Chapter 8

          As the three couples piled into the limo and made the trip downtown to the dance club, Nick’s cell phone rang.

          “Hey, what’s up?” he said into it after he flipped it open. “Okay, yeah, yeah, we’re on our way there right now, uh-huh, uh-huh, yep, okay bye.” He flipped the phone shut and then looked around the limo at the five people staring at him with blank stares on their faces.

          “Life of a pop star,” he said quietly with a smile, shrugging his shoulders as he did so, and then quickly tried to get all five of them into a group conversation about basketball. Ten minutes later they pulled up outside the night club, Emerald, and started exiting the limo one by one.

          “Are you sure we’re going to get in?” Caryss asked cautiously as she exited the limo. She glanced at the long line of people waiting to get in, her eyes landing on two girls staring in her direction. They were wearing dresses similar to the length of Paris’s, their boobs barely being controlled by the flimsy material of the dress, and hooker heels four inches high strapped to their feet.

          “Nick, hey Carter, over here baby. Take us into the club with you and we will guarantee that your night will be enjoyable,” one of the girls said as she caressed her friend’s back and then initiated a girl on girl lip-lock that would have made any man’s pants tingle with excitement. “Come on baby, you know you want to be with us instead of them,” the other girl said as she pointed at Caryss and her friends.

          Caryss knew those girls were right, and she knew they were exactly what Nick Carter would want. She started to turn around to get back into the limo. How could I be so stupid? I’m not what he wants, those girls are. Why did I ever believe he could be interested in me? Those girls can guarantee him a night full of kinky, no strings attached sex, and that’s something that I don’t think I want to be able to guarantee.

          She felt humiliated and a single tear formed in the corner of her eye. She refused to let it fall in front of anyone, so she took a step towards the limo. Before she placed her foot back on the ground she felt a strong arm grab her around the waist and hot breath on the nape of her neck, sending goose bumps down her spine.

          “Where are you going?” Nick whispered into her ear softly. “I know what you’re thinking, and maybe a year ago you would have been right. But not anymore and definitely not tonight.” He turned her around so she was facing him and saw the single tear still sitting in her eye. He took his thumb and wiped it away, and then leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.

          “You’re lips are so soft,” she murmured as he pulled away and smiled at her. She looked back over at the plastic twins and felt very satisfied that they were staring at her and Nick with their mouths gaping open. Nick grabbed Caryss’s hand and led her towards the club, Liz, Stacie, Jim and David following right behind them.

          “Stupid toga bitches,” one the plastic twins said as the girls walked by them.

          “I guess some people get really jealous when they spend so much money trying to make themselves prettier and they see normal girls with dates when they have none themselves,” said Stacie loud enough for the two girls to hear. Liz and Caryss stifled their laughter as they approached the large bouncer with a clipboard in his hand.

          Nick leaned towards the man and announced that NC and guests were here as the man looked over his clipboard.

          “Right this way Mr. Carter. Samantha is waiting inside to escort you to your table.”

          Everyone thanked the bouncer as they filed into the club. As soon as the door closed behind them a sexy, curvy dark haired woman walked up to Nick and introduced herself.

          “Hello Mr. Carter, my name is Samantha and I will be your host for the evening. If anyone needs to check any belongings, please do so now.” She looked around at everyone, noticing that no one appeared to need anything checked. “Okay, well if we are all set it would be my pleasure to take you to your table.” She smiled at the girls. “Cute togas,” she said kindly as she led them all the way through the club and up the stairs to the VIP section.

          As they were walking, Samantha turned back to Nick. “Your other two guests arrived a little while ago. I escorted them to the table, I hope you don’t mind.” Nick just shook his head and smiled at Samantha. Every time he came here she was his host, and she was always very professional and friendly.

          Caryss looked at him questioningly, wondering why he invited other people to join them but didn’t tell her. Whatever, I’m not his mom, she thought to herself, trying to loosen up.

          “I’m in heaven,” announced Stacie as she looked around at the dance floors. “Please tell me you dance,” she said to Jim with a smile.

          “It’s your lucky night,” he said as he swatted her on the butt playfully. “In more ways than one!”

          “You are a naughty boy aren’t you?” she threw back playfully as they reached the top of the stairs and were shown to their table. It was positioned in the front corner of the room, right next to the railing so they could see the main dance floor while they sat at the table. Everyone took their seats around the table and Nick peered over the railing until he spotted his friends on the dance floor.

          “That’s my friend Chris and his girl Steph, I was with them at Chubby’s until I came to find you,” he announced to everyone, winking at Caryss as he said the last part.

          Of course, that’s why he wanted to come here with us. He didn’t have a ride so he used me to get down here and now that he’s with his friends again, he’s going to ditch me! she thought bitterly to herself. The irrational and illogical thoughts started running through Caryss’s mind once more as she thought she could read Nick’s intentions like a book. He looked over at her and noticed her entire demeanor had changed.

          “So let me get this straight,” she said with a sneer on her face. “You ditch your friends at Chubby’s then use me to get down here to meet them again and now you are going to ditch me, am I right?” If looks could kill, at that moment, Nick Carter would have been a dead man.

          “I don’t think that’s--” Liz started, trying to reassure her friend and keep her from blowing the potentially good thing she had going with the man she had been in love with since she was fourteen, but Nick held up his hand to cut her off.

          “You, me, dance floor, now,” he simply said, pointing a finger at Caryss. He stood up and held out his hand for her. She looked up at him, trying to figure him out, and then sighed and reluctantly placed her hand into his. She stood up and walked with him down the stairs and onto the dance floor.

          Liz and Stacie looked over the railing as Nick and Caryss danced. They watched Nick grab Caryss’s hips and sway them back and forth to the rhythm of the music. They watched him grind into her seductively and they watched her return the gesture.

“I like him already,” Stacie started, taking a sip of her drink before she continued. “He knew that telling her she was wrong wouldn’t have worked, so he’s showing her she’s wrong instead. He’s a smart man. I hope she realizes he is the perfect guy for her.”

          “With the way he’s dancing, he might be the perfect guy for me too,” responded Liz with a smile.

          “I don’t think so missy, you are all mine tonight,” said David as he grabbed Liz’s hand and pulled her away from the table.

          “Come with,” Liz yelled as David pulled her down the steps to the dance floor. Stacie jumped up from the table and her and Jim joined the other two couples on the dance floor. They continued to dance and drink until around 2 am, then it was time for each couple to part ways.

          “I think I’m going to call Trevor and tell him we are pushing the meeting back to noon and we’ll make it a luncheon meeting, is that cool with everyone?” asked Liz in a drunken-happy voice as they made their way back to the table to collect their purses before parting ways to get it on with their newfound men. Stacie, Caryss and Nick all nodded their heads in agreement as the girls picked their bags up from the table.

          The three couples walked out to the limo and piled in, giving the driver the necessary directions for every stop. First stop was Stacie’s apartment and she and Jim climbed out, thanking everyone for a great evening. Since Liz was currently crashing at Stacie’s pad while her condo was being refurbished she decided to head to David’s house instead of both couples being at Stacie’s, so that was the next stop. Within seconds, Nick and Caryss were alone in the limo heading to Caryss’s hotel.
         
          “Nick, I’m really sorry for the way I acted at the club,” she started, but he stopped her before she could continue. He leaned over and pushed her back on the seat so that she was laying down and he was hovering over her. He started kissing her passionately, his hands freely roaming her toga-clad body. The silk felt sensational under his fingers as he groped and touched every inch of her.

          “Let’s continue this inside,” Caryss gasped as she tried to catch her breath. The car rolled to a stop underneath the over-hang at the front entrance to the hotel and the two lovebirds quickly jumped out and ran through the lobby to the elevators.