"To me?" Cate's blue eyes widened. "No! Jon... she doesn't need to..."
Jon pushed the phone
closer. "Here. Take it."
"I don't want
it!" Cate recoiled.
"Cate!" Jon's voice was now a desperate growl. "Talk to her! She won't
believe me!"
Cate snorted. "What makes you think she'll believe me?"
"She wants to talk to you!" Jon was now half-panicked, his eyes
wide. "Come on! She's waiting!"
Cate rolled her eyes. "Oh... Fine." Her shoulders
slumped defeatedly as she reached to take the phone from Jon's hand. She stuck out her tongue at her petulant
husband before raising the device to her ear and speaking calmly.
"Hello, Carol. How are you?"
The cheery chirped reply
made Cate wince. "Why hello, Cate! Are you enjoying your vacation?"
I WAS.... Cate clenched her jaw to
keep her honest reply from slipping out.
"Yes, very much. And
you? I hear your plans changed."
"Oh Goodness,
yes. It was just too cold in
Pennsylvania. And we hadn't seen Therese
and Louis in such a long time..."
Jon snickered at his wife's
reaction as again she rolled her eyes while Carol prattled on with unrequested
details of her vacation itinerary. Cate
shot her husband a dirty look before tuning back into what her mother-in-law was
saying.
"That's nice, Carol. I'm glad you're enjoying time with
family."
"Yes, well. It's lovely to see all these nieces and
nephews, but I wish we had more of an opportunity to spend time with our Grandchildren on their break." Carol's lament was followed by a heavy
sigh. Again Cate's nose wrinkled with
silent impatience. She had no choice but
to take the bait.
"Carol, I'm sure the
boys would love to see you and John.
Please come over and join us. I
understand you're only an hour away."
"Oh, I don't know,
Cate. I'd hate to intrude on your
family time... After all, I know you don't get to spend much time with Johnny's
boys. Since you're always working..."
Cate shot another sideways
glare at her husband. He cringed
apologetically though he couldn't hear the words that triggered his wife's
stink-eye.
"You wouldn't be
intruding, Carol." Cate's lie was
convincing. "This is a family vacation, and you and John are
family."
"But you have already
made plans...."
"I'm sure we can get
two more tickets to the luau." Cate
cut her off, impatient with Carol's fishing for sympathy. "And tomorrow we have no concrete plans;
we're just wandering around Epcot."
"Well..."
Cate didn't let Carol
finish her thought. "And as Jon
said, we can easily get you a room at one of the resorts. It will only take a phone call. The VIP staff here is exceptional."
"But Cate, I know how
you dislike having plans disrupted..."
"Carol... I insist." It was all Cate could do to keep her tone
pleasant. "It's silly for us to
debate this. To have you here will be a
lovely surprise for Jake and Romeo."
Cate turned and arched a brow at her husband. "And I can tell Jon is very excited too. He's sitting right here, smiling and nodding." She gave her husband a smug smirk as his blue
eyes narrowed in response to her veiled sarcasm.
"Well... if you're sure it won't be any trouble..."
"Not at all. What time should we expect you?"
"Oh!" Cate's direct
query caught Carol off-guard.
"It's... half-past two now?
Oh my, by the time we pack our bags,
and load up the car, and say our goodbyes..." Cate shook her head as she heard Carol
address John Senior. "When will we
get there, John?"
"When are they coming?"
Jon whispered to Cate, realizing she was awaiting a response. She shook her head again, listening to the
murmur of background conversation.
"John says we should
be there between four-thirty and five.
Traffic permitting." Carol's
voice sounded in Cate's ear, cheery and bright.
"My goodness, we'd better get a move on, then. Is that alright with you, Cate?"
"Of course." Cate answered levelly. "I'll make sure Jon gets you a room
now. He can text you the details."
"Lovely." Carol's laugh twittered in Cate's ear. "See you then, Cate. Give the boys our love."
"I will. Drive safely." Cate lowered her chin, giving Jon a pointed
look. "Here's Jon... he wants to
speak to you again. See you soon."
Not waiting for Carol's reply,
Cate handed the phone back to her husband.
"They'll be here in two hours.
You've got work to do."
Jon sighed and nodded. "Sorry, Baby," he mouthed before
speaking into the phone.
Cate echoed his sigh, then
turned her gaze toward the pool. An
amused smile played over her lips as she watched her stepsons frolicking in the
water. Though they loved her dearly,
even Jacob and Romeo quickly tired of their grandmother's overbearing demeanor
during her frequent visits. The boys
would be happier to see their laid-back grandfather.
A full five minutes later
Jon finished the call. With a groan he
slumped back against his chaise, raising a hand to cover his eyes before
swiping down his face.
"Ohhhh.... what have we done?"
Cate shot him a sideways
look. "She's your mother."
"Exactly." Jon raised his arm, inspecting the dial on
his wrist. "If we leave now, just
throw our shit in the car and drive like crazy, we can be halfway to the
Georgia line before they hit town."
That made Cate
snicker. Her expression softened. As much as Carol had annoyed her with her
self-serving drama, this visit wasn't the end of the world.
"You wanted a family vacation. Now you got it."
Jon grimaced and turned his
head toward Cate. He gave her a gentle
smile and reached for her hand. She
smiled back when his fingers twined with hers.
"Sorry, Baby."
"S'okay. It will be fine. Maybe even fun."
"I hope so." Jon squeezed Cate's hand and sighed quietly
again. "At least we don't have
anything big planned. The luau thing
tonight... what do you want to do with them tomorrow night? I can ask the concierge to find us tickets
for a show or something...."
Cate shrugged. "I don't know. We were just planning to go back to Epcot,
weren't we? Eat somewhere there, then
see the Illuminations show?"
"Yeah, I
guess." Jon nodded, his lips
pursing thoughtfully. He was silent for
a moment before his mouth curved, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Orrrr......"
"What?"
"Mom and Dad can take the Chuckleheads back to
Epcot for dinner and that show thing.
Then we can go out for dinner
somewhere else. Just us." Jon gave his
wife a self-satisfied smirk. "Maybe
them staying here ain't such a bad idea, after all. Free babysitting."
"Jon, don't you think
your parents will want...."
Cate paused her dissent,
realizing she didn't disagree with her husband's plan. They had been on vacation for a full week
with very little time alone. They had
spent nearly every waking minute with Jacob and Romeo. Now John and Carol were invading their trip
and would undoubtedly push the Bongiovi Family Vacation to a new level of
togetherness.
Yes, she and Jon were definitely
due a grown-up date night.
"What?"
"Nothing." Cate shook her head vigorously and flipped
open her iPad's cover. She tapped
the Disney dining icon. "Where do
you want to eat? I'll make a
reservation."
*****
Jacob dropped his backpack
on the floor of the little cubicle and slouched against the wall. He fixed his younger brother with a moody
glare as Romeo bounced beside him. As
much as the sycophantic little brat was just asking for a slap, Jake knew he would quickly draw his father's ire
if he acted on his impulse. The boy
sighed again and dropped his gaze to the carpeted floor as the elevator doors
slid shut.
"What's wrong,
Jake?"
His stepmother's query
elicited a shrug and a mumbled response.
"Nuthin'."
"Hey." Jon's quiet syllable was a command. Jacob raised his chin and looked up at his
father, his expression flat.
Jon fought the urge to
frown at the boy's demeanor. Jacob had
actually been fun to be around this past week, having let go of his pre-teen
sullenness. Jon wasn't thrilled to see a
hint of that attitude in his son's blue eyes.
"What?"
"Nothing," Jacob
repeated.
"Then what's with the
mopes?"
"Nothing." Jake answered, more insistently. "Jeez..."
"Jake doesn't wanna go
with Nana and Poppy," Romeo announced.
"Shut up," Jake
grumbled, giving into the urge to give Romeo a little shove.
"Stop it!" Romeo
protested. "Dad!"
Seeing Jacob's annoyance
with his sibling, Jon ignored the minor physical contact. "Why not?"
Jake shrugged again,
offering no verbal response.
"He doesn't wanna stay
at the Old People Hotel," Romeo replied helpfully. "Jakey said it sucks."
"Romeo!" Jon gave the
younger boy a stern look. "I didn't
ask YOU." He returned his attention to Jacob. "What's wrong with the Grand
Floridian? It's the fanciest hotel
here."
Jacob sighed noisily and
rolled his eyes. "Dad, will you
just.... I said, nothin's wrong! Jesus!"
"Hey!" Jon
growled a warning at his now-petulant son.
Cate saw it was time for
her to intercede. She gave Jon's forearm
a warning squeeze as she calmly addressed Jacob.
"Jake, it's just for
one night. And you'll hardly even be in the room. Your grandparents are going to take you guys
back to Epcot for dinner and the light show.
By the time you get back it will probably be midnight."
Jacob turned his face to
his stepmother's, his expression half-pleading.
"But we were with them all
day. Why can't you and Dad take
us?"
Jon's stern countenance
gentled. He could empathize with his
son; a full day of his mother's constant cheerful chatter had nearly driven him
crazy. He answered calmly.
"Because. Nana and Pop came here to spend time with you
guys. And Cate and I could use a little
alone time."
Jake shrugged again, then
looked from his father to his stepmother and back again. Seeing their encouraging smiles, the boy
sighed. He knew what "alone
time" meant, considering his and his brother's forced evacuation of the
villa for the night. Plus, his father
hadn't been able to keep his hands off of Cate all day. It was kinda gross.
"Why can't they just
stay with us at the villa?" Jacob
arched a brow, wondering if his father would give him a straight answer.
"Because. They like the Grand Floridian," Jon
replied evasively. "And it's closer
to Epcot. You guys can take the monorail
back."
Jacob rolled his eyes and
dropped his chin again. He prodded at
his backpack with the toe of his sneaker.
"Whatever."
Feeling Jon's arm tense
under her hand, Cate quickly spoke up.
"It's just a few hours, Jake.
Most of which you'll be sleeping.
Your Dad and I are coming for breakfast in the morning." She gave Jon a sidelong glance, silently
warning him to keep his cool. She could
fully understand Jake's reticence to spend another twelve hours with his
grandmother, even while unconscious.
"Yeah. Tomorrow we'll head out early to Magic
Kingdom, so we'll be back here before you know it." Jon agreed,
nodding. His voice had gentled,
sympathetic to Jacob's true motive.
"And if Nana gets to be too much tonight, just hang with Pop. He'll protect you. He gets it." Jon waited for Jacob to look up, then gave
the boy a wink.
"Nana said she's gonna
buy us ice cream," Romeo announced happily.
Jon snorted. "Yeah, well... if she does, it's at her
own risk." He shot Cate a sideways
smirk.
"Can't you just come
back and get us after you have dinner?"
Jake tried once more, though he knew the attempt was futile. "Please?"
"Sorry, Bud. We're gonna be out late." Jon reached up to cover Cate's hand on his arm
with his own hand. "I feel like puttin' on
my boogie shoes."
Romeo giggled along with
Cate's throaty chuckle.
"Dinner and dancing? Wow.
This is gonna be some night, huh?" Cate's tease was playful, her lips curved in amusement.
"You know it,
Baby." Jon grinned, then returned
his attention to his boys. "Look,
guys. We've spent every minute together
since we left home. Cate and I just want
a few kid-free hours, okay? To enjoy the
grown-up stuff here. We can't exactly
drag you along to nightclubs, ya know.
And Nana and Poppy want to spend time with you. So it's a win-win situation."
He nodded, encouraging their agreement. When neither boy followed his lead, Jon resorted to bribery. "Plus, you get ice cream..."
He nodded, encouraging their agreement. When neither boy followed his lead, Jon resorted to bribery. "Plus, you get ice cream..."
"Yeah, okay. Whatever." Jake sighed defeatedly. He had known when they left the villa
with pajamas and toothbrushes in their packs that protest was futile. That was why he had kept his silence. Until his father started this whole debate,
anyway.
"Jakey..." Jon's
comment was interrupted by the quiet ding
of the elevator, announcing their arrival on the fifth floor. Jacob stooped to pick up his backpack as the
doors swooshed open.
Cate and Romeo filed out of
the car, followed by Jacob, then Jon. As
the doors closed behind them Jon stopped Jake's shuffle with a hand on his shoulder. He stooped to speak quietly in the boy's ear.
"Listen, Jake.... I
know. Sometimes your Nana is a bit...
much."
Jake sighed. "She treats us like babies, Dad."
"I know, I know. But that's just how she is. Hell, she still treats me like her Baby Boy. And
I'm a helluva lot older than you." Jon's heart warmed as he felt Jacob
chuckle. "Look, I'm sorry,
Bud. But we just... Cate and I... well, we
just need a night together. Alone. Capice?"
Jacob rolled his eyes,
though his father couldn't see.
"Yeah, Dad. I get it.
You're horny. Just... do what you
gotta do."
Jon couldn't stop a snort
of laughter at his son's resigned reply.
He gave the boy's shoulder a gentle shake, then prodded him to resume his shuffle down the
long hallway toward the senior Bongiovis' suite. Ahead of them, Romeo skipped ahead of
Cate.
Jon's grin broadened as
Cate glanced back over her shoulder at him, then continued her stroll. His blue eyes dropped to her derriere, which
swayed enticingly beneath a swishy, mid-thigh skirt with her slow, high-heeled
gait. He chuckled huskily before
murmuring his wry defense to Jake.
"Well, can you blame
me? I mean, come on..."
"Dad. Eww."
Jacob's faux-disgust was only half-convincing through his smirk. He had mostly gotten over his embarrassment
from his accidental peep-show earlier in the week. But that incident aside, he was a typical
pre-teen boy. It wasn't like he couldn't
appreciate his stepmother's assets.
"But you're still
abandoning us with Nana."
"I'll make it up to
you tomorrow. Promise."
Jake turned his head, his
smirk still in place. "It's gonna
cost ya, ya know."
"I have no
doubt." Jon chortled, his heart
squeezing pridefully as he saw himself mirrored in his son's demeanor. The kid really was his spitting image. "No doubt at all."
Leaving his hand on Jacob's
shoulder, Jon followed him down the hall.
Fifteen minutes later Jon
and Cate were hustling back down that same hallway, hand-in-hand. Having handed over custody of Jacob and Romeo
to the Bongiovi grandparents, they had done their best to avoid entanglement in
a discussion of the evening's events as they backed out the door. They had been only partially successful on
that front.
When they reached the
elevator, Jon stabbed impatiently at the button then guided Cate into the car
when it arrived. They shared a brief,
chuckling kiss in the momentary seclusion before striding through the Grand
Floridian's ornate lobby. Jon's arm
circled Cate's waist while they waited at the hotel entrance for a cab. Both their faces wore the matching blissful
smiles of temporarily child-free parents.
They spoke little during
the cab ride from the resort to the Japanese restaurant Jon had chosen for
dinner. They sat close together, Jon's
hand on Cate's knee and hers on his dark denim-sheathed thigh. By the end of the fifteen-minute drive Cate's
skirt had somehow shortened from its modest, top-of-the-knee length to barely
covering her hip. Jon's hand rested not
on filmy, feathery nylon but on tanned, stockingless flesh.
Dinner at the
teppanyaki-style restaurant was delightful.
Jon and Cate were seated at the side of a large hibachi grill-top, along
with a family of six from Minnesota. The
star-struck parents could hardly believe their dining experience included the
company of an international rock star and his wife, but their teenaged boys
were less awed and more engaging.
Jon was immediately enamored of the adorable twin six-year-old girls, with whom he drew pictures on napkins. By the time the chef arrived the Bongiovis and the Ericksons were happy companions, and they enjoyed a fantastic two-and-a-half-hour meal together. They parted cheerfully after a round of photographs of Jon with the family, children, parents, chefs, and waitstaff.
Jon was immediately enamored of the adorable twin six-year-old girls, with whom he drew pictures on napkins. By the time the chef arrived the Bongiovis and the Ericksons were happy companions, and they enjoyed a fantastic two-and-a-half-hour meal together. They parted cheerfully after a round of photographs of Jon with the family, children, parents, chefs, and waitstaff.
At the restaurant's coat check,
Cate chuckled softly as Jon retrieved her wrap.
"So much for a kid-free dinner, huh?"
Jon nodded, grinning. "Yeah, but it was fun. Nice family.
And when they're not your kids
it's easy." He shook out the
black-and-gold shawl, holding it as Cate turned her back to him. After settling the wrap across her shoulders
Jon leaned down to nuzzle at her ear.
"And you know what a sucker I am for little girls."
Cate's heart warmed. "Yeah, I know. They were cute, weren't they?"
"Adorable. But not as cute as ours will be."
Cate turned and gave him an
amused smile, one brow lifted. "Oh,
so you want twins now?"
"Sure. Why not?
Double the fun."
Cate snorted. "How about double the stretchmarks. Not to mention double the work."
Jon reached for Cate's
waist, turning her toward him and stepping close. She felt her lips curve and couldn't stop a
soft sigh as the heady scent of his cologne filled her senses.
"Nah. That stuff's easy. But I'll be happy with just one if she's as beautiful as you."
Cate's sapphire eyes
sparkled as she looked up at his sexy, tender smile. Her smile. She felt her knees wobble. Damn.
He could still do that to her.
She couldn't resist. Resting a hand against Jon's chest, Cate
leaned up to kiss him. His breath
against her mouth sent a shiver through her.
It was delicious.
When she pulled back, Jon
grinned. As much as he wanted his wife
physically, this playful, tender soul-connection they shared this evening was
more exciting. It had been a long time since
they had shared an evening of fun,
just the two of them.
"So... you ready to go
hit the floor?" Jon gave his wife a
blue-eyed wink.
Cate blinked. She hadn't thought he was serious when he
mentioned nightclubbing earlier. All day
Jon had been murmuring in her ear salacious hints of his naughty after-dinner
plans that included neither dance floors nor clothing. "Umm... what?"
"Dancin',
Baby." Jon grinned at her
surprise. "I told ya, I got my
boogie shoes on."
"You were
serious? You want to go to a
club?" Cate gave her auburn head a
little toss, as if to shake away her befuddlement.
"Sure. Why not? The night is young."
"Uh... okay. I'm game if you are."
Jon chuckled and stepped
back, turning to stand beside her. A
hand slipped to the small of her back and he guided Cate toward the
restaurant's entrance. "We don't
have to stay long. Just have a drink,
listen to some music, soak up a little atmosphere... I'm just in a mood to have
a little party. Before the real party."
Cate smiled. "Okay.
But do you even know what nightclubs are around here? I can't really see you enjoying some rave
place where they have some crazy deejay wearing an electronic Mickey-Mouse
head."
He laughed. "I asked the concierge at the Floridian,
when we were waiting this morning. She
said the Hard Rock has a pretty good dance club. For old people like us, anyway."
"Oh, us 'Old People'?
What, does it play music at a reasonable volume and have an Early-Bird
buffet?" Cate wisecracked as she
stepped through the restaurant's doorway and nodded her thanks at the attendant
holding the door for them.
"Yeah, somethin' like
that," Jon agreed with a grin.
"She said they play a good mix of music, though. A little hip-hop, a little pop, a little
Motown, a little rock-n-roll... Place is called the Velvet Lounge or
something."
Cate giggled as they
stepped up to the taxi stand. "How
cliche'. A rock star at the Hard Rock
Lounge."
"Hey, at least we know
we'll get good service."
"I would hope
so." Cate chuckled. "At least a decent table, away from the
dance floor."
Jon let his hand slide downward. He gave Cate's behind a reassuring pat. "Baby, I'm pretty sure they can find us
one of those fancy booths. You know,
with the heavy curtains and the velvet ropes?" His hand curved to give one cheek a squeeze
and his voice dropped to a sultry croon.
"You know how we rock stars like our... privacy."
Cate smirked. "Oh, you mean the VIP booths. The ones with
the personal waitresses wearing hot pants and go-go boots. With big tits."
"That's the
one." Jon smirked dirtily.
"Of course it
is." Cate chuckled and stepped
forward as a taxi pulled to the curb.
The valet attendant tugged open the car's back door and chivalrously
offered a hand of assistance. Cate
thanked him, stepping down off the curb and ducking into the cab. Jon followed, handing the young man a folded
bill before climbing in next to his wife.
"Velvet Lounge,
please. Hard Rock. Private party entrance." Jon instructed the driver.
"Yes Sir."
"Take your time. We're in no hurry." Jon dropped a hand to Cate's knee. It slid smoothly up her thigh as he turned
his head and covered her mouth with his.
The cabbie glanced in the
rear view mirror and smirked. "Yes
Sir."
A breathless ten minutes
later Jon and Cate exited the cab outside the Hard Rock Cafe's entrance. A queue of nightclub-goers stretched across
the sidewalk, the line parted by a velvet-roped corridor that led directly to
an unmarked door. Though his eyes were
shielded by sunglasses, Jon's dazzling smile immediately attracted the
onlookers' attention. An excited,
squeal-filled rumble followed Cate and Jon as they were escorted to and through
the private entrance.
Inside the club a
slightly-startled blonde greeted the Bongiovis with a smile and an immediate
call to her Manager. In seconds a
sleek-suited Hispanic man had appeared by her side, heartily welcoming Jon and
Cate to the Velvet Lounge. After a
clipped one-way conversation into a radio, the Manager escorted his unexpected
guests into the club. They followed a
rope-lined track around the perimeter of the huge, packed room, then climbed a
quintet of steps onto a raised dais to the side of the dance floor, opposite
the deejay stand.
With a flourish the Manager
presented the Bongiovi's "table"; a curved zebra-print
velvet-upholstered sectional couch, sunken into the dais' floor. The seating circle was fronted by an oval
glass-and-chrome cocktail table adorned with two small crimson-shaded lamps and
an embossed-leather covered menu. A
cluster of jewel-toned faux-candles flickered on a huge chrome platter in the
center of the table.
Jon stepped down into the
pit, then steadied Cate as she carefully descended the two steps to the
black-carpeted floor. He waited until
she was seated before turning to the Manager, leaning close to be heard above the
pounding dance music. The Manager nodded
and bowed slightly, then hustled away.
Jon turned to Cate and gave her a broad grin before easing down on the
couch next to her.
"What did you say to
him?" Cate asked. She was mildly
surprised that the club noise seemed to be lessened now that she was seated on
the couch. Apparently the carpeted pit
provided some sort of sound-reduction effect.
"I just told him we
weren't expecting anyone else, and to send over a bottle of wine."
"Jon, I'm not..."
Jon smiled and pressed a
finger against her lips, silencing the expected protest. "The wine is for me. Though they'll probably bring two
glasses."
"Oh." Cate smiled sheepishly.
"But you're welcome to
join me." Jon raised a brow. "I know, the hormone therapy and all
that... But Dr. Klein has told you time and again that a drink here and there
won't do a bit of harm. Hell, it may be
a good thing."
"I know." Cate sighed softly. "But I just wonder... As hard as it's
been..."
"Shhh." Jon again silenced her with a gentle
finger. "Not tonight."
Cate gazed into Jon's
glittering blue eyes and sighed. Her
lips puckered against his finger in a gentle kiss, then she reached up to pull
his hand downward, to her lap. Her fingers
twined between his. "Not
tonight," she agreed softly.
"So... do you want a
drink?" Jon nodded toward the
folder on the table. "I know you're
not a fan of my P.G., so how about something else? A fruity rum thing or somethin'?"
Cate's eyes moved to the
menu, then she shrugged. "I guess
so. Sure. Why not?" She leaned forward to pick up the folder with
her free hand. When she pulled it back
to her lap Jon helpfully opened the folder's front. Together they perused the long list of custom
cocktails.
"How about a pina
colada?" Jon offered helpfully.
"Or a daiquiri, or something?"
Cate wrinkled her nose and
shook her head. "Nah. I can get those anywhere."
"Okay. Mai Tai?
Or, how about this?" Jon
pointed to a bright blue drink.
"Gin, vodka, rum blue curacao, sweet and sour..."
"Jesus, Jon!"
Cate gasped. "If I drink that thing
I'll be on the floor!"
Jon laughed, shaking his
head. "Oh yeah, I forgot. Your booze tolerance ain't quite what it used
to be. Okay..." He flipped the page and scanned the photos
and text. His face lit up with a grin
and he stabbed a finger at a line of print beside a photo of a ruby-colored
cocktail. "Aha! Here
ya go. Perfect. 'Red-Headed
Groupie'."
"What?" Cate
half-laughed. "What the hell is
that?"
"Vodka, peach
schnapps, cranberry juice, lime. See?
Nothin' too strong. I used to have these
things all the time, but they were called somethin' else."
Cate snorted. "Oh, not a 'red-headed'...
whatever?"
"Groupie." Jon gave Cate a lecherous grin. "But I've had my share of those,
too. I highly recommend them. Sweet but a little sassy. Especially the one I married."
Cate couldn't help but
laugh at her husband's sly comment. He had
her there.
"Alright, then. Red-headed Groupie it is."
As if on cue a waitress
appeared. She carefully made her way
down the steps into the pit, then lowered a tray bearing an ice-ring ensconced
bottle of white wine and two black wine glasses onto the cocktail table. When the leggy blonde bent over to deposit
the drinks, she purposely gave Jon a full-on shot of her ample cleavage, which
was barely contained by a black bra beneath a neck-slit, tightly-tied, midriff-baring white
Hard Rock t-shirt.
Cate snorted and elbowed
Jon in the ribs. Her description of the
waitress had been dead-on accurate, right down to the hot pants and go-go
boots. Jon gave his wife a sidelong
grin.
"Would you like me to
pour for you?" The blonde inquired,
not bothering to straighten before speaking.
"No thanks." Jon
chuckled. "What's your name?"
"Tisha."
"I got it from here,
Tisha." Jon gave the waitress a smile. "But my wife would like a cocktail."
The corner of Tisha's
crimson-painted mouth twitched at Jon's emphasis on the word, but she turned
her smile to Cate. "What can I get
you?"
Cate chuckled. "I'll try the Redheaded Groupie."
"Sure." Tisha straightened and pulled a black
cocktail napkin from the tiny faux-leather bar apron slung low across
her hips. She dropped the napkin onto the
glass tabletop next to the wine tray.
"Have you had it before? It
can be a little tart. I can bring you a
glass of Sprite if you want to sweeten it."
Jon couldn't resist. "Always been good for me. I like 'em a little tarty."
Cate rolled her eyes and
elbowed Jon again. She gave the waitress
an apologetic smile. "That would be
great. Thanks."
"Okay. Anything else?"
"I think that covers
it."
"Be right
back." With another sultry-eyed
stare at Jon the waitress climbed back up the steps and headed for the bar.
"You're awful,"
Cate sighed, crossing her legs. With the
movement her skirt slipped toward her hips, revealing more of her own tanned
thigh. "And that girl isn't much
older than your daughter."
"Which means she's of
legal age," Jon countered. "So
I'm in the clear, checking out her tits.
Which she clearly wanted me to
do, I might add."
Cate snorted. "That also puts you in the 'Dirty Old
Man' category, Baby."
"So be it." Jon chuckled and wiggled his fingers free of
Cate's on her lap. His palm curved over
her thigh, his fingers slipping toward the edge of her hem. He leaned closer to Cate's ear. "Remind me later, when you're screaming
my name as I fuck you silly... just how
old and dirty I am."
A flush heated Cate's
cheeks at Jon's sexy rasp. Her lips
curved into an anticipatory smirk as the delicious visual filled her mind, of
their sweaty, sinewy bodies entwined beneath the filmy white canopy that tented
that spectacular bed. Oh, yes. The villa wouldn't be quiet tonight. It would be filled with the sounds of
passion.
She turned her head, until
her lips brushed his cheek. "We're
not going to stay here long, are we?"
"Not if you don't want
to."
Cate pulled her face back
from his and looked into Jon's eyes. Her
pulse jumped at their fiery gleam.
"Just a drink and a
dance, maybe?"
"Sure,
Baby." Jon drawled. His smirk turned sexy as his hand slid a
little higher on her thigh, beneath her skirt.
His pinky finger tunneled into the crease of her crossed thighs, sliding
against moist, heated lace.
She was already wet. This was gonna be one helluva night.
When Tisha returned with
Cate's drink, Jon casually pulled his hand away and leaned forward to pour
himself a glass of wine. After the
waitress departed, the couple toasted the night to come, then settled back
against the velvet zebra cushions to watch the dance floor. Casually the chatted and drank, sharing sweet
kisses and sexy murmurs. Finally Jon
realized he had to get up and move, or he might not be able to walk out of this
place with any semblance of decorum.
"C'mon, Baby. Let's dance."
Cate wrinkled her
nose. "You wanna dance to this?"
Jon paused, realizing he
hadn't even noticed what music was playing.
He had been so focused on flirting with his wife that he had tuned out
the world around them. "What is
it?" He frowned. Whatever it was, the noise from the speakers
certainly wasn't music.
"Kanye." Cate spit out
the name.
Jon's lips pursed as he
listened. He nodded slowly, finally
recognizing a few words in the din.
"Yeah, maybe not. Next
song."
"If it's better than
this shit," Cate commented.
"Doesn't it have to be?" Jon chuckled with his disparagement. "By definition?"
Cate nodded and sipped from her drink before responding. "We'll see what the
song is. I don't want you to hurt
yourself, shakin' your ass to something too wild."
"What, you sayin' I'm
so old I might break a hip or somethin'?" Jon delivered the line in a cranky-old-man
voice.
"It could
happen..." Cate laughed her reply.
"No, I just hope they play something decent to dance to."
"Well, whaddya
want? Some Gaga? Jay-Tee?
Bee-yon-SAY?" Jon grinned
with his exaggerated pronunciations.
"Depends on the
song. I could handle most of
those."
"Well, I'm sure the
deejay takes requests..." Jon
paused as he heard another beat fade in, a transition to a new song. It sounded promisingly familiar. "Oh, well. Hello.
I think this might fit the bill..."
He winked at Cate, then slid to the edge of the sofa. With a soft grunt he stood and turned to
offer her his hand.
"You can dance to
this?" Cate chuckled, accepting
Jon's help in escaping the soft, deep couch.
She smoothed the skirt of her cocktail dress down to its proper state,
then smiled at her husband.
"Come find
out." Jon winked, then led Cate up
out of their VIP pit and over to the crowded dance floor. They found a spot near the edge, while all
around them young men and women bounced and grooved to the opening bars of
P!nk's "Get the Party Started."
Cate giggled when Jon
turned to face her, then started to wiggle his hips in his characteristic
rock-star shimmy. She shook her head,
realizing her husband was impossibly dance-impaired. But he certainly made the most of what he
had. Following his lead, Cate began to
sway and groove, letting the music fill her up and loosen her inhibitions.
Pumpin' up the volume
Breakin' down to the beat
Cruisin' through the West Side
We'll be checkin' the scene
Boulevard is freakin' as I'm comin' up fast
I'll be burnin' rubber you'll be KISSIN' MY ASS!!!
Cate and Jon laughed as the
youthful crowd shouted the line. Jon
raised his fist in solidarity with the sentiment, then pursed his lips into his
unconscious duck-mouth and half-closed his eyes. He grooved harder, bending his knees and
hopping as his arms windmilled around him.
Cate laughed again, her blue eyes sparkling merrily as she watched him
enjoying himself. She shook her head
again as she noticed what was going on around her exuberant husband.
Behind Jon, a group of
eight young women had noticed his antics and formed a semi-circle as they
checked him out. It was clear from their
excited grins and exchanged gleeful glances that they had recognized Jon Bon Jovi in their midst. Three of the girls had pulled out their
smartphones and were now holding them aloft, undoubtedly capturing Jon's
dancing on video.
Realizing the women were
doing no harm, Cate pushed back her instinct to intervene. Instead she danced closer to Jon, ducking to
avoid his flailing arms as she reached for his waist. When he felt her hand on his belly Jon muted
his movements and leaned in to hear what he could see she wanted to say.
"Turn
around!" Cate half-shouted near Jon's
ear, to be heard above the music.
"Why?"
"Just... turn
around!" Cate grinned at Jon,
giving him an encouraging nod. He
followed her bidding, revolving to find himself face-to-face with a bevy of
beaming young women. When they saw they
had his attention, the group threw up their arms and beckoned him to join them.
Grinning ear-to-ear, Jon
melodramatically flung his arms wide in a stage-pose of appreciation. Then with a toss of his head he danced toward
the women.
Cate shook her hair back
as she laughed, then took a few steps back to give Jon space for
his impromptu dance-floor harem. She
watched, grinning broadly, as her goofy husband took turns dancing with each
young lady, taking her hand and spinning her around. Then as the women surrounded him in a
group-dance circle he shimmied with them, pausing to blow a kiss at his wife.
Jon's antics were quickly
noticed, and by the time the song neared its end there were several dozen
phones held aloft, recording the event.
Realizing it was time for the encounter to end, Jon slowed, then stopped
dancing. He offered feigned applause to
his octet of dance partners, giving each a gentlemanly bow and a kiss on the
hand. Finally, he posed for a trio of
selfie-photos before Cate stepped forward and offered to take a group portrait
with one girl's phone. After that, the
women reluctantly waved their rockstar-for-the-moment back to his wife.
His broad grin and
sparkling blue eyes made Cate's heart melt as her husband stepped over and
pulled her close. With his arms around
her waist Jon rocked in time to the music, moving her with him as his lips
found her ear.
"Well, that was fun."
Cate giggled and moved her
mouth close to his ear. "You
certainly gave them a thrill. You
probably made their year. And it's gonna
be all over the internet in about three minutes."
"Good." Jon pulled back his face long enough to give
Cate a saucy grin. Then he dipped his
head to give her a long kiss. Cate could
feel dozens of pairs of eyes on them as Jon's mouth slipped over hers. She blushed.
When he broke contact, Cate
dropped her forehead against Jon's shoulder.
She could feel him chuckle at her modesty. His hand rubbed soothingly over the small of
her back.
"Ready to
go?" Jon bowed his head to speak
near her ear. Cate nodded and raised her
head, giving him a conspiratorial smile.
Jon dropped his forehead against hers, then started to step back, just
as the music changed.
His lips curved into a sexy smirk as he recognized the tune, one he had heard over and over and over again thanks to his daughter's obsession with the song. It had driven him crazy most of the year, but as a songwriter he admired the simple genius of the melody. It was a perfect pop song: catchy and sexy and impossible to get out of your head.
His lips curved into a sexy smirk as he recognized the tune, one he had heard over and over and over again thanks to his daughter's obsession with the song. It had driven him crazy most of the year, but as a songwriter he admired the simple genius of the melody. It was a perfect pop song: catchy and sexy and impossible to get out of your head.
And he couldn't walk away
from the dance floor while it was playing.
"One more, Baby."
Jon crooned to Cate, his blue eyes flashing and his softly-stubbled cheeks
dimpling with his sexy grin. "Then
we'll go."
Cate couldn't help but smile. She knew this one too. She nodded, then let Jon lead. He took her hand and stepped back, guiding
Cate into a slow, shimmying turn.
Hey Hey Hey...
Hey Hey Hey...
Hey Hey Hey...
If you can't hear what I'm trying to say
If you can read from the same page
Maybe I'm going deaf
Maybe I'm going blind
Maybe I'm out of my mind...
Cate giggled as she saw
Jon's perfect mouth forming the lyrics.
He danced closer to her and pulled Cate into a traditional couples-dance
position. His free hand slid to the small
of her back as their hips rocked in unison to the uptempo beat.
"You know this
one?" Cate murmured teasingly into
her husband's ear.
"Mmmm Hmmm..." he
hummed before crooning his own version of the lyrics back to her.
I know you want it
I know you want it
I know you want it
But you're a good girl
The way you grab me
You wanna get nasty
Can't wait to get at me...
Cate chuckled at his
musical foreplay. Again she felt the
tingle of sexual anticipation. She took
a half-step back, separating her body from Jon's before smoothly turning until
her back was against his front.
Welcoming the new pose, Jon circled her waist with his arm and pulled her back against his hips, rocking them together. Cate smirked and raised her arm, reaching behind Jon's head to tangle her fingers in his soft blonde shag. She could feel his chest heaving against her back, their contact heightening his arousal. Her own body heated as Jon crooned dirtily in her ear.
Welcoming the new pose, Jon circled her waist with his arm and pulled her back against his hips, rocking them together. Cate smirked and raised her arm, reaching behind Jon's head to tangle her fingers in his soft blonde shag. She could feel his chest heaving against her back, their contact heightening his arousal. Her own body heated as Jon crooned dirtily in her ear.
What do they make dreams for
When you got them jeans on
What do they need steam for
You're the hottest bitch in this place
I feel so lucky..
You wanna fuck me...
You're gonna fuck me...
"Hey hey hey..." Cate
gasped in breathless agreement with Jon's explicit lyrics. Instinctively she arched her back, grinding
her ass harder against Jon's pelvis as they rocked together. He was holding her so close that the movement
was hardly noticeable, but it was enough to send a jolt through his
already-eager cock. Jon growled
agreeably against Cate's neck, grinning at her reaction.
"Easy, Baby... save the twerkin'
for later. Not here where everybody can watch..."
Cate felt her cheeks heat
again. "Oh God..." Her gaze darted around, praying no one had noticed.
Jon felt her stiffen in his
arms. Realizing she had taken his joke literally, he quickly backpedaled.
"Baby... I'm kidding!" Jon chuckled softly in her ear, hoping to
convince her before the moment was lost.
"But that was fuckin' hot." He growled for good measure.
"Nobody...?" Her
question was breathless.
"No," he
countered before she could continue.
"Just me." Jon felt
Cate relax a bit, and took the opportunity.
He guided her to turn again in his arms, then pulled her close. "Let's get outta this place."
"Okay," she
agreed, nodding. "I'm ready."
"Baby, you have no idea how ready I am..."
Jon's blue eyes blazed as he lowered his forehead to Cate's. "I wanna get you back to that villa... NOW."
She purred softly, the
intensity of his stare sparking another surge of heat from her core. She pressed her hips harder against Jon's,
savoring his reaction. "Let's
go."
Without answering, Jon
stepped back and turned away, capturing her hand as he moved. He led Cate back to their table, where he
gulped down the remainder of his wine and tossed a hundred-dollar bill on the
table. Together the couple strode
purposefully back along the path to the private entrance, Cate pulling her
shawl across her shoulders as they moved.
When they reached the
hostess stand the Bongiovis were informed it would be a few moments until the
attendant hailed them a cab. Jon's
breathing was ragged as he shuffled impatiently next to the door. He slipped an arm around Cate and gave her a
half-desperate, conspiratorial smile. She nodded her agreement. Hurry
the fuck up!
The buzz against her hip
made Cate start. She looked down, then
realized its source.
"Baby, you have a
message."
"Huh?"
"Your phone. Didn't you feel it buzz? Just now? In your pocket?"
"Cate, I can only feel
one thing right now. And it ain't in my
pocket." Jon gave her a wry smirk,
then slipped his arm from around her waist.
He fished his leather-covered iPhone from his jeans and swiped a finger
across the screen. Immediately the phone
buzzed again, followed closely by another three alerts.
"Musta had a bad
signal in there," Jon muttered.
"It's from Dad, an hour ago."
His eyes narrowed and he frowned.
"What the.... Fuck!"
Cate's eyes widened at his
exclamation. "What? Is everything okay?"
"I... Yeah, but... Sonofabitch!" Jon growled his displeasure, then raised a
hand to rake through his hair, his typical annoyance tell.
"Jon, what?"
Jon turned his blazing eyes
and tight-lipped expression to Cate.
Then he held up his phone, displaying the series of text messages he had
just perused. "Mom and Dad. Guess where they are?"
Cate shook her head, her
brow furrowing with concern. "I
don't know..."
"At the motherfucking Villa.
The boys convinced them to go back there. And now they're staying the night."
"What? How...?
"I have no fucking idea. But when I get my hands on those little
Shits..." Jon growled and again
tugged his hand through his shaggy bangs.
"Jake. He didn't want to stay at the Floridian. I swear to God..."
Cate bit back a
chuckle. She could see her husband was
about to explode with frustration, both parental and sexual. She wasn't thrilled about this unexpected
turn of events either, being more than a little turned on herself. But it was what it was.
"Baby... take it
easy. You don't know how this all
happened. Maybe it wasn't the
Boys."
"Yeah,
right." Jon snapped the cover of
his phone shut and turned to face Cate.
"What the fuck are we gonna do now?"
This time she couldn't stop
the chuckle from slipping out. As angry
as Jon was, he was rather adorable in his ruffled state. "What do you mean, what're we gonna
do? We're gonna go home, Jon. Back to our Villa. We'll just have to be really, really
quiet."
"Cate, we can't go
back there and..." Jon halted, suddenly realizing the hostess was within
earshot of his rant. He lowered his voice. "My Mom doesn't sleep. At all. She hears one tiny little sound and she's
up. Hell, she's probably sitting up
waiting for us now. And the boys
probably aren't even in bed. I betcha they're watching a movie with Dad." His
explanation was delivered through clenched teeth. "And I'm in no fucking mood to be quiet."
The spark in his blue eyes
made Cate's womb clench. She had to
admit she wasn't exactly looking forward to another night of chastity, either. But what other choice did they have? Even if they did send John and Carol back to
the Grand Floridian, there would be no reason for Jake and Romeo to go with
them.
"So, what are we gonna
do?" Cate sighed softly. "What can we do?"
"Sir, your taxi is
here." The hostess interrupted
politely. "When you're ready."
Jon nodded curtly in
acknowledgement. He looked down to the
phone clenched in his hand, then up at Cate, then back to the phone. Suddenly his mouth curved into a sinister
smirk.
"What?" Cate
asked, half-startled by his sudden change of expression.
Jon reached for her
hand. "Get in the cab."
O BOY! I'm beginning to feel sorry for Jake....
ReplyDeleteI hope Jon is planning to use the Grand Floridian suite he payed for...
this was well worth the wait. can't wait to see what happens next!
ReplyDeleteCatte,Catte, Catte....i have such a love hate relationship with you! Love your writing, hate your torture! Ugggggg!
ReplyDeleteGreat chapter love that they had so much fun on the dance floor, they needed that!
i laughed so hard that Jake knows his dads horny and cock blocked him!!!!! Bahahaha!!! They need to head to the Grand Floridian. there won't be any kids or giraffe there!!!!
Next week? #DecemberToRemember?
OMG thats just.... LMAO
ReplyDeleteThey should use the suite ;-)
hmmm... is there any chance we get a Christmas present? like a new chapter on Christmas day?
YES! That is exactly was we need!!!
DeleteCate this was an awesome chapter but PLEASE PLEASE don't make us wait so long for us to wait to find out wait their going to do. There's to many scenerieos going thru my haed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ok? Love You!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas| a Christmas chapter is exactly what we need { I agree}, can't wait for the next sexy chapter, don't make us wait too long to find out what's next please, loved this very sexy chapter.
ReplyDeleteMaybe shes just late tonight......... :-(
ReplyDeletehahaha...fun chapter....
ReplyDeletePlease don't keep us in suspense too long! Need to know what happens....soon!!!
ReplyDeleteI miss them
ReplyDeleteDo we get to find out if Jon's balls shriveled up? Tonight? Puleeeeeeeez ;)
ReplyDelete