Time on tour went by and Justin and Kiki became nearly inseparable. They may have claimed to be “just friends,” but everyone knew that wasn’t going to last much longer.

Kiki was sitting alone curled up on a couch in the arena green room listening to her MP3 player and flipping through a Cosmo. Most of the crew including Alex and Tori went to a double feature at the movie theater downtown a few blocks from the arena. After being kept out all night by Justin, she was too tired and wasn’t about to waste her money on a movie she’d probably fall asleep on. She needed some R&R before the show started and was definitely not going out tonight no matter how much Justin whined about how “its no fun without you there Kik.” She rolled her eyes, he was such a brat sometimes.

She was reading an article when the next track on her playlist came on and she smirked. "Speak of the devil." Let’s Take a Ride, was one of her favorite song now-a-days. When they were given copies of the album after the first rehearsal she went home to listen to it and fell in love with the song.

If she wasn’t alone right now, Kiki wouldn’t even entertain the idea of singing along. Singing in front of strangers was not something she enjoyed, it only happened when she had no other choice. Sharing her voice was a private thing for her and only her close friends and family were privy to it. She couldn’t explain how she could dance at the drop of a hat in front of anyone, but ask her to sing and she practically froze. The last time she sang in front of a crowd was in her senior production of Grease and that was only because it was like a final project, either sing or not graduate.

Looking around the room to make sure it was empty, she gave in to her urge.

I know that life is hard on you
And you can't seem to find out why
I'll explain, just grab your coat, girl
And just join me on this ride

Let's take a ride, on the country side
Let's just get away
We can spend the night, till the morning light
Let's just get away

Justin walked through the hallways after an hour of tedious interviews from various local publications and was checking each room looking for Kiki. He was pissed off by the annoying interviewers and their annoying ass repetitive questions, and need her to calm him down. She was the only one on this tour who he could go to, to find a little bit of peace and he needed that before he went on stage tonight. To his surprise he found her all alone in the green room singing one of his songs.

He stood in the doorway, watching her and was mesmerized. He had no idea she could sing. He was impressed. This girl had a body that could move and now come to find out, a voice to boot.

Maybe if you consider us just riding

That once you feel like a winner

No more crying

And baby I know just what you need (I know)

To let your hair down so that you feel free, yea (Hair, yea yea yea)

It hurts me to watch you see it through (It hurts me baby)

Girl you're so confused (Let's get away)

And I know what to....

She trailed off when she noticed him standing there and ducked her head down in embarrassment while she pulled her ear buds out. There was a long silence before she worked up enough courage to say, “hi”.

Her embarrassment only escalated when for a few seconds Justin said nothing, but then he spoke up. “Keep going. You’ve got a great voice.” His smile gleamed at her as he finally moved from the doorway to sit beside her. “Why didn’t you tell me you could sing? Why don’t you sing?”

Still blushing, she sighed and explained. “It’s something I just happen to be good at. Singing's not really my thing. I actually get really nervous when I sing in front of people, strangers." He could definitely see that as she fidgetted with the cord of her earphones. It was a rare sight to see coming from Kiki who was always so confident, especially when she was performing in front of an audience. "Dancing is my thing and I'm comfortable doing that anywhere, any way. It's what makes me happy. I love teaching - watch my students, especially the younger ones, when they finally get a step right and their excitement over it.” Thinking about her students always put a smile on her face and Justin could see how happy her job made her. Although they generally worked in different avenues, one of the reasons he felt a connection with her was because of their shared passion for music. “Besides your nonexistent private life is a good reason for me not to want to go pro.”

“Tell me about it.” He sneered being reminded of the last hour of press he had done.

Seeing the shift in his mood, Kiki said. “Uh oh. I’m guessing the interviews didn’t go well?”

“Of course not because all they wanted to talk about was Britney and the fuckin’ break up. Not my music.” He was tired of people focusing on the past. Sure the biggest hit on his album was about the end of their relationship, but he was just tired of the same questions. If people didn’t get the picture from the lyrics or the damn video, then in his opinion their dumb asses shouldn’t bother listening or watching.

“Aww babe, I’m sorry.” She wrapped an arm around him and he nestled into her shoulder. “You know those reporters are like a dog with a bone. Once they get a hold of some juicy news they suck on it until it’s dry. You just gotta be patient. Soon or later when people get tired of hearing the same ‘ol story, they’ll stop paying attention and when their magazines stop selling, they’ll get the hint to move on.” It may not be on the same level, but Kiki did know what it was like to be the subject of gossip from back in her high school and college days. Much like the media, classmates would lust after any kind of scandal they could find and blathered on about it till the bitter end. “I see how much you love music, Justin. How happy it makes you. Just remember that, remember the little boy on Star Search with the cowboy hat on. How happy he was just to be able to sing his little heart out for the crowd.” He growled at her and she giggled.

Trace had showed her some old footage of Justin on Star Search, MMC and of course the infamous beauty contest on the internet awhile back. The next day Kiki teased Justin mercilessly until he kicked her out of his dressing room. Since then every once in awhile she would comment on the footage to get a good laugh when he got annoyed.

“No seriously though, no matter what they say Justin you’re a good person and an amazing artist. Don’t let them steal your joy.”

He couldn’t help but smile at her reassurance, even if what she was saying he had heard a million times from Johnny or his mother. The fact that it was coming from Kiki made it all the more comforting. She was right, he loved music and he couldn’t image a life where he wasn’t creating and performing it. As long as he remembered the feeling the music gave him he could bare the pressures of the media and fans.

“Feel better?” She noticed his frown had disappeared and a small smile formed on his lips.

He nodded. “You always make me feel better.”

“It’s my pleasure cause Lord knows I cannot take a grumpy Justin.” She half joked. Yes it had been awhile since the last time she had to cuss him out for being an asshole and she wasn’t in the mood for a reoccurrence. But she was more relieved just to see him in a better mood.

“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes at her. “Now back to your singing.” He grinned as she squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. Now that he knew about her hidden talent he wanted to know, specifically, about her choice of singing material. “Why is it out of all songs I find you singing, it was that one?”

“I love that song.” She answered honestly even though she knew he was fishing for a compliment. “It’s one of my favorites on your album, all your ballads too. I wish you would sing more of them during your show.”

“You’re gonna be sick of my voice by the end of this tour, aren’t you?”

“Nope. I happen to like your voice.” She brought her hand up to his neck and absent-mindedly stroked where his voice box lay and he savored her touch. He moved to stretch his long body out on the couch, resting his head in her lap. Her soft caressing moved to his head where she ran her fingers through his short hair.

“I figured you would like the dance songs more.” He yawned and closed his eyes feeling sleep starting to take over.

“I like them, but your ballads and low keys tracks are my favorite.” She yawned too, a reminder that she was just as tired as him and she snuggled back into the couch. “Which were your favorites to record?” She mumbled right before her eyes closed and she slipped into dreamland. Justin, was already there.

The two managed to get about a half an hour of shut eye before a group of dancers and band members came into the room making a bunch of noise. They noticed the two on the couch together and started snickers and whispering before they woke them up. It was kind of funny how Justin and Kiki had gone from practically ripping each other’s heads off to BFFs almost overnight. Gossip had been buzzing around about the two of them being more than that, and some were not surprised. How did the saying go? It’s a thin line between love and hate.

Feeling eyes on her, Kiki woke up to five people watching them. “What are you guys staring at?” She rubbed her eyes and stretched out trying to shake herself out of her sleepy state when she was reminded that someone was lying on her. “Justin wake up, we fell asleep.”

His only response was a grumble and he turned on his side to bury his face in her stomach.

“Justin, wake up.” She pushed him in the shoulder this time to get him to move.

“What?!” He snapped at her.

“Hey!” She snapped right back as a warning about his temper.

“Sorry.” He grumbled again, barely awake. “What’s wrong?”

“This time we fell asleep in the green room and now we seem to be a circus attraction or something.”

He turned over to look at five of his crew members scrutinizing them. “What the hell are ya’ll looking at?” He could be a totally grump when he woke up and if he couldn’t take it out on Kiki, for fear she would kick his ass. He would take it out on them instead.

“Nothing.” They said in unison and dispersed to get away from his wrath.

“Ugh. What time is it?” He arched his back and turned toward Kiki.

She dug her cell out of the crack in the cushions. “It’s after 4.”

“Good, we have another hour till sound check starts.” He rubbed his hands over his face and sat up. “I’m still tired. Are you?”

“Yes.” She yawned.

“Then let’s go to my dressing room and go back to sleep.” He stood up and offered his hand to her.

As tired as she still was Kiki didn’t hesitate and let him pull her up off the couch. Holding hands, they left the green room oblivious to the scandalous looks that past between their observers. Once in his dressing room, they both dropped down on the couch in the same position as before and went right back to sleep.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

A rough week with three city shows - instead of one or two - that had the whole crew wiped out, was finally over. Instead of going out clubbing Kiki and Justin decided to stay in and have a movie night. Some of their friends were staying in as well, so Justin invited them to join him and Kiki in his suite. Including the usual suspects, a group of about seven spread around the living room with an assortment of snacks, drinks and horror flicks.

Before the first movie started, Kiki and Alex were having a conversation while he was making a drink for himself at the bar. Overhearing them speaking in Spanish, Justin walked up behind Kiki and whispered sensually in her ear.

“You sound so damn sexy when you roll that tongue.” He rubbed her sides briefly before walking away to his bedroom.

She quirked an eyebrow at him and jokingly asked. “That turn you on J?”

Before entering his room, he looked over his shoulder. “Definitely.”

The playful smile Kiki had on her face twitched nervously. The glint in his eye told her that he wasn’t joking like she had been and she felt her heartbeat speeding up.

For awhile now she had been trying to ignore her attraction and growing feelings for Justin. He was her boss, fraternizing was not allowed on tour and she thought he didn’t feel the same way about her. Not only was she just a friend but he was still healing from his last relationship. Justin was just kidding with her. Right? He was a nature flirt so his words were just normal flirtatious banter. Right? It was just her imagination that the attraction she felt for him could be mutual. Right?

Those thoughts continued to race through her head as she settled into a spot on the love seat and Trace started the movie. Her wandering mind made her unaware of Justin’s return and his approach.

She was sitting with her back against the arm rest and her knees bent in front of her when he came up to her and spread her legs apart. “What are you doing?!” She let out a whispered screech. Her initial shock over his forwardness lessened when he turned to sit in between them.

“Just getting comfortable.” He snuggled into her chest and propping his feet on the opposite arm rest, silently basking the feeling of her body surrounding him.

He enjoyed cuddling with Kiki, but the way they were sitting right now was about much more than comfort for Justin. It was about the intimacy that he wanted with her. He wanted her as more than a friend and now he needed to know if she felt to same way. He’d been flirting with her all night trying to get a reaction out of her. He got one just not the one he was hoping for. But then again her looks of shock over his forwardness was better than looks of disgust. He’d just have to keep working at it until she turned him down or he got what he wanted.

“You know I’m getting really tired of being your damn pillow.” No I’m not.

“No you’re not and you’re not a pillow. You’re my.…my Baby Doll for me to cuddle. Now be quiet the movie’s starting.” 

She scoffed, but didn’t bother arguing with him. Instead she got comfortable, draping her arms over his shoulders and absent-mindedly began to rub his chest as they settled in to watch the movie. 

Throughout the night, even when they got up for refills or bathroom breaks, the two stayed in the same position. Caresses between them didn’t stop either, Kiki stroking his chest or scalp and Justin; her legs or arms.

Once again they settled right into their natural pattern regardless of any concerns about the new direction their relationship was moving in. It just felt right to be with each other like this. Maybe it wasn’t a crazy notion that they could both want each other and that their friendship was on the brink of crossing the line.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%

While Justin was practicing his ballads, the dancers were on break, sitting in the first couple of rows in front of the stage. They were all chatting not really paying attention to what was going on onstage, having seen it a number of times. But when the first note of Justin’s guitar played, Kiki’s attention was peaked and a chill ran down her spine. She had to get out of there now.

“I gotta go to the bathroom.” As calmly as possible, she got out of her seat, ready to make a break.

Unfortunately her real reason for departure was a known fact to Alex and he thought it was time that the musician on stage knew about it as well. After all the two of them were seconds away from jumping each other, why not give them a little push. A break in the sexual tension between them was way overdue. “Oh no you don’t.” He grabbed her by the waist to stop her as she passed him.

“Yes I do Alex let me go.” She was going to start panicking any second now.  With each note that Justin played the stronger the physical effects on her body grew. She was feeling flushed, goose bumps covered her skin yet she was getting hotter and hotter. “Let go right now.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Alex I’m gonna pee on myself. Let go!”

“No you’re not. We both know you do not have to pee.”

Her head whipped in his direction and her eyes widened when she realized he knew her secret and was about to tell. “ALEX, LET GO!” Their fighting and her yelling had gotten everyone’s attention, including Justin's.

He signaled for the band to stop playing. “Hey, what’s going on?”

“Nothing!” She cried as she continued to try and pry Alex’s arms from around her stomach.

“Actually, Kiki here is trying to make another one of her escapes.”

“Alex don’t.”

Responding to Justin’s curious look, he explained. “Haven’t you ever noticed that when you start playing your guitar or the piano Kiki disappears?”

“Oh God.” Kiki covered her flaming face. It was too late to stop her secret from getting out and all she wanted to do was find a hole to hide in.

Justin gave him another clueless look while everyone around them wondered what the hell was going on. “Watching you play an instrument gets her hot.”

With that said Alex had no reason to hold on to her anymore and let go. Kiki slinked into the seat next to him, burying her face into the back seat cushion. Around her everyone was laughing or whistling and she knew without even looking Justin had one of his sexy, cocky smirks on his face.

“Is that right Baby Doll?” She could hear his voice, laced with a husky lith, behind her. She looked back to see him stand at the edge of the stage leering at her. Pushing down her embarrassment she turned to face him, with her head held high. So what if he turned her on? It didn’t mean anything, a lot of guys turned her on.

“Don’t say anything else ok?” She probably could write the “I’m the shit” speech that was about to come out of his mouth. “And you.” She pointed to Alex. “You call yourself my best friend. Big Mouth.”

“I was just trying to help you out. The two of you need to just bone and get it over with.”

“Amen!” Came from one of the band members while everyone else clapped in mutual agreement.

As he arched an eyebrow at her and then licking his lips, Justin said. “Just say the word baby.”

“Oh I’ll give you a word, I’ll give you a couple of them…Hell. No.” And she flipped her hood over her head, covering her face and ending any further discussion about the two of them sleeping together.

Justin chuckled wholeheartedly as he walked back towards his band so they could start over. “She wants me.” He gloated to his bass player as he strapped his guitar back on and then counted down to for the music to play back again.

To save face, Kiki stayed right in her seat but keep her face covered, hoping Justin would just ignore her and concentrate on his sound check. She knew it wasn’t working when she felt his stare and she risked taking a peek. Her cheeks grew hot and red once again when she looked up to see him standing at the edge of the stage, right in front of her sing and strumming away at his guitar. She audibly groaned and pulled the hood down again, hearing everyone including Justin chuckling at her.

Once all the ballads were rehearsed and Justin’s tormenting ended, the dancers got back on the stage to practice the last two numbers. Kiki soon found out her torture wasn’t as over as she hoped. Justin took full advantage of her frazzled state and played her body like he played his guitar. He put more pressure into it when he ground their hips together and hands lingered sensually on every inch of her skin that was exposed by her tank top.

By the time rehearsals were over Kiki was overheated and ready to get as far away from him as possible so she could regroup. Justin had other plans.

As they all walked off stage together, he grabbed a hold of her hand and no matter how hard she tried, his hold was relentless.

Passing the other dressing rooms, headed towards his, Ralphie teased the couple. “Better make it a quickie ya’ll. You only have an hour before the show starts.” The group of crew members standing around all cackled together like a pack of hyenas.

As they approached Justin’s dressing room, and her smart mouth kicking in, Kiki turned around toward the laughing group as she walked backwards. “Not a problem, he’s probably just a one minute man anyway.” She immediately started giggling as did everyone else except for Justin of course. That’s what he got for teasing her.

Break me off, show me what you got, cause I don’t want no one minute man. Gina sang as Kiki popped to the beat until Justin grabbed her and pulled her into his dressing room.

The laughter in the hallways was cut off when the door closed behind them. He pushed her up against the closed door and boxed her in with his hands planted on the sides of her head. They both were silent just staring at each other. Kiki could see a hunger burning in his eyes, just as clear as day. They were a dark blue and she could feel herself falling into them, but she shook herself out of his trance and ducked under his arm to move to the center of the room.

“So…” She walked over to his vanity and started picking at his jewelry and other accessories cluttering the surface. “What’s up? Did you bring me in here to talk or something?”

She knew damn well he didn’t want to talk. She was either play coy to be cute or to avoid what had been building between them for months now. He was tired of it and ready to do something about it. “You honestly think I want to talk right now?”

“Hmm.” Kiki snuffed and rolled her eyes at how easy he seemed to think she was. “And you honestly think we’re going to be doing anything other than talking right now? Sorry but I won’t be like that little blonde that was taking the walk of shame from your room last week.” Justin arched a curious eyebrow at her. “Yeah I saw her.” She tried to make a joke out of it to mask the jealousy on her voice.

But the cocky grin on his face told her, she was unsuccessful. “Jealous?”

“No!” She responded a little too quickly. “No. If I recall that’s your thing.” She gloated, finally revealing that she had been aware of his feeling about her date with Sean. “Besides it wasn’t anything I hadn’t seen before.”

Kiki knew he was with other women, she saw it with her own eyes at many of the after parties, but if she was honest with herself, recently it was making her upset. The truth was she was jealous and tempted to yank the hair off that little blonde’s head when she walked by her that morning. Justin wasn’t her man though, so she had no claim on him.

“So it doesn’t bother you?” She shrugged her shoulders in indifference, not wanting to voice her feelings. “I think it does.” He licked his lips and walked her back into the vanity. “Admit it.”

Putting his hands on the vanity top, he had her caged in again and wasn’t planning on let her go this time. He leaned down bringing his face closer to kiss her, but first he whispered. “Admit it Kiki.” He breathed against her mouth and when he licked his lips this time his tongue brushed against hers. Her heart was beating rapidly and her breath was coming out in pants. A part of her wanted desperately to kiss him but the other part of her remained wary about the consequence of crossing the line. Justin on the other hand was all for the kiss, he just wanted to tease her a little bit first, but his plans were cut short.

“Justin.” Trace knocked on the door. “You in there man?”

He groaned at the interruption and dropped his head into the crook of her neck. “Shit.”

“You better get that.” She murmured and moved away from him to the other side of the room.

Kiki situated her self on the couch and picked up the magazine that was sitting on the coffee table in front of her. She started reading it, trying to look as nature as possible while Justin opened the door. Trace came in the room, sensing something was up with his best friend, but Justin said everything was fine when he asked and looking over at Kiki, she smiled reassuringly. So he dropped it and the three settled in, talking and eventually playing a game of poker before it was time for wardrobe.