Tristan Trilogy- Story 3

CHAPTER 55

The concert had already started when Tristan's cab pulled up outside of the venue for the Toronto show. She called Carlos on his cell, sat and waited. She could barely hear him above the noise of the screaming crowd and then she heard Kevin's voice from the stage, asking if everyone was having a good time. Her previously calm stomach did a flip and she smiled into the phone. She knew that Leighanne was here and Mason said that Holly was supposed to catch up with the tour that morning. No one here knew that she was coming and she guessed that accounted for Carlos' hesitation on the phone. She wasn't sure if he was pleased or agitated but she could tell that he wasn't feeling neutral about her arrival. He told her to wait in the taxi and not to try to come in without him.

Within five minutes, the hulking bodyguard was walking towards the cab with two tour personnel in tow. After a moment of surveillance, Carlos opened her door while the other two men waited to collect her luggage from the trunk.

"They'll put your stuff in Kevin's bus," he explained still glancing around the venue grounds.

Extensive landscaping and cement walls made Carlos uneasy. There were always lurkers hanging around outside of venues - the unlucky ones who were unable to get tickets but still hoped to catch a glimpse, or more, of the boys. While all of this landscaping detail was attractive, it also provided lots of hiding places for the 'crazies' and there were always a couple of those around.

Once inside the door, Carlos seemed to loosen up a little but his smile was tight. He was glad to see Tristan there but he was concerned about Kevin, too. He and Kevin had had words several days ago - something that rarely happened between them. Carlos was no dummy. He was with Kevin all of the time. He knew the symptoms, he knew the signs, and he knew the dealers. It was his job to be observant and he had seen things that he didn't like. Apparently AJ had seen a few things, too. Marcus had told him that AJ was 'a little worried' about Kevin. Carlos hadn't commented. His loyalties were to his boss but it was splitting him in two. As early as Lauderdale he had seen Kevin invite a stranger to his room. The visitor had only stayed for a minute and then he left. An hour before they were to leave for the sound check, the man had returned to see Kevin again. Carlos didn't like it and stepped over the line, telling the stranger that Kevin couldn?t be disturbed. Kevin had been furious and had told Carlos to butt out - that he 'wasn't his mother'. Things had been a little strained between them ever since. Carlos suspected what was going on and Kevin knew that. He had made it clear that Carlos' job was to protect him from unruly fans and that was all. Carlos didn't see it that way. Now he was in a spot. If Kevin got pissed enough, he would be fired. No one had been around Kevin for as long as he had and Carlos had been forced to make a decision - either leave, voluntarily or not, or stay and try to keep things under a minimum of control and continue to protect his employer. For now, Carlos had opted for the latter. He didn't really give a shit about the 'Backstreet Boys' as an entity but he did give a shit about Kevin - and Tristan. He would have to keep his concerns to himself. If he didn't, he would be fired and his replacement might be more 'accommodating' to Kevin. Carlos didn't want that. He found some small comfort in knowing that AJ was also aware that something was amiss.

Carlos liked AJ. AJ's craziness wasn't his style but he liked what lay under the tattoos, sunglasses and wild hair. The man had heart and he was an observer, too. Howie was fine - no trouble, discreet and generally lukewarm. He wasn't all that crazy about Brian. Oh, Brian was all right but not really what he tried to appear to be. He felt that Brian loved Kevin but was envious of him, too. Carlos tagged him as suffering from 'short man's complex' - a lot of hidden anger under that smiling, angelic face and over the years he had separated himself from the group somewhat. Nick was a bit of a puzzle to Carlos. He could be such a pain in the ass but terribly vulnerable as well. There was a time when he seemed to drive Kevin crazy but not so much anymore and it was not uncommon for Kevin to ask Carlos where Nick was, if Nick was ready, if he'd seen Nick and so on. Kevin didn't fret about many people but Carlos had seen him fret about Nick. Kevin's harping was usually viewed as agitation but the underlying motivation that had become clear when Kevin decided to include Carter in his son's name.

And now, Tristan was here. He was very fond of Tristan in a brotherly sort of way. He didn't know if she was aware of Kevin's dabbling. He doubted it. She wasn't stupid but she was ignorant about some things and he sincerely hoped that she would never be forced to learn too much. Carlos had not only observed Kevin - he had watched the others, too, and had made mental notes as to who he thought might be aware of the potential problem. Howie? No clue. Brian? Oh yes... Leighanne - no. AJ - yes. Amanda? Not sure.. Probably not. Nick? Definitely not. Holly? Hmmm... Holly suspects something. Carlos felt that suspicions and out and out knowledge were pretty much split.

*****

Tristan followed Carlos to a spot on the floor, just left of the stage. Although she didn't have to wade through the crowds, it made her a little jumpy to walk past the few sections necessary to reach the VIP area. The group was going through a wardrobe change when she found her seat next to Holly and Leighanne. They were totally surprised and Tristan had to spend several minutes weaving her explanation. No, Kevin doesn't know...I just got here...My bags are in the bus... I'm not sure how long - a few days...Mason and Ann are watching the babies... Yes, it feels good to be able to see my feet again.... Yes, Leigh - I have my bellybutton back.

Tristan felt a little silly being this excited. She had spoken to Kevin everyday, if only for a moment, but she found herself almost shivering with anticipation at the thought of being with him again. She knew it would be dark in the arena but she had taken great pains in choosing what to wear for their reunion. Her short black suede skirt had a split up the side that didn't quite cover the lacy top of her black, patterned thigh-highs. Opened-toed, high-heeled shoes that strapped across her ankle and a garnet colored cashmere sweater completed the ensemble. The sweater fell off the edge of her shoulders which made wearing a bra impossible. That was okay, she was still 'perky'. There shouldn't be any problem as long as she didn't start doing jumping jacks. No jewelry except for her rings. Hair parted on the side and hanging loose. If he didn't die on his own when he saw her, she'd kill him herself.

She wanted Kevin to know she was there but wasn't sure that he'd really be able to see her from the stage so she brought a 'sign' with her, hidden under her coat. She carried a rose - a single Tropicana - that she planned to throw up onto the stage near her husband. She had no doubts that he would know who had thrown it.

The band hadn't finished releasing its notes before the huge crowd started screaming and the Backstreet Boys seemed to appear out of nowhere, rising up from beneath the stage through clouds of vaporizing dry ice. Despite her excitement, Tristan could feel Holly's eyes on her, watching for her reaction at seeing Kevin again. She glanced quickly at her friend, surprised to find Holly's face etched with concern and when she looked back at the stage, she thought that she understood. The group had launched right into an up-tempo number. Kevin was moving well with the strong rhythms but his face seemed a little drawn, his body was animated but his eyes had no spark and it looked as if he had dropped a few more pounds. The phrase 'tired but wired' rolled across Tristan's brain as she examined him from her seat several yards away.

The crowd was standing now and Tristan rose to her feet as well. As the boys moved seamlessly into another song, she pulled the rose from the sleeve of her coat and motioned for one of the security people to come over. Kevin had yet to glance in her direction although he had looked over her head a few times without seeing her. In fact he almost looked like he didn't see anything but that didn't stop fans from screaming out his name. The number was almost over when the man from security stepped over to the stage and threw the long-stemmed rose several feet across the boards.

The song ended to thunderous applause and even higher pitched screaming as the boys took a bow and then broke apart. AJ started his banter, continuing to egg them on, as the other four wandered the stage, often stopping to wave at members of the audience. Kevin was coming back to the left side of the stage as fans pitched stuffed animals, baseball caps and even a few pieces of lingerie up onto the boards. He bent down and picked up a UK cap and slipped it on his head, much to the delight of the fans who were watching him. The rose lay only a few feet away. Then he pulled off the cap and tossed it to Brian who slipped it on as well. Kevin was smiling and glancing around at the myriad of gifts that audience members had managed to catapult great distances to the stage - and then he froze. There was no mistaking the distinct color of the long stemmed rose that lay near his feet. It was a Tropicana. She's here..

Tristan watched as Kevin bent to pick the rose up from the floor. When he stood, he shaded his eyes and gazed towards the barricaded VIP section of seats. Is that her - standing in the shadow? Tristan chose that moment to step forward into the dim light and Kevin's acknowledgement was five-fold. The slightest of smiles formed on his lips and his dimples deepened, as did his eyes. Then gave her an almost imperceptible nod and stuck the rose into his belt before moving back across the stage to join the others. The entire relay probably took less than five seconds but spoke volumes. Now she would wait until the show was over.

*****

He loved the screams and applause. There had been times when he wished they could go on forever, but not tonight. Tonight he needed to get off the stage. Kevin tried not to stare at her as the group crossed the bridge from the back of the venue to the front but he could hardly help it. The lights were up and he could see her clearly, standing by the edge of the stage, clapping and smiling her approval. He could see that her shoulders were bare and white and all he could think about at that moment was sinking his teeth into her uncovered flesh. He needed to make an adjustment but couldn't - not in front of fifty thousand people. Thank God - time for a costume change. I'll bet her panties match that sweater! If she's wearing panties.. I swear, I think her legs have gotten longer? Kevin began to doubt that this show would ever end.

They finally left the stage to prepare for the last number. It was a false exit and everyone knew it, but they had to go through with the game playing. The audience expected the group to say 'Goodnight!' and leave and then reappear for their wrap-up. The Backstreet Boys waited below the stage for the crowd to demand their return. Two minutes. AJ couldn't resist the opportunity for a little teasing.

"Hey, Kev! Saw Tris out there. Did you know she was gonna come?"

"No." Kevin responded flatly.

"She's lookin'good!"

"Yeah."

Kevin was growing impatient. He was still wired but now feelings of intense lust twisted around his nervous energy creating a volatile state of desire. He needed her - plain and simple. And AJ wouldn't shut up?.

"How long has it been, man?" AJ grinned at Kevin's baleful expression.

"We're on the same tour, dildo. I left the same time you did. Do the math?."

They took their places on the lifts, ready to rise to the stage one last time, when Nick leaned forward in an attempt to clarify AJ's question.

"Naw? What I think J meant was how long has it been since you and Tris?. you know?.."

Kevin's jaw clenched. He was losing the battle with his temper and in one minute he had to look happy, calm and smiling.

"I know what the fuck he meant, Nick!" Kevin shouted down the line. "And it's none of his goddamn business!" After a brief pause, Kevin shook his head, trying to concentrate and calm his nerves. "Somebody get me a piece of paper and a pen!"

A nervous tour assistant came to the rescue and handed Kevin a pen and Post-It note. He handed her his microphone while he scribbled two words on the paper, folded it and handed it back to the wide-eyed woman.

"Get this to my wife. Now?" he growled as she returned his mike.

As the lifts began to rise, AJ couldn't resist one final comment.

"Your pants seem a little tight, Kev. Maybe you should slip on one of those skirt things..."

*****

Tristan watched as the group reappeared on stage for their final number, unaware of the emotional and physical frustration that plagued her husband. She had envisioned a tender rendezvous but her vision changed course when she opened the small note that had been delivered by one of the security men who stood at the perimeter of the stage. Kevin had scrawled out two words:

When she glanced up at the stage, he seemed to be staring at her. They were into the chorus and Kevin's arm was straight out from his body and slightly back, his finger pointed towards the backstage entrance. Tristan's eyes moved to the entrance where she saw Carlos waving her towards him. Once again she looked at Kevin and he nodded slightly. He was telling her to get up and leave. His expression was curiously intense.

Tristan swallowed, rose, and moved towards Carlos who arranged for her to be escorted to Kevin's bus.

*****

She would have known this was Kevin's bus even if no one had told her. For one thing, it was far too neat to have been Nick's or AJ's but the real giveaway was the keyboard lying on the built in couch that ran along the side of the tourbus. There were no bunks on this vehicle. The sitting area was up front and the kitchen/eating area was directly behind. Tristan's eyes moved toward the back. Past the kitchenette was a door. She turned back to the driver. Phil had already started the engine.

"What did they do with my bags?" she asked him.

"Probably threw them in the back." Phil nodded towards the closed door.

"Oh?."

Her voice was squeaky and she thought she caught the hint of a smile on Phil's lips. She walked to the back of the bus and opened the door. The 'room' was almost all bed. Small paths edged around it and drawers were built into the walls on one side. The space also contained a very small bathroom. There was no shower, just a toilet and large sink. If the group didn't take the time to shower at the venue, they would have to make do with spit-baths until they got to a hotel.

Tristan jumped when she heard shouts coming from outside of the bus. It was over. Kevin was coming. She stood in the corner and waited, trying to figure out why she felt so nervous. She didn't have to wait long. Kevin's deep voice drifted back from the front of the bus.

"Is she here?"

Tristan didn't hear Phil answer but he must have nodded or pointed. Tour personnel and venue security began shouting from outside and she could hear their muffles chants Go, go, go, go... The bus started to move just as Kevin appeared in the doorway.

CHAPTER 56

The lights were dim in the back of the tour bus and Kevin stood in partial shadow. Tristan could hear him breathing despite the hum of the bus that was now moving out of the venue lot. Neither of them spoke. Finally she heard Kevin take a deep breath and exhale slowly, as if he were trying to calm himself. He threw his duffel bag into a corner and pulled his shirt over his head, dropping it at his feet.

Tristan watched the shirt fall from his hand into a pile on the floor. Then, Kevin kicked off his shoes and stood, staring at her. He didn't say that he was surprised or even that he was glad she was there. He didn't ask about the children or his family and he didn't solicit her comments about the show. He didn't take a step towards her, didn't hold out his arms to her, didn't smile. He just stared. Tristan found it hard to meet his eyes. This was not the reception she had expected. She suddenly felt insecure and wondered if she had misread his expressions from the stage. She remembered Carlos' unreadable reaction to her arrival. Maybe he doesn't want me here. Maybe he's just overcome. He doesn't usually like surprises. Maybe I should have told him that I...

The sound of his voice interrupted her thoughts - the sound of his voice and the sound of a buckle being unfastened as Kevin fumbled with his belt. His words were thick, their timbre low and controlled.

"It hasn't been six weeks..."

"Yes, I know..."

"What did the doctor say?"

"He said to take it easy.."

"I don't know if I can take it easy, Tris..."

"I don't know if I want you to take it easy, Kevin..."

Four steps were all that separated them and Kevin took them slowly. His anticipation had become painful and urgent yet he didn't rush. It was a long way to Pittsburgh. He had been quite serious when he told her that he didn't know if he could 'take it easy'. He had no desire to hurt her - no need to control her on this night yet he was aware of the clinking sound his buckle made against the placket of his jeans and briefly thought about using it to bind Tristan's arms to the bed frame. For a moment he was torn. Restraining her would give him totally unbarred access but would keep her from inflicting any of the sweet pains of passion. He wanted to feel her nails digging into his arms and scraping down his bare back. He wanted her to fight him - just a little - and then he wanted to take her. Easy, playful lovemaking would come later but right now he was wired, sweaty and nasty. He wanted wired, sweaty and nasty sex. His mouth actually watered as he approached her and he licked his lips and swallowed.

Tristan felt a shiver run up her spine as Kevin moved towards her in the dimness. His movement was graceful and confident as if he had planned this encounter. There had been no verbal courtesies exchanged - their communication had been tight and to the point. They had exchanged information that had affirmed physical desire. There had been no chitchat and she knew better than to try and start a conversation now. He might offer instruction or express demands but, for the time being, that would be all and she knew it.

He was standing directly in front of her now and she felt his hands reach around behind her and rest for a moment on her suede-covered backside. Kevin drew another ragged breath and began to knead her flesh, pausing after several seconds only to slide the zipper down and push the skirt past her hips. His mouth had found the bare shoulder that he had craved from the staging area and after swirling his tongue over the skin there and pressing his teeth into the dampness he left behind, he stood back to look at her, thinking how easy it would have been to draw blood. Kevin unconsciously wiped the back of his hand across his mouth as his eyes traveled Tristan's body. She leaned against the door that opened onto the small bathroom, now dressed only in her shoes, stockings, panties and sweater. Her bare breasts were heaving under the cashmere. Her eyes were closed.

"Take off the sweater..."

The sternness of his voice startled her and she blinked. Kevin repeated his command.

"Take it off," he whispered. "Now."

Instinctively, she began to turn as she lifted the hem of her sweater but Kevin wanted no part of her modesty. Innocence was not what he was after tonight.

"Stop. Turn back around here.

Tristan complied, faced him and pulled the garnet sweater over her head. She thought she heard him take a sharp breath just before her hair tumbled back down over her shoulders and covered her breasts. Kevin had unzipped the placket of his jeans and was moving his fingers lightly over his own length not bothering to stifle the soft moans that rose from the back of his throat. He studied her for a moment and the stepped forward to make corrections in her pose. With one hand, he continued caress his arousal as the other hand lifted her hair and dropped it behind her back, exposing the bounty of her breasts. Kevin didn't touch her but stepped back once again to appraise her from a slight distance.

Tristan didn't dare move and that was difficult for her. She was immensely turned-on watching Kevin touch himself that way and feeling that she was responsible. He wasn't trying to make a point or make her uncomfortable. Still, as his hand moved beneath the silk of his boxers, she wondered if he would go all the way with this. He was still staring at her but his breathing had become more rapid, as had his movements. Suddenly his hand stopped and he closed his eyes and groaned as his head fell back a little. He seemed to be holding himself tightly. When he caught his breath again, his eyes opened. His face bore a slightly triumphant expression and it was then that Tristan realized that he was purposely pushing himself to the edge and then pulling back - torturing himself. When his orgasm finally came it would be fierce and carry with it the release of layer upon layer of frustrations as well as the fulfillment of previously denied pleasures.

Kevin's control amazed him but he couldn't wait much longer. Her nipples had long ago formed into tight little buds resembling some succulent fruit that begged to be tasted. He knew that he must look angry and was aware that his fingers had curled into his hands. His fists clenched and unclenched in time with his heartbeat - with the pulse in his groin.

"Panties..." His hissed under his breath.

The triangle of deep red satin was held in place by ties that rested on Tristan's hips. She pulled at the ties slowly, seductively, deliberately feeding Kevin another teaspoon full of sexual torment. Her final move was brazen and challenging. She slid the satin between her legs with a whispered moan and then wiped them across her breasts before throwing them at her husband - her lover. They never hit the ground. Kevin's hand shot out and he grabbed them from the air, his eyes never leaving hers. She thought she was up to his testing but her confidence evaporated when she watched him press her satin panties against his cheek and move them across his lips.

She stood before him, completely nude now except for her shoes and stockings. His jeans still hung from his hips, the coarseness of the denim all that was keeping them up. His boxers had been pulled down a bit, too, and though he wasn't exposed, as she was, the thick line of his erection was evident as was the patch of dark hair that cradled it. They were both waiting. Tristan was waiting for further instruction and Kevin was waiting for her summons. He knew that he needed her, that he wanted her desperately but he wanted one more thing from her. He needed to hear her call to him - not playfully or seductively but with the same desperation that he felt.

Then he heard it. The sound of his name laced with the volatile combination of urgency and plaintiveness, supplication and desire. The sweet torture of the dance was over and it was time to go home.

She didn't even see him move. All Tristan knew at that moment was that her body was suddenly awash with a cacophony of physical sensations - rubbing, biting, squeezing, pinching and licking. The coarseness of his pubic hair grinding against her stomach, his hardness pressing into her flesh, the tickling of his facial hair and the wetness of his tongue providing relief to the parts of her body that his teeth had found first. Large hands, sweat soaked skin, broad shoulders and curious fingers blended into a Dali-esque passion - surreal yet familiar and almost frightening in its intensity. I'll give him whatever he wants, however he wants it...

Kevin wanted it rough. It had been so long since he'd had her that way. He didn't want to hurt her. He knew her limits and although he had crossed the line a few times in the past he wanted to push her tonight - push her to the point where the tiniest bit of pain blurred into the brightest of pleasures.

*****

Tristan's eyes opened slowly in the darkness. For one brief moment, she was disoriented - unsure of where she was - and then flashbacks of earlier hours filled her head. She was sore and stiff. She found it difficult to move but she raised her self from Kevin's arms and sat, trying to shake the weariness from her body. She didn't want to wake him and somehow managed to untangle her legs from his and pry his fingers from her wrist without causing much of a disturbance. When she glanced down at his sleeping form, unconnected pieces of their earlier coupling linked themselves together creating clear recollections of acute desire and moments of discomfort that he had transformed into carnal pleasure. Her nails had left their mark across his chest and hip, his teeth had scored her breasts and belly.

Tristan picked up a small mirror from a shelf under the bus window and held it to her face. Her lips were bruised and still swollen from ardent kisses. Kevin's tongue had so completely filled her throat that she had found it difficult to breathe. He had held her head in place, preventing her escape until she had felt overcome by waves of dizziness. Faint lines ran down her cheeks, the remains of tears that had fallen when he had brought her to a type of frenzied bliss. He hadn't let her recover from her first orgasm before he had gone down on her. His lips and tongue had played across engorged and hypersensitive tissue creating an exquisite pain. Her body had reacted in an almost violent manner and he'd had to hold onto her hips to keep her from squirming away. Even now, hours later, her body shuddered involuntarily when she remembered how his mouth had worked her - little nips between her legs, teeth pressed into her inner thigh. Her arms were bruised and her skin was close to being broken yet he had inflicted his wounds almost tenderly. Kevin hadn't taken it easy.

When Kevin began to stir, the first thing he realized was that Tristan was no longer beside him. Then he heard water running in the sink and glanced over to her bag near the door. It was unzipped and he sat up, trying to clear the cobwebs from his brain. The bus was still flying down the highway. We must be getting close... He smiled slightly as he ran his fingertips over the scratches that she had left behind. A lot of his frustrations had been buried between her legs last night. Much of his tension had been poured down her throat.

"Thirty minutes!" Carlos shouted from the eating area.

At any other time Carlos would have been banging on the door but not now. He kept his distance when Tristan was there. In spite of road noise and television, the sounds of sex had assailed his ears last night. He had finally attached headphones to the compact stereo system and covered his ears with them. It was the only way that Carlos knew how to afford the couple a private 'reunion'.

"Did you hear me?" he shouted again.

After a moment, Kevin answered. The door opened slightly and his face appeared in the crack.

"Yeah, I heard you. How much time?"

"About thirty minutes."

The door closed once more but this time Carlos didn't hear the latch lock.

*****

Tristan had already brushed her teeth and was about to wash her face when she caught Kevin's reflection in the mirror. He was standing in the small doorway, gazing at her face and trying to read any negative reaction that she might have had to their unusual round of lovemaking. She had often been the recipient of his post-show adrenaline overload, but last night had been particularly 'adventurous'. He wouldn't want her like that all the time but he had needed her that way last night. Now her scrapes and bruises disturbed him and he was afraid he had gone too far.

"Are you alright, baby?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Yes." she answered, giving him a soft smile.

He did not return the smile. His brows furrowed. Tristan didn't look as if she was all right. She sensed his doubt and turned to face him.

"I really am, Kevin. You know how easily I bruise." She stepped forward and pushed back a stray lock of hair that had fallen in his face. "I'm a little sore, that's all. It's been a long time but a little time soaking in a deep bathtub will fix that. I promise..."

Kevin didn't look convinced. "I'm s..."

"Don't say it!" Tristan interrupted. "I want you to be glad I came, not sorry!" She paused before making her point with a question. "Are you sorry I came, Kevin? You didn't ask me to."

For a moment Kevin looked as if he hadn't understood her words. Then his arms wrapped around her and he pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. She smelled like honeysuckle and sex.

"Christ, Tristan! It was all I could do not to jump off of that stage last night! You know that we can't be together that much on tour but I want you to be with me as much as you can be! I feel like part of me is missing when you're gone! I just didn't mean to hurt you, that's all!"

"You didn't" We just wandered down a slightly different path last night, that's all. You had needs and so did I." She stepped back and looked into his eyes. "Don't you think I know your heart? I trust you, Kevin. You take me places I've never been before and that level of intimacy is very precious to me..." Her lips found the corner of his mouth and she kissed him softly. "Now let me finish getting dressed, unless you want me to step off of this bus in my underwear! Besides, I brought something to show you."

"Pictures?" Kevin's brows had shot up expectantly.

"Better.." Tristan laughed. "A tape! Now get washed up while I finish dressing - and for God's sake, put on something that'll cover those scratches! I don't want to give AJ any more ammunition!"

Email Grace

"Circling" is a work of fiction.
The characters and events portrayed are fictitious.
Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.

Copyright ©2000
All Rights Reserved
No part of this text may be copied or reprinted
without the author's permission.

  Direct linking to stories on this site without permission is prohibited and considered copyright infringement

~BEST VIEWED ON 800 X 600 SCREEN RESOLUTION~

Fiction by Grace