They arrived at JFK at close to 8:45 as they hit quite a bit of traffic. They were taken to a charter jet gateway and the limo was unloaded. Amanda just followed along with the other two as the bags were taken out to the Jovi jet. Jon and Richie were overseeing this and looking for the other guys, so before they entered the secured area Amanda motioned that she needed a ladies room.
When she exited the bathroom, the guys were not in sight. She figured they had passed through security and she made a move in that direction. She was stopped before she could enter.
“Excuse me, ma’am, this is a private entrance for chartered flights. You’ll have to go to the main terminal.”
“I know, I’m with Jon.”
“May I see your passport please?”
She nodded her head yes, then realized she didn’t have her passport yet.
“Jon has it.”
“Ma’am, I can’t let you through.”
Heaving a big sigh, she pulled her cell out of her purse and called Jon.
“Hey, hon…I can’t get through security.” She heard a mumbled ‘shit’ and then “I’m on my way” as the phone was hung up.
Within a few minutes, Jon came up to the security gate. He nodded to the officers.
“She’s with me.” He motioned for Amanda to go through the gates.
“We need to see her passport, Mr. Bon Jovi.” One of the officers responded.
Jon drew her passport out of his pocket and handed it to the guard. He looked at it and then at her and motioned for her to pass through, handing the passport back to Jon, who promptly handed it to Amanda.
Walking toward the plane, Amanda told Jon that instead of his hand on her ass, that he needed to put an identification sticker there instead for the next photo. He laughed, glad this little incident hadn’t earned him a punch in the stomach.
They met with the other men inside and as all had heard Jon answer his phone from her call, they had grins on their faces.
Tico gave her a big hug. “Did you punch him again, chica?”
She flushed. “No, but I am getting a little tired of saying the cliché ‘I’m with the band’. Makes me feel like a groupie!”
They all glanced at Jon, who returned their look.
“Dammit! I’m working on it, okay?” His growl was good-natured, however, and they all laughed, glad to see his good mood.
She exchanged hugs with Hugh and David and started to thank the men for allowing her to travel with them, however, right in the middle of her statement Richie interrupted her. He stood with his hands on his hips, a bit of a scowl on his face.
“Amanda, if you apologize or thank us again for “allowing” you to do anything I will turn you over my knee! Where’s the woman who smacked me with the spoon? The one who punched Mr. Super Star over there in the stomach? You’re with friends, you’re our friend, but keep this up and I AM going to put you in the groupie category!” Richie’s voice was just firm enough and the look in his eyes serious enough that Amanda realized she had been acting like she needed to ingratiate herself, when the fact was she was welcome.
She snapped off a sharp salute towards Richie, grinned, and nodded. “Yes Sir!” The rest of the guys laughed and told her they were happy to see her again. As she turned to look around the private lounge area, she missed the looks the five men exchanged. They had been together so long that oftentimes words were not needed. This was one of those times. Jon nodded at them, confirming their silent question. Yes, he was serious about Amanda but now wasn’t the time. They understood and knew him well enough to keep it to themselves.
At 9:30 they all moved out to the plane and Jon ushered her on board. The men followed, all taking familiar positions throughout the plane. Jon introduced her to the two pilots and the female flight attendant. He made clear through his voice and his eyes to all of his employees that she was to be treated with the utmost respect. They got his message.
She whispered to Jon. “Where should I sit?” He showed her, then assured her she didn’t have to whisper and once the seatbelt sign was off she could go anywhere she wanted without asking. He showed her the bathrooms and some couches in the back if she wanted to lie down. He left her then at the seat, moving around himself to talk with the other men and then the pilots to confirm they were cleared for take off.
The engines were suddenly turned on and Jon took the seat beside her. She put her seatbelt on when he did and he took her hand in his. At almost exactly ten they were cleared by the tower to take off and she felt the plane rise in the air. She was more excited than she knew until that moment to be going to another country and squeezed Jon’s hand. He turned to her and she thanked him quietly.
“I feel like I’ve never been anywhere and to go with you…it’s…” she stopped as she wasn’t quite sure what she was trying to say.
He looked deep into her eyes. “I want you with me. You want to be with me. That’s it in a nutshell, right?”
“Yeah, that pretty much sums it up, but thank you anyway.”
He smiled at her, the one that drove her crazy.
“Don’t put a halo on me. I’m doing this as much or more for myself. Remember the other night and that morning?” She blushed as she sure did remember that. “Well, I want that again, real soon, and even more.” His voice dropped lower then as he started to tell her what some of his ideas were. She slapped her hand over his mouth, her face scarlet. Richie could see her face flame and knew Jon was teasing her in some way. She caught Richie’s grin and closed her eyes and shook her head.
She opened her eyes at the ding of the seatbelt sign and quickly stood up, stepping over Jon’s legs. His hand caressed her ass as she passed and she spun around so quickly she almost tripped over her own feet. She made wide eyes at him and glanced around to see if anyone had noticed. Only Richie. Shit! Does he ever miss ANYTHING?
Locating the flight attendant, she asked for a Coke. She was quickly provided with one and smiled and expressed her thanks. As she was walking back, Tico motioned to her to join him. Sitting beside him, he took one of her hands.
“How are you, caro?”
“Good, Tico, and you? How was your show?”
“It was very well received and several pieces were sold. You’ll still come back to my home to see some of the other work?”
Her smile was wide. “I would love to do that! Thanks so much for remembering!”
“I also want you to meet my wife and son. I think you’ll like Alejandra very much and I know she’ll like you!”
They made small talk until Tico brought up the subject he had called her over for.
“Caro, I wanted to talk to you.” She nodded at him to continue.
“I want you to know that if Richie hadn’t said what he did before we left, I was going to. You’re with Jon and you need to stop acting like an outsider.”
He watched as her eyes misted. “Tico, thank you for that. I just don’t want to…” she didn’t quite know how to finish.
“You don’t want to take advantage or presume too much, right?”
“Yes! Exactly!”
“Well, you’re not taking advantage and you’re not presuming, but you are also not acting like the Amanda we three have come to know. Stop apologizing. It’s not you.”
She pursed her lips and spoke thoughtfully. “Dammit! You’re right! I AM acting like second class citizen and doing it all by myself, to myself! Thanks, Tico. I needed that whack upside the head from Richie and from you.”
Smiling at her now, seeing the return of her natural personality, not the docile modified one she seemed to have been adopting, he shooed her away. “Go sit with the Kidd over there before he comes and gets ya. Never saw that man so jealous!”
Amanda laughed, kissed Tico’s cheek, and walked back over to sit next to Jon. Jon knew that Tico had said something to make her feel more at ease. If he needed more information, he knew his friend would tell him later. Amanda settled in and as she had planned, pulled out the manual for her new phone. She started reading and playing with settings on the phone, learning what it could do.
Jon leaned over to her. “You’ll show me all that stuff later, right?”
Fully engrossed in her activities, she nodded to him and continued reading. Jon settled back to relax during the flight. Beverages of choice were served to the men and she and Jon had a glass of wine. By the time she had gone through the manual, half the flight was over and she realized that between all the reading and the wine she was getting sleepy. Her head started to droop a little and Jon took her hand, leading her back to one of the couches. He had her lie down and covered her with a blanket.
“Get some sleep baby, it’s gonna be a long day.” She nodded sleepily at him and soon was breathing deeply. Jon returned to sit and talk with Richie.
As he sat down, Richie started a low chuckle. Jon looked at him, wondering what had set his friend off.
“So, guess you’re on the wagon for a few days, eh?”
Knowing Amanda wouldn’t have told Richie something like that, he looked at him.
“I took her shopping yesterday, remember?”
“Oh yeah, well, you know women.”
“Yes I do and I also know you.”
Turning those blue eyes to his friend and scowling, Jon asked, “And what does that mean?”
“It means don’t turn into an asshole in a day or two because you ain’t getting any!”
Continuing his scowl, Jon asked, “You do remember I was married for quite a while, right?”
Laughing harder now, Richie teased his friend. “And how many times a day do you drag that woman off to bed?”
Groaning now, realizing Richie was right, his only come back was the standard one.
When she exited the bathroom, the guys were not in sight. She figured they had passed through security and she made a move in that direction. She was stopped before she could enter.
“Excuse me, ma’am, this is a private entrance for chartered flights. You’ll have to go to the main terminal.”
“I know, I’m with Jon.”
“May I see your passport please?”
She nodded her head yes, then realized she didn’t have her passport yet.
“Jon has it.”
“Ma’am, I can’t let you through.”
Heaving a big sigh, she pulled her cell out of her purse and called Jon.
“Hey, hon…I can’t get through security.” She heard a mumbled ‘shit’ and then “I’m on my way” as the phone was hung up.
Within a few minutes, Jon came up to the security gate. He nodded to the officers.
“She’s with me.” He motioned for Amanda to go through the gates.
“We need to see her passport, Mr. Bon Jovi.” One of the officers responded.
Jon drew her passport out of his pocket and handed it to the guard. He looked at it and then at her and motioned for her to pass through, handing the passport back to Jon, who promptly handed it to Amanda.
Walking toward the plane, Amanda told Jon that instead of his hand on her ass, that he needed to put an identification sticker there instead for the next photo. He laughed, glad this little incident hadn’t earned him a punch in the stomach.
They met with the other men inside and as all had heard Jon answer his phone from her call, they had grins on their faces.
Tico gave her a big hug. “Did you punch him again, chica?”
She flushed. “No, but I am getting a little tired of saying the cliché ‘I’m with the band’. Makes me feel like a groupie!”
They all glanced at Jon, who returned their look.
“Dammit! I’m working on it, okay?” His growl was good-natured, however, and they all laughed, glad to see his good mood.
She exchanged hugs with Hugh and David and started to thank the men for allowing her to travel with them, however, right in the middle of her statement Richie interrupted her. He stood with his hands on his hips, a bit of a scowl on his face.
“Amanda, if you apologize or thank us again for “allowing” you to do anything I will turn you over my knee! Where’s the woman who smacked me with the spoon? The one who punched Mr. Super Star over there in the stomach? You’re with friends, you’re our friend, but keep this up and I AM going to put you in the groupie category!” Richie’s voice was just firm enough and the look in his eyes serious enough that Amanda realized she had been acting like she needed to ingratiate herself, when the fact was she was welcome.
She snapped off a sharp salute towards Richie, grinned, and nodded. “Yes Sir!” The rest of the guys laughed and told her they were happy to see her again. As she turned to look around the private lounge area, she missed the looks the five men exchanged. They had been together so long that oftentimes words were not needed. This was one of those times. Jon nodded at them, confirming their silent question. Yes, he was serious about Amanda but now wasn’t the time. They understood and knew him well enough to keep it to themselves.
At 9:30 they all moved out to the plane and Jon ushered her on board. The men followed, all taking familiar positions throughout the plane. Jon introduced her to the two pilots and the female flight attendant. He made clear through his voice and his eyes to all of his employees that she was to be treated with the utmost respect. They got his message.
She whispered to Jon. “Where should I sit?” He showed her, then assured her she didn’t have to whisper and once the seatbelt sign was off she could go anywhere she wanted without asking. He showed her the bathrooms and some couches in the back if she wanted to lie down. He left her then at the seat, moving around himself to talk with the other men and then the pilots to confirm they were cleared for take off.
The engines were suddenly turned on and Jon took the seat beside her. She put her seatbelt on when he did and he took her hand in his. At almost exactly ten they were cleared by the tower to take off and she felt the plane rise in the air. She was more excited than she knew until that moment to be going to another country and squeezed Jon’s hand. He turned to her and she thanked him quietly.
“I feel like I’ve never been anywhere and to go with you…it’s…” she stopped as she wasn’t quite sure what she was trying to say.
He looked deep into her eyes. “I want you with me. You want to be with me. That’s it in a nutshell, right?”
“Yeah, that pretty much sums it up, but thank you anyway.”
He smiled at her, the one that drove her crazy.
“Don’t put a halo on me. I’m doing this as much or more for myself. Remember the other night and that morning?” She blushed as she sure did remember that. “Well, I want that again, real soon, and even more.” His voice dropped lower then as he started to tell her what some of his ideas were. She slapped her hand over his mouth, her face scarlet. Richie could see her face flame and knew Jon was teasing her in some way. She caught Richie’s grin and closed her eyes and shook her head.
She opened her eyes at the ding of the seatbelt sign and quickly stood up, stepping over Jon’s legs. His hand caressed her ass as she passed and she spun around so quickly she almost tripped over her own feet. She made wide eyes at him and glanced around to see if anyone had noticed. Only Richie. Shit! Does he ever miss ANYTHING?
Locating the flight attendant, she asked for a Coke. She was quickly provided with one and smiled and expressed her thanks. As she was walking back, Tico motioned to her to join him. Sitting beside him, he took one of her hands.
“How are you, caro?”
“Good, Tico, and you? How was your show?”
“It was very well received and several pieces were sold. You’ll still come back to my home to see some of the other work?”
Her smile was wide. “I would love to do that! Thanks so much for remembering!”
“I also want you to meet my wife and son. I think you’ll like Alejandra very much and I know she’ll like you!”
They made small talk until Tico brought up the subject he had called her over for.
“Caro, I wanted to talk to you.” She nodded at him to continue.
“I want you to know that if Richie hadn’t said what he did before we left, I was going to. You’re with Jon and you need to stop acting like an outsider.”
He watched as her eyes misted. “Tico, thank you for that. I just don’t want to…” she didn’t quite know how to finish.
“You don’t want to take advantage or presume too much, right?”
“Yes! Exactly!”
“Well, you’re not taking advantage and you’re not presuming, but you are also not acting like the Amanda we three have come to know. Stop apologizing. It’s not you.”
She pursed her lips and spoke thoughtfully. “Dammit! You’re right! I AM acting like second class citizen and doing it all by myself, to myself! Thanks, Tico. I needed that whack upside the head from Richie and from you.”
Smiling at her now, seeing the return of her natural personality, not the docile modified one she seemed to have been adopting, he shooed her away. “Go sit with the Kidd over there before he comes and gets ya. Never saw that man so jealous!”
Amanda laughed, kissed Tico’s cheek, and walked back over to sit next to Jon. Jon knew that Tico had said something to make her feel more at ease. If he needed more information, he knew his friend would tell him later. Amanda settled in and as she had planned, pulled out the manual for her new phone. She started reading and playing with settings on the phone, learning what it could do.
Jon leaned over to her. “You’ll show me all that stuff later, right?”
Fully engrossed in her activities, she nodded to him and continued reading. Jon settled back to relax during the flight. Beverages of choice were served to the men and she and Jon had a glass of wine. By the time she had gone through the manual, half the flight was over and she realized that between all the reading and the wine she was getting sleepy. Her head started to droop a little and Jon took her hand, leading her back to one of the couches. He had her lie down and covered her with a blanket.
“Get some sleep baby, it’s gonna be a long day.” She nodded sleepily at him and soon was breathing deeply. Jon returned to sit and talk with Richie.
As he sat down, Richie started a low chuckle. Jon looked at him, wondering what had set his friend off.
“So, guess you’re on the wagon for a few days, eh?”
Knowing Amanda wouldn’t have told Richie something like that, he looked at him.
“I took her shopping yesterday, remember?”
“Oh yeah, well, you know women.”
“Yes I do and I also know you.”
Turning those blue eyes to his friend and scowling, Jon asked, “And what does that mean?”
“It means don’t turn into an asshole in a day or two because you ain’t getting any!”
Continuing his scowl, Jon asked, “You do remember I was married for quite a while, right?”
Laughing harder now, Richie teased his friend. “And how many times a day do you drag that woman off to bed?”
Groaning now, realizing Richie was right, his only come back was the standard one.
“Fuck you, Sambora!”
Ahhhh!!! Two chapters in one day! I'm in heaven! As always can't wait for the next one! Love this story!
“No, but I am getting a little tired of saying the cliché ‘I’m with the band’. Makes me feel like a groupie!”
LOL! I loved that-good way to put it Amanda!
Glad the guys set her straight about apologizing and thanking them all the time for allowing her to be with them. It was starting to annoy me as well and it didn't seem like the confident and self-assured Amanda we met in the beginning. I know that Jon's doubting her did a number on her self-esteem, but I'm glad to see she'll be regaining some of her former self-assuredness as that's the Amanda that Jon fell in love with and that I imagine him being with!
I am wondering if Amanda packed her spoon tho? I'm guessing she'll need it to keep Richie in line!
I love the wit and the humor in the story and the playful flirtation between Jon and Amanda. Hey, if you need someone to play the part of Richie's girlfriend (he needs one-hint, hint)I'm certainly available for the role (hint, hint)!!!!!!
Opester, after reading your story "The Sauna" don't be surprised if a "Trish" shows up for Richie! I think he needs a little TLC and in exchange "Trish" would get A LOT of TLC! LOL!!!
Aaaaawwww, that would be awesome! I would promise to take very good care of Richie and appreciate him the way he deserves!