A Song For You, Part 4 & 5
The Way You Look Tonight
Matt Giraud’s save by the judges was monumental, and the mood was celebratory. Ryan had given them the freedom to roam the bars tonight, armed with the studio’s credit card.
Now all they needed to do is find somewhere where the press would not be on them like a pack of hounds from hell.
The Ford Explorer was big enough to contain them all, but they were squished together a bit now. Lil and Allison were talking nonstop, something Adam would normally join in with, but he couldn’t help but be distracted by the presence beside him, warm thigh resting so near his. His thoughts, normally coherent and sane, could not really form.
Adam shifted slightly to look at Kris. He was watching the insane screaming outside as fans recognized their car, a look of amused wonder on his face, like a kid in Disneyland for the first time. He sighed, shaking his head fondly. Kid’s too damn innocent for his own good.
Smiling, Adam looked back into the shadowed corners of the SUV where, he realized, he wasn’t the only one watching anyone.
Danny and Matt were, too, and they were watching him. The look in Danny’s eyes were a little too understanding for comfort, and Matt’s were simply amused.
He was groping for the right words to diffuse the moment when Anoop suddenly pointed, “Hey, there’s the place. Hollywood Bar.”
Glad for the distraction, Adam jumped for the door. “Yeah, everyone! Time to par-tay!”
All She Wants to Do is Dance
The dance floor was noisy, but thankfully, most of the bar’s habitués were even more famous than they were, so nobody bothered them, on the whole. Drinks all around, beers, Cokes (and Coke Lights, for Danny, who was watching his weight), and nachos. Matt was beside himself, wanting to try his hand out at one of the karaoke microphones, Anoop trying to keep him from doing so. Adam watched them all, smiling, like a proud older sibling babysitting his younger charges - not that he was the oldest, but anyways -
He was so intent watching them that he hardly felt the insistent tugging at his right. Twisting, Adam saw Allison, shouting something into his ear, laughing. He leaned into her, trying to catch what she was saying. All he could make out was “dance” and “Lil” and “Kris” before he felt himself being led onto the dance floor. He let her tug him forward, on and on, until it seemed to him that the sea of people parted and he could see Lil and Kris dancing.
Ah, but what is this? he thought. The country boy has some groove in him, after all.
They got to the pair’s side, and Adam could see the welcoming smile in Kris’ face. “Hey man, we told Allison to get you, ‘s not the same without you,” he half-shouted into his ear, fighting to be heard over the din of the song.
Adam smiled at him, a lazy, cat-like smile. He felt much, much better, more comfortable than he ever remembered being whenever he was around Kris. He was in his element now, on a dance floor, a predator stalking his prey on a wide-open field. He would show him what he was made of.
“That’s right,” Adam growled into Kris’ ear. “You bet nothing will be the same for you without me.”
Kris had no chance to answer as the song changed hands, segueing into “Buttons”, a Pussycat Doll hit that was one of Adam’s favorites. Adam screamed in approval as the rest of the dancing throng agreed, shouting along.
Kris danced with Lil, Adam with Allison, their faces lit haphazardly by the floor lights. Adam danced, swept up by the song, but felt caged - caged! - because what he really wanted to do was dance with Kris, with Kris, to grind hips and thighs, to feel length and heat. He had never felt so feverish, so restless, wanting to lift Lil away from Kris so he could take her place, but they were in public, and the press was all around…
Allison tugged his hand again, making him look at her. He had to turn his right ear to her to catch what she was saying, but she was actually making some weird sense. “Stop it! You’re watching him again, Adam! You’re doing it again!”
Adam blinked at the sixteen year old he usually referred to as a younger sister, stiffening, losing the moment. The he relaxed. It was Allison, after all. “Is it always that obvious?” he asked, raising an artistically made up brow.
Allison huffed. “All the time,” she replied, laughing at the sight of Adam’s shocked face. “I mean, everyone in the house is betting you’re gonna jump his skin soon, if you haven’t already! ‘Cept you mustn’t have yet, ‘coz he’s still your roommate, right?”
“Well, damn,” Adam said, breaking into a grin. “And here I was thinking I was so safe!”
Waving to Kris and Lil, Allison led Adam out to the side where the volume was that much less so they didn’t have to shout at each other. She faced him, serious now. “Well. Have you?”
“Have I what?” Adam asked absently, his eyes still seeking Kris even when he knew he was out of sight.
“Jumped him, hey,” Allison said, annoyed, trying to get his attention more. “See. You can’t even forget him for a bit.”
Adam sighed, turning his full attention on his pouting younger sis. “For your information - and for those betting - no, I have not jumped him. And no, I have no intentions.”
It was Allison’s turn to raise her brows. “And why ever not?”
Adam grinned, playfully slapping her face. “And risk eternal damnation? He’s the proverbial sheep, I’m the fox. I think not, dear sister.”
Allison laughed, aloud. “Who says? I mean, these are liberal times -“
“Hey, you two,” Lil’s voice cut in. “Thought you guys were just takin’ a breather, but Kris’n me think you’re copped out this early. What’s the matter, Lambert my girl, no dancing chops today?”
Adam glanced at her quickly, giving her his best diva stare. “Allison needed to rest a bit.” He indicated the dance floor with his head. “And where have you left our darling boy?”
The exchange of glances between Lil and Allison confirmed the green light for him: it was liberating to see that they were merely amused, not appalled. Lil snorted. “Our darling boy is back round the table and tossing a few with the rest,” she said. “I think we should join them. I’d hate to be the one to clean up after them if they get smashed.”
They all shrugged and headed back for the table where Anoop, Matt and Danny were all trying to tell Kris some sort of hilarious story that required three people. Kris was laughing so hard he was holding his stomach, Danny was wiping his eyes through his glasses, and Matt was gasping for breath, knocking a few bottles to the floor.
Adam shook his head, sighing. “Boys,” he muttered to the two girls, “You can’t leave them alone for a bit without making a mess of themselves."