"Oh. . .uuuhhh. . .hi," Kevin said.
"Uuuhhh hi I was just about to go looking for Brian to see if he were back. He said he would bring me something-" she said.
"Oh I have it," he said holding up the styrofoam package.
"Oh thanks. I was about to give up and go to bed. Did you want to come in?"she asked.
"Uuuhhh yeah actually I did," he said.
"Uuuhhh. . . ok come in," she said as she stepped aside. Christel didn't know where this would lead but she hoped it would lead her to Kevin. Kevin followed Christel into the room. The room was dimly lit. The lamp on the night stand the only source of light, lit the room with a soft glow. Christel sat at the desk and started on her food, while he sat on the sofa. She hadn't eaten all day and was ravenous.
"I see you were getting ready to go to bed," he said looking her up and down.
"Yeah. . . uuuhhh. . . I hope you don't mind me borrowing your shirt I
didn't bring any pajamas with me," she replied.
"No I don't mind. You can use it," he said.
"Thank you. I would have asked before I put it on but you weren't here, so I didn't think you would really mind I-"
"Christel, I said it was ok and it's ok," he said. Silence filled the room for a while until Kevin said, "Christel I. . . I need to talk to you. . . about what I said to you earlier. I didn't mean it, I know that now. I don't know what made me think that I could stop having feelings for you. I mean, I waited a whole year didn't I?" Again Christel fell speechless, besides the fact that she was eating, she couldn't talk. She did listen though, until she could listen no more.
"Kevin, I really don't want to talk about this right now. I would like to know what makes you think that I would want to just pick up and go back to you, after what you said. Well maybe I need time to think, too." Kevin looked at her in shock. "You didn't think about that did you?"
"Oh, Christel can we talk about this? I bet I can change your mind about this, if you give me a chance."
"Funny, I remember thinking the same thing, too."
"Christel we need to talk about this. I don't want it to be-," Kevin pleaded.
"Kevin look, my head hurts and I'm really tired, I just want to finish eating and go to bed. You can join me or you can go bunk with Nick if you want. I won't throw you out or anything. So it's basically up to you," she said interrupting him. Kevin couldn't think of anything else to say. He decided that she was right. They had both been through enough to know that right now they needed rest.
"I'll stay in here," he replied.
"Ok and that's fine with me," she said as she cleared her place at the desk.
Christel went and climbed into the bed while Kevin still sat in his seat debating.
"I don't mind you sleeping here," Christel said patting the bed. Kevin climbed from his seat and slowly stripped down to his boxers. Christel couldn't keep her eyes off of him. His well toned chest always drew her attention instantly but more so now than ever. Christel couldn't help but notice the deep purple and blue marks that marred the perfection of his skin. They were obviously bruises from the fight he had with AJ earlier. Kevin moved over to the bed to join Christel in it.
"I didn't know you were that bruised," she retorted when he stood next to the bed.
"Yeah but I'll be ok," Kevin replied.
"Let me take a look at them," she said.
"Well ok. . . but I'm fine, really," he said sitting next to her on the bed. Christel looked more closely at Kevin's bruises. Slowly she ran her fingertips over a bruise across his stomach. Kevin flinched.
"I thought you said you were fine," she replied with amusement. Kevin didn't respond, he just sat quite still as Christel ran her fingers across him. Every nerve in his body was centered on where her fingers would roam. He sighed when her hand traveled across his chest. Christel looked up at him with slight surprise.
"Well, I don't think you really hurt anything. You may want to soak yourself or something," she said reluctantly taking her hands from his body.
"Ok," he said huskily. They stared at each other for a moment. "Are you ok? You took a pretty hard fall when AJ threw you off of him," Kevin said.
"I'm ok. He didn't throw me that hard," she assured him. Kevin climbed under the sheets next to Christel. He reached over and turned out the lamp on the night stand. He curled up next to her inhaling her scent. Her perfume reminded him of the night they first slept together. Tonight like any other night she wore �Dream', ever since he met her that scent hung heavy in his head. He wanted things to be right between them, he wanted it the way he had always dreamed it would be. With things spinning out of control the way they were lately he didn't know if that were possible or not. Suddenly without warning Kevin threw his arm around Christel's waist and pulled her close. He didn't know why he did it but he knew it felt good. Christel was thinking pretty much the same as Kevin when she felt his arm come down around her waist and him pulling her closer to him. This is a start, she thought. She felt Kevin's arm tighten around her and rolled over to face him. Before she could say anything his lips were on hers. Christel slowly parted her lips in invitation and Kevin quickly complied by slipping his tongue into her mouth. Kevin pulled her closer effectively deepening the kiss. Christel threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back with all the potency her love for him was made of. Reluctantly
Kevin pulled away, "God, I've missed doing that."
"Me too. I've missed that and you so much more," she replied. Kevin drew her head close for another breath-taking kiss.
******
The next morning Christel awoke and stretched luxuriously in Kevin's arms. She turned her head and noticed Kevin was already awake and worshiping her with his eyes.
"You're awake," she replied, "How long have you been up?"
"Uuuhh about an hour. I just couldn't help but stay here and watch you sleep, you're adorable," he replied placing a kiss on her forehead. Christel couldn't help but smile, finally she felt like she was where she belonged.
"Now we have two choices, we can either order breakfast from room service or we can go downstairs and join the others for breakfast," Kevin said.
"Hhhhmmm so this basically depends on whether or not I want to share you just yet," Christel said.
Kevin laughed to himself, "Yeah I guess you could say that."
"I think I want to join the others, I haven't seen them in awhile," Christel
declared.
"Ok it's your call. Do you want to go first in the bathroom?" Kevin asked.
"You can go first," she said.
"Well alright," Kevin said as he made his way out of the bed and into the bathroom. Christel watched him until the door closed behind him. Christel
stretched out on the bed comfortably and sighed.
After awhile Kevin emerged from the bathroom slightly damp and wearing nothing but a towel. She couldn't take her eyes off his glistening chest as little droplets of water slithered down his abs in a tantalizing manner. Christel couldn't help herself, she licked her lips like a lioness hunting it's prey.
"Your turn," Kevin said breaking her out of her trance. Christel hopped from her place in the bed and went into the bathroom. She took a long soothing shower and was entirely happy that things between her and Kevin were going well.
Later, she stepped out of the bathroom, clad in a bathrobe, and saw that Kevin was already dressed.
"You're dressed," she said with mild astonishment.
"Yeah, I am. What were you hopping I'd still be naked so we could get a quickie in before breakfast?" he asked jokingly. Christel thought about how promising that idea sounded. Kevin seeing the look cross her face responded, "Christel!"
"Oh uuuhhh. . . no, it's just that. . . you're already dressed and I haven't even decided what I'm going to wear, yet."
Kevin couldn't help but laugh to himself. "Is this going to take awhile? Do you want me to meet you downstairs? Maybe I should start eating without you," Kevin said jokingly.
"Oh aren't we in a joking mood this morning. No I think you can wait a minute or two for me to get dressed," she countered.
"A minute or two sounds like a world record to me folks," he said reclining on the sofa. Christel just shot him a glance and continued looking through her bag for something to wear. She finally settled on a pair of jeans but she had yet to decide on a shirt.
"Kevin can I borrow a t-shirt, please?" Christel asked.
"Christel, all my t-shirts are too big for you and you know that. You are, after all, such a little person," Kevin answered.
"Was that supposed to be a short joke Mr. Richardson?" Christel demanded as she went over to him.
"No, just stating the facts," he said.
"Oh very funny," she said as she pounced on him.
Christel and Kevin rolled around the sofa giggling like two little kids. Soon they rolled off the couch and onto the floor laughing uncontrollably. Kevin had her pinned to the floor with a familiar gleam in his eyes.
"Ok, Kevin I know what you're thinking and you are not about to tickle me. I'm warning you," Christel said forgetting the vulnerable position she was in.
"Well I don't think you have much say in that," Kevin said as he proceeded to tickle her mercilessly. Christel giggled and squirmed beneath his questing fingers. She had squirmed so much that her bathrobe fell open stopping Kevin in his tracks. Christel looked up at him before looking away quickly.
"I better go finish getting dressed," she said as she pulled herself from under Kevin quickly wrapping her robe securely around her. Christel grabbed her clothes and headed for the bathroom.
"Oh yeah can I borrow that shirt. If you're so worried about it being too big I'll just tie it on the side," she said.
"Sure, go ahead," Kevin said still laying in the middle of the floor. Christel grabbed the t-shirt she had in mind and went into the bathroom to get dressed.
She came out a few minutes later dressed and ready. Kevin was back on the couch.
"Ok, you ready to head downstairs?" she asked as she came out of the
bathroom.
"Yeah let's go," he answered.
Kevin and Christel went downstairs to the little caf� off the lobby to join the others for breakfast. When they came in everyone was there, including Chinita, and were eating heartily. Christel and Kevin took the available seats between Howie and Brian. Christel kept her eyes on Chinita the whole time, from when she ambled in till she sat comfortably in her seat. Chinita kept her eyes adverted from Christel's.
The table was silent until Brian replied, "Well, good morning you two. I'm guessing you slept well." Christel tore her gaze from Chinita and smiled at Brian catching his hidden meaning.
"Why yes we did sleep well," she countered putting emphasis on the word �sleep'.
"Yeah I bet you slept, alright," Nick said chewing on a piece of sausage.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to talk with your mouth full?" AJ asked
angrily.
"Yeah but I didn't listen, obviously. Hey AJ don't you like �see-food'?" Nick asked opening his mouth wide revealing his food to everyone at the table.
"Eeewww Nick, I really didn't need to see that," Chinita retorted.
"Nick, that was gross, man," AJ replied.
"Come on Nick, I haven't even ordered my food yet. I would like an appetite to go with my breakfast. Put that mess away, please," Christel told him.
"Sorry you guys," Nick muttered. Christel and Kevin ordered their food and engaged in conversation with the others.
"Where did you guys go for dinner? That food you brought back for me was good, Brian." Christel asked.
"Well it was some restaurant that the guy at the front desk suggested. I can't remember the name," Brian answered. "Did you catch the name of the restaurant. . . Chinita?" Chinita looked up at Brian before mumbling,
"Uh uh no I don't remember the name."
"Well that's not a first," Christel grumbled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Chinita asked. "It means that it's rare that you remember anything. Like the fact that he cheated on me," she said pointing at AJ who sat across the table from her. "And here you are. . . with him. . . acting like he's the got damn victim."
"I didn't forget anything. Oh but what about you? It didn't take you long to get AJ out of your heart and welcome ole Kev here into your heart as well as your bed," Chinita said.
"Well who's to say what you've been welcoming AJ into, Chinita. I mean, I haven't been watching you two all the time. I don't know what you've been doing, I don't even know what room you're in or why the hell you're here," Christel almost yelled across the table.
"Look I'm not going to sit here and defend myself when I didn't do anything," she
retorted.
"Fine, you don't have to defend yourself," Christel said.
"Whatever. Excuse me you guys," Chinita said as she got up from the table and left the caf�.
"What is she doing here?!?!" Christel asked the others that still sat at the table. "Ok either none of you are going to tell me or you don't know," All the guys sat quietly staring at her incredulously.
"Ok fine," she said. "I'll just have to go find out myself." Christel jumped up from her seat and dashed out of the caf�. Christel raced to the elevators. She got there just as one was leaving and hit the up button. Christel had to wait for a little while for the next elevator, but soon it was available and she hopped on.******
Back at the table. . .
"Don't you think you should go after her?" Howie asked no one in particular.
"Who exactly are you talking to?" Kevin asked. "Me or AJ?"
"Why would he be talking to me?" AJ asked incredulously.
"Well I think it's safe to say we've all seen how cozy you and Chinita have become, lately," Kevin retorted.
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about. We're just friends," AJ grumbled.
AJ heard himself and didn't know if even he believed what he was saying. He and Chinita were just friends or so he thought. He initially invited her because he needed a friend, an ally. With Kevin and himself at each others' throats, Brian remaining loyal to his cousin had taken his side. While Howie and Nick remained indifferent or neutral. He didn't feel he had anyone to really turn to, until that is, he remembered what Chinita said to him in Christel's kitchen.
"AJ, I'll be at home if you want to talk or something." She said to him laying her hand on his shoulder. So AJ took that as a signal to start calling her and telling her what was going on from his point of view. Somehow he had managed to convince her to come to Sweden with him so he could have someone to talk to in person. Fortunately, the guys never batted an eyelash, at least, he didn't think so. When Chinita arrived he found himself spending most of his free time with her. Thus, they grew closer and closer. All the guys noticed but no one said anything at all. Until, that is, now of course.
Chinita had to get out of that caf�. The exchange she had with Christel was long overdue and she knew there was more to come. If she knew Christel well enough, she figured she would be on her way up demanding an explanation. Not that she didn't deserve one and Chinita was happy to give it to her, if she asked her correctly. While she was somewhat guilty she still had her pride. Chinita got to the room she was sharing with AJ and sat calmly in a chair leaving the door unlocked. She was still partly upset about what Christel had said to her in the caf�. How dare she accuse me of sleeping with AJ, she thought. She wouldn't do that, not even if she were having feelings for him and she was. She had been for some time now but, no one knew that, not even AJ. Chinita was immersed in thought when the door opened and Christel stood in the doorway looking extremely angry.******
When the elevator stopped on her floor Christel didn't know where exactly to look. She wasn't sure if Chinita had her own room or was bunking with AJ and if she did have her own room where was it. But something propelled her to AJ's room and she went there quickly. She got to the door and found it open. Chinita must be bunking in here, she thought. Christel pushed the door open and stepped inside the room. She found Chinita sitting on a chair in the corner of the room.
"Well no one seems to know why you're here or they refuse to tell me. So I hope you can give me a good explanation," she snarled as she strode to where Chinita sat. This was definitely the wrong approach in Chinita's eyes.
"I'm visiting," she retorted smartly.
"I said a good explanation," Christel shot back. "Look I don't have to tell you anything," Chinita retorted.
"Well ya see, Chinita, I think you do,"Christel sneered. "I mean you never told me you were coming to Sweden. Chinita you didn't tell me anything. I didn't know you were here until I got here. Now I want to know; why are you here and how long have you been here? That's all I'm asking. Why are you being so damn difficult?!?!"
"Why don't you just ask me instead of biting my got damn head off?" Chinita asked. Christel felt like screaming.
"Look it's just too damn early in the morning to be arguing so would you just tell me why you're here. You're giving me a headache," Christel said.
"I'm giving you a headache?!? You're the one that's screaming at me I should have the headache. I don't know why you're so worried about me being here with AJ. He isn't your boyfriend anymore, you have Kevin now, go run to him," Chinita almost shrieked.
"I know he isn't my boyfriend anymore. I'm just wondering why the hell is my best friend here in Sweden with my ex-boyfriend, the same guy that cheated on me not once but twice!!"
"If that's what you want to know than ask me like you got some sense."
"Ok is that what you want? I'll ask you. Chinita, what the hell are you doing here?" Christel asked barely restraining her anger. Chinita would have argued further but decided that was the best she was going to get and relented.****** "So are either of you going to go up there and make sure they haven't killed each other?" Nick asked. "Yeah, she looked fit to kill when she ran out of here," Brian retorted. Kevin and AJ just shot each other a glance before they both lunged from the table.
"Where do you think you're going?" Kevin asked as AJ trailed behind him toward the elevator.
"I'm going to check on them. Where the hell does it look like I'm going?" AJ shot back. Kevin stopped in the middle of the lobby causing AJ to almost run head long into
him.
"No you're not. I think you should just stay down here and I'll check on them," he said.
"Look Kevin I'm going up there and you can't stop me," AJ replied. Kevin huffed and turned back toward the elevator.****** "Well, AJ called me because I guess he was lonely, I don't know. One day I was sitting at home and he called me. He kept rambling on about how the album was going and how much he missed Florida and couldn't wait to get back home and stupid stuff like that until I stopped him and asked �What do you want AJ?' He told me that he needed someone to talk to, Brian and Kevin are dead set against him, while Nick and Howie don't really want to be involved. He was lonely, Christel. After that he kept calling me and we would talk for hours about everything that was going on here as well as back home," Christel had to interrupt.
"Ok how come you didn't tell me he was calling you?"
"Why do I have to tell you about who calls me? Besides, you were refusing to answer your phone, remember? Just because you and AJ aren't together anymore doesn't mean me and him can't still be friends. Do you want me to go on?" Chinita stated. Christel simply nodded.
"Well AJ called one day really upset saying he didn't have anyone to talk to at all and he couldn't keep calling me long distance. Then he asked me to come to Sweden. I didn't really want to come anyway but, he can be really convincing. So here I am and no me and AJ haven't done anything that you so quickly implied while we were in the caf�," Chinita said.
"So how long have you been here?" Christel asked casually.
"Uuuhhh about a month."
"About a month? And you're sharing his room?"
"Yeah and I see where you're going with this. No I don't share his bed, there's a cot that we have wheeled in here every night and that's where AJ sleeps," Chinita said. The two sat in silence for a while.
"So is this interrogation over or what?" Chinita asked.
"Yeah I guess so, you've pretty much told me all I want to know," Christel replied standing and heading toward the door.
"Oh and Christel,"she turned toward Chinita, "Don't you ever accuse me of something I didn't do unless you are absolutely positive."
"Yeah well I'll keep that in mind," Christel muttered as she opened the door. Christel was out the door and heading down the hall when she ran smack into Kevin.
"Oh I'm sorry," she muttered not looking at him. "Christel, what happened?" Kevin asked grasping her by her shoulders.
"Oh, me and Chinita talked. What are you doing up here weren't you still eating?" Christel looked over his shoulder and noticed AJ lingering behind Kevin.
"I came up here to check on you. To make sure you and Chinita hadn't killed each other. You didn't kill her right? Where is she?" Kevin asked.
"She's in her and AJ's room. . . if you want to go check on her too, AJ," Christel replied. Without saying anything AJ went to his room.
"You ok?" Kevin asked when they stood in the hallway alone.
"Yeah I'm fine. Can we get out of here today? Go exploring or something," Christel said.
"Uuuhhh actually we, the guys, have to meet with Max to begin recording and laying down tracks for the next album. You can come if you want." Kevin stated. "Sure, anything to get out of this hotel. I'd love to come and watch you guys, I've always wanted to see you guys in the studio," Christel commented.