Rachel was sitting on the bus working on her corrections when the guys came barreling back on after the show. She watched AJ as he bounded around the bus. "Excited are we AJ?" she laughed sweetly as Howie came and sat beside her.
"Me? Excited? Nah...well, maybe a little.." he admitted as he jumped into the shower and emerged a few moments later freshly dressed. "How do I look Red? If you weren't totally enamoured with my friend there, you'd jump me, right?" he asked, cocking his hat sideways and giving her a lop-sided sexy grin.
"Oh yeah...in a heartbeat wild man," she chuckled. "You'll knock her socks off."
"Thanks doll," he smirked. "Well now. I am off. You two behave yourselves, and if you can't behave, use protection," he shouted as he bounded off the bus.
"What a nut!" she rolled her eyes as Howie snuggled in closer to her.
"Yeah he is. But that's not a bad idea you know - misbehaving," he grinned mischievously, taking her computer and setting it on the other side of the room. "You've worked far too much today. I think we need to have a little fun," he stated matter-of-factly, taking her feet and swinging them up onto the couch, then stretching himself out beside her.
"But I was just about done with...." she started to argue, stopped by the feel of his soft lips against her own. Her resolve to work melted and she kissed him back, enjoying the warmth of their bodies so close together. She felt his lips slide over her cheek, planting tiny sweet kisses as they moved towards her neck. His breath tickled her skin and she sighed, losing herself to his attentions, letting her fingers trail lightly over his bare arms.
Howie glanced up and saw her, eyes closed, enjoying the moment. He smiled to himself and tilted her head back, sliding his lips sensually over the column of her throat, eliciting yet another sigh from her. Her skin was so soft and smooth, perfect, he thought as he traced the contours with his finger. It was then that he saw it, a scar right around her chin. "Hey baby, what happened here?" he asked sweetly, still admiring her.
Rachel sucked in a breath. The scar, she'd totally forgotten, or tried to. She couldn't tell him the truth. She couldn't possibly tell him that her last boyfriend had hit her, on more than one occasion. She tried so hard to forget about Steve, the memories just far too painful. That time, when she'd had to have stitches in her chin, was the last straw, and she'd left him.
The extent of his rage that time had scared her to death. She'd not had dinner done when he came over because she'd gotten tied up at the office,
and he totally blew up, accusing her of being with another man and coming at her with balled up fists. But even now, she still felt
responsible and ashamed when she thought back to that time in her life. "Oh, I'm such a klutz," she lied. "I slipped once on some icy steps
and hit my chin. Had to have stitches," she said, not looking at him, hoping that would suffice.
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