Ch 24 ~ Up and Alone

There was a soft tickling at his neck that made him squirm, his legs tangling in the sheets.  Jon couldn’t see what it was, but the hint of fragrance told him all he needed to know.  The faint essence of pure woman and lingering sex was very distinctive, even to his allergy-ridden nostrils.  In a double-bonus, they not only revealed the source of his tickler, they enticed him to bury his face in his favorite bouquet of dewy petals.

He growled softly from the back of his throat, more than willing to accommodate the stirring below his waist.  However, he enjoyed the feeling enough – and was certain enough what it would lead to – that he took his time, stretching himself as far as he could.  Toes valiantly reached for the foot of the mattress, his dick reached for the ceiling and clenched palms bumped against the headboard as he twisted at the waist and groaned with appreciation.  His muscles – with one notable exception – were more relaxed than they had been in ages.

Thanks to Rachel.

A slow smile crept onto his face and he rolled onto his side, reaching for the body that he’d been dreaming about waking up with again for months.   Fully expecting his arm to settle in the indentation of her waist, Jon’s smile slipped to a scowl as he encountered nothing but cool, empty sheets. 

What the fuck?

Swatting at his neck, he squinted his eyes open and saw that the tickling sensation has been caused by the corner of the pillowcase.  There was no Rachel and his morning wood was going to go to waste. 

And why exactly is that?  Because it’s a damn cryin’ shame, for sure. 

Daylight made her bedroom bright and blinding despite the shutters that had been closed shut, and he shielded his eyes as he leaned across the bed to investigate the clock on her nightstand.  It was nearly noon, which was about his average “rise and seek coffee” time the night after a show, but it explained why he was in bed alone.  Rachel had never been one to sleep in.  It didn’t matter what time she went to bed, she couldn’t manage to keep her eyes shut past seven or eight o’clock in the mornings. 

Flopping onto his back with a disgruntled – and disappointed – growl, he scrubbed a hand over the stubble coating his jaw.  Jon had the briefest worry that Rachel had pulled a runner on him, but it was no more than a passing concern. 

Nah.  She’s all-in, even if she didn’t agree to marry me yet.  Maybe she’s making me coffee.

He didn’t smell anything, but the kitchen was a fair distance from the bedroom.  Just to appease his own curiosity along with his undeniable need for caffeine, he pulled on his jeans to go investigate. 

Scratching at his chest as he padded down the stairs, he called her name, but received no reply.  He frowned a bit and made his way on into the kitchen, but there was no Rachel – and no coffee.  There was, however, a note that he saw when he went to the barista machine to make his own cup of java. 

Had a 9 am meeting and didn’t want to wake you.

Not sure if you can stay today?  Never got around to asking your plans last night.

If you have to leave, I’ll talk dirty to you over the phone while you eat crappy room service tonight.  Otherwise, I’ll cook you a romantic dinner when I get home. 

Love you-Rachel

While Jon brewed his much needed caffeine fix, he leaned against the counter and read the note over again.  With the first reading had come a tiny sense of relief, while the second reading brought on a fair helping of guilt. 

She’d been up with him most of the night.  They hadn’t even gone upstairs until after 4 a.m. and if she had a 9 a.m. meeting…  Well, she couldn’t have had any more than a couple hours of sleep.  Probably not that much.  The simple fact that she didn’t call in sick confirmed something that he’d already known about Rachel – she had a seriously committed work ethic.  It had always impressed the hell out of him, but this was what he’d label as “going above and beyond”. 

On top of it all, she wanted to cook him dinner at the end of what was likely going to be an ass-dragging day.  His conscience gave him a good swift kick as he poured his coffee, but how was he going to tell her no?  She was as determined as he was when she put her mind to something and if he suggested she might not feel up to cooking, it would simply make her all the more insistent. 

Shaking his head, he put the concern aside until his brain cells had been properly saturated in caffeine.  He carried the hot brew into her home office and plopped down at her desk so that he could check emails.   Shaking the mouse to wake the computer, Jon noticed the framed print that was positioned just to the right of her computer. 

Until you are broken,

You don’t know

What you’re made of.

Jon knew Rachel had always been drawn to inspirational quotes.  He’d found it be one of the windows into her soul, in fact.  Finding this kind of art wasn’t at all unusual in her house, but this specific piece was new – at least new since the last time he’d been there. 

The quotes that “spoke” to a person said a lot about them and their mindset and seeing this one sitting in a highly visible spot where Rachel would see it every single day…  It was significant.

In his eyes, it was both significant and tragic.  It was also a whole lot like a knife to his heart.  The thought of her feeling broken, particularly when there was no doubt in his mind as to who was responsible.  Maybe not for all of it, but he was the most recent nail in the coffin, so to speak. 

Jon touched the edge of the frame, thoughtfully chewing his lip.  There was so much to make up for.  How did he even begin to try?