Chapter Forty Four

It was a packed SUV that swung into Rachel’s driveway a prompt thirty minutes later, a slightly frazzled looking Jon grinning out from behind the steering wheel, the tired circles underneath his eyes cementing the fact his kids were in town. 

Jumping into the middle seat beside Romeo who was happily beaming at her from his booster seat, Rachel greeted everyone with a wave and a good morning.

“All set?”

Jon glanced in the rear view mirror to check she was good to go before swinging the Suburban back down the drive. Sitting on the other side of Romeo, Carol smiled across at Rachel from behind her dark sunglasses.

“Beautiful morning isn’t it? They’ll be in short supply soon I’d imagine!”

Rachel nodded in agreement and smiled wistfully out the window at the clear blue sky. “Yes, it won’t be long before we’re wrapped up in winter coats! I’ll have to go elsewhere to get my sunshine fix!”

“John and myself will be heading for our home in Florida soon…” Carol nodded towards Jon’s father seated in the front passenger seat beside his son. “….our brittle, old bones can’t cope with these East Coast winters anymore!”

“How lovely! I must admit I’m not exactly relishing the thought of my first winter over here! I’m willing to bet I’ll be checking out winter vacation spots before Thanksgiving even!”

“It does get cold out here.” Carol confirmed Rachel’s fears as Jon turned them onto the main road into town. “Where’s your favourite place to go?”

“Hawaii!” Rachel replied without hesitation, her smile bright as flashbacks of the idyllic islands floated through her memory. “We used to vacation there a lot……”

Jesse’s young voice popped up from the seat behind them, interrupting the conversation. “My Mom says Hawaii is overrated…….we always go to St. Barts or somewhere cool like that.”

Detecting some possible tension in the thirteen year old, Rachel twisted in her seat to smile encouragingly at his undeniably defiant face. “Wow, I've never been to St. Barts but I've heard it’s beautiful! What’s your favourite thing to do there?”

Caught off guard, the teenager thought for a second before he stared right back at her with crystal blue eyes identical to his father’s. “My Mom and I do loads of cool stuff……like going to the beach and snorkelling or getting some jet skis.”

Eyes wide with wonder, Rachel played right along him. “Really? I've never been on a jet ski – you’re lucky to have such a cool Mom, I don't think my kids ever thought I was that cool!”

Jesse nodded, his cool stare never faltering. “Yeah she’s the best. She’s really famous in martial arts you know?”

“Martial arts huh? I tried that for a few months but I couldn't handle it, it’s really hard – your Mom must be in great shape!”

“Yeah….” His young face softened somewhat at the interest Rachel was displaying and he smiled proudly at her. “…….she’s really strong too – she’s helping me condition for football.”

Still twisted in her seat to face him, Rachel pointed to her shoulder. “You know I've been trying to get my arms in better shape but nothing seems to work – what do you think I should try?”

“You have to lift weights!” Jesse offered one of his slender yet toned arms and pointed confidently to his flexed bicep. “Girls think they can't lift weights because they'll get muscular but if you use three pound weights then you'll tone without getting big muscles like a man.”

“Thanks Jesse, I’ll try that out!” Smiling appreciatively at him, Rachel turned back to face forward just as Jon pulled the car into the parking lot of the diner. She hadn't expected his kids to welcome her with open arms and if that was as bad as it was gonna get, well she could easily deal with that. She knew it couldn't be easy on them seeing another woman in a relationship with their father.

With everyone out of the car, Jon shouldered Romeo and grabbed Jake’s hand to walk him across the parking lot. With a little grin he winked at Rachel beside him and murmured quietly under his breath, “Nicely done back there.”

Winking back, Rachel shook her head and laughed lightly. She'd been pretty sure the adults in the car had been listening to every word of her conversation with Jesse and she wouldn't have expected any less. When all was said and done, she was still an intruder into their family circle albeit a welcome one.

After a calorie laden but delicious breakfast in what Rachel had to agree with Jon on being possibly the greasiest diner she'd ever eaten in, everybody returned to the Bongiovi house with the kids intent on enjoying their last day in Jersey. Jon’s parents were dropping them back to Dorothea’s place in the city that evening on their way home before they all headed back to their respective schools in the morning. After a vote decided on spending the last of the warm weather down on the water, Rachel and Carol teamed together to pack a picnic for the boat. 

Ushering the kids out in front of him, Jon turned to smirk at the sight of their two heads bent over a wicker hamper, both deep in conversation as to what snacks the kids might prefer later on.

“Um….Rachel? You've seen my dock…….right?!”

Rachel’s head snapped up and her eyes narrowed at his mischief laden question, the summer tan hiding the deep blush that heated her face at the memory of the first evening she had spent with him on that particular dock. Responding dryly, she glowered at him.

“Yes Jon, I've seen your dock!”

Shoving his sunglasses back up his nose, Jon grinned widely. “Great! Just wanted to make sure you could find your way down there……you know, in case you couldn't remember……”

Carol, her hands full of snack bars, glanced up at him in annoyance. “For heaven’s sake Jon! It’s in plain sight! She can’t miss it!”

As Rachel raised her brows in a silent smirk, Jon gave up and backed out the door laughing leaving his mother frowning after him. Turning to Rachel completely unaware of Jon’s cryptic message, she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“I like to think my son is an intelligent man but sometimes.....”

Laughing at the older woman’s frustration. Rachel finished packing the hamper with her in an easy silence. The relationship Jon enjoyed with his parents was obviously a solid one based on nurturing family values, something that she'd come to realise mattered more than anything. Filing away a mental note to check in with her own parents before the day ended, she was about to haul the heavy basket off the counter when Jesse came barrelling through the kitchen carrying a selection of impressive looking water guns. Pulling up short when he spotted Rachel attempting to lift the basket, he thrust the guns into the eagerly waiting arms of Jake following close behind.

“I’ll take that down for you…… I'm stronger.”

Rachel momentarily blinked at him in surprise before standing back to let the teenager effortlessly swing the basket down, his toned arm muscles flexing easily with the load. Grinning at her, Jesse shrugged cheekily before marching toward the French doors, Jake happily running on ahead wielding the assortment of water pistols.  

“You better stick to the weights I was telling you about!”

Rachel suppressed the urge to laugh out loud at the teenager’s cockiness; he was a mini version of his father through and through. Thanking him she turned back to see if Carol was ready to leave only to find her watching the little exchange with a less than subtle amusement. 

“I think you have an admirer my dear!” 

Chuckling loudly, Carol folded a picnic blanket over her arm and winked up at Rachel with a warm smile before walking outside. Pausing for a moment Rachel suppressed the feeling of a sort of triumph from bursting onto her face, she had been stressing about how Jon’s family would take to her. It seemed as if by some miracle that she was being offered a glimpse of a second chance at family life....

Chapter Forty Three

“Jon told me about your family Rachel…………I’m sorry if I upset you with my questions last night.”

Rachel shook her head and smiled warmly at Carol, seated on a lounger beside her. The morning tennis game had gone off without a hitch with John Sr proving to be an impressive partner as they had successfully beaten Jon and Stephanie in straight sets. After agreeing to set up something more regular for the future, everybody had returned to the Bongiovi house for some fun by the pool where Jon’s boys were currently shrieking in delight as he repeatedly dunked them underwater off his shoulders.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for Carol, they were logical questions but I just didn’t want to be a downer or risk upsetting the boys……”

Sitting up on a lounger beside her grandmother, Stephanie hugged her knees to her chest and looked curiously across at Rachel, her young voice cautious but respectful.

“If you don’t mind me asking Rachel but….how old was your daughter?”

“She wasn’t quite fifteen at the time Stephanie.....,” Rachel’s heart skipped a beat at the question but her voice belied any emotion. “.....and my son was ten.”

“What were their names?”

Escaping the frenzied activities of his sons for a few moments’ respite, Jon pulled himself out of the pool just in time to hear Rachel answer the question.

“Lauren and Tyler.”

Surprised to hear her talking so freely about a subject that had been so taboo a while back, Jon was about to swiftly change the subject until Stephanie asked interestedly, “Do you have any pictures?”

He watched in amazement as without hesitation Rachel bent down to retrieve her phone from her bag.

“Sure, right here, I copied a lot of photos onto my phone before I left California.”

Stephanie eagerly reached across Carol to take the phone Rachel offered her, flicking her father an annoyed glance when he settled himself on her lounger, showering her in drops of pool water in the process.

“Seriously Dad??”

Rachel watched in amusement as Jon flicked his hair back and playfully wrapped a wet arm around his daughter. “Chill out honey, I just wanna see too…….that okay Rach?” 

When she nodded, Jon dropped his attention to the phone, squinting against the sunlight that bounced off the screen as Stephanie scrolled through the pictures. Images of a Rachel who existed before he had ever met her filled his eyes, a laughing and relaxed woman posing on a veranda with her family, a glistening blue ocean behind them, a dark haired man smiling at the camera with his arm draped around her neck and two sandy haired kids sitting to either side of them. Another of the same man, although younger still obviously Nick with what looked to be his baby son nestled in his arms and followed by a shot of Rachel struggling to hold onto their toddler daughter as the child reached up to grab an ornament off an enormous Christmas tree. 

Stephanie oohed and gushed over the cute pictures while Jon silently watched the images roll by, a twinge of sadness combined with a stab of jealousy filling his belly as he was transported into what had once obviously been a very happy life. He cursed himself silently for allowing himself to feel somewhat threatened by a man who was no longer even in this world but the last picture stirred something inside his gut that previously he’d only felt with Dorothea – possessiveness. It was an old one, Nick had scraggy ruffed up hair and Rachel was rocking a perm that would have challenged Lita Ford’s back in the day and both had New Year’s 1988 cone hats nestled on top of their heads. But it was the look on Rachel’s face as she stared up at Nick that felt like a punch to the stomach, there was nothing posed about the picture, it was purely intimate and he almost felt like a jerk for looking through the window of her past.

When he glanced back up at Rachel, the shadowed pain that still lurked in her eyes snapped him back to reality, he had no business feeling anything other than love for her. Everybody was entitled to a past and she had lost more than anyone should have to endure. With a grin, he shook his head as Stephanie handed back the phone, “Way to rock that eighties hair babe! I think your hair was bigger than my whole band’s put together!”

“Enough of the hair jokes Jon, don’t forget who created them!” John Snr piped up from the table where he’d been flicking through a newspaper. “If it hadn’t been for me…….”

“Yeah Pop, I know I know, I’d be flipping burgers right now!” Grinning at his father, Jon got up to grab a towel from the pile beside Rachel’s lounger. Bending down he murmured in her ear, “You have good taste in men baby, he was a good looking guy - almost as pretty as me!”

With her phone safely stored away, any signs of trepidation vanished from Rachel’s eyes as she laughed down at him. “And he was every bit as humble as you too!” 

Chuckling Jon threw the towel around his shoulders and dipped his lips to hers for a soft kiss before standing back up, aware of the sideways looks he was getting from the rest of the family. 

“But I’m willing to bet I’m a better kisser…..” 

With a laugh he sauntered off to grab a drink leaving a slightly blushing Rachel grinning after him as she lay back to pick up her book. It seemed she was well and truly ‘out’ to the family now…..

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

“Good morning sunshine!”

The sound of Jon’s familiar voice washed away the last dregs of the fitful sleep Rachel had succumbed to after she had crawled into bed alone the previous night. She wasn’t sure whether she just missed the feeling of his frame beside her or if it was the dreams that had kept her mind flipping in a panicked turmoil but she felt as if she’d just spent the night sleeping on rocks. Blearily blinking at the bedroom around her she grasped the phone tighter against the pillow and mumbled into the speaker.

“Hey…..what time is it?”

“A little after nine…….you okay?” 

The concern that filled his voice made her smile; even over a phone line he was able to read her like a book.

“Yeah…….I just didn’t sleep great that’s all…..everything okay with you guys over there?”

A throaty chuckle filled the line, she could almost see the painful grimace she knew he was making.

“Oh peachy, I had two kids bouncing on my bed before the damn birds were even awake……..”

Rachel chuckled softly, a fleeting reminder of early morning wake up calls with her own kids filling her memory. As she silently reminisced Jon gently cleared his throat;

“You know Rach, you can tell me if you need a break from my parents and the kids, I’ll understand….we can be a lot to take in……”

“No!” She shook her head anxiously down the phone; “I mean, I’m fine Jon honestly – your family are great! Yesterday was really fun, I enjoyed myself……”

“Yeah? Well then think you can handle going out to breakfast with this group of crazies? Jake wants waffles, Romeo wants pancakes, Jesse wants eggs and Steph wants French toast……..need I go on?”

“No Alice today huh?”

“Nope, I must’ve been outta my mind to give her the weekend off! There’s a great diner down the road, the most greasy spoon you’ve ever seen – whaddya say?”

“I say give me time for a quick shower and I’m good to go!”

“You’d be faster if I came over there and helped………”

Grinning in delight, Rachel shook her head at his wicked deference as she slid out from beneath the crumpled bed sheets. “I think we both know it won’t be faster if you help! Pick me up in a half hour?”

“Jesus…….the things I could do to you in those thirty minutes baby…..”

“You’re a complete pervert! See you in a bit.” Rolling her eyes at his evil chuckle, she ended the call and got stiffly to her feet. The exertions of yesterday’s tennis match obviously hadn’t gone unnoticed by her muscles and she groaned as she padded her way barefoot to the shower. The needles of hot water pierced their way invitingly under her skin, soothing and relaxing as she let the water wash away the fading remnants of her nightmares. She needed to move on, for Jon’s sake if not for her own. The way he picked up on her every uncertainty was uncanny and somewhat undeserved in Rachel’s eyes. She’d seen how carefully he’d watched over her yesterday, his blue eyes clouding with worry whenever he’d caught her gazing at his kids, ready to tone things down if he thought it was all getting too much for her. What he didn’t realise though was how much happiness being around his family brought her, they had been nothing but welcoming, even Jon’s mother and by all accounts she was normally a tough nut to crack. Rinsing the shampoo from her hair, she tipped her head back and faced the warm cascade of water for one more blissful moment before knocking the shower off and stepping out, ready to gladly face the chaos that was Jon's family one more time.

Chapter Forty Two

Rachel took a deep breath as she punched in the code to the keypad on Jon’s side gate and balancing a large box in her arms sidled through. Jon’s plan had come to fruition and the Bongiovi clan were gathered at the Navesink house in force, the sound of kid's laughter floating across the still evening air to where she picked her way carefully up the path. A bundle of nerves unfurled in her stomach as she got closer and caught sight of several figures on the lawn tossing a football back and forth between who she presumed to be Jon’s sons. Just as she began to feel as if she was intruding on a private event, Jon let out a shout and came jogging down the path in her direction, a small sandy haired boy bouncing in his arms.

“Hey look buddy, it’s the dessert lady!” Winking at the look of wonder on the boy’s face, Jon chuckled at the size of the box Rachel was carrying. “Jesus! What’s in there I wonder?”

“Pies….lots of pies!” Rachel smiled nervously as Jon set his son down in order to relieve her of the heavy box. “Apple, pecan, chocolate and lemon….hopefully something for everyone.”

Jon crouched down to take a sneak peek under the lid, nudging the little boy who was shyly sticking to his side. “Look Romeo, chocolate! Smells good huh?” Laughing at his shy smile, Jon fondly ruffled the bangs of his forehead and straightened back up to Rachel. “How did you find time for all this today?”

“That – I can do in my sleep!” Looking past him up to where the group of people gathered at the side of the house were watching them curiously, Rachel laughed lightly. “Let’s see how my people skills are with this bunch of crazy Italians you call your family!”

“You’ll be just fine! C’mon buddy, let’s go show everyone all the nice pies Rachel brought us.”

A little while later after all the introductions had been made, Rachel was sitting politely beside Jon’s father when Jon turned to her with a wink. “Rachel, what are you drinking? Club soda or tequila??”

The faked innocence behind his smile made Rachel bite her tongue to avoid firing back a smart answer. Jon knew full well what tequila did to her, he’d experienced it several times and tonight was not a suitable venue! Before she could reply, Jon’s younger brother Matt piped up from across the table.

“Rachel! You’re a tequila drinker? My kinda girl! Line up the shots!”

Laughing, Rachel turned to glower at Jon. “I think I’ll leave the tequila for another time, thanks. I’m sure there’s a bottle of wine opened somewhere around here….”

Chuckling, Jon shook his head at her and muttered under his breath as he turned away with a sly grin. “Coward.”

With everyone gathered around the table enjoying a dinner of steaks and ribs for the adults and hamburgers for the kids, conversation centred around the family catching up on affairs with each other since they had last met. When Jon became engrossed at the other end of the table in talks with his other brother Tony about the oncoming disaster with the Soul, Rachel politely chatted with his parents, both seemingly genuinely interested in getting to know her. Jon’s father, a handsome man with a warm smile and eyes that sparkled like his son’s listened encouragingly while Rachel explained how her job had brought her to the East Coast and what it now entailed. She warmed to the older gentleman instantly, his casual and relaxed manner making conversation easy. Carol, Jon’s mother, a dignified blonde lady, sat quietly by her husband’s side chewing small bites of her meal thoughtfully as Rachel answered John Snr’s questions about the work she was having done on the house across the road. When she paused to take a drink of wine, Carol seized her opportunity.

“Tell us about your family Rachel, do you have any children?”

Not wishing to dampen the mood or make anyone uncomfortable, Rachel put her glass back down and shook her head with a smile. “I have a niece and nephew living in California, my sister’s children that I still spoil although they’re all grown up now and my parents still live at home.”

Seemingly satisfied, Carol smiled back and nodded, glancing over affectionately at her grandchildren who were busily devouring a mountain of French fries between them. “It is nice to be able to spoil them, heaven knows I do it enough! When I get to see them of course.” 

Her last comment was loud enough for Jon’s head to snap up in their direction and removing himself from his seat beside Tony, he came to stand behind Rachel, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder as he gave his mother a pointed look. “Mom, you see them more than I do so quit looking for the sympathy vote! Anyway you can’t handle Jake and Romey for longer than a half hour – admit it!”

Unable to refute her son’s claim, Carol shrugged and laughed him off. “Well it would be nice to see you more as well but you’re always so busy with this event and that event……..”

Leaning over Rachel’s shoulder to top up her wine, Jon snorted in amusement. “Mom, your social calendar is fuller than mine, I’m surprised your ‘girls’ even let you off cards this evening.” Grinning cheekily at her, he turned his attention to his father. “Hey Pop, you should see the tennis court over at Rachel’s place, it’s all just been totally redone – state of the art stuff.”

John Snr’s eyes lit up and he leaned eagerly toward Rachel. “Do you play Rachel?”

Grateful for Jon’s intervention in steering the conversation away from her family, Rachel smiled back at his father and nodded. “Not as much now as I’d like but yes, I used to play quite a bit back in California.”

“Well how about a game sometime? I’m always on the lookout for a new doubles partner!”

When Rachel readily agreed, Jon snagged his daughter as she walked by with a tray of Rachel’s pies divided out for dessert. “Hey Steph, whaddya say we join forces and whip your grandpa and Rachel here at a little game of tennis over at her place tomorrow?”

Smiling somewhat reservedly at Rachel, the pretty teenager nodded casually as she handed everyone a plate with an assortment of small slices of pie on them. “Sure Dad, sounds like fun…..”

Beaming, John Snr clapped his hands together enthusiastically and winked up at his granddaughter, “That’s settled then, tomorrow morning it is!”

When Stephanie politely excuse herself from the adults, Rachel glanced at her watch surprised to see how quick the evening had flown by. Any earlier apprehension about meeting Jon’s family had long since gone such was the welcome they had all given her but not wishing to overstay or intrude on what seemed like precious family time, she declined on dessert and stood to wish everyone goodnight.

“Thank you all for a wonderful evening but I better get an early night so I can be up early to polish up my serve!” Winking at John Snr, Rachel smiled warmly. “I wouldn’t want to let you down! Goodnight everyone.”

Choruses of farewells rang out from around the table with Carol lifting a hand to clasp Rachel’s in a soft shake as she rose from her seat. “Lovely to meet you Rachel, I’m sure I’ll see you again. I’d best start getting these kids ready for bed, goodnight.”

“I’ll give you a hand in a minute Mom, I’ll just walk Rachel home first.” Jon glanced back over his shoulder at his mother as he followed Rachel down the path, ignoring the smirks his brothers were throwing at him. Catching up to her side, he draped his arm casually around her shoulders and pulled her close.

“That wasn’t so bad huh?”

Aware that they were still in full view of the group, Rachel glanced up at him in surprise. “Are you sure you’re comfortable with this little PDA? Your kids and everybody else are bound to be watching!”

Chuckling Jon smirked down at her. “Lucky they can’t read my mind then!” Leaning in to drop a quick kiss against her temple, he squeezed her gently with his arm. “I thought things went pretty well tonight…..how about you?”

Enjoying the feel of his arm around her, Rachel sighed happily. “Yeah, I enjoyed myself……” Glancing up as they followed the curve of the path, she looked at him worriedly. “Your Mom asked me if I had children…….I didn’t really want to get into the story of my family like that in front of everyone and especially the kids……..Maybe you can explain the situation to your parents sometime so they’ll understand why I wasn’t completely truthful?”

Stopping to punch the numbers into the gate keypad, Jon stood back to let her walk through before him. “I will, I probably should’ve told them more about us before they had a chance to grill you about every tiny detail of your life…….but well I wasn’t sure how you felt about all that and I never thought about it coming up tonight…….” With an apologetic grimace he replaced an arm around her shoulder as they began the short walk up the road. “…….my bad.”

“It’s okay Jon, really, its fine.” With a tired smile to reassure him, Rachel stifled the beginnings of a yawn. Enjoyable or not it had been a stressful evening. Reaching the gates at the base of the driveway, she turned and wrapped her arms around Jon’s waist. “Thank you for walking me home.”

There was more than a hint of merriment in his eyes as he drew her close for their first proper kiss all day. “You’re not gonna invite me in?”

“NuUH! I refuse to behave like a horny teenager and have a quickie while your parents and kids wait for you to get back – they’re probably already timing you!”

The hard bulge rubbing against the thin fabric of Rachel’s light summer dress provided the answer to the frustration she could see mounting in Jon’s eyes as he whined, “What am I supposed to do with this?”

Giggling she reached up for a long kiss, purposefully nipping the soft flesh of his lower lip as she unwrapped herself from his arms and sauntered up the driveway. “Call me later and I’ll talk you through it……”

“Count on that phone call little girl, I’m gonna hold you to that.”

Standing with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans, Jon grinned in amusement as he watched her disappear into the shadows of the house. He had watched her carefully all evening, ready to jump to the rescue in case his family had proved too much but he had worried needlessly. In fact he was beginning to doubt there was any situation on the planet she couldn’t handle…….apart from the hard one between his legs that was. Reluctantly giving up on that particular quest for the moment, he turned to amble back down the road where the inevitable interrogation from his mother no doubt awaited. There was no chance of him dodging that bullet.

Chapter Forty One

“Hey you….” Jon blearily blinked away the sleep and squinting against the morning sun, gazed across at Rachel, comfortably snuggled against his bare chest.

“Hey……”

They stared at one another contentedly for a few moments, neither of them willing to leave the cosy cocoon they were sharing and both reliving the intense bond they had shared just hours previously mirrored in each other’s sated eyes. Rachel had felt something awaken inside her last night, the feeling of complete trust in another human being that she had forgotten about in her previous existence. A single life, albeit one of a widow hardens a person, so much that independence can be very hard to relinquish. Last night, under the flood of sincerity that had poured from Jon’s crystal blue eyes as he made love to her, she had felt it go and this morning as she lay snug in the security of his strong arms she didn’t ever want independence again; ‘she’ was now part of a ‘we’.

Eventually, Mother Nature began to intervene and Rachel reluctantly sidled out from under the sheets, stretching her stiff body with a small groan. Glancing back at Jon where he lay smiling lazily at her, she shook her head and got to her feet murmuring;

“You’re gonna be the death of me!”

Chuckling, Jon stretched his arms high above his head with a satisfied sigh.

“But what a way to go huh?!”

“I can think of worse ways I suppose…..!” Disappearing into the bathroom with a giggle, she took care of business and was about to step into the shower when Jon stuck his head around the door grinning mischievously.

“No point taking a shower babe, not when I’m gonna get you all sweaty again!”

Rachel dropped her jaw and gaped at him. He couldn’t possibly be that horny again. “Jon! Seriously, not that I’m complaining but…..”

“NuUH!” Jon shook his head disapprovingly and winked at her. “Wipe clean that filthy mind of yours Rachel Braden and get dressed so I can kick your ass running the loop! I’m getting rusty!”

Without waiting for a reply he disappeared back into the bedroom leaving Rachel to determinedly tuck her towel tighter around her, muttering under her breath with a wry smile; “You could’ve fooled me…….”

A couple of hours later and after delaying the inevitable for as long as she could, Rachel was reluctantly packing the last of her things into her case. As much as she wanted to stay, she had a job to take care of and a large house across the road awaiting her attention that still had a list of repairs as long as her arm to be done. Real life waited for nobody. True to form she had kicked Jon’s butt on their run that morning, barely breaking a sweat in their final dash up the river bank while Jon pleaded exhaustion from their bedroom romps over the weekend. Folding the last blouse into the case, Rachel sniggered quietly to herself as she remembered the look of frustration that had been etched all over his face as he had stomped off to the gym to ‘warm down’. The man hated losing and she’d bet a hefty portion of her last bonus that he was still down there killing himself on the treadmill. Taking one last look around the newly redecorated bedroom before tugging her case from the bed, she smiled in appreciation. The fresh paint echoed her own thoughts of a fresh start, a place for new memories that they could both enjoy, together.

The big house across the road felt cold and empty when she finally heaved her case through the front door. Even though it was considerably better furnished now than when she had first arrived, a feeling of sterility still wafted through the large rooms – the house needed somebody to love it, somebody to claim it. Gazing around her she started to envision a family living here, kids happily screaming in the pool outside while steaks sizzled on the barbeque pit, maybe a dog barking happily as it chased a Frisbee down the lawn. With a start as she stared up at the grand staircase, Rachel suddenly remembered why she had once loved her job….. matching the perfect home to the perfect family. It was what she was good at, what she had once thrived on and now, by some miracle, she was feeling it again. This was the stuff that mattered and how she had ignored it for so long astounded her.

Invigorated and refreshed, the day sped by as Rachel busied herself supervising the guys that had returned to patch up the mess Jon’s footprints had made on the deck and catching up on the long list of escrows she had in progress, approving repairs and negotiating new contracts for listings she had recently been assigned. Her workload, although not hugely over taxing was still time consuming and when her phone bleeped with a new message just as she was finishing up, her eyes widened in surprise at the late afternoon hour. Flicking open the text to read it, she grinned at the screen.

16.37 Nobody has fed me today………or made me bad coffee……. Miss you xx

Smartass! With a quick look out the window to check the painters had finished for the day, her fingers flew over the screen and tapped out a quick reply;

16.39 Dinner in an hour……bring your OWN coffee and STAY OFF THE DECK!

When Jon shot back a grinning smiley face in reply, she pushed back from her desk and headed for the kitchen, subconsciously humming along with a song that was playing on the radio. It was fun and catchy, and probably aimed at a much younger generation than hers but the lyrics had caught her attention………

Stopping to listen more carefully, a knowing smile spread across her face. For all the world the young guy singing so cheerily had written the song for her, it was as if he had looked into her heart and put into words all the emotions she was feeling.

Come on and open up your mind and see like me

(I won't hesitate)

Open up your plans and damn you're free

(No more, no more)

Look into your heart and you'll find that the sky is yours

(It cannot wait, I'm sure)

So please don't, there's no need

(There's no need to complicate)

There's no need to complicate

(Our time is short)

'Cause our time is short

(This is our fate)

This is, this is, this is our fate

I'm yours

When the song finished and blended seamlessly into some other one that she didn’t care to recognise, she switched the stereo off and started rooting around in the refrigerator for dinner ingredients, still happily humming the catchy lyrics. They were true – she was free and Jon was hers.

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

“HONEY! I’M HOME!!”

The bang of the front door announced Jon’s arrival exactly one hour later, his jubilant voice making Rachel shake her head in delight as she finished chopping some onions. When he strode into the kitchen bearing two bottles of wine and wearing a grin as big as the one she bore, she swung around from the chopping board to greet him. Dressed in a close fitting cream polo shirt that showed off his tanned and muscled arms, he was a sight that made Rachel’s mouth instantly dry up. The faded indigo jeans that he always wore so well hung perfectly off his hips and led down to a pair of slightly scuffed leather boots which completed the look – he made casual look so good it should have been a crime.

“Hi!”

Grabbing a cloth to wipe her hands, she bounced over and flung her arms around his neck, reaching up on her tiptoes to share a soft kiss with him. His blue eyes twinkled down at her in amusement as he reached around to safely put the wine out of harm’s way on the counter.

“Hi yourself!”

Settling his freed hands around the base of her spine, Jon nuzzled her neck and inhaled a deep breath of her subtle perfume. “Did you miss me today?”

Smiling up at him, Rachel nodded unashamedly, “I actually kinda did, this place is……quiet! And did you miss me or just my food?!”

“Most definitely your food!” Laughing, Jon winked as his fingers gave her butt cheeks a teasing squeeze. “Your coffee……ummm…….not so much but you………oh yes I definitely missed you!” His lips found Rachel’s once again before he let her reluctantly disentangle herself from his body. “I brought wine……..”

Rolling her eyes Rachel shot him a sarcastic look. “I’m shocked.”

Grinning, Jon playfully swatted her on the curve of her ass and picked up the wine bottles to present for approval. “Whatever! So……..red or white?”

“I thought we’d throw a couple of steaks on the grill, nice and easy – that okay by you?”

Jon threw her a sideways glance and smirked as he picked up the red to uncork it. “A meat eater huh? Why am I not surprised???”

“Hey, at least I don’t cheat and pass off my housekeeper’s creations as my own!” Rachel folded her arms and arched her eyebrows accusingly when Jon stared at her with apparent innocence. “Funny how I found an identical lasagne in the freezer to the one you supposedly cooked for me…..only this one had a complete set of instructions for reheating written on it……. – Busted Jon!”

Jon eyed her carefully for a moment until he smiled guiltily and shrugged. “Well, I can cook in the kitchen or in the bedroom – you choose baby! I can’t do both!”

Sighing dramatically Rachel threw her eyes up to the ceiling despairingly. “Guitar players……..”

Handing her a large glass of the dark red Pinot Noir, Jon sidled closer and murmured playfully into her ear. “I’ll have you know I can shake the maracas too……..”

“Oh yes, you’re just what every father wishes for his daughter aren’t you?”

With a quick kiss to her lips, Jon shook his head and moved away laughing. “You have a very smart mouth Rachel Braden – good thing I like it!”

Rachel smirked and picked up the plate of steaks she had been marinating, “So how was your day? Any news with the football thing?”

A grimace shadowed Jon’s face as he resignedly shook his head. “No, nothing new, we’re just not sure whether it’ll be back or not, we’re working on it.” Taking a sip of wine, he closed his eyes briefly to savour the taste before swiftly steering the conversation away from the tired subject he had been re-hashing all day. “Enough about that, I actually have more pressing matters to discuss with you tonight!”

Rachel glanced back over her shoulder half worriedly as she headed out to the deck to check on the barbeque. “Tell me this isn’t anything that’s gonna spoil my appetite?”

Following her outside, Jon sniffed the air appreciatively as the steaks hit the grill with a sizzle. “Shit, I hope not – those smell good!” Hooking an arm around her waist, he drew her close. “No, I’ve got some appearances coming up that I have to make and I was kinda hoping you’d join me, if you’re not too busy of course.”

Relieved that was all that was on his mind, Rachel leaned happily against him and smiled. “Nowhere else I’d rather be!”

Beaming Jon chuckled against her hair. The casual attitude Rachel always seemed to embrace never ceased to amaze him. “You don’t even know where we’re going!”

Armed with the steak tongs, Rachel flipped the meat over and shrugged. “If you’re there then there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than next to you.”

“Well, the first one is actually at my house – a fundraiser for Barack Obama’s Presidential bid.”

Rachel hesitated before replying, a small frown etched across her brow. “Jon……I’ll do my best to support you in anything that’s important to you but…….” Twisting in his arms she looked up at him in concern. “…..but you need to know I’m not an overtly political person although from what I do know I’m not convinced Barack Obama has the experience to do this job.” When Jon made to speak she held up a finger motioning for him to let her finish. “It’s not a big issue with me and I’m happy to keep my opinions to myself when we’re in public but I need you to know this so we….well you know, so we don’t butt heads over this further down the line.”

Jon blew out a quick breath and tightened his arms around her. “That’s fair enough Rach, everyone is entitled to their own political views and let’s face it – I don’t need you to be as willing and pliable out of bed as I like you in bed!” His eyebrows waggled cheekily as he dropped a kiss onto her worried forehead. “But I have one other piece of news……..”

Rachel tipped her head back and groaned dramatically. “Uhoh, why do I have the feeling that Barack Obama is not the most pressing issue here tonight?”

Jon simply smirked and handed over her glass of wine. While he knew potential future presidents of the country were unlikely to faze her, he had a sneaking suspicion these particular visitors just might ruffle a few feathers.

“My parents are coming for a visit.”

With that bombshell dropped, he watched grinning as her face paled ever so slightly, her fingers tightening just a fraction around the base of the wine glass. “I did warn you! I said she’d be here within ten days and I was right – they’re coming tomorrow.”

Taking another large swallow of wine, Rachel dismissed him lightly. “I’m sure they just miss their grandchildren………”

“Oh no, no, no, no! You don’t know my Mom.” Shaking his head laughing, Jon stepped back to wag his finger at her. He couldn’t resist adding a little more fuel to the fire. “She’s coming to check YOU out! And she’s dragging my ol’ man along under the pretence of seeing the grandchildren!”

Rachel fixed him with a long stare, her narrowed eyes attempting to work out the truth to his claims.

“Are you always so suspicious of people’s motives?”

“Only the people I know really, really well! And my Mom? I can read her mind – she’s as transparent as they come!”

“Well then……” Turning back to the spitting steaks, Rachel shrugged casually. “I guess it’s not gonna be a naked weekend after all……..”

With a low groan Jon nodded in resigned agreement. “No, unfortunately not. Think you can keep your hands off me in front of my parents and my kids?”

Reaching for a plate to take the meat off the grill, Rachel snapped her head up. “You didn’t say anything about meeting your kids………”

Jon calmly placed his hand over hers and held her gaze. He had been most apprehensive about this part of their conversation. It wasn’t something they had ever discussed but it had to happen sooner or later.

 

“Hear me out, I’ve thought a lot about this and I think the more casual we are about it the better. I’m taking my parents out to dinner with Dorothea and the kids tomorrow night to celebrate Dorothea’s birthday but then I thought I might throw a BBQ Friday night…..invite my brothers and their families – the more the merrier. That way we can kinda ease into things……and with so many people around it’ll be a little less intense for the kids – what do you think?”

“I think I need to get these steaks off the grill before they go up in smoke…….” Grabbing the dish, Rachel focused on removing the meat off the flames, her mind reeling with everything Jon had just told her. He really had given it a lot of thought and it probably wasn’t the worst plan in the world but there was something odd that puzzled her slightly.

“You still celebrate your ex-wife’s birthday with her?”

Watching her carefully for a reaction, Jon shrugged and bent to knock off the gas cylinder beneath the grill. “Yeah, we try to do things together with the kids as much as we can – keep’s them in a more normal family scene. So what about Friday night? You okay with all that?”

Moving back inside to start dishing up dinner, Rachel thought quietly for a few more moments before replying. “Yeah I guess I’m okay with it, obviously you know your own kids and to be honest I’m trying to imagine how I’d have handled it as a parent in this situation.” Topping up their wine glasses, she handed one to Jon as she sank into the seat he had pulled out for her. “Tyler would have been resistant to a new man for sure……and Lauren…..well I don’t think she’d have liked a new woman hanging off her daddy so yeah……it’s a tough call no matter what way you go.”

Chuckling Jon eyed her playfully as he pulled up his own chair and reached for the salad bowl. “I hardly think I need worry about you hanging off me in front of my kids – you can manage to keep your clothes on in the presence of my minor children can’t you?”

Rachel smirked as she spooned some potato salad onto her plate. With a coy wink she placed the dish back on the table and took another sip of wine.

“Hmm………..the odds of me behaving are much better if you take extra good care of me tonight!”

Jon matched the cheeky smirk with one of his own and lifted his wine glass in a toast.  

“Oh you can count on that baby!”

Chapter Forty

After an early breakfast along with Jon’s profuse apologies for having crashed the night before, the following day proceeded in much the same fashion as the previous one. Jon disappeared into his office where the air at times turned blue with streams of profanities during the many loud and angry phone calls that seemed to dictate the day’s schedule. Rachel slipped home to her own house mainly to check it was still standing and to get some laundry done and when she returned in the late afternoon she found Jon wandering down the front lawn to absently sit on one of the kid’s swings, apparently lost in thought. Wandering down to meet him, she came up behind him and gently slipped her arms around his waist.

“Hey you……hungry?”

Sighing Jon leaned back against her, his feet sinking into the soft sand that blanketed the play area.

“Hey……I’m sorry I haven’t given you much attention lately….”

Snuggling against him Rachel squeezed his waist reassuringly. “I don’t need your undivided attention Jon, I know you have your hands full at the moment.”

“Yeah, but we haven’t even made love for two days.”

“Oh my GOD!” Feigning shock, Rachel smiled and nibbled gently at his earlobe. 

“Of course we have baby, we just haven’t had sex.” With a final squeeze she retrieved her arms and affectionately mussed his tousled hair. “Dinner in an hour…….”

Jon twisted in the swing to watch her walk back up the lawn, an overwhelming lump of gratitude lodging in his throat. She made everything sound so simple right now, something he acutely needed. The league was in deep shit, the team he’d worked so hard to bring together about to be made redundant and there was fuck all he could do to fix it. There were higher powers working against him that made him all the more aware of how lucky he was to have Rachel in his life. She’d given him so much quiet and unwavering support in the last twenty four hours that he doubted she even realised how much he appreciated her. Getting up off the swing he resolved to rectify that, at least something was still within his control.

Dinner was another quiet affair, both of them were feeling the usual post vacation tiredness and Jon was mentally drained. Sitting at the table with another glass of wine, Jon watched as Rachel moved about the kitchen smoothly and methodically clearing away the dishes.

“I’m curious about something Rach – how come the last couple days you haven’t had much to say about what’s been going on with me?”

While he didn’t think it was the case, the thought had occurred to him that perhaps she may have been feeling a little intimidated having been confronted with his manic business dealings in high definition. He wanted to be sure she was dealing with this okay.

With a little shrug, Rachel finished putting away the last of the dishes and turned to wipe the counter down. “You know what you’re doing Jon – you don’t need me weighing in on how you handle business.”

“Yeah but you’re a smart lady. Most women would’ve had plenty advice for me whether they were qualified to give it or not……”

Dropping the cloth she had been using to wipe down the surfaces in the sink, Rachel dried her hands and crossed the room to settle herself in his lap, draping one arm comfortably around his neck.

“It’s taken a lot more than a good head of hair, a pretty smile and that perfect butt of yours to get you where you are today Jon….and keep you there.” Smiling into his tired eyes she brushed his lips with a kiss. “A smart woman would know you’re a brilliant business man so I have complete confidence that whatever comes your way, you’ll know how to handle it.”

Jon pushed his wine glass further down the table and brought his hand up to cup her chin. His voice was low and gravelly with desire and just a little bit emotional.

“Make love with me.”

When Rachel’s eyes widened in surprise and then relaxed as she dipped her head down to his, he rose gently off the chair, clasping his fingers amongst hers. 

“Not here….I want you in our bed where I can show you all the things I’m too much of a putz to be able to put into words.”

Leading her through the doorway to the back stairs leading up to the private quarters he paused at the foot of the stairs to allow her go up ahead of him while he flipped off the downstairs lights and set the alarm. It was still early but he had no intention of them getting back down here tonight.

Rachel trembled in delicious anticipation as she waited for him to accompany her up the stairs, his deliberate actions leading them to the bedroom driving her senses wild. When they reached the master suite, Jon kicked the door shut with his heel and drew her close to him, running one hand down along the small of her back. As he gazed into her eyes, his pupils widened in the dim light of the room, his breathing hot upon her forehead as he dipped one hand below the elastic of her pants. She jumped as if his hand was made of molten lava, spirals of desire swirling and sparking down to the centre of her stomach.

“Ssssh…..easy honey…………it’s just you and me…….just us…..”

Jon pressed his lips to hers and breathed in her scent, a faintly perfumed one that lingered just long enough in his nostrils to invite him back for more. Sliding his tongue along the crease of her lips he tasted the earlier wine and when she parted them with a low moan, he deepened the kiss as she melted against him. Eyes locked on one another, they moved as one to the side of the bed, fingers and hands gently relieving each other of their clothes until they stood before one another clad in only their underwear. Every single hair on the surface of Rachel’s quivering skin stood to attention as Jon slowly traced a fingertip along the contour of her collarbone and down to the valley between her breasts. The movement of his finger had her nipples hardening instantly, straining against the silky fabric of the bra that constrained them. Slowly and deliberately Jon took his time, using his other hand to support the small of her back as he explored the lacy bra hem, watching with shadowed eyes as her breasts rose high with every deep breath she took.

“Just us…….” He breathed out the words again as he finally moved his hand up to deftly unhook the bra, releasing her breasts into his waiting lips, his moist tongue swiping across from one nipple to the other.

The feeling of his tongue dancing like flames over her skin buckled Rachel’s knees and she sank back onto the soft bed, moaning as she felt his lips move lower to her navel, nipping and sucking until he reached the lacy edge of her panties. The tenderness in his actions excited and scared her all at the same time. There was an intensity to the attention he was lavishing upon her that burned right to her heart in a way she had never felt with him before, as if she was a precious stone to be reverently cherished. Eyes wide open, she stared up unseeingly at the ceiling as she felt the fabric of her panties scrape past her thighs and slip off her feet to the floor. The cool air of the bedroom that suddenly made her shiver was instantly banished by the heat of Jon’s breath as he gently kissed the faint scar from her c-sections, her toes curling at the sensation and a gasp flying from her throat at the renewed bolts of electricity zinging through her body.

Her hands flew to fist the mess of caramel hair on Jon’s head as he moved to between her legs, his tongue lightly flicking against her slick folds until he closed his lips around the swollen bud of her clitoris and sucked deeply. Charges of delicious voltage shot through her core making her hips buck against his unyielding pressure until everything south of her navel convulsed into a cataclysmic explosion of pleasure. Stifling a scream, Rachel bit her lip hard until the eyes that she had screwed shut opened to gaze down at Jon, silently watching from between her legs as his lips gently kissed their way back up towards her navel once more. Her hands never left his hair as he moved upwards until he hovered just above her, the broad expanse of his chest darkening her view of the room around them further. With the waves of her orgasm still rippling through her mind, she was only vaguely aware of the head of his cock that gently probed her entrance once and then twice until she gasped in pleasure as Jon flexed his hips and slid seamlessly inside her.

A deep groan rumbled deep from within Jon’s chest as he felt her wetness welcome him home, the slick walls eagerly accepting his thickness and only reluctantly releasing him as he eased out, all the while watching the green irises of Rachel’s eyes beneath him swirl and darken with the intensity. His heart thumped loudly in his eardrums as the blood that hadn’t rushed to his groin the moment he’d kicked the bedroom door shut pumped through his veins with every slow thrust that took him deeper and deeper within her. Rachel’s thighs tightened around his hips as she hooked a leg around either side of him, her parted lips glistening with the heat between them as he dropped his head to kiss her softly.

Their bodies moved in unison with one another as their minds disconnected and synced in each other’s eyes. With the pressure building along with the momentum, Jon stilled for just a moment looking deep into her eyes before taking them both over the edge of the abyss after a simple question.

“Do you feel it? Do you feel us baby…..this is what I mean…….it’s just us………”

Chapter Thirty Nine

Following on from the original phone call, came a string of other calls that had Jon pacing and storming about between the kitchen and his office for the majority of the morning. One profanity after another rolled off his tongue as he flicked between calls, his earlier good mood instantly evaporated by the calamity that was unfolding behind the scenes in one of his most important worlds.

“FUCK!”

Rachel raised her brows apprehensively from behind the screen of her laptop, watching as Jon strode through from his office to exasperatedly yank open the fridge door. She had chosen to stay the morning in the kitchen, quietly working through the backlog of projects that had accumulated in her inbox from her few days away. She had overheard enough snippets of Jon’s many loud conversations to know that the arena football team he owned was in trouble in some way, surprising her considering that his team had won the championship that summer. She knew enough to know that whatever was going on, it was complicated and not something that sounded as if it was going to end well.

Twisting off the cap of a water bottle, Jon took a long swig and leaned back against the fridge, his face gaunt and tight with frustration. The league was in trouble, something that had been rumoured for a while but this morning had emerged as a very real threat. Politics and financial problems were the root under cause and the league was teetering on the brink of collapse as a result. Spending the morning on conference calls with lawyers, accountants, co-owners and league officials had brought to light a myriad of serious problems with no viable solutions. Ownership of a football team had always been his dream and when the opportunity to start off with an arena team has arisen back in 2004, he’d jumped at the chance but it had opened his eyes to the complexity of the industry, it was more than just a game.

The soft tapping of Rachel’s fingers on her laptop drew his eyes to the corner of the kitchen table where she had been unobtrusively working all morning. He appreciated the fact that she’d chosen to stay while he dealt with this crap. Another woman would have probably run screaming from the house after witnessing his tantrums on the phone but then again the only other woman apart from Rachel who he would have felt comfortable enough with to have witness it all was Dorothea. That spoke volumes. Whatever her reasons for staying he was grateful.

Just as he was about to sit down and discuss the morning’s events with her, the loud peal of his office phone reverberated through the open door to the kitchen. Looking helplessly at Rachel who simply smiled supportively at him, he threw his hands in the air and stormed back to his desk. It was going to be a long day.

By early afternoon Rachel was finally caught up on work matters, her portfolio back up to date and some outstanding deals closed. Stretching out her cramped muscles, she clicked her neck from side to side and shut down the laptop with a satisfied sigh. Jon’s office had been quiet for a while and as she moved to the kitchen window she spied him standing outside on the lawn, a faint cloud of smoke drifting from his lips as he stood staring at the river flicking a half spent cigarette from his fingers. His earlier rage and frustration seemed to have disappeared and now he looked exhausted and disappointed. Glancing at the time, she considered whether to give him some space. She needed to get back to her own house at some stage but seeing him so desolate made her reluctant to leave. Protective instincts kicked in and she set about mastering the damn coffee machine, producing something that at least smelt like coffee even if didn’t much look like it. Taking the cup outside with a couple of cookies she’d found in a tin, she set it quietly down on the table where Jon had retreated to, his tired eyes briefly flickering with gratitude when she gently ran her fingers through his hair and left him to his thoughts. There would be plenty of time for talking later.

Her quiet caress touched a tender spot in Jon’s heart as he lifted the cup to his lips and tasted the not all together revolting brew. It had been a long time since somebody had cared enough to simply support him by remaining silent and letting him deal with matters as he saw fit. Interference was not something he appreciated and it was a welcome relief to have somebody just ‘be there’. The pocket of his sweatpants began to vibrate once more signalling the recommencement of negotiations and sticking a cookie between his teeth and cradling his coffee cup in one hand, he headed back inside to the dishevelled heap of papers that were mounting on his desk.

Rachel spent the remainder of the afternoon sorting through laundry and acquainting herself with the contents of Jon’s impressive kitchen. Alice was away on vacation and had left a fully stocked refrigerator awaiting Jon’s return from the Hamptons. When seven pm ticked around and Jon still hadn’t emerged from the office, Rachel uncorked a bottle of wine and took a glass of it into him, setting it on the one corner of Jon’s desk that wasn’t strewn with reams of paper. Hanging up the phone, Jon slouched back in his chair groaning and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

“You read my mind!” 

He tipped his head back appreciatively and picked up the glass as Rachel moved behind him and gently began massaging the tight muscles in his neck, her fingers kneading just deep enough to free up the stress knots that had formed from the day.

“You need to eat something. Do you want to take a quick break or just have something in here?”

Jon shook his head slowly, easing his shoulders into the welcome pressure of her fingers. “No, I’ll come out – I think I’ve done all the damage in here that I can do today. Do I have time for a shower?”

“We can eat whenever you’re ready.” Bending over him, Rachel dropped a kiss on his forehead and wrinkled up her nose. “You’re right – you do need a shower! Take your time and after we eat I’ll give you a rubdown.”

Setting the wine glass down, Jon reached back to clasp her wrists and looked at her imploringly.

 “And more wine right? Lots and lots of wine?”

Grinning Rachel rolled her eyes and nodded. “Yes honey, lots and lots of wine!”

~~~~~~~~~~

While Jon showered, Rachel grilled some chicken and put together a simple salad, chuckling to herself when she removed the crusty bread she had heated in the oven. Images of Jon’s charred remains on the evening he’d made her dinner would be forever engrained in her memory. When he reappeared, holding out his empty wine glass with a weary smirk she filled it and handed him the rest of the bottle with a wink, she had a feeling more than one bottle would be consumed tonight. Conversation was limited to murmured syllables of appreciation over dinner, a companionable silence settling over them as they dined with Jon gratefully devouring the chicken. Coffee was forgone in favour of another bottle of wine which Rachel suggested Jon take upstairs while she cleaned up, an offer he happily accepted.

When the kitchen had been restored back to order, Rachel flicked off the lights and headed up to the bedroom to join him, smiling when she found him slouched against the pillows murmuring once more into his phone although the tone of this conversation suggested it was friend rather than foe on the other end. Motioning with her hand for him to finish his call, she slipped into the ensuite for a quick shower and returned armed with a towel and a bottle of massage oil. Jon finished with his call had a tired smile on his face as he drained his wine glass and set it beside the half empty bottle on the night stand.

“I haven’t been much fun today……”

“It’s called life Jon! Now turn over!”

Rachel grinned down at him and motioned with her finger for him to roll over. When he more than willingly complied, she knelt on the bed beside him, warming some oil between her hands before she sank her fingers into the tight muscles that covered his shoulder blades, firmly but gently working out the acid build up. Jon emitted a muffled groan against the pillows, his eyes drifting shut as his mind finally shut down, all the stress and frustration of the day leaving his body through the work of Rachel’s fingers. Slowly and methodically she worked her way down his back, her breathing quiet and steady until she felt his body relax under her lithe fingers as he slipped away into sleep. Pulling the sheets up over his comatose body, she sat back and watched the steady rise and fall of his shoulders. They had barely spoken all day but they hadn’t needed to, their relationship was developing an unspoken rhythm of its own. Flicking off the soft reading lamps that hung over the bed, Rachel slipped under the sheets next to Jon and snuggled close to his slumbering form, her own eyes drifting shut with a contented sigh. She was beginning to realise just how much she missed having somebody to look after, somebody to say good night to and most of all somebody to wake up with.

Chapter Thirty Eight

Sunday afternoon rolled around all too soon, both of them reluctant to leave the peaceful sanctuary the Hamptons had provided. In an attempt to avoid the worst of the traffic, they had loaded up the car with the luggage and hit the road home to Jersey early, the perfectly tuned engine of the car comfortably cruising along the highways until the Navesink River came into view.

“You’re quiet again…….” Reaching over to squeeze Rachel’s hand as they waited for the gates of Jon’s house to open, he gave her a concerned glance.

With a tired smile, Rachel rolled her head toward him against the headrest and wrapped her fingers reassuringly around his. “I told you….quiet equals content!” She stretched out her legs with a small groan and grinned, “In fact I'm so content I may never speak again!”

Chuckling Jon shook his head, “Good, I was worried I’d tired you out, you know with all the partying and late night swims……”

Rachel giggled and caught his eye as he manoeuvred the car up the drive and around to the garage bays. “Well I may just be weak from all the sex…..”

Shutting the car off, Jon sniggered and threw an arm around her neck, pulling her close. “Or maybe you’re content because you’re weak from all the sex!” With a gentle kiss on her lips, he broke apart to wink down wickedly at her. “You realise we’re gonna have to christen the new bedroom tonight right?”

“Is that your way of inviting me to spend the night?” Eyebrows raised, Rachel dared him to come clean, her heart dancing in delight at his cheeky reply.

“As if you could tear yourself away from me……”

Feigning disgust, she rolled her eyes and shot him a disapproving look. “You’re a cocky thing, aren’t you?”

“Well, a polite and well-mannered guy wouldn’t have let you grind all over his lap on the dock that first day and he certainly wouldn’t have stared down the front of your dress when you were innocently bent over putting your shoes on.” Jon shrugged and grinned at her when her eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

“You didn’t!”

“One little peek of a nipple was all it took and you had me hooked like a school boy!” His lips twisted wryly. “Haven’t been able to get you off my mind since!”

“You are unbelievable!” Rachel stared up at him in amusement and half-heartedly attempted to shove him away, her mind flicking back to their first meeting on the dock. She was going to have to get rid of that particular dress it seemed.

“Aww come on Rach! You don’t need a break from me already do you?”

Trapped against the inside of the car door, Rachel knew he had her exactly where he wanted her with his grinning lips hovering dangerously close to hers. His scent was intoxicating and she was more than willing to accept the fact that she was powerless to resist him.

Reaching up to push some strands of hair off his forehead, she shook her head. 

“No Jon….I don’t need a break from you.”

“Good…..” A triumphant gleam shone from his eyes. “…..because I’m showing you no mercy tonight.”

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

“No Mom! I’m just re-decorating that’s all!”

Rachel woke to the sound of Jon’s frustrated voice in the bed beside her, a faint but all the same unmistakable voice of a woman coming from his phone. Cracking open one bleary eye, she watched as Jon groaned and ran his fingers through the tousled shock of hair that was sprouted from his head.

“Because I felt like it……….yeah………..I see………that figures……..NO Mom, she is not just…… Jesus gimme a break will you?!”

Deciding to give him some privacy, Rachel slipped out from beneath the sheets and reached for Jon’s shirt to head to the bathroom. As promised, Colette had completely transformed the bedroom in a fabulous array of bright and clean pastels, the freshness even extending into the ensuite with the addition of matching towel and vanity sets. After taking care of business, she emerged to find Jon still deep in conversation with his mother, his face pained as he shot her a look of apology. Waving him off with a smile, she headed downstairs to brew some coffee at the impressive barista machine that Jon had so proudly made her some from on the day he’d given her the grand tour. Standing staring at the array of twisty knobs and nozzles, she shook her head in bewilderment and resorted to making tea instead, far simpler.

With her laptop fired up, she perched herself on a stool at the counter, tucking the tails of Jon’s shirt underneath her and quickly flicked down through her e-mails. Aside from the various work related ones, her eyes skimmed over the junk mail until she found a new message from Robin with a link to a new article about Jon and herself. This particular one showed various new pictures of their time together, shopping in Soho, walking hand in hand to a restaurant and one of Jon on his own looking not particularly impressed. Scrolling down Rachel grimaced when an array of beach shots showed up, one of them lying side by side apparently asleep in the sun and several of them laughing together in the water. The photographs were accompanied by a brief article discussing how much time Jon had been seen spending with her and finished with the big question as to who the new mystery lady is that has captured Jon’s heart.

Sitting back Rachel took a careful swallow of the hot tea and stared thoughtfully at the screen. No matter what way she looked at it, seeing herself captured in magazine articles was unsettling to say the least. But, she reasoned with herself, this was obviously something she was just going have to get used to no matter how uncomfortable it made her.

“It’s a Monday isn’t it?” Striding into the kitchen wearing only a pair of sweatpants, Jon interrupted her thoughts with a frustrated sigh.

Smiling she nodded in sympathy, the weary slump of his shoulders signalling the phone call with his mother obviously hadn’t been the perfect start to the week.

“Oh yeah…..remember how perfect it was when we woke up yesterday in the Hamptons?”

Leaning over for a quick kiss, Jon laughed dryly. “That’s yesterday’s news. We need a vacation – somewhere without a damn cell signal.”

“And a simple coffee maker!” Grinning up at him, Rachel motioned to the abandoned coffee machine. 

“I don’t have a clue how to operate that thing!”

Chuckling Jon turned away to fire up the offending machine, automatically pushing buttons and twisting nozzles. “That was my Mom on the phone.”

Rachel laughed at the scowl he threw at her over his shoulder. “I gathered that much.”

“You should probably be prepared – there’s more pictures of us, she’s gonna send me the link.”

With a scowl of her own, Rachel twisted on the stool and turned her laptop in his direction. “My sister beat her to the punch – care to see?”

Slurping a swallow of steaming coffee, Jon turned to examine the article. Pointing out the picture of them shopping together in Soho he grinned. “I love that outfit……mmmhmm it just hugs in all the right places!” Fingers cradled around his mug, he nodded his approval. “I think I’m gonna blow that up and hang it in the studio so I can show everybody my hot girlfriend…….and her perfectly round boobs!”

Rolling her eyes, Rachel turned the laptop back to face her. “If you’re finished with your wet dream…….”

“Sorry….” Jon shrugged and sighed dramatically. “My girl snuck out of bed this morning before she took care of business.”

Rachel snorted and ignored his presumptuous pout. “So……….your conversation with your Mom??”

Taking another slug of coffee, Jon smacked his lips together. “Ah! Yeah……she’s used to seeing pictures of me with multiple women but she’s not used to seeing multiple ones of me with the same woman. So naturally, she’ll be coming for a visit.”

Snapping back to reality, Rachel sat up straight and stared at him. “She’s coming for a visit? When??”

Amused at her reaction, Jon fought to keep a straight face and waved her off casually. “Oh, she didn’t mention anything specific – but I know my Mom. I give it ten days max and she’ll be on the doorstep.”

Turning away to hide his smile, he padded over to refill his coffee. “Of course it’ll be under the guise of wanting to see the kids – she thinks I don’t notice when she’s checking up on me but she’ll want to meet you – no doubt about that!”

“How has she liked your other ‘girls’?” Suspicion was heavily laced in Rachel’s question. She knew all about how Mama Bears liked to protect their little boys.

“Truthfully, she hasn’t met many.” Wandering back to the counter, Jon pulled up a stool beside her.

“She’ll be reserved when she first meets you but it won’t take long for her to see you’re not after my money. But……she’s a smart lady, so she will figure out that you’re a sex fiend out to corrupt her sweet angel boy.”

The sharp peal of Rachel’s cell phone rang out from beside the laptop and reaching for it she threw him a dirty look, responding dryly; “Remind me to hide the handcuffs when she comes.”

Grinning Jon sipped his coffee as he waited for her to finish the call until his own phone started ringing the moment she hung up. Grumbling, he looked at it disparagingly and sighed.

“Yep…….it’s definitely a Monday.”