�About what?� Dakota asked putting her dirty clothes in the hamper.
�About what just happened here tonight?�
�What about it? You kissed MJ and I believe you when you say nothing else happened. I trust you would tell me if anything else happened.� She looked at him. �You would wouldn�t you?� He sighed.
�Yeah.�
�Alright.� She grinned. �You�re always honest with me just like I�m honest with you. That�s one reason we�re still together.� He just looked at her, as she started cleaning the bedroom. �Honesty and trust, Nicky, that�s our key ingredient.�
�So you�re not upset?�
�Why would I be? It was just a stupid kiss.� She started picking up the dirty clothes and put them in the hamper. �Just a stupid kiss. A kiss between my boyfriend and best friend.�
�It�s bothering you.�
�No it�s not. I�m fine.�
�That�s a lie, because you�re cleaning.�
�Can�t I clean?�
�It�s four in the morning and you never clean the bedroom.�
�Well it should be clean.�
�Only you and I come in here.� She looked at him a second and continued picking up the clothes. �DJ, will you please stop?�
�For someone completely drunk you seem pretty sober.�
�Well you walking in on me and MyKenna kissing sobered me up pretty fast.�
�That�s great.� She looked at him sitting on the bed. She walked over and he grinned. �Get up.� He just looked at her and did as she requested. He watched her strip the bed and put the sheets on the floor by the door. She sighed and went into the closet. �White, green, black, blue, or leopard?�
�For what?�
�The bed.�
�I don�t care.�
�Silk, flannel, or plain?�
�I don�t care.� He walked over, as she walked out of the closet. �What are you doing?�
�Making the bed.�
�It had fresh sheets.�
�How should I know? I was gone four months.� She walked back over to the bed and he watched her remake it.
�Why don�t you just admit the kiss bothers you? It�ll be a hell of a lot easier for the both of us.�
�It doesn�t bother me, Nicky.� She finished with the bed and went into the bathroom. Nickolas walked over and stood at the door watching her, as she changed into something more comfortable.
�I love you.� She glanced at him.
�I love you too, Baby.� He grinned and she picked up her hairbrush. She went to brush her hair, but stopped and looked at it. She noticed a strand of blonde hair and looked at Nickolas. His hair was too short and this strand was too long�and too blonde. Nickolas just looked at her and she looked away from him. She sighed knowing for a fact that it was MyKenna�s and she brushed her hair out.
Nickolas walked over to her and asked, �Are you all right, Shorty?� She looked at him.
�Did you and MJ only kiss?�
�Yes.� She just looked at him. �I thought you trusted me?�
�I do.� She put on a fake smile and kissed his cheek. He looked at her and she gathered up the dirty towels and washrags then left the bathroom. Nickolas followed her from the bedroom and downstairs to the laundry room.
�Will you please go get some sleep and I�ll take care of this.�
�I�m not tired.
�You just got off, like, a seven-hour flight and I highly doubt you�re wide awake.
�I slept on the plane.�
�You can�t sleep on planes.� She looked at him. �Go to bed and I�ll do this.�
�I can do it.�
�You�re holding back and I thought we talked about this. I believe you promised you wouldn�t do it anymore.�
�I ain�t holding back. Things couldn�t be better.� She put clothes in the washer then walked out.
�Hey, Kota?� He followed her to the kitchen.
�What?�
�How do you feel about going on that getaway we talked about?� She got the box of trash bags and went to the parlor. �Does it sound good?�
�I don�t know.�
�Why not?�
�I have things to do.�
�But I really want us to do this. I want us to reconnect.�
�And I have things to do.�
�Like what?�
�I have to go to New York for awhile for some photos shoots, interviews, promo, and stuff like that.� He sighed. �And then I have to go to London after L.A.�
�For what?�
�Another movie. We talked about it, Nick.� He just looked at her. �The movie with Orlando Bloom.�
�Right.�
�I�d really love for us to go away, but you know how it is being in the music business and all.� She started putting the empty bottles in a trash bag. �We can go some other time.�
�Is this just an excuse because you�re pissed?�
�I ain�t pissed and I wouldn�t lie to you. You can call my agent and see for yourself if ya really don�t believe me.�
�Well I don�t.� She spun around.
�Then that makes two of us!� They looked at each other.
�DJ.� He walked over to her and she backed up.
�Just don�t touch me.� She went back to what she was doing. �I have things to do so leave me alone.� Nickolas just stood there and watched, as Dakota cleaned up the parlor.
CHAPTER 16