Chapter 60

Their laughter rang out across the terrace. Dinner had been a feast of the guys' favorite take out and Cilla had been regaled with stories of their antics on the road the last few weeks; pranks that had fallen flat; jokes that had gone awry, anything to stave off the boredom of the monotonous schedule they followed day after day. Cilla was amazed that they were sharing themselves like this with her, but as she looked around the table, they seemed to be totally at ease with her there.

“So Cilla” Dave began, trying to get the conversation back on track before they forgot themselves entirely and said something one of them would regret. “I saw the pink box Jon carried in when you got here, what special treats did you bring us tonight?”

Richie grabbed her hand and turned pleading brown eyes on her, “cannoli, please tell me you brought me a cannoli.”

Cilla looked over at Jon, “subtlety is not their strong suit, is it?”

There was just a hint of a smile on his lips as he shook his head, “not in the slightest.”

She laughed and stood, gathered the garbage and headed in to the kitchen. After dumping the garbage, she leaned against the counter, rolling her shoulders and neck, closing her eyes for just a brief moment. She didn't want to disappoint Jon, but God she just wanted her bed, his bed, at this point, even the floor was starting to look pretty good. She was just pushing herself upright when Jon walked in.

“You okay Sweets?” Jon knew she was tired, she was valiantly trying to hide it, but he had seen the signs earlier. He just wanted to hear her say it.

She rolled her shoulders one last time before turning to face him. “I’m fine. What did you do with my things? I need my bag.” She got the pink box from the refrigerator and grabbed the coffee pot as Jon came back with her bag. She started for the door when he stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“If you’re too tired we don’t have to do this tonight.”

She shook her head, “it’s all right Jon; I’m fine, really. Let’s take this stuff out and show your friends what’s what.”

He stepped in front of her before she could take a step, “will you do one thing for me at least?”

She looked up into his face, his blue eyes full of concern. “What?”

He set her bag down and took the coffee and box from her, setting them on the table before he took her hands in his, “will you stay here tonight, please?”

She started to shake her head, “I don’t have anything with me for tomorrow Jon. I can’t.”

Letting go of her hands he took a step toward the door to the terrace, “don’t move” he told her as he disappeared. She heard muffled voices as she waited, rooted to her spot trying to imagine what he had up his sleeve now.

The sound of male laughter followed Jon back to the kitchen. He stood and watched her for just a moment. Her eyes were closed and she had unwound her hair. She shook it out, sending her sweet floral scent across the room to him. The scent he had missed for three long weeks, the scent he hadn’t gotten nearly enough of before she had left him asleep in her bed that morning.

Cilla opened her eyes in time to see him stride across the tiled floor to her. He cupped her face with his hands before sliding his fingers into her hair. Tilting her head up his lips found hers in a hungry kiss. “Come with me,” he mumbled against her mouth.

Cilla gripped his wrists with her hands as she struggled to catch her breath. “Where?” Right now, she’d go to the ends of the earth with him if he asked. He kissed her again before stepping back slightly. Taking her hand in his he led her up the stairs and down the hall to his room. There on his bed she noticed a La Perla bag and a Barney’s bag. She glanced over at Jon, “you buy your underwear at La Perla?”

Jon shook his head laughed “You’re real funny, Sweets. That’s for you. So is Barney’s.”

She moved tentatively toward the bed. He had shopped for her. Other than the odd item from Sid, she’d never had anyone shop for her before. Opening the Barney’s bag she found a pair of black pants, much like the ones she wore for work. There was also a cami in a deep rich burgundy.

Reaching for the La Perla bag she swallowed, she was so not La Perla worthy. Victoria’s Secret maybe, but she was definitely not high-class enough for La Perla. She looked at Jon, “I’m almost afraid to look. I’ve never even set foot in this store.”

He took the bag from her, “its just underwear babe, nothing to be afraid of.” He flipped the bag over, letting the tissue paper wrapped items fall to the bed. Under the pretty paper she found a bra and tiny panties in the same burgundy as the cami and a pretty little slip of a nightie in the palest pink silk.

Turning to Jon she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Thank you.”

He kissed her back, “will you stay?”

She kissed him again, “yes.” He picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist as he turned and sat on the bed.

“Good,” he said as mouth found hers again.

Their kisses grew fiery, urgent. Jon fell back on the bed, taking her with him. Pushing at her hair his hands roamed over her, sliding down her back, cupping her ass as he pressed up against her. Sitting up she rolled her hips against him, watching as his eyes went dark and hot. When she felt his hands tugging at her shirt she stopped him. “Jonny.”

His hands kept moving even as he answered her. “What?”

She lost all thought when he flicked open the front catch of her bra and her breasts spilled into his hands. Her head dropped back as he rubbed his thumbs back and forth across the sensitive tips. “Oh God, Jonny” she whispered. It had been a long 21 days since they had been together, since she had felt his hands on her, since she had put her hands on him.

He rolled her under him, the bags and tissue paper crackling as they rolled over them. Again he pushed at her shirt, tugging it up and off as his mouth fastened itself to one taut nipple. Her hands fisted in his hair and her back arched up as her release raced through her. “Jonny” she breathed as he moved to give the other breast the same treatment. “Jonny, wait.” She tried to push him up.

“What?” He looked up at her, his eyes hazy and dark.

“What about Richie and David?”

His face went totally blank. “You want David and Richie here, now?”

She slid her hands up his sides, “no you goof, we left them out on the terrace, remember?” He dipped his head to lick at her breast, “I know. I told them we needed a few minutes.”

He felt her hands fall away from him and he looked up to see the mortification in her eyes. “Stop, Cil. It’s okay. I told them that you were tired and needed to hit the sheets. They think you’re going to sleep.” He glanced over at the clock, “although considering how long I’ve been gone, they probably know what we’re doing now.”

She poked him in the ribs, “I can’t believe you did that.”

He dipped his head to taste her again, “I need you Sweets and you need some sleep. This seemed like the best solution all around.”

When he sucked her nipple into his mouth again, she couldn’t find any reason to argue with him either.