Young and Beautiful

Seven.

There were two glass showers in the master bathroom and both of them were big enough to fit ten people in them with enough space to comfortably move around. But each night after Dorinda had cleared the dishes from dinner and the couple who had joked about double the places to make love at when they first moved in retreated upstairs, each shower was only occupied by one person. Demi faced away from Nick, deciding to stare at the marble wall in front of her instead as a million jets massaged the most tender spots of her body after a long day. But Nick faced Demi, even if she would never look at him because even though she was married and she knew it was ridiculous, she hated the mere thought of the look on his face once he saw her naked body. It wasn't the same as it had been when they first got married. They weren't crazy for each other and unable to keep their hands off of one another. Now distance was good and it was safe and it was the only thing that was keeping them from nearly killing each other when they were in the same space.

Their showers turned off at the same time and Demi knew that Nick did that just to bother her. He was always like that. He was the only person who could find all of her buttons and then proceed to push every single one of them. She opened the door to the shower and immediately wrapped herself in her fluffy white towel. It was like a cashmere blanket and her knuckles turned white from her holding it so tightly because she didn't want it to fall off. Nick's eyes were on her - she could feel them - as she surpassed him to get into her closet. Once she was in, she closed and locked the door because she didn't want Nick coming in while she was getting dressed. He no longer had the privilege of seeing her naked.

"Prude," he murmured as he walked through the door that led directly to their bedroom. He didn't know why Demi acted like such a nun when they were married and had at once tried every damn position in the book. And he couldn't even ask her about it because she would freak out on him and tell him to just leave her alone because it was his fault that they ended up like this. He didn't feel like it was though. How was it his fault that she seemed to be afraid of any possible physical contact that could be made between them but she had no problem mouthing off to him? How was it his fault that she would flinch every time he touched her and she barely even slept in their bed anymore? What the hell did he do to deserve such cold treatment from the woman who was supposed to be so madly in love with him?

"There's gonna be a few cameras at the event tomorrow...besides the one for your stupid documentary," Nick stated as soon as she entered the bedroom in her pajamas. She was in cream silk pants and a long cashmere cardigan over a cream tank top. Her hair was wavy from the shower and she had her arms wrapped around herself as she padded over to the bed.

"The event? And I don't want any cameras there besides the ones for the documentary. I told you that my children will not be used for publicity," Demi reminded him in her sharpest tone as he scoffed and began to fluff his pillows. Demi only slept with two pillows on her side of the bed but he slept with five. Something about having a bad back.

"Our children. They are our children. Remember we created them back when we used to actually enjoy sleeping in the same bed and back when I was actually allowed to touch you?" Nick's tone grew more hostile as he continued on but Demi didn't reply right away.

"All you care about is sex. I'm sure Olivia wouldn't mind you touching all over her while you're intoxicated, I'm sure that'll get her going but me? I don't find that appealing at all, baby," she hissed, yanking the covers on her side of the bed back as Nick rolled his eyes.

"She's better than you ever were," he mumbled, but he didn't see a reaction from her so she must not have heard him. He cleared his throat as he climbed into bed.

"Page One wants pictures of the birthday party and I know we can barely stand each other but I don't want any speculations about a divorce to overshadow your show or ruin the deals that I have coming up. So can we please just put this aside for tomorrow...for the twins?" Nick questioned, transforming into the businessman that he had been bread to be as Demi slipped under the covers and pulled them up to her chin. She turned on her side, away from Nick, and switched off her lamp.