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Chapter 26
Brian
gently helped Kris into his house, realizing just how wasted she really was.
Usually he found people who got drunk distasteful, but he had to admit, Kris
was incredibly funny when she was wasted. Her words were slurred, but her tongue
was as sharp as a whip. He figured he'd have her sleep it off, because she was
gonna have a nasty hangover.
Brian half pulled,
half pushed Kris up the stairs as she giggled, not really putting up a fight
or helping. Finally, Brian picked Kris up and carried her to his room and tossed
her on the bed. Kris giggled and pulled him down on top of her, giggling.
Kris kissed him, their tongues intertwining as she pulled him closer, then paused to pull off his shirt. Kris ran her hands over Brian's muscles, giving into the fuzzy wave of emotions as Brian kissed her. Finally, he backed up, pushing away Kris' hands.
"Okay, Kris, time for you to go to bed. Alone," Brian commanded, grabbing his shirt and turning to leave. Kris got up and stared at him seductively as she approached.
"C'mon Brian, you know you want me! I want you, now." She wrapped her arms around his waist, lightly kissing his scar and running her fingers over his well defined abs. Kris brushed her lips lightly across Brian's, only knowing what her body was telling her, whispering, "You want me, don't you? Please, baby." Brian hesitated, then looked into Kris' glazed eyes, and he saw the truth, why she'd gotten so drunk, why she was acting this way. He sighed, and gently pushed Kris away.
"No Kris, this is wrong. You're drunk, you don't know what you want and what I want right now isn't the point. Go to bed, you're gonna feel awful tomorrow," Brian commanded, backing away and tossing Kris some stuff to sleep in. Kris' blue eyes filled.
"You don't love me anymore, do you?" Brian stopped in mid-stride and turned back to her with an incredulous look on his face.
"Whhaatt? Kris, what are you-?" Kris cut him off quietly, tears trickling down her tan face,
"You get upset when I don't tell you every single aspect of my life, then tell me I'm lying when I do and now you don't want me. I mean, I know I'm not gorgeous or anything, but honestly! And.. oh, I don't know! Brian, you're not gonna like this.." She looked up at him, unsure of how she was going to get her point across when she was so visibly not herself.
"..but, I think we shouldn't see each other until this whole Josh thing passes over." Brian was staring at her, completely shocked, his mouth hanging wide open. Kris sniffled and wiped her tears.
"It's just, I'm so scared he's gonna hurt the other person I love most. If he did something to you or Na or the guys, I'd never forgive myself, Brian. It's enough that I practically killed Christian with my own two hands.." She started sobbing and turned away from him, ashamed of letting anyone see her this weak. Brian tried to comfort Kris, whispering to her.
"It's gonna be all right Kris, I promise. I don't care about Josh or anyone else, we'll work this out." Kris pushed off his arms and backed away. Her silky, raven hair was in a mess and her eyes were swollen, tears running down her cheeks.
"No, it's not all right Brian! You don't get it, you know almost nothing about me or what my life is like! You don't know how much pressure I'm under right now, and how hard I try not to show it!" Kris stood in the middle of his room, her tube top practically falling off, her muscular shoulders shaking with unrestrained sobs.
"Then why don't you tell me? I want to help Kris, I want to know what is so wrong that you think we have to break up. Sh*t, Kris, I can't read your mind and you refuse to tell me what's going on!" Brian lost it, unable to control his temper any longer. If she wanted to break up, so be it! Kris was startled, her eyes widening as Brian yelled at her. She'd never heard him yell before, and he immediately regretted it when he saw the look on her face as she calmed. She wiped away her tears and looked at him, her eyes cold and emotionless.
"Fine Brian, you really want to know? Let me enlighten you! I have a psycho ex-boyfriend out to get me, my parents want me to move back home and they're threatening to send my fiancée after me. To top it all off, here's one thing I bet you never knew- My fiancée is a prince and I'm a freakin' princess! How's that for pressure, huh?" She paused, then her heart melted at the hurt and confused look on his face.
"I
love you Brian, but we have so many strikes against us it isn't funny. I don't
think we should see each other anymore." Brian's face was calm, but inside
was a tornado of emotions. Fear, hurt anger and love all struggled to take control.
Kris didn't stick around to find out which one won. She ran out the door, clutching
the heart pendant Brian had given her that fateful night in Paris. *
Pulling up her slipping tube top, Kris stumbled into the bedroom farthest from
Brian's, something deep in her foggy mind warning her it would be too dangerous
to drive. Still crying, Kris tore off her clothes and changed in the dark room,
then climbed onto the huge bed, promptly sinking into the soft mattress. She
cried herself to sleep, her last thought, "G*d Brian, it was never supposed
to end this way." *
Back at AJ's house, Kevin and Cora were strolling down the moonlit beach, waves
crashing at their feet as they held hands and talked quietly. Finally, Kevin
stopped and pulled Cora close, oblivious to the waves splashing his legs and
soaking his rolled up pants. Cora's intense green eyes smiled up at him, and
her heart beat faster as he smiled that smile (You know the one I'm talking
about!) and her full lips brushed his. After a few minutes, they continued walking,
no words needed to break the silence between them. Kevin sighed, then asked
Cora something that had been bothering him all night.
"Cora, we start our American Tour in less then four weeks. Are you coming with us again?" Cora hesitated, then sighed quietly, avoiding Kevin's unwavering gaze.
"I'm not sure, hon. I have a lot to take care of here in Orlando. Kris' birthday is September 15th, are you still gonna be here?" Cora asked, realizing she'd completely forgotten about it.
"Um, yeah, we do our first concert the 18th. Has anyone planned a party? I never knew, she's never been around long enough for us to celebrate her birthday. And Howie's is two days away!!" Cora groaned, mumbling something that got cut off by her ringing cell phone. She frowned.
"Geez, who would call at-" Kevin, who was also frowning, glanced at his watch.
"2:30
a.m.," he supplied as she opened the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey Cora, guess what? You might be next," a deep, gravelly voice chuckled, making Cora freeze.
"Go to h*ll, you jerk! Leave me alone, leave Kris alone!" Cora said, coldly. Kevin's face was a picture of pure rage as he quickly figured out who she was talking to. He took the phone from her.
"Josh, you stay away from Cora, Kris and the rest of us. Quit terrorizing her, for G*d's sake! I swear if I ever find you, I'm gonna kill you and no one will stop me!" He hung up and swore under his breath, then cradled a shaking Cora in his strong arms.
"Baby, I won't let him hurt you, okay? I'll hurt him if I ever see him again, and that's no lie," Kevin murmured, kissing Cora's forehead gently as tears threatened to overflow onto her cheeks. The intensity of Kevin's voice scared her, and for his sake she prayed he never saw Josh again. *
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