CHAPTER 11

Holly walked past the rehearsal studio to the apartment complex. Kevin had said that the practice had been cut short that day but she had nodded to one of the male dancers who was hurrying back into the building. She entered their temporary housing and went directly to the shower just wanting to stand under some hot water for awhile. Nick wasn’t there and Holly guessed that Kevin’s remarks about rehearsals being over hadn’t been entirely true.

She threw her clothes onto the bed, stepped into the bathroom, turned the hot water on and waited for the room to get steamy. Before long she could barely see herself in the mirror so she adjusted the water temperature and stepped under the jets. As she stood under the hot streams, she reevaluated where she was and where she wanted to go. She had virtually given up her career as an orchestral flautist and for the first time entertained doubts as to whether or not this had been a good idea. She was with Nick almost all the time and maybe that had been a mistake. She didn’t know anymore. She was so lost in thought that it took her several seconds to hear the pounding on the bathroom door.

“Holly? Open the damn door!” Nick bellowed. “Why is it locked?”

Holly didn’t realize she had locked the door but she sure as hell wasn’t going to apologize for it.

“I’m in the shower, Nick!” she hollered back. “You’ll have to wait!”

“We have to talk and I don’t want to wait! Either you open the door the right way or I’ll open it my way!”

Holly rolled her eyes in the steam. My hero!

“Go ahead, Terminator!” she smirked at his bluff.

Then she jumped as she heard an ear piercing crack and the sound of splitting wood. Holly peeked through the shower curtain to see Nick standing on top of a de-hinged and broken bathroom door that now lay dead on the floor.

“Jesus Christ! What’s the matter with you?” Holly screamed.

“Get out, Holly. We’re gonna talk.”

“I’m taking a shower, Nick.” Holly said trying to regain her cool. Then she added sarcastically, “Save your Kevin imitation for the local talent show.”

The room was quiet for several seconds and then the curtain was jerked back and a nude Nick stepped into the shower with Holly.

“Get out!” Holly yelled. “I want some privacy!”

“Since when?”

“Since today!” Holly started crying under the water. She felt too tired for this confrontation.

Nick watched her helplessly. He didn’t like to see women cry and now his Holly was crying and it was his fault. He waited to see if instinct would tell him what to do. This was a new experience for him. Fights, he could handle. Tears? Nuh-uh. Holly slid down the shower wall to her knees. She had stopped crying but her hands were over her face. Nick sat down opposite her, took her hands away from her face and held them.

“Look at me, Holly.” He said softly through the sound of flowing water.

Nick leaned against the tiled wall and waited for her to respond. Holly slowly raised her eyes to his and could see his confusion and fear. Nick rubbed the tops of her hands with his thumbs, and then he spoke.

“Baby, I’m sorry about what happened today. I’m sorry about Lily and I’m sorry that my history came up. But you have to remember that it is history. I can’t change my past but I can help control my future and that’s where you belong - not back in history with the garbage. Okay?”

Holly was overcome by Nick’s tenderness and wished sometimes that others could see this side of him. She crawled over to him and wrapped her arms around his bare chest.

“I’m sorry, too, Nick…. I don’t know why I’m feeling so damn insecure. “I really am sorry,” she said, kissing his collarbone.

Nick’s arm had wrapped around Holly’s shoulders but Holly moved on him and he soon felt her lips brushing against his nipple followed by her tongue. When Holly was rewarded with Nick’s moan she moved again, this time stopping at the sprig he’d had tattooed on his abdomen before Christmas. Holly nipped at the leaf and Nick jumped a little, sucking in his breath.

“Damn, baby…” he groaned.

Holly smiled into his belly and when she felt his hips moving she began her descent again but this time Nick grabbed her shoulders and brought her back up to him.

“What’s wrong?” Holly asked, searching Nick’s serious face.

“Nothing’s wrong, baby…. I just want you up here on me, that’s all.” He moved Holly’s hips forward and she found herself straddling him. “That’s it, Hol.”

Nick closed his eyes as she raised herself up and sank slowly, enveloping his huge erection. Nick looked almost as if he were in pain. Her lips found his and his mouth opened as she began to move on him - slowly at first and then faster until they had to stop their kiss in order to breathe. When Holly’s hands found Nick’s shoulders, he opened his eyes to look at her. Her brows were furrowed in concentration and she chewed on her lower lip. He smiled at her intensity until he felt her first spasm and he began to pull her forward in time with his own rhythm. Then Holly groaned and fell onto his shoulder panting. Nick soared with her, lifting his hips, and Holly, from the tile floor. They sat under the running water for several minutes, Holly still straddling him and leaning against his shoulder. Soon the water began to cool.

Nick…” Holly said up against him, eyes still closed,….”my little shark’s getting goosebumps.” She referred to the small tattoo just under her bottom.

“Why, hon? Are you cold?” Nick asked lazily, stroking her back. “I feel fine.”

“That’s because cold water is pouring on my ass - not yours!” Holly shivered and jumped up from Nick at a rather awkward angle.

“Damn, girl! Take it easy! You’re gonna disjoint me, here!” Nick complained loudly.

Holly laughed as she quickly rinsed herself off. “Your ‘joint’ is going to turn into a cashew if you don’t get yourself out of here!” She jumped out of the shower and grabbed a terrycloth robe.

“Cashew, hell!” Nick rinsed quickly, too and jumped out behind her. “More like a coconut!”

“Yeah…okay….”

Holly shook her head and went into the bedroom. Nick followed her, re-energized from their encounter in the shower. As he began to pull on some sweats, Holly mentioned her visit with Tristan.

“Tristan invited us to dinner tonight. I have to put a dessert together.”

Nick hesitated briefly before pulling his sweatshirt down over his stomach. Holly was watching him to see how he would react to the invitation, knowing that something had happened at the studio after they left today.

“Uh…I don’t think that’s a great idea, Hol. Why don’t we just stay in tonight? We can order out, rent a movie….” Nick unrolled a sock and began to put it on. “Besides, Kevin probably has some other plans.”

“Kevin wants us to come, too.”

“You saw him?” Nick seemed a little anxious. “How did he seem?”

Holly sighed. She was going to have to pry this out of him.

“He seemed a little more intense than usual to me but I don’t think Tris noticed anything. He said he wanted us to come.”

“He said that?” Nick looked surprised.

“He practically insisted. What’s going on, Nick?”

Nick swallowed and tried to act casual. “Nothing, I guess.” He said, adjusting the heel of his sock.

“Nick…” Holly sat down beside him on the bed and waited for him to look at her. “Kevin told me that something happened today. He said that you’d probably know about it.”

“What else did he say?” Nick asked her. Holly couldn’t help but notice the worry that had crept onto Nick’s face.

“He said that it had something to do with Lily and that he was trying to avoid references to her - around Tris, anyway.”

Nick’s shoulders slumped. “Shit….”, he sighed, looking at his feet. “Lily all but announced today that she was pregnant - at least that’s what AJ said.”

Holly was puzzled. “Well, that’s good, isn’t it? Maybe she’ll leave the tour. I wonder who the poor dad is…”

Nick turned back to her but Holly was drying her hair with a towel. The implication hadn’t struck her.

“Holly,” Nick said, capturing her attention once more. “she said that she hasn’t had a period in three months.”

“So?”

“Holly…. three months…”

Nick watched as Holly processed the information along with the timetable.

“Shit!” Holly cried, jumping off the bed. “She’s not trying to say…”

“I think that’s exactly what she’s trying to say. She hinted strongly at it, anyway. Do you think that Kev is gonna tell Tris about this?”

“He’ll have to, won’t he? Shit…. God damn!” Holly recalled Kevin’s words to her and reconsidered. “He probably wants to make sure it’s true before he upsets Tris. Has he talked to Lily?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Maybe he wants us over there as kind of a diversion or something.

“Well then, “ Nick said as if he were leading a calvary charge, “let’s go over there and divert. Meanwhile, pray that the bitch is lyin’”

Kevin was trying so hard. Too hard. To see and hear him, you’d think that everything in his world was great, hunky dorrie, A-OK and swell. He was uncharacteristically animated and very touchy-feely. Nick and Holly exchanged many glances throughout the evening. Nick caught Tristan looking rather bewildered a couple of times, too. Kevin couldn’t seem to keep his hands off of her and couldn’t relax if she wasn’t nearby. Nick remembered Christmas at the Richardson’s when Kevin wouldn’t let go of Tristan’s wrist. When Kevin stepped outside to get some fireplace wood, Nick followed him, glad to have a chance to speak to him alone. It wasn’t easy, though, because Kevin’s attention stayed focused through the window. He frowned when Tristan and Holly walked into the kitchen and out of sight. It wasn’t hard to see that Tristan knew nothing of the day’s events.

“Kev, you gotta chill, man! You’re acting strange. Tris will notice.” Nick whispered to Kevin, blocking his view of the living room.

“What do you mean? I’m just acting like everything’s okay…” Kevin argued.

“You’re acting like you’ve been smoking crack!”

“That’s probably not a bad idea….”

“Shut up! That’s just what you need!” Nick hissed. “What are you going to tell Tris?”

“I have to talk to Lily first - find out what the hell is going on for real. Maybe she was just trying to yank my chain….”

“Maybe….Sure, that’s probably it.” Nick agreed, trying to offer some reassurance.

As they reentered the house, Holly and Tristan came out of the kitchen with some beer and bowls of popcorn. On this night, Kevin would have preferred his J.D. but beer was better than nothing. He downed his quickly and got up to get another but not before catching a look from Nick who followed him into the kitchen.

“Keep it up, Kev!” You’re gonna end up saying something you’ll wish you hadn’t.” Nick warned.

“Alright, Mom.” Kevin said dramatically as they returned to the living room.

Tristan had just popped the tape into the VCR and they settled back to enjoy the movie. Holly flopped down at one end of the sofa and Nick joined her, laying his head in her lap. He looked like he was ready to settle in for the evening.

“How about an afghan?” Tris asked them while the previews played.

“Yeah!” Nick answered, scrunching himself into a comfortable position.

“No!” Holly countered. “If he gets too cozy, you’ll never move him.”

“Oh, I’ll move him.” Kevin offered.

Tristan pulled an afghan out of a chest by the door and shook it out over Nick and Holly so that it floated down to cover the both of them. Nick sighed happily.

“Aren’t you going to tuck him in?” Kevin asked sarcastically.

“You jealous?” Tristan asked coyly, glancing at him sideways.

“Yes.” Kevin answered.

Tristan laughed and got another afghan. Kevin was sitting in the oversized chair that was blessed with a matching oversized ottoman.

“Spread ‘em, Kevin!” Tristan ordered as she wiggled herself into a sitting position between his legs. She leaned back against his chest.

“I think I’m the one who’s suppose to say that…” Kevin smirked.

“Then say it…” Tristan replied.

“Will you do it?” Kevin flirted.

“Maybe….”

“Hey, hey! There are other people in the room ‘ya know!” Nick complained. Holly smacked his head.

“We can fix that…” Kevin answered sternly.

“I ain’t movin’” Nick replied “You, Richardson, can go get fucked!” Then he laughed. “Oooops! Sorry I said that!”

Holly smacked him again. “Behave!”

Tristan spread the afghan over Kevin and herself and brought it up to her chin. From Nick and Holly’s view, all you could see was a lumpy afghan with two heads sticking out of the top.

“Ya know,” Nick started again. “I would feel much more comfortable of I could see four hands in plain view over there.” He nodded his head towards the chair.

“I don’t see any hands over your way.” Kevin observed.

“Look at how you two are sittin’! I don’t have anything I can…..well….reach over here but me!”

Tristan and Holly looked at each other wondering where this conversation was going to lead.

“That’s okay, Nick. I’ve spent enough time on the road with you to know how well you can….reach. And how often.” Kevin grinned.

“Look who’s talkin’!” Nick shot back. “Can’t anybody bring up Tristan’s name without you gettin’ a sudden need for privacy!”

“Shut up, Nick!”

Tristan turned her head on Kevin’s shoulder and looked up into his face with a serious expression.

“Is that true, Kevin? That’s so sweet….”

“Jesus, Tris! It’s not sweet!” Kevin stammered.

Nick laughed and Holly smacked again.

“Better be good Nick or ‘reaching’ is all you’ll be doing for a long time.”

The couples settled in to watch the movie, a courtroom thriller. The film was a good one, but Kevin wasn’t paying attention. His hands were moving almost unconsciously under the afghan, rubbing Tristan’s stomach and stroking her arm. His mouth was pressed against the top of her head and his eyes were fixed on the screen - they just weren’t seeing anything. His thoughts had gone back to the problem called Lily. Kevin felt Tristan’s deep and regular breaths and looked at her from the side, seeing if she was asleep. Her eyes were closed. Kevin pressed his hand to her face as if he were checking for fever. He had become oblivious to Holly and Nick.

Holly watched Kevin with Tristan and knew that he was suffering with his dilemma. Tristan shifted in an attempt to turn herself and Holly continued to watch as Kevin gently turned her so that she was laying sideways, her cheek now against his shoulder. He readjusted their covering and wrapped his arms around Tristan after brushing her hair away from her face. He did all of this with a seriousness and concentration that touched Holly’s heart. When Tristan was settled again, he kissed the top of her head and began to stare again at the screen.

This softer side of Kevin struck Holly as very poignant. She couldn’t really remember seeing it before. She looked down at Nick to see if he had witnessed this show of tenderness but he had fallen asleep, too. If she had ever had any doubts before, they were erased now. She was beginning to realize just how precious Tristan was to Kevin. Holly decided to take a moment to follow Nick’s advice and ‘pray the bitch is lyin’.

CHAPTER 12

There were only two more days of rehearsals before the weekend. The group would fly to PA on Sunday night and the tour would officially begin on Monday. Tristan had noticed the slight personality shift in Kevin but thought nothing much of it, chalking it up to excitement and the relief of his life taking a normal course again. She thought that perhaps he was a little afraid, too. Tristan tried to be calming and soothing but he had slept fitfully last night and awoke tired.

Kevin had gone in a little earlier than usual today hoping to catch Lily but she was late that morning, complaining of nausea to anyone who would listen. She played cat and mouse with Kevin all day, making sure that she always had other people around her so that they wouldn’t be able to talk privately. At the end of the day, Kevin had waited for her to come out of the dressing room only to discover that she had left earlier, taking a round about route out of the building.

Kevin went home Thursday night exhausted and frustrated. Tristan ran a bath while she rubbed his back, trying to relax him. Kevin was cheerful and affectionate on the outside but when Tristan kneaded the muscles in his back and shoulders she could feel his tension and tightness. She knew that the massage felt good to him but after only a minute or two he had asked her to stop. Then he ignored the tub and went into the shower.

Tristan sat in the edge of the bed for a moment and replayed the last few days in her mind. She and Kevin had started the week badly but she felt that they had gotten past that. She considered it old news and thought that he did, too. They had both gotten good at letting some things go. Wednesday had seemed okay but it did have its odd moments. When Kevin had come home early he had been particularly affectionate. By the time Nick and Holly had arrived that evening, he had grown almost clingy and his overt affection had seemed a little off. It was sincere but somehow corrupted by sadness, fear, worry….something.

Kevin had carried her up the stairs that night after Nick and Holly left, still groggy from falling asleep during the movie. He had made love to her and was unusually verbal but he wouldn't give her the opportunity to reciprocate. If she made any move to touch him, he stopped her. When she tried to put her mouth on him, he pulled away. Even when he held her in the afterglow of orgasm, he wouldn’t permit her the pleasure of saying ‘I love you’. His fingers had come to her lips and he had shushed her and then kissed her sweetly. Yet, his lovemaking had been passionate and intense. He had fallen asleep first that night and Tristan had watched him for a little while before beginning her own journey into sleep. Before she drifted off, she had stirred as she felt Kevin reach for her hand and place it on his cheek. She had stroked the side of his face and he had sighed. That was the only intimacy he had allowed her since Wednesday morning.

Kevin had not slept well that night awaking Tristan at four AM. He was tossing and mumbling incoherently, caught in the clutches of a bad dream. She had called to him gently and wrapped her arms around him and he had responded unconsciously by throwing his arm around her waist and nuzzling against her breasts. When he was calm again they both slept and later, when the alarm went off, she found that he had attached himself to her nipple for the second night in a row. Not that she minded. Kevin often needed more solace than people realized. Tristan decided to wait a little longer before she questioned him. Perhaps the tour preparations had been more of a strain on him than she realized.

When Kevin came downstairs after his shower he found Tristan at the kitchen sink.

“I invited Mason for dinner.” She announced quietly.

“I thought we were meeting AJ and Amanda tonight.” Kevin replied, almost glad at the thought of canceling their clubbing plans.

“He has to leave right after dinner. Besides, it’s partly business.” Tristan said and turned to him.

When Tristan faced him, Kevin froze. Tears were streaming down her face and her eyes were red and puffy. She sniffled and grabbed a tissue.

“What the hell happened?” Kevin growled. “Did somebody call you while I was in the shower?” He was at her side in two steps and held her wrists as if he thought she was going to run away.

Tristan was startled by Kevin’s unexpected outburst. She had caught something in his eyes - a brief flash of…what?…..anger?…..fear?

“Kevin!” Tristan stepped back and wrenched herself away. “For pity’s sake! I’m chopping onions!”

Tristan pointed to the cutting board beside the sink and returned to her task. She looked back at him after she heard his sigh and, for a brief moment, thought she saw his hands tremble. She stopped her chopping and stepped back to him, pausing to brush the back of her hand across his cheek.

“Are you alright, Kevin? Is everything going okay at rehearsals?”

“Sure, baby…” Kevin’s face broke into a wide grin. “Everything’s fine.”

He hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. “I’m going to make some calls.” As soon as he left the kitchen, his grin faded.

Mason arrived a half-hour earlier than expected. He had gotten a ride to their house and would need a ride back to his apartment. Hopefully, he would find his car back at the complex ready to go with a new battery. Tristan laughed as he came in flustered and frustrated, walking past Tristan to the bottle of wine she had breathing on the counter.

“Do you mind?” he asked, pouring himself a glass before she could reply.

“Well, I guess not!” she giggled, bringing him a napkin. “Why are you in such a tizzy?”

“Tizzy? Is that gay lingo, Tris?” He looked annoyed and then rethought his remark. “Oh hell! I’m sorry, Precious. My car died on me today. Can you give me a ride home after dinner?”

Tristan smiled and patted his shoulder. “Sure sweetie. We’re going out later, anyway.”

“Where are you going?” Mason asked as he lined up knife blades.

“To a new club. We’re meeting some people there. God, I’m almost nervous! We haven’t been out in a long time.”

“Hmmm….that’s what I was afraid of. You’re turning into a domestic goddess. You’ve got to stop hiding your light under a basket, Tris.”

“What are you talking about, Mason?” Tristan shook her head, smiling.

“You need to get out and get moving! Kevin isn’t the only star in this house and don’t you forget it!” Mason emphasized his feelings by pointing fork tines in her face.

“I couldn’t agree more, Mason….” Kevin had come down the stairs and heard Mason’s last remark. He smiled and hugged Tristan to him.

“God! I’m delighted to hear you say that, Kev!” Mason rubbed his hands together. “I’ve got a great tour lined up for you, Tris!”

Kevin frowned and let go of Tristan. His arms crossed over his chest.

Mason continued. “Six weeks, starting in two weeks and- get this- dates in Berlin, Moscow and Beijing! Can you believe it?”

Kevin turned abruptly and left the room.

“What’s the matter with him?” Mason asked, confused.

“Mason, we have to talk….”

Tristan took Mason’s arm and led him to a settee in front of the dining room window. There, she explained Kevin’s attitude towards her career and his feelings about her touring. She told Mason what had happened to them in the last year and why this was so difficult despite the fantastic dates that Mason had arranged. There was so much that Mason hadn’t known. He had a thousand questions but they would have to wait until later. Mason wiped his eyes trying to comprehend such traumas in their young lives. He thought for a moment before he spoke again.

“Are you telling me that you’ll never tour again, Tris? That you won’t play in public anymore? “ Mason asked sadly. “Am I out of a job?”

Tristan patted Mason’s cheek. “No, dear. I’m not saying any of those things. I’m just saying that Kevin is more important to me than accolades and you know that I have plenty to keep you busy. I do an awful lot of work at home and hope to be doing more studio work. Okay?”

Mason sighed. “Okay. I guess I just love seeing you on stage, that’s all.” Suddenly, he brightened. “How about if I arranged a mini-tour that would compliment the Millennium tour?”

“What do you have in mind?” Tristan asked suspiciously.

“If I can arrange, say…, a three to four week schedule with only…..four performances a week - max, and if they happened to be scheduled in the same cities where the guys are performing so that you could be with Kevin….”

“Is that possible?” Tristan laughed.

Mason rubbed his chin, thinking. “I think it’s a distinct possibility!”

Kevin was quiet during dinner. He purposely avoided any talk of touring. Events of the last tour were still painful to him especially considering the outcome of his and Tristan’s separation at that time. He was upset to think that Tristan would seriously consider Mason’s proposal, unfair as that might seem. He felt that there was no more room on his plate to add another worry.

“You two go get dressed!” Mason ordered. “I’ll clear the table. It’s almost nine o’ clock now!”

“Thanks, Mason!” Tristan skipped over to him and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Sure, sure….” He smiled as he began stacking plates.

Kevin and Tristan went upstairs to get ready for their evening out. Tristan was definitely excited but Kevin just wasn’t in a partying mood. He changed his clothes, not saying much, giving Tristan monosyllabic answers to her questions or comments. She knew what was causing some of Kevin’s distance but she still had questions about his unusual behavior for the last two days.

Kevin finished dressing as Tristan got out of the shower and he went downstairs to wait for her. He walked into the kitchen to get a beer out of the fridge. He needed to calm down a little or this would be an excruciatingly long night. Mason glanced at him as he came into the kitchen and Kevin saw him do a double take. Mason was looking Kevin up and down and shaking his head.

“What?” Kevin asked, annoyed.

“Oh…nothing.” Mason frowned, gave Kevin the once over again and put some plates in the dishwasher.

Kevin felt implied criticism and he didn’t like it.

“Come on, Mason. You’re looking at me like I just tracked dog shit in here!”

Mason hesitated. He didn’t know Kevin that well but he had seen his temper. To hell with it!

“I’m just a little surprised at your…ensemble.” Mason said, wiping his hands on a towel.

He squeezed some lotion onto his hands and rubbed them delicately, paying special attention to his fingers. Kevin rolled his eyes.

“What’s wrong with it?” Kevin asked harshly. He suspected that his vanity was about to take a beating.

“That shirt…..”

Mason pulled at the collar of the pink silk shirt that Kevin was wearing over a black wifebeater.

“What? It’s Versace!” Kevin said defensively.

“I don’t care.” Mason scowled. “It’s pink!”

“So?”

“Look, Kevin…” Mason led Kevin to the mirror in the foyer. “Pink is not your color. Besides, a Backstreet Boy wearing a pink shirt to a dance club is just asking for it - if you get my drift. You’re going to have half the men there hitting on you, thrilled that their dreams of a gay Backstreet Boy have come true! Please take my word for that!” Mason turned Kevin towards the mirror and talked to their reflection . “With your coloring and stature, you should be in jewel tones, if you wear color at all! Black and charcoal are best for you, actually. Anything light should be white - not cream, ivory or eggshell!” Mason emphasized.

Kevin studied himself carefully in the mirror, turning a little so he could take all of himself in.

“Do you really think so?” he asked.

“Oh, definitely!” Mason answered, holding his chin in his hand, also studying Kevin’s reflection.

“Well,….maybe you’re right.”

Mason shook his head again as he perused Kevin’s reflection.

“What now?” Kevin didn’t sound annoyed this time. He was seeking counsel. He watched Mason’s expression carefully, feeling a little worried about his potential fashion disaster.

“Loose the belt.” Mason nodded.

“The belt? What’s wrong with the belt?” Kevin was beginning to feel like a backwoods hillbilly. He had thought he looked pretty good.

“Nothing’s wrong with the belt.” Mason shook his head again. “It’s the buckle.”

“This buckle is sterling!” Kevin argued.

“Yeah….and the size of a dinner plate! You could melt that thing down and get a service for twelve out of it! Less is more.”

Kevin’s eyebrows furrowed as he returned his gaze to the mirror. Maybe it was a little on the large side.

“Is there anything else?” Kevin asked quietly, his shoulders starting to slump.

“No. Everything else is fine. Black leather pants would be a nice touch, but not really necessary unless you want to make some kind of statement. Do you?” Mason asked seriously.

“No….”

Tristan laughed as she came down the stairs, stopping at the first landing.

“Okay, Mason. My turn! Turn my fashion don’ts into fashion dos!”

Mason and Kevin both turned to watch Tristan finish her descent down the stairs. She wore a dress that Kevin had bought for her in Italy last year. It was your basic black dress but it didn’t look so basic on Tristan. The dress fit her almost like a bathing suit. The bodice was cut low and Tristan’s milky breasts fairly glowed against the black silk crepe. The skirt was straight and tight. If it hadn’t been for the substantial slit up the side, she would have had trouble sitting. Her black high heels strapped around her ankles. Kevin noticed the pale pink polish on her exposed toes and smiled. The sides of her hair had been clipped loosely at the nape of her neck and spilled over her shoulders, the overall effect being loose and casual yet sexy. Bedroom hair. Kevin was reminded of her offers from ‘Playboy’. If Hefner could see her now, he’d want her with her clothes on! Damn! Kevin wished they could just stay home. He would be happy just to sit and watch Tristan walk around the house in that dress. Very hot yet very classy.

“Holy shit!” Mason exclaimed, slapping himself in the face. “When the hell did you grow up? I swear, Precious - I think you could almost turn me straight!”

Tristan looked at the pair wide-eyed, her innocence resurfacing for a brief moment. Her combination of guilelessness and voluptuousness was intoxicating to Kevin. He felt himself tighten significantly. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two men self-consciously.

“Is it too much?” she whispered.

“NO!” they both shouted in unison.

“Where did you get that dress?” Mason asked. “It’s fabulous!”

“Kevin picked it out for me in Italy.” Tristan said as she finished coming down the stairs. With each step, the split in her skirt opened revealing a small portion of the black lace at the top of her stocking.

Mason was impressed. He turned sideways and looked at Kevin.

“Did you really?”

“Yep!” Kevin nodded.

“All by yourself?” Mason asked.

Kevin nodded again. “All by myself.”

“Damn! You did a great job, Kev!” Mason laughed, slapping Kevin on the back.

“Thanks, man…” Kevin grinned.

They paused and high-fived each other. Tristan was getting a little pissed.

“Jesus, you two! Talk about objectifying women!” She stomped to the hall closet and grabbed a black shawl.

Kevin grinned, not fully understanding why Tristan seemed insulted. Then he ran upstairs to change his shirt and belt.

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