Fifty-One

Concert stops in Boston and Philly this week, but I'll try and have another chapter up this weekend.  Thank you soooo much for your patience as I chase my muse around the country! :D

Taking care not to wake her, he moved an errant lock of hair of hair away from her eyes.  The rays of light peeking in around the blackout curtains allowed him to make out her features as she lie on her back next to him, softly snuffling, and he took the time to burn the image into his mind.  He didn’t know when they would see each other again, and this was going to have to last until whenever that was. 

Richie couldn’t say why he was awake at this ungodly hour.  Especially after the long night they’d spent – making love.  The corner of his mouth lifted, revealing the dimple in his left cheek.   She didn’t say the words – and neither did he, of course – but wondered how hard she had fought not to.  Unless something crazy happened, he knew it was just a matter of time. 

For him, emotions were the least of his problems when it came to relationships.  He got sucked into emotions pretty easily, which was unfortunate since they could be so superficial.     For once in his life, he was analyzing the practical side of things.  He needed some substance behind the emotion, and a big question for him had been whether she would fit into his day to day world.  

He was happy to find out that it looked promising, if the afterparty last night was any indication.  Allegra was right in believing that he’d left her on her own for a reason.  As much as he sometimes dreaded them, social events were a frequent and necessary part of his life, and anyone he expected to be with on a long-term basis needed to be able to weather them with grace and style. 

She’d done it in spades.

He’d watched her out of the corner of his eye all night to gauge her progress around the room, curious as to how she would handle herself.  It helped that she wasn’t fazed by the wealth and fame of the partygoers, even if it was just because she didn’t know who they were.  That allowed her to be simply Allegra – and she was thoughtful and charming with each person she encountered.  Well, with the exception of Criss. 

He grinned, remembering his conversation with the magician.

“If you don’t do everything in your power to keep that woman happy, you’ve smoked one too many joints in your rock-n-roll life,” he’d appeared and announced without fanfare.

“Hey, man, what’s up?”  Richie had greeted him.

Criss clasped Richie’s outstretched hand with an envious smile.  “Seriously.  She threatened to dismember me and I fell in love.  One false move and you can kiss your ass goodbye.  She’ll be mine.”

“Good luck with that, motherfucker, because I’m not letting her out of my sight.”  The tone was light, but the words couldn’t have been any more sincere.  Criss had gone on to enlighten him about Allegra’s reaction to Nikki and her refusal to play the jealousy game.  That had been like a soothing balm to his soul, and he’d come away from the encounter feeling even better about the place she could make for herself in his life.

Now if only things would smooth out with Jon so that she could feel comfortable in his personal/professional life.  Looking at the bedside clock, he saw that it was a little after nine.  Early by Vegas standards, but not by Jon’s. 

He very carefully eased out of the bed, relieved that she didn’t stir at his absence on the mattress with her.  Grabbing his phone, he stepped into the living room and hit the second number on his Favorites list.

“What the fuck are you doing up so early?” was the greeting he received.

“Mornin’ to you too,” he chuckled.  “I couldn’t sleep, so I was watching Allegra and my mind started spinning.”

“Yeah?  Are you getting married for real this time?”

“No, smartass.  I want you to tell me why she’s so pissed at you.”

“Not now, man.  When you come for brunch, we’ll talk.”

“That’s another reason I called.  Allegra said no.”

Jon swore quietly under his breath.  “Convince her.  Please?”

♥♥ ♫ ♥♥

Allegra was resigned to being polite, begrudgingly so, as they waited for an answer at the door of the Bongiovi suite.  She still didn’t want to do this, but Richie had been very… persuasive.  He’d woken her up in a most pleasant way, and waited until she was on the edge of satisfaction to bring up the subject of brunch again.  She would’ve done anything he’d wanted at that point, but she was going to have to remember how sneaky he could be…

A genuine smile claimed her features as Dot’s face greeted them in the open doorway.  Stepping into the suite, she embraced her with a warm hug.  It had happened so gradually, she almost hadn’t realized it, but Dorothea had become her best friend in these last weeks.  “Hey, I missed you at the after party last night.”

“Romeo wasn’t feeling well, so I wanted to be nearby in case he needed me,” she explained.

“That’s Mama D for you,” Richie said with his own hug of greeting almost lifting her off of the floor.

“Let me loose, you big oaf.”

“You’re just afraid he’ll get jealous.”

“Ha!  He knows if I’d wanted you, I would’ve had you years ago.  Consider yourself lucky that Allegra’s putting up with you and your crazy sense of humor.”

Slipping his arm around Allegra’s waist and hauling her close, he assured Dorothea, “Oh, I know just how lucky I am.  Especially since your damn husband keeps trying to drive her away.”

“I’m trying to drive her away, huh?  Like she wants to follow your sorry ass around all the time,” Jon said, brushing her cheek with his lips and shaking Richie’s hand. 

Polite, idle chitchat was the order of the day, and they talked about nothing while they filled their plates.  During the meal,  Allegra involved herself in a conversation with Dot, leaving the men to talk about the upcoming Denver show.   It was the easiest way to avoid talking to Jon.

They were still deeply involved in talking about the kids’ activities during the stay in Vegas, when Jon’s voice escalated in volume, obviously wanting the attention of the entire table.

“Rich, man, I’ve got something I need to tell you, since I don’t guess Allegra’s going to do it.  It’s been eating at me, and I’m not going to feel better until – “

“Don’t you dare!”  Allegra interrupted, pointing her finger across the table at him, and all heads pivoted toward her in shock.  “Not a word!”

“Allegra, there’s no reason to try and protect me.  I know he’s going to be pissed, and he has every right.  Let us work it out.”

She swept the napkin from her lap and threw it on the table, nearly toppling the chair in her haste to stand.  “Jon.  Bedroom.  Now!”  She didn’t wait, assuming that he was smart enough to follow, and could hear him excuse himself and whirled on him as soon as the door clicked shut.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.

“We need to get this out in the open.”  He propped himself against the closed door, arms crossed over his chest, biceps bulging under his short sleeved t-shirt.

“This isn’t a confessional, Jon.  You can’t confess your sins, do penance and sweep it all under the rug.  It doesn’t have anything to do with how YOU feel, you arrogant SOB!  I don’t care WHAT’S been eating at you, you won’t put him in the middle of this, do you hear me?” she hissed.

♥♥ ♫ ♥♥

Richie popped a bite of bagel in his mouth.  “Will they kill each other or kiss and make up?” he asked Dorothea curiously.

“All I can say is that if he wants to kiss and make up, he’d better have something spectacular up his sleeve.”

He raised his eyebrow.  “You say that as though you know what happened this weekend.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Dammit, D, tell me!”  He leaned forward in his chair, ready for someone to FINALLY tell him what was going on.  Playing it nonchalant was fine, but this was really starting to bug him.

She flipped her hair over her shoulder and snorted.  “In your dreams, Sambora.  You think I want a double shot of Bongiovi temper?  Patience, my pet.  I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough.”

♥♥ ♫ ♥♥

Jon was obviously taken aback, not only at the words, but the venom they were so liberally laced with. 

“You can’t unsay things once you realize you’ve screwed up, Jon!  The words can’t be erased!  They just keep playing in one continuous loop, and no matter how you try to justify them, they absolutely will not go away!  I won’t let you do that to him like you did me.”

“Dammit, what did I DO to you!?  I thought owning up to my stupidity with Richie would show that I was truly sorry.  For God’s sake, isn’t it enough that I’m willing to take whatever form of ass kicking he feels like dishing out?”

“So you were planning to tell him what we argued about, expecting that he’d blow up and then we’d all go on with our lives as usual?”

“Yes!  There’s no reason why that shouldn’t happen.”

“Well, let me just tell you how that little scenario would play out in the land of REALITY.  You’re going to tell him that you asked me to break it off with him.  He’s going to be:  FIRST, pissed at you.  SECOND, indignant on my behalf.  THEN he’s going to start to feel bad because he’s pissed at you, and realize that you’re only looking out for him because you love him.  THAT means that he’s torn between being the chivalrous boyfriend and defending my besmirched reputation as a heartless bitch, or whatever, and appreciating that you care that much.  So he’s stuck, being pulled between two people that he cares about.  Did any of that ever cross your mind?”

“No, but you don’t know that’s what would happen.  I’ve known him a hell of a lot longer than you have.”

His words cut her.  Count to ten, she told herself.  Get it together.  He thinks he’s being logical.

With a deep breath, she admitted, “Yes, you have.  But I’ve known YOU longer than he has.  And I thought you knew me.  You don’t understand why I’m so bent out of shape over it?  Well, let me explain it the only way I know how.”

Turning her back on him, she crossed to the window, staring blindly down the Strip.  Not wanting to seem like a ranting lunatic, she took the time for several deep breaths, and began quietly.  “Little Frannie believes in Santa Claus.  Why shouldn’t she?  He’s there every Christmas to make her fondest wish come true.  She knows that he’s like her guardian angel, watching over her all year to make sure she’s been a good girl.  He KNOWS her.  And because of that, all she has to do is ask, and he rewards her with that extra special gift on Christmas morning.  Sure, she knows that Santa visits all the other kids in the world, but it’s different.  Frannie knows that she’s his special girl.”

Circling the room restlessly, she went on. “Eventually, as all kids do, Frannie finds out that it’s all a lie.  There is no Santa.  He’s nothing but an illusion created by well-intentioned parents.  Yes, they love her, but they’re frantically juggling all the pieces of their life, trying to come up with a way to fit them all together and please everyone.  She and her special Christmas gift are but a tiny part of that.   That’s when Frannie realizes that there’s no one to fill that empty spot in her heart.  There’s no one that she knows her and cares about her like she thought Santa did.”  She stopped in front of him and met his eyes.  “You’re my Santa.  I get it now.  I’m only a small piece of your very crowded world, and I’m naïve for thinking that it was ever any different.  It’s a painful realization, but you move past it and grow up.”

“Is that what you think?  That our relationship isn’t special?”  He pulled her close and wrapped his arms tight.  When she remained stiff and unyielding, he murmured, “Just relax, and listen to me for once.”    He guided her to the bed and pulled the room’s lone chair to sit directly in front of her.

“Do you remember when you were, I don’t know, probably four?  I was just starting junior high, and we lived down the street from you and your parents?  Your house was right next to the school, and you’d wait by the window to wave at me every morning as I passed by.  Remember that?”

She nodded.  “I hated the weekends.  I never understood why you didn’t come by those days.  Mama must’ve explained it to me a thousand times, but I’d still go stand by the window and wait.”

He took her hands in his and loosely wove their fingers together.  “Then there was that one day when I didn’t see you in the window, because I had to be at school early.  Hell, I can’t even remember why.  I didn’t think too much of it, but you were beyond pissed.  Imagine that, huh?”  He nudged her with a soft laugh.

“The next thing I knew, you had managed to slip away from Aunt Therese, and showed up outside the school asking some of the guys where I was.  I came out and there you were, looking up at me with those blue eyes of yours.  They were absolutely HUGE in your tiny little face.”  Jon paused for a moment in his recollection, smiling fondly, and brushed her cheek with his thumb.

“Man, they gave me hell the way only teenage boys can.  ‘Johnny has a funny looking dog following him around.’  ‘He’s so ugly, the only girls he can get are in pre-school.’  What sticks with me the most is you getting sooo mad at one of them, that you yelled ‘Shut up!  Don’t be mean to Johnny!’ and shoved him flat on his ass.”   He shook his head with a chuckle, remembering.   “You’ve always fought like hell someone you love.”  He studied her solemnly, before asking, “You do love, him don’t you?”

“It’s none of your business,” she grumbled.

“Maybe not, but babydoll, that day outside the school you stole my heart in a way no one else has ever been able to.  You became MY Frannie and nobody was gonna mess with you and not answer to me.  That goes for Richie Sambora, too.”

“Then why did you make me feel like I wasn’t good enough for him?” she demanded.  “Like you thought I was going to use him and lose him?”

His expression was contrite, but he answered firmly.  “I mishandled the situation, plain and simple.  You deserved more of an explanation of where my thoughts were before I dropped that in your lap.”

Fiddling with her hand again, he searched for the best way to explain.  “Sweetheart, I wasn’t asking you to step aside because I cared about him more, or because I thought you were going to hurt him.  Honestly, I didn’t even consider that I was asking you to step aside at all.  In my head, you were the person I trusted enough to ask for a huge, unreasonable favor:  to help me keep my best friend safe from himself.  If I’d taken the time to think about it rationally instead of just freaking out, I may have realized you might be good for him.  But you know me, I don’t always consider anyone but myself.”

“Please forgive me?” 

Jon was wearing the pleading puppy dog look on his face that millions of women had fallen for over the years.  The difference was, this time, there wasn’t a trace of playfulness in the depths of his blue eyes, and the trademark smile was nowhere to be found.  Allegra knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he couldn’t be any more sincere.

Grateful to relieve the ache in her heart, she nodded, saying with a smile, “But you have to stop being an idiot, Jon.  I don’t know how much more of it I can take.”

Laughing, he rose to his feet,  and pulled her along with him into a bear hug.  Reluctant to let her go, his arms remained loosely around her, and they stood quietly together.  Eventually, she relaxed enough to lean into his body and rest her head on his shoulder.  She held him a little tighter and, in his presence anyway,  felt the tension leave her chest for the first time since… forever.

“I love you, Frannie.  As much as I love my wife and kids, I love you just as much.  Don’t ever doubt that.”

“I hope  you mean that, because I’ve got something to tell you…”

Chapter 50

Inspired in part by a lot of recent events and conversations.  No offense is intended to anyone, in any way.  It's just a story :o)

She quietly endured the long elevator ride up to their floor, reflecting upon Richie’s blonde business partner.  He stood next to her in the small car, hand burrowed under her sweater and gently stroking the curve of her back.  He, too, appeared lost in his thoughts.

Allegra fought the ‘green aura’ that Criss – she later found out exactly how famous he was in his own right, and was slightly embarrassed about the fact – had mentioned, mentally picturing Nikki Lund.  Richie’s natural affection had never been a big secret, but she didn’t realize how much seeing it demonstrated to another woman would dig at her.    It wasn’t as though he was doing anything secretive.  Hell, he’d brought Nikki over to meet her.  Wincing, she realized she could have handled that particular situation with a little more grace.

She had just left Jon and Criss in search of Lexi, when Richie called to her.  Turning with a smile toward his voice, she was taken slightly aback at the woman hanging onto his arm for dear life.

“Sunshine, this is Nikki.  Since she and I are working closely together on WTB, I thought it would be nice for you to meet each other.”

Nikki’s face morphed into the closest thing to a smile Allegra had seen from her so far.  “Hello, doll!  Richie’s told me so much about you.  It’s incredible to finally meet you!”

“I wish I could say he’s told me a lot about you, but I guess we haven’t gotten that far yet.  Very nice to meet you , though.”  She managed to keep her sarcasm in check, realizing that it wasn’t fair to dislike this woman based on a few outward appearances.  “I understand that you’ve got your first show coming up soon.”

With a dramatic sigh that rivaled only David, Nikki threw her free hand in the air and flapped it about. The other hand was still firmly curled around Richie’s bicep.  “Oh yes, and we are SO excited!  I can’t wait to see that GORGEOUS doll Ava strutting her stuff on the runway.  Isn’t it fabulous?”  Her face tipped up to look at Richie, and Allegra immediately knew the definition of a plastic Hollywood smile.

“She’s definitely looking forward to it,”  Allegra agreed, and suffered through several more minutes of idle chit-chat before sliding an inquiring gaze to Richie.  “I know you’re working, so I’ll just go find Lexi or one of the guys to hang out with for a bit, okay sweetie?”

Nikki spoke up before Richie had the opportunity to respond.  “Oh, we’re not working, we’re just having fun!  I think Mr. Bon Jovi Guitar God has worked enough tonight, don’t you think?”

Nevertheless, Allegra stepped close, resting her hand on his forearm and leaning up to place a kiss on his cheek.  “He has, but it won’t stop him from doing what needs to be done,” she told Nikki, hoping she was right.  Addressing Richie, she instructed, “Find me when you’re ready to go, okay?”

“I will, baby.  Thank you.”  He gripped her hand briefly, in an appreciative squeeze.

The elevator chimed, drawing her attention back to the present.  Richie’s warm palm easily guided her into the corridor to their door, where she crossed the threshold with a deep sigh.

 “Tired, baby?”  he asked, slipping his arms around her waist from behind, and pressing his lips to her bare shoulder.

“Mm.  A little,” she admitted, leaning into his strength.

“Working a crowd can wear you out, if you’re not used to it.  Every time I saw you, you were talking to someone different, and, I must say, you handled yourself quite well.   I was impressed.”  She could feel his grin against her shoulder.  “Even heard that you managed to fend off a horny magician.”

A tiny giggle escaped, and her head lolled back on his chest.  “Yeah, I did,” she sighed.  “It was kind of sad really, because he ended up being a very likable guy.”  At his growl, she twisted around to face him, poking his chest.  “And how would you know that anyway?  Did you desert me the whole night to spy on me and see how I’d survive on my own?”

“Mayyyy-be,” he admitted, protecting himself as she resumed poking him in random spots across his chest and stomach.

“Hmpf!  Well, I was already going to make you do some penance tonight.  I guess now you’ll have to do some more.”  Allegra latched onto his arm and dragged him toward the bedroom.

Richie quirked his eyebrow and his eyes sparkled with intrigue as they crossed the threshold.  “Penance, huh?”

Propelling him to the oversized bed, she lifted her palms and shoved just hard enough to make him bounce on the cushiony mattress.   His feet hit the floor to steady himself, and she threw her leg over his, straddling him with her palms planted firmly on his chest.   “Yes.  You sang Homebound Train tonight, which hardly shows off your voice at all.  I haven’t gotten to hear you sing in weeks, and was looking forward to it.  Now you have to sing especially for me.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.  Because if you don’t, I’m not taking a single stitch of clothing off my body.”  His mouth opened to speak, but she placed her palm over it, muffling the sound.  “And neither are you,”  she informed him.

His smirk was defiant, and she waited with interest for whatever clever commentary he planned to offer on the subject.

“I don’t have my guitar, Sunshine.  Can’t sing with no strings.”  He raised his hands helplessly.

You’re gonna have to do better than that, sweetheart.

“You and I both know you don’t need a guitar to sing.  But,”  she pointed to the corner of the bedroom, with pleased look.  “I asked Matt to make sure we had one here.  You know - just in case.”

The look of surprise on Richie’s face was priceless.

Her tone was very matter-of-fact. “If you want me naked in your bed, you’re going to have to sing my clothes off.  One song for each article of clothing you want removed.”  Checking her watch, she told him, “Shoes and socks are freebies, but you’d better get started if you want any sleep tonight, Old Man.”

His belly laugh echoed through the room.   “When did you get to be such a tough negotiator?”

“Hey, I’ve been going easy on you so far.  You might wanna keep that in mind.”

His groan was as loud as the laughter before.  “Jeeeee-sus! If Hawaii was easy, I’m in for some serious-ass trouble,” he teased, curving his hands around her backside.

“You’ve dealt with Jon all these years.  I can’t imagine that I would be any worse.”  Allegra shrugged, and saw that his features had immediately clouded at the statement.  “What?” she asked with concern, pulling back to study him more closely.  “I AM worse?”

His palms drifted downward from her bottom to stroke down the back of her thighs.  “No, of course not.  That just reminded me that we’ve been asked to join Jon and D for brunch in the morning.”

She could feel her body go from pleasantly relaxed to tight as a bow in an instant, wondering at what the latest royal command performance was destined to bring. “Why?”

“I don’t know for sure.  He SAID he wants to catch up with what’s going on in your life.  You know, find out how your job-search is going and all that.  I personally think there’s more to it than that, but he won’t say what.”

He’s trying to charm his way out of a mess.  “I’d rather not, if you don’t mind.”

He maneuvered them both enough, that he could seat her on his thigh, curling his arms around her.    “We don’t have a lot of time together before you go back home, so I’ve been avoiding this, but you know we need to talk, right?”

Drawing back with surprise, she asked him, “What do WE need to talk about?”

“Well, the first thing is when you’re going to tell him about your job at the Foundation.  He hasn’t asked me anything about you and work yet, so I haven’t had to lie.”  His gaze was direct when he said, “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t force me to.”

“Richie, it may be a moot point.  I intend to ask Sister Mary if she can steer me to someplace LIKE the Foundation, without the personal ties.”

“Why?  Because of the latest argument between you and Jon?”  At her non-committal murmur, he seized his opportunity.  “That’s the other thing.  Are you going to tell me what happened?”

She avoided the question by burying her face in his shoulder.  “You know how we are.  We fight.  It’s just what we do, I guess.”  The resonating sadness couldn’t be completely disguised.

“You blow up and it blows over,” he corrected.  “AND you don’t care who knows it.  This has been different, because you’re still not speaking to him and you’re not spilling all the details about what an ass he was.”

That’s because it hurts too bad, and I won’t put you in the middle.

She’d thought it over.  Repeatedly.  The reality of it was that nothing would magically restore her relationship with Jon.  Her ‘big brother’ was now just a cousin, she would now expect nothing from him but the casual hugs and conversation that family gatherings brought around the various holidays. 

More determined than ever for Richie not to find out the details, she stuffed away the unpleasant feelings and idly toyed with the longish strands of hair at the base of his neck. 

“Sweetheart, it’s okay, really.  We have Italian tempers that happen to clash more often than most.  It’s better to keep some – okay, a lot – of distance between us, apparently.  That way no innocent bystanders get caught in the wreckage.”

Please let it go. Please let it go.

Blessedly, he seemed to bend to her silent will, and brushed her mouth with his.  “I don’t believe you, but since you’re so determined not to tell me, what song do you want first?”

He helped her stand and slid out from under her, crossing over to his guitar.  In no time, he had kicked off his shoes and returned to perch on the edge of the bed, tucking one leg under him as he strummed.

Getting comfy, she stretched out on her stomach alongside him.  “Anything you want to play will be fine.”  She looked up at him, her breath almost taken away by the way the shadows and lights played across  his masculine features.  Realizing she was watching him, his eyes slid to her and an easy grin covered his face. 

Sweater, jeans, panties, bra.  Four items.  Average song length of at least three to four minutes, probably longer.  Plus time in between songs. 

She was looking at fifteen minutes, bare minimum, before she could take the guitar’s place in his arms.  Allegra knew right then that she didn’t have the patience to finish the game she’d started.  Offhandedly, she added,  “ If it’s good enough, you only have to do one.”

He knew she’d just caved.  There was no way he couldn’t know. 

“That’s okay, Sunshine.  I won’t mind jamming a little tonight,” he assured her with a little smile.

She cursed herself for this ridiculous idea until the familiar chords caught her attention.  This wasn’t his song, it was Jon’s.  Holding her breath, she waited, anxious to hear his interpretation of the words she had recently become so familiar with.

There’s something about you

I wanna rescue

I don’t even know you

So what does that mean?

Richie so often took the higher octave when he sang with Jon, but tonight it was all melody, from that deep, bluesy place in his chest.  The gravelly tone that he could pull from there always made her shiver, but it was notably absent tonight.  He caressed the words gently, as he would a lover, and the result was a soft, mellow sound that wafted hauntingly through the room.

Maybe I'm cynical
I'm painfully logical
You're tragic and beautiful
And that's good enough for me

You're looking for a hero, but it's just my old tattoo
Tonight I swear I'd sell my soul to be a hero for you

His eyes locked on hers, and he sang the chorus as though he had personally written every syllable with her in mind.

Who's going to save you
When the stars fall from your sky
And who's going to pull you in
When the tide gets too high
Who's going to hold you
When you turn out the lights
I won't lie I wish that I
Could be your superman tonight

If somebody sent you
An angel to save you
What would you tell him to turn him away

That your heart don't break
That your lips don't kiss
That life is just a lie
That heaven don't exist?

He started to infuse some gruffness to his tone, as his musical emotions took him to a different place.  She listened with spellbound fascination, unable to tear her eyes away.    

Who's going to save you
When the stars fall from your sky
And who's going to pull you in
When the tide gets too high
Who's going to hold you
When you turn out the lights
I won't lie I wish that I
Could be your superman tonight

Who's going to fix you
The next time you break down
Stranded alone by the side of the road
It's your baggage that's dragging you down
Don't look back
Let it go

Finally, that last chorus, he sang as soft and tenderly as anything she’d ever heard, drawing out the final few words several beats longer than the original version

I won't liiiie…

I wish that III…
Could be your su – per – ma - annn….  To- night.

Her eyes were damp, and she brushed away the impending tears before they could escape.  Climbing to her knees, she crept closer to him, slipping her arms around his neck and captured his mouth in a soft, sensual kiss.  She vaguely heard the quiet ‘thump’ of the guitar as it slid to the floor and she was enveloped in his embrace.

His lips were only a whisper away when he murmured, “That was good enough?”

Her chin slowly descended in an imperceptible nod.  She was lost in his eyes.  His soul shimmered there, and she was overwhelmed by the beauty of it – and him.  The words spilled from her lips before she could think about them.  “Make love to me.”

Forty-Nine

They would their way through the various corridors, which Allegra thought of as back alleyways, out of the sight of most of the casino guests.  Their destination was an exclusive suite in the tower of the MGM Grand, overlooking the spotlighted golden lion perched outside the casino.  As exclusive as it was reputed to be, from Allegra’s perspective, the suite bulged to capacity before she stepped foot inside with Richie.

“Good grief, there must be hundreds of people here,”  she marveled.  “Isn’t there a fire code or something?”

Richie chuckled, guiding her inside with a well-placed hand in the small of her back.  “Certain things become… overlooked when there are enough well-known names floating around.  Would you like a glass of wine?”  He gestured toward the corner of the suite, where she could see a bartender serving a variety of beverages.

“Yes, please.  I’ll come with you though.  If I don’t we may never find each other again,” she joked.

He grasped her smaller hand in his, pulling her behind him.  “I’ll find you,” he assured her with a wink and a dimpled grin.

It was much like it had been all day, where he’d barely let her out of his sight.  Even at sound check, he’d asked her to stay and listen.  She wondered at it, but shook off the questions, accepting it at face value.  With only today and part of tomorrow, she didn’t have an interest in being anyplace he wasn’t.  They’d be separated again soon enough.

The bartender smiled in greeting, when they finally made their way across the room and edged up to the bar.  “What can I get you folks?”

“Merlot for the lady, and I’ll have a club soda with lime,” Richie ordered, arching an eyebrow at her in question. 

She nodded her approval, and let her gaze wander over the guests as they waited for their drinks .  Surprisingly, there was a face over by the window that triggered recognition.  Opening her mouth to ask Richie about it, she instead squealed at the strong arms enfolding her firmly from behind. 

“Dammit Lemma, you’ve got your own woman.  Keep your hands off mine,”  Richie grumbled playfully.

Twirling, she could see that it was, indeed, David who’d briefly held her captive.  “David!”  She threw herself into his arms, squeezing him tightly and burying her face in his neck. 

“Or maybe I need to tell HER that,” he amended.  “Allegra… remember me?”

“She can’t help her reaction to a real man,” David spoke over her shoulder as he returned her embrace.  “After two days with you, she’s craving the testosterone I’m oozing.”

Allegra put her lips to David’s ear, speaking quietly.  “He has more testosterone than any three men, sweetie, and he knows what to do with it.”

David jerked away from her abruptly, waving his hands as though she’d given him cooties.  “Jesus Christ, Legs! TMI! I didn’t fuckin’ need to know that!  Lexi, hold me!”

Lexi pretended to be concerned when he flung himself at her, patting him gently on the back.  “Oh, you poor baby...  Did Richie’s shadow scare you again?”

That earned her a nasty scowl and pout from her fiancé.  “Hey!  Whose side are you on, anyway?”

Her fingers reached up, snagging one of his curls for a quick tug.  “Oh please.  You couldn’t have passed it up either.  What did she say anyway?”  Lexi sought Allegra’s eyes in question.

Allegra just smirked, sliding her arm around Richie’s waist, and he looked down at her inquisitively.  “What DID you say, Sunshine?”

“I was extolling your male virtues,”  she said with a angelic smile.

Lexi and Richie both laughed, now understanding David’s reaction.  He, however, was still not amused – or at least pretending not to be. 

“Fine, fine.   Let’s move on, shall we?  If I’m going to hang out with you two at this shindig, then I can’t be thinking about HIS male virtues.”  David gave a shudder.

“Lemma, I tell you what,” Richie offered, draping his arm around David’s shoulder.  “Why don’t we leave the ladies here and go do the bullshit promoter rounds?  Then I can tell you ALLLLL about my maleness.  You can take notes if you want.”

David groaned dramatically, but allowed himself to be steered away from Lexi and Allegra, with only one pitiful look cast over his shoulder. 

“How do you keep your sanity around his IN-sanity?”  Allegra asked Lexi with a look of perplexity.

“Believe it or not, he realizes there’s a time and a place for his particular brand of insanity.  He’s the comic relief, and enjoys it to the fullest, but when it’s time to be serious?  Well, there’s no one I’d rather have by my side,”  she said with a tender smile, turning to Allegra.  “They all have their roles in the band, you know?”

“I do, but I’d be curious to hear what you think the dividing lines are.”

“Well…  Jon is obviously the forward momentum.  He keeps them active, relevant and working.  David’s comic relief,  Tico’s the voice of reason, and Hugh is background guy – quietly stable.”

Allegra agreed with Lexi’s assessment so far.  “And Richie?” 

“Richie tries to be everything to everybody, and does a pretty good job of it.”  She paused before going on.  “But he’s really there to take care of Jon.  Whether Jon admits it or not.”

Nodding, Allegra didn’t comment.  She hadn’t thought about it a lot, but it made sense in her head, when she sifted through the memories she had of him.  Richie was a natural nurturer, and he doted on those he cared about, doing things to make them smile, while Jon was a problem solver.  He just tried to force everything into the way it was ‘supposed’ to be.    

She refused to allow it as an excuse for the way he’d treated her yesterday morning though.  He could learn to be different if he wanted to.

♫♫♫♫

Jon caught Richie’s eye from across a small group of people and tipped his chin toward a quiet spot in the corner.  Richie flashed his dimples and inclined his head slightly.  Good.  Allegra still wasn’t speaking to him, and he wasn’t letting her leave Vegas until they’d settled things between them.  He’d known this was going to take more than a little charm when she’d barely acknowledged Chapel of Love tonight – to him, anyway.  Richie and Dave she’d fucking laughed and giggled with over it. 

“Hey, Bro, what’s up?”  Rich slung his arm around Jon’s neck familiarly. 

I can’t believe he’s not pissed at me over upsetting her.  Is it possible that she didn’t tell him?

“Hey, man.”  Jon downed the rest of his scotch in a single gulp and dropped the glass on a passing waiter’s tray.  “I want you and Allegra to have brunch with me and Dot in the morning.  Come to our suite about eleven.”

“Yeah?”  Dark eyes couldn’t quite pin down the blue ones darting around the crowd.  “Not that I don’t appreciate the invite, but why?”

Jon snagged a fresh drink from another server, who was circling the room like a shark, and lied through his teeth.  “I just want to spend some time with her before they all go home.  I haven’t talked to her much, and want to catch up on how the job search is going and all that.”

“Speaking of talking, what the hell happened yesterday?  I know she’s pissed at you, but every time I ask about it, she changes the subject.”

“You know how our tempers clash over every little thing.  Just come for brunch.”  This wasn’t the time or place to confess his sins.  There were too many photographers and cell phone cameras floating through the party to risk Richie’s anger right now.  They’d deal with it privately, just like they always did.

♫♫♫♫

“Well hello there gorgeous.”

The voice in her ear prompted Allegra to turn from the bartender, who was pouring her another glass of wine.  Meeting the man’s gaze with an arched eyebrow, she vaguely recalled Lexi telling her he was some kind of magician, or something.  He’d caught her eye in the crowd earlier with a smile, but she’d pretended not to see.

He was looking her up and down with a predatory gleam in his eyes, and Allegra realized that Richie wasn’t the only one who liked her boots with a tight pair of jeans.  She was grateful that she’d chosen to wear a more modest black off-the-shoulder sweater instead of the chain tank and leather jacket that exposed her cleavage.

Flipping her hair behind her shoulder, she regarded the man with a look of disinterest.  “Do I know you?”

“Not yet, but I hope to know you VERY well, if you get my meaning.”  His hand glanced her bottom as he moved to rest it familiarly in the lower curve of her back.  “I’m Criss.”

“Well, Chris, if you don’t get your hand off my ass, you’re going to be known as Stumpy.”

“Now don’t be that way, sweetheart.  Tell me your name,”  he encouraged with a smile.

He was a nice looking man, and despite the bold moves, he wasn’t giving her creepy vibes. Under other circumstances, she would be flattered at the attention.

“My name is Richie Sambora’s girlfriend,” she informed him with a cool smile.

To his credit, he immediately dropped his hand and slightly widened the space between them.  “Damn Sambora,” he grumbled.  “He gets all the beautiful women.”

With a laugh, she told him, “I seriously doubt you have any trouble getting women, but I will take that as a compliment – which, I’m sure, is what you intended.” 

“Hell yes, it was!  But I should’ve known that any new face of interest would have a musician waiting for her in the wings.  I should’ve stuck with the guitar a little longer,” he sighed with a wink.  “No offense intended, sweetheart.”

“None taken,” she assured him.

He swiveled his head slowly, obviously searching for someone in the crowd.

“Moving on to new prey?”

The sarcastic tone of her voice drew his eyes back to hers with a grin.  “I like you, Richie Sambora’s girlfriend, but no.  I’m not moving on to new prey, I was looking for your man.  I can’t believe he’d leave you unattended with a hundred men like me wandering around.”

“He’s working, and my friend just went to the ladies’ room.  I’m well taken care of.”

“Well, how about I just keep you company until your friend comes back?  It’s refreshing to find someone who isn’t starstruck or drunk off their ass at one of these gigs.”

“I might be starstruck if I knew who any of these people were,”  she told him with a chuckle.  “I’m out of the loop in the world of celebrity gossip.”

“Well, we can’t have that!  Let me catch you up…”  He leaned in close and spent the next twenty minutes pointing out the who’s who among the partygoers, and filling her in on their stories.  Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graff, Drew Carey were the few names she could remember, and she didn’t know if what he was telling her was truth or fiction, but he had her completely enamored with the tales he was spouting.

Spotting the man she’d recognized earlier, Allegra pointed.  “Wasn’t he in a show with a talking car back in the late seventies/early eighties?”

“You are definitely out of the loop, sweetheart!  Yeah, that’s David Hasselhoff, but lately he’s more famous for Baywatch and America’s Got Talent.  And just generally being a groupie whore,” he added with a laugh.

Just then, a mane of overly blonde hair caught her eye, and she focused in on it just in time to witness a scantily clad woman wrap Richie in a python-like hug and plant a sloppy kiss on his mouth.  She looked as though her face may crack with a smile.

“Who’s that?”  She pointed at the woman, now clutching Richie’s arm as though she needed his strength to even stand.

“Ahhh, I can see the green aura surrounding you quite clearly,” he teased.  “That’s Nikki Lund.  She’s in the music business, but I hear she’s got a fashion line going, too.”

Eyes fixated on the obvious intimacy between the two of them, she replied absently.  “Yeah, she’s working on a line with Richie.”

“Uh-oh.  Want me to help you make HIM jealous?” he offered with a waggle of his eyebrows.

She grinned and pretended to consider his offer, tapping her finger thoughtfully on her chin before shaking her head in refusal.  “Nahhh.  I’m not going to play those games.  He either wants me, or he doesn’t.  It’s that simple.  But thanks, anyway.”  She finally turned and focused her attention back on the man at her side. 

“Damn,” he said softly, respect evident in his eyes.  “I hope he knows what a treasure you are.”

She snorted lightly.  “I’m a just a girl.”

“Criss Angel!  Trust you to be huddled up with the most beautiful woman in the room.”  Jon clapped the younger man on the back in a familiar greeting, before leaning in to brush Allegra’s cheek with a kiss.  “Hey, babydoll.”

Criss noticed the stiffening of his new friend’s spine at the gesture, but didn’t comment.  “Yeah, I’m just working out how to make Sambora disappear in my next show.”

Jon threw his head back in an exaggerated laugh.  “See?  You’ve got the men swooning at your feet,” he told Allegra.

He should have been left bleeding in the floor, her eyes cut him so deeply.  “I wonder what’s happened to Lexi?  If you gentlemen will excuse me, I think I’ll go find her. Chris, thanks for keeping me company,” she said with a genuine smile.  “It was nice meeting you.”  With that, she turned and stepped into the flow of traffic moving around the room.

“Allegra!”  Jon called after her retreating form, to no avail.  The crowd had swallowed her up in seconds, and he was left to drop his head with a frustrated growl.   “Bartender?  Jameson’s neat,” he barked.

Criss looked at him with interest.  “Allegra?  Is that her name?” 

Jon nodded. 

“Well, Allegra obviously doesn’t like you, man.”

Chapter 48

**Sorry it took so long, but the concerts were great! Pictures and videos are up if you want to see them...  http://www.facebook.com/msblushnscarlet and http://www.youtube.com/user/blushnscarlet  
Next stop Philadelphia on March 2 :o)  But now... back to Richie and Allegra!

The lights went down and the crowd roared its approval of the show they'd just witnessed.  Allegra knew the guys were just rushing backstage for a quick change of shirts before the encore, and she took the opportunity to look behind her at the sold out MGM Grand Garden Arena with a million camera flashes popping everywhere.  She felt Ava tugging at her arm from beside her in the front row on the far end of Richie's side.

"Everybody will go crazy when Dad starts the intro for Wanted."  She spoke loudly to be heard over the rumble of the floorboards as the fans grew anxious to see their favorite performers retake the stage.

"I know!  Isn't it great?"

However, they both got a surprise when it wasn't the famous guitar chords that filled the air, but a slow, steady drumbeat.  Jon slowly rose from the center staircase to approach the infamous white mic stand and launched into the lyrics for Living in Sin amid a cacophony of feminine shrieks.  Allegra and Ava looked at one another, shrugging, and leaned against the barrier to enjoy the rare treat.

It wasn't until after they'd almost completed the song that Allegra got it.  She happened to see Jon's eyes slide her way when the song should have ended, but, instead, the music segued into a simple little tune.  He closed his eyes and crooned, “Go-in’ to the chap-el and we’re… gon-na get ma-arried…”

Allegra burst into a fit of laughter, as did Ava, and she saw Richie throw her a wink as he harmonized the lyrics with his frontman.  She grinned, then pursed her lips in a kiss for him.  Not sure whether David could see her, she blew him an exaggerated kiss, too. 

Jon watched her interaction with his bandmates as he drew out the final words of the song, and he appeared to be waiting for something from her.  To him, she gave a brief nod of acknowledgement before putting her arm around Ava in a quick hug.

“Isn’t that hilarious?” she asked in the girl’s ear.  “I wonder whose idea it was?”

“Uncle Jon!  He always does the setlist.”

Nice try cousin…

She mentally dismissed Jon and the rest of the show went by in a blur as Allegra was stuck in her own mind, watching Richie drop his head back and get lost in the music, much as he had gotten lost in her through the remainder of the night before.  They’d sought each other again and again through the night, and he’d finally fulfilled his promise to let her explore early this morning – even if it had been unintentional.

She’d woken in his arms, feeling his strong, steady heartbeat under her cheek, and reveled in his closeness.  Snuggling up against him, the friction of her skin against his had ignited another spark.  The aching soreness between her legs was noticeable, but it didn’t lessen the blossoming, more erotic, ache that she’d come to associate with Richie.  And, with their limited time together, she didn’t want to waste a single opportunity.

Caressing his chest lightly, she stroked his skin in easy circular motions, winding a lazy path down his torso, lower and lower, until she’d reached the stretch of skin below his belly button.  She felt the muscles there contract and his cock began to stir under her tentative ministrations.  Hearing a quiet grumble, Allegra looked up to find his sleepy eyes studying her with a banked heat smoldering in them.

Stroking up and down his length with a loose fist, she marveled at how quickly he could go from soft and pliable to stiff and unforgiving with just a touch.  Her tongue snaked out to wet her lips as she thought of savoring that hard flesh.  “You’ve had your turn plenty of times.  It’s mine now, don’t you think?” she whispered, her eyes never leaving his.

Richie buried one hand in her hair, flexing his fingers against her scalp.  A hoarse “Please,” was his answer, and he urged her to sate her curiosity with an imperceptible nudge downward. 

Her lips traced the path her fingers had taken just moments ago, and she tenderly kissed each stop along the way, often darting her tongue out for a taste of his salty skin.  Slowly sneaking her hand lower, she used her thumb to place feathery caresses along the base of his shaft, moving to gently knead his balls. His groan of appreciation both electrified and encouraged her exploration, and he separated his thighs to accommodate her inquisitive fingers. 

In the meantime, her ready mouth found the erotic dark trail that guided the way to his bobbing erection.  She gave his testicles one more gentle squeeze, and moved to encircle the base of his shaft, holding it place to lick the shiny drop of fluid from its tip. 

“Je-susss,” he breathed when her tongue touched him, and her confidence grew.  Opening her mouth, she wrapped her lips around the mushroom shaped head and gave a firm suck, drawing another groan from him.

“More…” he beseeched, with a light touch at the crown of her head.  “Take more of it.”

Her lips dragging downward along the velvety skin, she tried to accommodate him, but he was so big that she couldn’t go more than halfway before he touched the back of her throat.

“Oh shit, baby!  That feels so good…”  One large hand buried itself in each side of her hair, guiding her back up again.  “Relax your throat,” he encouraged before pressing his hips upward into her wet, warm mouth.

Allegra did as he advised and found that she was able to take more of him in without gagging.  She slowly slid her tongue and mouth up and down a couple more times before pushing down to devour his entire length. 

“That’s my girl,” he rasped.  “Now swallow.”  Doing as he asked, she was rewarded with a sharp gasp as her throat muscles rippled along his length.  Her hand again sought out the furred globes below the base of his cock.  They were drawn tight, and not nearly as soft as they had been.  Allegra drew back and instinctively licked and suckled on his length, bobbing up and down animatedly until he cried out with pleasure. 

“Baby… I’m gonna… come.  You… need to stop… if you don’t want it.”  He fisted her hair and tried to still his hips from rising to seek out the moist heat of her mouth.

Releasing him with a wet ‘pop’, she purred, “I want it.  Give it to me.”  His growl fueled her to firmly wrap her fingers around him and stroke as she fervently lapped along the underside of his shaft.  She fluttered her fingertips along his hairy thigh, clutching at him as she felt her excitement grow with his grunts of appreciation as she took him deep in her throat again.

Richie gently gripped her hair and helped her set a pace that would give him the release he sought.  “Suck... hard…  pleeeassse!” he begged, writhing in agony against the mattress.  Allegra drew him as deep and as hard as she could in rapid succession until she felt him begin to pulse and he held her firmly against him.  “Al…legra!  Oh ba-byyy!”  She eagerly swallowed the thick, creamy spurts until there was no more, and gently suckled at his softening shaft until he finally settled, completely drained and sated. 

He tugged at her, wanting her beside him in the bed.  “Come here and let me hold you.”

Obligingly, Allegra crawled up the mattress and let herself be enveloped in the inked arms she adored so much. 

“Was it okay?” she murmured, sliding her fingers into his hair.

A throaty chuckle rumbled through his chest, and he burrowed his face behind her ear with a sweet kiss.  “It was fucking phenomenal, Sunshine.  You’re gonna kill me if gets any better.”

♫♪♥♫♪

Yet another roar of the crowd drew her from the memory, and she watched the men on stage embrace one another, looking pleased with themselves and the crowd’s response.  Rightfully so, from everything Allegra could see.  She didn’t know how many they’d played, but she’d been to enough shows now to realize they’d padded the setlist by at least a few songs tonight.

Chris, from security, nudged her and she saw that he was trying to get her and Ava to the back before the guys left the stage.  “Sorry,” she mouthed, and followed him out right behind Casey and Ava.  The nanny had joined them for the show, and would be escorting Ava back to the hotel so that Allegra could join Richie for the after party.  He’d told her that the Las Vegas after party was an event, with the celebrities coming out of the woodwork for whatever reason.  She wasn’t sure she’d recognize most of the celebrities, and was  uncertain how that was going to go over with said celebrities.  Dot and Lexi had forgone the show, saying it was just another show to them, and she wasn’t sure they’d even be at the party.  Shaking it off, she decided it didn’t matter because Richie would be right there with her. 

The fire door closed  behind them, suddenly muffling the applause and cheering to a manageable level.  “So what did you think?”  Ava asked her.  They were making their way to Richie’s dressing room, where they would wait for him.

“Fantastic, of course!  I don’t think they’ve ever put on a bad show.”

“Dad’s good isn’t he?”  Ava was fishing for something, but Allegra didn’t know what.

“Your dad is incredible.  I don’t think there’s anyone in the world that I’d rather hear sing, and you know he’s a great guitarist.  How about you?  Did you enjoy it?”

“Yeah, it was good, but it’s funny hearing those women go crazy over Dad and Uncle Jon.”

Allegra laughed as Chris ushered them into the dressing room and disappeared.  “They do know how to express their appreciation.”  She turned to Casey as they made themselves comfortable.  “Casey, what did you think?  Have you been to a lot of shows?”

Shaking her head, the young woman said, “Not really.  He always makes sure Ava is at the LA and Las Vegas shows, so I’ve been to a few, but I’m nowhere near a connoisseur.   I always enjoy it though, because it’s such a change from hearing Richie around the house with just his guitar.”

Since their first date in New Jersey, acoustic Richie had become Allegra’s kryptonite, and she felt a pang of jealousy that it was a part of Casey’s everyday life.

Matt poked his head in the door before she had a chance to dwell on it.  “Richie asked me to tell you that he’ll be here in a few minutes.  Jon’s called a quick band meeting.”  At their nods, he was just about to duck back out, when Allegra stopped him.

“Matty, is there any way you could do me a favor?” 

“Sure, babe, whatcha need?”

Ava and Casey were involved in some kind of bird game on Ava’s phone and Allegra quietly placed her request, choosing to ignore the amused glint in his eyes as he agreed.   “I’ll make sure it’s taken care of,” he assured her before adopting a scowl.  “I can’t believe I missed the chapel stunt, by the way.  Damn delayed flight.   I would’ve given anything to see big brother’s face when that went down!  The whole crew is talking about it, you know.”  He paused, as though considering, then pulled her into a quick, tight hug.  “Richie’s a great guy, Frannie.  He’ll treat you right, and I’m happy for the two of you.”

She had to fight the prick of tears in her eyes.  “It’s nice to have somebody in the family that’s on my side.  Thanks, Matty,” she acknowledged with a kiss on the cheek.

“Hey, I know I’m not the ‘important’ cousin, but I’m always here if you need something.  Remember that, okay?”  Seeing her nod of agreement and appreciation, he headed out to make sure her request was fulfilled.

It wasn’t five minutes later until the door swung wide and Richie strode into the room.  He picked up Ava and swung her around in a big hug.  “Your old Dad’s still got it, baby girl.”

Ava screeched and cried, “Ugh!  Da-ad! You’re all sweaty and gross!”

“Honest day’s work will do that to you,” he said, putting her back on the floor.

Allegra snorted, and he turned on her.  “What?  You don’t think that’s an honest day’s work?  Being a rock god?”

With a bark of laughter, she poked him in the ribs and said, “No, I think that’s you having fun and feeding your ego!”

Grabbing her hand to keep her poky fingers away, he wrapped her up in a hug, laughing. “You may just be right.”  He dropped his lips to hers for a lingering kiss before taking a step back.  “Since I’m so offensive, I’m going to take a shower to get un-sweaty and gross.  Then we can go, okay?”