Chapter 7

Gail didn’t know what to do, yes, she liked Jon’s kiss, but not as much as Richie’s slight kiss.  Now all three of them sat like statues, not talking, just casting furtive glances at each other.

Someone had to break the tension that had taken over, it might as well be her, ‘Well hell Jon, talk about taking a woman by surprise!  But I must say, you just don’t ‘do it’ for me!  Now Richie’s little kiss on the other hand, well honey that blew my socks clean across the car park.’  She winked at Richie as his head snapped up looking straight at her, he started to grin.

‘Oh, fuck honey, don’t say that, he won’t be worth shit having a gorgeous woman saying that to him!’  Jon rolled his eyes and shook his head, he slapped Richie on the back, conveying his apology, and his happiness of what she’d said.

‘Least I don’t have egg on my face for kissing a woman who’s immune to my charms.’  He slapped Jon back, nearly knocking his eyeballs out of his head with the strength he’d put into it.

As the guys started to bicker, Mai arrived with waiters in tow, bringing many, many dishes to the table.  They shut up as their mouths started to water, reminding them they were hungry.

Gail watched and smiled as both men dug into the dishes with gusto, she hoped there might be a grain of rice or a noodle left for her. Hell, Mai may have brought enough food out to feed and army, but not to feed two hungry ‘rock gods’!

Richie caught the smile, and realised they were acting like they were starving. ‘Darlin I’m sorry, someone puts food in front of us and we forget our manners.’ He kicked Jon under the table.

‘Huh?’ Came from Jon, a noodle hanging half in and out of his mouth, he looked at Gail’s dish and realised while theirs were piled high, she’d got nothing on her.  He sucked the noodle in with a slurp, and red face started to apologise to her.

Gail laughed, they looked like little boys caught doing something they shouldn’t be doing!  ‘Please don’t break a habit of a lifetime on my account, scoff away, Mai will always bring more.’  She chuckled some more at the relieved looks that flew across their faces. Boys!

She dove into the scrumptious food that magically appeared seconds after she said the words, and while they ate they talked about how she’d got into her business.  She ended up telling them everything, how she’d gone to Sweden after leaving school at sixteen, and trying to get someone to realise she was serious about wanting to learn and working her ass off for years to perfect the technique, and to surpass her teacher. 

‘You mean you left home at sixteen?’  Jon was stunned, yeah boys did it, but back then, not many girls left the safety of home.

Gail grabbed a few mouthfuls, ‘You know I’m sure your keeping me talking so you can hoover all the food!’

‘Crap, she caught us bro!’  Richie laughed, shovelling in more chilli beef, but it was nice to hear someone else’s life and not trot out their down pat answers.  ‘I take it from your business, you found someone?’

‘Yeah, Lance, I bugged the hell out of him, every day for a month.  He’d taken one look at me and dismissed me as a silly school girl he told me later!  I don’t take dismissal very well.  After a month of showing up and sitting in his reception, he gave in and took me in on a one-month trial, throwing stuff at me no one should put up with. I did, I wanted to learn from the best and he was it.  After two weeks, he realised I wasn’t giving in, and started to show me bits and pieces. He was shocked that I took to massage like a duck to water.  I never looked back!’ She sighed wistfully.

Richie was jealous of this Lance; he’d moulded a sixteen-year-old girl into this woman before him.  He wondered what else he’d taught her, frowning.

Captain Tactless struck again, ‘So, what kind of lover did he make?’

Gail had just taken a drink and choking, it shot up and out threw her nose and over everything in front of her!

‘Fuck Jon, why’d you say that?’  Richie dived to help a red-faced Gail who seemed to be choking, moping her up, as Mai and waiters arrived to help out.

‘What? I wanted to know, that’s all, didn’t expect this.’  Jon too started to help out, dabbing ineffectually at her chest, his hand was slapped hard by Mai. ‘What?’

‘Don’t try that innocent look with me boy!’

That’s when everyone about the table realised Gail wasn’t choking, she was laughing her ass off!

Tears streamed down her face, then she looked at Jon’s face and went under again!  Talk about being blindsided with a question, Jesus he just didn’t care!

‘Darlin are you ok?’ the concern in Richie’s face had her hysterics slowing to a dull roar. ‘Bongiovi, you can be such an asshole at times!’ His concern for Gail was warring with the need to kill Jon.

Finally, Gail stood, Richie jumped to her side, and she waved him back down, ‘No sit, I’m going to the ladies to clean up. Jon, you really need a sensor between your brain and mouth honey.’  With that she laughed her way into the bathroom once more. 

Chapter 6

Jon and Richie sat there with dazed looks on their faces, and then grinned at each other.

‘Hell, she doesn’t treat us like the gods of rock we are.’ Jon sniffed, then spoilt it by laughing.

‘Hell, she’s dealt with Elt for years, it’s no wonder she’s not in awe and falling down faint.’

‘You like to order now? Or wait for Gail to get back?’ Mai asked.

‘Well we don’t know what she drinks or eats, so play it safe darlin and we’ll wait for her.’  Jon flashed that killer smile again, if the receiver of that smile was female, of any age they couldn’t resist, and Mai liked the young man smiling at her, made her feel young again.

‘Oh, she always drinks cola, and she eats what I put in front of her.’  Gail hadn’t ordered anything for years; she just left it to Mai.

‘Well in that case lil momma, I’ll take a cola too and Jon will have a beer, and you bring us whatever you want, please.’  Richie grinned up at the pint-sized woman next to him, patting his stomach in anticipation.

‘I take it you need lots to fill you up?’

They both laughed and nodded yes, she walked away laughing.  They could hear her rattling off things in Chinese as she went through the kitchen door.

Gail was in the mean time running cold water over her wrists trying to cool herself down.  Fuck she’d just slapped two men she’d worshipped for years, damn! What the hell was wrong with her?  Just because they were who they are why was she freaking about her t-shirt?

Maybe because she thought if she ever got to meet them she’d be immaculately dressed and turned out, she snickered, like that would happen. She’d always been a jeans and tee girl always would be.

Looking into the mirror she mentally slapped herself, telling herself to get a bloody grip, go back out there and act friggin normal!  Stop thinking about what they must be thinking about you!  If they didn’t like you before they wouldn’t have invited themselves to dinner.  She agreed with the voice in her head, damn she’d totally lost it, and ran a hand through her hair, dried her hands, pasted a smile on and headed back to the men.

Richie noticed the minute the door opened from the ladies, he chuckled, looks like she’d given herself a talking too and was striding back with a smile on her face.  She stopped a few times talking to people, young and old.  His brows shot together when a man grabbed her as she passed landing her on his lap.  Gail had squeaked checked who’d got her then punched him hard in the arm making his friends laugh. 

She extricated herself, double flipped the table and carried on walking towards them, laughing. Richie thanked god the guy had let her go, otherwise he’d have ripped his arms off and fed them to him.  He jerked, where the hell did that come from, and why?

Jon had taken in everything that had happened, and watched Richie’s reaction.  He chuckled, damn his bro had gone down hard for this lovely woman.  Well if she agreed to what Jon wanted, Rich could really get to know her.

‘Sorry about that, needed to calm down after my brain finally caught up that I’m having dinner with not one, but two rock gods.’  She beamed at them, her sense of humour and her personality had finally come back to her.

Jon started checking his shirt out and patting himself down, then he started on Rich, who told him to get the fuck off him. ‘But Rich, she’s got a damn bug planted on us!  How in the hell did she know what we’d said about her not treating us like the rock god’s we are!’  He looked Gail in the eye and put a confused look on his face, scratching his head.

She looked at Jon then started to laugh, ‘Seriously you said that?’  When they both nodded she laughed harder, the two men joining in and finally she felt at ease.  ‘That’s scary that you call yourselves rock god’s and very big headed.’  More chuckles followed at the affronted look they gave her.

‘Dean, I think she’s slandering our good names.’ Jon said with a fake British accent.

‘Frank, I believe you’re correct, what punishment befits that?’  Richie played along.

‘Well Dean it has to be the worst punishment she’d ever have.’  Jon grinned evilly at Gail, she gulped, they may be playing but damn it was erotic!  ‘Well old chap, I think you ought to kiss her.’ 

Richie’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head, was Jon on something?

Gail wasn’t sure she’d heard right; and if she had, bloody hell that wouldn’t be any kind of punishment.

‘Errrr……. Frank…. I don’t think that’s……’ Richie wanted to kiss her, but not with all these people about, otherwise he’d make a total ass of himself.

‘Yeah, you’re right, you kissin her wouldn’t be punishment.’  With that Jon pushed back his chair, and before the other two could react, he grabbed her, pulled her across his lap and caught her in a kiss that would normally turn a woman to goo in his lap. Gail didn’t know what to do, so she did what all nearly sane women would do, she kissed him back.  Her fingers biting into his shoulders as she kept her balance, and the kiss continued.

‘Hey, you put her down!  It’s not that kind of place!’  Mai’s raised voice bounced off the walls.

Richie sat there and watched as Jon kissed the socks off the woman he liked.  Bastard!  How the hell was Richie to compete with Jon?  And Jon knew Richie liked her, so what the fuck was he up to?

Jon lifted his lips from Gail’s, looked up at Mai and giving her another of his grins he apologised saying he had to merit out the punishment before Gail forgot why she’d been given it.

Gail just lay there, sprawled over Jon’s lap, trying to catch her breath.  She glanced towards Richie and saw anger in his face.  She quickly scrambled off Jon and resumed her seat, not looking at either man.

Jon knew Richie was pissed at him, he couldn’t help himself, he wanted to test Richie’s feelings for her, and boy did he get the point in spades, Richie wanted to kill him.  Then he looked at Gail, she was beet red and head down looking at no one, maybe he’d over done it just a bit. 

Chapter 5

They arrived at the restaurant about five minutes later, the longest ride Gail thought she’d been on.  The tension between the two people was thick and heavy.

Richie tried to break it ‘So how come you’ll let him drive your bike? He could hardly walk when we got to your place.’  He tried to smile, but hell all he wanted to do was grab her and pull her into his lap and kiss her silly.

She snapped out of her fantasy of him joining her in the back seat and getting friendly, ‘Hmm that’s because I know I’ve got all the knots, kinks and soreness out of him that he could handle my baby. Trust me if I hadn’t he’d still be whimpering to ride it while driving with you.’

Conversation dwindled, and they sat looking at one another, Gail, licking her lips as they seemed to be as dry as the Sahara Desert.

Richie watched her do it, wondering what she’d do if he lent over and wet them for her.  Their eyes connected and she read his intent, he leaned towards her, she moved towards him……………

‘Hey I’m hungry, get your asses moving.’  Jon banged on the window, making them jump guiltily apart, each scrambling for their door handles and nearly leaping from the car.

‘Well if you’d have left that bike alone, we’d have gotten out sooner.’  Richie tried to defend them.

Gail, cheeks flaming headed out the door, not looking to see if they were following she started across the car park.  Damn she’d nearly made a total fool of herself!  She needed to keep her guard up while Richie was about, he was potent,very potent.

Opening the door, the aroma hit her, and went straight to her stomach, making it grumble loudly.

‘Hey Gail.  Your usual table honey?’  Mai the owner asked, she smiled as two men crowded in behind, ‘Table for two boys?’

Her cheeks flared again, ‘No Mai, table for three please.’  Mai was shocked, the two men threw an arm over Gail’s shoulders, one standing either side of her.  The only people she normally brought with her were her staff and friends, never men on their own! Interesting!

‘Yeah, she promised us the best Chinese in London, and here we are.’  Jon flashed his grin at the older woman, he noticed the calculating look she’d given their new friend, and she looked shocked at Gail coming in with them.

Mai got caught in his grin, damn the boy was cute!

‘Psst, tone the wattage down Jon; you’ll give her a heart attack!’  Gail snickered at Mai’s deer in the headlights look.

Richie laughed loudly, which earned him a jab in the ribs.  He slid his hand under her hair to her neck, leaning over he whispered in her ear, ‘Keep it up darlin; I like a bit of fight in my women.’  His breath moving her hair and blowing into her ear, she shivered.  Damn she’d need a knicker changed if he didn’t quit doing that.

Out the side of her mouth she growled at him, ‘I’m not yours or anyone else’s woman.’ And she walked away from his hand and heat, heading to her usual table blindly, luckily it was empty.

Without thinking she unzipped her jacket and started to take it off, realising just as she passed the point of no return it was a sloganed t-shirt.  Damn, damn and double damn!  She turned her back on them and tried to do the zip back up.  But Jon being the gentleman his momma kicked his butt to be, thought she wanted help off with it, and took hold of it and pulled it off.

‘What …. No, I’m putting it back on, give it here!’  Gail squeaked out.

‘Now honey why would you be putting it back on?’  Jon frowned, pulling the jacket from her.

‘Because of the damn shirt I put on this morning!’ Embarrassment tinged her voice.

‘Oh, darlin it can’t be that bad?’  Richie and Jon looked at each other grinning.

‘Not bad, just well……. Ah hell………embarrassing!  With that she turned and both men’s eyes zeroed in on her chest, and they both sat down with a thud, laughing and snickering.

‘Baby, it ain’t all bad.’  Richie grinned, ‘This mean I get to touch?’  He waggled his eyebrows leering at her chest, ‘I am cute after all!’

‘Me too angel, me too?’  Jon was laughing along with his brother.

The t-shirt read: -

‘If You Touch These, You’d Better Be Damn Cute!’

Gail calmly walked around the table stood behind each of the laughing men, then cuffed them both about the head, ‘Oh for fuck’s sake grow up!’  She turned on her heel and headed to the toilet, head held high as other customers read her shirt then laughed too

Chapter 4

‘Well now Richie, seems you’ve got yourself, what do the fans call themselves …. Oh yeah, a Darksider!  Lucky bastard, she’s damn cute and those lips, man ...’

‘Shut up asshole! How do you know she’s not a Jonny girl?’ 

‘Man, she didn’t even flinch when I asked if we could take her to dinner, I got a no bro!   But you, well she nearly jumped into your arms.’

‘Don’t be an ass.’  But Richie hoped Jon was right, hmmm a Darksider huh.

‘I’m not; she’s more into you than me.  She didn’t cop one free feel while she cracked my neck and back.  Normally I’d have been fighting any other woman off with a baseball bat, but not that lady.  I can’t believe Elton set me up.’

Richie chuckled, ‘Yeah me either, you went down like a brick.  You shoulda seen your face when you realised she was a female, fuck bro, priceless!’

Jon flipped him off as he got dressed.  ‘You know, I’m wondering if she’d agree to help us ...’

‘Don’t go there bro, she’s retiring.’ Richie frowned knowing exactly what he was on about.

‘Yeah but damn Rich she’s the best!  I’m tellin you I could do a back flip and not be bothered about it.  She’s that good!  And she’s not that old bro, trust me.’ Jon grinned, he’d bring it up over dinner, she couldn’t say no, could she?

‘Just cool it, that’s all. She seems nice and I don’t want your ego makin her run for the hills before I can get to know her.’

 Meanwhile in the locker room Gail was panicking, she looked at the clothes she’d got to change into and nearly died!  Had she really walked out the house in that this morning?  That, was holed jeans, biker boots, her favourite black and purple cycle jacket and her t-shirt, she groaned, it had to be a sloganed one! Aw hell, she’d really have any other choice unless she wanted to go out in her uniform.  She changed quickly, undoing her plait and brushing it out. She couldn’t it have a bouncy curl to it?  It just lay there, straight and boring.

Mind you she supposed she could have it cut short, then shuddered, nah!  She ran a lip-gloss over her full lips turning them a deep red, a spritz of perfume and she was ready.  She made certain she zipped up the jacket, no use embarrassing herself, till later!

With a flick of her hair she grabbed her helmet and backpack and headed out the door.

Richie and Jon were in the reception area, Jon had stuffed two fifty-pound notes under Mon’s blotter, with a quick note saying Gail wouldn’t take anything from him, but he felt bad about it, and not to tell her.  Richie pointed out she’d be pissed if she found out, Jon said tough and grinned.

At the snick of the door they both looked up and gulped, man she filled out a pair of skin tight jeans to perfection, her legs went on for miles.

Richie zeroed in on her loose hair; his fingers itched even more now to touch it.

Jon noticed the helmet, nearly drooling he whispered, ‘Holy shit tell me you have a bike?’  His eyes wide and lust filled.

Gail snickered at the awed tones he used, ‘Yup I’ve a hog.’  She watched as his tongue just about hit the floor, ‘Just a Harley Softail Deluxe ‘08’ in white gold/black pearl.’

Richie just kept picturing her naked and astride the damn thing, calm the fuck down will ya, he said to his hardening dick!

Jon groaned, damn he’d been looking at bikes just this week and she’d got a ‘08’ hog.

‘So, I guess you guys are going to follow me to the restaurant then?’ 

‘Can’t I ride with you darlin?’  Jon all but begged.

‘Nope, I’d be scared of having an accident with you on it.’  She opened the door and they all went outside, turning she set the alarm, popped out and locked the door.

They walked to the rear car park; there was her hog and the rental BMW for the boys.

Jon walked over to the bike and lovingly ran his hands over it.  Gail sighed, looked at Richie who she realised wasn’t watching Jon, but her, and asked who drove the car.  He said he did as Jon couldn’t before she’d worked her magic on him.

Walking up to Jon she thrust the keys and the helmet into his hands, ‘You fuck it up on your own I won’t get the blame. Just follow us.’  She sauntered back and Jon whooped with glee.

‘Gaz darlin I fuckin love ya!’  Like a boy given a favourite Christmas gift he was grinning from ear to ear.

‘Be still my beating heart Jon Bon Jovi loves me.’  Looking at Richie she laughed and rolled her eyes, ‘Shall we?’

He walked around the car, crowding her back to the door, ‘That must be one of the nicest things anyone has done for a hell of a long time.  You are a special woman.’  His hand cupped her cheek and he lent over and bussed her lips, Gail’s knees nearly gave out, hot damn Richie Sambora was kissing her!!!!! ‘Thank you.’

He opened the door and she all but poured herself into the seat, her fingers brushed her lips, they tingled from that light caress, and her heart was racing.

Richie wondered what the hell had possessed him to kiss her, but damn not many people would hand over a bike like that, not even to Jon, it just didn’t happen. Looking into her eyes he couldn’t help himself.

He shot out of his revere as the bikes engine growled to life.

Getting into the car he noticed she looked a little shocked and she was touching her lips, was that good or bad, he’d have to wait and find out.

She gave him the address of the restaurant and he set the GPS and off they went, the bike roaring behind them.

Gail prayed that Jon would be careful and that she’d get her sanity back sometime in the next twenty years!

Neither she nor Richie talked much on the drive, each trying to come to terms with what had passed in just a kiss.

Behind them, Jon was laughing his ass off at the wonder of riding a hog, damn life was good!