CHAPTER THREE

"OHMGOD!! CAN YOU GUYS SIGN MY SHIRT?" screeched the umpteenth girl in the past 3 hours, holding out a pen to the 5 guys of Backstreet. There had been so many girls coming to the table that Kevin, Howie, Brian, A.J., Nick, Luci and Allie were sitting that they hadn't been able to get up.

"I am really sorry about this." Nick whispered into Luci's ear, as the girl left.

Luci shrugged and smiled tightly. She was bored out of her mind, as was Allie. "It's cool." she whispered back. The table was horseshoe shaped and Luci and Allie were on the middle. Next to Allie was A.J. and Howie. On the other side of Luci was Nick, then Brian and Kevin. She felt trapped. Suddenly she stood up on the leather seats of the booth.

"Luci what are you doing?" asked Allie, her mouth dropping slightly.

"Going to get a drink." Luci stated, stepping up onto the table, walking across it, and jumping off. As she hit the floor, a loud thud could be heard over the blaring music. She walked off through the crowded dance floor and disappeared.

"She gets bored when she's not the center of attention." Allie kidded, feeling slightly weird being with the guys. A.J. wasn't helping any, either. He kept glancing at her and when she caught him he would look away.

"I better go find her." Nick said.

"Well, unless you plan on using Lucinda's method, you have no way out." Brian told him, smiling.

"You better not get on my tables. You'll break them!" Howie interrupted, taking a sip of his drink.

Nick gave Howie a withering glance, "Love ya too." he retorted, standing up on his seat like Luci did, but because his legs were a hell of a lot longer and he didn't have a leather mini skirt on he simply jumped over the table, nearly falling as he did so.

"Graceful, Nick, graceful." commented Kevin, shaking his head.

Nick bowed at the waist. "Yes, thank you, thank you." he responded before walking off and dissolving into the crowd.

"He really likes your friend." A.J. told Allie.

"I know. I guess she likes him, but with Luci you can never tell." Allie laughed, "I doubt she'll hurt him though. She doesn't do that."

"Ohh...So where's you boyfriend tonight?" A.J. continued, smiling flirtatiously.

"My boyfriend?" Allie repeated, raising her eyebrows at A.J.'s forwardness. "I don't have one at the moment."

"Oh really? Would you like one...at the moment?" A.J. pressed.

"That would really depend on the guy." Allie teased, knowing exactly what he meant. She was a bit surprised though. From the phone conversation and hug they had shared, Allie had thought A.J. liked Luci.

"Am I the kinda of guy it would depend on?" A.J. inquired, raising one eyebrow. She couldn't see his eyes because they were hidden behind dark sunglasses, but Allie guessed they were twinkling. He was incredibly sexy.

"Well, maybe...." Allie returned.

"Well, maybe I can prove it by showing you my dance moves."

"Well, maybe you can. But there is one problem."

"And what might that be?"

"I have no plans to walk across the top of the table or jump over it."

A.J. laughed as he looked around the table. Everyone had gotten up. "It looks like you don't have to."

Allie stood up and walked out from behind the table "Guess not."

~+~+~+~+~

"Do you wanna dance?" Nick asked Luci, half and hour later.

Luci smiled as she responded, "Sure, I'd love too." She stood up from the table, and extended her hand.

Happily, Nick took it and walked with her out to the dance floor. Oddly enough as they reached the middle of the dance floor 98 Degrees "I Do" came on. As he pulled her close he inquired bluntly, "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Luci leaned her head on his shoulder. This was all too weird. It was happening way too fast, but she liked it. "Nope." she replied, noticing how good he smelled. Kind of like CK One and deodorant.

"Well, can I be your boyfriend?" Nick questioned with the same bluntness. She was so pretty, and most of all she didn't care about his status. Ever since BSB had started Nick always felt like a possession, but not with Luci.

"You're one for bluntness aren't you?" Luci teased laughing. Nick had caught her off guard. She would love to be his girlfriend...but he came with too many signs of a possible broken heart. He was so cute though...in a way naive and innocent too. "I'd love for you to be my boyfriend."

"You would?!" Nick cried, without thinking.

Luci moved closer and whispered "I would."

~+~+~+~+~

An hour later Allie watched Luci down her 5th martini. "Luc? Don't you think that's enough?" she asked quietly as she, Luci, Nick and A.J. sat at the bar.

Luci laughed and turned to Nick who was sitting next to her with his arm around her shoulder, "Allie doesn't party with me much." she stated, before turning to Allie who was sitting on the other side of her with A.J.'s arm around her shoulder, "Just chill I'm not driving."

"Where did everyone else go?" A.J. asked. He was on his 8th beer, along with Nick.

"They all went home like 20 minutes ago." Allie reminded him.

"What time is it?" Nick asked, his voice slurred slightly, as he reached for Luci's watch. "One o'clock."

"Luc we better go. I have to work tomorrow." Allie told Luci, standing up. Out of the corner of her eye she saw A.J.'s face fall at the same moment Nick did.

"We'll walk you out." A.J. replied, as he and the other two stood up.

They walked in silence out the front doors of the club which were still flooded with people trying to get into the club. "I'll call you tomorrow." Nick promised, leaning down to hug Luci.

"I have to work tomorrow, too." Luci replied, almost apologetically.

"Where do you guys work?" A.J. asked, leaning against the black stretch limo.

"We caddy at Long Stretch club."

"No way! Me and Brian were going to there tomorrow!"

"Cool, I guess we'll see you there."

"Maybe I'll come too." Nick interrupted, smiling down at her.

"You can just request us as caddies." Allie informed them. "I go on at 11:30 and Luc goes on at 12."

"Do you want to go out to dinner with us after that?" Nick suggested.

"Sounds peachy." Luci replied. "Well, boys we will see you later." She stood on her tip toes, kissed Nick on the cheek and stepped into the limo.

"Bye." Allie said, hugging A.J. quickly and following Luci's lead.

"So what is with you and A.J.?" Luci pressed the second the limo driver the closed the door.

"I have no idea. I guess we're dating."

"I didn't think he was your type."

"What do you mean?

"You know what I mean. You don't normally go for the preppy sweet type. I thought you would go for Brian. Or maybe Kevin."

"They're married."

"They are?"

"Yes. Now what about you and Nick? You guys seemed preeetttyy chummy yourselves."

"He asked me to be his girlfriend like half an hour ago."

"Awww..."

"Yeah..now answer my question. What about you and A.J.?"

"He hasn't asked anything..."

"Yet?"

"Yet."