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Author's Chapter Notes:
what's this? another update in one weekend!? SHOCKER! lol Thanks to darby and mel for all their help! Enjoy everyone! And thanks for all the awesome reviews they're so appreciated!
Chapter Twenty-Four: You Gotta Know When To Hold ‘Em

"Oooh Liss, how about this one?" Kellie asked excitedly holding up a black and red shimmery bustier with matching boy short underwear. Alyssa eyed the selection and grinned.

"I like it." She said approvingly. "Is it bad that I want something really naughty looking for our little private after party?" Alyssa asked with a questioning glance at her two best friends as they perused the racks at Agent Provocateur.

Lori grinned and shook her head ‘no'. "Of course not you two have been through a hellish year, that calls for some extra naughty lingerie." She replied reassuringly.

"Good, and I'm also shopping for the tour too. Like I won't have much time to shop for Valentine's Day or anything like that." She explained. "Speaking of, what in the hell am I going to do for that? Or even his birthday? I mean I already said I would marry him so it's not like there's much more relationship gifts I can do that are gonna top that."

"I said that when I married Clark, believe me give him a really good night of sex and he'll be a happy boy."

"I guess but it's like he gets ass everyday so it's not like it's that big of a diff." She reasoned back.

"You'll think of something you always do." Kellie added as she handed Alyssa a large stack of hangers she'd collected for her. Once the girls were finished they made their purchases and Alyssa grumbled to herself about the already large amount of money she spent. "Oh quit grumbling it'll be worth every penny when you see him reduced to a pile of pure testosterone at the sight of you." Kellie retorted noting Alyssa's dismay at the prices.

The three of them walked out onto the strip and grinned a little at each other. "It's just I really love being the fantasy girl. You know what I mean...like the one who will let him try anything sort of deal." Alyssa explained chewing her lower lip.

"That and the serious power trip that comes along with having that much control over him." Lori added with a sly smile.

"Not so much the control, but the power, and seeing that happy, dazed expression afterwards. Major ego boost." Alyssa added with a now confident grin.

"I know what you mean, Alex has this little sigh when he's just completely out of breath that says ‘god that was good'." Kellie added. "Like with Aaron it was, okay let's go again! But Alex he's just satisfied being with me too."

Alyssa nodded, "I can understand that. And the way Alex looks at you? You can totally tell how much he feels for you. Is it different...like the sex I mean from Aaron to Alex?"

Kellie thought a moment, "Yeah very different. With Aaron it was let's see how often we can do it. And with Alex, don't get me wrong he's better at getting me off than Aaron ever was, but it's very different, the dynamic between us is completely different. Like I don't care if we don't have sex everyday. And Alex isn't exactly the best I've ever had, he's near the top but his skill is nothing in comparison to how he makes me feel when we do have sex. It's this whole all-consuming feeling where I feel safe and happy. I mean we can't all be as lucky as you Liss...the first guy we fuck doesn't always end up being the one we have kids with. Although Lori has disproved me on that one as well." Kellie explained making both girls laugh.

"Yeah but Clark is not the best sex I've ever had. Like he's great don't get me wrong but I've had much better sex with guys who I didn't WANT to have a relationship with. I mean Al, look at you and Nick, you're in love and have great emotional chemistry but at the same time you two lust after each other too."

"So you two don't lust after Clark or Alex?" She asked with a confused glance between them not getting why her situation was so different and specific as compared to her friends.

"Well we're attracted to them, sexually so partially yes but the lust turned into love and there's not much lust left in the relationship there's love and a desire to keep that love going." Kellie replied hoping that she made some sense.

Lori saw the confusion on Alyssa's face. "Honey, think about it, when you look at Nick do you think about sex, or how much you love him?"

Alyssa chewed her lip, "Both, I mean, yeah I see him and I think of how sexy it is or how the simple things he does gets me going. But at the same time I get butterflies like a lovesick teenager. I love watching him just do stuff. Reading, working on his computer, anything and I think of our relationship and how happy he makes me as well as the sex."

Both girls gave her an amused grin and they chuckled, "See, you've got a rare situation there that not a lot of people ever get to have in their lifetimes." Lori replied. "Not that we aren't extremely happy and know that we've found two guys we know are perfect for us and all that but maybe it's because you two had that long friendship and that build up of emotions and trust before anything really ever happened that made you two hyper aware of each other."

"With Alex it's like I know I love him because he has the qualities that fit with my personality, he's kind and loving and pretty hot in the sack too but that comes secondary to our relationship."

"Same with Clark and I. We care more about what the other has to say than what lingerie I'm buying."

"Is it bad that I can love how we fit together, how I love hearing his opinion and still want him to violate me whenever he gets the urge?"

Lori giggled and threw her arm around her best friend. "Definitely not a bad thing. You should feel very blessed that you get to experience it."

"I do feel very lucky for having him in my life."

Meanwhile...

"Go right, right!!" Nick muttered to himself pissed that the ball hooked in the opposite direction that he had wanted it too. Instead of the nicely manicured fairway it was out about 5 yards away from the fairway in the thick rough. He sighed and shook his head at himself.

"Just not your day is it?" Clark asked with a sarcastic tone that made Nick snort at him in frustration.

"It'll get better I'm just rusty. I haven't played in a long time." He said brushing off the comments from the other two. They piled into the golf cart and went off in search down the fairway.

AJ tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as they eased down the hill. "Can I ask you two a serious question?" He asked nervously.

The other two exchanged a glance as the cart came to a halt. "Of course man what's up?" Nick asked encouraging him to ask for advice.

The expectant stares and his own personal anxieties wore on him; it was times like these when he really wanted a smoke. He adjusted his hat and sat back against the seat of the cart. "Like when did you two know that you had the right women?"

Nick grinned inwardly and glanced over at Clark who had an amused smile. "With Lori...fuck I knew she and I were going to work out the last time we started dating again. We'd been off and on for so many years I just thought that it was out of comfort but I realized that she's the only one I could see having my kids or being the woman that I spend the rest of my life with. What about you?" He turned putting the heat onto Nick.

Nick shrugged and smiled, "I knew I wanted to be with her when she was still a teenager. But I knew she was the right girl after Paris. She was the only one who would just let me feel what I was going through and not expect me to open up about it, yet I opened up to her because there was no pressure. She was just willing to sit, watch sports, pig out and get drunk and rant and rave about how evil women are. Instead of pushing her own agenda like Mandy did or try to get me to go fuck random chicks like all the guys tried to get me to do she was just there. And then after we started dating it pretty much solidified that she was the right girl. I had never been that happy before and it wasn't a giddy happy, it was a comfortable happiness where life is just right where it should be."

Clark laughed a little at the conversation they were having, "It's kind of sad you know? A few years back I would have been talking about my latest hook up, or Nick you would be talking about your latest conquest and look at us...pussy whipped talking about know when you have the right woman? The younger version of me would have bitch slapped all three of us."

Nick's shoulders shook with laughter at Clark's comments but it was relatively true. Just a few years back he was so concerned with getting ass anywhere and everywhere he could and now he couldn't see himself in bed with any other woman. "Things change I guess..." Nick said shrugging. "Apart of growing up maybe?"

"Probably...sometimes being an adult really sucks ass." AJ added.

"So why did you want to ask us what we think about the ‘right' kind of woman?" Nick asked with a sideways suspicious glance. He saw AJ's face twitch in thought and grinned widely, "You son of a... You're going to ask her aren't you?"

AJ gave a quiet nod and replied, "I've been thinking about asking her since before she got pregnant. I mean you know me I've been engaged twice, and now she's having my kid I don't want it to seem like I'm only asking her because I feel responsible for getting her pregnant."

Nick laughed a little, "Dude, seriously just ask her she'll say yes. Remember she was engaged once before too. So I'm sure she's got her doubts too but just explain that you had wanted to ask her before you got pregnant and you should be fine. She's not stupid, she'll get what you mean."

Clark nodded, "Look at it this way, she's already bound to you forever because you share a child. You love the girl and want to spend the rest of your life with her I'm assuming that's why you want to marry Kellie..."

"It is...right?" Nick asked for reassurance.

"No fucking shit Nick. Come on I may have fucked up twice before but that was for a lot of different reasons...Kellie's different as much of a pussy that makes me sound..."

"Then just ask her..." Nick shot back. "Believe me you'll feel a lot better once you do."

That afternoon...

Nick came into the hotel suite and sat on the edge of the sofa resting his legs a little as he kicked off his shoes and socks. He closed his eyes thinking of the conversation he'd had with Clark and AJ just a couple of hours before. Marriage...that was such a big topic lately. With Howie married, and AJ now considering getting engaged it was so odd to think that he'd be getting married in just a few short months himself.

The idea seemed a little odd; the one who didn't believe in marriage was going to get married? But then again it was Alyssa who he was marrying so it made the idea much less odd. He looked down at his hand, seeing his left ring finger where a wedding band would go in just a few short months. He smirked getting an idea in his head. Instead of just imagining what a wedding ring would look like, why didn't they just go check out some options for what they wanted when they would get married?

Shopping for wedding rings in Vegas? That would certainly get the tabloids going, he mused to himself. But at least they could really take the time and decide on something they both wanted and get that detail done for the wedding. He knew planning a wedding while on tour was going to be a lot of stress for not only Alyssa but for himself as well and any little thing that could be decided on now would make the rest of the planning that much easier.

With his idea firmly planted in his mind he looked around the room finally noticing the various bags, Juicy Couture, Dolce and Gabana, Louis Vuitton, Manolo Blanhik and Burberry. The one that caught his eye was quite a few bags with the label Agent Provocateur on them. He smirked and went over to one peeking inside it lifting out a white sheer baby doll and thong set. He held the garment up by the shoulder straps and grinned mischievously.

Curious to what else she bought he set down the white lingerie set and looked in the bag seeing various bras and panty sets. All of them were rather racy and made him smirk at her selections; he figured that Kellie and Lori had something to do with the vast amount of lingerie. I'll have to thank them later... He thought to himself. He dug into another bag and pulled out a deep crimson strapless corset with a black rose vine detailed on it going from the bottom left up to the upper right side of the front just under the bust.

At that moment his mouth went dry as he held it up, his mind immediately imagining what Alyssa would look like wearing it, with a pair of black lacy underwear and thigh highs. He swallowed a few times and stared at it not realizing that Alyssa had walked back into the room and was now standing with her hands on her hips and an amused grin playing upon her lips.

"See something you like?" She asked making him jump and look over at her his face reddening like a child that had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

He grinned sheepishly as she walked over and placed her hand on his forearm immediately making all the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end. While still holding onto the corset in one hand he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a heated kiss. She smirked into the kiss as his hands gripped her hips then slid around the back holding her to him.

Alyssa pulled back a little breaking the kiss looking up at his face as she loosely dangled her arms over his shoulders. "You like what I bought?" She asked coyly.

He nodded emphatically, dropping the corset haphazardly to the sofa and slid a hand up her back to bring her shoulders in closer so he could claim her mouth again. Alyssa turned her face so he came in contact with her cheek instead of her mouth and he pulled back giving her an odd look. He'd rarely if ever been refused for a kiss from her. "Is everything all right?"

Alyssa nodded and gave him a short sweet kiss that ended much more quickly than he wanted. "Just I have a lot to do to get ready for tonight. You do remember that you and I are going on a date tonight right?"

Nick rolled his eyes and smiled, "Of course I do, just I was sorta hoping we could start early..." He asked suggestively arching an eye brow at her.

She chuckled at him and pushed him away from her. "Easy there lover...I have a lot of things I need to do, shower, my hair, makeup getting dressed and I just got back from lunch with all the girls, your sisters, mine and mom so I'm thinking you need to go say hi since your brother is here also and looking for Kellie." She admonished making him groan in disappointment.

"But..."

"But nothing, you'll have me tonight after we come back..." She replied standing firm as she backed up to the bathroom door.

He growled under his breath and moved to push her against the door rather roughly making her breathing grow very shallow and quicken. He leaned in and gently kissed her, which was exactly the opposite of what she had expected. He pulled back a second later and smirked, "Tonight then...you better have a lot of energy because you're mine." He said before turning slipping on his flip flops and walking out of the hotel room to greet his siblings.

Once he was gone Alyssa leaned her head on the door and sighed making her breathing go back to normal. She shook her head at herself and laughed a little before going in and taking her shower.

Just down the hall Nick walked over to Mary's hotel suite where most of everyone was gathered talking excitedly about the impending holiday. Mary grinned seeing Nick walk in and stood up giving him a hug and a hello. Over off to the side stood his brother who was talking with Kellie. He moved over hearing the conversation worried that his brother was going to start some messy drama.

"You're happy for me?" Kellie asked with a shocked tone to her voice.

Aaron nodded, "Yeah, I am. We weren't meant to last and I know that now. I'm glad you're with a good guy like Alex though."

She smiled and nodded, "He makes me very happy."

"I'm glad. Honestly and I wanted to say congratulations on the baby. I hadn't really gotten a chance to talk to you or anything. Alyssa told me about it she's excited to be an aunt again."

Kellie rubbed her hands over her baby bump and chuckled. "Yeah he's going to be one spoiled little kid."

Aaron's eye brows raised and a surprised smile came across his face as Kellie realized what she'd let slip. "A boy?"

Kellie shook her head at herself at letting hers and Alex's secret out. They had wanted to keep the sex of the baby on the down low before he would be born so that the tabloids wouldn't get wind of it. Nick smiled to himself and backed away liking that his brother was being very mature about the situation. It made him feel good that he and Alyssa had begun to be a more positive influence in his life.

That Night...

Alyssa giggled as Nick wolf-whistled his approval of her outfit. It was a simple silver empire waist strapless dress that flowed to just above her knee and a pair of thin heeled sandal pumps to match. She laced her arm with him and let him lead her down to the entrance of the hotel where he had a car waiting for them. "Where are we going tonight?" She asked as she brushed a stray hair out of her face from it having fallen from her twist she'd put it up in.

He gave her a glance as they went down the strip pulling in front of Caesar's Palace. "I figured sushi would be good tonight." He said with a grin.

She rolled her eyes, "Only thinking of yourself now eh?"

He chuckled and took her hand as they stepped out of the car going to the restaurant, Sushi Roku, where a few paparazzi were poised to take their picture. They both brushed past them chuckling how paparazzi were going to be at every hot spot in town to get a glimpse of a celebrity. They were seated and Alyssa looked around the room seeing the ornate Japanese designs everywhere while Nick ordered a round of saki and a platter of different types of sushi for them to try. "Sound good?" He asked bringing her attention back to him.

She nodded and sighed a little she loved that on certain special occasions when they'd go out that he'd always ask her if he ordered properly. She had no problem letting him order for her, even though he only did it on rare occasions. "So are you excited about the tour?" She asked trying to make conversation.

Nick's brow furrowed for a moment and then he chuckled, "Yeah it'll be great but it's going to be difficult to find time for us."

Alyssa grinned at him and shrugged, "We've never had a problem before." She reasoned back. "And still it doesn't matter I'm coming with you and we'll find some time together, even if it's on your day's off and we go sight seeing with everyone."

"True, that will be a lot of fun. And planning the wedding will be interesting with all the traveling." He replied with a grin. They continued to make conversation until their food was delivered and a slight silence fell over them for the first few minutes. He watched her as she popped a piece of tuna in her mouth and he smiled at her. "Remember when I first tried to get you to try sushi?" He asked making as she took a drink of her saki.

Alyssa nodded and smiled at the memory. "Yes I was adamant not to try it. But you talked me into it."

"It was a test you know..." He said chewing his lip wondering what her reaction would be.

Alyssa gave him a suspicious glance and scooted more next to him wanting to know what this great test was. She took another drink of her saki and smirked, "What kind of test?" She asked keeping her voice low and flirty.

"To see if you'd be willing to try new things going on nothing but that you trusted me." He explained reading her face for any reaction.

Her eye brows moved up in surprise then her face changed into a sly smile and leaned in pressing her lips to his. He breathed in as he deepened the kiss tasting the saki on her. He didn't care that he felt eyes on them or even saw a few flashes go off from under his closed eyes. In that moment all he really cared about was the feeling of her lips on his, her hand moving from his cheekbone to the back of his neck gently scraping her nails along his skin.

They maintained their flirtatious banter throughout the rest of dinner and as they left Nick laced their fingers and led her out to the massive forum shops. Alyssa gave him an odd glance as they walked around just strolling holding hands and talking about their day. "So how was golfing? You get a hole in one?" She asked curiously, even though she knew that he'd never hit a hole in one in his entire life she'd figured she'd ask.

"Psh, yeah right. I'm not the best at golf remember. But at least I didn't bogey at all though."

Alyssa's face lit up and she leaned her head onto his shoulder, "See you're getting better!"

Nick snickered and shook his head, "Alex was asking Clark and I all these questions too about women and relationships. I'm pretty sure he's going to pop the question soon." He explained elaborating more on his day with the guys.

"That's awesome, I promise I won't tell Kel, she'd be pissed if I ruined that surprise."

"Considering she kept my proposal plan under wraps for quite a long time, yeah she would be." Nick replied as he looked over to his left and stopped walking. "So that's where you went today?" He asked with a grin.

Alyssa looked over seeing the small Agent Provocateur boutique, if the mannequins and the lingerie he'd already seen in just one or two of the bags she'd gotten were any indication he knew he definitely wanted to see the place for himself. "Yeah, really classy stuff, but damn it's expensive."

Nick swallowed hard and looked down at her for a moment, "You didn't happen to buy what you're going to wear on our wedding night did you?" He said eyeing a white bridal lingerie set that included a bustier, garters and white calf length sheer robe to go around it.

Alyssa followed his gaze and giggled a little, feeling very tipsy from the saki. "No, I was going to wait until just before the wedding for that." She replied leading him away from the store. He groaned disappointedly.

"I should, you know go with you to pick it out though..." He added making her snicker.

"Not on your life. Besides whose to say I'll be wearing anything that night?" She shot back making him growl at her under his breath.

"Woman, you're gonna be the death of me." He said gruffly making her giggle once more. Once they reached where he wanted them to go Alyssa looked at the gold, H and W door handles and the large Harry Winston sign above the doors.

"What have you been plotting?" She asked suspiciously.

Nick took them into the store and smiled, "Well I've been thinking that, if we get some of the details taken care of before the tour then it'll make it easier to plan the wedding. So what's easier than picking out wedding rings?"

Alyssa's smile widened as they were greeted by one of the salespeople. "Welcome to Harry Winston. How may I help you this evening?"

"We're here to shop for wedding rings. We're getting married in May." Nick said taking Alyssa's left hand and bringing it up on the counter. "What do you have that will go with this?" He asked. The saleswoman smiled and brought out a few trays then disappeared into the back room for a moment and brought out a tray full of various wedding band sets. Nick turned to Alyssa, "Pick out your favorite." He suggested making her look at him with a surprised expression. "What I trust your judgment which ever one you like it's yours."

Alyssa grinned widely and kissed him on the cheek before turning her gaze to the massive amount of sparkling wedding bands in front of her. She knew he was always generous when it came to spoiling her but this was a bit of a heady experience. She felt giddy, almost like when he'd proposed to year nearly one year beforehand.

She perused the differing styles and the her eyes fell on two rings, one for a female that looked like a string of infinity symbols that had been tied into a circle with inlayed diamonds lining the symbols going all the way around. The second ring, decidedly much more masculine looked, to the casual observer like a simple classy platinum band, but upon closer inspection in the thickness of the band on it's side was the same infinity symbols lining it. "These. I like the infinity symbols, completely fits don't you think?" She asked turning to Nick.

Nick nodded and smiled in response then gave the woman their ring sizes. She informed them that the female ring was already the specified size and that it would only take about 30 minutes or so to size his. Nick grinned and went to pick up Alyssa's ring brushing her fingers as she had gone to reach for it too. "Sorry, I kinda wanted to put it on your finger..." He said stupidly chuckling at himself for the cheesy gesture.

"As much as I would love that I think I'll wait until our wedding for that." She said as she slipped off her engagement ring and slipped on the wedding band and then put her engagement ring on as well. She looked down at her hand and stared for a long moment finding it almost hypnotic to look at the two rings together.

Suddenly in her head May felt like an eternity from this moment. She looked over at him as he looked around seeing all the differing types of jewelry. She loved how he had this quiet way about him when he was in public that he just liked to sit back and observe the world around him. She hoped that one day when they would have a family that their potential children would have that same behavior quirk.

Once Nick received his ring, Alyssa reluctantly took off the ring for it to be placed in the double hinged ring box along with Nick's nestled between two cushions of black velvet. Nick handed over his credit card despite Alyssa's protests to pay for at least half. "No...this is my gift to you for New Years." He said stopping her in her tracks. He gave her a sweet kiss before turning back to the rather amused sales woman and signed the receipt and took their small bag as they headed out of the forum and back to the car that was waiting for them curbside to take them on their next destination. They went back to the Hard Rock Hotel where they were staying and placed their purchase up in their room before heading out to the tables to gamble a little.

Some how over the course of an hour they seemed to have lost track of each other in the large crowded casino. Nick was over at the Texas Hold ‘Em poker table patting the table signifying that he was checking to the next player. Meanwhile on the opposite end of the casino Alyssa played a little roulette and won a couple of throws of the die. Feeling confident with her winnings she took them over and cashed them out at the cashier before setting off to find her fiancée. She knew gambling wasn't normally his thing and that if he was going to play in Vegas that he was either going to be at a Black Jack table. She grinned spotting his familiar blonde head over at the poker table.

She went over to the bar and grabbed herself a martini and came up behind him and kissed him on his neck. "Hello lover..." She whispered in his ear. He grinned and turned to look at her and kissed her. "Lose much money yet?" She asked playfully then looked down at his rather large stack of chips that were larger than any other stack on the table.

She looked to the cards dealt out in front of them for the table to play, an Ace of clubs, a four of spades, a 6 of spades and a Jack of hearts. Nick looked at his cards keeping a completely straight face as he raised his bet making two of the other three players fold their hands. It was now down to Nick and another player, a rather tall lanky man in a business suit, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Alyssa watched Nick very closely and how his face was stern, jaw set to show no emotion whether or as to whether or not he was happy with his hand. She knew that face meant he had a pretty damn good chance of winning but to the casual observer who had never played against him before wouldn't know that. She sighed and thought for a moment the knot in her stomach becoming more and more prevalent. Maybe it was the alcohol she'd been drinking over the course of the night. Or maybe it was the fact that she'd been feeling this way since they'd purchased their wedding rings that night.

At that moment it didn't matter what it was that provoked her, what mattered was that she leaned in to Nick's ear and whispered, "If you win this hand I'll marry you tonight..."

It seemed as if in that moment the entire world froze. Nick turned to Alyssa, his eyes full of questioning surprise meeting her mischievous grin. He grinned and kissed her for luck just as the dealer went to reach for the final card, the river, from the automated shuffler.



Chapter End Notes:
Thank you for taking the time to read! I hope you enjoyed it!