India stared at the numbers in front of her, becoming increasingly distressed by what she was seeing. To take her mind off being on a plane- which she hated- she’d decided to work out her finances, based on what she had saved and what she still had coming from the school district, to see how long she could go before she was completely destitute. When she’d gone back in to talk to Mr. Crutchley and Mrs. Loar, she’d found out that the district was offering her a small severance package for going out quietly and had released her from her contract without any legal action. But what India was quickly finding out was that the extra money they were giving her, combined with her savings… was not going to last nearly as long as she would have hoped. She erased her latest try at a budget and began calculating again- her fingers jamming the keys down on the board as she tried to make the numbers work out more to her liking.
When Nick could stand it no longer, he reached over and put his hand on top of India’s. With his other hand he turned off the music he was listening to and pulled off his headphones. “If you don’t calm down some, they’re going to throw you down in the cargo bay for assaulting the laptop.”
India looked over at him, not entirely amused. “I have to figure this out! I’m gonna have to start selling myself on the corner here shortly to be able to pay for my car.”
Nick let go of her hands and reached up to stroke her cheek, “India… you do not have to worry about that. I can take care of you… I WANT to take care of you… just let me.”
She leaned over to kiss him softly on the lips, “I know.. and I appreciate that… but Nick… the whole reason that I’ve always worked so hard was so I could get to a place where I’d never need anyone to take care of me.”
Nick sighed quietly. As much as he loved her determination and independence, in the past few days, he’d found himself wishing that she’d just let herself rely on him… even if it was just a little bit. He knew he’d won a fairly major battle in getting her to agree to come with him to New York with him as he began recording. He figured he had two options- to wait until she ran out of money and had no choice but to let him help her, or to subtle take over paying for things until she got used to it and realized it wasn’t so bad. He let go of her hand and let her resume the typing and cursing, letting it go for now.
~~~~
India closed the laptop, having finished the last of the e-mails to her former students and looked out the window over the brightly lit streets of New York City. She’d felt so bad for just leaving them with no warning, practically disappearing on them- she’d wanted to let them know what had happened. At the beginning of the school year, she always collected student’s personal information- parents names, addresses, other classes, hobbies, and email addresses. She’d sent them all a short note- trying to explain as briefly as possible what had happened and make it sound as vague and harmless as possible- because she knew they’d be mad if they knew the truth and didn’t want anyone trying to start trouble over her. She’d gotten responses from nearly everyone- telling her they missed her, hated their new teacher, and hoped she’d be able to come back. As she read the e-mails she had to fight back tears- she missed all those kids so much already.
Her eyes traveled up and down the street outside the window- watching the cars go past, a stray person here and there meandering down the sidewalk. She’d been to NYC one other time- but she had been too young to really remember much about it. She didn’t know how much she’d really enjoy this visit- three days in she had yet to see much more than the inside of the hotel. Nick had been in meetings- with producers, songwriters, managers- and she hadn’t wanted to try and conquer the city alone. But her curiosity, as well as majorly needing a change in scenery, she was seriously contemplating a solo jaunt.
She looked at the clock again- in theory, Nick should be back within a half-hour… they had dinner reservations at 8:45 and she knew how unlikely it was that Nick would risk being late for dinner.
After changing into a short, black dress and strappy heels, and pulling her hair back into a low ponytail, she picked up her cell phone, dialing Chasity’s number. She waited through several rings and got the answering machine, “This is Chas, you know what to do.” India sighed, “Hey Chas, it’s me… holdin’ it down in Noo Yawk City… bored out of my mind. I gotta find something to do or I’m gonna end up one of those people on the news- the crazy chic they’re trying to talk out of jumping off the roof of this giant hotel. Hope things are cool with you… I’ll try to call again tomorrow. Love you, bye.”
Just as she was slipping her phone back into her purse, she heard the door opening and turned to see Nick walking in. She giggled as he whistled at her, walking around her and letting his eyes roam over her body.
“Very, very nice…” Nick assessed, smiling. “So nice it makes me wanna stay in and order room service…”
“Now I didn’t get all dressed up just to let you get me un-dressed, sir…” she said, coyly, giving him a seductive look.
He pretended to pout for a moment, “But do I get to undress you later?”
“Not necessarily…” she told him.
“Why not???”
“’Cause I might not want to wait for you to take my clothes off…” she said, licking her lips and slipping the hem of her dress up just high enough for him to see she wasn’t wearing panties.
Nick took a deep breath and clenched his fists, willing himself not to grab her and hold her against the wall right then. “I’ma get you for that later…”
“That’s what I’m counting on.” India said, smirking as she grabbed her purse and headed for the hotel room door, Nick right behind her.
~~~
“Chas… I am SO BORED!!!” India whined into the phone as she paced around in circles on the hotel room’s tiny balcony.
“I’m sorry…” Chas didn’t know what else to tell her. She knew India probably was going nuts… being cooped up in a city she was unfamiliar with and unable to do much to change her situation. “What have you been doing?”
“I’ve been going to Central Park- it’s only a couple of blocks from the hotel… I’ve been hanging out there with the laptop- I’ve been keeping a journal on there about everything that happened at school… it’s been good to vent through writing so Nick doesn’t have to hear all of it… the concierge told me today there’s a bookstore within walking distance.. I’m thinking of heading over there this afternoon… get some air… find something to read.” India said.
“How are you and Nick doing?” Chasity asked, unsure of what the crazy situation would be doing to their relationship.
“We’re good. He’s in the studio all day and then we try to go out at night- usually to dinner… or sometimes we’ll just stay in the room and order room service and watch some pay-per-view something-or-other. He’s not going into the studio on his birthday, though.. so we’ll be able to spend the whole day together.” India told her.
“That’s this weekend, right?”
India went back inside the room and dropped down into a chair, “Yeah… I still don’t have a present for him yet.. I have no idea what to get him.”
“Does he wear his ring?”
“He hasn’t taken it off since Christmas… at least not that I’ve seen. He’s got it on everyday.” India said. She found herself often looking at his hand, loving seeing the ring there.
Chasity sighed, “You guys are so cute… it sort of makes me sick.”
India laughed, “Isn’t this what you wanted all along? You kept telling me to find someone… now I have.”
“Yeah.. and I’m so happy for you… I’m just so jealous… I wish it was me.”
“One day, Chas… one day…”
“I’ll just be here holding my breath for that.” Chas remarked.
***
Nick walked through the hotel room, thinking India would coming to meet him any second. He’d felt bad he’d been working so much the past few days that he’d barely gotten to see India at all… other than curled up in bed asleep and hugging his pillow. He looked around the room, then out on the balcony, wondering where she’d be. His eyes eventually caught sight of the note she’d laid on the bed, “Went shopping, back soon! I love you!” Nick put the note down, glad she’d found an excuse to go out, and decided to take a shower, and make himself extra-presentable… and hopefully irresistible for when she returned.
***
India kicked open the door to the hotel room after struggling with the key, and hauled up the giant bag of books she’d been lugging. She knew she should have just tried to get a cab, but instead she’d opted to be the tough, independent girl…and now had no feeling left in her arms.
Nick jumped up off the bed at the sound of the door slamming into the wall and quickly grabbed the bag from India. “Holy shit.. what do you have in here?” he asked, setting it down on the table as India collapsed onto the bed.
“Books.” She replied, feeling any more explanation would take significantly more energy than she currently had.
Nick peered into the bad and pulled out a few of the books- long books with tiny print many by authors he’d never heard of, books by Plato and Sappho, Homer’s Odyssey, a few fiction books, a book on Hinduism, a travel book on historically significant sites in Asia… “Wow…” He was impressed by every selection… they were the kind of books he’d have grabbed to use as a doorstop, not the kind he’d ever pick up to read.
“Wow, they’re fuckin’ heavy.” India said, forcing herself up off the bed. She walked over to him and point him to the nearest chair, waited for him to sit down, then folded herself up in his lap. “I’ve missed you.”
He kissed her temple as he wrapped his arms around her. “I miss you, too…” he said, nuzzling his cheek against hers. “I love you.”
India turned to smile at him. “Love you, too. What do you want to do tonight?”
“Just hold you,” he whispered, managing to move her around so that he could pick her up as he got out of the chair and carry her over to the bed. As she snuggled up against him, nothing in the world sounded as good as just being able to lie there with her.
~~~
Nick watched intently as India walked around the room naked, trying to decide what to wear. “I think you look perfect in that,” he told her, chuckling.
“Nick, I don’t’ have anything on.”
“Exactly my point.” He said. He’d had it easy tonight- he’d decided to wear a shirt that India had given him earlier in the day as a birthday present. He’d been delighted with her choice- it was exactly something he’d have picked out himself, and he always enjoyed clothes that he didn’t have to take the time to purchase for himself. She’d thrown a pair of pants at him to go with it and viola! He was dressed. Which gave him ample opportunity to watch India try on and dismiss several outfits- and watching her get undressed repeatedly was turning out to be quite a birthday present.
India finally pulled out the dress she’d been planning to wear all along… she’d decided several days ago… her “distress” over what to wear had just been the beginning of what was going to turn out to be a long night of teasing for Nick. While she did like what she’d bought him, she knew it was fairly insignificant – really, what could she buy him? Especially just after the Christmas they’d shared. Her plan was to make sure he’d remember this night more for the teasing than anything else. She slipped on the short, tight deep red dress, then went to stand in front of Nick. “What do you think?” she asked, running her hands slowly from her breasts down to her hips, Nick’s eyes following their trail. “Does it look okay?”
“It’ll look better on the floor after I take it off of you…” he said, his hands slipping around her hips to grab her ass and pull her closer to him.
“Tsk, tsk!” she scolded, wiggling away from him. “Later. You have a birthday party to get to, mister.”
***
“So, are you even gonna really know any of the people at your own birthday party?” India asked Nick, scooting across the back seat of the stretch Navigator limo they were riding across town in.
“Maybe a few of them. Some event planner from the label set most of it up- reserved the club VIP room, invited some big names to get some press…” he said, slipping his arm around her. “But none of that really matters… as long as you’re with me tonight, I’m happy.”
“Oh, I’m with you alright…” India purred, moving to straddle him. She slipped her fingers around the back of his neck, moving slowly back and forth just above his collar. She could feel the shudder run through his body as she began to kiss him- slowly, teasingly at first.. then deeper and more passionately, until she felt him clutching at her hips, trying to bring all of her body in closer contact with his. She slid one hand down over his chest, and rest on his thigh for just a moment, before slipping between his legs, beginning to stroke him through his pants.
Nick groaned in the kiss at the touch of her hand- he’d been turned on since watching her in the hotel room- and she was about killing him now. He knew they wouldn’t have enough time while they were in the limo, so he was going to have to wait all night before he could have her.
India broke the kiss and turned around- facing away from him- lowering herself completely onto his lap, grinding slowly against him. She had to put her hand on the seat beside them to steady herself- giving a lapdance in a moving vehicle wasn’t the easiest thing she’d ever attempted.
Just as Nick was getting to the point of having to close his eyes and make a conscious effort to hold back- the limo stopped. India quickly scooted off of him and sat beside him, calm as if nothing had happened. When the door opened, Nick shot her a quick glare, causing her to giggle. Yeah, she knew exactly what she was doing to him.
***
A few hours into the party, after Nick had made his obligatory rounds, saying hello to everyone, he found his way into a group of people he was fairly comfortable with and wouldn’t mind hanging out with for a while. He’d lost India somewhere in the crowd a while back- and had been on lookout for her ever since. He hadn’t wanted her to leave his side- even knowing that when pictures were taken, she’d be in them. At this point, why wouldn’t he want everyone to know he wasn’t single any more. He was in love and didn’t care who knew.
India slinked her way through the masses of people- seeing all sorts of faces she recognized from the supermarket tabloids. She was amused with much of what she’d seen- all the beautiful people kissing each other’s asses- vying to see and to be seen. She intentionally wandered away from Nick and lingered long enough so that she’d be able to surprise him when she turned up at his side again. She spotted him talking and laughing near the bar, and carefully planned her route back over to him to avoid being seen.
Nick was a little startled when he felt a hand on his ass, a slap and then a gentle squeeze. He looked to the side to see India beside him once again, smiling up at him. He leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.
She tilted her face to receive his kiss, then turned to him, raising up on tip-toe to whisper in his ear. “I’m going to make you cum so hard tonight…”
Nick turned to her, eyes wide with surprise. He could feel a blush in his cheeks and knew his ears would have been turning red- except that all the blood in his body seemed to have gone elsewhere… his pants suddenly felt much tighter.
India smiled at him and winked, then turned to walk away again.
One of the guys Nick had been talking to, who’d watched the scene with much amusement, asked, “Who was that?”
“That… was my… girlfriend…” Nick said, eyes darting around to try to find where she’d gone to. “Ex-excuse me.. I’ll, uh, talk to you guys later.” He went in the direction he thought she’d headed off in, very ready to find her and take her back to the hotel.
India was standing only a few feet away from he’d been talking- she’d been waiting for him to break away from the group he’d been standing with so she could continue the game she was playing with him- just seeing how much he could take. As he walked past her, she grabbed his wrist to stop him. “Looking for me?”
“You’re killin’ me, woman.” He said, pulling her into a fierce kiss.
She kissed him back, guiding him to the closest wall and pushing him up against it. She squealed as he quickly switched positions with her, grasping her hands and holding them above her head with one hand and he pressed her against the wall, nibbling on her neck, then kissing her again. With the other hand he grabbed her thigh, pulling her leg up to wrap it around his hip, letting him press his lower body even closer into hers- making her feel just how wound up she’d already made him.
“You… sure… you wanna… do this… here?” India gasped between kisses, fairly sure she’d seen a flashbulb out of the corner of her eye.
Nick let go of her just long enough to survey the options, then grabbed her hand and began walking quickly towards the men’s bathroom. He swung the door open and peeked inside, “Anyone in here?” When he heard no response, he pulled India inside the bathroom and into the biggest stall. India propped one foot up on the toilet seat and tried to arrange herself against the wall without touching anything more than necessary, as Nick unbuttoned his pants and pushed them down just far enough down his thighs. His hands slipped up under her dress, bunching it up around her waist as she reached for him, guiding him inside her. He moaned loudly at the relief of being able to feel her after being teased for so long and grasped her hips, moving her with him.
~~~
“INDIA JAYNE!!!”
India held the phone away from her ear at the sound of her sister yelling her name. “WHAT?!?!” she hollered back.
“Nice pictures of you and Nick in the tabs this week.” Chasity said, sarcastically.
“What??” India asked, cautiously, afraid of what she was about to be told.
“Backstreet Boy’s birthday bash turns into public sex romp” Chasity read. “The youngest Backstreet Boy, Nick Carter, had quite a time celebrating his birthday with an unidentified woman at a hot club in NYC last weekend. Carter, who’s in New York working on a new solo album, was first seen pinning the pretty brunette against a wall in a passionate kissing session, then disappeared with her into a men’s restroom, where the pair emerged a while later, looking very rumpled, but much more sedate from having spent all that built-up sexual energy. Witnesses said they’d seen the couple teasing and flirting with each other all night, and left shortly after the bathroom escapade, holding hands and kissing.”
India wasn’t sure if she should laugh or cry at what her sister was telling her, and waited to hear if there was more.
“Then there’s a couple pictures- one of Nick with his cake and some people from his label- you’re kinda off to the side… then there’s one of him holding you against the wall… and one of the two of you leaving the men’s room with very obvious “we just fucked” smiles on your faces.” Chasity told her.
“Oh god…” India slid into a chair, her hand pressed against her forehead. “I don’t even know what to do with this…” She heard the door unlocking, and wondered if Nick had heard or seen any of it yet. “Chas, I gotta go… I’ll call you back later.”
“Okay… bye.”
India tossed the phone onto the bed and turned to see Nick holding up a copy of a magazine, opened to the article Chas had just been reading from. “You saw…”
Nick nodded, “Sure did… so did the A&R guys…”
“Uh-oh” India couldn’t tell anything about what he was thinking from the expression on his face.
“They said it was probably the best publicity I could get…” he said, smirking a little.
“Okay…but what do you think?” she asked.
“I think it’s fuckin’ cool I’ve got a girlfriend who’ll play like that.” He said, putting his arms around her and pulling her into a hug.
She wiggled around to be able to grab the magazine from him and look at the pictures. “Damn.. I look good…” she said, laughing. Chasity had been right, they definitely had the “we just fucked” look going on in the picture of them leaving the bathroom. She stared at the picture of the two of them, where he had her pressed up against the wall. “That is a pretty hot picture...”
“Doesn’t it make you want to do it again?” he asked, nudging her over towards the wall of the room, angled towards the mirror.
“Yeah… it does… “ she said, tossing the magazine aside and slipping her hands down to tug off her track pants.