Chapter Eight

          "Where are you taking me?" Rachel was sitting in Chris' Camero, a blindfold over her eyes. And she was getting peeved. She hadn't seen Chris in over a month and the first thing he did was put a black bandana over her eyes.

          "I told you, it's a surprise."

          She huffed and crossed her arms. "I had better be getting my Christmas present early, Christopher."

          Chris turned his eyes back to the road and formed an ‘O' with his mouth. "Using the full name. You must be pissed. The surprise isn't your present, but I do have one for you."

          "Have I told you how much I dislike blindfolds?"

          "Since the moment I put it on you," he said cheerily. He smiled, despite himself, when she pouted.

          "Are we going up a hill?"

          He nodded, forgetting she couldn't see. "Possible."

          "Chris..." she nearly whined.

          "Babe, chill. We're almost there."

          "Fine." Rachel reached out feeling for the volume knob on the radio and cranked it up as Celine Dion belted about her heart going on. Chris rolled his eyes and stepped on the gas. He finally pulled the car to a stop and shut off the radio. "We're here," he announced before exiting the car.

          "Can I take off this thing?"

          "No." Rachel jumped when Chris spoke from the open passenger window. "Sorry. Okay, take my hand." He opened the door and took her hand, helping her from the car.

          "Where are we?"

          "You'll see." She let him lead her, walking over grass and quickly came to a stop. "Ready?" Chris untied the bandana and removed it from Rachel's eyes. Her jaw dropped when she saw the large white mansion before her and that she was standing in the middle of a circular driveway.

          "Wow...Chris, it's beautiful." She looked at him. "Whose is it?"

          He grinned. "Mine."

          She blinked. "Huh?"

          He stepped forward, standing next to her to face the house. "It's mine. I just bought it."

          "That ginormous house is yours?"

          He held up his hands. "Surprise." She laughed and he slipped an arm around her shoulders. "No more living out of hotels. I figured since I spend all my free time here with you, I might as well have a comfortable place to sleep." He turned his head to look at her and was surprised to find her frowning. "What?"

          "I won't be here in the fall."

          He ran the back of his hand across her cheek. "I know, babe. But this is still an important place for us-the guys and me. I mean, we record most of our stuff here, some of our bigger shows are here and nearly everyone's family is here."

          "Any of the other guys getting a house here?"

          "No, not yet." He ran a finger down her other cheek and touched her nose. "J's looking into it. But JC will be based out of New York because that's where Olivia is. They're engaged officially now, by the way."

          She grinned. "I read."

          "So you want to see the inside?" He asked excitedly. Rachel nodded vigorously and he took her hand, running across the driveway, up a small set of steps and pulled her into the house. The foyer was large and tiled with black and white tiles and had a large crystal chandelier hanging above it with a winding staircase leading to the upper two floors.

          "Wow..." Rachel repeated spinning a slow circle beneath the chandelier. "Chris, it's gorgeous. How many bedrooms are there?"

          "Uh, five, I think. One for each of the guys to stay in when they visit." He laughed at his own joke. "Come on, I want to show you something." He took her hand again and pulled her up the stairs.

          "I love this staircase."

          "Me, too!" Chris led her down a long hallway and they passed empty room after empty room. He finally stopped at the end of the hallway in front of closed double doors. "Okay. This is the master bedroom; my room."

          Rachel's eyes narrowed. "There isn't a bed on the other side of these doors is there?"

          He smirked. "There's a mattress I've been crashing on, but that's not why I brought you up here."

          "Oh, okay. So...?" Chris turned the knobs on both doors and pushed them open, revealing an intimate picnic for two set up on the floor of the room in front of a lit fireplace. The only furniture in the room was indeed a mattress plopped against the wall. "Aw, Chris..." Rachel stepped into the room. She turned and wrapped her arms around his waist when he came closer. "You're such a romantic." He bent his head and kissed her. "Thank you. This isn't my present is it?"

          He laughed with gusto. "No. You'll get it later. Wanna see the view?" Before she could answer he led her to the balcony overlooking a scenic view of Hollywood and Los Angeles. She stepped up to the railing and inhaled as the chilly December breeze flushed her cheeks and she watched the sun set. Chris stepped up behind her, trapping her between the railing and his body. She leaned back against his chest, basking in the warmth of his arms when he slipped them around her waist. She turned in his arms and they simply looked at each other; their eyes roaming over each others faces. Chris's lip curved slightly when he touched his forefingers to the new third studs in each of her ears.

          "I wish everyone knew how good you are to me."

          He hooked his thumbs into the belt loops at her hips. "And ruin my reputation as a badass. Pshh!" She rolled her eyes away then back to his and he watched her fade away into her thoughts. "Stop it." She blinked and focused on him again. "Things will work out just fine. You'll see."

          "How do you do that?" He raised his eyebrows in question. "You always know what I'm thinking or what I'm going to say before I say it."

          "That's normal for people in love."

          Her lips parted. "You're in love with me?"

          He chuckled. "Where have you been the last seven months, Rachel? My credit cards are maxed out from flying out here every chance I get. My cell phone bill is bigger than Lance's car payment for his new Benz-okay, that's an exaggeration, but you know what I mean. And I don't care about any of it, babe." He took her face in his hands. "Because as long as I get to see you and talk to you, I'm the happiest fucker in the world."

          "Christopher," she playfully scolded.

          "What I mean is...Rach, if you asked me to give it all up tomorrow, I would."

          Her fingers curled around his wrists. "I would never ask you to do that. But I appreciate the sentiment because I know how much music and the group and the guys mean to you." She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. "I can't go on tour with you," she said against his lips.

          Chris paused, slowly pulled back. "Way to kill the moment, babe."

          "I'm sorry."

          "Why?" She looked confused. "Why can't you come on the tour?"

          She sighed and removed herself from his arms, walking back into the bedroom. Chris followed. "It sounds weird, given that we've, you know, slept together, but...um...I'm not really comfortable sharing a bunk with you with, I don't know, Lance above us and Justin across from us. You know what I mean?"

          Chris nodded and stepped further into the room, nearer to her. "Actually, Lance is across, Joey's above."

          "That doesn't help."

          He chuckled. "I know and I understand. It's actually why Olivia doesn't come out with us much...at all." He reached out and tugged on the pocket of her hoodie. "I just wish I could convince you not to worry about it and come anyway."

          "You're not mad?"

          "No, of course not, babe," he pulled her close again. "Just...bummed."

          She gripped the flaps of his jacket, toying with the buttons. "I've been saving all of my money, so I can fly out to different stops." He nodded in agreement, but she knew he thought it wasn't enough. Because she knew it wasn't enough either. "I'm...I wish I could get past this, Chris." He pulled her close and she pressed her mouth to his shoulder, inhaling his scent. "I wish there was a way we could be together."

          Chris pulled Rachel back. "Maybe there is."

          She shook her head. "What?"

          "Marry me." Rachel blinked and her lips parted, ready to speak. "Don't say ‘huh,'" Chris warned.

          She scoffed. "I wasn't going to. I was...I was going to say yes."

          Chris stared and swallowed before saying, "You were? Really?"

          She nodded. "I love you, Chris. I don't want to be with anyone else."

          He smiled. "Me neither." They looked at each other, holding each other at arms' length, smiling and on the verge of laughter. They both gave in and laughing, Rachel jumped into Chris's arms as he swung her around the empty room. She pulled back for a kiss and he set her on the ground again. "When? When do we do this?"

          Rachel exhaled. "June."

          Chris frowned. "June, like in six months June?"

          She nodded. "Yes, after I turn eighteen." Her fingers curled into his jacket at his upper arms. "Then my parents can't do anything about it. But we can't say anything to anyone ‘til then."

          "What?"

          "We can't tell anyone."

          His eyes narrowed. "No one? You're not even going to tell Maddy?"

          She shook her head. "Not Maddy, especially not JC or any of the guys." Chris sighed and released his hold on her. Rachel gripped his jacket tighter to keep him in front of her. "Chris, if we do, all they're going to do is try to stop us or talk us out of it. And I don't want to hear it. I just-I want to be your wife and be with you." He kept his eyes on her as he thought it through. "And if we keep it between us, we can eliminate any rumors. You haven't even acknowledged that you're dating me and I don't want you to get flack because I'm only seventeen."

          Chris cupped her shoulders. "Rachel, stop. I understand what you're saying. And I agree with all of it. It's going to be hard keeping this from the guys. They're my best friends-especially JC cause I've known him the longest, next to Joey, and he'll have a fit when he does hear. But if this is the way you want it and it's going to make you happy, I'll do whatever you want. Because I'll tell you right now, babe...the minute you let me, I'm shouting it to the world!"