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Everything Your Heart Desires Chapter 55 Kevin's arrival was a relief to Howie and Cheryl, as well as Kristy. After seeing her friends' emotional reunion, Cheryl had gone upstairs to her bedroom to change into something more comfortable. As she reached into her dresser drawer to retrieve a pair of flannel lounge pants, her eyes locked onto the photo of she and Howie at the beach. It had been taken the weekend of the "kidnapping" by either Kristy or Kevin. She couldn't remember which. A candid shot of a couple so obviously in love. The man standing behind, his arms wrapped lovingly around the woman's waist. His chin rested on her shoulder. Her face turned to look into his eyes. The oranges and reds of a Florida sunset behind them. Cheryl picked up the 5x7 frame running her finger over Howie's form, thinking back to the situation that had just occurred between Kristy and Kevin. She didn't ever want to lose him. The mere thought sent a chill from her heart to the rest of her very being. She felt the tears rolling down her face and allowed the fear and pain to release themselves in her sobs. Downstairs, Howie was berating Kevin about his responsibility - or lack thereof - and stupidity in driving to the condo in a hurricane. In the end, Kevin conceded his fault but told his friend that there was no way he wasn't going to be with Kristy. If something were to happen, he would never forgive himself. With that conversation finished, Howie realized that Cheryl hadn't returned. "I need to go check on her. Something doesn't feel right," he said as he disappeared up the stairs. Even before he reached the door, he heard his girlfriend sobbing and his heart constricted. Howie mentally chastised himself. Instead of focusing on Kevin, he should have been more worried about Cheryl. Now was the opportunity to make up for that.As Howie disappeared up the stairs, Kevin deposited his duffel bag near the couch where Kristy had just sat down. While still somewhat shaken, he was grateful and relieved to finally be with Kristy. He paused as he removed his rain-soaked jacket and looked down at his girlfriend with concern. Although no longer crying, Kristy hadn't spoken since he'd first come through the door and Kevin saw that she was shivering. "Kris? Sweetheart, are you okay?" She looked up at him, and although she nodded and gave him a slight smile, her eyes lacked their usual sparkle. "C'meer." Kevin gently took her hands in his and pulled her to her feet in front of him. He caressed the side of her face with his hand and tipped her head up so he could look into her eyes. "Don't worry about the storm... I think it's starting to ease up," Kevin lied. Kristy arched both eyebrows and shot Kevin a look of pure disbelief as the wind and rain continued to pound against the side of the condo. "Okay, maybe not," Kevin chuckled. "But it doesn't matter what's happening outside now... we're together and THAT'S all that matters," he whispered as he pulled her into his arms. Kristy ignored the dampness seeping through her clothes from Kevin's soaked garments and finally stopped trembling. Being in Kevin's arms always made her feel so safe and loved. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block the thought that she could have lost him that night. She couldn't imagine her life without him. She knew she never wanted to try. "Let's head upstairs." Kevin pulled back from their embrace slightly. "I think we need to get out of these wet clothes," he said with a seductive smile and a glimmer in his eyes. For the first time in hours Kristy smiled a real smile and willing followed Kevin up to her bedroom. Once there, Kevin took to lighting the vanilla-scented candles Kristy always had scattered around her room, while Kristy paused at her now battery-powered stereo and put in one of her favorite-songs tapes. Kristy sighed as Kevin pulled her into his arms and brushed a blond curl from her forehead. "I love you," Kristy said, her voice soft and filled with emotion. Kevin lowered his head and gently claimed her lips with his own, wordlessly communicating his own feelings of love. Kristy leaned into the kiss and slowly began to remove the wet clothes Kevin still wore.Howie entered the room and flipped on the small radio. The girls had been well-stocked with batteries and decided to use some to power the two smaller stereos in the house in order to keep updated on storm news via the airwaves. It would come in handy for another reason now. Howie was fully aware of the impact music had on Cheryl and hoped the soft adult contemporary of Magic 107.7 would soothe her. He heard a recognizable piano medley before Elton John began to sing. He had to smile at the appropriateness of the lyrics. In the instant that you love someone Cheryl hadn't acknowledged the radio or her boyfriend's presence; she was too deeply involved in her own emotions. Kneeling in front of her, Howie placed one hand on her knee and used the other to lift her chin. He searched her tear-shrouded eyes. Her then noticed the framed snapshot in her hands and understood. "Oh, C." Howie wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay, baby, you won't lose me. I promise." "I-I'm so scared." "Shh, I know. We'll make it through this." Howie realized that those words weren't having the desired effect. "You're not just talking about the hurricane, are you?" His voice was tinged with question and sadness. As she stopped shaking her head, Cheryl stared into his brown eyes. "I'm scared of my own feelings. The intensity and depth of my emotions toward you, Howie, it scares me to death. Tonight I thought about losing you and I realized that had it been you out in that storm with Kevin... I've never been in a relationship like this before. Sometimes it's so overwhelming." Howie held her closer. "I understand." "Do you?" He was surprised by her question. Why wouldn't he understand? It was Howie's turn to search the depths of her hazel eyes. "I do understand. I'm scared too. Scared of my feelings, yes. I felt so much for you in such a short time of knowing you. My fear is what caused me to wait so long to tell you my feelings. It wasn't normal for me to fall so quickly and I had to be certain love was what I felt." He glanced at the floor for a moment before returning his gaze to hers. "But there is something more. People always comment to me that I give off this aura of self-confidence. They figure that in doing what I do an ego is a part of the job description. For some, that may be true, but not for me. I feel a lot more vulnerable since I started this BSB gig." Cheryl braced herself to hear another "It's-tough-to-sort-out-people's-motives-when-you're-a-Backstreet-Boy" speech as Howie continued. "Sure there is the whole trust issue - do they want to know Howard Dorough or a Backstreet Boy, but it's more than that. "There are very subtle differences between who I am on stage and in real life. I've never felt the need to put on a front with you, even when we first met. You were a fan before you met me and yet I've never doubted that you love me for who I am. Still there is this insecurity within me that somewhere along the line that Howie won't meet with your expectations." His gaze fell to his hands, which now rested atop hers. "I don't want to disappoint you, and I often wonder if I'm good enough for you." As the words lingered in the air, the couple could hear the wind and rain beating on the walls, windows and ceiling. Cheryl was speechless because he did understand everything she felt - the intensity and the insecurity. Howie nervously awaited her reply. Meanwhile, someone at the radio station was obviously a Babyface fan. But neither Cheryl nor Howie could blame them. The man's words seemed to capture the moment perfectly.I'll give you the sun Cheryl's eyes met his. "You do understand." "How could I not? We are soulmates, after all." Howie read the look that crossed her facial features and took her hand. "That's the conclusion I came to. There is no other explanation."And I pray that you'll be He placed her hand on his chest and caught her gaze again. "This is a part of you." Cheryl took Howie's free hand and brought it to rest over her heart. "As much as mine is a part of you." Howie smiled and leaned in to kiss her. There was something more in that kiss as it deepened. More love and desire than in any that they had shared before and it was obvious to both. Howie broke away to question her with his eyes. Without hesitation, Cheryl nodded and the kiss began again.I'll give you my heart "I love you, Howard Dorough," Cheryl breathed as he lay down beside her on the bed. She reached behind his head carefully releasing his curls from the ponytail. He leaned over her allowing his dark hair to fall forward. "I love you, too."Everything is not anything |