Chapter 90

“Now, you romantic schmuck, whaddya got for me?”

Richie twirled around to scoop the guitar back up, settling on the familiar stool with a grin.  “Well, I’ve been thinking about what you said last week.  Ya know, the shit about me not having to deal with real life, and how THIS is love.  Everything she and I have been through hasn’t been so much love, as life – the rape, her adoption, her parents. “ 

He picked out a chord progression, focusing intently on his fingers as he executed the music that had been bopping around in his head the last couple of days.  It was in keeping with the heavier direction they’d gone when producing The Circle, not even vaguely reminiscent of a love song.

“So you’ve got music.  That must mean you’ve got a title.”

They’d been doing this so long that it was almost a familiar dance, their songwriting rhythm.  It all began with a title, which dictated the feeling of the song and corresponding chord progression.  The lyrics were the last stage, except for the production bells and whistles. 

“This Is Love, This Is Life.”

“Sure you don’t mean This AIN’T Love, This Is Life?”

“Too cynical,” Richie argued.  “You want love and life to blend.  Nobody wants listen to a song where love loses out to life.”

And so the creative process went.  Richie had a few vague lyrical ideas that Jon infused with his own personal meaning, and they both added and subtracted words, syllables and phrases until they had the rough skeleton of a song.

“Enough for tonight,” Jon ordered, replacing his black Takemine on its stand.  “This will keep until the next break.  Depending on how it pans out, it could be a new single on the greatest hits album.”

Richie slid his acoustic in the adjoining stand and rose, stretching his arms over his head.  “Good deal, man.”

“So you gonna tell her she inspired a song?” Jon asked with a grin, clapping the taller man on the back with a warm thump.  “You know that’s instant pussy.”

Laughter bubbled up from within Richie, riding across the night air as they walked back to the house.  “I don’t need a damn song for that,” he assured.  “All I have to do is sing.”

“Ah, fuck.  Is she another one of those who’s gonna bust my chops for not showcasing your vocal talent?”  Jon drawled sarcastically.  “Let me guess, she thinks your voice is ‘better’ than mine.”

“Now, now.” Richie held up his hands in a gesture of innocence, struggling to contain his laughter.  “She never said ‘better’  - just ‘more appealing’.  To her.”

“Jesus, why does your singing make women horny?  Well, I’m not complaining this time.  I’ll be the first to take a pass on making my cousin’s panties wet.”

The men were still laughing like crude teenagers when they found their ladies curled up on the sofa with two glasses of wine.

“Oh God,”  Dorothea groaned.  “They’re talking dirty again.”

“How can you tell?” Allegra asked curiously, looking back and forth between the two guys, whose laughter had died into wide smiles.

“It’s the only time they laugh like that.  Porn, dirty jokes, or – .”

“Okay,” Richie interrupted loudly, removing the wine glass from Allegra’s hand and propelling her to her feet.  “It’s time to go, Sunshine, before D tells every damn thing she knows.”

♥♫♥

Lightly scratching his bare chest, Richie was propped in the bed, pretending to be engrossed by an iPhone app, but secretly watching her go through what he now knew to be her nightly routine.  Teeth and hair had already been brushed.  Jewelry – he firmly pushed that dark cloud away – had been removed.   Lotion was applied to her face. 

Now came the good part.    

Feeling only a little like a peeping Tom, he observed how easily she stepped from her jeans, his eyes hungrily traveling down the legs that would soon wrap around his waist.  Vivid memories flickered to life, and he could practically feel their weight pressing against his sides in passion. 

The cotton shirt being swept over her head commandeered his attention, and he put the memories away for fear of missing a chance to create new ones.

Gracefully, she bent to retrieve the jeans, bunching them in her fist alongside the shirt.  The hamper was in the closet across the room, and as she made the short journey, her bottom swayed easily, clad in only in the pretty purple panties they’d bought her this week.  The lone other scrap of fabric on her body was the matching bra, which quickly dropped away once the other clothes had been discarded.

Richie’s stomach muscles tightened.  Oddly enough, so did his chest.

The first time they’d been intimate in this room, she’d been the equivalent of a shy, unsure girl.  Wary of  exposing herself to him, she’d worked through it with a false bravado. 

Not anymore.

Being naked in front of him, she treated no differently than being fully clothed.  She felt completely natural and relaxed around him all the time now.  Richie loved that.  Nobody else got this part of her, or had EVER had it. 

She’s mine.

Those two simple words never failed to overwhelm him, and dampness pooled in his eyes.

Dammit Sambora, stop being a girly-man and screw her like there’s no tomorrow.

But he couldn’t.  They were well beyond that stage, no matter what kind of pansy-ass that made him. 

Sharing his house and his ‘real’ life with her had been eye opening. 

Silently absorbing everything that was going on around them, she magically became everything he needed.  She’d morphed into more than a warm body that he was emotionally infatuated with.  She’d become his soul mate.

There were calming words when he finished a frustrating phone call, indignation when she thought he’d been snubbed by some celebrity invite, and indulgent laughter at his weird sense of humor.   

And the talks.

They had lain in bed and talked forever each night, about any and everything.  Sometimes it was about what they’d done that day.  Other times it had been reminiscing about their childhoods, goals for the future, or just the world today.  Considering her conservative Catholic background, and his ‘less restrictive’ lifestyle, he’d been amazed at how much their ideals had meshed.  She was really much more liberal minded than anyone would suspect.

His reverie was interrupted when Allegra turned to reach for her nightshirt, and the gentle sway of her unfettered breasts momentarily mesmerized him.   She was just lifting the shirt over her head when he spoke.

“Don’t.”  Giving up all pretense of fascination with the phone, he dropped it none-too-gently on the bedside table.

She jumped with surprise at both the clatter and his voice.

“Have you been watching me this whole time?” 

“Every move,” he affirmed, his eyes heating.

“Oh.”  She didn’t have a response for that.  The man could still fluster her with nothing more than his open admiration of her body.   

Sidling up to him on the mattress, she brushed her hand along his bare leg, fingers trailing through the coarse hair.  He was wearing only a pair of black silk boxers, and they were suspiciously pointed in the front.  It was apparent that he’d enjoyed her unwitting show.

Long guitarist’s fingers curled around her wrist as easily as if it was the neck of his favorite instrument, and he urged her close. 

“C’mere.”

Eager to comply, she leaned forward, presumably for a kiss, but his mouth dipped lower to capture the underside of her swaying breast.  His nose nestled into the furrow there and nuzzled, his tongue happily tracing the contour until he could do it by memory.

The overwhelming need to explore her every inch ate at him like a hunger.  Maybe it was the fresh Felix reminder, the studio time with Jon, or his impending departure, but his most intense emotions hovered near the surface and, at that first taste, a flood of possessiveness washed over Richie.  She belonged to him, and he would know each part of her more intimately than he’d ever cared to know another.

Anxiously seeking hands wrapped themselves around her ribcage, and he eased her far enough back to latch his lips around the sweet little nipple that was now begging for attention.  He languished it in his mouth with purpose until he grew restless to taste the other treasures that were uniquely Allegra. 

With a deep groan, he grudgingly freed the rosy pebble, tongue longingly lagging behind until retreating into his mouth.  Swallowing deeply, he sought out her eyes, mouth glistening and red from its erotic adventure.

She had no idea what had gotten into him.  They’d made love more times than she could count in California, but there was an unfamiliar gleam in his eyes tonight. For lack of a better description, Allegra would call it a glowing desperation.  There was a soft light radiating from somewhere within him, but she could also see an underlying need that fought its way through.

“Hey,” she whispered, cupping his cheek.  “Are you okay?”

His answer was as distracting as it was uninformative.  Powerful hands towed her down to lie on his chest, and hungry lips crashed against hers.  At first the kiss was almost savage in its intensity, but then, in the next instant, transformed into the most agonizingly sweet indulgence.

Before she could tumble headlong into surrender, she wrenched away from the sensual assault, desperate to know what was going on in his mind.  “Richie?”

He didn’t respond verbally, but one swift motion had their positions reversed and she was pinned under him, looking up into his face.   Richie drank in the sight of her dilated pupils and tousled hair with a soft growl.

Rising to his knees, he inched the miniscule panties down her hips.  The moment they were free, he riveted his eyes to hers and lifted them to his face, breathing deeply.

“Mmmm… Smells good enough to eat.”  He threw the wadded scrap of lace to the floor, never breaking eye contact.

She shivered at the implication of what was ahead, thoughts racing forward to the moist heat of his mouth pressed against her core.  It hadn’t been a frequent part of their times together, but when it was...  Well, Allegra was certain there was nothing more sinful than the pleasure those intimate kisses could evoke.

He urged to her place the soles of her feet flat against the mattress, and gently pushed her knees apart to settle between her thighs. 

Inhaling the erotic, musky scent that was distinctively Allegra, Richie took a moment to revel in the closeness.  She couldn’t be in a more defenseless position, yet she was totally relaxed and open to him.  There was even a slight tremor of anticipation rippling through her thighs.  She trusted him enough to make herself vulnerable to him.

Eat the pussy, don’t BE one.

He blew gently on the ebony curls shielding her femininity, the heat of his breath causing her to bloom like a dark, exotic flower. 

“Ohhh.”

Easing his thumb between the plump lips, he carefully parted them, exposing the tender pink flesh that was nestled in between.  The fragile tissue glistened with soft iridescent moisture that begged his mouth’s touch. 

With a soft murmur of appreciation, he bowed his head, placing an open-mouthed kiss at her very core, a scant drop of flavor finding its way onto his taste buds.  He formed his mouth reminiscent of a pout, full bottom lip protruding, and dragged it slowly along the slick crevice before him. 

Allegra’s moan sounded like agony, but when he lifted his face to check on her, he knew it wasn’t the case.  The color in her cheeks and open mouthed breathing spoke of ecstasy, not agony.  He saw her head thrown back in pleasure as his tongue swiped her flavor from his lip.

“Tell me, baby,” he encouraged, easing his forefinger into her heated channel.  “Let your inner Jersey girl out, and talk dirty to me.”

Her chin fell to her chest and she struggled to focus in her heavy-lidded state.  “You know I don’t talk that way,” she panted.

“It’s just me.” 

His thumb followed the smooth, silky skin of her folds until hitting upon the bundle of sensitive nerves at her apex.  Circling it lightly, then massaging with a deliberate pressure had her arching off the mattress, and she pressed her pelvis against his hand. 

“Come on Sunshine, nobody else will ever know.” 

He added an additional finger with an unexpected thrust, causing her to gasp and buck her hips.

“Tell me how good it feels, baby,” he whispered before succumbing to the tempting flavor of her desire once again.  For the first time, his tongue lapped out to get the full effect, drinking the slick honey that coated her center.  Her moans only spurred him on, and a low growl rumbled in the back of his throat.

“Richie!”  she gasped.  “Oh, baby there’s no feeling like your mouth on me.”

“My mouth on you doing what?”  he mumbled into the sweet tasting flesh.  He nipped gently on the tiny bump that was sitting proud and begging for his attention. 

As much as she loved to be on the receiving end of that kind of talk, she had to have thought the vulgar words at least a couple of times.

She sucked in a sharp breath at the combination of pleasure and pain that his teeth brought, but the firm pressure of his tongue immediately soothed any lingering discomfort.  Allegra writhed agitatedly, aching to have that tongue bathing her in pleasure. 

“Say it.”

His fingers withdrew from their warm haven and spread the bounty they’d created, saturating her folds with the abundance.  The moisture was worked into her flesh by the manipulation of his clever hand, and his lips abandoned their mission.  He lifted his head to once again look at her.

“Nooo!  Don’t stop!” she begged, her inner muscles clenching in anticipation of release.  Her protest fell by the wayside as his face came into focus.  The sight of her desire on his lips made her quiver.  Could there be anything sexier than a man doused from the efforts of his lovemaking?

“All you have to do is say the word, baby.”  He’d become insanely greedy, but he needed this last part of her.  Needed her to give yet one more thing that she’d never given another. 

With a howl of frustration, she finally succumbed.  “I love it when you eat my pussy.  Now eat it!”

Every bit of blood in Richie’s body surged southward, and his pelvis ground into the mattress at the same time he immersed himself  between her thighs.  Determined lips, mouth, tongue, teeth sought to touch each and every nerve ending.  His head moved back and forth as he burrowed into the intimate haven she’d just made his once again.

“Oh my God!  Yes.  Lick it, please.  Your tongue feel so good, you’re gonna make me cum.”  The words spilled out free-flowing, as champagne that had been uncorked, and she didn’t have the presence of mind to put the cork back in place.  Allegra’s fingers buried themselves in his soft, silky hair, the additional sensation adding more fuel to the fire.

“Please, please, just a little more…” she wailed.  “Suck on my – OHHHHH, YESSS!”   All muscles went taut as she plummeted from the pinnacle of stimulation into the warm pool of ecstasy that allowed them to relax once again.

“Stay right there,” he breathed, shucking his boxers and lunging for the nightstand. 

She watched him through hooded eyes as he tore into the condom wrapper and quickly moved to rejoin her.  Properly protected, he placed her feet on his shoulders and sank into the warm, rippling flesh with one powerful thrust and a deep groan of appreciation.

“Sweet Jesus…”

She had no chance to rest in the valley before he was pushing her back up that mountainside, each thrust reaching deeper and filling her more fully than the last.  Sweat dripped from the tip of his nose and his breaths were becoming shallower as he picked up the tempo.

“Oh God, Richie, you fill me so full!  There’s no room for anything but me and you.”

That was it.  His feminine side both cried like a little girl and breathed a sigh of completion at her words. 

That was the only evidence of a feminine side, however.  The howl that was torn from his throat was full of testosterone and male gratification, resonating loudly enough to mask her renewed cries of pleasure.  The orgasm was pulled from him with a rush of heat, flooding the condom with the proof of his satisfaction.

Sucking for air, his back screamed from the rigorous activity, but his hips were still carrying out the mindless rhythm of nature.  They stilled only when her legs went weightless against him and her feet slid from his shoulders.  He caught them before they fell unceremoniously to the mattress, gently guiding them to their destination.  

With a drained sigh, he took care of the condom, then collapsed alongside her.  One arm propped his head in an upright position, and the other instinctively reached for her, hauling her close.   

“Hey there Jersey Girl,” he murmured huskily.

She giggled quietly and placed a soft kiss on his chin.  “I wouldn’t get used to that if I were you.  It’s not likely to happen again.”

Richie didn’t believe that for a minute, but chose not to argue the point.  She may not be comfortable admitting it once the passion died down, but he knew what rocked his girl’s world.   That was all that mattered.

His fingers stroked lazily across her tummy as she cuddled close, kissing the beads of sweat away from his skin.  They murmured quietly together, with soft kisses and touches, until her voice faded to nothing. 

He could tell by the steady breathing that she’d fallen asleep, but Richie wasn’t quite ready to let himself slide into oblivion.  He had too many plans to make.