"Guys... Can I ask you an honest question?" Howie voiced as he, Brian, and AJ gathered in the large living room adjoining their hotel suites. The concert had ended some time ago and was quite successful. The thousands of fans had been screaming loudly for them, practically deafening them. But Grace's voice echoed in his mind, practically etched there forever. When he was hurrying upstairs to the upper entrance to the stage, he had heard her soft voice offer an 'I love you.' He had been so shocked that he actually stumbled on the stairs, connecting his knee on the edge of them. It had bruised terribly, but he couldn't feel it. Wondering if she had meant it or if he had merely created it. He was so anxious for her to love him that maybe he dreamed every moment of it.
"Yes, all the guys in the audience were eyeing your girlfriend," Brian teased lightly, sprawling on the lone couch with his take-out of Chinese food. He had to say he was happy that Howie and AJ were his source of entertainment for the evening. Kevin had retired to bed and Nick was in search of Corinne. Now he just wanted to wait until Grace got back to the hotel, safe and sound. Kitra still worried him.
"Thank you for reminding me," Howie groaned softly, throwing a small pillow at Brian's head. He yelped and nearly spilled all of his dinner, but Howie paid no attention as he turned to AJ. "This is a serious question."
"Then ask it, D."
Howie swallowed hard against the lump growing in his throat, unable to conjure the correct words. He was so fearful that what he heard wasn’t real. That she really didn't love him and what Corinne had done to him tarnished her thoughts of him. Glancing down at his clasped hands, he closed his eyes and prayed hard. "Did you hear Gracie say anything when we went to perform More Than That?"
"I didn't," AJ shook his head while Brian sat up and immediately placed his food carton on the coffee table.
"She said I love you, didn't she?"
Howie blanked hard, just staring at Brian with trepidation. "...I don't know... I mean..."
"She said she loved you."
"Did you hear her?"
"No--"
"Then how do you know she said it?"
Brian grinned as AJ took over his carton of food, obviously having already emptied his own. "Because she told me she loved you yesterday..."
"She told you that..." Howie thought for a moment and his eyes went wide. "That's what you couldn't tell me!"
"She made me promise and I couldn't betray her trust."
"You--"
"D, look at it this way. Gracie-Cheeks says she loves you! Be happy about it!" AJ interrupted with a mouthful of food.
"But--"
"Besides, you can finally get a good lay. Kitty says that Gracie-Cheeks has been horny as Hell. So horny she joked about slipping into Nick's bus for a quick lay--"
"What?!"
"AJ! Not helping!" Brian leaned over and stole his food back from AJ.
"What'd I say?" AJ frowned, leaning to snatch some fortune cookies.
"Nick's hotel room? Not the best choice of words--"
"Gracie-Cheeks loves Howie, it doesn't matter."
"And you know the shit that Corinne is spreading," Brian murmured, causing Howie's frown to deepen.
"And Gracie-Cheeks doesn't want anything to do with Nick. She just wants Howie, badly. And she already promised not to go anywhere alone with Nick--"
"Which won't stop Corinne from trying to form some plan with the horny little asshole--"
"Guys! Not helping me, I worry about that enough without you two talking about it!"
"Okay, let's go back to my original statement, Gracie is horny as Hell for you," AJ repeated, glaring slightly at Brian.
"And why is my sex life or Gracie's any business of yours?" Howie rubbed his temples.
"Kitra passed along the information and you can't deny that you aren't excited. How long have you been aching to fu--ah--make love with Gracie-Cheeks?"
"Nice save," Brian muttered under his breath.
"A long time," Howie admitted, ignoring AJ's correction and Brian's comment as the two men continued to glare at each other. "But I still don't know if she believes in making love... she still thinks its sex."
"Howie..." Brian trailed with a heavy sigh, watching AJ stand to root through the fridge for any other leftovers. "She loves you and she only wants to be with you. She told me how badly she wants you, but it's not lust. She just wants you to make her feel beautiful. To make her feel loved. She told me that much..."
"I've been trying to do that and then she gets scared--"
"With her past that we know so little about, do you blame her for being scared? She's never felt the feelings she does for you and she doesn't know how to handle it," Brian continued as AJ flopped back down with a couple slices of cold pizza. "You just have to show her that you feel the same way."
"And how does he do that?" AJ voiced.
"The classic Latin Lover can figure that much out on his own. He's notorious for romance and since he feels so much for Gracie-Babe, it'll only mean even more," Brian defended. "We have a free weekend coming up..."
"And what is he going to do?"
"Will you have a little more faith in Howie? The man knows what he's doing--"
"But what if--"
"Could you two please--"
"Don't even say it! He takes farther steps than you--"
"Shut up--"
"Fellas--"
"Then don't doubt him!"
"I'm being realistic!"
"Fellas--"
"You're being negative!"
"I am not--"
"FELLAS!"
"WHAT?!"
"No thanks to either of you, but I have an idea."
Brian and AJ immediately exchanged glares, to say they normally butted heads would be an understatement. Only, neither made a comment toward one another, turning their gazes toward Howie. Brian was first to speak and AJ seemed to expect that much. "Yeah?"
"Remember that cabin I bought a couple of years ago that you all made fun of?"
"It doesn't make sense to have a cabin in Kentucky when you're not from there--"
"AJ, shut up."
"Make me--"
"Do you want to hear it or not?"
"Yes..."
"Grace was raised in the Kentucky mountains. She talks about this lake near her house and how much she loved it... She misses Kentucky so much and I never really told her about the cabin, I didn't want to look retarded or conceited or... Whatever could be conjured in her imagination. But I promised her that I'd take her back to Kentucky one day. A night in the mountains..."
"It's January, it'd be cold as Hell up there," AJ announced with a shiver.
"And Howie has a hot tub outside amongst the snow," Brian laughed.
"You're getting my drift here? Do you think Gracie will like it? You know, candles... cherries... Pepsi... light music while we sit outside in the hot tub under the stars?"
"Howie's getting lucky," AJ sang.
"It's not getting lucky--"
"It's making love, I know, I know. But you're still getting lucky."
"AJ..."
"Besides, you might have to start by getting lucky and having sex..." AJ trailed slightly with a shrug of his lean shoulders. "If you're afraid about her not knowing or believing in making love... Just start by having sex, though it'll be making love to you, and she'll realize by the end..."
"I don't want it like that," Howie looked down at his hands, now starting to doubt his plan.
"She loves you, Howie. She'll believe in making love," Brian tried to reassure him.
"You just have to show her," AJ concluded, glancing toward Brian for a moment. Not to say anything foul about the older man, but he wanted to speak to Howie privately. Chewing on his bottom lip for a moment, he finally flung his wallet at Brian. "Go get us some snacks from the vending machine!"
"What am I, your slave?" Brian huffed in annoyance.
"You can get those cheesy poof things you like so much and whatever else--"
"I'm spending all your bills," Brian grumbled with a threat, standing up and moving to the door.
"It's not like they're on short supply--" AJ was interrupted by the slamming of the door. "That was worth all my money on snacks."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Howie questioned in confusion.
"I wanted to tell you something... without Brian here."
"Tell me what?"
"About this whole cabin with Gracie-Cheeks thing."
"AJ--"
"I think it's a good idea," AJ admitted, overpowering Howie's soft chide. "Gracie-Cheeks is a beautiful woman and completely adorable. She deserves someone like you to love her. Kit's told me some stuff and it's just really ugly. She needs someone like you in her life... But when you go to the cabin... Don't be afraid of her, because of Corinne, y'know?"
"Oh... yeah... I'm trying so hard to forget it... but then I get scared I won't be able to please her. Corinne always told me that I wasn't enough and that's why she goes to Nick..."
"But you're better than Nick, man. You care not only about your own pleasure, but the woman's as well. Corinne was feeding you bullshit."
"But--"
"Gracie-Cheeks loves you, Howie," AJ quickly interrupted again, refusing to let Howie think otherwise. He hated the way that Corinne manipulated Howie, even when they weren't together. It was sickening and AJ seriously thought about finding a hit-man to take the witch out. "You don't have to be scared about pleasing her. She told Kitty about when she was baking cookies and you licked the chocolate off her finger that her knees actually buckled when you walked out. You have such a wonderful affect on her and I bet you'll be a powerful lover, too."
"Do... do you really think so?" Howie asked, his nature turning timid the more Corinne was brought up. It killed AJ to see him like that.
"I know so. I have faith in you, bro. We'll be hearing Gracie-Cheek's yelling your name all the way in Florida."
"AJ..."
"I'm serious, Howie. I have faith in you. Have some faith in yourself."
"I just love her so much..."
"And she loves you. Now you have to show it to each other."
"I'm so damn stuffed," Kitra groaned while grasping her stomach, falling back onto the hotel bed that AJ was occupying. She had just returned from her late evening with Grace and was honestly exhausted. They had devoured several slices of pizza each, eagerly enjoying one another's company. It had been so long since Grace had been so happy and it did Kitra's heart considerable wonders to see her like that. She seemed so different compared to that bloody seventeen year old she found so many years ago. And, she owed the significant change to Howie and his love. Not to mention she owed him her full belly.
"Want stuffed with something else?" AJ teased with a growl, crawling over her to nuzzle her neck.
"Oh, give me a minute," Kitra giggled as she ran a hand through his locks. As much as she loved being with Grace, there were times when she needed the company of a man. AJ.
"Need to burp?" he suggested with snort of laughter, playfully pretending to execute the Heimlich on her thin abdomen.
"Oh a burp would be--" her sentence was halted by a belch that caused him to fall back on the bed.
"Holy shit..." AJ trailed in wonder as he stared up at the ceiling. "...Are you a fan of garlic?"
"I love it," Kitra grinned, rubbing her settling stomach. "That felt so good."
"Glad to hear that."
"How was the male-bonding?"
"Far too feminine for my whiles," AJ laughed as she found her way to his hips. He enjoyed the way she settled against him, straddling him as she pressed her hands against his bare chest for stability. Reaching up, he tugged on a pale strand of blonde hair, causing her to bend down for a surprisingly sweet kiss. "Howie is sweeping Gracie-Cheeks away for a romantic weekend."
"Are you serious?!" Kitra shrieked, clapping a hand over her mouth as their kiss broke.
"Dead serious," AJ laughed, loving the way she got excited for Grace's love life. It was adorable to say the least as he settled his hands against her hips, his nimble fingers finding a way to the button fly of her jeans. He always wanted her body, almost as much as he wanted her soul. "He said he overheard her say that she loved him when we were getting ready for More Than That and we convinced him to take the next step."
"That's great! It'll prove to Racie that he really loves her. She felt so embarrassed when I told her what she said," Kitra smiled as she felt his hands along her jeans. The sex was always incredible with AJ.
"He's terrified that she won't enjoy him or think he's a real man, because of Corinne."
"He makes her knees buckle with the smallest touch... we'll be hearing Racie scream his name all the way in Florida."
"That's what I said!"
"I suppose we think alike," Kitra laughed at his excitement, feeling the buttons finally being freed as her jeans were slide down to reveal her black thong underwear, which he loved to play with. He always slipped his fingers into the thin fabric, running his fingers along the string against her hips.
"I think so."
"What are you thinking now?" she leaned down, their lips inches apart as she felt his fingers delicately touching her skin along with the fabric.
"About love," AJ answered simply, sliding the strings down further on her hips before allowing his hands to wander upward, bunching her, bunching her tube top in attempts to slowly remove it. To torture her with pleasure.
"L-Love? What about love?"
"What you think about love."
"Me? And love? It doesn't mix very well..."
"Why?"
"Always got burned by the flames. There's only so many times when you can hear a john say the same thing while he's fucking you in the cramped backseat of a car that you start to believe otherwise."
"Why would you try to find love inside a john? Life isn't like Pretty Woman, Kitty."
"Back then I was wishing it was..."
"Yeah... So, you're just not interested in love anymore?"
"It's not that. I just don't know if it's for me, I guess."
"Oh..."
"Alex? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine..."
"No, you're not. Was it something I said?" Kitra cupped his cheeks and looked into his deep brown eyes.
"No, I promise, it was nothing you said, I just can't get these damn jeans off you. Talk about hugging in all the right places," AJ lied with a forced smile, flopping her back onto the bed.
"You're the one who bought me these jeans," Kitra giggled, her worries flying out the window.
"I know, even though I enjoy you naked better," AJ grunted somewhat, focusing her body as he yanked away the jeans. He tossed them sharply toward the wall, leaning down to capture her lips in a bruising kiss before peeling away her tube top, covering her almost bare body with his, nipping, licking, and kissing where he felt compelled to do so. Drowning himself in sex seemed better than drowning himself in drugs.
"I feel the same way about you," Kitra moaned softly, her hands trailing down his back until she reached his belt buckle.
"I know," he answered, ripping what would have probably been her fifth pair of expensive thongs as he tightly grasped her hips against him. He wanted to lose himself within the erotic nature of their wild sex, not wanting to remember that he was envious of Howie and longed to just once make love.
"Well, it's official, I have a pot belly," Grace declared with a sweet flourish as she lifted her baggy t-shirt to examine her flat abdomen as Howie watched her from the bed. Though, when it looked as if she hadn't gained a pound she attempted to stick out her stomach, though it only seemed to cause her cheeks to puff with air. It was easy to say that she was adorable and horribly full after returning to the hotel with Kitra. They had spent the night agonizing over what Grace had said to Howie during the concert. Kitra kept pushing for Grace to say it again, but Grace decided to act as if she hadn't said a thing and Howie hadn't heard a thing. It was easier, lighter, happier...
"You'd have to eat like you did every night for years in order to get a pot belly," Howie chuckled, shaking his head as she walked towards the bed. He was glad Grace had such a good time with Kitra, but three words were stuck in his mind. Words he thought he would have said first. Now he wished how to confront it without scaring her.
"Or, perhaps, pregnant," she decided, rolling the baggy boxers on her hips until they satisfied her.
"That's true, too," Howie nodded, smiling at the image of her carrying his child.
"But, that means I actually have to have sex," she teased, flopping onto her side of the bed, stretching sweetly with a soft yawn.
"Or making love," Howie corrected, turning on his side to watch her.
"Or making love..." she repeated, though her voice trailed off into a slightly wistful notion. Allowing her eyes to drift closed, she clasped her hands over her exposed abdomen and took a deep breath. She couldn't really turn to face him, trying to ignore her thoughts about what she had said just hours before hand.
"Speaking of love... Gracie... I heard what you said..."
Grace's breath caught in her throat with Howie's last statement, squeezing her eyes shut with sheer mortification. She had hoped and prayed that he hadn't heard her. It was just a moment of confusion; a moment where she had blurted without weighing the consequences. It wasn't fair, especially for him to hear. And, naturally, her hands drifted away from her abdomen and over her face, wishing she could sink into the mattress and disappear.
Howie took her silence as horror and began to panic. "Please, please, please don't tell me you didn't mean it because I love you too--"
Grace gasped softly as Howie straddled her body, moving to pull her hands away from her face. She seemed to pale considerably at his burst of adrenaline, causing her own streak of panicky nature. "Stranger--"
"I love you. I will always love you. I've just haven't said it because I didn't want to scare you. But now that you said it tonight... I knew I had to tell you."
"Howie... It's--"
"No. I love you. You love me. Sure, it can be scary but so many great things come out of love. Marriage. Babies. True happiness. Never having to be alone again."
Grace stared up at Howie with true disbelief, not knowing what to say. The passion coursing through his words caused her heart to physically ache. Tears naturally gathered across her beautiful emerald eyes. Since she was a little girl, she had dreamed of finding her prince, but an ugly toad had blocked her path and led her into the darkness. It was hard to say what she felt, always fighting against it. To let go seemed like such a sharp burden as she attempted to break away from him. "It was an accident, Stranger--"
"No! It wasn't an accident. You keep telling yourself it is because you don't want to get hurt. But you should know that I would never hurt you. I would rather die than hurt you," Howie cupped her face and made her eyes lock with his. He had been holding this in for too long.
Grace blinked against the heavy tears forming within her burning eyes. She was honestly terrified, because once she stepped into this, there was no turning back. "H-Howie, please--"
"Gracie, don't deny those feelings I know you have for me because I have them for you."
"Don't d-do this to me."
"Gracie, please."
Grace bit down hard on her bottom lip. "Howie, I don't want to hurt you--"
"You're not going to hurt me because I know we love each other."
"H-Howie...”
"Gracie... Baby, please. Don't pretend it's not love. I know it's love."
"How could you possibly know?"
"I know with my heart, body and soul."
Grace blinked hard as she softened beneath Howie's body. She rubbed her eyes to clear away the tears, finally noticing the tears starting to fall from Howie's chocolate eyes. Sighing shakily, she reached to brush away his remaining tears. "How?"
"When I see you, my heart flutters. When you touch me, my body is on fire. When I look into your eyes... I can see our souls intertwined," Howie spoke truthfully, taking her hands into his.
"Oh, Stranger..."
"Gracie, I'm telling you the absolute truth."
"I know," she promised, folding their hands against her heart.
"I love you."
Grace moistened her bottom lip with a wave of true apprehension. Her heart was pounding heavily against her ribcage as she found herself falling into Howie's soulfully dark eyes. "Howie, I... I love you, too..."
"Gracie... I love you so much," Howie breathed softly, bending down to kiss her deeply.
"Howie," she whispered faintly against his lips, allowing their hands to break so she could wrap hers around his neck. She could hardly describe the feelings overwhelming her heart, body, and soul as she accepted the sweetness of her kiss. She felt as if she were engulfed in the sweetest flames of desire. And, for the first time in her life, she felt utterly complete. "God... Howie..."
"Our love is going to last forever and beyond. My Gracie... My Gracie..." he quickly brought his body down to cover hers as they continued to kiss.
"I love you so much," she promised softly as their kisses broke so he could trail private kisses along her jaw. When his lips found her neck, she arched against him in natural surprise. "More than anyone in the world... You are so special to me... Even though I never said it..."
"You said it now. That's what matters to me. I'm going to make you the happiest woman alive. The most loved woman alive. I will give you everything and anything," he whispered into her ear before nibbling on it.
"I just want you," she giggled.
"Then that's what you're going to get," he smiled, kissing her ear and slowly making it back to her soft lips. They kissed until neither could breathe and as soon as they caught their breaths, they kissed again.
