed at the thought.
After walking about four blocks, I decided I was ready to go home. I stopped at the curb and hailed a cab. Nick stopped next to me.
�You�re not getting in my cab,� I said out of the corner of my mouth.
�I don�t know how you�re going to stop me,� he replied with a puff of smoke. I really wanted to hit him.
�I don�t want you in my cab smelling it up with your cigarette smoke,� I told him. I knew that usually any cab in New York City would already have its own pungent odor but I was angry and felt like being petty. In response he took one last long drag on his cigarette blew out the smoke and flicked the butt into the street.
�Is that better?� he asked. I just glared ahead of me still trying to wave down a cab.
Finally, a cab stopped in front of us. I got in and tried to close the door before Nick could get in. He caught the door and pulled it open. He tried to get in next to me but I wouldn�t move over. He stopped.
�You can�t be serious,� he said. Then, �Ok, you wanna play this game?�
He ran around to the other side of the car. Before he got to the door I slid across the seat and locked it. Then I slid back to the other side, closed the door and locked it too. I knew I was pissing him off but I really didn�t care. He ran around the front of the cab. That�s when I realized his intention.
�Lock your passenger door! Don�t let him get in!�
�Is this guy bothering you?�
�Don�t worry about that just lock the door!� Before I got those words out, Nick was opening the door. He climbed inside and shot me an irritated look. I ignored him and stared out the window. I sat in that position all the way to my loft.
�Are you two alright?� asked the driver.
�Yeah we�re fine. Just having a little argument. You know how it is,� Nick said with his trademark smile. I wanted to smack that smile right off his face. The rest of the ride was quiet and tense.
When the cab pulled up in front of my building, I got out without looking back. I made a bee line for the door. Nick paid the cab driver and ran after me. He managed to catch the door just before it closed. He caught up to me waiting for the elevator.
�You�re acting really immature,� he said just as the elevator arrived.
�Well if that ain�t the pot calling the kettle black. At least my immaturity didn�t get us kicked out of anywhere, tonight,� I countered as we boarded.
�That little stunt in the cab was not funny,� he said punching the button to my floor.
�I told you to leave me alone. I didn�t feel like talking to you, much less looking at you. So what made you think I would want to share a cab with you? I still can�t believe you thought what you did back there was right. You must really be drunk,� I said facing him. I could see his eye was starting to turn colors. Good, that�s what he gets, I thought. He�ll have a nice purple reminder of what an idiot he was tonight.
�What did you want me to do? You didn�t even hear half the shit he said to me. . . about me. . . about you. . . about us!�
�I don�t give a fuck what he said Nick, what bothers me is what you said! What in the world made you think that was right? Just how much did you have to drink tonight?� I said taking a step toward him.
�I�m not drunk, Alexis,� he said as the elevator came to a halt on my floor. I turned and got off. I walked directly to my door fishing through my purse for the key. �That�s it? You�re just going to walk away from me?� Nick asked as he followed me to my door. I ignored him. �I hope you�re not going to try the same stunt from the cab. If I have to I�ll climb the fire escape.� I opened my door and left it wide open for him to come inside. �Alexis, come on talk to me.�
�What is it you want me to say?� I asked dropping my purse on a side table. �You just told me that you�re not drunk. Ok fine, that just means that there�s no excuse for the shit you said back there. That just means that what you said. . . . is exactly how you think. . . . about us. . . . about me.�
�Alexis. . . . I didn�t mean it like that,� he said taking a few steps towards me. I held up my hand to stop him.
�I don�t want to hear anymore, Nick. I�m going to go to bed, now. You can sleep down here. . . . the sofa folds out.�
I picked up my purse and headed for the spiral staircase. The first thing I thought was, Now I have to face my grandparents and probably defend Nick to them after everything that�s happened tonight. My feet were still hurting, so I was walking a lot slower than before. I got to the second step when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Nick was coming toward me with a determined look on his face.
�Nick-,� I started.
He grabbed my hand to stop me from going any further. I shook him off and turned preparing to flee. I got one foot on the next step when he grabbed my hand again. This time he yanked on it hard causing me to lose my footing and fall backwards into his embrace. He helped me back down the stairs.
�I�m so sorry, Alexis. I didn�t mean for you to fall,� he said.
As soon as my feet touched the floor I whirled on him and punched him in the shoulder saying, �What the hell were you trying to do? Yank me down the stairs? Yank my fucking arm out of it�s socket?�
�Alexis, you can�t just walk away from this. I�m not going to let you.�
�Nick, I am tired and my feet hurt. I don�t feel like arguing with you anymore tonight. I�m going to bed,� I said turning away from him. He grabbed my arm again. I tried to shake him off but he wouldn�t let go.
�I�m not letting you go to bed just like that.�
�I don�t want to talk to you! If you think what you did back there wasn�t wrong than fine. That�s on you. I personally think you were being a jackass. . . . just like right now. Let. . . me. . . . go!�
�No. You�re going to talk to me. Why is it ok for you to say, �Please fuck me!� in the heat of the moment but not ok for me to say that I do fuck you?� he asked dropping my arm.
�You can really be thick sometimes you know that, right? It�s not the same thing! I�m not in the middle of a fucking club saying it to a room full of people! You may have thought that you said it so only you and Donnie could hear but I guarantee that everyone in that place knows exactly what the fuck you said to make him spit in your face. You embarrassed me!� I said punching him again.
�Donnie? What the fuck were you doing getting all buddy-buddy with that guy, anyway?�
�Oh you want to take it there? I�ll tell you what the fuck I was doing. I was left at a bar alone while my boyfriend ran off to talk to one of his hoes. I was alone and Donnie decided he wanted to talk to me. So I talked back!�
�You said your feet hurt and that it was fine!�
�I know what I said. It was fine until I saw you talking to that other girl!�
�Other girl?! You mean Leia? I told you that she�s a friend. I�ve known her since I was a fucking kid, Alexis!�
�It didn�t look like it. I saw you on the other side of the club with. . . . Leia, is it? You looked buddy-buddy, too.�
�God, who�s the fucking idiot now? Alexis, I wouldn�t do some bullshit like that to you or anyone, for that matter. I�ve done some pretty fucked up shit in my life but I�m not the kind of guy to cheat on his girlfriend right in front of her face like that.�
�Better to do it in private, right?� I asked an inch from his face.
�You�re the fucking thick one! That�s bullshit!� he exclaimed.
They say, �There�s a thin line between love and hate.�, they should say, �There�s a thin line between anger and lust.� I apparently was dancing on that line. In my mind I was still angry with Nick. I could tell we both wanted to do a little violence to the other. I was mad at him but, there was a part of me that wanted nothing more than to kiss him and throw him to the floor. Perversely, I thought if there was a chance in hell that he was cheating on me with that girl at the club I would wipe her from his memory right then.
I placed my hands on Nick�s shoulders and shoved him hard into the wall next to the stairs. He just looked at me with a question in his eyes. Before he could voice that question I pressed my lips to his. What started as a soft kiss quickly became a blistering duel between his mouth and my own, each of us battling for dominance over the other.
I let my purse fall to the floor as I wrapped my arms fully around him. Pretty soon he had changed places with me until I was against the wall. I could feel his entire body against mine as he grinded me into the wall. My mind was in a state of shock while my body was an inferno. I kept thinking, We were fighting a minute ago. Nick was voracious in his exploration of my mouth. Without pulling away, I slipped my hands into the collar of his shirt and ripped it open sending buttons whizzing around us. I yanked the shirt off of him and tossed it aside.
�You really get on my nerves sometimes,� I muttered against his lips as I undid his pants.
�Same here, sweetheart,� he replied pulling my jacket from my shoulders and tossing it aside. Next he slipped his hands into the waistband of my mini skirt and pushed it to the floor. I stepped out of the skirt and kicked it away from us.
As we kissed, our bodies grinding into each other, our hands roaming all over each other, I could feel Nick working my hair out of its ponytail. As my wavy hair fell in disarray about my shoulders, Nick lifted me in his arms to straddle his hips. I held on tightly to his shoulders and leaned against the wall for leverage as he continued to plunder my lips.
�Sometimes. . . sometimes,� I started as he ran his lips over the valley between my breast. �you make me so mad I just want to scream.�
�I�ll give you a reason to scream,� he replied.
�Put me down. . . . and . . . . I�ll give you one,� I said as I nibbled on his earlobe.
�I�m not putting you down, now. I�ve got you. . . . right where. . . . I want. . . . you,� he said grinding his pelvis against mine eliciting a sharp gasp from my lips.
Nick walked us over to the sofa with me still wrapped around his waist. We collapsed upon the sofa, lips fused, bodies writhing against each other. Our minds were single-tracked and had only one goal; fulfillment.
