John Francis

Richie, Tico, David and Hugh had watched Jon practically drag Amanda out and when neither came back they figured the two had returned to the hotel. After Richie refused several times to answer their questions, telling them it was Jon’s story to tell if he wanted to, they gave up, but continued to speculate.

“What’s he gonna do with her, Rich?” Dave asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean he seems to be nuts about her and she’s crazy about him. Is it just lust or are they really in love with each other?”

“Dave, people in lust don’t go that crazy. They love each other.” Tico responded before Richie could answer.

“I’ve never seen him act the way he’s been doing.” Hugh threw in, shaking his head a little. “This last year was really bad and he seems to be coming out of it, but…well…Amanda doesn’t seem like just a girlfriend type.”

Tico, having a much better idea of who Amanda was, asked Hugh, “What type does she seem?”

“Like someone you keep.” Hugh responded quietly. “Something was up tonight, even if you aren’t talking, Rich, but something happened. Hope Jon isn’t just stringing her along. I don’t think she deserves that.” He held up his hands then. “I know, I know, ain’t none of my business, but they really seem to fit together.”

Richie laughed then. “Well, she sure was acting up tonight! But I think maybe that was a little payback for our boy.”

Dave added, “Shit yeah! Did you see how she was dressed? Where did THAT come from? And, damn, the girl can dance!”

Tico chuckled then too. “Good thing she got outta here when she did. There was a little too much attention directed her way and Jon’s not used to the competition.”

Soft laughter escaped Richie then. “Maybe he needed a lesson and she sure gave him one!”

Glancing at one another they all laughed, then ordered more drinks and food.

~~~

They were returning to New Jersey today and Jon was in the shower when a knock came on the suite door. Amanda threw on her robe, her hair wildly tossed from their night of lovemaking, and opened it. Richie was standing there and he really did try to stop the smirk that started at the sight of her. So that’s what’s meant by looking ravaged. Always did wonder what the back covers of those romance novels of Heather’s meant. Her eyes were deep slits from the passion she and Jon had shared and from lack of sleep and her lips were swollen. The bruise on the left side of her face had decreased more and was now further healed, although still lightly multi-colored. She opened the door for him so he could enter and he did so. She gave him a smile and he answered.

“You okay, honey?” His voice was soft.

“Yeah, it’s okay,” she answered, giving him the answer to the question he was really asking.

“Come on in, Jon’s in the shower.” They walked over to the coffee service tray and each poured a cup.

Sitting there sipping at coffees they heard the shower stop and a few moments later Jon came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Richie stopped with the cup halfway to his mouth as he stared at his friend. Amanda had also turned at his entrance and gave a gasp that was part awe and part embarrassment. She hadn’t seen Jon get up this morning and as he walked in with his upper body bare, she saw the furrows in his skin of his chest from her nails. She was afraid his back was worse and she was right.

“Oh shit!” Her soft cry could be heard and both men turned to look at her. Flushing deeply she hung her head and just shook it back and forth. Richie couldn’t help it, he started laughing so hard he had to put his coffee down.

“Well, damn, I was gonna ask if you two were okay, but…” his voice trailed off, “I think a picture is better than a thousand words!”

Jon gave his friend a crooked shit-eating grin and then laughed as he watched Amanda try to disappear into the chair she was sitting in.

Mumbling that she was going to take a shower, Amanda fled, their laughter following her into the bathroom. A door was heard to slam and a muffled “SHIT!” came through the closed door.

Still laughing, Richie turned to Jon. “I’m guessing she believed you.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Yeah, she believed me, thank god, and then she tried to kill me!” Jon’s smile was huge as he laughed at his own humor.

Still grinning himself, Richie said, “Just wanted you to know that nobody else knows what was wrong yesterday. They bugged the shit outta me, but…”

Jon interrupted, “I know you, man, you didn’t talk. Thanks Rich.”

“So, we’re outta here at noon, right?” Richie questioned.

“Noon, and then more damn time zone changes. Thank god nothing’s scheduled tomorrow. I don’t think I’d make it!”

Richie took a deep breath and then approached a subject with Jon that had been at the back of his mind.

“Hey, if you’re gonna be in Jersey for a while, what do you think about inviting Amanda’s friend, Susan, up for a visit?” Jon shot Richie a look.

“When did you talk to Susan?” He crooked at eyebrow at Richie.

“At your house one day. She sounds fun and I think it might be good for Amanda to have someone in her life who isn’t so new.”

Jon thought about that and then said he would discuss it with her to see what she thought about it.

“So, I guess you want to be there during the visit?” Jon’s smirk was not concealed even slightly.

“Actually, I don’t know a damn thing about her, but she sounded fun on the phone.” Richie replied.

Jon nodded, but then remembered. ‘She sounds like a fan, man.”

“So? She’s Manda’s friend. That’s what important.”

Jon agreed, repeating that he would talk to Amanda about it. Richie finished his coffee and got up to return to his room.

“Hey, bro?” He called out as he was leaving.

“Yeah?”

“Make sure you don’t take your shirt off any time soon!” Richie laugh was heard even after the door closed.

~~~

Settling into their seats in the Jovi jet, they prepared for take off back to the States. Jon was relaxing for the beginning of the flight, but Amanda’s perfume seemed to some how be teasing him, calling out to him, and he felt himself respond. About an hour into the flight, he could see that the others were either sleeping or involved in various activities and he turned to her. Leaning over, he whispered in her ear.

“I want you.”

She turned wide eyes to him and then glanced at the others around the plane. They all seemed asleep or engaged and her eyes met his. The heat they felt with each other seemed to roar to life as Jon told her to give him a few minutes and then come to the back bathroom of the plane. Amanda’s skin seemed on fire as she waited out the time, a flush she couldn’t control coloring her skin, and a heat she couldn’t prevent rising in her loins.

Getting up casually from her seat, she moved to the back of the plane to where Jon had asked her to join him. There was a larger than normal bathroom back there and the door was cracked open. She moved to the door and as she opened it, a hand reached out and pulled her in. The door locked and Jon began kissing her in that way he had, deep, slow, soft, wet kisses that turned her resolve to mush and made her legs start to shake.

Between kisses she managed to gasp out, “You’re making me crazy!” And he nodded at her as he felt the same way.

They couldn’t seem to get enough of each other and both laughed softly as they proceeded to act like teenagers instead of adults in their mid-40’s. Her cries were soft as he entered her and his were muffled against her mouth. As before, their coupling was urgent and overwhelming, leaving both panting against the other’s shoulder.

Straightening their clothing and smoothing her hair as much as possible, they left the bathroom, but as Amanda moved to return to her seat, Jon took her hand in his and held her back. Motioning to one of the couches, he had her sit with him. Closing his eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath, he brought up what he knew had to still be a painful subject between the two of them.

“I want to tell you what happened with Carrie.” Her eyes widened a little, but she knew this was something she had to hear for her own peace of mind. He told her the whole story, leaving nothing out. She found out what she had missed by leaving the room the moment she did and felt great relief at hearing what she knew was the entire truth.

Jon continued, “I know this sounds arrogant as hell, but I’m not used to explaining myself, to anyone. I don’t want us to be that way with each other though. What we have is too important.”

“It is important, Jon, and I can’t even begin to tell you how much it means that you’ll try not to keep things from me. Trusting each other is one of the biggest things we have to work on. Thank you for telling me what happened.”

“Manda…” Jon hesitated, then forged on. “You don’t need to do what you did last night, dressing that way. I don’t want that. I want you just the way you are. Okay?”

Grateful he had seen her act for what it was, she kissed him softly then, feeling the last of the jealous poison in her system dissolve as he spoke to her. They moved back to their seats then, both feeling relief and love at the understanding and trust each had shown the other.