Lexie's gloved hand slipped nicely into Nick's as he led her from the suite. They arrived downstairs in time for dinner in the grand ballroom, where dinner was served amidst a timeless elegance Lexie had never experienced.

He ordered the wine and proceeded to read from the menu.

"Anything look good to you?" he asked looking up. Her eyes were solely on him. "On the menu?"

She smiled and blushed prettily, lowering her eyes to the menu.

"The veal sounds nice." She sighed.

The waiter silently approached, and Nick ordered for both of them. They held hands across the table as they watched other couples dance.

"How did you ever find this place?" she asked him. He only smiled and shrugged.

Silently, he was thanking Karen, his fan club president, to the hilt. He prayed she would keep her word and never tell. She had chosen several gowns for Nick to pick from and gladly picked up all the accessories once he decided. He was grateful to all the women in his life, but none so much as the one across from him.

"Will we. . .?" she began, looking across at him. He turned his full attention toward her.

"Dance? Yes, would you like to right now?"

"Can we?" she asked softly.

"Of course." He smiled, taking her hand and helping her to her feet. He led her past several tables to swing her gently into his arms.

They easily found their rhythm to orchestra the music as they did with all of the music in their lives. She moved so close into his arms, he was sure they would melt into one.

It was just the one dance, then they returned to their table as the food arrived. The meat melted in Lexie's mouth, and the wine made her heady. She laughed gently, touched him often, and let her mind slip into this fantasy he had created. When the meal was complete, the plates were taken and he danced with her for several songs before they retreated once more to their table for dessert.

Nick wiped the last of his cheesecake from his lips and excused himself for a moment. Lexie watched him go, then turned to watch the couples dancing as she waited for his return. Her eyes scanned the door leaving the ballroom several times looking for him, and each time her eyes would go back to the couples on the dance floor. She wanted to dance the rest of the night away in his arms as though nothing else mattered.

"Mrs. Carter?" a man's voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned to him, and he asked again. "Mrs. Carter? Lexie Dorough-Carter?"

"Yes?" she smiled.

"Can I ask you some questions about the pending trial? Did you realize that the defendant, 28-year-old Samantha Kramer, is a mother herself who lost one child? How do you feel about that? What about the fact that if she goes to jail, you'll be responsible? Mrs. Carter, do you realize that when your husband went non-union that he put thousands of workers out of work, and their families went hungry?"

The man's face was a blur, followed by another as Nick shoved him away from Lexie.

"What the hell are you doing?" Nick demanded. "Get out of here! Where is security? Didn't I tell you to make sure this didn't happen?"

Several of the waiters, assisted by hotel security and a few other guests, removed the man and the dozen or so photographers with him. Nick pulled Lexie to her feet and hid her behind him. The photo everyone would see the next morning was of Nick, with Lexie hiding her face in his back, and the flash that bounced off of their wedding bands glaring back into the cameras.

Nick and Lexie raced from the ballroom, across the filled lobby, and into the elevator with other guests from dinner. Lexie collapsed into tears in Nick's arms, not caring who could see her. He held her close in the shelter of his arms, soothing her the best he could. He took her inside the suite, closing the door firmly behind them.

Before him stood his bejeweled and silk-wrapped beautiful young wife, who was crying so hard she couldn't even speak. How could this happen? How? She slipped from his arms and went into the bathroom to remove her jewels. He could still hear her sniffle.

"I'm sorry." He said. It was all he could think to say as he leaned against the doorjamb into the bathroom.

"It's not your fault." She said, running warm water. She cupped the water in her hands and rinsed her face. She buried her face into the thick hotel towels, dried her skin and looked at him from the mirror.

"I wanted tonight to be so special." He sighed heavily, lowering his face.

She went to him and lifted his chin. "Can I have one more dance in my dress?"

The hotel piped music from the ballroom into each suite, and Nick turned it up for her. She slipped quietly into his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. They remained that way for three more songs before he felt a tug on the front of his vest and the buttons came undone under her gentle touch.

"I'm not that kind of a guy, you know." He teased quietly. She arched a fine eyebrow at him.

"You're not? Hmmm, that'll definitely put a cramp into the rest of my plans." She smirked.

"I can't just let anyone soil my reputation." He grinned as she gently tugged him toward the bedroom.

"Wouldn't you let me?"

"I don't know." He mused.

"What if I said I'd respect you in the morning?"

"I still don't know." He said, playing hard to get.

"What if I get you drunk first?" she asked, stepping into the bedroom, the moonlight from the night washing over her.

"I think I'm already drunk." He sighed, leaning in the doorway.

"What if I promise to leave my shoes on?" she teased him from across the room.

"Damn." He muttered.

"These stockings are real silk." She smiled, lifting her skirt to show him.

"Where'd you get those?"

"Promise not to tell? My husband bought them for me." She giggled, reaching to unzip her dress.

"Your husband, huh? Jealous type?"

"Very much so." She said. Nick could hear the zipper come down in the dimness.

"Where is your husband?"

"He's on a business trip." She said, lowering the dress and stepping from it. She laid it easily on a chair by the foot of the bed.

"What do you want with me?" he asked, watching her crawl to the middle of the king-sized bed.

"I want you to come here." She said softly.

"I don't know, Mrs. Carter. I don't think this is right." He said, coming closer to the bed.

"Shhh, I won't tell him if you won't." she said huskily as he came closer. She turned on all fours and crawled back to him, rising up on her knees to loosen his tie and unbutton his shirt.

"You're very bad, Mrs. Carter."

"That's how Mr. Carter likes it." She said, looking up into Nick's eyes. She reached up and touched his face. "I love you, Nick."

"I love you, too, baby." He said, leaning in to kiss her.

Basking in the glow of their lovemaking, they snuggled in bed holding each other until Lexie decided to get up and raid the bar. The remnants of their late-night snacking were scattered around them on the bed. She stuffed one more truffle in his mouth and licked her own fingers.

"You really been thinking about Orlando?" he asked around his mouthful.

"Well, Tampa really. I can't live without some kind of water around." She said, her lips smacking from the rich chocolate.

"I think it'll be good." He nodded, talking around the confection melting in his mouth. "I used to own a couple houses out there."

"Can I tell you a secret?" she giggled.

"Sure." He giggled with her.

"I had Brian look for your old house, the first one you owned."

"Really? Is it for sale?"

"Nope. Fell into the ocean a couple years ago." She sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Me, too. Had some good times there." He sighed, too. "All the better to get another place now."

"Okay. I've got a couple agents looking."

"A couple, huh? When are you planning on moving?"

"Me? I thought summer would be good. I mean, CJ will be out of school."

"What about your school?"

"I can get my Master's anywhere." She shrugged.

"Are you going to go back to school?" he asked, watching her suddenly stop what she was doing and start thinking of her answer.

"No." she said, looking over at him. "I've been thinking if I like what I do for Gina, I might try to do it on my own."

"Estate appraising?"

"Yeah, but start my own auction house. G would come work for me eventually." She said.

"Really? I had no idea you were thinking about that." He said, surprised.

"Well, it just popped in there about two weeks ago. I like working on exhibits, too. I'm not dead sure." She shrugged. "Nick?"

"Yeah?" he asked. She pushed aside the wrappers and lay down on her stomach across from him.

"We've got to talk about Christine and CJ." She said gently.

"I know." He sighed, looking away.

"Have you been thinking?"

"Yes. I can't. . .I can't seem to resolve it."

"What's the problem?"

"I don't know." He shrugged.

"You won't lose CJ. I mean, you know that now." She said softly. "Nick, do you still want to know why she left?"

He was silent for the longest time, and then he rolled over to his back.

"I know I shouldn't care, but yes, I do want to know." He finally admitted. "I did everything I could to make her happy."

"Did you love her?"

"I thought I did. I didn't know what it meant until you, though." He said, sitting up on one elbow. "I thought I had done what was right. I mean, I didn't abandon her. I made sure she was comfortable. . ."

"Maybe she just went looking for something more?" Lexie offered.

"Why didn't she take CJ? I can understand her leaving me, but why CJ?" Nick asked, but Lexie could only shrug.

"Are you ready for CJ to meet Christine?"

"No." he sighed, lying on his back. "I'm sorry, Lexie, but I'm not ready yet."

"Yet? Is there a chance?"

Nick held his breath and then let it out loudly.

"Yeah, there's a chance." He quietly admitted.

"She doesn't have a lot of time left."

"I just need a little more, Lex, I can't do this right now."

"Okay." She agreed. "Just keep talking to me?"

"I will. I promise."

"Good." She agreed with a smile, cocking her head to look at him. He turned his head to face her.

"I talked to Aaron about the trial." He said. "He and Jill are both planning to be there for you. We're going to have to tell them what happened tonight."

"Jill isn't involved with the case. I'll call the prosecutor on Monday. I have his card around somewhere." She shrugged.

"You've been calm ever since we heard about it, and you got called."

"What's there to be worried about? Nick, I don't remember much. I have flashes of going over, and I know she was the one who pushed me." Lexie shrugged. "I barely remember the days that followed. I remember you singing to me in the hospital when Dad showed up. It's all one big blur. They have the fall on videotape and tons of other witnesses. Jill said they just want to get the 'victim's point of view', that's all."

"I can be there."

"No. I can handle this. Besides, Jillie and Aaron will be there." She smiled, leaning over to kiss his sweetened lips. "I doubt my horrible record company owning father would let you go."

"Howie? He's not horrible."

"Aw, you've never worked for him." She chuckled. "He's a slave driver."

"Howie? Sweet lovable, Howard? Little twerp I used to pick on him all the time." Nick laughed.

"That was before he held your career in his hands." She laughed with him.

"Naw, it's Kevin who's gonna bust my chops." Nick sighed, running a sticky hand over his head.

"Kevin? He's the sweetest guy." Lexie laughed at him. "I think you have them seriously confused."

"Me? I have known these guys since I was 13 years old. I know which is which." Nick laughed.

"OH!" she gasped suddenly.

"What?" he said, suddenly concerned.

"Know what I saw in the bar?" she teased, crawling out of bed.

"What?!" he smiled.

"Ice cream." She said, heading out of the bedroom.

"Really? Ice cream?"

"Not just any ice cream, Chocolate Chip Mint." She called out.

"Gee, I wonder how that got in there." He called back out at her.

"Nick Carter, did you do that for me, too?" she said, bringing the pint in with some spoons.

"I cannot tell a lie." He shrugged, sitting up.

They sat cross-legged on the bed, directly across from each other, and began to dig into the frozen pint of ice cream.

"You're gonna make me fat." He moaned as they ate.

"You're NOT fat! God, will you stop already?!" she groaned back.

"Look at this!" he complained, grabbing a small barely visible roll around his waist.

"Give me a break!" she complained back at him.

"I'm gonna be HUGE!" he said, throwing his arms open. The ice cream on his spoon slid off and hit the satin wallpaper behind the headboard of the bed.

"You're gonna owe them to clean that." She said, looking over at what he done.

He reached up and smeared the mess into the wall with his hand. She laughed as he showed her his hand and she pulled it to her and began to lick his fingers. A seductive moan rumbled through him. Amidst the wrappers, ice cream container, and spoons, he laid her out underneath him and loved her.