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Chapter Twenty Nine - Colorado

Any hope that Nick and I would be able to recreate our moment after the show was lost. A mad dash ensued to get everybody on board the busses as quickly as possible; our trip to Colorado would take fifteen hours and, once again, the sound check and concert would have to happen almost as soon as we arrived.

“Whose bright idea was it to schedule concerts in Missouri and Colorado back to back?” Nick grumbled.

“It’s not impossible,” Howie said, defending himself. “It just means that we don’t have time to be lazy. Plus everyone wanted more time in Vegas. We have to make up for that somewhere.”

Nick looked over at me. I arched in eyebrow.

“Well, you know what they say,” Nick said teasingly. “What happens in Vegas…”

I wrapped my arms around his waist, kissing his cheek.

“Hey Liv,” Andrea called from the dancer’s bus. “C’mere, I’ve got to show you something.

I backed away from Nick.

“Hurry,” he said. “I think the busses are going to take off in a few minutes.”

I nodded, my thoughts straying to him and me in his big, soft bed. The air around me seemed to grow warmer. With a dreamy sigh, I climbed aboard the bus.

“What’s up Andrea?”

Andrea proceeded to lay out three pictures on the table.

“What do you think?”

“They’re pretty. I said.

“Yes, but which one would make a good tattoo?”

At the sound of doors and compartments being closed, I chose quickly.

“Really?” Andrea said, wrinkling her nose. “I don’t know; it might be too purple.”

She launched into an analysis of each picture in turn. My hopes of enjoying a night in solitude with Nick flew out the window as the busses started up. I sank down on the couch by Andrea, sighing. After an hour of consultation, she made her tattoo decision.

“There’s a great tattoo parlor in Vegas,” Andrea explained. “I can’t wait!”

“Where are they playing in Vegas?” I asked. I didn’t recall it on my itinerary.

“Nowhere. We have two and a half days of pure relaxation,” she said happily. I smiled. No commitments meant that Nick and I might finally be able to steal away. And if we could, then…hopefully we’d be able to pick up what we started on the bus. With that thought I got ready for bed.

As I scooped my hair up into a ponytail, my phone rang. It was Nick.

“Hello?” I said, smiling.

“This sucks,” he complained.

“Good things are worth the wait,” I said. I didn’t believe it, but it sounded good.

“That would be fine, but, I’ve had a taste,” Nick said, his voice thick. “And I want more.”

Goosebumps danced along my arms.

“Can I tell you that we should take it slow?” I smiled.

“Seriously?” He sounded like someone who had gotten tube socks for Christmas instead of a video game.

“No.” I laughed.

“Good,” Nick said. “Because the ride’s started and you can’t jump off in the middle.”

After a few more minutes of playful banter, Nick got quiet.

“I really just wanted to call to say goodnight,” he admitted.

“Good night, Nicky,” I said, smiling.

“Good night, Livvy.”

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We were thirty minutes away from the venue when we hit traffic. The busses were already behind schedule and being stuck in a standstill made it even worse. I checked my watch constantly. The walls of the bus seemed to be closing in. After only a mediocre night’s sleep, I wanted to get out on solid ground.

I stared at the window with a sigh. Even with the air conditioner on full blast, the temperature in the bus was rising quickly. I exchanged my t-shirt for a spaghetti strap tank top. As I was contemplating dunking my head into a bucket of ice, my phone vibrated.

It was a text message from Nick.

“Wanna Skype?”

I rolled my eyes, but turned on my laptop. After a quick exchange of text messages and information, Nick’s face came smiling at me through the magic of technology. I honestly didn’t think he could look any hotter; I was wrong. He wore a pair of reading glasses that made him look sophisticated and dangerous at the same time. Put the man in glasses and he could fry an egg on the sidewalk.

“Hi,” he said waving.

“Hi yourself,” I said with a smile. “Now you look like a sexy teacher.”

“Will you be my student?” he said suggestively. I folded my arms across my chest, shaking my head.

“I like that top,” he added, leaning closer to his screen. I swatted at my screen.

“It’s hot in here,” I explained. “I don’t have anything else to wear.”

“Well, you’d be cooler if you weren’t wearing a top at all,” Nick explained.

I looked around. Andrea was curled on up her bunk, a mist fan spraying her face.

“Keep it clean, Nick. The other girls aren’t far away.”

“Damn.”

“I think we’re going to be late for sound check,” I said, changing the subject. Nick glanced at his watch.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “I can’t wait to get off the bus. Of course, it would have been worthwhile if you were here with me.”

“Well, I think fate has something against us,” I remarked.

“It’ll happen,” Nick said. I watched as he leaned back on the couch. “Not today, not tonight, but it’ll happen.”

I laughed. “Did your crystal ball tell you that?” I said teasingly.

“Nope,” he pushed up his glasses. “I had some time to think last night as I lay in bed thinking about you. When it happens it’s going to be special. So you’re just going to have to wait and let me surprise you.”

“I dunno,” I said, feigning annoyance. “If you keep me hanging too long I might have to switch my opinion on my favorite Backstreet Boy again.” I started laughing. Nick wrinkled his nose.

“That’s not funny,” he complained. “I had a dream last night about you and Brian. And let me tell you, the last thing I want to dream about is Brian’s pale ass.”

I continued to laugh. “You have a pale ass.”

“Yes, but it’s luscious.”

Just then the bus started moving at a normal speed. “With that, I’m cutting you off,” I told him.

“No Skype stripping?” Nick pouted.

“Bye Nick,” I said, blowing a kiss. He caught it as I broke our connection.

Twenty minutes later we finally pulled up to the venue. Andrea and I jostled to be the first ones out of the bus. My hair was sticking to my face and the air was oppressive.

“Ugh, I feel nasty,” Andrea complained.

“Me too,” I said. “When I think of Colorado, I think of snow. It must be 105 degrees out here.”

The crew was unloading equipment at a crazy pace. The 1stBank Center, which just opened in March, was an indoor venue. I thanked the air conditioning gods as we walked in and were blasted with cold air.

Nick went to get us some water. As I looked around, enjoying the differences and similarities of yet another stop, AJ pulled me aside.

“I need your help,” he whispered.

“With what?” I whispered back.

AJ smiled. “My revenge on Nick.”

I smiled mischievously. “I’m listening. What do you want me to do?”

“Just be my decoy.”