CHAPTER 31

Tristan sat on the end of the velvet-covered bench facing to the side so that she could see out of the glass and into the streets below. It was starting to get dark and lights were beginning to flicker on all over the city. She couldn't remember how she had gotten up to the room. The last thing she remembered was being on the bus and talking….talking….. She had dreamt about Christmas. Is that what they had been talking about? She wasn't sure. She did remember their conversation about Lily and their feelings about the events surrounding her. It seemed strange that so much energy had been expended on her behalf when she didn't even know what was happening.

Kevin must have carried her up to their room after she fell asleep on the bus. Maybe she walked up. She didn’t know. Tristan rubbed her temples trying to erase the cobwebs that were cluttering her thoughts. She had awakened under the covers, warm and snug. Her hair had been unpinned and most of her clothing had been removed. All she wore were her panties and a teddy. She knew that Kevin had lain with her. Even if she hadn't been able to tell from the impression his body had left in the bed, she would have known by his scent still lingering on the pillow.

Tristan checked her watch. It was already 5:30. Kevin would have to leave for the sound check and she would have to get ready for her performance. They still hadn't spoken about the previous night's events. Tristan wasn't sure she wanted to. She was tired and her nerves were on edge. She was only beginning to come to terms with the circumstances that surrounded them and they seemed overwhelming. She felt herself begin to tremble with tension and realized that for the first time, she had a case of stage fright. She was holding onto her arms and slowly rocking when Kevin came out of the bathroom behind her. She didn't turn around. She felt like she was trapped in a daze.

Kevin was wiping leftover trails of shaving cream off of his face when he came out of the bathroom and saw Tristan sitting on the end of the bench. She looked so young and vulnerable. His eyes rested for a moment on the swell of her buttocks before he stepped over to the bench and straddled it, moving himself close behind her.

"What's the matter, baby? You cold?" he asked, rubbing his hands up and down her arms in an effort to warm her.

"No…I’m okay." Tristan answered weakly. "Just trying to wake up."

"You're trembling…." Kevin rested his chin on Tristan's shoulder so that their faces were side by side. He could feel the tension in her shoulders and back.

"Are you sure you're alright? Want to go with me to the venue and get some supper?"

His voice was low and soothing, it's slow cadence comforting. Kevin wrapped his large arms around Tristan and pulled her back a little - a gentle demand that she lean herself against him. His shoulders and hair were still damp from the shower and he smelled like soap. Tristan took a deep breath and inhaled his clean scent.

"I'd better not." She sighed. "I'll have to start getting ready soon. Mason will be here in a little while."

"You seem a little tight tonight, Tris…"

Kevin's arms tightened around her as he turned his head to kiss the side of her face. It was nice sitting there in the twilight surrounded by quiet - so different from the spotlights and crowds they would be facing soon.

"Why so tense?"

"I don't know why really. Pre-show jitters, I guess. I'll be okay…."

"Try to relax, baby…." He coaxed gently.

Kevin's left hand crawled up beneath the hem of her teddy and he began to stroke her stomach while his right arm continued to hold her fast against his chest. Tristan closed her eyes and sighed contentedly as Kevin continued to murmur in her ear.

"I'm okay, Kevin…"

"No," he responded. "You're not okay - but you will be…"

Tristan felt Kevin's hand move down her body to her panties. He ran his fingers under the edge of the elastic a few times before he began to push them down her thighs. Tristan's eyes flew open as she tried to jerk herself up but Kevin's strong arm held her in place. His mouth went to her ear.

"Shhh, baby. Easy…Let me do this for you…I want to…."

As his hand crept further down between her legs, Tristan's eyes closed again A soft moan escaped her throat as she grabbed on to Kevin's thighs. He had moved his arm down under her breasts where it now held her around her ribs. Her teddy was pushed up, exposing her breasts, which he began to caress with his right hand, circling and squeezing the tender flesh, sometimes pausing to finger an engorged nipple. His left hand continued to stroke the juncture of her thighs.

"So wet, Tris…I like that…" Kevin whispered, nipping gently at the base of her neck.

"Oh…Kevin…." Tristan groaned as her hips began to move of their own accord, pushing forward to meet his fingers.

She could feel Kevin's fingertips traveling the short path between her warm center and flesh-covered pearl. Back and forth….back and forth…slowly, barely touching her. Back and forth….applying a little more pressure with each pass until finally two of his fingers suddenly entered her and buried themselves deeply. Tristan jumped, pulling herself away from Kevin's body.

"I've got you, Tris….Relax, baby. I'm gonna hold you real tight."

The timbre of his voice enhanced the physical sensations he was giving her. She almost felt as if she could actually feel his words sliding over her body. Kevin's fingers began a rhythm and Tristan began to grind herself against his hand, unable to stop. Her eyes began to glaze over as she struggled for air. Kevin's thrusting suddenly ceased and he withdrew from her. Tristan's hands left his thighs and closed around his now motionless wrist, trying to push his fingers back to her.

"God…don't….don't.. Please…" Tristan pleaded, turning her face to his.

Kevin met her eyes with a small smile as his hand began to rise. Tristan still clung to him as he brought his wet fingers to his mouth.

"I just want to taste you…" He whispered slowly before placing his fingers on his tongue.

Tristan's eyes closed again. "Jesus…Kevin…"

"So sweet, Tris….", he breathed, pinching her nipple gently.

"Please…."

Kevin took his fingers from his mouth and brushed them down Tristan's abdomen, once again seeking her warmth and wetness. Tristan felt like she was on fire.

"I know you're ready, baby…" he murmured against her cheek. "Call me, Tris. Let me hear you call my name…"

As Kevin's thumb connected with her pleasure point, she began to grind again. He pressed harder - his fingers pushed deeper.

"Come on, baby…"

"Don't let go…" Tristan whimpered. Her body was slick with perspiration as her head pressed back against Kevin's shoulder and began rolling from side to side. Her gasping chant began as Kevin felt her tense.

"Kevin…Kevin…."

Then Tristan's eyes opened and her back began to arch. Groaning, she dug her fingernails into his hand and as the waves started to roll over her, she found herself floating away on a slow moving, slow talking cloud named Kevin.

*************

"Nick! Will you get my jewelry box out of my suitcase please?" Holly hollered from the bedroom.

"Jeez! Aren't you ready yet? I gotta get to the venue!" Nick yelled back through the door.

Holly opened the door a crack and peeked out.

"Hey! I would have been ready if you hadn't decided to play 'Hide the Salami' when we got to the room!" she countered. "That took some time, you know!"

"You sayin' it took too long, Hol?" Nick pouted.

Holly laughed and then gave him a loving smile. "Awww, poor baby. No, I'm not saying that sweetheart. Long is good." She winked at him as she added, "and baby you're long in every possible way!" The door closed again.

Nick grinned and looked around the room. He and Holly had lucked out this time and drawn a suite. Their bags were still sitting on the floor but Nick had managed to hook up the Play Station when Holly had made a couple of calls earlier. They would be going to the venue together but Holly would be leaving with Tristan and Mason later. By the time the Millennium show was over and they had showered and greeted, it would be late. Holly and Tristan would probably already be back even though Tristan wasn't scheduled to go on until ten PM following an operatic recital. The symphony hall was located a block over from their venue so Holly and Tris could see the first part of the show before they left.

"I want to wear my gold chain." Holly said peeking through the door again. "I'll be ready in a sec…"

"Yeah...sure…" Nick rolled his eyes and went to the corner where the luggage stood. There were two small bags - definitely not his.

"Which one is it?" he yelled. "There are two here!"

Holly peeked out again. "Two?….Shit, Nick! We still have Tristan's bag! We'll have to drop it by their room on the way…"

"Oh yeah…." Nick said, remembering that they had helped with Kevin and Tristan's luggage when Kevin had carried Tris to their room. He thought they had gotten everything. He guessed that Tristan had not yet noticed her missing bag. "Well, which one is yours, Hol?" Nick called again, his eyes moving back and forth between the two bags.

"The blue one with the little flowers.." Holly answered.

Nick stared at the two bags. One was navy and had a small flower like design on it. The other was a teal color covered with a small paisley print. In his male mind, they were both blue and they both had 'flowers on them'. He grabbed the small teal suitcase and zipped it open. Amid bottles of lotion, stockings and what he called 'girlie supplies', he found a small hinged box. It was laying on top of a black lace something that he picked up by the straps to examine. Dayum! The lingerie he handled was anything but practical - one of those things that was taken off soon after it had been put on. Some kind of camisole thing… Nick grinned as he tried to picture the bustier on Holly's body and had to check himself. His bubble popped as Holly called to him again.

"Did you find it, Nick?"

"Yeah..." He sighed and refolded the black lace laying it back in the suitcase. I found it, alright…

"Get my gold chain out for me, sweetie. The one with the pearl drop on it, okay?"

"Okay.." Nick mumbled.

He sat the box on a table, opened it and glanced inside. He didn't see any gold chain with a pearl on it. He dug around in the compartments trying to find the necklace.

"Get it?" Holly called.

When she got no response, she came out of the bedroom, straightening her skirt and hair. She walked behind Nick to the closet in search of her shoes and spotted the open suitcase on the settee.

"Wrong bag, babe." Holly said, shaking her head. "You've got Tristan's…"

"Holly…" Nick interrupted.

"Hand me the other one, Nick. We'd better get going.."

"Holly…" Nick repeated quietly.

"You scared me when you didn't answer. I thought you'd left…"

"HOLLY!"

Holly stopped in her tracks, taken aback by Nick's tone. She wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or frightened.

"What?" she answered hesitantly.

"Look…."

Nick turned from the table where he had placed the jewelry box and held his closed hand out towards Holly.

"What is it?" she asked, becoming a little alarmed at Nick's sudden seriousness and his odd expression.

Nick slowly unfolded his hand, revealing two gold bands resting on his palm. Their significance didn't register with Holly right away. She looked at the rings and then at Nick's face. Her eyes fell on the jewelry box behind him and grew wide when she searched his face again. She could read his conclusions as if he had them typed on his forehead.

"No…" she chuckled unconvincingly and waved her hand at the rings. Lot's of people get rings like that!"

"These are plain gold bands, Hol. And they're engraved…"

Holly looked into Nick's face again as he raised his palm to her eye level. She swallowed and plucked the rings from his hand. Holly held them up to the light so she could see the engraving inside - KSR & TGM 1-1-2000.

CHAPTER 32

Tristan stopped by the venue before she, Holly and Mason ventured to the concert hall. Holly had decided to wait near the entrance to the ‘black box’ from which the group would begin the show. The rigging always made Holly a little nervous and she liked to watch when Nick was attached to the cables that would carry him over the audience. Besides, she was having a little difficulty being with Tristan right now. After Nick’s discovery she had felt overloaded with a variety of conflicting emotions. Mason was delighted when Holly had invited him to come with her. Tristan went in search of the dressing rooms and rehearsal area where the performers gathered before the show.

The boys were already suited up and going through their pre-show exercises. Soon they would be getting wired up for their mid-air entrance into the sold-out staging area. The three of them would be able to see the first part of the show if they managed to start on time. Mason just hoped he would be there long enough to see them do the ladder thing. That was his favorite part of the show - and they would be able to sit so close...He sighed and felt thankful that Kevin and Nick performed next to each other on the five-sided stage.

As luck would have it, Tristan would have to walk through the gaggle of dancers gathered near the door of the rehearsal-conference area in order to reach Kevin who stood with the others in a circle pinpointing and refining their harmonies. Of course, one of the dancers was Lily. Tristan was surprised to find that she really didn’t care. Maybe it was the after affects of the alcohol, maybe she felt satisfied and well loved. Whatever the reason, she felt almost cocky and it showed in her face and her walk as she approached the entrance of the large room.

Mason had dressed her for tonight’s performance and his choices seemed to reflect her attitude. Her slip dress was very fitted and made from a nude colored illusion appliqued with silk flowers in muted toned of violet and blue. The overall effect was that she just wore a lot of strategically placed flowers. The dress was not extremely low cut but it did allow for some degree of visible cleavage. It was, however, on the short side and Tristan wondered how much of her thigh would show as she sat on the bench. Her hair had that ‘just fucked’ look and her shoes were high and strappy. Tristan felt good. Tristan looked hot. Tristan was finally ready to do battle with Lily if she had to.

She hadn’t been standing in the doorway very long before she was noticed. She knew that everyone in that room had been privy to what had been going on. She had been the only ignorant one. Well, the truth, painful as it was, had set her free. A hush fell over the dancers as she paused at the threshold and the group parted right down the middle to let her pass. They also knew by now that she was aware of the situation and stood, not quite able to meet her eyes. All but one, that is. At the end of the now opened pass stood The Viper. Her eyes were not lowered.

The entire room had grown quiet now. The guys were also looking towards the door as well as Amanda and Leighanne who stood nearby.. Kevin let out a small gasp when he saw the standoff. This was followed by an “oh shit...”. The contrast between the two women was startling. For once Tristan held the obvious advantage. Lily’s orange coveralls, compared to Tristan’s sexy haute couture, made Lily look like she should be walking behind the elephants in a circus parade and carrying a shovel. Tristan didn’t want to embarrass Kevin and she didn’t want to fight with Lily but she was suddenly tired of being the victim. She may not have the worldly experience that Lily had but she did possess some wit and would not hesitate to use it if she had to. She just wanted to see Kevin before the show began and she had to leave and so she tried to walk past Lily.

“Well, well..” Lily sneered. “Looks like little Misty is gonna play ‘dress up’ tonight.”

Tristan paused, forced a laugh and turned to Lily.

“Just for a little while, Lily. In a few hours, I plan to be playing ‘dress off’ - with Kevin, of course.”

Lily’s sneer turned into a frown and she began to turn a little pink. Tristan remained cool - at least on the outside.

“That’s funny...” Lily looked around the room, making sure she had an audience. “I thought you only played that with symphony conductors!”

Tristan suddenly felt like she was enveloped in a red fog. Everything happened so quickly. She heard Kevin’s voice shouting and saw Lily smirking. It was all too familiar - it was a replay of the same scene in New York last November, only this time Tristan didn’t run. Her body had developed a will of it’s own. She almost felt detached from her arm as she watched it rear back and then speed forward. Her hand formed a fist as it flew upwards and connected with Lily’s jaw in a textbook perfect right cross that wiped the smirk away from the dancer’s face. Lily seemed to fly up for a second and then she made a perfect one-point landing - that point being her ass.

“Jesus Christ!” Kevin yelled as he came running across the room.

“Fuck...” AJ was pouting. He had missed it.

Tristan stood over Lily with her legs apart, rubbing her knuckles. Even she looked stunned but damn, it had felt so good...

”Oooh itch!” Lily screamed from the floor. She was holding the side of her face..

Tristan took this to mean ‘You bitch’. She couldn’t stop her grin.

“Oooh ur hayseed!”

‘You are crazy!’ Tristan translated. She looked at Kevin. He was frowning. He looked mad.

Skip, the tour manager was pushing everybody away, trying to get to Lily who by now was spitting a crown into the palm of her hand. He was hollering for Lily to keep still. They could hear the opening act begin their set as the crowd yelled for the Backstreet Boys.

“Marcy?...Marcy!” Skip was screaming for his assistant as he helped Lily to her feet.

Tristan saw Kevin take a step and begin to extend his arm as if he were going to help Skip with Lily. If he had been Superman, Tristan’s scowl would have been pure kryptonite. Kevin stepped back. When Marcy arrived, Skip began to rattle off a series of orders.

“Tell Marianne that she’s on tonight. Tell her to hurry and get ready. She’ll be Nick’s partner. Then get the doctor on call - Samuel something- and tell him to get down here!”

Marcy was nodding, trying to pay careful attention.

Skip went on. “Go to the venue courtesy office and get on my laptop. Pull up the medical file on Lily Shafer and print it so the doctor can have it when he gets here! Do you understand?”

Marcy nodded and took off running as Skip tried to soothe Lily. She was still holding the side of her face in obvious pain as she limped over to a chair with Skip’s support. The other dancers backed off leaving Tristan standing near the middle of the floor facing Kevin. The rest of the guys stayed close but they were several feet away.

“What the fuck was that?” Kevin shouted in Tristan’s face. His face was red. He was angry.

Tristan was puzzled by his anger. A part of her had hoped he would be...well...proud. Her hand hurt. She began to examine her knuckles, avoiding Kevin’s glare.

“Tristan! Did you hear me?” Kevin grabbed her arm and dropped his head down so that his face was even with hers. “Look at me!”

Tristan jerked her arm out of his grasp and returned Kevin’s glare. “Christ, Kevin! I’m not a child!, she shouted, taking a step back. “Didn’t you hear what she said to me?”

Kevin didn’t answer. He just stood glowering at Tristan. Her attack on Lily had surprised him. He hated surprises. Kevin’s brows furrowed as he looked at her. Her overreaction to Lily’s comment had seemed a bit too defensive to him. Tristan had let him know that she and Asa hadn’t been intimate but he was suddenly unsure of exactly what that meant to her. They may not have had sex but did he hold her? Kiss her? Touch her?? His thoughts jumped to their encounter just a couple of hours earlier. Did he put his hands on her? Kevin felt his temperature rise as his eyes fell over his wife. It was then that he really noticed the dress. He had been too distracted before. He stepped forward and grabbed her arm again, checking her up and down. Then he spun her around to check out the back of the designer original.

“What in the hell are you wearing?” Kevin growled.

He couldn’t believe his eyes. He could see skin between flower petals. She looked naked. Naked! His anger grew as Tristan’s previous cockiness shrank.

“What do you mean?” she spat back. “This is an original!”

“Original what? Did you forget your clothes? I can see everything you’ve got - and so can everybody else!”

Kevin glanced over at his bandmates, three of whom had been staring, open-mouthed at the tiny pit-bull in the transparent dress. When Kevin turned to them, their eyes quickly found other fascinating objects on which to focus, like door knobs, floor tiles and light fixtures. Only AJ held on to an appreciative stare. Kevin strengthened his ‘intimidation glare’ and aimed it at AJ who only dodged the daggers.

“I kinda like it, Kev...”

“Jesus Christ, AJ!” Kevin shouted as he deliberately stepped in front of Tristan, blocking AJ’s view. “You’d like pasties and G-strings!”

AJ responded by rubbing his chin thoughtfully and then nodding. Kevin whirled back around to Tristan.

“See?” Kevin said with some degree of victory. “Perverts like AJ are the type who like this dress!”

“Hey!” AJ frowned.

“Sorry J...” Kevin apologized. “You know what I mean...”

“Yeah...okay...” AJ shrugged and turned to the others as Tristan attempted to defend herself.

“You can’t see anything!” Tristan stated dismissively. “Everything is covered up! You may think you can see stuff, but you really can’t. It’s called ‘illusion’, Kevin!”

“Well fuck me, Tris, but if I think I can see ‘stuff’, then as far as I’m concerned, I can see stuff and I’m telling you right now that you are NOT going to wear that excuse for a dress on stage tonight to entertain all those classical freaks!”

Tristan’s mouth dropped open at Kevin’s name calling. This was getting personal.

Strike one...

Kevin’s rant continued. “How much did I pay for that fuckin’ designer whore dress, anyway?”

Strike two...

Kevin swallowed. Even he knew that question was a big mistake. He watched Tristan take another step back from him, unable to believe what had just come out of his mouth. Kevin couldn’t believe it, either. Then Lily’s laughter echoed across the room and bounced off the walls of the now quiet room. He watched Tristan’s eyes fill and her lower lip tremble.

Strike three - Game over!

Kevin felt terrible. He knew that Lily’s laughter had cut Tristan like a knife. He stepped towards her

“Tristan...I’m sor....”

Tristan took another step and raised her hands to silence him. Her voice cracked as she spoke.

“This dress didn’t cost you a dime, Kevin. I paid for it - not you and please remember that I am no longer your whore...”

“Baby, you were never....”

“Stop Kevin! I don’t think I’d talk any more if I were you. Just know that I am going to wear this designer whore dress tonight for all of those...’classical freaks’.”

With that, Tristan wiped her cheeks with her hands and then spun on her heel and headed towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Kevin shouted after her. “Aren’t you staying for the first part of the show?

“Been there...” she replied, not looking back. Then she was gone.

*********************

Holly checked her watch. The opening act had been finished but there was no sign of the guys. Mason looked around for Tristan but couldn’t spot her either. The roadies were getting antsy. Where was everybody? Even Skip was AWOL.. Finally the dancers appeared. The guys came through the tunnel soon after. Things seemed off but Nick wasn’t saying anything. Holly guessed correctly that he couldn’t really talk right then. He rolled his eyes and shook his head at her as cables were being fastened to his clothes. He was the first one done and Holly took that moment to lean into him. She could barely hear over the roar of the crowd.

“What happened?” She whispered into Nick’s ear. “Why are you so late?”

“Baby, you wouldn’t believe it if I told you...” he answered, glancing back towards the others.

Holly followed his glance. AJ was fairly animated. Brian and Howie were talking quietly. Only Kevin seemed totally out of pre-show character. Although he was normally quiet and fairly serious, he tended to get psyched up before a show - particularly a show before an estimated twenty-five thousand people. Tonight he stood at the back of the group, saying nothing. He just fussed with his glove and sighed. He seemed more impatient that excited.

“Kevin?” Holly mouthed to Nick.

Nick nodded his response and gave her a ‘thumbs down’ gesture.

“Where’s Tris?” she mouthed again.

Nick shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. Then he made his fingers move in a walking motion. Holly raised her brows.

“She left?”

Nick nodded again as the music began.

“Fight?”

Nick put his index finger on one side of his neck and drew it slowly across to the other side. Holly grimaced as Nick rose slowly into the air and waved to her. He was the first out of the box and upon seeing him, the audience began to cheer so loudly that Holly had to cover her ears. She would never get used to that sound. The other guys waved at her, too - even Kevin, whose wave consisted of raising his hand and bending his fingers down twice. Holly thought that it was probably a good thing that he wouldn’t be required to grin or kid around during the opening numbers. The military-like sternness that defined the beginning of the show would be effortless for him tonight. Holly left the tunnel in search of Mason, Amanda and Leighanne. She wanted to know what had happened tonight. She hadn’t noticed yet that Lily wasn’t on stage.

*************

Tristan was back at the venue by 9:45. She sat alone in the rehearsal hall on one of the metal chairs near the wall. The show was still going on, but almost over. She had been unable to play tonight and a replacement had been called. Her knuckles had swollen a bit and her fingers had stiffened as a result. She fingered the elastic bandage wrapped around her hand recalling the words she had exchanged with Skip when she returned. He had been standing near the entrance to the floor seats when he saw her coming. She had nodded to him but had nothing to say. This seemed to irritate him and he threw a sarcastic comment her way.

“Just in case you were wondering, Miss Shafer will be alright.” he had said rather self righteously.

“Thanks, Skip,” she had answered “but I wasn’t wondering.”

This really seemed to make him mad.

“Well, Miss Mallory, I think you’d better spend a little time wondering, ‘cause Lily’s gonna probably sue the shit out of you and anyone else she can drag into this including your boyfriend! And believe me, she’ll have grounds!”

He had thrown a piece of paper at her and smiled humorlessly.

“Here’s her medical report. You can give it to your lawyer...And, by the way - she’s still around here somewhere. I’d stay away from her if I were you!” Then he had stormed off into the arena.

Tristan heard the finale coming to an end. Soon costumes would be collected and showers taken. Then she would have to face Kevin again. She glanced down at the report she still had in her hand. Basic information was listed at the top of the page - name address, home phone, and so on followed by height, weight, blood type, birthdate, known allergies and other medical information. Then there was a description of the injury or illness. Lily’s injury was described as ‘a blow to the left lower jaw resulting in bone and tissue bruising as well a laceration inside of the mouth and a displaced dental cap.’ Big deal - so she won’t be able to give blow jobs for a couple of weeks...

Tristan was tired and lost in thought. She vaguely heard the audience cheer and doors slamming outside of the hall before things seemed to quiet down again. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed before Kevin entered the room.

Skip had told him that Tris was in here. He wondered what had happened. He walked quietly across the tile floor and saw Tristan sitting in a chair and leaning her head against the wall, eyes closed. She looked like she was asleep. Her hands were in her lap on top of a sheet of paper. She looked tiny and beautiful even in the harsh glare of the ceiling lights and Kevin found his eyes drawn to her chin and slightly parted lips. From there they traveled down her throat to her cleavage. He could feel himself stirring but resisted the urge to put his mouth on her throat. Instead, he crouched down in front of her and gently took her hands in his, running his thumb over the bandage. He had danced his anger away on stage.

Tristan’s eyes fluttered open at his touch and she raised her head from the wall. She met his weak smile with one of her own.

“You didn’t play tonight?” he asked, dropping his gaze to her hands.

“No. Swollen fingers...” she answered, wiggling them slightly.

“I’m sorry.” Kevin bent his head down and kissed the top of her injured hand. He rested his head on her lap. “I really am sorry, Tris.”

She ran her fingers through his hair and sighed.

“If this ever happens again, Kevin - If I ever wear anything that....upsets you, just say ‘Gee, Tris, that makes me a little uncomfortable. Please change it...’ Okay?”

Kevin began to chuckle in her lap. “Yeah, Tris...sure. You know I can’t do that. That sounds like D...”

Tristan began to chuckle, too. “Maybe I married the wrong Backstreet Boy...”

Kevin raised his head and looked at her intently. Underneath his lighthearted manner lay a deadly seriousness.

“No you didn’t...”

Tristan rubbed her fingers across Kevin’s cheek and watched his eyes close. “No. I didn’t...” she whispered and bent down to kiss his lips softly. When she pulled back, his eyes were open again, studying her. “This is about more than the dress, isn’t it...”

“Yes.” Kevin said reluctantly. He may as well get this out. “Your reaction to Lily’s comment was...well...a little extreme. I want to know why. I want to know what happened between you and Asa.”

Now Tristan looked onto her lap. “We won’t be performing together anymore. Our professional relationship is over.”

Kevin paused and then nodded. “I see. Why?”

“He says he loves me....”

Kevin looked away for a moment. Although, on some level, he already knew this, it still cut him to the quick to hear her say it out loud.

“Did he tell you this at your concert? I saw him go into your dressing room.”

Tristan was surprised at this bit of information. She knew that Kevin had been to the theater but didn’t realize that he had come backstage.

“You were back stage before the performance?”

“Yes. I saw him go in and saw Mason waiting outside the door.” Kevin looked her in the eye. “He was in there for fifteen minutes and thirty six seconds.”

“Oh, Kevin....Why didn’t you....”

“I was afraid, Tristan. You had been with him the night before.” Kevin cast his eyes down. “ I was afraid.” he repeated.

“I didn’t sleep with Asa, Kevin.”

A large part of Kevin didn’t want to venture further with his questions. He still carried some fear but knew that if he didn’t deal with it now, it was sure to resurface later. There wouldn’t be a better time than now. Tristan could see the questions in his face. She wanted this resolved, too. It was hard for Kevin and she derived no pleasure on straining his pride. She decided to volunteer an answer to his unspoken query. It was a dangerous admission.

“Asa laid with me and held me while I cried....”

Tristan felt a tremor go through Kevin and he, once again laid his head in her lap.

“Did he try to make love to you?” he asked, unable to look at her. “Did he get hard for you? Did he touch you - put his mouth on you?”

Tristan sensed that these questions were painful to Kevin in an almost physical way. He was trying very hard to be unemotional and deal with this information objectively. His hands had crept up underneath the skirt of her dress and he had grabbed onto her thighs. He held onto her tightly trying to stop the trembling in his arms. She had to be completely honest with him. He would know if she wasn’t and , more importantly, she would know.

“He wanted to make love to me, Kevin, but he didn’t force anything. He did get hard.....” She felt Kevin tighten his grip on her and thought she heard him stifle a moan. “..but he didn’t touch me...he didn’t put his mouth on me - not like you do. He kissed my head. That's all. He left the room and I didn’t see him anymore until the concert.”

Kevin took a deep breath. His face remained in her lap. “He wanted you. Why did he leave?”

Tristan began to stroke Kevin’s hair again. “Because he knew that I wanted you, Kevin.”

Her response seemed to satisfy him. His hands slid back down her legs and he raised himself up from the floor. When he stood, they looked at the tears filling each others eyes and smiled through them. Kevin extended his hand to her and she took it.

“Let’s go back to the hotel, Mrs. Richardson.”

Email Grace

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