Chapter 84

Karen laid there listening to Sidney's calm breathing and she knew he was sound asleep. She brought her head back and looked at him. Bringing a hand up, she lightly caressed his cheek over and over until he stirred and cuddled up into her more falling back alseep. Karen just smiled and closed her eyes, loving the feeling of being with him.

When the alarm rang an hour and a half later, Sidney reached over and turned it off. He rolled back over and looked at Karen laying there with her eyes closed. Staring at her he knew what he needed to do. He took his hand and brought it up, caressing her cheek until she woke up.

"Hey" she told him as she looked at him.

"Hey baby."

"Did you have a good nap?"

"I always have a good nap when you join me, but now I need to get up and get ready."

"What do you want to eat?" Karen said as they got up.

Sidney just stopped and looked at her "you're joking right?"

"Maybe Chinese, Mexican....Mongolian?"

"Why don't we stick with Italian smartass" Sidney said as he walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

"And what a beautiful ass it is" she said quietly to herself watching him walk into the bathroom before heading downstairs to make dinner.

As Karen got in the kitchen to start dinner, Max came out of the bedroom to join her.

"Now this I like, fully clothed."

"You loved seeing my naked ass. It so normal compared to your boyfriend's."

"There's nothing wrong with my boyfriend's ass thank you."

"You're kidding me right?"

"Nope, there's a lot of power behind that ass."

"Ok, I get it. You win" Max said while he pretended to gag.

"You sticking around for dinner?"

"I think I just might. Mind if I help?"

"Not at all."

"So, everything better between you and Sid?"

"At the moment, yes."

Max saw the ring on her finger and wondered if that could have been the reason "What happened? I mean if you don't mind me asking."

"No I don't mind."

"Does it have something to do with the ring?"

"Can I ask you something first?"

"Sure."

"Would you give your girlfriend a ring like this to show your committment to her?"

"Like marriage?"

"No, not really. Just to show how much love you have for her and want to be with her."

"Maybe not that size, of course I don't make the money that Sid does. But if we both weren't ready for marriage and I can see myself with her for a long while, then yeah I would. Is that what the ring means?"

"Its what he said it meant and I was speechless when he gave it to me. He knows my feelings on marriage and I know he couldn't possibly be ready for it anytime now, but having him be committed to me said a lot."

"Then if everything was fine, what happened to sour that?"

"I thought about what he said about how he was planning on staying with Mario when his family came down next week and I just felt that maybe keeping his life with me a secret from them was proving that I'm not the one he wants. I know he loves me Max and I couldn't begin to put into words how he makes me feel, but like I told Nat and the girls I'm not stupid. I know there could be someone out there closer to his age to take him away from me and..."

"...and you think he'll go?"

"Its stupid I know but that's what it feels like it's come down to and I hate that I took a beautiful thing and turned it around like that."

"You didn't turn it around, it's a normal feeling to have."

"It's normal to second guess the love someone has for you? That is not normal Max. We got through a lot of things and finally getting back, I go and stall it with insecurities."

"You're not being insecure Kiki, you're just being honest with yourself and Sid."

"Yeah but will he understand?"

"I absolutely understand baby" Sidney said wrapping his arms around her waist. Max just gave them a smile and excused himself. "Why didn't you just tell me this?" he said turning her around to face him.

"Because I didn't know how to without you really understanding what I meant without making it worse" she said with tears starting to fall.

"Baby, if I wanted someone else I would have looked for them while we were apart. A couple times I went out with the guys, I could have had a choice of girls, but they weren't what I wanted. Tell me that means something to you?"

"It tells me you're an idiot for turning down any and all of those twenty-something girls" she said smiling through her tears.

"It tells me I'd rather have a vibrant, beautiful woman." Sidney brought her closer to him and kissed her. Karen melted into his arms as his kiss sent sparks through her body.

"Ok, you thought walking in on us having sex was a sight, this is more sickening?" Natalie said walking out with Max.

"Shut up, I'm happy" Karen said after breaking the kiss. She looked at Sidney who just kissed her again before letting her go so they all could get something to eat and then head to the arena.

An hour later they were heading to the arena. Natalie went with Max and Karen went with Sidney.

"How long were you listening before you walked in?"

"I pretty much heard all of it. I still don't understand why you couldn't just tell me."

"I'm sorry. I guess I just had the worse scenerio go through my head and it scared me what your response would have been."

"It would have been like all the other ones." Sidney gave Karen his sexy smile and she just smiled in return as they continued to the arena. They got to the parking lot and got out, walking towards the entrance.

"Can I ask a favor?"

"Sure."

"Could you maybe leave Sheril and Diane's name so they could come through this way instead of waiting for Nat and I to come meet them?"

"Absolutely baby." Sidney led Karen inside and then told security at the door about her friends. Karen texted Sheril and told her to text her when they got to the arena. They headed to the lounge and Karen went to sit down, waiting for Sidney to join her but got another friend instead.

"Hey beautiful. Fianlly came to your senses, dumped Crosby and want a night with the blonde bombshell huh?"

"I don't know Jordan. Sid has set the bar kind of high, sure you're up to the challenge?"

"After one night with me, you'll forget all about him."

"You really make offers tempting don't you Staalsy?"

"I have to try if I want to get the girl" he said putting his arm around her.

"Well you need to go find those girls and leave my woman alone" Sidney said walking in and sitting down beside her.

"5 more minutes and she would have given in. Damn you Crosby" Jordan said mumbling as he got up and walked away as everyone laughed at him. While they were laughing, Karen noticed Ryan walk in, look at her and then walk back out. She realized that they hadn't talked since that night he kissed her and she missed him joining them.

"What's up with Whit?" Karen whispered in Sidney's ear.

"What do you mean?"

"Is he avoiding being around us?"

"I don't think so. Why?"

"He just walked in, looked over here and then walked out."

"I don't know baby."

Karen thought about that night and she thought they had an understanding and would still be friends. She never held his kiss against him nor was she mad at him for trying. She found a friend in Ryan when her and Sidney broke up and she didn't want to lose that. "Hey, do you mind if I go see what's up?"

Sidney smiled and kissed her temple "not at all baby, go ahead." He knew they were friends and did find it strange that Ryan was avoiding them. Sidney turned his attention back to Max and some of the other guys.

Karen found Ryan in the locker room taping up his stick. She walked over to him and sat down beside him. "Hey stranger. Some reason why you didn't want to join us?"

"I don't know what you mean. I was looking for someone and then I needed to get my sticks ready."

"So then explain when a few of the guys got together with us, you haven't been coming to join us."

"I've been busy alright" Ryan said getting up and walking away.

Karen got up and followed him, grabbing his arm "Whit, what's going on?"

Ryan stopped and looked at her holding his arm. He looked up into her eyes and was about to say something except he pulled her closer to him and kissed her.