AN: Happy Wednesday Rushers. Thank you for the feedback last time. I appreciate it as always. I'll keep this note short. I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Elle and BTR go to an award show where old faces pop up and something BIG happens. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Thanks for reading let me know what you thought. Thanks!

Kendall and I may not have gotten along in the beginning. He may have been presumptuous and judgemental. But now he was charming and endearing. He was also a man of his word. This was clear when he grabbed me by the wrist and steered me towards a tucked away bathroom after my rehearsal.

"Kendall, what is wrong with you?" I questioned as he locked the door behind him.

He didn't bother responding because he grabbed my waist and kissed me. I scoffed but kissed him back, opening my mouth for him. He groaned and walked me back towards the counter.

"I told you we'd finish what we started yesterday." He muttered against my lips. "Is this not okay? I just figured no one will look for us in the bathroom but I know that vid-"

His concern was sweet but he was talking too much. "Shut up."

"You don't have to tell me twice."

The air in Orlando was oppressive, the humidity hung heavily in the air. Everything felt charged with electricity and the heat drew Kendall and me to each other. All morning during our interviews and rehearsal for tonight's show the tension threatened to bubble over. I wanted his hands on me and to have him as close as possible. My hands slid under his shirt, I scratched at his back. He drew in a breath and tugged me in closer. My legs wrapped around his torso and heat pooled low in my stomach. His kisses were rough and full of urgency, he struggled with the clasps of my bra before finally pushing down the straps. I could see the way he strained against his pants. There was a lump in my throat. He took my hand and guided it to his lap, his lips never leaving my neck.

"Shit, Elle. I want you."

"Tell me something I don't know."

He pulled back and pretended to be deep in thought. "Well, I like you."

"That's obvious." My hand was still near his crotch. "But for what it's worth, I like you too."

"Yeah?" His smile was wide. "You like me?"

I kissed him and reached down to unzip his jeans. His eyes were hooded and he swallowed hard as I pushed them down his legs. He pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it behind him, A smirk hung from his lips as he placed his hands on my shoulders. My lips brushed against his ear.

"Let me show you."

After spending the better part of 10 minutes on my knees, Kendall and I were still in the bathroom. I leaned in the mirror reapplying my lipstick, there was nothing I could do about the marks on my neck though. As I fixed my hair I caught Kendall staring at my reflection.

"See something you like?"

Kendall shrugged as he zipped his jeans. "You could say that. I know I like what just happened."

I turned and crossed my arms. "Yeah, your face is still flushed."

He shook his head and pressed a kiss to my lips. "Well, I owe you."

Kendall held the door open and I agreed wholeheartedly. "I love a guy who's generous."

He left to go check in with Kelly and I smiled to myself. Being close with Kendall was better than I ever thought it would be. I was glad we had put our issues behind us. Things finally felt like they were falling into place.

"Well, isn't this a sight for sore eyes."

I stopped, my stomach dropped and it felt like ice was coursing through my veins. The voice sent a chill down my spine and my heart was pounding in my chest. Slowly, I turned around, hoping I just imagined it.

"Look who crawled out of the bathroom."

Shit. I definitely didn't imagine it because there stood Jett. His arms were folded and a leering smile was plastered on his face. He looked from me to the bathroom and I could see the wheels turning in his head. I glanced at Kendall who was already down the hall.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

He took a step towards me and reached out a hand. I flinched instinctively, this caused him to laugh deep in his throat.

"Relax. I'm here to present and I'm nominated for the movie I did." He leaned against the wall and nodded. "Congrats on your nominations, Eleanor."

"Yeah well, you definitely inspired a lot of my new stuff." I cringed at the sound of my name coming from his mouth and went to push past him. "Excuse me."

He grabbed my arm and panic overtook my every thought. "Not so fast."

"Jett let go of me. I swear I'll scream."

He dropped my arm like I disgusted him. "Don't be so dramatic. I just wanted to say I like the new music, especially Strange Love. And you act like that bathroom was a bad thing."

"It was bad." I spat. "You took advantage of me."

"Tomato, Tomahto." He said simply and gave a half-assed shrug. "It's doing wonders for your career."

I frowned. "Yeah because a few new songs make up for what you did to me. Besides what about your stupid friends?"

"What?"

"The last thing I saw was you and your stupid friends turning my song off. What was it you said? Oh yeah, 'Hate that bitch too, but I'd fuck her again.' and then they called me a slut."

Jett waved off this comment and leaned into my ear. "Apparently someone else is fucking you in bathrooms judging by the hickey on your neck."

My stomach turned once more. "You don't know what you're talking about."

He touched my neck and I cringed. "So you mean you're weren't just coming out the bathroom with Kendall?"

"N-No, not like that." My voice cracked and betrayed the way I shook my head. "Not that it's any of your business."

His smile was wide and was meant to be charming. But it made me feel like I was going to throw up. "We could have a repeat in the bathroom then. I know you miss me."

"S-Stop."

"How about a kiss? It'll be better than those idiots in Big Time Rush." He cupped my face and licked his lips like I was something to eat. "Come here."

He leaned in and I was horrified, his hand burned my skin. I elbowed him in the stomach and pushed him away before he could kiss me, I wanted to scream but I wasn't sure if I could. He groaned and rubbed where I hit him.

"Okay, fine, I'm sorry." He held up his hands. "I'm sorry. It's just that I miss you, Eleanor, every day."

Jett tucked my hair behind my ear and ran his thumb across my bottom lip. I drew in a breath and turned away from him, my eyes stung. I hated feeling his hands on me but he chuckled at this, his voice was teasing.

"Come on Len, you're so much prettier when you smile." He insisted, pinching my side. "I miss that smile."

"Fuck you," I said quietly, going through the breathing technique I had learned in therapy. "You don't get to hurt me again. Now, I plan on having a good time tonight so if you'll excuse me. I'm busy not being fucking scummy."

With that, I stomped off holding my head high even though it felt like I was going to collapse. I didn't turn around and I didn't stop speed walking until Carlos waved to me. I was safe here, people saw me and the guys wouldn't let anything happen.

"Hey, you okay?" James greeted as I walked in the dressing room "You look like you saw a ghost."

I forced a small laugh and rubbed my arm. "Something like that. Jett's here."

"Is he?" Kendall was surprisingly tense. "Did he say anything to you?"

"Just that we should have a r-repeat in the bathroom and that I'm prettier when I smile." I shuddered and blinked a few times. "Uh, he just makes me anxious."

"Elle, what happened?" Liz was firm and held my arm and led me to the corner of the room. "Are you okay?"

I sniffed a little. "Fine, he was just gross. He touched my face and said the tape is doing good things for my career. H-He was scummy but didn't hurt me."

"Are you sure?"

I knew I could tell Liz anything and I hated how embarrassed I was when I spoke. "He tried to kiss me."

This spurred Liz into action, her face hardened and she nodded. She was like a hurricane as she swept through the room. She told our security to keep him at bay and I could hear her in the hallway telling someone to make sure he wasn't seated near me. Kendall took the chance to come over, his brows were furrowed.

"What did he say to you? Did he see us come out of the bathroom, did he say anything about us?"

I shook my head, confused. "Yeah, but I said it wasn't like that. He said he missed me more than anything. Why?"

Kendall avoided my eye and sighed. "I just- I want tonight to be about you and the hard work you've done. And the work the guys and I have done. I don't want him to open his giant mouth about us."

"Trust me, I don't want that either." I rubbed my hand on my face. "I like you but I'm not ready for everyone to know."

He sighed and placed his hands on my hips. "That sounds perfect to me. And listen just ignore Jett, he's a dick. I'll keep him away from you. Let's just focus on tonight I have a feeling it's going to be a good one."

Seeing Jett had left me unsettled, but the drinks we had as we got ready had relaxed me. We were at the theatre where the awards were held, I was in my own car with Liz and the guys were with their team. Liz wanted some alone time on the drive over, she kept looking at me as we waited to get out to go on the carpet.

"You don't have to do this."

"Liz I'm fine. Honestly, we work in the same business I'll have to get used to seeing him." I said softly, looking out the window."The guys will be with me, you will and the security."

She rubbed my arm. "I know that but I don't like that he's free to run around causing trouble."

"Well neither do I. But I-I can't tell people about it, besides it's been too long."

"It's never too long but I won't let him near you." She let out a breath and smiled. "Now, I'm proud of you. Whatever happens tonight just know that."

I smiled back at her. "Thank you. I'll have the guys and Kendall with me this time."

"Speaking of, I took care of a few things for you in your room."

I frowned. "What?"

Before she could answer there was a knock on the window, signaling for me to get out. Liz gave a thumbs up and smoothed my hair. "Let's do this."

It was my first red carpet event since my hiatus, I inhaled deeply before stepping out of the car. I was a few feet away from the carpet but I could see the photographers and the flashing lights. I wrung my hands feeling a bit nervous. It had been so long since I had done one of these. I was so in my own head that a gentle hand on my back made me jump.

"Hey sorry, it's me." Kendall looked at me and a soft smile spread across his face. "You look beautiful."

I looked down at the dark blue dress I was wearing. It stopped mid-thigh and complimented my skin tone, this wasn't a red carpet like the Oscars so our teams wanted to keep things casual. But still, my cheeks were warm. Kendall was in a short sleeve button up shirt and his hair was off of his face.

"Thanks," I said shyly. "You look nice too."

He kissed my cheek, seeming to forget how we decided to not flirt with each other tonight. Luckily, the guys came up and all kissed my cheek too.

"Are you excited?" James asked as we headed towards the carpet.

I held up my hands and showed how they were shaking. "I'm more nervous than anything."

Kendall grabbed my hand and ran his thumb across the back of it. "Hey, you're going to be fine."

"Then why do I feel like I'm about to throw up?" I said dryly as we watched other celebrities be photographed.

Kendall squeezed my hand. "Because it's your first event like this since you came back. I'd be nervous too but you're talented and have worked hard. Just take a deep breath and if you feel like you're going to get sick turn your head away from me."

"What a gentleman." I frowned and pointed to the carpet. "Speaking of wanting to puke."

Jett stood in front of the cameras soaking it all in. He had his signature Hollywood smile which was so white it was nearly blinding. He played to the paparazzi and stared at every girl who walked past him. Kendall sensed my unease because he rubbed my shoulder.

"You've got this babe."

The guys and I finally stepped out onto the carpet. The flashing lights and shouts from the press were overwhelming. I posed with the five of them and then on my own. My heart was in my throat and my stomach swooped with nerves. The last red carpet I had been at was almost two years ago with Jett. But now here I was with four new friends and making a new name for myself. I couldn't help but smile through my nerves.

"Well look who it is. Elle Harper and Big Time Rush how are you guys tonight?"

Logan hugged the host. "We're good, all very excited."

"I just want to say welcome back Elle! It's been so empty without you at events like the Golden Star Awards. How does it feel to be back?"

"Uh, it feels really good. Like I've been saying I'd never be back here without my fans." My voice shook a little as I spoke. "I'm excited for tonight no matter what happens."

"We all know you're going to win. Everything you've been working on is amazing."

"Thanks!"

The interviewer asked the guys about their album and nominations for tonight. It was cute how Kendall's face lit up when he talked about his music. We finished that interview and worked our way down the carpet. Each mini interview got easier as we went along. We all stopped to sign some autographs for fans who waited by the side. There was only one more interview to go after a few more photos. But my mouth went dry before I could answer any questions. Jett was making a beeline to me, a smirk clear on his face. Big Time Rush was too busy answering questions to notice. Luckily, Liz put herself and my security between Jett and I. I exhaled, feeling relieved.

"Hello? I think we lost her."

I turned my head slowly when I heard laughter. The guys were staring at me expectantly. The microphone was in my face.

"S-Sorry what was the question?"

"I was just saying that I love the newest songs from yesterday."

My smile was forced. "Oh, thank you."

"So what's with the hand holding?"

My eyebrows pulled together. "What hand- oh."

Somewhere between seeing Jett and dying inside, I had grabbed Kendall's hand. I looked down to see that I was holding on tightly, I hadn't even noticed.

"You two aren't together, are you? I know you looked pretty cozy in Elle's video but what about Jo?"

"We're not together," I said quickly, letting go of his hand. "I just got dizzy from the lights, i-it's been a while since I've been to one of these things."

Kendall nodded and agreed with this. "Yeah, we're just friends."

Sensing the tension Carlos grabbed my hand. "We've been taking turns making sure she doesn't break an ankle in those shoes all night."

"We told her not to wear them." James rolled his eyes and held my other hand. "She's going to break her neck."

We all laughed and I cleared my throat, looking at Jett out of the corner of my eye. "I tell everyone fashion is worth the pain. I'm just lucky I have these guys to hold me up."

The interview wrapped up after that and once we were safely inside the theatre Kendall frowned at me.

"What happened out there?"

From where I was standing I saw Jett flirting with an actress who seemed to hang on his every word. "I-uh, Jett just weirded me out that's all. I'm fine."

"You grabbed my hand like your life depended on it."

"What can I say Kendork? You're a calming influence and I couldn't exactly smoke out there. I'm fine, promise."

Award shows were all pretty much the same if you've been to one you've been to them all. Something that was unknown by people who weren't in the business was how little of the show performers actually saw. Once BTR and I took our seats we only saw the opening and first few awards being handed out. The rest of our time was spent backstage warming up and changing our outfits. Big Time Rush was performing Just Getting Started and their newest single Don't Stop. Gustavo's master plan of introducing a more mature version of BTR was clearly working. I watched from the side of the stage with pride.

"We're getting down, getting naughty, don't stop until the sun comes up."

The choreography was full of grinding and body rolls. I watched as Kendall moved his hips, his jeans were tight and his face flushed from the stage lights. I let out a breath at the sight of him, he was definitely more attractive than usual which was saying a lot. The crowd applauded loudly when they finished and launched into the next song. I was glad the fans liked the more mature stuff. The guys had been working really hard on it.

"You can count it down, you can count me in." Logan sang as he moved to the beat. "We're just getting started now."

After the theatre went dark they raced off the stage. I gave them high fives and Kendall gave me a sweaty hug.

"You were great guys. They liked the new song."

"And what about you?" He asked as he took a long drink of water. "Did you like the new song?"

I waved my hand passively. "It was good but I definitely like you in those pants a lot more."

He was intrigued. "Oh really?"

"Definitely."

"I think you'd like me out of them too, Elle." His lips brushed against my ear. "I could show you later."

"Mmm, I may have to take you up on that."

Kendall shook his head at me. "What a tease."

"Always am."

Since it was so close to my performance Kendall stayed backstage while the guys changed and took their seats once more. I watched as Jett won the award for Best Actor. His speech was arrogant and mostly about himself. After seeing him this today I was more annoyed by his presence than I normally would be.

"I worked really hard on this role and had a lot of long hours." Jett chuckled a bit and looked at the award. "So I think this was well earned. Thank you to everyone who voted for me, it was obviously the right choice."

My eyes rolled so hard I was surprised they didn't fall out of my skull. "He's such a dick."

"Ignore him. You're going to be great and I'll be out there after your first song."

Liz was adjusting my mic pack and inner ear piece. "He's right and security will block the stage. That way he won't pull a Kanye on you."

"He'll have to get through security, Liz and me," Kendall assured me.

"I'll actually destroy him."

Liz and Kendall were both similar in how protective they were, it was actually kind of amusing. But still, I was glad to have their support I was nervous enough and didn't need Jett fucking things up any further.

"My heroes," I muttered as I walked to the side of the stage. "Wish me luck."

Onstage I was introduced and the room burst into cheers. That was my cue, I tightened my grip on my mic and strutted out onto the stage. Tonight would be the second time I performed one of the songs I put out yesterday. It was the one about Kendall and I was excited to sing it. The fans were too, several of them near the front of the stage sang right along with me.

"When it comes to you I get paralyzed." My eyes shifted to Kendall who bobbed his head and gave me a thumbs up. "You make me glow but I cover up won't let it show."

The performance went well, all the special effects went off perfectly and standing in a room full of my supportive peers was validating. I was finally back in front of all of them. When everything had first happened I felt isolated and ashamed but now I had officially proved that I was back. The first few bars of Night Like This began and the excitement in the room built.

"Orlando you all know my friend Kendall, make some noise!"

Kendall came out with a wave and a smile. Since this was on TV and full of people we knew personally, we stuck to the original scripted flirting. To my amazement, it was kind of hard to stick to it. Given how things were between us when tour first started I would never have thought I'd want to flirt with Kendall. But here we were. My hands wanted to wander over his body, I wanted to smile at him and try to rile him up. He must have felt the same because he had to control himself. He pulled his hand back when he tried to touch my face.

"We could just stay up all n-night."

My voice wavered as he bit his lip. Something about how out of control he was in this moment was attractive. We danced around each other, just slipping out of each other's grasps. I felt the same urge I had felt this morning, yesterday on the bus, and while filming in that cab. The clips from my video playing only heightened this. Kendall's eyes were briefly glued to the screen where I was grinding my hips into his.

"I could almost feel the weight of your kiss on my lips." He sounded strained. "I could feel anticipation through my veins."

We both took a step to close the gap and when I looked down I could see the way his jeans had tightened around him. His eyes were big and I saw how his fist was clenched at his side. He was having trouble controlling himself, it was new and sent a shudder down my spine.

"Anything could happen on a night like this."

There was an unspoken tension between us. It was different this time though. It wasn't angry like in the game and it wasn't flirty like it recently was. This was different and much more intense. It was broken by the applause. I took my bow and we were rushed into different dressing rooms. His sight of how wide his eyes were was hard to shake. We reunited at our seats after a commercial break. Several other people won awards across a variety of categories. Big Time Rush had won the first award they had been nominated for. Now it was time to see if they got their second. We were all on the edge of our seats.

"And the Golden Star for Best Group goes to Big Time Rush."

We all jumped up and shouted. I hugged each of the guys and kissed their cheeks as they made their way out into the aisle. They raced up the stairs to collect their second set of trophies. Their smiles were huge and I felt a surge of pride.

"Wow! Once again we just want to thank everyone who voted for us." Logan spoke first.

James was grinning and holding up his award. "For sure. The Rushers are the best fans in the world."

"Thank you!" Kendall agreed. "We appreciate all of you."

"We're just getting started so stay tuned. Thank you!"

The four of them made their way backstage and back around to their seats after a few minutes. It was now my turn to be a mess of nerves as they got to my categories. I was up for two awards, winning both would be nice but just being nominated meant the world to me. If I was being entirely honest with myself, I really wanted to win for Song of the Summer. Winning for Best Video would be great too. But something about my first award since coming back being for a video was too ironic. After all, it was a video that sent me into hiding. But still, I was proud of my work and my video so I'd be happy either way.

Several clips of music videos that had been nominated flashed on the screen. There was polite applause for each of them but when Kendall and I popped up on screen the volume increased. Apparently, more of my fans were here than I thought. My stomach was in knots and I chewed on my thumbnail.

"And the winner for Best Music Video is—" Dak Zevon fumbled with the envelope. "Elle Harper for Night Like This."

There was an eruption of cheers all around me but I was frozen in my seat. It wasn't until Carlos and James pulled me to my feet did it hit me. I was giddy as I hugged them all. Kendall squeezed me tight and whispered into my ear despite the cameras.

"Congratulations. You deserve it."

Liz pushed me towards the aisle and patted me on the back. I hurried up the stairs. I took the sleek shooting star trophy and realized my hands were shaking. It wasn't often I got stage fright but I was speechless for a moment.

"Oh god, wow. I uh, first I need to thank my manager Liz. She's stuck by me since day one through thick and thin. I need to thank Olivia for directing it." My mouth was dry and I looked out into the sea of people. The guys and Liz were standing and still clapping for me. "Thank you to my friend Kendall for being in it. And finally, thank you to a-all of my fans. It's been a long road back to the stage and I couldn't have done it without you."

My legs were wobbling as I was guided offstage and posed for a quick photo. When there was a commercial break I went back to my seat, and in the dark of the theatre, Kendall took my hand into his. He ran his thumb over my knuckles and squeezed every so often. When everyone was distracted by a performance he whispered to me.

"I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, part of this should be yours. You were in it too."

He snorted at this. "Getting to make out with you was rewarding enough honestly."

"We did look pretty good." I looked straight ahead not wanting to be too obvious. "I guess we just have award-winning chemistry."

"That we do. I know I felt something when we were performing."

"Yeah." I laughed under my breath. "It wasn't hard to miss that you felt something."

Our banter died down after that. It was near the end of the show and Song of the Summer was coming up. Not that I really noticed, Kendall kept touching my leg and shifting in his seat. It was taking my attention away from the award show and left my stomach in knots. I beamed down at the trophy in my other hand, in front of me was tangible proof that I had made it back to my career. I would cherish this piece of metal and plastic forever. The night could have ended there and I would have been content. This was why I was caught off guard when I heard my name again.

"And the winner for Song of the Summer is Night Like This by Elle Harper featuring Kendall Knight."

"What?" I turned my head so fast I almost had whiplash. "Me?"

Logan helped me to my feet and kissed my cheek. "Yes, you!"

"You won!" Carlos shouted over the noise.

Kendall was clapping the loudest out of everyone in the room, he pulled me into a hug and kissed my face. I grinned back at him and leaned in so he could hear me.

"Come with me!" I grabbed his arm and led him past our friends and managers.

He helped me up the stairs and we collected our awards once more. There was a lump in my throat that hadn't been there last time. As I stared out at everyone it occured to me that this win meant that the other one wasn't a fluke. I had won this award for my talent and skill and not because of my body and a steamy music video. This obviously wasn't my first award but after the Jett incident, I really thought my career was over. When I had first started this tour I thought it was going to be miserable. But now here I stood with two awards under my belt and someone I cared about by my side. I held onto the podium with both hands.

"I really didn't expect to be up here at all let alone twice." I chuckled apprehensively. "Thank you so, so much. There was a point about a year ago when I thought I would never win anything ever again. But this means the world to me. I'm so proud of this song and the work I put into it. I want to thank Liz and Gustavo for pushing me to do a duet and for producing it. And I have to thank Kendall for helping me write it." I blinked a few times and my eyes stung. "Thank you to my fans, this was all for you."

Kendall leaned into the microphone. "Elle deserves all of your praise. She wrote most of the song and came up with the music. I'm just thankful I had the chance to work alongside someone so talented. I think the stuff she's working on now is going to change the world. So look out for Elle because she's going to blow all of you away."

We were ushered offstage which was good because my cheeks were burning. When we had written the song I never thought I'd hear Kendall say anything positive about me or my music. But now I was blushing and flustered because of his praise. We were in a tunnel under the stage that led to our seats. He looked over his shoulder and the smile on his face was shy. Out of habit, we checked to see if we were alone. He held my face and kissed me.

"I'm so proud of you. You deserve this more than anyone. We'll have to celebrate."

And celebrate we did. All of the celebrities who attended the award show were staying at the same hotel across the street. So there was an afterparty that was going strong in the ballroom. The lights were dimmed and music blasted through the speakers. The guys and I all took shots when we arrived and I danced with all of them but my eyes rarely left Kendall's. Congratulations were thrown around by everyone who had won awards.

"Elle!"

I swiveled around to see Lucy Stone coming towards me. Even though our musical styles were different I had always been a huge fan of hers and vice versa. In fact, when the Jett incident had happened she had been one of the few people who took my side.

"Hey! Congratulations."

She hugged me. "You too. You earned it, everything you're putting out is kicking ass. It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back."

Our conversation was cut short when she spotted James and dashed off. I turned to look for Kendall, he had left to go get us drinks a few minutes ago. I already had enough of a buzz from winning and the one shot I took, but I promised him and the guys one drink. Logan had returned with drinks for himself, Carlos and James but Kendall was nowhere to be found. I squinted through the throng of people and the darkness until I saw him. At first, when I saw him scowling I was surprised. But when the person he was talking to turned around it made sense.

"What the fuck?" I blurted out loud.

Jett was talking to Kendall. He had a sleazy grin on his face and an arm over Kendall's shoulders. He said something that annoyed him because Kendall shook his arm off. His brows were furrowed and I could tell he was pissed. He spoke harshly and shook his head at Jett. This didn't seem to have much of an effect on him because he merely laughed. Kendall spoke once more before walking over to me.

"What was that?" I asked taking my drink.

He was transformed, back to his cheerful self. "What was what?"

"You and Jett just now?" My voice was high pitched and strained. "What did he say?"

Kendall frowned. "He was being gross and I told him he made you uncomfortable this morning. I told him to fuck off, that's all."

My heart softened a little. "You did that for me?"

"I don't want anyone to hurt you." He seemed embarrassed. "You looked scared shitless after rehearsal and nearly broke my hand on the red carpet. I told him to leave you alone."

The room was dark enough so I wasn't worried. But even if it hadn't been I wouldn't have cared. I brought his face down to meet mine, my lips found his despite the dark. We broke apart but Kendall still held me close. Our bodies swayed to the music and his forehead rested against mine. His arms were wrapped around my waist as his hips rocked against mine. Here in the dim light of the ballroom, we were free to be close and I took full advantage of that. With my drink in one hand, I held his face close to mine with the other. He pressed kisses against my neck and shoulder, lingering on the spot just below my ear. I turned around and grinded my backside into his crotch. His arm snaked around to my front and he reached up to squeeze my breast, his lips were firmly planted on my neck, leaving little bites as he went. I groaned quietly.

"You like that?" He asked as he turned me around to face him. "I can tell you do."

I could feel him jabbing my thigh everytime his hip bumped mine. I reached down to palm him, he nearly dropped his half-finished drink.

"I can tell you like that." I purred. "That you like me."

Kendall laughed at this and ran his hand over his jaw. "Of course I like you, Elle."

I thought of the last time Kendall and I had been in a similar situation. It had been in Atlanta. We had been so full of anger and tension, we had shouted, and called each other out on our bullshit. But now? It just felt right, the way he looked at me sent my head spinning. We understood each other and our feelings weren't repressed. But something that hadn't changed was how it felt like we were the only two people in the room. I never thought I'd like him when we first met. I thought this summer would be nothing but fighting and hating him. As he looked down at me with that damn smile I was glad I had been wrong.

"What are you thinking about?" His tone was amused.

Maybe it was the buzz from winning tonight and maybe was the one drink I had. But I felt brave and unconquerable. I kissed him briefly before putting my lips to his ear.

"Do you want to go upstairs?" My voice was barely above a whisper.

He stared at me his amused smile had faded and I knew him well enough to see the way his gaze went steely. He swallowed hard and gestured for me to lead the way. I reached back to grab his hand. I was a bundle of nerves as we pushed through the crowd of people. For once, I was in charge of the narrative. I was making the choices and no one else. Once in the lobby, we squinted at the bright lights. Kendall hit the call button for the elevator and cleared his throat. He looped his fingers through mine. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him grinning to himself. We stepped into the elevator and when the doors slid shut Kendall pinned me to the wall and kissed me. It was full of lust but tender all the same.

"Do you really think my music is going to blow everyone away?" I asked, I wasn't sure where it came from and I shook my head. "You said that earlier."

He kissed me once more. "You already blow me away every day."

After the torturously slow ride, the doors opened. Kendall pointed down the hall.

"Yours or mine?"

"Mine," I said immediately.

This was my choice, it was my narrative, so my room felt right. This was good enough for Kendall because he followed me down the hall. My back was to the door and I fumbled around my bag for my keycard. Kendall was making it hard to concentrate because his hands were all over me. When I finally found it I let us inside, causing both of us to trip. We laughed a little and Kendall shut the door behind us. I kicked off my heels, making the height difference that much more noticeable. Kendall brought his lips to mine and drew me into him. His hand wandered down my chest and stomach and under my dress. I pulled his shirt over his head. I had seen him like this several times before but something was new. There was a desire that I hadn't had before.

"Wow."

Kendall gave a smug smile. "Like what you see, Len?"

I took him in. From his blonde hair, the scruff on his cheeks, his dimples, and tattoos. But what really got me was just how pink his lips were and how I wanted them everywhere. His eyes were green, green, green and burned holes into me. He licked his lips and cupped my face, barely kissing me.

"I like it a lot."

He unbuckled his pants and pushed them down to the floor, clearly pleased with himself. He sat down on the bed and pulled me between his legs. My heart was pounding in my chest. My hands shook. My mouth was dry.

"Is it too soon to do this?" I asked timidly and when he looked confused I continued. "I-I just, I mean, it's kind of delicate don't you think?"

His response was a small shake of the head and a smile. "No, but we don't have to do this."

My eyes drifted over his body and to where he looked painfully hard. "I want this. I want you."

"Let me help."

He reached up under my dress and slid my panties down my legs. We kissed and I took a step back, feeling shy. I just had my dress left, I toyed with the straps. He had seen me naked before when we fooled around but now the stakes were raised. I was vulnerable and exposed, this was something I had vowed I would never be again. He sensed this because he took my hand.

"You don't have to hide anything from me."

I sucked in a breath and unzipped it, I pushed it off my shoulders and stepped out of the pile of fabric. Kendall nodded appreciatively and pulled me onto his lap. He tucked my hair behind my ear and brushed his lips against mine. He kissed down my neck and all over my breasts.

"Goddamn, you're beautiful." His voice rumbled in my ear. "So, so pretty Elle."

My face was warm and red and he kissed me against. He buried his face in my neck and I spotted the box tucked away behind a lamp on the table. I shifted so we were on the bed and nodded to the box. Kendall opened the packet and rolled it on. He reached down to kiss me, his other hand finding it's way between my legs. I let out a sigh. It was like we were the only two people in the world. It was so new but the smell of his soap and mint made it familiar. I pulled him down into me and his eyes were soft as he looked into mine. Being with him like this felt right.

"You wanna do this?"

Here I was, safe, in control, and able to choose. Every moment from the beginning of the summer had been building to this one. From that very first kiss, we were meant to be together, just like this. He was intoxicating and I wanted him, all of him. I could feel it viscerally, deep down all the way into my bones. There was only one thing left to say.

"Yes."

Kendall's lips met mine and it was full of all the lust that had been there the first time he kissed me. He lowered himself into me and I melted into him. Our bodies finally and utterly intertwined.

And I could think of nothing better.

AN: THEY FINALLY GOT TOGETHER!

Ahem. I'm a little too excited about that if you can't tell. But yes Kendelle officially had sex and Elle felt safe about it. I wanted to show how nervous she felt. That final scene in the hotel room was my favorite to write. Especially Kendall being sweet about it all. The second favorite was the scene with Elle and Jett in the hallway. Also, Elle won two awards and is officially back on the scene and in public. What was your favorite part? The next update is sweeter and full of Kendelle and the aftermath. I hope you stay tuned and tell me what you thought. See you next week Rushers and not so close to midnight!

Thanks!