Chapter 146

She wandered along with him, her head lifting as the salt air brushed away the days of house hunting cobwebs. She couldn’t stop the smiles as the early spring beach bunnies were playing at the edge of water, her eyes stopping on the kids building a sand castle. It was perfect really, so un-rockstar a location that hopefully they'd have a bit of peace when not on the road. "Jon and Katy will be shocked. You a land owner? Kinda figured Mop Top as the homeowner type, but.." She paused a moment then laughed, "Figured you and me would be apartment dwellers forever."



He looked down at her. "Hell no, woman. I need my space and my ocean." He hugged her closer. "One of those crazy things you'll get to know about me."



Her shoulder lifted in a tiny shrug. "Never said it wouldn't be an apartment by the beach love." She glanced up as the boardwalk and town came into view. "Well towns close enough."



He shielded his eyes. A small pier was heavy with foot traffic. "I'd say walk, but hell...that takes too long." He grinned. "C'mon, let's take a drive. Explore a little."



Which of course meant walking back to the house, which was ok by her she needed her shoes to do any walking at all. "Lead the way stud." She laughed as he scooped her up and went willy nilly down the beach, his eyes nearly shining as he memorized what would be home-base for him now. "You know, one day they're gonna figure out you're nuts."



"Nah," he said. "I'm very good at making all doctors laugh. They can't seem to sign the papers for that final padlock on the padded room." He growled and nibbled on her neck. "Mwahhahahha."



Chill bumps raced along her skin at the simple nibble, her eyes closing as she took a sharp breath. Damn if she wouldn't just have at him right here. Blessed man could make her forget everything with the simplest of moves. "So town?"



He climbed the steps of the simple deck. Hmm...there'd need to be work there. He tended to use the deck as a place to relax and there wasn't nearly enough cushy spots or a barbecue that could provide the kind of cooking he did at parties. He set her down. "Yeah, let's just see if I lit enough of a fire under Randy's ass."



She reached up to brush a stray lock of his hair from his face. "You just do that." Leaning her head back she sighed at the feel of the sun against her skin. "I’ll just sit here and relax."



He leaned down and brushed her cheek with a kiss. He wandered the house a bit until he heard Randy's booming voice. Yeah he was probably making all sorts of promises to his boss for this commission.



His hand slid along the aged wood of the banister, the silky feel of it yelling of someone who loved the house prior and kept it up. He couldn't believe he'd finally found the house. All the others had been lovely, but this one was a fit. Sort of like his wife. Unexpected and perfect.



He turned as Randy hung up. "How'd we do?"



"Good, took some wrangling but I think we should be able to seal the deal in about eight days. It's too close to the weekend to get it done this week."



Richie nodded. He'd been willing to give him 10 days, but that was better. He held out his hand. "I knew I could count on you, man."



Randy clasped his other hand over Richie's. "You guys are in a hurry to get planted. Hell, I didn't even know you were married, man."



He smiled. "It's a crazy world, but we fit and this house fits. I'm living a charmed life, my brotha. Keep it charming and find me a decorator to work with Elena and I'll have you so busy you won't know what to do with yourself or your bankroll."



Randy's eyes widened. Hell, Richie could see dollar signs floating where his eyeballs should be. Laughing he slapped his arm. "I knew I could count on you."



"Absolutely!" Randy handed him a few papers. "Here's some paperwork you can start filling out. Let me know what bank you're going to use and fax it over."



"Sounds great." He smiled, shaking his hand again. "Thanks. We really love it. Elena!" He shouted over his shoulder. "Let's head out, babe!"



She jerked straight, blinking against the sun that had lulled her nearly to sleep. Pushing off the chair she wandered in and picked up her shoes and his before moving to Richie. "I'm ready when you are."



He smoothed his hand over her windblown hair. Her eyes had that sleepy, hooded look. "Do you want to just head home?"



She tilted her head into the palm of his hand, rubbing her cheek against his skin there for a moment. "Naah, I’m ok, the sun always makes me drowsy. How'd the paper work go? Do we furniture shop?"



Laughing he leaned down for a kiss. "Randy's going to get you in touch with one of the designers so you don't need to go to a store, just pick it out of a catalogue. You'll finally have something to do while we're touring." He waggled his eyebrows. "Now the bed...that we shop for."



"Naturally." Of course he'd want to bed shop, the bigger the better would be his motto on beds. "You really want to just pick stuff out of a catalogue huh?"



He blinked. "Well, we can shop if you want. I just figured you were getting bored with this stuff."



Her fingers walked up the expanse of chest showing through his shirt. "A home is a place you put together yourself. If someone else does all the choosing then its their place not ours. I was bored with the house shopping, but picking out the things that go into OUR home? Lets do it together ok Pony? Please?"



He hauled her in. God, what'd he done to deserve her? "That sounds like a plan."



She pressed a kiss to his lips, a bright smile whispering onto her lips. "Lots of gauzy curtains and bright colors, well the ones you can see anyhows, lots of pillows and that patio.. " She let go finally and let it fly, "Patio's gotta be bigger, we can't entertain on that small one."



"Just what I was thinking," he said. "Well, about the patio. You can do the pillows and fluffy stuff. Just gotta make sure we have a kick ass grill."



She laced her fingers into his and started to grin. "YOU pick out the stereo, cuz I know, I know, it’s gotta be the biggest loudest thing we own, well except for those stage clothes of yours."



"Stereo we already have. I designed the components with Lumpy." He waggled his eyebrows. "I can let the entire beach hear the Beatles in their entirety."



She muttered as he opened the car door for her, "Better be a bit of Clapton too, or even some OTHER guitarist who might remain nameless."



"What? You think I blare my own shit? Nah, I hear more than enough of it on tour darlin' I don't listen to a note of Jovi on the off hours unless I bump into a song on the radio."



Her eyes widened as a little tidbit of info Dave had fed her worked its way into the moment. "What? No, baby I was talking about Sabo. He offered to record a few instrumentals for me once or so I was told that is." She glanced off as he pulled into a parking slot in town. "He plays a mean guitar ya know."



Richie's eyebrow arched. "Sabo? He couldn't find a G chord if he tied his finger to it."



She opened the car door, the furniture store in front of her calling her name, "Naaah you’re not jealous , not my Pony right?" She laughed quickly a twinkle in her eye. "Just teasing ya babe, seriously if I want instrumental I'll set a cassette recorder in front of you when you're off in composing land."



He followed her in the store, his fingers knotting in her belt loops as he dragged her back into the front of his jeans. "Darlin', I got nuttin' to be jealous about. Snake's only called snake because he slithers." He nuzzled her neck. "Just wait until you see how inspired I get on the all around at the beach."



She snorted as her fingers traced over the nubby fabric of a couch. She could well imagine what kind of inspiration would hit him at a beach, and not all of it would be musical. She pressed back against him slightly, her hips doing a gentle bump, grind and wiggle. "Yeah I just bet its all musical too right?"



"Well I have heard you sing a time or two." He tugged her to the back of the store. "C'mon, let's check out your choir station."



She watched as he strolled through the beds, literally flopping down on each mattress as he went past. Queens were too small, Kings too it seemed, but when he found the California king he sprawled out comfortably. She walked over her palm sliding over the smooth texture of the shiny wood. "Find one you liked there Big boy?"



"I like my bed to be the size of a small lake." He smiled up at her. "More space to chase you around in."



She perched on the side of the bed and laughed. "I'll have to remember to let you chase me a bit then."



He rolled onto his side. "So, are you really happy with the house? Or are you just humoring me?"



She tilted her head as a hand reached out to brush over his hair. "Baby, you could move me into a trailer, or hell a shack and I'd be happy. The house is perfect, its ... well when ya know you know right?"



"Well, if I wanted to live in a trailer I never would have signed up with Jonny." He laughed and rolled off the bed. "It's hard work and I want somewhere nice to come home to. I want someplace nice to build a home with you."



She leaned in and pressed a kiss to that full lower lip that drove her nuts. "I love it Richard ok? Its beautiful. Hell its homey without furnishings, just imagine when we get done with it."



"Each room will have to be carefully," he kissed her, "christened."



She laughed as he pulled her into him and onto the bed. "Richie, its a store!' 
She glanced around laughing, not seeing a soul anywhere near. Sneaky son of a gun, always managed to find a way to make her nuts in the weirdest of places, probably one of the reasons she loved him so much. "You’re incorrigible."



He rolled her under him. "What? Like they haven't seen two teenagers fooling around on the beds." He lifted himself just a few inches. "Of course, I'm far more inventive than a teen."



Her hands slid up into his hair as the place literally vanished from her thoughts, her entire being centering in on the one looming above her. "Oh I know that, not something I'm liable to forget any time soon." One slender leg slid up to brush against his side as she grinned. "Lots more fun than a virgin for sure."



He leaned down, nuzzling her neck then earlobe. "Darlin', I thought you loved me as a virgin."



She shivered at the pure force of his essence, a grin slipping onto her lips. "Adored it really I did,"



He raised his hands so they were over her head, resting on his forearms, covering her completely. "I guess I'll have to go with sex god next time."



She bit her lip to hold back the laugh, "You do sex god all the time darlin." God and he did too, he defined the term really, from the long length of him to his soulful brown eyes and beyond. "I think you’re in Webster’s under that word."



"Now that's what I like to hear." He played with her hair, fanning it out so that it teased his hands and arms. "Of course you're name's under tease." He groaned as she wiggled closer. "Yup, definitely tease."



She winked up at him, her hands moving to slide under his shirt, her eyes heating to a golden brown. "I sorta like teasing you, " Her head moved suddenly as the tip of her tongue flashed along his chest. "I think I like this bed."



"Good, I'm glad. I'll start the paperwork," came a voice beside them.



A blush covered her cheeks as she looked up at the salesman, her lashes fluttering as she winked up at him. "Hard to resist the man, really."



"Good thing the springs have a ten year warranty then." he said with a completely straight face.



She managed a winning smile and slightly pushed at Richie. "Pay the man honey."



Richie shrugged and climbed off. "Newleyweds," he said simply.



"I understand," the salesman said gracefully. "I have an amazing sale going on. Follow me."