Chapter 14

Richie spotted another girl, this time taking pity on his friend and shuffling her close to Jon. She was a pretty little thing. A bit mousy with her drab hair, but she was filled with nerves and wine spritzer so she wouldn’t be too much of a trial.

He caught sight of a pair of hands high in the air swaying to the music. The innate sensuality and loose limbed grace was enough to intrigue him, but when she turned around... “Oh man,” Richie whispered and made a bee line for her. He was jostled and bumped, but he still kept her in sight.

Elena danced, her arms lifting as she let the music take her. Her hands slid along her sides, lifting the hem of her halter slightly showing the smooth flat belly that begged to be touched. Every sensual swerve seemed to have a direct line to his dick.

Her eyes were closed and her hips were one with the music. Each pulse and crashing beat from the guitar and the drums seemed to come alive under her skin. Her silver shirt rose as her arms went up again and he couldn't stop himself. He slid his fingers along the smooth expanse of skin, grinning when her eyes flashed open in surprise, then pleasure.

Drunk on the music and the man, Elena shimmied into his space. She didn’t question the rightness of the moment or the fact that their bodies came together like they’d been dancing for years. Writhing against the long line of his thigh and hip, she slowly slid her hands along up his sides and around his broad back. "Fancy meeting you here," she said against his neck. Even in her heels she couldn’t reach that sweet little hoop in his ear.

He crowded in on her, the scent of spring breezes swirled between them. She was so tiny, he felt like he was going to break her. Going with instinct he lowered himself to her level and when her arms coiled around him, he lifted her. At her quick gasp of surprise he grinned, meeting her eyes. She held onto him, the air ripe with too many bodies and smoke, but here in this moment all he could focus on was softness and that wicked girl hair smell that haunted men for ages. He wanted to drag her closer. He wanted to be alone, but most of all he wanted to take her home.

He groaned as her legs wrapped around him. The lean line of her thighs gripped his hips as her head dipped closer to his neck. The quick flick of her tongue was whisper soft making him wonder if it really happened until she nuzzled in closer and her lips buzzed his jaw.

"Jesus, Elena," he breathed and gripped her ass. The sweet, soft curve left him hard and aching all over again. "What you do to me should be classified illegal," he muttered into her ear just before he nipped.

"Aren’t you glad its not?” Her giggle was dark and knowing. “At least in this state," she finished.

His hands moved up to her waist as he held her closer against him. "We'll try the illegal stuff on the second date," he muttered against her cheek. "Enough talking,” he said against her lips just before he dragged her into the kiss he'd been thinking about since the Ferris wheel.

He was slow and thorough as he got to know each and every inch of her mouth. The intimacy seemed as natural as breathing as their tongues touched, their mouths seemed to know just what to do, just what to give and to take. Teasing flicks turned into echoes of sex as his tongue slid in and out along hers.

~~


Jon wrapped the pretty, if plain, little thing in his arms. She was barely a handful of anything. Kinda like the washed out version of Richie’s little bit of a thing. Taking a deep breath he prayed for good hygiene as whispered to her, "I’m giving out free kisses tonight, but only to the pretty girls."

The mousey girl squeaked, rose onto her tiptoes and plastered her lips to him, leaving behind that clay nothingness of lipstick that made all men hate the stuff. Too bad women couldn’t stain their lips without taste, he thought vaguely as he stepped back. He grinned down at her, forgetting her in the next moment as he whirled her back into the masses.

Where the hell had Richie vanished to?

"Are you kidding me?"

Jon turned at the husky voice. Well I’ll be damned. "Kidding bout what?”

Kate glanced up realizing that it was Jon next to her. "Sorry, I was just bitching aloud, but look at them out there,” she sneered. “We're suffering," Kate looked at the girl that was currently hyperventilating in the corner then quirked a brow at Jon as he wiped the back of his hand against the bright pink lipstick smeared across his lips. Stifling a snort she handed him her napkin. "And they are out there on the dance floor making out like teenagers."

Jon's eyes followed her hand as she pointed. Well fuck him. "They'll never know we didn’t do all 10,” his grin was quick and sly. “Whadya say we just go hide in the upper level and get a drink?"

With less than a moment’s hesitation she nodded. "Deal!" she shouted over the music and led the way up to the upper tier of the bar where cocktail tables were set along the perimeter. Glancing over her shoulder at the dance floor she shook her head one last time and scooted into an empty seat.

Jon continued to scrub at the way to pink shit on his lips. Seeing her duck into a chair near the railing he followed and slouched into a seat. “Goddamn I hate that brand of pink."

"Well versed in pink, Sugar?"

"Unfortunately it comes with the territory. It’s not nice to feel like a piece of meat sometimes, let me tell ya." Clearing his throat when he realized he was bitching, he nodded toward the dance floor. "I can’t believe him. He’s not usually so public about that shit."

She frowned; wariness seemed to be bleeding through the cocky façade for a moment and then in a flash, he was back to that crooked, plastic smile. She glanced out to the dance floor. "Well my girl isn't usually so...um," she blushed as she noticed Elena's legs locked around the Richie. "Obvious," she finished lamely.

Jon leaned back into his seat and laced his fingers over his belly. "She’s not like that normally, huh?"

"No, she's sweet and likes to party that’s for sure.” She focused on Jon and felt the nerves in her belly start to ease. His eyes were clear now, the earlier drunk was gone leaving a semi-attentive man. He did seem to be aware of his surroundings a bit more than most. “She's usually a little more...well, we'll call it discreet for lack of a better word."

"That’s good to know, I'd hate to see him hurt; he’s got a softer heart than you'd think."

"I'd worry more about her spoiling him to death than hurting him."

A grin kicked the smirk into a smile as his light eyes twinkled. "Oh he'll eat that up for sure, and turn right around and treat her like a queen. Richie’s a good guy."

"What happened to you then? Shouldn't some of it rub off?"

He barely heard the snarky teasing as he slid lower in his chair. "Shit, can’t hide anywhere," he grumbled as a group of giggling girls spotted him.

"What?" She craned her neck as four girls headed straight for them. Kate watched as his face went from sullen to a smooth plastic smile that didn't quite reach those startling blue eyes.

"Hello girls."

Confused she looked from him to the girls pushing their way around their table. "What is the deal? I mean you're decent enough to look at but Jeeeze," she muttered.

The mousey blonde from dowstairs squealed, "See! I told you he was here! HE kissed me, didn’t you Jon?" She turned to Jon and thrust a napkin and pen his way, "Can I get an autograph?"

Kate laughed, "You're kidding right?"

Jon obediently took the pen and signed his name with a flourish. "There ya go, darlin’. You go have fun." He wondered why the hell a kiss wasn’t enough and why she had to have an autograph too. He signed the rest of the crowd’s items, from a purse to a flash of skin on her tipsier friend. Christ, she’d probably have it tattooed there by the weekend.

Kate frowned slightly. The girls hadn't even noticed her or heard her for God's sake. A little taken aback when one of them flashed the scalloped edge of a bra and leaned into him.

The mousey girl turned to Kate and sighed wistfully. "Damn you’re so lucky,” she motioned to her chair. “You know getting to sit with him and all. Jon freaking Bon Jovi!"

Kate didn’t bother answering her. She didn’t really want to hear from her anyway. She was too busy comparing signatures with her gaggle of friends. "Does that happen a lot?"

"It happens way too much sometimes.” He winced, “Don't get me wrong it comes with the job. Most days it’s even fun, but sometimes it’s like a damn concrete block hanging around my neck."

She frowned, the name Bon Jovi niggling somewhere in the back of her mind. "Well, fame is what you wanted right? I mean I guess you’re famous based on that little display,” she wiggled her fingers at the girls still staring at them. “Isn't that what you worked for?" She asked, honestly puzzled by the girl’s reaction and his palpable sadness. He grinned at her suddenly, but it seemed like it was one of those smiles that he was so used to giving. All it did was bend that rather intriguing mouth.

"I worked my ass off for it, but damn you can get tired ya know?"

"You don't have to explain to me about tired, I'm a doctor.”

His eyes widened as she spoke. "Really? What type of medicine?"

"General so far. I just got my internship to St. Mary's up in White Plains. I haven’t figured out my specialty yet."

His eyes flashed with respect. "So you've worked as hard as me, just in your respective field."

"Well, Sugar, I still don't know who the hell you are, so I can't respond on that one for sure."

He stood a moment and held out his hand. "Come on, I figure its time to show ya just who I really am."