Chapter 50

He sat staring at the concrete wall, his fingers steepled before his face. It had been fucking months, well three, a quarter of a fuckin' year since he'd seen Shannon. At first he'd been able to control the urges to call. Sound checks, interviews, keeping Richie hopping from bar to bar. It had helped.

Ok, keeping Richie hopping had a two fold amusement factor. They went out, SHE got pissed, Richie paid the price and he got his own personal melodrama to watch. And yet, it still didn’t numb the need. He'd finally taken to calling her, always late at night and always had her moaning by call's end. Fucking glutton for punishment that was him.

One more fuckin' month, and half of that in Moscow, then he could go home, then he could see her.

**

Shannon grabbed the mail from the box, she noted her sister’s writing on one envelope. YES! The tickets for the coming weekend! Finally! She'd been getting worried, with her little vacation looming, she still had no clue what flight, when or anything.

She opened the door and shucked her jacket before collapsing on the couch to open it. There was a plane ticket, leaving the 27th from Newark, arriving a few hours later at Denver International. Mel had enclosed a note saying a car would be waiting for her; she also included the hotel information, booking number, a laminate for the concert and was that code names to get upstairs? Damn she was thorough!

She checked the envelope one last time and a slim piece of paper fell to her lap. Picking it up she rolled her eyes. Damn them! A check, from Richie no less, and the amount had her eyes going wide. Shannon huffed, she had it under control. She shook her head and rose from the couch. Padding over to the counter she stuffed the check in the stash jar in the cupboard. She would save it, just in case.

She finally allowed herself to be excited. She did miss Mel a lot, but she loved her new found independence almost as much. Then there was Jon. She felt the nervous butterflies in her tummy. She hadn't said a word to him about the trip, she was kinda nervous about seeing him again.

After a few weeks of absolutely no contact; the last few nights had been filled with surprisingly regular late night calls. They weren’t exactly long calls but at least long enough to make her nearly insane with the need to be near him again. She excitedly headed to her room to begin packing.


Less than five hours later, Shannon yawned as she looked out the window on her way to the hotel. The flight hadn't been bad, not at all, first class! And the car! A limo, for her? She was so tired yet so damn giddy.

As the car slowed to a stop in front of the hotel and the driver walked around to open her door, she grabbed her hat and tossed it on her head then slid her sunglasses on. She didn’t want to take any chance of Jon seeing her before the show was over. She planned on enjoying her first Bon Jovi show in total fan persona and she didn’t want to be worried about what he might think.

She exited the car and walked to the front desk, it took no time at all to get her room key, she grabbed her suitcase and turned to head for the elevators. As she neared then the doors opened. SHIT! There he was, of all the luck... She pulled her hat a bit further down and tilted her head down as she passed within mere inches of him.

His nose wrinkled at the female passed. Turning quickly his eyes honed in on the slight figure. Damn if it didn’t smell like....... Couldn't be her though, she was way back in Jersey at school. "Fuck." He entered the elevator, jabbed the button and watched as the doors slid shut.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the elevator start to rise, that was a close call. When the doors opened again she hurriedly found her room and entered, Tossing her bags on the floor, she flopped on the bed and dialed her sister’s room number that the front desk clerk had scribbled on a piece of paper.

She turned and lifted the phone, one slender hand pushing Richie back slightly. "Stop it." Shaking her head she laughed out a quick "hello."

"Hey I'm here!"

"Ahhh that's good to know." She glanced over at Richie and snorted, "behave." Pulling the phone closer she waggled her brows. "So how long are you going to make me wait for a hug?"

Shannon heard Richie’s throaty laughter in the background, "is it safe?"

She bit her lip, took one long look at the man beside her and forced her voice to remain bland. "Of course."

"Well ok ... be right there!" Shannon hung up the phone and hurriedly ran a hand thru her hair before she grabbed her key and headed down the hall.

"Ok see ya." She turned to Richie and stretched out on the couch as she hung the phone back up. "I'm thirsty."

He rose from the bed. "That Shay?" he asked as her went to get her a glass of water.

She almost laughed but didn't, nor did she answer him. She watched him walk towards the wet bar and grinned,. "Ahh ya never know."

"Here ya go Princess." he held out the glass.

She took the glass and took a sip, then looked up at him an odd expression in her gaze. "Water?"

"Yeah... you said you were thirsty."

She stood slowly and winked before dribbling a slight amount of water along his chest, leaning in to quickly lap the trail moving along his chest. "Yeah I did."

"You’re rotten Mel" he grinned.

"Complaining are we Scarecrow?"

"Not a bit" he leaned down to brush his lips over hers lightly, his hands moving to cup her ass.

She leaned in closer, pressing a brief kiss to his lips just as a knock came to the door. "Why don't you get that babe?"

He sighed "Sure thing babe," and rose from the bed opening the door.

Shannon’s eyes nearly came out of her head, he was almost naked!!! "Um.... I um.... Mel... um."

Richie’s brow crocked up devilishly as he picked her up into a big hug. "Heya Shay!! Come on in good to see ya!" He couldn’t stop the grin at the blush on her cheeks. Hell you’d think he was naked or something. She’d have to learn he had absolutely no shame when it came to clothes or the lack thereof.

She looked past him to her sister then slipped thru the door "why... what??"

Mel stood and hurried to Shannon, wrapping her in a hug. "Hey Squirt."

She hugged her sister back "Does he always walk around in just a speedo?"

She snorted and shook her head. “Hell you got lucky Squirt. He’s usually naked.”

Richie shut the door and sauntered up to the two women. "I got no shame... besides," he winked, "Mellie likes it!"

Shannon gave him the once over, her eyes stopping only momentarily on the quite obvious bulge he was sporting and snorted "I bet she does..."

She turned to Richie and let a innocent smile out to play. “No spandex tonight King. Tight leather. Stringy tank, no coat.. bare-chested when ya sweat. Got all that?" She glanced at Shannon and winked.

"Can I leave my hat on?" he asked

Shannon looked at the two strangely.

"Honey if you take it off I may give you the spanking I threatened you with."

"Hmmm.... That's not much of a punishment is it?"

She leaned in and gave him a silky smile. "Trust me hot stuff. It will be."

Shannon just shook her head "You two are sooooooo strange"

She turned towards her sister nearly dismissing Richie in the process. "Go on, sound check is in half an hour and you have to get ready right?" she glanced over her shoulder and winked.

"Shit!" he looked at the clock "That soon?"

"That soon. And yes I have my laminate and yes I'll be there on time. and YES if you let THIS ONE SECRET slip I will go home and you'll sleep alone until 1991."

"Not a word I swear!!" he grinned and leaned over to kiss her thoroughly "Mmm damn... woman!" he exclaimed as he grabbed his clothes and headed for the bathroom to dress.

She grabbed Shannon's hand and pulled her to the couch. "So tell me how things are going.'

"Fine...." She laughed, "but obviously not as good as things are going here."

“What that? Oh that’s just him getting out of the doghouse he tends to like to stay in. Dork is always finding ways out of the doghouse." She winked at her sis. "I'm glad we could get you here. I swear I was ready to kill that guy."

"Kill... kill who? Richie?"

"No lord, Jon. he's the crankiest son of a gun I've ever had to deal with. People don’t usually get me going you know. I am pretty level, but him the last month? Let’s just say I wanna strangle him with those scarves."