Chapter 52

Richie snorted. "Elena, meet David.” He looked from his tiny little dynamo to David with a grin. “AKA Mouth, AKA annoying, AKA—“

“I think she gets it, Rich,” David broke in. “Some people with manners just call me the keyboardist."

Richie gave him a shot in the arm, seeing Tico over David's shoulder, coming up the back. "And the gentleman behind him his Tico, our drummer."

“Sure, Teek gets the classy intro. I see how it is.”

Ah, she definitely knew that voice. A devilish smile spread as she sidestepped Richie to give David a long, hard stare. "So…YOU’RE David, huh?"

He looked over her head into Richie’s eyes. “Should I be protecting something?” he asked and lifted his knee in front of his balls. “No help, got it.” David smiled winningly. "The one and only, baby."

Before he could blink Elena was behind him, his arm lightly twisted up as she bent him back toward her. Whispering loudly enough for Richie and others around to her to hear, she spoke. "Glad to see they potty trained you.” At his grunt she held tighter. “Don’t poke him like that again or I'll do worse.” Easing up a little she smiled. “Oh and hey…you’re a joker I hear.” When all he did was nod she continued, “So you get to help me plan a prank on Moptop, huh JD?" She laughed remembering the Junkyard dog comment. "You’re definitely a JD, for sure." Letting him go as swiftly as she locked David up, she moved back to Richie, her eyes nearly level with Tico. "Nice to meet you."

Teek grinned and without missing a beat, he reached out and took her hand pressing an old world kiss right to her knuckles. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Elena."

Elena grinned back at the thick Spanish in Tico’s baritone voice. “I like this one, Pony.”

Richie just laughed and slung an arm around her shoulders. David frowned and stared at the back of her head in awe. If Richie hadn’t seen her in action before he’d never have believed it. She barely cleared David’s chest even in the heels she was gracefully teetering on. His hat was cocked back on her head as she smiled up at him a bit of that unholy glee glinting in her dark eyes. She was so very proud that she’d one-upped David.

"Shit," Dave muttered.

"Bathrooms are that-a-way, JD." Elena just grinned and pointed. "Don’t want to upset that potty training you were doing so well at."

When Richie and Tico just laughed, David joined in. "You're all right, kiddo." He slung and arm around Tico. "Save me, man. She's obviously got something against my curls or my humor."

Elena leaned against Richie her arm slipping around his waist. "Awww I like you well enough, just don’t mess with Pony and we’ll be cool. I hear you play a mean keyboard."

Richie nodded. "He gave up Julliard to play with us lunatics," he said and tucked her in closer.

Her brow arched. "Impressive." She glanced around curiously. "Where's Moptop? Is he off being a ceiling duster?"

Jon walked up and heard the tail end of her sentence. "I’m right here, Teensy. How’re things going?"

"He'd have to be taller for that, Teensy." David snorted, adopting Jon's nickname for her.

Elena's gaze swiveled to David, her brow arching slightly. "That’s what ladders are for, JD." The urge to flip David made her fingers tingle. She wasn’t quite sure if she liked his smart mouth or not.

"Last time I called her that to her face she threw me, man. Be careful," Jon muttered.

"Do I even want to know what JD stands for?" David asked warily.

Elena leaned up on tip-toe to whisper in Richie's ear. "Think he'll mind being a junkyard dog forever?"

"The day he minds being called a dog is the day he hangs up his curls." Richie said smiled down at her.

Elena nipped his ear lightly before turning back to David. "You named yourself the day you talked to me on the phone from London. Remember? You claimed to be a junkyard dog." A soft, teasing laugh filled the circle of males. "So, I’ve sorta been thinking of you as JD ever since."

"Damn, I prefer Jack Daniels," David said with a wide smile. "But I'll take JD. It's sexier than the usual one."

Jon snorted. "You would, Lema." Jon glanced over at Richie then to his other friends. "Well it’s about time for my plane. Elena, try to bring him back in one piece ok?" Jon chuckled and threw them a wave as he sauntered off.

David slapped Richie's back. "Just make sure we have enough to scrape up and put a guitar into the hands of whatever's left."

Elena blushed slightly at the comments and leaned closer into Richie, her hand sliding up to sooth where David slapped. "You’re just jealous."

David put his hands up in surrender. "She guards him like a lioness. I know when I'm not wanted." He grinned and hiked his bag over his shoulder. "Well guys, enjoy your six weeks to yourself. I'm going to go find a bed for two days to shore up enough strength to find all my girlfriends."

Elena's brow arched as her voice dropped into a husky whisper, "I can think of better things to do than guard him, JD. But you be careful with those girlfriends, you hear? The boys need your fingers in working order."

His eyes widened and he laughed. "You got it, Teensy," he held up his hands again as she took a step forward. "I think I'll change your nickname to Tiger instead." He waved to the lot of them and headed off in the direction of the exit.

Richie slid his hand down to catch her fingers, twining them around his own. "Tico, you heading down to Miami?"

Tico’s smile widened. "Yeah, there’s a golf course calling my name, man. See you soon." He turned towards Elena. "It was a pleasure to meet you Elena. I can see you'll keep our man happy. You both have fun." Tico waved then turned to make his way to his flight.

"Ahhhhh, finally alone," he said and dipped his head into her neck to nibble. "There's a plane with our name on it, private and all for us...no other passengers. I think it's time to induct you into the Mile High Club, sweetheart."

She tilted her head to give him better access. Her eyes closed as a groan started low in her throat. "Mile High Club, huh?"

Richie leaned back. “Oh yeah, you know what that is, right?"

"College girl here, I think I've heard the expression a time or two.” She slid her fingers into his ripped tank, his warm skin just too tempting to resist. “Do we have enough time for me to go grab my bag?" She reached up and caressed his cheek. "Otherwise I'll just have to stay naked the entire time."

Looking thoughtfully at her for a moment, he hesitated. "Naked's a good option." He curled his arm around her shoulders. "How far away is the car?"

A blush crept up into her cheeks. "Umm, well, it’s..." her voice faded. She wasn't exactly sure where she’d parked. With her penchant for turning in the wrong direction she could lead them to Cleveland without finding the car. "Um, well it’s out that-a-way,” she grinned up at him, “somewhere..."

"That's it, forget it!" he laughed. "We'll buy you enough to be civil in public when I let you out of the beach house." Gathering her next to him, he started walking toward the private gates off to the left. "You've got your passport though, right? I didn't even think to ask if you had one."

Her arm went back around his waist her grin back in place. "Now that’s in my purse." She didn’t add that daddy's credit card was too. She could supply her own things. She'd figure out a way to call bathing suits and other needs an emergency item if her Daddy ever asked.

"Well, then it looks like the both of us are going to have our own brand new wardrobe." He grinned down at her. "Something pink for day one, purple for night two and something flesh colored and non-existent for the rest."