Love's Harmony Ch. 10

The van from the local radio station here in New York picked up the group at their hotel early the next morning. It must have been 6:00 am. Jennifer would be accompanying them on this trip, so she was in the bathroom of her R.V. when she heard Howie calling, “Jen! Come on, it’s time to go!” She stepped out of the bathroom, smoothing her hair one last time. His greeting froze in his throat as his jaw dropped comically. A single word emerged. “Wow!”

Jennifer stopped and turned around to see what he was talking about when it dawned on her that his remark was pointed at her and she turned back around, a smile on her face. “Thanks!” she replied, sub-consciously running her hands down the front of her simple black a-line dress. “You like it?”

“Like it?” he asked, running his hand down his cheek to stop at his jaw. “You’re gorgeous! Eres bella!”

She smiled once more, moving towards him and taking him by the arm. “Well, let’s go if we’re going,” she said.

“Yeah, okay,” he said, looping her arm through his as he escorted her off the R.V., his eyes on her the whole way.

Once inside the studio, Jennifer sat on the other side of the glass window separating her and some others from the d.j.s and BSB sitting inside the recording studio. They were talking about their concert that would be taking place this evening here in New York and all the hoopla that went with it. One incident that had occurred was that some girls had broken into the bus and had been waiting for them when they had gotten back from their technical rehearsal this afternoon.

The guys were laughing about it and the d.j.s were asking if that didn’t concern them. Kevin was explaining to them how they’ve had to tighten up on security as they had gotten more popular, but sometimes things like that still happened. They said that it had been harmless and the girls had been young, just wanting their autographs.

The conversation suddenly turned to a more personal note, when they asked Nick point-blank about his love life. “Nick, it’s been rumored that you have a girlfriend on this tour. Is there any truth to that?”

Nick looked around the room, his gaze finally coming to rest on Brian. “Well,” he began, clearing his throat. “I was interested in someone, but things didn’t work out between us.”

Kevin jumped in saying, “We’re not supposed to have girlfriends. It’s hard to do that when you’re on the road all the time.”

“But the rumor is that this girl is traveling with you guys,” the d.j. insisted. Outside the studio, Jennifer squirmed on her chair. This is just what she had feared!

“I think the girl you guys are talking about is our publicity director, Jennifer Matthews,” Brian suddenly said. All eyes suddenly turned to him, wondering where he was going with this. Jennifer suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

“We didn’t have a name, but that sounds about right,” the d.j. said, checking his notes. “There’s a story there then …” he prompted Brian to continue.

Brian looked over at the guys once more and then through the glass to catch Jennifer’s gaze upon him. “No, there’s no story,” he said, watching her shake her head at him, begging him not to say anything. “You know how rumors get started when you’re on tour.”

“What about you Brian?” the d.j. asked. “Are you seeing anyone at the time?”

“Well, it’s like Kevin already said,” he said, his eyes turning back to the d.j. “It’s difficult to have a relationship when you’re on the road, but …” He looked out once more to catch Jennifer’s eyes on him. “I’m trying to work something out with someone at the time.” Jennifer closed her eyes and lowered her head. What was he trying to do?

A.J. turned his head to see Jennifer shaking her head outside of the studio. He knew this was the last thing she wanted discussed. “We all would like to start a relationship right now,” he offered. “We’re all human, but the tour’s our main concern right now. Jennifer travels with us and is seen with us all the time. We’re all real close and sometimes the media can blow things out of proportion.” And then looking at the d.j.s in the studio, added, “No offense against you guys.”

“None taken,” he laughed and then turned his head to see Jennifer standing outside of the booth. “Jennifer accompanied you guys here today, is that right?”

“Yeah,” Nick answered. “She goes with us to make sure we don’t say anything we’re not supposed to,” he added. The guys all started laughing as she gave them a look. And then turning to Brian, said, “I think B-Rok might be in trouble for his comment.” They all laughed once more.

Fatima looked up from her book, wondering who would be knocking on the door at this time. The concert had been over for a couple of hours and they would be pulling out any minute. “Come in!” she called, surprised when Brian opened the door and came up into the RV. “B-Rok!” she said. “What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Fatima,” he replied, quickly scanning the sitting area. “Where’s Jen?”

“She’s in the bathroom,” she answered, closing her book and looking at Brian. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said, pointing out the obvious. “We’re about to pull out and she doesn’t want to see you.”

Brian crossed the space between them quickly, coming to perch beside her on the couch. “Fatima … I need a big favor.”

“Oh no,” she said, shaking her head. “Whatever it is, the answer is no.”

“You don’t even know what I’m going to ask,” he argued.

“If it has anything to do with Jennifer, forget it. She’d die if she knew I let you into the camper.”

“Fatima,” he pleaded, clasping his hands together in a prayer-like manner. “I’m begging. I have to spend some time alone with her. You’re my only hope.”

She sighed, knowing full well she was going to give into him and Jennifer would kill her. She had made it clear that she wanted to steer clear of him. Being close to him and not being able to touch him was killing her and Fatima had promised to help her. “B-Rok …” She looked up at him, his big blue eyes pleading with her own. “Shit! What do you want me to do?” She couldn’t believe she was going to do this!

“Can you travel in a different bus tonight?” he asked, knowing he was pushing it, but he had to have some time alone with Jennifer. He had to convince her that they belonged together, despite her reservations and the job.

“Bri!” she exclaimed, looking back towards the bathroom. “I can’t do that!”

“Please!?” he pleaded as John, the driver of the RV got in the front seat.

“B-Rok, you riding with us tonight?”

Brian looked back at Fatima. “Please …”

“Jennifer’s going to kill me,” she trailed off, staring at Brian.

“What’s the scoop, B-Rok?” John asked, firing up the RV. “It’s time to roll.”

Brian looked at Fatima once more, hoping she’d do as he said. She shot him a look as she grabbed her book and her purse. “You owe me big, Brian Littrell,” she said, heading for the door.

“Thanks, Fatima,” he said smiling, following her to the door. “The guys in our bus said you could ride with them tonight or Mike said he had room in his bus.”

Fatima turned to look at him once more. “Just one more thing,” she said, smiling at him. “Good luck. I hope everything works out for you the way you want it too.”

“Thanks!” he said, bestowing a kiss on her cheek. “Keep your fingers crossed.” Fatima smiled at him one last time, closing the door behind her. Brian turned towards John. “I’m staying,” he said.

John smiled. “You better hope Jennifer’s in a good mood.” He turned around in his chair and then added, “Good luck!” Brian smiled and set about the task of turning the RV into a more romantic setting for what he wanted to accomplish tonight.

Jennifer stepped out of the bathtub as the RV fired up. She knew she’d have to hurry before it rolled out. She wanted to be out of the bathroom and settled in for the long drive that was before them tonight. She left her hair loosely knotted at her neck as she went through her nightly routine of lotioning her body, moisturizing her face and preparing for bed. She stepped into her lace bikini panties and then slipped into Brian’s favorite jersey that she had taken. He had been missing it for two weeks, thinking he had left it somewhere. It was the one thing she had that kept her close to him. As it slid past her head, she inhaled the scent of him that still lingered on it. She smiled and then looked into the mirror one last time before opening the door and turning off the light.

The sitting area was dark except for the lamplight that came from the kitchen table. Soft music was playing and Jennifer wondered for just a moment if Fatima had already turned in for the night. As the RV pulled away into the night, she could see through the window them pass the band’s bus and just for a moment, she wondered what Brian was doing. She walked through kitchen to the sitting room, her eyes glued to the bus outside her window. She had passed right by Brian sitting at the kitchen table behind her without knowing it.

Once the RV passed the bus, Jennifer let out a small sigh and sat down in the chair that sat opposite of the couch, reaching down to the small shelf for a book. She needed something to take her mind off Brian. They had six more weeks on the road and she wondered if she was going to be able to keep this up. As she sat back in the chair, opening the romance novel she had chosen, she heard someone coming into the sitting room. Thinking it was Fatima, she said, “I thought you had already turned in for the night.” She looked up into Brian’s face as he sat down on the couch opposite her. Her face registered surprise and then nervousness. She reverted her eyes from his, looking down at the book in her hands. “Where’s Fatima?” she asked quietly.

“She’s on one of the other buses,” he admitted, hoping she wasn’t angry with him. The last thing he wanted was to start another fight.

“What are you doing here, Brian?’ she asked, looking up at him again.

“I had to see you,” he simply stated, and then noticed the shirt that she had on. It was the one he had been looking for and then given up for lost. It was his favorite! He smiled at the knowledge that she had taken it for herself. It warmed him to the core to see her wearing his clothes. It was like a sign or an omen … she was thinking of him more than she let on. He pointed to the shirt, saying, “I see you found my shirt. I thought I had lost it.”

She looked down, remembering that she had it on. She blushed prettily, realizing she had been caught. She looked up at him. “I’m … sorry. I shouldn’t have taken it.”

He laughed, saying, “I’m glad you did.” Reaching across the distance between them, he caught her hand up in his. “It looks really good on you.”

She pulled her hand back from him, her eyes in her lap. “Brian, please … don’t.”

He sighed, running his hand over his short hair, sitting back into the chair across from hers. “Jen, why are you doing this?”

“You know why,” she answered, looking up into his eyes. He could see the tears starting to form in her eyes and his heart reached out to hers.

He stood up from where he sat, coming to squat down on the floor in front of her. Looking her square in the eye and as earnestly as he could, he said, “Jen … tell me you don’t feel the same way about me, that you don’t want to take me into your arms every time I walk past. Tell me that you don’t believe in your heart that we belong together, that we’ve met for this one reason.” As he watched her face soften at his words and the tears form in her eyes, he reached out to touch her cheek. “Just tell me you don’t love me the way I love you, and I’ll stop. But unless you tell me that Jen, I’ll never leave you alone. I love you.”

She could feel the tears slowly sliding down her cheeks and she couldn’t help but reach out tentatively with a hand to brush his cheek. His eyes closed at her touch and then opened again to mesh with hers and she knew she couldn’t deny him any longer. “Oh, Brian ...” was all she could say as he pulled her into his embrace. The moment his lips touched hers, she knew that she was made for this, for him. She found herself lying in his arms, as her hands wandered into his shirt, and he ran his down his jersey that covered her body. It was big and loose on her but he could feel her taut young body under them, and he swelled with desire for her.

“I want you. I want you so much … “ he whispered into her ear.

“I love you …” She hadn’t meant to say the words, but they had slipped out, and he looked startled, as he looked up at her, lying on top of him, her small frame barely pressing down on his large one.

“I love you too, Jen. I know it sounds crazy, but I’ve loved you since that first morning in Jim’s office.” She kissed him this time, with a passion so urgent that he forgot everything and everyone but this moment, this woman lying in his arms. He carried her into the other room and laid her down on her bed. Her eyes never left his as she watched his clothes come away from his magnificent body. He leaned over her, slipping his jersey over her head and tossing it over to join his clothes on the floor.

He inhaled sharply as her body met his hungry gaze …. perfection at it’s best. And then they forgot everything in each other’s arms, everything except the love they shared, which had grown from the ashes of pain and hurt and disappointment. They had a great deal to give each other and Brian had never been happier as they lay on her bed afterwards. “Where have you been all my life?” he whispered as she nestled into his arms and fell asleep. And he smiled as he looked down at her and stroked the long silky blonde hair. She took his breath away and as he pulled her closer to him even still, he vowed to never let anything or anyone come between them again.