Chapter 133

By the time they returned to the hotel after dinner Veronica was wonderfully relaxed, but not overly tired. But she was worried about Jon. He’d been unusually quiet ever since the beach. She looked down at him where he reclined in her arms on the couch and slid her fingers through his hair. “Are you okay? How’s your head?”

“I’m fine. Why?”

“You’re awfully quiet.”

“Just relaxed. You?”

“Mmmm, very.”

It didn’t take long before the day caught up with them and the kids started to drop off one by one. Finally, just the adults were left.

Jon stepped out of the bathroom, checked that the kids were asleep and returned to the livingroom only to find it empty. A flash of white on the balcony told him where she’d gone. He pulled a bottle of wine out of the fridge, poured two glasses, turned the radio on low and joined her. “Hey.”

“Hey. Thanks.” Veronica took the glass he handed her, turned her gaze back to the view in front of her and sipped.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Jon captured a dark curl that the warm light breeze was playing with and tucked it behind her ear. His gaze drifted over her, noting how her tanned skin glowed against the white of her sleeveless dress. The buttons running from neckline to the mid calf hem of the loose, flowing skirt gave him all kinds of ideas and started his body humming.

“Mmmm, very. That music’s nice too.”

“Mmmm.” He hesitated, fingers toying with the stem of his wine glass. “Honey....if I asked you a question, would you give me an honest answer?”

Amethyst eyes snapped to his face. “Always.”

“Are you....disappointed that we brought the kids with us?”

“No, of course not!” Mindful of her promise of an honest answer, she debated her wording, and continued. “If I had been thinking of this as our vacation, then I probably would be, but this is a family vacation. Besides, there isn’t much that we can’t do with them here.”

“Well, there are some things.” He chuckled at her censoring look. “Seriously though, you aren’t sorry that we aren’t here alone?”

“It would be different if they lived with you all the time. Then I’d want some alone time, just the two of us. But we can have that at your place.” Grabbing his hand, she tugged until he stood behind her, one arm slipping around her waist, anchoring her against him. “As long as we can find a few minutes like this to enjoy the atmosphere and being here together, I’m content.”

Jon squeezed her and settled his chin on her shoulder. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They stood like that for a long time, sipping wine and enjoying the music and the scenery. Until the scent of the flowers growing around the pool beneath them and the woman in his arms got to him. Setting his glass on the wide railing, he wrapped both arms around her and hugged her tight. With a soft smile Veronica leaned her head back on his shoulder and sighed.

A few minutes later Jon’s hands started to wander, roaming slowly over her torso. A deft flick of his fingers opened buttons allowing his hand access to the firm mounds of her breasts. Another flick and the front closure of her bra was released, baring her to his caressing fingers.

Veronica sighed again and leaned back harder against him. Goosebumps rose on her skin in reaction to his touch. “Mmmmm.”

Jon grinned and nuzzled the sensitive spot under her ear and felt her shiver. He loved how responsive she was to his lightest touch. He filled his hands with her warm flesh, massaging and stroking and teasing her nipples to form hard peaks. “You’re so beautiful.” In search of even warmer flesh, he sent one hand lower. More buttons were pushed from their moorings and the muscles of her lower stomach contracted as callused fingertips coasted over soft skin. Sliding under lace he found the heat he was looking for and dove in.

“Mmmm....Johnny.” Veronica’s eyes closed to better absorb the pleasure his touch brought her. But... “The kids...”

“Are sleeping.” He assured her, his breath a hot gust in her ear. His lips closed over her lobe and he sucked and nibbled while his hands played with her body. When she would have turned around he held her still. “No. Stay like this. Feel my hands on your body. Let me make you come this way.”

Veronica moaned softly at his words. Shaking hands set her glass beside his. Her body began to undulate, searching for more of the pleasure his hands were creating – one on her breast, the other exploring the soft flesh between her legs.

Jon stroked and fondled her, glorying in every whimper, every moan and every small cry he pulled from her. Searching through her swollen folds, he found the nub of her clit and rubbed. First lightly, then with more pressure, then easing back again, slowly, then faster, then slowing down again. Relentlessly teasing, torturing, driving her passion higher and higher.

Desperate for more, but unable to get him to either stop or finish her off, Veronica reached up to slide her fingers into his hair. She turned her head, searching for his mouth, mating hers with it when she found it, tongues tangling.

Jon drew his sweet torture out as long as he could, but his body was making its own demands. Speeding up the pressure and speed of his hands, he pushed her over the edge, swallowing her scream.

While Veronica panted and trembled, Jon placed her hands on the railing. “Hang on.” Once he was sure she could stand, he crouched, reaching under her skirt and sliding her lace panties down her legs, then freeing her feet. Reversing the direction of his hands, he ran his palms over her smooth calves and thighs as he rose, lifting her skirt with him.

At his urging, Veronica set one foot on a bar of the railing halfway to the balcony floor. She felt him fumbling behind her. “What are you....oooh!” The last word was driven from her mind by his rock hard erection being slowly buried inside her. “Jesus!”

“No, Johnny.”

Her laugh was choked off as he started to move, thrusting slowly, but firmly. “Oh God!”

“That’ll work.” He ended on a groan, the feel of her taking him in and squeezing sending lightning bolts to the pleasure centres of his brain.

For long minutes the only sounds on the balcony were sighs and soft moans as passion reigned.

Unable to take anymore, Veronica arched her back and took him deeper. “Johnny please!”

“Unnhh..Nica!” Her name was a whispered prayer as the clenching of her climaxing body pulled him over the edge with her. The motion of his hips slowed, but didn’t stop until he’d given her everything he had.

Jon leaned over her shaking body, hoping their legs wouldn’t collapse and dump them on the floor. It was several minutes before he could be sure his limbs and his voice would work. With one arm around her waist, the other under her knees, he lifted her into his arms. “Grab the wine.”

He managed to stumble to the nearby lounge chair without dropping Veronica – or spilling the wine. Settling her between his legs, he plucked a glass from her hand and took a big restorative gulp. “You wear me out sugar.”

Veronica choked on a mouthful of wine, almost spewing it all over them. She glanced over her shoulder, wide eyed. “Me? I wasn’t the one who started that!”

“Sure you did.”

“How do you figure that?”

“You stood out here, looking so beautiful, smelling better than the flowers....and you told me you loved me. What did you expect to happen?”

Veronica blinked back tears she wasn’t sure were from amusement or emotion. “You’re such a.....guy.” She snuggled in closer.

“Yep, can’t deny it.” Jon rubbed her arm. “Cold?” Veronica shook her head. He smiled and pressed a kiss to her hair. After debating with himself for several minutes he decided to bite the bullet. “Have you given any thought to what you want to do about a job?”

Veronica sighed. “Some, but I haven’t made any decisions.”

“Why don’t you just come work for me? You know us, what we need, how to deal with us.....it’s a no brainer.” He winced. “I mean, you’d be a great fit. I think this tour proved that.”

“Jon, please don’t...”

“Come on Ronnie, what would be wrong with you working for us?”

“I’m just not sure that you and I being together and working together is a good idea. What’s the saying? Absence makes the heart grow fonder, familiarity breeds contempt?”

“You don’t think that we’re mature enough to keep work and personal separate?”

Veronica snorted. “Not a chance in hell. And it has nothing to do with maturity. It’s just our personalities.”

Jon sighed. She was probably right, still... “So are you saying no? Won’t you even give it a try and see if we can make it work?”

“Why do you want me to so badly? We’re already together, why do you want me to work with you as well?”

“Because you’re the best.”

“Jon, cut the bullshit and tell me the truth.”

“That is the truth! You are the best!” He squirmed when she turned her head and met his gaze. He knew she wasn’t going to let him get away with anything less than the complete truth. “I learned the hard way that absences can cause irreparable damage to relationships. I don’t want that to happen again. I want you to travel with me and I know you’d go stir crazy without something to do to make you feel useful, so this seems like the perfect solution.”

Veronica settled back against him. When he put it that way, it made sense. But that still didn’t mean they could actually do it without killing each other.

Jon nudged her. “So? What do you think?”

“I think that I need to think about it some more. I understand what you’re saying, I’m just not sure we won’t kill each other.” She reached up to kiss him. “This is vacation time. Let’s just relax and enjoy it and talk about work when we get home. Okay?”

He knew he’d pushed as far as he could...for now. “Okay.” He sipped his wine. “Can we talk about you moving in?”

“You never give up do you?”

“Nope.” He stroked the back of his fingers down her cheek. “So will you?”

“We’ll see.” It never paid to give in to him too easily. He needed to remember what it was like to work for something he wanted.

“Tease.”

“You love it.”

“Yes, I do.” He touched his lips to hers. “And I love you.”

“I love you too.”