Chapter 139

Richie's long legged gate ate up the backstage room and the hallway that connected through the back to the half dozen shower stalls. His hand lowered to the high, firm curve of her ass as he slapped his hand down. "You're going to pay for that, you know that right?"

Her hands slid along the front of his body a slight shriek leaving her at the slap. "Was counting on that one baby."

He lowered her to her feet and crowded her up against the cool tile. He nosed away the peasant blouse until he found the nubby material of the lace. Digging a little deeper he found her already hard nipple and sucked through the lace. "Mine," he growled sucking harder. Even in jest, just watching Jon's hand on her hip, he'd been ready to murder.

He lifted her until her knees gripped his ribs, her high above him. He tugged at the buttons until they pinged around his feet. He looked up at her, those dark eyes smoldering with the same need. It wasn't going to be gentle. A distant part of him still wanted to treat her like the fragile, sweet woman her body screamed for, but the goddess lurking there in her eyes wanted it like he did, a little dark and a little dangerous.

She braced back against the tile, her hands gliding over the cool slick surface as she nodded in agreement. "Yours."

The arch to her back, pressing her breast into his mouth deeper, had him pushing at the lace keeping her skin from his. He bunched it up high enough to get to the line of her ribs to the softness of the underside of her breast. His nose brushed it, once then twice before he finally latched onto her nipple.

His hands gripped her hips, dragging the stiff material of her skirt up until her legs were wide open to him. He ripped what was left of his tank-top so he could feel her heat against his belly. "God, you're so wet for me." He pressed her harder into the tile, keeping her up high. To keep her balance and steady herself, she lifted her hands to hold to the shower head to.

He slid his hand up her bare thigh until he found the little strap at her hip. "We don't need these, right?"

She managed to shake her head no as fingers and lips played over her skin. She glanced down a moment, the dark intent of his gaze ramping her desires even higher. "Not needed at all, got plenty."

"Excellent," he growled and ripped them. The rending of the material seemed loud in the silent room. He tugged at his buckle and growled at how tight his leathers were. Not to mention his hard on was so tight to his belly he was going to need a...well, water would do.

He twisted on the taps. He could always get new leather pants. The power of the water arrowed over Elena's shoulders, drenching the purple lace until it was dark and dripping. He leaned up and licked a droplet of water from her nipple. Tossing the scrap left of her panties he peeled away his zipper and dropped her low.

She gasped at the sudden drop, her hands honing in on his shoulders as she held on. God he was like madman, the gleam in his eyes screaming at the rough and wild he usually kept mostly buried. Bending forward she slid her tongue along his chest, groaning at the glory of water, sweat, sex and salt that seemed to just be a permanent part of his taste.

The water pounded on them, lukewarm and full blast as he lifted one thigh high on his hip, tucking his forearm under her knee so she was wide open to him as he slid inside...long and slow until every inch was enveloped in her heat. No warning, no niceties. He had to be inside of her that second.

She flexed against him, all thought lost in the thrill of his touch, her breath catching in her throat at the fullness. Nothing filled her like he did, heart, soul and body, nothing had ever completed her like he did, and nothing ever would.

"Elena," he growled, burying is nose into her neck into the heart of her scent as her shampoo and soap circled him, he drove into her again and again. Her arms hooked around his shoulders hanging on with each hiccupping moan.

He knew he had to be too rough, yet he couldn't stop. The heat of her, the slick dark heat of her was like nothing he'd ever known. Each time it was just a little different and yet always the same, always intense and bright, always just a hair away from too much.

He pulled her closer, his arms surrounding her back, holding her in and close as her ankles locked around his hips. His hard thrusts, shortened to pulses, deep inside of her. He didn't ever want to leave the warmth of her body, where the connection was always greatest.

One slender hand moved to twist into his hair, the other holding tight to his shoulder as her back bent nearly double. "Pony, god please...." She needed more, needed rougher, knowing somewhere deep inside he needed that release as well, knew it like she knew her name as the connection twisted and built on itself, her body responding in perfect harmony to each driving pulse of his body.

Reading her need, he crouched down low, until her feet touched tile. He reached for the zipper and buckle of her skirt and let it drop to the tile, kicking it out of range. "Do you trust me?" He said darkly, meeting her eyes.

The brilliance of her smile alone reached out as she nodded. "I always have love."

His cock was so hard. From her sure grip from base to tip and the love shining there; along with that little kernel of lust that spoke to the demon that had been living in his chest for days now. Nothing had satiated him; nothing even got him under control for the last few days.

He pulled away from her, turning her toward the tiles. He nudged her forward, tucking her wet hair over her shoulder so he could get to the one side. His fingers coasted up her waist, to the fullness of her breasts. He scraped the nape of her neck with his teeth sucking on her earlobe.

His hands slid back down to her sweetly curved hips, this thumbs tracing over the cleft of her ass as he slid his thigh between hers. Taking his cock into one hand, he slid forward, just teasing. "Is this okay?"

For the barest of instances something tried to rise within her only to be forcibly pushed away by the feel of his hardness brushing against her. She closed her eyes and pushed back, a needy moan kissing the air of the room as her hands braced against the tile. Was it ok? Fuck yeah it was ok. A hoarsely hissed “yesssssss," was all she could manage.

He positioned himself, just the tip inside of her, and twisted his fingers around hers, pushing her hands flat under his against the tile until he was laced over hers, spreading her open in every way as he slowly slid inside of her.

Their height difference had him in a bit of a crouch, but every inch was lost inside her sweet body as he covered her from thigh to fingers. Each thrust longer and deeper until he shouted her name, trying desperately to hold on.

She began to quake as thrust after thrust drove his love into her, moans tripping over gasps for breath as she pushed back, taking it all and opening herself more, giving all that she had as the vestiges of that dark night began to fade, replaced with the touch and smell of him where the darkness had been, and in the splintering of a second she screamed his name as everything within closed about him like a fist.

He slid one hand away, still pinning her there but focusing his touch on her neck, her breast and finally the slick heat of her. He could feel their bodies joining, the give and take of her as he filled her. He flicked two fingers along the hood of her until he found the hot, hard heart of her and pressed hard.

Her quick shuddering cry, followed by his name on a sob coasted him off the final cliff, his hands gripped her hips as he slammed into her. "Elena...my Elena," he said roughly as he drained himself.

She shuddered as her moment met his in a stormy flash of heat and fury. Her face dipped to rub against her hand as tears began to fall, mixing into the flowing water as the past was finally washed away by the beauty of the present. She was his, no one else’s, and none held sway in heart or memory any longer.

He felt the shudder and the continuing sob as he gathered her back against him, turning her into his chest. "Baby, are you all right? Did I hurt you?"

Her hair flung droplets of water as she shook her head, a soft "No," leaving her as she trembled. "No, you didn't hurt me."

God, he'd die if his selfishness brought her any sort of pain. His palm coasted down her slick hair, holding her tighter.

She shuddered, as a hiccupping sob escaped her. "It's gone, god it’s just gone...."

"I'm right here, I'll always be here," he said soothingly, letting the water wash over them. He watched as she tucked into his chest closer, her tears tears slowly fading.

"You took it away, it’s just gone now." Her head tilted up and the effervescence of her gaze rivaled the brightest of stage lights. "The dark hall.. the feel of that... that.. thing at my back.. its gone.. Do ya get it Pony?? You made it go away!"

The little bit of shadows that always seemed to linger in her eyes faded, leaving that happiness he'd been missing...hadn't known he'd missed it until he saw it there for him. "Lains," he caught her mouth in a lingering kiss. "Do you mean it?"

Had they not been so slippery she'd have hopped up and wrapped her legs around him. "With all that I am tall dark and sexy."

He scooped her up and swung her around. His kiss, long and slow as he settled her under the spray. "I love you," he said against her mouth. "I love you so much," he whispered and pulled her in until something of him was touching every part of her.

God how she loved him, the way he surrounded her in love and skin, "God I love you too.. never you doubt that baby, ever. Can't live or breathe without you surrounding me.” She laughed as she swirled around the room, shrieked as the water touched down on her skin and sighed into his kiss. "Forever and a Day pony, Forever and a day."

"Just try and get me to stay away," he said, curling her in closer. "You just try it."

Chapter 138

Kate blew a sweaty lock of hair out of her face and laughed as Elena tried unsuccessfully to keep her eyes from falling out of her head. For the eleventh time that night Richie had surprised them with a visit to Al’s side.



A few times he sidled up to Alec in that groove thing she was beginning to learn so well. A few others had his guitar tech, Lumpy hopping up to chase him with a length of cord for his guitars. But each time he ended up in front of Elena with a whole lotta black clad thighs bulging.



Hell, she’d had to avert her eyes a few times, herself. The man wasn’t shy, that was for sure. Her poor friend was about ready to jump out of her skin with all the obvious teasing he’d been doing. And if she didn’t miss her guess, there were a handful of seriously pissed off chicks on the right hand side of the stage that had been expecting a night of Richie only to watch empty stage instead.



As he headed back to his mic to use that little talk-box thingie, Kate took the time to look around at the crowd. The atmosphere was almost identical to the night before. The crowd was juiced and the wave of screams heightened as she turned back around.


He was crouched in front of her, his hair sweaty and curling around his perfect face. His smile was wide and the ultimate in that whole distraction quotient.



“Nothing else can get you through the night.
No nothing else feels right. ‘
Without love
Whooahoo….”



It only lasted a beat or two, but his blue eyes had been locked on hers as he leaned low into the crowd. She could see each bead of sweat roll, each rip in his tank, each pore in his face. He reached for her, the tips of their fingers meeting before the girl next to her tried to reach out and grab him.



And just like that he rocked back on his heels and made another three dozen girls feel part of the moment, but the touch had been solely for her at that moment.


She only lost a few years of her life when he came swirling out from the skies during the encore. A big step from the decade she’d lost the night before. He poured everything he had into the show, even when Richie carried him for more than half the show, because she’d been right. Talking for that hour before the show had put a strain on his already weak chords.



But even without the shatter worthy screeches, the crowd ate every inch of him up. The show was phenomenal and played to Jon’s strengths. The way Jon and Richie harmonized even as Jon dug for each note was inspiring. And that night, Jon made a new fan for life.



No matter what the future held, she knew one thing was for sure. This band and their heart had a tiny slice of hers. Jon had the rest. God help her.



~



Elena tugged her hand as they hurried backstage. There was no leisurely walk back to the merch tables, no schmoozing with fans, no waiting. She wanted back to Richie in a very bad way. “Hold up there, crazy girl. He’s not even back there yet, he’s in the showers.” Kate said and clomped behind her. Shit my feet hurt.



Her gaze skittered over to Kate as she flicked a lock of hair over her shoulder, her hands adjusting the peasant blouse just so on her shoulders. "Wanna bet?"



"I don't take sucker bets," Kate laughed and followed.



Elena laughed and reached out to tug Kate along. "Doubt Mop Top is either for that matter. Did you SEE the look in his eyes?"



Kate swallowed. Her panties certainly saw. Shoot. She was ready to combust. "I don't know what you're talkin' about," she said in her best drawl.



Elena hit the doorway to the band’s main room and snorted, "Sure right, keep saying that you might convince someone one day." She stopped suddenly her eyes raking in the people already in the room, a slow heated grin beginning to simmer in her eyes at the tall one to the side. "Told ya so."



Kate's eyes followed hers and grinned at the pair of them sitting forward on the lopsided couch she'd held her ass on earlier. Jon's head was covered with a white towel as wet as the shirt and jeans he wore. Richie was sprawled out his head tipped back, leather and cotton like a second skin. "Well hell, I might have to drag one of them into the shower with me."



She tapped a finger to her lips. "Wonder which one?"



Elena's brow flicked up as that scary grin coasted onto her lips. A wicked gleam 
centered in her eyes, "Might be an interesting swap."



"I don't know, if I lure away Richie to my secret cabin, you might not get him back."



Her head tilted, an easy smirk on her lips. "Guess that means I get to keep Jon." She twisted and threw a wink Kate's way. "Wanna ask them?"



"Let's live dangerously."



Elena nodded and took Kate's arm pulling her towards the lopsided couch. Stopping before the guys she cleared her throat. With a voice that was husky and full of teasing want she chirped, "Hi there Handsomes."



Richie peered down his nose at his wife, slowly lifting his head. "Hello wife." His voice deepened as the flowy material slid down her shoulder leaving lace and curves behind.



Her eyes sparkled as she took him in, all six foot plus in clothes like a second skin on his sweaty body. "Katydid has a question."



Jon' pushed the towel back as the first breath of Kate hit his senses and the first true smile since the concert floated onto his lips. "Well hello there beautiful. What's up?"



"I'm trading up," she dropped on Richie's lap. "Mind if I use you and abuse you tonight, Rich?" She said sweetly, oozing the South like she was still on the plantation, straight off the boat.



Elena grinned and settled herself on Jon's lap, her eyes moving over to watch Richie's reaction. "So whatcha think Mop Top?"



Richie took the teasing in stride, happy to see Katy finally lightening up some. He glanced at Jon and sucked back a laugh, laying it on thick. "Not like we haven't shared before," he slung his arm around Kate's shoulder's letting his fingers dangle. Watching Jon's eyes flash was particularly entertaining.



Elena's brow arched as she leaned into Jon, her hand splaying over his chest to play with the sweat dampened fur peaking from the rips in his tee-shirt. "Might be fun."



Jon snorted and wrapped his arm around the slender bit of nothing Richie called a wife. "True nuff dat King. I can handle no curves for a few." He winked at Kate and nearly laughed as Richie's eyes fired when his hand slipped a little lower on Elena's waist. "All in good fun my man right?"



"Right," he said to Kate's throat his eyes lifting to find Elena’s. Her eyes were teasing, but in the heart of it there was a steely stance. He'd tortured the holy hell out of her from the stage. He could practically smell the lust she was giving off. Deciding he liked that she was eager for him, he dropped a hand on Kate's thigh. "All in good fun."



Kate crossed her legs, letting the flirty skirt she’d stopped to change into on the way to the venue show off a little more thigh Jon's way. "No harm, right?"



Elena rolled her shoulders and smiled as the blouse slipped a little lower. Moving in on Jon she nuzzled his neck teasingly. So this is what got Kate going? Well the scent of musk and guy was nice, but it sure wasn't her Pony. Her gaze slid to Richie as she went to brush lips against Jon's. "Nothing like Jersey sweat right Katy?"



"Right," Kate said and laughed when she got dumped onto the couch and Elena ended up on Richie's shoulder. "What'd I say?" Kate called out as Richie strode out, his large hand across the backs of Elena's thighs.



"Mine!" Richie called out and headed for the showers. "Showers are mine! You come back here, you die!"



Elena threw up a hand and waggled a goodbye as she laughed out. "He means it too!"



Jon shook his head as his arm snaked out and pulled Kate onto his lap. "Now that’s more fuckin' like it." Lips slid in for a taste of neck, a sigh of pure pleasure washing through his soul. "God is it more fuckin' like it."



"What, you don't like to share?" she said with a grin and tugged down her skirt. "It's Richie.." she laughed as he bit her shoulder, then shrieked when his fingers bit into her sides and he pinned her to the couch. "God, you stink!" She shouted between giggles.

Chapter 137

Chapter 137

Slender legs crossed as dark brown eyes took in the roly poly man in front of her. God damn his soul to hell why wouldn't he listen? She'd talked for thirty minutes straight, explaining what Kate had said, how the stress wasn't good for them, how constant touring could run them down, only to have Doc laugh in her face.

 

At least Richie backed her up. Even frustrated with her and Kate and their mothering, he was backing her up, agreeing with her, and so she pushed harder, wanting the one man that should care for them to show that caring. Even with all of that he kept changing the subject, trying to get Richie to help get Jon to do yet more interviews, more appearances even on their break.

 

She wanted to scream or better still throw something at his weasley little half bald head. He refused to see it, refused to acknowledge their guys needed the time to breathe and just be guys. God she wanted to mail him to Timbuktu in a box with no air-holes, or better yet sink it at the deepest part of the ocean. He was going to KILL them with his insane need to drive their fame.

 

Standing suddenly she nearly bared her teeth at the portly man. Glancing at Richie her anger settled slightly, a sad smile echoing into her eyes. "I'm gonna go check on Kate. I better before I do something drastic."

 

Leaning in she pressed a quick kiss to her husband’s cheek then whirled and moved to the door. As she opened it she looked back at Doc, her voice a barely there murmur. "Ya know, they have the charisma and talent, working them to death won’t change that. They're gonna be the biggest thing ever, you don’t gotta fucking KILL them to do it. But I tell ya one thing Doc, you hurt my guy? I’m gonna see to it that YOU end up hurting." Moving through the doorway she slammed the door and headed off to find Kate.

 

She moved down the hall her eyes blazing with the unresolved anger that had the color in her cheeks high. Angling for the main room the band was in she stopped a moment as she caught a flash of sparkle zipping around the corner. Forcing back a slight shiver she opened the door and stepped through, her brown eyes glittering. "I wanna fucking KILL that damned Man, I swear I do."

Kate swung her heeled foot, smoothly crossing her legs. "Husband or...?"

"Or." Elena plopped down onto the couch beside her friend. "Doc is gonna be the death of us all. He won't listen. He's stuck on fucking stupid or hell just stupid. I TRIED Kate, I tried to get him to set time for physicals, to not push them and you know what he did?" She twisted, not even giving her time to reply. "HE tried to get Richie to help get Jon do more!" Slender fingers arrowed through hair as she grumbled, "He won’t fuckin' listen to him when he has a need, but ohhh go get Richie to talk Jon into shit. Come on Kate, tell me an easy way to get rid of that fat piece of shit."

"Well, if you handle a syringe just right...an air bubble could take him out," Kate said matter of factly. At Elena's calculating look, she grabbed her arm. "I'm kidding." Sort of. It really would work and with his blood/alcohol rating and heart issues...Kate shook her head. "Syringes are hard to get," she teased.

She leaned back and huffed, "Well fuck that takes care of that. HEY can we mail him to Timbuktu? I'll help shove him into that hole-less box Jon swears he has with my name on it."

Kate tugged at the spaghetti straps of the lacy black top she'd put on to kill Jon with. Too bad he'd have to see it from the stage. She sighed. "Well, I bet that box is way too small for that little troll." She smiled. "I bet if you taped two boxes together, just maybe."

"God it might take three at that." She closed her eyes and tried to force the anger back. She didn't want it ruining her night, especially since she'd be front row again. Best part of it all was gonna be watching Richie's reactions through the night, especially when her peasant blouse went off the shoulder. She'd left them up all with the plan of pulling them lower once she was in the audience.

Kate laughed. "I hear we're on David's side this time. You sure you can be away from Richie?"

Her eyes went wide, "You're kidding me?" Well that's gonna blow my plan to tease Richie right outta the water. "Who told you that?"

"David came in with my laminate and said we were on his side tonight." She lifted the tag on her chest. "Jesus, could my name get any bigger on this damn thing?" She said and dropped it. "Katy even," she rolled her eyes.

She laughed at the size of the letters. She unfurled the laminate cord from her hand and lifted it, Richie's huge scrawl shining on the laminate as the word "LAINS" shone in script as large as Kate’s. "Shit you'd think they want everyone to know its us."

"Kinda like they branded us." They both gave a snort of disgust. "Well, I don't care. I'm going to enjoy this show and we are outta here tomorrow morning. I'm stealing Jon away with no forwarding address. I'll leave you the number, but someone has to be dead." Kate squeezed her arm. "Seriously like dead. He needs rest and I'm going to give it to him. In between orgasms," she said with a sly smile.

Eyes rolled as she snorted. "So no rest of the most restful kind. Gotcha girl." She marveled at Kate's revelation. Kate was taking two weeks off? She was taking TWO WEEKS OFF? She hardly EVER takes time off. That more than anything was illuminating. Kate was in love, even if she refused to admit to it. "So two weeks off huh?"

Kate crossed her arms, noticed the instant swell of breasts and dropped them to her side. Okay, so the shirt was a little...low. Shoot. "It's kind of ideal for both of us. I have to pick my specialty and life is going to get super hectic. If we take these two weeks off...well, it's probably the last that we'll really get time with each other except for a random day here or there." She sighed. "I didn't know how much I needed it until I'd said it earlier today."

She leaned into Kate and smiled. "I do understand Katydid. Hell two weeks with just Richie? It will be like a honeymoon all over again. Feels kinda good to have someone like that too, ya know?"

"Yeah, it does." She lifted a finger at her, tapping against her chest. "If you tell anyone that I'll deny it six ways to Sunday."

She lifted her finger and laughed as they twisted into their sisterhood tangle of fingers and pinkies. "Secret we'll take to the grave."

"Just don't put Doc in there with me, kay?"

Elena shivered. "I promise."

Chapter 136

Kate drew her legs up into the couch, circling her arms around her knees. Jon’s quick interview had flowed into two more with another half dozen radio stations on the ride over. Elena and Richie had disappeared into a back room with Doc.



The backstage room was quiet, a little dingy and very worn, but the part she loved was the quiet. She needed a few minutes alone to process all that had been thrown in her face over the two days.



Jon’s life was a stressful one. In fact, she’d compare it to her own internship. She was heading for her first residency when she returned home. She’d tested through to residency and had to pick a specialty soon after her return home. Taking two weeks off was going to set her back, but since her current obsession seemed to be focusing on ENT, she figured she wouldn’t have much of a fight for that spot.



She loved the ER, loved the challenge of it…but watching Jon slowly shred his vocal chords to pieces made her rethink some things. How many other singers did the same thing, especially with the type of music that was hot right now? How many of them were screaming just to get the reaction…and how many of them were having the same problems Jon was?



She dug her notebook out of her purse and made a few notes to check into. Even just two days with Jon let her see that singing and performing were the most important things to Jon at this point in his life. If he lost the ability to do that simply by overdoing it? She needed to find a way around it to help her man.




She halted her pen over her notebook. Her man? God, when did she go from career to helping her man with his career? What kind of woman did that make her?



Jamming her notebook back into her bag she felt a twinge between her shoulders. Frowning, she turned and saw nothing. Why the hell did she have the heebie jeebies? She rubbed her arms. Where the hell was Jon?



“Hey, Katy…Jon told me to give you this,” David came in with a laminate.



“Shit!” she pressed her hand against her chest. “You scared the fuck out of me!”



He flipped his wild mane of hair back. “It’s the hair,” he waggled his eyebrows.



“You’re not entirely wrong there, Dave.”



“Girls love it!” He laughed and dangled the laminate. “Richie’s got Elena’s. They’re putting you in the first row, my side.”



Kate sighed. “Jon’s stuck huh?”



David had the good grace to look sheepish. “Sorry, Katy…Doc’s got him. He’ll be lucky to change into stage clothes for this show. Since we’re off for two weeks he’s squeezing all that he can out of him.”



“You guys have no dates or things going on for the two weeks off?”



“No fucking way!” he said heatedly. “Um, sorry.” He blushed. “We need the time off, man. We threatened to walk if Doc didn’t give us a little time to relax.”



“Good for you,” she said and twirled the ring on her thumb. The Hampton’s house was looking better and better. As he looked down at her expectantly, she smiled. “Thanks, Dave. I’ll get to my seat okay, don’t you worry.”



“You sure?”



“Positive.” She grinned up at him. “Nice jacket.”



“Shut up, Kate.” He headed back to the door. “Now I don’t feel bad.”



“Bye David! I’ll blow you kisses from the front row.” His laughter was his only answer as he headed to meet up with the rest of the band.



“Looks like it’s just me and Elena for this show.”

~



She sure had long smooth legs. He ducked back into the hallway when she’d turned, but not before he got a look at her all curled up in the couch. The whore had a skirt on. She was practically flashing her ass at him.



It was only right that he got a look.



He just wished it was a feel. That porcelain skin was probably as cool to the touch it looked. She was the ice princess. Jon treated her like a fucking princess anyway. That cold, superior look she gave everyone when he’d introduced her. Some doctor. She probably thought she was smarter than all of them, the prince included.



Well, it didn’t much matter how smart they were. The cold ones screamed just as loud as the rest. The smart ones were the best to break.