Chapter 32

Richie paced his suite, still mad as hell, and not quite sure why.  Restless and thirsty, he opened the minibar and scanned the contents.  There was an assortment of liquor hiding in there, and a little bottle of SKYY vodka beckoned to him.  He knew he shouldn’t, but it wasn’t like there was enough there to get drunk with.

Fuck it.

Cracking open the seal, he poured a shot in a glass and threw it back, feeling the burn all the way down the back of his throat.  Something, anything, to stop his mind from spinning.  He collapsed onto the sofa, bottle in one hand, glass in the other.

A fucking virgin?  Who the hell is a virgin at her age?  And why the fuck didn’t she tell me?  ‘Would you be here if I had?’  she says.  Not only no, but HELL no!    

He poured another shot, the second and last from the tiny bottle.  Gulping it down, he could feel the burn in his belly.

What woman keeps herself intact for that many years and blows it all on a one-night stand?  No woman, that’s who!  What the fuck have I done?  Jon thinks she’s screwed every available man on the tour.  Richie snorted.  Nope, old buddy, just your best friend.  The one you trusted to watch out for her.

The alcohol slowly seeped its way into his bloodstream, creating a warm sensation in his limbs. One more would be perfect.  He got back up and scrounged around in the minibar again.  Ah!  There was a bottle of Jameson.  He broke the seal on it and poured half into his glass before reclaiming his position on the sofa.

I’m a goddamn idiot.  I knew there was something unusual about her, but I didn’t pursue it.  That innocent look she’d have on her face sometimes.  You’d think after fifty fucking years I’d have some type of sixth sense about these things. 

The second half of the Jameson went down smoother than the first.  He might regret this later, but for now, he had started to think rationally again as the booze dulled his senses.  He was able to revisit the scene in his mind now without his heart seizing in his chest. 

That wasn’t me.  I never let anger take me over like that.  I can always control it – usually don’t have to control it.  What the hell happened?

After a time, Richie finally acknowledged that it wasn’t any single thing that had set him off.  Not really anyway.  It had all been a domino effect.

Obviously, he was mad that she hadn’t warned him.  But she was right about me not being there if I’d known.  It was a difficult enough choice when I thought she was experienced.  Throwing the v-card out there would’ve been a deal breaker.

He was mad at himself for making what he thought was an irresponsible decision.  My dick got in the way of my common sense.  Jon and Tico were sitting on my shoulder bitching and screaming at me for a reason, and I just ignored it.  

He was mad that it was his best sexual encounter in… forever.  She shattered at my hand, reacting in spades to my every touch and word.   Knowing what I’ve done should have me shriveled up tighter than one of those arctic swimmers, but no, I can remember her hair fanned out over that pillow and I’m hard enough to cut diamonds. 

He was mad at not knowing what tomorrow was going to bring.  We’re going to be thrown together every day for as long as she’s on the road with the band.  Can I act as though everything is normal?  Can I look at her without feeling guilt?  Or shame?  Or – Jesus – possessive? 

And the thing that upset him, more than any other, was the way she had shortchanged herself.   It should have been a cherished, tender moment in her life.  Instead she ended up with a down and dirty fuck, courtesy of the King of Swing.  Beautiful, just beautiful. 

He’d been her first.  Yeah, he’d popped a cherry or two in his day, but that was when he was a kid and his partner was too.  Allegra was a grown woman who’d saved herself for…  what?  Him?  He couldn’t imagine that to be true.  She hadn’t even known who he was two weeks ago.

But if not him, then what?  Did she just wake up one morning and decide that, after all those years of chastity, that she wanted to do the deed?  See what all the hype was about?  And how had she made it this long?  Allegra was a beautiful woman.  She had to have had opportunities.  Something just didn’t feel right.  There was more to this story, and he needed to know what it was so that he could get his head on straight.

Richie looked at the clock and was surprised to find it almost six in the morning.  He kicked off his shoes, feeling as though he’d finally settled down enough to grab a couple hours sleep.   Stretching out on the couch, he resolved that when he got up he’d go talk to her – like he should’ve done to start with. 

♪♪♪♪

Allegra hugged Jon tight, and felt his arms gripping around her back.  “Jonny, thank you so much for everything.  I know it was hard dealing with me, but now you know what your crew goes through every day.” She just couldn’t resist giving him a hard time – he was so easy.

It was six in the morning, and they were at SeaTac’s private plane hangar, where Jon was sending them off in Jovi Jet.  Stephanie and Jesse had already climbed aboard so they could get back to sleep, and Dot stood beside her.

Jon laughed at her comment, and teased her right back.  “If I’m anything like you, I may have to give them all raises.”

“Call the accountant and get your checkbook ready then.”

Jon lightly smacked her backside with his open palm. “Brat!  Now get on the plane and don’t raise any hell between here and home.  My kids are impressionable, you know.”

She rolled her eyes and snorted in disbelief.  “Yeah right!  You should worry about Stephanie corrupting me, dear cousin.”

“Oh for God’s sake…  Can we get this show on the road?  I have two other children and a dog show to get home for,” Dot reminded them.

One more round of hugs was exchanged, with Allegra promising to stay in touch, and take in some of the east coast shows.  He stood at the foot of the staircase and watched the women board the plane with a final wave of his hand as the door was pulled closed.

Both women busied themselves settling in for the six hour flight, placing bags in overhead bins and grabbing their preferred electronic devices.  Allegra was going to spend some quality time with the songs on her iPhone, while Dot was a devout Kindle woman.  There was a new book she was dying to get into.

Once they were in the air, Allegra relaxed against the headrest of her seat to try and catch a nap.  She hadn’t slept after Richie left.   Between packing and the memories of their time together, sleep had fallen by the wayside.  Her eyes were closed and she was about to put her earphones in, when Dorothea spoke.

“You look tired.  Are you okay?” 

“Mm hmm.”   Allegra didn’t bother opening her eyes. 

“Did Richie come and see you?”

Allegra turned her head and opened one eye curiously.  “What would make you think to ask that?”

“Oh, I may have given him a little encouragement.”  She grinned slyly, secretly pleased that her teeny tiny interference may have paid off.

Both of Allegra’s eyes were open now, and Dot had her full attention.   “What does that mean?”

“Oh, at the party last night, he was just standing there looking at the crowd – obviously looking for someone.  So I told him where you were.  He played dumb and pretended like he didn’t know what I was talking about, so I didn’t know if he would actually use the information or not.”

“He did.” Her voice and face were expressionless, and she looked out the window at the dark sky surrounding them. 

Concerned, Dorothea lightly touched her arm, thinking maybe it was a little too soon to be pleased with herself.  “You don’t seem very happy about it.  Do you want to talk?”

“What’s not to be happy about?  I got exactly what I asked for,” she told her with a half-hearted smile.

“Oh.  Well, the first time isn’t always the best experience, hon.  It does get better.”

Laughing, Allegra exclaimed, “Lord have mercy, if it gets better than that, I may not live through it!”

Eyebrows flew up with interest, and Dot gestured for her to go on.

 “What can I say?  He knew just how to touch me and what to say.   It was pretty amazing.”  A shiver went up her spine as she remembered his hands on her, and the feel of his breath in her ear.  “Best sex I’ve ever had,” she said cheekily. 

“Okay, so if the main event was good, then what else happened that’s got you looking like somebody kicked your dog?”

Searching her mind for the right words, Allegra finally settled for, “Let’s just say he was less than impressed when he discovered my rookie status.  He yelled at me, we argued – big surprise, I know -  and then he stormed out of my room.  That was the last I saw of him.”

“Richie yelled at you?”  The shock on Dot’s face couldn’t have been any plainer.  “I can’t believe that.  He never raises his voice.  I tell him all the time that he’s got the patience of a saint.  I mean, look at how long he’s put up with Jon.”

With a rueful shake of her head, Allegra reaffirmed, “He definitely yelled – more than once.”  After a brief hesitation, she relayed the details of the argument.

“He feels guilty, honey.  I keep telling you that he’s a good guy.   He has the womanizer reputation, but I think he’s a romantic at heart.   He probably has this misguided notion that he’s let Jon down and that you should have had this beautiful fairytale moment that you didn’t get.”

“Well, that’s just ridiculous.”

“It might be, but I bet it’s true just the same.”  Dot looked into her eyes asked solemnly, “Okay, bottom line, Allegra.  What do you want to come of this?  Did you get what you needed and now it’s done, or do you want something more?”

She hadn’t let herself think past the moment, so she considered Dot’s questions carefully.  “I didn’t allow myself to have any expectations, so I honestly don’t know what I want out of this, if anything.”  She twirled her headphones restlessly in her hand.  “But I do know that I hate the thought of him being angry with me, and that I’m going to miss him.  I’ve enjoyed our time together.” 

“Then don’t you think it’s time that you actually talked to him?  Even if you don’t want anything more than friendship, doesn’t he deserve the chance to know all of you?”

Allegra sighed and looked out the window, watching as the sunrise began to light the eastern sky.  “Maybe you’re right,” she admitted softly. 

♪♪♪♪

Richie knocked at Allegra’s door for the third time.  It was only nine o’clock.  Surely she hadn’t gone out already? 

A door closed just down the hall, and Richie turned to see Jon, dressed for the gym. 

Shit.

“Hey man, what the hell are you doing up so early?”

“I was just coming to find Allegra and apologize for cutting out early last night.”  That much was true, and Jon didn’t need to know that it happened twice.

“She’s already gone,” he said, breaking the seal on his bottle of water.

“Yeah?  Where to?”

“Back home.  She left with Dot and the kids a couple of hours ago.”

Richie’s stomach churned as he absorbed the meaning of Jon’s words.  “When did that come about?  I hadn’t heard anything about it.”

“A couple days ago.  She told me she turned down your job offer, and proceeded to turn mine down too.”  He swallowed a gulp of the water.  “She didn’t tell you?   I tried to get her to stay, but she said she was going to home to find something that would suit her better.”

Fuck no, she didn’t tell me.  Just add that one to the list.

“Nah, man, she didn’t mention it.  Could you give me her number, so I can still apologize?” 

“Yeah, sure.”  Both men pulled out their phones, and Jon dictated the number for Richie to enter in his contact list.  Task accomplished, Jon checked the time.  “Okay, I’m going down to the gym, while I still have time.  Catch ya later.”

“Later.”

Richie moved down the hall to his suite and Jon pushed the button that would call the elevator, sending a quick text while he waited. 

Gave Rich your #.  Hope that’s ok.

Thirty-One

She unlatched the deadbolt and pulled the door halfway open, staring belligerently into Richie’s face.   “What do you want?”

He drank in her appearance, starting at her toes, traveling up her bare legs and over that same teddy bear t-shirt from the first night.  God, please let there be pink cotton panties under that shirt.  Richie searched her eyes for any sign of welcome, but so far it wasn’t looking good.

“You.” 

Her heart stopped beating in her chest for a breath.  There’s no way she would let him know how much he’d hurt her last night.  Lifting her chin, Allegra asked, “Couldn’t find anyone else tonight and decided to indulge in a pity screw?”

The palm of his hand made a small thump on the door as he pushed it more fully open.  He slowly advanced on her, forcing her into the room, while watching for any sign of fear.  The door slammed closed behind him. 

Taking her hand in his, he placed it on his crotch, where his arousal was already evident.  The touch caused his dick to jump in excitement.  “Does that feel remotely pitiful to you?”

She sucked in a quick breath and looked at his face, leaving her hand cupped around the impressive bulge.  

“Mm hm.  And that’s just from seeing you in that damn teddy bear nightshirt. I may not have shown up last night, but it damn sure wasn’t because I didn’t want you.”

At the mention of last night, she did pull her hand away and crossed her arms over her chest, taking a step backward.  Well, she’d wanted him too and didn’t get him. “Then why?”

“Why?  I would think it’s obvious.  How many times have you heard Jon tell David to step off because you’re family?  And then Tico had to put in his two cents worth, all but threatening me to stay away from you.”  One step forward ate up the space she’d created, and he touched her cheek with his fingertips.    “They’re my best friends and I value their opinions, but I can’t get you out of my head.”

She drew back to break the contact, still not willing to cave that easily.  “So now you think you can just waltz in here – after essentially throwing that room key in my face – and expect to get laid?”

One shoulder lifted in a slight shrug.  “It’s your birthday present, Sunshine.  You’re the one who asked for it.”  He slowly advanced on her once again, pushing her backward into the wall without a touch.

She almost got lost in the determination shining from his eyes, but she drew on her pride to keep him at bay.   “I asked for it last night.  It’s not my birthday anymore.”  A quick glance at the clock confirmed that it was after midnight.

“Maybe here it’s not...” He brushed the silky strands of hair behind her ear.  “But it is in Hawaii…”  He leaned forward to press his lips against the exposed skin.  “Where all this started.”

Her knees buckled and she damned her pride.  Wasn’t this what she’d wanted for days?  Had actively fantasized about since the morning he brought his guitar to the beach?  It was pointless to punish him, when she would be the one suffering.

“Who can argue with that logic?” she whispered.

Richie growled deep in his throat and moved to claim her mouth, reveling in the wave of desire that crashed over him.  He didn’t have to fight it this time.  He would indulge and satisfy them both – finally.

She sighed at the feel of those pillowy lips on hers.  Her mouth opened enough to draw a breath, and he took it as invitation to taste her, sliding his tongue past her lips to drink her in.    

“Jesus, you taste like pure sunshine, all fresh and warm and sweet,” he rasped as his hands sought out the hem of her gown.  “I wonder if your pussy tastes just as sweet.”

Those traitorous knees of hers buckled again at his words, drawing a sexy chuckle from him. Holding her upright, he whispered in her ear, “You like a little dirty talk, do you?”

His hands pushed under the shirt to find a soft cotton pair of panties on her rounded bottom, and the curiosity was killing him.  Ducking his head down, he felt victorious when spied the pale pink he’d been dreaming about.  “These fucking panties have haunted me for days.  Pink as cotton candy.”

 His knee pushed its way between hers, nudging her legs apart to access what those panties covered.  Fingers unerringly slipped under the edge of the elastic, finding their target and another surprise.  A guttural moan was ripped from them both when he made contact with her smoothly waxed skin and rubbed against her slippery folds.  “I know it’s too fast, but I can’t wait to have my face in there, Sunshine.”  He scooped her up, crossing to the bed and dropping her to her back on the soft mattress. 

He swept her panties down and shirt up, momentarily distracted by the sight of her totally nude body.  Heavy breasts swayed and jiggled just like they were supposed to – no silicone enhancement here.  That little patch of hair nestled next to her exposed womanhood drew him like a magnet. 

But first…

The ink on her hip begged for his attention, and he pressed an open mouth kiss to it.  He languidly traced his tongue along the wings of the dove and felt her shiver at the sensation.  “It looks good, baby.  So pretty.”

He trailed more wet kisses across her lower abdomen, moving toward the temptation glistening between her thighs. 

“No,” she finally spoke, sitting up slightly. 

His head rose, and heavy lidded eyes met hers in confusion.  “What?”

“Take your shirt off.  I want to be able to see your tattoos.” 

Damn if he didn’t like the sound of that. 

He gave her a dimpled grin, and she thought she might die, he was so beautiful. 

“Yes ma’am,” he complied, stripping his black tee and tossing it, taking an extra second to remove his shoes and socks. 

Allegra took in his broad, heavily muscled chest and the toned biceps that housed his tattoos.  He looked so incredibly masculine in nothing but a pair of black jeans, bare feet peeking out from the hem. 

She scrambled to her knees, the need to feel his hard body against hers taking priority over anything else.  Her hands restlessly stroked their way up his chest, grazing his nipples before crawling around to clasp at the back of his neck.  She caught his perfect lips in a clinging kiss and pressed her breasts into his chest.  The lightly haired surface teased her nipples to attention and she couldn’t help but whimper in response.  “Mm...”

Richie clinched his arms around her back and hauled her closer.  His hands went down to cup the soft flesh of her backside, grinding his erection into her belly.  He spoke softly and guided her back into the mattress.  “Come on, Sunshine.  Lie back and let me please you,”

She did as he requested, tentatively opening herself to him.  Allegra shivered as Richie settled himself in between her thighs, gently blowing on the skin that was damp from her arousal.  Her folds opened to him and he rubbed his thumb along her smooth mound and lips, reveling in the silkiness until he couldn’t hold back any longer.

Cheeks flushed and panting lightly, she watched as he slid his shoulders up under her legs, bringing her level with his mouth.  Seeing his dark head between her thighs and flashes of his tattoos rippling with movement was better than her wildest fantasies. She dropped her head back in ecstasy before he ever touched her.

Finally – sweet Jesus, finally – he levered forward for his first sip of her.

 Allegra hissed and arched her back at the touch.  She had nothing to compare the sensation to.  His tongue was firm, yet soft like velvet.  Hot, yet cool as the air touched her moisture.  She involuntarily writhed, pressing herself closer to him.

Holding her hips firmly, he began to lave her, first with broad flat strokes, as though shaping an ice cream cone.  Next were the gentle teasing flicks, just sampling her taste from each crevice and plane.  He sighed with contentment as his appetite was sated by her flavor. 

“Your pussy does taste just as sweet as your mouth, but it’s so hot that I’m aching to have my cock buried inside.” 

Her hips bucked in reaction, and he laughed gently.  “I’ve found your weakness, baby.” 

He leaned back in to kiss her feminine lips, teasing them apart with his tongue until he could reach in and lightly nip at the slippery little knot of nerve endings.   The sensation caused her to jerk again in reaction, and hum with pleasure.

Encouraged by her response, he began to suck firmly on her – once, twice, three times before she pulled away.  “No!”

He raised his head, eyes glassy with passion. “Now what?” he asked, his hands caressing her thighs, reluctant to let the momentum fade.

“I don’t want it to be over yet.”  She said breathlessly.

 “Sunshine, I promise we’re nowhere near done,” he assured her, thumb stroking the soft tissue his mouth had abandoned.  “Just relax and let me make you come until it’s all you can do to breathe.”

Oh my God, he’s going to kill me talking that way.  Her skin grew hot as she burned from the inside out.

 He dragged her back to him and dipped his tongue into the source of her wetness, moaning in appreciation as he drew her essence throughout her folds.   

The effect of his words combined with the rasping of his tongue was all she could handle.

“Oh, oh, ohhhhhh!”

Richie heard her cry out and felt her thighs tighten around him as she spasmed in release.

She hadn’t finished convulsing when he slid a finger inside her.  “Christ you’re tight,”  he breathed, working first one finger in, then another.  He stroked her slowly at first, willing her body to relax.  Unable to resist another taste, he nuzzled her softness once more, lapping up the extra moisture he’d just coaxed out of her.

Allegra reached for him, urging him upward and reaching for his belt.  “You have too many clothes on.”

He wholeheartedly agreed, and watched her fumble with the belt, button and zipper before gently pushing her hands out of the way to rid himself of the offending garments.  He watched her eyes go round with surprise, then dark with desire as she looked at the prize he had uncovered.

 “Like what you see?” he asked when she continued to stare as though she’d never seen a naked man.

She’d never seen a naked man before, except in artwork, but Richie qualified as a piece of art.  His erection stood proud and full, begging for her touch.  Her hand was tentative in its first stroke along his length.  “You’re so big.  I didn’t realize…”

His breath hitched at her gentle touch.  Her soft hand felt so good against his aching hard-on, and he arched into it. 

She grew a little bolder, wrapping her fingers around him, gliding her hand up and down his shaft.  There was a little pearlescent drop at his tip that caught her eye.  She knelt forward and touched the end of her tongue to it, sampling the salty liquid. 

The bed shifted and Allegra was startled to find herself on her back once again. 

“No, no baby.  That’s not the way this is going to play out,” he growled.  His deft fingers slid back between her legs, and into her core, rapidly stroking her back into a writhing frenzy.   “You’re going to come for me one more time, just... like… this.”  He hooked his finger forward, rubbing deliberately against her g-spot until she convulsed, bowing up off the bed with a cry.

“Richieee!”

He licked his fingers and continued talking as though nothing happened, “And then I’ll bury myself to the hilt and fuck you into next week.”  His hands were unwrapping the condom as he spoke.  Pausing at her entrance, he drank in her long dark hair spread across the pillow, the flush that covered her face and chest, the combination of satisfaction and desire in her eyes. 

Motherfucker, she’s gorgeous.

Allegra tensed feeling him prepare to enter her, unsure what to expect.

“Relax, Sunshine.  I won’t hurt you.”  He whispered, circling her little button of pleasure with his thumb.  “I’m gonna make your pussy feel so good.”

As he’d guessed, her hips reflexively jerked, and he began to ease in.  He’d barely submerged his head in her when he felt the resistance.  His eyes flew to Allegra’s face. 

Her lids were squeezed shut, but her legs wrapped tightly around him and she pressed her hips forward to breach the barrier.  He knew he shouldn’t be doing this, but her breathy “Fuck me, Richie,” stole any notion of stopping from his mind.  His hormones went into overdrive, and with a deep grunt, he gripped her hips and pumped over and over until she exploded, taking him with her.

Two gulping breaths later, he rolled off of her to the edge of the bed, putting both feet on the floor.  “You were a virgin.  Why didn’t you tell me?”  he demanded.

She stared at the ceiling, trying to make her brain decipher his words.  The man had turned it into mush.  “Can you give me two seconds before we do this?”  she asked, closing her eyes  and relishing the things her body had just experienced.

He rose and went to dispose of the condom.  Returning, he stepped into his jeans and underwear without looking at her.  “Two seconds up yet?”

God, she dreaded this.  She’d never thought past the actual sex part of this encounter.  Reaching for her nightshirt, she dropped it over her head to act as a thin piece of cotton armor.  Moving to stand on the opposite side of the bed from him, she sighed.  “Okay, you wanna know why I didn’t tell you.  Would you be here if I had?”

“No!”  He snatched up his shirt, jerking it down to cover his torso.

“Well, that would probably be why then.”

“A virgin Allegra!”  He bent to get his shoes and socks.

As many times as she’d pushed his buttons, he’d never gotten angry, just philosophical.  Why was this such a big deal?  “If I had to guess, I’d say you’ve had more than a handful of those in your day.  You’ve survived.”

“Not a fucking thirty-nine year old virgin!  After waiting thirty-nine goddamn years, it should’ve been special!”

 “Stop yelling at me!”  she ordered, feeling her own anger start to build.  “And the last time I checked the definition of special, it meant something extraordinary.  I’d call what just happened pretty extraordinary.”

Richie’s jammed his feet into his shoes and raked his fingers through his hair.  “That is exactly what I didn’t want to hear.”  He crossed to the door and opened it.

“What?  You want to hear that it’s just sex?  A one-night stand?  Truer words were never spoken, baby.”

The door slammed shut before she got past one-night stand. 

Chapter 30

Allegra wiped at the smudges of makeup under her eyes and felt silly.  There was no reason to get so flippin’ overwrought by a piece of electronic equipment.  But she knew that wasn’t the only thing that had her hiding in the ladies’ room.  Richie’s presence and gift had a bigger impact on her than she would’ve liked, but she refused to dwell on it.  There was no point, and she’d do better to ignore him and focus on the rest of the group, who had gone out of their way to make this a nice birthday.   

She scolded herself for being a drama queen and tossed the used tissue in the wastebasket.    With a final shake of her head to clear her thoughts,  she was ready to rejoin the party. 

Despite her stern self-talk, the first thing she noticed when she approached the table was the vacant space next to Matt – where Richie had been sitting.

“He had to go check on something before the show,”  Dot told her, noticing the look she cast at the empty chair.

Nodding, Allegra cleared her throat and pulled her chair close to the table.  Time was running short now until they needed to be at the venue, so she needed to make her little announcement while she had the chance.  Lifting her knife, she tapped it lightly against her water glass until the talking around the table stopped and attention was directed to her.

“I don’t know about Jesse, but I’ve had a great birthday thanks to you all.”  She looked at the boy and smiled at his grin and nod. 

“I want to tell you all how much I appreciate the lovely gifts tonight, and even more so how much I appreciate the gifts of who you are.”     Her eyes went around the group, meeting each one.  “I’ve gotten to know each of you, either a little more or for the first time, during my time as a part of The Circle tour.  There’s no greater group of people anywhere than the folks sitting around this table, and I truly believe that.  That’s why it’s so hard for me to look into your faces and tell you that I’m going back home to New Jersey.” 

There was murmuring amongst the men and several hard looks shot at Jon.  She laughed lightly at the assumption he was responsible and sniffled, keeping the tears at bay.  “It’s not his fault.  Jon and Richie have both made very generous job offers, that I wish I could accept, but can’t.  They’re just not me.  So I’ll go back to Jersey and find something that suits me a little better.”  She smiled at David, “That’s why the computer means so much to me.  I want to keep moving forward with it, and plan to take some classes to learn what I can.”

“When are you leaving, sweetheart?” Tico asked.

“I’m going home with Dot and the kids early in the morning.”

He circled the table to reach Allegra, pulling her up for a hug.  “Be safe, querida.  I hope you find what you’re looking for.  I’ll still be worrying about you, so check in from time to time, okay?”

Those damn tears started again and she tightened her grip on him, nodding into his shoulder.

“Hey, don’t hog the beautiful woman,”  David said loudly.  He pulled her from Tico’s embrace, turning her into his own arms.  “I’m gonna miss ya Legs – more than you realize.  You’ll come see us when we make it back east, won’t you?”

She nodded, wiping once again at her traitorous eyes.  Pulling away, she stood between the two men that had become brothers to her.  “I just love you guys.  David, I’m going to miss your crazy sense of humor, and Tico, I’ll miss your calm presence in the middle of the Jovi storm.  Let’s keep in touch okay?”

Jon interrupted the touching moment with, “Oh for fuck’s sake, she’s not dying, she’s going to Jersey – where you guys spend at least half the damn year anyway.  Can we go to work now?”

♪♪♪♪♪

Richie had been alone in his dressing room almost since the moment he arrived at KeyArena.  Upon checking in with his guitar tech, he found that the earlier problem had been resolved.  He still felt better having checked in, becase when it came to his ladies he couldn’t be too careful.

Maybe I should extend that philosophy to non-stringed ladies.

Which, of course, brought Allegra to mind. 

She hadn’t spoken to him all evening, except to thank him for the gift.  Of course, his late arrival and early departure hadn’t given her much opportunity.  That was kind of the idea behind it, to be honest.  He hadn’t wanted to risk dealing with her anger in such a public setting.  If she was going to be pissed at him, he’d rather it be someplace other than her family dinner.

Regardless, he still hadn’t been able to get her off his mind since he’d left the restaurant – hell, since she’d dropped that room key in his pocket.   She’d been gorgeous in that red dress last night, but tonight?  Well, tonight she was fuck-me hot in leather and chains.  He wondered for the hundredth time if he’d made a huge mistake by walking away from her enticing offer. 

Was that why Dot was busting his balls?  It didn’t seem likely that Allegra would’ve shared that information, but he couldn’t think of any other reasonable explanation.  And if that was the case, did it mean she wanted him to hook up with Allegra? 

There was a knock at the dressing room door.  “Ten minutes, Rich,”  Mike called out.

Looking down the set list one last time, he deliberately focused himself on the show ahead.   Jon would demand perfection tonight, and he wasn’t going to be the one to let his friend down.  Like he’d told Jon last week – this shit would still be here afterward.

He straightened his black, hip length military jacket, opened the door and met the guys in the hallway leading to the stage.  He grinned, loving the adrenaline pumping through them all.  This is what it was all about.  Going out on that stage and giving it every damn thing you had, hoping that the crowd would give it all back to you tenfold.

Richie loved his job.

“We’re going to pause after Blood,”  Jon announced as they approached the understage.  “Don’t go straight into Follow, just watch my lead.”  The intro piece started, and they all put their hands together in their traditional show of unity and support.  “Let’s go knock Seattle on its ass!”

They all took their places in the wings and hit the stage one by one, listening to the crowd go wild as Jon finally appeared at the center of the stage and took the mic.

“I can still remember… when I was just a kid…”

The adrenaline built within the band and the crowd throughout the song, leaving the fans cheering at the end.  Per Jon’s instructions, the band waited before moving into the next song, but didn’t stop playing.  The impromptu fill music resonated throughout the arena and they took in the crowd of over sixteen thousand, who were pumping their fists and calling at the tops of their lungs.

“Today is a special day for a couple of my family members,”  Jon all but yelled into the mic to be heard,  “because it’s their birthday.  Can you help me out and wish them a happy birthday?” On cue,  the crowd cheered. 

“Thank you!  Now this next song is off the new album, The Circle, so I was going to sing it anyway.”  He gave them his Jon Bon Jovi shit eating grin. “But I want to dedicate it to a very special birthday girl.”  He swung around to locate Allegra in the wings of the stage, dancing and swaying like any other fan, and pointed directly at her.  “This is for you, sweetheart.” 

Jon signaled for the intro, and she blew him a kiss, looking just a little surprised and confused.

“This one goes out to the man who mines for miracles,

This one goes out to the ones in need…”

Richie thought it an odd choice of song for Allegra, since she had always expressed a preference for their older tunes.  He looked back and forth between the cousins, taking special note when Jon sang the chorus directly to her.

“We weren’t born to follow

Come on and get up off your knees

When life is a bitter pill to swallow

You gotta hold on to what you believe”

Allegra swiped at her eyes as if she were crying, but there was a happy grin on her face that lit her from the inside out.  She turned and pulled Steph to her, dancing happily to the beat of the music, the light dancing across her chains and reflecting off of her boot hardware.

Like a magpie distracted by something shiny, Richie caught his first sight of the buckles and studs on her high heeled boots.  Damn, she was spectacular in those boots and ass hugging jeans that made her legs look a mile long. 

Needing to remove her from his sight so that he could concentrate on the job at hand, he swiveled and redirected his passion into the guitar solo and remainder of the song.

After the last lyrics were sung, Jon jogged back to hug her and speak something in her ear.  Richie could see her mouth the words ‘I love you’ before he returned to center stage, launching into Bad Name.   He was curious enough to make a mental note to ask Jon what that was all about.

Richie spent a fair amount of the next two hours trying to keep himself from looking at Allegra.  In reality, he probably only looked back at her two or three times, but he forced himself to stop far more often than that.  The last time he saw her, she had her hands raised over her head, causing her tank to lift and expose a strip of bare flesh above the waistband of her jeans. 

Maybe it was the adrenaline of the show combined with plain old desire that made it seem so intense, or maybe he was just tired of fighting it.  But at that moment, he decided that he had to have her, J0n and Tico both be damned.  Nothing else was getting her out of his head, and she was the one who had put it on the table.   He’d find her at the party and see if that offer was still open.

♪♪♪♪♪

Richie looked around the room, taking note of promoters, local DJs, the guys of Dashboard Confessional, Jon’s family, the band and a hundred other miscellaneous people.  None of which he had a desire to talk to, he thought, taking another drink of Diet Coke.  Now that the adrenaline surge had died down, he wasn’t quite as sure about tracking down Allegra to take her up on her offer.  He didn’t want to make a stupid mistake in listening to his dick.   Actually thinking those words made him laugh, sure that no good decisions had been made by listening to a dick at any point throughout history.   

That didn’t stop him from scanning the room again, hoping for a glimpse of a long ponytail and a black leather jacket.

 “She’s not here,” a voice came from beside his right shoulder.  Richie looked down to find Dot also looking over the room.  “Didn’t feel like socializing, so she went to her room.”  Her brown eyes connected with his.

Is she saying what I think she’s saying?  If she was, it would be all the encouragement Richie needed.  To be on the safe side, he played dumb.  “Who?”

“You really are an ass,” was the only answer he got before she walked away, shaking her head.

♪♪♪♪

Allegra stepped out of the shower, wrapping one towel around her wet hair and a second around her body.  Jon had given her a memorable last show, and she was still humming We Weren’t Born to Follow.  She knew she’d heard them play the song before, and was sure it had been in the rotation on her iPhone, but had never really listened to the lyrics until Jon was singing them to her.  Whether it was what he intended, she didn’t know, but her heart took it as a show of his support.  And it meant a lot.

She dried off her damp skin before slipping on her faithful Care Bear shirt and a pair of panties.  With a small yawn, she climbed up onto the bed, hairdryer in hand.  Her hair hung in wet clumps down her back, and she flicked the switch to start the warm air blowing through it, wondering how the after party was going.

Dinner had been hard enough, and she didn’t think she could go through the whole goodbye thing again tonight, so she had begged off.  Dot probably knew she didn’t want to have to deal with Richie, so she let it go without an argument.  

Allegra could at least think about the situation without becoming a basket case now, because denial was her new best friend.  It never happened, and until she had to face him, she could believe that.

She flipped her head upright after drying underside of her hair, and thought she heard a noise.  Moving the switch to the off position, she paused, listening. 

Someone was knocking at her door.

“Who is it?”  she called, knowing that everyone was at the after party.  It had barely started, so there was no way anybody had already left. 

There was no reply, so she got up and crossed over to the door.  “Who is it?” she repeated more loudly.

One heartbeat.  Two.  Then another knock.

Starting to get a little freaked out, Allegra stood on tiptoe and looked out the peephole.

What the hell?

Twenty-Nine

I hope you all enjoy special time with family and friends today and tomorrow.  Merry Christmas! :o)

Allegra woke late the next morning, and the first thing to cross her mind was Richie, quickly followed by the memory of finding the returned room key.  Her stomach plummeted as she was flooded with the humiliation, anger and hurt, all anew.  Logically, she knew she couldn’t do this to herself over and over, and vowed not to allow it to affect her past today. 

And as for today?  Well, she wasn’t quite sure she was going to make it through today. 

Happy freakin’ birthday.

Checking her phone, she saw that she had several text messages wishing her a happy birthday.  Dave, Tico, Jon, Dot, Jesse and Stephanie had all sent well wishes at some point while she slept.  Since today was Jesse’s day as much as hers, she made a point to shoot a message back to him first, before sending thank you messages to the others. 

Now what to do?  Dinner was going to be early because of the show, but it still wasn’t for hours yet.  She’d wasted all day yesterday at the salon.  The Visa card was still in her wallet with over half the funds left on it.  Shopping?  Maybe Dorothea and Stephanie would be interested in lunch and shopping.  An outfit to make Richie regret his decision would be nice.  If she had to see him this evening, at least she could make it painful for him.

She sent Dot another text and went to shower.

♫     ♫     ♫

Just about that same time, Richie was waking up in his room down the hall, the too bright sunlight peeking around the curtains and blinding him.  He allowed his pupils to adjust while trying to remember where he was and what he was supposed to be doing today.   

It slowly came  to him.

Seattle.  First show tonight.  Dinner with Jon’s family.  Fuck.

It was going to be awkward seeing Allegra, and he hated that.  Because, with her temper, there was an excellent chance she was going to be pissed at him, and he knew she wouldn’t be interested in hearing the reasons behind what he’d done. 

After pushing past the Jon guilt, and past Tico’s godfather routine, he’d still gone to her room with every intention of using that key.  The memory of her whispered words in his ear echoed through his head over and over, like a siren’s call, luring him to board the elevator and answer that call.  He was just stepping out of the elevator when he saw her kissing Dave on the cheek. 

Not that he believed there was anything going on between them.  No, David was very much in love with Lex and Allegra wasn’t the poaching type.  But he was a staunch believer in karma and Fate, holding firm to the philosophy that everything happened for a reason.  Running into David was just the third indisputable strike against him tonight.  Someone was trying to tell him to stay away from this woman, and he felt like he had no choice but to heed the warning.

So he’d slid the key under her door, thereby removing the temptation to spit in Fate’s face and fuck her senseless. 

He’d done the right thing.  Even though he felt like shit about it now, he’d done the right thing.

Putting it out of his mind , Rich went to hit the shower wondering what kind of press duties awaited him, and when he was going to find time to pick up birthday gifts.

♫     ♫     ♫

Allegra fidgeted nervously in the back of the car that was taking her, Jon and his family to ther restaurant.  She flipped the end of her ponytail back over her shoulder and felt the movement of the silver hoops in her newly pierced ears, touching them lightly with a smile.  While in the midst of her shopping trip today, she’d decided to have it done on a whim.  She reasoned that everybody with a tattoo had piercings, and at least she opted to go the more traditional route of ears instead of her lip, nose or… other body parts.

Bouncing her leg, she looked out the window, not really seeing what was passing by, or hearing any of the conversation in the car as the kids quibbled and Jon talked on his phone.

She pulled at her dark denim jeans, making sure the hem met the silver studded strap and buckle at the tops of her black stiletto ankle boots.  The zipper on her form fitting black leather jacket was flicked back and forth under her fingernail, until she deserted it to self-consciously pull at the chains holding together the deep vee of her baby blue tank. 

I look like a hooker.

As though she could hear Allegra’s thoughts, Dot said, “You look great.  The only reason you feel self-conscious is because it’s something different.  You look like you’re going out and to a concert.”

Steph interjected her opinion with, “Yeah, you look great!  I’m so jealous of your cleavage.  I wish I had that much – or any for that matter.”

Allegra laughed as Dot shot her daughter a death glare.

Jon tapped his phone, ending the call he’d been on.  He demanded of his cousin, “What’s the hell’s the matter with you?  You’re acting as nervous as a whore in church.”

Everyone in the car swung their heads to stare at him with incredulity, mouths agape.

His face flushed when he realized the inappropriateness of what he’d said, but he played it off with,  “I didn’t call you a whore, I just – “

“Oh no, Jon,” Dot interrupted.  “Don’t even try and backpedal your way out of that tacky-ass comment.  There’s no explanation that’s going to absolve you, so just apologize and move on.”

“Fine.  I’m sorry.  But I still want to know what you’re so antsy about,” he said to Allegra.

She met Dot’s eye briefly before saying, “I still haven’t told any of them I’m leaving, and I dread it.  They’ve become my friends, and it’s hard to choose the right words.”

He nodded once, and let it go, his attention focused once again on checking emails and text messages until the car pulled up at the restaurant.

Assaggio’s was a nice, traditional Italian family place.  The woodwork was dark, the wall murals were exquisite reproductions of the classics, the staff was friendly, and the food was reputed to be outstanding. 

The Bongiovis were the first of their group to arrive, and the hostess showed them to a semi-private area of the restaurant.  Their tables were situated underneath a stunning replica of one of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel pieces.  

Dot led the way, asking to have the two large tables pushed together so that everyone could sit family style.  She also commandeered two lesser tables to assemble the small conglomeration of gifts – one for Jesse and one for Allegra.

Allegra chose a seat near the end of the long rectangular table and continued to fidget, until Dorothea sat down beside her, placing her hand on Allegra’s leg.  “Stop it,” she whispered.  “You don’t even have to speak to him, so stop worrying.  However, I would suggest that you make sure he sees you from head to toe at some point during the evening.  I didn’t want to say it in front of the kids, but you look dirty hot tonight, and every one of these guys is going to feel guilty for noticing.”

“You’re sure I don’t look like a hooker?”

“Absolutely not!  You look like a sexy, confident woman who could drop any man to his knees.”

Allegra relaxed a little and laughed.  “Looks can be deceiving.”

David, Tico, Hugh and Obie were the next group to arrive, each giving her a kiss on the cheek and wishing her a happy birthday as they deposited a couple of parcels on the gift tables.  Obie and Tico sat directly across from her and she saw that they would glance at her and then away just as quickly, making a concentrated effort to keep their eyes on her face. 

Her confidence puffed itself up, and she let loose with an inner smirk.  Dot was right.  They were trying not to notice the way the tank top hugged her breasts and the thin chains spanned her exposed cleavage. 

When Matt and Tony came in, they more than confirmed that belief.  “Jeez, Allegra!  Couldn’t you warn me that I was going to need a baseball bat to keep the guys in line?”  Matt asked.  “You look like sex on heels.”

“That’s fucked up, Matty.  You can’t say that shit about your family!”  Tony admonished him.

The quarreled back and forth, until Jon interrupted.  “Hey!  Shut the hell up, the both of you.  I do not need to think of her associated with sex in any way, thank you VERY much.”

“My point exactly,” Tony said smugly, tapping his younger brother in the back of the head.

The servers had begun to take orders for drinks and appetizers, when Jon asked, “Where’s Sambora?”

As though on cue, Richie entered the dining room, dropping a package on each gift table and taking the only open chair, on the other side of Matt.  The seating worked out well from Allegra’s perspective, since he was on the same side of the table as her, on the opposite end.  Out of sight, out of mind – in theory, anyway.

“Nice of you to fuckin’ join us,”  Jon said sarcastically, looking at his watch.  “And you wonder why I call you four hours before we have to be anywhere.”

“Hey!  I had to find the perfect gifts for the birthday kids, didn’t I?” 

Hearing Richie’s voice made her a little nauseous.  Deep breaths.

“Well, I already found the perfect gifts, so you shouldn’t have wasted your time,” David informed him.

There was laughter at that, but Allegra couldn’t remember hearing anything beyond it.  She smiled when she should and spoke when spoken to, but otherwise, she did nothing but sit and let the conversation flow around her, sipping her wine. 

Her departure weighed heavily on her mind as she looked around the table, thinking this would be the last time she’d do this with them.  There wouldn’t be another opportunity to have dinner, and hear them fight back and forth affectionately amongst themselves.  She struggled to assemble the words that could possibly let them know what they meant to her.

It all went so fast.  In no time, dinner was over and the restaurant staff emerged from the kitchen with a birthday cake ablaze with sparklers.  Jon started the traditional birthday song, but that was where the traditional part ended.  He and the guys added riffs and harmonies, bringing it to a level befitting an acapella group.   Allegra applauded and smiled, loving the way they could make music with only their voices. 

The sparklers were doused, and it was time to open the gifts.  Jesse went first, opening Allegra’s gift – a pewter necklace of a skull inside an eagle’s claw.  Steph had assured her he would love it, and his enthusiastic gratitude confirmed it.  The remainder of his presents included video games, hats and shirts which he very graciously thanked everyone for.  He was particularly excited about one of the games.   From what she could gather, it wasn’t yet available to the public, so he was getting to help beta test it for the manufacturer.

Then it was Allegra’s turn.  Her stack of gifts was much smaller, there being only three packages bearing her name.  She chose the smallest one first, and found a beautiful pair of diamond stud earrings from Jon and his family. 

Dot said, “I know you just got your ears pierced today, but you need a nice pair of earrings for when they heal.”

Allegra hugged each of them in thanks for the thoughtful gift.

The next package was a large, flat package.  Reading the accompanying card, she saw Richie’s signature and looked up to meet his eyes for the first time since her proposition the night before.  There was a smile on his face, but she wasn’t able to form her mouth into that particular shape at the moment.  She returned her gaze to the gift and slid her finger under the tape on the back of it.   Butterflies were churning in her stomach at the feel of his watchful eyes.

Peeling the paper back, she found a framed photograph – an eight by ten color photo of a tropical sunrise.  The sun barely peeked over the water, casting a million shades of orange in its wake - all serving to outline the lone figure on the beach studying the horizon.  Palm trees dotted the edges of the photo, and the leaves appeared to sway in the breeze.

“I know it’s hard to find that kind of sunrise in Seattle, or any of the other places we’re headed, so I thought you might want to remember the ones you enjoyed in Hawaii.”

Her throat was clogged with emotion – anger, gratitude, tenderness, frustration – and she didn’t know what to say.  How could a man who humiliated her the way he did last night be so damn thoughtful? 

Everyone’s eyes were trained on her, waiting for her to say something, so she went with the obvious. “Thank you, Richie,” she said in the most normal voice she could muster, without looking at him.  “It’s lovely.” 

“Steph, hand her the last gift, please.”  Dot instructed, before the moment could become awkward.

And last was the biggest package, on it a card that said simply ‘From the guys’.  Allegra shook her head to clear the thoughts of Richie’s gift.  She tore into paper and was excited and stunned to find a brand new laptop nder the wrapping.   “Oh my gosh, guys.  This is too much.  I can’t possibly accept it.”

David spoke for the group.  “Of course you can Legs.  We all wanted you to have your own computer, since you developed such an affinity for them.  I fixed it up similar to mine so you’d feel comfortable with it, and put your iTunes account on there.  It’s ready to go.”  He grinned at her, pleased with himself. 

“Well, it may be from all of you, but I have a feeling it was your idea, David.  Thank you all so very much.  I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”  The thoughtfulness of their gift added one more tier to the emotion she was trying to hold inside.  Her eyes welled with the love and friendship she held for these men, and excusing herself from the table, she hurried to the ladies’ room before she had a total meltdown in front of them.

“Is she okay?” Tico asked after she’d left the table, concern in his voice.

Dorothea nodded, looking around the table at this assortment of both family and ‘family’.  “You guys are on your best behavior and she probably doesn’t know how to handle that, but I’m sure she’s fine.  We’ll give her a minute.”

He didn’t look entirely convinced, but nodded and turned to speak quietly with Obie about some last minute details for the show.

Richie stood then, coming to stand behind Jesse’s chair, clapping him on the shoulder and saying, “Jess, happy birthday buddy.  I know I got here late, but I have to go, man.  Takumi was having trouble with one of my ladies earlier and I want to go check the situation out.”  He addressed the rest of the group with, “I’ll see you guys at the venue.”

She hadn’t planned to interfere, but Dot couldn’t let him go without saying something.  “Come here and give your sister-in-law a hug before you go.”  She stood and opened her arms, ignoring Jon’s ‘what the fuck’ expression.

Looking at her almost the same way as Jon, he did as she requested.  When his arms wrapped lightly around her, he was surprised to hear her voice low in his ear.  “In case nobody’s told you lately, you’re an ass – a complete and total ass.”

No one realized she’d said anything, because her face was composed in a natural looking smile when she reclaimed her seat, saying, “Bye, Richie.”

His face was still screwed up in curiosity, trying to figure out what had prompted the words, but evidently she expected him to know what he’d done.   There wasn’t time to figure it out now.  He shook his head and, with a wave to the group, moved out the door.

“Sambora!”  Jon called after him.  “You’d better be there on fucking time!”