Chapter Thirty One

Billie got off the couch, stretching the stiffness out of her muscles. On the floor, Deke raised his head wearily. He’d been lying between the couch and coffee table, between his mistress and his new friend, Jon, sleeping soundly as the humans whiled away the night.

“You okay, baby?” Billie asked, bending to ruffle his neck.

“I’m fine, honey.” Jon replied, and Billie laughed, straightening to ruffle his hair instead.

“Sorry - didn’t mean to neglect you.”

“Forgive you for a kiss.”

She bent to kiss the top of his head.

“How’s that?”

“Pathetic.” Jon grumbled, laying aside the guitar and grabbing Billie, pulling her onto his lap.

His teeth nipped at her lower lip until she opened her mouth, then his tongue slid in, licking against her own tongue, feeling the purr as Billie kissed him back. It turned into a near-teenager making out session, with Jon’s hands under the back of Billie’s t shirt, her hands in his hair. Somehow, though, neither of them wanted to take things to their ultimate conclusion right now, and they parted slowly, the deep kiss fading to light touches of lips and tongues, then to nothing but holding each other.

“D’you want coffee?” Billie asked huskily.

“Nah.” Jon shook his head.

“How about hot chocolate? I feel like hot chocolate.”

“You feel hot, anyway.” Jon mumbled with a grin. “But chocolate sounds good.”

He still held her, until Billie chuckled, bumping his forehead with hers.

“You gotta let me up, then, if I’m going to fix chocolate.”

“Oh. Shit. Okay, if you insist.”

“I do.” She smirked. “Don’t you know better than to get between a woman and chocolate?”

Jon laughed, opening his arms immediately, and Billie got to her feet, heading for the kitchen. Still sitting on the coffee table, Jon watched her go, then felt a thump on his bare foot and looked down.

Deke was watching him, and the thump had been his right paw smacking down on Jon’s foot, demanding attention.

“Hey buddy.” Jon murmured, scratching the dog’s head, and Deke gave a brief lick at Jon’s foot before dropping his head again.

Billie was pouring milk into a pan when she caught sight of Jon, reflected in the dark window. It looked like he was trying to sneak up on her - obviously unaware she could see him - and as he got close she spoke without turning around.

“This is a pretty heavy pan, so it’ll hurt if I hit you with it. Not to mention I’ll spill the milk and we’ll get no chocolate.”

“How did you…….?” Jon finally saw his reflection. “Well, shit.”

He perched on the edge of the kitchen table, watching Billie as she warmed the milk and added chocolate. When it was ready, she filled two mugs and handed one to Jon, then paused.

“I think I have whipped cream somewhere. D’you want some?”

“Not in this.” He winked. “Maybe later.”

“Later? Oh.” Billie blushed as she understood what he meant. “I think I’ll take this through to bed. Umm…..”

It was strange. Even with all they’d shared, it still didn’t feel right to have Jon sleeping in her bed. Billie could only assume that, somewhere in her conscience, there was a reason, even if she couldn’t fathom it. Luckily, and just as strangely, Jon felt the same.

“Yeah. S’pretty late, and I still gotta pull out that couch thing.”

Neither of them vocalized it, but they were relieved that they were both feeling the same thing, and Billie just smiled.

“D’you need a hand?”

“Nah. I can manage.” Jon laid down his mug and got off the table, wrapping his hands around her face. “G’night, Billie.” He kissed her gently.

“G’night cowboy.” Billie winked, and Jon grinned as he let her go.

“I’m still a cowboy! Cool.”

Billie took her mug along the hallway, passing the attic ladder and dropping her chocolate off in the bedroom before heading back to the kitchen. Jon was in the living room, lounging on the couch, and he looked up when she reappeared.

“I never did close the attic.” She explained, bringing a chair from the kitchen.

“I could have helped you.” Jon said, but Billie waved a hand at him.

“S’okay. Only takes a minute.”

She pushed the ladder back up until it clicked into place, then stood on the chair to close the hatch and bolt it shut. The chair, she left in the hallway, against the wall, and just went to her bedroom. She didn’t bother to close the door fully. Partly because, well, Jon had seen her naked often enough, but also because Deke hadn’t yet followed her, and she didn’t want him scratching at the door if he wanted in.

Stripping naked, she settled into bed with her mug of chocolate and sipped slowly, flipping through the pages of a magazine without any real interest. Finishing her chocolate, she tossed the magazine to the floor and flicked off the light.

In the living room, Jon did pretty much the same thing, drinking hot chocolate while naked under the covers, re-reading the lyrics he’d written, wondering if the song would ever be anything more than just words scratched on a page. Wondering if the band would stay together. Or, really, if they’d get back together. They may not have said it in so many words, but right now Bon Jovi, the band, was finished. As he thought that, and the hurt started to burn in him again, he felt the mattress jolt as Deke clambered up beside him. Chuckling, Jon reached out a hand.

“Come on then, Dekey.” The dog curled up beside him, his chin resting on Jon’s thigh. “I hope you don’t snore.”

When Billie woke next morning, she was surprised to find herself alone. Deke hadn’t come to join her, which was unusual, but then she figured maybe he had, but he’d already gone off somewhere - he’d spent the previous day at the animal hospital, then shut in the house, so he’d be bored.

She got out of bed and pulled on a robe against the chill of morning, stumbling to the bathroom. When she finished in there, she went back to the bedroom, grabbing her mug and making a face at the congealed chocolate stuck to it.

“Great.” She muttered, looking at it as she bent to pick up the magazine she’d dropped.

Without even looking at it, she folded the magazine and took it with her to the kitchen, to drop it into the trash. She didn’t know why she’d even bothered with it - Carrie had given her it, but music magazines really weren’t Billie’s style. She’d prefer an actual book over a magazine any day.

In the living room, she paused, grinning. Jon was still fast asleep, the cover lying dangerously close to leaving him naked, caught just at his hipbones, leaving that delightfully furred chest bare. What made her grin, though, was the fact that Deke’s head rested on Jon’s belly, and Jon had one hand flung across the dog. Deke looked at Billie a little guiltily, but made no effort to move, and she shook her head as she went into the kitchen, ditching the magazine before starting coffee.

She left Jon to sleep while she fixed coffee and started to cook, and she was concentrating on the bacon in a frying pan when arms snaked gently around her waist and a voice murmured sleepily in her ear.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning yourself.” She twisted to look at him, seeing him still drowsy. “There’s coffee. You look like you could use some.”

“Yeah.” Jon pressed his lips softly against hers, then backed away, finding a mug and pouring himself some coffee. “You need a refill?”

“Nope. I’m good.”

Jon scratched a hand through his hair, still feeling somehow grubby from the dust of the attic.

“Okay if I grab a quick shower?”

“Sure. I’ll give your bacon to Deke if you’re not back.”

The caffeine was starting to wake Jon now, and he grabbed the back of her robe, pulling it high enough to slap his hand on her bare ass.

“Don’t you dare!”

“Why not?” Billie quirked an eyebrow. “Are you going to spank me if I do?”

“I…….” Jon looked at her cheeky expression. “I dunno. Would you enjoy it?”

Billie blushed, turning back to the bacon. “You never know.” She murmured.

Jon still had his hand under the robe, and he squeezed her ass gently before letting go.

“This conversation is to be continued.” He promised, taking his coffee and heading for the bathroom.