An Illicit Gentleman

                     Chapter Twenty-Two

 AJ zipped up his carry-on bag as it sat on top of his bed.  He was grabbing the last of his things getting ready to head to Florida for the meeting.  It was four in the morning and his plane was leaving at six-thirty.  Double checking everything as he looked around the room he checked off the mental note in his head.

“Ready?” Eve said as she walked into the room.

“Yeah” He nodded as he picked up his bag and followed her out of the room. He was glad she was going, getting the ok from the doctors she was back home with him Monday night. 

As AJ sat on the plane he found himself getting excited, he had this beautiful woman sitting beside him, who he loved more than anything, someone he could share everything with and they were going to his home town.  He thought about showing her all the places he grew up and the funny stories that came with them. 

When the couple landed they loaded everything into a rental car that was waiting for them and headed to the hotel.  Usually AJ stayed with his Mom but Eve was with him this time, and honestly he wanted some privacy. 

“Ugh.” AJ huffed as he laid down on the hotel bed.

“Tired?” Eve asked as she crawled in beside him.

“A little but I am getting pretty hungry, you?”

“Actually yeah starving.” She said with a light smile.  Sitting up AJ grabbed the phone and order them breakfast.  When he hung up the phone he heard water running and walked over to the bathroom door.  Slowly he opened the door as a little bit of steam came out and saw Eve behind the glass door of the standing shower.  Carefully and quietly he undressed and then walked over to the door, it clicked when he opened and Eve turned around.  A light smile came across her face as he entered the shower. 

Eve slid her hands up his chest as the water began to splash off it.  He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her wet naked body against him.  The water bounced off his back as he began to kiss and softly suck on the side of her neck, across her shoulder and collar bone.  She tilted her neck as she brought her hands down his chest, her fingers trickled down his abs, and then she wrapped them around him.  Gently she began to stroke him as he brought his lips to hers.  She teased them a little a first and then let him trapped her lips with his.  He moaned lightly as he felt himself get harder in her hand.

AJ drifted his kissed to her ear.  “Turn around.” He whispered and Eve slowly turned around.  She put her hand on the wall in front of her as he wrapped one hand around her breast, and the other gently rested on her waist.  His chest pressed against her back as his lower body slowly thrusted.  Eve laid her head back against him, her hand reached behind her and she ran her fingers through his wet hair as his lips returned to her neck and shoulder.  The sound of her moans and the feeling of her body trembled against his sent him to his peek.  He pulled her waist against him hard as he moaned her name and then let go of her waist. 

Quickly Eve turned around and began kissing him, both of them trying to catch their breath between each kiss.  Slowly they pulled apart and stared at each other with desirable eyes.  “I thought you were ordering breakfast.” She said with a soft smile.

AJ walked down the hall of the large office building.  When he got to the meeting room he saw through the large glass windows and doors that the other guys were already there.  Opening the door he walked in and everyone looked at him.

“On time, not bad.” Kevin said with a nod.

“Same to you.” AJ said with a large smile.

“What time did you get in smart ass?” Kevin asked as AJ sat down.

“Got to the hotel around eight, had a quick shower, than breakfast, and then I went to my Mom’s before coming here.”  AJ told them.

“Is Eve still at the hospital?” Brian asked.

“Nope, she’s back at the hotel actually, sleeping when I left.”

“So they let her out?” Nick asked.

            “Yep” AJ said with a sigh of relief.   “She has control back, she knows she has control back and that has made a major difference.”

“So what happens now?” Brian asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Well is she going to be living with you? Finding a job or something?” Brian asked as AJ sighed.

“Dude it’s been like 2 months, I’m going to ask her to marry me.” AJ said trying to hold back his laugh.

“Uh.” Brian said looking around. 

“Alex he’s trying stop making it harder.” Kevin said as a laugh slowly fumbled out of his own mouth and by the end of the sentence he was howling in his chair.

“Haha.” Brian said rolling his eyes.  “It was just a question.”

“Yes Rok she’s going to be living with me and when ever she’s ready she can find a job, or go back to school or do nothing at all, honestly right now she deserves it.” AJ said as everyone’s laughing calmed.

“How is your Mom?” Howie asked.

“Fine, she pissed me off a little, when I went there this morning she didn’t even ask how Eve was doing, but like I said she ain’t yellin’ so it’s all good.”

“Do you have plans for tonight? We should all go out to eat.” Howie spoke up.

“Actually I do.” AJ said as the door opened.  “Taking Eve to Victoria and Albert’s for dinner.”

“Nice” Kevin and Nick said at the same time.

“Yes, Eve.” Their Jive publicist said.  “She’s brought in some interesting attention.”

“And we’re not going there.” AJ said to the skinny man with the bad hair cut.

“Yeah, this is about the next album not our private lives.” Kevin added quickly.

“Well there’s not going to be a next album until Nick is finished with his.” The man said.

“Why?” Nick asked sitting up.  “I can do both.”

“We at the record company think that the sound of Nick’s record and the sound that Backstreet puts out would clash and confuse the mass audience.”  He told them.

“Screw the mass audience our fans will get the difference.” Nick scoffed sitting back.

“It’s just not going to work Nick” The man said.

“How the hell do you know?” Kevin snapped and that’s all it took for the room to irrupt into a shouting match.  AJ tried to sit there patiently but once Eve’s name got brought up again he jumped right into it.

“You know what screw this; we’re not some fucking puppet group!” Kevin shouted.  “We’re getting that contract changed; see you’re asses in court.”  AJ walked out with Kevin and they were followed by Howie and Brian.

“Well this was eventful.” AJ sighed as everyone cooled off in the hallway.

“I knew this would happen man, I knew it.” Kevin said frustrated. Just then the glass door slammed as Nick walked out and AJ was shocked it didn’t shatter.

“What did they say?” Brian asked as Nick walked up to them.

“If I participate in the law suit I can kiss my album good bye.” Nick sighed.

“Oh that’s fucking it.” Kevin said as he headed towards the door.

“Whoa big guy.” AJ said as Brian and him grabbed Kevin stopping him.  “Let’s go see the lawyer before you go knockin heads.”

“This is bullshit!!” Kevin shouted at the door as his band mates dragged him away. “Nuthing but Bullshit!!”

“I’m gonna go grab something to eat with Kev get him to cool off.” Brian said as AJ lit a smoke.

“Alright.” AJ nodded.

“I didn’t mean anything by asking what Eve was doing or anything.” Brian told him.

“I know man, you just gotta understand, she’s not after a free ride but she kind of needs one right now and when she does figure out what to do, I want her to be able to go after it without worrying about bills or stuff like that and besides I do plan on her being around for a while.”  AJ explained to Brian.

“Ok.” Brian smiled. “I’ll call we need to have a group meeting now.” Brian said as AJ pulled the keys to his rental out.

“Alright” AJ replied as he looked at the key.  The two said goodbye and AJ got into his car and pulled out of the Jive building parking lot. 

He parked in the Parking Garage and headed into the hotel from the side door, taking the back elevators up to his floor.  As he stepped off the lift onto the floor he pulled out his plastic key card and walked towards his door.

“Hi” Eve smiled as he closed the door and he saw her sitting on the couch watching TV.

“Hey” He smiled as he took off his jacket and set his belongings on the table.  AJ walked over to her and sat down with a sigh.

“Long meeting?” She asked.

“Very.” He moaned as he laid his head on the back of the couch.  “Kevin almost got into a fist fight with the Jive publicist.”

“Wow” Eve said as she raised her eyebrows. 

“They don’t want us recording and putting out an album along with Nick because it’ll confuse the mass audience.” AJ said as he waved his hands around.  “Who cares about them, our fans would be into both and now they’re threatening Nick that they’ll pull out of the album if he goes with us on the law suit.”

“Law suit?” Eve asked.

“In our contract it says we can’t record unless we have all five, they’re saying Nick can’t record…”

“So you won’t have all five there and thus no album.” Eve replied.

“Bingo” AJ sighed.  “And they can’t fuck us over like that, so we’re suing them, trying to change the contract.”

AJ ran his hand through his hair as he sat up and sighed again.  Eve pouted as she slipped behind him and started to gently rub his shoulders.  As he leaned back she slid her hands over his chest and wrapped him in her arms.  Her head rested against his and they both sat there in silence. 

“Well we better get ready.” AJ said as he slowly sat up.

“Ready?” Eve asked as she looked at him confused.

“Yeah, if you want to shower go ahead; I’m gonna go grab a coffee.” He said standing up.

“Well wait, Alex where are we going?” She asked.

“To dinner.” He said standing at the door.  “Just wear one of those dresses we bought the other day.”  He smiled at her and then headed out of the room.  She sighed as she got up and headed to the bathroom, knowing he was up to something.

When AJ got back Eve was out of the shower and getting dressed, so before opening his coffee he decided to jump into the shower himself.  After his shower he styled his hair and then walked back into the room, he grabbed his suit bag from the closet and laid it on the bed.

“So where are we going?” Eve asked.

“Dinner” AJ said as he pulled the bag open. 

“I know but where?” She asked.

“To a restaurant” AJ smiled as he turned around and grabbed his luggage bag.  “By the way that dress looks stunning on you.” He smiled as he quickly kissed her on the forehead.

“Don’t change the subject.” She said quickly.  “But thank you.”

“Mums the word my dear.” AJ sighed as he took out his black dress shirt.

Eve grunted as she got up and headed into the bathroom, leaving AJ to his giggles.  By the time he had finished dressing Eve had done her hair and make-up.  “Let me grab my jacket.” She said as she walked over to the closet, he helped her put it on and then they left their room.

AJ pulled up to the front of the restaurant as the valet opened the door for Eve.  He gave the keys to the man as he walked around to the passenger side and took her by the arm.  They walked in and he led her to the host and confirmed his reservation, the man grabbed two menu’s and walked them to a table.  AJ sat Eve down and pushed in her chair, then took the seat to her right.

“This place is amazing.” She said once the waiter left and she looked around.

“Yeah it’s one of the best in town.” AJ told her as he opened up his menu.

“I’ve never been to a restaurant that didn’t have ketchup already on the table.” Eve commented as she looked at him.  A smiled broke from his face and he started to laugh.

“Evie.” He chuckled with a smile.

“I’m serious.” She smiled back.  “You’re not going to go all Richard Gere on me tonight are you?” She asked.

“Richard Gere?” AJ said confused and then it hit him and he started laughing again.  “No I just wanted to take you out to a nice dinner, would you relax.”  He looked back at his menu and then quickly added.  “Besides your way hotter than Julia Roberts anyways.”