Chapter 73

((Happy Birthday Richie!!))


His gaze flickered over her smug look, a slight smile on his face. Shaking his head slowly he offered her a wry smile. "Haven't dated anyone in over a year Katie, broke up with the one girl I dated in high school, been too busy to really care, up until recently that is. But the one girl I’d even consider only wants to be friends," he grinned, "so we're friends. So Katie, no squirrels gonna come nibbling atcha."



"More like too busy to care what her name is, I bet." She bumped his hip. "Just making sure I don't have to fight anyone off. Girls are crazy."



Jon snorted, "You don't have to worry about that one Katie, ever." He winked her way and nearly laughed at her expression, "besides I can always hire a body guard if need be.'



She sent him a sidelong glance as he laughed outright and saw the twinkle in his cereulean gaze. "I was kidding, but I don't think you are. Is it really that crazy?"



"It can get a little wild on tour yeah, that's why we never sight see much and stick to our rooms, but when I'm home? Nah, it’s not that bad. Hell Jersey ain’t impressed with us, too many come outta the state ya know?"



"Wow, I had no idea. Med school really put me deep in a cave. I swear by the time I'm done with a 32-48hrs shift the only thing I see is my car, my bed and a shower if I'm lucky."



His voice was quiet as he watched her more than where he walked, "If ya only knew how that impressed me Katie. I can't even start to imagine how much work goes into doing what you do." Damn if she wasn’t just the type of woman he liked, driven to the point of obsessiveness about her work, independent and strong, yet sassy and fun.



"Well, I don't know about impressive, stubborn and hard working, yes. Now that I'm done with my boards I have to do my rotations and residency. It's a killer. They do love to torture us. I swear I've never dealt with so much blood in my life." She side-stepped a crack in the sidewalk and slid her arm companionably through his. "Enough of my shop talk. It's boring. No one cares about blood unless it's their own coming out," she laughed.



His brow arched as she put herself down. "Hey Katie, I happen to care. I'm impressed ok? You have it going on, a plan for life and your working for it. I admire that in a person." He shook his head, "I couldn't do it, man I'm just a singer, don’t confront me with blood ok?"



She bumped his arm. "Big bad rock star doesn't like blood splattered everywhere?" Kate smiled up at him. "Being a doctor sounds glamorous but it's just like your job some good, some bad."



He gave a snort, "Nothing I do will save a life Katie. It will entertain them and keep them from being bored, and maybe sometimes if it touches them just right it can help a sad heart feel better. But can it heal a wound or repair one that’s ill? It’s my life though, can't remember a time I didn't wanna sing or write. But if we were all doctors you'd have no patients, so it works right?" He flashed a bright smile her way as they walked. The more he knew of her the more he wanted to know. She was just perfect.



"Well, I don't know...I picked up your album after our meeting. Had to know just what I was getting myself into with you in my life, even if it's on the outskirts. I think you fix and break a few hearts just with those words. You and Richie have a lot of talent."



He felt the heat in his cheeks as he blushed then managed to get a non stammered reply out. "Well thank you. I just write about what I know, or what I want to know so to speak."



"I think that's great. Now that I know who you are, of course I hear your damn name everywhere. I can't believe how in the limelight you are. And seriously," she paused and gave him an up and down look. "This man is not the man I saw in your video. Talk about holy layers, Batman." She sighed, "And you know what kills me, you have like four layers on in a video and don't look at all fat. So unfair." She slapped each hip. "If I wore more than two, I'd look like a heifer."



She had made it a point to get his album, see his video. That in and of itself made his heart do a little jump for joy. She had very little free time but she’d spent some of it looking up his music. "It’s all in the lighting Katie. But let me tell ya, and don’t go getting all weird on me here, but I happen to think your ass is just fine." He turned towards her a moment, and waited on the come back, even a slap. "Yep, don’t go putting down that ass, it’s totally nice."



She just let her eyebrow quirk as his eyes twinkled even more. "Well thanks. It gets me into far more trouble than it helps, that's for sure. Its hell on a woman who has Betty Boop curves and wants to have a serious career."



"Don’t let it get to you Katie. Hell the people who see just the outside of a person are stupid. You’re more than your body, and as rockin’ as that body is your brain? That’s the sexiest thing about ya." He grinned and slid his arm around her waist as they walked. "That can turn a man on quicker than any Betty Boop curve, trust me."



"Well, I don't know about that, Sugar, but there is hope in the world if a man in your business can see past the curves, unless, of course, it's a line to get me on my back, sneaky boy." She felt at ease with him. More so that she probably should have given the topic.



"HEY I'm just a guy!" He laughed softly, "Should I say it’s amazing you can appreciate music cuz you’re a doctor?"



"No, amazing me can appreciate your music even if you're a cocky bastard, Sugar." She walked ahead and caught the door. "Now, you'll be able to listen and learn what true music is," she opened the door. "Welcome to Nirvana."



"Well thank you Katie." He grinned and walked in with her, ready to experience what got her creative juices to flowing.



Kate followed Jon into the smoky recesses of the bar she'd lost a year of her life to. She heard the soulful sounds of the sax first. As she took the small stairs up to the main floor, she felt the familiar stirring in her gut. James was there.



She'd known he would be, but seeing him again was always a jolt at first. The front tables were full to bursting with females as always and James played to them. Loved them. Jimmy came up the rear with his guitar mellow and powerful, layering the rich jazz until she could feel it in her marrow.



Her fingers itched for her own sax, itched to be a part of that, as she was in another life. She scooted Jon to the back, in a dark corner where no one would recognize her. "Is here alright?"



He gave her a curious glance as she tried to hide them in a corner, began to wonder if she was protecting him or what she was hiding from. Seeing her slight fidgets he gave her a gentle smile. "Perfect place Katie. You have a seat I'll go get us a drink. What would ya like?"



"I'll just have a red wine, Sugar." She dug into her pocket and handed him a ten dollar bill. “Just tell Clarence to start a tab for Killer Kate."



"Kate," he tsked her way, "I think I can handle a couple glasses of wine babe." He winked at her and turned to make his way to the bar, wondering how she'd gotten the moniker Killer Kate in a place like this. It was definitely a question he stored in his brain for later. Motioning to the tender he grinned and ordered up two reds for Killer Kate and blinked wide-eyed as the tender opened a bottle of a better wine than he saw sitting on the counter. Damn she must be special here.



When the tender refused cash, he shook his head in bemusement and thanked him before turning and moving back to the table. As he sat her glass of wine in front of her and slid into his seat he chuckled. "One day Katie, you'll have to explain how a big bad tender like that knows sexy doctor Katie."



Kate blushed. "Yeah, well a girl's gotta have a few secrets." Clarence had been one of the few men who'd finally let her in on the joke that her life had become as one of James Dupris' harem. She watched as the man himself, moved forward on the stage, his height only magnified by the houselights and stage. Thick ebony arms strained as he lifted the huge tenor sax. White teeth gleamed as he flashed a smile to the women and then his nearly iridescent cat eyes found her in the crowd.



He dipped, powerful thighs bulging under the dress pants as his graceful fingers found his notes. And he watched, knowing it was their song. Knowing it would effect her. Knowing he still had an edge, even now. She lifted her wine and gulped, hoping to wash away the memories of him and the stupid hold he'd had on her once upon a time.



Jon watched as she grew more and more fidgety, his eyes swinging to the stage and catching exactly who she had honed in on up there.



Secrets indeed, pretty deep ones if he was to guess.