The Story of Us (Book 1 of "The Story of Us" Series) [Completed]

Chapter 28 - Dirty Little Secret

[June 2005]

Nick walked through the hotel lobby in New York City, listening to AJ and Kevin discuss something that a fan did that afternoon at their CD signing at the Virgin Mega Store in Times Square. Nick didn't even care that the fan leaped over the table, kissing him all over his face. He was too concerned on whether or not Harley was at the hotel yet. He hadn't heard from her since he sent her the text message the day before.

Maybe she changed her mind and decided not to come even though she had a meeting with her management the next day.

"Nick, you're awfully quiet," Howie said as Nick didn't budge. He didn't hear him. "Nicky," Howie said as Nick turned to look at him. "What's wrong? The fan freak you out?"

"He's wondering if his new best friend is here yet," AJ grinned, causing Nick to shoot him the bird. "Sorry, not new best friend, but best friend that you wish would rape you."

"AJ," Brian hissed, punching him in the arm. "He's nervous because she listened to the songs on the album. He hasn't heard from her."

"Shit man, you haven't? I did," AJ said as Nick raised his eyebrow. "She was in a layover in Chicago when she texted me about three hours ago."

"She texted you and not me?" Nick finally said as AJ smirked. "Well, at least I know she's still coming here."

"Maybe she just wants to tell you what she thinks in person." Brian said as Nick nodded. The elevator opened and the boys walked out with their security behind them. "Just relax, man," he said, patting Nick on the shoulder as he walked up to his hotel room door.

"I'll try. I'm just going to go relax for a little while before the release party," Nick said, unlocking his hotel room door. He shut the door, taking his button up shirt off so that he was just in a white t-shirt and jeans. He kicked off his sneakers and socks and sat down on the bed.

He laid back on his back, closing his eyes because he was so tired. From doing press in Los Angeles and taking a redeye to New York, he was completely beat. He also didn't get much sleep on the flight because he kept thinking Harley would text him. She had a way of always keeping him awake even in a different time zone.

He couldn't help it though. He was nervous. He was petrified. It wasn't that the songs spelled out Harley's name so that people would know that it dealt with their relationship. It was the fact if she heard certain lines or at least one certain song, she would know what it was about.

And that scared the hell out of him.

Then his phone vibrated. He reached in his jeans pocket, taking it out to see a text message from Harley.

I know you're in there and you can make me wait.... but I'm not going away

Nick smiled, sitting up on the bed. He was about to text her when he realized what she meant.

He crawled off of the bed and walked up to the door, opening it to see Harley standing outside. Her hair was wavy and dark and she looked like she was ready to step onto the cover of a magazine in a pink sundress and a small white jacket. Now he just had to open his mouth.

"Hey, I didn't know if you were still coming or not because I hadn't heard from you," he finally said, as she walked past him, walking into the room. She didn't hug him. That wasn't a good sign. "No hug?" he asked, laughing nervously. He shut the door back, locking it and watched her take off her small white jacket. She laid the jacket on the back of a chair and turned to look at him.

"I listened to your songs," she said as he smiled nervously, putting his hands in his pocket.

"So?" he finally asked as she walked up to him.

"I don't want you to take what I'm going to do the wrong way, okay?" she said as he nodded. "I mean, it'll be hard not to take the wrong way, but just don't." He watched her walk up to him, putting her hands on his shoulders. He was sure she was about to knee him in the groin when he felt her lips on his. He closed his eyes, feeling her deepen the kiss. He couldn't believe she was kissing him. He moved his hands around her back, touching her skin from where her sundress had a bare back.

Then her lips left his and she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

"How am I not supposed to take that the wrong way?" Nick whispered, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"The entire time we were together, I never got to hear a song that you wrote just for me," she whispered, backing away from the hug. She sighed, resting her hands on his chest, looking at his t-shirt and then up at him. "Nobody's ever written anything just for me before, Nick. Do you know how bad that turned me on?" Nick swallowed, wondering where she was going with this. "I couldn't even sleep last night."

"Friends aren't supposed to turn each other on," he said as she started to laugh. "I didn't write that to turn you on, I just..." he said as she interrupted him by kissing his lips again. He smiled into the kiss, knowing he used to do the same thing to her. He backed away quickly, feeling her hands on his belt, unfastening it. "Whoa, wait a minute. What's going on?"

"Writing music is my thing, Nick and for someone to do that for me was amazing," she said as he smiled and nodded. "It was a turn on for me, like you wouldn't believe and it's been months, Nick and damn it, friends do this kind of stuff. You see it in TV shows and movies all the time."

"Fuck... buddies," Nick whispered as Harley stared at him.

"Friends with benefits sounds much nicer," she said as he ran his fingers through his hair, looking at her. He didn't know where to go with this. He didn't know if he should turn her down or remind her of what she was missing. It wasn't like he was taking advantage of her. She seemed completely sober and knew what she was doing.

And before he could even say anything, he watched Harley reach back to her sundress, unzipping the small zipper in the back. She let it fall to the floor, stepping out of it with just a pair of pink panties on and her heels.

"It won't interfere with us being friends?" Nick asked, watching her as she moved closer to him, finishing her attempt to unfasten his belt and jeans. Harley shook her head, pushing his jeans and boxer briefs to the floor. "You promise?"

"Only if you promise you've been disinfected," she said as he started to laugh. Then he realized she was serious.

"I'm good, trust me," he said as he reached down, pulling his t-shirt over his head. He hadn't slept with anybody since Paris and it had been the longest no-sex period of his life since he first started dating Harley until she finally gave him. Now, if Harley was more than willing, he was going to give her what she wanted.

He watched her as she walked over to the bed, crawling on top of it and laid her head on the pillows with one leg bent up in the air. This was definitely a new side of Harley he hadn't seen. He walked over to his backpack, reaching inside and praying that he had a condom inside. He hadn't needed one in a while and he needed one.

And there wasn't one.

"Fuck," Nick hissed, running into the bathroom to grab a robe. "Be right back," he whispered, practically running out the door. He ran across the hall to Brian's room, beating on the door.

"What?" Brian asked, opening the door to see Nick in a short, white robe. "What the..."

"Condom, do you have a condom?"

"I'm a married man, why would I need a condom?" Brian asked as Nick rolled his eyes, running down to the next door that he hoped was AJ's. "Nick," Brian said, walking out of the room to see AJ open his door.

"Condom, I need a condom, or two, maybe three, it's been a while," Nick said as AJ reached in his pocket, pulling out a long pack of multi-colored condoms. "Jesus, man." Nick grabbed them all and ran back to his room, slamming the door.

"Did he order a hooker or what?" AJ asked as Brian shrugged and they both went back into their rooms.