Chapter 77

Did he just……..propose? Desi thought in shock, staring into those impossibly blue eyes, seeing the patience as he just stared back, waiting for her answer. An answer which slipped unbidden from her lips, instinct telling her what to say.

“Yes.” She whispered with a soft, shaky smile, a smile which broadened into a grin to mirror his own.

“Yes?” Jay had to double check.

“Yes.” Desi repeated. “Yes, I will marry you, Jay Kelsall.”

Any further response was cut off as he crushed his lips onto hers, and their kiss was spiced, made more poignant by the commitment they had just made to one another. When they finally broke apart, Jay took Desi’s left hand, caressing her ring finger.

“We need to go shopping.” He rolled his eyes at her confused expression, squeezing her finger gently. “For a ring?”

“Oh!” Desi blushed. “Don’t you think you should meet my parents first? I mean, I’ve met your mom……and your dad, I guess, but you’ve not met mine!”

“Okay. Are they in town? Let’s go now.” He sat up, pulling her with him as she laughed.

“Well, let me call them, make sure they’re home.”

Jay grinned, kissing her again. “While you do that, I’m going to call my mom.” He hesitated. “I mean, unless you want me to wait until your folks know?”

“No - call her.” Desi giggled. “Not like I’m going to change my mind if my parents disapprove! Which they absolutely won’t.” She reassured him.

Billie and Richie were still in his kitchen - Richie pouring coffee while Billie removed the last of the char-cookies - Richie’s newly created word - from the tray. When they heard the muted buzz, Richie held up a hand to stall Billie as he took the few long strides required to get to the living room.

“Yours!” He yelled, squinting at the display. “It’s Jay.”

“Oh, the big-mouthed Jay-bird!” She replied, meeting him halfway as Richie brought the phone to her. “Thanks.”

“My pleasure.” He gave her one of his ‘special’ grins - soft yet striking, subtly sexy and devilishly mischievous. A grin to kill - or at least mortally wound - a lesser woman.

Billie grinned back at him, her own expression more relaxed than he’d seen her since the assault. Answering the call, she faked annoyance.

“You have some explaining to do, mister!” She barked, though her grin softened the sound. “Telling Richie about my birthday?!”

“Uh, yeah, sorry about that, mom.” He sounded anything but sorry, though, and Billie was about to find out why. “I have something to tell you.”

“Something good I hope. Oh, thanks.” The aside to Richie as he handed her a steaming mug.

“Yeah. Well, I think so. You sitting down?”

“Nope.”

Here goes. Thought Jay, taking a deep breath. “Thing is…….I uhhh……… I proposed to Desi, mom. And she said yes. We’re going to get married!”

“What?!” This, Billie hadn’t expected. But she couldn’t honestly say it was a bad thing - Jay was clearly besotted with the pretty young nurse, and she seemed just as deeply in love with him. There was only one thing Billie could say. “Congratulations! Wow……does she know what she’s letting herself in for?”

Of course Jay, raised by Billie, inheriting her broad streak of sarcasm and her biting humor didn’t take even a second’s offense, firing back a response.

“Sure she does, mom. She’s met you before.”

“Smartass.” Billie muttered, grinning, seeing the curious expression on Richie’s face, holding her hand up to gesture that she’d tell him the news when she finished the call. “Don’t think that this gets you off the hook for telling Richie about my birthday, though. I still need to kick your ass for that one.”

Jay chuckled. “You may have to get in line…….we’re going over to see Desi’s parents……I haven’t even met them yet. Her dad may not be happy!”

“Well, if he has a problem with my baby boy, he has to deal with me!” Billie told him with a grin. “And I doubt he’s that brave, so you’ll be fine.”

Richie’s curiosity was starting to become glaringly obvious, but he was going to have to wait another few seconds, as his own phone now buzzed, demanding attention. He picked it up, checking the display, then wandered over to the tall windows as he answered the call, wanting just a little privacy. Billie watched him for a moment, then her voice softened as she again addressed her son.

“I really am happy for you both, Jay.” She said. “I’m not going to give you any lectures about hardly knowing Desi or anything like that - you’re smart enough to know what you want, and Desi is sure as hell smart enough to say no if she didn’t want the same thing. Congratulations to you both.”

“Thanks mom.” Jay grinned at Desi as she walked out of the bedroom, nodding her head to confirm that, yes, her parents were in town. “Well, I guess we better get ready and go see Desi’s parents. How about we try to set up a dinner so you can all meet?”
“Sounds good, Jay. Bye.”

“Bye mom.”

“So what did Billie say?” Desi asked, honestly a little nervous - it was one thing to have your boyfriend’s mom like you, but quite another for her to become your mother-in-law, that dread creature, the butt of so many jokes.

“She said that you’re smart to marry me.” Jay tried, but Desi just laughed at him, so he had to correct himself. “Okay, okay, she said you’re smart enough to say no if you didn’t want to marry me, so she’s happy for us both. She also said that if your dad didn’t like me he’d have to deal with her!”

“Oh, trust me, baby, I can handle my dad.” She assured him, sliding her arms around his waist and stepping in close. “I love you, Jay.”

“I love you too, Karenza Desiree.”


While Billie and Jay had been talking, Richie’s call was from Jon, which was why he’d taken it over by the windows. After the initial pleasantries, he’d quickly and quietly told his buddy that Jay had called to give him a heads-up on Billie’s birthday, and he outlined the plan for the surprise party.

“So can you let the rest of the guys know?” He asked Jon in a hushed tone. “Don’t even let her know you know about her birthday - hell, she’s already pissed at Jay for telling me, so I don’t need her getting mad at me too, for spilling it to everyone else.”

“Okay, sure.” Jon had to ask. “And Jay wants us - me - there?”

“Yep.” One little white lie wouldn’t hurt anyone, Richie decided, knowing how much that would mean to Jon, not even needing to be able to see his friend of so many years to know he’d just broken out that megawatt grin.

“Anyway…….reason I called……need to start a bit later today - I got some stuff to take care of.” He chuckled suddenly. “Maybe we should see if we can still pull an all-nighter. You up for it?”

“Hell yeah.” A slight frown. “Billie was gonna come out today, though. She made Teek’s cookies!”

“Uhhh……well, let her know the plan.” Jon shrugged. “If there’s one thing I got, it’s plenty of bedrooms - she can stay too, if she likes.”

“Okay.” Richie looked over at Billie, seeing her now apparently texting someone. He lowered his voice. “I’d rather not leave her alone here today anyway.”

“Why not?”

“Aw, she had another……umm……..wobble a little while ago.” He said carefully, hearing Jon’s soft, automatic reaction.

“That sick motherfucker…….”

“Yeah, but she’s okay now. Of course, she did charcoal a batch of cookies, so a late start will let her make more!”

“Jesus - you’re worse than a kid!” Jon chuckled, then his call waiting beeped. “Ugh. Okay, later, bro.”

Snapping his phone shut, Richie moved toward Billie as her phone buzzed again, and she quickly read the text reply from Jay before grinning and looking at Richie.

“Okay, the curiosity’s killing me……..spill!” He demanded.

Chapter 76

Sitting in his apartment, Jay smiled silently at Desi sleeping next to him, her hair disarrayed on the pillow from the thrashing of her head as he’d brought her to orgasm. Repeatedly, which accounted for her current comatose condition.

‘I may be inexperienced’ he thought ‘but apparently I have skills……natural ones. I wonder if I get that from my……….oooohkaaay stop that thought! I do not need to be thinking about my mom and….him…..’

Shoving the thoughts out of his head, Jay picked up his wallet, scratching through the receipts stuffed in the back until he found one from Cuba Libre. He dialled the number printed on the receipt, reaching to stroke Desi’s hair as the phone began to ring.

He was in luck, as Hannah answered the phone. Not only was Hannah the co-ordinator of events at the club, but he’d also met her on a few occasions, so when he explained what he was looking for she was immediately helpful. More than aware of the amount of business the team gave the club - and also knowing what such a high profile party would do for their bottom line - she didn’t even bother to check with her boss before telling Jay that she would close the club for the party.

“You don’t have to…….” Jay’s voice trailed off as he realised maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea, and Hannah echoed his own thoughts.

“I was just thinking, after what your mom has been through - I saw it in the papers.” She added quickly. “That keeping this a closed party would be a good idea. Plus with all the team here……”

“And my………uhh………boss and his guys want to come.”

“Then I definitely think we keep this a private party.” She repeated, knowing that having the band there would create even more of a buzz………not to mention ensure that practically every Bon Jovi fan who visited the city would want to come party once they found out ‘the guys’ had been there.

“Yeah, you’re right. But remember it’s a surprise party…….” His voice trailed off as he thought, but he knew Richie would be more than able - and definitely willing - to somehow get his mom there under false pretences. “Okay, let’s do it. I’ll handle getting my mom there.”

By his side, Desi stirred, moaning - actually more like purring - as she woke with a smile and drowsy, sexy eyes. She raised a hand to cover Jay’s as he still stroked her hair, looking up at him as he finished his call. Watching her as he talked, Jay felt a sudden certainty, a knowledge that there was something he had to do right now, and he said goodbye to Hannah and snapped his phone shut, sliding down the bed to lie level with Desi.

“Hi.” She whispered, moving her hand to trace a finger across his lips as he smiled at her.

“Hi.” Jay replied, catching her hand and holding it between them as he continued, looking into her eyes. “Desi?”

“Mm-hm?”

“Desi, will you marry me?”

At that unexpected question, her eyes flew wide.


In another Philadelphia apartment - penthouse - someone else was pondering an unexpected question. Fortunately, though, that someone was a man given to swift decisions, and he smiled down into eyes as brown as his own.

“Abso-fuckin-lutely.” Richie purred with a soft grin on his lips, then he leaned forward just a little, touching his still-smiling lips against Billie’s.

It was a soft kiss, tender and almost chaste, his lips just barely caressing hers before he drew back to look at her, needing to check she was ready for this.

Billie drew her lower lip into her mouth, tasting him, tasting cookies and coffee, but most of all tasting Richie. Shifting her position, she freed her arms from his, bringing both hands up to cup his tanned face, her thumbs brushing over the crinkled lines at the corners of his smiling eyes.

“Kiss me Richie.” She repeated, and this time it was a demand for more. More which he was happy to give.

This time as he kissed her his lips parted, then so did hers, a shared breath before Richie’s hand cupped her head again, tilting her so they could more perfectly fit their mouths together. A touch of tongue on tongue, yet still the kiss was gentle, an introduction, neither yet ready for a passionate, consuming contact.

That first kiss was savored slowly and deliberately, more meaningful than any wild passion, pleasure taken from every touch and nuance, every slow stroke of tongue on tongue, every taste and sensation they found in each other. Then, in a shared moment of perfect timing, they both drew back a little, looking just a little surprised.

“Umm…...” Billie whispered.

“Yeah.” Richie responded, his big hand stroking her hair.

Only now did they both become aware of the sound of an alarm going off in the apartment, realizing that it must have been sounding for quite some time as they both smelled smoke.

“Damn…..” Pulling herself reluctantly out of Richie’s arms, Billie gave a wry grin at the confused look on his face. “Tico will not be happy!”

“Huh?” He still didn’t get it, even as she stood and headed for the kitchen.

“Cookies!” Billie called over her shoulder, grabbing a towel and flapping it ineffectively under the screaming smoke alarm.

Richie was laughing as he arrived in the kitchen, seeing the smoke wisping from the oven door. He took the towel from Billie, inches enough taller than her that he just flipped open the cover on the alarm, yanking the battery from the terminals, silencing the annoying sound.

“You tryin’ to burn down my apartment?” He chuckled as Billie opened the oven, pulling out a tray of seriously burnt cookies.

“Sorry!” She giggled, sincere but amused nonetheless. Poking at the cookies with a spatula, she rolled her eyes. “I don’t think even David will eat these.”

“Good thing you got more cookie dough.” Richie smiled as he stuck a finger in the bowl, lifting out a glob of dough that went straight into his mouth.

“Well, I do for now!” Billie rolled her eyes at his childlike action, then did the same thing herself. Yeah, so the faceless ‘they’ who said what was and wasn’t good for you said that raw cookie dough was bad, but damn it tasted good.

Though they didn’t regret it - not for a minute - neither of them mentioned their kiss, both trying to work it through in their minds, trying to figure out what exactly was going on here. Yet somehow, even right now, there was no awkwardness between them, and in the comfortable, companionable silence they so often found themselves in, Billie carried the tray of charcoaled cookies to the trash can, scraping off what she could before taking the tray to the sink, trying to soak off the remains.

Chapter 75

Billie was in Richie’s steel and granite kitchen, mixing up a batch of cookie dough, since Tico had practically begged her to make more cookies ‘to help me put up wit’ his shit’ as he put it, with a theatrical nod toward Jon, last time she’d been in the studio. His favorites were her white chocolate and macadamia ones, made from scratch - no pre-packaged mixes for this lady - the way her mother had taught her many years before.

From the direction of the living room, she heard the dull buzz of a cellphone vibrating on the coffee table, and she paused in her stirring, waiting.

“Mine!” Richie yelled from his couch as he grabbed the offending phone, and Billie started back to what she was doing as he answered the call, the display already forewarning him of the caller.

“Hey kid. What’s up?”

“Hey Richie.” Came that voice that was young-Jon, yet not Jon. Richie wasn’t sure if he’d ever get used to that. “Is mom around?”

“Yeah. You want……..”

“No! No, I don’t want to talk to her - wanted to talk to you. Can she hear you?”

“Noooo……….” Richie sat up a little straighter, listening carefully. “Is everything okay?”

“Aw shit - sorry - yeah. Everything’s fine.” A soft chuckle. “Better than fine I guess…..but that’s not why I called. It’s mom’s birthday next week - Friday - and I was thinking of setting up a little surprise party, and since she’s staying there I could use your help.”

“Ahhhh……” Richie said wisely. And pointlessly. “Whaddya need me to do?”

“I was hoping you could handle keeping her busy all that day, then get her to the party around eight o’clock.”

Richie bit back any smartass remarks about how he could keep her busy all day, or how he’d like to keep her busy all day, and thought for a minute.

“Okay. Where do we need to be?”

“I was thinking Cuba Libre, on South Second. I know most of the team will want to be there, and they - okay we - hang out there a lot. Good food, too.”

“Cube Libre.” Richie murmured, thinking. “Don’t think I’ve been there. Guess Teek will be happy you’ve chosen somewhere with Cuban food.” A pause. “I mean, if you were planning to invite the guys?”

Jay blinked in surprise, sitting on the bed of his apartment. Somehow it hadn’t occurred to him that the members of the band would want to join the celebration. “Uh - sure! I mean, of course, if you think they’d want to come?”

“Kid, at this very moment your mom is baking cookies specially for Tico. At his request.” A smirk, unseen by Jay, but heard in the next words. “Actually, make that demand. His payment for putting up with your…….uh, with Jon.”

“Thanks.” Jay said softly, not having to explain that his gratitude was for Richie carefully sidestepping calling Jon his father. He may not be able to change it, he - and the world - may be aware of it, but he still wasn’t used to it…..and he wasn’t sure he ever would be.

“So next Friday, right?” Richie queried, turning his head as Billie walked into the room carrying a kitchen towel, weighed down with a fresh, hot cookie in the center.

“Yeah. Thanks Richie.”

Billie laid the cookie on Richie’s knee, starting slightly when he caught her hand as she started to walk away. When she looked down at him, though, he just mouthed ‘thank you’ with a grin, and she grinned as she mouthed back ‘you’re welcome’. He kept hold of her fingers, though, pulling gently to make her stay, and she stopped with a slight frown, waiting for him to finish his call so she could find out why.

“Okay. Thanks for letting me know. Bye.”

“Bye.” Jay replied, hanging up the phone as Richie did the same before looking up at Billie.

“What?” She asked, confused.

“A little bird just told me that somebody has a birthday next week.” He smirked up at her, finally releasing her hand as he picked up the cookie instead. “Kept that quiet, didn’t ya?”

“Ugh. I assume that would be a little Jay-bird? He’ll be a black-and-blue-Jay when I get my hands on him! I don’t really celebrate my birthday.”

“Why not?”

“Why? Celebrate getting older? Celebrate managing to survi……..” She paused, cutting herself off, but Richie finished it for her.

“Celebrate managing to survive another year?” He completed before continuing quietly. “I’d think that this year of all years you should be celebrating.”

“Maybe.” Billie whispered tonelessly, dropping to sit on the other couch as those simple words reminded her again of what had happened, of how close she’d been to death just a short time before. Reminded her of too much, bringing back the horror and disgust in a shuddering wave that ripped through her, leaving her fighting for breath, taking her from amusement to an anxiety attack in seconds. “I ca…..I can’t breathe…………” She gasped helplessly, no longer even seeing Richie as her eyes blurred in panic.

“Aw fuck.” Richie muttered as he moved toward Billie, not even noticing when the cookie hit the floor. He hated this.

It wasn’t that he blamed Billie for the sudden, though thankfully rare, anxiety attacks. Wasn’t that he thought she was being melodramatic or playing for sympathy. Far from it. He hated seeing a strong woman in such abject panic because of the actions of some pathetic asshole. Hated seeing her lose the control she obviously valued so highly, hated seeing her hurt so badly. Hated seeing her so close to being broken.

Most of all, he hated that he couldn’t do anything to make it stop.

So he did the only thing he could. When the panic and terror hit her, when she was lost in those dark memories, he held her close and kept her safe.

“Billie.” He murmured as he got to her, repeating her name as he gently touched her knee.

Blinded by her fear, Billie bolted backward on the couch, her voice rising in a bubbling scream.

“Noooooo!” She lashed out with both fists and feet, fighting him off as Richie tried to gain control of her.

“Billie, it’s me…..it’s Richie……you’re safe darlin’.” He finally managed to get past the flailing fists, wrapping his arms around her, holding her arms pinned against her body and just doing his best to avoid the knees that she aimed at his groin, catching the blows on his thigh instead. “C’mon cowgirl…………it’s me…….shhhh……..”

As she slowly stopped fighting him, Richie shifted his grip, one arm around her body, the other hand cradling her head, holding her close against his own broad body as she gasped for air, gulping and sobbing, drawing strength from Richie as she fought for control.

“That’s it, Billie……..breathe, darlin’. Take it slow…….you’re okay. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” Richie encouraged her, stroking her hair as tenderly as though she were Ava in the grip of a nightmare, even though his feelings were far from paternal. “I got you baby.”

Blinking rapidly, Billie finally managed to get past the panic, finally saw Richie’s chest in her field of vision, felt the arms around her and knew they were his. He felt it, too, felt her breathing hitch then fall back into a more natural rhythm, and he eased his head back to look down at her.

“Better?”

“Uh huh.” Billie looked up at him, brown eyes meeting brown eyes, seeing his gentle smile, and the words came out of her mouth without conscious thought. “Kiss me, Richie?”