�I understand,� Aaron said. �It is after 12.�
�Exactly.�
�My mom will shoot me also. I have to get up early.�
�Yeah.�
�Maybe you could come with me tomorrow on my photo shoots and stuff.�
�Maybe.�
�I can stop by in the morning.�
�At what time?�
�About 7 I guess.�
�Alright; I�ll be up.�
�I�ll call first and see if you�re home.�
�That�d be the best thing to do.�
�Yeah.�
�What all are you doing?�
�Photo shoots, interviews, talk shows�the usual.�
�I see.�
�Would you want to go and see me hard at work?�
�I�d love to.�
�Good. I was going to take ya either way.�
�I�m sure you were.�
�I was.�
�Yep.�
�I told Nick I was going to LA.�
�Why�d you do that?�
�Cause he would�ve told me to stop and see you and make things right. He�s been hounding me about the whole break-up thing since it happened.�
�Well I think DJ knows you�re here.�
�Why�s that?�
�Cause you were a little loud when I was on the phone with her.�
�Oh.�
�She didn�t say anything about her knowing though, but I�m sure she does.�
�And if she does she told Nick.�
�Of course.�
�They tell each other everything.�
�They�re pathetically in love.�
�It�s disgusting. I see it every time I�m home. I want to vomit.�
�I want to vomit just thinking about it.� They laughed. �But all in all I�m very happy for them.�
�So am I.�
�They�re good for each other.�
�Yeah and you�re good for me.�
�I doubt that.�
�Why?�
�I don�t know yet. You�ll dump again in a few weeks.�
�Doubt it. You�ll be dumping me for one of those British men.�
�Nah more like an Italian.�
�Oh sorry my bad.� They laughed again. �So do you have any plans for Christmas that you know of?�
�I don�t know. Why?�
�I was thinking that maybe you could come to Florida on your break.�
�Actually DJ was talking about come here over my break.�
�Oh.�
�You can come also if ya want. I�m sure she won�t mind.�
�She�ll probably just bring Nick.�
�Exactly, so come over with her.�
�I can do that.�
�Good. I was going to call and ask ya, but then ya showed up here.�
�Really?�
�Yeah. Also DJ was going to ask ya as her attempt in getting us back together.�
�I see.�
�You can�t blame her for trying.�
�No you can�t.�
�Shit. I hear someone coming down the steps. I�m going to put you on hold and I�m going to hide. Don�t go anywhere. I�ll be right back.�
�Alright.�
�Ok.� She stuck Aaron on hold and quickly left the room. She hid in the bathroom and watched as her brother walked to the kitchen. She waited about ten minutes and then finally saw him walk from the kitchen and go back upstairs. She saw the hall light turn off and left the bathroom. She walked back to the parlor and picked up the phone. �Alright I�m back.� There wasn�t an answer. �Aaron? You there?� Still no answer. �Aaron? Hello?�
�Huh? What?�
�I�m back.�
�Oh, sorry. I guess I dozed off.�
�I almost dozed off in the bathroom hiding from my brother.�
�Oh.�
�He was in the kitchen. I don�t know what he was doing, but took forever.�
�Well I�m going to go actually. I�m beat. I got jet-lag.�
�I understand.�
�I�ll be at your place about seven. I�ll call first to make it look good.�
�Alright I�ll be up.�
�You better be.�
�I will since I know you�re coming.�
�Anything for me, huh?�
�Yeah.�
�Ok, I�ll see ya tomorrow then.�
�I�ll see ya tomorrow also.�
�Sleep sweet, MyKenna.�
�Sleep sweet, Aaron.�
�Bye.�
�Bye.� MyKenna heard a click and then hung up the phone. She got up smiling and made her way upstairs to bed, still smiling.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�This night has been so magical, Nick,� Dakota said, as she sat on Nickolas� lap and put her head on his shoulder. �Thank you.�
�You�re welcome,� Nickolas said putting his arms around her. �Just seeing you happy and smiling was magical enough for me.� Dakota looked at him and smiled.
�You�re the best ya know that.�
�Nah. I�m far from being the best.�
�Whatever.�
�I just wanted to give you a night you�ll remember forever.�
�I�ll remember it beyond that.� Nickolas smiled and they sat there in silence a few minutes. �That champagne�s finally kicking in. I have to pee.� She jumped up and Nickolas shook his head, as she walked inside.
�He got up himself and walked over to the banister. He moved some of the candles and leaned against it looking out to the ocean. He thought about how well the night was going and how happy he was having Dakota in his life. He put his hands in his pockets and stood there like that a moment before bringing his one hand out. He opened his hand and looked at what he was holding. He sighed and shook his head.
�I don�t think so.� It was a great idea though, but he couldn�t. He had to respect Dakota�s wishes.
�You don�t think so what?� Dakota asked and he quickly put the item in his pocket and looked
at Dakota.
�Nothing.� He smiled.
�What�d you put in your pocket?�
�Nothing.� She walked over to him and put her arms around him.
�Let me see.�
�It�s nothing.�
�You don�t hide nothing, Nicky.� She smiled and he put his arms around her. �Is it for me?�
�Uh�not really. It�s more or less for me.�
�Then what is it.�
�Nothing.�
�Then let me see.� He just looked at her. �Please? It�s my birthday.�
�It�s nothing, DJ. Just something Alex gave me.�
�Then I want to see it. I�m more interested now.�
�Nothing.� She just grinned and kissed him. He kissed her in return and she pushed him up against the banister and he went down to her neck then back up to her lips. As they kissed, Dakota moved her hands down to his pockets. She put her hands in his pockets and got the item and pulled it out. She stopped the kissing and looked at the item.
�Deej, I��
�Wh-Wh-What is��
�I can explain.�
�This is a condom, Nick.�
�I know that.�
�What do you thinks going to happen tonight exactly?�
�Nothing.�
�I told you I don�t know how many times that I wasn�t sleeping with you and that I�m not ready.�
�I know that.�
�Then what are you doing with this?�
�Alex gave it to me when he brought the truck by.� She just looked at him. �He said that since I�m doing something special for you I was going to need it.�
�Well you don�t.�
�I told him you�re not like that.�
�I�m glad you did.�
�But he still insisted I need it for tonight.�
�Well you don�t.�
�I know that.�
�But you were thinking about it, weren�t you?� He just looked at her. �Of course you were.� She shook her head. �Why wouldn�t you think about it? You�re a guy. I already told you I wanted the mood to be romantic and perfect so why not make tonight special and romantic and all that good stuff.�
�I wasn�t thinking about getting you into bed. I was thinking about you having a great night. I can�t believe you would think that.�
�What do you want me to think, Nickolas? There�s a condom in your pocket and you were
thinking about using it.�
�Yeah, for like two seconds. I respect your decisions and will never force you into anything you don�t want to do.� She just looked at him. �Have I yet?�
�No.�
�Alright.�
�But why were you thinking about it know how I feel?�
�I�m a guy, Kota, there�s not hope.� She smiled, but she didn�t.
�I�m actually disappointed in you.�
�I�m sorry. Like you don�t think about it.� She didn�t say anything and just looked at him. �I
rest my case.�
�But I don�t have a condom in my pocket.�
�Alright there is a difference there.�
�I�m glad you noticed it.�
�I didn�t want this to affect your birthday at all, but I guess it did.�
�Not totally. It�s still a great magical night.� She smiled.
�I�m glad.� He kissed her forehead. �I didn�t mean to upset you.�
�Alright.� He walked over to the table and sat down. He pulled Dakota onto his lap and put his arms around her.
�I love you and don�t want to ruin what we got.�
�What do we have?�
�A lasting relationship�I hope. You know how much I want us to work.� She nodded. �I don�t want to do anything to screw it up.�
�You won�t. I promise.� She wrapped her arms around him. �Nicky?�
�Yeah.�
�Um�I, uh�� She took a deep breath. �I love you.� Nickolas smiled and she looked at him.
�I love you too.� She kissed him and they hugged. He kissed her neck and she looked at the condom in her hand thinking, as tears went down her cheeks.
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