Kate lost the bet…
She joined the tour where JC kept watch over her as well as hired her own personal bodyguard. Slowly Kate became more comfortable around him and lowered her guard a little, finally able to trust a man again. But while she still kept her distance, when Chris joined the tour for a few days, he decided to help things along.
***
Kate casually walked around JC’s stool and handed him his cup of coffee. He was on the stage finishing up his sound check. She had her head down to hopefully avoid the guilty look on her face. JC was too busy talking to Chris, who was sitting in the third row of the audience to pay any attention to her, other than a casual thank you for the coffee. The band behind him was making sure everything was in order for the show then slowly leaving.
Kate stepped back behind JC and out of his eye sight. She looked pleadingly at Chris one more time, but all Chris did was discreetly raise his eyebrow and nod subtly. JC was talking on and on about something and Chris would pipe in with a comment every now and then.
She took a deep breath then stepped forward, stopping directly behind JC’s stool. Biting her lip, a mischievous look appeared on her face. With one hand, she reached out and hovered over the back neck of his t-shirt. With the other, she slowly raised it up…and with one quick motion, she pulled the shirt away from his neck and quickly dumped a cup full of ice down his back.
He gasped and yelled, jumping up from his seat, immediately pulling the shirt from the waistband of his jeans so the ice could fall away from his skin. Kate stood in horrified fascination watching JC dance around the stage trying to get the ice cubes out of his clothes.
Her hesitation cost her precious seconds in escaping.
Dimly she could hear Chris yelling at her to run, but she couldn’t take her eyes off JC. Even watching him trying to get ice out of his shirt, his every move was graceful. He had such a potent masculinity that it took her breath away. She was tired of fighting her attraction to him. But she was scared that he would turn out to be just like every other man that had even been in her life.
His approach made her jolt from her day dream and she scurried to put the drum set in between them. The exit was right behind her.
“It’s Chris – it was all Chris’ idea. He is evil.” With her empty hands reaching out innocently, she babbled on.
“This was Chris’ idea?” JC questioned and he turned back to Chris for a moment. Kate took that opportunity to run.
Knowing that Kate was out of earshot, JC sent a grateful look at Chris and a quick but heartfelt “Thank you” over his shoulder as he pursued Kate, stopping only long enough to grab a couple of the ice cubes from the floor.
Conscious of the fact that JC would be right behind her, Kate sped down a long hallway knowing that if she could make the parking lot, she would have freedom. JC would be unable to follow her to the parking lot with all the fans so Kate was anticipating that she would be able to hide out for a few hours and hopefully JC would forget about getting revenge.
But just as she passed the last hallway, she heard heavy running footsteps quickly coming up behind her. JC had apparently taken a shortcut and was now right on her heels. Kate put on a last minute burst of speed and was closing in on the outside door to freedom when an arm around her waist stopped her in her tracks.
JC’s arm was like a band of steel that plucked her up off her feet and swung her away from the door. He placed her back on her feet and she quickly turned to face him, unaware that he was slowly backing her into a corner, his arm still around her waist.
She pleaded with him not to use the ice in his hand that he held up threateningly with his free hand since she was sure she would get hypothermia or some other such nonsense as she rambled on; but then couldn’t keep up the pretense any longer and dissolved into laughter. JC’s head went back as they laughed together but soon JC looked down at her with his twinkling eyes. Slowly they stopped laughing and just stared at each other.
Kate couldn’t define the emotion that was in JC’s eyes, but they softened until she felt he was looking into her soul. JC knew he was getting a rare glimpse of the true vulnerability of Kate. He could see the fear and hope and a glimmer of something else, could it be happiness and joy?
Still breathing heavily from their run, JC dropped the ice cubes to the floor where they bounced off his shoe and rolled down the hallway. His now free, cold hand came up to cradle Kate’s cheek. His eyes locked firmly on hers, daring her to turn or pull away from him. She met his stare head on, her lips parting as his thumb caressed her bottom lip before moving back to her cheek. The heat from her blush warmed the palm of his hand.
JC’s head lowered until their breath mingled. Still he hesitated – not wanting to rush her if she wasn’t ready. Kate waited for him to force his kiss on her, but he didn’t. What seemed like long minutes passed as they both waited for the other to move.
“What do you...want, Kate?” His whisper was a caress over her skin. Kate licked her lips and watched JC’s gaze drop. Still she hesitated, waiting for JC to make the first move. The seconds ticked by slowly as they both waited.
Not being able to take it any longer, Kate took matters into her own hands. She lifted her head so her lips were almost brushing JC’s, still looking into his eyes and whispered, “Please kiss me, JC.”
Taking his time, he looked at her until he pressed his lips to hers. Only then did they close their eyes in unison to experience the sensations. His soft, firm lips explored hers, tentative at first. Tasting, learning, giving, and taking the sweetness she offered in return. His hands fell to her elbows where he guided her arms up around his neck. She immediately locked them around his neck. Both of his hands then plunged into her hair, tilting her head so he could increase the pressure of the kiss.
Kate’s mind whirled as the outside world disappeared. The taste of his lips was almost familiar. Almost…as if this was where she was meant to be.
He tugged her bottom lip between his teeth, biting down gently before soothing it with his tongue. He swallowed her gasp of pleasure before he moved his lips down her neck then back up to her ear. Overwhelmed by the pleasure of his touch, her head rolled on her neck to give him greater access. One of his hands moved to the back of her head while the other roamed her back before settling on her hip. He kissed his way back to her lips, where he gentled his kiss.
Slowly, they became aware of a throat clearing insistently nearby. JC placed one last kiss on her nose before he rested his forehead against hers; she would forever taste him on her lips.
“His timing sucks…” JC whispered, in no rush to move from her arms or release her from his.
Tom cleared his throat one more time and JC could hear him tapping his shoe impatiently against the tile floor. JC’s warm sigh stirred the tendrils of hair around her ear, causing her to shiver. “Yes, Tom?”
“If the two of you are done, there will be a concert here in just a few hours that you may want to get ready for. JC – you are needed for the meet and greet. Kate – Candy was looking for you, she wanted to know if you would be available to help repair a couple costumes. Soooooo…..”
As Kate was looking into JC’s eyes, she could see the corners around his eyes crinkle as he smiled and the light shining down on her. Tom’s voice was in the far off distance as she struggled to find her footing on earth again.
JC pressed one last quick kiss on her lips before he stepped back, leaving her to lean against the wall. Grabbing her hand, he held it as he slowly backed away until their fingers were unable to touch any longer. “This isn’t over, Kate,” he said. “We will be discussing the whole ice issue.”
And with a wink, he was striding down the hall, whistling a happy tune. Kate slowly turned her eyes to Tom, who was impatiently waiting for her. “Candy needs your help.” He said slowly, drawing out the sentence.
Kate nodded and headed off into what she hoped was the right direction, but as soon as she left Tom behind, she lifted her hands to her lips to relieve the moment while an enormous grin covered her face.
Maybe she would get a happy ever after…
