Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 01:17:08 -0700 (PDT) From: CJ <magical_dreams2002@yahoo.com> Subject: Love Brought Us Together Love Brought Us Together by CJ Disclaimer : This is a work of fiction. I don't own or know the celebrities in this story. The only characters I own are the ones I create. Thank you to the wonderful Linda for beta reading so quickly for me. She's the reason the chapter is out today instead of later this week. Chapter Eighteen Kevin, Howie, Brian and Nick were waiting for the elevator when they were joined by one of their bodyguards. Nick smiled at Carl, "You're playing babysitter tonight?" Carl chuckled, "There's no way I'd be able to enjoy my night knowing you were in a club surrounded by so many people." Kevin smiled, Carl and Nick teased each other a lot but he knew the older man was very fond and protective of Nick. At the same time Nick felt better when Kevin's bodyguard was around. "Where's Q?" Nick asked while yawning. He smiled sheepishly at Carl and Kevin's raised eyebrows. "Sorry, excuse me." Carl smiled, "He's meeting us downstairs." Kevin frowned, "None of you are taking the night off?" Carl shook his head, "Five of us are going and I think it's nine of you." "Nine?" Howie asked. The ding of the elevator made them look at the doors. Nick stepped back in surprise when he saw JC and a woman step out of the elevator. Brian put his hand on Nick's back the moment he saw JC. He hadn't missed the way his best friend would tense up around the other man. JC nodded at the group, "Hey guys." Before they could greet him back AJ's voice burst out in the hallway. "What're you guys standing around for? Let's move it, c'mon!" AJ reached them and stopped when he saw JC. Joey, who had been walking with AJ nodded at JC and smiled politely at the woman beside him. "Hey Megan." The woman smiled back at him, "Hey Joey. It's good to see you again." Joey smiled back slightly at her and was grateful when Carl began ushering Nick and Brian who were standing in front of him into the elevator. Kevin followed and shifted to the side as Nick immediately came and stood close to him. Once everyone was in and the doors had slid shut Howie spoke up. "I'm guessing JC's the one not coming with us?" AJ and Joey exchanged a look. "No, we didn't bother asking if he wanted to come since his friend is joining the tour for a few weeks," Joey said. "Where's Chris?" Nick asked. AJ smiled at him while once again taking in Nick's new look, "Lance wasn't quite ready to go yet so Chris and Justin are waiting for him. They'll meet us at the club." A little under thirty minutes later they were at the club. Nick frowned as the bouncer at the door put an underage stamp on his hand. Joey watched as Kevin ran a hand down Nick's back to calm him. Nick smiled slightly at Kevin before following AJ into the club. As soon as the doors opened the loud thumping beat of the song washed over them. Within seconds Nick was moving to the beat, a smile on his face. Kevin smiled and wrapped an arm around Nick's waist. Nick smiled happily at Kevin. They found a table and ordered a round of drinks while taking in the atmosphere of the place. Kevin rested his hand on Nick's thigh and squeezed it lightly. He pressed his lips against Nick's ear so that he wouldn't have to shout too much. "You wanna dance Nicky?" When Nick turned his head to look at Kevin their lips brushed together. He smiled and leaned into Kevin so that he could press his lips against Kevin's ear. "In a bit?" he asked more than said. Nick looked at the crowd of people dancing and swallowed hard at the thought of being in the midst of so many people. Feeling Kevin's hand tighten on his thigh he felt a sense of calm start to spread through him. When their drinks arrived Joey noticed that Nick hadn't ordered anything. 'I wonder how they'll do their ritual now,' he thought. Kevin smiled and held up his glass to Nick. Nick smiled back and pressed his lips against the glass. Kevin then turned the glass around and drank from the spot that Nick had touched. -x- Jeremy poked his friend Ryan to get his attention. "Isn't that Kevin Richardson?" Ryan looked carefully in the dim lighting and nodded, "Sure looks like him. I wonder where Nick is.?" "He can't be far," Jeremy said and scanned the table, recognizing the members of the Backstreet Boys. He blinked and looked again at the man sitting next to Kevin. "Wow! He's right next to him! Man, he looks different tonight." -x- Joey sighed and looked at his watch, 'What's taking them so long,' he wondered. Picking ups his phone he called Chris' cell phone, hanging up when his call didn't go through. -x- Kevin kept an eye on Nick who was bopping his head to the music. He knew that Nick was aching to go out onto the floor and was probably cursing himself for not being able to get over the stress of his past completely. Finishing his drink, he came to a decision and decided to go through with it. Nick sighed as he felt Kevin's lips against his neck. However, his words caused him to tense up in surprise. "You wanna come dance with me baby?" Kevin drawled, letting the full force of his accent come into play, knowing how much Nick loved it. Nick licked his lips and regretfully shook his head, "You go ahead Kev, I just wanna sit here for awhile." Kevin nodded, "Ok. Call me if you need me ok? I'll stay where you can see me," Kevin said and brushed his lips against Nick's. Kevin smiled at Nick and stood up. Before heading out to join AJ and Joey on the dance floor he spoke a few words with his bodyguard. Once he was on the floor Kevin let the beat take over his body and began moving to it. -x- Carl and Q nursed their drinks while dividing their attention between Nick and Kevin. More specifically where Kevin was burning up the dance floor. Kevin had danced alone for all of thirty seconds before a pretty brunette began dancing with him. While that got a reaction from Nick it wasn't a big one since he wasn't worried. Five minutes later, he was. Two men had approached Kevin after recognizing him and were now dancing with him. It looked very innocent to the world but still worked beautifully in making Nick jealous. He looked around in irritation as the three men kept leaning into each other's personal space while yelling into each other's ears. Nick finished off his bottle of water before standing up. AJ, who'd taken a break from dancing and sat down a minute ago, smirked. "Going somewhere Nicky?" he asked innocently as he could. Nick nodded absently, "To dance." Howie and AJ laughed as Q lead Nick towards the dance floor and to Kevin. Nick looked hesitantly at Q who nodded encouragingly at him. He quickly made his way over to Kevin and wrapped his arms around his waist from behind. "This a private party or can anyone join?" he asked into Kevin's ear. Kevin smiled and tugged on Nick's arms to bring him in front of him. Leaning forward he brushed his lips against Nick's, "It's not a party without you babe." He then tilted his head towards the two men he had been dancing with. "Meet Jeremy and Ryan. Guys this is Nick," Kevin said. They nodded and smiled at each other in acknowledgement. Nick let the music guide his body while assessing the men in front of him. The man Kevin had indicated as Ryan was tall and broadly built. 'Probably a jock,' Nick thought while moving his gaze to Jeremy. Nick felt his breath catch as at the way Jeremy's body was moving to the music. 'He seems completely comfortable in himself, just like Kev,' he thought. An inch and a half taller than Nick, Jeremy was slim but muscular though not overly so. He had dark hair that was spiked messily atop his head. The thing that drew Nick in though were his eyes. They looked like liquid gold. Nick blinked and shook his head, his old insecurities ready to come rushing to the surface. Kevin seemed to sense this and slid his hand around Nick's neck and tugged him forward into a deep kiss. "I love you Bunny," was all he said when they broke apart. Nick smiled and mentally thanked Kevin's instincts. He always knew just what to say or do, especially where Nick himself was concerned. Sliding an arm around Nick's waist Kevin drew him close as they danced. They refrained from pressing together and dancing too closely, not wanting to invite too much attention to themselves. There was also the fear that someone would go blabbing to the tabloids that the gay boybanders had been getting frisky on the dance floor. Kevin knew he'd become jaded after the last few years in this business. Nick's love was one of the few things that kept him from becoming completely cynical. Jeremy seemed to realize why they weren't touching too much while they danced. Ryan and he helped by dancing right next to Nick and Kevin. To the many people who were watching them it seemed that Kevin and Nick were dancing with their fans. Nick shot a grateful look at Ryan as he refused to let a stumbling drunk guy come between them while they danced. Secure in the knowledge that he was safe there with people looking out for him Nick let go of his inhibitions and danced freely. -x- Chris tapped his foot on the floor while he waited for Lance to open the door. Just as he was about to pound on the door again it opened and he ended up bumping his fist against Lance's forehead. "Ow! What the hell did you do that for?" Lance asked while rubbing his forehead and glaring at his friend. "Sorry man," Chris said while brushing past Lance and into the room. "Please, come in," Lance said dryly while shutting the door. "Why aren't you dressed yet?" Chris asked while staring at Lance with his arms crossed across his chest. Lance shrugged nonchalantly and dropped down onto his bed in his boxers. "I'm as dressed as I need to be for tonight." Chris narrowed his eyes. "Lance," he said in a warning tone. Lance sighed. "Chris please," he said softly. "Lance," Chris said equally softly. "You said you would come." He tried not to feel guilty about what he was about to say, "Nick and Kevin agreed to come too." He swallowed a smile when he saw Lance look up at him, "They're already at the club with the others. What am I supposed to say when they ask where you are?" Lance swallowed at the thought of everyone having made the plan to go out to cheer him up while he sat here and felt sorry for himself. "Jerk," Lance muttered while standing up to get dressed. Chris smirked and sat down to wait. Internally he pondered about his friend's fascination with Kevin and Nick. He hadn't needed Joey to point out to him that Lance seemed to get a genuine smile on his face very easily when he was around the couple. And when he wasn't in their immediate vicinity he was watching them. Chris crossed his fingers and hoped that Lance wasn't getting a crush on Kevin and Nick. Because if he did he'd only be inviting heartbreak. -x-x- TBC... Thank you guys for the feedback and encouragement to continue this story. I have a favor to ask - Does anyone know the current email address of the authors of the stories Josh and Just and Jamie's Romance?