You're My Number One

Chapter Six (Mature Content)

The tour was a massive success and we all had the time of our lives. We'd shown everyone what we could do and silenced our critics. And we got some wicked reviews, even from broadsheets like The Guardian.

I'd also had the time of my life with Paul. Since getting together, we'd got closer still and spent most of our time with each other, day and night. As promised, after our second night together, I was woken to the sounds and smells of Paul wheeling fresh pancakes into his room. He gave me a cheeky wink and then jumped on the bed before kissing me soundly on the lips. We spent the next few hours eating our way through the majority of the breakfast menu whilst listening to music. It was perfect. Despite lots of kissing and an obvious desire to do so, we were reluctant to take our physical relationship further whilst on tour though and this proved increasingly difficult as the weeks progressed.

Our new status as a couple didn't come as much of a surprise to the other guys. They knew we were close and stuff. Only Bradley seemed a bit shocked but he didn't know what was going on half the time anyway. He finally understood why I'd asked him to chat up Michelle though. Rach was really pleased we'd finally admitted it to each other. Tina thought we'd done it the right way - being friends first and I had to agree with her. Jon said, and I quote, "About time!" Jo was certain it had made us all even closer.

As for Michelle, well, once she'd realized that Paul's heart was elsewhere, she'd backed off. We would all hang out with the dancers on tour so we still saw her all the time but I managed to keep out of her way. There would never be any love lost between Michelle and I. Paul reassured me that nothing had happened between them (his exact words were "God no, she was a fame-hunter!") and that he didn't tell her about my nickname for him. Apparently he was as shocked to hear that as I was and he figured that Michelle did it to annoy me on purpose.

We decided to keep our relationship a secret. The band knew of course and so did key people in our management company. A few of the dancers also knew but we didn't really publicise it to them or the rest of the crew. We didn't want it to be public knowledge - splattered all over the papers - because let's face it, everything S Club did ended up in the tabloids. Usually the bad stuff.  And we weren't sure how things would go. I mean, would it last? Was it just a fling? God forbid.  Everyone seemed to think we had something special going on though and I'd like to think so too.  I knew it would be hard. But when you really like someone and have to keep it a secret, you just have to do it.

And when the time comes to reveal all, it's gonna cause one hell of a sensation!

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The last day of the tour came and went. Paul and I were in bed at the hotel. I can't remember who's room it was - possibly mine. I couldn't sleep. The adrenalin was still running through my veins and my head was buzzing with excitement. Paul was out for the count as usual. Nothing kept him awake, especially after a performance.

I got out of bed and went over to the window, dodging the clothes that littered the floor. Paul was about as tidy as me!  Looking out at the night sky, I remembered that from tomorrow, we had a week-long break and I couldn't wait! Paul and I would be spending it in London, no doubt trying to sneak around without being caught by the paparazzi!

We had already decided that we'd tell Neil and Sheridan we were together - otherwise it'd be awkward trying to explain why we were suddenly spending so much time together. Plus as Paul and Neil were great friends anyway, it gave us justification for him spending so much time at my flat, especially in the evenings, if the paps did get suspicious. Telling Sheridan would also mean that I could talk to her about 'girl stuff' - the S Club girls are great but I knew I couldn't really talk to them about Paul in that sense! I'm not sure that they'd want to know about our sex life (not that we have one at the moment!)