CHAPTER 1
Night after night, day after day, I see him. Just like he sees me. There’s trouble brewing with a capital T. Why? Because he’s, well, he’s Nick Carter. I’m plain ol’ Theresa. You don’t mix the two. I’ve known him for so long, years, and we don’t mix, never got along. Yet, he holds this sexual attraction that I can’t seem to shake. I’ve been through two boyfriends, one lover and still can’t fight him. He’s been through numerous lovers and numerous girlfriends and yet, he’s still searchin’ for something too. I always thought it was me, yet I refuse to believe that as well. I sighed as I sat down upon the couch. Mentally, physically, this chase was tiring, draining the life out of me. See, I wasn’t anything more than a family member to one of his friends. And since I first met him, we were at each other’s throats. Perhaps because we were the same age so we grew up together.

“You awake?” My eyes traveled up his body and rested on his ocean color eyes. Oh, though I hated him, I knew just how lethal those eyes could be.

“I’m fine.”

“Just making sure. You’re uncle would like you to stay awake for his wedding.”

“My uncle will see his niece just fine. Sides, Uncle Howie has been married before, it won’t be anything new.” Nick raised an eyebrow at that. “Oh, go fuck yourself.”

“Touchy aren’t you?”

“Whenever I’m around you, yes!” I got off the couch and went to pass him when his arm closed around my upper arm. I felt the shock leap from his touch and shivered as it ran down my spine. Goodness, that couldn’t be good, could it?

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I saw the fear in her eyes. Hell, I could feel the same damn thing in me. It was shocking to say the least. I hated her. She annoyed me, yet I tolerated her because she was family. Or, so I liked to believe. ‘Her lips trembled and all I wanted to do was cover them with mine.’ Hell and damnation, where the fuck did that thought come from? I released her just as quickly as I grabbed her.

“Did you want to say anything else?”

“No.”

“Than why stop me Nick?”

“Honestly, Theresa, I don’t know. I wanted to say something, yet I forgot.” I shrugged off the comment, hoping she would leave. She nodded her head and quickly turned on her heel. Damn, she could drive me crazy! Wanted to pull my hair out when I was around her. She went over to talk to AJ and I watched her. She was so at ease with him. ‘What I wouldn’t give to have her be like that with me.’ I frowned as that thought ran through my mind too. Where the hell were these thoughts coming from? I didn’t like her, never could. She would always be that annoying little girl I met when I was what, 13? 14? Yet, as I watched her laugh and place her hand on AJ’s arm, I felt a jealous tremor run up my spine. Wait, not jealous, I couldn’t feel jealous. “Damn,” I mumbled underneath my breath.

CHAPTER 2
~*~ I've been meaning to tell you/ I've got this feelin' that won't subside/ I look at you and I fantasize/ You're mine tonight/ Now I've got you in my sights/ With these hungry eyes/ One look at you and I can't disguise/ I've got hungry eyes/ I feel the magic between you and I ~*~

“Stop using me Theresa.”

“How dare you AJ. I’m not using you.”

“You’re making Nick brew over there. He’s been staring at you all evening and every time you touch me, his hands clench into a fist.”

Theresa turned around and stared at the young man. His blonde locks were falling over his eyes and with an impatient hand, he kept moving them back. ‘God, I would love to run my fingers through those silk locks.’ What the hell, no way. Not this again. My thoughts could not be straying in that area. He was off limits, totally off limits. Uncle Howie would have my ass if I thought of dating one of his friends. Yet, I watched as he laughed, his eyes crinkling up at the sides. ‘He was so damn good looking.’ I sighed, finally knowing the truth. Behind all the chasing and the yelling and the screaming, all the fights, I loved him. Have loved him. And now, I couldn’t do anything or say anything because he couldn’t know. He would only laugh at me, probably joke about it and than use it against me. It wasn’t possible for him to feel the same way.

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I could feel someone watching me, and I prayed it wasn’t her. I slowly turned around, catching her and seeing the torment in her brown eyes before she masked it up. ‘I can kiss all those pains away.’ Oh, those damn thoughts were going to be the death of me tonight. I saw her frown and it was than that I got slammed with an outrageous feeling. I would give my soul up to see her smile all the time. No frowns to appear on her face, no pains appearing in her brown eyes. Damn, I’ve fallen in love with this woman. Head over heels in love and I couldn’t tell her. Why? Perhaps because it would betray me. She would laugh, be cruel. Trample on my feelings.

“Oh, man, stop looking at my niece like you want to kill her.” I turned to D and smiled.

“No, not kill her bro.”

“Just date her?” I raised a brow in question and he laughed. “We all knew it but you two.”

“What do you mean, us two?”

“Perhaps you should talk to her, it might be better.” He shoved me in her direction and I took a deep breath.

CHAPTER 3
~*~ I wanna hold you so hear me out/ I wanna show you what love's all about/ Darlin' tonight/ Now I've got you in my sights/ With these hungry eyes/ One look at you and I can't disguise/ I've got hungry eyes/ I feel the magic between you and I/ I've got hungry eyes/ Now I've got you in my sights/ With those hungry eyes/ Now did I take you by surprise/ I need you to see/ This love was meant to be ~*~

“Dance with me?” Her eyes locked with mine and she nodded her head, placing her hand within mine. My arms snaked around her waist and she felt so right. This was right, she was my better half. I sighed and rested my cheek on top of her head.

“What’s wrong Nick?” How to tell her, how to ask her?

“Theresa, do you ever wonder what’s pushing us to always be mad at each other? To always want to argue?” She quickly sucked in some air and I was shocked. Could she possibly be thinking the same thing, feeling the same thing? I couldn’t be alone in my thoughts, could I?

“Of course I wonder. I mean, you’ve hated me for so long. Who wouldn’t wonder?” I pulled away and looked into her eyes. I shook my head, a smile appearing on my face. “What’s going on Nick?”

“Oh Theresa.”

“What? Something is bothering you and I demand to know what’s going on. Damn it Nick, you’re scaring me.” My heart turned over again as I looked at her. Yes, fallen completely in love with her. And each day we were together, would be wonderful. She could never bore me, never truly annoy me.

~*~ I've got hungry eyes/ One look at you and I can't disguise/ I've got hungry eyes/ I feel the magic between you and I/ I've got hungry eyes/ Now I've got you in my sights/ With those hungry eyes/ Now did I take you by surprise/ With my hungry eyes/ I need.../ Hungry eyes/ Now I've got you in my sights/ With my hungry eyes ~*~

“It’s not that I hate you Theresa. I don’t think I ever did. I think it was me trying to deny what I’ve known all along.” I frowned at him. Okay, this was beyond odd. He did not know my thoughts. He did not share my feelings. Nick Carter hated me, and I knew that. Everyone in the God damn room knew it. Why was he lying…oh, he found out. This was all a sick game to him. “Would you stop looking as if I’m about to murder you in plain view?”

“I don’t understand Nick.” His hands clasped on my shoulders and I shivered.

“Since I’ve first seen you, I’ve wanted you Theresa. I thought it was anger fueling my feelings, but it wasn’t. It was love. Oh, I wanted to deny it because, it wasn’t right. We were young, BSB was just getting started. I didn’t have time for you, a girlfriend. And as the years went by, it was natural to betray myself, my feelings.”

“Can we please back this up to you saying you love me? Because, I’m not sure I understand that Nick. I mean…” I trailed off as his lips captured mine. ‘Oh, those lips, they were deadly, there were mean…they were stopping all thought process at the moment.’

“Now, as I was saying…”

“What the hell were you saying?” He laughed and once again, I felt the pressure of his lips. ‘Oh, damn, I’m gonna die. Death by kissing me, I can….there goes the mind.’ “You know, if you don’t stop Nick, I’m gonna forget what two plus two equals.” He laughed and cupped my cheek.

“Does that mean you love me too?”

“That means you’re gonna be the death of me Nick. But yes, I do love you too.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my head upon his chest. ‘So perfect, so wonderful...’

“I could sneak up to your room in five minutes and show you how much I love you.” ‘…so there’. I quickly smirked, turned and fled. Damn his hungry eyes.

~ Hungry Eyes by Eric Carmen