Chapter Twenty Eight

A low whistle greeted Rachel when she stepped into the kitchen through the doors that were fast becoming ‘her’ entrance. Jon in dark jeans and a black shirt that hugged him in all the right places grinned, his eyes travelling lustily over her white jeans and close fitting royal blue tank top that showed just a hint of her sun kissed cleavage.

“I guess you approve then huh?”

Smiling she accepted the glass of wine he was offering with a demure kiss to his cheek. Musky cologne and a clean shaven jaw drove her senses into immediate overload.

“Anything that shows your boobs off that well is always gonna be a hit with me – file that information away for future reference please.”

Jon’s arm hugged her close as she moulded her body to him and tipped her chin up to reciprocate the warm kiss he brushed her lips with.

“You look better than any picture I’ve ever seen of you…….” Rachel’s willowy eyes fluttered coyly from beneath her lightly made up eyelids, her voice husky with desire. “…….and there are a LOT of pictures on Google…..”

Chuckling Jon rolled his eyes, “Ohhhh lawd….stop it woman you’re making me blush!”

“I may not let you leave this house…….I might just have to find a new room to get you naked in.”

Daringly she nudged her hips against his crotch, a devilish grin lighting up her face. She was turning into a wanton hussy and it felt great!

The distant thud of rotor blades filtered in to the kitchen from across the river and Jon smiled smugly and winked. “Saved by the chopper little girl!” Throwing back the last of the wine that remained in his glass he set it down on the island and landed a cheeky slap on the cheeks of her ass.

“C’mon princess……your coach awaits!”

Wide eyed with delight, Rachel held on to his hand tightly as they darted across the lawn to the sleek Sikorsky helicopter that touched down on the grass helipad. Laughing she ducked her head, shielding her hair from the strong gusts of wind that the blades were producing as Jon helped her step up into the cabin. Clutching her jacket and purse to her lap, she slid lithely across the cream leather seat, beaming happily when Jon settled himself beside her, his blue eyes sparkling in amusement at her excitement.

“Still want to go back in there and get me naked?”

Motioning to the house that was disappearing beneath them, Jon draped an arm around her shoulders with an innocent smirk.

“Um….maybe we should take a rain check on that for now – but later? You’re all mine!”

With a happy sigh Rachel settled comfortably into his arms and together they looked out over the sights beneath them, the steady throb of the helicopter bringing them ever closer to the towering skyscrapers that jutted from the NYC skyline. In no time at all they were crossing the Hudson river, frothy wakes left behind by various speedboats streaking across the grey surface. Her curiosity piqued Rachel craned her neck to see where they were headed as the aircraft swooped in past the Financial District where her head office was located and landed smoothly on a rooftop that she judged to be roughly between Tribeca and Soho. Jon offered no clues when he helped her exit the chopper and guided them into an elevator that took them to the ground floor, emerging onto a busy Soho street.

“Welcome to Soho baby!”

 “Jon – where are we going??” Frustration and excitement mounting, Rachel took in the scenes around them as he laced his hand in hers and walked them both down the street.

“Shopping! I told you!”

“Shopping for what though?”

“Patience little girl! All will be revealed shortly!”

Although his eyes were hidden behind the aviators perched on his nose, Rachel could still detect the mirth bubbling in them when he tilted his head down and grinned innocently at her. Shaking her head she accepted he wasn’t going to budge and contented herself in gazing in the polished boutique and café windows that lined the several blocks they passed until Jon gently steered her in through a door of a large showroom.

Before she even had time to register where they were, Jon was removing his sunglasses and shaking hands with a petite woman who scurried over to greet them.

“Jon! Great to see you!”

“Hi Colette, thanks for fitting us in!” With a warm smile Jon turned to introduce the dark haired woman to Rachel.

“Rachel this is Colette DuMansun, she’s been my interior designer for the last fifteen or so years and this evening…..” Pausing with raised eyebrows he grinned triumphantly at her. “…she is gonna help us pick out some new bedroom furniture!”

Rachel gaped at him in stunned disbelief before she remembered her manners and politely shook the designer’s hand. Motioning for them to follow her, Colette led them up a large flight of stairs to the upper showroom. With his hand settled in the small of Rachel’s back, Jon dipped his head and murmured in her ear as they ascended.

“I think you’re right……we both have some ghosts lurking and you may well have a valid point about me needing a new bed.”

Rachel turned her head just in time to catch the half-guilty grin and accompanying wink that he flashed as the stairs evened out onto a floor elegantly laid out with staged bedrooms.

“This is the Fall Collection Jon – just in but if there’s nothing that catches your eye I still have much of the Summer Collection in stock, just not on display. Just call if you need me!”

Smiling politely Colette left them to browse through the floor, Rachel still shaking her head in disbelief.

“Jon I didn’t mean for you to redesign for Christ’s sake! A new mattress would have sufficed!”

Nudging her chin upwards with a finger Jon smiled and dropped a soft kiss on her lips. “No more ghost’s baby remember? Now c’mon – I thought you liked shopping!”

Rachel felt her heart melt into a puddle of affection as the softness and sincerity that pooled from his crystal blue eyes flowed directly into her own. Biting her lip to keep back the tears of happiness that threatened to brim she silently nodded and smiled her gratitude before slipping her hand back in his to peruse through the vast collection of bedroom furniture. Together they wandered through the various set ups, stopping here and there to take a closer look at anything that caught their eye.

“You know Jon; I really don’t care what you buy! It is your bedroom after all and…..ooooooh!”

Breaking off mid-sentence Rachel dropped his hand to swivel on her heels wide eyed at a cream antiqued Rococo set with marble topped edges and ornate carvings engrained into the smooth wood that took her breath away. Classical and elegant she could just picture it in Jon’s bedroom, matching dressers and chests completing the vision.

“You like that huh?”

Jon’s breath was warm on the back of her neck as he wrapped his arms around her and stuck the tips of his fingers into the front pockets of her jeans. Leaning her weight against him Rachel sighed contentedly; “It’s beautiful isn’t it?”

“It’d be nicer if you were sprawled naked on it – now that would be beautiful!” His husky voice murmured quietly in her ear, fingers pushing deeper into the pockets that restricted him from going any further. Blushing Rachel wriggled away from his touch, if he kept that up she would end up on the bed there and then, store or no store.

Chortling Jon released her and turned to beckon Colette over from behind the small desk where she was discretely working.

“She likes this Colette….can you show us some fabrics that you have in stock that will work please?”

Together they picked out a selection of cream and honeyed fabrics, along with choosing new drapes for the windows that would pick up on the brocade running through the elegant throws. While Jon went through the paperwork with Colette, Rachel wandered further to the back of the first floor, her fingers running appreciatively over the luxurious materials and polished furniture. What Jon was doing here was huge, so huge that she was having a hard time gathering her thoughts about it all. Six months ago she had been living a life of denial and misery but now….. well now everything was different. Who could have thought?

“And you can have all that done by next weekend?” Wrapping up the finer details with Colette Jon smiled with warm gratitude when the designer confirmed that his wishes would be carried out in time.

“Of course Jon, we can have it done sooner if needs be?”

“No, no thanks. Next weekend is fine. Thanks Colette – I’ll be in touch.”

Lifting his head he scanned the large store for Rachel, finally spying her honeyed hair hovering by some shelves in a corner. As he strode through the maze of furniture he watched her softly caress a small cushion, her fingers tracing the embroidery seemingly lost in thought.

“Hey baby, we good to go?”

Jumping at his voice, Rachel snapped back to reality and placed the cushion back on the shelf, turning to him with a bright smile.

“Ready when you are!”

Jon draped an arm across her shoulder and dropped a quick kiss on the side of her forehead as she turned to exit the store with him. A quick glance over his shoulder afforded him just enough time to make out the swirling letters embroidered on the pillow she had been so absorbed in.

What’s meant to be will always find a way

An easy smile settled across his lips as they walked together back down the stairs and said goodbye to Colette. The old proverb was right – he was full sure of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back out on the sidewalk, the late evening sun filtered through the tall buildings either side of them casting shadows along the streets. A relaxed atmosphere hung over the quarter, shoppers and tourists quietly intermingling through the various bars and restaurants.

“Any preference for dinner?”

Rachel shook her head amicably, “Not fussy, whatever you want is good with me!”

“There’s a little Spanish place down here that does a pretty mean paella – sound okay?”

Slipping her hand in his, Rachel smiled up at him. “Sounds great – lead the way.”

Together they wandered hand in hand down the sidewalk, blending into the scenery like any other loved up couple dating on a New York Summer evening until they rounded the corner where the restaurant was. A flurry of activity streaking across the street caught Rachel’s eye at the same time as she felt Jon’s hand stiffen around her own.

“Fuck……….” The quietly muttered curse slipped out from under his breath, a fixed smile curling the edges of his lips when a small, round man with a receding hair line popped up in their path, jostling the crowds out of his way with small nimble backward steps.

“Hey Mr. Jon!! How are you? Okay to get a picture?”

Without waiting for a response, quick as lightning the man with an obscenely large camera lens glued it to his face and began firing off a quick succession of shots.

“Yeah……sure man.”

Without missing a beat, Rachel calmly slipped her hand out of Jon’s and nimbly sidestepped around the man, leaving Jon to resentfully nod and flash a few smiles at the camera while she slipped inside the door of the busy restaurant. Watching her go ahead from behind the shade of his sunglasses, Jon stuck his hands in his pockets and gratified the pap with a few relaxed shots before nodding and firmly making his way past him to follow her in through the door.

“Who’s the pretty lady Jon?” The man’s fading question was silenced by the door swinging shut behind him and Jon blew out a quick breath before he spotted Rachel already seated in a booth at the back of the restaurant thanking a server for the pair of menus she had just been handed.

“You handled that like a pro!”

Slipping into the seat opposite her, Jon pulled his aviators off and laughed when a completely nonplussed Rachel merely shrugged and handed him a menu with an easy smile.

“You’re not my first rock star Jon Bon Jovi!”

Chuckling Jon flipped open the menu, his shoulders shaking with amusement. She was one cool cookie that was for sure. Perusing the menu in an easy silence, they decided on sharing the paella that the small restaurant was known for and placed their order along with a beer and a margarita. When the drinks arrived Jon waited for their server to leave before raising his glass and cocking an eyebrow across the table.

“So…….what shall we drink to?”

Rachel raised her heavy salt rimmed glass to meet his tall Pilsner glass and eyed him steadily. “You do know we have to keep eye contact when we make a toast right? Otherwise its seven long years of bad sex!”

Jon raised his brows in an amused quirk. “You’re really concerned that we’re capable of bad sex?”

Grinning across at him, Rachel shrugged. “Anything is possible……why risk it? And since this is your party you should decide what we drink to……just don’t lose eye contact and it’s all good!”

With his beer glass still raised Jon thought for a moment before smirking and tipping the rim against hers. “Alrighty then…….To dirtying up our new sheets!”

Laughing into his powdery blue eyes, Rachel returned his smirk with one of her own.

“Amen to that! To dirty sheets!”

Settling back in the comfortable leather booth after they had each taken a healthy swallow, Rachel licked the salt from her lips.

“So what have you planned for next week?”

Jon fiddled with the lime quarter that threatened to slip down the beer bottles neck, eventually resigning himself to pouring the rest of the pale lager out into his glass.

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that actually………I’m spending a few beach days with the kids at the Hampton house and then the weekend is filled up with various events that I need to go to.” 

Catching Rachel’s interested eye, he shrugged. “Mostly parties under the guise of being charity events.”

When she nodded in understanding he took her hand from across the table, his fingers lying comfortably across her palm. “Dorothea is scheduled to pick them up about noon on Thursday…………I was hoping you’d spend the weekend out there with me……we’ll have some social things to attend but otherwise we’ll be free to laze on the beach………whaddya say?”

Rachel giggled at his innocently childlike and hopeful plea; “Sounds like fun! I’ve got meetings in the City though all day Wednesday and Thursday so I might just have to drive out to you after they wrap –how far is it?”

Jon thought for a moment, his fingers still lazily tracing an imaginary pattern on the back of her hand.

“It’s not that many miles but the traffic will be horrible……” A slight frown creased his handsome features until he worked it out in his head, a triumphant smile replacing the temporary problem.

“Leave the car in Jersey! I’ll send the chopper in to bring you to the City and then when you’re done it’ll be standing by to fly you out….to me!”

Shaking her head at him in amusement, Rachel grinned across the table. “You’ve got it all figured out haven’t you? Well in that case I’ll probably just stay in a hotel in the city on Wednesday night then.”

Swallowing back another slug of his beer Jon raised his finger in another triumphant salute.

“I’ve a better idea again – you can stay in my place in the city. It’d actually be easier for the chopper to get in and out of there so that works. But……I’ll have to warn you…..” With a playful wink he nudged her foot under the table. “….I didn’t think to buy new bedding for that place – yet!”

“Oooh…….a night at the Jon Bon Jovi love shack huh?” Groaning dramatically Rachel took another sip of her margarita. “Please tell me I won’t have to deal with disco balls and mirrors?!”

Chortling Jon dipped his head and sat back as their order of paella arrived, a vibrant dish full of an assortment of colourful rice grains and shellfish.

“You never know baby – there’s all sorts of surprises in that place!”

Rachel smiled her thanks to the server who set a warm plate in front of her before turning her attention back to Jon.

“Seriously though, I appreciate the offer Jon but I’m perfectly fine in a hotel…..”

Spooning heaps of the steaming paella onto her dish, Jon smoothly interrupted her protestations.

 “NuhUH! At least this way I’ll still have you in my bed! I’ll have everything set up for you by tomorrow, it’s not a problem.”

Accepting the man wasn’t going to take no for an answer, Rachel acquiesced before fixing him with a slightly sheepish look.

“Um…..Jon? The sheets will be clean right?”

Without beating a beat Jon nodded; “More than likely but if not you can just sleep on top of the blankets…you’re a big girl Rachel Braden – I’m sure you can rough it for one night!”

When her eyes widened in horror, Jon’s shoulders shook with a roll of laughter.

“I’m kidding! Of course the sheets will be clean baby – what kind of savage do you think I am??”

Sticking her fork into a piece of chicken Rachel raised her eyebrows at him and smirked.

“Oh I know exactly what kind of savage you are Mr Bon Jovi, don’t you worry about that!”