Ch 17 ~ Talking Hearts

The rain stopped and those pretty rays of sunshine that you always associate with Heaven were peeking their way through the clouds outside of Arco Arena.  Rachel took that as a good omen as she guided the BMW into the venue’s parking lot. 

Getting directions to the artist’s entrance from a concession worker on her way into the building, she navigated the empty parking lot to the spot the girl had indicated.  Her next encounter was a security guard monitoring road blocks at a driveway that led somewhere underground.  He took her name and spoke into a rattling radio, eventually moving one of the barricades just enough for her car to get through.  Two more security checkpoints pointed her to still another guard, where she was finally allowed to park. 

It seemed running toward Jon took more effort than just turning her car around and heading in the right direction.    

Closing the car door behind her and setting the alarm, Rachel anxiously looked toward what appeared to be the nearest entrance. 

That must be it.  I hope.

Her suspicion was confirmed when a man wearing a black shirt stepped out of said door. 

“Rachel Braden?”

“Yes.”

His smile was impersonally friendly as he held out a lanyard with an all-access pass dangling from the end.  “Hi, I’m Steve and this should get you anywhere you need to be tonight.  If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you where the dressing rooms are.”

She looped the black string around her neck and nodded at her escort.  “Right behind you.”

Butterflies built in her stomach as they made their way down first one hallway and then another that looked just like the first.  The butterflies morphed into 747’s when they came to a halt in front of a door that bore a laminated sign reading “JBJ”.

Steve knocked on the door and Rachel’s heart did a flip when she heard a grunted, “Come in” from the other side. 

This is it.  No looking back and no regrets.  It’s full steam ahead and damn the torpedoes.  No holds barred, no...  Oh, stop with the damn clichés, Rachel.  Just go and enjoy what you’ve been missing all these months.

The door opened with Steve’s easy twist of the knob and he allowed Rachel to walk through before quietly closing it behind him.

Jon was sitting on the leather sofa staring at a tv screen of some sort, his face intent with concentration.  Whatever had his attention faded away as the door closed and he lifted his eyes, his whole expression changed when he caught sight of her.

The first thing Rachel noticed when he sprang to his feet was how good he looked.  A black vee-necked t-shirt hugged his chest and shoulders just as lovingly as his faded – and no doubt recycled from yesterday – jeans molded to his thighs.  His hair was tousled as though he’d been running his hand through it, indicating agitation, but his smile was easy.

He’s... everything I need right now.

“Hey, sweetheart!” 

As he crossed the room toward her, Jon glanced at the watch on his wrist and teased, “You’re half an hour later than you said.  I was beginning to think you’d bailed on me.” 

That’s because you’re an exceptionally smart man.

When he reached her, his arm circled her neck to draw her against his broad chest.  A gentle kiss to the top of her head had Rachel going misty-eyed again. 

“I… kinda got lost… and sort of had a detour to deal with,” she meekly explained and discreetly sniffled into his t-shirt. 

“A detour, huh?”  He leaned back and eyed her suspiciously.  He knew.  There was no doubt in her mind that he knew what her evasiveness was covering.  Maybe not exactly, but he had a general idea.  Those shrewd blue eyes of his had always been able to read her like a book. 

Rachel wanted to let him know that she was all in.  That she was fully on board with this attempt at reconciliation, but the last hour had been an emotional roller coaster, and she simply couldn’t form the words that would effectively express her feelings.  All she could do was look up into his eyes, let her silence speak and show him her soul.  Rachel knew it would be enough for now. 

And it was. 

There was a change in his whole demeanor as they locked gazes.  The cordial grin melted into a contented smile and his shoulders visibly relaxed.  He seemed to breathe her in, easily comprehending what she had left unsaid and, most importantly, what she needed from him. 

He nodded a sort of acceptance and leaned in to kiss her again, this time on the forehead.   “All that’s important is that, in the end, you found your way, Rach.  Doesn’t matter how long it took you to get here.”

I love you.

Without conscious thought, her hand slid up his chest, its hardness radiating warmth under her palm.  She absorbed it for a fraction of time before continuing upward to sift into the hair over his ears.  The coarse blonde strands tickled the sensitive skin between her fingers and her soul sighed.   

The feel of him in her hand was as familiar to her as the hand itself.  How many times had she raked through the defiantly tousled locks as they passionately kissed or made love?  Too many to count and the memories of all of those times melded together to form a crushing need that could only be slaked by one thing. 

Their eyes darted back and forth at each other briefly before she rose to the tips of her toes and leaned forward.  Tenderly, almost reverently, she took his bottom lip between hers with the lightness of a downy feather.  Their lips barely touched in one of the most chaste kisses they’d shared, yet the intensity of the accompanying emotions left her as light-headed as any sexual interaction.  Ever.

“Thank you,” she whispered against his mouth, certain that he could feel her heart pounding against his breast bone.  He still had the most profound effect on her.

She felt the smile that curved up the corners of his mouth just before he returned her kiss with a playful dusting of his lips over hers. 

“See?  Told ya you’d kiss me first.”

A light laughter bubbled up from deep within her and Rachel shook her head ruefully. 

“You are the most arrogant SOB.  You realize that, right?”

He bent to nip at the corner of her mouth and grinned unapologetically.  “It’s not arrogant if you’re right, baby.  It’s just gooood.”

And it was good.  To be in his arms again, to feel like somebody had her back, to just have the haven of his arms and his understanding...  It was like springtime after a long, dark, cold winter. 

She wanted to rush that springtime into the full bloom of summer, telling him everything she’d been thinking and feeling for the last couple of hours.  It was so tempting to let him know that she was ready for whatever the seasons held.

It’s not the time or place.  He has to work.

As his arms dropped to encircle her waist, she took his face in her hands and kissed him softly again.

“Remember when you said we had unfinished business between us?  Well… I think you’re right.  I know the timing is awful with you being on tour, and I know it’s a lot to ask… but… is it possible for you to … maybe… come back home with me tonight so we can have that talk?”

The summer sun came out in the form of his smile, bathing her with a warmth that only he could generate.  Rachel bit her lip to keep from grinning like a fool.

“Bag’s already packed, sweetheart,” he informed her proudly.  “I always intended on going back with you.  Just didn’t tell you because I figured, if I did, you might not show up.”

This is why this is a good idea, Rachel.  He knows you.  There are things you don’t have to explain ad nauseum because he just knows.

“Arrogant much?”  she asked with a haughty lift of her eyebrow and a smirk. 

Jon pinched her rear end sharply and snorted when she squealed in protest.  “Not arrogant.  Come on... say it with me.  You can do it...”

“Fine, damn you.  Good.  You’re good.”  Rachel squeezed him in a tight hug and stepped back, anxious to have this show over with and get their talk behind them.  It was time to move on.  “I guess you know me pretty well, huh?”

“I do.  For example, I know you well enough to realize something’s going on in your head right this very minute – something pretty intense.”  He pushed the dangling strands of hair away from her face with a tender thumb and captured her eyes again.  “If you need to talk now, we have a little time before I have to do sound check.”

Pitter patter.  Pitter patter. 

She could hear her heart making the sounds.  It was no wonder that the women went nuts over him.  And they were just going ga-ga over his looks.  If they had any idea how thoughtful and sweet he could be...

Don’t go turning this into hearts and flowers.  You know he’s not like that.

No, he wasn’t.  Not in the traditional sense.  But he had his own brand of romance and he did it well.  Or at least it suited Rachel well. 

She smiled and shook her head firmly.  “No.  It can wait.  Really.”

He continued to study her, evaluating the truth in her answer.  Satisfied that she was indeed being honest, he gave another nod of acceptance.

“Alright, then.”  He dropped another simple kiss against her mouth.  “Just so you know... There’s a lot I need to tell you, too.  I wish we didn’t have all these interruptions so we could get on with this, but I promise – as soon as the show is over – we’ll have some uninterrupted time to sort all this shit out.”