EDIT: Erica is in this chapter. Erica was also in Fire. However, this is no longer the same Erica. that Erica... is no more? This is a new Erica. Got your Ericas straight? Good.

Chapter 2

At just before six, there was a knock on Kenna’s door. She had put on a nice dress and heels and swept her curly red hair up on top of her head. She felt a stir of nervousness and anticipation in her stomach as she went to open the door. It was amazing to her that after four years with him, he could still give her that feeling. She pulled open the door and ran her eyes up his form. Tight gray jeans, pinstriped button-down, and a narrow black tie did wonderful things for his tall, fit frame. His hair curled softly around his face and his brown eyes glowed warmly as he smiled. “Hey, love. You look beautiful.” She eagerly received the tender kiss he gave her, stroking her hand down his soft cheek and relishing the soft brush of his lips on hers. “Ready to go, baby?” he asked, his mouth so close that his hot breath tingled on her chin.
    “Mhm,” she murmured. “Ready.” He took her hand and they walked down the stairs together. Nick yelled to whoever was there to hear that they were on their way out, and helped her into the hired car. When he hopped in beside her, she snuggled up against his side and reached back to curl her palm around the side of his neck, toying with the fine, small curls at the nape of his neck.
    For several minutes, neither of them spoke. Finally, Nick said in a hushed voice, “You’re real quiet tonight. You okay?”
    She turned her head up and smiled brightly to reassure him. “I’m fine. I just thought--there’s not much I could say that would improve the silence.” She saw him think for a moment, then nod with that sweet half-smile, that look that was seductive no matter how he meant it. No matter what they said, there would be nothing better than this soft, quiet closeness. So instead of speaking, he bent his head and kissed her, his touch sweet and soft, but driven. It was kisses like this that made Kenna surrender herself to him completely, kisses that showed how he loved her and how he needed her simultaneously.
    Several minutes later, the car came to a stop. He broke his mouth gently from hers and murmured breathlessly, “We’re here.”
    “No,” she sighed, “tell him to keep driving.”
    He laughed and kissed her hard for a brief moment, leaving her gasping. “You’re adorable. Come on, cutie.” He winked.
    She took his hand and let him pull her out of the car. Just before they turned to head into the restaurant, she caught his arm. “Wait, Nick. Come here.” He faced her with a questioning expression, and she wiped his lower lip with her thumb. “Lipstick. You don’t need that caught on camera.”
    He sucked his lip for a moment to make sure it was all gone, then grinned. “Thanks. You’re so good at watching out for me.”
    “Always.” She leaned against him. “By the way, perfect choice of restaurant.” They were at her favorite Italian place.
    “Thanks. I tried.” As they walked in, he said to the maitre d‘, “Reservation for Jonas, please.”
    “Ah, yes, Signore Jonas. And the lady, bellissimo! Follow me, per favore.”
    Kenna blushed and Nick curled his arm around her proudly as they were led to their table.
    They sat for an hour and slowly ate their food, talking intimately and occasionally stealing short kisses. They fed each other from their forks and played the typical adolescent flirting games. Then the maitre d’ came to their table and said quietly, “Signore, there’s a young woman who wants to speak with you. She has insisted we ask you--I apologize.” He gestured towards the front of the restaurant.
    Nick and Kenna both looked and saw a dark-haired girl about eighteen years old standing nervously at the front counter. When she saw them looking, she waved excitedly. Nick looked at Kenna with a smile that asked permission. “Go ahead, babe.”
    He looked at the maitre d‘. “She can come over here for a few minutes.”
    The man went and got her. As she approached, Nick and Kenna both stood up, and Nick held out his hand. “Hey, I’m Nick.”
    She took his hand, but then pulled him into an enthusiastic hug. “I know. I’m Erica. It’s so nice to meet you.”
    “You, too. This is my girlfriend, Kenna.”
    The dark haired girl turned and stuck out her hand, quite clearly not planning on hugging her. Kenna shook her hand warmly. “Nice to meet you, Erica.”
    They talked for a few minutes--or Erica talked to Nick and ignored Kenna. She was used to this. Girls either didn’t care that she was there, since she wasn’t famous in her own right, or they flat out hated her. It was a pleasant surprise when girls wanted to hug her or talk to her. Some even thanked her for supporting Nick. Erica, however, was obviously not one of those girls.
    “Would you give me an autograph?” she asked.
    “Of course.” Ever prepared, Nick pulled a black Sharpie from his pocket. “Do you have a piece of paper?”
    “Well, would you mind doing two? This one,” she pulled Jonas Brothers CD case from her purse and he scribbled his signature, “and here?” She pulled her shirt, already barely meeting her low-riding jeans, up a few inches and touched the skin just above the button of her jeans.
    Nick’s eyes snapped up to Kenna’s with a look she recognized. It said he knew this was wrong and didn’t want Kenna to think he was okay with it. It was the same one she got when girls bent over and showed off their low-cut shirts or when they kissed his cheek a little too seductively. She nodded at him, their eyes communicating, and he turned back to Erica. “Sorry, I can’t do that. I’ll sign your hand if you want.”
    Erica darted a hateful look at Kenna and held out her hand, palm-up. “Okay.”
    Nick didn’t even put a hand under hers to support to her palm as he signed. He just scribbled and capped the marker. “Well, Erica, it was great to meet you. Kenna and I are going to finish our dinner now. I hope we’ll see you at a show.” He looked at the maitre’d, who hurried over to escort her away. As they sat down and Erica was ushered out the door, he said incredulously, “Sign her… stomach.”
    Kenna rolled her eyes. “More like abs.” She smiled. “But thank you. You handled it very well.”
    By the time they went to leave the restaurant, the paparazzi had, as always, discovered where they were. A crowd waited for them and exploded into activity as they walked out the doors and towards the car waiting for them. Nick’s name flew from a thousand directions, and Kenna’s name was scattered throughout as well. Nick smiled without teeth, put his arm around Kenna, and posed. Smirking, she tickled his side and he jumped, grinning widely. The cameras flashed even more quickly when the photographers saw a legitimate smile him, and Kenna smiled blindingly, satisfied.
    When they made their escape into the car and pulled away, Nick tickled her mercilessly. “You are such a troublemaker!”
    Between gasps of laughter, she said, “They like it… when you… smile!”
    His tickles slowly deescalated into tender touches and he pulled her close. “Remember when you weren’t sure you could handle all this fame? Now you do it better than I do.”
    She kissed his nose and smiled. “I try.”
    “You do gre--ah!” He flinched and laughed. “My phone is buzzing.” He pulled it from his pocket with some effort--getting anything out of pockets that tight was tough--and answered. “Heyo.” His face sobered instantly. “Joe, breathe. What’s wrong?” His lips tightened. “She what--area hospital? We’ll be there in ten.”