Date: Thu, 08 Feb 2001 17:55:56 -0500
From: Cameron J <glenwoodbronco@hotmail.com>
Subject: Mile High Meeting-Chapter 21

Greetings!

I know it has been a very long time since I have posted a chapter, and I
appreciate those of you who are sticking with the story.  There are at least
12,000 reasons why this story has been delayed, from illness, to developing
carpal tunnel, to computer problems, to...well, you get the picture.
Anyway, most of you know that I tried to post chapter 21 a long time ago,
but lost most of it, and didn't have the heart to completely rewrite it, so
some scenes have been glossed over.  I don't think it will make a
significant difference in the story, but you have been warned!

Disclaimer:  This is a work of fiction, and is not meant to imply anything
about the orientation of any person, real or fictitious.  If you are not old
enough to be reading this sort of material, you have already gone too far
and should turn back while you still can.

On with the show!


Mile High Meeting-Chapter 21


     The door opened, and there stood Brian with a grin a mile wide.  He ran
into the room, embracing Nick and I in one fell swoop.  He didn't want to
let go, but once Nick and I started turning blue, he finally loosened his
grip.  Slowly, the rest of the group made their way into the room.  Nick
greeted all of them briefly, and then introduced them to me one at a time.

     They all seemed like genuinely nice people, especially Kevin.  He and I
hit it off right away, and I think he and I would end up becoming friends.
He seemed to feel the same way, as he spent more time talking with me than
anyone else, including Nick.  Nick was too busy catching up with the band to
pay much attention to me.  He was sitting next to me, and we were holding
hands, but we were in totally different worlds for quite a while.

     Eventually, the two or three separate conversations merged into one,
and Nick and I ended up detailing most of our vacation, from how we met to
how we became a couple.  All seemed very interested, and I could tell from
the comments that they all appeared to be quite happy for Nick and I.  Of
course, there were the usual comments about why I would lower myself to
Nick's level, and I simply responded that I was using Nick to get to the
rest of the Backstreet Boys.  Fortunately, we had talked long enough that
they knew I was joking.

     After another half hour or so of chatting, we decided that we would
have dinner in the hotel restaurant.  Kevin picked up the phone next to him,
gave a few orders to management, and then hung up the phone.

     "It's all taken care of.  We will have a private room in a couple
hours.  Why don't we leave Cameron and Nick alone for a while since I know
they are tired from their trip," Kevin said, winking at me.  No one else
seemed to notice that, but I nodded slightly to acknowledge his gesture.

     The guys agreed, and as AJ walked toward the door, he had to comment.
"Now, we're leaving so you two can rest, not tire yourselves out even more."

     I just smiled innocently, and waved him out of the room.  Everyone else
chuckled slightly, and I knew then that they were all thinking the same
thing.  Brian hesitated for a moment before standing up to leave.  I knew
that he missed Nick terribly, so I looked over at Nick.  He nodded, and I
immediately stood up, reaching for Brian's arm.

     "You can stay if you like, B."

     His eyes lit up, before he knew what he was doing.  He then calmed
himself before speaking.  "Well, I don't want to be a third wheel, but
if..."

     "You know you want to stay," Nick said, not allowing Brian to finish.
"Just get in here, and quit trying to act like you didn't want to be here.
We saw the way you paused before leaving."

     "Nick!  Must you take every shred of dignity from him?"  I asked,
disappointed in Nick.  "Don't listen to him, Brian.  I was going to ask you
to stay anyway."

     "It's okay," Brian said.  "I usually don't listen to that scrub anyway.
  He just thinks he is important.  He doesn't realize that the only reason
he is in the group is because Justin Timberlake said no."

     I stifled a laugh, looking over at Nick to see his reaction.  He
started to let out an evil laugh, and I knew at that point that there would
be no resting going on for the next couple hours.  Nick then stood up
slowly, and I could swear that I saw tumbleweed rolling in front of Nick
with the 'shootout' music to go along with it.

     "Perhaps I should leave you two alone," I offered.

     "Someone has to stay around to pick up the pieces," Nick responded in
his best Clint Eastwood.

     Brian stood there for a moment in silence, before a grin a mile wide
appeared on his face.  "Damn, I've missed you!"  He said as he practically
tackled Nick.  They both started laughing, and I was relieved that we
weren't going to see an OK Corral reenactment take place.  In the back of my
head, I knew that they weren't serious, but you never know.  It hadn't been
that long since they had seen each other, and I was given even more insight
into how deep a friendship these two shared.

     It also made me realize how deep a bond Nick and I had developed.  If
Brian missed him this much after less than a week, how would I react to
being without him for much longer periods of time?  Nick noticed the look on
my face, and knew that something wasn't quite right.  Fortunately, he didn't
quite guess why I was feeling the way I did.

     "What's the matter, Camo?  Feeling left out?" Nick asked.

     "Something like that," I lied.  There would be plenty of time for
getting depressed later.

     Soon I was being drug into the middle of the 'love fest.'  It was
sweet, and in fact a little sickening, but I did my best not to show that.
We sat down, and Nick filled Brian in on all of the details of our time in
Denver, at my parents, and in Iowa City.

     I was trying to pay attention during their conversation, but found
myself growing increasingly tired, and nodding off.  I eventually succumbed
to the tiredness, effectively leaving Nick and Brian to themselves.

     I felt something wet and warm on my cheek, and as I opened my eyes, I
saw a blonde blur in front of me.  As my eyes focused, I realized that it
was Nick, and that he was trying to wake me.  I decided to close my eyes, to
see how far he would go to wake me.  He started nibbling on my ear, and it
became much more difficult to keep from moving.  I heard him sigh in
frustration, and I almost let out a laugh.

     Nick then went for the neck, and as per usual, I couldn't hold out any
longer.

     "Okay, okay...I am awake.  Did you have to go for the neck?"  I asked.
I could hear Brian laughing in the background.  "Oh, great.  Now Brian knows
my weakness too."

     "Well, it's about time for dinner, so we don't have much time to get
ready," Nick explained, standing up.

     "Okay, okay.  I will get up now," I said, conceding.

     "I'd probably better go change," Brian said, getting out of his chair.
"I'll be back in a few minutes, so no funny business."

     "Why does everyone think we go at it every time we are alone?"  I
asked, not directing my question at either of them specifically.

     "Because we know Nick," Brian said.  "See you in a bit," he said as he
closed the door behind him.

     "What exactly does that mean, dear?" I asked Nick.

     "Well, um...I do have a bit of a reputation.  I have been known to get
a little...horny at times."

     "I see.  In other words, you get caught a lot," I said with a smile as
I sat down behind him, reaching around him, putting my chin on his shoulder.

     "Well, I guess you could say that.  I have been walked in on a few
times in hotel rooms, and the bathroom on the bus, and..."

     "Okay, okay.  I get the picture.  Hon, did you ever think about locking
the door?"

     "Well, I figured it out.  You know how it is when you are younger.
When you get turned on, your mind doesn't really focus, and you forget
certain details."

     I couldn't contain my laughter.  "Well, all young men do let their
hormones get the best of them, but some of them, including myself, have
never been caught.  However, I wouldn't mind walking in on you sometime
when..."

     "Why would I have to do it myself when I have you?" Nick asked.

     "What am I?  A sex toy?"

     "You know what I mean, Cam," Nick said, looking back at me.  I nodded
in agreement.

     "Well, I'd love to hear more of your sex adventures, but we need to get
dressed for dinner.  I would like to be a bit less casual."  Nick and I were
both wearing shorts and t-shirts, so we opened up our suitcases.  Nick threw
a shirt and pants onto the bed, and I walked up to him from behind, lifting
his shirt over his head.

     "Aren't we supposed to be on our best behavior?" Nick asked as I ran my
hands up his chest.

     "So I can't even help you get ready?" I asked innocently.

     "If you help much more, we will never leave the hotel room."

     "And the downside would be?"

     "Well...that's a good question, actually.  Seriously, I know the guys
would be very disappointed if we don't make an appearance.  They want to
know more about you, and I don't want to keep you from them."

     "All right.  I guess I have no choice.  However, I am still going to
help you get ready," I said as I pulled off his shorts, exposing his
boxer-briefs.  "You should probably change those too," I said, stripping
them off.

     Nick turned around to face me, fully exposed.  "Well, I could go like
this if you'd like, but with this body, you'd have to fight a lot of people
off to keep me," he said with a mischievous look.

     "My, we are full of ourselves this evening," I said, shaking my head.
"However, I think you have reason to be," I added, tracing my finger along
his abs.

     After looking Nick over for a minute, I took a couple steps back in
silence, motioning towards the clothes on the bed.  Nick turned around and
started dressing.  I then proceeded to find my own clothing, which was
difficult since most of my clothes were wrinkled from being in the suitcase.
  I did eventually find something, and by this point, I realized that I had
an audience since Nick was finished dressing.

    I turned to the left, so he could get a good look at me.  "I helped you
change, and now you are just going to sit there and watch?"

    "That was the plan," Nick said smugly.

    "Well, in that case, I think I will change in the bathroom," I informed
him, picking up my clothes as I started toward the bathroom.

    "Hey!  That isn't fair!" Nick exclaimed.

    "You had your chance to help, and you decided to be lazy.  I don't think
you deserve to get a show."

     Nick began pouting, but I wasn't going to back down.  I knew it was a
little bit mean, but I was secretly hoping that he would protest a bit more.
  He didn't though, so I went into the bathroom and stripped off my clothes.
  I looked at myself in the mirror, and guilt set in.  I opened the door,
finding Nick standing there, grinning from ear to ear.

     "I knew you couldn't hold out.  You don't have an evil bone in your
body," Nick said.  I snickered, mainly because I knew better.  Fortunately
for Nick, he just hadn't seen that side of me.

     I grabbed Nick by his neck, pulling him toward me.  I planted my lips
firmly on his, opening them slowly to savor the taste of my boyfriend.  He
wrapped his arms around me, and it didn't take long before I started getting
a little excited.  Without clothing, it was pretty much impossible to hide
this fact.  Nick tried to concentrate, but was soon laughing as he felt my
member rubbing up against him.

     "What's so funny, boy?" I asked.

     "I didn't know you were this easy to excite."

     "Hey, now.  You should take it as a compliment.  My own body is
betraying me.  I was planning on acting upset for a while longer."

     "Good boy," he said, patting the head of my member.

     I looked up at Nick, shocked that he had said that before I burst out
laughing.  Nick too surprised himself, as he began blushing almost
immediately.

     "Do you have any idea how cute you are?" I asked as I caught my breath.

     "Well, I've only heard it from about forty million fans, and almost as
many teen magazines..."

     "Yeah, but I am a much more reliable source."

     "Your opinion means more to me than the opinions of all of the millions
of fans that have seen us perform over the years," Nick said, looking in my
eyes.  I didn't really have a response, so I just smiled slightly.

     "Thank you.  Now, get out of here so I can get ready."

     "Yes, sir," Nick said with a salute, closing the door behind him.

     I finished getting dressed at about the time the guys started arriving
at our room.  A few minutes later, everyone was present and accounted for,
so we went downstairs for dinner.


     Dinner was relatively uneventful, and I learned more about each of the
guys than I would have learned reading every teen magazine interview they
have ever given.  It was nice to hear them speaking in something besides
sound bytes.  To be honest, I wasn't sure that any of them would be able to
string together an entire sentence until I got the chance to really talk to
them.

    As we finished eating, I invited all of the guys up to our room for more
conversation, or perhaps just a movie, but Kevin, Howie, and AJ declined.
Brian would have said yes in an instant, but tried to sound uninterested
since the other Boys had plans.

     I convinced Brian that he was indeed welcome to join us if he didn't
want to go out with the others, and he reluctantly accepted.  He said that
he wanted to give us some time alone, but I wanted to see Brian, and I
wanted to talk to him anyway.

     The three of us took the elevator back to the room to settle in for the
evening.  I took the movie schedule off the television, and tossed it over
to Brian for him to decide what we would watch.  Nick mentioned that he was
already hungry again, so we sent him down to the vending machines to get
some snacks.  As soon as Nick was gone, I sat down across from Brian, taking
the schedule away from him so I could get his attention.

     "How are you, Brian?"

     "I am fine, Cameron."

     "Don't give me that, B.  I am not a reporter from Teen Digest Bi-Weekly
Magazine.  I want to know how you are really doing."

     He looked down for a minute, before he spoke.  "Sorry.  I guess I am
already back into my boy band Q and A mode.  I am managing.  I have been
thinking a lot about what happened in Colorado, and why.  I don't think I
was really attracted to you, but I was jealous of what you and Nick were
experiencing, and I wanted to be a part of it."

     "So are you saying that you aren't gay?"  I asked, putting my hand on
his knee.

     "I don't think I know the answer to that.  I think I might be, and that
is why I said some of the things I did.  I would never do anything to hurt
you or Nick, and I still feel terrible about it.  Why on earth would I be
attracted to you?"  Brian asked, not realizing how it sounded.

     "Well, my guess is that Nick doesn't have as much taste as you.  Why
else would anyone be attracted to me?  Apparently, I looked desperate," I
commented, not knowing if he realized what he was saying.

     "Oh, Cam!  You know I didn't mean it that way.  I mean, you are a very
attractive guy, and I know any guy would love to be with you.  I just meant
that..."

     "Brian, I was kidding.  I knew what you meant.  I just want you to know
that you can talk to me any time if you need to.  I think you are doing the
exact right thing right now by not rushing to any conclusions.  Some people
struggle with this issue their whole lives, and you don't need to solve the
puzzle right now.  You don't want to go down the wrong path, because you
can't always turn back."

     "Sounds like you're talking from experience, Camo."

     "You are very perceptive, Brian.  Just remember that I am here for you.
  I know I haven't known you that long, but I love you like a brother, and I
hope you feel the same way."

     He answered that question by giving me a hug.  Nick walked in with a
handful of snacks while we were still embracing.

     "I leave you two kids alone for five minutes, and look what happens,"
he said, shaking his head.  "You two can't survive without me, can you?"

     "I think you already know the answer to that question," I said, looking
over at Nick.

     "Anything I should know about?" Nick asked.

     I shook my head no, and Nick took the hint.  Now that the three of us
were back in the room, Brian picked up the remote and ordered a movie.  Nick
and I had a king size bed in our room, so there was plenty of room for the
three of us to lie down on the bed.

     The movie was mildly entertaining, but didn't manage to keep the
attention of Nick and Brian, as they were out about halfway through.  I
managed to stay awake through all of it, and once it was over, I turned off
the television, found a blanket to cover Nick, Brian, and I, and I slipped
back into bed.  Brian was in the middle of the bed, and Nick on his other
side, so I didn't have anyone to cuddle up with, but I was able to fall
asleep with relative ease.


     Before I was fully awake, I could sense that there were people in the
room with us, and this fact was confirmed when the flashbulb of a camera got
my attention.  I opened my eyes slowly to see Howie and AJ standing there,
smiling.  Howie had taken the picture, so he was the first to receive my
death stare.

     "Good morning to you too," Howie said.  "Good thing you guys are all
fully clothed."

     "Only from the waist up, guys."

     "You mean...you guys?"  AJ questioned, taking me seriously.

     "See, look!" I said as I ripped off the blanket.  Both of them turned
away, not wanting to look.  They refused to look, but removing the blanket
woke up Brian.

     "Hey!  How are we supposed to keep warm without anything on?" Brian
asked.  Brian didn't intend to have it sound that way, but it only made
Howie and AJ cringe even more as they continued to look away.

     "What are they doing in here, anyway?" Brian asked, looking at me.

     "Apparently, they have an empty page in their photo album, so we were
picked to fill it."

     "Uh, guys?" I said to Howie and AJ.  "It was a joke.  You can turn
around now."

     They turned slowly, until they saw that we were indeed fully clothed.
They let out a nervous laugh, before taking another picture.

     "You suck, Cameron."

     "As a matter of fact, I do.  But, you guys are in the room, so I can't
do that right now," I said with an evil grin.  Howie rolled his eyes, and AJ
smiled slightly.

     "Your boyfriend would probably prefer being awake when that happens
anyway," AJ commented as he looked over at a sleeping Nick.  "Of course, it
would be an interesting way of waking him."

     "Not a bad idea," I said, getting out of bed and walking over to Nick.

     "Okay, okay.  I think we will go now.  You three have fun."

     "Three?" Brian exclaimed.  "Oh, no!  I don't want any part of this.  I
am going to my room."

     AJ and Howie left the room, with Brian following close behind.  Once
they were gone, I made sure that the door was locked and put the chain on
the door before walking back to Nick.

     He was still sleeping, and I thought about waking him up in a more
traditional way, but I liked the other option more.  He was wearing a
button-up shirt, so I unbuttoned it to expose his chest.  I then carefully
lowered his pants and boxers down over his hips and off.

     I got down on my knees, grasping his penis with my left hand, guiding
it slowly into my mouth.  It was flaccid, but I could feel it hardening
slowly as my tongue circled around the head.  As it continued to expand in
my mouth, I slowly worked my way down, until I was at the base of his shaft.
  My tongue traced the underside of his shaft as I worked my way back up
slowly and deliberately.

     My left hand began caressing his balls as I continued to slide up and
down him.  I knew he was waking up when his hips started thrusting, and I
could hear moans escaping from his lips.  I moved from his shaft down to his
balls, taking them into my mouth one at a time, rolling them around to map
every square millimeter as I engulfed them.

     Moving back to the shaft, I began stroking him with my hand as I
continued to play with his testicles.  I knew he was getting close, so I
slowed down, stroking his rock-hard shaft, pushing all the way down to the
base.  Nick took in a deep breath as the first load of sperm shot out onto
his stomach, nearly reaching his neck.  By the time he was finished, there
was a trail of cum from his neck down to his abs.

     I climbed up onto the bed, and I began cleaning him up by taking in
every drop of his load.  I worked my way down his chest, exploring his abs
with my tongue.  I reached his shaft, and I took him into my mouth one last
time.  I traced my tongue all the way from his navel all the way up to his
neck, over his Adam's apple, and to his mouth, where I began kissing him
passionately, darting my tongue into his mouth.

     I pulled back to see Nick looking at me.  "That's one hell of a wake up
call, Cam."

     "Well, this is a full service hotel.  There is no job too small when it
comes to pleasing their clients.  Although, I certainly didn't do anything
small this morning," I added, looking down at his softening tool.

     "Damn right you didn't.  I would love to stay here with you all
morning, but I have a meetings today, and the limo is going to be here in an
hour."

     I had forgotten about their meeting today that would take most of the
afternoon.  I am glad he remembered, because I had completely spaced it off.
  However, I had some plans I needed to work on for this evening, when Nick
and I would be off to paint the town, so I didn't mind too much.

     Nick stood up, walking over to the window to look out.  I walked up
behind him, putting my arm around his waist.

     "Isn't this a great view?" Nick asked.

     "It sure is," I said.  "The view of the city is nice too."

     "You are so bad," Nick said with a laugh.  "Or are you really good?"

     "I pick the latter."

     "Well, I guess I would agree, but it is time for me to get cleaned up
and dressed."

     "You're right.  Let's take a shower," I suggested, taking Nick's hand.

     "Okay, but no funny business," Nick warned.  "There isn't much time."

     "Yes, sir."

     I undressed, and followed Nick into the shower.  As ordered, I didn't
try anything, and it was one of the more mundane showers I had taken in a
while.  I had forgotten the true purpose of the shower was simply to wash
off, and I didn't like that one bit.

     After drying off, we got dressed, and sat down on the couch to watch a
little television before he had to go.  There was a knock on the door a
short while later.  I gave Nick a quick peck on the cheek as he stood up,
and waved to the guys as he surrounded them.  I asked Nick to call as they
were on their way back to the hotel so I could be here when they got back.
He agreed, and soon they were on their way.

     I picked my billfold up from the nightstand, grabbed my sunglasses, and
made my way out of the hotel.  I was going to reacquaint myself with the
Magnificent Mile, and I had some plans I needed to make for the evening.
The first place I stopped was a jewelry store, as I had a very specific gift
in mind for the love of my life.

     After finishing that, I had some sightseeing I wanted to do so I spent
the early afternoon hours walking the downtown streets, and perusing many
stores, buying more than I should have.  I bought clothes for this evening
for both Nick and I, and finished my other errands.

     I then decided to head back to the hotel.  Just as I started back, my
cell phone rang.

     "Hello?"

     "Hey sexy," Nick said on the other end.

     "Oh, hi John!" I exclaimed.  "Good thing Nick isn't around, so I can
actually talk to you."

     "That's not very funny, boy.  I just thought I would let you know that
we will be back to the hotel in about twenty minutes."

     "Sounds good, sweetheart.  I look forward to seeing you."

     I quickly ran over to the elevator so I could get up to the room and
put away my purchases before Nick arrived.  I put away the clothes first,
followed by carefully placing my other gift out of sight.

     I heard voices outside the hallway as I closed the closet door, and
heard the Boys barreling into the room.  They were all full of energy, most
likely a product of being cooped up all day in a boardroom.  I had a feeling
that they would all be going out to blow off some steam, but Nick and I
would not be joining them.

     "How were the meetings?" I asked.

     "Remind me again why we are in this business?" Nick said with a sigh as
he fell onto the bed.

     "Let's see...millions of dollars, millions of adoring fans, and finding
a boyfriend that is one in a million," I answered, sitting down next to him.

     "I think I am going to be sick," AJ said, faking stomach convulsions.

     "Well, he is right, you know," Nick said.  "I don't think I would have
been in Colorado, and I wouldn't have been recognized, so that does make it
all worthwhile."

     "If only all of us were as lucky as you," Howie commented.  That
brought the mood down a notch, but AJ was there to change the subject.

     "So, what are we going to do tonight?  I certainly don't want to sit
around here," AJ asked.  "Who's up for going out on the town?"

     "Well, Nick and I are, but we will be going alone."

     "That's not fair!  Why can't we go?" AJ asked, joking.

     "I'm pretty sure you don't want to see what they are going to do,"
Kevin contributed.

     AJ looked over at Nick and I, and we just nodded in agreement.  AJ sank
into his chair in mock depression.  He then sprang up out of his chair.
"Well, let's leave these two alone, and let's see what this city is made
of!"

     The rest of the guys took the hint, and soon Nick and I had been left
alone.

     "So, where are we going?" Nick asked.

     "Well, we are going to have dinner, and then do a little sightseeing."

     "I know one thing I would like to see," Nick said, reaching for my
pants.

     "Now, now, Nick.  I know you have a lot of energy, but I have made
plans."

     "Okay," Nick sighed.  "What are we wearing this evening?"

     I opened up the closet to reveal our attire for the evening, and Nick
looked impressed.  I bought two new suits that weren't exactly alike, but
they definitely complimented each other.  I looked at my watch, realizing
that the limo would be here soon, and I encouraged Nick to get dressed so we
could go.

     The limousine was waiting for us as we walked outside, and the driver
had already been informed as to our destination.  We arrived at the
restaurant several minutes later, and a table had been reserved in a
secluded part of the establishment.

     A candle had been placed on the table, and was already burning.  I was
mesmerized by the glow of the light on Nick's face, and the way it reflected
in his eyes.  Fortunately, Nick was more cognizant of our surroundings, as I
never even noticed that the server had arrived.  Nick didn't manage to get
my attention, and ended up ordering for the both of us.

     I was finally brought back to reality a short while later when Nick
asked for my thoughts.  I told him that I wished a single moment could last
forever, and that I could look into his eyes and into his soul for all
eternity.  Nick suddenly looked down at the table, and obviously I had said
something that sparked a negative emotion.

     "What is it?" I asked, taking his hand.

     "You'll be gone in less than 24 hours, and I don't know what I will
do," Nick said quietly, not looking up.

     "You have survived for 20 years without me, Nick.  Our love is
certainly strong enough to survive any distance.  We will see each other
again soon, and someday we will be together all the time.  We just have to
wait a while before that can happen.  I know I am willing to wait.  Are
you?"

     "You know I am willing to wait, but you have to know what I am feeling.
  You can't tell me that you don't have the same emotions running through
your head."

     He didn't know how accurate he was, but I could not let him see that.
I knew that I needed to be strong, because I didn't think Nick would be up
to it.  I knew that very little in his life had been permanent, and I
couldn't let him think that this relationship was fragile as well.

     "Nick, I know how much I will miss waking up next to you, and how much
I will miss looking into your eyes, and I will miss the way you light up my
life with a single smile.  But all of those things have been imprinted right
here," I said, putting my hand on my heart.

     "Having them in my heart is going to be enough until I have you next to
me once again.  We will talk, and we will e-mail, and we will do all of the
things couples do when they are apart.  Anytime you really need me, I will
be there for you.  If you need me by your side, I will journey to the other
side of the earth to be there.  I'd love to stay with you now, but both of
us have obligations right now that we need to fulfill.  You can't abandon
the guys, and I can't throw away everything I have worked for all these
years.

     "However, 'we' are too important to abandon too, so I know I am going
to work as hard as humanly possible for us, and I know you will too."

     I gave Nick a moment to respond, and he looked up at me with his eyes
watering.  "I guess I really don't have a choice then, do I?" he said with a
nervous laugh.  "I only hope I can work as hard as you will at our
relationship."

     "I don't think that will be a problem," I responded, squeezing his
hand.  We had said all that needed to be said, and we spoke very little for
the rest of dinner.

     The limousine was waiting for us outside, and the chauffeur opened the
door for us as we approached.  I gave him a slight nod, and he transported
us to our next destination.

     The car pulled up in front of the Sears Tower, and the door was opened
for us a second later.  Nick looked confused as he looked upward at the
building.  I took his hand, and led him inside.

     "This way, Mr. Walker," an employee said as he escorted us to an
elevator.  "Just let us know when you want to return."

     "Thank you," I said as the door closed behind us.

     Nick looked a bit startled as the elevator shot upward.  The lift shook
slightly, making him nervous.  His grip on my hand strengthened
considerably, and I was glad that we would be at the top in short order.
The door opened shortly thereafter, and it took some coaxing to get him off
the elevator.

     We had arrived at the top of the building, and the view at night was
truly spectacular.

     "How did you...?"  Nick questioned, noticing that we were alone.

     "I have a few connections, sweetheart.  I brought you up here for a
reason, you know."

     "And that is?" Nick asked, moving closer to the windows.

     "I wanted you to know exactly how you make me feel, Nick.  Since I have
met you, I have felt like I am on top of the world.  All of that down below
us is irrelevant when you are around." I said as we looked over the city.

     "There is nothing we cannot do, no challenge we cannot overcome, no
obstacle to great when we are together, Nick.  If man can build a tower that
nearly reaches the heavens, you and I can survive any test."

     The tears were flowing from both of us now, and I wiped them off Nick's
cheek as he looked over to me.  I took his hand and led him around the
observatory slowly, pointing out the buildings that I recognized.

     "I have something for you," I said, pulling a gold watch out of my
pocket, putting it in his hand.

     "It...it's beautiful."

     "Look at the back," I directed him.  He turned it over to see an
inscription on the back.

     "What does NCW mean, Cam?"

     "Your initials are NC, and mine are CW.  There is only one C because I
see us as one unit that can never be separated.  I want you to think of me
every time you look at the watch, and when you look at the time, I want you
to remember that every second that ticks away means we are one second closer
to being together again."

     "Thank you," Nick said as we embraced.  I lost track of time as we
looked out over the city, but was brought back to the real world when my
cell phone rang.  It was the gentlemen downstairs, telling me that they
needed to shut things down for the night.  I told Nick the bad news, and we
got back to the elevator just as the doors opened with the guide smiling.

     We arrived back at ground level, and I thanked the gentleman once
again, tipping him generously as we left.

     Once we were back in the car, I popped open the bottle of champagne
that had been chilling.  I poured two glasses, and Nick offered a toast to
us before drinking.  We had the limo for the rest of the night, so I told
the driver to surprise us by driving wherever he chose.  I had no intention
of leaving the limo any time soon, and wasn't ready to go back to the hotel.

     It didn't take us long to polish off the bottle, and Nick and I were
both in a rather playful mood.  We started making out, and before we knew
it, we were both down to boxers.  I had no intention of having sex in the
limo, but I needed to have Nick as close to me as possible.  I needed to
touch his skin and explore his body.  Nick kept his watch on, and I happened
to glance over at it to see that it was nearly 4 AM.

    "We should probably get back to the hotel," I suggested.  Nick nodded in
agreement, so I picked up the phone to tell the driver.  He told me that we
would be there in 10 minutes, so that didn't give us much time to make
ourselves look presentable.

     We began a mad scramble to figure out what clothing belonged to each of
us.  We had found most of our own things, but I laughed at Nick as we
finished dressing.

     "What?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

     "I think anyone with eye sight will be able to figure out what we were
doing," I said, noting his hair and his mis-buttoned shirt.

     "Oh," he said looking down, blushing.  He corrected the error and tried
to smooth out his hair.  He didn't have much luck, but I told him not to
worry about it.

     As we got out of the car, I handed a $50 to the driver and thanked him
for his discretion.  He said that it was all a part of the job, and told me
how lucky I was to have someone so attractive.  I smiled and waved as he got
back in the car.

     We stumbled into the hotel room, stripping off clothes on the way to
the bed.  That night, we made love with more passion and emotion than I had
ever experienced in my entire life.


     I heard a slight knock on the door a few hours later.  I looked over to
the clock, and it was a little after 8.  I made sure that Nick and I were
both covered up, and told whomever it was to come in.  I should have known
that it would be Brian.

     "You guys feel like breakfast?"

     Nick had fallen asleep on top of me, and Brian did not wake him up by
knocking on the door.  I knew he would be hungry, but I needed to spend some
more time alone with him before I left, so I shook my head no.  He
understood, and smiled as he walked out.

     I could not fall asleep again, but I was perfectly content to feel
Nick's warm skin against mine, and the steady rhythm of his breathing.  I
began rubbing his back gently, and he started to wake up.  He looked up at
me and smiled, moving off to my side, nuzzling his head into my shoulder.

     We were both awake, but neither of us wanted to move a single muscle.
A phone call interrupted our cuddling, and I didn't want to answer it, but
knew that I needed to.

     It was Kevin calling, telling me that they had more meetings scheduled
for today.  The first meeting was scheduled to start in an hour, so I told
Nick that we needed to get ready.  He protested, but I pulled him up into a
sitting position.

     "We need to take a quick shower, and then get over to Kevin's room," I
said.

     We took a quick shower together, and quickly got dressed.  Neither of
us had the courage to say anything for fear of losing control of our
emotions, so we walked over to Kevin's room.  The door was open, so we
walked in.  They had all been talking, but once they saw us, an eerie
silence spread over all of them.

     "Hey, guys," Kevin started.  "The car will be here in 20 minutes to
pick us up."  I knew that Kevin hated to be the bearer of that news, but no
one else was about to say it.

     "Well, I guess I'd better get going, then," I said.  Nick did not react
to that as I thought he would.  He was putting on a strong front in front of
the guys, and I admired him for that.

     I said my goodbyes to all of the guys, feeling that I could definitely
develop friendships with all of them in time.  Kevin and I actually talked
the longest.  Kevin and I had a lot in common, and I knew I could call and
talk to him any time I needed to.  Brian was taking my departure worse than
anyone, and his tears almost caused me to break down, but I somehow managed
to avoid it.

     Nick told the guys that he was going to help carry my luggage to the
Navigator, and I waved one last goodbye before leaving the room.  It took
only a moment to close up my bags and haul them down to the garage.  Nick
had a free hand, so he took the keys from me, hitting the unlock button on
my key chain.  Nick carefully placed my luggage in the back as I put a few
things in the back seat.

    Once loaded, he walked over to my door, placing my keys in the ignition.
  He simply walked up to me, touching his lips to mine.  I put my arms
around him, pulling him closer so I could smell his scent, and feel his
chest one more time before leaving.  Several minutes later, we broke the
kiss, and no words were needed.  He stepped slowly back as I slid into my
seat.  Nick closed my door for me, and stepped back once again as I started
the engine, and put the Navigator in reverse.

     I looked at him one more time as I pulled the shifter into drive, and
he waved once, tears freely flowing down his face as I drove off.  I managed
to remain calm as I exited the ramp, pulling out onto the street.  I was
amazed that I kept my emotions in check as well as I did.

     Once I was out of the city limits, and cruising down the interstate at
a good clip, I decided to pull off for gas.  I barely got pulled into the
filling station's parking lot when I completely lost my composure, realizing
that the road I was traveling down was one that took me away from the man
that I loved.  I only hoped that I would soon be able to find the road that
led me back to him.




Well, that's it for chapter 21...finally!  I want to thank you all again for
your continued support.  It means more to me than you could ever know.

I will start working on Chapter 22 soon, but I make no promises as to when
it will be finished.  Please let me know what you think of Chapter 21
(glenwoodbronco@hotmail.com)

Thanks for reading!