How the others didn’t know the two couldn’t figure out. Kat kept expecting someone, anyone, to say something, but it never happened.

True, Howie was spending all of his time with Paul. For the first time he had ‘permission’ to be with a lover, not totally whole-heartedly --there were still fans to fool and the media to keep the bay--but as much as he could in a few hours he had to himself. Kat rarely saw him, so involved was he in this affair. It hurt a little first, but she realized, after observing them for a few days, that this was truly his first major relationship. The others have been brief encounters and fly by night romances. Even a relationship Howie had had with Kevin had been in secret, for most of the people he cared about. And brief. He finally had a chance to try and build something with someone he cared about. How could have resent it?

Brian, who had frightened her with his perceptions before, also didn't seem to notice. Of course he and Leighanne were purring and cooing over wedding plans. She'd try to be interested in it all for a while, but if she saw one more bridal magazine or had to discuss one more tradition she would go nuts. Thank gods the wedding that she and Howie had had been simple and fortunately planned by someone else. Howie'd been more involved than she had because he knew it'd be his only chance for a wedding, and all she had to do was show up.

B-rok and Leighanne were clearly in a world of their own.

Nick tired of the wedding plans quickly as well. When he was smarting because his best friend was no longer accessible. If he wanted to play basketball, B-rok couldn't because there were invitations to choose. A video game? Sorry, but they'd arranged to talk to caterer at that time, and seeing as they were still on tour and their time was so precious, did Frack mind? He hung out with AJ when he could, and Kevin made time to be with him, but neither men shared as many of the interests that Nick shared with Brian. Nick didn't sulk really, just spent a lot of time alone. Kat finally got him to teach her some video games, which helped.

He continued to make passes at her, which she deflected until she finally blew up at him.

"Stop, to stop it now, Nick," she yelled.

"What?" he said bewildered.

"Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"With those big eyes. You only do that when you're about to ask me out again."

"Would that be so bad?" Nick was alternately hurt that she hadn't agreed to a date, and happy that she'd remain so aloof. I mean, if she said no to him, then she must be saying no to everyone else, right?

"Nick, I'm older than Howie."

"I know that."

"Which makes me a lot older than you."

"I like older women."

"Only because they're the only ones you know. Face it, because of the Boys, you've been surrounded by women who were older than you since you were 13. "

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"No, there isn't. But you are in your twenties now. Maybe it's time to spend some time the people your own age."

"I'm interested in spending time with you."

"I want to spend time with you to." He perked up, but she shot his hopes down immediately. "When we first met and right up until when you found out about Howie we'd had a great friendship. That's what I want. The guy I could goof around with, or have a serious discussion with. Not the guy I have to keep pushing away in case you get the wrong impression."

Nick was silent.

"So you don't want me to hang around with you too," he asked quietly, hurt evident in his voice.

Kat knew that the hurt was less because of her words that because of Brian's absence. "Gods, no! Who else could I crack wise with about all this wedding ballyhoo. I just want to be able to do it without getting the impression you were going to demand a wedding night out of me!"

He tackled. "I haven't been that bad, have I?"

She gave him a cynical look. "Who's the one who said something about being close to the male sexual peak and me being near the female so let's get together and make, what was it again? magic?"

He blushed. "I said that after a couple of drinks," he protested.

"Then don't drink," she said. "I'm serious Nick. I want my friend back, not this lounge lizard lecher you turn into occasionally."

"I'll try. It's just. . . I am really attracted to you, Kat. You're everything I want; funny, intelligent, beautiful, strong. And I just want to give you what I know Howie can't. "

His words were so much like what Kevin had said to her last night. She flushed. Nick couldn't have heard them, could he? No, his room with two doors down -- Kevin's empty room lay between his room and Kat's.

"Thank you for that Nick. But what I really need right now is a friend."

He sighed," okay."

"Good." She affected a fussy 'high society' voice. "Darling, you have to help me. I have this wedding to go to and I haven't a thing to wear. I mean taffeta that is so passé and silk is so constraining."

He laughed and affected a strident voice. "Well there's always leather," he replied, wiggling his eyebrows. "But I hear that this season’s material is – wait for it – burlap!"

Kat started to laugh.

"And not just any burlap. It has to be unwashed – yes, the look of the season is chafed," he rolled his eyes dramatically.

"What’s is so funny?" AJ asked as he and Tina entered the room.

Kat looked him up and down and stage whispered to Nick, "he’s not wearing any. I thought Bone was the fashion maven?"

"Burlap doesn’t come in tiger stripes. AJ is boycotting," Nick replied, and then fell over in a fit of laughter.

"Okay, what are you two doing?" Tina smiled, unable to help herself as laughter filled the room.

"Nick’s helping me figure out what to wear to Brian’s wedding. Apparently burlap is in," Kat giggled.

"You’re asking HIM for fashion advice? Not me?" AJ said incredulously. "Shame on you, woman."

"You weren’t here," Kat pointed out.

AJ proceeded to go on about what she could wear. Kat watched him, surprised that he hadn’t noticed anything about Kevin and her either. She knew he’d say something if he had – Bone prided himself on not being able to keep a secret – at least from the group. He’d had no trouble keeping Howie’s secret from outsiders.

If he hadn’t noticed it was probably because of Tina. Kat had been extra discreet around the other woman, but she was sure that the reason she hadn’t figured it out had nothing to do with her behaviour and everything to do with AJ. The two hardly noticed anything except each other. He had played her the song he’d written for her, and, as he’d told Kat later, blushing, she’d liked it a lot. Kat had teasingly asked how much, but he’d just blushed deeper and found an excuse to leave. Must have liked it an awful lot.

Kat glanced at Nick. Out of all of them he was the only one, well, rooted in reality, for want of a better term. Howie and Paul were together. AJ and Tina were nuts about each other. Brian and Leighanne were on cloud nine. And she and Kevin were in that same blissful state. They could barely keep their hands off each other, and not being able to touch in public made the touching they did in private all the more frenzied.

They’d almost been caught a few times. The first time by Howie himself. He’d followed Kevin’s suggestion and on one of the all too frequent times when an additional room couldn’t be found (Kat suspected that ‘outside forces’ had something to do with that situation, but never asked), he’d arranged so that Kevin’s room was adjoining his. He had insisted that Kat keep most of her clothes in "their" room; something that was a little awkward, but understandable. Housekeepers talked, after all.

She’d been taking a shower in Howie’s room when she suddenly felt strong arms take hold of her and Kevin’s lips on back of her neck.

"Gods, Kevin! Don’t do that! You scared me half to death," she shrieked.

"Sorry, " he mumbled as he continued to rub his hands over her slick body. She moaned and ran her fingers through his hair, pulling his mouth down to hers.

"Keep doing that and this shower’ll need to be a cold one," he chuckled softly into her mouth.

"Wait! What are you doing here?" Suddenly the situation they were in sunk in.

"Don’t worry. I came back from the interview early. I had some things to look over from the Firm. Howie’ll be gone for another half hour at least."

"You’re sure?"

"Yeah," he muttered as he bent and captured her breast with his mouth, biting lightly on her nipple. Rational thought fled and all she wanted was the feel of him.

She pushed his head aside and knelt in the shower, licking, kissing and sucking her way down his torso to his swollen member. He groaned as she flicked her tongue across its head, then slowly pulled more and more into her mouth, running her lips firmly along its length. Then she pulled back, and then moved down it again, this time with her teeth brushing lightly against his sensitive flesh.

His hands wound through her hair. "God, Kat. Don’t tease me like that. I can’t take it," he moaned.

She wanted to answer, to assure him that he had the same effect on her, but he tasted so good, all she could focus on was the feast of his flesh in front of her. She rolled him slowly in her mouth, sucking harder on him. She took him deep into her throat, fingertips brushing lightly over his testicles, then out again, concentrating only on the highly sensitive tip of his penis.

His body spasm as he forced her head back down his member. His breath was coming in short pants now and she knew he was getting close. She flowed with him now, not teasing him the way she had, just letting him set the pace. A few more thrusts and a deep groan of her name and his orgasm broke over him. He slammed himself deeper and deeper into her mouth, and she was glad to take his assault.

She rose and held him tenderly as his legs shook a little in the aftermath, enjoying the fact that it was she who had had that effect on him.

"You have a wicked mouth," he said as he kissed her, tasting himself.

"And you don’t?" she replied.

"Yeah. And it is all yours to enjoy."

"Maybe. But right now I’d rather have that," she said as she fondled his member, causing it to swell.

He groaned teasingly. "You’re going to wear me out."

"Hey! Who interrupted whose shower here?" she smiled mischievously.

He grabbed a bar of soap, lathering up his hands, and then running them over her body. "I’m just here to help scrub your back."

She chuckled. "That’s not my back."

"Sorry. I’ll do better if I get this out of the way." He lifted her in his strong arms, and entered her with one swift, fluid stroke. She cried out with pleasure, grabbing his shoulders for support as he backed her against the shower’s wall, thrusting into her.

He drove deeper and deeper, and she moaned, her head back, enjoying the sensations he was causing. They were both starting to lose themselves in their lovemaking when a firm knock sounded.

"Kat? You taking a shower?" Howie’s voice called out.

She looked at Kevin, terrified. "I locked the door," he whispered, trying to reassure her.

"Yes, Howie. I’m almost finished," she replied.

"Almost finished?" Kevin whispered in her ear, moving forward.

"Damn you! You’re enjoying this," she hissed, then gasped as he nibbled on her neck.

"What was that?" Howie’s voice came again.

"I said, you’re back early," Kat said, trying hard to sound calm.

"Yeah, well, I wanted to, umm, spend some time with Paul."

"He wants to be inside Paul the way I’m inside you," Kevin whispered. He really was enjoying this. As dangerous for them as this situation was, there was something exhilarating about having sex with Kat while Howie was just outside the door.

She swatted him lightly, though deep down she was finding this as exciting as he was.

"Look, Howie, why don’t you go wait out in the main suite. I’ll just rinse off and get dressed quickly. I’ll come and get you in about five minutes."

"Only five minutes," Kevin murmured in her ear, then gasped as she clenched her internal muscles tightly around him.

"I could finish you off in under a minute," she purred, as she released, then tightened on him again.

"Fine. Just five minutes, okay?"

"Fine, D."

There was silence on the other side of the door. Kevin was about to say something, but she put her hand over his mouth.

"Kat?"

"Yes Howie?"

"I really appreciate all this."

Kevin was nibbling on her fingers. When did that suddenly get so sensuous? And the thrusts he was making seemed more extreme and intimate than ever before. It was getting harder to breath, let alone have a normal conversation.

"I know, Howie. Now go away so I ca finish up in here."

He laughed and she listened as he moved across the room and the door slammed behind him.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?" she said.

"A little of this," he replied as he thrust into her. She moaned, unable to stop herself. "And some of this," he stroked her back and bit down, not too roughly, on her neck.

"Oh yeah? Well how about this?" She stuck her tongue in his ear at the same time as she drove herself down further on him.

"Oh god," he groaned and after that they need no more words. Their orgasms, which arrived shortly, were earth shattering, leaving them both reeling and hanging onto the walls of the shower for support.

She had just managed to get him out of the room through the adjoining door when Howie came back, Paul in tow.

"I though you’d be done…" he said lamely.

"I said I’d come and get you," she reminded him.

He looked sheepishly at her.

"Just a second," she sighed, glad she was wrapped the big fluffy bathrobe, and grabbed some clothes. "I just hope Kevin’s not there," she said, in misdirection for Howie, as she knocked on the bordering door, then slipped out into the other room. Kevin, naturally, was there. Waiting for her in the bed.

"Are you angry at me?" he asked as she climbed under the covers.

"No. Just a little…" she sighed. "I don’t know. That was awfully close."

"You’re right. I just couldn’t help myself. Suddenly it was all so… illicit. So…"

"I know. I felt it too."

He pulled her into his arms, enjoying the feel of her skin against his. "Should we tell him?" Kevin knew how much he had hurt Howie when they’d split up. He was afraid that if Howie knew about Kat and he, it would upset the other man. He also knew that Kat had the same fears.

"I don’t know," she replied honestly.

Kevin was unsurprised by her answer, though somewhat surprised at the way it saddened him to hear that she wasn’t ready to stand up and admit that they were together. "Well, that was close, but wonderful. And very, very exhausting."

She chuckled, looking over at the clock. "By my calculations we have almost two hours before we, you, have to be anywhere."

"Good. Set the alarm would you? And then come back. I want to sleep with you in my arms."